It must be May.....

The newsletter is on it's way to you all!  Hoping you'll love the class line-up, I tried to throw in a little of everything and there will be more coming.....

Yesterday was Healing Heroes - Quilts of Valour day at the Doodle and Judy brought in yet another completed quilt for which she quickly whipped up a pillow case to match.....

This is a great pattern and the quilt is really awesome - loads of leaves in the boxes.....She quilted the boxes in the ditch and then meandered inside and outside the boxes.  There were another 8 finished quilts delivered to Virginia, then Pat, then Alison as well.  These ladies just keep producing gorgeous quilts.....

I have received all of my blocks for the 9 Patch Exchange and since my dear friend Debbie came in to quilt with me yesterday I began work on the quilt top.  Since there is going to be a reveal planned I will give you this one pic to whet your appetites and you will have to figure out what I'm up to......

Jo-Ann's 9 Patch Exchange Quilt

I am thrilled with the way it's coming along so I honestly can't wait to get it done.  Stay tuned!  I think today I received the last group of outstanding blocks so everyone will receive all of their blocks and they too can make some awesome quilts.  Can't wait to see them all!  It may even inspire another exchange!

Happy quilting!

Jo-Ann

P.S. If you want to see what's happening with The Farmer's Wife head over to Jo-Ann's Creations, Trials & Tribulations.

Where does it go......

I have been focused - on quilting and preparing the newsletter which is about to hit the "waves".  (Internet air waves...)

So the Asian Invasion has inspired me - below the beginnings of my Bento Box quilt - I'm using the Anna Griffin Asians to do it.  The middle block didn't really work for me so I've since "unstitched" it and used the fabrics for two other blocks which I will share next time.  I think it's going to be awesome and I'm working on it at the store so come by and check out my progress....

 Bento Box quilt

On the home front, Amish With A Twist is coming along fine.  I completed Block 12 - Birds In The Air and the extras for the first border.

 Block 12 - Birds In The Air

I spent Saturday at the store cutting out the fabrics for Lessons 13, 14 and 15, while Debbie kept me company while working on her Box Step quilt in Red, Black and White.  Wish I had taken a picture but I think I'd left the camera at home.

Then home to start the next stage of the Amish - sewing the setting blocks!  Check out Block 1 - Rail Fence enclosed......

 Rail Fence enclosed.....

Then back to my Asian obsession, below is Nine By Twelve using those fabulous Asian fabrics we received last week.  I just need to add the borders which I hope will happen this week some time or this weekend maybe....and then write up the patterns for this and the Bento Box and wow!!!!

Nine By Twelve

Today I spent polishing and putting the finishing touches on the newsletter so look out - it'll be online momentarily......great classes, loads of fun!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

The Asian Invasion......

Talk about a busy week for me!  Thursday night we, Linda cutting and Gillian and I packing, were busy getting the Amish With A Twist first installments ready for pick-up.  In the meantime there were 4 large boxes of fabrics to unpack.

That happened on Friday - first 12 bolts of Kyota, which this picture (of course) does not due justice to.  I've already started a project using 6 of these fabrics - you'll see it further down the page.  

 12 bolts of Kyota next to our gorgeous Champagne Lights

Then there are an additional 17 bolts of Honoka from Anna Griffin which is absolutely gorgeous!  The feel of this fabric is gorgeous too!  Oh, and I started yet another project - check below...... 

 Anna Griffin's Honoka

I have a new spot for great new fabrics - it's Jo-Ann's Treasure Chest - a place where I can put all my favourites.....

 Check out my Treasure Chest

Introducing Riley Blake - Serenity!  It is absolutely stunning!  You really have to see this in person and I will tell you that it is going fast.... The Friday night crew and the Saturday bunch has already had their cuts.....

 Serenity by Riley Blake

Okay, okay, I know!!!  Yet another project on the go!  This one is at the store and I'm gonna try for a "block a day".  It's a Bento Box - and I'm using those fabulous Honoka prints from Anna Griffin.  I can't wait to see how it evolves but I had to, because I had a dream......seriously, I dreamt about this quilt Friday night.....

 New Project - Bento Box with Honoka

Of course there is still the Amish With A Twist on the go - Block #9 is finally done (there was a slight lull there while I got other important stuff done).

 Block #9 - Star Diamond Block

Then of course there are my little extra blocks I made from the left overs.

 Leftovers from Block #9

Block # 10 - Square In A Square is also done.  There were no leftovers with this one (unfortunately). 

 Block #10 - Square In A Square

Do you remember the Radical Rail - I've got 20 blocks done!  That's two thirds of the quilt top!!!  Almost there.......

 Radical Rail - soon to be a pattern and a class

That didn't stop me - here's Block #11 - Hole in the Barn Door, again no leftovers for blocks, but that's okay, I have plenty for an "extra" project.  I'll keep you all posted on that idea.

 Block #11 - Hole in the Barn Door

This is project #3 -  Nine by Twelve!  It's made from 6 of those great Kyota fabrics and the first 3 rows are together.  Working on the next 3 now.....

My Kyota Project

I spent the whole afternoon quilting away and it was wonderful!  I love it when I have a day to quilt.....amazing what I can get done!  We'll be kitting a few of these great projects too!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

I am so conflicted........

We have been invaded!!!!  Yesterday two boxes arrived full of gorgeous Asian fabrics......

 Just a taste of the Orient.......

This grouping is more like a meal......all $14.95/metre

Why am I conflicted!  Well you see those gorgeous fabrics (the meal),  I cut some and I have a plan!!!!  Now, I am busy working on Amish With A Twist (Block 9) and the Radical Rail is coming along nicely, so what will happen if I add yet a third project to the mix?!?!  Well, we are going to find out - I'm also writing a pattern for this great project, working on the newsletter and cutting all the fabrics for Amish With A Twist so that it will be ready for pick-up this weekend......

On top of that, another two boxes of fabric have arrived!  More gorgeous Asians......can't wait to get into those boxes, it was all I could do to leave them alone and do what I had to do today.....tomorrow is another day.

More to come......

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

What a great week......

First of all, you had to be there.  Have you ever seen 7 women awe struck?!!!  I mean sitting with mouths wide open in awe!!!!  We sat and watched while Anne filled the design wall with her Dear Jane -  she has 3 blocks left to do....it is absolutely stunning, and it took her 4 years to complete - there are some pretty tough applique blocks in this quilt.  There were many she did over because she just didn't like the way they turned out....pretty awesome quilt!!!!

Needless to say, this inspired me to get back to my Farmer's Wife - two blocks done tonight....check www.creationsbyjoann.blogspot.com. 

Then I watched as Gillian started on her Stashbusters Quilt, she was determined to get the blocks done and has, as of today, only 10 more to do, to have an 80 block quilt.

Check this out......done with strips......

For the record, I have not been idle myself.  I managed to continue on with my Amish With A Twist....

Block 7 - Snow Ball Block plus Square In A Square cornerstones for the inside border.

Sometimes I take scraps a little too far and I just couldn't resist using the left over triangles for something, so here are my leftovers from Block 7.....

Block 8 - Flying Geese Block

....and of course there were leftovers here too.....

I am now also halfway through the Radical Rail quilt which is coming along nicely - I have 15 blocks done....

FYI - the fabric has arrived and I am already cutting Instalment 1 so those of you who are doing the BOM - Amish With A Twist - you will very soon be hearing the news that the kits are ready to go.....It's so exciting!

Tomorrow I will be (hopefully) finalizing class dates for the new newsletter so that will soon be appearing in your inboxes.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Back on track......

It took a couple of days for me to recover from the wedding!  It was a long night and a dream come true for all of us who were a part of it!  The happy couple is recuperating in the Bahamas for the next two weeks (too bad they didn't need their godmother to go along **sigh**)....I'll post a pic on my blog (www.creationsbyjoann.blogspot.com).

In the meantime, I finished block 5 of Amish With A Twist and it came out awesome .....

Block 5 - Star Block - Amish With A Twist

Completed it last night.  Tonight I came home and worked on Block 6 (there were errors....oops!), it took a little longer than expected but it too is done!  Note, I also got two more sets of strips for the border done.....

Block 6 - Hour Glass Block - Amish With A Twist

So... Block 7 is also on it's way to being done, along with another extra.  I love the way this pattern is coming together.  Nancy Rink really did a great job with this.  As you prepare the blocks you are also preparing all the other parts of the quilt so at the end it will just be a matter of putting it all together.  Some nights I wish I could just keep going, but we all know what happens when you do too much, mistakes happen.....and I hate un-sewing!  (back stitching)

Yesterday was fun, Rochelle dropped by to show off her finished quilt.  It was one of our great Mystery Quilts - the one night mystery!  She did a great job and she says her daughter loves it.....

Rochelle's Mystery Quilt

Today was a fun day for me, Linda came by to get some fabrics for a quilt she wants to make.  She got some of those fabulous Champagne Beiges.  I'm actually in the middle of designing a quilt using some of those fabrics (not putting down Amish With A Twist!) and will have a pattern ready in a wee while.

Liz came by with lunch, what a treat!  Then I had a great afternoon checking out some new fabrics for the store (I'm excited about some of the great new stuff that's coming - which prompted a few more quilt pattern ideas!)

Late in the day Lyn and Jessie came by - new quilters and so we set about getting Lyn started on a great quilt with some charm squares she had.  I hope she comes by and shows me her progress,  it's going to be awesome!

Okay - I think I'll go back to Block 7.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann