Speaking of UFOs

There are some mornings when I look at this blank screen, and I think to myself - what witty thing are you going to say today to encourage people to read on! You know - it's like the first impression - you have 30 seconds to make a first impression. Thankfully, I NEVER freeze when I see a blank screen, or if I do - I just start to babble on! 

I just like to write, and that never used to be the case! That comes from my Mom. It's amazing where we pick up our traits and how they eventually influence us. 

Speaking of my Mom, I realized that I had brought home some treasures from my last visit. Look at the cool pins I found. That airplane looks pretty old. These will get put to good use in some projects. You know, in all the time that we've been to that house to clean up (going on 8 years now), I've NEVER been in the house alone. That's probably a good thing, as I'm sure I'd never leave. These are the tiny treasures that would escape most people, and yet, these are the ones that I want. OK -- next time, schedule a day for me to search the house from top to bottom to find more of this. I don't even remember where I found these either! 

Treasures from Mom

And speaking of English Paper Piecing, well, it's been around for eons. What kills me is the naivety of people who believe that modern quilters "made" this technique. I won't mention any particular designer, but you can probably figure it out. I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but EPP was "invented" in the 1770s. Yep --- goes back a long way. Here's a link to the history of EPP. I think the quilt designers recognize its history - it's some of the quilters who do not! 

I remember a SCATHING e-mail I received from a magazine reader who accused me of STEALING a pattern from Jenny Doan and using it as my own. Yep - Jenny maybe did a tutorial on that block, but that does NOT make it hers as the block was very common. People just don't get it, and I'm really tired of hearing that that pattern is by the famous Quilter X when, in fact, they've just regurgitated a standard block. 

Anyway, all that to say, I found a box of prepped hexies when I was going through my Mom's stuff. This doesn't surprise me since I have a quilt top (made from hexies) of hers here that needs to be quilted. I've had it for a few years and need to do something with it.  

A box of hexies

The issue is that the quilt top and these hexies are made from LINING fabric. I guess I could just quilt it. 

Her cardboard template and some blank templates are waiting to be used. 

Templates waiting to be used

The template and then some cut scraps of the lining. She didn't trim the pieces to make them - just folded and stitched them, which is OK. 

Lining fabric and the master template

Here's a picture of the quilt she wanted to make. I couldn't find a date on it - I'll look again, but I suspect she made this in the 1960s. 

The quilt she was going to make

And here's her layout diagram, and I think there's a note indicating the number of hexies she still had to make! I don't care how big she intended - I'll make up something from what's in the box! 

Her "pattern"

As you know, I have run a UFO Club for several years. We're now up to two groups, and I may have ONE spot vacant for this year. A few people will be leaving, and while I have a waitlist, there might be room for one or perhaps two more. 

But guess what happened? I proposed my UFO Club to a magazine, and they picked it up. The club was referenced on the COVER!!! Yes, it's the latest issue of Quiltmaker. It just made it to the newsstands. 

Quiltmaker - UFO club mentioned on the cover! 

Well, that entire post went somewhere I wasn't planning to go when I started. I even had to change the title! 

I need to research styles of quilting patterns on the Grandmother's Flower Garden for my Mom and then JUST DO IT! I want that thing off my plate. But if memory serves me correctly - it's huge! I can't remember if the papers are out of it or not. 

Here are two recent purchases which are stored in their proper place. I'm certain I have a brayer, but I can't find it, so now I have a new one. This will work beautifully with applique and cutting fabric with the Brother Scan and Cut. 

A new brayer

Knowing that I intend to get a lot of use from my digital cutter in cutting fabric, I bought a new fabric mat when I had the chance. All are in their proper homes. 

A new fabric m at

I have so many other pictures to share and not even a chance to tell you what chaos happened in Studio B yesterday! Perhaps tomorrow. 

I've got two Designer Epic 3 events at Brampton Sew and Serge TODAY. If you have time, pop on over and check them out. The first one starts at 1 and the next at 6 PM. Call first to check if there is room. It's nice to do an event without worrying about hotels or driving long distances! 

OH -- I forgot to post the links for the Virtual Retreat - so here they are. 

Saturday, November 25 - Starts at 6:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89254233911?pwd=VGQrTnFybW1HMWpleHA4M2Q2NGVwZz09 Meeting ID: 892 5423 3911 Passcode: 982797

Sunday, November 26 - Starts at NOON

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86119598156?pwd=ZDFxcElxS0NmeTRjczdSR2FXd3N2Zz09

Meeting ID: 861 1959 8156
Passcode: 053861

And on that note, I'm out of here! Lots to do before I leave this morning.

Have a great day!

Ciao!!

Shop Hop!

No rain this morning, but now we have FOG! Yesterday was much better except for a couple of sudden downpours! No one got wet!

And we saw a rainbow last evening, so hopefully, that means the rain is over. The weather is supposed to get better, so let's hope! 

A rainbow

It was all about the Shop Hop yesterday, and most of the group went out at various times. Susan, Maryke, and I headed out after lunch, and we stopped at all four shops -- Ye Old Fabric Shop, The Quilt Place, Quilting by Design, and Heart N Home Creations. I had a list, and I mostly stuck to the list. There were a couple of extra things that got put in the bag. I mean, how could one resist a lime green, 7" zipper with big teeth? 

I saw many fabrics and panels with bicycles on them, and I don't need more, so I bought no bicycle fabric. I saw amazing patterns and certainly don't need more of those. 

I found fabric for my dress, the jacket and fabric for a border. I also found some 30-weight threads, so I came home happy. We made a couple of other stops along the way, including Value Village, the dollar store, the pie shop, and The British Touch, which was a thriving hive of activity yesterday. Does the Coronation on Saturday have anything to do with it? You bet! So it was a jam-packed afternoon!

OH -- we had to stop for gas, and Maryke chose a station along the way that ended up being FULL SERVICE. Yes -- we didn't get out of the car, the windows all got cleaned, she got a full gas tank, and we all got a sucker! OK --- that was worth the extra she paid for the gas! 

A lollipop!

If you're in Stratford and want full service -- this is the place to go!!! Thanks for the great service, Neumeister Motors!!

Full-service gas station

At The Quilt Place in Shakespeare, we saw this quilt made with tiny hexagons. Those were about the same size as the one found the previous day! What a great idea to applique them onto a background so you don't have to make so many! 

A tiny hexie quilt

You can't read this sign, but it was so cute we had to take a picture. It's outside a church and says, "God doesn't take sides, but we do. Go, Leaves, Go!" Obviously, God was watching and didn't appreciate the bias! Our Leaf fans were NOT happy last night. 

The church supporting the Leafs

Here's the barn quilt sign outside Quilting by Design. It's PINK! Perhaps in honor of Tula Pink, which they stock most of her fabric!! 

Barn Quilt block

And there are loads of bunnies in the neighborhood, and they are hopping everywhere, and we saw a groundhog as well. 

Bunnies everywhere

I didn't get much sewing done yesterday, and that's OK. Retreats are all about being with friends. I didn't touch the serger yesterday, but I got some of the blocks for my 365-Day quilt. I cut 10 blocks before I left, and three are now pieced. I also have to complete some homework for the class on the weekend, and since some retreat participants are also in that class, I'm sewing the blocks when no one is around, which means it's very early in the morning! They have no idea! 

Blocks for the 365-day quilt

Bit by bit, I'll get that quilt done. It is a tremendous amount of work, and there are NO instructions for piecing the blocks. Well, that's not entirely true -- there are diagrams, but some of the methods? Well, there's loads of room to provide tips - IF I were teaching it, but I'm not and never will! Anyway -- three more blocks are pieced, and I have seven to do today. 

Then I'll be back to the serger, although I have quite a few half-square triangles to trim, and I might do that for a change. Thank goodness, others have brought rulers, as I totally forgot to bring any! 

On that note -- I'm out of here!

Have a super day!

Ciao!!