Victory

“Victory belongs to the most persevering” 

– Napoleon Bonaparte

I am so excited to write this post as it means that 

I have finished the top of my Double Wedding Ring quilt!!

  

There were days that I would not have believed that it would be 

or could be possible to finish this off. 

It wasn’t that it was terribly difficult but it seemed a long time with little progress.  

Once I really put my mind to it though, it was a sweet victory. 

When I look back at my first post about my Double Wedding Ring quit it was late October 2013. 

I guess that’s not too bad considering I work full time, hosted my daughter for 8 months this year 

and had a couple of holidays away from home.

  

This quilt gave me much agony right at the beginning. 

I had a very difficult time in pulling fabrics for this quilt and after a few failures, 

I finally settled on the greens and pinks with a pop of yellow. 

Very happy with the outcome as I feel it was very close to what I envisioned – a definite success.

This quilt is not perfect and I had to keep reminding myself that 

it is a ‘homemade’ project and not mass produced. 

I was very happy to learn a new skill – sewing curves. 

 This will open the possibilities of other quilts that I have in mind.

As mentioned before, I plan to have this quilt quilted. 

Definitely well worth it considering the work involved.

Phew . . . . now I get to move on and finish up my son’s quilt. 

Perhaps it could even get done before Christmas. 

Wouldn’t he be surprised?!

Savouring my finish this weekend and linking up with

AmandaJean at Crazy Mom Quilts

Have a fantastic weekend!

Shauna

Best Laid Plans

Really thought I would have finished my double wedding ring quilt.

Somehow working full time, being tired, 

running errands, paying bills, catching up on finances, 

going to the dentist and tramping through the snow

this week has hampered my plans to finish off this week.

I don't mind snow but when it falls on September 8 I do have a bit of a problem with that.

 

 

My big tree out my front didn't fair so well with all the heavy snow.

Looks like I'll loose that one branch.

Such a shame.

Because I had decided to do an extra row on my wedding ring quilt

I had to cut out a few more pieces.

That was a challenge as I had already given back the templates 

to my friend who lives a couple of hours away.  

I didn't want to wait until I could get out there 

so I made my own templates and they worked good.  

Netflix came in handy here.

I hope next week I can report a finish!

Shauna

Crazy, Beautiful, Love Filled Summer

I see again that it has been for-ev-er since I have posted!

How does that happen?!

 

This has been the most wonderful summer for a long time.

It started in June with a lovely visit with my son in Victoria.

I had time to get away on holidays in early July with my parents.

Was wonderful to reunite with family in July and again in August for a wedding.

 

My sister and I went to see Michael W Smith in concert.  So fun!!

I spent time with my lovely daughter throughout the summer.

I helped as she got ready to head off to do her Masters in Toronto at Ryerson.

Watched beautiful summer sunsets. 

That meant little time for sewing but that's okay.

I did, however, manage a day away with friends and a couple of days at a friends house to quilt.

So still working away on the same quilt. 

Perhaps next week I can say I have finished this quilt top.

 

Different seasons in life.  

Life would be too boring if we did the same thing over and over.

There were some very hard and sad moments this summer but all in all, I wouldn't trade it.

At the end of it all there is always a rainbow of hope.

Hope your summer was good.  

I'm looking forward to fall and some time for quilting.

 

Shauna

Spending an Interesting Afternoon

Playing around with Palette Builder makes for

an interesting Saturday afternoon.

So I uploaded a couple of pictures and had way too much fun doing so.

Two very different sunsets with two very different colour ways.

I think I like the colours in the second one better but only because

I am more of a pink kind of girl.

This one is nice too.

I love the earthiness of it with the little pop of colour.

This picture has special meaning.

It was taken back in '85 when my husband and I went to Kenya

to visit my parents who were living there as missionaries at the time.

The plant is called a Desert Rose and only blooms when it is dry.

I must say that the Palette Builder is really easy to use 

and the possibilities are endless.

It's very cool that you can save the Kona Cotton matches.

Give it a whirl - you won't be able to stop!

Shauna

Treasure Hunting

So today was a fun day.

A friend at work and I went to an estate sale on our lunch break.

Lots of interesting things in an older house,

probably from the 30's or 40's in an older area of the city.

I came away with a few treasures.

Aren't these lovely?

My birthday is in June so pearls are my birthstone.

The colour on this strand is exquisite. 

Very pearly in colour.

Was hard to photograph and get the colour right.

And this little gem . . .

Isn't it pretty?

Again more pearls and the blue stones really add to the piece.

I rarely, if ever buy myself jewelry and here I found two

pieces that I really liked.

And the last item I picked up was these lovely pink pillow cases.

 

 Such lovely work on them and I thought they were charming.

Having done cross stitch myself in the past, I can really appreciate

the work that has gone into making these pretty.

I spent a whopping $12 for all these goodies that tickled my fancy.

I've still be working on my wedding ring quilt - what else is new!

 This week I got the corner stones sewn up for the 4th row.

 

Each row gets better and better and easier to put together.

As much as I complain about this quilt, I am so happy that I am making it.

It really is turning out to be quite nice.

I will once again end with a couple of sunset pictures.

Happy end to your week!

Shauna

Melons in the Making

 I haven't posted for a while and thought it was time . . .

I have been very busy at work and also around the home.

Life never seems to slow down it seems.

I'm sure everyone is tired about hearing about my double wedding ring quilt,

but it is what I have been working on.

 I don't really want to put it away until it is done.

What you see here is melon production going on here.

Happy to report that I have 3 rows together - 

a 4th ready to sew on

and . . .

drum roll please . . .

just about enough melons for row 5.

After that I will finally be on the last row.

Yeah!!!!

While I was on holidays, I started something new and finished two blocks.

They're kinda cute.

Just needed to do something different . . .

I bet you all understand.

A couple of days ago we had rain - the first in quite a while.

It felt so refreshing.

July 31, we had the most incredible sunset. 

I think it had to do with a lot of smoke in the air 

but none the less, it was beautiful.

 

 

What are you working on these days?

I find it's harder in the summer than in the winter.

One wants to be outside more than inside sewing.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Shauna

It's The Quilt That Never Ends . . .

. . . it goes on and on, my friend.

Sometimes I think that I will never be finished my double wedding ring quilt.

I am now officially half finished so am starting to see an end.

 

For the second portion of my holidays, I spent time with my friend in Vulcan sewing up a storm.

Wednesday of last week we went out to Bow Bench Retreat for a sewing day.

For $25 you can go and sew for the day and have supper at the end.

Beautiful place and Nancy is a wonderful host.

Here's a view from the outdoor patio.

Wendy and I had a great time together.  

We got our hair done, went for lunch, sewed much and wandered through the cemetery.

I know that sounds strange - wandering through a cemetery.

I used to live in Vulcan so know quite a few people still who live there 

and many who have past on.

It was a great time of reflection about my 5 1/2 years there.

My heart is still there in many ways!

I did work feverishly on my wedding ring quilt - 3 rows now complete!!

Whoo hoo!!

Points are looking pretty good.

 

 My friend Wendy is a talented quilter also.

The quilt on the bed is the one that she was working on to get done.

Isn't it gorgeous!!  I'm in love with the colours.

Of course the other two wall hangings are ones that she had previously completed.

 

 

As I look out my window it appears that we are in for a bit of a storm.

Have a great week everyone!

Shauna