only 2 weeks until Christmas ( a little less now )

special little wall hangings from a dear friend

and all through the house.....
there are baking supplies waiting to be mixed
and fabrics to quilt....oh my.
Some packages ready to mail and cards to write.
 I think it has been busy in your house too
Hear are a few of the goodies I have whipped up this season.
A little tree skirt  the first one I made that I kept for our home

the spiderweb quilt top ready to baste

and working on a quilt to donate with a friend
it's a D4P   aka disappearing  4 patch
we just love how it is turning out. All blocks made last night sew when we get together we will put the quilt top together

 Other than that i have baked a few goodies and have even made g-free butter tarts and they are pretty yummy.
Hope you holiday baking and sewing is going well.
take care
in stitches
Annette

post Card swap

I did a Holiday Post Card Swap that Sheila from Sheila's Quilt World organized. I was one of the lucky ones to get to make a couple post cards to swap. I received them both this week in my mail. Ihope they have received there's as well by now.
Here they are

what a view .... this one is from Judy in Boise ID

can you guess who this is???
thanks Sunny from PA

and here are the ones I sent to them.

Both have a little beaded snowfall just in case they do not have any snow just yet.
Thanks Sheila for setting this up again for us. I always have fun making them and seeing what fun is coming in the mail in return. And thank you to the Judy and Sunny for your lovely post cards. I will enjoy them this holiday season.
I hope all of our neighbors to the south had a wonderful time with family for Thanksgiving this past week. We all have a lot to be thankful for....... we just have to remember to take the time to say Thank you.
in stitches
Annette

My blogathon winner

Little drum roll ......
  hand in bucket .......
 ( I know not very high tech but it works )
 and the number that came out
                  5
Hey Flo that's you ...... I will send you a note to get your snail mail address.
Thanks ladies for playing along and I hope you enjoy the new tools Flo.
in stitches
Annette

errors and back to being a no reply commenter

 GRRRR I do not know what happened out there in the air waves but things are messed up again. I have been switched back to a non reply commenter and I keep getting error messages when I connected with explorer. Thanks Flo for letting me know.
I will try to fix things but until then I will be limiting how much I post.
I will still be doing my draw in a couples of days.
in stitches

Blog a thon Canada Welcome

     To the Prairies and to my little corner of the world.
We are have a good touch of winter here in the prairies, snow , wind and sometimes a little rain.
Must be why I enjoy quilting sew much.
I am trying to think how should I introduce myself to those of you who have not been here before.
I am a gal that just love to play with fabric and my machines. I love to use patterns by other designers as well as designing myself. I have made up a few patterns that I use when teaching classes. I will be teaching a few classes this winter, to help keep the chills away on those cold winter nights.

A couple of my patterns

                                                                                                                                                                  I have participated in the McCall's Quilt Design Star 2012 , which I did make it to the finials with the help of all of you out there in blog land. I was in very good company, and we were in the May/June issue of McCall's Quilting this year. ( this was a first for me ... entering anything like this )
this was my last  quilt in the challenges. The theme was opposite's attract.

I seam to always have many different projects on the go. This is something I think I need to work on sew that I can say that I have many projects done ;0)   I am going to challenge myself to get some of those done and get some of the kits worked up that I have as well. I am not even going to wait until the new year. I figure now is as good a time as any. Wish me luck.
I have made a number of good friends through blogging and have even met a few of them. This is a great place to met new friends and share ideas or even just have  a show and tell.

I do love to take classes from  the designers/ teachers of some of my favorite techniques and rulers . And what better place than at the Saskatchewan Stitches Conference that is held here in Saskatchewan hosted by Haus of Stitches ( check out there site for next years classes and maybe I will see you there). What better way to keep your creative juices going than with other quilters.http://www.hausofstitches.ca/


Sew that's a little about me Thanks for stopping in and do come back for a visit from time to time to see what I will share with you next.
in stitches
Annette
GIVE AWAY BELOW
I received a little package of goodies in the mail from one of the teachers from the conference
Marci Baker of   Quilt with Marci Baker  and her online shop. Thanks Marci for such a great give away! I use each of these items every day.

She uses the 60 degree ruler to design some wonderful quilts. Marci also has some great tutorials on her site as well, that will show you how to use each of these and more.
These great tools will go to one lucky winner in this give away, just leave me a comment about your favorite tool(s) that keep you quilting.
 I will try to get back to each of you as long as you are not a no reply commenter. But if I do not, please know that I will  read  and enjoy each and every comment left.
The draw will be made on the 24th.
Thanks again for stopping by....... enjoy visiting Canada from coast to coast
in stitches

Sew what have I been up too lately....

I have gotten started on sew a few projects for the holidays and a late wedding gift.
I was working with these fabrics left over from last years holiday sewing.

just a peak for now

I wanted to make a special couple something quilted and after talking to one of the moms this is what I made for the couple

matching Christmas stockings.

This weekend I thought I should get started on a set of baby quilts and came up with this twin set of quilts.

I used a pattern on the Moda Bake Shop site....... sew many great patterns there.
I could not get the charm and jelly roll combo but with a little figuring a layer cake set worked well.
Now I am quilting them and hopefully I could have them done by the end of the week.
I have also made a couple of post cards for a Holiday swap that Sheila from Sheila's Quilt World has organized. When I receive them in the mail I will do another post with a show and tell.

                                            oh my.... just a peak here too.....
                                                    glad to say it is looking better already
                                             as I have done a little cleaning and putting away

When I look around in my sewing space I am thinking that I will not be buying very much new fabric for a while. I have a number of bought kits and some that I have put together and of course there is always the UFO's that are waiting. Sew starting now I plan on working up what I have and I will try to keep a record of what I can get made out of my STASH.

And what new this week      
Blogathon Canada has begun
http://sewsisters.blogspot.ca/p/blogathon-canada-2013.html
be sure to check it out and see what's going on across Canada in blog land

in stitches until next time
Annette

Give away is in the mail......

Sorry for being a little late in posting this .... but I did do my give away ........ and the package is off to Ann in Trinity AL.
Thank you to all who were a part of the hop and leaving comments. It is always great to share with you all and to see what everyone has created to share with us through the hop.
 Sew now I am off to make a couple of post cards to swap in the post card hop the Sheila is doing. Thanks Sheila for getting us all together and having a little play time.
Off to sew
      in stitches
Annette

Wicked 3........ come along

come with me my pretty...... hehehe

It has been a  wickedly wonderful Wicked hop sew far.
Sew much talent  out there being shared with us.
We are ever thankful for Mdm Samm and our cheerleader Wicked Wendy and of course the sponsors
( Windham Fabrics, Reliable Irons and Bird Brain Designs)    too,  with the treats that will be given at the end of the hop.


perfect for the doorstep

First off I picked up a new pair of shoes for my daughter

just perfect for the season and any yard work too.

This year I thought I would make a garden flag .... it might not make it there as we might be getting more snow this week....brrrrr

Time to start stirring up the cauldron to see what I can get a brewing.......
Lets put a dash of Bat Wings and a slice of moon beam
a haunted house with a grave yard
the creaking of an open door and an old tree near by
and of course a hoot or screech of the owl that lives in that tree
and in a spooky tree a little owl to add to the sounds of the night......
and with that all a brewing

 I thought they needed someone to keep them on the right track for this Hallow season. A little witch  that I think we shall call Wendy ...she is about 7 inches tall when she is out riding her broom.

Sew this is what came out of the cauldron for Wicked this season.

one of my other finishes would be the D9P that I had only gotten the top made last year
and as of writing this post I am only on spider web #4 block....... another ufo for next year.

Now time for a treat.
I have picked up an extra panel of Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin for a give away this Halloween season.

Leave me a note telling me of your favorite treat or costume from Halloween's past and if you do not celebrate Halloween a favorite memory of fall.  I will do the draw on All Hallows Eve  October 31.
I will try to get back to each comment but know that I will read each and every one and you all will be ion the draw.
Thanks for stopping by and here are a few more blogs to visit today.
Sew Many Yarns
In Stitches and Seams     you are here
A Little Bit of Lorene
Scrapbook-ChickADoodle
Transitionsformeee
Quilter in the Closet
Seams To Be Sew
BQuiltin Studio
The Quilting Queen Online Blog
Pig Tales and Quilts
Happy Halloween.

one  last picture with Wicked Wendy

in stitches
Annette
 gobblins are playing and extra pictures are popping up that I can not get rid of.....sorry

Wicked has started

It's time  to see what wickedly wonderful ideas have been conjured in the last little while for the WICKED blog hop #3. Follow along with the links below , be sure to enter in any of the sites offering treats (give aways ).  Always make sure that you leave a way to be contacted.
 I will have my turn on the 29th with a treat to give away as well.

October 22^nd
Grammie Q's
Stitchin By The Lake
Quilted Delights
Buzzing and Bumbling
Vroomans Quilts
Life in the Scrapatch
The Quilted Cat
Meadowbrook
Patchouli Moon Studio
The Nosy Pepper
Sew Incredibly Crazy
 
October 23^rd
Becki hosted by Why-Knot-Kwilt
Bumbleberry Stitches
Nini& The Sea
Dancing Moon
Create In The Sticks
Negligent Style
Rose Creations
Kris Loves Fabric

A Geeky Crafty Life

My Quilting Journey

The Recipe Bunny
 
October 24^th
Tea Time Creations
Moosestash Quilting
More Stars in Comanche
Shape Moth
Selina Quilts
Debby Kratovil Quilts
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Robin’s Fabric Nest
Craft Nurse Quilt
Quilt Doodle Designs
Just Quilt It
 
October 25^th
Marjorie’s Busy Corner
The Raspberry Rabbits
Freemotion by the River
Kwilty Pleasures
Feathered Nest Studio
Sew Peace to Peace
Marla's Crafts
Scraps and Threadtales
Jane's Quilting
Quilt n Queen
Colorpoint Quilter
  
 
October 28^th
Grandmama's Stories
Gracie Oliver Arts
Quilts by Christa
Michelle's Romantic Tangle
Ravelly’s
Pink's Sweet Treats
How Art You?
Georgia-Girl Quilter
I Piece 2-Mary
Words & Stitches

The Distracted Domestic

 
 
 
October 29^th
Sew Many Yarns
In Stitches and Seams  my turn  ;0)
A Little Bit of Lorene
Scrapbook-ChickADoodle
Transitionsformeee
Quilter in the Closet
Seams To Be Sew
BQuiltin Studio
The Quilting Queen Online Blog
Pig Tales and Quilts
 
 
October 30^th
Quilt To The Edge
Stitchduchess Crazy & Sane Quilting World
Pampered Pettit
Feltfree på Åsly
Quilt Matters
Life, Quilts and a Cat Too
Sunshine Girl
Secretly Stitching
Englating
Seams Like a Dream
AnnieOak Designs
 
October 31^st
DreamWeaver's Quilts  
My Quilt Infatuation
Just Keep Swimming
Quilts From My Crayon Box
Daisy and Jack
Thimblemouse& Spouse
Tomorrow's Treasures Today
Why-Knot-Kwilt
Just Let Me Quilt
Sew We Quilt
Have a WICKELY good time following along.
in stitches
Annette

Arrivial and finishes

Well it seams that it was a long wait for this little guy to show up in the mail...... but long weekends to tend to cause some delays......... but some things are just worth the wait

don't you think sew too....
Thanks Selina  for such a cute fall themed post card, we were part of Sheila Fall Post Card Swap. She even found a little envelope to tuck it into to keep it safe from the weather. It will be up with my fall decorations.
Sheila is going to do a Christmas themed post card swap. Sew if you are sew inclined pop on over and sign up.

As for some finishes this week. We finished up Painted Prairie the group project that we were working on for Culture Days. It finished up at 50 x 100 inches. It was interesting learning that we could quilt on painted fabrics and that many talents can create a beautiful work of art. It will be displayed at the performance that the Arts Council is hosting this week and then it will hang in the seniors lodge that is attached to the hospital here in town.
My other finish kind of surprised me....... On Monday evening I pin basted one of my scrappy quilts and then Wednesday I started to quilt it and Friday morning I finished the binding sew now the only thing left is a label. I thought it would take a week to quilt but it seams that I was in the groove to quilt. It helps when your machine is happy too.

The next project on the sewing machine will be to work on my Wicked project and post. My turn will be October 29 but the hop starts this week .... stay tuned to the line up and see what wickedness is going on out there in Blog land.

 Sew now that takes us to Saturday night ... watching the ball game and knitting a little
have a nice evening
in stitches
Annette

Opps!! I forgot to post the post cards I made..... they went to Selina, Joanna and I made an extra one for Sheila as she was sew nice to do the swap for us.....
I am having trouble uploading the picture.... I will try again a little later

my little pumpkin patch

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving
 and if you are not having a holiday weekend ... have a wonderful weekend too.

We are visiting our daughter's for Thanksgiving this year.
The turkey is in the oven and the pies are all baked ...... time to enjoy each others company with chatting  and laughter.

such nice fall colors on this tree
thank you sew much Joanna
for swapping with me

I want to share one of the fall post cards that  I have received sew far in the Fall swap the Sheila had organized. I think my little scarecrow is quite happy holding it.

enjoy your weekend
in stitches
Annette

under construction...........

Well at the moment I have a few projects that are Under Construction .... or W.I.P.'s
I have started my Wicked item for my post on the 29 th of October. I have also found another idea to do as  a little extra that ties into the theme and uses up a few of those scraps that we tend to have in an ever growing supply. I have had this one on a back burner for a while ....... do you recognize the block? Let's see how many I can get done before I post for Wicked.


1/4 of the block
 



the first one finished


But the main project at the moment is" Painted Prairie ".... the painted quilt that 3 of us are working on to get the free motion quilting done. It was painted by 5 different artists, from the Watrous and Manitou Beach area. It is a whopper of a wall hanging. 50 x 100 inches.
We are over half done the quilting as of tonight. We have 4 of the skies to quilt and then  the borders and binding. I am thinking we could get it to the binding point be the end of the week if all goes well.

I have been working with a couple of great ladies, both have had excellent input on how we should do the quilting and are jumping in to do some of it as well. I know that we could not have gotten this far with out working as a team....... Thanks sew much Elaine and Marla.
I am linking up with Monika and The Needle and Thread Network . Stop over to see what else is on the worktables this week.
In stitches
         Annette

Cute new link and a give away too

 

And now with the help of some great sponsors'(5 different ones.)

 Sew We Quilt is having a give away

 of $$$ in gift certificates / vouchers
5 of them each worth $50.

 for our main staple.... fabric   :0).

check it out and enter too.

Spread the word

we have until October 30th (draw date)

 

in stitches

Annette

Culture Days here in Watrous & Manitou Beach

Culture Days was held this past weekend across Canada. Here in Watrous and Manitou Beach we had some fun combining the works of artists and quilters.
This past spring I was asked if I could help come up with an idea and some quilters that might be interested in working on a project for Culture Days and another gal was asked to find a few artists that would do the same.
The first thing that came to mind was a quilt I saw in my Quilting Arts Magazine. It featured a slice quilt. A slice quilt is where you take an image and enlarge it and then divide it. Then you give each participant a section to work on. In the magazine the quilt was done with mostly applique. Our twist on this was to have the artists paint their section in their own style and colors. Then we quilter's will put it back together and then do some machine quilting to enhance the painting.

the artists' panels
 

getting ready to pin baste and quilt

                                         samples of the painted fabric and barn boards

To include some community participation we prepared by painting some fabric in colors to resemble barn boards, on barn boards. ( doing it this way the paint pulled up the characteristics' of the boards )
Anyone who showed up to participate was asked to leave behind a few finger prints, hand prints as well as some leaf prints.

We have a fair bit  of quilting a head of  us but sew far we think it is looking great.

I would like to say thank you to all who worked on this project with us, it could not have been done with out you. This was a big project to tackle and a first for me.
At the gallery on third there is a artist trading card show going on. I have made a couple trading cards, one to add to the collection and one for one of the artists  who liked what I made.
The cards are about 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

As I just finished the last trading card today I will link up with The Needle and Thread Network, be sure to stop by and check out what else is being created out there.
Thanks for stopping by to see what I have been up to.
in stitches
Annette

EQ7 Summer Draw Along Wrap up

Well this was a fun way to learn different parts of the EQ7 software. We all made at least 4 different blocks and those who had extra time may have also sewn up the extra lessons that came mid month. I am sure we all built upon skills that we already had and developed a few new ones along the way.
Here is what I created with my blocks...... as you can see from the pictures, they are only ready to be quilted and not finished. But with this being the deadline for them I thought you might still like to see where they are at.
This runner with the 3 blocks will be finished with  either a green or floral print binding. I am leaning towards the green .... what do you think???

The runner is a little longer than my fabric sew.... I added a pieced section using fabrics from the blocks.

This next table topper is made with the 4 flower applique block. I thought it might make a rather nice topper, as I was not sure how to work it in with the other blocks.

I do hope to get them done in the next few days and will post the finished works again.
I will try to link up with EQ7's blog sew that you can see what the others have done with their blocks as well.EQ7's blog
in stitches
Annette