A light at the end of the tunnel?

I decided to focus a bit and got back to work on the spring samplers. I NEED to get them done.

I laid out the blocks that are complete. This is what they look like....................   (that was early in the morning)

Two spring samplers - still missing bits and pieces!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then just before leaving for the afternoon - this is what they looked like. Notice there is only ONE block left to do for the one on the right (and one block to repair - more on that in a minute) and there are TWO blocks missing from the one on the left.

Two spring samplers - close to completion!!!!!!!!!

Since we got home late last night, I didn't get a chance to continue working on these, but I was back at them this morning.


So what are all these pieces?????   Thank goodness that these sections were already sewn together.

What is this????

This is what it looks like when all the pieces are in the right order. 

And here it is pieced together. See how small this is!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Well of course - it is a baby bird!

Now for the next step - the bird house............

Again - all the pieces were cut and partially sewn together. However - the perspective of that bird house looks weird. 

Compare it to this one that is already finished - well almost. Notice how I darkened the fabric for the side of the bird house. And how did I do that????

I used some inks and coloured it darker. 

They are transparent so you can still see the original fabric through the ink - just darker. 

A couple of years ago, I was demoing different ways to change the look of fabric and I was using my birdhouse as an example. When I opened the jar of ink - I managed to spill some on the blue sky.

See - just to the right of the post. GRRR!!!!!!!!!!! I did a quick check in the blue scrap box and saw nothing. 

Well - it just so happened that I still had ONE seam to sew on this bird house. One leg of the Y seam just under the mommy bird.

Here is the wrong side of the block with the Y seam not sewn.

Then armed with that small triangle cut off and another that was generated when the roof was assembled - the bird house block now looks like this........................

Yep - you probably wouldn't notice the repair unless you were looking for it!!!!    And this block that has been in limbo for YEARS is NOW COMPLETE. 

I am waiting for the ink to dry so the birdhouse and the mommy bird will have to wait until later before they can be sewn together.

Time to tackle the LAST block. Oh crude - there is MORE PREP work to be done.............

While the background is all cut for both blocks and the leaves and stems were cut as well - I had to prepare the applique. Now I have to stitch the applique

There was NOTHING cut for the flowers so I had to dig through the scrap boxes to get the pieces cut for that.

Then I had to make half square triangles and trim them. 

I still have a LOT of work to do to get these quilts completed, but close - so very close!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Even though I have a class this morning and a LOT of quilting to do, I might bite the bullet and get more done on it later today. Hmmmm - when I need to take a break from the long arm!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Oh yes - I managed to get Section One and Two of the Block of the Month together.

YES - I know - this is NOT a traditional block of the month - but it is replacing block of the month. I am very happy with it so far.

Well - I have run out of time for this morning. It took me forever to edit the pictures from yesterday. Needless to say we had an amazing day yesterday. I will post the pictures later today.


Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring has sprung - October Reveal

The year is almost OVER!  Well according to our plans for Spring has Sprung. I assigned the LAST homework yesterday, although a good many of the students have been working ahead and have completed tops or pretty close to it. I CANNOT wait to see the tops/quilts next month.

Have a look at the homework here and you will see what I mean................

Kay T

Kay N (love those bright colours)

Mary M

Mary M

Linda M (Look at her CUTE bunnies and baby bunnies)

Linda M

Kathleen

Kathleen

Cathy (who made her bunny - same design  as the pattern but CUTER and not scary!!!)

There are MORE people in the class, but a couple other people are completely done and we have already seen the tops (I will post ALL the pictures next month), one person wasn't there and two are not continuing the project at this time. But I have something for them................


Now here is an incentive to EVERYONE who has taken a class with me - in particular a $10 quilt which started in 2003. I am going to host a TENTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY for the $10 quilt which were held at The Hobby Horse. Oh my - there are going to be a LOT of people and a LOT of quilts. I am not sure if I still have class lists from those early days - I wasn't as organized then as I am now (LOL). Just wait - there is BIG story about that.

The date for this HUGE event is going to be early December 2013. I have to look at my calendar to schedule something in. There isn't room at the Hobby Horse and I was going to offer my studio, but after thinking about it - I don't think that is going to be big enough either. So.................   I am wondering - does anyone know of a space that we could rent for reasonable??????      I have a couple of ideas in mind, but looking for more. We could have tea/coffee and goodies and for a small donation from people to offset the costs - I think we could make it work. It would be SO MUCH FUN.

OH MY GOD - do you see what just happened???????   Think about it?????   Oh YEAH - I just got "elected" to organize another EVENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!    OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I can't help myself - that just slipped out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   (And I said this to M the other day WITH GLEE - she is a MINI-ME!!!!!!!   Yup - she is on the semi-formal committee, the formal committee, working on the yearbook and would be involved in a LOT more clubs - IF there were clubs at school this year)

I really really want the projects we are going to work on in 2013 to be part of this show so that has to go into the mix as well.

The reason I am telling you about this is that you (OK - ME) are going to need time to get those quilts done!!!!!  And so you can book your vacations AROUND this AMAZING event.  I don't care if it is a flimsy, but would be nice to have some REAL quilts and I know many of you have them done already. So dig out those bits and pieces or tops and get them DONE. You will all be receiving an invitation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I'm excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I need to send out some e-mails to check on a location.


And if you missed the blog post on what those quilts were - here is the link where you can review them...........   (and get LABELS on the quilts with the right dates, etc.)


$10 quilts   from the past..................................


On that note - I have a couple more blogs to write this morning.   And I have OLD paperwork to dig out!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring has Sprung - September reveal

Yep - that time of year again!!!!    Summer is OVER! and the quilters are back at work. OH - let me rephrase that - they are ready to show the work they had to get done over the summer. I wonder how much of this was done in September???   Never mind - they did an AWESOME job.  Let's have a look............

Here is the pattern - Spring has Sprung..............

Spring has Sprung by Cheryl Wall of Country Quilts

And the homework please....................  (this was a hard one to take pictures of because of the size and the perspective is off on some!)

Kay T 

Kay T

Kay N

Kay N

Close up of Kay N - look at the effect of that variegated thread!!!!!

Mary M

Mary M

Katheleen

Katheleen (love the raccoon - there is a story behind that as this quilt is for someone specific - I've forgotten who. Anyway they live in California and the husband is known as raccoon eyes and the wife LOVES sunflowers. Love it!!!!!

Lynda M

Lynda M

Mary D  (a tad ambitious over the summer and her top is DONE!!!!)

Barb R (she wasn't at the class yesterday, but I am reposting the picture for the group to see)

Unfortunately we had two people who decided to drop out of the class. That is a shame since they are  SO CLOSE to the end, but I understand that other commitments can get in the way and hopefully both of them will finish at some point.

Two other people were dealing with families yesterday. Both sounded like happy celebrations so that is OK. I didn't get pictures from them????   I wonder if the homework is done?????


There you have it - Spring has Sprung. They look amazing and can't wait to see all of them done.


Susan is working on Grandma's Country Album................

Grandma's Country Album

And here is her homework..................

She has been changing some of the blocks as she saw fit. (Just in case you are wondering)

I will post the other pictures for Hobo Quilts, Farmer's Wife and Dear Jane tomorrow.


Today is a FREE day. No classes to teach!!!!   I have tons planned and ready to sew. Ronda is coming over to sew so I can't goof off and have a nap or read a book!!!!  


On that note - I am trying to get the extensions on the minky backing so I can attempt to get that quilted today.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Work session - Day TWO

Another day at the sewing machine. And the girls were hard at work - let's have a look at what they got accomplished............

Beth was working on Dear Jane. And those troublesome Y seams!!!!

I noticed that some of the ladies are VERY organized with their Dear Jane books. They have taken the book apart and put each page in page protectors............

The Dear Jane book!

All in page protectors

And then you can add in the completed blocks!!!!   - Nicely done Lisa and  Beth and Cathy!!!!!

 After a bit of refresher instruction yesterday, Lisa went home and did some prep work for the applique,,,,

Lisa - Block one

Lisa - Block two

 And then she got some work done here as well............

Lisa - Block three

Lisa - Block Four

Lisa - Block Five

 Now Lisa liked this one so much - she made it TWICE!!!!!!!

Two times the same block - perhaps she isn't as organized as she lets on!!!!!!

Ronda was here as well and got a lot of blocks done. She is using fusible applique so it goes a bit quicker. But still takes times to prepare and do the stitching (which she still has to do!!)

Ronda's blocks

 Sharon was back and working on Farmer's Wife again. Here are the blocks she has completed in the last couple of days......

Sharon's blocks  - nice!!!!!

 Marlene was here - working away on O Tannenbaum...........

Here she is pressing the LAST seams of her summer homework

She had to make EIGHT of these paper pieced blocks. Nicely done Marlene!!!!!

And what did I do????   Well - I got busy and did more work on Spring has Sprung.

My Spring has Sprung

I am very happy with my progress. Yeah - there is still some stitching to be done around the applique and a bit of cutting to do - I am almost completed the first three sections. There is a section on the right hand side and the top yet to do!!!!!    Hmmmmm - will I get it done by the November reveal??????

By the way (in case I didn't mention it yesterday) - well I think I did, but here goes again - these days were to offer my students in the ongoing classes a chance to work. Only a few were able to make it - hmmmmmm - does that mean the rest are on vacation, oh I know - that means they are already DONE!!!!!!    I sure hope that is the reason!!!!!

Ronda got her birthday present today. A beautiful hand made bird in her favourite colours!!!!!

La Plume!!!!!

And here is MY bird  - L'Orange. I can finally show this bird which I have had for a long time, but couldn't show it until Ronda got hers. Marian has one as well, but I forgot to get a picture of hers. 

Have you seen those Dyson bladeless fans????   I really really wanted one, but unwilling to cough up the money for one. The other day I was at Rona and saw bladeless fans (not by Dyson) and for only $100. I bought one. While the first one didn't work and had to be returned, the second one did work. I kind of like it - it provides cool air but WITHOUT the air movement. Now how can that be?????   Well - it is pretty cool and a snap to clean!!!!!   I am sold!!!!

Bladeless fan!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well - it was a busy day. Make sure you check out - there are at least TWO blogs today.



Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!