May Goals...

This month my "GOALS LIST" almost did me in!  I think it was because the weather was so nice and the yard needed work...lots of work!

So here how I did~

1. The NUMBER ONE goal for this month was to get the Wedding School House Quilt Top done!  Not only did it get done but I made it bigger!  It's a whole row longer with a total of thirty 12" school houses!

Here's a peak...(it's a positive and negative quilt done in reds and white) The big reveal will be in July, after the wedding!

Now I am waiting for the backing fabric to get here...it was shipped on May 15th so it 'should' be here this week for sure!  Mail from the US to Canada usually takes over two weeks...I swear customs takes forever...maybe they like to fondle fabric as much as I do? :o)

2. Complete the Winter Wonderland Sew Along Challenge blocks...which were the four log cabin corner blocks....check!  This has been such a fun quilt to work on! I also did two stars (only because the homespun bin was out)...not sure if I will keep the green star as it may be too dark...I also prepped the hand stitching Winter Wonderland words for next month...

This is how the quilt top looks so far...

Next months goal will to finish off this quilt top!  :o)))

3. Make ten more houses....check!

For a total of fifty-two 4 1/2" blocks!

4. Add two more rows to the Clam Shell Quilt...check.  There are now a total of 17 rows!  About one third of the quilt top is now finished!  

5. Finish off one UFO....check!  I finished off the snowman runner "Snow Friends' by Blooming Minds!  This has been in a tote for a couple of years so it feels good to have this one done and ready for winter!

6. Complete the next block to 'Where the Cows Come Home'....check!  Block #2 is now done!! 

There are now two blocks done...One step at a time and it WILL get done!!  I am going to LOVE this quilt!  It's a joy to work on!

7. Quilt the gift quilt...nope!  This one is still a top as I just didn't get there but the good news is...I still have a few weeks until it needs to be gifted and besides, I work better under pressure!

So that sums up my May Goals!  This is the first year that I have ever set goals for myself and I have to tell you, it has kept me focused and on track...and I think I get way more done.  The negative aspect...it can be a pain as the pressure is on to get 'er done!  (I was working on those ten wee houses till the wee hours last night) and I haven't started anything NEW (which is killing me!!) But with a closet full of UFOs this is a GOOD THING!!  Until those UFOs get done, I think setting Goals is my answer!  It does however make for some VERY boring blog reading...

I hope that you have met some of your own goals this month too... feels pretty good, doesn't it!!

Have a sunny Sunday and Happy stitching!~P

Block TWO of Where the Cows Come Home...

Renee and I have finished Block TWO of 'Where the Cows Come Home' and let me tell you, we both think this block is dang sweet...and can't wait to get them all finished so that the Cows Can Finally Come Home!

Here's Renee's creation...

For a woolie newbie Renee seems to be a natural!  Gorgeous!

Here's my version of the same block...you can see that both Renee and I are sticking pretty close to the pattern!  I mean really, why mess with a good thing!  

Thanks to Kathy Cardiff I have lovely wheat fields!  I couldn't find any of the mustard coloured Diamond Textile fabrics so she sent me a lovely bundle of it!  I am treating it like the GOLD that it is!

Two blocks down...more to come!  It's NOT too late to join in!  These barns are fast and easy and thanks to Kathy Cardiff and her daughter, Taylor's wonderful instructions, they are a blast to make!

 In June we will be working on the Christmas Barn...my personal FAVOURITE barn...it's the red one with snow all around...and the perfect wreathe on the door!
Renee and I will be breaking out the eggnog and Christmas music....So stay tuned....

 If you want to join in...then go HERE to get your supplies!  You know you wanna....:o)

Deck the barn with boughs of holly...

Have a super Saturday and Happy Stitching!

Mother Like Daughter...Like Grandma!

Do you remember this baby quilt?  Well...last fall I gifted it to a long time friend of my daughters.  Jessica and her husband had a beautiful baby boy seven months ago, so of course they NEEDED a baby quilt!  This week I got an invitation to go for tea and a snuggle...and I NEVER say no to a snuggle!

Of course I was taken to the nursery...and YES, the baby was beautiful just like his mama...chubby and rosy pink, with the softest hair on the top of the sweetest round head!  And big...24lbs...with the chubbiest legs that are always moving!  Yes, he is crawling like crazy...let me just say...he is just PERFECT and snuggle we did...

BUT enough about baby...(OK...one more quick snuggle)....this is a QUILTING blog ...Let me show you what was hanging in the baby's nursery!  This gorgeous hexagon quilt...made years ago by grandma!  My iPhone pictures do not do it justice!  This quilt is big...it was folded and hanging over a rod...and it was magnificent! Grandma would be so proud!


                                    
Loved the nice off white hexie border around each flower...made it look crisp and clean, a perfect quilt for a baby's room...or for that matter, ANY room!

With inspiration like that on the wall is it any wonder that Jess and her mom have decided to start Quilting!  Yup, Jess' mom bought a brand new Janome Horizon and away they went!  (It's in their blood...thanks to Grandma!  I say why fight it! :o)

This is what Jess just finished...the softest, sweetest Chenille quilt for the the baby!

And Jess's mom is working on the binding to this gorgeous I SPY quilt!

They are helping each other along the road to quilting...like Mother like Daughter, like Grandma!

Jess has the blocks cut out for FOUR more quilts which she is hoping to gift at Christmas!  Grandma would be very proud indeed!

So this is a good lesson for us all!  Who knows who we are influencing with our quilting...maybe future generations...grand children or even great-grand children who will be inspired to pick up needle and thread long after we are gone!  Kind of warms the soul, doesn't it!

Have a FUN Friday and Happy Quilting!~P

Still Stitching…

I love doing hand work in the evenings while watching TV!  It's just so relaxing...watching and stitching...stitching and watching!  And it really does prevent me from falling asleep!
Here’s what I am working on right now…

 This is the final block to Winter Wonderland! (I’m LOVING this quilt!!)

I am also loving this new thread…it’s Genziana Wool Thread, which is really 50% wool/50% acrylic 12wt thread. It is smoother than my other wool threads and easier to pull through. They have added the acrylic to the wool for added strength, so there is no breakage at all!

Yup…I'll be buying more of this thread! Try it, you’ll like it…

OK, I tweaked the lettering just a bit on this block…can you tell that I was once a Primary School teacher?  Once a grade one teacher, ALWAYS a grade one teacher! No mixing capital letters with lower case for me! haha…I guess all that preaching/drilling/begging sunk in! I just can’t seem to let it go…:o)

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you can carve out a bit of time for some hand stitching of your own!~P

Lynne’s Trunk Show…

Yesterday, at Heritage Quilt Guild, we were lucky enough to have a Trunk Show from a well known Victoria quilting teacher! Lynne wowed us with her quilts…and it was fun to see and hear how her quilts progressed from simple quilts to the more elaborate quilts that she works on today! 

Twenty years ago, Lynne and her husband, were living on a remote island… to keep her sanity and provide her with a much needed hobby, each week Lynne would take the ferry off the island and venture into Victoria to attend a quilting class!  This is the sampler quilt that she made that year…providing her with the necessary skills to move on…

And move on she did!  Now after several classes…and 20 years later, they are living in Victoria and she is teaching classes! 

I’m not going to comment on each quilt  as there are just too many!…I am going to let you watch and enjoy…(better pour yourself a coffee… Lynne is one prolific quilter!)

 

My personal favourite!!

It was a spectacular showing…Let me tell you, Lynne’s hand work is exquisite!  WOW!

Thank you, Lynne!  We enjoyed every moment and every quilt!

Have a terrific Tuesday and Happy Quilting!~P