More Inner Peace

Since my omg I'm in a pissy mood yesterday, fitting to work on my Inner Peace BOM right? =)

Sometimes I question my sanity when I quilt stuff...its like k why must u pick things that take forever and a day? and why must my perfectionism make me never happy with anything I do? blah....will I ever make something that I'm ok with? I remember this friend of mine used to say 'use the 3 foot rule' basically meaning stand back and dont focus on every little mistake or wobble...well yea, but sometimes I think maybe if I rode by 300 feet away on a galloping horse? lol oh well, guess we all have our own private demons.

Anyway..heres some more terrible photography of the inner peace quilting progress.
the borders really are jet black and the other fabrics deep deep rich colours.




Its hot and humid. I love the heat, but not so enraptured with the humidex. Yesterday I tackled weeds in the backyard. I have a seriously amazing crop of them this year, matched only by my lack of interest in all things garden related. However, the neighbours are surely by now sick of my lack of interest in the 4 foot thistles...therefore it is required that I make an attempt at taming them. My tomato plants are the saddest looking things in my garden, the thistles are spectacular tho. If only weeds were an acceptable beautified object, well then I'm sure some home gardening mag would feature my yard! its all a matter of persepctive, right? =)

An economy rant

So the other day I get a notice from Rogers that hey the CRTC is adding a fee for u know Canadian programming...to the tune of 1.5% of my bill. But Rogers is quick to point out that we are just collecting this fee, we make absolutely NO profit on it...umhmm. Bottom line to me is I dont give a rats ass whose profiting from it, my Rogers bill is already like 300 every 2 months, u think I care where this insane increase is going? because I dont. I care that in the roughest economy ever where our unemployment rate is thru the roof, u are charging another 1.5% of my bill, for the lousiest TV lineup possible. 4 mins of program, 8 mins of commercials. and I pay a lot of money for this....I'm so sick of these companies.

Hydro, oh we have to initiate a sewer surcharge cause yanno the sewers all need replacing..but dont worry! its temporary...how many effing years ago was that?! still there and not only that now often times the surcharge is more than my actual water bill. Oh and hey now we charge more in the summer than the winter cause we know darn right well its the time ur using ur a/c and when ull use the most hydro.

Banks. So the government infuses them with money to 'help' them. My money btw. yup the taxpayers money. So when the interest rates go down to jump start the economy I get a letter from my bank. "Since the interest rates are so low and we cant afford to lend money at that rate, we are upping your line of credit interest rate by 1%" wait, what? we had a contract at a set amount of percentage above prime...u cant just change it now?! but oh yes they can, cause in clause 26 of their dumbass contract it says that the bank can change any and all terms of this contract at any time by sending notification by regular mail. Gee, I cant do that now can I? if I lose my job, I cant send them a regular mail notice and say oh btw I lost my job and I need to reduce my interest rate...but they can? with money the taxpayers gave them to reduce interest costs to move the economy....unbelievable.

And is there anything that can be done about these injustices to the Canadian people? nope, just try to find a governing body contact info..ull get bounced from one place to another for days. and in the end, all they will say is 'working as intended'

yup good thing we pay politicians and governing bodies insane salaries while we slug it out working 2 jobs a piece to pay them, cause yanno they can speak French so they gotta be worth the salary, right?

yes its true, I'm pissed off today! lol

A shout out to the ppl of Toronto

Ok so I confess, I'm as bad at directions as I am at photography.

So yesterday I went to the ROM to see the Dead Sea Scrolls, been really looking forward to it, thought I had it all planned out, you know, google maps, printed this and that, yes, def I have this under control! ummm....well, actually I did get there easily enough, despite the usual Ontario highway summer construction that seems mandatory in the province to delay all travelers, altho I'm so used to it I prefer to see it as a 'slow down and smell the roses' opportunity...lol

Side note here: the exhibit is spectacular. Kudos to the museum for doing justice to such an awe inspiring subject. Only complaint...where the heck were the audio headsets?! me and a bunch of students were all looking for them...nowhere to be found.

Anyway, I digress. I haven't been in downtown TO for a while, I've always found the people there to be exceptionally friendly and helpful in the past, but, ya know these days that sort of courtesy has gone by the wayside in so many places, it was absolutely refreshing to find that the people of TO have maintained this mostly lost art. In such a busy metropolis, with people everywhere, cars backed up for miles, motorists stopped, let me in to lanes, waited patiently as I tried to decipher street names and figure out where the heck I was going. Stopping at lights, asking other drivers, hey...am I going the right way? taking time to answer my questions and directing me, reassuring me that yes, 3 more blocks etc.

But the big surprise was when leaving, I decided since I'd come in on the QEW, onto Spadina then all thru China Town that perhaps it might be faster to go back on the 401. But where oh where were the 401 exits?! After some missteps, I asked a taxi driver stopped at a red light. Explaining to me where to go, the light had long since changed, and we were still sitting there. ok so ppl were patient but it was time to move for sure, so off we went. Next light he pulls up beside me, explains more. Next light he gets out of his cab, hands me a hand written note with directions. Next light he says, dont be nervous, stay in this lane, then that lane etc etc. Next light he says, you know what, follow me, I'll take you there.
He was so kind and patient, just amazing to me that someone would take time out to do that for me. I believe the taxi company was "Beck"? anyway, he got me safely to the expressway and his notes made it easy to find my way from there, even including what lanes to be in so I wouldnt miss my exits.

I came home tired but bubbling over with what I had seen and learned at the exhibit. I also realized how much quilting affects my life and thoughts...some of the patterns on various ancient relics...oh wow what great quilting patterns those are going to make! I can't wait to incorporate them into future quilts.

So people of TO...high five! you rock.

Inner Peace BOM

finally finished piecing this top! so excited to have that done, well the piecing anyway lol

I tried to take a pic of the top but its too big to get a decent picture right now, but might give an idea of what it looks like, altho this is really only the center of it, sides are folded over.

quilting has begun, here is a peek at what I've started.




the borders are actually black, as usual my photography leaves much to be desired! =)

happy quilting!

A nice giveaway

at heart and hands site

I have not seen the book or technique but it sure sounds interesting, so I entered the giveaway, even tho Ive never won a thing in my life lol but hey there has to be a first time sometime right? lol

Head on over and read about the book and enter your own comment for a chance to win, it really does look like a fun book.

oh and I got the right side border on Inner Peace...3 borders to go! then to agonize over how I want to quilt it =)

well....

I really am not doing well at keeping up with this blogging stuff!
Maybe because its summer, maybe because I've been too busy *cough* =) really I have been busy but I'm sure I could find time to update this once in a while at least...

Here's some pics of another happy block quilt I completed gosh idk at least a month ago, I think more actually...and one more after it as well but I havent taken pics of it yet, I will get to that soon...but maybe really pics arent necessary, I suppose they are all basically the same idea and those who view this blog (which really not sure anyone ever comes here)lol are tired of seeing them.

I have been working on finishing up the Inner Peace BOM tho, its actually nearly done, I have the final row to stitch to the top, then the borders to make. It was one of those 'omg I'll never make another one of these' tops. The 12 months of blocks were easy to keep up with but the finishing step required 24 more blocks to be made...along with putting it together and borders. Good thing I really like the quilt or it would have def become another UFO.

Raining again today...not sure where summer is exactly, but it seems to have missed this town lol




The backing on this one is from the heartstrings group, the ladies donate fabric and Sherrie puts the backs together along with binding to match. It was so nice to just be able to load this on the frame once I finished the top and then get the binding on right away. I always stumble at the binding part, so this worked out really well.

I have more of these quilts finished and will post pics soon (I know u dont believe me but I will lol) Some of them have been donated, but I am saving a couple of them to donate in the fall when the need will be greater as winter sets in.

/wave bfn

Pink Happy block quilt

Here are some pics of the finished quilt, well all but binding anyway =)
Still have that binding block in my head...ugh.

I quilted this with freehand flowers, leaves and swirly tendril type thingys, good that I know so many quilty technical terms dont you think? lol

I used Superior Rainbows thread in a soft pink, yellow, green, mauve and Superior Bobs in the bobbin. backed with pink fabric that I got for a great deal at the Marsh Store during a nice sale they had in February.

Todays project

Heres the layout of some more happy blocks on my design wall. I used the pink, mauve, and purple framed blocks to make a girly quilt. I added in a few yellow and green for interest. These will get sewn together today and on the frame.

I am so low on larger bits of fabric, but think I have some pink that I can piece with another fabric for the backing.

I will decide once on the frame how to quilt it but just looking at it I'm seeing butterflies, flowers and maybe some fairies.




Unfortunately my roof decided to bite the dust, it is leaking into the bedroom =(
Put a big tarp over it but thats not going to do for long. With the GM scare, I just dont know what I'm going to do. Things are so unpredictable, but the roof has to be done, trying to not stress. Sewing today will help.

Boys sports quilt

Sarah made this cute sports quilt for a boy, I used my circle lord to make circles in the fabric squares then freehand quilted in the lines and curves to make them into basketballs. The sashings are done in continuous S shapes, the black triangle borders in piano keys and the white parts in squiggles. The white corner stone blocks are quilted in melon thingys (yup I dont know the terminologies for these quilting patterns lol)

The pictures dont really show the quilting but I think the quilt is really cute and will make a lil boy very happy.

Yellow strings

Sarah made this pretty yellow string quilt, I just love the colours she chose.

I quilted it with freehand all over feathers in yellow aurafil thread.

Newest things

I have been busy quilting, just bad at keeping things up to date on the blog it seems!

Sarah B sent these lovely and bright childrens blocks to make into happy block quilts, a project running at the heartstrings group. This is the first top I put together from those, will suit either a boy or a girl I think.



I quilted it with the popcorn panto, and a bright yellow/orange varigate thread.
I made a multi coloured binding for it to add to the fun look.
I always hand stitch my bindings but this time I machine stitched it because I think these quilts will get a lot of use and washing, it did not turn out too bad, you cant really see the stitching of the binding. I also used a little heavier batting than I usually do to make it more cuddly.



and a close up of the quilting and part of the binding

Laura Jeans Heartstrings quilt

I finished quilting and binding this lovely string quilt that Laura Jean on the heartstrings group pieced. I did freemotion heart wreaths in the white parts, free motion loops in the red connecting strips and freemotion hearts in the multi-coloured areas.

This took me longer than anticipated. Not just the quilting but life just keeps getting in the way lately. bunch of things among being sick, doctor shortage here is so bad, that even tho I have a doctor, she was gone for 2 weeks...so tried to self help (bad idea), finally succumbed to sitting at a walk in clinic all day *sigh* Considering now we have a medical tax, how is it that the medical services have become so poor. who knows what the government does with all this money...all I know is every service is being cut. /end rant.

Anyway, need to get this to UPS and get it back to her, today hopefully, just need to find a box. I hope she will like it.

New heartstrings quilt

Finished quilting this top today, when I pieced the top I used dark and light strips in separate blocks to give it a little different look. Quilted the light squares with a ginko disk pattern and the dark ones in a different pattern.

I started making this for a particular person but sadly she passed away the other day.

I will bind it and donate it to someone else eventually, just maybe I think I may let it sit for a lil while, I guess thats weird but I feel a whole bunch sad about it just now.

Done ala Bonnie Hunter

I finished this yesterday, the border is made from the trimmings of the blocks, I stitched them as leaders/enders while putting the blocks together. My first time doing something like that, thanks to Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville, loving using up the scraps!

I added a tiny yellow flange before the binding to cover the less than perfect points lol but also thought it added a nice bit of brightness to the edge.

I used the circle lord tiles straight/wave block square to quilt it, it is 18" square so had to move things along to do the whole quilt with it, was a good learning experience, not perfect in every spot but think the next time will be better now that I've figured out a method of doing a whole quilt with the small board.

Strips and Strings done

Thanks to everyone for the ideas on bordering this scrappy devil, I really did want to use the red border idea that most suggested, but, I'm on 'no-buy', not officially but with me and myself =) and had zero red! how does that happen?! not sure...but yikes hardly any red left in my stash, nor yellow either and def no orange. I *might* have to break down and buy a little bit but will wait until I absolutely must have some. Think that a semi local quilt shop has their 30 percent off sale in March, so hopefully can hold off until then.

Anyway, here are pictures of the finished quilt, I am really quite pleased with it, considering its made from all scraps, amazing that I used to toss out the 'bits' of fabric! YIKES! =)

Ugh I think I have ADD

Well...I did get the Indian Hatchet backing 1/2 loaded...but well people on the stashbuster list keep talking about these fabric baskets so I checked it out and suddenly I was making one.

Good news is you may or may not notice I made it out of triangle scraps from the lil girls Tiny Treasures quilt I made a few months ago, the trimmings from the pinwheel blocks, so thats a good thing...right? =)

It is perfect for putting my crochet cotton and needles in for the bandages, so it wasnt a total waste of time lol

The tutorial for these is at Pink Penguins blog. Go there if you dare! lol j/k, but they are fun to make and quick really, I made mine bigger than the tutorial, think mines about 13" x 8.5" or something in that range.

Indian Hatchet

Managed to get the top finished up over the weekend, feels so good to have a UFO
almost done! The backing is pressed and ready, hopefully will get the quilting done today and maybe even the binding, altho I'm still hand sewing the binding on the lil
string/strip quilt. Need to get that finished up today and I'll post a picture of it, quite pleased with how that one turned out, even tho I didnt have any red fabric to do the border which was the most voted colour for it and what I wanted too. But I am trying so hard not to buy any fabric so made do with what I had.

I should have finished the binding last night but instead I have got a bit sidetracked with making leprosy bandages, they need to be delivered by March 1, so been knitting those in the evenings.

I think Heroes might be starting back up tonight, seems forever since they have had an episode, but if its on I'll finish the binding while watching that, I watch very little TV maybe thats why I dont get the bindings finished! lol Big bang is on tonight tho, and I do watch that, funniest show ever imo, but its only 1/2 hour and I am the slowest hand sewer in the entire world. Ok I dont have any scientific data to state that as fact, but it seems it is probably true when I read on stashbusters how ladies report having sewn 2-3 bindings on in one night...good Lord, I'm lucky to get one side done in one night! lol

off to load the hatchet top, think I will do crosshatching or something like that on it.

oh and happy almost valentines day! Thought this blog background was cute for the season.

January 2009 Fabric Report

Fabric Used:

Happy Blocks: 1.68 yards
Heartstring backing and binding: 3 yards
Indian Hatchett top: 4 yards
Small string top, backing and binding: 3.5

Total Used: 12.18 yards

Total Added: 0

Border or not?

Finished this scrap experiment yesterday and tried interviewing a number of different
fabrics for a border last night, but so far nothing seems to be 'it'.

What do you think? no border? or if a border what kind/colour do you think would work with it? Thought about a small 1" black? then maybe a strip pieced outer border but maybe too busy?

Help!? drawing a big ol'blank here.

Heartstrings - Sarahs quilt

Finished quilting, labeling and binding this really beautiful heartstrings quilt that Sarah made. I just love the colours and the setting that she used.
I used King Tut thread on it and I so hope that Sarah likes what I did with it, going to send it UPS today so it hopefully gets back to her within a few days.

Sarah is going to donate this to a man recently diagnosed with lung cancer, I thought of him with every stitch and hope that it brings him some small comfort over this difficult time.

I really enjoy the heartstrings group, the ladies there are so giving and caring, there are no restrictive rules really, some guidelines but all in all Mary supports us making whatever we are able and wish to make. She is an amazing lady.

Playing with Strings

Wanted to try something a little different with strings today, Sarah B sent me some lovely ones to play with, thank you Sarah!

I stitched several stratas from strings and then cut out wedges, stitched them together and ended up with this twisted block affair. I think it looks kind of neat. Saw the idea in fons and porter magazine, made a lil differently but same sort of thing.

Its about 21" square, going to make a few more and see what I end up with =)

Finished.. woot!

I have now completed the quilting on all 4 of the quilts and am so happy they are done! Will deliver the last 2 today and then can start on Sarah's lovely heartstring top which I loaded last night. I keep fluctuating on it, custom or overall, its such a pretty top, all my favorite colours. Will decide today, but am leaning towards an overall because of the number of seams.

Here are pictures of the blue batik. the first 3 photos are of the back, shows the quilting more I think. One of these days I need to learn to take better pictures.

suggestions?

almost done ripping out the stitches around the multi-star quilting, but I really
dont know what to do in the area around it? The larger triangles outside of the squares I will do the arrowhead feathers as I have on the rest of the quilt, but
any suggestions as to what to do around the star? Just keep coming up blank, everything I have tried so far just doesnt look right...

one of those days

So yesterday it didnt seem to matter what I touched it went wrong.
So wrong that I was ready to put my machine up for sale, curl up in the fetal
position and lay there for the rest of my days! lol

Instead I let myself get into a funk, flipped on the TV which I hate, nothing on, grumbled tons, went to bed early.

Today I will unpick yet again, McTavishing is not my forte, or, it just isnt right for this quilt, or wrong kind of thread, or or or...either way, instead of after 20 passes or so with my head saying 'nope this isnt right' I continued on thinking 'maybe more will make it look better', which just means a lot more to unpick! ugh ugh ugh.

off I go, ripper in hand....course then there is the problem of all the needle holes...wish me luck!

See I dont post for weeks and then....

I'm terrible at updating this thing regularly!

Oh well, maybe make it one of my New Years resolutions? nah..I never keep those lol

Here is an apron I made for a lil 7 year old girl who loves fairies and pink and purple of course =) Soon as she opened it she put it on and wore it all day, made my heart smile.

I found the directions to make it on the net somewhere, great little tutorial, I changed a couple of things but this took all of about an hour to make, 'cept for the embroidery which took a lil while. design is from emblibrary. Their embroidery designs always turn out so nice. I used metallic gold and bronze for the whirly gig thing shes sitting on, and I flubbed up on the wings, somehow changed to the wrong colour but oh well, she didnt seem to mind =)




She rang me the other day and said Guess what?
Me: What sweetness?
Her: I'm helping Mama make lemon meringue pie!
Me: Yummmmm
Her: And guess what else?
Me: hmm your eating more than your making?
Her: no Mama won't let me, but I'm wearing my apron!!
Me: Awesome dudette!
Her: oh...this is Lauryn....

lol

Freehand jelly feathers

Decided to give the jelly feathers a go on this quilt of my friends,
I think they turned out 'ok'.

I did freehand leaves on the bottom, the jelly feathers on the top, to me this
quilt looked like a garden.

sometimes the best intentions..

Well its done but I don't think I will ever be happy with it.

One of the problems of doing quilts for others, at least for me is, what if
you really dont like the thing? In retrospect I should have done a panto on this
baby panel, but I had this idea in my head that somehow I could make it better..
this was a panel, with added borders, I am not sure what it is about it, maybe the colours?

I guess thats what makes us all individuals, we all have different tastes and thats
a very good thing! and for me, well I'm glad its done and gone lol