Happy Thanksgiving, O'Canada

Well, I can't believe that it is Canada's Thanksgiving today.  What a beautiful day it is.  As I type this post, it is a balmy 21C and that must be a record.  Oh yes, we'll take it!

DH and I have been quite busy around the house doing painting and minor renovations.  I just finished painting doors/closet doors #17 and #18.  Then, I recounted the doors and lo and behold, that number should read #24 and #25.  I guess after painting that amount of doors, it was easy to forget a few.  Only one more to go.  Groan.

A bit of quilting has been going on, but only a bit.

I'm trying to revive/teach appliqué to members of my Day Guild.  There are about 15 ladies that stay after our day meeting ends.  There is much interest and now I've designed a quilt/blocks so that they can practise their sewing skills.  None of the blocks will be hard because I really do want them to stay interested and finish their blocks as they are presented.

This is what I've come up with.  Two heart blocks have already been made and this is their position.  I'm excited to show the ladies the quilt pattern at the next guild meeting next week.  As each month is presented, the empty spaces will get filled in.

I will be making a One Block Wonder quilt and this is the fabric that has been chosen.   This photo was sent to my friend, Debra for her advise since she has taught a number of OBW classes before.  She said it was perfect!  Yeah!

Then, my friend, no-blog Mary sent me a birthday gift.  PJ's.  When I got them, I thought, oh dear, they won't fit because I'm so tall.  What a surprise because they fit perfectly.  The pant legs are long enough and so are the sleeves.  The fabric design is just perfect for me.  Thank you Mary!  Mary is coming for a visit in November and I'll be able to show her they do fit!

My Aussie friends are coming in a couple weeks' time for a visit.  They will be too late to see our autumn colours.  So, Jennifer and Kevin, this is for you!

Have a great day, eh!

Just tumbling along

Well, great strides has been done on my tumbler project.  I just couldn't wait any longer by treating this project as a leader/ender.  I was anxious to get it done.  So, on that note, since my tumblers had all been cut out, it was just a matter of pinning them onto my design wall.

Since that went quickly, it was time to start sewing the rows together.  Here is my top section all sewn together.  Very nice.

Then the middle section got worked on.  That too, went together quickly.

Here is the top and middle sections sewn together and the sides trimmed.  Another couple of days and the bottom section should be done too.

Yep ... I'm just tumbling along ....

Have a great day!

Apple Core Centre

Well .... not much has been happening here lately for quilting.  DH and I have been busy working on other projects.

At least my apple core centre got assembled.  Just outer borders are needed.  Oh happy days!

Do any of you get why my inner border is red?  It was chosen to resemble the outer skin of a red apple.  Clever, eh!?  :o)

The other thing that has been worked on are my tumblers.  This whole side has been sewn into rows but the rows are not sewn together just yet.

Have a great day!

Just one more ...

.... section and this Apple Core centre will be done!  Oh my, I can taste it!

Would you like to see what else is on my design wall?  Tumblers and my triangles.  There will be a long post coming up on my triangles.  There have been questions about them and they need to be answered.

Lately, I have been busy cutting out beige tumblers for the remaining three sections.  The borrowed template needs to go back to my friend Jeanne.  The tumblers are my leader/ender project (Bonnie Hunter has a sew along right now on her blog).  The tumblers are coming together slowly but surely.  A few sewn together here and there and viola a section is done before I know it.  This kind of surprise is most welcome.

Have a great day!

Apple Core slices

Well .... great progress has been made on my Apple Cores.  The bottom section on the right has been sewn together but not attached to the main body.  That bit will come later.

I am on a mission to get the rest of the sections done.  I've split up the last bottom right section into two to help make it easier and faster to finish.  Anything to feel like some kind of progress has been made and this will help to keep the motivation going.  :o)

Have a great day!

Last Section

The last of my apple cores have been basted and pinned in place on my design wall.  I'm not done yet!  They have still to be all sewn together.  It just feels so good to get to this point.

If you look at the photo below, you can get a better idea of the apple cores (bottom right section) that need to be sewn together.

There has been a new addition to the family .... Rachel Irene.  Another great niece to love!

Yep, happy days.

Have a great day!

Baby Blankets

Only a few days into September and I already have two finishes.  Can we say YAY!

These baby blankets will go to the NICU at our local hospital.

The idea for the bear came from a piece of remnant fabric (see first border) that was on our Encore Table at day guild.  The bear was enlarged by 400% and appliquéd onto a piece of white fabric.  That bear is so sweet!

This one is more modern and perfect for a little guy.

With Autumn officially 3 weeks away, it was hard to resist this planter with 3 different types of Mums in it.  These will be replanted in our hill garden and hopefully they can be established before we have a hard frost.  Speaking of Autumn .... there have been sightings of some trees starting to change colour already around our city.  

Have a great day!