Flower Power, summer not over yet

 I had the joy of following Karen to one of her Workshops at the London Quilters Guild last week. The whole trip was fabulous! Here is Karen and the President of the guild together. What a great picture their smiles say it all on what a great time we had.

Karen was above and beyond the best instructor lots of samples ready for her students lots of quilts she shared for her trunk show the evening before and the workshop was the best I learned so much. I forgot what it was like to take a workshop, there are always things you can learn.
Take time and go to a workshop no matter how progressed you are in quilting there is something you can always learn.

 Karen and one of the quilters in the workshop auditioning fussy cutting with one of the templates Karen had prepped for each participant. (15)

 The yellow one is the fabric Karen got ready for each kit for us to use. INCREDIBLE. so we were able to go through each step did I say I learned so much!

The pinky one I did in the workshop of all things I forgot my fabric so then had to buy some. (any excuse will do) Lucky there was a vendor there. Karen had other patterns that you can find on her Etsy store just click on her name and it will take you to her blog.





Then I come home and prep 100 more hexies and have some flowers to show for it, petals falling around my Buddy, as you can see not to happy with the sleep interruption!

Just a little update I now have 6 flowers made! and I am loving the process, as you can see my model had some attitude when I tried to show him my petals


I'm linking up with The Needle and Thread Network.

Walkers are advancing

 This is Nicole doing hand work she also owns the Log Cabin Yardage store you can get great fabric there! Nicole also hosts our Applique Society meetings at her store if you are interested in some dates let me know we are usually meeting on a Wednesday or Sunday..

 I am currently preparing my last 120 baskets, see that wonderful pile of fabrics in zippies. I got those on a swap that I will be using for my baskets.

 This is someone I met at the Log Cabin she is creating her own block with fabrics in Nicole`s store

 

 So now you can see that I have gotten a little further but I didn`t stop there, I kept trying to stop but every time I took a picture I had to do more.

 This is the fabric that I am going to put on the borders. I am not sure how many of you have watched The Walking Dead, but at one point there is a map drawn on the chalkboard of the neighbourhood this reminded me of it.

So now you can see I have really conquered these roamers, the first 2 rows, they are very large rows, are almost together you can see that the rows have shrunk compared to the bottom 2 rows. I still have another 2 rows to put in there, at the bottom.
I have been thinking about the quilting and wondered if there was a pattern for a wrought iron fence design.

Well off to visit the London Quilt guild tonight Karen will be doing her trunk show and also workshop. This will also be the first time I have ever stayed in a B&B!! Imagine!!

apocalypse

 i am having great fun with this quilt. as you can see the walkers are multiplying. there are themes behind the fabrics that are picked, the wrought iron fences the roads travelled stopping the `roamers`by the red borders as they stagger through our country.
Wait till you see the border fabric I picked I am not sure if any quilters follow Walking Dead but it is a great series when you want to quilt they play it so many times if you miss anything it will be on again!

 I also had a wonderful time at Karen H`s house  we had a sit and sew day with some show and share, her mom is on the far right and 2 friends we have known forever through Yorkshire Rose guild Barb far left and Gail in the middle

 They had a workshop with Karen H and giving us a wonderful show and share. Gail is always so prolific look how much she has done so far

I was there to show them how to do the method I am using for the baskets I am appliqing. The no melt templar method. Karen is already doing it and has started making these baskets as well. She will be done the quilt before me..LOL

 Yo can see Barb is all set up I was getting a kick out of her pincushion she has all her pins in order LOL Barb was learning with circles and you can see some of her wonderful fabric choices. See Karen in the background working on her baskets.

To Celebrate Fall I was in a swap and I was late signing up but Karen (another Karen) made me this cute little wall hanging. I love it. she swooped in and stole my heart.
Of course I neglected to picture mine after completed so I have sent a link to you all so you can visit her blog.
My apologies to Karen for posting so late it is called catching up to life.

If you click on any of the Karen`s in this blog it will bring you to spectacular blogs. Enjoy

some fun

 I pulled out an oldy that I had been working on and started to finish the applique I have the fabric picked out on what will be in between the layout

 This is one of the blocks that I like these are just made from scraps in my scrap barrel, it is supposed to be about a quilters journey so these fabrics have memories of other quilts

 Another favorite. The black and white is in most of my scrappy quilts for some reason...LOL so my mom says anyways

still working on the baskets

fantastic walking dead fabric that I am working with

Pattern and fabric so far I love it 

I am at 180 of these baskets I have 120 more to go I have done another swap of 6in blocks so will be able to use them 120 light and 120 dark through a yahoo group called Small Talk with Kathleen Tracy she creates these fabulous mini quilts and has a huge following.

Then below you will see a different side of me. Walking Dead fabric is this not awesome?! I bought it from LogCabin Yardage and I am sorry to say but I bought the whole bolt I am not sure if she can get more. This is a quilt for a friend that wanted a black white and red quilt with absolutely no flowers! I showed her the fabric knowing she loves walking dead and she has not see the pattern I am using yet.

So as you can see a quilter can be a little versatile, fabric and quilters comes in all forms.

Well off to start another week but dreaming of quilting of course.

Motivation

This is what is required to post on my blog.

I have been busy and creating

I have been building on PHD`s (projects half finished.) 

Bloggers Quilt Festival- hostess of course is Blogger Amy`s Creative Side is here and this is the best time to post and place in a catagory one of my finishes. What more motivation than viewing the other bloggers and what they have created?

This was a finish a couple of years ago, I had won a little packet of fabric those wee 2 1/2in blocks, then this was a free pattern I am sorry i cannot remember what group or designer. 

Then I had to hand quilt it of course.  I had a friend that really liked it and so I gave it to her. Not to worry she will love it for ever she is one that loves quilts 

And of course you always have to put your foot in it when you take a picture 

taking a few stitches here and there. 

Black Creek Pioneer Village Quilt show and guest speaker

 Karen H (click on her name to get to her blog) was guest speaker at this show this year. She is a fabulous quilt very meticulous work but also very free with how she does it and in the makings of her quilts she is just an exceptional quilter naturally.  If you go to her blog you will find free patterns and also free tutorials that is just the kind of person she is.
The quilt she is standing beside is one she did for a blogger that was testing her pattern imagine all the time it took to do this and she says sure!

 I am just going to post a little close up to her block she has the insignia of putting we bugs in the best places. I could not get to many pictures because my DH and I had to hold the quilts for her to assist there wasn`t enough manpower at the show. It was worth helping!

 You can see she also has some wall hangings and tries to explain to everyone that anyone can do this...Ha ha ha she can say that but this is why she is so popular and now going to talk at a few guilds and teach a few workshops stop by her blog she can explain more about that and also about the pioneer village show where she posted many pictures. I will post more later but don`t want to inundate you with too many photos after the lapse of posting.

 There was also a mystery challenge and me being as late as I usually am made mine but not in time so I will submit it for show next year. It is still posted here

I tried to be as scrappy as possible and used as many different fq as possible and fabrics that I had used from current other projects and this is what I came up with if you go to this site you can see more of the quilts that were done with this pattern and how unique they are.

I finally decided on a border but did not take a whole picture of the quilt will do later with another 2 that I am working on.

So I have a question. I have just finished my big spool of Aurifil thread what ideas can you come up with to use the cone. Someone said it would take 2 years to finish one of these and I chain stitch as well as not waste too much thread when piecing and I have done it within a year. CRAZY!! you don`t know how much you have done till you finish one of these. So...any ideas on how to repurpose these let me know

Thanks for visiting and keeping in touch with my sporadic postings but really am doing lots will show some gardening shots too...later. back to some applique.

words escape me

 The mailman came and my DH came downstairs and called out you have a parcel. I am sitting at this quilt I have been quilting for just too many years. I put down my needle and thought this package is big for just a mini!

Out tumbles out these wonderfully wrapped bundles in CW repro`s with wonderful fabric.

 so I untied the first parcel carefully to reveal this gorgeous mini quilt DH stood and watched with as much excitement as I . I asked him to take a picture of me with this wonderful piece of TLC. it was painfully pieced  with tiny strips as you can see and then it was hand quilted!! all those seams! all this time! I know how much time it takes to make this quilt....but that was not all there was another parcel

 Here I am with the second parcel opened and still in disbelief a place where I can place my wonderful hand work and needles and thread where I can travel and think of my wonderful new found friend and how thoughtful she really is. Where i can put my treasures that I love to work with.

Thank you so much Jennifer this is just so thoughtful and so wonderfully generous! You are really the best and I so much appreciate every stitch you put into your work it is just fantastic.
Treasures I will keep forever.

 Look at this wonderful Signature block in the travelling kit and her fantastic pockets and of course I had to show off the fabric again I have to make something maybe you all can come up with a good idea.

 See the front patchwork and the heart that holds scissors and a sturdy zipper that will not break to easily and great to handle when your arthritic hands cannot close things well.

 a couple of more pictures of the quilt I can`t get the fabric color just right but look at all the different fabrics..lots of time...Jennifer says she is going to make one for herself...I am laughing cause i can see why.

Thank you again Jennifer...Small Talk Yahoo group perfect partner to share with.

swap partner is happy

Well this is the other swap quilt I sent off...I should get my partners either today or tomorrow I called this one sunny lanes I see that the quilting does not show as much on the back, but Jennifer liked it and it is to her that it is for. This swap partner was so enthusiastic it was wonderful to communicate with her and get to know her a little. The border fabric I got for a steal at one of the guild meetings. I love it and so did Jennifer.

 i am just posting a few of the garden surprises that are coming up as you can see these are inbetween the lovely weeks that fight to take over.

 This tower beside me here you can see the van and the size difference. I had planted this climbing hydrangea just for this effect. I love how it flowers every year, it really doesn`t get major sun though so glad that it is happy

 These are my favorites too, there is not alot of sun on this side of the house either but yet they flourish the painted ferns on the floor are seeded from around the corner garden I love them there and I am getting more every year. Love how the garden decides what I should and shouldn`t do..LOL

Then there is buddy lying no the cement enjoying the warm sun...the little bugger got his halter off this morning and I can`t find it anywhere. no walkies till we find it! I dont`know how he got out but it is not on him this morning...hmmmmmmm did I take if off in my sleep?

Many swaps

Humble quilts Mini Swap

 I was lucky enough to get into the swap on Humble quilts blog and in doing so there was a theme where you had to use the idea of quilts from 1775 to 1910 it was a nice range. Being in Canada I thought of red and white and I wanted to do a little something different, so I found this redwork pattern in one of my Mini quilt mags then I added these lovely pinwheels about an inch in diameter and then mitered the corners with some hand quilting you can see at the bottom. I also have her an option to hang the quilt if she so wished.
I did not know my partner Margaret, but she seemed to be the traveller just coming back from Paris and then away again. She has finally been able to settle a bit and she was able to enjoy her quilt. I am happy that she is happy.
Thanks to Lori of Humble quilts for organizing it and having a little patience If you click on her name you will see the link up of all the wee quilts.

Quilting of Redwork

 the one below I got from my sweet swappee she hand quilted it and the signature block is just as lovely as the quilt, not only that I got some wonderful Fort Wayne chocolate. It was a great swap

My wonderful swap gift

Quilters Last Resort swap

Mini`s that I have finished

I don`t want to pose on that thing!!

The blocks to the left are a start to a swap that I am in I should have about 20 by the time I get them all from friends around the world I have known for many years on line. The stars are fabulous we are all having a good time with them. One member could not make the blocks so she sent us her siggy block and we made the block around it.

Below I was staging a little I have finished a few of my mini tops and thought I would let them get some fresh air with my rhubarb.

Buddy and I had to wait for the car to be fixed and I wanted him to sit on the Canadian Tire emblem he would have none of it...as you can see. LOL