Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!

My family and I decided to stay home for New Year's and have a movie night.  We are on our 3rd movie and still an hour and half till Midnight.  Its been a great evening.  The kids are doing great.

This is just a quick post to say Hi, Happy New Year and see you next year.  Hope to have some exciting things for next year.

What about you?  Do you have any New Year's Resolutions?

Have a great Midnight!

Vicky K

My 1 st "New" Treadle

Good Evening All

I'm enjoying the evening knitting and watching a movie with a friend.

I'm posting this using my iPad, sorry if the pics are not very good.

This is what I'm knitting tonight.  I'm liking it.

Here is my "new" treadle machine and it works too!!

I found it in my Mom's garage after she passed away.  I wasn't sure if it was one of my grandmothers'.  But my SIL said my Mom purchased 3 old machines.  I had the base refurbished my antique restorers and the machine serviced by a singer dealership.  

Tonight we set it up and it was so smooth.  I can't wait to try it on some quilting fabric.  

Hope you are having a great evening.

Vicky K

Friday Night Sew In

Good Evening All

Sorry I've been missing in action.  I finished the competition quilt, took pictures and sent off them off with the entry form.  About 4 hours after I put the package in the mail, I remembered I didn't complete the form  uggghhh.  I'm so disappointed.  I sent an email to the organizers.  I haven't heard anything yet.  This is the first time that I've entering a contest and was talking myself out of entering.  All those crazy negative thoughts.  My friends were very supportive and one said to do it for the experience.  I really liked that comment and it helped me finish the quilt.  I will do a post about it around the middle to end of November.  I can't wait to show it to you all.

I linked up with Friday Night Sew-In yesterday and this is what I was working on:

 

This is a quilt that I'm making for the Quilt University - Starting From Scratch class.  I'm working on the borders.  There is a checkerboard boarder and then another red outer boarder.  This quilt is taking me a very, very long time to finish.  I really need to start on a commission quilt and would like to make the Halloween Wall Hanging I showed the fabric earlier.  But I don't want to have to drag this quilt out again later.  Its not a hard quilt and I like the colors/fabric.  I'm not sure what's holding me back to finish it?  Do you have projects like this on your plate?  What helps to motivate the finish?

Have a great weekend!

Vicky K

Guild Night

Good Evening All

I had a very unproductive creative day today.  I had my guild meeting this evening, which I usually take some hand work to do at the meeting.  I was able to cut out 2 more Hexie - Block of the Week.  During the meeting, I was only able to piece together 1/3 of one block.  That's ok, its a work in progress and no rush.

The guest speaker was Joanne Middleton from Patchwork Shoolhouse.  Her quilts were beautiful.  I really liked the "Me & D'arcy Mcgee" pattern.  I was also hemming and hawing about the whole video collection.  Two of my friends ended up buying a few videos themselves, which made me lean more towards purchasing all the videos.

I call myself an experienced beginner.  I still feel like a beginner quilter but know how to fudge my way out of issues.  The "Precision Piecing" video was really calling my name.  I ended up buying the whole video collection as everyone was leaving.  Sorry Joanne.  She had over 4 hours to get home. 

It came in a metal case, 7 videos, a pattern, and a pin.  I was also to pick the Mcgee pattern :)

I was so excited about the videos, I watched the first one already.  Basic Training.  The video is good and the showcased pattern is nice.  I think the video was a quick overview of quilting, hoping the precision piecing goes more into detail.  So far so good on my investment.

Have you heard of Patchwork Schoolhouse?  You should check it out.  The patterns are very reasonable and are beautiful.

Hope you've a great day!
Vicky K

Applique Class

a
Good Evening All

I did very little crafting today.  I was able to cut out the applique fusible pieces for the Shauna Case Applique class that is being held for our guild members.  She is doing a trunk show on Friday and then all guild members are able to take a class on Saturday.  I`m pretty excited!  Have you heard about her patterns?

Here is a picture of my pieces.

Hope you've had  great day!
Vicky K

Shopping Trip

Good Evening All

Not sure if I mentioned before, our sewer has been backing up for the last week.  The city has come for the second time today and it still wasn`t fixed.  My morning was busy with dealing with the guys.
And then I took my kids to 2 quilting stores today.  I wanted to get the backing and the binding for the competition quilt.  They did pretty good, but I don`t prefer fabric shopping with the kiddos.

I had full intention of basting the quilt and figuring out how to quilt it.  But then I remembered we had to go shopping for winter boots for the kids.  Now its almost midnight and no further along than yesterday.   :(

Here is a picture of the backing and binding that I got today.

Hope you`ve had a crafty day!
Vicky K

4th Quarter Finish Along

Good Evening All

I was able to get a lot of sewing done yesterday.  So excited.  I finished the top for the competition quilt.  I will put up pictures after I know the results of the competition.  This is the first quilt that I will enter, so not really expecting much.

I also finished putting the blocks together for the Learn to Quilt I enrolled in on Quilt University.   I need to now add 3 borders, 1 which is pieced.

I'm linking up to Rhonda at Quilter in the Gap 4th Quarter Link Up Party.  If you have any unfinished projects, you should link up too.


Project 1:  QU Learn To Quilt

 

Project 2:  Still need to put a hanging sleeve on this wall hanging

Project 3:  This is the pieces to my competition quilt.  Guess I like Black, White and Red LOL

Project 4:  Christmas Table Runner - Need to applique berries and leaves on, then quilt it.

 

Project 5:  Quilt Little Guys Quilt

Project 6:  Wilderness Quilt - Basted, Needs Quilting

Project 7:  Wedding Quilt - Needs Applique, then Quilting

Project 8:  Tops `N` Tails Quilt - some strips sewn together

Project 9:  Circle Dance Quilt - this one`s been started 2 years ago.

Project 10:  Mystery Quilt - Pieces cut

Wow, I can`t believe that I have that many UFO`s listed. And I haven`t even made a dent in the piles around my room.  :)

Hope you`ve had a great Monday!

Vicky K

Round Robin Anyone?

Good Morning All

I had a great time last night.  Very relaxing.


I just signed up for the The Quilt U Be Mine Mini Mystery Round Robin.  From the Quilts From My Crayon Box blog.  Michele is looking for lots of people to sign up.  You will end up with a quilt top for Valentine's.  Crazy to think of Valentine's before Halloween.  Kudos to the people who plan ;).

 Have a Creative Day
Vicky K

"The Missing U" Quilt

Good Morning All

I'm hoping to get some quilting done today before we head to my brother and sister-in-laws for Thanksgiving Dinner.  We are going out of the box today.  The menu is chilli and buns and then we are all going to hunker down on the couch and watch a movie.  It will be nice and cozy as there will be at least 8 of us, possibly 10 :).  That's my kind of night.  Curled up together on the couch.  What is your favorite way to spend Thanksgiving?

I've mentioned in my giveaway that I would be interested in doing a QAL of the Sunday Morning Quilts book and I would like to do "The Missing U" quilt.  Here is a picture of the quilt from the book.

I delayed in talking more about it as I was checking with Cheryl if it was ok.  She gave the go ahead.  I would love to have others join me in a QAL.  You could choose any pattern in the book that interested you.

I'll work on the details this weekend and post early next week.  I hope you will join me.  I know there are a lot of things I would like to make from the book.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend to my fellow Canadians.  Have a wonderful weekend to everyone else.

Vicky K

Halloween Wall Hanging

Good Evening All

I'm taking a break from choosing fabrics to show my fabric purchase while on retreat.  We Quilters are really lucky at this retreat.  There is an amazing quilting store in the middle of nowhere about 15 minutes away from the retreat.  Its in a little town - Winfield, AB.  She has one of the most fabric selections I have seen so far in Alberta.

I kept my purchases small this time.  I bought all the fabric needed for a wall hanging that is in the new Fons and Porter's Quilting Celebrations.  My little guy loves Halloween, so I thought he would really like if we hung this up.  I'm hoping to get some tracing done tomorrow.  Its getting kind of late tonight to start.

I just love the bright purple

 The top fabric you can see on the left is the backing

I think it will sew up quickly 

reminder to self:  sew on sleeve :)

That's it for me tonight.

Hope you've had a creative day!

VickyK

Did I buy it?

Good Evening All

I wanted to post this earlier but it took me a few hours to find my camera.  My house is in disarray and its driving me crazy.  I dumped out all my kids toys on the floor downstairs today.  Now I get to clean it up, mostly by tossing.  I left it on the floor so my hubby could see the massive amount of toys we have.  When I pick something to give to away, hubby usually has an excuse to keep it.  He told me we need to get rid of a lot.  Yay!

I debated if I should show a picture of the mountain - here it is:

 Wish me luck.




On my way to the retreat, I stopped by the service store closing out.  I test drove the Featherweight with triangle pieces I brought from home.  After figuring out the machine, it worked great.  So I bought it!  Here is my new baby:

The lady said the machine was made in 1946.  And all the pieces are original.  I hope to have this one for a long time.

I didn't get to do anything quilty today.  Our sewer is backing up again and the main stack is in my sewing room.  The room is a mess.  Hubby's been working 12 hour days, so he's only been able to work a little at a time.  He thinks he's finally gotten it clear tonight.  But he won't get rid of his tools till tomorrow.

Hope you are getting some quilty time.
Vicky K

Left early

Good evening all
Hope you've had a creative day, even if only in your mind.

I'm trying something new with my blog - adding categories.  What do you think?

What's Happening Now

I'm laid up on the couch right now.  I had a doctor's appointment today that left me crampy and lightheaded.  Should be as good as new tomorrow. (hoping)

What I did Today

I got to play around today in my quilt room on some blocks I'm trying to come up with for a competition that's due later this month.  Need quite a few more hours for play and will try to do some more tomorrow. As I'm typing this, I also got a new idea for the quilt.

Story of the Day

I wasn't able to stay at the retreat for the full 4 days.  I ended up leaving around 3:00 on Saturday afternoon.  I looked like this on Saturday during the day:
 

 And this is what I looked like in the evening:

We were invited to Hollywood Glam 1930's Wedding.  It was held in a historic house in Edmonton.  The wedding was great fun.  Small and intimate.  There was a scavenger hunt, The Newlywed Game, and Blackjack.  My SIL's brother was the one getting married.

They got engaged in July and the wedding as last week, a very short engagement.  And of course, I thought - I should make them a quilt!  LOL  I had a quilt in pieces from a challenge at my guild that I didn't finish in time and another quilt ready to be quilted which I didn't have a plans for.  When my SIL was over, I asked her which one she thought would suit the couple.  She picked the one in pieces.  I also considered ordering 1930 reproduction fabrics but SIL talked me out of it.

This quilt was very hard to stick with.  I felt like I was ripping more than sewing.  If it wasn't for it being a wedding gift, I don't think I would have ever finished it.  The quilt pattern calls for appliqued flowers in the centre of the blocks.  About 3 weeks before the wedding, I got the idea of signature blocks from the guests for the centre.  Both sisters' of the couple thought it was a great idea.  Which also meant - I didn't have to have the quilt finished - just the top ;) LOL

Here is the finished top (picture was taken at 2:30 AM Saturday)

I have signature circles from every guest or couple that was at the wedding.  The wedding couple loved the quilt and the idea.  I also informed them that the quilt would be finished for Christmas.  Now to start thinking of how I'm going to quilt it hmmmmm????

Have a great day!
VickyK

Winner of Giveaway

Good Evening All

Thanks for all the comments for the GiveAway and for all of  you who joined my site.  I now have a 100 followers.  What an exciting milestone!

And the Winner is:

Number 14:

Martha | Weekend Doings27 September 2012 21:56

Hi Vicky, nice to meet you. This is a great book I saw my local Jo-Ann store, it is beautiful.
Thanks for the giveaway. 

Congratulations Martha, I've just sent you an email for your address.  Can't wait to hear from you.

I'll have information about the Quilt Along and pictures from the weekend in the next few days.

Have a crafty day

VickyK

Messy at Retreat

Good Day All
Hope you are having a great and crafty Friday.
I'm at retreat and am having a great time.  My morning started off not to good with issues at home.  Dealt with them, Then I went Shopping.  There is this great quilting store in the middle of nowhere about 15 minutes from the retreat.  It is a small store that has a great selection.  Its called Country Stitches in Winfield, Alberta.  I love the store, the staff and the owner.  Its all good and a big reason why I look forward to this retreat.

Here is a picture of my messy table and this is clean to what I normally end up working in.  :)

Do you attend retreats?  What do you look most forward to?  Are you a neat or messy worker?  Would love to hear from you!

And remember:  Give-away is can be found in this post

Later or tomorrow I will post pictures of my latest purchases.

 Here's to a Crafty Day
Vicky K

Let's Get Acquainted!

Good Morning All
Hope you are having a great day.  Its supposed to be a beautiful day here in Alberta.  And I'm really excited today for 4 reasons!

First - Its my turn on the Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop Summer and Fall 2012 that Beth from Plum and June is hosting and doing a great job.

If you're new to my blog - Welcome!  I'm glad you could make it.

Here's a little about me:

I learned how to quilt in 2006 with a few work friends.  We would meet at my house once a month.  One lady taught 3 of us to quilt.  It was great fun.  We stopped meeting when I was put on bed rest for my pregnancy in 2008.  I really missed the camaraderie.  I decided to join a Block of the Month Mystery Quilt at my LQS.  There I met 2 ladies who talked about the quilt guilds they were a part of.  It took me almost a year to join 2 of the guilds in my area.  The meetings help to motivated my quilting and give so much inspiration.  I also started blogging last year to help with motivation and to keep a journal of my quilting and crafting.

The first theme for the Blog Hop is Novelty and a second theme is added - Colour.  I will be focusing on Colour.

Second - GIVEAWAY

I was lucky enough to meet Cheryl Arkison co-author of Sunday Morning Quilts at my quilting guild in September.  Her trunk show was great.  I've seen the book on other blogs and the web but didn't have a chance to check it out.  I still can't believe I got to see so many of the quilts from the book IRL.  I bought an extra book special for this Blog Hop as a give-away.  And its signed!

 

There will be 2 chances to enter my give-away :

        - Follow my blog - just leave a comment stating that you are a follower
        - Tell me about your thoughts on the book - First time seeing, Bought the Book, Have a favourite project, Have made a project, etc.

Giveaway will be open until Monday 5:00 pm MST.  Good Luck Everyone!

Third - I'm going to a retreat today.  I can't wait to get everything packed up and head out.   I will have to cut my weekend short as I have a wedding Saturday night.  But I still get Thursday afternoon to Saturday afternoon to get some quilty time.

Fourth - I may be purchasing a Featherweight today.  I've been hemming and hawing about this Featherweight for a while.  Well I found out last week that sewing machine service store is closing and moving across Canada.  The sewing machine is in great shape, has lots of feet and the manual.  On Sunday, while watching Bonnie's QuiltCam, I asked her opinion about the machine.  She gave me some great advice.  On my way to the retreat, I'm gonna stop by the store and test out the machine.  If it hums and doesn't eat my fabric, it will be coming home with me.  My only other worry, it might be sold already.  Wish my luck.



I'm also thinking of starting a QAL based on the Sunday Morning Quilts Book that will be starting in October.  I will be making "The Missing U."  I love the story behind the quilt and I'm a proud Canadian.  Would you be interested in joining me? (bonus entry for giveaway)

Please visit these great Blogs that are participating with me this week: 

Sep 25
        Amanda from Material Girl Quilts
        Amanda from Fabric Engineer
    
Sep 27
        Vicky from Vicky K Creating
         Francine from Mocha Wild Child


That's my long post for today.  I will try to keep up with the comments while on retreat but please forgive me if I don't :).

Have a great week and weekend!

Vicky K

LDSI on Twitter

Good Evening
If it was a long weekend for you - hope it was great. Ours was ok with it ending great. We headed to the lake on Saturday afternoon. We had enough time to pull out the quads to get to the lawn mower and it downpoured on us. So we spent the next 19 hours coupes up in a tiny trailer. Little girl was bored senseless. We headed home. I got some laundry finished and then was able to work on some blocks that were driving me nuts. More on that in a future post. I was listening to a podcast while quilting and she mentioned there was a sew-in on Twitter. I was able to join in. We headed back to the lake again today as my brother and his family are going to be staying out there for a while and wanted to help get them set up. It was a beautiful day. After we got them set up, hubby and I took both kids for a quad ride. They loved it! And after the kids were put to bed, I got to come down and play in my sewing room again. I finished the 4 of these blocks. I have another 12 to go. The next will be a lot easier.


Have a great evening!
First day of school tomorrow! Maybe I will get more quilting and blogging done ;).
VickyK

Hexies - Week 1

 Good morning All
Hope today goes as well as yesterday with potty training.  After the gym, I'm gonna be cleaning like mad.  I'm having a bunch of ladies over for a craft night and movie watching.  Hope we can watch "The Spitfire Grill".  I love this movie and the girls hadn't heard of it.  Have you?

On my way back from taking the kids to my inlaws, I stopped at this wonderful shop in Kamloops, BC.  Katjas Quilt Shoppe     There was another customer talking with the owner about English Paper Piecing.  So of course, I had to listen and join in the conversation.  LOL  The owner has designed and set up a Block of the Week for EPP Hexies.  She will mail the blocks anywhere.  I joined!  

I also stopped at another quilting store in Chiliwack, BC called  Hamels Fabric & Quilting on my way home.  I spent a lot of money in this store.  I was really drawn to a Fat Quarter Stack but had no idea what to do make with it.

I was pulling fabrics to start the hexies and then I remembered the FQ stack I purchased.  I think it will make a great quilt.

My quilt guild was on Monday night and I was able to prepare the fabrics for Week 1 of the hexies.  During the meeting, I basted all the shapes and put 2.5 of the middle hexies together.   On Wednesday night while watching Big Brother, I finished the hexie.

I had a little opps first LOL 

I sewed the wrong side together.

Here its done correctly :)

 And here is the finished block for Week 1

I fussy cut the fabrics so the

monkeys were beside the numbers.

I'm quite excited for this quilt.  I know it will take me a while but perfect for watching TV, my guild meetings and the Craft nights.

Have a Creative Day.
Vicky  K

Card Time

Good Evening Ladies
I'm watching a wicked storm - Thunder, Lightening, Hail, Rain, Wind.  It been like this a lot this summer.
Little girl is doing amazing with potty training.  Yesterday, something clicked with her.  She decided to use the big potty and ever since then, no accidents.  Knock on wood!
Tomorrow I'll be heading to the gym and taking the kids to Kids Club.  Hope she is successful there too.

The other week, I worked on some cards.  I got most of my inspiration from SplitcoastStampers.  I love this website for ideas and challenges.  Do you use it?

I actually made two of this card as we have

two little guy's birthdays very close together

and they don't know each other :)

The black wheels are also brads.

I really like this card - so simple.

I put stickles on the leaves.

The next time I make this card,

I'm going to stamp off the 

woodgrain background first.

This is my favourite!

The background is woodgrain texture plate

and I sponged it to give more depth.

The last couple of Thanksgiving's, I've made cards for my investor's office.  They give out Thanksgiving Cards instead of Christmas Cards.  The first year, I had an order of 300 cards, last year was 450 and I'm sure I will get about a 500 card order.  I don't charge much more than cost - I know CRAZY.   But I really like doing them.  And when I'm about finished, I'm glad its only once a year haha.

I'll be working on cards for the next few weeks and am not sure how much quilting I'm going to get done.

Have a Creative Evening!
Vicky K

Design Wall Up!

Good Morning All

Today is going to be a day of potty training.  Little girl will be naked and I'll be pumping her with lots of  juice and salty snacks.  Hope today will be more successful.
I'm not going to be able play with my new toy in my Quilting Room as much as I want till little girl is trained.

I purchased insulation panels for a design wall behind the door to my room.  Again I purchased it many many moons ago.  I finally got around to putting it up.  And Hubby helped { }.  I wrapped the panels with batting and we screwed it to the wall.  Just in time too, as I will need it for the quilt top I'm working on right now.

My room is coming together.  The next thing I want to put up is a bulletin board/white board.  I want to use it as a project planner.

Have a Creative Day!
Vicky K

Dropped Machine

Good Evening All

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.  I'm using the nice weather to try potty training my little girl.  She is over 3 and will be starting school in September.  She didn't really show signs of training, so I put it off.  I think I put it off too long.  She asks for a diaper when she needs to go.  I'm really hoping that it won't take too long.  Its been 4 days already.  Please wish me luck!

I purchased 2 tables from IKEA about 6 months ago after reading and seeing others with my machine dropping their machines.  I finally convinced my hubby to cut out the space for my machine in one of the tables.  The other one is butted up sideways to make an L for extra space when FMQ.  I'm so excited to try FMQ but still a little away from that part of a quilt.

Here is my hubby getting ready to cut into my table :)

Here is the bottom of the finished table with hubby

holding the cut out piece.  He got camera shy

and wouldn't be part of the picture.

This is the front view of my machine dropped.

 Another view of my machine.

Love it!  I haven't been able to get a lot of sewing done on my new set up, but so far so good!

Hope you have a wonderful night.
Vicky K

This is so me....

After I linked up to  Quilt Story Fabric Tuesday, I decided I should do my duty, even though its after midnight and my kiddies wake up at 7:00, and check out some of the other link ups. Through  Shelley at Poplun Designs I found a great post here at ps i quilt  that explains my thought process for blogging. :)  I usually have to talk myself into blogging and that someone out there cares about what I write or show pictures of.  Then I usually end up telling myself that the blog is for me and I shouldn't care if someone reads it, just get a little bit of me out there.  LOL this little pep talk usually lasts at least a half an hour.  Do you experience the same when you write your blogs?4

Have a great night, not necessarily a crafty one :)
VickyK

ps i love checking out other blogs, I just need to stop doing that after midnight  haha
rambling, need sleep

Fabric Tuesday Link Up

Good Evening All

My day has been pretty successful today.  I was able to iron all the little pieces for a challenge quilt.  And I sorted/arranged one set of the colors and have it ready to sew together.  After craft wars, I'm going to be heading to my room to sew.  Do you watch Craft Wars?

Here are some pictures of my piles.

This pile needs to be sorted still

Here is the one pile I have sorted, now to try and figure out how it goes together.

I do not care for the pattern.  The pattern is from Moda.

 

And here are the other two piles for the quilt.

Sorry you can't really see the one on the right.

 

 I'm linking up to Quilt Story: Fabric Tuesday

 

Since its the last day in July - I hope your July was wonderful and creative!

Vicky K