Friday, February 29, 2008

All knotted up

Well ….. story of my life right now ….. I’ll be away again for a couple of weeks.

While I’m away, this is a new project that I’m working on. Charm packs have been accumulating in my stash and this is the perfect project to use them up (at least a few of them).

The pattern is called ‘Lover’s Knot’ and there is definite movement in the blocks and pattern, which my DH loves to see. This will become a wall hanging in our entryway.

Have a great day!

Pattern source: EQ6

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Give me a T

While at my Mom's, the Cat entertained us to no end.

She wants her treats which are on the top shelf. After doing the major ‘staredown’ at whoever is sitting in the living room and being ignored, she will start to paw any piece of paper that is tucked away on the bottom shelf. So, here goes the routine ….

Are they looking at me? Lookee .... my eyes are glowing .... surely, they must see me now?

























The nerve …. they are ignoring me …. better make some noise! (Paper is being pawed continuously for about 30 sec.)
























Jeepers, they are not getting up! Well…. let’s see what happens when the papers start flying onto the floor. Let’s see, my count is five papers and they will get up. If they don’t, well … I’ll just start ripping them with my teeth. Mmmmmm let’s see, it was the one with Resume that got them off the couch.

























Yes ….. SHE is getting up and walking towards me! Score some treats! Golly, that was hard work. Better have a nap in my box before the next round.



















Oh …. the life of a cat!

Have a great day!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Look for the Star

Now that Guðrún has shown her quilt on her blog, I can tell you a bit more about her quilt!

For a bit of a twist, ricrack (I’m trying my best to get rid of that stash….LOL) has been added around the circumference of the star and I have to say that I love the look! :o)

The light blue background material …. well there is a story with that. I purchased a blue cotton scarf back in the fall and was washing it. You know the routine … a lot of dye came out of the scarf; so I just threw in some pieces of white fat quarters and viola! :o) If you do this, just be sure to set the dye with vinegar and salt in a bucket of water and soak for a few hours, or days if you forget about your fabrics.

Now, hop on over to Guðrún’s site and see how she ended up displaying this quilt. You will enjoy reading her post about it!

Have a great day!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my DH ….. I’m off to make him a special cake for dinner tonight.

Pattern Source: EQ6 for ‘Star of the West’ block

Friday, February 22, 2008

One year and tagged!

Good golly …. where has the time gone? A year later and I still have quilts to show and things to talk about!

What a fascinating year this has been for me and the fabulous folks I have met through the web.

Thank YOU for stopping by and visiting me. If you are a frequent visitor, then I must be doing something right with my blog to keep you coming back.

Thank YOU for making my first year a success! :o)

I’ll be having a giveaway at some point to help celebrate this milestone; but for now family life has gotten in the way and I won’t have time to deal with that just now. In my travels, I’ll be picking up things here and there to add to the package.

I’ve been tagged recently by Ila and Loulee to list 7 things about myself. I don’t follow rules well and will just keep you in suspense and will reveal just a bit more about myself:

1. I’m nearly 6ft. tall, and my DH is a couple of inches shorter and he loves it when I wear heels. LOL
2. I still cut my own hair.
3. Just call me the ‘sweater lady’. That is what the lady at the bus stop in Gravenhurst said to me when I got off the bus for a pit stop on my way home from North Bay. She has seen me often lately and has been admiring my sweaters whenever I pass through.
4. I don’t dilly dally when I walk …. I move at a fast pace always …. like I’m on a mission.

There, now you know just a tad bit more about me. :O)

Have a great day!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Spring exchange is on

The sign-up for the 4 Seasons-Quilt Exchange- spring is now open for participating. If you are interested, click here and it will bring you directly to the site.


This is a fun exchange and it has been so interesting to see gorgeous quilts being made and sent around the world.

So, come on and join the fun while there is still space open.

Lookee, lookee, part 2


A new week and another parcel. This time from Iceland.

Gudrun sent me this beauty depicting what winter is like in Iceland. It is very dark and it sure gives me the feeling of what it is like to experience a winter where there is limited sunlight. The label tells the story of her design. Very clever, she is!

Also in my parcel was a pair of Icelandic mittens. My hands will be nice and cozy wearing these.
Thank you, Gudrun …… I’m doing the happy dance again!

Have a great day!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Lookee what I got!

On my way home (riding on the bus) after looking after my Mom for a couple of weeks, my DH and I were talking on the cell phone and he informed me there was a package from Norway and should he open it for me!

I have been expecting a parcel from Gudrun (we have exchanged gifts again), so the parcel from Norway was a total surprise.

May Kristin was my partner for the 4 Seasons Winter swap. In her note, she mentioned that she designed my quilt and she hoped that the quilt met all my likes ….. blues, 9 patch, country feel and cosy.

What do you think? She certainly met them and more!!! Along with the quilt, she even provided me with a hanger. Sure beats my sticks that I’ve been using. :o)

Also, in the parcel was chocolate (notice that ‘was’ is past tense). LOL …. there are still some left ….. for now …… There is a CD on Norway that was quite enjoyable and very informative and a key chain (with a Viking ship engraved into the clear Lucite).

So, I am a happy girl doing the happy dance!

Have a great day!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Hearts All Around


From my archives, this little mini quilt is perfect to help us celebrate Valentine’s Day and appropriate as I think of this as spreading our hearts all around the world.

The block was an orphan; but it didn’t languish too long in the bin!

Do you see the stipple quilting? This was done by hand …… before I found the beauty and fun in machine stipple quilting.

If I was ever to do this quilt again, the binding would not be that colour. It’s done now and there is no way that it’s going to be unpicked and a new binding put on. It’s alright, it’s OK, and it’s staying as is! :o)

Enjoy your day!

Pattern Source: McCall’s Quilting magazine, June 2001

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Quilting Minis


Whenever I hand quilt a mini, scrap muslin is basted all around at the edge of the borders. This way, it is really easy to put into a hoop and quilt.

Have a great day!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Cat Napping


No ….. not a photo of a cat napping. :o) A cute quilt for a gorgeous baby.

Have a great day!

Pattern Source: Quiltmaker magazine, May/June 2002, No. 85

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

It’s Snowing

I’ve wanted to do a winter door hanging for my sister, to give their entranceway a bit of colour from the outside.

Some beading was going to be added onto the border; but after sewing on the snowflake buttons, this hanging said ‘complete’ and I just stopped at that point.

My inspiration for those little tabs at the bottom came from the SSCS swap hanging from Juliann. I must say, those tabs do make quite a nice effect and they will be cropping up now and then on future hangings.

Since I’ve been having so much fun doing stipple machine quilting, this hanging had to have some too. The border and the inside of the snowflake and on the blue portion of the tabs all have the stipple quilting.

To hang this quilt on her metal outside door, there are plastic strips sewn onto the backing with strips of photo magnetic tape stuck onto the plastic strips. The hanging adheres very well to the door.

Have a great day!

Pattern source: Snowflake appliqué came from Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine #239