What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

It's early spring which I think in some ways is the saddest and ugliest time of the year here. There is not a single hint yet of all the glorious green to come and I've been out there looking. But more about that at the bottom of this post.

Sewing progress first... I worked on my appliqued Quarter Dresdens and finished the March reds. It will be nice to move on to pinks, the RSC April colour.

 Here is one of the Mother trees near our laneway featuring in a photo taken Wednesday. 

The male Cardinal is even more beautiful this far into what should be spring. He may be the showiest bird we have in Canada especially against a winter landscape.

And I'm so happy the Barred Owls have returned to Jim's nesting box in Indianna. They were ...

We were plunged back into Christmasy looking winter on Saturday. It was beautiful outside in my woods.

This Wednesday morning is cool, windchill making it -18C but the sun is shining so another very pretty wintry looking day. But staying this cool means no melting today.

I've been trying to choose which of my quilt tops to get to ...

I can tell by the window's light when it's time to get up in the mornings. By 6:30 there is a certain brightness creeping in that tells me it's time to start the day. How wonderful to be able to start my days by the light rather than alarm clocks. I am always thankful to be retired.

I got to a thrift store recently and had quite a good poke about. One of the things in my header photo was a real find. I'd commented before that sometimes I think things in those stores are ...

Learn how to sew a quilted table runner using the quilt-as-you-go technique and a simple applique design. If you like projects that come together quickly and don’t require wrestling a full quilt through your sewing machine, this one is a fun option to try.

Quilt-as-you-go is one of those techniques that makes you wonder why you didn’t try it sooner. Instead of making the entire quilt top and quilting it later, you quilt each section as you sew it.

That means smaller pieces to handle, less bulk under your machine, and you can actually see the project coming ...

Back in 2016, just over ten years ago, I wrote this post called 5 Healthy Things I'm Doing.  I reread it recently and was happy to find I'm still doing those things most of the time. Though the oil pulling has fallen by the wayside, I've added a couple of other healthy habits. I'm so grateful I am still able to do these things. Who knows what tomorrow may bring!

My unofficial words for this year are keep moving. They've been in my mind all my adult life so it's not special for 2026 ...

We had sun in spurts yesterday but today we are back to a white world out there both sky and landscape. It has continued to snow a lot- small flakes but they add up. The saying at home was "small snow, big snow" and when the snowflakes were large...."big snow, small snow". This has been a winter of small snow building up. The dogs love it all of course. I'm so happy that having obedient Petey, who comes when called, join us has meant Ned stays close too and no longer needs to be on a leash. This ...

I saw a little kit at the quilt shop the other day, and it made me giggle. I just had to have it! I did add one extra fabric to it, since I used the included binding fabric for corded piping and so needed something else for the binding. This took just a few hours […]

 The French Knot is a basic embroidery stitch that many people struggle to perfect. I recently did a short video on how to make a French Knot.

I was up early and out the door to refill the bird feeders. I've added a third this winter as it's turning into an especially cold one. Wind chill then was -35C ( up from the -39C low overnight) and wind in strong gusts made it most uncomfortable. That cold makes it such a relief to be out of it and back into the warmth of the house. But there are drifts over the front steps so I'll be back out there soon to shovel which will warm me up. 

I always feel lucky to get a glimpse ...

 All Quiet on the Stitching Front

 Below is Ned on a trail we only get to walk on in the winter so it is a little bit special to be there.This is the wetland area that is usually under a couple feet of water. I imagine all the peepers, frogs, toads and other critters that are snoozing below our feet when I tramp along there. 

It seems to be all about the weather here in the winter months. Saturday,when I went out with the dogs, the temperature was this with a wind chill of -34C. 

We never really think we accomplish much - until we actually look!

At least that is how I usually feel!

In reviewing all of my photos it looks like 2025 was the year to finish a few longterm projects for two guild shows. The Rhododendron Quilt show was in April and the Silver City Quilt show was in September.  

At the Rhododendron Quilt show "Garden Party Down Under" (pattern by Irene Black) received a second place ribbon and "Tilda's Delight" (pattern Afternoon Delight by Sue Garmen) received a first place ribbon and the Viewers Best of Show ribbon! 

 

 Here is my kitchen window very peaceful winter view as it will look pretty much now until April. The light is from the big garage and you can see the snow curtain we have from the snow sliding down the roof. 

My bigger bunny is still here. Though he spends time under the feeders, he also munches on the left over garden growth which I purposely leave till spring to clean out. What exactly he is finding to eat there, I'm not sure. 

I am still working on this collection, this paper based collection, creating a little notebook of design ideas.

Whilst working mostly on paper I do get a hankering for cloth, for the softness of cloth, hence my obsession with cloth sample books. 

The piece here is another page in progress for a new collection of embroidered samples. 

(does the dark blue gingham remind anyone else of school or is it just me) 

       

Comments

• I love that whimsical little strawberry! by Magpie's Mumblings https://www.blogger.com/profile/09852241848575954128
• The gingham reminds me of my daughter’s summer sch... by ...

 Last Saturday night we had a small snowstorm that blanketed all the land including the icy paths. It was so pretty the next day in the woods. I am getting lots more enjoyment out of this winter maybe because of having Petey with us. He revels in the snow and the ball playing so much and also just romping all about on our walks. It is truly joyful to watch him. Here he is playing with his ball in the snow.