People are fickle!!!!

Before I get into my "editorial" for the morning, I wanted to share this with you. We have all heard about the storms that are hitting the east coast HARD. But do we really understand the situation?  I don't think so, but maybe these pictures will help to put it in perspective. This picture was taken Highway 20 in PEI (this is a main highway on the island).  Granted - this is a snow drift, but still!!!!

Plowing out the snow drifts on PEI

I am not sure that this link will work, but it links to MORE pictures of this same area. You should see this first picture - then on the top right is NEXT and PREVIOUS. Click through the series of photos.

Now what is even funnier if you can call this situation funny, is that I plan on riding my bike on that very highway, in that very spot in about 10 weeks or so.  I wonder if the snow will have melted by then or perhaps I better invest in a FAT BIKE. Here's a picture - yep - I think I am going to need one.

Fat bike in the snow!

I knew there was a reason, I rented a house with a GLASSED  in porch. Worse case, I sit there all day and read my book. DONE!!!!!


This next bit is about quilting but more about people and quilting. Not picking on anyone as most people I know do NOT fit into these categories - thank goodness.


Everyone is an expert!
You know how it is - everyone has the BEST tip ever!!!  I know - I have lots of tips and yes - some people may poo-poo my tips. I don't just idlly pass on tips - I like to research them, I like to know that things are done correctly and in the best way. Should you choose to ignore my tips - that is your choice. But here is the tip I read the other day in my words.

To get your blocks to lie flat:  press the seams with an iron and immediately put a phone book on the block. Then it will lie flat. 

Seriously?????   I mean seriously??????   Someone actually wrote that on the internet  - this is the BIG problem with the internet. People are putting these GEMS of tips on the internet and the readers think - I am having trouble pressing my blocks - I must do that. Well - this is WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!   You need to learn how to press correctly and then the block will always lie flat.
I have a whole demo on pressing - gosh - I wrote an article about pressing and I own a BOOK that is all about pressing!!!!  My biggest tip for pressing is press ALWAYS from the right side - never the wrong side (unless you are twirling those seams). I have many more tips, but I am not giving them here.

Press for Success by Myrna Giesbrecht

I am trying to prepare some class ideas for next year and I think I am going to run a class/demo called Tech Tips. I wrote the series of Tech Tips which were published into a book which hopefully I will have in my hands very soon. I am going to run through basic technical stuff - we will be talking about colour and value, washing or not washing, pressing, 1/4" seam allowance.  But I am NOT going to be spouting off things for the sake of filling time. Nope - I will have samples, I will have demos - you are going to know more about quilting than you ever thought you wanted to learn.

As much as I like to teach a pattern, there is a HUGE need for this technical background stuff and there isn't much on the market for the technical stuff. But I think (like anything) learn the technical stuff (understand the technical stuff) and then you can do with it what you like. But to do something just because your quilter friend online says so - that doesn't cut it for me. So be aware of tips from the "experts". Many ideas are just downright silly - like the phone book one!!!


The Sponge
This is the person who will take and take and take and gives nothing in return. They come to free demos, they get free information on the internet, they ask tons of questions, they interrupt the demo for information that isn't exactly relevant to the demo or they stay after to ask "just a small question" (again not related to the demo).  And then - they do not buy their fabric at that store - heck, they don't buy anything at that store. Once the demos are over - they never frequent the store again.

This happened to me - I ran a series of demos and a certain person took serious advantage of me. I was relatively new to teaching at the time so I wanted to share my information which is what quilting is all about. I still see the person from time to time and they don't even give me the time of day!!!!   If I could only go back in time - oh boy - would I treat this situation differently.

Long-arm quilters will join a guild just so they can get their name into the guild and get customers, but they give nothing back to the guild.  They don't participate in the executive, they do not do anything to help with the community projects. They conduct their "client" meetings during guild time.

So ask the questions - I don't mind. But support me by taking a class from me, participate in my programs or the stores I work at, or participate in the guilds you belong to.


The Lamentor
This is the person who says "oh did you hear - Store X has closed. That is a shame - I am going to miss them."    Hmmmm - when asked the question - how frequently did you visit that store? - "well once last year". What did you buy? "well I didn't buy anything".   OK - so you are lamenting the fact that you miss the store, yet you never shopped there and never bought anything and you expect them to survive for you!

I have heard this from several people.  Come on - you gotta support your local quilt shops, frequent the local quilt shops, become friends with the local quilt shop, "live" at the local quilt shop, buy from your local quilt shop - then you have EVERY RIGHT to be sad when it closes, but if you don't go there - don't lament the fact that it closed!!!!!

Here is the deal - I get it that we want cheap supplies. I get that - we all have a limited budget.  But here is the thing - if you buy on-line or go south of the border to buy because it is cheap - then you are NOT buying for the right reason. Quilting is a community based activity. Let's say that you have $100 to spend. You buy 10 yards of fabric on-line because it is beautiful and it sits on your shelf and you do nothing with it for years - did you really get a bargain????  So you got 10 yards of fabric and NOTHING ELSE.  But let's say that with that same $100 - you went to your local quilt store - you talked to the staff, you asked questions, you browsed the other fabrics - you got to fondle the fabric and then you bought 6 meters of fabric that you went home and used IMMEDIATELY in a project. Same amount of money spent, less fabric purchased, but the experience, the relationship you helped to build, the local business you supported and you bought ONLY WHAT you needed for a project so it isn't sitting on a shelf. Doesn't that make more sense for all of us?????

Let's face it ladies - we have so much fabric that we don't need any more. We all joke about how we could sew for the rest of our lives and NOT buy any more. Same here - but I always need a bit of this and a bit of that to finish off a project. I live five minutes from a quilt store - I run in - buy a quarter meter to finish off a block or whatever. I come home, CHOP CHOP and it is used up.

Anyway that is something to think about!!!!!  With the economy the way it is right now - we are all going to be facing huge issues with the cost of fabric and it wouldn't surprise me to see a few more stores closing or classrooms closing down. If YOU do not support them - they will close because they have no choice. So think about the next time you buy on-line!!!!!!


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Now to be fair - most people I know do NOT fit into the categories above. But there are a few and unfortunately for them, they have a reputation that will stick with them for life! The biggest problem - is that they don't know it and many of their friends or acquaintances don't know it!!!!

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You know how our pets like our quilts or other projects - you saw how Prince liked his little sucky quilt that his human grandmom made for him. Well have a look at these pictures..............

Prince and his sucky quilt

Elaine is babysitting her son's cat while they move. This is Woozer. They couldn't find him when they got home the other day!

"I've been waiting for you to come back. Just keeping the quilt warm for you!"

"Ah - the lights, the attention - I love it!"

And then you have Maria's daughters' dogs. Yes - there are two dogs on that pet mat that Maria made. Pretty funny - my two dogs would never sleep like this!!!!

Lucy loo and Dodge - sleeping the day away!!!!

ACK - I haven't gotten to the pictures I am supposed to post today. So here we go - quickly.


I will show you the rest of this in another post, but a LONG LONG LONG time ago, I purchased these very inexpensive pillow panels when one of the Fabricland stores that was closing down. I had these leftovers from my project.

Leftovers from a project

And I know that most people would have tossed them. But the craziness that exists within me saved them because I can make something from them. And this is what I made. 

Sewed triangles which still need to be trimmed

I can't help myself - I just love trying to figure out what to do with the bits!!!!!


The other day in my class, Cheryl or Diane had purchased this ADULT colouring book. I loved it so much that I had to get one. When I went shopping, I found a Secret Forest book as well.

Secret Garden - adult colouring book

The inside pages

These are good for colouring, doodling, and inspiration for quilting designs!!!!!   I am starting to think what to take when I go on my extended vacation later this year and this kind of stuff, which I never get a chance to play with at home, is going to be perfect!!!!!   Especially since they may still have SNOW!!!!

And to go with the colouring book, I snagged a SUPER box of markers at Target.

Super markers!!!!!

I also found this tote that I couldn't resist. It was on sale which was even better. It is bright - it screams spring!!!!!

Tote!!!!

 I was at knit club last week and took a couple of pictures just so people would believe that I was there.

Oh - if I could have found a way to sneak this bag of goodies away from Nancy, I would have.

Nancy's odds and end of beige and cream yarns.  They are stunning!!!!!

She is making a big "scarf" that she isn't sure what to do with yet, but looking at a shawl?????

New goodies - but I didn't buy any as I still have lots to knit up!!!!

My project to date

OK so I have learned a few things at knit club. You cannot work on the same project forever. The ladies are starting to make comments - "Oh you are still working on that!!!!!"   Time to get it done!!!   And the other thing - if you are grafting the seams together make sure you cut the thread long enough!!!!!   Oh god - I cut it too short and that was a problem!!!!   But I fixed it as best I could and now it is time to move on!!!!!


Speaking of moving on - time to get to work.


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


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