Package in the mail!

My dear friend Anna in Sisters Oregon sent me a lovely package with more than a few surprises in it. When I went down to the outdoor show, the Stitchin' Post had already sold out of their 40th anniversary row by row experience licence plates. Anna was able to get me mine before they sold out again!


She also sent along two others from Fabric Depot and a pattern I missed, the surprise of the one from Cool Cootons, a shop I've not been to. Also included was the grey and white Valeri Wells fabric and a very cue card. Thanks Anna you are a true gem of a friend!

Wednesday I did a bit of blue stash enhancement with a surprise of apricot from Stitch 'n' Bobbin in North Vancouver.


Then a quick trip to Fabricanna on the way home to see if they had any snowflake buttons for a friend when I saw these lovely three ribbons calling my name.


Not a bad day for hump day! And best yet woke up to rain this morning which hopefully will help with the ongoing forest fire fighting!

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Slow stitching Sunday.

Another look at my first Bird Dance block.


Drizzle stitches for the topknot, woven picot over the wool beak.


Wing detail.


Love those bullion knot feet.


Block two.


Added a few bullion stitches to the beak, I used some of Sue Spargo's Eleganza cotton Perle thread for the beak.


Sea grass French knots and drizzle stitches.


Cute feet again.


Block four. Missing some threads hope to get them at my wool group Wednesday.


Fly stitch, French knots, back stitch. Cute wonky feet.


A start on block four.


Decided to add some bullion knots around the circles, may backstitch the orange ones and blue ones.


Even wonkier feet.


Time to do a bit of stitching on block six.
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Happy Fifth Anniversary The Needle and I!

The closest quilt shop to me is having a wonderful challenge to celebrate their fifth anniversary.

Here are the results.


Love this one replicating the store front. The challenge fabric is the striped fabric in the windows.


Cute variation of a nine patch.


Fun fabrics with the challenge fabric.


Small pieces on the left of the challenge fabric.


Circle play.


Pinwheels.


Balloons for a celebration.


Bouncing balls.


Champagne bubbles in Paris?


Star.


Slow as a snail..


More circles.


Oops, I missed the quilted bowl as a close up, sorry.

Happy Anniversary Debbie and all who help you in the shop.
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Progress...

From appliqués...


To decorative stitching backgrounds..



But first basting some wool and coloured cottons using Aurifil Lana wool thread and cotton threads.


First bird basted and waiting for decorative stitching.


Block two...


Block four...waiting for background for block two...


Block five...


Block six...


Add some Vadani Perle cotton and some Sea Grass...no picture.

Block one stitched. Need buttons for eye.


Parts of the puzzle. Onto block two.

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New Project in the Works.

Over the weekend I started stitching some backgrounds for a new project I've wanted to do for awhile.  The colours aren't in my usual wheelhouse.  But I love the overall project.  I managed to get this from another gal I met on the Internet.  Her friend had purchased the kit and then unfortunately passed away.  When she told me she was selling it I jumped at the opportunity.  Last week the first two packages arrived.  Unfortunately one block went astray but she is looking to find it.  If not found I'll find another wool to fill in.

The white circles on the lower left block are freezer paper template to aid in stitching some circles.

 By Wednesday I had all the background stitching done.

 Here is a closer look at the circles that were back stitched and then French knots added.  The block behind has one of the next layers sewn to aid in the placement of the Pistil stitches along the lined Zakka fabric.  I've never worked with it or linen and loving the texture it gives.

 Some Crested chain stitch along with some more back stitching French knots and my first attempts at Seed stitch.  I'm pleased with the results.

 The back stitch circles are a bit wonky but fortunately the next layer will cover this flaw.  Last night I started adding the next layer of wool while waiting for some Aurifil Threads to arrive.

 I also got two license plates in the mail.  One from A Needle Pulling Thread in Digby Nova Scotia, love their phrase and below is from Pacific Fabrics in Northgate Seattle Washington.

 I also found out that Laura's Fashion Fabrics in White Rock B.C. had their plate in and I had to buy a fabric treat of some lovely Batiks and some sparkly fabric.

Working on...

An old UFO...more to come soon!

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Row by Row Experience...Fraser Valley Edition

Early Saturday morning Rita and I decided to head up the Fraser Valley in search of more row by row experience quilt shops.  Our first stop for the morning was in Chilliwack at Countryfolk Fabrics and Gifts.  Imagine our disappointment to see that the store was completely gated and locked up with a sign stating...Closed for Long Weekend!  As this is over an hour drive we won't be going back again very soon especially with the high price of gas this summer.                                                                                                                                                   

Happily our next stop on the way home also in Chilliwack was Open for business and a very busy shop called Hamel's Fabrics.  Below is their row of sailboats, they didn't do a license plate.

 I've been to at least five locations of this shop over my quilting life and always find this shop a delight.  They have all sorts of samples hanging on the walls.

 Love those ice skating blocks.

 Woolie Snowman border this beauty.

 Threads and some pillows, notice the quilt on the ceiling...missed that when I was there, it looks like on of the row by row quilts.

 At the base of the stairs leading to their second floor is part of their wool fabric selection.

 Also some more inside the main floor just before the stairs.

I got some more lovely pink charm squares to keep my other selection from Sisters company.

 Next stop was A Great Notion in Abbotsford.  They designed this great row depicting wildlife along the Fraser River and our provincial flower the Dogwood.

They have two location and have an extensive selection of sewing notions, threads, rulers for both home and quilting.

 Hexagon quilt sample on the wall.

I think that is a Mckenna Ryan quilt in that corner by the threads.

 They have two license plates, one for each shop.

I've been looking for the row by row licence plate fabric and found some here!

 They also had an interested visitor in their parking lot...didn't see any purchases though!

 After lunch we went to A Great Notion in Surrey on the Langley By-Pass.  Lovely detail for the four seasons of H2O Sue!

 I love how their row can be either vertical, horizontal or even a four patch!

 They have a great clearance section in the corner and some wonderful specials for the long weekend!

 Love their black and white.

 Another wonderful license plate.

 Don't you love that fun sewing themed fabric...see how they show the three different settings for their row.  Love it!

We decided not to go to the last shop on our planned list in Surrey, Tom's Sewing as they are part of the same company that has the shop in Chilliwack so we presumed they also would be closed.

I just realized I've not shared some other Vancouver locations for row by row.  This first one is my LQS The Needle and I in Burnaby.  Love this shoreline view from above that Debbie designed.

 The first place I encountered as a quilt shop in about 1987 was The Cloth Shop.  They are located on Granville Island and one of my favourite shops in the lower mainland.  Maria one of the co-owners of the shop designed this lovely west (wet) coast themed row.

 On the north shore in North Vancouver Stephanie from Bobbin and Stitch shares this west coast lifestyle row.

 About 30 minutes from home is Laura's Fashion Fabrics in White Rock.  Is this not one of the most action packed row!

 Rows shown are The Quilted Bear in Ladner on top, Laura's Fashion Fabrics second row.  A Great Notion Abbotsford row three.  Sorry I don't know row four and five.  Row six is Bobbin and Stitch in North Vancouver. Seven and eight I don't know.  But it is a lovely quilt.  I'm heading over there next week to pick up my liscence plate so I'll correct the missing rows. The photo is a bit blurry as I took it with my iPod.

 Love the detail embroidery work on the White Rock in the lower right hand corner or their second sample of the row.