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In Theory...

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Any guess on what this is?

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... Giving you a chance to guess here...

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Here's a hint...

Got it now?

Yup, it's a small pillow made to mimic a bladder. Those aren't arteries and a vein coming from the bladder pillow. Those are the ureters (red) and urethra (blue). We had no pink ribbon in the house.

The girls have been listening to me whine about this baby kicking me like the dickens in my bladder. It's a pressure I've not experienced before. So The Monster, the wise one she is, suggested we make a pillow that looks like the bladder for the baby to kick instead of me.

So, she pulled out her anatomy textbook and human body books for reference. Consulted with my brother, a surgeon, on the correct colour of the bladder. She raided my fabric stash for what she thought was the appropriate fabric. She even drew the pattern herself. And did most of the stitching by hand on her own. She and her sister stuffed it to what they thought was the appropriate puffiness.

And now the baby has its own pillow to kick instead of me. I only wish it actually worked.


And dammit, I love this kid. She is pure awesome.

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Pretty, Pretty Voiles

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When voiles burst on to the scene a few years ago, thanks to Anna Maria Horner, I wasn't all that interested. My style may be modern, but I generally prefer the traditional materials like plain old quilting cotton. Then somehow, somewhere someone gave me a piece of voile. I was seduced by the airiness of the fabric, the silky feel, the soft drape.

So, I made a scarf.

And then I started shopping. Just adding one or two pieces onto an order from nearly any on-line store. Only my favourites. Never concerned with collecting from an entire line. I've got more Anna Maria Horner, some Tula Pink, Joel Dewberry, Valori Wells, and Denyse Schmidt.

Then last week I received a few more and thought I better count how many I had. 29. 29 fat quarters or 1/2 yard pieces! It was time to stop collecting and start cutting.

It is going to take me a long time to get through the cutting. Each 1/2 yard piece yields 18 triangles plus 12 side triangles. There is no layering when you cut the voiles because that desired silkiness means the rulers slip. I'd rather take my time and cut properly than risk losing some of my fabric. Oh, and I'm cutting all of this for what I hope will be a king sized quilt.

In my head this pretty, ultra-soft quilt will drape on our bed in the summer months. For when you still want the hint of covers but not the weight of anything over you. Maybe this summer? Probably next.
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100 Days of Modern Quilting

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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.