Switching gears

Since I need to wait for a small fabric shipment from my mom to proceed with the March button up, I am moving back to the QOV stuff. When I last worked on this (Friday 2-17) at the Friendship Quilters sew-in, this was as far as I got. Jane gave me the blue yardage for that last round or it would not gotten THAT far.

Currently it measures 36 x 56 and it needs to be bumped up to as near to 60 x 90 to meet the requested size for the veteran's home beds. Translation: 17 inches more to the top and bottom and 12 inches to the long sides. I have it worked out on paper in EQ---see THIS post for the sketch.

The Marcus Brother fabric site has the pattern designed to use their American Valor fabric line. They show a version of variable star scattered between pieces of triple rail using a partial seam method. I don't think that is going to work for me since mine is a bit asymmetrical. I thought maybe Friendship Stars instead?? Name of the quilt group, after all but only a quilter would recognize the block name and make the connection between the two.

Jackie had cut these stars away from that same panel piece to just use the eagle part in her top.  I  happened to be standing at the cutting table at the time and thought these might work on my panel quilt.  Only thing is, there is now way to cut the blocks out evenly.  I decided to fuse them down to a base fabric and it will eliminate having to piece any sort of star for the quilt and get more mileage from Jackie's panel at the same time.

J

One good thing from my treasure hunt yesterday was that I found some fabric I can use for the outer border and probably the star bases. It will still have to be pieced for the long edges but it is 44 wide x 64 inch long cream colored stuff that will also work for the radiant stars. Another dinosaur, it was with a half done Debbie Mumm cow project that I never got around to pitching or re-purposing. It might make a cute center for a kids quilt so I still didn't pitch it but I did run off with the remaining background fabric. When I could not get the ingrained how long folds to press out, I just threw it in the washer. I also located that navy with the tannish paisley that might work for the binding. I'll get to cutting as soon as I finish my blog post. 

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Tomorrow is Bama Belles day with a potluck lunch. I took time this morning to make a double batch of Italian Wedding Soup for my contribution. I also did some prep work for our supper meal since we are having Turkey Cobb Salads. I will just have some plating to do when its time for supper and not have to drop whatever I am in the middle of come 4:30-5 p.m..

We are STILL waiting for the replacement dishwasher. It arrived at the store on Wednesday but so far no one has called to set up a time to install it. We do like the frigidaire model and seem to be getting used to it but do not like the scratch and banged up kick plate. Both of us have our fingers crossed that the washing machine won't be next to crash. We have had to have the dryer serviced but not the machine once we got passed the initial improperly installed hoses, that is.

The temps have been in the 50's and 60's so DJ is busy caulking and touch-up painting. That siding is constantly in need of attention, it seems. I am still not ready to concede DJ's point that we are having an early spring. March can be such a changeling, after all. Next he will be saying that we didn't have any spring and went straight to summer-----like that old saw that "Alabama has the following seasons: almost summer, summer, still summer and Christmas"

Well, I can either talk about quilting or I can actually do it------till next time.

Treasure Hunt

Because I needed a little break today from cutting/sewing/thinking about QOV quilts, I elected to pull fabrics for the March Button Up from Joined at the Hip.   ( Look for BU 3 if you try the link.)  I didn't get it done last year so I would like to make it THIS year even if I may not get it hung for March.I can't replicate the fabrics that they use for it but I can make it to my tastes and stash fabrics.  I am not all that crazy about all that brown, for example.

Referring to the fabric picture below I have some fabrics pulled.  My rabbit will be white, not cream, thank you very much.   The background will be that soft yellow calico.  I had some pink plaid as they suggested for the ears, nose and tail.  More on that stuff in a minute.  5 oranges for the carrots?  No problem---I've got that covered.. 3 pastels for the eggs?  Got that in spades!  Green for the carrot tops and a possible brown for something though I didn't go check the homespun bin yet for brown plaids.

That striped fabric might be the backing if I have enough of it. I found it on the "treasure hunt".  What I really was looking for was a basket weave fabric.  Wouldn't that be perfect instead of that muddy brown they show?  What I had in mind was the print my mom had used it in my wedding basket quilt.  I had some of the same yardage.  That means I bought it in IL and before we moved down here in 97.   I looked high and low in here and the only thing I managed to do was raise a whole lot of dust and re-acquaint myself  with what I have.  I sure had not planned on cleaning today!

Then apparently not satisfied to just drive MYSELF crazy I called my mom and put her on the chase for any leftovers.  I don't know if I sent her my yardage or what?   She had planned to make a duplicate of my quilt so who knows?   LOL, she didn't recall that part.   An hour later she called and said she found 3 possibles candidates but not the basket weave in question.  It helps to have your mom share your interests.

Would you like to guess just how long I have had that soft yellow calico and the pink plaid??   Early in my quilting life I wanted to make this "Sweet Harmony" log cabin quilt designed by Christal Carter for Stitch and Sew way back in Feb. 89.  The whole quilt is comprised of 2 inch finished log cabin blocks and mind you, this was waayyyy before I had even heard of foundation piecing.  It just so happened that a quilt/fabric shop about 40 minutes from Bloomington (IL) was going out of business.  I went with my mom and some other quilting pals buying a good bit of the yardage I would need to make the quilt.
Now, over the years I have raided it for a bit here or there for a square or two but basically the yardage was still combined and in its own basket.  Today I yanked out the yellow calico and the pink plaid.  There is a nice yellow with a pink pin dot in there too that may not too safe down the line too.   I think if I have not used it  for the quilt plan since 1990, it is okay to "break up the set" when I need it for something else.  It has antiqued long enough.  They'll make more, though far more expensive than this was.

I don't think I am cutting anything out today.  I'll wait to see what Mom's basket weave ideas look like and adjust accordingly.  I'm still closer to March than I was this morning!

And sew it goes-------think I'll just do a little embroidery tonight and plan on sewing tomorrow, one of the two QOV's probably.

Almost!

Just the side borders to go and this puppy is done.  I had it laid out to measure and both boys were lending a hand.  DJ moved back to the AL-MSU basketball game and Skyler wants my measuring tape.

Okay, back to sewing as I WILL have this done tonight.

I should be sewing........

Okay, two of the turnstile blocks are done but neither meet in the middle as well as I would like.  The other 4 blocks are pieced but in halves.  That is as far as I got yesterday.   Want to make a bet on whether I will have any better luck with the centers on the other 4?

If it were not for the time I have already invested and my great desire to be done with this top, I would scrap these and substitute something else.

And I DO want to move on..........I got a pile of 3-D bowties in navy and white with red knots to address for another QOV top.  I love 3-D bowties way more than pinwheels.

Just whining---fire up that machine and make it happen, Linda!  Think that is enough of a kick in the behind?  LOL.

WIP Weds

One more row to go----that turnstile block you see in my work space.  6 of them.  Ordinarily I do not like to do pinwheel type blocks with all that stuff landing in the middle of the block.   Still, it seemed to go with the mix of rows and will pick up the same yellows in the friendship stars that I did yesterday.

Hopefully this whole top will be done in a day or two so I can move on-----to lets say, that pile of 3-D bowties with the red knots I had started at the fall sew-in.

And sew it goes.  Still pluggin'

Recipe for those cookies

For whomever wants this---the recipe is online but in most cases, with goofy procedures for making them.  (One I found even was made with LARD!)   I fleshed it out a bit and added an Oatmeal Toffee variation from an online quilting friend back in the aCozyQuiltBee /onelist/yahoogroup days. Makes about 5 dozen if you don't use as much dough as I did this morning for another batch.

DJ said "not to bother/ don't feel obligated since you didn't have any left for me/you're too busy"---you know the he doth protest too much routine?  I told him I was making them because I wanted to plus I still had all the ingredients on hand to do so.  If he didn't want them, I would give them away too, LOL.  What I REALLY did was save out a dozen and the rest went to the freezer for now.  Well, minus the 2 we had for ummmmm, quality control testing purposes, that is.

Pride of Iowa Cookies

(with an Oatmeal Toffee variation) 

 The coconut in the cookie makes them a bit chewy but the overall effect is a crisp, not overly sweetened cookie.  This is a family recipe that dates back to the 50’s.  My mother told me that my maternal grandmother had found it in a newspaper.    

INGREDIENTS

  1 cup brown sugar

  1 cup granulated sugar

  1 cup shortening   **** see note below

  2 large eggs

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  2 cups flour

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  3 cups oatmeal (old fashioned oats, not instant)

  1 cup coconut

  1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

****NOTE:  I used butter flavored Crisco and added 2 tablespoons of water to the recipe since that is a substitute for butter.  I have also seen the recipe written with half butter and half shortening to equal 1 cup total**** 

DIRECTIONS:

Cream together sugars and shortening till light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla along with 2 tablespoons of water if you wish to use it.  Beat on medium-low about 30 seconds to incorporate

Sift together the dry ingredients and then add to the creamed mixture.  Then stir in the oatmeal, coconut and chopped nuts.  You may have to add them and manually incorporate them into the recipe as the batter is fairly stiff with that much oatmeal.  However, I was able to mix it with my professional duty Kitchen Aid on setting 4

Drop by rounded spoonfuls (about the size of large walnut) onto greased cookie sheet, placing the dough about 2 1/2 inches apart.   Flatten with glass dipped in granulated sugar.  (I used a small cookie scoop and air insulated cookie sheet)

Bake at 375 degrees for about 8-11 minutes.  Bake them till they start to turn a golden brown around the edges---the centers will look a little underdone but will firm up on standing.  Cool on sheet for 1 minute after moving from oven and then waxed paper to cool. 

HILARY'S OATMEAL TOFFEE VARIATION:

2 tsp vanilla instead of one tsp to the recipe above. Omit the nuts and substitute one 10 oz bag of English toffee chips (like Heaths or Hershey Skor brand).  Reduce the oatmeal to 2 cups from 3 cups.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Larger cookies will take more than 14 minutes.

QOV sewing continues

What a fun time at the sew-in the last two days!  Good fellowship and the Ways and Means see to it that we eat well providing the meals.  The members bring munchies and snacks.   My Pride of Iowa cookies were a big hit as was Jane's Southern Praline Pecan cake.  Guess we know what we better fix when it is time to do our turn on the refreshment committee!

DJ was a little disappointed that I did not come home with any cookies.  I bake cookies so seldom as he likes those cardboard tasting ones from the grocery store.  Translation:  why bother in that case?  Thursday when I handed him some good fresh baked ones I said "now THIS is what a cookie should taste like or why eat them?".   He got those and an over-sized one from the last bit of batter in the bowl.  Two days in a row he asked if I had any left.  Come to find out, a couple of the girls had taken one home for their hubby's to try and then insisted that their wives get the recipe, LOL  I told DJ I would make him another batch tomorrow but most of them are heading to the freezer!  I ran a few copies of the recipe on Friday night to take to the ones I knew wanted it.

Yesterday we in the north end of  Calhoun County had to duck out a little early as there was a possibility of storms and tons of rain with the worst predicted around 3 or so. The 15th top for the weekend was finished up as we were packing up and the 16th was not far behind it.  There are quite a few still in progress too.  Some of the gals were packing up the finished flimsies with backing and batting for their trip to the long arm quilters.  Not bad at all!!  Once they have the picture loaded on our new and improved website I'll send you a link so you can go look.

While I personally did not get a whole lot of sewing done, it was not for a lack of trying.  I'll concentrate on my work this week at home and see if I can get the three I have committed to do finished up by the end of the month or thereabouts.

I did get my Land of Liberty panel piece up to the round of rails and stars on Friday.  One of the gals used the same panel but just the eagle part trimming off the printed  Lone Star type piece.  I latched on to those but I will have to fuse them down as there is not enough fabric to cut it out evenly on all 4 sides.  Another gal  gave me some of her leftover fabrics to use for the rail sections.  Combined with what I already have I should be okay on that one, excepting perhaps a small outside border.

 The same person was offering some suggestions for the sashing sections on my row quilt.  Turns out she had some of the very yardage I need.  Woohoo!  One of the Belles thinks she has some of it tucked away as well.  I am hopeful that I will be able to squeeze out sashing and borders.  I had pulled the row you see just to the right of the bowtie apart the other night to square it up.  I'm calling it an Illinois Road variation;  I ended up re-assembling it slightly differently.  I also made another block as it was one block short, trying to  match the colors as best I could.  I pieced the Cotton Reels row yesterday.

Today I am making this chaining row below.  I am calling it Half Puss in the Corner chain.

The other day as I was drawing in EQ I had a row of Double 4 patch blocks arranged in this same zig zag pattern.   Where the blocks joined there were a few extra seams.  I fiddled with it but STILL had more unnecessary seams where a different section met.  Finally the light bulb went off----there are two blocks in this row if you approach it vertically.  That 4 patch with a solid patch either below or on top of it is one.  The half Puss in the Corner thing is the 2nd.  and they are just reversed every other one.  PLUS it can be strip pieced with just two strip sets though I made a third one just in case I mis-cut, mis-counted or mis-calculated on the math.   I am filing THIS idea away since it would work for a pieced border too.

So once this is done, I have 3 more rows to piece----hearts, turnstiles and friendship stars or 15-6 inch finished blocks.

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Dishwasher saga---round 3
While I was gone on Friday, they delivered the new replacement dishwasher.  The one DJ picked out the other day that would accommodate the bowls to his liking.  See one of the previous posts in recent weeks.  It is a Frigidaire model, not another model of Whirlpool as he had told me the other day. That part doesn't matter--if he is happy with his choice, I will be too.    BUT it has a big scratch on the front of the panel and a dent in the kick plate.  DJ said he refused to accept it and the installer got on the phone to Lowe's.  A replacement one is due in on Tuesday.  We are back on the list---again.  DJ thought he was getting a new one, not a refurbished/"as is" one.  That is what we paid for.  Actually till they credit the account and turn the Whirlpool one into a refurbished one we still own TWO dishwashers.  I would not anticipate the final installation to be done till at least the 24th or 27th.  Damian went ahead and un-installed the Whirlpool but left the scratched Frigidaire one so we had something in the meantime.  I haven't even looked at the manual to know how to operate it.  Once DJ knows how to operate it, I'll just stuff dishes in and he can move them if he doesn't like where I put them.

Next thing I know it will be time to fix supper.  This day is just speeding by especially since I had grocery errands to day as well.  Hope you are having a good one, in whatever you chose to do---------

WIP Weds

As I told you in my last post, this is QOV week around here.

Today I was working on the row design to figure out just how many blocks/rows I would need to piece to include with some that were donated.  Several of the rows come in right on the money at my targeted range of 54 finished.  Two do not---like an inch bigger! I think I can see where they went wrong.  Some slightly off seam allowances along with some inaccurate cutting.  I am pulling them apart to square them up.  I'll re-cut if needed and of course, re-assemble them.   Yes, I would probably be easier to just pull some other fabrics and just start from scratch.  I like the fabrics and someone at least TRIED to participate in the row project.  I can do a selvage operation.  I've done it before and I'll do it again.

Yesterday when I was measuring them at the meeting, I found  one row that was wayyyyy shorter than the rest and made with what looks to be Moda Marbles.  Problem was: quarter of a Broken Dishes block is pieced with half square triangles, NOT quarter square triangles and those bias edges were stretching, big time.  I tossed it.   Definitely better to start from scratch on that idea!

So here is sort of what I had for the Marcus Brother" Land of Liberty"  panel---my name, not theirs.  I think they called it American Valor but I believe that name referred more to the fabric line rather than the quilt itself.  It says "Liberty and Justice" on it anyway.  I bumped the rail sections up to 9 inches so it made more sense to use a 3 grid block rather than the variable star shown in the pattern.  Besides, it will make it a little bit different than the quilts some have already made and turned in  AND the guild is Friendship Quilters after all and the friendship star is on our name badges etc.

Still not sure what fabrics to use for that area around the red.  One navy piece I do have that might be big enough looks too juvenile but one of the Belles said she might have more like it at her house.  Maybe use it on the other quilt??

And here is what I have for the row quilt sections.  The row that looks like just sashed squares is actually a folded fabric origami blocks.  The bowties, Cotton Reel, Illinois Roads, Fans and Flying Geese do exist.

That means, I re-piece the stuff I pulled apart plus make friendship stars, hearts, turnstile blocks and probably substitute Broken Dishes for the diamonds on point---but maybe not, LOL.  I like the looks of it but I am just not sure what size to cut the squares.  I kinda like the lighter blue in the drawing  but in actuality they used a lot of red to burgundies rather than the royal blue and clear red that I used in the mock up.

Now I have a plan,  I just need to execute it and round up some fabric.  That might help.

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Here at home, DJ and I planned on going to Outback Steakhouse for a late Valentine's lunch today only to find that they are only open in the evenings.  I had quilt group yesterday so we had elected to wait.  We went to Golden Corral instead.  When we were preparing to sit down, someone called to us.  Jane and another quilting friend were sitting on the other side of the divider.    Normally if I am going to run into anyone, it is at the grocery store.  We really don't know that many people down here even after 15 years.

Nothing much else going on though we still are waiting to hear from the dishwasher installer guy.   DJ will have to put up the silverware drawer and bowls that flop over a little bit longer, LOL.

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

Design Wall Monday

Seriously there is nothing much happening on that design wall.  Same blocks up there---some blank squares for quilt labeling purposes, a piece of bias binding for the Christmas Patience Corners.  We also have a block Aline gave me for Christmas along with the Oxmoor House components that I hoped would inspire me to keep going on that.  Odd kid quilt components but mostly I can't quite reach them, LOL.

A slump or just busy with other stuff?? Both actually.

On Thursday through Saturday this week Friendship Quilters is having a sew-in to work on our quilts for the Col. Robert L. Howard Veteran's Home being built in Pell City (AL).    The Popsicle Sticks stuff that I hoped to work on a bit over this past week just did NOT happen.   The guild met on Saturday and I did not feel well a few hours after I got home.  Yesterday, some cutting and grocery errands. You know how it goes. Life happens.   I put the stuff back in the container for now.  Not forever, just not now.

Now I have to make room for it to stay in my line of fire.
That also means the large blue tub of Christmas fabric is going back under the cutting/pressing table.  The stack of stuff on the left atop it is all related to the Oxmoor Quilt---back it goes too.

I also have 30's fabrics (by no means all I have) to the right and the smaller tote atop it is holding some newer acquired stuff from the donation bin that I have plans for.

I knocked the paper shredder over as I moving things around so I got to vacuum up the room along with some hairy base boards under the table.   Maybe that was a good thing, LOL?

Seismic shifting.

.........Out comes the patriotic fabrics etc from its hiding place.   Aline had given me the extra Land of Liberty panel she had to do something with.   The fabric manufacturer Marcus Brothers has a free pattern on their website for American Valor that I will use but it is not quite long enough when the suggested size is 60 x 90 for the beds at the veteran's home.  I'll do some tweaking in EQ to re-size it before I cut.

To prepare for the sew-in I cut the alternating squares and rectangles that go with the RWB 3-D bowties I had started at the last sew-in.  The kit next to it is one I cut out for Jane.  The guild was setting up kits of fabric for anyone that wanted one but it was not cut to size.  Apparently she is not as confident in her cutting skills as I am and said so.  It is a simple "potato chip" quilt or one that I knew as Rainy Day Satisfaction from ten  years back.  Whatever, LOL.    The other bag is the RWB row quilt some one donated that I need to sash/add more blocks to or adjust in some manner to get to the targeted size.  I have made 2 already and plan on 3 more--that's enough.  A more truthful statement would probably be that with pro bono sewing there is never enough. The needs are great and always present.

I had gotten my QOV Disappearing 4 patch back from the long arm quilter a month back.  The binding IS on it but I need to stick a label on it as well.  Margaret had done some up on an embroidery machine but she may not have been the one that quilted this.  I had thought about asking one of the Belles with an embroidery machine if she could help me out with that.  OR play with my Brother to see if I could figure out how to set up the lettering.  Just haven't had time to look at the manual and play.

I asked Jane if she would want to work on the binding at the sew-in rather than drag her machine with us.  She, more or less, jumped at that idea!  We were swapping services.  I cut, she binds.  We're both happy.  I'll hand off at Bama Belles' tomorrow.

The fellowship hall we normally use is needed by another group to set up for an event they have the following day.  The church secretary had given me a "heads up" before they okay'd this.  Rather than schedule an alternate event or location we are just meeting in one of the classrooms in the church.   Handwork day, more or less.  Some members cross stitch, others like me do redwork.  Some body wanted me to show them how to hand quilt  (Teresa maybe?) so I may take my Birdbrain Santa quilt instead of my  embroidery.  Makes no difference to me, LOL.

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On another front, DJ who is the primary loader and unloader of the dishwasher is not happy with our choice.  He hates the silverware holder in the door which HAD been a selling point and the bowls will not stay in an upright position which was driving him around the bend.   I told him to quit bellyaching and try to get used to the change in features.  I was thinking that we had made our choice and would have to live with it.  See how sympathetic I was, LOL?  After listening to 3 days of how we had made the wrong choice, I was fresh out of sympathy and tired of the complaining.  Today he calls Whirlpool and the CSR got to listen to it too.

Off shoot of all this, Lowe's will take this one back.  We had 30 days after the sale to get an exchange.  He asked me to go with him to talk to the sales person but frankly, I have not really had to load the new one except for a few items used in food prep.  He is the one who has the problems and loads the bulk of it.  I haven't even read the manual yet. Therefore he is the one who needs to be happy with his choice.  To that end, he took 4 different kinds of our bowls in question to try them in the models they have till he found one that fit the bill--another whirlpool with different features.   It will cost us 3 additional dollars and another installation fee with a credit coming down the line.   They have 2 business days to call and set up an installation time again.  Hopefully the same person can come back.

And sew it goes---I got a label to sew on, a car to load and some designing to do.

WIP Thursday

 It is going but very slow.

The designer Terry Atkinson lists sizes as:

• nap 48 x 64
• lap 64 x 80
• twin/full 80 x 96
• queen 96 x 112
• king 112 x 112

I want it to be more like 86 x 96 so made some adjustments to bump up the width by a "half block" and went with the length of the full rather than the width of the queen.  So I fiddled with it in EQ only to discover that moving the half block part around meant way more seam matching or a band of 8 strips,  Just add a column to one long edge and call it done!

So the sum total of my output is the 30 sections of squares I already had done.  I only have 20 of the 3 strips x 10.5 done, only 46 to go!  The small sections?  Only two and that was because of a mis-cut---34 more there!

I have been playing a bit in my recipe software making some major additions and changes in the past few days.  Lots of backing up required, etc along with reading discussion list notes, experimenting with some OCR software and such.  Time involvement things really and still part of organizing my files in a logical manner.

I may not have posted this here but we have had to replace our 15 year old Maytag dishwasher.  I had walked out there one morning recently to feed the cat and stepped in a puddle.  Oh oh!  We had gone to bed with the dishwasher running so where had it come from and what did the owner's manual say about it in the trouble shooting area?  Anyway, a change in dish washer preparation help along with some sanding and silicon grease but it was still spitting some water out.  We could see the hand writing on the wall.  It would need replacement.  DJ and I went several places to price them on Friday and purchased one at sale price, sales tax waived and a set installation price with pickup and haul way.   The fellow is here now with his helper wife installing it.  

We had hoped he would be here yesterday but that didn't happen.  That part of the story is only pertinent because I have a slight snafu with my car that will need some attention.  I say slight---who knows?   The right turn signal had blinking like a hazard light on steroids.  When I told DJ about it, him being the fleet manager and all, we went out to check to see what it was doing outside the car.  Not lighting up at all meaning that other drivers do not know what my intentions are in regards to a turn.   He had me turn on the headlamps to check the brake lights, etc.  Not sure what he said about those but he did tell me to take his car if I had errands to run until we could get it fixed.  Someone suggested that it might just be a bulb that needs replaced.  DJ will take it in tomorrow as he has to head that way for something else.  Save gas, combine your errands.  

The thing is---we just had that left tail light replaced due to the cracked lens.  There were parts leftover.  We can't help but wonder if there is a connection between the two events.    Guess we'll find out tomorrow!

Looks like they are all done and I need to go fix some lunch.  I got off easy yesterday as we didn't want to dirty up a bunch of dishes. I'll pay for THAT decision by having to cook two meals today.  What can I whip up somewhat quickly?   HMMMMM.

I'll close with this picture of some of the daffodils that are out.  The camellia is going nuts with blooms and so far no big frost though we have had a couple of colder nights that were close.   Isn't Mother Nature something?

This afternoon, back to sewing a bit and some recipe entry as well.  

PopStix progress--edited

 This what my cut piles looked like before I started sewing yesterday afternoon.  Nice, neat contained.  The stuff in the front is my jelly roll strips all separated out by their color groupings or style of the print.

Here is my output so far----32 of the 5 strips sections x 10.5 inches.  I need to make 10 more to be done with step A-B of the pattern.   I almost had to take this with a cat sitting among the blocks.   As it is, one of the strip sets is piled on the thread boxes near the light, LOL.

And here is the fabric strips after a day's sewing----what a mess!  I closed down shop for the night.  My back will thank me to do so.  Plus I need to unplug the machine anyway since we have some thunder/lightning moving in.  I am going to straighten this up and call it a night!  The only neat part of the pile right now is what remains of the Amelia jelly roll though I suspect some might still be hiding in that strip pile.    I did cut some more strips just to add a bit more color the mix or lighter strips for contrast.

I will pair up the next 5 sections I need while I am organizing the strips and get back to it tomorrow.  Think it is going to make a pretty quilt or a hot mess??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorting by color

More sorting

Any bets on how long it stays this way after I make 84- 3 strips by 10.5 inch sections? 

Reveal date!

The FABs are celebrating Norma's bday today---at long last.  Her day fell around US Thanksgiving this past year and we just could not get everyone's schedules to coordinate.  Trust me, the emails and IM's were flying to decide that Saturday, Feb. 4th would work out for all concerned.

At left you see the Snow Days Button Up from Joined at the Hip that I made for her.  When I first offered to make her one, I told her to pick a couple that she liked.  She suggested November for her bday month and the December stockings one.  Well,  she and I made that "Charley Brown" Christmas tree so December was taken care of.  November, I could have done but with her party being pushed back so far I was afraid she would not get to use what I made till next fall.  Snow Days, it was.  Shown on my base though and my buttons were not aligned just right for display nor was I going to move them just to take a picture, LOL.

I am sure she will post about this and her other gifties on her blog in a few days time.  What a talented bunch of gals I am associated with.

As part of her Par-Tay plans we are sewing on Atkinson Designs' "Popsicle Sticks"  (PopStix, in FAB talk).  Well, 4 of us are.  Norma is working on a king sized version with fall colors.  Pam is making a queen sized with a lot of dotty fabric.  Pat is making a donation sized one using a jelly roll and some additions from her stash while I am aiming for somewhere between a full and a queen if possible.  She lists the full version as 80 wide which is too narrow for my bed while the 96 inch queen is too wide.  I am hoping to do a half row or something like that.  And should be sewing!!  I am getting closer to done on the step A-B part but stopped to post this.

I didn't forget about Cher though.  She elected not to start a new project but rather go back to another of our previous "par-tay" quilts and try to finish it up or make some forward progress.  I think she said she was doing the Line Art/Skinny Strips one that I had selected for my day.  It's all good, LOL!

I cut a few more light background strips just before I broke for lunch so best get back to it.  I still say these girls work a lot faster than I do even if the "speed demon"  title may not fit.

A finish

 Woohoo!  Joined at the Hip February Button Up is complete and hanging in its hallway spot.

Today's project----PopStix strip sets.  

WIP Thursday

Today's goal.is to get this thing bound!

I finished the quilting yesterday morning.  The binding and tabs went on when I came back from errands.  That is as far as it got.

I needed to do some tweaking on the computer, supper preparation took longer than I thought, blah, blah, blah.  Binding is never my favorite part though I do a good job on it.  I think the crack on the corner of my thumb makes me not so anxious to pick up a needle BUT I do want this up on my wall so best get cracking.

The boys only got 6 holes of golf in yesterday and were eligible for a rain check for today's round.  Herb will be moving on down to Columbus, GA for a couple of days and then down to FL where he picks his wife up at the airport.  I doubt we see them on their return since they have family in ATL and NC to visit.

The house is quiet and I have it to myself for longer than a doctor's appointment or the time it takes him to run errands.  Let's enjoy it!  I'll stitch and think about what I would rather be doing, LOL.  Tomorrow I have hopes to do some of the strip sets ahead of Norma's FAB Par-Tay on Saturday.  If not, I'll lag behind---don't know what I am worried about though, I always lag behind those speed demons, LOL.

Hope you have a good day-----