Sunday Stitches

Just a quick post today as I have to get out the door soon for a loooong run with my running buddy :)

Lately I've been stitching away at block #3 of my Queen's Crown BOM. I am doing this as part of the BOM programme at my local guild. We are taking it slow, doing one block every two months.

Out of a relatively small guild of about 35 people, there are about a dozen of us taking part in this project....so impressive!

I came to a stall on this block this morning as I feel I have to choose another fabric for those last two leaves to add a bit more visual interest. And see that little tiny leaf on top of the flower in the top right hand corner?...there will be three of them, but that fabric is just not doing it for me, so I will pick something slightly darker.

I'm finding working with neutrals to be very challenging!!

I'll have to make those fabric corrections later today, hopefully. In the meantime, I started on Block 2 of my Summertime Sampler...

I don't know if all wool projects are done this way....but this pattern calls for all the pieces to be secured with a whipstitch in a colour floss that matches, then the contrasting blanket-stitch will be done.

I thought this a bit weird, until I did Block 1 and found that I liked the process.

It feels awkward to "toot my own horn", but I have to share some excitement from this past week. Only because many of you saw my progress on my Down the Rabbit Hole over many months of Slow Sunday Stitching, mind you! :)

I entered my DTRH and my Happy Days quilts into the Norfolk County Fair this year, and both quilts did very well.

Here is Happy Days....which won Grand Champion in the machine-quilted category....

.....and, to my delight as a hand-quilter for so many years, here is my DTRH, which won Grand Champion in the hand-quilted category....

I even got pictures sent to me from my family members...

I am a very proud Slow Stitcher!

I really have to get a move on now. I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching.

Have a beautiful Fall day!

Oh, Happy Day!!!

In my previous post I was moaning about the fact that I'd found a spot of blood on my Happy Days quilt once it was on the longarm.

I thought I'd share the outcome of how I solved the problem.

Here is how it first looked....

...actually that first picture is probably taken after applying a bit of spit....I also dabbed it with a bit of lemon juice once it was off the frame, which did lighten it up a bit but not totally.

Here is what I did next. I appliqued a little "band-aid" in matching background fabric, which has worked in the past but this still shouted "here I am" to me....

I probably could have left it at that, but it was bothering me. 

Here is my final (I think) solution...

So, Happy Days is now a real quilt....with only half of the binding still to sew down! It's such a cheerful quilt :)

I quite like the background quilting in this quilt. It was easy and fun to do, so I will definitely be doing this again.

Today I am linking up with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social, and with Susan at Quilt Fabrication for Midweek Makers. 

It's a snowy, blustery morning where I am....a perfect day for visiting bloggers to see what they are up to!

Slow stitching and a Scottish Fry-up

What a blustery morning....feels like a good day for an extra cup of tea and a few extra stitches!

It always feels good to start a new quilt...am I right???

The final piecing of my Down the Rabbit Hole came just in time to begin this year's Sarah Fielke BOM...Simple Folk.

Sarah is actually offering two quilts this year, the second starts in a couple of months ( and I may even participate in that one, too! ). 

Here is my first block of Simple Folk started...

The background is a bit deeper indigo in real life and there are hints of purple running through it. 

The corners of the applique blocks will be "snowballed" and up to yesterday I was in a real quandary of what fabric would be best. 

I was at Quilt Junction in Waterford on Saturday and walked through the shop with my block in hand and an open mind. Luckily I found something in a turquoise colour, not at all what I imagined at all. The next time you see this block it should have the corners on and it should look wonderful!


I'll be at the longarm today for just an hour to finish my Happy Days quilt. I think I have only about 20 minutes of quilting to do and then I will attach the binding while the quilt is still on the machine.

Along with sewing the binding down this week, I'll have to repair this...

...a little speck of blood. Why couldn't I have noticed this at the applique stage??? I can't believe I missed it. And look how close it is to the edge of the quilt....a half inch over and it would have been hidden by the binding! Oh well....it'll be all good in the end.


I'd better finish off now....as much as I'm trying to eat healthier, this morning I'm giving in to one of my husband's Scottish Fry-ups for breakfast....can we say "heart attack on a plate"? Nice to indulge, though, once in a blue moon....and we did have a blue moon this past week, right??? 



I don't know if ours will be exactly as pictured, but you get the idea. Square-cut sausage, black pudding, eggs, bacon, tattie scones, etc.

I am linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching. I think it will be a nice day to visit with all the quilters who will be linking up their Slow Sunday Stitching today!

Have a wonderful Winter's day!

February - One Monthly Goal

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!!

A January finish

What a feeling to have this quilt completed to the "flimsy" stage. I am very happy.

I will be hand-quilting this quilt and am really looking forward to it. I love the fact that I can baste quilts on the longarm. Something this size used to take me a full afternoon to hand-baste. That was back in the days when I had carpeting in the living room and I would pin the backing to the carpet and lay the batting and top on. Then an afternoon of crawling around the floor basting the quilt. My "grumpy knees" surely can't take the abuse anymore. Thanks to Gayle at Mangofeet for the phrase "grumpy knees", it's perfect!

This was my January goal for OMG - One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts, and I'm very please to have completed it.

I'm actually finishing this Sarah Fielke BOM just as the one for 2018 is starting up, literally! This year's is called Simple Folk and there is still lots of time to join in. You can read about it HERE. With the BOM you get the pattern every month as well as a wonderful video tutorial every month.

In the foreground of the picture above, is my Sarah Fielke BOM from 2016, Happy Days, currently being worked on on the longarm.

I'm custom-quilting it, but not overly so. I am having fun with a new-to-me cross-hatching method. It's fairly quick and I think it will unify the blocks in the end.

Hopefully, by this time next week I will have started putting some stitches into Down the Rabbit Hole. 

I am linking up today with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social and with Susan at Quilt Fabrication for Midweek Makers.

It looks to be a dreary end to January. A perfect time to get some sewing done and visit some quilty blogs to get inspired.

Have a lovely day!

A burst of sewing!

This week most of my work on the longarm has been put on hold as I've been nursing a back problem that pops up from time to time. 

I have managed to get a bit of sewing done as I'm ok in a seated position :)


First up was sewing one of the final borders for Down the Rabbit Hole. I held my breath as I pinned it onto the quilt, wondering if it would fit. Luckily, Sarah Fielke designs a pretty good pattern....

This morning I appliqued the final leaf to Down the Rabbit Hole!!


I also finished my Magnolia Mystery offered by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs. This is the second mystery I've done thru' Meadow Mist Designs and Cheryl does a wonderful job!

I am going to hold off on quilting this one until I have the time to really have fun with all that open space.


I've also sewn my blocks for this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge....what a lot I've accomplished while off "sick"!

Here are my Squared Away blocks...

The block at the top of the picture actually makes my eyes glaze over a bit because of the fabric choices....but I'm leaving it in.

I also have my three birds done for the month....except for their legs, those will come in February hopefully....

Aren't they adorable!!

I do hope to get back to the longarm today as I'm actually working on one of my own quilts, Happy Days, which was the BOM offered by Sarah Fielke in 2016...

I hope my back continues to improve as I have signed up for the Robbie Burns 8k, which is run this Sunday. I have so looked forward to this race (maybe because I get to wear my kilt, or maybe to start the race to bagpipes?). 

Here I am running in my kilt in the Caledonia Race in the Fall which was a warm, muggy day. We were encouraged to dress with a Scottish theme, but I think there weren't more than ten of us that did!

....and such a special feeling crossing the finish line with a good friend, which doesn't happen often...

Today 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 Fridays. 

I am also linking with Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon for TGIFF - Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday, and with Angela at So Scrappy to see what others have been working on for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Happy Days

I'm excited this week to have one of my own quilts on the longarm this week.

This is my "Happy Days" quilt, the 2016 BOM designed by Sarah Fielke. I completed the top at a Retreat last Spring and had hoped to have it quilted in time for Fall Fair season, but that did not happen.

I mounted the quilt on the weekend...

...and started the stitch-in-the-ditch sewing yesterday. There's only one problem, I wrenched my back on Sunday and am not able to stand for any length of time, so my work at the longarm is minimal.

At least when I do custom-quilting I can lean on the rails of the longarm :/


Being a bit laid-up means a bit of extra applique time, and some time sewing the final border for my Down the Rabbit Hole!

I'm on track to having this one completed by the end of the month!!

The final border is a 6" pieced border. There's always a moment when you hold your breath wondering if a long, pieced border will actually fit.

And, guess what?....this one went on so beautifully!....

I have only six more leaves to applique to the opposite applique border (tomorrow morning!), then once I finish piecing the other three borders it will all be sewn together. I can hardly believe it!


Today I am linking up with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social, and with Susan at Quilt Fabrication for Midweek Makers.

6 & 6 in 2018...+3

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!!

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!

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!.