Back packs "almost" finished

It's been a load of fun creating six new back packs for an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World.

The theme is Disney Animal Kingdom - The 2 Day Park.

Animal Kingdom is brushed off as a half day park by many.  There are 3 major rides and two shows that most people go to.  Then they take off to one of the more popular parks.  And they miss so much.  There is no way anyone can take in all this park has to offer in a half day.  Hence the title "The 2 Day Park".

All six bags are finished up to the length of the straps.  They have been made to look like they've been through a lot.  There are threads hanging, patches on some of them.  They look rough.  Think of what something would look like when the gorillas are finished play with it.  That's the what these bags look like.

All that is left is to have their new owners try them on, measure how long the straps should be and then secure the straps at that length.  Then they are done!  This could be a long process as there are currently no plans for trip planning visits with everyone.  Hopefully soon.  This project needs to be finished!  There are more projects to have fun with.....

This pack is mine.  It lists all the Disney podcasts I listen to.
Notice the little lizard at the bottom.  There is one on each of the packs.  These little guys are all over the parks and are fun to watch.

 The six back packs

 There is a pocket at the back of each pack sunglasses so they don't get lost or damaged
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Sidewalk and sewing update

It's been over a month again since I last posted.   And it has been a fun month.

Volunteer sewing started up again.  Yeah!  The ladies made 63 draw string bags by the time I left.  These will go to one of the shelters.  Those staying there have something to hold the tooth brushes, toothpaste, hair brushes etc.  Some arrive at the shelters with absolutely nothing. 

Next thing I want to comment on is about the fence across the side walk.  This side walk goes through a local school playground.  The fence was to stop kids from riding bikes out onto a busy avenue.  It worked, but it also forced everyone using the side walk to walk off the side walk and into the dirt to get around the fence.  Or walk into snow.  Or mud.  Depending on the season.  Loads of fun when you are pushing a wheel chair, stroller, walker, riding a scooter, hurrying to catch one of the buses that go on this busy avenue....you get the picture. 

When I saw a care giver pushing a wheel chair get stuck in the mud, I contacted the city.  The gentleman who got back to me could not promise a start or finish date.  Well, it started this morning and it's finished. 

A sign has been posted telling bikers to slow down.  I'm sure hoping that a sign will be enough to prevent an accident.  I met up with the foreman who was in charge.  I suggested a staggered gateway like others we have in the area.  These gates allows people to use the side walk but slows down bikes.  I was told that if the school has issues with the removal of the fence they can contact the city.  Something would be then be "worked out". ( Or if a tragedy occurs.)  But until that happens, the warning sign will have to do.

On to sewing.  I have a quilt on the frame that is coming along slowly.  The Bailey (knock on wood) is behaving perfectly.  I have so many quilt tops to get quilted, I had best get busy.   This is hard, because it's been so nice and I've been trying to get more walking in before the snow and ice slows me down.

There are 7 back packs being made at the moment.  These are for another Walt Disney World trip in 2015.  The theme for these packs is "Disney Animal Kingdom - The 2 Day Park".  This is in response to the morons who refer to Animal Kingdom as "the half day park".  They go on the 3 main rides, maybe watch one of the theatre shows and say that's all there is.  Ask them what is on the trails, exhibits, or about the different animals.  They have no clue.  Idiots!  Think I have an attitude about this park?  Yeah, maybe.  It's the favourite park for most of the people going with me and certainly not held in disdain by any of the others.

In order to get the embroidery done on the packs, I purchased a Brother Embroidery machine.  So much fun!  I'm hoping the little ones in the neighbourhood get into dinosaurs like most little boys do.  I purchased a bunch of dinosaur designs and am itching to embroider some t-shirts for them.

The Welcome to the North Pole block of the month is progressing nicely.  So far each month's blocks have been finished before it's time to pick up the fabric for the next blocks.  Although I confess to working on a couple of them on the last day of the month.

Here's hoping my next post will have some photos of completed projects.  I need to feel that something is off the to do list!

More lovely non sewing weather

It's been lovely here.  Just ask the mosquitoes.  This is the worst August in 10 years in Edmonton according to city officials.   For having too many mosquitoes that is.  Other than that the weather has been wonderful!

The very hot weather is working it's magic with my night scented evening stocks.  They look so scraggly during the day.  Come night, they open up and release the most heavenly scent.  No wonder the cats like to bend the stocks over to make a bed to lay down on.  I would do so as well if I could stand those pesky mosquitoes.

I've upped my walking goals to 12,000 steps at the minimum every day.  With the great weather and having to keep moving or get bit, I've been logging in quite a bit more than that.  I'll miss the walking once winter comes and the side walks are too icy.

Speaking of side walks....the city did get back to me about the fence and side walk issue.  While there is no start or finish date, the problem will be addressed.  I'm just hoping it will be before the snow comes.  We now have several neighbours in the area that are using wheelchairs.  Having to go off the side walk, into the mud or snow to get anywhere will be an issue for them.

I did finish the wallet I mentioned in my last post.  And it's cute plus very usable.

It was fun to make and I'm hoping to find time to make a few more.
And does it ever hold a lot!  Even my cell phone and my card case.


Hope everyone is enjoying their summer! 

It's been over a month!

I'm going to blame the lovely summer weather for not posting more often.  Who wants to be on the computer when we can be outside sleeping on the swing.  Or walking in the sun.  I for one have been really enjoying the summer.

I had plans of taking all my scraps outside and cutting them down to usable sizes while enjoying the weather.  Good intentions are not able to keep me from the heavy gravity area on that swing!  Although I did get some binding stitched on a quilt a couple of days ago while sitting outside.

There are those who are having problems dealing with this heat though.  Especially one dear friend who has shingles.  I can't imagine what she's going through.  When I had shingles it was winter.  That was bad enough.  Having it in summer!  I'm praying for a speedy recovery for her.  And here's a recommendation for everyone.  Get the immunization for shingles!  Did you know that you can get it more than once?  Yep.  Get that shot!

Enough of the public service announcement and back to the sewing room.  I'm currently trying to make a wallet.  I should be finished this weekend and can't wait.  The wallet I'm currently using does not have a place for coins.  I must be fussy because I can't find one I like in the local stores (at least not at a price I'm willing to pay). 

There is one more finished quilt in my collection of flying geese quilts.

I guess the cats are not impressed with it.  They didn't even give it a test nap.

On the FitBit side of things.  I've walked a minimum of 10,000 steps every day since February 10th.  Probably time to up my goal to 12,000.  So the challenge is to see if I can do 12,00 steps every day until Halloween.  Then I'll up it again.

The City of Edmonton has been hearing from me.  First it was a fence in a school field that was broken.  The top metal rail was broken and sticking out at about 3 feet off the ground onto a side walk.  I could just imagine a child riding a bike into it and impaling themselves.  One e-mail to the city and it was fixed within 48 hours.  That was a pleasant surprise.

Today I sent the city this photo:

This fence across a busy side walk forces people to walk into the mud, snow and water.  The fence was put there to keep people from riding their bikes straight onto a busy avenue into traffic.  I'm sure it saves lives.  But there are other ways to keep people safe.  A staggered fence would work:

The side walk is used by several hundred people a week.  It's in an elementary school field. Next to this school field is a shopping centre. Across the avenue from the field is another school.  Plus there are dozens of people who use the bus stops on this avenue daily to get to and from work.  I'm sure they appreciate having to wade through the mud in their business clothes.

It will be interesting to see what the city's response will be to this concern.  I don't expect a response as fast as the one regarding the broken fence.  This will be a lot more work and expense.  So it would be completely understandable if it takes some time.  Just as long as it does get fixed eventually. 

Working on those quilting goals

A number of us on the hearts2hands group listed our quilting goals for the year back in January.  Then totally forgot about it.  At least I did.  When I uploaded a photo of a finished quilt to the group's albums last week, I decided to check the database.  Oops, I forgot about all those goals I had listed.

One I actually have kept up and that is to get at least one top quilted per month.  Now there have been several months that all I did was piece tops or work on a block of the month.  But there were also several months that I completed several quilts.  So there is easily six finished quilts so far this year.

But I had completely forgot my goal about working on some of the kits I have collected over the years.  I thought there were a lot.  So I went searching through my sewing room.  I could only find two that were complete kits.  Several had a speciality fabric along with a pattern.  Like northern lights fabric, or a panel of some sort.  I decided that these would have a lower priority.  So with only two complete kits to work on I got busy.  Both tops have been completed and one has been quilted. 

I plan on adding more quilting in each block.  And should I ever make this runner again, I know it will go together better than this kit did.  The pre cut 5" squares were not...square that is...nor were all of them perfect 5" cuts.  But the kit is done and I have something set aside for the next time a call comes out for donations.

Next I finished working on the Welcome to the North Pole block for June.

It still needs embellishments, but I'm waiting until the craft stores start getting their Christmas items in.

Bailey and I have a quilt top that was posted previously to work on.  Bailey is sewing fine, the fabric and thread are playing nicely together.  But quilter (me) is having issues.  My back is getting sore from having to stoop over the frame while ripping out two rows of stitching.  I got over confident and decided that I had no need to double check how far to advance the quilt.  So two rows of stitching are crossing over each other.  I'm using a pantograph that I have not used before and thought I could "eye ball" where to place the next row.  Learned my lesson!  Hopefully next post I'll be able to show a finished quilt....if I can get these two rows ripped out.  I'm predicting that once I'm quilting again either the thread or the machine will have issues and I'll be so frustrated.....

That's a lot of flying geese and Half Square Triangles!

Not sure why, but I seem to get more done quilting wise in the warm weather than in winter.

The hearts2hands quilt group had members list their goals for the year.  I have four.  Keep my scraps cut into usable sizes.  Not happening so far.

Next was keeping up with the block of the month that I'm working on "Welcome to the North Pole".  So far I'm keeping up with this goal.  Although I do have to stitch down this month's.  All pieces have been fuzzed in place, but still need to be stitched.

Next was to work on at least one kit from the huge collection I have each month.  I haven't even started one.

The last was to finish a quilt a month.  I think I'm close to that.  I'll have to go back and see if I have six quilts done.

So what's been done in the past two weeks?  Well 26 draw string bags for the women shelters.   And this quilt:

I had wanted to do some more intricate quilting but ended up using a larger stippling.

Then the cats helped me work on this quilt top.  There are a lot of HST's in this one that Ba'el is testing:

Now to either pull out some scraps to cut down, or a kit to start working on.....

The Bailey group sent out a great link for finishing binding that I just love.  It's a must see for quilters.  A link to the side of this video lead me to the easiest way to baste a quilt ever!  Wish I knew about this before I purchased my huge quilt frame!  Think of all those quilts that would have been soooo much easier to baste.  No crawling around on the floor!

Here's the link for the binding:  Binding: Sharon Schamber's method

And here is the easy way to baste a quilt:
The Patchwork Box Tips - Basting

Enjoy

Sewing for outside and a new book!

I can not believe the prices they are charging for swing cushions!  The cushions on DS's swing are sun rotted.  Falling apart.  Need to be replaced.  He probably should have bought them at the season's end last year when they were on sale.  But we all thought he'd get another year out of them.  After a winter in the shed they were placed on the swing.  It was obvious that they had to go.

Fabricland's sale scored 8 metres of outdoor fabric.  Probably not what DS would have chosen, but the price was right and it brightens things up.  Of course my assistants had to do a comfort test when one cushion was finished.  I had the cushion on the kitchen table, reached for something on the counter, and the cat, who is NOT allowed on the table, was curled up on the cushion.  Keeping her eyes tightly closed, hoping I wouldn't disturb her.  She did open her eyes when the camera came out.  Wouldn't want anyone to think she's sleeping on the job.

There was extra fabric after the 3 cushions were made.  DS's yard is open to the south and west so it gets hot.  So I thought a blind on the west side with the awning providing protection from the south would help.  You may notice a lot of ties.  Even the cushions are secured with ties.  Things can go missing in this condo complex.  So the ties just make it more frustrating and thieves tend to go elsewhere.

After delivering and tying the cushions and blind in place, I rewarded myself with a walk over to Sew Divine.  (Gotta love a son who lives half way to your favourite quilt shop.)  Pat was doing a demo and introduction for a new block of the month....which I did not join.  I was invited to stay and watch.  Always fun spending time with other quilters.

When I arrived back home there was a quilting book waiting for me in the mail!
I had sent in yet another quilt conference story which was read by Brandy Lynn on Canadian Quilt Talk.  My prize is a book by Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks.  "Urban Country Quilts"  There are 15 projects in this book that I can't wait to start.