Country Quilts

New Book Preview

2012-03-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

After the cold and snow of the past few days, I needed something to lift my spirits. When I opened my email this morning there was a message from Mary Flynn, an amazingly talented woman who quilted most of the projects in my upcoming book, At Home with Country Quilts. She told me she'd found the book posted at Martingale's website and now you can see it too! I'm so excited! Please check it out and tell me what you think!

Ever-blooming Daffodils--a tutorial

2012-03-04T13:15:00.001-08:00

Spring certainly can't come soon enough for me!

If you feel the same way, you can speed up its arrival in your home by making a bunch of these fabric daffodils.

Cut a 4 1/2" square of muslin.

Fold in half and sew the long edges together with a 1/4" seam.

Turn the piece right side out until the raw edges meet at the bottom, forming a little tube.

Copy this template onto graph paper and cut out.

Pin the template to a double layer of muslin and sew all the way around it.

Trim the muslin 1/4" outside of the stitching.
Square off the points and clip into the curves.

Separate the muslin layers and carefully make a tiny cross incision through one of the layers.

Turn the shape right side out through this opening.
I used a pointy chopstick to get into the points.

Make gathering stitches about 1/4" from the raw edges of the tube.

Gather tightly and knot off.

Insert the gathered edge of the tube into the little hole in the daffodil.
Turn the edges of the hole to the inside and stitch the tube to the folded edges.

Thin some antique gold paint with a little water and paint the entire daffodil, starting with inside the tube.

When dry, sand gently with fine sandpaper.

Separate the layers of fabric and carefully cut a tiny horizontal slit into just the back layer.

Drip some hot glue into the hole.

Immediately insert a stick into the hole and up into the petal.

And that's it!
Enjoy your ever-blooming spring daffodils!

Another Spring Chick

2012-02-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

Here's another quick and easy idea to add a bit of spring to your home.
Make a few of these little egg-shaped chicks,

hot-glue one to the center of an old jar lid,

and stuff some spanish moss in around it!

You can download the chick pattern at Patternmart.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Free Pattern - Spring Chick Table Mat

2012-02-13T10:56:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining, my bulbs are starting to poke their leaves through the soil, and it's starting to feel a lot like spring. Hurray! (I hate winter, can you tell?)

So I thought I'd share a little table mat you can make to celebrate the promise of new life that spring brings.

All you need to make this is two 8" squares of green felt, a 6" square of light yellow felt, and a scrap of gold felt. (I used National Nonwoven's Reet's Relish, Native Maize, and Butternut Squash.) Plus embroidery floss to match (I used DMC 676, 730, 782, and black) and some freezer paper.

Trace the following template onto graph paper and then onto the dull side of the freezer paper.

Iron the freezer paper onto the felt and cut out 2 mat shapes and 6 chick and beak shapes. Whip stitch the beaks onto the chicks with 1 strand of matching floss. Use 2 strands of black floss to make French knots for the eyes. Pin the chicks onto one of the mat shapes and whip stitch each into place with 1 strand of matching floss. Pin the 2 mat shapes together and blanket stitch around the outside edge with 2 strands of matching floss.

Voila! How simple was that?

Happy spring everyone!

New Patterns to Download!

2012-01-25T16:08:00.000-08:00

Over the years some of my patterns have been published in different quilt magazines. In case you missed them, I've added them to my inventory for you to purchase. Here they are:

This first pattern measures 40" square. It's called "Starry Glow" and was published in McCall's Quick Quilts in 2004. It even made the cover!!!

The second quilt is called "Maple Leaf Weave". It measures 51" square and was also published in McCall's Quick Quilts, in 2003.

And this one is called "Everything's Coming Up Roses". It was published in The Canadian Quilter in 2006 and measures 38" x 38".

All of these patterns are available for instant download at these links: Patternmart and Patternspot.

I'll also be adding them to the New Patterns page of my website this week.

Valentine Gift Bag Tutorial

2012-01-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick project you can whip up in time for Valentine's Day. First, find an image you want to print onto some muslin. I found this one at The Graphics Fairy . There are lots of tutorials online to show you how to print pictures onto fabric, such as this one here. Print your picture onto a piece of muslin.

Trim away the excess fabric, 1/4" from the picture.

Cut out a piece of backing fabric and 2 pieces of lining fabric, the same size as the piece of fabric with the picture. Right sides together and with a 1/4" seam, sew the lining pieces to the top of the picture piece and the backing piece.

Press the seams in opposite directions and "butt" them together, with the right sides of the fabric pieces on the inside.

If you want, you can add some batting to the bag, to give it a bit of weight. Cut 2 pieces of cotton batt 1/4" shorter than the other pieces, so they line up with the seam and pin on the top and underneath the backing and picture pieces.

Starting at the short end of the lining pieces, sew a 1/4" seam around the entire piece, ending your stitching a couple of inches from where you started so that you have an opening for turning. Clip all corners.

Pull the bag through the opening (I use a pointy chopstick to get into all the corners). Hand-stitch the opening closed and push the lining back into the bag.

Poke a little hole near the top of the side seams and insert a length of rusty wire. Twist the ends to secure.

Fill the bag with gifts for your sweetie--chocolates, a candle, dried flowers, whatever.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

And thanks to all of you for your words of comfort, following my previous blog. They were all so very much appreciated.

A Calendar for 2012 and a sad Goodbye

2012-01-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hi and welcome to 2012!

It was maybe a year ago when my friend Vero from Born to Quilt in France

asked me if I'd like to contribute a pattern for a 2012 calendar,

along with a few other designers.

Well, yeah!

This was the amazing result.

We each designed a placemat and a coaster.

The designers are Lynette Anderson from Australia,

Veronique Requena from France,

Polly Minick from the USA,

and Renee Plains, also from the USA.

(I can't believe I'm in such amazing company!)
Can you guess which one is mine?

If you chose this one, you're right!

I'm Miss September.

And here's my placemat for October.
We also each submitted a favourite recipe.

Here's a sneak peek at January.

I have a few left that I'd like to sell for $10 each plus shipping.

They measure 15" x 22" and are printed on very high-quality paper.

Here's the catch--everything is in FRENCH,

including the pattern and recipe instructions.

But if you want a gorgeous calendar to look at, just email me.

First come, first served.

Christmas 2011 was very difficult.

My amazing, beautiful mom passed away unexpectedly on December 24th,

at the age of 82.

In her life she made thousands of baby blankets and diapers to be sent to children overseas,

and with each one she said a prayer for the child who would receive it.

She left a wonderful legacy but I love and miss her so much.

An Early Christmas Gift

2011-12-20T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hey, look what just arrived on my front porch!

My page proofs from my second book with Martingale--

now titled, At Home with Country Quilts.

Guess what I'll be doing over the holidays!

Can't wait!

Blog Hop Giveway Winner

2011-12-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of you who left such kind comments about our blog hop!

I put all your names in a basket...

My daughter selected one lucky name...

And the winner is (drum roll please)...

Congratulations Laurie!

And to all of you, have a wonderful Christmas!!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop--The End

2011-12-10T13:05:00.001-08:00

Well, here it is, the last day of our first Canadian designers' blog hop! I hope you've enjoyed meeting this amazing group of talented women and making their free patterns and recipes as much as I have. So today it's my turn and I've designed a quick and easy project to use some of those extra pine needles you have after trimming your tree. It's a little sachet called "Christmas at the Cabin" and measures 6 1/2" x 6 1/2".

For my recipe, I had to share these Peanut Butter Balls. I found the recipe in a newspaper about 35 years ago and have made them pretty much every year since. A warning--they are highly addictive!

And as a little Christmas gift to you, I'm having a give-away--your choice of up to 2 yards of free fabric (sorry, not wool) from my website, www.countryquilts.ca. This can be in any combination--2 yards of one fabric, fat quarters of 8 different fabrics, or anything in between, as long as I have the amount in stock. All you need to do is be a follower of this blog (you can sign up today if you want) and leave a comment about the blog hop before noon Pacific Standard Time on Saturday, December 17th. The winner will be selected at random and notified Saturday afternoon and I'll post the winner's name on Sunday, December 18th. Good luck!

Have a wonderful Christmas and don't forget to go to the next page for the free pattern and the recipe!

Christmas at the Cabin Sachet

What You’ll Need

6” x 12” piece of light fabric cut in 1” wide strips (I used Primitive Muslin by Moda for a tea-dyed look.)
Scraps of dark fabric (green, rust, black) cut in 1” wide strips
Scraps of brown and green wool cut in ¼” wide strips
2” square of gold wool
Brown, green, gold thread
5/8” wide black rick-rack
7” square of osnaburg or other backing fabric
Pine needles or potpourri

Finished size: 6 ½” x 6 ½”

Please read through all directions before beginning.
All seams are ¼”. Fabrics are sewn right sides together, unless otherwise indicated.

Log Cabin Blocks (finished size: 3 ½”; make 4)

From light fabric cut:
(1) 1” x 5” strip
From green fabric cut:
(1) 1” x 5” strip
Stitch together lengthwise. Press seam toward the dark strip.
Cut crosswise every 1”, making 4 center pieces. Discard excess.

Sew a dark strip to the center squares like this:

Trim even. Press towards the dark strip.

Sew a light strip to the right and then to the top of the squares, trimming and pressing after each.

Continue counter-clockwise around the square, sewing 2 dark strips, then 2 light strips, and finally 2 dark strips to the square. You should have 4 log cabin squares, each measuring 3 ½”.

Sew together in pairs like this:

Sew the pairs together like this:

Wool Appliqué

Cut the strip of brown wool to 4 ½” long and center it vertically on the block.
Make a running stitch with brown thread up the middle.
Cut the strips of green wool to the following lengths: ¾”, 1 ¼”, 1 ¾”, 2 ¼”, 2 ¾”.
Center the strips from shortest to longest across the brown strip.
(Use the seams as a guide for placement.)
Make a running stitch with green thread across the middle of each strip.
Use the template to cut a star from the gold wool.

Use a simple up and down stitch with gold thread to stitch it to the top of the tree.

Finishing

Pin the rack rack to the right side of the block, having the outside curves just touching the edges.
Make little pleats at the corners.
Center the block right side down on the 7” osnaburg square and pin in place.
(I’ve made the backing square a bit bigger than the log cabin square to allow for shifting.)
The rick rack should be sandwiched in the middle of the layers.

Stitch around the log cabin block, ¼” in from the edge, leaving about 2” open at the bottom.
Turn right side out through the opening.
If the trim looks okay, trim the excess rick rack.
Fill with needles from your tree or your favourite Christmas potpourri.
Hand stitch the opening closed.

ENJOY!

Peanut Butter Balls

Makes about 150

1 cup margarine (softened)

4 oz cream cheese (softened)
4 cups icing sugar
1 pound smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups milk chocolate coating wafers (I find these in the bulk foods section of my supermarket)

Cream margarine and cream cheese together until smooth.

Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix until well blended.
Add icing sugar 1 cup at a time and stir until not sticky.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Take a teaspoonful of the mixture and warm in your fist.
Roll into a 1” ball and place on wax paper.

(I like to make batches of about 2 dozen at a time—these things are just too tempting to have a fridge full of them!)

Recover the remaining filling and put back in fridge.

Melt 1 cup of the chocolate wafers in a small bowl in the microwave for about 2 minutes at medium power. Stir until smooth. Drop a ball into the chocolate and swirl with a teaspoon until covered.

Lift out the ball with the spoon and set it down on a wax paper lined cookie sheet, finishing with a swirl. When the chocolate has hardened, place the cookie sheet in the fridge.

Enjoy as needed!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop

2011-12-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hi and welcome back to our blog hop! This week I'm happy to introduce my friend Sue Jensen of Quilted Escapes. Sue lives less than an hour away from me. We met several years ago before her first trip to Market and have done so many times since then. She's not only a fellow quilt designer but a close friend. For our blog hop, Sue has designed an adorable snowman candle-mat and is sharing a recipe for snowball cookies. Click on her link (above) to get to her blog.

Have a great week and we'll see you next Sunday for the last stop on our blog hop!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop Week 7

2011-11-27T16:43:00.000-08:00

Hi and welcome back on this first Sunday of Advent! Today we're back in beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada, featuring designer Susan Purney Mark. Susan, together with partner Daphne Greig (who we featured on October 23rd, the second week of our bloghop) make up the Patchworks Studio team. Susan is also an author and teacher and has helped me out at Market many times. She and Daphne have also hosted several quilting cruises--definitely on my someday bucket list! She's sharing a fun project with you today on her blog, susanpm.blogspot.com. If you're looking for something to do with the kids or grandkids over the holidays, make sure to check it out! Plus, there's a recipe for a yummy Christmas breakfast.

Make sure to come back next week for our second last featured designer! Can't believe how the time is flying!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop - Week 6

2011-11-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

Hi and welcome to Week 6 of the Canadian Christmas Blog Hop! This week we're introducing Jean Boyd, another wonderful designer from Ontario. I've met Jean for dinner a few times after a long day at Quilt Market. She's an amazing person and supremely knowledgeable about quilting. She was named "Canadian Teacher of the Year" in 2003 by the Canadian Quilters Association and has won numerous awards for her quilts. Visit her blog, http://jeanboyduppercanadaquiltworks.blogspot.com/ to download your free pattern for a memory quilt and a delicious recipe for cranberry relish.

Have a great week and check back next Sunday when we feature another Canadian quilt designer!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop--Week 5

2011-11-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

Hi and welcome to Week 5 of our Canadian Christmas Blog Hop! It's hard to believe we're already half-way through! Today we introduce Maria Hrabovsky of Maria Michaels Designs. Maria has designed a quick and easy pattern for Christmas hot pads for you to download and shares a recipe for pumpkin cookies.

I hope you're enjoying meeting these designers from all over Canada! Come back next week!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop Day 4

2011-11-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

Thanks again for joining us! I hope you're loving the variety of project styles as much as I am. Today's featured quilter is Kathy K Wylie, from Ontario. Kathy is an international award-winning quilter, author, and teacher. I am in awe of her work. While you're visiting her blog, make sure to check out her Home and Gallery pages to see some jaw-dropping quilts. The free pattern she's designed is called "Spinning Star", a project that can be created in a variety of ways, including trapunto, appliqued, quilted, and beaded. Plus, her recipe for tourtiere, a French-Canadian dish, looks scrumptious! Thanks Kathy for sharing with us!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop Day 3

2011-10-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the third Sunday of the Canadian Christmas Blog Hop! We've travelled across the country to Nova Scotia on the east coast to bring you today's featured designer, Benita Skinner of Victoriana Quilt Designs. Click on the link for a free Christmas ornament pattern and a recipe for yummy domino bars.

Have a safe and happy Halloween everyone!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop - Day 2

2011-10-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Canadian Christmas Blog Hop! Our second featured designer is Daphne Greig from Patchworks Studio. Daphne lives on beautiful Vancouver Island and has written several books on stained glass quilting and give-and-take applique. Together with Susan Purney Mark, she has been designing since 1996. For our blog hop, Daphne has created an elegant table runner pattern and has shared her recipe for a yummy Christmas breakfast. You can see more of her work on her website, patchworkstudio.com.

Martingale Photo Shoot

2011-10-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

My second book with Martingale is due out next June!

A few weeks ago, I received a letter from them saying they'd like to start photographing the quilts in their offices in Bothell, WA, (about 2 hours south of where I live), and they wondered whether I'd be interested in having some of my primitives used as props in the photos. Well, yeah!

So I sent them photos of some of the stuff around my house, like this:

They emailed me back with their choices.
I loaded them into my car, drove down this week, and brought them into the studio.

Lights,

camera,

action!

My quilts were waiting in line...

for Brent, the photographer, (aka "the quilt whisperer") to work his magic.

Sometimes other equipment was used to give the desired effect.

A tripod was used to adjust a quilt, just so.

And sometimes a quilt needed a quick pressing.

After seeing all the work involved in getting the photos just right, I'll never look at pictures in quilt magazines and books the same way again!

(No wonder my recipes never look like the photographs!)

So when my book comes out next summer, check out the props, as well as the quilts!

The quilts were photographed in a day (which I'm told is pretty fast)

and the next morning Regina (the production manager) and Brent worked on some cover shots.

In between, I had time to wander the offices.
Even the lunch room has quilt designs on the floor!

Halloween pumpkins were parked in the aisles.

Who wouldn't love an office with beautiful quilts around every corner?

Look at the machine quilting on this one!

It was so much fun to visit there again!
Thanks, Martingale, for being such a wonderful company to work with.

The Canadian Christmas Blog Hop has begun!

2011-10-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

Oh, I'm so excited! My friend Dougal Walker of The Freckles Collection has posted a wonderful little ornament pattern and CUTE Christmas cookies on her blog. You have to check it out!
Dougal is my mentor and friend. Ten years ago, when I was first thinking of publishing my patterns, a quilt shop owner suggested I contact Dougal since she'd been designing patterns for awhile and knew a lot about it. So I did contact her and we arranged to meet for coffee. She's been such an incredible source of information for me over the years. We've also become good friends and we still meet to share our stories. Dougal's expertise is in stitchery and you can find lots more of her patterns at www.frecklescollection.com.
Next Sunday will feature another Canadian designer so please check back!

Canadian Christmas Blog Hop!

2011-10-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

I know, it seems MUCH too early to be thinking about Christmas, but we do things early in Canada. We're celebrating Thanksgiving here this weekend and I'm so thankful for my family and friends and for quilting, which has brought the best people into my life.

So, a few of us Canadians thought it would be fun to do a blog hop and introduce you to some Canadian quilters!

Starting next Sunday, and then every following Sunday until December 11, a different designer will be posting a free pattern on her website as well as the recipe for a favourite holiday treat.

Sounds like fun, right?

We all have very different styles so there should be something for everyone.

So here's the schedule!

If you click on it, it should be easier to see.

We'll be posting the links every Sunday on our blogs so please join us!

Another Great Sale

2011-09-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

The Fieldstone Vintage Market took place in my home town of Abbotsford, BC, last Saturday.

I've been waiting for something like this to happen close to home for SUCH a long time!

And after a week of rain, could the day have been any more perfect?

Over 50 vendors of wonderful vintage items and handmades
were selling their wares.

The Market was produced in conjunction with
Bakerview Eco Dairy.
A barbeque was set up behind the barn.

Along with wonderful vintage items.

Lots of white eye candy.

My friend Kimberly of My Brown Bag Studio
and her daughter Julianna,
in their wonderful booth.

More oldies and goodies.

Even some Parisian-style macaroons!

Hopefully next year, I'll have a tent there too!

Of course, because it's a farm, there were animals to visit.

I couldn't figure out what this thing was.
My husband says it's a recently-shorn llama.

I think it had a face only its mother could love!

Brag Friday

2011-09-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

I love it when quilters send me photos of something they've made using one of my designs!

It's fascinating to see how by choosing other fabrics, a quilt can look so different.

This photo of the "Garden at the Cabin" pattern in my Country Comforts book was sent to me by Joan Tufts of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Didn't she do a beautiful job?

And here's the original quilt, for comparison.

Thanks Joan, for sharing!

I've posted your version in the Photo Album section of

my website.

I hope more of you will send me your photos to brag about!

A Great Sale

2011-09-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came to our sale and helped my sister and I to downsize!

For a few hours, my garage was transformed into a country store.

Today I'm so stiff and sore from moving all those boxes,
I'm hobbling around like an old woman.
(Who am I kidding--I AM an old woman.)

Even my MUCH younger sister, Col, was a bit tired by the end of it all.

Lots of our treasures have now made their way into new homes to be enjoyed by our friends.

Thank you everyone!

Sold--to a good home

2011-09-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

We're trying to "downsize" to fit a suite into our basement.
So I'm starting to part with some of my quilts and other treasures.

My "Saltboxes on the Corner" quilt has found a new home where it fits perfectly.

It's one of my largest quilts--80" x 88" but it almost looks dwarfed in this living room.
Doesn't it look like it was always meant to be here?

On a similar note, my sister and I will be hosting an Estate Sale on September 17 from 10 am - 3 pm at my house. We'll be parting with furniture and antiques, quilts, primitives and handmades, and of course, fabric and patterns.

Please come by if you're in the area.

And tell your friends!

(Email me if you need more info.)

Back to the Buggy Barn

2011-08-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

I spent the last weekend in August at the Buggy Barn's Fifteenth Annual Quilt Show

in Reardan, Washington.
After driving down a long gravel road,

miles from the nearest town,
I arrived at the farm.

Overnight, the quilts have been hung on the barns.

And the fences.

And in the air.

The original "buggy barn" on the property
is now a quilt shop.

And is covered in quilts.

Quilts line the gravel driveway to the second barn.

I don't know what this thing is, but it's now a quilt display.

Tents were set up for folk artists to sell their creations.

This barn is where I'll be spending the day,
signing copies of my book, Welcome Home.

In the morning, I'm at the table in the shade.

Behind me, are a few of my other quilts.

It's HOT (about 96 F or 34 C)
so in the afternoon I move to the side of the barn,

trying to stay in the shade.

More of my quilts are displayed here.

This is my view for the two days I'm there.

This little guy seemed to like my quilts.

And this one did too.

Another view of the barn.

And the fields.

Then the wind picked up.

Amazingly, the quilts stayed on the lines.

Proof that you're never too young to quilt--
these two cuties started at age 5.

When it's time to take the quilts down,

the whole family gets involved.

Husbands, kids, and grandkids.

Thanks, Pam and Janet, and your wonderful family and staff

for another amazing show!

Wonderful Whidbey Weekend

2011-08-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

We are blessed to have friends who we vacation with every summer.
This year, we drove to Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington state,
about 2 hours south of where we live.
This is the home we reserved for the weekend.

This is one of the bedrooms.
How cute!

And this is the view from our deck, the first evening.
I can feel myself relaxing already.

On Friday morning, the guys went golfing while the women visited this nearby lavender farm.
There was even a lavender labyrinth!

Lavender was being harvested in the fields.
It smelled heavenly!

Bunches of lavender were drying for later use.

The store sells all kind of products made with lavender,
including ice-cream, which we bought for supper.

Then we made our way to Greenbank Farms.

The buildings now house artist galleries and shops.

The gardens are just beautiful.

Before heading back to the cabin, we drove south to the small town of Langley,
and watched this glass-blower helping a child make her own glass pumpkin.

Saturday morning, we drove to Coupeville, another little town,

which hosts an amazing annual arts and crafts festival.

We watched this blacksmith in action.

As well as this basket-maker.

And this potter.

Some tall ships were visiting the harbour for the weekend.

The afternoon was spent beach-combing.

As always, our island retreat was over much too soon.

Till next summer!

Happy Anniversary

2011-08-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my parents' 57th wedding anniversary.

They were married August 6th, 1954.

We celebrated with them but this year was different.

We met at the hospital, around my mom's bed.

She fell and broke her hip on July 28th and had surgery the next day.

We're so thankful that she appears to be recovering well and is able to go for short walks in the hallway, but we don't know if she'll ever go home again.

And for someone who has always worked so very hard,

it's difficult for her to sit all day with little to do but wait.

How precious and fragile life is,

and it can change forever in an instant.

I love you, mom and dad, so very, very much.

Renovation Rantings

2011-08-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll try to keep the ranting to a minimum, but my life is in (almost) complete disarray right now, starting with, our basement reno.
We've decided, now that we're empty nesters, to convert part of our basement into a little suite to rent out and hopefully, bring in some extra income. Sounds good in theory but it means that I'm giving up my big studio and relocating to a much smaller room upstairs.

This is what my studio looked like before we started the reno:

And here's what it looks like now, as I try and figure out what should go where.

Not much of a difference, you say?

I said to my husband, "Remember when we got married and we had NOTHING?"

How the heck did we get so much STUFF?

Needing to lift my spirits, I head out to my distributor and buy more fabric.
I mean, how could I resist these homespuns?

It's a sickness, I know, BUT

I've posted them for sale on my website.

So maybe I'm not too far gone??

We Have a Winner!

2011-07-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my second giveaway!

After putting all the names in the ice-container
(we were away for the weekend)

Hubby Ben pulled one out...

And the winner is (drum roll please)...

Congratulations!

Time for a Giveaway!!

2011-07-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

Look what arrived in the mail today!

I'm thrilled with how it turned out!

So I'd like to share my happiness with you by giving away an autographed copy.

If you're a follower, just leave a comment before Sunday, July 17th, at midnight.

I'll number the comments and pick a winner on Monday, the 18th.

If you're not a follower yet, you can sign up and then place your comment.

What can I say--ain't too proud to beg!

Good luck to all of you!

PS. Some of you have emailed me to say that Blogger isn't letting you leave a comment.

I've had this problem too on some other blogs--it's so frustrating!

I don't know why this happens but rest assured,

if you can't leave a comment, just email me and I'll make sure to put your name in the draw!

It's here!

2011-06-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

Haven't received my copy yet
(thanks to striking Canada Post)

but Book #2 is published!
Here's the cover:

And you can get a sneak peek by clicking on this link:
Welcome Home.

I'm a very proud mama!

The Spice of Life

2011-06-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

I love spending my days working on lots of different things.
This week, I started designing a quilt for fall.

Here's a sneak peek.

And, since we're celebrating Canada's 144th birthday
this July 1st,

I made a couple of these,
thanks to my friend Kimberly's bunting tutorial on May 27th.

I also made some of these.

And just a few of these,

(my primitive version of the Maple Leaf,
found on Canada's flag).

I made them by sewing and stuffing the muslin shapes,

then painting them red.

When dry, I sanded the leaves, painted them
with coffee and cinnamon,
and tied them onto old bobbins with a bit of twine.

They'll be for sale at Country Lane Antiques in Fort Langley,

the birthplace of British Columbia, Canada,

about 30 minutes from where I live.
And finally, I made these "tipsy pots"!

Aren't they cool?

You can find directions here.

Enjoy your summer!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks, dad, for everything.

My Martingale Book Haul

2011-06-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

Some of you were wondering which book I chose after my Martingale tour.

Well, it wasn't just one book--I chose 17 books!

I couldn't decide on just one--they're all wonderful.

So here they are.

This one is for my "someday" dream file.

Should keep me busy for awhile, don't you think?

Now I just have to decide which one to make first!

Behind the Scenes at Martingale

2011-05-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

On the last day of my drive home from Salt Lake City,

I stopped at Martingale's offices in Bothell, Washington,

for a quick tour and to meet more of the wonderful people

who did such a fantastic job of publishing my first book.

Here's Mary (marketing coordinator) at the reception desk.

Wouldn't you love to work in an office surrounded by such gorgeous quilts?
Inspiration is everywhere!

This one is "Home for the Holidays"

by Vicki Bellino

from her book, Bloom Creek Quilts.

Another pic of Mary--this time in her office.

Mary Beth (marketing manager)
and Karen in Mary Beth's office.

I don't remember Karen's job title but I know that
it was her beautiful home where the photographs
of my quilts were taken for Country Comforts.
Here she is in her cozy office.

Regina (designer and production manager)
and Mary (editor-in-chief).

Martingale's "library" with copies of all their wonderful books.

Cathy (author liason) is holding up a copy of my book.

I can't believe I'm in such amazing company!

As a perk for being one of their authors,

I was invited to take home a copy of any book I wanted!

I thought I'd died and gone to quilting heaven!

I took all the books I'm holding--I think there were 18!
Lots of reading and quilting to catch up on!

Should keep me out of trouble for a little while.
Thanks so much for everything!

At Market

2011-05-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

So, what does one do at Market?

Well, there are always amazing quilts to admire and be intimidated by, such as:

"Flower Market, Guatemala" by Meri Vahl

which won first place in the Art category:

And this one which won second place in the Traditional Applique category,

(sorry, I didn't get the title or the quilter's name),

Here's a close-up to give you an idea of the size of the applique pieces.

No wonder it took 3 years to make!

This one is called "Majestic Bugs" by Irena Bluhm and won third place in the Quilting category.

The quilt was stitched first and the color was applied with colored pencils afterward.

Here's a close-up of the amazing machine quilting.

This one, "Mission Impeccable" by Kumiko Frydl

won first place in the Miniature category.

Can you believe this?

"Mini Log Cabin" by Thelma Robbins, won third place in the Miniature Category.

Each block is only 1 1/4" square and the quilt has over 1600 teeny-tiny pieces!

For me, though, the best part of Market is meeting up with friends,

such as Brenda Mercado from Pumpkin Patch Primitives,

and Michelle Joyner from Fat Quarters Quilt Shop.

And in between, I sit in my booth and stitch on the bindings of future quilts to be published.

Not a bad way to spend a weekend, wouldn't you say?

To Market, to Market

2011-05-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here I go again... off to my ninth Quilt Market.

This time, it's in Salt Lake City and I'm driving there solo.

I loved the scenery in eastern Oregon.

The "before" picture of my booth.

And here's the "after".

A view of the Convention Center.

Can you find me?

I'm about halfway down on the left.

There's my booth, "muslined off" at the lower left.

A very, very tiny fish in an ENORMOUS ocean.

Again I ask, "What the heck am I doing here?"

A beautiful day in SLC, so after I finished setting up, I went exploring.

Aren't the flowers gorgeous?

Several bridal couples were getting their pictures taken.

Is it just me, or is the temple tilting?

It's been a very long day!

More soon!

Happy May Day!

2011-05-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Feel like dancing round the maypole today...

The sun is shining,

The temperature's rising,

(maybe I can finally pack away the flannel sheets),

And this week I head down to Spring Market in Salt Lake City

(with a few stops along the way).

Stay tuned!

Where have all my tulips gone?

2011-04-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Where have all my tulips gone?

Long time passing...

Where have all my tulips gone?

Long time ago...

Where have all my tulips gone?

Gone to this guy, everyone.

When will I ever learn?

Happy Easter Everyone!

2011-04-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

At Easter I am reminded that:

spring always follows winter

morning chases away the night

light overcomes darkness

hope is stronger than despair

and

life has triumphed over death.

A Week in the Life

2011-04-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out my website, www.countryquilts.ca, lately?

I've been busy dying wool to sell...

And I've added new patterns, kits, and sale patterns.

Speaking of new patterns, I just have to show you some tiny glimpses of a few of the quilts that will be included in my next book with Martingale, due out next summer.

Mary Flynn at www.quilthollow.com is doing the machine quilting on some of them.

I just love her ideas!

Aren't they wonderful?
Yesterday was a bit crazy--I woke up to this!

Almost unheard of in BC in mid-April!

But today it's gone and it feels more like spring is on its way.

I designed this little cross-stitch to share with you.

Happy spring, everyone!

New Patterns for Spring

2011-04-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

My "Garden Pathways" quilt has been fixed!

Here's the mended version.

Thanks to those wonderful ladies, Rhonda and Linda at Quilted Cats Hideaway, you can't even tell where the mistake was! Thank you!!! You're my heroes!

I'll be adding "Garden Pathways" to my website this week.

I also just finished this design--"Bluebirds on a Wire."

It's a pattern for this wallhanging and for the fabric-covered box in front of it.

I'm not sure if this picture is too blue for the pattern cover. What do you think?

Speaking of blue, look at the wonderful sky in this picture sent to me by my friend Martine, who lives near Tours in France. This is my "Chickens Under the Stars" pattern. Didn't she do a great job?

Merci for sharing, Martine!

Quilting for Dummies

2011-03-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've only been quilting for what, a quarter century now--you'd think I'd be past making certain mistakes that you do when you're starting out, right? Well, no. Here's my latest.

I've just finished a new design and actually had already posted a picture of it earlier today. Here it is.

Nice, right? I was very proud of it and eager to share it with you. It's called "Garden Pathways" and was designed with the "Perennials" fabric line by my favourite Moda designers, Kansas Troubles Quilters. The pattern will be printed this week and added to my website.

So I published my post. But then I noticed something odd. Can you see it? If you can, I may need to hire you to proof my patterns!

If you said the top right corner block, you get a gold star. Yes, I'd sewn the bottom left corner of this block the wrong way--it should be rotated clockwise. I almost cried. And being someone who preaches "celebrating our imperfections because they make our quilts unique", I was sorely tempted to let it go. If I'd just made the quilt for myself, I would have left it. But, because it's a pattern, I really couldn't publish the picture as it was. So I deleted my post and out came the seam ripper.

But first, I had to figure out a way to trace the machine quilting so that I'll (hopefully) be able to duplicate it. I got some plastic food wrap, placed it over the stitching, and traced it with a felt pen.

Then I removed the offending block.

Rotated it and pinned it (correctly this time) in place.

And hand-stitched it to the surrounding blocks.

That's better. (It's the piece with the pin.)

Now I just have to buy a spool of the thread my machine-quilter used, trace the design onto the quilt and try to sew it so that the new quilting blends in.

What have I learned from this experience?

That there will always be new ways to screw up and that I will continue to do so.

Such is life.

Making Primitive Fabric Easter Eggs

2011-03-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

Feeling like I needed to bring some springtime into my house, and not being a pastel kind of person, I decided to make some grungy, primitive Easter eggs.

First, I drew an egg shape on a piece of freezer paper.

I drew half the lengthwise shape, folded the paper, and cut through both layers to make it symmetrical.

I folded my fabric right sides in, and ironed the freezer paper onto the side facing up.

I cut out both layers at once and then repeated the process, leaving me with four shapes.

I sewed the right sides together with a 1/4" seam.

Then, I turned one piece right side out and inserted it into the other piece so that the right sides were together, and the tops and bottoms matched.

Starting about 1" from the top, I then sewed around the whole egg with a 1/4" seam, stopping about 1" from where I started, and reverse stitching at the beginning and the end.

This is what it looked like.

Then, I turned it right side out through the opening, stuffed it with polyfil, and hand-stitched the opening closed.

To make it extra primitive, I then melted some paraffin wax in a double boiler.

I added some essential oil to make the eggs smell yummy and stirred it in.

Then, I dropped the eggs one at a time into the scented wax and used two spoons to roll each egg in the wax until they were evenly coated.

I let them harden on some wax paper and then rubbed them with a bit of cinnamon.

Voila!

Wishing you all a blessed Easter!

We Have a Winner!

2011-03-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you wonderful quilt-aholics who participated in my first give-away! I so enjoyed reading your comments and felt very comforted knowing I was not alone with my addiction. So, without further ado, the winner's name is (drumroll, please)...

Congratulations!
So, if you could email me your mailing info and tell me which wool set you'd like (dark or light) I'll get your gift in the mail right away.

I've added a few more patterns to my website this week and here they are.

"Cinnamon Roll Swirl" has instructions for a 52" x 56" quilt and a yummy-smelling pincushion!

"Interweave" was designed using only four colours (red, blue, cream, and light brown). It measures 54" x 70".

This past week we celebrated several birthdays with friends and family. For brother-in-law Gord, and hubby Ben, I made them each a cream puff shaped in the first letter of their names.

I got the recipe out of a "Good Housekeeping" magazine years ago, and it's one of my all-time favourites--so simple and so yummy.

ALMOND CREAM PUFF RING

Heat 1 cup water, 1/2 cup margarine, and 1/4 tsp. salt to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of flour all at once till mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pot. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Heat oven to 400.

Grease and flour large cookie sheet. Trace a 7" circle in the flour. Drop the batter inside the circle to form a ring. Bake about 35 minutes or until golden. Turn off the oven and keep ring in the oven another 15 minutes. Cool.

Make the filling:

Whip 1 cup whipping cream and set aside. Beat 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding with 1 1/4 cups of milk and 1 tsp almond extract for 2 minutes. Fold in the whipped cream.

Slice the top off the ring and spoon the filling inside. Replace the top.

Melt 2 semi-sweet chocolate squares and 1 Tbsp margarine. Drizzle over the top.

Enjoy!

New Pattern and First Giveaway!

2011-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a week--starting with our hot water tank packing it in and having to mop up a partially flooded basement. I think we could all use something to cheer us up at this time of year. So, I'm offering you a chance to win this pattern which will be getting printed this week, called "To Grandmother's House we Go". Instructions are for a little candle-mat and mini-tablerunner. PLUS your choice of a Crazy Cuts wool pack, in either dark or light, to make one of the projects. Each pack has eight 11" x 12" pieces of Moda wool.

Crazy Cuts Light

Crazy Cuts Dark

If you read my previous post, I confessed to being a quilt-aholic. So, to participate in this give-away, you just need to be a follower of my blog and finish this statement, "I knew I was a quilt-aholic when ...." Leave your comment by midnight, March 12th, next Saturday night, and I'll make the draw on Sunday, March 13th at noon, Pacific Standard Time. (If you're not a quilter, substitute your favorite creative pursuit for the word "quilt". I don't want anyone to feel left out!)

I know I'll enjoy reading your comments!

Have fun and good luck!

Confessions of a Quilt-aholic

2011-02-25T16:06:00.000-08:00

Like many addictions, it started out innocently enough. Being of a crafty bent, I decided, sometime in the mid 1980s to make a quilt. I had bought a magazine which included a pattern so simple, it could be "completed in 1 weekend!" It seemed too good to be true! I bought yards of various blue fabrics and got to work. There wasn't much actual "quilting" involved--just sewing very large squares together--and so it did go very quickly. I had made my first quilt. Ugly as sin, but there it was.
Weeks went by and I felt the urge to try another. A little more challenging this time--I decided to try making a "lap quilt" where you piece and quilt the blocks first, and sew the blocks together afterward. I bought some rose and baby blue fabric. I used templates and handquilted everything. And proudly displayed the finished quilt on my bed for all to see and admire.
The weeks between urges to quilt were getting less and the urges were becoming stronger. I began to wonder if I was heading down some slippery slope but I was having so much fun that I didn't question myself too much. When the urge hit, I'd find a fabric shop, just waiting to sell me something. And every time I went, it seemed, there were more beautiful fabrics in colors and prints I could never have imagined. Patterns were popping up every where. And wonder of wonders, there was this wonderful new invention called the rotary cutter, which made the whole process so much quicker and easier.
Soon, I wouldn't even be finished one quilt and the urge would hit to start another. As soon as I had a bit of cash, I'd buy more fabric. My stash was growing. My self-control was all but gone. I experienced strange symptoms when I found myself without a needle in my hand. I began to plan vacations around quilt shops and quilt shows I wanted to visit. I made new friends--quilting friends. I quit my office job so I'd have more time to quilt. I converted the basement into my quilting "studio". My days were spent stitching and my nights were spent dreaming of stitching.
My house has become almost too small to contain the results of my addiction. Quilts are draped over chairs,

piled on top of cupboards,

hung on ladders,

and over stair rails.

They hang on walls,

and cover tables.

They fill the wood box next to the fireplace,

and more boxes in the basement.

They are stacked in my linen closet,

on shelves in my studio,

and are piled high on the window seat in the guest bedroom.

They even decorate my laundry room.

And that's not counting the quilts currently on loan to shops selling my patterns,

or the stack of quilt tops waiting to be finished.

My name is Cheryl.

And I am a quilt-aholic.

A Glorious Weekend

2011-02-20T15:57:00.000-08:00

For the past ten or so years, my Monday night quilting group, the "Phat Quarters", has rented a cabin for a weekend getaway in spring. This year, we found a vacation home at Harrison Hot Springs, a lakeside community about an hour away from my home.

I loved this sign which greeted us at the front door.

It was a beautiful house with space to sleep 12 people. We were 8 this year.

We spent the first minutes exploring all the rooms.

This is the view from the loft looking down to the living room.

We started Friday evening off with appetizers and wine.

We always eat very well.

Laura made amazing curry chicken wraps for dinner.

And we enjoyed great conversation around the dinner table.

Saturday breakfast included a wonderful fruit salad,

And Meg's scrumptious french toast casserole with brown sugar sauce.

Saturday morning was spent stitching.

I worked on a little wool candlemat project.

Here's a preview. Pattern to come soon!

Then we had to burn off a few calories, so some of us went for a walk.

This stream was right behind the house.

And the lake was just a few minutes away.

We'll need to come back in summer to enjoy the beach,

but the weather was perfect all weekend.

Saturday supper, as is our tradition, is take-home pizza.

Followed by videos in the evening and another wonderful breakfast on Sunday morning.

As always, the time flew by much too quickly but what a glorious weekend it was!

I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Thank you all!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

I don't do a lot of decorating for Valentine's Day.

Just hang this little banner on my front door

(the red paint matches the theme, at least!)

And make a little display for my front entrance.

Designing quilt patterns is a tough business--very competitive and shops are always looking for something new. So I've decided to try a different approach and see what happens.

I went to my distributor and picked up these samples of fabrics which will be hitting the stores soon.

They look so pretty, I almost don't want to open them!

I'm going to try designing with these new fabrics, instead of just dipping into my stash.

Hopefully I'll have some new patterns ready for Spring Market in May.

Maybe one of these times, I'll be "discovered"!
(Fingers crossed.)

Company's Coming and New Fabric

2011-02-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

Confession time--I hate cleaning my house. So I don't do much of it. It's just that at the end of my life I don't want people to stand up and say, "Her home was spotless." I'd rather spend my time doing what I do want to be remembered for, and that doesn't include dusting. I agree with the bumper sticker that says, "Dust is a country collectible." And my collection is definitely growing!

But at times (ie. when I'm expecting company) cleaning does become a necessary evil. And this Monday it's my turn to host my weekly quilting group, "The Phat Quarters". So out comes the Swiffer and I start making my rounds. They must pay those women on the commercial an awful lot to do that little dance--I just feel more discouraged because the more dirt I swiff away, the more I uncover. When did my kitchen cabinets get so grimy? (Thinking back, white was probably not the best color choice for me.) So now I need to get out the stronger cleaning stuff and the rubber gloves. By the end of this day I'll be wearing a Hazmat suit and breathing apparatus.

I've heard that when Beethoven was composing, he totally let his personal hygiene go. This gives me comfort. And an excuse. Imagine if we'd be without his Fifth symphony because Beethoven decided he just couldn't live with sink scum a minute longer. I'm a bit of a mini-quilting-Beethoven. Given a choice between cleaning and creating, guess which I'd pick?

Besides the cleaning, I was able to do some fun things this week, however. I drove out to my fabric distributor and came back with some great stuff to sell, which I've posted on my website.

This one is my favorite--it looks like tea-dyed muslin.

(The picture doesn't do it justice.)

I'm so glad a fabric company (thank you, Moda) finally thought of this. Think of the tea-bags I'll save!

My Favourite Room in the House...

2011-01-30T11:02:00.000-08:00

... is my family room right off the kitchen.

What's that mess on the right, you ask?

This is where I "work" in the evenings,

curled up on the loveseat,

surrounded by stitching supplies and magazines for inspiration.

I can watch videos, travel, or home decorating shows on my very small screen TV.

Can you find it?

But now it's morning and after what seems like weeks of rain,

the sunshine is streaming through the window.

And for that I am so very thankful.

Making and Remaking

2011-01-22T10:55:00.000-08:00

Another week, another project completed. I finished this wool "Sweet Sampler" by Threads that Bind and love how it turned out. The instructions were to frame it but I decided to make a pillow instead. Perfect for spring, which can't be too far away now, right?

One of my goals for this year was to redo the master bath. After 20 years of looking at these pink flower stencils, I was ready for a change!

So, first, it's off with the wallpaper, which, thankfully, didn't fight me too much.

Soon, it's all on the floor and I'm ready for step 2.

I think I'll dig out all my old issues of "Country Sampler" for ideas to decorate.

Any suggestions?

What next?

2011-01-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

Okay, let's get the not-so-good news out of the way first. Hubby Ben had the nerve tests done on his arm yesterday and it appears there's been no healing. So learning to live with his damaged arm is likely our new reality and now we'll have to figure out the next step as far as his employment goes. A scary thing to be facing when he's within a few years of retirement. How life can change in a moment!

And now, some good news. After my website disappeared without a trace into cyberspace a couple of months ago, it's finally back up and running again. I signed on with a new host and rebuilt the thing from the ground up. What a lot of work! There's still some posting to be done but if you'd like to check out what I've done so far, here's the link: http://www.countryquilts.ca/. What do you think of it? As a little celebration present, I'm offering free shipping on any orders within the US and Canada placed from now to the end of January 2011!

Some more good news... I've designed another Block-of-the-Month pattern and Kansas City Star Books has agreed to publish it in book form later this year! The pattern is called "Welcome Home" and features a lot of house blocks which I love. I'll update you on the book's progress so stay tuned!

And finally, I've finished the little quilt project I started in my last post. Here it is ready to be hand-quilted.

And here it is, finished.

I enjoyed making it so much and there was so much extra fabric in the kit, I was able to make a second!

I made this one without the woolen circles.

I can't decide which one I like better. Which one gets your vote?

First Project of 2011

2011-01-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

I love the start of a new year, when it seems like anything is possible and I haven't screwed up (yet) in any major way. It reminds me of when I was a child starting another grade in school and I opened a new notebook (do kids still use notebooks?), all fresh and clean, with no crossed-out mistakes or eraser marks to spoil it. 2010 had many wonderful moments but it was also a hard year for me in many ways, as I know it was for so many people. We dealt with health, financial, and relationship challenges in our family and will continue to do so into this year. But I'm also excited about the possibilities this year holds.

I don't set New Year's resolutions but I do like to set goals for myself. (Nothing to do with exercising or losing weight--these are doomed to fail before I start.) So here, in no particular order, are some of my goals for this year.

I want to redo my master bathroom, which has stayed the same since building our house 20 years ago!
I have several new projects and patterns in the works which I want to finish and send off to book publishers and magazines for possible publication.
I want to get my website back up and running ASAP.
I want to travel somewhere on my bucket list.
And I want to continue doing what I love. With that in mind, here is my first project of the year--a little quilt pattern kit I bought at Primitive Gatherings quilt shop when I was there last year.

Here's why I love this kit--the gorgeous colours of the fabric and wool.

And it's small so I can squeeze it in between other bigger projects.

I've cut out the little wool circles which I'll whipstitch together while watching TV tonight.

I wish you all a new year filled with days of doing what you love!

Goodbye 2010!

2010-12-29T13:35:00.000-08:00

What a roller-coaster ride this past year has been for me! Here are some highlights.

During spring break in March, my teacher-friend Meg and I headed down to the Washington coast for a girlfriend getaway. We spent the night in this wonderful B&B in Port Townsend, a town filled with historic homes.

In April, my first book, "Country Comforts" was published by Martingale!
What a day that was, when my advance copy arrived, along with a bouquet of flowers.

In May, my Monday night quilting group had its annual weekend retreat in a lakeside house near our home.

We've been doing this for years and as always, we enjoyed great company and amazing meals.

Also in May, I took a road-trip before Spring Market in Minneapolis to visit "Primitive Gatherings" quilt shop in Wisconsin--something I'd wanted to do for years. Definitely worth the drive!

My book debuted at Market and I did a couple of book-signings there. In June, I visited Schoolhouse Quilts in Georgetown, Ohio (another great shop) for a trunk show.

Afterwards, hubby Ben and I drove through Amish country near Berlin.
Then I exhibited at the National Quilting Association Show in Columbus.
In July, Ben had nerve-graft surgery to try to repair the damage done to his right arm after an accident last December. Since nerves take so long to heal, we still don't know if the surgery was successful. He'll be having tests done in January to determine if any healing has happened. He's now been off work for over a year and if the tests show that the nerve isn't healing, it's unlikely he'll be able to go back to his previous job, which he's had for 33 years. 2011 could bring a lot of changes!

Later that month, a group of quilters from France came to visit me in my home. The trip was organized by Martine (on my right) as part of a tour of quilt shops and shows. Martine and I had not met before but instantly became friends.

In August we spent a week with two other couples in a house on BC's "sunshine" coast.
Going back several years, this has become an annual tradition for us. We are so thankful for these close friendships and as always, the scenery was spectacular.
Also in August, we attended the beautiful wedding of my niece, Tessa in Washington state.

Then it was off to The Buggy Barn near Spokane for their annual show.

In September, three other Canadian designers and I hosted the second "Quilts at Tanglebank Gardens" near our home. The forecast was for rain but thankfully, they were so very wrong!And then, what has to be the highlight of the year for me, Ben and I spent an incredible 3 weeks in France.

The French version of my book was for sale at the Patchwork show in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines in the Alsace.

We visited my friend Martine at her home near Tours. She was a wonderful hostess!

And we spent a couple of amazing days with another friend and fellow designer, Vero Requena, who owns the "Born to Quilt" shop at her beautiful home in Burgundy.

Whew, I'm exhausted! When I think of all the wonderful friendships and experiences that quilting has brought into my life, I am amazed beyond belief. And so very, very grateful. Thank you all!

WISHING YOU ALL A NEW YEAR FILLED WITH JOY!

Last Project of 2010

2010-12-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

With all the busyness of the season, I don't want to start any new projects, but I can always find something to finish or clean up. Being of the pack-rat persuasion, it's amazing what I find in the bottom of my closets or in the back of drawers. Like this collection of candle remnants, for example. What to do with this? First, it's off to Michael's to pick up some 3 1/2" pre-waxed wicks.

I had these containers on hand (yes, for another "someday" project),
but you could use any heat-resistant container.

I put a bit of glue on the bottom of each metal disk and centered the wicks in containers.

All the candle odds and ends went into the top of an old double boiler.
Please, never let the water in the double boiler run dry and never leave the pot unattended!

As the wax melts, I use metal tongs to pick out the wicks and other debris.

When all the wax is melted, I use my candle thermometer to make sure it's the right temperature for the containers.

I added a bit of cinnamon essential oil and stir it into the melted wax.

Then I pour the wax to about 1/2" from the top of the containers.

I save a bit of melted wax in the double boiler so that I'll be able to fill the depression that forms around the wick as it cools. Just make sure to heat the wax to the same temperature it was when you first filled the containers. (You may have to do this a few times before the top of the wax is level.) Trim the wick to about 1/2" above the wax.

If you have some extra wax leftover, spray some vegetable oil spray around the inside of small metal tart molds. Pour the wax into the molds and let cool. Don't pour any leftover wax down the drain! Rather, save it in a clean can for a later use.

To clean up any wax spilled on my kitchen counter, I use a blowdryer to melt the drips and then wipe them up with a paper towel.

Now, cut a circle of tea-dyed cheesecloth about 1" bigger all around than the container. Tear a strip of homespun and tie it around the cheesecloth just below the rim, inserting a cinnamon stick into the knot, just to make it pretty.

When the wax in the tart molds has cooled, turn upside down and they should slide out. You can melt these fragrance tarts in a burner designed for that purpose to fill your house with a wonderful scent!

Such a simple way to reuse and recycle.
I can't believe I didn't think of this before!

Fourth Sunday of Advent

2010-12-18T15:20:00.000-08:00

This is my favourite Christmas special. I think I've watched it every year since it was first aired and this scene still chokes me up.

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Third Sunday of Advent

2010-12-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

I've added a few more Christmas decorations to my home this week.

I cut some greenery from the pine tree in our front yard and put some sprigs around the house.

My Santa collection is arranged on the mantle and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.
I cross-stitched these stockings for our family many years ago.
They took so long to make I joked that we'd better not have any more kids, cause I didn't want to make any more cross-stitched stockings!
I like to collect Santas when I travel. This Claus couple is from Key West, Florida.
And this one? From New Orleans, of course!

These two spool Santas are from a quilt shop somewhere.

And I had to have this Santa holding his quilt when I saw him at the show in Sisters, Oregon!

Over the years, I've made a lot of Santas too!
This "Santa's Goose" pattern by Country Harvest was one of my first.
This pattern by Country Cupboard is another one of my favourites.
I love this primitive Santa by Crows Roost Prims.

And this one by Pineberry Lane. This crow Santa on his sheep (by Soft in the Head) is just too cool.

And finally, I designed a sleepy Santa who's ready for bed after a VERY long night!

I dyed an old pair of long johns red to make his pj's and put a fuzzy red "nose" on his slippers to remind him of his best friend. He's got his favourite dolly and quilt to take to bed with him. The pattern is called "To All a Good Night!"
I've also set out my "Santa's and Rudy's" candlemat.
Christmas is a time for presents and I received two wonderful gifts this week.

First, Martingale published their 2011 calendar and guess what?

I'm Miss October!

(Actually it's my Tulip Time quilt pattern from my book.)

And then, I got this wonderful special issue of Quiltmania magazine in the mail.
It's got some great country Christmas patterns in it and my "Peace on Earth" tablerunner pattern is in it as well! (I've posted a picture of it on the right side of my blog.)

What else have I been working on? Well, I'm in the process of getting my website rebuilt after it disappeared into the nether-regions of cyber-space several weeks ago. It's taking much longer than expected. In the meantime, you can see pictures of my patterns by clicking my logo on the right side of this blog.

Second Sunday of Advent

2010-12-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

Advent is a time of waiting. I remember as a child making count-down calendars for the month before Christmas. I'd hang them beside my bed and would make big X's at the end of every day. What a delicious waiting time that was! The anticipation of the big day was almost (but not quite) as much fun as waking up early on Christmas morning and jumping out of bed to find our gifts by the tree.

As I've grown older, waiting doesn't seem to hold the same joy for me as it did as a child. Whether I'm waiting in line or waiting in traffic, more often than not, it's a time of frustration and discouragement. Even waiting for Christmas, I must admit, with all the attendant advertisements, shopping and busyness is, for me, more a sense of waiting for it to be over so that life can get back to "normal".

This December 7th marks the one-year anniversary of my husband's accident which subsequently resulted in nerve damage in his right arm and inability to use his right hand. He has been off work during this past year which has meant a major adjustment in our lives and our finances. In spite of nerve-graft surgery which he underwent in July, there is still no visible healing. In January he will have a second nerve study done to determine more accurately if the nerve has started to heal and if so, how much use of his right hand he can eventually hope for. We know already that it will never be totally healed.

In the first weeks after the accident all I could think of was wanting this period of waiting to be over, for his arm to get better, for him to go back to work, and for life to return to "normal". I'm so thankful that I didn't know then that a year later, we'd still be waiting. And I'm thankful for what I've learned (and am still learning) through this experience.

I've learned that life can change in a moment. I've learned that our lives will never return to what they were before the accident and that I can live with this. Though I still struggle with occasional times of frustration and discouragement, I'm thankful that these times are moments now, not hours or days, and that even the moments are becoming fewer and farther between. I'm slowly learning to not go into the dark places in my mind, to dwell on the "what-if's", and to keep wishing for life to get "better". I'm learning that I can't change the past and I can't predict the future, all I can do is to focus on the moment I'm in now. So while in one sense I am still waiting (and hoping) for my husband's eventual healing and resumed employment, that outcome is no longer my constant focus or what determines my state of mind. In this moment, today, I can choose to look around me and to be thankful.

Christmas 2009

First Sunday of Advent

2010-11-28T14:55:00.001-08:00

Here on Canada's west coast, we got our first taste of winter this past week--days of howling winds and record-low temperatures were followed by an early snowfall.

Here's the view out of my kitchen window. I like to keep things simple during this holiday season.

My decorating starts with this creche, which has been part of our
family's Christmas tradition for many years.

I made the crepe paper figures based on a pattern in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. My husband crafted the rustic stable.

Christmas quilts are hung around the house.
This my "Holly and the Ivy" pattern.

And here's my "In the Photo Booth".

Here's another old "Better Homes and Gardens" pattern.
Even though it's getting a bit dated,

I love how it looks against the blue mantel.

My husband made the stained glass wreath which is hung in our living room window.

I'll put a little potpourri in a wooden bowl

and place it on this table mat (pattern by Primitive Gatherings.)

And I love this penny rug pattern by Lakeview Primitives.

Last year my sister surprised me with this wonderful Pineberry Lane stitchery.

She hadn't realized that I loved the pattern so much,

I'd just bought and made one for myself,

so now I have two!

One can never have too much of a good thing!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-21T09:11:00.001-08:00

Thank you to Ralph Waldo Emerson for the poem...

And Happy Thanksgiving
to all my American friends!

Website Woes

2010-11-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

If you've tried to access my website lately, you'll have seen a message saying that it can't be displayed. A week ago I received a phone call from a customer who told me she was having trouble getting onto my website. (Fortunately she let me know about this, since unless I'm updating my site, I don't often check it so this might have gone unnoticed for awhile.) So I contacted my web host to find out what the problem was. She discovered that my website had disappeared from the server and there was no trace of it anywhere!! Neither she nor I had ever heard of this happening before. She went through the logs and couldn't find what had caused this to happen. Worse yet, there was no backup! Don't you just love technology? So we're now in the process of rebuilding my site, which could take awhile. In addition to this being a lot of work, this totally interferes with my business, since most of my sales are done online. So, if any of you have a website, please make sure your host has saved it somewhere! In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email me at countryquilts@shaw.ca. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Remembering

2010-11-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

On our trip to France in September, we stopped at the Normandy beaches, site of the Allied Forces landing on D-Day.

It was a peaceful, quiet day...
... but reminders of that terrible war were still there.

What a different world this might be if those men and women hadn't been willing to give the ultimate sacrifice.

All I can say is, thank you.

Fright Night

2010-10-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Wishing all of you a safe, fun, and happy Halloween weekend!

Last Show of 2010 and Thank You

2010-10-25T14:23:00.001-07:00

October 23rd marked the last quilt show I'll be participating in this year. It was held in Chilliwack, BC and hosted by the Piecemakers Quilt Guild. This was my booth. Isn't it amazing how much can be squeezed into such a small space?
I had a few moments before the show started to check out the quilts on display. I'm in awe of quilters like Sandra Lounsbury who made this 60" x 97" "Gracie's Garden" quilt. Look at all those tiny pieces!!

I loved the bright colours and the composition of this paper-pieced quilt by Maureen Wood, entitled "Fourth of July".

Of course, quilts made with my favourite country colours and fabrics, always catch my eye. I loved this one made by Lisa van den Brink, called "Stairway to the Stars."

And this one called "String of Stars" made by Sharon Churchill.

Cynthia Long calls this her "Olympic Quilt" because it was finished during the Olympics. But it took her 3 years to make all the half-square triangles from scraps! Talk about a labour of love!

This 94" x 94" "Dear Jane" quilt made by Wendy Lyon has 5000 pieces!!

And this beautiful "Cathedral Windows" quilt was made by the Featured Quilter of the show, Dorothy Baker, soon to celebrate her 83rd birthday camping in South Africa! What an amazing and inspiring lady!

And last but not least, this quilt was made by Gail Whetter, using the selvages we usually throw away. What a fun idea!

Here's a close-up.

I'm always thrilled when I see one of my patterns on display. This scaled-down version of "House Sampler" was made by Cynthia Long. Great job!!

And Kathy Lang purchased my "Pumpkin-ful of Posies" kit and made up this little wallhanging.

So that was my Saturday.

On Sunday, three of us designers who hosted the Quilts at Tanglebank Gardens show in September, invited our wonderful volunteers to a Thank-you lunch at Dougal Walker's home.

After the main course, Dougal, Sue Jensen, and I served the dessert, yummy black forest cake.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! We absolutely could not have done the show without you!

Back in the quilting saddle

2010-10-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm home from vacation, it's time to dust off my old Pfaff and get designing again. It feels good to be using those quilting muscles! I'm working on another book proposal and hoping I can submit it to the publisher by the end of the year.

And it's been awhile since I had patterns published in quilt or craft magazines, but now I have two out there! "Vine Dance" is available in the fall issue of Quilter's Connection, a Canadian magazine (http://www.quiltersconnection.ca/).
And, the October issue of "Create and Decorate" (http://www.createanddecorate.com/) includes my "Pumpkin Garland" pattern.
And here's a heads up... Make sure to check the special winter issue of "Quiltmania" magazine (http://www.quiltmania.com/) for another pattern by yours truly!

France Week Two

2010-10-01T23:55:00.000-07:00

For a quilter, no vacation would be complete without visiting a wonderful quilt shop! I'd wanted to visit "Born to Quilt", http://www.borntoquilt.fr/, in Fontangy, France, ever since first reading about it in a quilt magazine.
The shop is nestled in the beautiful Burgundy countryside, behind the home of its owner, Veronique Requena. I felt like I'd stepped into one of my favourite country stores in the US!

Veronique has filled her shop to the brim with wonderful fabrics and wools. She teaches, designs patterns, and writes books and magazine articles as well. Her latest mystery quilt is displayed on the ceiling of her shop.

She found room to display two of the quilts from my "Country Comforts" book in her shop and on Sept. 24th I was happy to sign copies for her customers.

If anyone had told me when I first started quilting that someday my quilts would be displayed in France, and that French quilters would be buying my books, I would never have believed them!

In addition to fabric, "Born to Quilt" has all kinds of other country wares for sale.

I loved being here!

Thank you, Vero, for an amazing time, your hospitality, and for many wonderful memories!

It was a dream come true for me!

What else did we do this week? Well, let's see. We explored some more medieval towns,

and some more cathedrals.

We visited Chenonceau chateau in the Loire Valley,

including its incredible flower and vegetable gardens.

And we visited another quilting friend, Martine Bronca, in her home near Tours.

Martine and several of her friends from http://www.quiltinusa.blogspot.com/ had visited me

in July on their way to the quilt show in Sisters, Oregon.

She served us the most wonderful meal, finished off with this delicious fruit tart for dessert!

And I loved seeing the quilts she's made and the ones she's currently working on!

Thank you so much, Martine, for welcoming us into your home!

What a treat it was for us!

We drove on to Mont St. Michele.

This was the view out of our B&B window.

And here it is, a bit closer.

We ended our week in Normandy, at Omaha Beach, a very moving experience.

France Week One

2010-09-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

When I read (in Quiltmania magazine) about an annual quilt show in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines in France, I knew someday I'd have to go. So this year, we did. I reserved a room in Blienschwiller, about 5 hours east of Paris. This is the view out of our B&B window.

How cool to see the French version of my book for sale at the publisher's booth!
Quilts were on display everywhere in this medieval Alsace town, including the church.

I loved this intricate antique quilt!

And this Jan Patek quilt!

This was the birthplace of the Amish movement and one venue was dedicated to this.

Quilts were displayed everywhere in this wonderful town.

An intricate quilt by Yoko Sato was very popular.

An overview of one of the venues.

Antique quilts by Mary Koval were for sale.

A view of one of the canals in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.

Time for lunch.

We spent Sunday in Strasbourg Cathedral, just a short drive away.

One can see the ruins of medieval castles on the hillsides in Alsace.

And the grape harvest was just beginning.

We spent a morning at Haut Koeningsburg Castle.

And even spotted a stork's nest in Eguisheim!

Stay tuned!

Quilts at Tanglebank Gardens 2010

2010-09-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

The second Saturday in September and time for another Quilts at Tanglebank Gardens Show! On Friday, we were busy setting up all the grids and tents.

I dunno, maybe this tent would look better here?

Even hard-working designers need to take a break once in awhile.

After a week of rain and nervously checking the weather forecast every few minutes,

Saturday morning dawned clear and warm.

Cars began arriving before 10 am.

We wouldn't be able to do the show without the help of our many amazing volunteers.

Donna and Leona were our greeters.

Quilts were hanging throughout the beautiful garden. The show is intended to display the works of Canadian quilt designers.

This year, Pippa Moore, who lives on Vancouver Island, was able to join us.
Her passion is designing quilts with African themes and training African women to sew.
You can view more of her work on her website,
http://www.pippamoore.ca/kitambaa-designs.htm.

Here are some of her gorgeous quilts.

More quilts were hanging in the post-and-beam building,

beside Tanglebank's gift shop,

and on the north lawn. The boutique had ready-made items for sale.

And the Steveston Cookie Company were selling yummy treats. Volunteers Allan, Penny, and Teresa

take a well-deserved lunch break. Robin and Teresa managed the tea-room.

And Penny worked all day at the cash register.This year we offered free demos.

Dougal Walker of The Freckles Collection (http://frecklescollection.com/)

demonstrated stitchery techniques and needle-turn applique.

Sue Jensen of Quilted Escapes (http://www.quiltedescapes.net/)

demonstrated ink and shaving cream techniques.

Pippa Moore of Kitambaa Designs demonstrated how to piece a zig-zag

and "beads on a string".And I talked about the quilts in my book, Country Comforts.

Time for the 3:30 prize draw.

Look at all the tickets for the gift baskets!

Sonja did the honours.

And the first winner is....(drum roll, please!)...
J. Livingston!
The other winners are:

Joanna Kim
Bev Dunphy

L. Thompson
Kris Foulds

Stewart Lauis
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

Many, many thanks to all of you who joined us at the show,

our wonderful, amazing, hard-working volunteers,

and to Arnold and Brenda, owners of beautiful Tanglebank Gardens!

We couldn't have done it without all of you!

Buggy Barn Show

2010-08-30T16:50:00.001-07:00

If it's the last weekend in August, it must be time for Buggy Barn's annual Quilt Show! This year Pam and Janet invited me to be their "featured quilter" so hubby Ben and I drove down to Spokane, Washington, about 30 minutes from the shop on their farm. We checked out Riverfront Park and found this very cool slide. I'm thinking, "what if my hips won't fit between the edges?"
On Saturday we drove out to the Buggy Barn property and found the shop covered in quilts.

Quilts were blowing in the wind. And, unlike most of the previous years, it was cold!

Quilts were draped over old wagons...

...clothespinned to fences...

...and fastened to... (I have no idea what this thing is!)

At the back of their property was another barn filled with bolts of fabric and decorated with more quilts.

This was my spot, surrounded by quilts from my book.

Folk-artists set up their tents around the property and there was more to see in another barn.

Eye candy everywhere and the view was just amazing! I loved the colour of the fields.

On Sunday at 4, the 14th annual Buggy Barn show was over. Quilts were taken down to be returned to their owners.

Thanks, Pam and Janet, for a wonderful weekend!

A Simply Beautiful Wedding

2010-08-22T08:55:00.001-07:00

On August 20th, we celebrated my niece's wedding in the corner of a park in Washington state.
Little candles in mason jars were hanging from the trees to guide us to the spot.
Flower petals defined the aisle and the backdrop on stage had been transformed with muslin panels, chippy window frames, fabric hearts, and a sparkling chandelier.
Guests were seated on white chairs or on white fabric on the grass. My youngest sister (mother of the bride) made the pillows and stuffed them with straw.

My niece looked more beautiful than ever in her gorgeous gown. Three of her sisters and two of the groom's sisters were in attendance in royal blue. The groom wore white sneakers and the groomsmen wore blue.

The quilting group from their church presented them with a soft, almost antique-looking quilt.

After the ceremony, the reception was held in a picnic area beside it. A paper flag garland and little white lights welcomed us.

Tables were covered in filmy cheesecloth. Burlap-wrapped grass and huge white dahlias made up the center pieces.

Glasses with a single strawberry in each, await the champagne.

Music sheets folded into cones await filling with berries for the dessert.

A cheesecake buffet with lots of yummy toppings, amid great country props and flowers.

There was even an old laundry tub filled with ice and bottled water.

And of course, gourmet specialty coffees.

After the reception, when night had fallen, the bride and groom were sent off in a flurry of sparklers.

A wonderful start to a new life together!

A Bit of Fall Decorating

2010-08-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Where is summer going? After a wonderful week of sitting on deck chairs, enjoying cool breezes off the ocean, and watching the boats go by, we returned to the heat of the Fraser Valley, ready to resume our lives. There was a surprise waiting for me in my mailbox--the October issue of Create and Decorate magazine.

And on page 59, a "Pumpkin Garland" pattern by yours truly!
Hope you like it!

Nature Walk

2010-08-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Up the Coast

2010-08-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

Summer in BC and we head up to the Sunshine Coast, a short ferry ride north of Vancouver.

We arrive at Gibson's Landing. The Canadian television series, "The Beachcombers" was filmed here and this restaurant featured prominently in it.

Gibson's Landing was named after George W. Gibson, a Royal Navy lieutenant, who settled here in 1886.

The harbour is beautiful but what really caught my eye was this houseboat.

The owner, who lives on the boat, must have the greenest thumbs in the world.

The next day, the Sunshine Coast doesn't quite live up to its name--a bit grey and drizzly--a perfect day to explore. We find the Fibre Works Studio and Gallery and the opening reception for the "Synthesis" exhibit, featuring works by the Studio Art Quilters Association, showcased in a yurt!

We go through the gallery door...

... and find an amazing display of art quilts, as well as baskets, wooden pieces, and other treasures.

Then we enter another yurt, the studio of fibre artist, Yvonne Stowell. This amazing woman weaves, spins, dyes, and knits handspun yarns and exotic fibres. Her studio is a feast for the eyes.

She took the time to explain the process of creating this beautiful shawl.

What an inspiring afternoon! For more information, check out her website, http://www.gunboatbaylodge.com/fibreworks.html..

Variations on a Theme

2010-07-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes my large patterns can be a bit intimidating. But don't let that stop you! Mary Alice Stevenson sent me pictures of her smaller versions of two of them. Here's my original "Saltboxes on the Corner" pattern, measuring 80" x 88".

She was able to figure out how to make it about half the size.

My "Village Sampler" pattern measures 69" x 83".
She changed around a few blocks and left out a few. I think they turned out great! Thanks for sharing, Mary Alice!

Lazy Dayz of Summer

2010-07-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

How do you like my bird bath? Check out her pedicure! And she's reading the latest "Crowsmopolitan". A great way to finish off a hot summer day.

After my mini-meltdown on my last blog, this past week has been the total opposite. Blogging friends and friends in the flesh coming over to buy fabric and patterns and to offer kind words of encouragement. Orders from new (and previous) customers. Topped off with an incident that almost felt a little surreal. A woman called with an emergency—she had to buy a quilt NOW for a wedding she was attending on the weekend—never had that happen before. So she came by and bought one I’d posted on my website and I almost thought I could hear God laughing. Reminding me he hasn’t forgotten about me in this mess, and that I might not have to stop quilting to earn money whether hubby Ben goes back to work or not. I feel so much better.

Thank you!

Legends of the Fall

2010-07-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize when I left home to go grocery shopping on December 7, 2009, that my life was about to undergo a drastic change. If you followed by blogs back then, you'll remember that I came home to find my husband had fallen some 30 feet out of a tree in the back yard and had been taken to the hospital by ambulance. He was there for 10 days, during which time he had surgery to repair a broken right arm, among other things. Unfortunately, during the surgery, the plate which was inserted pinched the nerve, leaving him with very little use of his right hand, which in his job as a truck-driver made him unable to work. He had a second operation the next day, to release the nerve, but by then significant damage had been done. The physiotherapist designed a splint for his hand which he wore to prevent his fingers from turning into a claw. It was a great conversation piece!
After several months, he underwent tests to see if the nerve had started to heal but it had not.

There was one other option left, which was to have nerve replacement surgery, and he had this operation a couple of weeks ago. He spent the night at Vancouver General Hospital in a private room. I think he had the best view in there!

The neurosurgeon removed an 18" length of nerve from his right calf, and used 5 sections of it to graft onto the damaged nerve in his right arm. They used over 70 staples to hold his wounds together and today he had them removed. Caution: if you're squeamish, you might want to look away now.

It will now be at least another 6 months before we know whether the nerve graft surgery has been successful--ie. the nerve in his arm has started to heal. It's a very slow process and the doctors have told him that it's unlikely he'll ever regain 100% use of his right hand. So now we wait again.

I am not good at waiting. People sometimes tell me they wouldn't have the patience to quilt like I do and so I think they assume that I'm a patient person. But for me, the patience required to create a quilt is a life-giving energy so I don't care how long the process takes. Almost every moment is a joy. I don't like being forced into situations (like this) in which I have no control and just have to let time take its course, not sure of what the outcome will be. My husband, who is in his late 50s was not supposed to retire for several years so we've had to adjust to his being at home where I work. For someone like me, who loves quiet and solitude, this has not been easy. And while we're so thankful that he's able to collect disability insurance while he's off work, it's a fraction of his former wage so that's been an adjustment as well.

After the initial shock and getting "used to" this new life, it's become a matter of taking it a day at a time. I've learned how life can change in an instant--sometimes for the better, sometimes not. Most days I'm okay and grateful that the accident didn't result in something much worse and I try not to think of all the "what-if's" about our future. That said, there are moments when it feels like too much. I'm not fun to be with at those times but I'm human and I can't always hold it together. So occasionally I give myself permission to lose it and I throw myself a one-person pity party.

This isn't the way I expected my life to be at this point. But then, to use another quilting analogy, one of the things I love about creating a quilt is when it seems to take on a life of its own and the design I had in my head when I started is very different from the finished product. The quilt may not be what I'd originally envisioned--but it's still beautiful and sometimes it's even better than what I'd dreamed. I'm hoping that this "detour" in my organized life will lead me/us to unexpected and yet lovely places that otherwise I would never had known. I guess time will tell.

A House of Another Colour

2010-07-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

"House Sampler" is the first Block-of-the-Month pattern I designed (several years ago) and it's still one of my bestsellers. Here's the original version.
I always love seeing how other quilters reinterpret my patterns by choosing different fabrics and colours. This week I received several photos in the mail from Jody Burch, a quilter from Tennessee, who made the pattern mainly in black, white, and red fabrics with a few other bright colours as accents. Isn't it amazing what a change fabric choice can make? Suddenly the pattern has transformed from country to contemporary! I love how the bold use of colour makes the graphics pop. (I'm sorry Jody--my scanner doesn't do the photo of your beautiful quilt justice.)

Thank you for sharing your photo with me!

An Amazing Afternoon

2010-07-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

Several months ago (I don't remember exactly when) I received an email from a woman I'd never met--Martine (at right in the photo below) who lives in the Loire Valley in France. Thanks to the internet, she'd discovered my patterns and tracked me down. She belongs to a group of quilting friends from France and Belgium who travel to quilt shows around the world. (How much fun would that be?!) She asked me whether I'd be willing to invite this group of ten into my home and studio, while they visited Vancouver, and then traveled on to the Sisters Quilt Show in Oregon. What an honour! Of course, I said yes! They arrived yesterday afternoon.

I gave them a quick tour of my home so they could see my quilts.

And then invited them into my "shop" where I have items on display which I've made, as well as fabrics to purchase.

What a wonderful group of women and what a wonderful afternoon! If anyone had told me several years ago that someday a group of quilters from France and Belgium would visit me, I would never have believed it! I was so thrilled that they came.

I'm sorry I can't remember all their names--my menopausal memory kicking in again! There was one male, a husband to one of these beautiful women. He was assigned the "photographer" job.

They'd handmade some gifts too, which were so beautifully wrapped I hardly wanted to open them.

Look at the beautiful stitching! A sachet filled with French lavender, a delicate thimble-case and thimble from Angers, a fun little mouse to hold thread, and some nougat. Yum! Thank you so very much all of you!
I'd made a batch of chocolate chip cookies and some ice tea, since it was such a warm day.

They took a few cookies to the bus driver (waiting patiently on the street outside my home) and then they said good-bye, to drive back to Vancouver and continue their travels. You can follow their journey on their blog, http://quiltinusa.blogspot.com/.

Au revoir, mes amies! It was an unforgettable afternoon and I hope to meet you all again very soon!

Happy Birthday, Canada!

2010-07-01T09:29:00.001-07:00

Canada turns 143 years old on July 1st, 2010!

See more of our beautiful country at http://www.localsknow.ca.

Come visit us!