Myra's PhD Challenge

I joined Myra's PhD Challenge (Projects Half Done), with two projects that I am hoping to finish in the first 6 months of 2011.

My first project is a large Bear's Paw quilt that I started in January 2007. All I have left is about half of the hand quilting! I can't really explain why I have never gotten around to finishing it. My only excuse is that I have no real use for it (although that doesn't usually stop me!).


My second project is a Pinwheel quilt that my youngest son - D, designed with EQ - using fabric that I was given.

D pieced together these pinwheels and then got tired of it - so I have decided that now would be a good time to finish making the quilt. Maybe D will help me?!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a wonderful New Year and I wish you all the best!!♥

Go Baby!!

Earlier this month I was so excited to be the winner of Cyndi's (of BLUEBIRDSWING) December giveaway!!!!!

A GO! Baby fabric cutter!! And it came today!!!!

Looks like a mess - but cut beautifully!

I also won the GO! Value die, but that is coming later - so in anticipation of the GO! Cutter coming I bought the 3½" Drunkard's Path die and a cutting mat last week (at Copperfield's book store - they have regular GO! cutters as well as the GO! Baby - plus some dies and mats).

The blocks went together so easily!! I know I am really going to enjoy this prize - I already have my eye on a few other dies.
I am making a little wall hanging (nothing new for me!), using a mixture of Bali and regular/reproduction fabrics (new for me!). I was inspired by Edyta Sitar's techniques of choosing fabrics. It will have some applique too.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Having Fun!

We have been having a wonderful Christmas vacation (stay-cation). Did some visiting, but lots of time relaxing at home. I have been watching old movies and doing some creating.

I knitted a quick hat for my DH. The pattern is called "the Marsan Watchcap", the only thing that I changed in the pattern is that I made cuff and the main part of the hat longer than the pattern called for. I used Patons Classic wool and I always find that it tends to get short and wide once it is washed - so that is why I made the pattern longer. The hat seemed very tight at first but it turned out the right size. I made the large size (88 stitches on size 7 (US) needles).
I searched Ravelry for the pattern - if you have never heard of it, you should check it out. You can search for knitting patterns specific to the project you want to make and the type of yarn that you have - it's fantastic!!

I have been working on the Romanian Point Lace table center. I also finished making the over 2 meters of decorative braid for around the outside!! The start of the braid is slightly tighter than the end (I started it in the summer) - hopefully it won't be too noticeable when it is all finished.

I have been working on a couple of mini quilts using reproduction fabric.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Merry Christmas!

Have a fantastic Christmas!!♥

Christmas Lights

Yesterday we drove into the city to see the Christmas lights (our annual tradition)-

Manitoba Legislative Building

Corner of Portage and Main

On St Annes

We came home and the lights in town are just as good -

The lights on the tractor at the John Deere dealership are always my favorite

This morning the gray partridges were back -

And the birds were busy at the feeder later in the day -



Not much seems to bother the bunny (the brown blob under the feeder)! If you listen carefully you can hear the sound of the birds wings at the end, as they take flight (and also the clock ticking - I don't normally notice it, but it is quite loud).

My dear friend Wendy sent me this wonderful fabric postcard -

She stitched a thick paper (thin card) onto the back, and it came through the mail beautifully. Thanks Wendy!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Allie Came!

Last month (one the same day that I had my giveaway) I was lucky enough to win an owl pincushions from Kimber of Heirlooms by Ashton House, and it came today!!

Allie the Owl is 8" tall and is made from beautiful wool fabric. I have never had a wool pincushion before and it is amazing how easily the pins slide in. It also has a great little pocket in the front to hold scissors. It is so beautifully made and looks fantastic on my old sewing machine table - I know I will really enjoy using it! Thanks Kimber!♥
Kimber did mention in November that she had some kits of Allie for sale.
Coincidentally Kimber is also the designer of a bird pincushion that I made in the summer (and we both started life with the same last name - and it is still mine).

Isn't is wonderful how they all get along!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Christmas Rug Mug

I have seen lots of rug mugs around and I thought I would make one too.

I had made the little holly leaves because I wanted to try using a fabric medium instead of water with watercolour pencil crayons, it is on muslin. It worked well and didn't run. The mug rug is 12"x7".

I used two layers of batting (one wool and one foil batting), and quilted it with Invisafil on the top and Aurifil in the bobbin, with a holly leaf free motion design.

Corrie from Retro Mummy is having a fantastic giveaway on her blog! She is offering 2 fat quarter packs - 20 FQ's of the Lecien Flower Sugar range. Beautiful! Good luck!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Friday Night Sew-In Results

Last night for the Friday Night Sew In, I worked on the Romanian Point Lace table center.

This was it yesterday

and this morning!

Doesn't look like much! But I am starting to think that I might finish it in 2011, after 2 years! I also made some more braid.

This morning I went to Copperfield's Books in Winnipeg. I had never been before and was so surprised! They sell all kinds of quilting books and patterns (plus a few kits and pre-cuts), along with many other hobby books. The selection was amazing, the staff wonderful and almost everything is 40% off (on top of their already discounted prices) until the end of the month. I went looking for something specific that I was told was in, but turns out doesn't come in until next week - so another trip is planned.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Friday Night Sew-In

Tonight is the Friday Night Sew In hosted by Heidi.

I am working on the Romanian Point Lace table center tonight.


The rabbits have been eating parsnips I threw out for them. You can't tell but it was very windy and her/his fur was just blowing - you could really see how thick it is.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Dragon Boats

I learned how to make dragons boats several years ago at a Winnipeg Embroiderers' Guild workshop, and I thought it would be nice to share how to make them here.

I found a fantastic PDF by Anna Marie Winter for the pattern, makes it much simpler for me! I'll just quickly go through making a dragon boat (some of my instructions are different from the PDF - it all works out the same).

Dragon Boat PDF

Start with a 7½" x 1½" rectangle of cardboard (I use an old blade on my rotary cutter to cut the cardboard, cereal box cardboard works fine). Mark lines as shown on the cardboard.

Very careful score (with an exacto knife) the surface of the cardboard on the lines.


Fold into the shape, carefully folding the cardboard on the scored lines (folding the form is well described in the PDF). Use a small piece of tape to secure the shape.

Place pins in the points and apply a very small amount of glue around the ends of the cardboard.

I chose to make this dragon boat with embroidery floss and Kreinik braid (#8), but any thread will work (even self patterning yarn on a larger shape). To start the thread, tape the end and then wind the thread around the form (again, well described in the PDF). Carefully lay the threads evenly side by side.

Change threads, to create stripes, by attaching new threads with a small piece of tape on the side, it will be covered as you wind more thread.


You can even wind two threads at a time. When making stripes be sure to wind the same number of times on each side of the form.

The form is almost all covered, see that the tape is being covered. This is a view of the bottom.

When you are near the end, apply a small amount of glue to the corners to help prevent the thread from slipping off.

With a long needle thread the end of the wrapping thread through the form - from bottom to the top. I also applied a small amount of glue on the bottom. Remove the pins and very gently push the threads to cover the cardboard.

To finish the ornament you can use a tassel or add some beads. I threaded some beads onto a long doubled thread, and with a long needle threaded it through the form (from bottom to top).

I knotted the thread close to the top of the ornament and once again further along the thread to make the hanger.


This is the view from the bottom.

Here are some others that I made a few years ago -

The above are made with perle cotton.

This one is made with a 1" x 5" piece of cardboard.

This one was made by a friend.

There are all kinds of possibilities with thread combinations, types of thread and sizes of cardboard (the size of the cardboard is 1 unit x 5 units).

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Windmill Mini Quilt Finish

I finished another mini quilt (soon I will run out wall space!).


This is the windmill pattern from Rotary Cutting Revolution.


I quilted free form feathers (on my DSM) in the windmills and meandering in the border, with Invisafil thread on the top and Aurifil in the bobbin.


This is the back. I also quilted in the ditch around the blocks.


I finished making the last two flowers for the table center.

It is odd not having a tutorial on Wednesday! Maybe I'll have to have something later in the week.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Windmill Mini Quilt

Today, since my house was all clean after having company on the weekend, I had time to sew!!
I pieced another mini quilt - it is a pattern I have been wanting to try out.

It is the No-Waste Windmill Block from this book -

I made the block smaller than the pattern in the book- 5½" instead of 6. Kathleen (A Sentimental Quilter) describes a great way of making the block here). It went together so fast and easy, it was simpler than I thought it would be.

The binding is all ready to go (I found the tip on Myra's blog for storing the binding, by winding it on a ruler first - it works great - directions are here).

It is really cold here (around -30°C/-20°F), but at least the sun has been shining and the roads are dry!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥