Friends – Wendy’s Quilting and Life

Canada, Friends, Life, Longarm Quilting, Longarm quilting Thunder Bay, Ontario, Quilting, Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Quilters Guild, Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Wendy's Quilting

Monday Morning

November 20, 2023 wendysquilting

Erik and I both took yesterday off! We enjoyed an afternoon visiting friends and their new home. Friends that I share a history with as I was their daycare provider when our children were babies and who were truly there for me as I journeyed through some very challenging times as I began life as a single Mom.

We have enjoyed some beautiful weather this month and yesterday was no exception, this bay on Lake Superior where they live is a reminder of how amazing this world we live in truly is!

The lake was calm yesterday and the air along the lakeshore felt so clean and crisp to breathe.

Afterwards we visited friends who have downsized from their beautiful country home that they built together many years ago. It was a lovely sanctuary and so hard to say goodbye bye to.

There comes a time though and they made the decision to move to town, buy a core floor home that is easily managed. They told us that when they moved that they wondered how they would fill their days. They have adjusted well and turned their home and yard into their new sanctuary and enjoy daily walks as well.

My Longarm is loaded and ready to start the week!

Tonight at Quilt Guild I will share some of my quilts and share some of my story. My Quilting Journey.

Customer Quilts, Friends, Thunder Bay Quilters Guild, Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Wendy's Quilting

Do You Quilt With Friends?

November 26, 2019November 27, 2019 wendysquilting

I first started attending our local quilt guild when I was in my late twenties. I had been interested in quilting in my early teens but had no idea where to start, not knowing anyone who quilted.

Then I attended Quilt Canada when it was held here in Thunder Bay in 1992 and attended some classes. That is where I met my friend Alva who became my mentor.

I recently had the privilege to quilt a round robin style of quilt for a friend Bobbie who was in a group of quilters that were a very big part of quilt Guild for many years and helped to bring Quilt Canada to Thunder Bay.

It was a very interesting looking quilt and with permission I shared her quilt with a couple of groups that I belong to and was asked how it was made. So I questioned Bobbie and she shared pictures of her sisters quilt and progress. The rule was that each person started with a fat quarter and passed to the next Quilter who was to cut it horizontally and vertically and insert six inch rows of piecing:

Starting with Aileen’s fabric choice

Next Jean Tozer added her strips

Then Marjorie Hosegoods addition

Alva being Alva wasn’t one to follow the rules and decided to make two vertical cuts really changing the look.

Elaine Pond was next:

followed by Val:

And finished by Bobbie:

I loved spending time with these ladies and learnt so much about quilting and life from them. I remember the group of them liked to sit in the front row at guild and often would get the giggles like young school girls they really had fun!

Customer Quilts, Friends, Life, Longarm Quilting, Longarm quilting Thunder Bay, Quilting, Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Wendy's Quilting

Alva and her Ricky Tims inspired Bed-runner Quilt

March 28, 2014November 25, 2019 wendysquilting

Alva has been both my friend and quilting mentor for over twenty years now. She has also been a major cheerleader in my Longarm Quilting career, entrusting me with the quilting of many many of her incredible quilts over the years.
This latest quilt was inspired by a pattern in one of Ricky Tim’s magazines Quilt Life, the pattern itself by Wendy Hill. Alva had the templates made and then played with ideas for awhile before allowing this project to be what she’s referred to as her latest insanity! Notice all of the Y seams!

We chose a Pantograph called Helix by Patricia Ritter, to give even more movement to this piece. I chose Superiors Bottom Line thread as I did not want the thread to take front stage just the spiral affect.

I am really hopeful that yesterday was our last snow day, but I must admit that I love photographing quilts against a snowy background.

Thank you again Alva for allowing me to work with you to make your vision come to be!

Blogroll, Customer Quilts, Friends, Longarm Quilting, Ontario, Quilting, Wendys Quilting

Why I Love Quilting for my Customers

October 9, 2012July 28, 2013 wendysquilting

1. I love quilts, all quilts. Yes some are not necessarily my taste but then that will present a challenge for me which helps me to grow as a quilter. Also I never know what my customers are piecing and I love to see new quilts.

this is my Moms quilt, she pieced it and embroidered each block. It was a Thimbleberries Club Block of the Month. These are not my colours, but I really love how it turned out and it lives on my Parents bed keeping them snuggly warm together which brings me great joy!

2. I love that my customers will often let me play with their quilts and give them suggestions that I think will work, and I also love when my customers want something in particular that might stretch me and cause me to grow in my skills.

This quilt that Tara brought me took me a while to complete, but was a pure joy to quilt and I still love looking at the pictures. (the hand applique on this quilt is incredible!)

2. I love quilters, there is something about people who cut up fabric only to sew it all back together. We share a joy that perhaps non quilters don’t understand. When my customers bring me their tops they are usually very excited about having them quilted and getting them finished. Some are for personal use, some for special gifts and I get to share in the joy.

I have quilted a couple of wedding gift quilts for Terri, I love her colour choices!

3. I love helping beginner quilters learn more about this art, as a longarm quilter I’m often able to give encouragement and offer suggestions to the new quilter how they can grow as a quilter. I am also able to watch them progress in their quilting skills..

this is a sweet baby quilt that Ellen made for her Grandson before he arrived she did an incredible job on this quilt and has continued to grow in her skills and her joy in quilting!

Mabel made 2 quilts this is one of them, she made them for her granddaughters and it was a true joy working with her!

4. I really love to have my customers come by with their quilts or for pick ups and have a little visit and share the joy of quilting.

Jeanette’s True North Strong and Free Quilt..I will be writing a separate post on this beauty!

5. I Love quilts, I love quilting and I love to share this joy with others!

Friends, Quilting, Thunder Bay Quilters Guild

November Guild Meeting

November 22, 2011November 22, 2011 wendysquilting

The meeting last night as always was a lot of fun, Norma (our guilds president) always does her best to keep the business side of the meeting short and sweet and informative. She and the rest of our executive really do an awesome job!!

The show and tell at our guild is always great and last night, when it was finished said oh is that the end? She wasn’t finished looking a quilts Smile but then are quilters ever finished?

After show and tell last nights program was a demo night.

Louise showed the teacup pincushions she’s been making

Peggy showed us how to make book covers, I really like the bookmark!

Cindy had a fun snowman wall-hanging to show us and had some other fun ideas to share as well.

and Joyce shared some of her ideas and techniques for making..hmm I didn’t get the name of this one but it sure was fun and interesting and I plan to play with this in the near future!

Joyce is planning to hang some of the leaves that she’s made in a tree outside for the winter, I think it’s a great idea to bring such a fun colourful as well as whimsical art to the long winter days!

birthday, Blogroll, Family, Fishing, Friends, Summer, Uncategorized

My Birthday Weekend

September 13, 2011September 13, 2011 wendysquilting

I love my Birthday, I consider it a celebration of life……years ago I decided that one day just wasn’t enough. So Although my Birthday is at the end of June I always say it’s not over until Erik and I have gone fishing and camping in September and he has to grill a smokie for me on the campfire.

Well my birthday is officially over…..I guess

We enjoyed a spectacular weekend of perfect weather. Two nights with campfires both nights were warm with a clear sky.

Three days of fishing

We caught our limit of Lake Trout……..Yumm!

and Bass

and then while Bass fishing I caught this (thankfully after 15 minutes of fighting with it Erik brought it in!) For those who don’t know it was a Pike (39” long and 14 lbs)

I love September fishing especially when we get great weather, I was also able to take a couple of swims……the weather has changed and we may only get a few warm days here and there before the cold air starts to settle in for the next several months.

Thank you Erik for another awesome Birthday Weekend!!!

Fishing, Friends, hiking, Life, Summer, Travel, Uncategorized

Fly in Adventure!

August 30, 2011September 2, 2011 wendysquilting

This was our second trip up to Pickle Lake for some visiting and fishing.

We drove from Thunder Bay (which is along Lake Superior) to Pickle Lake which is a 7 hour drive. Hwy 599 isn’t too bad though there are parts that are gravel and I’m not sure I’d want to be driving it late at night.

After spending a night at the base camp visiting with our friends Dwight and Karen who own and run North of 51 Outposts

We flew out in the morning to Bow Lake (Northstar Air)

Thank you to Pam our great pilot (who is the same age as my eldest daughter..when did they start letting kids do all these jobs?)

nice smooth landing! The gear on the dock belonged to the fellows who were leaving, ours was being unloaded. Our pilot Pam not only flies but loads and unloads the plane..though the guys pitched in.

then we were left on our own…..

The second day we portaged through the bush to fish on the other side of the rapids, it was work carrying in everything we needed. (It made me think of some of the things you see on the Biggest Looser) But the fishing was great and well worth it, I think Erik would agree even after carrying our limit of walleye on a stringer through the bush! (thankfully there were no bears looking for easy pickings!)

We had a great couple of days of fishing, and eating Pickerel aka Walleye.