A sunny rail fence quilt!

This is a top I quilted for a quilting friend who is also a member of the local guild I belong to, The Greater Moncton Quilt Guild. Rosemonde is a relatively new quilter and she did a beautiful job with her top! It was an absolute pleasure to quilt.

I used a pantograph called Peace Dove Sashing, enlarging it to suit the size of the blocks and overall top and then quilted it with a natural thread top and bobbin.

I don’t know where she bought that border fabric, but I love it! A little retro and a lot contemporary - such a great mix in my eyes!

Linking to The Needle and Thread Network. Check out how productive everyone has been!

A Reader Challenge Published!

I was getting a bit concerned. I had sent numerous emails about my subscription renewal, but was re-assured they had received my payment and there would be no interruptions in delivery. Then friends told me they had received their copies. I saw evidence on blogs that people had their issues. Someone told me they had picked up a copy at a newstand. Every day I checked my mailbox. Finally I sent yet another email and learned that my subscription was suspended due to an undeliverable address. But, I haven’t moved! My address hasn't changed! Sigh.

So, I drove to three different newstands and finally found and bought the June/July issue of Quilting Arts magazine. 

And here is my work.....right smack on the Editor’s page! 

To be honest, just last month I remember thinking about how being the Table of Contents girl might kind of suck because everybody wants their work visible and in the context of the article. Or, that’s how I feel anyway. Then a friend mentioned she had seen my piece and the photo was re-e-eally small. But, she was quick to assure me, you could see it and my little write-up was included!! I have to admit, I was a bit deflated. I had already noticed on a couple of other blogs that some pieces had received a full page - pretty heady stuff when you consider the audience this magazine reaches. But, the editor did single my work out in comments in her editorial, so I am honestly pleased with that. 

The idea behind these pieces is that the magazine issues a Reader Challenge with a theme and guidelines and then opens it up to their readers. You send in photos of your interpretation of the theme and the editorial staff chooses a varied number to publish in an upcoming issue. So there is lots of room for having fun and getting creative with an idea!

This piece is based on a photo my husband took of myself and my son when we were travelling in Guatemala. We are on a sloping road in a little village on the beautiful Lake Atitlan, checking out our bearings. Neither of us had any idea we were standing back to back with those puzzled looks on our faces but Rejean captured the moment! To be fair, Gabe is now actually a very good navigator, but he had a lingering virus that entire trip and felt pretty lousy most of the time. I have no excuses. I am generally pathetic with directions, but am an enthusiastic traveller and am willing to follow anyone most anywhere! It just takes me longer. Anyway, the photo makes us laugh every time we see it. 

I used a lot of my photos printed on fabric for this piece, as I am so often apt to do. I printed a map of Guatemala for the back and my label is a photo I took of a beautiful beach, the Playa Blanca, on the Caribbean Sea a short boat ride out of Livingston. If you ever feel the urge to visit Guatemala, go for it!! We were so charmed by this country that we plan to return to visit areas we missed and volunteer, most likely with Trama Textiles. 

The little worry dolls I stitched onto the quilt are ones my son had when he was just a wee boy. My Mom had purchased them at a Ten Thousand Villages sale and they came in a little handwoven bag. I really hadn’t paid attention that they were Guatemalan until we travelled there and I saw lots for sale. Kind of serendipitous, in a full circle kind of way, I think. Anyway, we were so sure we would eventually find our way that we really didn’t need worry dolls that day, though in my experience, it is always good to have a backdoor plan! Just in case.....

A quilt for empowerment!

Recently I quilted this lovely top. My friend’s niece has been accepted with Canada World Youth and she will be completing a 6 month placement in Bolivia and Ontario. Her program will focus on educating young woman in AIDS prevention, domestic violence and empowerment issues, all worthy areas to focus young time and energy. I have to admit, I am a little jealous of what sounds like a life altering and empowering experience! Her whole extended family is doing some intense fundraising for her trip and this quilt will be used for that purpose. I was more than happy to help a little bit by quilting the top and getting it out into the public as quickly as they could.

I especially love that Olivia actually sewed some of the blocks herself as she learned some piecing techniques from her Aunt Sue.

Of course, there is a name for this scrap busting technique, but I have to be honest, even though Sue just mentioned the name, I forget again.....I do know I tried this technique and my fabric wasn’t nearly as pretty and fresh! The idea is to sew your scraps together to make fabric and then cut your blocks from the resulting fabric. I think there are endless possibilities for colors and shapes using this technique.

The backing is a a nice light, crisp fabric; the batting is a super loft poly; thread is a 30 Wt cornflower top and bobbin. I used a pantograph design called Starburst, but it is actually a flower design so I think the designer just ran out of flower names. 

I hope the tickets they sell provide a jumpstart on Olivia’s fundraising!

Today I am linking to the Needle and Thread Network. 

Awash in spring pinks!

Spring and summer are hands down my most favorite times of year. I believe I was meant to live under palm trees, but in a garden would probably suffice just as well.

As I age, I enjoy flowers and greenery even more if that is possible. The really ironic thing is that I am a terrible gardener. However, one thing I have learned over the years is that I can take photos of flowers and trees and bushes and have my garden year round.....works for me. 

This past weekend we made a quick dash back and forth to Halifax, Nova Scotia  to spend some time with our daughter. We managed some delicious meals (food at this restaurant is always a favorite!), some birthday cake ala cheese cake, a lovely stroll along the waterfront, and another through the Public Gardens. The park is awash in blooming magnolias and rhododendrons and sharing soul that I am, here are a few shots I took......

These are the delightful blooms of the “double dip rhododendron! 

Beautiful tulips that greet you as you enter the gates!

Happy Birthday, Simone!

25 years ago today the attending R2 made it across the base on her bicycle in Goose Bay, Labrador in 4 minutes flat and one minute later, delivered my beautiful daughter, Simone! Probably the doctor’s saving grace for that midnight bike ride was that for that summer only, the province of Newfoundland was using double daylight savings, so it was quite light out. Still, we were very thankful she was fit and an avid biker!

That auspicious beginning was the start of the wild ride we have been on with our daughter every since! She hopped instead of crawled, ran instead of walked, climbed every chance she got, and constantly gave her older brother a run for his money. My Dad called her Perpetual Motion, we called her the Challenge Child and my Mom called her Birth Control!! 

Simone has always kept us on our toes, and entertained. She was born a Drama Diva and although her heart has her centre stage, she has chosen the worthy profession of Physiotherapy to make her mark on the world. These past years, and especially these past weeks have been busy and full for her, and she has accomplished much and achieved many milestones as she completes her MA and moves on into the world of employment.

My daughter never needs to prove herself to me, yet unwittingly she does just that time and time again. The past year has been difficult for us all, and no less so for Simone. Losing her beloved Gram has been tough for her, but she knows Grandma believed in her and had faith in her ability to succeed and she carries that strength in her heart wherever she goes. Simone has been a strong shoulder for me to lean on these past months and often the voice of common sense, just when I need it most.

I couldn’t be more proud of this daughter of mine. She is kind, caring and thoughtful, and just a little bit crazy. Her smile lights up a room and she lights up my heart. She is my favorite girl and I love her like no other. Happy Birthday, Simone! Big smooches and huge hugs from your mumsie xoxox

Another charity quilt

This is another charity quilt from the Monday Marvels. I don’t know the source of the top but it is another well pieced, attractive top and I hope my quilting does it justice. I love blacks backgrounds and this tone on tone black really enhanced the scrap piecing.

 I used a simple pantograph pattern and black 30 wt top and bobbin.

Am linking up with The Needle and Thread Network.

Charity quilt

This is one of the tops I recently quilted for our local quilt charity group, the Monday Marvels. I thought it would be a lovely fresh quilt perfect for a young girl, so when I unrolled the fabric meant for the backing, I hopped in the car and headed to the fabric store where I purchased another piece that I thought more suitable. The group works within their means, using donated materials so I knew they would be fine with me making a substitution.

The top was pieced by a local quilter and was a breeze to work with. I am not sure if the tops she donates are her class samples, but it is so nice to see well made tops of appealing fabrics used for charity quilts. Good on her, I say!

I used a cornflower blue 30 wt thread on the top and a natural bobbin thread to quilt a simple flower pantograph. I think it has turned out fairly well and will be a beautiful quilt once the binding (which was donated as well and is the same fabric as the outer border) is sewn on.

I have to confess, and you can probably tell, the colors of this quilt appear different in each photo. I have been chasing the sun and shadows around my house, trying to find the ideal time and location for taking photos. The top photo shows the true colors of this quilt. Eventually I find the most opportune spot and time.....