Snowy slow stitching Sunday!!

Snow started on Halloween and has melted a bit but I think it is here to stay for the winter. We got 4" yesterday and more overnight. My friends think I am crazy but I love the snow, walking in it or watching it from inside!
This week DH was away hunting so I had the house to myself and all the time to sew. I have completed a doll quilt (for a fair entry), one quilt of valor, one charity quilt and I am working on finishing another quilt of valor. I think it is very appropriate considering tomorrow is Remembrance Day.

All this work couldn't have gotten done without the generosity of my friend Bernadette. She has loaned me her new Juki machine to do some machine quilting with. I kept teasing her that she should let me break it in for her. I never considered she would actually let me. I am seriously thinking of getting one of these, it has become the first and maybe only thing on my Christmas list!! I have a Husqvarna machine but it just doesn't seem to handle the bulk of seams when machine quilting. Bernadette and I have worked out a deal....I use her machine in exchange for some homemade knitted socks....DONE!!!

looks like binding

who sewed them together that way

binding sewn on

yellow plaid front/green backing

                                                                                                                                  I have a funny story for everyone. The charity quilt I was working on got to the binding stage today. I already had binding made for it(or so I thought). When I grabbed it off the pile, I soon realized that I had 2 1/2" strips but for some reason(OMG I can't remember) I sewed the strips together....lengthwise!! Did I have another plan...perhaps a pieced border??I just don't know, so I started unsewing them and cut them smaller and found another colour to go with them and match the quilt. I made a two-coloured binding for the quilt. So the binding will be scrappy to match the front of the quilt and green to go with the backing.I love making two-coloured binding. It gives you options when putting a quilt together.

I have already checked out Kathy's blog today and what she is up to. She is busy too!! I will be joining in with the slow stitching later because while the lighting is good I am in the sewing room quilting up a storm! Besides slow stitching today could be binding or maybe I should be working on those knitted socks!!

Let it snow.... let it sew...... let us sew!!!

baby quilt using leftovers

The snow that fell overnight Thursday into Friday is hanging on and more flakes  drifted to the ground overnight. I get to see all this from the window of my sewing room .I just love those first snowfalls!
Working on a baby quilt. I got all the pieces cut out and spent Friday evening sewing nine patches. I had just enough coloured animal prints to finish off the design I decided on. It was indeed a good sewing day!!! Had to look for the perfect fabric for borders. It is a good thing having a stash to dig into. Last night the top was completed so today I have to do more digging and look for a backing. This one might get finished this week.

prize winning quilt

I received great news yesterday. My applique quilt that won at our local fair in August, went onto District level and won first prize. Now it will go onto Toronto in Februrary. Very exciting, I have never had one go to Toronto!!! I also received from our local fair a trophy for the most points in needlecrafts. So nice to be recognized for something you love to do! Temporary backdrop could use some ironing!!haha

more leftovers

Now I am all about using up leftovers, that is where the baby quilt came from. I was completing "On Ringo Lake"mystery and putting fabric away. Too many nine patches were made so I decided to use them up. There was some green/teal triangles that spoke to me and wanted to be a quilt too. They will be sewn into this doll quilt that will be a new entry for this coming summer's fair!
Now being Sunday, we know that Kathy is up to some slow stitching.I will save mine for later this evening. While it is bright and somewhat sunny, I want to sew and be at the machine! Check out Kathy's blog and see what others are hand stitching on today! There is always lots of inspiration there to look at!! Come back and visit, it is going to be a busy week!!!

My Favorite Season...Quilting!

1st snowfall, hubby gets to play

Although some would say I quilt all year long and I do...in the Fall the true time for quilting begins. Hubby is away hunting and while the white stuff gave us our first taste of winter overnight, we know there is more to come.
It is also the time of year for my annual quilting retreat. That happened this past weekend. Fifteen ladies, copious amounts and types of  projects and four days to get everything done.

blocks for valor quilt

I came home further ahead 2 1/2 quilt tops, 4 blocks for BOM from guild and some work completed on some leaders and enders\(another quilt started) in between everything.
I will own up to the 1/2 quilt top....it was a Bonnie Hunter mystery from two years ago. I thought I had all the clues done and just had to finish the last one. I took the whole project to my room at retreat and tried to lay it out on the floor only to discover I hadn't made enough pieced sashings. Not a big problem, I can make more...BUT I left all the fabric at home!!!Trying to travel light didn't work out...so I did what I could and put that project away and started another. I brought lots so not a problem.

1/2 of retreat sewing room

So this week I have been working on that 1/2 quilt top to finish it up. Last night while it lay on the floor and I was trying to decide if it needed a border or not...I referred back to the instructions from Bonnie Hunter and she said her quilt spoke to her and said it didn't need a border. I have to agree and I am calling this one completed. Today I will look for backing and prep it for long arming or maybe I will quilt it myself.

Also last night while putting all the fabrics away from the finished top, I had some scraps, nine patches and triangles. So with a little designing, I came up with a small baby quilt that will use up the pieces. From scraps to oh so cute!Stay tuned for that finish, maybe this weekend!!
Have a great quilty/snowy day!!