September always means fall time and a new set of Beginner Quilting courses in Inuvik. This year makes the 6th or 7th year I have done these. The first year we did a beginners course 22 people signed up! We didn't want to turn anyone away as it was the year we created the Guild. Over the year's we did start to limit the course size and have also experimented with different projects.

We have done wallhangings and table runners which I have proven to be good projects but I feel these are as much work as a larger project and does not give as much satisfaction in the finished project. After being inspired by a new quilter in our Guild who showed up later in the year and just jumped right in I decided this year to tackle a lap quilt project right from Day 1 for the new beginners.

I chose the Bento Box pattern and participants brought their own fat quarters for this. It is all worked out perfectly, although the original Bento Box pattern could use some updating and not waste so much fabric!!!! Participants were not scared of anything and except for the occational freak out that something was cut wrong. Everything turned out great.

We will do a follow up session so to teach layering, quilting and eventually binding. Here are some photos of our sweet success!

shona

Long Time No See...

Sew many things to comment on write about as I have not used this Blog for a very long time. I have decided to start it back up as I just received my copy of Canadian Quilter magazine and saw that it was posted in my Regional Representative biography! I continue to do tons of quilting in Inuvik, Yellowknife and elsewhere; along with continuing to curl as a competitive level. And I LOVE both!

As for quilting... let me start with a quick overview of some interesting projects that either me or the Inuvik Quilting Guild has been working on.

First, is our Inuvik Advent Calendar. Quilter Arlene Hansen adapted a pattern to make it unique to our community, even complete with our colourful rowhouses nicknamed "Smartie Box Houses". I managed to get it ready for December 1 but have decided to keep adding details to it each year.

Second, many babies arrived into my life in the past 2 years. Not mine of course, but those of friends and family. I am now an Auntie many times over and I take this job very seriously. Most proud of neice Sydney who can now talk to me on the phone and twin neices Kallelah Amour and Keauni Zen who will keep me busy as they get older!!! All I can saw is being an Auntie means more baby quilts and sewing projects!!!

Third, still doing lots of fabric dyeing and having as much fun with it as I did from the beginning. I was lucky enough to make it to Yellowknife in June 2010 to learn dyeing techniques from maven Carol Soderlund from New York.

Fourth, was a great trip to Calgary and Quilt Canada 2010 with Arlene Hansen and Carolyn Hunter. Lots of laughs and none stop quilting... a couple pictures from mine and Carolyn's time spent with Pamela Allen.

Enjoy and will continue to post updates more regularly and showing people a bit of quilting north of the Arctic Circle.

shona