I started out the week cooking a lovely beef post roast and Gluten Free Bread (check out the recipe on this Sunday's blog post)

I completed some more decorating items for my sewing room, see Jan 19 blog post:

I've been working on a king sized quilt for a customer on my long arm. All custom work with straight line squares in squares, a feather border, a wavy border and a maple leaf border and maple leaf motifs within the squares, stay tuned for a final completed picture, the one below is in progress.
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I attended my quilt guild meeting this week  Waterloo County Quilters' Guild, Check out their Facebook page here 

I also taught a new quilter via a private lesson, trying to inspire more quilters this year. A nine patch and 4 patch pinwheel lesson. More lessons and blocks to come!

Ok so I did do something this week!  

Blogging is a great forum to journal activities.

Sometimes my head is spinning and at the end of the week I'm not sure what I got finished.  

Try this:  Journal your week and you will be surprised what you did accomplish!

Have a great weekend everyone!  WOW TGIF!!!

Week 1 of Quilter's Bucket List...time to finish your quilt top!

Shop these quilt backing fabrics, borders, stipples, tools and other finishing touches to complete your quilt projects!
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Happy friday everyone, you made it!.  Enjoy your weekend!

I recently attended a Diane Loomis Heirloom Machine Quilting Workshop with the Waterloo Region Quilter's Guild and Diane suggested we use a tool called the "June Tailor Grid Marker" which came out in 2006 and I'm not sure where I was at that time because I never knew about it and it is wonderful!!!

Some may think it is like the strip cutter (also by June Tailor but it is not, a rotary blade will not fit in the line gaps, there is room for a marking pen only).  It is like a stencil for line marking. I see yards of fabric marked with this grid and made into  quilted bags, pot holders, placemats, quilts etc..  However, by now I cannot hide my excitement for this tool!

This tool will save time as there is no need to continuously mark with a ruler, move and mark and reduces errors.
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You can use it for 45 degree squares, 60 degree diamonds, straight lines horizontally, vertically and diagonally, double lines etc etc etc.  The sky is the limit depending on your own imagination using straight lines.

On Wednesday Nov 25th 2015, I  endorsed the same tool at my beginner class   in Free Motion Quilting that I was teaching in Barrie- see below

Click on the below link below to see this amazing ruler up close and at the best price I could find on the internet!

Some more photos of my work and grid marking using this awesome tool.

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend!

The above lovely tree was the only project I finished this week.  This coming Monday, my once a month ladies come to visit and this is the project I am teaching them.  It uses just strips that are folded and lots of beads and sequins and measures only 12 x 14". It is such a cutie, the easiest little project and definitely the easiest tree I have ever put up. 

I have been long arm quilting this week and today and tomorrow I am attending an heirloom quilting workshop with Diane Loomis as the Instructor.  I guess I think I need to do more quilting!! So a busy week as usual.  

​Check back on Sunday when I will share with you a great blueberry muffin recipe and next week for a free stocking stuffer tutorial.

I hope everyone had a great week and you are enjoying this rainy and windy weather here in Southwestern Ontario!

 To wile away the time this week and I am laughing at this..... I was able to complete and square a quilt for a customer, teach a little, guide a little, make some items for an upcoming craft show, bake a little, visit with family and friends at the St Jacob's market and finish a quilt challenge mini quilt.

The only thing, I could not fit in was exercise and some pattern designs. I will hope for better luck next week in  these departments!

It was a great time despite the crazy weather to get to work.  I'm sharing some pics below of my projects this week except the Challenge Quilt as I cannot show it to you until January..so please stay tuned on that one.
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Have a great weekend, Happy Halloween and please don't eat too much of the sweet stuff, you are already sweet enough!!

This week was one of those weeks where I got lots done but I felt like I was taking 2 steps forward and one sideways!

• Some quilting business taken care of (I won't bore you with it)
• I am also now  a www.patternspot designer check it out
• I finished up some more baby items for an upcoming craft show. They are teething rings made of all natural wood and cotton ties with oh so soft minky on the back. You can untie the fabric and throw it in the wash. According to my niece and great nephew, babies love them! See pics below:

• I finally finished the bag I am designing.
  

​ It's a smaller than a normal diaper bag (but bigger than a purse). This bag is meant for new mom's on the go.  It is lightweight, holds 2 bottles, has 5 pockets, a pacifier snap, a key fob and adjustable straps.  A sneak peek of it is below:

I hope you had a productive week and have a great weekend. Happy Friday!

This week was a shorter week in terms of productivity as a result of Thanksgiving but still productive. I finished a customer quilt and scheduled 3 more quilts.
 
I also delivered 2 of my quilts to the Waterloo County Quilters Guild Show that is running today and Saturday, if you are in the area, please be sure to attend.  There is so much talent in this area that sometimes it astounds me.
My quilts, “Reaching for the Sun” and “Northern Cardinal” will both be shown there. Of course in addition this week, I had some final details to complete to get these quilts ready!  Who does not work under pressure????  I promise to post pics once I get to the show on Saturday.  
 
 Yesterday I drove into Toronto to pick up my daughter as I am assisting her with an OCAD University Thesis project involving thread painting,modern trapunto and domestic roles, see pic below.  I will have to let you all know when her show is in the spring and show more pictures of final work at a later date.  So proud of her, she is working very hard.

Today, I also got back to my preparations for a craft show I'm helping my niece with and completed 9 baby bibs/scarfs, they are lined with Minky and have Snapsetter snaps to attach at the neck ( I highly recommend these) . See pics below.

Have a great weekend!  Please consider attending the    Waterloo County Quilters' Exhibit, it will be sure to inspire!

 TGIF stands for "Thank God Its Finished" I am finished with:

1. Baby Bib and Pacifier Clip Sets- 18 of them
2. Mitten Clip Sets -8 of them
3. Quilt that I long arm quilted for a customer-1
4. "Mini for Mommy" Diaper Bags- 2- Not quite finished -oops ran out of time but parts of it are finished

So you are probably wondering "what the heck is she doing all this stuff for?"

Well the answer to this is I am helping my niece Ashley out with a craft sale in November - all of these items (with the exception of the quilt) are Quiltingintheloft original designs.  Therefore, once I get the patterns completed, they will be available in the shop section, some free patterns and some at an affordable price.
 I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and.......
 Happy Canadian Thanks Giving !!