Country Register Advertisement

Check out my advertisement in the local Country Register.  Note that I now have mail order available and will be offering for a short time only free return shipping for my quilting services.

Double click the advertisement to see it in a larger format.

UFO Friday Challenge

Are you ready for a UFO Friday Challenge!......read to the end. All you have to do is participate to be eligible to receive a prize.

Well, I have been trying to inspire myself to get some of those 30 plus unfinished quilt projects done. You know the ones; those waiting to be pieced or quilted, or those projects started while taking a class and of course that fabric you just had to have that you envisioned in a beautiful quilt. I know I have them and yes we are all alike - I know you have some too.

This past week I have been working to finish a project that my daughter started several years ago. Throughout the summer I have been doing a little piecing here and there and finally got it fully pieced this past Monday. I just finished quilting it today and will be putting the binding on it this afternoon. Shhh - I am using the cheater method of binding by sewing both sides down with my domestic sewing machine.  My daughter is home from university this evening and I thought it would be nice to surprise her with her new quilt.

Becca's quilt top finished and waiting for quilting

And it's Finished!!

All this being said I thought I would challenge you fellow quilters out there to dig into your UFO's and finish a few.  Whether it's just finishing the piecing or actually getting it quilted.  So here is the deal.  You send me a before picture of your project (that pile of fabric or that almost finished quilt top) and then after you have finished either the piecing or quilting send me another picture.  You will have until the last Friday in the month, October 29th.  With every finished project I will put your name in a hat and make a draw for 4 of my hand dyed fat quarters.

And if you are in need of a quilter I am offering free return shipping for a limited time.  So feel free to drop me an email or a phone call and we can discuss your quilting needs.  I would be more the happy to help put the finishing touches on your quilt.

Have fun and Happy Quilting!!

Harvest Time

Well it's harvest time at the Gillespie’s.  My mother came by yesterday to give me a hand and we cleaned off the nectarine tree.  There are a few blemishes from the hot sun but wow are they sweet and juicy.

Our Italian Plum tree is loaded.....not sure what I am going to do with all of them.  There is only so much plum pudding one can take.....



My mom harvesting the plums



Our dog Fergus enjoying the shade while we work.....

              



My husband's grape crop (one very large plant) is also ready for harvesting.  He is away working right now so I have been left with a strong suggestion that I should make grape jelly......hmmmmm.  And to boot we went over to a friends to help pick their tomatoes and apples.  Now it's can I make salsa as well?  After this week of being dolly domestic I am hanging up my apron and getting back to quilting.......I can hear it calling my name!



A Wedding and a Quilt

My niece Candace and her fellow Alex were married on September 3rd.  It was a glorious day, a beautiful wedding and a fantastic party!! The wedding ceremony was held in the gardens at the Lakeside Hotel - just off the beach.

Here is their wedding quilt that I made for them.  I used a free pattern off of the Moda site called Rouenneries http://www.unitednotions.com/un_main.nsf/fp_quilting.  Candace's favourtie colour is purple and their wedding colours were purple and lime green.  I needed a quick pattern as the wedding was fast approaching and it was the middle of August before I had a chance to start it.  The modern pattern suits them and was fun to piece.  The quilting pantograph pattern used was Purple Meadow......how appropriate.

MIA - What a Summer!!!

Sorry - I have been Missing in Action from my Blog but summer has been a big whirl wind for all of my family....and it has not stopped yet.

At the end of June it was back to Ottawa with the largest suitcase available to deliver quilts to all my quilty friends and customers (check out my "Customer Quilts" page to see some of them). My mother came with me so we could see our Becca graduate from highschool.  She is off to UBC - Okanagan Campus in Kelowna to take Nursing.

July 5th we packed up our truck and trailer and headed west through the northern states.  It was a very long trip but fun.  We loved Montana and hope to visit again.  Spent a day in Yellowstone National Park and saw Old Faithful.  Beautiful country.

We made it back to Summerland mid July and did a bit more unpacking of boxes.....there are still many to do....but we are getting there.

During the first two weeks of August we were off again with my sister and her husband to do some camping.....well really RVing!!  No tents for this girl anymore.  We spent a week fishing up at Jewel Lake (no luck) and another week down in Washington State at Twisp and Winthrop.  We also managed to get a couple of games of golf in as well.

Sam and I have been busy this past week helping out a friend pick her peaches.  You really know it's summer in the Okanagan when the peaches are ready to eat.  They fill your hand and the sweet juice just runs down your arm.  Yum.  And I see a quilt in this picture......

I have also been busy making a wedding quilt for my niece Candace and her fellow Alex.  The wedding is next weekend so I need to hustle.

My brother-in-law Kelly and my nephew Ian are busy building for us again.  I am having my "Dye House" built this weekend.  Very excited and will share pictures in a few days.

Please check out the following pages which have been updated:

Customer Quilts

Teaching Schedule and

Services and Rates

Hope your summer was as fun and jam packed as mine.  Thanks for visiting and see you again much sooner.......

Fresh off the 'Rack'

Finally!  I have been getting back into my quilting and working on my friend Maureen's custom quilt this past week.  I just finished this morning and wanted to share some pics.  Maureen will have to wait a couple of weeks until she gets it as it's travelling across Canada with me along with a few other quilts.  I am heading back to Ottawa for my daughter Rebecca's highschool graduation.  I can hardly wait to see Maureen's reaction and of course my daughter. 

I will be in Ottawa for a week visiting my quilty friends, dropping off a bundle of quilts and picking up my family and heading west......again.  This time we will be travelling in our travel trailer winding our way west and visting a few quilt shops along the way.  My daughter wants to go to Bozeman Montana - apparently Sheldon from Big Bang Theory went there and so should she.....I am all for it as I found out that there is a quilt shop in Bozeman!!

Enjoy the pictures.



Actually in this picture and the following she's still on the rack.



Here it is laying in the sunshine pouring through my studio window





View from the back



Tour my New Studio

Well it's been a busy month settling in to our new home. There is still much to do but my studio has finally come together and I wanted to share it with you.

In all the chaos I have managed to get a few pantographs done and I am anxious to get at my customers custom quilts.
I must say I am very blessed to have such wonderful family and friends who have helped to make my new studio beautiful, warm and inviting.

Enjoy the tour.