WIP Wednesday

This week I have a finish! At least a finished top.

Most Canadian Quilters will have heard of the Canadian Quilters Great Canada Quilting Bee for Canada's 150th Birthday this year. They have been asking for slab blocks with Canada 150 fabric in it to make Quilts for Ronald McDonald House.

I belong to the Canadian Quilters Association who is hosting the Bee at their annual Event held this year in Toronto, Ontario.

I might not make it to the Bee (more on that another time) so I thought I would make a whole top to send. I hope to have the second one done this weekend as I go to retreat with the Stoney Creek Quilters guild.

As a child my dad spent extensive time at Sick Children's Hospital from the age of 5 to 17. I also did part of my nurses training 34 years ago. Having sick kids is not easy. Dad was left at the hospital for days sometimes weeks at a time while his parents had to go back and run the farm in St. Catharines Ontario. This Bee for quilts for the Ronald McDonald houses touched my heart. Dad is 85 and was never expected to live this long.

There is still time to make some blocks. The link is above.

Here is the picture of the finish top.

I used fabric from the the stash of scraps I had left over from several quilts plus one fat quarter of Canada 150 Fabric. 

I hope this top becomes a comfort to someone who needs it. 

I am linking up with the Needle and thread network

Exciting and changing times coming up at our home this year. After a year of many trials and sorrow it is good to feel the sunshine. (However the forecast for the weather is rain ironically for the next 4 days! ) 

Jo

Sewing for Baby!

This past week I was sewing for Baby... My daughter in law's sister had a baby girl in March.

It was fun to go back to sewing for a new baby. I was invited to her shower so I made some crib sheets and a Baby cuddly bear.

I used the matching blanket to wrap the gift which my daughter contributed to as a joint gift. A baby bear cuddly blankie was made with zebra striped flannel and minkie. 

Now I need to get back at it for our first grandchild due in July. More sheets and blankies to come!

I am linking up to the needleandthreadnetwork for my WIP Wednesday although I was ahead this time and this is a finish!

Jo

WIP Wednesday and Printing on Fabric

Last week I organized my paper load...

I do have a piece I am working on but I am waiting a bit to post the pictures.

Not sewing related but prepping for sewing I explored printing on fabrics with my printer. This was for my monthly group working on the book Fabric Embellishing The Basics and Beyond by Liz Kettle etc.

What fun I had! Here are a few pictures of what I printed. Now I have to think of how to use them in my work.

Dover clip art design printed on my home printer on "fabric and tissue paper"

Snow on Big Hollow Road. Picture taken by me in Vermont in November. Printed on "fabric and dryer sheets"


I am linking up with WIP Wednesday!
My challenge to myself is to post everyweek. 
Jo

What I am working on in the past week.

I didn't get to post last week on the Link up to the Thread and Needle Work Network.

Not that I have't been working. In fact I have been busy sewing away and have crashed the kitchen area so I can spend time getting some sunshine.

As I usually hang out in the basement hours can go by without a break.

And that is not good for this girl.

In fact its not really pretty work. It is get the work done. I have so many things that just need to get done. This is my kitchen table. I have four hoodies/jackets that need new zippers for my boys. 

And I have been trying to work on some blocks that need to be done by March 1. 

I also need to finish a few cuddle bears as the 7, I made on holidays are all gone to little ones. 

I have a wall hanging that I want to go to it's home for US Thanksgiving. 

And a skirt for my wonderful sister for the same time. All not hard sewing but just the normal grind. 

Sometimes you just have to do the grunt work to get to end of the finish line. 

How about you...do you sometimes just have to get the mundane done and out of the way before you can move on? 

Off to get the laundry done then down to the machine. 

Maybe by next week I will have some pretty to share! 

Jo

Work in progress

I have been busy working on two pieces I hope to enter into a show that will be in Burlington Ontario. No guarantees to get accepted especially with all the very talented artists who will be entering.

The encouragement from my family especially DH is so empowering. To have someone believe in you is such a besting. 

My small group the Fabrigos are like this too! We can bounce ideas off of each other, ask for opinions on the direction of our work and support each other. 

I wonder if there is any statistics on percentages on submissions to acceptances to shows. This would still be quite subjective depending on number of entrants, skill level and a mirad of other things. 

So why take the chance to enter juried shows? I think the best reason is because it pushes you. It pushes you to complete. It pushes you to hone your skills. It gives you a goal. Does that mean if you don't get in that your piece was no good? Maybe... To the standard of the day. Or maybe yes it wasn't that good. Or it wasn't what the juries liked. But if you are happy with your piece than you have accomplished a goal that many never try. Putting yourself out there! 

With that in mind I have been working on two pieces that are near and dear to my heart. Afraid to continue in case I may wreck it. 

Talking to my friend Al helped me put it in better perspective. It is only a few meters of fabric and 65 hours of work! Lol the investment in actual materials is small. Less than a dinner out. But in reality the time is the expensive part. But I can now say I have learned many ways I don't want something and vital lessons on how to do somethings...or not. 

How not to make my tree attempt 3!

Fear of quilting in action. What if I do it wrong. 

Time to get off the couch put some tunes on and tackle my fears and move on. 

These works in progress need to be done! 

Jo

Do you let the fear of perfect stand in your way?