Sunday, September 27, 2015

Lots of stuff going on!

Good Sunday morning to you all!!!

The sun is shining, the skies are blue and there's definitely a chill to the morning air.  Yep, Autumn is definitely here.  Yay!

We contemplated starting a fire in the wood stove this morning but opted instead to run the furnace through a couple of cycles to warm the house, just until the sun takes over once it rises higher in the sky.

The cooler temperatures means that it's soup time so my first pot of the season is simmering on the stove as I write this.



It should be ready just in time for lunch!



I spent yesterday afternoon with my friend Nancy who along with her husband, are vacationing in Maine and the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia.  Just recently, Nancy and her husband returned to the US after spending three years in China where her husband was on assignment.  

When we both lived in Ontario, Nancy was my longarm quilter friend whose amazing work that she performed on my quilts I will treasure forever but since their return and her husband's retirement, she is now only working on her own stash of flimsies.  Maybe once she gets caught up she'll entertain doing a few of mine. *hint, hint*

While in China, they had the opportunity to travel extensively and here's what Nancy surprised me with yesterday.



Two pairs of embroidery scissors from Shanghai and a silk pincushion with matching thimble from Korea wrapped in a gorgeous fat quarter from 'The English Vegetable Garden Collection' by Rose & Hubble that she purchased while in Britain.  Nancy remembered my three loves...scissors, pincushions and gardening...very well.

Nancy also brought along her latest project for our own personal version of show-and-tell. 

She's working on this amazing quilt that is featured in the two latest issues of Quiltmania magazine, no's 107 and 108.



I have issue 107 and have just ordered 108 because I'm going to attempt it as well.

Have a look.  Isn't it amazing?



It's called "Brinton Hall" by Leigh Latimore.  

In the article, Leigh goes on to explain that her version of the quilt was inspired by an original piece made between 1803-05 by Anna Brereton who lived from 1756-1819.  Right up my alley!

This is probably going to be the most ambitious quilt that I've ever attempted in terms of all of the intricate work involved including EPP (English Paper Piecing), both hexies and clamshells, applique and patchwork.  I doubt that I would ever have attempted this project on my own but after seeing Nancy's progress, I know I can do it!  All it's going to take is time and patience.



I have also committed and joined in on an online sew along but I'll tell you all about that in my next post.  I'm so looking forward to both these projects!

And guess what I'll be doing at night in my 'spare' time while watching hockey?

Why knitting socks, of course!



I started my first pair of the season last night.



It smells yummy in here.  Better go and give the soup a stir!



Happy stitching!



17 comments:

  1. Lovely gifts from your friend. Sounds like you are keeping busy.

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  2. What a great gift from a lovely friend! Enjoy them in good health. Her quilt looks amazing, it will be interesting to what twist you do with colour to make it your. I'll have to see a picture in person.

    Enjoy yoy soup.

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  3. i am also tempted to make the brinton hall quilt....not yet jumped in but probably as i am in temporary housing right now....i am doing the farmer's wife sew along tho, started today...and yes it IS fall now and no doubt chowdah is in our future...

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  4. Dear Kaaren,
    the pot looks tasty. And I'm getting hungry.
    The quilt is georgous, and these lovely gifts....enjoy!
    Have a nice day.
    Karina

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  5. Wow, Kaaren, that quilt looks amazing!!! Good luck on it and I look forward to watching your progress!! I too am making a big pot of soup today - from tomatoes and basil in my garden!! And one of these days I really want to learn to make socks!!

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  6. Sometimes its nice to challenge ourselves with an awesome quilt! Question for you, what yarn and colorway are you knitting? Thanks!

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  8. Hello Kaaren, do you like making socks as much as I do? I knitted 10 pairs over our winter here on the east coast of Australia. I sold most of them at our local craft centre. Your soup looks yummy!! We have had a week of heavy rain here measuring more then 6 inches, wet, wet, wet, but today is fine and sunny.

    I hope that you are healthy and all's going well for you!!

    Maryanne

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  9. Hi Kaaren, one question please. Do you all really eat flipper seal pie ?? or is that just a movie thing ..Thank you, Izzy from NJ USA

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  10. I think I can smell the soup simmering. Yum! Still too hot here to crave soup--oh, wait. Kris, above, is making soup and she just lives a few miles away. Maybe I'm just too hot to make soup!! *LOL*
    A gorgeous quilt you are preparing to tackle. I will cheer you on from the sidelines.
    That is such fun yarn you are using on those socks. : )

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  11. the scissors look great so many have such small space for big fingers. Hoe good to have your dear friend back home after her spell in China. A lovely quilt looks very complicated to me. I too am thinking of home made soup, parsnip is my first choice

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  12. Brinton Hall looks like quite an ambitious project! I'm certain your version will be gorgeous... and looking forward to seeing your fabric choices! Love the yarn your using for your socks! I tried knitting socks once... I'm thinking I need to try again! Happy soup days! :-)

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  13. Dear Karen,
    it is truly a gorgeous quilt, it caught my eye instantly when looking at Quiltmania's 108 issue.
    Greetings,
    Sylvia

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  14. What an amazing quilt you'll be starting!!

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  15. Love the quilt you are starting and I have every confidence in you to finish it. I don't like to cook and don't usually even look at food photos, but for some reason ever time you post a picture of what you are cooking it makes me want to start cooking. Now that is inspiration! Maybe it is because your home is so inviting. Enjoy the day.

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  16. How fun to have your friend visit. Love the gifts she brought for you. I'm excited to see your finished projects. Wish I lived close enough to smell that wonderful soup simmering on the stove.

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  17. WOW! That quilt looks amazing!!!! I'm looking forward to seeing your progress! I'd love to join you in the QAL but I'm up to my eyeballs in projects ... like ALL of us, right???Hahaha! Thanks for the post! It was so happy!

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