tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92049477381299702982024-02-21T06:35:36.474-05:00By the WaterWhere I find myself, when I think I have lost it.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-7585262384194769912013-07-16T12:21:00.004-04:002013-07-16T12:21:59.283-04:00Stay tunedOh no! The blogger gremlins got me. Last post May 27th 2012? That just won't do.<br />
<br />
I'll be back ;)<br />
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<br />
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<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-37972960204576185392012-05-18T10:18:00.001-04:002012-05-27T12:09:31.624-04:00Kelmscott Manor - Sentimental Reasons Quilt Show 2012<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/7221418216/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7091/7221418216_1aae200569.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/7221418216/">Kelmscott Manor - Sentimental Reasons Quilt Show 2012</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/">sailbit</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/7221418216/"></a></span></div>
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One of my entries in the Oakville Quilter's Guild show in May 2012. <br />
<br />
1st place, Viewer's Choice, Large Quilts Category<br />
& also Member's Choice for Large Quilts<br />
<br />
Thank you to family, friends, fellow quilters, and complete strangers --- I am so very touched that you love this quilt as much as I do!<br />
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<br />
(Also a special shout out to my friend Dorothy Baker, who won 3rd prize Viewer's Choice for her gorgeous "Vintage Tiles" Quilt!!)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-81201527415217853722012-04-21T11:35:00.001-04:002012-05-27T13:16:34.370-04:00Oops - Missed a spot!<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/7099110563/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7099110563_128f1017b7.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/7099110563/">Oops - Missed a spot!</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/">sailbit</a>.</span></div>
</div>
<br />When you have 7,225sq inches of quilting to do, and you realize you missed a spot waaaaay back in the middle of a closed off space ... well, your first reaction isn't something that needs to be described. Second reaction?<br />
<br />
"How in the heck am I going to find that spot later?!"<br />
<br />
I like to use #8 perle cotton for various things quilty. Like basting the way <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD08750CD372292AD">Sharon Schamber does</a>. Or big stitch quilting. Or embroidery. So I have more than a few spools tucked into my stash. <br />
<br />
So I grabbed the brightest colour I could find and a big darning needle, and I "flagged" this little spot so I don't have trouble finding it in the middle of this huge quilt. When I am at the end of another bobbin or need to start in a new place, I'll snip the thread out and finish up that section :)<br />
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Not a bad idea at 8am on a Saturday!<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-88822203275090841672012-04-19T09:36:00.000-04:002012-04-19T09:36:28.146-04:00Quilt Math aka The Murphy's Law of Bindings.Hello out there :)
I've been alternately sick or quilting my little brains out for the past few months (not that I have much to show for either!) The lovely thing about blogging is that it waits for you and you don't have to make any deadlines!<br />
<br />
So, lets have a wee chat about bindings.
It's not my first rodeo - I've bound a lot of quilts. By machine, by hand, by both. I've made double fold, single fold, and bias. I calculate what I need and bias join my strips and iron and roll and do all the things a good little quilter should do. I even bias join the start and finish - no tucking the ends in for me.
And every darned time, this is what seems to happen:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaupHhFtDal4DbmWSJu3_pkgU58B7PuT6qDvUpPwCx41alBdb2KKEGxCbK6Tqak0g-MTkeCn-GW3wbHBTneOU7lbgrWOUnOgo1676Bp929FP5VX_3I72rHHGAH2CulptV9CU0X2xxjUSd/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaupHhFtDal4DbmWSJu3_pkgU58B7PuT6qDvUpPwCx41alBdb2KKEGxCbK6Tqak0g-MTkeCn-GW3wbHBTneOU7lbgrWOUnOgo1676Bp929FP5VX_3I72rHHGAH2CulptV9CU0X2xxjUSd/s400/IMG_0478.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This piece of binding has 7 joins, probably about 3 inches each where it is thicker because of the seam. 21 inches of trouble, over 244 inches total. <br />
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A quilt has 4 corners. Usually.<br />
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So, here is a question for a statistician: How come at least one darned trouble spot of the binding ALWAYS lands on a corner for me?! I mean ... 92% of the binding is trouble-free, smooth sailing. And look what happens. I got pretty lucky on this green one because at least the seam is centered right where it would be if I had tried to miter my binding (HA). But STILL, I know the odds are just not high enough to account for this happening every time.<br /><br />And I know it happens to you ladies out there too ...<br />
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Yup, I know, I'm probably just starting at the wrong place. But it seems like I have tried to start in every different place, with the same results. <br /><br />So: calling smarty-pants binding experts. Is there a no-fail way to attach a binding so you DON'T have a seam on a corner? <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-7706121271838501572012-01-09T21:13:00.001-05:002012-05-27T13:53:50.177-04:00Kelmscott - William Morris<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6670603871/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6670603871_e0ae488ec8.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6670603871/">Kelmscott - William Morris</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/">sailbit</a>.</span></div><p>36 blocks, 16 birds, 4 corners, 50 knots --- all of this is waiting on the last 6 blocks!<br /><br />Which I have traced and waiting for some snipping and stitching. <br /><br />And then the fun part - stitching the 25 knots borders, made from 2 sections each. <br /><br />And then the really fun part (no, seriously this time) -- quilting it!</p>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-20811208023941899662011-12-19T17:04:00.001-05:002012-05-27T13:54:13.746-04:00Day Four ...<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6540057755/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6540057755_94df3f17e9.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6540057755/">Hop To It</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/">sailbit</a>.</span></div>
Hop To It - Pieced, appliqued, quilted by me :)<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-68900680133579509582011-12-16T12:06:00.001-05:002011-12-16T12:07:30.742-05:00Hop To It - Quilting progress, Day 1!<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6521457931/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6521457931_907ab302e3.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6521457931/">Hop To It - Quilting progress, Day 1!</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/">sailbit</a>.</span></div>
See - that wasn't so hard. Now to keep the mojo going!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a> <br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-69646557745601876072011-12-14T10:57:00.002-05:002011-12-14T11:39:24.064-05:00Don't Worry, It Isn't ContagiousIt finally happened -- after 2 years of non-stop quilting, I lost my mojo. For the past few weeks I haven't looked at any fabrics, or window/internet shopped, or turned on my machine, or ANYTHING. <br />
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Quilting doldrums. <br />
<br />
Why? I am not sure - I know part of it was frustration over being unable to connect to my QATW chat. I would log in to talk to my girls and find out what was happening in the world and *KICK* I would be tossed out of the chat room for no reason. Talking 30 seconds at a time turned out to be beyond my skills. And quilting really is all about sharing to me. <br />
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I also know it had to do with the "Basting Blues". That is the point when all of the projects you want to progress with need to be basted. Lucky lucky me, I had 4 or more quilts all needing ironing (ick) and basting (double ick). I have to do all of my ironing in a 2x2 space because I have no ironing board, and I really am short on space to baste things properly in our tiny townhouse.<br />
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The other thing keeping me down was - yeah you guessed it - feeling inadequate as a quilter. Yes, I do pretty well on a domestic and I've made some nice quilts --- but they are never as polished or look like I wished they did in my head.<br />
<br />
And then I realized that is a dumb way to think about quilting. Somehow, in looking at picture after picture of show quilts from Houston and Paducah and all over the world I tricked myself into thinking every quilt had to be 'show quality.' <br />
<br />
My quilts aren't "polished" because I'm not running a stitch regulated long arm with a price tag equal to a year's rent, and I don't have pantographs to follow. They are made with points that don't match because I like to have FUN making a quilt, not obsessing over pinning every little piece. They are covered in cat hair cause I love my cat, and let him sit behind my machine. I like to have a glass of wine (or three) while I piece and baste and quilt, and that has produced some funny stories. None of my motifs match the others exactly because I hate marking. <br />
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The bottom line is - I quilt because it makes me happy, and I'm happiest doing it my way. It is a different matter with customer quilts, but as far as my own quilt making goes: There will be cat hair, mismatched points, a few tension wobbles, and whatever else I feel like!<br />
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And on that note, guess what I basted last night?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5zY7nJ3WchZ_uCS06leZk4C9y4YDDGKj9e2EeeQMd3BN53SphHy2PAuvmIiZ4rI4pvMR8wfX545pVkP9LY_onVVDo9hfPWQUETDtCNDqjwohNI2TIuPs9tXm7tlChZxZ830drG2Xu7jl/s1600/6507277183_d17948f645_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5zY7nJ3WchZ_uCS06leZk4C9y4YDDGKj9e2EeeQMd3BN53SphHy2PAuvmIiZ4rI4pvMR8wfX545pVkP9LY_onVVDo9hfPWQUETDtCNDqjwohNI2TIuPs9tXm7tlChZxZ830drG2Xu7jl/s400/6507277183_d17948f645_o.jpg" width="333" /> </a></div>
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Hop To It </div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-54044518306993033362011-11-15T08:48:00.000-05:002011-11-15T09:11:10.343-05:00PinterestHere is a quick introduction to some new 'technology' stuff that has been rampant in the blogging world for a few months now.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">{Disclaimer - I'm not associated with Pinterest, I just think it is a
truly awesome site and I spend waaaaay too much time looking at pretty
pictures, and pinning quilting pictures.}</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d3io1k5o0zdpqr.cloudfront.net/images/about/logos/Favicon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://d3io1k5o0zdpqr.cloudfront.net/images/about/logos/Favicon.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">www.pinterest.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>What is Pinterest?</b></i></h1>
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</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard.</b></i></h2>
<i><b>
</b></i><i><b>Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things
you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings,
decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.</b></i><br />
<i><b>
</b></i><i><b>Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people.
Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get
inspiration from people who share your interests. </b></i><br />
<br />
Maybe it is my lack of coffee, maybe I just want you to experience the same awe and joy that I did when I first joined the site ---- But I really can't explain it much better than the blurb above that came from the official site. In terms of the computer skill level you need it is only medium-tricky. You request an invite (from me, or from them - it is just a way of confirming that you are a real person and not a spammer program), log in, <a href="http://pinterest.com/about/goodies/" target="_blank">and get the "Pin It" button. </a>It is exactly like a bookmark button, but when you click it you won't be taken to another site. Instead you will be shown all the pictures that can be seen on the page you were looking at -- you select one and type a quick description in the window that pops up - and ta-da, you have pinned something. <br />
<br />
Why are pins so cool?<br />
<br />
They are bookmarks with <i>PICTURES. </i>Have you ever been frustrated while looking through your list of bookmarks because 1) you can't find the one you are looking for and 2) you don't remember what half of the darned things are for anymore? Your Pinterest boards replace your bookmarks completely. Now when you want to find a quilt or a recipe that you saw last week, you just open your board and scroll through your pictures. Once you find it - click on the picture and it takes you right back to the original website that the picture came from. <br />
<br />
Like magic.<br />
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I have added another page that will take you directly to my Pinterest board, "Quilting Obsessed." It is my ongoing collection of inspirations and links and cool stuff to look at. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-45368369793894704642011-11-13T09:47:00.001-05:002011-11-15T08:08:59.331-05:00Calling Local Bloggers<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It occurred to someone {not me} that we could all benefit from a list of local bloggers in the Oakville/Halton/GTA area. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So lets do that!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Simply type in your name and blog address and you will be added to the magical list!</span></div>
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<script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=sailbit&postid=13Nov2011a&meme=8885" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-55907118775057512692011-11-11T15:06:00.001-05:002011-11-13T09:21:10.127-05:00TGIF InspirationsHere are a few things I have been looking at lately. Fridays are great days to share inspirations, and some of them are especially appropriate for today.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/464112769_5gI0ajzJ_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/464112769_5gI0ajzJ_c.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jmddesigns.co.nz/tutorials/anzac_poppy.htm">Free pattern for ANZAC / Remembrance / Veteran's Day.</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.quilts.com/fqf11/enVivo/IQAWinners/images/full/10a-APS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="397" src="http://www.quilts.com/fqf11/enVivo/IQAWinners/images/full/10a-APS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>First Place</b> - Art Painted Surfaces, Houston IQF 2011<br />
<br />
<i>Loved and Was Loved </i><br />
by INGE MARDAL and STEEN HOUGS <br />
of CHANTILLY, FRANCE<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lecienusa.com/media/uploads/2011/11/09/images/blockmonthpdf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.lecienusa.com/media/uploads/2011/11/09/images/blockmonthpdf.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorothy Baker BoM 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
And a free BoM from the lovely and talented <a href="http://dorothybakerdesigns.blogspot.com/">Dorothy Baker</a>, made with some of Lecien's new fabrics. I'm wavering between diving in headfirst and making this my second hand-applique project ever (HA) and modifying the pattern to accommodate my preferred applique method .... fusing & machine stitching. That's not cheating, right?<br />
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<a href="http://www.lecienusa.com/media/uploads/2011/11/08/images/Block_ONE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.lecienusa.com/media/uploads/2011/11/08/images/Block_ONE.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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Here is the first block:<a href="http://www.lecienusa.com/media/uploads/2011/11/11/files/Block_One_websize.pdf" target="_blank"> Download Block One</a></div>
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Last but not least here are two websites every Canadian quilter should visit.<br />
<a href="http://www.quiltsofvalour.ca/" target="_blank">Quilts of Valor - Canada</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ccrquilts.ca/index.htm" target="_blank">The Canadian Comfort and Remembrance Project </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-7096400475731885732011-11-07T15:03:00.001-05:002011-11-15T08:19:05.990-05:00Brilliant Idea!I was blog browsing this morning and on Kristen's blog <a href="http://sohappytosew.blogspot.com/">So Happy</a> I noticed something I hadn't seen before. The smart woman has a tab that links to a page of her current WIPs! (all of which are awesome, by the by)<br />
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That is "Works in Progress" for any of you non-quilty peeps out there. <br />
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<a href="http://sailbit.blogspot.com/p/wips.html">I made one of my own of course.</a> I like the idea of having an ongoing page to display what I'm working on. I have 2 tops, one basted sandwich, and one project that is still in the block stage --- and I'd like at least two of them finished quilts before the 'Sentimental Reasons" Quilt Show in May. Yup, someone is a little nuts.<br />
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At least if I don't finish anything else, my Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt is ready to go!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-32885673482674913672011-11-02T15:28:00.001-04:002011-11-02T16:34:49.873-04:00Third Weekend in October - Done!<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6306423044/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/6306423044_6022166b47.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third Weekend in October - pieced by C. Sharp</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6306423044/"></a></span><br />
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Ohhhh, this finish feels GOOD. This quilt was shipped to me from Kentucky and I got it in October - I quilted and quilted and quilted and quilted .... And my machine broke. <br />
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There were a lot of tears. And I played musical machines until I finally got a little Babylock that could help finish up this beautiful and HUGE quilt. The picture is taken with the quilt on my queen sized bed and there is a huge drop on either side. The measurements are 86x104 according to the pattern but it just felt endless when I was quilting it. <br />
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I feel like I'm repeating myself -- but the colours and fabrics in this quilt are <u><b>absolutely amazing.</b></u> You really notice it when you have your nose to the needle for hours! Now that I have added all that thread it has a lovely texture too. <br />
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I used Superior Bottom Line, Aurifil 50wt, and some Gutermann. I was counting the numbers of bobbins I went through but I lost count and lost the paper I was making the note on. I'm sure in yellow and red alone I used 7 bobbins each of Bottom Line - which is thin 60wt thread so a bobbin holds much more than normal weight cotton. <br />
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Soon it will be in the mail back to Carol. I guess I'll just have to make my own ... <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Please don't send it back ... Mine?"</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-52105384814052742582011-10-30T09:56:00.000-04:002011-11-02T16:45:03.872-04:00Wordless Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6276217645/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Inspector at work by sailbit, on Flickr"><img alt="Inspector at work" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6276217645_408110cf94_o.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6279786821/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Christmas tree - paper pieced by sailbit, on Flickr"><img alt="Christmas tree - paper pieced" height="387" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6279786821_b470acd941_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_hpVeodCwA1NtQdNhD0J9Y4lzxkWeyUaeROUNO8OEElNQnon6SJHtw3vknymqkl_Cd6vwB11rUaFTBV7hmmZ2VFey3qtF0znr_QYkPU2F6YP1m2EZHulJAiUUDlpJB0rUa-LcfqU0ggN/s1600/IMG_9711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_hpVeodCwA1NtQdNhD0J9Y4lzxkWeyUaeROUNO8OEElNQnon6SJHtw3vknymqkl_Cd6vwB11rUaFTBV7hmmZ2VFey3qtF0znr_QYkPU2F6YP1m2EZHulJAiUUDlpJB0rUa-LcfqU0ggN/s320/IMG_9711.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-56301824310569360472011-10-26T11:31:00.001-04:002011-11-13T09:20:14.851-05:00Anything you can do ..My friends in blog land changed their blog templates and backgrounds yesterday. Naturally I was <strike>a little jealous</strike> super excited -- <a href="http://quiltedthreads.blogspot.com/">Patti at Quilted Threads</a> used a gorgeous painting her sister made and <a href="http://quilton.blogspot.com/">Bev at Quilton</a> used a very bright and cheerful and happy swirly option from blogger's collection. <br />
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*Pout* <br />
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So while I drank my coffee this morning I skipped through some blogger options. Then I googled how to make a blog header from a personal photo. Then I played with some fonts and - Ta-Da! Now I don't feel so left out :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-90531309570310881192011-10-24T17:52:00.000-04:002011-11-02T16:45:48.633-04:00Apples, Oranges, and Sewing Machines.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/267763765_8rirkbJk_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/267763765_8rirkbJk_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My beloved Babylock Decorator's Choice has been in the hands of the
dealership since the 11th of October - So two weeks tomorrow. When I
talked to the owner on Tuesday she cheerfully told me that "Oh it hasn't
even been looked at yet! It will be a few more weeks, we will call you
when it is done!"<br />
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<b>NOT GOOD ENOUGH. </b></div>
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She stayed on the phone with me for a few more minutes and I explained that I had customer quilts that needed to be finished (not the least of which is <a href="http://sailbit.blogspot.com/2011/09/third-weekend-in-october_28.html">Carol's gorgeous TWIO</a>) and I was losing business. She backtracked a little and explained that their mechanic was tied up at the <a href="http://www.csnf.com/f11_index.html">Creativ Festival</a> for the weekend, but she said "either this coming Saturday or the next. I'll give you a call as soon as I know." Grrrr ... alright. I still didn't believe her.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> My MIL's Kenmore and Patti's Husqvarna 400</td></tr>
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I have had a borrowed machine - a Husqvarna 400 to be exact from my friend Patti - for a week or so and I tried very hard to build a "working relationship" so that I could at least finish some simple things. At first I couldn't thread it properly. Then I couldn't thread the bobbin properly - then I was cranky because I didn't have 20 spare bobbins to use like I normally do. THEN I couldn't get a 1/4" seam to save my life, even with tape marking the proper place to align fabrics. I fumbled (every time) I went to lift the presser foot --- duh, the lever is on the back left and not on the right side of the throat at all. And I couldn't get this beloved trusty machine to go fast enough for FMQ. I sat in a stalemate for a few days until my Mother in Law brought over her machine .."a right piece of junk" she told me. It turned out to be a fairly unused Kenmore (that's the Sears brand, ladies) that actually worked fine and even ran fast enough for FMQ. But the darned thing kept coming un-threaded and it definitely had none of the modern conveniences I've gotten used to -- drop in bobbins for example, and horizontal spool pins. Or more than 5 stitches. It also sounded like a runaway train.<br />
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I was definitely beginning to dislike sewing and getting to the end of my rope when <a href="http://quilton.blogspot.com/">Bev</a> mentioned a mutual friend had a portable Babylock that she was looking to sell. Oh happy day! It was love at first sight. I sewed one seam and {paid that nice lady!} brought it home and played for hours.<br />
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<a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/372103911_LS35vVl2_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/372103911_LS35vVl2_c.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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It is a Babylock Xscape - a lightweight (12lbs) machine that really isn't much different from my very first Brother sewing machine. That was what I was sewing with this time last year, making my Farmer's Wife Quilt. The presser foot lift is in the right place, the bobbins are the same and drop in, there is a needle up/down button, it goes fast enough for FMQ, and it has a horizontal spool pin. It SOUNDS right, it FEELS right, it works for me! </div>
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I have learned a valuable lesson: Do NOT underestimate the attachment you form with a brand of sewing machine you have put <u><i><b>thousands</b></i></u> of hours into. Oh, you can change brands. But you might pull your hair out for a very long time before you are comfortable. I could have worked with a Husqvarna -- eventually -- but given the opportunity to get back into my comfort zone and get back to quilting? </div>
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I'll be bringing your machine back to you tonight Patti. Thanks for the loan!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-19455145294310314872011-10-21T12:15:00.000-04:002011-10-21T12:15:40.096-04:00Quilters Night Out<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqF9bUqEZbhlD0L_UgtzfBU72Iylx7AZzxO2NxGqpgb3hZsJPD_4IpzveyulKov80Vsw0cNEVCq8X3ORf5ODdwFWZPjTPrq2V_9pyCKKVv-LSSHNLJL9GTCDm5zrPz7yhdw3qjicDE1Whx/s1600/Oct+Board.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqF9bUqEZbhlD0L_UgtzfBU72Iylx7AZzxO2NxGqpgb3hZsJPD_4IpzveyulKov80Vsw0cNEVCq8X3ORf5ODdwFWZPjTPrq2V_9pyCKKVv-LSSHNLJL9GTCDm5zrPz7yhdw3qjicDE1Whx/s400/Oct+Board.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at them all!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>That's right, 22 September blocks were brought in by members last night for the Oakville Quilter's Guild. Oh happy day! All of the printed copies for <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18491566/October%20-%20Twisted%20String%20Blocks.pdf">the October block</a> were swooped up in short order and I had to stammer an apology and promise to bring more next time {and I certainly will.} I have to confess that during our program and even during the business portion of the meeting, I kept peeking at the board --- so nice to have cotton eye-candy to peep at! I still can't decide which is my favorite. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutJn5tBDuUm8yORklb_90Ee2r0Ei_YTFwkceVLNsVy_HbuYYP7-3JZ65GFvzJHRGgxBtW9IRTuXHr9Ag53qjTro3SWVwjEVWETQYK5I-Edjveq2cRid9OYQWSMuUvg3ocKbYoaOCMM1SS/s1600/IMG_9686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutJn5tBDuUm8yORklb_90Ee2r0Ei_YTFwkceVLNsVy_HbuYYP7-3JZ65GFvzJHRGgxBtW9IRTuXHr9Ag53qjTro3SWVwjEVWETQYK5I-Edjveq2cRid9OYQWSMuUvg3ocKbYoaOCMM1SS/s320/IMG_9686.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Do you recognize this?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.artfire.com/admin/product_images/thumbs/--120000--102411_product_1090327212_thumb_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Dawne is such a cheeky gal. Not only did she drop our jaws at the executive meeting by bringing this top in 3 days after the September instructions were distributed, she brought the <b><i>finished</i></b> quilt to hold up at Bring & Brag - bonus points!!<br />
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Another quilt made by Jackie Tidy was brought out and acclaimed to many shouts and gasps and whistles - I didn't get a picture of that one but I know my friend <a href="http://quiltedthreads.blogspot.com/">Patti</a> did and I hope she will share. It was hand appliqued and hand quilted and absolutely stunning. I can't wait to see it hanging in the quilt show this May. <br />
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I also got to chat with <a href="http://dorothybakerdesigns.blogspot.com/">Dorothy Baker</a>, maker of the fabulous little applique quilt I McTavished. It was neat that we both confessed to it being a practice quilt - machine applique in her case, and McT in mine!<br />
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Susan brought me some scraps -- and man oh man, her idea of a 'scrap' is my idea of 'yardage'. I'm tickled to have them --- especially when I saw some of these cute little guys:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.artfire.com/admin/product_images/thumbs/--120000--102411_product_1090327212_thumb_large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://static.artfire.com/admin/product_images/thumbs/--120000--102411_product_1090327212_thumb_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The fabric is from a collection called "Tree Huggers" by Studio E. It is all-around CUTE {In my head, that word has a definite Australian sound - not sure why!} but check out that little beaver - D'awwwwwwwwwwww!! I'm definitely considering ordering some yardage of my very own - and I can't wait to see what Susan made with the rest of her pieces that weren't "<i><b>scraps</b></i>".<br />
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All in all, it was a lovely Quilters Night Out!<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-13061246833478581682011-10-18T10:37:00.000-04:002011-10-18T10:37:00.247-04:00StubbornHave you ever had this problem:<br />
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You resign yourself to buying a new tool {lets use scissors for an example} and you know you need to spend more than you have on the cheap ones you currently have. I mean ... you use scissors for everything! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAos9nSxUtrMYA782I1SwoKLrqIuqGxcgb1mbTmd5My8pVa0DKPDEf-NIpM3ij90YsqV4OTHvaVg2Epo73tRNxP1YNnLQ_nXSfR3BlJHkJPDOBPRVptkicc_DbpDlZrtuYHr4BNqEi93eY/s1600/IMG_9668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAos9nSxUtrMYA782I1SwoKLrqIuqGxcgb1mbTmd5My8pVa0DKPDEf-NIpM3ij90YsqV4OTHvaVg2Epo73tRNxP1YNnLQ_nXSfR3BlJHkJPDOBPRVptkicc_DbpDlZrtuYHr4BNqEi93eY/s320/IMG_9668.JPG" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelmscott Manor - Block 8</td></tr>
</tbody></table>And you are working on a humongous applique project where you need to cut eleventy billion pieces.<br />
<br />
The $10 pair from Wal-mart just doesn't cut it. Especially not since the man of the house borrowed them to cut who-knows-what and they back slide a little every time you cut forward. NOT a sign of sharp blades. <br />
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So you go to the store and pick up every pair of scissors they have to test the grips on them. I like long blades because I like the smoothness of one slow snip, instead of chopping with a bunch of little snips - that rules out most scissors made specifically for applique. With a little practice you can use long blades to make tight corners and fine details anyway .. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smscanada.com/prodimg/scissors/RL6917-712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://www.smscanada.com/prodimg/scissors/RL6917-712.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooooo these look cool!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>These are super comfortable in the hand. After hours of cutting applique my fingers do not feel like they have been through a meat grinder. They are pretty and the blades are SHARP and the right length too. The price was okay for a high quality product. And they DO look cool - look at those cut-outs in the blades! Don't they look awesome --- like flames painted on a racing car? Must make them go FASTER!<br />
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Let me tell you - those cut-outs are horrible. When I cut out my applique pieces and go around curves they JAM because a tip of a leaf will get caught in the hole further back. And then your piece is wrecked. Any little twist you make while cutting means another part of your applique is about to get caught in those STUPID holes. <br />
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NOTE: These are shears. They are not meant for applique. They work great for quick {straight} cuts. It is my own stupidity that has resulted in this huge problem. And guess what?<br />
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I'm <u><i><b>STUBBORN.</b></i></u> I'm still using the darned things to cut my applique -- slowly, with much adjusting -- because I was so sure they were going to be perfect. I paid good money for them, so I haven't tossed them in the garbage where they belong. I'm sure the store where I bought them would take them back - but I'm embarrassed to return them. And aside from the dumb holes they really are perfect.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-31974427246758383792011-10-15T09:00:00.002-04:002011-10-15T09:00:02.077-04:00Slice n' Dice 4-Patch<div align="center"><span style="clear: left; color: #996633; float: left; font-family: Monotype Corsiva; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="right" border="0" height="200" src="http://oakvillequiltersguild.ca/images/OakvilleQuiltersLogo2.jpg" width="153" /></span></div>Last year when I joined the Oakville Quilter's Guild I had no idea what I was getting into. But to be fair it is mostly my fault ---- I jumped in with both feet (as usual) at the very first meeting I went to. I went as a guest and left a full member, took home two outreach quilts to quilt for them, and took home at least 6 ideas for new quilts. Things haven't changed much since then!<br />
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In the spring a few of the executives <strike>cornered</strike> asked me if I would like to manage the Block of the Month for the next membership year. I said "Okay, I think I can do that." <br />
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Over the summer I researched blocks to fit some simple criteria: I wanted a collection of blocks that looked more complex than they were and that preferably had some sort of cutting trick involved. I also wanted all of the blocks to fit in a sampler quilt at the end OR create quick quilts on their very own. I'm thrilled beyond expectations with the <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18491566/September%20-%20Slice%20N%20Dice%20Four%20Patch.pdf">first block I released in September</a> -- and we haven't even had a second meeting this year for members to bring their blocks in!<br />
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The Slice n Dice 4-patch makes awesome quilts - and the blocks themselves get addictive quickly. I gave out the instructions on a Thursday night and by the next Monday one member had made a whole top to show us. Do you want to know how happy that made me? More members have commented on how much they love the block as well - and my QATW "pattern testers" approved.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta;"><img alt="" height="320" src="http://quilting.w04.winhost.com/gallery/fullsize.aspx?aid=382&pid=12490" width="284" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">And then this swap opened at <a href="http://www.quiltingaroundtheworld.com/">QATW</a> as the second in a series of Breast Cancer Awareness swaps - guess which instructions we are using? {I joined too!}</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://andiejohnsonsews.blogspot.com/2011/03/disapperaing-4-patch-tutorial.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AndieJohnsonSews+%28andie+johnson+sews%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Pinned Image" height="288" id="pinCloseupImage" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/309582019_uWFDPaBy_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="ImgLink" id="PinImage"> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And I saw <a href="http://thehappyzombie.com/blog/">Happy Zombie</a> post this picture to her Pinterest board. It has been re-pinned at least 30 times.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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And then I went to the Guild Outreach meeting and a group of us combined efforts to make about 20 blocks for a charity quilt. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">See? It really is taking over the world ...<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><br />
<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-32651754539653623202011-10-13T09:28:00.000-04:002011-11-02T16:46:57.545-04:00Powerless!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fairlightday.tumblr.com/post/2359594301/start-with-c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Pinned Image" height="345" id="pinCloseupImage" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/74974327_5lJd84RC_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After my last post <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy%27s_law">Murphy's Law</a> jumped up and got me. I shared some tips on keeping your machine clean and happy ---- and a day later my sweet Babylock BROKE. I was happily FMQing and I stopped to shift the sandwich and the machine made an odd "CLUNK". I stared at it carefully and prayed really hard. As I <b><u><i>slowly</i></u></b> started the needle moving again the sounds were "tink tink tink TINK SNAP" --- the sound of the needle hitting the throat plate and snapping off. After more examination I have concluded that something must be loose in the upstairs part - a something that keeps the needle shaft thingy aligned as it comes down. It is off to the dealer (under warranty still, small blessings) and I have been pretty forlorn. I love that machine! We have such great times together ....<br />
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A sweet friend did lend me a spare machine so I have been trying to get to know it. It is a Husqvarna 400 and I was fairly sure it did not like me. After I learned how to properly thread the bobbin case though I think we can have a decent working relationship. I don't think it will move fast enough for me to FMQ but I can still do straight seams --- better than a kick in the pants!<br />
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Next up: The little 4-patch that is taking over the world!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" height="200" src="http://quilting.w04.winhost.com/gallery/fullsize.aspx?aid=382&pid=12502" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.quiltingaroundtheworld.com/">Photo courtesy of QATW</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-90765162884180048532011-10-06T11:18:00.001-04:002011-10-06T11:20:38.443-04:00Clean your machine ...Or the lint monsters WILL GET YOU.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHn0H745ajWY5RCloq6gn1MictkhIQ61IRWKjnAbF3E_RSUIk1sgmW7ZJT1G0HIA5xNQXZWaVSLpax90ougOqr85fklkbU4rJu8xGljio3kS-OT3SbzOofZOPS0yyJDXeyLvxD3AiKR69/s1600/IMG_9590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHn0H745ajWY5RCloq6gn1MictkhIQ61IRWKjnAbF3E_RSUIk1sgmW7ZJT1G0HIA5xNQXZWaVSLpax90ougOqr85fklkbU4rJu8xGljio3kS-OT3SbzOofZOPS0yyJDXeyLvxD3AiKR69/s400/IMG_9590.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Lint Monster</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
See? This is BAD. I have been quilting and quilting and quilting on the <a href="http://sailbit.blogspot.com/2011/09/third-weekend-in-october_28.html">Third Weekend in October </a>quilt and not paying attention to the amount of thread I'm running through my Baby. (Lots!)<br />
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The picture shows what happens when you do at least 30 hours of FMQ without doing a little maintenance. I'm not talking about having your machine serviced -- I'm talking about the stuff the experts recommend you do after <b><i>every 8 hours of sewing. </i></b>Do you know that stuff? Here is a quick rundown:<br />
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1) <u><b>Clean your lint out!</b></u> You don't have to take your machine apart! Most machines these days have an 'escape hatch' for your bobbin case so you don't have to take the tiny screwdriver to those tiny screws in the throat plate. To get to the dirty part I slide the gray plastic 'escape hatch' off -- its the part that fills in the L-shaped area between the metal throat plate and the white base of the sewing machine --- so that I can lift out the bobbin case and quickly swish the fuzzies out with my little lint brush. If you are nervous about moving pieces in your machine you can likely ask the service people to show you how to do this when you take your machine in for your "yearly" maintenance. <br />
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2) <u><b>Change your needle!</b></u> I'm not joking here girls - the standard sewing needle is good for about 8 hours of use. Needles are one of the cheapest notions out there and you will be helping your machine out a lot if you give it nice sharp needles to work with instead of DULL ones. DO NOT wait until they BREAK to replace them! That is like waiting for your car engine to explode before you get an oil change ... just not healthy for that expensive machinery!<br />
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3) <u><b>You're done, you have a happy machine!</b></u> Now treat yourself to something nice --- like a cup of tea or a glass of wine or maybe even a fresh new rotary blade :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-22085411076763078242011-10-03T10:38:00.001-04:002011-10-03T10:39:32.194-04:00William Morris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"All artists love and honor William Morris" --- Frank Lloyd Wright </span></span><br />
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Two things happened this summer that led to my obsession with Morris & Co. I saw this line of fabrics from Moda/Barbara Brackman:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bluebeequiltfabric.com/images/?src=634257775916990000.jpeg&width=250&max=400" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" id="imgCategory" src="http://www.bluebeequiltfabric.com/images/?src=634257775916990000.jpeg&width=250&max=400" style="border-width: 0px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"A Morris Tapestry" - Moda Collection</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And I drooled over these textures and colours and really really really wanted to buy them. I thought of getting a charm pack but that seemed like getting paint colour chips instead of buying the paint -- if that makes sense! I had my heart set on one of the FQ bundles and I patiently waited for funds to reappear in my paypal account ....<br />
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Then one of those naughty "enablers" at <a href="http://www.quiltingaroundtheworld.com/default.aspx">QATW</a> dropped this link casually in chat one summer day. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammorrisquilts/3754465522/in/faves-sailbit/">Click and go see.</a><br />
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And then it was all over. I ordered the book that has instructions to make the Kelmscott quilt (the one in that picture) and started researching William Morris, and generally jumped in way over my head as usual. I spent hours and hours and hours reading about Morris and his family (his daughter May was also one of his business partners), his company, and in general everything about the Arts & Crafts movement in the late 1800s. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ctpub.com/client/Products/ProdimageLg/10702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ctpub.com/client/Products/ProdimageLg/10702.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/185403558_8VWUiZAi_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Well before the end of July I had the book, 6 yards of cream background, and multiple stacks of fabrics ready to be used. And then I put the stupid restriction on myself that I wouldn't START this glorious project until I finished the Farmer's Wife Sampler. Oh, the torture. You see I have realized that my teeny tiny sewing space just doesn't support multiple projects --- I like to stack fabrics, keep my workspace just so, have everything I need at hand .... And with FWS burying EVERYTHING I would never make any progress on an applique quilt. <br />
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<a href="http://sailbit.blogspot.com/2011/09/farmer-wife-quilt.html">So I finished FWS ...</a><br />
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And then I finished a stack of customer quilts, collected & tested a bunch of blocks for my <a href="http://oakvillequiltersguild.ca/">local guild's BoM</a>, made a bargello from batiks, and finished making blocks for the QATW BoM. See? I earned it like a good little quilter!<br />
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I am making the blocks the way I like to applique -- with fusible and my machine zigzag in matching threads. That is also the way it is done in the book, which I understand upset some hand-workers. When I started tracing the key blocks on the pattern pages however it occured to me ---- "These are not reversed shapes!"<br />
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If you have never used fusible webbing you might not "get it" but when you fuse your shapes they go on the BACK of the fabric so that the magic stickum is applied to the back as well. That means your fabric shapes are the reverse of what you just traced. Which means you can't use the pattern you just traced as a key block/layout guide. So you have to wing it --- certainly not my favorite, especially considering how intricate the blocks are.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/185403558_8VWUiZAi_c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/185403558_8VWUiZAi_c.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assemble blocks based on these with no key block? I don't think so </td></tr>
</tbody></table>There are a few ways to get the shapes flipped properly so you can use the pattern sheet as a layout as well. First and easiest might be to photocopy the pages and say to the machine "flip horizontally please!". With my little 3-in-one printer though I didn't feel up to scanning blocks that are meant for 12 1/2" squares. Another way I considered was to use a double-papered brand of fusing like Steam A Seam. That way I could trace the shapes and cut them all out and then peel the paper from the side with the marks and fuse them to fabric. BUT. I don't LIKE to cut fusing paper with no fabric to stabilize it. It rips too easily, and you can't prearrange your shapes to minimize waste of fabric and fusing. The way I do that is to trace "groups" of shapes that I know will all be from the same fabric --- like leaves -- and cut them roughly as a large clump and then fuse them and do the fine cutting. <br />
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Finally I just traced the shapes onto regular paper, then flipped that paper and traced them onto the back side with permanent marker. I arrange my shapes so they were already clumped in fabric groups. I use those pages to trace onto my fusing, and then I can use the pattern page to lay out the shapes on the fabric. Ta-Da!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA4Ur2KTBjEhoBJn6mm388Tx3U5TPH6bTQ6Q_9N3Zrdtm9h72XxGplgbLCqClbWUCpxGl1W5dbj8lj0q-B9jbFJmLsNw_ieZ8Mllm4iSd5lFkeO03bEUnN7YCKphj4Gzxv9gtH3W-M-bh/s1600/IMG_9482.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA4Ur2KTBjEhoBJn6mm388Tx3U5TPH6bTQ6Q_9N3Zrdtm9h72XxGplgbLCqClbWUCpxGl1W5dbj8lj0q-B9jbFJmLsNw_ieZ8Mllm4iSd5lFkeO03bEUnN7YCKphj4Gzxv9gtH3W-M-bh/s400/IMG_9482.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Progress!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/5819660645_ac4af6a802_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
So far I have 16/16 of the birds in the setting triangles finished, and 15/41 floral blocks finished. I'm still deeply in love with all things Morris. I dare you to go search "William Morris". You won't get away from the computer for awhile!<br />
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<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/5819660645_ac4af6a802_z.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="loaded" data-size-id="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/5819660645_ac4af6a802_z.jpg" height="320" id="yui_3_4_0_3_1317652531547_1044" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/5819660645_ac4af6a802_z.jpg" style="opacity: 1; z-index: 1;" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-37844029829166333322011-09-28T09:07:00.002-04:002011-09-28T09:26:28.839-04:00Third Weekend in October<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/6190914292/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6190914292_38413d7124.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TWIO!</td></tr>
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Here's a little preview of what I've got cookin'. But first lets backtrack a little from this gorgeous picture:<br />
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For a year now I have been a member of <a href="http://www.quiltingaroundtheworld.com/default.aspx">Quilting Around The World</a>. I joined specifically for their Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt Along but this incredible group of women welcomed me with open arms and I've been signing into the quilting chat room & forum daily since then! If I need to get a second opinion on anything, or need some encouragement, or inspiration -- QATW is the first place I go. I've been part of mystery quilts, contests, block & goodie swaps, quilt alongs, BoMs, and all the other things the forum has to offer. Chat room is one of my (daily) guilty pleasures. <br />
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Hint Hint: Stop on by and join, there is a Recruit-A-Friend contest running now! <br />
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And now back to the picture! It shows a little section of an amazing quilt called "Third Weekend in October". <a href="http://www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/store-detail.php?ID=47">HERE is a link to the pattern</a>. As you can see the completed top is absolutely stunning and perfect to work on at this time of year! My dear friend Carol S has had this top finished for a few years as a result of a QATW Quilt Along. Several other members finished theirs but Carol <i>stuffed hers in her armoire. </i>Until a few weeks anyway when she asked me if I could finish it for her. I said "YES YES YES YES!!" or something like that. <br />
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Now that I have it in my hot little hands, I'm not sure I'll be able to give it back! It is a masterpiece of rich batiks and intricate piecing (not for the faint of heart!) I keep running back to the chat room to tell her "OMG Carol it is beautiful!" She keeps laughing at me -- I'm not sure why. <br />
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I'm adding veins to each leaf and partial leaf in matching colour threads (freehand, free motion). I'm using Superior Bottom Line 60wt for the first time and I'm really happy with it. <br />
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<div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.superiorthreads.com/media/uploads/2009/01/13/images/5x1420-yd-spools-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Bottom Line 1,420 yd. spools" border="0" height="143" src="http://www.superiorthreads.com/media/uploads/2009/01/13/images/5x1420-yd-spools-L.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br />
Bottom Line is one of the secret weapons of McTavishers. In Karen McTavish's book almost half of the quilt descriptions say "quilted with Superior Bottom Line". It is thinner than the standard 50wt cotton which means that your backtracking is less visible and the texture your quilting adds takes the stage, not the thread. I bought 5 spools through Superior's <a href="http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/product/bottom-line-try-me-special/">Try Me Special</a> and all of the colours they sent are perfect for TWIO. <br />
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I plan to dive into the pile of fabric leaves after my second cup of coffee, and come back out in a few hours. Maybe. It really is that gorgeous!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-49982849760999474182011-09-18T16:57:00.001-04:002011-10-23T00:24:14.251-04:00Learning to McTavishFirst of all, if you don't know what on Earth I am talking about when I say "McTavishing", go <a href="http://www.designerquilts.com/index.html">HERE</a>. No really. Go now! Pay special attention to the gallery & McTavishing links. Then come back here :)<br />
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If you don't know this about me --- well, you weren't paying attention, were you?! I love to quilt. But more than that - I love to <i>finish</i> a quilt. All that stuff after basting but before binding is my absolute favorite. No sending out to a LAQ for me, no siree. I could probably be happy if I never pieced a top again and instead had piles of basted quilts waiting for me to slide under the needle. <br />
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{Aside from the fact that I have too many ideas of tops to make, too many unique pattern ideas to test, too many fabrics crying to be used ..}<br />
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In any case I love <i>finishing</i> and I am always looking for things that will help me improve my custom work. McTavishing has been something I have wanted to practice on, especially since I have started making applique quilt tops like <a href="http://sailbit.blogspot.com/2011/04/hop-to-it-warning-addictive-project.html">Hop To It</a> and <a href="http://sailbit.blogspot.com/2011/04/spirit-of-northwoods-progress.html">Spirit of the Northwoods. </a>Errr ... both of which are tops, waiting backing & basting. Did I forget to mention that somewhere on this blog? Oops.<br />
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So I bought this book: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/209574595_Q8O8Jtrz_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/209574595_Q8O8Jtrz_c.jpg" width="308" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv_2SdhddhkEykPl0cK73ZOhX64qDF_HrEDmiHGJsMHYpKHbRJKe_wSTpNeBTyDx5wEakejxtqKrmmMTKgUM6Ud2X78DIe9RHaSt0i3IcWMdmmlyOrOqVElW8O1xFhZGmG17WXH1JPL3n/s1600/IMG_9472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And let me tell you - it is glorious. It is a free motion quilter's bible, in my opinion. The book has a quick how to section [I haven't even gotten to the DVD yet!] and then page after page of examples. Full colour photos give you close-ups for every kind of quilt - pieced, applique, hand quilted, trapunto, whitework, wholecloth --- as well as the artist's quick run down of what machines and thread they used. I think it is pretty cool that so many different quilter's projects are featured in the book, and not just Karen's. It just adds to my impression of her as a totally cool chick!</div><br />
I practiced a little on a tree skirt this summer, but I think the real test was the quilt I finished today. It is a charity quilt I picked up at the Oakville Quilter's Guild meeting last Thursday. They always have tops that need finishing (and less finishers than toppers, which is a quilting tendency ...) and I almost bounced out of my seat when they held this one up. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv_2SdhddhkEykPl0cK73ZOhX64qDF_HrEDmiHGJsMHYpKHbRJKe_wSTpNeBTyDx5wEakejxtqKrmmMTKgUM6Ud2X78DIe9RHaSt0i3IcWMdmmlyOrOqVElW8O1xFhZGmG17WXH1JPL3n/s320/IMG_9472.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/209673153_tkgemcuV_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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It was made and donated by a lady named Dorothy Baker and her applique is truly astounding. Somehow all those little circles and scallops are turned edge and sewn with the tiniest zig-zag I have ever seen. In fact, I couldn't see it at all! She also used clear monofilament in the top and cotton on the back. Every stitch is precise - I couldn't find a mistake anywhere as I quilted. No tiny little wander or anything!! Here is what it looks like now that I am done with it:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv_2SdhddhkEykPl0cK73ZOhX64qDF_HrEDmiHGJsMHYpKHbRJKe_wSTpNeBTyDx5wEakejxtqKrmmMTKgUM6Ud2X78DIe9RHaSt0i3IcWMdmmlyOrOqVElW8O1xFhZGmG17WXH1JPL3n/s1600/IMG_9472.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/209673153_tkgemcuV_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/209673153_tkgemcuV_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJIO7yx5Yq_HGUuMcUjxDp8cboV_MwMeZJLiqvgmKAaTpS4PC-uMKTU77Ptoo4lK0J4ZIzRFWYHqyI1GvBPYDTh1ajQQi2txgCmoHncWxBb1FOCKlwKGUJ0dX0iOjeFtVnPjWtMpHERY2/s1600/IMG_9480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJIO7yx5Yq_HGUuMcUjxDp8cboV_MwMeZJLiqvgmKAaTpS4PC-uMKTU77Ptoo4lK0J4ZIzRFWYHqyI1GvBPYDTh1ajQQi2txgCmoHncWxBb1FOCKlwKGUJ0dX0iOjeFtVnPjWtMpHERY2/s400/IMG_9480.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I'm really happy with how it turned out!<br />
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<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204947738129970298.post-46796619169230205082011-09-16T15:34:00.003-04:002011-10-23T00:24:14.245-04:00This summer ...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9Qh-MNmhmrpKdgCmRDDRvVD4oN7ci59qsIvy_jPbgKb-JHmlF4fO25zwoPAo7OzfPJze42oBuNVqqK8T547UVUGaaQoYSCrqkhm-zvxtevPv6MkbqhffTYIoRRfsPhUmDrz2G7OMNv80/s1600/IMG_9105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9Qh-MNmhmrpKdgCmRDDRvVD4oN7ci59qsIvy_jPbgKb-JHmlF4fO25zwoPAo7OzfPJze42oBuNVqqK8T547UVUGaaQoYSCrqkhm-zvxtevPv6MkbqhffTYIoRRfsPhUmDrz2G7OMNv80/s200/IMG_9105.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmm, feathers!</td></tr>
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This summer flew by - unfortunately it seems they all do! Things went in this kind of pattern: Claire & I hid inside in the air conditioning while Gord went to work during the week. We quilted and coloured and napped and read Dr Seuss and did laundry. Sometimes we made it to the YMCA for playgroup and sometimes I was a wimp and only left the house for groceries. I had about half a dozen customer quilts to keep me busy: all of them were done with custom/heirloom quilting on my Babylock. <br />
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Here are some pictures:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnDgRjM1faK_C6QO8D-IvBZEOSb-gjKGrmpupmOs2MPatk9yO_25lyU9TbPeIaNJbLi3tnk-WRxCI-0u-n_z950MYwQ_6RMojiVKA1s7Bp2l4Ir3IMyQNI_ytxUINfrAIbRZHTg6csAYh/s400/IMG_8959.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second of this pattern I quilted for a customer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp3q4TbKwZQKjVwQbcKIT2RcyOJj59vvzrb_MbgsUoE3huaMoy8eO7lJeXYp-8hbCSYKSzltZmU4NgUGbkK18usWNdPltLdx3nzWAcNKS6hL8UpgUiVklQ0POu9CUwoR3mzOb0-0LWMnR/s1600/IMG_9185.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp3q4TbKwZQKjVwQbcKIT2RcyOJj59vvzrb_MbgsUoE3huaMoy8eO7lJeXYp-8hbCSYKSzltZmU4NgUGbkK18usWNdPltLdx3nzWAcNKS6hL8UpgUiVklQ0POu9CUwoR3mzOb0-0LWMnR/s320/IMG_9185.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple spirals - sooo fun</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp3q4TbKwZQKjVwQbcKIT2RcyOJj59vvzrb_MbgsUoE3huaMoy8eO7lJeXYp-8hbCSYKSzltZmU4NgUGbkK18usWNdPltLdx3nzWAcNKS6hL8UpgUiVklQ0POu9CUwoR3mzOb0-0LWMnR/s1600/IMG_9185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Osaap53pIjR-UoNZcfv0AnJd5wK4XnOIpKu698Nge5hdokYpbSrFBgZ80L7RiYLK6dvJOCsolZXyPnMVRQNoYLvJrnsaXYlw6bKbeQJSMOk-_XFK9bdqmCS2xjU8oRpgSMdRkR6XSF0e/s1600/IMG_9367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Osaap53pIjR-UoNZcfv0AnJd5wK4XnOIpKu698Nge5hdokYpbSrFBgZ80L7RiYLK6dvJOCsolZXyPnMVRQNoYLvJrnsaXYlw6bKbeQJSMOk-_XFK9bdqmCS2xjU8oRpgSMdRkR6XSF0e/s400/IMG_9367.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some McTavishing practice</td></tr>
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One day, one day I will be a LAQ. Until then I'm a QW - quilt wrestler.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Every weekend was an adventure! Early Saturday morning was almost always spent on Lake Erie for perch or bass - to the great delight of my stomach :) Miss Claire went out with us about half the time, ordering us around like a true captain and making sure we caught fish for her. Gord gave me a compliment of the highest order -- "Honey, you fish like a man!"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzwoKEtX-oW9K0HMFcY6bs_75jGp08LW-a7MJjqXZuc90wrnO0Qu3oHO0-2QAVrw2J5gbIdmoj_S-4vNd4rLisl8qRm3rFdK3xNy73WgH7_vwib-MvL_ITDM2YmRfq8zk1KbmTLYgLl4K/s1600/IMG_8678.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzwoKEtX-oW9K0HMFcY6bs_75jGp08LW-a7MJjqXZuc90wrnO0Qu3oHO0-2QAVrw2J5gbIdmoj_S-4vNd4rLisl8qRm3rFdK3xNy73WgH7_vwib-MvL_ITDM2YmRfq8zk1KbmTLYgLl4K/s320/IMG_8678.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Claire</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKT09Rza8EmH83KCjAK4gBjhyOEPjuFZXQANlRcge63rm2Zkkx5rlbdwfu5Clu2YF7EGWKVj9tHf4FbrAd78h7hzbiCNdyBozT-Wemck3kuBxJj3vzWjH6WFXeJ47HbV8v4wq3c6uE3nP/s1600/IMG_8671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKT09Rza8EmH83KCjAK4gBjhyOEPjuFZXQANlRcge63rm2Zkkx5rlbdwfu5Clu2YF7EGWKVj9tHf4FbrAd78h7hzbiCNdyBozT-Wemck3kuBxJj3vzWjH6WFXeJ47HbV8v4wq3c6uE3nP/s320/IMG_8671.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy's bass is approved!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzwoKEtX-oW9K0HMFcY6bs_75jGp08LW-a7MJjqXZuc90wrnO0Qu3oHO0-2QAVrw2J5gbIdmoj_S-4vNd4rLisl8qRm3rFdK3xNy73WgH7_vwib-MvL_ITDM2YmRfq8zk1KbmTLYgLl4K/s1600/IMG_8678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>And of course we let our little fishy swim in the pool at Uncle Don & Aunt Shelley's after fishing adventures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4itPxjPq-BpDDHAF_06mZ-2IPWUCdYKAEW0XiayUjU5AqaUU5j7knWQaB5GDMsjHAlb6eNWH5W7yxUK5ImOExKsvXIUzdZbQj-5UZfvf-e8HEkPj2YAMftBKBbP-Y4E49Xkf1kEEO-gj/s1600/IMG_8716.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4itPxjPq-BpDDHAF_06mZ-2IPWUCdYKAEW0XiayUjU5AqaUU5j7knWQaB5GDMsjHAlb6eNWH5W7yxUK5ImOExKsvXIUzdZbQj-5UZfvf-e8HEkPj2YAMftBKBbP-Y4E49Xkf1kEEO-gj/s400/IMG_8716.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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I don't think life gets much better, do you?!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/292/9BE2CFDAE8AF28A1DDCB958BF70590A0.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Happy Quilting
Elizabeth</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660329671700887707noreply@blogger.com0