A brief note

It has been fun reading through the posts (meagre as they are) from 2020. I hadn't quite gotten completely into hermit mode at that time. Fast forward to October 2021, and I'm still the same woman, but my world has so much smaller. I responded to the pandemic virus with great care, sanitizing everything in view. I didn't go to any retail stores, my husband, who loves to shop, looked after our retail needs exclusively. I didn't even go out looking at quilting fabric, and that is a rarity. Good job I have such a great stash at home.

Occasionally now, I will go out in public, properly masked, double shots vaccination, and keeping a safe distance. I don't think I minded the isolation as much as some. I'm not a super social gal, and while I like almost everyone I meet, I also enjoy alone time , in fact it is an essential for me. With Zoom, I was still able to meet weekly with my meditation group, and occasionally with a few of my quilting friends. I am not a Twitter of Instagram user, FB and emails were often being visited.

Tonight we were driving to our granddaughter's house, and looking at nature's painting of the fall foliage. The beauty was beyond my ability to describe the colours, some super saturated reds, soft, oranges and yellows, remnants of green, the dark purple some maples manage to show in October. Views that are food for the soul.

Tomorrow the plan is for me to get my new glasses adjusted, and then back to the cottage. My time there is growing shorter, and I want to squeeze every possible minute into my heart before Ii need to say good bye for winter.

Although I haven't managed to attend a guild meeting yet this year, I am going to follow along with the BOM our program committee has arranged. This is an active group, many of them working a job outside the home, as well as creating beautiful quilted projects through the year.

I will close my post tonight with a pic of Herons fishing in front of the cottage as the tide begins to ebb.

Lynn

Where oh Where have you gone?

 Has it really been so long since I have left a note here? Wow!

This has indeed been an unsettled year. I admire all of those bloggers who have remained active on their blogs. I have been something like a twig in the river current, going one way and then another.

I'm working slowly at getting a small pattern finished for aa release in September, but it's slow, and I seem to have found every possible snag. I'm still hopeful.

August is almost ready to leave us, and fall will return. Even my regular sewing has been slowed down to a snail's pace. Hoping that fall brings with it and upswing in my creative energies.

Lynn

Hallow's Eve and my reasons to cheer

 Since my move back to the forest from the oceanside, I have missed my beautiful sunrises and sunsets, but this morning I was able to capture on my little Coolpix, this moonset, the minutes before daybreak. I love the result

It's the day for ghosts and goblins to visit. In our isolated area, we don't get many visitors, but we will be ready. I know that this year Hallowe'en will be different for many. If I had little ones, I would not support wholesale trick or treating. Some communities are setting up specific spots for treats. It's a great idea. I certainly don't want to prevent the kids from their fun, but we need to do things safely.

At my house in the sewing room, I have managed to finish a Hallowe'en placemat. It is a paper pieced pattern, and it was lots of fun to make. Today I'll be working on a small Hallowe'en challenge piece from my local quilt guild, the Cumberland Quilt guild. It needs quilting and binding, so we'll see if I can get  that much done. Here is a picture of my placemat.

I decided to take pictures in the sewing room of things in progress. Not to say the progress is fast, but to remind myself to keep on working on them. Here they are.

This is the beginning of my Sgt Pepper quilt, a pattern from Abbey Lane. This is a modern pattern, and far from my typical quilt. I hope the finished project will meet my expectations.

This little number is an ongoing project using batik scraps and background scraps. I hope it will eventually be large enough for a baby quilt for some little one.

Some of my pincushions. These are either waiting to be filled, or for the final seam to be hand sewn. They make great little gifts.

This is the small piece waiting to be quilted and bound today. Happy Hallowe'en everyone.

Hugs

Lynn

Wentworth Provincial Park and a Hallowe'en Blog hop

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to remind myself and anyone else who might read this post that Marian Pena at Seams to be Sew, is hosting a Hallowe'en Blog hop starting tomorrow Oct 19. I'll be visiting all the bloggers who are sharing with us.

Today our family gathered at Wentworth Provincial Park for a photo shoot with Linda Greaves From Serendipity Studios . Linda does great work and is so easy to work with. When the results are in, I'll post one or two. While we were there I used my handy dandy little Nikon Coolpix to capture some of the surrounding beauty. I'm going to include three of them here for enjoyment. The colours are magnificent at the park. 

I'm working on My Sergent Pepper quilt top from Abbey Lane Quilts. At first I seemed to be a bit mixed up, but that has sorted itself, and we are full steam ahead. Keep in mind that my speed is never very fast. Tonight is a good night to read a book and keep warm. It's not very cold, but I'm still in the bare feet with sandals mode.

Enjoy the evening

Hugs

Lynn

Friday at the Cottage

 It's Friday. Last school day for this week, our Canadian Thanksgiving over, a few frosts over the last 2 weeks, and today a glorious Oct day. My husband and I took our likely last dip in the Northumberland Strait for this season. The ocean is probably starting to cool off a bit. It doesn't take a huge decrease in water temperature before we find it uncomfortable. Of course there is not the same heat in the day that we see from June through September, and this also impacts on our willingness to go swimming. It was a great summer for water sports, but too dry for gardens and lawns.

Yesterday as the sun was starting to make its arrival, the crescent moon was tipped on it's back as if it might be carrying golden dreams as it left for the day. It was so peaceful and quiet at that hour.

Today I finished the first section of our quilt guild's BOM. I'm not sure how many sections there are, but mine will be made from my scrap stash.

The shoo fly blocks finish at 3 inches. I'll need to wait until I make a trip home for fusible web to do the next sections as they have small applique bits. I'm just hoping I can keep up with the group.

Today while I was net surfing, I visited bloggers from the Spellbound SewAlong. There some sweet patterns, and most available free until Oct 25 I think. The patterns are developed for wool applique on flannel or cotton, but cotton could be used in all parts. I found just looking at what these designers have made was inspiring. And if you haven't visited Suzy Portman's site, you are really missing out. She has two programs on that are so much fun, Esmerelda's Garden, and her sea creatures. 

Oh , and don't forget to visit AJPadilla at Angies Bits and Pieces. She runs a free BOM. and a Christmas one as well. 

Enjoy your day

Love to all

Lynn

This party is over, but a new one soon begins

 I hope everyone enjoyed Marian's Garden Party Row Along as much as I did. There were beautiful patterns to share, and many giveaways. I hope to use some of the pattern pieces in future projects. My immediate plan is to take elements of our Fins Garden pattern, and work them into a quilt for a child's room. All the sweet sea elements entertaining a child's imagination. Such fun!

Then yesterday we saw the projects completed, or compilations from various patterns shared during the Row Along. I was amazed. I was honestly not prepared to undertake that part myself, but perhaps another opportunity will present itself.

I may not have mentioned the Northcott prints used in Fins Garden, but as you may know, Norhtcott as a sponsor, permitted each participant  to choose up to one yard of their beautiful fabric for our projects. Thank you Northcott. I chose gradations prints for the perfect ocean floor and water. They worked so well for me.

Marian Pena at Seams to be Sew is hosting a Hallowe'en blog hop beginning Oct 19th. If you happen on my blog, I hope you will take in he Hallowe'en event. I love many things Hallowe'en, and am looking forward to this one.

I am not part of this hop, but hopefully I will be able to post something I have made for the season.

Today is  so very grey here. The wind is out of the southeast, and the rains have been steady and sometimes ferocious. I'll admit I love these kinds of days. They are great for hunkering down with a book,(one that perhaps gets interrupted regularly by life happenings). This may be the day to finish it. Or what about a few hours of this precious quiet day to reflect on just where we are as individuals. In a busy world, we don't always give ourselves permission to do this. What about a nap? Now that sounds appealing to me. This morning I made an urgent visit to our Dr Wolfe, family practice Dentist. One of my molars broke a piece off under the gum line, and I knew I needed to act on it. Dr Wolfe ,who is a bit of a magician, and her staff of caring competent professionals made my experience a pleasant one, resolving the immediate emergency, and creating a plan for care over the next 6 to 8 weeks. I feel comfortable that any dental issues are in capable hands. Of course I have gotten a bit off topic, but our dental health is important.

A couple of days ago this little fellow was out in our yard at home. We have lots of squirrels at the cottage as well, but they are not so inclined to come up on the step for lunch. One morning we saw a feral cat on our back yard and I decided to put a bit of chicken out for its breakfast. My husband was offering graham crackers to the crows or the squirrels, and I snapped these pics with my little camera.

They are cute, but I don't want them to share any of our buildings. Things can get pretty messy.

My heart is full. Love to all

Lynn

Garden Row-A-Long My Contribution!

Fin’s Garden

    A year ago in June, 2019, twins were born, Fin and Piper, our great grandchildren. Fin was to spend only a few months with his earthly family, His mom Meaghan, and I collaborated to bring you this row in Fin’s memory. We are ocean folks, and we love the sea. We hope you will find something in Fins Garden that you will enjoy in your quilting journey.

    The row is 12 inches by 30 inches, but it could be made different sizes with various sea creatures playing and growing in your garden. We chose both the sea bottom and the water from Northcott’s lines. The appliquéd additions are scraps from my stash of batiks. Steam a Seam 2 lite was used to fuse the pieces to the background, and embroidery floss adds some texture and definition where appropriate. I decided that raw edge applique would be my choice for  stitching down  the appliques. In some cases, after the creature is fused, I’ll hold off any stitching until the entire row is finished, and we’ll do some overall stitching on the row for stability. I’m just starting my test row, so if there are any changes I’ll record them on my blog, lynnsbeauty.blogspot.com

    The row is finished, and I love it. It was a challenge, yes, but more important, it was fun, and it makes me smile each time I look at it. In the final count, I moved some pieces around, increased the number of some, and left some of the seagrasses without adornment as it pleased my eye. I am ever so happy to share this row with you.

    Dione Gardner-Stephen at https://www.cleverchameleon.com.au/blog/ introduced me to adding a layer of batting under an appliqued item that I wanted to stand out a bit. I used this technique often in this row. Then when the quilt sandwich is created, you will have a little added dimension to those spots.

    I live at my cottage on the Northumberland Strait from May until November, and this year, challenges related to the Covid pandemic, have resulted in no internet for me at most times. This endeavour is a great challenge for me, my first ever design that is not a simple pieced quilt . I’m learning so much, both about creating the patterns, and about myself ,and my ability to adjust and learn. Great thanks go to my grandson for his invaluable help as I moved through the myriad of necessary learning for the project.

My thanks as well to Marian Pena for the multitude of events she hosts, and for her ongoing support to someone like me who is unsure how to navigate this world.

    The pattern for Fin's Garden is available here!

    I hope that you have fun with this pattern and that you make Fin's Garden your own!

    Sending you love,

    Lynn