Hello there! December, and busy!

I have my advent calendar up.

Teaching a course in my quilt guild has kept me on my toes! I am teaching a beginner course on hexagons! A-Z of English Paper Piecing. The end project is a small pouch.

And since I am doing a step-by-step of the pouch, I have been busy making new hexagon fabric.

I have been fluctuating between my hexagons and puzzles!

Between Christmas cleaning, running and creating, life is full!

Keep on creating!

Great, great, great! I mean what quilter would not love 7 days of quilting, laughing, learning, no cooking, snacking etc to the “nth” degree! I had a great time. The venue was a hotel and our rooms were in the same building as the sewing space. We did have to take a little walk down to the cafeteria for lunch and supper. Breakfast was continental-style in the sewing space kitchen.

I was on the planning committee, so I was able to arrive the night before. We set up :

This year we did not want to leave anyone out due to space constraints, so we had a variety of packages covering the week; 2, 3,, 4 or 7 nights. We prepared two workshops, which were given twice, so everyone had a chance to do them. I did one workshop about the freezer paper technique.

All the participants received a goody bag and this is what they received:

Besides some sugar goodies:

• a needle case
• a tea bag holder
• a bookmarker
• and a wrist pin cushion kit: I made mine. In fact it was the second workshop.

What was special about the goodies, is that all the participants had to give two 15-inch blocks when they registered. The Committee used their material to make their gifts. It was quite funny when the quilters opened their bags and exclaimed that they had the same material at home! The registration was way back in May.

I was busy! I made a baby quilt, actually, a throw quilt:

I also worked on my Trail Mix quilt:

One of the popular small projects everyone makes is the project bag! I hadn’t taken the workshop yet but many have. As a thank you for all the workshops I do at these retreats, they gave me one:

So, right away, my Prairie Schooler Santa went into it. So beautiful. And this past week, I went to the workshop and learned how to make my own. I have wanted to make these bags for a long while now but you know how it is, time and motivation. It only took an hour! Yes, more will be made!

So, I really had a great time. Our participation contest was to make a Japanese-style artisan apron. Two of my quilty friends and I posing:

Smiles all around! And that’s a wrap! Now back to regular creativity! I have a workshop tonight. A refresher or the Quilt-as-you-go technique.

Keep on creating!

Starting Christmas sewing. This is a napkin, which unrolls. Here is the tutorial and there is a free download for the pattern! So cute!

55 miniature bags,

Ready for the quilt retreat! These will be paired with other gifts. When the retreat is finished, I will share the rest of the gifts!

Next scrap quilt?

I received some quilt stash haul this week! My sister sent me packages of 4-inch squares. There must be over 800 here! My favourite colour too. Any ideas as to what I can make with them?

Now for my weekly plans:

1. Retreat workshop preparation: Consists of foundation paper piecing.
2. Prairie Schooler Santa
3. Finish Cross Stitch Baby Quilt
4. Start sewing blocks together for my Trail Mix Quilt.
5. Making an apron!

Happy Creating!

Hello all! Busy, busy, busy! My days are so full and yet I take my time. I am still working on my miniature bags. I sort of became sidetracked! With Needle felting.

Needle felting! I took an introduction workshop last night! Needless to say, I am smitten. I have been collecting my tools and fibers over the last few years and finally, I found some like-minded people. I will start slow. Do any of you needle felt?

Some of you have asked about my design wall. I have two closest in my room, and both of them are doorless. I have always hung a large, white flannel sheet over one and it was okay. It did the job, although, it was always crooked and moving. I had some one and a half-inch and two inch insulation boards. I gorilla-taped them together and then pinned my white flannel sheet over it. Ta da! It is quite a solid design wall and it is moveable. I slide it in and out when I need my closet access.

It is huge and solid and FULL! What kind of design wall do you have? I have one in my basement too. It is for my on-going scrap quilt, Wild and Goosey!

This design wall is attached to PVC pipes.

Well, back to sewing my miniature bags!

Keep on creating!