Winter of 2017

Summer of 2014, I went to Oregon to visit  my son Chris and his family. The Maki's were kind enough to take me to a few quilt stores. We went to, The Common Thread Quilt store, Portland, Oregon. I purchased a 42 pieces 10" square, (layer cake), Pearl Essence Neutrals, on sale for $29.00. The fabrics were so beautiful, I just loved them. A year later I asked Nicole if she would buy me another package, if it was still available. She bought it and sent it to me. Last spring I purchased 15 yard of White Pearl Essence, Maywood Fabrics, California,  from Luci's quilt store here in town, "Circle of Friends". 

I chose the pattern Mod Circuitry. I cut a 6 1/2" block and four strips. This was the best pattern for a 10" piece of fabric, with no waste. 

My niece Ami, has a large family, so I'm able to make many quilts for her. 

Ami picked this one for herself. I didn't use the white or cream layer cake pieces because I used white for the background, cracked grey for the back.

Rick's pick. Again I didn't use the white or cream layer cake pieces, I used Luci's Pearl Essence white fabric for the background and the same cracked grey for the back. 

This quilt was made from all the left over scraps. I used the white, cream, left over black and grey, plus black and grey, Michael Miller's Fairy Frost. I purchased the Fairy Frost fabrics from Crystal's in Grand Marais. MN about 10 years ago, I still have some left. Maria Bell         suggested I use solid yellow for the background, and more grey for the back.  I gave this one to Jennifer,  Ami & Rick's daughter. This is one way I can pay them back for all they do for me. 

Nicole posts "quilts for mom" on my Pinterest site. I saw the pattern Ombre Gems by Emily Dennis, "Quilt Love" Blog. I ordered the paper pattern. Shortly after I got the pattern in the mail, Emily post a 10 week Ombre Gem quilt along. Right now we are on week eight. I saw another pattern that would work well with my 2 1/2" strips. Quilty Beads by Emily 

" Quilt Love" This quilt is at Ami's place.

Sad news, Today I found out the Common Tread Quilt Store Closed it's door.   

Mother's Day May 13, 2018. 

  

My Mom arrived in Fort William, November 1927.

May 12, 2018. 

My Uncle Andy arrived in Canada a few years before my mom. My mom arrived in Fort William at the beginning of Winter, 1927. My Uncle Andy took her across the railway tracks, to a clothing store in the East End, at that time it was called the "Coal Docks". The ships delivered the coal at the waterfront. Mom told me Uncle Andy bought her a coat and boots, Slovakia is a warm country, she had no idea what she got herself into. Fortunately roughly 2,000 Slovak's lived in the East End of Fort William. They all took good care of my mom. Years later, a Slovak couple introduced her to my dad, a widower. My dad died, July 23, 1941. 

1944, Christmas morning, my brother John, 14 years old, me, 10 years old, and my sister Monica, almost 9 years old, walked to St. Patrick's Church. We got to the corner of Simpson Street and Victoria Ave, Bank of Montreal, we could smell smoke. Soon as we hit Victoria Ave, we saw that the Avenue Hotel was gone, it was just smouldering. A few days later the City build a huge fence all around the lot. Johnny sang the song that was popular at that time.  "Don't Fence Me In".

When my Mom arrive in Fort William, she started working at the Avenue Hotel, washing the wooden floors, on her hands and knees. She eventually worked her way up to helping in the kitchen. Here she learned to cook Canadian food, later she would combine it with her Slovak cooking. Mom was an excellent cook. My dad told my mom, he was so sorry he hadn't met her when he was a young man. He never owned a house until he married my mom. 
I loved my dad, I still miss him. He died when I was 6 1/2 years old. Whatever my dad was, good or bad, to me he was the best. 




The Avenue Hotel, 320 Victoria Ave(Later to become the Odeon Theatre).

The first picture shown here on the left was the original Avenue hotel, (photo circa 1890...not too many buildings to be seen from the corner of Victoria Ave and Simpson St then). The second  photo show the Avenue hotel built in 1894, immediately after fire destroyed its predecessor of the same name on the same property. The Avenue Hotel was right in the centre of Fort Willam;s business district and was the towns premier accommodation. When it was new it was described as "among the best appointed houses of the Province" with 40 rooms (later expanded to 70), beautiful oak finishings throughout out and it's own dray service to and from the station and the docks. Its cuisine was amoung it's major attractions (with even it's own bakery in the basement), and it's bar was said to be the longest in town. Even after bigger and more luxurious where constructed, the Avenue maintained it's popularity as the choice of touring Vaudeville actors performing at nearby theatres. One of the early hotel's features was a pet bear who was very fond of sweets and was well supplied by his many admirers. The Avenue was victim of several fires, the last coming in 1944, the it burned to the ground.   

The hotel was actually located on the corner of Victoria Ave, called McVicar Street, at that time. Today Simpson Street goes right through most of the buildings shown on the far left of the photo below
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My Quilts. 2015 - 2018

My Quilts. 2015 - 2018

Catching up

Testing my inactive blog to see if I still have one. It has been three years since my last post, sound like a confession to my Priest, but that doesn't mean I've been away from my sewing machine.

I am easily distracted and at times forgetful, I don't have an iPhone or iPad so I share what I have accomplished on Facebook. I use it as my journal for Scrapbooking and blogging. I've done some odd project and started some new ones. 

It has been 5 years since Bill's been gone, I still miss him, I guess I aways will. In these last few months, I've lost some very good friends. I find comfort in my sewing room, it was my bedroom, at one time, the calm of planning, cutting and sewing fabric is a great healer. 

Pam and I worked together in the meat department at Safeway. She was 20, I was 40. We have connected again, she is 62, I'm 83. Pam takes me with her for her trips to the US border. It's a fun day for us. She sew, she paints, we have many things in common. 

Last summer Maria B and I bought a Janome Canadian 150, computerized, 12 pound sewing machine from Dori. It was a good thing, the circuit board and LED light on my Horizon  8900 had to be replaced. It was still under warranty, I sent it back to Beaverton, Oregon. It was gone for two and a half months. Steve, sent my sewing machine back, well packed in a new box, to Rydens store, at the US border. The original box, my foot and cord were missing. I called and told them, Steve sent my original box to Rydens, the foot pedal and cord was sent to Canada via UPS. The two pound package travelled from Portland, Oregon, to Minneapolis, MN, - Illinois - Ohio - Detroit, US - to Concord, Ontario - Toronto -  Thunder Bay, ON. That little package have a great trip.


While my 8900 was gone I sewed some bags, mugs rugs and four tops. April 2018, after I got my 8900 machine back, I quilted the tops, added the binding. I like sewing the binding by hand, it's a relaxing time for me, that is what I'm doing now. 

I still need to get back to my other crafts that I have neglected, my blog and scrapbooking the history of all my quilts.

Tomorrow I'm going to post all the quilts I've made since 2015. 

I love my Janome Special Canadian 150.  Designed for our Canadian 150th Birthday. 

My Janome Horizon 8900

Viljo William Bill Maki, May 23, 2015.

My Bill.    October 6, 1931 - November 17, 2012,

Two years ago today we, your family,  layed you to rest.

Loved you, now I miss you.

The Bill I first met.

The Bill I loved caring for. 

We went for coffee at Walmart's McDonald everyday.  I miss that too.

I pray and quilt to fill my lonely days. I thank God for my good health, my children, my wonderful kind friends, and all my quilting friends. God is good. Something I found on a Quilt site. Thank you.

Guide my hands to work as Your hands work, to know the power of Your love in every stitch I make, in every thread I knot. May my hands be guided by the same love and care with every quilt I make, knowing that this love and care was and is and will continue to be a gift of blessing to the one it is intended for.