August has been crazy! We have had company since the first..
A big pot luck party with over a hundred people this year! A great success. The food was fabulous as usual and with a quilt going to the best dish, the competition was fierce!
My friend Helen whose family is much smaller than yours truly has had time to work on projects for children in her realm who make life happy for their parents.
The little house quilt is going to a sweet girl that her daughter loves dearly...the quilt is to be called "Nila's Village" which says it all about this quilt.
Also finished is the quilt top for another friend who will be pleased to receive the Ohio wonky star. I love what white and blue do together.
Since my family has left the cottage, first there was eleven for four days, then four for four days, and the heavens opened for four days, we had family weekend with sweetie's siblings cancel and we said the bad news was we didn't have company, and the good news was we didn't have company!
We spent days watching the amazing Olympics and loved the views of London. If the photos of that beautiful city didn't inspire one to travel there nothing will!
So they ended and I was back to the computer to came across the photo of a whale that a friend of my daughter took off the coast of British Columbia. It is a grand photo, one to be enlarged and framed to be sure.
We are off, before I can even start sewing, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to the Canadian Canoe/Kayak Championships. I am going to have an opportunity to get my picture taken with at least one of our Olympians. Wahoo.
I tell you September can't come to soon to start to settle down and sew. I have all the blocks done from the fabric sent by Shay (of Aussie fame), and also an Ohio Star to be put together. Time has moved too quickly for me this summer. Do you find that for you too?
See you in a couple of weeks.
Here in Canada, we use the Moose as a great image to promote anything....this is at the Olympic Village for all the athletes to see.
The moose was an original idea to promote Ontario activities one year. Companies bought the moose for charity promotions, the city of Toronto had them all over the city and they were a great source of attractions!
Now, years later, we have one in London. I believe that there is one at London House where our diplomats have offices. Don't know that for sure, but there should be one.
I love this one!
The above photo was Google's tribute to Amelia Erhart today. 115 years. Gosh, Google does great stuff every day. Also today, with the passing of Sally Ride, it is good to remember these women who were pioneers.
Another quilt in the making. My friend Mary who contributed fabrics to my stash wanted to make a quilt. Well, she designed and I sewed....this was the result of one day's work at the cottage even though it was very hot day which would have been better spent in the water...
It's the same pattern as this one, but
look what happens when the colour palette changes. Totally different quilt.
This is the one that my friend Dawn made while she was here. I am always surprised at the different colours we all choose for projects that are similar.
I have decided to make bread! I used to make bread in another lifetime, so it should be easy for me. Well it wasn't easy, but not too difficult either. Timing is everything. I bought silicone pans, which should be put on a cookie sheet as the pans are a bit wobbly and the loaf on the right jiggled as it was going in the oven, so it's a bit wonky.
No rain as yet. Who is getting rain? We have a total fire ban in the area here, as well as Algonquin Park. No outdoor fires whatsoever even cooking. If one must cook out doors, propane stoves are allowed. This is the worst drought in years as I cannot remember this edict ever being broadcast in our area.
The weather has cooled today, but still, when the radio says 40% chance of rain, who really believes it?
What an honour to be the flag bearer for a Nation. Simon Whitfield our long distance medalist from the last summer Olympics is Canada's choice. Truly an honour for this athlete.
So many people got to have their photos taken with Simon including my grandchildren, Courtney and Jeremy. Total Bliss as you can see!
Our hopefuls were at a reception for Simon at the canoe club where they train, work and do volunteer work.
A small affair at their club to send off the canoe/kayak Olympians ended up with hundreds of young and old paddlers sending them all off.
I am so excited....can't wait.
I have been in the city getting my machine repaired and learned so much about what I did to my poor sewing machine. First, I should have made sure that the fusible web was fused! Then, not messed with the machine like I did. I actually put the bobbin tension out.
Whatever, it is here and I am happy to have it back.
It is Friday after all, so my favourite thing today is being back home with my loves, the dog and the sweetie, not necessarily in that order!
This, is my new project. I received some 30s prints from Shay. She said they were all extras from her stash! Wow, I had days to decide what I would do with all the beautiful prints.
You know the saying so much to do, so little time...not quite for me, but making a decision to use
the fabric in a way that it would be
really used.
I decided on Roses of Picardy which is an old design. The centre has not been decided as yet, but I am thinking a soft yellow centre instead of black as the black is too harsh for the block.
I am having trouble with the fusible web. Actually, it is the threads that keep looking like they shred when sewn for more than one part of a pattern. Poor machine, I think when I was cleaning it, that I must have moved a small wire or something in the upper feeder. So much for cleaning my own machine. Which, by the way is a Janome 6600 and does not need to be oiled as I have it cleaned professionally once a year. Next week is my once a year....
The pile is my quilts....can you believe it? That is minus 5 quilts that have gone to a good home, plus the three that I have on beds here at the cottage.
I am gifting one for the best pot luck dish at our annual supper. I think one of the nice things about quilting is the ability to see the happiness on the faces of people receiving our love projects.
A very busy week so far. My friend Dawn came to visit. She isn't much of a quilter she says, so between the two of us we made this quilt for her in a day and a half.
Wish I could take credit for the quilt, but it comes from Moda Bake shop via Quilting in the Rain blog. Easy and quick but so effective.
It was a joyous moment when Dawn saw the quilt finished. She actually took all her extra fabrics home and hopes to be able to remember how to make it....on her own.
Also, our friends returned from Cozumel, and came to pick up their dog which we had been looking after, He is a great dog. part poodle and spaniel. Our dog missed him this morning when he woke up.
Today is my daughter's 51st birthday. I don't think a day goes by, no matter where we are that we do not communicate. Loving her is the easiest thing I have to do in this world. Just like the song....
The weather has lacked so much rain that there is a total fire restriction in our area. So many of us are going through the same weather this summer. While it seems good, it isn't for the birds and insects which share a close relationship. It isn't for the farmers who need the birds and insects to pollinate their fruit crops. Nature is needing some balance....wishing for rain is something I never thought I'd do, but we do need it.
It has been so humid that my fusible web on my new project stuck to the needle....does that say it all?
This is the last of the flip flop quilts. Also known as thongs in parts of the world, but here thongs say underwear!
I made another of these which are so popular that I do want to keep one for myself. I loved making these quilts! Such fun to pair
colourful blocks together. Again I used the remains of the jelly roll from Walmart plus a couple of other little bits of left over fabrics.
Having written that, I have purchased fabric online which will be a surprise to receive. I ordered from Missouri Quilt Shop, their sale of the day. The cost of shipping was more than the fabric.It cost $15.00 to ship to Canada. $5.00 for shipping in the US/ Why is shipping so expensive to Canada from some stores?
The lilies are almost open in my
garden which is the septic bed! I am going to split them this fall as they are getting crowded. I love lilies, I do think they are my favourite flower, well I love bee balm too of course, so they are both almost blooming.
I am pretty sure that there will be hummingbird babies at the feeder soon. The females are feeding more frequently, which says the babies are born. We shall see.
Canada Day was spectacular here at the lake. Lots of fireworks, but in the capital, Ottawa, it was awash with red and white, and last night the fireworks finished off a great day. Happy Birthday Canada....one day late.
I love Fridays! For me it isn't so much of a difference from other days of the week, except that the lake becomes active with the arrival of other cottagers.
I finished this quilt yesterday, I made this using scraps of nine patches, then cut them diagonally, then, I fitted them to
make random squares.
I love the back which is done with orange dots in strips. The backing which is a muslin piece I found, was just a little bit too short in length and just the same in width, so I made this awesome back! I think I could do this as a front on any modern quilt. My sweetie loves it too of course because it is so simple. I used a curvy pattern from my sewing machine to quilt it.
Favourite things.
I subscribe to Tip Nut.com...it is a great sight which every week the news letter comes with so many ideas that it boggles the mind. I get it on Thursday but wait till Friday morning to open it. So it is a Friday Favourite for me.
The other new favourite sight I have found is a young woman who won a You Tube contest and posts weekly about so many crafty and cooking things. The Crafty Gemini is also an awesome sight.
This is our Canada Day long weekend. There will be fireworks, BBQs galore so lots of stuff to do with friends and family. We are going to be fairly quiet as we are on our own.
I am not starting any projects this weekend. I am relaxing at the water's edge. I do have the flip flop quilt to hand sew the binding but other than that, all sewing is put away.
Enjoy your weekend, and be careful out there!
Normally on Sunday mornings we sleep in a bit, after all it is the beginning of the week.
The dogs needed out, so as I stepped out onto the deck with them, this is what greeted us!
Even the dogs looked over to see what this was. It appears, this is probably a hundred year
old dock that somehow has had
the urge to wander. There are five huge 15-20 ft logs under all the rotted board! We have no idea how it got here or where it came from either.
My sweetie moved it to the other side of the lake, attached it to a tree so that the township can come and remove it. There are huge spikes sticking out of it and at night it would certainly be dangerous for navigation.
We were lucky to move it before
the rains started.
Also seen this morning was a small beaver who looked at the dock with wonder.
I finished up the second of the flip flop quilts. It will be a bit smaller than the first one I made, but just as colourful. Okay, I am done with these for the summer.
For years this little sucker has been my ironing board. I just didn't have space for a large ironing board, so I made do.
Sometimes, for a large project I used three or four sheets to press items, well no more.
I was on the Missouri Star Quilt Shop site and there was an easy pressing board.
I asked my sweetie to cut me a
large board. Over the board, is a large towel, made like a pillow case, and over that, an old sheet, made to fit over that. It is awesome, doesn't take up any more room than my cutting mat.
As we head to the city on highway 35, there is a church with a sign that says...We may not be Dairy Queen, but you should try our Sundays!" Isn't that cute?
Oh how much fun is it to send off surprises to special people! They don't know they are getting these in the mail!
I have been making these two quilts for twin boys...great great nephews...born in April of this year.
I also decided to send a couple of other quilts along to complete my culling of quilts.
I don't know about you, but passing quilts on, even though it is hard to part
with them gives one a very special feeling.
I finally figured out the label thing. Oh goodness why does it take me so long to learn things? My private teacher Helen too five minutes and there it was, a label.
So, away I went and made four of them in minutes. Next, I am going to do the freezer paper thing. The fabric from the
purchased quilt label package was very
stiff, so I had to machine sew it on the
quilt.
I am really pleased how it all turned out.
I returned home from dentist, who is in the city, driving such an exotic car that I didn't know what kind it was. Tells you where the money is doesn't it?
Anyway, he is a great dentist, so an implant is on the way for my
dazzling smile.
Anyway, I returned home to a lovely package of 1930s fabrics from Shay in Australia. (Quilting in my Pyjamas for those that don't know) and oh my, I am through with all my stash busting for now. I am going to make something with what Shay sent and add (Quilt On) Bev's fabrics also.
Making a quilt larger than 65-70" is a challenge for quilting on the machine. But, there is a Mennonite group on my way home, so I am asking on Tuesday when travelling once again to the city, if they take the quilts to hand quilt. Would that not be something?
"An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets, the more interested he is in her..." Agatha Christie.
Someone brought these napkins for the weekend once. I never really noticed what the caption was over time, but looked at the writings again and chuckled as I read it.
I just do not like the camping thing, bugs, no power, no showers, and no hair dryer....Oh wait, when the power goes out here, it
could be like that till we power up the
generator!
Well here is one of Helen's completed quilts which is going to Switzerland with her. She will be gone for a month, and also plans to visit Venus for one of the Operas.
She has shown me how to make
labels. Here is hers for one of the
quilts, done in Italian as that is the language is of her hosts.
There are many sites on the web for making labels, but being challenged when it comes to directions, I now know how to make them.
As usual, the cabin offers the
perfect background for photos
for her work.
The weekend was full of sewing and quilting in spite of the lovely weather, I was pretty much at my little space in the sun room
Got my first flowers of the season from our neighbours. The girls brought them over which was a lovely surprise.
They are all so fresh and beautiful. I always thank the cottage guy, but it is actually the cottage gal that picks them up....she had to tell me that ....
From George Carlin, which is how I feel.
I was looking in the mirror the other day and I realized I haven't changed much since I was in my 20s. The only difference is I look a whole lot older now!
PS...I received a parcel from blogging friend Bev in Oakville. The photos will be shown later, but the fabric is perfect. I have a project in mind already. Thank you Bev for sending the extras.
When we came back to the cottage this spring, I vowed to use up my stash.
Now compared to some of you, I only have a bit, but my fabrics, batting and a few other things, must fit into a cedar chest. I don't have room for everything else that makes up quilting.
I do have small suitcases stacked to store threads etc.
I sorted through fabrics on Sunday morning. I cut out 6" squares and discovered that I had 3 X 6 white already cut out which is what I needed.
Then, I found about 10 metres
of wide white backing. What was I thinking when I bought that? I do not remember that purchase!
So, today I made the quilt top which is going to an Aunt when we visit this summer...Yep we are off this island in August. Can you believe that?
I found the green and pink wheels at the bottom of the chest. I had nine squares, which I made for my second quilt. I had to totally square these up and still have lots of the dots fabrics...are you surprised that I still have lots of dots? anyway, I made a sewing machine cover and did some bits of improv on the sides of it to see what those free motion people do when they have creative moments.
I totally impressed myself I tell you, but wow, what a lot of thread that one uses for this straight stitch stuff.
I bought bamboo batting which is lighter than warm and white which I usually use, but for $9.00 a metre, how could I not try it? I think I actually must have used some of this before and it feels so soft and light. A perfect price point.
Helen, the proverbial quilter, is in a flurry as she is making quilts for all the friends in Europe that she will be visiting this summer. Knitting beautiful light scarves too for the daughters of the friends, but the quilts are just amazing in their simplicity.
She will give me a lesson in label making this weekend as I, for the life of me cannot get my head around making labels on the computer. Another lesson from my private teacher....she endures so much from me I tell you..."OK, show me one more time please?" and she does!
We are heading into the city for a few days. Of course we shall be leaving in rain as we refused to leave our little paradise today which is warm and breezy.... OK, it is blowing a bit, but a beauty day.
I love summer in Canada.
I
It isn't often that we get both of our hopefully future Olympians here at the cottage on a long weekend.
This year, for Victoria Day (the mighty queen), the kids came up with their boats to a perfect perfect weather weekend on May 24.
In previous years we have had snow, sleet, and mighty winds, so getting calm bright days to enjoy the lake is a bonus at this time of year.
Practices were early morning, so up at 6 am to follow the boats to
ensure safety was good for me as I am used to getting up early.
With coffee in hand, we delivered the boats back to the marina only to find that a bear had tried to eat our truck cover.
Since the bear visits, we have been diligent about food at the cottage. Never ever did we expect (duh) that a bear would be on the mainland at the marina. Anyway, lots of garbage around, the cover is totaled. Another lesson learned by us after 12 years.
The top looks like it had a rotary cutter doing work....must have been a seam of sorts on the cover.
So, another week has passed. I am making two more baby quilts as my grandnephew and his wife have had twin boys. Got the fabric yesterday to have a project over the weekend as the weather is deteriorating as I am writing this blog. Do I care?
I am looking for some 1930 type fabric, either charms, jellies or layer cakes. I know that there should be yellow in the fabrics and that's about it. Do you know where to get this?
For Sale: copy of encyclopedia Britannica...$200.00. Recently got married and husband knows everything! (one could substitute wife somewhere herein )
Have a good weekend!
At the cottage for the past week, there has been sunshine, light winds and a lot of sewing going on.
Helen and I made baby quilts. She is off on a trip with her darling, visiting a friend who is a new grandmother to a beautiful little girl, so pink was in her charms, for making her quilt.
I, on the other hand made for a boy born April 24th this year. I love the green blocks added to the soft blues of this quilt. A simple but effective look to the finished product.
We both cut out 5" blocks and 3" sashings to make the quilts.
I made mine almost reversible. I always
have trouble with backings and after much measuring and deciding what to do, I am very pleased with the results.
It is hard to blog about ones life when that life is so busy. I note many of us are so busy sewing we don't have time to blog, and sometimes, the brain just doesn't register an interesting, (in my opinion) blog.
Our life has had so much happening in the last week, with three, count em three deaths of friends, quite suddenly. Trips to the city is always an event, so it is with relief although sadness that we are here at the cottage, but thankful for good health once again.
This is a photo of Helen's cabin where many quilt photos have been taken as the cabin sits in the little wooded area behind her cottage.
As I was returning along the path this morning I could not resist another shot at the wonderful cabin.
Laughter is the best medicine.....a man and woman who have been married many many years are sitting at the breakfast table....
The man...when I die, I want to you to sell all my tools and stuff right away....
The woman.....Why?
The man....Well I feel that you will remarry and I don't want some jerk touching and using my stuff!
The woman....what makes you think I'd marry another jerk?
A big pot luck party with over a hundred people this year! A great success. The food was fabulous as usual and with a quilt going to the best dish, the competition was fierce!
The little house quilt is going to a sweet girl that her daughter loves dearly...the quilt is to be called "Nila's Village" which says it all about this quilt.
We spent days watching the amazing Olympics and loved the views of London. If the photos of that beautiful city didn't inspire one to travel there nothing will!
