Catchup Again

July 26th

Good day and it's just started!  Got two appointments changed so I can escape for an overnight n day with Janice next week.  Checked with Hands of Hope 204-261-8607 and they accepted the set of ironstone dishes and my two chairs I wanted out of here!  Then met Michelle at A&W (with coupons) for lunch and exchanged some tatting books I had 2 each of for some garden beet leaves - buns in the making tomorrow.  Later on I'm dropping off some Gimli vinetartta for Pat n Randy, getting my car's oil changed and then Ballet in the Park with Angela.  I think Friday has to be a quiet day!!!  Awesome evening with Angela and no bugs!!!!

July 27th

Just letting my friends out West know that I've changed my vacation plans and won't be out to visit you this year!  Sorry!  But 🤗🤩🤗 to be heading to Cuba (click to see where in Cuba) with two girlfriends in February.  This may be Iona's last trip there so definitely a must see for me!   Hopefully it'll work out another year!

OK at least my nails are ready for tomorrow's wedding party!

Yeah I got a pan of slightly overdone beet leaf buns - but hey I'll eat them!!!!  Thank you Michelle for the leaves!  Luv ya!

While waiting for the dough to rise then baking, I drafted up this curved flying geese 24x5 inch wall hanging row for a sort of Round Robin in the making.

July 28th

Here's what I've been working on passing time before getting ready for Kim and Johnny's wedding today.  Practiced using these tweezers I bought years ago and talk about nifty to remove itsy bitsy paper pieces scraps!  It's been awhile since I made fabric postcards - kinda fun to play!

Feeling Ecstatic!

And proud I'm published in the Canadian Lacemaker Gazette, Vol. 31, No. 4, Summer 2017.  Thank you Jocelyn for asking.  And not only my single quilt block with my tatted red maple leaf on it but of the finished wall hanging BUT I even have a half page story too!!!  I was so busy when Jocelyn asked for the pictures and background for this publication - I knew she was posting a collage of Canadian lace projects but didn't think my story too.  I thought that was only for release info and just about forgot it and was reminded again so I sent my write up for the competition instead of rewriting.  Poof I then totally forgot about it till my free copy arrived!!!  WOW WEEE!!!

Front cover.

My half page scoop!

My two photos on the back cover!

"O Canada"

OMGG my "O Canada" hanger is FINALLY completed!!!!  My creativity representing Canada's diversity of its people.  I wanted to share my love of shuttle tatting within this creation to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday and for this event.   It took me ages to tat all of the nine items and then determination in the quilting aspect as I had no clue what and how to finish it off!!!  I bit the bullet so to speak as I'm running out of time and went with echoing.

The tatted designs from left to right and top to bottom were obtained from the following free online patterns:
My Heart from Pinterest plus Mary's Heavenly Heart by Mary Joseph Donahue
Hearts Entwined/Crowning Hearts by Tat-a-Renda
Li'l Heart by Brigitte Phelps plus Mary's Heavenly Heart by Mary Joseph Donahue
Simple Heart by Sharon Briggs
Canadian Sugar Maple Leaf by Gale Marshall
Modern Heart Motif by Mark Meyers
Jon's Heart by Jon Yusoff
Heart's Desire by Susan K Fuller
Small Tatted Heart by Betsy Evans plus Mary's Heavenly Heart by Mary Joseph Donahue

Since the maple leaf was larger than the hearts it was tatted with size 20 Lizbeth cotton (finer thread) and the hearts with size 10 Crochet cotton (thicker thread) for a better fit.  These were all tatted and hand stitched onto fabric blocks, sized and assembled with sashing before quilted.

This was a joy to stitch and I hope it brings more joy to whomever garners this treasure from the auction in support of the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library.  Once I know when and where this will happen I'll post that too.

Feeling Bummed!

OK enough trying to tat a smaller than 1 inch heart!  The larger one is with size 30 is W 1.5 x H 1.25 inches and then the red I thought was size 50 but now I think it must be 80 as it came out of that bag is W 1 and 1/8th x H 1 inches.  Then the pink is size 75 and just a smidgen bigger than the red one.  I'll probably go with the red one but not anchor to the edges then I can still embroider the grid when the year of stitching is over!

Feeling Motivated!

At the Canadian Mennonite University Library.   OK I'm just about ready to go home as it's fairly cool inside but awesome to enjoy the day here.  Next time I'll park at the zoo and walk over so I don't have to be concerned about the two hr parking regulation.

So today I planned out this week's Annual Panel patches, satin stitched 5 more leaves on the fern branch and tatted the red Li'l Heart by Birgit Phelps in size 80 tatting cotton - a first for me and broke the thread only once just before the last chain - but enough to tie together and finish off.  I still don't know if it's small enough to fit the 1 inch square though.

Another CQd Block!

My I sure must be in a stithing mood as I've sure accomplished lots this weekend.  I finally got around to a SewBuds RR block belonging to Candi H and am happy with my touches.  Then I tatted a couple of simple hearts and sent them off with a CQI Day Brightener card.  Yes I had three pacakges posted today!!!

So first off here is Candi's block after my embellishments added in.


First I had tatted "Sandra's Dainty Heart" but left off the trailer for the bookmark and I added in clear seed beads along the inside middle points.  Then using my rainbow coloured rayong braided ribbon I repeated the blanket stitched half wheel and finished off with a large pink bead.

Then I read that Cris did not mind if someone embellished her crocheted fan, so I found my hand dyed multi-coloured silk ribbon and wove that in and out finishing with a bow in the centre.

After that I tatted up a couple of Mary Donohue's Heavenly Hearts (just love this pattern), included one of my crocheted hearts along with a purchased heart doily (which I cut up and use in my CQd blocks) along with a card to a fellow CQer within our CQI as a Day Brightener package - hope she likes them.

Hearts for Rengin

Here is my heart made especially for Rengin of Istanbul, Turkey.  It's so sad to see another country devastated by another terrible earthquake.  Our CQI group asked for crazy patched embellished heart ornaments to be sent to her but I'm thinking she might want some heart blocks to make up into something lovely for herself - so I left mine unfinished.

I did my favourite flower spray with chain, stem, satin and Colonial knot stitches along with my favourite beaded tatted trim and naturally a butterfly!  I hope she likes her block and the "we care" messages being sent to her.  Hopefully the situation will improve albeit slowly and life will eventually return with some semblance or order!

OH MY!!!

Gosh so much going on and I don't know where to start!

First off I smoked my computer and didn't have a "start up" for a day until I found my backup discs and "recovered" the SystemsConfig file - HEY don't get me wrong, I am not computer literate - only following onscreen instructions until it did not work like I wanted it to.  So now I have Internet access but NONE OF MY FILES OR PICTURES or my newly uploaded 2010 MS programs.  YIKES!!!  Well Tom my computer techie says they are probably still there but just hidden and when he's back from his two weeks vacation he'll restore my computer once again.

WELL I can tell you I'll be doing a backup of my system, documents and pictures on a regular basis from now on!!!  This hurts badly as I can't get to files I would like for the time being - at least I PRAY that is so.  PHEW, what would I do without him I do not know as I've heard many people who've taken their PCs to stores for fix its just are not happy, whereas mine is always fixed and runs better than previously.  Thank you Tom!!!

Then, I'd like you to meet McDuff, my new house sitting pet.  We've adjusted to each other very quickly and no interruption to his eating or sleeping that I can tell.  He greeted me no problem at all and when settled to watch hockey with a glass of wine he promptly jumped into my lap for some pets and his begging for "armpit" scratches - talk about funny!  I'll know more today when I get home.

In the mean time I had finished off Cris' RR block from SewBuds.  Here it is.

I embellished the top yellow patch only but not the seam treatment.  That is my crocheted pansy and then I used my Edmar Brazillian rayon threads for the wrapped stem and various sized leaves in satin stitch.  I used a thinner rayon and feather stitched some filler stems.  For accents I added pearl beads to the pansy and attached some tatted butterflies with beaded bodies.

Then Sunday night I stitched together the following heart block for Susan N for the SewBuds BOM heart activity and last night with much difficulty I finally got the biased edging turned under and the heart stitched onto the backing.  Yes I did some "rippit" a couple of times as it was crooked - WELL it still is but hopefully there is enough fabric for Susan to maybe square it off.  Sorry my dear.

So now I'm going to relax tonight and I've all my sewing stuff packed for my quilting retreat weekend.  Will be a first not to actually SEW something, but I find that very relaxing so will miss it too.  Just did not want to haul to much unnecessary stuff for a couple of days.

Debbie's DYOB 3 Block is Here

Yes I've just received today my swap block from Debbie H and it is another soft tone-on-tone crazy quilted block and embellishing.  Something I don't seem to achieve - most of mine are bold and colourful!!!  I'm going to have to sneak a page from these girls colour schemes and give a try one of these days!  All I can say is next to my own block for each DYOB it's going to be neato seeing them the softer tones and different embellishing styles. What a lovely learning experience.

Rose Anne's swapped block - sent to Margreet

Debbie H's swapped block - sent to MOI!



Lovely presentation!



Top Left



Top Right



Bottom Right



Bottom Left



Centre

Do you see the three embroidered insects?  No, well check out the heart clockwise:  12:00 noon;  2:00 pm and then 7:00 pm!  Aren't they just sweet!!!  I especially love the beetle at the bottom!  Thank you very very much Debbie for the lovely block.

Hearts for Hideko finished!

Well I've not been doing too much in "finished" projects but have been working on an order for some of my folded needlecases and should finish them off this weekend. 


Old picture but you get the idea


Then I started working on various UFOs that are in desparate need to be finished off soon. 

Well one is finished, my Heart for Hideko, a fellow CQer, of the Crazy Quilters International group I'm in who is from Sendai and who's home and family are OK but she's devastated with the loss around her.  She is coping by helping her students with a sewing project and has made school bags for all her students beside other rebuilding projects locally.  Within our group various members have stitched "mourning hearts" and these are being sent to Hideko for her to finish and use as she chooses.  An easy and loving way of saying "we care" to a fellow stitcher!  So here is my block which I'll be sending off tomorrow: 


naked heart

This was pieced with newly received group silk fabrics buy - centre of black print silk tie remnant, silk Duponi of light and dark grey which is hidden by a piece of embossed sheer on either side top edges of heart.

tatted beaded trim

 

Kiko flowers, stems in stem stitch. blanket stitched leaves and cretan rayon ribbon seam treatment

This is an awesome stitch from PinTangle and then I Googled Kiko's flower images and VOILA various examples came up.

close-up of Kiko flower patch

Sorry I forgot to take a closeup pic of the flower patch before appliqueing on the black cotton (silver sheen within) for the block background.

appliqed onto black fabric - has silver sheen to it

Now onto my FunFriendly Mixed Media postcards then onto Carol's SewBuds crazy patched block which both should be posted this weekend.  And then a much involved raw edged, bobbin embellished wall hanging for a retirement gift!!!

Crazy Patched Block Finished

Well I've finally finished one of three comfort blocks that need to be finished by the end of March and into the mail - wonder if I'll make the deadlines with the others yet???  Also, I've a SewBuds RR crazy patched block to get stitched up and ready for mailing for the 30th.  AND I've fallen behind on the 2nd week's DYOB stitch and now the 3rd week's stitch was posted on Sunday!!!  YEPPERS better get crackin!!!



Comfort crazy patched quilt block

 

Lower portion - closeup

 

Upper left - closeup

Upper right - closesup

OK onto the next one!!!  Oh and I forgot but I have a farewell gift to stitch for my boss for April too!!!  Definitely no lazing around for this gal!!!

CQd Heart - Finally!!!

6" CQd heart awaiting embellishing

I signed up for this Chain of Hearts Christmas heart swap some time ago to GET MYSELF going on this group!!! See I’ve been a member for a number of years and have six of these heart bases CQd but not embellished and there are ladies waiting to swap hearts with me so I figure I better get a move on already!!! So this heart foundation is finished and I thought I should post it to let the girls know that I’m working on it and hopefully this week I’ll finish off the embellishing on it and a another block I’ve got here from CQI RR to finish off.

There just is not enough hours in the day after working for me to finish off all I want to do AND to relax!!! Never mind the house keeping!!! I do that at my Dad’s, definitely not at my place!!!