Peekaboo Party Quilt

Today our quilt has a name.  Peekaboo Party seemed appropriate as the theme squares just pop up here and there and I really had fun doing this so, party it is.

I hope you can see my quilt top clearly.  As you can see, the blocks do make a pattern. 

Now let's put these blocks together.  You can use whatever layout you wish but I will give you mine so that you have something to start with.  I will be referring to B1 (Block 1) etc

Row 1-B1, B2, B3, B2, B1
Row 2-B2, B1, B2, B1, B2
Row 3-B1, B2, B1, B2, B3
Row 4- B2, B3, B2, B1, B2
Row 5- B1, B2, B1, B2, B1
Row 6- B2, B1, B2, B3, B2
Row 7- B3, B2, B1, B2, B1

Sew blocks into strips, join strips together in order given. Press.  Trim if necessary.
First Border:  Cut your border fabric 1 1/2 " wide.  Sew to bottom and top and then the long sides. Press
Second Border:  This can be cut from your theme fabric.  Cut strips 3 1/2" wide and follow steps above.
The third border is the binding.  Measure through center of the top lengthways and across.  Do this twice to make sure your numbers are correct.  Add numbers together and multiply by 2.  This is your binding length.  Add 1 1/2" for joining.
Cut backing  to size of top plus 2" all around.  Cut batting to size of top.
Layer your quilt, pin, top stitch and bind.

Next week, I will give you some top stitching ideas as well as directions to change the size of your quilt.
Please send me photos of your completed project and I will post them to the blog.
As always, if you have any questions, please ask:  arkangelcreations@gmail.com
Welcome to new member Cathy N.
If you enjoyed this project,  let me know in the comments or by e mail.  In Dec. (or sooner), I am going to have some quick projects that would be suitable for last minute Christmas gifts.
Blessings to all.

Members

Thank you, Lori, for your comment and encouragement and welcome to new member, Alyson.

When I first started this blog, I wondered if I would be doing it solely for my own writing experience. It is gratifying to find that so many of you are enjoying it. There are a myriad of internet related things with which we can fill our time and so it is a real compliment (and responsiblity) when someone choses to spend that time on something you are doing.

In honour of you all, I am including a simple paper piecing pattern today. It is, as you can see, at the top of the page. (Still can't make the photos go where I want). I am still learning about pdf's and blogs so thank you for bearing with me as I strive to improve this site. If you would like the pattern, just let me know at: arkangelcreations@gmail.com

Tomorrow, I will have the third installment of the mystery quilt and its name.

Alyson, if you are a quilter, you can still join in on the mystery quilt. Just read the back posts.

Blessings to you all

Names

The last Monday of each month I go to the Ladies Circle of Friendship in Burk's Falls. It is a gathering of, mainly, church going ladies. We have recently been learning about the various names for God and what they mean. This has started me thinking of the importance of names.
Throughout my life, my name has been mispelt or mispronounced. Anna is not a long or difficult name but, for some reason, people have trouble remembering the last 'a'. My maiden name is Burk and I had the opposite problem; people wanted to add an 'e' no matter how many times I would spell it. My husband's last name is Wager and, of course, he often has an 'n' added.
We often associate characteristics with certain names. You would not expect a bulldog to be called Fluffy unless the owners had a strange sense of humour.
All names have meanings and I admit that I have never been able to live up to mine. Anna means full of mercy, grace and prayer. Roger's name means famous spearman which, as he is an avid hunter, is appropriate. My son Richard's name means strong king which is somewhat obvious given all the royalty with that name.
Once in a while I will meet someone with a name that I feel is in contrast to their personality. When that happens, I always have trouble remembering it. Another case of my strangeness: I have always favoured 'L' names for females and "D" ones for males. Why, I don't know.
For the last ten or so years, parents have either been making up names for their children or changing the spelling. While some are rather nice, others doom the child to a lifetime of explaining their name. I met a young girl whose name was Dalyce and I thought it was pronounced dal ees. Nope. It was Dallas.
And, of course, many names have changed gender which makes for some rather amusing results when it comes to meanings. Darcy, for example, means dark man.
Blessings to all, whatever your name.

Home Sweet Heidi

I have mentioned our little westiepoo, Heidi previously but, at risk of boring you, I must tell you what she recently did. Shortly after bringing her home, we bought a wire crate to put her in when we were away. If we didn't do that, she would have chewed up everything in the house. As she got older, she seemed to grow out of that stage and, as the crate takes up a bit of room, we decided to let her roam free.
We still did a quick check around before going out and she really has been doing better. Until Sunday. We went off as usual to the service after making sure she had been out and any needles or other sharp objects were putting away. When we came home, my husband mentioned that there was some thread on the carpet. That isn't an uncommon occurance. When you quilt, the house tends to be decorated with thread. However, I took a closer look and saw a little nest of strands and right near it was the remains of a thread spool.
Heidi had completly demolished the plastic. We are still finding thread nests so I am hoping that she didn't ingest any. So, we have once more set up the crate. Fortunately she likes it so that isn't a problem. And, equally fortunately, she didn't demolish my shoes this time but, my stars, that dog loves to chew.

Mystery Quilt Week Two page 2

Block Three

Now we are going to use the theme fabric.

Cut all remaining fabric into 9 cm (3 1/2") squares.

Sew into blocks as shown in the photos.

Press. Trim if ncessary.

Mystery Quilt Week Two

Block 1 and Block 2

You will have two postings today. When you have finished reading/printing this one, go directly to the next for block three. (Sorry for the inconvience. I haven't figured out how to get the photo to stay where I want them.)

Before we start todays session, I would like to stress the importance of reading through all the instructions, especially those to do with colour placement. Study the photos to be sure you understand each colours position.

You have 2 sets of strips in light colours which we will label L1 and L2 respectively.

You have 4 sets of dark/bright coloured strips which will be D1, D2, D3 and D4

D3 and D4 were cut from the 1/2 meters (20") of fabric

Cut 19 cm (7 1/2") from one L strip and 27 cm (10 1/2") from the other L strip.

Set these short pieces aside. They are for block 3

Block 1

Sew the remaining D3 strips to the L1 strips

Sew the remaining D4 strips to the L2 strips.

Note: ensure that every strip is sewn together in the same way i.e. all the D strips on top.

Press strips open. Cut strips into 9 cm (3 1/2" ) sections.

Sew sections together using Block 1 photo as guide. Press. Trim if necessary to make a 16.5 cm (6 1/2") square.

Block 2

Sew remaining D strips together ensuring that each colour will be in the same position as shown in the photo. Press.

Cut into 9 cm (3 1/2") sections. Sew sections together using block 2 photo as a guide.

Press. trim if necessary.

Block three will continue on the next posting.

Yeah, Right

Before I start, let me warn you that if you are sensitive about anything that happens below the waist, you might want to skip this blog.
Once in a while, my DH and I watch Dr. Oz. Yesterday, he talked about why women are always lined up at public washrooms. He said it was because we have to urinate more often and gave reasons why-uterus pressing on bladder, excess fat, childbirth. And I am thinking, yeah, right. The reason women are lined up is because we take longer and the person who designed the building doesn't take that into account and provide more facilities.
Scenario One: Man going to toilet. Enters room, lines up at trough, unzip, flip, pee, shake, zip, wash hands, done.
Scenario Two: Woman going to to toilet. Enters room, checks to see if there is vacant cubicle, enters and closes door. Discovers latch doesn't work. Exit and look for another or tries to keep it closed with available body part. Hangs purse and shopping on hook that is, hopefully provided. If no hook, find somewhere where things will be safe. Checks to ensure there is toilet paper. Tells child to stop looking under connecting wall. Lowers pants, underwear, foundation garment and nylons, pees while telling child to stop fidgeting. Pushes door closed with foot. Dries, replaces previously mentioned clothing. Retrieves belongings and child who is about to crawl under door, washes hands and returns to husband that is loudly complaining about how long she took. Returns sympathetic smile of other women who are in line up.
Blessings.

An Unsettling Day

I have been more alert to news announcements today. A gunman has entered one of the government buildings in downtown Edmonton and, to date, I am not sure if anyone has been taken hostage, although there are some people who have locked themselves in a room. I have a number of friends who work in that area and I am anxiously waiting to make sure that none of them are involved in anyway.
As I wait for news, I have been thinking of how much access we have to situations that are occuring all over the world. We have front row seats to both tragedies and triumphs. When the planes crashed into the World Trade Center, we watched. When people are bombed, we watch. Children stuck in wells, bears in a tree, protestors, and hostage takings are viewed by millions just as though they were another television show. It must be dreadful for those who are immediately affected by whatever is happening to know that their grief is just another news broadcast.
I am glad we are living at a time when we are more aware of what is happening in the world around us. I also try to remember that the people involved are just that-people. They are human beings who are loved by someone. This helps me to stay sensitive and to pray for those in trouble.
Blessings.

The Land of Oz

Do you remember Dorothy's line in Wizard of Oz when she said 'we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto'? It is a favourite quote for my husband and I since we moved to the country. I think of it whenever I get another reminder that I haven't yet shook off city thoughts and habits. It happened again this past weekend.
On our trip to Haliburton, we had to stop and ask directions to the street we needed. We saw a group of people standing near a firehall and with them were a number of dogs. I assumed that it was a show of some sort and, after getting the directions, I asked if that was what was happening. The man looked at me oddly and replied that it was a rabies clinic. When I told this story to my rural friends, they all immediately knew what the dog owners were doing.
With the arrival of fall, comes another reminder. My husband is an avid hunter. When we lived in the city, very few of the people we knew shared his passion. However, in this area, most of the men hunt. Those that don't still have to adjust to the season. Last year when I was getting my satallite internet put in, everything was put on hold for a couple of weeks while the technician went hunting.
I suppose the time will come when none of this will be a novelty but I hope I never get so acclimatized that I don't notice the beauty of my surroundings. Dorothy was anxious to return to her home in Kansas but I am happy in Oz.
Blessings.

Weather, Quilting and a Mystery

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. We have had a few good weather days which is especially welcome when it has been cool and damp. My husband and I went to Haliburton to visit a couple who have been my friends for over 35 years. It is a 2 hour drive but the scenery is lovely and, as I mentioned, the weather good so it was an enjoyable trip.
Today was the regular meeting of our quilt group. Most of the women are working on a scrappy bargello and, although everyone is an experienced quilter, there was a lot of table grouping as we all tried to help each other. There was also a lot of half audible mutterings as well as laughter as we worked on our projects. By the end of the day, everyone could see how their quilt was going to turn out. I really enjoy getting together with these women. Everyone shares what they know, their supplies if someone forgets something and a bit of their lives. Each session is different. Sometimes it seems as though we do more visiting than sewing and other times all you can hear is the hum of sewing machines. It is interesting to think of how many women have met like this through the years.
Have you started the mystery quilt yet? I have heard from some of you and I am pleased to know that you are getting along without any problems. I am doing it as well so, hopefully, if there are any mistakes, I will correct them before writing up the next step. Of course, I wasn't paying attention to my own pattern and cut a bunch of squares wrong!
Have a happy.

Mystery Quilt-Week One

Hello everyone. Thank you again for joining in on this, my first mystery quilt. As I said in yesterday's blog, I hope to do these on a regular basis.

Note: all directions are given in both metric and imperial as we have quilters from 4 countries joining in. In Canada, we buy in metric and work in imperial but I will write everything in metric. Imperial will be in brackets. It will be a little confusing for those of us in Canada but I hope you will be able to follow along. You might want to highlight the measurments that you are going to use before starting. There isn't a lot of measuring so it shouldn't present a real problem.

Theme Fabric: Some of the squares in the pattern will be replaced by theme fabric. You can use pictures of cats, gardening, childrens toys, numbers etc. You can chose to use more of the themed fabric in your quilt but, I would suggest that it not be greater than half of the light fabric. This can be a great 'search and find' quilt for a young child.

All seams are a 6 mm (1/4 in.). (It is actully 6.35mm but I don't think we need to get that picky)
This quilt can be done as a scrappy. It will be very effective if you choose very bright, vibrant colours for the darks: scarlett, tangerine, sunflower yellow etc.

Supplies:
Rotary Cutter
Ruler and Mat
Sewing Machine and neutral coloured thread

Fabric:
Measurements based on fabric that is 1 meter (40 in.) wide.

1/4 meter (10 in) of two light coloured fabrics
1/4 meter (10 in.) of two bright coloured fabrics
1/2 meter (20 in.) of two bright coloured fabrics
1 meter (1 yard) of theme fabric (for border and blocks)
1/2 meter (20 in.) border fabric
1 1/2 meter (1 3/4 yards) backing fabric
Piece of batting 1 meter X 1.30 meter (39 in. x 51 in.)

If you are doing scrappy, you will need: 98 squares of bright, 37 of light and 5 themed.

Cut all light fabric into 9 cm (3 1/2 in. ) strips
Cut all the bright fabrics into 9 cm (3 1/2 in) strips.
Cut 5-9 cm (3 1/2 in) squares from theme fabric.
Save the rest of the fabric for borders.

See you next weekl
Any problems, please contact me at arkangecreations@gmail.com.
Happy sewing.

Tomorrow's Pattern

I have had a wonderful response to the Mystery Quilt. I am pleased so many of you like my idea and if all goes well, I will certainly do more. If you have friends who you think may be interested in doing the quilt, by all means, let them know. I am glad of a chance to give back to the quilting community as I have been the recepient of so many 'freebies'.
Met a dear friend for lunch today in our closest city. Bought some fabric, of course. I am planning on doing the mystery along with you as it is going to be a gift and this new material will suit it nicely.
A short posting today as we are out this evening. All those who won prizes at our local fall fair will get their awards this evening. My husband and I are going and I am looking forward to seeing how it is all done. Big night in Burk's Falls!!!
I am planning on having the first step of the Mystery Quilt posted in the morning so good luck to everyone.

My Blog

When I started writing this blog, I had two goals in mind. One was to talk about the things that interested, irritated or impressed me and the other was to provide a place where I could share my love of quilting. As I am a writer, the blog also gives me a chance to work on that craft however, quilting is my main focus. If you have been with me from the beginning (or have read through past posts), you will be aware that I have occassionally offered to share a pattern. I would now like to go a step further and teach a mystery quilt. For those of you who are not quilters, a mystery quilt is a pattern that is revealed in steps. Participants don't know what the project will look like until the last step is posted. (Of course, you can cheat, wait until all the instructions are posted and then see if it is something you would like to do but you wouldn't do that, would you?)
This will be a simple project for two reasons; first of all because this is the first time I have done this and I don't want to go beyond my capabilities and, secondly, I would like it to be something a non-quilter could do.
So, if you always wanted to make a quilt here is your chance to start. Your finished product will make a great Christmas gift. This Friday, you will be told how much fabric you will need and how to cut it. You will have a week to get this and each following step finished as they will be posted each Friday.
You will also be able to contact me for additional help if you need it. If you have never quilted and would like to start now, get in touch with me at: arkangelcreations@gmail.com and I will let you know what notions (ruler, rotary cutter etc) you will need. Don't worry if you can't keep up with everyone. You can print off the pattern steps or just check the back posts.
Let us all have some fun together.

How Much is Enough

Two vastly conflicting stories have got me thinking-again-about the worlds inequalities. My husband and I recently watch a show about a family in dire straights. They had eleven children, six of whom had been taken from an unfit mother, and lived in a home that was not only very small but very rundown. Despite the circumstances, the family members obviously loved each other and were doing the best they could.
Contrast this with the recent Russian moon flight with a multimillionaire paying 34 million dollars to go along as a tourist. Yes, it was his money and yes, he used the publicity to promote the need of preserving world water supplies but the whole thing left me wondering where our priorities had gone. It is possible that this individual spends a great deal of money on charitable projects but all those in need would see is a vast waste of money.
Having said all that, I think many people could put at least some of their resources to better use.
How many pairs of shoes do we really need? How many handbags, items of clothing etc are necessary? Of course, I am not going to mention the pile of fabric I have and how often I add to it (including today).
I don't think we need to give up all our pleasures but we should be aware of opportunities to share our bounty with those in need. And, most of all, to continue in the mood of the weekend just past, we need to be thankful for what we have.

Thanksgiving

It is now Monday evening and I have finished my second Thanksgiving meal. On Saturday, we had 17 family and friends at our house. It was a wonderful day. The weather was nice enough that people were able to go for a walk and visit out of doors. Some of the men ate outside also which helped ensure there was enough space for everyone to have a table of some sort.
Today, our next door neighbours invited my husband and I over for their first Thanksgiving in their new home. They bought the property next to ours and originally planned to move in in five years. However, a series of events caused a change of plans and a flurry of activity made it possible for them to live there now. The husband, who is a contractor as well as a skilled handyperson, converted a garage that was on the property into a small but comfortable home. They will add on to it in the spring but they have a snug one bedroom house until then. They are great people and we are glad to have them living there so soon.
We are starting to get a bit of snow. It isn't staying on the ground but it is fair warning that winter will arrive in the not to distant future. We finished getting the garden ready, put away lawn furniture, garden gnomes and other bits and pieces today. Tomorrow I have my snow tires put on the car. I never bothered with them when we lived in the city but they really are a necessity here.
In between all that activity, I got my studio organized once again in time for some serious pre-Christmas sewing.
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

First Quilts and Beyond

Quilting, and my understanding of it, has changed a great deal over the years. When I first decided to make a quilt, I had absolutely no idea of how they were done. I am sure I didn't know that seams should be a quarter inch wide. I certainly wasn't aware that 100 percent cotton should be used or how close the top stitching should be. Despite all that, I did manage to produce a red and blue flannel quilt for my son. I then decided to do one completely by hand. The diamonds were cut from templates, sewn together with the borders added all without benefit of a sewing machine. A major undertaking. That quilt was also for my son. He recently celebrated his fortieth birthday and it still isn't done! I have, of course, made dozens since starting that one and I expect that, one day, it will get finished.

Since those early days, my sewing machines have got progressively more complicated-and expensive. I have a wall full of various gadgets, rulers and rotary cutters. I also have software on my computer that helps me design, see how much fabric I need and print out the templates for patterns. Electric Quilt (EQ) is a wonderful innovation and I use it constantly. It doesn't take the place of having a good basic knowledge of the rules for quilting but it makes following those rules much, much easier.

It will be interesting to see what other developments there will be in this craft I enjoy so much. The quilt block that accompanies this blog is one I designed on EQ. I call it Progression as it is such a far cry from my early quilts. If you would like the pattern, let me know. If you would like to see what it looks like in a quilt, I can send you a photo

The Beat of a Different Drummer

My husband has a rare and marvellous ability. He is able to see the wonder in the most mundane event or item. This characteristic is one of the reason why I love him so when he recently asked me to come out and 'see something really interesting', I turned off the stove and put on my coat. When he pointed to the sunflowers that had been deheaded by deer earlier in the season, I thought that either he was getting more forgetful than I thought or he had discovered some delight in a withered stem. Then I saw what he saw. On either side of where the flower had been, little buds were sprouting. The sunflower hadn't given up even though it was almost winter and it had lost its main source of food and propagation. It was, indeed, interesting.
I will have to admit that I don't always enjoy his pleasure in the little things. When we go for a walk, I want to walk, to cover the ground. Roger, on the other hand, likes to stop and look at leaves, a flower, a rock, the way the sun shines or the formation of the clouds. When we lived in the city, we often used the back alley as our exercise route. Roger would pause and peer into backyards to see how a neighbours garden was doing and I would be impatiently telling him to 'come on, already'.
In the interests of marital bliss, I now try to do my exercise walk by myself and then go for a stroll later with my husband. There is only one downside to this plan. I always take the dog with me and she likes to stop at every leaf, grass blade, unusual smell or interesting rock. I am beginning to think I am the one who is out of step.

The Winds They Do Blow

Its a blustery day in our neighbourhood! We have gust up to 80 kph which can take you by surprise if you aren't prepared. When I lived in Edmonton, we would occassionally get 100 kph winds. You certainly batten down the hatches when that happens and hope you aren't on the highway driving anything large-or very small either for that matter. I have had my motorcycle come to a stop in a head wind and seen transports blown sideways. A good day to be inside but I have to go to the village later for some Thanksgiving day preperations food.
We are keeping a close eye on the weather as we are hoping to serve the meal outside or, at least be able to take everyone for a walk along the trail. It is quite a hike so it will help counteract all those extra calories.
I already have the turkey cooking as it is huge. It is still partially frozen so will probably take a while. I have also started getting the house ready so when the day comes I won't have so much to do.
I have, as always, much to be thankful for. This year I am especially pleased to be able to celebrate with members of my family. My son, brother and their wives will be here along with most of Roger's family. It is hard for my son to get to family events as he is a trucker as well as living nearly a 6 hours drive away. He and Nora will be staying over and going to church with us on Sunday which will be another blessing.
As you are getting ready for the weekend, take a few moments each day to remember why and what we are celebrating. This is, of course, a North American holiday (our American neighbours celebrate next month) set aside by our pilgrim ancestors to celebrate their arrival in their new home. Here they found religious freedom and opportunity to live as they chose. Unlike many other counties, we are still able to claim those blessings.

The Morning After

Yesterday was a busy day. I started the blog but didn't get it finished and now I think I have changed my mind, for the moment anyway, about my topic. I have probably said some of this before but as it is a different day so perhaps it will also sound a bit different.
The quilt group I belong to here in Burk's Falls meets twice a month and yesterday was one of the days. I am not sure of the reason but it just seemed to be one of those extra nice sessions. It might have been because a couple of the ladies treated us to home baking-lucious cinamon buns and a wonderful, moist zucchini bread. It may have been because another woman brought a ton of unneeded fabric from a non group person. It may simply have been because we were quilting but it was probably a combination of all those things.
I mentioned to one of the members that, although there are women who don't get together with others, quilting really is a group activity. The sharing of projects, shopping experiences, how a grandchild loved her special blankie, working through a problem are all the fun of being together. Apart from quilting, the women in any group are usually quite diverse in their education, political leanings and background but all those things are set aside in the mutual enjoyment of
making quilts.
I love my quilt room and the time I get to spend in it listening to music and sewing but I look forward to when I can be with my group. If you are a quilter, I hope you also have someone with whom to share your interest.
And now I have a hundred and twenty four strips to cut for a quilt that the group is going to make.

Too Late Smart

I had one of those nights when you wake up far to early and then starting thinking of all the smart things you could have said in a situation. In my case, the situation was something about which I had just dreamt but that didn't stop the "I should have said" thoughts.
I hate it when I don't get enough sleep although I don't suppose anyone like it. I am so tired the next day that I can't trust my mind to make any logical decisions and I feel to ill to be able to do anything. Tired as I may be, it is rare that I am able to sleep in the day time so I just put in time until I can go to bed and get, hopefully a decent nights sleep.
I honestly don't know how some people can manage on six or less hours sleep at night. I need at least eight to feel human. Lack of sleep is not good for anyone's health or safety. Many traffic collisions are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel or not being able to react quickly enough in an emergency. There have been a lot of devices created to combat them, most of the silly, but one company seems to have come up with a workable invention. It looks like a small black box and it measures your eye blinks. It can tell when a person is about to doze off and it emits a buzzing sound. When you hear this warning, you are supposed to pull over and get some rest. This might be a problem if you are on a freeway, driving in a snowstorm or on a narrow country road. Even under optimum conditions, I would be willing to bet, knowing the human mentality, that some drivers would just turn the warning of or simply ignore it. No matter how smart we make vehicles, they are still going to be driven by human humans.

Around the Next Corner

This is one of those 'get things done because winter is on its way' days. Roger is outside putting together a home for the tractor. It is a diesel so has to be kept warm so it will start and be ready to clear out our very long driveway. After I get the laundry out, (first day this week without rain) I have spring bulbs to plant. There are numerous other odds and ends to be done.
The cooler weather has been a bit of a surprise although it shouldn't have been. It is, after all, October and Canada and the north. However, the weather people said we would have a long fall so I assumed that meant warm. We have had our wood stove on all day now, the trees have about 60% of their colour so I guess winter is around the corner. I am not sure how far it is to the corner but it is somewhere on the horizon. I am looking forward to seeing and hearing the geese as they travel over our home. Is there any sound more Canadian?
Shortly after that, we should start seeing the deer as they move from summer area to winter. Our resident partridge will probably stay around. He is safe here but better stop teasing our dog. Roger made an interesting observation yesterday. He noted that the partridge was rooting around at the base of one of the fruit trees-the pear. So I guess that means we have a partridge in a pear tree. Does that mean Christmas is closer than I thought as well?