The party's over

The little girls turn two on Wednesday and the party was yesterday. Balloons and chocolate cupcakes, other little ones to play with, friends and lots of relatives (some via facetime) helped celebrate. I did manage to make a couple of loaves of pulla and some broccoli salad and I even managed to make them aprons.

The fabric was from Len's Mill store in Barrie was only $6.00 a yard.

They sell fabric by the yard or by the metre and I picked up half a metre.

The pattern was a freebie from HERE and only called for a fat quarter. The pattern is actually for a reversible apron and so one would need two fat quarters. I didn't want to make it reversible but the fat quarter was perfect. There was no waste whatsoever. Since I bought a half metre, my fat quarters were cut out of it with some leftover on the sides which I used for the neck strap. The quarter circle that was cut out for the arms was used for a pocket - that was doubled.

It's hard to see but there is a pocket in the middle of the apron (click on the photo to make it bigger.) Little ones don't use pockets much so it's mainly for decorative purposes. I hoped to trim the differently but I didn't have enough lime green bias to cover both arm sections. I left the excess fabric for the neck part so that I can adjust it if their heads grow and the strap becomes too tight. The apron itself with fit a little one for several years. I made the ties with some polyester broadcloth that I had.

Scrubbies

Take a look.

These are three scrubbies I just knit. I had my choice of what three balls I wanted and it was hard to choose because the colours are all so vibrant.

I was asked by Tiffany of YarnCanada to review Red Heart's Scrubby yarn. I had read some of the comments from other people who have used this yarn and I have to say, I didn't find it hard at all to knit up. With 5mm needles, they were quick to knit (as long as you have a bit of time) and I managed to knit these while watching a few TV programs. They are only 26 stitches wide and that works out to roughly 7.5 inches by 6.5 inches. I didn't want to fight with the stitches in the beginning and so I cast on using both knitting needles as one - just like my mother taught me. Even though I just knit a boring straight square or rectangle, I have seen some really nice patterns such as an owl, turtle and flowers. I've even seen it knit up into a mitt that looks like a frog.

The yarn is 100% polyester and 'hairy' with bits sticking out here and there but they didn't get in the way of my knitting like soft hairy yarns would. I tried it out to see if it was indeed a scrubby and it managed to get some cooked egg whites off the outside of my fry pan so yes, it is aptly named. It dries quickly and I'm pretty sure it won't smell like knitted cloth dishcloths tend to do after a bit of use. Totally machine washable in case you do want to spruce it up. 

To get your own Scrubby yarn, pop on over to YarnCanada and choose your favourite colour(s). There are some really gorgeous variegated colours too, not just solids. They have a flat rate of shipping of $5.00 and shipping is free for orders over $35.00. These are for Canadian orders. For international orders, contact the store.

One last thing - they carry other yarns too. 

YarnCanada.ca

I'm linking up with The Needle and Thread Network once again.

What I've been up to

Besides looking after the tiny little ones in my life, I managed to finish a few things and begin something else.

I managed to finish knitting this one piece sweater - finally. The colour is a bit off. It has to be sewn along the sides and then Teemu can have it.

My friend Judy gave me this pattern a few years ago. She also gave me a metre of some gorgeous fall fabric with leaves and birds on it but I found that it was too bright for this border.

So, I used this fabric. For some reason I have about 4 metres of this fall leaves border fabric. All of those little pieces - the hands, feet, hair, hat, face, crows, etc. were little pieces of scraps.

 I oriented the birds differently from the pattern and I fussy cut the flower. I'm thinking of giving the crows some embroidered feet and some corn seeds to eat. They need eyes and their wings have to be outlined.

Here's the scarecrow with his face on. I just used my Micron pens. The colours of the fabrics show a lot better in this photo - much closer to what they really are.

My plan is to finish sewing around all those fused pieces and then machine quilt it. It will be hung in the hall just inside the front door. It's not a big wall hanging at all and finishes at 16" X 23". Hopefully, it will be done soon so I can move on to other things.

I have decided to join in on the Meadow Mystery which has just started. These are the fabrics that I'm using and they were all cut as per the instructions given in August.

And here's the first part of sewing the pieces together - the instructions for September. It's only a 60" square quilt so it won't be that big. I have used some of the fabrics that my daughter's friend gave me.

I also managed to make a monster tooth fairy pillow for Luc who, at five years of age, has now lost his first tooth. The monster's mouth is a pocket for the tooth.

I'm linking up with The Needle and Thread Network. Pop on over to see what other Canadians are up to.

Lucy Maud Montgomery's Ontario home

When we were viewing the quilts, there was a lady who belonged to the Historical Society who answered a few questions that we had. L.M. Montgomery married Ewan Macdonald, a Presbyterian minister, in 1911 and this manse was apparently her first home as a married woman.

Ewan Macdonald.

I forgot to take a photo of the church but if you go to this website, you can see what it looks like and also find more info on L.M. Montgomery.

It's a typical yellow brick house. 

This is the plaque in front of the house.

The back of the house with part of the backyard. It's a nice property. To the left of the wood door in this photo is another plaque.

This is that plaque.

The front room - or living room. I didn't take a close-up of that quilt so just click on the photo to make it bigger.

This is the quilt that was draped over the couch on the opposite wall. 

I loved these fat little birds. What a cute runner.

Another runner in the dining room.

These were displayed in a corner of the kitchen.

This was upstairs in the boy's room.

The maid's room.

I like the fact that in each of the bedrooms they have explained who used it.

Each bed had a quilt but I didn't take photos of them - I was interested in the rooms themselves.

Beside this plaque was a cute quilt.

A super mini quilt on a teeny tiny bed.

Here's Judy checking out the treadle. I told her I learned on one and still have it. She was surprised when I told her it's in my upstairs hall because she has never noticed it.

These were in an alcove at the top of the main staircase - just outside the master bedroom. 

The room was a really nice size, situated at the front of the house and it had lots of nice daylight shining through the two big windows.

The cradle was a sweet addition.

The other view.

This was the downstairs room where Lucy Maud wrote her books.

What a great scrap quilt.

Quilts of all sizes were displayed all over the house.

More yo yos.

Another photo of the 'office.'

The room is just to the right of the front door.

Just some of L.M. Montgomery's books.

It's hard to take a photo of a photo.

In her early years.

Just inside the front door is this wonderful painting of Lucy Maud. The scenes on either side of her are of the area at the time she lived at the manse in Leaksdale, Ontario.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. I took the photos mainly for my eldest daughter Laila who is a big fan of L.M. Montgomery and has all of her books and most of the ones written about her.

Maud's Circle of Friends Quilt Show - Part 2

Carrying on, here's more photos from this weekend.

I thought this was a delightful table runner.

This was so bright and was displayed on the stage.

Another bright quilt. this time appliqued.

I thought it deserved at least one close-up.

This was quite different.

Another close-up. 

Turquoise and gray - a great combination.

More yo yos. This one was 106" square. Those are strips sewn together. I guess once a strip was filled with appliqued yo yos, it was sewn to the next strip (I am assuming.) The background was a pale gray batik from what I could make out and I really don't think I could ever do that - cut strips, applique all those yo yos and then sew it all up. It must have taken a day or two...

Lots and lots of scraps.

These colours were rich.

This quilt was a mixture of cottons and wool applique.

There were lots of interesting bits on it - 3D flowers, beads, sequins, buttons.

This was a great looking quilt. It's just too bad it wasn't hug well. The focus fabric was a gorgeous black, gray white and yellow floral.

Simply a beautiful piece fabric.

The quilter even fussy cut some of those white flowers.

Not exactly the same as the one above, but close.

That's it for the display that was in the church. I'll post a few photos of the manse and the quilts that were on display there later this week.