Round, round, get around

In my new wheels, in my new city, I was able to find two great fabric stores in Kingston ( 2 so far...)

The first was Stitch By Stitch - a huge quilter's/sewing paradise recently moved to new quarters on Days Road at Bath Road. Lots of friendly quilty feeling there. Chatting with other customers, checking out the classes offered. I shall return.

The second - and don't laugh, Ottawa folks - was Fabricland in the same neck of the woods, in Gardiner's Town Centre, corner of Bath Road. This Fabricland in Kingston is the cleanest, brightest, best organized Fabricland I have ever seen.This one's a delight. Large quilting cotton section though I always get distracted by the huge array of other material there...

Oh and here's my new car that's taking me places I really like going.


http://bit.ly/1sSw48C

:D

I got the hatchback.
In red.
Venetian Red.

I am in love with it, for real. In love. With a car.
Just like a boy!
lol

PS: Nobody paid me to say any of this.

Save the Canadians: Costa Rican Animals for the Overworked

Writing and Packing

Well it's been awhile.
A year of big changes, still underway.
I'm in the process of selling house and moving forward.
I stopped quilting/sewing last March as I began writing again with a lot of new found energy. It's been great.
Also secured the services of  a super declutter maven who helped me clear the chi and get the house ready for sale. We ended up making a dedicated sewing room, where I cannot sew lest I mess it up! Have to stay neat for the Showings.
I guess I hoped the house would be "sold in 4 days, above asking!", as some of the real estate flyers I get boast. Two weeks isn't long but it feels like so much longer when you are ready to leave and don't know yet where you'll be when the - ack! - snow flies.
So that's what's been happening here.
I still browse quilts and quilt blogs and wave to those who pop in here from time to time.
I've put my studiozuzu etsy store on hold for the time being but the digital store, pixelzuzu.etsy.com is still open, with instant printable downloads, including a Hallowe'en sheet and some Sherlock bookmarks.




.

Just had to show you...

My mugs with mug rug in taupe Bluebird Park bicycle print

...a quartet of my mugs in real life, with one of my mug rugs underneath them!
Happy with the promise of Free Shipping, I ordered 4 of my own mugs from [ my society6 store ] to see how they'd turn out.
They shipped them in a huge box with lots of Big Bubble air wrap. The packaging was great!
And the finished product makes me very happy!

The Blue Sun on same mug rug flipped to Amy Butler side

But a lesson for cross-border orders: the Free Shipping came with a COD demand at the door - for the Taxes, plus a Fee from the shipping company to remit the taxes. The kicker is : the Fee was higher than the Taxes.

The quality of the mugs is excellent and the printing was done very well but I sure wish we had a Canadian shipper for these.

Templation

It's January - and we're about to enter another round of deep-freeze weather - but for me it's time to think about Spring imagery. 

Like this little applique pattern from a magazine a few seasons ago.

I cut the paper pattern from the magazine then  traced it onto plastic sheet bought at a dollar store to make a sturdy reusable template. Careful scissorhands are needed to cut a smooth outline.

I sometimes also make templates using relatively firm interfacing, which is much easier to cut smoothly.

Once I actually make something with this template, I'll show ya!

:)

I'm spending much of my time doing digital graphic design for my society6 storefront but haven't forgot about needles and threads and fabric. Will need to get "tangible" again soon.

Do you Pin?

I've had a Pinterest account for awhile though rarely pinned, but have lately re-animated it.

My quilting board is :
[ Here ]

I follow back.
:)

What time is it?

Downton Time!

Downton Returns to North America Day. Excuse me while I wash my hair and brew the tea.

Even though I love the show, I'm not sure how I will like the new season. I expect this first episode to be a little grim for a stretch. Have tried to stay spoiler-free but have learned a few plot points, one of which I cheer (on tonight's show), one of which I jeer (coming in a few episodes). We'll see how well the (many!) new actors can fill the gaps of departed characters and story lines. And be alert for story lines that are not integral but sensational.

In Love with a French General

I can't even tell you how much I love French General fabric. Almost all of it. Kaari Meng is the designer, based in Los Angeles.  The pallette, the designs, even the names of the fabric lines are so special to me.

I have a bunch of cuts that I can barely use I love them so much. (I know quilters understand what I mean there!) But I bit the bullet and made these...

Sachets of French lavender in French General fleur de lis

Every time I arrange my prints - and I do that a lot, laying them out side by side, I change my mind and get them all  mixed up again. One day they will speak to me in a collective voice and I will know exactly what to do with them on a larger scale but for now, I just cherish them.

Yes, it's a bad case but it makes me so happy!! Spoken like a true addict, eh?

Do you have a fabric line or manufacturer that you just love like this? 

LottaLove

This is my entry for the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild's collective artist show at the Brushstrokes Gallery in Carleton Place, Ontario in January.

    Exact dates when I get them.

This is a small table runner or wall hanging - approx. 10"  x   23". Still have to get the dowel and hooks for hanging and have it ready for the Monday guild meeting.

The fabric squares are designed by Lotta Jansdotter - let me check the spelling - hence the name of the piece LottaLove.

Can't wait to see what everyone has entered for the show.

Attempting to claim my blog now...

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11457091/?claim=4zr77xr68wu">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Merry Quilting Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you. 

An array of stockings I sewed  last year. 

Thanks for looking at my blog here and I look forward to more interaction in the New Year.

I'm still getting used to the controls on this blogship.

But I promise to not accidentally erase any comments, as I did once this year.....(M-R left a lovely one when my grandson was born and I somehow accidentally hit the wrong key and deleted it. Though it now  looks like she said something I didn't want you to see,  what she actually wrote was approximately: 'Yay! Congratulations!')

I'll also finally get the right size header at the top of the blog in the new year. 

Hope you have a safe and joyful holiday. 

A Jolly Finish

Does this look familiar?

It's the finished product of the Fast and Easy HST tutorial - a jolly bright table runner. I admit the colours are not Christmas traditional but more mid-century. More...modern, eh? :)

For the quilting I did wavy lines on the ends, echo quilting of the triangles and a centre radiating circle. The small size of this project made it fun to do, not a monumental chore. 

It's backed with a multi-toned heart and spiral print. I thought the top was a Sherri Berri print but now I think it's another designer who used the same pallette as some Sherri Berri prints I bought a few years back - which I love almost too much!

Waiting for Downton

Yes, I'm hooked. I've already replayed the 3 dvd's multiple times, though can't really watch the ending of the last episode. The 4th season starts in January but here's some fab fun stuff I found on etsy in a shop called   toadbriar .

                                                       

                                                   Mrs. Patmore the Persian Cat.
                                                   [ Kim Parkhurst ] is the artist.

She has a section of her shop called  [ Houndton Tabby ] with more amazing animal likenesses of the main characters, 13 in all. They make you pause. I think she got most of them - actually ALL- just right.
Especially ole blue eyes Matthew Crawley. And Anna and Bates. Carson, Lady Mary...and of course the Dowager Lady Violet.

Home Again, to Mutchmor November 30th

Saturday November 30th is a great day to be in the Glebe. There's lots going on.

I will be participating in one craft sale this year - the Mutchmor Holiday Craft Fair at Mutchmor public school in the Glebe on November 30th.

The fair runs from 10 a.m. til 3. I think it's the third or 4th year for this new show.

The more-than-a-century-old school is currently undergoing a major reno in the west school yard so the 185 Fifth Avenue side, with it's impressive arched doorway, is closed.
Entry is around the building through the Fourth Avenue door, which is nonetheless grand.

There are a few other events in the neighbourhood that day , including the wildly packed Abbotsford Bazaar, so come on out and have a shopping day in the Glebe.

If you can't find parking, come over to Ella Street - there are usually spots there and it's just a short walk to Mutchmor, one of my daughter's old schools. There are also lots of side streets on the south side of Fifth Avenue.

Looking forward to a fun day!
:)

Happy happy joy joy

Well, sooner than we thought...baby grandson arrived safely this morning at 6 a.m.
 Everything is  A-ok. :)
My daughter again delivered with  no interventions.  Awe-inspiring, that woman.
All of them - Mother, Father, first daughter and new son are doing well and all catching some shut-eye.

Whew.
We came down yesterday to help out and bring things for my extended stay. Little did we realize that the stay would start now. He was due Nov. 17.
:)

Very relieved, very happy, very thankful that all went well.
New big sister was puzzled that her parents weren't home this morning but not worried. She was so sweet at the hospital too though she got a bit over-tired.

I will sleep well tonight, recalling the beautiful sight of my radiant daughter cuddling with her 2 children in the hospital bed.

It's a wonderful life.

On...vacation?

                                            Lovely little cherubs. Re-appearing after Dec. 28th.

I've put my 2 etsy stores "On Vacation".
It seems so counter-productive to stop "retailing" at this time of year but c'est la vie - family matters matter more right now as we wait for the new baby and both his parents are under the weather.
The stores will be back in action after Christmas, around the 28th.
I likely won't make the November nor the December OMQG meetings, which is why I haven't signed up for the three fun things they are doing now...oh well, there's next year!

Oh, but then I will be putting my house up for sale, so....who knows?
All is in flux atm, so I'm going "On Vacation".
:D

Always get 3 Estimates, darling

But first....coming soon to studiozuzu.etsy.com...
quilter's mug rugs made from selvedge edges.



Your Public Service Announcement for today....
Bit the bullet and shelled out for a new exhaust system. (See preceding post about muffler troubles)
My (very old but otherwise fit) car once again runs smoothly and quietly.
I only mention this to urge you to always get at least 3 estimates for expensive car repairs. There was a two thousand dollar difference, folks. Not  $200 but   $2000. Outrageous.
The best value was also the most convenient.
Same thing happened with a house repair I needed done. 3 Estimates. A 100% difference in the quotes. Again the best value was the most local.

Now. If only I still had a beautiful local quilt shop!! This is why I need my car most of all - to run hither and yon, coveting fabric, rulers, thread and sewing machines....And to visit my beautiful family of course.

One Baby is Two, One Baby is Coming Soon

Here's a little quilt I made for my soon-to-arrive first grandson.

:)

Maybe this is called 9 squares, or divided 9 patch. Just squares separated by sashing. I got this fabric a few moons ago at the late and great Dragonfly Fabrics. I still really miss that lovely shop, the beautiful stock, the store lay-out, the classes and always seeing Linda Doyle and Sherry there.

Back here in the present, he's due in mid-November. :)

His Big Sister turned 2 over the weekend. The Sesame Street themed family party - 8 adults, 5 kids - was filled with Pure joy. Another party is coming this weekend with her friends who understandably couldn't make it on her actual birth day which was on Thanksgiving Sunday. 

It was beautiful weather for a long distance drive but the muffler needed a temporary repair along the way...yeah, you probably heard us driving by!

:)

OMQG

Laura Piggott, president, presents her work - the first quilt shown at the first meeting of the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild, Sept. 23, 2013

The Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild became a reality at a fine first gathering last Monday, with about 35 quilters on hand. We all had to tell 2 Truths and 1 Lie about ourselves, and show an item if we brought one.  This took up most of the 2-hour meeting and was well worth it, for the laughs and some eye-opening info. 

There was some small discussion about trying to define what "modern quilting" is, or can be within this Guild. Generalities were cited - negative space, geometric shapes, bold colours, etc . but nothing is etched in stone.

One thing already in the works is a Guild Show in January at a small art gallery in Carleton Place.

Most of the Guild contact will be online through [ the blog ] and  [ flickr group ]

The members are a mix of ages and stages of quilting experience. 

After several quilts were shown, it felt a little funny to show  my modest little Glimma table runner but it is probably the most "modern" thing  in my recent finishes. I have found the only way I will complete things is if I stay small. 

One perk we got was a limited-time 2 for 1 coupon from the Running Stitch quilt shop in Kanata. Nice! Since the demise of  Dragonfly in Ottawa, I go there more often.

 Kaffe Fassett is in Ottawa this weekend, brought in by the shop for a workshop and a lecture. I found out about this too late, alas...

Start of something new! 
MONDAY September 23rd is the first open meeting of the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild.
An executive committee is already in place and this will be the first chance for quilters to meet and join the guild. The meeting will be at the Ottawa Citizen building on Baxter Road, with entry at 7:20 pm for a meeting start time of 7:30. It will run 'til 9:30.
I'm going to check it out .
:)
It will be weird for me to be back at Baxter Road. I was a freelance writer with the Citizen for 13 years, with a weekly column covering music as well as doing feature stories and interviews, etc, and would often be rushing in late at night to file concert reviews in those pre Wi-Fi days.