… is finished. Block 20 has been started. I’ve decided to make 30 blocks in total, so will pick out more 10 more pinks to use. My goal of finishing it this year looks pretty unobtainable but it will be finished this winter!
The back:
Wednesday was interesting. Snow overnight, then rain and more rain through the day and then the temperatures dropped. We didn’t go out, but I have a feeling the roads must have been terrible.
Lester looking up:
Smudge looking too adorable for words!
Two more blocks done. This one was very quick to put together with lots of continuous stitching to join the peels around the centre and then the white background pieces around the peels.
The back:
This one was fun to stitch — as the peel was joined to each background piece, the block started to come together. Again, a quick one to stitch.
The back:
Smudge waiting patiently once again for his nightly yogourt treat.
Lester watching something from the comfort of his kitty bed.
Yet another variation that can be made from the shapes in the new Orange Peel collection is this one, which has been called Eiffel Tower. This was really quick to put together. I can see this done in a variety of fabrics and colours.
Once I get the 6 blocks I’m making with these fabrics done, I think I’m going to try a couple of the blocks using different fabrics and a background fabric for the peel to make the various other shapes really stand out. Curved piecing is so much fun that I want to drop everything else and just do more and more of these blocks.
The back: 
On Monday afternoon we went to one of the flu shot clinics in Toronto and got the H1N1 vaccinations after checking with Mr. Q.O.’s doctor who said to get them, even though what we had a few weeks ago was thought to be H1N1. We’ve read some articles lately about people getting it twice. That is not something I’d want to go through twice. I got the seasonal flu shot at the same time, but in the other arm. Mr. Q.O. had had the seasonal flu shot back in October. I was impressed with how well the flu clinic was operating — extremely efficient and amazingly quick with great staff. The longest part of the whole process was the 15 minute wait afterwards to ensure that there were no allergic reactions. By midnight Monday night both arms were rather sore, but I figure that’s a small price to pay for the protection the vaccines offer.
Smudge snoozing in a kitty bed:
And Lester with one of their favourite toys.
These wonderfully gentle curves and the variations one can make with the shapes have me hooked!! This one has been named Orange Blossom. The effect is fabulous and looks much more complicated than it really is. There are four more different blocks I’m going to make using the various shapes and these fabrics.
The back:
Our kitty-sitting of Winnie is over for now. We’re going to miss her but have asked for and been granted visitation rights. 🙂
Lester curled up with an assortment of buddies . This one almost could go in the “find the kitty’s head” category.
Smudge on the windowsill. We’re supposed to be getting snow this week. I’m hoping it misses us, but I suppose the kitties might like to watch a few snowflakes fly by the windows.
As soon as I saw the shapes for this in the new Orange Peel Inklingo collection, I knew I had to use the fabric I’ve been looking at for so long and wondering what I’d make with it. I’m going to make, I think, 8 of these blocks for a table runner. It was amazingly quick and effortless to put together.
The back:
Today is our last day taking care of Winnie as our friends return from their vacation late this evening. We’re asking for visitation rights! I’m going to miss spending time with her.
The grackles were back swooping about on Thursday. This picture only shows a very few of them perched in one of the trees.
The cats weren’t as impressed. It was a very overcast day with rain on and off. Lester got comfortable in his kitty bed and ignored the grackles.
And Smudge curled up on the couch with a teddy bear.
I had started this Pink Ice block before the Inklingo Orange Peel collection was released. I’m absolutely fascinated by the Alabama Beauty block and plan on printing the pieces I need for it later today and hopefully getting it pieced tonight. Then I’ll finish this Pink Ice block.
Tonight will be the last night we’re taking care of Winnie, so I plan on spending some extra time upstairs with her. She is such a character that I know we’ll miss being around her as much. Perhaps we’ll have to ask for daily visiting rights, particularly when it comes time to feed her dinner.
Lester on the windowsill on a rather overcast day.
And Smudge also on the windowsill.
A new Inklingo collection came out yesterday, which includes the shapes needed for Orange Peel, Alabama Beauty, Eiffel Tower, Improved 9-patch and others. Of course, I couldn’t resist. And decided to make an Improved 9-patch in green and red with some white — perhaps the start of a Christmas quilt? It finishes at 8″.
The curves are so gentle that it’s a breeze to stitch. The matching points make it an absolute joy. And it presses beautifully too.
Tuesday afternoon, the boys were very busy watching out the window. Very, very busy.
What were they watching? What seemed like a hundred grackles swooping about, pecking away at the lawn, sitting in the trees and one which, for a moment, was pecking at the window. I was beginning to think we were in the midst of a remake of Hitchcock’s The Birds!
No words are necessary. Just make sure your volume is on to get the full effect of Winnie having dinner. Absolutely cracks us up every time.
… is done. The blocks finish at 9″. I’m thinking another 12 and then it will be time to start auditioning fabrics for sashing. Although I think it’s probably not something I can accomplish, I’d love to get the remaining 12 blocks put together before the end of December.
The back:
Another rather overcast day and more sleepy kitties. Lester in the kitty bed:
And Smudge on the couch:
A quick half hour on the weekend and I had printed enough of all the shapes I need for a small teddy bear quilt made up of the spool blocks done. The blocks finish at an odd size — about 4.8″. I’m going to use a set of 5 x 4 for this little quilt.
All of the little stars are now made and last night I started surrounding them with the white squares. It takes less than an hour to get two stars surrounded.
Seams graded and pressed.
There are now 17 of the little stars left to surround with the white squares. From here on out, it’s just nothing but continuous stitching to add the squares, then the connecting red diamonds and octagons and turn this into a finished quilt top. If I can stay focused, and I am pretty intent on doing just that, I could have this finished by the end of next week and be ready to quilt it next weekend.
I may take some time out this weekend and get the binding ready for Candy Stars as well as start printing for the Inklingo Periwinkle reverse mystery quilt. I think I’ve finally decided on the colours I want to work with for the Periwinkle quilt. No big surprise here — it will be pinks, pinks and more pinks. Maybe a mauve thrown in for a little relief from the pink. Maybe. Lessons 1 to 4 are available, free, at the All About Inklingo blog.
If you’re here to see who won the giveaway from the April Showers post, the winner will be announced later this afternoon after Baxter picks a winner.
“Mum’s Making Stars” is the title of today’s ‘toon.
As we were setting up to take pictures of the two little blue stars, he was right there just waiting for his photo to be taken because, after all, there is nothing that we could possibly want to photograph other than him!
Quilt Obsession 