Christmas gift

Now that I have finished my 2011 quilts....well most of them anyway.....I think it is time to start something new and fun!

My sweet daughter ...the one with the new puppy - Zoe..

gave me this for Christmas!

Guess you can never go wrong buying fabric for a quilter!!

I just LOVE these colours. It is called California Girl. and I guess the yardage isn't even available yet, so I bought some similar coordinating fabric...

And will be sitting down with my favourite jelly roll book for some inspiration!

Friday finishes

Another finish! And I love this one.....

If you remember, this is the "Origins" fabric that I bought and then saved for a long time because I couldn't bring myself to cut it up.  Then when I did....I hated the quilt top..and cut the blocks up into little pieces and sewed them back together!!  Well, it is now finished!! And  I am very happy with the finished product!

I used up the extra bits for a strip of piecing on the back..

It finished at about 60"x 72".  And now it is one of my very favourite quilts!!

I think this earns a link up to TGIFF !! 

Still at the FMQ

I started "Paris" and "Prairie Meadow"  quite some time ago...

And even though it is early January I am considering these 2 quilts as 2011 finishes....so I need to get them finished!!
I am done the FMQ on Paris....so on now to Prairie Meadow...

I am trying a pattern that I studied and took pictures of when I was at the Saskatoon Quilt Show (thank you Kathy)..

I like these flowers!

It is actually quite forgiving, and to fill in little gaps I have added some random leaves.

And this...what is this you might ask??  well it is a rare leaf formation of this particular species of plant!

Now I am going to check out what is going on at The Needle and Thread Network and Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday!!

a fishing tale?

I have been doing a lot of FMQ the past week, and just needed a break. I needed to do something quick and easy that I could actually just finish!!
So I whipped up another one of these great thread catchers....

They really are fast to make...you can see how I make them here.

But I had to run out to the fishing store to buy more lead weights for the pin cushion part. The fishing store man eyed me suspiciously as I piled my collection of fishing weights on the counter...

Then he asked "Don't suppose you are doing a lot of fishing...are you??
Guess I don't look like the ice fishing type ???

Now, that is the time when I wish I had a witty sense of humour and could have thought of something to say like....

• no, I use them for resistance for my exercise program....or
• I use them at Weight Watchers meetings..where I slip them into the pocket of the person standing in front of me at "weigh-in" ..just for fun!

But alas...I just smiled and said "No"

mmm...maybe that is even better.....I am sure he lay awake last night wondering what I was doing with my little pile of lead fishing weights!!

And the quilting continues..

Well, after Jenny (my Janome sewing machine) had her little melt down, (see here for the details !) things seem to be going smoothly.  [And I said that very quietly so that she didn't hear me and take revenge the next time is start sewing ]


I am trying to get more creative ...so thought I would try something different border for the border again.  First I practised my design on paper...

then drew it out onto the border with chalk...

I used this cool Clover chalk device..

 it has a little roller wheel and you just run it along where you want to draw...cool!

I only chalked one edge at a time because I was afraid that it would rub off as I was moving the quilt around. Anyway I did that for the first 2 sides, then I got brave lazy, and just went free hand for the last 2 sides!






I think that I am getting better, but still ...even when I draw it out...am inconsistent and irregular in places. I am sure that it gets better with more practice...I am just not sure that  I will live long enough to get really good at this! :)

and the winner is...

Thank you all so much for helping me celebrate both my 1 year blogging anniversary and the 100 follower mark!
What fun comments! I am actually quite relieved to see that many of you have thought about what name you would have liked to have ...so I am not alone!  HaHa!

And all those talent ideas! Wouldn't it be nice if we could do all those things?? But I guess we all have our own talents, and we should celebrate those!

OK...OK...on to the draw....Drum roll please...

                                                    
I used a very high tech technique for picking a winner...my daughters drew the names out of a bowl! ( I even made her close her eyes LOL)

The winner of the little frame purse...

is.....

And the winner of one thread catcher....  (other daughter !)

is...

Congratulations! I will send you both an email to get your mailing addresses, and thanks again for playing along!

THANK YOU

Thank you all so much for all your helpful hints and suggestions!! It really is amazing how many small things you have to think about .....or forget to think about! The needle, thread, tension, cleaning the lint, and even that little disc thingy that holds the spool of thread in place (thanks Patti)!! I think I need a check list like a air plane pilot...you know the pre-flight check....I will have a pre-quilt check-list! :)

Anyway...I did take in all the suggestions, cleaned out the lint (and yes, it sure does collect under there !!) changed my needle, tried a new spool of thread.

Then, yesterday, my Jenny (Janome machine) had what, in my medical opinion, was an epileptic seizure! What might that look like, you ask???
Well, all her lights started flashing, she kind of stammered several times...broke her needle and then groaned ...jammed up and stopped!
...what did I do???  Called a "Code Blue"! Blue as in that was the kind the language that I used!!

Then spent the next hour pulling bits of thread out!!

I think what happened was a small loop of the bobbin thread was loose ??? and caught in the bobbin mechanism. Don't ask me how that would happen, but the bobbin mechanism was certainly jammed. This little piece was stuck in there!

In any event....after wiggling and jiggling and whistling a tune....it all came loose. 

I cleaned it all out, changed the needle (oh, well, it was time to change it anyway!) , rethreaded the machine...and all was good!

                                         

I spent the rest of the afternoon, with NO PROBLEMS!!!  Really??? What a drama queen "Jenny" is! Just needed a little extra attention??  

Then I saw this add for the Janome Horizon...

                                          

Every Project a Journey????? Boy they sure aren't kidding !!!

p.s.  just a reminder...

***Last day for entry for my Celebration Give Away !! I will making the draw tonight!*****