Still waiting ....

Spring has not arrived :(  Yup, I'm still waiting. I don't care what the calendar says, the lack  of sunshine or warmth, the never ending grey skies tell me it's not here .... WAH!!!!  And the feline above agrees with me, so there! Don't you just love, Love LOVE this stitched Siamese cat! I fell in love with it during my Pinning wanderings, and must extend my apologies to the creator, I failed to note where I found this image, sorry. She looks just like Simone who is also bemoaning the lack of spring, just like her mommy.

I have begun my spring cleaning, even though I don't believe it's spring yet, so my stitching has taken another back seat. I did remove the lower left vine and leaves and am glad. This block was busy enough as it was. So Red Red Rose is finished, and I have moved onto mother and kit and Tulips!

As you can see I have a couple more Tulips and some flower buds to apply here. Once that's accomplished I think I'll move up to the top and work on some Sun Flowers. Maybe that will cheer me up! Who knows, I may even be able to sit on the patio while stitching ???

I'm thinking now that this quilt top will need some birds and butterflies before I'm done. Oh No! More applique!
TTFN

Is it Spring yet?

Ok I know that sounds totally desperate, but ... I can't stand winter and snow and grey skies any longer !!

I also know that my New Year's resolution was that it be the year (or two or three) of the cat, and I have been stitching away on my Carol Armstrong cats quilt top, more on that later in this post.  However, while digging around in my sewing room looking for stuff for our guild's yearly rummage sale I re-found this fabulous Fig Tree spring wall hanging pattern and I'm in love again :) Since my newest favourite local quilt store, Cornerstone Quilts was having their first anniversary sale this weekend, I decided to see if I could at least gather up some of the fabrics for this project. I know it will never get done this year for Easter - that's a lost cause, but at least I have a start. Well, I was definitely surprised and bowled over by the shop owner's generosity when she gave me this Gemstones Natures Moments package as a door prize! WOW! That sure made my day :). They are all batik prints, and in the colours I was collecting for the above project :)

So, I actually got a few minutes of stitching time in my overly busy week. I got two red Roses and one Rose bud appliqued on this block, aptly named Rosie. I'm very glad I redid the vines, but now I'm thinking I'll remove the bottom left vine and leaves as I still think this block is too busy, there is just too much.  I will have to hang the quilt top up on my design wall to get the "big picture" before I make this decision. What do you think?

TTFN 

A Rose by any other Name ....

So, I managed a wee bit of stitching this week :)You'll probably think I'm totally crazy, or at the very least slightly obsessive. BUT, I decided the vines/leaves on the block, shown on the left, were just too wide and too symmetrical. I just didn't like the look.  So, I un-sewed one side of each vine, trimmed up and re-sewed the vines. Next I moved all the leaves on that side and re-sew them slightly less symmetrically. The pic on the right shows my results. What do you think? Now, onto the red red roses that finish up this block.
Last week I talked about requesting people use my "adult name" versus my childhood nickname. Well, once again my favourite website Arts & Letters Daily coincidentally provided a linkout to an article by Teddy Wayne in the NYT Sunday Review of Books, "What's in a Name".   He quotes a 1981 study by Richard Zweigenhaft, a psychology professor at Guilford College, as saying “that one of the benefits of having an unusual name for women could be a greater likelihood of creativity,”

HA! Vindicated again! I'm not crazy afterall! :) :) :)

Grace under Fire :)

Well, I must admit I goofed - Oopsie. At our monthly quilt get togethers last week I was bragging about this wonderful tool my friend out west gave me for Xmas. WRONG - sheepish grin (pardon the pun, I couldn't help it)! The gift came from the quilting friend I was actually talking to. Lucky thing I was praising the gift as a most wonderful invention and so thoughtful.So, to put things right, the Magnetic Needle Nanny pictured above came from S my local quilt friend, and it is a wonderful immediately well used  and well loved gift!
Speaking of grace under fire, about a week ago I informed a member of the step family that I prefer they use my "adult name". You know, the name all my adult friends and colleagues use  and the name I am now most comfortable with.  Why?  I have been an adult far longer than I was a child. Some of the step family were gracious about my request and now use my adult name, apologizing when/if they forget. However, others have made a show of using my childhood nickname then correcting themselves. Really?  Top this off with comments about my body size (I'm of small stature and thin BTW). Ladies, it is not acceptable to make comments to a fat person, it is equally not acceptable to make body size comments to a thin person! So, grace under fire? well yes, I just smile and let them have their fun - for now. 
 
On the bright side :) I have managed to get some stitching done, here's one finished cat block, applique all done but some embroidery yet to come!

TTFN

Step Families and Elder Parents

Don't let the above image fool you, life within a step family is not all fun, games or smiles. In my case the step family occurred in early adulthood, and has been a grin and bear it experience :( Recently there has been a health scare for my elder pater. The efficient step-sister (since they aren't actually married is she actually my "step-sister"?) sprang into action. While I very much appreciate her attentiveness and support to the pater, I am having some difficulty with her attitude.  When I asked her to share information she used the age old put-off tactic "If you don't like what I'm doing you can do it yourself".  She also became "deeply offended" when I asked for a meeting on neutral ground.  Really? I sense control issues and a different perspective on sharing. Her assertiveness is quickly poisoning our minimal relationship and further alienating me from my pater ;(

It reminds me of a conversation with colleagues in the Library about a recent new book; Quiet The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. The author, Susan Cain, talks about how the  "Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century" has come to dominate and deeply "permeate our culture". Can you guess I'm an introvert and my step sister is an extrovert ;)

At the same time the mater has announced she is also considering a move into assisted living, so here we go with both parents, complicated by the step family. Yikes! Please bear with me as I have not had much time to stitch and may not blog as frequently as usual for the next wee while.

Plagarism and Memory

A couple of years ago I was asked if I would be willing to write up a little story about copyright for our guild newsletter. Because I work in an academic Library and deal with copyright questions on a regular basis the person asking felt I knew a bit on the topic. I did a fair amount of online research, reading lots of rather repetitive articles, after all, just how much can you say about copyright and quilts. I wrote up a quick story and fired it off to the newsletter editor of the day.  This woman promptly fired back an accusation of plagiarism. WHAT! Are you kidding me? I was in total disbelieve, how could this be - I know enough about copyright, I've written lots of essays in my time, how could it have possibly happen to me ? Did it happen to me? I was totally stunned, incensed and of course feeling completely innocent denied all, but promptly rewrote the entire article.

It has bothered me ever since, and I have been unable to look at or speak to the woman since. Well, approximately a year later this very same woman published an "original" pattern in a national quilting mag. Funny thing though, only a few short months later I saw the exact same pattern  in an international quilting catalogue attributed to someone else. Hmmmmmm, so who was the original?

 Recently, at our local quilt stores I ran across a kit for what Clover calls clam shells. I call them Thimble Holders and did an online  tutorial for it a couple of years ago. I was taught the technique from a lady in the guild, who learned it from a friend in Florida, who learned it at her trailer park, etc etc etc. I honestly thought it was in the public domain, but maybe not?

So what's my point? Well, last week while reading my favourite website Arts & Letters I ran across a very interesting article about  Oliver Sacks most recent book.  For those unfamiliar, Oliver is a world famous, best-selling author, and professor of Neurology at the NYU School of Medicine. The movie "Awakenings" is the true story about his work with encephalitis victims. Robin Williams played the role of Oliver Sacks. One of his books, a favourite of mine, is The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat. But I digress.  In this  New York Times Review of Books article about the book  Speak, Memory, we are informed that Oliver discusses the interesting phenomena of false memories and "appropriation from someone else’s experience" . He goes on to talk about cryptomnesia which he defines as "unconscious plagiarism". Hmmmmmm. After reading Oliver's theory I feel vindicated and my conscience is relieved. Thank You Oliver!. Has this ever happened to you? 

 

Family Day :)

 

Here's how much snow we currently have, just enough to know it's winter :) The sun is shining right now so it's a perfect Sunday morning :) :)

Slowly I have been appliqueing leaves and vines and flowers on the "Cats". I started with this block just doing the vines and leaves.  Doesn't look like much without the flowers, which will be Roses.  I then moved down to the Mother and Kitten block which will have Tulips. I got a bit tired of just doing leaves and vines, so for the next block I started to add the flowers, purple Irises. I rather like them! In the pic below you can still see the freezer paper which I iron to the top of the applique, then needle turn under the paper edge. This Iris is still in progress .... Once all the applique is over I then get to do some more embroidery - more hand stitching, YEAH! I rather like how the flowers, leaves and vines are crossing over the lattice strips. Helps make the blocks flow into each other.

 Now that I've started this appliqueing, my first love, I have to admit this is what this quilt top really needed. It may take a long time to complete as the Pater's health issues have turned into a family crisis. What was supposed to be an overnight hospital stay after surgery has lasted a week, and it looks like major life changes ahead for Father and his partner. TG I have some stitching to come home to, it really helps with the de-stressing. Family Day for me will be up at the hospital again. Take care everyone,

Storm? What storm !

Storm? what storm ? I don't know about you, but after hours and hours and days and days of commentary from the 24/7 news channels whipping up the listening public into a perfect storm frenzy, what did we get?

NOT .... we didn't even get 1/2 this or even a 1/4 of this! Maybe about a foot of snow - no big deal, really, after all this is Canada! Ok, before you start screaming "This woman is nuts!", I know other areas of the country, especially in the New England states, it was a real snow storm with damage and hardship, and I feel sorry for them, but we lucked out.
The pic above was 2010, now that was snow!! I even got a snow day out of that one :).  Of course all the schools were closed this Friday because of the news' pre-storm coverage, but not the University where I work ..... :(. So no snow day for me .... Some of my quilty friends lucked out and spent the snow day sewing - lucky ladies. This weekend was pre-op plans for me (the pater is having surgery on Monday and I'm on deck as driver, official waiter/visitor/family member). Wish us luck, maybe next week I'll  have some progress to show on the Cats quilt.
TTFN

P.S. Downton Abbey tonight :) :)

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