Thursday, November 12, 2026

A Lot Going On and I Quilted This!

Hi and welcome 😃 Another crazy week here. I've been busy but not with quilting. Come check it out!

Slow Stitching

I registered for the Needlework Paradise Summit which started today. I added to my Not-so-daily stitching with this gorgeous Embroidery of a Sleepy Hedgehog. The presenter was Philomène Cauchois of Creativity to Change Everything. Isn't it a cute pattern? It was difficult to make it so small, but it was lots of fun.

Sleepy Hedgehog

Sleepy Hedgehog in hoop

I also found this gorgeous leaf on one of Missy's walk. The embroidery is not as close to the original leaf as I would have liked, but it's a great reminder (and I have this photo!).

Look at the colour gradation on this leaf!

Hubby and I are going away for a week in the sun 🌞😎 with our friends. To get ready, I finished patching up a pair of cut off jean shorts. I started patching these a few years ago but never got past a couple of patches. I think that it's finally done.

Patches on my favourite cut-off jean shorts

Close-up of the patches

This was the first original patch

The friends that I mentioned, Marc and Louise, are the ones that I made the Rainbow Neighbourhood house quilt for. They took a picture of it in front of their house, which is on the quilt.

Marc and Louise and their Rainbow Neighbourhood house quilt

They are the couple that we've been travelling with for years. During one of those trips, Marc was wearing a plaid shirt that I just loved - so when we got back, he gave it to me! It took me years, but this week I upcycled it.

My new upcycled plaid shirt

I cut and made a split hem shirt. I attached a strip of gorgeous colourful fabric on the front hem and then finished the back with folds. I also added a set of double pleats at the back and then made smaller pleats at the seam where the longer folded hem is attached.

The back of the shirt with a split folded hem

I also cut and pleated the sleeves. I can't wait to wear it. When I get back, I'll post a picture of me on the beach!

Pleated sleeve

What I learned

I've been enjoying the Needlework Paradise Summit and hope to make at least one more project before it ends. If that happens, I should be able to share it with you when I get back.
I used Pinterest to find ideas on how to upcycle the shirt. There are some good videos on YouTube. I've listed one of the ones I used below.
I realised once I was finished that the folded back hem isn't like the picture that inspired it. The picture had a blouse with stiffer fabric. I love it but it's something else to consider 😉
I mentioned that I've been wanting to upcycle this shirt for years. I would never have gotten the nerve to do it if it wasn't for The Great British Sewing Bee. I'm a huge fan and I've learned so much from watching it. When I did something good, I would imagine Esme Young approving 😁 (of course the reverse was true also - she wasn't impressed with some of my finishing!)
The hardest part of going away is packing up my sewing supplies. This is going to be a restful holiday. I have my Kobo and audiobooks but I'm really hoping to get some stitching done every day. I'm putting something together so that I can keep stitching on my bag/pouch. I also have another pair of jean shorts that I can stitch 😂
I just want to let you know that Missy is doing incredibly well. She's really getting used to our routine but I am looking forward to sleeping in next week!

I Quilted This!

Welcome to the I Quilted This! linking party that celebrates quilting on a domestic machine or custom quilting on a long-arm. Feel free to link up and share any recent project, even if you're not quilting it!

Here are the posts that included FMQ, ruler work and walking foot quilting last week. Thanks for linking up 😊 and consider grabbing the button.

Lisa in Port Hope finished this great Halloween quilt. It was the Nocturnal Soul quilt along. You'll want to read her post for more details!

Nocturnal Soul quilt by Lisa

FMQ details on Nocturnal Soul by Lise

Gwyned Trefethen continued working on her thread painted turkey.

Gwyned's thread painted turkey

Viridian of Viridian's blog has been playing with reproduction prints and scraps. She's got a quilt in progress and finished this cute doll quilt.

Viridian's doll quilt

Julie from Julie's Quilts and Costumes made an amazing Magical Geese quilt for a guild challenge. You'll want to read all about it and see some yummy quilting pictures! She quilted it with wheels, orange peels and feathers.

Julie's Magical Geese quilt

Details of beautiful FMQ by Julie

Gail from Quilting Gail is busy finishing up quilts in a WIPS-B-GONE challenge. This week she finished quilting two guild hospice flimsies. Here they are, ready to be passed on. One was FMQ with swirls and clouds while the other one got some Twinkle ruler work. Check out her post for more FMQ loveliness!

Two quilted hospice quilts by Gail

Gail's ruler quilting

Sandra from mmm quilts made two Falling Into You tote bags. You'll want to check out her post for more details, pictures and an upcoming pattern!

Sandra's Falling Into You tote bag

Here's the back of the tote bag. It got a jigsaw style meander while the front got some custom quilting.

The back of another of Sandra's
Falling Into You tote bag

Frédérique from Quilting Patchwork Appliqué has started quilting François' quilt. She's using the walking foot because of the thickness of all of those appliqués. I'm sure that it'll be wonderful!

Frédérique using the walking foot for a better job!

Kate from Life In Pieces finished her fifth quilt of the year! It's called Pieces of My Heart and was made during Sandra's Glowing Hearts quilt along last year. Kate used her walking foot in a 1" grid to quilt it. You'll want to read her post for more details!

Kate's fifth finish of the year, Pieces of My Heart

Details of Kate's grid quilting of Pieces of My Heart

Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts had another quilt published - this time in the December issue of We Like Quilting magazine. Lilac Shimmer made the cover! You'll want to read the post to get more details.

Lilac Shimmer in all of it's glory - by Preeti

Denise from The Quiltery is hosting another wonderful quilt along. It's called Garden Song. Denise is quilting it as you go (QAYG) and it's looks amazing. I haven't had time to start it yet but it's on my list! You'll want to read all about it.

Denise's amazing QAYG blocks for Garden Song

It's now your turn 😍

NOTE: The linking party will be open for 2 weeks!

Thursday, November 05, 2026

Missy, Slow Stitching and I Quilted This Linking Party!

Hi and welcome 😄It's been an incredibly busy week here, but not of the stitching kind. I'm sorry that the post is late, but it's here, and so is the party!

Missy

I'd love you to meet Missy 🐕, the newest member of our family. Missy is a rescue from North Carolina. She is a mix of miniature pinscher and chihuahua. We got her November 1st. We were told that she was possibly 8 years old. When we took her to our vet, we were pleasantly surprised that she's more around 2 years old!😍 We are thrilled - hopefully we have many more years together.

Missy found her favourite couch!

She's a gentle sweetheart and is a real Missy! After three days, we seem to have a routine down. I might not be a night owl anymore....we'll see. We've been going out for short walks each day. It's going to do me a lot of good 😊

Missy in the back yard

Slow Stitching

Here are three new squares in my almost daily or not-so daily stitching. This first one was created when we were applying for a rescue dog - it's a chain stitch jail....and it's got an opening for our future dog.

Get out of jail or the pound

Grasses gleaming in the sunlight

This one is an experiment with couching. I couched three different yarns and then filled in the spaces made in between. I think that it's got a lot of fun potential, although maybe without the black!

Couching experiment with potential!

Mindful Slow Stitching

This slow stitching is restful, even if it's not always done mindfully. In my swirling and slightly muddled mind, stitching a few scraps of fabric with different threads and yarns is amazing.

I started another pouch, with this one laid out on the wrong side of the jean fabric. I'm considering making an even larger one, a bag, that I could use to carry my scraps to keep making more of them😍

Slow stitching a second pouch

November's One Monthly Goal (OMG)

I need to start on the second baby quilt. This one will have some maple leaves along with fun novelty fabrics. I borrowed my friend's pattern book for the maple leaves - they are different from the usual maple leaf block.

You can see them on the cover of Modern Holiday Table Runners, Vol. 2

In November I'd like to plan, draft and start the baby quilt.

What I learned

There are so many things happening around me that it's been difficult to stop, slow down, or concentrate. The Buddhist meditation class I'm taking helped a lot yesterday so I have to remember to breath and be mindful.
Life with a dog is busier but mostly in a good way. I've been wanting to be active for a while, so this is a great excuse to go for walks.
I did get some FMQ on my July Aqua Fairy house. It's going to look even better with all of that stitching 😍

I Quilted This!

Here are the posts that included FMQ, ruler work and walking foot quilting last week. Thanks for linking up 😊 and consider grabbing the button.

Vicki from Vicki's Crafts and Quilting made another lovely Valentine's runner. Look at that delicious FMQ!

Vicki's FMQ of her Valentine's runner

Vicki's latest Valentine's runner

Marie-Anne finished her Jimothy pillow with freehand quilting. Very cute!

Marie-Anne's Jimothy free hand quilted pillow

Diann from Little Penguin Quilts made a great pumpkin/Thanksgiving runner.

Quilting on Diann's Thanksgiving runner

Diann's Thanksgiving runner

From Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts, we have three great quilts! The large on is named Rosy Pussytoes (after a flower), the smaller pink baby quilt is Mini Pussytoes and the baby quilt made from a jungle panel is Bear Hugs, revisited. You'll want to read Preeti's blog and see all of those lovely quilt pictures!

Here are both of Preeti's lovely scrappy pink quilts.

Preeti's Bear Hugs, revisited

Gwyned Trefethen has been inspired to start a new project with thread painting. She also finished her Cats in the Attic quilt.

Gwyned's finished Cats in the Attic quilt

Gwyned's new thread painted project

Melva of Melva Loves Scraps had a photo shoot of her two Lala quilts at their old house. What lovely quilts and quilt-along! You'll want to check out her post.

Details of one of Lala's quilts by Melva

Both Lala quilts made by Melva and originally by Lala

It's now your turn! 😍

Friday, October 30, 2026

Ancestral Home in the Quilter's Cove

Hi and welcome to our monthly Quilter's Cove link up. We've been making colourful houses based on the Rainbow Scraps Challenge colours. We're now on the October house, which is in neutral colours. I seem to think that every house I make is my favourite, and this one is no exception 😍 I'm collaborating with Kat of Scrapbox Quilts. She organised it and I'm hosting. Come check out October's homes.

If you're looking for the I Quilted This! linking party, click here.

Ancestral Home Under the Hunter Moon

I've been wanting to make a house that is typical of the earlier style in French Canadian settlers. Although my ancestors left Quebec several generations ago, I still feel a pull to those beautiful homes. They consist of very steep rooves that extended beyond the edge of the house to let the snow slide off (but away from the building), and dormer windows for the upper floor rooms. Chimneys were located at both ends of the rectangular shaped house. They were often made with very thick stone walls.

I'm not sure that my ancestors would have had the money to build such a house, but it's a nice thought. Since we're at the end of October and the Hunter Moon is only a few days old, my block is a night scene with the moon shining bright.

Chez mes ancêtres sous la lune du chasseur
Ancestral home under the Hunter's Moon

Here is a process photo. I was sure that I had taken more, but if I did, they're gone!....Found them 😀

All the pieces for the house - getting fusible webbing

Setting the elements up

Under the Hunter's Moon - just before FMQ

Finally, here is the back. I just love it!

The back of Ancestral Home

I got another of my blocks FMQ. Here is the June pastel house. I was looking forward to FMQ it since the pastels were rather drab. I knew that the FMQ would make it shine! I butted it next to another block to see what the borders will look like on all sides. I couldn't find my original bird, so I added another 🐦

FMQ June's pastel house

What a difference FMQ makes!

Project update

January's Blue House: extended and framed
February's green houses in Nyhavn, Copenhagen: framed
March's fun red house: framed
April's Hippy pink house in the burbs: extended and framed
May's pretty orange house: framed
June's Fairy pastel house: framed and FMQ ✔
July's Aqua Fairy house: framed and partially FMQ
August's yellow Burano house: framed and FMQ ✔
September's Icelandic Fairy house: framed and FMQ ✔
October's Neutral Ancestral home under the Hunter's Moon: framed and FMQ ✔
November's
December's

What I learned

I'm happy to say that after ten houses, the process for making them is getting easier, once I have my idea.
I hope you don't mind my Project Update section above. It'll help keep me organised and it includes the links to the posts.
I'm relieved that I was started to frame and FMQ the houses since August. That means less of them to FMQ at the end of A Quilter's Cove QAL.
I really debated using the black thread to FMQ the tree (I have to invest in variations of gray thread). I wasn't really happy with it but now that I see the picture, it's fine. I have to remember that this is one of 12 blocks - it's all good 😁
If I can get at least one extra block FMQ each month, it won't be that difficult to finish once the end of the QAL arrives.
I don't want to start sewing all of the blocks together until they are all completed. That will ensure that I put them together consistently, given the learning curve.