What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Halfway through the year now and past the halfway point of June. I wonder where are all those hours we were promised for retirement...when time on your hands would hang heavy- an expression first recorded in 1760, btw.-I was curious enough to look up that expression. But no, though my days begin early there is still not enough hours to get everything done. I struggle not to have the feeling I'm getting behind. Behind what exactly is a bit of a mystery. But there is always something that needs doing and mostly, I'm thankful to be ...

 I promised a few photos of my weekend away to downtown Ottawa which according to Google maps is a 41 minute drive from here. It was exciting to be in a city but I had mixed emotions about what I saw there. A lot more folks suffering around the streets and we were warned about not walking at night in an area that had always been an interesting/wonderful place to stroll and explore. But on the upside the Chateau is still so beautiful- I love it there. This is the view from our window looking towards Parliament Hill.

 And ...

The time has come!!!!

Say hello to beach days and fancy refreshing drinks while lounging in your backyard!  Tangerine Fabrics by AGF Studio is here and it’s sending us a cool retro Summer, filled with charming florals and playful designs. This collection reminds me of my days living in South Florida and my weekend getaways to Key West. Popping on my me made Summer dresses and my sunnies and riding on mopeds all day weaving in out of the endearing streets of this island's rich history. I am so excited to start sewing up some of the ...

 The Phoebes are building a nest on the old speaker at the back of the house again this year...two in a row. I can watch them from my chair in the TV room window. The two of them spent ages flying back and forth from a nearby tree to the site thoroughly checking it out before giving it an okay it seems.

Working together which is nice to watch. They are beautiful birds ...

Pouring down rain lately made for a couple of  drab mornings. One of those mornings, I used my thrifted umbrella, the one that is kind of useless as it doesn't really keep the rain off just sort of but I love the shape and colour. I bought it years ago and it remains my most unusual and probably most impractical thrift buy. 

Spring is trumping winter-at last- as I write this. I saw our first robin on Sunday last. And the little chipmunk has emerged from the underground winter den, the one I imagine lined with my sunflower seeds. 

Just after the snowstorm this guy below appeared acting like this, a sure sign of spring. The flock of females that were with him had wandered off but he hung about showing off, just because he can, I guess. I'm curious about the mechanics of this- being able to lift all these feathers and change certain body bits to different and bright ...

 March, someone said, is the triumph of hope over experience...not unlike second marriages as somebody else said. So here we are cruising along through the month and I'm going to ignore the major snow and ice storm warning we have on the horizon. Perhaps it will not materialize; they've gotten these predictions wrong before. However, just to be on the safe side, I've filled both tubs in case we lose the power. 

The way down through the big woods path has opened up and I've been taking Ned there adding a further loop to our ...

We had a fresh 2 cm of snow overnight Monday. In the morning it was -2 with a windchill of -11C but it didn't feel as cold as that when I went about my chores of filling the bird feeders and putting out the garbage. This morning it is the exact same wind chill so we'll see how that "feels" when I go out in a little bit. Our annual spring problem is the snow off the roof fills in our front walkway and we never get direct sunlight in this area to help speed up the melting ...

The ground is starting to get that in between seasons look...grimy snowbanks and patches of old grass showing through here and there. Freezing temps overnight still and it was -14C here yesterday morning for a windy walk with Ned. They keep promising warm ups that don't happen. I gave my Geranium a deep trim-all my plants are getting a little "leggy" as they reach for the precious light. You can glimpse our snow free gravel driveway here so the sun is working it's magic even if the air is cold. Yah!

 Sorrento is a free pattern from Robert Kaufman. 

This one popped up in my Pinterest feed, and I liked it enough to download it and read through the directions. It is fat-quarter friendly. Find the pattern here.

The trails are providing all the workout I need these days. With melting and overnight freezing (-15 windchill -glad I wasn't out there), they are slushy, bumpy and narrow in places. Like walking a tightrope which is good for my balance. But I've had to take a ski pole along as I really don't want to turn an ankle. On the up side, the slightly warmer daytime temps mean less clothing is needed which is enjoyable. And surprise, surprise, the song birds are singing. Last Saturday, early morning, when I was gathering wood at the back basement ...

I've just made myself a nice decaf coffee with frothed milk made from sweetened almond milk. I think of this as a tiny treat- this time after picking up a load of sticks to use as fire starters while walking Ned. Toting the bag and with Ned on the leash made the going a little rougher especially as our trails are still not flattened. A good little workout though. The cute appliqued bear placemats were found at the thrift store, still in their original ( I thought) box, which was quite crushed, but they were completely unharmed. Finding such makes ...

 I'll speak of weather and get it out of the way as it were. We got advance warning of a winter storm so I was able to fill the feeders, get in my bit of firewood to start the fire and have an extra long walk in the evening thinking I wouldn't get out the next morning.

I haven’t posted a free pattern in a long time…..I have mostly been using patterns I have, or doing BOM’s. Anyway, I saw this one recently, and I really like it. 

It’s called Agatha’s Garden. The pattern is on the Andover website. You can go directly to it here. It really looks more complicated than it is. It would be quite easy to cut and sew, and it’s fairly big at 74” x 74”. I think it would be a great way to use a fat quarter collection that has an equal number of ...

I enjoy spying the white birch trees.

Last night we fell asleep to the faint drone of snowmobiles over on the the trails. It was a great calm night for it but would have been cold. I imagine they would know to be well covered. And snowmobiles these days offer heated handles and seats, all sorts of stuff, not like when I drove one in the late seventies. 

How did your last week and weekend go? We had a very long doctor's visit for Tony with much discussion about the failing strength in his legs. He has taken two ...

How are you...snowed in or sweltering in the summer heat?  The new year has started with wild and horrible weather around the globe. Heartbreaking to see devastation on such a scale in California. It makes us appreciate what is a normal winter so far here in the Ottawa valley. Wind chills of over -20 many days but you can have all the gear to layer up and keep warm on walks while out and about. I notice some folks have very fashionable, and what I would call, even beautiful winter outer wear. Mine tends to be more utilitarian and ...

It's that time of the year again! Dust off your broomsticks and polish your cauldrons, Halloween is just around the corner! Get into the spooky spirit with a quick and easy last-minute witch hat garland project with your little ones. These adorable hats are fun to make with fabric scraps or our Fabric Wonders: 10” Square Packs, and they’re perfect for decorating your Halloween festivities!

We’ve whipped up some spooky magic with our 'Spooky ‘n Witchy' premium quilting cotton collection for these adorable little witch hats! Watch our quick how-to-video and download the Little Witch Hats Garland ...

Calling all quilting enthusiasts! Have you ever wanted to showcase your quilting skills while diving into a fun and creative challenge? Our Astrodelic Quilt Challenge is here to offer you just that! 

The Astrodelic Challenge isn't just about making beautiful quilts; it's also about the excitement of competition and the joy of creativity. Our most popular beginner-friendly pattern uses the strip piecing technique, making it easy to create blocks as a canvas for your imagination. It's perfect for a relaxing weekend project or anytime you want to add your personal style to each stitch and seam. You ...

Young robin, pond bathing...