Good Morning at 6:30 AM

Every blog needs a picture and since I haven't been quilting at all this week, except for finishing the last bit of the Dear Jane block.

Here is what is left of my favourite spatula after the dog pulled it off the counter. As you can see - she is still a work in progress!



It has been a beautiful and sunny week here on the West Coast and I have spent the entire week inside the basement of a hospital doing the hospital orientation that is required. Why do they always have the education rooms and computer rooms in the basement by the kitchen?? Still two days to go. They told me it was a four day orientation, but my orientation package has a schedule for 5 full days.

It was my birthday yesterday, so we did have a nice dinner of BBQ prawns and some nice wine after work. So -- off to work I go again........

Finished the Baby quilt

One last picture of the baby quilt - completely finished and ready to wrap. I didn't put a label on it - I should have machine stitched one on the backing but I didn't and then I was a little worried the baby might pull it off and put it in his mouth - so I just didn't bother putting on a label.



This is the last bit of fabric I bought at the FVQG show in May. I have no idea what I am going to do with any of it -- in true "Pam" style. I just love the polka dot fabric. It has these shiny polka dots - just wonderful fabric. The fat quarter bundle was for sale - 1/2 price, so although I really don't need it at all - who can resist fabric 1/2 off.

I need to get ordering some fabric off the internet now - with the Canadian dollar at 0.92 or so U.S. It hasn't been this high for 30 years ---- time to shop!! There are a couple of online shops that I need to spend some time browsing -- I just don't seem to have much computer time lately.

I have been back preparing Dear Jane blocks this week. So a little quilting has been done, but not much. The sun has finally broken through again, and there is a lot of gardening that needs to be done. I should be outside weeding!

Fabric purchase at Fraser Valley Quilt show

I bought this fabric at the last quilt show I went to. I seem to be entering a "Japanese theme" in my quilting and purchases right now. I have no idea what my plan is for the big Koi. There was a great book that was pointed out to me that had patterns that would work with the Koe fabric. It was a 9-patch pattern book. I seem to be shopping more than quilting right now. I have just a one side and 1/2 to finish the binding on the baby quilt and then I can start back on my DJ blocks.

I am just heading out the door to go to a wedding this weekend in the interior of B.C. My daughters best friend and Maid of Honor at her wedding is getting married. My daughter will be down from Calgary for the wedding and my sister will also be in Kelowna for the weekend. And my best friend from Vancouver will also be there for the weekend. So it should be a fun and relaxing weekend. I was thinking this morning that the past year has been full of life events. Deaths, births, weddings, empty nest as my last child moved out, and major job changes.

The first two days at the new job went fairly well. It really is very similar to what I was doing before but it was so nice to leave for work at 7 AM instead of 6 AM - that was almost like a holiday itself. I don't have to work at all next week so maybe I can catch up on my blogging and my quilting when I get back from Kelowna. Happy Victoria Day everyone :))

A couple of dog pictures

I am starting my new job tomorrow -- so wish me luck. I am just going to be working two "buddy" shifts this week. I am a little nervous, but I'm sure it will be fine.

I have been busy sewing the binding on the baby quilt. The baby shower is next Tuesday and I will be away all weekend - so I haven't been doing much sewing other than that - and helping Anri with her bag. So I thought I would show off a few "Jenny" pictures. Andrew calls her a Hooligan -- which she really is.


She seems to like to be halfway down the stairs. She likes to bring things there - that she should, or should not have. Here she is with her ball -- that's okay.


Here she is with the dustpan -- why? It was a bit of a good chew apparently.



Here she is with the "empty" yogurt container, I left on the counter. Apparently it should not have been left on the counter -- and there was just enough left for a dog to finish.

We have caught her stealing a few things off the counter -- like an entire mini baguette - that I got for free at Bosa's. By the time I discovered that error all that remained of that baguette was the plastic bag. Darn good thing she's cute :)) So - she is a work in progress!

I hope all the Mum's had a very Happy Mothers Day

This is the card I received from Andrew and Anri -- along with a lovely Hydrangea, ready to go in the garden.




Now -- Isn't that the truth!


Anri finished the bag on Sunday and gave it to her Mother for Mothers Day. Sweet girl she is!

It turned out really well - it is just the two fabrics - the lining is the pink fabric as well. There were some technical issues that we discovered with the pattern. The binding really should have been bias binding, it would have been much easier to sew on. Also - it seems that some of the pattern pieces had seam allowances and some did not! I guess if we could have read the Japanese instructions we would have known that. Anri changed the actual design on the bag a bit. Cute bag -- I might have to make one myself (now that I know how)!

Anri making the bag

Anri started on the bag yesterday. Looking at the various applique techniques we decided that using the fusible web was the best was to go. I got her do a practice piece first - cutting out the pieces, fusing the fabric and then machine stitching around the pattern. She tried a few different stitches and decided that the blanket stitch was the one she liked the best.

She got much more completed that either of us thought she would. She finished the outside of the bag - machine quilting and all. I think she did a really great job. It just needs a little trimming up and it is ready to be stitched together. The handle, the binding around the top and lining will also be the pink fabric.

When she has looked through my fabric and looked at the fabric in the quilt shop - she is right away drawn to the Amy Butler fabric. A quilter in the making to be sure. She said yesterday that she would like to get a pattern for a summer dress and make it up with some Amy Butler fabric from the quilt store. I think that might be a bit expensive - maybe a bit of online shopping for fabric would be a good idea. As we were making the bag yesterday - we realize the pink fabric she had chosen -- was Amy Butler fabric.

Morah from Fat Quarters had asked a question about putting pictures on the blog banner -- and there were a few good answers. So, I was finally able to figure out how to put a picture in my banner. It will probably not stay that picture. I would like to put something "quilty" in my banner, but I couldn't find anything that would do at this time. So - Thank you Morah and all those who replied. It was very easy actually - just a little fiddling around with the size of the picture. I think Blogger has made some recent changes to their format to make it easier to add a picture to the banner. I don't recall there being an "add picture" button in the "edit" section of the banner before. So any one who wants to add a picture -- just click on the edit section of the banner and add a picture. You just need to make sure the pixal size is right for your banner. Aproximate size 600 x 150 or so. Different blog templates have different banner sizes.

Japanese magazines and a new quilter

Andrew ( child #3 ) phoned me one day a couple of months ago and said his girlfriend, Anri, was wanting to learn about sewing and quilting. She was thinking about asking me to teach her how to quilt. I was a bit surprised, I don't think she has had much sewing experience at all. She has decided she wants to do a bit of sewing - making some clothes and bags, and even a bit of quilting. I told her any time she wants to come over and spend some time sewing - I would be happy to show her what I know -- which isn't really all that much!

Her mother had gone to Japan and brought her back a couple of magazines for her. She brought them over for me a few days ago. She really is quite interested in quilting and sewing.



The small magazine is mostly bags, cell phone bags and small purses. The larger magazine is full of wonderful patterns. A number of bags as well, plus quilts and a tea cosy, place mats, and it also has an article featuring American quilters and the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. All of it - of course - is in Japanese. Anri's mother can read it - but neither Anri or I can! But the instructions have really good diagrams.


So -- this is the bag that Anri wants to make. This will be her first go at quilting!! Applique! We went on Sunday to the LQS and she picked out the fabric. I just finished working the past three days - so some time this weekend we are going to start the bag. I was going to show her needle turn applique. That is what I do - and I find it the easiest. I think I will start her off with a small practice piece and see how she finds it. I have a small heart cut over for her to try first.

I took an Applique with Folded Cutwork course from Anita Shackelford a couple of years ago. I really enjoyed the course - so that is the way we will be working with this project I think. With the freezer paper on top of the fabric and needle turn. If it is too difficult to start out with - I think she could do the iron on fusable web and then blanket stitch or machine satin stitch.

Here is another couple of pages from the magazine.



There are full sized patterns also included. I love the way the Japanese quilters take traditional patterns and make them non-traditional with their fabric choices.



It is a great magazine. Now I just need to learn Japanese!!

I am back from Alberta

I returned home late last night. It was nice to go and see family that I haven't seen for quite some time. Fortunately I had seen my Grandfather not that long ago. But I saw my Aunt Donna ( who is only 3 years older than me - and I never call her Aunt ) her two kids and also (Uncle) John and his two children. I hadn't seen them in 10 years. It was a nice funeral. Thank you so much to everyone who left such kind messages of condolences. I was away so I was not able to reply individually. All of your messages were greatly appreciated.


I think I need a bit of quilty content now. It has been awhile since I was able to get to any quilting.

I was recently at the Fraser Valley quilt show - as was Wendy and Norma. One day maybe the three of us will meet up in "real life" at some quilt show.

I had taken only a few pictures at the show because it was difficult to get good pictures. There were a number of Japanese inspired quilts that I really liked.


The quilts were hung on black curtain - so with this quilt it is difficult to see where the quilt ends and the curtain begins. I really liked this quilt for the use of the Japanese fabric. It is all appliqued on the black background fabric. Great idea.



Another quilt with the Japanese fabric on black. I took these pictures as inspiration for my collection of Japanese fabric. I hope to one day make a Japanese fabric quilt. For now -- I am just collecting fabric. I always need a reason to buy fabric!

Another quilt from the show that I liked. Also a Japanese inspired quilt. See the theme here?