Before I write about quilty stuff I am going to share something going on in my neighbourhood today.
For many years in Nanticoke, Ontario there has been a coal-fired generating plant. For most of my years living here, until just a couple of years ago, I could count on looking out my window and seeing the stream of brown pollution drifting across the sky.
Today the two tall stacks were slated for demolition by imploding them. Evidently this process has taken a year and a half of careful work.
From my house, I can see one of the stacks...
I'm sure you can't see it in the picture, but it is sitting just left of the windmill way down the road. The plant is about a 15 minute drive from here.
As I was taking the "before" picture I heard a helicopter headed that way....maybe a news station?
After watching a television programme describing this type of procedure sometime this year, I find the story somewhat thrilling...I don't know why :S
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So, I'm back moments after the big event. I was ready to take a picture of the moment. lol....how anti-climactic! I could see the stack tip out of site, but I couldn't hear anything and there was no big plume of dust that I was expecting! What a letdown. I'll have to watch the local news later to see it for myself.
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So, back to quilting!
I'm taking part in the Postcard From Sweden Quiltalong hosted by Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon, and today is the day to show our progress.
I have done the cutting and labeling of the pieces...
This is going to be a fun and colourful quilt! Part of the fun was in the labelling, as I think it's the first time in my life that I've actually written the words, "kumquat, chartreuse, leprechaun", even though I do know the words.
Now, after all the distractions of the day, I'd better get back to working at the longarm! I have a big quilt on today that should just take a couple more hours to finish.
I am linking up today with Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon, Susan at Quilt Fabrication for Midweek Makers and with Esther's Blog for WOW - WIPs on Wednesdays.
And, because this quilt is a new start for 2018, I am linking up with Pomegranate and Chintz for 6and6in2018!
Here we are in February already....Spring can't be far off, can it???
I don't know why, but for me, even though February is the shortest month, it feels like the longest :(
February is my least favourite month. I hope to keep busy and beat off the Winter blahs.
Maybe it's fate that for my least favourite month I am choosing a somewhat boring goal, lol....but one that needs doing and I'll happy that I did it.
My goal for February is to cut all the background pieces for my bird quilt that I am doing for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and complete the legs for all the birds.
I need to think of a name for this quilt, as the pattern is one of Lorna's from Sew Fresh Quilts called Black Birds...
...hmmm...maybe Rainbow Birds??? I like that name, for now. I don't like getting political, in life or in my blog, but perhaps this quilt will represent inclusiveness to me....so now I like the name Rainbow Birds even better :)
I am linking up with Pomegranate and Chintz today so I can take part in the linky party for the 6 & 6 in 2018.
I want to show my finished Down the Rabbit Hole quilt top...
.....and my new "start". This is the beginning of the first block of Sarah Fielke's BOM, Simple Folk...
My background fabric is an indigo-coloured Grunge fabric with purple running through it. I think it will show off the brightly-coloured applique beautifully!
Today I will do the final longarm quilting on my Happy Days quilt. I can't wait to take it off the frame and see how it looks!
I'll have to do a bit of repair on the quilt....right at the top, when I first began quilting, didn't I notice a small blood stain! How could I have not seen that when I was doing the applique! I tried the old hand-quilters' trick of using my own saliva on the stain, but it didn't work this time....I think you have to catch it right away.
I will fix it, though, because if I choose to enter this quilt in the Fall Fair this year the judges would disqualify it for being stained.
I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for One Monthly Goal, and with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!.
Happy Groundhog's Day!!
Earlier this week I talked about joining in on 6 & 6 in 2018, which you can read about HERE.
Well, I didn't suppose I'd be announcing my first new project of the year yet, but here I go!
There is a blog called So Scrappy that I've read for a couple of years now. She hosts a sewalong of sorts through the year called the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, which I'm sure a lot of you have heard of before.
I did try the Rainbow Scrap Challenge maybe two years ago, but that project fell off the rails.
This year it sounds fun, and not a lot of work...well, about as much work as you would like to choose to do.
This year's RSC is called Squared Away and you can read about it HERE or use the "Squared Away" button over in the right margin.
This month's colour is light blues. The block will be released on the first Saturday of the month. It seems like she'd like us to make three of each block....and it can be done in a number of different sizes, you choose.
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I've had more to share, including some pictures of my first fabric purchase of the year, but for some reason "blogger" is sending me a message that it can't copy pictures to my blog. I've never seen this message before and I hope it will fix itself.
I probably won't write another post before I get this figured out, so good-bye for a bit and keep warm!
There all kinds of blog-posts out there offering us motivation to make a dent in some of our UFO's this year.
6 x 6 in 2018 is the one I am choosing to try. You can read about it HERE today at Pomegranate and Chintz.
The concept is to finish six UFO's and have six new projects.
I've wanted to carefully pick the six to finish...they need to be quilts that I'll actually have a chance of sticking to and enjoying, although Meredithe assures us they don't have to be "finishes"...they can have "Significant Progress"!
So, here are mine, in no particular order....
1. Nature's Neutrals
This quilt is so close to being finished. I just need to add two more rows of blocks. I also want it quilted and bound...truly finished.
2. Happy Days
This is one that I'd wanted done last year in time for the Fall Fair, but it didn't happen. It will actually be on the agenda to quilt this month, so it will be first UFO on the list. One of the guild's I belong to is having a quilt show in May and I'd like this in the show.
3. Marvelous Mini
This was a sewalong offered by Temecula Quilt Company. I'd like to finish it to donate to a raffle at the quilt show.
4. My Small World
I barely started this one a while back, not even sure where the bits are, but this is still a quilt I want to get back at and finish. So, for that reason it is going on the list. It may be one that only sees "Significant Progress"....but I'll be good with that!
5. Down the Rabbit Hole
I've been working pretty steadily at this one and would like it done for the quilt show.
6. Border Creek Mysteries
This is the one that I'm a bit red-faced to come clean on.
My local quilt shop, Quilt Junction, offers the Border Creek Mystery quilts every year. They are beautiful and very well-written patterns.
I'm currently taking part in my fourth of these mysteries. And...here's my guilty secret....I've not finished any of three past ones. One of them hasn't even been started. Two of them are so close to being real quilts and I'm practically caught up on the current one.
My sixth on the list will be to finish all three of the ones I've started!!!
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So, the next step is to have some "starts" in 2018. This list doesn't have to be complete, as who knows what "squirrels" will pop up through the year!
Here is a bit of my list...
1.
I have signed up for a Kaffe Fassett Mystery that starts in March.
2.
I couldn't resist signing up for the new Sarah Fielke BOM, Simple Folk", since I've enjoyed the last two so much! You can take a peek at the upcoming BOM HERE and perhaps be tempted, too!
3.
I need a new Christmas tree skirt. In December I purchased fabric for it and it will be done in time for Christmas 2018!!!
4.
I'm going to try to take part in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge offered by So Scrappy. You can read about it by using the "button" over in the right-hand margin.
I have a couple more that I'm sure will be started, but I think that's all I'll say for now!
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For my challenge, I am going to add the " +3 ". I have three small projects that have been hanging around and I'd love to just get them done.
The first is a small candle mat that I've had the kit for for maybe two years...
The second is a name tag holder to wear to guild...I've had the little kit for a year or so...
...and the third is a small kit that I got free at Quilt Canada in June 2017. Should be quick and easy, so no sense in not just getting it done!
Well, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed...but also feeling good to have a plan.
Won't you join me in 6 & 6 in 2018?
I will be linking up with Pomegranate and Chintz today. Why don't you visit and get inspired by what others will be attempting this year!
Have a good day....and keep warm!!
With all the hustle and bustle that comes with Christmas-time, I almost forgot about completing Clue #4 of the PEIMQG Mystery Quilt-along that needed to get done by the end of the month.
I took a bit of time Thursday afternoon to work at it. There were three methods to choose from on how to construct the blocks...I chose "improv with improv". Everything worked up so easy, I really like the method.
Here are my blocks...
Usually by now in a mystery we can take some pretty good guesses as to how the quilt will evolve....so far, though, I'm stumped!
If you want to join in, I'm sure you can catch up...you can look into it HERE.
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As of this morning I have completed my OMG-One Monthly Goal, which was to finish the bunny borders on Down the Rabbit Hole. I'm very happy about that....not so happy about some of my fabric choices, but I'm sure it will work out in the end.....right???
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Lately I've taken note of all the quilts I have in this house and realise it's time to gift some of them out. Don't get me wrong, I'm not stingy with my quilts. Many people have received them as gifts and my children have many, as well.
When the family comes home for Christmas Eve they're going to take some quilts home with them...
I think there's still a couple more to add to the pile! This is feeling good!
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Here's a reminder to think about joining in on the 6 & 6 in 2018 challenge issued at Pomegranite and Chintz.
It is a challenge to help move some of our ufo's along....and then fun of starting some new ufo's projects!
I have been mulling it over and am sure to have a few ufo's to put on the list. I'll get my list together before the end of the year.
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Does anyone have suggestions of good shows on Netflix?
We recently finished Mad Men, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Finished The Crown, although I think I slept through most of it. I came across a mystery series called The Five and we enjoyed that, too.
I haven't watched the second season of Stranger Things yet, maybe I'll do that soon.
I am linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?
