Best Laid Plans...

The sun is shining...  The birds are tweeting...

And I decided first thing this morning to put a binding on a quilt that has been finished for about 3 months except for the binding.

I had my breakfast -- an omlette with slices of avocado on top and a nice fresh cup of coffee (sometimes I use yesterdays coffee left in the pot cause I am too impatient to wait for an fresh pot), checked my email and was headed to the sewing room before 7am...

I pulled out the quilt that needed the binding and plopped it down on the floor beside my sewing chair while I sewed the long strips of binding together

 

Then I turned to pick up the quilt and guess who? had made himself comfortable within the folds.

 

 

For a change he wasn't knocking things off the cutting table or taking up all the space by stretching out in the sun on my ironing surface, SO...

 

I shifted my focus and decided to work on another project.

 

 

Another small "chocolate box" of already cut 2 inch squares was passed along to me a week or so ago at guild meeting, so I thought instead of loosing them in the piles of stuff, I would do a bit of stitching them into a few blocks.  25 patch blocks, that maybe will become a doll quilt or? who knows, but I was in a mood to sew and since Walter had disrupted one plan, there is always an alternative in my sewing room...

 

 

Well, I did not get very far along when my DH asked if I wanted to go get some groceries, so I only got a few blocks done...

 

 

These are rather fiddly little blocks, but now they are started and I am back from the grocery store interruptions so I shall head back to the sewing room, open my window and listen to the birds twittering and fluttering outside my window, and get some more sewing accomplished...  And thats the plan for today.  It is not yet 10:30am!  Lotsa time!

 

Pink Kick...

Say that three times in a row! Pink Kick, Pink Kick, Pink Kick!

I saw a shawlette on one of my favourite crochet blogs, a few weeks ago and decided to go ahead and create a really large drapey shawl for myself using this 'shawlette' pattern stitch..  You can find the instruction for the pattern, free on Ravelry - it is called the South Bay Shawlette. (you need to log in or create an account if you have not already done so). 

But.  I first saw this pattern in progress on Le Monde Sucrette - you will have scroll back a few posts -- I did that on purpose cause I want you see her lovely projects as you scroll back!

 

Is this what you call ombre?  Cream, light pink, hot pink, and finally burgundy...

 

 

See that bit of yarn hanging?  I was in a bit of a rush to take these pictures as it is just after 5pm and the daytime light will have soon been gone for the day, so I finished up that last stitch and hung the shawl on the back of a chair on my balcony to get a quick pic...
 

 

Isn't that a great stitch?  Such a nice lacy effect and yet it is only a two row repeat.  Such a simple pattern stitch and it looks quite intricate. I may just create another in this pattern with a natural or organic quality yarn -- this one is done with 4 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver yarn.  I'm thinking this might look and feel really nice in a lighter weight yarn, but still as large shawl.  This version hangs down well past my bum and will keep me very cosy I think.  I definately prefer the longer coverage.

 

I have been wanting a shawl for a very long time to wrap around my shoulders while I work at my computer on those very early mornings when I tend to be doing my best work...

 

I just want to put a bit of trim at the top edge -- no fringe tho because it will just be chased by Walter, who if you read this blog regularly, you know is an imp in black and white cat fur...

 

 

trying on a pink hat to see if it will match the shawl?...

The Iron Challenge!

It is a huge job to organize and find ideas for your fellow quilters when you belong to a local quilt guild or a quilting group!  A few months back Diana announced the idea of a Iron Challenge and she did credit the idea back to the Fraser Valley Quilters Guild.   So this month members of our guild -- Abbotsford Quilters Guild -- picked up the idea and held our own EVENT...

This has turned out to be a wonderfully co-operative and creative enterprise and I know I thoroughly enjoyed the two hours my group spent working on our Iron Challenge Quilt.

Let me explain the details and rules that our groups used. 

First Diana supplied sign up lists and then she arranged those who signed up into 5 or 6 "man" groups.

Each team had to follow set rules which included: making a quilt from start to finish in two hours, the quilt must have a measurement of at least 140 inches all around or what we call premie size about 30 inch x 36 inches.  It must be a quilt, three layers, with binding and a label.  It can be any design.  Only one sewing machine, one iron and one ironing board per team.

On my team there were 6 people and Diana emailed us to let us know who was on our team about a week ahead.   This week allowed time to pick our leader -- Me, actually.  Then I made a plan, that included a listing of the supplies, tools, etc we would need and each of us declaring what job we might be best suited for.  I also created a plan for the quilt we would do and the whole instructions step by step.

Our group included Me, Lin, Karen, Bev, Carol and Jane --and part way through we aquired a helper, that I am sorry but I did not learn her name, but she did sew on the quilt label!  (names not necessarily is order, and not everyone was available for the photo)

 

A couple of other things to note, Our guilds charity quilts program, supplied all the fabric, batting and backing.  Harriet who takes care of our 'We Care' program brought piles of donated fabrics and each team chose what they wanted to work with.   Then just before each team started, every team  was given a fat quarter of fabric that Had to be included -- in our quilt it was that little strippy green that we put at an angle in the corner of each rail fence block....  then we called the quilt OLD RAILS.

 

We had a great time!

 

We learned from each other and our charity quilts program had six baby quilts all finished up to donate to the next children who are in need of a quilty hug!

Politics, Religion and Money...

You thought this was a craft blog, right?   Well, it still is, but there have been so many things in the news that is upsetting, whether it be war, or fraud by big business, or ideas that fall into the "I can't quite believe it" section...

So I am going to post a few links on Mondays, that inform or infuriate.   Things that as a whole population we CAN fix if we choose to take our support away from business that cheat, or sneaky little scams that don't seem to hurt anyone but DO, and to pose the age old question, Where did I come from and where am I going....(religion)

If you haven't seen these bits of news before, I am just posting the links and you can take the time to go check them out and be informed or just skim over them and continue on your way... The journalist who write these news stories tell them much better than I could cause I might start using a few NASTY words that need astericks and percentage symbols to illustrate them!

This week:  Facebook -- geez this is a sneaky one!  Best read this article in the Calgary Herald by Dave Budge....
Facing up to Facebook Scams

MONEY...   The first place that wants to slide your dollars out from under you is the government.  Second is the big banks...  Royal Bank of Canada (that does say CANADA!) not only wants our money but they don't want to pay Canadian employees....

Check out this article about sending work to another country, and bringing workers from another country to replace close to retirement, long term workers... 
RBC replaces Canadian Staff with foreign workers
and todays response...
RBC Scrambles to explain

As to Religion -- nothing new discovered... but then I don't know much on the subject, but am attempting to learn I even spent a short bit of time listening to LDS General Conference (no i do not belong to the church or any other, tho) -- I am always wanting to learn so thats not so new and find multiple sources that I think might help me learn more about my world......

Oh and an Animal story...  Everybody likes animal stories, but are you biased against BLACK???  read this one about black dogs...
Black dogs sent to BC for better chance at adoption

And to end on an UP-NOTE...

 

Mill Lake Park in Abbotsford BC... Spring has Sprung!!

The Peace Proposal

Said General Clay to General Gore
"Really must we fight this silly war
To kill and die is such a bore"
"I quite agree," said General Gore

Said General Gore to General Clay,
"We could go to the beach today
And have some ice cream on the way".
"A grand idea", said General Clay

Said General Clay to General Gore,
"We'll build sand castles on the shore".
Said General Gore, "We'll splash and play".
"Let's leave right now", said General Clay

Said General Gore to General Clay,
"But what if the sea is closed today
And what if the sand's been blown away?"
"A dreadful thought", said General Clay.

Said General Gore to General Clay,
I've always feared the ocean's spray.
And we may drown." "It's true we may.
It chills my blood", said General Clay.

Said General Clay to General Gore,
"My bathing suit is slightly tore.
We better go on with our war."
"I quite agree", said General Gore
Then General Clay charged General Gore
As bullets flew and cannons roared.
And now, alas, there is no more
Of General Clay or General Gore.

- Shel Silverstein

I almost never comment on political, religious, or criminal types of news on my blog, but THE PEACE PROPOSAL has long been a favourite piece of poetry of mine and unfortunately it seems to be becoming relevant to current events...