Professional Longarm Quilting Services
Last year when some of my customers saw this table runner that I had quilted they were inspired!
The pattern is Those trees by Zen Chic.
Melissa chose Kona Sheen in Arctic Ice for her background fabric, it truly has the sheen of ice with a very subtle sparkle to it.
Backed with a silver grey Fireside fabric and quilted with the pantograph Windswept, trimmed and ready for binding….her quilt that she made for herself will soon be ready to snuggle under.
Cathy took part in Joyce Gilmores quilting retreat in Terrace Bay this fall, she had let me know that she was making the quilt and as she already had a quilt in the queue when she told me she was going I had added this Christmas one along with her batik quilt.
If you let me know when you begin a quilt and would like to have me quilt it for you I will add you into my list at that point.
She has named her quilt Baby it’s Cold Outside.
It was a fun and happy quilt to work on and she chose the pantograph Rhapsody and a perfect one in my opinion for this quilt!
Cathy likes to have me attach her bindings for her so that they are ready for hand stitching when she picks them up.
She had this quilt completed finished for Monday and showed both this and her Batik quilt at the Guild meeting this week.
The blizzard warning has been lifted, the wind is still howling and we have a lot more snow than we normally do before Christmas. (Thunder Bay has been under a Winter Storm watch followed by a Blizzard warning for the last several days)
I really enjoy my early morning coffee and the reflection of our Christmas tree in my morning view.
Liam stayed the night last night. He is so excited for Christmas, we spent part of the evening working on this puzzle. Last year it was too hard and we put it aside for another time.
So much changes in a year especially a child and this year he was determined to complete it.
As the Grandchildren began arriving, we began a tradition of holding a Christmas brunch the Sunday before Christmas. My thinking was it would be nicer than the pressure for young families of trying to be with everyone over a two day period.
So todays our day. The tree is decorated, gifts under the tree. Liam has a new Fort built for the cousins. Cookies are baked.
Liam and I began a tradition when he was very small of baking his favourite chocolate cherry cookies together…
This year he and his Mom mixed the dough and last night he helped me bake them…
We have enough snow! Erik has the snowmobiles ready and made the trails yesterday through the woods for fun after brunch!
It will be a full but fun day!
Big News on the life front! We found our Christmas tree!
I guess we are just a couple of old souls as we just love having a real tree for Christmas.
Every year we visit the tree farm and carefully choose our tree. It will be set up and decorated before next weekend. I love the addition of light the tree brings to our home during the less day light days this time of year. 11 more days until Winter Solstice 😊
The owners of this tree farm we recently discovered have retired and moved…yesterday I met the new owner and am so happy to say that she is so excited about their new home and venture.
On the quilting front my days and evenings have been busy helping others finish their quilts!
This one is currently being quilted, and in fact is more than halfway finished. I pieced the backing for its maker, something that I offer for free to my customers and for the most part am taken up on the offer.
I also like to take the time to press each quilt top and backing before loading onto the Longarm.
The weather here has changed with much cooler nights and the leaves are quickly changing colour. With Fall definitely upon us it’s time to finish Christmas Quilts.
I have been quilting for Millie for several years and often pick up and deliver her quilts. It’s always fun to visit in her quilting room and see all the projects that she has going … and her stash too!
Yesterday I delivered her Christmas Quilt.
I had initially considered adding more snowflakes with my quilting however I decided that adding movement with the panto windswept would add some movement without distracting from the snowflakes on the fabric.
Another consideration was thread, when there is a lot of contrast in the fabrics choosing a thread that blends is often best and a design that won’t be partially cut off on some portions of the quilt is favourable. I used a 60wt thread in white.
The picture below was taken a year ago from our garage roof by Erik last winter. I have shared it on this blog before.
I have been pondering what to write about 2021…it sure was a year of blessings and challenges. The thing about this picture of our home is that it reflects the calm and peace that it brings. Regardless of the challenges that came my way over the year I have been so thankful for this safe sanctuary.
We have been immensely blessed with family and we will soon be adding a seventh grandchild into our lives. Together we have seven daughters who along with their families truly do enrich our lives.
One day in December we were able to have a Christmas celebration with some of our family and all but one grandchild and wow what a busy party that became! Our calm quiet house came to life with so much fun and laughter!
When discussing Christmas plans with my Dad, I mentioned how I had been craving a prime rib roast dinner like the Sunday dinners that I grew up with. He took up that challenge…he has really become an amazing cook in the last few years! We enjoyed Christmas dinner at my Dads.
I took care of the Yorkshire pudding and gravy and made sure to have horseradish while my youngest and her husband took care of the veggies. I should have taken more pictures but was just enjoying the moments!
Dad cooked the roast in his Green Egg bbq and it was cooked to perfection and carved just right. What a treat!
2021 has taught me many lessons, most of which I had already learned but then life has a way of adding twists and turns and detours. We said goodbye to loved ones, had health scares in the family all along with riding the current seemingly at times never ending pandemic. This year tired me out at times making me realize how very crucial self care is.
Welcome 2022… I greet you with a resolve of more self care!
My January 1, 2022 morning view! Happy New Year!
One very special Christmas tradition that Liam and I share is our annual cherry chocolate cookie baking. I don’t do as much baking as I did in past years but these are special!
We held a Christmas brunch for the grandkids and family on Sunday it was so fun to watch the kids enjoy each other’s company and open their gifts. The excitement of Christmas is alive and well with the children!
Unfortunately one of the families had had the gastro crud run through their house a week ago and we were sure they were in the clear….we were wrong. Almost everyone came down with it starting on Monday.
I was spared however Liam was not, he rarely gets sick and had never had this. We were both very glad that I could care for him through this. Much to our relief and after sleeping from late Monday night until Wednesday morning with a few wake points he is now back to his happy self. Others are recovering as well.
Liam and I really enjoyed fresh air yesterday
We also made some slime
While he slept I was able to quilt my Moda Blockheads quilt and will work on the binding later today. This is my first personal quilt to be quilted this year!
I first saw this sunshiny backing on a customer quilt and loved it!
December is always an interesting and busy month. I loved the result of the last snowfall, the whole world just looks so bright and clean esp when the sun comes out.
Yesterday however was a grey and foggy one and we had rain overnight and a forecast of snow later today. I do love a white Christmas so hopefully there will be more snow.
Quilting has been busy of course and the Christmas jobs are almost finished. One small one to go for later today.
Of course my machine had a hiccup as a Longarm sometimes does thankfully it was easily resolved, it was a worn out bobbin case…yes they wear out!
Our tree is up and when Liam arrived on Monday the lights and garland were on it and he saw the ornaments and went right to work hanging them while I made supper.
Liam did such a nice job and it was fun telling him the stories of the ornaments as I have collected special ones over the years. Many have been carved by my Dad and painted by my Mom. This year I bought a box of candy canes to add to the tree which Liam though was a fantastic idea.
Liam will spend more time here over the holidays and we have baking plans, his request as we have done so every year that he can remember. He also wants to build and sleep in his lego fort one night and like me he is hoping for a white Christmas. He wants the snow for another reason though, he and Pappa like to drive the snowmobiles!
Wendy’s Quilting and Life 