Vacation Catch Up

Well I’m back from my 10-day vacation at my sister’s and had a lovely relaxing time even though Len, my brother-in-law, felt a heaviness in his chest and shortened breath, was ambulanced to Dryden hospital and spent the whole time there being checked out before being released maybe this week. Thankfully it was confirmed that he did not have a heart attack or a stroke – so fortunate! It was lovely out there but too soon this year the leaves are changing with early autumn approaching. I did take some pictures and hope to make up some new thread painted landscape postcards. Will have to see.

The first chance I had I worked on stitching the binding onto my “Touch of Red” twin sized black, white and red charms quilt that I had Irene Johnson from Nestor Falls quilt it for me. Lovely flowers stitched into the piano keys border and swirls in the quilt centre. And you’ll see Sylvia’s (done before mine) larger queen sized quilt with her own fabrics along with some of my B&W charms before I got the idea to do the same pattern but on a smaller scale myself – disappearing 9-patch. But I still have some fabrics left over and hope to make up some other pattern with them too.

One day I hope to establish a website and upload both mine and Sylvia’s and maybe even Pat’s projects with descriptions for whomever to see and who knows maybe sell. Time will tell.

During this vacation Sylvia and I prepared for the quilt sale and once the first few busy days passed by Sylvia did take off to visit Len in hospital, got some items he wanted along with groceries for home before returning around supper time. She was tired and I had a quiet day sewing and did some house tidying.

  
We both enjoyed our days stitching up items that in most cases the next day someone would snatch it up – we just chuckled. I had brought some of my favourite fabric with me and found a pattern with interesting details but naturally the sizes of pieces and finished quilt were not to my liking. So naturally Sylvia came to my rescue and the two of us designed a hanger to fit my fabric poppies and I just LOVE IT!!! Thank you Sylvia once again for bailing me out of a jam!!! Much appreciated.

I even stitched up a second Flowers n ‘Flies table runner after the first one sold quickly, but forgot to take a picture and guess what it was snatched up that same day and now too late for picture taking. We just laughed. I can tell you that the next one I stitched up – I've got to take the picture but this time around no one dropped by so I still have it.

Oh on my what to NW Ontario I dropped in to visit Adeline and Bill and she showed me a quick and easy block assembly that was totally finished in one step basically. So on our trip to Dryden following the ambulance with Len and overnight at a motel, the next day I picked up WalMart’s “Jellies” (smaller than the Jelly Rolls) in black, white and yellow and promptly tried out Adeline’s idea. These were like small table centres and a one-block hot mat/pad but they are still around.

I also got all the HST sliced in half for the MPQ Nickel Challenge quilt about half of them pressed open ready for squaring up and then in September – back out to Sylvia’s for another vacation – both of us will be stitching them up. If I get them all stitched tog and the borders on then Sylvia will spend some time quilting it so I can then get the label and binding on. These all have to be finished and handed in at the December MPQ meeting to be handed over to the ABC Charity Quilts program. I know that I will not do such a pattern again unless it’s in a miniature scale – dang it sure is adding up to many hours and I’m not in stitching mode yet!!!

Sane Quilting, Tatting, and CQing too!

OK I finally finished off two table runners/wall hangings (whichever it could be) that I started at the Morden quilt retreat beginning of May. I'm very pleased with them and it was John at work that mentioned to me that the Dragonfly n Flowers could also be a wall hanging, not just a table runner! Hmmmm I was impressed!  I fell in love with this dragonfly and flowers fabric so fussy cut the squares and then added coordinating strips for an on-point effect.

Dragonfly n Flowers

Type Styles

This one is basically using a feature fabric with images of a typewriter and it's keys which I cut up into 2" squares and laid them out with a light orange batik alternately. Then Tami came along and said I needed 4" squares thrown here and there - that was after at least 2 hours the previous night of laying out the squares to my liking. I cut out the 4" squares, gave them to her and let the girls go for it, then came back and stitched it all up. And honestly I like this mucho better than my static 2" blocks throughout. The pattern is "Table Stripes Runner" within "Quilt Your Stash" - great projects from Joan Ford's Scrap Therapy program.  I love those drapery clips instead of stitching on a hanging sleeve.

Also in June I finished off my B&W disappearing 9-patch blocks quilt top (named A Touch of Red) and dropped it along with my delectable mountains lap quilt along with backing/batting to my machine quilter and a couple of weeks ago got a call that they were done and ready for pick up! WOW!!! So I prepared the binding for the B&W&R and will bind it while on vacation and who knows maybe someone will want to buy it! Pictures of the quilts to come.

While house/garden sitting for Angela, I spent my evenings in front of the TV stitching up these coasters trying to use up my stash of selvedges (tightly woven edges from fabrics) using the fancy stitches of my sewing machine.  I swear these things multiple in that bag!

Then earlier in the year I worked on the china saucer pincushions but felt they were kind of "bare" so then decided to tat an edging and anchor around the centre button. Well some I even added beads into the outer chain stitches. One I didn't get a picture of as it was swapped for a bobbin laced butterfly with Mary, but these are the last two I dressed up.

And not sure if I've blogged this but am including it here.  Within our SewBuds crazy quilting group I've a "panel" going around a second time after some embroidery by myself.  Someone mentioned the centre patch with the white lace reminded her of a mountain and so I wanted a winding downhill stream or river over the seam, along with tufts of greenery.  Not sure if I pulled it off but it's there.

Now back to crocheting hangers onto my kitchen towels and basically relaxing after running around most of the evening.

Cool Again!

OHHHHHH thank you Harold for coming over and figuring out how to install my new portable AC!!!  Yeppers it's now down to 81F (can't figure out how to change it to C - not that I need to) from 88F 2 hours ago and it's still going strong.  It even has a remote so I don't have to get up to make changes!  WOOOO HOOOOIE!!!  And it was so much easier to install than that stupid heavy window AC - now just to find a new home for it - preferrably one where it can be left in and covered for the winter!

Purging Again

Well it's been a while since I had good intentions and acted on them!  LOL!

Yep for some reason this week I started going through the two large boxes of quilting magazines and only pulled out a dozen and tore out maybe two dozen patterns and recycled those magazines.  The rest along with a bag of pocketbooks I then packed up and ready to be dropped off at the Firehall for the Children's Hospital upcoming book sale whenever it is.  I still have one more box of magazines to go through.

Then I switched to my dining room and started to tackle the various "plastics" that have accumulated, some to garbage, some to Valu Village and the good ones I'll wash up again and put away - WOW sure downsized that area.  Then I moved my plant unit into the diningroom so I can move my display stand over and make room for the portable AC that hopefully can be hooked up soon.  I have it out of the box and the hoses connected but the panel for the window is wider than my slider grooves so Harold my maintenance guy is dropping over tonight to check it out.  He'll make it work, I'm sure!

So I then moved into my bedroom and tackled the mounds and shelves of t-shirts.  No I had not kept up the rule of bring one in and one goes out!!!  LOL!  So today I managed to cut into rags half of one large garbage bag of soiled or badly worn out ones for the mechanic and another large bag off to the garbage.  Then managed to put away my so so ones for everyday and the good into the dresser with room to spare - that is until laundry is done!  Ha Ha Ha!!!  I continued and managed to pack up some of the better items into another full large garbage bag for Valu Village and a large shopping bag for my niece in case there's something for them.

So then everything went into the VAN and off it got dropped off!!!  HOLY SMOKES it sure makes a difference, there is room on the floor in the living room and next week I'll take the three paper boxes full of personal items to the shredder and save myself the struggles with my personal shredder and also the TIME doing it myself!!!  There'll then be more floor space visible.

And when I get back from house/garden sitting I'll tackle the plant stand and excess pots and hopefully have a notice for the Orchid and Bonsai societies for sale!!!  Yep now it's time to rest as I'm beat and I swear I sweated pounds in this sauna today!!!

I still have a long way to go to getting this place into ship shape - it'll get there again!!!

My CQd Panel

OK here is my naked crazy patched panel along with the panel after the first round with the Sewbuds gals - this baby will be finished as a hanger for my room divider - per se my display board in the living room.

Pretty nifty eh?  So thank you to Candi H, Cris R, Susan N, Katie B, Jane C, Janie J, and Carole M - you all did such awesome embellishments!!!  THANK YOU!

Now it's off on it's second round within the Sewbuds for finishing off.  Can't wait to see what it looks like all finished.

Family Fun

OK this weekend my niece Pat and I traveled to NW Ontario to visit her parents, my sister, and helped them with some flower garden weeding and whipper snippering.  Yep Pat got the knack of that lightweight battery charged unit - Maynards here she comes!!!

First off I stopped in Kenora to drop off two quilt tops I had finished off and left to be quilted, they should be ready for beginning of August if all goes well. 

In between the outdoor jobs while the weather permitted we were inside doing some sewing!  Sylvia helped Pat stitch up a cover for a foam piece and soon their gazebo loveseat will have a new seat! 

 

While she was sewing that Sylvia loaded a lap quilt onto her frame and by the time Pat finished off Sylvia that completed the meandered quilting!  WOW!!! 

 

In the meantime I was working on my CQd panel getting it ready to be shipped out today.  Somehow and I'm not sure how I did it but one of the CQers in the first go around saw a snow-capped mountain in the background so I tried to embroider a river roaring down it's sides. 

 

Also I sorted out my 5" nickle charms of light with dark and marked them ready to stitch up HSTs for the MPQ Nickle Challenge Quilt for ABC program, that is with Pat and Ann's help - thank you ladies.  During this time we even got to enjoy Mother Nature's spectacle of a double rainbow and too bad we couldn't get the opposite end of it also in the picture that was visible to us.  Very seldom have I seen both ends so close and visible.

Len was cutting grass and then BBQd us beer can chicken while Sylvia and Ann prepared pan fried potatoes and a cauliflower salad that I thoroughly enjoyed and corn on the cob - yeppers a scruptious supper!  Next day, Sylvia and Len wanted to treat us to lunch at the new restaurant up the highway but they had some type of entertainment Saturday evening and were opening only for supper on Sunday so we went back home and had leftovers with very young asparagus!!!  YUMMY, Pat said was mucho better than restaurant fare and I agreed!  Thank you S&L!!!

Then we headed back for the city but shortly after leaving Kenora we came upon a traffic stall for 2 hours while the OPP directed traffic around the road blockage from an accident of a motorcycle and half ton truck with a jackknifed small trailer behind.  So sad for those involved and talk about VERY IMPATIENT travellers in that line up - doing stupid things like passing over the double line around curves up hills or on the shoulders to get ahead only to be forced to wait to be let into line!!!  There was a chip wagon on the side and I bet he made quite a business that day as people were running up the shoulders to get there and then waiting to be picked up nearby!  LOL!  That was the longest 2 hour wait I've had on a sun baked highway!

Catch Up Again

OK I'm not even sure where or what I've posted and what I haven't, I've been so tardy!!!

Well for sure I've recently house/cat sat for Val W. and gosh it was great as the temps were in the 30s C and my apartment is still without AC as I'm looking for a new more user-friendly one.  Tigger was a charm and I can't tell you how WELL BEHAVED he is compared to other feline's I've looked after.  Not once in the whole week I was there did he meow till I got up no matter what hour, nor jump on the bed to wake me up, nor climb onto anything that was not cat-friendly!!!  BUT let me tell you if I was late for his supper or snack feeding he sure let me know and yes as usual shedded all over me when it was pet time.  He had his favourite perches and he'd just go and sit quietly beside the door or window waiting patiently for you to open it for him and then he'd be there until sometimes I'd be pulling him away to close it.

Now I really musta been not feeling well cause one day I even told him that I would like a cat like him to take home!!!  WHAT AM I CRAZY!!!  NOPE, NADA, NO SIREE no pets for me!!!

Also now I know why I live in an apartment downtown - cause see in a residential section there's this van with this crazy music calling all to come buy his ice cream!!!  Not fair, see three days I was stuck doing things and not possible to zip out without "chasing" it down the block, BUT finally the last evening I was watering the plants out front and rushed in for my cash and got my ice cream sandwiches!  YEPPERS I bought TWO and ate them both that night!!!

Merle's BAS Blocks

OK here is the second set that I worked on and I'm very sorry but as yet I don't have pictures of the before, I didn't take any and there aren't any uploaded from Jackie so far.

But here is what I added to the existing seams and also starting a new seam treatment with the base stitch that was specified.  Here is a description of what I did on Merle's blocks after Jackie had worked on them:

 #1 - cretan stitch - golden orange corner patch with cretan pine trees - also added to the first seam curved accents of tan cotton and gold Delica beads
#2 - herringbone stitch - seam seemed full already - started a new seam treatment with white/grey herringbone stitch with a wrap while crossing over, fly stitch at tips to make diamonds, then with wine filled deep Vs with straight stitches and Colonial knot

#3 - chevron stitch - Bullion knot buds added at base of double leaves on gold patch of previous seam. Then with Ribbon Floss braided rayon stitched varied depth chevron stiches on mauve patch and filled deep Vs with navey lazy daisy chains and straight stitches and then downwards with French knots

#4 - blanket stitch - could not think of anything to add to previous seams and I found this one hard to come up with ideas. I finally came up with blanket stitched "butterflies" with straight & chains in each space and Colonial knots on edges. The bodies are SRE doubled and then straight stitched antennae. I finished off with a varigated mauve cotton blanket stitch seam treatment in varied lengths to fill spaces between.

#5 - chain stitch - green fly stitch in varied sizes up from every second chain base on previous seam. Then using multi coloured thread I did chain circles filled with Bullion knot roses and SRE leaves.

#6 - fly stitch - black/grey centre I did a circle of metallic deep red fly stitches with Colonial knots with chains and straight stitches in centre. Then on gold patch stitched alternated fly and chains along seam with various stems in green.

#7 - feather stitch - again I could not think of anything for the previous seam treatment and what I did is definitely not a seam treatment but I filled the patch with a feather stitched fern stem and some elongated towards the seam (I love this filler).

#8 - running stitch - on the previous seam I added blue "+" stitches in the centres. Then I started a new seam treatment of double running stitch (a might to close tog but my first time) then wove Watercolours through the straight stitches for an awesome look and finished off with a varigated green 7mm SRE woven through centres.

#9 - just have fun - on previous seam treatment I added taupe running stitch curvy stems on both sides. Then with SRE wine I added deep zig zag along printed patch with light blue lazy daisy chains at points on both ends and then with newly learnt "backstitch" did some small circles in the under deep Vs in navy.

Yeppers these BAS blocks are really a challenge for me and within another group is a discussion on some stitches and I've found out that Blanket/Buttonhole and Backstitch/Outline/Stem are totally different whereas I thought them to be the same.  Go Figure!!!  So yes already this is a learning curve I had not anticipated I'd be encountering in this round robin.  Maybe one of these days I'll do up a sampler block of just the various stitches (named that is) and keep it handy for a quick check.

Jackie's BAS Blocks RR

Oh my I just realized I've not posted about these either, I'm truly behind.

OK above is the set of blocks I received from Jackie with a base seam on each block except the 9th one which I get to start.  Now this is a round robin that the owner makes up nine crazy patched blocks and adds one stitch type seam to each block leaving the 9th blank, then sends it to the next person on the list for there addition to the base seam.

So here is what I did, sometimes adding to the already stitched base seam and also starting another base seam with maybe another addition to accomplish multiple seam treatments in one place. 

#1 stem - I added to the base seam a stem and V with straight stitches from ends.  Then added a new seam with stem stitched spirals alternating directions with Delica beads in centre.

#2 blanket - added to base seam the green straight stitches between the yellow chains  with delica beads in centre then added running stitch path for the bee.  Then using the templates marked out scallops on one side and alternating spacing on the opposite side with the blanket stitch spokes outwards.

#3 herringbone - added 2 upward stems with Colonial knots and SRE leaves to original base seam.  Added a herringbone seam with fly stitch closures and then wove a loopy ribbon through centre crosses.

#4 chain - added the opposite half circles from the chains on the base seam and then chains at ends of Vs.  Then added interwoven chain hearts with purple straight stitches in the V.

#5 feather - added green stems and purple Colonial knots to base seam.  Then added Rayon Ribbon Braid feather stitch in a balanced trio on each side and finished off with cotton chains - sort of like candles.

#6 cretan - added various chains, straight and beads to centre along one side tips, and added a trio of Xs from the opposite sides tips with a larger chain and straight stitches in the Vs.  Then added a beaded cretan with a set of 5 small crosses at each tip.

#7 straight - added various green stems with fly stitch branches amongst base seam.  Then I added straight stitches forming squares on point three rows deep.

#8 chevron - added fly stitched larger leaves from points facing one way, large chain and straight stitches facing the opposite direction, and in the deep Vs a set of straight stitches with Colonial knots on tips.  Then did a bugle bead with a trio of seed beads for the straight ends then finished off with two straight stitches on angle outwards from ends.

#9 - blank - did a cretan cotton with large orange beads at each tip.  Then worked a blanket stitch half wheels for another seam treatment with straight and chain stitches from anchors, scallops of Colonial knots in wool in between and large glass bead anchored in centre.

Definitely not easy but learning lots from this BAS RR.

Another CQd Block

OK end of May I received another set of crazy patched blocks for my embellishing - these are Jane C's African blocks and at first I was intimidated wondering what I was going to do.  They are so lovely and I wanted to add to them not wreck them.  So I GOOGLED (love that option) and came up some ideas for African flowers, animals, masks and baskets that I thought I could embroider.

So not long after that I started on the Bird of Paradise leaves and flowers in the grassie fabric in one of the blocks. Then I chose some complimentary perle cottons and proceeded to embroider a trio of baskets in the same patch.  Two of them were in stem stitch but one is a woven effect and I like them all.  I decided that I would just work on the one block and for some reason did not take pictures of the other - which I totally LOVE - it has an awesome giraffe charm on it.

Also those dragonfly & butterfly are not my tatting, I just thought they begged for more to be added to that patch.  I just can't believe it but I finished this and got it mailed away in like two weeks???  WOW definitely a first.

Pincushions - Redressed

Some time ago I made up these china saucer pincushions but felt for me they were lacking - maybe not quite finished.  So I decided I was going to tat some edging and tie it under the button and bury the ends into the pincushion.  Well I finally was able to finish one to my liking and will try others too.  So what do you think?

I personally like the bit of tatting with beads around this.

2012 Lace Days

Yes once again our Northern Lights Lacemakers (mainly bobbin lacemakers but a few tatters in the mix) put together another educational event with lace displays, items for sale along with refreshements cafe - all by silver collection.  Please drop in and check out our Blog for a collection of photos from the event.

Here is a picture of Mary (on the right) with the butterfly she made for me.  I had picked out the threads at last year's Lace Retreat and now I have to decide what I will be doing with it!  I LOVE IT!  Thank you very much Mary.

2012 Morden Retreat

YEAH this year I finally convinced my sister to join me in Morden for the Aurora Quilters retreat during the Barnswallows Quilt Show weekend. 

It was too bad that I had an ungraceful uncontrolled meltdown at work the week before that put a horrible damper on this event.  BUT it was very good that those there did not know the circumstances and only knew that I just about had not attended.  Yes I would have missed it and I did get a lot of sewing accomplished that weekend - a good deal of it with the help of my sister and friends.  Thank you all.

Can you believe this - I did not really take retreat pictures!!!  I did photograph some quilt show items which will eventually be in my Webshots albums and yes I did get Sylvia to take a few pictures of my various projects that I worked on.  So here they are.

My first attempt at Sashiko and I must say I did pretty good.  To fill the space I did a varied echoing around with the Sashiko cotton thread.

These black & white with the red centre nine patch blocks were stitched up then cut apart and restitched as disappearing 9-patch blocks in March.  Then I snagged my sister and niece to "layout" the quilt top - I was going buggy and just gave up by myself.  So during the retreat I assembled the quilt top and added the narrow red inner border.  After this retreat I did start cutting the remaining 6.25 inch black & white blocks in half and stitching up the outer piano key like border.  One day I'll finish it off and repost again.

Then I found this awesome dragonfly fabric at Kathy's Quilt Shop in Carman along with the coordinating fabrics and used a pattern Sylvia had with her.  EXCEPT the pattern was basically 2.5 inch squares all sewn together - NADA I was not doing that.  I wanted something simpler using the lovely fabric designs for the centre blocks and then the coordinating fabrics I cut in strips and assembled together.  Now all I have to do is put it together in a pillow slip fashion - eliminating binding period.

Now this fabric with various images of typewriters and it's keys on a blotchy coloured background just caught my eye last year at Kathy's Quilt Shop in Carman and in my book "Quilt Your Stash" from Joan Ford's "Scrappy Therapy" program I sort of followed the "Table Stripes Runner" pattern.  I found the pastel orange-like batik for contrast to do a sort of colour wash look.  Then Tami suggested I should throw in some 4" blocks of the typewriter and the word blocks - SHEESH - it took me ages to set those blocks down on my flannel board.  I did like the idea but totally dreaded redoing anything, so I cut the blocks out and let them go with reconfiguring the layout, then I sewed it all together.  I LOVE IT!!!  THANK YOU ladies!!!

Yes I did enjoy my weekend even though there was that dark cloud hanging over me!

It's been a while!

Yep, May started on a downer so to speak and I tended to keep to myself as much as possible.  But then things at work sort of escalated and sort of kicked me in the gut so to speak and resulted in my having a major meltdown and taking a couple of weeks off.  With my Dr's advice I did things that would help lift my spirits and try to rid myself of the high anxiety.  I think it was helping (along with the aquacise and long walks) but naturally whenever I thought or talked about work I could feel myself going back to that anxious state.  Hmmm was not sure what my planned week's vacation was gonna be like feeling this crappy.

But, even though it started on a sad note with my Uncle's passing (Mom's brother) and prayer/funeral services Monday/Tuesday, I've ended the week with a flurry of visiting with Sylvia and Len and taking them shopping.  Oh on Thursday my "oil can - service" light flickered on for the first time and I could not reason why as BABE just had an oil change mid-April - HUH!!!  OK it shut off but then every time I started the van it would come on and today it stayed on around the block before shutting off.  Needless to say I called the mechanic and promptly went over and he checked the oil like I had and yes it was good, then he remembered he didn't reset the gizmo after changing the oil, which he quickly rectified.  Thank goodness it was just something that simple!!!  PHEW!!!

Then today being my birthday and even Google sent me a greeting that when my mouse moved over it said "Happy Birthday Rose Anne" - WOW!!!  I had breakie at Sals with them both, then Len had enough of shopping for his items, so we dropped him off, and Sylvia and I went to Olive Garden for lunch and I treated myself to a glass of wine and a skewer of grilled shrimp with my salad - YUMMY!  We then shopped the afternoon for Sylvia's items - I only bought an embroidery hoop for myself with a 50% off coupon at Michaels.  After dropping her off at Pat's just in time for supper, I left for home totally exhausted. 

I had received a few cards and many email birthday messages from family and friends and even a call from my sister Florence - Thank you all for the nice greetings!  Then I walked over to Boston Pizza with my book and this time to the bar and watched some of the hockey game and enjoyed my ceasars along with wings/ribs appetizer.  The server was going to bring me a piece of birthday brownie but I just did not have the room for it.  Then home to finish off my pocket book and now I'm going to crash as I'm truly beat!

Tomorrow's another day of another year!