EXHAUSTED!

Well I have NOT slept in until 7:40  AM in years. Normally the big black dog is there to wake me up. Little Sammy couldn't care less what time she gets up, but Sparky needs a routine. She came home late last night and definitely NOT herself. She ate a little bit last night - ate more this morning. Poor thing is back on pain killers which can make her lethargic.

Meanwhile with people coming and going in our house and the two dogs neither of whom are in good health at the moment - I kept getting woken up. And after those three tiring days at the CreativFestival - yep - I needed that sleep.

Dragon Star (so far)

Last night, I managed to get the other two corners ALMOST pieced. You can see the first two of eight diamonds are in there. Yes - it is starting to look pretty awesome. We had show n tell yesterday in my class - I am so far behind in posting pictures - I may never catch up. Hopefully this week I can get caught up.

The class went home dazed as we covered a lot in hopes of getting it finished next month so I have to get all those pictures up for them. That is my priority!!!


Yes - I did purchase one thing yesterday. No time for anything else, but I have my eye on a few things. Of course all the things I want - have been sold out and that is just fine by me!!!!  And the booth (Homestead Stitches) has a LOT (OK - that is all they sell) of Primitive Gatherings and I love the wool applique - the same as my Halloween table mat that I was working on. They have a great web site - have a look.

Homestead Stitches


So this is what I bought. Mary has been enamoured with the book  called City Quilts. All the quilts are done with SOLID Kona cottons. I have to admit that they are appealing and there is one that I had chosen to make. I was going to buy some solids and add black. Then I ran into Mad About Patchwork (we were introduced to this store a couple of months ago at a quilt show). Well they had a kit for this quilt (I wasn't going to add the blues, but what the heck - why not???). The price was right and it was the last one. I bought it.

Kit for City Green from City Quilts book

If you are into brights or solids - then this is the store for you - Mad About Patchwork.


Mad About Patchwork   (check them out - great stuff)



And then there is my all-time favourite store. I went in to purchase something and got waylaid talking to another cyclist and that ended the shopping, but I am going back today!!!!   The store - The Quilt Patch from Moose Jaw.

The Quilt Patch

Their second book was just released (no time to go into detail this morning) and their FIRST fabric line will be  in stores in February (I think!)


Enjoy those web sites - don't spend too much. And I got to run. Oh yes - this is the last day of the show. Tear down day - my favourite and it will be a LONG day since the show next door - The Sex Show (more about that later!) is tearing down at the same time. As if it wasn't chaotic enough when ONE show tears down - no they have to tear down TWO shows at once. Let's hope everyone has sold so much that tear down will be quick and easy. It is NEVER quick and easy for us. I am tired just thinking about it!!!!!


Have a great day!!!


Ciao!!!!!

A long day!

Not much time - let's just say that I have finished all that I wanted to get done for my class this morning and TEN minutes to spare. I was up until 11 sewing last night and early this morning. Better not tell the students that!!!!   Of course - I was behind and had to play catch up. And the dratted picture isn't loading since the small camera is already in the car and the big one is taking time.

I am THRILLED with how this is coming together including the S curves!!!!  As if one curve isn't enough - these suckers have TWO curves. Oh yeah - lots of fun.

After my class - I am back to the CreativFestival. Oh my - temptations everywhere I look!!!!!!   I will try to take some pictures today.

The big black dog is STILL at the animal hospital. I don't even want to think about it. She is slowly recovering and I hope to bring her home today. And little Sammy is having issues with her hips????  She is squeaking if she moves the wrong way or we touch her the wrong way - haven't isolated the pain spot yet and trouble on the stairs and won't jump up on M's bed. Not sure if she was just stressed with having Kaylee all to herself last week, she got hurt some how or she is getting arthritis.  I can see a second mortgage coming up!!!!!

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!

HOLD ME BACK!!!!!!!!

A LONG drive downtown (1 hour 20 minutes) - how do people do that on a regular basis??? Anyway got there shortly after 9AM and the truck had not arrived yet.

When it did a short few minutes later - the unloading process began. I left my camera in the car so couldn't take pictures. However it seems that they have spread out the set up - some people were already set up. That helped enormously at the loading dock and uncrowding the  aisles!!!

A long, hard day, but with five people - we were finished at 3:15 PM. Yeah!!!!!!   I then took a walk around the floor, stopped to chat to a few friends and then out and back into the traffic at 4 PM.

OH DEAR - BAD NEWS. It would appear that ALL of my favourite quilt shops (that I don't frequent on a regular basis) are there!!!!!   The Quilt Patch from Moose Jaw (awesome stuff and most has been designed by the store owners), Quilter's Nine Patch, The Quilting Bee, Pastime Pieces, Evelyn's, and well - the list just goes on and on. Some VERY VERY nice stuff.  Some cool knitting stuff too - I am a `want a be`knitter. Oh - I know how to knit - just don`t seem to have time to get to it. But look at this.......


Log Cabin Blanket

I am not sure if this is the same pattern, but one of the booths has this knitted log cabin BLANKET. The pattern is free to download, but of course she had a kit with amazing yarn. ACK!!!!!

The best however was the fact that I was trying to locate a charm pack for Etchings - a new fabric from 3 Sisters by Moda. I chatted to a store last weekend and they didn't seem to think the charm packs had shipped. I called the distributor and they gave me the name of three Ontario stores that had recently ordered the charm packs. AHA - one of them is coming to the show. I called them on Wednesday and yes - they do have them and will be bringing them to the show. Turns out - their booth was right across the aisle from our booth. How convenient is that!!!!   Of course several times through the day they brought it over to TEMPT me. GRRRRRRRRR   ---   however they gave me the charm pack to bring home so I could fondle it before I went to bed (hey - I am trying to match the fabrics to my duvet cover!!!!)   I will pay them today.  Isn`t that just the best.

Etchings charm pack

 This is a cool line of fabric (not my usual colour choice - but the fabric line chosen by Sherri for The Border Creek mystery). There are a couple of fabrics with writing on them (yeah!!), a couple with line drawings of maps of Paris (yeah!!) and four colours - this brown, an aqua???, reds and creams.   I do not want to choose the same colours as Sherri so now to find something that works for me.

Oh yes - see - it goes not bad with the duvet cover

One of the selections - a floral - no less!!!!!!

I LOVE the CreativFestival. I see so many people I haven't seen for a long time - both store owners and visitors to the show. It is going to be CRAZY today.

Anyway - after the show, I stopped at Fabricland to get a pattern for M since she had her sewing class. I gave her one of my patterns that I was going to use next week for pants (of course NOT her size) and then gave her the one I purchased for her. The reason - the waistband on mine had a tie in it besides the elastic, hers did not. The teacher made her use my pattern and they cut it up without tracing it. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!   Oh well - it is just a pattern, but that pattern is now retired. Well - I guess lesson learned - NO lending of patterns to M!!!!!  It isn't a big deal - it is just a pattern for PJs after all and she is enjoying the sewing class so I'm not going to complain.

After driving her to the class, stopping by to visit Sparky - hopefully this is the last night at the vet and then back home to sew. OH - not before I stopped at the library to pick up a book that came in. And I think it is a very appropriate book given the fact that I will be surrounded by temptation for the next three days.

A YEAR with no unnecessary shopping - yikes what a concept - Can't wait to read it. 

Hmmmm - AFTER this weekend though. Or should I read it before - Hmmmm - to buy or not to buy??????  I should just think of the vet bill and NOT buy anything!!!!

I also ran into this designer/author at the show. I dug out her book (she has two - I have both). I am going to get her to sign the book for me.

Beth Wheeler - at the CreativFestival

At least I do not have to purchase her books!!!!!   Lots of great ideas - too bad I seem to have NO TIME to get to anything like this. I am struggling to get to the sewing machine.


But I did. And there I was last night - eating a big piece of pie!!!!   having a cup of tea and sewing my homework at 10:30 PM!!!!!    But I did get done what I needed to get done last night (I've got more tonight)

Here is what Dragon Star looks like now.

Dragon Star

Yes - I got two corners done and started on the diamonds. I am very happy with the progress (OK - should have started a bit sooner). The final reveal for this quilt will be in November. I have ONE month to get it complete. I think I should have no problem.

That's it for today. If you are coming to the CreativFestival - stop by Booth 512 (Sew Fancy) and say hi!!!!
And don't forget to visit my favourite quilt stores -


Have a great day!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Dragon Star

Today is set up day for the CreativFestival at the Convention Centre - downtown Toronto. Guess where I am off to in a few minutes???   Oh yes - my favourite day of the show!  NOT!!!!!!!   It is a long, tedious and physically demanding day.

Hopefully Sparky comes homes today. A less severe case of pancreatitis and the gods are shining on us. I went to my vet initially and he didn't charge me for the consult. Reason - we were going to the animal hospital. The animal hospital didn't charge for the consult as we had been to the vet!!!!   OK - you got to love that. And when they mentioned ultrasound, I think they heard the GASP from me and gave it to me at a significantly reduced rate since we were just there with the same problem just two weeks before!!!   Yeah!!!!

LOVED the sick dog stories. Thanks for sharing!!!   I really wonder if the dogs are missing something from their diet when they scavenge or they are just pigs??????   What the heck would Sparky do in the wild???

Oh - here is something to contemplate. I met a lady at the animal hospital whose dog was quite ill and was going to require transfusions. Yes - transfusions for dogs. Hmmmmm - where do they get the blood????   Is there a blood bank for dogs???


Anyway - I leave you with this to look at this morning.

Dragon Star

I have LOTS to say about this quilt, but that will have to wait for another day. The class is on Saturday and as you can see - there is still LOTS of work to do!!!!!   I am very happy with the results so far.


Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!

What NEXT??????

Crap - for every good day - there has to be a BAD day and the last couple of days - well not so good.

But in a funny sort of way. I'm not complaining - honestly it has been like a comedy of errors.

I was trying on Monday night to get my samples ready for the Elm Creek class, but first I had a disturbing phone call to make. The phone call was weighing heavily on me and after making many mistakes - I decided to make the phone call. Hard to believe that a "healthy" older male (one of my buddies in the cycling club) died in his sleep after a great day of cycling. Like what gives?????   You try to stay healthy and BAM - they think it was heart attack, but I don't know the details. Peter was such a great guy - very helpful, great personality, great drive (he rode 8,000 KM on his bike this year) and last Wednesday  - he just didn't wake up.

Makes me think of a comment that Steve Jobs said - when I get up in the morning and look in the mirror - I ask myself - am I happy doing what I have planned for today? If I say NO too many days in a row - time to rethink what I am doing.

Anyway - the comment was something to that effect. You just don't know when your time is going to come.

Hence all the more reason to get this studio in order!!!!   I can't imagine what they (friends and family) would do if I died in my sleep?  Hmmm - let's move on to the rest of the crazy day.

Enough of those sobering thoughts - let's get to CRAZY!!!!!!

So I get up Tuesday morning - sew and get the blocks in a presentable state for the class. Ooops - let me backtrack a minute. On Monday - someone had brought in a cake from a baptism the day before. The girls ate most of the cake and I brought it home to dispose of it. I accidentily left it on the counter when M and I dashed out to Fabricland. When we arrived back home - we saw this........

saran wrap from the cake

The cake plate licked CLEAN. She (Sparky) even licked the knife!!!

ooops - she left a few crumbs on the counter

She did NOT touch the cookies that were left on the stove. These are those prepacked cookies that come for every season - I wonder what that means when Sparky won't touch them??????

I kept an eye on her and she seemed to be just fine. It was a white cake and a LOT of icing (fatty - just what you need when you are recovering from pancreatitis!!!!!)


So Tuesday morning - I get ready to go to my class. I left a bag of carrots smack in the middle of the island thinking they would be out of her reach.

I teach my class and make a trip to the library to pick up a book and get home. I opened the door and almost fainted!!!!   Let's just say that Sparky ate most of the 2 lb bag of carrots and there were MANY presents all over the living room. The poor thing had been violently ill. Not a pretty sight.

And on my way home from the class - I was looking forward to just sitting down for a few minutes with an ice pack on my knee. The ice is really helping - just got to do it more often.

So I clean up the mess. Decide to have lunch (I'm a mother - I can handle that stuff). The dog needs to go out - vomits some more. Great - this isn't looking good. Then I decided to clean up the kitchen - have to wash the floor from carrots and cake!!  I am almost finished the kitchen and looking forward to that ice pack when I hear more retching coming from the basement. Poor thing - tried to drink water and couldn't keep that down so I had more mess to clean up.

Then I had a customer coming to drop off a quilt and she wanted to chat. Called the vet - have to go in. I did sneak in a quick nap and an ice pack. But the afternoon was SHOT. I got nothing done with the dogs wanting in and wanting out and cleaning up!  OK - so I did get the kitchen tidied up.

Off to the vet - of course, Sammy cannot be left home by herself. She needs to be with us. The vet was concerned because by now - Sparky is VERY dehydrated. Best to go to the animal hospital to get her on IV. Back to the animal hospital where we had to wait and wait and wait. It was a busy night. Finally got out of there and back home. Grabbed a snack bar and off to visit with my Finishing Group.

And it didn't stop there. Oh no - I had a very early appointment at physio. While I am picking up Tim's on the way home - my father calls. Now he has been ill and in the hospital for a week so I'm thinking what's wrong. Besides they never call me. Well - he had questions about geocaching!!!!!   And while I am talking to him - the vet calls. Do you see what I mean?????   It has been NUTS!!!!!!!  

I am finally sitting here enjoying my cup of tea while I write this. And I'm thinking - I really really want a nap and an ice pack!!!!!!   Don't worry - I'm going for both in a bit.

Bottom line with Sparky - oh - just to show the vet how sick she was - she proceeded to throw up in the exam room!!!   It appears that her pancreatitis may have flared up with the excess food. I think she just has a sensitive stomach now and can't eat anything out of the ordinary. I think we would have been fine if she had of eaten just the cake or just the carrots, but the two together - bad news!!!!!    Stupid dog!!!!   Or should I say - stupid ME for leaving that out.

BUT - I did manage to get some sewing done. I got all these blocks together. And only because I need the design wall for something else I am working on today.

Shoot for the Moon from A Little Bit Crazy by The Buggy Barn - blocks TOGETHER

The two borders to be added - not 100% sure of those circles with the stars now 

And the backing which I just found at Fabricland this week!!!!

On that note - I am off to find something to do today!!!!  I can't wait to see what excitement today brings. Oh yes - did I mention that I have company now!!!   Miss K (Kaylee) came to visit last night and is staying for the week. In all the commotion - I am sure she is feeling pretty neglected!!!!  

Have a great day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!

I need MORE days like yesterday

Most of you know that I ride my bike in a couple of fundraiser bike rides and host Pampered Sit n Sew days as fundraisers!

Yesterday was one of those days. What a day it was!!   I had eight guests who accomplished LOTS. Part of the deal is I serve them lunch - not difficult, but up and down the stairs a few times, I do their seam ripping - not a whole lot of that, I transport their machines and stuff to the studio in the basement (a lot of up and down the stairs) and finally I do their pressing. HOLY COW - I am surprised the iron didn't die yesterday because those girls gave it a GOOD workout!!  - OK - I got the workout.

Now that I think about it - we set Pat up with her own ironing surface because she was paper piecing, Lynn was working on sorting a one block wonder, Holly was mostly appliquing, and Kathleen had her own ironing station for paper piecing as well. Must have been Ronda, Judy, Traceyann and Sharon who monopolized my time!!!

Bottom line - we had LOADS of fun.

Lynn - getting started at laying out the blocks

Oops - those blocks started migrating across the design wall

We always have to laugh with Lynn. She is a spreader!  Give her a table and she'll not only take that table, but all the surrounding ones as well!!!    We love you Lynn!!  She was somewhat contained yesterday because she was in the corner!!!

This was the final iteration - time to start sewing

Pat (with her little ironing station) - I did not get a picture of what she was working on - I will see her on Tuesday and get a picture - it was CUTE!!!!!!    There is Lynn madly sewing her one block wonder and Ronda working on her second project which is on the design wall. Yes - there was room for others to use it later in the day!!!

Sharon was working on a table runner - again - I wasn't quick enough with the camera, Judy was working on bags (and we had "fun" with the instructions, and Kathleen worked on several projects - circles, bargello and a paper piecing one. 

Holly who did a small applique project and almost finished - just the binding left and she is a newbie!!!   Traceyann worked very hard on a gorgeous quilt and was winding down as it was almost time to go when I took this picture!

Katheleen's bargello - all neatly labelled and laid out. If you do not - this project will be a mess!!!   Can't wait to see those colours together - it is going to be BRIGHT!!!!!

Ronda worked on several projects as well and this was one. Love those brights. Then she was going to cut up her BRAND NEW bright strips from our exchange. I said NO - I had scraps of leftover binding and managed to find a piece with a bunch of bright sections joined together and was big enough for 3/4 of the binding she needed!!!!  

Four o'clock came and everyone went home. WAIT A MINUTE - who is that still sewing in the basement????   OH - it is Lynn!!!!   She asked if she could stay to get more of the sewing done as moving a one block wonder can be a brute to move a one block wonder if isn't together. So I dug out my sewing machine and we sewed together. I think she left at 7 PM!!!!!   However it was AWESOME. I managed to get a bit of sewing done.


I decided to work on my Halloween. So back up on the design wall it went. I got the center part together and was going to leave it at that. Then we started talking about the borders and I was going to put something weird on it - like lime green. Lynn suggested black. And the black was PERFECT.

Now here is why you NEVER precut a border for a quilt. My intention from the start was to use this black with the orange circles. Well after I took out all the orange squares from the quilt - this border was no longer appropriate -see what I mean..........................

Orange border - ick - but look at that skinny black border!

After digging through the Halloween fabric box - guess what I found!!!   Something way better and just perfect!!!

Perfect fabric for this quilt - lots of witches, goblins and other ghouls in the right colours!!!

The finished quilt top (I put that last border on this morning)

Here is the "finished" project - the top, the backing and the binding. And what did I use for backing you ask??????

How about this!!!!    Yeah - the colour is a bit off - hey - it is the back of the quilt!!!!

Backing for Halloween!!!!

And what else did I get done???   Well I got the first border on the Christmas Heart Light completed and on as well.

Christmas Heart Light - with the first border. The borders are only on the top and the bottom. I dug out the second border - look at this - the pieces were all cut!!!   How about that. I see there is a bit of applique to do - but I might just get this thing done!!!!!

And remember that design wall??   Well after Lynn took her one block wonder off - that was a BIG empty space and I can't live with that. So I dug out a couple of things to put on it.

From the left - flannel squares (80) to put together for a comfy quilt , the completed blocks (16)  of a Debbie Caffrey mystery from a couple of years ago and a buggy barn (20 blocks) - all trimmed and ready to sew together. 

Can't wait to get started!!!   HOWEVER - this is my big week with my monthly classes and I have to get the Christmas Heart Light done, Dragon Star (paper piecing) and Elm Creek - 10 new blocks to complete. THEN I can work on this stuff on the wall.

And I might just sneak that Halloween quilt on the machine - I could actually hang it up for Halloween.


Well - got to run.

Have a great day!!!


Ciao!!!

Where do I begin?????

Just surfacing for a few minutes to say - YES  - I am still alive and going strong!


Downloaded the last "few" pictures I took - not even sure where to start!  However I will keep it short this morning as I still have to zip out and buy lunch for the Pampered Sit n Sew today and I guess I could pass the vacuum.

So while things have been crazy - I still managed to get some sewing done.

Christmas Heart Light - the center of the quilt is DONE!!!!   

Hmmm - I started this project at the Hobby Horse many years ago. It was half done - well not quite - but a good part has been done forever. Then it got resurrected as a $10 quilt at the Hobby Horse for 2011 and now I can say that barring any major issues - it should be DONE very soon. Well - not quilted, but done enough for me!!!   Some of that fabric (chosen MANY years ago) would not be what I would use today, but I didn't bother to change it. That just adds to the story!!!   I'll take more closeups when I have more time.

This is the first border that goes on top and bottom. I got half of it pieced together (yep - all those half square triangles were already MADE!!!!)  So piecing the HST border together was no big deal. And I sewed them as the ender/leader in this next project!

Halloween quilt. It is almost totally together. The blocks are all together (with an orange diamond making up one block). Some of those blocks are in groups. No time this morning to finish it.

 I did manage to get TWO of the last three panels of design wall complete. They are not just upholstered, but they are up on the wall!!!!!   The Halloween quilt has to come down as the girls are going to need the wall today (hence the push to get the Christmas and the Halloween together as much as possible) - well I know one person is going to bring one block wonder and that definitely needs a design wall. I will hopefully finish that last piece of design wall this week. It is cut and shoved in the corner but needs to get the flannel on. I'm excited about having the entire wall up and I have BIG plans for it when the girls leave this afternoon.

Design wall almost done!!!!

And I have given up on locating those quilt hangers. Yes - they will show up some day, but when???   I didn't want to wait any longer. So back to square one - using straight pins - I hung these quilts up. You can see the design wall on the right with the last skinny piece of blue insulation board just shoved in the gap!

Quilts up!

And here is the view of the room this morning. 

When it is empty like this - I just so much want to SEW SEW SEW!!!!!   And I will get to that later tonight when everyone goes home. And I am going to try and leave everything tucked away in its spot so it is NOT distracting me until it is time to sew - well that is NOT going to happen. Like I said - I already have BIG plans for that design wall. But I hope to keep the "mess" to a minimum because it is very distracting.

On that note - I must get myself to the store or we will have nothing to eat for lunch.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!!