ENOUGH!!

Mother Nature has been playing a very spirited game of 'Spring Tease' with us. She will give us a few spring-like days of warmish weather and then WHAM, we get this...

It will take more than a few days for all of this to melt. Now this is all very pretty, a real Winter Wonderland, but enough already.










It will be weeks before even the bravest of spring bulbs will make an appearance around here, so it was back to the grocery store for another spring fix. I love purple tulips!



                                                                                  






Sandy

Spring has sprung, just not anywhere near here

It has been snowing off and on for two days now. The snowfall warning has been lifted, which means that significant amounts of snow are no longer expected. I think that any amount of snow that falls after the first day of spring is significant!

           I was so impressed by Liri's photos of her daffodils that I had to buy these,

                         and in honour of spring I brought out a few spring things.

                             My two year old grandson thinks these are kitties! 

                 I have finally framed and hung a few of my counted cross stitch pieces.
                                         I'm not sure what took me so long.

                    Warmer weather is predicted for this weekend. I can't wait!

Sandy

Back to the beginning

Sixteen years ago this spring I made my first quilt. It was for my then eighteen years old daughter's twin bed. She needed a new comforter/quilt and could not find anything in the stores that she liked. I had always wanted to learn how to quilt. This seemed like a good time to start.

I found a simple pinwheel pattern and we then went shopping for fabric. The sewing was relatively easy as I had been sewing since I was nine, but the quilting was a bit of a challenge. (I didn't acquire a walking foot until several projects later, along with my first rotary cutter and self-healing mat.) The quilting itself was very simple -- diagonal lines through the blocks. The binding also proved to be a bit tricky without a walking foot. I learned to do a square-cornered binding for that quilt (mitred corners came much later for me). I borrowed the quilt last year to take a few pictures. It is old and faded now and, according to my daughter, only occasionally pulled out of the closet when an extra blanket is needed.

No honours for this quilt, no ribbons or prizes, but it is special to me nonetheless.

My next project is yet another baby quilt, this time for my son-in-law's sister who's baby girl is due in late April. I guess I should get busy!

Sandy

Getting back to normal

My life is slowly getting back to normal. I am no longer 'watching' my dog, Tessa, as she recuperates from surgery. Her sutures were removed on Monday, and she is well on her way to making a full recovery. Even better, we received great news from our veterinarian. The tissue samples from Tessa's second surgery were cancer free. We are cautiously optimistic that we will have her in our lives for a few more years. I don't know what we would do without our two furry girls.

                                                              Katie and Tessa
My computer time was very limited while Tessa was recuperating. Now I can once again read all of your entertaining blogs, and even comment from time to time. (We even have a new, very comfy, computer chair.)

I have been able to do some quilting, and have managed to finish the little boy quilt I started last month.

What looks like a covered journal in the third photo is actually a covered  photo album. The pattern is from the 'apq' website.

I'm not sure when I'll get to meet this new little one, as he lives clear across the country. He and his mama were to have made the trip sometime this month, but it seems that plans have changed. I just might have to pack this up and put it in the mail.

We finally have some spring-like weather, which means lots of muddy paws as the back yard thaws!

Sandy

Real life, and a bit of quilting

Real life has a way of demanding our attention from time to time. It has certainly had my attention lately.

A dear aunt passed away on Valentine's Day. While she never married or had children of her own, she had a great many nieces and nephews. I decided that as the oldest of those nieces and nephews I should speak at her memorial service. I struggled last week with the writing of that eulogy. The quick trip home last weekend helped me realize that the words themselves were not as important as the love we all had for an amazing lady.

In early February our dog Tessa had surgery to remove a growth from her leg. She had to wear a restraint collar while her incision healed -- unless one of us was able to watch her closely. I spent a lot of time 'watching' her during her recovery. A biopsy revealed the growth to be a malignant tumor, and she had a second surgery yesterday, which we hope will improve her chances. I see more watching in my immediate future.





I have also done a bit of quilting. There is a fairly new little guy in my daughter-in-law's family. I have not yet met him, but I want to be ready when the time comes.

My local craft store, Michaels, used to sell all sorts of fat quarter bundles, like these, which I then used to make projects like these.

I had never thought to use them in a larger quilt or throw until I made this. It is larger than a baby quilt -- more like a child's quilt. I started with a disappearing nine patch block and then did a little trimming.

I know that many of you are enjoying spring-like weather. More snow and very cold temperatures have put our dreams of spring on hold. That's life, I guess!

Sandy

Well begun is half done

Aristotle gets the credit for the title of this post. This quilt was well begun over a year ago, but I am happy to say that today it is finished. It started out as a Fons and Porter kit. The original quilt was made up of 100 paper pieced log cabin blocks. My smaller version consists of just 64 blocks. I have to admit that I was not 'in love' with some of the fabrics in the kit but I decided to use them all anyway. I am glad I did.

The quilting itself is pretty basic. While I love the look of densely quilted art quilts (and wall hangings and table runners as well) I prefer the softer look and feel of a lightly quilted blanket that will be used for warmth and comfort.

While some of you have wonderfully creative muses who encourage you with every project, it seems that I am stuck with a nagging voice reminding me that I need to finish what I've started before I can move on to something new. Maybe today I can finally visit my local fabric store. I understand they are holding a big sale!

Sandy

A Special Day

January 20 is a special day for our family, as five years ago we became grandparents when our beautiful little granddaughter was born. It seems like only yesterday that we were cradling her in our arms for the first time, and now she is such a busy little girl. Here she is at just nine months, 'playing' the piano.

She started kindergarten last fall, and told me that while they are allowed to sit anywhere in the classroom, she would rather not sit too close to the 'silly boys' because "Grandma, I need to get my work done!". She has swim lessons on Saturday mornings, and, until recently, did gymnastics on Monday evenings. She played outdoor soccer last spring and will do so again this year. Last September, she started dance lessons. Every Wednesday evening she does ballet and tap. Her mommy (our daughter) was a beautiful dancer.

Years ago, I started this little counted cross stitch piece for our daughter. By the time it was finished, she had outgrown its cutesy-ness, so it was put away. I found it recently and realized it would be perfect for our little granddaughter. Not only is she our little ballerina, she also loves bunnies! Happy birthday sweetie.


Sandy

A little colour therapy

A little colour therapy has worked wonders. I was not sure that I wanted to commit to making a big quilt, but this mini has hit the spot. It is 12 and 3/4 inches square -- perfect for a wall hanging or even a little table mat. I might have to wait until March to officially display the Jim Shore egg (a favourite).

Our weather has improved a little, and we should be on the plus side of zero by Friday. I'm hoping for an early spring!

Sandy

I forgot to mention that the little blocks were paper pieced.

A thing of beauty

Keats said it best. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever...

We have been experiencing some truly awful weather. Snow, howling winds, very low temperatures and high wind chills. People have been stranded in their vehicles. People have been stranded in their neighbourhoods!

My amaryllis should have bloomed by Christmas, but waited until Monday for the first two blooms to unfold. It is a thing of beauty, especially when you consider what is going on outside.

I have been very unsettled (and at loose ends) which I blame on our crazy weather. I have pored over binders full of patterns, have flipped through countless quilt magazines and have even surfed the web looking for inspiration. Nothing -- at least nothing that I truly want to make. I do have a half-finished quilt I could work on, but even that is unappealing. The local meteorologist predicts a change (for the better) in the weather by this weekend. I will have to settle for catching up on my reading until then.

Historically, January is our coldest month of the year (March is the snowiest). You would think that I would have this weather thing figured out by now.

Sandy

Book note...
I read a variety of books, mostly novels. Last summer I read a beautifully written book by French novelist Muriel Barbery. "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" is one I would recommend.

The Promise of a New Year

We were fortunate to be able to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with our kids and grandkids (we then packed up the car with dogs and gifts and drove three hours north for a visit with family), as well as New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, too.

Our two older grandkids (both four) have been learning to skate this winter. Now, skating is one of those things that looks so easy, yet couldn't be more difficult. I watched them skate yesterday, and since I was a non-skater (my daughter borrowed my skates at least a dozen years ago, and hasn't yet returned them) I was also the photographer. I love this picture of the two little ones.

These two are not just cousins, they are best friends. They spend their time together talking and laughing. There are rarely any tears. What amazes me is not their friendship, it is their determination to learn to skate. They each fell at least half a dozen times, and they just got back up and tried again. Even a trip to the benches for a rest was not without peril, as the hard packed snow hid ice below. Eventually, the wind and cold forced us indoors for a bowl of soup and lots of great snacks at our son and daughter-in-law's home, but I couldn't stop thinking of our time at the skating rink.

I do not make resolutions, except maybe the vague "I want to be a better person" sort of thing. This year, I want to be more like my two young grandkids. They are, for the most part, unafraid.

Sandy

P.S. My mom loved her Hello Betty quilt. I am so glad I made it for her.

The Christmas Bag

My husband and I became grandparents for the first time in 2006. Our granddaughter was born in January 2006  to our daughter and son-in-law, and our first grandson was born in October (nine months less one day later) to our son and daughter-in-law. So, for the babies' first Christmas, I decided to make, and fill, stockings from Grandma (and Grandpa, too). I found a cute, small stocking pattern and went to work. By the time I had finished sewing and shopping I had great little stockings with way too much stuff to ever fit into them. So, the next year I made bigger stockings, and ended up with the same problem. (I really should carry a measuring tape with me.) By the time their third Christmas rolled around I realized I needed a better plan. Enter the 'Christmas Bag'.


I had already discovered that Easter baskets didn't hold a whole lot, either, and had used a pattern from Quilts and more magazine to make colourful lined bags for their Easter goodies. Why not do the same at Christmas. Sometimes the bags are fancy, like these from last Easter, and sometimes they are simple, like this year's Christmas editions.

We have a third grandchild now. Our son and daughter-in-law welcomed a second son in February 2009. We are crazy about all three, and love being able to spoil them with a few extra treats.






And, at last...

The Hello Betty quilt is finished. Just in time, too, as it is to be a gift for my mom (who is a Betty). It is not perfect. It has lots of little tucks and puckers, which I noticed while hand sewing the binding. But, it is done!

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Sandy

My Other Love

I am close to finishing my Christmas sewing projects, although my husband might point out that 'close' only counts in horseshoes (the game, that is). When I am not sewing or baking or wrapping gifts, I am on the computer, catching up on all the wonderful Christmas blogs.

While sewing is my first love (quilting came much later), counted cross stitch has long been a favourite as well. I love the portability of it. I have worked on projects while waiting for my car (oil changes) and waiting for my kids (piano lessons). Most of the pieces I have stitched have been given to family and friends, but I have kept a few Christmas pieces.

Each of these ornaments is part of a set of four. They have hung on our tree for years. (The stocking is embroidered.)








My mom has been the recipient of more than a few counted cross stitch projects. I used waste canvas to embellish this sweatshirt for her birthday this year, and the tulip pillow was a Mother's Day gift.

I wish I had more time to stitch. Perhaps that could be part of a New Year's resolution. For now, I need to get back to my sewing room. I am so close to the finish line.

Sandy

A Work in Progress

For some time now I have wanted to make a boxed square quilt, like the one on the cover of this book. I don't have a huge stash, or lots of scraps, so I decided to wait until the right fabric 'spoke' to me.

I thought I had found the perfect fabric this summer, when I received my Hello Betty layer cakes. Now I am not so sure.

I like the way each block looks, but I am worried about the busy-ness of the overall quilt. So, while all the blocks are made, the arrangement (and re-arrangement) of the blocks has put me at a standstill. I have even asked my husband for his opinion. (I received his usual "It looks good to me" response.)

 

I do have one small finish. Our son-in-law's parents have invited us to their home for a Christmas get-together this Friday. My husband will take a bottle of wine for the host, and I had considered making a wine bottle bag when I remembered my new paper piecing book. I think this is much nicer than a bottle bag. The hostess has lots of pretty votive candle holders, so I have some scented candles for her, too.

I enjoyed reading everyone's Thanksgiving posts. It sounds like you all had lots of good things to eat!


Back to my sewing room to work on my Hello Betty quilt.


Sandy


Hello Betty quilt update:
Thanks for all your thoughtful comments. It seems I had the solution to my problem all along. I purchased some cream/off-white solid fabric last week. After a quick trip through the washer and dryer, it was ready to be cut into sashing strips. The layer cakes contained three solids in addition to all the prints. Now, I wanted to use all of these fabrics, I just didn't know how. With your help, I think I have solved my problem.

Tessa came into my sewing room to tell me that she and Katie are getting hungry.

Thanks everyone!

Let It Snow

This past Monday, November 15, the temperature was a balmy 7 degrees Celsius. Today the high might be minus 12. Winter is here! My dogs love the snow, but even they were cold this morning. Katie, on the left, is part Sheltie and part American Eskimo. Tessa is a purebred Sheltie. 

I have been working on my paper-pieced log cabin quilt. It is slow going. I have decided that I don't like the wide white borders on this quilt. Not very compatible (or practical) with the dogs, three grandkids, or my husband for that matter. (Plus, I'm never sure how to quilt borders.)

I did manage to finish this table mat in time for Hallowe'en. More paper piecing! The stuffed pumpkin is a favourite. It comes out in early September and hangs around until the Christmas decorations appear. (It was a birthday gift six or seven years ago.)


What I would really like to be doing about now is working on some holiday projects. Perhaps I'll play my new Michael Buble CD (Let it Snow) and wait for inspiration to strike.


Sandy


Note: 7 degrees Celsius is approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit 
    -12 degrees Celsius is approximately 10 degrees Fahrenheit 

It's Hallowe'en

So many of you have posted photos of your Hallowe'en projects. I decided I had to make a few goodie bags for my three grandchildren. The pattern in 'Quilts and more' made the small bag in front. It is cute, but not quite big enough. So, my version is a little larger. (After all, Grandma has a book and quite a few treats for each special child.)

I was still in the Hallowe'en sewing mood when I remembered the jack-o'-lantern pattern in my new paper piecing book. Here is the little table mat made with four of the blocks. Now I need to get back to some serious sewing.

Happy Hallowe'en

Sandy

Blog Hopping and Mug Mats

I enjoy a little blog hopping from time to time -- usually at the end of the day, after I have had a chance to catch up on my favourites. I start by looking at someone's 'Blogs I Follow' list and go from there. I have discovered some wonderful tutorials and interesting information, mostly about quilting and sewing, and have even found a few new favourites.

During a recent late night excursion, I found myself in foreign territory. It seems that a lot of quilters are making and blogging about 'mug mats'. These mats are not your typical fabric coasters, at least not like the holiday ones I made a few years ago. These mats are larger, more rectangular than square, and are, in some instances, more like exquisite mini quilts. Some quilters are even taking part in mug mat swaps, which might explain the fancy quilting and incredible attention to detail that I saw.

I found an orphan block while I was cleaning my sewing room last weekend. It was somewhat frayed and crumpled, and I could tell it had been paper pieced. It was also a bit bulky and a little 'wonky' -- obviously a reject. I was about to throw it away when I thought of the mug mats. I added the dark green border, did a little 'in the ditch' quilting and bound the block. Without further ado, here is my version of a mug mat.


Sandy