Blogging can be fun.

I have read  blogs where things are given away.    Some very nice
things. It sounds like a simple thing to do for fun.  And I am curious about this whole process so,
  I am going to do ' a giveaway' in celebration of....
my 100th blog post.
it is a sunny day
it is the first of September
I am happy
I have  family I love
I have friends near and far
I have a home.
There is reason to celebrate.

What should I give away?  My heart is given but I will give you
something from the heart.
You need to leave a comment.  I do the usual and someone will get a surprise in the mail.
I will post the what  & who on Sept. 9th (an important date to me).
(it's a surprise so why would I tell you what it is?)

  Yes ! This could be fun.
gudrun

NQR (not quilting related) but how cool is this!

I am not a fan of spiders, but as long as they aren't in my face I let them be.
If they get in my face I freak...it is a strange relationship.

Last year I was amazed by a web high above my back door (I am short  :))
and the lack of flies getting into the house....no screen door here. Charlotte '09
is no longer above the back door but,  this year, I found this spider's
tunnel home at my back door, where I have a flower garden and rock collection
and a few other odds and ends.

Back door home for Charlotte's friend.

Close up of Spidey's Place.

Is it not  interesting?  Imagine if Alice fell down the spider hole
Argh I am freaking myself out here :)

Happy Wednesday!
gudrun

A 1 minute lesson on Wool Batting

Let's talk batting. I have recently taken to recommending wool batts in quilts. Wool batting is marvelous. It's my favourite. It costs more the a cotton batt or a poly batt.  However, I think one gets a bargain considering all great properties of wool. 

What I have learned about wool....

Wool fiber has a natural crimp due to its unique  structure. This allows the fiber to bend and turn, giving wool an inherent three-dimensional crimp. Because it is naturally elastic and resilient, wool has rapid wrinkle recovery, durability, bulk, loft, warmth and resistance to abrasion.

Wool is a year-round fiber. Wool easily absorbs up to 30 percent of its weight in moisture without feeling damp or clammy. This ability to absorb moisture makes it comfortable in warm and cold conditions. By absorbing perspiration, wool enhances the body’s own cooling system, keeping the skin dry. This characteristic makes wool a versatile all-season fabric.

Wool keeps you warm in the winter by absorbing perspiration, allowing the body to generate heat faster than heat is lost. 

Because wool contains moisture in every fiber, it resists flame without chemical treatment. Instead of burning freely when touched by flame, wool chars and stops burning when it is removed from the source of the flame. Wool is self-extinguishing; it will not support combustion. This is why wool blankets are recommended for use in extinguishing small fires. 

Amazing eh!

Happy Tuesday,

gudrun

Quilting a 36 patch

The season is the reason I have been absent from the blogosphere :)) I am having
a wonderful summer. I try to spend as much of it outside as possible, and on vacation
as much as I can get away.  I spent two weeks visiting a friend, a couple of weekends
on Georgian Bay sailing, have had friends for weekends and just have not had
time for media. ( Except for the radio.)  I am back, the season is winding down...work waited only
a little while.
 Look at this delight.

I like scrappy and this is great pattern for scraps.  The 9 patch blocks are 3.5" .  This lovely 4x9 patch,  uses a solid soft beige in the plain blocks. The result is surprisingly restful.

 I am off to do a little more gardening, it's perennial dividing and conquering time on southern Georgian Bay.

Happy Sunny Tuesday,

gudrun

New York Beauties

Another  New York Beauty I  had the pleasure of quilting.  There are folded fabric points in the construction method.  This does not allow for quilting edge to edge.

The second picture shows what I mean. I used a grey thread with a shine.  I was surprised at how

much the thread blended into the colours making it a challenge to see.
Pictures of previous NYB I  quilted.....

 







Sew...I need to finish the one I have started constructing. Of course I have no intention of setting the blocks like the quilts above. Although how to set them,  is yet to be determined.
gudrun