Since I seem to be trying to convince myself that I CAN do it all in my lifetime. Let`s face it - from when I was a kid I have had these grandiose visions. I LOVE to read and as a child (a sickly child), I had a lot of downtime. Now I was probably eight????? when I remember saying to myself that I would read EVERY book in the world. You see what I mean! Crazy ideas - probably because at age eight I had NO IDEA of the big world - I lived on a farm and had a very sheltered view of things.
Then I saw this on Pinterest this morning and THIS is what I should be saying to myself!!!!!!
Oh well - it doesn`t really matter because even if I wasn't doing what everyone else is doing - I would still fill my days with stuff. That is just my nature and I just can`t sit with nothing to do and I have energy to burn so better find a constructive outlet for it! One day - I will slow down - one day..............
Anyway - had TWO awesome classes yesterday. I never know what to expect when I walk into the Saturday Sampler class. Yesterday was no exception. There was no show n tell on the wall since they all (OK most) had finished tops. BUT they were all bundled up - coats, hats, scarves!!! OK - I admit, it was a tad cool in the classroom. We did get the heater going, but it didn't warm up too much. Just know for next time to dress a tad warmer! Or we do exercises to get the blood circulating.
We decided to leave the show n tell for next month and give those slackers a chance to catch up. But we did see a few things and we chatted about quilting ideas for the quilt. So we may see some finished quilts next month. But we will see a LOT of completed quilt tops!
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| Marilyn brought this in to show us what she does with her quilt leftovers. She made half square triangles from the leftover bits and then sewed them together to make this "free" quilt. I have THOUSANDS of those little triangles - might be time to just sew some of them together to make a quilt like this. What a GREAT way to use up scraps and most people would throw this stuff away!!!!! Awesome job Marilyn! |
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| Flo wanted some advice on what to use for the borders for her quilt. Since the group was so helpful for me last month - we did the same thing. Flo positioned her fabrics - the group gave their thumbs up or thumbs down and I think the concenssice was this version. Small dark border, a bit bigger light border and then a larger border of the same dark as the smaller one. We were all convinced - I am not sure that Flo was which is why this picture is here. For documentation purposes. What kind of a border will be on her quilt????? Have to wait until December 13 to find out. |
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| These are the leftovers from Karen's quilt. She joined the strips together and somehow cut them up. A technique that she learned from a recent speaker to their guild. A fellow by the name of Al Cote. Hmmmm - his stuff looks pretty interesting. I want to hear him speak!!!!! |
And so the Saturday Sampler group left with MANY ideas of quilting buzzing in their heads and let's see what they get done this month. If they are not quilting their quilt - it will be an easy month! No rushing. Oh shoot - I am going to get them to make their backing and binding.
In the afternoon class which was free motion quilting we had a blast. The group was very enthusiastic and we had loads of fun as they worked their way through a variety of free motion exercises.
I LOVE show n tell - I love to see what others are doing (just say - that is gorgeous, but DO NOT say - OH - I want to make that!!!).
Anyway Yvonne was in my machine quilting basic class last month and look what she brought this month. The cutest little storage box for her machine bits. OH - I so want this!!!!!!!!!!!!! Micheal's in the jewelry department and if you have their 50% coupon this week - it will cost you less than $4.
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| Side one of the plastic case |
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| Side two of the plastic case |
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| It unfolds and each side is covered with a lid so nothing spills out. Is that not the most brilliant little case you have ever seen????? I am stopping on my way to work today to get one!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Then I spotted this on Yvonne's table. Oh I am going to cave - I so want to make this cute little bag. NO - I want to go to the store where she made this little bag. Help me - I'm caving............
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| Cute little tote bag |
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| And look at the fabulous zipper pull. |
She made it at Quilt a Bag in Markham. That is so far from my house, but the more and more I hear about them - - I MUST get there. I just have to find a few spare minutes in one day to get there. And I WILL!!!!! You must be patient with their web site. It loads in Japanese, but give it a moment and it loads in English.
Back home to try and get some work done for ME!!!!!!!!!! Well technically not for me, but for some classes I am teaching. I HAVE to get this Amish with a Twist Series II done. I have made good progress, but time to get the rest of it done.
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| This is what I have completed so far. The rest of it is cut out and those remaining blocks are in various states of completion. It won't take long to get it done and I am going to make this a FOCUS. |
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| This quilt is half done!!!!!! I am almost finished piecing the blocks which will now go on hold while I finish Amish with a Twist Series II. |
In case you do not know what the pattern looks like - here it is...............
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| Amish with a Twist Series II by Nancy Rink |
This is one of the classes that I will be teaching at the Saturday Sampler at Sew Sisters in Toronto. The class takes place on the third Saturday of each month (Amish with a Twist starts January 17). We have a one hour class to see show n tell and walk through the homework for the next month. It is loads of fun and I learn as much from the rest of the class as they learn from me. Maybe more!!!!!!!
If you are interested in signing up - call Sew Sisters and get your name on the list. They will be making up kits of Kona solids which is why I need to get the sample done so we can be OK with my fabric choices!!!!!
Thank goodness for that Quilter's P foot for piecing. I am sewing all my projects on the nearest sewing machine that has clear space. I use that P foot on my little H|Class 100 Q when I am at retreats and sewing days. And I use the P foot on my sewing machine at home but I also use it on the test machines. Since it is the foot that dictates the stitch width - I can sew the same project on any of them and get the same seam allowance. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And NO - I don't have just one foot - there is a FOOT for all machines. It is a standard foot that comes with the newer sewing machines.
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| Ooops - not a lot of room to sew on my machine |
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| So back over to the test machine!!!!!! |
In case you don't have enough to do! Don't blame me!!!!!!!!!!! BUT we will be running this quilt as a class at The Hobby Horse. The date is January 31 from 10 - 4.
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| 4th of July |
This quilt is GORGEOUS. My top is done and just needs to be quilted, but it is going to the Hobby Horse today to hang as a sample. Come and check it out and sign up for the class. We will be learning paper piecing and curved piecing. It is a stunning quilt. I will try to get a picture of it today.
And let's recap what is happening in the backyard! I put that baffle up on the little ledge and I noticed when I got home that it was back down and the suet cage was on the ground meaning the squirrels had attacked it. Hmmm - let's try this and see if it works.................
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| I jammed a hinge from old back door on the little ledge. Hopefully that will prevent that baffle from falling off. If that doesn't work - I have to go to plan B. Mary told me that Vaseline works well to keep the squirrels from climbing the poles. Hmmm - I have to see how I can work that it. I love it!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| Hard to see in this picture but after I chased the darn squirrels away - there were tons of birds at the feeder. Of course most of them flew away when I went to take a picture!!!! |
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| And this is the view out of my front windows. There is a tree that NEEDS to be trimmed however the birds nest in it and I hate to trim it back. Do you see the bird just under the white horizontal cross thing. It was peeping in the house looking at us!!!!!!!!!!! I think there are a LOT of them nesting in that tree. |
On that note - I have some prep work to finish for my class this afternoon.
Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!
Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!
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