Practicing the Art of Procrastination!

Hello Friends. One would think that after a year and a half of staying at home, no class prep to do and no quilting students, that I would be super organized with all these things done and ready to go when the world opens up. Not!! As my mother always said, “There is nothing like pending company to get you to quickly get the vacuuming done!” Well I have been putting off a few important duties and just enjoying my time. My Bad! In August, I had hopped that my fall would be relatively normal with quilting students and classes at the local quilt shop etc.. But when that was all delayed again, I proceeded to procrastinate. Even my fabric order for my quilting cruise is more then 6 weeks behind. With nothing exciting or really new happening in the studio, even my social media posts have been lagging, well, let’s be real - totally absent. So my apologies for the lack of a blog/newsletter posts. This one goes out to Mary Anne.

Whats new? I am presently working on my recertification with Studio 180, which hopefully will be submitted by the end of this week. Studio 180 has come out with a few new tools and techniques sheets in the last year or two. You can check out these new tools and others on their website at: https://deb-tuckers-studio-180-design.myshopify.com I have these in stock as with all the tools and techniques sheets. For those who know me, know that I love my Studio 180 tools and techniques for a few reasons but mostly for making perfection easy and obtainable.

I have two new patterns in the works and those can be expected by early spring. My focus this year has been on getting back to basics and designing with those fundamental units we use all the time like Half Square Triangles and Flying Geese. One of the patterns soon to be available will be Path to Spring which I designed for the Spring Quilt Along. So if you missed out on the quilt along you will be able to purchase the pattern. A great scrap buster or Fat Quarter Quilt.

I have not been ordering a lot of new notions or fabric during the pandemic, but now with things slowly moving forward I have brought in a few new 108” backings and such. With winter on our doorstep I have the Hubby working on making and restocking the “Pressing Sticks” and a few of the Quilt Hangers. The Quilt Hangers can be made to your specifications if needed but are approximately 24” high and the arm 24” as well. They are available stained or not with the option of two different brackets. If a Quilt Hanger is something that you may like you can give me a shout and we can discuss delivery options. With Christmas around the corner we will be cutting off orders around the end of November.

New this fall to Quilting by the River is the ability to tryout and order Juki sewing machines. I am not a dealer, just a Juki machine lover and am offering the quilters in Norther Ontario the ability to have these machines available to you to order. Please visit my website for more information or click here.

I have had a consistent flow of quilts to be long armed and will be taking a break from that for the next few months. Getting a bit behind on my own quilting and it just seems silly to have a long arm and send your own quilts to a friend to have her do them. What’s with that?

I was lucky enough this year to be able to attend a girls quilting retreat where I was a participant not an instructor. It was held at the Bayview Wild Wood resort near Orillia. Had a blast! What a great group of quilters. Thank you Mallory for organizing. Believe it or not, I was able to get my Christmas sewing done, like that never happens. One of the afternoons we went to Thimbles and Things Quilt Shop. What a great place and yes I bought stuff. Hehehe

Needless to say there has not been quilters or classes in the studio. The Loft, however, has had a fair amount of visitors. Hello to the gals in the Bellville area, Parry Sound, Espanola, and of course Sudbury. It sure was nice to have the quilters in the loft. I have added a booking calendar to my website so you can check on availability. Please make note that The Loft will be closed from Mid December to the first week in February for the holidays and regular winter maintenance. You can check out the calendar here.

I have had a few pictures come to me of finished quilts for the gallery page. First off: Quarry by Diane Blais. This quilt just never gets old and is still one of my favourites.

Anne Hubert sent in her Periwinkle Swirl. A pattern by my good friend Michelle Renee Hiatt of SEW on the go. https://sewonthego.net/

Thank you all for being patient while I get my mojo back and get into the swing of things. I promise to post more regularly. Please watch my facebook and instagram pages for news of what’s new and happening here at Quilting by the (French) River. :)

Thanks for dropping by. Until next time, stay safe, be well and get to that Christmas quilting!

Thank God for rainy days!

Hello Friends. Spring has arrived earlier than usual here in Northern Ontario. The ice is off the river and there have been a few boats going by. River TV has started. I am sure that for a lot of folks, the thought of opening up the summer cottages is now on the forefront of their thoughts. I have been trying to stay on track and get me pattern writing done for the cruise, finish up the last of the customer quilts to long arm and get my quilt for the Spring Quilt Along completed. This however all goes to pot when the sun shines and its warm outside and I hear the flower gardens calling my name. “Carla, the weeds are closing in, Help come take them away”! So I am glad I have been able to schedule my day in a way that I can be outside for a few hours before the black flies arrive and keep us in again.

I will be posting information for my upcoming cruise periodically over the next little while.More details of the workshop on the cruise can be found on my website here and on the Quilt and Cruise website. www.quiltandcruise.com

Feel free to pass along the information to friends, groups and local guilds. With the vaccine rolling out the cruise may very well book up quickly as everyone is looking to get caught up on some much needed vacation time. A special treat to all those attending will be the opportunity to purchase a pre-cut quilt kit in one of the colour ways I have chosen. Your quilt kit will have all of the required squares rectangles and strips pre-cut for you and ready for sewing when you get onboard. A true quilters vacation, and may I add more time for Margaritas. Woot Woot!

The spring quilt along has been going great, and the quilters have been posting pictures of their progress. I can’t express how excited I feel when the quilters add new twists of their own to my creation. Changing colours and using different fabrics like big prints or black backgrounds. You have all done wonderfully. This Wednesday will be our last instruction instalment and we will cover the pieced border application.

Here are a few of the quilt centres that have been posted so far:

The new colour way for Marquise is now complete and scheduled for the long-arm shortly. I will be adding this to the cover to give quilters a different perspective as to what a change of fabric can do for a quilt layout. The Marquise pattern is available from my website, Etsy store or you can ask for it at your local quilt shop.

With the stay at home order we do not get to visit or see other quilters so I get really excited when I receive a photo of one of your finished quilts from a previous workshop or one of my patterns. Thank you to Mallory Slingerland for sending along her completed “River Rocks”. I love it in the browns! It gives it such a warm and cozy feeling.

River Rocks by Mallory Slingerland

My buddy Daintry, who loves to quilt with my scraps and leftovers, sent along this completed gem. The outer border and large squares in the quilt are from a few fabrics that I had laying around the studio for years. When we moved I downsized my fabric stash and sent along this lot to my quilting buddy. Well you know what they say, “one quilters scraps and another quilters treasures”. Its beautiful!

That’s all for now, I’m off to the postoffice to mail out an order. Remember, if there is a Studio 180 related product you need or are looking for, I have it all in stock and can meet up or mail out, so just give me a shout.

Thank you for dropping by. Until next time, stay safe, get outside, and clean you sewing machine!

To a Quilt Show we will go!

Hello Friends. June seems to be filled with all sorts of exciting activities and new adventures. So, I thought I should take some time to get everyone caught up. First up is Quilt Canada. This year it is being held in Ottawa at the EY Centre. I am heading there with a few of my best buds to have a look see at my quilt hanging in the National Juried Show. I want a picture of me in-front of the quilt in the big hall. It’s just too cool for words. Then the icing on the cake will be Saturday morning when Gail Heller from Erie Quilt Art, and myself will be presenting a Trunk Show on all things Studio 180. Maybe put that on your list of things to do if you are planning to go to the conference. I will be around and about Thursday and Friday so I hope to bump into my Quilty friends - in the venders mall Im sure as we all want to do some shopping. Except for me as I need nothing. LOL

Mandeville

Home for a bit in the middle of June and hopefully the sun will warm things up and get rid of all the pesky black flies and mosquitos. I did manage to get some flowers planted last weekend while at the River House and I so hope that we don’t get a frost. I have a new plant that I have fallen in love with called a Mandeville. It is a vine that is to flower all summer and hopefully I will be able to keep it over the winter and enjoy it again next summer. We’ll see how that actually turns out as I am not really good at that sort of thing.

As a side note: I have new studio helper , although he does not want the job, I have threatened! You see the Hubby officially retired last Thursday, and if he is found underfoot or bothersome, I always have Quilty things for him to do. That scared him away - at least for a few hours till he gets hungry. My mother said there would be times like this. LOL. We are actually looking forward to his unscheduled time, and yes he is very helpful.

At the end of June I will be helping my US Certified buddies vending at the Vermont Quilt Show. You can find me talking all things Studio 180 in the Lynn Wheatly booth. So pop on by and say a big Canadian Hello if you are planning to attend. We will have all my patterns there for sale, along with my dear friend Katrina Thomas of The Hope Chest. More shopping opportunities I see in my future.

In preparation for both CQA and Vermont I need to brush up with the new tool from Deb Tucker. Introducing the Wedge Star. So you will find me in the Studio at the River House making a sample and learning the ins and out of this new exciting tool. There are a few patterns to go along with the tool that are really beautiful. I may just have to put my creative hat on and see if I am inspired.

My latest pattern is now available for your enjoyment, and can be found soon at your local quilt shop. It will be at both Quilt Canada and Vermont in various vendors selling Studio 180 tools. It is also available through me if you cannot find it at a shop. Click here to see my patterns for sale.

In the studio this month, Anne completed September Morn (pattern coming this summer). Her quilts are beautiful. Michael sent this photo along of his version of River Rocks. Michael resides in the US and took the class through Kim at Cary Quilting Company in North Carolina. Hello to all my friends and fellow quilters in NC, and Thank you Kim for your support.

Well its time to pack the car and head to the River House. We can go in the middle of the week now that Hubby is not at work. :)

Thanks for dropping by. Until next time, stay safe, Finish a UFO and see you at a quilt show.