Circle Mama

Sometimes you just need to take the time for yourself. And sometimes you need to take the time to go to the dentist. I did both today. With a doctor's appointment, a date with dentist for a crown, and the impending childcare crisis I took the day off work. All those things dealt with (minus an appropriate daycare, still), I did sleep in a little, grab a workout, and finish a quilt.

I call this one 'Circle Mama'. It is my plan to use this as a class sample - once I convince a store to let me teach! I tried all manners of creating and attaching the circles, including templates, fusing, dryer sheets, aluminum foil and a hot iron, and on and on. There is a clear winner, in my mind. Expect a tutorial soon.

Finishing this was a good end to the weekend. Okay, it was a few days after the weekend and I did work those two days, but in my mind this was a mini weekend day. The real weekend was wonderful too. Hubby came home on Friday night from two weeks working up North. That meant I spent some valuable time by myself, sans Monster, on Saturday. After a family trip to the market for groceries I took a long walk in the cold, grabbed a pedicure, and did some junk store shopping. And of course I HAD to let my toes dry for an hour while I chatted and read at the nail shoppe. Sunday we ate blintzes for brunch and walked the dogs. It doesn't get any more domestic than that.

Now to end my day on the perfect note I think I will curl up with my book and a cup of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows.

Here It Is!

After five and a half years I finally finished this quilt. At least every few months in those five years my husband has asked when I was going to finish the quilt, "he likes". Well, Hubby, Here It Is!

I had the design for this quilt in my head ever since I read the Martha Stewart article about Denyse Schmidt, shortly after I started quilting. Out at the store one night I found the perfect fabric, and it sat for nearly a year. The first winter after we got married we lived in a tiny, tiny house. I wanted to get this quilt done for our tiny bed, in our tiny room. I got the top pieced, my sister-in-law's sister brought the backing fabric from an on-line order from Big Horn for me (back when the Canadian dollar was horrible), and then it sat. We moved, and it sat. I made probably ten quilts in the subsequent five years, and still it sat. Finally, this summer I took advantage of one of Hubby's rare days off. The Monster was off the boob so I rented space at the local shop and got it basted. It was quilted during more than a few naps, and I finished the binding last week.

And Hubby's reaction? Rather anti-climactic. He was just happy to have some extra warmth on a chilly night.

Before?

It's snowing outside. It's about time! I am a big fan of winter. Unfortunately, it being 10:00 pm right now there is not much chance of getting a good picture to post. Maybe tomorrow.

Rather, I am posting a few photos of my dungeon in the basement. Inspired by Kay and others who were posting photos of their sewing/craft spaces I thought I would photograph mine. I did not clean it up before taking the photos. Oh, I wish I could actually call it a studio and be inspired by pretty colours, seeing all my stash at once and lots of space that doesn't have to be cleaned when my mother-in-law comes to visit. Alas, it takes up a large spot in our "New York Open Concept Loft Style" basement. A.K.A an unfinished basement. It was finished at one point but we had a flood during some major rains two years ago and we haven't been able to afford to rebuild.

All that being said, I have carved out a functional, if cold, space to work. We bought a large carpet remnant for the floor so my feets aren't so cold. A second carpet allows the Monster a soft space to play when I'm folding laundry or jsut trying to get one more strip pieced. The guest bed serves as a design "wall". Our storage shelves hold books, magazines, and notions. All my stash is stored in rubber bins (remember, we flooded...) by colour and fabric type. And I use three desks to work on. Two together allows for basting baby quilts and holding up large quilts when piecing and quilting. The other one is good for layout and cutting.

It ain't pretty but it works. Now, when we do finish the basement there is a studio space planned just for me. Should we take bets on just how long it will be before I get it?

Check Out That Heiny

I am a firm believer in the backs of quilts. It is a rare quilt for me that has a single fabric as the backing material. Sure, when I started this is what I did. And the odd baby quilt will still have only one fabric (it is easy when one width of fabric covers the whole back). My theory is that the back of the quilt is still part of the quilt. It's not like it will never be seen - unless you keep it flat on the guest bed that never gets used. And don't get me start on labels...

There are the schools of thought that piece leftover fabric from the front. I've done this, but not been happy with the seemingly haphazard look - if you just use chunks of fabric. Rather, I like to actually have a design on the back. Often it is dictated by the fabric, as you can see in the first example below. Sometimes I am replicating a design used for the front. And sometimes it is just a simple design that showcases a couple of fabrics. I encourage you to step out of the neutral, solid backing and add some design to your heiny.

This weekend I lived up to my name and with the help of a quilting buddy I got the backs to two tops finished and ready for the long-arm. Here are the fronts and backs.

Circles and Stripes - Front, then Back


Black and White Retreat Quilt - Front, then Back

Now, I can't wait to get these quilted and put the labels on. I am making progress on the albatross of projects I have.