A PERFECT day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH my goodness - I could NOT have asked for a better day if I had planned it. Yesterday was a DREAM day and I would love to have MORE of them.

First off the temperature was UNBELIEVABLE.  I think it went as high as 13 degrees (Celsius) and it may have gone even higher. I'm not sure, but well - you just can't beat that in the middle of January.

Now if you normally get fatigued reading my blog - you best have a nap BEFORE you read!!!!


I trimmed those two customer quilts that I had quilted earlier in the week so they are ready to be picked up.
Have to drive M to work for 9 AM, but work is just around the corner so that wasn't a big deal, and I picked her up at 11 AM (learning a new cash register system so hence the short shift).

I got a quilt quilted. It was one of mine and good thing because I would have been mad if the customer had presented the quilt like this to me!!!!  I used plush on the backing of this quilt and so I had to add the extensions, but there was NOT a lot of room beyond the backing.

Ooops - here is where I joined the batting!

See - NOT a lot of extra room - you can see the serged seam where I added the extensions, but hey it is enough!!!

Same on the other side.

Then I grabbed TWO scraps of batting and joined them together. And for some reason, I was thinking this quilt was 55 inches wide - so 60 inch wide pieces of batting would be perfect. A little extra on the sides. I joined the batting and was happy that I got rid of TWO scraps of batting.

When I loaded the batting, OOOPS - I realized that the quilt was 59 inches wide so the batting JUST fit. But I managed to get it perfectly straight and so I didn't have to manipulate the batting at all. Now DO NOT do this to your long arm quilter!!!!    Because it is my quilt, I have to take FULL blame if something goes wrong and that is not something I want to do with someone else's quilt. Mine - I'm OK if I have to do a work around.

THEN - crude - I did NOT have enough batting on the length. I guess my measurements were off or my brain wasn't adding properly, but I had to add another six inches to the bottom of the batting.

ANOTHER scrap of batting used up to get the right length

And here is the quilt - DONE

 So you see there are bikes on the front of the quilt - thanks to Jeanne at The Quilt Patch. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Now what would I use as a quilting pattern on this kind of quilt?????   Well BIKES of course...........

My quilting design and don't you love that PLUSH!!!!!   I'm really really liking that plush!!!!! Nothing beats a plush backed quilt on a cold winter night!!!

I just have to trim it and sew on the binding and then it goes into the binding pile which is getting bigger and bigger!!!!!    But I have a plan!!!!!   I am taking them to Monday Motivators and I will slowly work my way through the pile.   And let's not forget the audio books.


Then because it was SUCH A GORGEOUS day, I could not stay inside any longer. I grabbed the dog leashes and the dogs and we were off. OK - so we walked to Tim's where they all got a plain timbit. And I even carried my hot chocolate home which I thought was going to be a challenge with THREE dog leashes, but they were all on their best behaviour and I had no problem.

I read a bit in my novel (Jefferson Bass - The Bone Thief - one of my favourite authors) and then some in my NON-FICTION book - Project Runway (and even though I haven't watched the last two seasons - I LOVE that show - I should look them up on the internet). Anyway after all that - I needed a NAP!!!!   I know - I guess I am still not one hundred percent or that walk was more strenuous than I thought.

The walk was great - people were out taking down Christmas lights, washing their cars, walking their dogs and everyone was HAPPY. It was AWESOME.

OK - so after that LONG nap - it was time to think about dinner. DH said - let's order pizza. Oh YES - that is a great idea. And then I hit the studio and look what happened..............

Remember this pile of fabric I pulled the other day??????

Well this is what happened between 5:30 PM and 9 PM last night...............

The piece on the extreme left is for the binding, the next pile is the leftover pieces, then a couple of selvedges and the strips needed for the quilt

Let me back track for a minute here. In 2003/2004, I was involved in a project called The Quilt. The concept was people donated quilts which were then auctioned off and the proceeds went to Breast Cancer Wellness programs. The Quilt Project folded a couple of years ago. Anyway - Northcott had MANY MANY different designs (all in blue) that were related to this cause. I still have one quilt left to get complete and I knew there was some blue fabric with it so I pulled that quilt out of the borders/backing/binding pile. Hmmm - yes - there is lots, I can add some of that blue to my current project.......

The quilt that needs to be finished ............

I pulled the bigger pieces from the pile of blues so I could use for the backing

Now the quilt top is cut and the stack on the extreme right is the pile of scraps. I was going to use it for the border, but decided that since this is a sample quilt, I had better make it LIKE the pattern, so the scraps went in the blue scrap box. 

Making good progress

The blocks are DONE and on the wall. I'm really liking this even though I am not into blue florals!!!!!

The best news - it used up ALL the fabric that I had pulled. Well - what is left is the stuff for the binding and hopefully there will be enough to bind both of these quilts (the old one and the new one) and then there should be enough of the bigger pieces to make the backing for both and yes I will have a bit left over, but not much!!!!!!

OK - whew - that was just the best day!!!!!!!!!!!!    The pattern I used is Hopscotch from The Quilt Patch. If you do NOT have this pattern - then you MUST call them and get it. It is just the fastest, easiest, no brain required pattern. As I said - it is now my "GO TO" pattern when I want something quick. I will be teaching it at The Hobby Horse in February so come and take the class - you won't regret it!!!!!!!!!!!



Before I went to bed, I made ONE more block for the raffle quilt. Only FOUR more to go.

Raffle quilt - nearing completion!!!!!

Then up early this morning and look what happened................

The top (minus borders) is together

And I got the borders partially sewn together

Now - I know you are thinking BUT Elaine is fast. Well you could be fast too. First off the cutting of this quilt is FAST. So fast you barely realize you have started and then you are done. The sewing goes FAST, especially if you chain piece and another thing that speeds things up - DO NOT PIN. I pin borders, but NOTHING else.  What a time saver that is and my points are pretty darned accurate. Why and how?????

As my needle clears one seam - I line up the next seam - where the arrow is. If your seam allowances are going in the right direction and I figured out the direction of seams for this quilt and you can't go wrong. Just nest those seam allowances with your finger at this point.............

Then as the seam gets closer to the needle - use a stiletto or a quilter's awl to hold those seams in place. 

Honestly - this process will knock hours off your sewing!!!!!   Oh yes - the other thing - I randomly sewed those pieces together. There is NO PATTERN - I just made sure that the same fabric did not touch. I did NOT waste ONE SECOND matching this to that. There is NO NEED in a quilt like this - that is the beauty of this quilt. Of course having the right fabrics makes a big difference as well. OK - I lied - there is ONE spot that I found where the fabrics were the same - and you know what - I DID NOT change it. Can you see it?????   Of course - you can't!!!!


OK - so there is one more tip for speeding up and that is enders and leaders. What is an ender/leader???

Here I am at the end of my seam and NOTHING to sew until I press the piece under the machine. I could cut the threads, but then I spend time clipping threads and having to ensure the needle doesn't come unthreaded (a BIG issue on this machine), so I grab a small piece that needs sewing (the orange/green flying geese unit from Easy Street)

I sew that piece - keeping the thread connected to the blue blocks in behind

Now I can just clip those blue blocks away from the flying geese unit - press the blue and sew the next piece. 

I never have to break the chain unless my bobbin runs out, I finish sewing for the day, or I just want to. But it saves time clipping threads, wasted time if the machine becomes unthreaded. Just a BIG BIG time saver.

And look - I got six flying geese units completed while I piece the quilt top this morning

OK - so I expect to see that Hopscotch class FULL of people who want to experience these fast techniques in person!!!!!   You will NOT regret attending. And thanks to the girls at The Quilt Patch for making this pattern. I LOVE IT and I can see making one in every colour in my stash!!!!!


And just so you can see how whacked out our weather is - have a look..............

Yes - those are my GOLD FISH amongst the ICE FLOES. There is NO SNOW left - well it is pouring rain today and what little we had, will be gone by noon at the rate it is raining. The little creek behind my house is FULL to the brim with water. 

The temperature is supposed to drop tonight so let's hope the stupid gold fish have enough sense to go to the bottom.

Sparky had a great time and spent a good part of the day outside sitting in the sun. 

And like I said - it is pouring rain today so the girls got a  BIT wet when we went out. Hard to tell in the picture, but they were soaked.

Waiting for the treats!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's see - Oh yes - I did my usual errands yesterday - journaling in my book, the bank, the library, the drugstore, Tim's, played Scrabble and reading before bed, but I did NOT have to drive my kid to her drawing class. Yeah for learning how to drive!!!!!!!!!


And now I have ANOTHER day with "NOTHING TO DO". Well nothing on the calendar. I am PUMPED to see what I can get done today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Have a GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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

Time to sign up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow - does it ever take a LONG time to get your calendar in order. Mind you, I hadn't really entered ANY information for a while so it took a bit of time to put in my classes for the next couple of months, but it is DONE. I started using GOOGLE calendar a while back. That way - my calendar is available on the computer at home, on my iPad, on my phone - basically anywhere I can get connection - I can get my calendar. And I get alerts on the iPad, on my phone and on the computer. SOOOOOOOOOOOO   - if I miss an appointment it is because it is NOT in the calendar!!!!!!!  

It seems to work and that is all that counts. It is just a pain to keep it up to date. Well, as I said earlier - January is now set in stone - don't ask me to do anything in January (ooops - I have one more thing to add) but after that - no more!!!!

OK - so I know that I owe a few pictures of show n tell from last year. I don't have time for that this morning, but I thought I would share some of my upcoming stuff with you so you can put it on YOUR calendar!!!!!


Here are the long term classes that I am teaching this year................


The following patterns will be taught as a $10 class at the Hobby Horse Quilt Shop. The class fee is $10. We meet ONCE a month - January to June, then September to November with the final reveal happening in November. These classes will be held on the FOURTH Saturday of the month in the morning. The specific time for each class is still being determined. I assign you homework and you MUST come with the work done for the following month, otherwise you pay an additional $10 to that original class fee!

Garden Party by Buggy Barn. The quilt is mostly applique, measures 84" by 91". YES - we will be changing the flag to a Canadian flag. 

Farm Fresh by Buggy Barn. Again the quilt is mostly applique, measures 68" by 82". YES - we will be changing the flags to Canadian flags.

 Now the idea with the above two is that you choose ONE of the two as they will be done in the same class.

This quilt is called Snow Days by Crabapple Hill.. It measures 66" by 66". It is EMBROIDERY and piecing. 

And there is the continuation of Dear Jane. While the girls have worked on this quilt last year and we WILL finish this year, anyone is welcome to join in. This one has a specific fee associated with the class.  It is NOT a $10 class fee quilt. 

If you are INTERESTED in any of the FOUR quilts mentioned above, PLEASE call the HOBBY HORSE QUILT SHOP to sign up. The phone number is 905-877-9292. The first classes are scheduled for January 26 - (yes - we are going to set the times by Tuesday this week!!!)  There will be FOUR one hour sessions on that fourth Saturday - one for Dear Jane, TWO for Snow Days and one for the Buggy Barn applique quilts.



The other class I am doing over the course of the next year is called Bringing Home the Tree by Seams Like Home.

There is piecing, applique and LOADS of embellishments in this quilt which measures 39 1/2" by 29 1/2"

This is also the $10 class fee format. You pay $10 for the initial class. You get an assignment, you get the homework done and you don't pay. However if you slack off and DO NOT get the homework done, then you pay an additional $10.

This class takes place on the THIRD Saturday at 10:30 AM for ONE HOUR. It also runs from January to June, then September to December with the reveal in December.

I am teaching this at Cockadoodle Quilts as part of the Christmas Club, but since we have done a very specific Christmas quilt in each of the last three years, we went for winter this time!!!!   If you are interested in signing up - call Cockadoodle at 416-785-4449. 

Now if you are interested in learning more about Marti Michell templates, I am running a class at Ruti's Needlebed. That is every two months for 2013. The first class starts January 30 at 10:30 for one hour. There are some pretty interesting ideas coming up for this year. You should check it out. You can call Ruti's to sign up for that............    905-821-9370.



Of course there are LOTS and LOTS of other classes, mostly at The Hobby Horse - you should have a look at the newsletter if you haven't. There is HOPSCOTCH by The Quilt Patch which has become one of my favourite patterns - my new GO TO pattern when I want something quick and easy. There are a couple of quilts that use 2 1/2" strips or jelly rolls, a couple of very neat bags, TWO blouses - one with sleeves and one without (I'm excited to be sewing clothing again!!!!) and of course the old stand by - machine quilting and free motion quilting. NONE of the stuff is very complicated and it is EASY EASY to do. 


I have a few classes that I am going to teach at my house and I will post those tomorrow. I have to get myself together with the final details on that. 


Have a great day and DO NOT FORGET to sign up for a class!!!!!!   The nice thing about those on-going classes is the great social rapport that develops and MANY students have become good friends. It is so much fun. 

OH YES - there is a catch!!!!   In December, I am having an alumni show n tell of ALL the $10 over the past 10 years, It is going to be an amazing show!!!!!!!   I can hardly wait, but I have a LOT of work ahead of me. So I best get started on that. 


And my calendar for this weekend - Imagine not ONE, but TWO days with NOTHING  - yes NOTHING booked. I am going to sew my little heart out and I am NOT letting anyone disturb me. 



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


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

Work work work!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes - I am feeling almost human again and I am HAPPY about that.

I got another customer quilt done.............

Customer quilt - DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was on Wednesday, then I had some friends over yesterday for a sewing day. I only got ONE picture - I am not sure what I was thinking. Obviously I was too busy to take pictures.

Here is Sharon's Turning Twenty quilt - DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Turning Twenty!!!!!!

The other girls made good head way on their projects as well so it was a GREAT day for all.

I spent part of the morning, pressing and cutting out these squares. Not quite enough to make  a generous lap so I may just make it the size of these squares. 

This is what is left over so I need to figure out the best way to sew these together so I can cut squares from them. OR  - maybe I cut rectangles?????   Well - I'll have a look later and see what makes the most sense. 

Selected fabrics for a class sample - will be cutting and sewing that this weekend

Got TWO more blocks done for the raffle quilt

A third block is in progress

I need to focus on that and then it will be done - it really won't take long to make it happen.

Then after the ladies left, M came down. She is drafting her own skirt pattern. So she watched the video and then using my tools, she drafted the pattern and cut it out of muslin for the test.

M's work area. And today she gets to put in an invisible zipper!!!!!

I am NOT good at keeping my dogs toe nails clipped. Yesterday, M said I need to clip them, so she brought the clippers down and I clipped one of Sammy's nails - only to find that I cut too deep and made her bleed. Gosh - I did NOT cut much off. Of course - then she was bleeding all over the place. OK - so I need a lesson.

But she soon forgave me - look at her!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am CUTE CUTE CUTE - and don't forget that!!!!!!!!!!!

Well - I have PAPERWORK that has to be done today - I can't put it off any longer and I still have a quilt to quilt today so better get started.


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



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

How quickly routine settles in!!!!!!!!!!!

Well the internet messed me up a bit yesterday and I was a bit slow getting started in the day, but BACK to the same old same old!!!!!!!!   (I'm kidding - there is NEVER same old same old at our house)

The first customer quilt of the year - DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!   I'll get it trimmed later today. 

And the best part - I have a LIST - yes a REAL LIST of quilts that need to be quilted - some for the customers, then some for me, then more customers, then more for me!!!!   HEY - I have THREE quilt shows this year and I have to have stuff to put in them and they had better be FINISHED including labels!!!!!   Hey - I am working on them. I've got plans - I've got lists - I've got schedules!!!!!

Once I finished that - I was in a bit of a funk. I actually have "time on my hands" and what should I do?????  Well I ended up cleaning up more of the tables - the ladies are coming to sew tomorrow - better be ready!!!!


Then I decided to get back to that raffle quilt that NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW!!!!!

Got one more block done - no mistakes. The last time I sewed a block, I was sick with a fever and well - I did a LOT of ripping that day!!!!   Seven blocks to go (in case you are counting!!! )   I cut the red for one more block yesterday and just three more sets of red to cut. The whites are cut. 

Then I had to drive M downtown last night. I had time to kill so hit the Tim Horton's where I was updating my calendar for the month - just LOVE LOVE LOVE my iPad (just needs an USB connector and it would be PERFECT). Funny how days that are EMPTY suddenly get filled. Well - only when you put everything in - like going to the gym. I actually have a nicely balanced schedule and lots of time for the long arm and lots for me. But I can't let it fill any more. That is it - January is BOOKED.


Anyway - I saw this at the Tim's. How neat is this??????

Ordering kiosk at Tim's

 There were THREE stations at the Tim's  (besides this kiosk). One was a regular order station with a real person, one was the drink pick up station and the other was the food pick up station. Pretty neat - I wonder how fast it is????   I didn't try it.

Making slower progress on the magazines - I better aim for getting that stack done by the end of the month - but I am finding that there are a few more things I like as we move forward in the years. BUT - I am going to be ruthless when I make the final cull - DO I NEED IT??????   And the answer is NO!!!!!


On that note - I had better get to the long arm - another quilt awaits me today.


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



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

What's old is RESURRECTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY to report that I am BACK!!!!    I had no naps on Sunday so got a good night's sleep. Then up and early on Monday morning. Off to the gym. OK - so I wasn't going to break any speed limits or weight barriers, but I was back and that's all that counts!!!!

Then off to Monday Motivators. Was great to catch up with everyone!!!!

So it's a new year! And I have BIG intentions (as usual) about what I am going to accomplish. I prepared my 2013 shelf, and then there is the shelf for all the $10 quilts AND then there is all the extra that I am not sure where to put. For some reason, I have become fixated on the stuff that I don't know where to put!!!!

I started with the shirtings. Remember the shirtings????  I started cutting these up last year. Initially they were off cuts from a factory or some place that made shirts. I initially cut these pieces up into 15 inch squares and serged them together to get a backdrop for a theatre production MANY years ago.

Anyway - I persevered and got ALL the big squares cut down into 6 1/2 squares by Sunday at lunch.

A BIG box of 6 1/2" squares of shirtings!!!

Then I sorted them by colour/design

I was planning on making some quilts for men from these so wanted to make the quilts a bit bigger - well I like my GENEROUS lap size (60 by 72) and so I needed 120 squares for each quilt.

I got SEVEN kits of 120 squares each and the two in the back - one has 80 and the other has 88.

 There were a few squares left over and a bag of scraps. I was just in one of those moods on Sunday so I kept going. I pulled all the BIGGER pieces that I could get 6 1/2" squares from - that went in one pile

Big scraps to cut into 6 1/2" squares (still to do)

OK - NOW you can STOP laughing right now. But when I cut up those 15 inch squares (that were serged to each other), there were pieces left over. I kept those pieces - I know  - I know - I am WORSE than a pack rat.

Pile of left over bits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

 BUT - I got out the serger and I cut the strips in half and sewed them together and from that I cut SIX inch squares.

The serger all set up (I LOVE LOVE LOVE my serger) and here was an excuse to use it

Had to keep watching that I didn't run out of thread!!!   I was using up the small spools that I had inherited

BUT was very easy to get more from my well stocked, well organized and EASY to access serger thread cabinet

And what did I end up with?????   Well - have a look................

I was able to make NINETY blocks that are six inches. I know - who knew that I would get that much from those SCRAPS!!!!!!

Then I took the rest of the bits and sorted them by shape

Starting to sort the rest of the scraps

And here are the last of the leftovers...............

Left over bits - sorted and pressed

Now I need to sew these together so I can cut out squares. I should be able to get quite a few squares and hopefully will end up with TWELVE quilts from this bag of scraps.


I know - who would have thought and who would have the patience to do that!!!!!!!!!!!! Somewhere along the line, my patience level has increased!!!!   I am happy to make something - especially from NOTHING. I don't even care what - and if I can help out others less fortunate than myself - well so be it. What do I really need another quilt for?????   OK - so I like them, but I don't need them.

That does NOT mean that I want your stuff - I am thrilled to be working my way through what I have accumulated. But what is making me happier is that I am cleaning up messes that have been there for years and the best part - I am NOT making new messes. I am really trying to deal with stuff as it happens.

Don't ask about the magazines  - I did not read any yesterday!!!!

BUT - I have something to add to my completed projects list. I finished the binding on a quilt for a customer (and my audio book). So that is ready to go out the door. YIPPPEEEEEE   and I just picked up TWO more audio books from the library. This binding thing isn't so bad and I still have a "couple" that need binding - I shall just continue right on with them. I am also back to quilting on the long arm today. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!


Before I go, I thought I would share this project with you. As you know - on Mondays, I like to take hand work and in the cleaning up process, I came across this project. I don't even know how it ended up in the Monday bucket. A number of years ago - a long number of years ago, I won block of the month at a guild. The blocks were HAND QUILTED on muslin. Yeah - the only blocks I ever won with that guild and it is a "quilt as you go" project which is NOT my style. Well those blocks kicked around for a LONG time, then they got partially put together and well - that project ended up in the Monday bucket and I stitched down the one row of hand stitching.


When I got home, I machine stitched the front part together of the LAST TWO seams. Then I laid it out and realized that the order of the rows was WRONG. I didn't check - I just continued the seam as it was. I guess that is why it was only partially sewn because it was supposed to be ripped out!!!!!!!!!!!!   CRAP!!!!!!   The seams were already pinned and ready for hand stitching.     ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!    What to do - what to do?????

Now it is VERY HARD to see the problem in this picture, but two of the blocks were hearts. And YES - the hearts were not going in the same direction!!!!!   Otherwise I would not have cared. 

So yes - first thing I did this morning - I ripped out the two seams and fixed it!!!!!!!!    The old me would have tossed this in a corner (I think that is what happened!!!!)

Then I repinned the seams that require hand stitching

Here are the seams pinned and ready for stitching on Monday

Again - hard to tell - but NOW the hearts are both going in the same direction!!!!!!!!!!!!

I even chose the fabric that I am going to add as the border. This entire quilt is just a big old experiment in quilt as you go since it is NOT my thing. But it should be a warm comfy quilt when it is complete. And I see the end in sight!!!!!!!


Well - this blog is late because we had internet issues, so now that it is after lunch - well i need to get back to the quilting machine. Yes - BACK to work.


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


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