July 24, 2018

When looking for a block for Deloise’s birthday card I went to my Bonnie Hunter books. Bonnie Hunter (and Deloise) introduced me to Leaders and Enders, as well as scrap quilts. But the patterns and blocks I found were very complicated simply because you had to make quite a few to get the effect of the pattern.

Next I turned to a book we purchased in Houston, written by two sisters. I’ve changed my thinking to “if you can’t make the quilt perhaps you can make use of the single blocks”.

So Deloise (and Stacia) – when do we publish “our” book?

July 17, 2018

I won’t be there to share cake with Stacia on her special day so I found one to send as a card.

I’m trying to do my appliqué by hand rather than using sticky backing fabrics but, in this case, I perhaps should have fallen back to my “old” method. I did a stitch-and-flip method for the candle; I tried using the same method for the flame but it was too small. Since I’ve been English paper piecing for the past couple of weeks I used that method for the flame. In hindsight the flame would have worked with the Steam-A-Seam with a raw-edge appliqué – I’ll try to remember that next time.

While we were at Quilt Canada we saw a demonstration using yarn and a couching technique. I wanted to try it and the pattern actually called for a bit of a splash on the cake. My machine has the proper foot, but I didn’t have the proper yarn so made do with what I had. I’m not thrilled with the technique but I may try it again if I can find some chenille yarn at Walmart.

Saturday, July 14, 2018

I’m not sure of the exact date of Kathleen’s 70th birthday, but we are celebrating all weekend. We have a mini-retreat scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We’ll be stitching just up the hill from home and we’ll come home to our own beds every night.

Kathleen is the President of our Guild (so it’s good to be on her good side). Her most common colours are pink and green, although usually more pastel than the colours I had.

July 5, 2018

I looked back on some patterns I downloaded very early in my card-making history and came up with this one for Christy. I love a pinwheel and this pattern reminds me of the pinwheels that spin when they catch the wind. It was paper pieced so was relatively easy to put together. It is quilted very simply; I didn’t think it needed much and I was short on time.