Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Tooth , Magazine Therapy, A Package, and some quilt process..

Part one a Tooth Saga..
Recently, Bruce and I stopped to buy some groceries and a few things for the prize box for my little ones at school. While we were there, I saw on the shelf, one of my favorite candies " Edinburgh Toffee". It had been quite awhile since I had sampled its sticky goodness so I bought a bag as a treat. Mint,chocolate, licorice and vanilla flavors are some of my favorite toffees. Someone ought to have reminded me that middle aged teeth do not always like chewy candies, and while enjoying one, I suddenly found myself with a large chunk out of a wisdom tooth.. Yikes.... Fortunately, it did not hurt, but unfortunately, it was rather a large hole where there once was a tooth. Yesterday, I phoned the dentist's office and, today after class, I was able to arrange a visit my dentist... To say, that it made me anxious would be an understatement, but I was more fearful of how much of a pain the holey took could become if I didn't take care of it. It didn't take long after my arrival at the dentist- fifteen minutes later with a frozen mouth, I found myself chomping down on a piece of gauze and minus a wisdom tooth. My dentist also sent me home with some instructions to prevent a dry socket(not a fun condition that my husband experienced) and a prescription for antibiotic and Tylenol 3.. It is now a few hours later and other than the residual freezing, it is feeling not too bad- even without the Tylenol, perhaps I may need one before bed but so far, so good)

Part Two.. A visit to Chapters

One of my vices( besides sticky chewy candies LOL) is a love of quilt magazines and books. The book store is literally on the next corner from the dentist's office. I figured I had earned a little diversion after my dental experience, so I checked out the current quilt magazines. I picked up a collection of ten or twelve magazines, and after some perusal, I narrowed it down to these three that came home with me..
Over the summer, I discovered Quilt Life magazine. I really enjoyed reading the inaugural issue and was very pleased to see a copy of it on the Canadian newsstand. Chapters carries a pretty large selection of magazines- that include a number of US and International magazines. There is now a Canadian magazine too - so many choices- which ones would you pick? What makes you choose to buy a magazine or book? For a number of years, I subscribed to Quilters Newsletter (still do), and the Australian Patchwork and Quilting ( still like it a lot but no longer subscribe to it). Currently, I usually buy Fons and Porter..."For the Love of Quilting" and, once in awhile, still buy the Australian Patchwork magazine. I pick and choose more than I used to - each one runs about 7 or 8 Canadian dollars. It quickly adds up not to mention that the piles of magazines get taller and taller.. This time I chose based on what patterns were in the magazines that really might be added to my bucket list of quilts to make.

Part Three_ A Package in the Mail
Armed with some new reading material, some fresh bread and medication we returned home to find a lovely package of fabrics and rotary cutting blades that I ordered from a company called Sew Sisters in Toronto.. I was so pleased to see it had safely arrived and everything that I ordered came too Woo Hoo....
The first one is a backing for a nature quilt that I am thinking about making for a special someone. Usually I work from my stash but this project has involved collecting panels and other fabrics... The design is still in my head... but it is coming along. I also ordered the large rotary cutting blades- they are the best price I can find here in Canada so I was thrilled to get them for even less on this one day sale.( about 20 dollars Canada for 5 blades)
Sew Sisters also had some of Kaffe Fassett fabrics on sale - I was a bit surprised how large one of the designs was ( the orange petal shaped piece is very big) but they are all lovely. I am so looking forward to seeing Kaffe speak here at a local museum in early October. I wonder which quilts and needlework he will bring to show us?

This collection includes a very cute Raggedy Ann and Andy fabric for a baby wrap- and a piece of Valori Wells Sole fabric line.

Recently some bloggers have begun to write about their process while quilting. Here is the beginning squares to my latest convergence. They are wrinkly here but I did press them, before they were cut up into the strips.VBG
And Voila... Here is the newest completed quilt of this year. It is amazing what a difference quilting, binding, not to mention pressing, make to the look of the quilt. I got it bound last week and it is ready for some special people- It just needs a label on it..


I also completed the body of another of the wonky rail ties (8X9)rows so it will be a queen sized version of the blue/green rail ties. There is still 20 more blocks that I can use to make a small couch quilt... I did get rather carried away when I was making those blocks!

Recently I was visiting a fellow blogger,Elaine wrote about a very cool technique that uses square in a square blocks by Jody Barrows. Elaine is having a little trouble with blogger just now, but do check it out( I just clicked the 2nd link), if you are curious about ways to cut up a Square in a Square design. It reminds me of the techniques used to make the disappearing 4 and 9 patch blocks. Quilters do create such amazing designs... I checked on Amazon for Jody's book, but so far, I have not had any luck finding it..

We are beginning to get healthier in our house ( wisdom tooth not withstanding) and getting settled into the fall routines. The trees are turning, the moon is full and Fall has definitely arrived here in Alberta...

Hope this finds you healthy and having fun creating, in whatever medium feeds your creative soul..

Warmest regards,
Anna

19 comments:

  1. So sorry to hear about your tooth, take care! I have an addiction, Australian magazines, my hubby calls them my "crack"! They do get expensive, so I have had to just look through them at the bookstore/craft store, and only buy the ones that I cannot live with out! (Right!!) I love Patchwork, and I can't seem to pass any issue up! Yes, Fall is in the air, but we have another heat wave coming through, but we will bo on the coast-Monterey, the high is 65!!Take care my friend, big hugs sent your way!

    Pam

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  2. Ooh, a lost tooth - that's happened to me before almost exactly the same way, hope all goes well with the healing process. Lovely fabrics, and I love your convergence quilt!

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  3. Hi Anna, from a fellow AB Quilter! I too am a magazine junkie! Can't go by the magazine rack without buying a quilt one at all!! My hubby says I'm addicted to magazines as much as I am quilting! You know it's bad when you accidentally buy the same magazine twice because the quilts are so pretty. I have done that a few times. Oh well, I just give the extras away!
    Just yesterday I picked up 3 more magazines for my stash. Always a project to make in each one.
    Oh and I love the quilt in this post too. Very pretty!

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  4. Ouch! Hope the tooth is feeling better. Beautiful fabric.

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  5. Anna, I really like your new header. It might not be that new but to me it is as I havcn't visited for so long.
    Glad you got that tooth taken care of.
    I'm glad to finally be back in the groove. eileen

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  6. Sorry to hear about your tooth. I also had to give up on the sticky candies. A year ago one pulled out a crown so I realized no more of those for me.

    Great job on the convergence quilt. It is interesting just how much that pattern enhances the fabrics once they are interwoven with each other.

    The magazines that I currently love to read are Quilt Life, Quilting Arts and one that I had to get a subscription to because it isn't on the newstands is Machine Quilting Unlimited. That one is just amazing. http://www.mqumag.com/home/

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  7. Sorry about your tooth! I hope you are betterr soon!
    I get Quilting Life and Patchwork and Quilting Magazines. I love them both!
    Micki

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  8. Sorry to hear about your tooth. I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed at one time. Not good. I was in my early 30's. That was a long time ago.

    I subscribe to Fon's and Porter, McCalls and Quick Quilts. My BFF is a finalist in the McCalls Quilt Design Challenge. Voting is going on for the 15 finalists until October 4th. This is their first challenge. There is a Canadian from Whitby Ontario as a finalist. You can vote everyday till October 4th for your favorite. Check out Pam's quilt on her blog http://mamaspark.blogspot.com/. I know she would appreciate your vote. She is a wonderful person and I hope she makes it to the next round in the challenge. There will be 3 challenges before they pick the winner. There is going to be an article and pictures in the Nov/Dec issue of McCalls. If you get a chance check out all 15 finalists and vote for your favorite.

    Magazines are more expensive in Canada as is fabric. I have been spoiled with the selection and the prices here in Canton Michigan.

    Happy quilting........

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  9. Oh my! I'm soooo sorry to hear about the tooth, Anna. Such a shame as those toffees sounded scrummy. Hope you are now well on the way to recovery and that all is healing nicely. On a positive note, atleast it was a back tooth, even if they are more awkward!
    Lovely fabrics, particularly the Kaffe Fassett designs - I find his work extremely inspirational.
    Hugs xxx

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  10. Hope you haven't had any bad side effects from your extraction. Your convergence quilt is beautiful - I love your colour choices.

    As for magazines, I used to subscribe to Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting & Quilter's Home but I have let both subscriptions expire. Like you, I enjoy going to Chapters and perusing all the quilting magazines but I also get very annoyed at the ones that now come in plastic so you can't see what's inside. I usually don't buy those, just on priciple.

    Take care.

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  11. Sorry to hear of your tooth - ouch :(

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  12. Hi Anna!

    I hope your mouth is all healed now -- in spite of the break, it sounds like you actually had a fairly easy time of it. My oldest son called a few weeks ago to say that he has a wisdom tooth breaking through. I was shocked -- he had 7 of them out in high school. I always wondered why there weren't 8 -- I guess it was hiding from the surgeon.

    As for magazines, for years I subscribed to BH&G American Patchwork and Quilting. But, since blogs, I've mostly stopped buying the magazines -- there's more than enough inspiration for me online!

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  13. Oh....I love the sticky googey candy too...sorry about your tooth. Love the magazines, fabrics and your quilt.

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  14. I choose magazines by what is on the cover. Colorful, cute, & inspiring ones I cannot resist. Or.. If I know a particular author has her article/quilt in it, then I'll seek it out. :)

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  15. Gorgeous quilt and fabrics, and I hope that your tooth, or the place where it was, is doing better. Your right the dry sockets are horrible DH has had a couple.

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  16. Hope you have your tooth sorted now. I love your Kaffe Fassett fabrics. I headr him speak in a town near me about 3 months ago. he was very inspirational and shared his textile/woolly journey so you are in for a treat. Angela

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  17. Glad you got the tooth taken care of quickly...and you are right, a dry socket is not enjoyable at all (from experience!)
    Since there are far more project books & patterns in my sewing room than can be accomplished in a lifetime, my magazine weakness centers on gardening ideas...which is just as "bad."
    But that is why none of us are ever bored, right?
    Have a good week.

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  18. Hi Anna
    Just wanted to sat happy thanksgiving! I lover the Kaffe Fassett fabrics. Sorry to hear about your tooth.
    Hugs, Rhondi

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  19. When it comes to dental needs, it's like a huge problem for me. I'm afraid of dentists! For now, I'm living with my cousin, Marie, here in Las Vegas. Implant dentistry is my cousin's dental need since her tooth broke due to an accident at school. On my part, I need to visit one of the best Las Vegas dentists for Invisalign treatment. I got crooked teeth, by the way. In that sense, dental treatment phobia is something that I should overcome.

    Thanks for sharing the incredible post! I like the stories, Pam! Keep them coming.

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