It's Ridiculous

The weather here, I mean. We had a cold, dry summer. It wasn't until the second half of September that we reached 30C or more (about 85F). Just didn't feel right to have mid-July temperatures in September. Then at the beginning of October, the weather changed and we jumped from July to November. It seems as if the last two weeks we never got above 0C (32F). Now and then we'd have a skiff of snow. But this morning we woke up to a landscape covered with fresh white stuff. Feels like we've been in winter for a month or more. You know how these events always take on epic proportions in your imagination and memory. Calgary has already had 150% of its average October snowfall. And to think I said hopefully to Jim weeks ago, "Maybe we'll have one of those lovely open fall seasons, with clear weather well into November." Didn't happen!

I belong to two quilting groups, one that meets here in town on 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month and another that meets at our little country church every Thursday from 9:30 to about 3:30. We take turns bring lunch, which is usually a real treat.

At our town club last night one of our more accomplished members taught us how to make a "Magic Tiles" Christmas tree skirt. I hadn't had time to get the materials, so I just grabbed a little stack of Halloween fabrics, intending to make a table topper with them.

I've never used this pattern before, and find that there are multiple ways to make mistakes. I scaled the pattern down, to fit the material pieces, and it seems to make the "grouting" too prominent. It would look better with larger tiles, don't you think?

Today I went to the local quilting store, which is having its twice yearly sale (October and March) of descending prices. Monday and Tuesday, all material is 30% off; Wednesday and Thursday all material is 40% off (good enough for me!);Friday and Saturday all material is 50% off. I bought 5 meters of Warm and Natural batting, 2 meters of black broadcloth, 4 pieces of red prints (1/2 meter each) and 4 pieces of green prints (1/2 meter each). The last is for Christmas tree skirts. With the pattern I was given, I can make three Christmas tree skirts in the "Magic Tiles" pattern with the material.

One is already promised to Daughter #2, and the other two will probably go to Daughter#1, and Daughter-in-law. That is, if they would like to have them.