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

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

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

The end is near

It really is near. The end of March, the end of the week as well as the end of winter we hope, and almost the end of Morgans quilt. I am almost done the quilting on this quilt, a few more of the shadows then the background with a filler, probably meandering. And then the boarder. Then it will be on to the next one, soon I should be all caught up with the older quilts and just work one new ones and work up the scrap box. I am amazed how many have come out of there so far.Not to mention the dogie beds that I have filled with the to small scraps and batting scraps. Sew glad to have someone who just loves to get them for her kennel. You do not feel so bad about tossing the fabric and batting out as it still has a purpose. Not doing quite as much this week I have a bit of a sore  back from work.  Maybe a massage tomorrow night will help. Well it is wing night so we will be off to meet up with friends to enjoy some down time.
Keep on stitching 
Annette

sunday .... a day of rest......sort of

Well I did sleep in until 7 and only woke up maybe 3-4 times through the night, sew now I have a bit of energy.( Don't you just hate it when you feel like going back to bed right after you just got up.)
I have started on Morgan's quilt and I am  waiting for a couple phone calls ....... don't you just love it when people forget to call when it was planed .  I had put a friend on hold for this hmmmm  ... sorry Carol. I am also working on the laundry while I am downstairs.
Sew while I wait I have been quilting feathers in the large rectangles in the shadow box quilt almost half done with them then the shadow and next the background and boarder. I will figure out the quilting patterns as I go. I do plan on changing thread colors as I quilt in the different areas of color.
A few people have asked if I would quilt tops for them but I do not feel that I am as good as the long arm quilters and really do not know what I should charge for this service, sew far I have only quilted a couple smaller quilts for two friends.
I popped a chicken in the oven as well as cabbage rolls for super and plan to have dh's mom and Carol and Dave if they stop by to join us.
Well if I do not heard from the one gal soon I think I will enjoy a walk outside in the sunshine.  
 keep on stitching
Annette