W-EVdnesday #5 Precious Metals

Culture changes usually take a long time; people tend to like the status quo. So it is normal to be unsure and skeptical about new ways of doing things; in fact it is good to think critically, something that is lost on a frighteningly large number of people in today's world. When computers first became the norm for research, back in the early 2000s, as opposed to going to encyclopedias and non-fiction sections of our libraries, we, as teachers, had to first learn and then teach critical thinking skills wrt sources. We taught kids to verify the accuracy of a source, look into credentials, and we drilled into them the fact that anyone, anyone, can make a webpage, and claim 'facts' and relate 'actual incidents' that might be seen as true. We sent them to sites like snopes.com and factcheck.com. Little did we know that in less than two decades formerly respectable news sources would print lies and untruth and unreality in order to garner 'clicks' which were unheard of back then, really, in order to get as much revenue as possible. 

Follow the money is a truism. If you follow the money back to many of the myths circulating about EVs, you will find that oil companies are very skilled at promoting misinformation. One of them is that EVs require mining for lithium for their batteries that is worse for the environment than drilling for oil is.

Sunset Strip Pattern Release

Sunset Strip is my newest release! This was a quilt I designed for a challenge when I was an Island Batik ambassador in March 2019. There are (ahem) a few challenge quilts that need to get written up and published into patterns! I've not been as productive in the pattern-writing department this year, just three: this one, and two for magazines.

This pattern was the first design in that year's Design Challenge I was hosting, so it is high time I got it out into the world. It's also the first one I wrote up, graphics and all, in Pages, a word processing app on my MacBook Air. Prior to this I worked in Googledocs, but storage is limited there, so I thought why not learn Pages. It's really not much different than Word and Googledocs, and is actually more user-friendly in many ways.

I had four lovely ladies test the pattern and I am excited to show you their makes! Also I should add that it is on sale all week at the lowest price I've ever released a pattern: $7CA. That's just about half price. ($12 regular)

Gratitude Glimmers #79

Still struggling some days at finding those 'Glimmers', moments or sights or thoughts that give me a glimmer of happiness, a lift to my spirits. Being grateful has become a habit though, and I snap photos all month long as reminders of these glimmers. Gratitude does lead to a happier human. You can find more grateful posts at LeeAnna's blog, Not Afraid of Color.

1. I like this sign I saw on a dog walk in Kingsville earlier this month.

Broken Heart Syndrome and Grace

I do love this pattern of mine, first one that I got professionally tech-edited (thank you Yvonne) back in 2019 around this time of year. I do not love the reasons for the three times I've had to make it. This time is another tragedy, so I'm advising you of a trigger-warning in the content (death and loss) in this post.

One day and one year ago my nephew, Andrew, passed away at the all-too-young age of 32. His mom, Pat, is MacGyver's sister; she was one of our bridesmaids along with my two sisters. Andrew had a bad cold last November, but when Pat visited him to check up on him, he was having trouble breathing, and she knew something was very wrong. She called an ambulance despite his protests.

DrEAMi #77

Second last DrEAMi post of the year! Did you have any Drop Everything And Make it moments this past month? Any distractions that wouldn't let go?

Image courtesy of A Splintered Mind

I had a couple!

Rainbow Gingham Quilt

I’ve had a few finishes under wraps of late, some because of surprises, others because they’ve had to wait their turn. This is one of the wait your turn finishes.

You’ve seen this one as a flimsy, the quilt I made after my first three presentations to guilds east of Toronto in mid-October. It was a DrEAMi, a Drop Everything And Make it quilt. Last week I got it quilted and I think I’m as excited to show the back as I am to show the front!

W-EVdnesday #4 Maintenance

This is an area that will probably blow your mind when it comes to EVs, because there is virtually no maintenance. Electric motors are less complex than internal combustion engines (ICE) because they don't require multiple moving parts.

EVs do not require tuneups. EVs do not require oil changes, whereas ICE vehicles require regular tuneups and oil changes. That's right; there is no oil to change! Think of how many oil changes you do per year with your ICE vehicle, and do the math as to how much that costs. This is also an advantage that EVs have over hybrids because hybrids have two systems, the ICE system and the battery system.

A look at our 'frunk' which is where an engine for ICE vehicles would be. The pink and blue jugs are windshield washer fluid and the coolant reservoir for the battery.

The first major maintenance checkup is at 200 000 kilometres. Obviously you will still have to rotate tires and fill up windshield washer fluid and change the HEPA filter just as with an ICE vehicle. 

Oppression

This blog is mainly about quilting but it's also musing, ruminating and sometimes lamenting. Today is a lamenting day, so if you'd rather wait until a quilting post, off you go, no worries. We can only take in so much misery, and we need to take care of our own mental health so we can continue to fight for the good of humanity and our planet. This blog is mainly a record of my quilts and their stories, but it's also a record of my life, and how I see my place in our world.

Something I read last week has stuck with me,

X’s and O’s For A

How's that for a cool title! Also I hope I didn’t give you an earworm…great song by that same name, Ex’s and Oh’s” by Elle King (great artist btw).

This is a remake of a quilt I made in 2019 for Island Batik when I was an ambassador. I wrote out the pattern by hand (does anyone else find handwriting to be quite a chore these days?) And then typed it out as I made this one. Yes it’s going to be released in early December. Can’t wait until you see what the testers are doing and have done!

Rosebud Garland in Make Modern #55

I am thrilled to finally be able to share a design that was accepted in January of this year for Make Modern issue 55!

Our own Sweet Autumn Clematis was stunning again this year, and when one of my sweet neighbours, Mary Beth, exclaimed about it, she said hers was wonderful this year too, climbing all the way over a wooden trellis. When I was thinking of good places for a photo shoot for my project, I thought her trellis might frame the runner perfectly. And wow, did it ever!

W-EVdnesday #3 - Range

I'm so happy to hear that these posts are helpful! Thank you for your comments and observations and questions. Today I'll talk about range. Many people believe that you can't go very far in an EV. While it is true that we now stop more often when we are travelling, I do not mind this. We've found we're not as exhausted when we arrive at our destination as before when we didn't take breaks.

Stopping for Pup Cups at Starbucks is never a bad idea!

Our car has a range of 500 km. Just as with ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles, range is dependent on a few factors: wind, speed, what systems you're using (AC, heat) and ambient temperature. Where EVs differ from ICE vehicles is that they get less mileage on the highway and better mileage in the city. We've found with our car if we're tootling around in the city we see a 560 km range; on the highway on long hauls, it is around 430 km, depending on the above factors. Note that that's cruising at 120 kph.

Gratitude #78 Glimmers

I readily admit that I have had a bit harder of a time lately in some ways finding those 'Glimmers', moments or sights or thoughts that give me a glimmer of happiness. Being grateful, however, has become a habit, and it does lead to a happier human. You can find more grateful posts at LeeAnna's blog, Not Afraid of Color.

1. This one makes my heart sing! About a year ago, an Etsy customer, Wendy in Boston, messaged me after she'd bought my pattern, Grace, asking if I thought she could reverse the pattern to make two quilts that fit together, like a friendship necklace, she said,  for her niece's twin baby girls. I loved the idea and sent her a colouring sheet in reverse image. It is now a part of your download for the pattern. She sent me this photo last week!

The twins are now about ten months old. Wendy did the smooth-edge heart. Instructions for the smooth or jagged (broken) heart are included in the pattern.

DrEAMi #76

Welcome to another month where we share our 'squirrel' projects, those projects that get stuck in our brain and won't rest until we Drop Everything And Make it! Happy Full Hunter's Moon too.🌕 With a partial eclipse to add to the spookiness.👻

An oldie but such a goodie, especially as Halloween is in a few days! I got bitten hard by a squirrel this month.

W-EVdnesday #2 Charging Stations

Today's post is about charging. Probably the biggest reason people tell me why they aren't getting an EV is that, "We aren't there yet," when it comes to the infrastructure needed to charge electric cars. However, what you have to wrap your head around is that unless you are going on a trip, or your apartment or condo does not have charging stations, rarely if ever will you need to go to a public charging station. 

It's true that if you get off the main highways here in Ontario, your chances of finding a fast charger take a nosedive. However, along the major ones, for example the 401, they are plentiful and fast, at every OnRoute rest area. The other thing to consider is that major highways go through or very near major cities, and not far into a major city you will find fast chargers. We look for Canadian Tire stores (these are hardware, outdoor, home and garden major department stores) where Electrify Canada (our preference) and Flo chargers are.

 

One of our several free charges we’ve had over the past  1.75 years. I posted it on Instagram with a thank you any tag to Electrify Canada and they responded☺️

Not all Canadian Tire stores have EV chargers, but many do. Last year when we travelled to the Catskills, we found that Walmart had several Electrify America chargers in their parking lots. This makes such sense to have chargers at shopping centres! You plug in, head into the store, hit the washroom, grab something to eat or drink, and by the time you get back to your vehicle, it's probably about ready to take off again.

Quilt Tales for the Heart and Mind Presentation

I  am pleased to let you know that my 'inaugural tour' as Cathy dubbed it, was a resounding success.

Isn’t this absolutely wonderful? This little cushion sign was made by Cathy in Port Perry as a gift for me. 

Here is the other side:

Beautiful work, beautiful message on both sides! I love it so. And she knows me well: in my favourite colour.

Scrappy Rainbow Stars Quilt

It's amazing what a little pressure or incentive, or both can do to get a quilt done! This is one of three of my RSC 2023 quilts, yet another attempt to put a dent in the strings (it didn't). The free tutorial to make the 16" blocks is here.

As you can see, I had a good time quilting it.

W-EVdnesday

Here we go for the first EV post! We’ve been happy owners of a 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 for 1.5 years, that is since February 4, 2022.

Expensive

One of the first things people say to me is how they couldn't afford a $100K vehicle. Our Ioniq 5 cost $50K, which included some extras like tinted windows, and $2400 in admin fees🙄.  The $50k price includes a $5k rebate from the federal government. I've had it said to my face, "Oh, my daughter/son/I couldn't afford that." I'm not sure if those people have checked into the price of a new vehicle these days but there aren't too many crossovers much less than that.

Full Yet Also Aching Heart

I thought I'd do a little update on WIPs in my sewing studio and life. We had a quiet Thanksgiving, a nice dinner, and a nice fourth win for the Lions. It makes my heart swell to hear from Dayna how packed Ford Field is, with everyone in their seats at kickoff, and the noise level is incredible. Even the announcers keep commenting on it. Fans want this very badly, and I'm especially glad for Dayna and Tyler who bought season tickets again last year (they had them pre-Covid but let them go) and then got transferred to Tennessee, so are now flying or driving up here eight or more times this season! I'm also grateful and my heart is full (as well as my belly lol) for good food over the weekend.

Not only have I been busy in my sewing studio; I've also been a busy bee in the kitchen, making homemade beet hummus from my homegrown beets (yass!), chocolate chip and chunk cookies, pumpkin raisin muffins, and then the main dishes we had (nope I did not make the pumpkin pie, bought it from the in-store bakery). I've been working away at my #wipsbgone list for October; the hearts is all I can show for now of the Grace (#3) quilt top that got finished yesterday.

Yes, sadly, I'm making a third broken heart Grace quilt. I do know that this quilt is such a healing comfort quilt, and as I've sewed the top, my love and compassion have flowed from my heart and soul through my fingertips into this quilt. More when she's done and gifted.

150 Canadian Women Quilt Finish

I actually am quite filled up with emotion to share this finally finished quilt. But first, I want to acknowledge this beautiful land where I live.

I live on the traditional and ancestral lands of the Three Fires Confederacy: the Ojibwe, the Potawotamie, (also known as Nishnabek), the Odawa, and also Caldwell First Nation. I also acknowledge the Myaamia, First Peoples of my beloved Point Pelee and Pelee Island and surrounding waters. This is unceded territory, meaning it was stolen, and I respect and honour the First Peoples who have been on Turtle Island since time immemorial.

The quilt has been seven years in the making. I first heard of the quilt along in early December 2016. It had started in November, and over the course of the ensuing 52 weeks, the designer, Kat Tucker of Quiltnasium, released three 6" blocks, each representing a Canadian woman who had contributed to Canada in some way. Well, I was instantly IN. I love anything that empowers women. Since I'd read a fair amount of pioneer- and suffragette-themed books, I was intrigued and eager to learn more. And did I. Not only did Kat give the directions to make each block, she also included a few paragraphs telling each woman's story.

DrEAMi #75

Welcome to the Drop Everything And Make it! party. I hope you have been captivated/taken away/mesmerized/engulfed by a project or two this summer. Engulfed by...

like this squirrel in a bird feeder! Judy of GrammaJudyB had this in a July gratitude post, and I just thought it perfect to symbolize how some projects totally captivate, occupy, and engulf us!

Quilt Tales for the Heart and Mind

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you will know that I love to tell the stories that are wrapped 😉 in my quilts. So many of them have lots of emotions woven into them. Well, almost one year ago, in November 2022, Cathy, a blog reader for quite some time now, emailed me to tell me she was the programme coordinator for her guild, and had I ever considered doing presentations for quilt guilds? She found my quilts so meaningful, and always enjoyed the stories that went with them. Well, I was sure taken aback! Never had I considered presenting to guilds, but she did get me thinking. It took a couple of months…

I cannot do this!

Yes, you can.

I am freaking out!

Calm down. Breathe. Think. (but not too much)

How do I ever go about this? I haven't made a PowerPoint for years; I only work on Mac; does Keynote even convert to PowerPoint; do I really have stories that will interest people?

Apparently I do…

Gratitude #77 Glimmers

Welcome to another month's list of things I notice pretty much on a daily basis, for which I am grateful. If you would like to write your own post, or read more of these uplifting posts, pop over to LeeAnna's blog Not Afraid of Color.

Yesterday I learned a new word for these moments I note each month thanks to Mx. Domestic who reposted it from Tiny Buddha Official on Instagram.

1. I'm grateful for my library; I've loved loved LOVED libraries my entire life. The quiet, the smell, the knowledge-keeping, the worlds contained in the thousands of books, ahhh. I was in one day quite a few months ago, and Elaine, who is also a quilter, and in charge of the Artist of the Month display, asked me if I'd like to be the artist for September. I told her absolutely, and that that was fitting timing as I had a quilt coming out in Love of Quilting in the September/October issue! Well, here is the display that has been in the library all month.

Rainbow Scraps at Work

I started the year with just one rainbow project. And I’m happy to report that all the blocks are complete; in fact, now that the turquoise ones are done, I have one extra!

It evolved, as they often do, too, aiming to make a gradation in shades of each color. So you can see these three go from light to dark turquoise. I now have 26 blocks, enough for a 50” square quilt with the extra block going on the back. My original plan was to make 30 but I decided this past week that 25 is fine.

Gratitude #76

Since taking the month of July off, it's gotten a lot harder to make myself write a post. I've been sewing a little bit, but not much really and not anything so far I can show. I've still kept track of things I like, and things that make me full of gratitude. If you would like to write your own post, or read more of these uplifting posts, pop over to LeeAnna's blog Not Afraid of Color.

1. I'm grateful for trees. I've been a tree lover pretty much all my life, but a trip to Tofino, Vancouver Island in 1994 took my love to a profound level, one of awe and respect. I read Greenwood by Michael Christie, in July, one of the Canada Reads books, and what a book. Highly recommend. It sent me to the internet again and again, looking up various ancient trees of the Douglas fir variety for one. I found Lonely Doug, which you can read about and see in this brief article and also this short article. Tell me if you don't feel a deep sadness when you see this massive sentinel. And once again synchronicity strikes: a few days after learning and reading about him, this article,  BC big tree hunter documents grandest old-growth tree he's ever seen, showed up on my CBC homepage. It is worth a quick click on that link to view this indescribably humongous Western red cedar somewhere on Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound. The photos are locked.

Point Pelee National Park near me

Fir tree and Sky by Emily Carr in 1935-36

This painting hangs in the  National Gallery of Canada  which we recently visited on our trip to Ottawa.

Tinker Toys in Love of Quilting Magazine

Way back in January I alluded to two of my submitted designs having been accepted for publication. Today is finally the day I can share the first one. Love of Quilting hits the newsstands today! My quilt, Tinker Toys, is on page 62.

Photo courtesy of Golden Peak Media

This baby quilt goes together super-fast. The design has the illusion of being on point but it's just nine blocks with some clever colouring and borders.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Update

I have three projects ongoing this year, one of which has all the blocks done, and two nearing completion. Here's where they all are at present! Then read on to find out who won a copy of Cheryl's new book, Just Two Charm Packs Quilts.

Project 1

Makes me think of ketchup and mustard! I plan to make four more blocks in aqua (I'm thinking that will be the September colour) for a total of 30, set five by six. This will make a nice-sized throw as they are 10" blocks. This will most likely be a comfort quilt.

I'm Back With Diamond Hashtag and a Giveaway

Hello everyone! I had a lovely month off with plenty of my favourite things: reading, sewing, relaxing in the back yard and in the pool, and generally enjoying the beautiful month of July. You've seen on Instagram some in-progress shots of my 150 Canadian Women quilt, but I also worked on one of Cheryl Brickey's designs in her newest book, Just Two Charm Pack Quilts. Her website is Meadow Mist Designs, and her blog is Meadow Mist Designs where you can follow the hop of fabulous quilts from her book.

Cheryl has a page right here dedicated to this hop with all of the participants listed and links to their quilts. If you ever have lost your quilt mojo, check out a few of the links there, and I guarantee you will find it in a hurry!

Rainbow Neighbourhood - My Quilt

When I finally put my 2017 Rainbow Scrap Challenge house blocks together into the throw, I knew that was my second choice for a quilt layout using my rainbow houses blocks. I knew I wanted to create a happy neighbourhood (Do you hear Fred Rogers? I know I do.) It took some time, but I knew if I let it sit and percolate on the back burner of my brain, it would be good. And it is.

I looked back in my graph book of design ideas and I see several iterations and possibilities of a quilt using the blocks. Exactly how I came up with the one that is the twin, I honestly am not sure, but I do know I didn't want a traditional setting; I wanted the houses to be not in rows, and I wanted neighbourhood elements such as a picket fence (which did not come to pass in the end).

A huge thank you to Island Batik for sending me the navy marble blender yardage for background, and for the 'Broken Glass' line of fabrics as well as several other Basics and Blenders fabrics.

Rainbow Neighbourhood Final Parade

It’s here and I am late to post this! (Smacks self in forehead) I remembered… and then promptly forgot. My own quilt is not completely finished but the linkup for flimsies and finishes that I have on the June 15 post and also here below was originally open until midnight July 1. I may just extend it through the weekend though; what do you think? Canada Day is an auspicious day to end the celebration of the ‘Famous Canadian’ 😉 upon whose birthday this QAL usually ends, but I think he’d be just fine with a wee extension. 

I actually have stuck to the decision to do an all-over design. Well mostly!

Gratitude #76

Welcome to my monthly gratitude post. There is a group of us who write these, so feel free to join in anytime you like and let LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color know. You can hop over there and see more  uplifting posts.

I just love Calla lilies and am I happy that we have the perfect spot for this group of five. This is their third summer! They are in a south facing bed close to the house, so I think this is why they continue to survive the winter.

DrEAMi #74

Welcome to another month of Drop Everything And Make it celebrations. I apologize for this getting out quite late, but I've been on a road trip, keeping Dayna company and helping with the precious cargo of my grand-cat, Harper on the way down to Tennessee where they've relocated. She was an absolute angel of a traveller!

Waiting in a bedroom for those noisy movers to finish

No chipmunks for Harper to keep her eye on in the south, but I am sure she will find something else to interest her at her glass front storm door, once her parents install one! Here she is at Dayna’s new bedroom window, intent on something, probably a bunny, outside. 

Perfectly Pieced Quilt Backs

First of all I want to acknowledge Canada's National Indigenous Peoples Day by stating that I acknowledge that I live on traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory. This territory belongs to the Anishinabewaki, Attiwonderonk and Myaamia Indigenous peoples.  I live on the north shore of erielhonan, the Iroquoian name for Lake Erie which means 'long tail'. I continue to learn and am always grateful for this beautiful piece of Turtle Island.

Well, Kelly Young of My Quilt Infatuation has done it once again. She has published her third book, and this is one I guarantee you will want to have on your shelf. How many of you have leftover chunks of fabric after the top is complete? Yeah, I thought so: 100% of you. Have you used them right away, or, are they languishing in your stash, or maybe even still together (guilty) because they looked so terrific in that quilt that they could probably make a pillow, or bag or some placemats even... How about it you make them into a pleasing quilt back? Well that is exactly what Kelly's book is all about, 30 yes THIRTY quilt back design ideas. I made two from her book.

Rainbow Neighbourhood Quilt Top and Link Up

First of all a happy birthday to that most famous Canadian, my dear Dad.😍🥳

He was born on this day, in 1926, in the little town of Legal, (it’s French, so it's le and gal as in girl, emphasis on gal) Alberta. He always gave us kids a chuckle because each year he’d write on the wall calendar ‘the birthday of a famous Canadian’ much to our mum’s annoyance, though we knew it was feigned annoyance. Well, mostly feigned! My annual QAL has evolved into starting on my birthday, and ending on my dad’s.

Without further ado here is my twin-size flimsy! I'm so pleased with how it turned out.

This year the top is due on June 15, but there is a difference for the final parade. Since both quilts, but especially the twin, were more involved than in previous years, I've set the final parade for finished quilts and tops for June 30. 

Rainbow Neighbourhood House Block #10 and Pinwheels

Twin quilt makers, this is your final assignment! This week we are making house block #10 and the pinwheels that spin across the quilt.

I have seen a few tops done, or nearly done this past week and I am swooning over how wonderful they are. This post will also discuss the sashing pieces needed to fit both the throw and the twin together. I will also be showing you some other quilts and projects I've done using this wonderful house block pattern. As lots of you have learned, it can be quite addictive!

More DrEAMi Makeup Bags

Two Drop Everything And Make it! moments happened to me this past week, both the fault of my stock person in my Etsy shop sandrajanequilts. Wow, you may be thinking, you have a stock person? I sure do–ME! Don’t worry, I’ve talked to ME about it and hopefully the issue won’t happen again, though in reality it is a very good issue to have!

This one was DrEAMi #2. I added a pretty green fancy bead zipper pull after I took the photo for the customer. It was well after supper, so I took it outside to the front of the house which faces west and has our rhodo in all her stunning glory at present as a supreme backdrop.   

Rainbow Neighbourhood House Block #9 and Some Hearts

My sincere apologies for being a day late with this post; life has been rather busy and full lately, all good, but I don't work well when I have a lot of interruptions throughout the day even if they are good ones like reading (such a good, captivating book I'm in), Netflix, eating outside, gardening, errands... Anyhow, let's go!

This week we are making our ninth house! If you are doing the throw, this is your last block, and you get next week off.😚 If you are making the twin, you will have one more house to make along with the heart blocks.

Global Garden - Hands2Help Comfort Quilt

Here is my second H2H quilt for this year, the first being my SAHRR which you can see here. Hands2Help, in case you don't know, is an annual comfort quilt drive hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. I named it Global Garden as a nod to the Trip Around the World corner blocks, the floral fabrics, and the centre garden-themed appliquéd block.

After I rummaged through my drawer of lonely blocks aka orphan blocks to choose one for my SAHRR, it hit me that I really should make an effort to work more of them into a couple of quilts. In the drawer were these five blocks, the centre appliqués one and four Trip Around the World ones. I ‘won’ them in a bidding activity we did in the local guild I belonged to at that time. That was more than six years ago! Out they came and I let them percolate a bit on the design wall until I ‘saw’ the idea of using big, 15” finished, QSTs to frame and pull them together. 

A note about my Rainbow Neighbourhood QAL: that post will be out this afternoon.

DrEAMi #73

 

Welcome to another month of Drop Everything And Make it celebrations. Isn’t the squirrel photo adorable? You can watch the whole few-seconds-long video here. Marty had it in her Instagram stories and I guarantee it will make you smile. I like to think that the dandelion seeds floating around the squirrels head, or like those tantalizing projects that we just have to make. This is where we celebrate those distractions because we know that it is just so good for our creative souls.

My First Quilt

Happy Friday! I had hoped to have a finish but life has intervened, as has a good book, and general poky-ness, so maybe this weekend... In the meantime, I'm popping in to let you know that I was asked by Leanne of Devoted Quilter if I would like to be interviewed about the first quilt I ever made for a new series she's doing on her blog and Instagram. 

In case you missed any of the posts, which come out at the end of each month, (I didn't catch Leanne's, so I will be heading over to read it asap!) 

you can read about Leanne's own first quilt here, 

Laura's, Slice of Pi, first quilt here, 

and about Michelle's, From Bolt to Beauty, first quilt here.

I am honoured to be the featured 'First Quilt' interviewee today. You can hop over to Leanne's blog, to read all about my first little quilt.

That's a recent photo, taken in February to use in an upcoming magazine publication - eeek.

Gratitude #75

Welcome to my monthly Gratitude post. All month long I note little things that make me smile, that me feel gratitude, things that I like or love. Several of us write these posts; you can read more at LeeAnna‘s blog Not Afraid of Color.

 

1. I love dogs. When I was in Alberta at the beginning of May, visiting Brianne and Brady, one of the things Brady requested we do is meet up with my niece, Brianne's cousin, Sheila. She has three little dogs, cute little characters, who love going to the off-leash dog park in Edmonton's River Valley. It is a massage for the soul and spirit there: dogs of all sizes, shapes and ages, running around, just being dogs. Some chase balls, others chase each other, still others just amble or race along behind or in front of their owners. There is a huge field where they can run around, there are trails through forest and bush, and there is the river where they can swim. It's a paradise, and always leaves all four of us, well all seven, counting the three fur mops, just so content and at peace.

Rainbow Neighbourhood House Block #8

First of all Happy Victoria Day! I hope, if you get the holiday, that you get to spend some or all of it doing something you absolutely love. I started my day off with some quiet sewing, finishing up my eighth house, in my favourite colour, blue, while listening to the busy birds, singing, calling and chirping. Ahhh.

If you are making the throw, you will have just one house left to make after this week! If you are making the twin, you have two left along with two heart blocks and some pinwheels.

Rainbow Neighbourhood House Block #7

What fun it was to see all the gorgeous house blocks linked up last week! I am thrilled to see all the creativity just bursting forth in your houses. I love hearing how much fun you are having choosing fabrics, fussy-cutting, even purchasing a bit of special fabrics or colours to incorporate.

I was away all last week visiting Brianne and Brady and friends and family in Alberta, so I did not sew one single stitch. It was a wonderful week! Last week was the halfway point with a linkup and two prizes on offer.

Rainbow Neighbourhood Mid-Point Link Up

Welcome to the halfway point of this year's Quilt Along! It is such a joy to see all the pretty, interesting, unique, themed houses popping up everywhere! By now everyone should have five houses made. If you are making the twin, you also have four large tree blocks made.

Did I mention that there will be a prize chosen for those who link up their five houses? Don't stress if you don't have all five done yet; the linky will be open all week, until midnight Saturday, so you've got time, my friend. Breathe.

Slab Star Quilt Free Pattern

As you know, I’ve inadvertently started a third RSC project this year. This is a great block to use up strips and scraps. In an effort to use up my crumbs and make a dent in my strips (don’t ask how the strips dent is going), I hit upon this lovely large 16” finished Evening Star block. Here is my orange one complete.

I do love looking at these each time I finish one, thinking that I saved all of those bits from the landfill, and I will help keep someone snuggly and warm under the forthcoming quilt.

How do I make these? Let me show you!