Photos, as promised

Disappearing Nine-Patch

OK. Now I know what I should have done... Nevertheless, it turned out quite nicely and I happen to have enough fabric from my stash for backing and binding.
While I was on a roll, I made another lap quilt from the 8" lengths I had cut from leftovers. I simply sewed strips together width-wise and then when they were more or less 8" square, trimmed them to 7.5" squares and then laid them out, altering the direction of stripes in each block (horizontal & vertical). I shocked myself with the colours I put together but in the end it is very colourful and interesting. the strips were not 100" even (i.e. 2.5" at one end, a little more or less at the other) but in the big picture, it fits. I even surprised myself by pinning before sewing so my corners match almost perfectly (a first for me). I was ready to head to Fabricland for backing fabric but I checked my stash and in some of my larger leftovers, I have enough to make fabric widths to make vertical stripes and make my own backing. My stash, she is losing space...
Photos later, maybe.

Disappearing Nine-Patch

I guess the trip to Fabricland put me back in the mood. I had, months and months ago, cut up 5" squares from leftovers for a disappearing nine-patch lap quilt. I finally finished sewing the nine-patches and cutting each one into four this morning. I now have them on my design wall. I'm sure there's a way to position them, I just haven't figured it out yet. I think I have to worry about the larger patch in each square and worry less about the same patterns meeting each other. I'll take another look at it later and start repositioning.

Fabricland Doncaster Closing Sale

Just got back from Fabricland Doncaster. I thought I would get 50% off but turned out it was 66%!! More better!! So I bought 4.5 metres of Warm and White 120" wide batting for about $10 a metre. Excellent price! So now I have the batting for Ruthie's quilt but am still debating on the design. I also bought 5 metres of Steam-A-Seam Lite, sheyihiyeh (so that I have it). And blades for my rotary cutter. I purposely did not buy any other fabrics. I wanted bobbins but they were all sold out. And I had treated myself to a 6" wide 12" long (I think) ruler at 50% off a few weeks ago. So I'm set.
I haven't actually been doing any creating but I resorted my fabrics in the cupboard. Anything which was leftover or smallish (roughly less than a fat eighth) I cut into 8" long strips of varying widths from about 1 3/4" to 3". Anything between the fat eighth and fat quarter, I have in one "bin" (i.e. plastic lettuce container), all the 8" strips are in another, and anything shorter than 8" is in a third "bits and pieces" bin. I already made a table runner from the 8" strips, red patterned leftovers from various projects. I will now take the rest of the strips, mix and match and make more table runners or placemats or other utilitarian items.
The bits and pieces I hope to use to make mosaic pictures with my nieces. They also want to try the shaving cream dyeing so I'm looking forward to the next six weeks before I go to Israel.
I have booked my flights from August 1st to September 1st and am really looking forward to getting reacquainted with Amit. To facilitate my spending time and travelling on the bus with him, we went today to Walmart and bought an umbrella stroller. It was really cheap so if Inbal decides she wants something sturdier, she won't have to feel badly about the investment already made. I will surf the net and see if there are any patterns for sun shades and or baskets I can make for it, although I think between a backpack and the stroller (and Amit, of course), I will be able to manoeuvre fairly easily.
That said, off to surf.

Amit's Gifts

My big plans kept getting smaller and smaller and in the end, I just made a few little things for Amit. I made him a fabric name sign and framed it. I made him a wall hanging thingy with pockets and added some lovely animal flash cards I found at the bookstore. The pockets can be used for anything smallish. And today I hope to make him a fabric birthday card.
I'm invited to a bris on Friday morning (Nira's first grandchild). Along with a purchased gift (from M&R, & us), I made a little carriage/stroller blanket from a lovely neon fish fabric. Not pieced, no design, just sandwiched, serpentine stitched and bound. My creativity seems to have gone on vacation...

Proof

Proof that I haven't been totally idle. The green/blue/yellow is "Bridges" which I wrote about in my previous post. The fuschia/pink/flowered piece is "Out of the Box", also from my previous post.


My activity book for Amit is morphing into something else but I'm running out of time so no more posting til it's done.

Oops, has it been a month already?

Don't know where the time has gone. (Actually, I do. I frittered it away playing useless games on the computer and watching old movies on the classic movie channel).
Shaving cream update: we did do the marbling on shaving cream. The results are nowhere as precise as with conventional marbling (or we're doing it wrong) but we had a great time and I turned my samples into my piece for the FibreArts Toronto monthly challenge. The theme was "bridges" and I admit it was a stretch to turn random squares of fabric marbled/dyed in blue/green/yellow on a white background to something representing "bridges" but there you have it. If I say it's bridges, it's bridges. Both the style and colours are a stretch for me, not at all like my previous work.
Menachem is going to Israel in less than two weeks. It is not a planned visit. The last time he went unexpectedly was in February when his uncle died. This time, l'havdil, it's to celebrate his brother's 70th birthday and Amit's 1st. I just couldn't stand the thought of Amit celebrating without at least one of his grandparents there and since I can't get away from work just now, Menachem is going.
So I'm working feverishly (well not feverishly, but steadily) on a few things which Menachem will take with him. I made Amit a framed name sign for the wall in his room. And I'm in the midst of making fabric produce bags for Inbal and Rotem. I hope to finish a fabric activity book for Amit.
So I'll be busy for the next little while.