Northern Needles

What a perfect way to start the Journey of a Quilter BOM.  My first foray into stitchery on quilting and I love it!  I’ve finished the stitching on mini-blocks 3 and 4 and nearly all of mini-block 1.  I should have the rest finished up by next weekend.  What a lovely way to spend the evening, just sitting and stitching.

I quilted my Icy Bear Paw mini quilt.   I also sewed on the binding and am hoping to finish the handsewing part of the binding tonight so I can mail it tomorrow.  March 1st is the official mail out day so I’m cutting it close. 

And I finished my February block for The Bee Balm quilting bee  http://thebeebalm.blogspot.com/    I had so much fun with this today.  I started the morning off with absolutely no idea but just let the fabric speak to me.  Very new age of me.  LOL.  Next my threads will be talking to me too, I think it’s time to get back to work!

Lizzie let us use our imaginations on this one.  She sent everyone the block of brown fabric and we all chose something to represent ourselves.  I guess that makes me a lone flower.

Have a great evening everyone, I have some binding to sew while I watch the closing ceremonies!  Very proud of our athletes and all the ahtletes from around the world.  (WHAT A GAME THAT WAS!!!!  WAHOO!!!!)

Vivian  

Because I have absolutely nothing to do, and ever so much time on my hands, I joined a Jelly Roll Quiltalong.  Yep.  One more thing LOL.

You can read about it at Moose on the Porch Quilts blog:  http://moosequilts.blogspot.com/2010/02/jelly-roll-sampler-quilt-along-2010.html

It starts March 1st and there are prizes and lots of fun.

I am using my one and only jelly roll.  Rouennieries by French General.   I don’t have the 2 yards of border fabric so am going to have to go shopping to see if there are any left.  I know when I was making my doll quilt it was getting kind of iffy on yardage.  Cross your fingers otherwise I’ll have to purchase another jelly roll and fabric (I know, hardship….we can eat Kraft dinner a few more evenings can’t we?).

Ooooh, and if you are reading this today…please stop by Crazy Old Ladies Quilts blog:  http://crazyoldladiesquilts.blogspot.com/

Why?  Because they are giving away a jelly roll!  Only for those that are signed up for the quiltalong…so hurry!  What are you still doing here reading?  Go!

Viv

by Leanne Beasley

I joined (late) a BOM being hosted by Valeries at www.PastimesOnline.ca.  We’re getting ready for month 2 to be sent out and I received my first block just on wednesday.  I know, I should have just joined a month ago but didn’t want to over-commit.  But when I saw she had an extra kit just waiting for someone…well I know when the fates are yelling loudly. 

Today is a holiday in the Yukon for Rendez-vous.  It’s our celebration that we’ve survived another long, cold, dark winter and spring is approaching.  The days are finally getting some length to them and I am no longer going to work and back home in the dark. 

And the day was beautiful…so the kids and the dogs spent the day outside and I made frequent forays outside (without a jacket!!!) to check things out.  And I sewed.

I completed all the piecing on my block and am ready to start the stitchery portion.  Embroidery stitches, back to my forte.   As a needleworker I am beyond excited to incorporate my love of needlework with quilting.

Here is the beginning of my afternoon:

Look at those silks.  I’ve never quilted with silks before.

And look at the Weeks dye Works threads.  I love overdyed threads.

Sigh…can you feel my happiness?

And here is my finish for the day (tomorrow I stitch, I would have stitched tonight but the Olympics are on and I’m drinking wine and celebrating, I know my limits!)

Have a great evening everyone….GO CANADA!!!!

Vivian

it’s a whole quilt giveaway!!!   Lila Tueller Designs is putting an absolutely whimsical quilt up for a giveaway.  Words do not describe it, it’s a must see.

http://lilatuellerdesigns.blogspot.com/

And it could be yours….if I don’t win it LOL!!!!

Have a great evening ladies!

Vivian

Ps:  YAY CANADIAN WOMEN’S TEAM….WAHOOO!!!!  GOLD!!!!  and JOANNIE ROCHETTE!!!  Way to skate for bronze girl!!!  The Canadian in me is proud, the mom in me is brought to tears. 

The girls and I had a fun filled weekend of sewing.  Ok, friday didn’t count because of a migraine but saturday was a great day and today we finished up odds and ends.

Let’s start with Lisa!  She is making a table runner out of a bright blue batik and a psychedelic fabric.  Here she is hard at work.

Jennifer has been collecting chick fabric.  She had one FQ each of a hen, a chicken wire and a bunch of chicks (bought with her own $$).  Then because she did an awesome job at babysitting her little sister for a couple of hours (oh my gosh, what a big step!!!) I got her another set of of FQs in those fabrics.    So we cut up the fabric in 4 inch blocks and she went to work.  She chain pieced like crazy!  The top isn’t finished yet but she’s still working on it!

You couldn’t imagine how much work it took for her to finally be happy with her pattern layout.  Perfectionist.  And now she’s wondering if I can go get her some more fabric for a border b/c she needs it bigger!!!  BTW, I hope you like my design wall…that’s all the floor space we have!  I’ve been hinting to DH that I really need that portable design wall from the quilt shop (it folds up into it’s own carry around baggy!).

And here’s what I did!  First I completed the top of my Winter Mini Quilt swap…as I like to name all my quilts I’m calling this one Icy Bear Paw.  I just love batiks and these are the colours taht I see on my way home every afternoon.  I love the colours of sunset/twilight. 

I LOVE BATIKS!

And finally is my Doll/Teddy Bear quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap (DQS8).  I used French General fabrics (rouennieries).  I just love them.  And as the piece had a timeless feel, making you remember those days of innocence, I named the quilt “Remember When”.  I hope my swap partner likes it!  I know that a lot of the ladies in the DQS8 are doing more artsy quilts or with modern fabrics.   I wouldn’t want to disappoint her.

and not to be left out, Teddy had to model as well.

Have a great Sunday night everyone!

Vivian

The olympics are upon us and my home is upside down.  The living room has been turned into Olympic House North and the sofa bed hasn’t seen this much action in ….  ever!!!!

Jen has her Olympic pavilion set up to capture all her special moments and the Teddy Bear olympics went well with only minor leg and ankle injuries.  With a little rest and enough kleenex they will be ok.

I joined a challenge at the 123 Stitch message board.  One of the ladies there has in the past stitched an olympic project, starting during the opening ceremonies and finishing hopefully before the last medal is handed out.  This year is no exception so two more of us joined the team.  I chose to start my Lizzie Kate green flip its.  The first 3 charts arrived on thursday (perfect timing wasn’t it?).  The remaining 3 I don’t know when they will be released so I know I won’t have the entire piece stitched by the end of the olympics, however, I will finish what I have.  I’ve stitched Be Kind to Animals and part of the border.

 You can see the entire group of Green Flip Its at the Lizzie Kate home page:  http://www.lizziekate.com/

It’s been a while since I’ve been excited by cross stitch.  This piece I am enjoying so much.  It’s the colour palette I think, quite different then the usual out there.  And who can’t resist a cute little turtle!!!

Oh!!!!  I forgot to say, I found my camera cord!  LOL.  However, before I did I remembered I have a scanner and did a scan of my Sabrina (who is anxiously awaiting the end of the olympics so I may work on her again).

And finally, also in the cross stitching frame of mind, here is a picture of the Valentine piece that I sent out for an exchange.  It’s a Debbie Draper design (one of her complimentary designs).  I also included some very spring like threads.

Other then that, I’ve been slowly working on my pieces for my Mystery Quilt, I’ve started my Doll quilt for the swap, and have also ripped out some seams b/c my idea didn’t work LOL.  And I broke down and signed up for Valerie’s Journey of a Quilt BOM.  Somehow, she had managed to order an extra kit.  How could I not??? LOL.

I’ll catch up more when I can, I have so much to do this week.  My hand applique is calling!

Vivian

But I better get these challenges in for the week so I know what I’m doing!

1.  work on instalment #2 of the Border Creek Station mystery quilt.  Just got the instalment today and ooohhh, gotta love a mystery!

2.  continue working on Sabrina (no hardship there, she’s so pretty)

3.  for heaven’s sake, I must start my doll quilt fo the Doll Quilt Swap.

That’s it.  How about you?

Vivian

oh…better add #4…find my camera cord

edited to add #5…how could I forget my hand applique homework!  We had a class on wednesday night and I have homework to complete before the next class.  Leaves, leaves and more leaves. 

It’s that time again and what a whirlwind week it’s been.  It’s polar games time in the Yukon (it’s for grade 5 and 6′ers throughout the territory) and I’ve driven back and forth to town about a million times it feels like.

And we had a potluck lunch at work on thursday, I made hamburger soup in the crockpot.  I think I forgot to tell my family b/c the looks I got when I put it in my car after making the house smell all yummy…well you’d think I’d been starving them for a week.  What do you mean it’s leaving the house?????

And you are not going to believe it, I can’t find my camera cord to load my pics!  It’s in my camera case.  Which you would think also would be holding the camera.  Nope. Camera on the coffee table.  no case, no cord.  So when I find it I’ll post pics to show you what I’m doing. 

So, how did your weekly challenges from last week go?  I’m quite pleased with my progress: 

1.  Sabrina by Mirabilia - I decided NOT to put her on the lapstand but to use my qsnaps instead.  Much more comfortable and portable (not that she travels far, the couch, the bedroom, back to the couch).  I decided I would stitch all the dmc first and then wash and put her on the lapstand for the beading and silk work.  I haven’t got all the DMC yet but I was able to finish all her hair, head and skin in what I do have…looks odd with some gaping areas but they’ll be quick to stitch when I get the remaining colours.  I’m about to start her gloves.  Yay!

2.  Finish my valentine cross stitch exchange piece - finished and mailed.  I chose to stitch a Debbie Draper complimentary pattern, modifying it a bit.  And I chose shades of pink with a couple of rows of brown.  I sewed it into a pillow ormanent with a brown with pink polka dot ribbon for hanging.  I included 3 spring coloured GAST threads just to help ease her into Spring.  My partner lives in the states, so I’m sure that with the major snowfall they are recieving, she’ll need some spring pick me up.  Oh and I received my package yesterday and I love it!  It’s a hanging pocket with a heart stitched on it.  And filled with CHOCOLATE!  Wahoo!  and the cutest tin for Wrigley’s gum…filled wtih Wrigley’s gum.  It’s my new desk gum holder.

3.  Border Creek Station Mystery Quilt - finish trimming the final 3 inch blocks - DONE…new instalment gets handed out today.  Can’t wait!

4.  start my doll quilt exchange piece - didn’t go near it.  I really should get this started already.

I’ll be back later hopefully with my cord and definitely with my challenges for the week.  See you later!

Vivian