Monday, 14 January 2013

Mother Nature Can Be Cruel


After waiting all weekend for snow, the girls awoke to a white world this morning. Not enough white to have school cancelled though. As Emily said, 'So not fair!' They squeezed some time outdoors in before the school run. It wasn't even really light yet!


There was a reprieve for one of them though. The snow continued to fall and the primary school caved in and closed. Emily got half a snow day, which she declared better than no snow day.

My North American friends need to try and not laugh here when they see how much snow got school cancelled. Things work different here. And we get so little snow that, quite frankly, I am happy for the extra playtime the school closing gave Em.

I just want to know why she is using my kitchen broom
to sweep the driveway.
While the snow fell I pinned and sewed. I got Salt Air basted. And as I have a very poor success rate keeping the backing flat while basting I tried something new this time. I pinned the bugger to the carpet, and it worked. I don't have a non-carpet floor big enough for basting so taping it down is  not an alternative. I was quite pleased that the pinning worked.

I then did a big loop-the-loop stipple all over the HSTs of the quilt, and some FMQ words around the border. Now all I have to do is trim, sew the binding on the front and hand sew the back of the binding down.


I may have my first quilt of 2013 finished tomorrow. Maybe.

Susan

41 comments:

sew.darn.quilt said...

I'm still snickering about the snow!
We have to have -40C wind chill or a blizzard to have school cancelled!
Love the quilting :)

Flo @ Butterfly Quilting said...

I am chuckling too! We have had record snow fall this year...the drive way is like a tunnel! Enjoy your snow day :)

Nat at Made in Home said...

Snoopwww! Love the fact that all stops here when there is a little bit too much - a great excuse to chill and get on with crafty projects!

Archie the wonder dog said...

It started snowing at about half ten this morning and by half one we had about an inch. By the time Archie went out for his teatime walk (half four) there was nothing left 'cos it kept raining and sleeting. Not fair! I assume school closed because for the half hour they were thinking about what to do the snow was falling fast and then by the time they'd phoned half the parents it'd stopped?!
Love your Salt Air quilting - gorgeous!
P.S. I tape my quilt backs to the carpet...

Kelly said...

Woo hoo for our pathetic ability to deal with a flurry of snow - glad they got some snow time :)

Amys Crafty Shenanigans said...

Too funny about all the school closures - just watched it on the news! It's just snow people! What a bunch of wimps eh - they have NO idea what 'snow' is! You and I KNOW all about SNOW! x

Cindy Sharp said...

That much snow would have closed our schools. North Texans don't do snow....I can even remember a time when the schools closed for a couple of days because it was just too cold....the heating costs ran too high. Most kids don't even own a real coat...they think a hooded sweat shirt is a jacket.

Glad your daughters were able to play in it for a bit.

cheeky monkey said...

You are so lucky to have snow! Comment in my house after seeing the snow on the island next: Why can't we have snow! we are so close!

pinning to the carpet? sounds fun. Need to try as I don't have any non carpet floors eiterh

gilly said...

I declared today a snow day too.. then the sun came out and blue skies appeared! But a good excuse to stay indoors and sew nonetheless :-)
Love your Salt Air quilt - look forward to seeing it all done & dusted.
xx

QuiltCandy said...

Lucky you getting some snow! No such luck here in Jersey, I don't think they get much, and there's been none seen since 2010 apparently :-( Your quilting looks fantastic by the way. Really looking forward to seeing it finished. Good luck!

Annabella said...

It does look beautiful and I'm sure poor Helen was gutted! I can't wait to see Salt Air done and ta-dahed!

Marla's Crafts said...

Where about's in Canada do you live. I am in NB and we are having a mild day. I am anxious to see the whole quilt. I finished the top of mine today and hope to be brave enough to machine quilt it.
Here is my sight and my quilt top.

http://marlarockscrafts.blogspot.ca/
I hope you take a look. Marla

Quilter in the Gap said...

We've canacelled for less than that but we have mountain driving. Glad my girl got some play time in. Good for her!

Di said...

Salt Air quilting is lovely, especially, the writing. Clever you. Glad that your girl got some snow time. It is magical if you don't have to go out in the car. Di x

Cindy said...

Your FMQ is super! What a pretty quilt this will be!

Patchwork and Play said...

School in Australia NEVER gets cancelled- not even for 42 degree heat! With basting I always tape to carpet- no other choice! The Salt Air is going to be very pretty!

Catherine said...

the quilting looks fantastic. We didn't get any snow until 3ish and it chucked down but hasn't settled at all thankfully

Isisjem said...

I love how the quilt turned out. Your FM writing is fab! I walked to work to christen my new snow boots and when I realised that it would take longer and more effort to clear the car and then walk in from where it would be safe to park it. I know you love this snowy stuff but I HATE it lol

Katy Cameron said...

Lol, I love what brings the south to a grinding halt... The quilting's looking great though!

Kate said...

It looks like a winter wonderland! I am totally impressed with creating words whilst FMQ - well done!

Flying Blind... said...

Those teachers are skivers!

Quilt is looking good xxx

Shay said...

I can pretty much guarantee that if that much snow fell here they'd be closing everything down. I wish we got snow days ...I am also of the opinion that we should get heat days..

Salt air is looking fabulous. How did you stop the whole quilt from pulling up the carpet . I'm having trouble visualising !

Judith, Belfast said...

LOL! Em looks like the cat that got the cream! Can't wait to see S.A in all her finished glory! Jxo

Sarah said...

Salt Air looks like its coming on nicely. Glad Em got a bit of snow time!

heart of charnwood said...

Lucky Em! It's not real snow now is it, closed the school??!! In my day (how old am i?) the school only ever closed when it was near arctic conditions. I remember going into school in snow drifts and being one of about 10 kids in the whole school (of 500), I had harsh parents!

Yon Quilting Wife said...

Amazing work from you as ever. I did laugh at you pinning the backing to the carpet.

Kirsten said...

I would have loved it to snow here in Australia as we had an absolute heatwave over the weekend - dripping sweat all over the quilt you are trying to press is pretty gross!

Sarah said...

That quilting is lovely and the fmq words are inspired!

Poppyprint said...

Ok, I did laugh because even though I read your bit about the school caving in several times, I could think nothing except the roof had collapsed under the weight of 2" of snow!!! Glad your girls enjoyed it. It snowed here today as well. It made me happy that my Brit friends were also under a blanket of much-anticipated white.

thea said...

A half a snow day is better than none at all .. hope she had fun with the snow. no matter how little. love that they wanted to play before school

Leanne said...

It snowed big fluffy flakes here all day but it is warm and melty too. Your snow is lovely but seriously, school closing? I know who that quilt is for now, your quilting is beautiful.

Katherine said...

Yep, that amount of snow will also shut down school if you live in Texas (as I experienced during my college days)... however you have to have what Carolyn described for school to actually shut down here in the prairies (otherwise we'd have no school from Oct. thru May ;o). lol
Glad your girls got their wish for some snow and are enjoying it.

Salt Air is looking so lovely, Susan. Happy stitching!

Dianne Neale said...

Close the schools for snow? No that wouldn't happen here either. Nor trains and buses not running! Hilarious that you pinned your quilt to the carpet! But if it works.....

Charlotte said...

we had about an eighth of an inch of snow yesterday, but the schools stayed open (miraculously!). Well done on the basting/quilting - nearly there!

Trudi said...

We had 2 or 3" of snow, which did a great job of a half melt, so the freezing temps last night, all I kept hearing were the cars crunching past through the night! Glad the girls got some snow time in! The quilt is looking great, beautiful fmq'ing!

Collette said...

oh my kids would be so envious of yours with all that snow!! we have zilch just ice and freezing cold. Blue skies are nice to look at though!
The quilt will be gorgeous can't wait to see it finished.
X

Marg said...

The only time, ever, I can remember school being cancelled for BP was when we had 100+km hour winds from a tropical low approaching the coast, not far from here. Even then it wasn't exactly cancelled, it was more if you want to pick up your kid you can.
I like the idea of the words quilted around the border, lovely idea.

Kerry said...

I don't think schools should close unless offices are too. I totally get why they do it- our road system , gritters, etc are not adequate to cope because it doesn't snow all that often.

I haven't told you this, but the plan for 2017 is to emigrate to Canada and be like the opposite way round of you! We're not sure if we're going to be the BC end or the Ontario end yet, but it's looking like the latter. I don't mind snow but I'm of the opinion that you guys have a proper weather strategy in place so I'm OK with that, I am one of those people that has written off a car in bad weather.

On the quilt front it's looking great! I only have carpet too so I'm also a carpet pinner!

Sew Create It - Jane said...

I'm loving your quilting and what a top tip about pinning it to the carpet! Nice one!!

Sarah said...

Very pretty, the quilt and the snow. We closed our school for a catastrophic fire risk day in December, in Australia. I thought England is snowy. Is that another false stereotype? My brother lived in London for 18 months, he said it was just grey, cold and rainy!

Rachel said...

Susan, that tip about pinning backing to the carpet is genius! I have just finished basting my mama said sew quilt and it worked a treat, so much easier than using tape, which is what I had been doing before! Thank you! R xxx