Good Friday - April 15th

 To Family and Friends!!!

I found a small hutch for $20 on Marketplace and showed it to Sylvia? Well she liked it, we gathered the grandsons and sil's truck and after various texts went to pick it up! Much yo my dismay the seller was very tardy on communication and 2.5 hours later he finally arrived (after various car issues etc) and we loaded it and left. Lucky it was nice, a few nicks etc, or we'd have let it be. Sheesh lucky we didn't have work or major plans!!! Kinda messed up some quilting plans but worth the bargain!

It's going to be her quilt storage on the shelves and linens in the drawers.

After a bit of a rest I started to tackle quilting my mystery quilt! So much easier on my Brother PQ1500SL machine than the Janome, especially this twin sized one. I've finished may 35% and am very pleased considering my marking pen was not visible so I'm eyeballing the quilting path! 

It was WARM under this!

Will check with Sylvia on Wednesday if I need more somewhere!

Catchup - April 9th-14th

April 9th

A short trip with Sylvia and Edna shopping.

April 10th

Hmmmmm, seems I've either forgot to post this or I just could not find it for my MPQ Show n Tell submission.

"Lakeside Beauty" my Colourways workshop with Brandy Maslowski, Quilter on Fire, through Cedar House Quilting, November 6, 2018.  We all raided her class stash to supplement our fabrics that were raw edge layered and embellished with trims and yarns then fancy stitches to anchor in place.  This was then trimmed and glued onto a canvas with edges painted  -  ready for hanging!  

This was an awesome workshop with a very talented fabric artist, thank you Brandy.  I had every intention to make this in every season but time has just escaped me.

WOW!!! It's been awhile from my last window pictures! But this caught my eye tonight!

Dang it, neither I nor my ticket buyers were lucky this year!

April 11th

Honestly I just don't see a spring blizzard coming tomorrow night etc! But then it was so calm when I met Nancy and with my walking sticks totally enjoyed our walking visit. Even had time for a Latte and cinnamon knot outside in this lovely morning. But noonish the winds sure picked up!!!

Nancy's view towards the Forks.

Well I just got home from a busy morning and finished off grocery shopping too. Lots of bare spots on shelves - I just got a few things.

Dang if this spring blizzard does happen we may have by Friday 30-50 cm or 12-20" of snow again with chances of 80 cm or 31" and high wind gusts too - YIKES!!!!! DAMN, I'd rather have had winter longer than the teasing of early spring, then winter returning again!!!

April 12th

Well I had a nice pre-storm visit with Sylvia. First off I took most of my electronic odds n ends to Equal Opportunities West for dismantling and proper recycling.

http://www.equalopportunitieswest.com/en/recycling

Then headed off to Marshall's to find backing for my ABCs quilts and Sylvia three fabrics for her new bed quilt. Afterwards I asked her if she'd like to go the Olive Garden for lunch as we were close and her reply was - "Oh yes I'd love to!" 😘 We both had one of our favorite choices!  

After dropping Sylvia off I rushed straight home to put my insert into my sewing table and start quilting my mystery quilt! ALAS it does not fit! 😒 Well I'll try and do my quilting this week and hopefully return it for correcting. But to disappointed to tackle my quilting so onto a fun project - batiks postcard! Stay tuned for updates!

April 13th

OH BOY, was up 8ish, cancelled my outing, back to bed, up 10ish and YOWSERS spring blizzard is landing!!!!!

Even my new windows are crying, not liking the abrupt change in the weather! At least the overly warm inside temperatures have decreased!!!

Guess it'll be a stay put sewing day till it lifts!

OMGG I don't believe this! A FIRST in all the years since this stupid bike lane (since a good third of the cyclists either are on the road most times the wrong way or on the sidewalk being a menace to pedestrians) was installed taking away part of the actual street! See after a major snowfall the actual pedestrian walkway and the roadway is being cleared! Honest I am totally amazed! The last two heavier snowfalls the bike lane was cleared 2-3 days BEFORE the sidewalk or the roadway! WOW!!!!

April 14th

Hmmmm still warnings of a spring storm but so far nothing like what they forecasted!

Anyways yesterday I needed a sun for one of my projects and found a tatting pattern by Jane Eborall using size 20 thread measuring 3.5 inches - way too big. But hey I've some of the finer tatting cotton J&P Coats 70, I've not tried so that's what I used, a first time that thin. It turned out 2.25 inches - still too big! 🤔 So I got an idea of reducing the pattern in size and that produced a 1.5 inch sun, a bit bigger than I wanted but usable! I've not buried the ends as they will be sewn onto items! Thank you Jane for your patterns you so generously share with tatters!

Jane's Sun pattern.

My reduced version!

The two together and to dazzle!

WOW!!!!

Well today I finished off the PFA swap postcard top for Batiks theme, just waiting to know who to send to so I can finish off and print off the backs to send out. 🤔

Also I finished off two tops for Monika Kinner's blue, yellow and sunflowers postcard donations for Ukraine refugees support. I'm thinking I might make some more, maybe same, maybe different, will see how my time goes! I just read Monika's post and the 20 she'd delivered have all been sold and $400 raised so far! 💞💞💞

Pictures will follow soon, unless swap recipient is my FB friend, then will be posted once received. 😉

Catchup - April 6th-8th

April 6th

What a weird day!  Mother Nature is not sure if it's still winter or should be springtime!   It started out snowing and as I drove my nice clean white car to Charleswood to pick up recycled blue jeans it turned to light rain, you can safely say it's not so clean, but still better than the dirty!  On the way back it was snowing again and I saw this AWESOME looking pirates sailing ship and as I drove by I saw it had a gangplank from the back deck!  WOW what a play centre those kids have!

What?????

OMGG!!!!

I drove up closer for a clear pic.

Once home still snowing and now I'm back to my MPQ ABC Mystery bag quilt and now finished the quilt top and this evening pieced together the backing.  The light and dark fabrics were in the baggie I didn't use them on the front but desperately needed help on the backing.  

Pat Speth MAB Blocks #6 and #14!

One quarter closer view!

Opposite quarter closer view!

Leftover fabrics plus backing I bought.

Friday Sylvia will help me sandwich it then it's gung ho quilting it.  Actually my second large one - 65" X 79", hopefully my Brother machine cooperates!  I just might make the deadline with not much fabric left over.

April 7th

Ohhhh I had a very nice understanding Shaw tech in just now!  I am very pleased with the service provided by the call agent and the technician on this last call in!  The best I've ever received!  All old connectors replaced, new PVR box installed (can record 6 shows at a time - YEAH!!!) and new remote.  PLUS he asked a few questions and made suggestions similar to my recordings and set up the box, along with walking me through the new remote buttons.  Then he asked if I wanted my paid box or he could recycle - I said take it please as it had issues anyways.  I also asked what about the older pieces the other tech said I had to call in for return or recycling instructions, did that and was told take to a recycling depot, now those are gone too!  I offered him a cold bottled water early on as it's warm in here but he'd declined.  On the way out he changed his mind and I was glad to give him a bottle, was so thankful for his help!!!

Ohhhh boy I've finished two more of the flannel squares kids quilts today (some from the Trombo stash). These were prepped for the backing blanket type binding brought to the front and stitched in place. A first for me and so proud of myself to be able to finish both by myself after a brief demo from Sylvia awhile back! Pictures posted tomorrow after washing!

April 8th

What a day!!!! I've had a rough week with hip to ankle pain off and on again but I kept busy.  Over to Sylvia's for her help to sandwich my mystery quilt which went very well with the bedrisers to ease my backache! Then lunch together and the afternoon visit planning my quilting design while Sylvia sewed togther the backing she needs. 

As promised here are the two ABC quilts I finished off yesterday. 

Our afternoon tea was with fresh Easter bread, yummy!!!! 

Quilts are all washed and packaged for delivery to ABC today too! Now home to relax and hand stitch!

Catchup - April 3rd-5th

April 3rd

WOW WOW WOW!!!!

Joining Binding Ends

April 4th

Well after a month of not having a working landline (still accessed messages via email) nor continued uninterrupted video display on the TV (was away visiting friends then), today I sat on the phone with Shaw to fix this.  Phone is temporarily fixed but shouldn't be that way and TV they could not reset and think the box shuts off once too warm???  So Technician is coming Thursday to fix/replace what's needed.  

At least I found my Ukrainian readers, embroidery patterns and some info.  Also a travel game so it went where others are and other things into recycle!  Maybe I'll clear out more after his visit!!!

April 5th

This is exactly the method I use for my fabric postcards.  Thank you Monika Kinner!

It was lovely having a short walk with Edna this morning, beat the drizzle too! We walked to Tall Grass Prairie for our cinnamon buns, coffee at Tim's and back to her place to relax and enjoy our treats!  

Yesterday after my hair cut, I enjoyed a brief walk with Sylvia on her Seine River trail but had to turn around as part of the pathway was swamped! 

And here are two of Sylvia's quilts for future baby gift giving. 

Trouble holding my camera level.

And my one MPQ ABC quilt finished (from Trombo fabric donations).

Back to sorting my fabric strips by sizes getting ready for sewing log cabin quilt blocks at June's lake trailer park sewing/visiting week. This time with Sylvia, Pat, Edna and myself!!!

WOW, two days plus of sorting my two bags of strips by sizes and another bag of leftover mask fabric pieces. One bag is ready for Adeline in Kenora, she's gone through all those bags I had dropped off prior to the Covid shutdown! We've collected orphan blocks for her which she just LOVES stitching together for charity quilts! Also I found a started hand sewn HSTs project someone dropped off to me, that too I sorted by colour for Adeline. She'll have lots to play with when we finally get to Kenora again. I've one large bag full of smaller bags ready for wonky and regular log cabin blocks for the lake sewing/visiting week! These will be added to the bin of strips I'll pull out of the closet closer to departure date and combine! Gonna be lots of charity quilt tops sewn up this summer! Must find a fabric for centre squares and maybe sashing.

Tomorrow is back to my mystery bag quilt top now that my machine is home! 🤗

Catchup - March 29th-April 2nd

March 29th

Now this is easy!  Gotta remember this one.

Remove Burnt Stuff off Iron

WOW!!! Sylvia finished off another three ABC quilts and we dropped them off this afternoon! She's working on reducing the "Trombo" stash practically by herself and using some of Edna's donated batting pieces. These are fronts on left and backs on right!

March 31st

Damn I had today's post ready, just waiting for a picture, went back to update the post  -  ZIPPO IT'S GONE!!!!!  This is the second time and I can't find a draft post spot anywhere!  DAMN!!!

Damn Damn Damn!!!! Lost my first full post so here's the second go!

It was a slow start for me this morning but finally made it over to Barb's, along with friends to make donation port pillows for chemo patients! A couple hours working together, then our BYO lunch before continuing, myself doing hand stitching till my finger was too raw/aching. It was awesome to visit with friends in person, we all had masks on just in case.

Then homeward but first a minor bumper kisser (we barely felt it) at the Chief Pequis and Lagimodiere yield. No major damage, scratch in dust on my rubber back bumper, her newer VW Jetta has a couple scratches, no dents, on her front bumper. She said she's not reporting it, but we exchanged registration, phone numbers and pics just in case. All is good otherwise.

Since we closed down earlier than planned, I picked up my Janome (servicing 3-4 weeks) from KTR (only 2 weeks) and set it up ready to give it a spin! Then printed out some free downloadable EPP templates for future projects. Relaxing as tomorrow's another busy day!

April 2nd

Kinda a quiet day, laundry, then try selvedges log cabin blocks. Dang they are tricky to keep straight! I saw on FB a quilter was using SF101 fusible foundation for diagonal sewn blocks plus this log cabin I thought was interesting. It's 20" wide so I cut it into 10" squares to utilize it best. The first one was any way/any colour with a fancy stitch which was too time consuming. The second one is light side/dark side and two rows of straight stitching, probably not needed. First picture is not pressed, the second is fused. I see the last rows need to be wider to allow for assembling together to reduce bulk. I think I'm going to try this light/dark blocks out for at least one quilt!

Nifty use of no longer needed bin!

Edna's Weekend

March 26th

Awesome spending the day with Edna walking her through the back basting hand applique technique.  I'd picked up Santa Lucia pizza and wine for supper.  Took a tour through the block too!

My butterfly project. 

Lower set of wings.

March 27th

What a lovely weekend with Edna!  We stitched, relaxed, watched some TV and chatted!  I demoed back basted hand applique and Edna practiced and I worked on my own new project.  

Now I know there's easier way for skinny stems or antenna but I continued this same method.  NEXT TIME I'll do the bias stitched tube, rolled  to hide the seam, and stitched in place that my friend Shirley taught me years ago!

Today she made bacon, eggs and toast for lunch as we had toast and fruit for breakie!  Then I finished off showing her my newly learnt hexies flat back stitch method before heading home!

Catchup - March 21st-25th

March 21st

Supper break from hexies stitching, think I'm hooked! Yummy chicken taco salad, minus tomatoes and green onions, I forgot to buy!

March 22nd

Ohhhh it's been a LONGGGG day for me with a happy tired! I met Sylvia for an early Sal's breakfast then to her place for a sewing day! With my Janome at KTR, I got to use her older machine. So added the machine binding to the one flannel squares quilt from awhile back. I also was treated to her yummy reuban sandwich for lunch. 😋 Then I quilted another of the flannel squares quilts and she showed me how to bring to the front the wide blanket binding. This too will be machine bound.

Blanket like binding.

Sylvia has been purging some of her boxes of photos and gave me a few that I don't have. 🥰 So here they are! See honest I did have blonde hair till about Gr 5!

Mom n ne taken Sept 1955

Doll Sylvia bought for me.  I still have too!

Marlene helping me out!

Me, Mom, Dad and Matlene - 

Either at Blue or Childs Lake

Marlene, Jim, me

Jim

Jim

Marlene, Florence, Jim, me

Florence, me, Jim 

March 23rd

Good morning! I thought it said 8:45 so up I got, showered, dressed and making breakfast and it's only 7:30 now!!!!! It's gonna be a very long day as I was up early yesterday too!!!!

But I get to sew on my newly arranged sewing table and Brother machine today. Adding on the last border for my MPQ ABC Scrappy Mystery Quilt, then next week back to Sylvia's to sandwich it!

Well Sylvia has completed and washed her MPQ ABC Scrap Bag Mystery Quilt. Soon to be passed onto the ABC program. She did an awesome job with some of the bag fabrics along with her own fabrics, using Pat Speth's MAB #6 blocks for her quilt.

March 25th

Heart wrenching! 💞🙏

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5039002529480004&id=100001109216158

March 26th

Yesterday, finally Sylvia was able to have her "family plus me" Christmas gathering at her complex's community room. All her children, spouses, grandchildren, partners and one great grandchild were present - everyone totalling 18! The food and company were awesome. Even celebrated Byran's 25th (actually today), much to Astro's delight!

Hot foods!

Cold foods

Amanda, Justin and Astro 

Happy Birthday Byran!