Marjorie Duizer Workshop 2013

This weekend was a full one, mine was to attend a rug hooking workshop & Bill & the boys were to load the 50 foot trailer for the move out east.
This is how my day unfolded...

The workshop was called 'Achromatic Hooking' - hooking using the grey scale with different hues & values or a monochromatic scheme.

For the workshop I made two dozen lemon-poppy seed cupcakes to have with the lunch break.

YUMMY lemon-poppy-seed cupcakes

 Everyone was doing the black-grey colour scheme or sepia scheme from old photos of family & homes. I was going to use what I had...leftover yarns from the polka dots on the Stoneware Horse rug.
It was enough for a chair pad done in a monochromatic blue.

50 Shades of Grey. LOL

 More achromatic black to white shades - with all the grey's in between!

 Sepia shades, oh my such a lovely feel of hand to these beauties.

 My shades of blue yarns.

 I love working with Briggs & Little yarns.


Marjorie Duzier`s Work

 Finished samples of our teacher,  Marjorie Duizer.

 How effective seeing everything as a black & white photo. Those are real black glass beads around her neck! very clever.

 I really liked the look of this one, it has The Group Of Seven feel to it.

 This was my favourite, Marjorie always wanted to do a hexagon shape to a hooked rug, very effective. The colour enhancement was so rich surrounded by the red.

 My teacher Marjorie & I. What a fun time & I was learning lots from the day. I just hope I can remember everything that she had shown us.

 Look at how full our tables were. Creative minds are seldom tidy!

 It was a full class and a fun filled day for all. I was surrounded by so much talent & creative ideas.

 At the end of the day, here is my hooked chair pad. The scalloping is done in the chain stitch that Marjorie taught me. The chain stitch on a round project stops the work from being  wavy and makes the work lay flat on a surface. Good to know when you work round projects! I had a wonderful day rug hooking.

The guys had a very hard working day & they too had to be creative with my fabric...
Did I ever tell how I know I'm a fabric fiend... my ears should have been burning with what my sons & husband where saying!
I did get the china cabinet empty for them, now to get it out!
They managed & I know it was a good thing that I was away.

My upset sewing studio, husband Bill pondering how to get out. lol

This is going to be a VERY FULL 50 foot trail! I do love my creature comforts, you`ll see how lovely the cottage will be. It does look look like chaos though. And the guys when I saw them after my workshop sure had an earful for me. They could not tell me of their adventures without laughing with all the stories. I love them! Best of all - they love me.

 Father & son time after a long day of loading the trailer, Nick was having his computer time at home to settle himself after such a full day.
The guys had a very hard time in my studio...Sew Much Fabric! I was also told that it will be `the last time the black leather sofa bed will be moved!`

In a few weeks it will be your turn Mitch to join our adventure. The truck & trailer are waiting for you & you too will have fun unloading this very full load. It will be a convoy!

Hat Felting... Successful!

I tried my hand at knitting a hat then with the help of Lori, we felted it this morning...it was successful!
I love this hat & made it for the east coast winds to keep me warm.

 After numerous hot bathes in the washer & taking it out each time for the "just right" fitting...five times in fact! Then onto the bakers cooling rack or today's drying rack (with plastic bags inside to hold the shape as it dries)

Here I am doing a self picture & I know those bangs/fringes  need a cut. My hairdresser knows when I cut my own hair & next week is my appointment.

I chose this colour to enhance my eyes. I'm 5' 2"...eyes of blue. ;-) I'm really pleased at how well this wool from Peru felted up & to have a hat that fits my small head is a bonus too! Now to see if it holds up to those northeastern winds off the eastern Atlantic waters.


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Last weekend was so beautiful & night we my have snow & rain mix. Wow April has been cold & wet in southern Ontario. The gardens are starting to pop through & show their colours though.

 I'm so glad that the daffodils were brought into the house as it snowed overnight Sunday morning was quiet bright with the white dusting.

I just love the colours that bloom from the bulbs!

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Granddaughter Alicia was over with her parents & Boris just loves that girl!

 Outside of Alicia's pink & white Dashaund socks...these two are dressed to co-ordinate

He just gazes into her eyes...Love Me - Feed Me - Never Leave Me. A perfect Sunday afternoon!

Vintage Stitches Done!

The Thimbleberries 2005-2006 BOM Vintage Stitches is now done...well one of them - one done one more to do. I wanted to get at least one done for the July,  Myers Church Quilt Show  in Hardwicke, NB, then the Miramichi Quilt Show in September. Both quilt shows are worth the trip if your in the area!

The quilt finished queen size at  88" x 98".

I'll show the great backing when it's been machine quilt by my girlfriend Liz & is ready for the binding.

I had to lay it out in the backyard as no place in the house had a space that big. What a beautiful day we had here in southwestern Ontario & Thursday is going up to 22C. Now the thunderstorms start but the beauty of the plants will start, you can see tulip leaves to the left. I`m hoping that the squirrels don`t eat the flowers.
Speaking of squirrels...

Here`s Squirrel, he just celebrated his 8th birthday this month.

Pistachio nuts are one of his favourites.

I made him a new swing, but the rings are not working out for him. I`m going to braid a new rope out of selvages, he goes down it like the firemen go down their fire pole  I have trained him to slide down his rope as a trick, to get his treats.

His house looks messy but warm on the cool nights, he`s hid a lot of nuts in his bed...midnight snacks :-)

Last Block & Mitchell's Pillow Done :-)

 One quilt is ready to be pieced together now...

 October Block, I used this outline & embroidered it on a linen kitchen towel

 Completed November Block

The last block to be completed before the piecing. There are still five blocks to be embroidered before the next quilt can be put together.

 Photos to follow on the finished quilt top.

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Mitchell's pillow is now complete & his dad will take it to him next week, when he travels to Calgary to help move the shop.

 I hope he likes the handmade cross stitched front that someone took a lot of time making. It makes me miss my grand-puppy Diesel, we've spent a lot of time together & now he's so far away. Just like Mitch, so I hope he turns this pillow over...

On the back of the pillow...I appliqued these words!

Do you think he'll get the message?

A Find! Ideas & August-September BOM

 I was at the Goodwill this week & look what I found, what a find! Someone did a beautiful job on this cross stitch & I'm going to enjoy the view looking at it.

 This picture of the cottage with the hanging quilts is going to the cottage.

 The geese give a real English feel to the picture...but it was the quilts that caught my eye!
I don't know if I'll leave it as a picture or remake it into a pillow to sit on the deacons bench that's going to the cottage. Either way, I'll blog on it's destination.

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Here I go again...this placemat draped over the bolster cushion took on a life of its own & the napkin fabric will do just fine on the ends. It's a perfect size for this idea!

 I've had this Laura Ashley bolster for over ten years. The new fabric idea matches the bedroom linen. Sew much to do....sometimes the best ideas are those that were not planned, just thought of & made into the idea.

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Back to the quest...to finish the Thimberries 2006 Vintage Stitches Quilt

August Block Done!

 August's harvest, fresh peaches, yum!

September Block Done!

 I love September & the kids going back to school. It feels so good having everything going back into a routine.

How's that song go...It's the most wonderful time of the year! :-)

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Tea Cozy Done!

Nicholas, our youngest son, came home from work & put my tea cozy on his head, making fun that I made him a Zack Brown hat! He does look good in a wool cap...
I know what he's getting this Christmas!