Around the World Blog Tour

Hello from the north shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. I was invited to take part in the "Around the World Blog Hop" by Lorette Cole at Spruce it up Quilting. There are some wonderful blogs out there. This is a great way to view blogs from all over the world to see what people are creating. I have been asked four questions. 

What am I currently working on ?
A good question. My projects are way too many to list here. I have many back burners in my sewing room. I am however actively working on a few Christmas projects. 
 

This table topper was made a few years ago at a workshop by Karen Neary; a quilter and designer in our area.  

I am involved in an online mini "quilt along". I am also working on a Christmas wall hanging. And the list goes on. 

How does my work differ from others?

I really don't think that my work is different from 

anybody else's. I do not design, although I try to add my own personal touches. That can be done with choice of fabric, embellishments or maybe a small change in something. 

I aim for perfection in what I do although I don't always achieve it. 

Why do I create?

Because that is life ! I started at a very young age watching my Mom knitting. I would sit on the stairs behind her chair and watch over her shoulder. I would have been about 8 at the time. I have 

dabbled in many things over the years but my true love is quilting. 

How do I create? 

That is a hard question to answer. I sometimes buy the fabric and then look for a pattern that deserves 

that fabric. I enjoy all methods of putting a quilt top together. I have not accomplished hand appliqué yet, but I will. That is another block of the month project. 

I enjoy creating with others, and take part in two different quilting groups. We learn a great deal from each other. 

I use the Internet a lot. If I find a picture of something I can usually make it into a quilt block. I found this picture of a postage stamp online. Our 

quilt guild was making a "Back to the Fifties" quilt. A perfect picture to represent the fifties.  

I took pencil to paper and came up with this quilt block. 

Now I shall go back to the sewing room and perhaps finish a project that has been on the back burner for awhile. Perhaps writing this will set the mood for more posts on my blog. Monday would be the perfect day to do that. 

Darlene Deon, creator of A Needle Pulling Thread will be posting from her blog next Monday. Right Darlene ???

Cheers fellow bloggers!!!

SNOW BUDS

Snowbuds by McKenna Ryan are adorable. I am doing them using raw edged appliqué. Batiks are the perfect fabric for raw edged appliqué because the thread count in them is so high, which means they won't fray like other cottons might.
This block is waiting for the embellishments to go on. My first block is actually block # 7. I chose to jump ahead and do this one.

Snowbud block # 7

The patterns may be purchased at Mrs. P's Quilt Shop in Amherst, NS. She also sells the embellishments and precut fabric kits for each block as well.
I chose the block of the month method to do these blocks. It includes pattern, embellishments and fabric needed to do each block.
I will be at Mrs P's on Wednesday, June 11th from 10:30 til 3 to help introduce the Snowbuds to everybody, so feel free to drop by.

On Wednesday I will backtrack and work on block one. My goal is to do all nine blocks and work them into a winter art quilt to hang on the wall. Hope to see you there. It is an open sew day at Mrs. P's and space is limited, so call ahead or email her to reserve your spot.

Snowbud block # 1

Comfort Table Runner

Comfort Table Runner

This table runner was made using some of the fabrics from the Piecemaker fabric collection by Moda. The Comfort Runner Pattern is by Coach House Designs. The runner is pieced and then appliquéd. The finished runner may be seen at Mrs P's Quilt Shop in Amherst. The fabric collection and the pattern are available there as well.

Brown colour scheme

This runner has to be quilted yet. It shows a more primitive look using the darker colours.

Block of the Month Mystery Quilt

Over the Christmas holidays, while surfing through some quilt blogs, I discovered one called Quilt Doodle Doodles. She was going to host a Block of the Month Mystery Quilt, starting in January. Just what I needed was another quilt project. Having said that, a quilting friend of mine in Shelburne, NS was having trouble getting motivated. I messaged her and she decided to try it. Now we both wait impatiently for the first of the month to come so we can start the next block.

The first block was a strip of  seven snowmen. That had us hooked from the very beginning. Everybody loves a snowman.

January Block

Then came February and the winter cabin in the woods. Lots and lots of little squares !!

February block

And then more little squares in the March block to make a tall tree to stand next to the cabin.

March block

I will have to scurry when I get home from Ottawa, to finish my April block.

January Workshop

Ginormous Turtle Bag

While a few of us were in Florida visiting a fellow quilter, our Quilt Guild back home got together for their monthly all day workshop. Marlene Doncaster hosted this workshop. It was a lesson in reverse appliqué, later to be made into a large bag. (Ideal as a beach bag)
Marlene was kind enough to email us the directions, so that we could work on the project as well. There are so many great choices for batiks in Florida !!

Front of small turtle bag

As much as I liked the large bag, I decided that I would like to make a smaller bag to carry when I go shopping. I thought about simply making smaller blocks, but I could not stop there. What if I cut my turtles in half?
That is exactly what I did. I love the end result. I ended up with a much smaller bag.
Again I used the Soft and Stable foam stabilizer. It is perfect for bags. It quilts like a dream.

And guess where the rear of the turtles are? Yup....on the back of the bag.

Back of small turtle bag

Cumberland Quilters Guild Sunday Workshop

Chatelaine

Each month our quilt guild hosts a one day workshop. In November, the workshop was hosted by Pauline Carrier, a long time member of our guild.
She guided us in the making of a quilters chatelaine. We were taught wool appliqué and several embroidery stitches. A good time was had by all.
The next workshop was held in January. A few of us gals were in Florida during that time, but we had our own little workshop there following instructions from home. That will be tomorrow's post.

Beatle Bag

Beatle Bag Exterior 

The Beatle Bag designed by Abbey Lane Quilts was so much fun to make. The pattern comes complete with the zippered inserts that hold everything a person needs if going to a sew day or weekend retreat.

Beatle Bag Interior 

The stabilizer used is Soft and Stable. It was my first time using this new foam stabilizer. I must say, I am in love! The stabilizer can be found at Mrs P's Quilt Shop in Amherst.