PQ 14.4 A Novel Project

The past week's challenge was to make a quilt inspired by a book. Those of you who are regular followers know that I am an avid and a lifelong reader; I was an English as well as French teacher as well for 30 years. So it was too hard to choose one book; like Trish I could ream off 50 favourites, some of those favourites read within the past year, like The Dictionary of Lost Words, or Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, or The Golem and the Jinni finished just three days ago. So I based my project on a series, the Outlander books, though as you'll see, it's really so much more than these beloved books by Diana Gabaldon, every one of which I have, including The Outlandish Companion!

The Calanais Standing Stones are in the Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis. My mini is based on a photograph from Historic Environment Scotland. Calanais Standing Stones is another very informative site with more photos of these magical 5000-year-old stones.

Project Quilting 11.4 Birds in the Air and 11.5 Give it Away

I think this has been the longest gap in blog posts for a long time, perhaps in my blog's history. I've been very busy head down, sewing. Some of what I've been doing is on Instagram, albeit sneak peeks as two projects were secret sewing. I've also been busy hauling sewing stuff from storage in the basement and garage upstairs to my new space that is not entirely done (trim needed, but we are waiting for a warmer day to paint baseboards, and for a sale to buy window trim). MacGyver suggested I get everything up there except for Avril, the longarm, who still resides in the basement bedroom, to see what I have and what kind of storage I need. Oh man, it's rather a hot mess right now! I've already drawn a to-scale room arrangement that I think I will need, and I still think for the most part it's what I will end up doing.

Freshly pressed Kona cottons!

As you can see, we've, well he has, put together two Kallax for an IKEA hack cutting/pressing table on castors. I am working with it over the next couple of weeks to see how big of a countertop I want on it, and where I want the inserts (drawers and cabinet doors). So far I LOVE it. Being able to get around all four sides is wonderful. I did buy an Alex as well, just the small one, to see how that goes and whether I would need another. The jury's still out on that! Bella loves being back up there, and is busy helping in her own cat way.

Project Quilting 11.1 Notably Numeric

I did it! I finally joined in. Each year for the past hmm, three or four, since my friend Pat wrote to me, asking if I'd heard of this, and saying she thought I should do it, I've meant to? Unfortunately, I just never have, though I've watched it each year.

Well, this year the stars lined up, I did a DrEAMi! (Dropped Everything And Made it!) and joined in.

This is the Sanskrit symbol for 'om', also known as 'aum'.  It is said to be the sound of The Universe, and that all living, organic beings, whether human, beast or plant, emit this beautiful hum. Isn't the coaster subtle? Although I'd not originally planned to do such subdued colours when I had the intention to make coasters for a yoga student or two of mine, it evolved for a reason.