In Memory of Judy Hopkins passed Mar 9 2011

I just read very sad news today a great quilter has passed I have used her books many times for different projects I am sure you have read when I have made my swap blocks using her fantastic books for reference.

I had emailed her late last year to say how much I had enjoyed her books not expecting a response cause I am sure she received many but she did email back with exciting news that she would be coming out with a new book I couldn`t believe that I got a reply it was so kind of her...this is a great quilting loss to me.

Keep healthy quilters

I will have pictures to post later this weekend I got my wonderful mini from Micki and some other stuff will be posted.

Sneaking another peak

Well as you can see I tried to be a little designer with the cut but of course didn`t work...
I had to do this that Micki is just a tease and only posted a bitty bit of hers oh what is a quilter to do!! it looks fabulous go take a look and also see her new furry adorable friend

back to work just thought I would give you another taste to see what I am up to instead of cleaning up before my quilty friend comes over...she`ll understand...quilting is just so much more important than housework!! all I can say is I have a clean bathroom but there are dishes in the sink and I am typing instead of vaccuuming...

See ya later

Mini update

I am being watched, this tree is just across from my computer chair and this is the sign that Nosey wants a treat, looking at this picture I think that I am in `wild kitdom` toys everywhere

I am trying to think of ways that I can show bits of my mini without giving it away as I am making progress, so here is all the fabric that has been cut to get it prepared, my bitty pile of scraps

okay, okay this is a corner. I have all the pieces prepared and on the background now I am just appliquing it all then quilting it...I know she will like it, those circles are the size of the eraser at the end of my pencil.

still working on my other stuff while I am on break at work but this I am working on at home.

Have a great 2weeks cause that seems to be the way of posting right now.

We are getting ready for a big snow storm tomorrow...oh I wish we could have a snow day but that won`t happen in Toronto I will tell you that!!

Blueberries are in season!!

Well I may have got a few peoples attention, blueberries are in season at my house anyways. I just finished getting the basket blocks ready for applique using the no melt templar method. Since I was already making the berries for the basket blocks I made them for the tulip blocks. I didn`t realize that I had been missing leaves as well on these tulip blocks and had to make more!! a quilters work is never done so now to applique these
This pattern I had started 2 years ago and it is from the Your Invited Book by Adams and Allen Black Bird designs, this quilt was designed by Lorraine Hofmann it is called Country Sunshine, every quilt in this book is worth making so get the book.

I also have the Aunt Millies blocks all pieced together with the lattice work sashing I am also going to piece the boarder like long brick work in different off whites and beiges to keep with the really scrappy look then I have to start the applique on the boarder..I am not using the same applique boarder there will be some changes to that as well since the boarder will be a bit wider.

I am also in a doll quilt swap and my swappy already knows what she is going to do it is Micki

Irish Muses, she has been a faithful follower of mine and I am so fortunate to get her. She lives in my most favorite part of the world, click on her name and read her wonderful and creative blog.

Thanks to Christine of Once Upon a Quilt who has hosted this swap and also holding auctions of her wonderful quilts to help the Australian flooding organization. You can visit her blog to read more about it.

I have a great idea for a doll quilt for Micki but can`t post anything about it cause then she will know what it is right away. I hope she doesn`t guess when we post bits and pieces as we go along.

well back to quilting work..thank goodness it is the weekend!!

Love Letters with a Friend

here is Sandy`s lovely blocks she loved the pattern so much she bought the book and started working on hers, we are keeping each others incentive up when we visit each other we stitch on our blocks. I think we should visit each other more often. Sandi was not sure on how to needleturn so I gave her some pointers on how to and she just ran away with it and look at the super work she is doing
Here are my blocks..oops sorry the chair edged its way over...

here is Sandy getting block 5 ready it is so funny when she comes over she has about 2 bags of fat quarters and all her equipment needed to work on her project plus her phone her kids are all over the world right now Washington, London, Calgary so she always has her phone handy.

Sandy had moved into a beautiful home and has her new LAQ machine all set up and ready for quilting she is amazing!! just like her work as you saw earlier on my applique butterfly quilt where she Mctavished it all..

Weather wise it snows here but I would rather that than the flooding my thoughts go out to all Austrialian friends that are affected by this terrible trauma.

One way to get incentive

 

One of my gifts was a wonderful pack of 5in squares from my SS (Secret Santa)

Then I found this Blog which brought me to Kathleen Tracy`s blog which brought me to her Smallquilttalk yahoo group which had the pattern posted for a challenge they were working on from Moda

So now you see the trail it is amazing what you can find for incentive to get you motivated. I love mini quilts and this pattern was perfect I did not waste 1 ioda of fabric

Below I had started to make HST and found them too big so made them in half again and now have a doll quilt that is only 7in x 9in. I don`t think I will put a boarder on this one but just some binding.

I am going to machine quilt this little one but hand quilt the 1800 vintage one.

as you can see below a little spooning going on with mother and daughter that is their kitty quilt I made that by hand about 22 years ago now…geesh time flies when you are having fun.

Happy New Year to you all and hope to see your new creations for 2011

Santa`s sleigh is empty!!!

cause I think it all came to my house!!!

The first gift I received was this wonderful old world Santa panel all made up and ready to hang from my Secret Santa she also gave me a wonderful kitchen towel with Christmas candies on it.
She lives in Ohio and is still waiting for the one I sent her 2 weeks ago.... Thank you so much Marion it is a great Christmas treasure

The parcels above are just amazing all except the package on the left bottom of fabric came out of another huge envelope from my Secret Santa while I was emptying out the package DH and thought it was never going to end, it was an avalanche of presents. I didn`t want to bore you with the wrapped gifts so DH and I opened them so you can see all the prezzies.

The package on the left bottom is gorgeous William Morris fabric I had won (which I am still pinching myself I can`t believe I won) on Michelle`s blog just click on her name and you will see these gorgeous peonies she is sharing with us right now she has a fantastic blog.

The other gifts are from another group I belong to that is just Canadian`s and is on yahoo. It is called Canadianquiltersonline
My SS was MIA and that is understandable cause life happens she was having some health issues but I just got this yesturday and you have to click closer to look I got a whole quilt store of goodies I tried to take a picture of everything. Even that homemade scarf on top which is perfect a Mug Rug and Glass bottom stem holders just unbelieveable....and I am telling you that is not all click on the picture and you will see everything more clearly

I have not had a tree up since I got the cats and now you can see why this tree has only been up for 5 min and Miss Molly had to check it out the last time I had one up she climbed it . Under the tree is the most thoughtful people in the world. Knowing that my SS was under the weather I did not expect anything next thing ya know I am getting these little squishes in the mail marked SSE. and in it were tokens of these wonderful gifts SSE stood for Secret Santa`s are Everywhere. These are all from the Canadian quilters on Line group they are very thoughtful. I can `t thank them enough this could not have come at a better time.

They could not have been more thoughtful so for about 2 weeks now I have been getting squishes and I don`t think there are any left for you others waiting out there..I got them all!!
Look at all this loot amazing!!

I had been working on a quilt and this was a piece that was left over that is flannel so I have sewn it into a little case for my camera. I can`t take a picture of the camera in the little case cause I am using it..LOL

Also on the Canadian Group we have decided to do a swap on Maple leaves and like the eager beaver I am (pun intended) I have already made 12 of the blocks..I hope you can see the fabric it is very very cool they really look like leaves

Well I want to thank all the bloggers that post their quilting journey`s and their free patterns and their whimsy ways. Your travels through the quilting world is very enjoyable and I hope that in the New Year we are able to share more.

Merry Christmas to you all and have a safe, happy, and healthy New year