Large Northern Lights and Shoes

On Saturday the museum was closed so they arranged for members to get free admission to two other local museums.  We decided to go to the Bata Shoe Museum for the first time. At first I didn't see the shoes in the display window, just lots of colours. 

It was a really interesting visit.  There was information about making shoes and different types of shoes people have worn over the years. The earliest was a replica of the shoe worn by the Ice Man.  There were shoes for many cultures.  These four were some of my favorites.  Each has some very intricate designs which I liked.

These are Nalins (Turkish bathhouse sandles) from Ottoman Turkey in the 19th century	These are mojaris worn by a temple dancer in Rajasthan, India c 1840
These are children's booties from early 20th Century China	These are from Jaipur, India and are Paduka from the 18th century.  They would have been for an important occasion like a wedding.

There were also geta sandels from Japan and platform shoes from North America. I wonder which of these gave inspiration(?) to platform shoes.

I've been busy getting the top assembled for the northern lights quilt.  I had six more blocks and the top to assemble for next weekend.  Yesterday I finally got the last one done and the top stitched together.  I ended up replacing one of the blocks at the last minute because I liked the glow that was starting in three of four blocks around the centre star. 

One of the alternate blocks.   I ended up pinning name tags on all the alternate blocks so I could figure out which ones to take to class.	Some of the blocks were actually 9 inch blocks with a frame.  There were two styles of frame.  It took a little while until I realized that.
Ready to stitch together although this is when I decided the block below the centre star needed to be replaced. The cherrios block came out and another star block went in.	This is the top assembled.  Its 90 X 96 and will fit the high mattress on the bed.  Its nice to have a good overhang.

This is Jack, the cat my sister is fostering.  She discovered last night that Jack likes to drink from running water.  He actually got into the sink.  He didn't mind getting wet at all!