standstill

Once again I have come to a screeching halt for sewing, quilting, piecing, whatever but that is not to say that it has not been on my mind.   Just the execution has stopped, LOL.

I can show you what I was piddling with the other day. I finally laid hands on the misplaced pieces of binding corners that one of the Belles had lent to me but I had not had time to explore yet. I thought I would make my OWN set so I could return hers plus try out the technique. This method eliminates the need to slip stitch the miter closed---turn it over and it is already mitered by machine and supposedly a nicer finish. I can bind fairly well but my corners always look a little sloppy to me so why not try it, was my thought.

First off let me say that this idea has probably been around since at least 1993. Linda Goodman Emery designed a mini-miter thing called "Corner Mark-It" way back when as it says so in the insert of the one I bought and stuck in my "carry to sewing events" basket. Never used it, never tried the technique. Must have considered it at some point or why buy the tool?  I had some problems mostly because I cut my strips 2 1/4 and not 2 or 2 1/2 inch like the ruler suggests but had hoped I could make some adjustments.

Also Rosa's examples some doing a variation of a mitered corner that I am used to doing but you don't start the seam at the folded edge as you normally do. I took some pictures that might explain it better than my words.

Goodman Emery and Deborah Manlove both use straight strips for binding---folded back out the way to add into the quilt sides and then a pointy seam thing. Manlove uses her own tool called "The binding Thingy" but it looks very similar to the Corner Mark-it but narrower and few more lines on it but it looks similar.  Yep, I bought another tool only to find it I had something very much like it.  And it doesn't work any better than the other one because my strips are a tad too narrow.   Manlove has a video on you tube if you want to check it out---maybe it will work better for you but as for me, till the cut binding is used up it is the old way for me!  I need more practice, LOL.

Here I am trying to make my set like Rosa's------up to that point business as usual but I hope you can see that the stitching did not start where it normally does.

Below shows the angle marked with the tool.   My problem was the extra wide seams on the machine to attach it in her example set and the wider binding to accommodate it.

But it did work if you look at the example below----I got mine to work but poked a hole in it trying to get the corner to lay down right. I also may have trimmed it incorrectly.

Then I switched over to doing it the Tangled Threads "Binding Thing" way.  I think I get it.

It did work but I see a few stray threads on the front and the binding folds over a bit more than it should.  She suggests adding a bit of batting to fill the corner and mine would need it especially since I probably trimmed away more than I should  have.

Again, I need practice and properly cut width strips before I try it again.  Operator error, LOL not the fault of the designer at this point.

~~~~~~~~~~~
I had switched out machines after Bama Belles met last week thinking I would start quilting.  As I said that did not happen and may not happen today either.   I did not feel well on Thursday and spent most of the day down in bed.  Friday was feeling better but it still didn't happen.  I was uploading music to I-tunes so I could donate the CDs and DVDs----less is more after all.   Saturday Friendship Quilters guild in Pell City.  Yesterday, grocery errands and typing up minutes for both the guild meeting and the executive board meeting plus dealing with some of my own home matters paperwork.  I have the usual Monday errands to run---post office, bank and another run to Walmart for my own purchases plus get my hair trimmed in an hour across the lane, two meals to fix and husband who needs HIS hair cut too.  Always something!   I promise I will be back, Eric the Red,  just not today. (I quilt with my Viking).  I may try to cut out the "Fight Like a Quilter" heart block I need to have turned in to a quilt shop in Maine by mid June though.  Sewing it would be "gravy" on a day like today.

Also under consideration---------
Shelia has issued a paint chip challenge for Friendship Quilters with a small project of any type in time for the Christmas meeting.  Here is the one I pulled---she had them fan folded like an upside down deck of cards and we drew one.   Mine ranges from "Clear Spearmint Frost through Fine Pesto and ends with Raw Winter Spinach"   Who thinks up these wacky names???  But suffice it to say, it is a nice shade of green, fairly clear toned and not overly grayed to the sage end of things.  I think the Moda Marbles card matches at least three of them fairly closely but I need to take it out in the sunlight, if that ever comes around again, to be sure.  We are to use two colors minimum of the 7 on the card.  So far my existing stash does not show any matches.  Maybe I should mail one of these paint chip things to my mom and see how her stash matches up?  I won't need much!!

 Participation is voluntary but it might be fun especially since the field is so wide open as to what to make.  It could be anything from a mug rug, purse or wall hanging and any points in between.  If I am really clever I could kill two birds with one stone too---combine challenges. Or come to think of it,  these tones may work in the August button up when I need to come up with greens and pinks for summer watermelons.      Hey, I am liking that idea!!!    HMMMMMM  Image is from the Joined at the Hip button up website and this is BU#8 for the month of August.

I also like the Monica Solorio-Snow from Happy Zombie blog's "Bubble Runner" shown in the October 2011 American Patchwork and Quilting magazine----fun brights that might work for this idea.  Picture of it seen HERE.  Inspired by that cake plate shown next to it, says in the article.  HMMMM again.

I can keep up the surfing all day.  Googling "paint chip challenge" and see what pops up might be dangerous when I have other stuff to do.  Got go get this day rolling starting with getting dressed and making my bed!

Hope you have a good day and thx for stopping by---------

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!

one finish anyway!

A finish, finally! I thought I would play with Bev's flowers but wound up starting on the binding stack instead.

I've got more binding to go on the other three recent quilted items---two are much smaller so that's helpful.

This one is all hand appliqued, except for the letters.

some progress

 This morning shows me prepping carrots.  No, not for eating though I toyed with the idea of making some carrot raisin salad yesterday when I bought a two lb. bag of real carrots, from Georgia even!  These go to the base part of the March Button Up.  I think mine are going to have slightly blunter tips on them as I am having problems with knowing how close to trim/clip or cut fabric out of that area.

I don't needle turn so freezer paper, modified yo yo over templar and fusibles, it is for this girl.

I ended up doing some hand applique on the basket elements and the bunny tail.  I had a nice turned edge for the bias cut basket handle, basket trim and all the eggs shapes so why not.  I won't need to do much button hold applique this time out especially if I ditch the lettering.  Just the nose and carrot tops would require it.
I did prep the nose and ear accents last night but didn't baste them down yet so the bunny still looks a little blah----but he's getting there!

Thanks again to pals Sheila for the basket fabric and Maggie for the bright yellow rick rack that will serve as bunny whiskers!  Hopefully the yard of brown plaid I ordered will show up before too long and I can complete the bottom part.  I see machine quilting on the horizon.   Who knows?  Maybe this WILL be up for Easter after all!

I've got a few errands to run and the laundry is started.  Still a lot of day ahead of me to do bunny ears.  My primary objective this afternoon is to get the trunk of my car emptied out a bit so I can load up the quilts I will be delivering to the Talledega Presbyterian Home for Children.  There is stuff that needs to go to the recycle center in there now and that is easily delivered.

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

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.

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-----------

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.

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.

the year's first flimsy and finish

Hot off the press 1-4 with binding completion.  Yeah mostly a Dec 2011 project with the piecing, button hole appliquing and machine quilting.  It still goes on the 2012 list.  Woohoo!  Scratch off one of the week's goals.

And, except for the button appliquing or some sort of edge finishing,  "February" Button Up is a flimsy.  By the 5th heart I prepped yesterday I knew that it was better to cut off small sections of the ric rac and overlap it then try to make it bend around the corners, especially on that pointy tip!   It looked like I might be running short on the ric rac as well but of two packages, I have about 6 inches of it left.

I ended up basting the ric rac down and then removing the freezer paper from the back that I had used to turn the raw edges.  Then I had to use a whole sheet of steam a seam 2 to stick the thing down.  I am not fond of the stiffness behind the hearts but it could not be helped on this one.   I am counting this as almost reaching the week's goal, LOL but that might be close enough!

After two days of hand stitching I am most definitely ready to give my fingers a break and do some sewing.   My plans are to prep the binding and hanging loops for February. Then I am moving back to the Pineapple Blossom WTIL top.    And sew it goes---------

What I have so far.........

After all that quilting lately, I was so ready for a reward project.  I had posted that this was my personal project of choice on New Year's Day.   It got moved along on Monday to this point when I "closed up shop".

I decided that it might be best to baste the ric rac to the heart and then secure down the whole deal.  It does soften the edges of that angular shaped heart.  Of course, stitching thru all those layers was not without peril, LOL.  Between the pins, the glue, sticking myself a couple times I was happy to put it away and start fresh this morning-------with a heavier, longer milliner's needle.

Here is a closeup of the one I have basted and secured.  The pattern suggests using bright yellow ric rac and then over-dying it with tan dye.  I could not find bright yellow jumbo ric rac here in town on my cursory look but I didn't want to order any either.   I have since found out that they do have a selection of ric rac at Wilson's up in Boaz and I will remember that should I need any again.   Anyway, I found plain old white so I dyed the green stripe and the red dot fabric along with it.  The texture is subtle but I think it will still work.

Now we see Skyler wanting to lend his hand to the preceedings.  I have to wonder which he wants more---the thread on the cone, the thread he sees flashing in and out on the needle or that weird looking snake stuff.  He wanted me to go to the kitchen to give him his "treat bite"but will be back.  Too nosy not to, LOL.

This being the start of the New Year I have been thinking about what projects I might like to work on, what my goals are.  I have done well setting short term goals for the day, or the week.  I mention them here and that keeps me accountable.  I have pictures for blog fodder too, LOL.    Mulling all that over--something from several categories?  Personal, Pro Bono, QOV, UFO?  I told Norma we can make plans but we reserve the right to change our minds and add something totally new to the mix----go where our heart is leading us.  Sometimes that is exactly what is needed to rev up the creative fires.

But for now some short term goals for this week are----------

• finish prepping February button up
• finish assembling Pineapple Blossom top
• finish the binding on Give Thanks button up

Design Wall Monday

"Give Thanks" Button Up

The actual design wall is just holding the same old blocks that have been there awhile plus the completed Christmas Star 2003 and some sewn tabs and binding for the button up above and the giftie one.  BORING!  But since I should include a picture with my post, you get to see the turkey closer up.   I am just about done with the piece having just the word "Thanks" to button hole applique.  I am trying to match the design elements on this one so I don't know that you will see my efforts very well.  Next up, the giftie applique and then off to prep backings and batting.

Tomorrow is the Bama Belles Christmas party.  Since this is such a busy time of year,  it will be a fuss free event.  No gift exchange, no dish to pass.  So many of the girls belong to more than one group and it seems they each have their own holiday routines.  It can get overwhelming!  We are off to Olive Garden for lunch and then do a reveal of our scrappy challenge projects back at out meeting place.

To that end, I was digging around in my primary closet for my donation quilt tops that fit this category.   I have 7 completed, one more partially done.  I can see that I am going to have to impose a two quilt limit on myself when it comes to pinning them up.  Currently there is no place to put them since I still have 6 pinned donation tops up in the closet.  These are not my quilt but I volunteered to do one of them. The others were left when one of the girls moved out of state.

 Before I proceed with my next point I should probably explain the house was built without a coat closet.  Instead my bedroom has TWO closets, the smaller of which is for out of season clothing and coats.  The completed donation quilts that are waiting for delivery to a worthy cause here in Calhoun County are folded up on the shelf in there as are the quilts awaiting pinning.  Normally those would be piled up atop the armoire but that spot was taken for my own personal pinned projects until I got caught up.   And then Christmas came.  VBG

Just for grins and giggles I counted up just how many tops I have in the primary bedroom closet.  Let's just say that it is a good thing that my clothing has been going to a "less is more approach" over the years, LOL.

• 6 personal quilt tops.  Most are from the 2006-2010 years  meaning I should address them at some point.
• 8 scrappy challenge tops.  Out to the car trunk for tomorrow though
• 5 other donation tops----one is from 2009 but still not marked or pinned.  The other 4 were made this year.  Two more are hanging in the closet at the church waiting to be pinned in the new year.

I HAVE been a busy girl this year!  People who follow me on facebook are always asking me how I get so much done.  I do keep busy in my little room. I do something creative more days than not.  I don't work outside the home.  My husband pitches in with vacuuming and laundry, dish washer unloading.  Neither of us lives to clean.  That all has something to do with output.  Blogging keeps you accountable--you need some blog fodder, after all.  It helps that I set small goals for the day or week too.  When I need to take a break, I do. 

Still, a look at the tabbed pages on my blog and I guess you see I do have quite a few finishes and flimsies for 2011.   Hurray for me!  Other than making donation tops, I did not let it take over my life this year.  Some of my own things are done and others, moved forward..  Sure, more exist, obviously but they are not completely shunted to the side.  After 11 years, I think it is only fair.  I don't normally think in terms of numbers till it gets to year's end and look back.  I keep plugging and doing what I love.

Well, it looks like I have been pecking these keys right up to lunch time.  DJ has an doctor's appointment in the early afternoon so I need to be sure he is done eating in time for that drive into town.  

I hope you have a good day and find some time to do what YOU love too----------

sewing and more sewing

 I've been sewing like crazy the last two days---and loving it.

One I cannot show you but this one I can.    BU #20 Give Thanks.  I got it to the point where I need to do the button hole  applique.  I prepped the binding and tabs before I called it quits.

Tomorrow is the Friendship Quilters Christmas luncheon.  Show and tell, installation of officers (I'm the incoming secretary) and other program year wrap up things.  I'm guessing that I will just take the day off or do some hand work tomorrow.

I snapped this picture of Skyler this afternoon.  AWWWWW isn't he the cutest little thing?   I almost didn't see him hidden under DJ's throw.  He loves to burrow under anything cloth or fabric.  Sometimes  if you cannot find him he is hiding under the quilt on DJ's bed.

Nothing much else going on here today seeing as I was kind of "chained" to the machine.  Hope you have had a good day---------

checking in Monday

 I have another finish to report.  Woohoo!  Merry Christmas BU #21 is ready to hang when I am ready to decorate---another week away anyway.

I've been binding like crazy this past weekend.  I thought that I would get at those 5 blocks in the long lagging bed sized Pioneer Plus Sampler today but I am backing off that.  I only have one more quilt to bind (Gordian Knot 1) and I want that decked cleared rather than having it hanging over my head.  It needs to be  done by the Friendship Quilter's Christmas luncheon on Dec. 9th.  I would have plenty of time except for the other things I would like to have done first, LOL.  What's another day at this juncture?

DJ has been scouring the ads for months now in an effort to replace our microwave.  Our old one had a  light that no longer worked and the 1 button had given up the ghost.  You can live with some of that but not if you need a power level 1 or want to stand there and baby sit the thing to avoid overheating whatever it was you stuck in there.

My criteria was a 15 inch diameter turntable and a digital dial.  I didn't really want stainless steel either.  I had other errands of my own to run.  Also I had to be home by a certain time since someone was dropping by.  He could either wait for me or go check it out himself.   He got home 5 minutes after me.  This was marked down 50 bucks and he got an additional amount knocked off with a rewards card sign up.  Of course, I will need to read up before I can operate it!  Apparently you can code in frozen convenience foods in some manner and it automatically sets or some such thing?  Not that it applies much to us.

It is a gloomy, damp day---still raining too.  We have about 3.5 inches in our gauge since yesterday. I was awake a good bit of the night and it sounded like it was pouring and windy.  Today I see that a good many of the trees have lost their leaves but not necessarily the underbrush.  Dismal, dismal day with some remote snow possibilities in our area tonight.  The temps will have to drop from the mid to mid 40s for that to happen though.

So here we have Skyler snug as bug in his little kitty cube.  He will pay attention to this for a few days and then I'll have to put it up once the novelty wears off.  He will run past it, not through it when we play.  I don't suppose that we people are much different in that regard.   Things become part of the landscape if they sit long enough.

About time to feed the boys so off I go.  I'll hopefully have another finish to share in the next day or so.  The Closer is back tonight so I know I won't be working past 8 CST, LOL.

Today's efforts

Today's efforts included cutting out and assembling the July Button Up to get it to this point.

I have the bias strips cut for the flower stems but not seamed yet. I also have the leaves cut and ready to baste around the templar shape. I have not fused down the flower petal shapes yet but pinned them on so you could get an idea of where I am headed with this thing.

Binding is cut for both the Summer piece and this one but not seamed.

Progress, nonetheless.

I am beat from waking up/getting up way too early so my sewing is done for the 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

a detour

The instruction manual says 35-40 minutes to assemble. HA! What a joke there. Or maybe it is just the two of us attempting it---we skew the stats. I read and follow directions while DJ is a "git 'er done" kinda guy. Can you see that we have very different styles of approaching a project like this??

I was inventorying and identifying the parts when he started on the frame. So far so good, we thought--- until we stood it up. That thing was more crooked than a dog's hind legs. Turns out on the re-reading and review we found that he had parts reversed and the wheel side is different. And so it went---put it together and take it apart because we messed up. I was looking at the spanish version half the time just to help him ID the screws, washers and such while he read the book, LOL.

We started this assembly process on Sunday afternoon. Monday's snafu was that the knobs would not go on with the mark in the right direction. I told him repeatedly that I thought he just had the valve/hose thing upside down. No, he says, that can't be it. Fine, don't listen to me! I was not in the mood to argue about it any further. You couldn't really tell one way or the other from the manual photo either---he could have been right. Finally, 6 hrs later and after looking at two stores floor models, he must have figured "what do I have to lose?" and switched it, LOL. There was nothing wrong with the knobs. All together we have made 3 calls to customer service.

Fast forward to Tuesday. He needed some verification about a step with the venturi tube for the side burner first but that was resolved quickly. He finished up with attaching the lid just before lunch and we wheeled it outside. We all were thinking it was part of the landscape by then. Skyler was messing with the drip cup to see if there was anything in there for him.

So the grill is outside and he is trying to hook up the tank. Now he tells me that "it isn't working". I can see that there might be another call made to Customer Service. Just in the time I was typing this, he found the problem and it IS working. Praise be! It threads down differently than our last one and he must not have had it seated properly. It passed the leak test, even better.

Bear in mind that we only got a new grill since the old one needed both grates replaced, and a new ignitor and the cover replaced. By the time you start adding that stuff up in replacement parts you could have a new grill. Yeah if you have three days to put one together, LOL. Now I suppose we need to figure out how to disassemble the other one so we can dispose of it properly----but I won't bring THAT subject up for a while.


I have gotten the bday Button Up bound, which I cannot show you yet. I took the last stitches in my Welcome Button Up last evening. This one hangs when you don't have the monthly or seasonal ones done---I will do the February and March ones at the end. Two finishes for the counts----woohoo!

I made a crab pasta salad for supper already this morning so it is smooth sailing this afternoon to get busy on another quilted top. The spring piece or the "Mom" wall hanging is next up. I'm no dummy and am saving that quilt sized quilt for last since it is likely to take me about 3 days to finish it.

Oh, I dug around in my notebooks and found the pattern source. She had used one called "French Blue Medallion Quilt" from Connecting Threads in tropical colors. If I recall correctly her local quilt group or some local quilting friends did this as a mystery quilt?? Or they may have planned to do it as a mystery quilt at a retreat and needed someone to test the directions first. She'll tell me.

BUT she had also made re-sized version making it rectangular instead of square for her Merkitty challenge quilt shown HERE. Knowing this helps me to date the wall hanging and the challenge quilt to circa 2007. Long enough of a wait, in other words.

So I best get the fingers flying-------I hope you have had a good day.

WIP Weds

Our quilt group met yesterday. Good turnout and a potluck lunch. I think we were only missing two people! I got my two wall hangings pinned and the pinning table with busy with 5 donation quilts after that. A couple of the girls were busy at the machines, two were binding. I was basting tulip stems.

At left is Leann and her grandmother Aline's "Romance" challenge quilt. This one is definitely a group effort. Leann had already used most of her yardage on another top and had the center part done when she sent it on to Aline with the request that she finish up. The Belles pinned it, I quilted it, Aline put on the binding and Jane hand finished it.

So here is what has/had my attention today---I was doing the button hole applique on the April Button Up when I took this picture. Monday I had gotten the Welcome Button Up applique components taken care of along with the "giftie" . When I got home from the quilt meeting, I did the honors on the Spring In Season piece. This was the last remaining applique for this round of quilts---done now.


Quilting Welcome and giftie next but I want to get borders on Spring first. I tend to get all the tasks done that I need to do on one machine and with the same foot. The walking foot on the Viking is a bit of a pain to take off and on. If you can see it--the green mottled piece is for the borders, the green check, the binding which I will cut on the bias. I had thought about using that light piece of backing but decided to go with the light green dogwood piece that you see being the letter "P" in spring instead.

I have already been on a "amethyst" thread and itty bitty black button run this morning so I've got some time to sew/quilt before I have to head out to the kitchen to prep a chicken stir fry dish for supper.

Tomorrow I will share a few more quilt pictures from the meeting plus I have some shots of the outside flowers/shrubs to share in another post----a teaser, LOL.

Design table Monday

So here is Sunday's project moving into today.

LOL, that bottom border was sewn up on this once but I opened it up so I can insert the tulip stems into the seam and not have to worry about finishing one end of the tube. I pinned it up with a fold just to fit it in the picture. These finish about 22 x 43 so those long stems WILL fit in that space.

I realize too that the borders are fairly light. I did not have any decent spring looking floral in the stash, or enough of it in one case. I liked this yellow piece with a hint of lavender/purple and will think of my friend Theramae when I look at this wall hanging as it was from her stash. I plan to bind it with the purple you see in the letters and one of the tulips. The pattern called for pinks and reds for the tulips an a couple of yellow ones. Because of the border fabric choice, I wanted to add some purple ones as well. That, and it is my fav color, LOL. The only fabric that was NOT from my stash was enough of the pine green Moda Marble. I picked up a few fats of that on the quilt shop run last weekend. There lots of quilts hiding in the stash! Aren't we supposed to shop our stash first?

I have decided to hand applique this piece, everything but the letters. I did the umbrella last night so I could get the giant piece of freezer paper out of there, LOL----after I took this picture. I want to baste down the stems today but will set the whole deal aside to do a bit of button hole applique on "Welcome" and the "giftie" with hopes of pinning them tomorrow at the quilt meeting. Truth be told, I should probably reverse that plan just to make sure I am ready----buttonhole and then baste in the time I have left.

I have been up for a little over an hour and whipped up some egg salad for lunch and just finished putting together some beef stew in the crockpot for supper. I am not quite done in the kitchen yet though as I still need to get the ingredients together for our potluck lunch tomorrow. I decided to make some quick cheese bread but not bake it till we are there so will need to gather the bowls, pans, etc and pre-measure of the ingredients. There are also a few errands to run and a few laps in the park while I am in town. Think I should get dressed before I head out???

Busy day so far and to come, it would appear. Hope you have a good one and thanks for stopping by------------

National Quilting Day

..............and here is how I spent National Quilting weekend.

After I got done prepping leaves, tulips and raindrops for the April Button Up I pulled out my previously stitched Spring base. I already had some of the fabrics pulled so that helped a bit.

I foundation pieced the angel's dress and the little flower pot on this piece and then turned the edges over freezer paper. The larger leaves and the dot on the "i" were turned over templar, Most of this is fused though. It will be machine button hole appliqued. There is a good bit of buttons and hand embroidered elements to be added---oh, and borders are needed too, LOL.

Tomorrow I hope to get back to the April base sewing elements and start basting down the aforementioned appliqued bits. Having a ball working on something just for ME.

Shown at right is sorta where I am headed---
Pattern Source: Joined at the Hip April Button Up.

WIP Thursday

Happy St. Pat's! Pattern source for base: Multi-seasonal calendar quilt from Katrinka Designs. The shamrock was my idea and is the holiday section of Sew Precise 1-2. I keep telling myself that I need to make a May basket block and I would probably have most decorating situations covered for this wall hanging anyway, LOL. I have a couple possible block ideas, also foundation pieced.

We will have a semi-traditional meal for us for St. Pat's with corned beef brisket cooking in the crockpot but I cannot do that steamed cabbage stuff. We do like the Colcannon Potatoes and I already have the green cake made---Watergate Cake with Cover Up Frosting. We'll skip the green beer, LOL. The meal should make for a happy husband tonight.

I had to laugh yesterday when DJ related a story of an acquaintance that works at our local bank branch office asking DJ if I was still quilting. He replied that "Oh yeah. She quilts and she cooks---and she is a good cook!" He may not tell ME that often enough but it is good to hear that he was bragging on me.

So the WIP is barely started, LOL. I decided to prep the April Button Up from Joined at the Hip today. Actually this one has very little sewing involved as it is mostly appliqued. I think the umbrella handle can be stitched down to the fabric base and then the other edge appliqued down though I have not quite worked on the math on how big to cut the strip to make that happen. Add half inch for seam allowances like usual???

This will be a mix of applique techniques again. I will use freezer paper the umbrella and maybe the tulips. The leaves and rain drops, I am going to try prepping over a templar base like you do yo-yo's. I'll break out the bias bars for the flower stems and fuse the letters. I pulled fabrics last week so I basically ready to roll with this. It is fun to play with different fabric combos to come up with the look you want.

I took care of one of the gifties since I last posted but can't show the flimsy yet. It has some applique elements to stitch down but I will do that part on all the projects I have prepped at the same time.

I also changed my mind about the binding I had picked out for my Welcome piece even though I already had it and the hanging tabs prepped. Because I had it left it pinned on the base, I see it in the hallway all the time (read: every time I come out of the bathroom, LOL). I could see that the red background I had chose blends into the base a bit too much. Black binding I thought would be too dark so I went with a brown that is pretty close to a color in the border. My pal Pat had sent me the yardage some time back with words to the effect that it was "too ugly to live" (or something like that, LOL) but it will work fine for adding a separation of color.

And so it goes around here. I'll see how far I get today.