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Hastings Minnesota

A couple of years ago we decided that when we visited Minneapolis, we would stay the the smaller towns in the outlying areas. I am so not a big city girl. When we discovered Hastings I fell in love! This visit we stayed in Cottage Grove (I just love the name!) and visited Hastings.

I found some treasures at a shop there but only indulged in one small piece of Pyrex. The one I bought is no in this picture but I will share later. I bought the small friendship casserole with the printed lid!

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How cute is this table and chair set, thankfully I already have one very similar.

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Here is the sweet little piece I added to the collection

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flowers, Uncategorized

Quilting Rules and the Modern Quilting World

I love quilts, I’ve loved quilts from the first time I noticed quilts and my passion for them has only grown.

My first quilting teacher was Eleanor Burns, who I watched on PBS and before a VCR. I would take notes and then make the project. I also read every book and magazine that I could find. As money was tight I made many miniature quilts as the fabric requirements weren’t overwhelming to my budget.

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I fell in love with the precision of piecing, I love pressing my pieces and seeing perfectly matched seams and sharp points.  I pride myself in my work.

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On the other hand though, I’ve never appreciated the “Quilt Police” I want to make what I want to make, in the colours that I choose and the styles that I like. Quilting should be fun. I often think of a grade 7 teacher who tried to explain to me that purple and orange, and blue and green do not ever go together..that made no sense to me!

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Lately, something new has been catching my eye, I’m loving the Modern Quilts that are out there. Colours and styles are changing and I want to play! Sometimes I just want to cut up fabric, sew and press and see what happens. Sometimes I just want simple. More often than not lately I want to try different.

This weekend I played with some Kate Spain Fabric and made my version of a quilt that I’ve seen in a few places. It’s still a work in progress, but it does have my wheels turning with more ideas.

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so simple, just strips sewn together, cut and framed, and solid blocks framed with pieced strips. Such a quick and relaxing project. Perfect for these hot weather days. I love the bright happy colours and patterns in this line too. This is still a work in progress, I haven’t decided on borders. It will be lap sized though.

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I know that this project is barely dipping my toes into the water of Modern Quilting but I think there will be more, so much more!!

Uncategorized

I was asked to …

I was asked to quilt this by a friend of mine who is a member of a small quilting group in South Gillies. I was given free reign on how it would be quilts so I chose to outline the applique and freehand fill the background of the centre. Freehand swirls in the green border, feathers in the pink border, and piano keys in the final border.

This quilt will be raffled off in support of the South Gillies Community Centre.

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Uncategorized

The Month that Flew By

June has always been a busy month for this family with 3 birthdays, school ending and trying to spend as much time outside as possible.

My youngest graduated high school

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Katie loves being an Auntie and so many pictures include Liam..he thought he’d try her hat on for size.

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Speaking of Liam, this month he started crawling and no sooner had he figured that out and got it down pat, he then realized that he can pull himself up and walk around holding tables, chairs etc.. he truly is a man in motion. He is 7 months.

Katie designed and made her grad dress herself. She has always amazed me with her imagination and talent.

She bought some yardage (the green satin) and a wedding gown from the Sally Ann and…

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Quilting, Uncategorized

Police Patch Quilt

When my customer first approached me about having this quilt made, he had the collection of patches and wanted a quilt made with them. With some great suggestions from my friend Alva this is what we came up with. Do you have a collection of patches that you are interested in having made into a quilt? For more information email me @ wendysquilting@gmail.com IMG_6618

Uncategorized

Spring

and suddenly it seems that spring has arrived! It has been unseasonably warm here in Northern Ontario this winter but the last several days have been fantastic! Sunshine and warmth.

anyways here a few of my latest jobs

(before I begin this little quilt show I’d like to give my quilt model Derek credit and a big thank you!!)

Alva’s sweet flannel baby girl quilt:

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Norma’s Underground Railroad.

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and Sharon’s Snowman Quilt

 

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I just love how the back looks!

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Fig Tree Quilts, Moda, Quilting, Uncategorized

Designer BOM 2011 Block One

I fell in love with the Strawberry Fields Collection by Fig Tree as soon as I saw it. Then when I saw that the Fat Quarter Shop was using the collection for the 2011 Designers BOM I decided to give in and join in. Well the other day I noticed that I’d received 7 of the blocks and maybe it was time to get started.

There was a reason though that I hadn’t started. You see I don’t like the method for making the square in the square block that was used in the pattern. I have never had any luck getting my blocks perfect.

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I know it doesn’t look too bad in the picture but it’s off when put under the ruler.

I recently tried and demonstrated a new to me ruler for a quilt group called the Square2 which I fell in love with

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Deb Tucker’s Square2 I love this ruler! Deb has wonderful tutorials check out her tutorial for the Square Squared ruler

and here is the result, my first block is finished and it turned out perfectly.

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Looking at the next block I see the Deb Tucker Trimmer will come in really handy!

Moda, Quilting, Schnibble, Uncategorized

Sweet Spot Schnibble and a Confession of sorts

I’ve been playing with this collection of charms (Home Town by Sweetwater for Moda)for awhile first working on this Schnibble (Sweet Spot) using a common background fabric. (Just in case you don’t know about Carrie of Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co who designs these wonderful little patterns click on the Schnibble link and go have a visit!)

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I really couldn’t believe myself but when I made the flying geese for this project..and I mean all the flying geese for the border, and I was laying them out on my design wall I realized that I’d made them wrong..where was my mind I ask??

here’s my excuse

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sometimes Liam likes to hang out with Grandma in her studio..he is such a handsome distraction!

Thankfully I had more charms so I made the geese over again and correctly the second time and the wrong geese?

have become the star points in a slightly changed version of the Madeline Schnibble pattern. I like this little quilt so much that I’m thankful for that “little” mistake!

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Uncategorized

Happy New Year!

As I mentioned in my last post I had something important to share. My second grandson Liam who was born November 25th!

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Christmas was wonderful, I had my hearts desire which was that all 4 of my daughters were here with me, with their men and my grandsons!

My oldest was home with her husband and their adorable son Jerry who is now 19 months and so full of energy and inquisitiveness.  Living in Texas they don’t experience the snow like we do.

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