Quilting and other Things

For Love Entwined this week, I've been working on the tiny circles. I used the sandpaper and circle template to prepare the circles for needle turning. I traced them one size larger than I wanted so when turning under the line, they'd end up the correct size. At first I thought those circles were going to be hard but in the end they were quick to stitch down. Yesterday I got the background prepared and the centre stitched on. Now I'm debating about the colours for the crown that surrounds the centre and its flowers.   The centre and inner borders were added to the Christmas quilt. I'll putter away at the applique for the outer border. One thing I learned about with this BOM was even if you are not going to stitch right away, you should probably check the material supplied when you get home. A couple of pieces were cut incorrectly -- one wasn't a huge problem but another was cut at the finished size instead of with seam allowance.

In July Karen & I got a membership at the zoo.  Among other things over the course of the summer it allows us to go in at 8 am to see the Pandas.  The zoo itself doesn't open until 9.  Last Saturday I was awake early so decided to head over to the zoo to see the Pandas.  I was there a few minutes before 8 and there was a family of 4 waiting to go in but other than that the place was empty. I didn't spend a lot of time reading the information panels in the exhibit building before the pandas but the family must have lingered there because I was able to spend about 5 minutes alone with the female panda watching her enjoy her bamboo and listen to the train go past.  This is Er Shu.  When the other family came out, I went around to where Da Mao, the male panda lives and had about 5 minutes alone admiring him. I think the black disk holds some treats for him.  The sign mentioned apples.  Some things they have to work to find.  La...

I've been working All things Christmas and the blocks are now complete as well the embroidery.  There are buttons, ribbons and beads to add once the top is quilted.   I can now piece the top together and start working on the borders.  The second border has some more appliqué in it. I also have finally made a decision about the background for Love Entwined.  It will be a light green.  The compass is now stitched to a square and I'm ready to start making tiny circles to go around it,  I've found my circle template and the size of the finished circle .  also found my sandpaper board so I have some to gripe the fabric as I trace the fabric.  Part 3 was released this week and I'm still puttering on part 1.  Now that the background is decided I can get things prepared and it should move along. I've spent the last two evenings tracing onto steam a seam, the rest of the pieces for Bringing Home the Tree, this years $10 quilt. ...