Canadian Quilters Connect

Sew Sisters Quilt Shop

is sponsoring this fun way to 

"celebrate Canadian quilting bloggers"

and perhaps become acquainted with a few new-to-you blogs.

Today's Canadian Maritimes host is none other than

the lovely Linda from Scrapmaster.

Linda has her hands in so many pies, I can't believe 

she has found the time to do this, too!

Thanks, Linda!

If you are visiting from Linda's blog today,

hello and welcome.

My name is Karen and I'm a quilt-a-holic. 

I make Cape Breton my home for 6 months of the year.

Right about now, I'm supposed to be packing up my 

sewing mess stash for the winter,

to head for south Texas.

Cape Breton is a wonderful refuge,

with a little bit to offer everyone.  

I go hiking,

camping,

and paddling around in my kayak.

If I'm not out of doors,

I'm quilting and sewing.

Free Motion Quilting is my newest challenge.

It's hard, but it's a lot of fun.

I've been quilting for over 30 years and needed something new!

A few of the projects I am still working on 

and haven't packed away are:

My version of Stephanie Dunphy's Hailee Bag,

a mix using an old corduroy shirt and suiting wool.

It was pretty ugly

until I put the Purple Coneflower on the front.

And here is my take on one of Stephanie's newest bag patterns, 

Prairie Tote,

still in the audition stages on the 'design floor'. 

It was on my list to make yesterday,

but I just haven't gotten to it.  Yet.

Perhaps today!

This will definitely reflect living in the maritimes.

(I tried to embellish the picture with a few of my shoreline treasures.)

I pulled out my Christmas fabric, finally,

and like every year, I'm wishing I had pulled it out earlier.

It's not like there wasn't a lot of inspiration

to focus on Christmas projects

from the quilting bloggers.

I can't show you what I've been making with it just yet.

It's a secret!

As are the rest of my most current little projects.

I'm in a real mess here.  I leave in 8 days.

Every time I organize one pile of my stash

and take it upstairs to store away,

I come down with 3 more to spread out and play with.

At this rate, I'll never be ready to go!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

If you haven't been to Linda's blog,

please pay her a visit

and meet a few other quilters 

from the Atlantic Provinces.

~karen

When Friends Meet

An old Scottish proverb states:

"When friends meet, hearts warm."

How true that is here in the quilter's blog world.

I'd like to extend my thanks and appreciation

for all your kind and encouraging comments

on my previous post.

My daughter left a comment that I am pasting here

to let you all know how much she appreciated you, too,

and to give you a little more info.

KPage said...

Thank you all for the kind words. When I was contacted by Be The Match this summer, I had no doubt that I would donate if I was indeed the best match! And, I would do it again if given the opportunity.  24 hours after the process ended, I was feeling 100% again. Only a few bruises from the IVs remain.

After the transplant, the recipient will take on attributes from my body, such as my blood type and my immune system. I was told that recipients of PBSC donations have a 90% chance at recovery. He will have recovery milestones to hit, with the biggest being 100 Days. At 100 Days, they will know whether or not his body has fully accepted my cells and is successfully producing his own and is on his way to recovery.

Please help me and the Be The Match organization create awareness about this amazing and life-saving procedure! Join the registry by ordering a kit online. Share my story through mom's blog with your friends and family and encourage them to join the registry. More information is available at www.bethematch.org.

Speaking of my daughter,

today is her birthday!

I whipped up this sweet and simple birthday cake wall hanging

from the Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber

just in time to get in into the mail

on it's long journey to TX.

Thankfully, it arrived with time to spare.

That's not always the case

with international mail.

I had to brave gale force winds to walk it up to the post office, 

and it was well worth the effort

when it arrived at her door!

She was delighted.

You know who else is celebrating a birthday today?

Linda, over at Scrapmaster.

Pop on over and tell her hello!!

In preparation for my southerly migration,

I've finished up another quilted giftie.

Although I originally intended to make it a bed quilt,

I thought of  Lesley, The Cuddle Quilter, when I made the label.

A 'cuddle quilt' is all it turned out to be.

Any bigger, and it would have sat unfinished 

in the laundry basket

in the bottom of my closet for another 4 years!

Finishing this was my goal in May.

Well, it took all summer,

but it happened.

I couldn't resist joining Jacquelynne Steeve's

Sew Sweet Simplicity Block of the Month.

Because of my travel schedule,

BOMs are difficult for me this time of year,

so I chose to make my blocks scrappy.

I am going to make two of each block

so I can have a larger quilt in the end.

With most of my stash being packed away,

 I still have to sew, right?

I kept out a bag of batik scraps that a neighbor dropped off

and made the most beautiful journal cover.

Well, I think it's beautiful, anyway.

I find it difficult to sew things for men,

but I think this is manly enough 

and my brother-in-law will love it.

The pattern was designed by Karen Ackva

at EasyPatchWork

and is for sale in her Craftsy shop.

I hadn't done foundation piecing in years

and it was so much fun, I might make a mug rug to match

for his desk at the office.

Then I need to find a matching mug......

.....maybe a few of his favorite snacks.....

this could go on and on!

How about a matching pen?

Truth is, he'll only get the journal.

I'm not that good.

No little birdie pictures today.

There are lots of cute little chickadees,

and a junco or two, at the feeders,

but they are being camera shy.

I won't give up, though!!

Have a wonderful day,

xo,

karen