Nostalgia.....

My sewing room used to be my son's room. I am in the process of cleaning it out so that it can be painted. The picture below is of the wall just to the right of the door - chronicles his height from 2002 until 2006 - when he moved to his basement room..... the wall is a pale robin's egg blue - so you might have to click on the picture to enlarge it to get a good look... he's about a foot taller than the last line... a bit of nostalgia..

Tooie the Boston Terrier, is doing terrific since his surgery! He feels better as he can now sleep properly - and he hardly snores at all. Perhaps this surgery could be a cure for hubbies who snore, LOL.

Thought for the Day
Memories, like Olives, are an acquired taste.
Beerbohm

WOOL APPLIQUE...

I have four more blocks done on my Greenbrier quilt - the wool for these are hand dyed by me, with the exception of a couple of pieces that I purchased. This past few days I dyed a few more pieces as I didn't have enough background blocks. The pattern called for mostly red but I decided to go with some purple and light purple blocks also. The quilt will definately be bright. The instructions also call for mixing some cotton fabric in with the wool and this is a really nice touch for the quilt.

PLEASE don't forget to make a donation to Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue - you might win that gorgeous wall hanging!!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is more blessed to give than to receive

Act 20:35

Beautiful Crazy Patch Wallhanging ......

Only a $2.00 donation buys your chance at a one-of-a-kind wall hanging donated by Calgary Fibre Artist, Shirley Paterson, in support of Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue. The quilt is 26.5" x 29" with a rod pocket for hanging. This crazy patch quilted wallhanging depicts four Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue dogs, each framed in beautiful crazy patch quilting with hand embroidery, beading,and silk ribbon embroidery. Please click here for instructions for ticket donation purchase.

This is a spectacular piece of art and if you would like to see more of Shirley's work please click here.

Kansas Spirit Sampler Quilt Blocks

I have two more blocks made for my Kansas Spirit Sampler Quilt. The first one is Indian Hatchet. This pattern was often used as a signature or a label block in early quilts.

The second block is Road to California. Pioneers often passed through Kansas on their way to other southwest and west destinations - usually travelling by covered wagons. I imagine many quilt blocks were made on their travels.

Just a short note to wish everyone a wonderful Easter weekend. I hope that you can spend time with your loved ones and that you can do something quilty for yourself!

Tooie, the Boston Terrier

My little male dog, Tooie, had surgery yesterday - he had 3 cysts removed from his back, he had throat surgery - an elongated soft palette - which means the vet lasered some of his soft palette away at the back of his throat.... AND he was netuered.... I couldn't believe it when we brought him home today - he's just doing great..... poor little guy! He's doing great and even wanted to play with his toys tonight!

New Quilt

I have decided to make a new quilt!! I am currently in a swap on Block Swap and am receiving Civil War Reproduction Quilt Blocks in that swap. I have received my first block and think it is just wonderful. I have decided to make some more blocks from Civil War Reproduction Fabrics to add to the blocks I will be receiving each month. The blocks are from the book, Kansas Spirit, by Jeanne Poore. This book has 15 patterns for Kansas historical quilt blocks and the blocks are given in 6" and 12" sizes - so there is a choice for what size quilt you would like to make. My blocks are 12".

The first block that I have made is called Centennial Star, also known as Autograph and represents the centennial of the state of Kansas. As I receive new blocks I will post them, as well as my "companion blocks"; it should take no time at all to get this quilt going! I just love civil war reproduction fabrics and have been collecting them for a year or so.. I finally have a stash to start this project!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

What's important in life is how we treat each other

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul

More on Quilt Backings....

I have a customer, who is also a friend, who brings me quilts with the most amazing pieced backings. I was telling her the other day that I usually cringe when I see a pieced backing because when I put it on the machine, invariably, the back does not roll on straight, it sags, and causes me no end of problems when I am quilting. How come, I told her, your backings are always so great!!, not to mention square. We got into a discussion about how she pieces her backing by matching the straight of grain of the fabric - not just by sewing pieces of fabric together to create a back! The fabric sometimes was pieced in large "strips" and I guess by matching the grain it is easier to do that. That is the secret to great pieced backs!! - match the grain of the fabric! I also told her I thought that she should teach a class on how to make great pieced backings!

DON'T FORGET about the Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue Wallhanging donation auction. We need your help!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.
Grandma Moses

Please support Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue!!

Only a $2.00 donation buys your chance at a one-of-a-kind wall hanging donated byCalgary Fibre Artist, Shirley Paterson, in support of Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue.
26.5 x 29" with rod pocket for hanging. This crazy patch quilted wallhanging depicts four Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue dogs, eachframed in beautiful crazy patch quilting with hand embroidery, beading,and silk ribbon embroidery. Please click here for instructions for ticket donation purchase.

How to Make a Seamed Quilt Back

One of the most important parts of ensuring that your quilt turns out great when you take it to a longarm quilter, is to ensure that you have a square quilt back. This is very difficult when a quilt back is pieced or if a quilt back is sewn together with two lengths of fabric. One of the best ways to ensure that you have a square quilt back is to make a seamed back. Here are instructions to make a seamed quilt back - I used approximately 4 meters of fabric (a meter is 39.5" long) and this made a backing 72" X 82".

1. Fold the fabric right sides together and with the seam allowances together. This creates a "sack" of fabric with a fold at one end and open at the other end. Sew a 1/2" seam on each side where the seam allowances meet.

2. Cut off approximately 1/4" at the folded edge of the quilt. This is the edge that is not open.

3. The quilt back is now open on both ends. Open it up and iron the seams open, on both sides.

4. Refold the quilt back together matching the open seams. You should notice the there is the natural fold line from the fabrics on each side of the open seams. Cut on one of these fold lines.

The result is a seamed back that looks great. Remember to square this back - top, bottom, and sides. Squaring your quilt top means that you take your ruler and cut off all four sides so that they are even. If you quilt your own quilts you will find that it will be easier to quilt with a squared back AND if you don't quilt your own quilts - your long arm quilter will thank you!

If you would like to know how wide your quilt back will be - I have that information on my website.

Thought for the Day
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.
Hugh Downs

Prim Annie with Boston....

This little doll is one of the favorite prim dolls that I have made. She is holding a wee little Boston Terrier in her shopping bag (made from a piece of antique quilt). I have had her for about a year and now she is off to Ontario for a Boston Terrier Club of Canada Rescue event - to be auctioned off to a new home in support of Rescue. I name all of the dolls that I make "Annie" because the very first foster dog I had in my home was named Annie... and she was blind.... and she is still alive and doing well in her adoptive home. The pattern that I used for this doll was adapted from a doll I saw in Australian Patchwork and Quilting - I love that magazine!

Thought for the Day

Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.

George Seaton

Busy Day

Very busy day today... I received my first block in the mail from Blockswap - it is a civil war print and block... and I love it!

Today I am quilting a beautiful quilt designed by my friend, Laurel Francis, of Shaggy Dog Designs. Laurel teaches in Calgary at Fabric Cottage, as well as designs her own patterns. The best thing about quilting for Laurel is that she lets me "do my own thing" - I LOVE IT!! The quilt I am working on today is done in browns and pinks - some of the fabrics reminiscent of civil war fabrics - which I love.... I love free hand quilting the designs on this quilt...

Thought for The Day

He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.

Psalm 91:11

ONE BLOCK WONDERS....

I have finished all of my blocks for One Block Wonders, and I think they turned out pretty good. I have them up on a design wall so that I can play with them for awhile and see what the best layout would be for them.

AND.... my greatest accomplishment this past few days has been the cleaning out of my sewing room and stash. I have 4 huge boxes of fabrics, books, patterns, notions, etc, etc, etc....... that are being given to two separate church functions - one is having a sale to benefit Purses and Projects for African Grandmothers, and the other is to assist a group of ladies who are just getting started sewing and quilting. I am feeling so glad to get things cleaned up... and to know that someone else can use the supplies.

TEACHING A CLASS...

I am currently teaching a Block of the Month Class at Traditional Pastimes in Calgary, Alberta. The pattern is All Things Christmas by Bunny Hill Designs. The quilt is a mixture of pieced blocks and applique - our class is going to machine applique the blocks rather than hand applique them; but, the pattern has such big shapes that the blocks would be easy to hand applique. Most of the fabric being used is from a line from Moda called Roman Holiday... it is a really cute line of fabric that does not have traditional Christmas Colors and has a real folk art look. I generally like to pick my own fabrics for quilts - but I just LOVED the way this quilt turned out with Moda Fabrics! The class is running for four sessions and I have decided to make the quilt along with my students because I really love the little quilt so much. What really made it easy is that the shop has kitted the entire quilt - so each block has the fabric all ready to go PLUS Traditional Pastimes also includes a list of what fabric goes with what block or applique.
I finished Block One, Block Two,and Block Three but haven't done any of the embellishing yet on the blocks.
That is done easier after it is machine quilted so that the quilter (who will be me) won't catch any of the embellishments. Stay tuned over the months to see how this little gem is progressing.

LOVELY GIFT...

received from Yiwan in Singapore - I participate on Swapbot and this was a surprise swap. The clutch purse is made from quilty type fabrics and inside there are several compartments. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up my mail!

I want to plug a fellow Canadian's website - Pacokeco - she has a site on Etsy.com that sells paper crafts for scrapbooking. She is amazing - I have bought a few things from her and her products are very professional. I am just starting to scrapbook and I love to make cards so her products are quite useful. I also asked to make some custom quilt paper crafts for card making and she did a wonderful job. Check out her Etsy site!