Work in Progress: The Bluenose II Pixel Quilt - Part 4

Hurray! I've got the second row done!

Here it is in a smaller picture so that you can see the detail coming out.

I really love looking at it through the camera's lens so I can see the picture taking shape. I must confess that it can take me several hours to do a more complicated block like this one:

This is block 5 of row two. It's really challenging making sure I get the right colours in the right places. And some of the colours are so similar that it can be very difficult keeping track of them. I've started sewing in smaller bits so that I can keep them in order, especially if they fall off the design wall. I've discovered that having a sheet covering the closet opening does not work very well. Every time I need something from the closet, I knock fabric off the sheet. This might not be so bad if the blocks are already sewn together, but if they're just bits and pieces of fabric, it can mean chaos. So I put another design wall above my sewing machine. That's where I'm keeping the pieces of the block I'm currently working on. 
We have this metal rack at work that we keep our various paper forms on. I think that would be a great idea for keeping the fabric organized while I'm working on this quilt. That way I wouldn't have to keep rummaging through the stack of fabric. Sixty-six different fabrics! I wonder if they'd miss it if I snuck it out of the office. LOL!
So, more than 1/3 of the pixel top is done. I say "more than" because, while it is 2 rows out of 6, the top row is 13 inches deep, so if I calculate by inches, it's 23 inches out of 63 or 0.365. :-) It's a good feeling to have this much done, but it's taking me around 2 weeks to get a row done. And I'm almost dreading the last two rows, which are the water. There aren't really any large sections that are the same fabric, so these rows will be very labour-intensive. <sigh> I'll be definitely glad to see this pixel top done. 
Today Sophia moved Damian's playpen into the basement so he can be with Grandma while I sew. It didn't work out very well. Playpens are boring. Being in Grandma's arms is not. 
So what have you been up to? Share your latest projects.
Here's my button:

<a href=’http://catscrossing-laura.blogspot.ca/p/show-tell.html'> <img src=' http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w583/september59/CatrsquosCrossing_zps2b7e332e.png ' style='border:none;'> </a>

Show & Tell Guidelines 

1. Link up any recent post that features your current creative project. And it can be a work in progress as well. 
2. Please remember to link to your actual blog post, not your main blog page, so others don't have to search. 
3. Somewhere in your blog post, you must link back to my blog or put the 'Show & Tell' button in your sidebar. 
4. Please don't just add your link and go. Check out a few of the other links and comment. The best idea is to check out the 3 or 4 links just previous to yours. That way every link will get visited. And maybe you'll pick up a few new followers along the way. 
5. You don't have to follow me to post your link on my blog, but that would be much appreciated. 
6. Have fun. This is a party after all.

An InLinkz Link-up

Work in Progress: The Bluenose II Pixel Quilt - Part 3

I didn't get as much accomplished with the pixel quilt today as I would have liked. I only got 2 blocks done and I actually worked them together as one since there was such a large area of the same colour. That at least makes it easier to throw the blocks together.

These are the first two blocks of the second row (you can see the top row in the top of the picture).
I didn't get much quilting done today because Sophia, Damian and I went to a 60th birthday party in a small hamlet about 15 minutes drive from our town. My ex-husband lives there and he was at the party as well. I think I must major in weird relationships. People really puzzle over my relationship with my ex. The pastor of the local Adventist church actually asked me if the ex and I were living together. He saw us come in the door at the same time and didn't see the ex arrive in a vehicle. No, I explained to the pastor, my ex lives here and he walked over. We do maintain an amicable relationship. Actually I choose to maintain an amicable relationship. Because we share a daughter and now a grandson, we are going to be in each others' lives for the remainder of our lives. So, why be enemies? If not for our daughter and grandson, I probably would have nothing more to do with him, not out of hatred, but just because there wouldn't be any reason to associate any more. But there's no harm in being friendly. I have no desire to ever be with him again as his partner, but being enemies is not in Sophia's and Damian's best interests. So, yes, occasionally we go out for supper together. We bought the birthday gift for today's party together. Yes, definitely weird, I know, but hey, it works for us.
But back to the birthday party, I was the MC for the party. I had to tease the "birthday girl" about us having a turtle race to see who was the slowest in producing each other's birthday gifts. I've been working on an afghan for her for about a year, while she's been working on a cross-stitch picture for me for a year and a half. This year, however, we got her e-gift cards from Herrschners, since they sell lots of cross-stitch supplies. We had fun. It was the first time pretty well everyone, except one friend, got to meet Damian. And they were suitably impressed, of course.
So now it's your turn to share what you've been working on.
Here's my button:

<a href=’http://catscrossing-laura.blogspot.ca/p/show-tell.html'> <img src=' http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w583/september59/CatrsquosCrossing_zps2b7e332e.png ' style='border:none;'> </a>

Guidelines for Show & Tell
1. Link up any recent post that features your current creative project. And it can be a work in progress as well.
2. Please remember to link to your actual blog post, not your main blog page, so others don't have to search.
3. Somewhere in your blog post, you must link back to my blog or put the 'Show & Tell' button in your sidebar.
4. Please don't just add your link and go. Check out a few of the other links and comment. The best idea is to check out the 3 or 4 links just previous to yours. That way every link will get visited. And maybe you'll pick up a few new followers along the way.
5. You don't have to follow me to post your link on my blog, but that would be much appreciated.
6. Have fun. This is a party after all.

An InLinkz Link-up

Work in Progress: The Bluenose II Pixel Quilt, Part 2

I've finished the first row of this quilt. I really didn't think it looked like much yet until I saw it through the viewing screen on my camera. Then WOW, I could recognize the skyline and the top of the sails.

It's the distance that makes the difference. Up close, it just looks like a bunch of random different coloured squares. The smaller it is, the more defined the picture becomes:

As evidenced by this smaller picture, you can really begin to see what it's going to be. I was quite happy to see this through the camera's eye.
I'm finding this not only a time-consuming process, but it can be rather tedious. I have to be very alert and focused to get all the right squares in the right places. Cutting and sewing 1 inch squares - well, I must admit there's not a whole lot of joy in that. I can't say I will ever do another pixel quilt, but, like most techniques I've experimented with, I like to be able to say I've at least given it a try. Call it a quilter's "Bucket List." When I'm done this, I will be able to check off "Made a pixel quilt." <smile>
This row is 6 feet long, by the way. If I'd done it all in one inch squares, that would have been 936 squares, but, of course, I did as much as I could of the solid sections in larger pieces. Five more rows to go, but the remaining rows will only be 10 inches wide. This one is 13 because the pixel part of this quilt will be 63 inches wide, so the extra three inches were included in the top row. If I were to do the whole thing in 1 inch squares, that would be 4,536 squares. It's more than enough work the way I'm doing it. 
March 23 is my sister's birthday, so what are the chances that I will be able to have it done by then? 

She Shoots, She Scores

The Bearly Hockey quilt is finished.

I bought this as a kit at Len's Mill Store when I was in London, Ontario last October. All I needed to add was the backing and batting. Here's the back:

(Those are my daughter's feet at the bottom of the quilt :-)). 
And here's a close up of the quilting and fabric:

Sorry, but the camera flash sort of whites out some of the detail of the bears. The quilting pattern is called Bumpity. It was the pantograph I learned on because it's quick and relatively easy. It was getting late in the day, I was getting tired and I knew I had to finish before closing time, so I opted for this pattern. 
Originally this quilt was supposed to go to a foster son of one of my nephews, when my nephew was allowed to adopt him. However, the little guy has been returned to his parents, so the adoption won't take place and he's no longer within my family circle. So, I'm ahead of the game where baby quilts are concerned. The next baby boy born or adopted in my family will probably receive this quilt. Unless his parents are, say, Edmonton Oiler fans. :-) If my grandson didn't already have multiple blankets, including a quilt that I made for his mother when she was a baby and the John Deere quilt I made for him, then he would get it. If I had wall space, I might just add a sleeve and hang it up. 
So, what have you been up to? Link up and share your projects. Here's my button:

<a href=’http://catscrossing-laura.blogspot.ca/p/show-tell.html'> <img src=' http://i1331.photobucket.com
/albums/w583/september59/CatrsquosCrossing_zps2b7e332e.png ' style='border:none;'> </a>

Guidelines for Show & Tell
1. Link up any recent post that features your current creative project. And it can be a work in progress as well.
2. Please remember to link to your actual blog post, not your main blog page, so others don't have to search.
3. Somewhere in your blog post, you must link back to my blog or put the 'Show & Tell' button in your sidebar.
4. Please don't just add your link and go. Check out a few of the other links and comment. The best idea is to check out the 3 or 4 links just previous to yours. That way every link will get visited. And maybe you'll pick up a few new followers along the way.
5. You don't have to follow me to post your link on my blog, but that would be much appreciated.
6. Have fun. This is a party after all.

An InLinkz Link-up

The Agony of Separation

This is a horrible, painful weekend. For the first time since my daughter and grandson came to live with me, my grandson is spending the weekend with his father. The apple of my eye, the joy and delight of my heart is spending the whole weekend in an environment that is not the best nor the safest for a child, based on what my daughter has told me. I tried to convince her that she didn't have to allow this to happen. But she didn't want to deprive her son of seeing his father or vice versa, especially since it was his father's birthday. I believe my grandson's father frightened her into it, saying, "I don't want to have to go to court and see you lose custody." Not that that's ever going to happen. But she's afraid the courts will look unfavourably on her because she doesn't currently have a job. And nothing I can say can convince her otherwise. <sigh> So we are left to endure the agony of being separated from her son, not knowing how well he's being taken care of or if he's being treated well, what's going to happen to him if he's fussy or cries during the night. I hardly slept last night. This is so incredibly painful. I'm just surviving until Sunday night when we get him back. But will the father willingly part with him? I am only enduring by surrendering my grandson into the hands of the Lord, claiming my Heavenly Father's protection for my precious little man. 
In my distress, it has occurred to me that God endured the same thing in sending His Son to die for me. As omniscient, He knew in advance the abuse that would be heaped upon His Son, the horrible death He would die. And witness the agony of His Son in the Garden of Gethsemane, the agony of separation from His Father, when He cried out, "Father, if it is possible, take this cup away from Me." (see Matthew 26:36-45).
If there was anything, short of committing a crime, I could have reasonably done to prevent my grandson's separation from us yesterday, I would have. In all likelihood, he will be returned to us safe and sound on Sunday evening, hopefully none the worse for wear. Even so, if I could, I would never allow it to happen again. I am not willing to surrender my grandson to the dangers of being in that environment.
But God chose to send Jesus, knowing that abuse and death would be the outcome. Jesus did return to His Father, but both He and His Father had to endure unimaginable agony during Jesus' sojourn here. Yet God (Father, Son & Spirit) willingly endured it out of love for me. And you. Isaiah 53:11 says "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." And that is unfathomable love!

 

Playing with Knives

When I was a child, I actually had a knife that I played with. When I visited Mexico, we took a tour to a jungle village and the little kids were walking around with Machetes. Some suggest that we have made our children's lives too safe and clean. But that's not really what this post is about. <smile> It's about proper use of our basic kitchen knives. If you're like me, most of your knife-work has been with basic utility knives, preferably with a serrated edge, and occasionally a bread knife. What is that big, dangerous-looking chef's knife, that comes in every knife set, actually for? And how do you use it? I've been cooking for many years (and cut my share of fingers), but I don't think I've ever actually used a chef's knife, yet it's supposedly the most important knife in my kitchen. I have actually considered buying a book on using knives because apparently I can be more efficient if I use them properly. Besides, I don't really need a knife block taking up counter space if I only ever use a couple of the knives in it. As a vegan, I won't be using my steak knives for steak (unless it's gluten steak, also known as seitan) or my boning knife for boning, but all of my knives might actually be useful if I know their proper use and function. So I was really pleased to discover that Craftsy is offering Complete Knife Skills with Brendan McDermott. What's even more exciting is that it's FREE! I'm looking forward to actually knowing how to use that array of knives in my knife block.

Work in Progress: Bluenose II Pixel Quilt - Part 1

I finally got all of my fabric for the Bluenose II quilt. Or at least I thought I did. There were a several colours that I only needed a bit of, and so I bought a Kona dark spectrum charm pack for some of these colours. Unfortunately, with all of the comparing, matching, organizing, and coordinating of colours, I mistakenly thought one of the colours that I needed was in this charm pack. And it wasn't. So I was without that particular colour. However, I chose a colour that was in the charm pack that was closest to the colour I needed and used that. I only needed two squares of that colour anyway.
I'm also short on backing fabric. Through the evolution of this quilt plan, the size of the quilt has grown and I'm going to need more backing fabric than I originally estimated. 

Backing fabric

However, I have found some on eBay that I think matches. I will have to explore further and determine if I can get a sufficient quantity or I may have to pursue another option. 
For those of you who haven't been following my blog, I'll start at the beginning of this quilt's story. My youngest sister, Cindy, will be turning 50 in March of this year. She had been hinting that she would like a quilt and so I determined to make one for her 50th birthday. I pondered over what quilt I would make for her. 
Around this time I enrolled in Craftsy's free Pictures to Pixel Quilts Class. I was not impressed with the idea of making a quilt of the course instructor's eye (which is what the sample quilt is), so I was working on a pixelated hydrangea. It was pretty tedious and I lost my enthusiasm. 
One day as I was sitting eating lunch, I was reading an article in the latest copy of Canada's History magazine about the Bluenose II and sudden inspiration struck. I would make my sister a pixel quilt of the Bluenose II. It seemed to me like the perfect idea! Cindy lives in Nova Scotia, the home of the Bluenose II. She loves Canadian history and the Bluenose II is a part of our history. Cindy also loves the ocean, and the Bluenose II is a ship (it's the schooner featured on our dime). 
Here's an actual picture of the Bluenose II:

She's a beauty, isn't she? 
I uploaded this picture to Pic 2 Pat, a website that turns pictures into cross stitch patterns, which can then be used for pixel quilts. Here's the pixelated version of the picture:

I'm not actually certain if this is the final version of the picture that I'm using. It's been through so many evolutions and design decisions. I finally settled on making the actual pixel part of the quilt large enough to cover the bedtop (actually it's going to be a little larger) with a border of two different fabrics: one of tropical fish and the other of seashells on the sand.

I will pick colours out of these two fabrics to make the four corner blocks, which will all be ocean-related. 
Back to the pixel part of the quilt, I bought a DMC floss card and a Kona colour card to compare colours and choose fabrics. One of the things I decided to do to make this process easier was take my Kona card to Michael's and compare it to actual floss. My buddy Phil was with me. He's a sign painter and used to matching colours, so was a great help. I ended up with 67 different colours for the pixel part of the quilt. That's a whopping amount of different fabrics.  It's important to keep very good track of which fabric is which (especially since they're mostly different shades of blue), so I labelled each piece with the DMC floss number from the pattern.

This is just a small amount of the total fabric. 
As I was working on the first blocks, I realized that it would be more efficient if I could keep track of the fabrics that I'm using for the current blocks more efficiently. I resorted to a bin system:

Each bin is labelled with the DMC colour number and the symbol used on the actual pattern. Many of the blocks have only a few colours, so this system works well for them. Here are the first two blocks in the top row:

Here's block number 7 (far right) in the top row:

That one was probably the simplest block in the quilt. Here's the beginning of the centre top block:

As you can see, some of them can be quite complex, and piecing them is a job best done when I'm alert. It would be too easy to mix up the colours. And with 67 different colours, there are lots to mix up. Those two dark squares are the ones I had to use a substitute fabric for.
They don't look like much yet. It remains to be seen how well things shape up as the quilt progresses.
The pattern is divided up into 10x10 squares, so that is how I am doing the blocks. However, as the pixel section is 63x72, the top and right hand rows will be slightly larger.
I started out pressing the seams to one side, but with as many seams as there are in these blocks, I switched and started pressing them open instead. 
Yes, I am "cheating" and cutting larger pieces of fabric where there are larger sections of one colour. I am not doing it all in individual 1" squares. Even so, it's a tedious job and I don't know if I'll be able to finish it on time for my sister's birthday. But I will do my best. 
Tonight I took a break from quilting to make a bib. I hate plastic bibs. What good are they? Everything just rolls right off them and lands in my grandson's lap. And I like a longer bib with sleeves that does a better job of protecting his clothing when he's feeding himself. When Sophia was little, I made her several longer bibs with sleeves out of terrycloth. But guess what? I couldn't find any terrycloth at Fabricland to buy. All they had was white stretch terry velour. Not what I want for a bib. So today I went in WalMart and bought some cheap towels. I've finished one bib. It was a really quick job because I wanted at least one bib to start with. Now that I've done one, I have a better idea of what I need to change for the second time around. Unfortunately, my sewing room is not completely set up in the basement and some of my supplies are still in my grandson's room. And he's sleeping. So I didn't do as good a job with this bib as I could have. But it'll work. And it's just a bib. It's not a fashion statement. And it should help prevent the mountains of laundry to be done.