Spring and a Quilt Show

Spring seems to have arrived although the sun is still at a premium.

 The daffodils are outside, not in a pot on my counter.

A few tulips made an appearance for Mother's Day.

We planted this forsythia, not long after we moved into this house. over 25 years ago. It was beautiful with a lovely shape and it always bloomed right to the top. About 10 years ago, the city had to dig up the watermain, and they learned that it isn't on the city easement, where it is suppose to be, but instead goes diagonally across my yard, right under my fence. I asked them to be careful not to disturb the bush. However, that wasn't possible. They were going to toss it and get me a new one, but I asked them just to move it, roots and all, away from the digging. We carefully covered the roots, and put it back in the hole, after they were finished.  It has taken nearly 10 years, but it is back to near its original glory. It also has a new companion on the inside of the fence, that grew from the root that was left in the ground.

Meanwhile, Spring means Quilt Show, around here.  So Friday, I went with friends, to check it out.

My friend, Barbara Karim, took Best of Show for her wonderful Civil War Bride quilt, hand appliqued and hand quilted.

Here are a few of my other favourites.

I obviously have every broad tastes in quilts. I think I like the paddles, best.

Meanwhile, Spring Cleaning 2019, continues. Today, I started attacking the drawers in the sewing machine table. Over the years they have become catchalls for things that don't have a home. In my 30 minutes, today, I got one drawer done.

Now it just has things I use at the machine. Sewing machine needles, wonder tape, glue, and room for my clips.

This is another drawer, tomorrow's project.

I have no idea what is in there.

Quilts On The Tay

I took a field trip today, to Perth, ON, to see Quilts on the Tay, by the Lanark County Quilter's Guild.

This must be the place!

There were lots of lovely quilts, both traditional and modern.
Here are some of my favourites.

A Zentangle. I think I would like to try this.

I loved this applique quilt.

I have this pattern in my saved file.

I couldn't stand back far enough, so I had to take a picture, to see the Blue Jay.

They wanted me to vote for one quilt for Viewer's Choice. I'm sorry, I couldn't pick.

Thanks to the Lanark Guild for a lovely afternoon. The show continues until Sunday, if you want to go.

An Afternoon With Hilary Rice

Well, actually, I had an afternoon with Hilary's exhibit, called Rare Reflections. currently in display (but only until Sunday) at the Mississippi Mills Textile Museum.

Cathedral Woods - Picture from the Artist's Website

Her work is wonderful. She uses a variety of materials, and techniques, put together to make these incredible works of art. I have seen her work on her web site and I even have a couple of her patters, which I have been too chicken busy to try.

If you want to see more of her work, check out her web site, Mother Earth Studios.

Arts and Crafts

The Quilt Show had a craft table, so I have been busy making items to donate. It is really hard to guess what will sell, and what price to put on items.

I made some coffee cozies, and three of the six sold. (The rest will be Christmas gifts)

And my obsession with border prints and the 60 degree ruler continues.

The middle two of these sold. I wonder who would like the others?

Now on to getting the Christmas knitting done.

The Party's Over

It takes about 7 hours to carefully arrange 123 quilts. First, you have to check them all in. Then you have to figure out what they are (size, shape, antique or modern). Then you painstakingly lay them over pews, communion table, piano, chairs, hang them on the wall.

Note the white gloves and attention to detail

The Wall Hangings are looking good

We put some of the wall hangings into the Tearoom

We were very careful with the lovely quilts we were loaned. However, some of our exhibitors were not as careful as they checked them in.

In the end, it looked lovely.

Now, don't you wish you had been there?

Amazingly, it took only 30 minutes to take everything down. At services, yesterday morning, the only sign of the show was the minister, asking those who had not yet picked up their quilts, to please get them out of his office!

Quilt Show Prep

My life has been taken over by preparations for a quilt show. For some reason, that I don't fully understand,  I seem to be in charge of my church's quilt show. I am not the best quilter in the group, but apparently I am a good organizer. And apparently, I'm bossy, so they let me boss everyone around.

We have done this once before. The show was so popular among the church members, that people have been asking us to do it again. Fortunately, I saved my file from the last time, so we aren't having to figure everything out. Last time, we filled the church with quilts (and the corridor and the church hall...) and it looked wonderful.

We included family quilts as well as quilts more recently made. Children brought their baby quilts, made by loving grandmas. We had quilts made by members of the congregation who are no longer with us. It was a celebration of who we are as a church and an extended family.

Saturday, we will do it again. If you are in the Ottawa area, and would like to drop in, we would love to see you!

The Threads that Bind

Quilt Show and Tea

Saturday, November 17, 1-4 PM

33 Leacock Drive,  Ottawa (Kanata) , ON

I will be there all day!