BC Day

Well actually.... BC Day was yesterday.   Some years back, "the powers that be", decided that we needed a mid-summer long weekend.  What a great idea!  Though for my little family it doesn't me we go away or do anything unusual, we do the same stuff, but maybe a bit more...

We went for a drive in the country.  Normally we go on our little adventures quite early in the morning and arrive at our destination before the flocks of people get there.   Well, it seems we could not come to an agreement on what we wanted to do and after much discussion we settled on a park and a picnic.  Well, by the time we got to where we thought we wanted to be, it was 11:30 am and there was not a picnic table available and parking had been designated to the overflow area --- many many many steps to the 'nice' spots...

We don't like crowds, so we decided to find somewhere else.

As we drove along a country road, we chose a driveway with a closed gate that lead out into a cranberry growing field.  There was space for our car and we had our picnic there by the side of the road.  Cars went by.  We squirmed through the gate with the dog and took a toddle around the field.  It was quiet.

Later driving back on those back and side roads we stopped to admire a goat wander in her field.  There were others there but they were on the far side and photos would have just showed brown blurs off in the distance.

Along the way we came across another park, that was not nearly as popular as our first choice.  Quite peaceful and quiet and few people -- maybe because it's main attraction was forested trails and lots of greenery...

That was BC Day, no sewing, no crocheting, no knitting...

Summer

Things seem to move a bit slower in Summer, in my house anyway...

I dusted off my REALLY OLD sewing machine,

and I am still wondering who, where and exactly when it was made...

I posted about this little treasure a year or so ago when my Aunt gave it to after she had bought it at a garage sale in Winnipeg, MB.   It sews!  But I don't use it, I just look at it.

Maybe someday I will find a similar or exact match and my wondering will be answered.

And my serger, it has barely been used and from this photo, you can see where it sits...

Another thing to wonder, do I want or need this?  Why do I have it?  Anyone out there shopping for a serger?  I paid $420 for it, and will accept $300...  Let me know via email if you are interested...  hmmmm???

Now, this is my JOY, she hums along most everyday!  If I have no project in progress, I sew triangles together to make half square triangle just to be able to sit in from of my very favourite thing in the world.  Even though it is JUST A THING, it is my favourite thing!   I sure do enjoy a good sewing machine!

And these are a portion of the pile of stuff I have been sewing in the last week or so.  I am making zipper pouches.   I got a bunch of rather long zippers a couple of months back, and then my friend gave me some 'decorator' fabrics -- some rather Vintage -- so I decided to combine the two and have been sewing these 8" x 11" pouches that will mostly be donated to local Women's Shelters.   Now, tell me, who doesn't have a bunch of things to put in a zippered pouch??  The uses are endless...  I may put a few in my Etsy store too, and perhaps I can use the income for the purchase of zippers, so that I can make more.  There is more fabric than zippers...

My Mid-summer garden is progressing quite well.  I am still picking a few strawberries from the plants in containers on my front deck.

I think because I am able to put basil on my sunny front deck this year (there was no deck or place due to construction last year) it is growing better than it ever did in the mostly shade back yard.

And the red gerainium are strong and full of bloom.  These I plant every year in my gardens in memory of my Mom.  She always had them in her gardens and always insisted they be red, so I just continue the tradition.  And really, these were not my favourite flower but, it grows on ya!  I cannot now do without them in my yard...

And, thats how summer goes along here...  Slow, Easy and downright Peaceable...

Great? Isn't it?

Red and Black

And White, it is almost impossible to leave out White.

Walter.

Eating.

Drinking.

Ring

Bearer.

Pillows

For My Niece, Sabrina's Wedding

Thriftin' on Friday.

It would sound better if I called it Thriftin' Thursday, but well, it is Friday now so Friday it is...

I tell my husband that I need some exercise and would he prefer that I walk about the MALL where prices start at the $20 dollar range or that I walk about the second hand stores where the prices generally top out at $20?

So we drove to the west end of town and stopped at Value Village -- there are 6 2nd hand shops in our town that I generally visit on a basis of one or two a week, so it has been quite a while since I walked around the most expensive shop in town (tho MCC aka Mennonite Central Committee Thrift Shop) is quickly becoming rather high priced too)

I got this McCalls Needlework and Crafts - Winter 1964 -65 for 99 cents.   I like to look through these magazines because it is interesting to see the styles and the kinds of things that our Mother's worked on in their spare time.   This particular magazine has no torn out pages, which is always a bonus, just in case I find something to challenge my nimble knitty fingers ; the instructions will be there...

A page of gift and christmas decorating ideas..  That Christmas tree is kinda cute, hey?  And a pin cushion made from RECYCLED Wool Sweater, rolled up tightly and sewn -- What a concept!  I do believe it is Betz White that does those Wool Tea Cup Pincushions.  Cool how an old idea can be modernized with a bit of thought and innovation!

I think this knit sweater is way beyond my ability but just think how great you would have looked wearing it on a cold winter's eve in 1964!   I was about to turn into a teenager and I know I would have coveted it (but knew it would never hang in my closet).

A Change of pace!  A light synthetic piece of fabric, about 3 meters worth actually.  $2.99  and I am thinking of making myself a summer top...  I am not so good a choosing patterns to sew and to put on myself, so I have a top that I plan to de-construct and use as a pattern.  I know I like that top, tho it is faded and has way too many snags and stains, so, next week perhaps I shall tackle that little job.

AND

I think I may have found THE fabric for the Medallion Quilt Along...  It kinda has that dull, dusty type of colour that I have been hunting for to put into the next round (Round 3)  So, will try it out and see how it goes -- if not I guess I will just have to trudge on over to the REGULAR fabric store and buy at retail some appropriate yardage, as the Medallion is definately needing to be worked on!

Oh, and according to the sign in the window at Value Village, Monday June 27 is half price day!  So I may be back there to see if I missed anything real important!!

SEW? What's goin' on?

I am finally spending HOURS in the sewing room and keeping myself busy...  Mostly creating things for my etsy shop....  I'm thinking maybe I should be having thoughts of christmas?  is it too early for working on christmas themed projects?

I made a picnic table cover.  TODAY, is the first day of SUMMER so a picnic table cover seemed to be in order -- NOW I just have to convince the family to come along to a picnic in the country...

I bought one of those Moda Charm packs -- I really shouldn't buy those... For me they prove to be too limiting.  

There are alot of ideas on the Moda website but I am far to CHEAP to buy a half dozen of the charm packs.   Something I discovered that I really don't like about these 5" squares, is the pinked edges.  For me, they make the piecing inaccurate, even if you just sew the squares together, which is what I did  for the picnic table cover.  I find that I sort of wobble in my seam line when sewing along that pinked edge, it scrunches too easily and can make as much as an 1/8 inch difference in my seams -- it is probably just the way I sew, tho.  I like that nice straight rotary cut edge that I would do when cutting my own squares from fabric. 

 I think, I shall keep away from those charm packs -- BUT I do love the colour combinations that they put together.   Like being in a candy store, or a quilt shop, RESISTANCE could be futile...

Yesterday I spent the day sewing FAST Flying Geese sections (go look for the instructions in the first part of the Medallion Quilt Along - clik on the tab).

I found another retro bedsheet that went quite nicely with two other sheets that I have in the closet, so I decided to make a set of Variable star blocks for the ETSY store

So I got 16 - 12 1/2 inch blocks completed and they are now listed in the shop.

The other day I discovered something VERY useful about creating quilt blocks for the STORE.

 Now, I am not really an unusual person, tho like the rest of you, I like to think I am different.

 I like to start new things and over the years have started many UFO's and they sit in drawers and boxes and sometimes I manage to pull them out and get them put together and finish them up.  It seems my best motivation for finishing a project is a wedding or a birth  to get a gift done quickly, I always turn to my UFO stacks! 

Now, though, I have found that making blocks and playing with fabrics and colours, I can make a project part way and then SELL it (or at least LIST it) in the store.   A fantastic way to play with fabric and not have the guilt of a stash of UFO's!

NEW THINGS...

This is one of those "I wonder" thoughts...  Has nothing to do with quilts or crochet, just a weird thing in LIFE...

Does anyone else, or in my case, does anyone else's husband INSIST on starting the newest bottle, container, box or whatever of a new thing before the previous one is quite done?   If I buy a new bottle of shampoo before the old one is done -- even if it is the same brand and fragrance -- my husband HAS to open the new one before the old is done?   If there is a open pack of baloney in the fridge, he will open a new one instead of finishing the old, even if old means he opened it yesterday!

WHY IS THAT?   The only way I seem to be able to put a stop to that sort of thing is to not buy the new replacement item until we have completely run out of the already opened product.   And this really gets me!  If we run out of peanut butter and do not have a replacement jar in the house, I have seen my hubby open a jar in the store, stick his finger in for a taste and put the jar in our cart!!  Is that OKAY even if you are buying the jar???

I THINK WE HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF....  (good thing hubby doesn't read this blog!) -- and don't YOU go telling him I am letting out his secrets!!

Admit it!

I'm lazy...

It sounds better tho to say I'm busy, but honestly, there are some days, even a stretch of days where my motivation is not quite up to snuff...

I did have a busy weekend -- with putting in volunteer hours at my quilt guild's quilt show this past weekend and between those hours of manning the admittance booth, selling raffle tickets and wandering about and answering questions, I did have to wash dishes and vacuum carpets and water the garden and go grocery shopping for the food to keep my family happy and contented...

THEN on Tuesday IT happened again!  The kind of event that occurs less often than Christmas but once done lasts so much longer than just one day.  Since 1972, this event has occured 12 times now.

WE GOT A NEW KITTEN!!!

Walter is his name.

He is a very handsome little boy.

He comes from the home of my friend Nearissa and she hand raised/bottlefed him and his siblings from the time he was about 10 days old -- his Mama went out one day and never came back...  It is a good thing Walter (who originally was named Socks) had Nearissa to save him.

Walter is the most adventurous and fearless kitten that I ever remember meeting.  He is just over 8 weeks old and is as bold as if he had lived here everyday of his life.

Walter found his way about our house by going forward every step, he climbed up top and squeezed underneath.  He scrambled up the stairs and scurried across the rooms he was exploring!

Even Pearl did not intimidate Walter.

Walter was happy to see Pearl, in fact.  Walter embraces Pearl every chance he gets!

And Pearl, well, lets just say it was LOVE at first sight...

Archie, our mature older boy (he is only 5) was at first a bit leary of this well dressed little whirlwind who has invaded the territory.  Walter did not flee nor backdown when Archie came to be introduced.  Walter just watched and explored and waited til Archie invited him into the cat cave, where they now both lay together, or play peek-a-boo -- one outside and one in...

And even the DAD has taken to the charm that Walter spreads around the house!  (the DAD was quite uncertain of taking on a new baby)

Walter is full of charm and it seems he is just one of those guys with a winning smile and he seems happy to spread his "shine"  all around...

So now I have a reason for lazy.  Watching Walter is an amazing thing and I am sure it will not wear off for days and days and days and days...

Nothing to Say...

Just the regular everyday kind of things lately.  It is finally showing signs of SPRING and that is my favourite season.  I am planting things in my garden and the squirrels are eating the seeds that I planted for Pole Beans...  My Cat Nip plant was devastated by a new cat in the neighbourhood.  Chewed up, rolled on, and spit out!   I moved the ragged plant to my upper balcony where that cat cannot climb...

Calendula, and Batchelor Buttons are sprouted and the second set of leaves are appearing.  Tiny Tim cherry tomatoes are looking strong with bloom buds showing.  My container strawberries are bloomed and tiny green strawbs have formed.

Our Guild Quilt Show is this weekend, so I am busy sorting a few items that I plan to put into our guilds "For Sale" Boutique.  A couple of tote bags, children's sun hats, potholders and even an I Spy Lap Quilt.  The quilts that I have in the show, were labeled and hanging sleeves put on last week and they are packed up ready to be hung.

Organizing things have been a top priority for the last few months and I keep finding things to put into order or to eliminate.  Photos, dated and into file boxes by year, and month with a few special series labeled by subject.  Fabric Stash reorganized and then reorganized again.  Etsy Store items, inventoried and packaged for easy and quick shipping...

Yesterday, I spent the morning, organizing household files -- after the previous 2 mornings spent shredding old reciepts and tax forms and other outdated paperwork...  TWO huge garbage bags of shredded paper for the recycle bin.  DONE.

The Medallion Quilt, meantime is on hold -- just not the time to think about it and I am having a major difficulty finding a fabric that the next border is crying for.

A few family EVENTS and Occasions also take up my time lately -- seems like May/June is almost as busy as Christmas!

A new DRAGON/Dinosaur (from the thrift store) for my backyard -- I do have a strange set of creatures inhabiting my fence and deck and under some of the plants!

And today a couple of things lined up -- out of the house.  I am going to visit the local CAT shelter and see if I might find a new member to our family.  This house has always had two cats and since Fossie went on her way to the big cat haven we have been missing her so it is time to look for that new kitty to fit into our home...  And the not so fun part of the day -- gotta go pay house insurance, and while we are at it, it is property tax time so that bill to will get taken care of today..... 

WHEWF!  Thats enough for one day.   I think before I start it all, I will fill the slow cooker with some chicken and veg and I won't need to think about dinner until it is time to scoop a serving from the ceramic bowl of the slow cooker...

Ten days!

You'd think I had gone on holiday, but no...

Maybe I was Ill, not me.

How about busy -- yeah, thats it, I was busy -- a crappy excuse actually...  so how about, I just didn't get around to posting on the blog, and I am feeling somewhat guilty because the Medallion Quilt Along seems to be bogged down too...   And really, it is bogged down because of COLOUR.  I know what it needs and I don't have it in the stash and I can't seem to find the right colour in local shops...  This could be indefinate.  I hope not.  I could compromise and use half of this and a bit of that and some of those, but it would not feel right to me and sometimes, even though I can be a bit lackadasical I need to have the right colour for this little quilt.  So, patience please?  Or if you don't want to wait around for me, you could invent the next round or two for yourself...

Yesterday, I spent all afternoon putting hanging sleeves on 4 quilts that I have registered for my guilds quilt show...

Yes, Abbotsford Quilters' Guild is having a quilt show...
It is a pretty big thing for us, well, every guild that does a show, puts alot of time and effort into showing their quilts and it seems like there is always more that could be done.

I totally enjoy our guild show everytime but as with any large show, it takes at least two visits to aborb and see all the quilts that have been hung.   If you only have a couple of hours for a quilt show, it is impossible to see it all!   Isn't that the way for any sort of 'trade' show? 

The best thing about quilt shows, is there is no really pressure to spend money!  There are booths where you CAN spend money, buy fabric or books or gadgets, but you don't HAVE to!  I like that you can just walk around and look.  You can look at the colours and study how shapes fit together.  Quilts are an interesting way to learn about Math.  I certainly was a poor student of Mathematics when I was in High School, but now, I love the use of Math to puzzle out how the various pieces of fabric can fit together, and the USE of MATH to create MATH puzzles -- and our show has a special display all about how Math works to make interesting quilts...

If you have been part of a quilt guild, sooner or later you will be part of a quilt show!  The admission to the show and a few other things are what helps our guild to pay bills, hire instructors and have our meetings, so a well attended show is important.  We also have a RAFFLE QUILT along with a secondary prize and the sales of those tickets go to support our guilds Community Service.  We provide Quilts to a number of local charities, including the local hospital, women's shelter and a program to reward high school age young people who are new or very soon to be parents.   Individuals in our guild support other causes that sometimes are helped by our guilds charitable program.   So even if you don't gamble, think of buying a ticket on the raffle because that is a contribution to our We Care charitable quilts Society.

I have not been an organizer of the quilt show but I can tell you that we will have on display, more that 400 quilts!  Wow!   I am not posting photos of the quilts I have registered because I am only one of many!  Come to visit our show, I think you will enjoy the time you spend here and this year, an important 'deal' MEN ARE FREE!   Now, that doesn't mean you can get a MAN for free, it means that if you bring one with you, be he a friend, neighbour, husband or son, HE will get into the quilt show for FREE!   That is a savings of $5.00.

Our Quilt Show is on Friday June 10 and Saturday June 11 at the TRADEX building which is very near the Abbotsford Airport.  If you come from the south (USA) it is very easy access, simply come up the Guide Meridian and cross the border at ALDERGROVE, continue north to HUNTINGTON RD and turn east, you will see signs (about 20 kms or 15 miles) that point you to the AIRPORT and signs that point you to the Tradex and the Quilt SHOW.  If you come from the West there is the TransCanada Hwy, or if you are in Delta or Surrey or Tswassen, use 0 ave...  East from Chilliwack or Hope or even further, again east on the TransCanada (Number 1)...  There is very good signage, so keep an eye out and you will find us!  Oh, come early you will see more and perhaps bring a lunch for a picnic in the area, before or after you visit the QUILTS.

Mainly, Welcome!  Come and enjoy our quilts...

Echth... (means I am feeling ucky today)

But, I wanted to pass along a link that those who embroider might find somewhat amusing but also VERY useful.

Go check out this ingenious method for winding embroidery thread onto those sorta plasticy cardboard bobbins....

http://littleloveliesbyallison.blogspot.com/2011/05/embroidery-part-2.html

Then once I read through the whole process I was wondering if this trick might work for those small leftover bits of yarn?

And since I have been feeling a bit low I sent my husband out to rent me a couple of movies...  I did check the local video store online new releases and then phoned ahead to get the clerk to hold the movies til my sweetie (who could get lost in all those titles) went to pick it up and bring it home just for me...

So for a change, both movies were entertaining and I would actually recommend one if you like a bit of a mystery and a bit of a life story along with a "period piece"--  Tennesee in the 1930's. The movie is described as a true tall tale.  Very excellent acting by Robert Duvall (one of my favourite cowboys -- think Lonesome Dove)  Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray as a serious funeral director and a grown up child actor Lucas Black (remember the tv series Eerie, Indiana?)   Well, excellent, very excellent...  Oh yeah, the movie title is GET LOW.

This is a somewhat eclectic blog post so take a look at my recent thrifty find -- actually a church parking lot sale.  I paid $2 and it sits nailed to my back fence...

and it now sits just down the fence from my other 'birdhouse' lighthouse that I got late last fall in a garage sale just down the street from our house...

Hoping tomorrow I have the energy to continue with the Medallion Quilt Along...

Update on Medallion Quilt Progress and What else I've been up to...

Part One of Two parts of Round Three is posted...  Whew, sounds complicated.  Well, not really.  Click on the Medallion Quilt Along Tab at the top of the page and check it out if you like.

Now other than that...

This morning, I made a bunch of pot holders!

My Friend Helen gave me some fabrics that she could not find a use for.  Neither could I!  For the longest time!  The only reason I know Helen gave me the piece of fabric is cause I wrote on a piece of masking tape and stuck it on a corner...  Well, that bit of fabric fell out of the drawer the other day and I had just been thinking of making placemats but these were way to small for placemats and then I realized I have been hoarding about a 1/2 meter of thermal batting -- the fabric and the batting together were just about right.  So with just doing a turn over or pillow style I put front, back and batting together and had eight nice size (7" x 10") pot holders -- oh and a light bulb moment told me to use a cut up unused blue boot lace as the loop for the potholders!  Worked great.   So these 8 potholders will go into my guilds quilt show boutique -- I'll tell you about the quilt show in a day or two -- YOU ARE INVITED!

The other CREATION is one of those weird things that I make now and then and I wonder if I just wasted time, supplies and money.   Well, since I haven't decided even if I like it.  Take a Look.

Don't look at my wrinkledy neck -- well, I know you can't help it.  But anyway,  I made a summer scarf.  Who wears a scarf in summer?  It is really really long and goes around me (and thats a long way around) at least three times.  It is nice summery, sort of ice cream colours tho and it is crocheted with a rather nice cotton yarn...  It is a bit frilly for me, I am not a frilly person.   It isn't for warmth, just for pretty.  I am trying to decide what to do with it tho...

And.  Last year I got a few strawberry plants and put them in a pot.   They will give me afew berries I think!  I can hardly wait!  There are about a dozen blooms on it.... num-num-num...

Guild Day!

My Quilt Guild -- well, the quilt guild that I have been part of for twenty years now -- I joined in the Fall of 1991-- had their regular meeting yesterday.  I do believe the meeting has always been on a Tuesday, tho' some years back our group went from an evening only meeting to evening and day meetings.  I have looked forward to the second Tuesday of each month (except July and August when there is no meeting) for all the years I have been a member.

Yesterday was elections for Executive Positions -- jobs that keep our guild (an every other guild) running and a happy and interesting place to go to and share a passion!  We elected a President and Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer.  Then we found people who stood up to do the Newsletter Editor position and a new Library organizer person.   Our guild has alot of 'jobs' to do and every year someone jumps up with their hand in the air and says "Yes! Me, I'll try that job."  Sometimes a person is new to our group but like a fearless wolverine she says okay, I will try it out and I will do the best that I am able.  I am so proud of the members of our guild.  We keep rolling along and there is almost always someone to do a needed job.

Now, that is not to say that sometimes a job is not difficult to fill, but someone does come along and even a bit reluctantly may take on a job.  I have spent many years serving on our executive committe,  I was Newsletter editor before we were able to compile all the news on the computer -- I think that was '92 - 94, I was Vice President, twice!  I was Workshop organizer for a year and I shared the Program Organizing Job with my friend Cindy for two years.  I helped organize our Guilds 20th Anniversary (but I became ill and did not do as good of a job as I had hoped) but thankfully I had people to support me and help with the things that needed to be done.  I have been Publicity person both for the guild and for the Quilt Show and have organized the Quilt Show Challenge twice.  Whew!  Lots of jobs, eh?  And this year, I was not quite quick enough in putting my hand up for a job, so maybe next year something again will come up for me to do...

At every guild meeting we get up and show the quilts that members have created and finished up in the previous weeks or months or even years!

This month, I did not actually get up to show off quilts, but my friend Doris did.  We are collaborating on doing some quilts to give to various charitable needs.  Doris brought along three of the quilts that we have worked on.
The quilt you see in the above photo was quilted and finished up by Doris.  I created the top.  I used those bali prints -- popular a few years back.  It is a Medallion style Quilt.  The centre is a "Bow Tie" block -- that I first learned how to do from another quilt guild friend - Carol Ann.  Then a dark "stopper' border.  The next border is a fabric that I hand-dyed and then stencil painted the leaves on.  Next a single row of  squares sewn in a row and finally a printed bali print (batik) all around the outside.  AND it was about time this quilt, which is about 54 inches square finally got done, it has surely laid in a closet for less than 8 but more than 3 years!  Doris does such wonderful work on her B-Line Quilter you would think she was a paid professional!  But, she makes quilt (and knitted toques) for what she calls community service.  This Medallion Quilt will be going to a Senior Centre.

Now, here is another Quilt that Doris and I got finished up.  Again I did the top and Doris added the outside border, quilted and put on the binding.  This quilt came to life because I had way too many floral fabrics in my stash.  So as an experiment in Luminosity, I wanted it to appear as if there was a bright light shining through from behind the quilt.  I used a very simple block -- a floral 6 1/2 in square with opposite corners of half square triangles -- I like the effect and think it was a success in learning for myself how light and dark values can be used in a quilt.

And this double four patch you have seen before on my blog as a mystery project - a few months back.  Again beautifully quilted by Doris plus she added the outside border and put on the binding.  Along with this quilt Doris also made a pillow case to match.  This quilt has been donated to the Quilts of Valour here in Canada (just click on the blue print and it will open a page that tells you all about it)

Now, my closets are empty of half done quilts and my heart feels quite self satisfied.  I can now start over and see what I can make next.  It is great to have and own such pretty things but for myself I feel so much more useful when my quilting knowledge can be used to make someone else smile too...

This was such a fun guild day!  I love showing off my stuff (and Doris') and love going to visit with all the ladies whose faces have become familiar over the years -- and I am always happy to see new younger faces join our guild.  Two new young ladies became part of our guild this month and I sure do hope they feel welcomed and encouraged to come again...

The Dog's Job

It seems Pearl has taken it upon herself to be the designated bottle and can picker upper in our public parks.

It has long been my practice and I have managed to get my hubby doing it too -- picking up those bottles and cans and admittedly, it is for the monetary reward they offer, not just because I am trying to be more conscience of my environment.  Tho, that is a nice side effect.

Pearl has learned to SNIFF out those bottles and cans and tends to find more than she can carry and often more than my husband can help her carry.  When they came home with 6 cans ( 30 cents!)  we decided it was time to figure out a carry system. 

Here she is with her own saddlebags, they are fairly small, but can fit two cans or bottles on each side and the straps fit snuggley across her chest and under her belly.   She is not yet used to the contraption, but with a few walks I am sure she will enjoy her "Job" even more.

I do have some alterations to make, perhaps a wider, but no deeper bag for each side and then she will easily carry a half dozen empties -- and perhaps her own bottle with water for those extra long summer walks...

Medallion Quilt A Long Update

Just wanted to say, Round 2 is ready, just clik on the tab above and scroll down the page til you find Round 2.

a little bit behind

On the Medallion Quilt that is...

A few EVENTS conspired to interfere with my 'schedule'  and I have not yet posted the update on Round Two of the Medallion Quilt.  I have asked the advice of my satelite group of quilters and got some great ideas -- for Round Two I plan to go with the simplest idea, but will revisit that Round again as we go along.

In the meantime, I have been playing around with photos and things you can do to make them interesting...

Dogs, Cats and Flowers always make interesting subjects...  Pearl, drawn?

Being a "Snob"

There is a "conversation" in blogland about being a snob about quilting...

I left a comment at Naptime Quilter on this subject and thought I was done with what I had to say...

But, I guess not.

I said that no one likes to be called names, unless of course it is something like Your Royal Highness, or Sir or even Doctor.

I have been seriously making quilts for about 30 years, my first quilt was to help my mother cut hexagon shapes for a quilt she never did finish; I was about 8.  My next few quilts were as admirers -- I figure if a person says they are involved in SPORTS and say "as a spectator" --- I can say I was a quilt appreciator.   My grandmothers each made me a quilt between my toddler and teens, one a beautiful applique -- that I know today was not so finely made -- but I totally loved it! And a quilt from my other grandmother with embroidered blocks surrounded by scrappy squares -- it was used so long and so often that it got to the point where the embroidery threads and design had all worn away and the blocks were plain grubby white...  Even my sons as toddlers had the benefit of use of that quilt for a few years.

I discovered a 'how to quilt' show on PBS sometime in the late 70's or early 80's and progressed to making a Delectable Mountains Quilt that I gave to my Mother and she kept and used it for about 25 years.  It was made with fabrics that no one would even think of using today.  A sort of loose woven woollen plaid, that shrunk but held together very well over the years, a brushed nylon? from old pj's, some cottons from a tablecloth and sheets.  It was blue and grey with the occasional red bit, some yellow and even a touch of green.  No thought to what colour goes where or even if the triangle points were perfect or cut off.   It did not have a true binding.  The backing came around to the front and was stitched down.  

My Mom did not love the quilt because it was well made, she did not love it because it was her favourite colour, and she did not love it because I made it for her.  She just loved it and would not give it up even when I made her a new warm and cozy flannel quilt.  She loved the quilt because it was HERS and it was soft and warm and snuggly.  She used it everyday when she laid down on her couch to watch her afternoon TV with one or two cats snuggled up beside or ontop of her.  She fit perfectly under that quilt and didn't care that it was not perfect because it FELT perfectly good to her.

Through the years I took some quilting lessons from very inspiring teachers.  I joined a quilt guild and learned about quilting from fellow members.  I learned that you could (if you could afford it) buy fabrics to co-ordinate, all of the same good quality cotton, or you could get away with the way I did things for the longest time (in secret!), I bought cotton skirts at the 2nd hand stores -- long before it was "popular" to recycle!  Some skirts were probably poly cottons, some may even have been rayon, but they all together made useful quilts for my family.  I did not make a quilt a month or even a quilt every three months--I worked full time and my quilting time was regulated to evenings and weekends and cutting the pieces with scissors, sewing and then hand quilting the layers together.  I think I learned more about the process of piecing and accuracy by hand quilting a quilt than actually sewing the blocks.  If the blocks were not sewn accurately, it made the hand quilting difficult and uneven, so next time I learned to piece accurately and to press the seams in the proper direction!

At Quilt Guild Meetings I don't think I took a quilt to show for the first three years -- then I made a quilt.  A quilt for the guild's quilt show challenge.  The challenge was a result of a "name" teacher coming to the guild and suggesting that people use YELLOW.   Well, I made a yellow lap size quilt, it was simply a Broken Dishes allover design -- I used yellow in every single piece...  and all that yellow came from skirts that I found at the second hand store.   When I went to enter that little quilt, the "registrar" told me it did not comform and I could not enter it!  She explained that YELLOW was to be used to enhance a design, not to just use YELLOW everywhere... 

Now, when I think about that, what turned out to be her "rule" and not a written one for the challenge, I was somewhat dissappointed!  I just accepted her interpretation and took my quilt home.  It really was the first quilt I wanted to show off, but it never did get shown, anywhere -- it got remade into something else and from 1988 to today is still in use!  It didn't need the approval that at first I thought it did.  It was a quilt I loved making.   And I sure did not give up making quilts because of someone else's rule.  In fact, I made a rule for myself -- I enter every challenge that the guild I now belong to offers -- well, almost everyone.  A challenge always makes me think -- How can I follow a rule and still make the quilt something special to me?  Colour, Shape, Size, Technique... (PS, I should say that the first guild was not the same guild I belong to now)

Now, after many years of learning about quilting and actually making quilts and experimenting with techniques and ideas and fabrics, I sometimes think I must have learned it all -- but (HA!) not nearly!  Someone is always thinking of something new.  It is almost like trying to keep up with trends in MUSIC, from an early favourite by Rosemary Clooney, through Herman's Hermits, Led Zeppelin, Winton Marsalis, Kris Kristofferson right up to todays David Gray and John Mayer, everything changes and grows and then turns back on itself and makes old things new again.

So yes, I just keep learning about quilting and I do know alot about it and sometimes I am picky about it, but I am happy to show you or learn from you  so I think perhaps I am a quilt snob -- just because I love making quilts almost more that anything else I do in my life.   Don't call me a SNOB but it is okay if you think I am...