How did it get to be Friday already??

Where did the week go??  I guess time has a way of getting away from you when you are busy, both inside and outside the house.

Wednesday I finished up the chopping back of the weeds on the bank.  Who knew that there are raspberry vines buried in all that thatch and old kudzu vines??  I didn't care though as I sprayed insecticide anyway.  I learned my lesson from the day before and slowed my pace, going out quite early to just cut.  I cooled off a bit and then ran to Lowe's for another gallon of Roundup.  Just spraying was not as difficult as trying to do both jobs at one time.  I hope that task is done for a few months.

Of course, I am so out of shape that I ache just about everywhere --the back of my legs, my back but mostly in the muscle in my forearms from using those big clippers.  LOL, I don't know what the real name is for them.  I know from when I used to try to trim down the holly bushes in the front of the house that they were hard on my arthritic-y thumbs but I had forgotten about the arms.  I could barely stand to carry my purse today.  Forget about carrying anything!  Right after I was done with the work, I had such fine motor tremors that you would have thought I had Parkinson's.  This yard work is not for sissies!  How in the world did DJ do all this with his chronic heart valve problems. Paced himself probably and just sucked it up and did it.

Yesterday the inside tasks began but then my day started really early.  Skyler was insistent on my getting up a little after 5.  When it became clear that going back to sleep was not going to happen, I was up and looking for a Chevron/Streak of Lightning pattern that I knew was in one of the Judy Hopkins' books.  They later combined the patterns from three of the books into one large one that has been quite the popular book in the Belles library.  Theramae made several pattern from there and when she passed away, the book was added to our collection.  She had made that Streak of Lightning as a matter of fact with some bright colors and dotted fabric that turned out pretty cool.  I am considering that for Baby R's drag around quilt.  I had the dog walked, the floor vacuumed, a load of wash done and the dishwasher going all before 7.

Later,  I cut and kitted--------after doing some calculations and how many strip sets etc for each color I cut out the modified Loop the Loop for the guild challenge piece.  I don't think the quilt will be completed but possibly I can have the top done anyway.

I cut out my picnic quilt hop piece and even have the backing cut and ready to seam.    I'll be sewing it as soon as I get the wall hanging quilted.  No, you have to wait to see.

My friend Mary Frances is back in the area  for a few days.  She is originally from Indiana though she and her husband Lynn lived here in Calhoun Co when his job brought them to the area.  They moved back when Lynn retired.  It did not seem possible that they have been gone for 12 years.  I have seen her in the intervening times since we did the Collinsville retreats some time back but we never seem to quite hit the right schedule for when Bama Belles are meeting.  We met Thursday night for dinner at Top of the River along with two of the Belles that knew her and Mary Frances' friend Judy who lives in the Georgia side of the line.  Good to get out for supper and visit with my friends.

Today, I went over to the church to pin my Storm at Seas wall hanging.  My table in the sewing room is as wide as the tables at the church and it is elevated BUT I cannot use clamps on three sides of it nor can I get on the other side of the table. It sits in the corner of the room but the underneath part if so loaded with supplies that it cannot be moved without moving all of it.  Not worth it.   It is just easier to drive the 12 miles or so to the church and do it there.  I considered the saw horses outside and the use of the old laundry door out there but even that sounded to complicated.

You would not believe how well this backing fabric matches the body of the quilt.   One of the Belles will be relocating in the next couple months to Ohio to be closer to family and she donated some of her fabric.  This was one of the pieces in there.  There is also a larger length of more blue shade of the same line.  I've got most of the stuff I brought home with me washed but not pressed.  First of all, DJ was always the one to help me get those long selvages lined up.  2nd, it has been hotter than nine shades of hell already.   I  had enough of standing over the steam iron when I cut out the two quilt kits!

While I was out in area, I ran over the Publix for a few groceries.  It being the holiday weekend, I decided I was going to cook out and be a little indulgent.  I have been eating meals from the freezer essentially for a week and half.  Sunday dinner last week was a couple of corn dogs so I thought I could do a little better than that!!  I got a nice looking t-bone, a bunch of asparagus, a cantaloupe and few ears of corn.  Now I got to tell you, I do not cook steak often enough to be very confident that I won't ruin a nice piece of meat!  I pulled out one of my grilling cookbooks and it had a dry rub recipe that sounded super peppery and in fact they called it "T-bone Picante"   Surely I could dial back all the pepper and use it.  Good choice!   I ate the filet part tonight and part of the rest of the meal,  tomorrow the NY Strip part.  DJ would have loved the meal--well minus the asparagus, I'm thinking.

When I was out grilling Oscar was romping around playing with his rawhide bone and showing off.  Forget the rawhide thing when he got that real bone from the steak!   I went out later to walk him, got the leash on him and I swear he was going to take the bone along with him.  Or preferred to stay in the yard with it!   Normally you cannot keep him away from the gate and he is hopping up and down like a dog on a pogo stick.  Nope, not tonight.  Yes, the yard needs mowed and the clover has really taken over the whole yard.  He is back in the house now minus the real bone and already sacked out in his crate with the door open.  Poor doggie is beat!   We walked in the park this afternoon thinking that there might be a bit of shade (not much) and that nice breeze from the past few days, non-existent---two laps around between the tree watering stops and a hair over a half mile total.

Meanwhile back in the house, Skyler was working over his scratching pole and chasing around a rubber band.  I took it away from him once he managed to bite through it.

...........and then this is what he managed to find to occupy himself once I took his "toy" away.  My sewing machine carrier for the Singer.  Nosy, nosy boy.

 I haven't seen the kitties for a few days but assume that everything is okay there.  Mamacita didn't show up for me to feed her till the middle of the afternoon.  Usually she is here about the time I take Oscar out for the day and feed him or chases over when we go out for the first walk of the day.  LOL my morning routine though Skyler always gets first dibs on me.  Always!

I had planned on at least sewing some binding and seaming up the back of hop quilt but that didn't happen.  My mom called and Oscar needed one more walk before he came in, etc.  Next thing I knew it was almost 7:30.  Out of the notion now but then I have a whole weekend to fill.  Why not sew?

meeting day

Today was the Friendship Quilters guild meeting day AKA Girlfriend Day.   A lot going on around the room with a raffle table, log cabin blocks to pass on to our Quilt Show Chairperson,  Row of the Months and Show and Tell items to be hung on the quilt rack system around the room.  Today was also the reveal day for our Michael Miller fabric sample challenge.  The sew-in is coming up the first weekend in May.  Dixye our president keeps us moving so we could get to the program-----extended show and tell with the challenge pieces.  My favorite part!  I know the historian was busier than usual snapping pictures!

I know I showed you my 3 items back in a PRIOR POST though they were not quite done at that time.  A couple of the gals wanted to know how to make those thread catcher jars so I said I would email them the links.   Not that I am expert or anything.  I think some of the Belles might want to try it too.

I didn't win a door prize or anything from the raffle table but I feel like I "won" anyway!  The monies raised from there are used to purchase the food for the 3 day sew-in's so we always say "the more you spend, the better we eat!"  What I was referring to are these patterns below-------Susan Garman's Bunny Block Sampler----with the fabric included for the applique elements!!

My friend Shelia asked if I like to applique---and I do though years ago I was one who considered applique the "A" word.  I said I like to do fusible or freezer prep.  She handed the packet to me and said she had found them at a thrift store (or yard sale??) but January was missing.  Another gal who was talking to us said she had done this very quilt and she could let me use her January one to make the quilt.  THX Judy!  She is going to bring her quilt to the next meeting so I can see how it looks made up too.

Here is a look at the fabric included in the packets---themed and of course a good bit of it is folded up but you can still see that these are bright and fun!

I did a little googling and these are offered at Quakertown Quilts but the best picture I found was on a blog called Quilt Inspiration,  a bunny themed post  http://quiltinspiration.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-bevy-of-bunny-quilts-for-easter.html   The maker was going for a Paris vibe so the fabrics are not the same.

The quilt pictured is Bunnies on the Champs-Elysees by Jan Soules

This adorable quilt by Jan Soules, which was exhibited at the 2012 River City Quilters' Guild show, features a bunny dressed for every month of the year.  The pattern is the Bunny Block Sampler by Sue Garman at Quakertown Quilts. Jan Soules cleverly used a Paris map fabric as the background, hence: "Bunnies on the Champs-Elysees."  The machine quilting was done by Debbie Lopez.

Then she shows some of the monthly blocks done up----adorable!   Apparently the patterns are still available but I don't know if they just sell a single one.  If Shelia sees this she may want the stuff back, LOL!!
No, I don't really think so or she would not have given it to me.  THX Shelia!

Since I last posted, I have been doing a good bit of cutting---a wool project is ready to go hopefully as a entry in the "Say It With Flowers" blog hop late next month.  Yesterday I was prepping applique elements of an entry I would like to do for the "It's for the Birds" blog hop early next month.  That one has some pieced elements as well.  I feel like I have been hand cutting for two straight days, LOL.  I may drag out the Viking and work on the button hole finishing but I have a feeling it will wait till tomorrow instead.   Last weekend I had drawn up the pieced elements in EQ to foundation piece them so it is a toss up which I will do first, LOL.

I may just do a little embroidery and call it "good" for today.  OR type up the show and tell list so Beth can post the pictures for the guild albums with the labeling I provide as the secretary.

Either way---I hope you have had great day.  It was a lovely day here for a drive.  The trees are really leafing out the past two or three days so everything looks so green!    On the day of the expected storms fortunately we did not have any wind to speak of, I only heard of couple of trees down though an area in the western Alabama was not so fortunate.  We had about 2.5 inches of rain but no flooding or hail.

Time to think about supper---leftover turkey meal though I think DJ did full meal deal for lunch instead of just a turkey sandwich, LOL.  Jane, Aline and I stopped at Chick-Fil-A in Pell City before we came home and ran into about 8 of the gals from guild.  I can eat chicken and turkey in the same day, easy!

Still cutting!

At this writing I have 9 blocks cut for my FWIS quilt----the first 3 rows of an on-point set quilt top full of 111- 6 inch sampler blocks. Ahhh but the journey is only beginning!!! I know you will probably get bored with me talking about this process and I am planning on just showing you the blocks once I get the first grouping actually made. Today will be the exception, LOL. I'll mention it in passing after that.

I have shared my plans for this quilt--the fabrics I want to use, the fact that I am not making a slavish copy of the one in the book, etc. My rule that I will NOT make a 6 inch block of something that I would not even consider making at 12 inch.   I have spent a good deal of time making documents to help keep me on the journey and straight in my mind.  Yeah you get that.  Blah, Blah, blah.  It's my blog so I get to talk about what is on MY mind,  LOL.

I may have gotten a bit further on the cutting last night except for this block.  How would you go about piecing it?  It is called The Whirling Pinwheel, Brackman# 3418  attributed to the KC Star 9/22/43.  Looks like appliqued bits to me and the sections the scalloped shapes are applied to are half square triangles.

 EQ, in all its infinite wisdom, thinks perhaps this should be pieced with those goofy shapes cut as just background pieces and curved piecing.  Well, it is a computer so what do they know about practical piecing?  I needed templates and I needed them extended to the middle so I could applique a yo-yo or circle shape atop the wedges, scallops or whatever you want to call them.

So the design is edited to reflect those needs.  I measured the size of the circle from the first printouts and use my drafting circle thing to draw it on templar to make a yo-yo type circle like I have done in the past.    My initial plan was to print off  the two wedge shaped templates on heavy duty template plastic--normally I rubber cement the shapes down to it and then just cut around them.   Then I would draw the shape on freezer paper so I could edge finish the top edge.  The other sides will be stitched into what will become half square triangle units for standard piecing.  I keep forgetting to get some freezer paper at the grocery store---totally out!  Also the only template plastic I have is in a roll and it is beyond flimsy.  I had to press it with a steam iron and a piece of paper to even get it to lay flat the other day for Fun & Done! project template.  What a terribly stupid way to pack that stuff!  Hard telling how long it had been on the shelf or I even had bought it in the first place.  I looked at WM the other day and they didn't have what I wanted either. I was not going 14 miles down the road to look further when I'll be over towards Hobby Lobby next week.

Anyway, what to do at that hour of night?  Templar the shapes.  I found I could still do the basting stitches across the top and gather it in ( I use quilting thread as it is less likely to break).  Then I used spray sizing to set the edge.  It worked fine.  The iron doesn't melt templar or warp it, after all.  Next  I basted it down to the half square triangle.  I did wonder if I had gotten the shaped backwards though.  Does it look like mine is spinning the opposite direction to you????  I was about 3 wedges in when that occurred to me that the template should have been reversed, perhaps.  By that point I figured consistency was better than flopping it over and re-cutting/wasting fabric.

I decided to go with thirties prints for this one.  I love 30's anyway and almost decided to do the whole project with it.   It should work in a vintage looking quilt even it it was a later era that I had in mind.   Our quilting foremothers didn't worry about sort of thing and used what they had regardless.  In looking at the thumbnail here I do believe I need to swap out the two blue pieces as that one is blending into the adjacent green a bit too much---provided it is the same D shape, that is.  I'll figure it out before I actually sew it.   Funny that I did not notice it till now!

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Computer stuff again----
If you actually read my blog at the website rather than a feed list, could you tell me if you having a problem reading it with the change of template?   At a suggestion of a friend, I did tweak it a bit and used the advanced settings to darken the font from a dark charcoal gray to black.  I also increased the font size just a hair---not to obnoxiously big but a bit bigger.  Hey, my eyes are getting older too and I already know I will be looking at cataract surgery down the line.  I can still read it but can you??   My friend would have liked me to bold the whole deal but I prefer to just do that for emphasis, LOL.  Maybe that is something that can be changed under accessibility in ones own monitor--change the font, change the font size, change the font characteristics.

The other thing: is the background too white that it glares at your end?  I may be able to tweak that as well.  Real pale yellow maybe?

Thanks for the input and of course, thanks for stopping by and reading.  I have a flower pot block to cut and I want some purples for it.  Off I go.

Finally cutting FWIS

The long awaited day(s) have arrived---woohoo! I am cutting out the first blocks that will go in my Farmer's Wife Inspired Sampler (FWIS). Monday I got the fabric cutting done for the Sit and Sew project this weekend(Fun & Done! Criss Cross)---pro bono stuff. Yesterday I was patching together batting bits with what remained of my Heat Press tape to squeeze out 48--7.5 inch squares of batting. The only leftover package of the same type of batting contained enough for two Button Ups so I left it alone and prominently marked the bag!   But the best thing to me?  The decks are finally cleared enough that I can stop and do this and have a little fun sewing.  But first some prep work!

I did a little cutting for FWIS last night and resumed again this morning.  I hope to get the first 10 blocks readied and then sew them up when I have time to do so.  Maybe two a week is an achievable goal as many others have done.  Lord knows, I do not want my sewing room constantly looking like the mess it is right now!  I can't function in chaos.

I am using the Marti Michell Perfect Patchwork Template System templates for this---where I can, that is.  She has in the past sent out via email 10 different conversion charts for the 6 inch Farmer's Wife blocks using her templates and rulers.   About 10 per email every two weeks.  They are starting up another session like  now---if you are interested, let me know and I'll get the contact information for you.  Normally the instructions are grouped by template sets---like this week, you use set B.  The next one, set A.

Some blocks she cannot make those substitutions.  I am not doing all of them in the book anyway but have substituted a lot of my own choices.  I will have to skip around but have the blocks I am using highlighted when their turn comes up.  Others such as one I pulled from my Dear Jane software above----I can either cut according to EQ or know which template to substitute from another set.  BUT that block has a square in a square center---just in case I printed that much out to foundation piece if I want to.  Confused, yet??

Then there is the book to refer to but I already decided not to do them in order, 1 to 111.  First of all, I am skipping around and adding/dropping.   Second, at some point I will add the sashing and cornerstone bits so I can begin assembling the quilt in the order of my layout, row 1 to row 15, on point.  I still think I want a different container to put the envelopes that will contain the cut block, any foundation piecing bits or printouts and save this for the completed ones but it might be okay.

My notebook and road map is in the three ring binder---some of those documents I was making up to help in locating by block name, techniques I plan to use and whatever.  All the mess on my desk is taking over any available space at the moment.  The sew-in project is stacked atop the printer, waiting for Friday and/or Saturday.

And then there is fabric that I would like to use------some of the birthday stuff on top that I don't have room for until I take out what I thought I might use for cornerstones or backgrounds, that is.  I was already digging in the closet for basket fabric as the 3rd block is a Cherry Basket.  Sheila, Maggie and my mom were so helpful about sending me some so this is the perfect opportunity to include it on this project.  Also in the same container is fabric that once belonged to my dear friend Theramae.  While I am going for a vintage feel, some of this might actually BE vintage or reads as it anyway.

This is the "vibe" I am going for anyway---the aquas, reds, clear blue, even the grays with yellow and pink, etc.  I think some of the fabric is feed sacks---and I have those.  I don't know if I caught the navy blue bowtie in this angle or not but it has that stylized ribbon shape used for breast cancer awareness/quilt for the cure deal.  Nothing is ever truly new, is it??

And this is where I am headed-----though it has been tweaked several times since then!  A few blocks swapped in location and possibly a few more added---or not!  

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One last thing----I figured out what was making my B button and nav bar disappear though I certainly appreciated the suggestions several of you made!  You could see it on YOUR end but not mine.  I could not see it on YOURS either.  Finally it occurred to  me that my "do not track plus" button was interferring.  I knew I was on the right track when I uninstalled it.  Re-install it?  Gone again.  I just needed to allow my own blog and those of others that I would search.   (alefthandedquilter/BOB recently suggested I look for other past versions of a few of her tops to see the different colorways, for example.)  If you are interested in using the free software, here is the link  http://www.abine.com/dntdetail.php  but know it might not allow something you DID need, LOL.

Okay, almost time for lunch and I have a few side setting triangles for that square in a square section of the block that is in row 2, block 3.    And sew it goes---------

cutting and kitting

I am going to go nuts if I know I have to quilt for two more weeks----the "squirrel........oh, shiny object" syndrome will surface.  I will need to stick some other short tasks or design work in there along the way.  Since I tend to save the quilting till after lunch (the a/c is on) that leaves mornings for other things.  Can I keep on track and still have a little fun.  I certainly hope so!

As I said yesterday, I am trying to use some of the donation fabrics from various sources that I have collected along the way.  I have printed off a possible pattern that will use a pile of it called Chantal from Debby Kratovil.  Only problem:  it is square.  Kids aren't square and I want it rectangular.   I can deal with not having the featured Blank Quilting fabric.

She used a blob of the big floral, 5 squares of it, at center and then used it to border it as well.   It will have to have some white space in there for me.  Too, too busy otherwise. I don't have enough of the floral to border this thing too but I could work it into the 4 patches instead of an alternate blue.  I plan on float the design with over-sized setting triangles and then bind it with same stripe as the blocks cut on the bias.

At first I had thought I would use 6 inch completed blocks, rather than 7.5 but with no outer border I am back to the 7.5 inchers.  I cannot duplicate the actual fabrics I will use in EQ without doing a bunch of scanning and re-sizing.  Like I know that bright blue I show in the sketch is actually a green Makower print and the stripe is a mix of green and pinks but I can't draw it up that way.

I basically ignore the yardage printouts, other than how many I need to cut of the patches.  I use my own calculations---how many strips to I need to cut from what.  Here again, my quick reference sheets hanging on the pegboard come in very handy.  I can expect to get 9 cuts 4.25 across the width of a fabric strip so that helps in  how  many strips I need for the 4 patches.  You know I do have one of those fabric calculators around here somewhere that belonged to my mom.  Not sure where it is but I guess I am more used to figuring these things out myself anyway, LOL.

For the setting triangles I use a chart I copied out of my Fons and Porter Quilters Complete Guide.  I don't want to actually sew on a border of the background stuff.  Instead of cutting the quarter square triangles to fit a 7.5 inch finished square, I'll follow the size square to cut for say, a 10 inch finished square instead--almost a 16 inch and the corner square half square triangles are 8.

I have given my selections the pressing they need---ugh it is too hot in the house to stand over a steam iron.  Air is not on yet but it will be soon.   I am ready to cut and kit.   I am going to have a fun time sewing when the donation quilting is done!!  If I don't visit that block of the month deal I had pulled out, there is some duck fabric that is "quacking" at me too, LOL.  Maybe that is task for tomorrow?

And sew it goes-----stashbusting and a little change in direction if only for a little while.  BQ1 awaits after lunch.

drafting, cutting on a Monday

Ah, Monday.  I seem to have slipped into the sewing/quilting doldrums last week.  I wake up and see that pile of pinned quilts or ones that need labels sewn on and binding done and at times that can be overwhelming.  Normally what gets me revved up is to give myself permission to play with something else---new fabric, new pattern, new technique, anything but what needs attention.  That other stuff will get done eventually but I wanna have some fun!

Norma and I were chatting this weekend and she had the perfect description for "wanna have fun".  It goes ".....squirrel......shiny object".  While this was actually talking about a dog named Dug in the movie "Up",  it does describe how easily she and I can be distracted from the task at hand.  Someone at her work had used this analogy for a co-worker's behavior and the phrase stuck.  Apparently others have been watching their dogs as well as there is something called "shiny object syndrome".    Well, that can be me once Norma and I start surfing.  I did download a bunch of patterns from Blue Hill Fabrics but that was because I was looking for their line of Little Stars.   BUT I make no apologies for that.  I think you HAVE to allow for distractions to spark your creativity and keep things fresh.  Yeah, you can go overboard and all ADHD about it but surely there is middle ground!

It has been so unbelievably hot this last week that no way do I want a quilt on my lap to machine quilt it.  The a/c was barely keeping up with 100 degree temps outside.   I wanted to sew and that means cutting first if the project was going to be something fun and/or new.  Saturday I pressed out the folds (not fun in the over-warm house even with the a/c on---he has been a little better about turning it on this year, I'll give him that) for the combo of fabrics above.   I cut out two Prairie Stroll tops for pro-bono quilts----one is going to my mom with blocks cut according to the pattern of 9 inches.  Mine is re-sized down to 7.5 inch blocks so I'll need 48 of them instead of 35 for quilt that I will likely donate to Friendship Quilters for their comfort quilt program once it is done.  By the time I was done cutting I didn't feel like sewing.  Oh, I also cut binding for Judy's two pro-bono quilts that she turned in the other day.

Yesterday I started to cut out the August Button Up---image borrowed from the Joined at the Hip website.  This will also be my green paint chip (WM062) challenge for Friendship Quilters, due in time for our Christmas party.  I got the rosy reds/pinks rough cut for the watermelon.  Then Skyler decided to park himself right on the cutting/pressing table.  I dug out the small mat and June Taylor board and cut them to size but clearly, he was telling me to forget about cutting the backgrounds or the greens.  That would require the iron and a cat that still would not move.  Now, you might say "He's portable---move him.  Whose the boss here?"  Well, he does bite. Those little teeth are sharp!  Find something else to do---like sew!  Sew some Prairie Stroll blocks.  By the time I got the machine out the thunderstorms hit.  I am NOT going to blow out another motherboard on my sewing machine so I did not even plug the thing in.  It was almost time to start supper anyway.  It pays to have other things on the agenda, LOL.  I do plan on getting back to this after lunch today though.

I am not complaining about the rain as we are in the moderate drought range. With most of the state under drought conditions I would not have been surprised if they had cancelled 4th of July fireworks and discouraged people from shooting off their own.  Too much risk of grass fires and wild fires, you would think.  Anyway, DJ said we had about an inch fall and in a very short time. Flash flood warnings even went out.   Some parts of Anniston had hail and strong enough winds to topple trees and down power lines.  In this heat and then humidity I feel bad for anyone without power.  Of course, the temps dropped with the rain which is a blessing. This morning there is lots of cloud cover and we thought more rain would come too but the thunder bumpers remained off in the distance.   Our thermometer currently reads 75 so that is about a 20-25 degree drop in the highs we have been dealing with.  Again, a blessing,  I hope other parts of the country that have been roasting will get some relief.  
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Okay on to the drafting thing-------
I belong to the stashbuster list on yahoo group, a large group of about 2000 and  lots of mail group that I normally just scan for topics.  I delete a lot of it but every once in a while something will pique my interest.  Someone needed help in drafting a block as she planned on re-doing an antique top she had bought but with more accurately cut pieces.  To get the pieces out she needed to make smaller blocks for a Texas Star quilt.  The commercial templates from the site I just gave you were too big at 8 and 12 inches.  She stated "I've searched for two days for a predrafted pattern at 5 inches".  This is the block below in EQ.  

Okay, a 5 inch finished is a rather odd sized block to find so I am not surprised that she was having trouble in her search.  Also she said Google was pointing her towards Lone Star blocks instead of Texas Stars---similar in name maybe but not the same thing in design.  I wrote in and asked if she would not like to try to draw it up herself.  It is not hard, really it is isn't.

A small rant coming.   I honestly feel like quilt teachers do their students a disservice when they don't teach their students how to draft.  And even if they don't want to ever adjust a blocks they see to fit their own needs, quilters still need to think in terms of grids, for Pete's sake.  That is how you approach a block to sew it together.  Most blocks DO fit a grid pattern--well, this one may not since it is a hexagon but if you look carefully you generally can see a symmetrical pattern.  3 x 3, 4 x 4 and usually with some pieced elements---4 patches, half square triangles, quarters square triangles, whatever.

I tell you, the whole world opens up and you are not locked in to using a commercial pattern.   But you, dear quilter, are NOT at their mercy.  The magazines and books do not have to have you locked in if you just stop and analyze the block(s) and learn how to adjust things.   No more do you have to think "it is a full sized quilt and I want a crib instead so how can I adjust the block size".  Or " it is square and I want a rectangular quilt.  Guess that one is out."   

NOTHING is ever truly brand new in quilting---oh, that is a rant for another day for sure.  Those ladies who designed these blocks all those years ago are the real innovators.  They did not have all the fancy toys and still made some amazing quilts.  Oh we might be able to cut them more accurately---the tools changed with rotary cutters and now accu-quilt.   Or  we can turn them out more quickly with strip piecing or a quick quilt trick  but that just streamlined the process.  Most of it is pretty tried and true.   ( Ask me what I think about so called Modern Quilting some time, LOL) .  Even our fabrics are mostly inspired by preceding decades in color and/or style.  Case in point---turns out 4 of the 6 fabrics I recently purchased based on color alone from thousandsofbolts are all Civil War Repros!  A 5th was already in my stash and is also a civil war repro.  Go figure!  

For drafting two books that helped me were---

• Jinny Beyer's The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns.  This book had not only a ton of blocks in it but she had an acetate grid thing done up that you could lay over the thumbnails in the book to actually see the sectioning of the block.
• Joen Wolfrom's Make Any Block Any Size.  This uses a formula for drawing up blocks/block divisions by tick marks on a ruler.  I believe a drafters or carpenter's methodology.

So what did  I post to try and help that list person?   Here is my sketch below but without all the extra lines erased yet.

And here is how you do it---------

• Draw a box the size you want.  In my case, 6 inch---my block, my size, LOL.  Draw a line at the halfway point both horizontally and vertically. 2 x 2 grid.  You don't necessarily need 1/4 inch graph paper but I had some on hand.
• Next visit a tutorial that tells you how to draw a hexagon using a circle.  Try this one  http://www.craftpassion.com/2010/04/tutorial-how-to-draw-hexagon-for-quilt-block.html  but essentially stick your compass at the center of the block which in my case was 3 inches,  Draw a circle.   
• Where the horizontal line crosses the circle, place the compass tip and maintaining the 3 inches you set on the compass make a tick mark.  Keep moving the compass from tick mark and mark that same distance all around the periphery of the circle.    
• Mark from tick mark to tick mark and you have a 6 sided figure and that hexagon that will hold the star inside it.
• Next find the midline mark of each side of the hexagon.  The top and bottom is already marked by your initial 2 x 2 grid.  In my case that was at 1.5 inches.  
• Look carefully at the EQ block above---can you see that the white star tips are essentially formed like a large triangle?  One is upside down but there are two of them.  From the top line midline mark draw a line to the each lower side lines on the bottom half of the hexagon.  Then draw a line from the bottom midline mark to each of the side line on the top half of the hexagon. 
• For the center hexagon, repeat the process only smaller,  I drew mine so it would finish about 3/4 inch on each side but I could have drawn it at one inch had I wanted.  
• Erase the extra lines till you get something that looks like the EQ picture. Texas Star!

To actually USE the template  you would still need to add a quarter inch to the sections you just drew.  Normally I rubber cement this stuff down to template plastic and then cut them both out at the same time.  If you are hand piecing then you don't need the quarter inch added---you mark the line and sew on it and eyeball the seam allowances.

You might ask "you have EQ---can you not print a block any size you want?"  Uh, yes I can but did you see the space at the top and bottom of that block.  It read that peach color as a template actually and an odd shaped one at that!  But looking at my sketch I also have a space at the top and bottom so maybe what templates I printed out from there are accurate.  If that person wants to take a chance on using them, I would consider mailing them out if she asks.  

BUT I still am capable of drawing it up myself---any old size I want. So is she.  Heck, I even have a pad of quadrille paper cut 17 x 22 so if it fits on that paper, I can do it the old fashioned way.   A regular pad of graph paper is cheap, drawing paper is not pricey---lots less than EQ is!  Yeah, it might be easier to Google a block in the size you want.  You might get lucky and Quilter's Cache has something you want.   Let someone else do the work and thinking for you.  I repeat---it is NOT hard and it should be one of your quilting skills.  You could have it drawn up yourself before you wasted 2 days of fun sewing time looking for a needle in a haystack..  Something to consider

And while I am on my soap box here is something else to ponder.   NOTHING is ever truly brand new in quilting.   Those ladies who designed these blocks all those years ago are the real innovators.  They did not have all the fancy toys and still made some amazing quilts.  Oh we might be able to cut them more accurately---the tools changed with rotary cutters, mats and rulers and now accu-quilt.   Or we can turn them out more quickly with strip piecing or a quick quilt trick like flippy corners instead of actually cutting a triangle. All that just streamlined the process.  Admit it, most designs are tried and true and could be done without quilt toys if we wanted to.  They are just geometric shapes, after all.  Even our fabrics are mostly inspired by preceding decades in color and/or style.  Case in point---turns out 4 of the 6 fabrics I recently purchased based on color alone from thousandsofbolts are all Civil War Repros!  A 5th was already in my stash and is also a civil war repro.  Go figure( Ask me what I think about so called Modern Quilting some time--that is a rant for another day, LOL)

Okay off my soap box and my husband will be asking where lunch is any second.    And I have a date with a watermelon pattern once that is done, LOL. 

Thanks for stopping by------

Choices

What do I want to work on today? There are no shortage of choices!  I did get a few things done since I last posted.  Mending job is done, carrot tops appliqued.  The Farmer's Wife Sampler block drawing project is done. I even have that to  "the quilt top stage" though I will probably keep tweaking it.  Some of those blocks just don't look right on point---sorry!

So do I---------

QUILT?  I got these pinned on Tuesday evening but haven't started doing the honors yet.  I could also put the binding on my 76 Bow tie QOV for some next week meeting(s) hand work.

CUT?  Friendship Quilters is having a sew-in April 12-14.  I have tons of things kitted up that I could sew on but there is also a class on making a purse that has straps that would convert it to a backpack.  I've got the cutting direction posted above the cutting/pressing table but still need to pull fabric.  I know it means a run for either Decor-Bond or heavy duty interfacing as I only have the lightweight variety on hand.  The supply list also asks for two zippers and D rings, which I may or may not have.

FINISH CUTTING?  Cher's bday is coming up and the FABS did not get to sew on her special day as the rest of us did once the cycle was complete.  Instead, she had sent each of us a panel piece "Nature's Symphony" from the 2011 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.  (Scroll down a bit to see the panel)  This was to be a challenge piece but we never really got it scheduled.  We are shooting for later in the month.

I know what I am going to do. I even purchased most of the fabrics last year with birthday money the Bama Belles and my husband had given me.  (THX again to all of you!)   I need just a tad more since my plan changed slightly but I cut up the panel that I must use.  Some of it must show up somewhere in the piece, in some fashion.  A little drawing in EQ verified how to proceed, once the order arrives.   But I could do some cutting in the meantime and get things kitted up for the sewing day.  I think Cher said we can get started sewing too if we want.  We just want a day or a few hours of sewing together and chatting!

SEW?   Some questions have arisen from a couple of the Belles about how to mark cross hatching for quilting as well as how to use bias press bars.  The two items are sort of related.  I have a basket block cut out that will either go on my Katrinka Designs "Multi-Seasonal Calendar Quilt" to cover May OR become part of a Basket Sampler since I have some fabrics friends have sent me.  Either way, this thing needs a curved handle and I need a demo piece for our meeting next week.   I spent some time yesterday preparing some hand outs and other general reference material that I think would be helpful.

APPLIQUE?  Well, there is always this one.  I piddle with it off and on since I am doing the April button up by hand.   It would be faster to just give up and machine button hole it but I have gone this far with it with only the letters fused down.  I did one raindrop last night and part of another before I packed it in----wooooo.

Chances are, I will go with a combination of things.  It may take longer to get something done but I don't get bored with any one thing.   My inclination is to do the little basket block first though.   BUT first, a foray to the kitchen.  I need to make a seafood pasta salad that will be our supper tonight and Skyler is parked by the keyboard waiting for me to give him a treat bite and/or play with him.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Meeting wrap up

 LOL, we met on Tuesday so I am a little late in getting this post written but I was a little tied up yesterday trying to back up my computer.  I was late in getting started on it, decided to make a whole new set of discs since it had been so long since I had officially done that with the Windows deal.  BIG mistake!  It took from 1030 Wednesday morning til 0413 this morning.  Since I had tried to do this on Monday and lost like 7 discs worth I was going to see it through no matter how long it took, by golly.  One thing though---I slept very, very well for 5 straight hours.  Trust me, that does not happen often.  I think I am in the market for an external hard drive rather than babysit the discs for hours and hours.

So want to see some quilts?  At left, and probably above, you have Linda C's watermelon "Just Can't Cut It".   I quilted it either late 2011 or early 2012.   Jane had finished the binding on three of Linda's quilts that she left behind when she relocated.  We may have taken this before I laundered it to get the blue marks out.  I do NOT free motion and I never have any clue how to quilt these things so I kept it as simple as possible.

Next up, Bev is hiding behind her wild Pineapple Blossom quilt.  I was happy to hear that she located her other pineapple blossom top after she had made 2 and could only find 1.  I don't know how well it will show up but she "hid" some cool things on the top.  Up in the upper left of the photo she has a yo yo with a folded ribbon flower.  I would have asked her if she made it had I noticed it.  I honestly did not spot it till I was logging it into my quilt document.  There is also an applique butterfly motif and a little thing that read "this is the life".  Bev and the gals pinned a large wolf panel quilt top that she will be giving as a gift as well.

At left, Brenda shared her very feminine bow quilt.   The bow blocks end up looking like a pieced spool block but that is not how it was pieced, she said.  The dimensional ruffle part is just plain cute.   She said the pattern was from McCall's Quilting magazine and she'll update the issue for me later.

I wish I had gotten a picture of her pieced, just it all up back too but the camera was giving me a "no remaining memory on the internal memory card" message that I had never seen before.  As it was I had to have DJ hold up a few quilts just to be sure I had indeed gotten the job done, LOL. 

Here is another one of Linda C's quilt that I quilted as above.  Jane is hiding behind it.  I called it Snuggle Up variation though I don't know if she used that time honored pro bono quilt or not to make it.   Seriously nothing could be easier to make if you need a quick quilt. Adjustable and you can use as many colors as you like from 2 to whatever if it gets to the length you want.  PLUS quick zoom lines to quilt it!!

Not sure I took this one before or after I laundered it either but here is Linda C's Scrappy Disappearing Nine Patch.  Another of the late 2011-early 2012 bunch.  Poor Jane got these three done and 3 others to take their place.  She was also busily working on the binding for a comfort quilt for someone in need related to a JOY group activity. 

Bev said that she has been quilting for about 3 years and took classes at the local quilt shop before it closed but no one had actually shown her how to sew down binding.   She asked for help.  I noticed that both Bev and Linda do what I call "skirt hemming"  working from right to left with a tacking stitch and two strands of thread.  If the shop never showed them the basics of how to hid their stitches, then no wonder they both adopted this method!   When I said you use a blind hem stitch similar to what you do when you hand applique and work left to right, Bev said she had not tried hand applique yet.   Aha!  Teachable moment.
 
Brenda and I used Aline's quilt for an impromptu lesson on this.  Of course, when you do that hemming stitch, all the thread shows up along the edge.   It holds it together all right but it just doesn't make for a nice neat finish to your quilt.  The other thing, it is usually spaced too far apart so a little finger can get caught in there or it won't hold up to a child's use for something other than cuddling with and covering up.  It appeared to me that she had done a great job on her corners as far as the mitering thing went and she had matched her thread to the binding, not the backing color.  Kudos for that!    Our next meeting we do not get to use the big fellowship hall of the church as another group is setting up for a function the next day.  We'll be down in one of the classrooms and I have suggested the girls bring some hand work.  Binding help would be a good thing to touch base on. 

It was a busy meeting for me.  I had two tops to pin with the girls help but my primary assignment for the day was to measure off a large roll of batting that Marilyn was going to sell back to the group.  I had ordered her a roll the last time we placed a batting order back in 08 or 09 but she had found that she didn't have to have it anymore.  Some of it was gone from the original 60 some yards but how much?  Teresa, Bev and I took it back to the 6 ft tables that were set up end to end and rolled it off onto an old cardboard roll.   I know what it cost us per roll including the shipping so will pro-rate it.  Marilyn and Roger had dropped it off at the meeting place last week when they were headed out that direction,  for which I thank them. 

The other thing I had on the list:  get that stuff in the donation bins sorted through and get rid of the stuff I knew we were not going to use.  Some had not seen the light of day for a couple of years, therefore we probably did not need it.  Teresa was a great help though I had Beverly help with some of the measuring.  Some of it the fabrics went home with her---in particular, the flannel that none of us wants to work with but she makes rag quilts.  And yes, some came home with me but some of it had originated thru here in the first place, LOL.    (Not much but some and I have ideas in mind for some of it!)   Brenda took some with her for a beginning quilter friend who had said that quilting was an expensive hobby to have---she had a different way of phrasing it but that was the gist of it.  What she may not want, off to Salvation Army. 

Teresa and I measured off what kind of yardage was on each piece so we would know at a glance if it would work on our quilt tops.  If there was a lot of yardage then we knew it could be seamed without routing through the whole length of it.  We found some things that could be paired up for whole cloth tops and a small baby sized quilt hiding in there as well.  That is hanging with some of the other tops now.   All in all, a productive day.  Once I got home I had some numbering and logging into the quilt document to do along with some other tasks to follow up on----like what the heck was the matter with my camera, LOL!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got a little of the machine button hole work done on the February Button Up---the last row of hearts but have not touched it since Monday evening.   Not likely to happen today either at this late stage of the game.  This might just be a stitchery evening if I do anything at all.  I was looking at cat themed patterns for something else and may continue on that kernel of an idea I have floating around upstairs. 

We received a call from DJ's golfing friend from IL who plans on being down here either Tuesday or Weds next week.  Translation:  house needs to be cleaned up sometime between now and then but what also needs to be done between now and then is some cutting for the upcoming FAB Par-Tay.  Norma is finally going to get to celebrate her November bday with her FAB pals a week from Saturday!  She picked Atkinson Designs Popsicle Sticks as her sewing project for us.  It will take a whole pile of 2 1/2 inch strips to do a full-queen sized quilt but I have stuff for it-- see THIS POST for some of the fabrics that will be included.   I need to get some of the strip sets seamed so I can keep up with the gals.  Some days/weeks there is just too much going on to keep up.

I have another post to  make probably tomorrow---stay tuned, LOL.

WIP Weds

I could have subtitled this post as "cuttin' and kittin'" but that just sounds like some annoyingly pretentious movie title, LOL.   Still, the action is true that last two days.

I have prepared the "Give Thanks" Button Up #20 for myself but the kit below is birthday giftie for my FAB pal Norma's pushed back bday party.  She knows I am making her a button up so that part is okay.  She does not know which one since I gave her a choice.  I made a decision about the binding and cut it out this morning.

And while I have the ruler and rotary cutter at the ready, I am also going to cut this Michael Miller Christmas yardage into bias binding for "soon to be expanded" Christmas Patience Corner.  I cut a few nickels out of the leftovers to include in the extra blocks too.  I have "Tiny Snowflakes in Green Tea backing" and a couple of 5 inch charms from the Winter Fun collection coming from Connecting Threads.  LOL, I am pre-spending my Christmas check from DJ in effect.

Get this ---he thought that the marked down 2.36/yd was too expensive!  The man is clueless.  My mistake was opening the door to this conversation because I told him I needed 10 yards of fabric for the quilt back and was thrilled with my "find".   I enlightened him with the fact that that good, quilt shop quality fabrics were selling for 10-12 bucks a yard these days for comparison, like it could have been a lot worse.  Fortunately I found something I liked for far less.    His response was to ask how they can sell those quilts in the catalogs for 25 bucks if that were the case?  I saw "red" on that ill advised remark.   I do not make things that look like some factory worker getting paid peanuts churned out.  It still upsets me that he thinks so little of what I personally do.  It does such a disservice to other true quilters out there that are producing some amazing things, works of art really.  I repeat, clueless!

Well, before I get upset with him all over again (might be too late, LOL) I better move onto another subject. He got the tree put up yesterday and the lights on it.  I was too busy cutting to do the rest of the deal.  Of course, Skyler was not making things any easier.  He was trying to eat those plastic-y needles off the couch and carpet.  Between scolding him and trying to remember just where the branches went, it took some time. I eventually had to remove the ornery little kitty boy from the action.  So far he is leaving the tree itself alone contenting himself to dragging Ms. Mousie all around the living room.   He won't drag it when I am watching him but DJ has caught his antics.

Today's goals and not necessarily in this order----

• decorate the tree so that box doesn't become part of the landscape in the living room
• finish sewing that Christmas Star---yep, still not done and up on the design wall followed by a much needed sewing room vacuuming.  I see a path to the bathroom and bedroom like a trail of bread crumbs so that's a sign
• start sewing on the Top Secret Project (TSP)
• and, get dressed at some point!!!

And sew it goes at  my house.  Hope you are having a wonderful day.