Workshop season

Hello Friends. I am back from our winter vacation and ready to get down to business. March, April and May is what I like to call workshop season.  There are retreats and workshops all over for quilters to enjoy.  I am exceptionally excited this year as I start the season off with the Northern Ontario Quilting Symposium.  I am looking forward to having Anita Zobens here next weekend to teach us all about Superior Threads.  If you were unable to attend the workshop, she will have all her wonderful threads for sale after the class.  This is open for everyone, so drop by the Holiday Inn on Regent St. in Sudbury and pick up that thread for your next project.

  Quilting by the River will also have a small selection of my favourite things for sale along with all the Studio 180 tools and patterns. 

With next weekend being all about thread, I have brought in a few notions to help keep your quilting space tidy and organized.  I just couldn’t resist bringing in these colourful molded rubber thread accessories.Tulips are bobbin clamps, and come with a small chain, to keep a few fully loaded bobbins handy, great for that quilter on the go.

The rubber “Peels”, keep the thread secured neatly to the spool for tidy storage. Lastly, “Bobbinis” sit on top of the spool of thread to attach your bobbin to.  Allowing you to keep the same colour thread and bobbin together.  nspired by my friend Dorothy (my personal bag creator)  I have added “Little Lacie Zippers” by Border Creek Station and the accompanying pattern for the Bag.

Feeling the winter Blahs The studio now stocks a variety of Cantik Batiks. The beautiful colours will surely get us in the mood for spring. These items are at the studio for sale and will accompany me at my workshops for the next few months.

April 1,2 and 3 is the Flying Swallows workshop.  There is still space available so give me a shout to sign up. (click here for more information). This block, in the past has been constructed using templates or then paper pieced.  Today, thanks to the new tools and techniques, we will be strip piecing this beautiful block with no “Y” seams.    There are so many colour ways to do this block that I have to teach it so that the quilters can make all the visions in my head become reality.  

Well that's about all for now.  See you in my travels. Thanks for dropping by.  Until next time, stay safe, keep quilting, and watch out for icy spots. 

Completed Hunter's star quilts starting to show up!

Hello Friends.  Hard to believe that it's November! The weather has been so warm and sunny. Living in Northern Ontario, we know that it won't last and snow will be here sooner then later.  I thought I'd better get my outside decorating done while it was still nice.  Last year, my fingers froze and the earth in the pots was starting to get so hard that I was having a difficult time sticking things into them.   

With the holiday season fast approaching I thought it a good idea to start my Christmas sewing.  Now, why don't we learn and start in July or something.  But oh no, we wait until the man on the radio says, "41 days till Christmas eve".   I get a little butterfly in my stomach and think, "I wanted to make a new runner for the table, a new quilt for Jim for the couch....."  Well, I have one gift done, a set of placemats for my friend. 

I was playing with the migrating geese technique and one thing lead to another.  I have a lap quilt yet to tackle.  I am going to make a special lady a Hunter's Star quilt.  Ha Ha bet you didn't see that coming.  But the Hunter's Star is Oh so beautiful.  Here's the fabric I selected.  The star points are going to be alternating red and white. 

The quilters from the Hunter's Star workshop have been busy finishing up their projects.  Here is a few of the finished masterpieces.

Sheila's creation, she says this is just the beginning and there will be more! Way to go!

      Anne's Hunter Star, she wasn't sure in the greys were going to work.  I say "nice job!"

Jan made hers queen size. 

It is so great to see everyones quilts.  Keep the photos coming, they are all so different.  

With the fall workshop done and out of the way, my mind starts planning for the next one in April.  I know what I'd like to do so I thought I would tease you a little and show you the fabric I picked out for the samples.  

Ooooh! Jewel tones on black.  

This one, a more monochromatic colour scheme.

Of course I could not get out of the quilt shop without buying a little something for the house for the festive season.  Not sure when I'm going to get around to this one.  Maybe Santa will put it together for me.  Where are his elves?

I'm glad I could share all the beautiful quilts with all of you.  Now, I should go see if I can get some of my fabric cut before bed.  Thanks for dropping by.  Until next time, stay safe, watch out for the snow, and go quilt something for Christmas!

Winter has arrived!

Hello Friends.   I guess there is no escaping it, the winter weather has arrived.  I shoveled the walk way today for the first time this season. :(  This past weekend, my husband and I took a little trip to Toronto (before we get totally snowed in) just to get out.  Much to my surprise, I was able to convince him to stop for a while and visit the York Heritage Quilters Guild Quilt Show.  Sure enough, there were quilters there that I knew!  It was great having a little visit with some old acquaintances.  The quilts were wonderful,  Here is just a few;

There's always something brewing in the studio, and this past week I announced the next Quilting by the River Workshop.   Northern Neighbours, a quilt by Deb Tucker and Studio 180, will be the project for the weekend.  The quilt is so captivating, your not going to want to miss out.  Click here for more information.  

That about wraps it up for now.  With the holidays fast approaching, remember to set time out for sewing your own gift projects.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Until next time, be safe stay warm and watch for ice!