“Mom… I think we had too much candy yesterday… let’s just stay in bed today…”

Sadly, there’s not much spooky fun at Chez Wandering Cat this Hallowe’en.

Dave is working, and I’ve got French Class. So in absence of jack-lanterns and trick-or-treaters, I’ll leave you with my most favourite French song ever. And the story behind it.

Click here to learn more (and hear the song! Don’t forget to sing along!)

And for extra credit… here’s a little Throwback Thursday photo of baby Burton and his first experience with pumpkin guts!

My last completed quilt for October…..

Heart-shaped Quackers! And I will admit, I’m a little smitten with this one… not quite as much as Kitten Cove, but close.

It’s another good-sized baby blanket at 38″ square. It was made almost entirely from one jelly roll (white fabric was separate), with lots of strips to spare (so you may see something else in these prints eventually)

The blocks were taken from a Moda Bake Shop pattern, and they were so much fun to make.

The backing is flannel – another fabulous clearance bin find!

Now these baby quilts are starting to stack up…. I need to find some babies before they take over my studio! But I can’t help it, they are just so much fun to make!

Well, they won’t both be done in time for Hallowe’en but….

I managed to complete the first one! (And I’m still slogging away on the poncho)

As you can see, I changed things up at the toe for a little extra fun! I’m really loving the red yarn  – I’m going to have to dye some more for myself! Maybe do an opposite pair, so Dave and I can have matching socks!

First, let me apologize for photo quality. I dropped my DSLR the other day and jammed the lens. So until I can get it fixed, I’m stuck using my cell phone for all my photos. It’s an iphone, so they aren’t horrible – they just aren’t up to my usual standard.

Now… onto business…

Garden Trellis is complete! Thanks to said cell phone, you can’t see that I quilted in individual flower in each one of those white blocks

Here’s a better shot. It was my first attempt using stencils and it didn’t go too badly. I do need to get better at centering the stencil, but for a first attempt, I’m happy.

The finished quilt is 50″ x 66″. A nice-sized lap quilt, and made almost entirely of scraps. (I did have to buy some white fabric, though that doesn’t really count). Building all those nine patches was a great leader/ender project, and it’s a pattern I’ll definitely do again. There’s just so many ways you can change it up!

And my favourite part…. that backing! A super amazing clearance bin find. The binding was leftover from the back of my bear paw quilt. I’ve almost used all of it, but not quite!

 

While I may be done with gardening for the year, not all the plants are. There’s not a tonne going on, but until we get a really good frost overnight, they’ll hang on.

The toad lilies, of course, are as cute as can be. I may just get more of these come spring.

Scentimental and Blue Girl are trying to push out a few final blooms

And this will definitely be the last strawberry of 2019.

And I just love the African Daisies I got this year. I really wish they were perennials, but they won’t survive the cold.

I’ve got to admit, irises in October has kind of freaked me out, but apparently, they are supposed to bloom now. They are a variety “re-blooming” iris that blooms in both spring and fall. But apparently, they don’t start doing it until their second year. I must see if I can get more.

We could see snow any time now, so I’m enjoying each bloom that remains. Anything still making a show in your garden?

While I had all my leaf blocks pieced, they still needed one more thing before I started sewing them all together.

They needed their stems! The stems are done with applique, something I’ve never done before. But under Mom’s tutelage, I managed it.

And I’m quite pleased with the results! With that done, it was time to start assembling the top.

Sadly, it’s not quite done yet. I’m still working in shorter sewing sessions to save my back. I really wanted to finish this one, but I have to remind myself, there’s no rush. It will get done when it gets done. The next step is to add a thin, white border, then a wider one with this fabulous fabric.

Another clearance bin find! As was the backing flannel I have for this one

Isn’t it sweet. The ladybugs (which you may recognize from Rooster Eggs) will be used for the binding.

The days are definitely getting colder. Make sure you keep your toes warm!

With my Undines done, I needed a new sock project.  Although I’m making Dave a quilt for Christmas, it never hurts to have a pair of socks to wrap up. So I dove into the BFL Alley Cat I dyed up just for him and started stitching.

I sketched up a  little skully chart and threw a row in just for fun. I’ve never made Dave a pair of colourwork socks before.

I’m resisting the urge to work on them instead of the poncho. They are supposed to be for travel knitting only, but part of me wants to release the pattern to you all before Hallowe’en.

But I guess skulls are in fashion all year round, these days.

 

 

Those jelly roll hearts went together quicker than even I expected…

…. so I figured I might as well sash it all and finish off the top.

It’s just plain white sashing with this cute dotty print from the jelly roll for a little cornerstone pop!

Another print from the jellyroll will bind it all, and this cute little heart flannel will be the backing.

Now it’s off to Mom’s for quilting!!!