And so the journey begins......................

Yesterday was a BUSY day to say the least. And all week I have been prepping for the BIG day.


The day started out at Marian's where our retreat group did our exchange. Now unfortunately I cannot reveal any pictures of that exchange. All I can say is that I am BLOWN out of the water by the creativity and talent in that group. Or else they are just DAMN competitive and trying to outdo each other!!!!!   We cannot see our own project, but we can see all the others. The person who owned the project that was to be revealed was banished to the front room to sit and chat with Jim and Kaylee!!!   Of course it was VERY hard to sit there when you could hear the others OOOOOOHHHHHHHing  and AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHing  and saying things like "that's so cute" - "oh - I love it". Well I guess we will just have to wait until November, but I HATE waiting. And I DO NOT trust those girls. Remember my topic was "All about me" in words. Perhaps that was a tad too inviting to the rest of the group!!!!   Note to self - next time - DO NOT make the project personal. Pick a travel theme or something!!!!!


Carol had been in the US over Christmas and had found a couple of prezzies for Marian and me. OM MY GOD - they are just PERFECT.

This one is mine. The knitter who is the companion to the sewer that I picked up last year.

The knitter and the sewer

See - fits right in!!!!   Yes - the nutcrackers are STILL up. I leave them out until the end of January so they will disappear in the next day or so. 

But the next one is the BEST. It is for Marian - hey - IT IS MARIAN!!!!!!

The premise - Marian is MY personal shopper!!!!!  I swear - this makes me chuckle every time I look at the picture!!!!   It is PERFECT and WELL THOUGHT OUT!!!!!

THANKS CAROL - they are BOTH AWESOME. (See what I mean - Carol had my block first - what DID she do to me????????)



Then it was off to the Hobby Horse so I could teach the Ongoing classes for this year. Hmmmmm - got to come up with a better name than ONGOING. They are technically NOT Block of the Month. Got to find something catchy to call them.


Anyway - over the last couple of weeks, I have been collecting samples, making samples and putting stuff in bags to show the respective classes. I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the stuff before I left or even when it was in the car, but this is what I UNLOADED when I got home.

That is a LOT of stuff and I had already been to Mary's and given her the box for the exchange since she was not able to attend. 

And I will have you know that the box that I gave to Mary was MINE. Oh - I was tempted, but NO - I did not even sneak a peek. The container is clear plastic and when I took it out of the bag to carry into her house, I was afraid that I would get a peek of what was in the box, but I did NOT!!!!!   Shoot - though  - I never got a picture of the second part of what I did for the box. Maybe I can zip to Mary's and get a picture of that - I think it is very neat.


So what did we do yesterday???????


Started off with Spring Has Sprung. A great folk art applique project.

Here is a better picture of the quilt. 

Homework for Month One (middle of bottom row on the quilt)

Close up of buttonhole stitching. I will be using the same colour (a warm brown on top and black lightweight bobbin thread on the bobbin) for the entire quilt. Sure makes the stitching go faster than having to choose and change threads for each piece. 

More close up of the stitching - note how the direction of the buttonhole changes in the deep part of the fingers. This requires a bit of thought process as you stitch. You will have to plan when you rotate of the piece. You need to know at what  part of the stitch to rotate. MAKE SAMPLES. 

Try when positioning the applique to avoid small sections  - like the end of the glove just peeking out from the left side of the trowel handle where it meets the top of the trowel. It is no big deal (especially when you use the same thread colour), but just means one more stop and start. 

When stitching - stitch the back most layers first - in this case - stitch the leaf BEFORE the purple flower. The center of the flower can be done whenever since it is essentially on top of everything else. 

Then we moved onto the next class which is Dear Jane - except we have a couple of people working on Farmer's Wife and Hobo Quilts as well. I know - why not go all out and kill myself with projects this year.


Anyway - these are the blocks for the Hobo Quilt..................

The HoboQuilt (not my image)

These are the FIVE blocks that we did for homework. One of them is applique - the rest are pieced. 

Since the applique is MUCH simpler on this project, I am using a matching (more or less) thread on the top and the lightweight thread on the bobbin. 

When cutting the background block for applique make sure you cut it at least 1/2" larger. No need to have a HUGE piece of fabric, but the applique process can shrink up the fabric slightly making it smaller than it is supposed to be. 

So now it needs to be trimmed (in this case - to 6 1/2"). Use a ruler that is appropriate to the size of block - I mostly use the 6 1/2" and a 12 1/2" for squaring blocks. Position the ruler so the ONE and the ONE (on the vertical and horizontal) are in the top right hand corner (top left for the lefties). You want to center the ruler (or using the lines depending on the size) so that you have an equal amount of background on both the outermost left and right hand side of the applique. Then center the ruler so you have an equal amount of background above and below the outermost top and bottom  edges of the applique. 

Once it is positioned correctly - trim off the right hand side AND the top  without moving the ruler.  Then life up the ruler and rotate the block 180  degrees and line up the edge of the ruler (or the lines depending on the size of your block) with the two fresh trimmed sides and trim off the last two sides. 

Here is the block trimmed to 6 1/2" with the applique centered left and right as well as top to bottom. 

Store the blocks in a safe place. If you are using homespun, you may not want to trim until you are ready to sew on the sashing. But if you keep them protected in a bag, the trimmed blocks will not fray. 

Then we went on to The Farmer's Wife.

Farmer's Wife -(not my image)

The blocks for homework - I am using Kansas Troubles Favourites fabric line

Yes - I spin the seams on the back wherever possible 

And if you use Marti Michelle templates - you can eliminate some seams. It is weird  because we are so used to having a seam there. I am not sure that I like taking the seam out as it is harder to match up, but WAY faster to prep and sew.

See there is NO seam on those weird shapes (in gold). A breeze to cut with the Marti Michelle templates. I can't believe how lucky I was to stumble across that little treasure. Saved me TONS of time. 

Now I know - you are saying - I don't have Marti Michelle templates. Then the basis of the blocks this month are on a 3 by 3 grid. Since this block is a 6" finished square - each of the units needs to be 2 1/2" UNFINISHED. That is easy - make half square triangles and make plain squares. There are a couple that are tricky, but you have the paper templates on the CD.


Now - how do you spin the seams - well have a look at the following.................

The arrow is pointing to those stitches in the VERTICAL seam allowance that are ABOVE the horizontal seam. Take your seam ripper and pop them out. NO NEED to cut them - just pop them out - it is very easy. 

Here the stitches are released and that little piece of thread is just hanging there

Then put fingers on left hand on the left hand seams, fingers on the right hand on the  right hand seams and push in OPPOSITE directions - away from the center. The seam (if the threads are properly released) will fall open. 

The back after it is pressed (this is one of the exception where I press a bit on the back before I turn it over and press properly from the front). Note also that the little spin thing in the center 

Looks JUST LIKE THE REAL BLOCK from the front. 

And all the seams are going either counter clockwise or clockwise. It really helps to reduce bulk. Make sure you stitch length is NOT TOO BIG. I use 2 on my Designer I.




And last but not least - Dear Jane.

Dear Jane

I have wanted to make a Dear Jane quilt for a LONG LONG time. Since this is a big project and one that you will only make ONCE - make sure you are happy with your fabric choices. I couldn't make up my mind about the background.

First I was going to use shirtings (and bought this specifically for Dear Jane)

Then I decided that shirtings were too busy and decided muslin would be best

Well THREE days before the class - I decided to go with a neutral but better quality than muslin. I choose a Northcott fabric from their Colourworks line - I choose Ivory - Number 12

Then it was the main colours

Should I do 30s?

All one colour? Like reds??????

I even made some sample blocks years ago to help me decide

But then Marian said I could use her reproduction (Civil War) era fabrics and that was it!!!!  

So  I have made my decision and I am COMMITTED. Now I have to turn that bolt of fabric and that basket of fabric (oooops - when she gave it to me - it was all folded nice and pretty) into a beautiful  Dear Jane quilt. I do NOT have blocks of the homework to show (yet) as I have to lay out this fabric and decide what colour is going to go where. I am going to follow the pattern and made the colouring Trip Around the World, but not the same colours as the books - well you never know - I haven't decided that part yet.



Now I promised to show you what my big errand was on Friday. Well I had to drive to pick up a REAL DEAR JANE quilt - well NOT THE Dear Jane quilt, but one that is complete. I have run out of time to take pictures at this moment and will do so this afternoon before I return it. It is gorgeous and I am MOTIVATED to have one for ME.

And the little project - well I ran out of time this morning on that as well. I was busy running around getting pictures for you to enjoy!!!!!


Wait - there are a couple more to add.


One thing I forgot to mention yesterday - when you make the blocks - attach a small label to the back or front so you know which block is which.

Add a label to the back of each block

I was running out of my good pins, so I had a box of these NOT GOOD for quilting pins. 

Got another binding/backing and border project done this morning. I now have a LOT of these small ones ready for quilting - I had better get a move on. BUT the priority is the 12 for 12 and I MUST get that done. 

Have you seen how HUGE the new XL size at Tim's is??   It is HUGE!!!!!! Not sure I could drink that if is was full of tea. 

My LARGE enders and leaders - I'm working on these when I need something to run through the sewing machine between pieces. I will be making quarter square triangle with them. 

This is for Bonnie!!   I asked Linda about the wreath - no specific pattern. But this book by Marti Michelle has the wreath log cabin in it. It is basically an off center log cabin. Let me know if you need more info. 

Hmmmm - and I see I have a rebuttal from Marian about the driving on Friday. Oh - so it wasn't the snow storm - it was the freezing rain and the fact that I have NO SNOW TIRES.  OK - DO NOT e-mail about the virtues of snow tires. I am NOT buying them.


Well started to read a new (to me) author. Tess Gerritsen. This one is called Harvest - an older book. I've read two chapters and it is disturbing. Not bad disturbing, but it is a medical drama about heart transplants and who gets what and why there is a heart to be harvested in the first place. Yikes - a bit heavy.



Anyway - I must run. Someone is coming over so we can chat about applique and she will be here any minute.



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




Ciao!!!!

Be careful what you BUY in the grocery store!!!!!

Ah - yesterday - a day just like any others. You don't know what the temperature is going to be and you never know what goofy experience is going to occur.

The day started off with a SNOW STORM - well technically not a storm, but it was snowing pretty heavily and the temperature was hovering around that freezing rain mark. But a quick call to Marian and yes she was still on for our road trip. I KNOW - how can one take a road trip when there are quilt blocks to be made, quilts to be quilted, e-mails to be sent - you know - the usual daily stuff.

BUT this trip was essential and I cannot tell you why until tomorrow. Please bear with me - it was a WORTHWHILE trip. I was so happy.

HOWEVER have you ever driven with Marian in a storm??????   OH MY GOD - we were barely out of the parking lot and I was ready to call roadside assistance and get rid of her!!!!!!   At least right up front she admitted that she is a nervous driver in those kind of conditions. "How come I am not driving in the middle lane???  There is less snow in that lane and if you are going to spin out - there is more road on both sides." Well it was hard to beat that logic so I moved to the middle lane - Carol would have been appalled at that move!!!!!   We ended up behind the salt truck and I asked "was I allowed to pass?"   I wasn't checking the rules of the road - I was checking with HER!!!!!!

Fortunately for us the roads and the weather improved CONSIDERABLY as we went further away from the city and my goodness, the sun came out later and it was a gorgeous day.


Of course when one goes to a city that you do not frequent - one must check out the quilt shops. So we stopped at the Red Red Bobbin.  This is a store that started out as a long arm service and they indeed have TWO machines in the store. The store is in their house - a GORGEOUS BIG OLD country house. Sorry - we did not get any pictures despite the fact that my camera was in my pocket. I should have asked - honestly Lucy (the Portuguese water dog) was hysterical as she SAT (lounged) in a fancy chair near the cutting table. An elegant lady to say the least. It was pretty funny. Anyway - they have a lot of Kaffe Fasset type fabrics and I wish I would have had my other Kaffe stuff with me so I could do some matching - which I probably do NOT need to match since I think I have loads. BUT - I couldn't help myself and picked up some fabric.

This quilt is made from a specific fabric. I just love the pattern, but every time I see the kit - it is sold out. So I just bought the fabric. This is a 2013 project!!!!!

And then I couldn't resist this. I mean is it NOT gorgeous or what!!!!!!    Got to find some more solids to go with the floral. I just love it.

Then Marian and I both bought a teeny tiny project that will take no time to make and I will show you tomorrow when I make it. It is pretty funny - you WILL want your own. I know you will. And NO - you cannot call the store and find out what we bought!!!!!   You will get a laugh over it for sure.


Back in the car and we had to stop at the grocery store to get some supplies for Marian's son Jeff. Actually we were supposed to JUST be dropping off some stuff that he requested from home - tools and such. But it seems that kids (especially those poor starving university students) always ask for food stuff when mom comes to visit. I CAN'T wait for that!!!!!  Oh yes - I know it will.

As we stood in the Express Lane (he didn't ask for much), Marian got to chatting with the lady in front of us who was buying a custom cake. Obviously for someone celebrating their 50th birthday because the cake consisted of cupcakes shaped into  the numbers 5 0. The entire thing was iced as one cake. Very neat. Well that lady paid for her purchase and now it was Marian's turn to pay for her goodies. Ooops - the lady before had left her card in the machine. Marian  (I could NOT remember what the lady looked like) runs towards the exit shouting CUPCAKE LADY!!!!!     It worked - she turned around and came back and got her card. Imagine the fun if the lady had purchased tampons or bathroom tissue. So just think about that next time you are at the store!!!!   People around you are remembering you on what you purchase!!!!!   Bottom line - DO NOT forget your card in the machine. It was good for a chuckle!!!!!!


We made it back safe and sound after a quick visit to Chapter's to pick up QuiltMania magazine (oh we so WANT the January issue, but it is not out yet). I'll show you why when I get my hands on a copy. And then I was home by 2  PM to sink my teeth into the huge task ahead of me - continuing to prep for the classes today.

I am happy to report that I got everything DONE - well everything that I wanted. Well not exactly - I did NOT finish the blocks for the exchange, but that is OK and I did not get the customer quilt done - that is bad, so I hope to work on it later today.

Just wait until you see these quilts come to life over the next year. If you did NOT get a chance to sign up - you will be sorry. They are all going to be gorgeous. Can you tell that I am excited???????


And my block for the exchange - I got the block done, but not the stitching on it. It is GORGEOUS - I am going to have to make one for myself. It is the cutest thing. But I can't show you until November when we do the reveal.


On that note - I am out of here - I am going to try and get a bit of stitching done before I load the SIX HUGE bags of stuff in the car for my class today. I told you I DID a TON of prep for these classes.


Have a great day!!!!!




Ciao!!!!!!!

Pictureless

Just when you need a camera!!!!!!   Shoot we had a guild meeting last night and half way there, I realized that I had left not one, but BOTH cameras at home. Drat - I guess I could have taken pictures with my phone, but I hate taking pictures (even though I can actually take pictures now!!!!)

Anyway - I taught a class last weekend on miniature quilts and I was AMAZED at how many people had completed or almost completed their quilts. That was VERY EXCITING. I LOVE seeing what everyone has done. Way to go everyone!!!!!!    Gosh - I don't think I posted those pictures. Well there have been a LOT of classes lately and I have TONS to post.

I just need to get over today and tomorrow and things will calm down. Tomorrow is my BIG class and I am slowly getting there. It is going to be tight and today I have a TIME CONSUMING errand that HAS to be done TODAY.

Most of what I did yesterday I CANNOT show you today. Some I can't show since it was for a tinners project or the retreat exchange. Some are the blocks for the classes tomorrow and I can't give the students a heads up on what they are going to.

But I did get a couple of things done that I can show you.

A senior lap quilt - DONE!!!!!!

Finished the table runner that is a sample for an upcoming class at Brampton Sew n Serge

All the quilting is DONE

And the label is even sewn on - I did that at the quilt meeting and of course - NO CAMERA to prove that it is DONE

It was pretty funny actually because I had the sewing machine on all day - ooops - going to paper piece - change the foot and the settings. Oh now I am piecing - change the foot - and the stitch length - now I am appliquing - get a DIFFERENT foot and change the thread. Now to the other machine to quilt. Worked like a charm - no problem with the threads or the machine. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my set up.

Have to run because I am searching my books (OK - so I NEED to get them sorted and in that electronic database!!!!!) as I am looking for THREE books this morning.

Oh yes - how is this for WEIRD coincidence.

The speaker last night was Lucy Ann Halliday and she was speaking about quilting in England. She focused on an area - Durham. and mentioned a couple of names of people (George Gardiner) who really pushed quilting. Guess what - my great great grandfather is from the Durham area and guess what his last name is - GARDINER!!!!!!!  (There is even a George in the family)  How weird is that!!!!   Something else to research - was any of my family involved in this Durham Quilting????? And I saw one of the books that Lucy Ann had with her about Durham quilting. I think I looked at it recently and then did NOT buy it (that is one I am looking for - did I buy it or not?????).  Now I want a copy of the book - it is called Durham Quilting. Wow - this is exciting!!!!!!  


Now I just need the time to properly follow up on everything and my assignments from my writing class and my two magazine articles are staring me in the face. Well - I must get my butt in gear and get some searching done.


Have a good day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!

Is it time to PANIC yet???????

There are some times when I wonder what the HE** am I doing?????   Why do I get myself into these predicaments?

Well not exactly predicaments, but time crunches.


So this weekend is the start of the END!!!!!   I got suckered (NO - actually I was the one who brought it up) into teaching Dear Jane. Do you know what Dear Jane is????

This is an amazing quilt that was first made by Jane Stickle in 1863. It has become a "once in a lifetime" desire of many quilters to replicate this sampler quilt. The quilt is made up of 169 blocks and 56 pieced blocks in the border.


BUT if it were only Dear Jane - it might not be so bad - OH NO - let's dig deep for punishment. I also have a couple who are doing Farmer's Wife AND Hobo Quilts. Plus there is the usual $10 quilt and this year it is called Spring has Sprung.

Farmer's Wife

Hobo Quilt

Spring has sprung

On top of that - I had a class I had to prepare for yesterday (more on that in a minute) AND this weekend is the weekend we are doing our first exchange for the Around the Block challenge with my retreat group.

Oh yeah - it never rains but it pours!!!!!!!


So yes - I was feeling a TAD overwhelmed in getting all this stuff prepped for the class, making up distribution lists so we can keep track of each other and figuring out what blocks and how many to do each month.

I am in OK shape, but by no means am I even close to being finished for the weekend.


I did get a LUCKY break (well I think it is lucky), when I was preparing for my Wednesday class (Marti Michele) and the teacher material talked about using the templates for other projects. Guess what other project?????   FARMER'S WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How cool is that - so we are going to do Marti Michele templates to cut (that is a HUGE time saver) - well I am going to use them  - who knows about the students.

I have to laugh when I hear other people talk about finishing one project before they touch the next. HAH!!!!   _ I worked on THREE projects this morning. Got the binding ready for the Christmas Charm (my 12 for (20)12 January project), got FOUR little blocks completed for the retreat exchange and almost finished assembling the top for the last senior lap quilt I had. And the day is only going to get more wild.

I know they say multi tasking does NOT work and while it may not, while I am sewing on one thing - I am mentally locating the materials that I need for the next project, what is needed for the classes on Saturday, what e-mails need to be sent - that sort of thing. I have bags set out for each class or guild meeting. When I think of something that should go in that bag - I put it in the bag. Oh yeah - this studio is a well oiled machine!!!!!


What is the Marti Michele class???? It is held on the 4th Wednesday at 10:30 at Ruti's Needlebed. It is going to happen every TWO months, so the next one is in March.

When I think back to what I have done that is Mari Michele - there is a LOT. I have made at least FOUR Queen sized quilts - another queen sized partially together and ONE MORE waiting to be sewn. Then there are at least 5 wall hangings that I can think of and probably more. My thought when I was first asked to do a quilt using these templates - wasn't GOOD!!!   After making that quilt -well you can see by what I have completed since that I am LIKING these templates.

This class I am teaching is all about taking the templates/rulers and showing you what all can be done with them. Many are multi purpose. Yesterday was no exception as we took the Setting Triangle ruler (did you know there are FOUR of them in total - but you only need one) and showed how to make setting triangles AND use it to make this table runner. It would also be good if you have a block that you want to make into a square in a square. All in all - it is a VERY VERSATILE tool - no math required and it does MORE THAN ONE THING which is great.

Marti Michele pattern

Now another good thing about this class - Marti has put together a series of patterns that are JAM PACKED with information - not only about the pattern in questions, but lots more besides. If you belong to this class - the patterns are $5.00. A great deal.

So if you have Marti Michelle templates and not sure what else you can do with them - this is the class for you. In the next class we are going to cover the tool (not sure which one that is yet) AND the tools required to make Storm at Sea.

It is a GREAT CLASS and you won't be sorry that you signed up. You will be SORRY that you missed it. I LEARNED several things from that pattern and that is hard to do.


On that note - I MUST get going with the day - more e-mails to send, things to check and then let's not forget all those blocks that have to be made.


Have a great day.




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