Friday 30 January 2015

Decisions, decisions...

Recently I've been having a flare up of my Rheumatoid Arthritis mainly in my hands so I've not been able to do any of the handiwork or projects I want to do.  They are still bothering me but when I saw this free BOM mystery project from Stacy West at Buttermilk Basin blog I decided to jump in.  Is it not the sweetest block you've seen in awhile?
I chose the wool fabrics for my block and then had to decide on a background so here were my interviewees to choose from.  A cream, yellow white star fabric was my first choice.
 An old Debbie Mumm blue with yellow stars.
 A dark cream with black stars.
 A light blue with white stars with green centres.
 A Buggy Barn cream on cream star fabric.
 Another Buggy Barn blue on blue star fabric.
 A grey blue version of the Buggy Barn stars.
 A medium cream on cream of Buggy Barn stars.
 Final choice yellow and cream stars.
 Final choice all stitch up the light blue stars.  As you see I changed the colour of the star on the sheep to turquoise, I'm not really a red star person.
 So here is a link to Stacy's announcement of the Mystery BOM.  She is planning on making a button at the side of her blog to link back to the pattern site.  Here is that pattern link for you January block link. The future blocks will be released on the 15th of the month so have fun with this new project, I know I will.

Thursday 15 January 2015

A new leaf or two.

Yesterday was freezing and grey first thing. But the skies turned bright blue as I went for a late morning walk along the quay. The orange witch hazel has new growth popping out all over.



The frost was melting, making some lovely droplets on the leaves.


I think this has to be my favourite plant to photograph.


The orange is just so vibrant.


Touches of green of the grass and lichens make for interesting contrasts.


The beauty berry bush is another favourite at this time of the year.


Again the droplets and the backgrounds add some lovely shapes.


The range of red to pink to purple is amazing.


Interesting how some of the berries are clusters and other solitary.


As I came back along the quay the fog rolled in...loved this patch of sunlight on the water the fog closed up over the sun as I took the photo but you can just see the outline if you look close, it is just to the left below the pale blue patch.


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Wednesday 7 January 2015

A New Leaf...first finish of 2015

Remember the pattern I won from Reets?



Well I finished it this morning. I thought the stitching girl looked like an angel so I decided to do a little design modification. I mentioned this to Reets when I sent her the thank you note.


I also decided to use the flower motif on the back of the case.


While doing my stitching I mislaid the needle motif and then of course found it after cutting out a second one. I decided to make a mini needle book with it.


Here is the whole set, I added a second spool to the back of the mini needle book. I may add something to the scissor case along with a closure.


I'm very please with how it all turned out and once again thank Reets for gifting me with this lovely pattern.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tuesday 6 January 2015

Grey days means....

...perfect time for stitching. A lonely crow keeping vigil during the rain coming down.



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Friday 2 January 2015

Sew Finish It review.

January brought some rain to my area perfect to do some stitching.
 This cute snowman was one of the first Sew Finish It projects I did.
 I also finished stitching my Winter Primitive Gatherings banner, now to quilt it.
Snowdrops were starting to show their blooms albeit in rain not snow  but snow would arrive.
 The yellow witch hazel was also in bloom, always a bit later than the orange variety.
Hoochy Hearts ready to be mailed out for a swap, some will stay behind I went a bit overboard.

 February brought my birthday month....February Block of the Month under way....
.....and the first robin of the year on my birthday!
 A couple of crows just sitting around like good friends catching up.
 The first day of Spring March 20th showed the Cherry Blossoms starting to come forth.
 I was on track with sewing my March Block of the Month.
 I drove three friends down to La Connor to see a Sue Spargo display of her wool work. This is on my to do list, I'm gathering different wool colours and thinking of changing it up a bit.
 Her Birds are also on my to do list.
 Another group of birds.
 Spring brought forth many lovely blossoms along the quay.
 Daffodils in profile.
 Cherry Blooms almost in full bloom.
 A street near a good friend where the trees have been peched over in a canopy.
 Mika BOM had two parts for the first session.
Not my usual colour palette but I fell in love with it when I saw Maria designing it.
This is what it is going to look like once all the work is done.  Just gorgeous!  The Cloth Shop in Vancouver B.C. is where you can get this beauty.
Hoochy Hearts back and ready to be sewn together....sometime....

 April found me still working on my blocks but keeping up, adding a few items to make it mine.  The spools are made of flannel and I've decided to wait and sew them all at once.
A closer look at April's block.
 Finished one of my BOW freebies, now did I order the finishing kit?
May BOM well in progress, that bunny needs a pink nose I think.
 Sewing at a friends in May we do this a couple of times a year in her amenities room.
 Not the right month but got the stitching done, now to do the hand quilting.
 May flowers on the Quay are always spectacular.
 Wet from the sprinklers.
 Busy as a bee.
 Summer BOW from Primitive Gatherings done except where it will overlap onto next block.
 June block done.
 Second BOW done.
 July 1st Canada had sunny blue skies with a brisk wind.
 Meet the Crows, for a Mary Lou swap.
 July I drove down to Sisters Oregon to go to the outdoor quilt show.
 Checked out Quiltworks.
 B.J's Quilt Basket.
 Material Girls.
 The Stitching Post the day before the show.
 Jean Wells speaking at the Picnic in the Park the night before.
 My dear blogging friend Anna of Woolie Mammoth.
 Stitching Post being decorated by Firemen just before the official opening.
 The Cow Parade year two at the show.
My The Cow Jumped Over the Moon front and centre.
 Looking along the highway, they diverted traffic around the main road through town.
  The Stitching Post at the height of the show.
 Received the Hoochy Birds back, aren't they great!
 Sew Finish It, a pincushion freebie from Primitive Gatherings, needs to be stuffed.
 Another pincushion from Buggy Barn, I'm going to make it into a needle case.
 Another pincushion from Buggy Barn, will be for long needles.  I'm so sad they closed.
 September I went to an antique show with a friend and brought home this beauty...
 ....and also this handsome guy.
 Prepped blocks for another hoochy swap...can't show the finished look of them yet.
 My dear friend Ethel Snow was the program for our September meeting.  Her t-shirt says little bit of mischief and has Tinkerbell on it.
 Her wool house blocks, amazing!
 Sew Finish It English Paper Pieced sewing case.
 Finished the base quilt for the seasonal banner quilts.
 Took a trip down to Oregon and checked out the new location of Pioneer Quilts.
 Amazing house with lovely architecture.
 Another on my list of want to do.
 Off to the coast and Centre Diamond Quilts.
 They pack a lot into this small space.
 A little bit of everything can be found.
 Something always finds it way home with me.
 A walk out towards Haystack Rock at low tide.
 Lighthouse out on the rocks.
 Wild life taking a quick sip.
 October at our annual retreat at Harrison Hot Springs Resort.  I finished piecing my first owl swap together.  There will be something added to this piece.
 Machine quilting on another not to be revealed yet piece.
 All the blocks done up til October, January will be the last block received.
 Toadstool found under the roses on the Quay.
 Autumn is coming.
 Dressed for Hallowe'en bit I'll be away...
 In Houston at the International Quilt Festival!
 Overlooking the floor the evening we arrived to late to go in.

 Ruby Anniversary.
 Ruby Quilts.
 My favourite quilt in the show by David Walker.
 Ah...
 Terry Aske's Swoop of the SkyTrain bridge as it crosses over the Fraser River not far from where we live.
November BOM keeping up!

 November colour in the trees and sky.
 Another get together at Tricia's for a day of sewing Hoochy Hearts, still more to be added but a good start.
 Remember..
 December block also done!  Now to work on January.  And then to do all the spools.

Sew Finish It was my phrase for 2014. I've decided A New Leaf will be the phrase for 2015!