Downton Abbey tonight - YEAH

I admit it, I'm addicted, totally addicted. I watch Downton Abbey 3 times per week!! Watching season 1 and season 3 simultaneously :) :). It's almost as good as the old Upstairs Downstairs!

How can you not love Mathew and Mary. Will they, won't they, why, why not. And now that they're married what will happen next?
Who's your favourite? Currently I'm rooting for Edith, the middle child, although personally I was the baby of the family, but I don't identify with Sybil. Poor Edith, left at the alter only to face a "Spinster" life. I can identify with that as I usually identify with the underdog. The fashions, the house, the intrigues are just what I need on a dark dreary wintery night. Grab a cup of hot tea and snuggle in :) I'm  also totally in love with Maggie Smith, I mean who wouldn't? She's the kind of old lady I want to be !! 

I have discovered that Quilter's Newsletter is doing a Downton Abbey sew-in, tooooo funny. Personally I'm too engrossed in the show to actually do any stitching while watching.
Altough I do support the free Mr Bates movement !! Poor Mr Bates and Anna , will he ever be free again? Good story line, but where's the justice. Speaking of injustice there's Mrs Crawley, she's the crusader and I definitely like her spunk!

So, I bet you can guess where I'll be tonight, not getting a whole lot of stitching done, but enjoying my Sunday nights. How about you?

Brrrrrrr

Boy oh Boy, it sure has been cold outside! The older I get the more I feel the cold, brrrrrrrr! Even Simone and Iris have been hibernating and not sticking their nose outside. Unfortunately for their mommy I still have to go to work :( On a brighter note, I have been fabric shopping, yes, again ...

Aren't the reds lovely ? They will warm me up. Actually they're for some of the roses on the Carol Armstrong cat quilt referred to in the last post (no pics yet, I'm still working on vines and leaves). Upon looking at this pic I see I haven't enough light/dark difference between all these. Oh dear, I may have to go shopping again!!  Of course I did just use some of my reds to make something for the mater for February.

This free pattern was supposed to be a table runner, but I changed it up somewhat and just made a small hanging for her front door. And yes, I machine quilted it = more practice for me :)
Anyway, keep warm ladies and  remember

TTFN,

Year of the Cat

 

So, I've decided, 2013 is the year of the cat. I am going to finish the UFO (above)

This UFO was started years ago. How many years ago I can't remember, but I can tell you I was just learning how to applique. The cats are from Carol Armstrong's Cats in Quilts book. I guess I got tired of appliqueing and put it away missing 2 blocks. While cleaning the sewing room this holiday season I came across it again and decided 2013 (and maybe 2014) is the year of the cat!! As you can see I have added one cat, and am now doing the vines, leaves and flowers which go with each block. I have to admit I'M IN LOVE WITH APPLIQUE - again :) :) I'll decided what to do with the bottom left corner "block" at the end, maybe a few mice?

Below is a pic of Maggie Walker's Cats in my Garden. A past member of our guild decided, after collecting the 9 BOM patterns, that she would never ever complete this quilt. She donated the patterns to me and, although I am totally in love with it I have to admit I have not started it for too many years now. Hence, the years of the Cat!!

I am sooooo looking forward to starting (and completing) this Maggie Walker project, which will be for MEEEEEE- so no pressure other than to just get it finished!! At some point in between these two big projects I also want to finish my other long overdue Cat projects - the last 2 of the McKenna Ryan Cat tyrptic ... These are definitely long overdue !
Then of course there is also this project I purchased at least 2 years ago ..

Hmmm, now that I look at all this perhaps I should say the next THREE YEARS will be years of the cat!! Wish me luck ;)

P.S. I found out what the sewing item (present) from last week's blog is called - I think it's an Etui

Snow!

I guess it's officially winter,  the snow has come, and stayed! I must admit it looks kinda nice, and I definitely have the urge to stay home and cocoon myself with some stitchery or applique or quilting :)

Speaking of sewing - here's a present from one of my very creative friends. Can you guess what it is? At first I was afraid to open it, but then ....  I'm sure this has a formal name, but I don't know it, do you? Whatever it's name is I think it is very inventive and creative, meant to hold my sewing tools and spools! The whole thing folds up mysteriously. She did a fabulous job, THANK YOU Susan :)  And my long distance friend was also thinking of my sewing and sent along this wonderful gadget. There is a very strong magnet on the back and you are supposed to sandwich your stitchery/quilt/fabric in between the sheep and the magnet. I have attached it to my armchair pin cushion and fell in love with it the very first night :) ;) :) THANK YOU Colleen!

It sure is nice to have such kind and considerate friends ...

Post holidays I spent cleaning up some past Holiday gifts which had developed some "issues". First was re-working the embroidery on this Poinsettia table topper so it was more readable. Second was downsizing this old fashioned Santa so he will fit on mother's apt. door next year, and some additional quilting. Last I finally got to the machine quilting for the Lil Twister table runner. Yes ladies, I quilted in all the puckers, nothing else I could do with it unless I simply tossed it in the circular file. I loved the blue fabrics too much to do that!

Now that is all done I can move on to 2013 projects ..... Of course there was a wee bit of fabric shopping, and I picked up some more Holiday themed fabric (more Figgy Pudding) for next year's projects! I resolve to start them this summer and not wait until December when they will never get finished in time ;) !

 

TTFN

Happy New Year !

Happy New Year! Looking back I can see how wonderful, busy and creative this past year was .  Most of the early part of the year for me was taken up making No Squirrels Allowed, a wedding quilt for my niece. Her bridal shower and wedding were highlights of the spring, followed by a 85th birthday family party for the mater. During the summer I got busy and made some artsy pictures for the blog - yes, you'll see some this winter ... and I made up some teacup bird feeders for the garden. In the fall I made purses - 5 to be precise, and numerous (at least a dozen) purse covers. I took a wonderful spinning 4 patch workshop in the fall which turned into 2 lap quilts for the mater and father's partner, and a lovely table runner given to an aunt. I also ventured into the Lil Twister territory and practiced my machine quilting on that! Throughout the year I visited the pater several times helping him with his computer. He's still  digitizing family pictures, hence you'll see some childhood pics of me in the collage :) All in all it has been another great year, here's hoping 2013 is just as great!

Happy Holidays to all my friends in blogland . Here's a pic of my wee tree. I know lots of  people don't bother anymore, but personally I can't get into the spirit unless I put up my tree. It's not that big an effort and really helps my holiday mood. How about you? So far this "vacation" has been different. I took an extra week off, yeah, and it's a good thing. The pater had a wee spell in the hospital, but all is well now. I'll be over there Christmas eve to spend some time with them, apparently we'll be playing Crokinole! I haven't played it in years, hope my fingers hold up :)

Last week was busy ... our stitch-n-bitch group got together for our third annual potluck. June kindly hosts this, and she sets a lovely table. Unfortunately I was not well placed and I guess I was concentrating on eating all the delicious food. Sorry ladies, I did not get enough pics!! Here's Deb, and Mibs (with the wine) and Susan. All in all there were 11 of us and the potluck was a success! I made my now famous Candy Cane cake, my third for December! I'll not make another for a very long time!

We did a secret Santa gift exchange and fun was had by all! I'm so lucky to have such as great group of friends. Thanks ladies :) Yesterday I finished off my "cleanup" chores, by sorting and filing away my scraps from this fall. I'm all ready for a new year of quilting, but still undecided as to what project to start. You know how it is ... so many interesting, challenging and fun projects and not enough time! Guess I'll have to try them all .

TTFN and be of good cheer,

Inspiration ....

I realized as I was wrapping my holiday gifts that I didn't show you the last of the purse covers. I really like 

this brown/turquoise paisley fabric. And here is the reverse side! Ive used this floral before, for summer purses. This time it goes with a dark brown purse. Hope the recipient likes it :) .....
Since we are a divided family, I've already had one holiday gift exchange. Timely for me as the $ given were quickly spent yesterday at our local quilt fabric store, Cornerstone Quilts, which was having a sale! Yeah - sales are GOOOD.

I haven't felt like sewing/quilting lately. Instead I have been going thru all my Q magazines and printouts, sorting and tossing out, and in general getting inspired for the new year. Anyway, look what I found!  This is a semi quilt top made from left over blocks from a cobblestone workshop approximately 3-4 years ago. After the quilt was done I  randomly put the left over blocks together. Periodically I would dig it out and add a border or two. Anyway, I have finally decided who I should give this to, and how I would like to finish it up .... so off the the Q store for some fabric to add 2-3 more borders, or possibly some more blocks then a border or two, who knows! I'm improvising ;) Wish me luck ...
TTFN

Do Cats Fart?

She looks totally innocent, right?  Well, I have to say she's not - Phew!!!! I haven't been doing much quilting lately. Just vegging out under a vintage quilt watching, err sleeping in front of the boob tube. Sweetie Pie, aka Iris, sleeping on my lap, keeping me warm and farting in my face. What the heck! Well, this has got to stop! So instead I'm renovating my blog .... new background, and changing over my blog roll into a blog list. Bear with me as I do all this editing. :)
TTFN

Snow ...

Snow - Booo Hiss

Ok, I know it's not a lot - in fact it's barely there, just a dusting, none-the-less it is a harbinger of worse to come :( and I am not a fan of winter. So my lovely Japanese Maple has lost all it's gorgeous red leaves. In case you are wondering, yes, that  is an old bed sheet torn into strips and wrapped around the trunk. It's my effort to save that one main branch which has a split in it. I would seriously cry if I lost this beauty, I planted it when I first purchased this place which  I call home :)

So my local FL store had another of their famous 50% off for members sale. Can I resist? Silly question .... On the left is a depression era, feed sack Dresden fan quilt top I purchased many years ago at an antique show. I've decided to finally quilt it and lucked out with this blue polka dot fabric for the backing. I think It will work. I also picked up a supply of white-on-white, oh and some pretty blue, oh and a red fat quarter! It is the Christmas season right? Have to buy some red ....

All that great fabric inspired me. I also picked up this beige houses print and made another, actually three more purse covers! Now I'm totally inspired and have been digging through my stash to find some appropriate browns for one more purse cover. Then I'm definitely DONE with the purses (probably not!)

I don't know why they call these Christmas Cactus ... mine is in full bloom and it's not yet Xmas ! I couldn't resist this pic which includes my spider plant I propagated from a plant at work. I haven't had a Spider plant @ home for years. The previous kitty would eat any Spider plant in the house -  full grazing season for her. My current kitties Simone and Iris haven't even noticed it - yet!
TTFN