Category Archives: miscellaneous

Shabby Chic Cabin and HSTs

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Wednesday I decided to try machine stitching one of the little 5″ shabby chic log cabin blocks and was pleasantly surprised at just how well it turned out.  In fact, I think it looks better than the one I had previously hand-pieced.

The back looks wonderful too.  The one thing that I can’t get used to is the amount of pressing that machine piecing entails.  When I hand piece, I usually leave the pressing until the end but with this I found I was jumping up to press after each little log was added.

When I was cleaning up my stitching area I found these 2.5″ half-square triangles I had made quite a while ago using Inklingo.  For these, I had printed the triangles on the back of the cream fabric and then stitched on the lines.  When cut apart, I had perfect HSTs but that was as far as I went.  I decided to try joining them into a couple of rows using the machine and was again pleasantly surprised.  This time I decided to try stitching without all the pinning and, while a few of my joins aren’t perfect, it’s good enough for a small doll’s quilt — and a great learning tool for me.  I’ll keep making the rows and joining them until I’ve used up all the HSTs and then will decide what, if any, border to add.

One of the things I found at the Creativ Festival was the Grace Company TrueCut My Comfort Cutter.  I’m really impressed with this cutter — it’s very comfortable to hold and use and doesn’t set up any pain in my wrist or hand.  The ruler is interesting as it has a slight lip on which part of the cutter rests and rides along as you cut and makes it easy to get perfect cuts.  The best part to me is that the rotary cutter takes any blades on the market.  I hadn’t even heard of this cutter before seeing it at the Festival.

Smudge loves to lie at Mr. Q.O.’s feet.  Wednesday night he was having quite a dream and was growling in his sleep.  That’s the first time we’ve ever heard him growl while dreaming.  Normally he only growls if he sees a dog at the vet’s office.

Thank You

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It’s difficult to find the words to express our gratitude for the outpouring of support and heartfelt messages in both blog comments and e-mail which have meant so, so much.  Please accept this as an enormously grateful thank you.  Your words have meant the world to both of us as we try to adjust to the huge hole that has been left. Hearing that his pictures brought delight to so many others was wonderful.  The past few days have been ones of quiet reflection on the joys that Lester brought into our lives.   His majestic lion-like look, his wonderfully goofy personality, the incredible amount of love that he bestowed on us, his delight in giving kitty kisses, the delight we got in patting those enormous kitty paws are all things that are and will be missed for quite some time.

Lester tried so hard, but just couldn’t recover from that last stroke. We were very fortunate that he bounced back from the first three strokes so well and we had all that extra time with him.  When we took him to the vet on Monday, he just wanted to lie down, rest his head on my arm while I stroked him and Mr. Q.O. held his paw and talked to him.  It was time.  He left us very peacefully and quietly and for that I am grateful.  The hole left in our hearts will take time to heal, we know.   Now our attention is on Smudge, who is clearly feeling the loss of his brother.

I have closed comments on this post as replying to comments about Lester is beyond me.  The tears still fall all too easily.  Once again, thank you all so very, very much.  The comfort we got from reading your comments is impossible to put into words.

A Stack of Stitching

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This may not look like a lot, but there are quite a few blocks there to be stitched.  At least 100, I believe.  I love having a stack all ready to stitch like this.  I even went ahead and clipped into all the concave seam allowances so that I can just stitch and stitch and not have to stop and clip any of the seam allowances.

One more little Harpsichord Quilt block is made.  This is not a UFO that I want to leave languishing for too long as I think it will be a very striking quilt.  So once I get 2 more finished, it’s moving to the top of the list and, in the meantime, I will try to make a couple of blocks a week.

I realized yesterday that a larger stitching book would be even more useful so finally have a use for my orphan applique blocks.  There are a number of them that have been sitting now for years.  They can be quickly joined, quilted and turned into stitching books and that makes me happy.

There were a number of helpful responses yesterday.  I’m going to e-mail the blogger in question, as Wendy suggested, and then see what happens.

The cats had very lazy days on Monday.  Lester was lounging at one end of the couch.   He did spend some time on the windowsill Monday, though.  I think he’s getting impatient for some activity out on the roof garden.

While Smudge was at the other end of the couch and barely awake when this shot was taken.

A Stitching Book

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As soon as I saw the Inklingo Log Cabin collection I knew I wanted to make some blocks for use as covers of a stitching book.  When I was making my Quilted Diamonds blocks, I always used a stitching book.  Now I don’t use one as often, but I love having one for portions of  blocks like the Feathered Star and Pickle Dish.  This book is going to a friend, but I know I’ll make more of the stitching books with different blocks made using the log cabin squares and rectangles.  There are so many different blocks one can make and they’re just about the perfect size for a stitching book.  They are also very quick to make.

The back cover of the stitching book is the same block, but the fabrics are reversed.

The inside front of the book.  The fabric I used for the inside covers is an odd one.  I remember picking it up, thinking it was a lot of fun.  It’s difficult to needle, so using it for a stitching book was the perfect solution.

When I’m stitching a block or section of a block that has the potential to get confusing, I will often lay out the pieces and then stitch.  I pick up 2 pieces, stitch them together, lay them back down where they belong in the order and then pick up the third piece — knowing exactly where it goes in the sequence.

I laid out 2 Drunkard’s Path units on a page of the book, to show how handy it is.  I was going to lay out a pickle dish melon/arc combo, but as I’m using white in that block it wouldn’t show up well in photos.  It’s also handy for stitching outdoors as the pieces will stick to the pages of the book.  And for those of us with four-footed helpers, some of whom like little pieces of fabric, it’s nice to be able to shut the book and get those bits of fabric out of harm’s way.

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What follows is a bit of a rant.  Feel free to skip down to see today’s kitty pictures.

Over the weekend, a friend alerted me to the fact that someone had grabbed a picture from my blog and used it on their blog without a link.  I wasn’t contacted by the person to ask permission to do so.  Generally speaking, I don’t mind sharing at all.  That said, I do think it’s imperative that we all respect one another’s copyright and ask for permission before grabbing text or photos from another’s blog.

I wasn’t going to say anything but I had a long look at the person’s blog.  The blogger is clearly not new to blogging and knows how to put links in her posts.  I really am not sure what, if anything, to do about it.  What would you have done? Have you run into this, finding out in a roundabout way that someone has grabbed something from your blog without asking first?  If so, how did you handle it?

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The cats had a relaxing weekend.  Smudge was stretched out having a snooze.

Lester was alert and looking around.

Planning a Red and White Quilt

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These are the fabrics I’ll be using for my red and white quilt.   The red and white quilt will be the next of the two-coloured quilts I want to make.  This one will have to have some curved piecing.  That’s the one thing I’m sure of, but just what it will turn out to be is still up in the air.  As I get closer to finishing the Farmer’s Delight blocks, I’m starting to think about starting this red and white.

When I start thinking about two-colour quilts, I almost always get this book down off the bookshelf and leaf through it.  I love the appearance of two-colour quilts. Eventually I want to do green and white, yellow and white and purple and white quilts as well.

The weekend didn’t turn out as I had planned as I ended up working most of it. Probably just as well as it did nothing but pour down rain on Saturday during the day, which turned to freezing rain at one point and then snow.  Typical March weather.   But Saturday morning I was thrilled to hear some birds out on the roof garden.

The cats decided it was a good weekend to curl up and snooze.  We caught Smudge in the middle of a yawn.

Lester loves to lie with his head on Mr. Q.O.’s foot.  This is a typical pose.

The Making of a Finger Pincushion — Lots of Photos

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I’ve been having fun putting these finger pincushions together and have had a few questions about the method to make them, so thought I’d do this quickie tutorial. Lester is alert and ready to watch.

Start with a 4.5″ square.   Because you’re going to be wearing this on your finger, next to your skin, I think it’s really important to wash the fabric first and get rid of the residual chemicals from the fabric manufacturing process.

Fold it in half, into a triangle shape.

Set your machine to a short stitch length.  In my case I used a 2.  Start stitching at one end of the triangle, carry on to a quarter of an inch before the end of that side, pivot and start down the other side for about an inch.  Secure and cut your thread.   Leave an area of approximately 1.5″ open and then begin sewing again and go right to the end.  This is what your triangle will look like.

This next step is optional, but I think it helps a lot when stitching the pincushion closed at the end.  I fold the two sides over, where the opening is, and then press them.  I find it makes it a lot easier and faster to do the final stitching by hand to close the pincushion.

Gently turn your triangle right side out.  Use something like That Purple Thang to push out the corners and tip.   This is what it will look like at this stage.

After some experimentation, I’ve found that using a combination of batting scraps torn up and some polyester filling to stuff the little pincushions makes them firm but not too firm.  Using only batting scraps can result in rather lumpy pincushions.  I start out with a large handful of the polyester fill and some batting scraps.  Almost all of what’s showing in this picture will be used to stuff this pincushion.

Start by putting some of the polyester filling in, and push it down to both ends of the triangle.  Keep adding polyester filling until it’s about 1/3 full.  Then start adding some batting scraps, bit by bit.  Push them down into the polyester filling.  Then add more of the polyester filling and keep adding it and the batting scraps and pushing them down to ensure a firm pincushion.  Bear in mind that you will have to stitch up the opening in the seam and fold the ends over to make the ring, so make sure that you don’t fill it too full.  This is what mine looks like after I’ve finished stuffing it along with the few remaining scraps of batting that I didn’t use.

Using a very small ladder stitch or your favourite applique stitch and a thread colour to match your fabric, stitch the opening closed.  The final step is joining the two ends of the triangle together to form the ring.

Although it’s awkward, try overlapping the ends on your finger before you start stitching them together so you can get a rough idea of  how large a ring you need to leave to make it comfortable to wear on your finger.  Then just stitch to secure.

It’s a bit difficult until you get the first 3 or 4 stitches in, and then becomes much easier.  Overlap the two ends and start stitching by once again using a thread that matches your fabric.  I make a quilter’s knot, and then bury it in the pincushion stuffing, much like you’d bury your knot when beginning to quilt.  Bring the needle out at one of the ends and start stitching them together.

Try to stitch around both ends; the one that ends up on top and the one beneath it. It’s rather difficult to get a decent picture of the joining, but I hope you can see that I’ve basically tacked the ends down by stitching around them.

Next step?  Start using and enjoying your new finger pincushion.  But make yourself a couple because, once you get used to using these, you will never want to be without one.  You might just want to make a few for friends too.

Or you could contact Just Jennifer, and buy some of these pincushions directly from her.  I understand that her company will have a booth at the Paducah show in April.

Smudge found the whole thing so relaxing that he stretched out!

Finger Pincushions

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After I was so lost without the finger pincushion and then receiving the lovely new one, I decided to try my hand at making them.  I used a couple of different of methods for the final stitching together of them, different stuffing and think I’ve found the perfect “recipe”, so to speak.  They’re dead easy to make — a 4.5″ square folded in half into a triangle shape and stitched, leaving an opening to turn them right side out and then insert the stuffing — and they are absolutely the best tool going for piecing.

As a hand piecer, I wear mine on my index finger.  Machine piecers apparently wear these on their thumbs.  I know that I’m absolutely lost without mine — not having it makes piecing seem so much slower.  It took me maybe half an hour to get used to wearing it when I first got one.  Now?  Now I can’t even begin piecing until it’s on my finger.  So now that I have figured out how to make them, the next step is to find the decorative braiding to make them look that much nicer.

There were some interesting responses to the post on Friday regarding what people use to mark quilting designs on their quilt tops.  I decided to play it safe and have a scrap piece of the cream fabric on which I’ve made marks using a number of things such as a graphite pencil, chalk pencil, watercolour pencil.  I’m going to let it sit for a week or so and then wash it to see if the marks come out.   I’m planning to hand quilt the pink and cream quilt, so know that the marks will be on it for a while and want to be sure that whatever I end up using will come out without  any problems.

We had one of those glorious mid-February days late last week when one thinks spring isn’t far off. Saturday and Sunday showed us winter isn’t done with us yet. This was the scene on the roof garden Monday morning.  It may be pretty, but winter seems to be lasting altogether too long this year.  It’s time for spring.

Lester was on the windowsill on Sunday for a while.  Not that there was much to see, but that seems like another true sign winter may be drawing to a close.  I think he’s getting bored without any birds to watch.  We didn’t get a picture of him there, but did get this one of him having a snooze later on in the day.

Mr. Q.O. has been using the heating pad on his shoulder lately as he has a frozen shoulder.  Smudge decided it was there for him.

How to Mark a Quilt Top?

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Along with planning how I’ll quilt the pink and cream top, I’m pondering how to mark the quilting lines.  There will be cables and probably some feathers, the stencils are handy.  But, as the background is a solid cream, the Pounce white powder obviously won’t show up and I’ve read that the blue powder sometimes doesn’t come out.

Pencils are out — too many times I’ve read about pencil marks not coming out without practically rubbing a hole in the fabric.  The vanishing pens or wash-out pens?  Again, I’ve read some not-great reviews about those.

I’ve used the chalk pencils in the past and will probably use these again but, as it has been a while since I’ve thought about this,  I’m wondering what do you use?  Is there some new tool for marking that absolutely comes out easily without affecting the fabric?  What do you use?

Cameron’s Windmills

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Yes, I know — a picture that’s almost identical to the one I showed yesterday.  A healthy baby boy who has been named Cameron was born late yesterday afternoon, so this little quilt is now named Cameron’s Windmills, the label was completed and appliqued on and it’s ready to go.

I’m not sure how much I’ll be posting this week.  As well, visiting blogs and replying to comments will probably not be something I’ll be doing much of over the next few days as Lester has had another small stroke.  He’s had two strokes before now, both of which he recovered from quite remarkably well.  This time?  This time I’m not so sure what the outcome will be.  When we left here to go to the vet’s on Monday, I wasn’t feeling very optimistic.  However, the vets gave him a painkiller as well as an appetite stimulant.  By the time I sat down to write this late Monday night, there was a very small improvement so we’re hoping that he can bounce back this time as well.  For now, we’re syringe feeding him and Smudge.

This picture of Lester was taken last week.  He was much more restrained than Smudge — didn’t feel he had to get on the board when we were trying to take a picture of the Rainbow Flower.

Smudge was checking on Lester throughout the evening on Monday.  Then he stretched out for a snooze.

Pretty Fabrics

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While I know I’ll probably add to and subtract from this group of fabrics, I like the look of these for something.  What exactly, I’m not sure, but they’re staying together when they’re put away.  There’s a wonderful paisley fabric in that group that I know will be great for some fussy cutting.

What have I been doing?  Not much to show at the moment as I’ve been making more of the cream hexagon frames for the POTC blocks, spent a bit of time sorting out just how large I’ll make the Summer Picnic Dish and then figured out what I still need to print in order to make it the size I’ve decided upon, decided on two borders for a quilt top that I haven’t shown yet, and spent a bit of time working through another EQ lesson — on Tuesday, that is.  Wednesday was a bit of a write-off.

While I’m going to print all the pieces I need for the Summer Picnic Dish, I’m going to concentrate on making the arc/melon combinations and then, once those are done, start putting the top together.  I”m going to have to use a few different white on white fabrics as I don’t have anywhere near enough of the one I started with but I’m not stressed about that.

While we aren’t getting the snow that New York got, I had a migraine that just wouldn’t quit on Wednesday from that storm.  Didn’t stop me from stitching, but sure stopped me from dealing with anything on the computer.

I’m not sure what Lester was looking at when this picture was taken.  Probably a kitty toy on the floor.

Smudge has been playing more with toys over the past couple of days and his appetite is definitely on the increase.  We’re still syringe feeding, and likely will be for at least another month, but I think there’s progress.