January Finishes

This is what my sewing room looked like last night about 6 pm. I did get about 14 of the 20 blocks made but it was chaos! So, the finishes....

First finish: I wanted to finish cutting this pattern out. It is Christmas Lights by Bonnie Hunter from Quiltmaker magazine. I got that done and began sewing the blocks together! As I posted yesterday, the red block was giving me so much grief I was beginning to question my sanity...there are 20 of that block, and I got 14 done so far.

Second finish: to get the binding sewn on Chocolat. It is on, and now I will look for a strong curtain rod so that I can hang this beautiful quilt in my entrance way.
Third finish: to get the first block together on an older Block of the Month from Bunny Hill called "I Believe in Angels". So, the first block is put together. But I have to do the machine stitching on the applique. I have a few applique jobs to do, and I like to set my machine up and do several things while it is set for applique. So likely I will do another block or two and do all the "jobs" together.

All in all, my best month to date...a good precedent to set to start 2010!

Mental Block

Isn't she looking pretty? So much better than she did a couple of months ago when she got "groomed". She looks more like a Golden Retriever now, but of course that means more hair. Lots of hair! That is the price we pay to have our lovely girl. It just means that if I am going out and planning on wearing black, I don't put it on until I walk out the door. It also means that if I wear black around the house, I also look like a Golden Retriever.
For my January project completions, one of the things I wanted to do was finish cutting out a pattern that I had started cutting out in the summer. So, I did that, and have been able to get ahead and start sewing blocks together. But, have you ever been challenged by a block? I am not sure why as it is a very simple block, but I just can't visualize it as I am sewing and am wasting time unsewing...I just don't "get" it! I am a visual person and usually I can see how a block should look as it going together and can multi task while sewing. But this one is a challenge. I'm not sure why but I keep sewing pieces to wrong side of another piece, even when I have it laid out... I am having to make one block at a time rather than chain sewing pieces and there are 20 of them. So I am challenging myself to get them done this weekend...so no interruptions, and no one can talk to me!!!!

Valentine Party Quilt Top

Here is my quilt top done last night around 7pm. I have to learn to use the satin stitch on my new machine and have a couple of projects pending for this...this is the first project I have ever designed myself. I have always been a pattern person, so had to step out of my comfort zone a bit. I am fairly pleased with it, but not totally. This encourages me to try more though, and "be brave" with my ideas.

I had such fun yesterday keeping up with many of the participants projects and am so inspired by the variety of projects completed. Who would have thought a virtual quilt challenge would be so much fun??

Thanks!!

I have added the applique to my quilt top, and just need to learn to use my satin stitch on my new sewing machine. I can't wait to take some pictures tomorrow as I like the looks of this table topper.

I just want to say a big Thank You!!! to Kelly and Joan for organizing the day today. I had fun doing my project and keeping up with others on their projects. I connected with some new friends and that is always a good thing. I am calling it a day, and going sit with my husband and have a glass of wine. Good night!!!

More Progress

I have my heart done, made with red scraps in 2.5 inch squares and have put one blue border on. The next border will be in cream/off white, and that is where I will do the applique. Dinner is going to be either pizza or soup- easy prep, and clean up....wish I had my camera, though.

Progress

I managed to grab the camera before Dana left and got these shots of my set up today. My favorite Saturday morning show "What Not To Wear" is on, I have my snacks, and am cutting out squares. It is cold and snowy outside and I have no plans to venture out except when Chloe needs to go out this afternoon. My musical choices are ready when TV gets too boring...

Valentine Sewing Party

Here is the pile of off white's I am going to use.
Here are my red's.

It is only 9:15 here and I know Joan has four hours on me, and she probably has her table topper quilted by now!! I have my coffee in hand and am heading into the sewing room. My daughter has gone to Banff for a girl's weekend and has taken my camera, so my updates will be without pictures until tomorrow.

I am going to design this one myself so it will be slower I imagine but that is OK. I have a good idea in my head what I want to do, so hopefully it turns out as good as it looks in my head! Have fun everyone!

OOps!

It all started with very good intentions...The Olympic Torch came through our town on Monday this week, and we would literally have been able to see it from our deck. So Sunday night I was showing Tony how to use the camera as I had to work on Monday. I called home in the afternoon to ask how it went and he said he couldn't get any pictures as the camera wasn't working. I was so disappointed! I think in the course of the lessons Sunday night we left the camera on (not to point the finger, but I'm sure it was him! Haa!) so the battery was dead on Monday. But, he did get me this flag, and I did see it in our little weekly newspaper- just like having my own pictures, right?

In 1988 the Winter Olympics were in Calgary, and we were living in Calgary at that time. I have very fond memories of that time as we did stand in the crowds and watch the torch bearer run down Centre Street. The beauty of it was that I was 9 months pregnant, so people were very gracious and allowed our group of friends a front row view. I am convinced that people thought I would go into labour right there! I almost did, as Dana was born a few days later on the day of the closing ceremonies. I remember walking the halls of the hospital and seeing the replays of Elizabeth Manley's silver metal figure skating win. So, we have always called her our Olympic baby, and have been lucky enough to have had her with us these last (almost) 22 years.

January CGQC Tag

We were asked by Kelly how we use quilts to decorate our homes. Most of the quilts I have kept for us are quite utilitarian, and oddly enough I had decided this would be the year to try to keep some quilts for us, and show them off more. So, that is yet to come...anyway this is Tony's cozy TV corner where you can see a bit of the fireplace and this is a really old Thimbleberries sampler quilt that he warms himself up in.
This is my winter quilt hanging in the dining room.
This is my cuddle quilt in the living room for when I read. Another Thimbleberries that is OLD, but one of my favorites ever.
This is Dana's bed.....you can see two quilts, I think....she'll kill me if she sees this....
This is where Chloe sleeps beside our bed on yet another Thimbleberries....

The dog we had before Chloe had her own quilt (not a Thimbleberries), and when she died we had the quilt I made buried with her- she loved that quilt and actually dragged it around so she could sleep on it where she wanted. I love when quilts are used...they should be well loved!

Saturday January 23rd

Next Saturday I am going to participate in the Valentine Sewing Party with the CGQC. I am going to make a Heart table topper, designed by me...it is in my head, but the main part of the topper will be a heart made with squares and half square triangles of assorted red and cream scraps. Then I will do a cream border wide enough to do an applique of some kind, so I can practice a satin stitch or some similar stitch on my new machine. I have lots of red scraps and look forward to using some of them.

Every month we Charming Girls state our quilting goals for the month and work diligently to get them done and show them off at month end. But I always get seriously sidetracked and start thinking about new projects (often at 3 a.m.) and almost always start new projects. Not that there are any laws or rules to prevent me from doing that, but it means that current projects get behind...and I have a hard enough time finishing current projects with the other obligations in my life. The point of this is that it makes me laugh and realize the joy that this hobby gives to me. As Martha Stewart would say "and that's a good thing!" So when I can't sleep tonight I will be designing my table topper in my head, and going to one of my "happy places".

Lucky Me!

Yesterday in the mail, I finally got the prize I won from Michelle over at L7 for her (almost) 100th posting. She mailed it December 15th, and it arrived January 8th. Mind you it had to go from Arkansas to Alberta, but I believe it arrived via Pony Express! I have a hard time picking my favorite line as they are all so beautiful...and as I said to Michelle, I now have to dream up a project -maybe table toppers....Nothing like a fabric parcel in the mail to brighten one's day!!! Thanks, Michelle!!!

Further to my previous posting, I am really enjoying (mild understatement) my new sewing machine. I now realize how much I was struggling with the old one, as I had to pull the fabric from the back of the machine to get it to stitch properly. Each time I sat down to sew was an exercise in frustration, but I didn't realize it until I got Baby! Now fabric just goes through on its own, and the stitches are even and straight-imagine that! What a treat!

Goodbye Ellie, Hello Baby!

I bought this Elna in either 1989 or 1990. It has served me well, but I was given a dire prognosis at her last tune up. On New Year's day I was putting the binding on a large quilt and I had to pull the quilt from the back to get Ellie to work, so...I broke into my savings account and bought Baby!
Meet Baby! She is oh so sweet, and I can't wait to figure out how to utilize every button on that machine...Since yesterday I have figured out how to wind a bobbin, thread the machine, and sew a 1/4 inch seam! That is good for now. I just want to stare at her! I am very lucky to have her, but I saved long and hard, and it will be worth it! She was on sale, but I was having an anxiety attack in the quilt shop as I thought about the purchase. Tony is just so supportive too, as he said he knows "how happy quilting makes you, so just enjoy it!" OK, I will....

But first a little eulogy for Ellie. She was a work horse, and did well for I would guess thousands of sewing hours. I made little girls dresses, shorts, kids pj's, curtains, placemats, table napkins, and even a little boy's winter coat complete with snow pants. I made my first quilt on her... sniff....In the past year she slowed down some, and has had some health issues. I am going to keep her to use for crafts as she can't even be sold for parts. Thank you Ellie, and Hello Baby!!!

Starting In 2010 I Will....

I will bind this quilt that I made about 2 years ago- about time! I plan to hang it in my long entrance hallway as the colours are just so wonderful. It is made from Chocolat, and it was one of my favorite lines and colours ever.
I will finish cutting out this Bonnie Hunt Christmas quilt that was featured in Quiltmaker magazine.
And...I will start the Bunny Hill BOM from 2008 called "I Believe in Angels". I will do block one in January and try to finish it in 2010.

My goal each month is to bind a quilt, start a new project and finish a "labour of love". That is three projects each month which should be manageable. I need room in my studio, so this is the plan of attack. I have a beautiful sunny room that I want to put a chair in so that when I hand sew I can watch TV or listen to a book, or music, and not bother anyone else. (or is that not have anyone bother me??) So I am starting to save for a comfy chair. I will show you tomorrow what I saved for the past several years. My daughter has my camera tonight on her last night of freedom before she goes back to school, so I couldn't take any pictures... let's just say that I now have feed dogs that drop...