Packing for Cooler Weather

You must think I've fallen off my rocker.   But it's true.    Today, we are packing to go to Iceland.   We leave in a couple of days.   We have been talking about visiting Iceland for a couple of years.   To celebrate our milestone birthdays this this month, we're taking a summer trip.    We are quite excited to go.     Our tour tells us to be sure to dress in layers.  Long sleeve shirts, sweaters, wind jackets, rain gear, and of course your bathing suit to swim in the Blue Lagoon.    I've been looking at pictures and reading about Iceland for a few weeks.   I think we're ready.    These are just a couple of the spectacular sights we will see on our tour.

This site is in Iceland, where the spreading
plates of the mid-Atlantic ridge come ashore.

We will be seeing many spectacular waterfalls
including Gullfoss.

We'll be visiting the Geyser.  Iceland's most
active hot springs. 

A to Zzz Progress

I needed my spare bed cleared off last week.   This meant either I had to sew the components and sashing together or carefully stack and move the blocks in order.   Well, the easier thing to do was to take the 15 or 20 minutes and sew it together.    Now, having it sewn together is giving me the oomph I need to move forward... I just love this whimsical quilt.    

I have the fabric for the blue borders.  A little focused work at the cottage this weekend will get the borders cut and the fused applique pieces prepared.  

I'm going to set myself a goal to have this done by the end of July.
 

Christmas is Coming

Love the fun summery but Christmasy colors.

I was killing time this morning while waiting for hubby to get routine hospital tests done.   So I walked over to Fabricville.  i walked in the rear entrance, and it looks like Christmas is coming.    They had half a dozen tables set up with Christmas fabrics.    I expect they'll be having a huge Christmas in July sale soon.    

Love these white fabrics with
silver gold and grey motifs.

That's got me thinking about what I might make as my Christmas in July Project!      

Now, that's a good reason to sit down with a cup of tea and do a bit of research.      If you see a "Christmas in July Sew along", would you let me know.   I'm itching to buy some Christmas Fabric!!!

A New Sewing Venue and making another Bionic Bag

The Friday Girls and I checked out a new sewing room venue this week.    It's a bright classroom at the old Marysville Elementary School.  The school is de-commissioned and is now being turned into a non-profit community center, called the Marysville Center.  

The room has lots of plugs, which is always a concern for sewing workshops.     We sewed and talked about what would be needed to make this room attractive for sewers to work in.  There are big cork boards on one wall.  Great for design wall purposes.   There are chalkboards at the front of the class.   Bright windows to give beautiful light.   Windows that open to give fresh air.    A nice place to sew.

We are the first class in "The Sewing Room" at the Marysville Center
Photo taken by Building Manager, Jeff.
Jeff and the other staff were so helpful.

We sewed the Bionic Bag.  This is my second and I love the fabric combination that I chose.  Darker on the outside, lighter on the inside.  Seems to be my style, because that is how I do wallets too.    I bought the fabric in Florida this past winter, just to make this bag.  

Today, I'll be transferring all my thread and notions from the old bag into the new bag.      I will use it lots this summer.

I'll have it packed with the items I use daily, so I can easily take it to the cottage on the weekends.   I have a sewing machine there, and on cool, or damp, or buggy mornings, I like to sew a bit.

Soon I will make the little zippered dumpling bag and the needle case to go with it.

I'll give the first bag that I made to my sister.  She doesn't go to sewing workshops, but I know she'll find a use for it.

I have a designer button!!

I'm a designer!!    Well I've never considered myself a designer.   But today I'm proud to put a designer button on my blog.

See, Diane at Country Crafts and Curtains told me about this summertime Row by Row Quilt Shop Hop.   I had never heard of it, but it sounds like a nice summer shopping activity.   She asked me if I'd like to design the "Row" that her shop will give out to visiting customers this summer.       The theme was H20.    I thought, I'm no designer, but I'd give it a go.

It was fun.     When I think of life here in Fredericton in the Summer, I think of kids swimming, and how fun it is to see little ones having fun around the pools with their colorful floaties.   So with kids in mind, here is the simple water themed row I designed!!   It's called "Floaties".

 

There are 8 quilt shops participating in Atlantic Canada, as well as many shops across Canada and the US.  Where ever you shop this summer (after June 21), be sure to stop into the participating Quilt Shops to get their free Row pattern and join in the fun.

Thanks Diane for letting me be part of the Row by Row fun.

Tiny brushes from Lee Valley

Lee Valley brushes.  Just slightly longer than a spool of thread

My friend Lee went to Lee Valley a few weeks ago.   She bought  these tiny brushes. They came in 10 packs.   I had never seen them before.    She uses them to clean her sewing machine.  She gifted each of the Friday girls with a set at coffee last week.     

Perfect timing, since I'm lending my sewing machine to a friend today to sew a wallet, I thought I'd give the brushes a try.    I cleaned all around the feed dogs, in around the bobbin area and up around the top of the shank area.   I didn't realize how much lint can collect in such a small area.    These micro brushes worked fantastic.   Much better than the Q-tip solution I had been using before.     So that's one machine cleaned and now I'll give the other three a cleaning.  

Many thanks Lee!   It's a great gift and I'll get lots of use out of these.  

Look for the yellow brush.   The tiny brush attracts
the dust/lint like a magnet.

  Love these brushes.
Completely re-usable.