Fabulous Fractures, New Stuff and MY FAVORITE day of the year.........

First of all it's Barb's Birthday tomorrow (she will be 39 again!) and Karen and Riali brought her a lovely cake on Saturday when they came for their class. Ok well that was after lunch we took the picture........
Elaine was in to teach Fabulous Fractures on Saturday and they really are FABULOUS!

This one is from one of the Asian prints in the store.........kinda looks like Africa....

Now turn it the other way and we have Australia..........

This one is a beautiful floral fabric and I believe two of the students were using the same fabrics......

An order came in from my supplier on Friday - no sooner had I priced these books then they were gone......FibreArt Montage by Judith Baker Montana came in - 6 of them and Elaine is holding up the last one Saturday afternoon which left the store shortly afterwards.....luckily I have 6 more on order which should be in this week.....The book is amazing!

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt came in too and I believe there is one copy left in the store....guess I will be ordering more of those tonight as well! It's written by Laurie Aaron Hird and it is an amazing quilt (I have the book and shhhhhhh - I will be collecting fabrics for this amazing quilt shortly.....I want to hand piece it! Because I have so much "extra" time on my hands!)

I'm sure you all remember our Buck A Block this year (there were other names given to it for obvious reasons due to the difficulty some of you had with the outside borders!) Well Effie has hers practically done and it looks spectacular! You can't beat the cost of this quilt! We've still got finishing kits at the front counter if anyone needs one.......

Now I get to MY FAVORITE DAY of the YEAR! It's POT LUCK Monday! I don't have to agonize what to make for the Monday Sit & Sew because the girls all make something and bring it in and exchange Secret Santa gifts........It's wonderful!

The lunch preparations didn't stop the girls from working though! Here's Gail pinning a quilt that she had wanted to quilt herself - but I just got the scoop and she's on her way over to Sandy's to get it quilted......(Sandy being Sandy Lindal of Scrappy Gal Quilts....a fabulous long-arm quilter right here in the city!)

Here's Stephanie auditioning fabrics for a quilt she is piecing by hand.......

...and Gillian is doing something with pajama bottoms - making them bigger I think! (We don't sell Maple Leaf fabric!)

...and HERE is the DIE HARD quilter, Elaine, hand completely bandaged from a Flaming Christmas Pudding accident making a backing for her fabulous baby quilt!

And now for the good stuff......Kathy and LeeAnn busy preparing in the kitchen......

....for a varitable feast.......so many wonderful dishes.......and that was just the beginning.......

Then came the dessert table.......

Thank you ladies, it was a wonderful lunch, and as you can see everyone enjoyed it....... (I'm stuffed to the gills!) and as usual you have outdone yourselves! The gifts were also wonderful and thoughtful! We had a really great time!

...and then I found this lovely gift (don't know who the women are in the picture) which will make a wonderful frame for a picture of my godson's son.....This will be Shai's frame....I don't know who the Secret Santa (Chanukah Harry) was but I thank you so much and I am wearing the necklace!!!!!

Tomorrow I will show you all why I haven't been keeping up with the blog......a look at the "dark side".........Oh yes, and I forgot, Elaine has issued a challenge!

The Marti Michell Block of the Month kits have arrived (I showed you the fabrics last week in the blog) and she is doing the "dark" version while I am doing the "light" version - it seems there is a race on to see who will finish first! Of course I assume that only means the top because SHE will probably be quilting both quilts......so - bring it on Elaine!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

What's happening.....

I just realized that the blog I wrote Sunday was actually written at 1:00 a.m. (or thereabouts) on Monday. I really do need an extra 8 hours a day.....

On Monday we had our usual Sit & Sew (thinking of adding another day in the week for Sit & Sew in the New Year but really need some feedback before I decide). Fiona stopped by with a little gift for us that she couldn't resist - it's a stapler.......
...and Kathy showed off her Signature Quilt which came out absolutely stunning! The signatures are on the green strips running vertically through the quilt. She was aiming for a lap quilt but it just kept getting bigger.....so we've named it the "Two Lap". It's for her neice and her husband who were married in August...

(Yes Libby - Barb and I will get that signature quilt we promised you done - hopefully before your 50th!)

You've seen this one before - on my blog, on Elaine's blog and now again here! Claudette is thrilled (peeking out from behind the quilt) she has finished her granddaughter's Christmas Quilt.......and it is spectacular!

Check out the detail of the dancing lights.......

The reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh......

...and of course the West Indian Angels! She did some fabulous embellishing and the method was Quilt As You Go so it's ready to go onto the bed when she's finished showing it off!

In January we'll be starting our Christmas Club with a Quilt As You Go quilt that will be ready to adorn a bed or hang on the wall in time for next Christmas........look for details in our upcoming Newsletter!

Tonight was our monthly meeting of the Underground Railroad Club......they come for the tea and cookies (and chocolate)! Chocolate covered Cream Puffs from M & M's are to die for......

Then they got a great history lesson from Nancy..........

Suzi finished her Underground Railroad quilt top and put the borders on tonight....it looks fabulous!

AND NOW FOR A SNEAK PEEK!

......at one of our Block of The Month programs coming in January!

Marti Michell and Maywood fabrics have teamed up again to bring you a fabulous BOM - American Beauty! This picture does not do it justice.....but,

Look at these fabrics.......I am working on the "light" version of this quilt and Elaine will be doing the "dark" version of the quilt......so you will actually get to see first hand what they will look like once they are done.....

So rather than get to start my next Fit to Frame #1 quilt I am cutting out the templates for this gorgeous queen size quilt which will eventually adorn my bed.......I can't wait (Bosley will then be banned from my bedroom......it is white after all!)....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

A full day.......

I will fall into bed tonight (this morning) with a smile of satisfaction! I had a very full and rewarding day.......

First on the list was my Godson Oren's son's Bris! It was fabulous being with "the family" for a good part of the day and seeing my God son take on the role of father. Here they are......you could just eat that baby, he is so sweet!
...and here is Mommy, Daddy and baby Shai ( you will note he is wrapped in the blanket I made for him - the replica of his father's blanket made 30 years ago)......

After a lovely afternoon with family and friends I came back to the store and found the "Barrie girls" (actually Cathy) had brought me the cutest gift.... Cock-a-Doodle Do It! - isn't that just the cutest! ....and I will use it too! It's up on the fridge at the store......

.....so now I can tell you what the end to a perfect day feels like! First I will tell you how I got to this end! On Thursday Nancy took one of her small quilts home. I think it's either going up at her house or she's giving it to someone as a Christmas gift. It was an applique that hung on the clothes line by the front desk for a few months. The pattern was Lori Smith's #6 Fit to Frame. I loved that little wallhanging and it sold alot of patterns.

I decided I wanted another one to hang there, so I took my collection of Lori Smith patterns home and chose #1 Fit to Frame. Friday night I took the light box home and prepped my Soft Fuse (I love that stuff). I decided to use the same method Nancy used in hers - which is raw edge applique with a blanket stitch.

Tonight I chose my background and fused all the pieces and voila!I am absolutely thrilled with the results! Along with fabrics from the store I was able to dig into my "home" stash and I couldn't be happier....I just finished choosing all the floss from my vast home supply for the blanket stitching and since the Applique Club (Apple Cake Club - as my son Jonathan refers to it) will be meeting this Friday - the 11th, I can begin stitching this great applique.

The best part is - I have more than enough fabric from all my fat quarters to make at least two of the other 4 quilts in this pattern.....

A day well spent! Hope you all had a great day too!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Healing Heroes.....and.....

Aha! Only 3 days since my last blog! Not bad - making time! Of course it's after midnight on Saturday and I'm still at the store - so I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not! However I did get almost everything done today that I set out to do.....almost!

Barb came back from her "quick" trip to Ottawa - she was gone since Tuesday (and don't tell her but I missed her). Karen and Raili came in this morning for a visit - to pick up their Buck A Block's and check out all the new books. No sooner did Barb sit down with a cup of coffee than I started what will now be refered to as a TRIPLE F! What is a TRIPLE F you ask? A FABRIC FEEDING FRENZY!

On Monday I purchased on a whim some fabric from Northcott on sale and I announced the price of $6.00 a metre...........

This is Karen's pile........you can see Raili's in the background........
It being the first Saturday of the month, the Healing Heroes group was in the classroom quietly sewing away when they heard $6.00 per metre and the frenzy began.........

The ladies lined up and finished off 11 bolts of fabric "tout suite"....... there will be more arriving some time on Monday (and if you read my blog - it is $6.00 per metre - and if you don't it's $12.00) Aha - increase readership.......

Now to the important part of the day! Healing Heroes is one of the most worthwhile causes! These ladies get together once a month at Cock A Doodle Quilts to churn out lap size quilts for our service people who have come back injured from serving overseas. Since they started meeting at CDQ in September 2008 they have sent almost 100 quilts.

Today being the "holiday" meeting they had a Pot Luck Luncheon and everyone had a wonderful time.......there were all kinds of goodies.......

.....and we shared a great meal!

....in between stitches.......

They also showed off another 6 quilts which will be sent off some time this week to the founder of this great idea in Ottawa........

Since they are not a registered charitable organization they rely on donations of fabric, batting, etc. If you happen to go through your stash and find one of those "why did I buy this" fabrics, they will be more than happy to take it off your hands......

I have to say that I am proud to be connected with this great group of quilters even though it is only through the use of our large classroom. Hopefully in the New Year I will actually have the time to sit and sew with them on occasion as well and make a "physical" donation to this worthwhile cause.......

Tomorrow I am off to my godson's sons Bris! (It's when they cut the foreskin - ugh!) and yes I finished the baby blanket in time! I think it was Thursday night! However, I did not get the label sewed onto his quilt so tomorrow he only gets the "blankie"! I saw Shai Michael this afternoon in person at his great-grandparents 65th Wedding Anniversary party - took 2 hours to spend some time with friends! Then back to the store to spend the night cooking and baking for the next two days - so I don't fall behind!

Since I have to get up early tomorrow I think it's time to leave now......

Happy Quilting and good night.....

Jo-Ann

Took me long enough.......

...to recuperate from the Anniversary Sale.....I actually managed a whole day away from the store but then ended up coming back to cook that night! I really have tried to get some rest over the past ten days however, there is always something that needs doing!

We're also beginning to replenish our stock - lots of fabrics, books and batting!(which seems to sell out before it comes in!)

Below is one of the cute ones - fire hydrants! Great to go with our doggie fabrics...

We got some Shadowplay in from Maywood - Red and Green!(for the season but also because we had special requests!)

... Some night skies in two colors.......

This line is stunning but really needs to be viewed in person to appreciate... Winchester by Makower.....

These Civil War/Shirting fabrics came in also - I love them! There are also a bunch of new Kaffe Fasset fabrics on our shelves......and as soon as I get a minute I am going to start my Kaffe Fasset quilt! (a minute???)

Then there are all the new books that came in.......

.....and more new books.......

...and last but not least! 25 bolts of Tone on Tone fabric straight to the Color Wall........great colours and some very unusual ones, just waiting for that time you need just the right colour!

So you see - it's not like I haven't been doing anything while I neglected the blog! I keep saying I will try to be more consistent but most of the time my day goes so quickly I don't even realize it's over...... It's hard to fit everything I want to do into a 24 hour period! I always say - all I need is 8 more hours in a day to sleep!

On that note - I will continue to try to fit everything I need to do today into my day and see if it works.....I'll let you know if I find the secret!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann