Not Being Stitched

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These stacks of diamonds are waiting to be turned into Snow Crystals. And waiting. And waiting. Maybe Boxing Day I can get a start on a new one! I have 13 left to make to have 25 blocks done — whether I make more or not is undecided. But I want to make one now!!


However, I’m still working on gift one — one of three!! The unexpected increase in work this week has definitely thrown me a bit of a curve on timing. I have a feeling this weekend I’ll be glued to the couch, stitching!

It began to snow last night at around 9:00 or so and within an hour we had quite a blanket of snow on the roof garden. It really came down fast and furious. And they say that Friday we’re going to get BIG snow. It’s starting to look like we’ll have a White Christmas!

Lester — going for more of his windblown look.

Not sure about this look, but it’s just one of the many faces of Smudge.


Still Madly Stitching

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The group of pieces in the lower right-hand corner of this shot has now almost turned into a completed gift. So one almost done and two to go. One has to go to its recipient by a delivery service. The other two can be delivered by hand. But this is definitely cutting it too close.

What was I thinking leaving things so late???


I’m not complaining — but suddenly this week work has picked up a lot. Totally unexpected. And cutting into my stitching time!!

I got my partner info for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap today and have so many ideas floating around in my mind that would work for the quilt for this. It’s monochromatic this time. One of the colours my partner likes is blue. I love working with blue and I love the fact that my partner is someone whose blog I have been reading for quite a while. 🙂

Lester doesn’t like it when we go out. He has a habit at night of sleeping on our shoes. I’m not sure if he’s guarding us or trying to ensure we don’t sneak out in the middle of the night or something. Tonight he decided DH’s slippers looked like something he should make sure couldn’t go anywhere so he put his two front paws in one of them. Definitely had us laughing.


Madly Stitching Christmas Gifts!

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As these are going to be Christmas gifts, I can’t show the completed items — but these are the beginnings of 3 little gifts. One of them is almost finished and I hope to have the remaining 2 finished by the end of next weekend. Is this cutting it close or what?

Smudge doesn’t get stressed about Christmas — just enjoys hanging out by the window.


Lester does the same.


Black and White Challenge

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I joined the Black and White Challenge a couple of weeks ago and keep meaning to write about that. I had made these little black and white stars earlier in the year, along with some others, and think I will do something with these blocks to begin with. Although I do have plans for another black and white quilt, these will give me a start.


Christmas gifts are being worked on, so I can’t show them. I even wrote my first pattern as a result of one of them. It was an interesting experience and I certainly learned that I need to learn how to use some better programs when it comes to adding illustrations! All a learning curve — and this one I think is going to be rather exciting.

This has been a brutal week insofar as headaches go. I had a migraine last night that had me up until 5:00 a.m. I think there’s a big weather change coming, yet again, and that was the reason behind the headache.

We never tire of these “double” pictures of Smudge. He looks like such a different cat in his reflection!


And Lester in his favourite spot — with the warm air blowing up on him.


The Jane Austen Quilt

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I got the most fantastic, fabulous, wonderful Inklingo collection today — the new one with all the measurements and templates to make an exact replica of the Jane Austen quilt. All the odd-sized diamonds and the sashing, all the tiny border diamonds, the centre medallion diamond, the whole thing!!

I’ve often looked at the various patterns that have come out over the years that were replicas, to one degree or another, of the original Jane Austen quilt but never saw one that I wanted to make other than Quilted Diamonds — until now, that is. All the information to make this by hand or machine or a hybrid of both techniques, all the templates for the exact-sized diamonds and sashing; everything I need.
The wealth of knowledge in this collection is incredible. If you’re a Jane Austen fan, you will love this! Lots of detail about the quilt and its construction. The collection is on sale — and there are gift certificates available if you want to drop a hint to Santa.

Now I’m thinking a variety of pinks of different intensities for the diamonds and, if I can find it, a white fabric with very small black pin dots for the sashing. I have visions of stitching this with either the Pride & Prejudice or Sense & Sensibility movie playing.

The boys, given that this is about something related to Jane Austen, are doing their bookend imitation. First Smudge at one end of the windowsill:

Then Lester at the other end:


Another Swap!

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I’ve joined the Four Seasons Quilt – Swap 5! I’m really glad I did although I sure left it to the last second to do so! The quilts are to be monochromatic. I can’t wait to see all the different quilts that will be made for this.


Little embroidery blocks are fun. 2″ hexagon blocks with butterflies are even more fun! The pattern was actually printed on the hexagons using Inklingo collection #1. I decided to make a small quilt of butterflies and — well, I haven’t quite decided on the fabric yet, but I’m leaning towards some Kaffe Fassett prints. It won’t be large but will be, I think, cute. And it will be a gift.


And Lester — gazing out the window. But it’s not from today. Today it’s grey and overcast and gloomy and, after a bit of snow last night, is supposed to pour rain all day.

Snow Crystals 10 & 11

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It’s getting close — having 12 of these blocks done, that is. I’m not sure but think when there are 16 of them done I’ll start playing with layouts. The current plan is to make 2 lap quilts of pink and white Snow Crystal blocks, but that plan may well change.

This is block 10 done, front and back:


And this is block 11. I love this pink fabric but it is unbelievably difficult to needle. Went through 3 needles just piecing this. Don’t think I’ll use this fabric for hand piecing again — at least, not with this many pieces of it in a block.


It was a cold weekend and we had a bit of snow. Smudge doesn’t care — he just sprawls somewhere and has a nap.

Lester posing on the windowsill.


Great Blog Anniversary and Free Redwork Pattern

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Do you like redwork? If so, go here — Gail Pan is giving away a sweet little design just in time for some quick stitching for Christmas. I plan to use the design in a special Christmas card for an elderly relative.

If you haven’t been to Freda’s Hive before, go now. She has a fabulous blog, great designs, shows some amazing fabrics and this week is celebrating her blog anniversary!

Lester and Smudge think both those sites are well worth a visit!


Partial Snow Crystal

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As we watched the Wednesday night news coverage of what’s going on in Ottawa, I began yet another Snow Crystal. I love this pink print!! It’s wonderfully easy to needle and presses beautifully — although you wouldn’t know it from this picture. I’m hoping to finish this one Thursday.

Although Lester is in this shot, it’s really more about the way the light plays on the office building across the roof garden in the late afternoon. It was really remarkably pretty this afternoon — there was a real pink glow to it. Hmm — seems to be a theme here. Pink, pink and more pink.


Smudge, watching who knows what through the lace sheers.



Pink, Pink, Pink

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Another snow crystal block has been started. I have the 4 partial corner stars for the block done so, with any luck, I’ll have this block finished tomorrow. That will be 12 blocks done for this quilt. Now to decide how big it’s going to be. I have a feeling it’s going to end up larger than I anticipated — or that I’ll make two. Maybe two lap quilts with different settings. And maybe one with some black sashing.


A quilting friend (no-blog friend) and I are exchanging cuts of pinks to print our diamonds on for these blocks. These are the pinks I received from her. Not one duplication!! This is so much fun!!


Smudge really knows how to relax. It’s the front paws that get me — and he’s sound asleep in this shot.


Another shot of Lester when his ruff had been very recently combed. Give it 2 or 3 minutes and he has it all messy again, so every picture like this we manage to get I treasure!!