Author: jmn

Table Runner

Posted by

0

Table Runner

Moving quickly. I have the background assembled and I can immediately see a problem I want to fix – that dark strip in the bottom left corner has to go! Needs to be lighter. I’m not sure about the second one- I think it may be OK.

The circles are pinned in place for the moment – looking at the photo I can see I want to move them about some more. I’ve also decided the whole thing will be an appliqué work – I’m not going to fight to insert the large circles into the background! So I’m moving along.

Tomorrow I’ll take all the circles off, and reposition them, overlap different ones, underlap others. But first, I need to take that dark strip out!

I also need a piece of buckram to stiffen the runner so it will hold its shape when I hang it horizontally. I’ll pick that up tomorrow, as well.

Circle Quilt #5

Posted by

4

Circle Quilt #5
Quilt Back

I actually started this quilt in the middle of May; I got sewing on it on June 18 (a month ago). I finished it last night (label and hand sewn hidden binding)!

Now I’m ready for the Art Labs show in Parrsboro, Aug 10-30.

I should be able to hang four throw quilts, including this one. I’m calling my contribution to this 2-person exhibit “Circles”.

Circle Quilt #5
Circles On Pink
Drunkard’s Path #5
Planets and Moons

In reserve I have two others:

Skyline #3
Study in Blue / Green

There’s also a narrow wall in the gallery where I may get to hang this small piece

Circles #4

I have time to create one more project – this one potentially will be a table runner, although if it gets hung at all it will be hung horizontally. Approximate dimensions – 45″ x 15″. An assembled background of five 9″ blocks in much lighter grey fabrics than Circles #4, each block with an embedded whole circle finished with appliqué embroidered circles, wherever.

Circles #4 is the only time I have tried embedding an entire circle in a background. I will give it another go just to get better at the technique.

I have until August 5 or so to complete the piece – that should be enough time.

Better get going!

What’s in trump’s Bill?

Posted by

1

From the NYT Newsletter this morning – July 1 2025

I’ve just provided headings and a link to much more information. We’ve all been hearing about this BBB – but we should know what’s in it. It’s not going to affect us here in Canada directly – but god help us if we should turn into the 51st state! All of this crap would affect us big time!

The Senate is still debating a key part of President Trump’s domestic agenda this morning — what he has called his big, beautiful bill. Senators are racing to pass it before the July 4 deadline.

By now, you have probably heard two things about the proposal. First, it would cut taxes in a way that would largely benefit the wealthiest Americans. Second, to recoup some of that lost revenue, it would cut health care programs, particularly Medicaid, and would leave nearly 12 million more Americans uninsured over 10 years.

Those parts are important, but they are far from the only elements in the sprawling 940-page bill. The legislation also touches on food stamps, clean energy, mass deportations, student loans, military spending and more. Today, I’ll explain some of those less discussed provisions.

The other pieces

Because this bill is foremost about the federal budget, it goes through a special procedure — called reconciliation — that lets the Senate pass it with a simple majority, no filibuster allowed. Republican lawmakers have therefore treated this as a rare opportunity to accomplish a bunch of different priorities.

Food stamp cuts

Clean energy disinvestment

Funding for deportations

Less student loan relief

More military spending

And much more: The proposal would create tax-advantaged savings accounts for newborns, called “Trump accounts,” that would start with $1,000 in government contributions. It would increase money for air traffic control and the Secret Service. And it would help pay for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations next year.

To see all of the provisions — there are nearly 300 — check out this list that my colleagues have put together, which explains everything in the bill and how much it would cost or save.

What’s next

It’s still not clear whether the bill, as it currently stands, will become law. Senators need to vote on their version, and then it will go back to the House for final passage. Republicans control the House by a thinner margin than they do the Senate, and a few defectors could complicate things. Still, Trump has demanded they pass it — and Republicans have not bucked the president much since his return to office.

I just felt you might want to stay informed!

Good luck keeping up with it all.

Heed The Message!

Posted by

2

Heed the message!

And I’ll tell you: there are things happening in America right now that feel like I’m living in a Soviet Union 

I was thankfully too young to see, but had the misfortune to live in my first years. A president threatening to jail opponents while the crowd cheers.

TV networks turned into pure propaganda, calling it “news”

Armed militias patroling the streets, calling it “freedom.”

Laws bent to protect the powerful, not the people.

As you know, the U.S.S.R. was already a terrible of a place to live, so that many people ran away at the first chance.

That’s why when I hear Americans say “my vote doesn’t matter” or “all politicians are the same,” I feel something crack inside me

Victor Kravchuk

Day by day this is what is happening in the US. It’s unbearably painful watching this scenario unfold. I’m sitting here in Canada on edge, because once full dictatorship is realized in the US, Canada will be under the gun, if not literally, economically, for certain. trump has repeatedly threatened that.

trump says he holds all the cards – I’m not sure what cards Canada holds, some, for sure. But it’s not hard to imagine Canada as Ukraine in the not distant future! Canadians aren’t ready for what could be ahead for us.

I think Carney is smart enough to see this possible reality ahead of us. I’m just hoping he’s smart enough to outmanoeuvre trump. I’m ambivalent about the rescinding of the digital tax this past weekend. Yes, it reinstated the trade talks but trump is braying that we “caved”.

I feel trump is playing cat and mouse – ya, the trade talks are back on for the moment, but he can call them off on any pretext he wants. Look at him side eye and we’re back to the beginning.

Nothing he says or does is reliable. I’m expecting any trade deal that gets hammered out will not be good for Canada. That will leave us feeling betrayed by our government (although nobody would be able to have “negotiated” anything better).

I’m not sure what that will do to Canadian nationalist feeling and tenuous unity we’re experiencing at the moment.

In some ways, Canadians are more aware of what’s going on in the US than most US citizens. We certainly understand the threat trump represents. I’m just nervous that our solidarity isn’t strong enough for us to stand together when the going gets really rough economically; when the 51st state threats become more insistent (those threats are again being made – I hope we’re all hearing them – I hope our boycott of US travel and products holds).

Canadians, like Americans, are used to a basic level of affluence. Our young people expect instant gratification. They’re not used to doing without – they complain if they have to work hard to achieve some goal – many expect opportunities will be handed them on a platter.

It’s our fault – we older folks who grew up making do with a whole lot less – pampered them, we fulfilled the desires of our children and grandchildren because we could afford to. We didn’t ask them to earn that gratification. Hence, they expect life will be easy for them.

It’s been getting harder, and many are struggling to find a way to carry on. When the going gets a whole lot harder – and I’m expecting it will – will they decide to give in to trump’s demands for the 51st state?

So many Canadians have no idea what it could be like living in a US controlled by this dictator! This current BBB (Big Beautiful Bill) would eliminate health care for many Canadians living in a 51st state; it would increase food insecurity for our children; it would mean loss of any environmental protection; no support to help after the harm wrought by hurricanes, wildfires, flooding; and on an on, Most of what’s in that bill is aimed at destroying the lives of middle class and poor Americans so the wealthy can live as they want. A good proportion of Canadians would fall into that group of disadvantaged.

It looks like we’re between a rock and a hard place.

Kravchuk is laying out for us what’s ahead. He’s letting us know, as clearly as he can, that it’s not a life we want to choose.

It’s obvious that there’s no sitting this one out – everybody is going to have to take participate in the resistance if we’re going to survive with any independence, and our values intact!

Freedom Line by Viktor Kravchuk 🇺🇦🇺🇸

Lego Flowers

Posted by

3

Lego Flowers

While I was in Toronto, I saw my niece’s lego flowers. She had three bouquets on her buffet, two were real flowers, the third was constructed from lego. From a distance it was hard to tell them apart.

An inveterate puzzle doer, I was taken by the challenge of putting the flowers together so I ordered myself two kits. As soon as they arrived, I couldn’t refrain from opening each box and start assembling the flowers.

The boxes come with two books of instructions – that should tell you something.

Making up the flowers is not easy. I started at the first flower in the book – the lavender. The pieces are tiny and clicking them together (no tools but fingers) proved somewhat difficult, particularly since as I tried building the flower stalk it wouldn’t stay together (after working on a number of flowers, I hauled out my tube of gorilla glue and stuck the intransigent joins together). However, I finally managed to assemble the two lavender stalks.

I moved on to the two alliums – those were easier because the tiny flowers fit the pedicles firmly.

It took me four days to construct all the flowers. I’d been immersed in the puzzle to the exclusion of just about everything else – an enjoyable challenge.

Once done, I was able to come back to the quilt.

I have nowhere to put the vase of flowers. At the moment it’s sitting on my kitchen island raised counter. I’ll probably just give them away in the end.

Quilt Top Finished (almost)

Posted by

1

This is the cause of my problem! I finally figured it out yesterday.

My circles aren’t quite circular! I thought it was because I’d cut my quarter circles out a bit large then trimmed them smaller. I wondered whether my sewing was accurate enough. Neither of those.

My problem stemmed from the template I was using to cut the quarter circles! You can see the radius at the edge is 6 1/2″ from the corner to the circumference. But look at the centre radius – from corner to circumference is something like 3/16″ too short! So every quarter circle I cut, was flattened at the mid-point from the seams, and making the “pointy” bits happen at the seams.

I partially solved the problem by trimming the end points 1/1 6″ which helped round out the shape, but if you look closely at the finished quilt top you can still see the irregularity.

To compensate for my not-quite-round circles, I decided to appliqué smaller circles at strategic points – some are placed to eliminate the “pointy” bit at the seams, others to pull your eye from the flattened circumference.

I collected batik bits from a couple of scrap boxes, a range of light beige with a bit of contrast. These smaller circles are obvious but not blatant. I think this will rescue the quilt top. These small circles are pinned in place for now while I think about placement for the next couple of days. I will fuse them in place when I’m satisfied with the placement. I will also edge stitch them with decorative stitches and rayon thread.

If I didn’t mention the lack of circularity, you might not have noticed it, but I think you’d still feel a niggling something about those circles. This way, there’s more to look at and the eye isn’t drawn to that abnormality quite so much.

Because I’d cut all the pieces before I began sewing, the only real solution would have been to discard these pieces in a scrap box to reshape for a different quilt, and start from scratch with a more accurate quarter circle template. I had used all I had of some of these fabrics, I’d have had to redevelop the colour scheme; I’d have needed to order more crackle for background, come up with another stripe background fabric.

Not happening.

I am going to reshape the quarter circles on the back. I can get away with that, because I haven’t cut any “L” shaped pieces yet. So whatever template I find in my collection (or one I will make from template plastic) I will use to reshape the “pie” pieces and cut the “L” pieces. The sewing will be much easier than it was making these blocks!

Finally Underway Again

Posted by

1

I got accepted to show at Art Labs in Parrsboro from August 10-30 this summer. I’m sharing gallery space with William Forrestall – an interesting juxtaposition. My textiles with his drawing/painting.

That means I should have wall space for four throw size quilts, possibly one small wall piece. I’ve decided to focus on “Circles” – I have three circle quilts in my stash and enough time to create a fourth.

I started working on this new quilt three/four weeks ago – I came across a photo of minimalist square quilt of overlapping circles against a light background with a lot of open background. The image appealed to me so I drafted a rectangular version on graph paper, pulled a bunch of contrasting batik fabrics from my stash, numbered them, then distributed the numbers on the circle elements in my diagram. I counted the number of solid blocks, the number of drunkard’s path blocks using the background, the number of drunkard’s path where two circles/fabrics overlapped.

Then I started cutting the pieces I needed – a 9 block x 11 block quilt top (5 1/2″ finished blocks) – 99 blocks in all. I still had background fabric to cut when I went to Toronto for a week. I got back last Thursday – finished the cutting and over the weekend I began laying out a pair of rows carefully following my diagram!

Yesterday, I started sewing, today, I finished the 22nd block – I now have two rows – those with grey diamonds on white. I had decided to have a stripe in my background – the remaining background will be constructed using a grey/white crackle print which blends with the grey diamonds in tone so it will take a careful observer to notice the stripe in the background. I don’t think it’s going to stand out.

When I finished the 22 blocks in the stripe, I laid out the blocks on either side – they’re now ready for stitching.

I discovered I was having a small problem with my circles not being precisely circular! I began with the four blocks at the bottom of the photo. I’m leaving them alone for now, but I have a hunch I will take them apart and reconstruct them – I figured out how to piece the drunkard’s path more precisely as I went along.

I was surprised by the lack of circularity – it’s not a problem I’ve encountered before but it happened this time because I’d cut my pieces large, intending to trim them, and that affected the curvature of the seam. I lost the full arc where the four blocks would have joined after I trimmed the finished blocks. As I continued, I trimmed the pieces before stitching them together, consequently my later blocks today are more obviously circular. That purple “circle” at the bottom is definitely going to bother me – I have enough fabric to redo those 4 blocks.

With four columns stitched I will have 4/9ths of the quilt top completed. I’m anticipating it will take about a week to assemble the 99 blocks I need for the quilt top.

I haven’t even begun thinking about a back yet.

An Update

I shared a photo of a gorgeous red kantha bedspread several weeks ago and described what I was hoping to make with it.

Last week a friend came for lunch and we were looking at the various projects I had sitting around.

I had the kantha laid out and she fell in love with it!

I gave it to her – she’ll use it herself or pass it on to her daughter!

That coat/jacket I was going to make – crossed off my list!

Thank goodness! It was beginning to feel like an albatross. I’m happy to be rid of it.

Nothing Feels Urgent Anymore…

Posted by

1

I just finished reading William Finnegan’s “Nothing Feels Urgent Anymore – And That Should Terrify You”

He writes of the US –

“In the early stages of collapse, the warning signs come like alarms: loud, unmistakable, emotionally triggering. You feel compelled to respond. To signal. To warn others.

But we’re not in that phase anymore.

We’re in the part where everything bleeds together. Where Trump’s criminal and idiotic antics, Supreme Court nullification, dollar decoupling, tariff tumult, and cabinet secretariat stupidity all feel like background noise.

We are experiencing the flattening of outrage.

This isn’t a failure of attention. It’s a feature of the system now. And it’s not just cultural. It’s strategic.”

It feels like that here in Canada – we’re in limbo – although I’m sure a lot is going on in preparation for the reconvening of Parliament on May 24 (I think that’s the date), there isn’t a ton of stuff in the news so there isn’t much to react to.

It feels weird!

I feel like I’m holding my breath.

I’ve just reached out to Charlie Angus to see if we can get a “Resistance” event going in NS – but here’s the thing – I haven’t sorted out what we’re resisting at the moment – trump’s 51st State threats have gone quiet right now. Resistance to Poilievre was essential during the election- that’s now over. While still Conservative Party leader, he lost his parliamentary seat so he won’t be there delivering his bombastic nonsense (Andrew Sheer will be acting opposition leader in the House – who knows how he’s going to handle responding to the government’s proposals). Poilievre will continue making pronouncements (likely unchanged from his carping before and during the election) but it won’t have the same force until he’s elected in his “safe” Alberta seat – he won’t be back in Parliament until the fall.

I feel we need to maintain our wariness and opposition to trump and those stupid tariffs. Yes, trump has dropped the “51st state” crap, for now. But it lurks, just the same. He’s moved on from threats against Panama and Greenland to his shiny new jet (how silly is that!), and all the lovely AI deals he’s made in the middle east, and he’s just today more or less given up on his buddy Putin, he says. What does he turn his attention to today?

Here in Canada we’re left waiting for the third or fourth shoe to drop – no clue what it’ll be about. So yes, resistance to this all the idiocy – but at the moment it has no shape. We’re in limbo here.

Another week or so, we may find ourselves with focus – we need to continue working at being informed so we can jump in the moment there’s some real issue that needs our attention and voices!

By the way, if you happen to live in Nova Scotia and still need connection to Resistance, please get in touch. I believe Charlie Angus has a bigger picture shaping his Resistance efforts. I need to know more about that. If you feel you do, too, get in touch. I can’t organize an event on my own – I need colleagues willing to put in some time to make the phone calls and help set up the structures for an event – this isn’t a commitment to a long term project – just the one gathering. I’d love to make it happen – I think it could provide some focus to shape this “slow” period for all of us.

Silence Is Not An Option

Posted by

1

I’m trying to get a feel for how I can best participate in our current political world. I’m an outsider to the US mess. I keep an eye on the war in Ukraine, on the horrific destruction in Gaza, watchful of China’s moves on Taiwan and the suppression of liberty in Hong Kong. There’s chaos everywhere.

It takes me back to a Kingston Trio song from the early 60s:

Details different, situation the same (SNAFU)!

I realized recently I can no longer fight on the palisades; but I’m still good at reading stuff from all over the map and building a bigger picture. That’s what I’m finding myself doing at the moment.

Today, I’ll share a few things I’ve read you might find helpful / interesting, too.

Alex Himelfarb’s recent contribution to Pledge For Canada is a must-read, I think. He’s explaining the historical connections we have as a federation and the role taxes play in keeping a nation together. He ends with:

To build a more resilient, less dependent – democratic – Canada, we will need to rebuild our collective toolkit, find a new solidarity across our differences, and rediscover the common good. We will need government strong enough to harness the market and democracy strong enough to harness government. 

What We Owe Each Other describes Canada’s equalization policy and how it operates. It’s a good refresher for all of us, including Albertans. There’s also this tidbit that clarifies provincial contribution to the national economy (in case you think Alberta contributes the most – it doesn’t).

Corey Hogan has written a useful piece about three myths underpinning the Alberta separation movement: Three Alberta Separation Myths.

The next several months could be a dangerous time for Alberta. It does not take a majority of Albertans voting to separate to severely damage our home – serious talk alone will be sufficient.

Consider the example of Quebec in the 1970s: companies moved from Montreal to Toronto to escape political uncertainty. This was despite the fact that corporate taxes were lower in Quebec than Ontario at that time.

Putting so much political risk into the equation will more than undo any other Alberta Advantage we create. It’s incumbent on all of us to tread carefully. Now is a time for cool heads and facts.

There are also the Treaties which govern much of the land in Alberta! It could be argued most of the province is controlled by those treaties and the First Nations Peoples will determines what happens there. (Tried tracking down the source, unsuccessful.)

One other quick link to “The Truth About 51st State Supporters“:

when a Canadian proudly declares they support Trump over any Canadian leader, what they’re really saying is:

✔️ They would rather see this country controlled by a foreign dictator than governed by Canadians.

✔️ They support the rise of authoritarianism over the principles of democracy.

✔️ They would rather burn this country to the ground than see a government they don’t like in power.

That’s not patriotism. That’s treasonous thinking.

I’ll end today with an incredibly moving piece by Victor Kravchuk – a “Ukrainian living through war”.

Let me ask you something:

If tomorrow you woke up and your country was being erased, not just by missiles, but by hate. If you saw strangers online spreading that your story no longer mattered, that your pain was inconvenient, that your survival was a political annoyance…

Wouldn’t you want someone to write you back?

Wouldn’t you want someone, somewhere, to care enough to keep your voice alive?

That’s why I’m still here. 

And that’s why you, reading this right now, are part of something I’ll never be able to measure.

Gotta step away from my computer and get on with life.

It’s a gorgeous warm, sunny day here in NS. Dandelions everywhere. Magnolias and azaleas in bloom. You can see the leaves growing on a day like this.

I have to head out for a walk – to feel connected to it all.

Kantha

Posted by

4

Red Kantha

I was gifted this kantha, made in Bangladesh, a couple of months ago (I won’t go into the long story of how it came to me). The quality of both the kantha quilting and the embroidery is exceptional. I can’t imagine the hours it took some woman to execute it. All hand work, done for pennies!

I can’t see using it as a bedspread, although it would fit my queen bed. Instead, I intend to make a spring/summer loose coat from it.

What you see is half the kantha, the half beneath is identical. There’s certainly enough fabric to make a gorgeous garment – I see the half medallion (at the top centre) at the neckline with the large embroidery below at the centre of the back. I could then cut the two fronts from the other side, same thing – medallion at the neckline, same embroidery below. I visualize loose sleeves with the border along the edge. I think the half may be long enough for the border to be at the hem of both front and back, as well.

In my patten collection I just found this garment by Sandra Betzina –

Unlined Coat

Fitted at the top, flowing through the bottom. I like the folded neckline although I would fold it to the inside (otherwise, the way Betzina constructs it, that folded neckline would expose the unfinished back of the fabric). The other thing I could do is make that “scarf” element separately, attaching it to the front, then top stitching it underneath. It would do that same thing – provide heft and shape to the neckline and the front edges. I might actually be able to find two pieces of the kantha border to do that!

I would also straighten the hem – I’m not a pointed hem kinda gal. That would mean lengthening the centre front and back/removing the points. I do want pockets – probably not inserted in the side seams but added using a welt opening closer to the front edge.

Also, because this is an unlined garment, I would bind the seams on the inside using some batik fabric.(Betzina suggests pressing the seams open and adding a Hong Kong finish on the raw edges.) At the moment I don’t see any other adjustments except I might put a couple of hidden hook/eye closings just above the waist so I can close the coat on a windy day.

I think I’m ready to start working on it – our weather is just warming enough that I’d get to wear it a few times before it becomes too warm to warrant even a light coat.