When Darlene brought me these two quilts made with her Mothers house dresses it very quickly brought to mind my Grandma who we lovingly referred as to Grandma on the farm (my other Grandma was in the city)
Anyways my Grandma and many Women of her generation wore house dresses and saved their “good clothes” for when company came or they were going out. Anyways this job brought happy memories.
There are two quilts in this picture. Darlene chose the pantograph Two of Hearts…(an often requested design) as these quilts were made as a gift for family.
Some of the fabrics were seersucker… more memories of childhood clothes!
The backing fabric is the softest flannel, so nice to work with!
Her quilts were trimmed and ready for binding when they were picked up.
I saw a reel on Instagram for the Holland Pouch by Center Street Quilts and liked it so much that I bought the pattern!
The pattern has three different sizes, it’s well written and is easy to follow.
I had fun playing with scraps and also quilting it with my Juki. The Zippers by the yard with fun pulls a fantastic to work with.
I love how this one turned out…
This led to making a smaller pouch to match…
And an even smaller one…
Not pictured is the fourth even smaller one.
The Holland Pouch was so much fun I made another one…
My little sewing buddy Kaija and I have been busy making pouches when she has been here this summer… we made a Holland Pouch first (not yet pictured) then this week a smaller pouch. She loves the idea of making smaller ones so that will be next week’s project!
After a month of travel and exploring we arrived at my Daughter, Son in law, and Grandsons home in Texas and had a week of visiting with them and exploring the area.
One of the first things on the agenda was that my Grandsons dirt bike wasn’t working so he and Pappa got to work right away…
Sarah and I went on a fun shopping trip in Houston to both Trader Joes and Whole Earth Provisions Co. I would love to have a Trader Joes maybe one day Duluth will have one.
Anyhow Whole Earth Provisions was also a great shop and we had a lot of fun finding birthday gifts for 2 of our granddaughters/Sarahs nieces.
Our grand cat Tommy really enjoyed his toy from our trip!
After a fun weekend, we were on our own for a day which we spent taking care of things…an oil change for the Motorhome and I caught up on our laundry.
We also enjoyed a walk to a nearby park.
We didn’t run into any alligators/ there were also signs warning of venomous snakes which I was also thankful not to encounter. I loved the trees!
The next day we used Sarah’s car to explore Galveston and enjoyed a nice long walk along the beach…and a little drive on the beach as well.
Erik had been wanting to visit NASA for a long time…
One of the things on my list to do that I think really surprised my Son in Law Jeremy was that I wanted to visit their gun range and I was hoping that he would teach me a bit about this I want to call a passion of his.
I have found the issue of guns unsettling and when Sarah first told me about the shooting range that they were opening I really didn’t know how I felt about it.
Jeremy is an excellent and patient teacher. He showed us his collection, teaching about safety first and then about shooting. We started with handguns and then shotguns/rifles and I tried them all out. I really enjoyed my time there and came away with more of an understanding.
On a side note one of the campgrounds that we stayed at on the way home had a note in its policy that although it was an open carry state they requested that their guests did not, although if they found it necessary to use their weapons judiciously. The owners 12 year old granddaughter was beside her when I was checking in and I said oh I am Canadian so we don’t have a gun. The granddaughter was shocked to learn that we have such different laws in Canada.
Back to our visit, we had so much fun playing games and visiting…
and taking pictures…
The hardest part of the whole trip was leaving Sarah’s. It was such a great visit but it is hard having them so far away.
Hopefully we will find our way back there sooner than later!
We left a day earlier than planned due to weather and tornado risks. Thankfully Eriks plans to skirt around the storms heading north worked out really well and we still had some fun adventures a head of us…
On the quilting front… I have been busy quilting for others and will start sharing more about that soon!
After 4 nights in Key West it was time to move along on route we stopped at the Key Lime Pie Factory to pick up a pie…oh my was it good! Also the most expensive pie that I have ever bought.
We spent a couple of nights back at Larry and Penny’s Memorial Campground, relaxing and spent time biking around the park.
I spent some time hand stitching the binding on the quilt that I made for the Motorhome.
From Miami we drove through the Everglades again and then to Madeira Beach.
I love walking along the shore and the day at the beach I had a little over 30,000 steps!
These boys were pretty excited to show their catch! A small hammerhead shark.
Our next stay was Port Saint Joe, a nice quiet campground with a pool to relax in and a easy walk to the beach we were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset.
Leaving Florida we were headed to New Orleans on the way we stopped at the welcome centres of each state.
This hangs in the Louisiana Welcome Centre that we visited.
We spent a day exploring the French Quarter of New Orleans
Of course we had to stop for hot Beignets and cafe
This picture doesn’t quit capture the icing sugar that is mounded on top!
I really enjoyed watching the various performers singing and performing various comedy acts as well it’s an interesting place and had we had another day we would have taken one of the tours. Personally that is what I would recommend.
From New Orleans we were on our way to Texas! We chose to continue along the coast and to take the Galveston Ferry on our way to Angleton!
My next post will be about our stay in Texas!
We spent a week with My Daughter Sarah and her family…
Spring in Thunder Bay has arrived and I always enjoy watching the greens evolve in our yard. We arrived home just in time.
We/ mostly Erik have been busy in the yard and I have been busy in my studio.
Jen brought me her first quilt, we chose the pantograph Forest Floor adding to its outdoorsy cabin look. (It is a gift meant to be used in her friend’s camp…( in Thunder Bay cottages and cabins are referred to as Camps)
Jen’s quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!
Now a little more about our recent adventure
St Augustine is known for being the oldest City in the US. We both drank from the fountain of youth!
We chose to stay in KOA campgrounds for the most part as it made planning the trip a little easier and also because for the most part you know what to expect.
Our next stop was in Bradenton Florida for a night. This KOA was on a farm and was so interesting to walk and cycle around.
Many of the campgrounds had cabins and covered wagons to rent for those without an RV.
The next morning we were headed to Bonita Springs where we had booked a one week stay at Bonita Terra. We have friends who spend the winter there and it was so nice to visit with them and to check out a 55plus resort.
We had the use of a golf cart!! I loved driving that around though I especially loved being able to walk my 10,000 steps in the morning on the shady sides of the canal roads.
The pool area and club house we are lot of fun!
We spent time exploring Fort Myers and Marco Island as well as Bonita Springs.
This Banyan Tree was amazing! I can picture children having a lot of fun playing around and climbing a tree like this.
I was sad to leave this area of Florida but also excited to experience and see our upcoming destinations.
On our way to our next Campground (Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground in south Miami) we drove through the Florida Everglades.
This week I have been busy quilting a few quilts made by a long time customer of mine.
I have always admired her use of colour and how she plays with different layouts. Her quilts are often what are referred to as scrap quilts. When someone has been quilting for many years those scraps accumulate and seem to grow when stored away.
Some of her quilts such as this one is just a bounty of colour and prints, they are so much fun to look at and explore the variety of prints.
Making simple blocks and utilizing same colour families in individual blocks is another technique that plays with colour.
The variety of colour and prints against a solid or solid reading print in this next quilt would really use up some scraps and sure makes a fun quilt to look at. Many of the most fun scrap quilts have easily pieced blocks such as half square triangles.
Allowing yourself the freedom of playing with your scraps over time, will help to grow your colour confidence.
One of the most freeing decisions that I have made in my personal scrap quilts is that I let go of stressing over the placement of blocks.
When discussing some of my scrap quilts with this customer and long time quilter, we both agree that a simple rule of no two same fabrics should touch but it’s alright if they are close by.
Allowing yourself to play and make scrap quilts just for the pure enjoyment of sewing and creating will I believe help to grow colour confidence,
This quilt, made by my Mom was made in an attempt to use up stash and is a wonderful example of years of acquiring scraps from projects and putting them together into a quilt that will be enjoyed for years to come! Happy Birthday in Heaven today Mom!
I love this picture of our youngest Grandson! It really reflects how he embraces life, he is a busy, curious, and joyful child. Who will begin school in the fall! This is the picture taken of him at an event introducing the children to kindergarten.
Maybe no matter what stage we are in life we should try to embrace each season in life with so much enthusiasm!
January 2024 has been an unusual Month weather wise, seeing only a short stint of bitter cold and while we did get some snow it wasn’t anywhere near our normal.
I have been very happily busy in my studio working on customer quilts and doing my best to schedule in some personal sewing time as well, even making it out to the Rec centre a few times to sew with friends.
Practicing and learning more about quilting on my domestic machine continues to be a goal this year along with playing with scraps …my postage stamp quilt is in progress but may need to be put aside for some other quilts that have been added to the list.
I have 20 blocks finished so far
Working with a ruler on a quilt for Betty has reminded me that I should return to some of my custom work!
Betty’s Globe Quilt
So far February is looking to be a busy and fun Month! What are you working on?
A few months ago my Granddaughter Minka 3yrs asked me if I could make her an all pink quilt. I had made a pink baby quilt for our Granddaughter Olivia’s arrival last summer.
I still had a fair amount of pink fabric left from that project to start another…I did purchase more fabrics when Minka’s Mom suggested a pink quilt for Romee as well.
Sometimes it’s just fun to make quilts with squares and to make them as scrappy as possible. These quilts are fun! I also added pink fabrics from my Moms fabric stash.
Minka’s
The quilts are similar, though they have different backings and bindings and Minka’s has some butterflies from fabric that she especially liked. Minka’s quilt was quilted with the pantograph Hearts and Blooms.
Minka’s backing…those paw prints on the binding are so cute!
I ordered the fabrics from the quilt shop https://road17n.ca for the backings and bindings…when I opened the package I was so surprised to find a gift of 5 good sized sample pieces of more pink fabrics so they were added into the quilts as well.
Romees Quilt
The adorable backing for Romees quilt made choosing the binding a little more of a challenge, I am really pleased with my choice. this quilt was quilted using the pantograph Two of Hearts.
Over the Christmas holidays Kaija came to visit a few times and has begun making her own pink quilt. Hopefully over the summer she and I will have more time to make her pink quilt! Kaija requested that we make hers together.
We have been experiencing normal deep freeze winter weather here for the last week or so ago. For the most part winter weather doesn’t bother me.
I do love a bright sunshiny January day and yesterday was one of those days!
I am over due in sharing this special quilt that was made during 2023 for my daughter Mary. It has a lot of significance personally and was a joy to make.
After quilting the quilt with the pantograph Butterfly Charm and a beautiful variegated thread, I added additional quilting with my domestic machine and wonderfil Glamore thread to add more glitz.
My daughter loves purple and butterflies and she told me that she had wanted a quilt with this quilting design from the moment it first arrived in my studio so many years ago. When she saw the quilt as a kit on a Keepsake Quilting Catalogue she quickly requested it.
Her son Liam asked to make the label for this special quilt and he did a fantastic job!
The second day of the year was spent with two of our Grandchildren. Kaija and I finished making her pouch from last weeks sewing first.
She found a small scrap of fabric with Olaf from the movie frozen and she chose her fabrics from my scrap basket to grow it into a pouch. She has so much fun with my basket of scraps!
Kaija loves to fill the bags and pouches with little bits of fabric that she finds in my sewing room to take home with her! 😊
Later she discovered left overs from the pink quilts and my empty design wall. She had so much fun with the squares and putting together 9 patches to put together to make a new quilt!
I love how interested Kaija is in my sewing, it will be fun to see where it takes her.
Grayson wanted to sew as well, his interest lately has been hand stitching, he worked on a little pouch last week and this week how to sew a button on. We had snow over new years so what he really wanted to do involved Pappa and a snowmobile!
Wendy’s Quilting and Life 