Hello fellow bloggers! 😁

It certainly has been a while since my last post. Life has many twists and turns, doesn’t it? My family has grown from family of 5, then to a family of 8, and now to a family of 15!! We have 7 grandchildren now. Oh my! 😊

Been attending my share of quilt retreats, getting to know many new quilters, and having good fun, though my quilt production is slow. It’s the mojo again...

I’m doing this post on my new iPad, and haven’t figured out how to access my photos yet. Hopefully I’ll figure it out soon! 🤔

Hope to post again soon!

Myra

2017 Greetings & News

 In November we welcomed grandchild #6 into the world.

In this photo he is a week old. We stayed with DD#1 for a couple weeks to help out.

Here he is photoed at about a month old with his twin brothers. 

They turned 4 in April.

 This trio is DD#2's children. They are 3yrs, 21 mons, 5yrs (started Kindergarten). 

They will have another sibling in February. Another little girl.

 Our only granddaughter received her stocking before Christmas.

  

Once again, I am taking part in Bonnie Hunter's Mystery.

Here are my units up on my dismay wall. I went with a different colorway.

Wishing you all the best of 2017.

Myra

Flimsies and Display-Wall

 It's been a while... 

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe summer!

I've been somewhat productive in my sewing-room at my "getaway trailer" this past few weeks.  

 First up, I've finished a couple flimsies. My Bonnie Hunter Mystery, "Allietare".

I'm going to have this one quilted by a longarmer soon.

I enjoyed this project very much, and look forward to the next one!

A project I had posted here. Still not happy with it, but it is done, and will be totally finished real soon. I know the recipient will like and appreciate it, and that is all that matters, right?

 A small wall-quilt. Needs to be machine appliqued now.

 And this is what I've been playing with of late. I really shouldn't have started anything new, but I needed to do something fun like this for a distraction from my thoughts for a bit.

 My sonny-boy standing, 6"5" in the corn-field. 

That is tall corn-stalks this year!!! Wow!!

 The twins were up from their Wisconsin farm in July. Some of our activities with the cousins together was the zoo, Tinkertown for fun on the rides, and splash-parks. Buddy with the glasses here was not so happy about the 20-25 minutes on the farris-wheel. Grammy here wasn't either, but we made the best of it!

Our big boy starts Kindergarten this week, and our little princess is very much a rough and tumble little gal. Has to be with 2 big brothers!! They grow up so fast...

Chow for now!

Myra

A visit from Mrs Wisconsin Farmer

 DD#1 and the twins came up to Manitoba for a 2-week family visit, and for us to celebrate our twins 4th birthday. Here they tried on their new Fireman Costumes, gifted from, and with, their cousins by their side. The Wee-one is walking/running now.

 DD#1, twins and I spent an afternoon at Lockport, going for a walk and watching the pelicans, walking the bridge, and finishing it off with hotdogs from Skinners.

 Here we are learning about the locks, the fish that are in the Red River, and the pelicans.

 Here you see only some of the pelicans. On this day there was maybe 40 of them there, but I've been there when there must have been 60 to 80 on the water.

The bridge was a good hike for the twins, but they managed it!

Quilt Tops

 I sandwiched and quilted this one to use for a tutorial at the B&B Retreat. Tute was on "how to join the binding together at the end of attaching it to the quilt top".

I made this little table topper from a couple FQs I had.

 I know I've shown this one before, but it almost done now! 

One more foot of binding to hand sew down!!

 It was made out of this fabric and....

 ...very little left to make my bias binding. I think this is the smallest tube I've ever made for binding, but it worked!

 Happy Stitchings!

Myra

A Bed & Breakfast Quilt Retreat

 I attended a small retreat a couple weeks ago that my cousin invited me to.

IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! I met six new quilters. Awesome ladies! We meshed so well together, that my cousin and her friend have booked another retreat for us come Fall time.

 I missed the B&B on first passing down the road...

 But found it when traveled back.

 We sewed in a nice size room. 

Three big windows overlooking a river.

I managed to sew together all my blocks and set-in-triangles for my Bonnie Hunter Mystery. I have to decide what I want to do/use for borders.

April Birthdays

 GD#1 (1 yr) and GS#4 (3 yrs) celebrated birthdays this month! 

Their daddy was home (on days off) from up north to celebrate with us.

 I finished this quilt top (I've shown parts of project before), though I think it needs top and bottom borders... what do you think?

 

 Made some progress on this one also, but now I've made it much too long. I'll have to cut about a foot off (how does that happen?) before adding the borders. All in due time...

Lake of the Ozarks

 For Spring Break DH and I went to my Cousin's time share at Lake of the Ozarks. I think it's been our third or fourth time there with them. This time we planned to hit the Missouri Star Quilt Company in Hamilton Missouri, and hit it we did!! On the way down, and on the way home!! We toured all the shops AND the Retreat House. Of course we made lots of purchases also!!

 While staying at the Time Share Cottage, the guys golf, and the gals shop or sew.

This photo below is from a magazine (forget which one right now) of a block I wanted to try out. Its another disappearing 9-patch with a few added cuts.

 I brought some of my old fabrics to give it a go to make 4 blocks. 

I don't know what to think of it, other than there is too much pink.

 I did some playing around with the blocks...

 I looked online and found this pic, where the quilter put sashing in between the blocks....

 

 We'll see what I end up with? I put that bag on the back burner for now. Which I am so darn good at. Always working on something, but not always finishing them in a timely manner. 

Also while in Missouri, we toured one of the many farms down south where the Budweiser Clydesdales are bred. This one was Warm Springs Ranch.

 

 A lovely tour of the grounds/horses/colts and videos. 

VERY clean and well functioning facility...

 All ending with a beer and a photo op.

A Tiny Retreat

 Hubby is away, the quilters will play!!

I had a little bit of a sew-in weekend with a couple of my gals. 

We had a good time, and got lots of sewing time in... Here is our set up.

 I got a few more rows (off-set blocks now) put together, and I'm glad I made the change. 

I like it much better. Three more rows to add and this quilt top will be done!

 This is what I came up with for my disappointing project. I like this much better. 

A few more zig-zag blocks to create, and maybe even make it all a tad wider.

I hope you are having nice weather wherever your patch of the world may be!

Happy stitching!

Myra

Goodies Bought...

 ....and something unique!

Went to a "Midwinter Quilt Market" this morning. These are the goodies I came home with, though there was much more there that temped me. But I had to stick to my guns of not buying any fabric bigger than a fat quarter.

 I have so much yardage in my stash, that I can't allow myself to add to it! Not at the moment anyway. There were some good buys there though!! Pre-cuts of Batik, 10 meters for $60. 

I was sorely tempted!!

I came across this photo on FB (I hope they don't mind I borrowed it) that someone had shared. I had to ask you quilters, "Have you ever seen such a sewing machine?"

I

Looks like it would be awkward to use...

I am so going through sewing with-drawls right now. I'd sure like to be out at my little haven sewing, but I have much to do at home. DH is visiting friends down south, thus there is no interruptions here to interfere with things that must be done. So, gotta go!!

Happy Stitching!!

Myra

More BHM Progress...

 Spend another five days at my personal retreat.

Yes Annemiek, I did get snowed in again... lol

I don't really mind though. 

 I have "finally" finished up GS#1's rag quilt!! I just need to go to the laundromat and wash it.

 I learned a lot making it! What to do, and what not to do... 

Sometimes we just have to learn the hard way, and then the project gets kicked to the curb for a bit, until we are ready to deal with the "issues", and then finally complete it. 

Am I right ladies?

I also got all of my BHM blocks done, AND all of my set-in triangles.

Then I needed a change for a bit, so I got this project out and completed all it's 25-patch units, and got some of the rows sewn. I posted this photo on Quiltville's Facebook Page, with the question, "Should I off-set the blocks, or do as the pattern says?"

 Well, the very big majority said to do off-set, so I stitch ripped the last row off, so I could do just that. Stay tuned.

Here is another photo of my hideaway sewing room. I have much to sort through and organize yet, as you can see. Hubby put shelves in both closets, and will put shelves in the middle there for me also. I plan to put my books, magazines, and patterns there. My cutting counter needs to find a space too yet.

It is not a big room. Much smaller than what I had at home, but I'm determined to make it work. 

Happy stitching!

Myra

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Progress...

 I just got home from a 4-night stay at my trailer. I finally have my sewing table out there, and I set it up right away for sewing. I had been sewing at the kitchen table.

 I still need to get my cutting counter top out there, and have hubby attach legs to it. It was attached to the wall at home. I also still need to sort through some boxes... sigh...

Rome wasn't built in a day, right!?!

Here is my BHM assembly line. This is how I left it when I came back home today...

These groupings are waiting for a space on the assembly line.

 Once blocks are sewn, up on the display wall it goes!! I have to sew quite a few more blocks to make for a total of 50. Then it is time to sew the set in triangles together, but I must find a different red for them. The ones I have up there aren't working for me...

I'm pretty pleased with how well the scrappy neutrals are working together in these blocks.

Happy stitching folks!

Myra

A Family Day...

 I received this photo of our DD2's children just before Christmas. 

Ages; T - 4 yr 5 mon, S - 2 yr 9 mon, and K -  9 mon)

 My daughter and the twins came up from down south between Christmas and the New Year. stayed for a couple weeks. Here F and D at breakfast time. Ages; 3yr 9 mon. The one under the table looks just like his mother at that age.

 And here is DH and myself with all of the grands at our family day at DD2's house.

 We all went to watch T's hockey game late that afternoon. We had a good laugh, as a couple of times during the game, he'd skate by, stopped, and waved to all of us, while the rest of the team were playing the game.

 We also had some time to play outside in the early afternoon. We built a snow fort. Right after this pic was taken, the twins destroyed it, much to the dismay of T and S... That is DS in the back.

Good food. Good company. A lovely day it was!

Yes indeed!

Myra