MPQ ABC Bali Strip Quilt Challenge

YEAH my "Strip Twist" 58.5 X 73.5 inch quilt top challenge is complete, now it's ready to be sent off to the quilter and then back to me to finish off the binding!!!  YEAH YEAH YEAH this is the first time I'm ready WELL AHEAD of the deadline date!!!  It was a might of a challenge but I succeeded and am very pleased with it.

NOW I'm wondering if there'll be another such ABC charity quilt challenge this fall for next year and if I'll join in again???  Yep that's the million $$$ question!

Quilts for Southern Alberta - Update

I've had some problems with donations for this project.  I know some don't feel they can do the blocks justice or have the time for more projects, so they some donate finished quilt tops and/or fabrics.  Now that is OK if whomever is organizing the "call for specific blocks" is also sewing up blocks - but not the case here.  She's just sewing the donated blocks together into tops and going from there with volunteer longarm quilters standing by to assemble the quilts.  I feel bad but, I do understand where this person "calling for blocks only" is coming from also.  You can't please everyone!

Anyways, thank you to Dianne U for your lovely block.

Also thank you to a fellow MPQ member who has donated three various quilt tops to this cause and because the tops were basically finished they have been accepted.  Thank you Wendy W.

1600 inch quilt

Cheater Star

Stack n Slash

Bali Strip Quilt Challenge Update

WOW another step done tonight!!!  Yep I sewed the 12 blocks together (very little trimming required) and then added the inner border too.  Now alls that left is to see how many of the 4 inch wide strips I have left for a piano keys like outer border.  If not enough then I'll have to make up more from my charms!!!

MPQ ABC Bali Strip Quilt Challenge

Well being a might ticked off had a "good part" for me as I sewed like crazy and got my small 8 inch Strip Twist blocks into larger blocks of four.  Even with my design board at Aurora I still could not figure out HOW to assemble the twelve blocks so colours were not touching or close by - GRRRR!!!  Well finally tonight I managed to get a pleasing layout and this is how it's gonna stay - picture taken and now rows/blocks numbered!!!

So next is to sew them all together and pull out of my stash some batik for the inner borders and the cornerstones needed for the outer border.  I have various left over pieces in 4 inch strips and plan to use them as a stripped 2 inch piano keys like border.  Hopefully I have enough or I might have to put inner border spacers in the middle to stretch them out.  Time will tell.

Looks like I just might have this baby ready for the MPQ September meeting which is the hand in deadline for someone to quilt it for me.  Yep I think this will be different and colourful.

What a Weekend!!!

First off I guess I should not have gone to my Aurora meeting at all or opened my mouth in regards to my pet peeves - people not reading their emails and turning around and then asking questions - involvement in charity quilt making.  I did say that from now on I'll partake in whatever charity I wish and leave the organizing within the group to someone else and just do my Treasurer duty as quietly as I can.  Then the doorbell was not sounding in the basement and a couple of people were standing outside not getting in and one obviously got very angry.  When she finally came in I was the brunt of the anger much to my dismay or ability to deal with it so I walked away - which I guess was the last straw for that person.  HMMMMM!

Needless to say I tied one on Saturday evening and just vegged on my girlfriend's deck reading.  Sunday was clean up/pack up and heading home which was just before the thunderstorm, thankfully.  But that was short-lived!

OMGG what the heck next???  Maybe this move up to the top floor was not such a smart idea after all!!!  Well yesterday evening’s thunderstorm caused quite a stir for me about 11:00 pm.

After shutting off the TV I heard dripping but from the windows – HUH!!!  So I stepped towards them to open the curtains and stepped onto wet patches – DUH!!!  Opened the curtains and was faced with many water droplets on a continuous drip from the upper window frame down to the bottom frame and then onto the floor.  Yes I took pictures and emailed the Owner right away and then this morning had to change the towels as the one on the window sill was dripping wet and the floor one was damp.  There goes my new curtains – now water stained – along with the streaks down the newly painted wall (at least those I toned down after washing).  Then this morning I noticed a new dark spot on the ceiling and the ones in the entry seem to be darker!  And to think the rent is going up in October too.  SHEESH!!! 

So their changing my windows would only prevent the bugs from getting in like crazy from between the cracked hard seals and the cold drafts and snow drifts between the windows in the winter, this new problem is from the roof me thinks.  Those south facing windows are very very drafty in winter and I’m continuously turning up the thermostat – something very foreign to me who likes a cool place.

Living room

Sewing Room

WELLLLL my sewing room/studio is downright frigid cold in the winter and I can only work in there on the weekends with the curtains opened for the sun to warm it up some and me dressed for the cold to venture into that room.  This fall if the windows are not changed by then (which I doubt they will be as the owner thinks this is a roof not window problem) I’ll be trying the patio door plastic covering and see if that will reduce the cold coming in.  I refuse to buy a heater and pay more electricity when this problem should be looked into and fixed before major damage to the structure results.  It’s enough that I’ve an AC running all summer to combat the southern exposure and unbearable heat which I just can’t stand along with ceiling fans in the other rooms.  The building heating system should look after the problem during the winter – actually in my other apartment it was usually too warm for me and I had fans on to keep the temperature comfy.  Go Figure!!!

So this fall/winter I’m going to use my room thermometers and record the temp in the four rooms so I have something more concrete to show them along with the thermostat setting at that time.

I know I can’t afford the newer type of apartments and I’ve heard many unhappy stories from tenants in similar blocks – at least I know my Owners do try to fix things ASAP and not wait till some inspector comes in and then things happen.  Glad my Owners are good that way.  I really do not want to move again!!!

Quilts for Southern Alberta

OK yesterday was our Aurora Quilters gathering and I received more "slab blocks", fabric, a quilt top and some money towards shipping costs donated by some of our members.  I'm hoping to package these items up and get them mailed off after July 26th (just in case there are others on their way).  Thank you everyone who has stepped up to the plate for this cause, much appreciated!!!

You've already seen mine but I will include them here again along with the others.

Blocks by Rose Anne B

Blocks by Sylvia S

Blocks by Wendy S

Quilt top by Ricky C

Most FQs/yardage donated by Jeanette O.
Top right donated by Ricky C (maybe backing).

OK now back my other projects and maybe more unpacking and settling in my new apartment (10 months now)!!!

Slab Blocks - Update

OK I've completed sewing up the seven piles of coloured strips etc from my one Safeway bag and this is where I'm stopping for this Slab Blocks for the Quilts for Southern Alberta project.  The last block is in browns and I think I was just getting the hang of this type of block construction.

Now I can't wait till my sister's eight blocks arrive and yes I'll post pics of them too.  Also for my Sunday Morning Quilts book to arrive so I can many play more with this and use up more of my left over cuts of fabrics for future charity quilt tops.

So now I've pulled out my own batiks and will cut up the 32 lights/darks (FQ size) that I need to finish off my Bali Strip challenge blocks for the MPQ ABC Challenge quilts - these I'm taking with me to my girlfriend's and that'll keep me busy all week besides watering her LOVELY flower/tomato pots/garden beds!!!

Apartment Update

First off Thank You to Harold for coming over and finishing off the last task today!  He added another shelf to my locker and after he left I was able to haul out four boxes of light fixtures/ceiling fans, a large box of various sized binders along with the large storage box for my AC from my apartment - oh and put the dolly back into the locker instead of my hallway.  

Now I'm thinking I can move my various binders of postcards and various odds n ends up onto the first shelf of my hallway closet so they are accessible but yet not an eyesore so to speak.  So that'll be another box unpacked.  

Then when I'm back from Angela's I'll try and tackle the sewing room shelving unit and move the quilting items from the living room bookshelf into that room and work from there trying to get everything into its proper place so I can take a picture of the studio!!!

Tomorrow I have to finish off the last block of the Quilts for Southern Alberta (just heard from Sylvia and she's stitched up eight blocks - WOW!!!) and then cut the 32 strips of lights/darks for my Bali Strip Challenge so I can work on that quilt next week.  Yep and if it's stopped raining and the humidity is normal I might even try an tackle the rust spots on my van while out at Angela's and hopefully get them treated before fall sets in.

Slab Blocks - Update

YAHOOIE, yeppers I finished off another 15.5 inch slab block for the Quilts for Southern Alberta - that leaves me with just one more of the allotted fabrics to stitch up tomorrow and then I can go back to my MPQ Batik Strip Challenge quilt top!!!  PHEW talk about a sewing buzz lately.  BUT I've also got a great idea for a quick quilt top for Aurora Quilter's charity quilts for House of Hesed and using up the leftover fabrics that friends have helped to build in this box of mine!

But "shoot" I totally forgot to put the little piece of white into the oranges block - well Cheryl did say it was optional, but I truly meant to do this for all my blocks.  Well maybe that light orange on the right will do as it has tiny little white triangles in it!  Also I played with larger strips - not as many narrow ones in this colour choice.

Slab Blocks - Update

YEAH today was a pretty good day as in two and one/half hours I stitched up the blue and gold slab blocks - that's now five in total.  YAHOOIE!!!  Gosh I think these 15.5 inch blocks are looking just AWESOME and I'm having loads of fun and trying to get more creative with the next block!!!

Oh and a fellow quilter has contacted me in regards to some fabric and money (for shipping) donation - thank you so very much Jeanette, much appreciated.

Slab Blocks - Update

Oakie dokie, well I just finished tonight's block, kinda late as I didn't get home till 7:30ish and by the time I checked emails etc I didn't start sewing till after 9:00 pm but I made it.  I'm still on track of one block per evening and now have three finished.

I think this technique is going to be quite interesting!

Slab Blocks

Well who'd have thought this could be so easy and fast going too.  Now I don't have the book Sunday Morning Quilts as yet, but Cheryl A did explain the process for these slab blocks and I did send her a picture of my first one - the green one - and she said it looks perfect. So tonight I stitched up the red one and again within an hour and I was fussier this time!  LOL!  

Blocks 1 & 2

Hmmmm if my sewing room was not so warm and with the light and iron on it's a bit too warm for me for more than one block.  BUT if it was cooler I'm sure I could have stitched up two this evening.  Oh well if things go as well as these two went I KNOW I'll have the other FIVE I've pulled out fabric strips for done by this weekend.  

Then it's just waiting for whatever my friends/family decide to join in this effort and donate then I'll either stitch up a quilt top or just package these up and send off to Cheryl month end.

OMGG So Much to Post About

WOW here I thought I was going to have a RELAXING weekend house/pet sitting for my niece and yes it was but still full of ups and downs!

First off July 3rd, 2013 a very inspirational quilter/teacher passed away - Heather Lair will be missed by many in the "quilting world" and definitely by her loving family and friends.  I am glad that I had the pleasure and honour to partake in a few of her quilting classes at the Gimli Quilt Retreats over the past years and will treasure my pieces more than ever now!  My sincere condolences to her family!

2013 - Panoramic Landscape class

My weekend of house/pet sitting was very quiet, I even snagged a few pics of items I truly love and Bell and Angel were both well behaved even in the Saturday night short lived thunderstorm!  I had tried to type up my Ireland trip notes but only just started - not sure when that chore will be completed but will have to work on it that is for sure.

Bell you are getting old too!

Then I heard about the call for Quilts for S. Alberta and jumped on that right away and challenged a few quilters in my groups, family and friends to help me get together some blocks to ship out to Cheryl A by month end.  Well when I got home I quickly pulled out the "shopping bag" not the "paper box full" of leftover strips and promptly stitched up my green version of a 15.5 inch Slab Block - more information found on the Dining Room Empire blog of Cheryl's.  I had sorted out the strips by colour and have enough for a red, blue, purple and sand/brown blocks - one took barely an hour so I'm hoping to have these finished in the next week or two.

I've also decided that I have to cut up more strips of my batiks and stitch up two more large blocks (short from the swapped strips) for my MPQ Bali Strip Challenge charity quilt top and that will be my mid-July house/garden sitting project at my girlfriend's.  I may not be progressing on my own UFOs but I'm surely trying to make a dent in my stash!!!

THEN I'm at the PC to upload my new pics and started to check my emails and WOW OMGG I won a Blog Give-Away today!!!  The Crazy Quilters International blog was having a give-away of a set of Sharon B's CQing templates and I thought they were quite interesting so decided to give it a try.  See I thought if I wasn't so lucky then maybe when I "finally" do get down to Australia I just might be able to meet up with Sharon in person and maybe purchase a set to bring back in my luggage?  That was my thinking when I entered the give-away!!!  WELLLLLL now I don't have to - I won the computer generated draw!!!  Lucky me!!!  Thank you Sharon for your kind generosity and Cathy for running this give-away on the CQI blog.

OK that's enough excitement for this old gal for the weekend!!!  LOL!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Well I would say I started my day off on a very good note, that is after sleeping in, watching the opening of Canada Day in Ottawa!!!  LOL!  

Yes I set up a floor fan to guide some of my AC cool air into my new "studio" and promptly started pressing my separated HST for my MPQ ABC Bali Strip Challenge quilt.  There were only four blocks to redo out of the 20 pairs I was able to stitch up out of the strip package.  My nicely set up cutting table is just GREAAAAAAAAAAT! as Tony the Tiger says as I just finished up squaring up these blocks ready for the display board for the "Strip Twist" blocks planning.  This is coming together nicely and hopefully will make the September deadline for the finished quilt top.

So soon I'll head out to meet Pat and check out the Mexican restaurant patio for some eats and refreshments.  I'm also taping the Blue Jays baseball game for viewing later on and then maybe more watching of the closing activities and who knows maybe the local fireworks here at the Forks.

Yes a lovely Canada Day!!!

Not MIA - Just Quiet

OK first off THANK YOU to Sylvia for the lovely Angel - her appreciation of my patience, consideration, helpfulness and caring during our trip to Ireland - a trip she would not have made herself.  You are very very WELCOME Sylvia, like I said many a time without a roommate I may have had to cancel my dream trip.  Yes we both have lovely memories and pictures to remember for a long time.

I just got back in time for our annual OMA's - AURORA picnic - small turnout but lovely!  We even presented Virginia with her Comfort Quilt.

Ricky, Audrey, Gail, Wendy

Virginia & Dianne

My CQd and tatted block

NOW as for getting back to the grind, well work is still a mystery as the Dept. is once again undergoing major reorganization with some closing of offices, shuffling around of staff to fill required vacancies and realigning branches.  The magic day is June 30th and those affected (me included) should be in our new positions with new responsibilities.  Personally I'm trying to take one day at a time and keep an open mind but with many questions and rampant chitchat some days it's really hard.  I'll survive but I can tell you this definitely is solidifying my retirement plans.

In the meantime I've tried to escape the sweltering heat in my apartment (AC still in the locker) by joining the Crescentwood quilting group at the community centre and actually went to their mini retreat day and stitched up my MPQ Bali Strip Challenge quilt strips together.  WOW what a full day of sewing in a cool place.  While matching up darks with lights of all those strips I only messed up 2 sets - not bad for me I'd say.  Then the following Wednesday evening was their weekly get together and I actually squared off blocks and marked for HST stitching using my new Quick Quilter II ruler - thank you Ann!

NOW Friday evening Harold my awesome handyman came over and once again used his ingenuity (for easier and faster future in & out) and installed my AC so now I'm comfy and actually have some energy to do some work in here!!!  Then we anchored my four plastic towers and set the gifted counter top (thank you Margo) and VOILA I'm in business.  We then tackled the Harold designed movable Cork/Peg Board and even used the cutting table to trim the cork to fit and glue together.  By this time it was midnight and I was afraid we were making too much noise and asked that we quit for today.  Harold wanted to check the locker yet and see what he still needed to do in order to add the third shelf for more storage for me.  Only needed one notch to be cut in one board and when he's got time he'll be back to finish that off!  WOW then I can get some storage stuff reorganized and more out of my apt closets to the locker and then back to the apt reorganization full speed ahead.  THANK YOU Harold!

SO today I'm actually doing laundry, reorganizing half of the sewing room and maybe take some time to cut apart the HST and press them ready for Wednesday's stitching together into the actual "Strip Twist" quilt top.  Well maybe plan out the various twists before sewing blocks together!

Entrance side of studio

Utilizing plastic towers and countertop

OK enough for today!  But hopefully more soon.  Sorry no pics or stories as yet about Ireland.

I'M BACK FROM IRELAND!

Yes I arrived back Thursday evening about 9:30 pm - like two hours late leaving Chicago because of a storm on Wednesday that cancelled flights and they were in a whirlwind with standbys trying to get home Thursday and probably Friday still too.

Our trip of the AWESOME GREEN COUNTRY OF IRELAND was just fabulous - especially the country side which we both enjoyed the most - well except for those narrow roads (which they said were two lanes but I'm still wondering where the second lane was).  The International Quilt Festival of Ireland was very lovely but two days was definitely not enough to take in the various exhibits in various University buildings on campus and also take in a side trip or two.  We were kept hopping and totally exhausted when dropped back at our hotels in the evening that I did not even venture out to check the pubs - too bad but not enough time for everything.

For sure it was TOO SHORT and yes I DEFINITELY would LOVE to go back and take in the quilt show again but the rest of Ireland touring on my own (probably public trains etc from place to place) for as long as I want in one place to see all that I would like to see, even Northern Ireland!!!

There will be various posts on my travels along with a few pictures uploaded in the future when I get myself organized.  I'm also putting together a scrapbook when I get specific pictures printed, soon too I hope!  So much to do and I want to get it done before I start to forgets!  LOL!

Yes I am glad to be home as the bus touring was just too taxing on me and especially my sister who happened to miss a 3-4" step (lots in this country) and sat down hard and badly bruising herself but - she said yesterday she was finally feeling better but her elbow is a rainbow of colour patches!!!  I'm very glad she did not do any damage to her hip replacement or break anything else.

So next week back to work!!!

40 Years of Service Award

OH BOY here’s a perfect example of “I’ll never make 40 years of service!” statement coming back to haunt me!!!  Yes I was initially supposed to retire in 2010 but circumstances deemed it necessary to stay working a year and then another, then my “retirement trip” to Australia was kinda postponed from 2013 to 2014 so I decided to stay working still another year.  WELL lo and behold I will even surpass my 40 years of service for the Province of Manitoba (all with the Dept of Agriculture) by the time I actually pull the pin so to speak and retire.

Anyways Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (department name now) honoured long time service employees on Friday, May 3^rd, 2013 and my Manager Bob Ward and myself were presented with our certificates and official photos taken with the our respective Bosses, Dori Gingera-Beauchemin - A/Deputy Minister and the Honorable Ron Kostyshyn - Minister of Agriculture.  Bob asked if I had my Thank You speech ready and I kinda panicked and then started to get nervous while waiting, but once the presentations started I realized I did not have to do such, I relaxed some.   There was no time allowed for a “rebuttal” to Bob’s introducing me and my accomplishments over the years, with some of his own comments added to my prepared speech for him. 

Bob Ward introducing me

David Kaminski presenting awards

My chosen black framed gift by http://www.expressiveframes.ca/

L-R:  Dori Gingera-Beauchemin, Bob Ward, myself, the Hon. Ron Kostyshyn

L-R:  Myself, Bob Ward (Manager), Margot Cathcart (Director)

After the presentations the various honorees, their invited guests and Committee Members etc milled around enjoying a light but lovely lunch – I had invited my niece Pat and her Mom Sylvia (my sister) to join me on this special day – before leaving to join fellow quilters at the Winkler/Morden quilt retreat weekend. 

Yes a lovely milestone in my years with the Department.  Thank you.

The Last of the BAS RR Blocks

No I'm not swearing, but there were times the air may have been blue during this crazy quilting RR - LOL!  It was a challenging round robin not so much in the effects we were creating but more so in the number of blocks for each person and the number of seams or depth of the seams (which was new sort of for me) we were creating.  You did not really want to repeat what was done previously but yet sometimes the creative streak just was not coming forth!  Oh well I'm finally finished the last of the nine sets of nine blocks (yes I had to start a seam on each of my own set too) and now it's to wait patiently for my babies to come back home and have fun checking out the various members' creativity!!!

So here are Diane M's blocks which in a way were kind of tricky as she combined sane traditional quilt blocks and asked us to embellish crazy patch-like!  Well I think we did a pretty good job and now have to wait and hope that Diane likes our interpretation.

Block #1

Left hand side - triple feather stitch in Japanese Buttonhole Twist (JBT) #117, detached chains in JBT #w with seed beads at base of chains.

Block #2

Added black beaded Bullion knot legged spider to already stitched web.  Chain stitched ovals and then four detached chains in centres with straight stitches and seed beads in centre.  At the joins made long straight stitches with detatched chain in centre with seed beads at ends.  PS: And no close up photo of lower left patch of feather stitched stems with Colonial knots around and French knots in centre.

Block #3

Right hand side alternated slanted straight stitches of long-medium-short with Colonial knots at ends and darker thread across all three on an angle with French knots with straight stitch across. 

On the right hand side I added three outline/stem stitched scrolls and Bullion knot bar crossovers with Colonial knots at ends. 

Block #4

Filled in both sides and at base interlocked Bullion knot half circles in Brazilian threads.

Made running stitch stems and fly stitched leaves and in JBT #158 varied sizes of detached chains for Brown Eyed Susans with seed bead centres.

Block #5

In Wildflowers #253 Ink made uneven wavy herringbone with Perle Sweets Jelly Beans cross bars and in Pearl Cotton #12 A Leaf Falls varied sizes of detached chains from opposite of cross over to opening.  Then a trio of French knots on outer tips of detached chains in JBT #91.

Block #6

Using Rajmahal Art Silk #255 stitched a 4-way feather stitch with two detached chains at outer tops in Anchor 0101 with 3 straight stitches and Colonial knots in centres in Clarks Anchor 0307.  Then three straight stitches at other ends in between also in gold.  At outer edge of patches in the middle did variying lengths of straight stitches in purple and a red seed bead at base.

Above cat added a stem stitched shelf with running stitch filler of JBT #84 and a padded brown DMC #371 mouse with tail dangling.

Block #7

In YLI silk #78 golden/orange butterflies in sheaf stitch - straight stitch bodies - detached chains at wing tips and body.  Along top in detached chain leaf upper border in YLI silk #114 and clusters of Colonial knots for grapes in YLI silk #108.

On someone's scroll work patch I added pearl seed beads to the tips of the straight stitches and also extended the tips of the scroll.

Block #8

In DMC #4045 and curved stem stitched archs for detached chain fern stems with Colonial knots at tips.  Space edged with wine DMC slanted Blanket stitch. 

Block #9

Tatted two butterflies and a dragonfly in Lizbeth #2 cotton in #137 with black and metallic seed bead bodies.

In DMC variegated made a cretan stitched shaped vase with outline stitched edges.

Now to wait and see if Diane's so called creativeness pans out and she pulls off her original plan to embroider a tree outside the attic window foreground.  I so can't wait - this plan sure has stretched crazy patch beyond traditional boundaries!