Approaching Year End

Today's.......to do list!

Where did this year go? Here we are Christmas is over and all the rushing around to get things ready and now we are saying good bye to another year and the beginning of a new year of promising things.I have been trying for the last two days to get to the sewing room but cleaning or visiting has gotten in the way. So today, well after this post I will be heading downstairs to try to make some progress on three things. Lower left of the pic, the white print was given to us as a challenge of ugly fabric. I added the other colours and intend to make a small baby blanket for the NCIU ( our charity work for the guild). Top of the pic, the floral print is another challenge fabric we are to use all year. I have added some more fabric from the same line for the first block whose theme is flowers! And lastly a kleenex box challenge on the right. pink, green, and white...doesn't it just scream baby girl!!! I have two 6 1/2 " blocks to make for that. Well that should keep me busy till it is time to go to one last family dinner tonight. This will also be my slow stitching for today, head over and see what my friend Kathy and others are up to today too!

Our 12 year old Zoe

While downloading pics for the blog, I found this one from Christmas day. At our house even the dog gets Christmas goodies, although she has to wait patiently for someone to give her one!!
Enjoy your day whatever you are doing and I am wishing you all the best in the New Year that is upon us!!

Winter White Christmas

snowy land

one of many

It is definitely gonna be a white Christmas at my house. The winds are blowing today and snow is falling.But even that doesn't keep some critters away. I have had up to 7 blue jays at the feeders this weekend. Are you ready for the holidays yet? I am, just one more trip to the grocery store and beer store. Then all that is left is to wait for our darling daughter to make the hopefully 5 hour drive home. They have been getting nasty weather where she is...freezing rain and snow!
I got almost all the things made and knitted that I wanted for Christmas. The only exception is scarf/shawl. Very simple knitted pattern but for some reason it is giving me grief. Rethinking the whole making another one for me after I am done though!!! And I am too stubborn to throw in the towel when I am so close to being finished. And for slow stitching Sunday with Kathy,

could be a treadle or featherweight

that is what I am trying to accomplish...a finish!!!
I have also cross stitched a new ornament for myself this year to honour the acquiring of two sewing machines. It has been awhile since I cross stitched...me thinks they are making aida cloth very small these days or I need stronger glasses! Isn't aging wonderful. Not to get bitten by another craft bug...I am looking forward to the new year. I am setting up a quilt to hand quilt in a frame. It has been over a year since I have done this. I use to do a couple a year.This along with all the guild things we are doing will fill the year and keep me busy!!!
I would love to take this time to wish everyone in blogland a Merry Christmas and a Happy Happy Happy New Year! I have enjoyed my almost first year blogging and looking forward to more in the future!
 Cheers everyone!!! Hugs from Deanna

Cuddling up

Yes it is that kind of day..cold and damp which makes it feel even colder out. Waiting patiently for some snow as the rain the other day took most of our away!
Today is a stitching day. I am trying to get some socks and a shawl knit for Christmas presents. This is the closet to shopping that I have done. Guess next week I will have to take that leap to the mall and try to get some things off my list.
With all this knitting to do it is lucky that I don't have any sewing that needs to be completed. Quilting has hit the sideline for now but I hope to be back at it in January!!
I am linking up to Kathy's blog and checking out what everyone else is up to on the slow stitching Sunday.

December already!

Am I the only one wondering how it is December 2 already? I have been knitting Christmas presents, but guess I will have to start making those lists for shopping in the mall!! YIKES!!! I did a whole lot of baking yesterday and so no slow stitching of any kind  was accomplished. Today was a grocery and special trip to the bulk food store for ingredients for Christmas cake, that will be made tomorrow!
Tonight is the first of three guild Christmas parties. At least they are spread out, one each week for the next three weeks.
On the weekend we moved our daughter to her new apartment and settled her in. She started her new job this morning. During our drive home from her place, I got to go to one quilt store. DH stopped long enough for that! It was indeed a good choice as they were having a sale (20% off the whole store) oh if I had had more time!! lol But I did manage to get some black for that binding. I bought a couple different ones in case the first one wouldn't do. Also picked up two 1 meter cuts that were only $5 each! That is a bargain in my world.Only problem is they made it to my sewing room and I haven't had time to take them out of the bag or put them away!
Also on the weekend I picked up two panels that a friend ordered for me. I have a pattern and some coordinating fabric

sorry not sure how to turn this right side up

to make something, but while looking through a magazine I bought, I found another pattern that I like better so that will be done in the future! It is from Stonehenge.
This was indeed a busy weekend. Bonnie Hunter released the first clue in her new mystery quilt. I said I wasn't going to do it, but after looking at her link up today, I am feeling left out. Should I or shouldn't I.......hmmmm! Stay tuned to find out.

Never Enough!!

needs binding yet

Another UFO almost done! I was in a mood yesterday and could've had it finished except for....WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE NO BLACK!!!
That's right, it seems that with all the black and shades of black that are in this quilt, there was nothing leftover. After much searching in my sewing room, there was nothing that I could use...hmmm quilt store here I come.

pile of scraps

So setting this quilt aside for now, I wondered what I was going to do today! I wanted to do some piecing. This pile of scraps was just sitting there talking to me...saying  "pick us, pick us!!!" So I did. Now what to do with them. Well one of the guild I belong to, makes baby quilts for the NICU. So now I know the size but what pattern. I turned around and grabbed a book off my shelf and found a star pattern that I thought I would like to try. It worked out great, 9" blocks with a border would get me the size I needed. I had just enough of the dark pink for sashing and binding. I just love it when a plan comes together. With supper in the oven I had just enough time to machine quilt it. Boy my free motioning needs lots more practice! I think I would call this pattern very wobbly hearts or something to that effect!!

finished product which needs binding finished

That is probably the end of my sewing week. We have to move our daughter starting Thursday from her apartment to our home then the next day to her new apartment, 5 hours away!! She is starting her new full time job on Monday...exciting and nervous times for her and mom and dad!!
I can only hope that in my travels I will get to slip into one just one quilt store to get some BLACK fabric!!!

First snowy blast

view out my front door this morning

Well I think winter has arrived!!! It started snowing on Friday afternoon and has snowed off and on all day yesterday. So it was a a good day to sew and do the mounds of laundry...ours and what our daughter brought with her. This is her last weekend home before she moves. Everything else she has is packed so she needed some clean things and this mom was willing to oblige! Daughter and her cousin decided to do some Christmas cookies... yet another reason to escape to my sewing room!!

this was on my design wall from the other day

So while there, I finished putting the borders on my dresdan plate. I mitred the corners and after worrying about getting the stripes to match, not a single corner is the same and only one had perfectly matched stripes. Whatcha gonna do!!! And as luck would have it(hubby somehow knew I would find it)I found some backing fabric in my stash for it too. So I sewed the pieces together. The quilt is 86 x100 ...yikes what was I thinking. I was even going to put it on the frame to hand quilt but I think I will wait till after the holidays now.
So the plan for today is fold and put all the laundry away, early dinner with daughter and send her on her way home and then a relaxing afternoon and evening catching up on some knitting. Got to get those Christmas presents finished!So slow stitching Sunday with Kathy will be knitting for me and maybe a movie or two!
Heads up that is not a parking lot, that is our driveway, and there is one car missing. Always looks like a party is going on!!!

Back to a routine!

Dresdan Plates

Well hunting season is over for another year and DH is back home! Hmmm means making suppers and packing lunches for me! The weather has been dreary here which means the ambition level is not high. It is easier to sit down and knit then head down to the sewing room and try to get something done. But last weekend  I wanted to work on yet another UFO, so this is the one I dug out!It is 10-12 year old. I think the blocks had to sit and age gracefully for awhile.  But now I find the fabrics and colours are dated. So I am hoping that the cornerstones and sashing along with the outside border(on the far right) help it to be a little less old!!!  The outside border is striped and I had a fun time joining all those pieces together!! Hate matching lines.Although I love the pattern, these are definitely not my colours but for some reason I do love it. I intend to hand quilt it too!!

Watcing over my computer 

It is getting to be late November. Have you started Christmas shopping?  I know I haven't. But I have put up outdoor Christmas lights and some indoor wallhangings. This is one of my favourites!Makes you think of snowy days to come and mugs of hot chocolate!!
Also this week I talked at my guild about blogs with another member Rose Marie. If you are visiting for the first time welcome and  to those of you who keep coming back even though I don't blog as often as others ..thank you!!

Wintery Deer Season

Our creek

Well I did want it to snow and it did ...all day Monday! The ground is covered  and looks very pretty!  With DH gone for the last week of hunting season...this is my last week at home alone to do nothing but sew!!
I played on my featherweight the other day and finished this little 15" square mini. It was made from scraps that I had and I wanted to try one of Bonnie Hunter's patterns. This one is based on Pfefferneuse, although I rearranged the string pieces to make stars. I love how the browns and teals go together. These are the scraps  that I had laying on my ironing board the other day. Also I have finished the hand quilting on this quilt and just have the binding to do. So I spent last evening curled up on the couch to try and finish these two things!This little guy is done and just one more side to go on the larger quilt.Then there will be  a couple more things off my bucket list of UFO'S.

about 15" square

Rain, rain go away ...I want snow!

challenge fabric on left 

Yes it is raining in my neighbourhood today and I would rather have snow. It seems so dreary. So what is a girl to do but play with some fabric and her new sewing machine and try to brighten the day.First order of business was to put together the Christmas stocking that I started yesterday and did some decorative stitching on last night.It is a challenge for one of the guilds I belong to.

 I have to complete it now as I will be very busy moving my daughter the week before it is due. No time like the present. I think it turned out cute and will be given to my daughter for a decoration for her new apartment.

I will post more pics to help you guess

Then I had just a bit more time to waste so I continued sewing on these scraps. And they are scraps leftover from a bag I made and a quilt that a friend made. I am making one of Bonnie Hunter's quilts in minature. Can you guess which one it is? They are small but not as small as the pieces my friend Kathy likes to play with. See what she has been doing...I think she is crazy to work on things that small but I love her to bits ( no pun intended)
Hope you are doing something to make you smile today. I am having lunch and then off to see my knitting friends!

Another Hunting Season

Yup DH is gone again...deer season opens tomorrow...so another week of playing and very little housework or cooking!!!

Add caption

I am enjoying the little bit of hand quilting I am able to do on this quilt I have been working on. Spent yesterday and this afternoon finishing up the machine quilting so I could enjoy an evening of hand stitching tonight.I was not happy with the machine quilting I did in the set in triangles so I removed it and did hand quilting. Not a big deal except I wasn't sure about the flannel backing. It quilts beautifully!! So onward I decided to do more quilting in the larger border. I found a feather stencil that I have been wanting to use and decided on it. You can just barely see my pencil marks in the pic. I will work on it and hope for another finished quilt this week. It is extra exciting for me, as I was thinking this one would take a longer period of time to complete.
Also checking in with my friend Kathy and seeing what everyone else is stitching on today!

Hang Onto your Hats

It is a very windy rainy day outside. I went to my knitting group this morning and now am tucked into my warm house. I have been slowly working on that thimbleberry quilt for DH aunt. Did some machine free motion quilting  last night and didn't like it so I ripped it out and now am hand quilting the same design. I thought it would be more difficult to quilt flannel(which is on the back) but there is almost no difference. After those set in triangles are done, it is more border machine quilting  and I think I might put a design in the six inch wide border. Well have to see how it goes.
DH is home tonight for the weekend and off hunting next week. What I get another week to sew and no housework or meals to prepare(except for myself) woohoo!!!

Not to worry, we are gonna gain an hour this weekend

We received great news this week. We are very proud of our daughter. She has been hired on full time with a great company in our province, her dream job as described by her. So that means another move in the next month. DH and I are becoming specialist in the moving field. Hopefully this will be the last move for awhile. So although I love the snow, I am hoping it holds off for a bit, right before Christmas would be good timing. Here's hoping you are in out of the rain and snuggled under a warm quilt like I am gonna be!
Don't forget this weekend we turn our clocks back one hour!!

While the cat is away......

That's a lot of pins

This little mouse is playing in her sewing room. Along with finally washing the wedding quilt, I am putting the finishing touches on a quilt top and have pinned it and am ready to start machine quilting it tomorrow.

after washing

Now for the near disaster I discovered. After washing the wedding quilt and setting it in the clothes basket to wait for cheaper hydro time after a few hours I looked at it only to see the brown making run marks on the beige backing fabric. I freaked out!!!! Starting rinsing it in water and decided to put it through the washing machine again. While waiting for the washer to fill up, I realized it wasn't the brown fabric but the quilting thread itself that was causing the mess and only on the backing fabric not on the front of the quilt. Quite strange! I used a brown thread, Guitermann. I have never had this happen before. After rewashing the quilt for the most part the stains are gone. There are just a couple of places where you can still see the smudges near the quilting thread. I am going to leave it at that and give special directions

after washing

for washing when I give it to the couple. Hopefully my two washings will do the trick! My heart has starting beating in a normal rythm now!

Very Slow Stitching Sunday

It will be a quilt some day

This is the perfect day for slow stitching as I have managed to catch a sinus cold and I don't feel like doing much so sitting quietly is just what the doctor ordered. Even my teeth hurt!! I think it will be a combo of knitting a poncho/sweater for me and hand piecing some more hexies for my future grandmother's flower garden. As I told friends the other night at guild, don't know it I will ever see it finished but I have high hopes.
I also am enjoying the relaxation after spending Friday and Saturday in a car with my daughter. She is moving again and we were apartment hunting. We were deep in quilt store country but with no time to stop. I even had to pass on spending some of  the day at a quilt show with my quilting buddy Barb(hope you enjoyed yourself). It was a good thing too because we ended up driving through some nasty snowy weather on the way home. But I am sure with a place to stay in that area, I will be able to make many trips down in the future!
Check  out what Kathy is up to today on slow stitching sunday
P.S. Barb I will try to blog more often but there is no way I can be as proficient as Kathy!! lol

A New Addition

Introducing...."Vicki"

Not that I was expecting it! But I have added a new addition to my .....sewing room!!!It was a guild meeting like any other till just about the end when someone said to a member "tell us about your machine". Innocent enough but what she said got my attention!
"This is my sister's machine that she wants to sell", not just any machine but a feather weight! Woohoo!!!
Checked it out, test drove it and bought it on the spot! Well the cheque is in the mail today! I googled the serial number and she was born Jan 1955 but looks brand new! I would have to say she was hardly used and I sewed on her today and she runs beautifully. Can't wait to spend some more time with her.I will have to look into getting some more bobbins and maybe a 1/4" foot.

Well this week of hunting season is over and it went by quite quickly although I did get lots of sewing done.I will post pics when the top is done. I was just excited to show off the new addition!!

It's Hunting Season!

That means two things around here: one my annual quilting retreat is over and two, I have a week of quiet sewing while DH is away hunting!

crostini appetizer

chocolate heaven on a  plate

So this past weekend we had our annual retreat at a new location and was it worth the change!! We had a chef not a cook but a great CHEF!!!These are just a sample of what it looked like when our food came to our table. Then all day we got to sew. Only minor complaint was the lighting could be better but we made due.Laughs, giggles and friends what else could you ask for!! Even got a few things sewn.

trout  

It is also a great week cause I get to start a new project. That's right the wedding quilt is finally finished.It just needs a final washing and I will wrap it up and have it ready for when the newly weds arrive at Christmas time.





I completed this small wall hanging  and all these blocks at the retreat.The blocks are what are on my design wall today too. Love it when I can get so much into one blog entry! The larger blocks are for a quilt for DH's aunt and the smaller four pink ones are a tissue box challenge. Use the colours from a tissue box and create the blocks that are given to us at guild and by June we will have 18- 6" finished blocks...I am thinking a baby quilt!! Sorry if things are a little out of sorts...wouldn't let me preview it and make it look pretty!

Not Just the Seasons are Changing

Oh my in pieces

Altogether,working and in new home

Well it has been a few weeks of changes in my world. Our daughter is in between apartments so we have moved all her worldly possessions into our living room for two weeks. This meant that my temporary sewing room had to return to the basement. That created a situation since my sewing room downstairs has become a dumping ground as of late. Also last week DH was on holidays and very busy doing things around the house. This is great except I felt guilty not being as productive so I completed a few furniture refinishing jobs that I have been putting off all summer,including a treadle sewing machine. So now not only do I have to clean out the sewing room but I have to make room for my newly refinished treadle machine too!!! YIKES

Oh how did it get so bad

AHHHH much better

So yesterday was the day. I headed downstairs determined to get at this mess. A mere 6 hours later I had the room cleaned up and the treadle machine found a new home in there too. Now all I wanted to do was sit down and sew but alas it was guild night and I had to make supper and get ready!

My Orca Bay

Now it is not like I haven't been busy too. I am to the binding stage on the wedding quilt and I have completed my Orca Bay mystery of Bonnie Hunter's. Along the way I have fitted in some knitting too. So today is a play day for me in my cleaned up sewing room. Hope you enjoy whatever you are doing today too!

Sunday already ....where did this week go

For sure the time is flying by and soon there will be snow on the ground. About 4 hours north of me they had snow this past Friday. So you know it is coming!!!

Hard to see the bones in the border

Well the baby quilt is done and will be on it way to its new home. But the little boy it is for decided to come early so he has to wait a few days for his quilt. It was a good machine quilting day....did all the quilting in one day. It was a little quilt but so many things could've gone wrong and they didn't...I love days like that!!!

Orca Bay Mystery from Bonnie Hunter

Today is another machine quilting day. This year one of the guilds I belong to is having its 30th anniversary. We decided last June that in September we would have a giant show and tell. Well I have nothing to show so yesterday I started to get my "Orca Bay" quilt put together. So today it is sandwiching it and pin basting it and starting to machine quilt it.I had a fat quarter of the backing (on the left) and thought it was perfect. So I went back to the store when she was having her spring sale and got yardage. That was last May 2012....yikes!!!Oh well better late then never! I am hoping for another good sewing day...let's all keep our fingers and toes crossed.Join Kathy and see what others are hand stitching today on slow stitching Sunday!!!

Slow Sunday

Dinos for a little boy

It is not just a slow stitching Sunday but a very slow lazy Sunday at my house. We celebrated DH birthday last night with friends and it turned into a late night. But I did get some things done today. This baby quilt, for a friend's grandson has to be finished this week. No pressure. I am planning on machine quilting it...wish me luck. Machine quilting is not my favorite thing to do but I am just stippling and maybe some free hand bones in the borders.



On the slow stitching front with Kathy at Kathy's Quilt's, I plan to relax after supper and continue the work on that wedding quilt.Now that my garden is almost empty, I  must buckle down and get it finished or else Christmas sewing season will be here and nothing will be finished. Looks like the week ahead will be a hand quilting week!!

Schools in....so it is Sewing Season

You didn't realize the season changed, did you?! First day of school for many moms means more time to sew. I am past that stage but September brings with it time. Time to quilt and sew as many jobs outside are just about over. I have a little bit of pickling left to do but giving the garden a chance to grow just a little longer. I am still working on a wedding quilt that has been put on the back burner and have started a baby quilt for a friend's grandbaby that will be born this month. I will post pic when the top is finished. I have even started on some Christmas gifts....not to early to begin!!!

I would like to send  my condolences and love out to a friend who lost her brother on the weekend. She is a fellow blogger and hosts slow stitching sunday at  Kathy's Quilts. If you have ever read her blog or joined in on one of her slow stitching days...send her a hug....I know she will appreciate it .
Have a great day...I am off shopping for the afternoon and to the vets! Psst don't tell my dog, she doesn't really like going there!!! lol

Tis the Season for Pickling and Fairs

Only the bottom two shelves had any pickles

So not much is happening on the quilting front. The cause is one trip to an open veggie market and now I am pickling. Three  batches of salsa, pickled dills, pickled dill green beans,beets, mustard cucumbers and ground up tomatoes for spaghetti sauce this winter. The pickle cupboard it looking fuller now but I am slowly running out of large bottles.  I opened my mouth and said yes of course I will take those extra beets that you don't want....what was I thinking!?!?! I enlisted the help of DH and my daughter who is home working every second week. Why shouldn't they help...they eat the pickles.My daughter thinks we are crazy to make salsa..you can buy it in the store she says!!!There just isn't anything like homemade! Even if the fair judges don't agree! What you don't see in the picture is the two boxes of Salsa tucked under that pingpong table. I think we will make it through the winter with these bottles!!!

Some of my fair entries

Yes it is fair weekend here this weekend. My pickles,relishes, jams didn't do so great but I did do well at the sewing,quilting end of the fair. Only a couple of things didn't get any ribbons. A lot of red 1st place and one of my entries, a collection of sewn things(with the orange card) will be going to Toronto in February to be displayed! Never been asked to do that before.

So after the busy week I have had, I am settling in to do some sewing and hand stitching today. Isn't this fabric fun. It is going to be the backing for my Easy Street. I used wine themed fabrics on the front and found this and thought it would be perfect. Also had enough to do the borders!!! Check out Kathy's Quilts and see what others are doing today!

Summer holidays

It has been a busy two weeks. Wedding weekend and today finds me returning from DH family reunion. So not much has gotten done on the quilting front. Although I have been knitting and that is what I did today on the 5 hour drive home!
Sending thoughts and prayers out to my dear friend and her brother. These flowers are for her to let her know I am thinking of her.

Wedding Weekend

Well the weekend has arrived and the quilt is done! yes I fell short on my deadlines. In trying to get both quilts done, I only succeeded in getting the one finished. Luckily I have a little more time to finish hand quilting the other one, as I won't be seeing that bride and groom for a bit!   Not bad for     1 1/2 weeks!

Wedding Log Cabin

Easy Street Mystery Quilt

Also have been working on the last pieces of Easy Street. I have been giving out clue for one of our guilds and this month is the last one and putting the top together.Don't mind the kitchen floor, it was the only bright spot to take a pic this late at night. 

Well off to bed it will be a busy morning getting ready and off to the wedding. Hoping and praying for no rain...it is all outdoors!!

Count down is on!

It is one week to the weddings well it will be all over by this time next weekend! Yes two...although I won't be attending both as they are far apart(one is in a different province than I live) I do want to get both quilts done. Now having said that I will have a little more time for the out of province quilt because I am not sure when I will see them to give them their gift in person. But the other quilt I have completed the top(log cabin) in under a week and I am whimping out and sending it out to be long armed quilted. Hope I won't be binding it on the way to the wedding.I will post a pic later in the week once it is back from being quilted. So today I will continue to work on the hand quilting of the other wedding quilt.

Looking very summery

 Now somewhere in there this week I also have to finish the last clue in Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street Mystery. I  was asked to do a mystery quilt at one of my guilds. So I chose that one and we have been doing it since January.Along with the last clue, I want to put the top together to give the ladies some incentive to finish their tops for our September meeting.

Love these pink lilies

SQUIRREL!!!... funny saying around our house for completely changing the subject. I was out mowing the lawn and realized my lilies were starting to bloom. Now this is the flowerbed that was almost destroyed earlier this summer when we removed some trees. It has come along nicely I think! Check out Kathy's Quilts  and see what other hand stitching is going on today!

Busy, busy, busy!!!

this is how it looked before quilting

Well the hand quilting is coming along. Although I am not going to meet my deadline, I am lucky that I will have extra time to finish it before I give it to the bride and groom. I won't be going to the wedding and may not see them till the Fall. But people have told me I have one year to give a gift....so well...I have lots of time!!! I was asked last week, what I was quilting in the squares.

feathered star block from the back of the quilt

 So here are the pics...on the feathered star blocks I am outlining the star and added a heart in each corner. With a center octagon to help hold things.


On the plain alternate blocks I have  used a quilting stencil.

alternate block from the back of the quilt.

The set in triangles, also got the stencil in part. All the quilting is being done with chocolate brown thread. So I am making sure there are no oops, and stitches are evenly spaced..so this means removing stitches and redoing them sometimes!
Today's job is log cabin blocks. This is for a wedding in two weeks. I have a couple of days to sew the top and get it to my friend the longarm quilter.Cutting it a little close..yes...but I lost track of days and this wedding has snuck up on me!! Wish me luck!!! We'll see how fast I am, hoping to have it done by Wednesday!! YIKES
Linking to Kathy's quilts a day late...but check out what everyone is up to!