Finally!

Finally, I have my sewing machine at the right height. I have been struggling with just the right set-up for such a long time. I have always wanted to have my sewing machine down into my table so that the bed of the machine was flush with the table top. A Horn Cabinet was out of the question, I have too much Scottish blood in me to spend the money!

This is what my sewing machine used to look like, sitting on top of my table.

While in Calgary a few months ago we popped into Sewing World/Sewing Sensation (thanks Cheryl) to pick up some legs for my portable quilting table. They are Canada's top Pfaff dealer and I have a Pfaff 2046. While there we looked at the Horn Cabinets and chatted with one of the salespeople who suggested we look at the Lee Valley Sewing Machine Lift. My sewing table is built in, attached to the wall so this seemed like a great idea. So when we got home one of the first things we did was head to Lee Valley in Halifax and buy the lift. In no time Peter had it installed and I am thrilled! It took a bit of work as it doens't come with much in the way of insructions. Luckily, after an offhand chat with the owner of NS Building Supplies in Blockhouse, Peter was able to get them make a plexiglass insert to fit in around my machine. So I am in business and it works great!

Now I have adjusted my chair so my knees are at right angles, my back is supported and I am comfortable! I have also been following Elaine Quehl's advice and have taken off my right foot shoe and am sewing in my socks! I really like it!

And here is the below table shot, a bit of a mess but I love my space and my view, soon the lobster boats will be back to keep me company.

Now to get caught up on a few projects and start a new baby quilt for our new grandson who is due mid November.

2011 Quilters Retreat

The 13th Quilters Retreat at Pictou Lodge, Nova Scotia is now just a very happy memory. It is hard to believe that we started this event in 1984 after my Guild, the Mayflower Quilters Guild, hosted Quilt Canada in Halifax and we decided we had such fun that we should do something else on a smaller scale. We never dreamt we would still be going strong 27 years later. We just wanted to bring the best teachers we could to teach and what a better place to do it - Pictou Lodge.

On the first night everyone (64 of us) gathers in the bar and on the verandah, time to see old friends and make some new ones.

Our teachers this year were Jane Sassaman, Daphne Greig and Elaine Quehl. Froom all accounts they were all wonderful teachers. I took Elaine's Machine Quilting Boot Camp...me, a die-hard 38 year hand quilting veteran! I learned so much, I can't wait to practice doodling and get going with my machine quilting. It will never take the place of my hand quilting but I can see there are small quilts where this will come in handy. Thanks Elaine for your patience with me!

Elaine demos, she makes it look so easy!

Elaine's poppies Kissing Joy, a stunning quilt with incredible quilting.

We had some great weather this year, no hurricanes! Even though the fog rolled in one day it was beautiful and warm. Lots of bright spots around with the colourful Adirondack chairs.

The view from our cabin, looking across the salt water pond to the Northumberland Strait.

We have a wonderful show and tell every year, we call it a "Progressive Show and Tell" and we go around to all the cabins to see everyone's quilts on their beds and wallhangings and lots more. We do this in the evening, kind of a quilter's Hallowe'en!

To commemorate our 13 Retreats at Pictou Lodge we gave them a quilt to hang in the main diningroom. It was pieced by Faye Palmeter, the applique and machine quilting was done by Debbie Vermeulen and the binding by Ann Carmichael. If you look closely, just to the right of the headland you can see that Debbie quilted in the PEI Cariboo Ferry, as we see it from Pictou Lodge! Thanks to Steve Goodwin at the Pictou Advocate for the photo.

Polly and Anne, Meredith, Betsey and Jamie

I have the best cabinmates! Polly taught me to quilt 38 years ago, her daughter Betsey came from Vermont, Anne from Cape Breton and Jamie and Meredith from Halifax. Have you ever seen the YouTube video of the dog talking about bacon? That is what they are watching! We all had such a great time, can't wait for September 25-29, 2013!

A Favourite Place

I am not so lucky that my son and his family have chosen to live in the wild west, Calgary to be specific. It is a long way from the east coast, too far to drive and it is a 5 hour plane ride if everything is on time but we love to visit. So we make a once a year trip for a couple of weeks, play with Molly, son and father golf and for me a little quilt store visiting. So I am lucky that there are about 5 great quilt stores, 4 in Calgary and one, Sugar Pine Quilts in Canmore. The 4 in Calgary are Sewing Sensation/World, Out of Hand, My Sewing Room and my very favourite Traditional Pastimes. The atmosphere is welcoming and cosy, the staff is very helpful and attentive and I love that they have so many samples from patterns and books. They love what they are doing, you can just tell.

Katie and Bernadette (r), the owner, they are both wearing skirts they made and I forgot to get the name of the pattern!

They are all ready for Hallowe'en!

There are lots more pictures of Traditional Pastimes in my Flickr Photostream.

And if you do get a chance to go to Traditional Pastimes, go hungry and have lunch or a snack next door at The Lazy Loaf and Kettle. My quilt friend Cheryl Arkison recommended it and I second the recommendation!