The Shopping

A normal day for me is to keep myself busy BY MYSELF in the studio. Well - things are changing and FAST.

The other day (Sunday), I had not one, but TWO visitors.

Mary was here using the long arm on a GIGANTIC quilt.

Mary busy quilting away

Her finished quilt!!!    Great job Mary!!!!!    And did you notice what is hanging BEHIND the long arm????   Yes - I hung up my red/white quilt. It still needs a label so can't put it on the FINISHED projects list yet. Must get that done maybe today????

 My second visitor was M. She was busy hemming a pair of pants that she started in a sewing class a while back. They just needed the waist band done and hemming. ACK - what am I to do - the long arm is being used, the sewing machine is being used??????   Well - I did find something - I don't even remember what I as working on that day.

M hemming pants. 

Several times now, I go upstairs and then think - I thought I turned the lights off. Come down to find M, busy working away on something. Last night she started a pair of shorts out of FLIMSY material. She did an EXCELLENT job cutting (my teacher instincts over rule mother instincts in this area) and she did an amazing job of serging them. This kind of material is NOT easy, but she seems to be doing just great. Today she is going to hem them and put in elastic waistband. I think she has the elastic waistband pants/shorts thing down pat. Now - I need a couple pair of PJ pants made?????   I know she will make me pay money so I best do it myself!!!!


Time to move onto something a bit more complicated. I think we are going for a lined skirt later today and a top is in the works. Oh boy - set in sleeves. Like I tell everyone - NOTHING is hard if you know the right way to do it. And sewing comes natural to me and seems to be coming natural to her as well. Best have a needle changing lesson on the sewing machine in the event it breaks when I am not here. Yikes - do I have to buy a new machine?????

Sparky was also in the studio. But with all the wide open space,  she crowds under a small table!!!!!!

Back to Monday Motivators yesterday. I decided to take some non-sewing machine jobs and quite happy with my progress.

Got the binding completely sewn on this quilt. Only FIVE more quilts of mine to hand bind. Since there is no rush for them, I will take my sweet time to get them done. I enjoy the process - I'll do more in winter I guess. Just too much going on right now. 

 This quilt was originally made for M as a Christmas present a NUMBER of years ago. It is done NOW. I showed it to her and told her why I had made it. She said she still wanted it. What the heck - I'll get a label on it and give it to her. I told her I didn't want the dogs sleeping on it - well it is just a quilt after all and not a very fancy one. Yes - I will let the dogs (ACK) sleep on it. The poor kid only has TWO quilts that I have made her - one is rather small at this point to use as a sleeping quilt and the other one is one the sofa.

Removed the last of the paper from this project. The Dragon Star by Judy Neimeyer.

Here is the front of the quilt. I love the colour, my only regret is that some of the big purple star points are muddied with the flying geese - should have been a bit more contrast in some of the spots. I will blame that on a design issue - there should have been a gap there. Actually I think there was (it was optional) and I choose to NOT do it. Live and learn. 

Got the backing and binding done when I got home. Now to find some time to get it quilted. I have TWO big custom quilts to do in the next couple of days. They take FOREVER. At least this quilt is NOT that big. 

Look at my new sewing - well make that ironing tool. A board buddy. It is a  spray bottle with a  pour spout. Pretty neat. Thanks to Daphne and Judy for making this happen!!!!

Jackie's quilt in progress. This is from Quilt in a Day pattern that Jackie started MANY years ago. She has two or three more borders to add. And then some applique or something in the center. Going to be beautiful.

Back to vacation stuff. Of course - I had to do a BIT of shopping while I was away. I am AMAZED that this stuff fit in my suitcase and didn't tip the scales at the airport. Heck - I had room for 10 more pounds!!!!!

More novelty fabric - I just can't help myself!!!!!!

And MORE novelty fabric - I mean - where else could you get barbed wire fabric than in Saskatchewan and who would design it?????

ACK - MORE Halloween fabric. I saw a quilt that I LOVED - VERY VERY simple for Halloween and these are the two borders for that quilt. 

A charm pack of Halloween fabrics - which may go into my new Halloween quilt. If I get it done in a day - does that count as a new project?????   No one will ever know. 

Wool - BRIGHT wool for something that Marian and I want to work on

Letter fabric, fabric with judys (to go with my judy collection) which I will show you one day and orange. Saw a great idea for an orange quilt and may have to make that one too. ACK - too many inspirations on this trip. I came home with a LOT of ideas of things to do and not just in the quilting world. As if I didn't have enough to do already!!!!!!

And Jeanne gave me a BRILLIANT idea of a great sewing day. I just have to convince a few people to go for it. A leap of faith shall we say!!!!!    Got to figure out the details first.

A charm pack of sewing themed fabric.

More novelty - farm related. 

Super little book on wool applique. The Halloween block in particular is ADORABLE

Saw this made up as an apron in the North Battleford Fabricland (their Fabriclands are WAY different than ours - LOADS of quilting fabric). Anyway - I bought three meters. Not sure what I am going to do with it. But I LIKE it - and YES - it has words on it. 

Wait there is MORE......................

|A couple of kits from The Quilt Patch. I would buy ANYTHING of theirs - such a nice cozy feel to every thing. Wouldn't it be nice to say "I'll take ONE of everything!!!!"

Enough gray plush for the backing of a quilt that I got from The Quilt Patch a while back

Here is the quilt - cut and ready to sew!!!!

Two magazines - the one on the right - I could NOT find it here in English, but the great bookstore in Saskatoon found it for me. Love McNally Robinson

Two books

 And there is even MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are the bags of stuff that I brought home for the workshop in October. For other people. 

And there is one more thing that I will show you tomorrow. As you can see that suitcase was PACKED!!!!!



OK - it is late and I have a lot to do today.



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



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