A GREAT DAY!!!!!!

It is ALWAYS  a great day when you get to start a new project. OK - so technically it isn't a new project - but rather the CLASS for the new year. Yesterday was CHRISTMAS CLUB at Cockadoodle Quilts.

Remember - O Tannebaum and A Critter Christmas.

The group is ENTHUSIASTIC and we are going to have the best time ever!!!!   I can just feel it. Can't wait to hear all the stories they are going to make up about their quilts. And Linda started it all yesterday. Not content to accept the O Tannebaum designer's words at face value - NO - Linda wants to rethink the quilt design and come up with something unique, something German, something symbolic and she is using this as her inspiration ........................

Linda and her WREATH LOG CABIN

Good luck Linda - can't wait to see the end result AND THERE WILL BE AN END RESULT!!!!!    Right Linda???????


Now that I have confessed to the group - I need to confess to you. I have wanted to make O Tannebaum since the quilt was first published. Funny - there is NO DATE on the pattern when it was first published, but it has been a NUMBER of YEARS.

Here is a picture to refresh your memory.

O Tannebaum

What the heck - here is A Critter Christmas as well

When I first saw the quilt, I said - PAPER PIECING. Great. I LOVE paper piecing. I did NOT like the houses at first (But I am loving them now). OK - so shouldn't be too hard to make this. I managed to have a peak at someone else's pattern since it was a BOM and the cost reflected such and I didn't want to pay for all the blocks. HEY - we've all been there. What I really wanted was the paper piecing template. Alas - it wasn't in the package. Now how could that be???  

So now I was presented with a dilemma - first I needed paper that was big enough, then I needed a way to print on the larger paper and a way to design the block. Designing the block was easy on EQ. Then I had some artist drawing pads  - they were newsprint (from my Sheridan College days). They were 18 by 24. I cut them up so I could get the right size I needed for the blocks and thanks to a printer that I had purchased from a class held by EQ MANY years ago - it is a wide body HP printer - I was able to print those big blocks that I had designed in EQ on newsprint. Problem SOLVED.

Since then - I have merrily paper pieced a number of these blocks and still I wondered where were the templates?

Then Joanne (from Cockadoodle) gave me the teacher package when we were thinking of running O Tannebaum as a class. Still no paper piecing templates (you would think I would have clued in by now).

THEN TWO DAYS ago when I was preparing for the class yesterday, I FINALLY read the instructions (after how many years). The light bulb went on. Those blocks are NOT meant to be paper pieced!!!!!!     OH MY GOD!!!!!   I couldn't believe it. But have a look at this - when you see this diagram - do you not think of paper piecing?????

That looks like paper piecing to me!!!!!

Well it turns out that the designer wants you to cut each piece the EXACT measurement (those strips are 1 1/8" wide by all kinds of measurements on the length). Then you sew them together to get the 9 7/8" UNFINISHED. Yeah - with all those seams  - that exact measurement is NOT going to happen. Just NOT going to happen.

Hmmmmm - I am sticking to my guns and the group is going to paper piece this and I am going to supply the templates for them to paper piece.


And this next part of the story shows that when you have a dilemma  - it pays to talk about it because you never know what will happen. I have been thinking about this problem - the paper to foundation piece this bigger blocks on for a long time. Yes - I could buy more artist pads, but they do have a price to them. Then I was chatting up my problem at a retreat and guess what - one of my friends is in the printing business. She said she could get some ends that were going to go in the recycling bin. OH MY GOD - those would be perfect.

She scooped a couple for me....................

My ends of newsprint rolls

Now the issue - how to cut that stuff so it fits in the printer. Well that was easy.........................

The longest roll was 66 inches wide. I laid it out on the cutting table and

using rulers and rotary cutter - cut the size that I need to print the templates

Those students had better appreciate all the prep that goes into a class. At least my classes!!!!!!    And you know what - I am happy doing that. Do you know why?????    Because I was faced with a challenge and I FIGURED IT OUT and at no cost!!!!!!     Oh yes - things like get me very excited!!!!



I know - it's ridiculous - but true!!!!!


Now here is the next challenge - there are 14 participants in O Tannebaum and there are SEVENTEEN of those blocks that need to be printed for EACH participants - you do the math!!!!!!!



Now we did have show n tell and I will share that with you.

Karen's January project for the  12 for 20(12) - It is quilted - just needs a binding. I think she is going to make it!!!!

The back of Karen`s quilt

Beth (on the right) made two tops (gosh - I can`t remember who they were for)

Liz brought in this GORGEOUS hand appliqued and hand quilted quilt to show. This is the ETOBICOKE QUILTER`S GUILD raffle quilt. She has tickets to sell, but it was such a busy day - I did not get a chance. Next time!!!!!

The ETOBICOKE QUILTER`S GUILD raffle quilt - 

Also their QUILT SHOW is coming up at the end of March. Check out their web site for more information.


Etobicoke Quilter`s Guild QUILT SHOW


It is always the first local show of the year - VERY well attended and a VERY worthwhile show to attend!!!!!!


I had to zip out to Rona the other night and on my way to the cash - I passed these and couldn`t resist.

Two happy girls and a dog enjoying the PINK SHAG carpet!!!!

We did our tinner exchange yesterday - but I will have to show you the pictures tomorrow. I have a DATE with the computer this morning and trying to those two articles to the publisher before they cut me off!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!