Snowed in and contemplating my past/future (OH NO!)

A dark and stormy night...

My dearly beloved and I have been snowed in for the past 3 days - Alberta Canada is in the midst of a deep-freeze this week - with wind up to 70k and snow drifting, all the highways, much less our 2 miles of gravel road, are impassable.  I looked at my blogsite today and realized how long it's been since we've 'chatted'.  It’s time to catch up.

I’ve been learning SO much this year.  The Gammill and I are becoming fast friends.  Bri has been a good quilting widower and encourages me constantly. 

I finished a throw for a non-quilty friend, Karen in July. 

Karen M's Sarong becomes a quilt.

She received a beautiful, batik sarong from her sister so I made an embroidered signature block for the back and quilted an all over design for her and bound it. She was so happy, she asked me to make a throw pillow for her with the left-over binding and backing fabric.

Myke & Veronica's quilt

I worked on a Un Finished Object next – for my dear #2 son, Myke and his beautiful wife Veronica. This had been haunting me since they married (I’m not event going to mention how long THAT’s been). I’m pleased they like it.  I always know when a quilt is good enough to give away – because I don’t want to let it go.  This was one of those quilts. 

Between working in the yard, putting up garden produce and working in the Foundation office at the hospital, it was a very busy summer!  I need to clone myself!  That or take on an apprentice or assistant…maybe next year.  I did throw a birthday barbeque for the dearly beloved husband in August, complete with a visit from my daughter and granddaughter…life is SO sweet!

Gone Fishing

September brought things down to a dull (LOL) roar and I was able to complete “Gone Fishing” for Kathy D. in early October.  This was a sweet, brightly-coloured small quilt for her grandson.  She did the fish in crayon batik.  I custom quilted this special piece atop a green minke backing. We used Hobbs 80/20 as a batting.  She was so pleased with the results that she kept it in her office at the hospital and showed it off for several days after I delivered it.  

Love Is

This little wall-hanging has been haunting me for quite a while…3 years of taking it to a weekly Stitch group in my area.   This was one of those ‘purgatory’ quilts…seemed to take forever! The hand-guided quilting worked out well.  I used it as a practice piece for my hand-guided feathers.  It’s found a home hanging on the wall behind our bed.  It was bound but I have to make a signature block to appliqué to the back (maybe another UFO!).

HeartsNHope

Next up, I put a pieced lap-sized quilt, purchased off of eBay, layered with Hobbs wool batting and backed with red minke.  (I enjoyed working with Kathy’s so much – I decided this was perfect for it. Nice and snugly!)  I think I may sell this one. I have to get a bit of fabric to bind it with then I’ll put it up on Etsy.  I love the way the quilting turned out.

Early November found me in the shop’s garage space with 3 eager students learning all about fabric dye techniques in my ‘Retreat to Dye for’.  It was a basic overview of Tie-dye, wax resist and a smidge of snow-dye techniques.  Lots of fun was had by all.  I’ll do another retreat in the spring, I think.  Until then, I may invite these students back to use the workspace for dye projects of their own.

June's wall hanging front and back

Finally, I quilted this little wall-hanging for June C, one of my Stitch friends. The bright Amish style colours in the piecing were fun to work with.   Alas, this brings us back to today…snowed in…so, June’s little quilt is waiting for pick-up.  Perhaps Thursday. 

I have my next project waiting for me in the studio.  Time to get crackin’