It's a grey day!

Grey rainy overcast skies. Grey poplars. Grey pussy willows. A very faint fuzz of green in the tree tops. Spring IS coming!

I can't seem to resist whole cloth quilted coverlets. This was such a great deal. A queen sized coverlet, 2 shams and two pillows for $69 Canadian. And a teal pillow for $20! I'd been looking for an icy pear but this wonderful light grey is very chameleon and works! If I had got this one first I just may not have accumulated the 5 that I now have. well, maybe not. This would take me through all the seasons. But I do use them for the other bed, the round decorator table and the hall cedar chest cover. They add texture and I can lay a smaller lap quilt to the foot of the beds, a colourful topper to the table and a few pillows to the chest.

The master bedroom is coming together wonderfully.

I had bought 2 wall sconces, and a overhead fixture. I wanted some, not a lot, of bling. They were close but not matching and I got my son in law to spray paint them ivory. He is SO much better at it that I! I also have a low ceiling that slopes so chandeliers are iffy. Stuccoing the ceilings was a mistake that will be rectified with nice painted beadboard as soon as I can get my rooster away from the other projects. The walls will be a light peachy pink.

The bookcases will be extended to the ceiling with a (fake) fire place in between. A slipper chair would be a good find.

I will put the toile paper (thrift shop find) inside the book cases and cover lots of books with tan butcher paper covers. I want it calm in here.

I grew up with this dresser. I did refinish it. The sconce that is perched precariously on the head board will be on the wall on each side of the bed. My 'stuff' is on a low stool. I can't imagine the wonder of spreading my stuff on a bedside table. aw, it'd be very cluttered so this is good. LOL

Now Dh has a chest that could be upgraded. I tried but it looked better in the downstairs hall. oops!

The other wall has pretty much been gobbled by the closet and main door. There is really just enough room to walk around the three sides of the bed. That's okay, I don't want to give dust bunnies too much room to race about.

With the plan in place I can work on the quilts for the foot of the bed! I am so pleased with how this is working out.

All over the place!

We circled the city, tied a knot and returned home before dark. The driver is late 40's, I am early 60's and the leader of the pack and a serious shopper is mid 70's.

We hit a white sale but I put back my towels after a quick lesson on best towels. Really? But I got a gorgeous pillow for a song and a pepper mill. Then it was off down the hall and a brief sit down at the food court for us coffee drinkers. The shopper came for a quick lunch so we could keep up our stamina. The dollar store got me napkins and I was going for goblets but again, good advice that not all dollars are deals! Really?

Then I got the deal of the day at Winners which I'll show next week when master bedroom is the deco project of the week. ;^)

We hit a thrift shop where I got another piece of enamel ware which has become a collection here in the playroom but will be very useful when the dye shed is operable.

An errand in an odd and far corner of our circle, LOL, then Home Sense is straight off to another corner and I talked sternly to myself. ah, another white pitcher (collection!) and voila! 12 goblets , in a box, for $14! Really!!! Got my hands on gorgeous towels but if DH got his hands on them they wouldn't be gorgeous. Reality! vbsigh I'm still lamenting that loss!

A few food items for the others as my DH doesn't trust me with the necessities of life since we differ on which is more important: food or settings! ( since I hate grocery shopping; I hang out in the magazine section!)

I did keep a weather eye out for veranda inspiration and only saw one hanging bell which didn't quite 'ring' for me!

Still grey and rainy so I'll get a bit of laundry rotating and study up on this week's list.

Game called on account of rain!

And it does look like I'll be having a cup of Timmy's some time this morning! With rain on the forecast from Saturday night to Thursday, a girly day with friends seemed a good use of some down time.

So yard/garden isn't happening as the focus for the official start of my spring work projects but I do want get started on the new weed crop before it begins to look like a jungle out there.

Veranda is up for the spring deco project. I haven't any real idea of what that will look like but perhaps I'll get some urban inspiration.

My daughter's wedding quilt won't be done in a week but it'll stay on the list until I do get it done.

I want to keep a balance with at least one day for sewing and one day for mixed media art. I'm thinking of working through a book on thread techniques and I'll get back to AB 101.

Looks like a date with the grand kiddies for Friday and hopefully we can be outside for most of the weekend.

So my game plan has changed a bit. I'd hoped to keep up the momentum from a successful last week. Here is hoping! In the mean time... good morning, Timmy!!!

Saturday Sums

What a week!

I pretty much focused on Machine Quilting. Nina just gobbled up pretty much whatever I shoved at/under her.

1) The challenge turned out well, I think. I did go back and add some MQed pinwheels.

2)The convergence MQed well and it is also okay although I think I like bargello better and saw some great examples at the Quilt Show.

3)I did push the big quilt for the show because I knew the MQing on it would be super easy and fast. It was good to get back at it as I do like doing it.

The quilts are hung in pairs with strips from high rods that help hold the 100 year old church together. :^)

4) I think I like art quilts with facings rather than bindings but I'd like to try eliminating some of the bulk when they are turned back.

5) I am happy to have a clearer idea of what the kitchen will entail. I was getting too complicated and had gotten away from simple.

I really should have made the Quilt Show one of the five things to do as it was really the focus of the week. Between getting things ready, set up and take down; there hasn't been much time for anything else. But that is my last deadline, especially since the wedding quilt is also done. Now: on to house AND garden!

find the finish

Darn sheep! I've no time to be finding where they have wandered in from. And actually the grass could use some thinning but I'm sure I don't want fertilizer! Means more cutting and I'm not sure I can find more time for grass. ;^)

I didn't want to finish with a whimp so I kept the creative juices going with a few parts from the scrap bin. Not quilted as I now need to fine tune the playroom not to mention the whole house which kinda got ignored this past week. TGIF

Kitchen Conundrum

When we first moved here we weren't even going to fix the house. Time past and we began to fix things. The kitchen got a quick IKEA fix at least 25 years ago and for the last 5 years I've been collecting ideas for a better fix.

Going thru my folders both actual and computerized I realized I have way too many options and they will not all fit. A review of them shows I like simple, uncluttered and open. Hmm! The DIY home blogs have been an eye opener and I am rethinking some things. I'm short and I like open shelving so why do I think I need upper cabinets all of a sudden!

With only the sink in a fixed position I've been able to move the stove and fridge around. The room is square and originally had 5 doors. I think we have it figured now.

The bake centre is in front of a covered door which leads to an old pantry I'd like to reclaim.

Along that same wall is the fridge and a bookcase that serves as a coffee bar. It just needs something better than a bookcase to facilitate filling the coffee pot. ;^)

The stove will go back to this far corner. We thought we'd like a fan which vents out but it just doesn't work on the outside wall in the final plan so we'll just buy the best charcoal non vented fan. (and try not to burn anything!)

What we have really wanted is a narrow island that will house the sink. I tried it out by putting my cutting table in the centre of the kitchen and it is a hit! It should actually line up to the side of the main hall doorway. The old sink is first thing anyone sees when they come in the door. I'd put a nice hutch there with simple island.

That leaves a cramped table area but we have downsized to 2 and I do have a dining room. My rooster says we can cantilever a bump out with windows on three sides for an eating nook. Whoa! I like, I like!

So there is a general plan in place and I think the place to start is the island. Then we can tear out the old sink and all the cupboards on that wall. I'll need a hutch for dishes and a counter for baking.

I will have white or creamy white cabinets, wood floors, and a mellow yellow kitchen. I'd luv a white farm front sink but some are saying nay, nay. A little more research is needed.

The seasonal things are pretty much limited to place mats and to bring in the aqua which is the primary spring colour I found this table runner and this fabric:

Facing the deadline

For sure I needed some more motifs.

I cut four more out and fused them in place. Then they all need some stitching to further secure the edges which I'd like to make less noticeable but I'm not exactly sure how to best do that. Good thing there is always a 'next time'! ;^)


I thought I should also outline some of the flowers in the background with some free motion quilting. Needs some hand stitching on the back facing but DONE.

The facings are easy to apply. I'd like to figure less bulk in the corners, though.

The wider vertical strip on the left end changed the dimensions of the zig zag quilting and that threw a curve in the works and I could have resolved the open ends better, I think. But it is okay, another next time!

I won't hand stitch this down just yet as I'm thinking I should add some quilting to those pinwheels.
This set up can be improved but not for this quilt. It is go, Go, GO!

Much ado

I'm multi tasking in a mindful way. I know I start too many things but I have only added something that does need finishing this summer and I have a deadline happening right now. ;^)

I also rush the finishing way too much so this will give me some thinking time.

I did quilting on the challenge. I also did some ripping to make it better. It is awaiting the facing as I consider if it is done.

I have a top I did as a quilt along. It is okay but not necessarily a keeper. My niece is marrying this summer and I think it is 'her'.

Now she may have some European influences in spite of being a modern gal so I got some striped backing on sale that has all the colours. Not such a great look in the photo but I'm feeling good about it. There is a golden yellow in that yellow brown.


As I was pondering the convergence I got the quilt sandwich ready. I can take the time to pin baste it as I think about the applique on the convergence. In fact I stopped pinning because I have already changed my mind about how I was going to do the MQing so I'll start pinning it differently. I was going to just do wavy lines up and down but I think a wavy checkerboard might be better. Heck, even faster!

I did cut some fusible backed motifs while I considered the MQing options and I have slept on their placement. This picture will be helping me decide if I need more/less/different, and how to finish them.

So you see it is much more than "much ado about nothing"!!!

look what I found!

I was away for the weekend and hopefully rested and refreshed because I have a lot to finish up for the quilt show. I was tempted to just put down quilt show five times on my list but the devil is in the details they say so I will detail the new week in the side bar and in my day book.

I was also very excited to FIND out something about my style. My word for the year is find and I do need to identify what my particular style is. I'm all over the place but not really settled on one thing. I know I can't 'do it all' so I'd like to fine tune my options. I was MQing the straight lines on the convergence and admiring the way it has layers, depth! As I read about mixed media techniques I am very drawn to the layering and how that creates such richness to pieces. I thought about my favorite quilt! My style is going to involve layers of depth, of interest! I'm quite delighted to be discovering these things.

This Trellis quilt is a pattern that I tweaked many, many years ago. The lattice has 2 white tone on tone fabrics that hardly show any dimension. That was a bit disappointing but value is something I knew I needed to work on. I do like white lattices and I surely didn't want a bold lattice.
I did not have enough of the Hoffman floral fabric so I added a very close fabric that I'm almost sure has some polyester in it. But it really works well and the bit of brightness adds some depth to the florals peeking thru the trellis.

I really like the border fabric, the subtle pattern and washes of colour. I also felt very much in the 'zone' with the free motion quilting. I hate marking and I found the path for easy outlining of the trellis. Then I did leaves and flowers in the open areas. I just think 'leaf' and draw it and I must admit I can do a better drawing with the sewing machine needle than I can with a pencil. Same with the flowers which are pretty much fantasy. I like a subtle variegated thread. I used the even feed foot for a spine in the border and then just filled in with flower shapes.

But it is really the layers that I like so much in this quilt. I want to leave bought patterns behind but this one so appealed and I was pleased with how it all turned out and now I find that I understand why. Layers are the way for me to go! 8^)

Summing up the weekly stats

I wish I had more of these snow drops. But I may be getting more snow according to the weatherman. Rain and then snow!

This week:

1) The straight stitching with invisible thread is done and I've an idea for completing the challenge. I got some fusible for applique during sewing class so that should add some pizazz to the convergence.

2) The mola, page x page quiltlet, is one of those 'been there, done that" kinda projects that I'm glad is done.

3) I'm SO happy with the hemming. I showed leg while I was in the city! lol

4) There is still some trim work to be done in the bathroom but I did manage a quick change of shower curtains.

5) Errands in the city resulted in a spring cleaning for the car, some spring sandals, and some backing for the niece's wedding quilt. Then my sewing class was small and we were treated to tiaras because of a royal wedding and a Canadian bride. I almost forgot to take my tiara off when I nipped into the grocery store for a moment. Lot's of fun as I'm sure the other drivers wonder about all the shine and shimmer.

I feel real good about this week.

Another quiltlet!

Glad I didn't leave this one to the very end as it got rather labour intensive. The challenge for the Common Threads quilt group was to do a layered technique, much like a mola. I couldn't find my folk art embroidery book so I was scratching my head. Then I saw a screen print that reminded me of the 60's mod look. How hard could that be??? :O

I laid frames on top of each other and then transferred it to a whole sheet and cut away everything that wouldn't be black. I used a colourful Bali which wasn't quite big enough so I had to *fill* in one spot with the black satin stitch. White needed to be on the

bottom so there wouldn't be a shadow from a darker fabric. I traced the pattern on the back of the batting, laid out the 3 fabrics on the top side and sewed the first lines from the back. I then cut away the layers and zig zagged the raw edges. I should have paid more attention to how lines lined up but it was kinda confusing to see how it was developing. I also ended up cutting away far more than I had imagined. Nina did well but some of the 'eyelashes' were kinda pesky! I did learn a thing or four and hope to remember them for future projects but I doubt I'll be doing molas!

April Shower (curtains)

My only bathroom has to look good, at least that is what I try to drum into my farmer's head. I have given up on light towels but this is the look that I want. This shower curtain is really old but I've found a great creative solution for seasonal stash busting that helped me let this old curtain retire.


But I have discovered the wonderful fun of making serged shower curtains using simple blocks.

The first one I made I used a zig zag stitch to stop ravelling but a serger on simple blocks is the way to go.

This spring shower curtain uses many fabrics in a stack, slash, switch and serge method. I luv the surprises and the opportunity to arrange all the blocks every which way. I add a folded strip at the top on the inside and I made button holes. Then I bind with a double fold binding simply because I like the look and the bit of extra weight helps the curtain hang nicely. A hem all the way around would work well also.

Now the rooster and his ol' biddy are ready for April Showers!

Shaking things up

I had a tasty yogurt smoothie this morning that was much smoother than yesterday's sour cream one. lol

Then I tackled the freezer compartment of the fridge which should have been done ages ago.

Then I found 2 more skirts to hem and 1 to mend. Done! yippee skippy!

I had removed the offending row from my convergence yesterday and it is pin basted. I wonder if I should sprinkle a few of those large floral motifs around after I get the straight grid lines done?

What this all means is that I am procrastinating about the MQing that I really must get done, at least the straight line stitching for this week.

But I do actually get a very lot done when I'm doing everything but what I'm supposed to be doing. vbsigh

In spite of...

Somebody (???) left something open and the hens are after that very last blade of grass I was trying to save on the east side of the coop! oh well, I can seed grass easy enough, I guess.

The grandkids left early enough yesterday for me to work on the small page x page challenge. I'm not sure why I thought it would be a quick project. Most of my 'bright' ideas turn out to be kinda convoluted. But I am now ready for the Friday reveal.

I had a relationship stumble last night (why do people do what they do?) but I'm up and smiling this morning. Then I made my morning fruit and yogurt shake with sour cream! :-P. Drinkable but not recommended. lol But I refuse to miss another step so I just sipped my smoothie down and got going.

The hemming is an endeavour to get my wardrobe up to speed. Apparently legs age slowly so if you have them, and my rooster says I do, then show them! I've been surfing the net periodically looking for where the more mature woman hangs out and I hit the motherload last night. Hence the inspiration to do the hemming! I use invisible thread if I can't find a match and be darned if I didn't do the first job with the invisible thread on the inside. grrr! A little bit of reverse sewing and I will now be showing some leg! No photos yet! I'll be working up to it, so to speak! ;^)

Then I began to make my quilt sandwiches so I can Machine Quilt.

The big piece of batting I need for the larger wall hanging is missing the chunk I cut for the page x page. Not Impressed with myself at all!!! Haste makes more than waste, it takes more time in the end. awk! I'll patch in a piece with a hand overcast stitch. The backing is the wrong side of a fabric (UGLY) that I overdyed. I can use it for both these wall hangings and still have a bit left over.

Hmm, now I see the photo I'm reviewing a previous thought about maybe removing that very last row so I can end with the aqua instead of the orange. What if...