Bits and Pieces

The most enduring friendships I am blessed to have are ones that have been cultivated over a long time, often in fits and spurts punctuated by less busy times or even periods of relative quiet. In those relationships, we know one another are out there but we also recognize that life can get full and other things end up taking precedence - nobody is forgotten about and no relationship is less important, it's just the way things go sometimes. I'm realizing blogging can be that way at times, too. Sometimes the silence is because there is intensity in other areas or, in my case, it's because life is just full of lots of wonderful, exciting, challenging stuff and there aren't enough hours in the day to squeeze everything in.

Hmm. Sounds like my sewing room, at times.

I have not lost my quilting mojo but I definitely got distracted, Ironically, the last five months were somewhat consumed by a project management certificate I was taking. Funny how learning to get my act together for work caused me to have it less together in the sewing room - does that seem a bit backwards to you? Me too! I'm also fairly certain my newly endowed project management skills will not prevent the quilter in me from hopping from project to project, starting things because of inspiration (darn you, Pinterest!) and the like.

My meager sewing accomplishments, of late, have been fairly limited to things I needed to finish as part of my social media group commitments ( which by the way, is totally okay). First up, my November blocks for the Happiness circle at Do Good Stitches. Our quilter asked for log cabins in mustard, aqua/light blue, and grey.

I know, you don't have to say it. Those aren't exactly log cabins, are they? Don't ask my where my mind was as I was sewing these together but let's just say there are a couple of "oops" blocks which I hope can be repurposed on the back of the quilt - sorry, Marika! Thankfully, it was an easy error to correct:

One project that has been ongoing most of this year is a result of being part of Traveling Quilts Canada. It has been such a fun experience that I would do again in a heartbeat (hint, hint!) and each month I marvel when I open the package to see what has come my way. We are at the end of our sewing journey now so the past couple of weeks I have been working on quilting and finishing one of the member's quilts. All that is left is to stitch on a label and send it home - how exciting! It wouldn't be fair for me to post a full picture before the quilt makes it to its final destination but here is a little peek - a burst of light and colour to help chase away the snow and cold temperatures.

Speaking of snow, I picked up a kit earlier this fall that probably doesn't look much like the contemporary projects I usually work on. At heart, I'm a quilter and although I prefer and tend toward a modern aesthetic, there will always be a place in my heart for traditional quilts and projects. While attending a retreat in Wisconsin back in September I saw a project I really liked and eventually came home and purchased the kit to make it. Since it is a winter-themed quilt I thought I better start getting on with it. Unfortunately, I was not as careful as I should be when fusing my wool applique to it's background:

as much as I'd like to tell you that darkened area is some kind of primitive effect I've purposely added to the fabric the scorching truth is, well, I scorched it (let this serve as a warning to Olaf about the dangers of too much warmth!) Thankfully, this block can be salvaged with a little design alteration and it will find its way into my finished quilt.

Whew, that was a fair bit of catching up and certainly more than enough for one post. I'll actually be back shortly, already, because I was invited to be part of Sew Sisters' Canadian Quilters Connect Blogathon Canada which starts tomorrow. It is an honour to be asked to join in and I look forward to meeting and revisiting other Canadian quilt bloggers this coming week - should be fun.

Stay warm (but not too warm).

e.