PhD Challenge Cutoff - Midnight New Year's Eve

If you are looking at this post, you have maybe hours, possibly only minutes to get in on my "2011 PhD Challenge" commitment,
but for yourself!!!

Join the rest of us 56 humble quilters! Bite off a big bite of those Projects Half Done, that we all know you have, and commit to doing them once and for all!!!

2011 is the year for cleaning up to make space on our shelves, by cleaning out your boxes/bags of PhDs in your sewing room, so you can get started on all those "new projects/patterns/methods" you've been anxious to try your hand at...

Click Challenge Button to get to sign up post on PhD Challenge blog. Please make sure you read the sign up post before leaving your comment with your commitment.
As long as the Date and Time on your comment is before Midnight Dec 31st, I will get you listed as a participant, and get an invite (onto the group blog) out to you as soon as time allows it for me...

I am looking forward to doing this challenge with you!!!
Happy stitchings!
Myra

Wow! What a year 2010 has been!!

 Message to my blogging buddies/followers at bottom of post...

It has definitely been a year to remember for my family...

A to the point & mixed overview of 2010...
* 2 daughters engaged
* visits to meet the future in-law families of both our daughters
(one family in Wisconsin - a weekend visit)
* a trip to Kelowna with my mother to visit a great aunt that turned 95
* 2 bridal showers 
* bridal invitations, wedding plans x 2, etc
* 1 big bridal/wedding social for both couples (a pre-wedding event)
* Bridal dress shopping (brides, bridesmaids, mother of bride)
* dealing with DS's first major heartbreak (for a few months)
* DS's spontaneous move back home 3 days before DD1's wedding
* 2 daughters' wedding weekends
* 1 wedding weekend in Thunderbay (friends)
* 1 Wisconsin wedding farm reception weekend
* vehicle problems/stalls/repairs
* newer vehicle bought
* revolving door of DD1's stays here throughout the year
* 3 early AM specialist appointments with Dad (I don't do mornings)
* 2 parental major surgeries, plus the hospital visits & after care
* a 1 day fishing trip/missing persons (DH, DS, my bro) for 15 hrs
* relatives from Holland, a visit/stay/gathering here
* several trips to the vets for various reasons
* hives on Ruby...?... why?? concerning
* 4 weekend stays/fur-girls/doggy hotel (new experience for all)
* a great week-long trip to Las Vegas with good friends
* a week long visit at friend's in Thunderbay while
DS stranded with truck troubles in Toronto
* and, sadly, we attended 3 funerals/celebrations of life this year

 Then throw in there the quilt related things...
* booking/planning/organizing 2 quilt retreats
* attended 3 retreat weekends 
* many quilt shops visited
* fabrics (insulation), patterns, books and mags purchased 
* 4 small projects made for choice auction table at social
* made 2 queen sized wedding quilts, plus 4 pillowcases for each
* Saturday & Sunday Sampler tops - one done & one 3/4 done
* PhD Challenge 2010 introduced to the blogging world
* 1 (Sunflower quilt) of 6 PhDs committed, completed
(had good intentions until the year unfolded for us...) 
* Phd 2010 conclusion and giveaway
* CCC's (quilt group) BOM started
* CCC's Row Robin project started (9 participants)
* Did some sewing and quilt tutoring with/for friends
* PhD 2011 introduced (50 participants!!)
* small projects started with intention of being Christmas gifts... sigh... Nope! I guess not this year...
* Mom and Dad's Hollyhock wall-quilt,  
sadly, still not fully done... 8-( 

 My year was also full of "good intentions", 
that many ended up falling short...

I can't say the "crazies of this year" are done, as 2010 isn't quite over just yet, so you never know what else might "creep in just under the wire"...?...
 
 ... And through this all, many of you encouraged, complemented, and congratulated my family and I with wonderful comments, that you took the time to share... Which, during a good part of this year, I hadn't the time nor energy to acknowledge in return.
I give you my sincerest apology with regards to that, and want you to know I read, and appreciated every one of your comments throughout 2010! Now hopefully, this coming year will be more "normal" for my family, more relaxed, and I will be able to blog/visit/comment like I did before 2010 hit us... 8-)
THANK-YOU FRIENDS! 8-)

Wishing you a fun and safe new years eve!

Myra

Brigitte the New Quilter

 Project #2 - a table topper for her ma for Christmas! 

Looking good B! 8-)

 Brigitte did a decorative machine stitch finish on this project's binding... Her comment about it, "I’m sure the corners aren’t perfect, but it turned out OK." - I say, "Well done B!" 8-)

On to your next project Brigitte!  

Hmmm...? What will it be? 8-)

A future Blogger too maybe? (evil grin)
Myra

Christmas day fun...

What's a Boxing Day (our Christmas) without Lego? At any age!?

Two Gingerbread houses become one 2-story!!! Creative! 8-)

DD2 putting her 2-cents worth in...

The finished house...

Complete with eaves troughs and downspouts...

Besides this, we feasted on wonderful snacks, spirits, and a meal,

as well as played Charades and card games...

A fun day was had by all!!! 8-)

Mrs.Farmer came up later that day...

DS, baby brother, not wanting to be tallest here...
Oh look! Shorty is the tallest now!!! 8-)

This coming weekend, along with Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, we will get together again, being that Mr.Farmer will be here from Wisconsin to celebrate 2011 with us!!! 8-)

Merry Christmas...

Left to Right:

DS, DH, Myself, Mrs (DD2) & Mr Rose, Mrs (DD1) & Mr Farmer
Most recent family photo...

Sorry I haven't had much time for visiting...
Such is the time of year right!?!

FQB

Just sharing a Fat Quarter Bundle I picked up while at Wallymart yesterday... Not the best of quality of course, but the print/colors attracted me, so though they would be cute for a small project at some point... 8-)

 Happy Stitchings!

Myra

RIP Delia...

Early Christmas Prezzies Perhaps?

 Like I need another pattern book or two, or fabric!!?!

But that is what made their way home with me today...

Should we have gone into Kathy's Fabric Shop in Carmen? 

No!!! But we did!!! 8-)

I am considering them early Christmas gifts to myself! 

Yup! That is my story, and I'm sticking to it!!! LOL! 8-)

Kathy had a couple of samples up in the shop that were made by the instructions in this book. It intrigued me, so what can I say... 

In my bag it went!

I should have taken a photo of Kathy's sample though...

 And then, oh my goodness, I spotted this book with the darling pattern I had seen one gal working on at the Carberry Retreat a while back... So, I felt it had to come home with me too... 

Not making any promises with this one... lol! 8-)

Kathy had some beautiful fabrics there, of course, but I thought "I won't be needing any new fabrics, as my first 6 months of the new year will be taken up with getting my PhDs done for my Challenge..."  Right....? Well...? This kept calling my name, 

and 4 meters come home with me... 8-)

Back to my lists for Christmas now, checking them twice, 

maybe even three times in my case!

Seasons Greetings Blogging Friends!!!

Myra

A big waste of trees...

I empty our mail box everyday...

I receive this inch and a half thick bundle once a week...

Grant it, it is Christmas, so there is probably a "bit" more added, but this comes once a week, every week, all year long...

My mailbox is even so full, that the mail-person can't

even fit in our "important" mail...

I maybe look at 3 of these flyers weekly...

As far as I am concerned, it is a big waste of paper, a big waste of trees.

There, that is my beef for today!!!

Not much sewing going on around here right now. Been spending too much time on the computer, exchanging email with and adding all the new PhD participants to the group blog. Wow! 8-)

Playing a Spider Solitaire game, or playing Wordscraper on Facebook. Pretty much procrastinating getting ready for Christmas...

As per usual...

Laundry done, time to go do a major cleaning, and decorate...

Mr & Mrs Rose coming over to do some more

Christmas baking with DS tonight...

Don't let this season's kaos get you down! 8-)

Myra

A Christmas Dinner...

Went with my Country Rose group to, where else, as always, Olive Garden, for our last gathering of 2010, in celebration of Christmas...

Here is Jb hiding behind her celery... 8-)

We had a delicious meal, lots of laughs, a good time...

I missed posting this photos of new quilter Brigitte with her

first table topper. Photo kind of fuzzy...

... Plus I had to color out something that was in the back ground. A Row Robin project!!! Can't give that secret away now can I... 8-)

B will be thrilled reading all the lovely comments that have been left on the last post about her progress... 8-)

Went Christmas shopping today... Yuk!!!

I don't like the crowds...

So far I've got 34 participants committed to doing the PhD Challenge along with me!!! I am just waiting to see all their projects posted on the group blog... Woohoo!!! Fun stuff! 8-)

Stay warm!!! ...?... or cool, depending where you live... 8-)

Myra

RIP Neighbor...

This is the awesome cake that his sister-in-law made for the funeral...

Very fitting... 8-)

Adventures with the new quilter...

Well, we were at it again in the sewing room tonight...

Brigitte is making this table topper for her ma for Christmas...

Looking really good Brigitte!

Brigitte says, "Is there a quilter's anonymous? Looks like I am hooked! I feel a fever coming on...." and, "Second top made and the first one isn't even finished yet!!! Yikes!"

We don't know anything about things like that do we quilt bloggers!?! lol! 8-)

Happy stitchings!

Myra

Fast-Fade Marker Trial...

I did some in the ditch quilting on the Hollyhock quilt. Are any of you familiar with this foot that I used?

I don't know if it is a sewing "in the ditch" foot, but I used it for that.
It worked out really well!!!

My friend Pg recommended that I should do a fairly good amount of quilting in the borders, as I did in the body of the quilt, or it won't hang straight... Didn't know that!!! So, I found a nice sized border pattern "in my stuff", and thought to try a Fast Fade Marking tool...

But first I would have to test it...

Day 1 test - a dark squiggle...

Day 2 test - first squiggle fading, and a new squiggle added...

Day 3 test - first squiggle really faded, second squiggle faded...

I did a "wash it out" test. It disappeared fully, so now I am good to go!

Traced my pattern and doing the stitching before it fades away... 8-)

Look at the lovely frost pattern on my sewing room window. Can you tell I have a very old window!?!

This morning at 10am, the temp was "feels like -36*C with the windchill", which translates to feeling like -32.8 *F... Right now, 2pm, the temp is -23*C, so it has warmed up considerably. HA!!

Here is a very entertaining story about two dogs for you dog lovers...

Although it would not have been entertaining to the dog owners at the time it was happening... 8-)

Sixteen PhD Challenge Participants signed on so far!

Are you next? 8-)

Happy stitchings!

Myra

My city group's Christmas party night...

Last night was a yummy snacks/desserts/games night with lots of Christmas spirit... as in mood, not drinks... 8-)

 I only got one Show & Tell photo... This is Lw's wonderful
table topper... Love this pattern!!!

Santa came at some point before I got there, or while I wasn't looking maybe...?... I think he was in cahoots  with all the gals, cause both are mentioned on the gift tag... sneaky... 8-)

Thank you all so much for the wonderful 

Patchwork Calendar!! I am so spoiled by these gals...

Now I've got some work to do!!!

This is the wonderful gift of fabrics/labels that I ended up bringing home after our long game of gift grabbing... What a ball we had with this game! Lots of laughter!!! 

 There were 2 "Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks mag" gifts that were jumping from thief-to thief-to thief, but in the end I didn't get to bring one home... I'll need a better strategy next year... lol! 8-)

So, after our evening I went to 2 stores to find/buy this mag, and was very lucky to find the "last one" at the second store. 

It was meant to be mine!!! Yaaaay....

Now I have both mags!!! The red one from last winter.

There are lots of awesome blocks in this new one!!! 

I'm doing my happy dance with it.... 8-)

Have a great sewing day friends!

Myra

Quilting done on Hollyhock quilt...

I raw edge sewed the applique pieces down through all 3 layers,

which worked out really well... The center of this babe is quilted, and all I need to do is the borders, binding, label and rod-pocket!!!

This will be, when done, one of my finishes

for Finn's UFO Challenge...

I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel with this one!!!

Woopee!!! 8-)

Happy stitchings!!!

Myra

Busy Bee...

Yesterday, my mom over for haircut, and for help
lengthening a pair of new pants...

Mr Rose also here for a haircut, and to do Christmas baking with
Mrs Rose and DS. I haven't done C-baking for about 5 years now, cause I leave it up to my kids, and yes, I cut hair. I used to be a hairdresser many moons ago...

New Quilter Brigitte also came over with Chinese food in hand for us all to indulge in, OH YUM, and to do some more work on her table topper. We made and attached the binding. She will manage the hand-stitching at home. We also cut some strips for her next project which she will attempt on her own at home... Go Brigitte go!!! 8-)

This one is mine. Nothing fancy... A good project to bring to Country Rose tonight to work on the binding...

I may have show & tell from the group for you later tonight... 8-)

I received my mag in the mail yesterday!!! Woohoo!!!

Some wonderful projects in there... here is a cute one...

...and here is what looks like an interesting article that I'm looking forward to reading....

...but I am on a roll in the sewing room and have no time for reading right now... maybe tonight...?

I've dug into quilting my parent's Hollyhock wall-quilt!!!

Wanting to get it done and give it to them, AND this will count as another project done for Finn's UFO Challenge that ends at the end of the year... It is high time to get this project done and gone!!!

May I suggest you pop in on my blogging friend at
Quilter Raised in the South. 8-)

Have a great day!
Stay warm...to those that have cold weather...
Myra

What I'm working on...

Doing some quilting on my table topper that I made while "new quilter Brigitte" has been working on her's... 

Can you see the Holly motif?

I've also been creating a separate blog, for participants in my PhD Challenge, to post their finishes on. I also redirected my participant "join us" post to that blog...

Pop in, have a visit there, and consider joining the 8 of us (so far)...

2011 is the year to "Get'er Done!" 8-)

Myra

Adventures with a new quilter...

Here is friend Brigitte, again!

Today she learned how to sandwich, and to straight line quilt,

which she finished up. On Monday we progress to making

and attaching bias binding...

B already has plans for a next project!!! 8-)

Stay tuned...

Check out my challenge! Maybe you'd like to play along...?

Off to our first Christmas event of the season!
DH's work celebration...

Hope you are all having a great weekend!
Myra

Dec BOM Done...

Churn Dash blocks made today...
One for the group, and one for me...

Now that is out of the way... Though I have a nagging feeling that there may be a color problem... must check...

Have a great weekend everyone! 8-)

Myra

CCC & Wonky Bits S&T

First up are the November BOM blocks. One missing in photo... 8-)

Congrats to Vf on winning them!!!

I wonder what block pattern she will pick for January? 8-)

We received our December BOM pattern last night, so that is in the plans to make ASAP, and we also did our Row Robin box exchange, so an 8th row is on the agenda too... This box holds another color pallet that is out of my norm... A challenge!!! 8-)

Today we had our first day back in the church basement we normally gather in. We hadn't been there since end of April/May due to flooding. Now it is all fixed up and lovely...
Good to be back there... 8-)

This is Du's. She started this at a workshop this past October...
Looking good D!!! 8-)

This is Lp's creation for a Christmas gift for her granddaughter...

Christmas Teddies... too cute! 8-)

This fun quilt top is Pg's creation from her scrap bin... There is a wonderful way to make the blocks for this project... I shall have to show you.... soon! 8-)

Love the fabrics P!!!

And FINALLY, Mr & Mrs Rose's quilt is DONE!!!

Two months late, but now done!!! I just have to wash it now...

These are the 2 sets of pillowcases to go along with it...

...and this will be a toss pillow to go along with the set... made of left over blocks, and will have a zipper...

Now, on to my finishes for Finn's UFO Challenge... I'm not counting the wedding quilt... So... first up is the Hollyhock wall-quilt for my mom and dad... It is just a year and a half late... oops!

What have you been working on?

Myra

PS: Will you join me in my PhD Challenge?
There are 4 of us so far... 8-)