Quilt Show = The Ragged Edge Quilters

Warning!  Photo heavy post :)
The Ragged Edge Quilters show started today.  We had a great day, and what a wonderful array of quilts.
The sandwiches and cakes weren't to shabby either - yum!
And check out our brand new quilt hanging racks - they're so clean and white!
First are some quilts you've seen before:

 And a couple that I've quilted for other ladies:

 And truckloads of talent:

 On the back wall are our "Ribbons in Motion" quilts.  Nine of us made them, so there is a wonderful collection:
And the smaller quilts are our "Children's Quilts" that we donate to charity.

Today was a short day for me, I left at 3 to be home for my DS coming from school.  Tomorrow we will both be there all day.  I've told my DS that I will put him to work bussing tables in the tearoom!
There is also a community yard sale in the parking lot at the arena, so we'll enjoy the extra foot traffic tomorrow - it's supposed to be another hot day.  Today we set temperature records for this day:  30 degrees C,, 37 when calculated for the humidex.   Sizzle!!

FNSI

I should call it Friday Night Fuse In.  I started making the background fabric for my Snowbirds quilt.  It required me to fuse several shades of sky blue to a lightweight blue fabric background so when I add the snowbirds, the arcs will show movement.
Urg.
I'm an epic failure at fusing.  The first shot - I got goo on my iron and not noticing, finished ironing the good side of my fabric and leaving a lovely black smear.  After leaving it to sit for a few hours while I got my funk out, I decided to try to just rip the offending piece of fabric off - hoping the fuse would let go.  It did!  So I got busy adding more fabric again.  I now have the 24"x 36" backing fabric ready to go. 
I spent the rest of the evening photocopying the airplane pattern in different sizes to use on the quilt. 
I'm not showing photos. 
No, even if you beg, I'm not.
You'll just have to wait until it gets to the point of stitching before I take pictures.  I have a fair bit of fusing to do before that.
Oh, and I have to clean my iron.  And maybe make a new ironing board cover.
WISP.  yup, definitely a Work In Slow Progress.

On a better note, I picked up 2 quilts that I've made from their owners so I can sew a sleeve on them in time to show them at the Ragged Edge Quilters show this Friday and Saturday.

Thursday evening is set up.  SHOULD BE FUN, RIGHT?

I love freebies!

I dropped in my local Fab land today to get some supplies for FNSI tonight.  When I got to the checkout, the sales clerk who had been serving me said "Oh, you're a quilter? Just a minute, a rep gave us some samples for quilters."  She reached under the counter and pulled out a bag of batting samples!!  Warm n Natural had put together a gift pak of 7 samples of their different battings - including the tater batting and the insulbrite.  There is also a sample of Heat n Bond.  I was  flabbergasted!! What a great bonus.
Of course, when I got home, I phoned every quilter friend I knew....
Now, to get busy on FNSI.

Did you guess?

Yesterday I gave a hint on what I'm working on.  Red and white, Canadian, Summer....
Well, today I tested the pattern and it worked!!  Yay.  So now I can make the big reveal of:

 The Snowbird Block !!

The Snowbirds are the Canadian Air Force's Aerobatics Display Team.  There is nothing like a Snowbirds show.  The Tudor jets have a distinctive sound and when they salute the city when coming to town for a show - you'll know.  All eyes go up and search for the distinctive red and white underside of the jets.   Personally, I'll travel hours to see their show.  It makes me feel all patriotic and stuff.

So, this is a paper pieced pattern.  The finished block is 12"x16".  If you want to make it smaller, you can photocopy the pages and reduce them to about 60-75% of the original size.  If you do, remember to redraw the outer seam allowance to 1/4" as it will shrink too when you change the size of the pattern.
I am making this pattern available to anyone who wants it.  I plan to use it in a quilt at some time, but in the meantime, this test block is adorning my dining room hall table.

If you would like a copy of the pattern, it's a pdf file.  Just email me at: 
tjzoriginalz@hotmail.ca  with your email address and I'll send it to you.  At this time, I'm sending it by email only.  In the future, who knows, I might make a hard copy available.

Tuesday night madness

Tuesday is always my busy night.  My son gets home from school and within 30 min I'm out the door for my Weight Watchers meeting (down 33 lbs so far~)  When I get home, it's make supper, walk the dog, feed son again, check email, feed son again, (notice a theme here?).  Then I like to take in Pat Sloan's broadcast from Monday at American Patchwork and quilting.  She always has the most interesting guests!   The comes the crunch.  I try to get my son upstairs and in bed by 9 so I can take in #talknt  (Talkin Tuesday) with Cara.  Every week there are topics of quilty discussion and sharing, along with prizes from the sponsor of the day. (tonight is the Fat Quarter Shop).  Right now it's crunch time.  Wish me luck.  My son has 10 minutes to get his keester to bed!

Today I spent some time designing a paper piecing pattern.  I had a "moment" last night and wrote down the idea for a wall quilt.  It has something to do with one of my favorite events during the summer.  It involves red and white, and a lot of fuel.  I'm not giving anymore hints until the pattern has a bit more to show for it.  So far I have the main motif figured out, but there is still a way to go before it's shareable.

So, have a great evening.  I'm going to tweet chat at #talknt    

Had a great day, but oh how my feet hurt....

Today was the garage sale where I was a vendor, sharing a table with my friend Robin of Red Bird Designs.  She carries my bags in her shop, along with her own, and since she had to be in the shop today, I offered to do the garage sale.  We were up at 6, yes that's 6 am.  I haven't done that since my nursing days - about 5 years ago.  So after sharing the sunrise with my son, we took the loaded van and off we went to the fairgrounds.  Lots of signs directed us to the right place and I secretly gave myself a pat on the back when we scored a parking spot right at the entrance door!!!   I later found out that this is the first year that the sale was held indoors.  Apparently, in previous years, they set up in the parking lot the night before and had volunteers (real estate agents) camp out on security duty overnight.  This was a huge step up and kudos to the companies who sponsored the cost of the buildings. :)
Then I was in awe at the sight.  The rear half of the building (about half the size of a football field) was filled with the garage sale part of the sale.  The front half was filled with rows of tables for the vendors.  We were the first table, on the first row as you entered into the room.  Yay!
It took us about 20 min to set up, and then stood back a bit to take in the people rush.
Then we stayed, and stood, and paced, and danced when someone turned on the stereo to see if it worked (a few times), and sat, and paced some more.
I remember why I don't hold yard sales.
I smiled a lot, said hello a lot, explained how our bags are all home made and one of a kind.
And sold - exactly 3 bags.  Two to friends.
Now don't get me wrong, I did do a lot of advertising for Robin's shop and for my quilting 'work', but I was rather disappointed in the sales.
I know the majority of the attendees were in "bargain mode", but it was advertised that there were going to be vendors there, and who they were going to be.
The hosts were attentive, handing out water bottles, and coffee,
There were tons of teenage volunteers who carried out purchases for people (we have lots of teen volunteers ever since it became a rule that a teen needs 40 hours of volunteer work in order to graduate high school)
So, by the time we left at 2 pm, and returned Robin's merchandise to the shop, and got home, my feet hurt.  My dogs were on fire.  And my real dog wanted a walk!!  I managed to ply her with treats while I rested for an hour, and the mustered up my courage to take her out for a SHORT walk.  Once I got moving, it actually felt good.  I think I'm starting to enjoy our walks.  So, we managed to do our whole route.
Now we both have sore feet.

On a better note, May 18 is,  ta da!~!!!!   Friday Night Sew In with Heidi.  I'm going to spend my week coming up with a special project to do that night - just for me!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  I hope all the Moms out there get spoiled rotten and enjoy their day.  I know I will.

A-sewing we will go...

I haven't disappeared, really.  My blogger friends, you'll understand.  You see, I've been sewing my brains out lately.
This saturday, there is a National Garage Sale for Shelter.   It is a fundraiser for Women's shelters around Canada.  Our event supports Women's Community House here in London.  So, since Red Bird Designs and I are sharing a table at this event, well, we have to have something on that table to sell then don't we.  Enter the sewing frenzy.  Robin is doing her part churning out bags, and I'm filling the under $20 niche market with boodie bags, wallets, and card cases(for all those extra cards you have to carry buy don't want clogging up your wallet.)  I've also been tweaking my pattern for a computer tablet (iPad etc) purse.  One that looks like a purse first, then has the extra value of being a carrying case for the computer as well.  Once it's done to my satisfaction, I do plan to post a tutorial and make the pattern available.

Now, since I'm a fan of multi-tasking (ahem), I'm also getting ready for the Ragged Edge Quilters Quilt show on May 25-26 in Dorchester.  This involves calling some of the buds that I've made quilts for in the last year or so, and asking nicely if I can 'borrow' them back for a week.  Then stitching a hanging sleeve onto each one and getting them in shape for showing.  Keep in mind that although I've been quilting for years, this is the first time I'm putting any of my work in a show.  This show will also involve baking treats for the tea room, making sandwiches, making the sign for the road etc...

So, I may be scarce for a couple of weeks.  Keep sewing so we have something to catch up on when I get back.  OK?

I am a cyber-klutz

Well, it was finally time.  Time to upgrade my cell phone.  So, with trepidation, I entered my fav electronics store to see what there was to see.  When I had decided on the phone I wanted, the sales associate told me that the newest update to that phone had just arrived, and she went to check if it was cleared for selling yet.  And it was.
So, I'm the proud owner of a Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE.  Sounds like a lot of letters to me. 
So let the learning curve begin.  It's quite a technology leap for me, but hey, I'm game.  I just hope I don't drop it!
My son likes it.  And in 5 minutes knew more about it than I did in a whole day.
Oh my.  I guess I am getting old.