Sew Alongs for 2020

The Quilting Posse (our little group of road trippers - that would be Ronda, Laura, Shelly and myself) had a day out yesterday. We don't get out that often, but we like to have fun when we do. Our normal day trips to the US are crammed with activities (like Row by Row) and we don't get a chance to have a leisurely stroll around some places. Yesterday was the leisurely stroll day. I didn't need much and I didn't buy much - I do want to support my local quilt shops. Matter of fact, we didn't hit one quilt shop.

My main reason for going was to hit Barnes and Noble. Why??? Because of this.............

The magazine rack at Barnes and Noble

So I have a thing for magazines. I don't need any - I've got loads, but one of my favorite things to do (not so much anymore) is to grab the latest quilt-related titles and sit down and have a good browse. I didn't take their pictures, but the three amigos ended up sitting on the bench beside me and well - I did feel a wee bit like a woman in a quilt store with her husband along! They also browsed but were finished way before I was. Too bad - this is our leisurely day.

I didn't find any quilts of mine in any of the publications - that has slowed down a wee bit, but I was quoted in the January/February issue of Quiltmaker on the Business of Quilting. However, those are titles that I can buy in Canada. I wanted to see those that we can't buy in Canada. I ended up buying one that is the subscription magazine for SAQA.

That was it - got my fix for the year and I was happy.


I also wanted to get some sweatshirt material to make a pair of swear - I mean sweat pants. That darn autocorrect on our phones drives me mad sometimes. So we were off to Joann's. I managed to find ONE bolt in the entire giant store. I had one choice of color - light grey which was the color I wanted so that was good.

I don't own a pair of sweat pants and there are some days when it's just a day to cozy up in sweat pants. Along with my quest to become a serging queen, I thought this was a good thing to make. I have a pattern and now I've got the fabric - I'm all set. It was recommended to me that I find the ribbing for the cuffs rather than elastic. Hmm - I know I had some at home, but not sure if I still have it. So a quick trip to Fabricland will hopefully get me some.

Sweatpant fabric

I bought enough for one pair. Then we did end up at a much smaller Joann's and guess what? They had quite a variety of colors.

Sweatpant fabric 

It wasn't on sale although we did have a 20% coupon for our total purchase. I'll check to see if I can get this at Fabricland for any future endeavors in the sweatshirt world. I didn't buy anymore - just enough for one pair. I don't need more than one pair.

At one point, we ended up at Hobby Lobby. OK - if you want something with words on it - that's the place to go. And if you do NOT have something with a vintage, red truck on it for Christmas, then you're not ready for Christmas. I swear - the vintage, red truck is more of an icon for Christmas than Santa is. OH - I know - Santa is old, the vintage, red truck is NEW.

Vintage, red trucks

The border crossing on the way over was the most boring ever. That's good. And on the way back, we had a nice young border crossing officer who after we told him we were on a budget and that each of us had spent less than $100, he let us through without having to pay the HST. Thank you border crossing guy!! Merry Christmas to you!!  I truthfully spent less than $100. My goal was NOT to buy, but more to browse and I came home happy.

One of the other things we went to look for was a snap setter and snaps. We were disappointed. We did find various styles of setters and colors of snaps, but not exactly what we were looking for. Oh well.............  And we stopped to get a geocache for Shelly so she could get a virtual souvenir from New York State. It appears that I got my first geocache in New York State on December 31, 2011. Now, what the heck was I doing in the US that day????  AHA -- just went back to the blog and it turns out that M and I went to the US that day. We went to Barnes and Noble and Joanns. How predictable.



Now that I filled up the first part of this post with my daily trivial things (but important to me), here's the information on the upcoming sew-alongs. There'll be two of them. I know - go big or go home!!

Sew Along Number One

Vintage Christmas by Lori Holt

There are 42 blocks in the book. There are instructions for 6" blocks and also 12" blocks. You'll get to choose which ones you want to make and you might make some of each depending. I'm not selling the book so you're on your own to get the book. Put it on your Christmas list. The blocks are ADORABLE.

Vintage Christmas book

In the class, you're going to learn a lot about color and NO - you do NOT need to use the same fabrics that Lori used in the cover quilt. Get creative, think outside the box. Use up your stash. Make it in non-traditional fabrics. Be bold - be different.

Here's how it's going to work. There is a cost to sign up for the class. $25 for the entire year. The tips, hints, and suggestions will be sent out to the registered participants by e-mail once a week or we may double that up and do one e-mail with the tips for two blocks every two weeks. NOTE - you WILL NEED THE BOOK. You will NOT get the cutting and piecing instructions in the e-mail. There might be some videos involved as well. And I'll set up a Facebook page so we can post the homework and see what each of us is doing. You'll be able to get in touch with me via e-mail on the Facebook page so if you have questions, I'll get you answers.

There will be a lot to learn in this class.

• A lot about color - not the theory stuff, but the real stuff that quilters use every day!

• Great tips for improving accuracy - pressing, cutting and sewing 

• How to change up a pattern for greater efficiency - be that the cutting instructions or the sewing instructions

• How to deal with different methods for creating certain units

• Tips on choosing fabrics that are NOT like the pattern

• Tips on sashing and borders

Start date: Friday, January 3rd. That day, you'll get your first e-mail and a whole lot more information. 

How to sign up:  Send me an e-mail with your intention to sign up and money can be transferred by e-transfer. If you're close by, you can let me know in person and give me cash or e-transfer works as well. Then you'll get put on the distribution list and be invited to the Facebook page. 

Sew Along Number Two

This sew along will use a book called Christmas Figs by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co. 

Christmas Figs by Joanna Figueroa

There are twenty blocks measuring 16 (finished) inches in the quilt. A lot of the blocks have lots of little pieces so there are great learning moments in this quilt.

This is going to work pretty much the same way as the other sew-along. The e-mails will go out about every two-three weeks. I'll have to set up a schedule so you know when to expect the e-mail. You don't have to keep up, although that's kind of the point of a sew-along. There'll be a Facebook page for this one as well so we can see what each other is doing. Although this quilt is made with Christmas fabric, it doesn't have to be Christmas. And you might choose one or two blocks and make a quilt out of just those two blocks. There's going to be loads of ideas for sharing in this one.

• A lot about color - not the theory stuff, but the real stuff that quilters use every day!

• Great tips for improving accuracy - pressing, cutting and sewing 

• How to change up a pattern for greater efficiency - be that the cutting instructions or the sewing instructions

• How to deal with different methods for creating certain units

• Tips on choosing fabrics that are NOT like the pattern

• Tips on sashing and borders
• Tips on working with LOTS of small pieces. 

So there you have it. There'll be a total of five ongoing classes next year. Some you have to attend in person for those that are local and a couple of options for those that can't make it to class. Hopefully among them, one or more will pique your interest. It's going to be a learning experience for all of us.  Above all, it's going to be fun!

Remember, the sign-up fee is per EACH person. I would appreciate that you do not sign up as a "team" with your friend and share the instructions. The fee goes to pay for my time in prepping the lesson plans and instructions, answering questions, etc. It's so easy to share things electronically these days. Anyone caught sharing will be immediately removed from the distribution lists and NO REFUND will be applied. I hope you can all understand my position on that one. 

Today is the LAST date for the UFO club. OK - so I'm not quite done my homework and now that the blog is out of the way, I'm off to get the stitching complete before the group members arrive. I'm behind on getting the previous month's pictures posted. That's coming! I know - next year, I've got to be even more organized than I am now and I'll do it!!!

On that note - I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!