Have Quilts will travel!

Northern Neighbours by Margerate Hautanen of Timmins

Hello Friends. It’s been a month of Trunk shows and workshops, but more than that, it’s been a month of meeting new quilters and making new friends. It was another wonderful workshop for the Northern Ontario Quilting Symposium. The quilters did a great job paper piecing with Sheida Giddings and I am pleased to say that most finished their projects. For those who attended and now have a completed runner or set of placemats, send along your photos for all of us to enjoy.

Have quilts will travel and this was no exception for me during the month of April. After Symposium, I was invited to the Brant Heritage Guild to share my quilts and have a small table of Studio 180 tools and related items for sale. What a great group of quilters and so enjoyed their company during supper as a small group and I went to their favourite restaurant where I was reminded of the show “Cheers” as the server knew everyone by name. What a hoot!

The day after Brantford, found me at the Creative Arts Festival in Toronto where I bumped into my friends Tracey Russell of Whirls n swirls Quilting and Sherri Hisey of Border Creek Station. In case you’re wondering, Yes, I did do some shopping. Who could resist those super cute mini kits that Border Creek Station has for sale and they just seemed to jump into my shopping bag.

Saturday was a hoot as I spent the day with the quilters of the Mississauga Quilters Guild. I was able to have them all well on their way creating with the Shaded 4-Patch technique from Studio 180 design. Ladies, remember when you have your creation completed send along those pictures. We would all love to see what our day together has inspired you to create.

The traveling doesn’t end there, a few weekends later my dear friend Lise and I made our way north to New Liskeard. We took part in Quilt Day 10, where I had a booth full of goodies for sale along with my patterns. Now this is where the story gets good. Friday, when we arrived it poured buckets all day. Saturday Morning when we work up to go to the quilt show I opened the curtains to this:

My car encapsulated in ice and snow. The temperature had dropped and all that rain froze my car doors shut and I found myself in little shoes in 8” of snow. And that folks is what happens in Northern Ontario in April.

The first weekend of May I was back down the 401, this time to Oshawa. I spent two lovely days with Shirley and her staff from the Ultimate Sewing Centre. Sunday was a store event where I presented quilts made from Studio 180 tools and techniques. I spent all of Monday with the Shirley and her staff, teaching them the ins and out of using the tools in the Studio 180 repertoire. I just know that there are going to be some very creative quilts coming from the area quilters and I sure look forward to seeing the results.

So here we are, the long weekend only a week away. I am looking forward to some quiet time at the river house, hopefully some sunshine, weed pulling, and a few hours on the dock staring at the water. My new pattern Castle Lilies is in its final edits and should be ready for the end of the Month. I am making plans for June and Quilt Canada in Ottawa. I am looking forward to getting a picture of my friends and I with the quilt in the show, Not for the shopping!! :)

I did not have studio classes this month so not much new to report there. However, I did have one of my students help out to make a quilt for me and although all fixed up now, I did find a few booboo’s. Can you find them?

Mountain Blaze a new pattern from Studio 180 Design

Well time to go do some long needed cleaning up so Thanks for stopping by. Until next time, stay safe, change your machine needle, and try to get some outside time.

My mother told me there would be days like this!

Hello Friends. I have tried all week to write this post and things just keep getting in the way. Do you have days like that? Do you have weeks like that? Days start out with my list of priority things to do (with intention) and then “poof” life! Oh well, one mustn’t grumble! I am presently at the Northern Ontario Quilting Symposium weekend. There are 23 quilters signed up for the workshop including myself who will be a student for a change. I have had the Judy Neimeyer leaf series table runner pattern for over a year and can’t wait to learn how to make it. A big treat for me to not have to figure it out by myself. Let the learning begin. Our guest this year is Sherida Giddings and I am ever so happy to have her teach us the ins and outs of paper piecing.

This is a busy time of year for quilting teachers as we are out and about teaching at workshops and shows. My spring is especially busy this year and I want to extend a warm welcome to all my new followers from Mississauga, Branford/Cambridge area and those north in the Timiskaming area. I had the pleasure last month to present my trunk show to the quilters of the Mississauga quilters guild.

Mississauga Quilters Guild members.

I had a blast and met so many new interesting ladies. Thank you to Ruthie for inviting me and I will be returning on the 13th of April to walk them through Studio 180’s Shaded 4-patch unit technique. I am so looking forward to opening the doors of creativity and introduce the many ways to use this versatile unit.

I recently spent an evening with the NorthShore Pins and Needles Quilting and Stitchery Guild of Espanola sharing and discussing Copyright and how it effects quilting today. A necessary discussion that should be had in every guild with the major points brought forward and enforced.

My next pattern is with the graphic designer, as she deciphers my photos and turns them into the beautiful line drawings that we cannot do without. If you’re like me I look at the pictures first and read the directions if all else fails. Pictures are worth a thousand words and that is so true when it comes to quilt patterns. I hope to have it available by late spring.

In the Studio this past month, I have had to put my skills to the test and just “quilt it”. A request for custom quilting on a beautiful quilt by one of my students. My stress level was a bit elevated but she was pleased. I am sure not as much as I was to know she liked what I had done. Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone and just do it.

Catch a Falling Star with orange peel appliqué.

Anne brought in her completed Catch a Falling Star quilt which she had added extra appliqued orange peel shapes to the corner stones. LOVE IT!

Learning is calling so Thanks for dropping by. Until next time, stay safe, try paper piecing and keep learning.

Winter, a time to create!

“September Morn” first published 2006

Hello Friends. Wonderful things happen when we give ourselves time to be creative. That’s exactly what I did the week of February 4th to the 8th. I spent some alone work time at the River House and was able to write two new patterns. The first on is Castle Lilies and will hopefully be available for April. The second one is September Morn. This one I self published back in 2006 but since then a lot has changed with respect to new tools available and rewriting the pattern seemed a must. The leaf uses the Corner Beam™ tool by Studio 180 Design and of course the flying geese have to be done with the Wing Clipper. I am expecting that pattern to be ready for sale by late spring. Let’s give it a date like late May, because with the amount of snow we have and have been continually getting it may be June before I see grass.

Sign ups for Symposium are going well and there are still a few spots left, so if you're still thinking about it, I’d advise you make some plans as you don’t want to miss out on this workshop. The Trunk Show by Sherida Giddings on the Friday Night before is going to be amazing and you do not need to participate in the workshop to attend. Tickets are available at Cindy Bee’s Quilt Shoppe in Espanola, Country Quilter in Sudbury and Cottage Quilter in Corbeil Ontario.

You can also give me a shout and I will put one aside. Tickets will also be available at the door for those last minute folks finding themselves free and able to attend.

I finished my Hand Quilting sample and I will be a class at Cindy Bee’s Quilt Shoppe on Monday March 18, 2019. I was also able to borrow a small sampler from my buddy Daintry just to show off how beautiful hand quilting is and let quilters know that you do not need to hand quilt large projects. Keep it small and have fun! During this class I will also be teaching Big Stitch Quilting, which is so hot right now. I have been working on my sample and I am enjoying the speed and little pizzaz it gives to the project. If you would like to attend give the shoppe a call and sign up. Cindy Bee’s Quilt Shoppe (705) 869-2548

Hand Quilting “mini” by Daintry Chitaroni

I have been receiving pictures of “Quarry” the workshop quilt from November. I love seeing what everyone has done. I post them in the Gallery page of the website so go have a look at all the lovely quilts from quilters near and far.

With all the wintery weather we have experienced lately, quilters are nestled down in their quilting spaces pumping out some beautiful quilts. One of my students recently dropped this off for me to longer quilt. May I say, “Look what happens when you give quilters a tool that works wonders”. This is a Lemoyne Star with an appliquéd flower on top, surrounded by a courthouse steps. Way to make that Rapid Fire Lemoyne tool work for you!

I have also recently received feedback about the use of plates. I teach with plates and if you don’t know what that is, you will just have to attend one of my workshops to find out. Here is a photo from one of my students who just can’t quilt without them.

That seems to all my news for now, Thanks for dropping by. Until next time, stay safe, quilt lots and give yourself some creative time.