IPM Challenge Block

After a couple of cloudy days during the weekend, we have another beautiful day again today, sunny but rather nippy as we had a frosty morning.



I have finished my challenge block for the International Ploughing Match. I wasn't liking the way it turned out but, it looks OK. I have not done any reverse applique before, and should not have tried to do it on this block.



The challenge was to use four of the five pieces of fabric in the package, with no additional fabric and make a 12 1/2 inch block. Here is mine, it not a very good photo, all the colours are a bit washed out from the flash. The butterflies are done by regular applique the flowers and leaves, reverse applique.



Hope you are having a great day,

Thanks for looking.



Patricia

November heat wave

Woke today to a foggy morning, then a promise of a beautiful sunny day. The forecast high temperature for today is suppose to be 17 C., our normal high for this time of the year is 9C. Tomorrow more of the same, Tuesday, a bit cooler with possible showers, then Wednesday back to seasonal values. Outdoor chores for this afternoon will include finishing the last minute jobs in the garden to prepare it for winter, and cleaning the inside of my car.

Visiting my Mother tomorrow, so laundry is on the go at the present time. My Father died November 11, 1991, so will also go to his grave tidy up the Summer plants and put on a winter wreath for him.

I am almost finished the International Ploughing Match challenge block that I am doing. I am not very pleased with the way it is turning out, (maybe I'm too hard on myself), but will submit it anyway.

Thanks for visiting, have a wonderful Sunday.
Patricia

Busy week

This is the last day of a busy week of coming and going all the time. Needless to say very little sewing of any kind has been done.
Tuesday, dinner and theatre performance with "girls" I used to work with.
Wednesday, all day shopping with #1 daughter and granddaughter, who was looking for a wedding dress. She had a good idea of what she was looking for, so only had to try on five before finding the "one" for her special day next October.
Thursday, took my youngest granddaughter to gymnastics and back home again, then to guild meeting.
Friday, dinner with friends that we haven't seen for a couple of months, had a lovely meal, and a nice visit.
Today, Saturday, to a quilt show, which is displaying quilts made by members of our guild.
Not much on our TV that I usually watch tonight, so may get in the sewing room for a couple of hours after dinner.
The weather has been wet, and windy for the past couple of days, bringing the leaves down fast and furious. Need to get outside and pick them up, tomorrow is forecasting a better day, so that could be the outside work for Sunday p.m.
Have a great day.
Patricia

Quilt Show

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, just perfect to travel through the countryside looking at all of the Autumn colours of the trees as a friend and I journeyed to an International quilt exhibit comprised of quilts made by Irish quilters.

There were 150 works of art of all shapes, sizes, colours, and themes. Some of the quilt makers were on hand to discuss their lifestyle, and of course their quilt/quilts that they were showing.

We arrived at the show the same time as a large bus full of people, so the room was very busy, which made it difficult to take photos. I did manage to get partial shots of some.

This one is grey and burgundy with the border of leaves and flowers.

This swan was lovely, each feather was a piece of
fabric.

This was one piece of fabric, with the mans face all done with machine stitching in various colours.

It was thirsty work looking at all that eye candy, so we had a coffee and carrot cake to satisfy our sweet tooth. The pieces of cake were huge to say the least, at least a three inch cube with cream cheese frosting, yummy. My friend, does not bake often as she is a widow and lives alone, and she loves cream cheese frosting, so asked for the corner piece, frosting on two sides and the top, and got it. No, she doesn't need to count calories.

My friend is not a quilter, or even a sewer or crafty person, but she enjoyed all of the quilts and marvelled at what can be done with fabric and thread.

It was a great day,

Thanks for stopping by.

Patricia

It's here

Yes, we woke up this morning with snow on our deck, and our thermometer is hovering around the zero mark Celsius.
The weather forecast on TV last night indicated that we could expect a warming trend next week, so the temperatures could be back up to their normal range of 14 degrees C during the day.
Gotta go, errands to do this a.m. and then this afternoon meeting with my guild partner to decide what fabric we will use for our comfort quilt.

Patricia

Brrrr

Its official, I can't wear my shorts and flip flops anymore. We had a white frost this morning, finishing off most of the annuals. I hate pulling them out of the garden when they are still showing some wonderful colour. No excuse but to do it now.
Today we took the canvas roof of our gazebo and also put the sun umbrella away for the winter. Emptied the water butt, and took the temperature controlled vent opener off the roof of the greenhouse. I don't think I can count on warm weather coming any time soon, so will have to put our garden furniture away too.
There is still some tiding up to be done in the flower beds and some bulbs to plant, which I hope to get finished later this week.
I decorated our front deck with some flowers, leaves and pumpkins for Thanksgiving, next week the pumpkins will have a face on them for Halloween, and I will put out our ghost for the trick or treater's.
Sounds as if we are almost ready for old man winter, which I understand could be arriving tomorrow with some (I can hardly say it) wet S s s snow mixed with rain. It is way too early for the "S" word. Where are those gloves and scarves, the winter coat and boots.?

Keep warm
Patricia

Happy Thanksgiving

I had our family Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. Our family keeps on growing and growing. How can two people end up with a family of 17 when we only had three children? Well. I'll tell you.
My DH and myself = two
All three children and spouses = six.
Each couple have two children = six
Three grandchildren have boyfriends and girlfriend = three.
Two + six+six+three = seventeen.

I was amazed how much food that many can consume. My two daughters, daughter in law and a grand daughter contributed to the table and helped prepare. We had a great time.
The menu: Turkey, roast beef, gravy for each, potatoes, turnip casserole, peas, corn, stuffing, two salads, rolls, horse radish, and cranberry sauce. Pumpkin pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, apple crisp and ice cream. Wine, juice, milk, tea and coffee.
Everyone had a full tummy.

Note made to myself to increase the shopping list for Christmas.

There is just enough leftovers for hubby and I for dinner, so no cooking for me today.
I plan on doing a couple of hours sewing this afternoon.

Have a great day.
Patricia