Queen's Garden...almost a real quilt!

This week it seemed like all I did stitching-wise was miles and miles of binding!....and I'm not one to especially like to do it like some of you are. I just regard it as something that needs doing in order to have a completed quilt.

I don't have show-and-tell for all of my labours as they were not my own quilts....but it was especially nice to help an old friend by doing this for her.

Now...back to my Queen's Garden quilt. 

I was ready to get all the components sewn together when I realised that I hadn't finished the embroidery. Well, that is now completed.

So happy... I can now get it together and get the borders on. 

But, hold on a minute...nothing is ever that easy, is it?

On the original pattern, the designer had appliqued small circles where the orange peels meet. I had decided early on not to do the circles as the fabric that I am working with is fairly thick.

Most of my orange peels "kiss" nicely, but then there are a few like the one above that I just don't think I can live with. 

Sometimes you just have to make the decision to fix things. What does it for me is the thought that so much work has gone into this quilt already...do I really want to cheap out just because it will take a little longer to do it right? That makes the decision so much easier.

I auditioned a couple of different sizes of circles, using my Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Circles. By doing this, I can see that it will be the right choice to add the circles....

Here are a few circles sewn on. I think it's a lot more pleasing now...

I guess the designer knew what she was doing! Although, I did have the thought that the circles were added to maybe cover her own orange peels not meeting properly??? lol...maybe!


Now I'll share my current Leaders and Enders project. I had hesitated to show anyone yet as there is not a lot of contrast in the blocks and it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm starting to love it so here goes!

I am making little log cabins out of 1" strips, with 1-1/2" orange centres.

Here are the containers I keep by my sewing machine, full of "logs" ready to sew...

....and here is a pile of log cabins in various states of construction...

I am keeping the scraps somewhat bright and modern.

Here are a few up on the design wall...

They aren't all sewn together yet, but I'm getting a feeling on how it will look. 

For me, it will be true quilt in every sense of what a quilt is meant to be...something that uses up every scrap...a riot of colour....and, as a bonus, it will be made of what could be argued as the most traditional of blocks, the Log Cabin. 

I only hope it keeps my interest long enough to grown into a full-sized quilt!!

As always on Sundays, I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching to see what other slow stitchers are working on today.

Kentucky here we come!

Before sharing my slow stitching for today, I want to share some news! 

My Circles quilt has been accepted into the juried show in Paducah, Kentucky!.....I'm so excited and of course this means a road trip! 

I'm really not a comfortable traveler but, funny enough, I'm pretty stoked about this trip, lol.

I really didn't expect the email to say I'd been successful in getting into the show. All I can say to all of you that make such beautiful quilts is to go for it....after all, all they can say is "no"!

I did get a "no" recently from Quilt Canada 2017 for my Flower Garden quilt....

....and that was ok. It was interesting also because with the letter of rejection comes constructive criticism from the three judges....which always a good thing and something to learn from!

So, on to my stitching for today. 

My goal this month is to complete the top to my Happy Days quilt. On Friday I stuck the blocks on the design wall to get an idea of where I'm at with this quilt...

Hmm, just a couple more 12" blocks to go....and they are paper-pieced ones, not my favourite, especially since I am having trouble getting them to print out at the correct size! So I think I will take creative license and do something else.

Much to my surprise, I am short a couple of these wreath blocks...

I guess I read the pattern wrong, since I thought we needed six of them plus one corner one....but it's eight that are needed. 

That's what I'll be catching up on for my Sunday stitches this week...

...and for some reason I didn't get the last two leaves appliqued onto the corner block...

I am linking up with Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Today Kathy talks about today being the day to Spring Forward to Daylight Savings Time. I don't know why an hour difference affects us so. All I can say is, bring it on!!!....I am so ready for the extra daylight in the evenings. For me it means we'll be almost ready to spend more time outdoors enjoying the backyard.

I am also linking up with Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh, Scrap!.

Have a wonderful day!

Oh, Happy Day....it's twins!

Hmm, looks like it may be a miserable day.....I think that means a bit more relaxing with needle and thread today!

I've had a lot of binding to do, but this morning I indulged with stitching on some circles for the border of my Happy Days quilt...

I think I'm down to seven out of the 24 needed for the border.

I've never looked at the blocks together on the design wall yet so I put them out to see how the whole thing is coming along...

Not sure what I think...but I'm sure it will all work in the end....I hope!!! I still have perhaps three blocks to do and 24 6" Ohio star blocks as fillers. 

This quilt is Sarah Fielke's 2016 BOM. I'd really like to finish the blocks before starting on her 2017 BOM, Down the Rabbit Hole, which has just started.


As for family news....I'm so pleased and proud to introduce the newest members of our family....our twin grandbabies who were born on Friday...

I know, I know...all babies are cute....but, really, aren't they just adorable!?

While waiting for news on Friday, I managed to get the second quilt top done for the twins. I hope today to have some time to slip them onto the longarm and get them quilted quickly.

I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching and with Cynthia for Oh Scrap!.

I hope you can take some time to do a bit of slow stitching today!

Stitching on the Oasis...

It's a busy day in store here today, but luckily I could start it with a bit of stitching.

I've been working away at my Happy Days quilt but put it aside this morning to try to figure out the centre of my Midnight at the Oasis. 

I had put the pieces of this together on the flight to Alberta at Christmas. 

English Paper Piecing was not the method that was instructed in the pattern, but I thought it would help with my accuracy. Now I've been in a quandary as to how to get this into the final centre block.

My first thought had been to applique it on to a background.....but then thought there must be other options.

I ended up coming back to my original thought and started to applique it to the background this morning...

Not bad, I think it will do.

When it's all sewn on I'll clip the background from behind it so I can remove the bits of paper.

I wasn't sure which colour thread to use to applique all the different coloured triangles, I didn't want to switch colour thread every couple of inches!

I settled on a nice soft grey, using my favourite applique thread, Superior's MasterPiece.

Perfect, it blends right in!....

Here is the block so far with one of the points appliqued down. There is a problem I've had to overcome....I won't tell, so see if you can spot it! (it's ok, if you see it you can keep it to yourself!).

I have to say, this block has been very labour instensive as well as brain intensive (so much thinking involved, lol), but in the end I think it's going to be okay. I'm not usually too, too picky, but when I'm working on what's going on in the very centre of my quilt I like to do the best that I can.


In my running group there is a challenge this month to walk/run/move for thirty minutes per day for 25 days. I think it's fun to take part since normally in February I don't think I would move much at all!

I started out well on Friday. I had an appointment in Cayuga so afterwards I went over to the new arena. They've incorporated an indoor track for the community to use for walking and running. So fantastic....more communities should try to do something like this. I hear that this track is well-used by many....including the seniors from the Retirement home practically next door!

So, Day 1 of the challenge started off well. Day 2, not so good. Oh well, I'll try to pick things up again today.

Here's little Minnie, using Cooper as a pillow as she's watching do my stitching this morning. I'm so glad we made it through the week puppy-free! 

We did not want to breed the two at this time, so when Minnie went into heat at the end of November she went to stay with my son for a little holiday. Well, the day after she returned didn't I catch them at it! It was only the once, and at the very end of her heat. I didn't think she was pregnant but wondered if she might have a single pup....luckily, her supposed due date has come and gone....woohoo!!!

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

Have a wonderful day!

It's all about circles today

I've been enjoying a slow start to my day.

The morning started out with stitching two more circles for the border of my HappyDays quilt...

Then I replaced the very centre circle of the block that is to be the very centre of my Midnight at the Oasis quilt.

 My original attempt at this was done in extremely poor lighting and didn't turn out nicely. If the block were to be for some random spot in the quilt, I wouldn't have bothered re-doing it, but as it is for the centre block I wanted to fix it....

It's better now, so I am ready to piece it in next time I sit down to enjoy some slow stitching....although I did have to sew the block to one section just to see how it was going to look/fit...

I love it! Wish I could just sit with this all day but painting the guest room is on the list of things that must be done today....and hopefully a bit of sewing time on my #100days100blocks, as my goal is to have it the top pieced by mid-month.

I am linking up with Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching and Cynthia for OhScrap!.

Happy New Year!

Since I missed Christmas dinner with my family we are doing it today with a lovely brunch!

We were able to do some prep work on Saturday so we are in pretty good shape....enough so that I could enjoy some stitching this morning.

I finished off the English Paper Piecing project that I had started on the plane last week. The pattern didn't call for it to be done in this method, but I thought it would be the best way to get accuracy for this section of the quilt. 

So, the middle bit still has to be trimmed to size and put together, but you can kind of see how it will look, right? (P.S., to my friend TA...the size came out perfect!)

I may re-do the middle bit. When we were away I missed my excellent lighting. I have never worked in such dim light....next time I'll have to pack my small fold-up Ott light! I think it looks ok in the picture, but in real life, not so much!!!

So that will be the centre of my Midnight At The Oasis!


In the latter part of 2016 I took part in the #100Days100Blocks sew-along on Instagram. It was a lot of fun and I kept up, no problem. 

My goal for January is to have this quilt top assembled. 

I'll go out Tuesday to my LQS to pick out the sashing fabric. This is the setting I have chosen (there are five setting ideas, I think, given in the book)...

In the picture the sashing/border is a light sandy colour...which I'm not fussy on. I had thought all along to use some kind of grey colour, but now I'm not sure. I saw a picture somewhere of one of these quilts using another colour....can't remember which colour, but it looked really nice.

I think I'll be making my mind up on Tuesday in the quilt shop!

Perhaps after brunch today I'll take some time to get the 100 blocks up on the design wall. I can't wait to see them all displayed...they are quite beautiful.


As some of you know, I have two dogs and a cat. This week we are dog-sitting two 'doodles, also. 

My son is waiting to get into his new house but it's been held up a couple of weeks. They have a place to stay but needed a spot for Stella and Darla. 

Oh, and Stella may or may not be pregnant. She was bred and her due date falls within the next week. The thing is, she doesn't look pregnant...and she has experienced false pregnancies before. 

I'll keep you updated!

So far she is easy to take care of...

I think the most difficult part will be breakfast times. Here's a shot of me trying to feed all four dogs....

...a couple of minutes later....

....so only Darla, Minnie and the kitty had breakfast on Saturday morning!

Today I am linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching, Elm Street Quilts for OMG-One Monthly Goal. I am also linking up with Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for OhScrap!.

Have a lovely first day of 2017!, and thank-you everyone for your continued support of Quilting at the Cro's Nest, it really is very encouraging!

Sunday Stitches on One Monthly Goal!

My goal for this month was to have the top completed on my Quilty365/Year in My Life.

The last heart took place mid-month, so I had a couple of weeks to get it together....and I did!

I ended up using the border fabric that I've had in my stash for quite a few years, and am happy with the end result.

As soon as I was able, I snuck this quilt onto the longarm to be basted...

I don't know if hand-quilters know that this is a service that a longarmer can offer. In the past I spent many afternoons crawling around the living room floor basting quilts that were stretched out and pinned to the carpet. What a pain, literally! 

I knew a couple of months ago when this quilt was hanging on the design wall that it was begging for hand-quilting. What an absolute pleasure it was to sit and get the first stitches into the quilt. I don't know how to explain the peaceful feeling to someone who doesn't enjoy stitching with their hands. 

I wish I could get decent photos of the quilting process. I love the texture of hand-quilting...

I think what makes this more special to hand-quilt is the meaning behind many of the blocks. In hand-quilting the quilt I find myself reflecting on the past year.....grandchildren being born, a Summer of puppies, sad days and happy ones. 

I am very glad to have taken on this project which has resulted in such a special quilt.

My husband hasn't seen me quilt a full-sized quilt before. When I picked it up yesterday to poke at a bit, he said how he thought I had finished already. lol....I thought he was joking, but no he wasn't....he just had no idea that this will be ongoing for a few months.

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!.

I am also linking with Elm Street Quilts for One Monthly Goal!


By the way, is anyone taking part in the year-long sewalong just started lately? It is to commemorate Canada's 150th birthday next year.

There will be three blocks released every week 'til we have all 150 6" blocks!

There is still time to join in, as we are just at week #2. I have the first week done, but will be re-doing them as I want to make the blocks red and white instead of red and tan....now's the time to make the switch before I'm too far along!....

I think I'll try to find time this afternoon to get these re-done.

You can read about this quilting project here. Oh, and every block comes with a story of an important woman in Canadian history!

I am linking this post to the linky party that Audrey is hosting at Quilty Folk for Quilty365.

Have a great day!

Inspiration

Today I am feeling inspired.

What a wonderful feeling. 

It's wonderful for exactly one reason. Even though I've been a quilter since I was 19 in 1980 I still can feel inspired by other quilters. Inspired to take the next step in my hobby. 

It's such a great feeling to know that, for me, quilting doesn't get old....there is so much to explore.

I have known quilters, just a couple actually, that have the attitude that they have done techniques a certain way for years and it works so why try new things. Honestly, a lot of times, this attitude shows in their work....sorry, just my opinion.

This week I read a blog post by Steph over at Dawn Chorus Studio entitled Thinking About the Process of Improv Patchwork.  Her current quilt, Fete, is one of my favourites at the moment. I commented to Steph that the idea of Improv Piecing is intriguing to me, but makes me nervous of how to go about it. She gave me a pep talk and recommended a book that would help me understand.....so Santa has a copy ready for my stocking so I can try something new in the New Year!

So, this morning, as usual I check in on Kathy over at Kathy's Quilts. What a timely post she has written. I hope you can take a moment to read it, as I find it especially inspiring to me today and maybe you will feel the same way.

Kathy also mentions a blogger whom I've never heard of, so I checked her out.....The Bitchy Stitcher. More very inspiring words today!!!....and so true. I don't know how many times I've heard quilters lament on their work. So disheartening. Please, if this is you, take a few minutes to read this wonderful post today!

Wow, lots of words today and not many pictures! Let's rectify that with just a couple.

I thought I had finished all of my hearts for my Quilty365. I figured on sewing the final ones onto the flimsy on Saturday. Well, I realised that although I had prepped a heart for Hallowe'en, I had not actually finished it. Here it is, the final heart.....really!...

.....and then a few stitches in a Life is Beautiful block....which I love, as cherry trees hold a lot of sentiment for me....

Today I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching and with Cynthia for Oh,Scrap!.


On a personal note, here is something that I hope can inspire you!

A year ago I was in a lot of pain. My doctor had prescribed Percoset, which alarmed me at how much I liked it so I stopped that, and I was going to ask him if I could possibly get a Handicapped Parking Pass. 

This year, after making many changes in my health, I've been in a Learn to Run class....and next Sunday I'll be running in my first race....a Santa 5K in Hamilton! It all seems so surreal to me! I have never been an athlete in any sense of the word!

So hopefully I'll have a picture to share next week of that big event!

For now, here we are on Saturday morning enjoying the beautiful morning....

Have a wonderful day!

Sunday Stitching

It's been a nice slow start to the day. 

As usual, I started my day with a bit of applique. I completed this block from my Happy Day quilt. I think it's one of the prettiest blocks I've ever done...

I'm a little at odds with my applique at the moment. So many projects, so little time. Since I've finished my FlowerGarden quilt, I'm not sure which quilt will be my main focus.

I know it should be my AuntieGreen's, but I just don't feel like it at the moment...

I do still love this quilt and I know I could just put it aside for a couple of months and come back to it. The thing is, once this quilt is done I am sure I'll be thinning out the stash and I am so looking forward to that.

Hmmm, maybe I'll do the prep work for the next border and that will get me going. I think that's what stalls things sometimes....the darn prep work! 


Yesterday was packing-day for my trunk show that I'm doing Monday evening. 

Every time I do a trunk show I say it's to be my last...but here I go again! 

I've never considered myself a person who speaks in public. When I do, I try to imagine myself putting on an imaginary jacket of one who is a public speaker. Funny enough, now that I've done this a number of times, I guess I have become a person who speaks in public. If you'd have told me five years ago that I would be doing this, I'd have bet quite a bit of money saying you were wrong.

This is definitely the last time!


My family has been growing by leaps and bounds lately. We've gone from having one grandson to having seven grandchildren by the end of February 2017!

My eldest son and his wife have a two-year old and now are expecting twins! 

There is something that the expectant parents do now to find out the gender of their baby....it's called a Reveal Party.

A lot of times a friend of the pregnant couple will have results from the ultrasound and get a pink or blue cake made up. Then, in a gathering of family and friends the cake is cut open to reveal to all, including the expectant parents, the gender of the baby.

For our Reveal Party, the friend of my DIL had two large balloons hanging from the ceiling...

They popped the first balloon and had blue confetti sprinkle down....

....at this point I started bawling my eyes out and didn't get a picture of the second one which contained lots of pink confetti!

So, a boy and a girl!

I must admit, I'm kind of old school and think the ultimate surprise in life is when a baby is born and the doctor says, "it's a boy/girl!", but this was so exciting and fun, I can see why its a "thing".

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 great day and hope you can enjoy some downtime with your needle and thread!

Come On Get Happy

It's a lovely weekend and today I plan on taking it slow. I just want to enjoy puttering around in the yard and doing a bit of applique.

In my last post I showed the last piece to be appliqued to my FlowerGarden quilt. I may have been stretching the truth a bit. It was the last piece, kind of. 

I do have a bit of tweaking to do so that the quilt is pleasing to me in the end. Here is a picture from a while back showing bits that didn't seem to pop enough...

I'm not going to change all of those circled areas. I think the trees will be fine. I have though, gone ahead and changed up the cat...

...I like her much better!

This bird bothered me...

.....much better now....

These little changes have been worth it to me since the quilt has been such a huge project for a couple of years, I figure an extra morning of applique to fix it is not bad!

The last fix (I think) is the fountain...

....actually, not the fountain but the "water". It may have been ok if my background had been white, but it's actually green and pink. I did have some great suggestions come in for a fix for this, but in the end I have to re-do. I'm not usually a perfectionist, but if I don't fix this now I know it will always bother me.

I would like to try a technique on these little circles that I've heard about but not tried. A friend of mine actually reminded me of this technique the other day. It involves tiny elastics and starch and templates for the circles and you can check it out here.

 I didn't think I could try this method since I didn't think I had templates this small, but I just checked my Perfect Circles and there are four the right size. Hmm, time to try a new technique, I think!!


This morning I've taken a little break from the FlowerGarden and sat catching up with a few heart blocks for my Year in My Life/Quilty365...

The second one has had me singing Partridge Family tunes all morning....get it???....and has provided me with a title for today's post!

We went to see a movie last night....one that I hadn't even heard of. It's called Florence Foster Jenkins and is based on a true story. It stars Meryl Streep. I highly recommend this movie. It was obvious that everyone in the theatre was enjoying it. I came out believing that Meryl Streep is truly the most talented actress of our generation.

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