I'm Back

My computer died a nasty death last week, but I am back now. I will have some new postings soon.

Oriential Vases

My Great Aunt passed away a few years ago and my Mother gave me a pair of vases that belonged to her. I had always loved them. I love the colours in them are so vibrant and the gilding is perfect. I really don't know anything about them. I assume they are Chinese or Japanese Earthenware. If anyone has any information about them I would love to hear it.  I am trying to do a little research on them now.

Quilt Top Completed

Yesterday Kelly and I worked flat out from 11:00 am (after we had coffee) until about 6:00pm (with a break for lunch) and we were able to complete the Quilt Top for the wedding we are attending August 1st.

Even though it was a very simple pattern, it took us three sessions of cuting and sewing to complete, and a little home work in between each session. I have time booked on a long arm to complete the quilting and then there is the binding to put on. Kelly and I are most pleased with how it has turn out so far. Using all batiks really makes it quite beautiful. 

I'd love to hear if any of you have simple patterns using the package of Bali Pops, as I have another now that I received for my birthday. If so please advise where they are posted either on your blog or elsewhere on the web. I would be sincerely grateful. 

Another Lovely Saturday with my Dear Friend

Another Beautiful Saturday with my best friend Kelly. We got together to work on a quilt we are making  for a wedding gift. We are making good progress and it is looking quite lovely. I will have some photo's once Kelly is finished sewing. She is sitting here sewing on the binding as I am making this entry.

Kelly brought our lunch, some delightful Tuna salad wraps. The Tuna salad is filled with all kinds of crunchies like celery and radishes all diced into tiny little pieces, then topped shredded lettuce and cheddar to complete the mixture, all nicely tucked into whole wheat/flax wraps. It was ambrosia. (No Photos because it didn't last long enough)

I made the strawberry shortcake to celebrate my birthday and Kelly brought me a lovely birthday present.

A wonderful new Bali Pop collection in Kiwiberry and the latest edition of Quiltmania Magazine. It has been a really lovely day. But it always is when you can spend it with a friend. 

Drum Roll Please..................and the Winner is!

KAREN #2

I had two Karens among those of you stopped by my blog so that is why there is a number. I had hubby select the name out of a jar to be fair.  Thanks to all of you who dropped by my blog.

Hubby took me out to The Keg tonight for a very nice dinner. It was a real treat.

Well birthday over for another year!

Today is my Birthday

Here I am many years and pounds ago. Happy Birthday to me.

Yet another Wisp (Work In Slow Progress)

I have been trying to finish this little piece for ages. It is a wall hanging I'm making to commemorate a trip to Newfoundland I made with some of my quilting friends. I stitched six inch squares in motifs depicting sewing and Newfoundland landmarks as reminders of the things we did and places we had been. I am finishing the last two stitcheries and then I should be able to put it together. My plan was to put them together simply with sashing.

Birthday Present to you

As I mentioned in my last post, my birthday is this Friday and I would like give one of my readers a birthday present. Everyone loves to get a parcel in the mail.

I am giving away a bundle of 5 Mary Englebreit Fat Quarters and a quilt book. There are a few other small things which will remain a surprise.

Please put leave me a comment between now and 5 pm friday (my time) and I will draw the name of the lucky winner.

Wedding Quilt Progress

Hi Folks,

Wow it has been a real rollercoaster of weather lately. Saturday was humid and rainy, Sunday Breezy and Sunny and yesterday, Monday it was really hot and Sunny. More rounds of medical appointments almost one each day this week. They take alot out of me after the drive there and back I am ready for a nap.

I met my friend Kelly at a our local Quilt shop and we chose the fabric for the border and backing of the Wedding Quilt,  which I will post when we complete the quilt. Kelly has an equal number of blocks at her house. The quilt will be twice this size plus the borders. Saturday we will get together and put the quilt together.

 I wish you could see it in person. The batiks are so bright and vibrant. The creamy white, framing each block, has a frosty shimmer and together they look great.

Stay tuned for more on this quilt.

On another note, my birthday is Friday, and I am looking forward to it. My husband is going to be off work so I expect I will be pampered, a little.

From the time that I was a little girl, Strawberry season has always been at the time of my birthday and I have never been much of a cake eater. My mom always made me a strawberry pie, strawberry tarts or a strawberry shortcake for my birthday. I think I will carry on the tradition.

Check back tomorrow, because I am planning a birthday give away. So for everyone who leaves me a
comment between now and friday, you name goes in the draw for the giveaway. Good Luck!  

I'm Back

Hi everyone I am back and mostly recouperated from my surgery. I still have to go back to the doctor next week to see how things are going but I am pretty well healed.

The members of our quilting group "Friend in Stitches", were invited to the wedding of a friends daughter. This friend is part of our group. So my friend  Kelly and have decided,  "When in Rome".......... (make a quilt)

I went through my stash and found I had some Bali Pop's (a package of 40, 2 1/2" Bali strips) and a 2 metre piece of frosted off white fabric, which would work for this basket weave pattern. So Kelly came over and we had a cutting party. Once we devided everything up, we took the fabric home and each worked on our pile of blocks. Once we have our blocks put together and we are going to add 3 borders to the quilt. The inner and outer border will be a Batik that goes well with all the others, likely something in a dark brown. The middle border will be the same frosted cream fabric in the same with as the basket weave. Here is a couple of photos of the smaller blockers.  

Back to the Hospital

This Morning I woke to a little scare with my incision with involved hubby taking me back tothe hospital. I will be having nursing care coming in daily for the next while and so I likely will be out of action for a few days.

Addicted....................

I admit it, I am addicted to quilt magazines. I am currently receiving subscriptions to 6 magazines. Unfortunately it doesn't  stop there. I also pick up other magazines when I am out shopping.  Hubby and I often make a date to go out for a fancy coffee at Starbucks (in our local Chapters) and pick up a magazine or two, to peruse while we sip our beverage.

So this morning I am going to start and sort through the pile I have been collecting next to my chair for the last 6 months. (this is a pile I have ready thinned out once quickly).

I am going to look through each magazine for patterns I think I could or would actually make. If I find one, I will put a paper sticker on the front of the magazine noting the page and type of quilt or project I am saving the magazine for. Then I am going to give the rest of the magazine to my quilty friends.

I leave you today with a picture of my darling Shadow. This morning she is was sitting on our deck, as usual surveying her kingdom. She likes to keep watch on all of the   birds, squirrels and chipmunks. As I went to take a second shot she turned around and said Yea Mom, what do you want.

Back in the Saddle

Before all of this appendicitis stuff happened, I had been down in Toronto for yet another Doctor's appointment. To treat myself after the appointment I went to Sew Sisters a great quilt that has both a store and a web business. Low and behold,  I saw this pattern made up and hanging on the wall.

Well I had to have it. I hope to have it done for this Christmas but with so many others UFO's we will ahve to see.

I am thrilled with it.

Hot Appendix

Mom and I had a nice Mothers day visit, but ......................... the next Morning I woke up about 5:00 am and my tummy did not feel so good. I will spare you all of the details but needless to say
I felt this too shall pass.

It didn't.

During the morning, I helped Mom tidy up the house and felt that moving around helped a little. We had business to attend to between 1 and 3. So I carried on in some pain an discomfort but still sure it would get better.


It didn't.


After that I lay on the couch with the heating pad on my Tummy and about 5:30 I decided we might consider the hospital as a possible option. My Mom bless her soul did not want to think that there was anything really wrong with me so upon my suggesting we should go to the hospital, she said "What for?" I told her perhaps it was appendix or gall bladder and she went to the computer to check symptoms. I had all of the classic signs of an appendicitis.

Off we went to the Emergency room of the hospital. It had a been a really busy day and they were terribly backed up. I was asked on a scale of one to ten how bad was the pain. I said a five being the trooper that I am and was sent to sit in the waiting room for about 2 hours. After that time I really felt that pain was getting worse. I went to the triage nurse again and she took my vitals and suggested that they get the blood work started and then I went out to wait in the waiting from for another hour.

I was then called into a back door of emerg and put in a room on a gurney where I could at least lay down. The nurse told me to put a gown on and the doctor would be in shortly. We waited and finally I buzzed the nurse and asked if I could have something for the pain. She advised she could not give me anything but would get an IV started so that when he did come in she could get something started right away. I guess she had a pretty good idea it was appendix or she would not have put in the IV. She then told us it would be another 2 hours before the doctor came in so I sent Mom home.

Bless her she did not want to go but she was falling asleep in the chair and I did not want her going home to late at night. As it was she encountered a drunk wandering down the middle of the road downtown.

About two hours later the doctor came in and told me he was pretty sure it was appendicitis but they would keep me and do a CT scan in the morning and then if correct, I would then see a surgeon. Needless to say I went into the hospital at 6 pm and finally at 6pm the following evening I was having my appendix out. The hospital is brand new, I had a lovely private room and the nurses and doctors care could not have been better I just felt the wait was a little long and that there are still despite all that is being done many people in the emergency room who could have seen there own doctor the next day or perhaps a regular walk in clinic.

I am home now and have a couple of big incisions to show for it. The doctor tried the laproscopic type of surgery but because of prior surgery it would not and I have a regular incision.

Sincerest Thanks to Dr. Graham Gibb,  my Surgeon and nurses Marg and Lynda who took great care of me. 

Two More Bags

I went home for Mother's day and Mom and I had a nice visit. Mom went with me to a local Quilt show which was really great. I was really impressed with the beautiful selection quilts on display and the large merchant mall. We had a bit of lunch there and went home for a lazy Sunday complete with a fabulous Leg of lamb dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, tomato and onion salad and some lovely fresh green beans. Mom even picked fresh mint out of the garden to make a mint sauce for the lamb. It was fabulous.

I gave Mom a lime green T-shirt and pretty Pashmina of soft greens and blues. I made here these two bags and my hubby the butcher cut up a beef tenderloin so she would have lots of filets for the BBQ.

Bag Lining

Bag Lining
Originally uploaded by Quiltgal

Here is the bag lining and pocket

Bag Front

Bag Front
Originally uploaded by Quiltgal

I finally got the picture up

Finished Bag - April WISP

I know that I have not been blogging on a regular basis, just so many things going on in my life right now and not much sewing. However I did manage to finish  this bag for my neighbour Wendy. Wendy and her husband very kindly look after Shadow for me when we have to be away for more than a few hours. Sometimes my appointments will take me away from the house for the day.When that happens Wendy comes over and lets Shadow out and sometimes takers her next door to there house to play with there dog. Anyway I thought I would make Wendy a bag for Mother's Day from Shadow.

For some reason I can not seem to upload the photo's. to I will try next week.

Have a great Mother's Day Everyone.

Another WISP- My Scrap Lattice Quilt as you Go

I have had this WISP in my sewing room since 2000. Yes you read correctly 2000.

I took a class from a fellow guild member Louise Robinson. Louise was particularly known for teaching this class many times, by popular request. Sadly Louise lost a battle with cancer and passed away a few years ago far too young.

This Quilt has always been a favorite but some reason I have found it tedious. Periodically I would lay it out sew a few squares together and then put it away again.  My problem is (was) that  I have no place to keep it out and in sequence while I sew it together. Now I have decided that I am going to keep it out on the dining room table until it is finished.

It is a very very easy quilt to make. However if I ever did another one, I would make the blocks much larger. The squares are 4 inches finished, which makes for a lot of sewing together later.
As the name implies it is quilt as you go and also reversible. The first side it scrappy (supposed to be lights and darks, mine do not have nearly enough contrast) and I made the back light and dark sort of Christmasy so I would have something I could just turn over at Christmas. The lattice strips are two different colours; one for the front and one for the back. The binding is a two colour binding so that each side matches. I thought I would show you some of the blocks and the progress I have made so far. I am going to commit here and now that I will have this completed by the end of June, at the latest.
    

This the right side using scraps and dark green lattice work.

This is the back using a deep rusty red for the lattice and two colours of Christmassy fabric.

This is how the squares are joined sewing the lattice down to one side side of the square, then zig zagging the two squares together and then turning over the lattice like the one on left and hand sewing the strips into place.

Wish me luck.

A Fine Spring Day - Friday Flashback

It is an absolutely gorgeous day here in Southern Ontario.

When I was very young this was my favorite song for the summer and whenever the sun is shining in the early spring or summer and I am in the car, I find myself singing it acapella.