The Quilt Patch

I made it back home late last night. I am an OK flyer.  If things are smooth - then I am OK. I am busy reading my book and everything is just fine.  Then as we get close to Toronto, they announce that the weather is not the best in Toronto and only one runway is open. There is a backlog and we will have to circle so we circled over Orangeville and Collingwood a couple of times. It is quite cloudy out.  As we are circling - there is a bit of turbulence.  Bob (an Air Canada pilot) says that turbulence is just like bumps on the road - doesn't make me feel any better!!!!    And honestly the turbulence wasn't bad.  

Then I see lightening. Oh boy - that can't be good.  Ah finally we are getting back to the airport.   Have to swing way out over the west end and the sky clears.  Then poof - can't see a thing.  There was one flash of lightening that seemed to be very close. ACK - I don't like this at all. At last there are the lights of Mississauga and oh great - it is pouring rain!!!!!

At last we are on the ground!  People don't applaud anymore, but I did in my mind! Like I said - I am an OK flyer - but things have to be perfect!   Then we had to wait on the tarmac because things were backed up at the gates. Finally we got off and I went to wait for my luggage.   I don't know about you, but whenever I get off a plane and you have to walk up that incline to get to the airport - I feel like an idiot.  I guess my legs are tired from sitting and I am trying to walk my normal pace.  I feel very awkward.

Collected my WET luggage and off to get my ride.  The airport was a ZOO.  Flights were cancelled or major delays.  And it is pouring rain outside and people are waiting at the curb to pick up people.   Can they NOT wait in the cell phone parking lot until their party is ready????   It is a major pain in the butt and the security people were nowhere to be seen last night.  They usually hustle people out of there.

But there was a LOT of lightening.   Actually was surprised that they let us land and that we got our luggage.  Nothing got wet inside my suitcase so that was great.  I did unpack all my stuff and now my studio looks like this...........

Yes - there is a cutting mat under there

The ironing board which was clear when I got home

See - it is a disaster!!!!!!!!!!!

Got ONE WEEK to get it in order before I am off again.  And I do have tons of work to do this week.


Well as you know when I was out west - I visited at The Quilt Patch.

They had Christmas in July event and the place was packed with customers, well wishers and staff   (oh and home baked goodies).

 It was loads of fun and while I did help out a bit with customers - (which I LOVED), I felt that I needed something more concrete to do.  So I asked Shelley if there was anything that I could sew.  YES - I was having withdrawal!!!!!!   As a matter of fact - there was this applique that SHELLEY needed to get done and it keep getting put to the bottom of the pile.

Well I could do that.  So Shelley got me organized - set up the sewing machine, got the thread and the blocks and I was off.  Now it is NEVER fun to do applique on a different machine than your own. I had never sewn on a Bernina before and while that wasn't a big deal - I sure did miss the sensor foot on my Husqvarna machine. However once I got the hang of the stitch movement - it was no big deal.

These are blocks from their latest book and YES - there were a LOT of points.  I managed to get all twelve blocks done. And one staff member said - lucky it wasn't snowflakes - YES - that would be way more points!!!!!!

Star points - I think I did a pretty decent job.   In case you are wondering - they use Wonderfil Konfetti for ALL their work - piecing and applique

The Quilt Patch latest book - Here Comes Winter

Wonderfil Konfetti thread

I managed to get a LOT of work done on the first day as few people wandered upstairs into the classroom.  BUT on day two ( I was so close to finishing - I wasn't going to leave the job half done) - there was a class going on and people were coming in to chat.

The students were making this bag made from burlap and canvas.  I love it - and there was another style of burlap as well. I loved the bag, but alas - no room in the suitcase for even a scrap of canvas.  Don't forget - I had all that boucle with me!!!!!

But I had some great conversations - showed a few people some tips on applique and made a great contact at one of the Saskatchewan guilds.  She was a wealth of information and I look forward to chatting more with her.   Oh yes - my Dad taught me those skills. Just blab to everyone - you never know what tidbits you will collect!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelly and Jeanne and their FOUR books.  

I am so darn proud of these ladies and all their accomplishments.  I just love their store - it just has a feel to it that is warm, welcoming and FUN!!!!!    Look at that awesome CUTE CUTE block of the month - upper right of the photo.  I ordered my kit and will pick up at the Fall CreativFestival. Can't wait - I know - I don't need another kit, but that one was very cute and not expensive.  The quilt is not huge so should be fast to make.


On that note - I am off for a fun day and then I must buckle down and get some work done.

Have a great day!!!!!!!


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

A day in heaven...................... -

Make that quilting heaven.  I spent the day with the girls at The Quilt Patch.  I did NOT take my camera so no pictures. I have one I took with my phone.

Anyway - it was their Christmas in July event. There are three quilt stores in Moose Jaw - I know - how they all survive is beyond me. Although one of them is closing - Heather's Quilting Palette will be closed soon.  I loved that store as she was into weird things - Heather is a fabulous fibre artist and you never knew what goodies you would find in the shop. Of course - I had to make a pit stop there.

Then over to Quilter's Haven who is doing the Christmas in July event in conjunction with The Quilt Patch.  I did not buy much - I am very conscious of the size of my suitcase which is NOT big and I hit FIVE quilt stores while I was here.  I was very good at all of them until....................

The Quilt Patch.   Jeanne and Shelley just have too many goodies in that store and the longer I stayed and the more wine I had - well everything just looked too yummy and my suitcase just got bigger and bigger (in my mind!)

I did help out a bit in the store which was fun, but I had asked Shelley at one point if there was any sewing I could do.  Well as a matter of fact - YES.  So I spent the afternoon doing machine applique. On a BERNINA no less.  I have never sewn on a Bernina and while it was no problem and worked like a charm when I got the stitch going - it is NOT my favourite machine.

Appliqueing my little heart out - I was in quilting heaven

There are twelve blocks - each block has one tree (with a stump and the tree) and three stars.  I got everything done but the stars.  So I'm going back this morning to finish the stars.  I know -  a real sucker for punishment. But I like doing it.  We must now watch as Shelley has to pay this favour forward and I will be watching to see what she does!!!!!  

 And let's not forget the boucle quilts that we are going to make.  I know - you have to see this to believe it. They ended up with TWO bolts of this gorgeous boucle.  I am not about to make clothes from it and was only going to get enough to trim a project. Oh let's get enough to make a quilt.  It will be very pretty when done.

Lovely boucle.  This picture is so washed out.  It is a gorgeous shade of green and brown. 

I had to pick a beautiful brown flannel to go with it.  Can you see the edge of my suitcase above - the fabric is that shade.  It is going to be fun and all about texture!!!!!

The weather here is pretty crazy - got really windy the other day and stormy. Some tree branches even came down. The temperature must have dropped like 10 degrees in a matter of a half an hour.  Pretty scary.

One of the things I love is that everyone lives so close to each other.  You go out for dinner - you just walk around the corner.  It is great!!!!  I could live here if I could find a house with a fabulous porch.  And the house prices - CHEAP!!!!!!

I am NOT the only crazy person out there with the Row by Row.  Here is the latest update.   Thanks again to all those other crazy ladies out there.   I appreciate you picking these up for me.


Sew Crafty - Rideau Ferry,
Sew Creative - Mount Brydges,
Quilter's Line - Markdale,
Kalidoscope of Quilts - Exeter,
We R Quilts - Prescott (two),
Wilton Creek Fabrics - Harrowsmith,
Threads that Bind - Maxwell,
The Quilting Trunk - Dryden
Fabric Fusion - Dryden
Flair With Fabrics -  Chesterville,
Fun With Stitches - Belleville,
Cobwebs and Caviar - Shelburne
Appleseed Quiltworks  - Lindsay.


On that note - I better get myself going for the day.

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


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

Hip Hop!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I have raved about this pattern before, but I am going to RAVE about it again!!!!!!

Yesterday was day two of a two day class on Hopscotch by The Quilt Patch in MooseJaw.
Now this pattern is the simplest, easiest and FASTEST pattern I have ever made. You can make it big, you can make it small, but you CANNOT just make ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Go on - get the pattern and try to just make one! - You can't!!!!

Have a look at what the girls brought in yesterday. We cut and made the blocks last week, they were supposed to get the top together so we could add the borders............

This was an EXTRA top that Sacha made - just because (well she always wanted a pink and green  quilt!!!)

Here is the one (out of funky Christmas fabric) that she started last week

Vivenda went nuts and made an entire "extra" top including the borders

This is Vivenda's top that she was working on last week

Bonnie made this gorgeous purple one. 

Donna made hers from Orientals

Barb made this one from beiges. She was making a blue/yellow one, but it suffered an unfortunate accident that was  NOT recoverable (in her mind). If she saw what I use to sew - well - I am sure we could have recovered something from it!!!!

I've made this quilt with blue/white florals and a second one of this colouring is cut out - just no time to sew it together yet. Don't forget that mine is QUILTED - how cool is that - I NEVER get my samples quilted.

My blue/white floral Hopscotch

And of course do not forget all those Halloween ones that we made back in the fall...............

Halloween Hopscotch (there were 11 different versions of borders on the 11 Halloween quilts we made)

And you should have heard the girls yesterday. I have a bunch of Christmas fabric - I am going to cut it up. I have a bundle of whatever - I am going to go home and cut it up!!!!!!!!!!!!   It really is a contagious little quilt.




Seriously - if you do NOT have this pattern - you should get it. Call The Quilt Patch or The Hobby Horse now carries this pattern. It is a simple, yet brilliant design which is why it is fast and easy.


On that note - what can I cut up for the next Hopscotch???  OK - I have to sew the blue and white one first!!!!


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




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

Baby - it's cold outside!!!!!!!!

OK - not that cold. It was only minus 2 this morning, BUT cold enough that the outdoor taps should be shut off and drained and the hot tub should be filled. Of course NONE of this was done. And isn't it funny how one thing leads to another. I was supposed to cut down the last dead cedar BEFORE I filled the hot tub and of course, had to fill the hot tub before I could shut the water off.

Now the last couple of weeks have been a bit crazy so I didn't have a chance and I guess I was hoping that Berke was going to do it, but he did not. So there I was last night - cutting down the cedar (in the semi-dark) and trying to clean the leaves out of the hot tub (using my flashlight AND a fish net) and off the inside of the lid (which had blown open last week with Sandy) and so there were leaves inside the tub. And trying to fill it - well that was the easy part. While I was waiting, I got the leaves swept off the deck. Actually it was a nice night - not too cold. I was just fine.

I hope to get time today or tomorrow to finish the job, but I really needed to get the water circulating in that tub since it had NOT been shut down properly for the cold weather and the tap NEEDED to be shut off and drained or we would have a huge mess. Ah - my winter gardening is done!  If only it were that easy!!!!!   Hmmm - living in a condo seems like a great idea!!!!!!!!!!    But I need a BIG condo.

I am reading a book on stuff about social media, how to save book marks, blogs, and all sorts of other stuff. Well I learned that you can "rent" programs so they are residing on servers, not on your laptop which would be a neat idea. Got to find out more about that. And saving "bookmarks" on servers so if your laptop/hard disk dies - you don't have to worry about getting them back.

In light of that - something very weird happened when I opened Photoshop Elements this morning. I have the latest - well Version 10. And I own the software - well my copy and it sits on my laptop. When I opened it up - on the opening page screen - I got an AD (an interactive ad) for the newest version - Version 11.  How the heck do they do that?????   I guess there must be links/cookies or whatever they are called, that Adobe can feed back into my computer when they have something interesting for me. Of course that could come from the Adobe updates that happen all the time.

Hmmmmmm - well - some people would be upset at that - but I don't care if "someone" knows what I am doing. Heck - I blog about stuff and it's all public.


Anyway - back to quilting. Here are some of the projects the girls were working on at Monday Motivators.

Close up of Judy's rick rack that she HAND stitched down with two different colours of embroidery floss - Love it Judy!!!!!

The whole top of High Strung

Diane with applique on her Hopscotch pattern

Joyce with her pumpkins - ready to stitch

Hey  - WAIT A MINUTE - all of these patterns are from The Quilt Patch in Moose Jaw. I love their stuff - OK - you all know that. Anyway - they are all cute cute cute.


Speaking of cold - just had to replace the batteries in our programmable thermostat. Hmmmmm - I noticed the temperature was a bit off a couple of days ago and I saw the BATTERY LOW sign. But of course, I didn't do anything about it then. So now that the batteries were completely dead, the thermostat wasn't even working. Hey - I thought these things worked on the house current????   Oh well - what do I know. Anyway - now I have to reprogram the heating schedule in there.

And me - what have I been doing????   Well - I am busting my little buns working on exchange blocks. Let's just say that I was behind. Yep - there were a total of NINE people in the exchange. We were supposed to make a large block and several small blocks for each person. I have almost half of the projects here - and slogging through them. But can't show you any pictures. And the question is - will I be done or not by the time we do our show n tell on Saturday??????    Not saying more than that.

It is great to have friends with diverse interests. Not only can I get tips on knitting - when I get to knitting those socks - thanks to Anita for offers of help, but I am going to be a photographer's assistant tonight. Yep - I need to learn how to get decent photos indoors. Of course M got ANOTHER job - she hasn't got a single rejection yet which I am MAD about. I don't think this is reality. Anyway - I am off to take her to a fitting today and then when the fashion show happens in a week - I am going to be ready. Thanks Mark - for making that happen. I'm excited - always fun to learn new things. And I NEED to learn how to use my camera beyond point and shoot. It is a pretty expensive point and shoot!!!!!


On that note - I have to get back to work - no - I have to get my day organized because I have a crazy amount of running around and I need to get addresses and such in place so I don't get lost.


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



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

Anniversary Dinner

Wow - I have been up for over FOUR hours and I have basically got NOTHING done. OK - I did walk the dogs, went to physio, drove DH to the airport, had breakfast, but NOTHING concrete done. Here I am finally sitting in front of the computer.

One of the guilds I belong to - the Halton Hills Quilter's Guild (Georgetown) Dinner celebrated its 20th anniversary this year (OK - this is the tail end of the year). Anyway - the past president (Judy) suggested we have a dinner to celebrate the event. And somehow my hand went up when she was looking for ideas for speakers/venues. It evolved into a HUGE affair which took place this past Monday night.

Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks of The Quilt Patch fame were invited as guest speakers. Great - I am trying to insert their link here and SOMETHING ELSE has changed on Google Chrome - some STUPID STUPID STUPID security thing. Now to figure out how to get rid of that. Honestly - I am TIRED of all this crud. People need to leave things alone - I waste so much time trying to get things like that figured out.

OK - breath deep THREE times. Ah - I feel better. Still don't have the link - but I feel better.

As Oprah would say - GO BIG or go home, so I decided that we could host 150 people at the dinner. I know - what was I thinking?????   I sold tickets to our guild and other local guilds, friends and whoever would purchase a ticket. We were basically sold out - I think I had two tickets left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

The dinner was a resounding success. I choose a small banquet hall in Mississauga (Fuzion Banquets) and they were SO ACCOMMODATING. A few small things that I will suggest to them to improve, but I was happy.

Here are some pictures of the dinner - it was hard as the lighting wasn't the best for pictures and I think my camera wasn't on the right setting for the light and I didn't have time to fiddle with it.

Getting set up at the hall

More set up

Some of the guests (faces blurry to protect the innocent!)

Jeanne and Shelley 

The following are some of their quilts. Sorry - I do NOT remember all the names of the patterns. If you are interested in something - you can call the store and get the pattern from them.

Quilt designed by Jeanne and Shelley

Quilt designed by Jeanne and Shelley

They had a nice catalogue sheet printed with all the names and do you think I can find that right now????

Christmas Alley (I think that was the name)

Over sized hopscotch - one of my favourites

Courthouse steps with sunflowers and pumpkins

Winter and Autumn (seasonal wall hangings) - yes there was a spring and a summer as well

Mittens to hang by the chimney for Santa (if you are too big to have a stocking!!!)

Bunny Hugs - a GREAT baby quilt

Ben and Jerry table runner

Jeanne and Shelley

Jeanne and Shelley have published TWO books - Tis The Season which is in its 6th printing (almost UNHEARD of in the quilting business) and although the book was published a couple of years ago - it is STILL the NUMBER ONE seller for Martingale. How about that for a couple of CANADIAN designers!!!!!!!  Book two - Urban Country Quilts was published a year later and it is also selling well. Book three will be out in the Spring of 2014 and the contract for Book 4 has been signed.

Tis the Season

Urban Country Quilts

Their fabric line - Shasta is sold out in most locations stocking the fabric and their new line should be out some time in 2013.

These girls are just a bundle of fun and a whirlwind. Most of the patterns they sell in their store are their own design!   Can you believe that??????   Yep - their own patterns only.



Daphne and Marian did an amazing job with swag bags and door prizes. Everyone walked away with a nice swag bag filled with loot of all kinds. We had donated fabric, patterns, bags, coupons, magazines, needle cases, muffin tins, and MUCH MUCH more. Then there were almost 50 door prizes. I know - -everyone had a 1 in 3 chance of winning something and you know what - no one at our table of 10 won a thing!!!!!!!!!!   Sorry girls - just luck of the draw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks Daphne and Marian - you ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I want to thank all the donors of items for the door prizes, and everyone who donated to the loot bags. Here is a list of them all...................... (I will load the list later this afternoon)


I would like to ask you a favour - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support your local stores. If you don't - they won't be around. Where would you go when you just need a break or want to chat about quilting and your friends aren't around? I go to the quilt store.


I think everyone had a great time and I wish to thank EVERYONE who came to the event. YOU are the ones that made the dinner successful. Without you - there would have been no event.


THANK YOU         THANK YOU           THANK YOU


People asked when the next event was going to take place. Oh boy - but wouldn't it be fun to have ONE big dinner party a year for quilters with a guest speaker. How cool would that be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Of course it wouldn't be as inexpensive as this was. Anybody got any ideas for guest speakers??????


On that note - I think I need a small nap. I am still recovering from the event. I will tell you about the workshop later or most likely tomorrow. I am suddenly EXHAUSTED and I can't think straight enough to put the rest of the information and pictures.

After my little nap - I will put the names of the sponsors up. If this entry sounds crazy - yes - my brain is muddled!!!


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


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

Christmas Club show n tell - April

Yes - it was time for the Christmas Club show n tell. Wow - amazing how quickly time creeps up. And it seems that I am never ready - well I have been in the past, but I did not have my homework done for this class. NOTE TO SELF - get caught up this month. I don't think there are any rush jobs or big deadlines in May. Wait - I am sure something will pop up.

Let's start with Critter Christmas................

The homework was the chickadee and the stars - second row on the right hand side. Let's see what the group did..................

The homework

I thought I would show you a close up of the chickadee block. Amazing how each block looks different depending on the style of applique

Nice big satin stitch

Unfinished (it will be done in the summer)

Buttonhole (blanket stitch)

A touch of rick rack and FLUFF

By hand with some embroidery and cord from MEXICO!!!!!!

A few threads to trim off, but the veins were done by machine

And then there is Karen. NOPE - she is making something completely different (yet the same) as all of us. Can't wait to see the end product!!!!!

Hmmm - I swear that Virginia sent me a note with her pictures, but for the life of me I CANNOT find them.


Next is the show n tell from O Tanneubaum................

The School house block

Ooops - that would be Mozart's house on the right. 

Can't see the forest for the trees!!!!!

One more tree...............

What an amazing show n tell. The girls (and Tony) did a great job with all the homework.


All these quilts are going to be amazing.

Then we had some regular (as if regular fits this group) show n tell......................

Karen made this doll by Elinor Peace Bailey (this is the quilt critic - I have forgotten her name now). She isn't too thrilled with the quilt she is analyzing 

Some of the group are participating in a 9-patch exchange. This is a quilt that Tony made with 9-patches. Pretty awesome.

Last night I had a dream. It isn't often that I remember my dreams but I SWEAR that my dream was telling me where I had used that bias tape maker and it was in my studio somewhere. I got up and I searched - but I did not find the bias tape maker - which isn't a big deal since I have a new one - but I thought I would check. Then today in my machine quilting class - one of the students had a box with them and in the box was the GIANT bias tape maker. Since I already had my own - no need to borrow - but I would have borrowed it - oh yes. 

Anyway - in my searching this morning - I came across this box. Hmmmmmm - what is in the box???   I pulled it off the shelf and OMG - the BOX was from THE QUILT PATCH in Moose Jaw. What??????   I don't remember ordering anything from them. I open the box - OH YES - now I remember. I DESPERATELY wanted some chenille fabric - black with the chenille in squares. I must have searched on-line and found it at their store. 

See - there is their return address

Hmmmm - now what date do you think was on the box??????????  

Yep - that would be April 21, 2004. Guess I wasn't that desperate since I haven't used the chenille yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I was searching - something else came to mind and I dug out this basket of scraps. I exactly need this kind of scrap for another project that is looming on my radar. How convenient - no cutting necessary - I am just going to dig through this basket and make my project.

I love that - I use up a basket of scraps - my project gets done and it is a WIN WIN for everyone. And technically it isn't a new project since it was on the map from last year.

Scrap basket.

Let's just say that next year when I make up the list for 2013 - I shall be a bit more discriminating????  I really am making progress - there is just a LOT of stuff to get done.


OK - well on that note - it is time to get back to work on the samples for the CreativFestival. Only FOUR more days and I've a lot of work to do.



Have a great day........................


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