These ladies are HOOKED!

I'm trying to catch up with the show n tell. There is so much and there is more coming down the pipe line as I finish up classes for 2014. We had a super class yesterday.  Everyone learned so much including ME!!!  Let's just say that the group was enthusiastic which makes my job a whole lot more fun.

BUT - I will save their show n tell for tomorrow. I want to show you what my beginner group did.  This was a beginner group at Sew Sisters. The classes ran every two weeks and there were four sessions in total. Some of them were brand new and others had a bit more experience. The idea was for them to walk out of the class with a completed quilt and they did not disappoint.

This is Heather's giraffe. Shoot - just realized I didn't get a picture of the fluffy blue pompoms on his back.   This is so cute!   Since I am "officially" a knitter now - I have to share all things knitting as well!  

And now for the show n tell from the class..............

Lily used a very modern palette of yellow, gray and white.  Love it!!!!

She did a cross hatching quilting using a DECORATIVE stitch on her machine.  It looks awesome!!!!!!!!!!

Pat was pretty excited about getting hers completed and she even had the binding on when she came to class.  Love that blue/green colourway

Nasrin also used blue/green but softer shades of both.  She added a small white border to the outside. Looks awesome!!!!

Giovanna used some kid prints in warm colours. She added TWO borders to her quilt. I love that deep red - it keeps your eyes moving over the quilt.

Nora used green and yellows.  Love the combination!!!

Sheila used blues and red and was working on her binding when I snagged a picture!!!

But LOOK at her quilting. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that wavy diagonal line. It adds so much to the quilt and easy to do!!!

Heather used bright blues and reds. What a difference from Sheila''s!  Heather got all her binding on and ready to hand stitch!

Suzanne used purple batiks.  So nice!!!!  And she almost got that binding on and then her bobbin ran out!!!!

|Look at the quilting on Suzanne's.  She did the quilting on the diagonal and I LOVE it. Adds a lot of movement to the quilt and again - easy to do!!!!   

Wasn't that awesome. I just love to see the same quilt done with different fabrics. It is a great way to learn about values and how different colours react with each other. I believe two people were not able to make the last class. Hopefully they will be able to finish on their own. Everyone did such an amazing job and I think some of them are HOOKED.  I did warn them about quilting becoming an obsession and now it is out of my hands!!!!!

Thanks to everyone for making the class so much fun to teach!!!  If you are interested in taking a beginner class or you know someone who would like to learn - there are TWO sessions scheduled for the new year. One starts on Jan 14 and the other starts March 11.  Both sessions are on Wednesdays afternoon.


I saw this blog posting on Facebook and thought I would share it with you. The blogger talks about how she increases her productivity and I would have to say that I do the same thing although I have never really thought about it. It sure makes a lot of sense. Anyway - enjoy the read.

In my case - I always drape the next quilt over the long-arm or if I'm really on a roll - I actually load the quilt - then it is ready for quilting. I come home from my sewing days and unpack my projects and load the basket up again with whatever I am going to sew the next sewing day. I don't do that so much at home but there are LOTS to choose from just laying around!!!


I just went upstairs to get something and this is what I saw at the top of the stairs.

Little Sammy BLOCKING the stairs so Sparky can't come down!!!!

In an ideal world - that is what the good sister would do. However, Little Sammy is trying to take over Sparky's spot as the ALPHA dog. Sammy is way more aggressive (not a bad aggressive) than she ever was. She will try to play with Sparky knowing that Sparky can't keep up. She will run ahead on the walks - stuff that she never did before. As for blocking the stairs?  NOPE - I think she was just hoping that someone would let her through the "election" gate so she could go UPSTAIRS.  She is NOT a vocal dog. She did end up whimpering and I realized her problem so she is now upstairs upstairs. It is so funny how they will "help" each other out. When one can't ask -the other steps in. Sparky always barks when Sammy needs to go outside. Silly girls!!!!!!!!!


On that note - it is time to get some more blogging done!!!!   I am going on an adventure later today and I'm very excited about that, but lots of work to get done before then.

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


Ciao!!!!

One more block bites the dust!

I managed to get one more embroidered block done during embroidery club. Slow progess as there are a LOT of curves on the block and I have to made FOUR of them.  Two are now done and two more to go.  Then there are three more blocks after that for a total of five blocks still to stitch. Before Christmas????   Maybe - but it will be tight!!!

Then off to my beginner class at Sew Sisters.  The energy in that room is incredible. Here are ten brand new quilters excited and ready to quilt!!!!   They did a great job on assembling their blocks and almost all the homework was complete and a few had assembled their tops!!  They will be quilting next time - I hope that won't slow down their enthusiasm. I didn't get pictures of their blocks - I should have!!!!

One of the students brought in this incredible bag that she had made.  She uses it to carry her sewing machine.

Giovanna's sewing machine carrying bag. 

She did a fabulous job on it and I am sure this is the first of many great projects.  Leanne went to the CreativFestival and bought a book. When she showed me the book - I had to laugh.  Guess what book she bought????

Yep - Here comes Winter by Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks - my FAVOURITE AUTHORS!!!!

She is making a very cute project from the book and had made a great start on it.  Oh yes - these ladies are very keen and it is very exciting!!!!!

And let's not forget the label that Giovanna made for her bag.  So cute!!!!!

When I got home - I had lots of stuff to do and I managed to get little of it done!!!   Why? Because I was on the phone trying to get my mother-in-law's cable TV situation straightened out.  Oh yes - it appears that someone on the staff made a HUGE error and well I was on the phone for hours during various parts of the day trying to get it resolved.  Guess what??  Not completely fixed so I get to spend more time on the phone this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!   Doesn't even make sense to blame the COMPANY because obviously it is one employee that messed up!!!!


I did manage to get some more work done on my Christmas gift bags for the guild, my secret Christmas project (which I am happy to say I am working on and it is not even Christmas EVE!!!!) and I got this finished...............

One of my quilts - backing, binding and the top - DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's not forget that I started a new quilt this morning - an easy one and almost have the blocks done - told you is was fast.

Yep - so making progress - just not fast enough.  It is all the little interruptions in a day that mess me up.  Like being on the phone - I managed to putter with small things, but what a pain to just have to deal with stuff including my girls who want IN and then OUT and then IN and then OUT and not at the same time!!!!!


On that note - I have my critical list of THREE things (OK - there are FOUR on it) for today and I must get busy.   Oh yes if you want some eye candy - have a look at this web site - the winners from the Houston Quilt Show. And I know TWO of the winners!!! Yeah - Look at the third place winner in the Embellishment category and the second place winner in the Group category.

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

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