It's all about the bike (and having fun) and oh yes - there is a bit of quilting in here too!!!!

Just in case you are NOT interested in bikes - you should at least skim the pictures because there is a surprise and I am NOT the only one who has integrated bikes and sewing. Just watch for it!!!


Yesterday I went down to the Toronto International Bike Show.   I was volunteering so I didn't have to pay to get in. That is always good. I went to see my friends at Cycle Canada (the company I have cycled with for the last five years) and there is Adam. He was one of our drivers. Well look at him.  He convinced the show photographer to put him and the booth on the web site and Facebook. Way to go Adam - you should be in sales!!!

Adam in the Cycle Canada booth

Adam is a great guy and so helpful.  He really helped to make my cross Canada cycle trip a dream. Customer service is NUMBER ONE with him.

Oh oh oh - I so want to be on my bike.  Ack - let the weather warm up please!!!   Although I have to say that the temperature this morning when I walked the dogs was like a spring day (almost). Hmmm - I could ride up and down the sidewalk??  Nope - I think the road is safer at this point than the icy sidewalk!

I am on the Cycling Advisory Committee for the City of Mississauga and I went down to help out in their booth, although there were already enough people for the booth, so I wandered around. Oh  oh oh - there are so many options, new bikes, new accessories, new trips, new new new!!!!!!!

Being an artist, I am always on the look out for other's people art as well. I came across this display in the back of the event. Hmmm - what is this?  All those tiles have bicycles on them. Of course I stopped to chat and this was a display put on by the Illustration students at Sheridan College. Ah - love that College. Well, (and I may have gotten the story wrong), but the students were give a challenge to create a 12 by 12 panel related to cycling. I can't remember why (I think the whole thing was developed as a fundraiser)!!!!   So the panels were assembled and were for sale at the show. The proceeds were going to help fund their gala at the end of the year.

Well as I got to chatting to the VERY chatty student (she was worse than I!), I am peeking at the tiles. I want to see them up close.

The cycle tiles

 This one practically popped off the wall at me (and notice there are TWO blank tiles in the entire project - guess what color they are!!!)

Now isn't this just the best!!!!   WAIT - it is NOT!!!!

As I chatted with the CHATTY student, she mentioned a tile that depicted ladies sewing a quilted bike. WAIT - WHERE??????  And this is it!!!!!!!!!!

The quilted bike!!!!   I LOVE IT 

 I ran and got money immediately and bought both of them. Of course, I could NOT bring home the tiles - they remain on display for the duration of the show. But is this not perfect or what!!!!!!


Here is a photo of the Mississauga booth. I didn't have anything to do with the setup, but I think they need a banner on that table!!!   But I love the bike lane on the floor - I want that in my house!!!!   I can see my family roll their eyes!!!!

Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee booth at the bike show

Then I walked around and had a look at other stuff.  There was a bike company from Montreal (selling bikes from Copenhagen). Honestly - we need more of this here.  This is a cool bike - perfect for taking the kids to school or do groceries.  There is a picture of another bike in the back with a door in the front of the bucket so it is easier to get in and out of.  Yep - my sewing machine would fit in that!!!!  And comes with a cover!!!

Here is a link to a video which is really cool.   (OK - it is all in Danish, but you get to see the bike in action).  I guess I am just going to have to move to Europe to fit in!!!

TrioBike (three wheels)

In case you are wondering - that bike above costs about $4,000.   Not a bad deal - no insurance, no gas, minimal maintenance costs. Sounds awesome to me.

Which reminds me of a T-shirt that someone gave me the other day.

Awesome - see the gas consumption - city - infinity, highway - infinity!!!!   I love it - thanks Marjorie!!!!

Then I had a look at another company from Montreal - OpusBike.  Oh my god - I want one of their bikes. Notice that I did NOT look at a single road bike!!  Ooopsy!!!

A folding bike

A super orange townie (although it needs a basket in the front)

And think what you could carry on this one!!!!!

OpusBike is sponsoring a contest during the bike show. Get your picture taken with your favourite bike and you could win that bike.  Well check out the photos. Do you recognize anyone???

Just in case you didn't spot me - here I am.

Me and my "new" bike - please please please pick me!!!!!

So despite me telling myself that I would only pick up a few brochures, I came home with this.

TWO bags of literature - ACK!!!!!   But there was so much good stuff. 

Now I must sit down and sort it out, file it and then I will have my stuff for planning future vacations!!!!
And I saw a trip yesterday that I might just have to figure out a way to fit it in!!!!

The other day when I was at Ruti's Needlebed - guess what I found!!!!!  

New bike panels

New bike fabric

I couldn't resist!!!!!


I was able to get a LOT done yesterday - not a lot of quilting obviously, but gathering of information that is so easy to do in one spot. Made contacts and so that was an important day.

But now I am so far behind at home - I have no idea how I will ever get caught up.  AND I have a big group (16)  coming for applique tomorrow and look at the state of affairs...................

Ah - a bit messy!!!!

So I guess after my class today (and quilting a quilt), I shall be a bit busy tidying up. Thank goodness, I have it down to a science, so technically it doesn't take that long. If only it would be so simple as finishing the stuff and then it would be gone. Nope - as stuff gets finished, more stuff gets spread out. It will never be clean - live with it!!!!!

Now to figure out how to get moved to Europe!!!!  Which may not be a good idea since they have very small houses!!!!

On that note - I am out of here.

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