Beautiful quilt, Kay! I've thought about trying quilting. I really should finish a quilt I started years ago for my son-using scraps of fabric from his clothing through the years. I would check out McCalls, but I know I would never finish. I could manage a block a month though-maybe :) I really need a winter hobby.

Those look really nice so far. In the winter I write and sometimes draw. In the summer I'm too busy with work and the gardens to do either--eh, who am I kidding, it's because my mind thinks about nothing but my gardens in the summer, and the other hobbies get pushed aside. However, I promised myself I will finish my novel by the end of the year so I can not let it sit untouched this summer. I've been working on it a lot these past few months because I know myself--once the warm weather returns I'm outside. Here's a recent picture I drew, a scene from my novel:

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This where my main character has a surprise reunion with his son after being away for months to war. The picture is fuzzy because I used my camera to capture it and the lighting wasn't the best.

Karen

Karen,
That is a beautiful picture! You are very talented!

ngraham, I have spent a good many hours with this, and it makes a great Winter hobby.
Thank you both for looking and commenting.
kay

Kay, all of your patchwork is beautiful, but I must say that the blue and green really took my breath away. I love those colors together. I used to quilt. The fingers aren't quite nimble enough anymore for sewing, but they can handle a shovel!! You'll have fun with the quilting when you get to that stage.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

Thats very pretty Kay, Thats one thing that has never interested me making quilts.I use to make all my kids clothes when they were small,and dont lots of crochet work, but just never wanted to mess with quilts.

Jean

Wow, you sure have a lot of talent! I'm definitely impressed! I have a quilt that has been in the making for years. I'd probably make some headway if I'd stay off the computer or out of the daylily garden once warm weather is here.

Nancy

I dabble with photography.

Edward

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Karen, you are very talented. That drawing is wonderful. And Edward, your photography is stunning.

That brings me to Kay and her quilting. Wow, lovely and ambitious. Both for sure. I admire you as I don't sew and would never have the patience. Besides I don't need any winter hobbies as I figgure winter is a time to have more time to goof off. So I just read a lot and also watch Netflix DVDs. No time for any of that come summer gardening season. And I didn't hatch any eggs or raise any chickens this winter, unlike last winter.

Your photo is beautiful, Edward.

Karen

Great drawing, Karen, I love the detail! And that is a great photo, Edward, I feel as if I were there. Seems to have a real depth to it. Where is the lighthouse?

Kay, Karen, and Edward-- All three of you are very talented. Thanks for sharing your talents.
Val

Thanks, everyone!

Karen

Wow! Lots of talented people on here. I don't have the patience for quilting, though I used to do a lot of sewing. I had planned to pick up some sewing this winter but instead we remodeled the kitchen. Thank heavens that's nearly finished. Just in the nick of time too!

Thanks for the kind words. The lighthouse is in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. It is about 45 minutes from Halifax.

Wow, Kay, Karen and Edward. These are just great projects. So talented all 3 of you.

Julia

All I can say is WOW! To all three of you! Kay, I have been sewing since I was about 7 years old. Quilts, clothes, baby items, you name it, I've tried it. I do a lot of doll clothes and my pet comforters lately. If I ever get my ducks in a row this spring, I will be making a new wardrobe for myself. I just love the colors in patchwork. Just like sewing a cottage garden! :) Your color coordination is just perfect! You'd never guess you are a beginner! Welcome to the world of fabric! You can never have enough!!

Karen, I have been writing for some time now, just about my experiences, but your novel has me intrigued! Awesome artwork! I love the detail! What media did you use? I was always told as a child that I was going to grow up to be an artist or a vet. Life had other ideas for me as I have written about but I do so love to draw, paint and write, and I am still crazy about animals! :)

Edward, that picture is breathtaking. I thought it was Peggy's Cove when I first saw it! Beautiful, beautiful place to visit! Can't say I am a photographer. Not even a bad one! but I do love to take pictures that never turn out and I love the art of photography. You appear to have the gift! Thank you for sharing it with us!! :)

So much talent and skill. Thank you all for sharing! Much appreciated! :)

Ginny

Ginny--

Thank you. I work mostly in graphite pencil, which is what this drawing was made with, but I also use colored pencil and oil paints, but I haven't used paints in years. I have done some work with ink, mainly comic book characters, but I haven't worked with ink in years either. When I was a kid I thought I would like to be a vet because of my love for animals, that idea never made it far since I'm squeamish when it comes to blood and needles and such. :P

Karen

One of my favorite mediums Karen. Excellent for shading which is of course excellent for drawing animals. I haven't done any formal drawing for years, since I was in University in my 30's. Perhaps it will become a daily thing one day soon. :) I have 5 shelties and a huge yard, plus caretaker for Dad and my elderly neighbour. As long as I am still Mom to everyone, my art will have to wait a bit. But you can share your drawings with me anytime! :)

Kay, I am now intrigued to start a square of the month quilt like I need any more projects! I do have a nice collection of fall prints and solids though and they would look really nice in a unique quilt. :) I'll post when I have them done.

Ed, I look forward to your daylily pics. They are soooo beautiful!!!

Ginny

Ed Your photo is beautiful. Ginny, I will look forward to seeing your quilt.

Ginny and Rita,

I have been sewing for many years, but this is the first time I became interested in quilting although my grandmother won many prizes for hers. I am a machine quilter, not a hand quilter mainly. Ginny, I look forward to seeing your squares as you complete them.

kay

Here is another lighthouse favourite.

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Love the lighthouses! Dad is an old sailor and he talks of the lighthouses often. I always wanted to live in one when I was a kid. Or a castle. If I build a house even on the prairies, I will have a widows walk. :)

Kay, I did a quilt top for my Dad, all in a sailor theme. I never finished it but I will get a picture of it and post it.

A few years ago I did Dad's whole bedroom in a navy theme including pictures of his days on the ship and the crew he sailed with in WWII.He is very proud of his service days in the Canadian Navy. Sailed into Halifax harbour many times and past Peggy's Cove lots.

Ginny

That one is even more beautiful, Edward. The coloring is very nice, and what a nice detail to capture sky as you did. Having seen your daylily pictures, I'm sure no one is surprised that you are such a fine photographer.
kay

Hey Edward! I thought that lighthouse looked vaguely familiar! I was there last fall, your photo looks so much better than mine.

WOW!! to all three of you we have some very talented folks on this forum.
Linda

Kay, I like the log cabin quilt you did. I am still waiting on mine from my wife. She likes piecing but not quilting. Occasionally we send her pieces out to be machine quilted.

ngraham, if I new you were in town I could have shown you the sites.

Karen, I love pencil drawings. I wish it were a talent I had.

Thank you Edward, I have considered sending that monster to be quilted, but I will do it. I understand why your wife prefers to piece, since it is almost a discovery process as the design come to life in your hands...Quilting, on the other hand, is work unless you happen to have one of the "long arm" quilting machines, or another very expensive machine. But I fell sure she has shared that information with you already.

I would like to see more of your work. While I enjoy photographing blooms and wildlife in my yard, (The present raccoon visitor excepted) your lighthouse scenes (and your daylily photographs) reveal a professional skill level.

kay

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I used to collect lighthouse calendars and these pics of yours are calendar perfect, Edward! What camera do you use?

Kay, I can't find that quilt top yet but here are a couple of puppy blanket pics I have to quilt yet. It takes lots of patience to machine quilt through 4 inches of fibrefill! :/

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Also, I printed out the five block patterns for the BOTM quilt on McCall's site. I can't do an Irish quilt in fall colors so now I just have to go find some new green cottons.........twist my rubber arm! :) March is quilt month here and my favorite fabric store has cottons on sale 60% off! Lucky me!

Ginny

That one makes you want to walk up to the lighthouse, Edward.

ginny, Those are very cute! I'm sure it is a real pain to sew through all the fiberfill. Good! It will be fun to make the quilt. I ordered the hexagons for the fifth block. I didn't want to use a compass to draw them, and they need to be right. I think it will be pretty simple really.
kay

Ginny, those pictures were taken with a 4X5 monorail camera with a Schneider 150mm lens. That is equivalent to a 50mm lens on the 35mm format. The film was Provia 100F.

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Now that is a "light" house! Thanks for sharing Edward. Your work is awesome! Can't wait to see the daylilies! I was looking back at one of your DL pics you posted; one I want to purchase. Longlesson Showoff. It looked better than all the pics I've seen! I'm sold! And now I have to go fabric shopping.:)

Ginny