Thursday check in

Today's blogs are hopped and cheer led.  The laundry is done, except for folding.  Chatted with my friend Cher before she left for work----helps that she is two time zones away there!  Skyler has been treated---twice.  Husband is off to the doctor's appointment.  House to myself for an hour or two.

I got a little helper mid way through.  Good luck dealing with those socks till he vacates.

Also finished packing this stuff up to go back to DISH. There went the rest of the roll of bubble wrap I had and whatever newspaper that I had not taken to the recycle center.  Just to be ornery and because I am a little perturbed with them,  I should have gone out to the storage shed and gotten my bag of packing peanuts and filled it up. Not only do we have to run clear out to the UPS Store some 10-12 miles away to take it back but they are doing to charge us for the privilege in the end.  Say, what???  Seems to me if you wanted this stuff back YOU would be customer friendly and just let us drop it off instead of charging 17 bucks per box.  OR better yet,  come get it and the dish off the house while you are at it.  If the husband suggests changing services again in two years, I am apt to suggest dropping some of the services if the costs become prohibitive instead of going through this crap again, only Direct TV's version of crap.  Okay, rant over.

I couldn't use my cutting/pressing table even if I wanted to.  I don't see the eye doc again till the 26th and I am staying on activity restrictions on the bending, lifting deal until I get the go-ahead.  They are moving to new to them, larger building a couple of blocks away so all the surgery day mates and I were pushed back to three weeks return instead of two.  It works out okay for me as I will be going right near there on the way back from my quilt meeting.  (Two weeks would have been of week in between quilt meetings)  My Kenmore is also sitting behind the boxes but that thing weighs a ton and I would need DJ to move it at this point.  I felt bad enough about him having to rotate three of them a couple weeks ago.  He spared me the "why do you need so many machines?" question, thankfully.  Not sure of that answer but I just do and use them all for different things.  Back ups too.   Really I was hoping that DJ would want to take the boxes out to UPS after (or before) his doctor's appointment since he would be half way there but he expects me to go with him.  I assume after lunch sometime.

If I could sew or dink around in here I had come to a conclusion about a quilt project last night about 2 a.m.  Ever happen to you, where an idea you have been muddling around with suddenly had a possibility come to you from that subconscious mind?  Since at the point I was not sleeping, I almost got up to check something on the computer!  BUT I waited till a few minutes ago to come up with a link to the lyrics to the song "Bushel and a Peck".   Who knew that was from "Guys and Dolls?"  Not me apparently!  Now, why that??  Challenge fabric for guild and specifically, what to do with that Michael Miller heart stuff.  See THIS POST for more of the story.

Okay I wound up with two packets.  I know what to do with the cupcake fabric and its companion.  I have that pattern all printed off and ready to foundation piece.  Those hearts were the problem child.  My brainstorm is this:  mug rugs though up to this point I didn't want to make any.  I will applique down one or more of the hearts in one or the other or maybe even both.  AND I'll embroider some of the "Bushel and a Peck" lyrics on them.   First one might say "I love you, a bushel and peck"  2nd one, "hug around the neck"-- 3rd one, "barrel and a heap"--last one "talkin' in my sleep about you".  DJ would totally get it and has a birthday coming up at the end of April.   He could use a little mug rug on his table near his recliner.  We sing that to each other or I sing it and he chimes in.  Mom used to sing the first two lines but I didn't know the rest of the song till I met DJ.  Considering they are almost contemporaries he knows the older stuff, LOL.   That is my working idea for now----although I may change the numbers of them depending how big I make the font.   I bet no one else at guild would come up with this!!  They have their own fabric samples to play with.

For today,  it will be back to the stitching though I am making some progress on that front----

Today will be a few more squiggles in the foreground and then I am moving to the roof section on this little Victorian cottage.   My right hand was cramping up a bit when I went to bed last night so I am glad that I didn't try knitting too.   Season two of Downton Abbey to keep me company .

First a quick personal errand for me, lunch and then DJ can drag us off on that run to fulfill our leasing obligations to DISH.  Hope you are having a good day------

Saturday check in

 The resident cat was conked out on the bed till I went in to check on him---and re-load a recharged battery into the camera.  I caught him mid-yawn and meow so it looks like he was baring his fangs at me, LOL.  He relocated to the window perch right after the picture taking as though he would be a safe from the flash over there.

I've been piddling around the house today doing little home tasks and such.   A sewing room vacuuming was top priority as I had been paper piecing a good bit in past days and the floor looked like it!

I had the sewing table free as I was preparing to  swap out machines so took the time to mark the Halloween stitchery.  So far the only sewing I have done is stitching down the 3 non-selvage sides of this piece so it will not un-ravel.

I am up to block 27 on my FWIS endeavors.  26 will need to be re-done or replaced as I got an iron stain on it plus one segment is a little wonky.  Wonky enough that you can tell that the piece is crooked.  A little demoralizing  after spending the better part of an afternoon working on it.  Thankfully, the one I finished up with was a variation of a wrench type block and it went so much better---fewer pieces to mess up too.  You will see it soon enough.

Actually I was down to one kitted up envelope but the block it contained has been moved down to one of the lower, later rows.  I cut out three more to get to the 30.  At this point I am a quarter of the way done.  I will be putting this aside for a short time.  Jane and Aline are pinning a QOV top up for me to quilt as I type this probably.  If they plan on getting this turned in before the facility opening I will need to quilt it up for them fairly soon.  Monday and Tuesday probably.  I play with my 3 blocks today and Sunday in other words.

There is supposedly some rain on the way in and I wish it would just get it over with.  I want those fall temps again and lower humidity.  I let my hair air dry today and you would not believe how curly it is---ringlets in the underneath layers.  Why bother with the hot blow dryer if it is going to do something like it is did anyway?

Well, off to whip up a block called Swallow---odd looking thing that dates back to 1929.  Fits my vintage type plan anyway.

WIP Monday

Yesterday was a day of rest but I did spend a good part of the day machine quilting this Twisted Sisters top on Saturday.  I completed the top way back in January 2011 from something my mom had kitted up.  I have more green strips that Mom shared with me that need some background fabrics from my stash.

I like this set actually and could see doing another similar quilt.  Ami Simms' is the designer and she showed a version we liked on the gallery pages in blues calling it Truly Twisted  by flipping half the blocks the opposite directions by flipping the template or the fabric.  I would have to review how to do either directions at this point.  It is pretty easily quilted in the ditch as well by just following the jagged line horizontally and then vertically.  There is some double quilting on the center when you change directions but that's no biggie.  Obviously I still need to put the binding on but I may wait till I get the 2nd quilt done that requires the same colored cut binding like the borders.  The quilt itself will not look appreciably different bound so here is the picture of it near finished.

This is what I was piddling with a bit yesterday.  Bird Brain Designs has a set of 4th of July stitcheries that you add to tea towels called American Celebration #524.  I do not need tea towels but I thought if I re-sized the motifs with Irfanview I could get them a bit bigger and just do a small skinny wall hanging instead.  To that end I cut out the motifs, scanned them and then resized it in printing to about 6 inches in width preserving the aspect ratio for the block height.  Three of the designs are elongated and two more squat so I could put the squat ones in between the longer ones but I may float them or put the squat ones below the elongated ones.


Now I am marking the motifs on Kona Snow fabric using the light box.  The fabric just feels so much more flimsy to me after using the heavy weight muslin that Bird Brain Designs sells (for the basket blocks I am working on intermittently---like part of Friday)  I am considering putting some light weight interfacing on the back of the blocks before I start any stitching.  I doubt that this will be done in time for this 4th of July.  I have far too much machine quilting to do for that to happen.  I also want to do a few blocks of the Farmer's Wife Sampler, after all.


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No walking today----thunderstorms this morning and intermittent showers.  DJ has emptied 1.6 of rain out of our gauge, he said.  We need it as we were about 5 inches behind last year's totals but 7 or 8 inches down over all.   I woke to a nearby thunder clap at 615 and a skittish cat who didn't know if he wanted to crawl back under the bed or follow me out to the kitchen for his treat bite.  Poor baby.

I have to watch my time for preparing supper since I need to be in town at 6.   Brenda, one of my Belles friends, has a son who is an Anniston fireman and her husband is involved with emergency management/Red Cross.  We had a lead on providing a quilt to a little boy whose great-grandmother was killed in a late April house fire in my little town.  The little boy and his grandfather were injured in the same fire.   Brenda emailed me to tell me that the boy and his father were invited guests at the Volunteer Fire Department tonight at 6.  Would we want to come and give him his quilt?  I sent out an email to the gals and I think several of us plan on being there.   Once I verified just where we needed to be, that is including me.  I drive near there all the time but was never sure just where they were located.

I am thinking pizza tonight since DJ requested it.  If you like to make your own crust, this is a good one that uses whole wheat flour  Perfect Pizza Crust.  I also like the one from Prepared Pantry on pages 5-7 though I don't exactly follow the directions.  Double and punch down and then put it in the pan--- and I found it doesn't take that long to bake either!

Guess that's it for today's post---other than playing too many rounds of  newly discovered Wordsmith this morning it has been a pretty lazy day.  I was keeping Norma entertained with some of my selections yesterday even poking in words I didn't even know WERE words!  Who knew?

3 more finishes

two small finishes and one more button up is officially done.

 The basket block will need some velcro added to the back in order to hang it and ir really needs some embellishment.  Yo- yo's with buttons, I'm thinking.

"Bloom" is also officially done.  I had it bound and the buttons were sewn on but I did the bee's flight lines this morning.

Late for this Easter but early for next----the March button up but I left the month off so it had  a longer shelf life.

What is next??  I would dearly love to take a break to piece something---like maybe finish up my set aside Popsicle Stix last seen in early February HERE or in the following post when I had to pack it up to work on the 3 QOV quilts I had committed to do.  BUT I still have binding to put on one of those QoV's and the row quilt QOV to quilt.

The other thing that needs to be done is cut for Cher's FAB day.  I may do that first and then get started on the QOV stuff.   We have learned that the facility is to open in early July so that does buy a little more time but I need those outta here.   Okay plan is made.   Jammie time for this girl!

Happy St. Pat's Day and Happy National Quilting Day

Happy St. Pat's Day and  Happy National Quilting Day!! Got something planned to celebrate both of those things?  DJ said I didn't have to prepare a corned beef meal but I may do it down the line.  Maybe it will just be c.b. hash tonight and go straight to the leftover type meal, LOL.


This is as far as I got on the March Button Up last evening.  I am waiting for some brown plaid fabric that goes at the button to represent the carrot patch.  I'll also use it for the binding cut on the bias and maybe the word "March" at the top.  I am torn about that though since Easter comes in both March and April.  I didn't want brown borders so I extended the yellow above the bunny's ears and then more yellow for the side borders.  The binding brown will frame the whole piece---should work.

I bordered this piece after my last post on the 15th.  The binding will match the narrow green flap of color.  I'll quilt this and finish up the embellishments once I get the March button up done.  For now I'll just enjoy it on the design wall.

The only other thing I got done is pressing 4 quilts worth of binding.   I did that first thing yesterday morning before I allowed myself to play with the March piece.  You cannot work in a cluttered work space or at least I personally can't.   When the binding is all piled up in like a mess of colorful spaghetti on your cutting/pressing surface and you want to sew, it must be dealt with.

So I guess my plans for National Quilting Day will be to prep some of the applique elements of the Button Up.  There are some colored eggs and his tail that I will treat like you would a giant oblong yo-yo over templar material.  There is also some basic trim and accents for the ears that I will prepare over freezer paper.  I have the carrot tops fusible already prepped but not the carrots but I am guessing freezer paper is the way to go on them as well.   The nose, fuse definitely.  That just leaves some decision about the letters---do it or not?  Or try to write "Happy Easter"  hmmmmm

DJ's outdoor workload has picked up a bunch now that spring is here---well he would say spring has been here for weeks.  Not by the calendar perhaps but weatherwise, he may be right.  He came home from Lowe's with a replacement azalea bush.  We have three now along the patio area.  A white one is encore variety and it doesn't show much signs of blooming while the other pink-red one is in full bloom now.  I'll share pics of it later.  The lilac bush is just starting to come out as well.  Dogwood is out all over, both the native and people's trees as you drive around.  The yellow pollen is REALLY out and we could use some rain to dampen it down.   Yesterday there were thunderstorms above and below us, even hail but nothing here.  Weather dude says we will stay in the 80's till the 22nd----ugh, not ready for that.    70's fine but 80's, not so much.

Well, best get this day started and find something to go with green shamrock socks other than my turquoise pj's!  Don't want DJ pinching me every chance he gets.

Design Wall Monday

Really the design wall looks much the same as in previous photos with two new additions----

• two leftover bowties from the QOV top.  I make a lot of bowties for pro bono quilts so they will just get plugged into the next one.  
• I finished the hand embroidery on Two Blonde Mice's "Bloom" pattern last evening but will need to pull some border fabric today.  I am resisting the impulse to order some Mary Engelbreit fabric to complete it.  I have things in my stash that will work.

I knew that the stitchery would work up fairly quickly for a reward project.  That's part of the reason why I chose it---well, that and I was waiting for some fabric to come my way from my mom and a friend for another project.   Friendship Quilters met on Saturday and the gals I rode with wanted to take the Garden Irish Chain class that was planned for the program.  I did not want to start another new project necessarily so elected to work on "Bloom" instead.  All I had left on Sunday was the pitcher squiggle, the bee and the lettering.   There will be some embellishment type stitching for the bee's flight path, etc and some buttons added for embellishment to the pitcher but those will serve as quilting elements.  (Mine will be a wall hanging, not a pillow.)

I have it up on the wall to audition floral fabrics.  At first I thought a pansy print with a lot of rosy flowers and a purple inner border.  BUT the more I look at it,  the more I think it will work for the May Button Up---image borrowed from Joined at the Hip that will be coming up soon enough on my "list"

Then I pulled out a piece of something that I love but it is oh, so pale in comparison.  The threads are clearer, bold colors.  Back in the container.  Next was either a Debbie Mumm or Thimbleberries but again, pale.  I like it but not for this.  I believe I have come to a decision about a bold piece that was a secret pal gift.  I have a cut into fat of the fabric but the stitchery is small enough that I can work around the missing yardage.  Make it work!

Plans are to cut:  March Button Up, borders for the stitchery, binding for 2 of the recently completed QOV's.  If I cut the stuff for the row quilt already, I sure can't find it!  I know it was going to be close on getting enough out for the sashing between the rows and borders. I doubt I had enough of that print in the first place.   Rosa thought she had some of that same print on hand but I think I am going with something that contrasts anyway.What I have lined up to sew in the near term is "boring" sewing----3 quilt backs, 3 quilts worth of binding once it is cut and borders.  

I was in such a hurry to get out the door on Saturday (over slept) and had NOT loaded the car ahead of time. It did not hit me till I was standing in the meeting place parking lot, about 7 miles from home that I had gone off without the 3 QOV tops and the one Jane had finished binding.  There is a distinct possibility that I am going to quilt one of the 3 tops myself but I need to get some batting first.  I would do the row quilt and think I could handle it.  The other two, not so much.  

The guild has subsidized the project in that they had purchased batting and backing.  The backing is gone but the batting is not.  They would re-pay me for anything I bought for backing, I was told.  The quilting volunteers are covered up and/or burnt out from the volume of quilts for the veteran's home.   The prez had a pile all kitted up in the car from the sew-in and looking for someone to quilt them.  I don't know if she got any takers or not.  The coordinator laughed and told Aline and I to "find a quilter" when we asked what to do with the tops.   I still don't know if she was joking or serious, don't know her well enough.  All I know is that I can't afford to have them professionally done if it came to that.   It could be that they just wait and will not be ready when the facility opens.  They have informal work days on Thursday's so I going to run over and play.  Just haven't told DJ that yet, LOL--- prepare to hear the words "again?"

Somewhere along the line I need to decide what I am going to work on at Bama Belles tomorrow and pack the car.  DJ wanted me to give him a hair cut too but that can wait another day.  I don't sleep well too many night to find the clock switch an easy transition.  By the time I finally got back to sleep and awoke to a kitty wanting his treat bite is was almost 0845.  The morning whizzed by since I got up so late, especially since I am doing laundry now too and had to dry the mop atop my head.  

And sew it goes------hope you are having a good day in whatever you chose to do.

WIP Tuesday

 The primary focus of my day will be joining the center seam on a pile of 76 bowties for the QOV top.  I was further along with this project than I thought I was---woohoo there!  76 is sort of a symbolic number for a patriotic US quilt, don't you think?

I'll work thru the pile and see how far I get.  These are just a more lumpy 4 patch at this point.  I switched machines though.  The Brother, pampered princess that it is, balks at sewing thru too many layers.  The Viking tends to sew a little tight so un-sewing is not easy.  If you are going to sew, you have to be prepared to rip.  Long ago lesson from my mom, there.   I probably did the bulk of the sewing on the Jem.  I could use it but I pulled out the Singer that I got from Lois' mom's estate instead.  It has a nice stitch and we'll see how it behaves over those folded in knots.

I got a bit done on "Bloom" yesterday.   I left it out to do a bit more here and there.  I am already to the leaves with the three flowers done.  Handwork, machine work----a good mix.   Good reward project too!

And while I am sewing, I'll be thinking about the March Button Up.  Sheila, a friend and reader, offered me some basket weave fabric that will be perfect for this!  (THX again, Sheila)  I am itching to sew this one up but I have a feeling that I better reserve it for a reward project for completing the QOV bowties.  I still need to find the border choices.  I do NOT like all that brown around it.  Brown for dirt for the carrots is one thing but ugh, on the rest!   HMMMMM something to ponder.


And sew it goes-----------

a finish and a reward

A finish to report----finally!  I mentioned the QOV top #3 as being my priority item for the week.  As I stated in my last post, life kinda intervened.

We had two days of rocky weather and trust me, that does not lend itself to piecing when  you have to un-plug.  I blew out on mother board to a power surge and I don't want to replaced another.  At one point on Friday my two computerized machines wound up in the shower.  I figured if I had to be in the bathroom with the hard hat on, then two of my prized possessions were going with me.

I fused down the cut away stars and machine appliqued the down to a 7.5 inch finished squares.  I had the rail strips already cut but didn't really start stitching on this in earnest till Friday and Saturday.  All that I needed to do today is the last border.  I had said that it was amazing that a girl like me that HATES to put on borders would do a quilt that is nothing BUT borders.  5 of them actually.  The picture I put up on FB might actually show the last border a little better but whatever----this thing is done now!  Ready for Show and Tell at Friendship Quilters on Saturday.

I have one more QOV top to piece:  a 3-D bow tie, navy ties on white background with red "knots"  I need 76 of them and the project is one that I started at the fall sew in at guild. (Read about it HERE .)  I will have to pull it out to see just where it stands.  Seems to me that I had some up to the center joining seam but how many?  BUT having said only one more for a total of 5 I was half considering what to do with the cutaways from the pieced rails.  9 patches on point arranged zig zag style maybe?  I naturally over-cut ( almost always do).  There is  fabric leftover from the guild member that gave it to me for the Land of Liberty panel thing.   Maybe.

I need a break from "hafta/deadline" sewing, even if that deadline is self imposed.   The veteran's home is opening in the summer and the tops need to be turned in for quilting.  I need a break from red, white and blue.  I am so ready for a reward project!

And here is what I have in mind.  I prepped this little stitchery from Two Blonde Mice about a month ago.  It has just been waiting for me but I did do a little bit of two of the flowers on Wednesday.  It should work up pretty quickly.  Linda C left this pattern to share when she moved to TN.  Because I was the one who filed the loose pages, etc in the notebooks, I spotted it first, LOL.  It is shown in their graphic, which I borrowed, as a pillow but I want a spring wall hanging instead.  Cute, huh?  I do not own any of the Mary Engelbreit fabric that they used in their sample so will substitute something else that I DO have.  If I have enough of it, I know just which one I will use!

My mom sent some basket fabric and a couple of friends have offered some from their stash as well.  Because of that I am holding off cutting out the March Button Up and whipping it as my reward.  I still would like to do a bias applique thing for the handle and the piece Mom sent would need to be seamed perhaps a little more than I would like.  It won't go to waste though. The May Button Up is a basket as well.

I am taking tomorrow "off" and concentrating on straightening up the house.  With having the windows open recently, I need to dust and definitely vacuum up the strings from the week's sewing.  I get busy and things just get stacked and I can't stand the clutter for long.  Then stitchery for sure!

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Dishwasher saga update.  We thought they were coming Thursday to install the final dishwasher.  Remember we had gotten #2 a Frigidaire that was scratched and dented so it was not going to stay.  They called to say that the one at the store with our name on it looked like a forklift had backed into it.  They were going to get one from the Gadsden store but it would have to wait till Friday morning.  Okay, Friday comes.  They install it seemingly without a hitch.  Come Friday night about 830, I head out to the kitchen in my sock feet.  Socks get damp but I thought maybe DJ just dripped some water on the rug.  Few minutes later with my bare feet I realized that the rug in front of the dishwasher is soaked with water.  He shut off the water supply as well as the power while I fetched some towels to mop up the water and the phone.  Water was dripping off the supply line.  Loose connection or did they break the line?  Something had made me write down the plumbing contractors number off his van earlier in the day.  He came out yesterday morning and his helper had not gotten it tightened up enough or some such thing.  Seems to be fine now.  I pray that is the last of it---a journey of a month's duration.  Not all their fault.  DJ asked for an exchange after all.

We did have tornado warnings up on the north end of the county on Friday.  The weather dude was calling out our immediate area but there was no touchdown.  Present on radar but aloft, thankfully.  Some in the county were without power but that is minor compared to April 27th stuff.   Other parts of the country did not fare so well.  My heart goes out to the people in north Alabama who were just getting re-built from last April and are wiped out again.  The folks in Indiana and Kentucky, with loss of life.  E4's, I read.  It is just sad. It is going to be a long tornado season at this rate.

Our camellia seemed to rebound from the cold nights we had but tonight is another close to freezing night.  One of the azaleas is beginning to bloom and you can see hints of what is coming on the lilac bush.  The bradford pears are out in their full popcorn white and so lovely.  I get to enjoy my neighbor's pink dogwood from afar.  We tried three different times to have a dogwood only to lose them all.  DJ also pointed out that the yellow pollen stuff is starting to come around-----could live without that but it is part and parcel of a southern spring.

THX for stopping by------------

Silly kitty

To bolster my request that these calendar quilt-lets be displayed all together pinned to the same sheet at the quilt show I laid them all out to get a measurement (40 x 60, if anyone is asking, LOL). Before I got the camera out, he had been playing with the bell on the September school house block.

Mind you, he was no where around when I started laying them out on DJ's bedroom floor! He actually left his seat on warm laundry to see what I was doing.

If you are a new reader, all these quilt-lets were my self assigned 2010 "quilt-let of the month" project. Designed by Nancy Halvorsen, featured in her book Calendar Quilts and Stitcheries. It was an evolving project in that I started with applique and then jumped to stitchery instead. I even took a brief detour on the background color for a couple of months, LOL.

Individual pictures would be scattered through out the blog in 2010 but this link will take you to close up shots of the last 5 of them, August through December. See what they look like with out the kitty parked on them, LOL. Yes, of course I was lagging behind, just like I am with the Button Ups this year; it will carry over, for sure. I DO love being able to change out the quilts for the months, holidays or special occasions!

January, HERE

February, HERE

March and April, HERE

May, June, July can be found HERE

OR they are also loaded individually in one of my facebook albums. This public link should take you to it. That might have been easier, in retrospect.
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Onward and upwards-----

I had the best night's sleep in a while last night! House was cool, the room dark and quiet without the sounds of barking dogs and cars to disturb me. Light quilt pulled up. Wonderful. This does not happen often so I can count last night as a blessing. We were pretty much stuck in the mid 50's all day yesterday and into the night. Today looks like more of the same, overcast and cool though they had predicted low 70's----you got to get rid of that cloud cover first.

I plan on a little more stitchery today on TSP. See how far I get-------and sew it goes.

WIP???

I have been busy with things on the home front but not much in the sewing related department. Such is life sometimes. It is so blamed hot and humid (read: summer! so what do you expect?) that you honestly feel like expending the least amount of energy possible. The sun is so intense that just going out to the mailbox can reduce you to a puddle of sweat. I know that I am far from alone in this predicament. Much of the country is still roasty-toasty judging from the weather maps.

The quilt group met on Tuesday as planned. The fill-in spot is maybe about 2 miles from my house and I was not in charge of the key so I didn't have to leave the house till about an hour later than I normally would. Some of the group was missing but seldom is everyone there to start with. We had a couple of special guests instead.

Aline was on grandma duty so we all got to meet her first great-grand Lily who is just three months old. Grandpa was standing by at home just in case she got too fussy or it bothered the ladies. Good as gold!

I was happy too that my guest Teresa could come join us. We met thru my blog and chat on Facebook a bit but did not meet in person till the Pell City group meeting earlier this month. I helped Teresa with some foundation piecing on the Friendship Quilter's name tag thing---well, enough that she could finish up at home. I ended up sewing a bit on 3-D bowtie blocks using the Belles scrap challenge project materials. Nancy and Linda had there machines revved up and a couple quilts got pinned as well.

Nancy asked me to cut the borders for her Buzz Saw quilt made from Civil War reproduction fabrics. Being left handed, cutting has always been an issue for her. Accu-quilt has helped with some of that but she was afraid she would ruin the yardage by a miscut. She also needed some help in cutting the stripe she had selected for bias binding. I could have probably done it at the meeting---they have such a nice island unit in the kitchen at the church---but I would have had to run home for my large mat and my own rulers. I took care of that yesterday. I should have taken a picture of the top so far when I had it spread out to measure it but Skyler was making things difficult by laying on it and then trying to bite me when I tried to make him move. He is also quite attracted to the bag she sent home with me. My guess is that he smells either her kitties or dachsunds on it.

The wrinkle in the deal was she wants to do a double border and mitered corners. If I understood her correctly, Nancy wanted me to sew them. I don't do them but was a little familar with the process---or at least sorta knew what to do. She has put so much time and effort into her quilt that I felt she should finish it. I would do what I could to help her thought. I found a good video on the Fons and Porter/Quilter's Club of America site presented by Jodi Davis HERE that may help Nancy with the piecing along with some tutorials online. Jaybird Quilts had a good tutorial as well. I also checked my home quilt book library and found a section in the Rodale Quilting Library's Sensational Sets & Borders that may also be a help. LOL, I still don't want to fuss like that on my own quilts but I am pretty sure that I could pull it off if I had to. Just like a giant attic window block.

Today was laundry day so that took up a chunk of the morning along with a quick run to the bank for the Belles. I also had a few things to prep ahead in the kitchen for our supper and threw a couple burgers on the grill for our lunch. Next thing I knew it was 1 p..m. Day is half over without half trying.

I should get started on some of that button hole applique----and I might. I may, just for today, do a little embroidery on the honey and biscuits block from Bee Tree Designs' Flickr page. There is a ton of stitching on these things but I love them!

I hope that you are having a good day!

a little progress?

In the past days I have gotten a little bit more done in several areas.

I almost have 4 blocks completely hand quilted on the Bird Brain Santa. I am still looking for a cable idea for the sashing and have a few on order that MIGHT work. I think it needs something more than in the ditch. I did check in my inventory at home and have one that may be more in keeping with what I am visualizing though. I have NOT looked in any of my quilting motif books yet either.



Next we have most of the flower stems hand appliqued down on this project---the one on the extreme left is only partially stitched. Note: this is April's quilt of the month of the Joined at the Hip Button Up. I am so far behind since I elected to go with hand work. Oh well, that is why the" Welcome" one is done and hanging. I am considering jumping ahead to July since I so far behind and catch finish this up more at my leisure. Actually if you leave off the July wording, this one would work for any of the patriotic US holidays. HMMMM

I am also thinking that I should pull the stuff for the "In Seasons" Summer wall hanging. DJ even was commenting on the fact that the one hanging says "Spring" but it sure feels like Summer is here with a vengeance. Not by the calendar of course but tell that to the jet stream, LOL. I am drawn more to THAT than what I was working on yesterday though. Maybe it will get me out of my doldrums a bit?? I can hope.


This was what I was piddling with yesterday but did not get too far. I am using the Puss in the Corner method from Billie Lauder's Quick Quilt Tricks book #2 for this. This is not what she calls it, however; "Four = Nine Uneven Nine Patch " is its name in the book. Anyway, you start with a big 4 patch to make the finished block. This is part of my scrap bag challenge for the quilt group. One of many kits and a few started projects in that area.

I was going to cut some 6 1/2 inch blue blocks and try the disappearing 4 patch blocks that my pal Pat had featured on her blog but have not done it yet. I was thinking that they might work for a veteran's home quilt. Just two colors like hers shown HERE --classic look, don't you think? So striking in the green fabric she chose making me wonder why they all insist on RWB or service related colors. Shades of blue might work for the Air Force folks though. HMMM again.

I took this bit of embroidery with me on my trip last month but barely touched it. It was a fast trip and I really did not have a lot of time to just sit and stitch plus we were sharing driving duties in order to get up there and back in one day. It is the Button basket block from Bee Tree Designs. Scroll back to previous post to find the link from the Flickr page if you want it. (Being lazy, LOL) There is a ton of stitching on this thing and I think the next one, honey and biscuits, is a similar situation! But I am liking how the green floss looks. This will be my meeting project. I have quilt guild coming up this Saturday and a Belle's gathering on Tuesday.



And here is the other thing I have been doing---reading. Some days, it is all I can do to look at the local newspaper but I enjoy reading. It reminds me of when I was a kid and we used to head up to the town library almost daily in the sumer to check out some books, read them and head back to get another stack. Some of these, my mom just sent back with me and a couple I had on my shelves. I finished up the Kristin Hannah book last evening and started on 3 Nights in August right after that. The next thing I knew it was almost midnight and Skyler has been waking me up around 5:30 in the morning. Short nights!

Normally I prefer fictional works but this book written by Buzz Bissinger, the same guy who wrote Friday Night Lights is an interesting account of Tony LaRussa and managing the St. Louis Cardinals. Since I often wonder why they make the moves they do in the course of the game, it ia enlightening. Actually I remember the 3 games the title refers to--classic Cubs/Cardinal series played in STL. Since it was written back in 2005 and the events took place in August of 2003, you see the turnover in position players and pitchers. I would have to visit the MLB site to even know if some of these guys are still in baseball or when others began their time with the team. Chris Carpenter and Albert Pujols might be the only holdovers that spring to mind.

And so it goes----not getting much done but doing what I want to do even if I still feel like I am in a slump. Hope you are having a good day and thanks for stopping by

stitching

I guess you can tell what I have been stitching on by the picture at left. I DO love to embroider! I just got done with a bit of stitching on the left side of the design and all those French knots.

March themed basket block from Bee Tree Designs--pattern found on Flickr HERE .

I don't feel like sewing or quilting, unless it is hand quilting right now. That's okay. This happens and it passes at some point. I may do a little hand applique or hand quilt this afternoon. Or read since I picked up a couple books at the library when I delivered the donation stuff in my last post around town.

Actually the only thing that I have sewn this week was a project DJ and I had. The cover we bought for the BBQ grill keeps blowing off as the wind billows up under the cover. Next thing you know it will laying out in the backyard somewhere. DJ had an idea to put some holes in the cover and then bungee cord the thing down. For that purpose, I had picked up some grommets at Hobby Lobby for this purpose a month ago. The instructions tell you to use some reinforced twill tape or double layered fabric behind it. I used some steam and seam 2 and fused a couple layers together and then stitched it down through the cover before cutting the holes. Of course, as is typical of the two of us, we could not get it work properly the day we tried and gave up, thinking we needed to get the industrial strength kind from the hardware store. Still, even with the holes I had cut into we could at least bungee it down. Not ideal but it would work. DJ got the grommets in yesterday. Woohoo! Turns out we were not doing anything wrong with our process but it took way more hammering than we saw in a video online, let me tell you.

I still mean to post the sew in pictures and will do that in another post.

WIP Weds

Another day with waves of thunderstorms rolling in. I have powered down the computer twice already and elected NOT to even get started on the sewing machine for the same reason.

How about marking the next set of embroidery blocks instead? The basket blocks are somewhat monthly or seasonal themed by Cyndi Hoeller of Bee Tree Designs. Norma and I located the design printouts HERE on Flickr but she is currently showing some wonderful child friendly designs on her blog called "Pennies for Rylee".

Since we have done some embroidery in red (Alex Anderson's 12 Days of Christmas hearts and flowers) and blue (calendar snowmen) I said "how about green for something a little different?" It is Norma's fav color, after all. A friend of mine had done the blocks in Nancy Martin's Kitties to Stitch and Quilt in green. It turned out wonderfully. I own the book and they show one set of the blocks done up with a triple rail and nine patch sashing, cornerstones in 30 repro fabrics for a framed square version. Anyway, I shared a picture of the finished quilt with her and she's" in." I was still not sure about that decision but the more of these blocks that I mark with the green pigma pen, the more I like the shading!

I am due for a doctor's appointment in about a week. Last time I saw the doctor he commented about my embroidering at the visit "you were doing that LAST time you were here" Uh, yeah! It is my carry around project, after all. It helps me wait more patiently as I just can't sit and read ancient magazines. I want to see if he notices that I changed colors, LOL as well as subject matter. Santas to baskets, red to green. One color projects are easier to transport and we will be logging some car time when we go back to IL for the grandson's high school graduation.

Hopefully the weather will clear up tomorrow and I can get to sewing on the giftie. The deadline got pushed back a bit but I may come close to getting it to the Bday FAB fairly close to her special date. My goal, anyway.

a start

4 patches are all sewn using the Billie Lauder "two at once" technique. I finished doing the four patch swirl thing with the center seams this morning and then sewed and joined enough blocks to establish the diagonal chaining effect. I am going with a 5 x 7 8 inch block set so looks like 25 more blocks and 5 more rows to go. But I am setting it aside again to sew on the FAB giftie, probably tomorrow.





The fabrics I needed for two projects arrived just before lunch. I did the last bit of cutting for the giftie and then cut the replacement muslin for the Bird Brain block I need to re-do. All marked and ready to roll when I feel more inclined than I do at present.

I am very low energy today mostly because the sinus headache I have had for like 4 days now is still hanging around. As much as I love spring, I could do without the congestion, sneezing and headache deal. My eyes feel like two burn holes in a blanket and I just want to give in and go lay down. It is a little muggy and the barometric pressure is doing weird things which is not helping the aching head. UGH!

finished to flimsy

The Pieces from the Heart stitchery cat blocks top that I dis-assembled last weekend is again a top. I sewed a bit yesterday afternoon and evening and finished up this afternoon.

Since it is always good to shop your stash first, the backing fabric is an old Alexander Henry fabric that I have had for years. The selvage reads 1995 if that gives you any idea of just how long, LOL. There is a bit of it left that will probably make its way into a donation quilt at some point. The cat heads are like 4 inches in height lending themselves to something fussy cut. A bit of that creamy sashing fabric is left as well but a big dent was made in both yardages.

What is next, you may ask? I am definitely doing a "reward" project. Well, DJ gave me the money to purchase some Joined at the Hip Button Up BOMs that I have been considering for some time. (I got another fabric type gift that will surface down the line as well.) I have loved doing little monthly projects to decorate our home the last two years. 2011 will be no different. The seasonal ones offered on the website, maybe the cat might be added to my wish list. I ordered the base unit kit mainly to see what color fabrics they used that will blend with future months and the first 3 months patterns. I surely have similar fabrics that I can use my own stash for the quiltlets. I plan to get the base unit done this week, maybe even do the snowman for January. Then I want to make some of the blocks for the Oxmoor Christmas quilt while I am still in a holiday mood.

Thanks for stopping by--------and Happy Boxing Day to those of you who celebrate it.

WIP Thursday, wk 43

I totally forgot that yesterday was Wednesday and didn't post what I was working on!

Since some of my deadline sewing projects (birthday gifts, FAB challenge) were complete, I had time to do a little extra cooking/baking yesterday morning. Poor DJ has been the quick, down and dirty version of meals lately OR the leftovers from the freezer as the cook was busy. We aren't going to starve or anything but the faster I could get out of the kitchen, the better lately. I had sewing and/or crafting to do!

You see, I like have some homemade muffins or bread on hand in the freezer for an occasional mid morning coffee break. A quick zap and we can split a jumbo muffin or chunk of bread. Alas, the cupboard has been bare of that stuff for about a month. I made two loafs of the copycat version of Starbucks Pumpkin Bread since the recipe uses only half the can. Then the leftover sweet potatoes I had stashed in the freezer became a sweet potato pie with like a praline topping on it (Susan Branch newsletter) That goes with tonight's turkey breast in the crockpot meal though we did try a slice last night. Possibly poor planning on my part since the cholesterol/triglycerides are bound to be up.

SO anyway, what I DID do yesterday afternoon is prep some stitcheries. Above you see a Crabapple Hill Studio freebie designed by Meg Hawley that can be downloaded HERE. At that point I was just getting ready to trace it off.

To the right, the cornerstone blocks for the Bird Brain Santa project. Once stitched I will trim them down to the 2 inch finished size required in the kit. I have an itty bit of the #12 Santa block done. Since I plan on going to DJ's cardiologist appointment with him tomorrow, I will drag that along with me----and judging from the wait times he has experience on his previous appointments, I will get a good bit done on it.


Lastly, the last 3 Halvorsen calendar quilt blocks were traced off and ready to pull the required floss colors. I did a little bit of the stitching last night and will back to it this afternoon till supper prep time.

I am pretty sure that my next piecing/applique project will be Pumpkins 4 sale from Country Threads. I had pulled some of the fabrics a few months back and it being fall, something fun to work on. I had spotted this done up on a blog last year about this time and Margo at Heart in His Hand was so sweet to let me know the pattern source so I could track down the pattern. If I can dig up some dark green fabric from my stash, I think this one could be a reality!

At some point Lois and I will make a run up to Boaz to pick up our quilts from Susan, our long arm quilter. If not Saturday, then after Wednesday next week. My Daisy Chain is done and that means binding and a sleeve coming in the near future---my next quilt show entry, no doubt.

MMMMMMM, it is starting to smell like Thanksgiving at my house---the turkey in the pot. DJ will be eating good tonight! Have a wonderful weekend and thx for stopping by------

#11 of 12

Woohoo! Another of the Bird Brain santa blocks are completed as of a few minutes ago. No sewing the past few days but lots of stitching! Waiting at the hospital for 12 plus hours will do that.

I couldn't resist adding our names to the empty spot that was the "Nice" list. DJ said he wasn't so sure Skyler should be on there but I begged to differ, LOL.

DJ had a procedure on Wednesday. He is home now but things are not completely resolved. We should know more next week.

Tomorrow I'll get back to the "super secret project" but for today, #12 block, here I come!

WIP Weds, wk #35

A bit of stitching finished up last night--------

To the left is the untrimmed and un-bordered August and September blocks from Calendar Quilts and Stitcheries.

I was going to do fusible applique on that August block but changed my mind---obviously. I had scraps of WOW in the basket from Allison's t-shirt quilt and dug around in my stash till I found the "right" shade of yellow for the lemonade in the glass. Once seamed, the piece was easy to back with freezer paper to turn the edges. I appliqued it down in a traditional manner for a "zap" of color. There will be a lemon slice button sewn to the top of the glass. Both blocks get a running stitch border as well.

The schoolhouse block will also have buttons added once the quilt-let is layered to help anchor the layers. It calls for a small "Liberty" type bell to be added to the schoolhouse cupola and another small button on the door for a knob.

So, out comes Santa #11 again for a few stitches here and there. It all adds up over time.




My real inclination is to go ahead and work on the borders on the stitcheries especially so I could hang the September one sometime this month! July with the firecrackers is still up there---whatever!

BUT, my frienid Marilyn asked me to help her top stitch some of her business items for pay. She does American Girl doll items but also does these cute hanging towels. Some are double sided to hang over your stove handle and look like a little pinafore at the top. The ones in this pile are single sided and just fasten over the drawer pulls. I'll do my thing and then she will add the finishing touches. I need to at least get started on these rather than "play". I had done a dozen last week so at least this time I have the thread colors pulled and bobbins wound---should save some time in that regard.

Walking totals for the month of August:
Well, down a bit at 143 miles. Total since I began counting: 631 miles.

Some health issues surfaced which kept me home a few days and some weather related deterrents as well but this year I haven't allowed them to derail me totally. I am still getting in 5 days out of the week with my new action plan though still at 2.25 miles/8 laps. As long as my back and knees are not squawking at me with this schedule I am not likely to want to tempt fate. Some cooler mornings have been a blessing this past week, a glimmer of the approaching fall. Now, if the humidity would drop a bit, I would be even more blessed, LOL. Also I had backed up the alarm clock rising time by 15 minutes but could actually move it back still further as the sun isn't up over the tree line till much closer to 7 these days.

And so it goes--------time to feed the boys! Sew after lunch..............

WIP Weds, wk #32

Looks like I cut off a bit of the block when I took its "glamour shot" but Santa #10 of 12 is finished.

The WIP part? I started #11. Still didn't narrow down my next sewing project and toyed with the idea of pulling out a kit from the UFO hamper. May still do that tonight for a little while anyway.

DJ and I had a quiet day--some minor house cleaning stuff, a little laundry. Our STL Cardinals were playing a day game against the Cincinnati Reds so listened to that before and after their rain delay. Supper is simmering on the stove so no biggie involved with meal preparation.

One of my quilting buds called and wanted to know if I wanted to make the Boaz run tomorrow. There are a couple items on my "want" list plus we will probably get lunch out. I'm in, LOL. I need to track down the pattern to see what amounts of yardage I need first though. Shop informed instead of on speculation, right?

Have a great evening in whatever you chose to do---------

WIP wk #31

A little progress has been made on this triple rail donation top in the past two days. I had the bulk of this section done a few months back so row 6 was the one I pieced and attached.

Below is rows 7, 8 and 9---the long rows thru the middle of the quilt. 10 will complete the lower left corner when I get to it. Since it is on point, the rows get progressively smaller as you work out to the lower right. I'll get back to it tomorrow.



I have a ton of blue and green blocks made up so I am only trying to NOT put the same print right next to each other. I admit that is hard NOT to try to be too matchy-matchy with the prints---to just pick up a piece and use it no matter what, LOL. I couldn't resist working in some of the jigsaw scraps from the last donation top. You can't see it on this shot but it is in there. I'm going to whip up a couple more from the scrap basket before I resume the rows.

The pattern (from Mary Ellen Hopkins long ago online subscription) calls for a heart block to be pieced into the rails. It is in memory of the founder of Wrap Them In Love's mother who passed away earlier in the year. I have made this quilt once before but did not make that section heart colored. The heart part didn't show up as well. This time it will. THIS post contains a shot of the first one I made. You will see what I mean about the heart not showing up and where I am headed with this thing.


I'm going to put a few more stitches in this block today rather than machine sew. And maybe read a bit---I am right in the middle of Earlene Fowler's State Fair book. DJ and I also picked up a couple books from the bookmobile today.

Plus I see some kitchen time ahead on the horizon. I am thinking about trying a new cake recipe for Honey Bun Cake. I found it printed up in this month's ALFA members publication but HERE is a link online (looks the same to me.) I do love cinnamon! Someone I know has a birthday next week.....not that this IS a birthday cake. ( I refuse to make my own bday cake!) I feel like baking and just want a taste of a little something sweet tonight. The leftovers can go to the freezer. HMMMMMM, it says to bake it in a 13 x 9 but shows it in a Bundt pan so I may go that route instead.

Hope you are having a good day in whatever YOU chose to do