Slow stitching on a Sunday

It's a lovely morning here, and, as always I've started my day with a bit of hand-stitching.

I'm almost finished with this "Covid squirrel"...my Hills 'n' Hollers quilt...

...only one more piece to applique, then it will be done. I'll sit down and do that after writing today's post. 

I did have an unexpected bit of applique to do on this quilt this week. I added these bits...

No one will ever know (except you) that they are not actually a design element, but a cover-up for the dreaded "unfortunate scissors incident", lol! Life happens....but in quilting it just presents another good use for some creative applique, am I right??

Here is the quilt up on the design wall...so close to being done...

I feel like this one will need "big-stitch quilting", which I think will be difficult for me...after all, I've spent the last forty years trying to do small, even, traditional stitches! Another thing, how does one even know how much perle cotton to buy to quilt a piece? Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I'm actually just remembering that I have done big-stitch quilting on a piece a couple of years ago, so I'm sure I'll be fine.

In this past week, wouldn't you know it, I've come across yet again another sewalong. 

This one is offered by Lucy Engels out of Scotland and is called the Naive Melody quilt. It is a quilt that evolved out of herk own Covid lock-down experience.

The sewalong starts on September 1st and consists of doing a block per day for 100 days, and is an Instagram sewalong. You can look up the hashtag #naivemelodysewalong....and Lucy at @_lucyengels.

Here is a link to the sign-up page, and you can have a peek at the quilt...https://mailchi.mp/ddd2442d077b/naive-melody-sal

When you sign up for the sewalong you get an email with a discount code for buying the pattern, which is very reasonably priced. The blocks are 6 1/2" unfinished.

It's a quilt that can be easily made from your stash, can be done with hand applique or machine applique, and the simple shapes are repeated in many blocks.

Of course, I've had to test the first 2 blocks...

I hope some of you will join me in this sewalong! 

Edited to add: I've just found out that instead of 100 blocks in 100 days, the sewalong will be 4 blocks per week....so even more manageable!

I'll end with showing off my latest attempt at sourdough bread. Just for fun I threw in a handful of dates and walnuts. It was definitely a success!

Have a lovely Sunday. I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching.

Oh, and another thing....I've tried to change the commenting on my posts so that I need to approve them first....I'm not sure if it's working properly. I've done this as I've been getting so many spam comments lately. I'll have to see how to add on the captcha(sp?) about "not being a robot". 

A Potpourri of Slow Stitching

We are still in the middle of a snowstorm this morning, which seems to make for perfect hand-stitching weather. I see so many people on social media that are in agreement, be it stitching, knitting, etc.

My slow stitching today consists of a bit of this and a bit of that.

First up....actually on Saturday...was finishing the binding on my Queen's Garden....

I'm happy with it, and I am even happier it's now a completed project :)

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I have completed two stars for my Temperature quilt for 2020...

My goal is to kind of keep up, and then sew a star together once a week.

I'm starting to second-guess this one, actually. It's easy enough to do, but for both stars I have a bit of a bump in the middle. Not sure whether to continue, or hope that it will "quilt out" in the end. I'm hoping it's from the bulk and maybe it will be a little better once the papers are removed. Or could it be that my template is a bit off?

I think if I had recorded the "low" temperatures this month I'd probably be switching this up for another design :(

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I've always liked the idea of making a mug rug, but never got around to doing any. At Christmas a friend gifted me with two cute Christmas-themed mug rugs, and it turns out that I really enjoyed using them...thanks TA!

So, I thought, I'll have to make one for everyday use.

On another note....I was never one to save selvedges, until lately when I noticed some of them are quite cute and some have cute sayings on them. So, I started saving them for "one day".

Yesterday I sewed some of these selvedges into a mug run and this morning I quickly sewed up the binding...

I really like it! I will take note for next time to use a 2-1/4" binding strip instead of 2-1/2"...I think it will be much more tailored looking.

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I didn't work on my Over The Hill today, but I did work on it this week. 

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Now for my PSA....a cautionary tale....

When our guests were here from Alberta last week we took them to the Hamilton Farmers' Market....I don't think I've been for at least 40 years! 

It's wonderful and we will definitely not wait 40 years to go back again!

I came across a booth selling turmeric root and had to buy some. I'd never seen it before, I usually just use the powdered stuff from the bulk store.  (Can you tell where this is going yet?)

I used it a couple of days ago, and here's what happened...

I don't know why it's not showing in the picture, but a lot of the skin on my fingers is bright gold, too!

So, next time I will use gloves...or just stick to the powdered version!!! 

I have a manicure booked for Tuesday....not sure whether to keep the appointment or not, lol.

Have a cozy Sunday!...hopefully your's will include a bit of stitching, too.

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

Slow stitches....

Things are moving right along with my Down the Rabbit Hole quilt. I'm on track to finish the two rabbit borders by the end of the year, which give me hope that I'll be quilting this one by the beginning of February (crossing my fingers!).

Simple things make me happy....like how my leaves are actually little fussy-cut trees...

It's a slow start to the day, we stayed up way too late last night watching a few episodes of Mad Men. We're trying to finish the series before starting the second season of The Crown. I actually slept in, which is unheard of around here!

We hope to find something Christmas-y to do today. So far I'm just seeing some kind of Vendor/Crafter's event in Paris so that may be what's in store for today.


A few weeks ago we bought an Instant Pot and have had very successful meals. The other night we tried ribs for the first time. I'd say within an hour we had the best ribs that I have ever made.

We also did a practice run of risotto....this is something we make for Christmas dinner (mainly because my grandson can't get enough of it). We needed to see if we could tweak the recipe a bit to make it vegan-friendly. This year we have one vegan and two vegetarians joining us for dinner....not too much of a challenge, just a little planning involved :)


Happy to say, the risotto was delicious...I also have to admit that I do not make the risotto, my significant other is the risotto master in this household!

Here's a picture of the meal...I have to say the ribs probably looked better in person...they really were "fall off the bone"...

Have a wonderful day...hopefully you have time for some slow stitching. I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching to see what others are working on today.

A successful Retreat!

Back to the real world after a few lovely days on a quilting retreat hosted by Quilt Junction, held at the beautiful Elmhurst Inn in Ingersoll, Ontario.

The decision to go was definitely meant to be a one-time treat to myself....to go and relax, meet new quilting friends, be pampered in the Spa at the Inn and enjoy excellent cuisine. Well, I think this is now going to be a yearly thing! 

There were thirty of us set up in the Grand Ballroom, a beautiful large, bright room that was perfect for getting some sewing done....

Lana, our lovely hostess, had a booth set up just in case any of us had forgotten any essentials....or just needed a bit of retail therapy!

I was happy to start my Retreat with having lunch with my sister...of the four sisters she is the youngest and I am the oldest. We don't see each other very often so it was so special to get to spend an hour or so together...

I can't say enough about the food our group experienced during our stay....here is just a sample of our meals....

I wish I had taken a picture of this dish on the menu so I could remember what was in it and maybe try to replicate it. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go back sometime!


I did manage to get some sewing done! I paced myself, since last time I spent too much time in a chair sewing resulted in being laid up with back problems for a couple of weeks. So...many breaks walking around looking at everyone else's inspiring work!

My main project was to complete my Happy Days quilt. After a rocky start things started to fall in place...

.....and.....it's done!!!!!......

My goal for April was to have this quilt top done. I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for OMG-One Monthly Goal, April Finish!

I'll set aside some time this Summer to get it quilted up in time for the Fall Fair season. I had thought to do an edge-to-edge quilting design on it, but after seeing it laid out in full I now think a light custom job is in order. I love it!

Day 2....I wanted to get the next step complete in my version of Sandra Walker's sew-along, Freefall Spring Quilt-Along.  I had the prep-work done ahead of time and was happy to get them sewn together....all ready for the next step. It was fun, also, to learn a couple of slick techniques for these blocks....thanks, Sandra Walker! 

I want to keep on track with this sew-along since I think this may be a good entrant into this year's Fall Fair category that is celebrating Canada's Sesquicentennial! I am linking this post to Sandra's linky party at Musings of a Menopausal Melon. Check it out to see other quilters' take on Freefall!

My final project for the Retreat was to assemble my Nature's Neutrals. 

This was a quilt made of blocks from a group exchange. The blocks are 5" unfinished and we were to make 2 sets of eight blocks per month for two years. Each month we submitted our blocks and came away with sixteen different blocks. 

I did not want this quilt to wait years to be done, so it was on the list for this week.

Here it is...

I have kept a few blocks aside so I could make a decision at this point to see if the quilt needed to be wider or longer, etc. So, an hour of work sometime in the near future will see this one truly done! 

During our Retreat, Lana did a couple of demos and also showed us how to construct a little fabric "box" meant to put our odd bits of thread and snippets of fabric into...

Thanks, Lana....this will be put into my applique bag for the times I get together for stitching with friends!

All in all, a very successful Retreat....not to mention making new quilty friends. Can't wait 'til next year!

Today I am linking up with Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Fridays, Koka Quilts for sew, stitch, snap, SHARE, and with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop-Whoop!.

Anyone ready for a Spring Sew-along???

Sandra Walker is a fellow Ontarian who writes a quilting blog called Musings of a Menopausal Melon.

Sandra is venturing into her first sew-along featuring one of her own patterns and I'm going to join in and invite you to do the same!

The fun starts next week, but she has released the fabric requirements and tips this past week and you can see them here, or by clicking on the button to the right entitled "Freefall Spring Quilt Along". 

The quilt is only 38" square, so would make a great wallhanging, tablecloth, etc. 

I've just been out and about and on the way home we decided to swing by my local quilt shop to get some background fabric and the main focus fabric needed for this project....

Hmm, the green fabric is so much more fresh and cheerful in real life.

I did well, as I was entitled to a free metre of fabric thru' the shop's loyalty programme....and because it's St. Patrick's Day the green fabric was 20% off....nice!

I'm determined that the rest of the fabrics will be pulled from my stash!!!


This week also starts an Instagram sew-along for Jen Kingwell's pattern, Long Time Gone. 

I'm starting to see a definite pattern here....I find it so hard to resist when something is called a sew-along or quilt-along!!!!

Hopefully that's it for this year (she typed while crossing her fingers).


On a non-quilty note:

For the last few weeks we've been trying to have two meat-less days per week, and we've been quite successful. 

What has been most surprising to me is, by following some really nice recipes, there are so many flavours and ingredients that we haven't even missed the meat at all. Mind blown!....lol

Today, before the side-track to the quilt shop, we tried an Indian restaurant in Brantford called The Everest Grill. Everything was so fresh and tasty, I had to mention it here and recommend it! There were many "regular" dishes on the menu, as well as extensive vegetarian and vegan choices. Also, great service and prices!


I am linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

OMG....January Finish

This month's goal was to complete the quilt top to my Tula Pink City Sampler.....otherwise known on Instagram as #100blocks100days.

The challenge was to piece a block a day from the Tula Pink book for 100 days....and then to try to have the top together this month.

The book is beautiful and it was a lot of fun to do the blocks and share with others around the world. To qualify for the prizes everyone had to post the appropriate block per day on Instagram.

The blocks were completed and then the fun began of arranging them on the design wall....

All along, my thought was to assemble the quilt with a grey sashing...I wasn't certain if it was to be light, medium or dark grey, I just assumed that something would talk to me when I went shopping for it.

Well, as I looked at all the solids at Quilt Junction didn't something unexpected happen! A lovely salmon-coloured fabric just begged to be the chosen sashing fabric....I couldn't ignore it....

I love it!!! I'm almost sorry to have this one done with as I enjoyed the whole process. I think it will be put aside 'til perhaps Summer when I'll take some time to custom quilt it.


After Christmas we took advantage of the Boxing Week sales and bought ourselves a pasta maker. 

So much fun, and what a difference from store bought pasta!

This past week we made a lovely supper using the pasta maker and looking up a recipe we'd seen on TV lately....Jamie Oliver's 7-veg pasta sauce which you can find HERE.

The recipe made up a big batch of super-tasting sauce, we give it two thumbs up. There was enough for us to freeze two baggies-full for future meals.

Believe me, it was as delicious as it looks in the photo....

I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for the finishing party for OMG, One Monthly Goal.

Finally a real quilt, almost!

I've been working at getting my FlowerGarden quilt together these past few days.

I'll post pics today since this quilt has been featured in many of my Slow Sunday Stitching posts this past year....or so!

Here is the top half...

.....and here is the bottom half....

Now I just need four outer borders made up of 89 1.5" squares each. So close!!!

I think I'll have some sewing time later today, so my goal will be to get at least two of these outer borders done.

I am finally ready for this one to be a completed quilt!

Today, to switch things up I thought I'd start my day with a bit of embroidery on my Life is Beautiful quilt...

Most of the stitching on Life is Beautiful is back-stitching, so it was fun to do a bit of the feather stitch (I think that is what it is called).


On the kitchen front.....I've been trying all Summer to make sourdough bread with no commercial yeast. I've had a few failures, but yesterday I finally had success.

Here is my lovely dough, all ready and waiting...

.....and here is my first loaf...

I know it looks a bit short and wide....but that's because I think I should have seasoned my new pan....the bottom of the loaf stuck to it.

I have to say, though, the texture was great and it had wonderful flavour. We both gave it a thumbs up! I'll cook the second loaf today and see how things go. I can't even explain how exciting this was to me!


Someone who is new to needle-turn applique has asked me to post pictures of how I end off a piece of applique. This is by no means "my way", but just "a way" that really works for me. 

If anyone has a different way that they could share, that would be wonderful!

First, after the last stitch, I bring my needle and thread to the back and take a little bite into the backing fabric only, making sure it's within the seam allowance of the applique piece...

 ...then I tie a knot right there...

 I take a couple of running stitches in the backing fabric only. This is to ensure that that dark thread doesn't wangle itself over to the un-appliqued backing and show thru' after the quilt is quilted....causing what we in the longarm world  call "varicose veins".

 Finally, I trim the thread close, again to be sure a dark thread doesn't migrate. Again, note that all this is done in the seam allowance.

I am linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching and Oh, Scrap!.

Week One of #100days100blocks

For the last week or so I've taken part in the beginning of the #100days100blocks quilt project.

Thanks go out to my friend (kz), who brought this to my attention. The book is lovely and I'm enjoying the piecing. It is a sew-along that is posted only on Instagram. 

The idea is to do a block a day for 100 days and post that day's block on Instagram.....for a lot of fun.....and the possibility of winning prizes!

My plan is to do one or two blocks at a sitting. In this way I should be done in half the time. It doesn't matter how far ahead you sew, really, as long as you post the one block per day.

Each block takes an average of fifteen minutes...nice quick project.

Here are my first week's worth of blocks...

The blocks in the upper right and left corners of the picture needed a bronzey kind of brown fabric. I don't think it shows exactly that way in the picture, but the fabric I chose was just what I wanted. I was having trouble finding just the right fabric when I noticed this one...

....but what I noticed is that the back of the fabric was just what I was looking for....so that is what I used. I remember hearing a speaker once say that there isn't a "right" and "wrong" side to the fabric....there are "two right sides"!


My son is facing exciting times....he and his wife are having a house built and the basement has been poured...

I am a bit jealous. This something I've always wished to have done. I guess I'll live vicariously through them!


I love making a nice lasagne. I like it even better if someone makes a lasagne for me! My husband does a lovely individual lasagne and he treated me this week...

So yummy!....even better perhaps with tomatoes from the garden. Turns out these ramekins make enough for a meal and lunch another day! I love that we both enjoy cooking...handy when one doesn't feel like cooking that night.

On another cooking note....I have been determined to be a sourdough bread maker, using no commercial yeast. So far I've been an utter failure but this week there is new hope. My starter is looking quite healthy and I think I'll try for making an actual loaf on Thursday. Wish me luck!!!

Hopefully the next time I post I'll have a beauty of a sourdough to show you!



All I can think about lately is the quilting next month of my FlowerGarden quilt. Exciting and terrifying at the same time!

I don't know if I can meet my goal to have the border on the right finished by the end of August, but I'm pretty sure I'll have it done by the end of next week, so pretty close!

Today I am linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social. Have a visit with Lorna and see her post today about her Ugly Christmas Sweater quilt. Hmm, this quilt may be in my future queue of projects....but not this year.

It was a hot Summer night and the beach was burning.....

Who knows the song that the title of this post is from? It's been running thru' my head this weekend. (I know what it is, just wondering if you do!)

What a Summer it's been for hot, humid weather! 

I have to say, I'm so grateful to have air-conditioning. About seven years ago I had a geothermal system installed to heat and cool my house. Before that I had never lived in a house with air-conditioning. 

I remember the year I was pregnant with my daughter, 1989, it must have been this kind of Summer and we had to pretty well live in the basement. I remember walking up the stairs and feeling the wall of heat on the main floor. Again, so grateful for the A/C.

Just saying....I'm not complaining about the weather!!! I'll save that for February :)

I'm happy to report that I've been on track with my applique this month. I set an achievable goal to try to have the final border done for my FlowerGarden quilt.

This weekend I'm working on appliqueing down the vine, as I've got all the leaves done that needed to be tucked under the vine.

I started this morning by hitting the mid-way part of the stem and ended with only a quarter of the way to go...I'm good with that! 

We have a busy day planned today, hosting a welcome party for my grandson, Lachlan, but I hope to have a few moments of quiet this evening to finish the stem...it will feel like I'm over the hump on this border, I think.

I'll have to remember to schedule this quilt into the queue for the longarm in September....since my goal is to have it ready for my trunk show in October.

I'd better go make the finishing touches for the party today. We have some vegan guests, so we have accommodated with a couple of dishes....one of them being a Falafel salad. 

I prepared it yesterday and it turned out yummy....then I thought it would be improved by a bit of feta cheese (what isn't, right?), and as soon as I mixed it in I realised it was no longer a vegan dish! Another moment where the word "crapola" from this post comes in handy! Could the bits of feta pose as tofu?, probably not. 

I'm linking up this morning with Kathy's Quilts once again for some Slow Sunday Stitching and with Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for OhScrap!

Have a wonderful Summer's day!