Playing in sewing room

Decided to make some small bags had to go to the thrift store to find zippers as there is nowhere to buy in town, not much there but made some til I ran out of pellon, ordered some but won't be here probably til after Christmas. These were as addicting to make as the mug rugs.
 Shawn, Deanne and gd Autumn will be here tomorrow for the holidays, need to make dessert (Sex in a Pan), and my Wife Saver breakfast yet, took the turkey out and it's in the fridge to defrost.

I already have a few new projects for the new yr. just got an email that my Civil War Melodies kit has been shipped, then I bought some Christmas fabric to make the Christmas Balls pattern from Thimble Blossoms
If I don't get back here I'm wishing you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and all the best in the coming yr.

'

10 Days til Christmas

Well I've been busy baking, just need to make a square that mom used to make I found the recipe, so will make it tomorrow. Still need 2 more gifts to buy, next week I will get the gifts wrapped, sent out 2 parcels postage is so expensive could of bought another gift!

My Christmas cactus is in bloom needs to be re potted  once it's finished blooming.
Did some Christmas decorating today and found this I made it years ago,made from kids wooden alphabet  blocks then just added some small Christmas and the boys little toys when they were young, spelled out their names and spelled out Merry Christmas on the bottom layer. I put it on a lazy susan so you can turn it.

Cleaned off the mantel, good thing Christmas comes once a year as I can dust it off

Row 8 Mittens

Finished the 8th row of Lori's Row Along such cute pairs of mittens, I'm really liking how this top is coming along and all from my scraps.

I also found a cute owl that I had to try haven't stitched them yet, as I need to bring out my other sewing machine that zigzags, I have this fall panel, so I decided to cut them out and started to add hst around each panel, got 1 done, all I want it a wall hanging, this is just evolving as I go along, no pattern.

More Mug Rugs

 I went to a Christmas fair in town and was so disappointed with what was there, so I figured if I make some mug rugs add a lg mug and a package of hot chocolate and sell them. Not this yr. but have them for next, don't know what you have to do to rent a table, but will find out. 
Yesterday I made 8 rugs and today 5 my stash is limited for Christmas material.

Mug Rugs

On Tues. I decided to make a mug rug seems to be the in thing right now, it never took long to make, and I had so much fun making it, next day I made 9 more.http://thecuriousquilter.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/make-a-basic-quilted-mug-rug-a-tutorial/

The Steller Jays come around at the end of fall and I call them cheeky birds, Cinder the cat likes to have some food outside and the jays come and steal it and the squirrel food in the park.

Gardening!

Who would have thought that I would be out in my flowerbeds dead heading, where I live, the last week in Nov. Well the fall was wet so I never got out to clean up some of the beds. The temp today is 3 C so out I went, I had put my garden tractor and cart away in the back shed for the winter so I had to get it out Randy had to put the charger on it as it wouldn't start, guess she thought she was done for the year.
Got the fabric I had ordered but they only had 2 meters of it so that's all I got, so will have to piece some fat quarters or what ever to make the backing, maybe tomorrow, done for the day.

Bit of sewing

This morning I wanted to make 1- 4 block square to see what it would look like next to the large blue block, it might be a bit busy but I'm going with it, seeing I got it all cut out.

Started a new Project

Well yesterday I decided to start Debonaire using my French General Rural Jardin fat quarter bundle. Decided to make the 12 inch blocks blue and the 6 inch the reds. Hope this will work.
This morning I got everything cut, so now a matter of piecing.

Waiting for my backing fabric still, should be here soon coming from Chilliwack.
Randy is having surgery on his knee on Tue. morning so I guess I will be babysitting him.

Row Along #7 Leaves

Lori at http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.ca/ released the next row cute leaves, so I got them done this morning, aren't they cute!
Had to order some backing fabric for the scrappy civil war top which is loaded on the frame and batting out to breathe, nothing else on the go right now, after the quilt on the frame is quilted I have one more and I'm all caught up with the tops I got done at the retreat.The CW Melodies kit is still on backorder, I've got some French General fabric I'd like to make something with it, have a pattern with all stars, think I'll dig it out.

Another finish

Got the Spools quilt done this morning and hung it it my sewing room

I'm caught up with the row along still using my scraps, this picture is not showing the true colours, the lighting in my sewing room isn't that great for taking pics.
I need to make up the backing fabric for the scrappy civil war top, and get another UFO busted.

A day to Remember

Today we Canadians remember the fallen and all the forces who are keeping us save and free.

My son Shawn is serving in the Navy stationed in Esquimalt and I am so proud of him he came home yesterday to go to the Cenotaph at home as this day means so much to him, he was surprised of how many veterans have left us, it meant so much to him by how many people came up to him to shake his hand and say thanks.

Bali bag update

Well so much for 125' of wrapped cord I had to wrap more, then I used 8 lengths of 28" for the handles sewed 4 lengths together for each handle,covered them with fabric and what a time to sew them on as the bag is very stiff, so ended up with 9' left out of 200' of clothesline. I just need some buttons or something on the ends of the handles, this was a good rainy day project, think it will be a good farmer's market tote.

125' of clothesline wrapped

125' seems to go forever but I did it, so tomorrow I will start to make the Bali bag.

This morning I finished Garden Trellis, couple days ago I got the jellyroll quilt bound, 12 finishes so far this year.

Quilted the jellyroll top

Just finished the jellyroll quilt that was on the frame, did a baptist fan panto, it's trimmed up now to find some binding fabric.
What a gloomy day when I take the picture of the completed top might see snow on the ground .

Playing with scraps

I got 3 of the 5 rows released, http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.ca/ my sewing room looks like a bomb went off looking for fabric, pic looks washed out but you get the jest.

Took the pump out of the pond just need to make the roof over it, Randy had to work today so maybe tomorrow, put the deicer in and the fish are swimming around it as it's warmer around it. The temp in the pond is 38 degrees, you stop feeding fish under 50 degrees

Like I need another project!

Well I shouldn't be starting another project with all my tops that need to be quilted from the retreat. I did get the jellyroll top's backing pieced and it is now loaded on the frame just need to get to it. While surfing the quilting blogs I came across http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.ca/ so this morning I went through my stash and made the row of apples, I'm behind but should catch up it will be made from my stash not a piece of fabric to be bought, famous last words eh hope I stay on that track(no buying)

Bali Bags

At the retreat some of the girls were making fabric baskets made with cotton clothesline wrapped with a 3/4" strip of fabric, there was a pattern for a bag, I had lots of batiks at home so I cut some strips and while I watch tv I can wrap, then you zigzag it together calls for 125 feet of line
 


This morning we were socked in and raining but it smelt like snow well this afternoon the clouds lifted and there it was on the mountain top

Baby quilt finished

Yesterday I pieced the backing and used the left over wool batting for this baby quilt, loaded it and quilted it this morning, just some meandering loops.  Now just have to wait for the baby to come some time this month, so I got a boy and a girl quilt ready.

What a blast

Home from retreat and I had so much fun, met new quilting friends. There were 30 ladies this time. Laughed, sewed a lot, stayed up late up early, so much fun. Signed up and paid for the spring retreat in April. Got all my projects done so now I have lots of quilting to do before I can start a new one.

 

This one is called Garden Trellis made from a layer cake and yardage.

This one was made from a jelly roll and yardage 

This one is called Spools was made from half of a jelly roll don't like it as when you first look at it my eye goes to the dk brown I wanted a gray but couldn't find any at the retreat, think I will do this one again when I find the gray fabric.

This one is called Wildflower Rhapsody was a bom from Jan's (lady who hosted the retreat) store. there is suppose to be another border but it won't fit on my frame if I add it, so this is it.

This one was made from 2 charm packs and yardage not a good photo as you can't see the melons very good,

you can see it at bit better, this one I have to quilt first as I'm going to be a grandma again some time this month, so if it's a girl, it will be done, will start it tomorrow need to make up the backing and load.

Retreat time tomorrow

Well I'm so ready for some marathon sewing with my quilting friends, need to stop at the quilt store on the way to retreat for some more border fabric for 1 of my projects and some gray fabric for the Spools top which is a new one,just bought it, hope Jan has some jellyrolls to choose from for this one.

 
         Took 1 of the projects out as I don't want to bring my laptop for the patterns Will post pics when I get back.                                                 
                                                          

1 Week

A week today and I will be sewing up a storm, I'm all packed up got 5 projects that are WIP and 1 to start another scrappy to use up more of my civil war.

I just saw a picture of the next CW Anniversary quilt series of 5 this one is #4 called Civil War Melodies, I like it. It won't be released till Jan. 2013, will be a good winter project.
I dug up all the potatoes yesterday and did some dead heading, this morning there was frost burrrr, today the sun is shinning what a beautiful day.

Hummingbird Moth?

When I first saw this I thought it was a baby hummingbird but it is a moth it wouldn't stay still just kept fluttering from flower to flower so I couldn't get a really got pic

Canning Tomatoes

Last week I cleaned out the cold storage room got rid of old canning some dated back to 98. Yesterday went out of town and got 40 lbs. of tomatoes so this morning I canned them got 14 qts. and 2 bags that I froze as I wasn't going to add more water to the canner for 2 quarts.I made 7 of them stewed with green peppers celery and onions.

Prep Work

Been doing prep work for the retreat next month Oct. 11, got 5 projects to bring this is a new book I got, in the back of it is an envelope with the pattern templates I started with 2 charm packs assembled them into 8x10 had to make 80 leaf shapes to applique to the charms they are all done.

I am going to be a grandma again at the end of Oct. hope it will be a girl as this will be for her??? Guess I should make a boyish quilt too just in case. I did make a monkey quilt for my niece and think I will make this one again as it turned out so cute. need to dig out the pattern and go through my fabric.
                                                                                 


Seen a scrappy quilt in a mag made up with a Puss in the Corner block and a 6.5" piece of fabric set on point good way to use up some of my civil war fabric, if I make it with all different fabric none the same will need 200 think I should be able to got over 100 right now.

Where did the summer go????

Have been busy this summer not much time for sewing though this happens most summers too much outside work to do. Looked at the calendar and the retreat is coming soon 3 weeks today. I have a few projects in mind to bring, got to get started on doing some prep work, think I'll start tomorrow.

Had a good time with Autumn though she only stayed for 3 weeks instead of the 4 her mom ended up in the hospital and though I tried to keep her occupied her mind was on her mom. We played with clay again and more projects.

I ordered some new quilt books one being the Civil war Anniversary will have to look at it close as it looks a bit like the Civil War Diary  by both the same women Rosemary Youngs

More Grad pics

Me and Shawn (son)

Andi's Grad car

Shawn and Brandon

Mark Brandon Shawn

Me Shawn Brandon Deanne