Merry Christmas! and Happy Boxing Day

homemade stockings

And now the gifts are all opened and the turkey has been eaten. It has been a great Christmas and I will be sewing in style this year. I got a new chair for my sewing room. There is not much going on in the sewing room  but dear daughter who is home does need some hemming done so that is on the agenda!There will be time later this week, for now some embroidery and knitting will get done.

comfy chair

I am linking up with my friend Kathy for her slow stitching Sunday. She was showing a favourite ornament. I don't have a favourite(they are all special) but this one was the year I started collecting vintage machines.My first and only featherweight. These stockings were all hand sewn. The cross stitched santa was made and finished Christmas eve 25 years ago just in time for my daughter's first Christmas! At our house even the dogs get stockings. Although we only have one dog now, I still hung our other's stocking(can't part with it). We started a new tradition last year. I bought us all sort of matching PJs, so this year our daughter bought us all mugs with sayings on them! Easy to tell whose was whose!?!

It is freezing rain here so travelling or boxing day shopping is out of the question. What are we to do...the family is waiting for this post to be done and the WII board is coming out for some entertainment!!! Hope everyone is enjoying their holidays with loved ones all around!

Oh My ...where have I been?

Ponytail toque

It is that time of year.....get togethers, guild parties and countless shopping trips to finish up the Christmas shopping. Yes that is what has been happening. But now I can say the baking is baked, the tree and house are decorated, presents bought and wrapped and with the exception of meals that need to be cooked, I am ready for this weekend.

"Frozen" characters and pinwheels

Over the past few weeks I have been knitting mostly but have managed to get a small quilt done and I have worked on my embroidery too.I am on the last block of the embroidery then I can put the quilt together. Maybe it will be done for this winter....I think I am on my third winter?!?! The small quilt is for charity. A "friend" not sure who(one of my knitting buddies) left some fabric at my house one day. And by left I mean they stuffed some in a boot and tossed the rest in my broom closet.They are not owning up to their mischief but regardless I use it and add more of my own and made this quilt. I have a second one but it isn't finished.                         Picture is a little dark, guess the Christmas tree needs more lights.

this morning

Winter is here, there is no doubt. It was later coming this year but is making up for lost time. Last week I think it snowed every day and as I am writing this tonight, it is snowing and blowing outside. I guess that pretty pink sky this morning was right....sailors take warning!!

Now I have time to catch up on Bonnie Hunter's mystery. I did the first clue and then fell behind with all the preparations but now I can sew and hopefully time will fly to the weekend and when my daughter comes home for the holidays. I am making dinner for my side of the family on Boxing day so that gives us a few days to catch up face to face.

With so much time between posts, I will try for another one this week but not sure that will happen.
So I will wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. Thanks for following along and bearing with this relatively newbie blogger!!!

Last November Sunday!

a little free-motion quilting

It has been a busy week indeed and today is no exception. I did groceries and some other shopping so that tomorrow I can do Christmas shopping alone without having to stop for groceries.  But also this  week I hosted my knitting group on Wednesday where we quilted, sewed and even knitted. We had a delicious pot luck supper and then we all headed out to a guild meeting(we just happen to all belong to the same guild too).

all walking foot quilting even circles

my colour choices

I have finished two quilts this week. Both are the Chic Sister pattern with the curved ruler from Sew Kind of Wonderful.






I also completed the first clue of Bonnie Hunter's mystery which started on Friday. Boy that was a lot of 4 patches. We are also doing a mystery at guild so that clue was completed as well. Just tying up loose ends in the sewing room. I am responsible for giving the pattern for the next few BOM at guild so I have to get them done. It is hard enough to do Christmas in July but I have to do a block in December for Easter!!! yikes!!
I am going to try to keep the Christmas sewing load light this year. Maybe a little knitting is all I will have to do.

This is what is next on my table. I received this fabric from a mysterious donor(who was at our potluck and won't say who she is). I found soome in my boot at the door and some was tucked in a closet. I wonder if there is more somewhere else in the house? I think there is enough with the other fabric I have added, to make two charity quilts. I think a couple of young girls will love them.
After supper I think it will be a slow stitching evening. I have checked in with Kathy's blog already today and will be back to see what everyone else is up to. She is talking needles and pins today. I don't have a favourite, I just use which ever one will get the job done and that I can see to thread the eye on!!
Hope everyone has a great week!

Keeping sane......

one of the Chic Sister quilts

How do you keep sane? Well there is no end to the ways a person finds sanity or relaxation. Me it is sewing and quilting. This week I will cover all the bases in how sewing helps me out from doing it for myself to teaching to enjoying a few moments of fun with my daughter. It is all here today with pictures too!!

Metro Hoops

Our guild(where I am on the program committee) has been working with the It's Sew Wonderful curved ruler. We have had two workshops so far with one more to come. I taught one class the Chic Sisters with spinning flower-looking blocks which I did with 1930's fabric. I decided I didn't want one large quilt so I have with some ingenuity created two quilts that will become Project Linus blankets some day! I have also taken a class that my friend Mallory was the teacher(she is on program with me).She taught the Metro Hoops. I wasn't keen on the round looking hoops so I gave the blocks a quarter turn and SURPRISE!! magic happened. You wouldn't even know it was the same quilt. I have fallen in love with this one, so I might be keeping it for me.

With Christmas coming quickly, I have decided to get all my "have to do" projects out of the way so I can relax and enjoy the season and the shopping I have to do. My friend asked me to make her grandson a stocking. It has become a tradition of sorts...I have made them for her other two grandkids. I think Winston will love Rudolph!!

pinning and cutting

working together

learning what a ripper is for!

My daughter was home on holidays for a week.  She was here to do some deer hunting but had some down time too. On the last evening she decided she would like Christmasy pillow covers for her living room and bedroom throw cushions. So after supper we started and in 2 hours with a simple pattern, we finished them. Six pillow covers in different colours and patterns for her to take home. It was fun for me because we don't normally do sewing things together. She ironed and I cut and sewed. Have to say I sewed one with the wrong side of the fabric out...so she also got to use the ripper too. Let's just say she was not too impressed!!! In all the hurry to get them finished to watch a movie, we didn't get any pictures. Although DH took some of us during the process! Some faces have been hidden to protect the innocent. And this all started because I showed her two pillowcases that I made for charity for another guild I belong to.

charity pillowcases in need of ironing

 So with all this going on today I am trying to slow the pace down a bit. I want to have some instant satisfaction so I will be putting together some blocks for some up-coming block lotteries that I am in charge of. They are snowmen and snowflakes...how appropriate for today as the white stuff is falling outside.
Later today into the evening as always I will pick up my needle and thread and work on the last block of my snowman wonderland quilt. I might even get it finished for this winter...I have been working on it for two winters already!! I will also check in with Kathy and see what she and everyone else is slow stitching on this week.

Here we go again!

sections to be sewn yet

Just as I finish a project, I begin another one. I was in a workshop yesterday that used the Sew Kind of Wonderful curved ruler. We did a lot of cutting and sewing. I am well on my way to a finished top but will have to do some sewing today to get it finished. I have lots of finished sections but no blocks as yet. I chose to downsize the quilt from the original pattern. I am making a lap size in the hopes that I can get it done faster and sooner!

almost finished block

This is also the start of my most favorite week of the year...opening of deer season! Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I want to see DH and the dog leave for a week and be left alone all week. BUT the plan is to get lots of sewing and quilting done this week. I have a couple of deadlines that I would like to see completed and I have some blocks of the month that need making for the coming months at the guild. Don't even get me started on how many kits or projects that are sitting in boxes and baskets waiting to be taken out and worked on, or just have their presence acknowledged!

pinwheels waiting to be sewn too

I have been working on the blocks from our first curved piecing workshop I taught a couple of weekends ago. I have made some changes and will probably end up with three smaller quilts using these blocks. I have mixed the colours to create a more pleasing pinwheel.My other blocks have the colours reversed with the white and they look kind of plain so I will have to think of some way to boast their appeal...maybe the quilting will do the trick.

 On slow stitching sunday I will be sewing at the machine till later in the day then I will join Kathy for some relaxing stitching with a needle and thread. I have taken out my embroidery once again to work on. This will be the second winter that I am working on these blocks. Why did I think I could get the project all done in one winter!!!I have made headway and have two or three blocks to go...but one is very large. They are a Crabapple Hill pattern called Winter Wonderland. Maybe this will be the winter I get to snuggle up under this finished quilt.
Have a great week and check back to see what I am getting done or at least sewing on!

Another finish!

lap quilt finished

There is another finish for me and the fifth one on my to-do list! It is a gift for my cousin's mother in law. I am sure they are all going to like it. I wanted to do some hand quilting on the embroidered parts and last week I spent 4 days at my friend's house so there was lots of sitting and quilting. I only needed one more day to finish the quilting and another day to put the binding on and stitch it down. It is very difficult to capture the colours in a photo.

My next  due date project is a Christmas stocking but that won't take too long so in the mean time I will continue sewing blocks together from my workshop the other week.You can read about it here. I also have to get some fabric cut and sewn into strip sets for this weekend's workshop. YIKES
My class was working with the Sew Kind of Wonderful curved ruler and this weekend is another class using the same ruler. We are getting our money's worth out of that ruler.

Next week is my Fall sewing week...yes DH is gone hunting for the week so that means late nights with movies and cereal for supper(not really but maybe one night)!

As a little bit of colour for the Fall, I bought a bouquet of flowers the other day. They were pretty and the lilies were closed but after a couple of days ....look at what I have!!!

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!!

Driving hangover!

store sample

Good thing it is slow stitching Sunday....that is all my body and soul wants or could do. A bit of an explanation is in order. Yesterday my friend Bernadette and I went on a shop hop. We went to stores I had never been to before so that was fun.We started out at 7 am yes AM, 2.5 hour drive to the first store and we were there for opening. But we were also in for a surprise. We thought there were only 6 stores and we knew we could get them covered in the day...but at the first store we mentioned as we were leaving...one down, five to go and the lady said....nooo!! That is when we started to get a little nervous..they had added two more stores. Could we get them all covered in one day...SURE we could skip lunch or eat in the van inbetween stores. WE GOT THIS!!!We did a couple quick stops and Bernadette made sure we stayed on schedule. She was a great navigator with her phone...right down to how many meters till the next turn!!

could fit in one bag

So today I am putting away my few purchases and getting my house in order so I can enjoy my week and not have to do housework!! There will definitely be some slow stitching with Kathy
later on in the afternoon for me so I can rest this achy back of mine.I have been doing physio and it is getting better, it is just more annoying than anything.
Lots of things happening this week, so come back and visit and see what I am up to!!

There's a nip in the air...

A nip in the air and some frost during the full moon and you know that you are into Fall. All that and this weekend DH is away getting the hunt camp ready for the coming season. That has meant I have had a few days to myself. They have flown by too. I got a little housework done after dealing with a pinched nerve in my back all week. But mostly I just hand quilted and watched Netflix. I have been watching a show called "Offspring". An Australian based drama/comedy about a gyne/ob doctor and her family members. It is quite entertaining!

rounding the first corner

In keeping with Sunday and Kathy's slow stitching movement ...a time to relax after a busy week, I will be doing more hand stitching. I have been finishing a quilt for a friend that her mother started. Her mother was a beautiful hand quilter(her stitches are so small). My stitches are no way as small but finishing this quilt for my friend is a labor of love so that she will have a special keepsake that her mom's hands created. I am on the home stretch...just have three outside borders to go, then binding and delivery. The binding could be a challenge as I have none of the fabrics that are in the quilt ( I am thinking some of those fabrics are older than me)but I am thinking a scrappy binding to match the leaves.I may have some similar fabric in my "deep" stash as Bonnie Hunter says!! On another note, the first thing I noticed when I received this quilt was that it was basted with yarn and I thought it was odd...but I have to say it holds the quilt in place much better than thread basting. The only drawback is when pulling it out the batting beards a little but is easily tucked back in. I want to try this on the next quilt I baste.

colourful fall leaves

I want to fit in some machine sewing today also and IF I do this is what I am working on. It has been sitting on my cutting table for two weeks.Yes it has been two weeks since I sat at a machine...please don't call the quilting police on me!!!!haha These are swoon blocks that I will be doing a demo on at guild in a couple of weeks. They look complicated but are really very easy to do and depending on where you put your lights and darks, the blocks look totally different.

swoon blocks in progress

Typing on here is not getting any sewing or stitching done...have a great week!!!

Running, running, running!

bride and groom

Yes it has been a fast and furious couple of days. Travelled to see out daughter and attend a friend's daughter's wedding. The red and white quilt I have been working on was for this bridal couple. They finally have it in their hands and I think they like it!!It was a great wedding held in the groom's large garage on a beautiful day in September. We drove home the next day in rain, the whole 5 hour drive of rain. So I would say the couple got very lucky to have had such a great day.

Today I was gone for the whole day to our quilt show in North Bay. I had 8 entries ranging from large, wallhanging to even a mini. I had one guest to the show asking about a quilt I have for sale. She might get back to me as she wants to make sure it would be a good size for her bed. By the end of the day all ribbon winners were also chosen. I received a 2nd place viewer's choice ribbon. I think that is very exciting. So now maybe I can sell it for more as it is a ribbon winner?!?!haha

hand quilted ribbon winner

So tonight it is a relaxing evening. I need to rest up from these busy days. Fall is fast approaching so things in the garden need tending to...anyone need zucchini?!
I will be checking in with everyone over at Kathy's blog and see what you are all working on. My evening will be putting a few more hand quilting stitches in the quilt I have been working on for a friend. Not sure what new projects might be on the horizon but stay tuned to find out.

Have a great week!

Slowly stitching away!

And by slowly stitching...I am speaking about my speed. Most everything has slowed down this week especially me. I somehow managed to catch a whopping head cold that has knocked me on my butt. Heavy sweater and some time sitting under a quilt hand qulting has passed the time. But I am done with it...it can leave now! I have places to be and people to see.
Our area is hosting a quilt show this coming weekend Sept 10-11 in North Bay. "Quilts by the Bay" is held every three years. Although it is put on by many guild members, the show itself is not sponsored by any guilds and you don't have to be a guild member to show your quilts.

pink colour catchers

But before that happens for me, I have a family friend getting married out of town and we wouldn't miss it. Her sister was married earlier this summer and now it is her turn. It has been a busy summer for this family. The bride's aunt and I have been asked to be the unofficial wedding coordinators for the afternoon ...very exciting (although I am sure everything is taken care of). This all leads me to my quandary....I made the happy couple a quilt and really wavered on washing it. It needed to be washed to rid it of pencil marks but with all the red and plain white...I was afraid of bleeding. Enter two colour catchers and they did their jobs well. I will show the colour catchers but the quilt will have to wait one more week! Don't want to give everything away.

Beans,peppers, tomatoes and zucchinis

The weather here is turning cooler and as some things in the garden are just about done, others are just starting. Cucumbers and zucchinis are starting to produce now but beans and peas are almost done for the season. Around this area it is called "lock your doors season"...if you don't, you may find zucchinis have come to visit!!

 So today I will be slow stitching along with Kathy, thinking healthy thoughts and kicking this cold to the curb. Might even go outside to soak up some rays and mow the lawn. Enjoy your long weekend...last of the summer and the beginning of Fall.

Summer is coming to an end

loaves made and a bit for supper

It is Fall Fair season in my area which signals an end to summer and the start of fall and all that brings. My sewing has taken a backseat lately to the garden which needs tending. Produce is ripening and needing to be pickled or bottled. Today I made zucchini loaves, and pesto( I have a great crop of basil this year). Yesterday I picked all the beans and clean,cut and froze them so we can have fresh or as close to fresh veggies this winter.

pesto and enough for daughter too

It was our little town's 96th annual fall fair this weekend. So Friday I loaded up my entries and took them to the arena and then I was a clerk(recording the winners on paper) for the afternoon. Yesterday I went up in the afternoon as DH and band were playing(always fun to listen to). Then at 4, I was able to retrieve all my entries. I did very well this year except in the pickling department. Well the pickles were probably okay but the lids let me down. I had lots of notes on my entries that said "don't use rusty lids".....who would do that really!!! I have reused lids in the past but not if they were rusty only ones in good condition. I guess like everything else...they aren't being made as well as years ago. So for me from now on...new lids all around. Has anyone else noticed this? Just wondering.


So  now that the kitchen is cleaned up and supper is thawing, I have the afternoon to visit my sewing room. Having just finished a large project, I always find it hard to get started again. Trying to figure out what I want to do next is a challenge...not that there is a lack of projects that need attention. I will be sitting down later today for some slow stitching  with Kathy
I still have binding that needs completing on a gift I am working on. Busy week ahead for me, hope you all enjoy your week too!