Why CHANGE is GOOD!!!!!

One of the books on our reading list for the book club is The Hunger Games. I haven't started it yet and I am not sure that I want to read it. But someone in the group forwarded this link of a short story that was written in 1948


The Lottery (1948)


Have a read - as you read through, I think you can imagine what is going to happen. But also take note of how casual they are about the whole thing and the fact that they have forgotten WHY they do things, but since they have always done it LIKE THIS - they must continue even though the end results are tragic.

Hopefully nothing that we do routinely has the same result as this story, but does make you think about WHY you do some of the things you do. Is it time for a change OR at least think about WHY you are doing that particular task that way. Maybe there is an easier way, if that task needs to be done at all!!!!!


Now onto some more exciting stuff.


Those Monday ladies have been busy!!!!!   And I think that some of them are NOT the same person that they were when I left for vacation.

Margo with a gorgeous yellow/grey and white quilt. 

Joyce R. with the center of her quilt. Now normally Joyce makes things with BIG pieces. See change is good!!!!   

Judy - what can I say about Judy. She used to make quilts from panels, then kits. NOW - well she bought this on Friday. It is cut out, sewn together, FREE MOTION quilted AND the binding was on BY MONDAY.   Where is the REAL Judy?????    And Judy - CHANGE feels good!!!!   It must because she is really doing different stuff these days. 

The Monday group has been going for a LONG time. We had a lady in our group (Kathy who passed away a couple of years ago). Anyway, Kathy was so excited to belong to a "guild" even though we technically are not a guild. We all got together and made the blocks for this quilt and Margo assembled it and quilted it. 

Well - you can read that by the label on the back of the quilt. See why labels are so important?????   I had forgotten about this quilt until we saw it at the visitation. LABEL those quilts!!!!!!!!!!!!   I can't remember why Margo brought it to Monday Motivators????   Oh dear - maybe just for show n tell. 

And then there was Joyce W who was working on something. What was she working on?????

YEP - she was putting the finishing touches on that Seasonal $10 quilt!!!!!!!    Way to go Joyce!!!!!    I won't be the only one with one of these to show!!!!!   

Here are MY two autumn quilts - look close - there really are TWO quilts there!!!!   Oh - can you see what I did with the border?????   Had to do a patch job because of the shortage of that border fabric. AND I still had enough for the binding!!!!!   

You see - I did have a scrap and I joined the scrap, swiped a piece off the binding (where there was a bit of extra) and joined all that together . The above is ALL THAT WAS LEFT!!!!!!!!

And there is the pieced corner of the border!!!!!   Doesn't look so bad!!!!!!!!!!   And I bet if I didn't tell you - well I doubt you would know!!!!

Back to work on the spring quilts.

Managed to get the log cabins cut!

Started to sew on them

Progress to date - the big question - can I get them done by Friday AM?????   I have a sit n sew that day and I will need the wall for the group, but I don't want to have to take down these pieces?????     Better get sewing!!!!!!

However besides getting some paper cleaned up and e-mails and all sorts of that administrative stuff which I hate, but I find that I work better on it in the basement rather than upstairs. Now I wonder why that is?????   Perhaps because this is my happy place and as long as I am here, I don't care what I am doing????   Well - that sounds like a good answer so I will stick with that!!!!

But I got a charity quilt quilted!!!!!

Quilting detail

This is the FIRST of many that have to be done. But I will work my way through that pile of stuff slowly. There is no rush - we just wanted to have some stuff that the Monday group could give away and it is helping me clean up those scraps that I had designated for charity quilts. Got to trim and get the binding on and then someone else will stitch the binding down.!!!!


And my child would tell me that change is good. She DESPERATELY needs a job for gas money because her mean old parents won't give her any. We told her to go back to McDonald's or try Tim's. No WAY - BEEN THERE - DONE THAT. So she did manage to get hired yesterday at BCBG - a high end clothing store in the local mall. Now I appreciate her getting a job BUT in a clothing store - yes change is good, but that is like me working in a FABRIC store. She won't be bringing home much money - well she has no choice!!!!!!


On that note - I have loads of stuff to do today so I had better get started.



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


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

Upcoming events that you MUST attend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are so many exciting events coming up that I thought I would highlight a couple of them for you!




Halton Hills Quilt show
Friday, October 4 - Saturday - October 5, 2013

The location is the  Croatian Center on Winston Churchill just north of the 401. You CANNOT miss this location - just look for the TWO huge church spires. The show is in the hall BEHIND the church!  (I know - I want to see inside the church myself!)



The challenges were handed in last night - I haven't peeked, but there is going to be a nice display and the topic - What a Novel Idea - well I can't wait to see how the entrants interpreted the TITLE OF A BOOK.

There are AMAZING vendors and I know that I am dying to BUY something frivolous - even though I don't need it!

The members have been creating items that screams CHRISTMAS LIST items. There are loads of magazines, books and patterns and other goodies for you to browse.

The  tea room will be serving up scones with tea and coffee!

Our beautiful raffle quilt will be on display and tickets will be available for purchase. This quilt is a classic red/white and will be a nice addition to anyone's decor!

There is a display of items that we have made for our Outreach program.

The toonie draw - OH MY - there are a LOT of gorgeous little quilts just waiting to go home with someone - and that someone could be YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Door prizes. Loads and loads of door prizes.

And let's not forget that it is a QUILT show so there will be some BEAUTIFUL quilts on display.



BOOK those dates and make sure you attend.


Now - why should you attend a quilt show????   Well as if the above were NOT enough reasons to go to a show - bring your camera. You will get TONS of ideas on colour combinations (both those you like and those you do not), tons of ideas for quilting (great to keep those in your sketch book for when you are practicing your quilting), you get to meet up with people you haven't seen in a while. You will be motivated to start a new project or even better - dig out a quilt that is currently a UFO. The list goes on and on!!!!!!


This is definitely a must see show - come and say HI - I will be there all weekend.

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$10 Quilt Alumni show n tell

Yes it has been TEN YEARS that we have been doing the $10 quilts at the Hobby Horse Quilt Shop. Hard to believe and in those ten years we have worked on TWENTY FOUR different patterns. Oh we have had so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought it would be great fun to see what has happened to those quilts and how many actually got finished!

The date: - November 30
The time: 10:00 - 12:30
The location: St. Alban's Church, 537 Main Street, Glen Williams


ANYONE is welcome to attend the event, but we really want to see those people who have participated in one of the classes. And if you have made one of the quilts, but DID NOT attend this class - bring your quilt. It is going to be a great way to see the same quilt in MANY different versions. No where else will you get this chance. 

Now - what were the quilts?????

Pieceful Year - 2003

Seasonal Samplers 2004/2005

Welcome to my Cabin - 2005

Wish Upon a Star - 2006

Patchwork Sampler - 2007

Simple Country Sampler - 2007

Around the Block - 2008

Rosewood Cottage - 2008

Christmas Row by Row - 2009

Nana's Farm - 2009

Quilter's Dozen - 2010

Pieceful Nights - 2010

PIecemaker's Calendar - was that 2010 or 2011????

Christmas Heart Lights - 2011

Dragon Star - 2011

Hobo Quilts  - 2012

Farmer's Wife - 2012 

Spring has Sprung - 2012

Dear Jane - 2012 - 2013

Snow Days - 2013

And there you have it - a LOT of quilts. So if you have participated in one of these classes - GET those quilts done (tops or part of tops are FINE!!!!). We want to see you on November 30.

I am working like mad to try and get as many done as I can.

And the new quilts for 2014 will be revealed at that date as well.


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CreativFestival

CreativeFestival

Some great classes and great vendors. Yes it is downtown, yes it is in the convention center. Why not try public transit (the GO train) to get there. Try car pooling. Check on-line for advance sale tickets. I will be there and teaching a couple of classes - punch needle and embroidery!!!!


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(although the next two events are in the spring - the class registrations will be opening SOON and you need to make sure your calendar is booked!!!!)


Ailsa Craig Quilt Festival 

Ailsa Craig Quilt Festival details


This year, they are celebrating the quilts of Great Britain. I have never attended the workshops, but every time I go to the show, I see some amazing workshops and wish I had signed up! This year - I have the dates already marked on my calendar. While the workshop information is not on the web site yet - it should be up shortly.




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Quilt Canada 2014


This year the festival is in St. Catherines. Workshop registration opens soon and the shows are amazing. Book the dates so you can allow yourself time to view the shows and visit the vendors.


Quilt Canada 2014



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And there you have it - some AMAZING events that you simply MUST put in your calendar!!!!   If you are like me - if it isn't in the calendar - I will NOT be able to attend the event.


Hope to see you there!!!!!



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


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

Why we NEED to clean up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In an effort to practice what I have been preaching, I gave M something really nice.

She has been asking that we buy her a laptop case for her new laptop so she can take it to school. The kid has a thousand bags  - nope not good enough. I offered to make her a cool laptop bag - nope not good enough. Yesterday was errand day and we went to Staples to check out bags. I see her walking around the store carrying TWO black briefcases. A BRIEFCASE?????   A black one no less?????  

Where is the FUN in that????   Boring - business BLACK briefcase!!!!!!   I refused to buy it. I told her that if that was the style she wanted, then I had a NICE burgundy leather briefcase that she could have (ACK!!!)

We get home and I dig it out. Oh yes - I LOVE that briefcase very much and even though I don't use it any more, it never got stashed too far away.

MY briefcase

BUT in light of the fact that if I am NEVER going to use it - why let it sit there. So I just sucked it up and gave it to her. I hope she takes good care of it - it wasn't cheap!  AND she isn't allowed to GIVE it away!!!! OK - so I still have a problem with stuff AFTER I give it away. But I don't think people today (and my kid in particular) value things that we have worked hard for. Of course - she didn't have to work for it so maybe that is why she won't appreciate it as much. I think we need to have a chat about that!!!!!!

Better she uses it NOW instead of finding it after I am gone and wondering why I never used it!!!!!    Think 10-10-10. Giving her the briefcase will NOT affect me in 10 minutes, 10 months or 10 years!!!!!


HOWEVER the real reason we need to clean up is those UFOs. So I am working on those four seasonal quilts. And we know that there was a box of bags.

The BOX of pieces

Now if you received this box of stuff - would you dig through it to figure it out?????   Probably not and there is a LOT of work and SEVERAL quilts in the box. But while there is a lot of work done - there is still a lot to do to complete the projects. Not only stuff to do - but SHOW STOPPERS.

These are the tops of the tree blocks. I ironed the last row and then find out that the last two rounds on THREE of the four blocks shouldn't have been there. See the one on the right? That is the right size so I had to repress those seams flat and then rip off those six pieces. 

But look - all those little corners - already cut and marked with a line.

But OOOPS - we seem to be missing ONE little square. Oh know! Went to the blue box and found a similar fabric. Hey - it is a tiny piece of fabric - no one will know. 

Now the pattern isn't that well written and there are some spacers in the quilt and I THOUGHT I had the right width of strip. But NO - as I worked on the autumn quilt, I realized that the spacers are supposed to be cut 1" and I cut them at 1 1/2". So.................

Had to open up SEVERAL seams and cut off one half inch

Then I sewed the two halves together and thought I was done. NOPE - forgot the maple leaf row and the apple row that needed to be added. The maple leaf row was too long and the apple row was too short!!!!

So I had to deal with both of those, but I got them on.


Then I searched for that inner border fabric and right there on top of the brown basket was the SAME fabric. AH - for once something is going right.

Brown border fabric matches the original quilt

Hey - I am ALMOST done the autumn quilt - I might as well just get that last border on. BUT
when I cut the first two pieces, I glanced at what remained of that autumn print and then I measured and YEP - I don't have enough!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not enough BORDER fabric. 

I have a couple of places to check for that fabric, but I don't think there is any left. I have already made the binding (GRRRRRRRRRRRR) and now I am going to measure out the binding EXACTLY to see if there is any extra there that I can pilfer to finish off this quilt. When I cut the borders and binding, I noticed that I had cut out a whack of it for another project. OH - NEVER DO THAT.


Hmmmm - just checked the one project that I thought might have this fabric. Not the same, but similar.

I could piece some of the binding to make the border long enough and then use this other one (on the left) to finish the binding. Yes - I think that would work. 

I will check a bit more when I get home, but not sure that I would have bought that autumn stuff -well more of it and if so - where would I have put it?????    I don't have an autumn category. Got to think about that today.

Here are the two spring quilts so far. Still LOTS of holes. 

So you see what I mean. Even though MOST of the stuff is in the box, that doesn't mean the project is complete. Just like a jigsaw puzzle. And even though a LOT of the work is done - the next blocks I have to work on (I started at the front of the pattern and I'm working my way through in order) - anyway - the next blocks - log cabins - NOT even cut out, but the fabric is there!!!!!  

I am thoroughly enjoying the process though. I find it VERY calming (and exciting) to work on these small pieces and having to solve a problem or two along the way. That is what sewing/quilting is all about to me. While I love the look of the modern quilts and FAST EAST techniques, my heart lies in scraps and small pieces. I MUST get back to work on my log cabins - but I few projects to get cleared up first.


Oh yes - I did not have a chance to nap yesterday, but in the event that I do and I am bored with the bicycle linen set - how about this...............

Orange trimmed pillow case from Ronda and my Friendship Star quilt

I am all set - perhaps later today I will need a nap. Yesterday I had some problems with allergies. My nose was running like a sieve, sinuses were ugly, my head just felt like it was going to explode. Then the next minute, everything was fine. Two minutes later - I was back in agony. I am so stuffed up today and I am dehydrated and I am tired!!!!

Here is a picture of Sparky as she awaits her carrots!!!!! 

Made our vegetarian dinner last night. M made a hummus with baked pitas.

Hummus with pita - she cut up red onions for the top and it was DELICIOUS as evidenced by how much I ate!!!!!!

DH made a bean chili which was very GOOD - but a bit too hot and I won't go into details on why it was so hot. Let's just say that we are all willing to substitute ingredients and make stuff up as we go along. Just don't put too many peppercorns in chili!!!!

I made dessert - had to cup up and cook apples

And I made cupcakes. To keep them vegan, I made them with the only NON-dairy milk we had. Almond milk - and it was CHOCOLATE!!!!

They were EXCELLENT. Oh yes - we are pretty slap happy with the ingredient substitutions and measures!!!!   So far so good, but we must really get coordinated - I would have LOVED to have a vegetable last night. Next time - NO dessert - but a salad or a vegetable. And just so you know - vegan DOES NOT mean light eating - there were tons of calories in everything we ate. That is why we need to get a bit better at organizing the ENTIRE menu, not just randomly picking things. Hey - it is a start and we all cooked together in the kitchen. It was actually FUN - oh my goodness - did I say cooking was fun????   Well - my magic apron helped a lot!!!!


I was out on my bike in the morning and NO allergy problems. Did 66 K by myself. It was great fun and that road bike feels like NOTHING to ride. That handlebar bag is very heavy when it is loaded down. The weather was beautiful - the leaves are starting to turn. But there was a headwind - an east headwind so when I turned to come back home - yes - I felt like I was in Newfoundland.

Well - it is Monday Motivators and I must go since I now have the key again!!!!


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


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!