Saturday, April 30, 2011

brrr .... it's cold outside

About to go and work on a small quilt,machine quilting. Just have to decide what I would like to quilt on it. I have picked out the thread colors for the quilting. It will be a baby quilt that will get a lot of use so I am thinking that I will do a basic meander pattern.
I still have the pink and gray quilt borders to deiced on as well. After these two are done I have three more waiting in the wings , ready to quilt.
I will be making our daughter a quilt that she picked out for her b day she is 30 now. She like the one I made for Morgan sew that's the one I will make up for her. Now just to get the fabric and  caught up on the other projects .... I think I will be keeping busy.
This week we had new windows put in the house. They changed the look of the house and we have received many good comments on them. Sorry Shadow ( daughter's kitty cat ) they took away your window sill : (, we will have to open a door so you can look outside.
springs best dressed flowers... they come up with little fur coats
Cold day out there today, sure hope that the warmth returns soon. At least we have no snow this week only a light rain. The Iris's are poking their noises out, and there are pussy willows out as well and one our favorite spring flowers crocus picture by my brother.( I have to figure this one out, not sure how to copy from an e mail)
Sew that's it for now
I have to get a sweater , it's chilly down here too!
Annette

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

50 ... sew how did that happen ??

Well Sunday I hit the big 50. Pretty painless, and full of family. I had our children home to share my day and then we went to hubbies sister's for Easter dinner. When everyone realized that it was my birthday they all sang happy birthday to me... a nice touch. Sew  now that the day is past  I do not feel any older than I did before.It's not as old as what it seamed like when we where little kids. Funny how that works.
I sew do want to thank all of my family and friends that remembered me and showered me with all types of gifts even though I feel that their friendship is the greatest gift.
As for the sewing front not much has happened , I did make some curtains for my Daughter  and hem some pants I am looking forward to some quilting after I fix a couple dresses. I think I am going to be a little selfish and not take in more alterations until I get caught up with my own stuff. I always feel that I have to get the other stuff done first ( I do not like to keep people waiting )and with work there is not as much time or energy to get it all done and I do not want to loose the fun of sewing either.
your in stitches
Annette

Sunday, April 17, 2011

sun and snow...... spring

Well the sun is shining off and on today and there are a few snow showers going through, but luckily the snow is melting and not amounting to anything at all .... at this time.  There are a few other signs of spring out there as well, the robins are back, a few flowers are poking there noises out of the ground, and the mosquitoes are looking for blood.  : (

 I have done a little quilting this weekend.   Just the borders left on the pink and gray quilt, making a few grab bags (found in American Patchwork and Quilting a  better homes and garden quilt mag. and on the  web site) Thought they might make nice gifts/gift bag for some of my friends.  I also was able to pin baste a couple smaller quilts this morning after church.   Then I went over to a friends to teach her how to bind a quilt after lunch.  Yesterday I went to the city with another friend to help her pick out fabric for a quilt for her granddaughters big bed. I think it will be very cute and can hardly wait to see it done up. It was a good and fun day for fabric shopping as the weather was cold and damp with rain and snow in the air.We had left our guys at home sew they where happy not to be waiting on us, sew we didn't have to rush. You just can't rush a good quilt.

 With sew many places with water troubles we can count our blessings as we are still dry here.We keep checking and hope that it will stay that way.

 stay in stitches
Annette

Friday, April 15, 2011

early "b"day surprise

Just opened a package from that contained this wonderful wall hanging from a dear friend know as my other mom. When she lived here we had many a cup of tea over quilts and quilt pattern ideas. I do miss that ,but we do keep in touch. It was a good thing when our daughter started  teaching in the same area that they moved to so we still can have a cup of tea together.
 Sew thanks "mom" and Bill a bunch for the lovely wall hanging , just the thing to brighten up the day.
Hugs Annette

spring snow

This morning we woke up to a lite dusting of snow, not any where near what they got in Alberta. Now it is all gone and a chance of rain/snow for the weekend.Noticed the tulips at work are budding out but have not bloomed, hope they wait until it warms up just a little. 
Off to a arts council show tonight , a comedy routine. this is the last one for the season. Should be a good time.
Off to the city in the morning to help pick out fabric for a quilt for a young gal.. for her grown up bed. Should be fun helping someone else buy fabric and to see what I come home with.My friend think I am ill if I can go into a fabric shop and not buy anything. I do try to limit myself and only get what I think I will use with what I already have as I am trying to reduce my stash a bit this year. Sew far I have only really worked on my scraps. I still have yardage and kits to work up, but one stitch at a time and I will get more worked  up.
Time for super
 keep on stitching
 Annette

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

just stitching away

Charm pack runner and hot pad
 Well this last week I have been sewing a bit. I made a charm pack up into a few items to put together for a wedding shower next month. When I talked to the brides mom and found out some colors that she likes and then found them in a charm pack that I had at home I was away. Just knew what I wanted to make with them. I think they are kind a cute. I also like to keep my hands busy when watching t.v. so after knitting a couple pairs of socks this winter I thought I would knit a small sweater just to see how far the two balls of yarn would go. Just far enough only a small ball left over. The girls at work just love it when I bring show and tell as they call it. Now my boss I thinking about working up some of the yarn she has on hand as she has about 8 grandchildren
I as trying hard not to start too many projects until I get a few more caught up.Not as easy as it sounds , I am always on the look out for new projects, I also want to try out the rulers for the classes that I have signed up for at the Switchers Conference put on by Haus of Stitches.    Tonight I did get a start on the square in a square quilt, not sure if you can tell what I am stitching. it is a curly  design something that I have not tried yet I am liking how it is turning out sew far.
Charm pack apron
Square in a square pink and gray quilt at the machine, quilting  started

Toddler sweater  3yr old size
 








Well that's it for now I want to quilt for a little before I toddle of to bed.
Stay in stitches
until next time
Annette

Friday, April 8, 2011

the weekend .. where to start......

Busy day at work today. Now to take some time to catch up on things this weekend and maybe get started on the pink and gray quilt. It sure feels good to get some of these things caught up. And then you start to think of the next projects that are just waiting for you. I should make a list of the kits I have on hand and the ones I want to put together from my stash, not to mention the ones I can make from the scrap stash. I did get 6 or 7 made from that department in the last couple months and I know that there are a few more hiding in there. I sew do like to start new projects or work on a new idea but I have to get these other done. Sew I will,or should, try to get one finished of every new one started.
Sew I am now off to put a few stitches in a sweater that I started last weekend, working on the sleeves so it is getting closer to done and then I will take up something from my list to do for hand work and set the knitting needles aside for a while.
Sweet dreams and stitches and seams
Annette

spring

Well it seams like spring if here at last. The snow is almost gone in the front yard, still a ton out back but it is going down a bit every day. The irises are poking through the ground and the robins can be heard in the trees, all good signs of spring.
 Today is a very dear friends birthday. I called her yesterday to wish her a happy birthday as I thought she would be busy tonight. Sorry for getting you out of bed last night I did not have the time change right this time but I was the first to wish her happy 5 0 . Hard to believe that we both will be 5 0 this year and I am only a few weeks behind my friend. My daughter will be 30 this Monday, she has done so much in her 30 yrs and she makes us proud of the woman she has become.
On the quilting front I was able to get Morgan's quilt done, just the label to do. I want to make a runner and apron for a shower gift for May. Just have to decide on a pattern.

I have been asked to help with a quilt show put on by the arts council here in town and to come up with a list of quilters. Sew far I have about 40 names on my list of quilters from town sure hope I do not miss any one.
the quilt show will be mid June  and run until July 3.
Well I better got on my way back to work, I hope to post a bit more this week end.
In stitches
Annette