Tag: Winter

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Welcome to February!! Quilting and Life

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Thankfully it seems that Januarys cold snap has moved on. Winter of course is far from over in Thunder Bay, though this mornings daylight appeared earlier and of course the sunset is later each day.

One of the reasons that February is extra special for me is that it is when I first became a Mom!! My beautiful daughter Sarah completely transformed my life 40 years ago.

I am so very thankful to be Mom to my 4 wonderful daughters who now inspire me and often help guide me in life. ❤️

Happy Valentines Day!! I absolutely loved quilting this Shattered Heart Quilt. The pantograph was chosen by its maker and is one that I ordered for this quilt.

Just as becoming a Mom transformed my life so did the arrival of my APQS Longarm Quilting Machine!

My quilting business has brought so many wonderful people into my life! Many have been in my life from the beginning and many that have found me along the way!

It enabled me to go from a full time to a part time position when my house and life were so full of my growing daughters..and their friends. It also enabled me to leave that job and regroup before taking another much more fulfilling job all while quilting almost full time along the way.

My long arm arrived 22 years ago just before New Years and that January was the beginning of this amazing journey.

January was a very busy month in my long arm studio and it’s always so exciting to work on each quilt that comes my way to quilt…of course February will be busy too 😊

I have almost alway held another job over the years in the health care field.

My final one,outside of my quilting business was my favourite one which was working for Wesway. For those who don’t know about Wesway…it provides respite services, in both the community and in respite homes working with all ages. I worked in both and met so many wonderful people.

Well I closed that chapter in my life last month and retired from Wesway.

Life is so interesting and so full of changes isn’t it.

I will be back to sharing customer quilts and their stories in my next posts!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Kitty Quilt and Life

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The cold snap that I mentioned in my last post has continued, though not as extreme it was when I wrote my post. We are all hoping for milder temperatures here soon.

My studio thankfully is warm and I am busy running my longarm!

My customer made this adorable quilt to gift to her kitty loving friend. She used cozy flannel for the backing that was already so sweet and added pieced kitties to make it even sweeter …

We chose the quilting design Two of Hearts.

Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

January Weather and Quilting

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As many in North America are also in a cold snap we are no exception. This weather makes me so very thankful for where I live and that I am able to work from home!

This mornings weather snapshot…

The days are getting longer and brighter and the sunshine is more than welcome…warmer temperatures would be as well.

This recent quilt was a lovely burst of happy colour! On both sides!!!

The top was pieced using the Chandelier pattern.

The quilting design Shasta Daisy was chosen purely for its loveliness.

The backing was pieced making this a truly double sided quilt.

It was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

2025 Quilting and Life

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I spent some time looking over the last year of pictures on my phone this morning, here is what I noticed…

First of all and this is on a personal side, I ended 2024 making some big changes and choices in my health and wellness journey. I changed my diet and removed most processed foods and pretty much all ultra processed foods. I made a no food after supper rule as well.

After reading the book Younger Next Year for Women, I also made exercise a higher and daily goal for myself. The book encourages retired people..which I am not but maybe getting there, I am going on 63…to make daily exercise your new job.

The main goal of course is for longevity but not only that but active and healthy and happy longevity.

In this very recent picture I had tried on a top that belonged to my eldest daughter that she bought when she was about 18, it was fun to slip it on.

Some favourite books along with Younger Next Year for Women, include Thinner this Year, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins.

In a future post I will share some of the podcasts and you tube videos that have really resonated with me this year. We are so fortunate as Women to have so much more information about our health at our fingertips!

2025 found us travelling in the Motorhome to Arizona and area…I absolutely loved the Bike Loop that our campground in Tucson was beside and I keep thinking it would be great to be back there for a few weeks or so…the fresh citrus was definitely a bonus!

Travel wise we had a fun trip to the Dells with some of the kids and grands this year!

Speaking of Grands…I spent a lot of time with the younger Grandchildren. The pictures really reflect that as they take up a large portion of the albums.

My Dad and I have especially enjoyed having my Brother living here. He retired this year and moved here in the spring.

Quilting wise….

On my own Quilting Journey I continued to work on the Postage Stamp Quilt and Started and am getting closer to completing my Small World by Tara Faughnan Quilt.

This shows some of the blocks…

I have almost all of the blocks made to finish the Postage block Quilt.

I have also been playing with blocks from Tara Faughnans block studies..

I clearly need to spend more time on personal projects.

Though and thankfully and I am so appreciative of my wonderful customers, many who have also become friends…they are the reason why most of my quilting time is spent with my Longarm and finishing other peoples quilting projects! Just a small sampling…

Thank you to all of my customers, friends and of course family who are all so important to me in this wonderful life and for sharing 2025 with me!!

I wish you all the best in 2026!!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Quilting and Life…

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I read an article yesterday about why it sometimes feels like the days and time just flies by. The article suggested making some changes such as challenges and learning new things instead of always following the same routines. Something to ponder for sure.

My Longarm and I have been busy finishing quilts for my customers of course. I am so thankful for my APQS Millennium and that the company is so true to its word about service. Using a longarm as much as I do there are times where parts wear out and need to be replaced or just readjusted. My experience has always been excellent over the years as in twenty years…just saying 😊

I have been watching art meditation reels on Instagram lately. I find them relaxing and inspiring. I am always in the lookout for fun activities with our grandchildren.

One meditation used Paint Sticks which were new to me and I found a box of 36 colours and took the chance and ordered them. When Minka popped over with her Mom the other day, I shared a plan I had and she went right to work testing them out!

I have always loved art and playing with creating and now I have little people in my life that love to join me!

Along that line Tara Faughnans block studies continue to inspire me and although Garnish didn’t initially excite me as much as others once I got going on it I fell in love with making the blocks and playing with the dusty colours!

My personal piecing time has been a little more limited lately than I would like. Over the holidays I plan to gift myself with some play days just for me. I will also have some play days with Grands as well.

On one last life note my Dad ended up with a short admit to the hospital due to a post scope infection a couple of weeks ago. His care from the moment we entered the Emergency department to discharge a few days later was absolutely outstanding!

He even had a good view from his bed once he was admitted. Most importantly he recovered very quickly, no doubt in part to his focus on healthy lifestyle!

Something else that we Canadians perhaps take for granted at times but that I am extremely grateful for is that the bill Dad will receive for all of that care is $0. We do pay taxes for sure but no one here has to stress and worry about money when they or their loved ones need medical care.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Life and Quilting

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My days do seem to fly by, I spend several hours most days working on customer quilts. As much as I love that I also really love piecing quilts.

Joining Tara Faughnans block studies this season has been a fantastic addition to my quilting practice with both learning a new block and playing with a palette of her choosing it really does make for great fun in my life.

I will share more but for now these are a couple of my blocks from the first month that I plan to mount on canvas.

Other samples that I have made are earmarked for some other fun ideas.

My Small world quilt blocks almost fill my design wall and my postage stamp quilt continues to have a few blocks pieced and is slowly being completed.

A friend of mine suggested trying an eye pillow at bedtime made with flax seed and lavender…so I did make myself one and a few more for others…

With the winter months approaching there should be more time for studio play.

We are so wealthy in Grandchildren and have had the pleasure of their company and all the fun and joy that they bring with them!

On a personal note and adding to what I have written in previous posts…. A year ago tomorrow I made a decision to remove certain things from my diet. Alcohol was one and following that dispite for the most part eating a healthy diet I have made changes and tweaked it to better match my health and wellbeing goals.

There is so much to learn about food and it’s not always easy to navigate away from ultra processed foods but it is worth the effort. The Yuka app has been very helpful.

Adding more exercise and learning more about what we women need at my stage of life for bone,muscle and heart health has been enlightening as well! I have so much fabric and so many ideas that healthy longevity is a big time personal goal.

So to that some personal progress gifts!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

The Yard Moose

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Yes it’s been awhile 😊 and with good reason. I will share that with you soon.

First things first to catch up on some quilting…

The Yard Moose was such a fun quilt to work on! We chose the pantograph Ground Cover… after all moose are often in the bush just peeking out…or maybe hiding.

How perfect is this backing fabric with splashes of colour matching the quilt top!

Jan’s quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up and it wasn’t long before she sent me this picture of her finished quilt.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

McKenna Ryan Quilt…

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What a fun pleasure to quilt my customers quilt made with the pattern Said the Night Wind by McKenna Ryan!

I absolutely adore this designers work especially all of the amazing details. My customer carefully stitched around each appliqué and added gold glitz to the star!

I chose the quilting design, Star Swirl, it is a fun design that adds soft swirls and movement to this wonderful winter scene.

I love that Father Christmas is cross country skiing!

Of course her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!

I do love the North, no I am not crazy about being outside in bone chilling -40C especially when the wind is blowing…that to me is perfect make a pot of soup and stay in and quilt weather.

There is something so magical though watching the snow fall and breathing in fresh crisp air!

My view from the Longarm room this morning…it didn’t capture the snow-falling though.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Farmhouse Quilt

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I am so appreciative of all of my customers to entrust their quilts to me to be completed. I have many quilters whom I have been quilting for many years!

This customer has relocated to Manitoba and we have still found ways to work together!

We chose the quilting design Star-swirl for this King sized quilt. It measured 114” square which I was able to easily accommodate on my 12 foot frame! Have I mentioned how much I love my APQS Millennium before?

The backing is a perfect match to the pink in the batik fabric that is in the top and looks amazing together in person.

We had an extremely cold week here and I was grateful to have to spend some of my time hand stitching the binding on this quilt!

So not only was this quilt trimmed and ready for binding it was completely finished and ready for gifting with plenty of time to spare before the wedding is taking place.

I offer Professional Quality Longarm Quilting Services!! Let me help you finish your quilts!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Elegant Star Quilt

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All this Christmas gift needs now is the binding!

The Pantograph Ground Cover was chosen as the quilting design by its maker and it flows so beautifully over the quilt top and compliments the backing as well.

The batting is Hobbs 80/20,which I always carry on the roll and sell just what’s needed for each quilt to my customers. Thankfully I have a fantastic batting source that continues to offer the best price that I can find and am happy to give my best price to my customers.

Choosing the right thread colour can be a challenge when there is a lot of contrast, in this case I went with white as I knew that it’s contrast with the dark fabrics wouldn’t be as distracting as it would had I chosen a darker colour.

The backing fabric is a lovely match! There are so many wonderful wide backings to choose from!

This quilt was picked up this week trimmed and ready for binding!