Well let's get back to the business of stitching

 Well I was gone for a little while on a holiday. But now I back home and getting ready to sew.

This afternoon I pin basted 2 quilts , Autumn Wonders and a large disappearing 9 patch. Autumn Wonders is a quilt from Pat Sloan and her Block Wednesday's. I did it up in a different for me color scheme. I am happy with how it worked out. Even if it is sew different from what I usually use. The second quilt is from fabric gifted to me, sew to pay it forward this quilt will go the our local EMTs for the new building with sleeping quarters, to keep them cozy. A good friend of mine is also making a quilt for the second bedroom.

I have stared another 2 of Pat's quilt alongs. The Breakfast club and Wednesday's What's in your closet quilt. 

I'm also trying out a slow stitching stitch along from k3wn clothtails.Just to slow down and enjoy the process and I'm learning new stuff as I go.

The first 4 weeks of slow stitching.

I did get 6 quilts quilted for Victoria Quilts Canada. Something I enjoy doing.

Today is day 2 of a winter storm, over a foot of snow on the back patio. Great to get the moisture,and We know it will not last long. Spring is around the corner.

I have participated in a couple fabric post card swaps this year as well as monthly challengs. It's a fun way to get creative and play with fabrics on a small scale.

January's challenge
Tea anyway you like it. 
Tea dyed and tea bags used here.

Well this a bit of a catch up. More to come . 

Now to get back to my sewing space and get some quilting done.f

In stitches

Annette

Happy New Year

 As we welcome 2024. I want to wish you all the best for the coming year. May it be full of love and laughter ,family and friends, and of course stitches.

it's been a bit since my last post. The kids loved the mug mats at Halloween and have asked if I will do it again. I'm thinking yes. It's a fun way to use up small scraps.

I did some sewing for Christmas gifts. A bit of baking that has been enjoyed.

Sew now to get back to my quilting. I have 2 quilt slings to quilt up citron the end of last year. I will be starting a couple more, just gotta use up that fabric. Still trying to only buy what I need for a project. I  did get 6 Victoria Quilts   quilted and back in the mail.

I am trying out a sock pattern, one sock down one to go :-)

I'm also looking at a slow stitching year long project. 1 sample a week. A way to learn something new and be a little creative at the same time,while making a journal.

Sew it looks like its going to be a great year full of stitches.

In stitches

Annette

Fall stitching and some play time

 Last week I started making more pumpkin mug rugs to hand out with goodies for Halloween.

Then I did a little stitching g on air picture. I really like how it turned out and with play with this some more.

Poppies

This month the Arts council has offered a green glazing class. We all made this little napkin holder. It was fun doing this with my friend Susan. Next month it will be paper crafts.

Now to get caught up on this weeks sewing.

Happy stitching

In stitches 

Annette

Happy Thanksgiving

  Happy Thanksgiving, to my Canadian followers. We are having some beautiful weather this weekend. Sew nice as we had snow in the air on Thursday.

I made this little wall hanging from a free  pattern from the fat quarter quilt shop.

And I was able to get caught up with Autum Wonders the Wednesday sew along with Pat Sloan. These are the first 3 blocks.

I'm making more pumpkin mug rugs with the thought of adding them to the goodies handed out for Halloween.

Enjoy your family and the weekend. 

In stitches

Annette

Sewing a garden

 This year I tried to grow some pumpkins in a large bucket.  We there is one the size of a Mellon. I'm lucky to have some friends that have a few extra as well as our daughter and her hubby.  Sew in the meantime I decided to sew up a few pumpkin mug mats.

I started with a few and then had a bountiful harvest .

While at our daughter and son in law's I came across a recipe for a zucchini fruit cake. It turned out great. Now to let it mature for a month or sew. 

I have also tested out a pattern for funky friends... a teddy bear that can be made with  clothing to make it a memory teddy. I used some leftover flannel to try it out. It is stuffed with scrap batting that has been cut up very small. It sure is amazing how much stuffing can go inside on little bear.

Happy stitching and enjoy that last days of September.

In stitches

Annette

Half way through September

 Wow how time flys by And seeing the change in the seasons, from the garden getting cleaned off and worked up to seeing the geese gather and fly in the V formation.

I decided to try a market table this fall, it will be more of a early winter market as the date is November 18th.  It is here in town sew very handy to get to. I've been doing some sewing for this.  Making a number of different items for my table, from oven mitts to rope bowls and baskets and a few jelly roll rugs. I hope to take a few quilts as well and get a few runners done too.  My plan is to work up a lot of my fabric on hand and then maybe in the new year I will go shopping for any extras I might need.

I have also recently received a few Victoria Quilts quilts to quilt up sew that they can be given out to those in need. They are for anyone going through cancer. I know Canada and the United States have chapters of Victoria Quilts, I'm  not sure if other countries have similar organizations. 

I am Great Great Auntie now sew I did up a little baby gift for the little guy. I enjoy making these big Christmas stockings for baby gifts and seeing a photo of the baby in the stocking.

Here is a busy bee on some wild flower roadside coming home from the lake. I would like to either draw or stitch a picture with this photo.

Well that's all for the moment. Happy stitching this week my friends.

In stitches

Annette

Catching up on a BOM

 Now its time to catch up on Quilt Doodles BOM. I had January to April done. I have  May and June to applique . And that's ready to cut out. And July and August are sewn up.  Sew if I keep on track I should be ready for September's  block when September gets here.

I am still playing with the rope and my tension on it while stitching. It makes a difference in the shape of the bowl or basket you are working on.

Last weeks bowls and a basket.

Worked on this Santa, I did little yoyos in stead of buttons. I like the look and now I have 2 tops to quilt.

And with it being Tuesday, I had a little sewing lesson with my little neighbour. She finished her PJ pants. She was sew happy she wore them home over her leggings. 

Sew nice tosee be able to pass on the love of sewing.

In stitches

Annette

Top done now what?

                                                                    Traffic jam top

Yes I did get the quilt top done on Monday.  You always feel good when a top is complete and even better when it is a finished quilt.

A start on tops ready to quilt....lol

Now what?     Well I have a few kits to work up.

 This one I bought in 2005. 

Time to get it done.  One thing I found out about this pattern ..... not much for instructions.  I'm sure I will have it figured  out as I go. 

I have also been playing with my rope and made a little bowl in blue with some accent fabric.

Well that's all for now . Off to stitch in between working with the garden goodies.

In stitches

Annette

Monday morning piecing

 On the weekend I managed to get my little squares in order and a few pieced. Now laid out in the lengths for the borders.

Its amazing how far the 2.5 inch squares go. For this size of Traffic Jam quilt it uses 480 of them not including the corner stones. Still a lot waiting for the next project.

I think I will have to pick up a few containers sort the 2.5 inch squares by color, like Pat. Just sew I can continue to clean up some scrap piles boxes and bags....aka mount scrapmore.

I hoping by the end of today I have a quilt top finished.

Happy stitching everyone and have a great week.

In stitches

Annette

Still scrap busting

 Scrap busting with Traffic Jam by Pat Sloan. This is a free pattern offered by Pat on her site. I have been following Pat for a few years now and joining in on a number of her quilt alongs. There are a few going on at any time.

  With trying to use my scraps I decided to do another Traffic Jam quilt. It helped that i   had some of the parts cut and a little bin of 2.5 inch squares.   I also want to do another Inner Piece with green corners.

I stared sewing this one at the lake , just sewing pairs of squares. Then pressed and counted them. Had more than enough ....lol.  Now the blocks are done shashing done and now working on the outside pieced border. The border will have 100 - 3 piece 2.5 inch squares strip units. Sew 300 more little guys ill get used up and still not make a very big dent in my scrap supply. The quilt will measure 56 inch square when done.

                                                          Building the quilt center

                                                           Building the pieced border

I did manage to finish the last quilt from the other day. Its bound and ready for a label.

Sure feels good to get some of my quilts finished and to be blogging again.

In Stitches 

Annette

Catching up on my quilting

 Sew after a few months of not doing much sewing , I'm getting back to finishing a few of my quilts. This scrappy quilt in trying a paseley and swirl of an all over design. Another that I'm happy with.  Just giving different designs a try and then add to designs I can do

I'm thinking another couple hours and the quilting should be done on this one.

I'm also finishing the binding on the Inner piece quilt. 

Happy stitching.

In stitches

Annette

Smoores

 This weekend at the lake with a campfire. You just have to have some Smoores or at least one. They are gooey goodness. At least I think sew.

Only a little hand stitching on the binding and hemming a few pairs of pants in the last few days

In stitches

Annette

under my needle

 Good morning .

Well this morning on getting started on the quilting for one of my quilts. The pattern is called Inner piece by Andy Knowlton found in American Patchwork and quilting December 2022. The design was quilted with a geometric quilting pattern.Sew I am trying to do a similar design with a square type spiral. Sew far it is stitching up nicely. A good thing, I don't think I would want to rip it out. I did test it out on a sample square to get the motion down sew that it builds a muscle memory.

You have to try new ideas in most everything, sew glad I have given this one a go.

Have a great day.

In stitches

Annette

After a very long break....... sew to speak I'm back!

 Well I thought I would try to get back to my blog after a long break. As I have enjoyed sharing what I've been doing with you. 

Sew I will start from today. 

Its been hot and dry here. A good day to get some fmqing done. I've been working on a quilt for a friend. a whopper at 102 inches square, queen size. I started piecing it last Monday and today its ready to bind and have a label made.  This is a record for me...... at least I think sew. The pattern is called Dragonfly tiles. It went together fairly quick. We chose a swirl with a hook for the overall quilting at my sit down machine. It was all done free motion with a pale blue thread. 

This month I have also started sewing lessons with my little neighbor. Sew far sew good. She is enjoying what we are doing.  She has a vintage singer sewing machine to practice with. I thought it would be a good starter machine even though it only does a straight stitch. It has been fun to see the excitement in her progress and creating with her own hands.

Sew for today, that's my stitching news.

Take care 

In Stitches

Annette

Stiching in May

 Well May is off to a good start.

A little quilting and some sun printing.

I'm working up some of my extra blocks into wheel chair quilts. The last 2 I increased the size a bit and added a pocket. 

I stitched the binding by machine. I used a straight stitch on one and a small zig zag (1.5 \4.0) on the other. After washing them up they will be ready to drop off at the nursing home here in town.

The sun printing was done with a metal owl that friends had made for their yard and a product called Inkodye by Lumi.

Another quilt has it's bind done and a start on a quilt made with blocks that where embroidered back in 1967 by a dear friends mom. 

Sew in a stitch that's what I've been up to in my sewing space. Take care and stay 

In stitches

Annette

A finish

 Binding complete on this one ......now to put one on the next quilt.

Working on the scrappy cards and a few more denim blocks.

Sew nice to see the sun shining and warmer temperatures. Hard to stay inside.

Keep on stitching

Stay safe 

Annette

Still in stitches.

 Wow my third post this week. Trying to get back in the hobbit of sharing my  stitches with you all. I will keep it short and sweet, here you go.

I did manage to finish the fmqing (free motion quilting) on the 1st quilt. Now to trim and bind. Next quilt is at the machine waiting.

This morning I started  on some rope bowls and after lunch made a basket....aka a bowl with handles. I had gotten a good supply of the rope for teaching c!asses, but those are on hold while the pandemic is on. Sew I decided I might as well make up some bowls for gifts. The 2 smaller bowls practised one bundle  of rope, 50 yards. And the basket about 2.5 bundles about 112 yards. I will be trying out different threads as I go along.

Stay safe, and in stitches

Hugs

Annette

under my needle

 Well today I did get a start on one of the 4 quilts pinned and ready to quilt. The center is almost done. Quilted in swirls.

I did get a couple more scrap blocks made to see what they look like together. Sew my Sunday was a productive day... of play.

It was a cool day sew, I bake some fresh buns and a pan of cinnamon buns to.

Stay safe and of course in stitches 

Annette

A little more to show

 Here are a few other projects that I was able to get done 

The rag quilt is the first one I have ever made . I was gifted the blocks all cut ,pinned and ready to sew the x through the middle. No pattern sew no idea how to lay it out. I played with my eq7 to come up with ideas after I had counted how many of each combinations I had to work with. I'm happy with how it turned out and after the first wash its getting softer and edges fuzzy.

This table topper was started with a few leftover blocks and grew. I thought the Loons were a nice compliment to the earthy tones.

Here is a kit I had bought a few(or more)years ago. I had  actually bought 2 one made up for The Patches of Hope auction. Sew it was more than time to get it made. The quilt is first pieced, quilted  and washed then the applique is added.

Today's goal is to get 3 quilt tops pinned basted and maybe make a few scrap blocks.

Hope your having a nice weekend and take time for a stitch or two. Thanks for stopping by.

In stitches

Annette