Much happiness!

Sunday again....time for a bit of slow stitching.

First I have to share something I discovered only because Fall is here....I was walking past my young Catalpa and spotted a perfect teeny nest. For some reason it made me smile, maybe because, little did we know it all summer, but a little family was nesting in our little tree.

So, I've been finishing up the first border of my Flower Garden quilt. Here is a picture of the pattern.....

It doesn't really give instructions on the preferred method on doing the six-pointed stars, but I figured English Paper Piecing was the way to go. I haven't done any English Paper Piecing in a few years, even with the hexie-craze that's been going on the last couple of years!

I have actually made a quilt using EPP many years ago in my past as a hockey/baseball mom. You can get a lot of handwork done during practices and the half hour before game time!!!

I find it very satisfying doing this and with the results.

Here is one of the two stars, front and back....

So pretty!

Then appliqued onto the border....

....and the other.....

I had considered removing the paper before appliquing them on, but opted for doing the applique, then snipping out the background behind the stars....

 ....and with the paper removed....

....and, voila!, the top border of Flower Garden in all it's glory!!!

I just love it!!!

Now for the next three borders, lol.

One of my precious quilting friends offered to do us a favour at our wedding this summer. She greeted the guests and had them sign signature blocks that she had pieced. It was a hit! I just got them back this week and will plan to make them into a quilt on my Christmas holidays.

Here are a few....

I was looking at them with fond memories of all who helped us celebrate our marriage, when I came across this block...

What the heck??!! Was it a family member writing something in some kind of mathematical code???

When my husband got home, I showed him and it had him stymied, as well.....for about five minutes.

Then he had a brainstorm that it may be Korean since we had Korean friends attend the wedding. We googled Korean language, and there it was! Brilliant!

I just saw my friend yesterday and was able to ask her the words and she told me, " Much Happiness". So sweet!

Have a visit with Kathy at Kathy's Quilts to see what others are stitching on today!

Have a great day and much happiness!

Killer Curves

Yesterday I had the opportunity to be in a class taught by Ruth Kennedy from Fergus, Ontario.

She taught last year at the Haldimand Quilters' Guild last year but I was unable to go that day, so I was so happy when she spoke again at the Norfolk County Quilters' Guild and set up the same workshop!

Ruth has developed a technique called Curved Piecing. You would think the work is applique, but it is not.

Here is the block I completed in the class.....

Ruth was very generous and concise in her teaching. We learned a lot of valuable information from this workshop. Most of us had not had experience with using invisible thread in our machines, so Ruth made sure we all had one-on-one attention in making sure we had our stitch just right!

She also made sure that this pattern had what she called a "killer curve" so in future projects we can go forward with confidence!

I think I'll piece four more blocks to get a tablerunner made, like this one of Ruth's.....

Here is a picture of Ruth Kennedy holding up another creation....

She had many pieces to demonstrate how she has used this technique. Ruth is thrilled to have been asked to be a teacher at Quilt Canada 2016. If I remember rightly, I think this piece in the picture will be what will be taught in that class. So any of you going to Quilt Canada next year, I recommend this class....Ruth made it all so do-able!

And, of course, there was a lot of fun and laughter,......and homemade brownies!

Have a great day!

Where did Summer go???

 I swear it feels like we were enjoying lovely Summer weather just a couple of weeks ago!.....and, yet, I drove thru' two snow flurries yesterday!

I guess that's Canada, lol, and the different seasons are one of the reasons I love it....but I could have done with a bit more Summer.

Enough about that!!

Another thing to be glad about being Canadian is our right to vote....                                                           

After such a long campaign, I think it will be an interesting day tomorrow!

I wanted to make it up to Waterloo yesterday for their quilt show.....but I had plans that were awesome!

I was asked to join a group of women that enjoy a weekend cottage retreat together regularly. They invited me to share some of what I know about hand-applique. I had a great assistant in my friend, Terry, and we had such a fun day. So much fun that I forgot to ask the women if I could take a couple of pictures :(

I'll have to remember six months down the road to ask if any of them have stuck with this peaceful hobby! I think I'll guess 4 out of the 6 of them, that would make for a successful class, I think.

Today I have to finish up a quilt that will be heading off to Houston this week. Hopefully three hours will do it, then I can enjoy the rest of the weekend with perhaps a trip to Waterford for their Pumpkinfest. I've never been....and honestly don't really think it will happen today, but we'll see.

Of course, I started my day with a little bit of stitching. This morning I was determined to change-up the flower in my Auntie Green's Garden that has bothered me. Not fun, really, having to go back and make a change, but I feel better now.

Here it was before....

....and after.....

Actually, seeing the pictures now, the original wasn't so bad maybe, but it's done now....no more changes!

Have a visit with Kathy over at Kathy's Quilts to see what others are hand-stitching today!

Have a great day!