Another Pinterest Pin - NAILED!

 Cauliflower Soup

I made a batch of this soup this afternoon - - YUM!!!  I pureed it in the blender to make it easier for me to eat in my post-surgical state,  left out the hot sauce (I'm not a fan), and it is super tasty.

Slow Sunday Stitching - 29/12/2013

I saw this image on Pinterest and pinned to my 'small sewing projects' pin board.  It linked to an etsy shop, and the item is no long available.  But I thought....I can do this!

I found a clip art image of a sewing machine online, embroidered it on natural muslin, glued a card circle to the inner hoop, layered four circles of batting, and finished by trimming the muslin down, and gluing it to the inside of the inner hoop on the back.  I think I nailed it!

Culling the Stash

I caught Bonnie Hunter's Quilt-Cam this afternoon for the first time in a very long time.  I managed to get this week's Celtic Solstice clue done:

I have been sorting through all the UFOs still lurking in my sewing room, and made some decision.  I got rid of about a dozen projects, given some to my sister to complete, some to the London Quilt Guild for their children's quilt program, and the rest to my old quilting group for their chemo quilt projects. 

One that I'm not ready to give up on is this:

Nearly all the blocks are done!  I am starting to think about putting it together, and finish the missing blocks as required.  While looking through the finished blocks the other day I realized that I made some of them the WRONG COLOUR!!!  ack!!!!!  Now the question is...should I remake the blocks, or just swap them out with other blocks?  Hmmm... well, as Bonnie would say, "finished is better than perfect."

Celtic Solstice Screw Up!

Yep - spent the weekend working on piecing these blocks, and the whole afternoon squaring them up.  And then went to put them away with the other blocks for this quilt, and thought "What was Bonnie thinking mixing these 4" blocks in with all the other 3" blocks?"  And the horror overcame me...I made these TOO BIG!!!! ACK!!!!!  Back to the trimming board!

Thinking about UFOs

I caught this video today -- very timely as I begin to think about some of the UFO's that are taking up space in my sewing room.  My next task is to apply a very critical eye to the bags and boxes, and get to work on clearing out and making space.

2013 - A Year of Quilts in Review

Last year around this time I was jumping on the UFO Challenge bandwagon.  I kept up for about the first half of the year - and continued to work away for the rest of the year on some oldies but goodies.

Now it's time to take a look at what's left and decide what I what to do with them.  And also a time to celebrate what I've accomplished.

Black & White 

I don't have a finished photo of this, but it is now happily living in Halifax with my son Sailor Boy. Finished in July.

Bookmarks

I finished all of these, and donated them to a local agency that offers literacy classes and supports.

Shirt Stripe Boxes

I don't have a finished photo of this quilt either!  Finished in October 2013.  I haven't decided what to do with it yet.

Cross Stitch Pillows

 

Done!  But, alas, in a bag.

School of Rock

Completed this in January - and until a couple of weeks ago, it was hanging on my living room wall.

Cranberry Garland

An October finish - this one is earmarked for my mom.

Courthouse Stars

This one is now on our bed!  Hubby really likes it.

Virginia Bound

Done - I have a few thoughts about who I may give this too.

Heart of the Home

Done - aaaaaand in the closet.  Not sure of the future of this one yet.

Oh - this is too cute

Sewing-Themed Mini Christmas Tree from Jonathan Fong Style

I saw this on Pinterest this morning - sew cute!

Surgery went well - I was discharged yesterday afternoon. I'm so happy to be home and sleeping in my own bed, and enjoying the QUIET!  

I even had Itty Bitty take me to WalMart this morning to get a couple of groceries.  I hung on to the cart and did just fine.  A few hours later, he took me for a walk downtown - about six blocks or so - and I feel great. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Itty Bitty would be a super nurse. He makes a damn good cup of tea too.  

It was fun to look in the holiday windows. This was one of my favourites - - an advent calendar of boxes - AND PINK!

I've only had tylenol twice today - and that's been for a headache that I've been enjoying for three days.  I finally figured out that the headache has been caffeine withdrawal. I am a big fan of the coffee - I have two ginormous cups every day.

Big Day Tomorrow

I'm having surgery tomorrow morning!

Not a big deal - it's elective, and I've been waiting 2 1/2 years for a date.

My co-workers gave me a little gift this afternoon - - cozy new slippers, that just coincidentally match the red stripe in my new housecoat that I bought on my lunch hour!  

Everyone added a nice message to the card -- I don't know if you can see it - - but it has a little mouse sewing, recommending that I "mend". 

Celtic Solstice - Keeping up!

Just as I thought - those pinwheels were pretty quick.  Next!

Making Some Celtic Solstice Progress

I've been a busy girl!  Too busy to do any sewing this week.

Tuesday night, I gave a lecture to the Royal City Quilters' Guild.  I was proud to have been asked, and I tried my best to be interesting.  I think it went just fine!

I haven't mentioned this earlier - - but I'm having surgery on Tuesday morning.  I'll be taking four weeks off work for recovery, so I've been working my buns off to tie up any loose ends, close as many files as possible, meet any deadlines, and train a temporary replacement.  I'm beat!  I hope my temp replacement will work as hard as I did and leave me a clean desk when I get back.

So, this weekend will be about getting some housework done (I sure won't feel like it come Tuesday!) laundry caught up, and this week's Celtic Solstice Clue.  At least it's not too challenging, and I should be able to finish it in one sitting.  Last week's clue is still on the table!  But I've got about half the blocks done.

Itty Bitty was home for a couple of nights this week - but he's gone back to school.  He has one more exam to write on Wednesday, and then he'll be home for the holiday break.  He can look after his mummy! Keep me hydrated and medicated, and roll me over every once in a while so I don't choke on my own drool. It was nice to have him even for a couple of nights.  He's a big help to us.

Now What?

Ooooooooold project - - stack n' whack four patches--the main fabric is cats on quilts--that were sitting in a bag and I felt compelled to make something usable out of it.  The pale yellow print is an equally ooooooooooold Cranston VIP print of tone on tone roses.  (You know you've got some in your very oldest stash, so no snickering allowed.)

I don't know what to do with it now.  It's really quite unattractive.  And I mean that in the kindest way possible.

Celtic Solstice Started - and a little stash brag

The first clue of Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville mystery was posted yesterday.  I nearly whined, but that's against the mystery rules.  Bonnie!  Where are the HSTs?  The 4-patches?  Why...why...why these weird triangle blocks?  I don't have the special rulers, I am not fluent in Inklingo.  I drafted the block and cut out the triangles, adding 1/4" on all sides, and used these templates to cut my pieces.  I've figured out how to "eyeball" the placement correctly so the blocks turn out square and the right size.  Hm...not so bad.  And half done.

Hubby and I went out for a bit of a drive to blow the dust off us - and stopped in to a couple of thrift stores.  Check out the vintage hexie print!  It looks Christmassy with the big red poinsettia flowers, and snowflake-like geometrics-- and there's nearly 3 yards here!  I have no idea what I will do with it, but it was too fun to leave behind.

Slow Sunday Stitching

I hadn't sewn a stitch in nearly two weeks.  Today I finished two backings, and applied the binding to this quilt.  Tonight I've got my feet up, watching a corny Doris Day movie and hand sewing the binding.

Sewing up a Storm!

It's been about 10 days since I last posted - feels like two.  

I've been sewing my little fingers to the bone trying to finish up quilts in time for my presentation to the Guelph Quilt Guild next month.  Just last week I picked up three quilts from the long arm quilter.  I have the binding and labels on two - and started on the third.  But I have MORE to go to the quilter.

I've also been doing a little bit of shopping rounding out my selection of fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's mystery that starts November 29th.  Naturally I couldn't just work out of my stash!  

A couple of flimsy finishes.

Is it bedtime yet?

Sooooo tired!

I stayed up as late as I could last night - but was in bed by ohhhhh....8.   

.....and up at FIVE!!!

However, on the plus side - I finished two quilt tops this morning. Yup - and even started piecing the back of one of them.  All before heading out to work!

On the negative....I had about 6x as much coffee as any human should safely consume - - and my boss commented that I was in a "weird mood" and categorically refused to go on any field trips with me to Members of Parliament's offices.   (I just wanted to say "hey!")

Taking the Plunge

I've never done a Bonnie Hunter online mystery before, but as I started seeing more and more finished Easy Streets from last year's mystery, I told myself I wasn't going to be left out again - - I can't NOT be part of the phenomenon any longer.  I'm a little scared of the colours, but I'm all in for Celtic Solstice, and I'm going with the flow.

(image "borrowed" from Quiltville)

There is a Lowe's in the city where Itty Bitty attends university (by the way - - Midterms were last week - - who got straight A's???  Yeeeee-ah, my boy!) so I sent him to hook me up with the paint chips and told him to mail them to me immediately.  He called me tonight from the paint aisle at Lowe's.  Such a good boy.

Hopefully I will have the paint chips by the weekend, because there is a Shop Hop on Saturday - - you know I'm going to have to shop for fabric for this project!

Does this look familiar, mom?

Yes mom, it's finally quilted, and I'm sewing the binding on.  I'm really pleased with the design the quilter chose, and that she went with turkey red thread.  Good job Linda!

I woke up this morning thinking about these crumb blocks that I've had in a drawer - - enough to make a good sized quilt, but I've never seen a quilt that is nothing but crumbs.  Just to add a degree of difficulty, I'm putting the blocks on point and adding a 1/2" strip around the side triangles.  I have no idea what this is going to look like.  

This Week's Report

It's been a week since I've posted - just been busy! After a week of holidays from work, things have piled up at the office.

I signed up for a scrap swap at Lia's Handmades - sounds exciting!  I love scraps!

Hubby is at work today - which gives me about 4 hours of solo sewing time.  I'll post later with pictures of what I've been up to.

What Does a Cat Have to Do to Get Into a Picture....for crying out loud...

Itty Bitty is home for the long (Canadian) Thanksgiving Weekend.  We dropped Hubby off at work bright and early this morning, and I forced him to drive me to all of the thrift stores in town, looking for some quilting goodness.  I bribed him with a stop at Tim Horton's for a Pumpkin Spice Muffin and tea.

I bought some quilting magazines, Amy Butler's book "In Stitches", a zipper, and a bag of scraps - all for less than one new magazine on the news stand!

Whose bum is that sneaking in on the perimeter?

Well look who's here?  It's Gibby!  Look at all 

the good stuff I found at the thrift stores!

Whatever...just scratch my chin - wouldya?

REEEEE-TREEEEEAT!!!

I'm on vacation this week - and spent a couple of days at a cottage in Port Lambton with my mom and sister, and some of their scrapbooker friends.  I took my sewing machine, and finished this quilt top:

Plaid Obsession has been on the top of my to do list forever!  I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Quick tip - Glue stick

I made a 6" wonky star block for a label today - and thought I'd share this tip.  Turn the edges of your label under, and use an ordinary washable glue stick to temporarily tack it down to to the back of your quilt.  So much easier to hand stitch down without a zillion pins, and will ensure it is straight and unpuckered.

It took me all week...

It took a whole week to finish stitching down the binding on my latest Shirt Stripe Boxes.  But it's still not done - it needs a label.  I'm bad at this - so I took a look around the internet for inspiration - and if Jenny from the Missouri Star Quilt Company says I can just write on the back of my quilt with a Sharpie...I'm all for it!

Just kidding...I'll try a little harder than that!  I'll get back to you with whatever I decide to do.

The reason it took so long to do the binding is because I tried very hard to work on my Plaid Obsession Quilt every night for at least an hour or two.  Last night I started putting the rows of blocks together!  

In the meantime...there's a sweet story in the video above.  Take a look if you have a spare 4 minutes and 11 seconds.

Slow Sunday Stitching & Sunday Stash

Tonight's project is to hand stitch down the binding on on this quilt.

I bought this wooden tray at Goodwill for $4.  It has two drawers in the front.  Gibson loves it - - it contains all of his furriness quite snugly.

I fell in serious like with the Michael MIller kitty print fabric when I was out shopping yesterday.  The French General solid (sorta) is a much better match than this photos shows.  I have no plans for this - but it was cute, it was on sale .... so I got two metres.  I'll make something cute out of it someday.

While I was out and about in Waterloo...

Still having several hours to kill while Hubby was at work, there was no need to come straight home after the quilt show.  I needed a fabric to finish the piecing of "Plaid Obsession" - so it was off to Elmira and the Quilter's Nine Patch.

While in Elmira, I FINALLY found:

I admire everything about this thrift store.  Try to picture everything you imagine about the Old Order Mennonite way of life - and apply it to everything you know about thrift stores.  Neat as a pin, organized into categories, visible signage, large coloured price tags, appropriately priced, quiet.  When I walked in, a sign indicated that all  red and orange tagged items were half price.  It seems that this building may have been a restaurant at one time - because there were a number of "rooms".  When I got to the books - which I thought were a smidge more than I like to pay for second hand books - I happily saw a bin with a sign clearly stating that books with green tags were 50 cents.  Perfect!  Magazines for a quarter. Yes!  I also bought some plates, brand new with the original price tag still attached - $1 each.

I didn't think I'd find any quilting treasures, since the Mennonites of Waterloo County are famous for their quilts - but look what I did spy:

No - I didn't buy one - but it was good to know where I can find some denim patches, in case I do want to make a comforter one day.  You can sort of see there are some quilts folded on the shelves below - - about a dozen or so, but I didn't examine them closely.

Heading home, I realized that I was just a stone's throw from St. Jacobs - so I stopped in at Reichard's. I was surprised to see that they are closing! 

All fabric from the bolt with a .5m min cut 35% off
All panels and pre-cut fat quarters are 35% off
All books, patterns and notions 15% off
Store Samples 25-40% off
All store fixtures are for sale. 

I did buy a little fabric. The selection was still very good - so I would recommend to any bargain hunters who have a quilt project in mind, or perhaps need to purchase backing fabric - make the trip.

Quilt Show in Waterloo

Hubby started a new job recently.  Unfortunately, it involves some weekend hours, so I was on my own today.  Why not go to a quilt show?