Two of my favourite pastimes

On my birthday, I decided to take a long overdue day to myself.  I day that I could do whatever I wanted with no plans, no schedules, no deadlines, just plain old going with the flow.

I decided to go for a drive.  I went to my mom's new place to pick her up and off we went.  Even just leaving from her place was an adventure.  I set the GPS for our first destination and the GPS took up through some lovely country back roads.  It was beautiful.  Some of the leaves had changed colours.  Of all the seasons, I think it is a tie between spring with all the new growth and fall with all the changing colours.

Our first stop was Creative Sisters in Kitchener.  I received a birthday postcard about a month ago, inviting me to come save 20% off, during the month of my birthday.  I'll just say that I took advantage of this discount with purchasing my quilting pencils, basting pins and other like type notions.  I even stocked up on my Christmas fabric, which was 30% off.  I finally found the base fabric, for my Christmas pineapple blossom quilt, that I want to make, for my husband and I, for our bed.  The dark grey on the left is the base fabric.

By the time we finished in this quilt store, it was time for lunch.  We headed for a nice restaurant just outside of St. Jacobs.  Enjoyed some good food and conversation.  Once we where done there, we headed to St. Jacobs.  Unfortunately, they were doing construction on the roads and the main strip was closed.

So, instead we headed to the Antique Warehouse just outside of the main strip, near the Farmer's Market.  We thoroughly enjoy walking down all the isles.  We were there for just over 3 hours.  Both my mother and I got some good buys.

Me, I found this shelf.  I already hung the shelf on the wall in my quilt room and as you can see, I now have some patching to do.  It is a simple shelf, made of solid wood with minimal wear and tear.  It's the one on the left and it was only $25.  

A lot of the things on the shelf were also items I found there.  I really like it when I find sewing type objects.  I picked up two old/vintage wooden thread spools.  One of them I am using as a candle stick holder.  I have another pin cushion for my collection and a couple of large old Mason jars that I picked up for only $2.50/each.  Than there was the heavy cast iron old/vintage iron with it's fancy curved handles.  Can you imagine having to heat this iron up on an old wood stove in order to press a seam while quilting.  We are so spoiled now a days, with our auto shut-off plug-in irons.

All in all it was a very good day.  This day went a long way to de-stressing and lifting my spirits.  I am grateful.

Sunshine quilt

Thursday past, during my early morning off of work, I worked on a pretty quilt that I have dubbed a sunshine quilt.  It is a simple alternating yellow block with soft coloured blocks for the alternating blocks.

I am using up some gifted fabric.  This yellow fabric is linen fabric.  It seems a bit stretchy or wobbly.  I don't think I will enjoy working with linens in the future, but this little quilt is bearable.  It is just so pretty with all the soft alternating blocks.

The blocks finish at 3" square.  I am thinking of quilting it with simple lines 1/4" along the seams on each side.  A simple technique for a simple quilt.  I can't wait to see how it finishes up.

While I was working on sewing all the blocks together and than all the rows together, I was working on some leader/enders.

Here are a couple of monkey wrench blocks that came out of my sewing up the sunshine quilt on Thursday morning.

I've only got two more monkey wrench blocks pre-cut in my leader/ender box to do.  I am going to have to get cracking on cutting out some more.  I am really liking how these are turning out.

Snowmen A to Zzzz.... Letters J

The letter J is for Jungle Bells.  This is the second last block of the Snowmen A to Zzzz... quilt that my daughter is working on.  Another gorgeous block.

As for me...I got the handwork portion of a commissioned quilt done in the last couple of days.  Now I need to quilt the last perimeter hexagons, and the six large florets.  I am getting there.

I haven't been consistent with my posts lately, and to those who read them regularly, I apologize.  Since May I have been assisting my mother with packing up a home that she lived in for forty years, putting it up on the market and we are all still trying to finish the renos in the new home to get her settled.  Until that is done, I get very little time to myself, to quilt, so thereby not having much to post about.

Thanks to my daughter I have been able to post something, from time to time.  I look forward to getting back to my routines.  Our schedule leans toward finishing the majority of the renos by end of next week, when we will all take a break.  The smaller stuff can be done over time, without hindering my mom from living in her new home.  Until that time, I ask for patience.

At this point in time, I'd like nothing better, than to have hours to sit to sew and than post about it.  I am really missing that part in my life.

Thank you.

Snowmen A to Zzzz.... Letters G

The letter G is for gifts.  I love gifts.  All kinds of gifts and they don't need to be material gifts.  Most of the ones that are most treasured, are the ones that come from the heart.  Like when my daughter knows I am so busy that she takes the time to "gift" me with a fully prepared dinner that she made.  Another, is when the children take care of Maddie, even when it is my time, "gifting" me the luxury of time to do my own thing.  Gifts are everywhere, it's all in your perception of what a gift is.  Look for them, they are litteraly everywhere!

My daughter did a lovely job of this block.  They are all pretty.

As for me, I've had little time to do much these days, but I did put in some stitches into finishing the diamond hexagon quilt and I am working on finishing the edges to the blue grandmother's garden hexagon quilt.  During my breaks at work, I also work on a label for another quilt.

**Progress on my top 12 list (which turned out to be 18 instead)**

Work in progress:  

4. Quilting - Navy blue & cream quilt (my own)

7. Main work - Spools quilt (my own)..........first row done, on hold to work on quilting

8. Main work - Mel's romance & roses quilt (family)
9. Leader/Ender - 16-patch pinwheel quilt (my own)..........on hold to work on quilting
10. Handwork - Reconstructed Dresden plate quilt (my own)...........9 full blocks left to do

11. Quilting - Lise's Dresden plate quilt (family)..........top is done, waiting to be quilted

12. Handwork - Machine wall hanging (my own)

13. Paper piece - Pineapple quilt (my own)..........these are put on hold again for a bit

Total number of quilts completed - 10
Total number of quilts left to be completed - 8

Completed quilts:
1. Quilted Flo's hexagon quilt (commissioned)

14. Sabryna's 16-patch pinwheel quilt (family)

16. Reversable crazy quilt & matching doll quilt (charity)

15. Log cabin quilt (my own)
18. Small wonders quilt (charity)
17. Scrappy stripes quilt (charity)

2. Michelle's midnight flight quilt (family)

6. Jean material quilt (charity)

5. Midnight flight runway quilt (charity)
3. Quilting - Lise's hexagon quilt (family)

Snowmen A to Zzzz.... Letters R

R is for Reindeer.  Another one of my daughter's blocks from her Snowmen A to Zzzz quilt.  She has done such a good job.  They are so pretty.

Myself........well, still no time of my own.  I just keep looking at my work in progress list.

**Progress on my top 12 list (which turned out to be 18 instead)**

Work in progress:  

3. Quilting - Lise's hexagon quilt (family)..........finished quilt, now hand stitching the label

4. Quilting - Navy blue & cream quilt (my own)

7. Main work - Spools quilt (my own)..........first row done, on hold to work on quilting

8. Main work - Mel's romance & roses quilt (family)
9. Leader/Ender - 16-patch pinwheel quilt (my own)..........on hold to work on quilting
10. Handwork - Reconstructed Dresden plate quilt (my own)...........9 full blocks left to do

11. Quilting - Lise's Dresden plate quilt (family)..........top is done, waiting to be quilted

12. Handwork - Machine wall hanging (my own)

13. Paper piece - Pineapple quilt (my own)..........these are put on hold again for a bit

Total number of quilts completed - 9
Total number of quilts left to be completed - 9

Completed quilts:
1. Quilted Flo's hexagon quilt (commissioned).  

14. Sabryna's 16-patch pinwheel quilt (family)

16. Reversable crazy quilt & matching doll quilt (charity)

15. Log cabin quilt (my own)
18. Small wonders quilt (charity)
17. Scrappy stripes quilt (charity)

2. Michelle's midnight flight quilt (family)

6. Jean material quilt (charity)

5. Midnight flight runway quilt (charity).    

Snowmen A to Zzzz.... Letters Q

Q is for Quilt.  Isn't this such a cute block.  My daughter has been working on her handwork, on and off, during the summer while watching reruns.  

I like the colours of the stitched quilt.  A cozy scene.  A mother snowman wrapping herself and her snow child in a quilt.

As for me, I have been working on my handwork too, when ever time allows.  For me, it has been working on the hexagon quilt, that I am finishing for my cousin.  The edges of the quilt are now all hand stitched close.  For the quilt itself, I have the quilting of the last row all the way around the perimeter to do.  

I am also working on the hand stitched label for this quilt.  I have just a little over half way completed.  No new pictures of this.  I will take the pictures when it is completely done and washed.

We just moved my mom out of her home yesterday.  It's closing soon and this next week is going to be very busy trying to get her new home in order.  I may not get too much time to do much these upcoming days, but this is life.  Once things settle down I will go to town on finishing things that have been lingering around and get to my own quilts.

I look forward to some quiet time in my quilt room.

I am quilting, quilting and more quilting

For the past few days I have been quilting away.  I am working on my friends hexagon lap quilt.  As I haven't  had much time these days, I have been using my 15 minute breaks to dwindle away at this quilt. It is amazing what one can actually do in 15 minutes.

I won't show any pictures yet of the quilt.  Once the quilt is done I will though.

When I am not working on the quilting of this hexagon quilt, I am working on the handwork of my cousin's hexagon quilt.  In handwork I have another side completed and half of the third side done.  

It is getting there.  Slowly, but surely.  These things take time.  Especially when there is little time available. I just have to somehow make the time, because quilting is something that I really enjoy doing.

I don't have any quilt pictures to show you right now, so I thought I would insert a picture of a sunflower in my garden.

The funny thing about this sunflower is that I didn't plant it.  At first I thought it was a weed and was going to pull it.  For some reason, I just didn't.  I guess mother nature had her own plans for my garden.  I find things like these, moments to reflect upon.  You know,,,,,,like a higher power.

It was a pleasant surprise. A simple wonder.  It makes me smile, every time I look at this picture with the pretty yellow petals.  A bit of sunshine.  After I took this picture, about three days later, three other flowers bloomed.  It was quite pretty and I got to watch the show.  These flowers were like my "stop and smell the roses".

Take time to smell your roses.......the moments are out there, but you're the only one that can find them.