Stars…Again

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These 4 blocks have also been bumped up the list to be finished. The lime batik I’ll use to set them is ready and the little quilt top should be done in no time. The blocks have been sitting for ages and the lime batik is washed and ready.

It has been quite a week around here. Last Thursday and yesterday, Mr. Q.O. had cataract surgery. The difference is absolutely incredible. He can basically now throw away his old glasses and use drugstore readers. I was able to sit with him in the pre-op area until the doctors came to get him and the nurse told me as soon as he was out of surgery – less than 15 minutes. What an amazing process! The nurses in the pre-op and recovery room were wonderful and we both got a hug from one of them as we left.

Baxter sprawled out under a desk yesterday afternoon. It really doesn’t look like he could possibly be comfortable, but this is how he likes to sleep.

Scrappy Star, Round Three

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While other projects have jumped to the front of the queue, Scrappy Star is not being neglected. Each round takes a bit longer but I’m finding that adding the next round of diamonds and squares only takes a couple of evenings of stitching. It’s fun to see it grow as each round is added and is about 19.5″ now.

When hand piecing, I often leave pressing until a block is finished. Not with this one. It only takes a minute to press after each round is added. That way, when I add the final round, it won’t take long to press it.

Edited to add:  The diamonds are 2.44″ from tip to tip and the squares are 1.32″.  I  used the free Inklingo collection to print the shapes on my fabric.

Baxter lost/hid Cappy, his favourite toy, for a while on Wednesday. After looking under every piece of furniture and behind closet and cupboard doors, Cappy was finally found in the very last place I thought to look. He has refined his game with it to the point that he drops it at my feet and meows so that I look down. When he finally decided to have a rest, he made sure Cappy was close by.

Sky Quilt

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Last week I spent some time going through the various partially completed projects. Some of them have been relegated to the closet for now. Others have been bumped up the list to be finished. The Sky Quilt is one of those that’s going to be worked on now. This picture is of the rainbow that will be, I think, in the middle of the quilt. Another few rows of diamonds will be added in purples and blues and that part will be done.

These four blocks will be in the corners of the quilt. I remember they struck me as being sunset and sunrise colours, which is what gave me the idea of calling it the Sky Quilt.

The pieces I need to finish the rainbow were ready and waiting, so I’ve started adding the final few rows to it and will hopefully have the top finished within a couple of weeks. The fabric I had selected for the background was easily located and is washed and ready to go.

The best part of revisiting the older projects? Once I had them out and up on the temporary design wall, I almost immediately had ideas for finishing a few. There are three of these projects that will be turned into quilt tops relatively quickly.

Baxter has a new trick.  He brings us his favourite toy, drops it at our feet and waits for us to throw it for him. First he has to rest up and be ready for some serious play time.

Drunkard’s Path Variation

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The blocks for this have been done for ages and were sitting, waiting to be put into a top. Part of the reason for the delay was that I wasn’t quite sure how I’d finish it. Now I know. Without the border, it’s 36 x 42. It’s completely hand pieced.

Last week, 6 new Inklingo collections were released with new sizes of the Drunkard’s Path shapes, ranging from 2″ to 7″, along with an absolutely fabulous Drunkard’s Path Free Design Book.  The book is wonderful and, for the moment, free to download. It’s full of tips and tricks for both hand and machine stitching Drunkard’s Path blocks as well as tons of layouts.

The new sizes gave me a completely different idea than I initially had for the border I’ll add to make it into a lap quilt. The top was made with shapes from the 3″ collection. I’ll be using shapes from the 6″ collection to make the pieced border. The fabrics for the border are ready and washed and now I just need to find one of them. I’ve obviously tucked it away too well, but I think I have an idea where it is.

Baxter is growing in leaps and bounds — and is leaping and bounding around here too as the kitten antics go on daily.  We were fortunate to get this shot of him awake and still.

Scrappy Star Is Growing

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It’s getting bigger with each round of squares and diamonds. And it’s taking longer to add each round. I’m still deciding whether to make it a one-block quilt or whether I’ll make 4 or 6 of these blocks. Once I get this first block to a larger size, I’ll make that decision.

Once again, it pressed easily.

Baxter was peering over the arm of the chair as I was stitching. Within a few seconds, he would be on my lap attacking the fabric pieces.

More Scrappy Star

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The next round of diamonds is added. As each round of diamonds or squares is added, it grows and is taking a bit longer to stitch. The squares for the next round are waiting to be added and then I’ll have to sit down and figure out which fabrics to use in the following diamond round as I’m trying to not have the same fabrics too close together.

It took no time to press after adding this round.

Baxter was a bit sleepy, I think, when this photo was taken. It appears that we have another kitty with odd drinking habits. It’s hard to describe. He lays down on his side beside the water bowl, with his back to the bowl, and then reaches his head over his shoulder and drinks. When he finishes, the back of his neck and one side of his head is soaking wet. We’re going to try to get video of him drinking like that as it’s much funnier to see than to read about it.

Small 9-Patch Blocks

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In one of the boxes, there are many, many squares just waiting to be stitched.  I started making some little 9-patch blocks that finish at 3″. There’s something about making 9-patch blocks that I find really appealing.

I keep thinking about making a red and white 9-patch lap quilt. That won’t happen until the red and white Feathered Star/Sunflower quilt is done, but it’s definitely a quilt I want to make.

Baxter seems to think these blocks are meant for him, so perhaps I’ll make a few more and he’ll have his first little quilt. I’m thinking of making a grey, white, black and pink quilt for him, but haven’t quite decided on what pattern. In the meantime, perhaps a little 9-patch quilt will suffice until he’s fully grown and I get the other quilt made.

Scrappy Star Beginning

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Mr. Q.O. was quite taken with the little quilt seen here, and dropped some hints, so I’ve started a lap quilt for him. This is the beginning of one of the blocks. It’s a fun and easy stitch, which is exactly what I want right now. At this stage, it’s approximately 10.75″. I plan on adding more rounds of squares and diamonds to this block. Then I’ll decide on the rest of the design.

I’m pressing with the iron after adding each round of squares and diamonds. I finger press as I go, so it takes only a few seconds with the iron and the pressing is done.

Baxter was 4 months old yesterday. It seems like yesterday that we brought him home. Now that he has discovered Cappy, he likes to keep it close. So close, in fact, that he sleeps on it.

Pink, pink and more pink

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Notice a common element in these pictures?

Joseph’s Coat melons.

And more melons.

A multi-tone quilt.

A two-colour quilt.

Chintz Circles quilt.

A teddy bear quilt.

The answer may be that there’s a lot of pink to be seen in all those photos.

And now? Now I have a pink purse that has decorative melons on it. There’s a bit of a story to this. Earlier this summer, in one of the leather goods stores downstairs, I saw another pink purse and was quite taken with it but didn’t buy it when I first saw it. When I finally decided to buy it, it was gone. Yesterday I saw this one in the same store and immediately bought it. Didn’t hurt that it was on sale. Now I know there was a reason I didn’t get the one I saw earlier in the summer. This one is absolutely perfect for me. It’s pink, it has melons that make me think of Joseph’s Coat and Chintz Circles and — well, it’s pink!

Baxter wasn’t particularly interested, although I have a feeling if I left it where he could get it I’d find some kitty tooth marks. This is one of his favourite poses when sleeping and one that always make us laugh.