Category Archives: Uncategorized

Tumbler Star

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This is the tumbler stars block I wrote about on Tuesday. The star points are done in a different Kaffe fabric, and they really don’t show up all that well. That said, there’s something about this block in these fabrics that really intrigues me. It seems to remind me of something, but I can’t quite think what that something is.

My hands have been, once again, very sore. Too sore to even contemplate cutting out the shapes for the Dresden Plate I printed last night. I’m hoping that by this evening I can get that done.

Here the boys are practicing being close together, getting ready for the two-kitty bobsled competition. If you click on the picture to embiggen it, you can see a bit of Lester’s fur right beside Smudge’s paw. Smudge was not impressed when Lester decided to join him, and tried to show his displeasure by yanking out a bit of Lester’s fur.


Their paws fascinate me. First a close-up of one of Lester’s:


And then Smudge’s:


A Finish and A Work in Progress

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A finish! Not the finish I planned on showing first this year, but it’s a finish. I love how this little biscornu turned out. I used a variegated thread on a 32-count fabric, stitching 2 over 2.


Part of the design was stitched on the reverse as well. There’s something immensely satisfying about making one of these. Stitching together the last 2 sides and seeing it really take shape is great fun!

And this is a sneak peak at what I’ve been working on. More of it is done than is shown here. I had started it with a different fabric for the little triangles, but that fabric somehow managed to blend with the other 3 fabrics so well that the star points didn’t show.

It looks like we’re definitely getting milder weather by week’s end. Getting out of the minus temperatures will be a treat. I’ve had a migraine for the past 2 days but it’s finally lifting.

Smudge practicing his poses for photographs at the catalympics when he wins a medal or two. We think he may well be in the running for a medal in lounging.

Lester showing how well he gets along with one of the other participants in the catalympics.

Not Much to Show — Yet

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I’m close to finished the project I’m working on and hopefully will have pictures by mid-week. Actually, I have something else that I will try to post later today. I feel like I’m cheating by not posting a quilt-related photo today!

It was a cold weekend here but the weather forecast looks rather promising. Another day or so of cold and then we may even hit 0 or above. I’m hoping this cold snap was it and that the rest of the winter will be mild.

In the meantime, a picture from the kitties training event on the weekend — catalympics hockey. Lester got 2 minutes in the penalty box for elbowing. Smudge was not impressed!


A Tale of an Incontinent Iron

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When I got a certain iron last spring, I was thrilled with it. It got truly hot and produced more steam than I had ever experienced. Ironing clothes or fabric was a breeze. It was treated with kid gloves, never dropped, never abused, never left on for hours on end. I followed the manufacturer’s instructions, did the self-clean every month, was very careful.

How did it repay that treatment? In under 8 months it became incontinent. It needed Depends for irons! On top of that, even when drained of all water and set to no steam, it refused to get hot enough to press anything.


When it worked, it was a great iron but farewell, incontinent, cold iron. It was nice while it lasted. A new Sunbeam iron is now awaiting its first use.

Smudge saying, “Are the catalympics starting soon?”


And Lester, contemplating the lounge event:




New Books

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Gift cards from bookstores are, I think, one of my favourite gifts! Between us, we had quite a few and have ordered books and CDs. Today’s mail brought these three Kaffe Fassett books:


After seeing what Poppet over at quiltcontemplation was doing getting ready for the catalympics, Lester had to get in some serious training time. He was moving so fast, it was impossible to get anything but a blurry picture of him:


Smudge got in on the training too but he was moving even faster! After their training session they had to have a rest. Lester crashed on the chair:


Smudge had to find a cuddly toy to curl up with:


Ideas for A Future Quilt

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A couple of months ago, a friend sent me these gorgeous pieces of hand-dyed fabrics. I’ve had them on my sewing table since, and look at them daily as I love the colours. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do with them, but am playing with ideas. I put them with the print in this photo just to get an idea how that might work as a background to go with them.


Perhaps a black fabric is the answer for the background with them. The colours seem more vibrant against the black. Stars may be part of the design, or perhaps some curved piecing.


Edited to Add: Poppet at quiltcontemplation has been practising for the De Cat a Lon — by the looks of it, she’s determined to win a medal!

Smudge practising for the imitating hockey puck competition:


While Lester is resting after some vigorous stretching:



Organizing

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One of the things I did over the holidays was get another little box organized with glassine envelopes containing the pieces for 2 more small quilts.

The pieces for a small spool quilt are in there and, while I was organizing, I just had to make a few more of the little blocks:


Also contained in the box are the pieces for these 4.5″ blocks. There’s enough to make 25 or 30 of these.


At the moment, there are 2 boxes containing the pieces for 5 different quilts. Two of them are large, long-term projects being the Patchwork of the Crosses and the Harpsichord Quilt. The pieces for the remaining blocks of Pink Ice are in one of the boxes and, finally, there are the pieces for these 2 little quilts. Am I working on any of them right now? No! I probably won’t touch any of them for at least a week while I get the piece I blogged about on Monday done. I’m getting excited about it now that I have a few of the blocks done. As soon as it’s finished and the pattern written, I’ll show it.

Mr. Q.O. has been very busy the past few weeks doing things like making an external hard drive for his computer, learning some new computer programs and other techie things like that. We have a favourite computer store where there are some marvelous deals to be found. He surprised me on Monday with more memory for my Mac. Amazing difference it made, jumping from 1G to 3 of computer memory.

Monday was another cold windy day. But I did notice it was staying lighter a little bit later. Any sign of warmer weather to come at this point is welcome!

Lester showing off his whiskers:


While Smudge is getting in some real lounging practice — this time with a couple of “friends”.


Beginnings

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Do you ever get a design idea and just have to stop whatever else it is you’re working on to try it? That’s what happened to me over the past few days. The idea has been sort of percolating away in my mind for a week or so and I finally gave in, picked out some fabrics and started working on it. It will eventually be a table runner.

These are the fabrics I chose after a little trial and error. I initially had a fourth Fassett print rather than the white, but it just didn’t work. I needed the part of the design that will be done with the white to really stand out.


The weekend was bitterly cold and windy. Sunday we had a wind chill value of -20C. Saturday wasn’t all that much better. In fact, looking at the forecast for this week, it looks like it will be more of the same. I thought I heard we were to have a mild winter. This does not sound like mild weather!

The cats are in serious training for the lounging competition. First, Smudge who was, I think, perhaps working up to some training for the hidden head competition:


And then Lester, perhaps training for the sleeping curled up as a circle competition:


New Book

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The final mail delivery of 2009 brought this:

The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns by Jinny Beyer is a fabulous book. Lots and lots of inspiration for quilters.

New Year’s Eve was another day/evening of rain and relatively mild weather. I’m keeping my fingers crossed the whole winter is as mild as this!

Lester looking a bit ruffled. Oh, how I’d love to get a picture of him just after we’ve combed/brushed him — particularly his ruff.


Smudge curled up with the torch bearer for the critterlympics.

Pink Ice Block #23

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… seemed to go together in no time. So now there are 7 left to make. With any luck, I’ll reach my goal of having the 30 blocks finished by the end of January.


The back:


I seem to be in the midst of a flare again with my hands, so am limiting my time at the computer for a few days. If I don’t respond to a comment, please know that I am reading and appreciating them and will respond as soon as I can.

Lester, in some serious training for the lounging event:


While Smudge is getting ready for the events which he’ll be watching, rather than participating:


Happy New Year!