Life – 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, 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!

Customer Quilts, Life, Longarm Quilting, Longarm quilting Thunder Bay, Ontario, Quilting, Thunder Bay, Wendys Quilting

Two Very Different Quilts one thing in common

February 26, 2014March 17, 2014 wendysquilting

Two customer quilts one by my friend Betty, this quilt I will admit stretched me a little… The quilt is comprised of European shaped coffins and the fabric used has skulls and roses etc. she explained to me that it has to do with the Mexican Day of the Dead…

Next is Joan’s Mile a Minute quilt that is Jelly Roll pattern and made with the Little Black Dress Line from Basic Grey for Moda.

I ended up using the Rhapsody Pantograph which I fell looks perfect on both of these very different quilts!

On another note, this has been a very long and cold winter! With working full time at a job that I love (though the shift work is a bit tiring) and being busy with customer quilts, I realized last week that I couldn’t remember the last time I let myself piece something that was for my own personal pleasure. So I pulled out one of my many treasure boxes of works in progress and pieced the eleventh block of one of my BOM’s from the Fat Quarter shop. (I like to think that I am savouring these projects instead of racing through them) …well it works for me.

Canada, Christmas, Customer Quilts, Family, Grandson, Life, Longarm Quilting, Longarm quilting Thunder Bay, Ontario, Thunder Bay, Uncategorized, Wendys Quilting, Winter

January and Possibilities

January 28, 2014November 17, 2019 wendysquilting

Ok time really is getting away from me, ESP when it comes to blogging!
Just a quick recap from the last few months, I have been very busy with customer quilts as well as working as a respite worker for Wesway. Christmas as always seems to show up before we are ready though as always it was a wonderful time with family, oh and for those who don’t know…Erik and I became engaged!!!!
My oldest was home from with her family (I guess I should acknowledge that Texas is her home) Jerry really enjoyed his visit! At 3 1/2 he sees snow as fun and didn’t care that it was cold out either. His Dad really had fun fort building as well, his Mom while being a great sport has really grown used to the Texas weather.

Jerry and Liam had fun getting reacquainted, and Jerry informed his Mama that Liam isn’t Baby Liam anymore cause he is big now!

On the quilting front I have really enjoyed a new book by Judi Madsen of Green Fairy Quilts called Quilting Wide Open Spaces, such an inspiring to me book. She and her husband also run an online fabric store that I have ordered from numerous times with great satisfaction. So I am always happy to recommend them to others, their prices are awesome to as is there integrity!

Speaking of quilt shops I heard that there is a new shop in town! Super exciting news!!

I attended our Possibilities club tonight, I have missed too many of these meetings due to work this year. (I haven’t even made it out to a guild meeting this year though it looks good for next month!) anyways tonight’s meeting was fun, casual and full of fun and exciting ideas!

And yes I am and have been busy quilting customer quilts for the most part. I will share a glimpse of one as the customer hasn’t seen it yet…lots of fun with freehand and inspired by Judi’s book.

Blogroll, Customer Quilts, Family, Grandson, Life, Longarm Quilting, Quilting, Wendys Quilting

A very busy and productive week…

October 29, 2012July 11, 2021 wendysquilting

Last week flew by, I had a visitor for the week which made each day full and busy…

While Liam was here the kids asked me to try to capture his 10 month picture (tail end of his 10th month) on his quilt. He started walking a few weeks ago and ever since he has been in constant motion.

One day though I caught him sitting still, he had pulled an empty laundry basket off of the table and climbed in..

While visiting Grandma he also managed to cut 2 molars so the first few days of his visit were pretty tough but all in all we managed well.

During naps I was able to finish a few customer quilts

this pile shows 5 of the 6 that I quilted for Emily..one day after she has seen them I will be post some of her quilts!

I also managed to finish this queen size quilt that shows what a Longarm Quilter can do with a pre-printed fabric! This is quilted using Michelle Wyman’s Star Swirl Pantograph.

I was also able to finish a custom Thimbleberries King Quilt that I forgot to take pictures of as well as a flannel lap quilt for Alva which will be shown in my next post.

Did I mention that after Liam went home I went to bed early and slept late!

Family, Grandson, Life, Longarm Quilting, Pyrex, Quilting, Summer, Uncategorized, Vintage Pyrex

Free motion Fun and Sunshine

August 26, 2012August 26, 2012 wendysquilting

Just a little peek at what I have on my machine. I’ve been trying some ideas that I’ve had since reading a great book during my holidays.

I’ve really been loving brighter more cheerful colours lately and this little beauty fit right into that.

We really have had a sunny and hot summer a lot more humid than we are used to but I hate to complain, it won’t last much longer.

oh one more thing..oh how I love these boys! We had a very quick but wonderful visit with Sarah, Jerry and Jerry’s other Grandma. The cousins were pretty happy to have more time together.

Family, Grandson, Life, Texas

Grandsons and Texas

May 17, 2012May 17, 2012 wendysquilting

My grandsons became buddies as soon as they saw each other. During our visit to Texas Liam started sitting unassisted and pulling himself from here to there. He was wide eyed watching his big cousin Jerry and I’m sure thinking of things he’ll do to be like him.

I love these little guys more than I could ever say. How Cute are they together in the stroller! I wonder if they’ll have as much fun shopping in a few years..somehow I think they’ll choose their Dads and Uncles over us girls. But for now we sure had fun.

and being the Grandma, means that when someone gets a little restless why not buy a cookie!

We celebrated Jerry’s second Birthday while we were in Texas.

Jeremy (Dad) made and decorated the cake.

Sarah (Mom) made and decorated the cookies.

Such a sweet family!

The birthday boy..

One morning when Jerry woke up, and I went to get him from his crib..he wanted his hat and bear headed to the living room and..

off he went to start another busy day!

We arrived home last night, I miss them already.

Family, Life, Texas, Travel

Yoga

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012 wendysquilting

Sarah is my firstborn, also first to fly from the nest and first to make ma a Grandma. She has brought so much into my life!
One of the many things she introduced me to is Yoga which I’ve practiced off and on for the last few years. I’ve been practicing regularly for the last six months now and I really can’t say enough about how much I love it!

Anyways, as a early Mother’s day gift Sarah treated me to a weekend yoga retreat at the beach not far from where she lives. It was a wonderful weekend, lots of yoga,wonderful walks along the beach. Terrific healthy food, and making new friends.
So far Texas has made a great impression on me!

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.

Finland, Life, Travel

Sano muikku

March 21, 2011March 21, 2011 wendysquilting

I’m still busy working on my Sunny Trails Quilt and loving it more and more, though I might add that instead of using the solid grey as the pattern suggests I’m using the pinstripe..I thought I’d figured out which direction I wanted the stripes and then realized too late that I needed to make a change. It’s all good to go now.

I also have 4 quilts that need the binding sewn down hopefully sometime this week.

So I thought I’d share a little more about my trip to Finland last summer…

While we were in Finland Erik thought it was funny that his relatives would say “Sano Muikku” when they took pictures. It has the same effect as saying “say cheese” only Muikku isn’t cheese.

Then one day I came across a post at this blog Northshorewoman.blogspot.com. I found her blog to be a very interesting read.

You see Muikku is a real treat in Finland, they are small fish that are seasoned and fried as shown, and so yummy. So instead of Say Cheese in Finland it’s Say Fish!

I think Erik’s cousin was very surprised at how much I enjoyed them.