UPDATE!!!!!

Has it really been that long since I blogged????  I guess so! 

As many of you know I am scheduled for surgery tomorrow May 10th - however - it has been postponed until May 24th.......for mor info you can read my "personal" blog at http://www.creationsbyjoann.blogspot.com/ or just hit the button on the side bar for Jo-Ann's Creations, Trials & Tribulations!

I promise to bring everyone up to speed on store stuff shortly.  I had to rush out today and forgot to take the camera with me, so stay tuned!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

I am blown away........

Nancy brought back Aunt Millie's - quilted - IT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!
The quilter is Karen Power.  I absolutely love her work but she has really outdone herself here - the quilt is phenomenal!

I have included a full size picture as well as some close ups of the quilting but you really have to see this close up and in person to appreciate it.  It is currently hanging on our design board in the classroom and will be there until Monday (here for the Open House) then Nancy will be taking it home to finish putting on the binding, which by the way was cut on the bias and looks fabulous......it will then be hung in the store!  So don't put it off - come and see it......

The Quilt......

A shot of the quilting on the border..... 

One of the blocks quilted....... 

 A block and the border...........................

 The bottom border, flower centers are yo yo's.............................

It took Nancy about a year to complete and now we're offering it as a Block of the Month - with Nancy's expertise of course!  I'm so glad she took her time with it, it shows!  I am just blown away by this quilt!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Talk about crazy......

The third Thursday of every month a fabulous group of quilters are meeting at Cock A Doodle.  They are known now as The Art Quilt Club.  I will not post pictures from these "secret" meetings, you would have to join the club in order to see how incredibly talented these women are......

But, a funny thing happened the other night and I just had to share it!  The "talent" were all in the classroom discussing where to show their work, how to price their work and critiquing their really incredible work when I heard the front door open and two women walked in.

They seemed to be only interested in the cards we keep on the front counter, you know, for long arm quilters, etc..  When I approached them I got the feeling they were more in the market for a custom quilt to be made and I was actually half right!  They wanted to know if I knew any "contemporary" quilters!  How bizarre is that?!?!  They showed up on the night when the Art Club meets - I asked if possibly one of them was psychic!

It seems that they are looking for someone or a group of quilters (fibre artists) who would be interested in doing a project for the Science Centre relating to stem cells.  If anyone who reads this blog is interested in getting involved I suggest you sign up for the Art Club meeting in November.....or give me a call at the store (me being Jo-Ann) and I will connect you with Mary Salus who is heading the Art Club at the store.....

Speaking of me - I spent today with Mary but Art Quilting was the last thing on our minds as we cleaned out my mom's apartment.  I am happy to report that about 10 bags of clothing have been donated to a number of great charities and after the Contents Sale tomorrow and Sunday what ever is left will go the same route.....

You have all been very patient with me the last two months and I am so appreciative of all of your support.....I promise, once all the turmoil in my personal life has been dealt with (hopefully very soon) I will get back to "the love of my life", my fabulous customers and my quilt store and focus on your needs - all of them!  Be advised though I am scheduling a one week burnout after all this is over! Ha, ha!  but only if I have time!

I wish I had some projects to share with you but the only project I'm working on right now is packing!  I will post a picture of the studio tomorrow just so you who have stashes can relate....ha, ha!  The funny part is - going through all the fabrics, kits, tools and supplies - nothing seems to be going into the discard pile!  Sound familiar?!?!  I've packed 4 boxes so far and haven't even made a dent yet.....my plan is to live until I use it all up!  My goal is to get back to working on all my projects really soon!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

Jo-ANN

Crazy Quilters!

At Cock-A-Doodle Quilts we have earned the reputation of being just a little crazy so when I scheduled Melinda Bula to teach at the store, as always, I did it with just a little trepidation!  I mean, my customers know that we are just a little "off the wall", but inviting an "outsider" into our midst can be just a little intimidating!

I hadn't actually spoken to Melinda - I mean e-mails travelled back and forth through cyberspace, but somehow I just knew she was my kind of "crazy".  I happily anticipated the York Heritage Quilt Guild meeting where I would finally meet her and hear her speak - and I was not disappointed.  The first thing she said last night in her lecture was that she was born in a sanitarium!  It was at that moment that I knew what I had already suspected - she was crazy like me and we were going to have a fabulous day today!

She is a delight and I'm pretty sure her students today will agree me - a fun time was had by all and they learned some great techniques!  I bet they all send out the most fabulous Christmas Cards ever! ....and from what I could see today, it won't stop there!  Melinda has some other great patterns for cards that they can all have a ball with - and once you know this technique - well the sky really is the limit....

I couldn't resist hanging her quilt from Candy Cane Lane on the design board to admire all day along with some decorative stockings she brought with her.....

Claire took one of the classes Melinda taught for the Guild and brought her work along to share with us.....

The class got off to a great start, Melinda showed them how to prepare their fabrics.......

...and then the creativity began!  They worked with Christmas Trees and Stockings and as you'll see in the next photos, each and every one of them is an art piece to be proud of.......fabrics flew, were exchanged and changed and Melinda inspired a bevy of activity which resulted in amazing art!

You will note, I am not naming names here, that way if you are the recipient of one of these cards you will be doubly excited!  Melinda did not just sit back and relax, she too worked vigorously creating her cards.......

She really used some great fabrics (some of which she found in the store!) and really had a great time working alongside the students......

Lunch was served - Chicken Caesar with Warm Baguettes, Strawberry Shortcake for Dessert and everyone got back to work!  It was a full day but I'm pretty sure that everyone left inspired (a little tired too!).  They all worked very hard (we know by the large bag of garbage we disposed of with all the off-cuts and little pieces of Steam A Seam 2!)!

After the class Melinda and I went out to dinner at ZETS on Old Airport Road right across from the JAZZ hanger.....Chicken Souvlaki was chosen meal and Melinda had her first taste of incredibly good Greek food!  I have to say - it really is the best deal going and we both enjoyed it!  We had company too, Liz and Barb joined us for dinner and then rushed back for their Baltimore Album class with Laurissa.....

After dinner we headed back to the store for Melinda to sign some books.....Kristen came by with her quilt and Melinda just loved it!  Actually we all loved it - it's gorgeous......

Here's Melinda, after a very long day, admiring the quilt from afar........

I couldn't resist making her open up the suitcase and showing off her other amazing quilts!  I love all of her floral quilts...........

As much as I love all of the quilts above - my absolute favourite is this one......(and she says she's going to make a pattern!!!!)

It was time to pack up and get Melinda back to the hotel - she has an early flight tomorrow morning.......what an amazing day!  Melinda really has inspired me and once the dust settles I really think I may try my hand at a little personal creativity!

Today was a much needed "holiday" for me!  It was just so enjoyable and I was able to put aside all the turmoil I have been experiencing the last few weeks and really just "go with the flow"..... I am exhausted but I'm also smiling and one of the reasons is that Melinda promised that she will be sure to come back to Cock-A-Doodle the next time she comes out east.....and she'll definitely teach again!

Tomorrow I go back to dealing with the priorities in my life - but tonight I will fall into bed and dream creatively - thank you Melinda!  You made my day!

By the way - Melinda's Blog will now be accessible from our blog if you'd like to keep up with what she's doing! (http://www.melindabula.blogspot.com/)

Happy Quilting and Creative Dreams to All!

Jo-Ann

I am impressed!

Yesterday morning we very carefully took Chocolate Straw Beary off of "Gonzo" (Libby's long arm machine) and it came out fabulous!  We loaded up quilt #2 and two hours later - voila!  Another quilt top done!  Of course, now I'm behind because they have to be squared up and binding has to be made and put on but that's my plan for this morning.....

After lunch Libby decided to load yet another quilt - this one had already been spray basted awhile back but because I used the Sulky spray baste, most of it had dissipated so we decided to try "floating" the top - wow, is all I can say!  Gonzo is very accommodating.  She is also custom quilting this one - we really want to try as much as possible!  I know I seem to be obsessing about this whole process but you have to understand - Libby had the machine delivered in May - had 2 days of intense instruction and then went out to garden for 3 months!  What we have done in the past few days are her real "first" attempts at getting going and she has done a spectacular job.  She'll tell you it's Gonzo but let me be the one to clarify, he only does what you tell him (oh my, can I marry him!) and if "he" messes up, trust me, it's your fault!

In any event, I am not allowed to leave until we have another quilt "properly" loaded so I'm being held hostage until she completes the custom "floater" that she's working on now!  Could be very late before I get out of here tonight!  Oh well, it's not like I have nothing to do......

It's truly not a hardship staying longer, I love it out here!  Quiet, (except for the passenger train that goes by a few times a day), no major distractions and I tend to focus on my quilting projects.  Weekends at Libby's truly motivate me!  I always come away feeling I could quilt all day!  I think a trip out here once a month is a must - (well maybe not that often)!

Okay, back to business, I have to get another quilt squared off, make up the binding, mark a quilt, cut a "new" project, embellish some blocks and finish piecing it, make some more stems and much more!  ....and I'm going to do that all today!  Yeah right!  Like I said, I always bring too much, but you never know what you will feel like doing when you're on a retreat!  See you all soon!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Unusual!

I have been pretty good about not neglecting the blog but it seems it's been 12 days!  This was completely unintentional!  Time flies when you're having fun...so they say.

I just finished reading Elaine's blog (it's on the right side of our blog page - Quilters Quilting Quilts), and she is finally home from one really spectacualr trip!  She biked the Dempster Highway - that's right I said biked!  You can now pretty much read the whole trip and hopefully she'll get some pictures up soon.

So - you want to know what I'm all excited about?!?!  Well - I've been working on our newsletter (first hint!) and I have some fabulous news!  First, Anita Zobens of Cotton Mill Threadworks will be teaching two classes, on September 25th - Applique Buffet and then on October 13th - Open Thread Bar (if you missed it the first time, here's your chance - it won't be happening again for quite a while)!

That's not it though!  Mark your calendars - October 20th - Melinda Bula is coming!  Don't know who she is - look up Candy Cane Lane (Christmas Club Ladies will know and she is going to do a book signing for all of you in the evening), then look up Cutting Garden Quilts or better yet - go to http://www.melindabula.com/ and check her out!  She has agreed, actually it was her idea, to teach a class on October 20th!  She is developing another book which will be next year - making fabric cards and she is going to teach it here FIRST!  How cool is that!

....and that's not all!  Are you ready for this!  Hillary Rice is coming to teach a 2 day class - Imagine and Create - November 27th and 28th - you asked for a weekend - you got it!  Don't know who she is - check out http://www.mestudios.ca/
and see her gorgeous textile art!  By the time you finish that class you'll be doing it too!

Okay - I'm going back to quilting and the books for a while.  I'll try not to make you wait another 12 days for a post.  I hope I got you all excited about what's coming up!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

We're always busy.....

We are all up to something at the store!  Let's see, Kathy is working on a sample for the store on fabric that will soon be in stock, Sharon is working on another great sample on one of our many fabulous patterns, Barb is working on a sample which she is really enjoying - NOT, and Nancy just finished this lovely little gift for me!  I love it - it's an original and she used the homespun as a background fabric......it's hanging behind the cash and I'm sure she'll tell you how she did it!

On Monday I FINALLY put the binding on SWEET TEA!...and none too soon for me!  I will share some of the label steps here....

First I basted the area where I wanted the label placed on the back of the quilt (then placed it the wrong way....still works though!)

I then turned the quilt over (without checking direction of course - do as I say, not as I do!) and basted the label to the quilt.

It was then that I finished the quilting.....so you see the quilting is the first anchor for the label. 

After sewing on the binding, with a Pigma Pen, I wrote the information that is on the label onto the inside of the binding......I know, you might think it's a bit of overkill but when you take the time to piece, applique and put approximately 40 hours into quilting a quilt, then lovingly hand sew on the label, sleeve and binding - you want to be sure that it's identified as yours!

So I have been sitting on the porch (in this lovely weather!?!?) the last couple of evenings sewing on the binding.....it's nice, a needed change!  I have also started quilting another UFO - a small wallhanging I did a while ago from the Bubblegum Basics line - it's coming along great!...and since I seem to have hit this amazing period of productivity, I have started piecing another quilt top......I have not as yet checked my temperature or anything (this seems so unlike me!)  I am actually focused on all three projects allowing almost equal time for all.

What was really cool this morning was, I was waiting for the coffee to finish brewing and managed to chain piece about 20 strips of the blocks I am making.....just because it was there and ready to go!  Of course, this only works because I have the Bernina ("Berni" - original name, eh!) set up on the dining room table).  I may just revisit the suggestion that I move my quilting studio upstairs!  Of course that would take time - time away from actual quilting, so for the moment, Berni in the dining room will do - and it's all Libby's fault because when I got back from Libby's about 3 weeks ago I never took Berni back down to her usual spot in the studio!

Speaking of Libby - it is also her fault that I now have a dilemma which I need some help with.  Because she made me go to quilt stores and twisted my arm until I bought a bunch of magazines I really didn't want!  (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)  So I happened to mention to Barb and Fiona that I wanted to make a certain quilt, in one of those magazines!  Fiona dared me and Barb "double dog dared me"!  I mean honestly can you believe that - anyway, here's my dilemma!  The magazine is Quiltmania Issue 70, but the quilt is a 3 parter (don't you just hate that) so I need Quiltmania Issue 69, and Quiltmania Issue 71 to complete it!  If anyone has these two issues and is willing to part with them I would be very interested in obtaining them.  The upside is, I can't start the quilt without those two magazines!!!  Hmmmm, that may be a good thing!  But seriously, I really do love this quilt and even without the dare and double dog dare would love to do it!

Now that I've brought you all up to date - I am going home to quilt!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

Jo-Ann

A week?!?!....

Really, a whole week has gone by since I blogged!  It is amazing how quickly the days go!  I do have some pictures to share, of course, as always!  They are from Friday.

The first is from Barb's Paper piecing class on Friday afternoon, a couple of the girls actually got quite a bit done -

Then I was busy in the kitchen making a Pineapple Upside Down Cake for dessert and Barb made a wonderful Greek Macaroni Salad for dinner for Applique Club.....

Barb had gone outside for a break and called a bunch of us outside to see the sunset - I got a very blurry picture but Nancy's are probably much better, we took quite a few....would make a great landscape background (without the ugly building of course)! 

I've started a "quilting" journal which is different from a "quilt" journal.  My quilting journal is to record how much time I spend quilting and what I am working on whereas, my quilt journal is more the story behind the quilts I make along with copies of labels and pictures.  The quilting journal really has a dual purpose - it keeps me focused on the projects I am working on as well as making me aware of the amount of time I actually spend quilting.....I'm enjoying it and it really motivates me to work on something, anything, almost every day.....it's like a blog in a book - ha, ha!  (Actually, isn't that what we used to do before blogs!)

To keep you all posted, I am still quilting Sweet Tea (taking forever, but I want to do a good job - kinda overshot my completion date), I am still hand-quilting Ditch Flowers and I am about to put the last border on the Mystery Quilt for this Friday night.  In addition I am busy designing a quilt pattern and am working on the actual quilt......so I guess you could say I'm keeping busy, staying out of trouble!

Barb noticed the other day that our linoleum floor in the kitchen and classroom is a quilt pattern - duh!  Only took her nearly 4 years!  I'm kidding but she wanted to point it out so I took a picture for her!  LOL

Back to all my projects - it's been a productive day!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

More.....

There's always more!  Where did this week go?!?  It's sure been a busy one, for me especially.....

Monday night (after driving back from Libby's) I taught my class, Tuesday night was Underground Railroad Club, Wednesday afternoon and evening I spent with my fellow guild member (Pieceful Night Quilters Guild) making placemats for charity.  Thursday night after I closed at 8:00 P.M. I went out for dinner with Elvie, Raili and Karen and last night was our monthly Friday night Sit & Sew.  So now that I've ascertained what I've been doing I understand why I have gotten absolutely NO quilting done and why Sweet Tea is LOUDLY calling to me.....tonight?!?  I sure hope so, I miss it!....not to mention there are a few projects lined up behind it.....

Last night was great!  Julia brought her promised Potato Salad and so I had to figure out what to serve with it!  My first choice was barbecued chicken pieces but Barb pointed out that the weather was going to be "iffy", that they were calling for thunderstorms....so I opted for deli.  Rich needed to book a doctor's appointment at Dundas and Islington and since the doctors' office wouldn't answer the phone, he decided to drive down there.  On the way back we were debating where to go for the deli meat and decided La Rose Bakery on La Rose was our best option, so off we went.  I got the meats, the cheeses, the buns/rolls and dessert, a lovely Bavarian Apple Cheesecake - one stop shopping!

Back to the store, groceries put away, off to my office I toddled!  Liz showed up about a half hour later and she had stopped to pick up dessert too!  So that was great, we would have plenty of the good stuff!

Here's the reason I'm telling you this story!  Guess where Liz stopped to pick up dessert!  Yup!  La Rose Bakery on La Rose (she hadn't been there for at least 3 years)  and guess what Liz picked up for dessert, a Bavarian Apple Cheesecake!  Great minds think alike!

As usual - everyone was working on their own projects!  Jill is doing this adorable baby quilt - what a great pattern and very unusual, not babyish, colours - it looks fantastic!

Theresa is working on her blocks from the 9 Days In May class that Carolyn taught a few weeks ago!  I just love this block - and what can be done with it - check out her bright colours.....

Suzi is working on these really pretty blocks - I can't wait to see the quilt come together.......

This quilt is Liz's and she was busy putting on binding, she actually bound two large quilts last night!  This one was a Take Away Mystery we offered last fall....

The quilting was done by Karen Power of Oakville and it is just gorgeous!  A beautiful, all over design!  Karen does absolutely phenomenal quilting - you'll see quite a bit of her work in the store.  I'll give you a closer look -

Liz didn't get around to binding this one last night, she actually brought 3 to do! But we at least got to see the finished product and more of Karen's great quilting.......This quilt is one of the Mystery Quilt Classes we did this year.....

...and here's a close up of Karen's quilting!

Of course, there was a lot more going on, Gillian was busy with her quilts for the orphanage and Julia was working on a fabulous new creation!  Annadel was also very busy on a mystery quilt I think!  Barb was also busy working on a rag quilt from those gorgeous pastel homespuns, but I'll wait until it's finished (almost) before I show you a pic!

Hopefully, this evening, if nothing comes up, I will be able to get back to my Sweet Tea!  I'm really excited about getting it done!  (Then I will give you my label tip)!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann