A cold snowy day!

Brrr ..... it is really cold today.  The wind is blowing and with the wind chill, it is even colder.  Snow is blowing too.  Hubby is outside with his snowblower.  Yuck.  This is way too early!

We have at least a foot of snow right now. 

I've been busy working on my pumpkin top.  It is coming along very nicely.  The addition of the piano key border gives is a lot of zing.  My hubby was looking at it last night and said:  "there is going to be a leaf on each row".  Yep.  Just to give it that something different.

A close-up of the pumpkins.  The centers are all crazy patch.  Getting rid of my scraps!  Gotta love that!

I've got lots to keep me busy.

Have a great day!

Linking to: http://www.esthersquiltblog.com/ and http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Having fun!

This morning, we woke up to temps. of -27C (or -16.6F) with the wind chill!  That is way too cold for this time of year.  Lordy, we are still in November!

Anyway, besides doing a few odd jobs around the house, I've been busy down in my studio keeping warm and keeping busy.

Now, let's see what I've been up to!  The left side of this hanging has the embroidery all done.  It looks a tad sparse or too much white in the bottom left corner.  When this is all done, I'll take another look at those areas and add a small butterfly or bee or something.  That is the beauty of being creative.  Make it work!

Next up is the center section.

Last night, my friend Debra and I had face time with our ipads.  When we chat, I do like to have an interesting backdrop so that Debra can see something that I have been working on instead of the white curtain.  Her jaw dropped when she saw this behind me.  What?  When did I start this project.  It's beautiful ....  Shhhhh, don't tell anyone, but that top is a panel.  A panel?  Yep.  All I did was cut out the squares and add sashing and cornerstones.  Sneaky, aren't I!  Debra got a chuckle out of it.  I know, I know .... I'm so well known for my applique ..... but that panel was just too darn precious not to buy.

The other things I've been working on is pumpkins.  Pumpkins with scrappy centers and a bit of applique leaves here and there.  A great way to use up my scraps and stash.

All my pumpkin colours have been chosen and placed  where I want them to go.  A good start.

That's my fun for this week. 

Have a great day!

Linking to: http://www.esthersquiltblog.com/ and http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

A Garage Day

It is hard to get all of the girls together in the garage for a day of sewing.  Not everyone can attend, so when we are there, what fun we have.  Our last garage day was a few weeks ago and there was lots of eye candy to drool over.

Darlene (garage owner) has two EPP projects (behind her on the design wall) that she is working on.

 Lois is working on a shamrock quilt.  I do believe this is her first applique project.  Way to go, Lois!

Coach is the garage mascot.  He loves to be in the garage with us and loves it even better when he gets a treat from any of us.  If he is not on Darlene's lap, he is on my lap.

Claudia finished this top from a day guild workshop.  She said that if she ever made this again, she would use a larger striped fabric.

Karin was busy working on apple cores (another EPP project in the working) and was asking me for assembly tips.  She rescued a bunch of apple cores from a friend's garbage.  Cathy, Cathy, Cathy (I know you read my blog).  Anytime you want to toss projects in the garbage, bag them up for us.  We will take your lovely stuff any day!

 Me .... I'm working on a new EPP project.

This is my project.  Elongated hexagons.  I saw a photo on Pinterest but there is no one that I can give credit to.

My thoughts are to change the look with this layout below.  The hexagon sections will surround the centre applique.  I do believe this will be very interesting and different.  Playing the 'what if' game gets creative results.

This morning, we woke up to snow on the ground.  About 6" and it is still snowing .....  Will this snow stay or melt away? 

Time to head down to the studio and do some sewing.  It is that kind of day.

Have a great day!

Lover's Knot

This is, by far, my favourite quilt.  I loved making it and now that the quilt is done, I love it even more.

How did this quilt get started?  The blocks are all hand pieced and then sewn together by machine.  Hand piecing!?

Back in 2004, Jenny Beyer wrote an article in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine about her journey with hand piecing.  Hand piecing.  Not a chance, I snorted after reading the article.  Not a fricking chance.

Flash forward to early 2008.  I had a lot of charm squares and a need for a take-along project for me to work on when travelling back and forth between Toronto (where I lived then) and North Bay to look after my Mom.  Perhaps it was on Pinterest that I saw a quilt and decided this was something that I could easily start and have with me to work on.  My Mom loved to see what I was working on.  The VON nurses that came to the house loved to see what I was working on.  So, why not.  But hand piecing.  Really, Rosie, hand piecing?  I know, I know, I'm eating my words.  Hand piecing. 

At first, I wanted to do just a little wall hanging or at the most a lap-size quilt, so that I could say that I tried hand piecing and be done with it.   Instead, this quilt grew and grew and grew.  I went a little overboard.  LOL

There is even a tutorial on how to do this if you are so inclined to make one too.  Visit here:  https://appliqueandpatches.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-lovers-knot.html  I did this tutorial because there were a number of queries on how I did them.  It was easier to just show everyone in one tutorial.

I'm done with hand piecing.  During the process, I decided that this method was not for me.  EPP showed up and that is what has caught and maintained my interest.  Still, I'm glad that I tried it out and can say that I did hand piecing at one time.  Can you?

Quilt Details:
Started:  February 2008
Top Finished:  July 2018 (it sat around waiting for the perfect fabric for the border since September 2009 ..... sheesh)
Quilt Finished:  September 2018
Quilt Size:  99-3/4" x 99-3/4" (102-1/2" x 102-1/2" before quilting, washing and drying)
Block size:  4-1/2" square unfinished
Pattern Source:  The block pattern was found on Blockbase which is a stand alone computer software design.
Batting:  Hobbs poly.  I prefer a poly batting for winter quilts as it maintains body heat.
Machine quilted by Tella in Scarborough.

This quilt is nice and cozy warm for our winter months.

To end this post, how about a sunset photo taken in our backyard.  Now that the leaves are off the trees, the sun can shine through and show us what mother nature can do.  Beautiful!

Have a great stitching day!
Linking to: http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/ and http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Aussies came and went

My Aussie friends, Jennifer and Kevin have come and gone.  This was their third visit with us.  Where did their week with us go?  It came and went so quickly.  With my bummed up shoulder, I couldn't do very much and needed everyone's help to prepare meals and clean up.

This visit, they arrived to colour.  Glorious colour.  Jennifer loves autumn and it was so nice to have them see our colour. 

Jennifer and I did get out to a quilt show at a church in Sturgeon Falls.  This was the first for me to see quilts in a church and I quite enjoyed it.  More photos were taken, but these were my favourites.  Love that TATW quilt!

This chevron quilt caught my eye.  On the placard, it was mentioned that the pattern came from Fons and Porter and I found it in my magazine collection a few nights later.  Eureka!  I may be starting a new quilt ....

Jennifer was busy buying a leaf potholder an chatting with the ladies.  We signed a guest book and I do believe she was the farthest away attending the show.

Monday nights there is a ukulele group that meets at a local music store.  Jennifer attended last time she was here and made arrangements to meet with the group again.   She was in 7th heaven to be able to play again.  Eight weeks is a long time away from playing a musical instrument.

On our way to the music store, we drove along the lake shore and caught this interesting cloud formation.  Photos were taken and once home, DH (who is a meteorologist) was able to explain what was going on with that funny cloud formation.  

When Jennifer and Kevin arrived, we exchanged goodie bags.  Jennifer knows how much I love bags, so what a wonderful addition to my collection!

Inside the bag was this gorgeous wall hanging.  Perfect to be hung with my autumn quilts.

At first, I thought the flowers were drawn on ..... nope, embroidered with one strand of embroidery floss.  So lovely!  I'm still admiring her machine quilting.

While Jennifer and Kevin were here, the BEARS came back.  This time three bears in our neighbours back patio.  They went after the bird feeders and destroyed one.  They came during the night and I woke up to a bang.  Did I investigate?  Not a chance was I going to go outside to find out what the noise was.  Still, after that bang, I could not go back to sleep.   The next afternoon, DH came inside with a story to share with us and explain what the bang was that I heard.  That was just a tad too close for comfort.  Bear scat has been found between our house and our neighbours and in different places on the street.  Much too close!

Our friends said that they would love to see a bear in person, but at the same time, they didn't want to see a bear as that would be too scary.  I agree!

We didn't do as much this time around.  We are all getting older and just sitting around the fireplace and enjoying our visitors was a good thing.  They said this would be their last visit to Canada.  Still, they said that last visit and they came back again this year.  Safe travels, my friends, safe travels.

Last Friday, I and two other siblings buried my brother's ashes.  It took a while to get everything arranged, but he was finally laid to rest with our parents.  Rest in peace .... Micheal Beauregard .... rest in peace ...

A few days later, we had snow.  A couple days of snow.  Overnight, we had rain and it is all gone now .... but it will be back .... that we know for sure.

While our visitors were here, a new EPP project was started and there will be more on that later.  Another EPP project ...... yippee-ki-yay!

Have a happy stitching day!

Linking to: http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/ and http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Aussie's are coming again!

Wednesday afternoon and my Aussie friends (Jennifer and Kevin) will be with us once again.  This will be their third time that they stay with us for a week.  What shall we do this time?  We are all getting older and the weather looks like we will have some snow, so not much outside stuff will be done.

On Monday, I had a sun spot removed from my shoulder, so not much movement can be done because the stitches will pull and the healing will take longer.  So, Jennifer will be helping me with the cooking.

The fireplaces are working.  Jennifer has tumblers she can sew.  I'll just ply Kevin with a glass of Sortilege (whiskey and maple syrup liqueur) on ice and we will just make ourselves comfortable and everyone will be happy.  I might be able to do a bit of EPP.   If we do get snow, maybe my DH and Kevin can keep themselves busy with the snowblower doing our driveway plus a few neighbours.

Now ..... back to EPP.  You all were wondering what I've been doing with that snowflake.

This is the top.  Back in February, my day guild had a jelly roll challenge and I cut a whole bunch of 2-1/2" strips from my stash.  The quilt had to be finished by June.  Well, I'm never on time and my top/quilt never got finished.  Sill, I did plug away at it until finally all the snowflakes were appliqued onto the top.   Leftover hexagons were scattered around the top and appliqued as well.

I had designed this layout on my EQ7 and I was anxious to see how it would look and if everything would fit.  The two borders here have the triangles all pinned on as a tryout.  Yep, everything fits in place.  Whew, that is a huge relief.

The two borders have all the triangles appliqued in place and the borders sewn to the body.   An inch was left unsewn on the bottom right border (where the last triangle is) so so the bottom border could be added and then I went back and sewed the unsewn bit later.  Looking good to me.

Three borders are on!

Finally, the top was done and I love it!  This top will be hand quilted soon so that it is ready to hang come January.  I'm going to try big-stitch quilting to see if I like it or not.  It is now or never!

Here are close-ups of the fussy cutting hexagons.

 

I didn't have any gold fabric that I could fussy cut, but this fabric was perfect.

What else went on this past week?  My friend, Darlene Brooks and I (garage owner) presented our EPP/Applique trunk show and EPP workshop at the Grand Quilt Guild in Fergus, Ontario.  Sadly, I didn't take any photos.  Uggh .... I can't believe that happened to me.  Darlene and I were just so busy bopping here and there.   If anyone from the guild reads this, can you send me photos (castonguayrosemarie@hotmail.com)?  There were 110 people at the trunk show and 18 members at the workshop.  We shopped on the way down to Fergus and on the way back.  What we earned, we spent!  Woohooo!  Mind you, not much fabric was purchased ..... bath stuff.  Darlene just renovated her bathroom and she needed new accessories:  shower curtain, towels, waste basket, hand lotion container, etc.  I bought new towels, shower curtain, hand lotion container, tumbler and tooth brush holder and rugs.  The whole lot and now my Aussie friends will enjoy them all first.  I do love to change out my bathroom with the seasons as well as my bed quilts.

We stayed with Ruth Kennedy of Dancing Thread Longarm Quilting.  It turns out that her husband and my husband knew each other and worked on a small project years ago.  Such a small world!  Anyway, we were well received and it was lovely to see Ruth again.  My DH and I hosted Ruth twice when she did her trunk show and then a year later her workshop.  We have promised to visit each other again and to keep in touch with her and the other lovely ladies that we met.  I also got reacquainted with Celeste from Meerkat Trading.  Celeste sells Shweshwe fabrics which are absolutely gorgeous!  It was such a busy time and the trip and visit was over before we knew it.

Once home, we went to a quilt show in Powassan on Saturday and in Sudbury on Sunday.  I'm all quilt showed out.  Nope, not just yet .... there is another quilt show in Sturgeon Falls this coming Saturday.

What else?  This cushion got recovered for the ottoman.  I just need to add some tabs to secure the cushion in place to the bottom wood section, but that will happen after the stitches on my shoulder are removed.

So, it has been a very busy week for me and this coming week will be busy as well.  Oh well, life is good!

Have a great day!

Linking to: http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/ and http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Forgot to show this one!

I was going through my photos and realized that this quilt has not been shown.  It will be going on the wall later this fall and winter.  Happy days, for sure.

I wanted to capture the beauty of the fabrics against the autumn colours.    This photo was taken in our backyard.  No bears ..... I looked around to be sure before climbing the steps.

The following two photos were taken about 10 mins. later when the sun wasn't shining.  What a huge difference in the colour value.

 I just love rail fence blocks!  They are so timeless.

Quilt details:
Started:  February 2009
Top Finished:  August 2009
Quilt Finished:  July 2018 (it sat on the shelf for nine years ..... sheesh!)
Quilt Name:  Humble Pie from the book "Simple traditions" by Kim Diehl
Quilt Size:  89-1/2" x 89-1/2" (top size before quilting and washing:  91" x 92")
Batting:  Polyester
Quilted by my friend:  Tella in Toronto.

Another quilt done!  Life can't get any better than that!

We are in the midst of having beautiful Indian Summer weather.  Capris and sandals are back.  We need to enjoy it while we can, because this weather is not going to hang around for long.

It was cold closing the cottage for the year.  Jackets, sweaters, toques and then warm gorgeous weather.  What a drastic change in just two days.  Cold and now warm and muggy.

Beavers have been busy building a dam on our cottage road.  The water is backing up at this bridge.  The white stuff you see in the water is foam of some kind. 

With all the rain we have had lately, the creek is overflowing and creating a waterfall at the edge of the dam.  This will be a problem next year as the bridge and road could be washed out if the dam breaks.

The autumn colours are at 80% right now.  Beautiful display from Mother Nature once again.

I love colour against the dark green.  It gives a gorgeous contrast as we travel down the road.

This week, my friend Darlene and I will be giving a dual trunk show and workshop on EPP at the Grand Quilt Guild in Fergus, Ontario.  We are so excited and have so many quilts to show and talk about.  There will be lots more to share about this event.

Have a great day!

  

Linking to: http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/ and http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/