Working on it!

Seems to be the theme of the day....working on it,,,trying to get it finished. I realize I am not going to live forever but if I did I would have enough fabric and projects to keep me busy.
January has not been kind so far. I have been to two funeral in 5 days with 2 more funerals to come this week.Nothing like that to get you thinking of finishing things and getting your "poop in a group"!

this pic was during quilting but it is finished now with red binding

Last weekend we had a class on curvy log cabin.  I wanted to not just learn the technique but to actually have a purpose for the quilt when it was finished.  There are a few babies expected this year so issue solved. Now it is finished and waiting for a new home. I am not completely happy with my choice of fabric though. The log cabin effect doesn't really stand out but I am sure a little boy will just love all the puppy dog fabrics.
Today I will be basting yet another baby quilt and machine quilting it. Trying to clean off my tables in my sewing room to make room for setting up the hand quilting frame.

Hold your family close and give a shout out to a friend you haven't seen in awhile before it is too late.

Flocks of feathers

feathers that still need some work

Well today was a sewing day and just to make sure, I left the house! Well really it was guild day and we had a workshop. With a little prep work the night before I was able to get lots of sewing done at the class.These eleven blocks are the result of today's class. I will have a few hours more work to make them into a baby quilt for a little girl.
 I like doing these workshops learning a new technique. But I try to find a reason to make the quilt not just because there is a workshop. I have so many projects that need finishing and many many more that I wish to start....there is no time for making things I either don't like or don't want to do just because it is a workshop.
Next month at guild the workshop is bag making. I have enough bags so I will be taking another project to work on and maybe complete!

Fast forward one day. I started this post yesterday but was waiting for daylight to add pictures. Now today I have more to add.

Lori loved being around family

Once again life has thrown me a curve ball or in my case I call it a wake-up call. I learned this morning of a dear friend/cousin who passed away. We went to school together and she married my cousin. She was quite the lady, never at a loss for words or something to say. With all the recent funerals I have attended this is going to be the most difficult because she was the same age as me(well she was a few months younger, she always like to  point that out). I have started taking stock of my life, my accomplishments and things that I still want to do and be part of. You quickly come to the realization time is flying by too fast. So...love the ones you love, give them an extra tight hug today and quite putting off all those things that you think you have time for. Do them now what are you waiting for!!!

Another year older but maybe not wiser...

carnations my favorite

Another year older for me it is but not sure if I am any wiser!! My family has vowed to not enable my addiction to fabric and quilting so I had to give other ideas for gifts. So a new family ring is on its way to me. In the meantime I received this bouquet of flowers as a surprise and had a day of being spoiled by my DH on my birthday!

view out my window

Looking back a post, I can't believe it has been so long since I have written. Sorry to my readers, I will try to be more frequent with my posts. My problem is I take on long term projects that last many months and I don't want to bore you with the same thing.

En Provence

I have spent the last few weeks sewing away on En Provence. A mystery by Bonnie Hunter. My top is complete now but will have to wait a  bit to be quilted. I have a class this week at one guild to make this feather quilt. I am just making a scrappy version to give away. Next Saturday I have another class to make a curvy log cabin. I am also going scrappy with this one. See already I will have more to post in the future!! haha
I have received a commission piece that I am to hand quilt. I am just waiting for a special silk batting and the quilting will begin. This will be my winter project. There will be more pictures of that once it is set up on the frame.

feather quilt to be!!

February is going to be a busy month. I start the month with a small trunk show and finish the month teaching a class on curve piecing- Metro Rings by Sew Kind of Wonderful. In between we also have several UFO days planned. I am thinking by March I am going to need a vacation!

I think I can finish these soon

I think I will take a mini vacation tonight and do some slow stitching. I have this pair of socks almost done then I can work on this snowman embroidery. I will be joining in with my friend Kathy and slowing the pace and enjoying some quiet time.
Come back Tuesday or Wednesday and see how that pile of scraps became feathers...I can't wait to see!! Have a great week!!

Happy New Year 2017

my view on new year's eve

If the rest of the year is similar to how I spent last night....I will be one happy quilter! DH and the band were playing a dance in our little town. I chose to drive him to the venue and then return home and sew all night. I was behind on Bonnie Hunter's mystery so I needed to catch up. And I do mean all night as I had to go back and get him at the end of the dance...1 am!!! I got caught up only to find the last clue and reveal was today. Guess I know what I will be doing for a couple of days.

After doing my daily ( it seems) routine of shoveling driveways, I got a couple more hours in today. But this evening as I sit here typing away...there is very little energy left. It might be an early movie night with DH. I can't just sit and watch a movie so some slow stitching on something will get done. I have a pair of socks that I am knitting and the last block on my embroidery quilt to finish.

With this new year starting, I have been cleaning and purging "stuff" from my house. I have manage to tidy, sort, purge and dispose of 3 garbage bags to goodwill, one to garbage, and one grocery bag of books that I will take to the library.It feels good to know what you have and where it is. Although we think we have an extra remote for a WII player and can't find it. I suppose there are a few more spots that need cleaning.We won't even talk about my sewing room/half of the basement. NOT GOING THERE!!!!
So here is wishing everyone good health and happiness in whatever you chose to do with this new year and many thanks for the comments and kind words of encouragement I have received over the past year. Here is hoping I can make more regular blog posts this year.

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!