Here Fishie Fishie...

Each year for "Quilt Canada", the Canadian Quilters' Association (CQA) conference, the association requests donations from Guilds across Canada. Delegates attending receive a "goodie bag" with all sorts of donated items, some from sponsoring companies and other things from Guilds and individuals. Last year's conference was in London Ontario, which is known as the Forest City. The requested item was Leaf Bowls which you can see here. Many Guilds across Canada had fun doing these bowls and they received more than they actually needed (a wonderful "problem" to have!) This year's request was for a drawstring bag which would be useful for carrying small items to a class, shoes, or any number of possibilities. Because this years' conference is in Halifax, things have a "Maritime" theme. Karen Miller, a Nova Scotia quilter, designed this bag and all Guilds received the pattern, applique template and instructions. There are three choices for the applique: a salmon, haddock or cod. (Those who know me well would know I chose the salmon...☺)   I have finished one bag and have several more underway but thought I would show you #1 today. They are fun, and relatively quick and easy. One can be creative and embellish the

bag or fish as desired. I added a little sparkle by using an Opalescent Sulky thread along with the cotton burgundy thread when I added the "veining" to the fins and tail. When I went to buy something for the cording, all I could find in a burgundy color was fairly thin, so I braided it with two doubled lengths of perle cotton and added a few beads on the ends. (It didn't make it look much thicker but at least made it a little more interesting.)  I will be sending off our Guild's "shipment" in another week or so. Have you made any Catch of the Day bags for Quilt Canada 2012? You can find the pattern and directions here.

Peace,
Linda

"I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will. " ~ Edward Everett Hale

"Snow Quilts"

I don't often pass along things on my blog that have come from emails..but sometimes there is just something sooo good that I cannot resist... and today is such a day. The email came from my friend Gail who got it from Lee, who got it from someone at KVQG.. and so on. I posted it this morning on our Guild Blog... But you may not go to any of those blogs so I thought I'd add it here too. I think it will inspire you, and make you smile. I hope so....

 

Artist Simon Beck must really love the cold weather! Along the frozen lakes of Savoie, France, he spends days plodding through the snow in raquettes (snowshoes), creating these sensational patterns of snow art. Working for 5-9 hours a day, each final piece is typically the size of three soccer fields! The geometric forms range in mathematical patterns and shapes that create stunning, sometimes 3D, designs when viewed from higher levels.

How long these magnificent geometric forms survive is completely dependent on the weather. Beck designs and redesigns the patterns as new snow falls, sometimes unable to finish a piece due to significant overnight accumulations. Interestingly enough, he said, 'The main reason for making them was because I can no longer run properly due to problems with my feet, so plodding about on level snow is the least painful way of getting exercise. Gradually, the reason has become photographing them, and I am considering buying a better camera.” Spectacular art for the sake of exercise!

All I can say is Wow!!! When I "googled" Simon to see if I could find more info, I found his Facebook page, which has even more photos... Check it out!! Gives a whole new meaning to "walking in a winter wonderland" doesn't it?

Peace,
Linda

"Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius." ~Pietro Aretino

Have you seen the Old Maid's Eyebrows?

Photo from Kings Landing 2009. Miss Joslin threads her quilting needle.

 Now if that title doesn't grab your interest, nothing will!! haha. I am trying to find a quilt design called Old Maid's Eyebrows. Has anyone heard of it? I know Old Maid's Puzzle, and Old Maid's Ramble, but nothing about her eyebrows! (I wonder..were they bushy? or oddly shaped... or...??) I'm thinking perhaps it is just a "local" name for a traditional design, perhaps? A Google search has yielded nothing, and as well I have checked a number of online sites which list numerous patterns/designs.. No luck. My "quilting library" also has failed me...  So I'm asking you, dear readers - anyone heard of Old Maid's Eyebrows?
 Why? you ask.. Why am I searching for this elusive pattern? All because of a song. The Ladies Choir I sing in recently started working on a new song called "The Quilt". In the chorus are mentioned a number of old quilt patterns, such as Wedding Ring, Ship of Dreams, Lover's Knot, Butterfly and Dresden Plate.... and Old Maid's Eyebrows. It's the only one mentioned that I've never heard of. This week our Director asked if I would do a little research and bring in some photos to our next practice, of these quilts so we could all identify and have a "feel for" what we're singing about... In my Google search, I actually found the person who wrote the lyrics, so I have emailed her to ask also. If she provides me any info on the the ole girls brows, I'll be sure to pass it along... But I am curious to see if anyone has heard of this design. It's certainly a new one on me... I might even offer a "prize" to the first person who can provide info.....
Edit: April 3: I have just heard back from the songwriter, Donna, who tells me that Old Maid's Eyebrows is indeed  an actual quilt pattern. She is going to forward to me a picture of the block and when I receive it, I will add it here. Stay tuned!
Edit:  April 12: See my April 12 post here for a photo of the block!!

Peace,
Linda

"My fav'rite quilt was black and red, it graced the foot of Gramma's bed
An heirloom made to last through time, 'twas made with care and stitches fine.
A piece of hist'ry cut to fit, a pattern far more intricate
than all the pieces on their own, but all together finely sewn
in a Blazing Star, Fox and Geese, Dresden Plate and Butterfly.
The colour and the patterns joining in a joyful dance.

A piece of Gramma's wedding dress, the sky blue of my Grampa's vest,
The softest yellow known on earth, reminder of a baby's birth
Small scraps and pieces of a life too small to keep,
perhaps they might be useful in the larger scheme
of things remembered, hoped and dreamed
in a Lover's Knot, Wedding Ring, Ship of Dreams and Old Maid's Eyebrows,
the names alone were cause to tremble at the sheer romance......."

~ Donna Rhodenizer

Who'd have thought...?

 Who would think that your whole day could be messed up by the lack of a little screw? Now get your mind out of the gutter, I'm not talking dirty here... I'm talking about a tiny sewing machine screw that went missing... Yesterday I was all set to spend the day sewing. I am in the process of making several Catch of the Day bags for our national conference,
Quilt Canada 2012, to be held in Halifax in two short months. I was really looking forward to sitting down at my machine and doing some relatively mindless sewing. It had been too long. A week in fact - the last time I used my machine was at a class I taught last week. All was fine then...
 When I pulled out my bobbin case to change bobbins, the clip fell off the outside. As I examined it, I could see that the tiny screw which holds this little metal "flap" in place, was missing. Hmmm.... where could it have gone to? Everything worked fine last week...? It was nowhere to be seen- not sitting there in front of my machine, not in the shuttle race area, not on the floor. I searched for a good 20 minutes. I searched my machine travel case, the case all my machine feet are in, the "box" I carry all my "little stuff" in when I teach.... Totally gone. Darn! (Okay, I did say something a little stronger than that....) This little teeny tiny itsy bitsy screw would not be more than 3.5mm. across and hardly as long. We're talking small here folks... But it is very important! It is what holds the "clip" which puts tension on the bobbin thread. So you just can't sew without it! Simple as that! I don't have a second bobbin case... nor do I have a second teeny tiny itsy bitsy little screw....Hmmmm... what to do.... The closest Bernina dealer is an hour away. I did NOT want to spend several hours in the car, driving upriver... (Although that was my "plan B")
I do keep on hand some very tiny screws for sunglasses, complete with a miniscule screwdriver. But of course, not quite the right size/shape. Then I remembered there is a "new guy in town" now who can service and repair all makes of sewing machine. So I called Diane B as he picks up and drops off at her shop. She would try and reach him to see if he could help me. So I jumped in the car, took my bobbin case and detached clip (and machine manual) down to her to leave it for him... Bless his little heart, he found a screw that fit and I now have it back, less than 24 hours later. Pretty quick service! Thanks Diane, and Thanks "My new Go To Guy"!!!
 Now I won't tell you what that new little teeny tiny screw cost me.. it might put some of my readers into cardiac arrest! It was pricey. But I guess when you have a very specialized little part, you have to pay for it. (I'm not complaining, I'm glad to have it replaced so quickly.) I heard a similar story from a friend and fellow Bernina owner/Guild member who lost the screw in her needle clamp. Also a specialized and pricey little devil to replace. So here's my advice if you have a similar tiny screw that does an important job. Check it now and then to make sure it is not coming loose. You DON'T  want to lose it. You may not be able to replace it as quickly and easily as I did. And I will consider having a spare one on hand.. for the  future ...
 Now, back to my salmon... uhhh, that's the fabric salmon, not supper...

Peace,
Linda

May your bobbin always be full.

TAST Week 12- Barred Chain stitch

It's week 12 - time again to show you another stitch, and I am caught up once again. The stitch Sharon assigned this week, Barred Chain Stitch, was pretty easy. Some people seemed to have trouble with it, I'm not sure why. It is basically just a combination of a regular  chain stitch with a twisted chain. She also suggested we try Alternating Barred Chain, which just means you alternate sides when doing the spike. I kept my work simple this week, just playing with several different weights of thread and length/size of stitches. You can see I have added some French knots, and beads and sequins as well for  a bit of "bling"...
What I am enjoying most about this Challenge, as well as the actual stitching, is seeing what others around the world are doing. It is so interesting to see the cultural influences on some people's work. I hope the other participants are enjoying this Challenge as much as I am. And Sharon, you must be having great fun looking at everyone's efforts! Kudos to Sharon for doing another TAST Challenge.

Highlights of the week can be seen by clicking here.

Peace,
Linda

The work of the hands brings forth the spirit of the heart.

TAST Week 11 - Whipped Wheels

 Yes I'm a bit behind with my TAST Challenge, but here finally is last week's stitch - Whipped Wheels. Each week when I look at what others around the world are doing in this Challenge, I feel I am not being terribly creative. I guess it depends on "where you're coming from".. I am using this challenge to learn new stitches or variations for Crazy Quilting- i.e. I will be using them along seams. So I am taking the sampler "route" rather than the creative approach some are taking with pictorial pieces, etc. I LOVE looking at what others are doing, and am sooo enjoying seeing the wonderful variety. But I feel I have not been very creative in my work so far. So this week I thought I'd do something a little different (although it didn't work out quite the way I had planned). I have collected so much "stuff" over the years- fabrics for quilting, threads, beads, etc... and I continue to take classes to learn new techniques.. which often leads to buying more "stuff", and leaves me with samples of techniques I have tried. (Tell me I'm not alone in this...)

 So this week I decided to  use a piece of silk "paper" which is a "leftover" from a Silk Fusion class taken at Quilt Canada 2006 in Ottawa. This "paper" was made by layering dyed silk fiber between screening, soaking it with a textile medium, then letting it dry. I made four different pieces in the class and have used only one of them. (You can see it in my Crazy Quilts Gallery on my sidebar- the piece is called What Lies Beneath, with the silk "paper" representing a landscape.)
  So.... I had planned to use this as my "background" this week. However stitching my wheels through it did not give me the effect I wanted, and as well it was too "flimsy", so again I have used Aida cloth for my base but have mounted my aida pieces on the silk fusion paper. It gives a little color, if nothing else... If you look closely you can see several skeletal leaves embedded in the paper.
  I just had fun with the wheels, doing them in various sizes, with a variety of threads. I did a bit of beading as well and did one wheel over a washer to give it some thickness. As with most pieces I've done in the challenge, I get more and more ideas as I go along and just have to make myself stop or I'd never finish!
 These whipped wheels are not hard to do. You simply make as many "wheel spokes" as you want, then starting from the center, wrap your thread around each spoke as you circle the wheel until it is filled up. Simple as that. I have left several not quite "full" to get more of a "star" effect.
You can see the Highlights of the Week by clicking here. Do have a look to see the creative work being done by others in this TAST Challenge.

Peace,
Linda

"Your own self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world." ~ Ramana Maharshi

Quilts from the Landing!

I thought I would continue on the Kings Landing theme for one more post. Humour me, folks.... We were so fortunate at my Guild meeting on Tuesday evening to have Lois MacDonald from Kings Landing come to share with us some of the KL collection of quilts! These were original quilts which were all at least 100 years old, many of them older than that! All but one were in excellent shape. Lois is very knowledgeable about all things textile at KL - not just quilts but also hooked rugs, woven coverlets and of course all the period costumes worn by the staff.

  We were all very interested to learn about the quilts she brought, where they had come from, how the collection is stored, etc.  Kings Landing grew out of the Mactaquac Dam project in the 1960's. Many farms and properties along the St. John River above Mactaquac would be flooded when the dam was built, and many of the homes and artifacts now found at KL came from these homes and families along the river.
The quilts were quite amazing, considering their age and the fact that most would have been hand-pieced.

  The "postage stamp" quilt (above left) was a favourite and drew many "Ooohs" and "Ahhhs"... But each one was much admired and appreciated. We were so grateful to Lois for this wonderful presentation. I'm sure I won't be the only one making a special trip to the Landing this summer for another close look at some wonderful "vintage"' quilts... (FYI  It is possible to make arrangements for a tour of the Collection Centre to see these quilts. All you have to do is call KL and
ask !)

Tonight I finished reading The Town That Drowned by Riel Nason. Riel grew up in Hawkshaw, not far from  Kings Landing, and has written a fictional story set in the 60's at the time of the construction of the Mactaquac Dam. This story explores what local people would have gone through, finding out their lands and homes would soon be swallowed up by rising waters. Riel is a quilter and KVQG member... and a great writer! Edit: I've just been advised (thanks Sue!) that Riel's book has been nominated for the Canadian Library Association's 2012 Young Adult Book Award! Way to go Riel!! Best of Luck!!

Tomorrow I hope to show you another TAST effort.. I'm "just a bit behind"...

Piece,
Linda

"History is who we are and why we are the way we are." ~ David McCullough

Sugarbush at the Landing...

 I really need a few more hours in each day. Any ideas how I can go about that?? The days seem to fly by, and I never seem to get caught up - always a list..   It was a busy weekend, with Laura home and Mark  had a buddy here for part of the weekend. I taught a class on Monday - three done, 1 left to go.. I had a great group at Cotton Mill QG for my Machine Quilting class- thanks everyone, it was a fun
filled day for all... Yesterday was another busy one - errands to do, things to get ready for our Guild meeting,  both Choir and Guild to attend...   Acckkkk.. I think I need a few days on a hot sunny beach somewhere to re-charge...

  Saturday (St. Patrick's Day) Laura and I attended Sugarbush Weekend at Kings Landing. It was a beautiful sunny day and there were many in attendance which was great to see. There is always a big Pancake and Maple Syrup breakfast (with beans, bacon, sausages, eggs, toast and beverage too!!) - it's a fundraiser for the local Ground Search and Rescue team, and I think they did very well - there appeared to be a constant  lineup of hungry folks waiting for a seat.
 It was great to walk around the Landing once again, this was my first "winter" visit. Of course we had to have some yummy Maple Candy - boiling syrup poured on fresh snow to harden, then it is rolled up on a stick..so sweet and good...  Many people have little idea about the whole maple industry and how maple products (syrup, sugar, butter and candy) are made. This event at least gives an idea of the process although today's industry has
certainly come  a long way from how it was done in the 1800's. Today's miles of plastic tubing and huge evaporators are much more efficient than the old spiles and cans hung on trees, and boiling in a huge iron pot over an open  fire... But it is good for people to see how it was done in the past. And maple candy on the snow is as popular as ever, especially with the children! (Even big kids... like us...) I just read on the KL site that they served 2,370 Sticks of Maple Candy over the weekend...wonder how many it will be next weekend?

 Visitors also could enjoy a wagon ride and a visit to the Joslin farm. Mrs. Joslin was baking and serving Buttermilk Bran Cake (delicious!) and Miss Joslin was spinning...The children were delighted to visit with live farm animals- horses, sheep, pigs, geese, etc.
 Laura loved seeing her large KL "family" - there were lots of happy shrieks and hugs. We enjoyed lunch and hot cider at the Kings Head Inn, and just, overall, loved being back at one of our most favourite places in N.B. The Landing sure looks different with snow on the ground... All in all a great day spent with my darlin' daughter... I hope you enjoy my photos....

 

 

 

 If you couldn't make it to KL Sugarbush last weekend, you have one more chance- it is running again this coming weekend - March 24 and 25 - Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 -5pm. Go with an empty stomach (real empty) so you can partake in the Pancake Breakfast too!! Breakfast is served 8:30-1:30.

Peace,
Linda

"A morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable." ~ Thomas Jefferson

Who doesn't love Lemon?

To me, one of the flavours of spring is lemon. Don't ask me why, it's just that it is refreshing, tangy... springy? I certainly love lemon flavour at any time of year, and here is one of my favourite lemon recipes. It was called Frozen Lemon "Cheesecake" when it was given to me, but it's actually not a cheesecake at all, as it contains no cheese! "Frozen Lemon Dessert" would be more accurate. Call it whatever you like- it's still yummy! Yummy, quick and easy, that's what we all like, right? It's NOT low cal, with all the cream, but it is nice and light.

Frozen Lemon Dessert

Crust: 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

Filling: 5 eggs
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (you'll probably need 3 lemons, or more if they are small)
zest of 1 lemon
2 cups whipping cream

Method: Mix crumbs and melted butter or margarine together, press into bottom and at least an inch up the sides of a lightly greased 9" springform pan. Bake at 350° F for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a double boiler, beat eggs and then add sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Place over heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Let cool. Whip the cream. Fold in lemon mixture, pour into crust. Cover tightly with foil and freeze.  Remove from freezer at least 1/2 hour before serving.  Garnish with fresh berries, fruit or as desired.  Now how easy is that?!

Note: You can use any crumb crust you like - the original recipe suggested an Oreo crust as an alternative. Much as I love chocolate (You KNOW I do!!) I don't care for lemon and chocolate together... But a Gingersnap crust or one with finely chopped nuts or coconut might be yummy too...

I received another "mail surprise" today.. my winnings from Mandy's Blog Giveaway. It's a very nice selection of beads and I may put some of them to use right away on this week's TAST piece...  Thanks so much Mandy!!




Peace,
Linda

"It is in the small decisions you and I make every day that create our destiny." ~ Anthony Robbins

Longing for Spring...

  It's been quite a day or two.. Weatherwise, I think we have just had our annual "Ides of March storm". The last two days have given us just about every form of precipitation that there is.. rain, freezing rain, ice pellets, snow.. you name it. Today we woke to a fresh 6" or so of the white stuff...  but I refuse to show any more "snow" pics! I've had enough so maybe if I ignore it, it will go away! (Ya think?) I'm hoping that this is our last storm and we will not see snow falling from the sky again until next December. (You listening, Mother Nature??) The forecast for the weekend is WARM temps- bring it on!! Woohooo!
 Instead of showing you our recent snowfall I decided some spring-y pics were in order. This lovely bouquet of pink tulips is sitting in my kitchen, beckoning to spring.... I figured you'd rather look at pink than white... I had fun playing around with my macro lens. It has a very shallow depth of field, but it does make for interesting closeup work. Have you ever looked this closely at the center of a tulip?

One significant achievement this week  - Laura has finished her Honours thesis. Done. Fini. Finito. Passed in. DONE! Hurray! I read, edited, read and re-read it... I'm almost as relieved as she is, that it is finally off her list... Well done, my darling...

 We are in the market for a new car. My Nissan is 12 years old now and after needing a whole new muffler system last week, we've decided "it's time". We were out looking at "possibilities" this afternoon... decisions, decisions....It's NOT as easy as buying fabric!!


On the sewing front,  next up are some "Catch of the Day" bags for Quilt Canada and finishing my Spicy Spiral tablerunner... And I'm working away on this week's TAST Challenge...

  Laura is heading home for the weekend and we hope to take in Sugarbush activities at Kings Landing on  Saturday. So now I'm off to make a Lemon Cheesecake - a very simple recipe that requires no baking and goes in the freezer. She wanted one last time home and it didn't get done.. Perhaps I'll share the recipe tomorrow if anyone is interested...?

Peace,
Linda

"Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart." ~ Victor Hugo

TAST Week 10 - Runningstitch

Once again I'm a little behind. It's a good thing we're not in a "real" class or Sharon would be making me stay after school for my tardiness!! But life is busy and my motto is "done is good". So better done and a little late, than not done at all...
This past week's stitch was Running stitch. A very basic stitch. I must admit, at first I was not too excited, but as always, once you get going, the ideas start to come.. You can do so much with just simple straight stitches and a little imagination!
Here is a my sampler for this stitch. In the second to fifth rows I experimented with some lacing as I have not done much of this... All my "base" stitches are perle cotton, mostly perle 5. I have laced with YLI Candlelight, a handdyed cotton, Pearl Crown Rayon and Caron Watercolors. The first and sixth to ninth rows are just simply playing around with a simple pattern in perle 5...
You can see other's work with runningstitch by clicking here and looking at the comments (at the top of post). Sharon's picks for "Highlights of the Week" can be seen by clicking here.

Peace,
Linda

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.
But without it we go nowhere." ~ Carl Sagan

True Beauty...

I don't know about you, but fresh cut flowers, or having a plant in bloom, always gives me a lift and puts a smile on my face. So I thought I'd pass on the smiles today.. hope you enjoy this amaryllis which is in full bloom. This one last bloomed in January, 2011, and at that time it was quite "stunted" - the stalk only grew a few inches tall before the buds started opening. You can see it here. It's made up for that this time- it is currently 26" from bulb to top of blossom. It's a lovely coral color - very cheerful! It was a "surprise" - that is, it was NOT what was pictured on the box when I purchased it, so I cannot even tell you it's name.. I just call it "Beauty".  Enjoy!

I am linking to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Peace,
Linda

He has made everything beautiful. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:11

Another Finish!

  As promised, here is a photo of my latest (small) finish. It's a Table Centre, about 20" square. It is another "variation" of the design I am teaching this weekend for a "scrap quilt" workshop. I have done this one totally with batiks (yummm), except for the solid lime green narrow "accent" border. If you are in my local area and wishing you could join us for this workshop- there are still a few spaces available  (contact me by leaving a comment here or get my email from my profile). We'd love to have you join us! It's a very simple block, made up of four identical units which you make two at a time with just a few quick seams. As well I'll be giving lots of tips to help each student perfect their piecing skills and accuracy.
  On another note, Ollie is doing just fine after his tooth extraction yesterday. He was happy to get home and back to his family. He hardly left my side last night....
 I have to say a big Happy Birthday to daughter Laura - she turns 21 today. (I'm feelin' old here folks...) Mark had his 23rd last week... How can that be when I feel like I'm only 30?
 On a closing note, the temp outside right now is  15°C... the eavestrough is dripping and the downspouts are gushing... Ollie is very happy to be lying in the open family room window again... wow- spring MUST be on its way...

Peace,
Linda

"Spring hath put a spirit of youth in every thing." ~ Shakespeare

It's been Snowin'... I been Sewin'...

It seems like it has been snowing every day for days now...I think Mother Nature is showing signs of age.. she forgot to get winter started until late, now she can't seem to remember to "turn it off"... There's only 13 more days until the official start of spring! However we all know that the first day of spring and the first spring day are often quite different...
 So to keep my mind off this "wintery" weather in March, I've been spending lots of time in my studio... actually today I'm trying to keep my mind off something else too... My constant companion, my best buddy, my "assistant" Oliver is having dental surgery today. He had a broken canine tooth when we got him (from the SPCA) and when he was in for his annual checkup last week, our Vet said it should come out. His gum was swollen and she thought it could start causing him problems. So today was the day.... Of course he couldn't have anything to eat after 8p.m. last night- he was NOT happy, as he is a grazer and often eats during the evening. And naturally he could have nothing this morning... I think he knew something was "going on"... Anyway it's all overwith now, all is well, but we can't pick him up until 5:45. I hope he is not howling and causing a ruckus.. hopefully he's groggy and quiet and being a good boy... It'll be good to have him back home. ♥
I'm finishing off another "variation" piece for my class this Saturday. Finished quilting it a short while ago and have the binding ready to apply. I'll get it all hand-stitched tonight, in between kitty cuddles... I promise a photo tomorrow..
Guess what?? I won another Blog Giveaway!!! How funny. Been trying for so long, and now have won two in one week. This one is a variety of beads from a bead artist in Maine... I'll show you my "winnings" when they arrive.
Oops- almost forgot to say Happy Birthday to Oreos- did you know Oreo cookies had their 100th birthday yesterday?? 
Tata for now.... Got to get supper prep underway, so I can go pick up Ollie! Hope you're having a productive day.

Peace,
Linda

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France

Love that Beep Beep Beep...

I love hearing that Beep Beep Beep! You know - the sound a truck makes as it's backing up?! I've heard it twice recently and both times it was a truck in my driveway with a delivery... for me! Today Mr. Purolator-man was delivering my winnings from Janet's giveaway.  Many of you are familiar, I'm sure, with best-selling author Jennifer Chiaverini of the Elm Creek Quilts series. I won her latest book Sonoma Rose! Hardcover, no less. Yippee! I have enjoyed reading  a number of her books so am thrilled to have her newest one! Thanks again Janet! Now, to find some "reading time"... It's snowing yet again.. maybe I'll just curl up for the rest of the afternoon on the couch with my new book...

Peace,
Linda

"The love of learning, the sequestered nooks,
And all the sweet serenity of books..." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

TAST Week 9 - Couching

So it's time again for Take A Stitch Tuesday - this week's challenge was to do some couching. Couching is simply stitching which holds down a heavy thread or metallic thread which is too heavy to pass through the foundation fabric. One can also couch ribbon, yarn, fine cord, or what have you. It can be placed straight along a seam, or be curvy or free-form. You can use just a simple stitch which passes over the thread or ribbon, anchoring it to the fabric, or use an embroidery stitch. I have chosen to use several stitches from previous weeks- the cretan, chevron, fly and featherstitch, to couch down silk and velvet ribbons and yarns. With the soft pink silk ribbon couched with fly stitch, I ruched it into small rosettes every so often.  At the bottom, I have couched several textured yarns.




We're now into the month of March, with it's typical messy weather. Yesterday we saw snow, ice pellets, freezing rain and finally rain. I was glad that my class yesterday was not cancelled because of the weather, and although it was a miserable drive home, it was a great day- thanks KRQ gals! One down, three to go...

Peace,
Linda

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.