Tag Archives: Inklingo

A Stitching Book

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As soon as I saw the Inklingo Log Cabin collection I knew I wanted to make some blocks for use as covers of a stitching book.  When I was making my Quilted Diamonds blocks, I always used a stitching book.  Now I don’t use one as often, but I love having one for portions of  blocks like the Feathered Star and Pickle Dish.  This book is going to a friend, but I know I’ll make more of the stitching books with different blocks made using the log cabin squares and rectangles.  There are so many different blocks one can make and they’re just about the perfect size for a stitching book.  They are also very quick to make.

The back cover of the stitching book is the same block, but the fabrics are reversed.

The inside front of the book.  The fabric I used for the inside covers is an odd one.  I remember picking it up, thinking it was a lot of fun.  It’s difficult to needle, so using it for a stitching book was the perfect solution.

When I’m stitching a block or section of a block that has the potential to get confusing, I will often lay out the pieces and then stitch.  I pick up 2 pieces, stitch them together, lay them back down where they belong in the order and then pick up the third piece — knowing exactly where it goes in the sequence.

I laid out 2 Drunkard’s Path units on a page of the book, to show how handy it is.  I was going to lay out a pickle dish melon/arc combo, but as I’m using white in that block it wouldn’t show up well in photos.  It’s also handy for stitching outdoors as the pieces will stick to the pages of the book.  And for those of us with four-footed helpers, some of whom like little pieces of fabric, it’s nice to be able to shut the book and get those bits of fabric out of harm’s way.

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What follows is a bit of a rant.  Feel free to skip down to see today’s kitty pictures.

Over the weekend, a friend alerted me to the fact that someone had grabbed a picture from my blog and used it on their blog without a link.  I wasn’t contacted by the person to ask permission to do so.  Generally speaking, I don’t mind sharing at all.  That said, I do think it’s imperative that we all respect one another’s copyright and ask for permission before grabbing text or photos from another’s blog.

I wasn’t going to say anything but I had a long look at the person’s blog.  The blogger is clearly not new to blogging and knows how to put links in her posts.  I really am not sure what, if anything, to do about it.  What would you have done? Have you run into this, finding out in a roundabout way that someone has grabbed something from your blog without asking first?  If so, how did you handle it?

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The cats had a relaxing weekend.  Smudge was stretched out having a snooze.

Lester was alert and looking around.

Piecing a Drunkard’s Path Unit – Lots of Photos

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There were a couple of inquiries about how I piece the little 2-piece units that are used in Drunkard’s Path blocks, so I thought I’d put together a short tutorial on my method.  Smudge is wide awake and watching.

I’ve always loved making Drunkard’s Path blocks and before Inklingo would trace them and then add the quarter-inch seam allowance.  Since the Inklingo Drunkard’s Path collection came out, it’s so much more enjoyable.  No tracing, no adding the quarter-inch seam allowance.  Just print, cut and stitch.  Now I never want to stop making these.  They’re quick and, thanks to the perfect matching points and stitching lines, very simple to stitch.

The first thing step is clipping slightly into the seam allowance of the piece with the concave curve.  You can see one clip in this picture.  I clip between every matching point that’s printed on my fabric.  In the above picture you can see the stitching line and the matching points that have printed on to the back of my fabric.

Then I line up the pieces and, using #12 sharps as pins, pin the first and second matching points.  I pin the first to hold it in place when I insert the threaded needle a bit over from the beginning of the seam.

Then I bring the threaded needle back up through the matching point at the beginning of the seam, effectively taking a back stitch.

Then, taking the smallest stitches I can, I load the needle with stitches up to the next matching point.

Before I pull the needle through, I move the sharp from that first matching point along the seam to the next.

Pull the needle through, make a small back stitch and proceed by loading the needle with more stitches up to the next matching point.  Then it’s simply a matter of repeating the last 2 steps until the end of the seam.

I’ve reached the end of the seam. At that point I make a back stitch, turn the piece over and make a small knot, once again away from the end of the seam so that the knot won’t interfere when adding other pieces.

The little Drunkard’s Path unit is finished.

The back:

They really only take a few minutes to stitch.  For fun, I decided to see just how long it takes me to stitch one.  It’s just over 5 minutes from start to finish.

Lester hopes you found this relaxing.

Stitching Progress

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32 blocks were finished yesterday.  I probably could have stitched more but the lighting was less than wonderful and my eyes were getting a bit tired.  There’s something about stitching these little Drunkard’s Path units that is absolutely irresistible to me.

The back of one of the blocks:

When we got home, I pressed the ones I had stitched and started cutting out more of them.  If I keep stitching at this rate, I’ll have all the little blocks made in no time at all and then can start putting the groupings of 4 blocks together.

Then I was thrilled to find out that there’s now an Inklingo Log Cabin collection. I’ve never wanted to make a log cabin quilt but I think that may have been partially because of the amount of precision rotary cutting that would be involved.  So now I’m contemplating a few ideas for little quilts.  But more than that, I’m thrilled to have the variety of lengths of 1″ rectangles to play with from 1″ x 2″ all the way up to 1″ x 10″.  There are a lot of design possibilities involved with those!  I’ve already got an idea for a stitching book which I hope to get done this weekend.

Thank you for all the well wishes yesterday.  Mr. Q.O. came through with flying colours.  Everything about the day was amazing (well, okay — except for the getting up at 5:00 a.m. part).  He was taken into the pre-op area almost the minute we arrived, a few minutes later I was sitting with him and met the surgeon, the anaesthesiologist, one of the surgical nurses and then the porter came to take him into the O.R. at which point I was sent up to the waiting lounge.  Great volunteers there who kept tabs on who everyone was and for which patient they were waiting and who would, the minute they got calls from the O.R., immediately come over to tell those waiting how their relative was.  By 9:30 I was on my way up to the short stay floor as he was already there and eating breakfast.  His nurse on the short stay floor was an absolute gem.  By shortly after 4:00 we were home.  I’m glad we got home when we did as it was getting rather nasty outside and the roads were icy from the snow/rain combination that had begun to fall earlier in the afternoon.  I may do moan about our climate, but I wouldn’t trade it for a second if it meant giving up our marvelous health care system.

For the record, getting up at 5:00 is not something I want to repeat very often. Drinking coffee at 5:30 a.m. is a rather futile endeavour for me – I don’t even remember the taste of it, as I think I was a walking zombie at that hour!  While there were some people out and about at 6:30, there were nowhere near as many as I had been led to believe.  Perhaps in the summer, when the weather is nicer, people are out and about earlier but on a rather windy, chilly day in early March? Not so many!

When we got home, Smudge practically broke all speed records getting to the door to greet us and demand some fresh food.  Lester, on the other hand, was lounging on the couch and gave us one of those, “Well, where the heck have you been for all these hours?” looks and that was the extent of his reaction.

Smudge later in the evening after having an after-dinner snack.

And Lester having a snooze while holding on to a monster-size kitty paw.

Ready to Stitch

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A quick half hour or so and this 2.5″ stack of charms was printed with Drunkard’s Path shapes.  They are so amazingly quick to stitch that I’m hoping to have at least 25 or 30 blocks done today.  Maybe even more.

My stitching kit has scissors to cut the shapes, thread snips, needles, my thimble and two colours of thread.  Must remember to toss in a finger pincushion as well — as I cannot stand stitching without it.

It has been a long time since I’ve worked on these, but this is a sample of the blocks I’ve made so far.

By the time this posts (I’m writing it Tuesday evening), we’ll be on our way to the hospital.  We have to be there by 6:30.  6:30???  We’re night owls in the Q.O. household, so 6:30 sounds almost like the middle of the night.  However, a friend assures me there are many people up and about at 6:30 a.m. (this I have to see!) and that they’re even coherent at that hour.  All I’m hoping is that the Tim Horton’s shops in the hospital lobby are open and I can get some coffee when we get there.

I’ll throw my eReader in the bag in the middle of the night morning when we get up so that if the lighting really is not conducive to stitching I can at least read.  I should point out that at that hour it will take us less than 10 minutes to get to the hospital, so we likely won’t even leave here until about 6:10 or so.  That’s a strange hour for a night owl.  Very very strange.  However,  there is a good side to this ridiculously early hour and that is that he’ll likely be ready to come home sometime in the afternoon.

I must remember to leave the television on for the kitties — it’s going to be a long day for them.   Hopefully they just have a nice calm relaxing day and Smudge is like this when we get home.

While Lester is stretched out like this.

Charms

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When Rouenneries by French General first came out, I fell in love with it.  Got a couple of charm packs and started making Drunkard’s Path units.

Then I decided I wanted to make a slightly larger quilt and got a couple more charm packs and a bit of yardage.  The charms are all washed and ready to print.  The yardage will be used for the borders and binding.  I’m going to spend some time today printing the shapes on the remaining charms and get them ready to stitch on Wednesday.

Mr. Q.O. is having a minor surgical procedure on Wednesday, so it will be a long day at the hospital.  We were there on Monday for all the pre-op stuff and I was amazed at just how cold it was.  One would think a hospital would be warmer, considering there are patients there.  However, I’m warned now and will be wearing lots of layers on Wednesday.  I took my e-reader with me yesterday and was glad I had, but on Wednesday I plan to stitch and the Drunkard’s Path units are the perfect stitching project.

Lester  was showing us his lion look on Monday.

The light was perfect for this shot of Smudge — all natural light.  I love the fact that each day we have light for a slightly longer time and the light is getting so much better for photographs.

Preparing for Next Week’s Piecing

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The last of the Farmer’s Delight blocks will be finished this weekend so I decided it was time to get some shapes for other quilts ready.  First up were some more of the shapes I need for the Summer Picnic Dish quilt.  It took only a few minutes to print enough for another 4 blocks.

While I was at it, I decided to print some more shapes for the Pastry Shop quilt. Again, it took only a few minutes and now I have quite a few ready to stitch.  There are, of course, other shapes that are already printed and ready to piece for a few other quilts but this way I have lots of choices.

It was cold again on Thursday and was even snowing a bit.  I keep telling myself it’s March and it can’t last, but it would be nice to see the end of this cold weather.

Smudge didn’t care.  He found a cozy spot to curl up.

As did Lester.

Farmer’s Delight Block 11

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Getting these blocks done has moved to the top of the list and, as I’m very close to being finished, they are all I plan to work on until they’re done.  One more block to go, then add the surrounding pieces to turn the last 4 blocks into squares and the piecing is done.  The final step will be figuring out how I want to set them.

Block 12 has been started.  The two triangle strips won’t take long to make and add to it and then it will be finished.

A few days ago I wrote about testing different markers for marking the quilting I want to do on the pink and cream quilt.  I made some marks on a scrap piece of the cream fabric with various markers and then let it sit for over a week.  Wednesday I decided to see if the marks would come out.  I was amazed at how easily they all rinsed right out of the fabric with just water.  No soap was necessary at all.  The pink and yellow Fineliner marks rinsed out without an issue.  The most surprising to me was that the General’s graphite pencil marks practically flew out of the fabric as soon as it got close to water.  After drying and ironing the scrap piece there isn’t a hint of any of the marks.  As I always wash my quilts as soon as they’re bound, I feel quite safe about using any of the markers I tested.

Now to find my quilt stencils.  Some of them are rather large so there aren’t too many spots I could have put them where they could lie flat.  It seems I found a really good spot for them — and one that I can’t remember.  I’d like to get that top ready to quilt this weekend, so hopefully they turn up today or tomorrow.

I spoke too soon about the weather.  Wednesday was quite cool again and extremely windy.  Our high was only -4.  Today’s high is supposed to be -3.  However, the difference in the light is becoming more obvious each day.  We got pictures of both the cats without having to turn on lights or use the flash.

Lester was lounging.

Smudge was posing.

Pickle Dish Addition

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Finally, some progress on my Summer Picnic Dish quilt.  I’m adding the setting pieces as I go so that when I’m finished adding blocks, I’ll be finished altogether.  It takes only a couple of minutes to add a setting piece as I go and is much nicer than having to add them all at the end.  The one thing I’ve not decided on yet is whether this will be a borderless quilt, which seems to be my normal preference, or if I’ll add some sort of pieced or appliqued border.  So for now, I’m leaving the corners curved.  If I decide on no border, then I’ll have lovely curved corners. If I decide to add borders, I can easily add the 4 setting pieces to the corners.  This is one project that is moving to the top of the list to be worked on.

The question of borders is one with which I constantly wrestle.  I love the look of antique quilts that have no borders and that seems to be what guides me.  Yet I also love the look of a pieced or appliqued border.

March came in like a lamb, although it was windy.  We had the windows open for a while and it was marvelous.  I noticed a difference in the light Tuesday as well. What a wonderful time of year this is — so full of promise that winter is almost over.

We did get photos of the kitties Tuesday.   Lester was looking rather elegant.

Smudge was curled up relaxing.

Another Farmer’s Delight

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Once this and two more blocks are finished, and the next one is already partially put together, the blocks for this quilt will be made.  Setting the blocks is something I’ve started thinking about and, while I have no firm ideas as of yet, I’m thinking about something that will involve some applique.  I’ll make that decision once all the blocks are done and I start playing with layouts.

An idea for another Dresden Plate variation is slowly working its way to the top of the list.  I may play with some fabric choices for it and perhaps make the first block this week.

Thanks to the rain early Monday, we have no snow left on the roof garden.  As it’s now March 1, I’m hoping that we get no more snow until next year.   Spring can’t arrive soon enough for me.  There’s something about it being March that always feels so promising.  We got through January and February and it’s all good from here.

We didn’t manage to get any photos of the kitties on Monday.  We just didn’t seem to have a camera at hand at the appropriate times, so I thought I’d dig up some photos from a year ago.

This was Lester just under a year ago.

And Smudge slightly over a year ago, giving a classic Smudge look.

Pickled Ladies and the Pastry Shop

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Sounds like a funny book title, doesn’t it?  As it’s time for the February Clamshell Club report, I’m showing the Pickled Ladies that got finished this month.  Not as many as I had hoped, but half a dozen to add to the mix is progress.  To see more clamshell reports from other participants, check in here at Cybele’s Patch to find those links.

On the weekend, a new Inklingo Pies and Tarts collection was released.  While I’ve often thought  the quilt was appealing, there was no way I was going to make anything that required English paper piecing.  Now?  Now I can make it with a simple running stitch and some continuous stitching as I’ve got perfect shapes with stitching lines marked on the back of my fabrics.

Of course, I had to start making some of the blocks and have printed enough shapes now to make a small quilt.  Mr. Q.O. suggested naming it Pastry Shop.  And that’s how the Pickled Ladies have ended up in a post with the Pastry Shop.  The back:

We had yet more snow on the weekend, but it sounds like today we’ll have rain and who knows what else.  I had a migraine Sunday afternoon that was rather nasty, but it lifted as the storm got closer.  The cats decided to find cozy spots to curl up.

Smudge’s new favourite spot is where the heating pad is.

Lester prefers the loveseat.  I think this is one of the best shots of Lester, as it shows how rich the red colour is in his coat.