Île de la Cité

We had a glorious day of Indian Summer on monday. It was 63 but felt a lot warmer to me. I was just wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt but everyone else was bundled up. I took a walk along the Seine to enjoy the sunshine. I don't remember it being cloudy, but obviously it was.

Île de la Cité. I stitched together three photos to get this panorama shot. Theoretically it will enlarge when you click it.

This morning I got out my crumby top that I made with Bonnie way back in January 2007. The quilt she made at the same time is stunning and there's no way I can compete with her border. So I'm just adding a patterned fabric. But first I had to try and straighten up the center. I don't get crazy about it - I don't have to have a perfect square or rectangle, but I do like to add the borders on straight on each side. Well this poor top has definitely stretched out with me holding it up by the corners to show it off. Trying to get straight edges has been... interesting.

I'm trying to get several projects finished up with backing fabrics. Some will be long-armed, and others will go with me so I have stuff to work on in Florida when I get there in January.

I've got a question for ya'all. I need to get a backing pieced for my Jumbo Margarita quilt. It's got white fabric in it. Am I going to get myself into trouble using heavily patterned/dark fabric on the back? I'm worried about it showing through to the top.

You've been very helpful answer the question To Mac or Not to Mac. I'm going for it. Or at the very least I'm going to make an appointment at the Apple Retail Store to really give it a test drive. I didn't realize just how much was available at their store, such as the personal shopper and one-on-one training. Very cool.

Late to the Party

I really enjoyed seeing Calamity Kim's Halloween movies, so I thought I'd show you mine.

One movie is missing. I managed to break Shaun of the Dead yesterday as I wrestled it out of its packaging. boohoo! I don't care about high definition this or that, I just want indestructable DVDs. I broke Terminator earlier this year. Don't know my own strength.

I didn't even watch any of these this year. I've been continuing on the Buffy kick. Buffy's award at the end of The Prom episode made me cry.

I want to show you the fabric I picked out for the Peace and Plenty quilt for my mom and dad. Now if Lily would just get out of the way...

This quilt will be a mix of hand-dyes and commercial prints. Not sure all of these will get used, but it helps to have an assortment to choose from.

Enough contrast?

On a completely different topic, I'm thinking of switching to a Mac computer. I've never actually used one, but lots of things about it appeal to me. I don't have any PC programs that I really use, except for Upwords and I'll still be able to do that easily. Anybody made the switch and hated it? Any words of advice?

Peace

Sorry, I have been really unfocused lately. I keep jumping from one thing to another and not getting anything done. My brain hasn't been on quilting, it's been on moving. At least I've been handquilting lots - that always soothes me, especially when I'm feeling scattered like this.

I started on a quilt that I'm supposed to be making as a gift for my mom and dad. Little bit late for a Thanksgiving quilt this year but maybe I can get it done for 2009. aiyee. Here are a couple of PEACEs that I've made. These units are about 4.5" high.

For me, that's big letters - don't like making them this large. The HOME letters in the last post were my usual size - 3.5" high.

I've been really concerned with the color scheme on this quilt. My mom asked for scarlet, gold, rust and burgundy. I decided it needed more contrast so I've added in a few accents, such as the deep Cherrywood violet in the top pic. I'll show you all the fabrics in another post.

They sell these Ruby Beholder things to quilters so that you can look through it as you work to see if you have enough contrast. Yup, that top peace looks good, the other one not so much.

But that's why you should never just use the red filter. It doesn't work well with colors in the red family. With the green one I get this:

So so far so good. Still think it's a bit dark though so going to keep a close eye on things. Assuming I get back to work on this anytime soon. As I said, problems focusing...

Halloween here was a complete bust. At least I wasn't excited about it so never got my hopes up like I did last year.

My sweetie and I finished Eureka Season 2 last night. I don't love love love it the way I do Pushing Daisies, but I really like it a lot. The character of Sheriff Jack Carter really grew on me - he seems more relaxed and comfortable and goofy. Wish they'd get rid of the whole artifact subplot - boring. And Zane and Lucas? Blecky and boring. Been fun to see Stargate SG-1 actors popping up though. Hope we get more Daniel Jackson. Oops, the sculpture guy.

Really wish my house had a S.A.R.A.H. She cooks and I bet cleans somehow too. My husband just wants the beer that comes on tap in the fridge.

Speaking of Stargate SG-1 actors, has anyone caught Sanctuary with Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter)? It sounds interesting yet horrible all at the same time.

And since I mentioned Pushing Daisies earlier, I'm going to mention that one again. I love this show. It has a knitting detective, great clothes, scenery, eye candy. The actors are amazing. It's original and fun. Please give it a try. And if you have a Nielson box, I'll pay you a dollar to watch it every week. ;-)

If I'm not enough to convince you, then try reading Why Pushing Daisies is the Best TV Show You're Not Watching.

I've got a bonus for quilters who've made it this far in the post. No, not just a pic of Pokey

but a link to gorgeous Amish quilts from the collection of Stephen and Faith Brown. They are so amazing. My favorite, at least for today, is the Crazy Star from Arthur, IL.

Halloween Lapquilt

When we moved to Cairo in 2003 I was thinking: it's going to be sunny and warm - we won't need quilts to USE. Fat lot I knew. Buildings are all made to stay cool, not retain heat. Lots of concrete and marble - brrr. So I had to make a couple of lapquilts in a hurry.

I decided to make myself a Halloween-themed quilt, thinking I'd make something to use for the rest of the year later. I got out a couple of jack o'lantern prints that I absolutely love - their grins glow in the dark. I didn't want to cut them up, so I left all the pieces as they were, except when I had to cut them down to join them to something else.

Here's my husband holding up my quilt (this is all you'll ever get to see of him). As it turns out, I use this year round - makes me smile no matter what the season is.

Yes, it's long. A "lap" quilt for me has to tuck under my feet and chin with some extra to spare. This quilt is the perfect size for that.

Even better than a cozy quilt and a cup of tea? Adding my sweetie girls sleeping together peacefully. They woke up when the camera came out, but at least they didn't start squabbling - at least not right away.

Lily and Pokey:

Now when I look at the fabric, I wished I had more of the jack o'lanterns to use in other quilts and this purple fabric that also includes ghosts and bats is a hoot. And some of the others I think, why did I ever buy this?

The rest of the post is geeking out so if you have no interest in sf/fantasy tv, feel free to skip.

I've been on a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon. It's finally the right time for me to watch all of them, though I have to admit I've discovered a fondness for the fast forward button. I know, it seems wrong to not watch all of every episode, but quite frankly I can't stand Drusilla - all the face twitching and growls get old real fast. I'm so crazy, I'm so crazy - boring. Don't want to see anyone tortured either. Okay, I know it happens, that's enough.

Plus you have some episodes that are dogs. Third Season first ep, Anne? Boring. At least the bits with Buffy in NY. But the bits with the Scooby Gang are great. After watching Dead Man's Party I've realised I really must watch Shaun of the Dead this year.

Yesterday I watched BtVS' Band Candy - definitely one of my favorites. That's the one where the grownups all regress to teenagers. Then my sweetie and I watched a season two ep of Eureka where a bunch of the physicists all became dumb. Hee hee hee - fun to watch them close together like that.

I had the urge to start watching Buffy after getting the BtVS season 8 comic book, vol 2. Xander looks great in his eye patch. I just need more more more Buffy. Hope someday they'll do a few tv movies or a mini-series. Not just a big screen movie - don't get nearly enough character development in those. That's one of the joys of rewatching the series - all the tiny early fragments of Jonathon. So fun to see him young and innocent. What he becomes later wouldn't have meant nearly so much without this.

Ya'all have seen Buffy right? And Eureka? If you're still reading this post you should at least try them.

Scraps & Shirttails

Wheee, I have internet this morning. Not a great connection, but at least I can get a few things done. Got my iPod loaded with podcasts so I have something to listen to again, got mostly caught up on blogs, and was even able to upload a couple of photos for you.

My copy of Bonnie Hunter's Scraps & Shirttails arrived. Woohoo. Lily with the page turned to my favorite quilt in the book, Cactus Patch:


It's so exciting that a friend has published a book. whee. Not only that but she sent me a small box of her repurposed fabric - some of it is pictured in the book on pages 14 thru 17. I have famous fabric - I just wish I was as good as Bonnie at using it. She's amazing.

Here are some little blocks I made. Not thrilled with them, thinking maybe these would be better if I mixed some solids in.

Or maybe the scale of the fabric is too large for the size of the blocks... Ah well, the only way to find out if something works is to try it and PLAY.

I have to be quick with this post since my husband needs to get online too while the getting is good. Something boring about paying bills. Before I go though, want to give a shout-out to Be*Mused Jan who's working on what hints to be a wonderful little space-themed quilt and who posted a link to the best Halloween costumes I've seen in ages - for plants. I wish I had a craft store nearby (that didn't cost an arm and a leg) - very inspiring.