A GALAXY of stars by Lynda Smyth!

A good friend, Lynda sent me these pictures of her version of Lydia's Galaxy Quilt! Lynda has cleverly used a Jinny Beyer border print to build the size of the quilt to queen size! Can you believe all these stars are made from half square triangles...even the centre medallion! I just love the scrappy look of this quilt...it's a real beauty. Thanks for sharing Lynda! To see Lydia's version go to our website at www.therabbitfactory.com under the heading of "what's new".
Happy Stitching,
Lorraine at the Rabbit Factory

Free November 09 Applique Block!

Here's our free November Applique Block! It's getting a little cooler at nights and early mornings...just a sign of things to come! We've had cardinals and woodpeckers at the feeders lately so I thought it was fitting to fit a little bird on our November block! Please don't forget to download both the placement pattern and the applique pattern. As usual, to save paper your applique pattern will print only partially and there is enough of the design showing to obtain your templates to complete the block! Hope you all enjoy this one!
Happy Stitching,
Lorraine at the Rabbit Factory

Shining Stars by Beth Cameron

I just love it when customers send me pictures of their projects to post on our website www.therabbitfactory.com
We have a great customer gallery, so please, go check it out! It's great to see your choices of fabrics and the changes you've made to "make it your own". Here's a couple of photos I got from Beth Cameron sharing her version of "Shining Stars" all made with great fabrics shining with gold and silver! It really is "Shining Stars"!! Thanks so much, Beth!

Free Oct 09 Applique Block

Hi Everyone! Here's the latest free applique block for October! It's is the most beautiful time of the year...the rich colors, the smell of "wood burning fires", and the presentation of our fall bounty...pumpkins, apples and squash! I just love the fall! Hope you all are enjoying these free blocks and I do hope some of you will share your applique work with us soon. Please email me at lorraine.rabbitfactory@yahoo.com with your photos. Next month the first 3 blocks from May, June and July will be removed from this blog and are no longer available, so if you haven't printed them just yet, you may want to do so now.
Just came back from an amazing week in Vermont! Everyone needs to visiting this state at least once in their lifetime during the fall...it is glorious!
Happy Stitching,
Lorraine

Let's Use up some more of those left over triangles!

Sometimes I want half squares triangles with the SAME background fabric and would love to use of some of those left over triangles! Here I'll explain how....lay the two triangles meeting together and measure their size. Cut your background squares just a little big bigger. Pin the triangles scraps to the squares as shown. Chain piece, using the long edge of the triangle as your guide for your 1/4" seam allowance. I usually sew one side first, through a good number of these units, then turn, and sew the other side. Leave them attached and lay them on your cutting mat. Using your rotary cutter cut right through the chain and don't worry if you cut off a little of the corner of the squares because that's part of the dog ear anyway. Then using your regular omnigrid ruler, lay the 1/4" measure on the sewing line and trim. You'll notice there is a little gap showing of the background fabric sometimes between the triangles but that doesn't really matter as it gets trimmed off. Now trim the triangle using the "Triangle Square up Ruler by Quilt in a Day" to square up to the desired size. Don't forget to turn the ruler and trim the dog ears off. Press open and voila...you have multicolor half square triangles on one side and the same consistent background fabric on the other...plus you've used up some of those wonderful scrap triangles!
Enjoy your week,
Lorraine

Trimming triangles instead of squares saves me time

Here's another way to use the triangle square up ruler! You probably all know how to make half square triangles this way but try using this great ruler to do the squaring up. You can actually be a little "inaccurate" as long as you are sewing a straight line and still make great half square triangles...because....when you square up with the triangle square up ruler you are lining the ruler up on the "sewing" line. I like to use a .01 pigma pen (finest line) to mark the diagonal line...it shows up really well. I found using pencil is sometimes difficult to see. The line gets cut anyways and the pen won't bleed! The other thing you'll notice is that if you don't get the squares exactly on top of each other perfectly you will still have a little extra fabric for the sliver trim! You are only trimming on two sides of a triangle saving you cutting time and increasing accuracy!
Hope you enjoy your week!
Happy Stitching,
Lorraine

Got some odd sized left over triangles?

Here's another great use for the triangle square up ruler! I just can't throw away little triangles...is this a problem for you too? Cut off triangles regardless of their size get chained pieced through the machine...I like to use a light and a dark fabric for contrast and I'm not really worried if they are they same size or not as you can see in the example above. With the triangle square up ruler you just line up the ruler on the "sewing" line on the shortest side and trim to the largest size you can yield. Sometimes I end up with a number of different sizes, so I just file them away for future use in the storage drawers! Here's an example of how I file in the drawers... in the 2-1/2" drawer you will find 2-1/2" strips, 2-1/2" squares and half square triangles that are 2-1/2" unfinished! All ready and waiting for an upcoming scrappy project! Hope you are enjoying this wonderful fall season!
Lorraine

My favorite ruler...the triangle square up!

I thought I'd share my favorite ruler with you...the triangle square up ruler by Quilt in a Day! I use this ruler more than any other in my ruler book.
Following in order, are pictures of how I use this ruler Way #1....but I have found some additional ways to use this tool, so I want to share them with you as well on my next posting!

Don't you just love half-square triangles!

Here's a simple tablerunner I made a while ago using just half square triangles...so simple! One package of charm squares and about 1 metre of beige background. I realize there are so many ways to make these units and everyone has their favorites! Won't you leave me a comment on how you prefer to make yours?

My name is Lorraine and I am addicted to rulers.

I can't resist grabbing a template tool and a box of scraps and just start cutting! You don't even need a pattern with this great 60 degree triangle ruler from EZ. This runner came about as a project by just looking at the attached pamphlet... and those green batiks were multiplying in my sewing room faster than I could cut them.
Hope you are enjoying the lovely cool mornings!
Lorraine

Thank you Bloggers!

I truly enjoy visiting all your blogs! I especially appreciate all the unbelievable effort put into your blogs...the great photographs, the time you spend sharing your tips and ideas, the free tutorials and patterns, the dedication and diligence. Thank you all!
I also wanted to mention that being a former shop owner, I had the wonderful opportunity to enjoy "show n tell" just about everyday I worked! Once I retired, I truly missed seeing and sharing the quilting experience with students and customers. Then I found BLOGGING! Now I can still experience the same opportunity right from my computer! The only problem I am experiencing now is that I just can't seem to limit my time on the computer...but I sure am having fun!
Anyways, I wanted to mention today about Dorothy's blog...go she what she's been up to...a new free stitchery BOM!
Have a wonderful holiday weekend,
Lorraine

Kaaren's First Friday freebee's!

Kaaren is so very generous to all us bloggers. If you haven't been to The Painted Quilt blog yet take a click over and see what she is up to!

How come so many scissors when I rotary cut?

Two bloggers, Kaaren and Ranette have both confessed to having quite a supply of scissors. I thought I'd join in and admit to what I have...or should I say, what I found...perhaps there really are more pairs hidden in my sewing room somewhere!
Happily Cutting,
Lorraine

Free September 09 BOM Applique Block

Here's our latest free applique block! Follow the same as always cutting a background fabric 12-1/2" x 12-1/2"and folding it into quarters. Print two copies of the pattern this time and use one for making your templates and the other one as a guide for placement. You'll notice only part of the pattern is showing but all the templates you need are there! Enjoy and welcome to the beginning of fall. This is one of my very favorite seasons! Please feel free to leave us a comment and your blog address to let us know if you have posted any of the blocks you have made so far. We can link you to our blog and share with everyone!
Happy Stitching,
Lorraine

Why don't you make a BOO-BOO!

Here's a variation of the flax seed and lavender compresses I mentioned in an earlier post. I call these my "BooBoo's". Hopefully they will bring a smile to a child who has scraped their knee or has a little headache! They finish about 6" x 9" and I just love using up my scraps to make something useful!
Have a great weekend!
Lorraine from the Rabbit Factory!

A Simple Thing!

I'm making a number of these cell phone covers and they are so easy! Haven't got the handles attached yet but that's tomorrow's job! These hook over your purse strap so that you don't have to go digging into your purse to find your phone! I got the pattern from That Patchwork Place book called "The New Handmade" by Cassie Barden. Lots of other good things in that book as well! Next time you are in your favorite local quilt shop, be sure to check it out!
Hope you're having a great day,
Lorraine

Here's Show n Tell from Suzanne and Lorraine Gauthier!

Suzanne Gauthier and her mother Lorraine are quite a team...and they are avid quilters! Here's some photos from a recent quilt show in Northern Ontario as well as Suzanne's favorite rabbit! Please visit our website www.therabbitfactory.com to see more of their quilts in our customer gallery!

Tired of defrosted frozen peas?

My husband Paul is constantly plagued with a lower back injury that seems to reoccur especially in humid weather! I decided to make him a flax seed and lavender cold compress that can be put in the freezer...we've had enough of defrosted peas! This will fit nicely right across his lower back and my friend Vida who is a physiotherapist suggests cold is always better than warm for this problem.

Check out Tammy's quilt!

Tammy Spencer emailed me a number of days ago about her lovely Summer Day Sampler quilt she had completed! Here's a sneak peak! She even has a picture of the quilt on her blog heading! So be sure to check out her blog! http://quiltinthingsforyou.blogspot.com/2009/08/summer-day-sampler.html
Tammy has completed a number of other beautiful quilts (her Baltimore Bunnies quilt is amazing), so take a visit, won't you?

Antique quilt...don't you just love Lone Star Style quilts?

I bought this quilt a number of years ago...unfortunately there wasn't a label on the back but I just couldn't resist bringing it home from an antique fair in Merrickville, Ontario. It didn't cost alot of money and it was poorly faded but I still couldn't leave it alone. There is something so very attractive about the Lone Star quilt...I love the challenge of the piecing--just check out that border...knowing this quilter put a lot of work and love into this quilt...I have a great appreciation for whoever it was!

Amazing Woodcarving FolkArtist Robert Danielis!

It seems my love of creativity flows from everything around me! While on a "girl's day" out to Picton, Ontario shopping, we dropped into Waring House for a long, leisurely lunch, of course, and came upon Folk Artist Woodcarver, Robert at his workshop located just outside the restaurant. I was touched by his great sense of humor and delightful folky designs! I think all quilters have a great appreciation for all kinds of hobbies and talents especially when it comes to selling our "works"...we don't pay ourselves enough money for the time spent and this was a subject we ended up talking to Robert about. Even woodcarvers who spend hours working on their craft don't get paid enough. Robert logs his hours spent on each project and pays himself "a little per hour". Many quilters I talk to say they price out their quilts the same way. Share your thoughts with me...I'm interested to know how you pay yourself! I also hope you enjoy this small glimpse into true Canadian folkart!
Have a great day,
Lorraine

Show n Tell from Cathy

It's always nice when one of our customers emails us with a photo of their project from one of Lydia's designs. Cathy Blanchard sent us her scaled down rendition of "Whitework Sampler". What a lovely quilt...thanks Cathy for sharing. If you have a quilt you have made from one of Lydia's patterns please don't hesitate to email me at lorraine.rabbitfactory@yahoo.ca as we would love to see it!
Hope you have your umbrella with you today in Ontario!
Lorraine

The Village Quilt

Here's another one of my very, very early quilts..."The Village Quilt" that's what I call it but I think the original name was "Around the Town" designed by Thimbleberries. I was drawn to this quilt because I love houses, trees and small villages. And in every village you will always find a church! Wouldn't you know it...the house I've just moved into was build on a lot where there was a beautiful church at one time! Meant to be!
Have a great week,
Lorraine

Piece O Cake

Piece O Cake
Love applique? Check out Becky's great responses to a wonderful interview at sewn.net.au about what these ladies are up to! (Click on the small words...Piece o Cake to get to the link!)
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My "Back to Front" quilt!

When I first started quilting, Debbie Mumm was all the rage and this Maple Leaf quilt graced my store window for a couple months in the fall for a number of years. I call it my "back to front" quilt...the back of the quilt came first! Has this ever happened to you? I find fabric can be soooooo inspiring!
Hope you find a little inspiration in your day today!
Lorraine