Category Archives: hand piecing

Chintz Circles Quilting

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A sneak peek of the quilting I’m doing on Chitnz Circles.  The fabric wrestling, aka quilting by machine, will result in interlocking circles following the shapes in the blocks.   I haven’t done a lot of machine quilting, or machine stitching for that matter, but I’m relatively pleased with how this is turning out.  Wrestling with a quilt that has a silk batt is a lot easier than wrestling with one with a cotton batt.  The difference is quite evident.  I’m not finding it anywhere near as hard on my hands as I have when I’ve machine quilted a quilt with a cotton batt.  What’s taking forever is the burying of the threads.  There is some continuous stitching I can do but not a huge amount, which results in a lot of threads to bury.

It’s not going anywhere near as quickly as I had hoped, but I feel like a fair amount was accomplished Monday night.  If I can devote 2 or 3 hours every evening this week, I should be able to finish it by the end of the week.  Then it will be a matter of figuring out what fabric to use for binding.  That has me completely perplexed at the moment.  There are so many different fabrics on the outer edges of the quilt that choosing a fabric for the binding may be a bit more challenging than I had anticipated.

As well as the clematis (thank you everyone for identifying that) shown yesterday, Mr. Q.O. got this shot of a part of our friend’s garden.

Neither cat was very active on Monday.  Lester slept on the pink loveseat.

While Smudge was having a snooze on the pink chair.


Pink Ice Blocks 26 & 27

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Two more done, block 28 about half done and two full ones left to go.  But nothing else is getting done this week other than the quilting on Chintz Circles.  I realized on the weekend that I didn’t have enough time to hand quilt it, so removed the hand quilting I’d done and sorted out how I’d machine quilt it remembering, of course, that my machine skills are not great, and started on it Sunday night.  The quilting will be intersecting circles to emphasize the circles created by the design.  I got enough done Sunday night to realize I like how it’s turning out, so now it’s simply a matter of sitting at the machine and getting it done.

The back of one of the two completed Pink ice blocks.

Mr. Q.O. took this photo of a flower in a friend’s garden.  I haven’t got a clue what it is, but I love the colour.

We had a couple of days of much less humidity, although it was still quite warm.  They say the heat and humidity builds up again starting today and by midweek it sounds like we’ll be back to the extremely high heat and humidity.

Lester took advantage of the nicer temperatures and spent some time looking out the window.

As did Smudge.


Pink Ice Block 26

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… is partially stitched.  Once the middle star and the 4 partial stars are put together, it’s nothing but lots of lovely continuous stitching which makes it a much quicker block to put together than it may appear.  I may get it finished over the weekend, but this is the weekend that I will be devoting pretty well entirely to quilting Chintz Circles.  I don’t know if I’ll get it finished this weekend, but I’m going to try.  I’d like to get the binding on and wash it before next weekend so that we can take it to be photographed.

I think I’ve decided on how I’ll set these Pink Ice blocks — on point with perhaps 9-patch blocks.   The back of block 26, so far:

Thursday was, as they had forecast, another incredibly hot, humid and smoggy day.  Today is supposed to be somewhat cooler, with a humidex of about 33C (91F) which will feel a lot better.  And we’re supposed to have thunderstorms and rain which I hope will clear out some of the smog.

There are a few lilies that are popping up here and there in the flower beds out on the roof garden.  There’s a very pale coloured one which I think will open today or on the weekend.

Our Internet connection has been rather iffy this week, which makes me wonder if the power outage earlier this week had some effect on our ISP.   However, by Thursday night it seemed to be better and, all of a sudden, missing blog comments showed up in my inbox Thursday night.  Strange to have e-mails that are 2 or 3 days old appear suddenly like that, but I’m glad they did finally make it.  Today and over the weekend I will catch up on replying to comments and visiting blogs.

Lester spent some time on the windowsill on Thursday.

While Smudge was lounging on the couch.


A Replacement Patchwork of the Crosses Block

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Earlier this week I made this block as there was one that just didn’t fit in and had to be replaced.  The more I look at the blocks I’ve made for my POTC quilt, the more I realize just how drawn I am to shades of purple.  Now all the blocks for the top are made, the cream surrounding hexagons are on more than half of them and the only thing I have left to sort out is what I’ll use as the connecting squares where 4 blocks meet.

The back:

E-mail on Wednesday was completely unreliable.  Among other things that didn’t get delivered, I realized Wednesday night that many comments that were left on my blog on Wednesday didn’t arrive in my inbox.  So if I owe you a response, please bear with me while I sort this out.  I wonder if the extreme heat and humidity we’re having is affecting our ISP?

Wednesday night I started on another Pink Ice block.  As I like to match my thread to the fabric I”m stitching, I ended up using a Mettler 50/3 thread.  I can’t believe how thick that is in comparison to the Mettler 60/2 thread or the YLI Heirloom thread I love using.  Aside from being a struggle to thread the needle with it, I felt as though it was harder to pull through the fabric.   I’m curious about the Superior Threads MasterPiece thread and will, when I see it here, buy a spool to try.  Have you tried it?  What do you think of it?

When Mr. Q.O. was downtown on Monday, he also got this shot of the flowers outside a restaurant.   Doesn’t this look like a great spot to spend some time on a summer day and just watch the world go by?

Wednesday was another extremely hot and humid day.  Today is … well, more of the same.  The humidex readings have been the highest I can ever recall.  While we rarely have to put the air conditioning on in the living room, this week it has been on daily.

Mr. Q.O. has been playing with some photo editing software and this picture of Lester taken on Wednesday is a result.

Smudge spent some time on the windowsill on Wednesday.  At one point there was a robin he could hear but not see.  The tail was swishing and he was very intently staring out the window.

Pink Ice Block 25

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There are enough of these blocks done to make a lap quilt, depending how I set them.  That said, I have the pieces ready to make five more of these which would make it a slightly better size — again, depending on how I set them.  The blocks finish at 9″.  They’ve been sitting for so long now that I think, although it’s a given that I’ll have trouble sticking to this, that I shall just focus on them for a week or ten days to get them all finished and ready to put together.  Of course, this may well be because I’ve named the quilt Pink Ice and ice of any sort sounds very appealing at the moment with the heat wave. I’ve used so many various shades of pink and rose for the stars/partial stars that I may need to use a different colour when it comes to setting them.  I’m leaning towards setting them on point.

The back:

I’m working on another POTC block now as, when I went through those left to be framed with the cream hexagons, I found a few that really don’t fit with the rest.  But once that block is done I think I’ll start on the next Pink Ice block and try to stay focused so that these blocks at least get put together into a top, ready for quilting.

It was incredibly hot here on Monday.  A temperature of 33C and a humidex of 44C (91F and 111F respectively)  made it a bit like walking into a wall of heat when venturing outside.  More of this all week until Friday when it should cool down a bit.  On top of that, we have smog advisories which is typical for us with a heat wave.  And just to top it off, huge parts of Toronto were affected by a blackout Monday afternoon as there was an explosion at a transformer station. Thankfully, we weren’t affected but I immediately thought of those with whom I used to work on a high floor in one of the skyscrapers.  I cannot imagine walking down 45+ flights of stairs in this kind of heat in a building that had no air conditioning. The blackout occurred right around the time when people would begin to leave the office for the day.

The planters outside buildings around here are very bright and cheerful.  This is one that’s in front of a building right across the street from us.

And this one is in front of an office building across the road.

Both boys were pretty quiet Monday.  Lester draped himself over the arm of the pink chair.

While Smudge, when it was his turn to have the pink chair, curled up in it.


A Few More Clams

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Clamshells seem to have been the focus this week.  I can’t get over how quickly I was able to add two more rows Thursday night.  They’re short rows but, with continuous stitching and hand piecing, they seemingly go  together in the blink of an eye!  I’m leaving the pressing until the end because of the amount of bias, but am finger pressing as I go.

Thursday I did the final pressing of Chintz Circles and its backing as it will be basted today.  I’m looking forward to starting the quilting.  With any luck, I’ll get at least half of it done this weekend.

Another one of the Seven Sisters blocks is finished.  Not pressed, as my wrist was really sore from pressing Chintz Circles and the backing.  Each one of blocks will be a different blue and I am undecided as to how large it will be, although I’m thinking a lap quilt.

I’m using 1″ diamonds with to make the stars.   There’s the opportunity for lots of continuous stitching in these as well, which is something I look for when stitching.  It will join the first one I finished a couple of years ago.

I’m terribly behind in replying to comments but will catch up this weekend.  Do you go back to blogs to see if your comment has been replied to directly on the blog rather than by e-mail?  I know that some bloggers respond that way and others don’t and am curious about opinions are on that subject.

Thursday was a beautiful day, lovely and sunny and warming up.  It looks as though our weekend will be wonderfully sunny and hot.

Smudge was very alert Thursday evening when posing for this photo.

Lester showing off his huge whiskers.

Preparing Clamshells

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All the clamshells for the two little quilts are cut out and ready to stitch.  About three-quarter of the ones for the large quilt based on the clamshell quilt in Kaffe Fassett’s Museum Quilts book are cut and ready to stitch.  Today I’m going to print and cut the remaining ones.  With any luck, I hope to have the two little quilts finished within a couple of weeks.   By the end of this month, I hope to have 2 more of the clamshell diamonds done.  Perhaps even three.

Wednesday was a nice, rather cool summer’s day but with lots of sun.  Tuesday night it was chilly enough that we put the heat on for a bit.  For a while Tuesday, I was thinking we were having a repeat of last year’s summer that wasn’t.  Thankfully, that’s not the case as the heat and humidity is supposed to start coming back as of Friday.

Lester was quite intent on something I was holding above the camera.

And a contemplative Smudge.

Clamshell Club

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When I first read about the Clamshell Club on Cybele’s Patch, I was immediately captivated and now somehow I seem to have three clamshell projects on the go at once!  It’s worth it to go over to Cybele’s Patch blog and visit the other clamshell makers listed there.

My first project is being made with the Inklingo 3″ clamshell collection and will be at least a lap-sized quilt.  I fell in love with the quilt in Kaffe Fassett’s Museum Quilts and am using Kaffe fabrics for my diamonds of clamshells.  I’m hand piecing all of the projects and have found that even pressing them is simpler than I expected.  This is the back of my first of the Museum Quilts quilt block.

The second project is also being made with the 3″ clamshells and will turn into a teddy bear or doll’s quit.

The third project is going to be another small quilt telling the story of some pink clams making their way out of the water on to a beach.  I’ve just got started on it and for this one I’m using the Inklingo 3.5″ clamshell collection.

By this time next month when it’s time to report on clamshells again,  I think the two small quilts will be finished and hopefully at least 1 or 2 more clamshell diamonds for the large quilt will be done.

This is the second week in a row I have no flowers to add to my garden.  I’m hoping to have at least 3 or 4 to show next week.

Tuesday I got this shot of Lester and, although it’s a bit fuzzy, couldn’t resist posting it.  It makes me laugh just to look at it.  If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you’ll see his tongue is out.

Smudge was quite intently looking at something I was holding just above the camera when I took this shot.

Patchwork of the Crosses Block Framed

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Another block of the POTC ready except for the little purple connector squares.  As I’ve been looking through the blocks remaining, I think I may re-do a few of them.  I’ll reassess when I have all the ones I’m certain of framed and ready, but I think there are a few that just don’t quite fit.  Maybe once I lay them all out, they will work.  Once I get to that point, I’ll take a photo and look at it on the computer screen.  Perhaps I just want to make a few more of the blocks.  I’ve found a few more striped fabrics and other directional prints that could be used for some great effects, so perhaps I just want to make a few more to add those into the mix.

I also finished this one with its connector squares.

The back:

It looks like we’re in for a few rather cool days and then right back into the heat and humidity.  Lester’s happy as long as it’s warm enough to hang out on the windowsill.

While Smudge prefers the comfort of the soft cushions on the couch.

Farmer’s Delight Block 7

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… is completed.  This time I tried something a bit different.  Normally, I piece together the two strips of triangles (or snakes, as Mr. Q.O. calls them), then join the two strips and then join that two-strip unit to the centre of the block.  This time I thought I’d put the first strip of triangles together and then start joining the triangles for the second one directly on to the first rather than making another long snake of triangles.

What did I learn?  That joining them into the long triangle strips before joining the two together is faster.  I thought it probably was, but wanted to try adding the second group of larger triangles one by one to the first set.  There’s still the opportunity for some continuous stitching, but nowhere near as much.  The little envelope containing the pieces for block 8  has been pulled from the box and is ready to be started sometime this week.

I was looking at the various blades in the Dresden Plate collections this weekend and am now contemplating making a Dresden Plate sampler of blocks, each of which would contain a different combination of the blades.  It’s very tempting, but I am trying to resist.  Who knows how long that will last.  Probably not long.

Sunday afternoon, we ventured out for a short walk and saw a couple out walking their cat.  A gorgeous British blue kitty on a leash.  The cat seemed quite at ease with the whole thing although the woman told us that you don’t have the cat walking and following where you lead — rather, you follow the cat’s lead.  It was rather fun to see the look on people’s faces when they first saw that it was a cat on a leash.  I’m pretty sure my face was probably pretty comical when I first noticed it too!

I say ventured out because the weekend was really quite sad here in Toronto.  I have never in my life seen anything as horrible as some of the sights as a result of the vandals who infiltrated the genuine protest groups who had planned peaceful protests of the G20/G8 summits.  I had tears in my eyes at seeing police cars set on fire at, among other places, the very intersection where the office I used to work at is located.  Things being thrown at the police on horseback, to the point that one of the police officers was knocked off his/her horse.  Windows of businesses being smashed.  Looting.  If this is what hosting a G20/G8 summit means, then I think that the best thing that could happen is if a permanent site was set up for them at perhaps a remote island somewhere or at a military base.  Given the outrageously high cost of hosting those summits (over $1 billion here), I think it would make more sense for all the countries involved to chip in and build a place where they could be held from here on out — somewhere that could be easily secured.  No city should have to go through what happened here on the weekend.

Lester was content watching out the window on to the roof garden.  Good thing he wasn’t there on Sunday night as it appears we have a new resident out on the roof garden — a skunk!  The smell for a while was quite — well, pungent is probably the only way to describe it.  Actually, while Mr. Q.O. and I noticed the odour immediately, neither cat seemed to be noticing it at all.

Smudge earlier on Sunday evening, waiting for his yogourt treat.