Ribbons again and quilt storage!

Yep, it happened again.  Our Quilts by the Bay-North Bay (Ontario, Canada) had another quilt show and I won three ribbons for hand quilting in the Viewer's Choice section.

First is for my bed quilt.  This quilt is fading in places and it has a patch from when our Miss Hank cat tore a piece of the fabric.  Still, she is a beauty and viewer's thought she deserved first place.  Thank you!

Second is for my Kentucky Flowerpot wall hanging in the middle.

Third is for my Xmas yo-yo tree wall hanging.

It is time now to consider doing some more hand quilting as I have run out of quilts to enter for the next show in three years.  Got to keep that craft alive and show my work again.

Nothing was entered into the Judged section of the show ..... because I was a judge!  Never in the world did I ever think that is something that would happen in my life.  It was interesting to judge, but due to my mishap at the cottage, it was very difficult and painful for me to stand and bend.  Who knows if quilt judging is something that I will ever do again?   Tick that off my bucket list, although it was never on it!  🐱🐱

Quilt storage!  This cabinet is finally finished and now it stands back in the corner, but this time we can see it better.  Brown to white truly transformed this cabinet.  During the sanding process, it was discovered that the inside was just stained.  No varnish, no protective coating for my quilts.  So glad that was caught and now my quilts are protected from any wood resin.  Two coats of paint and three coats of Varethane. 

Autumn and fall colours are in full force up here in the great white north.  Next post will show my autumn quilts that are hanging in our home.

Have a great day!

Just a hexie tote bag!

Here is my tote bag that I finally finished a few days before our quilt show.  This bag was included in our silent auction part of the show.

It would have been finished sooner, except I had a slight accident at our cottage and hurt myself and moving around and wanting to do anything was just put on the back burner.  That accident is a long story, but a paddle boat, a dock and I had a fight and I lost!  A trip to emerg. to make sure that nothing was broken but I was left badly bruised, banged up and a tad scared of what had happened.  You know the saying about older folks being wiser ..... nope, that bit escaped me at that moment in time!  LOL  It is easy to laugh about it now, but things could have been much worse.  Anyway, my body is on the mend and time and taking things easy will help to heal me.

Anyway, this hexie project travelled with me on vacation to Costa Rica where I enjoyed sipping on rum drinks by the pool while sewing those hexies.  Yes, it already has a travelling history!

A slight problem while assembling.  You can use a bag that has a twisted strap, can't you?  Drats.  That bag went flying into a corner, I was so ticked off with myself!  But finally, that strap was unripped and sewn on correctly and then it all came together finally.

This bag was donated to our quilt show's (held this past weekend) silent auction and the final bid was $65.00 Canadian.  I met the lady who bought it and thanked her for winning her bid.  She thanked me for making it and she knew when she saw my name that she had to have it.  That is a lovely compliment, indeed!

The bag was made using three challenge fabrics (donated by Northcott) and other complimentary fabrics could be used to complete our items.  Monies raised from the silent auction go to our local hospital.

Anyway, more about our quilt show will be on another post.  A few ribbons that my quilts won will be talked about too. 

Have a great day!

Winning quilts

Well .... I guess a few of you have been wondering which quilts won those ribbons in my last post.  All for hand quilting.  Without further ado here they are:

Judged, First place - Hollyhocks in a Castle Garden (go here to read about it)

Judged, First place - Gathering Pumpkins (go here to read about it):

Judged, Third place - Sky Jewels (go here to read about it)

Viewer's Choice, First place - Secret Garden

This is the first time I'm showing this quilt and there is a story behind it, but that will be on another post.

My challenge quilt that I donated sold for $50.00.  Yeah!

It was a great show.  The show earned lots of money for our local hospital.  Life is good!

Yesterday was guild day and after the meeting, 22 women stayed behind to learn about hand quilting.  I'm going to teach my secrets to anyone who is interested.  Needless to say, I was shocked to see so many ladies.  If I can do it, they can too and I will be thrilled to see those ladies win ribbons at our next show in 2019.

I'm linking up to Needle and Thread Network.

Have a great day!

Oops ... did it again!

Well, our quilt show is over ... I'm pooped ... but thrilled!  This is why!

My next post will reveal more about these ribbons.  I have to fly out for family matters and my suitcase needs to be packed.  Will be back next week.

Have a great day!

Summer days

I have been away at the cottage for the the past few weeks.  Summer days at the cottage .... bliss.

Early mornings were misty mornings.

The quietness was broken by a neighbour taking off in his float plane.

Then landing a few days later.

This is typical of our sunsets.  Our cottage is on the wrong side of the lake to enjoy more.

During the week, the lake was quiet for little ones learning to kayak.  This was also a good time to go out on a paddle board.  

Amongst all family members coming and going, a bit of sewing did get done.  This is a new project.  Almost Amish is the name.  Enough leaves have been prepped to make another 14 of these blocks.   

Two more sections got sewn together for my split apple core.

Oh yes, summer days at the cottage .....

Before taking off to the cottage, I did spend a few days in Toronto with Debra.  We went to the quilt show at Black Creek Village.  The village is my favourite venue to see a quilt show.  I'm going again next year.  Red and white quilts will be the theme and how special that will be to help celebrate Canada's 150th birthday.

To see some of the quilts that were at the show this year and previous years, go here.

I'm linking to Needle and Thread Network.

Have a great day!

Went to the Creek

Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Ontario for a quilt show on Aug. 17.  The day was perfect, the temperature not too hot.  It was an awesome venue for a quilt show.

Let's meander around the village ...

Quilts were everywhere!  We went early in the day and the crowds were not large.  Photos were easy to take.

 Modern quilts and people in period costume .... an interesting combination.

 We stopped at Town Hall for a trunk show by Sherri Hisey of Border Creek Station. 

 

After a light lunch and a bit of shopping at the vendors' venue, we continued on another path with more quilts.

The day was sunny, but there were lots of shady areas and, of course, more quilts.  I do like that quilt on the left!

There were lots of seating scattered throughout the village.  Perfect for when my back starts to hurt from all the standing around.

 There were gardens all around the village and one huge raspberry patch.

Now, this quilt below would be great for using up my solid fabrics that I bought while visiting Lancaster, Pennsylvania this past spring.  I just love that old log cabin behind the quilt. 

It was a perfect day and I had the perfect couple to go with.  Debra and her hubby.

Would I go again .... YES!   This was one of the best quilt shows that I have been to.

Once I arrived back home, guess what was found on our driveway?  This is much, much too early for this to be happening!  Horrors.

Have a great day!

Oh dear ....

I didn't mean for this to happen .... 5 Judge's choice and 1 Viewer's Choice ribbons.  My quilts won these ribbons at our recent Quilts by the Bay quilt show in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. 

The members of my guild (Near North Quilter's Guild) are very talented and very prolific and a number of my quilts were entered to be judged in the off chance that I might win at least one ribbon.  You can only imagine my surprise when I saw all these ribbons on my quilts.  Oh dear!  Excited, honoured, humbled and dismayed.  Those are my feelings regarding these ribbons.

The following is a run-down on the quilts that won as well as the judges' comments (which were very interesting and very welcome).

 

Hand quilted quilt, traditional piecing or applique techniques made entirely by one person, perimeter 304" or larger:

 

First place for Klosjes - My Little Spools.

Judges' comments:

- excellent use and balance of fabrics for a very pleasing overall design

- quilt would benefit from blocking so that the quilt edges are square and straight

- hand quilting is even and beautifully executed and supports the overall design of the quilt

Second Place - Old Tyme Plaid

Judges' comments:

- good use of colour and balance in this scrappy quilt

- the quilt would benefit from crisp corners in the edge finishing (binding)

- the hand quilting is evenly stitched in an attractive pattern which adds movement to the composition

 

Third Place - Just a Scrappy Quilt
Judges' comments:
- excellent balance of a rainbow colour scheme makes this a very appealing quilt
- edge finishing would benefit from crisp corners in the binding
- small evenly spaced stitching and quilting design adds great appeal to this quilt

 

One-of-a-kind/innovative quilt or wall hanging any size:

 

First place - Winters of My Life

Judges' comments:

- a wonderfully whimsical composition that reflects many aspects of the northern winter season

- take care in the use of dramatically contrasting colour (i.e. red house and snowman's hat) as they can become a focal point that keeps the eye from moving throughout the piece

- hand and machine quilting are well done and effective in this quilt

Blooming Flowers
Judges' Comments:
- excellent hand embroidery provides a focus to this piece
- take care when applying binding to make sure corners are crisp and square
- hand quilting is even and supports the design of the piece

Wearable quilted item:

Second place - flannel jacket
Judges' comments:
- nice choice of autumn palette fabrics
- take care with button holes - perhaps light interfacing would help keep their shape
- the small piecing in collar and cuffs add a nice finishing detail

  

Miniature quilt - Viewer's Choice

As I was going through my quilts and deciding which ones to enter, I knew beforehand what some of the judges' comments would be.  Especially my bindings.  They have always given me grief and this is something that I struggle with each time they get applied to my quilts.  Darn those corners!  If any of my quilts are entered into future quilt shows, well, at least I know what has to be concentrated on.

 

It was a wonderful experience to have a number of my quilts judged.  It was something that I have always wanted to have done and now that item can be crossed off my bucket list!

 

Lastly, many thanks to Deanna of our guild for giving a fabulous tip for increasing the size of sleeves to meet the requirements for a quilt show.  She said to just add another strip of fabric to the existing sleeve to make it bigger.  This tip saved me a lot of grief and got my quilts ready for showing quicker than expected.

 

Have a great day!

Granddaughter's Garden progress and a quilt show

It is coming together!  My Granddaughter's Garden is  slowly but surely getting done.  The bottom third of the centre remains to be done.

This photo shows a better idea of what needs to be done.  The black line shows the section that needs to be joined to the other part and a couple half blocks (see the X's at the bottom) need green templates and then sewn together. 

The bright pink squares that you see need to have a green template removed and replaced with a different green print. I wasn't paying particular attention and there are too many of the same green print that was used (and used in the same location) and they stick out like a sore thumb. Well, to me anyway and if I can see them, they will bug me until they are replaced.  The green print that was used way too often comes from a dress that I made for my Mom and I do love to use it in every quilt that I can.  It is a lovely memory for me.

 

In the first close-up shot, marking lines for hand quilting have already been added. 

 

So, the next time you see this top, the borders will be on and another top can be added to the battered old trunk waiting it's turn for hand quilting.

 

Two quilting guilds in our city are having a quilt show and you can go here for more information.  April 27-28, 2013 in North Bay, Ontario, Canada.  It will be a pleasure to see you all there.

 

Have a great day!

Show them off

A couple of weekends ago, DH and I met my SIL and her friend at a quilt show in South River, Ontario.  This was our first day outing since we moved north.  We didn't know what to expect and were pleasantly surprised with the venue.  The quilt show was in a barn.  How cool was that!  A huge smile was plastered on my face as soon as we stepped out of the car.  This was going to be a great show!  :o)

This flower garden greeted visitors outside the barn entrance. 

After seeing the barn block, I zoomed in on the hexagon quilt that was draped on the Muskoka chair.

Once inside the building .... oh, be still my beating heart ..... I was a drooling fool when I saw these scrappy quilts!

Here is a beautiful sampler:

A lovely 2-colour Monkey Wrench:

I tried to win the raffle quilt, but luck wasn't with me that day.

There are more photos from the show, but the above quilts were the ones that caught my eye.  It was a wonderful day in the country.  Thank you Almaguin Quilters Guild for putting on a fantastic show.

Have a great day!