Road Trip and MORE fabric . . .

Had a wonderful time on a road trip last Saturday with one of my quilting side-kicks, Gail . . . we headed over to Plumas, Manitoba to find a quilt shop.  This was a first for me as I’ve never been over in this part of Manitoba before and I certainly saw some new things.

It turned out that on the highway to Plumas there are some Amish folks from Ontario that had settled in and homesteaded a few years back.  I love their beautiful homes and the barns are wonderful to see – after so many of our heritage farm buildings being destroyed from lack of use, it is fantastic to see these buildings erected and used.  There certainly can be something said for the simpler things in life .  .  . although I’m not sure how long I could go without my beautiful sewing machine, but this really is a way of life to be admired.  I guess I would need to learn how to operate my new machine that I got back in October.

Now this is a treasure of a quilt shop . . . all tucked away where you would least expect to find it – but well worth the trip!  Kickass Quilt Shop is also an on-line quilt shop and if you don’t see what you’re looking for, make sure you send them an email detailing what it is . . . they will most certainly try and find it for you!  Wonderful selection and exceptional service!

  

I purchased some Christmas fat quarters and that new fangled bias tape maker that you can insert the fusible strips into at the same time – can’t wait to give this a try . . . PLUS . . . 14 fat quarters of Figgy Pudding by Basic Grey – I’ve had my eye on these prints for a while now . . . next year’s Christmas project, maybe?

I know it looks goofy right now, but this is what is currently on the design wall . . . where it will end I’m not really sure just yet.  Lots of brain matter being used up here – can you tell?  How about the three different border ideas up there?  Since the picture was taken there has been another option added . . . we’ll see where that goes!!!

My November fat quarter collection arrived a couple of days ago and I have it all pressed and ready to drool over . . . Old Primrose Inn by Blackbird Designs is chock full of all the best old fashioned warmth I love.

When I set this pretty little pile of fabric on all the previous little piles of fabric, I had a moment of being just a little lot overwhelmed by everything I need to do and everything that I want to do.

I got over it . . .

. . . when I unwrapped this little treasure!

 

How many things can you do with 2 1/2” squares?

Admire . . . flip and peek . . . drool . . . caress them . . . imagine projects to use them in . . . or just plain old set them up on the shelf and stand back and drool some more . . . excuse me but I need to go collect myself now . . .

‘til next time,

M.

Ooops!

I forgot to come back after my three days off!  Actually I think my mood just shifted into grumpy mode and I’ve been having trouble adjusting to going to work again.  Oh, well . . . I’m now looking forward to a few days holiday before Christmas – why is there never enough vacation time?

I know this picture is from the previous post, but I love the colors!  And I’ve been having a great time making little HST to go with these pretty little posies – that’s what I worked on for our Saturday quilt group get-together last weekend – lots and lots of HST.  Plus tons and tons of visiting . . . Myra from Tactile Pleasures In Fabric drove all the way out from Winnipeg to join us for the day . . . it was wonderful to finally meet the person that I’ve been blogging back and forth with for the past three years.  Can’t wait to return the favor and go and have a visit with her and her group next time.

Gail was working on this scrappy quilt top to use up her scrap stash.  Isn’t it colorful?!?!  I think I heard her say that she would be donating it to Victoria Quilts so that it could be given to someone undergoing cancer treatments.  I know that Gail gives a lot of her quilts and quilt tops to this wonderful organization.  I think I need to look through my stack of unfinished quilt tops to see if there are any in there that would fit into the sizes that they are looking for.

This is Mae’s quilt using some of her beautiful oriental fabrics.  All the butterflies are paper-pieced and look absolutely beautiful in those prints – picture doesn’t do it justice!

Little Bits of This and That candle mat/table centre is part of the Cross Country Christmas Quilt Designer Blog Hop that has been going on for the last eleven days.  This free pattern and all of the free patterns that have been offered are providing some great ideas for last minute Christmas gifts – go take a look.

Lots of meetings on this week and just trying to get back into the swing of things after those days off . . .

‘til next time,

M.

Three days off!

Ah . . . doing what I want to be doing . . . priceless!

Got really upset with a certain little honey bun staring at me though – so I bust it up! 

I’ve now started my two millionth new project and I’m having a blast. 

There’s even a new ironing board cover for this newest breakout . . . even matched the colors pretty close.  Just kidding - this ironing board cover has been in it’s package UNDER the ironing board for about three weeks now, but once I saw the colors burst forth from the honey bun, I just knew it was time to also break out the new cover. 

So what do you think of my newest colors?  Not really me again, right?  I’m trying to be a frugal quilter and trying new things when I see them come on sale.  This honey bun is from Basic Grey for Moda and is called Sultry.  I think the thing that made me curious about this line of fabric was the use of brown and pink together and I’m really liking the fun little shapes and color placements of this new design.

Things have certainly brightened up in my sewing room and so far I’m finding that I’m liking it all . . . these bright colors and my newest obsession – white!  Lookin’ good, so far.  And here is my little November Bunny Hill project – I love everything except the bird’s hat . . . I tried a pink color but it just blended in with the berries in the basket print – I’m now thinking that maybe we need a little yellow chapeau for that blackbird.  Change is good – right?  

‘til next time,

M.

Sunday Doings . . .

First off I got busy cutting out some more shapes for my purple quilt . . . you can’t have purple without yellow – can you?Next I got to looking for something on my bookshelf and made a surprising discovery.  

Probably about thirty years ago . . . way back when I was just a little gal . . . our local school closed and we were allowed to choose some books that were no longer needed.  So this morning when I was going through my bookshelf I pulled one copy of this book from the top shelf and thought to myself that I had another book in that series on one of the other shelves, so pulled that one out and there they were – two of the same!  I have one page marked because it has my mother’s favorite poem in it - “If You Meet a Fairy” and then I flipped through the other book and found my Dad’s name written on page 7 – obviously written by a youngster.  I checked the published dates and they were 1934, 1935 and 1936, so I’m thinking that the one was my Dad’s reader when he was in school.  I had no idea!  Still doesn’t explain two copies though and why I have never had them side by side before – strange. I then got busy marking some more of these lines on my blue 1/2-square triangle quilt . . . just a bit more and it will be perfect.

Next was a quick cruise through the internet to look at some pricing on Moda fabric.  I also found this very interesting and thought I’d pass it on to everyone.  For example:  if I’m looking for Figgy Pudding by Basic Grey where would I find the best everyday price – not sale price, but everyday yardage price.  I was surprised and I hope you will be also.  So if you’re a Moda freak like me, and want to get the best price when you’re shopping, then check out which one of these quilt shops is giving you the best price . . .

Hancocks of Paducah

Fat Quarter Shop

 Crazy Quilt Girl Fabric 

I also have the pattern for this next block of the

A Tisket, A Tasket BOM 

all ready to get started on.  This is the second last block of the Bunny Hill block of the month project and I’m really liking the way this is all coming together.  Can’t wait to see it with all the sashing and borders on it.  This has been soooooooooooo much fun to work on all year – I can’t believe it’s almost a year since we started this!

I already have my BOM chosen for 2010 . . . but that will probably get added to when all the new ones start hitting blogland in January.

I am planning for a few vacation days later this week and hope to be working on a whole bunch of projects that need bits and pieces done to them.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and your week is looking rosie . . .

‘til next time,

M.

Moving on . . .

from purple half-square triangles to an old blue half-square triangle project.

Both are coming along quite nicely . . . decisions have been made . . . 

and now it’s just a matter of following through with them all.

I’m not sure why this blue quilt got set aside for so long . . . could be something to do with the embroidery that needed to be done, but I’m really thrilled with how it is looking now that I have it laid out and a few seams sewn up.  This is going to be a keeper!

Also wanted to give a heads up that Jaybird is having a 100th post giveaway and it looks wonderful!

Over in my sidebar you will see a button with the giveaway prize on it . . . to find out more give it a click and get your name in for the draw.  While you’re there also have a look at all of the Quilt Market photos that she has posted . . . always great to see what’s up and coming for 2010.

‘til next time,

M.

Progress Report . . .

November 1st saw this Halloween quilt so very close to being done.

All the quilting was completed, including the raw edge stitching around ALL of the letters and shapes – which I really, really like. All that remains is the binding to be hand-stitched to the back and a few loose threads darned in . . . and, then . . .   I’ll be ready for Halloween 2010! What a great feeling to have this so very close to being stored away in a completed form, instead of only being a UFO.

Next on the list is something purple and something Christmas – time to start ticking off some of these items.

Now you’ll have to excuse me while I go and find what the 8:00 lineup is on Monday night TV so that I can do some hand sewing . . .

‘til next time,

M.