Churn Dash Sew A long

Donna from Chookyblue blogspot is hosting a Sew-A-Long and I thought I would join in. Heck, you must have read yesterday's BREAKING NEWS! lol

I decided to open EQ8 to work out the layout. I am not that fond of EQ8 but it is what it is. Sometimes updates are not always a good thing. I've owned EQ for numerous years, since EQ2 ... let's just say I had to update due to Apple's recent change in their system ... we'll leave it at that.

Back to the quilt. The suggested block size is 9 inches ...

I love small blocks and have been thinking about doing a 6 inch block. I'm going for the crappy look. This is what the layout would look like. 

That's a lot of blocks to piece ... but so pretty. I do like small blocks, they require smaller pieces. It would certainly put a dent in the scrap fabric stash. My bins are overflowing!

Now, this is what the quilt would look like with a 9 inch block ... less blocks to piece!

A different look, but pretty none the same.

Well, I guess I have some thinking to do. 

Catch you all later! Cheers!

Insane or creative ... It's a fine line!

 Well, I managed to clean up the cutting table of the 1/2 inch hexagon project mess ... only to find myself distracted by the left over scrap strips from that nine (9) patch project on my cutting table... Squirrel!

Hum .... what did I want to make with the left over 1.25 inch muslin strips? A thought popped in my head ... that 1.25" bag of scraps that I was thinking of throwing out .... you know the one that found me on the edge of insanity?! lol

I grabbed that bag and messed up the clean cutting table ... so excited to think about starting a new project using 3/8" hexagons. 

I quickly went to work and pieced this little block for a grandmother flower garden pattern ... wall hanging size!

Not stopping there ... SQUIRREL! Hum .... I'd really like a grandmother flower garden in feedsack fabrics! 

Off I went into my sewing studio and pulled out the bins of feedback scraps and grabbed some bags of 5/8" hexagons templates.

Now, hold on a minute ... the idea was to use the 1.25 inch muslin strips ... they would look nice with the feedsack! 

Off I went to create this little block using 3/8 inch hexagons.

It's just so adorable and so happy .... the only problem is that I do not have a lot of small feedsack scraps to use. I have to cute them from the bigger scrap fabrics. In good conscience I should use up the 19th century reproduction scraps. I could make the 5/8" hexagons grandmother's flower garden quilt and use the scraps to make the smaller version. That's the future plan! I think!

Then, no sooner had I calmed my project enthusiasm did I come across a bag of one (1) inch strips of fabrics from the nine (9) patch quilt project .... Much too small for the 3/8" hexagon ... Oh wait a minute ...

There's that edge again .... or have I actually fallen into the abyss of insanity?! LOL

Thanks for stopping by! Catch you all later! 

A basket case ...!

I have laid the machine appliqueing of baskets aside for a bit before I, myself, turn into a basket case!

In the meantime, I picked up a BOM I started back in January 2014. The quilt is called Civil War: Peace and Unity designed by Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith; the last in a series of quilts commemorating the 150th anniversary of the civil war.

Although I had all the 20 (yea you read right) Court House Step blocks done, I sort of put it away not even planning on completing it. I gave up on this quilt!

But, I kept it all in a plastic bin, sort of "in waiting." I even thought of just piecing the court house step blocks into a small quilt top and call it a done deal!

It wasn't until the Shoppe Troll, aka Nancy, completed her quilt and brought it in to show me that I remembered how gorgeous it was. Then, I fell in love with the quilt all over again, vowing to complete the top ... some day!

Well, "some day" came ... I pulled it out and started working away on the twelve (12) different blocks. Voila! The pile of blocks!

Guess what I'm working on today!

Thanks for stopping by little corner in cyberspace!

Wishing you a wonderful day! Cheers!

Forever is not for us mere mortals ....!

As I mentioned in a prior post, lots of changes are taking place in my life. I've been working on a new me ... it's a work in progress! As part of this new me, I've been taking better care of myself, which includes ... physical exercise.

Yesterday afternoon was humid and hot (we did have a bit of rain). Focusing on my goal, I managed to find the motivation to go for my power walk/jog. OMG, it was brutal! There were some sort of flies/large gnats all over the place. I had never seen a swarm of pesky dipteran like those in my area! They were all over the place, making it difficult to dodge them. I definitely jogged with my mouth closed! Not sure they were the edible kind! But .... I did it! Hoory for me! Hopefully, tonight these pesky little flies will no longer be around.

On another note, not wanting to sound morbid, but lately, I have become more aware of my mortality. I'm not getting any younger and have this need to clean out or finish off quilting projects.

I remember a story that a past guild president shared with us regarding her deceased mother's quilting projects. She had inherited the task of finishing her mother's UFOs. This task weighed heavily on her. Sadly, no one knew if her mother's UFOs were quilts she was passionate about or just something she couldn't bare to throw out! Here she was, pressured to spent valuable time finishing quilt projects that were her mothers. This is not something I would want my little Pumpkin or my friends to undertake.

Last Saturday, I took an inventory of all my UFOs (I do keep a yearly Word document of my quilting projects started) and decided that I needed to either complete the projects on the list or get rid of them. I wouldn't want to leave a mess for someone else to clean.

So, I'm cleaning and working on the quilts I want to finish and getting rid of the ones I no longer want ...  And, some quilts will just have to become smaller projects!

I will admit, it is difficult to get rid of a project when the blocks are all done, it's just a matter of sewing them together and putting the border on! Here is my first project.

Well, I best be getting busy! Enjoy your day everyone! Cheers!

Connecting memories ....!

Many moons ago I wrote a blog entry on threads and talked about how I had inherited my maternal grandmother's thread collection.  As a quilt shop owner, I am still perplexed when customers inform me that they need to buy new thread because their collection is too old or "has expired".  Hum ....

For the record, thread does not have an expiry date.  If you take good care of your thread, that is, you keep it out of the sun etc .... there is no reason why it shouldn't last.

Today, I am hand stitching the binding on a quilt to be used as a sample for the shoppe and guess what I'm using?  My grandmother's thread.

As I stitch the binding, I think of my grandmother, Yvonne, and how I miss her so much.  I am reminded of her many talents and joie de vive.

Quilting for me is a way to reconnect with the past.  Some memories are personal and some are not.  When I use reproduction prints, I think of the women from that era and the joys and hardships they endured.  Their daily motto of make do or make without, something that is foreign to many of us today!

As I piece a quilt for someone, that individual is constantly on my mind.  The quilt becomes imbued with memories and personal energy.  When I look at that project, the stories come to mind, the same way the thread evokes memories of my grandmother.  Every quilt has a story!

This is a reminder for me to take the time to enjoy the process.  It's not a race or contest of "how many projects can I complete" but more of a slowing down and enjoying the quilt story as it unfolds and evolves with every stitch.

How is your quilt story coming along?

Focus ... Focus ... Focus ... SQUIRREL ...!

Sure I've been focused, that is until the UPS delivery man brought a package containing these kits from Moda ... Modern Building Blocks .... what a beauty!

You all know how I've been hankering to make a quilt using only solids, well this is it folks!  OMG, it's stunning.

Started working on Block Un on Friday and voila!

That block is gigantic! It's a quilt in itself!  I will confess ... in my 17 years of quilting I have never made a quilt block this huge.  It ain't easy sister!  I was sweating my points!  But, all and all, it turned out fine.

Last night I worked on Block Deux.  The last of the gigantic blocks!

Onward to the next size - 30"!  I'll be in my comfort zone when we get to those small blocks! lol

On the UFO issue, I did complete the Lilies for Connie quilt top.

I will need to schedule a date with Penelope soon.  I do have a small stack of quilts that need machine quilting.

Here in as far Northeast as you can get .... I can see Canada from my house....  it's a snow day!  We are enjoying a gorgeous snow fall .... light and fluffy!  It has to be, it a sweltering 3F (-16C).  It's a perfect day to be in my sanctuary!

Enjoy your day everyone!  You know where you'll find me!  Cheers!

Side of the Road .... homage to an unknown quilter!

I've been a busy quilter.  Lots to show, just no pictures at the moment.  I did want to do a photo shoot this weekend using the barn as a back drop, but it was to windy.  Oh well....

What I do want to share with you is this beautiful quilt that a customer of Fibre Junction, Claire, graciously let be borrow to study the design and re-create the pattern.  The story of this quilt is quite sad, but luckily it has a happy ending.  

Claire found this stunning quilt on the side of the road, in a trash bin, some 20 odd years ago.  It was filthy .... Yes, this is a rescued quilt!

The quilt is made using feedsacks dating from 1930 to late 1940's, hand quilted and the batting is cotton.  Unfortunately, there is no label on the quilt, so the quilter is unknown.

Here you get a better view of the hand quilting.  Where there is some shifting of the batting, the stitches are intact, so I'm puzzled as to why the batting shifted so much.

You can actually see the maker's pencil markings and how the cotton batting shifted to one area.

The fabrics are absolutely gorgeous, the colours retained most of their vibrancy despite the bleaching the quilt had to undergo in order to remove the filth.

Check out this indigo blue.

I do like how the maker made the backing work for the size of the quilt by adding pieces here and there.

And .... I even found a make do! Is that cool or what?

I must admit, I enjoyed studying this quilt, looking for unique finds.  For one thing, one of the sides of the sawtooth border has one extra half square triangle than the other. Yes, it is lopsided, but you wouldn't see that when the quilt is opened.  Unlike today, math was not a pre-occupation for our ancestral quilters, nor was perfection, which is really what makes their quilts so beautiful.  

It is a shame, yet a blessing that this quilt was discarded as rubbish.  Claire enjoys this quilt and has allowed myself and many of the Prairie Women Sewing Circle club members to admire it's beauty.  Thank you Claire for your willingness to share your treasure.

I have since worked out the instructions and plan on making the pattern available soon.  I have named this quilt Side of the Road - it is my way of paying homage to the maker of this quilt.

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed the entry!  Cheers!

Farmer's Wife part whatever....!

Well, I managed to get more of the Farmer's Wife blocks done!

I am definitely not making the larger version. ;o)

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Do I have to have a title....?

Guess what? The General's Wives from the last post is still "up right" on my designer wall. No... I have not had a moment to sew the center together. Soon... I am hoping... However, I do have some blocks for the Farmer's Wife to show you.

Voila! Part 8

Slowly this block of the month is getting done! 

Did you know that Laurie Arron Hird has another book out called "The Farmer's Wife Pony Club"? And.... I'm not touching it with a 10 foot pole it is NOT on my "do do" list! lol

You know, I'm using Blogger's new interface and am not sure I like it. It's very white, making it difficult to work with.

Back to the old......

Thanks for stopping by!

Talk about a good laugh....!

Donna from Chookyblue made a wonderful suggestion about placing a page translator on our blog. What a great idea! .

Of course, I have to try this gadget out!

So, I asked that my blog be translated into French and started reading.

Coming onto the post "Driving me to the Brinks," it could not translate the word "brinks"  (for the translator: Edge - like the guitar player in the band U2 ;o)

I continued to read and came upon the line, "there are quilters and than there are sewers."

So here is what the translator wrote in French, "there are quilters and than there are sewage systems"

I couldn't stop laughing!

The word "sewer" is "egout", which is correct except that I did not mean sewer in the sense of waste system but in the sense of a person who sews!

Hum... Although it is funnier as "sewer", I did reword that! lol

On a quilting note, guess what I'm working on?

I have just started a new BOM that Fibre Junction is offering.

I have completed 12 blocks so far! For a close up look, click on the block.

Let's have a little fun!

Since I haven't done a give away in a long time, if you can guess what the name of this new BOM that Fibre Junction is offering, your name will go in a draw for a notion holder.

 If you are not familiar with a notion holder, they are beautifully made by my DH, Stephen.  You may check one out here.

And ...... if you can guess which block I have not completed and your name is picked, I'll include an extra surprise!

The "give away" will close on October 1, 2011!

Thanks for stopping by and having a little fun/laugh with me!  Cheers!

Plugging away ....!

I managed to put on the borders for Hocuspocusville by Meg Hawkey of Crab Apple Hill Studio. I haven't decided if I will be doing the hand embroidering between the blocks. It's now on my design wall awaiting my decision.

However, I have picked the backing. I've waited for this fabric for a whole year and it has arrived at Fibre Junction.

The Ghastlies!



It is so perfect as a backing! Although the Shoppe has a few colour choices, I chose the dark grey! I first saw this fabric on Thimbleanna's blog and immediately fell in love with it! Oh yea, it's a beauty. ;o)

On a different note, I continue to plug away at the Farmer's Wife and have completed the following blocks:

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Farmer's Wife Part 6...!

Yep, I'm still at it. Of course the customer commitment certainly helps with the motivation! ;o)

Thank you for stopping by!

Farmer's Wife Part 5 ...!

Another month done! 

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Farmer's Wife part 4...and some goodies.!

Will you look at those sweet fabrics! I won them for Field Trips in Fibre!

The colours are just lovely.

I haven't decided what I will do with them yet... but I'm thinking! ;o)

Thanks again Vicki!

As for the Farmer's Wife, another set done!

I am slowly catching up to where I should be in order to have this quilt finished in 18 months!

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

What's new......!

Have you seen this book by Kathleen Tracy?



I didn't know when I purchased the book, but it is from the same author of the Civil War Sewing Circle & Prairie Children and their Quilts! No wonder I love it!

Lately I've been on a mission to reduce my 19 century reproduction scraps. There's nothing like starting a new project to get the creative juices flowing....

So....

I'm seeing orange peels!

I've always wanted to make one of these quilts and.... besides

I needed a new hand applique project to keep me out of trouble occupied!

As I type this post, I have 22 made! Forty two (42) more to go!

Penelope and I have had a couple of play dates! I'm looking forward to showing you some finished hand applique quilts!

Off to hand sew some bindings! ;o)

Thank you so much for stopping by! Keep well!

Farmer's Wife part 3....!

I am attempting to catch up on my Farmer's Wife show and tell. 

I must admit, I do like the slide show for blocks. It makes it so much more interesting.

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy the moment! Cheers!

Farmers Wife Part 2...!

I'm still playing around with Picasa. I think I've figured out how to do a slide show as opposed to a movie! Not sure it's the way I want to go but........ here goes! lol

I plan on finishing this quilt in 18 months. Seems like a reasonable goal, don't you think?!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Cheers!

10/07/20 - I did have a lovely slide show made however Picasa is no longer supported by Blogger.

Farmer's Wife Part 1

I thought I would share with you a quilt I started on January 7. 2011. I've been searching for a way to show you quilt blocks that I've been working on without having to post a gazillion pictures! lol Picasa seems to be working for me at the moment, I think!

It is allowing me to create a movie, which is much better than the alternative. I am looking for a way to create a slide show! I think I'm getting there!

Anyway, the blocks are from a book titled The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird. Each block, and there are 111 blocks, was inspired from letters submitted by women for a contest offered by the Farmer's Wife magazine back in 1922. The question they had to answer was "If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you, in the light of your own experience, want her to marry a farmer?" The entries are fascinating to read.

The quilt is being offered as a block of the month at Fibre Junction.

Given that the creator of this sampler quilt chose to hand pieced this project, hence templates are offered, I have taken on the task of writing the rotary cutting instructions.

As a bonus, I get to make this quilt! ;o) Well, okay, I'm testing my written instructions! lol

Well, that took me all day to figure out! lol

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Sarah's Medallion ......!

At last, I have something quilty to write about. Today, I had a class with Froncie Quinn from Hoopla Patterns and what a great class it was!

Last night, she was the guest speaking at our guild. She is presently doing some extensive research on Florence Peto (1884-1970), a prolific quilter and quilt historian who has inducted in the Quilter’s Hall of Fame. What a fascinating lecture!

This is Froncie holding her version of the center medallion from the Sarah Johnson Quilt.

This quilt is dated 1826. Would you believe that Sarah was 14 years old when she made this quilt? Oh, and it was her fourth (4th) quilt!

In today's class, we learned how to hand piece our blocks the old fashion way with templates, pencil, scissors and a threaded needle. The beauty of this method is that it doesn't matter if you cannot cut straight, you're following a straight line in the back of your fabric!

This is my first ever hand pieced block!

I used some of the Smithsonian reproduction fabrics I had purchased many many years ago.

The block measures four (4) inches finished so you can imagine how small the pieces are! What a great way to use up scraps! lol

Here's Jennifer hard at work on her block.

It takes some time to get the hang of holding such small pieces and coordinating the needle to sew on the line.

I'm sure that with practice, I'll be quick about it.

These are the class blocks! Aren't they pretty?

It's wonderful to see the diversity in fabric choice!

Last but not least, my purchases!

Her patterns are wonderful. They include eveything you need to reproduce the quilt, minus the fabric! lol Some even have the stencils, as in the case of the Sarah Johnson Quilt, for the hand quilting design!

I certainly highly recommend Froncie Quinn as a lecture and teacher. She's fun to learn with and makes it look so easy!

So that's my day and what a great day it was! I can certainly see more hand piecing in the near future.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

A productive week!

I will admit, I'm pretty pleased with myself! Not only did I manage to get some school stuff done, I've also been quilting. School has started for me. Although I am not taking any classes, I do have two (2) big exams to study for. I would like to finish my degree by December 2008. I do hope to meet that deadline. I'm sort of getting tired of school at the moment! Onward to fun stuff!

The quilt pattern is called Sherbert Delight. The blocks were part of my stash of "quilts in waiting." I did blog about this a while back.

When I came to piece this quilt, I realized that my blocks were too big. I hadn't read the instructions properly and neglected to trim down the center block to a specific size. I spent the better of Thursday evening taking the last rows off to trim my block to size. Good thing there weren't many blocks! ;o)

I do like the way it turned out. I find the orange inner border a tad dark. I could not find any other fabric at the store that would work. I am making this quilt for our LQS called Loose Threads.

I will be machine quilting this project on my Domestic Sewing Machine. I do not have a lot of free time as of late to get to the longarm dealer. I did promise to have this quilt done by the middle of February. It will have a scallop border. I bought Katie's Scallop Radial Ruler and I cannot wait to give it a try. Time for a new look for my quilts! Hum..... maybe there's a tutorial opportunity!

I received my book Prairie Children and Their Quilts today! I can see why you all gave it such great reviews. I have not sat down to read it cover to cover but I have flipped through it and there are some sweet looking quilts!

I can certainly see why Libby is in the process of making many of them. They are just adorable.

I am looking forward to spending some time reading the book. As a matter of fact I think I'll make myself a latte and settle myself down to enjoy it after this blog entry! ;o)

On the blog give away front, I did get my cauldron out for the task and will be cutting the comments in a bit for the draw. I am not taking any chances this time.

If you recall what happened last year......, it was rigged! lol You can read about here!

Thank you for stopping by! I enjoy reading your comments! Have a great day everyone!