Spring Break

It's March break around here - a whole week of no school. I don't know who is more excited - teachers or kids!

For the last 6 years I have gone away on March break - to the southern US - which I've loved. The trip didn't work out for me this year (too many house repairs on the horizon). And I'm actually glad to be staying around because I have things I want to do around the house (and my bum is happy for not having a 20 hour car ride).

On Sat I tried a new knitting shop and picked up these yummies

this is a much better red than it looks in this picture - it will make red and white mitts for me

this will make these slippers for me

this will make light weight mittens for me

On the sewing front, I've been working on my drapes. I really don't like sewing drapes - they are so cumbersome. I'll do them for myself to save money though. The front and lining are together for each panel and one side has the front and back attached

here is one side; a blurry puddle on the sewing machine table

I also need to clean and tidy my sewing room. Here are my before picts

this one is in progress. I got a bunch of these green boxes from ikea, which fit perfectly lengthwise.

Tomorrow I'm going on a shop hop here, with a male friend who doesn't sew or knit or do anything very creative. And he's not always patient. We'll see how it goes.

Quilt Shop Hopping and Back to Dear Jane

Today was a beautiful day. My friends C and L and I designed ourselves a little shop hop tour. We went to Greenwood Quiltery and The Quilter's Nine Patch. (We also made a detour to the Farm Supply and Home Hardware in Elmira because I wanted some binder twine to use when gardening, but they didn't have any). We had a great day!

I bought a few things at Greenwood - I'll post them another day.

I finished another Dear Jane block tonight:

E5

I don't know if I'll get all my homework for this month finished but I will have more finished than last month.

Cleaning Up

Yesterday I went to Hamilton to shop with my quilty friend C - we hit the fabric district cause I'm looking for drapes. I found something I liked - it was $8 more a meter at Fabricland than at the textile place - so I'll be purchasing it at the textile store. I don't have a picture of it handy though.

Then we hit a new quilt store called "Needlework". It was cute and had a lot of character and not a lot of inventory. What you see on the website is what you get.

Finally we hit Ann's - a store that sells almost all stretch fabric for dance/skating costumes. C purchased some fabric there to create something for a friend and I picked up a little stretch lace.

All in all, a good day.

Today I've been doing the  housework house blessings jobs. After the main floor was tackled, I moved up to the sewing room.

These are the befores:

from the door

from the door

from the sewing table

the floor

Then I started cleaning and putting away. You'll have to wait a day or two for the reveal.
Now that I see these photos again, I have to run over to see if it looks any better after an hour or two of cleaning/tidying: yep, better but not yet done.

Shopping Vacation - Successful

I've recently returned from a few day vacation in the US, Pennsylvania specifically. I went to get some R & R, but also to shop at the outlets and hit some quilt stores. I hit 2 quilt shops and a Joann's. The big quilt shop I wanted was closed for the week for vacation - oh well, another trip is in order. I was looking for things I couldn't find at home or things for a great price.

Okay, this I bought in Canada in Fonthill at the Quilt Bee - it will make a modern dresden plate for my cousin's little girl.

These will make fold up bags for your purse for the ladies in the office at work. The middle is the top/handles, and the outside fabrics the bottom of the bags.

More fabric for fold up bags - base on the left, handles on the right.

More fold up bags - base on right, handles on left.

This I will use for a fold up bag for myself - middle is the base. My friend L loves this line - Salt Air by Cosmo Cricket - I didn't feel much for it until I saw it in person - I might be in love too! This was all they had at the store though.

Another bag - right is the base, solid is the top.

 A book from Joann's. On sale too!

Another book - also on sale - a different cousin from the hunter's star quilt wants either a bargello or vortex quilt for a wedding quilt.

An 8" dresden plate ruler - I hunted all over for one at home and found a 5" finally - this one will be more versatile.

Buttons for the bags - on sale!

Some batting to try out - on sale.

More batting to try out - on sale.

I'll post the bags when they're in progress/finished.