MY DAUGHTER IS AWESOME

LOOK HOW AWESOME SHE IS SHE IS ON THE JEAN MACHINE WEBSITE

WOW

SHE IS ALSO IN THEIR NEW ARRIVALS (TRY TO SPOT HER MULTIPLE PICS!)

SHE ALSO DESIGNED THIS

AND THEN MODELED IT

WOW

SHE IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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WHOA - when I went to post this morning - I see a draft of a post.  Gee  - I wonder who wrote it?????

Well here are the photos/links she is talking about.  Yes - she is awesome and I am very proud of her.


She does some modelling work for Jean Machine and this time she is on their web site.


Jean machine

This is her in both pictures on this page.   She is also in quite a few other pictures on the site including the masthead picture that rotates through several pictures.   I barely recognize her.



I haven't even seen the real thing, but I did get this picture.  I knew it was in the works as I paid for the fabric. Apparently she designed it, my MIL made it (helps to have a super seamstress in the family who can make pretty much anything without a pattern) and here is M modeling it.

Have to say that it is a cute outfit. I wonder what my MIL thought about that cropped top.  She is pretty liberal considering her religious background and that she herself would NEVER be seen in the presence of a non-family male without a head covering!!!!!

On the other hand - my kid is pretty silly too.   Guess who was over yesterday?????  Yep - Milo and he certainly did NOT disappoint in the entertainment department.  I have to find the pictures that I took of him - I think I have THREE camera cards on the go right now - don't ask.   I am not sure who had the most fun - M, me, Sammy or Milo. But it was quite the day - Sammy and Milo are just hysterical to watch.

Anyway - here are a couple of M   just lounging around.

And Milo just wants to play with his toy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girl - get up and play with ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a crazy day - I worked on my projects all day.  You know how it is - you think "just a couple of hours".  Well one thing led to another and before I knew it - the day was practically gone.  I am THRILLED with what I made though.  Now - I did goof up and apparently my blogs on QUILTsocial won't be posted until next week. They are just DUE this week. Do you think Carla is sending me a message????   YEP - I am always late!!!!!   But staging the pictures, editing, writing the text - then having to back track because you missed a step and then more items and hence more items to make. Well - I am way too obsessed over this, but I finally getting a chance to play - just like I always wanted.  I may never make another quilt!!!!!


I managed to get another customer quilt done.

Customer quilt - DONE

 And I needed a bead for one of the projects. I looked through my stash and could not find anything appropriate. Went to Fabricland and found nothing there either.  BUT I did remember to purchase black ribbon.

Black ribbon - 1/4"

Yeah  - I actually remembered something.

Anyway - I am off for a day of sewing today - can't wait. Will be finishing up my projects.



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


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

Some "order" in the chaos???

I thought I would do TWO posts this morning - that keeps the show n tell from the class separate from my craziness!!!

It was a beehive of activity here last night. Oh my - what fun. And I can't share anything with you yet. Well - just a snippet or two.

I have always wanted to just play with stuff and so I did a bit of that last night.  Not quite what I was supposed to be doing, but the end result is for my project.  And I hope to do more in the near future - it was a lot of fun.

Yes - it involved glue and water.  I had great fun - not 100% satisfied with the end result, but then I was using only the limited supplies that I had in the house - OK - I guess I could have dug a bit deeper to find more variety.  Anyway - you will see it this coming week on QUILTsocial. 

Then I needed a crochet hook.  Crap - where are they????   OK - found them, but too big.  AHA - finally found the small hook in the knitting supplies.  I really must get that stuff a bit more organized - or at least put that small knitting tool box with the rest of the knitting needles/crochet hooks so I will know exactly where it is next time I need it.


Next up was a piece of black ribbon.  Oh boy - had to go through TWO boxes like this of ribbon odds and ends.

Yikes - there are a LOT of ribbon bits and pieces.   But so nice to have a supply that I can get to late at night. 

I was searching for black. Not too narrow

This is the only piece of black in the width I wanted. But it was just big ENOUGH and that is all that counts. If I was smart - I would put black ribbon on my shopping list so when I want some next time - it will be there. 

Remember this from yesterday???

It was still sitting on my cutting table last night and M accused me of buying it because it had my name on it!!!!!   Seriously - she thinks I am that shallow????   OK - so I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!        But it was the colour too!!!!   Let's not forget that I like bright things!!!!

On that note - I am out of here.  I got a quilt on the long arm that is crying for my attention, I've got a garden full of weeds and I have TWO sewing machines that are saying - use me  - use me.  For the morning, the sewing machines are going to win!!!!!



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



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

Northern Lights

Time to get caught up!   We had our Northern Lights class last weekend. Always interesting to see what the class has come up with.  The blocks are pieced so there isn't a lot of room for changing the block, but that doesn't mean they haven't tried!   Actually changing the values can quite easily change the look of the block and of course if you have turned an element or two - that can change the block as well!!!!!


Have a look................   (I am trying to get all their colourways in my head but with 22 in the class - it isn't always easy. )

Let's see if I can get these straight - the two row - both belong to Linda P - she is making both sizes. Quite different choice of fabric
Next row: Mary, Judith,
Next row: Beth
Bottom row: Helen Anne, Flo

Top Row:  Mary

Next row: Genny, Marilyn
Bottom row: Mary and Jane or is that Jane and Mary (I always see them together and for the life of me - I cannot remember who is Jane and who is Mary!!!!)

Let me try this one - top one is Susan (notice her creativity in the block - but remember it is fixed now!)
next row: Karen L, Raili
\next row: Marlene, Karen W
Bottom row: Nancy  (two blocks)

OK - how did I do?????   If I goofed - let me know and I will change it - then I can memorize them over the summer!!!!!

Here is Susan's block - fixed.   Have a close look at the above pictures because Susan's wasn't the only one that was "creative" in the piecing process.  We had a good laugh about their creativity!!!!

Marilyn brought in some show n tell  - this beautiful quilt that she had appliqued.  It was stunning and if memory serves me correctly - this is the second one that she made.  Just gorgeous work - thanks for sharing. 

There you have it - the class now has a LOT of homework (OK - not that bad) for the summer and we will get back together in September.

We have TWO great projects lined up for 2015 - one is applique and one is strictly pieced. Both are going to be awesome.  You have to wait to find out what they are.   OK - I will share with you!!!!!  

One is Tiny Town by Bunny Hill

Tiny Town by Bunny Hill

and the other is Amish with a Twist II by Nancy Rink.

Amish with a Twist II by Nancy Rink

No signups yet - but just something to contemplate!!!!


Have an awesome and SAFE summer everyone


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


Ciao!!!!!!!!

Chaos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have ever been to my studio - you know that it is never tidy. I may clear off some work surfaces for guests to work, but the moment they are gone - WHOOSH - I wave my magic wand and EVERY SURFACE is covered.   I have a couple of intense projects going on at the moment and trying to finish up a couple of others and the studio - well have a look.....................

There is a quilt to be trimmed, fabric to be put away and those hour glass blocks to be trimmed

A quilt backing to be made and OH MY - there are those hour glass blocks again.   I need a container for them as they seem to get shifted from surface to surface. Not an effective use of time!!!!!

It is not enough that the work surfaces are FULL, but I have moved a couple more surfaces into the area (for picture taking purposes) and now I am dodging those.   Chairs have been called into duty - holding more quilts to be trimmed, empty boxes.  There are THREE sewing machines up and all are being used - depending on the project, thread colour and foot.   All the while, I am taking pictures and have to get everything straight (trying to write three weeks of blogs and my own)!!!!   Oh boy - what fun!!!!   Seriously - I am having a ball and so happy with my projects.  

Sorry - cannot share the projects with you yet. But watch QUILTsocial this coming week and you will get to see some of what I have been working on. I even got M excited about this new project and one of them is for her!


When I wasn't going crazy with my new projects, I was back on the long-arm. The girls are very funny and have their little routines. And the routines change depending on who is in the house.  If I am here by myself, they will come downstairs to keep me company. If someone else is in the house - they usually stick with the other person.    

This is Sammy's favourite sleeping spot.   She can adjust the temperature of her spot by moving up or down a step.  Especially on a humid day - you can feel the change in temperature step by step.  Boy - she looks totally bored.   But she is happy to be able to watch me, she can run to the front door if she is needed there. She is the CENTER of the universe. 

Sparky on the other hand wants to be part of the action. She likes me to notice her and how can I not when she is laying on the floor right where I need to walk!!!!!!!!!!   

However - I did get the customer quilt done!

Went to load the next customer quilt and had to make the backing.  But it is done and loaded and ready to be quilted this afternoon.


If you followed the QUILTsocial blog, you would know that I test drove the Husqvarna Viking H|Class 100Q sewing machine.   Then I was lucky enough to take it to the retreat for five days.   Well - I just had to BUY one.  It really is a super machine.    Check out QUILTsocial on Monday morning to see WHY I bought it.   This purchase shocked me as I am a bit of a sewing machine snob and have had access to a machine with lots of bells and whistles for the last 16 years.  But check out the QUILTsocial blog on Monday to see my rationale.

My new sewing machine

I was at Ruti's the other day. OK - so I am at Ruti's almost EVERY  day.  That is what happens when you have a super quilt/yarn store just minutes away.  Susan has been making me feel very guilty - she walks everywhere around here and I don't.  I got my townie bike out and rode to Ruti's for knit club yesterday.   I MUST MUST MUST make myself a bag to put in my handlebar basket.  Oh - I just LOVE that bike.
It's like going from a racing car (my road bike where you are hunched over) to driving a big truck where you are sitting up straight and can see everything!!!!!   I am sure a few heads have turned in the neighbourhood as I zip by as we tend to see a lot of older men riding their bikes around here. They ride slow - I ride fast (well faster!) And Ruthi was laughing because I have a CUP HOLDER on my bike.  She wanted to know how I could ride and drink coffee.  No - it is for going to Tim's and bringing the tea home!!!!!

When I was paying for my Stonehenge O Canada III fabric, I saw this skein of yarn by the cash. The colour caught my eye. Then I read the label and well, one thing led to another and YEP - I had to buy the darn skein, but NOT before I checked to make sure that ONE was enough to make something.   Hey - I'm no dummy, although we thought if you put the skein into a pretty clear vase - it would make a beautiful center piece. A great way to "hide" yarn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


On that note - I have a few things to prepare before my class this morning.


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



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

Procrastination is not always a bad thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was Thursday Therapy.  It is one of my favourite days (OK - so almost every day is my favourite day).  A group of us get together and sew for a good part of the day. If you are well prepared and in the right mindset - you can accomplish a lot. You also get to see some amazing show n tell.


Have a look at what some of the others brought in to show off........

Sacha finished her BRIGHT cat quilt - I just love this and was trying to find a way to sneak it in my bag!!!!   She started work on yet another BRIGHT CAT quilt which is going to be gorgeous as well. 

Linda was quilting up a gorgeous quilt.  Guess who this is for????   Not ME!!   Nope - a new BABY.  Isn't that an awesome colour for a baby quilt!!!!!   And the shading of her lights and darks is awesome. 

Vivenda was working on her Bloomin' 9-Patch.  I just love that name - is it Bloomin' as in a name or is that a bad word?????   Anyway she is almost done and this was an enormous amount of work.  That class was only a month or so ago so she has been hustling to get this much done. 

Elaine was fretting over this housecoat which she is making for a friend.  EVERYTHING matched - all the plaids at practically all the seams.  Not sure how she did that - but well it looked awesome.   I think she finally finished it at the end of the day. 

Susan corrected her block. I haven't posted the homework from Northern Lights class yet, but - well just say that there were a few issues.  Susan got this block back together and started to work on the next ones. 

I decided to work on borders, backings and bindings.   There are so many choices that I could work on at Thursday, but knowing we were going to have room to spread out - I decided to take advantage of that.   I put a small flat piping border on first, then a light border and then it was decision time as to what to put as the final border.  We finally settled on the maple leaves which I am very happy about. 

While I love to plan things out - I also seem to have a knack for just winging things and this border was no exception.  Initially I was going to miter those corners. However after measuring (obviously not well enough), the borders that I FUSSY cut were NOT long enough (by a smidge) to miter.  OK - let's move on to Plan B.  There was a four inch or so piece of border print left over.  I fussy cut a maple leaf and inserted it on the diagonal.  Yup - I like that!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going to leave the corner on the diagonal (a bias edge). The points will get trimmed off when the quilt is quilted. 

And this is what I had left over from my cutting.  Not bad for not planning!!!!

And another quilt goes in the "to be quilted" pile.  They wanted me to get it done for Canada Day - Nope - no time for that. 

Here is the rest of the line of Stonehenge O Canada III by Northcott.  It is now out in local stores.  I bought this lot at Ruti's Needlebed in Streetsville. 

Yeah - one project was done. But I had attempted to tackle another project BEFORE the Canada quilt. I had the quilt laid out on the table and was going to put a border on when Susan came in the room - looked at what I was doing and said "I have a table runner like that".  Yep -  it was the SAME table runner kit, but there was so much left over from my kit that  I made a small quilt - remember?????

My small quilt (supposed to be a table runner)

 
Well she offered me her leftovers and how could I resist.  She offered to walk them over right after she left (she lives close to me) and when I got home I forgot to check the mail box.   Eventually I did remember and ran up - NOTHING. Oh dear - she must have forgotten about me.  I thought that was strange because Susan is pretty punctual and I know she wanted to get more Fitbit steps in. I checked several times and nope - she forgot!!!!  (I know - pretty sad - as if I was waiting for that fabric because I had nothing else to sew!!!!)

I did get the binding done and cut the strips for the border. It went back in the bucket. 

Then I was out walking the girls  late in the evening and I see someone walking along the sidewalk towards me.  AHA - there she is!!!!

Of course - I rushed right down stairs with the little bag of fabric to see what was inside. There were strips 

Eight little blocks were already pieced

And many pieces were already cut - I made seven more little blocks this morning. 

Got the centers for five big blocks done and the rest is almost all cut up and waiting to be sewn.  I know -  I couldn't help myself!!!!!!!!!!!!    For sure I will have enough fabric to add a row and a column and maybe a few bits leftover. The big question will be - can I just whack them on the side and bottom (some of the fabrics are different). The old me would fret about it - the new me - I may just whack them on and call it a day.  We'll see!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There was still time at Thursday so I pulled out another project. And just in case you think I have gotten over my fussy stage - thing again.

Time to work on this border print bargello.   I had ONE side left to do, but I was running short of fabric so was going to have to piece that border print - which meant matching which is a PAIN.  I was NOT looking forward to it.

Border print bargello - DONE

There are FOUR joins in this sections - can you see them all??????   It took a LONG time to get them how I wanted.  OK - so the OCD is me is not completely gone.  PHEW!!!!!

This is what I had left over.  The triangle shapes were put with the hour glass project - the rest went in a scrap box for border prints. I knew - you didn't know about that one did you??

And I added this - it was the in between stripe on this border print. 

I got the binding cut and sewn together, but not pressed. And still have to make the back - that will be so easy compared to that border. That was not fun!!!!!    Back into its' bucket. 

Then home and onto the quilting machine.

Customer quilt - DONE

It was such an AWESOME day yesterday.  I got stuff done that I had wanted to get done - I was very happy with the results and my progress. Great fun with friends and well it was just an AWESOME day.

Today - more fun with friends, phone calls, e-mails, quilting and well - the list just doesn't stop.


Have a super day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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

The card is in the mail!!!!!!!!!!

I signed up to be part of a postcard exchange.  While I made good efforts during the past year to get the post cards done ON TIME, as the deadline crept closer - I was still only half done the post cards.   However I am happy to report that I sat down the other night and got all twelve postcards done!!!!   I just need to get them addressed and put in the mail (or make arrangements to hand deliver)

One set of six postcards

Here is a close up so you can actually see that it is a quilt on a clothes line.  And those silly girls in embroidery were checking to see if my binding was on right!!!!    Very simple, but adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the second set of six. 

Used burlap for the backing and free motioned silk leaves.  Again, very simple, but pretty neat. 

The leaf post card will very easily go in the mail, the clothesline ones have TWO clothes pins on them which are going to difficult to mail.  Will try to hand deliver those ones.


Speaking of embroidery - we had our last club date until the fall.  I shall miss those couple of hours to get some embroidery done.  I guess I had better keep up the Wednesday morning on my own?????   I have 11 blocks left on my project (scads of others waiting in the wings) and it would be really nice to get this done so I could move on.   I will see what I can do - maybe get an audio book or two and sit outside on a nice day?   Got to stop running around like an idiot.

But not all of us are doing embroidery. Tish has gone CRAZY for hexagons and that is all Diane's fault. She got her started and so if you are out and about this summer and trying to find those little packages of hexagons - between Tish and Diane - they have pretty much wiped most stores out!!!!!

Tish's hexagons - I love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did get some of my hour glass blocks trimmed yesterday - it will be a summer long project - there are a ton of them!!!!!

Had to pop to Ruti's to get the border fabric for my Canada quilt.  WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!!!!    What is this?????????   OK - Northcott - STOP - just STOP printing such gorgeous fabric.   This is a border print for the Shimmer Line (by Northcott).   There is a stripe in every colour and they are STUNNING.  Just beautiful. Of course - I could NOT leave without a bit of it.   I wanted some in every colour, but I restrained myself.

New Shimmer border print by Northcott

Canada Quilts - how the heck did I make so many of them?????   Well after Linda and Mary talked about this other Canada quilt that I apparently started (it was a group project so they helped make the blocks) - well this is what was in the box.   And a CRAP load of patterns all related to Canada theme. 

Eight big blocks and a LOT of little blocks. 

YES - that was me who made the grain elevator block!!!!!    Back in 1999/2000, the Canadian Quilter's Association was running a series of Canada themed blocks in their magazines.   The elevator block, the northern light block and the mountains block were made from that series.  I still have most of the other patterns and will try to come up with a scheme that includes a few more Canadian themed things. Good grief - I think I have ONE MORE Canada themed quilt upstairs.  How did that happen???????   I think the reason I chose Canada as my theme was that summer, M and I had done a couple of trips searching out big road side attractions and it was on my mind!!!!!!!!!  


Oh yes -  have a good look at the background that Mary used for the sun/mountain block.

Does that background look familiar?????

AHA - it is the same background that I was MISSING for this compass block in my other Canada quilt. 

I have had several people tell me that they have that fabric in their stash.  The old me would have said - OH - I will swap you some so I could redo this block. The new me is quite happy that the block is together and in the quilt!!!!!!!!!    But thanks for the offer.



Yes - I am still quilting, but not nearly fast enough.

Customer quilt - DONE

Customer quilt - DONE

Wanted to show you the detail - an overall design on an applique.  With the right thread - you see the texture, but NOT the stitching which is what you want. 

On that note - it is Thursday and I've got a sewing day planned.  


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


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!