Oh, the irony...

During this post I'll be humming "Isn't It Ironic" by Alanis Morrisette.

A couple of weeks ago I visited the Grand Quilt Guild in Fergus. One of the things I told them about myself is how I start every day with a bit of applique...or some kind of hand-sewing. Most people know this about me. I even went so far as to say that I couldn't remember the last time I didn't start my day this way.

Since then I've only been able to work on some embroidery as it's been difficult to find time to do some prep work for some applique. I thought it a bit ironic that I didn't have any applique after my statement at the trunk show......but it gets even more so....

Finally, on Wednesday I took an hour to get the next step prepped for my Down the Rabbit Hole...yay!....

Now, I'll take a moment to explain that I've had a lot of shoulder issues for a couple of months now. There is a lot of pain if I move it the wrong way, and I can only lift my arm about a quarter of the way that it should :(

I finally went to see someone about it yesterday....Jill at the Active Relief Centre in Hagersville. That place is wonderful...they really get to the root of the problem instead of throwing pills at you.

Seems like I've got a problem due to my morning ritual of hand-applique! I kinda thought it was gonna be the culprit. 

So...an easy exercise is in order. Plus, the final irony.....after doing all that prep work the other day....no more hand-sewing for a few weeks!!! 

On another note...

I'm taking part in the BOM that is being offered at the Haldimand Guild this year. It's called Botanical Beauty designed by TKHarrison.

The blocks are big and easy and I'm really liking it so far....

I will say this about the BOM. I'm so glad that our guild member, KH, got permission to use this pattern and we paid for it accordingly. 

There is an interesting article about pattern "stealing" and you can read about it HERE. 

It's easy to get permission to use a pattern in your quilting group. I think most designers can be quite accommodating. I remember one designer who gave her permission and all she asked in return was a fatquarter from each person taking part in the BOM! 

Ok, that's my rant of the day over and done with :)


Last week our puppies went on to live with their new families. Poor Minnie was a mess after looking after them. Her fur was matted terribly. 

I treated her to a spa day and she came back happy and adorable!

Finally, I have to admit that I've been lured into yet another online sewalong. This one is offered by Yvonne at Quilter Jetgirl and is called Wayward Transparency. You can read about it HERE.

The challenge here is getting the fabric selection right. Not sure if I accomplished that, but here are my fabrics...

I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but the middle fabric is a Shot Cotton and picks up the yellow and the blue. I will be sewing the small version.

...and just to be accountable....I have yet again failed to get my houses all constructed on my Down the Rabbit Hole, which was my monthly goal. Maybe during my hiatus from hand-applique I could spend a bit more time piecing! So my design wall still looks like this...

I am linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop! and with Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday.

It's been a while....

Wow, it's been a while since sitting down to write a post!

I've had my nose to the grindstone since the beginning of August to make sure I had clients' quilts done on the longarm that needed doing in time for the Fair. 

I was trying very hard to stay on-track so I'd have time to custom-quilt my Happy Days quilt and enter it into the Fair...

Well, a week ago I gave myself "permission" to leave the quilting of this one until another time.....and what an instant sense of relief I felt! This one can be in the Fair next year.

I haven't even had time to prep any applique...so it's just been a bit of embroidery lately with my morning coffee. I was able to complete this block and begin the next...

Somehow I've managed to complete Step 1 of the PEI Mystery quilt...

....and the Magnolia Mystery...

I am taking part in a KAL or a CAL (knit-along/crochet along). Not sure which yet until the patterns are released on October 1. This is part of a Facebook group devoted to Outlander and the patterns will be somewhat associated with the show. Honey Girl Farms has specially dyed wool to co-ordinate with characters from the book/show and I've chosen Brianna....so I've rolled a skein into a ball and am ready to start...

Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting my trunk show for the Grand Quilt Guild in Fergus. What a great group...lots of fun! 

Here's a picture someone from the guild sent to me with my "Moonlight Thru' the Trees", or as my husband calls it, "The Hack Job"...

And, finally, a picture of one our puppies. This is the weekend that they go to their new homes. Boy, the time has flown by!

That's all the catching up for now....it's a busy weekend. Tomorrow is the Run for the Grapes in Niagara that I'll be running with quite a few of my NorthShore family. When I signed up for this one, I took comfort in the fact that it would be easier since the weather will have cooled off.....but, of course, that is not the case!!! It's supposed to feel like 40degrees this weekend!!! (which is 104 for you farenheit people!)

I am linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addice for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!

Have a nice weekend....and stay cool and hydrated!

Many slow stitches....

I've had a nice start to my Sunday with my slow stitching....as usual!

The last couple of mornings I've listened to an audio book while stitching and I've quite enjoyed it. I wasn't sure I wouldn't start daydreaming while listening to an audio book, so the first story I've chosen is an old favourite so I wouldn't worry about missing some...but it turns out it is quite easy to keep up with the narration!

This morning I've had a few pieces to put finishing touches on.

The first is an applique quilt that I gifted many years ago and has been well-loved. I think the quilt is called Prairie Flowers and I would love to do this pattern again one day as I still love it.

I was asked to repair the applique that has come loose. I know that none of us likes mending, and I've been putting this chore off all Summer, but to my surprise it was quite pleasing re-visiting this old favourite!

Most of the applique is still intact...but there were a few places that needed attention...

....and, all fixed....

Many parts of the vines around the border need repair. Surprising to me was that it didn't take too long to fix things up. 


Another bit of stitching this morning was putting the final stitches into the first Flowerville block. 

This is a project that doesn't see the light of day too often, but now that I've finished the first block I'm looking forward to starting the next.

Pretty, isn't it??


Then I turned my attention back to Down the Rabbit Hole. Here is what is on the design wall at the moment...






























   The wedge design at the top is what I am working on now...just three more to go...

That's all for today....it's going to be a busy one. I will be giving a trunk show this week and today is the day to get all packed up! It's quite the thing to gather up all the quilts, get them all folded just so so that they fit most economically into the suitcases....all in specific order for the evening's talk. Luckily, I have a very good assistant to help me! If any of you are in Fergus this week for the trunk show, come up and say hello!

I am linking up with Kathy's Quilts  for Slow Sunday Stitching and with Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh, Scrap!.

Have a wonderful day!

One Monthly Goal - September

My goal for September....drum roll, please.....

Once again, my monthly goal will be the row of houses for my Down the Rabbit Hole quilt. 

I think the houses have been my goal a couple of times in the past, but this month it's gonna happen!!!

Yesterday I finished binding my Along Came a Spider quilt (yes, my Tula Pink City Sampler has a new name), so I took a bit of time to prep the next round of the Rabbit Hole...the wedge row.

It's a bit easier than I thought it would be but I'm having trouble picking fabrics for some of it...

I posted my quandary on the Down the Rabbit Hole facebook page and I had a good suggestion. I'll post a picture when I try it!

Here's how it looks so far....

It's been a disappointing Summer for my perennial garden, but the Hibiscus has given a nice, bright show this week....

....and I've been asked for some puppy pictures, so I'm happy to share a few....

Today I am linking up with...

Elm Street Quilts for OMG - One Monthly Goal
Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!

Have a wonderful first day of September!

Binding, and more binding

I don't always have a lot of "finishes" in one year as many of my quilts are ongoing applique projects that tend to take a long time.

This month, though, is different. I am currently working on the third binding this month.

Sewing the binding down is not my favourite thing to do, but sometimes it's nice to just have some mindless sewing to do.

It was nice to sit and put in a few stitches....

....before heading out to the Baptism of my twin grandbabies. I only managed to get a picture with little girl twin....

....who looked like a fairy princess in her little dress. (Sorry for the bad photo!)

The service was followed by a lovely meal, surrounded by family who we only seem to see once or twice a year. The weather is gorgeous today for an outside celebration. 

Now for a little bit of a rest.....it's been a busy weekend! But that's what Summer is for, right???

I am linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching so we can see what others are working on today.

Friday finishes!

This morning I put the final stitches in the binding of my Quilty365, or as I am calling it, A Year in My Life.

This is such a special quilt to me. 

It was started as a sewalong with Audrey at Quilty Folk, with the idea of appliquing a circle per day for a year with the intention that the fabric chosen would reflect that particular day in some way. Most of mine were, but I have to admit that some days I just picked a fabric to get the block done! Although, I somehow think that subconsciously the fabric chosen probably did have meaning on any particular day!

My quilt spans November 12, 2015 to November 11, 2016. For those of you doing the math...a few of the blocks are not on the quilt....they will be incorporated into the label on the back.

I started with a circle, but right away remembered years ago wanting to do a quilt with appliqued hearts, so I switched it up.

Lots of memories in this quilt.

Birthdays...

...puppies born last Summer...

The day we found out that our twin grandbabies would be a boy and a girl!...

....and near the beginning of the quilt, quite a few purple blocks to represent pain I was experiencing at that time....

On a side note....

In the Fall of 2015 I was in a lot of pain....so much so that I considered asking my doctor for a handicapped parking pass. I now know that sugar is the culprit for me. I try now to avoid sugar and on the times I choose to indulge I'll get what I call my "sugar pain". 

The other day I had a visitor bring me a beautiful butter tart (a Canadian treat which is mostly sugar, and delicious!). I chose to go ahead and enjoy....and like clock-work 45 minutes later the sugar-pain shot down my legs. (It was worth it!)

My life has changed so much since this quilt was started almost two years ago now. The biggest being taking up running and really enjoying taking part in races! 

Here I am last weekend after the Disco Dash 5k....I had to ask this stranger to pose for a picture since he was probably the most authentically dressed!....

What I'd like to know is how on earth did this happen, and with probably a million stitches in the quilt, however did I even notice it??!!....

I marked this block with a pin so I would remember to go back and fix it. I don't know if you can quite see it, but one of the stitches is a big loop! I've tried to ease it in, but, nope, it wouldn't co-operate, so I'll go back and un-quilt a tiny bit of the quilt and fix it.

I will cherish this quilt! Among other things, it will represent a transition from pain to good health :)

I'm also happy to say that I have actually finished my OMG - One Monthly Goal!!!

My goal for August was to complete my Freefall quilt....and I did it...

This quilt measures about 39" square, so I think it will be a wall-hanging for the guest room.

I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for One Monthly Goal-Finishes.

I am also linking with Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday and with Mama Sparks World for Friday is Finish Day, and with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a WhoopWhoop!.

To end this post, I'll choose a bit of cuteness...

Our pups are doing well, they are now trying to use their spindly legs to hold up their chubby selves and walk around!

Have a lovely day!

365 Challenge Quilts

Today I will share some pictures of the 365 Challenge quilts that have passed through here in the last few months.

I started my own 365 last year but fell off track at around the March point. These quilters should be so proud of their accomplishment....and their stick-to-it-tiveness! 

They have all created beautiful heirloom quilts.

I know some of the pictures look like shots of the same quilt....but there actually five different ones shown.

So for today's Finish It Off Fridays, etc., I am celebrating these quilters. Good for you, ladies!!! Whoop, whoop!!!

I am linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop and with Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday.

Bye for now!