Tag Archives: cats

Patchwork of the Crosses – Another Framed

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As each block is framed, it becomes my favourite. It’s going to be hard to pick the centre block for the quilt when I get to that point. The centre of this one seems to vibrate.


The back:
One of the many Inklingo charm swaps we’ve had was of the 2.25″ equilateral triangles from Collection 3. I’m not altogether sure where I’m going with this, but I have a feeling that this is going to work up into a lap quilt that may well be a Christmas gift for someone. I have no real plan on colour placement with this other than alternating light and dark/medium, but that may change as I put together more of the triangles.


Smudge lounging on the love seat.

And Lester caught mid-yawn on the couch.


Another Harpsichord Block

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Harpsichord block number 15 is now done. Only 139 to go. Only!? These are actually quite quick to stitch together, but I’m trying to work on some Christmas gifts at the same time which means, rather than getting 2 blocks done while we watched the baseball, only 1 was finished.

The back:

This fabric was, I thought, perfect for the black octagons in the Harpsichord Quilt. I washed it and was stunned that the water was pitch black. Did a little research and read that soaking a fabric like this for 24/36 hours in plain cool water will draw out all the excess dye molecules. Did that. Water still pitch black. Rinsed it out and soaked it again, this time with a piece of plain cream cotton fabric. After a few hours, the water was again pitch black. The cream fabric didn’t pick up the dye, but it made me a bit apprehensive about using this in my quilt. To spend the hours it will take to hand piece this quilt and take the chance the black is going to spoil it when washed is just not a risk I’m willing to take!
The part I find most curious is that, even though the water consistently was showing a lot of dye, the fabric itself didn’t show any signs of fading. I’ve never run into this with a black fabric before. The fabric is now going to be used only in pieces which I expect will never be washed. Perhaps some fun needle books.

Smudge trying to ensure that no toys vanish from the toy basket while he sleeps.

And Lester on the windowsill — again. We’re supposed to have 3 or 4 days of quite mild temperatures so I think he’ll be enjoying the squirrel antics on the roof garden all week. Monday was rather mild as well and we were able to turn the heat off.


Preparing Patchwork of the Crosses Cream Frames

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Seeing the POTC blocks laid out renewed my determination to get my Patchwork of the Crosses top together before the year’s over. So I have been taking little stacks of these and …

… stitching together sets of 3 and then …

… creating the cream hexagon frames for the remaining blocks. Once the frames are made, it’s just lots and lots of lovely continuous stitching to add them to each block. Adding the purple squares after that takes next to no time.


This weekend is our Creativ Festival. We’re going today — yes, Mr. Q.O. enjoys going as well. Then we’re meeting friends for dinner. It will be a very nice day, even though the weather leaves much to be desired. Snow, they say?? Snow in October? I’ve definitely got to get started on that beach ball quilt and pretend it just isn’t happening!

Smudge doesn’t care. He’s curled up, nice and cozy and warm.


Lester, on the other hand, was on the windowsill today. Look how green everything still is! How on earth can it snow when it still looks like this? There are still flowers!

I’m pretty sure he was watching the squirrels. You can see how green everything still is in this photo and some of the flowers.


Pink Ice

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The design floor was put to good use again Wednesday night as I laid out the pink and white snow crystal blocks. Pink Ice is the name that I’ve decided on for this quilt. The blocks finish at 9″ and I want to use some sort of sashing but now, seeing it laid out, I’m really wondering what will work. I want to keep this as a two-colour quilt so the sashing would have to be some sort of pink. I have a plan for a border now too which will include half stars.

The fabric the blocks are lying on is a pink and white tiny print. It clearly doesn’t work for the sashing. Maybe a pink stripe of some form or a pink batik that has a lot of different shades of pink in it?

Lester sometimes looks, to me, as though he’s a very wise kitty. Then, of course, he does something totally goofy like chewing on his ruff.


Smudge showing just how well he knows how to relax. He was asleep like this, with the hind leg stretched up on the cushion.


Patchwork of the Crosses – Wisteria Purples Framed

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The very first POTC block I made and what is probably my favourite block was up next for framing with the cream hexagons and squares. The camera had trouble with the one of the purples in the block. The long hexagons that appear to be a blue purple are much more purple than they appear.

The back:
Enough of the blocks are framed now that I think we can get a somewhat decent shot of all the blocks laid out and an idea of how the quilt will look. There’s still lots of work to be done, but I’d love to get an idea of placement now and maybe start putting the rows together as I frame them. I’m starting to think about how this will be quilted but haven’t come up with any good ideas yet.

Smudge completely relaxed. He makes me laugh out loud when his paws are like that.


Lester hanging out on the sofa as well.


Snow Crystal Block #14 and Inklingo Star

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Block 14 is done. The blocks finish at 9″. All the pink diamonds and the majority of the white squares and triangles are printed and cut for the remaining 16 blocks. The block really is fun to put together and, if I were to concentrate solely on these, I could have them done within a month. But we all know that won’t happen!!

The back:


Two of the star blocks made with shapes from the Inklingo tumbler collection. I have more done but they didn’t make it into this picture. Maybe after the weekend. This will be a teddy bear quilt. With any luck I’ll get the top together by weekend’s end. And a few more of the hexagon rosettes. Maybe a couple more of the Harpsichord Quilt blocks and at least one more POTC block. Hmm — sounds like a lot of stitching may be going on.

Why do I think I’ll get all this stitching done this weekend? It’s our Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving! I’ll be posting a quilt for the Blogger’s Quilt Festival, either later today or sometime on the weekend. It will be fun to see all the quilts that are entered this time. The spring quilt festival was wonderful.

Smudge getting in some practice on relaxing so he’s ready for a long weekend. Look at his front paws!!

And Lester looking rather pensive. Not much is happening out on the roof garden for him right now. But just wait till the leaves start falling and then flying in the air — then there will be great excitement!


World’s Biggest Hexagon Quilt

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When reading Linda’s blog on Wednesday, I found out about the Aussie Hexagon Challenge. Linda wrote: “I loved the idea but I wanted to make sure that the rosettes did not have to be whip-stitched (something I do NOT enjoy), so I wrote to Gail Chalker, the intrepid organizer of this ambitious challenge. Yes! They would welcome our Inklingo rosettes, sewn with a running stitch.” As soon as I read that, I knew I had to start making some. So while we watched some of the baseball playoffs Wednesday night, I stitched together these two rosettes. One thing I always seem to have printed and ready to stitch are hexagons!



They are hoping to make the World’s Biggest Hexagon Quilt with hexagon rosettes made using 1″ hexagons from all over the world. After the quilt is shown and, hopefully, gets into the Guinness Book of Records, it will be made into smaller quilts for nursing home residents.

I’m another one who just does not enjoy whip-stitching at all but knowing that they’ll welcome rosettes made with simple running stitches means I can make at least half a dozen and send them. Hopefully, I’ll make a dozen or more. I’ve picked out another 6 sets to stitch over the next couple of evenings.

The backs:

A close-up of Smudge sleeping.

And Lester in his normal spot on the windowsill. We still have mostly green leaves on the trees. For that I’m thankful. The longer they stay, the better.


Block for Terry

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My block for Terry is finished and will be on its way to Laurie today. I was working way outside my comfort zone with these fabric colours! Funny how different it felt to make this block with these fabrics.

The back:

I’m not sure what Lester was looking at when this was taken but he was definitely interested in something.


And Smudge in his kitty bed — I think this was taken when he was busy making sure the round bed was becoming an oval.


A 9-inch Star

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Carrying on with the big blocks, I made this 9-inch star using the new Inklingo 3″ diamond collection. Although I’m not quite sure how, somehow this star will be incorporated into the beach quilt. I used half diamonds — which made the star more fun to stitch. This is definitely the largest star I’ve ever made. It’s absolutely HUGE!

The back. I am so glad I learned this method of pressing as with all those seams meeting at the centre it could have been a nightmare. But it lies lovely and flat and not the least bit bumpy at the middle.


A contemplative Smudge, waiting for — maybe a kitty toy or an evening treat of some yogourt?


And Lester with a little stuffed toy. Notice the paw on the remote control. He’s definitely a male cat!