Catchup - Jan 6th-30th

Jan 26th

I've obviously fallen behind as this morning Day 7 TIAS was posted.  Easy peasy on this step!  AND I too thought of body parts the other day but then NAH she wouldn't, would she!  But now it looks like a skeleton head to me, holes and all, but what animal!  Or could it be a space alien?  I totally love these mysteries moreso than my quilting ones!  Course it's one or two colour threads compared to various fabrics for a quilt, my other passion!

Well I'm still feeling crappy 🤧 but am accomplishing things.  Got some tatting done, my English letter translated to Ukrainian and printed off so my sister won't be overtaxed doing such when she drops off my parcel for Hanna.  See I met this Dauphin family that left with ONE suitcase each and she showed me some embroidery that she used to do.  So I've purged what I can spare and recycling my excess to someone who has nothing!  That makes me fell really good!  Also an online friend said some supplies are difficult to find so I've some excess items going to her too!  It's not making a dent in my STUFF but am happy some is going out the door!  Also cut out another baby bath towel to serge tomorrow and hopefully mail out.  Now watching the Jets (recorded) and tackling a tatting UFO too with feet up!  🤗

Yeah!!!  I've completed a tatting UFO from spring of 2022.  Yes Jane's 2022 TIAS Doris the Dragon is now tatted, even tackling them awful SCMR self closing mock ring and I learnt lock chains!  Awesome!  Mine was tatted with Lizbeth size 20, #691 Mocha Brown Medium.  Talk about an appropriate colour and cutie too!

Now to find my other tatting UFO and decide how these mysteries will be displayed!

Jan 27th

Ohhhh my what a gloomy day out and me inside with this crappy cold!  AND look what fell overnight and still today!  My ledge was bare yesterday and now a 6-8 inch build up again!!!!!

Another baby bath towel set ready to be gifted!

While in the sewing room I noticed the snow bank is higher on this ledge!  SHEESH!!!

This cold has not diminished my appetite nor energy, thank goodness!  I made a major dent today in sewing etc with breaks when feeling tired (off and on).  Even put together another postcard  swap and close to finishing hopefully as it should be mailed out by month end.  Yeah I'm cutting it close!

Jan 28th

Okay Angie's flight at 6:30am was delayed 12 hours and good thing I checked my phone before loading up at 7:30am!!!  I took a Tylenol and back to bed till 10:30am!  I'm a WHIMP when sick or in pain!  

The one good thing with 12 extra hours, I got a good sleep after a rough night and finished off my PFA swap postcard too!  

From the back.

Front side.

Jo's picture on left from Auckland, NZ, my inspiration! 

WOW got lots done when you have to stay put and not galivant!  😂  So before supper I even mailed off my packages, got supper to go, home to load up with my kind neighbour's help with masks on, off to my sister's also mask on to swap fabrics for ink pencils then finally 8pm with the dogs!  

OHHHH these stinkers didn't even twitch in their naps after I sneezed half dozen times in a row nor after my coughing fit!  HMMMMM!  Not fair!!!! 

I pray their WestJet takes off on time after two more delays!  I'm too pooped to reload - so WestJet PLEASE listen to me and fly on time please pretty please!!!!!!!!

Jan 29th

OMGG I wish I was in Montana in Teresa's maybe "deep freeze" as she posted on TIAS !  Here in the Canadian prairies it's "extreme cold warnings" in -28C with wind chill of -37C and overnight will be -31C with windchill -42C!  🥶  Even the Bernese dogs run out and minutes later back in and I don't blame them!  Dang lucky Angie to finally escape this for Mexico!!!  Good thing it may only be a week then normal winter???

So today I'm tatting Day 8, cutting my blocks for a mystery quilt starting tomorrow and reading.  Now this tatting with a cold gave me a bit of grief but Jane quickly set me straight, "rippit" and VOILA I think I got it!  But now maybe my skeleton is off kilter AND if there was a head I'd say a swinging monkey?  Time will tell!

Okay I've decided on my fabrics and all cut out for the Block-A-Day Mystery Quilt Along with Melissa Marginet after seeing options others are using.  I want a scrappy but cheery type of quilt top and think I've got it, finally!  The red and blue/purply fabrics are the darks, rest are FQs of lights.  There is one light I didn't have enough for 2 pieces but will check my mask fabrics, might be in there.  If not then I'll go with option two.  So I've set up my machine and hopefully ready for tomorrow's start!!!

Option 1, if I can find more white with stars!

Option 2, if not found.

Jan 30th

Okay I've sewn up my 6" blocks and squared off but now wondering if the red in bottom row on right is too dark a yellow n red for a light?  I can still change this.

Ohhhh it feels so good to hopefully be over this yucky sneezing and coughing already.  Part of yesterday and all today felt normal!!! 

So I went to my embroidery tester pattern class (first of this needlework for me) and boy was I glad I did!  Even with personal instruction I'm not sure I totally understood and if I'll get all the homework completed before the next class in two weeks!  I'm sooooo glad Kathryn's hubby booked them a week's vacation, I'll need the extra time for sure!

Now  W H Y  did I sign up for TWO quilting mysteries besides the tatting one along with this class???  WHY, OH WHY, do I do things like this to myself!

Then back to the apartment to meet Florence for a goodies exchange and back to the dogs!  They behaved so I quickly fed them before they decide to have my pizza instead!

Catchup - Jan 21st-25th

Jan 21st

God's country is lovely!!!  Awesome visit with Jan!  Lovely!  Thank you very much!

A "snow snake"!!!!

What are you?  You sing nicely!  A pine grosbeak!

Yep Janice just about killed me!!!  But it was BEAUTIFUL!!! 

Thank you Cindy is for the ride!

Waiting for the woodpecker or bluejay to return, instead snapped this!

Love this and glad you took it!!!

Thank you!

Love this one!!!  Thank you!

Jan 2nd

OMGG, I forgot to post this on the 19th!

This morning you can actually see the variegation in the thread I'm using, Lizbeth size 20 colour 167 Jungle Greens, so subtle a colour change.  Hmmmm the first thing that popped into my head when I saw this pattern images is it MIGHT BE a butterfly or moth wing!  Might not be too!  She's sneaky, our Jane!

I'm using, Lizbeth size 20 colour 167 Jungle Greens, so subtle a colour change.  Well I doubt it's a butterfly or moth now!  Looks like we finished off one side of a bike's handlebars, but I doubt it!

Jan 23rd

Okay I even went shopping and all I could find is the turquoise blue bottom left.  The rest is from my stash for this mystery project.  So I decided to go with the two top star fabrics as my darks (1 yard cuts each) and the bottom 4 as my lights (1/2 yard cuts).  But not sure which bottom four sets.  What might work best Melissa?  Yes this hopefully will be a cheery kids ABC quilt!

Block-A-Day Mystery Quilt Along with Melissa Marginet

Jan 24th

Yesterday I was achy etc but no Covid so I picked up Sylvia and her just finished 2004 UFO top to Selkirk, Lori Suss Night Owl Quilting to do her magic!  We had lunch at the Riverboat Family Restaurant for the first time and will check it out again.  Then dropped into Mama Bears quilt shop and other stores before heading home.  Sylvia took over driving as my hip was paining me.  We wanted to stop into Cedar House Quilting and Keystone Modern Creative shops BUT both were closed, ohhh well maybe a good thing for me!  

Once home, feet up, hockey on, I finished off turning, clipping in place and hand stitching the binding on my Jungle Fun, 2006 Western Retreat mystery quilt project UFO.  I just love how the quilting turned out!

Okay I've "rethunk" the Block A Day mystery fabric requirements as I still couldn't figure out the first attempt.

So first is dark and light FQs (or they will be) once decided.  The second is dark prints with various cream prints, not at all to my liking.  I'm still not sure which I'll use!  This is my MAJOR problem with mysteries, fabric choices!!!!  🤔🤔🤔

I miss this old icon but things change and life goes on!  You can't have both!

Canada Life Centre

Phewie this day was tough on my brain!  And that's only cause I'm coming down with cold/flu symptoms, negative for Covid.

So had our lace meeting but kept my mask on near others.  Then home to reselect my fabrics for Block-A-Day Mystery Quilt Along with Melissa Marginet, I'm having a hard time with this but determined to get it together tomorrow as I need to start cutting blocks.  

And then Day 6 for Jane's TIAS arrived and again fought with the instructions before I figured it out!  Sorry for the crooked photo but I was trying for stitching clarity.  

Maybe I should just rest before messing more up!  🤔 😆

Catchup - Jan 16th-21st

Jan 16th

OMGG what a great idea for the beautiful fabrics used in some masks. 

Susan Llorens's photo!  BEAUTIFUL!!!

I might snag this idea but not just yet as I'm still using my masks!  Thank you for sharing!  I'm posting on my page for future reference!  💗

I'm thinking of a square sashed cushion cover.

This is so much better than the vertical type hooks etc that sometimes does not HOLD items.  Wouldn't work for shovels, hoes etc but those could be on vertical hooks or rubber clamps at different heights to offset wider bottoms?  Nifty!!!

Okay attempted to put away my large banquet table and try setting up half my antique table for a smaller workspace but not using my newer dining table.  Maybe it'll work as long as I don't stockpile the sewing room cutting table again!  All was cleaned off and set up again with rulers for the weekend's retreat.

So decided to audition some decorating ideas.  First with my postcards, love the window idea but I think I'll hang both side by side above the antique machine case in the sewing room.  

Just a few of hundreds I have made!!!

Frames from Michael's on sale!

Like them here but light distorts fronts.

And probably fade backs too!

Here's where they'll hang!

Then played with my antique table, too cluttered so settled on simple and more work room.

Middle two Sylvia made for me.

Both on sides I made at MPQ workshop classes.

Nope not for dining!

Table topper from one of Adiena's retreat classes!

Perfect under this embroidery project.

Now that I removed all the PPing pattern from my log cabin, I'll now try to sew on the narrow edging that folds over the batting covered canvas to create a fabric frame and folded over n stapled in place.  Will see if I can replicate my class project one (Dad on their first homestead)!

So here's the next step of Jane's TIAS tatting mystery.  I still have no idea what it'll grow up to be!  All I can say, as long as things go good, I enjoy these TIASs!

Jan 17th

Nifty keeping little one entertained in the same room while you prep or clear supper!

I spent most of the day with Sylvia and she bought veggie skillets lunch at Southdale Village Family Restaurant - YUMMY!!!  Then over to her place to wash/dry our previously purchased fabrics, set the puzzle, started a new one and finished off my Log Cabin Mini!  

Once home I updated my Queen of UFOs accountability log (projects bought, planned or started prior to Dec 31st), just filling one landscape page totalling "38"!  Now there are at least 4 large tubs of UFOs but I've pulled out a few and working on them, step by step, that is in between new projects!  Hmmm I wonder how many I'll finish off in 2023.  Yes I've that log too, so besides that year's new projects which I hadn't listed, 2021 I finished off 7 items, 2022 only 4 items and so far in 2023 I've finished off 2 items!  Gotta keep plowing forward!

Jan 18th

WOW!!!  But I'd attach a clear shower curtain or two from top shelf or on a tension bar near top, to keep dust out etc.

WOW!!!  I just received Sylvia's picture of the finished PPd inside of her wall hanging, Wild Geese by Shelly Burge from her book "Small Quilts Made Easy".  

She has to add a solid inner border, then one strip of geese extended in a wider green print border.  Also she sometimes won a Tim's gift card too!  Nice going!

Jan 19th

Right On!  But some of the comments I just have to shake my head at!  Just enjoy the humour of the sign, not get on your high horse and take offense!!!!!

Okay going over to Sylvia's today for puzzle setting, hand applique time plus MPQ ZOOM meeting!

But first off I pressed seams flat for two, I think 2006 WR UFOs for this next month to work on!  

Stack n Whack fabric used.

Mystery quilt, miniature version, naturally!

Boy I can sure see the angst my Kenmore gave me, see it would stitch okay then like the tiniest stitches just about on top of each other.  It was hit and miss and serviced many times (feed dogs were wearing out) before I gave up and bought my Janome.

Not sure about hanging this baby so found another easel!  Mom n Dad's table not yet refinished!!!  Bad me!!!

Ohhhh I arrived at a perfect time to help Sylvia out removing her paper piecing.  She was like me using tweezers and not happy!  

I quickly explained Pearl Braun Dyck's suggestion of lightly spritzing the paper and lickety split it just lifted off eaily, no tweezers needed really.  The things we learn at retreats!  Next is sandwiching, quilting and binding.

OMGG Annette from Saskatchewan and her  fabric postcard "trees" arrived - snow covered pine boughs it's BEAUTIFUL!!!!  My elm(?) trees out my windows were covered like this with snow then hoar frost.  I love nature!  Thank you so much and even love the intense sticks painting on the back too!!!

Jan 20th

This is from yesterday while I was waiting for the frost to clear from my windows!  Nifty!

Today while sandwiching my I think 2006 WR mystery miniature quilt version I was reminded of Frank Gray who last year passed on.  I was so appreciative of his carpentry and beautiful glass works.  But this dandy tool that Beryl brought to our Western Retreats has been my fingernail God send that's for sure!  I misplaced it a while back and ripped many a nail.  Once found I now stash it with my basting pins!!!

Jan 21st

Thank you Pat and Amanda for the "girls casino night out" this evening!  I finally had my shrimp dinner and with past points had $8 off too!  Been craving that awhile now!  So I had a $50 limit for the casino and had $5 still in the wallet when we decided it was enough this time.  I took my 8 stubbs (one for each $5 bill and one ate $5 even) and cashed out with $85.45 - WOW!!!!  Before leaving we checked out the Boutique and bought these earrings 15% off with my Club card.  Awesome night!

Ohhhh and my ledge is just about clear!!!!