I found an OSCAR!

An Oscar de la Renta that is.

I was at a local rummage sale and looking for some wool to shrink and found 4 wool jackets

top jacket is Oscar
Green jacket looks felted already :0)

 and when i looked closer I found that one was a well known designer. It will be a shame to take it apart and shrink but I am looking forward to studying the workmanship that went into making the jacket. One of the other jackets has pick stitch details which was fun to find as I like doing this on some of the formal dresses I make for the zipper.
I am now hopeful to get my first wool project done. Sheila from Sheila's Quilt World gave me a lovely little pattern and some wool to get me started in the world of wool work. It is just waiting for me to shrink up one of these jackets and then I can hang it on my wall. Thanks Sheila for putting  me on such a fun journey in wool.

wall hanging in waiting and
 cute little pouch from my good friend Sheila

yours in stitches
Annette

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Just a quick note to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving...... here in Canada.
We are enjoying a little bit a everything weather wise rain and now snow at the moment.
Enjoy your loved ones and travel safe.
In stitches
Annette

Sample dress

With a wedding coming up I wanted to test out a pattern.This will be an option for 3 young ladies . I will be tweaking the pattern some to make it just what the bride and groom have in mind.
 I had some fabric left over from sewing up a grad gown for our daughter, sew this was the perfect way to use some for that up. I thought it turned out cute and some one will have a pretty party dress.

Now to wait and see what sizes to make and shop for the perfect fabric. And of course what tweaking is needed to do to the pattern.

In stitches

Annette

a few stitches to give away

This week I hosted our church ladies bible study, after the study I shared a couple of items that I had sewn from patterns found on the Canadian Lutheran World Relief page (under We Care Kits), these will be included with the We Care kits that we will put together and send off in November.
Britches for boys a printable pattern ( size T2 - T3)........

lil' britches

there is also a pattern from Nancy's Notions for shorts made from t shirts.

a cute little
 summer dress
trimmed with lace

 and a pillow case dress. I had no pillow case but I do have fabric sew of course I just sewed one up. I used a narrow bias tape and after it was all done decided that the next one I would use one that is at least 1/2 -3/4 inch wide just for comfort.
It is a great joy to be able to share what you enjoy doing.

in stitches
Annette

Pillows.... for the season

Getting ready for a upcoming class later this fall
Using the EZ Dresden ruler we will be creating a fun pillow / pillow cover  using seasonal fabrics. 2 sides .... 2 looks

The Dresden Plate block

and the flip side

We will be doing this up with machine applique and some simple machine quilting.
should be a fun class. I do plan on making up a couple more samples for the students. The classes will be this November at the Carlton Trail Regional College here in Watrous.
I have done this style of pillow for a while and have a few made up in different sizes and for different times of the year.
In stitches

 Annette

the last few stitches of the summer

Well summer sure has sped by once again this year. I have kept busy with some fishing at the lake and a little sewing.
 I also have gotten a good start on some mittens for our daughters class.

for warm and cozy little hands this winter

We picked some apples at a friends farm and DH and I made up some apple pies 10 in all sew that should last into the winter.

fresh pies and buns

 With the summer winding up the garden has been producing a good sum of tomatoes .... canned , stewed and salsa and more to come.

cottages by the water

I was apart of a post card swap and feel bad about not getting this lovely little card posted.
I swapped with Pauline from England, the theme was what you love about summer.
Thanks to Shelia from Sheila's Quilt World for hosting the swap. It takes a fair bit of time to get it all organized and we all appreciate all she does.

sunflowers and dragonflys
some of the things I love about summer

 I have been very slowly working on the Splendid Sampler blocks... here is the last on I worked on.

The skies are turning grey at the moment with a little rain coming, not what the farmers are wanting but that's what happens in the fall...... oh there I  said it that 4 letter "f" word that I have been trying to avoid at least until the 21st of September.

Have a great day out there and stay in  touch and  have some fun stitching something....
in stitches
Annette

Flip Flops

On the Splendid Sampler there is a challenge going on with a cute block that was posted a few days ago.  A perfect little block for the summer .... flip flops. I have mine on the shore and have beaded my little flowers.  stop by the site and check out the other blocks and all the different looks.
Here's my block

In stitches
Annette

a couple more ufo's finish

and ready to wear.
   I had cut these out a couple years ago, I think it was 2013. Sew it was time to get them done and now I want to make a couple more. Next one will be just red. Did you know that red under a white t shirt or top dose not show with my skin tone.

Bev's Linda Bra pattern

the Linda bra pattern altered
 into the Shelly Bra with power bars

I took a few classes from Beverly Johnson aka the "fair bra mother" at the Stitches Conference held in Munster hosted by Haus of Stitches in Humboldt. Bev also has classes on Craftsy for bra making and more.
Check out the posts on The Needle and Thread Network.  I'm linking up too.
Well that's all I have been stitching for now. Have a great week ....
in stitches
Annette

a raining Saturday

meant a sewing day as we did not get to the campsite until the evening.
 I did get my capris made :0)

great pattern , good instructions that were easy to follow and a nice fit as well. Now to get some white denim and make another pair, I may even make a pair of jeans out of this pattern as well just comfy easy fitting great to take camping or even the golf course.
That's all for now
stay in stitches
Annette

a little me sewing

The other day I got out some sun sensitive dye ,that I have had on hand for a while, and did a little project for me..... just a little play time :0)
I started with a tank top I like and made a pattern off of it and then cut fabric and set it in the sun with some leaves and over the next day I had a new top

my starting point

finished top ready for Canada Day

now I want to play a bit more with other items and other colors.

next I cut out some Capri pants for the summer  ... now to get them sewn.
That's it for now thanks for stopping by
 Have a great weekend
in stitches
Annette

stitching away in June

Hello to you all.
This month is flying by, spring is turning into summer and oh how we enjoy that. Even with the nice warm temps out there I have been finding time to sew, not always getting a post done :0( but I will try to do one a week to keep in touch.
In the last little while I have stitched up a bunch of bags with elastic tops ...... mystery bags for her classroom and when talking to her tonight she also used some for story stones that the kids made in class. So now the kids can share their stories through the story stones with their families.
I did a couple of classes with Pat Pauly ..... what a fun class

the first of my big leaf blocks

improv class
to me this is a slough in a farmers field
now to stitch it

from the improv class.....
not finished yet
 and not sure what will be next
but I am having fun finding my way with it

I did a few more splendid sampler blocks

finished piecing the top of the Craftsy BOM

did a little more sewing for my niece
now to try and get my sewing space tidied up a bit

 and stitch a few more of the splendid sampler blocks, when I am not at work or in the garden or gone fishing at the campsite.
sew for now that's all
in stitches
Annette

Quilting with Pat

Yesterday we had a great time doing Pat Pauly's Big Leaf class. She was just sew much fun go be around. And the ladies in the class were just great, sharing ideas as well as their fabric.
Pat really helped us all look at colour a little differently and taught us that what may have planned for a fabric or colors just might not be the choice you end up using. One tip was to us scraps of fabrics in approximate size and shape.
Pat had a lecture again in the evening which I found very interesting. She is a contemporary art quilter and has some wonderful pieces... here are a couple from last night.
Sorry technical difficulties... due to I can't pull the photos over from IPad. :0[
More later after her Improv class today
In stitches
Annette

Pat Pauly from Rochester New York,
With her Big Leaf quilt

A few stitches for a friend

Today I am looking forward to taking a class with Pat Pauly from New York. It is a class with piecing using freezer paper to build is your pattern on ,cut apart,sew on and re assemble.. Tomorrow I will be taking her improv class, with my bags of scraps.

On another topic I have come across a great pattern and cause. It's a little something that a few friends of mine could use and I am sure you have one or two that would give them a try as well. It is a knitted breast prosthetic. The organization is called Knitted Knockers , they have groups in different countries that one could contact if you were in need of a "knocker"
or wanted to knit or crocheting for them. This organization started in the USA and there are several patterns and videos on their site. The pattern is easy to follow and with the small ball of yarn I picked up I was able to make 2 and there should be enough for 1/2 of one more.

I have already been to a friend's home and we got one fitted and stuffed to make her feel great. She can hardly wait for me to drop them off. She can not believe how light they are. I will give more feedback as she uses them through the summer.

I will  be linking up with Needle and Thread Network.

Have a great day and of course, stay

In stitches

Annette

Stitches Conference 2016

I can hardly wait The Saskatchewan Stitches Conference is about to start. Some classes start in the morning and run for  10 days. I will be taking a ruler work class this weekend and the a couple of classes with Pat Pauly from New York. The teachers come form all over , across Canada , Untied States and sometimes even over seas. We are sew very lucky to have all of this right at our finger tips.

As I get myself ready I have been getting a couple of things done too. I have the runners from my class quilted. I came across a couple of blocks left over from a baby quilt and the fabric and now I have a baby quilt ready to quilt. I have another Hawaiian block ready to stitch, and I have gotten started on the wool wall hanging. I am trying to get caught up with the Splendid Sampler and the BOM on Craftsy.  It's kind of funny how just planning on going gets you inspired to get things done.
I am looking forward to getting recharged at the conference and seeing all the other ladies doing the same. That all for now I will try to post a little over the week while I take in the different classes.

Stay in stitches I know I will be ........
Annette

Bargello class is a wrap

The last 2 Tuesdays I was teaching a class at our local community college. We did up a runner using the Bargello technique. The pattern was based on the Row by Row pattern  that the 4 40 Quilt Shop, in Saskatoon, had last year. Jackie the shop owner was very kind  and let us use her pattern as a starting point for our runner.
Here is the class pic I took of my lovely ladies and their runners.

Sew many color choices and sew many great runners. I am very proud of you all and what you accomplished in 2 nights. For some this was their first quilt project!
I also made a couple more Bargello runners for samples that now need to get quilted.
 

Yesterday we has a light rain throughout the day and now it is a light snow the is starting to gather on the roof tops and a little on the grass....... oh well it is moisture and the snow will be short lived I am sure.

Sew if this is your weather today as well stay cozy and stay ........... in stitches

Annette

spring rain :0)

Well we are getting a little spring rain this morning ...... much needed as it has been sew dry sew far this spring. You can see the grass greening up and the trees in leaf and some in flower.... sew pretty.

Sorry that I have been in the missing mode for a while , I have been under the weather and still in a fog. I have been getting some sewing done but not near what I am used to doing.

The Splendid Sampler is keeping me busy I think I have 5 to catch up on but here is the last one I did ( not in order ) it was for Derby Day

I also received a wonderful little kit from Sheila ( from Sheila's Quilt World ) for my birthday to get me started with working with wool. Last night I got it all cut out and ready to stitch. I saw somewhere that you could staple baste your wool sew that is what I did ....... looking forward to stitching this cute little bell pull.
thanks Sheila

That's all for now I will try to keep in touch with you all even if my head is still in a fog with this bug.
I almost forgot   I am linking up with Monica and the gals at Needle and Thread Network , stop on by and see what everyone has been up to..... see you there ;0)
in stitches and hugs
Annette

Splendid Sampler

Well we are on block 9 as of today. I have just finished block 8 and will tackle # 9 on Monday.
Here are the last few that I have finished. Cute little blocks that should make up a nice quilt with many different techniques.

Here is a little grouping of the blocks sew far. I do have doubles of some but I only put one of each in the picture.

Other than working on these little guys I have done some quilting for a friend. This is a lovely quilt with some great maple leaves on it. I chose to quilt the red leaves and centers with read thread as I did not want to take away from the showiness of  the quilt. I used a ruler technique to quilt stars in the red centers.

the back side of the quilt show off the leaves
 done in red on the cream

Sew there's what I have been up to this past week. I am sew happy to be able to get back to my stitching.

Have a great week and stay 

in stitches

Annette

WIP's and a few finishes

I see that there has been a lot of stitching going on when I checked out The Needle and Thread Network....... great job ladies.
I have a few things to show as well. My Splendid Sampler blocks to date ( sorry lots of photos this week)

I played with a second block and
did yo yo flowers

a couple of runners/toppers finished

E quilt class from a couple a
 summers ago

not your grandmothers log cabin

Trying my hand at ruler work quilting

as well as a pair of socks..... cozy toes here

knit along on Craftsy with Lucy

and a pair of booties

and now that it is delivered my Under the Sea minion baby quilt

Well you can tell I have not posted in a week or sew and I have gotten a few stitches in here and there ..... thanks for stopping by .I will be linking up with http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca  stop over and see what the ladies have been up to this week.
in stitches
Annette