Snowy days such as this often drive many birds out to the feeders, and we are hopeful the cardinals will return soon. A Northern Flicker stopped by earlier, however by the time I got the camera this sole Mourning Dove was the only one who agreed to pose. I am wondering where his mate is, as they seem to always travel in pairs.
My knitting strategy is to keep two socks on the go at the same time and to make sure at least one of them is in the "mindless" section of straight knitting so that it can easily be transported without pattern book or counters. Last night I finished up one sock and have its mate ready to turn the heel. Because this takes a bit of quiet and concentration, I started a new pair on the spare needles. When I have peace and quiet, I will get the heel turned on the flax sock, and no doubt by the time I am on the straight part of the foot, the natural one will be ready to have the heel work done.
We're just about there. The shopping is done, the presents are wrapped, the tree is up and the baking has started. It smells like Christmas. (Never mind the tree fell over and some of the cookies burned - that's all part of the Christmas memories!) These dear skates in the picture above were carved of wood by my brother-in-law, Ralph. One pair is for us to keep, and one to give. I love them, and know that he spent many hours on the details...just as we do on our quilts.
The Christmas Bird Count was tallied one day last week. Normally our cardinals have returned from their summer vacation in time to be included in the count, but we have yet to see them this year. So far it has only been Bluejays, Starlings, Mourning Doves and Chickadees at the feeders. Perhaps today's snow will signal the cardinals to settle in for the winter. The bees are wrapped like presents without bows for the cold season ahead. It feels like Christmas.
School is finished and many students are returning home from university for the holidays. It's great to hear the laughter and see how everyone has grown and changed. It sounds like Christmas.
From my family to yours, our wishes for a wonderful holiday season.
I've been a bit behind on my blogging as I have been occupied finishing a quilt for an imminent deadline. This is the first project I have stitched with the new Bernina and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting acquainted with the machine. The 440QE is an absolute pleasure upon which to sew, and I am thrilled to pieces with how it performs. The power it has is unbelievable - this machine knows how to sew. I can't show you the quilt just yet, as it will be featured in the spring issue of Quilter's Connection magazine but will post pictures as soon as editor Heather MacArthur gives the go -ahead to do so. I have been comfortably free-motion quilting for many years and admit that the BSR (the Bernina Stitch Regulator) at first struck me as a nice extra I would never use. However, The Bernina Lady said "try it" so I did...and I am hooked. The stitches are perfect. I have a tendency to get really focused on what I am doing to the exclusion of everything else around me, and often a quiet visitor to my room will startle me into a scream and a jump. Normally, that requires a bit of ripping for that section, but not this time. The BSR is startle-proof.
Shelley also made another, this time arranging the colours in her blocks to create the optical illusion found in a "tumbling blocks" setting. The 3-D effect is quite pronounced. Shelley made this wallhanging for her daughter and you can see appliquéd lizards (geckos?) playfully circling the blocks:
Shelley was the photographer for this group picture so didn't get to be in it. Here you see Jennifer, Debbie ("Supreme Commander"), Sheila and Marilyn in the front row and Jackie, Sharon, Nancy (who is modeling hers as a cape) and Chris in the back. Aren't they lovely? (both the quilts and their makers :)
You can see there were lots of giggles.
Thanks to all, and a special thank you to Shelley for the great pictures.
For the past year, I have been following Jeanne (aka The Bernina Lady) around to her displays and hounding her with questions via email. No doubt she was beginning to think she had a stalker! She has been so wonderful through the whole process and I feel confident she is as dependable as the Berninas she sells. Wednesday she was passing through Amherst and the Christmas specials she was offering made the timing right. I did it!!! I am soooooo thrilled with this beautiful machine:
The Bernina Aurora 440 Quilter's Edition.
Isn't the snow pretty?
The storm caused a bit of disruption, and the Christmas band concerts at the high school were cancelled for this afternoon and evening. Disappointing not to have a chance to hear that spectacular drummer perform. Luckily our power was restored fairly quickly, unlike others in the county whom we understand are still without.
Judy Steeves sent along this picture of the results of a November 24th sew-in held by the Sussex Vale (New Brunswick) Quilters’ Guild. Twenty two quilters spent the day piecing these projects…3 of them over 90 years of age, and some past 80. Judy led the session with a mock up of the directions from my blog tutorial posted step-by-step on a large piece of Styrofoam. The completed projects you see here were shown at the Guild's annual Christmas luncheon. I love to see all these colourful "gifts" spread out on the table. Don't those black and white ones stand out?
If you are like me, you have more ideas in your head than can ever get sewn. Fortunately, we live in an age where we can use our computers to sew a virtual quilt with unlimited fabric and colour combinations in only a few minutes. For fun, I coloured the Farrago pattern using gorgeous red and green Christmas prints from Moda. What a pretty piece this would be on a wall, table, or under your Christmas tree. Done in cold blues and silver lamé, the spikes look like icicles on a frosty winter morning. I've added a few more shards in the side diamonds on this one:
Farrago Pattern # 409 is available on my website. Companion pre-printed foundations will save even more time, as you will be ready to start stitching at once. A month from today is Christmas Eve!
She has added some glittery ric-rac, topstitched around the first circle and a button in the middle.
Below is my original version. As Bev says, it is a very easy project as it is only 4 blocks. It's a nice size to hang on a door instead of a wreath.
If you'd like to make your own Yuletide Jewel, the pattern is available here: 
Hmmm...looks like a pile of scraps you say? Green scraps, maybe? If you guessed it's for a "going green" issue, you're correct. My project will be a scrap-buster using small pieces left from other projects. If you have any great tips to pass along on the topic, Heather - the editor of Quilter's Connection Magazine- would love to hear them. This blog post gives details of where you can send your ideas, which will be published in the Spring issue. You might even win a prize!
http://sewkaren-lycreated.blogspot.com/2008/09/christmas-on-shoe-string-placemats.html
http://sewkaren-lycreated.blogspot.com/2009/04/something-from-nothing.html
Joan has added a ring to the back of hers for hanging. The size of the mat is about right to hold a pot of Christmas tea. Beautiful work, Joan, as always. Love seeing all the pictures - keep them coming!
She calls Gusavus her quality control schnauzer.
Nice work, you two!
Ruby also made my design for this selvedge tote bag, which appeared in last month's issue of McCall's Quilting. Ruby's comments on the tote bag echo my own experience - so much fun to sew, and a great conversation starter. Someone always asks about the bag. 
I found myself reading the selvedges on Ruby's tote to see if I had used any of those same fabrics. Can you see any familiar ones there from your stash? :)
For those who have emailed asking where the directions may be found, just scroll down through the posts to October 25th, or click here. 
The neat thing about this gift is that it already comes gift-wrapped. You could tie a tag to the bow, or better still machine quilt a tag by stitching the recipient's name inside a rectangle right on the top diamond.
Well, who doesn’t need one of those!? This angel will be particularly busy as there are many things unfinished around here. Not only did Joan send the pattern by Applepatch Designs, but she kitted up the material to make the project and carefully labeled each piece as to its intended placement. What a treat this is. Honestly, I can’t recall the last time I made another’s design and I will so enjoy having the instructions all laid out in front of me to follow instead of making things up as I go. I am very anxious to start the project and the colours are perfect for my room. Notice also the beautiful card which features one of Joan's quilts. Thank you, Joan, for this delightful gift. If you check out Joan's blog, you can view her completed Log Cabin Diamonds from the workshop; http://ouvragesduneacadienne.blogspot.com/2009/10/last-october-project.html As you will see from her posts, Joan is a very productive quilter - do you suppose she has an angel working on her behalf? Hopefully my angel can begin her protective duties while still in the package. No sewing for me today, as tonight I am speaking to the U.C.W of Trinity St. Stephens United Church and will spend today sorting and packing quilts to take.
The finished size is 9" across and 10-1/2" high (point to point). You will require 3 different shades of one colour, in this case green: a light, a medium and a dark, as well as one red. We have kept the same red constant throughout; the dimensional effect is carried by the main colour. Please read through the instructions before beginning project.
Materials Required:
2 strips 2" x 10" each of light green, medium green and dark green
4 strips 2" x 10" red
1 strip 3-1/2" x 19" red
12" square backing fabric
12" square cotton batting (I used 2 squares in mine to make it thicker)
sewing and quilting thread to match
Supplies Needed: Rotary cutter and mat; acrylic ruler with 60 degree line
For the Light Diamond:
Flip the medium green diamond to the right side and position the diamonds as shown below. You will see the reason you cut the medium strip upside down is so that the red stripe would be properly oriented when joining the diamonds.
To Make the Light Diamond: Sew the red strip between the 2 light green strips lengthwise using a 1/4" seam allowance. Press seams to one side. Place the 60 degree angle line of the ruler on the bottom of the strip and trim off the left side of the strip on on this angle. Move the ruler over 2" and make another cut on a 60 degree angle. Repeat to cut 2 strip segments like this:
Sew a red strip to the right side of one segment. Trim off top and bottom on a 60 degree angle, and then add the second segment to the red. When joining, don't forget to offset the pieces to allow them to align properly; there will be a tiny point of fabric extending at each end.
Lay out your three pieced diamonds as shown.
Choose your favourite method to sew the Y seam - either the 1/4" open, or pivot method. I like to sew the seam between the medium and dark diamonds from the outside in, to within 1/4" of the end, and lock my stitches. Press this seam open. 
Sew the seam to set in the top diamond the same way, leaving 1/4' open at the centre; press this seam allowance down over the the open seam allowance. This will make your Y seam lie flat.
Layer top, batting and backing, pin baste and quilt as desired. If you are intending to use this as a potholder, do not use polyester batting. Two layers of cotton batting makes a good thick pad. My sample was quilted in the ditch along the red ribbon. When quilting is complete, trim edges and bind.** You will need approximately 55" of binding. If you have more leftover 2" strips, piece them end to end for length. I used a straight grain double French fold, cut 2" wide and pressed in half. Binding was attached by machine to the front of the quilt, then folded to the back and hand stitched in place.
To Make the Bow: Cut a strip of red fabric 3-1/2" x 19". Fold in half and sew across one end and part way down one side. Break stitching, leave a 6" length for turning, and continue sewing the remaining length of the strip and across the other end. Turn strip right side out, press, and slip stitch opening closed with hand stitches.
Tie into a bow and tack on the top of your gift.
