Greenbrier..........

IS FINISHED.... I am absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out.... I hand dyed the majority of the wool (with the exception of one or two pieces that I purchased) and hand appliqued all the blocks. I absolutely love Sue Spargo... and hope to continue on with other quilts she has designed. Now, it has to be quilted - which, I must admit, is my favorite part of quilting.......

Extreme Weather........

We have the most extreme weather in Northern Alberta !!!! Most of the time these storms seem to by pass us.... these two didn't however.... yesterday we got lots of rain in a short period..... I am amazed at the variety of these storms..... it gets extremely quiet...... then the wind picks up ..... and there are sheets of rain.... then the storm is done.... they are really quite beautiful AND.... makes a person respect Mother Nature a whole lot more! The photo on the left is looking east and the photo on the right is looking west....

Thought for the Day

I think along the way, as we treat nature as model and mentor, and not as a nuisance to be evaded or manipulated, we will certainly acquire much more reverence for life than we seem to be showing right now.

Amory Lovins

Some Sewing........

in the midst of all my confusion from moving, I did manage to get some sewing done.... well, actually i have gotten alot of quilting done... I have finished two customer quilts in my new studio. This block is for a monthly block swap and is going to Australia. I took it into town today and mailed it but I am not sure if it went Air Mail!!!! I think it was sent surface. I am so used to having all my mail sent Air Mail automatically that I never thought to even ask.... if it's surface my swap partner won't get it for about a month or so.... I will have to watch from now on to ensure my mail goes properly.

I also completed a little "doggie" blanket for a good friend of mine, Kate, who is going to be the mom of a new puppy in about a week - Pandora is a miniature Schnauzer. Hopefully she likes her new little blankee!!

Thought for the Day

Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.

Belva Davis

Quilt Retreat.....

I attended my second June quilt retreat on the weekend of June 23 - just a few days before I moved!! It was great to spend some time sewing before I had to get down to the business of moving!! These are my friends (L-R) Shirley, Wendy and Pjam..... taking a look at a joint quilt that Shirley and I worked on. I quilted it for another friend and Shirley added some wonderful silk ribbon embroidery and embellishments. There were several wonderful quilts displayed at the retreat.... The two smaller quilts on the right side were the mystery designed for the retreat.




There was also a challenge held - Twas the Night before Christmas... there were several wonderful entries.









The weekend started off a little rainy - then the sun came out. This little guy decided that he would have a snooze in the rain on one of the afternoons!! - He is quite a beautiful dog with the most amazing eyes.....

Left the big city.......

Well, the move is complete.... I have left the big city and am now a resident of Island Lake, Alberta...... I will definately miss the mountains.......A few weeks ago, my friend Shirley and I were on our way to the first of two June retreats... we stopped to take these pics... so I could have a reminder of my hometown! These pictures were taken just outside of Calgary - in Cochrane, Alberta...

Thought for the Day

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.

Maya Angelou

Swap Block received.....

I received my May swap block from Cori today... and I just love the colors. It will be an addition to the blocks I am collecting for a civil war reproduction quilt - Kansas Spirit.

More Quilt Retreat......

I also finished my 12 blocks the Baltimore Bunnies quilt that I am making. They were originally designed for hand applique but I couldn't face that! - LOL.... so I will machine applique them. They have been fused and now have to be satin stitched. THEN.... the borders have to be appliqued..... it is a beautiful pattern... and I hope to have a grand daughter that I can give it to one day.

This pattern is from Bunny Hill Designs, and I purchased it as a Block of the Month. You may remember that I also taught the All Things Christmas pattern as a Block of the Month - so this will be the second of her patterns that I have completed. I LOVE her designs ..... and if time permitted I would do them all!

This is my good friend Shirley - at our retreat. She is doing some hand work - she does the most amazing crazy patch quilting. You can see some of her work here.... She made the wonderful crazy patch wall hanging that was raffled off for Boston Terrier Rescue - she's always a great supporter and a really good friend. Shirley also teaches and has an online fibre arts group - Learning Fiber Arts. This is a great group that offers FREE classes.

Thought for the Day
Don't prepare the path for the child, prepare the child for the path.
Anonymous

Quilt Retreat....

I was at my annual quilting retreat this past weekend - friday to Monday.... and had a great time. This is one of the quilt tops that I finished - It was a kit and was sewn up very fast... I think it will mae a great christmas present!

The retreat I went to had about 50 ladies attending - from all over Canada and the US. We have an online group and discuss stuff during the year and then meet at the retreat once a year... this has been going on for 3 years.... AND I have another retreat to go to this coming weekend - this one has been going for 7 years and again, is made up of online friends. I have more pics... but my camera battery is low and I will have to upload them on another post. Notice.... my little Tooie has to get in the picture!!

Thought for The Day

Jumping at several small opportunities may get us there more quickly than waiting for one big one to come along.

Hugh Allen

Machine Quilting.....

My favorite part of "quilting" is the actual machine quilting of the quilt. Before I started longarming I quilted with my domestic sewing machine - my Husqvarna Viking - there was no stitch regulation then, but now many machines have stitch regulation and that makes quilting so much easier. I teach machine quilting on a domestic machine at a LQS - and I love it when a student catches the same quilting fever I have.

I was looking around YouTube and found some great tutorials on machine quilting
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LHv2GV8F-8E
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LBusZ3cGpoA&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XmJeER4fV0k&feature=related

These two videos are from Nicole Webb. I had the pleasure of taking a longarm class from her last October and what a tremendously lovely lady! and I learned a lot also
http://youtube.com/watch?v=C9HzGohUjoQ&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9KbpK07iSJ4&feature=related

Thought for the Day
Do what you love, love what you do!

Block received....

in my Nine Patch Swap. I think this will go great with the rest of my Kansas Spirit blocks. I am getting quite a selection of nine patch blocks so I may be able to just make a quilt with those!

I haven't been doing a lot of quilting lately as I am preparing for a big move - and I think I am having "withdrawal" - I am anxious to get back at my frame and get some of my quilts finished... plus I have a few customer quilts to get done. I do have two quilt retreats to go to before I actually move - they were planned last year so I can't back out of them... and I am looking forward to doing something besides packing, moving furniture, taking things to the goodwill.....etc.etc.etc........... I guess that will mean I have more quilt tops to quilt!

Thought for the Day
To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them.
Ralph Waldo Trine

Graduation Day....

My youngest, Alexander, graduated from High School yesterday!! A few tears were shed by mom, of course - but it was a lovely day... and I know he is looking forward to this next chapter in his life.

The keynote speaker at the grad read the well known poem by Robert Frost - The Road Not Taken - and that will be my Thought for The Day. This poem always makes me think!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.


I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

Swap Received......

Some days I just get the best surprises in the mail!! Today, I received this lovely scarf/boa made of wonderful fibres - with a matching pair of earrings!! what a lovely surprise and thanks to EllenT from Swapbot. I have really enjoyed the swaps I have done on swapbot and have received some lovely items.....

This past weekend I worked at the Heritage Park Festival of Quilts but it was a dismal rainy weekend. Unfortunately, quilts could not be hung outside - but there were many many wonderful quilts to look at in all the old houses. It is a wonderful exhibit!

Thought for the Day
Patience is the Companion of Wisdom
Saint Augustine

Small Quilt...

This is a small charity quilt that I put together for my guild. Everyone had to make two blocks and then the blocks are divided into groups of 12 and then quilts are put together by individual members. I won't be able to quilt this one as we are moving... but it is my last charity quilt that I will do while I live in the city.

Today is the Festival of Quilts at Heritage Park in Calgary. Unfortunately it is raining heavily, so there will be no quilts on display around the park..... This is the 13th year for the festival and I have volunteered at 12 of them... there have been a few with rainy days.... it is still a fun event and well-attended by local and out-of-town quilters.

Thought for the Day

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls

Aesop

My new view....

This is my new view from my quilt studio! We are moving from a city of over 1 million people to an area with 200 people and.... I couldn't be happier.... This is what I will see when I sew and when i quilt - a very exciting time for my hubby and me.

Festival of Quilts

We have a historical village in Calgary called Heritage Park. Every year on the last weekend in May, Heritage Park hosts The Festival of Quilts. It is not a quilt show, although there are a few competitions, but a chance for everyone to show off their quilts in an historical setting. It is an absolutely wonderful weekend - quilts outside (in our part of the country - weather permitting!) and in all the old houses. I will be volunteering at my guild booth - and hope to have a great time.

Thought for the Day
The Secret to Life is Living it One Day at a Time

Time Flies....

Gosh... time sure flies when the weather gets nice!! We finally have spring weather and I have spent the last few days planting a few flowers and cleaning up the yard... Of course, I managed a bit of sewing also....I made two blocks for a guild charity quilt - these will be the last blocks for the year - and I managed to finish my All Things Christmas Quilt. This is a block of the month class that I am teaching at Traditional Pastimes in Calgary. It is an adorable quilt and I can't wait to quilt it.