Birthday Wishes

We are sending warm birthday wishes out to Marybeth today.  Marybeth, we hope you get the present you've been waiting for--that call to come in for your knee surgery.  Please check the table on your back porch over the next few days for a little birthday surprise.

Our Volunteer Day at Burnaby Village

 Colleen and I spent today at Burnaby Village with three other volunteers from the PSQG.  We were in Bells' Dry Goods Store and really outdid ourselves this year with a fab display of our Christmas quilts.  Colleen's Gnome quilt and mug rugs were a big hit as was her Christmas Wreath quilt which was on the counter where we were sitting.

It started off as a typical December rainy day but by the time we had our display set up the sun was out and the crowds were starting to arrive.  Both the kids and the parents were in the holiday mood and it looked like there were lots of kids interested in taking the Kids' quilt class that the guild is offering in February.  Have to keep training up the young ones.

Here are some photos from inside the store and later outside after dark.  

Colleen finishing up a table runner for Meals on Wheels

Carol Pettigrew and Kathy Flood, two of the other guild volunteers

Colleen seated with her Christmas wreath table topper on the counter in front of her and also her red and cream lap quilt.  Across from the counter, by Colleen's right arm are her latest Gnome mug rugs (more elaborate than last year's) and also her Gnome outdoor scene.  These all deserve a post of their own but I failed to get a good picture of them.  Behind her on the upper banner in the middle is her wall hanging showing Santa after what appears to be a crash landing.  I believe Colleen said that that was one of her first wall hangings.  The paper pieced Christmas tree on the end is hers as well.  Both were embellished with little strings of Christmas lights.  Along the back counter, mostly out of sight was a whole row of Colleen's Christmas mug rugs.  They are visible in the picture above.

Below are my photos of the outdoor lights.  Sorry that they are all so poor compared to what I was actually seeing.  The black and white disks that you will see further down were really awesome and there were also dancing lights being projected onto the foot bridge that you cross to enter the Village--also fascinating to see but impossible to capture with cold hands and little patience at the end of a long day.  Don't miss the tree that you can see just off to the right of the foot bridge that looks like it is full of blinking fireflies.  The parking at the Village is truly a nightmare so if you go, you should have no problem finding a parking spot along Deer Lake Avenue and then it is just a short walk back to the Village.  There were quite a few that I could see when I was driving along there on my way home.  Please don't let my poor photos turn you off.  The display really is pretty spectacular and completely free.

More Ornaments from Betty

I am seriously starting to wonder if Betty is on Speed.  Is this volume of output normal?!  There are still the girls' dresses in the works.  

I recall when we started the blog and went with a background of quilted trees for our Home Page, I suggested we each do a quilted tree project this winter.  You'll recall that Marybeth was working on her Tree baby quilt at the time which we all loved and wanted to make.  So, congratulations to Betty.  You have more than completed the challenge.    

Adrienne's Birthday Lunch

 Here are a few photos from our lunch today at Ramies (Dec. 3, 2024).  We were having a late celebration of  Adrienne's birthday since she was in Mexico with Alison and Andrew for the ten days just prior.

Adrienne's making a wish.

Adrienne's never fail method for blowing out birthday candles.

Group photo

The full array of Betty's awesome Christmas decorations.  No two alike and we each got to take one home with us.  Could be a workshop in our future?  I can supply the sticks.

Deimi's Photos of Michi

I think Michi was trying to hide behind her new quilt.

Leng's Christmas Tree Skirts

This was Leng's original tree skirt.  Note the silver piping and embroidery on the inner section.  Click on the photo for a close up.

This is Leng's second attempt.  She worked out the math herself and was not satisfied that her wedges didn't form a complete circle, so...

She made Christmas Tree Skirt #3 which forms a complete circle.  I think we all would have hated to do that math.  They are all so cheerful and will look great under the tree.

Betty's Latest Projects

Betty turned Sue's donated purple velvet into a lush background for her Christmas snowman.  

All finished and ready for Christmas.  PJ's just off the production line.  Click on the photo to get a closer look at the prints Betty used.

 

Photos from Get Together with Michi

 These photos are from our get together with Michi on November 19 at her residence.  We also celebrated Nancy's birthday.  We presented Michi with a quilt that was started by Arlene and finished off with quilting by Nancy.

Meeting Update for November 5th and 12th

 November 5th get together:

We met at Joyce's on November 5th.  There were lots of completed projects for Show and Tell.  Colleen had little stitched bags with Halloween treats for everyone.  We discussed upcoming events such as our get together with Michi on November 19th and also Sharon's choir performance on December 17th.  There will be a separate post with details and follow up information for your calendars for these two events.

We celebrated Betty's birthday (Nov.7) and Joyce's (Sep 29).  Here is their cake:

Betty and Joyce looking very serious about their cake cutting responsibility.

Nancy made this paper pieced spider at the Harrison Retreat of the FVQG

Here is Betty showing us some finished onesies which she is making for her entire family for Christmas.  Love those dinosaurs!


Here is the Spiderman version and there are still more to come.  Betty also has plans to make some little velvet dresses for the girls.

Nancy and Leng defluffing the back of the first finished heart quilt.  Leng also finished sewing 20 of the heart squares for the second quilt which will probably be finished in January.  

Here is the first finished heart quilt for our 2024-25 donations.  Still lots of strings to trim and a label to be added.

This is Nancy's second quilt quilt top made with this pattern.  We immediately made plans to add some of these to our donation inventory since we all wanted to learn this method.  It's made with some dark and light jelly roll strips which are divided up--light and dark which are then sewn together in strip sets of three with two darks with a light in the middle and two lights with a dark in the middle.  Then the strip sets are layered, right sides together and sewn along the long edges, pressed and the rows are cut with a triangular ruler which results in all your completed blocks.  

Joyce and Sue showing off their joint project.  This is an I Spy made from Split Nine Patch blocks.  Joyce did the piecing and quilting and Sue hand stitched the binding.  

Here is a baby quilt for donation that I made.  I wanted to use up a small jelly roll that I had around for awhile which turned out to be not very suitable for the pattern I chose.  I was warned in the tutorial to make sure the pinwheels were made from a highly contrasting fabric.  When all the fabrics were together the green did appear to have good contrast but when sewn the pinwheels completely disappear.  Oh well...  One of my oft repeated expressions during my quilting journey.  I did manage to quilt my first spiral which I enjoyed doing.  The following photo is the back of the above quilt.  I can recommend this walking foot design for small quilts.

This shows the spiral quilting better.  Also the soft, brushed cotton that I used on the back.  I got it at Fabricana.  I bought it in three different colours.  I think it was 54" wide and on the sale table. 

These two little tools were indispensable for my quilted spirals.  It is probably best to use a walking foot with an arm gauge but my generic walking foot causes my needle to loosen and fall out which is pretty scary so I just go slowly and don't have a problem with my layers feeding unevenly.  That also allows me to use this foot with built in gauges which measure one inch from the outside edges which is perfect for a spiral.  I made the little cardboard template to mark the start of the spiral.

Here is a Carl's big quilt getting quilted with spirals.  A real pain on a big quilt on a domestic machine and I would not recommend it.👎  I am getting to the outside of the spiral here but if you imagine how much of that quilt I was trying to squeeze under the arm when I started (about another 12") you will see why this is not so easy on a big quilt. 

Nancy let me borrow her Super Slider toboggan to help with my machine quilting setup.  I can give that tip a two thumbs up.👍👍

I am still working on Carl's quilt.  I need to get it done asap because he says he wants to put it on his bed for at least a little while before he heads back to Prague on Dec. 2nd.  

November 12th get together:

Yesterday, November 12th we met at Marybeth's.  DeeDee was back from her trip and had a little Teddy Bear panel that she wanted to make into a quilting project to practice some new quilting techniques.  Fall and winter are travelling seasons for Dee Dee and she is looking for some little hand projects for her travels.  We can check up on her progress between trips.

Betty had her little girl's dress pattern along to study for more hand made Christmas gifts.  She is making the view in the upper left.  We will definitely want to see pictures of the girls in their dresses.

Betty is still making onesies as well.  We just have photos of the leftover scraps.  I will remind Betty to post her photo of the plaid ones which she worked hard on to get all the lines of the plaid to match up.

Here is a jelly roll and a piece of pale blue batik yardage that I brought as a suggestion for fabric to make a couple of quilts from Nancy's jelly roll pattern that she showed us last week.  We thought this would make a really good group project, also for January.  We have volunteered Nancy to guide us through the steps.

That is all that I can remember.  I will be doing a separate post for the following meetings before our break for the holidays.  There will be a lot of things to add to your calendar and don't forget to RSVP ASAP if required.

Fraser Valley Quilters at Harrison Hot Springs

Here’s the video that was taken at the FVQG retreat a couple of weeks ago. 

Will Robinson costume

Another fantastic Halloween costume (Will Robinson from Lost in Space) made by Betty and modeled by her grandson, Michael.

Will Robinson helmet also made by Betty out of a number of interesting items including a paint tray.

Halloween costumes by Betty

Waluigi Halloween costume modelled by Betty's grandson, David.

Michael disguised as Will Robinson