Connections - A Quilty Story

Hang on for a long and meandering, connect-the-dots, sort of story.

So yesterday, I saw this post on Pat Sloan's blog: 

And I quote: 

"I'm inspired by Joan Ford's method of cutting scraps and her thought that when the bins are FULL.. MAKE A QUILT! Check out her Scrap books at this link. ScrapTherapy® Cut the Scraps!: 7 Steps to Quilting Your Way through Your Stash"

Of course, I'm immediately asking myself, who is this Joan Ford? What is ScrapTherapy®? I swiftly put this book in my online shopping cart at Chapters-Indigo (but didn't "check out" because I was just too lazy to get up and find my credit card) as well as a 2nd book: "Scraps Plus One".

Today, I stopped at Walmart on my way home from a brutal day of outreach in the northern end of my catchment area (it was mostly the DRIVE that was brutal, not my clients) to get some cereal and Greek yogurt (love that stuff! why is it sooooo expensive?).

I noticed this magazine on the rack, priced at $8.99 (I think it is $6.99 US):

Now, here's an interesting fact:  two of the projects on the front of the magazine are also in "Scraps Plus One" as well as FIVE OTHER projects from that same book.  The Seven Steps to Scrap Success is also discussed in the magazine. 

I'm completely stunned that I had never heard of this quilter, considering how dear the scrappy life is to me!  If  Joan Ford is a new name to you as well, here's the scoop:

Website: http://www.scrap-therapy.com/

Blog: http://scrap-therapy-quilts.blogspot.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hummingbird.Highway

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/hbirdhwy/

The moral of the story is...wait, there is no moral.  I'm probably going to order those two books anyway, as soon as I get off my lazy ass and find my credit card.

Some Sunday Stitching and Stash

I'm completed the blocks for "Love Blooms Here" (Parts 1 & 2) so this Sunday, I'm working on an old UFO.  It's a table runner, and on each end is a basket of flowers.  I've appliqued the flowers on one end this week, and today, I'll start on the other end.

For the first weekend in a long while (since Christmas I think!) we finally have had some decent weather, so Hubby and I decided to make a trip home to see some family.  While we were there, I stopped at Baskins Fabrics to feed my need for fabric.  I was delighted to find that they had three huge baskets full of baggies of fabrics at $1 each.  Here's a small selection of a few I added to my stash.

Fleurs de lis, chandeliers, and chairs.  I love these colours.

Ordinarily, I would never buy batiks, but I noticed right away that the print (below) were of Fiestaware, then I noticed coffee pots and mixers - and thought these were so unusual and delightful, I could find a place for them.  Each piece is about 24" x 10, and I got doubles of some of the colourways. 

This fabric below is very sweet.  I might cover some notebooks and give them to other social workers I work with in the community.

Love Blooms Here - progress

I'm still working on Step 2 of this series from Quiltmaker.  The house block is done (needs to be pressed and trimmed) the little flower/heart block is five minutes away from being done, and the Love block is all set to start hand-appliqueing.

Sunday Checking in

Still working on hand applique for Love Blooms Here blocks (Part 2)

I made a mug rug for a co-worker from a pile of scraps that were crying out for some attention.

I went shopping yesterday, and with the help of Hubby's new smart phone, we were able to find Creative Sisters Quilt Studio in Kitchener.  I spied two plastic containers packed full of scraps! ($4 each)  So excited!

Also did some Stash Enhancement.  The blue batik FQs came from Creative Sisters and the other four prints came from Quilter's Nine Patch in Elmira.  I'm in serious like with the black and white Eiffel Tower print.  The Deb Strain floral prints were in the bargain bin.  I think they are sweet.

Itty Bitty is home from university for Reading Week. I'm not sure what kind of trouble we can get up to - but he's definitely going to spend some work hours with me - learning what the world of social work is all about.  Itty Bitty will be finishing up his B.A. in criminology in the next year, and is giving grad school some serious thought to pursue a Masters in Social Work.  (Totally psyched about that!)

I almost fell for this video Quilt Along:  

Yes, I watched the first three videos this morning, and started pulling fabrics, started piecing the first friendship star, and thought "what the heck am I doing???".  Put the fabric away!  Put the fabric away!  Put the fabric away!

Skating? Yeah, I'm a natural!

Just in case anyone was concerned I'd broken my brains out on skates, I'm glad to report that I've gone skating TWICE so far, and I'm getting better!

Yesterday I did six laps round the rink - and I enlisted a couple of complete strangers as cheerleaders, who pumped their fists in the air and spurred me on!  (I made it clear that I was a first-timer, so ANYTHING I did was amazing).

We put our skates on tonight again, and this time I did TWELVE laps around the rink, and it took exactly the same time (45 minutes) as the six I did yesterday.  And I haven't fallen once ....yet!

Slow Sunday Stitching: Love Blooms Here

I just got the newest issue of Quiltmaker, and the 2nd part of the series "Love Blooms Here"

Last Sunday, I worked on, and completed this block:

This morning I prepared for the next three blocks, so my Slow Sunday Stitching is all ready to go for the rest of the day.

I'm going to SKATE!

Yes - Canadian, born and bred.  Never been on ice skates before.  I have to blame my mother.  (It's always the mother's fault - right Mom?).  Well, I got fitted with some hockey skates last night, and I'm going to just do it!  

The young man at the sports equipment store gave me some advice for learning: "it's step-step-glide -- that's how the little four-year-olds learn".

Two blocks from our apartment, City Hall has a beautifully maintained public ice rink.

In the summer, it's a splash pad (hence the big silver trumpet-y thingies.

I hope I don't do myself any permanent injury!

Sunday: Reporting In

It's been a BRUTAL week.  So busy with work that all I want to do is take of my pants and flake out on the couch.  I haven't sewn a stitch.

Slow Sunday Stitching:  I'm ready to start the next block for "Love Blooms Here" (the Quiltmaker Series) that I'm doing in batiks

Put Your Scraps to Work 2014: not exactly a finish.  This is the pillow front of "Heart's Desire" from the Feb '14 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting, designed by Jen Kingwell

Sunday Stash: I recently joined Annie's Creative Quilters Fabric Club and received my first shipment this week.  I'll be able to use some of these batiks for "Love Blooms Here".