I love fall! It is my favourite season. I just love the crisp cool days, the colours, the leaves changing, the smell of fireplace smoke in the air, walking through crunchy leaves, pumpkins and spice and everything nice.

I even like the dull rainy days. Those are the days that I stay in, and we put a fire on in the fireplace, make a nice mug of tea, and either quilt or knit the day away (usually both!).

This weekend, on Saturday,  I was up in Northbrook at Log Cabin Yarns for a yarn dyeing class. It was terrific. Look at the yarn twelve of us dyed:Mine is the third from the left - one of the olive hanks. All round it was a fun day.Summer of 2008 I had taken a fabric dyeing class, and it is a similar process.

Sunday, DH and I went for a 3.5km hike in the Lanark Highlands:The leaves are not yet at their peak, as here in the maple forest most of the younger trees are still green.

There are some trees that are in full blaze of colour:DH in a winter deer yard:A little bit of colour here:And some nice specimens of fungus/mushrooms:After our wonderful hike, I managed to get up to date with my TB Lovers 2 (online Thimbleberries group), and got my October lottery done:

Waterwheel Variation

And, my  BOM Building Blocks October block:

October Building Blocks a Nancy Rink Designs BOM

January to October:And a HOF (hearts of friendship) block for Tina’s new grandson:Happy Fall everyone!

Hard to believe that we are already in May. Well, here are my blocks for May:

May BOM

BOM progress: January-May blocks

May lottery blocks, one for the lottery, one for charity

We made table runners at my LQS’s Friday Fun Nite. There was no “real” pattern, just grids and ideas on how to use charm packs and coordinating fabrics to make a table runner in whatever size we wanted. This is how mine turned out:I used Moda Holly Taylor “Trail Adventures” charm pack  and fabrics. I will machine quilt it.

This morning I put on the final borders for the Thimbleberries 2008 Lodge quilt. I will post a photo later on.

March Block

The online Thimbleberries group I am a member of is doing a BOM for 2009 called Building Blocks, a free online bom from Nancy Rink Designs. For this year’s BOM we do not have to use Thimbleberries fabric - we can choose from our stash. I am using fabric from my stash — Belle Fleurs Noire from Connecting Threads.It’s so nice to be able to stash-bust!

I have this pattern from the Thimbleberries 2008 BOM Club - the bear paw block is part of the large bed quilt. However, TB also gave the pattern to make a runner. I love the fabric in this runner, and I love the bear paw block. It has applique as well — fused pinecones.

Thimbleberries bear paw runner

Hey Diddle Diddle

At the Country Quilter retreat in January I started making a baby quilt for friends Jen & John (from Burnaby, BC). I finally got around to finishing it, and the baby is not even born yet!  The flannel fabric is a kit — Hey Diddle Diddle — from Connecting Threads, and on their website I found a matching label. Sweet! Now, just to get it packed up and mailed to them.

quilt label for Hey Diddle Diddle

Back of baby quilt

Thimbleberries Vacation Houses

This is a terrific pattern from Thimbleberries called Vacation Houses. I first saw this pattern in a quilting magazine and found it at Ericas and purchased it along with the Subtle Solids fabric.  Even though I have never been to Tuscany, the look of these colourful houses make me think of Tuscany.

I got most of it pieced while at the country quilter retreat Jan 22-25, FORGOT to bring the border fabric(!) - but now I’ve got the borders on and am in the process of hand quilting it.

This quilt will be for either our house or my office at work.