Hands to Help Final Linky Party for 2016

The quilting does make a difference. This quilt was a test quilt for The Quilt Pattern Magazine called Big Block Stars. I have donated it to my local Scrapbag group and suspect that some teenage girl may just like it. One of my Scrapbag quilter friends did the quilting for me on her long arm machine. My "planned" donations for H2H this year are not quilted yet as I am unable to go up and down the stairs just yet. I can do the three in the garage with my cane and the railing but do not have the courage to try a full flight just yet. I have quite a stack waiting to be pinned and quilted once I can get up and down more easily. Piecefully, Joanne

Scrapbag quilters today

I am looking forward to our monthly Scrapbag Quilters meeting today. I am taking 7 quilts that are finished and ready to add to our "inventory". We are always low in January because our main distribution time is late November/early December. This big quilt I will be sad to see go but it needs to find a home. I made it as a test for The Quilt Pattern Magazine long enough ago that I no longer remember its actual name. I think it was called Interlocked. It is 79" square. June S. one of my fellow Scrapbaggers long arm quilted it for me. She did a lovely job. The other quilts I have are smaller baby sized quilts. I am really trying hard to take my pile of tops from tops to finished and donated quilts. Piecefully, Joanne
Linking up with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts (here)

Birthday present for Paul

I am fairly confident, make that positive that our son Paul does not read my blog. So I am posting a photo of the quilt he is getting for his birthday. We are going to his place for a dinner out and we can give it to him after dinner. This pattern is called Log Cabin Rendition and was a test quilt I did for The Quilt Pattern Magazine. The pattern appeared in their July 2014 edition.
I really need to attack the scrap heap as it is totally out of control. I hate to make resolutions I can't keep so I will state that it needs to be done and I am putting it on my TO DO list but it may not completely disappear. All best wishes for a peaceful Christmas season with safe travels for those who travel. Piecefully, Joanne

I just haven't had it in me

This is the quilt I made for our friend Ray. He is under going cancer treatments again so this is a hug from his friends north of the border. We have had a busy month, that included what is becoming our annual trip to Stratford. We saw 4 plays starting with Midsummer Night's Dream on Tuesday, then Beaux Strategem, then Crazy for You and finally The Man of LaMancha. We do the matinees and then go out for a nice dinner. Crazy for You and the Man of LaMancha were AMAZING.
I have been to the orthopedic surgeon and it looks like a new knee is in my future but not quite yet. I presented a workshop to the Kincardine Sunset Quilters Guild on Scrap Quilts with a focus on 5" squares (charms, nickels). It went well. Then the next day it was my turn to do the workshop at Scrapbag Quilters. I did simple string quilts. So prepared the foundations and then cut the centre strings. And brought 4 huge bags of scraps. Each sewer had a presser and the day went well. I am back to some of my testing for The Quilt Pattern Magazine. And I did a baby quilt for Shelley at Cora's quilts. That pattern is due for release some time in October. So one way and another I have been keeping busy. Piecefully, Joanne

The local snow hill keeps growing

When the town plows out our tiny street, they pile up the snow on a vacant lot. This is the snow pile before the last four days of blowing snow. It is even bigger now. Why would a quilting blogger talk about snow? Well all the snow outside has kept me inside sewing. I completed the testing of another quilt for The Quilt Pattern Magazine. It is called Grecian Stars and the pattern will be included in their July issue. Unfortunately I can't show you a picture at this time. As the snow was getting started earlier this week the Kincardine Sunset Quilters held a Mystery Quilt workshop. Denise did one last year and is doing one again this year. The room we have to work in at St. Anthony's Church in Kincardine is lovely and spacious with good lighting. I got to step 7 out of 13. Second day of work is scheduled for this coming Tuesday. (And the Weather Network says 10-15 cm of snow). I have two new blocks to test for Quiltmakers 100 blocks volume 9 and in between I am working on some string blocks. Piecefully, Joanne

I love a good mystery whether it is a book or a quilt

This is a mystery quilt pattern I tested for The Quilt Pattern Magazine (TQPM) an on-line quilting magazine. the designer is a Canadian, Janet Barker from Calgary. I gave the quilt to my sister this past weekend. Only a little late for a milestone birthday she had this year.
Not certain how this photo is working. The little blue patches on the border are turtles. I have a thing for turtles so thought Linda could think of me when she used the quilt.  Piecefully, Joanne