2013 Year in Rearview

Taking a look at the past year in my life and my quilting journey is like looking in a rear view mirror. I cannot see everything behind me just the important stuff following me closely. Might be a good time to pull over and let the traffic pass so I can get on with my road trip.

Facebook timeline highlights tell me that some of the top events of 2013 were in order of happening but not necessarily in order of importance: 

• new windows in my house in April
• new granddaughter born in May
• new pickup truck in June
• my husband's haircut on Sept
• my trip to Poland in Oct

But it did not mention:

• completing the first course for my doctorate in dialoguing with God through journalling.  
• 3 trips to New Brunswick to visit my daughter - she has visited here twice this year. 
• Babysitting my 7 month old new granddaughter 3 days a week and loving it.
• And, I started a blog. I am loving it. I love the writing, the editing, the publishing and then connecting with quilters and family all over the world.

 2013 saw absolutely no quilt finishes.

• The only thing I actually quilted was a scrap sandwich to check out the viability of the background fabric I have been using for Dear Jane. It is not conducive to hand quilting so I will not. It will machine quilt up nicely if I can only decide how I will approach doing it once I actually complete it. My machine quilting skills are at a beginner level, even though I have been machine quilting (sort of) for about 10 years. Over the years I have focused on making full sized bed quilts intended for use, until I started on blessed Dear Jane. My skill levels and techniques have greatly  improved but I keep wanting to start more projects. Dear Jane, bless her heart, will be to look at and not for common use.

2013 saw 4 new quilt starts.

•  I decided to invest in a gzillion dies for applique for  my GO cutter and even had 4 dies custom made to be able to cut out just leaves for the 1814 reproduction quilt I started on Oct 1. More on that when I have some progress to show. I am using fabric from my stash for the background and leftovers from the Dear Jane project.                                                                                                                       
•  I am convinced I can make a Baltimore style quilt with  my GO gadgets in a weekend. However, I have been researching (that's what I call reading endless blogs and books and watching you tube tutorials) on Red and Green quilt designs and raw edged machine applique. More on this when I have pictures to show my progress. To date, I have spent an entire day preshrinking, ironing on fusible web and cutting out ALL background squares, borders, backing squares and batting squares from my stash and leftovers from Dear Jane. I plan to machine quilt it as I go and then connect the squares with a 1 inch sashing.  This project was spread out all over the dresser, bed, ironing board and sewing table in the white room that I had to totally de-clutter before my daughter and her husband arrived for Christmas.

• I cut out all the blocks for a lap sized disappearing 9 patch in 1930's prints and solids from my stash. I discovered that the 5 inch charm pack blocks are really 5  x 4 1/2. So, I had to cut all new ones. then I took a month sabbatical from quilting and forgot to actually sew it up. It would take a day at most.

•  I joined the Chester County Criswell Quilt group reproducing the 1852 wedding quilt made for the marriage of Alice McClellan Criswell and Jesse Jackson Smith in Chester County, Pennsylvania. I am absolutely loving working on these unique applique blocks. I joined in on the beginning of year 2 of 3 and now have almost caught up. I have completed  11 and have 4 part done. I have not even attempted to figure out #12. I precut all the background squares from fabric from my stash and bought a few new civil war reds and greens to use along with left overs from Dear Jane. I prepped a bunch of blocks and have them ready to pick up whenever I want to keep mu hands busy or avoid doing any real work.

2013 WIP I worked on several other quilts over the year:

• I completed the rest of the 169 blocks for Dear Jane and am now working (rather slowly) on the triangles and kites.
• I did some needleturn applique on the corner triangles for my baby Baltimore.
• I worked on a few blocks for the JT2  and another 2 coloured similar sampler, but using my GO gadgets.

On my wish list of quilts to start with all fabrics ready to go in project boxes:

• JT2 Benjamin Briggs BOM from Dear Jane and Sentimental Stitches beginning Jan 1
• Dear Jane 2 in Brights as soon as I complete DJ
• Bali Wedding Stars from Judy Neimeyer in a king size as soon as I complete DJ
• Love Entwined 1790 Marriage Coverlet by Esther Aliu after I complete DJ
• Di Ford's Antique Wedding Sampler on impulse when I forget what else I have to do after I complete DJ.

It appears that I am intrigued with the more complex quilt patterns. I have ideas swimming around in my head on how to complete many of the UFO's in my cupboard. Most of them have all the fabrics I need to complete them in project boxes. One of the reasons I did not complete quilts was not having enough of the right fabrics so that is partly why I started buying the rest of the bolts with discount for backgrounds to make sure I had more than enough. This started when I was the purchaser and teacher for the Q@F Dear Jane. We will be having a weekend retreat here at the Farm the end of January with some of the girls working on DJ blocks.

I found out that my 88 year old aunt in Poland is reading my blog to learn more about me and my family here in Canada. So, I will write more about me and my family, my faith, my life on the farm, my journey as a 60 something's doing doctoral studies and why I go to India so often as well as quilting. I might even remember to take photos along the way.

I have yet another project box with all the books, notes and instructions for the current course I am working on for my DCC. It is called "The Normal Christian Life" by Watchman Nee. I had a lot of it done, then I was given a different format in which to do it so have to go back and redo about 1/3 of it. 

New Year's Blessings,
Chris

My First Quilt

The first quilt I ever made was embroidered blocks in a simple setting. It took me about 2 years. I found the patterns for Ruby McKim's Rhymeland in the old farm house I moved into after marrying my sweetheart farmer. His family has lived on this farm for 101 years. The house was built in the early 1840's.

The Rhymeland pattern had been published in a farm newspaper as a block of the week. I did not have a fabric stash back in those days but found a big enough piece of creamy coloured cotton to cut out 20 8 inch squares to get started. I had learned how embroider in 4-H as a young teen and must  have some floss from then. Come to think of it, I had embroidered pictures off  my mother-in-law's teacups thinking I might eventually make a quilt and call it Forster's Tea Party. So, I was dreaming about making quilts even as a new bride in 1971.

I traced the patterns onto the cotton using (gasp) carbon paper. It seemed to work pretty good and it washed out later. I used a blue polycotton (because I did not know any better) for sashing and borders and turned the backing to the front to finish the edges. I completed  it for my son's 2nd birthday. He is 38 now.
I hand quilted around the designs and did 2 rows 1/4 inch apart around the background. I found an ancient wooden quilt frame with tripod corner stands to set it up in. I entered this quilt in our local fair and was so proud to win a 3rd place ribbon out of 3 quilts. Don't snicker. I once was given a 3rd place out of 1 in the class. Judge thought my ties were too far apart on the log cabin quilt I entered several years later.
Blessings,
Chris
http://www.onlinequilter.com/Galleries/RubyMcKim/RhymeLandQuilt/tabid/262/Default.aspx

Boxing Day 2013

Today I phoned my Aunt Albina in Poland to wish her a Merry Christmas. Arranged it with her grandson last night on face book. What did we ever do before facebook? It was through facebook that my family here in Canada made the connection with our family in Poland back in March and I visited there in October.

And to think, the only reason I joined facebook in the first place was for an assignment for a mandatory course called "Church Leadership in the 21st Century" my first year in seminary. I scored a whopping C on the assignment all because I did not know what WiFi was. Guess I am too  old to fully comprehend some things . . .  like  . . . BFF. My 6 year old granddaughter had to educate me on that one. I had to get wireless internet, join facebook and  join the group in order to get the instructions for the assignment. I had my first and only migraine over that assignment. I had just returned home from  a trip to India during reading week Feb 2009. Drove into town to school the next morning and knocked on my faculty advisor's office door at precisely 9:30 am. He looked up, said good  morning and informed me that our meeting was the following week, but since I was there and he had time we had our one and only meeting. Jet lag does interesting things with your brain. I had to get the farm books ready for the accountant to do our taxes that week and double booked him the same hour I was getting my teeth cleaned. I chose the dentist and left my bookkeeper/daughter-in-law to deal with the accountant. Did I mention that I had a research paper due on the Vatican II Council that week?
I worked feverishly over that facebook assignment, mostly trying to figure out how to find the group and the video instructions. Facebook had just changed its format and I was just trying to figure out facebook. I had 2 friends and belonged to 1 group that I could not find. I have a lot more friends now and know how to find my way around until facebook updates changes. Two years later one of the young students educated me on WiFi and the fact that every student at that university had access to free high speed internet simply by signing in with their student number. Now that is another story.

Interesting how easy it is to go off on a tangent . . . ADHD kicking in . . . love it . . .

My Aunt Albina talks about our visit every time some of the family get together. I am told she has a new focus on life. She turned 88 last week. Can hardly wait until I return to visit again in the coming year.
We also had dinner at my son's house today. It was wonderful to have both  my children and their families together.  Watching our 22 month old granddaughter help Grampa unwrap his present. Every bit of paper torn off had to go into the recycle bin immediately. I did take pictures but left the camera there. Oops.
Farmers always have to come home early to do the chores. My daughter and I ended up watching the movie Julie and Julia. I howled throughout as I recalled  my own experiences in college 43 years ago learning how not to make tomato aspic and fry fish as well as recently being challenged to start blogging to work on my writing skills. Now that is yet another story and I am babysitting tomorrow so . . .
Blessings,
Chris

Christmas Day 2013

It's a quiet Christmas Day here at the Farm. Since I am officially retired, I no longer have to get up early to milk cows and rush home quickly after the family dinner to do the night time milking. My Sweetie is  just now doing the evening chores. The cows still need to be fed and milked twice a day. His brother and niece are both on tonight so they can get done early.
Tomorrow we go to our son's house to celebrate with his wife and 3 little girls. Our daughter and her husband are flying in from New Brunswick so we will all be together.Even Great Grandma will be there for 4 generations to celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Some my siblings that live nearby will be joining all of us here at the Farm for a turkey dinner Saturday. It will be simple but a lot of fun. One of my brothers works in a chocolate factory so maybe, just maybe . . . 

CCCQ #2

I completed this block yesterday. It was  much simpler than some. Have I said how much I am enjoying working on these Chester County Criswell Quilt blocks? I think part of the charm is there are so few pieces on each block and colour selection is simplified as I am using just reds and greens from various civil war collections.

 CCCQ #11 

                                                                               

I had originally pinned all these pieces to the wrong side of the background square. This time I started with just the lyre and stitching around the outside first, then the very center opening. I wanted to make sure I got all those openings centered nicely, so did the outside 2. I tried so carefully to cut right through the middle of those skinny strips.

And I got it right first try.

However,
I stitched the first leaf facing out instead of in.
So, now I have to decide if I am going to stitch the rest facing out or be a rebel and have them going in different directions?
Decisions. Decisions.
Time to make supper for my Sweet Farmer. Tonight it is steak. And since I offered to take dessert tomorrow, I guess I will go and make up a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Duncan Hines has a great mix.
Christmas Blessings,
Chris

Winter Ice Storm

This is the view from the west window of my quilt room today. I heard the crack and watched as this 5 inch thick ancient lilac tree an arm's length from the house broke under the weight of the ice early this morning. A few hours later I had the window open to listen for the wind chimes and heard and again watched as the top of one of the big ole pine trees on the left broke off. Several other large limbs lay scattered around the yard. My husband had to take the tractor out to  move broken limbs from the old maples so the milk truck could get in the lane. And to think that winter only arrived yesterday.

I spent part of the day working on a CCCQ block. Power flicked off several times for a few seconds. Enough to mess up the clocks, printer, CD player, microwave, etc. At least we had power all day. Many will be without for a couple of days.
My granddaughter had slept over and we did make chocolate cupcakes. I gave her her Christmas present today and she is starting her very first ever quilt. I know I can teach her to start one, but can I teach her to finish it? I was telling her to pick 2 squares from the Giggles layer cake that were different colours and different designs to, you know, balance the layout.
She says, "Gramma." (in that certain tone) "It's my quilt isn't it? I will choose which colours to put together." She is 6.
Forgot to take a picture.
Christmas Blessings
Chris

CCCQ # 15

If what we do most we do best (according to Brenda Papadakis)  then I should be getting pretty good at doing those tight inside curves. Its the outside curves that are not as smooth as I would like to see them. I am doing this by needle turn with a #10 milliners needle. Maybe a bit more practice will help. There are only 22 more blocks to go.
I really am enjoying this BOM project.
Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ # 6

This was a bit tricky lining up  the green leaves to stitch down then centering the red on top. I thought I had it pretty good, but it was really close where they joined up. Need more practice.
Not sure what the hurry is, but I have only 3 1/2 blocks to finish to be up to date. So much for 1 1/2 blocks per month. The first block of  Just Takes 2 Benjamin Briggs quilt pattern will be release in just 5 days and have to be ready for that one.
Blessings,
Chris

Dear Jane Update

I had completed all the blocks back in June and started joining all the rows end of July, then discovered that I had sewn the top 2 rows on reversed and then I took a month sabbatical from quilting which lasted 19 days then stitched up half a corner kite at a retreat and finally picked it up Tues and got all the rows connected.
There is something about this quilt that keeps me looking at it on the wall, maybe gloating is a better word. I am itching to start on the bright DJ but must first finish this one. Only 40 triangles and 3 1/2 corner kites to go. 

Machine Quilting

This is the Strawberry Chocolate top before quilting. It is a queen size. 

Machine Quilting

I quilt on a Brother Nouvelle 1500S that has a 9.5 x 6 inch throat that allows half a quilt sandwich to pass through easily. I recently bought a craft table to set the machine into so the table is level with the machine allowing the quilt to move through easily. I set up an L shape with 2 long tables to hold the weight of the quilt. I no longer try to roll the thing. It did not want to cooperate that way anyway. I like to have my chair higher than normal so I lean in to my work. I find this more comfortable for my back.
This quilt I call Strawberry Chocolate and I made it on impulse for a wedding present for one of my nephews in Saskatchewan. I found enough fabric in my stash to make the whole thing using only 2 fabrics for the front. From start to finish it took me 10 days. I had to get it completed and on the truck for one of my bothers to deliver to the groom and his bride. I was double booked at another family wedding in New York that weekend. I machine appliqued the raw edges of these Hawaiian style designs and connected them with simple sashing and border. The entire top has about 39 pieces. Lots less than many of the 4 1/2 inch Dear Jane blocks.
I simply outlined each block using the walking foot with #50 Aurifil cream thread and then sewed on the binding. This gave a bit less bulk around the edges and then I quilted until I ran out of time. I do what I call scribbling for a design. I do not yet know how to stipple evenly and feathers are out of  my league right now.
I discovered that I was quilting with 2 dislocated ribs and I guess that might explain why I do not get to the quilting part of quilting. I found a business card (who know how it ever got on my desk) to a wonderful massage therapist that I have been seeing ever since.
Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ #5

I know. It looks like over ripe broccoli. But it is done and I really enjoyed stitching it. Okay. I stitched over the last 2 days while babysitting my 7 month old granddaughter. Pure heaven. She naps. I stitch. She sits in her bouncy chair watching me. I stitch. She goes home at night. I stitch. It's a win-win.

 

Actually, it looks a bit like the geranium leaves that sit on the window here in front of my desk, minus the flowers. Either way, its done.
Blessings,
Chris

JT2 WIP

The colours are from the Jinny Beyer Pallet that I bought 135 different ones when they went on half price at a local discount store. They are tone on tone rather than solid and are more forgiving then solids. The purple block in the center is the one that set me back. I ran into problems with the first attempt. I had ironed freezer paper onto the back and was needle turning under the edges when I ran into trouble getting between the oak leaf and the plume. I tried doing it all in one section and did not have enough fabric to turn under safely and the fabric is a bit loose weave and was fraying. I was just starting to do needle turn and was experimenting with different ways to do it. I like how the freezer paper gives shape and how the #10 milliners needle sweeps under it so nicely.
Anyways, I decided to start all over again and did the whole thing with a fusible but did not like how it felt and besides, I had hand appliqued all the other blocks, so went back to the first attempt, then realized that the square ruler I had cut the background with was only 15 inches not 15 1/2 so it was too small and then realized that the diamonds in the middle were not centered.
So, I did it a third time but did the leaves and plumes in separate units and the whole thing came together beautifully, this time centering the diamonds which are reverse appliqued. Needless to say, I got behind doing the monthly blocks, but did complete this one. I love this block.
Blessings,
Chris

JT2 WIP

I have been taking another look a photo I took last year of all the blocks I have completed and wonder if I can tweak the arrangement  so I can finish it. There are only 3 15" blocks here and I wonder if I can balance it nicely. It certainly is pretty with all those colours. I was thinking of machine quilting it with Baptist fans. Never done that before and it has stressed me somewhat trying to figure out how to do that. I checked out blogs and tutorials and bought a fancy dancy ruler to draw all the curves and even a disappearing pen to mark the lines.This is not the final layout although many of the blocks are sewn into units.

Blessings,

Chris

CCCQ #16

HOORAY !

I completed block #16. This really is a fun, quick block to applique. Thanks Sharon for being kind to us this month. This is a practice run for the block I will be exchanging with Wanda  as soon as I preshrink some nice white background fabric. Anyone else out there in blog land want to swap? I think I know how to do this now. Any block except #13 and #16.

In the meantime, I have been working on several others at the same time. Why is it so hard to stick to one until it is completed?
Blessings,
Chris

WIP

My 6 year old granddaughter came for a sleepover this past weekend and she loves to take pictures. I once found several video clips of a piece of gum sitting on the cutting board.
I prepped several CCCQ blocks and continue to stitch to my hearts content. I am working on several blocks at the same time so no finishes this week.
Blessings,
Chris

Just Takes 2

I had often wondered how quilters found out about free online Blocks of the Month programs and accidentally stumbled upon the Just Takes 2 red and white mystery quilt just 2 days before it was set to start on Jan 1, 2012 and I actually had enough fabric in my stash to start it  that day. This ambitious project was a response to the Infinite Variety quilt show held in New York City a few years ago.                                                                                      www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty_XgIbH1hQ‎

 

I chose to use different colours from the Jinny Beyer Pallet that I had purchased several years earlier when they were on sale for half price and I bought a half yard of every colour, about 135 of them.

This was an opportunity to make individual blocks from both simple and complex patterns. 100 of them no less.

That winter I was taking 3 courses to complete my masters and looking forward to the release of the new blocks twice a month was a fun way to reward myself for getting homework done each day. Turns out that this was a good way to manage the ADHD. I had colour coded all the reading and writing assignments on my calendar and after I checked off completed tasks, I spent an hour cutting out, or stitching up the next block.

In seminary we were expected to read through the entire Bible at least once every year. The day I made the feathered star, which is my favouritest block, I listened to the 12 minor prophets and the entire New Testament. I had not done much paper piecing before taking on this project but Brenda Papadakis told us that what we do most we do best so I started to do more paper piecing. What I did best was un-stitch. I redid one of those star points 7 times before getting it just right, then the next one went in perfectly first try.

Problem is, I eventually graduated, ran into a glitch on a couple of blocks and started on another degree without deadlines. All these blocks got put into a neatly labeled box and are on the shelf with many others awaiting completion. I think there are about 12 blocks left.

But this is not going to stop me dreaming about starting the next Just Takes 2 - The Benjamin Briggs Quilt - set to start Jan 1, 2014. It will run for 25 months. It will be free each month until the next block is released, then it goes into the online shop. I have enough CW reds and almost enough greens to use with a rest-of-the-bolt of unbleached muslin like fabric I bought somewhere last summer. Its going to be a very busy couple of years.    http://sentimentalstitches.net/

Blessings,
Chris
(2018: I call this Serendipity. It is still not finished and is on my 12 ufos for 2018 list. Since then, I have started several other BOM's from Sentimental Stitches like Ben Biggs, Beyond the Cherry Trees, 1857 Album - now being quilted, and Dear Daughter. But I have gotten pretty comfortable with foundation or paper piecing.  This whole pattern is still on sale for  only $10.)

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm dreaming of a quilt Christmas

with every pattern that I see

Sigh . . .

CCCQ #11

Last night I was prepping the next CCCQ block and instead of beginning to stitch on it, I folded it over to put away until another day and discovered that I had carefully measured to center all the pieces and pinned them all to the wrong side of the background. Glad I did not use glue this time.

Not sure how I could have made such an error.
On the left is the print side of the fabric and on the right is the backside.

Blessings,
Chris

Antique Quilt Block

I am sitting here prepping some applique blocks and got to thinking about how I ended up finding the antique princess feather block in Millersburg Ohio in Nov 2011.

Well, it all started when my husband told me that the American Guernsey convention was going to be in Lancaster Pennsylvania in 2010. Says I, "Hey, that's serious quilting country. Take me with you."
So we went and I got to visit some really nice quilt shops and that is where I found the place that sold 15 yard bundles at $2.50 per yard so I bought several. One of them is the background I am using for the CCCQ . It was there that I met Betsy who, when she saw me take out some applique to stitch on after one of several awards dinners, told me she found some old quilts in a blanket box a few years ago when they were doing renovations on their really old farm house. I replied that I would love to see them some day. So, the following year, my husband reminded me about the blanket box find and so I started brainstorming with my Q@F friends an idea to go to the north west corner of Pennsylvania to visit Betsy and see her quilts and as I was looking on the google maps I realized that she lived only 2 hours from Holmes County Ohio. Now I had been to Holmes County a couple of times before and visited some of the quilt shops and thought it  might be fun to visit there again with my friends so we made plans to drive out mid July. In the meantime, my husband had consigned a very special cow to the AGA Convention sale that summer and at the last minute asked me to fly out and meet him in St Louis. I was in the middle of back-to-back summer courses on my masters and, being a good, submissive wife, I skipped part of the last class and flew out to join him, all the while reading a 750 page textbook with more foot notes than text and a 129 page introduction. And it was in the parking lot between the hotel and the banquet hall that I met Amanda Sue, an Amish woman who owned some Guernsey cows, who told me she lives in Millersburg Ohio. Says I, " I am going there next month," so she gave me their business card and invited me to visit her and her husband. The next day, at the cattle sale, I was sitting in the nice air conditioned rental car reading my textbook when Amanda Sue knocked on the window and asked of she could join me. I explained what I was reading and why and she asked me, "If I read that book, would I understand my Bible better?"

Pause . . . for air . . .

"No." I responded. "You would only get more confused because it is a very technical book with lots of Greek that I do not understand and had to read it for marks for the course I was taking and had to complete by the end of the week." I still had 5 papers to write in the next 2 weeks and my husband had blessed me by getting someone else to milk cows every morning so I would have more time to do my school work.
Says he, "I think it might be a good idea for you to take Amanda Sue a Bible when you and your friends drive out there next month." So I got a modern translation Woman's Study Bible and planned to look up Amanda Sue after I completed all 5 papers and my Q@F friends and I drove out to Holmes County and tried to find Amanda Sue but I had left the business card at home and did not remember how to spell her last name. So we drove into Millersburg and stopped in an antique store and asked for help, but were not successful and we gave up looking since we could not find them in the phone book because they did not have a phone because they are Amish and it was raining the next day so we went shopping.
Three months later, I had a Wed class cancelled and packed an overnight bag, 11 commentaries, my laptop, my GPS and Amanda Sue's business card and headed out to Ohio to do a 10 stop quilt shop hop that just happened to be in Holmes County that week. Now, I may not be the sharpest pencil in the box, but it took me until then to realize that I was no longer getting up before 5 every morning to milk cows because I was retired and my husband tells people that he had to hire 6 people to replace me in the barn.
I found Amanda Sue at her beautiful old farm house and had a wonderful visit with her and asked her husband permission to give her the new Bible. They were both delighted, since most of us have difficulty reading a King James Bible. 

And that is how I ended up finding this old quilt block in an antique store in Millersburg Ohio in Nov 2011. (You can read more about it here.)
Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ #15

Its Wednesday and this is what I am doing. I have been working on this block for a while. This is the 3rd attempt at that top left leaf. The first time I got this far before realizing that I had cut in too deeply between the first 2 leaves. I got this far again when I saw that I had positioned the leaf 1/2 inch too close to the center. Now I am this far again and think I might go the distance this time.

I got invited to participate in my very first ever block swap. We are going looking forward to block #16 coming out in a few days. I think it would be fun to do other block swaps. Anyone else out there interested?
Blessings,
Chris

Planting bulbs

It's Nov 26 and a good time to plant spring bulbs. Not sure what the hurry is other than the storm in the Mid West is arriving here in Ontario this evening and planning to dump a lot of snow in the next couple days. Last year I planted them the end of October just before leaving for India for 3 weeks. It was still nice then but I had to pot up and bring in the 25 geraniums that I have been over wintering for years. This year the geraniums were potted up 4 weeks ago. I recall one year planting the bulbs in bare feet and wearing shorts on Jan 4 and then the  -20C cold arrived a few days later. Winter does not arrive as early as it used to. but it certainly does get cold eventually.

Blessings,

Chris

Welcome to my blog

I am a new blogger and still trying to figure things out. I have been blogging since Sept and have found it quite exciting so far . . . almost as exciting as starting a new quilt . . .

The first time I ever heard the word quilt was when I was a teen. The first time I ever saw a real quilt was in college way back in 1970-71 where I was studying home economics at Kemptville College of Agricultural Technology in preparation for real life. One of my class mates, Sheila Gorman, had appliqued a Colonial Girls quilt top and submitted it for one of our classes. I had knitted a scarf for the very first time. I was rather proud of myself for finally learning how to knit. But the quilt . . . this intrigued me. I found this quilt in St Jacob's  a few years ago. It has found a home on the ancient brass bed in my Blue Room in my 1840's farmhouse.

I bought my very first quilt book 3 years later. I think I learned the most from this one book. It certainly got me dreaming about making sampler quilts with a theme, like Bible Blocks or Rose of Sharon variations. Problem was, all the blocks were in different sizes and I did not know how to figure them out. Life came along and many years later I discovered that this very same book inspired Rosemary Makhan to design and make themed sampler quilts she is so famous for. I took a couple of courses with her and fell in love with drafting my own blocks. Originally I drew out layouts on the backs of envelopes and then graph paper. Now EQ7 is one of my favourite places to play.   http://quiltsbyrosemary.blogspot.ca/

 This book also introduced me to collecting old quilts. One of my favourites is the Double Wedding Ring. I had planned for years to make my own and started collecting hundreds of 1930's reproduction prints in preparation for the day when I would finally get around to starting it. Well, before I ever got started I found this hand pieced quilt top in an antique store in Millersburg Ohio. The tag attached says it came from an estate sale in Virginia. It hangs out on the former king size waterbed in the White Room until a guest comes along. Not sure if I will ever get around to quilting it. If I do, someone might sleep under it.

Blessings,

Chris

Confessions of an ADHD Quiltaholic

17 reasons that I suspect I may possibly be a bit ADHD

A few weeks ago I was told to look up the attributes of adult ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. As I read, I couldn't help but see myself in the articles and the realization that I was not alone. This helped me to  better understand why I do some of the things that I do and why I do not do some of the things that I do not do. And because I have chosen quilting to be the the thing that I am most obsessive about, I see the attention deficit and the hyperactivity played out in  my quilt room. Okay, it is evident in other areas of  my life, but this blog post is about quilting.

Here are 17 reasons to suggest that this quilter just might be a bit ADHD. Why 17? No particular reason, except that I think it is a great prime number. There are lots more symptoms on the list but this is not a psychological research paper, although the more I study counseling the  more I am convinced that quilting should be on the official counseling theories list.

1. Creative.
Quilters are extremely creative. Just think about the beautiful works of art and bed covers quilters have created with needle and thread on fabric over the last 200-300 years. Those who are right brain functioning, the ones who do not follow the rules, who colour outside the lines using the rainbow for a colour pallet, they are the ones who create new designs and patterns. Those of us who are more left brain, follow the rules the quilt police have established. I like sampler quilts with neat rows and columns, balance and symmetry and I am colour challenged when it comes to choosing colours for a new project.

2. Impulsive.
Quilters love to start new projects. We sign up for classes to make the newest patterns and learn the newest techniques and buy the newest gadgets and the newest collections of fabric. I start new projects with great energy and excitement to the exclusion of all else. I love to have several projects on the go. As a left brained colour challenged quilter, I have difficulty deciding which colours to pull together, so I love fat quarter bundles. I buy lots, especially when they are on sale. I have a project in mind for every collection I have purchased. Not sure how much I need for a background? Buy the whole bolt. Most shops give a discount if you finish the bolt.

3. Disorganized.
All that fabric I buy has to be put somewhere. I once had a quilt teacher who cataloged every piece of fabric she bought in several notes book listing how much yardage she had, where she bought it and how much she paid for it. Mostly I just quickly stash the bags in the closet, under the table, or in the laundry awaiting preshrinking. Not  everyone has a room designated specifically for quilting like me, except that I have two rooms and a hall closet. I used to set up my machine on the kitchen table in days gone by, but we did have to eat everyday, somewhere. 

4.  Forgetful.
Because I am somewhat disorganized, I misplace many gadgets or cannot remember where they are, so I buy more. I do not remember what is in my stash so I buy more. When I have had to de-clutter and organize my work space, I put projects into neat boxes, labeled, with all the fabric and patterns needed to complete the quilt. I have come to realize that if I cannot see it . . . it does not exist . . . therefore . . . it is easy to forget how many (37 . . . no wait . . . I started 2 new ones last month) un-finished quilts I have and start a new one with great energy and excitement. Therefore, in order to not forget, I have a notebook that lists every quilt I have ever started, when I started it, when I completed it and who I gave it to. Just so I do not forget, I often pull it out and review or re-write the list and then get overwhelmed at how many unfinished quilts I have, so I write a list of  which quilts I am going to finish in the coming year, one per month seems like a reasonable goal.

5. Easily distracted.
I often have an inability to focus and stay attentive.

6. Obsessive.
I tend to focus on one thing and forget about everything else. I see cute cartoony pictures on facebook that make fun of our quilting obsessions and yet, it really is not funny when I add them all the up and realize how many describe me and my behaviours. I scored 20 on the ADHD-I list.

7.  Extreme mental activity.
There are so many nights I lay awake drafting a pattern, systematically organizing how I will approach teaching how to make the blocks or how I would re-orgaanize my bookshelves and quilting room and then replay the same scenario over and over. I would sit for hours at a time looking at the Dear Jane quilt on my design wall and how I would approach some of the blocks on my next bright coloured one. Sometimes I think I spend more time thinking about the process than it would actually take to do it.

8.  Substance abuse.
Pretty much anything with sugar in it . . . and chocolate . . . or buying more books . . . or fabric . . . or gadgets . . .

9. Inability to complete projects.
It's not that I do not complete quilts, but rather that I take on some of the more challenging projects like Dear Jane. I impulsively invited several friends to join me in the journey of making this quilt four years ago and it is purely coincidental that I impulsively started a masters in theological studies at the same time, went to India four times that year and attended my son's wedding, on time, all the while milking cows every day and then started my first Baltimore quilt. I did graduate last year and impulsively started a doctor of Christian counseling program, but only after retiring from milking. Sometimes I forget all that I have on the go and dream of starting a new quilt.

10.  Procrastination.
I have come to realize that in my fear of failure, of not doing it good enough, of possibly being criticized for less than perfection, I avoid the pain of thinking about the pain that is involved with trying to do too much at the last minute and wait until the last minute and then do the thing poorly in a hurry and then criticize myself for doing such a poor job of something that I know I am good at. So . . . I procrastinate . . . I started this post  2 months ago and kept putting off completing it. Also, I cannot function in the clutter . . . but am too disorganized to know how to bring order to that clutter. . .  so I will go and read blogs or play games and avoid doing anything useful or, plan to start a new quilt.

11.  Anxiety issues.
This kind of mentality is a great environment for anxiety issues and has led me to depression. I could avoid a lot of stress if I learned how to pace myself and actually followed the detailed, colour coded to do lists I write for myself.

12. Verbal hyperactivity.
I have been told that I do not have ADHD because I do not physically bounce off the walls in hyper activity.
I can go off on verbal tangents as I engage in hyperactive dialogue, or rather monologue. I have come to realize that I love an audience of one. But then, sometimes I am the only one talking . . . about my favourite topic . . . me . . . and what I am doing.

13.  Low self esteem.

14.  Financial stress.
My husband seldom ever looks at the Visa statement, but one day recently he asked what did this mean? paypalpaypalpaypalpaypal? for  . . . what is this? $900? I pay off the credit card every month, pay no interest and travel the world with the airmiles our farm business collects. I am not stressed financially, but I sure could be the way I spend money on fabric and books, forgetting what I bought the day before. And, I love sales and freebies. My downloads file is filled with hundreds of free patterns.

15. Sleep disorders.
Extreme mental activity, anxiety issues, substance abuse . . . it isn't any wonder that I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

16. Poor time management.
Quilters with ADHD tend to be goal oriented and tend to create such unrealistic goals and lists that we cannot follow them through, so we start a new quilt . . . because . . . it is exciting.

17. Creative.
Quilters are extremely creative. Just think about the beautiful works of art and bed covers quilters have created with needle and thread on fabric over the last 200-300 years. Those who are right brain functioning, the ones who do not follow the rules, who colour outside the lines using the rainbow for a colour pallet, they are the ones who create new designs and patterns. Those of us who are more left brain, follow the rules the quilt police have established. We like sampler quilts with neat rows and columns, balance and symmetry and are colour challenged when it comes to choosing colours for a new project. Some quilters start and complete one project at a time. Not me. I love the energy and the adrenalin rush of starting yet another new quilt project.

Bless your heart,
Chris

CCCQ #10

This was a fun block to stitch up. I prepped it with freezer paper ironed to the wrong side of red fabric from the Dear Jane 2 collection. I tried something a bit different and did not like it so will not do it again. For years I have done applique by gluing under the seam allowances and more recently started needle turning over the freezer paper with out gluing first. However, turning those wretched, tiny inside curves has been challenging me on this project. I have done a gzillion melons on my Civil War Dear Jane quilt, but they are mostly outside curves and points. I found it difficult to continue turning under where I came to the part that was glued and could not turn under a smooth curve. This might sound like babbling but I understand it.

I have been thinking about what I might write into the centers of each of the 31 blocks that will eventually make up this quilt. This block of the month is the Chester County Criswell Quilt that was originally made as a wedding quilt in 1852 from http://www.twobitspatches.com/ . Each of the family members that stitched up original designs signed their names in the centers. I might write some of my family members names. Just a thought. One advantage of doing straight up needle turn is I do not have to go back and remove the papers from inside.
Blessings,
Chris 

Canadian Blogathon

Today is the first day of the Canadian Blogathon and the first time I am participating. I am a new blogger and still trying to figure things out. I plan to visit as many blogs as I can this week. I have thought about doing a giveaway, except not sure how that works other than writing out everyone's name and pulling one out of a hat.
I have been working on my first Dear Jane quilt for 4 years now. The center 169 blocks are all completed and I think the rows are all joined together.




This whole bunch of fabrics is patiently waiting in a box ready to make DJ2 as soon as the first is completed. I am hoping to find a few other quilters who want to take the journey with me.

Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ # 9 again

It is Monday and I am working on some CCCQ blocks as I babysit my youngest granddaughter -oh joy oh bliss.
I stitched up the first edition of this block while visiting family in Poland last month and gave it to my 88 year old aunt who helped me stitch it. I took several prepped blocks with me while visiting my daughter in New Brunswick last week.
I like to keep my hands busy and applique is much more satisfying then chewing off all my nails.
Blessings,
Chris

My Mommy

It is Remembrance Day here in Canada. Every year on November 11 we remember those who died in war and those who survived fighting for the freedom that we enjoy as a way of life. I have not always honoured this special day, however, since visiting  my mother's place of birth last month, l have a new appreciation and awe of the heroic woman I called Mom. 

My Mother was 13 years old in Sept 1939 when the Germans began occupying Poland. She dropped out of school and spent the next 5 years living in the midst of all the atrocities committed against the Polish people, especially the 350,000 Jews  most of whom were put to death for no other reason than they were Jewish. As I was driven through what used to be the Jewish Getto in wartime Warsaw  last month, I could not help but recall the scenes from the movie "Shindler's List" that was made in black and white to use actual film footage of the time.

When my sister and I met relatives in Poland for the very first time last month, we were taken to the Museum of the Warsaw Rising 1944 where we made a very emotional journey through each of the 63 days that the citizens of Warsaw rose up and defied the German armies. I spent 3 hours looking for her face in the many photos and film clips. Most of the insurgents as they were called died and the city of Warsaw was destroyed and burned.  http://vimeo.com/16582392 

My 18 year old mother was among the 1000 who survived and among the thousands of Poles who spent the rest of the war in prison camps. An actual footage movie will be coming out next year to commemorate the 70th anniversary.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2397873/Warsaw-Uprising-colour-Black-white-photos-turned-incredible-feature-movie.html

She met my soldier father when  he was taking food to her refugee camp. You see, he was a butcher and had served as a cook in the army. He made the most phenomenal Polish sausage and bigos. They were married soon after and were given the opportunity to to move to any commonwealth county of their choice. They chose Canada.

My 20 year old mother was 7 months pregnant, with a toddler in tow, when she arrived at  Pier 21 in  Halifax where all those who immigrated to Canada first made port. My parents bought a small farm near Brantford Ontario. Five more babies arrived in the years to come. My mother never returned to her place of birth. She died at age 73.

I have chosen to honour my mother's memory each year at this remembrance time. She is more a hero to me now than ever before. I wish she was alive today so I could hug her and tell her how much I love her.

Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ #15

Its Wednesday and this is the block I am working on today.
This is block #15 of the Chester County Criswell Quilt originally made by family members as a wedding quilt in 1852. Part of the charm is that it was made 100 years before I was born and my father's name was Chester.
I am enjoying doing the hand applique. For this block I cut the oak leaf shape out of freezer paper,  ironed it onto a piece of civil war red fabric and traced around it with a fixion pen. This pen marking is supposed to disappear when heated. We shall see.

I am cutting away the extra fabric around the seam allowance until it is time to change direction.
I use a #10 milliner's or straw needle to turn under the seam allowance, press it with my thumb and take 2-3 tiny stitches then repeat. I am getting the outy curves turned under nicely, however, the small inside curves are challenging my skills at this point. As Brenda Palidakis of dearjane.com states: "What we do most we do best".

Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ #7

I had prepped this block a month ago and stitched it up yesterday during Q@F and later while avoiding doing any real work.
I am packing my bags to go visit my daughter for a couple of weeks. I have 3 blocks, net book, journal, oh yes, and 2 textbooks to do some schoolwork. For some reason I get more homework done there. Might have something to do with being away from my quilt room.

It is my granddaughter's 6th birthday this week so what better gift than a tea cup from Poland.

The 5 fat quarters here are the colours for the Trend-Tex Challenge  for Quilt Canada 2014. The theme this year is Modern Ways. I love the idea  of the challenge, but original creativity is not my cup of tea.

Blessings,
Chris

Antique Block

This is a 30" hand appliqued block I picked up in an antique store in Ohio 2 years ago. I paid about $20 for it. The  note attached to it reads:

Oak Leaf

Made by Mary Kimball 

Clarendon Vt.

1860-1880

My sources identify this block as a Princess Feather. Whatever name it is given, it is a remarkable work of art. The stitching is done with white thread at 14-15 stitches (not counting gaps) stitches to the inch.
She used a tiny whip stitch that is very hard to see. The fabric is finer than the cottons we use today and the thread looks finer than what we use today. This may account for the finer stitching. The seam allowance is turned under at a scant 3/8 of an inch or less in some places. And, yes, she did make tiny cuts in the inside curves to turn a very, very smooth curve. Where the 8 stems all come together in the center, she pieced the points together before appliqueing the whole thing to the ground. There are no ripples, no pleats, no tucks. This was done by a truly gifted needlewoman. I can only aspire to such needlework.

Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ #13

I completed block #13.
I prepped blocks 1 & 9 again this time using the same format I did for this block. I like how with the needle turn technique, I can turn under enough seam allowance between those narrow leaves and then not have to remove any freezer paper or deal with any glue. I have been using glue and freezer paper for applique for about 20 years. I am flying out to New Brunswick to visit my daughter next week  and I like the simple one piece block where I do not have to do any thinking for a take along project.

Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ #4

 I joined the Chester County Criswell Quilt Block of the Month at the beginning of year 2  which put me a whole 12 blocks behind, so, I figured that I could make 1 1/2 blocks per month and still finish when the final block is revealed somewhere around July 2015. Yeah, right. This month I completed block #9 and gave it away to my 88 year old aunt who helped me stitch on it. I had #1 partly stitched up and gave it to an artistic cousin  in Poland who got really excited about it. I am still working on the squigglies on block #13. AND, I have completed block #4.

Those little reverse appliqued  squigglies have really challenged me. I ironed freezer paper to the back of the block and basted it to the background. I then needle turned the edges under using a #10 milliners needle. I like the longer needle for turning under as it is easier for these arthritic fingers to manipulate successfully. However, the seam allowances were a bit too scant and it was challenging to turn under enough fabric without raw edges peeking out. Also, the freezer paper was not sticking therefore some of them were moving.

I took 7 threaded needles to Poland with me and came home with 2. One I gave to my cousin along with the spool of matching thread. I am sure the others will show up somewhere.

Blessings,
Chris

Visit to Poland

I traveled to Poland 2 weeks ago to meet my father's younger sister and her family for the very first time ever. We made a connection through facebook back in March after one of  my brothers posted a wedding picture of our parents looking for family.
Czeslaw and Halina met in 1945 after WWII and were married Feb 9, 1946 and moved to Canada in 1948.
His sister Albina was only 10 when he left home in 1935 and she saw him for 1 day when he returned to Poland only once in 1966 to see his mother who died a few months later. Halina died at age 73 in 1999 and Czeslaw in 2001 at age 81.
Halina never returned to the land of her birth.

So,  my 88 year old Aunt Albina is a real fire cracker. I pulled out my CCCQ blocks the first morning and she asked me to show her what I was doing . . . perhaps another quilting convert. When asked why I did this stitching thing, I replied that I liked to keep my  hands busy . . . an alternative to chewing off all my nails.
She stitched on this block for a while then commented her glasses weren't very good then stitched some more and again commented about her glasses. She stitched from left to right and I stitch from right to left.

Anyway, by the end of the week I finished the thing, removed the freezer paper to her wonder and amazement and then gave it to her as a gift. Not sure what she will eventually do with it, but it pleased her to receive it.
When I asked if I could go shopping to a fabric store, I was first taken to a store selling curtain materials, then to another selling upholstery material and finally to a tailor shop. I'm not sure quilting is a well known craft in Warsaw at this point, at least in my family there.

Blessings,
Chris

New Quilt Progress

I have been out of the country for 2 weeks and had prepared the following post before I left. 

However, I was not allowed in to my blog from a foreign internet provider.

So, now I am home and plan to catch up on a few things quilty. 

This is the progress so far on my new quilt. 

I started it Oct 1, 2013 by drafting a quick outline to get the dimensions.

This will be the border of the 35" on point center medallion. 

I used the Go cutter and those squares finish 3".

My excitement for this project will have to be quelled for a couple of weeks. 

I can wait.  

Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ Perspective

 I have most of this block done except for the 8 squigglies that go around the center.
This block will finish at 24" square and is the largest single block I have appliqued and have learned a few things.

• The angle at which you take the picture can make all the difference in how it looks when posted.
• Centering the pattern on a print is a good idea.
• Centering the pattern on an uneven print is not always easy to do.

 

• It is a good idea to be careful when outlining the center of the pattern as it will show every mistake when stitched.
• It is difficult to see a blue Frixion pen marking on a red and gold print especially when you forget to mark part of it.
• It is easy to make mistakes when reverse appliqueing a center when you cannot see the markings clearly.
• I will redo the lower left corner of the center because that is the only thing I can see on this block for now.

Otherwise, I am really quite happy with the whole thing. I am off to Poland tomorrow to meet with relatives for the very first time ever and will be gone for 2 weeks. I have prepped several blocks to take with me to work on. These ones have freezer paper ironed onto the back. I glued under some of the seam allowances and will needle turn other parts.

 When I get back from Poland, I will be going to the Quilt Farm www.quiltfarm.net for a retreat I had organized last winter. Cannot miss the opportunity to be locked away in a quilt shop for a whole weekend with my bestest quilting friends. I will be working on Dear Jane corner kites.

Blessings,
Chris