SSCS and just plain glee!!

My apron from Kerry and basket of goodies from neighbours and my gift from honey dearest

Kerry was my SSCS she not only made my SS gift but also followed my blog and made a special BD gift. I am wearing it. Don`t you just love my apron! I do those bells are precious lucky it covers that belly (that is my new year resolution, get fit!! this picture is embarrassing but I couldn`t get my DH to model)

The other gift was left from my neighbours many goodies and essentials were inside it is on the chair and then the package on the table was from DH I got the best pj`s from Marks Warehouse that I wanted you know the jersey fabric just love it.

Below you can see the fabulous hand bag Kerry made as well as my pincushion and needlecase. The buttons are gorgeous. Kerry also sent me one of her books with great patterns and signed by herself...isn`t it just awesome!! The 2 cards are quite unique as well the one that has a quilt on it is created by Roalie Quinlan, the other with the picture of bales of hay is actually a card designed by  Chookyblue very cool I would say a little bit of everyone.

I was even thrilled by the wrapping paper it made me giggle the one with the cats and dogs would make a great little quilt hanging.. a thought..

Kerry`s wonderful bag and needlecase, pincushion and signed personal book

I loved the wrapping paper she used too

Kerry I just can`t thank you enough for all the thought you put into these gifts thanks again.. and thanks to Chooky for letting me join at the last minute cause they needed another international..I was lucky my fingers typed fast enough

This is something that I am working on one more swap...just one more

I am working on one more swap for the new year this is what I have so far it is nothing like what it will turn out like you will be surprised
 Remember those earrings I was talking about well these are it..Storm at Sea pattern you can go to Metal Arts to see what other earrings they have. I really love these. Then to add to the bonus Mom pulled out these gorgeous snowmen aren`t they just precious.. 3 more weeks...just 3 more and I can where them.

Remember my incentive for my ears, the top are what I can`t wait to wear the snowman are a bonus from mom too.

See below.. this is the audience that was in front of me at mothers house as you can see they are all waiting...for what you ask...the big giant toy from Toronto...me with the kitty toy that is like a fishing pool with raffia or fabric at the end...this picture is deceiving the one in the middle Fuzzy is a very big cat his brother Toby is right beside him on the right then there is sweet Ruby closest to me.

Ruby nearest to me was having Debbie withdraw, Mom said she was sleeping by my door when I was gone...poor girl. Dad said that it was just to quiet in the house now...I am a little noisy.
The best Christmas gift for me was the neighbours dog Trixie has gone to a good home, she was neglected for long periods of time and this stressed my parents which stressed me. Life is wonderful!


Ruby, Fuzzy and Toby

Prepping for Christmas at Mom`s

Boarders for Basket Quilt

I have just finished prepping for the boarders on the basket quilt. I am very excited. I always get nervous when I get to the applique boarder part I am not sure why. I have 2 other quilts that are done but need their applique boarder. I think I will get them ready too. I am ready for the challenge...VBG. I don`t think this turned out so bad.

a wee too much stemming going on

old new holes

another Frill Seeker!!

One of them could use this stemming as well. I think I may have made a little to much...as you can see it is a huge pile...stem anyone...all bias now to press it and wrap it















I also got my ears repierced the girl that did it was really super. I had 2 holes and wanted them reopened. Didn`t hurt much, she was very patient in stretching the holes and put these sleepers in. I have incentive to do this Mother bought a pair of earings she cannot wear. They are sterling silver and they are quilt blocks, I will show you when I get back




Then I have also been knitting another Frill seeker scarf it is different the frill is much shorter and these are mothers colours so you know who this will be going to!


See ya in the new year looks like a green Christmas for us....good for the travellers

Merry, merry, merry merry

I belong to Kathleen Tracey`s Yahoo Group Small Talk it is mini`s that she designs and it is very very productive. We had a mini swap, this came last night as I was going out to a Christmas party. I am not a social-light so I was apprehensive about going. (gained 30lbs and only have one dress that fits I miss walking my dogs)  Well DH heard the door bell as I was trying to get ready and yelled down there is a parcel! With all the decorum that I have I stood in the stairwell and opened this gorgeous gift. Faith made this for me is it not incredible...yes incredible

 I also did a little background check and found that she was from a town that Lucille Ball is from and Faith sent me some Vitameatavegamin`s do you not remember Lucy`s show on these!! I was so happy to get something that made me remember such great happy times Lucy was one of my icons.

Then I see these wonderful Xmas magnets and a fantastic thread holder look how well made all these items are and see 2 spools of applique thread. (well I think they are for applique cause I use that thread for such purpose, they will go in my Thread holder I bought when I had a class with Karen Kay Buckley but what is interesting Faith picked 2 of the threads I did not have (you don`t know my thread collection) perfectly planed on her part.

The best part of it all is this huge decorative box she had put everything in see that great hand cream Faith also sent! it is perfect with this weather and washing my hands all the time a work. Here is me trying to post a picture to be a little more presentable. I took, Emily down (she was my Grandmothers doll) Emily wanted to present everything she kept looking down at me and said can I touch the quilt? it is so beautiful I need to touch it...I told her she can hold it, she does a great job presenting it is the photographer who needs some training..LOL

Now I know I said I wasn`t going to post until after the holidays but I have one more swap item coming and so you may see another one. I got up especially to show you the treasures you can receive with online swaps and friends..hugs to Faith which I am sorry to say has no blog!

pieced, applique and knit

Gentleman`s fancy mini

I tried to hand quilt this baby but it looked horrible so I had to take out all the hand quilting and then machine quilt it..the blocks were just to small with the seam allowances. I never thought i would say that machine quilting looked better on a quilt but..never say never


more flowers to applique I started pressing more flowers for the flower baskets that I am working on

a nice change from quilting great scarf to make in a day

I hadn`t knitted in years but found this gorgeous yarn Frill Seekers google it and you can see the many scarves with tutorials on how to do it. This only took a day to make and it is lovely. Almost...now I said almost makes me want to knit again.

I don`t think I will have to post again till the new year. So please have a wonderful Holiday Season with family and friends, stay safe and healthy. I am surely looking forward to 2012! you will see on the sidebar what my challenge will be please click on the little house and it will tell you more!

I thought you all would like to see what was in them there packages. Major spoiled I am .

Dish clothes crocheted with a wondeful hand towel for the holiday`s flat pins FQ`s needle holder but my favorite is this wonderful wallet I just love it. can I ever be so lucky. Oh there was a magazine there too but it is already by my favorite chair getting lots of page turning.  And pot holders that are lovely angels, watching over my stove already. I put the nail file over the wonderful tag she put on my wallet it is made especially for ME...VBG

Go click on the hand quilting button there are a group of women that are signed up on the blog that are posting what they use for hand quilting I think I will enjoy the different tools that everyone uses and you might learn somethin`

well I hope that everyone is trying to keep dry this is the wettest I have seen Ontario for a while. I am glad we got that pool filled in we don`t have to worry about it overflooding! and the rain will soak and and get that dirt settled.

surprises!!!

WE had sewday at my place about a week Thursday and this is what my friends did very very unexpected!! Now my birthday has long gone (Nov /)but they felt the 50th just could not be celebrated quietly. They even got DH in on it and he brought it downstairs when we were chatting. This was very unexpected! Mary is celebrating her 50th in a couple of weeks but does not have a blog. Any ideas on what I can do to her??

Deb`s surprise 50th!!

     

2 Hobbo`s comparing bags

Then Mary had gone to the Houston Show and come back with some goodies. This is the best idea ever! she put them in Hobbo bags are then not darling? RoseMarie and I both got one with a needle holder (wooden and beautiful and toblerone bar a small one to tide us over and a stapler that is stapless...does that make sense? then the fat quarter it was all tide in awesome I think but that is not alllll.....

Look Below!! OMGoodness Gracious ME!!!!

Rosemarie presented me with this gorgeous gift made by her it is all done in French Knots!! I thought it was needle punch but no there are zillions of French Knots...she got this form the Kim Diehl Book Simple Graces. it is just perfectly awesome
 (if you click on her name you will see she is doing another wonderful project from this book)

a gift never forgotten

oh dear there is deer in my garden

I went to my mothers last weekend and she gave me these gorgeous deer to put out in my garden I love them so much!! have to keep an eye out for vandelisms though near Halloween they had kicked over that bench and broke my bird bath the culprits..
I did move them closer to the house but had to let them play in my garden

I also had sent off the Chooky swap and am now working on another one. This is the last that I have to mail as you can see I am using my trusty Mini Quilts mag and found this old fashion pattern the Gentlemans fancy...those nine patches are 3/4in finished...Once my Chooky swappee gets hers and unwraps I will be able to show the end products....VBG

Well back to sewing I do have a pile of dishes to get done but I think they will wait a little it is hard to quilt when you have dish pan hands. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it!! so sad the weekend is almost over already

sharing

This is what I got in my SSW on my Canadian Group. look at all those packages and love the cutie card.  These packages just got opened and I am totally amazed will post the picture next time but I got great VIP fabric blendables, quilting needles, crocketed dish clothes and hand towl for the kitchen with pot holders..always can be put to good use. I got a great mag with wonderful patterns for special designers, flower head pins great for paper piecing and stack and whacks. a needle case magnitized. A meter of great background fabric and the best is a wallet that was made especially with me in mind. it has a loonie in it to start off with a wealthy year and a name tag made especially for me. Sylvia from BC really thought about what she was sending and I am so very very thankful

I also have been spending time with great friends. We are sitting every Thursday and sewing it is working better so that we can give each other inspiration. Rosemarie (left) and Mary (no blog...yet) always have so much to share this was at RoseMarie`s house. What a wonderful setting she puts on doesn`t she? We drew names and will trade our little treats in the new year.

This swap item is now finished and gone to the swapee once she receives and opens it I can post what it looks like. I am nervous and hope she likes it...

I have loads more to show but downloaded pictures and can`t find it.. getting a little problem with remembering things right now but will post soon. I am told I need to update my blog more. Only cause they know that I am always doing something
I am working on my next mini the nine patches are only 3/4 of an inch for this pattern it is another wee one... will post later. Have a great weekend hope everyone on the American side had a great Thanksgiving weekend. by the posts in the blogs there was alot of family events.

Ahhhh hand quilting and an old swap

I am finally at the point of hand quilting, everytime I start with hand quilting I just think how wonderful it is to work on these stitches. I have so many quilts to quilt I am wondering if this winter will be finishing some tops....I wonder

I had been in a swap at the beginning of the year and could not post the mini I had rec`d first I could not find the camera and then I couldn`t find the mini,  had done some rearranging and there it was. I am not sure if you remember Micki of Irish Muses (not posting on her blog anymore) but she was my swappee and she sent me this mini sampler

This is the one that I had sent it was hand appliqued and quilted 1/4in crosshatch. I didn`t get a finished picture of it before I sent it in the mail.

I am off to a quilt show tomorrow in Toronto with Rosemarie, then we are going to sew some after and talk about our lovely adventure.

Yorkheritage Quilt Show Nov 11, 12 13 click to find out more info

Canadian Designer Rocks-Dorothy Baker

Dorothy Baker  one of our quilting Canadian designers (love love love her stuff) made a quilt last year and now Lecien is posting a BOM for free!! This is a gorgeous quilt called Vintage Tiles  if you love to hand applique this is for you to do. The first requirement page and block one is up please go and visit Lecien`s site by clicking on the name it will take you there.

When you are done downloading then go to Dorothy`s site just click on her name and see what other patterns she has designed she is one of the best Canadian Designers all you teddy bear lovers would love the quilts she has designed and she had a free BOM last year of embroiderie...so go visit and say hi. You will love her blog.

word got out!!

I had turned 50 last Thursday, I forgot that Facebook makes you put in your DOB so I had loads of happy birthday`s Thanks to all those that were thinking of me, and sent me wishes I know too many people I think!!
Mom and Dad sent me a wonderful Basket of goodies I took a picture but can`t find it will post it when I find it. It was done in Halloween colors and there was a bounty of goodies. My DH gave me a GPS that will upload updated maps without having to buy a new chip yahoo, he knows how I love to travel the back roads

I also went to a wonderful Quilting retreat (Oct 19th weekend) with a guild I belong to, it was a first time in a long time that I was comfortable on going, as you can see we had just perfect weather.  This is Rice Lake, Ontario

 You see where that picnic table is that is where I was staying look how close I was to this gorgeous view. I roomed with 2 really great girls it was lots of fun considering one had just lost her mother the week before but she really has a heart of gold..Ann H. I was very glad to be able to be with her at this time her mother had gone into hospital the day before her 90th BD celebration

 This is most of the gang picture taken at our last meal together do you think we where all happy?? everyone of these ladies was special and wonderful to be with.  We ate at different tables, and socialized with each as a whole group it was so fantastic. The meals were excellent, they were buffet style and there was so much food I had to bow out of Sat supper cause I was still full from lunch. (I am in the one in the very back 3 from the right with some kinda funny face)

 Ann had picked the Sampler blocks up at a garage sale and had made the flying geese blocks to go with them, this was her challenge she brought and I think she is doing a fabulous job

The picture above is a great pattern sorry I can`t remember the pattern but it was the rave for the longest time. Lynn did it with halloween fabrics don`t they look awesome she had all her blocks pieced but needed to put them together, I had never seen such a calm quilter at work. she was just so relaxed.

OHhhh and to show you the place we got to sew look at all the room! and the lighting was just fantastic, there is a stage in back of me and everyone was standing and showing their quilts or auditioning up there. Ann is there standing with her hands on her hips

Dorothy showing her gorgeous top! it was really exciting watching it come together the same with the one below, can`t remember this lovely ladies name right now but look at all that planning to make these quilts!

see the couch on the stage, I had a nap on that Sat afternoon, I just couldn`t keep my eyes open so crashed for about 15min (snap knap) and then back to sewing.
Shelley made the fabulous quilt below for her son she used jelly rolls I think it looks fabulous. Shelley also made a bag for both her daughter and son on the last day and put some goodies in them. what a nice thoughtful mom

I started a project below as you can see. This was another rage, Lone Star I got the middle together but will be doing the rest at home. I still have more photos but didn`t want to overwhelm everybody. This group is very productive they keep you hopping with wonderful ideas and creativity. I had a fabulous weekend and will do it again next year for sure.  I was busy watching what others were doing and socializing really I did do more but it was guild homework. I had to do this at a quiet time so I was the early riser and was able to work on this while others where still snoring.

well back to work on my swap stuff thanks for visiting you`all and for perservering through this long post. The older you get the chatter you get..LOL there is just more to talk about.

Happy Hallow`s Eve

I think I posted this one last year but thought it needed another presentation on this scarry night.  I hope all the goblins stay safe and have great weather.

This is from a pattern Something Wicked This Way Comes. One of my favorite sayings and movies. I don`t see them playing this movie for Hallows Eve and it would be soooo Appropriate.

I am still working on my SS so I am not able to post anything right now everything else is on hold at the moment but loving what everyone is posting for Quilt Mart

Hand Quilting

I had just added a button on my sidebar of hand quilting celebration. If you click on it you will come to a page where others are showing their hand quilting. I had hand quilted these little mini`s and thought I would bring them back to show you.

they both had gone into auction and I forget to get a finish of the stocking one
If you want a closer look you can always click on teh pictures.
We do need to have a revival on hand quilting. Quilt shows are wonderful with machine quilting but it would be nice if you got half and half.

I have some pictures that I will be posting later. Having some computer issues with getting my adobe to work and Active X (whatever they are) but will post soon.

Don`t forget those in the Ontario area that there is a quilt show coming up soon just Google York Heritage Quilt Guild and you will get all the information you need to get to the show. I know that you will love it

Well I have to get back to my SSS`s the dates are getting close and I need to finish them up.

Loving the rain...loving the fall colors soon we will have a winter wonderland. I have been in the mood for soup and I have been making everykind of lentil soup there is. Great for freezing and bringing to work for lunch.

I am not supposed to be here

in the mini world right now

I am busy working on a few things been busy going to quilt shows and dealing with some real life things.

I had a V8 moment this week. Knew I had a guild meeting, thought for sure it was Wednesday, all organized, report for Office, baked a cake, had some show and share and my triangles to hand it only to  find out that it was last night.

now you see why I had time to post, I thought I was to be somewhere else, is this what happens when you get close to 50?

Why?

Dawn would like to know why you picked the name for your blog. I think this is great to understand about the person behind the blog. It is a wonderful idea.
So my reason is just what is says patchwork is keeping my sanity. I find that when I go to my quilt room and play that when I come out I am refreshed and ready to face anything so it has kept my sanity.

Hope to see others go to Dawn`s blog and post their name and let us know what made you think of that name

we three quilters

We went out and had a great time at the Yorkshire Rose quilt show. I have set up a little slide show so you all can see...from left to right you see Mary, Me and Rosemarie. we are standing in front of my house and we got DH to take a picture...this was after the show do you think we had a good time?

A slideshow design by Smilebox

beee varwy careful wabbit

i could only think of Elmer Fudd and his cute voice whispering in my ear as I sew these 3/4in strips into blocks for my mini Irish Chain (oh I see my table is a little dusty with fairy fabric dust)

I spent Saturday sewing this mini quilt together and had a great time doing it...with these mini`s you really need to be careful when sewing those 1/4 in seams

i really love how it turned out..I used snowflake fabric and it really added some texture with white on white strips!!

Finished size 8x9 1/2in

Blocks are 3/4in each

machine quilted you can click on the picture to enlarge.

pattern from Miniature Quilts Mag No23 May 1996

All that is left is the binding