Groundhog Day

starting point

2nd a little harder

some got to this point too

Yes I saw my shadow...6 more weeks of quilting!!!
This week I accomplished many things..and this is what I have to show! Yesterday I was teaching paper piece to some ladies from one of the guilds I belong to. We started out simply with a heart, moved onto a star that had 4 units and finally into arcs and a very detailed star. The ladies did wonderfully and picked up the process quite quickly. There was some grumbling and a few stitches taken out but at the end of the day...they were going home to try and finish their pieces. We weren't making anything in particular, just learning the technique. Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera but I might get some pics later from a friend who was there.

Along the way I have been sewing up my blocks from the Allietare mystery quilt.(check this link to Bonnie Hunter's blog to see some other quilts)They are actually going together quickly. Once laid out they are just a nine patch that needs sewn together except there are 50 blocks altogether.  I just wanted to get the little pieces sewn up before I lost some in my mess of a sewing room.

knitted afghan

This week I have really put the push on to get an afghan finished too. It was started by my DH's aunt(who passed away).She had many projects started that I am hoping to finish and this is the first. It is knitted and very large ...almost big enough for a double bed!! I am also amazed that our knitting styles are very similar. You would have a hard time knowing which panels I did and which she did. OR maybe she is watching over me. She was making these afghans for her 6 grandkids, so I am hoping to finish one for each of them.
I am bound and determined to finish projects this year and so far I am on course. With what got completed last week see here and what I have lined up, I should be well on my way. So today for slow stitching Sunday(no Superbowl fans here) along with some sewing of Allietare blocks, I am hoping to finally put some stitches in this pink and brown quilt I basted last week. I found a better coloured pink thread to quilt it with. Check  in with Kathy and the ladies and see what they are slow stitching this week.
Hope you all have a great week ahead!!

February 1st.....slow down already!!!

who I listened to while stitching away

How did that happen? Well I guess when you finally find your mojo after the holidays and you have your nose buried in fabric...time sure flies!!
I managed to get a lot accomplished this weekend. On Friday night DH and friends were practicing (jamming they call it) and I was able to enjoy the music from my sewing room while  I finished the binding on these two baby quilts. They might not get delivered for awhile but they are done!!

baby quilts finished

string quilt

Saturday it was time for this string wonder quilt. It is funny how the patches all looked similar but in the photo I can see where I could have put different fabrics to make it more blendy. But I like it and a good first attempt. I pinned it and quilted it with a meandering pattern and found just enough red for the binding. I would have loved to have bound it  in black but just didn't have enough to do it. Need to add black to the shopping list for the next quilt store visit!

top, backing and quilting thread choice

I like to save the binding for the evening while watching TV...so Sunday I went searching for backing. You know when you have an idea and you can't seem to find just the right fabric, never give up. Now I do have a bit of a stash to search through but I was thinking pink but couldn't find just the right one. As a last ditch effort I went into the brown box and VOILA...the perfect backing for a quilt for a young lady. Not only that but this particular piece was used before for a backing and had some cut out of it. There was just the perfect amount of fabric for the backing I needed without wasting any and it was a directional fabric. I love Karma and how it works in quilting.
My slow stitching this Sunday with Kathy was basting a quilt that now has the most perfect brown backing!!! haha  My poor little fingers are sore from all that basting too. I plan to do some hand quilting of baptist fans on the quilt to practice up for a couple other quilts I want to do this winter. I hope I can get them all done. One job or quilt at a time! Now to go and do something before I have to wander off to guild this evening. At least I will have lots to show during show and tell! Have a great week.

A sewing we will go....

Not only was the weekend filled with quilting but yesterday was a UFO or free sewing day at guild. I spent the weekend getting two baby quilts machine quilted and I have a third quilt almost ready to be quilted. There will be some binding days in my future.

just a tease...wait till you see the whole quilt

At yesterday's workshop I started a new quilt, one that will be a workshop for another guild I belong to. I have to have the sample ready for the February meeting so most of the day was spent cutting. It is not a complicated pattern but I waited till the last minute to chose the fabric so cutting was done at the workshop. I have part of the block sewn with the rest to be done today. Another on the program committe has her top done and she used batiks so I wanted to go with something totally different so the quilt ladies would see how the pattern is adaptable to different fabrics.

meet Penelope Piedmont

Also yesterday I took "Penelope" out to sew. It was her first outing to guild and she worked beautifully. The only drawback is her case is not realiable so I had to put her in a plastic tote for carrying. I think she weighs about 40-50 lbs so not exactly portable. I might have to see if she will fit in my travelling bag with wheels.
After tidying up the house  a bit, I am headed to my sewing room for another day of sewing and watching the snow falling outside.
Happy week ahead!!

When you get a snow day...

The snow came, unfortunately it came mostly Friday evening into Saturday. I was forced to cancel the paper piecing class I was suppose to  teach but this gave me a free day of sewing that I wasn't expecting. I made good use of it too.

a little blurry but colourful

I have had these string blocks together since October but needed to make them into a flimsy. It will be a sample for a demo I am showing on Tuesday at guild. So that was completed. Now I just have to figure out what colour to use for the outer border. Any and all suggestions will be considered!Maybe piano keys to futher use up some strings and strips, I am not sure.
Today was another snowy day and after the laundry was in, I decided to finish up a couple of blocks from our guild BOM. We were each given a different focus fabric to use and it has to be in every block. After that the colours and fabrics are our choice. The blocks  finish at 12" and the focus fabric is growing on me. It is a Kaffe Fassett fabric that I wasn't too sure about in the beginning.

outer space circles is the focus fabric

Block #4 and 5 of 12

I have already peeked in with Kathy to see what everyone is slow stitching on today. I am just slow today...does that count!!! It is always fun to see what everyone is up to and working on. Just a little fuel to help this ole engine get in gear.
Here's to the week ahead, make each moment count and be happy!

The snow is coming and so are the babes!

samples for paper piecing class

It is mid January and we finally have some snow that is staying with more coming. Of course there would be more coming...I am teaching a class tomorrow or suppose to be?!! I am teaching paper piecing. I spent yesterday getting all my stuff ready and doing step outs of my samples. I had forgotten how addicting paper piecing can be....as you add each piece of fabric you can watch  your quilt come alive. I have a bit of a challenge for the ladies but they don't know about it yet. Come back on Sunday and see what we did all day Saturday if the weather lets us.
Yes the babes are coming too. As I said in my last post, there seems to be a baby boom going on around me. I finished the top of  the second baby quilt, I have made for little boys, with a third one waiting in the wings to be made.Now to find time to quilt them and binding and they will be ready.
I also finished a little knitted sweater for a wee one. The pattern said complete in 5 hours. Bahahaha somewhat like a quilt in a day!!We all know that doesn't happen! But it is done and adorable if I do say so myself! I might add a small toque to go with it. Camera died so pics of the sweater and quilt will have to wait.
Enjoy your Friday, I am off to my knitting group and hoping the snow holds off till later this afternoon!

Don't worry ...be happy!

So here we are well into the month of January. For me that means I am a year older. Yes a birthday was had last week and I was spoiled for a day by my DH. My daughter gave me my birthday gift at Christmas so candle fragrances filled the air too along with an afternoon with the girls knitting.

disappearing nine patch

close up of fabric cute bears

I am looking ahead to the year to come. Many workshops and quilt programs to get ready not to mention the BOM that I am involved in that need some attention. There has and continues to be a baby boom around me. So this week I took a break from Bonnie Hunter's mystery and started two baby quilts for a couple of little boys. The quilts aren't finished yet but these are sneak peeks of them. I have another little boy one to make but I have a little time for that.

2nd quilt- cute fishing bears

I have seen many comments on the different facebook sights that quilters are having a hard time finding their mojo since the holidays. There is definitely a down period after all the excitement, family and food of those few weeks. My advice is to just pick a project...new or old and jump back into it. It doesn't take long to get bitten by the quilting bug and you are off. My New Year's resolution, if you want to call it that, is to be happy and positive. Easy you may think but some days this can be difficult. My friend Louise gifted me this coffee mug that says it all and was incentive or driving force behind my resolution. I think this is one resolution I just might be able to keep.

I will be behind the sewing machine today, finishing up the baby quilts and prepping them for machine quilting. If the quilting fairies are with me...I will be slow stitching the binding in place later today. Join Kathy
and the others slow stitching today and see what we are all up to, that should give some incentive to those who can't find their mojo.


Also Kathy ask us to leave an encouraging word for those that stop by. As my mug says "I have decided to be happy because it is good for my health".
I encourage you all to get your health checked...mammograms, pap smears.  We are no good to anyone if we are sick or unhealthy.This is on my agenda this week, one of those necessary evils we women have to go through. Here is to the week, months and year ahead...cheers!!!

Happy New Year!!

Welcome 2016 and all that is new and waiting to be discovered.
It was a quiet evening at my house as DH was working at a dance and I stayed home with the dog to relax and enjoy an evening of netflix!

my mystery colours

I thought I was doing well to catch up on Bonnie Hunter's mystery only to discover she did her final reveal last night as the ball dropped in Italy. Sneaky isn't she!! So today is a ME day of sewing, hoping to have a bit of the top done to show on Monday during the link up. My cutting table is looking a bit of a mess, can't wait to see how it will look altogether.

It is so nice not to have deadlines rushing me to get things done but having said that I find that I am lally gagging. Do any of you find that?I have lots of projects on the go and things that need to be done but they just don't have a deadline...so there is no hurry. But then WHAM.....the day is upon you and you're working late hours in a rush to get it all done.
Sooo....I am attempting to stop this vicious circle  or at least  slow it down somewhat this year. Get it done ......what am I waiting for!

This week we got a good dumping of snow and it has snowed a little bit each day since. Today it is a winter wonderland and I get to watch it from my sewing room. That with some tunes and a fragrant candle burning and I am in my little piece of heaven!!

 Wishing you all things new and wonderful in 2016. May your bobbin always be full, quilting hours plentiful and your stash overflowing!