Chaos at the North Pole!!!!

Well it is that time of year again - NO - NOT Christmas - not yet!!!!

But it was our reveal for Welcome to the North Pole. And what a reveal it was. Needless to say, the class had fun all summer (OK - so most of them probably did the work this past week????), but their buildings were very creative as usual and you can tell they had a lot of fun designing and building them.

We started with the North Pole Carry Out

All the North Pole Carry Out blocks

Mary very cleverly used sparkly pipe cleaner for the roof

Mary (yes - the same one - crazy Mary who is making TWO) used strung square sequins on the second roof

Marlene (whose North Pole is COMPLETELY different) made a TEA HOUSE

Linda used landscape fabric for hers

Nancy with a very oriental theme for the carry out

I did NOT get a chance to get a close up of all the blocks, but Raili also used pipe cleaner (a white one) for her roof. And the choice of fabric is amazing - Kristen is making hers into a candy house and creatively used the fabric on the door. Well done!!!!!

The next block was Slick's Sled

Linda with a nice plaid sled house!!!

Jeanette with outstanding black trim!!!  and Karen with her Mexican trim!!! and looks like fussy cut windows

Kathy with brilliant primary colours!

Mine with the strips and Beth with those brilliant moons. Hey - how come Beth's sled house is bigger than mine???
Like I said - it is fair game - all hell basically broke loose - everything was changed!!!!

Raili used fusible bias for her sled, Kristen is converting her sled house into a quilt store (and looks like she raised the roof)

Mary and Marlene (who turned her sled house into a clothing and shoe store - can't wait to see what the elves are wearing this season!!!! - and those high heels - are they for Santa????)

Mary (same block as above - look at the icicles on the roof)

Marlene (yes - same block as above) used scrapbook trims to decorate her block

Nancy converted her sled house into a tea room complete with a GIANT spoon on the roof!!!!

And as if that wasn't enough excitement - they had a THIRD block to complete..... The Reindeer Barn

Nancy's barn - look at the detail in that door!!!!

My barn on top and Kristen on the bottom - look at that cool trim around her window and door!!!!  Looks like lights!

Drat - I forgot to ask Kristen if her husband was OK with Elliot (who is three months) to attend quilt stores!!!  He is so cute and Grandma came with them.

Marlene who turned her barn into a quilt store complete with little quilts hanging outside.   Hmmm - I wonder who is going to pull the sleigh???

I believe the top one is Karen's - must be - look at that tree on the right. It is either evil or windblown!!! Raili's barn is on the bottom - she used some satin stitch and a small reindeer button for the weather vane!

Kathy's barn with nice blue trim and good choice of colour against that dark background

Linda - Ah she has snow on her barn (and her little pack of buttons for embellishing when we are done)

Jeanette's barn on top. Love that black/bright fabric for the trim!
Flo's block on the bottom. Very neat fabric for the tree!!!!

Mary's barn. Nice striped tree!!!

Beth's barn on top - great weather vane. That little thing was very fiddly!!!!!  And Mary's second barn on the bottom. She was experimenting with thread painting to get the shading on the roof!!!

They all did such an amazing job. I can't wait to see these quilts together. But you have to wait until December for that.

This group just can't get enough of Christmas!!!!    I knew they would be bugging me for what is to come for next year. Instead of getting my homework done for the class, I spent the morning trying to locate some patterns and suggestions for Christmas Club 2012. Do you think I found enough????

Christmas/snowman patterns suitable for a year long project

At first they were intimidated by the sheer number of what I brought out, but very quickly and as a group - they were able to whittle it down to FIVE patterns. How impressive is that. Now the question will be - which one of the five. Have to give it some thought and check prices.

Speaking of Christmas - I got some more embroidery done last night on one of my other long term projects which also happens to be Christmas.

Two more holly blocks

That brings the total done to EIGHT. Yeah, however there are 14 in total. And I see that three of them still need to have the red part appliqued down. DRAT!!!!!  Well just have to listen to more of that audio book. I tell you - this one is VERY weird. So 3 out of 8 disks and we finally get to the murder. It is a VERY descriptive book, takes place in New York and so far has described the actions and lives of a bunch of seemingly disjointed characters. Now that the murder has happened - the lives are starting to intertwine.

I managed to get another small community project quilt done yesterday.

Community Project quilt

I also another one identical to this loaded on the machine and ready to quilt as soon as I finish the blog.

Then had to search through the book collection (Really MUST get them organized) because I booked an appointment with someone who wants a T-shirt quilt. Dug out the books and pictures to have ready to show them.

Books on T-shirt quilts

While searching for those books, I came across a book that I will donate through our guild to a lady who is teaching women to sew/quilt in Uganda.

Book for donation - yes - I know it is only ONE book and there are probably lots of others that I could get rid of that I have never used and will never use. But one book at a time!!!!!   If only I had learned to be more discriminating at the start - I probably would not have as many books!!!!!

Speaking of books - while I was searching the library - well my library, I also came across this book. See it does pay to search ones own books - it is NOT enough to have a list - you must browse the shelves!!!!!

Vogue sewing book

Yawn - Yawn - this is a sewing book - NOT a quilting book. What is so special about it????   This is THE book that I used when I was learning how to sew clothing. My REFERENCE book. I think I used it a lot and for some reason carried it with me for 30+ years!!!!!   Well a certain someone in my house has requested to take a "Learn to Sew Fashion" in my house and it isn't DH who asked!!!!   I thought this might help her out. She starts this week - let's keep our fingers crossed that it works out.

And while looking - OK - so I spent a lot of time looking  - I came across these magazines. Quilter's Connection. It is a Canadian magazine. It has been out for a couple of years and NO - I haven't read the magazines. So I gathered them all - placed them in ORDER (of course) and will attempt to read them over the next day or so. THEN - I will have to process them - keep them, rip them up or give them away. OK - I'm having separation anxiety just thinking about it!!!!!   But I got to start!!!!

Quilter's Connection

 I shall review the magazine as I go through the issues. I do like to support Canadian so I hope it is good. NO - don't go there!!!!!

Then I also came across these STITCH magazines from Quilting Arts - yes I think I have bought them all since they came out several years ago. I gave a couple to M - they tend to have funky, trendy projects in them and maybe she will find something she can practice on before she hits the classroom on Thursday. And I am going to read through these and process them as well. HELP HELP HELP!!!!!    My blood pressure is going up!!!!!!

Stitch Magazine by Quilting Arts

Well I sure hope my blood pressure doesn't go up. I don't want to take ANOTHER pill. I now know why people buy those pill box thingys with the days of the week on it!!!!   I am really really trying to get in the habit (which I vowed I NEVER would), but decided I had better start taking some stuff to help out my aging bones and other parts of me.

Pills I took this morning

Allergies, pain killers, Vitamin B and glucosimine. Then I always forget the calcium which needs to be taken with food but on its own. Crap - I need the deluxe version of the pill thing with morning, afternoon and evening!!!   GOD - I AM OLD!!!!!!!   Well - I do feel old especially when I can't make it through the day without a nap. I hate that, but waking up at night with aching knees just kills my day!!!!

So up at 4 AM this morning and had to find something to do!!   As if that would be a problem in this studio. I decided that I had better get to work on another of my long term projects - The Dragon Star.

Dragon Star by Judy Niemeyer

Working on flying geese units (way behind!!!!)

I actually enjoyed getting back to actual sewing. Since I have a sewing day planned with Marian this week - I think I might continue work on this and try to actually catch up and get ahead of the students again!!!!!

Yes - a sewing day with Marian. She comes home TODAY. Just when I have Kaylee all trained and calm!!!!   When I got up this morning, she didn't even bother to come down stairs. The first day she came - when I got up - so did she and she wanted to PLAY!!!!   When she did amble down this morning, she just lay down in her bed and went to sleep. She had a lot of fun chasing rabbits in the back when we went for our walk. I think she will miss that. Heck - we are all going to miss her. She is just like part of the family, but I am sure she will be happy to be back with Marian and Jim. Then at least she can sleep on their bed rather than the floor or the kid's bed!!!!


Before I sign off today - can you tell - I am getting old and organized!!!!   Here is my chair in the living room - this is my "staging" chair. Everything on here (including a bag of duplicate books and magazines I found that are going to another guild I belong to - they are having their quilt show soon and it can be sold in the member's boutique!)  anyway - everything on the chair is waiting to be picked up or taken somewhere. And there are a couple of quilts to add to the pile - just got to trim them and get them in a bag.

The "staging" chair!!!   Everything MUST GO!!!!!

And last, but not least - HAPPINESS is........

having a friend to lay beside while you gum/chew your toys!!!!!

Well - the day must BEGIN.

Have a great day!!!


Ciao!!!!!

Prison BREAK!!!!!

The other day I came home and guess who was in the street to greet me?????   Just a minute - I'll tell you.


I thought DRAT - the kids forgot to shut the gate again. Nope - the gates were all shut. Hmmmm - how did this happen?

I never thought anything more at that time and went in the house.

The next day I was coming home on my bike and happened to have a good look at the gate. Hmmmmm - now I know how the dog escaped!!!!!

Can you see?????   That board has been missing for a year (yes - I should nail it back on), but look at the two boards next to it!!!!   Chewed!!!!!!

Hmmmmm - now the gate on this side of the fence is actually the second gate. There is another one further back, but look - a big hole dug under that gate.......

Big hole under first gate!!!!!

Someone has obviously given a LOT of thought to this escape and it just didn't happen overnight!!!!

So who is the culprit?????

A. Could it be the very vocal Sparky???

B. Could it be the very excitable Kaylee??

C. Could it be mild and meek Sammy???

Did you guess ????   Which one looks the most guilty??????

If you guess A - you are wrong!!!!!













































If you guessed B - you are WRONG. If you guessed C - that mild and meek Sammy was wandering the street when I got home the other day. And she was puffing meaning she had been running around. I wonder what her problem is????   She NEEDS to be with us, but goodness that was extreme. I guess I won't be leaving them in the backyard unattended (well her anyway) until the gates get fixed!!!!!!   Imagine little Velcro Dog - little Sweet Sammy - lying there with her FEW TEETH (remember she had 18 teeth removed in January) chewing on the fence so she could escape.   Perhaps she paid Kaylee or Sparky to chew the fence for her?????


I did get another quilt done yesterday.

Customer quilt

So far - so good and right on track.

Got Christmas Club this morning and instead of working on my homework - well their assignment, I have been trying to find some patterns for them to choose from for next year. Good grief - I found LOTS of Christmas themed patterns, but there is one that has eluded me. I think I have checked everywhere, but so far no luck. I know - so much for organization!!!!!   But this is a project and I cannot remember what kind of container it is in. Usually I am very good at that, but this time - well - I will find it!!!!!   I did find all the others I wanted. Of course now the place looks like a hurricane went through it!!!!

Have a great day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!

What a difference batting can make!!!!!

Ick - I hate down days. After a visit to my doctor - I am going to live. She suggests I need to take more pain killers so I can sleep then I won't be so tired during the day. And physio for the knee. And at least six months for the knee to heal. And menopause - deal with it!!!!   Just what I need!


Move over lady - I have a message for my MOM!!!!   Mom - it's ME!!!   I am MUCH CUTER than the other dog you saw in France. MUCH cuter!!!!!

See CUTE as a button!!!!

And I am a silly dog too!!!!

See - CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!!!!

Silly and CUTE!!!!!   Don't get mixed up again!!!!!

Well as you can see Kaylee was a bit upset that her Mom said they found her sister in France. No one compares to Kaylee. She is just a silly dog and has so much fun chasing rabbits!!!   TWO this morning. Not quick enough (or smart enough) to catch them!!!   Aren't you happy Mom and Dad?????


Well in light of all this crap (fatigue and allergies and what not) I decided it was time to try this Nasal wash I bought a while ago. I tried it last night. OK - so it is gross, but you know what - my nose is great this AM. I guess I am going to try it on a regular basis!!!   I hate having those crappy days!!!!


Alright - let's get on with the quilting side of this blog!!!!


I did manage to finish that quilt of mine that I was experimenting on with the heavier threads.

My quilt!!!!

My quilt

 This was an exchange of BRIGHT 9-patches and 6 1/2" squares. Happened a number of years ago. Then assembled it earlier this year and it is now quilted!!!!!!

Close up of quilting

Used Sulky Blendable 12 Weight on top

I used Sulky Blendable 12 Weight on top and 30 weight in the bobbin. I had trouble with breaking thread and had to move from a 4.0 to 4.5 needle. That stopped most of the breaking. I don't think the thicker thread was worth the hassle. I will probably NEVER use 12 weight on top again, but I will have to figure out how to use all the 30 weight of this colour on top. Hopefully the different needle will make the difference or I will just have to use it all in the bobbin for bright backed quilts!!!!.

But besides having to use a larger needle for this thread, I had to go slow and steady. No accidental speeding up as the thread would break. And then at one point the thread started to break again. After looking at the threading - I had to move the spool from here

Vertical spool position

To this ....

spool in the horizontal position

When the spool was almost empty, the thread did not come off smoothly in the vertical position and had to be moved to the horizontal position. Yikes - that is pretty finicky. But the bottom line - I was happy that I was able to get the thread to work. It took almost one whole spool on the top and one on the bottom to quilt this quilt. Hmmmm - good thing that was MY quilt as that can quickly add to the cost of the quilting!!!!

Now the other thing I did with this quilt - well - let's just say I did NOTHING right with this one. Again - I like to experiment with MY stuff to better quilt customer quilts. So with this one, I joined three pieces of batting - one was a bleached cotton, one was bamboo and one was 80 poly/20 cotton. I know - probably not the best thing, but again MY quilt and I can do what I want.

Have a look at the back of the quilt

Bleached cotton - that is NOT a tension problem you see, but rather the batting got punched through the backing!!!!

Bamboo - the tension and the stitching PERFECT. The batting did NOT migrate at all

80/20 - batting did migrate a bit, but tension and stitching were perfect

So while the stitching and tension were PERFECT throughout the quilt - the bleached cotton batting was punched through the backing. Probably because of the large needle and cotton being a bit LOOSE. I was surprised about the bamboo and would have thought it would perform similarly to the cotton, but it was perfect. the 80/20 also surprised me that some of it migrated through. I wonder what will happen when I wash the quilt?????   Hmmmmm - have to get the binding stitched on first. 

The other thing about this quilt (thank god it was mine!!!) - well it was almost square and when I loaded it, I goofed and rotated the backing 90 degrees. Know what that means - yep - I ran out of backing. I had to take it off the machine and fix that when it was almost done. It was a bit of a challenge to get it back in place and finish the last two rows. 

See how that backing was just a smidgen short. Short enough to cause problems.

Oh yes - I also had to bypass all the threading on the pretension on the machine. Normally I run it through at least two of those holes. With the thicker thread - I eliminated all that!!!!

Well that is a lesson in what NOT to do when quilting. However I am happy to report that if I did NOT tell you about these woes - you could not tell by looking at the end result. And I think I am a better quilter because I have been able to fix these problems. This is definitely called QUILTING ON THE EDGE!!! - What can go wrong next??????

Today I have a customer quilt to do and there will be no issues. It's a straight forward quilt - no weird thread - no mixed batting!!!!!

Last night I finally got myself back in the groove of my normal routine. How long have I been back from vacation????  

Well I managed to get some stitching done while listening to a new audio book (which is WEIRD - one entire CD to introduce us to all the characters!!!)

These are the blocks from the Christmas Heart Light project. Since I used two greens with NO contrast, I now have to  stitch around the holy leaf to get some contrast. Using a stem stitch - I am getting pretty good at it!!!!

And my classes are starting up again and I have to get all my homework done. I spent the morning working on Welcome to the North Pole.

Welcome to the North Pole

Of course - I can't show you what I did - well I can tomorrow after the class.


And in the midst of all this and trying to get my article to the magazine before the deadline, I lost access to the internet. ACK!!!!!   Called the service provider and no - we still have cable. I was able to get on the internet when I plugged the computer directly into the modem. DRAT - that means the router must be shot. Off to Best-Buy to get a new one. A fancy one with power boost and blah blah blah. I don't care as long as it works.

My new router (which means guests at my house can get logged on!!!) - that's a long story!!!

Doesn't this thing look like a stealth fighter jet????   And that is a brief glimpse into my electrical room which is on my list of rooms to get organized. Hopefully after a couple more quilts - I can get in there with a hammer and a screwdriver and make some changes!!!!!   Yes - there will be no stone unturned in our house when I am done!!!!!  


On that note - I see it is almost nine AM and time to get myself in gear. Quilts to quilt - errands to run.


Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!!