Category Archives: miscellaneous

Friday Fabric Picks

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For some reason, this group of fabrics is really calling to me.  Somehow a small square or round table mat that could be under a centrepiece keeps coming to mind along with a set of placemats.

This second group is one that I think I’d like to use for a small quilt, possibly of hexagons and stars.  I was actually hunting for my container full of hexagons, with no success, when I started looking at fabrics on Thursday evening.  I got an idea when I started playing with some of the layout pages in the new free Inklingo Hexagon Quilt Design Book which was released on Thursday.  Guess this means the coloured pencils will be in use again unless I become proficient in EQ overnight.  This weekend I am going to spend some time trying to get to the point I can do some things in EQ.  It sounds like it’s going to be an incredibly hot and humid weekend, so perhaps it’s a good time to attempt to learn it.

Thursday night, we were invited to go see Winnie.  She refuses to allow anyone to groom her and her fur mats terribly, so periodically the lion cut is the only solution.

Mr. Q.O. found this video of the lyre bird on YouTube.  It is really quite amazing to hear how well the bird imitates so many sounds — definitely worth a watch!

Along with trying to learn EQ this weekend, I plan to get the pieced blocks for the baby quilt finished so that it will be just a matter of stitching them together with the joining shapes.

On Thursday, Lester had some windowsill time.

A Smudge profile.

Foliage and Flowers

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We had to run a few errands on Wednesday and, as Mr. Q.O. drove, I was taking pictures of the various trees and planters along Bay Street, one of the main streets in downtown Toronto.  This top one is in front of a hotel quite near us.

This is one of my least favourite parts of the city, but Mr. Q.O. really likes this photo so …

Toronto is a very green city, with lots of trees and planters out on the street, as can be seen in these.

The new grocery store was opened on Wednesday — and wow, what an improvement!!  The old store was desperately in need of renovation and new management and that’s what has happened.  The choices we now have are fabulous, the store seems much more spacious even though it’s in the same space and it is so modernized that it will be a real treat to shop there.  I used to think going downstairs to the grocery store was a bore.  While I’m sure the novelty of the new store will wear off, going downstairs to shop is going to be much more enjoyable!  We are quite spoiled in that we have the grocery store, a drugstore, electronics store, florists, post office outlet, couple of restaurants, 4 or 5 different coffee places, huge bookstore, shoe store, couple of hair salons, card/stationery store, jewellery store, luggage and leather goods stores,  clothing stores, a branch of one of the major banks, a couple of opticians, a chocolate shop, a specialty cheese shop, a furniture store, a linens and towels shop, a multi-screen theatre, dry cleaners, shoe repair and probably something else I’ve completely forgotten about in the retail mall.  During the cold winter months, it is the perfect place to live!

Lester was quite interested in something he saw out on the roof garden on Wednesday afternoon.

While Smudge was very interested in having his picture taken.

Fabric Plans

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This group of fabrics could, I think, make a really pretty table topper.  I keep looking at them and daydreaming about some patterns I think would show them off.  But until the baby quilt is done, daydreaming is all that will happen about that design idea.  The reason I want to finish the baby quilt so fast?  Because I’d like to have it finished while we can still take photos out on the roof garden.  It is going together quite quickly, but it will take me at least another 3 weeks to finish it.

All of the above is a way of letting you know that quilt content here may be in rather short supply as I’m keeping this one under wraps until it’s done.  I may miss a day or two here and there while I complete this little quilt.  Or I may just keep showing groups of fabrics I’m daydreaming about turning into projects.

By Tuesday afternoon, the after-effects of the migraine were gone and I felt back to normal.  However, I am once again behind in replying to comments and visiting blogs but will remedy that over the next few days.

Today we get to see what the new grocery store in the retail part of our complex is like.  We are so spoiled with a full grocery store in the building but while it has been closed for renovations for the past few months we’ve had to find other grocery stores in the area at which to shop.  I will be so glad to have the convenience back of having that store downstairs.  Because we were so used to the store always being there and open 7 days a week, we never really planned and did a big shop at any one time but would just pop downstairs and pick up whatever was needed on a daily basis.  It was a real eye-opener having to think ahead when going out to shop once or twice a week.

Lester spent some time on the windowsill Tuesday.  Smudge was there earlier in the day as a few pigeons decided to come investigate the roof garden, but no photo as he was moving the whole time he was on the windowsill.

However, we did get this shot of him later in the day.

Designing a Quilt

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What does a shampoo bottle have to do with designing a quilt?  I don’t know, but shampoo seems to be a definite aid.  Whenever I’m playing with ideas for a quilt and then wash my  hair, the idea for the quilt comes to me almost immediately.  In the case of the baby quilt, the entire quilt was planned before I even rinsed the shampoo out including how it will be quilted and what I’ll name it.

This happens over and over.  Whenever I’m working on a plan for something to do with a quilt and have hit a snag, it almost invariably sorts itself out while I wash my hair.   I wonder what it is about shampooing that makes creativity flow.

I then stash shopped and gathered a grouping of fabrics to audition for the quilt.  Not all of these will make their way into the quilt.

Finalizing just which fabrics I’ll use is still going on, but a few of the choices are definite so I was able to cut and print enough fabric for the first 7 blocks last night.

While sitting out on the roof garden, I got this shot of the sky.  The forecast had said we might have thunderstorms and periodically a big dark cloud would appear only to float away and be replaced by these wispy ones.  The heat and humidity are ongoing, but I am not complaining.  The cold winter weather will be here all too soon, so I want to soak up as much of this warmth as I can.

For a while Wednesday afternoon, I was looking at websites for expats living in places like Ecuador and Costa Rica.  The thought of winter coming usually drives me to think about things like moving to a milder climate.  Although I doubt we’d ever do it, it’s fun to look and daydream.

Smudge wasn’t daydreaming in this shot.

Lester in his usual summer spot on the windowsill.

Clamshell Diamond Sashed

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Ever since I first saw the picture in Kaffe Fassett’s Museum Quilts of the clamshell quilt in the V & A, I wanted to make one with the sashing.  If you haven’t seen a picture of that quilt, there is a picture on the V & A web site.  I had intended to sort out how to do the sashing after I had all the diamonds ready but on Saturday a new Inklingo collection was released for the sashing of the 3″ clamshells that makes it oh, so easy.  I initially thought about sashing them in a stripe of some colour but then realized that as each diamond is going to have multiple colours in it, finding just one stripe that would work was probably not going to be possible.  So I decided on a black and I’m so glad I did.  I think it really makes the colours pop!

Pressing is a breeze.  The back:

I’m never quite sure where I’ll find some of Mr. Q.O.’s drawings.  This is one that made me laugh out loud.  He always puts a banana beside my orange juice in the morning, but this was a first.  Banana art:

Monday was a pretty quiet day as far as the cats were concerned.  Very early in the morning, Smudge was on the windowsill chattering at a bird that was sitting on a branch directly in front of the window.  I wasn’t quick enough to get a shot of him there.  But later in the day he was having fun dragging toys out of the toy basket. Then he had to rest.

Lester loves to sort of hang over the arm of the chair.  He had quite a look on his face.

Photographing of Chintz Circles

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For a number of reasons, I wanted a good photograph or two of Chintz Circles taken before giving it to my aunt on Sunday.  So on Wednesday a friend, who is a professional photographer, took some shots.  It was a fascinating experience.  The photos I’m showing in this blog were taken by us — not by the professional.  But some of the photos taken by him will eventually show up here.  The photo above was taken of the photographer checking some of his equipment and the area where the quilt was going to be hung for its pictures.

This shot was taken before any of the lights were turned back on but after the quilt was in place — with Goddie, the resident kitty, in place beneath the quilt.

From a different angle.

The wooden bar on which the quilt was pinned was then raised up a bit and the lights were turned on.

Watching the pictures being taken, and seeing them appear immediately on his computer screen was fabulous.  I’m fascinated by photography, so having this experience was wonderful.  If you ever have the opportunity to watch a professional photographer in action, don’t miss out on that chance!

Goddie is a gorgeous, friendly kitty with a beautiful coat.

Our resident kitties were having windowsill time again on Wednesday.  Lester was looking up at a toy I was holding over the camera.

While Smudge was doing what he does best, looking cute.

Clams on the Half Shell

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After finishing Chintz Circles yesterday, rather than working on a project already in progress, what did I do?  Started a little doll’s quilt with the new Inklingo clamshell edges collection which has all the shapes to finish the edges on a clamshell quilt made with the 3″ clamshells.  This block finishes at 6″.  It’s made with the side halves, but I have ideas as well for some blocks made with the top and bottom halves as well as the quarter clamshells.

The back:

These are the fabrics I’ve picked out for this little doll’s quilt, which won’t take long to put together.

After we took the photos of Chintz Circles yesterday, we went out for dinner to celebrate.  On the way back home we came through the bookstore in the retail section of the complex and heard the most incredible piano playing.  The bookstore is a multi-level store, which we had entered through the lower level.  There’s a baby grand piano on the main floor of the store which is frequently played by a number of people.  But yesterday?  Yesterday was phenomenal.  I was sure it had to be a professional pianist playing.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  It was an 11 year-old boy who was playing so beautifully I actually had tears in my eyes listening.  We ended up staying in the store for quite a while just listening.  After striking up a conversation with his father, we learned he has been playing for only three years and has had no classical training at all.  Apparently he and some others have been playing there nightly for a while and sometimes are there until closing at 10:00 p.m.   I know where we’ll be going most evenings.

It was fun watching people’s reactions.  Any number of people stopped and just stood quietly drinking in the beautiful music.  A little girl was standing absolutely still,  mesmerized by the music.  After each composition he played, there was applause.  It was one of those magical moments when you come upon something totally unexpected.

Lester had some windowsill time on Tuesday.

Smudge at the toy basket.  He rather exhausted himself playing with the toy we call Cappy — the orange and black striped one, and seemingly had to have a nap right there.

Friday Quilt Planning

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I pulled out a few more fabrics that I think might be fun to play with for another sunflower quilt.  Perhaps the purple in the fabric group may not work, but I think something a little offbeat needs to be added.  I’m thinking of a table runner done using the Pickle Dish collection.  For the fabrics I showed yesterday, I’m really leaning towards a summer double wedding ring quilt with the sunflowers in the centre of the rings.

It was yet another hot and humid day on Thursday.  For some reason, although this week is nowhere near as hot as last week, this week feels more draining.   Maybe it’s because it’s not cooling down much at night at all.  Even at 1:00 a.m. we have humidex readings of 31C (87F).  The weekend promises more of the same but I shall be chained to the sewing machine, other than a quick trip to Sew Sisters to find just the right binding fabric, and hopefully will have all the quilting done and the mostly finished quilt to show on Monday. I’m really hoping to have the quilting done and only the tacking down of the binding left by Sunday night.

Smudge was intently watching something Thursday night.

While Lester had a relaxing time on the windowsill Thursday afternoon.

Quilt Planning

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I have this group of fabrics that I love and that are out of my  normal comfort zone with fabric colours, but I can’t come up with an idea for them.  I keep thinking that something that has a fairly large central piece for the large sunflower print but then get bogged down in what?  Perhaps a different version of Pickle Dish?  Or maybe a small DWR quilt?

Letting my mind ponder that has helped while I continue with the quilt wrestling.  Today I will have a fairly long day of work, but as soon as that’s done I will be back at the machine quilting the Chintz Circles quilt yet again with a view to maybe, just maybe, getting it finished on Friday at some point.   I think a trip to Sew Sisters may be in order on Saturday to find just the right fabric for the binding.

Wednesday was another warm and humid day.  Our forecast seems like it’s nothing but a series of warm and humid days in the extended forecast.  This is definitely making up for the summer that wasn’t last year!

The cats were quite alert Wednesday night.  Smudge on the pink chair.

And Lester 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.