Quilting in Cyberspace

Happy New Year

2012-01-16T18:35:00.001-08:00

It's not cutting table Wednesday, and I don't have any pictures yet, but I *am* working on a new quilt. And unlike most others recently, it's not made entirely from 2" squares.

Cutting Table Wednesday

2011-08-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

I'm so far behind on blogging that perhaps I should just give up! But then how could I possibly give you pictures like this one, to make you feel so good about your own sewing space?

I'd like to thank Quilting in My Pyjamas for suggesting I use a Magic Eraser to clear the black marks off my cutting pad. Now - do you think it would help for clearing off the rest of the stuff? ;-)

Happy Quilty Wednesday!

Design Wall

2011-08-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

I've been distracted lately, so there hasn't been a lot of sewing - but there has been a tiny bit of progress.

There's no rhyme nor reason to how I'm putting them together, and I'm looking forward to the finish.

At Last

2011-07-06T19:12:00.001-07:00

I got back to my sewing machine today, and sewed some squares together. It seems like it's been forever...

My Cutting Table

2011-06-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

There's something strange on it at the moment.

I'm not sure what the stain is. It appeared when I was cutting squares, and seemed to come from the bottom of the ruler (or something between the ruler and the mat). Now if I could just figure out how to clean it off.

What have I been up to?

2011-05-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

Putting up a design wall.

15 Minute Challenge Update

2011-04-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not totally AWOL - just been tied up with a few things lately (including a convention that I help to run - but that's a totally different topic).

For the last week I've spent about 15 minutes on 3 separate days - cutting 2" and 3-1/2" squares, sewing some small blocks, and spending a lot of money at our LQS.

On a plus note, our elderly cat Gracie is recovering nicely from pancreatitis. As we originally thought she had a tumour - we are VERY pleased to have our demanding old kitty back to normal.

How has YOUR life been going?

Tuesday Update - 15 Minute Challenge

2011-03-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

I started this challenge last Thursday, and this is what I've done for the last 5 days:

March 17 - cut 2" squares and sewed squares together
March 18 - pressed units and sewed together to make 4-patches
March 19 - wound 4 bobbins and sewed pieces together
March 20 - pressed units, cut squares and sewed pieces together
March 21 - pressed units, and sewed pieces together

I haven't taken any pictures of my progress, but at least there has been a little of it. Now I have to get myself a design wall to make the quilt assembly a bit easier.

15 Minutes a Day

2011-03-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

I decided to take the 15 Minute Challenge - you can find more about it here.

I'm aiming for 15 minutes a day. Hopefully it will help me actually accomplish something. I'm assuming that things like pressing blocks, and crocheting will count. ;-)

Maple Leaf Blocks

2011-03-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Wednesday, and these were on my cutting table...

They were made for a block swap for an online group of which I'm a member. Only one or two of the other swappers might read my blog, so I think it's safe to post this. ;-)

Hope you're having a lovely sewing day!

Cutting Table Wednesday

2011-03-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

So what's on my cutting table today?

Well, for one thing, there's a brand new cutting mat!

That's because the cutting table is brand new too.
This lovely piece was a Christmas present from my DH. He truly spoils me!

This table is from Eddycrest, and was delivered in February. Both sides lift up to create a larger top. There are drawers at the front, and a slot to store rulers, etc., with cubby holes at the back for even more storage.

I finished a top for a cat quilt today, made entirely from 2" squares - but that's a photo for another day.

What's on YOUR table today?

Cutting Table Wednesday

2011-01-27T05:18:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's a day late (well, several months, to be more accurate), but let's see what's on my cutting table today.

It's a cat! And it's the only one that is allowed in my sewing room.

This is actually a lovely little organizer that I picked up this last weekend at a convention. It will live in my sewing room and hold such items as small rulers, rotary cutters, and other essentials.

What's on your table?

New Year's Day

2011-01-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

Well, it's January 1, 2011 - and a new year has begun.

I try very hard not to make resolutions, because I'm not very good at keeping them. But there are two that I have made for this year. And I'm counting on you, my friends, to help me keep one of them.

My first resolution is to practise my music more. Obviously, you can't help me much with this one.

The other resolution is to sew more - to make more quilts. And to finish the ones that I've started.

As you have probably gathered, I like to make small quilts for donation to animal shelters. And while I can't guarantee that my corners will match, or they'll be artistic, or even pretty, I *can* guarantee that the animals won't care. (My cats will sleep on anything soft.)

In the process, I plan on trying some new techniques. I've entered myself into a maple leaf block swap with an online group I'm in - so I'm hoping that will give me a kick start. I've also subscribed to The Appliqued Garden website, so I'll have access to many lovely patterns. And the, of course there's Fat Cat Patterns (a favourite site for various reasons) and the Anilee Quilt Club. (Let's not even mention the BOM I've joined at my favourite LQS, Sew Sisters. If memory serves, I committed to working on that project, AND blogging about it.)

So, please, feel free to bug me from time to time - to show what I'm working on, and to keep going no matter how much I may have convinced myself I can't do something.

Have you made any resolutions?

Before I forget - Happy New Year! I wish all of you a Joyous and Prosperous 2011!

And above all, happy quilting!

Thimbles

2010-12-05T12:21:00.000-08:00

This was another purchase at Kenilworth Castle - a reproduction of a medieval thimble.

All I can say is, they must have had tiny hands way back then.

Another Pin Cushion

2010-11-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

Another place we visited in England was Kenilworth Castle. It's a lovely ruin, with a beautifully restored garden. There were two gift shops, and I fell in love with some of the tapestries for sale - especially one of the Tree of Life.

Unfortunately, the price didn't fit my souvenir budget, so I came away with this instead.

Why, yes, I do collect pin cushions. Why do you ask?

Fat Quarters

2010-09-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

These pretty Fat Quarters followed me home from the Patchwork Cabin in Great Bookham, Surrey. It's a lovely, friendly little shop, and I highly recommend visiting if you happen to be in the area.

Cutting Table Wednesday

2010-09-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

It's cutting table Wednesday. Let's see what's on the mat today...

It's a tiny pincushion I purchased as a souvenir in a charity shop in Great Bookham, Surrey, UK.

What's on YOUR cutting table today?

A Small Finish

2010-07-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

You might think, in reading my blog, that I rarely ever finish anything. And perhaps you might be right. However, once in a while something gets completed, and even makes it out of the door to a new home.

This is my completion for June.

It's a small blanket for donation to either my vet or a local animal shelter. It's only a small gesture, but we have personal experience to know that they can be appreciated.

On June 7, we said goodbye to George - our oldest male cat - almost 17 years of age. He had a tumour in his face, and we looked after him and comforted him as long as we could, until it was finally his time to go.

My husband took him to the vet to see if we could help him in some way to keep him with us - but he was beginning to be in distress with the tumour. To keep him comfortable while he received his final needle, the vet brought out a crocheted blanket just like this one - so that he wouldn't have to lie just on the metal table. In fact, it was a blanket I had crocheted before, and given to the vet's office.

We were glad for this small kindness for George, and happy that there was a small blanket like this that he could lie on at the end.

If you have an overflowing scrap basket, or extra yarn, why not consider making a small blanket to donate. It may comfort an animal in distress - and if the animal is one of the lucky ones - it may even accompany them home to their forever home.

Happy Canada Day!

2010-07-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

I know it's late in the day, but I'd like to wish Happy Canada Day to all!

And is it my imagination, or did CSI actually use a Darwin Award winner as inspiration in one of their episodes?

Raccoonzilla?

Another Find

2010-06-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

So what's this jaunty little fellow doing on my cutting table?

I have a fondness for collecting sewing items, and this was my latest find in an antique store recently.

The poor little duck has scissors through his head. On either side, you can see little waves, on which are pins for spools of thread, or a little thimble, or a very old measuring tape...

And underneath is a drawer which is full of old "bits and bobs". To be honest, I haven't gone through it yet. LOL

Guess I'd better move him off my table now so I can actually get some work done.

And yes, I'm also trying out another layout for my blog. I don't know if I'll keep it, but they say a change is as good as a rest.

So, how is your sewing summer going?

Barn Swallows

2010-06-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

For many years, we have had a barn swallow nest above our front door, and there are usually 2 to 3 hatchlings.

Now, *this* year...

As you can see, we haven't taken down the Christmas lights for a while.

Four Patches

2010-06-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

I've started a new project. It's going to be a small quilt made up from fourpatches and neutral sashing. I saw one on a blog somewhere, but I can't remember which one.

At tho top you can see two of the completed blocks. They finish at 4-1/2". I haven't figured out how many I'll need yet, but it's a start.

Colour Revisited

2010-05-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

I said I would take a picture of my four patches - and I finally did.

There's a saying that done is better than perfect. This little top is about half completed, and it is nowhere near perfect. But I am happy to say that my corners are matching better than they used to.

And I haven't totally given up the alternating dark/light pattern. However, this particular top is mainly a jumble of squares. I'm considering it a learning experience. And one thing I learned is that the 2" squares are not all 100% cotton. Some of them shrunk a little bit when I ironed them. It makes life interesting.

Colour

2010-05-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

I've posted a pic before of the top for a small cat quilt which I made. It's totally scrappy. There is no logic whatsoever to the colour in that quilt, and I'll admit to thinking that perhaps I didn't do it "right".

So, I started making fourpatches from 2" squares, alternating light and dark. It's a more traditional fourpatch. And I found it boring!

Now, I'm back to mixing up colours. I'll take a picture of some of my fourpatches tomorrow and post it.

Warning - my piecing isn't great. :-)

Nearly Free Quilts

2010-04-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

This lovely book arrived in the mail today:

It's full of lovely suggestions, together with a scrap saver system, on quilts to make from scraps leftover from making other quilts. Or, in my case, to make scrappy from fabric in my stash.

I'm thinking it's time to recharge the battery in my camera.

Sewing Ticker

2010-04-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

On a recent blog I visited, I saw a progress ticker. I'd like to add one to my blog to count the days I actually spend sewing in one year. I've got a temporary one at the bottom, but as you can see I've modified an Exercise Ticker. I suppose sewing can count as exercise, but I'd really rather add something more appropriate.

Can anyone point me to a site where I can find such a thing?

Thanks!

Edited to add: I managed to figure out how to create a custom ticker. But if you know of a better one, please let me know.

A New Project

2010-04-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

DH has decided he would like the quilt on the front cover of this issue of Quilt Magazine - so now comes the task of picking through my stash for fabric.

Pictures will follow. :-)

Scrappy Patterns

2010-04-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

A very kind blogger, who knows that I like scrappy quilts, sent me this pattern.

Thank you, pennyquilts!

Sewing Machine Addiction

2010-04-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

I am a sewing machine addict.

It's not my fault. Really.

And I know I said I was only going to collect toy ones now, because they take up far less room.

But, what's a girl to do when she finds something like this?

I just had to open it up to see what was inside...

The machine is cast iron, and the design is part of the machine itself, instead of painted on.

And it DID come with accessories.

I guess you've figured out by now that it followed me home. LOL

There are more pictures, but they'll keep until tomorrow.

Happy sewing!

Quilt Fever, New Books

2010-03-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely day - picking up Quilting at the Cottage and then heading out to Sew Sisters and after that Quilt Fever in Etobicoke.

Not only did I pick up Liberated Quiltmaking II, but also this lovely book: Small Blocks, Stunning Quilts. There are some amazing quilts in here, and I've decided I want to make one of them.

So - I have a question for all you quilters out there - what is shirting? I know it's supposed to be fabric used to make shirts, but that's too simple. How would I recognize it in my stash, or anywhere else for that matter?

As for Quilt Fever - I forgot my camera, but Quilting at the Cottage brought hers - so I expect to see some more pretty pictures on her blog soon. I managed to restrain myself in the Merchants' Mall - only bought two scrap bags, and some thread. (Well, maybe a lot of thread. LOL)

Road Trip

2010-03-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

The weekend is almost here, and I'm looking forward to a road trip tomorrow!

We start off with a trip to my favourite quilt shop, Sew Sisters, to pick up my copy of Liberated Quiltmaking II.

And then we're off to the Etobicoke Quilters Guild's quilt show, Quilt Fever 2010. Perhaps we'll see some of you there!

A Win

2010-03-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

This cute fabric and lovely card were the result of a contest on Scott Hansen's blog, Blue Nickel Studios. He had a caption contest, which can be found here. He liked my suggestion, so I won one of the two second prizes.

Aren't these great fabrics? Now to think of the perfect project for them. Hmmmm.....

Speaking of projects - I'm now looking for my next one. I've finished a small quilt top for donation to an animal shelter (after sandwiching, quilting, etc.) but I want to try something different now. I've got some lovely scrappy patterns in mind, and I've started pulling some fabric for one of them. I'll keep you posted.

Cats and Books

2010-03-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

This is one of the reasons we sometimes run out of shelf space for our books.

Batiks

2010-03-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

Here's the other fabric I purchased yesterday.

It's two sets of 2-1/2" batik strips - Bali Pops from Hoffman Fabrics. There are 40 strips in a package - 2-1/2" x 44". The darker set is called Kiwiberry, and the lighter set is Berry Bliss.

I'm thinking a batik log cabin. :-)

National Quilting Day

2010-03-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

It's National Quilting Day (in the US, anyway) - so I felt it only appropriate to celebrate here in Canada by going to an LQS.

If I told you this followed me home, would you believe me?

This will join my probably very large stash of music fabric. Some of it will be used in a scrappy Irish Chain that's currently a UFO/WIP. And the rest - well - we'll see what inspiration hits.

By the way, these were only 4 of the 10 or so possible choices on the shelf. Apparently it only came in recently - and I finished the bolt on the gray/white fabric.

I'll show more of my purchases tomorrow.

Friday WIP

2010-03-19T15:02:00.000-07:00

Today's photo is some of the small pieces I sewed yesterday, and a scrap of fabric which has since been cut into 3-1/2" squares to alternate between the small 4 patches.

I probably have thousands of these 2" squares. Once upon a time I thought of making a postage stamp quilt, but my accuracy right now just isn't up to that. On the other hand, if I keep practicing, it should improve - right? I have no idea where the scrap came from. I have a friend who picks up fabric for me at yard sales, etc, and it may have come from her. Or it may have been from any one of a number of scrap bags I've picked up from various quilt stores.

Have I mentioned I'm addicted to scraps?

Victorian Pin Cushion

2010-03-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

As promised in an earlier post, here is a picture of the Victorian Pin Cushion that I purchased at the world's cleanest antique store.

If you look closely at the pegs on the bottom, you will see that the one just to the left of centre is slightly larger around, and a different shape from the others. I'm guessing it's the spot for your thimble.

And after the little pushes that I received from friends in my last post, I went into my sewing room and did a little sewing today. Thank you to all for your suggestions - I'll do my best. :-)

In a Slump

2010-03-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

I'm in a sewing slump these days. I'm caught between my old, very small sewing room, and my much larger, still mostly unorganized sewing room. Everything is sort of betwixt and between, and as a result, I've been doing nothing much of anything lately.

So why am I blogging about it? Well, because I started out as a blogger with great intentions, and I'd like to continue. But I need a little push.

So, I'm asking for suggestions. I'm going to try to write a little bit every day. If you have a suggestion of something for me to blog about, please leave me a comment. If there are no suggestions, I'll try to have a quilty picture of some sort (preferably something in progress), with some commentary. I'm hoping that a kick start here will translate to a quick start in my sewing again. And I so very much want to get back to my quilting machine...

The Lake Grill

2010-03-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

This isn't a quilty post. On the other hand, since food is necessary to keep us quilting, perhaps it is. LOL

We found (as in - were recommended to) a new favourite restaurant in our area. It's The Lake Grill (www.thelakegrill.com). The food was absolutely amazing, and they serve brunch on the weekends. If you get a chance, I highly recommend a visit!

One tiny note - the site is best viewed in IE - it just doesn't work in Firefox.

Toy Sewing Machine

2010-03-06T17:09:00.000-08:00

This is the second of the toy machines I purchased. It does work - sewing a very loose chain stitch (there is no bobbin). I've no idea whether this can be adjusted. But it *is* cute!

Tiny Treasures

2010-02-24T12:58:00.000-08:00

I decided a while ago that collecting toy sewing machines takes up a LOT less room than collecting the full sized ones. Having said that, don't ask how many I have of those, okay? LOL

This is the first of the two little machines I picked up on Sunday.

I haven't tried sewing with it yet.

Shopping

2010-02-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

We went shopping at a local antique mall on Sunday, and I have to say it was the cleanest and best organized antique place I have ever seen.

I picked up two toy sewing machines, and a Victorian pin cushion. Unfortunately, the battery in my camera died, so pictures will come later.

Yuck

2010-02-10T16:45:00.001-08:00

Having a cold sucks.

Lounging Event

2010-02-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

I think Gandalf has the Lounging Event in the Catalympics pretty much sewn up.

Collectibles

2010-02-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

This is one of my little sewing machines. It's actually a pincushion, with a tape measure at the base on the right. And on the left is a Singer sewing machine oil bottle.

What do you have in your collection?

More Christmas Goodies

2010-01-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

Here are the fat quarters that DH bought me to go with the quilt book.

In the foreground you can see a little light that you wear on your finger to help you see your work better.

And here is my new itty bitty rotary cutter:

Isn't it *cute*?

Christmas Gifts

2010-01-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

This was one of the items on my Christmas list, and DH truly spoiled me.

Of course, once I have my sewing room organized, I'll actually be able to find my black and white fabrics to make those lovely trees.

The Lounge Competition

2010-01-18T19:29:00.000-08:00

I just thought Smudge and Lester should know that they may have a bit of competition in the Lounging event. :-)

Do you think maybe Maxine might have a chance?

To Blog or Not to Blog...

2010-01-17T19:23:00.000-08:00

... that is the question.

I don't have any pictures (on *my* camera, that is) and while I'm working on a couple of things right now, I don't actually have anything to show you.

And my *to do* list is getting longer and longer. :-)

But I've been away from my blog for too long, and I need to get back in gear.

Looking for a Pattern

2009-12-28T15:57:00.000-08:00

I've offered to make a friend an iPhone case for her birthday (which I missed!) - and now I'm looking for a pattern!

I've got some lovely embroidery designs to choose from to put on the case - but I'm looking for an easy pattern for the case itself - quilted or sewn. Does anyone perhaps have a suggestion for me?

Season's Greetings

2009-12-26T11:05:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone is having or has had a happy holiday of choice. We celebrate Christmas, and this year it has been very low key.

If Santa has been a visitor in your house, what lovely quilty things has he brought you? I'll take pictures of some of what I received for future posts. But right now, he's in our basement (Santa, aka DH) working on making me a large sewing area. I'm currently working in a very small room, and it's difficult to feel motivated when you have to wind your way around things to get to your sewing machine.

I have a question for all of you experienced quilters/sewers out there. I'm sure it's been obvious that I am still very much a beginner. I have a recurring problem while sewing that is driving me nuts. Sometimes, when I'm piecing, the fabric flows under the presser foot beautifully. On other occasions, the bottom fabric stays on one path, while the top fabric decides to go off to the side a bit. Am I causing this?

Another Little Top Finished

2009-11-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

Do you remember that WIP on my table a couple of weeks ago?

There's some fabric in there from one or two old shirts. The bright orange pieces may have come from an old dress - I only got a portion of whatever it was. There's some new fabric in there too, and even a few pieces of what I think was some upholstery fabric.

I'm pretty sure a cat wouldn't mind leaving a few hairs on it. LOL

What Was I Thinking?

2009-11-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

DH and I wandered into a "new to us" bookstore today - mainly to check out the restaurant upstairs. As we were leaving, we wandered through the Language section to look for some Irish resources (I'm taking a class at a local pub). From there - it was just a step over to the Crafts section - so of course I couldn't help but check out the Quilting shelves.

I came away with not one, but *two* books on quilting - "Collaborative Quilting" and "Freddy & Gwen Collaborate Again". I have come across quilts on several blogs that were inspired by Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston, so I was excited to actually find these books myself to add to my library.

Now - to find the courage to try some of the incredible blocks showcased in these books...

Why look...

2009-11-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

...it's an itty bitty sewing machine...

which looks *much* dustier in the photo than it does in real life.

Have I mentioned I collect sewing machines?

Today's Photo

2009-11-04T17:40:00.000-08:00

Today it's a picture of some fabric that I'm just about to cut into. :)

I suspect this was a fat quarter from my favourite store, Sew Sisters. I think the battery on my camera is low, because it's actually in lovely autumn colours - must remember to save some for a leaf on a quilt I plan to make some day.

What's on your cutting table today?

Happy Quilting!

Some WIPs, Some Cuttings...

2009-10-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Today I'll show you a little bit of what I'm working on.

Those little multicoloured blocks at the top are some four patches that I'm unsewing - not happy with how they came together at the centre.

Just below is the beginning of some sashing strips I'm cutting for the pattern on the left - Scotch Blocks. I found it here. (It was originally developed as a scrappy quilt - so it was a natural for me. :)

On the right we have three incredibly scrappy strips that will find their way into a small quilt for an animal shelter. Some of the fabrics are reclaimed from other sources. (Again - totally a natural for me.)

In my previous post, I showed some of my cutting implements. Those lovely gold handled scissors are Ginghers. I'd read the hype - and now I understand. They cut through seams like cutting through butter!

Do you have a favourite cutting implement?

Happy quilting!

Wednesday + Two

2009-10-23T13:34:00.001-07:00

Okay, it's not Wednesday, but it IS my cutting table. LOL

So What Will I Do Next?

2009-10-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

I've been looking around for a simple pattern with some of the shirt fabric that I have (thank you to my friends for giving me their old shirts!). I've seen a few patterns with plaids on line, but nothing that really spoke to me. Then we made a visit to my favourite quilt shop, Sew Sisters, and I saw the Chip n Dip pattern. Now this is something I think I can do.

Mind you, I still have to go through a mountain of fabric on my cutting table. :-(

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends.

What's on my Clutter Table?

2009-09-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

My friend Penny showed off her Cutting Table earlier this week - so I decided I might as well be brave and show the true state of mine today. LOL

So, what is all that clutter? Well, it's some fabric I'm sorting, and some frogging to be done, and a pattern I'm following for a wedding quilt.

And for those Trekkers out there - yes, that's Quark's head you see sticking up at the back. It's a bank. I'm saving my pennies for my dream sewing room. And it's going to take a LONG time. :)

So - what's on your cutting table today?

Stash, Take Two

2009-09-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

So, the response to my previous post made me wonder - what is the strangest place that you have used to stash fabric?

And is there a room in your house where you *haven't* stashed any fabric?

Stash

2009-09-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

I'm curious. Is it called a "stash" because sometimes we hide it in unlikely places? It's amazing what I can find when I do some reorganizing.

Block Swap

2009-09-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

I've just about finished the blocks for a swap that I suggested. And I think it may be the last swap in which I ever participate.

It's not that I don't like swaps. I love the idea. But the truth is, I am TERRIBLE at piecing. I thought perhaps I might improve with time, but that doesn't seem to be the case. And it's bad enough when I'm making small quilts to donate to the animal shelter - although cats and dogs don't seem to care what something looks like. But when I have to share my work with other quilters - it's distressing. I've spent what many people might consider an enjoyable day piecing blocks in my sewing room. Instead, I feel upset - my shoulders are tight and tense, and I'm wishing I hadn't suggested the swap in the first place.

I'll finish the blocks, and I'll send them off. And I'll feel like I've accomplished something - as small as it is. But I'm feeling guilty about the quality of my work, and I'll probably post an apology to the group in a day or so.

I guess I should go find some cheese to go with my whine.

Happy quilting.

Wednesday Again

2009-09-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

It's September - where on earth did the summer go?

So - what's on my cutting table? A pile of fabric - mostly fat quarters. And I can't show you this time - on the off chance that someone else in the swap will see my blog before the swap actually takes place.

I've been in a bit of a slump lately. I don't feel inspired to start anything new or different, and I've been putting off cutting the fabric for the current swap - just in case I don't do it right. (Yes, I know - that's not a good excuse.) Maybe working on these squares will get me going again.

On a brighter note - George seems to have recovered from his illness. He's back to asking to be picked up, and begging for treats. Dufus got ill shortly afterwards. We're suspecting a recurrence of a corona virus for both of them. But he's back to normal too - so for the moment - the furbabies all seem well. And a purring cat is a cure for just about anything.

Happy quilting!

The End of the Snuggles

2009-08-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not finished making snuggles, but this is the last lot of completed ones that was delivered to my vet's office. There's another one in the works. I'm weaving in all the ends of the seemingly hundreds of yarns scraps I used to crochet it.

This is what's on my cutting table tonight.

It's a bin of scraps of fabric - some fat quarters and other cuts. Some will go into the wedding quilt I'm working on. Others - into the small cat quilts - and who knows what else? It's a bin full of possibilities.

My sewing space is also the safe space for my cat George. He's just over 16 years old, and he's not well. He's had a very bad fever from some infection, and now his kidneys, liver, and pancreas all show signs of problems. He had a loose tooth pulled, and we're hoping that was the cause - and that with the antibiotics we're giving him he'll recover. But he's had a rough time of it, and he's not as strong as he used to be. He's eating a bit now - something he hadn't done since last Friday, and he's drinking his water regularly. It's a small step towards recovery. All we can do is watch and hope.

It's That Time Again

2009-08-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

So, what's on my cutting table today?

Strictly speaking, this isn't. As a matter of fact, it was on my ironing board, and it's another snuggle for the animal shelter.

And neither were these - three more snuggles - but of course you guessed that.

So, the real answer is "way too much!" And this is what it looks like:

Some of it is fabric supplied by a friend of mine who finds all sorts of wonderful things at yard sales and thrift sales. It's being cut into 3-1/2" squares and 2" squares (which play rather nicely together) - to be sewn into yet another small quilt top.

I hope you're having a wonderful quilty day!

Squares and a Mini Quilt

2009-07-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday again - and this is what I have on my cutting table. To the right is a small pile of 3-1/2" squares, to be used with four patches in a small quilt for the local cat shelter. Just above the small ruler is a 2-1/2" square, and to the left of that a couple of triangles, cut with my AccuQuilt Go cutter.

The picture below is a small quilt made of 2" squares - I'm keeping the picture small so you can't easily see all my mismatched corners. LOL

It will be quilted with 2 layers of batting or fleece - I'm thinking of something really simple like perhaps criss-crossing the squares in straight lines.

I hope you're having a fun, quilty week!

Can you say "backlog"?

2009-07-22T11:49:00.001-07:00

It's Wednesday again, and time to show what's on my cutting table.

The first is a couple of squares that I finished months ago for Blankets for Canada. The blanket is in progress - and if I can get a picture when I'm finished, I'll post it.

The other two are snuggles that I completed - also months ago - for donation to the local animal shelter. And there are a few more of these - so you can see why I use the word "backlog" here. LOL

A couple of people have noted that they're uneasy showing what's on their cutting table, or in their sewing area. I am too - but I decided that I needed a spur to keep me going, and to try to get some sort of order in there.

It's working, too - next to finish is another small quilt top for donation to the animal shelter.

Happy Wednesday!

What's on my Cutting Table?

2009-07-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

So much to do, and so little time. At least, that's what it feels like. I've decided to try posting at least once a week - probably on Wednesday - with a picture of what's on my cutting table. It will be a journal of my progress, or perhaps lack thereof. LOL

This is what it looks like right now. There is one pair of my reading glasses - mostly used for frogging. there are some bins of 2" squares - in my attempt to sort them into lights and darks. There's a small pair of scissors for separating the string pieced squares. And, oh yeah, there's one of my little cat quilts in progress. (Let's pretend the stuff in the background doesn't exist for now, okay?)

And here's what was on my cutting table a few months ago.

These are some of the 8" squares that I have crocheted to be put into a blanket to be donated to "Blankets for Canada". This is a group that gives blankets to the homeless. As you may have guessed by now - I love using scraps - yarn scraps, fabric scraps...

So, what's on YOUR cutting table?

Postcards from Mexico

2009-07-06T13:57:00.001-07:00

As promised, here is a picture of the two lovely postcards I received from Ale. I think I'd love to visit Toluca.

The bottom picture shows a stained glass window from a Botanical Garden - wouldn't that make a gorgeous quilt?

Happy Monday!

I'm a Winner!

2009-07-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hola amigas!

Several weeks ago, I entered a giveaway on a lovely blog, Blueberry Heart Q uilts, and I won! (I was the 13th to comment - how cool is that?)

And this is what I won.

It's a beautiful little quilted bag - with a side pocket for my cellphone, a hook to hold my keys, and a zippered pocket on the front flap (just above the flower) and one on the front of the bag. There's a lovely long handle as well, for carrying over my shoulder. Here's another picture, showing the inside and the pocket:

Isn't her work lovely?

She also sent me two beautiful postcards - one of which has a picture of a stained glass window that would make a lovely quilt pattern.

Please check out Ale's blog - she has tutorials for making small quilts, bags, and many other beautiful quilty items. (And in Ale's honour, I purchased my first needlework and crochet magazine in Spanish! Wish me luck. :)

Tomorrow - photos of the postcards, and some pretty fabric.

Adiós para ahora!

Organizing Update

2009-06-21T14:12:00.001-07:00

Quilting Newbie commented that she would like to see photos of the results of my organizing. Now, I'm always nervous about showing how "organized" I am (NOT), but here goes anyway.

The sewing machine on the bottom right of my new hutch belonged to my grandmother. It was manufactured in 1924, and I used it for many years to make garments. I haven't tried it lately, but I suspect it still sews beautifully. The decal is "La Vincendora". There's only one tiny problem with the machine - the foot pedal needs rewiring - because when I last used it, it decided it wanted to start sewing all by itself, without my foot on the pedal.

I found the jar of thread spools at an antique store in St. Jacob's, if I remember correctly. I'm oh so tempted to reach in and use some of them. There are even bobbins in there that will fit my lovely Sphinx treadle (but that's a picture for another day).

And the work continues...

MIA

2009-06-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

I'm not really missing in action. Things are just a little, um, crazy right now. I'm making progress in my sewing room, and I'm planning to get back to it "real soon now". The last few days I've been suffering withdrawal, because I haven't even been able to keep up with reading my blogs list. :-(

On the plus side - I'm going a quilt show on Saturday. I'm looking forward to the inspiration!

A Quick Update

2009-05-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

My reorganizing is progressing. I'm finding stashes of fabric all over the place. While it's great to have so much to choose from, I'm beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. I mean, does it multiply all by itself? Did I really buy all that fabric?

We went yard saling this weekend, and I found a lovely hutch that fits well in my sewing area. The price was right - about the same cost as a set of three plastic drawers new - but so much bigger (and nicer looking too except for a couple of scratches). Fingers crossed - in a few days - I'll be *so* much more organized - and able to find my cutting table and take a few pictures too!

Redecorating

2009-05-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

Well, not really. I'm just in the process of figuring out how to set up part of my sewing space in my home office. I think it will make the computerized part of my quilting/embroidery much easier to have the computer in the same room. And the front bedroom I was going to use as more sewing space is now going to be set up as a home office for work - as in working from home. (I really don't want my home office/computer to be in the same space - there should be some separation of home and work.) This means reshuffling of stuff, decluttering, reorganizing - and once in a while a little sewing too. Not to mention the processing of about 3 bags of cotton shirts and other garments to be recycled. I'm going to be a very busy bee... :)

And it's not that I don't have anything to actually show here - it's just that I can never seem to get around to taking any pictures. LOL

Questions - Recycling Clothing

2009-04-29T19:22:00.001-07:00

For those of you that recycle clothing into quilts - how do you prepare the fabric? Do you cut out the seams? Do you use your seam ripper? Do you use all of the fabric from shirts - or do you discard collars and cuffs?

And does anyone make pet beds from pillowcases? What do you stuff them with? Can you use the scraps from recycled clothing? (I guess you can see where I'm going with this - is it possible to reuse ALL of an old piece of clothing?)

I suppose the easy answer would be just to do go ahead and do whatever I want, but I'm curious. That plus I want to be sure I'm doing it right. ;-)

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

This is my favourite song for Earth Day. I sing it frequently, and try not to cry each time.

Whose Garden Was This

Nothing to Report

2009-04-19T17:27:00.001-07:00

I'm quite a bit behind on posting, and there's really no such thing as catching up here, is there? :)

It was a quiet day - a little sewing, some garden work, some housework, and a little walking on the treadmill. In other words, nothing to report.

So, just to add some colour to this post - these are some fat quarters I picked up a while ago at Sew-Sisters. These may very well make it into a cat quilt for the local humane society.

A Silly Photo

2009-03-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

This is Gandalf the Furry guarding Minas Tirith.

Sorry, just couldn't resist! LOL

Pay-It-Forward

2009-03-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

A while ago I joined the Pay-It-Forward challenge on QuiltObsession's blog. Here are the rules:

I must make and send a handmade item to the three people who join my PIF within 365 days;
In turn, the three people who join my PIF must also host their own PIF and ask three people to join and on and on;
There are no set times other than the gift must be made and sent within 365 days of hosting your PIF.

If you're interested in joining in, please tell me in a comment that you would like to join my PIF.

This means I'm looking for 3 people to join my challenge. Anyone care to join me?

Baby Quilt

2009-03-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of a quilt top I've finished for my grandniece. When I had completed it, I thought it was ugly, and so haven't been really quick to pick it up for sandwiching and quilting. But my DSIL, the grandmother, says it's her favourite - so it can't be all that bad.

From My Quilts

I don't think the photo does the colours justice. The fabric is from Fabric Freedom.

Laurel Burch

2009-03-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

Quilting Obsession mentioned Laurel Burch in her blog a few days ago, and I mentioned that I had made one of the quilts based on her fabric. The quilt is called "Canines and Felines", and I fell in love with it when I first saw the sample in our LQS.

From My Quilts

I appliqued the blocks in the centre with variegated thread - one of my favourite quilting notions. Here's what it looks like.

From My Quilts

I'll add photos of a couple of other quilt tops shortly.

An Easy Decision

2009-02-23T18:40:00.000-08:00

It's interesting how easy decisions can become when you actually stop and look at your resources. For instance - I found the fabric that I had purchased a year or more ago for a "Three Little Kittens" quilt for my grandniece. It's a Darcy Ashton applique pattern - you can see a picture of it here. I pulled out the pattern book and dutifully started cutting the background on which I would applique the kittens, their mittens, etc, etc. And it quickly became obvious to me that I *hate* the background fabric. I like the fabric that I chose for the kittens - but just not for the kittens themselves. So this is a project that isn't going to get started for a while. I'll have to head back to the quilt shop.

Which leads me to ask - have you ever felt pressured by time, circumstances, or whatever, to buy fabrics for a project (maybe because that's all the shop had to choose from) that you later regretted?

Decisions...

2009-02-19T16:54:00.000-08:00

So which project should I pick up next? I've got another small quilt to finish, not to mention 4 larger tops to quilt, a wedding quilt-in-progress, and wedding quilt-to-start, and a "Three Little Kittens" quilt to start. And then there's all those kits...

Am I the only one ever to feel paralyzed by too many choices?

Tagged and Firsts.

2009-02-15T15:39:00.001-08:00

First things first!

Two very kind bloggers tagged me, and all I can say is, "I'm not worthy!" LOL

Thank you to Quilting Newbie and The Quilting Pirate, who have both decided that I must list five addictions.

Only five? Ah well, here goes...

1. Music - you see, I sing - mostly something called filk music, and one of my favourite things is to be in a group of people harmonizing.
2. My cats - need I explain?
3. Making things out of fabric. As long as I can recall, I've saved scraps of fabric. As a child, I made doll clothes. Later on, it was braided rugs, and now, it's quilting.
4. Books - mainly mysteries and science fiction, with a fantasy or three thrown in for good measure.
5. This is a toss up between dark chocolate or bloody caesars - I don't have either very often, but when I do, I REALLY enjoy them.

Okay - now this is the more difficult part - I have to tag 5 other people. That would be:

Quilt Obsession
Quilting at the Cottage
quilt as desired
TobyCat Creations
Happy in Quilting

There are so many more, but these ladies have been very inspirational to me, and I hope they will be to you as well.

Now...

This little quilt represents a series of firsts for me. It's my first finish in February, which is a really good thing. It's also the first pieced quilt I quilted on my frame with the stitch regulator, the first one with no puckers in the back (trust me on this). It's my first quilt with mitered corners in the binding, and the first quilt on which I hand sewed down the binding.

I hope you've all had a wonderful Valentine's Day, and a great weekend!

Snuggles, Piecing

2009-02-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

It has been too long since I posted last, and I *have* to catch up. Two lovely people have tagged me, and more about that next time.

I finished a second snuggle (mini quilt top) for the local cat shelter, and I've got a picture of my finished crocheted snuggle from January (my first finished WISP of the year). Yes, I'm REALLY behind. Having a cold and the flu will do that, I'm afraid.

Anway, here's the finished snuggle:

And here's the second mini quilt top - before my attempt at stippling on my quilt frame with the new stitch regulator attached:

As you can see - nothing fancy - and totally scrappy.

I'll post a photo of the finished mini quilt once it's squared up and bound.

Snow, Cold, Furbabies

2009-01-28T20:28:00.001-08:00

I've still got this cold - hopefully it will be gone soon. It might have gone sooner if I hadn't caught the flu in the middle of it. At any rate, this means I haven't been able to accomplish much lately. But - my Christmas present arrived today! DH bought me a Stitch Regulator for my Bailey. Hopefully it will be installed and ready for a test drive this weekend.

As you already know, we have several furbabies. Dufus and Maxine were snuggling on a chair today (on top of the ugliest quilt in the world - but that's another story). As you can see, I just HAD to take a picture. Dufus is the tuxedo cat.

Practice Quilting

2009-01-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

So I've finished the first practice quilt - and I started taking it off the frame. Guess what? I managed to stipple the top to the leader. LOL So much to learn - but I'll get there.

Mind you, it helps immensely when the frame is level. I had noticed some resistance when working in one direction, so DH got out the carpenter's level - and sure enough - some readjustment was required. Glad to know it wasn't me.

Now, if I could just shake this darn cold. I'm SO tired of coughing.

Gracie Update, Darn Cold

2009-01-14T15:37:00.000-08:00

So Gracie made it in to the vet this morning, and had her chest x-rays. The poor little thing has some fluid in the front lobe of her lungs - so she's started on a bronchiodilator - half a pill, twice a day. I'm so glad I have a piller for cats - she took the first one with no trouble at all. She and I will also get to share meds - I'm on a low dose aspirin for my blood pressure etc etc - and she can have one every 4 days to act as a blood thinner. Then she's back in for a recheck on Valentine's Day (how appropriate!).

The darn cold is still hanging on. I thought I was getting better, but you can't tell by my voice. Oh well - it's only a cold. It will go away eventually.

Cold, Eye Candy

2009-01-11T11:15:00.001-08:00

I haven't been doing much lately, as I've managed to come down with a cold. So here's some eye candy to make up for not having much else to show at the moment.

Happy New Year

2009-01-04T18:07:00.001-08:00

It's a new year, and I've got some new photos. I've also joined in a challenge! It's One Project A Month, and it's to help us finish off our WISPs (I love that term). I've actually already finished something, but today's picture is not it LOL.

I'm looking forward to this - I might actually have a chance of meeting this challenge!

And now a picture - this is another Snuggle that I finished last month.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I did promise pictures, and in this, as so much else, I'm behind as always :)

The first picture (taken on my cluttered cutting table) is a snuggle that I've crocheted for donation to my local animal shelter. There was a fire at the shelter last week, and over 160 cats and other pets lost their lives. Mercifully, they died of smoke inhalation. Only 9 dogs, 2 cats, and a rat were saved. They need all the help they can get, and a snuggle is a very small but easy thing to give.

The second picture is a small top I've pieced from cotton scraps. I've been collecting 2" squares from eBay (and cut a few myself from my stash), and a good friend finds cotton scraps for me wherever she can (yard sales, you name it) so some of the fabric is recycled. This will be sandwiched, quilted, and bound, and also donated to the animal shelter.

I've also got a pile of crocheted squares that I've made for donation to Blankets4Canada, but they can wait for another post.

Now I'm off to wrap presents and finish decorating the tree. (I told you I'm behind on things!)

Happy Holidays to you and your families.

Practise, practise, practise

2008-12-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

The practise quilting on the frame is progressing - and I don't have as many puckers on the back now - which is a good thing. I've got 5 tops that are crying out to be sandwiched and quilted - and blocks to make one more (well, I should perhaps add some sashing first) - and PILES of UFOs. Then there's the crocheting - the snuggle for the vet's office, the squares for Blankets for Canada - there will be pictures (if only for my own benefit to see how much I actually do accomplish).

A Small Success

2008-11-16T19:18:00.000-08:00

So I tried again this evening, to see if I could sew across the small test quilt without breaking the thread. The first thing I managed to do was jam the needle. After getting it unjammed, in trying to get the thread out of the bobbin area, I managed to get it ALL apart. Which meant I had to get it back together again. It seemed easy, but I just couldn't do it. So DH had a look at it - the only part I had missed was getting two small levers snapped into position. Everything else was okay. So, I tried again - and this time - success! I managed a little bit of stippling all the way across, and the thread didn't break!

Now on to advancing the quilt a bit and practising some more. It's a baby step, but it's a step in the right direction!

Quilt Frame, Bailey

2008-11-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

There's so much to learn about quilting on my frame. I'm sure I haven't quite got the mini quilt on there properly - must tighten the knobs on the poles. And the thread keeps breaking. Rethreading on a frame isn't the easiest task. But at least I know how to do it quite well now. I did manage a sort of pattern the first time - and it helps that DH thinks it's awesome. :) Unfortunately, I'm prone to frustration when I don't learn something right away. Must be a sign of age. :(

On the plus side - it can only get better, right?

Quilt Show, Guilds, Friends, Music

2008-11-09T05:09:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we attended the York Heritage Quilt Guild's annual show. Once again, I was amazed at the wide variety of quilts, and combinations of colours in quilts. I always come home from such a show in awe of the work of others, and totally convinced that I could never do anything one-tenth as good. But I am also inspired, and reassured. I've been piecing and quilting pretty much on my own for the most part, so every time my corners don't match, or something is a bit wonky, I usually end up ripping it out and trying again. Because, of course, everyone will notice that it's not perfect. When I go to a quilt show and see a beautiful quilt on display, and notice that a few corners don't match (which doesn't take away from the beauty AT ALL), I feel reassured that perhaps I'm doing okay.

After discussion with one of the guild members in the quilt shop, DH suggested that perhaps I should see about trying to join that guild - everyone seems so nice, and encouragning and helpful. Logistics, however, make that rather difficult (living a fairly long distance away). Instead, I came home and called a friend who is a member of a local guild. She just happened to be sewing with two other friends - also members. So - I'm getting a newsletter in the mail - and an application to join. I'll get to see my friends more regulary, and perhaps make some new ones - and in the process get more inspiration, and encouragement.

As if that weren't enough to make it a good day, we attended a local folk club last night to hear live music. What a wonderful way to finish off.

Quilts from Africa

2008-10-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

We took a road trip yesterday, to Ailsa Craig, Ontario. There was a quilt show - Quilts from Africa, sponsored by Cotton by Post, a local quilt store. The quilts were amazing, and so inspiring. And I managed to buy some cotton squares from Zimbabwe, and some continuous line quilt designs at the show. Then we found the quilt store. My pocket book hurts, but I now have a portable design wall, and two cones of cotton thread for use with my quilting machine (one of them a lovely blue - perfect for practising). It was a lovely day.

Quilt Frame, Design Wall, and Stuff

2008-09-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today were spent on a bunch of other stuff, so the only quilty things I managed were to load the batting on my frame, and prepare some fabric so that I can start to practise. I'm also piecing 2" squares into a small quilt to donate to my vet's office, but it's not quite ready to be photographed yet. So instead, I took a picture of a part of my very small collection of pincushions. My favourites are the two on top, flanking the quilty cat in the middle.

Baby Quilt Photo

2008-09-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the finished baby quilt - or at least one-half of it. The top is folded and placed on my (rather cluttered) cutting table so that I could take a quick photo. It came from a kit, and it's not my personal choice of colours (never did like pastels) - but it is pretty, and I'm sure the baby will like it.

Baby Quilt

2008-09-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

At last the top for the baby quilt is completed, and tomorrow I'll take a picture for posting. It's not fancy, but it IS done. I've also been working on what is possibly the world's ugliest raggy quilt, and that should be completed later this week. I guess it's time to go back to the scrappy Irish Chain wedding quilt....

Quilt Frame

2008-09-01T13:16:00.001-07:00

Yay! I am extremely happy to announce that my quilt frame is finally assembled, and my Bailey is sitting on it! Now, if I could only find my template...