Monday, April 25, 2016

Pebbles and Bark

Flimsy is done!
Pebbles..... and Bark.....get it?
There sure didn't appear to be much of a wind from sticking my nose out the patio door, as well as from my walk with Rocco earlier in the day.  However, this is as straight as this quilt hung for the entire photo shoot!  My next-door neighbour Jude calls this corridor between our back patio/gardens and neighbouring Park Lane, "the wind tunnel". And boy, is it ever sometimes...

This is my flimsy finish for The Inquiring Quilter Jennifer's "Stepping Stones Quilt Along".  I was in love with Jennifer's neutrals version she first posted, and that was the main reason I joined the quilt along; I've always wanted to make a neutrals or low volume, as they say these days, quilt.  I was not in love with my version, rather 'meh not feelin' it,' for most of the process.  Bella however, got involved from the start, and loves this quilt.
She loves the quilt, but she loves my attention more...she's tapping on my forearm as I'm texting in the first photo! She often does this when she wants my undivided attention.

First paste-up of blocks on the design wall Friday night:
A whole lot more 'meh' and disappointment; I'll be honest.  After using, yes, old fabrics (both ivory florals) yet fabrics that were bought from quilt shops, ergo good quality and more than a few $$, I was disappointed that I wasn't really in love with the quilt.  I'd hope for perhaps a 3D look.  iMessaged with Tish of Tish's Adventures in Wonderland that night and she said she did like it, which helped give a little lift to my spirits.  Slept on it.

Got up early Saturday and had a bit of a brainwave just upon waking...what if I grouped the greys together and the browns together?
Liked this much better.  Order.  Pattern.  I don't do chaos.  Random.  Nope.  Ran it by Tish, yep, she liked this better too, as did JudyJulie, (sidenote, go look at her Three Naked Ladies Blooming in Moonlight quilt - serious mad love for this one), however, who marches to the beat of her own drum (and we all know the world needs those fabulous, shake-the-likes-of-me-up souls) liked A. 

Too late.  I'd already started sewing and had it nearly together later that day when we connected.  And then, stopped.  Arghh!  Had one block somehow oriented the wrong way, so did a little reverse-sewing before bed, knowing I'd be able to fix it and finish the flimsy after lunch on Saturday during my sew-with-a-friend afternoon.

By now most of you are seeing that Tish's and my friendship is going to a deeper level.  She put me on a stick (Yes! She DID!) so I can sew with her, hunker down in her purse to go to work with her, smile encouragement to her as she drives here and there (she could stick me in her visor, or hang me from her rearview mirror, always wanted to get cray-cray on a chandelier and that's probably the closest I'll come to it...)

Foof!!  um....Where was I?  Oh yeah, My friend Tish.  WE GOT TOGETHER TO SEW SATURDAY AFTERNOON!  WE DID!

Wait... whut?  How?  You may know I am in Ontario, and she is in West Virginia. We are 715 km apart, aka 445 miles.... and no, I did not (yet, ha ha) put her on a stick.

Yay for iPhones and FaceTime!
What's better than Sandra on a Stick?  Tish on a Screen!

Tish sat on my cutting table; I sat on her shelving unit, and we sewed and talked...it was the best!  Bella was quite taken with Tish, hopping up and sitting beside her as you see, but also looking at her, listening to her, ears twitching...she recognizes another servant human methinks....

That or the mama of another feline kindred spirit:
Like the Princess Caroline, Miss Bella LOOOVES fresh sheets on the bed time.  She will let herself be made right up into the bed, and then, wormlike, finds her way out down one side or the other!
Cats don't need FaceTime or iMessaging; I swear they have a memos system.  They are all so freaky in their similar quirks.  Anyhow, Tish and I, Bella and Caroline, even Oliver and Tish's daughter popped in and out...we all had some quality creative sewing time together.  :-)

Back to Pebbles and Bark.
I was still trying to embrace the rich browns in my quilt.  On my Sunday morning walk with Rocco on the Chrysler Canada Freeway (walking trail built on the old railroad), the name came.  The pebbles on the path, and the mostly bare bark of the trees reminded me of the colours of my quilt.  This name will most likely lead to the quilting motifs.  The nature theme, for those of you who know me well, resonates with me.


Rocco and I walked up to Pelee Island Winery for the first time this year.  It's 4 km (2.5 miles) round trip, and yes, it's dangerous to have a winery within walking distance, wink! This is the main sales pavilion; the main vineyards are out on the island in Lake Erie. I wanted to see if 'my' vines were budding.
very very tiny buds; the roses at the end of each row have baby leaves though
Rocco took advantage of the stop for a photo to itch:
Itch? or dab a little eau de animal poop on himself... (oh yes, he's been known to do that.  On more than one occasion.)
This time he smelled fine.  Phew!
The white magnolias are nearly finished, but the pink ones are just starting to open here by the lake. In the city, Windsor, they are a little further ahead.  Pink icing frothy blooms on a branch.  I could just lick them.  But I didn't, don't worry.

Another looking up shot of a different subject:
I thought maybe I could get a full shot of the quilt from underneath since it was blowing nearly parallel to the ground...

Ended up bringing it in and trying to get a full-on shot of it inside.

I like it!  Not often do I have a quilting plan at the flimsy finish stage, but there is a pretty solid one here.

However, it is going to be set aside for an über-exciting project I am starting next.  EEEP!  I guess I can tell you, since Judy did too, and you can buy the book right now on Amazon. (no affiliation)  I am part of the upcoming blog hop for the book launch Crafted Appliqué  by Lara Buccella of Buzzin' Bumble.  I couldn't be more honoured and excited to show you her ingenious new method of appliqué.  The hop starts May 2!
http://www.amazon.com/Crafted-Applique-Possibilities-Lara-Buccella/dp/1604603984/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461546752&sr=8-1&keywords=crafted+applique


Linking up at
Patchwork Times
Cooking Up Quilts

18 comments:

  1. I think Bella loves this quilt so much because it looks just like her. Beautiful light tans, sprinkle in some rich browns and of course those to die for light blue/gray eyes. I really do think you hit a home run with it and once you get your quilting bling on, it will come to life even more. I'm pretty sure Newton and Rocco could be best buds, spending time outside soaking up the sun. You have a winery practically in your backyard??? That's it! I'm packing my bags tonight and moving in! Tell MacGyver to get my room ready. And a new way to do applique? I have to say I'm all ears. I will have to check this book out.

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  2. And Sandra on a screen is way better than on a stick. Screen Sandra speaks, stick Sandra can't :(

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  3. I like it lots. And I betcha you will love it when it's quilted. And I love that you got to FaceTime with your Quilty friend this week. I went to our Guilds Jamboree on Sunday and spent quality handwork time with a half dozen very lovely talented women. Lucky us.

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  4. So glad that you fell in love! I knew it would happen because truly, the quilt is wonderful! Pebbles and Bark is a perfect name and calls to mind so many great quilting motifs that I know you'll have fun with it. I agree with Tish--Bella loves it because it is exactly her colors! To me, it'll always be Bella's quilt. She looks adorable on it.

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  5. Love that photo of Bella and Tish on a screen. How clever of you and that sounds like so much fun!! Sewing with friends is the best and this is ingenious.

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  6. Technology is wonderful. That's great you and Tish had a sew day together. Looking to see what you make -- sounds like Lara's book is great.

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  7. Hi, I hopped to you from Tish in Wonderland. FaceTime, the best innovation, way better than Skype, we can do realtime with our family further north, Grandson at University 2 hours away, and other daughter about 1000 km away. What a great way to quilt, show, discuss quilty options, patterns, fabrics, colour choices, and your last photo of your quilt " A Blowin' in the Wind", that is truly my favourite. Greetings from Jean ( aka Nancy J) in New Zealand.

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  8. I like your stepping stones. Tish and Sandra sew together sounds like you both had a great sew-in.

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  9. How fun to use Facetime to connect and have a sew along. :) I totally can relate to the arm or lap tapping by a feline friend. Mine likes to do that to the back of my thigh and then be frustrated when I don't bend over backwards (literally) to pick him up! ha! I like the way you grouped the colors together for the quilt top, too. Great solution.

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  10. Put you on a stick, LOL I told that to my local friend that I would have to do that to her as she couldn't make it to sew in person for several months. Your quilt turned out just fine! Can't wait to see how you quilt it.

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  11. Too funny! She put you on a steeeeck! Never thought to sew together with FaceTime! Pretty clever! And your quilt? I love it. Wait and see how much more beautiful it becomes when it has been quilted! XO

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  12. Tish on the screen next to a very jealous-looking Bella!!! That must have been fun :-)
    I am so joining you both next time. Sundays work best for me and I have a mammoth project I need to finish by 5/20. So please include me.
    That shot of the flimsy in the breeze is a winner. Looking forward to your quilting magic enhancing it further.
    Hugs,
    Preeti.

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  13. I'd like to join you as well....but no i phone...so maybe I can just email every once in a while. I love the neutrals.

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  14. Sandra, it's 10:30 at night, Jim is asleep and you just made bust out laughing! I had to see what you meant by writing Tish put you "on a stick". I'm thinking hmmmm.... is this some technical term for a data stick or a USB drive? Hahahahah - Nope! Too Too funny! The friendship you two share is so heart lifting and fun to watch!

    Anyway I am not getting any "Meh" feelings from your Pebbles and Bark quilt. The first photo won a big "Ooooh!" and that feeling stayed through the whole post. I love the colors and it does look better with the browns and greys grouped. Very soothing and nice to look at! I really love the shot you took from underneath and it made me laugh again to picture you photographing the quilt on your back while the wind blew it parallel to the ground.

    I didn't know that you could walk to a winery. What a nice destination. :)

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  15. Tell Tish to stop off on her way north, and pick me up, too! I don't want to be the 'face on the stick' if you two are partying together, sewing, and having some local wines. What a hoot, you two are!

    I'm glad you figured out what was stumping you in the quilt. I didn't see the same thing you did, and that's interesting for us to remember when asking someone for help. Do we only ask a sewing friend who has the same style as we do, or do we ask several? (Sometimes when you are as 'far out' as a few of us, cough cough, are there any people to ask?) I will say it looks very different sewn together than it did as blocks on the wall. It does make a difference. The important factor is you had a vision for it, and followed the process through until you met it. I'm always happy when you're happy, my friend! As they say, my taste is all in my mouth. Now about that winery...do they do tastings?

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  16. Oh my what a varied post!! Oh Rocco! Oh Bella! Love my nephew and nieces!!

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  17. The quilt-top looks wonderful in the first photo. I am not seeing the meh. Also, with your FMQ skill it will dazzle once you are finished with it. Sewing together through technology! That is brilliant! I love magnolias too, your photo is lovely.

    -Soma

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  18. I love the grays and browns grouped together as well as the name.

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