The Big Show

The Kawartha Quiltmakers had their annual show this weekend. While most of the quilts were of a more traditional style, I found a few little gems.
Most exciting, I found two art quilts by Judith Maher. When I saw these about a year ago when I first started quilting, her style inspired me to give art quilting a try. I've started dabbling a bit, but these quilts have remained in my imagination as source of inspiration. Now if only I could afford the $650 price tag to bring one home.
Unfortunately they were posted about ten feet above the floor so I couldn't get a good pic, but here they are.

She's got a collagy-layering style embellished with hand quilting. She's used some sashiko stitching for the rain.
I wish this pic captured the texture of the snow and trees.
Mollie Clarke totally floored me with her mastery of curves. She developed this beauty from a mosaic in an Italian cathedral floor.
Bev Longford had an amazing display of her whimsical quilts. Love those borders.
Her applique is highly embellished with beads, buttons, and metallic threads.
And though it's a little traditional for my taste, I had to include this one just as a nod to her incredible piecing and applique skills. I will NEVER have the patience for this!
But the most exciting parts were the vendors. It's hard to find contemporary fabric around here, so I snatched up these fun little beauties. Must...feed...stash....
Now what to make with these?

WIP Wednesday

On Friday. Oops.

Just started a baby quilt from my own design. Love these Riley Blake prints. I think they're Rainy Days and Mondays and something about Mind's Eye. Anyways, they go together great and they're perfect for spring.

WIP Wednesday

This one's gone in the WIP pile since I have no idea what to do next. Since I took this pic, I've fused on the petals but now I'm stumped on how to sew them on. Blanket stitch with monofilament? Zig zag with matching thread? Applique before or after layering? Too many decisions.
I love working with the dupioni silk. The sheen is beautiful and I'd love to have it hanging up. But I think this one needs to gel a while before I quilt it.

Bye Bye

About 11 years ago, Ryan and I went down to the Peterborough Humane Society and fell in love with a tiny grey and white kitten.

His name at the shelter was Hansel, but that was too sissy. He needed a strong, dignified name. We named him Bacchus, after the Greek god who didn't care what anyone thought of him. It proved to be the perfect name for our first cat.

That first night in my apartment, he came to cuddle in the bed, mewing sweetly. Unfortunately he'd had a fairly spectacular litter box malfunction, so he had his first bath that night too!
It was a sign of things to come.
He quickly grew into a cat with an incredibly strong personality. Bacchus bonded closely with Ryan to the exclusion of all others. It took him about 6 years to accept me, and even then only grudgingly.
But his quirks only added to his charm, and he was loved. Even the most avowed cat-haters in our group of friends respected Bacchus because he didn't put up with crap from anyone.


We always joked that Bacchus spent his free time plotting the destruction of his enemies (which included the dog, the two other cats, me, furniture that had been moved, suitcases, and any other sort of stranger danger). If he only had opposable thumbs, he would have been a true threat to Homeland Security.
But as it was, Bacchus never followed through on his nefarious plans, opting to hiss and hide instead.
Occasionally he would take a swipe at someone, especially at the dog if she'd been pestering Mango. Although he could barely stand his sister, he was always her protector.
When no one else was around to watch him lower himself, Bacchus loved to cuddle in the crook of Ryan's arm and groom his beard for him. In the bathroom, stangely enough, he became a kitten again, looking for affection and cuddles. Outside the bathroom, he was crotchety, cranky and callous. It was like Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde some days.

He loved his water dish. He'd gaze into his reflection and would sometimes tap the side of it to move it to what he deemed better location. This led to many curses in the morning when Ryan or I stepped in a fresh puddle!
He hated the dog, being followed by anyone, and he especially hated closed doors.

But from time to time, he and the other cats called a truce and spent some quality lazy time together.
Last week, he started to cry a lot, which wasn't that strange for him. He was always very vocal about his needs. Unfortunately, he was trying to tell us his kidneys were shutting down. Within three days, he had become a frail, fragile cat. Not our chubby, robust Bacchus.

There was nothing we or the vet could do. We made the difficult decision to end his pain. The sudden loss of his presence is a shock to all of us. It will be a long time before the house feels full again.

We were very lucky to enjoy 11 years of this unique and wacky feline. He is missed.

Bacchus
2000-2011