She's arrived!

Whooo Loves Baby ?  Great Aunt Sada does :) Claire Elyse Tiemessen arrived this week, and so did her quilt! I got it bound and a label done just in time, now all I have to do is get down to see the wee new one, she's a cutie - even if I do say so myself. How exciting.  I don't remember being this excited when her mother & uncles were born - maybe I was but it was a few decades ago...

Last week the guild held it's annual rummage sale. Holding to my vow to stick to a budget I promised myself I would not buy any fabric .... but I did manage to pick up a pattern for a new project  - or two!

  Stars and squares is a Japanese folding method similar to Cathedral Windows, and if I'm not mistaken I believe this technique somehow provides a secondary pattern on the reverse. Anyway, I saw a quilt done using this technique a few years ago and thought - what the heck, for $2 I'll give it a try! The Pin Cushion doll was in a plastic bag with a 50 cent tag. Thinking it MUST be plastic for that price I didn't react quickly when it slipped out of my hand to the floor. CRASH! The dang thing was porcelain!! So, last week I got out the Gorilla glue and did a lousy job gluing her half body back together. Ah well, perhaps it won't show once I get her pin cushion dress made? Wish me luck!
TTFN
from great aunt

Happy "Love Everybody" Day

A while back, ok, last year, or was that 2 years ago? anyway,  I decided to take some pictures of some of my "old" things for the blog.  So here are some old-timey vintage valentine's cards. I don't usually bother/celebrate the day, being a onesie, but what the heck! I love red and need some love right now.
I don't have much to show-n-tell this week as my machine quilter is late. I will need to re-think sending my quilts out to a quilter and return to my hand quilting ways - or maybe I'll learn how to machine quilt! Well, at least it will be cheaper for me!
Good thing I spent the last couple weeks making other things for my niece so I will have something to give her next week when the baby is born! Always good to have a backup plan.... Of course, I won't get to show-n-tell the Owl quilt @ guild, or to my hairdresser who's been bugging me for months to see it. Disappointment :(

TTFN

P.S.: Soon after writing this blog entry my machine quilter called - she got it done!! and did the circle quilting I wanted - Yeah! It looks good and my niece will be happy, so I'm happy :)

Finally February !

It's February - yeah - January is over and we all survived - somehow. Wiarton Willie has predicted 6 more weeks of winter - of course, what else did we expect! This was another stay at home weekend as the hysterical weather reporters kept warning us of another winter storm. Yes, we got some snow, and its wet and heavy stuff, but NOT a storm!! Oh weather goddess don't get mad, I'm not complaining.
My enthusiasm for the upcoming baby is waning, I'm sure it will return once the wee one arrives. 
None-the-less I have been busy sewing ..... remember 2 weeks ago pics of receiving blankets and fabric for a diaper bag ? On the left is the front of the bag with a flat elasticized pocket. On the right is the bag with two , 3 dimensional pockets with magnetic closures. I love the lime green ruffle but had one heck of a time getting this bag made. Now, I'm no novice to bag making, as my blog readers are aware, but this pattern (Pellon's Frou Frou bag) was rather poorly written. Saying nothing of the typos and grammar issues, there were definitely steps missing, and the pictures, which I totally rely on, were rather poor! Of course it could just be me - I'm known for not reading patterns very well:(. I put a zippered pocket and an open pocket on the inside, and attached a clip for keys etc. The outer flap also has a magnetic closure, and on the inside a label (Handmade by ....). I really hope she likes it and finds it useful - occasionally ?

What else have I been up to? Well, trying to use up the "leftovers" from this project so I got busy and made some more baby bibs . I had to piece the smaller one, but I think it still is cute.

You know my niece asked for Owls, so here's 2 more bibs .... with OWLS :) The green one is PUL fabric, a bit slippery, and the binding is elastic knit - so that wasn't much fun, but hey , the baby will look cute while she's drooling all over ;)

It's Downton Abbey night tonight ......
TTFN

Is it STILL January ???

Jeez - it's still January and I've broken my "I Won't Buy Anymore Fabric" resolution twice !! Ok, in my defence, I decided I had too much baby fabric/flannels/PUL fabric and, since the local FL store had one of their famous 50 % off sales .... well, you now what happened! I wanted to use up the white w polka dot flannel and found that oh so cute pink Owls flannel. So, I spent my Saturday night making up 4 receiving blankets, 2 pink owls/white on the reverse, 1 just white polka dot and one just pink owls. They tell me new parents just can't have enough of these blankets, so hopefully my niece will appreciate these!

This baby (grand niece to be) has truly inspired me. I offered to make a baby carrier cover, but once I read through the pattern - well, it was going to be kinda difficult. So instead I picked up this waterproof one and used the Owl decals I picked up @ FL (during their last 50% off sale). The flap with the HOOT decal lifts up so you can see baby, and the flap with the Owl decal opens so you can put the baby in.  Again, hoping dear niece likes these offerings 'cause there's more!

 This is a pic of Pellon's free Frou Frou bag which I am going to try to make as a diaper bag in fab "baby" fabric. Again, I'm told new parents just can't have enough of these either.

I'm still in love with this Peter Rabbit fabric , I made a baby bib out of it for the shower. The green will be the lining fabric and I plan on using a bright green for the ruffles, wish me luck! And in my spare time I'm back quilting Felines and Flutterbies ... finished another block last  night. Oh.... this may just get done in time for the guild's quilt show in October - HA!
TTFN

P.S. My sister gave the wee hearts quilt (shown in the second last post that I finished off with machine quilting) to my niece last weekend, and she loved it! Joint projects are great :)

Ah Sundays .....

 

I promise - this is my last Christmas picture!  Well, except for anything I make between now and then which may be Christmasy .... I had a panel with several old Father Christmas images. I made 3 or 4 door hangings from the panel, this one I hang on my bulletin board at work!

It's Sunday and as usual I am relaxing in the kitchen, listening to CBC and today I'm watching the snow melt - hurray!! After last week we certainly need the break. Speaking of breaks, I finally got back to my quilting and stitched some on my Felines and Flutterbies last night while watching War Horse. It was a hard movie to watch. I hate anything that shows animals being treated badly and this movie was no exception. I just wonder how many people who watched this movie got caught up in the overtly rah rah what a hero smaltzy stuff and missed the real message - treat animals as you would want to be treated yourself!! Ok enough preaching for this Sunday. Have a great week!

Back to Work :(

Here's a pic of this year's lovely Poinsettia. The pater gives me one every year and I have to admit I kinda like having them around, even if they never last very long .... I've taken down most of my holiday decorations but have left the red on the table as it looks so nice and cheery. Tomorrow is back to work day and they are calling for a snow storm tonight ! Grrrrr. It's been a great vacation though, I managed to get the house cleaned, cook a roast & entertain the mater & a friend, celebrate New Year's eve with a friend and even get into the sewing room !!

I missed this year's Christmas deadline, so am getting myself ready for next year! Last week I showed you this Dresden mini tree skirt/table topper. And now, here is a matching table runner! I wasn't paying attention when I first cut my Figgy Pudding fabrics
and cut all the blades way too big! So, I proceeded to cut them down
which left me with tumbler like wedges now made into a matching table runner. Woohoo! I'm still very much in love with Figgy Pudding fabrics, but I think I got the last of it! Yes folks, I broke my New Year's resolution already and went out to the local LM fabric store .... I needed something for the table runner backing!

While in the sewing room I finally finished off this project my sister started many many years ago. It gave me another chance to practice my machine quilting and got it out of my sewing room. Now that a grand baby is coming I think it was appropriate to get it done!

TTFN

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a fabulous and creative New Year. 

Well, I thought I was terribly terribly busy last year. My collage above reflects my busyness, although somehow I feel like I wasn't very productive! My lack of creativity is reflected in the fact that my Felines and Flutterbies is still on the frame !I hope to finish this one for our quilt show in the Fall.

I managed to get Whoo Loves Baby off to the quilter, so it should be ready in about a month - yeah 'cause the baby is due mid February .... I'll be a great aunt!! OH NO - how did I get this old ??
Spent a few months in the summer organizing our Sew What's group donation to the Wellspring charity.  I made several different items, including these water bottle carriers. Everyone donated whatever they wanted and it was fun to see what everyone made. I managed somehow to attend the Smith family picnic this year - my first in years .... and that was fun! But the highlight of my year was our Oakridge girls reunion. YEAH - Thanks to Colleen for the idea and to the ladies for getting everything organized ... we spent a fabulous weekend @ Sand Banks gabbing and catching up on everyone's life since school days ;)

I've had 2 weeks off work - and boy did I need it! I could soooooo do the retired thing! A few years yet so I'd better not get too used to this sleeping in thingee. Now that I have some "free" time I actually got some sewing done, and woohoo - finally got to my Figgy Pudding fabrics I've been collecting since forever .... so here's a nice Dresden table topper/small Christmas tree skirt I just finished up - YEAH!

 

 This year the mater decided to give remembrance gifts, so my sister, niece and I all recieved a Royal Doulton figurine. Here's mine

I don't have a curio cabinet, and my China cabinet is fulllll, so for now it is sitting on a table where I hope the kitties won't touch it!

Happy new year everyone,

Happy Holidays !

Several years ago I purchased a panel with several old fashioned Santa Claus on it. I made several of these panels and gave some away. Recently I saw a pic of 3 of them in our guild newsletter and dug mine out, here's the one I have in my front door currently ...
Well, I don't know about you but I've been way too busy! I have survived 3 potluck dinners, including the "surprise" potluck I arranged for my sewing group ladies. Phew! That was quite the task and

amazingly it all went off without a hitch and was a surprise :) . I won't go into all the crazy details ... suffice it to say my organization skills were taxed, and being a bit of a
perfectionist I was worried everything would fall apart.  So I was relieved when it all worked out. My sewing lady friends are a great bunch of ladies, and I was pleasantly surprised with a couple of gifts! A fab sewing bag from C M-R Thank You!, and some antique china (4 desert and 4 bread & butter plates) from B M, another Thank you! Now how did she know I like antique china , hmmmmm. And then there was my "secret Santa gift ...

Woohoo! I love it ! a metre each of fab Xmas fabric, enough to make placemats (as suggested) or a real nice table runner! That's going into the Holiday sewing basket for next year :) :)
 I have also survived 3 holiday parties and additional shopping tasks (I now do some of the mater's shopping). Officially I am now on vacation (YEAH) and spent the first day cleaning and holiday decorating. I wasn't going to as Xmas is only 4 days away, but I have to admit I love love love all the red (my favourite colour) and my tree is up :) I'm staying inside again today as we are enduring an "ice storm" - more like a bit a freezing rain but you know the 24 hr news/weather channels always dramatize any bit of inclement weather ...

I have finished most of my holiday sewing and knitting. Here is a pic of the5 ruffle scarves I knit, then re-knit as I didn't like how they turned out the first time! (to be honest, one of them is for me ...). And then there are the 2 Xmas aprons I made for my sister & brother-in-law since they always make the Xmas dinner.... and just for the fun of it a few (6) kitchen towels to hang on the stove ...

 

Just one more sewing task to complete today, then I can start wrapping up all these presents! Phew!

Have a very Merry one everyone :)

 

It's a Hit!

Today was baby shower day. My niece is due in late February. Can you guess what they are expecting?
My sister held the baby shower and it was well attended and lots of fun! Don't know about you but I enjoy showers as you get to see the creative wrappings and all the new products out there.

Lisa was pleased with the three bibs I made (2 in PUL Owl fabric, and 1 in Peter rabbit fabric). Wish I had made more, just not enough time! She also loved the baby socks my fellow Sew What's (stitch-n-bitch group) friend made, THANKS ANN!!

Of course the big hit was the Owl quilt, even though it's not even quilted yet!! I've got a machine quilter booked for January, after the Xmas rush, so it should be ready for when the baby is born! Yeah !
TTFN