This Little Light of Mine…

My Beam N Read, which I won a few weeks ago over at Bejeweled Barb’s, arrived yesterday!!  Thanks BeJeweled Barb…I absolutely love it!

I immediately strapped that baby on and started stitching!  Being late afternoon I normally would be sitting directly under a lamp but yesterday I didn’t need to!

Now don’t be scared when you see the packaging…you DO NOT, repeat YOU DO NOT need to be an old, arthritic, dowdy quilter to use this light…hmmm…second thought that fits me to a bill :o)…but YOU don’t have to be!  This light is for everyone…young and old!  Even hip and happen old people…:o)!

This is what I tested it on…some secret Santa work…shhhhhh…

With the Beam N Read it was SEW much easier to stitch…look YOU can actually SEE the wee stitches and more importantly I CAN SEE where to put the next stitch… which isn’t often easy using sewing machine thread on wool!!  Yeah…I LOVE MY NEW BEAM!!

Here she is at rest…there are a couple of coloured plates that can go over the lights to filter the rays…if you want…

 

But I say…Let her shine, Let her shine….Let her shine!!

Yup, This little Light of mine, I’m gonna let her shine….let her shine, let her shine…LET HER SHINE!!

Guess what I’m going to be singing the rest of today…what about YOU?…Care to join me?  Karaoke anyone…?

Have a FUN Friday and Happy Quilting!~P

Dang Cute…and it’s FREE!

Did you see the FREE pattern that Scrap, Quilt and Stitch is giving away?  It’s a BEAUTY!! 

Look…it has something for all everyone…cotton, wool and stitchery!  And just look at how sweet!!  I LOVE IT!!  Roxane is a very talented quilt designer and is VERY generous with her patterns!!  If you look at her sidebar you will see other very sweet FREE patterns!

Hurry over now and download it FAST!!  But remember to take a moment to thank Roxane and wish her a very Creative Christmas!  (Man, I am sounding more and more like my mother everyday…what’s with that?!)

Have a thrilling Thursday and Happy Quilting!~P

Two Thumbs UP!

Christine from Schiffer Publishing was nice enough to send me another book to review and man, it is a doozie!!  It’s called “Quilts in Everyday Life, 1855-1955: A 100-Year Photographic History”.   And I am thoroughly enjoying it!!

It is not your everyday, run of the mill quilting book…not a pattern in sight…but it is chock full of quilts….gorgeous quilts!  The author, Janet Finley, took her love of quilting and quilts and her love of photography and melded the two together!  Genius!

There are over 330 vintage photographs in this book…and Janet’s rule was that each photo had to be taken between 1855-1955  and it HAD to have a quilt in the picture!  My kind of picture!!

Wouldn’t this quilter be shocked to know that her picture would one day (150 years after the fact) grace the cover of this book!  She probably would have SMILED at the mere thought!

Janet Finley starts the book off in 1855 and continues on down to 1955…a hundred years of quilt history.  With each photo, there is a story…or as much of a story as she could piece together.  Most of the time, Janet used the photographic elements, the period dress and hair styles to determine the date of each photo.

Did you know that back then, there was a traveling photographer who would travel to your home to take your picture?  ( I didn’t know that…and frankly I had never thought of it!  Imagine NOT having a digital camera!!  WE are so lucky!!)  Imagine in your lifetime having only ONE or TWO photos of yourself…kind of sad I think… 

So the traveling photographer shows up at your farm house with camera in hand…wanting to take your family’s picture…so what do you do??…(besides run a comb through your hair and wash off the baby’s face!)  Why, you grab your favourite quilt and nail it to the side of the barn as a back drop…(this will ensure that you will get into Janet’s book over 150 years later!)  That’s what happened to this boy…hair still wet from the water from the pump.  Mom’s gorgeous Crazy Patch nailed (yikes!!) to the side of the house…and “DON’T smile!”  yelled the photographer because NO ONE smiled back then…(I added this…I’m just guessing!)

And how could the following woman NOT smile…or giggle or laugh like a hyena!!  Look what she is wearing!!

 

Yup…that is a Crazy Patch dress…and on her feet, boards with wheels..strapped to her boots!  She is off to roller blade!  Loved this picture!

And LOOK at Grandma…the photographer must have had a fit!!  See the faint smile on her face…she WANTED TO SMILE so badly…after all she IS quilting…probably her one and only passion…besides making lace hats! 

 

I also loved this photo…surviving twins was a rarity but just LOOK at the CRAZY QUILT being proudly displayed in the centre!!  Obviously the quilter was proud of both her accomplishments!

 

Yes, I am REALLY enjoying this book!  This has become my break book…you know when you are having your afternoon coffee or want a quiet time…you pick it up…it’s a book to ponder on…really LOOK at the pictures, think about the magnificent quilts and how they were made and then of course…there are the people.  I read what Janet has to say…and then ponder some more! 

Finally it made me think of my own quilts…I rarely EVER have my picture taken in front of my quilts…how about you?  Maybe we should start doing that…just in case someone ever writes a book about quilting 100 years from now!  But in our case we are going to SMILE…because we have got a heck of a lot to smile about!!  (ie sewing machines, computers, TV, phones, cars, airplanes…the list goes on and on and on:o))))) 

SO…if you like quilts…or history….or old photos and their stories…you are going to absolutely LOVE this book! 

Thank you SEW much, Christine and Schiffer Publishing for letting me review this book!  “Quilts in Everyday Life, 1855-1955: A 100-Year Photographic History” is a book that I will enjoy for many years to come!  It gets a two thumbs up (and a BIG smile) from this quilter!

Have a wonderful Wednesday and Happy Quilting!~P

My Favourite Things…OK…They’re Glynis’ Favourite Things too!

First off…. I forgot to take pictures yesterday at the Wool Workshop!  (insert… head hanging in shame) :o(  Seriously…it was like getting sucked up into a vortex…or jumping onto a hamster wheel….You are so busy keeping the wheel going, that by the time you jump off, the workshop’s over!  It was a very busy morning and time just flew!  I think the ladies had fun…and although no one finished their project, they all went home with WIP and with ideas dancing around in their heads!  And at our age, that is important…right?  It was all good fun!

The new Woolies had gone home…the wool dust was settling and I was packing up… when in walked Glynis!  If you are a regular reader then you will probably remember, Glynis…she is one of the ONLY other woolie in our little valley…that I know of …aside from me, Delores and Vickie at Heritage! 

Remember THIS from Crawford’s Farm Quilt Show this summer…?

Glynis’ Garden Gatherings!!  It stopped me in my tracks!! 

I remember thinking..WHAT ANOTHER woolie in the Cowichan Valley?!  Gorgeous work!!

Now Glynis isn’t a member of Heritage…but she read on my blog that I was having a Wool Workshop so she popped in to see what we were doing…Too late for that BUT I got to see what Glynis has been up to as she brought her latest finished project!  LUCKY ME!!  LUCKY YOU!

       

Here’s Glynis with her Favourite NEW Thing…a pattern by Primitive Gatherings!

How many of you ordered THIS pattern/kit from Primitive Gatherings Thanksgiving Sale?  YUP, my hand shot up too!!  And now that I see this quilt ‘in the flesh’ I am SEW glad that I did!!  Magnificent!

Oh my…look at the Travel block and the Canadian Flag!!

Yes, right down to the big stitch quilting…I LOVE THIS QUILT!!

Yup, a bike is going on mine…

Change the runners to hiking boots…cute, cute, CUTE!!

And the GB to a PD…

And I have got a Quilt of all of MY Favourite Things!

Yup…Glynis and I have a LOT in common…right down to this woolie block!

I can’t WAIT to get started on this wee quilt!  Thank YOU Glynis, for the inspiration!  If you’ll excuse me…I’m off to wait by the Mail Box at the end of our road…the pattern should be here any month now!

Have a terrific Tuesday and Happy Quilting!~P

It’s Going to Be a Wonderland…

..but instead of a WINTER Wonderland, it’s going to be a WOOLIE Wonderland!!

I  am teaching a Wool Ornament Workshop this morning…and just look at what will be flying around our work room!

 

Be prepared for a wool blizzard!  Ten new to Wool Students + a bin full of wool = a Blizzard full of FUN!!  I’ll be taking my camera…

In the meantime…HOP on over to Sew Unique Creations’ Blog for the Buttermilk Basin’s Primitive Christmas Blog Hop…IT STARTS TODAY!! 

Have a Magical Monday and Happy Quilting!~P

Pushed to the Back Burner…

I have finished stitching these two woolie blocks but need to set them aside to work on more important SANTA work!!  YIKES!  I am ALWAYS running out of time!

You may remember these two blocks from a blog hop that happened a couple of years ago…where Granola Girl gave this pattern away FREE!  (she has since pulled it from her blog…)

They really remind me of (start the music here…) Christmas’ of long, loooonnnng ago… going out into the woods and cutting down a tree with my Dad and brother!

My dilemma is should I turn them into a little wall hanging or one or two pillows?? 

I better hurry up and decide because look at what Lisa from Primitive Gatherings gave away for FREE……IF you ordered $25 or more in her Black Friday Sale!!  The pattern is now for sale on PG’s website.  Yup…this pattern is coming to my house…and it is also mighty sweet!

So I better get stitching…I need to get my Santa stuff finished because Granola Girl’s project is awaiting…and THIS is the year to get ‘er done!

Remember I said Granola Girl gave this pattern away during a Blog Hop from two years ago…well it was Buttermilk Basin’s ‘Home for the Holidays Blog Hop’…the same Blog Hop that happens EVERY year!  In fact this years’ event starts tomorrow!!  You KNOW where I will be tomorrow morning…bright and early!!!

         

Here’s the schedule~

Monday Nov 26 * Tara Darr * Sew Unique Creations

Wed Nov 28 * Debbie Busby * Wooden Spool Designs

Friday 30 * JoAnn Mullaly * JAM – Wool Crazy

Monday Dec 3 * Lori Brechlin * Notforgotten Farm

Wed Dec 5 * Lynda Hall * Primitive Pieces by Lynda

Friday Dec 7 *  Cheri Payne * Quilts By Cheri

Monday Dec 10 * Stacy Nash * Stacy Nash

Wed  Dec 12 * Ali Strebel * Ali Strebel Designs

Friday Dec 14 * Kathy Schmitz * Kathy Schmitz

Monday Dec 17 * Jeni * Woolen Willow/Primitive Quilts Magazine

Wed Dec 19 * Lisa Bongean * Primitive Gatherings

Friday Dec 21 * Stacy West * Buttermilk Basin

And special guest….

 

Ahhhhh yes, let the Buttermilk flow…!  :o)

Have a Super Sunday and Happy Quilting!

Cloth Castle Candy…Eye Candy That Is!

Yesterday, Cloth Castle was having a sale in their Upstairs Sales Section…buy the first metre at the Sales price and get the second metre for 43 CENTS!  Cloth Castle is celebrating their 43rd year Anniversary!

Claire and I remembered that they had a small section of Homespuns hiding up there…and as we both NEEDED backing fabric for our Homespun Houses, we, of course, met up! Yes, Claire has jumped onto the Homespun Houses bandwagon and she is madly sewing her Homespun Houses…no pressure on Claire… but pictures are coming! 

Speaking of PICTURES…I took a few of my own in the shop!!  Look at what Natasha made…sweet, is it not!

And here it is on the counter…I love it…AND it is made with one of those fancy, dancy embroidery machines!!  Push a button and out pops the cutest penny EVER!  Well, maybe that’s simplifying things a bit!  BUT… if you have thousandS of dollars cluttering up your home and you would like to tidy up a bit…you might want to buy one of these machines!

And Natasha is cranking out MORE…ahhh just look at that mottled wool…yes, this is VERY sweet!

I also loved this quilt…SEW easy to make, yet sew effective!  What kid wouldn’t LOVE this quilt!  A plain quilt…add the red clothes line and then make 25 stockings with a pocket inside for a little somethin’ somethin’.  Think of the joy that the kid would get pinning on that stocking and watching the quilt fill.  Christmas is ALL about anticipation, you know!  That and the car keys in that last stocking!

Yup, I’m going to have to file this one away in that air tight memory of mine!  (I wish…tomorrow it will be…what stocking quilt?  HUH?)

More cute Christmas ‘stuff’…

A Gail Pan Stitchery…this one is waiting for me at home…I have everything to make this one…except the time!!  If I could get off the computer then maybe…(hey, I said IF…not when!:)

Ahhh and here is the pretty lady ready…and very eager… to take our money!!  Nah…this is what Natasha looks like ALL the time…she is one HAPPY Quilter!!  And why wouldn’t she be happy…she gets to PLAY all day long! 

Thanks, Natasha (and Sylvia…who was upstairs frantically cutting fabric!)!  And Happy Anniversary… 43 glorious Years…SEW here’s to the next 43 …may they all be a SLICE!

Have a SUNNY Saturday and Happy Quilting!~P

A Chip Off the Old Block…

My daughter is the one who got me into Pinterest…another MAJOR time sucker…but a FUN time sucker :o)!  She KNEW that I would like it!!  I am now so organized with all ‘my’ ideas..and with the click of my mouse I can FIND these ideas because they are all in their proper spots or ‘boards’ as you call them in the land of Pinterest  :o)  Go AHEAD check out my Pinterest Boards by clicking on the the HUGE Pinterest side on the right side bar…

As I said, my daughter is also into Pinterest and is always looking for things to turn into something beautiful.  She was in a thrift shop and spotted a gawd awful lamp (her words, not mine:)…but thanks to Pinterest, she could SEE the potential.  So she bought it for $3.50.. took it apart, spray painted it, rewired it with pretty new wiring, bought a new shade…and then phoned me… 

She was so proud of herself for re-wiring a lamp without anyone or anything getting electrocuted in the process!  Now she was on the hunt for some crystals to dangle from the little arms! 

Well look no further…you have come to the HOARDER!  I’m SURE she knew that if anyone had some, I did.  Yup, I had over 30 of them…I must have bought them over ten years ago…for a craft with my Grade Ones…teachers do that you know…  Buy stuff for crafts, tuck them away and then promptly forget about them…only to later find them long after retirement!!  :oO

I am glad that they have found a new home…

                            

Doesn’t her ‘new’ lamp look wonderful?!  Yup, a chip off the ol’block…she is a teacher, you know…just hope she doesn’t become a hoarder…!

Have a FUN Friday and Happy Quilting!~P

Thanksgiving Day Sales…

This morning there was an email waiting for me from Primitive Gatherings Online Shop!  They were probably wanting to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving?  So..I opened it…big mistake!!  Make that BIG mistake…HUGE!  They are having their Thanksgiving Sale and with every $25 order they are giving away FREE STUFF!  Really GOOD Free Stuff!!  I warn you…DO NOT GO!!  I will NOT provide the link for you because I don’t want to be blamed for your financial ruin!  Having said that…I’m sure you all know how to use GOOGLE….:o)

All I can say..nothing like shopping at 6:45am on a Thursday morning to get the blood pumping! 

SEW…what shall we talk about this morning..how about what Delores, my new wool friend from Heritage, has been up to.  Actually Delores and I know each from waaaayyyy back.  We worked in the same school together…I taught Grade 3 and she was our School Secretary.  She was a fantastic Secretary…I always said treat your Secretary and Janitor like gold and the rest is gravy!  They are the people who MAKE the school hum…and make life for the rest of us a joy! Delores was wonderful…the Janitor not so much!!   Hitler comes to mind when I think of her…NOW where did that come from??…and from Sweet P none the less!!  Sheesh..slap me!

Let’s talk Delores and WOOL!  THAT’s what I meant when I said that she is my NEW WOOL Friend…meaning she is new to working with wool!!  And man, has she got that mastered!  A+ to Delores!

Let’s throw Santa into this glorious MIX! 

Pretty darn cute, hey! 

And all from re-cycled wool!! 

Everyone…all together now… “AHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”!

Yup, WE all love SANTA!  Especially one as cute as this one!!

Thanks for sharing your talent with us, Delores!

The pattern is called, ‘HO HO HO Penny Rug’ by Sew Unique Creations!  Very Sweet!

Hmmm, I’m wondering if you can find this pattern over at Primitive Gatherings…BUT your aren’t going there…right?!

Have a thrifty Thursday and Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American Buddies…and for the rest of us…Happy Shopping Quilting!~P

Happy Hopping!

Don’t you just LOVE Blogging and this time of year!!  SEW much to do!!  This week there will be lots of Hopping going on as we have THREE BLOG HOPS to attend….

Lots to do, lots to see, lots to make and lots to WIN!!

Let’s talk about the First Blog Hop sponsored by Sew We Quilt and Jillily from Jillily Studio.  Jillily designed the CUTEST Holiday Lane Pillow EVER…and bloggers from around the world have taken up the challenge!  They have made their own versions of Holiday Lane and now it’s time for us to drop in on them, see their creations and maybe get a little somethin’ somethin’ in return…maybe a free pattern, a chance to win a give away or the chance to find your kindred spirit!  It’s always nice to meet ‘like minded’ quilters…if you know what I mean!  Geeze almost sounds like a dating served…haha

HERE’S the list of those participating in the hop today...

Wednesday November 21

Just Let Me Quilt

Simple Sew

sew.darn.quilt

Color My World

Sew Maybe I Can ( not up yet)

Handmade by Mary E

Sew Many Yarns

Pig Tales and Quilts ( not up yet)

Tea Time Creations

Jane's Quilting ( not up yet)

Next up on our SECOND HOP…Pat Sloan’s HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!  I like the ring to that one!!  Sounds almost like Oprah’s Favourite Things!

All you have to do is pop in at Pat Sloan’s Blog and see what’s happening…she may send us elsewhere or she may have us over to her house!  Apparently Pat will have guest designers and they will be sharing ideas, tips, patterns and GIVE AWAYS!!  Such FUN!!

The THIRD Blog hop starts in FIVE more sleeps!!  I am waiting up for this one!!

This Blog Hop is sponsored by Buttermilk Basin!!  {{LOVE their patterns…}}  The idea of this Blog Hop is that we will be visiting the following designers…receive free patterns and cookie recipes and there might even be Give Aways!!  Sounds like fun!!  AND just LOOK at these designers…ALL my favourites…Debbie Busby, newly retired JoAnn Mullaly, Lynda Hall, Cheri Payne…YOWZERS be still my heart…the list goes on and on….

Monday Nov 26 * Tara Darr * Sew Unique Creations

Wed Nov 28 * Debbie Busby * Wooden Spool Designs

Friday 30 * JoAnn Mullaly * JAM – Wool Crazy

Monday Dec 3 * Lori Brechlin * Notforgotten Farm

Wed Dec 5 * Lynda Hall * Primitive Pieces by Lynda

Friday Dec 7 *  Cheri Payne * Quilts By Cheri

Monday Dec 10 * Stacy Nash * Stacy Nash

Wed  Dec 12 * Ali Strebel * Ali Strebel Designs

Friday Dec 14 * Kathy Schmitz * Kathy Schmitz

Monday Dec 17 * Jeni * Woolen Willow/Primitive Quilts Magazine

Wed Dec 19 * Lisa Bongean * Primitive Gatherings

Friday Dec 21 * Stacy West * Buttermilk Basin

And a special guest…??  Who could be MORE special that these gals?!

Please note that this hop isn’t EVERY day…only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  Which might be a good thing…after all, we do need to make our own ornaments, bake our own cookies and buy our own gifts!  Oh yeah…Christmas is just around the corner and coming FAST!!

Have a WICKED Wednesday and Happy Hopping!~P 

Grandma’s Sweater…

Last month a good friend’s mother passed away.    Her mother was old, almost 90, but that doesn’t matter, a mother is a mother and I don’t think any of us take the loss of a mother very well.

The other day my friend brought me this old Christmas sweater that her mom use to wear EVERY Christmas.  It’s wool she said.  You make things from wool…could I possibly turn this into some Christmas ornaments for her and her two children…to remember Grandma by.  I looked at it…it’s a sweater…not wool fabric…stretchy and sparkly…but I didn’t say this…one look on her grieving face and I knew I had to try something.

Then from the same bag she pulled out this…a silky gawd awful purple and pink short set…the kind that a Grandma’s would wear in the summer…could I possibly turn this into a pillow for her daughter?

YIKES!!

How could I say NO?  (This from the person who kept an old flannel nightie of her mother’s…a nightie that after 34 years of missing her mom is now all tattered and worn!)  No, I knew exactly where she was coming from!

So Sunday was the day for (hopefully) transformations to occur!…I started on the short set…sheesh where to start?  Did I mention that it is made from that silky, slippery fabric?

First before I did anything, I needed to stabilize the fabric…so like any good quilter I layered it with cotton backing and sandwiched Warm and Natural batting in the middle and treated it like a quilt~   

I quilted it together with a wavy line of quilting….

It was much easier to handle when I had finished quilting it…

 

Tah-dah!  Well it’s still purple and pink but at least it’s now a pillow!  A pillow that her daughter can hug now and then and think of grandma!  Now…back to the sweater…I hand washed it in hot water but because of the sequins, I couldn’t felt it in the dryer…so although it shrunk, it was still VERY stretchy!  Heat N Bond Lite to the rescue! 

Presto!  Three heart shaped ornaments (I kept the shape simple because of the stretchiness)…and considering what I had to work with, I think they turned out pretty darn cute!

And with the remaining sequined motifs I made a wool penny! 

Not my usual penny for sure…I am hoping my friend has a framed picture of her mom in her Christmas sweater that she can place on the penny and give it a place of honour…

Pretty darn cute…

…and a special way to remember a wonderful mom and grandma! 

Hope you have a terrific Tuesday and Happy Quilting~P