Pine Freckled Blog

The Embarrassing Music on My Music Player

2012-01-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

I love my music. I have music playing for much of the day. Cooking needs the radio; Classic Rock of course, or maybe some Newfie music. Sewing, crafting, writing and working out require the use of a portable music player; often hooked up to speakers. Before you go getting all excited, know that I don’t listen to anything even remotely new. I have to admit, that I am not much of a music aficionado. My music dates me. (Good thing too, cause nobody else will. Ha ha.) I am hooked on classic rock up to the nineties and country music up to about 2005.

My first MP3 player was loaded when I got it in about 2002, I never did change the music on it. Not even once. I had it until about two months ago. I think it died of boredom from hearing the same 113 songs over and over. *grin* Even now, when I hear certain songs, I am disappointed when I don’t get the song that I am expecting next. Werewolf in London should always be followed by Cracklin Rosie. That’s just how it should be … in my corner of the universe.

So I now have an iPod. I loaded a few songs on it the day I got it. My iPod; a cute little pink one, is loaded with most of the same stuff that was on my original MP3. Sure, there are a few more songs, and certainly room for lots more music; but I am have never gotten around to loading more songs. Do you know how much effort it takes to go through a directory of 10,000-ish classic rock songs to find the ones that move you? Plus, we all know that I am, by my very nature, lazy. Lazy. Lazy.

I have to admit, that there are a couple songs that don’t really move me anymore or that are just plain crappy remake versions, but I have yet to remove them. The danged thing needs a delete button! I also have to confess (it’s a good thing that confession is good for the soul, cause I seem to confess a lot of things here.) Where was I? Oh yeah, confessing that there is a lot of music on my little pink player that is an embarrassment. You know . . . the kind of music that makes you shut the speakers down when someone comes into the room.

Jack Wagner: All I Need

Stompin Tom Connors: All of his songs! (Gotta love him!)
Captain and Tennille: Love Will Keep us Together

In terms of better music, you’ll find The Who, The Beatles, Alan Jackson, ELO, Prism, April Wine, The Irish Rovers, Alabama, Burton Cummings, Green Day and many more like that. Soon, I will be adding more classic rock some really old country music (think Dolly Parton) and a whole whack of Newfie Music. Oh, and let us never forget the world’s all-time best album, Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf! Paradise by the Dashboard Light is my favourite song…okay it is tied with Beer for my Horses by Toby Keith; but let’s not quibble. I would add some classical, because I love it too, but in general it’s hard to hear over my machines when I am working.

My favorite song for romance writing is I Love the Way You Love Me, by John Michael Montgomery. And nothing makes me cry like Dance Little Jean by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. When I need pumped up, it’s Mary Mac by Great Big Sea. There is no way you can keep your feet still during this song. For a laugh there is always Drink and Drink and Fight by Flogging Molly.

I do have one problem with the cute little iPod … when it is on shuffle, why does it play the same songs over and over? After three months, I heard The Night Chicago Died for the first time since I loaded it and I’ve heard Boris the Spider ninety seven times. I mean really, Why?

My Life Is Sweet

2012-01-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, I will admit that I have been lax on my blog posts lately.
Heck, I've been lax on quilting, pattern writing, sewing, binding, writing ....
I've done almost nothing but read and drink coffee for the past couple of weeks. Stupid self-inflicted injuries will do that do you. LOL Watch those stairs, they can trip you up. Not down, I never fall down the stairs, just up!

But, I'm back in the studio now and hard at work. Currently, my focus is on finishing my daughter and son-in-law's wedding quilt. Now that they have been married 2.5 years, I decided it is time. I have all the blocks done, half the sashing on and now I am ready to sew all that into rows. I will post pictures when I get the top completed.

Trixie (left) and Winston (right).

Look at my babies. Aren't they sweet. They are resting on Darling Dogs and Cat's Got the Measles and are BESIDE (not on) customer quilts. Yes they are spoiled. They love visiting the studio.

Hugs and happy sewing to you!
Cath

Resolutions: NOT!

2011-12-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Today things start anew. I got up early and hit the treadmill. I’m backing off the sweets and junk now and getting back into healthy eating. Although I confess that I will never be a fan of vegetables. So I shall have to focus on fruits instead.

This is the time of year when people start making New Year’s Resolutions. I’ve basically stopped doing that. I never follow through on them anyway, and end up feeling bad about it later on. Oh, I know that there are many things in my life that need improvement, but over the past couple of years I have tried working on small changes as I notice things that need improvement or tweaked.

My current focus, which started last summer, is to get healthy. I am working out on a fairly regular basis. (Not as often as I should, but more often than I used to.) I am eating healthier. I am trying to reach my goal weight. But I am not dieting; I am just focusing on smaller portions, less junk and healthier foods. I try to hit the gym six days a week, but usually only make it four times. Still, that is a huge improvement over the way things have been for the past twenty years. With these small changes, I have managed to lose 35 pounds. I have another 35 or 40 to go, but I feel confident that they will slip away as well. I just need to keep on with the changes I have made, and slowly work those portions down from gargantuan to reasonable. I admit it; it is nice when someone notices that I am shrinking.

But back to the resolutions … no I am not going to make any actual resolutions. But here are the top ten things I know need work.

1. I will swear less.

2. I will eat healthier.
3. I will hug my friends and family more often.
4. I will try to control my temper.
5. I will work out regularly.
6. I will do some housework. (Note I said some….not a lot. LOL)
7. I will indulge in some random acts of kindness.
8. I will let my loved ones know I appreciate them.
9. I will try to be a better person.
10. I will write more.

Are you making any resolutions this year? Any big changes planned? Any small changes? I would love to hear about them.

Hugs

Cath

UFO Revisited

2011-12-23T09:48:00.001-07:00

Wow! You can just call me one big slacker.

Lisa's Cat Quilt

Life is crazy in my world, but I expect it is the same for everyone this time of year. However, I'm using that as my excuse for not posting often enough.(Pathetic I know!)

Here is the UFO Contest Update.
Our big winner is Marcy Y. She had 39 UFOs and has finished 8. (She has asked me not to post the pictures she sent as many of them are to be gifts.)
Audrey R. had 18 UFOs. Finished 4.
Kayle P. had 41 UFOs. Finished 4.
Becky A. had 3 UFOs. Finished 3.
Linda N. had 86 UFOs. Finished 4.
Lisa E. had 17 UFOs on her list. Finished 1.

Another sweet quilt from Lisa.

Marcy: Send my your mailing address and I'll get your kit off to you. I'm sending you the pattern and fabric for a double sized Butterflies in My Garden...all in lovely bright batiks.
Aubrey: I'll be emailing you a copy of the pattern of your choice. Let me know which one you want.

Here are a couple pictures of Lisa's work from this year.

Just so you know: My website is down. I'm looking for a new host. With luck it will be up again soon. Watch here on my blog for pictures of my patterns and how to order them.

Winter Sloooow Down!

2011-11-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

George

Okay, I guess I have to admit that winter is here. Old Man Winter has arrived. Yuck! I hate the cold. I hate driving on snow and ice. But I do love the way snow makes things all pretty and perfect outside. The biggest trouble with winter is that all I want to do is curl up with a good book in front of a roaring fire. When I do that, nothing gets done. No laundry, no housework, no shovelling, no pattern work.

Marnie

You may have noticed that things progress slowly around here. I would love to tell you that my latest designs are up and ready for purchase, but sadly they are not. The are designed, written, tested, edited and almost ready to go. "So what's the hold up?" You ask, even though you already know the answer. The hold up is me. I need to finish the cover quilts. They are started. Marnie just needs quilted and bound. (Sadly, she's been that way for months.) George is about half finished. I won't even get into Scrap Therapy...she is finished, but the pattern needs major edits and further testing.

The biggest trouble is that I have magpie syndrome....I'm distracted by bright colorful objects. The current object. Writing a novel. Some of you know that I've been dabbling in writing for ages and ages and ages. (Since high school. Holy Crap! That's decades. LOL.) Recently, I signed a contract for digital publication of a novella. Novella: a very ugly word that means a short novel. Editing this has taken some time, but is finally complete. My tentative release date is December 2nd. Before you ask, I am not going to tell you my pen name. Suffice it to say that the publisher described it as 'a delightfully risque romance.'
Now realistically, the editing has taken a lot of time, but it shouldn't have taken as much time as I have let it take. The truth, in a nutshell...I'm just lazy. Then of course is the Christmas rush for my long arming services. It never ceases to amaze me that people start calling looking for a spot... and say "Can I have it back by December first?" My standard wait time, when its not rush season, is three weeks. Rush time, expect five to six weeks. And I've said it before and I'll say it again...come on ladies, Christmas comes the same time every year. Prepare in advance. LOL. Now if someone would just write my Christmas list, do my shopping and baking I would be ready.

Nothing New to Report

2011-10-05T08:34:00.000-06:00

Well people. Fall seems to be a busy time of year for most of us. Its time to finish up the yard work and get the kids ready to head back to school. (Thank heaven I'm finished with that chore.) We get our homes and cars ready for winter and start thinking about Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. (I've even started my Christmas shopping, how sick is that?)

Hubby and I bought a saws-all a couple weeks ago. We took it outside and started trimming back the branches on the overgrown spruce in the front yard. What a riot! I had so much fun. (Must be my destructive side.) I chopped off the lower branches and hacked them into bits before loading them in the truck. The tree looks a lot better and has room under it for snow when we start shovelling the driveway. But more important than that, I enjoyed myself immensely. Every woman needs a saws-all. If for no other reason than to work off some anger and aggression. LOL.

Yesterday, when I should have been working, I took the time to drag out my multiple bins of seasonal fabric. I think I could make a dozen Christmas quilts without buying any more fabric. Plus I have enough Halloween fabric for at least three quilts. And that does not count the two Halloween quilt tops waiting to be quilted. Yikes. It took a lot of effort to drag myself away from that huge pile and put myself back in front of the longarm. Really, this week I would rather be piecing.

Maybe if I work really hard today and tomorrow, I'll be able to free up some time to play with fabric.

Cheers.

UFO's SEEN IN CALGARY

2011-09-02T08:29:00.000-06:00

Okay, it is update time in our UFO contest.

Lisa E. had 17 UFOs on her list. Finished 1.
Audrey R. had 18 UFOs. Finished 3.
Kayle P. had 41 UFOs. Finished 1.
Becky A. had 3 UFOs. No updates.
Linda N. had 86 UFOs. Finished 4.
Marcy Y. had 39 UFOs. Finished 2.

I have finished: Not your Grand Mother's log cabin, Marnie, Kathy, my parents quilt (and a whack of accessories for it.) Charmed to Bits and Baby Bunting. (Pictures coming later.) This gives me a grand total of SIX. Holy crap, I had best get moving here I'm never going to finish them all.

Come on girls, I'm beating you. Lets all step up the pace and get something done. Lisa has sent me pictures of her UFO and some other projects. You'll see them after she has given the quilt away. It is a gift and meant as a surprise for one lucky person!

I haven't finished many of my UFOs yet and now I'm going to make excuses. I'm busy! So ha!! Can't beat that can you? Seriously, things are hectic in my life right now. You, over there on the left, stop heckling. I know we're all busy. I just got back from vacation, then spent a few days in Edmonton. I took a machine maintenance class with APQS at Sparrow Studioz.

I've got a huge queue of client quilts to do and am puttering away at them. But what's really keeping me busy is writing. When I should be quilting my own stuff or writing and editing the new patterns for the sale I am attending in October, I am typing away on my computer writing romance novels. Wicked naughty novels. This is something that I've played with for years and every now and then it gets out of control and consumes my life. Now is one of those times.

The ideas come and the words flow and I type until my fingers cramp. Anyone out there know a massage therapist who specializes in crampy fingers? This is not something I can control. I simply cannot stop the words from coming every bit of scrap paper has an idea scratched on it. I even dream the stories if I don't write them down. It is simply easier to sit at the computer and write until the obsessive flow of ideas slows to a trickle. Now I'm not saying I'm good at it, just that something compels me to write.

Matt Sparrow (Man Quilter)
and one of his lovely Children.

Okay, back to Sparrow Studioz. I met Matt and Bradie Sparrow. Lovely people. Sparrow Studio is a fabulous spot. Mark has a gallery of quilts for sale. There are many longarm machines for rent so you can quilt your own work. He has his own machine where he quilts for clients and also has other longarmers renting space for their machines. I would show you pictures, but some idiot left the camera at home. You'll have to trust me on this. Sparrow Studios is an inspiring place. Now if only we could talk them into selling fabric!

Mark Carahar (sorry if I misspelled your name!) of APQS taught the class. Who knew these machines were so complex? (Okay we all did.) What I didn't realize that they were designed for easy maintenance. Mark showed us how to repair virtually everything that could go wrong. Wow. I'm way smarter now and if I ever drag myself away from this computer I'll know how to fix the little glitch I've been having. I have to tell you that judging from Mark's stories, it seems that I've made just about every possible screw-up with my longarm. (I'm not sure if I was a good student for having stories to relate or not ... I'm thinking that with my history I may have been the class dunce.)

I Love the Rock: Newfoundland

2011-08-27T16:46:00.000-06:00

On top of Signal Hill where Marconi
received the first Trans-Atlantic
wireless signal. Yes that's fog
behind me!

I'm baaack. Sadly vacation is over and I have returned home. We spent a week in Newfoundland. It was incredible. I've never seen anyplace like it. I can see why they call it The Rock. There's nothing there but rocks and stumpy little trees. It is kind of like BC but with midget trees. NFLD has a harsh beauty that is breathtaking. When the fog rolls in, look out. It can go from sunny and hot to foggy and muggy in minutes. We watched a fog bank roll in and it literally took only fifteen minutes before you couldn't see more than twenty feet away.

I love the place names too. They are all creative and cute. Gander, Come by Chance, Conception Bay, Dildo. Let's not forget Top Sail, Birchy Nap and Bacon Cove. Lakes are called ponds, it doesn't seem to matter what size it is, if I would consider it a lake its still called a pond. Paddy's Pond, Lost Pond, Gushue Pond, Kenny's Pond, I think the names make them seem like inviting places to visit. Even the street names are inviting, Freshwater Road, Cook Street, New Cove Road, and Marigold Place.

A typical Newfoundland beach.

We toured around quite a bit, driving the highways and tramping around St. John's. We took a tour up to Trinity and drove the southern coastline. I was surprised to find that there really aren't any beaches to speak of. If you can get close to the water, its on top of a rocky cliff. The few beaches we found were made up of rocks.

I even brought home a few rocks to throw through the old rock tumbler. (Those of you who know me well are aware that I cannot go for a walk without picking up a rock.) We purchased two big chunks of Labradorite to cut up for making jewellery and I bought myself a lovely pair of Labrodorite earrings. (Labradorite is the official stone of NFLD.) Its tone varies, but when you hold it just right it is kind or iridescent. It shines blue, green and sometimes even gold.

My new Labradorite earrings.

Raw Labradorite Stone

We took an ocean cruise on this boat. Saw some whales
and the eastern-most land point in North America.

Coming back to St John's after our cruise.

We spent some time at the rink with they boys playing lacrosse. Yup, Mater's Lacrosse again and no its not any faster than it was before. However, it was a lot of fun. One NFLD player posted the quote of the weekend on Face Book. "Only in Newfoundland does it take two kegs of beer to play three games of lacrosse." Too true. Yes indeed, there was a bit of beer consumed, a lot of fish eaten but most importantly many new friends were met. Those Newfies sure know how to throw a party!
The people in Newfoundland were friendly and entertaining and I cannot wait to go back next year!

Thursday Thanks

2011-08-11T09:01:00.000-06:00

Kim's "Applique" birthday cake.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking lately. A dangerous occupation at best, I know, but driving the longarm gives a person a lot of time to muse things over. My machine is an APQS Liberty and is not computerised. I have to follow the patterns myself. While one part of my mind is busy concentrating on that, the rest of it runs wild.

As I ease into a rhythm of quilting and my brain takes off. Yesterday, my brain seemed stuck on all the good things I have. Not the possessions, but rather the intangible things. Things like luck, family and friends.

Let’s start with luck. I’ve decided that I don’t really have bad luck, but I don’t really have good luck either. Life flows on with its highs and lows. Nothing really bad has ever happened to my husband and I. But we haven’t won the lottery yet either. Things just seem … well neutral. I guess that means that my Cosmic Karma must be fairly well balanced. (Yeah, I know … there are days when I’ve done or said things that should have me run over by a Karmic Retribution Bus, but we’re not going there.)
I have a fabulous family.

My husband is supportive, career-wise and financially. (Grin.) My kids are happy and healthy (and moved out. Happy dance!) I’m close to my parents and siblings and we have good relationships, although I don’t see them as often as I would like. I know that later I will regret not making a bigger effort to see my family, and I hope that they understand how much I wish I was with them. I wish to publicly thank them all, here and now, for being part of my life and for kicking me in the backside when I need a reality check.

Happy Birthday Old Friend!

And friends. I have a lot of friends, and no I’m not bragging. I’ve got a handful of really close friends and a basket full of good friends. I’ve also got a lot of people in my life who are more than acquaintances, but not quite friends, if that makes any sense. I spent some time this week with my friend and quilting buddy Kim.(Chatterbox Quilts) I talked about her obsession with applique in my last post. I had her over for birthday tea. Last Friday was coffee with Linda day! Yeah. Linda is my vent. I can tell her anything and spend two hours being angry and snotty about something and she just sucks it all up until I feel better. Deb is my day out friend. We talk almost every day and love to take day trips together shopping and eating and thinking alike. We laugh a lot, and we like to think that the local quilt shops are amused by us, but I expect that we leave as much relief as laughter in our wakes.

But let us not forget Betty Bubbles, and Colleen my Regina friends. Oh, and Little Calgary Betty, Jane, Phaedra, Rita, Sam …. Okay, I’ll stop there. See, there’s no denying it. I’m blessed. My life is good and I am happy. Oh, oh, and my pattern testers. Ann Marie (Muddy Feet 16: Check out her blog!), Tammy, Beth and Alice.

Okay enough drivel for one day. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who makes my life so good.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What are your blessings?

More cake! Mmmmm, it was soooooo good!

Insanity Is Not Hereditary, You Get It From Your Friends!

2011-08-09T08:47:00.000-06:00

Yup, its true. I've said what we all know. Insanity is NOT hereditary, we get it from our friends. Our quilting friends. They give us ideas and inspire our creativity. Sometimes to the point where we later say "What was I thinking?"

I'm there now. Yup totally-absolutely-certifiably insane. And what I want to know is, WHAT WAS I THINKING? Can somebody please, please tell me .....

Today's insanity comes from a number of sources. There's a lot a blame to go around here, so line up friends and take your share. My first torpedo of blame goes to the girls at guild. Friendship blocks. What a lovely idea. Everyone makes a block or two for this month's recipient. And quick as a blink she has a new quilt. Ha. Friendship blocks? Evil blocks! Evil, evil I say.

My turn came up and I had this brilliant idea for making a quilt entirely of half square triangles. So for my friendship blocks I requested one side light/one side dark half square triangles. I had a plan. It was a cunning plan. There was this vision, it was going to be perfect. All those triangles plus a few more in different sizes was going to create this fabulous disappearing-diminishing-distance look. Just let me say now, FAT CHANCE! That idea failed. So I settled on a much simpler plan and put the blocks together in a simple pattern for a wall hanging.

The whole quilt.
Flowers will be in each spot where
there is a petal pinned.

Hmm. It didn't turn out quite big enough so I added a pieced light/light half square triangle border. Ouch! Waaaay to bright. It needed toned down at bit, or maybe jazzed up. S0, I thought of Linda W. I took a three dimensional quilting class from Linda several years ago. I learned how to made 3D leaves, flowers and embellishments. So I decided to add an applique vine and some 3D flowers and leaves to my wall hanging to make it pretty and to make the borders a little softer. Nothing fancy just a couple of dimensional flowers to spruce it up. Great idea. I started planning. First we add the vine stem, quilt the top, then we bind it. Then we decide what to do for the 3D bits. Okay, I admit, it wasn't my smartest idea.

But wait, it gets worse, the next torpedo of blame goes to Kim Jamieson-Hirst (www.chatterboxquilts.com ). Kim is crazy about applique. She'll applique anything. I suspect that she would put applique food on the table at supper if she thought she would get away with it. One day I'm puttering away in my studio thinking about my wall hanging and I start thinking about Kim which gets me thinking about raw edge applique. So, I cut out some flowers and leaves. Test place them on the quilt. They look perfect. They are exactly what the quilt needs. Except, I've already finished stitching the layers together and sewing on appliques would spoil the back.

Don't say it, I know what you're thinking. "But you could HAND applique them on."

I told you not to say it. I wanted this quilt finished and off my UFO list. So hand applique was out. To heck with Kim and her crazy obsession with applique.

Just when I've started thinking about banging my head into the desk to try to jar out a solution to those punchy borders, I think of THEM. Those dreaded art quilters. You know who you are, stop sitting there looking innocent. Those woman are crazy. Nuts. They are always jazzing up their quilts with little bit and bobs. How about a button, maybe some beads? You know who they are, trying to turn quilting into an entirely different art form. How I hate them! Okay, I'm just jealous that they can work outside of their box and I can't. But now they have me thinking flowers. Bella Nonna Petals! Perfect. A few quick stitches and Voilà the quilt will be finished and ready for hanging. A little out of my comfort zone, but still do-able.

Ha ha ha ha ha ..... this is where the maniacal laughter starts. I try bunching those petals. I mean really, how hard can it be to add a few flowers? Hmm, bunching the petals together doesn't work. That little cluster of leaves looks good. Maybe I'll add a tiny white center to my cluster of leaves. Nice, but not enough. Ooooo, a beaded center would punch that wee flower right up! Success! Now that looks nice. Just a few more and the quilt will be finished.

So I start planning again ....... I'll need a couple flowers to go with those corner leaf clusters.

So I design and build my first flower. It lovely. Its perfect. Its exactly what I had envisioned. It took a while though. "Yeah", I told myself, "its exactly what you want. Make some more. After all 20 minutes a flower isn't that bad."

Lets stop here and take a count. Leaf clusters for the corners. That's four. Maybe a bigger flower for each corner. That makes eight. Hmm, now something for the sides. That makes 24 in all. Not too bad. Okay, I can do this. Its going to take a while to make two dozen flowers. Lets put a couple of them in place and see how it looks. Nice.

Ooooh, but it is sooo much nicer when you cluster a few together like that..... Okay so now I'm thinking I need about eighty. Yes I said EIGHTY flowers to complete this border.

More maniacal laughter here. Much more!

So now somebody tell me, WHAT WAS I THINKING? (And yes I am blaming everyone else for this. How could I possibly be at fault?) Maybe I should have gone with the hand applique!

TGIF

2011-08-05T07:35:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I know. TGIF. Everyone uses it all the time. But seriously. I'm glad it is Friday. I'm going to spend the weekend working on my own projects. I think I'm nearly caught up with longarming for clients. I'm going to spend the day sewing with the Spawn. Wee daughter Wendy is coming over to work on a baby quilt for her friend. I'll run the longarm and help when needed. Tomorrow the other Spawn, Tina, is coming over to play. Does life get any better than this?

Now for an update: So far I have finished three UFOs. Marnie, Not Your Grandmother's Log Cabin and now ..... a baby quilt. So far, I am leading the race. (I'm not even taking credit for the quilt for Cousin Kathy because it wasn't started when I opened this competition.) I've finished three projects and my contestants have not yet reported any finishing. Tsk tsk tsk. Come on ladies. This is supposed to inspire you ... get sewing.

This is the quilt I finished last night. Decided to
make it from two fabrics just to see how
it turned out. Its kind of cute.

This is Charmed to Bits. The original version of the
same quilt made from charm squares.

The second version has no name, but it is the alternate cover picture for my Charmed to Bits pattern. I decided to make it on a whim and was surprised how different it looked in two colors rather than with Charm Squares. Both are the same basic rail fence. But WOW what a difference color selection makes.

I also managed to bind a second quilt last night. (Hubby is out of town and I'm watching Star Trek the Next Generation and hand sewing. It is great!) I finished binding my first friendship quilt from Piecemaker's Quilt Guild. It has been quilted for eons, but I never got around to binding it. Well, it is bound and I am working on the embellishments. I'm not sure where they are going, but I am using Bella Nonna flower petals and beads to jazz it up. I'm kind of excited about it.

Generally, I'm not much of an embellisher. I'm more traditional than that. I'm trying to break out of my comfort zone and do new things. This is the first step. Not very adventurous I know, but I am trying. (And I don't mean trying people's patience either.)

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Are you an embellisher or art quilter? What inspires you to work in those mixed medias?

My Secret Shame

2011-08-01T11:44:00.000-06:00

Today's post is kind of a mixed bag, so don't expect any organisation or coherence. I've finally finished a couple of new projects. Two of them come off my UFO list. The third is a bonus project (and test drive of a new pattern). And, I finished piecing the quilt for my parents. I even made their new bedroom curtains to match! Plus, I am almost finished the pillow shams.

A completed UFO: This is for my husband's cousin
who has a birthday this month. And who gave
me some beautiful paintings.

Another UFO and birthday gift for another of his cousins
having her birthday in August. This is from the book
"Not Your Grandmother's Log Cabin."
It is a variation. (Read that as my magpie syndrome
got the better of me and I skipped the complex borders.)

Detail view of "Not Your Grandmother's Log Cabin."

The completed top of the quilt for my folks. I had to lay it out on my
friends floor, mine isn't big enough. Dang king sized beds.
I even mitered the printed borders. I am wondering if
I need to add some applique to fill in the large
cream colored areas.
What do you think?

Test run for a new pattern and a birthday gift.
It is for, you guessed it: another cousin of my husband.
She turned fifty this year. Happy Birthday!

The forth female cousin (all from the same family) got her quilt for Christmas. The picture of that is in my December 22, 2010 post. Hers was a wall hanging while the other ladies are getting at least lap sized.

NOW FOR MY SECRET SHAME:
Okay, anyone who knows me realizes that housework is absolutely the last thing on my to-do list. The VERY last thing. I know things are getting out of hand when my husband (who asks only that the dishes be done and he empties the dishwasher) tells me its time to sweep my studio. Today he DEMANDED that I sweep. Yikes! So, I did. I got 5 of these, yes you read correctly FIVE of these dust laden things from one sweeping. I vow here and now to sweep once a week. (Okay, I'll try.) But to be honest, longarm quilting does generate a lot of dust. So does all that cutting and sewing. Yeah I know I am making excuses...

My Secret Shame.
I never sweep, and only occasionally dust.
I use batting scraps on my Swiffer head to clean up with.
As you can see, when you use the danged thing
it works pretty well. The bonus is that batting scraps are
FREE!!

Question Of The Day: Are you getting any work done this summer? Do you live in the garden in the summer? I would love to see some pictures of your projects, both completed and in progress.

Things are Moving Along Well

2011-07-21T07:06:00.000-06:00

The Center Medallion of Mom and Dad's new quilt.
Somehow I don't think it will be finished by Friday
when I go for a visit. Maybe if I work real hard .....

My to-be-quilted closet. About half the quilts are mine.

Fabric for projects underway.

Well, as always I am busier than a one armed paper hangar. Things are ripping along quite well in the studio. I have finally managed to write some directions for new patterns. They are off to the testers now and will be back in a couple of weeks.
I have even managed to quilt two of my UFOs. Of course they are still unfinished as the binding is not on yet. But, it will be by next weekend. I will have three done by then as they are for cousins' birthdays on the August Long Weekend. So they WILL be finished.

Entries for the UFO contest are as follows:
Lisa E. has 17 UFOs on her list.
Audrey R. has 18 UFOs.
Kayle P. has 41 UFOs.
Becky A. has 3 UFOs.
Linda N. has 86 UFOs.
Marcy Y. has 39 UFOs.

Based on the nature of this competition, I have decided to allow more entries. After all, aren't UFO's really about having trouoble getting started and finishing things? Have you entered yet? Don't forget to send a list of your UFO's and a photo or two of your works in progress.

Storage shelf with UFOs stacked up!

Its UFO Time: Ladies and Gents, Start Your Sewing Machines

2011-06-16T20:08:00.000-06:00

WARNING!

Leave Me Alone I'm Quilting!

Okay people it is confession time. I have, by actual count 58 UFOs. For those of you who don't already know, in quilting terms a UFO is an Un-Finished-Object. (This is not to be confused with the more rare, but equally frustrating WOMBAT ... Waste Of Material, Batting and Time.)

I am an expert at UFOs. I have what my husband calls Magpie Syndrome. I am distracted by bright or shiny objects. I see something and say, "'Oh I've got to make that." The words are hardly out of my mouth before something else catches my eye and its "Oh that too, and that.' I start many things and finish significantly fewer. Its time to pay the piper. I'm going to get some things done and I want you to join me. So, I'm having a friendly little competition.

To be clear projects are only considered UFOs if they are actually started. All those piles of fabric I have purchased for projects not yet stared are not UFOs. That is only stash or what I call un-started projects and they are a whole different ball of string. We may deal with them in the future. It does not become a UFO until I actually start the project.

My goal for the remainder of this year is to finish as many previously-started projects as I can. And I am challenging you to do the same.

Today I have:

5 quilted tops that need binding (Not Your Grandmother's Log Cabin, Charm Square, Guild Friendship Blocks, Fairies, Pink and Blue rail fence)
3 incomplete hand sewing projects (includes hand piecing or applique) (Bonnet Girls an on-going BOM, Floral Wreath Applique, partly pieced Crazy Quilt)
30 finished tops waiting for me to quilt and then bind them (Table runner to queen sized)
15 projects that I started piecing that have not yet reached the quilting stage. (Mom and Dad, 2-Turning Twelve (modified Turning Twenties), 2-baby quilts from Dick and Jane ...)
5 projects that are ready for the pattern to be written and tested (Midnight Blues, 2 applique wall hangings, Scrap Therapy and Marnie)

That gives me a grand total of 58 projects to complete. (Okay I may have quit counting when I began to get discouraged and embarrassed. I definitely skipped the boxes in the basement and I am not including those I have designed patterns for but haven't started.)

The challenge is for you to send me a list of your UFOs and see how many you can complete before December 15, 2011. That gives you more than five months to work with. Half a year. Eons of sewing time.

Here's how it works.
1. You have until July 5 to join the fun.
2. E-mail me a list of your UFOs, or at least a list of those you plan to complete. Un-started projects do not count. You must already have started these projects to qualify. If you wish, you can submit a photo of the started projects or the mess in your sewing space that inspired you to join in the fun. Please include your full name, hometown, e-mail address and project list. (quiltingcath@gmail.com) I will keep all your personal information confidential and it will not appear on my blog.
3. E-mail me a picture of each project as you complete it. (I may publish them on this blog to inspire others. If you want to share a picture with me, but do not want your photo posted here, please tell me when you submit your picture.)
4. I will publish an ongoing list of competitors and their stats. (Number of projects, number finished.) (No last names, just first names and initials and home town.)
5. You must be a follower of this blog to enter and to win. If you are not already a follower, please sign up.
6. The winner will be the person who completes the most UFOs before December 15, 2011.
7. Every entrant who completes more projects than I do will be entered into a draw for an additional prize.

Sorry to my off continent followers, this contest is only open to subscribers in Canada and the Continental United States. (Technical question for my American readers, does Continental United States include Alaska? It does for this blog.) If you are off continent and want to participate, please join us but you will not be eligible for prizes.

The Grand Prize .... a quilt kit. The pattern will be one of my choosing and one of my own patterns (of course) and the fabric needed to complete the top and the binding. The Bonus Prize: to be determined.

Ladies and Gents ..... start you sewing machines. On your marks, get set, QUILT!

I dare you to enter! I double dare you!! I double-dog dare you!!!

Something Lovely to Inspire Us!
Birds of a Feather
By: Joan F. Naylor.Quilted by: LuAne Downs
3rd Place Wall Hanging
Machine Quilters Showcase 2011. Kansas

Vacation is Over: Let the Work Begin

2011-06-10T08:15:00.000-06:00

It seems like forever since I touched a computer. We spent the last 22 days on vacation and the most technical thing I touched during that time was my camera. I'm not saying that I am addicted to the camera, but we have almost 3000 vacation pictures plus about 1000 pictures of the lacrosse tournament we attended.

But, lets begin at the beginning... vacation started with five days in London. We've been before, but went back for the chance to absorb more history. We walked for hours soaking up the architecture and marvelling at the sights. Our hotel was just off Trafalgar Square (The Grand on Trafalgar.) There is always something happening in the square. It ranges from demonstrations to concerts to impromptu dancing and everything in between. We started and ended each day there. Coffee every morning and tea every night before returning to our hotel. Frequently we watches a man there with a falcon chasing away the pigeons. He didn't harm them, but his presence scared them off which made for a much more pleasant visit.

After London came Prague and lacrosse. We watched the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships and my husband participated in the Grand Masters (Over 45) division.Their team won their division and beat every team in the Masters division (Over 30.) The tournament organizers also hosted a beer drinking competition which we won quite handily. We arrived about an hour late and still manged to clean up. Never challenge a Canadian to a beer drinking competition!

Mmmm, vats and vats of Scotch Whiskey.

Next Up: Scotland. Yup, we were there last year too. This year we drove up the east coast, across the top and down the west coast. We took in Edinburgh and the Isle of Sky as well. Scotland has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Its kind of like Canada with its prairies, mountains, forests and rocky plains all squished up together. Every turn in the road and every crest of a hill gives you something new to look at. We also visited the Glen Morangie Distillery and had a tour. Scotch making is at once much simpler and much more complex than I ever imagined.

Celtic Quilting
by
Gail Lawther

I found a book on Celtic Quilting while I was there and took a ton of pictures of Celtic designs and carpets for quilting inspiration. I probably have the strangest holiday pictures ever. Last year I took pictures at the Louvre, mostly of the intricate tile floors and ceilings.

Now, its back to the old grindstone. First off, into the studio and back at the longarm. I've got a stack of client quilts to finish by the end of next week. After the studio maybe some time catching up on pattern writing.

The Ocean near Thurso, Scotland.

MQS Kansas

2011-05-15T11:17:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm arrived in Kansas safe and sound. It it a beautiful city, all green and growing. Its a far cry from the early spring I left in Calgary. When we arrived the humidity was stifling and way too hot. Without the humidity, it would be quite lovely. Let me tell you this, I know why the Wicked Witch of the West in Wizard of Oz melted, the humidity did her in!

My first day was spent setting up the booth. I have worked shows before but kits and patterns are a whole lot less work than individual spools of threads. Yikes. We were kept busy running about, talking thread and quilting with customers. I hardly had time to view the quilts. But let me tell you this ladies, they were fabulous. I've never seen such a variety of technique assembled in one place.

Aunt Polly's Porch
Quilted by Marilyn Badger.
Painted by Claudia Clark Myers.
3rd Place: Art/Pictorial.

Machine embroidery, hand embroidery, piecing, whole cloth quilts, wool quilts, machine and hand applique and what I can only call mock-applique. Quilters are taking whole pieces of cloth and quilting them with intricate designs and coloring them in too look like applique. They use pens, ink, markers, water colors, pencil crayons and special pencil crayon designed to blend with water. Irena Blume does fabulous work in this area and gave me a demonstration of how it works. Check her out at http://www.irenabluhmscreations.com/.

There was also a ton of fabulous quilting. Much of it was done by computerised machine which did not, in my opinion, even come close to the beauty and diversity that was created by hand guided machines. The majority of quilts that took prizes were quilted by hand guided machines using custom quilting.

I have never been so inspired and depressed all at once. I couldn't wait to get home and practise my custom freehand quilting and at the same time worried that my skill would never match that of these masters. I've decided that while I will likely never match them that I am going to practise and give it my best shot.

Magical Mermaid's Castle by Claudia Pfeil. Winner: Best of Show. Fabulous detail
quilting with hundreds, maybe thousands of crystals for accent. WOW!

Detail of Magical Mermaid's Castle

Red Letter Daze by Janet Stone.
This quilt also took a prize by the detail
photo did not turn out. Apologies to Janet.

Detail of Red Letter Daze

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-07T16:38:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to take a moment to thank my mother for all she has done for me over the years. I don't think there is a better mother out there and I apologize for the times that I told her otherwise. (As a kid I was a bit of an idiot.) Between her and my father they pretty much kept the four of us kids in line. I know there job wasn't easy and I thank them for the effort.

My mom was my doctor, nurse, kindergarten teacher, chauffeur, psychiatrist, maid, dishwasher, laundress, gardener, babysitter, cook and tutor, but most of all, she was my friend. She taught me to be kind to kids and animals; to love and give; to be polite and helpful; to give a hand and to accept a hand; to learn where I could and to accept when I couldn't. She even tried to teach me to keep my mouth shut and not say inappropriate things ... although that one only met with limited success. She taught me to drive, to crochet, to sew, to use a glue gun, to garden and cook. She passed her passion for reading on to me. I admit that she has me hooked on romance novels. (I love a good romance.)

All in all, I learned a lot of life's lessons at her knee, and on the rare occasion at the much deserved end of a wooden spoon. (I thank her for that too!)

Thanks Mom for all you did, all you do and all you will do. I love you.

MQS Kansas: Are You Joining Me There?

2011-05-03T15:21:00.000-06:00

Cat's Got the Measles by Pine Freckle Forest.

I'm almost ready to go. The International Machine Quilter's Association is holding MQS in Kansas at Overland Park. It runs May 11 to 14, 2011. I've never attended a show of this magnitude before and I am almost beside myself with excitement. (You can visit their website at http://www.mqsshow.org/)

Quilts galore, classes and a VENDOR MALL! Does it get any better than this? Seriously, I ask you, can you think of a better way to spend a couple of days? While I won't be attending any classes I am hoping for some demo's or make-and-takes for learning new techniques. And shopping, I am excited to see what's new in fabric and longarm tools. I am thinking that my credit card might get a workout during the show.

During the show, you can find me at the Wonderfil Specialty Threads booth in the Vendor Mall. Please stop by and visit me. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you!

Question of the day: Are you going to MQS in Kansas or any other quilt shows this year? Are you coming to see me in Kansas?

Winding Down For Vacation

2011-05-01T10:54:00.000-06:00

A striking quilt created by one of my customers.
She chose a simple allover pattern to allow her detail
work and precise piecing to show through.

Wow, it seems another year has gone by already. Time really does fly as you get older. It seems like I just got home from vacation last summer and it is almost time to head out again. Early in May I will be attending MQS in Kansas. I can hardly wait. I'm not sure how much time I will have for viewing quilts, shopping and learning new things as I am headed down there to work for Wonderfil Threads. I've always wanted to attend the show and would love to take some classes, but in all honesty, it has always been out of reach of my budget. Now, I can go and plan to absorb as much as I can while I am there. I'm hoping to be able to take a swack of pictures for inspiration!

Simple pantos and
turned borders can be
very effective.

I'll be home for about twelve hours after the show before heading off on vacation. The house sitter is all lined up, cat food is stock piled to keep the babies happy while we're gone and my bags are nearly packed. (Let me tell you how much I hate clothing shopping!)

As the time before departure grows shorter, I'll be working like a one-armed paper hangar. I'll be chained to the longarm, and will love it. On a good day, quilting is pure pleasure. Things go well, and the mind has lots of time to free roam and be creative.These are the days I love my job. I get a lot of thinking done while I work and sometimes looking at a client top from a strange angle will inspire an idea for a new pattern. On a bad day there is blue smoke coming out of my ears and I have to walk away. Thankfully good days outnumber the bad ones by about eighty to one.

Have a fabulous week, and stay tuned for a chance to win a quilt kit.

Cath

Generosity: The Kindness of Quilters

2011-04-23T09:07:00.000-06:00

Quilters are very generous and giving people. Got a problem, ask and they'll try to help you out even if the problem is not quilt related. Got a question, they've got the answer. On occasion, they'll offer solutions even when you didn't know you had a problem. I belong to Piecemaker's Quilt Guild here in Calgary and my fellow members are kindness itself. They cannot wait to share what they know or point out a new technique. They never hesitate to help someone out or to make a quilt for charity.

Quilters have huge hearts.There are countless groups and guilds making quilts to help out someone else. Quilters spend hundreds of dollars and untold hours creating a quilt and then give it away to charity. People made homeless by disaster or job troubles, we've got a quilt for you. Meals-on-Wheels, you need place mats, look no further. Tiny premature babies separated from their parents by incubators, we've got a quilt to keep you feeling warm and loved. I've only just recently learned of a group here in Calgary that makes quilts for the police to give to children who have been removed from abusive homes. If there is a need, there is a group of quilters toiling away, with smiles on their faces, to fill that gap.

As you know, I am a longarm quilter. It took a long time for me to take the plunge and purchase that machine. It was a huge step for me, but after much soul searching and discussion with my husband I took that plunge. That was over six years ago. I've loved every minute of work during that time. (Well, except for those days where nothing goes right!)

When I finally received my machine, I joined an informal group of longarmers here in Calgary. They are, down to the very last member, a wonderful group of ladies. They are always ready to share their knowledge and are eager to break out the coffee pot if you need someone to vent to when difficulties arise.

When I was learning to longarm I spent a lot of time on the phone to the ladies in my group asking questions. One in particular offered me everything she knew and if there was something she didn't know, she helped me find answers. I had some mighty dumb questions (yes there are dumb questions, but they still need answers) and I made some pretty horrendous mistakes, but she helped me out each and every time. She talked me through problems, sent me to web-sites, loaned me books and videos and offered constructive criticism. To her I say thank you. Thank you Jane G., you've helped me build my business and I owe you more than words can ever express. Call me and I'll buy you lunch.

The Orchids in my kitchen window. Of nine plants,

eight are in bloom or are forming buds. I offer

them for your enjoyment and as a virtual

bouquet of thanks to Jane and all those other

quilters who are making a difference.

I like to think that I've returned the favor too. So far, she hasn't needed my help, but a lot of other new quilters have called me up asking for help and I pitch in where I can.

It has been my policy to be an open book regarding quilting. If you have a question, ask me and I'll tell you what I know. I don't profess to be an expert, but I am good at what I do, getting better and I love to give advice. (Who doesn't?)

It is my opinion (and isn't what this blog is all about?) that we're all in this together. Sharing what we know and do only helps us learn and grow and makes us a stronger community. Wanting to give back for all the help I received when I started out is what lead me to the latest iron in my fire.

I've talked before about life getting in the way of quilting and other fun things, but I have to be honest here... sometimes I'm my own worst enemy. I've got a lot going on in my life and I keep finding new things to do. So far I am a quilter, longarm quilter, quilting teacher, pattern designer, knitter, crocheter, reader, blogger, novelist (unpublished, but it eats a lot of time), wife, mother, daughter, assistant lacrosse coach, pet owner, and now the Longarm Liaison for Wonderfil Threads (http://www.wonderfil.net/).

I love their threads and use a lot of them, so when they approached me about working for them I agreed. I get to troubleshoot for other longarmers who are having troubles with Wonderfil threads, or who are just looking to learn more about the products and their usage. It is fabulous! I've met (over the phone and in person) a lot of really nice people and it gives a real satisfaction when I am able to help someone out. This is not something I took on without thinking, or in haste.

It takes a lot of time, but their product is one I believe in. so, I signed myself up to help them out. Its been fun and its been frustrating, but when a fellow longarm quilter calls me up and tells me that her new threads are perfect, or that my advice helped out and that things are running smoothly again it feels real nice to know I've given back some of what was given to me.

It's a circle of giving. Next time someone asks you a question or needs advice, help them out. In time it will come back to you and you'll be glad you came through for someone else.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you give back? Do you make charity quilts or share your knowledge with other quilters? Let me know, I would love to hear about it.

Back Away From the Vacuum

2011-04-06T19:33:00.000-06:00

A variation of the Bali bag I
made for my sister. She
loves purple and ducks. One
of the few projects I
got bound while at
my folks.

Life is a funny thing. Bad things happen, good things happen and still life goes on. My life has been upside down lately. Lots of stuff going on. Good and bad. I won't bore you with details that's not the point of this posting.

The point is that sometimes we need to step back, let go and relax. With things being so crazy busy around here, I let a few things slide and you know what? Everything and everyone came through fine. I'm not a house keeper by any stretch of the imagination, but while I was spending so much time at my folks house, I did not do one lick of housework when I spent the odd day at home. Did I feel guilty? Absolutely! At first. Then I decided that it really didn't matter that there were cat hair dust bunnies the size of rabbits rolling around the living room. I admit, dirty dishes do bother me and I kept after those and kept the kitchen tidy with the help of my darling hubby. He kept the place picked up and the bathrooms clean. But the sweeping, dusting and vacuuming went by the wayside.

Guess what people, the world didn't explode. Nothing bad happened. As a bonus, when I did get around to vacuuming, it only took me an extra ten minutes to catch up. That's what I call time management at its finest.

While I was gone, I didn't get to spend nearly as much time as I wanted with my children, husband and friends, but through the marvel of technology and text messaging, we kept in touch. No, it wasn't like being together in person, but it was a comfort to text them and vent a bit when things were tough, and to share the lighter moments as well.

Back to the relaxing part. When I first came home I spent a full week just relaxing. I didn't call anyone. I didn't do any work, not even finishing up my accounting for taxes. I sat in my chair with a cup of coffee, read books and did some blog reading. When I felt so inclined I spent time in my studio puttering about. I cleaned it, I sewing long strips together for a scrap quilt. I watched a couple movies and did some hand binding. In short, I did only what I felt like doing. I skipped the detail work and customer quilts hung in their queue calling me but I avoided them.

The most important thing I did do was say NO. When hubby said do you want to go to Home Depot, I said no thanks. When the kids called to see if I was making supper, I said no. That's not my usual way but you know what? I didn't feel guilty, not one bit. Okay, maybe a little. But I needed that time to unwind.

Now, I'm back after it. Things are back to their usual busy state and I'm loving it. I'm perked up, refreshed and raring to go. Just as soon as I finish my coffee.

Trends

2011-02-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

As a long arm quilter I see a lot of quilts come and go. Recently, I've noticed a few trends.

1.Hand applique is way up and fusible web applique has become less popular. I've found that over long periods of time and many washings the fusible web tends to fray around the edges unless it is satin stitched down. Hand applique has better staying power and has the bonus of being something you can do while waiting at lacrosse practice or watching TV.

Turning Twendy
by Tricia Cribbs

2.Beginners are all making big block quilts like Turning 20 rather than samplers. I think that those quick easy quilts give a better sense of satisfaction and are less frustrating to a beginner. Tricia Cribbs has created a fast and unique pattern that makes a fabulous quilt in no time.

3.Experienced quilters are making quilts with two or three different blocks in them. These blocks usually make a secondary pattern.

4.And, most startling of all is the fact that they are all huge. The average quilt I've finished recently would be a large double. King size is very popular. Contrasting this, I've done a large number of wee tiny ones. 30 X 40 and smaller. And the biggest a whomping 112 X 140. I thought I would never finish that one.

5. Most of my customers have started quilting their own smaller projects. They are saving their funds for fabric. These economic times are tough and money doesn't go as far as it used to. In order to keep quilting they tell me that cuts must be made and for smaller projects, I am the cut.

My own trends: I'm doing a lot of geometric designs like the one at the top of this post and a new design or mine that is all stars. I'm also doing a ton of hand applique. This is for two reasons, first I love the hand work and second because I'm spending a lot of time at my parents place in Edmonton. Dad had a stroke and is well on the way to a full recovery, but the rehab hospital is downtown and Mom doesn't feel comfortable driving there. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, I love this chance to help out my folks and to repay them for all the great things they've done for me over the years. The only real trouble is that I miss my studio and my family.

That's all for now folks. I'll try to get back to regular posts, but my focus is on other things right now.

Question of the Day: Are you in color grid-lock? Do you tend to work only in a few colors? Are there colors you hate? (I have real trouble with brown.) Let me know....

Cath

Fitting that Quilt Sandwich Into Your Domestic Machine

2011-01-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Quilting and prize winning are the topics of today. One lucky person has won a Wonderfil thread prize package. The rest of you get to learn a bit about fitting your quilt into your domestic machine.

First, I must apologize for the delay with this posting. Sometimes life has a way of getting in the way of what we want to do and sometimes is gets in the way of what we should be doing. I'll just keep it short and sweet and say that Dad came out of his surgery well, they've given him new meds that should fix the growths on his feet and he's walking better than he has for years. Go Dad!

Now, onto quilting. When quilting that lovely quilt sandwich we made last week, it is easy to become intimidated when we start thinking about where to begin. First and foremost, we always start in the middle and work our way out. If we were going to stipple the quilt, we would wind several bobbins with our desired thread and thread the machine. We'll probably need at least six to eight bobbins for a double. The reason we load all those bobbins is because once we have that sandwich under the machine, we don't want to remove it to wind a new bobbin.

Next change your needle. Yup, you heard me. A new needle is in order, and now just any needle. You need a QUILTING needle. I can hear you now, "but I use the same needle for everything, why should I change now?" The short and sweet answer is that each needle is designed for a specific purpose and while sometimes we can't see the difference, there are differences between needles and for best results, we want the one designed for the job. You wouldn't haul gravel in the trunk of your car would you? So why would you use the wrong tool for this job? You've spent hundreds of dollars on that quilt, why skimp on the cost of a needle? Get a quilting needle, it has a longer throat and eye and the tip is shaped to penetrate all those layers batting.
Get out your test sandwich and get take a test drive. This warms up your arms, gets your mind in quilting mode and ensures that your tension is correct. As a side note, when having tension problems check your threading first. Then check that your bobbin is in correctly. Then fiddle with your tension. After that, consider using different threads in top and bottom. Some of those "slippery" threads need a thread with "grip" to hold them in place. Both Invisifil and Decobob by Wonderfil have a bit of grip to better hold rayons and polyesters in place. When everything looks right, it is time to start quilting.

Many books and web-sites recommend that you should roll your quilt up (like you would a magazine for swatting flies) to fit it under the machine. DO NOT DO THIS! When you roll your quilt up, it is like trying to ram a canoe into that little space, There is no flex or bend to a rolled up quilt. Instead accordion fold your quilt. This gives flex and allows for easier movement under the foot.

You can fold up one side of your quilt, and drape the other over your shoulder and on your lap. Ensure your sewing table is free of clutter that might impede the movement of your quilt. If you are stitching in the ditch, or stitching long straight lines of quilting, you will stitch the first row top to bottom and the next row bottom to top. This keeps the top from continually shifting towards one end. If you are stippling or free motion quilting, start in the center and stitch a small area the work your way to one end. When you reach one end, go back to the center and work towards the other end.

Some quilters like to back stitch to hold their stitches in place, I prefer to pull the bottom thread to the top and bury them both when I remove the quilt from the machine. This allows invisible starts and stops. When you begin stippling in the center, you can restart at the exact same place and continue in the other direction if you did not back stitch. When you are finished bury the threads and like magic you have one continuous line of stipple.

A cute wall hanging
from one of my clients.

Stitch as much area as you can comfortable do without unfolding your quilt accordion, then refold and start again. When stitching very large areas, I will pass a huge safety pin through the folds in a couple spots to hold them together, or clamp them with bicycle (pant legs) clips. Repeat this until you are finished. If you are stippling or free motion quilting, you will be finished at this point. If you are doing straight line or stitch in the ditch, you will need to check the back for any significant shifting. Fix any mistakes you see on the back before continuing. Now, fold the quilt the other way (fold up the bottom if you started with the sides) and start quilting the lines going the other way. Remember to go left to right for one row and right to left for the next.

Hope all that helps.

Now, onto the good stuff. THE WINNER OF OUR THREAD DRAW IS: Lee. I have sent you an email Lee. Watch for it in your in-box.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What quilting technique do you excel at and which one do you detest?

Layering Your Quilt For Quilting

2011-01-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

While most of my quilts are now completed on my long arm, I have quilted dozens of quilts, some as large as a double, on my domestic machine.

There are three basic choices for holding your quilt together for quilting. They are hand basting, safety pins or spray basting. Generally speaking, I prefer to spray baste my layers together. It is fast and easy. It holds the layers together with little trouble and it prevents most shifting. My personal choice is 505 Spray. While initially, it can seem quite expensive, you must remember that one small can will baste several queen sized quilts. They key is using a light spray. It is baste, not glue. It takes only a light spraying to keep the layers intact. I do find that 505 does not work well with some 100% polyester batting. If you plan to use 100% poly batting, test the adhesion before you begin.

To begin, cut your backing about 6 inches larger than your quilt top. If you have a large enough table, use large binder clips or painters masking tape to hold your top to the table. If your table is not large enough, tape it to the floor or look into renting table space at your local quilt shop. (The trouble with taping it to the kitchen floor is that you have to move the table and chairs, sweep, scrub, baste the quilt and then scrub again to remove the basting spray. But the trouble is worth it in the end.) Ensure that your backing is flat and unwrinkled without stretching it. Pull it taut without stretch or distortion. I prefer to tape all the way around the backing. It uses more tape, but reduces shifting of the layers.

Once the backing is smooth, layer it with an equal sized piece of batting. Be sure the batting is smooth and equally spaced over the backing. Take care not to stretch or warp the batting when smoothing it. Be careful not to shift the backing fabric. Fold the batting up to the half way point and lightly spray the 505 to cover about 12 inches of the backing. Fold those 12 inches of batting back down and smooth them. This spray is re-positionable, so if it puckers, simply lift it and spray again. Once it is smooth, do the next 12 inches. When this side is complete, fold the other half of the batting up and repeat.

Now that the batting is smooth, layer the quilt top and smooth it in place. As you have done with the batting, you will fold back half of the quilt top, spray 12 inches, unfold, smooth and repeat. Remove the tape and check the back for wrinkles. It should be noted here that it will not be perfectly flat. Like a quilted quilt, it will have some texture. There should not be any bulges, folds or puckers.

Now that it is correct, you can begin quilting. If the quilt is larger than a lap quilt, I like to add a few pins to keep it in place. When you are doing the quilting, your quilt sandwich will be folded, twisted, puckered, shoved and pulled. A couple pins keep the sandwich intact. I like to pin about every 10 to 12 inches if I have already spray basted.

If your space is not large enough, this can be done in sections. Complete layering one section, then do the next. I prefer to do full widths or lengths if I can rather than quarters. There is less folding and shuffling this way. Simply start at the top of your quilt and baste the top section, shift everything up, do the next section and work your way down. It is harder to get the quilt smooth this way, but it can be done!

Pin Basting: For pin basting start by opening all of your pins. Tape the backing down, add the batting and smooth it. Add the top and smooth it. Working from the center out, pin the quilt about every 6 inches. You should stagger your rows by three inches to avoid long rows without pins. I prefer to use small safety pins rather than large ones. They are harder to put in but seem to hold the layers together better. Buy good pins. Cheap pins are often dull and have trouble penetrating the layers. You will need about 400 pins for a lap quilt. Your local quilt shop may sell a pin clip, the Kwik Klip. This is a special tool for closing safety pins. Consider purchasing one if you plan to pin a lot of quilts. When you are quilting, remove the pins as you come to them.

Hand Basting: For hand basting use a light colored thread and use large stitches. Do not tie the thread off, leave the tails and space your rows about 4 inches across. Work from the center out and stitch both horizontally and vertically.

My next posting will be on fitting that monster on your sewing machine.

Question of the Day: What is your preferred method for basting your quilt? (I cheat and use my long arm.)

Quilting on Your Domestic Machine

2011-01-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

Some of my earlier practise pieces.

I admit, its been a while since I did any real quilting on my domestic machine. I play with it occasionally just to keep my skills up, but I am spoiled because I own a long arm machine that I wouldn't trade for anything. Still, I do play with quilting on the domestic and I do enjoy using it for small projects. Recently, I made a series of 4" by 12" wall hangings. (Long Fellas.) I seemed silly to load them on the long arm, so I quilted them on my Bernina.

Years ago, when I first started quilting, I taught myself how to quilt on a home machine. The most critical thing I learned was that you need a walking foot for the straight aways, and a hopping or darning foot for the curved bits. My first couple quilts had long straight stretches of stitch in the ditch and some motifs that I quilted by hand because I didn't know how to free motion.

I learned free motion the long way. I made about 30 pot holders and practised on them first. This allowed me to perfect the motions I needed and to learn to coordinate the machine speed with the speed I moved my project. Being small, there was no need to worry about excess quilt getting in the way. Next, I made myself place mats. I bit larger for the project, but not too big to be really difficult. Then came table runners, wall hangings and finally a quilt. It was a long way to go, but I learned something each step of the way.

Now, when I have time I play around with practise squares. I made some practise squares about 12 inches square. I layered them with batting scraps. (I have boxes of these.) Each square gets used several times. I used a plain fabric because thread shows up best on plain fabrics. I quilt in a contrasting fabric because the point of this is to perfect my technique and I need to see what is going on. Often, I will reuse a square by quilting over what I have done in a different thread. I'm not worried about perfection because I know this is a scrap. These squares are also handy for testing new stitches and adjusting your tension. Running a test drive before starting your "real" projects will save you a lot of grief.

I've also found that this practise transfers to the long arm machine with is an added bonus. I think the mind remembers the motions and knows to transfer moving the fabric to the head of the machine.

Making the squares: I love 505 basting spray for this. Cut a pile of 12 inch squares. (Or what ever works for you.) Cut one batting square for every two fabric squares. Protect you table with scrap paper. (I use examination table paper from the medical supply store.) Put one square of fabric wrong side up. Spray LIGHTLY with 505. Place a batting square on top, spray again, place the second fabric square on top (right side up.) Check that it is all smooth and you are all set to go.

You can see that this is being re-used.

Now: put on your hopping foot and away you go. I find it easier to run the machine at a medium to fast rate and move my fabric quite quickly. You'll find that initially, your stitches run the gamut from tiny to huge. Don't worry about it. Just keep practising. Don't even worry about pattern or crossing over what you have already completed. Just focus on meshing that machine speed with your motion. It comes faster than you think. I've read that you can master this skill in about eight hours. That's the good news. The bad news is that if you don't keep on it, your skill slips a bit. Try to fit in a few minutes every time you sew for practise.

If you are interested in a great set of videos on free motion quilting, check out Patsy Tompson at this link: http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/. Another great resource is Leah Day. Check out her blog at:

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/. She has fabulous free motion ideas.

Remember to enter the draw for that Wonderfil thread package by commenting on this posting or any of the other ways listed in my previous post.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you quilt your own projects or do you hire a quilter? Why?

Win Yourself Some Wonderfil Thread

2011-01-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm giving away a sampler package of Wonderfil Thread's Invisifil. This is a fabulous thread for couching, top stitching, quilting and even piecing where a large number of seams will all come together. It is 100 weight and almost invisible. It is by far my favorite thread for stitch in the ditch as it hides in the ditch and should you happen to "swerve" a bit while stitching it is almost impossible to notice. I don't know about you, but I don't always sew straight and sometimes stitch in the ditch is quite difficult if the seams are not pressed properly. I will be making the draw for this thread on January 15, 2011. (Wow 2011 already, can you believe it?)

All you have to do to enter this draw is one or all of the following:
1. Sign up as a follower to this blog and leave a comment here that you have done so.
2. Visit my website: http://www.pinefreckleforest.com/ and leave a comment here about your favorite pattern.
3. If you are already a follower, tell me what kind of topics you would like to see in the future.
4. If you have a blog, mention this draw on your blog and let me know you have done so to receive two entries to the draw.
5. Submit a name for the quilt shown below. (I may or may not use your name for the pattern.)

Sadly, this contest is only open to Canada and the Continental United States. Later draws will be open to other areas as well.

Below is a picture of what is going to be my new pattern. It will be available for sale starting next week. The trouble is that I don't have a name for it yet. It is entirely made of scraps (except the binding.) The center is strip pieced and the borders are made triangle scraps. I used all the same white, but it would look lovely with all different whites as well.

Question of the Day: What would you call this quilt?

Another Year is Passing

2010-12-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

Its time once again to say good bye to another year. I'm not sure how your year was, but for me 2010 was a wonderful year. Not perfect by any stretch, but positive all the same.

We lost some people dear to us, but made many new friends. I believe that life is a cycle and if we are willing to be open to possibilities, new things come to replace those that we have lost. True, nothing ever replaces a lost loved one, but our hearts are resilient and always waiting and willing to embrace someone new.

My business is growing, pattern sales are slowly increasing and I have all the long arm work that I can handle. I've discovered card making and I am trying to learn how to draw. Don't even ask how it is going, I'm hopeless. Still, I plug along and keep trying. I don't want to be able to do anything fancy, just simple sketches to turn into appliques for my quilts.

My family is happy and healthy. My daughters both have fine men who love them and care for them. Hubby has found a couple of new hobbies to keep him busy. (He is semi-retired.)

All in all, life is good.

Remember to tune in starting in January. I am giving away some fabulous prizes. The first one is an Invisifil Thread collection from Wonderfil Threads. There are several color ways available and the prize may not be the colors shown. Watch this blog for rules on how to enter.

Specifications:

100wt soft polyester
Strong & color fast - lint free - matte finish
Tone on tone - virtually disappears into fabric
when thread does not want to be seen
Can be ironed
5 assorted packs available
Each pack includes 6 assorted colors
400m spools

Applications:
Stitch in the ditch
Top & bottom thread
Bottom thread for delicate machine embroidery
Use as top and bottom thread for couching
Sew fine fabrics
Digitized lace designs

They say that New Year's is a time for resolutions. I'm not sure I believe in resolutions, but I've decided that this year is Fit, Fabulous Forty-Fine. I turn 49 late in 2011, and have decided to give me best effort at turning my life around before that day comes. I vow here and now, in front of each and every one of you that I will eat better, exercise more and swear less.

Question of the Day: Do you make resolutions? What do you resolve this year?

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

2010-12-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Very few words coming your way today. Just a few pictures with some commentary.

I'm busy quilting like a fool to get ready for Christmas. Finishing up some older projects for my girls. Working on some new ones for their men. Making pillow cases for friends and family .... the list goes on and you know how it is.

My entry for the Piecemaker's Challenge.
We had to use the pink/purple.
Apparently I can't hang a quilt straight, or aim a camera straight.
Oooops.

Cousin Anne's wall hanging.
Bought enough fabric for a queen size quilt.
She asked for a wall hanging.
Oh well, more fabric for the stash.

Its hard to see in the picture, but the brown border on the right is "flappy".
This was a mistake against the flying geese blocks as they are now lopsided.
Not really noticeable, but something to take note of for later.

Very thick polyester batting. Hard to work with.

The thick poly gave an interesting dimensional effect.

A beautiful wall hanging by one
of my clients.

I love the way this dragons pop out of the background.

Tsk, tsk. Watch your 1/4" seam allowances ladies.

Stay tuned in the new year for some great give aways! We'll giving away Wonderfil Thread, some books, fabric and patterns.
Merry Christmas to everyone. Have a fabulous celebration with your loved ones.

Cath

The Christmas Rush

2010-12-10T22:18:00.001-07:00

Wow! Time flies when you are having fun. That is sooo true. Its the Christmas rush here in the Pine Freckle Forest/Black Bear Quilting studio. It seems that everyone wants a quilt done for Christmas. What is it ladies? Does Christmas come as a surprise or what? How about that lady who called to ask I had time this week to quilt a baby quilt she needs for a Christmas gift? This week? Surely you jest! Not even this year! Babies take nine months my friends. That allows you plenty of time to prepare and get your project to the long arm quilter before the wee bundle of joy arrives. Christmas is even less of a surprise than a new baby. It arrives at the same time every year, and its one of my favorite times of year.

I love the hustle and bustle. I love the shopping and wrapping. I even enjoy the baking. (I love the cookies more!) I decorate the house within an inch of insanity. It drives my husband crazy, but he puts up with it with little more than a few snippy comments. Tina took me shopping yesterday and we got almost all my shopping finished in one trip. Wendy took Dave (hubby) today and they finished all his as well. (Tina and Wendy being our twin daughters.) Everything is wrapped and ready to go. Now to get started on the baking. I'll do that in the evenings, and save the daytime for quilting.

Rush jobs are part of being a long arm quilter. It interests and confuses me is that people often call up wanting a quilt finished in a week, or worse yet in just days. It's been said to me "Can't you fit me in, it's not like you have a real job. You just stay at home and sew." Why is it that a home business is less valid than a retail or office job?

I've got news for you, I put in eight hour days most days and often work evenings and weekends just to get everything completed. That does NOT include my design time while working on new patterns. And lets not forget writing instructions, testing patterns, billing, pattern printing, answering the phone, teaching and worst of all accounting. Oh yeah, blogging. I apologize, I've been sadly remiss in getting things posted.

With all that going on all year, it seems like late November and December as especially hectic. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the extra work the holidays bring, but its easy to over commit ones self. So, I've made a decision. Each and everyday between now and Christmas I'm going to take some time for myself. I'm going to relax and regroup and do what ever moves me. It might be making cookies, or maybe making a Christmas card for a special friend. Maybe I'll work on my Zentangles. (A new obsession sparked by the latest book. Zentangle: Fabric Arts Quilting Embroidery, by Suzanne McNeil.) I'm going to make time for me, and make time to have coffee with the special people in my life.

Question of the Day: How do you relax during this busy time? What's your favorite part of Christmas?

Guild Day

2010-11-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Well, my friend Colleen was here and is gone again. We had a great visit. It’s a new week, and today was guild day. I belong to Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild of Calgary and I always enjoy guild day. We get together, do a little business, visit some friends, but best of all is Show and Tell. I’m never more inspired than I am after a quilt guild meeting. There are always such wonderful things. Bright bold colors, subtle patterns, geometrics, florals … so many projects to delight the eye and rev up the mind.

So this afternoon, it will be back into the studio to work on a few projects. Sandra, your quilt goes on the machine next and I’ll fetch it over to you as soon as it is finished. Those of you who are thinking of calling me about booking your holiday project in had better call soon. I have nearly twenty drop-offs this week and the schedule is filling fast.

Bali Briefcase by
Aunties Two

But first, I’m going to putter away on some of my own things. Maybe my cat quilts, maybe my fish applique quilt. Nope, better get my Bali Briefcase finished. I took a class from Marge Tucker at My Sewing Room. Fabulous store and Marge is a great teacher. She is knowledgeable and patient. Especially with those of us who simply cannot make a pattern as it stands. I can’t help myself I alter everything I make. Maybe an extra pocket, an extra row, a different border…

The briefcase is for my sister and I should try to finish it before I see her again. The pattern is by Aunties Two and is fabulous. The instructions are easy to follow, but man oh man does it ever use a lot of thread. I used nearly two full 1000-meter spools of cotton. Now, mine won’t look like the picture here, mine is purple. A purple briefcase… I can just see your shudders. But, sister-mine loves purple. When I give a gift, I want you to love what you get. My other sister wanted a black and pink quilt and that’s what I made her, it just took some time.

I am looking forward to Friday evening. My good friend Allison of Needleworks here in Calgary is having her open house to celebrate their new location. They are now at #10B - 6219 Centre Street N. (just south of 64th Avenue and Centre Street.) The open house runs from 6 to 8. Cake, coffee, prizes and I am guessing maybe some specials too. I can’t wait to be there to visit with my old quilting friends and to meet some new ones. Curious about the new Elna sewing machines too. Stop by on Friday night and see what’s happening.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What are you working on? Is your Christmas sewing finished yet?

Displaying Your Quilts

2010-11-04T08:53:00.000-06:00

My (as yet un-quilted)
Gordian Knot Quilt.

I’m curious about how you display your quilts. There is always the usual layout flat on the bed. But what about quilts that aren’t meant for beds? What about wall hangings and lap quilts?

I have a few quilts simply pinned to the walls, but they are small and aren’t going anywhere. There are two lap quilts in the living room. One hangs on the back of the couch and the other on hubby’s recliner when they aren’t in use. I store customer quilts that are completed and waiting to go home on top of a lovely antique trunk I picked up in Herbert, Saskatchewan at the Trading Post.

I’ve got lovely shelves with rods under them in my studio that hold quilts. The advantage of these is that it is easy to change out the quilt. You can extend the rod if the quilt is longer than the shelf and center the quilt if it is smaller than the shelf. I’ve even got two quilts on one hangar, side by side. I have a cute quilt rack that my friend Colleen gave me. There are quilts on shelves and quilts on cupboards, quilts hanging on the walls of local shops and don’t even get me started on the piles of table runners.

The Rack Colleen Gave me.
With my rack of quilts to do
for customers behind it.

What I am thinking here is that I may need a better system for storage of those not on display. Maybe a ladder-type rack that holds six or seven quilts all at the same time. Clearly, I need to get after nagging Darling Hubby. He should be busy making me a quilt stand, a ladder stand, another one of the shelf racks for by the front door …. Well, you get my point.

Its funny, all these quilts and not one that fits MY bed. Hmmm.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What is your favorite way to store quilts? Do you have a favorite rack? E-mail me a picture and I’ll post it on my blog (and maybe show it to DH to inspire him.) emailcath@shaw.ca

Stability

2010-10-29T08:29:00.000-06:00

Chris Moose.
I appliqued this little fella as
part of my Calendar Critters
Series.

When I do machine applique, I like to back the project with a stabilizer to keep it from shrinking up and puckering. For most applications my favorite is a heavy weight tear away stabilizer. For this, I’m not brand fussy. I simply check to ensure that it will tear away nicely and if it does that’s good enough for me. Because it is not remaining in the project, often a generic or cheaper version will serve as well as the top end products.

I like the tear away stabilizer because I rarely wash my finished projects immediately. (I believe that my studio is clean and neat and that the project is not getting dirty while I work.) The advantage of tear away is that I can tear away it off, add the blocks to the quilt and finish up. Viola. It is done. When tearing away, if you are having trouble tearing, place the tip of your finger against the edge of the stitching and tear with your other hand. This will support the stitches enough to get the ripping started. Tiny bits that are left behind in tight spaces can be pulled away with tweezers or left behind.

Some projects require different types of stabilizers. There are wash away, iron away, cut away, and fusible stabilizers. Fusibles stay in place when the project is completed, adding stability to the finished project. This is fabulous for embroidery on very lightweight fabrics. The fusible helps support the embroidery and prevents distortion of the item.

Iron away turns into a fine ash when heated with the iron and brushes off. I’m not sure what the application for this would be. Cut away can be cut away from behind an applique and the remainder will soften in the wash. It allows you to add a lot of stitching and trim away the excess, but leave the stabilizer behind your work. Wash away will wash away in the laundry. It is great for projects you plan to shape. Instead of washing it away fully, you rinse lightly and shape the object while still sticky. It dries like a starched object.

Now, go and applique or embroider something. I want to hear about what you are working on.

2010-10-24T09:46:00.000-06:00

Today I want to discuss the role of quilting in your life.

For me, quilting is my business. It is my bread and butter. It puts food on the table and gas in the furnace. Most importantly, it pays for my addictions. Yes, I’ve said it. I am addicted to fabric. And, silly me, I just tried out a new craft, card making and I think I could become addicted to that too, but more on that another day.

As you know, I am a long arm quilter. I stitch the layers of quilts together for other people. There is a real satisfaction when someone gasps in happy astonishment when I layout their newly quilted project for their viewing. Occasionally they tell me that they hated the quilt before dropping it off, but love it now. I guess that means I must have done something right.

This week, one customer told me that she hated the quilt when she dropped it off, but doesn’t hate it as much now that it was quilted. I’m damned with faint praise. Actually, she was quite pleased, but like all of us, simply had a project whose results didn’t quite rise to its expectations. I am glad that she felt it improved. She’s gone from throwing it away, to giving it away. That’s a huge jump.

I am also a pattern designer. When I finally admitted to myself that I was incapable of finishing a pattern without altering the layout, borders, or entire design, I decided that maybe I should just do my own thing. Sometimes I can create without a pattern. I just pick out the fabrics and make it up as I go along. Usually, I sketch something out and go from there. Occasionally, I design in EQ7. It’s a fabulous program. But usually I have a basic image in my head before I hit the computer. If I don’t, I end up with dozens of variations on a theme, none of them quite right.

But to me, the most important part of this whole quilting thing is the quilting itself. Now by that I don’t mean the stitching of the layers together. I mean the whole deal. Choosing fabrics, stroking fabrics, designing layouts, selecting colors, cutting, piecing and quilting. Yup, I even enjoy binding now that I have it figured out. The whole thing is like breathing to me. Rarely does a day go by without me working on one project or another. It might be cutting, or a little sewing. On vacation, I wasn’t able to quilt at all, but that didn’t stop me from taking pictures of floors, woodwork, tiling, and other things which might translate into a quilt design. You should see the floors in the Louvre!

Lately, its been mostly hand work. I’ve got a couple of hand applique projects on the go and I like puttering away on them while resting in the evening.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What drives your quilting? What motivates and inspires you?

Celebration!!

2010-10-22T08:38:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to my quilting friend Heather McArthur of QUILTERS CONNECTION Magazine. She was awarded the City of Coquitlam sponsored Entrepreneur of the Year Award. That's just so exciting.

I first met Heather at Quilt Canada 2010 in Calgary. She's bubbly vivacious and a whole lot of fun. Her knowledge of quilting is astounding and she always has something interesting to say. She is the brains and brawn behind Quilter's Connection Magazine.

Have you ever read her magazine? It is one of only two that I subscribe to. I love it. Its one of the few magazines I read cover to cover. It has articles, patterns, tips and information galore. And its CANADIAN too. Does it get any better than that?

Check out the magazines web page at http://quiltersconnection.ca/. When you sign up, you also get her e-mail newsletter. Its FREE!! And is chock full of patterns and information.

Check her out. You'll be glad you did.

Binding

2010-10-19T09:20:00.000-06:00

Congratulations once again to the winners of the Fall into Fall Blog Hop. A special thanks to to everyone who entered. Yes Colleen, you were a winner. I sent you an e-mail, but it must have gone astray. Drop me an e-mail with your address and I'll send your prize out. (emailcath@shaw.ca)

BINDING:

Yup. Its a must for all quilters. No quilt is complete without it. Personally, I always finish my bindings by hand. I don't like the look of a binding that is finished by machine. It seems, somehow, like cheating. Mayb that's just me. I sew the binding onto the front of the quilt by machine and hand stitch it down on the back. I love hand work and can stitch a queen sized binding down in two nights. Sometimes even in one if I'm in a particular hurry.

Instructions for Perfect Bindings
Click the text above to go to my website for printable binding instructions. Don't forget, if you share these instructions, please tell people where you found them. I would put them here, but technology is not my friend, and I cannot get the images to appear in this blog.

Tip of the Day: Never ever cut fabric after ten p.m. Those nasty gremlins will come in after you go to bed and when you wake up in the morning you’ll discover that they have re-cut your blocks and half of them are crooked.

Keep your fingers nimble. Cath

AND THE WINNER IS

2010-10-16T08:41:00.000-06:00

First, I would like to thank all the little people .... oh wait, this isn't an awards show, its a prize draw.
Seriously, I would like to thank everyone for stopping by to visit my blog during the contest. I'm touched that you all took time out of your lives to see what was happening in mine. Thanks too for taking the time to comment on my musings.

I've spent some time putting all the entries into a hat (don't even ask how long that took me!) And, the winners are:
Quilting Nana, and Colleen. They each win a fat quarter pack.
And Gill wins two patterns from my website. http://www.pinefreckleforest.com/
I've sent you all e-mails. Send me your mailing addresses and I'll get your prizes off to you.

I hope to see you all again soon! For now, its family day. Gonna spend some time with the rellies. Can't wait to see my neice and nephews.

Cath

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What's your next family event and what makes it special in your heart?

Woodchuck

2010-10-15T20:04:00.000-06:00

Okay, this one is for Gill.

A woodchuck is a North American mammal that

is sometimes completely black or completely white
is one of Canada’s largest true hibernators and the subject of a great deal of medical research
spends much of its time eating and sunning when not hibernating or caring for young
is the major hole-digging mammal over much of eastern North America, and in some places in the west, providing all sorts of animals with shelter

Woodchucks are stocky little animals with a flattened head. They commonly weigh 2 to 4 kg, and large ones may be heavier in the autumn. They measure 40 to 65 cm total length, including a short bushy tail about 15 cm long. Fur colour varies from place to place and between individual animals. It ranges from yellowish to dark reddish brown, with an intermediate brown colour being the most common shade. The fur is usually grizzled in appearance because of light-coloured tips on the hairs. The belly fur is commonly straw-coloured and the feet black.

What that has to do with "chucking wood" is anybody's guess. Just a cute tongue twister?

To learn more about the woodchuck visit: http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?cid=8&id=109

The End is Nigh!

2010-10-15T08:25:00.000-06:00

This is it! No, not Y2K or 2012 and the world ending crisis. It is the last day to enter the Fall into Fall Blog Hop and win some great prizes. I’ve got three prizes lined up and I am making the draw first thing in the morning tomorrow.

I have to say that I love all the comments I’ve been getting about my posts. I wish I could reply to them all, but I don’t have that kind of time. But let me say, I’ve learned a lot about organization, and am delighted to discover that I’m not the only quilter who works best in a slightly untidy space. What is it that makes it so hard to clean up after myself? Am I just lazy? No, that can’t be it, I’m pretty sure that the mess just inspires me. Well, at least that’s the excuse I am using. Now if only the sweeping fairy would show up and get rid of those dust bunnies for me. Are dust bunnies and endangered species?

Rulers: Just a few words about rulers today. We all have them, they are a vital tool of quilting. Pull out your favorite ruler. Look closely at it. Is it all chipped and dinged? Are the lines fading? Are they gone? Did you drop that ruler on the way to class and chip off a corner? Yikes. You had better consider replacing that old thing. Those missing lines are what help you get accurate cuts and if your edges are rounded, how can you possibly cut correctly. And, tell me how in the world you expect to get a nice clean cut at the corner if you have to pretend that the ruler is not missing a chunk. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

Ruler care is quite easy really. If you find it is getting a little harder to see the lines, try washing it in nice warm water with a bit of dish soap. Rinse and dry well.

Is it slipping when you try to cut? Try putting some Wonder Tape or Invisigrip on the back to help it adhere to the fabric better. Both of these are thin plastic films that add gription. (Yeah, I know that’s not a word, but I love it anyway.) I’ve tried those little sticky dots and the sandpaper dots, but find that they add gription where they are, but raise the ruler in other places and the fabric can slip where the ruler is not tight against it.

I store my rulers laying flat in the drawer. I have one drawer for big rulers and one drawer for wee rulers. This works well for me as I am not constantly knocking them off the table. Because my studio is always a mess, I find that those ruler stands don’t work well for me. All they do is allow me to knock all the rulers off the desk at once. I have a friend with one and she loves it, but then again her studio is spotless. If you have lots of wall space, consider hanging your rulers on the wall to keep them from getting damaged.

There you have it, ruler care in a nutshell. Keep them clean, unbroken and keep them put away. And don’t forget they break when you drop them, but they shatter when you drop them in extreme cold. Just ask me how I know! And people, if your ruler is trashed, suck it up and go by a new one. Your accuracy can't help but get better.

Think how slow things would be if we were back in the "good old" days of quilting and had to hand trace templates and scissor cut everything. I would NEVER get anything finished.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How much would would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Best answer gets an extra draw entry.

Final Days To Win

2010-10-13T09:09:00.000-06:00

Okay everyone. Time is running short. Friday is the final day to enter to win in the FALL INTO FALL BLOG HOP. I'll be making the prize draws first thing Saturday morning. Get your entries in now.

Just to recap, here are the "rules" ...

I am going to give you at least 3 prizes and 5 ways to win. I’ll add another prize for every 25 entries I receive.

Sign up for my blog. (3 entries) If you are already a member and want to enter, make a comment and let me know you have already signed up.

Become my friend on face book. When you send your friend request, mention the blog in the comments. Or, after I have accepted your request, tell me that you have entered the contest. (1 entry)
Sign up for my mailing list on my pattern website http://www.pinefreckleforest.com/ by sending me an e-mail and mentioning this blog. (2 entries)
Comment on my blog. (1 entry)
Answer today’s blog question. (2 entries)

Remember that you can receive an entry for each comment you leave so check back tomorrow and comment on tomorrow’s topic.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What kind of topics would you like to see me cover in the future?

(I admit, I stole todays question from my friend Kim at http://chatterboxquilts.blogspot.com/ She's in the contest too, so check her out. And, don't forget to click the scarecrow on the left for more great blogs to visit and win.

A Word About Thread

2010-10-12T09:25:00.000-06:00

I am Cathy Keevill, and I am a thread-aholic. I love thread. At last count I had over 1000 spools in my studio. Every color under the sun, and many, many kinds.
The most important thing to know about thread is how thread weight works. The large the number, the finer the thread. A 12-weight thread is thick and heavy. A 100-weight thread is very, very fine.

Now, I admit to being partial, but I love Wonderfil threads. They are by far my favorite. With only one exception, I piece exclusively with Konfetti. It is a double-gassed 50-weight cotton thread. Double gassed means it has been passed through a flame (very quickly) twice to burn off those pesky little hairs and fluffs that end up trapped in your bobbin case. I have never found a knot or a slub and I have used literally hundreds of miles of the stuff. I use it for piecing and I love it on the long arm. I leaves almost no lint behind and it runs clean and smooth.

Jan Krentz: Quick Star Quilts

The only time I use anything other than Konfetti for piecing is when working on projects that have many seams coming together at once. For this I use Wonderfil’s Decobob. It is an 80 weight-polyester. My quick star project is an example. I made my own version of the cover quilt on Jan Krentz’s Quick Star Quilts. This quilt has 16 seams coming together in the center. That means 32 threads! Gather up 32 threads of your usual type and see what kind of bulk that is. It is huge. So, I choose to use Decobob or Invisifil, which are much finer and reduced the bulk considerably. I cannot believe the difference it made. The center of this quilt lays virtually flat. Impressive!

Before I talk about the quilting of a project, let me say that I don’t make heirloom quilts. I don’t expect my quilts to last for all eternity. I want them to be loved, and used up so I can replace them. So, I don’t worry much about that old adage that "anything but cotton will cut through your fabrics and destroy your quilt." I have quilts here that were quilted ten years ago with no signs of wear and that’s good enough for me.

So for quilting, I will use anything that will run well on my long arm machine. I love Konfetti, Tutti, Fruity, Decobob and Invisifil. Invisifil is a 100 weight polyester. In my studio, it has replaced monofilament threads completely. It is wonderful for stitch in the ditch as is disappears completely into the seams and is hard to detect even when you miss by a bit. It is great for add shadows when quilting. I love to use a color that matches my background fabrics as it adds depth without making it look too busy. I choose patterns that enhance the blocks and the Invisifil add shadows without adding busy-ness. Invisifil runs much easier than monfilaments and does not deteriorate in sunlight as many of them do. It also withstands the heat of the dryer better.

I also find that the cost of Wonderfil threads suits my budget quite nicely. But don't take my word for it, try them for yourself!

Question of the Day: What is your favorite piecing thread and why?

Thanksgiving

2010-10-09T08:53:00.000-06:00

Ostensibly this blog is about quilting. But how can you write about quilting when you haven’t set foot inside your studio for three weeks? (Okay I snuck in there yesterday for a black licorice and some Mike and Ikes.)

Hit a couple of local quilt shops yesterday with my friend Deb. We hit Needleworks in the north. Allison has a great new store. I can’t wait until she finishes hanging all those quilts and unpacks all those new fabrics. Then, we hit My Sewing Room in the south. Anne has a great staff and a huge selection of fabric. Can you believe I didn’t buy anything? Not even a coffee. I hate being on a tight budget, but until my machine is up and running again disposable income is nil.

On the plus side of having one’s machine down is that you get to spend more time outside in the lovely fall air. It’s been warm here. Hot enough for shorts and a sleeveless top. I’ve got a TAN. Yup its true. I have a lovely tan now, and I didn’t have even a hint of one all year. Gotta love Indian Summer. (Or whatever those of you who are politically correct call it now.) And, the fencing is getting close to completion.

It is Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada. Spent last night at home with hubby. Tonight the girls come over with their men. For those of you who don’t know I have 23 year old twin daughters. Tomorrow is drinks with friends and Monday is Thanksgiving dinner. We’re going to be radical this year and not have turkey. Yup, I said it. NO TURKEY! Superstore has prime rib on sale. So, Dave shall barbeque a prime rib roast. Mmmmm. I’m drooling already.

I have to tell you I am indeed thankful this year. I have a great life, a wonderful family, a terrific extended family, and am happy and healthy. To the universe I say "thanks for all you have given me."

Don't forget to visit my website and check out my patterns. Sign up for my website mailing list and recieve two entries to the Fall into Fall Blog Hop prize draw. http://www.pinefreckleforest.com/

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What are you thankful for?

Still need pickets, headers and
footers on our side.

The hideous slope in our back yard.
It drops about six feet in about 30 feet.

The final two sections are still to
be finished, but we are almost
done. All the pickets are on this part.
Just headers and footers left.

Applique

2010-10-07T08:27:00.000-06:00

I love applique. I don’t care if it is hand applique, freezer paper, needle turn, fusible machine or anything else. I just love the pictures you can create. Don’t get me wrong I love traditional piecing and foundation/paper piecing, but I really love applique. About the only quilty thing I don’t care for is art quilting. I love looking at those art quilts, but they are so far out of my box that I can’t seem to do them.

I took an art quilt technique class once. Yikes! It was a two-day seminar at a local store. Great teacher! Betty Blais from Embellishment Village teaches a fabulous class and is very entertaining and informative. Worst weekend I ever spent. I loved Betty, but the painting and stenciling and working with Angelina, eeks, I shudder just to remember it. Everyone else had a great time, but it was all I could do not to run screaming from the store.

Don’t ask me why, I just felt like someone was shoving splinters under my nails. I stuck it out and really learned a lot of new techniques. That said, I don’t think art quilting is for me. I’m much more traditional than that. Of course, I am trying to teach myself thread painting right now, but don’t hold your breath waiting for huge successes in that avenue. I enjoy doing it, but man do I suck. I’ll plug away and see what I can come up with. They say practice makes perfect, but I’m not sure it doesn’t make for plain old irritation.

Calendar Critters

I think what I really need here is a drawing class. If I could learn to draw what is in my head, maybe I could transfer those images into fabric. It takes me hours and hours to create the images for my applique patterns. Calendar Critters was a long time coming. Drawing those animals was very difficult for me. Which brings me back to applique …

When I do fusible machine applique, I prefer Wonder Under for my fusible web. It is lightweight, flexible, simple to use, and doesn’t gum up my needle.

Things to consider when choosing your fusible web include, flexibility, melting point, cost and final usage. Steam a Seam Light is great. It is flexible and does not gum up your needle, but here in Calgary, it is costly. I don’t like the heat and bond products for things I plan to stitch on, but love them for crafty purposes. Heat and bond is great for fusing fabric onto plain craft paper bags to make Christmas gift bags, but it is low temperature melt and when your sewing machine needle gets hot, it gums up really badly.

Remember that these are heat-activated products and your dryer produces heat. So, if you EVER plan to wash that project, you must stitch around the appliques or they’ll come off in the dryer. Just ask me how I know! Oh yeah, one more thing. Read the fusible web’s directions carefully. If you overheat them, most webs will lose their grip and will not ever stick on.

My advice to you is to purchase a small amount of as many fusible webs as you can find and test drive each one. I found about 10 to try. One had no label and no instructions. It was plastic backed and it was almost impossible to get that plastic off. Some don’t have backings such as Misty Fuse, but I prefer a product I can trace my shapes onto.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you have a favorite fusible web? Why do you prefer it?

Fall into Fall

2010-10-06T08:14:00.000-06:00

So the blog hop continues. It is great to have you all popping in, and wonderful to hear from new visitors and from old subscribers alike.

Check out the last two postings for September for details on how to enter to win! Fat quarter bundles, patterns and …

Love those fall colors.

Fish Creek Park

Hubby and I try to walk in the local park a couple times every week. I love the fall. I find the pretty colors, the crunching of leaves and the rustle of dry tree branches very peaceful. I’m busy blanket stitching a fall table runner. It is fairly small, but then my coffee table is small. And, I don’t want anything too large on the kitchen table as that just encourages the cats to sleep there.

I finally heard from APQS. The computer boards from my longarm are finally back in the mail. It is only two weeks late. I guess there was some trouble with the servicing of them. But I am glad they are coming back. I’ve got stacks of customer quilts to get finished. The Christmas quilting rush is due to start any day and I want to fit in the projects I finished while the machine was down. I might be putting in some long days in the studio. But, that’s okay. I love my work. It is time consuming, occasionally frustrating, the pay isn’t all that I would like it to be, but I love it. It allows me to be creative, to set my own hours. I can work early or late as I choose. Really, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Tonight I shall hit the studio (after a day of fence building) and work on my fall table runner.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you like applique? What is your favorite technique? Hand? Machine? What is your favorite edge stitch method? If you had to choose a season, what season would you choose and what types of things would you applique onto a table runner to celebrate that time of year?

Late Summer Flowers and Fencing

2010-10-05T08:58:00.000-06:00

Wow. I cannot believe the great suggestions for organizing my studio. Jars, plastic bins, shoe-boxes, hangars to hold partially completed quilts and fabric. They are all such wonderful ideas. I love that so many of you have the dedication to clean every day, or after every project. I don’t even clean my house that often. Is it bad that I bought a new mop and it took me four months to get around to using it. I was using the dirty dish-rag, dropping it on the floor and ‘foot scrubbing’. This in is part because I have a lot of irons in the fire and keep pretty busy, but mostly its because I’m lazy. You will be pleased to know that I’m back in the groove and scrubbing about once a week. There’s only my hubby and I living here, and we generally can clean up after ourselves.
The fencing continues. It rained yesterday, so I baked a birthday cake for hubby. I’ll ice it today. Dinner with the kids tonight. Gonna paint some more pickets in the garage, as it is still raining this morning. With luck, it will dry out soon and we can get back at it. We don’t dare take too much time off from the fence building, as one of the pitfalls of living in the north is that snow often comes early. We would like to get this infernal fence finished before the snow flies. That could be days, hours or weeks.

I love winter. It’s the perfect season for my favorite sport. Quilting! I can spend as much time at it as I want and the only yard work worry is an occasional shoveling of the sidewalks. I would be inclined to skip that if I could, but the snow police would give me a ticket and my clients might slip when they stop by to pick up their quilts.

Look at this last little flower of summer. Found this ‘volunteer’ pansy growing along side the garage in a crack in the sidewalk. Doesn’t it look like a wee little face?

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What is your favorite winter ‘sport’? And, why do you love it?

A Word About Borders

2010-10-04T08:39:00.000-06:00

As a long arm quilter, I have a few pet peeves when dealing with customer quilts. Bad pressing is one. But what bugs me the most is bad borders. Borders that are too short on one side and too long on the other. Borders that are rippled and wavey. Borders with too much fullness. They all add up to one insane quilter.
To a certain extent, they can be "quilted out." But it takes a lot of figeting, time, steaming and irritation on the part of the quilter.

My posting for today is simply my own instructions for adding borders. I’ve gathered bits and pieces of information and techniques from a variety of sources, blended them together until I found what works best for me. Many of my students have told me that it works well for them. Try it for your self.

How to Add Straight Borders to your Quilt
Ensuring that the quilt is square and the borders lie or hang flat without ripples is as simple as following the steps listed below.
Measure the quilt to calculate a "base" measurement for each border.
Do not take the measurements on the edge of the quilt as the seams may have opened a little and will give a false result. Instead position the tape measure approximately 20 -30 cm in from the edge at both ends. Take a third measurement through the center of the quilt.
Now average the three measurements to find the "base measurement". However, If there is more than a 1.5 cm variation in the measurements it means that the pieced seams are not even so go back to the quilt and adjust seams before adding border. This will make you quilt lay and hang flat. In the end you will be glad you took the time to correct your seaming.
Cut your side borders to base measurement for the length of your quilt.

Mark the quilt and the border at the ½ and ¼ points with pins. Match these points and pin the entire length together of your border and center unit together. Sew with a ¼ inch seam.

Repeat for the other side. Press these seams. Generally press to the darker fabric. You may press to the light or open as needed.

Measure the width of the quilt (including the added borders) in three places as instructed in step two.

Add these borders as above.

Note: if your fabrics strips are not as long as the required borders I recommend that you piece them together using a 45-degree seam. This lies flatter than a straight cross-seam and is less visible.
Lay two border strips right sides together at with their ends at a 90-degree angle. Sew a seam from point to point. While stitching from point to point, think of the capital letter A. Your strips are the legs of the A and your stitching the cross bar. Open to ensure the strips will lay straight. If so, trim seam to 1/4inch and press open. Repeat with another strip if more length is needed. Cut desired strip length from this piece. Piecing all your strips together and then cutting your borders gives all one large piece for your scrap bin rather than many small ones.
It doesn’t take long to make your borders perfect. Try it and see what you think. You can find a copy of this, with diagrams on my website. http://www.pinefreckleforest.com/

Please, if you share these directions, let people know where you found them. Thanks.
Don't forget to comment on this blog for a chance to win some fine prizes.
Also, sign up to follow for a chance to win.
Send me an e-mail on my website for yet another chance to win.
Enter early, enter often. There is no limit to the number of times you can enter.

Cath

Quilting Weakness

2010-10-03T09:10:00.000-06:00

Fall into Fall Blog Hop Continues. Wecome all you new readers. Good to have you with me.

My weakness is quilting. I love it, I live for it and I can’t live without it. A day doesn’t go by without me stitching away at something. A couple of years ago I even burned the potatoes on Christmas day. The family was busy playing games and I was puttering away in the kitchen. I decided that I had a few minutes while I waited for the spuds to start boiling. So, I snuck into my studio. My studio door is beside the kitchen as my studio is the old formal living and dining rooms of our house. I popped into my room and resumed stitching on my current project. I was sewing away, listening to the ruckus sounds of everyone playing and before I knew it I could smell something hot. A flew back into the kitchen and darned if the potatoes hadn’t boiled dry. I caught them in time that they were usable, but it was a real close call.

I love when I get lost in my work like that. Time flies away and I’m having nothing but fun. And really, is there a better sound than your family having fun and playing together? I’ve learned to be more disciplined now, and don’t allow myself to sneak into the studio while I am cooking. Well, unless the timer is set anyway.
Even over the past few days I’ve found time for a bit of hand-work. We’re building a fence between us and the neighbors. We’ve had a fence on two sides ever since we moved in eight years ago. The final piece of fence had never been built. But, as the neighbors (three different ones) didn’t really care, we didn’t either. Our new neighbors are great, but they have two wee little dogs. They don’t like chasing them to keep them in their yard, and we don’t like the puppy presents they leave behind. As much as we like the dogs, the compromise seemed to be a new fence.

Our fence is much more complicted
than this one. But, I'm too lazy
to haul out the camera. I'll
post pictures when it
is finished.

This fence is the most complicated fence in the universe. Holes and grooves, pickets, cross stringers, headers, caps, pickets and more. We wanted to match the existing fence, but underestimated how complicated it is. It took a full day to build the first section. We’re faster now and hope to have all but two sections finished today. These sections will require some engineering as we have to go around a transformer and a window box.

Back to the point of this. Hand stitching. I love it! I’ve managed to slip in a few minutes of work each evening after it is too dark to fence. I am working on a hand applique wall hanging. Its about 36 inches square and all Baltimore album style blocks. I’m hand stitching the appliques onto the borders now. It’s slow work, but relaxing. It relaxes me and helps me unwind. I think I might even hand quilt this one.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What is your favorite type of quilting?
Don't forget that you get one entry for our prize draw for every comment you post.
See my September 30th posting for details on how to enter the draws.

Storage and Distractions

2010-10-01T09:12:00.000-06:00

Plastic Storage Bins, the two stacked
closely togethe with no lids
are full of batik scraps. Mmmmm.

I talked briefly about organization yesterday. I loved the idea one reader posted yesterday about an over the door shoe organizer. Sadly, I have French doors and they wouldn’t work for me. I would be worried about breaking the glass if I closed the door too hard.

Ikea bins.

I store each of my projects in clear plastic tubs. They stack neatly on my shelves and I can see what is inside. I'm not saying that inspires me to work on old projects, but I can see what I’m not doing. I have IKEA bins in my cutting table that are easy to pull out and dump allowing me to find that perfect piece easily. I have them color coordinated.

I find that I have "Magpie Syndrome" and am easily distracted by bright, shiny or colorful objects. I hop from one project to another and back. I’ll be busy working away on a project and I’ll see the perfect fabric for someone I know, and I’ll snatch it up and start designing their quilt. Last week I went shopping with a friend and found the perfect fabric for Cousin Anne. I know she has at least a double bed, so being wise I bought enough fabric to make her a queen size quilt. Yes, there is logic there; I hate getting half finished and discovering I’m six inches short of something. Anyway, Anne stopped by for hubby’s 50^th birthday. She loves the fabric, but only wants a wall hanging. She wants something small that she can easily show off. While I’m flattered that she thinks my work is worth showing off, what am I going to do with all the leftovers? I’m trying to reduce my stash, not build it. Maybe she’ll get both ... Ha ha ha, like I would ever get both finished. I would be distracted first.

Sometimes, I’ll see something I love and in almost no time it has a new home in my studio, just waiting for me to use it. Worst of all are new designs. I’ll see something and it will flash into my brain as a new idea for a quilt. First chance, I’m on EQ7 planning a new design. That design in turn morphs into half a dozen more before I now it, its time to cook dinner and I haven’t accomplished a darned thing.

My project bins are slowly being emptied, but when I get frustrated, I’ll drop a project sometimes for an extended period. Eventually I get back to them. Sometimes I’ll trade UFO’s with a friend. It’s like a whole new project. My Magpie likes that!

My queue for quilting.

Now, if only someone would quilt all the tops I have hanging in my studio waiting to be quilted. I always have great plans to fit one or two of my tops (or my daughters’ tops) into the queue each week, but it never seems to work that way. A client top will take longer than I expected, I’ll get lost in EQ or someone will invite me for coffee or fabric shopping. My discipline isn’t all it has cracked up to be.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What distracts you the most? And how to you inspire yourself to get back to quilting?

Welcome to the Fall into Fall Blog Hop.

2010-09-30T09:32:00.000-06:00

This is your chance to find some great new inspirational quilting blogs and maybe win some prizes. Check out the host site Quilting with Debi (http://www.debiquilts.blogspot.com/). You can do this by clicking on her link, or by clicking the scarecrow picture. On her site, you’ll find a full list of the particiapating blogs. Be sure to check them out. I know I’ll be reading at them all.

As for the contest, I am going to give you at least 3 prizes and 5 ways to win. I’ll add another prize for every 25 entries I receive.

Sign up for my blog. (3 entries) If you are already a member and want to enter, make a comment and let me know you have already signed up.
Become my friend on face book. When you send your friend request, mention the blog in the comments. Or, after I have accepted your request, tell me that you have entered the contest. (1 entry)
Sign up for my mailing list on my pattern website http://www.pinefreckleforest.com/ by sending me an e-mail and mentioning this blog. (2 entries)
Comment on my blog. (1 entry)
Answer today’s blog question. (2 entries)

Remember that you can receive an entry for each comment you leave so check back tomorrow and comment on tomorrow’s topic.

As for me, I’ve been busy cleaning out my studio. In the interest of making room for new fabric and patterns, I am going to give away some of the patterns I have published, and some that I have purchased and never used (occasionally I like a pattern so much that I accidentally buy two copies.) I’ve got a couple of small fat quarter bundles as well.

With my longarm machine down for maintenance, I’ve found a lot of time for other things. I’ve been finishing up old projects and tidying things up a bit. So far, I’ve finished six UFO’s and spent two days mucking out bins. There is a lot of fabric going to Piecemakers for their charity projects. Piecemakers is the guild I belong to here in Calgary. The guild will make great use of it, and I’ll have space to put things away. Some of the fabric is quite dated, some of it is just small bits great for a scrap quilt and some of it is "what the heck was I thinking" fabric.

It is my goal to only purchase what I need for a fabric, but still I can’t help but purchase wonderful, inspiring fabrics that I see, even if I don’t yet have a use for them. How can I resist those pretty angels and fairies. And I think I’m addicted to Alexander Henry’s nearly naked men. Mmmmmmm. Some day I’ll turn those buff men into a quilt that will give a friend the best dreams she’s ever had.

Today’s question: How often do you clean out your studio or sewing space and what organizational method works best for you? Give me your top five organization tips.

Fall into Fall Quilter Blog Giveaway

2010-09-26T08:46:00.000-06:00

I am so excited.

I've joined the Fall into Fall Quilter Blog Giveaway! You really need to check this out. A group of quilting bloggers are getting together to have some great giveaways on their blogs. Its time to do some blog hopping and see what there is out there to see.

It is being hosted by Quilting with Debi (http://www.debiquilts.blogspot.com/). She has a great blog chock full of tips, tidbits and great reading. You should check her out.

As for me, stay tuned for the rules on how to win a prize. I'll be giving away at least two prizes. But you'll have to check back for details on how to enter.

Our little contest starts October 1st and the prizes will be drawn October 15th.

Stay Tuned and Good Luck to you all!

Cath

Creative Stitches 2010

2010-09-25T14:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Creative Stitches here in Calgary. For those of you who don’t know, it is mostly a quilting and scrap booking show. You can look at other people’s work, talk to shops and other crafters, but best off all, you can SHOP. Often you find new and exciting things, or that special piece of fabric that you were hunting for. Every year there are new projects and inspirations waiting in every booth.
The competition quilts were beautiful and inspiring. My preference is for the pieced ones, rather than the heavily machine embroidered ones, but they were all inspiring. My friend Deb D. won a prize for her quilt. Congratulations Deb.

Secret Workshop's Booth

I found some great books by Pam Clarke called Designs with Lines. I picked up three from the series about alternate ways to freehand traditional quilt blocks. I also picked up a stitch in the ditch ruler. These I found at the shop of my friend Barb, The Secret Workshop which is based out of BC. It is an internet store that caries a wide variety of tools and gadgets for longarm quilters. If you aren’t a long arm quilter, don’t skip over her site, because she has plenty of good things for quilting on the domestic machine. She taught a great class in moving beyond the basic stipple. Thanks Barb, you’ve inspired me. http://secretworkshop.com/home.php

Horst of To Be Quilting

It was good to see my friends Horst and Julie of To Be Quilting. They are always fun to chat with and make a great mid-arm machine. And check it out, they are a CANADIAN company. A mid-arm machine made in Canada, it almost makes me with I was still looking. http://www.tobequilting.com/

Matt and Gage

I spent some time chatting to Matt Sparrow, Man Quilter, and his son Gage. They were manning the APQS booth, a booth after my own heart. My longarm is an APQS and I couldn’t be happier with it. If you ever wondered what these machines were all about, you should ask Matt and Gage, both of who can pretty much tell you everything about these great machines. They have a number of sizes and fabulous customer service. I love that their machines are designed to be maintained by the quilter. You should see Gage running the Lenny. http://manquilter.com/

Fabric. Mmm. I saw some fabulous fabrics. I think I’m in my batik phase. I found some lovely batik fat quarters and some Christmas and Halloween ones too. I’ll be giving away the seasonal ones soon right here on this very blog. Check back for more details.

Quilter's Haven's Booth

Just because I don’t already have enough to do, I signed myself up for a block of the month from the Quilter’s Haven of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Similar to a Sun Bonnet Sue, these blocks have appliqued ladies in old style skirts. They have a great selection of fabrics and some cute patterns I’ve never seen before. They have a pattern for a licorice allsorts quilt that was too cute to be believed.. http://www.quiltershaveninc.ca/

Nice Nancy(left) and Patricia Trouble
clowning around in
the Wonderfil Booth.

Wonderfil Specialty Threads. How could I forget them? For piecing my quilts I use wonderfil threads exclusively. Their Konfetti is fabulous, double gassed and almost lint free. Both my domestic machine and my longarm love it. Check out their website (http://www.wonderfil.net/) or my website if you want to learn more about these great threads. www.pinefreckleforest.com.

When talking of shows like this, its easy to forget people, and I would be sadly remiss if I neglected to mention my chaufeur for the day. Special thanks go to Kim of Chatterbox Quilts. She’s a good friend and fine quilter and we car pooled to the show. I’m curious to see how her new Accu-cutter works.

Have you been to a show lately? What was your favorite part? Let us know.

Cath

Party Like Your Hubby's Turning 50!

2010-09-23T16:43:00.000-06:00

Darling Hubby playing lacrosse
in Manchester Uk.

Its crazy how things go. I’m busy like a one armed paper-hangar trying to organize my husbands 50^th birthday party. We’re having three. Yup, I’m nuts. First is his choice, a two-hour game of semi-contact lacrosse with all his buddies. Second the full extended family and a few close friends for a family dinner at my daughters. Third, on his actual birthday will be dinner with the immediate family. Just us, our girls and their men. I cannot even decide what to feed the ravaging horde. I waffle back and forth. I’m thinking ham, but one sister-in-law doesn’t eat pork. Surely she doesn’t know what she’s missing. Then, I’ve got to provide something for those veggie-vore relatives. Personally, I’m a carnivore and will eat most anything. Oh well.

What does all this have to do with quilting? Well, nothing at all and everything. All my time is going to this (and stinking accounting) and taking away from studio time. It is hard sometimes to fit everything in. Especially when one is feeling lazy and unmotivated. I live for quilting, but sometimes I just want to sit on my backside and read my book. Unfortunately, the one I’m reading is really good. I’ve read it before, but that doesn’t slow me down. Or rather speed me up. I’m reading Diana Gabaldon’s "The Fiery Cross". It is riveting, but does require concentration. Often, I read trashy romances I love them, and they are a nice quick read and easy to put down. After all, you know there’ll be a happy ending.

My current quilting projects include a simple quilt of doggie fabrics for Cousin Marnie. She gave us some lovely paintings (okay I forced her to give them up, she doesn’t think her work is worth sharing). She’s a great dog lover, and I thought a nice cuddly quilt would warm her up in that drafty old farm house, and at the same time it would show her that we appreciate her work.

Neapolitan

I’m also trying to finish up the piecing of a few projects I took in the past. One from Eleanor Burns’ Magic Vine book. I’m also trying to write the directions for my Midnight Blues quilt. All blue and white with many points. I think I’m in my point block phase. I did a queen size quilt phase….many were started few were finished. I did a table runner phase. I always love hand applique, and am finally getting good at it. I’m working on a quilt with fish on it, that I designed about three years ago. It needs a lot of thread painting, and my skill just isn’t up to it yet. I keep practicing, but I’m not to the point where I want to try it on the real article. I am getting close though. I’ve got several small wall hangings designed, but not yet started and I am working on a table runner design. There are two simple bases to choose from and a number of different appliques to embellish with.

I’m also trying my hand at writing an article or two for submission to some Canadian quilting magazines. Some day it seems that there are just too many irons in the fire and too many ideas in my head. But I plug away, happy in the knowledge that I’m doing what I love.

Oh yeah, let us not forget about blogging, playing around on Facebook, housework, cooking …

Okay, skip those last two, because we all know I only do those when I must. Hubby’s birthday is even at my daughter’s so I don’t need to clean the house. Mwa Mwa mwa. (That being the sound of my evil laugh.)

Keep on Quilting

Cath

Dazzling Diamonds

Scotland

2010-09-13T09:40:00.000-06:00

Before I begin, let me say that I was married 30 years before we went on our honeymoon. Before that vacations were few and far between and mostly spent camping. My husband is a reformed workaholic. I used to wish he were home more. Now I wish he wasn’t mostly retired. Be careful what you wish for….

A big chunk of our vacation this year was spent in Scotland. I always thought that Canada was the most beautiful place in the world with its vast and varied landscapes. Now, I know that other places can be just a lovely. Scotland has a huge variety of landscapes, and each comes upon you in a rush as you travel down the highways. In a matter of only five miles you can see mountains, valleys, farmland, forests, highlands, lowlands, lakes, moors and rocky plains. It changes so quickly that it is breathtaking.

We spent eight days traveling and staying in a variety of bed and breakfasts. We put 1150 miles on that rental car. Let me tell you it sure is scary being a passenger when the driver is on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road. We won’t even get into the damage on the front left tire…

Our personal trip highlights included Loch Ness, the ocean at Nairn, Clava Cairns and dozens of castles and ruins.

One of the cairns at Clava Cairn and a lovely old tree there.

I’ve always been a believer in Nessie. Sadly we didn’t get to see her, but when you look into the depths of

Loch Ness, you can’t help but believe. I wish we had had more time to loiter there, maybe for some late evening walks. I like to think that she would have showed herself. (I’m only marginally delusional.) While at Loch Ness, we visited Urquart Castle. Well maintained they were fascinating but swamped with tourists. But for us, the beauty of castles lies in the hard to reach places that the tour buses don’t get to.

We found one castle quite by accident, as they aren’t all on the maps. We traipsed up a dirt road, crossed a fence, wandered up the mud path, through the sheep fields full of sheep and up a small hill. I think it was about a mile or more. At the top of the hill was Castle Auchindoun. We passed one couple on our way up but aside from them, we were the only people there. We were able to climb all over the walls and spent time just sitting and thinking about castle life. Very inspiring, there may be a pattern out of this trip. I’ve got dozens of ideas scampering through my head I just need to get them down on paper before they dissipate.

Spent three days staying at Warthill Castle. It’s a private home that sometimes is a bed and breakfast. It was great! Everywhere you looked were stories of the life of the Lesley family who have lived there since 1050. Ancient and modern mingled to give a glimpse of life and history you rarely ever see. They own 2500 acres of land. Even in a country as big as Canada, you rarely see such huge estates. Beautifully treed, it was teaming with wildlife. Deer, rabbits, and birds were everywhere. Part of their land was for crops and cattle, but near the castle itself were rich lawns and lush forests. It was interesting to learn the family history and of all the renovations to the castle itself. A tiny castle grew and grew over the years until tough times forced the family to sell off much of the fancy-work and copper ducting outside the newest parts of the hall. Without proper drainage, those parts of the castle started to fall into disarray and were torn down. A large part of the castle still stands and is quite lovely. I wish I could have seen it when it was at its largest, most grand stage.

All-in-all, one cannot sum up a vacation in only words and a few pictures. The memories will linger on, with photographs and momentos to keep us going.

Until next time, Cath

European Vacation: Part One

2010-08-29T18:55:00.000-06:00

In theory, this blog is about quilting and inspiration. I'm a firm believer that who we are and what we do influences our creativity. Well, I'm pumped and fired up to create again because of vacation.

Wow. I’ve been crazy lazy. Vacation flew by. Then the Ranch River Run. Then work work work. Finally, a trip to visit my folks. At long last, a new blog entry.

Vacation: Took three weeks and went to Europe. I had a great time. We toured London, Paris, Manchester and then Scotland.

London was incredible. We spent a lot of time on the double decker bus tour. We had a different guide each time and found that each one had their own focus. We learned new things from each driver. I had no idea that Big Ben was the bell inside the tower. I thought the tower was Big Ben. But nope, I was wrong. It is the Tower of Big Ben with Ben being the bell itself. We did the Jack the Ripper tour. It was interesting to tour White Castle and see all the locations of his murders and to learn theories, old and new about whom Jack really was. The Sherlock Holmes Pub was entertaining and served fabulous pub grub. We did the Clink Museum tour. It gave an interesting perspective on the Clink Prison, but a little disappointing. We saw the Phantom of the Opera. The acting was divine and the music breathtaking. I would go again in a heartbeat, even after seeing already.

Stonehenge: I have been told that normally when you go to Stonehenge, there are hundreds and hundreds or people there and they are packed five deep and block your view. Not for us, we took the Sunset Tour! We arrived just at the monument was closing. Once all the other tourists were cleared off, our group went in. There were about fifty of us and we were allowed inside the protective fence. It was humbling and inspiring. I’ve read stories about the lei lines of power that run through the world and the theory that Stonehenge was built on a junction of these lines. I always thought it was a bunch of bunk. Well, I have to admit I was wrong. Woefully wrong. There is power there; the place fairly hums with it. I cannot describe what it felt like. It was almost as if it were alive. I got goose bumps and tingled all over. Technically, we were not allowed to touch the stones. But seriously, who could go there and not touch them? I know I sure didn’t resist and neither did any of the other
people in our group.

Paris was interesting, but way too crowed and busy. The Eiffel Tower was incredible to see. The Louvre had some fabulous paintings. Mona was much smaller than I had anticipated, but the building itself with its intricate architecture, history and painting ceilings was breathtaking. Even the floors were inspiring. I’ve got a quilt series on the floors of Europe ratting around my brain. Rodin’s Garden was fascinating. The Gates of Hell was incredible and the rose garden was beautiful.

What nobody warned us about was that in Paris, you cannot use the washroom unless you buy something. My wee tiny bladder has trouble with that concept. So, after much walking and pee-dancing around, we decided to sit and have a beer at a small outdoor pub. After a few sips, I could take no more. I had to go. With sign language and much blundering about, I managed to find out where the washroom was. Down the narrow, steep, rickety stairs, first door on the left. So, I traipsed down the dimly lit stairs and opened the door to the unisex bathroom. The smell or urine hit me like a truck. There was pee ankle deep on the floor. Still, I was desperate and my bladder wouldn’t wait any longer. I rolled up the legs of my pants to keep them dry, dropped my drawers and squatted over the toilet. No way in the world would I sit on that thing. I was no more than started when the light went out. Motion sensor! What the hell and programmed for under a minute. Who pees that fast? Not me! And clearly none of those who went before me finished in time. I waved my arms around and the light came back on. Whose brilliant idea was that? Motion sensor in a bathroom. I’m guessing that the men had trouble standing there and trying to aim when the lights went out. It sure explained the mess on the floor. Yuck. Yuck and yuck again.

The best part of Paris was the Musée de Cluny. By chance I discovered that this museum was the home of the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries. So, we hoped the Metro, (which by the way is fast and efficient and the best way to travel Paris) and visited the museum. Unlike the Louvre, which was wall to wall people and so busy you could hardly see the art, Cluny was almost empty. It is a museum of medieval history and had incredible artwork, architecture, stained glass and hordes of other stuff. All of which you could get right up to and see the fine details. Best of all were the tapestries. We spent over half and hour in that climate controlled room. Alone except for the security guard, we studied each one closely and took some pictures. Non-flash pictures, but they turned out not bad all things considered. We also visited the Military Museum and took a Segway tour from Fat Tyre Bicycle Tours. They are an American company with all young American and Australians doing the tours. Fabulous for those of use who don’t speak French. Don’t ask about our segway accident. It was Dave’s fault and that’s all I’m going to say. Don’t listen to him when he tells you otherwise.

Manchester is a rainy dismal industrial city. We stayed there for eight days while Dave played in the World Field Lacrosse Championships. They didn’t do so well, but it was fun to watch.

Scotland…. Scotland is worth a blog entry of its own. Stay tuned.

Aaaaargh! - Polyester Batting

2010-06-27T09:55:00.000-06:00

That’s it, I quit.
Never again will I work with that thick polyester batting. It’s too hard to work with and the results are questionable at best. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with the thinner polys. But that extra thick stuff is a pain in the caboose. It doesn’t lay flat and when you smooth it, it puckers back up in a second. It sticks to everything and creates lumps and bumps and distortions in the quilt. I won’t even get into how hot it gets because it doesn’t breath.

In addition to the bumpy uneven look, the binding is a pain as well, the quilt is so thick and puffy that it is hard to wrap the binding around to the back and stitch it in place. I’ve tried pressing, but you can’t apply the iron too long without risking melting the batting. I won’t even get into how hot it gets sitting under it while doing the binding.

Again, don’t get me wrong, thick poly has its uses. I use it for Trapunto work. It is fantastic in tied quilts. For pet beds its great because it resists pests, but for long-arm work it is difficult at best.

My preference, of course, is 100% cotton. Almost any brand as long as it is fairly thin and flexible. I’m not a huge fan of the really thick cottons because I like my quilts to drape. I also prefer a batting with scrim or binding of some sort. I hang most of my quilts and have found that some of the battings without scrim begin to sag after hanging for a while. They are lovely if you have tight quilting, but I often quilt loosely, because for some projects, I don’t want the quilting detracting from my piecing.

Stitch density is part of the quilting decision for me. I am partial to looser quilting. Many of my regulars like tight-tight-tight quilting. And that’s fine. Your vision for your quilt is not the same as mine. That makes it hard for me to choose what might suit your tastes.

It drives me nuts when the customer who says, “Oh I don’t care, just do whatever you want.” Not happening folks. I’ll discuss it with you and give you my ideas and reasons for them, but I will not just “do what I want.” That’s undue pressure on the quilter. If I’ve done a large number of quilts for you, I might consider it. Maybe! By then I know your tastes and have a better idea of how your “quilt vision” works. But for a first or second time customer NEVER!

So far, things have gone well, I’ve never had a customer complain about a quilt. They have all seemed satisfied or even ecstatic with the quilt they got back. Even those picking up the rare ones I’ve thought would have looked better with a different pattern or thread choice. I’m counting my lucky stars on this. But I do try really hard to ensure that what the client chooses is going to work well on their quilt.

Are you a long arm quilter? Do you use a long arm quilter? Have you ever hated the quilt you got back? Have you ever had a dissatisfied customer? How did you handle this?

On a totally unrelated side note: Julie: My Calendar Critters block for July.

Evolution of a Quilter

2010-06-03T08:36:00.000-06:00

The other day, someone asked me what inspired me to start quilting. After thinking about it I came up with these things.

1. Years ago, too many to count as I was only about 13, the family went on vacation to Nova Scotia, Canada. We spent a couple weeks there visiting relatives. At one house, their Grand Mother (Aunt?) was visiting and she was busy hand quilting a top she had made. It was lovely. Too this day I can see it clear as a bell. Lovely blue and green background with Sun Bonnet Sue, trees, a pond, ducks, a barn. It was a fabulous scene and kind of the inspiration for my Sundreams pattern.

2. Sewing clothing. I always loved sewing. So much so that my parents gave me a sewing machine when I graduated high school. We didn’t have much money then, and it was a huge gift! Thanks folks. But what I discovered it that I was short, had very short legs and a big chest, nothing I ever made fit quite right. I even took a pant-fitting course and had the instructor in fits trying to figure me out. Over the years, it only got worse as I blossomed (read as got fat). A huge percentage of my clothing attempts were failures, so I took up quilting. After all, if a blanket doesn’t fit, use it somewhere else. King becomes queen. Queen becomes double. On down the line it goes until it’s a wall hanging.

3. Babies! Yup. Twin girls. Tons of fabric scraps and still having the desire to create. I made quilts. When one of my daughters is sick (she’s 22 now) she still sleeps with the first quilt I made her.

4. Craft book sale. I joined a craft book club. For signing up I got 5 or 6 books for $1.99 You know how these things work. 6 Books only $1.99 but the don’t tell you about the $20 shipping. Sigh. Anyway, I ordered a couple of crochet books and a couple of quilting books. Older books. Nothing in them about rotary cutting, just templates and black and white drawings. I picked the nine-patch and I was off.

Now it should be noted that I am mainly self taught. I learned a lot of things the hard way as I went along. I mean who knew you couldn’t cut eight layers of fabric with dull kitchen scissors? Not me that’s for sure. Still I persevered. I a made a double quilt from poorly pieced blocks. Quarter inch seam? Never heard of it. I thought all seams were 5/8ths. It went together poorly, the blocks weren’t square. I layered it. Pinned it. Quilted it. Walking foot? I had two of those, one on the end of each leg, but not one for my sewing machine. Needless to say, the quilt has puckers. More than one and some of them are quite big. One was so bit that my husband taught the girls to flip up the corner and say “look at the hockey pucker.” Gotta love men!

So there it is in a nutshell. Yes I get it. That would make me the nut! I’m a quilting nut. I quilt everyday. I have to quilt every day. Two years ago I even burned the potatoes on Christmas day because I snuck into the studio and got distracted.

Do tell me, what inspired you to start quilting? What was your biggest quilting mistake? Next time, I’ll tell you about the twelve days of Christmas Quilt disaster.

To the right is Rabbity Long. One of my Long Fellas Series.

A Pressing Matter

2010-05-29T11:00:00.000-06:00

Today I’m going to nag you about pressing. Not ironing, pressing.

A lot of new quilters are unaware that there is a difference ironing and pressing. But there is, and it is huge. Ironing involves sliding the iron about the fabric in any random direction. You just keep sliding until the fabric is smooth. This is great for hubby’s shirts, but not so good for quilt blocks. Pressing on the other hand involves setting the iron down on the quilt block, lifting it up, repositioning it and pressing it back down. There is no sliding! Sliding causes distortion of your blocks, especially any that might have bias edges. Lift and set, lift and set. Sliding is for the playground.

Check your seams after you PRESS them. I always press from the back first, then flip the block or quilt right side up and ensure that the seam is indeed open all the way. Recently I taught a beginner class. I watched one student iron her first block, then complain that the seams did not line up as well as she had hoped. When I checked it, all the seams had tiny folds. We measured to be 6.25 inches. I walked her through proper pressing and when she was finished, it was a full (and correct) 6.5 inches. That’s quarter of an inch in one six-inch block. After the pressing, her seams did indeed line up correctly, the folds had disguised her accurate piecing. Over the course of a full quilt quarter of an inch in every block makes a huge difference. When you check your seams they should have no folds or overlaps. They also shouldn’t be stretched out of shape.

I’m also a huge fan of Mary Ellen’s Best Press spray starch. I give each block a light spray during the final pressing to give it a little extra firmness. This helps keep the blocks from distorting while being handled in later parts of the piecing process. I use it now at all stages of the pressing process. I even give the completed top a quick spray during the final pressing. As a bonus it comes unscented and in a variety of scents to make your studio smell lovely.

When piecing rows of blocks together its always a good idea to press the seams in even numbered rows to the right. Then press odd numbered rows to the left. This allows your seams to nest and catch together when sewing your rows to each other. It helps keeps blocks aligned properly. Don’t cheat and neglect to use pins. Yes in know: PINS is a four-letter word. That said, as I progressed on my own quilting journey, I learned that pinning actually saves time (less un-sewing) and that says nothing about those perfectly aligned corners.

Pine Freckle Forest has 15 new Designs. Okay, they really aren’t all that new. I previewed them at Quilt Canada. You’ve already seen Sundreams in a previous posting.

Next came Radiant Sky, a New York Beauty style quilt. Foundation piecing gives this quilt perfect points every time.

But my favorite are the Long Fellas, thirteen small wall hangings. Thirteen is my lucky number! Each is only 4 by 12 inches. Perfect for that tiny space in the hall! Each and everyone has a dimensional aspect from the fuzzy sheep of Lamby Long to the spiky leaves of Flora Long. And let us not forget the perfect Christmas gifts, Santa, Reindeer, Frosty and Penny (the Penguin) Long. Oh yeah, Holiday Long and Long Pine. They all whip up quickly and use up batting and fabric scraps. If you like the size, but not the dimensional aspect, simply trim the extra parts off before adding your binding. Need a hostess gift in a hurry, whip up something Long.

You can find these patterns and many more on my website at www.pinefreckleforest.com.

Happy Quilting!

Creativity: The Force That Drives Us

2010-05-16T19:00:00.000-06:00

As a quilter and pattern designer, I find inspiration in many places. Now, not all inspirations make it into a quilt. Most of them never hit the design board and are destined to remain nothing more than a pretty picture or hastily scratched drawing. Some make it into rough designs but not into an actual quilt. Sometimes the initial inspiration sparks one idea that quickly becomes a run-away and morphs into numerous other ideas with the first spark lost in the dust.

I collect images from magazines, newspapers, book covers, catalogues. I take photographs and make rough sketches. Occasionally,words spark an idea. Sometimes a quick turn of a phrase sparks a design.

Like Neapolitan. I used to work in a local quilt shop. One evening a customer came up to me with three bolts of fabric. She had a brown, a pink and a white. “Does this look like Neapolitan?” She asked. That touched of the inspiration for my Neapolitan quilt. Right after work I hit the computer, fired up EQ and started designing. I didn’t stop until the final design for my Neapolitan quilt was finished.I had the design complete, the sample quilt finished and the instructions written and ready for my testers within 48 hours. WOW. Now that's inspiration.

Talking of inspiration, let's not forget flowers and trees and all of Mother Nature’s wonders. They are always inspiring. But so too are the works of man. Towering skyscrapers and elaborate architectural curves delight the eye and stir the mind. Perhaps my favorite inspiration has come from a visit to Banff, Alberta. It hit me just outside our hotel.

My husband was attending an engineering conference and we were staying at the Banff Springs Hotel. For me the trip was a boondoggle. It was just some free time away from the kids and pets. Time to relax and revitalize myself. Touring the hotel grounds I happened upon an inspiration. It was perfect. I had to record that image so I could use it later.

But alas, I had no camera. Some silly woman left the camera at home. Sigh. So I scurried into the gift shop and purchased a disposable camera (for about the same price as a real camera, I might add) and hurried back to take pictures of my inspiration.

Yup, it was still there. It hadn’t moved. What was this wonder? The perfect design for an all-over quilting motif, or perhaps for an intricate applique design. I tilted that camera too and fro. I moved back and forth getting many angles. I wanted to be sure I didn’t miss a detail. Finally, sure I had it all I stood back and tucked the camera into my purse.

That’s when I heard the whisper. A small girl asked her mother, “Mom, why is that lady taking pictures of that garbage can?”

That’s it. Find your inspiration where you can and pay no heed to the critics and those funny little voices.

Cath

Advice from your Longarm Quilter

2010-05-10T14:02:00.000-06:00

This is my Radiant Sky quilt. Just a quick-pick for your enjoyment.

Ladies (and gentlemen) take your longarm quilter’s advice to heart!

As a longarm quilter, I see many quilts. So here’s some free advice for those of you who use a longarm service…….

If your quilter seems hesitant about your choice she probably has a reason. We don’t like to tell you that you are wrong. Maybe our vision for your quilt differs from yours. But if we repeatedly suggest other designs to you, let that be a clue. Your selection is probably fine, but consider our suggestions as well. We are striving for the best possible choice for your quilt and you.

If you cannot understand why we made that suggestion, or if you are curious as to why it is also an option ask your quilter what makes that design as a good match for your quilt. Sometimes it is in the scale of the design. Sometimes it is the density of the quilting. The scale and density need to match the quilt top. Does it need more curves to make it flow better? Does it need something geometric to add zip? How about themes to match or accentuate? ABC’s? Animals? Shoes? Swirls?

We want the designs and threads you choose to accent your work, not take it over. The wrong choice will make your quilt less than it might have been with a different selection.

We see quilts of all shapes and sizes and of all skill levels. 99% of them are quite lovely. Occasionally a quilt will have some technical difficulties. If we ask about your borders or your seam allowances, there is usually a reason. Many quilters, myself included have information packages on different techniques. If you are given one, or offered one, accept it and peruse the information it contains. Perhaps it is our way of helping you improve your techniques and make your quilts better.

The most common mistake I see is poorly added borders. When you lay your quilt on a flat surface, it should be flat. No ripples, bumps, waves or puckering in the borders or center area. If you have these, you need to revisit your techniques. These flaws will NOT “quilt out.” Ask for help! We want your quilt to be the best it can be, for you and to make our work easier.

Remember that we see hundreds of quilts every year. Our experience has taught us what may work and what may not. Remember too, that we were once beginners who had things to learn. Quilter’s are a group of generous and helpful souls… we want to share what we know.

Visit www.pinefreckleforest.com for some free downloadable tip sheets. If you cannot find what you want there, drop me a line and I’ll help you out.

Keep on quilting.

Cath

Studio Design

2010-05-07T10:00:00.001-06:00

I thought I might go a different way today. Studio design.

I have a fantastic studio. It is about 450 square feet. I have taken over the formal living room and dining room of our house. We put up French doors to keep the cats out. Because I am a longarm quilter, I always have other people’s quilts in my studio. While I love my cats, not all my customers are completely enamoured. I cannot guarantee that the space is cat hair free, the cats never come into my studio, so the only pet hair is what blows up through the furnace vents or comes in on my clothes and that is precious little. So, rest assured that your quilt is safe in my care.

Darling Hubby designed and built a lot of the furniture for me. He made the quilt hanging closet where work waits to be completed, stands to hold batting rolls, a jumbo ironing board with cupboards underneath it, and my cutting table (also with bins underneath it to store fabric in.) Oh yeah, let’s not forget the bookcase and the folding, two-sided design wall.

The rest of the furniture we picked up in a second-hand shop while on vacation in Saskatchewan. This includes a great trunk, two old heavy wooden dressers and a lovely buffet. In the corner is the spinning pattern rack DH made for Quilt Canada, and my Grandfather’s antique table. Oh yeah, the quilt hanging racks are also DH’s handiwork.

I’m still mentally designing the sewing table I want. I keep changing my mind. Once I have the idea perfected, he’ll get busy and build it to match the rest of the room.

My friends and clients tell me they envy my space. That thrills me. Especially since I spent seven years sewing on the kitchen table. It’s nice to have a dedicated space that looks professional when my clients stop by for a quilt drop off or pickup.

Now, if only someone would invent a way for my studio to self-clean. I am not a tidy sewer and things are always a little higgety-piggety. I clean up regularly, but just can’t seem to keep it clean while I work.

Tell me about your studio. Where do you work? What would you most love to have? Dream big ladies and let me know your dreams.

Cath

Clean Up!

2010-05-04T09:05:00.000-06:00

I am amazed at how much time it can actually take to clean up a studio. Yesterday I spent almost five hours cleaning! Generally it does not take that long. I admit, quite freely, that my studio is never really clean. There is always some portion of it that looks like a fabric store exposion. But wow. The aftermath of Quilt Canada.

All the quilts were in piles on the floor. There was fabric everywhere. Before the show I was racing to finish quilting Sundreams (picture in corner), so there were threads everywhere. And dust bunnies, were there were no dust bunnies. There were however dust hippos. Yikes. I had to sweep three times to catch it all.

But you should see it now. Its almost perfect. Everything in its place. I even CLEANED OUT SOME DRAWERS! Now, the quilts are hung or put away neatly. The threads are re-wrapped and put back on racks or in drawers. The fabric has been sorted. I've dusted and swept. I even did the paperwork.

Now, I'm off to quilt a customer quilt.

But before I go, I want to know about your studio. Big? Small? Clean? Organized chaos? Let me know what kind of place you have to work in.

Cath

Wow: The most beautiful things at Quilt Canada

2010-05-01T21:08:00.000-06:00

Wow, wow, and again wow. I have never been so inspired in my life! Just finished the week at Quilt Canada 2010 in Calgary. It was the first time I've ever had the oportunity to check out the National Juried Show in person. What stunning beauty and creativity. I knew the quilts would be impressive. I often drool over the show books from previous years. But let me tell you a photograph does nothing to do justice to the real thing. It can't possibly relate the subtle shades and echoes of quilting and the fine details of the applique. We won't even get into the thread painting and beadwork. If you ever get the chance, take in a juried show. I highly recommend it. You will be inspired.

As for my booth at the show. It was fantastic. Thanks to all those smiling faces who stopped to visit and to brighten our day and to chat. We appreciate your business, but more than that we appreciate the positive feedback and the companionship. We consider you all friends.

Special thanks too to all of you that helped out with the booth. Without you I would be lost.

I'll try to post some photos later in the week. For now, its nap time. As soon as I'm done soaking my tired feet.

Keep stitching.
Cath

Ever wonder about the stupid things people do?

2010-04-22T12:49:00.000-06:00

Ever wonder about the stupid things people do?

Here I am, busy as a one-armed paperhanger and I manage to slam my head in the trunk of my car. Yup!
Believe it. I drive an old beater. A very reliable old beater, but a beater nonetheless. Yesterday it was windy and I was being lazy and trying to take everything from the trunk in one fell swoop. Mistake. Big mistake. The wind came up and blew the lid down. Hit my glasses (I wear reader on top of my head) and sent them flying about ten feet. I was sick as a dog for the rest of the night.

Today, I am finishing up last years accounting. It’s taken quite a lot of Tylenol and much coffee to get me functioning. I’m still a little queasy, I think I must have a bit of a concussion. Stupid woman.

The bad thing is that I know the trunk lid is unstable. I was just trying to save a trip. It didn’t work. Not only did I not save a trip, I had to sleep the rest of the day and today is sloooooow going.

On a better note, last year’s accounting is finally finished. This year I vow to keep up on it to save the grief at tax time next year. I swear I will. I promise. I hope. Maybe?

Tick Tock

2010-04-19T20:31:00.001-06:00

Tick tock. Tick tock. Time marches, no races on. Quilt Canada is only a week away. I need to start blending my lists. I need to make one to-do list and one supply list. Either that or I need to make a list of my lists and I just can’t see that working out well at all.

Patterns are all finished. Well, I still need to print the Borders and Binding pattern that is our give away with purchase, while supplies last. Dave also needs to finish up the Sun Dreams project. He’s compiling the instructions and all the templates onto CD. It is a new venture in publishing for us. But Sun Dreams has so much paper that we cannot print it cost effectively. So we’ve priced out CD’s and it should make it much more reasonable. There are 23 pages of templates and 12 pages of directions. I looked into having a booklet published too, but until I am sure of its reception, it simply isn’t cost worthy to go that way. Maybe someday.

The other patterns I would like to publish as a book are the Calendar Critters. It is a series of 12 cute little animals, one for each month. I think putting them into a book that contains each separate wall hanging, a small lap quilt, a bed sized quilt and a couple of other projects would really increase their popularity. They have sold fine, but I think that as individual units, they simply add up too quickly for most people.

Beyond patterns and Quilt Canada, lies the dreaded Tax Man. Before Friday (yes I know its already Monday) I have to do my accounting for last year. See the tax dude on Friday morning to get our taxes done. I should be able to get it done without any trouble. Just need to get at the good computer. We have two computers, one for Internet stuff and one for work. Clearly I don’t want my accounting on a hackable machine.

Today’s question is how do you cope with tax time? Are you a procrastinator like me or are you Emily Efficient?

The Countdown Begins

2010-04-16T08:42:00.000-06:00

Well its getting closer now. Quilt Canada is only 11 days away. (Some things start sooner, but I set up my booth on the 11th day.) I'm getting excited and nervous. What if I run out of patterns? What if I don't sell ANY patterns.

My goal is to increase exposure for my company. Both companies, Black Bear Quilting (long-arming) and Pine Freckle Forest (patterns).

I've got lots of great help lined up to volunteer and today we start our mock both set up. Hanging some drapes and arranging quilts so we know what to do when we get there.

Our drop of time is Tuesday morning, and we have to be ready to go before the grand opening event. That's not that much time. Hence all the advance planning.

Still have some more pattern printing to do as well. I am such a procrastinator.

So tell me, are you a procrastinator? What motivates you?

Cath

A Ghost From the Past

2010-04-15T08:23:00.000-06:00

Okay, I know this is my quilt blog, but the things going on in our lives affect our creativity. Mine is shot. I'm angry, annoyed and irritated. I want to be creating new designs, instead I'm pacing around frustrated.

I was visited this week by a ghost from the past. Okay, not really a ghost and a phone call rather than a live visit. Back in the good old days, when dirt was young and I was too, I knew this girl. We've both gotten older, but one of us has never grown up. Once good friends, I find that I can no longer spend time with her. Her moral compass has become skewed.

I expect honesty and integrity from my friends. I find myself unable to think of her without anger. Spending thousands of dollars on new electronics (that you don't need cause the ones you have still work) then going to the food bank just irritates me. Okay, not strong enough of a work. Profanity is called for here, but I'm trying not to go there.

She reminds me of a lot of today's kids. Expecting instant gratification and feeling that the world owes her a living. Well suck it up princess, the world doesn't owe you anything. Get off your backside and contribute. Stop blaming everyone else for your problems and take charge of your life.Do something for someone else for a change and if you read this, stop calling me.

I'm not the kind of person to tell her off. Okay I am but for some reason I can't. I want her to find her way to a better place. A more giving and caring place. The place I wish I could be. I'm not perfect, I know that, but stealing from charity????
I've stopped calling her, and am never available when she wants to visit. But she keeps calling.

How do you handle something like this?

Today's Think

2010-04-13T10:14:00.000-06:00

Its a busy time around here. Customer quilts to finish. Several drop-offs and pick-ups scheduled. Working like a mad fool on Sundreams. Its an applique quilt with lots of flowers and little animals layered upon a pieced back.

I'm going to publish it on a CD, I think. There are about 12 pages of instructions plus about 20 of applique templates. Too many pages to print for every copy of the pattern and still keep the price reasonable. So, CD it is. Just have to wait for DH to get home from the office and get busy. Some nerve, going to work when I need him here to do my stuff. Still, paying jobs must prevail. Too bad!

What I need to know from you is ... what is your favorite style of quilting? Applique? Foundation piecing? Traditional? Art Quilts?

Looking forward to hearing your answer.

Cath

And so it Begins

2010-04-13T09:07:00.000-06:00

Welcome!

I must be crazy! I have seventeen different things to do today, yet I am following this crazy urge to start a blog. I've been thinking about it for a while, and here we goooooooo....

Who am I?

I am Cathy Keevill. My life is quilting. I quilt for myself and for gifts. I make charity quilts with my guild, Piecemakers of Calgary. I am president of the guild for this year and next. I am a long arm quilter (www.blackbearquilting.com). I design patterns (www.pinefreckleforest.com) Occassionally I teach quilting classes at guild and other places.