A sequence of events...............................

Once upon a time, in a land far far away.................


HOLD IT!!!!!!!!!!!


Let's STOP this fairy tale - this is NO fairy tale. It's reality and SOMEONE is to blame!!!

Yep - it all started at a Sit n Sew a mere 10 days ago.
And YES - there is a villain - OK - no villain, but someone is at fault. I know - you want to know.

Well - if I must name names - it is RONDA!!!!!!!!!!!   (and she doesn't even know it!!!)

You see at the last Sit n Sew - we had the discussion about the tables. You remember - I posted that. Ronda bought the only 6 foot table that I had because the rest of mine are 5 feet and the 6 foot was causing configuration issues.

The table went and I ordered TWO brand new 5 foot tables. So far so good!   Yep - the tables got delivered and they got brought downstairs to the studio. Now I like having fewer tables up (less area for me to put stuff on and more room to DANCE - just kidding on that!!!) but where to put those two tables?  They were living quite nicely at the bottom of the stairs, but really - it wasn't a permanent spot.

Sharron was coming over to work on the long-arm and now I had to move the tables because it is one thing for me to dance around them, but I can't have guests do that. Hmmmmmm - where to put them. AHA - I could put them just behind the scrapbook table. That is a perfect spot - handy, but not far away.

I did NOT take a picture of the area before I started, but there was a bit of stuff behind that table that needed to be dealt with.   Hmmmm - a HUGE basket of quilts that were designated for community projects. They needed to have backs prepared and then need to be quilted. Hmmmmmm - I could work on that today while Sharron is busy on the long arm.  So I dug out that laundry basket that was HEAPING.

Well - I got curious about TWO more big Rubbermaid tubs in the stash room that were part of this community projects project. I might as well dig them out too and see what I have.

Have TWO tubs FULL of stuff - what is in them????

The rest they say is history - have a peak at what happened yesterday.............   (and remember it is all Ronda's fault!)

A baby quilt (made with squares that were pieced from my leftover baby flannel). It just needed borders which I got from my stash - had JUST enough yellow for that small border (and another fabric bites the dust)

Made a backing for the baby quilt. This came from my stash and I think I used up TWO pieces of fabric. The binding will be made from the leftover of the backing. 

Another baby quilt

The backing (the excess will become the binding)

This is ONE QUARTER of a quilt top made with poly cotton - 6 inch squares (the quilt is just folded - that is why you are seeing just one quarter of it)

Another quilt top made with poly cotton squares (again - this is one quarter of it)

Both will have this as the backing!!!!   Yep - a bit bright!!!!   This is a bit heavier than normal, but was in the backing box so I used it!

Another quarter of a quilt top

The backing

Yet ANOTHER quarter of a quilt top

Found ONE piece of fabric that fit perfectly for the backing - yeah - I love when that happens

And ANOTHER quarter of a quilt

The backing

OK - here is the backing on the left and quilt on the right

Yet again - backing on the left - quilt on the right

Seriously?   That many quilts?????   Yep - that stack sure looks impressive and all ready to be quilted. (I will make the bindings as they get quilted - I have a big chunk of solid blue for that and I'll pull from my stash)

By my count - there are NINE quilts with backing ready to be quilted!!!!!!!!

And in case you thought that was a LOT - look - I am NOT done!!!!!!!!!!

I think there are TEN more that need the backing made

Well it was getting later in the afternoon by that point and I needed a change of scenery. So I dug out those two tubs to see what was in them and at one point - the room looked like this!!!!!!!!!   AN EXPLOSION!!!!

Yep - so much for tidiness - HEY - I was dealing with the mess!!!!

And what did I find in the boxes??????


I found TWO kits of squares already cut and ready to sew. I found a partially pieced VELVETEEN quilt.

This bag of fabric which is NOT quilting fabric but would be great for bags.

Weird fabric - already designated to Heather at John Fraser High School for her sewing class

Loads and loads of basting tape - what am I going to do with it?????   Anyone have any ideas????

A nice chunk of denim (or ticking) that I put with my denim - will make a cool quilt with blue denim

 You think that is it?????   Think again!!!!!!    DAMN YOU RONDA!!!!!!!!    This is all your fault!!!!


There was SCADS and SCADS of SOLID poly/cotton

SCADS and SCADS of poly/cotton (or is that cotton?) - anyway - I sorted it into colour families. 

I find that I have to sort things - so much easier to deal with a FAMILY of things at a time - instead of lots of individual stuff.


So now the thing was - what is poly/cotton and what is not.   Oh first - I bet you are wondering why I have so much????   This is left over from the costume making days when M was at school.   Yes - I was the unofficial seamstress and fabric buyer. I just hung onto the leftovers.


OK - so how to tell if it poly/cotton or 100% cotton????    A couple of ways.  First - look at it - feel it. Cotton feel soft - poly/cotton feels different - more slippery and shiny. BUT many times - it is not enough to look at it. You have to go one step further.

I will IRON part of it - and then apply the SMELL test. Does it smell like chemical? Then it is poly/cotton. Otherwise - might be cotton.

Check the tag that comes with the fabric - look at this one.

See the date (04/07/05) and the price - $3 per meter?   Most likely poly/cotton!!!! (because of the price - not the date!!!) 

But when all else fails - do the BURN test.  I use my BBQ lighter and burn a corner of the fabric. If there is NO ASH and the burnt edge is HARD - then it is MAN MADE.

Hard burnt edge - no ash - just sticky mess. This is poly/cotton

This burnt clearn with ash. This is cotton. 

Then I sorted them - poly/cotton in one bucket and cotton in another.

This is the tub of poly/cotton

YEP -- that is a LOT of poly/cotton

WAIT - there's more!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The red and blue were cut - I have a partial bolt of grey - Will make a couple of nice quilts. I'll make kits!!!!

And let's not forget the black!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOD - what am I going to do with all that??????   My intention (and the reason I kept if after making the costumes) was to make quilts that could be donated.  Well - there is SO MUCH!!!!!!!!    Any ideas?????   Someone suggested that I could make fabric bowls - well that doesn't use much fabric. BUT someone else suggested I make crocheted rugs. NOW that uses a LOT of fabric.

Remember my crocheted rug???

Well - I wonder what it would be like for cat mats?????   Anyone have a cat who would like to test one. I will make the rug - (about 12 inches square) but I need to see if the cat would like to sleep on it.


OK - so back to the bins - what else what in there????

Laundry basket of cotton - this will be sorted and cut and made into quilt kits

A couple of bags of weird fabric that I am not ready to deal with yet. Mostly scraps. May end up in the garbage????

And let's not forget the SEVEN bolts of fabric that I bought (on sale) that I was going to use as backings for all these quilts. Well - with all the fabric I found - I have enough and MORE to back the ones that are made WITHOUT touching these. OK - I did use one of these for a backing yesterday. These will go into my stash for backings for MY quilts. See - it does NOT pay to buy on sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I didn't need to buy these!!!!

Now isn't that insane!!!!!!!!!!


I have to say that I was as happy as a clam yesterday. (OK - I didn't mean to pick on Ronda!!!!  - Actually I love doing something like that when I am in the mood, otherwise it is a real drag!!!! - so THANKS Ronda!!!! - thanks for the push even though we didn't realize what was going to happen when you took that table!!!!!)   I was so tired last night, but so excited to get up and start again today, although after the gym, breakfast and the blog - it is almost 11 AM!!!!!   So much for an early start.


My goal now is to get those backings completed for the ten quilts.  Going to get the rest of that cotton organized into kits and then I will make a sample of the cat mat (already got a tester - Heather's cat - I wonder what the cat's name is???   And does it have a favourite colour?????)  Of course if the cat is gay, I could make a rainbow coloured mat. OK - I'm getting silly now!!!!!!!!


Anyway - hope you enjoyed that post as much as I enjoyed putting it together.


Have an AWESOME PRODUCTIVE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!


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

It's all about the bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I was browsing through my blog from previous years, I noticed that I was out on my bike in March. I doubt that is going to happen this year!!!!   While I love spin class, it just isn't the same. I am going to have to move so I can ride all year long!!!!

I did get to the bike show this past weekend. I do like to go and see what is new - and this time I hung out in the Cycle Canada/Tour du Canada booth. It was great - got to see Adam who was our driver from last year. A great kid - he is going to go far. Chatted with Bud and Margo (the owners) and got caught up on news.  And I SO WANT TO GO ON A TRIP THIS YEAR!!!!!!!   Yes - I am still trying to figure out the summer plans, and I will get a trip in, but it will be short and where???? NO idea!!!!

THE bike show!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of my goals on all of my previous trips has been to make a book - you know - the ones you can design yourself and then get printed.  I SO WANT to do that. And now I have FOUR to make. Well one of the riders from last year on Tour Pacific made such a book and there was a copy at the booth.  OH MY - I MUST make this a priority. What a way to remember the trip. 

Sample of pages in the Tour Pacific book

More samples - I LOVE how he got individual action shots of everyone.  I don't think I got that. 

More pages from the book

It is such a cool idea and what a way to remember.  I have several other books that I am in the process of making and I MUST MUST MUST make them a priority.

Don't need (or want) a new bike, but I did pick up a couple of things while I was at the bike show.

New jersey

Another new jersey

Now that brings up the question - should one wear a cycle jersey to a spin class????   I bought the two jerseys from Cyclechic.   I was speaking to Rene (one of the owners) and he said - why NOT?????   Really - he has a point. Afterall you do wear cycle shorts to class. I guess that begs the question - why does one wear a cycle jerse?. Probably the biggest reason is that there are THREE (usually) big pockets on the back of the jersey for stashing stuff and the back of the jersey is longer than the front. Both things are not really necessary for spin class.  I might wear some of my older logoed jerseys in spin class. Yes - that is what I will do.

Snagged a couple of everyday T-shirts with bikes on them!   (I know - those just jumped into my bag!). I HATE the V-neck, but no choice.   GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

I did pick up one NECESSARY item and that was lights for the front and back of the bike. There were MANY times last year when I NEEDED those items to improve visibility - both so I could see and drivers could see me. I am sure that I drove Neil and Michel crazy for not having lights on my bike. These are BLINDING!!!!

New lights!!!!!!!!!!!

That's ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course I picked up lots of brochures for charity rides and other one-day rides in this area. Time to get myself organized and mark those dates in the calendar so I have something to look for. If I can't ride outside - at least I can dream about it!!!

There was a great booth for the Province of Quebec and they were taking pictures of people with that great backdrop!!   Of course I had to strip off all the unnecessary stuff in order to get that picture. You know - sweater off, glasses off, bags on the floor!!!!   We were all laughing which is why I am laughing in the picture.

As is my nature - I stopped and chatted with all sorts of people - mostly the touring information places. I didn't talk to the bike shops - I don't need anything! Well except my lights.

Look what I got -

Do you know where this is from?????

Yes - the swing bridge on Manatoulin Island. I LOVE that bridge - it's a swing bridge. I see that it was celebrating 100 years last year. I didn't know that as we rode across last year.


Now I did NOT buy a bike at the show, but I did see a lot of interesting bikes.

Should have had this when M was little!!!    How cute!!!!!   Room for the kids and groceries!

This seems to be a big trend - bike with BIG tires. They are called FAT bikes!!!

FAT bike

Another FAT bike

I was out hiking in December and saw the tire tracks of one of these bikes, but I had never seen one before and I did NOT take a picture of the treads is the snow. Pretty awesome looking bike, but I will leave it for someone else!!!


And you can pretty much carry anything and everything on a bike. How about this?????

Trailers for golf clubs and why not a canoe!!!!!!!!!!!

Well on that note - I am behind. Trying to cram three days of work into one as usual.


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


Ciao!!!!!!!!


(and this blog was late because it takes forever for my phone to send pictures to my home e-mail). For goodness sake - the phone is RIGHT beside the computer, yet it takes HOURS for the pictures to be sent. Oh well!!!!!

My kid came with a manual, BUT I didn't get a copy!!!!!

Yes - it was M's birthday yesterday.  Oh my - how fast they grow up!   Seems just like yesterday that I was struggling and pushing and cursing and wishing that this kid would come out!  It wasn't a bad birth, but I couldn't walk for days because of injuring ligaments in my pelvis. Oh yes - I will NEVER forget that!!!!   I can still feel those ligaments on a rainy day.

Before I get into the birthday - I thought some of you might be interested in seeing what happened on her other birthdays since I started blogging.

Here is March 1, 2009    (I almost don't recognize her!)

Here is March 1, 2010    (boy - these birthdays seemed to be non events - what a mother I am!!!)

Here is March 1, 2011     (took me several days to get that one posted)

Here is March 1, 2012    (ooops - I don't think I posted anything!!!  - trust me I went forward and back from March 1)

Here is March 1, 2013    (OK - that is better - at least I posted a picture!)


(the lack of my information about M's birthday is a bit disturbing. I am writing this blog so when I am old, I can remember - well there is only quilting stuff here!!!!!  I am CERTAIN that I took pictures - just didn't post them!)

Which brings me to today!   (well yesterday)


So M seems to have this thing - a 14 year old should do this, a 15 year old should do this and so on. Well now that she is officially an adult (what does that make me - a senior adult???)  Anyway - now it is OK to not only UNLOAD the dishwasher, but ADULTS actually LOAD the dishwasher. Not only do adults make a mess in the kitchen, but ADULTS clean up as well. Seriously???   No one told me that!!!!!

After all these years of pulling my hair out, all I needed to do was wait until she turned 18. Who knew????


Well I did get pictures yesterday and here they are..............

Card from Mom and Dad - an appropriate one since M got a mini-shopping spree at the store that she works at as a present. I had to give her something on her birthday so went to Chapter's to try and find a fashion magazine that she didn't have. Found this one called Canadian Fabric and NOPE - she didn't have it. 

Present from Caroline (who came for dinner and a sleep over)

More prezzies from Caroline

Well I was given STRICT instructions for dinner. M picked the menu items, sent me the shopping list and the recipes. I HATE cooking - well I don't, But I rather do something else. However in light of the fact that it was her birthday - I broke down and went shopping. Listened to a book on my iPod while I cooked.

Came back with bags and bags of veggies - yep - the menu was vegan

Mushroom appetizer - I used three kinds of mushrooms - cremini, baby bella and oyster.   I am certain that to a mushroom connoisseur that these all taste different, but to me and for this dish - regualr old white mushrooms would have worked just as well.  

Great kale salad.  It didn't get mixed up enough for the photo, but lots of beans and corn in the bottom.  No dressing - just some lime and lemon juice and a smidge of oil.  A tad too much citric juice - but next time, I will know. Very tasty!!!!

So the first two items - no big deal. Appetizers and Salad.   I just looked at the recipes - I didn't look at the pictures. Heck - I didn't even realize she sent me pictures.  So the third - I had NO CLUE what I was making.  Cooked up a bunch of different stuff - more mushroom, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli and what???  Puff pastry???   I've never cooked with puff pastry. M arrived home just in time to save me as she showed me the picture. AH - oh yes - I can do that. 

Open face puff pastry casserole

I have to say that everything was pretty tasty!!   And would go on the MAKE AGAIN list.


Then we had cake.  Now for some reason we had to have ice cream cake. Seems to me we have had ice cream cake on several occasions. Can't tell you how many - but we have had it more than once.  So M was in charge of buying her own cake since I was doing all the other stuff.

The cake (complete with candles and sparklers)

Lighting the candles (I know - we made her do that too), except it was pretty funny because the lit candles set off the sparklers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The birthday girl and her cake

Blowing out the candles (but not before making a wish)

Cutting the cake

M and Caroline using the last two sparklers

And there you have it - a pretty special birthday for a very special (to us) girl!!!!!   Happy birthday M.


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



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

Pampered Sit n Sew Days

I had a Pampered Sit n Sew day a week ago Friday and another one on Sunday. BOTH were full and there was a HUGE demand on the pressing. I see we are going to have to change the rules. I will ONLY press what they actually sew during the day!!!!!   None of this sneaking stuff in!   Let's just say that the PRESSER (ME) needed a rest - I needed some pampering which of course I didn't get and my feet were protesting!!!

It was the LAST day of the Olympics and the men's hocky game. I went out and bought a cake before the group came.  Regardless of whether the team won or not - we were all so proud of our athletes. See.....

Our Canada celebration cake!!

Like myself, a great many of my sewing buddies are trying to complete projects and I just LOVE when they share them with me.

Claudette brought along a couple of projects that she has been working on.

This is a representation of her son's dog (who has passed). She made the pattern from a photograph.  It is GORGEOUS. 

This is also Claudette's. It is a pattern by Big Fork Company. I remember Claudette working on this at a pampered sit n sew a while back. She quilted it, but instead of putting a binding on - she had it framed and it is STUNNING.  She is going to frame the dog picture as well. 

Detail of the stitching on the horse

Thanks to my FABULOUS pressing, Ronda got her log cabin together. I did a lot of it at the last Sit n Sew. I think I deserve credit on the label!!!!

And Sharron got her black and white top together - this is HUGE!!!!   But she left with the top pressed and ready to be quilted!!!!   I also pressed most of this quilt!   Hmmm - more credit!!!!

Let's not forget Ronda's Hopscotch and there was other stuff as well.  It was a very productive day for everyone!!!!


Had a great physical - well as good as all that gets!!!!   When the doctor asks - any issues and you are able to truthfully reply - nope!!  (OK - two small age related ones, but who is counting!!)   I did NOT make it for the blood work as I had to get somewhere else so I fasted for nothing!!!   Oh well - no big deal. I survived.

I have TWO sewing days booked this week (one or two spots still available on Thursday if anyone is interested) and I have been prepping. I believe there are bits and pieces of FIVE quilts cut and ready to sew. I have been working on them for a bit and just advancing to the next stage.

Well loads more to blog - just so little time these days.  I am trying to work through those paperwork issues and I seem to be on the go constantly. No time to sit down. But NOTHING planned for the entire weekend. Not sure how that happened, but I am so looking forward to doing NOTHING (as if!!!)   And I MUST clear my computer and shut it down. It has gotten V E R Y    S L O W  and that is just because there are too many windows open.   Just like my brain!  Off in a thousand directions at the same time.

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


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