Whittling

 I'm whittling down the pile of fabrics and have three adult-sized pairs of lounge pants sewn up.  My stash dive let me down and now I'm awaiting delivery of some drawstring cording before I can truly finish them.

- HERE is a cute idea you might like to use for Christmas giving.

- And THIS is another one.

- THIS is a technique you might like to try.

- If you are a crocheter and need a gift, perhaps THIS might be a good one.

Today's quote is from George Orwell..."The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it"

Nothing but piles

 Yes, I have nothing done at the moment but am gearing up to deal with these piles of fabrics.  Somewhere in there are four pairs of pj's for the grandies and four pillowcases and four pairs of adult lounge pants, all destined for the Christmas box.  Should keep my sewing machine humming for a few days!

Sorry about the poor picture quality - it's yet another dull day here and I didn't take into account the 'busy' quilt that's in the background.  You can get the general idea anyway I think!

- THIS leads to all sorts of free crochet patterns, some of which are very cute.

- I'm going to have to remember THIS!

- Making THIS (or more than one!) would be fun for Christmas.

- If you have scraps of plaid fabric perhaps you'd like to try making some of THESE.  

Today's quote..."Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you're living"

Ta Dah!!!!!

 The largest of the fusion quilts is done!!  This one will be residing on the back of our living room couch ready for use when we feel chilly.  Now on to finishing the two smaller ones that will go on the headrests on our comfie chairs.  

and this shows the main fabric which I used on the back...

The fabric I used is the Nantucket Summer line from Moda fabrics and the yarn is Mary Maxim Mellowspun DK.  I initially bought a pack of 10" squares of the fabric and realized that 10" would make the blocks too large so I cut them into 5" squares.  If I had to do it over again I would prefer to have purchased fat quarters and cut them a bit larger - 7"  or 8" would be ideal I think.  

- I know some of you aren't ready to see Christmas ideas, but when I come across something I want to share before I forget about it.  So THIS would make amazing teacher gifts, next door neighbour gifts and all sorts of other 'little' gift giving occasions.  Doesn't have to be Christmas-themed either.

- If you have leftover Halloween candy, perhaps you could make one of THESE.

- There are several fun patterns available HERE for coffee/tea themed projects, both paper pieced and done with wool.

- THIS is a cute little project that would have lots of uses.

Today's quote..."Turn off the news.  Go outside.  Breathe.  We were not meant to carry the burden of the entire world"

 

- The regional winners (or at least those that received the most votes) for the American Quilter's Society Worldwide online show are in and you can find them HERE.  I didn't enter this year, mainly because I forgot about it.  

- Sometimes it's the simple things that are so effective as THIS project will attest. And...if you want to add even more of the copper look, how about carrying on and making THESE.

- HERE is a fun little project that could be done with kids.

- No directions for THIS but had to share because it's so pretty!

- HERE is another fun project that could encompass any type of nice paper.

- Never let it be said that this blog isn't eclectic at times as THIS will attest.

Let's Go, Blue Jays!!!

Today's quote is from Martin Luther King..."Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that"

A break, of sorts

 I decided I'd take a day off from working on the fusion quilt and make this wee mug rug giftie for adding to the Christmas box.  

I'm not a sane quilter and that's obvious from the cut-off points, but the recipient is  not a quilter either so hopefully she won't notice!

- I came across THIS cute little project that I thought you might like.

- THIS is an awwwww-thing.

- Be prepared to be awed when you have a peek at the amazing works by THIS artist!

Today's quote is from Mark Twain..."When the rich rob the poor it's called business but when the poor fight back it's called violence"

🙏Prayers for Jamaica and the Bahamas🙏

Sometimes....and a teaser

 Sometimes, when you're perusing the aisles in the thrift store, you stumble across something that leaps into your hands begging you to take it home.  I am living proof that it happens!  I have no need of this....never thought I wanted one....really have no reason to spend $8.99 on it....BUT.....he came home with me and now resides keeping watch over my plants.  Who knows, he might be a good luck charm and make my plants do wonderous things.  

and, no, I do NOT want to start collecting pigs!!

I say that because at one point I bought myself a couple of little handmade teddy bears that I fell in love with.  My friends and family saw them (because of course I showed them off) and decided that I had become a 'collector' and inundated me with bears on every single gifting occasion they could think of.  I only wanted my two little ones but somehow I managed to accumulate dozens of them.  Good thing we moved to the apartment giving me a good excuse to get rid of them all.  

Over the weekend I got to the point of being able to lay out the fusion quilt blocks to see if I have enough for the three projects I want to do and I'm happy to say that I do - just.  This picture shows the layout of the larger project which will end up on the back of our couch ready to be pressed into service if we're chilly.

The bottom three rows have been put together.  Overall, in the photo, it looks huge but it's a trick of the photography.  It's really not as long as it appears.  I'll try to remember to give you overall dimensions once I've put it together and added the border.

- Have a look through the galleries of THIS amazing artist!  I can't imagine working with the raw materials she uses.

- I know THIS is supposedly for the kids, but I think adults would love it too.

- I wonder if THIS could be made from a blanket?

- I've often thought of doing THIS but have yet to attempt it.

Today's quote...."To be kind is more important than to be right.  Many times what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but  a special heart that listens"

Sorry about awol-ism

 So sorry I didn't manage to get a post together ready for my normal Wednesday routine but we were still in a state of upheaval here at Chez Magpie.  We pretty much have everything back where it belongs now and we're glad of it.  We're really happy with how the painting job turned out and were surprised that the painter and his helper managed to do the entire thing in one day - two coats.  That's what happens when you hire pros!

- I don't know if any of you are interested in wet felting, but perhaps THIS would be of interest.

- There's a really nice quilt-a-long for a lovely Christmas project happening and the information can be found HERE.

- If you have a bunch of t-shirts you hate to part with, perhaps THIS project will be just what you need.

- THIS and THIS are for the littles in your life that might be fans of  the Bluey tv show.

Today's quote...."A fact is objective information.  An opinion is a personal belief.  Ignorance is a lack of facts, and stupidity is a rejection of facts in favor of opinions"

Upheaval - again

 

Tomorrow the painter is coming to paint our living room, kitchen and hallway so you all know what that means don't you...everything has to move.  All the pictures have to come down (and we have a LOT) and furniture has to move.  Once more we're suffering from piles of stuff everywhere.  AND....just to compound the situation I have to do a trunk show tomorrow too so my landscapes are also in a huge pile ready to be loaded into the car.  I'm looking forward to the new look but the getting there (and putting things back) isn't much fun.  

- THIS is one of the nicer maple leaf patterns I've come across.

- If you like gnomes, perhaps you'd like to create THIS one for your Christmas decor.

- I loved scrolling through THESE but alas there are no live links to any of the projects.  Good for ideas though.

- THESE are adorable and it's the right time of year to make them!

 

....on and on....and on...and.....

I'm working on the fusion blocks and it seems there's no end in sight, at least not for awhile.  I know myself well enough to realize that if I set them aside at this point it will take a miracle to get me to pick them up again, so I continue on...and on.... 

- THESE would be a cute and quick fall/halloween decor item.

- HERE is a nice project that uses sock weight yarn.  And THIS is a one-skein project that I think would work equally as well with leftover yarns from your stash (scroll down for the free pattern).

- Perhaps you'd like to make one of THESE.

- THIS is a cute little project.

- I really like THIS!

Today's quote...

Progress

 I've been working on my fusion quilt and have to admit that it's at the rather boring stage.  I'm busily building piles that look like this (note...they still need to be blocked so they look somewhat wonky)....

Each square starts out at 5" and is sewn together double-sided.  Then I add a row of blanket stitches around the outside to create a base to crochet into.  Finally there's a row of double crochets around each.  All of these need to be done before I can start laying out the quilt to decide on placement of the squares before putting them together into the final project(s).  I'm hoping to have enough to create a throw for the back of our living room couch as well as two smaller matching throws for the back of our chairs.  

- There are several really pretty crochet afghan links HERE.

- There's a tutorial for a rather nice bag HERE.

- HERE you can find a tutorial for making yourself a quilted jacket.

- THIS is a really pretty cowl design that would make great gifts.

Today's quote..."Two things to remember in life:  Take care of your thoughts when you are alone and take care of your words when you are with people"

A little close up

 I meant to take a picture to give you a closeup of the planter box on the last landscape so, for lack of something else to show you today, here it is...

Hopefully you can click to embiggen and will be able to find the broccoli, cauliflower and carrots hidden among the vines.  

- You might want to give THIS a try.

- I'm not sure what to think about most of THIS!  

- Have a look at the fun creations by THIS amazing artist.

- THIS is a cute project that would use up scraps.

Today's quote..."We are not all in the same boat.  We are in the same storm.  Some have yachts, some canoes, and some are drowning.  Just be kind and help whoever you can"

Done and dusted

For those who might be interested, we had a nice couple of days 'off' visiting our family in their new city.  It was a long drive (over 5 hours to get there) but worth the trip.  I think they've made a good move and have gotten out of a high crime city where it's not a great place to raise our grandson.  They have a lovely apartment in a small building and we also got to check out the restaurant where our son found a job.  

 Ok folks, here is the completed landscape!  You will note that the outside border changed quite substantially from the narrow black  I had before and I think this is much better (you can scroll back to my previous post to see what it looked like before).  This one was created as a commission and I'm hopeful the purchasers will be happy with it.  

NOT FOR SALE

...and for my Canadian friends...

....

- If you'd like to collect up some breadcrumbs and go exploring through all the various  entries in THIS online quilt show, please enjoy!

- THIS is a rather fun way to use up fabric scraps.

- I've seen THIS several times now and thought it was cute enough that I should share it.

- THIS would be a fun fall/Halloween project!

- THIS is really pretty and would look nice on a table.

- If you like sunflowers and happen to be a quilter, perhaps you might like THIS design.

Today's quote....

A little announcement and an update

 First of all, don't worry when you don't see a post from me on Monday (and possibly on Wednesday as well).  We're taking a couple days to visit our #1 son and his family in their new town and I won't have internet access.  Please feel free to chat amongst yourselves.

**************

After a couple false starts on the border for the latest landscape, I think it's now done....(UPDATED TO ADD:  After peering at the black outside border once again, I've decided that it's too stark so it's coming off in favour of either a brown or a green, most likely brown.

NOT FOR SALE

- Those of you who like hexxies might find THIS little project fun to do.

- And HERE's another fun little project.  And THIS is another one.

- If my grandsons were a little younger I'd love to make them one of THESE.

Today's quote is from Morgan Freeman..."Maybe if we underpaid politicians and overpaid teachers, there would be smarter people and less stupid laws"

Yikes!

 I'm wondering if I'm quite sane (and no, you don't need to chime in on that!!) to cut a small mountain of 5" fabric squares and then sew them together, do a blanket stitch around for a base and then crochet around each block.  The piles I thought I had have multiplied ten-fold and now I have these on my sewing table.  

Some are sewn together but most are waiting their turn under the needle on the sewing machine and then hours of hand stitching before I can crochet them together.  Methinks this is going to be a long, long, long project!

- I'm not sure that I like THESE because I think they're rather creepy but in a cute way.  But....while I was there I saw THIS and you know I'd like it.  I would recommend a poke through all the categories on her site...so many interesting things to see and try (go HERE for her home page)

- I guess it's never too soon to think about Christmas ornaments and THIS caught my eye.  I've seen them made from fabric but never paper.

- THESE would be most welcome for those who feel the cold or for people in nursing homes.  

Today's quote..."Let's be good to people for no reason, simply because kindness can make someone's day a little brighter"