It must be May.....

The newsletter is on it's way to you all!  Hoping you'll love the class line-up, I tried to throw in a little of everything and there will be more coming.....

Yesterday was Healing Heroes - Quilts of Valour day at the Doodle and Judy brought in yet another completed quilt for which she quickly whipped up a pillow case to match.....

This is a great pattern and the quilt is really awesome - loads of leaves in the boxes.....She quilted the boxes in the ditch and then meandered inside and outside the boxes.  There were another 8 finished quilts delivered to Virginia, then Pat, then Alison as well.  These ladies just keep producing gorgeous quilts.....

I have received all of my blocks for the 9 Patch Exchange and since my dear friend Debbie came in to quilt with me yesterday I began work on the quilt top.  Since there is going to be a reveal planned I will give you this one pic to whet your appetites and you will have to figure out what I'm up to......

Jo-Ann's 9 Patch Exchange Quilt

I am thrilled with the way it's coming along so I honestly can't wait to get it done.  Stay tuned!  I think today I received the last group of outstanding blocks so everyone will receive all of their blocks and they too can make some awesome quilts.  Can't wait to see them all!  It may even inspire another exchange!

Happy quilting!

Jo-Ann

P.S. If you want to see what's happening with The Farmer's Wife head over to Jo-Ann's Creations, Trials & Tribulations.

What I did on my Easter vacation.....

Before I share my vacation with you, I want to put a picture up for posterity.  I have the most amazing customers, don't think I don't know this.  You are all so good to me, which brings me to the photo.

One of my customers, Esme, who lives in South Africa, made a rare trip to Toronto to visit her son and his family.  She came by the store and brought me a most beautiful gift.....aren't they gorgeous, and the scent was truly amazing!  Now this photo will preserve them forever!

A gift from Esme

Between Monday and Thursday Sit & Sews there is always lots of production going on.  You know how I love sharing some of these projects and this one is no exception.  Linda finished her charity quilt for York Heritage Quilters' Guild.  The fabrics came from the guild stash so the 60's look is not Linda's choice bur she did a great job with what she had - even if she did have to raid Raili's 60's stash to finish it.....

 The front

The back

Now, we get to how I spent my Easter vacation.  Four days, Friday to Monday, it was great!  Let's see, I did laundry, I cleaned a little which prompted list making (ugh), and some quilting!  As I had planned, I got started on Amish With A Twist.....

Amish With A Twist

I started from the beginning - Block 1 - Rail Fence.  The neat part about this Block of the Month is that you are making other parts of the quilt as you are constructing the blocks.  Below is the Rail Fence block, plus strips that will be the inside border in two colour ways.

Block 1 - Rail Fence - Amish With A Twist

Then came Block 2 - Four Patch Block.  This is where I got a little confused!  When you look at the quilt, you see 12 different blocks, so when the cutting instructions told me to cut strips for the four patches, I thought, why would I waste all that fabric to make one block?  Well that prompted me to take a look at the quilt and guess what - this one actually makes 3 of the same block, 2 of which are for the 2 opposite corners of the large border, plus strips for the inside border.

Block 2 - Four Patch Block - Amish With A Twist

The last one I managed to finish was Block 3 - Nine Patch Block.  This one is also very straight forward and there are no extras here, just the block.  So that concludes "package" #1.  I've shown the leftover fabrics here from the first installment.

 Block 3 - Nine Patch Block - Amish With A Twist

A few tips for this BOM:

1 - Read through each pattern carefully before starting.

2 - Check your cutting instructions for all three patterns before beginning to cut so you can plan your fabric.

3 - Work on one block at a time and all the extras and it's as easy as pie....

I haven't finished any more blocks but Kay was in today to do some quilting and I managed to cut out the next 6 blocks plus the extras for installments 2 and 3, so blocks and tips will be forthcoming soon.

I have to say, I am really enjoying this process.  It's been awhile since I did a Block of the Month and one of my favourites is the variance in the blocks.  This one may actually end up on my bed, once it's done......That may be one of the reasons I haven't painted my bedroom yet!  Holding out for the perfect quilt!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

The first week......

2013 is here and things are happening at the "Doodle".  The first meeting of "Healing Heroes" (our Quilts of Valour Group) was held last Saturday - January 5th.  The group has been meeting here since September 2007 and in that time have sent 246 quilts to our armed forces.  Here below Peter and Pat are showing off an additional 4, ready to be packed up and sent.

 

On Sunday January 6th we had our first meeting of the "Barrie Girls" - okay at this point pretty much no-one is from Barrie so we can just refer to them as the Sunday Stitch 'n' Bitch group.  Gail showed off this really cute snowman she did from a kit that she had bought.

 Cathie showed this one off at the end of the day - her Florida Snowballs - which is from our free Snowball pattern.  She changed up the borders a little and made it her own.....It was on her UFO list.  I let her stay a little longer too, so she could finish up another one of her UFO's and now they are ready to go to the long arm quilter - Cathy Petrie.  Can't wait to see what she does with them, always come back amazing.

We've already had 3 Sit & Sews this month and the newsletter should be in your e-mail at any moment as I completed it yesterday.  Will send another e-mail to my "web guy" today to make sure he gets it out.  Tomorrow night is the first meeting of the Scrapaholics Club and it's filling up quickly.  We'll be tackling strips.....should be great fun!

My next job is tackling the Mystery Quilt for March and getting a couple of long awaited patterns written up so I can kit some fabric.  In the meantime - check out all the great classes coming up.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

2013........

It's here!!!  Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Have you made any resolutions?

Are you ready to take on 2013?

Quilting Resolution Tip

If you are anything like me - there is the UFO resolution - to finish more UFO's!  

First, make a list of your UFO's and list also, the reason why it is a UFO.  Was it a class piece, was there a mistake that had to be fixed, etc.  Do you need some help to complete the piece?  You just don't like it - could you make it into a Charity Quilt?  Are you ever going to finish it?  Should you donate it and let someone else finish it?  

Rather than add it to your UFO list, decide what you really want to do with it. That is my resolution for 2013.  Rather than continue to harbour all of these projects and list them every year as UFO's - I am choosing to sort them as they should be sorted.


On that note, there is always help - join one of our Sit & Sew's - Mondays, Thursdays or the third Friday evening of the month.  If it's a hand piece make it the fourth Friday evening of the month.  There is always someone who can guide you if you have a question or need some help.  Or you can book a "private class" and get some of those "old" projects completed.



I think that my biggest problem is finding time to quilt so that is really my first resolution - find more time to quilt!  I am off to do just that!  I am working on so many projects at this time I cannot count, but first things first - I have run out of basting pins so rather than buy more I am finally attacking the pile of quilts that need to be quilted.

The first is the one I posted the other day on my personal blog - Jo-Ann's Creations, Trials & Tribulations! www.creationsbyjoann.blogspot.com.

This is a rare day off for me so I am going to enjoy it....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

I'll bet.....

You all thought I wouldn't have time to blog today!  Surprise, surprise!  It's after hours and the opening went fabulously!  To all of you who came by to say hello and pick up a couple of items - THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I love the new space and I'm getting the impression that you are all pretty happy with it too!  Including our new addition - the Cuckoo Cluck!!!!

I'll bring you up to date a little....  Yesterday was also a very busy day at the "Doodle".  About 6 weeks ago, at the old store, one of our fellow customers came in and fell in love with a quilt I had designed and had not yet written the pattern for - Trip Back In Time - an on-point Trip Around the World made from reporduction fabrics.  I basically said, take it home and use it as a template - she did!  Below is my quilt!

SB brought my quilt back to me - which by the way has the borders almost finished on it - and she showed off her gorgeous quilt from the fabrics we had chosen on that fateful day back in October.....isn't it gorgeous - and she added a row around the outside to complete the point!!!  I love it!  Guess I'd better get to work on the actual written pattern and the kits so everyone else can enjoy this quilt too!  I'll keep you all posted!

 Last night was - Don't Dare Bring Your Machine Night (alternatively know as Applecake Club) and we were hopping!  Very busy doing embroidery, applique, knitting, binding, felting, and unstitching!  The unstitching was me!  I had brought in my Lithia Park quilt to show off the top when Cathie pointed out my mistake (again - second time)!  So Luckily I had not yet put the borders on and was able to unstitch easily!!!

 Today was busy, busy, busy but I had to stop to take a picture of KH's quilt because it was truly a joint effort.  She had come in and picked a "few" fat quarters in pinks and golds one day and said they need to be a quilt.  We worked together and fooled with a bunch of fabrics until we came up with the ones in the quilt below - outstanding!

But my absolute favourite part of this quilt is the quilting!!!!  KH used #8 Pearl Cotton, which we sell of course, and did the big stitch in circles and squares - I just love it, absolutely love it and it's so easy to do!  If you would like to have a quick lesson - just drop by and I'll show you how it goes!!!!

In order to celebrate the 2nd Grand Opening of Cock-A-Doodle Quilts at the 2nd (NEW) location I am going out for dinner with two very good (crazy) quilters whom I've come to love over the past 6 years.  We're off to have a lovely meal at Me-Va-Me up at Bathurst and Steeles which have the best Middle Eastern food in the city......then I'm going home to relax and maybe finish up the rest of my Urban Pods....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Yes I can!!!!

Who knew to own a quilt store you had a to be a techno geek too!  Okay maybe not quite that but seriously, when you do your own blog - you do have to know something and half the time I just give up with the old excuse, "I'm too old for this stuff!"

Today I perservered and you will now see, to your right - Cock A Doodle Tips with our first Tutorial for Precision Piecing which came about due to the 9 Patch Exchange we are hosting in the store. 

Keep checking the side bar - I'm sure we will be adding all kinds of little "tips of the trade" often.  I certainly enjoy sharing what I learn and listing my favourite products....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Tip and a Teaser!

Two days in a row!  That hasn't happened in a long while!!!!  So which do you want first - the tip or the teaser!  I get to choose so I will go for the teaser.....

Many of you have admired this little wallhanging when you've been to the store and back in September we offered a class - well here it is again!

 Pop Up - Adding the 3rd Dimension 

The class will be offered as a two-day workshop, Saturday May 26th and Sunday May 27th.  This may be your last chance to take this class with Pam (Woodward) as she is leaving town!!!  Moving away and I'm not sure when we will have the opportunity to host a class with her at the store again. 

If you've ever wanted to add pizzazz to any of your quilts - this is the workshop you DON'T want to miss.  I personally would love to sit in on this one but I will be very busy making your lunches for those two days.  If you are interested and want to get a jump on the newsletter announcement, call the store and sign up now.....

Now the tip!

On Sunday I got a call from one of our 9 Patch exchangers - she was calling from the emergency at Sunnybrook!  She's okay - not to worry but, her index finger is missing a bit of flesh.....why you ask?  She cut the tip of her index finger off with a rotary cutter!!!!  She was using a small ruler, presumably to square up her blocks and a 45mm(usual size we use)rotary cutter.

I've had a couple of days to think about this little "accident" and I believe after testing the theory myself, I've come up with a solution.  When using "small" rulers - i.e. 6-1/2" squares and smaller, use a smaller Rotary Cutter, like a 28mm or an 18mm.  Checking it out with my 3-1/2" ruler (I'm also doing the 9 Patch Exchange) I found the 18mm was just the right size not to go over the side of the small ruler.......the chances of having an accident are greatly reduced!!!!

On that note - I will get back to working on the newsletter which I am sure you are all waiting for......

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

You have to see this!

I have to admit this may be the longest quilt I've had the opportunity to see in my store but it is truly phenomenal!  It is the 100th Anniversary Quilt being made for King George Junior Public School.  All of the children who are attending this year own a part of this quilt.  It will hang in the school behind plexiglass and if you're in the area you should really drop in to see it!

 Here's Anna and Jane choosing a border to frame the quilt.

 I beleive the measurement across was 158 inches (Anna will correct me if I'm wrong) without borders.

It is going to be "ginormously" (combo of gigantic and enormous) spectacular!  Kudos ladies for a job well done!!!!  Bet the kids had a great time too!

Here's a great tip that we got from a very organized customer.....She was walking around the store and pulled out a "business card organizer" and I was watching her holding it up to fabrics.  My curiousity of course, finally got the better of me and I asked her what it was......

 She bought a business card organizer at the dollar store and she stores fabrics from her projects, including selvage edges so that when she shops for more fabric and co-ordinating fabrics she just pulls it out of her purse and Voila!  What a fabulous idea!  She can always see what she needs and if it co-ordinates.....

 Both of the above stories occurred on Thursday.  It is now Saturday at 5:45 P.M. and I finally had a chance to sit down and blog.....Carolyn was in to teach today - Jiffy Bags in the morning, which I did not get pictures of, but everyone got a bag almost completed and they were awesome.  This afternoon she taught Hanging Gardens - what a fabulous class!

 Everyone was busy working hard and what came out of this class was fabulous!  While Carolyn was teaching one of our new customers came in and managed to buy one of her samples for Hanging Garden (right side piece) so she'llhave to make me a new one for the display.

I wish I could have sat in on both classes but someone needs to work!  Everyone had a fun time and I think they are all going home to work on their masterpieces and start new ones....it's one of those techniques that produces endless hours of creativity!

Coming up next week -
     Tuesday evening - Sampler Club (Dear Jane, Farmer's Wife, etc.)
     Wednesday evening - Photo Expansion with Fiona
     Saturday all day - Rain Drops (lunch included)

Something new and exciting!!!  I have been asked to teach a Beginner's Quilt Piecing and Quilting by Machine to teens during the March Break which is the week of March 12th - 16th.  If you know anyone who is interested it will take place Tuesday Mar 13, Wed Mar 14 and Fri Mar 16 from 10:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M..  Call the store for more details and ask for me....

In the meantime I'm on my way out the door and home to quilt, piece and just generally have a great night!!!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Sharing!

That's really what it's all about!  This blog has a few quilts I wanted to share that I've been collecting pictures of....

Yesterday was our Super Bolt Sunday along with a Sit & Sew.  It was a blast!!!  Everyone had a wonderful time and the store was hopping!!!  The food was great - if I do say so myself!  So good in fact - I served it again today for lunch and the girls loved it!

 Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cole Slaw and Potato Chips

Last week Elaine finished up this fabulous quilt top.  The colours are so rich looking, the quilt just pops!  I took this photo last week and today it went off to Sandy Lindal to be quilted (I think?!?!)  The fabrics are from a kit that Elaine purchased and it really is spectacular.....

This is Shirley's quilt.  It's a One Block Wonder and she brought it to show me and to pick out borders.  She wanted me to see how it turned out since way back in May I helped her pick the original fabric....I absolutely love it!  If you click on it, you will get a closer picture......

Sandy came by to drop off Gillian's quilt, all quilted!  If I remember correctly, I think she picked it up on Friday or Saturday.  She did an amazing job with the quilting (as usual) - now Gillian and I are going to scallop the edges - it will be stunning!  If you click on it you may be able to see the quilting pattern a little better.....

There's quite alot of changes going on still at the store.  Hopefully I will be done by Thursday for the Open House.  Hope you will all be dropping by to see what's going on and sign up for some great classes, they are filling up fast so stop procrastinating!!!  Just kidding, that would be me!

Off to take advantage of my day off and get some quilting done!  Back on Wednesday.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Join us!!!!

Tomorrow evening is the first 2012 meeting of the Applique Club (or as Jonathan named it - the Applecake Club)!

We call it Applique Club but we've been known to take on some knitting and crocheting, a little beading and hand embellishing as well as english paper piecing, so basically it's the - "as long as there isn't a machine involved" club!!!

Join us for a light dinner and dessert and some great conversation as well as a few laughs......




Hoping to see you there!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Retreat!!!!

I have to admit I have been looking forward to this weekend with great anticipation!  First, I'm proving to myself I am ready for a marathon 4 day quilt retreat, including all the preparation and cooking that goes into it!  Needless to say, Laurissa has volunteered to be my clean up crew and has been amazing!!!!  I barely put the pot down and it's washed and put away - gotta love it - I'm not exactly on top of the messes I make when I'm "in the kitchen zone"!!!!

Before I share the retreat with you I want to go back to Monday Sit & Sew and share three fabulous quilts -

Gillian made this quilt from seeing a photo - Wow!  right!

Gillian's Quilt - Quilted by Sandy Lindal (gorgeous quilting of course!)

Gillian designed this quilt around some Owl Fabric she picked up and it's pretty cool stuff!

Gillian's Owl Quilt

Helen made this fabulous baby quilt - it's in her Baby Quilt Cupboard, she's trying to get ahead of all the new babies so she has one ready for the next gift.....

Notice the Prairie Point border.......

Helen's Quilt

Now we can continue with our 4 day Retreat!  Started out with 2 participants so I thought I'd have an easy ride!  Whoa - we are suddenly up to 8 but still having a great time - actually that's probably why we are having such a great time!!!!

This Retreat offically started on Thursday at 6:00 P.M.  after Sit & Sew but some people got a head start and were here Thursday as well..... Gail was here Thursday working on Pillow Covers and putting the binding on her quilt which is a gift - absolutely stunning fabrics......

Raili, Karen and Linda also got a head start on the Retreat - Raili Finished a gorgeous top - from a class she had taken previously ....

So she has pulled out yet another project to work on.....

Linda finished this star (and I think 3 more.....???) for a Mystery Quilt she is doing from a store in Moose Jaw that she purchased on line after Elaine blogged about it.

Here are the fabrics that came with the clues.....

Karen is busy with the clues from her Border Creek Mystery.......she's keeping up to date!

Dinner Thursday night was one of my "go to" recipes, Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Rice....Jonathan got what was left, about an appetizer side!  Dessert was Apple Strudels......delicious!

Stay tuned and I will update you on the rest of the goings on over the weekend!

Even I'm set up to get something done, first the hand sewing on my Lithia Park and then I brought two other projects if I get the flowers all done, we'll soon see!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Busy,busy,busy!

We're all pretty busy here!  I worked Friday night and we also had Applique Club and I worked today......I started a small project which I will put borders on at home.

This is a miniature quilt, of course when I bought the pattern I thought it was full size but the larger HST's (Half Square Triangle) are 2-1/2" and the small ones are 1-1/2".

I hand picked each fabric from my stash and I have a couple of tips that might help you out when choosing a quilt like this.

TIP:  First, I made the HST's a little larger than required and then cut them down to size - the 2-1/2" size I made 3" and the 1-1/2" size I made 2", then cut them to size.

The second tip has a photo - which refers to the block with the 4 1-1/2" HST's.  I chain stitch them in order and when I cut them I leave the two matching pieces together (I don't cut the thread between them).  Then I lay them on the ironing board and face one to the left and the second one to the right and press them.  The seams are now pressed opposite each other and nestle nicely for a perfect match.  I then take it over to the machine and fold it over and sew my seam.

Karen and Raili stopped by today to "wow" me with a quilt top and sign up for the Cock A Doodle Quilt Club.  So the quilt top is the 2009 Buck-A-Block with a twist.  Instead of putting in the large plain blocks in between the HST blocks she designed a gorgeous Pinwheel Block which really looks fabulous!...I also love her dark border, it really frames the quilt.  From what I understand this quilt will be hanging at the York Heritage Show in November.......

 Last but not least, I got another Farmer's Wife block done this week.  I finally started hand piecing again to go with my blitz at cutting.....happy to get another one done.....

I also prepared lunch for tomorrow and will be there again in the morning to make lunch....

Come on by and say hi!!!!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

I can only say WOW!!!!

Barb and I came to the store this evening to find Sharon prepping dinner for the Sit & Sew tonight.  She had the most fabulous thing to show us.

For her Birthday this year her sister made her a "Miniature" - not a quilt!  Wait until you see this........it measures 4" square by 8-1/2" high.....I left the wall plug in the back so you can get an idea of the scale.  It's a sewing room!

 Blow it up and you will see the patterns, the books, the fat quarters, cats and rotary cutters.....

There are scissors and a seam ripper, fabric bolts and beads......

 ...and notice the bulletin board has a copy of the Cock A Doodle Chronicle, every page no less.....

She is extremely talented, right down to the spools of thread and the glasses!  I just had to share this with you.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann