12 Days of Christmas

I've started working on the mystery quilt from Temecula Quilt Shop, it's a very easy mini sampler. Super simple and easy for a after Christmas project. My bundle of fabrics arrived Dec 24th, just in time. You can find the free pattern here, it's not too late to get started.

 

Blocks 1 to 5 are finished, each day the number of pieces in the blocks has increased. I hope the 12th block doesn't have 12 pieces!

I thought I should introduce Fonzie, he is my daughters dog. She has been staying with us until she finds a place to rent. Fonzie is a really good obedient dog. It's been interesting keeping the cats and the dog apart. So far we've only had a couple chases through the house, mostly the cats running for cover when the dog comes in.

Happy Quilting.

Christmas Quilt Finished

It's almost here! Are you ready? Are we ever really ready.....I'm not!

Almost finished......just a little hand sewing on the binding but I don't think it will happen in the next day or so and that's okay with me. You can find this pattern for free from Moda, it's called Flurry. I'm so very happy with how this turned out using the Grace fabrics.

A close up of the quilting. This quilt would also be great as a birthday gift using some fun and funky prints, just an idea.


I hope you enjoy lots of laughs with your family and friends on Christmas day.
Happy Holidays!

Christmas Quilt

Boo is giving his approval for my new Christmas quilt, I started this in Dec and it will be finished in Dec....woohoo what a big accomplishment for this time of year. It's all quilted and I'm now working slowly on the binding. I'm so glad this one is done, I love how it turned out.

Both cats take turns sleeping in the box next to the heater, sometimes they are on the mat in front of the heater but they seem to like the box much more.

Still need to do a little baking, gotta have the Ginger cookies ready for Christmas.
Happy Holidays.

More Decorating

Moving into the front hallway, a couple snowmen with stitchery pillow and the shaker boxes my husband made me a few years ago. The boxes are beautifully made and can be nested inside each other.

Now to the upstairs hallway, my newest snowman made of old barn wood. I love having the little trees with lights around the house. The tree wallhanging is a older project and has become my favourite.

I decided I needed a bit of Christmas decorating in the bathroom...why not enjoy it!

A closer view of the barn wood snowman. His arms and head are wired on to the body. Christmas decorating is soooo much fun. I'm really enjoying all the blogs showing their decorating around the house, keep it coming, I hope to see more.

Happy Holidays

Decorating

The decorating has started. I found this little tree at Micheal's for $5.00, I wasn't happy with the fabric covering the base so I changed it and added the lights, it looks really festive sitting on my kitchen counter. I stitched the mat using this pattern from Country Quilts. If you click to enlarge you can see the snowmen.

I mostly collect snowmen for decorating and will show more of them later. Oops I cut of the top of the feather tree. This little gathering is also in the kitchen.

The little wool tree shirt has three snowmen each holding something different.

I'll be working on getting out the remainder of the decorations this weekend. I bought a new snowman this year, he's made of old barn wood. More soon.

Happy Stitching.

I'm Here!

I didn't intend to be gone so long (has it really been a whole month???), Thanks for the wonderful emails that you missed my regular blog postings. My family has needed my attention the last number of weeks and that is my first priority, things are still up and down but at least better than a few weeks ago.

I took some pictures this morning of the projects I've been making slow progress on. Here is a Christmas candle mat I just finished, done in reds and whites. I like the sense of accomplishment from doing a smaller project.

A monthly mini I get from Daisy Cottage. I had enough fabric to make a little doll quilt as well. This one really cheered me up when I was having a very bad day.

This Little Wallet is a Valeri Wells pattern, very quick and oh so cute!

My churn dash swap blocks are a flimsy, waiting to be quilted. These blocks have been traded with a local group over the past year.

Machine quilted Pom Pom De Paris I showed here last summer.

I love how this quilt turned out.

The binding is my favourite.

This Christmas stitchery has been a UFO sitting around my sewing room for more years than I want to admit, it's time to finish this one now.

Happy Quilting.

Raspberry Cream

The name of this pattern is Raspberry Cream, doesn't seem like a Christmas name to me. I'm happy to have it finished, now to figure out how to quilt it. Anyway now that Halloween is over I can officially start thinking about Christmas gifts. No I'm not one of those people to have my Christmas gifts ready months ago. Some things I'm considering is pillow cases....easy right!, I got that idea from helping a friend pick fabric for pillowcases. Maybe a tablerunner for my daughter, we'll see what gets done in time.

Boo is so desperate about coming inside he jumped up on this high window to get noticed. Can't you see I want to come in! 

I can't wait to see what's new from Quilt Market....how about you?

Happy Quilting.

Happy Halloween

This prim pumpkin girl doll is my newest addition to Halloween decorating.

Have a Spooktacular Halloweeen!

Simple Pleasures

I finally got a picture of Simple Pleasures to show you. I think these stitcheries were finished about a year ago, just waiting for me to make this quilt. I was stuck on what fabrics to use since the pattern showed pinks, blues and yellows and I wanted something different. It took me along time of thinking before I decided on the reproductions.

I also didn't add the prairie points the pattern called for in the instructions. I didn't think it was necessary with the fabrics I picked.

Happy Quilting!

Nearly Done

A couple of projects near completion. This little quilt still needs the border. It's a Hatched and Patched pattern called Simple Pleasures, I enlarged the blocks a bit. I tried stitching the 2" blocks and decided it wasn't for me, so mine are 3 1/2" I think.

I decided to use some Jo Morton fabrics in this quilt, all browns and pinks.

Another stitchery almost complete, I need to add the HST's around the outer edge. This is a Cinderberry Stitches pattern called Raspberry Cream. I added a little touch of green to the embroidery.

Both should be finished really soon, when I have time in between working at the shop, teaching and machine quilting for others, I don't have another class to do until Dec, so one less thing to do.

Aren't those owl so cute.

Happy Quilting!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey day! It's Canadian Thanksgiving today. The pumpkin pie is almost ready and the turkey is about to go in the oven. I finished up a couple of pumpkin pincushions this weekend, the three in the front are a kit from Country Loft and the bigger pins and needles pumpkin is a free pattern from Whimsicals.

I am thankful to have family and friends that are very special to me.

Happy Stitching.

Fall Quilt Finished

I finished the binding last night on my fall quilt. The quilting I did is a all over pumpkin pattern on my long arm machine. The picture is a bit washed out, I guess it's the fall weather getting a little dull outside.

Onto something more exciting. Do you love Red and White quilts? I sure do.....Nancy has taken lots of pictures of the Temecula Quilt Shop show of quilts. These are wonderful to see....makes me want to start a new quilt. Thanks Nancy for taking such fantastic pictures!

The back is a flannel with pumpkins of course.

My embroidery stuff is under Boo somewhere. I don't know if he is trying to help or just plain getting in my way. Boo doesn't sit in one place too long, so I know he'll find something new to distract him soon.

Happy Stitching

Sewing Book Finished

My Sue Spargo sewing book is officially complete. There is a ton of embellishment done in this project. I've mastered the bullion stitch and learned a lot about how embellishment can really make a project. This sewing book has a place for pens, markers, scissors, rulers, cutting mat, needles and all the bits and pieces that are needed for any type of sewing. This is the front, the covered button is my favourite.

Here is the back, the yellow flap is where the cutting mat is inserted. I really enjoyed this class and would take another class with Sue in a second. The project has so many different types of fabrics, it's mostly made up of wool but includes cotton, ribbon, velvet, satin ribbon, zippers, rick rack, chenille and wool roving. They didn't show much in the picture but the zipper pulls are made of felted roving balls.

The inside with a flower pincushion, needlebook and zippers on both sides.There is ribbon made like a measuring tape and several pockets on both sides to hold all the various sewing notions.

Happy Stitching.

Happy Fall Quilt

It's beginning to look like fall is here. Today is the last full day of summer, you would never know it since today it's pouring rain and windy. I'm glad I got this picture outside before the rains had started. This was a panel I cut up and added homespun sashing between the blocks. I really had to do a lot of cutting to get all the blocks the same size and because of the layout on the panel every block was on bias......grrrrr. I don't like panels but I'm happy I put this one together anyway.

This is one of my favourite blocks in the quilt. I'm planning to quilt pumpkins on this quilt and I think I have a pumpkin flannel I can put on the back. I love the fall colours!

Happy Fall!

Weekend Get Away

I've been meaning to post about our weekend getaway ALL week, DH and I got away to Harrison Hot Springs for 2 days of sun and soaking in the hot springs. It's only about 1.5 hours from home. On our way we stopped at a farm called The Back Porch, they offer fresh roasted organic coffee, pottery, free run eggs, many types of garlic, hand made baskets and antiques. I just love this place with all the out buildings dotted around the grounds.

Here is the little antique shop in the garden area .Sorry about the quality of the pictures, I forgot my camera and was using my cell phone.

A garden bed, I brought one of these frames home for my garden.

The chicken shed, we are enjoying the eggs these girls laid for us. The first egg I tried had 2 yolks.

This green house is amazing....all made of old window frames, I would absolutely love this in my backyard.

A real working john, just in case. The iron fences were all over the gardens and for sale, I would love these for my front yard but a bit expensive.

It was a fantastic weekend relaxing, we are lucky to have a place like Harrison so close to home, I love how soft my skin feels after soaking in the natural hot springs. 

I'm working on a fall quilt using homespuns and a panel, I don't usually like panels (they are never straight when cutting) but I like the designs of black cats, pumpkins and sunflowers. I still need to add the borders.

Happy Quilting.

Witchy Poo

Witchy Poo has her black cat tucked under her arm and stick broom ready for All Hallows Eve. Isn't she scary with her green face. I love this time of year with the fall colours, black crows, scary witches, harvest moons and pumpkins start to come out.

She's got her best black hat for the occasion.

Every witch needs her black cat.

And the pattern I used to create my little witch. She is also a class I'm teaching at the shop I work at. I hope everyone likes her as much as I do.