Saturday, December 29, 2012

It can't be.....

I can't believe it's been that long since I posted anything on "my blog"!!!  It's not like I haven't been working on anything or doing something?!!!  Hmmm - maybe I fell asleep for a month!

Anyway - I did want to share my latest project - soon to be a pattern and a kit at Cock-A-Doodle Quilts.

Sometimes it's a fabric that inspires the design and in this case that was exactly what happened.  These little sheep had been living in the store for awhile and could not find a place to go so I thought I would find them a home - so here they are frolicking in between pink sashings and white cornerstones -
 As you can see they are cute little things and I've marked the quilt squares with hearts to quilt.......
 I managed to layer and pin this afternoon, yes pin!  Okay - you want to know why I don't spray baste a small quilt like this - the quilt measures around 42" x 48".  I have used spray baste in the past for small quilts but honestly I don't feel I have control of all three layers when I spray baste.  With pinning I am able to manipulate all three layers or if necessary one layer at a time to make sure there is no bunching on the back of the quilt.  I find once it's sprayed it is hard to move the fabrics when they or if they start to bunch!  May be just me but I feel more in control this way....
 I have also picked out some really cool variagated Mettler thread - 4820-9912 which appears to be a pink - white - grey/green and should look awesome on the quilt......
Now if I can keep my eyes open when I get home I may get started on the quilting tonight.  That would be nice.

I had three days off this week and all I did was sleep and read and sleep and knit and sleep and read......you get the picture!  I know I needed it and finally I am no longer suffering from chronic sciatica but I really feel like I accomplished nothing so on Thursday night when I came home and whipped this little baby quilt up I had to wonder why I can't be more like that more often!  Not too sure what the answer is there except that my energy levels appear to be very sporadic!

Looking forward to tomorrow (day-off) and Tuesday (day-off) and I'm putting no pressure on myself to get anything done!  Work at my own pace and take it slow - slow and steady win the race!  Oh forget it!  Seriously - would like a hit of adrenaline about twice a day to get everything done that is on my mind (or list) each day!

Okay - off to get another coffee (doesn't help) and then home!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann


Sunday, November 25, 2012

I am baffled......

First things first - just a funny little story I thought you might all enjoy.  There are pros and cons to writing two separate blogs!  The pros are that the store blog (Cock A Doodle Quilts) deals mainly with things going on in the store or things about the store, and the "personal" blog is a little more casual and includes just "stuff" about what I am up to including projects and samples I do for the store.  The cons are - I can very easily mix things up, because I am ME of course.  The other day I was writing away on the "store" blog, talking about new stuff and things that are happening at the store - when I went to "labels" to chose my subjects for the day I realized I was in the wrong blog, UGH!  Luckily, it turned out to be a learning experience.  I figured out how to copy and paste what I had written from one blog to the other - lost the pictures and had to reload them but that was just a small glitch in what could have been a huge time waster for me!!!!  I also think that I may have learned to be a little more aware of where I am!  Phewww!

I like writing the two blogs because on this one I feel I can be more candid with my readers and so now I will tell you why I am baffled, or maybe I'm dyslexic.....not really sure!  If you read the "Doodle" blog yesterday then you know I spent Friday night - unstitching  my Lithia Park.  Why - well here's the picture of the quilt -
You can see the pattern and how the flowers point in at each other, well somehow I had a whole row pointing in the opposite directions - DUH!  I mean how do you not see that?!?!  It's a good thing Cathie noticed before I put my borders on because I seriously did not see the problem....okay, must be dyslexia or something!  I was hoping to get it fixed today and get the borders on so it could go in the quilt pile, but, alas......

I had other things I wanted to do also!!!!  Like finish my Urban Pods quilt top.  It is here we hit (BIG BRICK WALL!!!) the next reason for the bafflement!!!!  First, about two rows into the quilt top I realized I had mixed up the colours, so the grey is where the white should be and the white is where the grey should be.  Okay, no big deal - it still works with the pattern and it still looks good, so I wasn't going to go and re-cut all that fabric - I mean, seriously, what a waste.  Then, I had half the quilt top done and even had it displayed in the store yesterday with the Quick Curve Rulers and the really cool patterns and in all honesty no one else noticed the MISTAKE either!!!  Of course, it was only half a quilt so I guess I can understand somewhat why no one would really notice.

Let me set the stage for the EUREKA moment....When I originally cut the curves for the quilt I made a little mistake and needed to cut an extra strip.  I am at the point in the making of the blocks where I needed that extra strip, so I sat down to cut them.  At the same time I had a really good look at the pattern......the one below....
 Note that the images appear to be hourglass shaped until you hit the centre of the quilt where they turn upside down.  Guess, just guess what I did!  I had sewn them together in the hourglass shape all the way down - DUH!  This quilt is sewn in vertical strips UGH!  However, I was able to take out the 3 segments across because my seams matched so well - that's a good thing!!!  So I just spent the last 45 minutes unstitching yet again!!  Admittedly I have been a little preoccupied of late - what with the store moving and all that but still!!!! 
 
I am off to fix up the mistake and continue as if nothing was wrong - yet again!!!  Hopefully I will waste no more time on these dumb screw ups and just get on with the important stuff.
 
By the way - I started on the newsletter today so another day or two and we will have an idea as to what we'll be doing for the next few months.....hope you will all be joining me!
 
Have a great day everyone!
 
Jo-Ann
 
 

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Back at it again!

I actually got back in the groove on Sunday and got back to doing some quilting!  I was up rather early having fallen into bed at 7:30 P.M. Saturday night, so at 5:30 A.M. there I was with a cup of coffee in hand and my Urban Pods calling me......

Last night after giving the machine a good cleaning (you can see the tutorial on the Cock-A-Doodle blog www.cockadoodlequilts.blogspot.com) I continued with section 3 of 6 which you can see sittion on Sonia's table.
 On the other side of the table is the cutting station, right next to Bernie and across from Sergio.....and there's my trusty Quick Curve Ruler.
 Below is one of two segments completed for the Urban Pods pattern.  Tonight I hope to get it put together into one piece and ready to be layered - I even have the back all planned out and it uses up any extra fabric I may have left over along with a lovely light gray Kona I just got into the store.  I'm excited about this quilt and I even know I want to quilt it....very much like the original done by the designer Jenny Pedigo.  Will it be ready by Saturday - well maybe if I stay up all night tonight and don't go in tomorrow so NO! but you may get to see the top done at any rate....I certainly hope so, I've been looking forward to finishing it.
Of course, I could have had alot more completed last night but I got side tracked - ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).  It's just that with everything else going on - the move, etc. - my house looks like a bomb hit it and let's face it, Jonathan has never been much for keeping things clean, so while he was out in the early evening I tackled the 4 x 4 foot coffee table which was "drop junk central"  which took about 1-1/2 hours to clear up.

My kitchen, well I won't go into detail, but we had pretty much run out of dishes and cutlery!  I decided on War Tactics for that problem - this morning I loaded everything into Metro bags - put them into the car - took them to the store - and ran the dishwasher!!!!
I was desperate and really didn't want to be soaking and washing dishes, etc. for days so this was truly the easiest solution!  Needless to say it turned out to be more than one load of dishes!  But it gives me a leg up and if I can now keep on top of things in the kitchen at home I will have a shot at a clean house!

So tonight, I will haul it all back home and before I put it away, clean the countertops, stovetop, refrigerator and floors and then put everything where it belongs and start fresh!  Of course, as I said earlier, I also want to work on Urban Pods - so I guess I will be up all night!!!! 

At any rate - I really need to get those patterns sorted and hung today so I am off to organize!

Have a great day everyone!!!

Jo-Ann

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Shifting.....

It's that scary thing you do when you are trying to organize!  Yesterday when Rita was my legs and I was sorting all the "stuff" for Gillian to take to her church rummage sale and to drop at Value Village I had this horrible thought that I was just shifting the "stuff" from one spot to another.

I've set my mind at ease now because I know that anything that moved from the back to the front actually has to be at the front, whether there's room for it, well that's a whole other story.  There's still alot to do but it appears to be slowly moving in the right direction.

On Friday afternoon, after everything had been moved from the old "Doodle" to the new "Doodle" I sat in the chair by the books and picked up the phone to call my mom!!!!  I realized it had been just over two years since she passed away and I also realized how much I miss her!  I had a moment - she would have been so excited for me!  Needless to say I had a long conversation with her - and it's not long distance, and it sure helps!

My mom used to have a saying "Oh, my achin' back!"  It was something she used when she was overwhelmed or something crazy was happening.  When I said it yesterday - I meant it - my back really is aching!  Along with every other inch of my body!  The reward is that it will all be worth it in the end!!!!

I'm off to the store again to continue the "madness" and ruthlessly go through every single thing.  It's like that program "Hoarders" - it's almost laughable!!!!  But seriously - I am so limited for space that I have to really be ruthless!!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

I can't.....

I can't quilt!  I really, really want to but I just can't!  I look longingly over to the dining room table at Sonia (my Janome), at Bernice - Bernie for short (my Bernina) and at Sergio (my Janome serger) but I know I just can't do it!!!!

I am so exhausted from moving the store that I just know if I touch anything I will mess it up!  There will be plenty of time to quilt soon enough!!!!

Better I should take a long hot shower and go to bed!!!  Good night all!!!

Have a great day everyone.

Jo-Ann

Saturday, November 3, 2012

At home....

I was so excited on Wednesday night when I finished sewing the last flower center onto my last small Lithia Park block - now I could get the borders on!  I laid it out on the bed and found "THE MISTAKE"!  I know it's not just me, we all do it and of course everything went downhill from there.  I started the unstitching to attempt the "quick fix", sewed it back together and really messed it up.  At that point I decided that this would need to wait for a time when cooler heads prevailed.....and into the "pile" it went!  You know the pile I'm talking about - you all have one too - I know you do!!!

So it sat in the pile and on Thursday night when I got home I busied myself with many other things and ignored "the pile" - I did say, cooler heads right!  (I was still very angry with that quilt top for not co-operating)....

Last night when I got home it was about 9:00 P.M. and I thought I could ignore the quilt a little longer but, alas, I really love that quilt and so with a cooler head I sat down and unsstitched again and fiddled and finagled until I got the centre of the quilt done - it only took a couple of hours as I also had to add the last row of the centre blocks which was what alerted me to the original mistake!  Now I only have the borders to put on and the top will be done...and then I will decide on a backing and binding, prepare the backing and binding, layer the quilt and put it in "THAT PILE" - you know the pile, the one where the quilts go that are ready to be quilted!!!!  They line up like little soldiers there on that pile, saluting as I pass by them, mocking me for my stubborn insistence that I will quilt them all myself.  Little do they know that I have a plan now!  I've always had a plan, I just never shared it with "the pile"!  My plan is to work simultaneously on my "to be quilted pile", my "to be machine pieced pile" and my "to be hand pieced or appliqued pile".....What???  That only requires 6 hands at once!  Where is the problem here?  Okay, so you are asking yourselves - how is she doing this?  (I also have knitting I'm working on!!!  A charity cancer shawl and a sock!)  Let me explain - I've got a plan!!!!

I usually make it home from the store by about 6:30 so I grab a quick dinner and from 7:00-8:00 P.M. I can quilt or piece and from 8:00-9:00 P.M. I can quilt or piece.  From 9:00-Midnite I can do my hand-piecing or applique work.  See - I have a plan!  Of course we all know about - "best laid plans"  but it's more of a guideline kind of thing!  Of course, there are still all those projects waiting to be started and that's another PILE!!!! 

Okay, that's enough for today - I am toying with the idea of starting a UFO Club at the store - you know, the kind where you have to DECLARE your UFO'S and then bring them to work on with maybe a compulsory Show & Share each week/month....Like I said I am toying with the idea!!!  Would you join - comments are more than welcome!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann



Friday, October 26, 2012

Phew.....

Talk about a productive evening....Last night I was like the old "energizer bunny"!  When I got home, I made a quick dinner and then got right down to work.

First I completed my September and October 9 Patch exchange blocks.....
Then I started cutting for a new store sample and worked until about 9:00 P.M. on that....you'll have to wait and see more later on that one.

At 9:00 P.M. I decided I wanted to get down to some serious TV watching - Thursday is definitely my night for TV - Grey's Anatomy, Elementary, Last Resort, Person of Interest and last but not least Scandal.  Thank heavens for time-shifting.

On Wednesday night I had used up the last of my Soft Fuse so the project I had started working on could not be completed until I brought home some Wonder Under (second choice).  I dug this up out of my stash, I had bought the kit when I was on a retreat in Pennsylvania at Critter Pattern Works back in 2001 but it really seems appropriate now and will probably segue into a machine applique class.

With the Pandas coming to the Toronto Zoo I thought the timing was good so I started making up all the applique on Wednesday night while watching TV - only had two pieces left to do last night and then needed to put on all the markings and adhere everything to backgrounds......here they are -

All ready to do the outlining with the machine......here are the individual patterns!  They are all so cute!  I marked them all and placed them and then during commercial breaks, went out to the ironing board to set them in place.  Worked out great!





All of the fabrics were included in the kit which was amazing but I think I will still be adding some of my own fabrics for the bamboo bits around the edges, also I'm not sure there is enough to do the border and I will, of course, have to find a binding and a backing....

Debbie at Critter Pattern Works has a great tutorial on her website for her machine applique method so I will practice a bit before I tackle the edgings.  It's been awhile since I did one of her patterns.....will post my progress!

Tonight is Sit & Sew - NO MACHINES ALLOWED night and it's going to be a crowd....gotta go start dinner!  I am going to try to get the last 4 blocks of my Lithia Park done and maybe work on some blanket stitching on one of my Lori Smith patterns....will post pictures later.....

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Finally....

I have a sewing center at home!!!!  Since my heart attack it's been a chore getting anything done at all.  Finally last Saturday night I steeled myself to set up the dining room table and surrounding area for mass production!!!  Okay, just kidding but I really needed someplace to set up and work....
 Sonia (my Janome) is set up for piecing
Bernie (my Bernina) is set up for quilting and my fine work
Sergio (my Janome Serger) is set up for other projects I'm working on
Tonight I finally got down to business - working on my 9 patch exchange blocks.  Need to catch up and get October's blocks done.
 
With the move going on at the store I have made a "list" of all the projects that were at the store and need to be completed.  I brought two bags home last night and got nothing done on those, nor did I add to the list with all the projects I have waiting at home to complete.  I truly do not want to know how much is here - that would be counter productive.....just overwhelming!
 
I even have a cutting area set up which is everything I need to become productive again.
I'm hoping to be able to report regularly on my progress....
 
Okay back to work -
 
Have a great day everyone!
 
Jo-Ann



Thursday, September 20, 2012

I'm not sure.....

I'm really not sure I've gone this long without posting something since I started this blog?

Many of you are up to date as to what's been going on with me but I'll give you a quick update none the less, for those who don't actually know.  The last blog was posted on June 19th and it appears I was very, very busy.

About that time I started getting Angina attacks and exactly one week later at around 4:00 a.m. found myself on my way to Trillium by ambulance having a heart attack.  Long story short - an angioplasty was performed and one week later I was back at work.  The miracle of modern medicine for sure!  In retrospect I know I should have taken more time off but when you own your own business you sometimes have to make decisions that are not always in your own best interest!  I have fabulous friends (and customers) who certainly helped me get through the past few months especially when it came to any physical labour required.

Today is the anniversary of my mother's passing two years ago and I realized how much I miss her.  With everything that has happened over the past two years I have not had much time to grieve.  I've been thinking about her alot, wondering how she handled all the stresses of being in business and she certainly had her share.  It's funny how much you realize you forgot to ask when they were alive.....

It appears I really don't have much time to "feel sorry" for myself right now either!!!!  Maybe that's a good thing!  Getting ready for the big move (the store) and really looking forward to it, hoping it all goes according to plan!  Stress is never far away for me - should be my middle name but I take it easy now!

Rich and I decided, last minute, to go out for dinner tonight and ended up at Zet's for chicken souvlaki - nearly killed him (the garlic) but I absolutely love it!  Their tsaktziki sauce is to die for (it's what kills Rich)!  He has vowed never to go there again!!!!  I will certainly go back!  Liz had dropped by the store late this afternoon and I wasn't feeling so great so I promised I'd call her tonight -oops!!!  I hadn't checked in with Jonathan so when Liz called me to see how I was and I hadn't come home yet - they both got worried!  Jonathan tried calling Rich but he (Rich) didn't hear the cell phone so one thing led to another and Liz picked Jonathan up and came looking for me!!!  Boy did I get in trouble - but sure did open my eyes!  I have fabulous friends #1 and a pretty great kid!!!  ....and I will not do that again any time soon!!!!

After all was said and done I realized how scary that would have been for Jonathan.  I really will have to be more diligent about checking in!  Okay, had a little break from sleep here - could have been the garlic that woke me, but I need to get back to bed - Sit & Sew tomorrow.....

Have a great day everyone and I'll try to keep this blog a little more up to date....

Jo-Ann

It appe

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

One down, one to go!

I'm sure you are all wondering where I disappeared to and what I have been up to.  If you also read the Cock A Doodle Blog then you know I've been surfacing from time to time but what have I been doing.....

First - my 9 patch blocks for the 9 patch exchange which I could not resist being apart of.  I've been a quilter for 12 years and have NEVER taken part in a "block exchange" so, since we are hosting it at the store I took advantage fo the opportunity.  I'm just finishing up my blocks for July and August - I figure if I stay ahead of the game I won't have to scramble to catch up.

Another project I have been working on is one that I looked forward to doing yet also dreaded and so has been preoccupying my time.  A couple of months ago this very lovely woman came in with two "quilt tops".  Someone had made them from her trousseau linens.  Although she had done an admirable job it seemed she wasn't familiar with the wrong side and the right side of embroidery.  A number of blocks had to be turned in order that the right side of the embroidery was on the right side of the quilt.  This job was turned over to me along with putting borders on the quilt tops.  After alot of procrastinating, for fear I would ruin the quilt top, I completed one this afternoon. 
It isn't often I have time to do this at the store but in the "dog days" of summer (pretty close with this humidity...) I can usually steal a few hours to work.  With a few customer interruptions and a load of determination I was planning on completing at least one of these gorgeous tops today.....and being a part of this heirloom experience.  Once the second one is done I will help the owner choose a long arm quilter and a quilt pattern for these remarkable quilts.

All of the embroidery was hand embroidered on pillowcases by her family members and given to her and her husband as wedding gifts.  What a keepsake to have and for generations to come - a fabulous idea!  Now that I've finished the one - the second one should be a lot easier.

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Friday, May 25, 2012

Sew she grows!

The newsletter is out, classes are filling up and I still find myself short about 10 hours a day.  I had two days off this past weekend and did NOTHING!  I mean nothing!  I've been told that it was probably what I needed but still I felt guilty...with so much to do and so many projects on the go,  I really felt like I should have done something, anything, to keep up with myself.

I guess I gauge my output by my quilting which is probably not fair.  However, truth be told Rich and I managed to get quite a load of stuff out of the storage unit over the past week.  We want to give up the space and so now the boxes from the basement (from the townhouse and the last move) are finally being dealt with.  It's amazing what I've found, and to think all the stuff that was left behind.

Tuesday I worked at the store and came home to work on more boxes but I also managed to work on Lithia Park - there are 12 blocks sewn together with sashings!  It's slowly growing and since tomorrow night is "Don't bring your machine a.k.a. Applique Club" at the store I will be able to work on the last 2-1/2 blocks for the centre.  Here's what it looks like so far.....
 Lithia Park - 12 blocks and growing.....

It's  funny how when I work all day I can come home and just keep going but when I'm home for the day - I get nothing done!  At any rate I had to progress on this project in order to make room for my next project which is my 9 Patch Exchange blocks.

When I had my sewing room in the house this would not have been an issue as I just would have relocated the Lithia Park project but in the apartment I have limited space available so I really have to be more organized.  Don't get me wrong, my quilting is spread out throughout the apartment but because I share the living/dining room with Jonathan, I have to make sure I don't leave things lying around where they can be misplaced or moved.  A little frustrating but it works because I seem to move forward on projects faster.

So, I chose some fabrics for my first 4 blocks for the exchange.

 Fabrics for April (yes I'm behind) and May blocks.....

This gave me the opportunity to try out a few new products we have in the store.  When it was suggested that we host the 9 Patch Exchange, I was alerted to some great products that would insure accuracy in piecing these blocks.  So - I will try to take you through the process step by step here.
 First, a product called Cutting Edge....plastic strips that mark the underside of the ruler.
 The blocks are 3-1/2" blocks so I needed to mark the 1-1/2" on the rulers underside.
First I straighten the fabric....
 Then I butt the straightened edge along the plastic strips marked at 1-1/2" - and cut my strips.
 Fabric one, then fabric two.....
 Check out the markings, perfect 1-1/2" strips.....now we move to the sewing machine.
 The next product is called sewing edge!  (You can use a few layers of painters tape here instead)
 I take my 3-1/2" ruler and with my needle measure the 1/4" on my machine - then adhere a strip of the sewing edge tape which is about a 1/16" of an inch thick.
 You can cut these tapes but I chose to mark the machine and the table giving me a longer edge.  Then I stitched my first strip.
 Check the perfect 1/4" seam - I was thrilled!  So far, so good!
 The blocks worked out to exactly 3-1/2" - Voila - precision piecing!  To see my pinning method - look up Molly's Meadow on this blog - I give a demo there.
...and my second set of perfect 3-1/2" blocks!

I'm going to try posting this to the Cock A Doodle Quilt blog as a Tutorial Page shortly so you can refer back to it.  Hopefully I will be able to do it - I'm so not a techie!  FYI - you can use painters tape to do either of these things but I have to say I love the ease of these two products and they are both reusable and very accurate.....  

I've also been pretty busy designing quilts - a new mystery quilt for August and a Charm Square quilt as well as a quilt to use up my 9 Patch Exchange blocks.

Okay time for bed - a little reading, then some much needed sleep!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann  
...

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Looking forward....


...to getting home tonight so I can work on something I haven't been able to work on for months.  I have a top to complete on my machine and I did want to layer my Amish Shadow but I also thought I might get some time to spend on Lithia Park.

Part of it is done so I'll just be adding blocks but I'd really like to get some of it done.  So like - how many hours are in a day, 'cuz I thought I might work on the newsletter and add a new design to last week's mystery quilt.....ugh!

Okay want to make it home before the skies open up so.....

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

I'll just bet!

I'll just bet that because I am a quilter and I own a quilt store that you all think I know how to do just about everything to do with quilting and quiltmaking.  Well I am going to confess something - I too, have trouble with certain basic quilting skills.

Like binding, not actually putting on binding but that last little bit of finishing - you know where you put the two ends together - well, for those of you who share my "disability" I have found a great little tutorial......

www.online-quilting.com

This website has the best tutorials with Marci Baker and I think I watch the binding one almost everytime I have to finish one off - comes out perfect every time.  Eventually it will sink in and I will be able to do it without the tutorial but in the meantime it's there and I thought I'd share it.  I teach Beginner Quiltmaking and just before I teach this part of the class I go online and watch the video....seriously, it's that good!

Okay - just thought I'd share that now I need to get back to finishing up my binding.

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Oops!

It appears that I have dropped off the face of the earth for the past month!  I just updated the blog on Cock A Doodle and realized I hadn't been here for a while either.....didn't realize how long a while!

Today was my one day off - I get one per week and I relish it, usually, however, today I spent most of the day cleaning the house which has not been done properly in a long while.  Now, I wouldn't invite you all over to eat off the floors but for sure it's a huge improvement to what it was.  Now to do Jonathan's MOUND of laundry......because I couldn't stand living in a pig sty anymore or passing the room that looked like a pig sty every day I did the unthinkable and cleaned his room.

Guess I got lucky because his only complaint was that I put a dusty picture on top of his towel.....phew!!!!  Put it this way - it was more about organizing the room and moving the furniture into place rather than the middle of the room and getting everything (all the clothes) off the floor.

It feel great to accomplish even that little, when I think about the past year and how little energy I had to even sweep a floor!  I've come a long way baby!!!!

Speaking of "things to do" - I better get working on the newsletter for the store a.s.a.p. so I can  get it out to everyone.  We've got some great stuff coming up and I don't want to slow down those creative juices.....besides which I have another Mystery Quilt pattern to write and I'm finishing up a kit which needs to be cut, and, and, and.......it never ends!

I tell everyone that I quilt while I sleep - the only problem with that is that when I wake up there's nothing DONE!!!!!

So - I'm off to get SOMETHING DONE!!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Friday, March 30, 2012

News fit to print!

No pics today - just boring news!

Everyone stay off the roads - Jonathan got his license on Wednesday morning!!!!  So I have found the easiest way to spend $1,000.00 in 5 minutes - call the insurance company.  Luckily he is still working so this will be his expense.......hopefully he will keep this job!  He seems to like it although I have to say, Jonathan in bed by 10:00 P.M. most nights is almost scary!

I am still quilting the rail fence table topper and working on the Mystery Quilt pattern but hopefully tonight and tomorrow night will be enough time to finish them!  Can't promise anything - I get home and collapse most nights so nothing gets done.

Didn't really get a day off this week, just a few hours on Wednesday and it's been a pretty busy week.....alot of cooking too!  Of course that's not a bad thing really!  Tomorrow is Machine Quilting with Carolyn and there are 9 students!!!!  Cool!  ....and Sunday the girls are coming for their monthly Stitch 'n Bitch!!!!  Can't wait to see them.....and I really want to see Gail's Photo to Fabric piece.....

Better get going - the quilt store awaits!!!!  Lots to do - look for a long e-mail soon!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

It's the little things!

Tuesday's are my usual day off and luckily today was not exception.  Last week I only took 1/2 a day because I had a March Break student for Beginner Quilting so although I had a good day it was still not a "real" day off.

I was very excited about today because I was having company around lunch time.   Needless to say, even though I did not put the alarm on, I was awake at my usual 7:30 a.m..  That was good because I got up and made coffee and then began cleaning!  It was great, I got 90% of it done before I heard the knock at the door and knew Trudy had arrived.

Our original plan was to go out for lunch but I suggested we go over to Metro and pick something up.  After choosing two Cobb Salads (very good I might add), a small loaf of Belgian Bread (also very tasty) and a fruit salad which we shared - Trudy stopped at the Wine Rack (also in the plaza) and picked up a lovely Jackson-Triggs Pinot Grigio and we came back and enjoyed a beautiful lunch.....We had a great afternoon.  I made a small pot of coffee after lunch and Trudy left about 2:30 p.m.

Originally the plan was to meet up later and go to the YHQG meeting but I was just too comfortable at home and I had laundry to do....by 5:30 p.m. I had finished cleaning and laundry and done groceries.  I felt like I had accomplished conquering the world!!!!

It's easier to get everything done these days with Jonathan at work (yes, he is still gainfully employed).....I start with the kitchen -
 Then on to the living/dining room.....
 The office area - all sorted.....
 Finally - my bedroom and the bathroom of course......
 ....and my stash of projects, as messy as this may look, it is really very organized.
Once the laundry and cleaning were done I sat down and relaxed in front of the TV with the two bindings I have been trying to finish....I loaded up my Needle Dome with threads for both projects and alternated.....
I'll call this my "tool" of the week.  I love it, I have two now because one arrived damaged from the supplier so now I can keep one for my bindings and one for my hand project of choice.....(need to order more in for the store, we seem to be out of them)!

Tomorrow it's back to the store and loads of things to do including an e-mail to go out to everyone with lots of news!

Hope you all had a great day today and had the opportunity to enjoy this fabulous weather!

Jo-Ann

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Finally the pics!

As promised, a picture of my Rail Fence Table Topper......
I attacked my stash and went for 3 fabrics I had been saving for a Blue and Yellow quilt.  I have a friend who loves blue and white and yellow and will eventually really appreciate this table topper.  In the meantime, it will serve as a store sample for a few months.  I added a "dust collector" border - a 1/2" folded border in yellow - you can barely see it, and then I added another 1-1/2" border.  The topper measures (finished) 27" x 39".  I had to make provisions for the amount of fabric I had.

My student, Sarah, managed to get the centre of the topper almost completed this afternoon.  Tomorrow we will do borders, layer and quilt these toppers.  Then we will start on the Amish Shadow Quilt.  For me this posed a slight problem as I needed more black Kona to complete the top.  No problem, I own a quilt store!  Not so fast - Sharon informs me that Laurissa was in and purchased the rest of the bolt!!!!  Oh no, now what!

Emergency call to Laurissa and off I go to her house to "borrow" back some black!!!  We had a great shmooz and she hauled out a couple of quilts to show off - first, her and Artemis showed me this one....can't remember the name of it -
This quilt is massive and Laurissa blames it on Nancy who told her to put the pieced border on, but Nancy was right - it completes the quilt.  Artemis thinks so too!

She also hauled out this gorgeous flannel quilt.  This one she blames on her first dabblings on EQ7 - another gorgeous quilt......

Hanging out there for a bit and trying to get a photo of Quazimodo (the kitten who refused to come back into the house) forced me to end up burning the candle at both ends.....

Home again and back to Amish Shadow.....I think I showed the blocks I had started in an earlier blog which brings me to the TIP OF THE DAY (week, month, year!).....
About a year ago I found the most fabulous ruler - from Quilt In A Day, the 6-1/2" Triangle Square-Up Ruler.  I use it all the time for my HST's (Half Square Triangles).  Unfortunately I have yet to order in the larger versions, so I had to improvise.....so with my 12-1/2" ruler I improvised.......

 First, I fold the block in half.....I need the block to measure 7 inches.
 Next, I line up the centre with the 45 degree marking on my 12-1/2" ruler
and the stitching line with the 7 inch line on either side....I square it up and cut the sides
 Then I flip the block and measure my 7 inches again and cut off the little corners.
 This pic just shows those corners gone....
...and Voila - a perfect 7 inch block!!!!

Got them all squared off and now I'm off to get my beauty sleep!!!  Looking forward to another day with Sarah and teaching her all these little tips....

Have a great day everyone!