Frost on the Pumpkin

student's blocks from class

It is turning colder just one day at a time. This week was a busy one. DH was out from his hunt camp for a unexpected funeral of a dear friend. I had to teach a class this weekend that got moved from one venue to another and even had to change days. I also have a couple of projects that have deadlines that are quickly approaching. So what is a girl to do...blog about all of it!!!

more student's blocks from class

I didn't get to join Kathy for slow stitching today read on to find out why. I was teaching a class using the Sew Kind of Wonderful curved ruler. We did the "Chic Sister" pattern that looks like a buzz saw! Nine students and this is the result of a days work. There is lots of sewing to get these two blocks that are the reverse colouring of each other.

One project that I am working on is a gift for a cousin's mother in law. She gave  me the embroidered blocks and I am making a quilt out of them. This is how far I am. Today I will be marking the top for hand quilting and sandwiching it so that I can start the quilting.Some quilting will be machine quilting but around the embroidery I thought it deserved hand quilting.

I have many projects that need completing but somehow I find myself spinning my tires. If this week has showed me anything it is that you just never know what your future is. In a split second everything can be gone and your hourglass of sand has run out. We don't know when that will happen so all we can do is push ourselves to do all those things that we think we have lots of time to do.
Not to get too sad here but just trying to encourage you along.
I started a UFO list, I had one year and I have 7 of 12 projects done. Now some on that list are on-going projects like my hexies but still I feel I have accomplish something.
But it is hard I know...with each new book or magazine purchase there are more ideas to do...well just do them, what are we waiting for.

So with that said...I am off to my sewing room! Have a great week everyone!

It's October....oh so busy!

view from my room

After Thanksgiving the month of October is a whirlwind. I have just returned from my annual(8th I think)quilting retreat. We have moved around to a few different venues but this year's has been the best so far! We were in Temagami in Northern Ontario at Temagami Shores Inn. They took such good care of us.Unfortunately I am going to have to rely on others for pics. I took my camera but forgot to put the memory chip back into it after doing last week's post. Here are the few I have so far. As with any room full of women...there was much talking, laughing and giggling and yes we did get some sewing done too.

waiting for dinner

our sewing room

On the first day a few of us joined in on a road trip further north to a flea market where they sold quilting fabric. We all did some damage but I came out being the one who did the most damage to my credit card!!! Not sure if that is a good thing or not. I wasn't going to do a mystery quilt at one of my guilds but when I saw a a certain fabric I couldn't resist anymore.

one set of blocks I did

late Sunday, blocks piling up

I worked on blocks for a quilt I will be teaching this Saturday. That was for one day and then the rest of the weekend I completed blocks from two shop hops from this summer and rainbow scrap challenge. I took many other projects and scrap bins with me but the time just flew by and it was time to go home.

OMG we were so young, 

I arrived home to an empty house as DH is gone hunting. So I unpacked the van and lazed on the couch for the evening. It is very exhausting weekend of sewing.
Today is our wedding anniversary too. Twenty-nine years with this fellow. I spent the weekend with the girls and he is with the boys today! I love our relationship!!!
Today will be unpacking and preparing for Saturday's class. I have more blocks to make and step-outs to prepare for the class.

 Hope you all have a great week!

So much to be Thankful for!!

Waiting to go to its home

It really is a weekend to be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving from Canada.This is a busy weekend in my household. Our daughter is home for a visit and to do some bird hunting with her dad. It is also the weekend that I get ready to go away for my annual quilting retreat. But first I must make sure things are prepared and laundry is done  cause before I return DH is gone for a week of hunting. So today while they are off looking for birds, I will be searching for projects to do at the retreat. There is no lack of projects but it is a matter of which ones I would like to do! There will definitely be some decisions to make this week.

newest socks for ME

I haven't blogged for a couple of weeks because there hasn't been much happening. I have been taking care of a pinched nerve in my lower back which has hindered getting much sewing done. I have gotten a few things accomplished. The yard is cleaned up and ready for Fall and all the pickling is done. I still have a few large zuchinni to use up but that will happen. In the sew/knitting department I have finished the green quilt for my friend.With no fabric left from the quilt, I folded the backing to the front for the binding and hand stitched it in place.You can read about this quilt's story here. Today I will find a label for it and she will be picking it up in two weeks. I also finished these socks. It has taken me over 9 months to do the first sock and I have finished the second one in a little over a week. Just in time for the cooler weather. In my defense, I didn't do much knitting this summer but I did finish 4 large quilts!!

With today being Sunday and Kathy having her slow stitching Sunday, I will be joining in but later in the evening. There is much sorting and packing to be done and maybe a little sitting at the sewing machine with any luck. I have this pattern from "Sew Kind of Wonderful" cut out and maybe I will sew a few of these blocks. It is made using a special ruler with a curve in it.I will be teaching this as a class at our guild Oct.22, so I guess it would be good to have some of it finished!!! I thought it would be great with a white background and print swirls but once I started actually doing the pattern I realized the way it is pieced you get mirror image blocks. So now I will have to come up with a new layout for mine as I have cut all the blocks already. Oh well "creative opportunity"!!!

"Chic Sister"

 Have a great week everyone and enjoy the beautiful Fall colours!!