Don't Lose Your Thread, It's Not Your Fault!

A customer came in the other day that wasn’t a quilter (can you believe it).  She brought a friend that was an avid quilter and explained why we collected things, i.e. fabric.  We are hunter-gathers and have to fulfill this deep seated need of ours.  So the next time you are feeling guilty about topping up the stash you have at home, remember It's Not Your Fault!

 

 

Isn't this is brilliant!  What a great way to have thread and bobbin available anytime. 
No winding bobbins before you start or struggling to find one to match.

The Birds, the Bees and the Gooseberry Bush

Who knew dogs liked berries?  We screened off the gooseberry bush from the birds, but little did we know there was another culprit picking our berries.  I ventured out one afternoon to find the dog inside the enclosure gently picking the berries off the branches.  He looked up at me with that “I’ve been caught look” and scooted out.  Mr. Innocent himself with a leaf sticking out the side of his mouth!

The humming birds have been a treat this year.  Our feeders were very busy with bees as well, unfortunately.  The new weeping mulberry has been a great perch on one side of the porch with the magnolia working out as a wonderful look out on the other side.  Two little males with their brilliant iridescent green feathers and red neckties sit guarding their respective feeders.  I have to say that I do love it when they duel. If you haven’t seen it, they swoop in giant u-shaped arcs in the sky.  Amazing feats of aerial acrobatics! 

A few weeks ago, I packed up my sewing projects into the trunk of the car and put the cover on the machine I leave behind.  Boo hoo!

Leaving our summer haven behind is not what Pip had in mind.  Sitting in mud puddles and chasing farm vehicles down our lane has been FABULOUS!  He looks so trim and fit.  Wish I could say the same! 

 

Summer is over….but my favorite season has arrived! 

Looking forward to seeing you all at the Open House, September 14^th!

 



How Does Your Garden Grow?

This summer I decided to spend a longer time at the cottage.  My mom lives next door and I wanted to spend time with her.  I discovered that she is a relentless gardener.  It is hard to believe how she has transformed our mutual property.  Out of the house at 9:00am, a short lunch break and back in for supper. There is a white lounge chair that follows her for short breaks.  In jest I call it the “stretcher”.

We now have four-foot garden beds all around our two houses.All are planted with shrubs and perennials, dotted with a few annuals. 

Five beds of at least 20 feet now surround the spruce trees and break up the lawn. Incredible!  

Yesterday a load of dirt arrived….Looks like another garden bed is about to be born.

Meanwhile, like a typical kid, I’ve been hiding - in my loft. I’m fortunate to have an absolutely beautiful space to quilt.  I have to be careful though.  It‘s awe inspiring to look out the garden doors to the field, trees and ocean.  Sitting on the balcony and enjoying the view can take up a lot of valuable quilting time!

  

I brought with me a dozen projects to work on but have settled on three’ish:  

The paper pieced star we taught earlier in the year now has the company of a few more blocks, a simple jelly roll quilt with grey, white, yellow and black inspired by a friend Susan and a new project for the fall where I tried my hand at machine appliqué. 

My starters and enders have been half square triangles to make a chevron quilt. This is a great way to make a second quilt and just requires a little planning.  Fun!

I haven’t spent a lot of time on the computer but I did find a lovely pattern by Kim Diehl that would look awesome in fabrics of any kind.  Can’t you just see this in bright modern fabrics with a little black and white thrown in!

                                       

                                        www.henryglassfabrics.com/project/garden-grove/

Enjoy the rest of the summer,

Janet

Chevrons are Hot!

They can be made with half square triangles units.

Changing fabrics within the same color can be very interesting.

 

The rail fence method works well in two colors.

As you can see, the effectiveness is lost when using many different fabrics.


Then there's the method of sewing strip sets and cutting them on the 45 degree angle. 
Make two strip steps.





Align the 45 degree mark with the edge of the fabric and make your first cut.




 

Then the strips are then cut to the same width.      

 Cut your other strip set in the opposite direction.

 

TaDa!  Matching opposite cut strips makes the Chevron.

 

Funky Flowers Quilt Kit

Love this fresh and happy quilt from

Border Creek Station Pattern Company!



          



Kit available $99.95

Quilt Size 64" x 80"

It's True ...

Today is Karen’s last Wednesday working and hosting the Wonderful Women with Fabric at the store.  Thank you from all of us for keeping the momentum going!

The store was abuzz with friends dropping by to give Karen a good send off.

Providing Karen’s knee issues get sorted out, we’ll see her back teaching classes in the fall, continuing with the Border Creek Mystery and hosting our new Civil War Sampler group.

Karen, you’re very important to us.  Take care and thank you for all your hard work. 

Janet

Hexagons!

Yesterday I received the new Mobilia brochure.  Low and behold, there are hexagons everywhere!  The latest craze in quilting is also in home dec.  Have a peak at their website www.mobilia.ca.  Notice the large houndstooth wall hanging as well.  We will be offering a class on the houndstooth shortly.

We think of the hexagon as a boring Grandmothers Flower Garden block, but really the possibilities are endless.  Divide up the hexagon and end up with a 3D tumbling block. 

Add points and you’ve got a star.

Modern quilting has taken the hexagons, enlarged them and added borders.  Gorgeous!  

They can be made with the method of English paper piecing,  templates or

the new hex rulers

This Thimble Blossoms pattern would look great made from the Art Gallery Fabrics that we have in stock.