All My Children

The great and the least, the rich and the poor, the weak and the strong, in sickness and in health, in joy and sorrow, in tragedy and triumph...You are All My Children.

My father & I would watch that soap opera for decades & talk of the happenings in Pine Valley. The show is now done and dad's been gone 11years now. One thing that is consistent is change & the evolving of time.

Over The River...

Yes...the 64 flying geese are now complete & the 12 blocks are sewn together, the only thing to to do now is the last 1/3rd of the embroidery of the people in the sleigh with the horse going over the river ** then the pieces can all go together! Next photo of this will be the complete quilt top.

Boris Loree Sees Red

I've just finished one red ball of yarn around the blue & added the 1st navy anchor to the design. It really looks like something from a comic book. You can see how the Dennis the Menise & Archie comic books influence me. First I thought Popeye because of the nautical theme, then Peanuts for the simplicity & primary colours. It is my 1st rug & I'm enjoying the process & the company of the Miramichi Rug Hookers, I'm going to miss our Thursday's together this winter. But like the tide that goes out, it also comes back, &  God willing, so will I this spring :-)

Fall Pillows

I've been busy making fall pillows, the two livingroom pillows were covered in pleather, not warm & cozy for the cool evenings in the livingroom, until now.

I was shopping with Aurelle & we found this cozy cotton sweater, that I made into a cushion cover for under 10 dollars. The 2nd hand sweater was $5.95 & the zipper &1.50. Up cycling for the next season, I just love the look. I was viewing the Laura Ashley Fall/ Winter 2011 catalogue on line & saw something similar, which gave me this idea.

This is the velvet, cowhide fabric I chose for the cottage chairs & my husband covered them this summer. With the left over piece I made another cushion cover for the other pleather cushion cover. This fabric is like a is oh so soft & this pillow is also for the livingroom, on the sofa, for me to lay my head on, much more inviting that that cold pleather I've been using...up till now.

The small cushion cover was made for the warm fall colours. It was made from four extra blocks made for the 'Over the River' quilt, because it's scrappy I made extra to audition in the quilt, these four did not make the cut. 

   

My Three Sons

My Three Sons...I loved that show with Fred Murray. Here are mine, I call them Adam, Hoss & Little Joe -- or Simone, Theodore, & Alvin. It gets a chuckle from people that ask if I've any kids, I reply a daughter & 3 sons...each with their own personality. I love them all xoxoxoxo

This weekend they took their dad go-cart racing in Hamilton, I was nervous as they're all competitive. Just bruises have been reported to me. I told the boys if any harm came to their father--they would answer to me ;-) like I said, just bruises. Could that be Dave Sullivan or Ben Cartwright with them. I am blessed with the males that surround me -- some days more than others LOL

Oval Background Done :-)

The blue oval background is now complete. It's a huge learning curve the art of rug hooking-- but I'm hoping that by the time this rug is done, I'll have the knack of it. Had a hard time with my initials CM-R I thought of my stitches as pixels, the M was hard though. The navy blue anchors & red background are next, this is a cottage rug & I'm going for a nautical feel to it. The gold yarn for the center star is difficult to find in this area in Briggs & Little 100% wool yarn. The quest continues... All black is done in the cut up men's suit fabric, the different textures of yarn & fabric marry together well, however the yarn is so much easier to work with.

I'm also still working on the 'Over the River' blocks & the 64 flying geese border! I want it done for the fall.

Blue Boston Terriers

I made this blue & white Irish chain quilt for a new baby boy, who also has a Boston Terrier as the family pet. It was made larger than the pattern size(which is a FREE download with www.connectingthreads.com), it was to measure 45" x 45" & this one measures 52" x 52" a better size to keep the boy warm in his crib this winter. I watch the weather network to see what is going on in northern New Brunswick,  from Ontario --burrrrrrrrr for the winters! I Love the autumn though, beautiful.

Eight tiny blue Boston terriers, 2 on each  border, & binding to finish the quilt. All machine pieced, appliqued, & quilt, for numerous laundering. I hope the baby likes it ; -) Just a little more hand sewing to put the binding on, it's rug hooking tomorrow in Miramichi.

Rug Ideas Continue...

Stars, yes stars, that would be a definite compliment to the anchor corners. This placement seem to give a balanced look. However it just didn't sit right with me. New idea :-)  his name, yes it certainly personalizes the rug. It now looks like something from the Walk of Fame.   Let the hooking begin!

Boris-Loree Rug

Boris-Loree shall have his rug soon. The 2nd dog has now been finished in the men`s suit fabric & I`m really enjoying the Briggs & Little softspun for the back ground. The wedgewood blue background is going to be too plain & I thought of using a polka dot background...that seems too Mary Englebriet & the thought of scotties, these are suppose to be Boston Terrier`s. Then I thought flowers, Boris-Loree`s a male. Maybe just a rippling or echoing effect of changing colours. I`m leaning on using the anchors from the small quilt in the picture to ànchor`the four corners down. So many design ideas, I do like the idea of a checker pattern outside of the oval, giving a real cottage feel to the dogs. I love Jim Shore`s work.  Oh well I`m a woman & my mind will change a dozen times I`m sure, before this rug is finished for Boris-Loree.

Bag Lady...maybe

I`ve been making more sewing bags, in my spare time...really how do people get bored. This little bag is a download free pattern offered by Robyn Pandolph, made with charm squares. With the left overs I like to make a coordinating pin cushion & fit comfortably inside the bag.

Merry Mayhem Presents Case #13: Fold & Spindle

Saturday at 11am - 3pm was the mystery time for the pattern to be downloaded every hour on the hour.  When it was complete my Christmas colours turned out looking like a day at the apple orchard.  As the winds of Katia howled outside dropping the temp & throwing rain around, I stayed cozy inside the cottage warmed by my iron & waiting impatiently for the next part to be revealed. Fellow quilting girlfriend, Elizabeth in Escuminac,  played on the computer too, by making two! Fun time. I ended my day by having a Chinese dinner in Miramichi, a treat from my girlfriend Pat from Escuminac, my birthday is still happening :) stopping for strawberry yogourt ice cream & getting the last HP printer on sale at the Staples. A full fun day indeed!

Falls Approaching...

Look Ann I finally did it! What a cute pattern from Patch Abilities Inc., measuring only 6'' x 22'' it's just enough for that hint of colour that is so fall like. And with the left over fabric from the pumpkins, I made a couple more to take back home to Ontario. To know which one was the original kit, I added a black crow to the top of my remakes.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me :-) The floral arrangement is beautiful...see. Thank you for all the best wishes that have arrived today, to make my day special. As Namama would say "It's just a number". 

Hooked on Rug Hooking

It's starting to get easier...on to the next dog. Someone said I was going to bore with the colour, once the next dog is done I`ll be glad to see another colour added. I`m enjoying the process of this rug hooking, a little messy though. I know why we wear aprons to hook & I have to vacuum my work space when working at home.

I made a little sewing bag for just my hooking things, also some pincushions fro some scrap material. My wee sewing bag coordinates beautifully with the vintage wicker basket that holds my materials for hooking. Back to a day with the Miramichi Hookers on Thursday & hopefully I have done an OK job with the hooking so far.  

First Hug Block

The second of twelve blocks is now complete. The hand applique is going to have to speed up if this 25th anniversary quilt is going to make it to the bed on time! Onto the kiss block...

Darlene's Tea House

Yesterday, I was on a road trip with Jean, Doreen, & Cheryl.  One of the main highlights was this charming little tea house, as Cheryl had but it, this is such a fun adventure! It was a lovely lunch & the setting is so relaxing & refined with the bone china tea cups & 'a pot of tea'...& the desserts, I heard the rum sauce on the ginger cake was to die for!

Darlene & I

Check it out at www.darlenesteahouse.com. 

Rug Hooking Begins

I've started rug hooking in Miramichi & love it! Here's the beginning of my rug, it measures 21"x31" & is made of men's suit coats that were taken apart, washed in hot water, dried in a hot dryer, pressed with a hot iron then cut through a special cutter. Then the pattern is transferred onto a burlap or linen with a sharpie marker.

Once marked, then the hooking can begin. I found that the instruction given on You-Tube by Gene Shepard is most helpful...he sure makes it look easy. Theory informs however practice convinces! & I've been doing a lot of that, the one good thing is it's so easy to take out anything you dislike...just pull.

This is an art form that I've wanted to do for a long time, it's harder than I thought to get the stitches even & flat but I've just begun. I remember my knitting days, trying to get that tension right...frustrating sometimes & I will get the right tension with this rug hooking too! ;-)

Summer's Ending

This beautiful begonia is in my window box & has truly come to life creating a showcase of colour for summers ending. 

This is from the morning glories I brought from Ontario last year & this year they finally took off, they're at the end of my clothesline pole & a real joy to view when I'm hanging laundry in the morning & see the beautiful purple/violet colour, greeting the morning sun. This photo was from several days ago...it now is at the top of the trellis! The weather is to be drier than normal for the next 3 months, what a change to all the rain we've received this summer. The drive down the 117 highway is going to be spectacular this fall...photos to follow in several weeks from now.