Christmas Eve

Mrs. Santa's workshop has been going full tilt for the past several weeks, and I am still sewing on Christmas Eve!

My last project is a queen size quilt for my daughter (she's already seen it, so no surprise). I began sewing 2 days ago. Does anyone else do this? Are we crazy? So between shoveling more snow, egg nog and gingerbread, and dog walking, this is what I'll be doing today.

Can't think of anything better...

Have a safe and very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah everyone!

The Bed Quilt Club 10

Our Bed Quilt Club met last week, with Pat, Myrna, Doris, Marg and myself in attendance. We had many quilts to share and I have photos below.

Marg made this incredible quilt for her daughter-in-law Darbie. She's been working on it for many months. This is the information Marg has provided about the quilt:

Central design is by Diana Bouffard, published in Canada Quilts in three installments in February, April and June issues 1992. I expanded the design to king size. It is 124" wide and 105" long. Drunkard's Path blocks are hand pieced. Appliqué is by hand. Balance is machine pieced. Quilting patterns are my own design made specifically for this quilt. It took almost 300 hours for the hand quilting.

This is a close-up of the hand quilting, done in red thread. I can't even describe how gorgeous this quilt is - a real heirloom.

Pat has been working on her Christmas quilt called Christmas Waltz, from the book Six Halves Make A Whole Christmas from The Quilt Branch (Susan Knapp & Mary Jane Mattingly). This pattern is known as a dance around the square.

Myrna is showing us her Christmas quilt called Santa Face Wallhanging, designed by Mary Manis and published in Quilting Today Issue #93. Myrna added extra borders to enlarge the quilt. Buttons will be added to made the eyes after quilting.

Doris shows her mystery quilt, and is trying to decide what to name it. Several suggestions were made, and hopefully she'll tell us her choice at the next meeting in January.

This is a photo of one of 2 quilts that Gwen made from the French Braid Quilts book by Jane Hardy Miller. Gwen brought her finished quilts to a previous meeting that I wasn't able to attend, so I've included the photo here.

And lastly, we traded our Nine Patch blocks for the ongoing exchange. We've decided that multiple blocks may be brought in for trading, as it will take too long to accumulate enough to make our quilts otherwise.

Our next meeting will be in early January, and I'll have my new bed quilt pattern to show then!

Lois Murray's Asiatic Lily

Lois took my Botanical Art Small Wall Quilts workshop in Alliston for Lilac Lane Quilts on November 1st, and had her quilt finished within days! Here she is showing her Asiatic Lily.

Thanks Lois for sharing with us!

Joyce Hartley's Sugar Maple Little Quilt

And another version of the Sugar Maple Little Quilt from my Leaf Magic Little Quilt pattern done by Joyce R. Hartley can be viewed on her quilt blog Quilting Adventures. Check out her lovely leaf vein stitching!

Introducing Monica Washburn

An old friend, Monica Washburn, came to visit me at the Country Concessions Quilt Shop booth at Quilt Canada 2008 in St. John's, Newfoundland this spring. Monica was my hostess during a teaching trip to Fredericton, New Brunswick many years ago.

Monica bought my Leaf Magic Little Quilt pattern, and sent me this photo of the two Sugar Maple Little Quilts that she has since made. Monica describes herself thus: "I am really just a traditional quilter, but I do like to try new things".

Monica's husband Tom was an avid fly fisherman, and gave me one of his beautiful hand made fishing flies as a gift.

Teaching is rewarding in many ways. I've met many fine people on my trips, and two of them are Monica and Tom.

Pine Tree Quilter's Guild of Muskoka

I had a wonderful teaching trip to Bracebridge, Ontario for the Pine Tree Quilter's Guild of Muskoka last week. I gave my Trunk Show after the guild's meeting on Thursday afternoon and taught the Botanical Art Small Wall Quilt workshop on Friday.

The meeting was really busy, and I didn't have time to take any photos. The Pine Tree guild has about 100 members, and there were almost 80 people attending on Thursday.

I was treated to a pot luck dinner with the Art Quilt group that evening. I brought a bottle of wine to share, not knowing that the dinner would be held at the local senior's residence. So one of the resourceful members found a bag of medication cups and used them to serve the wine!

A toast!

Barb Coburn is an old friend from Northwestern Ontario. I hadn't seen Barb for about 15 years, and it was such a treat to see her in Bracebridge. The first time I learned about this amazing quilter was when I saw her gorgeous purple amethyst quilt at the National Juried Show in Thunder Bay during Quilt Canada '92.

Marta McIntyre shows her paper pieced quilts. Marta is saying "thank you" as we all ooed and ahhed.

Heather Ingram is showing her Round Robin quilt, which began with her "Lone Angel" centre block.

The next day was my Botanical Art Small Wall Quilt workshop. It was full with a waiting list, which is very nice to hear! This photo was taken mid-afternoon and shows the progress that these ladies made in a very short time.

Thanks to all for such a great experience! (Not to mention the chocolate that was donated, and really helped the creative process)

Lilac Lane Quilts Teaching Trip

I had the pleasure of giving my lecture Healing Stitches and teaching the Botanical Art Small Wall Quilts workshop for Lilac Lane Quilts of Alliston, Ontario this weekend. Liz and Carl Schueler were perfect hosts, and organized a wonderful event for their customers.

Liz had a busy table, selling the many items used to make
my quilt patterns.

Mary Margaret, who swore she didn't like applique, made a beautiful Pansy block. She then purchased my Sugar Maple Dance and Leaf Magic Little Quilt patterns. I think we have a convert!

Diane made the Asiatic Lily, Shirley made the Bearded Iris and Wendy made her own artistic interpretation of the Asiatic Lily. I met Wendy in 1998 when she took my Monet's Garden workshop at Quilt Canada in Vancouver. She did her own fabulous thing in that class, and obviously she hasn't changed a bit!

Wendy's block - what you can't see are the embellishments she has already added (beading and embroidery).

Our class had accomplished these blocks by the middle
of the afternoon.

The women were wonderful and the food was scrumptious (Liz you're awesome). Thanks to everyone who made this such a successful event!