New Quilt Design

Of course by now you all know I use my charity quilts to practice a new quilt design.  I learned a new one this winter and I am very pleased how it turned out.  Here is a picture of the front and back.  The quilt pattern was Disappearing Nine Patch.

Happy Valentines

Hope you all have had a wonderful day with special people in your life.  My day could not be better!  I awoke smelling fresh coffee and chocolates were on the table, that was a perfect start to my day.  Later in the afternoon we went out for strawberry sundae and coffee.  I did manage to finish my Valentine twister heart.  I don't usually do seasonal projects because I just simply never finish them.....well my sewing machine was certainly trying my patience on this one.  I changed to red thread and then it didn't want to FM nicely and breaking thread and tonight it still is skipping stitches as I was sewing down the border.  Anyway I won and I hope you enjoy this picture.

I don't know how many of you enjoy curling but here in Canada it is a national sport and if you live in small town Saskatchewan, it may be one of the only winter sports you have.  Saturday, the Tournament of Hearts ,which is the Canadian ladies teams, starts for a whole week.  I will have to organize some simple sewing so I can sew on my "Fabric 15-91" while I watch the games.  Another note, we are half way through winter...woo hoo!  Temperatures are starting to rise but we are getting rain and lots of snow but that's okay, it is winter here.  Have a great weekend.

Red and Pink are my Colors

Hi everyone.  Hope you are getting through the winter months and having fun working on projects.  We have just completed a week of a-40 to -45C windchills!  I can tell you I have gotten a few projects done just by staying indoors.  The flue landed hard here even closing one wing of our hospital but I think the cold windchills have taken care of those bugs.

Here is my second finish for 2013, a snowball quilt.  I was super excited to find some flower quilting designs while visiting Marcia's Quilting Blog.  She has a longarm quilting business and does beautiful work.  I have always struggled with flowers, just can't keep them round.  Now seeing how Marcia does hers inspired me to try again  and I think they are okay, at least, the best I have done so far.

The photos could be better, however, this was during the snowy freezing weather dull days.  I made this quilt entirely out of scraps.....maybe about 600 2-1/2" squares.  It looks real pretty all finished up and will be going to a cancer patient.

Since it is February and I have time to play a little, I am working on Connie's twister heart project and you can see her tutorial here http://www.conniekresin.com/2013/02/twisting-heart-valentine-tutorial.html
Here I am so far....

See the tiny 2 1/4" template I used to cut the squares.  I have never done this tiny of twister blocks so I used my scissors to cut the blocks apart after I traced the template with a FriXion pens.  When I get it done, I am going to link to Connie's Freemotion on the River. Connie is also having a giveaway today if you live in the US.   Have a great day everyone.

Hello, I am Here!

I am back after a few setbacks.  I had to upgrade to Google Chrome which is fine other than so many things have moved/changed that it takes me longer to do things.  As I was going through this task, feeling annoyed, I remembered back when I was employed and our company introduced CHANGE.  Wow, what turmoil and unhappy employees and disgruntled employees we had.  What change was doing was making everyone more accountable for what they did.  It was not that hard, just took time to get used to, so as I was doing my updates, I thought why am I so upset over all of this?  I will and did get through it, and yes, I still have some issues to deal with but they will resolve themselves in time.  I am not going to let being a senior make me an unhappy blogger.

Back to business, do you ever make binding up ahead of time just to have available when you want some in a hurry?  I do, especially for scrappy quilts where  a scrappy binding is often the right choice.

Above you can see my assortment of blues that I sewed together and pressed ready for a quilt.  I usually sew 7 - 8  2 1/2" strips together.  This time I have some left over so they will get joined to some other set.  Below is my finished quilt with the binding attached.  It was a good fit for this quilt.  I regularly sew at night and how often have you finished a quilt and would just love to get that binding on but to start from fresh is just too much at 10 pm so this is when I go to my binding stash.  Try it, I am sure you will like it.

UFO Drawings

I certainly appreciate all the feedback I received today and tonight I have done some drawing.  I made an exact size block and have drawn some leaves, etc. on it.  Those 2 blocks "square in a square" are the ones giving me problems.

Sorry it turned sideways.  The leaf vine is my border up each side.  I seem to loose the maple  and oak leaf every time I put something around them. The center squares aren't very big.  So I tried this:

I ignored the center square and filled the bigger square with a leaf.  I was also wondering about replacing the fern with either a dead tree or a pine tree.  What do you think?  I could maybe find a stitch to fill the maple and oak leaf similar to what I did with the plain leaf.  I appreciate any feedback you wish to offer. 

Leah Day's Quilt Along

How is the last summer holiday of the year going?  I hope you are enjoying family, sunshine and all the other wonderful things that come with summer.  We are already starting to see signs of fall, summer is so short for us in Canada.  I do certainly enjoy the fresh vegetables coming in and I have done some pail pickles, 10 big quarts of dills, today 2 batches of pie dough for our prairie apples and a batch of tomatoes sauce to use in cassrole dishes so it has been busy so far but I am thrilled to have some veggies for those cold winter months coming.

I am been sorta following Leah Day's Quilt Along all summer and trying many of her quilt designs.  It has certainly helped me improve my skills quite a bit.  Now, every Sunday is going to be UFO day and I sure can use this!  For this first week, I am pulling out this twister wreath that I made from a tutorial on the "Quilting Board".  I suddenly became ill and ended up with surgery so this got tossed to the UFO bin. 

I don't have a lot to finished it so I think it is a good first UFO finish.  I did micro stippling on all the white sections on my treadle.  That was a lot of fun. I have stitched 1/4" inside the twisters but need to do the pink ones and then the borders.  I plan a big rose/burgandy bow at the bottom of the wreath.

I have all the straight line quilting done on my string wall hanging.

 

And look at the stitching on the back.  I used different sized squares for the centers but the stitching almost makes you dizzy.

I really like the white/black sashing.  This is not my original design and for the life of me I can't find the gal who made this to give her full credit for a great wall hanging.  I am going to bind it in a black/white binding, a bit darker to frame the whole event.

I have spent more time than I should have on the "Back to School Blog Hop", any of you doing this?  While browsing around other blog sites I came across this darling Quilt Along called "Hello Sunshine".  I am just puttering with these right now but they are so darn cute it will be hard to leave them alone.  There is a new block each month and you can join in here.  Here is a sample of the blocks and my first sunshine.

I can't quite decide if I will make this into a quilt or a Quiet Book.



 

Christmas in August

Just catching up on what everyone is up to.  I finally have a small item finished to show you.  This table runner is done with Christmas scraps so I am calling it "Christmas in August".  I am liking how it turned out and I have been wanting to try some circular quilting and this seemed like a good project.  I did rows spaced 1/2" apart and staggered the circles across the runner.  I didn't get a real good picture to show the design and the quilting but here goes.  The design is the small twister ruler.

The circles weren't that hard to do as I thought I might end up oval not circular but it all went pretty good.  I would like to try a bigger item, like a baby quilt.  I have no idea how far experienced quilters space their circular lines so if anyone out there can provide some insight, I would love to hear from you.

These photos are again taken in my flower garden.  I spent several hours last week cleaning out some of the expired flowers and moving some pots around.  It's good to be back online after our modem gave up on us leaving us for several days with no TV and no Internet!  Hope you are having a wonderful week.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend, I sure had a productive one while we snuggled indoors for 3 days of rain.  Today there was enough sunshine to get out doors and take a few pics.  Here is my retro picnic table cover to match my umbrella.  I am very pleased with it considering all I had was a newspaper for a template.  Here is the link click to go to the tutorial for this really cute table center piece that I used to make my bigger version.

Everyone used to make jokes about my umbrella, well now it is right in fashion so I thought a table cover would be nice.

Hi all you wonderful readers, thanks for stopping by when I haven't even been around.  That pain in the butt has been really bad but I am getting a shot tomorrow.

October is Women's Cancer Awareness month and I hope all you ladies are getting your paps and breast screenings on a regular basis.  Our community is full of fundraising activities and I am helping with a coffee hour on Friday.  We hope to gather a few people to help with chemo hats, mastectomy pillows, quilts and anything else they might want to make.  Three of my quilts went to pallitive care this week, it is a sad feeling in my heart but I hope the quilts bring them some comfort for the time they have left.

We got the new Singer 404 cleaned up and the cabinet refinished.  The 404 sews so smoothly and the "tank" Fabric has a new home in the cabinet.  Here are a couple pictures.

The cabinet has no drawers so I was lost with what to do with all my junk I need to have around me.  My solution was this quilting caddy that turned out really great and was very easy to make.  If you want to make one , here is where you can find the directions http:// www.babylock.com/ftp projects. The link doesn't work so you'll have to type it in.  It is in a pdf file.

I love the window screening I used as you can see where your things are.  I altered the size a bit from the directions to fit over a large coffee tin.  The center can collection the garbage and thread.

It has been a  bit since I have been online.  While getting right into my gymn workouts, I pulled something in my hamstring and have been suffering with nerve pain.  It is really hard to sit or sleep but I am hoping it will go away soon. 

Hey, all you wonderful Canadian shoppers!  I want to tell you about a new Online Shop I came across recently right here.  It is so great to see more Canadian Online Shops and I needed a bit a fabric that Jennifer had so I placed an order and received it in 5 days.  She also just had a fantastic giveaway, but I didn't win, but that's okay because I just love visiting her blog and shop.  I hope you will stop buy and do some shopping, you will be so happy with her fabric and service.

I have been doing the Doll Quilt Swap over at the Quilting Board for a few months now.  It is just so much fun and the creative ideas post as so fabulous.  Here are my August and September quilts I received.

They are both sooo cute.  I plan to display these in my boring sewing room, as my daughter tells me.

I did another thing I shouldn't have this month.  I bought a Singer model 404 with attachments, manual, automatic buttonholer, automatic zigzagger and in a nice little cabinet for $35.00.  I haven't taken any pictures yet.  Got the little machine shinned up and she runs like a dream.  I am still working on the cabinet and now it's ready for the Danish Oil finish.  I have another purchase from this spring I haven't shown  and it weighs close to 40 lbs, solid cast iron, a japan clone called "Fabric".  I plan to put this one in the cabinet just because it is too heavy to lift up and down off the table.  The new 404 is about 18lbs so it will become a portable.  I will get some pictures done this weekend.

I need to get off my sore butt!  I see that Dragonfly has joined as a follower, thanks!  I love to see new people and some comments.  

Good Day everyone, looks like the weather is settling down everywhere, we hope.  I promised some news today so here it is, I Have Opened My Etsy Shop, yes, it is open.  Go to Etsy.com and search SamanthasHouse. I haven't figured out how to do a link from here to there. This technical stuff is really hard for me so it takes me time to do things that may only take you a few minutes. 


I have decided that today I should have a giveaway, good idea?  Yes, mostly I want to thank my followers and all of you who come an view my blog or leave a comment.  Having you here just means so much when you start a blog.  So my thank you to you is this

I made one of my boxy pouches and I hope you like the color I chose.  I am sure that anyone can find a good use for this little pouch.  You can use it to carry your small take along projects in or maybe just some cosmetics.  I have included 3 FQs so you can make your own small item and I have wrapped them in a sample of my new ribbon I will use at my Etsy Shop:  SamanthasHouse

To enter you need to be a follower of my blog and tell me what items I have for sale in my shop.  Just 1 entery per person.  I will draw the lucky winner on Sunday, June 5, 2011.  So hurry over to my shop and see what's there and then come back and leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back Sunday to announce the lucky winner.

Hi, I am Hooty and I just flew in at Samantha's House



Well, how is everyone today?  Hope you had lots of sunshine as we did, just a lovely day.  I keep talking about sunshine because a city like Toronto has only had 5 sunny days this spring vs 28 last year and temps at 5 C vs 28C last year!

I love my little Hooty that I designed and sewed up today.  He is about 7x10" and so cuddly and totally child proof....nothing hard....nothing can fall off.  He is made of poly fleece and stuffed with a poly stuffing.  I plan to offer him in my shop which is coming soon.

Our Cancer Society is hosting the Relay for Life this weekend.  I donated a lovely pink quilt that I made from a mystery design by Bonnie Hunter from Quiltville called Double Delight.  Sorry, I didn't take a picture before I turned it over to them.  On another note, we are a Regional Hospital and serving a large farming and ranching community in Southwest Saskatchewan.  Many people now come to our hospital for part of their chemo treatments and surgery when needed.  I approached our local committee about distributing quilts, afghans, shawls and anything else that might bring the clients some comfort while dealing with this terrible disease.  I just received word that they would take on this project and I am thrilled I will be able to direct my quilt donations to our own local people.  Here are 3 I have just taken to them.

I love making string quilts and I sew them to a fabric foundation.  I used a fleece for the backing with no batting.  I love how it turned out.  Here is a closeup

Another smaller string quilt that I added some cute prairie points to

The next one is partially refurbished fabric that I found at a garage sale.  It has a cute light hearted theme in bright colors.

I know many of you readers make donations to various charities.  Doesn't it give you a good feeling of warmth to visualize someone in need receiving a nice handmade gift?  I love it and will make as many blankets as I can get together.  My goal each year is 9 but so far I have only managed 6.

In closing, I want to share my most recent purchase.

Oh, my picture isn't very good.  These are labels printed with "Samantha'sHouse.blogspot.com" that I can sew on my projects that will go into my shop.  I have looked and looked and was thrilled to find these that Michelle custom designed for me.  You can have some too by visiting her Etsy shop "Inked Papers".

I am going to have something special for all my viewers and followers on Wednesday, June 1.  I know you are going to like it so I will see you then.  Have a great week.

















This has been quite an eventful week with the Blogger crash.  Seems things are being restored but I thought I would just wait until things were working better.

It was a wonderful weekend here and I spent most of Saturday repotting my tomatoes and bedding plants into larger containers so they will hold out another week or so.  It was quite warm, windy but I loved every momment.

A month or so ago, I was chatting with a couple of my quilting ladies that live in a senior complex.  I told them I had a quilt I made over a year ago that was still waiting to be quilted.  I keep putting it off because once I start on it I want to finish it.  They offered to come and help me, so nice of them.  I got a better idea!  Would you be able to get permission to set up a frame in your complex and I would bring my stands, boards and the quilt and you ladies could quilt it and I will give you the quilt to do as you wish.  They were so excited and had approval in no time flat.  We set a day and armed with the equipment and my husband, off we went.  We were met by several residents so interested in how we were going to set this all up.  Many were there offering help with whatever we needed.  It wasn't long and the quilt was on and ready to stitch.  Really, there are only 2 ladies there that are able to do any amount of quilting and, in fact, did most of in 10 days would you believe.  I took it back home and finished it off with the binding.  Here is a pictures of their lovely work that they are selling tickets on. The proceeds will be donated to a worthy cause.

I really like this quilt and I am so happy I decided to donate it to this group.  It has been a real social event there.  It was reported there was lots of coffee, cookies and many stopped by to check on the progress.  It brought back many memmories of quilting bees and good conversations.  I certainly would consider doing this again if they are interested. 

One night I came across some drapery samples I had gathered.  Christina from "A Few Scraps" was encouraging us to try reverse quilting using a piece of preprinted fabric.  My samples were too nice to hide so I did some practicing on thread shading.  Once  I had done enough, I thought I would finish it off into a generous tote. 

This pretty well sums up my quilting projects this week.  Check back often as I will have a surprise coming before the end of the month. 

Enjoy our first summer holiday weekend, happy gardening, happy quilting.

Hi everyone, hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day.  I certainly did and was gifted so generously by my family.  Look here, even a card from my granddog, Hudson!  He came for a visit and is soo adorable, even if he is a big boy golden retriever.  He gives us so much love, just like pets are suppose to right!

And lookee what I won!  I am so excited and now I will have a legitimate excuse to go to Saskatoon.  Monika from My Sweet Prairie here celebrated her birthday in great style last week and had a number of giveaways.  Stop by and see her wonderful fiber art.  She does the most amazing fabric pictures from photos of the Prairies.  I know you will not be disappointed.

Another project that is finished and in the mail are the cushions I made for my cousin.  I love the hexagons and I am going to make one for myself now.  Easy fun stuff!

 I have had this community cold and flu for a week now.  Went to the doctor and got meds on Friday so I am feeling pretty good today.  Last night I just ran out of energy so I played around with these blocks that I had put together some time ago.  I had a substantial amount of green scraps so got the idea that I could piece them and make them into nine patch blocks.  Well, I did but they don't look that great so I added a white sashing to 2 sides and charcoal polkadots to 2 sides.  I just randomly laid them out on the floor.  This will be a quilt for the Cancer Society when finished.  I think it needs a bit of a border to tie it all together.  My thought was to make a quilt that could be given to a man.  I really struggle with designing masculine quilts.

I do have one other project that I am finishing up and I will show you when it is done.  I will pop  back later this week with another posting.  Until then have a fabulous week.

Hi everyone, hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend and now it is May woohoo!  Today I made a special trip to Canadian Tire to pick up 6 geranium plants on sale $1.49 reg. $2.99 and a few other annuals.  DH set up my little greenhouse outside so it needs something to nurture and everything is in such a hurry to grow.  The roses wintered very well and the leaves are budding out.

I am happy to report my quilt for Japan is in Calgary.  I managed to sneak a couple items with the quilt.  I sewed a second flower center to conceal a Loonie, Toonie and my city pin.

Another finished project for me are the cushions I made for my cousin.  I love her dearly and she is more of a sister and friend.  Her and I have antique furnishings and I am throwing in some modern fabrics and designs to brighten up my living room.  She said she was game for something new and bright so here is what she is getting!

Here is the first with appliqued hexagons and bubble quilting.  The bubble quilting took 5 hours but I love the results. I outline stitched around the hexagons in lime green.

If she doesn't like the hexagons, she can flip it over to this

Here is the second cushion that I did some embroidery on the top depicting a spring songbird on a cherry blossom branch.

I spent many hours this past week getting a virus out of my computer, thus no posting, didn't want to infect anyone else.  My system is clean thanks to the talents of member of the Computer Help on GardenWeb Forum and Lanzdown, a site that coaches you through disinfecting you computer.  They were all so great and I can hardly believe I did this by myself.  During this stressful time I puttered around and found a pattern to a boxed zipper pouch.  This is my trial and error version.  I see by my pictures that it is really important to get those ends to match. Oh well, they will be useful to put my scissors and thimble in when I go quilting.  I think they are very cute.  I make even give a tutorial a go, so check back.

I am going to be off next week doing a bit of gardening, but keep quilting and stop by, leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.