I managed to get a bit of sewing done during my hiatus.  Using the scraps left over from the quilt I made for my grandson and his wife, to celebrate the birth of their first child, the darling Isabella.

I started a spider web quilt.   It is an easy pattern not requiring much thinking or eye strain. When the blocks are sewn together, the corners form a spider web, hence the name.   This pattern is a great stash buster.

I returned to work this past Monday so by Friday I was ready for the weekend.   Mother Nature celebrated the weekend with a nor’easter which covered the province with up to 30 cms.  of snow.   Yesterday the roads were a mess when DH and I did our shopping.  This morning we went for a walk and the roads are bare.   Spring weather is such a contradiction.

The contractor was hoping to begin excavating our property for driveway and basement this coming week.    Thanks to the last blast of winter, he may need to wait another week or so.

I plan to cut squares of denim for a quilt which will go to my youngest brother and then hopefully work a bit more on my Christmas squares.   My dear daughter hit pay dirt on the weekend, when she scored a huge bag of predominantly Christmas print fabric from Value Village .  Hopefully she will share with her dear old Mom, especially the scraps and strings as I plan to make a Chinese coin Christmas quilt this year as well.

As usual I am up to my armpits in laundry.  I miss having a clothes line and have to use fabric softener now.   This year I intend to make more of household cleaning items rather than purchasing from the grocery stores.  With this in mind, this morning I made fabric softener using the recipe found here at Tipnut.   Check it out as there are hints and tips for making fabric sheets as well.    Take a few minutes to browse through the other sections and you will find everything from how to make your own vanilla extract to making an apron from an old shirt.

What do you plan to make this year?

Some of the quilts will be given as presents this Christmas.

One to my niece and her boyfriend, who are building their first home. Becky asked for a quilt with a bit of sage green, which I found as a solid. The secondary fabric has small rose buds with the sage green leaves. The third fabric and the backing is from a white one white duvet cover.

These pictures were taken at my Mom`s. The one thing we do not have in the apartment is plenty of sunshine for taking pictures.  Although my parents`house is bright and sunny, the pictures do not do justice to the quilts.

Another one will be given to a distant relative who does not have any one to make her quilts.

And others will simply sit in the closet, waiting for the moment that someone needs a bit of love, comfort and joy, that only a quilt can provide.

Susie and I spent the afternoon at my parents, reminiscing over cups of tea and fondling the quilts I brought with me.

Dad and I had time together working on the family tree in Ancestry.ca.    He was very pleased to see two messages waiting for him from distant cousins.  I forget sometimes that Dad is still learning about computers.   He never thinks to check his messages.

My DH joined us later for Mom`s turkey pot pie.

DH`s long term rental is in the uptown area nestled amongst century old buildings which defines the architect of the Saint John, I know and love. Saturday morning we awoke to snow gently falling.  A cup of tea in a four poster king size bed watching the snow fall with DH beside me was the best present yet.

We breakfasted at Cora`s, tramped the city market and finished a bit of shopping at the mall.

On the way back we drove to the property down snow packed roads.  At Bloomfield, we dropped into the Barn to admire the incredible work of master woodworker Brent Rourke.  He specializes in wooden shaker boxes and custom made furniture.

This was my first visit to the property during the winter.   Last week DH and the estimator from NB Power marked the spot where the hydro pole will be installed.  The three red tipped posts are a sign that we are truly on our journey to returning home.

Blurry eyes, itchy fingers, obsessive  oohing and aaahing, the uncontrollable urge to fondle fabric.  It is known as Quilter’s Quandary.   And it goes like this.

I have an affliction
Or is it an addiction?
It really is hard to say.

I wake up each morning,
Sleepy and yawning,
Not ready to face the day.

All night I’ve thought of plans,
New patterns, designs and bands,
Until I have lost my way.

Each quilt I see
Looks good to me.
I’ll make it, come what may.

The more I learn,
The more I yearn
To make a quilt my way.

With swatches galore
I still want more!
But somebody’s got to pay!

Yes, it is an addiction,
Not an affliction,
And I know it is here to stay!  (Author unknown)

Andrea has been busy auditioning fabric, cutting and sewing these past two weeks.   This year I’m taking the easy way out, I’m spreading the germ.   Over the weekend I intend to match up my fabric and bring quite a bit of it to the lady who finishes my quilts.   She loves sewing during the winter months and has agreed to make a few quilts for me to give as Christmas gifts.     She has something to sew, and I  diminish my ever-growing stash of fabric.

Then I can go out and buy more……………….yes, it is an addiction.

If you aren’t hooked yet, check out the incredible quilts at Debbie Richards designs.  I am no where near this level of sewing, but I can dream

Still need convincing? Go to a  Quilt is Nice .   Wouldn’t this crosswalk quilt, look pretty in Christmas prints.  Or imagine it in warm, worn plaids from old shirts.

Need more eye candy? Crazy mom quilts has a list of flickr groups showing various quilts.    Bet you can’t look at just one.

Not only does she help lessen my load of fabric, sometimes she even sends it back to me in a new format.   Her Mother`s Day gift to me was no exception, this blue  shopping bag was sewn completely from fabric she borrowed from me.

I can`t wait to see the quilt she will no doubt  make for  me.  After all I know I have  provided the fabric for at least three king size quilts.

1. Bring money, especially change.

2. Bring a list of the yard sales.

3. Map out your route.

4. Hit the multi-family or community yard sales first.

5. Be sure to find a fund raising barbecue – hot dogs hot off the barbie are the fuel of all good yard salers.

6.  If shopping for curtains or fabric, make sure you have the measurements, regardless of how small the piece of paper they are written on.

7.  You can buy more if each time you have an arm load you take it back to the car.

8.  The four letter `F`word all yard salers love to hear is FREE!

Here`s the loot we drug back to the house on Saturday.  Together we spent the grand total of $22.00 for a morning of fun and laughter.

San found  one signed limited edition Ducks Unlimited print, five original drawings from the local high school, one side table, 3 large pieces of fabric, one stuffed toy.   I brought home two baskets (one free) a metal lunch box (free), a small Black and Decker crock pot, a glass ornament with hanger, a bag of clothes (free), and  eight fat quarters.

At a community yard sale one lady was giving everything away for free.  The stuff belonged to her sister who was too busy gabbing to look after it.

My best purchase was  a counted cross print framed picture,  `Families are like a patchwork quilt, bound together over time with smiles, tears, love and memories. Rather appropriate for the day.

What a perfect gift for a quilter!   Each day reveals a  new block design  with the pattern on the flip side.  Some days are quilts, followed by the instructions to make each block for that particular quilt.

I’ve allowed myself to look at the blocks up to the end of March and already have plans to make a few of the quilts.   So much for my UFOs.

I bought the Rodale Easy Machine Quilting book  years ago thinking I would teach myself how to machine quilt. On a good day, threading the bobbin is a challenge for me, so needless to say I did not get past the table of contents in this book.

My daughter Andrea borrowed the book recently, read it from cover to cover, bought a walking foot and produced this beautiful piece of work.

If you own the book, you will instantly recognize the Amish Wall Quilt from page 219.  The skill level is easy – maybe for some, but not in my little world. Beautiful job Andrea!

I really like the butterfly in the window.

This being my first block swap,  I was a bit nervous.   The talent in the group was simply amazing.   Although the block pattern for each month was the same, the colours and the member’s representation of her month was incredible.

How to join these blocks together is the next big decision.   Here a look at the blocks for the full twelve months.