Minis for the Winter Months

My friend Gracie, who owns Gracie D's Antiques, Collectibles and Gifts here in Mirror, likes my minis -- and so do her customers. They are particularly fond of "the ones with beads", so I promised her a couple (at least) in time for the "Lucrative Gift-giving Season".Having decided to use mono-printing for my latest 15 x 15 Group piece, I took advantage of the painted "plate" (a layer of laminate off-cuts recycled from my daughter's office) to create a couple of "tree" pieces. I printed one on the "right" side of the fabric, and one on the "wrong" side...can you guess which one? ;-)

This time I tried out a new-to-me acrylic paint recommended by Lorette at Red Deer's Alberta Art and Drafting: "Open Acrylic" paint from Golden, in "Bone Black". I bought several months ago, but this was the first time I'd tried it -- and I have to say, for what I was doing (line drawings as mono-prints), it worked a treat! It took less paint than conventional acrylic because it stayed wet longer (that's the "open" benefit); in fact, it was still sticky when I finished what I wanted to do for that session.

Once they dried, I sandwiched each piece and free-motion quilted each one with Superior Thread's King Tut cotton in #979 - "Obsidian". I'm blessed to be able to buy what I need here in Canada and generally do so once a year at the Central Alberta Quilt Show in Red Deer in the spring. :-)

Then I "blopped" (isn't that a great technical term?) each piece with "snow", using a toothbrush and Pebeo Setacolor Opaque in "Perle Shimmer" (white, obviously)... and auditioned each one for bead positions...

Audition #1 - "Dining Alone"

Audition #2 - "Lunch Meeting"

The first one is finished, matted, packaged and photographed. (A final photo will appear later.) The second remains under construction (needs beads and mat) so will follow shortly...

But I have a music practice this evening (trio at church) and work in The Shop tomorrow, so that's all for now.

Linking to WIP Wednesday over on The Needle and Thread Network...and wishing you a better rest of the week...

And So It Begins...

All day the forecast has been for snow -- "light snow" or "flurries" -- back and forth -- due to start this evening and continue through tomorrow.

The same tomorrow I was to leave for Calgary (2 1/2 hours' drive southwest of here) around 6 a.m...

But...

The snow has begun.  It was preceded by a day of confused weather that included rain, freezing rain and sunshine.

I squeezed in a jog mid-afternoon, and surprised myself with pace and distance. When I'll jog again is anyone's guess.

The trip to Calgary was to take the SAQA 25th Anniversary Trunk Show, Section "F" ("F" is for 'Fascination'" I call it) to the Bow River Quilters...but now...both the organizer of the meeting and I are on tenterhooks, watching Mother Nature to see what's she's going to do.

"F"ascination in Syvlan Lake, AB - Dec. 9, 2014

The Trunk is prepped and ready to go.  If I don't get to Calgary, I will have to haul it to Alix Home Hardware to put it in the next Purolator pick-up, because it's due in Dauphin, Manitoba on the 8th...and Dauphin's a Long Way from here...

Meanwhile...the learning has begun.  EB's invoice for the Master Class arrived and was duly paid.  The first lesson has arrived, been printed and set in its own special binder for reading and follow up...

Simultaneously, the 'clearing out' continues...

Another year, another Block Of the Month (BOM).  Today I assembled the first block of the third collection of BOM blocks I'd amassed from Freckles' Quilt Shop all those years ago.  This BOM is called "Zen".

However, I didn't buy much in the way of supporting fabric (fat quarters) for it, so I am tempted to call it "Scrappy Zen", because aside from the background fabric and 2 'specially purchased fat quarters, I'm using what I have to make the blocks work.   Here's the first block, an Irish Chain variation:

"Scrappy Zen" - January - 'Irish Chain' variation

The BOM is only one way to clear out...there's the scrap stash...  Today I sorted and trimmed more pieces for a couple of different charity quilts, one of which involves string piecing on paper:

(L) to (R): Short strings, long strings; 2" x 7" pieces for a specific pattern

On  the knitting front, slippers are under construction for my DD's birthday.  The bottoms are finished and the first cuff, and about 1/2 of the second cuff:

Two Cuffs and Buttons -"Little Red Riding Slippers"
from Berroco's Inca Tweed 

To continue "stash busting" I'm devoting 2 skeins of Diamond Luxury Collection 'Foot Loose' (alas discontinued)  in a lovely pearl grey --  to the making of a pair of socks - "Isabella d'Este" from Clara Parke's Knitter's Book of Socks -- as part of the Ravelry group, "Socks from Stash"'s January challenge.

Sock #1 - Picot Edge Completed - 2.25 mm needles

May you be warm and cozy this wintry night, with your favourite creative work, your favourite music, your favourite beverage, your favourite people around you...Till next time...

In Like a Polar Bear

Even the hardiest Canadians are getting rather tired of this prolonged winter.  Here in Central Alberta the snow fell November 2 and has never left.  We had some last night, as a matter of fact -- a small amount, but enough to add insult to injury.

Add to that the fact that my kitchen taps haven't functioned since Friday (frozen pipes), and I've begun to wonder if we've been transported to Narnia, and just didn't know it -- you know, where it was always Winter and never Christmas....

Blessedly, the bathroom's appliances all still work (!), as does my furnace, and my sewdio is in my home (the largest of the three bedrooms), so I've been cozily working away.

Today I assembled the third in my current Block of the Month kitted top:

Four by Four BOM - Block 3: "Handy Andy"

Rather handsome, eh?  The pattern is in black and white, but even so, it appeared from the drawing that the red half-square triangles were intended to go around the red centre block.  However, if I were to make another, I'd think about putting the red ones in the four corners...because that plaid print is so red...it all seems a very large 'bull's eye' right in the middle!

I also put together a random green nine-patch (like the ones in the background I made earlier) and tested out two techniques for the roses I want to use to adorn the surface.

Upper left: cut-back applique version; lower right: fused applique version (rough edge, before stitching).

From a distance, as in the above shot, both look rather well against the green.  Closer up...can you guess my preference?  (I used the same fabrics for each sample technique.)

Yes...the fused applique -- for these reasons:

1. It uses less fabric than the cut-back technique;
2. It takes less time than the cut-back technique;
3. It creates less bulk in the quilt top than the cut-back technique.

The cut-back would work fine if I were doing a small piece with a few rose motifs on a smooth background.  The fact that the background is a pieced grid adds seams to the mix...making it tougher to stitch and to cut away, and adding to the bulk.  The grid concept is essential to this piece though -- based on Rennie Macintosh's work -- so... there you have it!

The rest of this week is tied up with a variety of things outside the house...so it will be next week before I get to work on this piece in earnest.  Still and all, I'm thankful that some decisions have been made about how to go forward, and I appreciate your kind support and encouragement, Gentle Readers!

Have a great week and...stay warm!

Enough for Today

...I think.  Having decided, due to the wind chill (-29C and it hasn't budged all day) to play hooky from my monthly volunteering at the Stettler thrift store, I have now cut out and sewed up my second batch of hour glass units, working a bit at a time between about 8 a.m. and now (2 p.m.).

Sleeve #1 awaits a fitting

Maybe God's rapping my knuckles for staying home.  Out of a potential total of 52 units (cumulative -- yesterday's and today's), I have 40 that are 2.5" square (the desired size), another 9 that are 2 3/8" square (and in piecing, 1/8" makes a significant difference) and  3 that are smaller (2.25") or just plain wonky.  Sigh.  I know I was a bit loosey-goosey with the first batch, but today I took particular care in cutting, marking, sewing and pressing (even turned off the steam, which I am not usually wont to do; I like steam!)

Ah well...I'm going to take a break and do more hand-stitching on the front of the hanten jacket, and maybe -- finally -- pick up the stitches for the second sleeve of my daughter's Christmas Sweater -- all the while entertained by TQS and a couple of new-to-me podcasters (Pam Holland -- an infrequent podcaster, but arty and interesting; and Sandy, the chatty host of Quilting for the Rest of Us.)

Stay warm!

Call me crazy, but...

it's snowin' and blowin' to beat the band this morning (started over night), and I'm getting into hibernate-in-the-studio mode!

Yes, I am working on a mosaic patchwork (aka English Paper Piecing) sample for my C&G, and a Christmas stocking for yet another new baby (not the same parents as last year's baby!)...and now...well, I just read Cathy Tomm's blog...and she mentioned that there happens to be a mystery  quilt starting over at Quiltville, and I have so many scraps that I have to get rid of...so I'm in!

Orca Bay, Alaska

Now most of you know I don't make many bed-sized pieces anymore, but at this point I am in such danger of being buried in an avalanche of scraps, that I'm willing to do just about anything to use 'em up!  And with a quilt inspired by this photo...what's not to like?

The Sunny Side of Life

Monica's approach to our seems-too-long Canadian winter has given me pause.  'Shame on me!' I thought when I read her blog this morning.  Time to turn my restless, grumpy attitude around and bloom where I'm planted.






Who cares what the Groundhog says?  I'm choosing to enjoy the ride into spring!

Isn't it odd...

That in the winter, one's driveway looks larger...

and... 

one's garden looks smaller...

  

than in the warmer months of the year....

Just In...

...from shovelling through to the end of my back shed, and forward, 'round the side of the house to the front, down the front walk, up J&E's front walk (they seem to be away), across their deck to their back door, down their back steps and down their back walk.  Half an hour of intense aerobics in the cold (-22C with wind chill).  Am I nuts?  Well...it's a case of reciprocal service.  J, when he's home, has no hesitation in using his snow-blower to blow out my walk.  I don't have a blower, so I did the best I could to at least start the process for him, following this first snowstorm of the Winter of 2010-2011.

Plus...

I have to get down to the Post Office and the Library this afternoon to pick up mail and books that await me -- and to keep myself from a hefty dose of Cabin Fever.  I've been indoors since Monday -- which has been very good for my Christmas knitting, my commissioned knitting, and my quilting...but sometimes even an Introvert (ISTJ) needs to chat a bit with others, face to face, right?  :-)