Tuesday, August 22, 2017

One Last Show Before We Go!

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I was so happy to view the Northern Lights last night as the nights are finally getting darker and the viewing season is just about to start.  I hope this means it will be a good week of viewing but I’m just so grateful to have had one more evening of running around in my yard in the dark with my camera.     This next picture is one of my favorites from last night as I took it in the spot where we cut down a large tree this spring and it created a window to the sky!

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The picture above and below are looking straight up!

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Here are the lights over my house!

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Looking across our bay as the clouds move off into the distance.

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Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Guild Round Robin 2014

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This quilt has a great story, it was our quilt guilds 2014 Round Robin project.  We each made a center block and it was then passed around each month with a new set of instructions for others to build onto it.   I had the quilt top sitting in my studio for a long time and even loaded it on my longarm once but then took it off as I had no clue how to quilt it.   Then an opportunity came along that seemed to be the perfect solution.  My friend Lori, who is a longarm quilter and my Highway 10 Designs partner, owed me a favor!  I thought it would be nice to have something quilted by her so asked if she was up to the challenge. She agreed and I said ‘no rush’ as I wanted her to enjoy quilting it.  She had it at her place for about a year and then when she found out I was moving thought it would be nice for me to have it to show at my last guild meeting so it arrived quilted a few weeks ago!  I was so thrilled with how she quilted it, the ruler work in the center, the Nemeshing around the Celtic applique, it was perfect!  And best of all I have a sample of her work on one of my quilts!

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I added the binding last week and then brought it to my last guild meeting yesterday for Show and Tell.   I have been a member of our guild for 19 years and was one of the founding members so it was very hard to say goodbye to this group of amazing ladies.  At our July meeting they had a Going Away party for me with a potluck supper and special Show and Tell  where all the members shared either stories, quilts I quilted for them or of how I have helped or inspired them over the years.   It was very emotional for me as these are the  ladies that trusted me with quilting their quilts long before I had my longarm and was still learning.  They are the reason I have developed my skills over the years and why I bought a longarm.  I will miss them so much but I know I will see many of them again at Retreats, Quilt Shows and I might even drive the 1,200km back to go to their Quilt Show next year.

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Now back to more pictures of Lori’s fabulous quilting! 

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My next challenge with the move is hoping that I can register my business name in Ontario as I have to cancel my Manitoba business registration.  So far everything is going very well with the move and we even get to move into our new house sooner than first planned.  Our new move in date is Sept 6 so we are thrilled with that change as it was originally Oct 2.  This weekend I take down my longarm, I have been procrastinating doing this job but it has to be done.  At least now I can set it up again sooner!

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Friday, August 4, 2017

Viking Quilt

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I have been finding a bit of time for my own quilting projects between all this moving business and started a quilt for my sister who turned 50 this year.  The pattern is called Islendingadagurinn by Fabriculous which is a quilt shop in Brandon, Manitoba.  I loved this quilt the first moment I saw it in their shop window and knew it would be perfect for my sister so I bought the kit.  I showed her the quilt top yesterday and she loved it!  But it might be awhile before she gets the finished quilt!

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You may have noticed the blank block in the center!  That is for a special design that the pattern designers ( Wendy and George) are working on and they just emailed the first draft so I will share that once it is done. 

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I have also been finding time to enjoy our last summer at the lake.

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