To Russell Ontario or Bust!

Quilty Pleasures (Quilt store in Ottawa) gave pins out at the show saying "I'd rather by at Quilty Pleasures!"

         Russell Ontario is a wonderful little town that currently is inhabited by my older brother and his wife. Last week my mother and I went for a nice visit. Amidst the quilt show, garage sales, book sales, and quilt store runs. We had lots of lovely chats about quilts, cats and the occasional "Adventure Time" quote. We bought oodles of fabric from a lovely quilt show vendor called Mad About Patchwork (which is actually an online store) who stocks the always lovely KONA solids. Buying fat quarter singles and bundles are easily matched with the solids for lots of soon-to-be done projects! Some of my recent purchases include:

 

I am planned to start a wonderful quilt that will challenge my skills as an intermediate quilter! It's called "Single Girl" by Denyse Schmidt Quilts. I am planning to use my (newly purchased) Andalucia line by Patty Young! And I've paired some KONA solids so I will have enough to get by. I just have not chosen a background yet. But a picture to show my colors first!

I cannot wait to get started! I have never really tried curves so this will be a learning experience. I am trying a  quarter block, out of scraps, just to get a feel for the pattern. Possibly the Bright Pink or Chartreuse for the background?

     Now it's all about cutting out the practice scraps....

More Pictures shall follow!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder....

To those who read this.

     I apologize for my sudden stop in all my postings. Family issues have arisen and have turned off the excitement that has lived in my heart. But things have gotten a bit better so I will be coming back to life.


     I have been doing a little bit of work here and there with sewing. Mostly just minor projects/gifts for close friends.

Improv Log Cabin

First-try Spider Web Mini Quilt

Chevron Trial

Of course I have been visiting my local fabric shop like a mad woman. And have attended the Oakville Quilters Guild show after work last Thursday (Wonderful job those lovely ladies did!).

     BUT....I am going on an adventure with my Mom to Ottawa to visit my older brother and his wife and go to  the Ottawa Quilt show this weekend! Yippe! I will have my laptop and camera so I pray I will get time to snap pictures and post!

    I leave you with my fabric inspector, Xerxes my sweet little kitty.

The most dangerous place...

Walking adventures around Hamilton's downtown are simply the best. Even though it was terribly windy for some unknown reason... my best friend and I headed down towards Cannon and James. We were on a mission to check out the newest fabric store that opened just a few steps from the crossroads.

Needlework is a wonderful little place filled with lofty ceilings (gold painted as well!) and delicious fabrics! As well as patterns and notions. Spending a good amount of time scanning through their expertly chosen fabrics, I purchased a lovely bundle of fabrics and we headed out with visions of quilts in our heads. Please if you live in the Hamilton area (or even if you don't!) please go out and check out this amazing store! You'll feel as welcomed as I have even with just two visits under my belt!

    I went back this morning to purchase some more fabrics because I want to try to make the Spider Web Block. I first saw this pattern through pinterest.com and instantly fell in love with it. I am planning to use some of these wonderful fabrics (purchased at Needlework)...

I'll hopefully upload some photos this week of in-progress shots!

I also cannot wait to sit in my lovely armchair and read this wonderful new magazine I picked up!

I have seen this posted in a few blogs a long while ago. It came with a cute little needle case materials.

       Also made a cute little drawstring bag out of a t-shirt a co-worker gave me. It was too small for me and I did not want to part with it because of its cute print. So I made a little bag with it. It might do well as a lunch bag or for traveling.

    So off I go to read my new magazine and sip some sweet sweet coca-cola. Tootles!

Long weekend cannot be beat...

Nothing can beat a long weekend when productivity is the name of the game.
   
      Had a wonderful long walk in the downtown core on Saturday. Stopping by Mixed Media (local art store) and then to a newly opened flower shop. Alex (my boyfriend) purchased me a lovely little Primrose potted plant. It currently resides next to my typewriters.

Then we went for a wonderful sushi lunch to celebrate valentines day as we really don't see each other for the week. Came back to our apartment and started on a simple little charm square quilt.

I used a charm pack designed by Aneela Hoey called "Apples". I was going to do some half square triangles, but then felt terrible cutting into these adorable designs. So I decided just to do some simple squares. I loved how this turned out (even if I used two different whites for the sashing...). I am trying to figure whether or not to do a wide white border around it or even just quilt and bind it the way it is.

I also finally finished the quilting on my retreat quilt!! Now just gotta bind it!

I have also been listening to the album Hazards of Love by The Decemberists for most of the weekend. And because of that I have gotten inspired and am looking to do a cute little quilted wall hanging I designed. I think I'll work on that for the afternoon and see where it gets me.

 Singing oh oh..... the hazards of love...

When little girl dreams become reality.

Ever since I was a little girl. I've watched my mother and her quilting friends in pure admiration. They all were exactly what I wanted to be when I was a lady. I wanted to be a quilter. Their lives are full of creativity, color, and a drive to make these beautiful heirlooms like either pioneer women counterparts. I always used to watch my mother pack her van with her projects, tools, and snacks looking sad as she drove away for a weekend of quilting and bonding.

A dream finally came true last weekend for me.

      I went to my first quilting retreat. 

 

    My mother had planned a very small group of 6 women (including my mom and me) to rent out an old farm house for a few nights. It was beyond wonderful and inspiring. I cannot express how much fun I had with these ladies of the quilted cloth. I got some wonderful little projects done that weekend (though I wish I could have done lots more!) and cannot wait to keep sewing while I sit here at home.

 I started this wonderful little scrappy quilt that I had gotten from a magazine (if I could remember it, I'd surely tell you.) and used a wonderful little charm pack called Ruby from Moda. Here is my friend holding up my quilt so I could take lovely photos of it.

I have already started quilting it and am still in progress.

 To all those little girls out there, who look up to their mothers, wishing that one day she could be just as creative and awe-inspiring as her mother is. It can happen. I like to think I will forever be... my mothers daughter.