The first biscornu I attempted did not turn out well. However, this second attempt is really working out. It’s a mini biscornu. I forgot to take pictures before I started sewing the two sides together, so it appears a bit odd in these pictures. This is the front.
And the back. I look at the designs and see quilt blocks.
Lester spent a lot of time on the windowsill Sunday.
And Smudge was hanging out on the sofa.
Two of these blocks are done now, the third is half done and the fourth shouldn’t take long at all as all the curved piecing is done – now it’s just a matter of joining it into rows.
Wednesday night saw me sorting out the sewing corner and getting projects organized, which was when these basket blocks came back to the front of the line. The setting for the blocks is really quite unique and one I’m looking forward to playing with.
What follows is a slight rant — feel free to skip to the kitty pictures! In Toronto, we now have to either bring our own reusable bags when shopping — and that’s absolutely all shopping in every store — or pay a nickel for each plastic bag. Bringing my own washable, reusable bags is no problem at all. I found some great washable ones that fold up very small and are perfect to tuck into a purse or pocket. What I’m finding irritating are the cashiers at the grocery store where we shop most often. If someone pays the nickel to buy a plastic bag, they bag the groceries. If someone brings their own bag, the cashiers do nothing. I’ve watched this happen over and over. It doesn’t matter if I hand over the reusable bag before they start scanning the items or not — they just shove the items over the scanner and stand there waiting to be paid while I’m trying to bag the groceries as fast as I can. It is not a grocery store that has the set-up for customers to bag their own and that was never done before this new charge for the plastic bags came into effect, but that doesn’t seem to matter. I’ve learned now not to pay until I’ve got the groceries packed as they start scanning the next customer’s items the minute they get the money and give back change. Doesn’t matter if I’ve finished bagging our items or not — they just shove the next customer’s items on top. At this point, I think we should be given a discount for bringing our own bags! A lot of the stores are donating the money people pay for the plastic bags to charity, but not this grocery store.
Smudge half awake:
And Lester in his favourite spot:
A few months ago, there was an apple core charm swap on the Inklingo list. I hadn’t up until now done anything with them. Now? Well, now they’re separated into a light or dark group and I’ve started stitching them together.
Although I plan to use the pieces as they come up in the two stacks and not try to colour coordinate them in any way, the first two pieces have some red in common. I don’t know how large this will become or if I’m perhaps going to do a couple of small quilts, but at least I’m piecing — and some curved piecing at that, which I love!
It looked like it was going to rain on and off throughout the day Tuesday, but it didn’t. We’re finally getting some heat and humidity. Now, if only the rain would stop! We’re supposed to have more today and then again on Friday.
Lester on the couch:
And Smudge stretched out beside Mr. Quilt Obsession. Smudge likes whoever he’s beside to stay put. In order to make sure that happens, he drapes a paw over and, if someone tries to move, the claws come out gently – just enough to remind us that he’s comfortable and we shouldn’t move!
Absolutely no name ideas come to mind for this one. I look at it and love the effect I got with the middle fabric but can I think of a name for it? No! Any ideas?
Thursday was unbelievably overcast. We had lamps on from first thing in the morning. Smudge didn’t much care — he was comfortable.
Lester tries to make sure Mr. Quilt Obsession can’t go out by lying on his sneakers.
For some reason, this block says lilacs in spring to me. Here I go again — this may be my favourite for today, at least.
I did a small exchange with Terri at Purple and Paisley of goodies related to stitching, quilting and crocheting. In the package I received I got all these glorious DMC flosses, some of which will be used in the Mary Wigham sampler, some floss cards, floss project cards and the appropriate-sized needles. I love these floss colours — all very cheerful.
Tucked in with the other items were these buttons. They’re absolutely adorable — the faces on the cats are priceless! Mr. Quilt Obsession immediately asked if they were for him!
Wednesday was pretty overcast and, once again, rather cool for July. This is definitely turning into the summer that wasn’t. A long-range forecast I heard Wednesday night indicates August isn’t going to be much warmer than July has been. I suppose the thing to hope for at this point is a warmer than usual September.
Smudge stretched out on the sofa.
Lester draped on the chair.
Another block with its surrounding cream hexagons. Every time I look at this one I think of peppermints.
My hands/wrists are giving me a bit of a problem at the moment. I can’t use the rotary cutter or iron and am finding even using the computer mouse a bit challenging. My intake of Omega 3 capsules has increased so I’m hoping this won’t last too long as I’ve run out of the cream hexagons and need to print some more. In order to do that, I need to cut some of the cream fabric and press it.
Lester in his normal windowsill spot:
Smudge curled up on the couch.
The biscornu I’ve seen on various blogs have absolutely fascinated me and then, when I found a pattern that gives very detailed instructions on making them, I was hooked! I’m stitching this on 32-count Irish linen with DMC variegated thread and hope to have the stitching done in the next day or two and then go about putting it together.
Over the last week or so, I’ve not been too good at responding to comments on my blog or, for that matter, commenting on the blogs I read. Work was so intense over the past couple of weeks that everything else seemed to get away from me. Hopefully I can remedy that this week.
Smudge had a bit of an adventure Sunday. I looked over at one point and he was sitting on the desk Mr. Quilt Obsession has his computer on, behind the computer.
Then he appeared to be peeking around to look at the screen:
His fascination with the computer went on for about 20 minutes. Then a little time was spent on the windowsill watching for kitty entertainment. And then he was just so tired out that he had to rest. The pose completely cracks me up.
The latest of the blocks to get its surrounding cream hexagons makes me think of orange marmalade. It’s not pressed yet as I plan to press these in groups of 10 or 12 but do finger press as I join each set of three of the cream hexagons to a block. For the next Patchwork of the Crosses quilt, I am going to sort out what fabric I want to use for the outer hexagons and attach those as I make each block.
This was Smudge Wednesday before he decided to use the little duck as a pillow.
And yet another Lester on the windowsill shot.
It seems I will be showing some of these blocks as I add the cream hexagons. My plan is to work on this pretty well exclusively, although I’m sure I will need a break here and there. I now have six of the blocks completed with their surrounding cream hexagons. I will have to print more of the cream hexagons this weekend as I only have enough printed for another 2 blocks. Perhaps adding the cream hexagons as I made each block would have been a good idea. That said, it’s nice mindless stitching with lots and lots of continuous stitching and does go rather quickly.
Lester — where else but the windowsill!
Smudge the great hunter with his prize — a toy stuffed duck. It was so funny to see him resting his head on the little thing and he stayed like that for a very long time!
Given the amount of purple I used in the blocks, I decided to use this purple batik for the 1″ connecting squares along the edges of the blocks. The intersection where four blocks meet will be composed of 8 of the 1″ squares, or a 1″ x 2″ rectangle, and something 2″ square in the centre of those. At the moment, I’m playing with the idea of a stripe of some sort for that 2″ square. The original Patchwork of the Crosses has some gorgeous fussy cutting done for that 2″ area, which I will do for the large quilt when I make it but for this one I think I want to do something with a stripe. That may change.
I need help! An online friend moved a couple of months ago. Her ISP seems to be rejecting e-mails from my ISP. I’ve tried e-mailing her from my gmail account but those don’t appear to be getting through either. She has been sending e-mails asking if everything is okay as she hasn’t heard from me and even reply e-mails from me don’t appear to get through. Of course, I never dreamt this could happen and don’t have her new address or phone number so am rather at a loss when it comes to a way to contact her. Lesson learned for me — I should not depend on electronic contact only! Any ideas out there?
Lester in his favourite spot — again!
Smudge, sound asleep. It’s one of the few times a photo has been taken of him that he hasn’t been partially watching us photographing him.
Quilt Obsession 