Denim Quilt

It wasn't until last week's meeting with my fibre arts group that I remembered I had the pieces for this donation quilt sitting beside my longarm. I was so embarrassed I even did the binding.
But it is now ready and can be submitted with the 3 other quilts our group worked on, at the Guild Meeting tomorrow night.

This was a little trickier than I expected as it was made from the heavier pants material, and old worn denim has a life of its own and moves with the drag of the machine quilting foot. There was no way I could quilt over any of the unions where 4 pieces came together, so I needed a pattern that would avoid those difficult places.
The pattern that I thought would suit the material and the quilt was the continuous line puzzle pattern.
I positioned it so I only crossed a single seam. Even then there was a little coaxing in places and some materials were thicker than others.

 

Grizzly Bear - sold

I received a telephone call this morning, from my sister in BC to inform me my large Grizzly Bear sold today. I'm delighted this piece is going to San Francisco.

I find it truly and endlessly fascinating that my work is literally " all around the world".
It's also very sobering and humbling to think that our Canadian culture is welcomed into their homes.

End of the Season

We've had our first dusting of snow so its a push to get the rest of the "gotta do" chores done before winter sets in. I really don't want the snow to stay yet. We had an early winter last year and it just makes the whole messy season too long. When I was younger and skied etc with my kids that was different, but now I just hunker down and wait it out.
The Fruit cake was the first sign of winter, and then I turned to putting my garden to bed. I have a perennial garden. There are those who like to leave it all for nature and clean in the spring and then there are those, like me, who want to clean it up now.

I have extra reasons for my thorough cleanup...I'm at war with a rabbit. Two winters past the rabbits moved into my back yard and did a lot of damage.

Second summer of healing, but it will take 2 more growing seasons to close this wound.

 

 Last winter I successfully fenced them out and will do so this month BUT I decided to prune heavily to encourage the rabbit to move on. My back slope is a mix of Hansa shrub roses and cotoneaster, both of which are the perfect cover for the rodents of this world. So I spent 4 hours this morning and made 5 trips to the compost depot in the city and striped the garden of all its hiding places. (Almost)

I filled in and blocked a few gaps in the fence where he might enter from the neighbours and removed as much cover as I could with out damaging the shrubs. Both these plants do well with heavy pruning, but I'm usually to busy to do it right.
So here are some shots for what I did. Each has a midsummer view and a view before I started and the portion of the garden as of now.
I'm not finished, but my energy gave out. I'll wait for another "nice" day to finish up.

Mid summer with echinecea and day lilies

Filbert in is autumn colour and Aconite with a shot of Blue

Most of the perennials have died back

Roses cut to the ground cotoneaster sheered down

 

Then next 3 repeat the process. This is the central part of the garden

And the far corner where Le Lapin prefers to catch the afternoon rays.

 

So right now I will put my feet up with nice cup of Coffee and rest!! Tomorrow is soon enough to sew.

 

Christmas Fruit Cake - One Week Later...

My cakes received an ounce of DARK RUM, each.......for breakfast. (Theirs..not mine)
That should be it for a month or so. Then I'll check them again. (If I have any rum left in the house. LOL)

Jelly Bean House - Final

What a perfect way to come down from a sugar high after Hallowe'en. Jelly Beans!!

This is finished. The features are all glued. fused and stitched to the red siding. I added the beading to the house number and made a door handle from sequins, beads and bugles. I still have back some topiary in pots but I'm thinking now, I don't want to spoil the clean lines of this house.
I finished it with an envelope style binding just turning the edges under. The ridged stabilizer had to be trimmed away to do this but it is still right to the edge at the top and bottom, the roof and the stairs.

This will be part of a collage of 10 visions of this wonderful and endangered feature of St John's Newfoundland. I guess I should try to get there soon. ( I'll wait for the good weather)
When my group has assembled the entire project, probably mid-March, I'll post the completed piece.
Final size 10" x 29"