Paducah

I was lucky enough to go to Paducah with 3 friends this year.  We were told this wasn’t a good year to judge Paducah, as so many venues had to be moved because of the flooding and this meant that things were all over the place.  That aside, I didn’t enjoy Paducah nearly as much as Houston and I wouldn’t go back.

We encountered the flight from hell from Chicago to Paducah.  That was the day the tornado hit Alabama and I’m sure we were flying through at least part of it.  The turbulence was awful and the flight attendant wasn’t allowed to leave her seat for the entire flight.  I actually considered driving home, but medicated myself enough to get on the flight and both flights home were fine.

The quilts were amazing but I didn’t take my camera to the show.  It’s a big heavy SLR and while it takes beautiful pictures, I didn’t want to be carrying it around all day.  I’m sure the website has better pictures than I could have taken anyway.

I did show amazing some restraint with my purchases.

I dropped a good bit of money at Fern Hill Quilts – her fabrics were gorgeous.

I also managed to find some batiks I couldn’t live without at Hancock’s of Paducah.  They were mostly 1 yard cuts for $6.95/yard – practically free :-) but on the whole I found their prices really high.  Their Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs and Layer Cakes were the most expensive I saw on our trip.

The American Quilt Museum had a sale on Friday morning.  You purchased a baggie for $10 and got all the fabric you could stuff in it.  It started at 8 A.M. and by 8:15 everything was gone.  Since we had been up since 3 A.M. watching the wedding, it wasn’t a problem getting there on time.

What a wedding celebration we had!

Margaret brought us hats, homemade scones, Devon cream and strawberry jam, as well as English Breakfast Tea and a commemorative mug.

We all met in Margaret & Diane’s room around 3 and the celebration began – left to right – Lee, Margaret & Diane.

A close-up at 4 in the morning without make-up – what I won’t do for my loyal followers!

Notice Margaret made me a PINK hat – does she know me or what!!

Busy Hands

I think I’m going to have to add “Knitting” to my header as there seems to be a lot more knitting going on around here lately than quilting.

I just finished this scarf by Churchmouse and enlisted Bruno’s help to model it for the picture.

It was very easy – after you get the 648 stitches cast on!  The yarn I used is 100% milk fiber.  I’m not sure if it will turn to butter when I wash it.  Who knew you could make yarn from milk!

It was originally knit in Koigu, which is a Canadian yarn and comes in some luscious colours.  Here are just a few that I couldn’t resist buying.

The two on the far left are actually Bamboo from a local company called Dyeversions.  I’ve made many scarves from their bamboo before and it is a dream to work with and drapes beautifully.

The three in the middle are to make this.  It is knit horizontally too and looks like it’s woven when it’s done.

My friend Lee just got back from Texas and just in case I ran out of wool, I ordered some from Knitpicks and had it shipped to her to bring back for me.  This should keep me busy for a while.

I plan to knit socks with this.

As if that wasn’t enough, a friend gifted me this on the weekend:

It’s Mini Mochie and I think suitable for socks too.

I do still quilt – honest – in fact I went to a quilting retreat this weekend.  I must admit I spent more time knitting than sewing as I took all the wrong things.  I am determined to get all my kits sewn, so I picked a couple and thought I was all set – wrong!

One of the kits was short fabric so I couldn’t complete the tablerunner.  When I pulled out the second kit and started reading the instructions, I realized I needed a book which was at home.  It was an add on to a Bag Lady class I had taken several years ago and I didn’t realize the pattern was from the book – I thought it was in the kit.

I did get this accomplished though.

There are supposed to be 4 blocks on the right, and they were designed to be placemats with some additional blocks and sashing.  I think I’m just going to put them on point, add some set in triangles and call it finished.

My hands and wrists are killing me from all the knitting I’ve been doing, so I think I need to give knitting a rest and get back to finishing some of these quilting projects.

One of These Tops is Not Like the Other

I’ve been fighting a sore throat and cold this week, but plugged along and got Lovebird Lane finished.

I e-mailed this picture to my friend Joan yesterday then noticed that all the large roses in the border were sewn together wrong.  I’ve been looking at this on my design wall all week, but didn’t notice the mistake till I saw the picture.  After I’d said “oh, darn it” (for those of you that know me, you know it was a little stronger than that – well, actually a lot stronger than that) I started taking the border apart to fix it.

Here is the corrected version and if there is a mistake in this one, it’s going to have to stay there!

I’m dreading quilting this as I’m a panto girl and there is no way I can do a panto on this as there are a lot of three dimensional elements in the blocks,  It’s going to need custom work so for now, it will go in the ‘to be quilted’ pile and I’ll think about that another day.

You all know what a huge animal lover I am and I heard some very sad news yesterday.  My friend Deb, over at Rags N Quilts lost Harry, her gorgeous ragdoll kitty.  He was only 5 and my heart just aches for Deb.  Those of us who have loved and lost an animal know what she is going through.

Delinquent Blogger

I have so much admiration for people who blog daily.  It takes real commitment and you have to make it a priority.  Unfortunately, I’m not one of those people.

I’ve been really busy, but I don’t have a whole lot to show for it.  I went on Retreat a couple of weekends ago and I had planned to have my Lovebird Lane top completed.  Ha – that didn’t happen – it still isn’t completed. 

I did get the blocks done

but I’m still working on the pieced border.  These are the bows for the corners

and these are 8 of the 18 flowers on the border.

The other 10 flowers have even more piecing that these ones.  It’s one of those – what on earth was I thinking quilts!

In between piecing this fussy border, I did manage to go and see Melissa Etheridge and Serena Ryder in concert.  I’ve been a fan of Melissa’s for years and I really like Serena’s music too, so the fact that they were together was an added bonus.

Last weekend my girlfriend Ursula and I went back to The Hillcrest Spa.  It was a wonderful 24 hours.  Now we’re just waiting until we win the lottery so we can go and live there.

The crocuses are in bloom in Leo’s garden so spring must be coming.  I hope so!

I caught Molly cuddled up beside “Marmalade” on the chaise in our bedroom – they could be from the same litter!

The weights are purely ornamental :-)

It’s Beginning to Look Like Home

The dust is settling from the renovation – the floors are done, the painters are finished and all I’m waiting for now are my window treatments which should be here in about 3 weeks. 

I got my Blooming Nine Patch finished, but it’s been renamed “The Frog Prince”.   I quilted this baby twice – the first time with a small pleat in the backing that I knew would drive me crazy, so I frogged the whole thing.  It took me almost 2 weeks, but as my grandmother always told me, if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.  I’m glad I did.

Here’s a close-up of the quilting:

The panto is Ambrosia and after doing it twice, I could do it in my sleep.

I can’t believe that it’s almost March and that is the only quilting I’ve done this year.  I’m going on a Retreat in a couple of weeks, so I better get my act together and decide what I’m going to take to work on.

When my sewing room was under construction, I did do a bit of knitting.

These scarves are so popular – it seems everyone who sees one, wants one.  There was a lady here on Saturday helping me decide on window treatments and when she saw them, she asked if she could buy one so I did actually knit 5.  They knit up so quickly, but now the yarn is sold out everywhere. 

I had a wonderful Valentine’s Day spent with Bon Jovi.  He put on another amazing concert – in my opinion, even better than the one in July.  My favourite quote of his for the night was “Bon Jovi is like Viagra for women”.  It’s the smile, girls – his smile just melts my heart!!!!

Tonight Sandra & I are going to see Billy Elliot, the musical.  I’m not really sure what to expect.  We both watched the movie so know the story – I just hope we can understand them better.  I usually don’t have a problem with English accents, but I spent more time rewinding to try and figure out what they said than I did watching the movie!

I’m also missing my best friend Lee.  She is down in sunny McAllen Texas for a couple of months and every day I see the wonderful weather she is getting and look out my window at the snow and freezing cold.  She wanted me to come down for a week and I really wanted to go, but in order to get there from here I would have to take 3 flights and that just doesn’t appeal to me.  As you know, I don’t like flying to begin with and the thought of all those changes and layovers, especially by myself, makes me a bit nervous.  With so many flight cancellations due to weather this winter, it would be just my luck to get stranded somewhere like Detroit.

So, I live vicariously through her e-mails and console myself knowing that I can order anything I want and have it shipped to her and she will bring it back for me :-)  I wonder just how much fabric a trailer will hold?  I don’t think her husband wants to find out!

Questions & Answers

I had a number of questions on my last post, but unfortunately, they didn’t leave e-mail addresses so I could respond, so I’ll do it here.

Liz asked: 

“I am about to get a new quilt room almost from scratch. Did you find a good resource with advice regarding design? I would love to find something like that. “

There are a number of books out there on designing your space, but I find that most of them I couldn’t relate to my room because it’s so small.  I really think you have to find what works for you and how you like your room set up.  I love having my threads in easy reach, especially when I’m embroidering.  I also like my ironing board right beside my table for easy access.

Peggi asked:

“Aww, too bad you already ordered the flannel sheet. I would have suggested getting a couple of yards of el cheapo batting. I find my blocks stick to it MUCH better than the flannel! “

Actually, Peggi I did try batting on it but a certain little Molly cat found it before we were able to mount it on the wall and thought it would make a great scratching post.  When we woke up in the morning it was in shreds. 

Peggi also said:

Thanks for the info on the Dyson, I'd been thinking about getting one.

I know lots of people own Dyson’s and they love them but my experience has not been a good one.  As a follow-up, after my phone call on Monday, Dyson said I would receive a box on Tuesday to send it back to them for repair.  It’s Thursday and I’m still waiting for it to arrive.

I’m not too upset though, as when Leo came home on Monday night he went out and bought a new central vac unit.  I’m hoping Dyson will replace my vacuum and I’ll try and sell it.

Earlene wrote:

“Irene, One of your scraps boxes should be labeled red-violet. “

Yes, Earlene, it should be red-violet and not the P word, purple.  Earlene, or as she’s better known – Lee  - and I took a class a couple of years ago from a so-called colour expert and she said you should never use the word purple as it isn’t on the colour wheel – you should call it red-violet.

This same teacher spoke at our Guild last week and reminded us of this statement.  I won’t mention her name, but I was less than impressed with her both times I have heard her speak.  I just don’t buy what she says – i.e. – you should use a minimum of 50 fabrics and hues in a quilt in order to make it appealing.  What about 2 colour quilts – I’ve seen lots of those that I love!

Mary said:

“The room looks great but you're a much braver person than I am to claim there will never be piles again!! “

As I said to Mary, I was hoping that by putting it in writing it would keep me accountable – we’ll see!

And finally Joan said:

“Love your room! Promise me you'll take a picture a month or so after you get back to sewing. I want to see if it's still so neat and tidy! “

Joan, I promise I will take a picture in a couple of months but I can tell you right now, I’m sure it won’t be so neat and tidy.

I hate posting with no pictures, so here’s your cute fix for the day.

See that horrible carpet in the background – well it’s gone – all gone!!!!

Molly loves her door toy.

Half Way There

We’re getting there – not fast enough for my liking, but I can see progress.

My sewing room is ‘almost’ finished.  Here’s a look at it empty after the floor was installed and it was painted.

Now it looks like this:

I still have to put up window coverings and my design wall isn’t up yet either.  I had to order a flannel sheet from the Sears catalogue as I looked everywhere for a white flannel sheet and couldn’t find one.

Darren made me shelves in my closet and this has really increased my storage space. 

I PROMISE I am never, ever going to put piles in my room again.  This is going to be a pile free room from now on!

The rest of our house is still hopping though.  The upstairs bathrooms have been painted, and the wallpaper has been taken off all the hallway walls, but next we need to get the new hardwood installed, then the painters will come back and finish painting our bedroom and the upper and main floor hallways. 

Leo just called me and said the going rate to install hardwood is $2.00 a foot, which we expected, but what we didn’t expect was they want $2,000 to do 4 stairs – that’s right $2,000!!!!!  Why is nothing ever easy (or cheap, for that matter).  I’ve called Darren to see if he can help with the stairs, as he did the floor installation in my sewing room for me.

I still haven’t sewn a stitch, but I have been doing more knitting.

I really like the 2 pair on the left, but I’m not crazy about the striped ones. 

I’ve also knit a couple of these:

It’s actually a lot more attractive in person than in this picture.

Now comes my rant – my Dyson vacuum cleaner.  First, some background.  We have had central vac for years, but last year while Leo was away, it died – the motor burned out and I was desperate so I went out and bought a Dyson Animal.  Leo has hated this vacuum since day one, but I kept defending it – not because I really liked it, but because I didn’t want to admit he was right!  It’s heavy, the ball on the base makes it too large to go under anything (like a coffee table) using it as a portable needs a degree in rocket science in order to put it back together.

Naturally, when I need it most in the midst of this mess, the suction isn’t working.  I did everything recommended on the Dyson website but to no avail, so today I called them.  After almost an hour on the phone when they had me take this sucker (NOT) apart piece by piece, they determined that whatever is wrong with it is not something that can be fixed over the phone.  They are sending me a box to send it back for repair.

My poor cleaning ladies are going to earn their money this week!

I’m Overwhelmed

For the past several years, we have wanted to get rid of the broadloom in our upstairs hallway, our bedroom and my sewing room.  We’ve put it off and put it off as I knew it wasn’t going to be a fun project.  The whole place needs painted and we are putting in new hardwood on top of the existing hardwood which is underneath the broadloom.

We decided to do my sewing room first, so everything could be put back in place, then the bedroom could be done without having to move all the stuff in my sewing room onto new flooring.

This is what my sewing room looks like right now after we tore out the broadloom and emptied most of it out.

I’ve been playing with different layouts for my sewing table but it isn’t easy as what you can’t see in the picture is my sewing cabinet has a large flap on the back that comes up which I use ALL the time for cutting. 

What you also can’t see in these pictures is what I’ve already taken out of the room.

This is now sitting in our bedroom and what a time we had getting it out as it was taller than the door so we had to try and flip it which also wasn’t easy as it hit the ceiling every time we tried to flip it.  We decided to just leave it on its side for the time being.

Then we have this downstairs in my longarm room:

and this:

and this:

and let’s not forget this!

I’ve already bemoaned the fact that I have the smallest room in the house with the most stuff.  If I’d discovered my quilting passion just a couple of years earlier, before we redid our guest bedroom, I would have knocked the wall down between the guest room and my sewing room giving me a beautiful big space and it would have still left 3 bedrooms on one level just in case we kick the bucket and the kids want to sell the house.

That’s all history though and I have to try and figure out how to make what I have work.  I’m looking at paint chips and trying to decide what colour to paint and I’m also open to any and all suggestions you might have – and if you know the number for a 12 step program, that might come in handy too!

Now I Can Share

Now that everyone has received their gifts, I can show you what I’ve been up to.

I made this for Sandra and she loved it.

It’s easy to make – it’s all in the yarn!

Then I made these for her:

She loves fingertip towels in her washrooms and since they have 4 bathrooms in their house, she can never have too many. I’m glad she’s the one cleaning them and not me!

I got a lovely surprise just before Christmas when these arrived from my friend Joan in Alberta.

Aren’t they adorable! Almost makes me want to go and cook something so I can use them – almost, but not quite!

She also sent me this gorgeous wallet.

The black strip on the left is all divided for credit cards and the thinner black strip on the right is a zippered compartment. I could never make anything this fiddly and have it turn out so well – thank you Joan – you how how much I appreciate it!

Sandra & Darren surprised me yesterday with this wonderful shadowbox gift. The detail is incredible and I am really inspired now to get my sewing room redecorated so I can hang it on the wall.

Ben had a ball yesterday opening all the gifts wrapped in tissue paper. He isn’t really interested in what’s inside, he just loves to rip off tissue paper. I got a few pictures, but they didn’t turn out very well.

The joke of the day was Leo and I gave each other the same present - an iPad. Since I had his engraved, mine is going back. Thank heavens he didn't buy his from Apple and get it engraved too. I think we can live without 2 iPads!

I’ve started to empty out my sewing room today. I want to replace the flooring, paint the walls and have some storage shelves built in the cupboard. I have a feeling that by the time I move everything out of there and into our bedroom, we won’t be able to move. Hopefully this will motivate us to get it done quickly.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I wish good health and happiness for you in 2011.

The Countdown Begins

What a busy time of year it is.  Why is it that you see all these great ideas for hand made Christmas gifts about 2 weeks before the big day?  I read somewhere recently – why doesn’t anyone tell me Christmas is coming – and that’s kind of how I feel right now! 

‘Tis the season for parties, dinners, Open Houses, pot lucks and brunches but I’m ready to get back to normal.  I’m also ready to stop eating so much!

I did get my second sock finished, but you’ll have to take my word for it, as I don’t have a picture and I’m too lazy to go and take one.  I’ve got another pair almost done too.  These things are very addictive so if you haven’t tried them yet – don’t!

Since the recipient received this gift, I can share it now. 

I just quilted it with some silver metallic thread which I’m not sure you can see in the pictures.

I also made these towels for my two little adopted grandsons.  I’m not sure what I was thinking when I did these – there were over 40,000 stitches on each one – for a hand towel.  At least I know I’m crazy!

Check out the look on Alexander’s face – it was worth every one of those stitches!

While I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off, Ben & Molly have been chilling.  They have each claimed a chair – but I think they have it backwards.  The chair without the arms is supposed to be the ladies chair – it is my understanding they were made that way to accommodate a lady’s knitting needles.

We were at my girlfriend’s today for brunch and my adopted granddaughters gave Ben his Christmas present – doesn’t he look thrilled!