Moving

I thought that since it had been so long since I have blogged that I should fill you guys in on some new developments.

We are moving from Ottawa to the GTA. My husband got a promotion which is the reason for the move. We are in the process of finding somewhere to live, and staring at empty boxes procrastinating packing. I haven't forgotten about the blog, there has just been a tonne of stuff going on in a very short time frame.

Note: If you are moving shortly do not ever scan a room and envision yourself packing every single thing in it. ugh!

Needless to say I haven't made any progress on the Improv(e)Your Butt Quilt Challenge. I did ok that first week.

I've been trying to craft whenever I have time. I'll try and take some photos if I can find the camera! :P

Improv(e) your Butt Challenge!

Jacquie over at Tallgrass Prairie Studio has thrown out a challenge to all the quilters out there. It is called Improv(e) Your Butt Challenge. Basically it's meant to get us crafters (who spend lots of time on our butts sewing) up and moving around. The goal is to log our miles on this website and see if we can collectively make it across the US. I'm not from the US but I'll gladly walk across it to get fit and make a fun quilt!

The fun part of all this is for every mile that we log, we get one piece of fabric to use for our improv project. This is a fantastic idea. I've been trying to figure out a quilting/exercise thing for a while and here it is. And I always seem to do better when there is group motivation!

I’ve decided to use scraps or cut fabric but nothing bigger than a 6 inch square. They can then be sub-cut depending on what block I'm trying to make. I'm going to take my personal challenge up a notch because I am in major need of some extra motivation! (Because I’ve been doing zero exercise.) I fell off the wagon big time! and because this 6 month project will end exactly on our 3rd wedding anniversary (January 26th, 2011). And wouldn't it be fun to fit into that dress again...(i don't need to wear it, just want to be that size!)

This means in addition to the 1 piece per mile, I will also be rewarding myself:

1 piece for every day I stay on track with my food plan (this is key for me to see results)
1 piece for every time I do my weight routine

That’s a potential extra 10 pieces per week! I won't be logging these ones on the mile tracker but will keep track here on the sidebar somewhere.

We'll be sharing our quilts over on the Project Improv flickr group.

Wanna join in the fun? Go see Jacquie to find out how to join the team!

52 Fridays Week 29/52 the Laura Edition

Happy Birthday Laura!


(From me and some friends from my weekly Knitting Group!)

Sorry..

Haven't been in a photo taking mood. Which means there isn't much to see. We went to New York City for the July 4th weekend. I'll try and get some of those photos up soon.

I'll be back I promise.

I'm around...

Just not here.

I've been doing a lot of knitting! Here are some recent photos.

In a true test of perseverance, I finally finished my Ravelympic Socks! Yes the Ravelympics were over in February. But the socks are finished, and that's what counts.



I've been working on a Shawl.



And I started a new pair of plain socks.



If you're a knitter you may be wondering "what the heck is with all the Noro Kureyon Sock?" My reasoning for starting the shawl is that I was upset with the Ravelympic socks and their lack of stretch and having to start from scratch 2 times. I didn't want it to destroy my love for Noro, so I started the shawl. Then once the Ravelympic socks turned out ok, I decided I should get going making another pair of them before I forget what I did to the first pair. Strange, I know.

I'm also behind on my 52 Fridays. I have taken photos, but just haven't posted. I'll be doing that soon.

Sometimes it's just hard to keep up with everything.

So why not have a nap?! Seems to be working for Olivia.

Sewing

I sewed a bit last night and today.

I made a pouch!

Not a quilt, but 'quilted' so I'll still count this as a win! Sewing mojo on it's way back!

Side one.


Side two.


Peek at the inside.

52 Fridays Week 23/52

Had to fend off the paparazzi for this one. They were trying to get a photo of my sewing room in it's disorganized state!



Nothing to see here!

Quilt!!!

I've been noticing that my flickr and blog visitors have dwindled a bit. Then I started to think about what I've been doing differently. or not doing as the case may be.

That would be quilting! Since I got bit by the knitting bug this past September, I've been hibernating and not working on any of my quilt projects.

I've just started listening to a quilting podcast that my lovely friend upstatelisa recommended to me. It's called Quilting Stash. It's getting me thinking quilting again! I feel so bad that I've been neglecting my quilting, and have found that when you stop doing something, your skills don't exactly improve.

I want to quilt more!

These are some of my favorite projects.


Just a reminder to myself, that I'm good at this, it's fun, creative, exciting!

Get back to it already!!

My new mission is to find some fun, exciting like minded quilters in my area to sew with! Anyone in Ottawa, Ontario? I want to start a Modern Quilt Guild in Ottawa.

This is my 100th post.

52 Fridays Week 22/52

Back to reality. I miss the Island already. So much traffic and noise in the city.

How I spent my May Vacation (52 Fridays Week 21)

I'm a tad behind on my 52 Fridays. I did take photos though, just haven't had the time to post them. I went to Prince Edward Island Canada with a knitting friend last week for the Canadian long weekend. We went to visit my Mom at their new Bed & Breakfast in Tignish, PE.
Shameless plug: Go visit them too! Murphy's Tourist Home and Cottages

My Dad was in the process of finalizing the sale of their house here in Ontario, and on his way to PEI. We did manage to catch him enroute the last day.

Here's my summary of the trip. Based on what I can remember and in no particular order of significance. More so based on the few photos I remembered to take. WARNING: LOTS OF PHOTOS.

I traveled from Ottawa to Halifax-Halifax to Charlottetown


I arrived.


My luggage didn't.


Do you like my outfit? I thought I may have had to wear it forever.


Poor Mr. Cow. He has no luggage either!


But my suitcase's trip to Calgary was short lived and it arrived the next morning.

I learned an interesting bit of info that may be useful at dinner parties. Charlottetown is YYG, Calgary is YYC. So if you get someone with bad eyesight, your luggage is taking it's own trip.



A random old house for upstatelisa. She loves photos of old houses.


We went to MacAusland's Woolen Mill and I bought a small piece of woolen blanket that they sell as a shawl. Super warm! and some Wool to make some of type of East coast mittens. To be determined. Christine also bought a blanket!



Giant spinning wheel! almost as tall as me!



Beautiful beach!


My friend and my Mom.


Saw Yoda at the Co-op (Grocery Store)


We saw some boats.


We met some nice horses across from the boats.


Hello there!


We saw the tip of the island. North Cape. And the super cool wind turbines.


Look how long each propeller (?) is!


I took my 52 Fridays photo. "Hey look there's the tip of the island"


Watch out for this cliff. Even the sign is falling in!


This is the lighthouse at the North Cape.


Here's the other side of the island.


We went to a wonderful quilt shop the Quilt Gallery! (website not so fab. but over 3000 bolts of quilting fabric at the amazing shop!!). Michelle who works there told us about a talk that the Northern Lights Quilt Guild of O'Leary were putting on. The speaker was Sandra Betts. She spoke about her work and actually passed things around so we could all have a closer look. Amazing!!

My friend and I blowing away in the wind.


We went to the Past & Present Rug Shop in North Rustico on our drive back to the Charlottetown Airport. They sell lots of rug hooking supplies and also some wonderful Fleece Artist yarn. It's a teeny place but I managed to spend lots of money there!

The End.

Summary:
Had a wonderful relaxing week.
I wish we could have stayed longer.
The weather was great. Not hot. I loved it.
I love small town living.
Can't wait to go back!

52 Fridays Week 20/52

I climbed a mountain! We had a staff retreat and a bunch of us went for a walk to explore. There was a trail to the Summit, so off we went.



I made it.

Talk about a wake-up call though! I thought I was going to run out of oxygen! The other wake-up call is when your co-worker takes a picture of you from behind! No chances for me to pick the angle. Eeeks.

Elliptical and gym here I come!

52 Fridays Week 19/52

If you need me I'll be in the sewing room with my friend Ms. Pfaff. I have lots of Row 10 and other sewing to do!



Or I might be at the Common Thread Quilt Guild Show at the RA Centre in Ottawa! I have three quilts in the show.

Since most of you are unable to go to it due to geography, I'll give you a preview.

McD's Farm


Minny Muu


Picnic Fun


Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day!

Shop Update - Project Bags

I've been sewing like a crazy person working on project bags for my byneedleandthread etsy shop.

The shop has now been updated with 16 lovely bags.



These are for toting around your knitting or crochet project or really anything you want to stash in a fun bag. They are approximately 9 by 12 inches and close with a pretty ribbon and button.

Check them out!

If you decide to buy one, let me know you saw them on my blog, and I'll throw in a little something extra.

52 Fridays Week 18/52

I'm neck deep in fabric!!



I'm in production mode over here. I have an update planned for my new etsy shop! byneedleandthread.etsy.com

To celebrate this event, I am doing a giveaway with Jackie over at KIPing it Real Podcast. She has planned a Meet n Greet at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival tomorrow outside the front gate, and I have donate some prizes! If you're in the area (I'm not but maybe you are) check out the info here.

I will also be doing a giveaway here once the update is complete and the dust settles. So keep checking back for that.

Weekend plans:
-Shop sewing and update
-Sew sleeves on the back of two quilts for the quilt show. Link!
-Drop off quilts for the show
-Make placemat for PQS3
-Mother's day secret project
-Trying to stay off the computer!!!!!

Yikes! I better get my butt moving!

52 Fridays Week 17/52

Sorry I didn't do anything monumentally stupid or funny this week.

And I've been spending too much time doing this...



Which means although I've stalked many patterns on Ravelry, I haven't done much of anything this week.

New on the want to knit list (and the reason I'm now obsessed):
-Monkey Socks (Rebecca's cool ones at Knitting Night)
-Central Park Hoodie (this one's Jackie's fault)

Weekend plans:
-seeing my parents
-crafty things (not sure what yet)

Knitting Blunder & 52 Fridays Week 16/52

At lunch yesterday I went out to buy a coffee cake to bring to my Thursday night knitting group.

When I left work I had my usual bag, a bag of knitting and a grocery bag with a cake in it. I decided that this was too many bags to manage on the bus. So, while in the elevator (alone) I decided to empty my knitting bag, and put the cake at the bottom of it. This involved grabbing the small rainbow ball of dishcloth cotton, a large tangly ball of dishcloth cotton and holding that between my knees, the project bag containing my shawl in progress under one arm, and a bag of yarn I bought in Toronto to show the ladies at knitting under my other arm. Then of course the elevator door opens and a man in full biking gear (helmet, spandex, yellow jacket) walks in, and looks at ME funny. (he shoulda seen himself!). So not being one to keep things to myself. (i.e. feeling the need to explain myself to random strangers). I told him I was going to knitting and bringing a cake, and trying to move it to the bottom of my bag before we get to to ground floor. Bell rings. We're there. I shove the knitting stuff all in the bag, say "Perfect!" and proceed to strut out of the elevator all proud of myself amazed at my speed and accomplishment this feat!

Then I hear "Whoa! whoa! whoa!" I'm about 10 feet out of the elevator at this point. I turn around and he's holding the ball of rainbow yarn?? I look at the tail coming outta the ball, which is not only trailing behind me the 10 feet attached to the dishcloth in progress that is all safe in my bag, but it's also wrapped around my leg! I thanked him like this is something normal people do every day, and finished my strut out of the lobby.

Then laughed so hard I cried.

52 Fridays Week 16/52

I love Fridays for many reason, two of which are jeans and sneakers.



Weekend plans

-shopping in the US with my parents
-knitting in the car
-row 10 catch up
-secret project
-placemat swap daydreaming

52 Fridays Week 15/52

It's Friday again, when did that happen? I've got lots to do today/this weekend, so I decided multi-tasking was in order. I took the photo of myself while on the bus this morning, very covertly of course, don't want anyone to know how weird I really am. :)



I’m going to Toronto for work meetings on Monday and Tuesday. I planned an early flight Sunday morning so that I could visit with my friend Chantale who lives in Barrie. She is going to drive in for the day. I’ve already lined up a few yarn shops we need to visit. So far my list includes: Purple Purl, Lettuce Knit and Whole Foods. One more stop has to be the most amazing looking store The Paper Place! My coworker was telling me about it. I'm giddy just thinking of all the bright colours and cuteness!I'm not sure what else we’ll do. I can’t wait! Anyone have any other Toronto suggestions? I need to keep in mind that it's just one day of exploring.

Before Sunday I need to get all my ducks in a row. I’ve got some last minute sewing to do and some overdue packages to send out.

Weekend Plans
- Sew
- Mail packages
- Shopping for snacks
- Do laundry & pack for my trip
- Visit with Chantale (Yay!)
- A zillion other things

Sew!

I took a little break to dye some yarn this weekend using the tutorial at Kathryn Ivy.



But mostly I've been doing a lot of sewing.

I finished the last 3 months of Ten Make Two. I'm anxiously awaiting my blocks.



I have also been working on row10. I'm enjoying making my own blocks with no patterns. Here's my hedgehog. It started as a doodle one day at work, then a more structured picture. Before I couloured the picture, it passed the "what do you think this looks like" test with my husband.



I did a little math, and now a wonderful block. If I do say so myself.



I hope everyone else is having a great long weekend!

52 Fridays Week 14/52

Theme of the week Green. Had to feature Mr. Froggy.



Looong Weekend Plans
- Visit my parents today for easter dinner
- Visit S's parents tomorrow
- Going outside! It's going super warm this weekend!
- Sewing
- Bee blocks
- Secret project
- I also have an urge to work on Dear Jane blocks again.
- Knitting
- Dyeing yarn with easter egg dye!

Happy Easter Folks!

52 Fridays Week 13/52

Even though it's -11C (12F) outside today. I am going to embrace spring here at the office. With my daffodils that I bought to support the Canadian Cancer Society.



Weekend plans
- Cleaning! Because my friend is sleeping over in my craft room! Eeks!
- Potluck with friends
- Sewing for an exciting project (news to come)
- Bee block sewing
- Knitting of course!

Don't forget about Earth Hour tomorrow night!