Dining Room Empire

100 Days of Modern Quilting

2012-01-27T07:21:00.004-07:00

Have you been following along with the 100 Days of Modern Quilting feature running on The Modern Quilt Guild? If you haven't, you should be.

Colour, block styles, improv, it's all been there so far. Tutorials too. And there is more to come. Inspiration every single day. It is also a great showcase for modern quilts.

Yes, I know the debate between modern and traditional, and the blurry line too. (This is still where I stand.) Regardless of where you stand on the debate or in your own style of quilting, the series is a great place to see some gorgeous quilts, a wide range of quilts.

And speaking of gorgeous quilts... One of mine is being shared today. How's that for a pretty shameless plug? Your Parents are Cool is still one of my all-time favourite quilts and I'm proud to have it included in Improv Week in the 100 Days of Quilting.

Indian Cottons

2012-01-24T06:19:00.001-07:00

My MIL went to India and all she brought me was some fabric.

Well, that's not true. She also brought me some lovely tea and spices. But oh, that fabric! Over 1 meter pieces of each of these. Endless possibilities. Paralyzing inspiration.

29 Weeks

2012-01-20T06:47:00.002-07:00

Threads, flour, horizontal stripes, and an unflattering pose. Welcome to 29 weeks pregnant in my house.

29 weeks is the most nervous part of pregnancy for me. At 29 weeks one of my bridesmaids had to leave our wedding and delivered her baby that night. Then she spent 5 weeks in the hospital herself while baby was there 2 months. It all worked out and everyone is healthy now.

At 29 weeks in my pregnancy with The Monster I went into preterm labour. A weekend in the hospital then 9 weeks of bedrest followed. House arrest, really. It all worked out and everyone is healthy now.

So when I hit 29 weeks I can't help but feel nervous and antsy. I watch my body for any sign of disagreement with the pregnancy. Of course, seeing as I rather dislike being pregnant the whole thing feels like a disagreement. In this case, every cramp seems like a major contraction, every slowdown in kicks is a concern, and I take my blood pressure too many times. Paranoid much?

This week I'm distracting myself with sewing, baking, and ignoring my messy house. Evidence of all things in this self portrait above.

29 weeks.

Branch Out

2012-01-17T10:01:00.004-07:00

I fancy myself a decent free motion quilter. No, I won't win any prizes for my quilting, but I do think I can do some fun things. That being said, it is good sometimes to push your limits.

This weekend I took a machine quilting workshop from Ana Buzzalino. Ana is a member of my Flying Needles Quilt Guild and an amazing quilter. She can do incredible things with a New York Beauty Block. And her art quilts, which involve painting and stitching are at a level that is both beautiful and well-recognized. Oh, and she is ridiculously nice, genuine, and funny.

Ana's style is so far removed from mine. That alone would discourage many quilters, particularly those of us who identify as young and modern, from taking a class with her. It shouldn't, though. It should inspire us to try something new and push our boundaries.

When you take a class from someone whose work is different than yours the best thing to do is immerse yourself, learn something, then figure out how to apply those lessons to your own work. Do not let style, age, or perception keep you from a new challenge or experience.

I am so glad I took this workshop. Sure, I love dense quilting, but maybe not as dense as Ana was teaching. I still doubt I'll try silk or rayon thread, but she had great tips regarding thread, period. I have more intent in my stitching, some new patterns to try and new inspiration for my own, and I'm heading into the next round of quilts with a boost of confidence in my free motion skills. And next month she's teaching feathers!

Goodness (Recipe: Marshmallows)

2012-01-13T07:22:00.003-07:00

It can be messy and sure is sweet, but making your own marshmallows is one of the most rewarding activities. For very little effort you get something that tastes infinitely better than anything you can buy. And the bonus? It makes any hot cocoa better. It is still winter, after all.

Making marshmallows at home is intimidating. This was the consensus at a sledding party we attended in December. I brought marshmallows for the gang, a perfect accompaniment to the planned hot cocoa afterwards. The other parents all thought it would be messy, involve lots of egg whites, and take forever.

In all honesty, it is messy when you do it with a 3 and 5 year old by your side. There are no egg whites, no dairy. There is gelatin, so these are not vegetarian. And the longest part of the process is waiting for them to firm up.

I'm posting the recipe today for parents everywhere. Head into the kitchen with these simple ingredients and you'll have marshmallows in time for hot cocoa after school.

For the best hot cocoa, I use this recipe. For an extra kick add some garam masala. Pair that with marshmallows made with a teaspoon of the chai spice mix added to the corn syrup mixture. You can also swap out the vanilla extract with peppermint or almond to vary the flavour. My girls also like them rolled in toasted coconut instead of icing sugar.

Basic Marshmallows

Adapted from Under the High Chair (Mine are a bit more firm and don't melt so quickly into the cocoa)

3 envelopes gelatin

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup corn syrup

2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

icing sugar

Prepare a 9'' by 13'' pan by lining it with plastic wrap and oiling the bottoms and sides with canola oil or vegetable oil.

In the bowl of an electric mixer sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.

Pour boiling syrup over the gelatin. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes with the electric mixer. It will become glossy and stiff, like egg whites. Add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds more.

Scrape into the prepared pan and spread evenly. It helps if your hands and/or the spatula are also lightly oiled. This is what keeps the mess under control. Let sit for a few hours or overnight.

Sprinkle a clean cutting board with icing sugar. Turn out the marshmallows and sprinkle more icing sugar on top. Cut into 1-1 1/2'' squares. Lightly roll in more icing sugar. These will keep for a few weeks in an airtight container - if they last that long!

(If you still don't feel up to tackling marshmallows at home I strongly recommend an order from The Marshmallows Company. They make some fine marshmallows and the company is run by a very cool kid!)

Welcome Home

2012-01-11T09:30:00.003-07:00

Two very large, heavy boxes came home to me yesterday. The quilts I sent off for Sunday Morning Quilts came home. This includes the quilts I made for the book specifically, as well as many from my collection that also made their way into the book. After almost a year it feels so odd to see them again in person. After so many reviews of the book it feels like I've been with them all along. Within seconds of their arrival the girls had grabbed a handful and by the end of the night my Hubby was snuggling with one.

Now... where to store all these in the midst of our reno and baby prep?

Important Letters

2012-01-09T07:02:00.002-07:00

This is a fun little project I've got going on these days. I took some scraps and made letters. Put those letters on white et voila! I can't wait to share this one, but I need to wait as the recipient may be reading...

I'd volunteered to make the quilt for her after a tragic event. Another friend gave me some fabric and it languished. Lack of a clear vision kept me from moving forward. Then, one night, I had a dream. Pregnancy dreams are always quite vivid. And for once it wasn't a nightmare or something completely messed up. I dreamt this quilt. Hormones for good!

While I didn't follow it directly when it came to constructing mine, Elizabeth Hartman has a great tutorial here for making the letters.

Handwork Update January

2012-01-05T08:00:00.003-07:00

In my defence, this isn't pressed. That's why the seams don't match. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This is where I'm at in my handwork project. After mentioning it when discussing my 2012 goals I thought you deserved an update.

I have a pile of these diamonds floating around. When I have a moment, usually when the girls are in a class or we're in the car and I'm not driving, I sew diamonds together. I only finger press before I put the rows together. I'm sure if I could properly press they would match up a bit better. You know what? I don't care. This is a process project, not an end results project.

(If Hubby had his way I would be done with the process too. He thinks this is both silly and ugly.)

There is one strip done. Five diamonds in a row, all sewn together. I haven't a clue where I'll take this. It is only this size because this is what is manageable and portable for me. Maybe I'll join strips together and make it all scrappy? Maybe I'll make it striped, adding in a solid strip? Maybe I'll do something else? We'll see. For now I just enjoy the process. And I've got dance, ski, and swim lessons starting up for the girls in the coming weeks.

(Gratuitous Evil Genius shot. Also, for scale. Ignore the door handle that looks like it is trying to shoot her in the head.)

2012

2012-01-01T20:59:00.008-07:00

A new year. Blah, blah, blah about resolutions, reflections, and new beginnings. For me, the new year simply means a new calendar. One for the wall from Michelle Engel Bencsko and my favourite Moleskine. A good black pen and a sacred spot on the sideboard and I'm off the races. Well, in actuality I'm just closer to hopefully not forgetting something.

The last 10 days have been good for me. Both Hubby and I actually took a break. I was on the computer and sewing machine very little.We had loads of time to chat after we collapsed every night from the exhaustion of three little kids and Christmas (we had my nephew with us this year). We spent a lot of time talking about what we wanted to do with the time we will have in the coming months. So, yes, there was some reflection and resolutions.

I prefer to think of them as goals. Or maybe stretch targets. Or optimism slightly more realistic than fitting into my regular jeans by May.

...Balance promoting Sunday Morning Quilts with the pregnancy and birth of our third baby. All while staying sane.

...Find the sweet spot between motherhood and work on another major project.

...Finish a handwork project.

...At least two baby quilts, one for the dragon in my belly and one for my sister's peanut.

...Make bacon at home in order to keep up to the consumption of bacon and maple syrup of the girls.

...Survive our basement reno, hopefully without the ridiculously giant TV my husband wants.

And do it all with a smile, a laugh, a hug, and hopefully a little bit of style.

Happy Holidays 2011

2011-12-23T07:53:00.004-07:00

Christmas at Heritage Park. My husband telling the girls that reindeer fly by eating the kids on the naughty list. Our first, and probably last, trip to the ballet. Making Pyrohy with Baba. More and more baking. Tree chopping in the mountains, complete with trees way too tall for the house and the indulgence of a tree in the girls' room. Santa and other pretty things.

Bringing the holidays to our home and family little bits at a time.

Happy Holidays everyone! We'll see you in the New Year.

Cherish the Snowflakes

2011-12-19T07:40:00.002-07:00

Like a snowflake in her hair.

Fleeting, fragile, yet for the moment it is with us, breathtaking.

We gathered the girls around us this weekend, spoiling them with fun and affection. It was all we could do as we coped with the news of death. It was a death that we knew was coming, one that provides relief with the grief. The death of a little girl, however, is heartbreaking regardless. There was nothing we could do for our friend as her family moves through this new challenge and sorrow in their lives. So we held ours close and remembered to cherish even the tantrums.

There was sledding and hot chocolate and cookies and reindeer and candy and snowy drives and saws to chop trees after stomps in mountain forests. There was the indulgence of a little, fresh tree of their own, lit up and decorated in their room. There was family. There was love.

And there was a little hand stitching too.

Spicy Sweet (Recipe: Chai Spiced Pistachio Bark)

2011-12-16T07:27:00.005-07:00

Truth be told, I had my sister-in-law in mind when I made this for the first time. She loves milk chocolate and can appreciate the heady spices of the Chai Spice mix. Of course, with her living in another city I wasn't able to share any with her. I'm pretty sure she wasn't thrilled with me for that.

The Chai Spice mix is intoxicating blend is warm, spicy, and just a little bit different from the typical winter spice dominated by cinnamon. The addition of pepper, cardamom, and ginger bring a little heat and change the taste. Use this spice mix in hot cocoa, chocolate cake, muffins, banana bread, or granola. Substitute it for the spices in pumpkin or apple pie. Or use it in the chocolate bark below.

Chai Spice Mix

2 tbsp ground cardamom

2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp allspice

1 tbsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground pepper

2 tbsp ground ginger

Mix all spices together in a small bowl.

I adore the mix of chai spices and pistachios, using it to great effect in my favourite granola. You could use any other nut in this bark, or leave it out entirely if you need to. Add some crystallized ginger or dried fruit if you are making it nut free. I also adore making this with my kids because I put them to work shelling the pistachios. Of course, it takes twice as long because they gobble up pistachios like candy.

A little bit of heat and spice combined with the richness of the chocolate is perfect in a season blinded by sweetness. You can make this with dark, bittersweet, or milk chocolate. Buy the best quality chocolate you can afford.

Chai Spiced Chocolate Bark

16 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

4 tsp Chai Spice Mix (recipe above)

1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

Line a rimmed cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper.

Set the chocolate in a medium bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add the Chai Spices and stir frequently as the chocolate melts. As soon as the chocolate in fully melted remove the bowl from the heat and continue stirring for 2 minutes as it cools. This isn't a perfect way to temper the chocolate, but it will help set it up to be somewhat firm when at room temperature.

After 2 minutes of stirring off the heat pour into your prepared pan and spread. Do not spread too thin, aim for roughly 1/2 cm or 1/4 inch. It will not reach the edges of the pan. Sprinkle on the pistachios. Place in the fridge to cool completely for an hour or more.

Once cool and hardened break into large chunks. Store in the fridge or a cool place.

PS The other cookie in that picture is this Peppermint Shortbread.

Waves

2011-12-13T20:29:00.004-07:00

Waves

72'' by 72''

The 36 patch that I started as stress relief is now finished. Thank-you to Amanda Jean for the inspiration and instructions. It stayed a project that caused me no stress. I worked on it when I felt like it, I played around with the quilting, and the colours always brought me calm. Aside from the, ahem... challenge of basting it.

I had a lot of fun playing with fabrics for this one. All blues, greens, greys, and beiges. Half were from a pile I'd just finished with and the other half I pulled from stash as I needed it. Only one was used twice, and that was by accident. It was with intention that I pushed the boundaries of value work in some blocks. As you can see, some blocks are high contrast, and others barely register a contrast. In one block the colour is used as a light, in the next as a dark. This will always be a quilt with a lot of dance, regardless of what you choose, but this one really jumps around, even with the calm colours.

The back also came from stash. Actually, most of the fabrics in the back were ones I'd held aside for the Water quilt I was working on forever (and have since put aside permanently). I love that big dot!

Can you see the quilting pattern here? It's all wavy and I did it with my walking foot. It was an experiment to see how tight I could make curves with the walking foot. Each "wave" takes two of the 2'' squares in a block. That's pretty tight. You could do it free-motion too.

This is one of my favourite blocks in the quilt. I matched fabrics as I went, with no overall plan. Without trying I put two gorgeous organic fabrics together. One from Birch and one from Daisy Janie.

Once I get a label on this it will be popped in the mail. In the end I've decided to give it as a wedding gift. We went to the wedding over a year ago! And yes, I am always that bad at giving gifts.

The colours match their living room perfectly. It's the living room in a stunning old house in an old community on the East Coast. The couple is stunning and their eyes are bluer than the ocean. I think it will be hard to live up to all that beauty with this quilt, but hopefully it can blend in.

And hopefully they have less snow on the quilt when they cuddle.

Marimekko Memory Game

2011-12-12T08:30:00.002-07:00

Full confession: I bought this Marimekko Memory Game long before the girls were in any shape to play Memory. Now they are almost beyond it. But we pull it out for the beauty and the colour. And, of course, the infinite sorting possibilities for my anal nature.

It is a regular memory game. Everything looking the same on one side and pairs of gorgeous on the other side. But it is the gorgeous that makes it all worthwhile.

Can anyone say polka dot Marimekko quilt?

I bought this game at Kit, a few years back. But it is available on line here, here, and here.

Carolling (Recipe: Peppermint Shortbread)

2011-12-09T07:30:00.003-07:00

Two little girls, parents trailing behind, arms full of holiday baking, and lots of noise. Sorry, lots of singing. My girls took it upon themselves to go carolling to our neighbours last year. And while The Monster at one point this month suggested getting an iPod and just playing that as we walked instead, we are already planning this year's carolling.

Carolling means baking. Christmas usually means baking, but in our house it is the carolling that brings it on. If Christmas was my only reason to bake this Mama would eat nothing but cookies for a month. I wouldn't complain, but I think the doctor might have something to say about that. So, we plan the carolling and the baking hand in hand.

This year I've added two treats to the repertoire that have me wishing I could eat them all month long. This week I want to share with you this Peppermint Shortbread.

For most folks it doesn't feel like Christmas without shortbread. I am one of those people. In any form shortbread is a very good thing. While I do like the traditional Scottish Shortbread or my mom's light as air whipped shortbread, this is a great update. Just a subtle peppermint flavour to refresh the cookie and add to the Christmas spirit.

Peppermint Shortbread

Makes 16 bars or 32 cookies

1 cup butter

1 tsp pure peppermint extract

3/4 cup icing sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

Glaze

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp water or milk

1 candy cane, crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray a 9’’ by 13’’ baking pan with non-stick spray.

2. Whip the butter with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Add the peppermint extract. Then gradually add the sugar and whip for 2 minutes more.

3. While the butter is whipping put the flour and salt in a separate, large bowl. Whisk gently a few times to incorporate the salt. Gradually add the flour until well incorporated. Pat all the dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Pat down firmly.

4. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into 16 rectangles or 32 squares. If you don’t cut them while warm you won’t be able to cut them at all.

5. Once the cookies are cooled completely mix together the icing sugar and water/milk for the glaze. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies then sprinkle the crushed candy cane on top.

(recipe for Chai-Spice Pistachio Bark next week)

Small Kids, Big Color contest

2011-12-08T12:10:00.002-07:00

Okay, I'm not normally one to beg for votes in a contest (I find that aspect of the on-line world quite annoying). But... I did enter the girls' room in a contest on Odeedoh for the Small Kids, Big Color Contest.

If you are so inclined, you can vote here.

Coming Along...

2011-12-07T08:03:00.003-07:00

I will not complain about the noise. I will not complain about the mess. I will not complain about all the people in my house.

That was my mantra during a very loud, messy, and hectic month.

And I will not complain because it means that the electrical is so, so close to being done, the framing finished, and insulation has been sprayed in. Progress is being made.

Of course, it has been silent for 3 weeks now because Hubby is working out of town. And I will not complain about that.

Bunnies

2011-12-05T07:22:00.004-07:00

Easy sewing, right? A great project for beginners, right? Apparently Lotta Jansdotter doesn't know my kids.

At Market, Lotta Jansdotter gave out these cute little charm packs, pre-printed with a pattern for a little bunny stuffy. Even she commented that they would be a great first-time sewing project, or at least a fast one for the experienced sewer.

So I thought I would bring my little packets out one cold afternoon. The Monster has been begging me to teach her to sew after all. We reviewed our lessons from playing with sewing cards and embroidery hoops. We redrew the pattern, marking dots for where the needle would go in and out. We picked a giant needle to make it easier for little fingers.

I'm happy to report that there were no tears. This, in an of itself, should make it a successful venture. When The Monster is learning something new and can't do it perfectly from the very first effort there are almost always tears. No tears and only minor frustration, but frankly, they were bored. They kept asking if I could just do it or could they try on the machine. At that point I should have put the project aside, to be picked up later. Did I do that? No, of course not. I made them finish, by helping a lot. We had the distractions of pins, scissors, and the red pen we used for marking. Oh, and tiger costumes. When it got to stuffing their interest was renewed. And after I closed them up they went to town with a pen to draw on a face.

And they haven't asked me to sew again.

T Quilt

2011-12-01T07:40:00.005-07:00

See what you can do with just one little block?

This is the To a T block from Modern Blocks: 99 Quilt Blocks from Your Favourite Designers. Flip flopping the blocks gives you some secondary designs and a whole lot of movement in the finished top.

I think this is a great block to showcase some favourite fabrics, without resorting to simple squares. Play around with the scale of the fabrics for maximum impact - some large prints with some small ones too. Change up the colours to great effect, like rainbows or checkerboards. Stick with a single background to make the T pattern pop. Flip the values around - make the T pattern a light fabric and the background a dark.

This, I believe, is the best part about a block book. It's a starting point. And it's up to you to individualize the quilt. There is no walking into a quilt store, pointing at a picture, and saying, "I want to make THAT quilt." For those of you only venturing into their own quilt designs a block book is a great place to begin. You still have a pattern for instructional purposes, but you get to decide how to put it all together.

Find the book at a local quilt store near you or online.

And remember my need for warmth? Just in time for a dump of snow I finished this top in the oranges and beiges. It actually is perfect for my living room, but I think it will be a while before it gets basted and quilted. That Christmas thing is going to get in the way.

Modern Blocks Giveaway

2011-11-28T20:33:00.006-07:00

* Contest closed*

There's a new, not-so-little book out these days. Modern Blocks: 99 Blocks from Your Favorite Designers is full of incredible block designs. Some seem simple and even a bit more traditional, others are so phenomenally unique and representative of modern quilt design. All are pretty cool.

This book is going to be a well used resource in my library. Yes, even for me, a girl who doesn't like to follow patterns. There is just so much inspiration in here.

Oh, and I'm one of those favorite/favourite designers. See, that's my name on the back of the book there. And that orange and turquoise T block there is one of two of mine in the book.

Later this week I'm going to share a quilt top I made using that block, but for now I want to offer the chance to win one of these books.

All I ask is that you leave a comment below telling me how long you've been quilting and how you learned to quilt. That's it. If you are hoping to win the book for someone else, then tell me about them or a fun fact about you. Just make sure you have an email attached to the comment so I can get a hold of the winner. International entries welcome.

Entries open until December 1, 9:30 am MST.

Round

2011-11-23T07:34:00.004-07:00

Egg meets up with a gaggle of sperm in the dark hallway of my fallopian tube and one brave sperm steps forward with a, "Hey, how you doin'?" And about three seconds late my uterus doubles in size.

This belly of mine is round and full of flutters and kicks these days. The Monster says it looks like I ate 39 hotdogs and 50 apples. It's okay, my ass balances it out.

But those 39 hotdogs and 50 apples make it extraordinarily hard to baste a quilt on my living room floor. Alone, just me and my belly. It took me an hour longer than usual for this lap size quilt. And Hubby isn't even home to help.

Thievery (Recipe: Cranberry Vanilla Muffins with Orange)

2011-11-21T06:59:00.003-07:00

Lest you think I am the perfect sort of person I must confess: I'm a thief.

As a kid I stole something, a toy or a book or who knows what, from my neighbour. My parents found out, despite my denials. So my Dad drove me to the police station to turn me in. I confessed as we were pulling into the parking lot. Returns and apologies later I should have been cured.

Should have.

In University I worked part-time for a caterer. She had a spot in a fancy mall food court and mostly catered to hospital events. She was a very nice woman, good cook, horrible boss, and a bad business woman. She would literally do her grocery shopping from the kitchen where we worked. No inventory, no record of what she was taking. We staff initially felt bad that we were even taking home the food that was supposed to be trashed at the end of the day, but as her grocery shopping increased and her presence decreased we got cranky. Despite the fact that I was a poor student (woe is me) I never actually got my daily groceries there, but I ate well from leftovers. And I had a serious addiction to making hot chocolate with the couverture chocolate she bought by 10 kilo packs.

Then one day I crossed the line. It was a slow day and the two of us working started flipping through the cookbooks at the back of the kitchen. I can't remember the recipe that made me want to borrow the book, but that night I took one book home. And never brought it back. I worked there for many months more. At home I cooked from that book a few times, as much as my budget would allow.

That was over 15 years ago and I still cook from that book. Only now I don't feel guilty anymore. I'm a thief and I know it.

These muffins have been in my repertoire since the first winter with this book. I've made a few changes to the recipe over the years, but the spirit of Sarah Leah Chase's Cold Weather Cooking is still there. Definitely best the day they are made, better yet, still warm. They are closer to a cake than a muffin, a real treat.

Cranberry Vanilla Muffins (with orange)

(Adapted from Cold Weather Cooking)

Makes 12 muffins

1/2 vanilla bean

1 orange, zested

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup softened butter

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Topping

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 tbsp sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12 muffin tins with papers or spray with non-stick spray.

2. Chop the vanilla piece into smaller pieces. Combine with the sugar and orange zest in a blender or food processor. If you don't have a food processor you can substitute 1 cup sugar with vanilla sugar or sugar plus 2 tsp vanilla extract. Process until the vanilla bean is broken up and the sugar is fully flecked with those black seeds of the vanilla and the gold of the zest.

3. Cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well each time.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the the creamed butter and sugar alternating with the milk. When the batter is smooth fold in the cranberries.

5. Pour into prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle with the nutmeg and sugar topping. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

Happy Faces

2011-11-18T07:26:00.003-07:00

Other than fabric stashing, I don't collect much. These mugs are one exception.

My Baba (grandmother) had a few of these hanging on little cup hooks in her only kitchen cabinet. They were pulled out and filled with hot raspberry tea when we arrived at her house in the winter. I looked forward to that tea every time we visited. It was a small pleasure in what was likely to be a crowded, somewhat boring, and filled with starchy fried food visit to a tiny house on the side of the highway in Saskatchewan.

That tea never seemed the same at home. Even though we had Baba's homemade raspberry juice and used the same sweet tea to make it. I concluded long ago that it was the mugs. So when we were packing up Baba and Dido's house as age forced them into care the mugs were the only thing I adamantly claimed. Over the years I broke one, but I've added two.

These happy face mugs are a little bit silly and that's why I love them. On particularly dreary days I can pull it out for my morning tea and I can't help but smile.

They are also very hard to find. So, I'm asking you, my readers, that if you are out on thrifting adventures to keep an eye out for these mugs for me. They are made by Anchor Hocking and the brand is Fire King. There are many gorgeous patterns under the Fire King brand, but I'm only interested in the happy face mugs. If you ever see one, let me know and I'll probably ask you to buy it for me.

Warmth

2011-11-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

It's November, the snow is on the ground, and it is time to think about warmth.

Warm colours, that is. I've noticed a trend in all the quilts I've been working on lately. All cool colours. Blues, greys, greens, and a little bit of beige. That includes Network, Kinda Herringbone, Camouflage, and a handful of projects on the go, like this 36 patch.

It's time to bring out the orange, the pinks, the reds and add the warmth back to my dining room table. Chilis, stews, and hot chocolate are all on deck, why not spice things up with fabric too?

Pretty Things Too

2011-11-10T07:00:00.006-07:00

Yes, Market is all about work, but there are pretty things too. You didn't think I'd not post some of my favourites, did you?

The Rise of Organics

Daisy Janie, Cloud 9, Birch, and some of the major manufacturers, including a line by Betz White with Robert Kaufman are all producing organics. The lines are varied, the colours have a great range and with the solids from Kaufman and the stripes and dots from Birch it is pretty much impossible not to build a solid stash now of just organics. And after seeing the video from Jan during her schoolhouse it makes me want to seek these out even more.

Favourite Fabrics

In two totally different corners I've got my four favourite lines that I saw there. Marcia Derse and Malka Dubrowsky have these intense, rich commercial prints based off of their own hand-dye and batiks. On their own or playing together these are exciting. Very exciting.

In the other corner is Echo by Lotta Jansdotter and Summersville by Lucie Summers. Graphic but soft, quietly bold. I'm in love with both of them (designers and fabric). And Lucie is very lucky I didn't steal one of her mugs. Thankfully I made it out of Market with a bundle of Echo to keep me going.

Somewhere in the middle is Ty Pennington's new line. To be honest, it seems like his fabric doesn't get a lot of attention. He does. But I do like his fabric. I've used a few prints from the first line and I can definitely see myself using some from this one too. And when I stopped in his booth he seemed quite thrilled that I wanted to talk about the fabric and not snap a picture with him. He's quite enthusiastic.

Speaking of Men

It would have been obvious to take photos of the men at Market, but let me tell you, they are there. A lot of the booths are staffed by men and there are definitely a lot of buyers on the floor. This was my first big surprise of Market, the men. Then there are the designers and sherpas that are there. Ty, David Butler, Mark Cesarik (all were conveniently located within steps of each other) showcased very different but equally engaging lines.

And Patterns

There are patterns all over the place at Market. With the quilt stores seeking out the interesting, the pretty, and the sellable, the pattern booths are packed and filled with pretty things. All to different tastes. I neglected to take a picture of her work or booth, but my absolute favourite was Carolyn Friedlander. A former architect turned designer. Her patterns are intense, graphic, and so beautiful. It's almost enough to make this improv girl seek them out. You definitely should.

Finally

Houston itself, while monstrous, is a pretty city. I may have been blinded by weather that made me feel like summer when it was snowing back home. Or it might have been the colour, lights, and personalities of Market. But Houston's downtown was dynamic and captivating. I got a walk or two in. I can see why Cherri House loves her town so much.

Work

2011-11-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

Don't let all the pretty pictures fool you, Quilt Market is work.

If you are setting up, staffing, or hosting a booth it takes a lot of work to plan, build, and staff that booth. It isn't all pretty stuff and chit chat with friends old and new. It's a lot of water, standing on your feet and sell, sell, sell.

If you are shopping for a store it is days of A LOT of walking, digging, spying, and appointments. All while keeping your customers and trends in mind.

If you are simply "walking the floor" it isn't just about looking for pretty things and scoring a conversation with a designer you adore. It is about selling yourself, your own product - whether that be your design skills, your book, your patterns, your event, you.

This isn't to say that it isn't fun and there aren't a lot of great, giggly conversations with people you've always wanted to meet. There is the excitement of meeting a designer who makes fabric you love to work with or catching up with your publisher (that you've never met in person before). Then there are the dinners and parties where you might get to talk about your kids a little, but you are still plotting and planning your next steps, literally at Market and after. Then, of course, there are all the pretty things.

It's work, and don't let the pictures fool you.

Network

2011-11-04T06:53:00.005-06:00

Network

64'' by 68''

This is what a whole pile of half square triangles can turn into when you work really hard. Really hard. I'm not going to lie. That's a whole lot of HSTs in a not that large size (4.5'') that had to be trimmed down. And that layout doesn't exactly come naturally. But, oh, are the results worth it!

Network started with a pile of fabric coming from Traditional Pastimes shared with Amanda Jean. (For the record, I don't think Amanda Jean has had a chance to do anything with hers.) On my flight to Wisconsin I sketched out ideas but none of them became this. I even played with a whole bunch of layouts before naturally settling on the most difficult one.

The whole thing is quilted with an exaggerated zig zag in a light turquoise thread. It adds a good texture and was easier than outlining the network itself. A simple pieced back for fun. After the battle with getting the top to work just so I needed to make the rest of it easier.

All the effort and love were worth it. Network was given to my husband's best friend as a wedding present. This is the guy that married us, he was our agent when we bought our first house, and he was in business with Hubby for years. All the guy needs to do is deliver this baby and he's infiltrated every aspect of our lives!

When I asked Hubby what we were going to get this guy for his wedding his first answer was a quilt. Um, sure, I've got no problem with that, but how could he justify it? Was he going to sit and sew with me? For the record, he has done that before, but this time his answer was, "My name gets to go on the label because I paid for the fabric." Well, thank-you Bernadette because that excuse didn't work! So he helped with the layout of the top, basted it with me (while making watch Machete to counter effect the whole domestic thing), and graciously took pictures. An effort deserving of his name on the label.

And the recipients? They were married in a mountain meadow in July. It was gorgeousness all around. The quilt lives with them now, adding some colour and warmth to their new suburban house. And I couldn't be happier to have shared this effort and all our days with them.

November 1

2011-11-01T09:25:00.006-06:00

It's hard to get any work done when the dining room table/desk looks like this.

It's the day after Halloween and the day after I returned from Quilt Market in Houston. I want to share a lot about Market, but I'll save that for another post. Today, it is recovery day, clean-up day, follow-up day, and try not to eat all the Reese Peanut Butter Cups day.

(My tiger and leopard. Tiger costume courtesy of some fake fur and even some sewing by my husband. That sewing which required me sitting on the Market floor walking him through threading my sewing machine from Houston. And she's a real tiger, thank-you very much, not Tigger.)

Scrap Splatter Done

2011-10-26T06:31:00.001-06:00

Scrap Splatter 2011

30'' by 30''

There is no other name for it.

I did think about, quite literally splattering the little squares across the quilt top, much like my little one did across the dining room table. Then I sat down to sketch. And my girls sat down with me. Instead of family portraits The Monster asked if she could sketch quilts too. Together, her and I came up with this design.

In the interest of the challenge I used the Kona white I had, added a few other scraps (in solids only), and used a batting scrap. It's a poly blend batting, not my favourite, but it was what I had around in the right size. Because I like to be different I did the quilting in turquoise, not white. Goes well with the binding, doesn't it?

Soon enough it will become a little playmat for the neighbour's brand new baby. If it doesn't get stolen by a certain baby loving child of mine.

Another Announcement

2011-10-23T07:18:00.006-06:00

Because my life isn't crazy enough...

In March the book is coming out.

Our basement is on it's way to becoming a functional and beautiful space, but not without the noise, chaos, mess, and extra people in my house all the time. All. The. Time.

And now I've gone and got myself knocked up.

(That's me in the top left, complete with an airplane/baby in my tummy and my growing boobs. Thanks to The Monster for this family portrait.)

I'm complaining about none of it.

Okay, I might complain about the reno stuff more than I should and I really dislike being pregnant. So, if you see me in person there is a good chance I will whine about something. And me, such a process person, I'm only interested in the end result with both these scenarios.

Because I need a little bit of order in my crazy life...

My new website launched. www.cherylarkison.com. This is a landing zone for all things about me, including a portfolio and quilt gallery. It is a live site and will get updated as I photograph more quilts and write more articles. My teaching schedule is also on there. Let me know how you like the site.

This blog will be changing over the next little while. Many of you were reading me over at Backseat Gourmet as well. In an effort to streamline the work I do that I don't get paid for, I am consolidating my two blogs. You'll see the new name up there and a few other changes. This space will become something that combines all the things I do as I survey the world from my dining room empire - quilting, crafts, parenting, writing, cooking, and generally being crazy. And I'm going to be sharing it all here. Especially the crazy part!

I am pregnant after all...

Flashback

2011-10-21T13:02:00.002-06:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment to pause, savor and remember. From Soule Mama.

Scrap Splatter?

2011-10-19T13:28:00.003-06:00

Do you ever sign up blindly for things and then promptly forget? I could never be a sweepstakes player for this reason. I'm very forgetful these days.

So, it seems I signed up to be in a scrap challenge. Makes sense, with a scrap quilting book coming out! But I completely forgot and when the email came asking for my snail mail addy I almost backed out. But as forgetful as I am, I have a hard time backing down from a challenge.

Scrap Splatter, I accept.

Oh, and Thomas, I will get you for this in Houston.

Values Quilt Class

2011-10-16T09:05:00.003-06:00

There is a Values Quilt Class being taught by yours truly this weekend.

Traditional Pastimes

October 22

1-4 pm

Call the store to register 403-286-9421.

We'll cover the difference between looking for value and colour in fabrics, half square triangle construction, and layout options for values quilts.

Outing

2011-10-14T07:33:00.002-06:00

Carnival rides that are 100 years old. Old woodworking tables that show the love of work. Train tracks that almost go nowhere. Voyageur lectures. Thanksgiving.

A day spent at Heritage Park with the family.

Let There Be Light

2011-10-12T07:38:00.004-06:00

Guess what? The basement reno is back on! WOOHOO!!!!!!!! (Yes, it totally deserves an exuberant amount of exclamation points.) After delays due to LIFE and all its crazy and shitty things, and the fact that my man wants to hang up the tools when he gets home instead of putting them on again, we are good to go in the basement.

2005 - Flooded and gutted

2008 - We trenched, waterproofed, cut for new windows (but did not install all of them), and roughed in the plumbing (this particular space was bear rug storage)

2009 - Started the framing

(This does not account for all the landscaping and exterior work we've done in the meantime.)

2011 - Today

This will be my sewing room/guest room. It has incredible light for a basement thanks to a South exposure and this big new window. The hope is that at some time in 2012 it will be able to comfortably fit me, my machine, and all my fabric. Whether it can contain my creativity is another matter!

It is still up for debate whether the bear rug will make its way back into the space.

Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge - Final Projects

2011-10-10T07:21:00.003-06:00

Well, did you get your Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge piece done?

I'm looking forward to seeing what you've put together. Different styles of work, different uses of colour, and different inspirations. Post your link below.

You can also post your photo in the Flickr group: Fuddy is Not Duddy.

Now for the good stuff! We've got prizes! That bundle up there contains four fat quarters, all containing our theme colours. And Stash Books is offering up 6 titles! Huge thanks to Susanne Woods for the prize.

Winners will be chosen from all entrants posted by October 11 at 6:00 pm MST. Make sure you get your link posted in the Mr. Linky.

Connect the Dots

2011-10-10T06:55:00.002-06:00

Connect the Dots

22'' by 26''

My entry to the Fuddy is not Duddy Challenge. We said it was for brown, burgundy, and green, plus one other colour. I chose blue because so many of the fabrics with mixed colours include this light blue.

The design I chose is inspired by this quote from Steve Jobs:

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future."

I had something entirely different in mind until I saw that quote. It made for a much simpler quilt, but I love the finished product.

For some unknown reason I have loads of this fabric on the back. Loads of it.

Machine bound... Don't look too close. In fact, don't look too close at much of it. This is how I made most of the quilt. It was either this or a very extended game of Red Light/Green Light.

Not So Basic Patchwork Studio

2011-10-07T07:11:00.002-06:00

This fall I've changed the way I'm teaching Improv quilting at Traditional Pastimes. Each month I will host a studio/workshop. We'll cover off one block concept, often with different ways of making it. But we'll also have the opportunity to gather, discuss your modern quilt projects, and troubleshoot the previous month's work.

In the first month we will tackle Not-So-Basic Patchwork. This is one of the best ways to baby step into improv. We'll cover two ways to approach patchwork improvisationally. Both involve breaking free from your design wall and preplanning. One will result in a defined patchwork with consistent sizes. The other will be a lot more wild and wonky.

October 12 6:30-9

Traditional Pastimes

7 Parkdale Crescent NW

Call the store at 403 286-9421 to register.

The Details

2011-10-04T06:32:00.002-06:00

Thank-you so much for the love! We are beyond excited ourselves for the release of Sunday Morning Quilts so we are glad that you are too. Here are the details about the book.

It will be released in March 2012 by Stash Books. It isn't available for pre-order yet, but we'll let you know as soon as it is.

This book is all about our love for scraps and modern quilts. It's been such a thrill to work together. I've got to tell you, working with Amanda Jean is incredible. She's got so many ideas, knows how to push me to work a bit faster and better, and always keeps me from going overboard. It's been a collaboration from the beginning. You are going to love the quilts, the techniques, and the scrap management system. And if you love the cover, wait until you see the photos inside!

We'll share more in the months ahead, but for now let's get back to regular posts. Again, thank-you for all the enthusiasm and for tolerating all this secret-keeping.

Big Announcement!

2011-10-03T07:05:00.006-06:00

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nearly Wholecloth

2011-09-29T07:08:00.006-06:00

Unnamed

50'' by 62''

This simple quilt is the brainchild of Amanda Jean. We talked so much about quilting back in March. She said she wanted to make a nearly wholecloth quilt - just two neutrals and some fun quilting. Because she had enough of the fabric she gave me the same amounts for the top and sent me home. Over the months we talked about what we might do - hand stitching, different colour threads, backing fabrics... We went round and round. Then we both just did.

I was finally able to move forward with mine when I made this doodle. I'd made a lot of doodles, but this one stayed with me. And I think I was able to translate it to the quilt quite easily. It helps that it isn't that large of a quilt! This is another example of my "organic" quilting (too lazy to mark) but I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. I enjoy the improv aspect of it. The texture is also great.

As you can see, I went with a solid green binding. It was Rossie's suggestion. As soon as she mentioned it I knew it was the only option, despite some good choices. My initial thoughts had been blue, but I had nothing in the stash that called to me. The green is perfect! And when the girls and I went for a hike yesterday and snapped these photos it made me see how much the colours work with the landscape around me.

The back is high contrast to the front. Three pieces of very bright, multi-coloured fabric. All were fabrics I bought on-line because I loved them, then couldn't imagine how I would use them. It is a great bit of fun with the front neutral sides.

And just as we were ending our stomp through the forest I spotted a grove of trees. The Monster took this picture after she noticed that The Evil Genius matched the quilt. She made her stand there so she would be camouflaged. Well, if it wasn't for our coordinating Chucks! And she's already claimed the quilt for herself, I think the green building sealed the deal for her.

This entire quilt was a fun challenge. It was great to push myself beyond my crazy improv norm or pile of circles. To use neutrals like this was way out of my comfort zone, as was the use of that much solid fabric. Not only was it fun to do, I am thrilled with the results. Make sure you check out Amanda Jean's version.

New Projects

2011-09-27T09:47:00.003-06:00

Okay, I know I said I was on a finishing kick, but I couldn't help pulling some fabric for new projects.

These are both favourite colour combos of late. It's no surprise that both orange and turquoise are in these piles. Shockingly, they are not placed together!

This pile is for an overdue baby quilt. I've finally got the design together, after a lot of ideas. Feeling the pressure on this one for some reason. Maybe because it is for an already much loved baby? Or very stylish parents?

The orange and beige is for a just for fun quilt. Have you heard of the Modern Blocks book yet? Well, I've got a couple of blocks in there and this pile will be used to create a full quilt from one of those designs. I plan to share the pattern for this when the book comes out, or not so shortly thereafter...

Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge - Update

2011-09-23T08:10:00.002-06:00

Have you started picking your fabrics for the Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge? If you've been quilting for a while my guess is that you've got fabrics hiding in your stash that will be perfect. If not, it seems like a perfect excuse to hit your LQS for a little brown, burgundy, and green love.

The Evil Genius and I played in my stash the other day. I have A LOT of brown. Not so much burgundy and almost no dark green.

But I do have a plan for my little doll quilt....

I'm finalizing judging and some prizes for the Challenge. Remember, October 10 is the deadline!

Binding Choices...

2011-09-21T07:15:00.003-06:00

On a roll now... I've got this almost whole cloth quilt finished up. I'm just stuck on binding choices. It seems like a no brainer when you only have two neutral fabrics on the front, but it is remarkably hard for me to narrow it down.

It is completely quilted with a vivid orange thread. The back is a combo of bold fabrics, so nearly any colour would work there.

What do you think?

And while you are helping me out, take a moment to check out some other WIP posts at the newly launched Needle and Thread Network. More Canadian love! It's great to see this out there as I've been unable to carry on with the Workshop in Progress.

More Catch-up

2011-09-19T07:38:00.002-06:00

I told you I was in a finishing mood... Time to get some overdue bee blocks out and tackle new ones as soon as they come in.

This is the Lucienne Day inspired block for the last round of my Mid Mod Bee. I can't wait to see what Yahaira does with her blocks.

This summer saw a new bee start for me. An all Canadian, all Improv group called Unscripted. It's nice to save on postage and see such vibrancy in Canada too.

The first block has this dreamy colour combo and takes its inspiration right from Block Party. Donna over at Kindred Crafters had us make this block for her.

The second month belonged to Holly. She was greatly inspired by Elizabeth Fransson's Put a Bird on It Quilt. Having never worked with Echino myself, this was a fun little challenge. And I must say, I can see how the colour becomes addictive.

One of the best parts about working on a Canadian bee? I can write colour and favourite and no one says anything funny!

Finished Room

2011-09-15T06:57:00.008-06:00

I finally got the finishing touches put on the girls' room this week. That is, I got the curtains hemmed, cleaned it up again, and Hubby was home with his tools to help hang the artwork. Here is the before of their room.

Much brighter, filled with far more functional space. Table for crafts, writing, and more. Open space for games, building things, and a landing pad for jumping off the bed. Only one bookshelf now with edited items. A revamped dresser. A new quilt.

Here is The Triangle Quilt in its new home. See how it fits the bed perfectly? 90'' by 90'' is my new favourite queen quilt size. Perfect if you don't want a pillow tuck.

(On the right side there, behind the red curtain, lives my fabric stash.)

I still think this was needs more artwork, but Hubby and I are in negotiations about that. It is nice to have a bit of quiet space, but even thought the embroidery is large I'm not sure it fills the space.

My Baba was an incredible cross-stitcher. Her house and ours was filled with pillows, table toppers, and framed pieces of hers. She made enough of these bowls of poppies for all her family. To my Mom's dismay I reframed it last year. It used to have a very gold, very ornate frame. With this clean look I find the embroidery shines.

The cabinet, repurposed from my husband, is filled with games and extra quilts. Unfortunately, that damn Hungry Hippo game doesn't fit in it.

On The Monster's side of the bed she gets a tray to hold her favourite books and her water bottle. The tray also adds some colour in the darkest corner of the room.

The Evil Genius gets the cabinet holding the collections of figurines and the closest we get to toys that aren't blocks and games. Fairies, dinosaurs, and an airport. All together. Makes perfect sense in our house.

This bookshelf holds all their books, dress-up items, puzzles, arts and craft supplies, building blocks/Lego, and mementos. Not to mention the collections up top. The rocking chair is from Hubby's grandparents, passed down from his younger cousins that are now grown.

This is our collection of shells, rocks, and seaglass. All gathered on trips we've taken together as a family. Nova Scotia, Mexico, and camping this summer. I've got a dozen more of these jars in reserve for additional trips.

On top we house the piggy bank collection they seem to have amassed, including Hubby's from when he was a kid (the frog), and one of my favourite prints from Marisa Haedike at Creative Thursday.

Don't you love the rainbow book sorting? It appeals to my anal nature to have things sorted and helps the girls put things away cleanly.

The repainted dresser and the girls' bulletin board wall. I had other artwork here, but they asked for a place to display their stuff. Fair enough. So we picked up these squares of cork and some thumbtacks. I love how it echoes the bookshelf on the opposite side.

As you can see, I didn't change the colours on the dresser. I loved that green! But I did give it a fresh coat. And yes, that is a basket of dirty laundry on the side there. Hey, it's a room that is lived in.

Every time my girls ask me to draw a picture I can't help but think of that SNL skit about Simon who likes to draw drawings. As you can see, I can't draw! That's a family portrait done by yours truly. It gets a place above our engagement photo. And that rests on some crochet my Dad did for the girls. He picked up the needle shortly after his cancer diagnosis. This isn't the delicate work I remember him doing when I was a kid, but a brighter and more energized version.

And this is why I have to keep the thumbtacks hidden - there is a lot of climbing on furniture done by our resident monkey.

Details

The girls asked me to keep the walls red. I'll admit, I wanted to lighten it up but I was pretty happy I didn't have to spend a week painting. The red is what Hubby and I painted this room when it was ours. They told me they loved the colour. They are so my kids!

The only new purchases for this redo were the paint for the dresser, the sheer curtains, the bird tray, and the bulletin boards. Everything else was repurposed from their room, the basement, my mom's basement, or even my husband's no-longer-existent home office.

When the girls returned from their week at Camp Baba/Jojo/Grandma they were surprised by the room and for days would come up to me and hug me, telling me that it was so pretty. That made it worth it. But what has also made it worth it (aside from the crap I got to throw out) is that they are respecting the space in a new way. I don't have to tell them to put things away because they get that everything has a home. They want to keep it functional for themselves.

The other great feature is that we can spend hours in here and not run out of activities - crafts, practicing our writing, sorting shells, pretending we're tigers or skunks, pulling out the games, reading books, building things. If I let them eat in here we would be set.

Sketch to Reality

2011-09-13T07:09:00.003-06:00

Must. Finish. Projects.

I'm on a kick this last month and I feel the need to finish up a bunch of stuff before I start anything new. It must be September. I've long since considered Labour Day to be my New Year more than January 1st. It's felt this way since I left university and feels even more so now that I've got one in school full-time.

This quilt has been basted since some point in the spring. I was in charge of a basting demo at my guild and used this. Then I got stuck on what quilting design to sew. I browsed this site for days. I sketched and doodled. Nothing ever felt right. Then I was chatting with Amanda Jean and she commented that she was coordinating her quilting, thread choice, backing, and binding. I hadn't thought this far ahead, but it made a thread colour pop into my head. From there I made a few more doodles while hanging out with the girls and a plan was hatched.

I honour of the New Year and because Amanda Jean posted about her nearly whole cloth quilt I felt the need to pull out mine yesterday. Now the trick is to realize that sketch...

The Triangle Quilt

2011-09-08T07:03:00.004-06:00

The Triangle Quilt

90'' by 90''

So named by The Monster because it has lots of triangles. Simple, explanation, really. Made up with bee blocks from my Pieced Together 2 bee, and some more added by me. Random flying geese, all going in the same direction.

The girls decided to pretend they were fallen statues on their bed. Other than sleep it would be the most still they've ever been on their bed. Right after I took this picture they started wrestling.

This quilt ended up being the perfect size. I know some folks don't like square quilts for beds because beds aren't square. If you want to skip that traditional pillow fold look, however, the 90'' by 90'' is perfect for the modern queen bed. You know, the kind that are ridiculously tall? Even after washing I've got plenty of overhang, without it being obnoxious.

(When I finally get a chance to finish up the details in the girls' room and photograph it you will see what I mean.)

I promise you that the quilt does lay flat when it is on their bed. It's been washed already to get out some random blood stain. I actually had it on their bed for a week before I finished the binding, so maybe the blood was a prick on my own finger? But for a bed quilt for two little girls I expect it to get washed A LOT.

For that reason I didn't stress over the quilting too much. I wanted it solid and graphic, but I didn't worry about it being perfect. It is my theory that "organic line quilting" is another way of saying "too lazy to mark". Well, it is in my world. The quilting on this one is mostly straight lines with random triangles. They sometimes echo the actual geese blocks, and sometimes they don't. It turns out to be a pretty neat effect on the finished quilt.

When it came to the back I more than lucked out. Back in March, when I was visiting Amanda Jean, we went to Hancock's (I think). The grey was purchased with these bee blocks in mind, although I had no idea what the quilt would become at the time. The turquoise polka dot I also bought then. The two combined perfectly in this back. The polka dot is a single stripe down the middle of the back. The Monster is obsessed with all things striped, so at least one had to be there.

Binding a quilt this size doesn't go fast, but it was a great activity on the nights I couldn't face much more after this run of single parenting. Or when the girls are playing baby tigers on the floor and you sit on their bed, under the the quilt, stitching. Other than that one section of turquoise it is the same yellow. I wanted the geese to pop, so I carried the yellow to the binding.

As for solving the problems we were having before, this quilt has definitely been the solution. Besides, it's pretty.

Coincidence

2011-09-06T07:03:00.003-06:00

It was only a coincidence.

There I was happily quilting away on my little blue/green HSTs. You know, the one Hubby thinks is my coolest quilt ever. And the one where he thought I should have matched up the background circles? (By the way, I told him he could make the quilt himself next time if he thinks that's ever going to happen.)

I'm busy twisting and turning the quilt as I add the straight line quilting when I notice this:

And this:

Out of 272 blocks I managed to match up these two seams, without even trying. That counts for something, right?

Really?

2011-08-31T07:43:00.003-06:00

My husband and I had another hot date basting a quilt the other day. This one is a wedding present for his best friend. So we're basting away, watching Machete (really?) and a Stephen Hawking documentary on alien life, when he says this:

You know, this quilt would have been even cooler if you've matched up all these grey circles on the background fabric.

Really?

Jane Austen

2011-08-29T06:32:00.003-06:00

Full disclosure: I've never read Jane Austen before.

When I told my sister-in-law this she commented that she felt like she didn't know me anymore.

I've always been totally honest in this space, so I thought I better make the confession to all of you. And yesterday I went out and bought all the books (on sale!). It will take me a long time to get through them at my current pace of about 5 pages before my eyelids close at night. Besides, I can't take away from my quilty time...

A Fund for Jennie

2011-08-25T07:06:00.002-06:00

A few weeks back an on-line colleague lost her husband, suddenly. Jennie Perillo and her young girls are now struggling to define a new life without husband and dad. Like me, Jennie is a food writer. Like me, she has two young girls. Like me, she shared a passionate life with her husband.

Right now a new not-for profit, Bloggers Without Borders, is raising funds for Jennie and her family. Food writing, let's be honest, isn't a lucrative job. But it is infinitely rewarding, on a daily basis. The goal of the fundraiser is to hopefully provide some security for Jennie and the girls as they move forward into a new normal.

Bloggers the world over are holding fundraising auctions and drives for donations to A Fund for Jennie. You can donate directly by clicking through.

This is my contribution.

A custom, one-of-a-kind modern quilt. It can be anywhere in size from a crib quilt to a generous lap size (roughly 60'' by 80'' or 70'' by 70''). I will work with you on a colour scheme or inspiration. The majority of it will be completed by machine, but I always hand finish my quilts.

You can submit your bid in the comments, then we'll make arrangements to make the donation through Bloggers Without Borders for the successful bidder. I've already got a quilt on the go for Jennie and her girls, but I want to share the love a bit more.

Bidding opens at $500 (US or Canadian, it's pretty close these days). Auction is open until noon MST September 2, 2011.

Thank-you, the auction is over.

Girls' Room - Before

2011-08-23T07:31:00.005-06:00

Last week I had the most awesome pleasure of a week to myself at home. No kids, and mostly, no husband. I think it might have been the best week of my life. Well, at least of the last few years. We sent the kids to Camp Baba/JoJo/Grandma - our family out of town. Hubby was working, and I stayed home.

I quilted, I read, I worked a little, I cleaned up my house. It was all done at a leisurely pace and with very little stress. I ate nachos for dinner and went for long bike rides because I didn't have to report back to anyone. I mentioned that it was glorious, didn't I?

One of the things I did do that certainly felt like work, but was utterly necessary, was clean out and redo the girls' room. It was chaotic and crowded in there. And with only a two bedroom house and a husband who works at home it was high time I got it organized so the girls and I could actually function in there if Hubby is home working.

Our house is only two bedrooms and a few years ago we switched and gave the girls the bigger room. This means all their toys and activities can be in their room, instead of taking over the house. And that way my crap can take over the house instead! But the room was messy and full of stuff no one was using anymore. So, in between my little breaks of personal creativity and relaxation, I tackled the room.

This week I'll share the before pictures. Next week, after I finish hanging pictures, I'll share the after pictures.

Christmas decorations still on the wall, an old mattress for guests/trampoline, and crap everywhere!

Two dressers, yet clothes piled everywhere. This bookshelf creating a hallway and blocking off the room.

The bookshelf - the closest bit of order in the before pictures.

A dresser storing fabric, some of my clothes, the Monster's clothes, and dress-up stuff. The diaper genie still there when diapers disappeared from our lives 3 months ago.

The dresser I grabbed from my Mom's basement (minus the legs) to refinish for the girls. It might have been my brother's when he was a kid. It sat next to the deep freeze, filled with fabric scraps from home ec and family sewing projects in the 80s, as well as some baby clothes of my Mom's and some Ukrainian embroidery.

I'm pretty sure I drew on this as a kid. No one remembers, but it is most likely that I, the biggest brat in the family, did it.

Next week, the afters. Just wait! I can tell you that the girls love it and so do I.

Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Wrap-Up)

2011-08-18T07:29:00.005-06:00

Thank-you for coming along with me on the Little Feet, Pins, and Needles series. It sounds like this series struck a chord with many. Whether it was the reminder to slow down with our kidlets around or new ways with old toys or inspiration for time to spend with the grandkids. I'm glad I was able to inspire and maybe even educate.

Part 1 - This post was about space planning and coordination. It includes safety tips as well as notes on adjusting our attitudes going in to creative time and space with little ones around.

Part 2 - This post was designed to inspire play with your kiddos. Games and treats to bring out creative tendencies and perhaps, just perhaps, direct them towards fabric a little bit.

Part 3 - This post was about ways to get your little ones sewing with you. Not necessarily making quilts right away, but getting them involved in your own projects. It is a bridge to them sewing their own projects.

This entire series was about tackling your quilt, or any sewing, projects when you've got toddlers, preschoolers, and even infants around. It is about still creating when you're in the thick of those days before most kids will curl up with a book, bike around the neighbourhood, or disappear with their own projects.

I want to share with you one last tip. Read with your kids. There is a plethora of childrens' books out there about quilting, but there are many more that feature quilts. My friend Barb has her own Once Upon a Quilt Children's Book list as a quilter and former bookstore employee.

Sure, you've got quilts littered around your house, covering every soft surface. Or maybe you make them and give them away all the time. But the best use is always a snuggle and what better thing to do that snuggle and read together.

Image above snapped from The Ticky-Tacky Doll by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Harvey Stevenson

Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Part 3)

2011-08-16T08:39:00.003-06:00

This week on the Little Feet, Pins, and Needles series we're going to talk about getting your kids actually sewing with you. This can be on either their own projects, sewing side by side, or getting them directly involved in what you are working on.

Kid as Paper Bag

The famous paper bag technique for Improv piecing (how Denyse Schmidt teaches) is quite a good method. Without looking, you grab your next piece and sew it. Once you've got things together, then you make it work. Kids work just as well as a paper bag. They will pick and choose for you, taking your thought process and judgements out of the Improv work.

Now, if you've got a kiddo who is obsessed with pink or stripes then expect to get mostly that at first, but it does even out. You can also control what they choose from, limiting the propensity for bubble gum blocks.

Use Their Eyes

It might be because the fabric is stored in their room, but my girls love to pick fabric for a new project. I pull out the bins by colour and we all make a great mess. It isn't that I'll always go with their picks - they would pick every fabric given the choice - it is that they are involved in the process. And, I'll be the first to admit, their take on combinations can be quite refreshing.

You can also ask their opinion on layouts or get them to help you place blocks as your play with layouts.

Yes, this will get messy and you will be required to refold and organize every time you do it. This isn't for the highly anal.

Put Them on Your Lap

With really little ones (toddlers and preschoolers) you can put them on your lap and get them used to the motion of sewing. Feeding the fabric through, keeping it straight (seam guides are great when you do this), and watching their fingers. Soon enough you will have them working on a machine and it will feel natural.

Red Light, Green Light

I'll admit, other than messing up my fabric, this is my girls' favourite way to sew with me. They sit under the table and push the foot pedal for me. I tell them Green Light to GO and Red Light to STOP. Yes, it makes the progress go slow, but I love that they are so excited about it. You do need to think ahead and anticipate that they won't exactly stop when you are needing them to. Don't try this when you are working on Y-seams, but it is great when you are strip piecing.

Needle Pulling Thread

It is one thing to give them their own scraps to start sewing - and that's a great thing - but it is also great to get them helping you with hand sewing your own projects. The girls, especially my younger one, will curl up with me while I handstitch a binding. I place the needle and they pull. It also works with my handquilting and applique. On some projects I should definitely be putting their names on the label because they help so much!

There are two very important things to keep in mind when you decide to pull the kids into your sewing projects.

Number 1, being patient is key. If you expect to burn through your sewing at your normal rate you will be painfully frustrated and disappointed. And the younger ones won't always get what you are trying to get them to do. But be patient and enjoy the process (you've heard that from me before!)

Number 2, keep in mind that they probably won't want to help forever. Take what you can get, when you can get it.

As parents we always hope our kids want to do the things we love to do. It makes our life easier and saves us from driving to hockey practice when you don't know how to skate or spending your sewing time on dance costumes. Taking small steps to bring your children in to the quilting fold can help, but it isn't a guarantee. It is, however, a great way to encourage their creativity, foster your own, and spend some useful time together.

Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Part 2)

2011-08-11T13:44:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Part 2 of the Little Feet, Pins and Needles series. Last time we talked about setting up your space and bringing a relaxed attitude to quilting when you've got young kids around. This week I want to talk about some ways to encourage creativity and an interest in quilting with your little ones.

This is about more than encouraging the with needle and thread or getting them literally involved in your quilting. (That's next week in the series!) Getting your kids thinking about colour, about the motions of quilting, and the aspects of design is a great way to foster an interest in your hobby/work without ramming it down their throat.

Here are a series of activities, games, or toys you can bring out to get your kids playing. You can always have these set up beside you as you sew. You could also get down on the floor and play with them. That's a great way to play yourself and find some inspiration along the way. Its always a welcome break for everybody.

1. Lego

As a kid, my favourite way to play with lego was to build houses. House after house, one day blue beds, another day red. Space lego was really out there for me. Now that my girls are getting into Lego I am struggling with do more than that. If they aren't asking me to make something specific I find myself defaulting to shapes and lines. My youngest took over my thought process and now she makes Lego quilts, working fastidiously to cover the entire green slate with colour.

2. Paper Quilts

We have a bit of a scissor issue in this house. To direct that habit I put coloured paper and recycling in her path. That leaves us with bits of paper everywhere. Everywhere. Now we take those bits and I hand them a glue stick. Voila! Paper quilts.

3. Sewing Cards

A kind reader of my blog sent my girls sewing cards. (Thank-you Nanci!) When they asked me to teach them how to sew this is the first thing I pulled out. We patiently work on front-to-back and back-to-front concepts with these cards. I let them explore the where to sew next question rather than guide them. This way they learn the rhythm. Or they don't, but then they love the end result more.

4. Embroidery Hoop

This was actually the first thing we did together. Thread, some linen, and a hoop. Go to town! They weren't getting the concept entirely, but they loved the feel of needle pulling thread. I believe the important part is them enjoying that feel and loving what they created. As they get older we can work on stitches. This will be an age/development aspect that you can adapt to your own kids.

(Put together by Abby, Amanda Jean's little one, while I was visiting.)

5. Their Own Design Wall

If you've got a big design wall, or even a small one, letting the kids go wild with their own designs is great. I'll admit, it can be stressful when they want to "help" you lay out a quilt. By giving them a space with some fabric or blocks of their own they can explore on their own. And who knows? It may end up inspiring you! When I was visiting Amanda Jean her little girl was always making creations in a corner of the design wall. It was great to see her determination at times, an her abandon at conventions we might hold close.

6. Mess Up the Scraps

Because I sew in a very shared space there is fabric everywhere. If I kept it all precious and off-limits then I would spend more time being stressed. So the girls have free reign of my scraps. Actually, they have free reign with my fabric stash too, so long as I'm with them for that. My youngest, in particular, loves to organize, stack, fold, and play. She makes sculptures, presents, and generally, a mess. And she loves it. It will keep her occupied for quite a while for a 3 year old. Her pride in her creations is immeasurable.

My goal isn't to create future quilters - although, that would be nice. Rather, my goal is to foster a playful energy towards colour and creating. My medium happens to be quilts and so I can encourage development through my medium.

Little Feet, Pins and Needles (Relaunch Part 1)

2011-08-09T07:34:00.002-06:00

Relaunching the Little Feet, Pins, and Needles Series today. I'll admit, I completely forgot about it in the chaos of this past spring. Today, a repeat of the first post. Thursday, post #2. Then 2 more next week.

Welcome to Week 1 of the series on quilting with little ones around. Every Monday in March I will be highlighting tips and tricks to making the most of your quilting time when you've got little ones underfoot. Whether you are a new mom trying to find time for your hobby or a new quilter trying to figure out just how to make it work, there will be loads of info here to get you sewing in mad fits. Along the way please share your own tips and tricks.

Today we're tackling space planning and coordination.

Whether you are lucky enough to have a room where you can start, leave a mess, and close the door or you are stuck in the corner of your bedroom, you can make it work well for you. Here are 5 ways to make your time sew successful.

1. Acceptance

No matter what space you are in, shared or not, kids will want to be where you are. It seems fantastic to be able to shut the door and shut out the rest of the house. I certainly dream of it. Even if you have that the kids will be coming in, guaranteed.

My sister-in-law has a great space in their fantastic basement. It's right off the family room and her oldest son's bedroom. But the last time I was there I saw the sewing machine sitting on the family room table, about 10 feet from that valued door. Moms and kids want to be together.

Accept the interest and interruptions. That seam can wait until the next game of Candyland is over. Yes, it can get frustrating, I know that. See it from your kid's point of view - they always want your attention and frequently need your help. You are a mom first and a quilter second (or third or fourth), so let the kids be there and everyone will be happier.

2. Safety

Regardless of where your sewing space is located, if there are kids in the house you need to keep it safe. I don't just mean keeping them safe from wrecking your quilts or tools. They need to be kept safe too.

Keep your iron, scissors, rotary cutter, and pins in a high or child proof location. You may also want to examine where you store your machine, ironing board, and any bins. Minimize any risk of those objects falling on you or the kids. Finally, watch your power cords and outlets.

I sew in my dining room. No matter where I put the machine there is a cable running from the table to the wall. My kids are high energy and think nothing of racing around the house after each other or the dogs. If the machine is out they have strict rules to stay out of the dining room because they've been caught on the cord before. To be perfectly honest, I have too. Remember to keep it safe for you.

3. Creative Space

Making a space to create often requires another brand of creativity. Whether it is storage, a space to spread out, a way to keep projects in order, or simply somewhere quiet to foster your creative energy, you need to think creatively.

We've got a small house, have I mentioned that before? In addition to sewing on the dining room table I store my fabric in my daughters' bedroom (at one point under the bed, and now in an underused closet), frequently use my kitchen counter as a cutting table, store current projects in plastic bins tucked in the dining room or in our small bedroom, and use the bed or a floor for a design wall.

In the dining room itself I've got my ironing board, cutting mats, and some projects tucked between the sideboard, toys, and our paper shredder (have I mentioned this is also the home office space?) On top of the filing cabinet I keep my thread in a vase, a pin cushion the girls are allowed to touch, and various bits of fabric and supplies. Some of my scraps fill some glorious canisters on top of the hutch that store both my cookbooks and art supplies for the girls.

When I really want to sketch or be creative I usually end up colouring right alongside my girls. If I really need the quiet though, my favourite time to do this is in the car. Not while I'm driving! When Hubby is driving and the girls are asleep I love to pull out my sketchbook and draw.

The only thing I find I really miss is a dedicated design wall. I'm working on that. Check out these creative options from Katie and Elizabeth.

4. The Right Timing

As you can tell by the name of this blog, I do my quilting when my girls are asleep. My ideal time would actually be first thing in the morning. Hell, it would be all day if I could! That just isn't realistic for me with a 2 and 4 year old that are both performers and love an audience for every single thing they do. After they go to bed I could and do sew, but that doesn't make my Hubby happy as he is either working or relaxing about 10 feet away in the living room. Needless to say, it makes me very happy that my girls still nap. Very happy.

You need to consider the time you get to sew when setting up your space. Your other family members' schedules should be considered. Sewing can be noisy and messy. Homework schedules, work, homeschooling, meals, music practice, and even chill out time should be factored in to your schedule and space planning.

5. Less than Perfection

The quilt police don't really exist, and unless your mother-in-law lives with you, the cleaning police don't exist wither. You know that quilting is messy. You know that your kids are going to get in your face, er... space. Who cares if the entire family has threads on the bottom of their feet? Better that than pins.

Accept that there won't be a perfect solution to your space plans, but with careful planning, creativity, and consideration you can make a happy space that works for you and the family.

Next week in the Little Feet, Pins and Needles series we'll talk about the game playing you can do with your kids to inspire their creativity and hopefully an interest in quilting.

Little Girls, A Dog, and Quilts

2011-08-05T07:46:00.003-06:00

Remember, quilts are made to be used. Blankies too.

Fireside

2011-08-02T08:26:00.004-06:00

This weekend was the first Arkison camping adventure. Hubby and I used to go, before kids, but we'd never been brave enough to take the kids out. You know the real issue for me? Sleeping in a tent with them. We do not sleep together, ever, at home, so I was stressed at the thought of being in such small confines with them. Other than a moment the first night when The Monster feared the tent because she didn't know how it was made (?!) it went great.

We hiked, we played by the river, we went to the bathroom in the woods like a bear, we covered ourselves in dirt, we ate bacon in bulk, and we had fire. Hubby's obsession was trying to start a fire with a magnifying glass, the girls fawned over their cousins and specialized in getting as dirty as possible, and I stole moments to sew.

Yes, even on a camping trip I sewed.

Last week I decided I need a hand project for when I'm out and about or when I just don't feel like taking the machine out. I saw an image in a book of the girls', experimented with shapes, then pulled out my scraps (augmented by Amanda Jean and and Heather).

I have to give a lot of credit to Barb, who came for a visit last week. Her handwork is phenomenal! It was so inspiring, as was my afternoon with her. After that I knew I needed to slow down to address the roots and get out hand sewing needles. Templates too!

To be honest, I'm not sure where I'll take this project. It may be hand sewing, but it's still me. That means that I've started without a plan of any sort. I don't know if I'll run out of steam - probably - but I sure am enjoying the steps along the way. Especially if it means more camping.

Stress Relief

2011-07-28T16:53:00.003-06:00

This has been a very demanding week of deadlines, parenting and very early mornings. Mama needs a break.

Even though I've got a million things on the go and my priority should be finishing finishing at least a half dozen of them I decided that the best stress relief was to start a new project. Makes perfect sense.

Amanda Jean's 36 patch quilt along perfectly fits the bill for me. These are easy blocks for me, almost mindless. I had a stack of fabrics sitting there leftover from another project, and a recent discovery that these colours are those exact ones for a needed wedding gift. And done.

Only 32 more blocks and two more big deadlines to go.

Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge

2011-07-26T17:40:00.003-06:00

It all started with a random tweet. I can't remember who said it first, but those tweet chats move fast! Before we could type burgundy, the gauntlet was thrown. So thanks to Talkin' Tuesday chats (hosted by Cara) and with the enthusiasm of Barb, Thomas, Susanne, Lesly, and a few more, we've got ourselves a challenge.

Introducing the Fuddy is Not Duddy Challenge.

Take your best burgundy, green, and brown fabrics, add in one more neutral or colour (one only).

Make a doll quilt to prove that these fabrics and colours aren't as old-fashioned as you or anyone else might think.

Share it with the world by October 10, 2011.

A Flickr group will be up soon. And I'll post closer to the end date with a Mr. Linky so everyone can share their finished pieces. It's all in good fun, but a prize or two is highly likely.

Are you up for it? Can you see beyond the bright, saturated colours many of us are instinctively drawn to? Can you combine the traditional and the modern?

Missing

2011-07-21T07:36:00.003-06:00

Have you seen these quilts?

They've gone missing in the pack-up from Market in Salt Lake City this past spring. They are all projects, cover quilts even, from books by C&T. The publishing house is looking to get them back so they artists can have them again.

Note: there is a reward for their return. A not insignificant one.

High Romance

2011-07-19T06:47:00.003-06:00

My husband and I really know how to turn up the romance. As one friend said, we know how to have a CRAZY time.

This is us. It's after the girls have gone to sleep. We cracked a beer, turned on that day's Tour de France coverage, and basted the triangle quilt.

In his defence (and mine), I made him help me. The quilt is for the girls so I thought he should, literally, have a hand in it. Besides, at 90'' by 90'' it was taking over the living room as it was basted, he might as well have helped.

Making It Work

2011-07-14T07:48:00.005-06:00

When it came time to put together the Triangle Quilt I had some work to do. When I started out in the bee I wasn't overly particular about finished block size, just asking for a variation of 12.5'' to 18.5''. And in sending out a Canadian fat quarter of the background fabric it isn't always easy to get a 18.5'' block. It would have been impossible with a US fat quarter. That meant that I got blocks 12.5'' square, 18.5'' square, and 12.5'' by 18.5''.

What to do?

My initial plan was to mix it all up and assemble the top like a puzzle, adding extra blocks or chunks as needed. It is a part of the process I actually relish, the puzzle challenge.

When I decided to turn these blocks into a bed quilt, however, I needed something a bit more straightforward. I needed blocks, all the same size. If this quilt was going to get done it needed an easier puzzle.

That meant that I had to turn the smaller blocks into 18.5'' square blocks. A run through my stash revealed that I was no longer in possession of some of the fabrics I'd used. It confused me, because I could have sworn I kept aside some extra fat quarters for this precise purpose. Oh well, nothing a little shopping (at home and at the store) couldn't solve.

Of course I could not find the fabrics I'd used, save for one. No problem. The backgrounds were already a mix of yellows, adding a few more wasn't going to be the end of the world. I truly embrace the improvisational spirit. Tim Gunn would be proud.

It seems fairly standard to add sashing to bee blocks. For one, this increases the size of your quilt without having to make more blocks. Secondly, it is a good way to even out the size of what might be slightly different sized blocks. Even with a good pressing, one person's 12.5'' square can be slightly different than another person's. Adding to each block is an alternative to adding sashing.

Besides, you know how I feel about sashing.

This is what I did. (Using 2 blocks as an example.)

So I added on to about 8 blocks. I also made another 12 blocks from my yellows and leftover geese fabric. I laid out the top.

Then I found the yellow fabric I'd set aside.

Calm Complexity

2011-07-12T07:26:00.000-06:00

Option 5 won out. Sort of.

After an evening of doodling/sketching and staring at the layouts, Hubby and decided on a wilder pattern that was only indicated by Option 5. So I set up a temporary design wall by taping batting to a beam, put the sprinkler on (and the TV later) for the girls and I spent the afternoon working out the puzzle. After the girls were in bed I picked up the mess made when my youngest (aka Evil Genius) purposely walked through the hanging batting and Hubby helped me finish the puzzle.

(don't ask me why my winter slipper is in the midst of that when this was taken on the hottest day of the year so far.)

It was a fantastic, contemplative exercise. I definitely picked the most complex of the options. Not because I like to make my life difficult, but simply because that's what spoke to me. I could happily have made any one of the quilts, and likely will at some point. Thank-you for all of your opinions.

And maybe, just maybe, I would love to keep up the design wall... It looks good from the front and back.

Quilts Recover Update

2011-07-07T09:14:00.003-06:00

The sun is shining! I can ride my bike again! And I may have actually sewn too much!

Okay, no exclamation point on that last one. My foot is bothering me and my physio thinks working the foot pedal may be to blame. Yikes! Can't stop me though, it's manageable and I'm on a roll.

Besides, I've also got Quilts Recover to keep me busy. The quilts are starting to come in now that the postal lock-out is over. Good timing too as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned the spotlight to the rebuilding of Slave Lake this week.

If you are planning on donating to Quilts Recover there is still time to do so. We are accepting finished, unused quilts in a functional size (baby to full/queen) until the beginning of August. All quilts will be labelled and delivered to families rebuilding in the wake of devastating wildfires in the town of Slave Lake, Alberta.

Many overseas readers have also expressed a desire to donate quilt tops, as the postage for quilts is quite a bit. I can share now that I've lined up a long armer and a few volunteers to help us finish these quilts. I'm still looking for batting and backing donations. If a finished quilt isn't something you can do, maybe you can consider donating some supplies. Or, if you are local, maybe some time to help get the quilts bound and labelled. I will be announcing a sew day for late July/early August to finish all that.

Again, thank-you for all your support for Quilts Recover.

Decisions Decisions

2011-07-05T07:12:00.001-06:00

The versatility of the half square triangle is liberating. It can also be paralyzing when you actually examine the options for laying out a quilt from nothing but HSTs. If you are a person who has a hard time making decisions it is best not to play with layouts. Go with your gut the first time out.

If, however, you are like me and enjoy playing with layouts, then grab a beer or a tea and contemplate away.

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Option 5

Option 6

Option 7

Option 8

Option 9

This is just a small sample of blocks, the finished quilt will likely be 16 or 17 blocks across and down.

Now I'm not generally someone who has a tough time with decisions. I learned a long time ago that too much is wasted contemplating "what ifs". That being said, I've got no clue where I want to go with this one. I'm bringing you and Hubby into the fold. You, my readers, because you always point out interesting things I may not see. And Hubby, because this is now going to be a wedding present for friends and if he wants his name on the label then he has to help.

So... opinions?

A Triangle Quilt

2011-06-30T07:23:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the next hole in my head. No, I'm not even close to finishing the last one. I got tired of trimming all those half square triangles. There are nearly 300! Or it might, just might be evidence of some quilter ADD.

These are the bee blocks from the Pieced Together 2 Bee. I was putting together another, similar top a few months back and The Monster expressed such excitement over the design. That quilt went to live somewhere else, however. Ever since she's been asking for a triangle quilt of her own.

Then, the other night, I walked into this scene. Beyond the damn cuteness of the two of them cuddled up like that, you can see their sweat-soaked heads. They refuse to wear anything but full PJs and fight over the heavy duvet every night. With summer finally here the nights are actually warm. What else to do but make a quilt.

Yes, here in Calgary we switch to quilts in summer, instead of winter. Winter is for duvets (or layered quilts) and summer for quilts. So it is now my mission to get the girls a triangle quilt before summer ends.

I started with 11 blocks of various sizes. I figure I need 25 blocks at 18.5'' square to get to the queen sized quilt I want, with plenty of overhang. Since Sunday afternoon I've managed to make 6 more blocks and cut out 5 more. Some of the blocks might end up being solid yellow. Maybe, maybe not?

We're looking at a long weekend, I wonder how much I can get done? You know, in between actually spending time with the family.

Kinda Herringbone

2011-06-27T22:18:00.006-06:00

Kinda Herringbone

60'' by 80''

This is my latest finish, my Shades of Grey quilt. And guess what? I'm offering it as a pattern for sale! You can get it at my new Etsy shop.

If you've been reading here for any length of time you know that I will always encourage other quilters to do their own thing. To take an idea, inspiration, or even a pattern and make it their own. This pattern is written that way. It provides the technique and the basics to make a quilt like this, but I also provide tips on making your own size, your own colour, and even with variations in design. Of course, that's not to say you won't make it a way I haven't even thought of! Or that you don't love it as is and want to make it exactly like this quilt.

This quilt and pattern wouldn't exist with the support, inspiration, and work of Jan DeCinto, the force behind Daisy Janie. The design itself was inspired by one of the fabrics in her Shades of Grey line and she helped me tremendously in getting the pattern itself together. To pick up her fabric check out her list of retailers.

A few more details on this particular quilt:

- The top is entirely made from Shades of Grey organic fabrics.

- I used a bamboo batting to try something different.

- The back is made up of wide strips of Kaffe Fassett shot cottons. I chose those intentionally to have a lighter material on the back. With a foundation fabric in the top I wanted to lighten up the quilt overall.

- It is quilted with an organic thread.

- Pieced binding with Kona organic solids.

Thank-you, readers, for continuing to inspire and push me to be a little bit more than I was yesterday.

Summer?

2011-06-22T09:06:00.005-06:00

The sun is FINALLY shining here in Calgary. It feels like forever ago that we had it. It's been a rainy spring, one that makes us happy we spent so much money waterproofing our basement a few years ago.

So now The Monster is out of school and out of sorts. We're trying to establish a rhythm to summer without doing too much. I'm trying to find the time to quilt and write without resorting to PBS Kids as babysitter. We're all searching out the summer. Here's where we are so far.

Last touches on that Shades of Grey quilt. I can photograph it now that it's stopped raining.

My husband's labourer, also a part-time tattoo artist put to work with sidewalk chalk and a book about pandas.

In all his fashion glory, this is my husband mowing a maze in the park across the street. The City doesn't seem to be quick to mow it this year so Hubby goes out every time it is sunny and mows paths for us to explore. The stellar fashion choices are always there.

Time spent watching an ant (singular) try to move a dead bee.

A precious visit and loads of snuggles with our latest nephew.

My reflective girl on her 5th birthday last week. Okay, so I caught her trying to look away, but let me have the mystery of her contemplative look. Here's one way we celebrated her birthday.

My youngest, having ANOTHER fit. Such an impatient, stubborn, and tempestuous little girl. And she's three.

But she is also phenomenally silly, adventurous, and obviously inherits her fashion sense from her father.

And now, a whole bunch of pressing to do. I need a break from the cutting - my wrist was killing me the other night when I was slicing my squares into these. I hope I'm not adding carpal tunnel to my summer plans.

Bring it on, summer! We can take it.

Hole in My Head

2011-06-16T07:05:00.000-06:00

There is that expression... I need a new ______ like I need a hole in my head.

Meet the new hole in my head.

I've got quilts piled up, I am still not 100% after the surgery, and there are other projects waking me up on the morning. But I HAD to start a new quilt. No deadline, no specific audience, no definite plan.

And here are close to 20 fabrics cut into 5'' squares. They will be turned into some sort of half square triangle creation. The fabrics are from this pile, courtesy of Traditional Pastimes, with a few more added for good measure. It's a pile that is both calming and energizing. It makes me smile.

Looking Down

2011-06-13T07:56:00.000-06:00

Inspiration comes from the strangest spots.

There I was, insanely groggy from anaesthetic and painkillers, looking down at my hospital gown, and all I can think is, "Gee, that would be a cool quilt."

I debated snitching the gown and using it for fabric. But for one, that would be wrong. Two, the health care system doesn't need any more shortfalls. And three, it was a poly/cotton and I'm a fabric snob. I remembered that my camera was in my purse, asked the nurse for a bit of help, and snapped a photo.

Surgery is in the past now. Recovery ahead. The anaesthetic did me in more than it ever has before. My sister so kindly pointed out that I am getting older after all. But the knee is doing okay, better than I expected. I'm hoping that with more time and some therapy it will indeed be more or less 100% as the surgeon hopes. I'm anxious to go for walks with the girls, ride my bike, and test it out. Baby steps.

For now maybe I'll work on some sketches...

Crazy Busy

2011-06-07T08:44:00.003-06:00

This is a post of random notes.

Thank-you so much for the support for Quilts Recover. I'm seeing posts go up around the blogosphere by friends. Emails are coming in already. If there wasn't this rotating postal strike some quilts might even be on their way already!

There've been a number of suggestions for Quilts Recover. Different chapters, financial donations, and offers of quilting tops sent from far away. I promise you that I'm sorting through all the ideas and figuring out ways to maximize quilts and quilters' generosity. You folks are just awesome.

There wasn't a lot of quilting done in the last week. I was up to my eyeballs in writing deadlines. In one day I interviewed Jennifer Paganelli (Oh, she is so awesome!) and a handful of goat farmers (also awesome). In between butt wiping and baking muffins for preschool. Now that's the life!

Lastly, I'm getting the binding on the Shades of Grey quilt. That's today's task, along with prepping for The Monster's 5th birthday party tomorrow.

Then, on Thursday, I'm having knee surgery. Finally. Just one of my knees, but they will check out the other while I'm down for the count. Needless to say, there won't be a lot of quilty action, aside from handstitching that binding, for the next week or so.

On that note, time to get prepping!

Thread Choices

2011-06-02T06:24:00.003-06:00

It's down to the quilting on that Shades of Grey Herringbone piece. The first decision is always which thread to use.

I actually starting threading my machine with the normal grey thread I use for piecing. It seemed kind of obvious to use it. It would blend in and carry on the grey theme.

Then I thought about my binding. I'm thinking of going with a turquoise, so I wanted to see if turquoise thread would work. It surely pops! The colour would be great and it would work great with the binding and the back. But I've also got turquoise on the back (shot cottons) and I didn't want to have just one section on the back where the quilting blended in.

Going back and forth between the grey and the turquoise I was torn. The turquoise looks really good on the front, but the grey seemed more in line with the Shades of Grey fabric. Then I remembered that I have a cone of nearly white organic thread. When I put it next to the others I realized that it was the perfect choice. It pops on the back, it reads practically the same as the grey on the front, and it is an organic choice.

This quilt isn't all organic - the muslin foundation isn't organic, the back is a mix of conventional shot cottons, and I tried out a bamboo batting. But I am definitely influenced by Jan's commitment to organics and wanted to push it as much as I could. The organic thread will be a great finish.

Quilts Recover Launch

2011-05-31T07:05:00.001-06:00

The world has seen a lot of tragedy lately. Earthquakes, tornados, fires, and more. Your heart breaks a little bit each time you hear the stories and see the images. More often than not, however, the stories remain part of the nightly news. We talk about it at the dinner table or the office, we might even send in a donation or two to a charitable organization. We each do what we can.

After a particularly trying time myself I decided that I needed to do more than talk and read about it. To break out of my own grief I needed to help others. The images of houses completely gone, evidence of people's lives lived just destroyed were powerful. The thought of rebuilding seems so remote at those times.

Quilts Recover is about providing just one bit of comfort during that rebuilding process. Quilts Recover is quilters providing finished quilts to communities ravaged by disaster.

As of today, Quilts Recover is accepting donations of unused quilts to donate to communities where the rebuilding process is occurring. We accept functional quilts only - no comforters, bedding, duvets, or blankets. All quilts must qualify as lap/nap or bed quilts. All quilts must be complete - no unquilted tops please. Quilts will then be labelled and donated, through registered charitable organizations on site, to target communities.

The first target community is Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada. Earlier this month, May, a wildfire swept through the town of about 7000 people. Nearly half the homes and businesses were destroyed, utterly consumed by the fire. People are only returning to their homes now. Quilts Recover will provide as many quilts as possible to families rebuilding their lives in Slave Lake.

To donate a quilt please contact me directly at quiltsrecover@gmail.com.

Quilts Recover will accept donations of clean, unused, and functional quilts for Slave Lake until July 31. 2011. All quilts will then be labelled and donated. I'll keep you posted on arrivals and delivery times.

The first two quilts will be coming from my own pile of finished work. Quilts I enjoyed making, quilts that someone else can use more than being stored in my cupboards.

Thank-you for your support and donations. I'm looking forward to seeing what the community of quilters can do.

Thank-you to Cathryn Ironside for her generous work on the Quilts Recover logo.

Almost Herringbone

2011-05-26T08:17:00.004-06:00

There is cutting and sewing and pressing going on! Check out what those strips of Shades of Grey are turning into.

I was completely influenced by the fabric itself. Jan's bold graphics are so inspiring to me. Such a great change from florals these days. The one Ragg Tagg print fit perfectly into a concept I'd been exploring. So I essentially have taken that one fabric and made it large-scale for the quilt pattern itself. It was so easy to do and I love the effect.

And check out how well it all works with our patio chairs.

Depending on how my evenings go I should be able to share the finished project in a week or so.

Please stay tuned for another project I'm launching next week. This one's a biggie!

Revelations

2011-05-24T07:06:00.004-06:00

I've had a revelation over the last few weeks. It does not at all coincide with my birthday. Or the hours spent in the ER with The Evil Genius last week. It started when I came across this particular blog, Can You Stay For Dinner? She chronicles a massive weight loss and living her new life - the triumphs and the struggles. In one post on her weight loss she mentions emotional eating. Many of us do it, myself included. But when I read her post something twigged for me. I was convinced that I ate for the hug that it gave me - beer or chocolate at the end of the day to come down from the stress. In truth, comfort eating for me is a way to simply hide under the covers when I'm too drained to face the world.

This revelation hasn't caused me to suddenly stop eating cake at night. I mentioned that it was my birthday on the weekend, right? But it is making me stop and look at all the things that have been hanging over my head, keeping me down. By not tackling some things on the to-do list, simple and large, I'm effectively hiding my head under the covers instead of moving forward with life.

In that spirit I'm on a kick to catch up with bee blocks and knock out some WIPs. Not all of them, only those that are holding me back from starting some new work. These are commitments I've been avoiding in the interest of doing things for me, but in avoiding them I'm not able to move ahead. They need to get done so I can really pay attention to myself and the fun stuff.

This first set is for Shea, as part of my Pieced Together Bee. I am now addicted to Moda Crossweaves. These are gorgeous! Her only request was right angles only. I found out on this block that you can still do improv, it all matters in how you prep the pieces. I see more challenges like this in my future. And more crossweaves.

The next ones come from the Mid Mod Bee. Every single block and participant in this bee inspire me. I've had so much fun working on these blocks because they are all different and all come from such different places. But the inspiration from mid-century modern design prevails. It's been great to see the interpretations.

This is Robin's. She wanted a loose interpretation of Mondrian, a little less precise though. Mine isn't quite as curved as she'd probably like, so I left it large for her to trim down.

And this is Blair's. She was inspired by some images of fireplaces in a mid-century modern design book. I have the same book, so I totally get the inspiration. What a great combination of solids she has here.

I've got a couple more bee blocks to go and some tops to put together, then I can feel comfortable moving forward on some of my own projects again. Including some baby and wedding quilts. No rest for the wicked! Or the sick as the cold the girls gave me for my birthday is indeed begging to have me hide under the covers.

Heartening

2011-05-19T06:41:00.005-06:00

Heartening

72'' by 72''

A few weeks ago my sister turned 40! To mark the occasion my sister-in-law and I (she's also a quilter) decided to make her a quilt. Everyone deserves a quilt on such a momentous birthday. This is the result of some late nights filled with cider and crass humour. Oh, and some love too.

It was an easy quilt to put together. We used the Chopsticks method. I love taking a pretty modern design idea but using it with unexpected fabrics. The softer quality to these greens and neutrals would usually be seen on a more traditional quilt. With this design, though, they are totally different. We chose the colours to coordinate with my sister's house.

The quilting was done entirely with a walking foot. Yes, a walking foot made all those curves. They are such gradual curves that you can easily do it without dropping the feed dogs. I really wanted some curves to contrast the sharp lines of the quilt top. And even though I confident with my free motion work, I needed something that I knew wouldn't provide me with a single challenge considering the timing of when I was quilting this. One little tension issue and I would have lost it.

The back was pieced from fabrics I had in my stash. A few yard cuts and some fat quarters. Fabric I bought and loved but still hadn't used. The pops of blue work because a few of the greens on the front have some bluer tones. Besides, all those neutrals were getting to me, I wanted to more colour!

Here is my brother putting on the label. He hates this picture because he says his hands look old. I hate to point it out to him that he is.. ahem, older than my sister. I love it because here are the surgeon's hands sewing. Meticulous and caring, perfect for a surgeon and an older brother.

Just a simple striped binding. It has all the colours of the quilt. It was a lucky find as I was picking up the batting I saw it by the till. I didn't actually have the quilt with me, but I was pretty sure it would work. It was perfect - the right colours but soft enough not to overpower the quilt itself.

We gave it to my sister the weekend we were cutting down a pile of trees at my Mom's house. I couldn't help but snap a photo with some wood. Aside from the trees there is a lot of wood that my Dad gathered over the years. It comes with the territory when you work in construction.

And here is my sister celebrating with her quilt. I hope it is giving her plenty of comfort. I bet she and her son are already spending some good time snuggling.

Happy Birthday Jan!

This quilt is a part of the Bloggers' Quilt Festival.

Where to Start?

2011-05-17T06:10:00.000-06:00

~~~repost because Blogger crashed and lost the original one~~~

Back in March I left Amanda Jean's place with a great friendship and a pile of challenges. My challenge really, is figuring out which one to do first?

This roll of fat quarters is so, so, so out of the realm of my usual. Hers to. We split it into fat eighths so we could each have some of everything. Of course we can add more too! I think it will be a great challenge to turn this rather subdued and traditional stack of fabrics in a very funky and bold way. I've already got a design in mind. My only hint is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

The fat quarter bundle was actually a treat from Bernadette at Traditional Pastimes. She got so exited while I was pulling fabric that she cut an identical bundle for herself. I'm quite intrigued to see what she does with her fabric.

Here is another bundle from Traditional Pastimes in a gorgeous colourway. Some fabrics are quite bright, some more subdued. It should make for a perfect blend in a simple pattern. I'm thinking a variation on half square triangles, but nothing is set in stone yet. There could also be pinwheels.

Then there are these two neutral fabrics. Just two fabrics. Nothing else. It's a quilting challenge. This one is very exciting to me. I actually got it sewn together and basted last weekend. It was my turn for a demo at guild so I used this as a sample for basting a quilt.

Finally, before I left she gave me this stack of fabric from Connecting Threads. It's the Canning Day line. I think it will blend perfectly with some vintage feedsack prints I've got. I already know that I'm going to make Amanda's quilt from Fresh Fabric Treats. I know, not me, right? But I love her pattern and I think the fabrics will be perfect for it.

Who knows when Amanda Jean and I will get a chance to see each other again? Thankfully we have the internet and our readers to keep us honest and open. Make sure you keep asking me about these projects. And don't worry, there are more...

More Grey

2011-05-09T07:15:00.000-06:00

It might seem appropriate that I'm working with grey fabric these days, but I assure you that these Shades of Grey fabric are far from dreary and dull. Clear tones, loads of white, and some amazing graphics on the latest line from Jan at Daisy Janie. This line is also printed on certified organic cotton.

Jan sent me some of this new yardage a few months back. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to it until very recently. Now I have an exciting project underway using these great prints. For now, I've cut strips. And I'm drooling over this particular print and it just might have inspired the design of this quilt, much like the Ogee fabric from Geo Grand inspired my Ornamental Organic quilt.

As usual, I'll keep you posted on my progress.

If you are interested in Shades of Grey, I've seen them available for purchase so far at Fat Quarter Shop, Wondrous Wovens, Sew Mama Sew, and Marmalade Fabrics.

Yee-Haw

2011-05-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

My weekend was a country song. I'm no poet, nor a songwriter, but the events and emotions of the weekend would really make a good country song.

After a stop at a doughnut shop and a ride on the Prairie highway in a 1 ton dually I found out I need surgery. I know that, have known it since I wrecked my knees last year, but the surgeon is finally willing to schedule the first one.

We broke out the chainsaw to remove some trees at my Mom's place. Many have needed to go for years and my Dad was quite hung up on getting it done. So Hubby brought up his chainsaw and the family gathered for a heck of a lot of tree chopping.

My sister turned 40! We celebrated by chopping down trees with a chainsaw. And we gave her the quilt that we worked on in secret (more on that quilt another day).

There is a new baby in the family. A gorgeous, happy little baby boy to cuddle, tease, and laugh with. He is little brother to Hubby's little brother's first son. Cuddling him was about the most perfect thing in the world for me this weekend.

My dog died. Buster aka Bustamonte aka Damn Black Dog never woke up on Saturday morning. The big galoot was happy and playing with the kids on Friday, chillin' at my feet at the end of the night. He was healthy, as far as we knew, and not that old. And Saturday morning he was gone, having died in the night at the foot of the bed where my Dad used to sleep.

We toasted the Damn Black Dog/drowned our sorrows at a bar called The Beer Hunter. 'Nuff said.

Then there was that whole killing the big terrorist thing, but I had nothing to do with that.

Surgeons, chainsaws, births and birthdays, secret US military missions, and a dead dog. Yup, that's a country song for sure.

Quilt Snob?

2011-04-28T07:33:00.000-06:00

Am I a snob?

Okay, don't answer that right away.

There has been a lot of talk and entertaining posts lately about a lot of quilt arena issues - modern versus traditional, rants about designers, plain old rants, beginners feeling shamed, quilters being snobby, and more. I'm not going to repeat them all here, and I doubt I've even seen them all. But if you want some really interesting posts read them here, and make sure you read all the comments too. Note: I've included different opinions here, only this post is my own.

It is actually the comments I'm reading that are pushing me to write this post. Many folks are upset with "quilt snobs". Unfortunately, it isn't always clear to me what defines a snob.

The way I define a snob is someone who intentionally works to make someone else feel bad for the way they act, dress, define themselves, propping themself up higher on their already high horse in doing so. When it comes to quilting snobs, what does this mean?

... Disdain for one style of quilting over another?

... Talking smack about a fabric line you aren't a fan of, and by extension, the designers?

... Shooting down bloggers who maybe don't have a fancy camera or can only take their pictures late at night when they have a spare moment to work?

... Judging people who are trying to make a living at quilting?

... Being openly critical of bee participants?

... Just another name for the quilt police marking down missed points and skipped stitches?

... Big Name Bloggers refusing to comment on other blogs?

... Groups of friends that are collaborating/chatting and defined as cliques?

I've been critical of charm packs/pre-cuts and the reliance on them. I struggle with group projects where the simple quality of the workmanship is lacking (ie. no 1/4 seams, lack of pressing, and no squaring up of blocks). I'll admit that I'm tired of plain patchwork quilts. And stippling. (I've done more than my fair share of both)

All this, however, doesn't make me a snob. Anytime I think these things I keep my mouth shut (until today, obviously). If I visit a blog I like and see a quilt I don't then I move on to the next one in my Reader. I like to challenge myself so that's why you don't see me do many things twice, but that's me. I have no interest whatsoever in making someone feel bad or trying to make myself feel better with an off-putting or off-colour comment.

I will never condemn you for your pattern choice. I will never judge your fabric choice, but I will share my considered opinion if you ask. I will never shoot someone down in a public forum for their own creativity, work, family, or anything quilty related.

Rather, I want more people quilting. I want blogs to inspire. I want new or hopeful quilters to come to blogs and think "I can do that!" Or, if they are intimidated by the work (and not the quilter) think, "I can't wait until I can do that!" I don't think I'm alone with this goal. I want people to feel motivated to finish their quilts however they like, with the emphasis on finishing.

In pursuit of this goal I will continue to share my own inspiration, my work - both easy and difficult - tips and tutorials and yes, challenge the conventions. I will always encourage people to break free from patterns, charm packs, and single line quilts. I will always, always stress care in construction. I will always answer questions you send my way. I will push for people to be open with their process

This doesn't make me a snob.

Or does it? Be honest, I've got skin as thick as an elephant. But remember, my Dad just died.

(That was a joke.)

What makes a quilt snob? Have you had any run-ins? What's your strategy for dealing with the quilt snobs you encounter?

A Pillow

2011-04-25T06:40:00.000-06:00

There is no clever way to say this. My Dad died.

On April 12 the cancer finally took him. It was very rough there at the end, with struggles to breathe and maintain dignity, with exhaustion and pain.

We buried him a week ago.

My girls, ever the concrete and literal thinkers, obsess over exactly how one exactly gets buried or why those men are singing songs they can't understand in fancy, embroidered capes or what the spear thing is their cousin is carrying or why the bells have smoke or why they can't pull down Dido's baseball cap collection if he is dead now and doesn't need it.

My family struggles with the conflicting emotions of grief and relief.

There are photos I took of the process of dying and moments in the hospitalization that struck me, but they aren't mine to share yet. It's funny, but I think I've crossed the line into some kind of photographer (albeit very amateur) because there were photos I wanted to make, even at the funeral. Making photos is now an outlet for me.

These two photos are of my Baba's embroidery and what we did with it. While we picked the most simple coffin we could, at my father's request, it still had a bit of a ruffly pillow. So we crafted our own. We took some of my Baba's embroidery and appliqued it to a case we made for the coffin pillow. It might seem morbid to share it here, but I know you will all understand. I needed to share the beauty of my Baba's work, and our desire to bury Dad with the work of two generations.

I stood at the prayer and funeral services and delivered the eulogy. It was a challenge, as my relationship with my father was certainly not perfect and actually far from good at times. But he asked me and I couldn't say no. So I stood and told the story of my father and how his story is also mine, is also the story of everyone who knew him. And now it is yours.

I spoke of the need to get down on the floor and play with the little ones even when the dishes need doing or one more seam needs to be sewn. I spoke of never leaving things let unsaid. I spoke of the need to live your life, to make it through the day taking the time to share your story, to create your story with the people around you.

(Read his obituary here)

In Use

2011-04-04T22:29:00.003-06:00

That's my Dad's quilt there. It rests on the cot and hospital pillows in my Dad's room. That room is in the Palliative unit at the hospital. He would sleep under it himself, as he did when he first entered the hospital, but the cancer makes him hot (and hungry). He makes us use the quilt as we take our turns spending the night with him. Comfort all around in the darkest of moments.

A Break

2011-03-14T08:47:00.000-06:00

We interrupt the feature Little Feet, Pins and Needles.

There are more posts to come in this series, but I'm afraid I need to take a break from the computer for a while. My family needs me and I need them. While being here, writing and sharing is quite comforting to me, I need to step away for a bit.

Take care all.

Upcoming Classes Spring 2011

2011-03-11T08:02:00.001-07:00

Interested in some modern quilt classes in the Calgary area? I've got two coming up at, of all places, Traditional Pastimes. It only sounds ironic in name, Bernadette is a great supporter of modern quilting and brings in some of the best new fabrics to hold court next to civil war reproductions.

Want to learn about Values Quilts and perfect your half-square triangle technique? This will be a one night class to get you set. We'll discuss ways to see and use value, make-up a set of blocks, then play with settings.

Thursday, April 14

6:30-9:30 pm

How about Improv? I've made a few adjustments to my Improv class. Not only will we be practicing different techniques for improv blocks, like a wonky log cabin and free piecing, we also tackle the challenges of breaking free from precision cutting and patterns.

Monday, May 2 and May 9

6:30-9:30 pm

To register for either class contact Traditional Pastimes.

Workshop in Progress - March 9

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

You would think after a week with Amanda Jean I would have something to share here. I do, but not yet. Sadly, I did not get any photos before it got dark today. I fear the end of the nap is about to come up and bite me on the butt. I guess it is time for me to regroup and listen to some of my own advice from the Little Feet, Pins and Needles discussions.

If you are new to the Workshop in Progress I encourage you to read the introductory post. Our goal is to not just post what you've got going on in your own studio, but to post your challenges, inspirations, and questions. Then invite readers and WIP participants to comment and help you out with your query. It's like being in a workshop room together and feeding off the energy and creativity of others.

Little Feet, Pins, and Needles (Part 1)

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today we're tackling space planning and coordination.

1. Acceptance

2. Safety

3. Creative Space

The only thing I find I really miss is a dedicated design wall. I'm working on that. Check out these creative options from Katie and Elizabeth.

4. The Right Timing

5. Less than Perfection

Accept that there won't be a perfect solution to your space plans, but with careful planning, creativity, and consideration you can make a happy space that works for you and the family.

Next week in the Little Feet, Pins and Needles series we'll talk about the game playing you can do with your kids to inspire their creativity and hopefully an interest in quilting.

A Colourful Week

2011-03-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a fun and incredibly busy week hanging out with Amanda Jean. Here are a few snapshots of our week so far. Tea, peanut M&Ms, working out, playing with fabric, collage homework with her boys, loads of quilts, and snuggles. Did I mention I'm sleeping under this quilt?

Do I have to go home?