I had to get my eyes checked

My local thrift store purchases end lots from the States.  Often the items are brand new with the price tags still attached.   While digging through the bins I was happy to find two packages of patterns from Joanne fabrics.  Each bag contained 10 patterns at a cost of $3.00 per bag.   Thinking I could always give the duplicate patterns to my daughter and quilting friends I purchased both bags.

When I arrived home and opened the first package I discovered not only was the pattern included so was the fabric, cut to fit the pattern.   The colour choices are not my favourite, but I can always use extra pre-cut fabric.

I knew then and there I had to get my eyes checked.   According to the ophthalmologist I have cataracts which he suspects were caused by my asthma medication.   I have been referred to an eye surgeon, as surgery is the best option at this point.

I don’t know if I am becoming a hypochondriac or just getting old.

Aprons

My Nanny always wore an apron.   The apron might have been butcher style with a full bib but it was always a pretty  cotton trimmed with colour binding.  I remember shopping with my Mom for apron fabric.  My Mom would sew aprons for Nanny as Christmas, her birthday and Mother`s Day gifts.  After all what would you give a woman who has everything including me as a grandchild.

Nanny preferred small floral prints in soft colours.   An apron was practical.  It was where you wiped your hands after making pie dough, or what you used to wipe the tears of a child who just skinned her knee.   The pocket was a great place to keep the money for the milk man or a handful of cloves, to chew on.

I found this beauty at the local thrift shop.   At first I thought the trim was plastic but a closer look revealed it was cross stitching over cotton rick rack worked on the 
gingham.  Can you imagine the amount of hours spent on making this  apron.  This technique is also called chicken scratch, depression embroidery, tenneriffe lace, snowflake embroidery or lace, gingham lace, or Amish embroidery.  With three or four types of stitches – the running stitch, the cross stitch, the double cross stitch, the threaded running stitch, talented hands could make beautiful patterns on simple gingham.

Thinking of making a chicken scratch apron, check out this site.   Need more pictures, go here.

Christmas in April

Our family can spread Christmas gift giving over months.  Sometimes we just aren’t in the same place at the same time. Or we are off visiting another branch of the family.  Such was the case when I received my Christmas gift on Saturday from Addison and Kaytlyn.  I was very happy to be given  the Quilting Pattern-a-Day Desk Calendar.

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.

April showers

This bright April block was made by Pat of  Cottage Time Stitches, which brings the Cottage block swap to an end. It is hard to believe that a year has passed so quickly.   Pat calls her block “April Showers”. She stated they had a lot of rain lately in her state, and that this block represents the happy side of rain.

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.

Scraps and strings

Finally, a finish! This is a quilt I started way back in 2003.   Over the years I would haul it out, sew a few more blocks, then put it back into the cupboard.  I was determined to finish it this year.   It took me a few weeks, but this puppy is done.   The lady who finishes my quilt tops did a simple in the ditch finish.  As the fabric covered a total of 8 years in sewing, I could spend hours telling stories of what project I was working on which resulted in each scrap or string.  Some of the fabric are bits left over from my grand-daughters dresses when they were toddlers.  I like a quilt with a story.

The back of the quilt is a deep red sheet.  The center blocks in the denim sashing are called crumbs as they are made with tiny bits of fabric, too small to use in the main block.

Like most quilts I make, once finished, there is always something I would have done differently.  In this case I would have made the center string the same colour for all blocks.   Much like the one here.

If you are interested in sewing a string quilt, check out this tutorial.

an extra day off

The office is being painted today so I had a day at home.   As the gym is off limits  due to my recent butt injury the only other thing I could do was spend the day sewing.   I am resisting the temptation to begin any new projects, despite the long running list I have in my head.

I spent most of the day working on this project which I originally started quite a few years ago after taking a class on paper piecing. I love the secondary block pattern it makes with the border.

Vintage sheets

Like I needed another quilt to ponder.   In my mind I am working on Julia`s winter blues quilt and a green quilt for my niece Becky.  In my sewing room, I have the blue quilt, a huge pile of strings, one pink baby quilt and a bunch of  string blocks to finish.

To drive myself even crazier, I bought these beauties awhile back  when we visited the local St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop at St. Michaels.  I promised myself I would not get even consider another quilt, but these were too pretty to leave behind. For a lovely example of vintage sheet quilts, go here.

Vintage sheets would be perfect for a memory quilt for someone going into a nursing home, or moving away from home (because there is no place left to store her fabric).

Spring magic

The March wind roars
Like a lion in the sky,
And makes us shiver
As he passes by.

When winds are soft,
And the days are warm and clear,
Just like a gentle lamb,
Then spring is here.”
-   Author Unknown

The storm continued today punctuated with winds, sleet, rain, and snow.    Despite the nasty weather outside, in my sewing room it is spring, thanks to the beautiful April Cornell charm pack which arrived on Friday in the order I placed at Sew Sisters

I also ordered the 20 Fat quarters for $25.00.  Unfortunately this special is no longer available.  The quarters I received included cuts from the Rock-n-Roses collection,  Sweet briar, Recollections by Deborah Roberts, the Polly goes to Paris line and Robert Kaufman, to name a few.  I have been too busy fondling these beauties to even consider cutting them.

Some day I intend to make a trip around the world quilt using reproduction 1930 prints, The two packs of Scrap Block Mania is a start collecting fabric.

I an very pleased with Sew Sisters excellent service.

Well the weather outstide is frightful

The fog rolled  in this morning, layering the trees with even more ice.   We can hear the trees crackle as the breeze hits their limbs.  Being surrounded by trees is great in the summer, but causes concern on winter days. 2600 homes in our area are without power, luckily we are not one of them.   My DH is clearing off  the deck and getting the generator ready just in case. Over the next two day the weather forecast is calling for snow, freezing rain, gusting winds, followed by more snow and high winds.  Sounds like quilting weather to me.

Yesterday I worked on a string quilt which I started a long time ago.  String quilts are a great way to use up those small bits of fabrics (strings).  This is  an excellent project for a beginner quilter, or when you want to do mindless not fussy sewing.  If you are interested in knowing more about this method check out Bonnie`s  at Quiltville  String Quilting Primer.   Check out the many different patterns and ideas for the string quilt at the end of the primer.   The only limitation on this fun to make  quilt is your fabric stash.

By mid afternoon I had most of the blocks and the borders  sewn together.   My DH is my quilt layout foreman.    I place the blocks on the bed in a pattern I think looks good.  Then he comes in and gives it the thumbs up or thumbs down.  When he makes a suggestion it oftens works better than my original idea.

The foundation of my string blocks is  9 inch squares of cotton. To match the thickness of the blocks  I decided to use denim for the borders  and crumb blocks on the corners.  This will be a  very heavy cover as the flannel back will add to the weight.  The perfect winter weather quilt.

Snow Day

According to my DH,  shoveling out from this storm is as bad as  shoveling sh*t.   He was  raised on a farm, so he knows his sh*t.  The snow is wet, heavy and difficult to move.  For the past hour he has been out in the yard shoveling as the snow is too heavy for the snow blower.  He punctuates his labour  with short breaks to bring me the status of the storm.   Everything is covered with a thin layer of ice, topped with a thick layer of snow, and we are not out of the woods yet.   Parts of the province are without power, and might be so until 6:00 o`clock tonight.  The storm will combine with a another storm front tomorrow, so we will have nasty weather until Tuesday.

While my DH is out in the cold, wet, snow I am indoor fondling fabric.  I intend to spend the rest of the day sewing, with brief intervals of cooking.  Sounds fair to me.

Today`s menu will be made from recipes I found on the web. Chili and southwestern drop biscuits from Yes, we cook!  for lunch.    Saturday nights` dinner and a movie will be baked egg rolls from Under a Blue and Moon and our all time favourite carrot and pork dumplings from Retorte, and chicken and pork lettuce wraps, thanks again to Yes, we cook!

So if you`re hungry come on over, my DH should have the driveway shoveled by then.