Christmas gifts

     Sometimes you don't want to post something too soon in case someone checks your blog and they see their gift before you have given it to them ... well, that's the excuse I am going to use, even though a couple of the gifts are going to people who probably never check my blog!!

     I finished the cat quilt - duvet cover.  My daughter had one of those snap thinkamajigs to close up the opening for the duvet and she suggested that I add whiskers to the larger cats. Note to self: add all the details when the quilt is small enough to work with rather than trying to shove the whole piece through the sewing machine. Once my step-granddaughter opens her gift and puts it in her room, I will put up the final picture for that.

     My art fibre friend, Karen H, handed me a challenge earlier this month ... well, actually she handed me a postcard art quilt and said she would like one in return. The postcard is 4" X 6" and is a view of a couple fishing huts in Peggy's Cove.

     She chose the picture based on what she knew I would like, but that left me stumped as to what to make for her. Since we sometimes create similar styles of pictures, I wanted to find something that she would be unlikely to make for herself.  Here is a picture of her house ... I probably should have snuck into her back yard; they had a lovely deck & trellis added this past summer that would have made a nice picture ... but she might have noticed me sneaking around ... ha ha.

     The idea behind the postcards is to create a picture that is quick and simple.  I am not too good on the simple part. I like to add extra details where I can.
There was a 3rd person to this challenge ... unfortunately, it was impossible to get a good picture of her house; it is on a hill and from the road, all you can see is the hill and trees and bits of view of the bottom of her house.  I would need to go well out into the lake to get the full view of her house ... and until the lake is frozen, that is not a good idea.

     Fiona likes wind turbines and lighthouses.  This picture is the Pubnico NS lighthouse, where I was able to combine both her likes; I have a friend who is lobster fishing near there and the boat is docked not far from it. It is a little tricky getting fine detail into small pictures ... and after working on the red fabric, I may just throw the rest of the fabric out, since it shreds much too easily, even with fusible web on it.

     I have another postcard project in mind for my lobster fishing friend ... something to work on once Christmas festivities die down.  :-)

     I stayed with my Dad for 3 weeks in November while his partner was in England for a family emergency. Besides aging (he'll be 89 next month), my Dad also has Parkinson's.  His favourite chair is in front of a large window overlooking Halifax Harbour. Frequently on cold evenings, he'd get chilled sitting by the window.   Enter the "quilted hug".  I found some patterns on-line and then modified it to suit my Dad.

     The colours are rather bright, but that was done to match the colours of the couch, which has a bright apple green background with large flowers in different shades of blue. So perhaps, not 'manly' colours, but it was made to suit both people ... one, to keep Dad cozy and two, to match Jan's decor ... that is, until she decides to make new slip covers for the couch.

     The inside is fleece ... I'm a little worried that it will pick up cat hairs, but decided that warmth was the greater need. There are also fleece pockets on the inside flaps.  Several patterns I found on-line called for a narrower  & shorter back, perhaps just meant as a shoulder covering; this is made to provide more warmth, especially for long, cold winter evenings in front of a great harbour view!