a little quilting

I got a little quilting done on this Mock Trip Around the World pro bono quilt yesterday. Top. was completed 11-27-12 and shown HERE. Year is half over and I still need to turn one in for credit at Friendship Quilters.  Before I got deep into the HO HO HO hope I thought it best to quilt one or two first and then hit the dedicated sewing as August 2nd will be here before I know it!

This morning I spread it out on the cutting/pressing table to see just how many zig zaggy, in the ditch lines I have to go.  It took Skyler less that a minute to see what I was doing and hop up there to rest on the quilt---on the pin side, no less!   Obviously giving it his kitty stamp of approval, in spite of the impediments to comfort.

I must say, the wastebasket does not normally sit atop the table.  The box fan has been to augment the cross ventilation and augment the a/c. When I am set up to quilt in here, there is very little room to get around the table and forward table.  The large blue tote of Christmas fabric, with HO HO HO stuff atop it that you see to the extreme right is scooted over from has become its usual spot to where the wastebasket sits.  A quilter does what a quilter must do to get the job done, right?

I will get this finished some time today but am going to the Ashville Quilt Shop with the quilting pals in about an hour.  I had hoped that the binding was already seamed but alas, it still needs stitching and pressing.  I could get started on the 2nd quilt I pulled and binding them both at the same time, I guess.  We'll see. 

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

woohoo

Well, I just got the 4th one of my pinned donation tops quilted--reaching the bottom of the pile!  Binding and label are also applied.  Pattern:  Bridgecreek Blossom from Atkinson Designs.  Top finished in Jan. 2011----in other words, about time for the last bunch of quilts!

There are other tops in the closet---4 are personal tops and one a pro bono for Friendship Quilters.  All membership is being asked to make 1 donation quilt minimum 45 x 60.  It is in the bylaws that the executive board re-worked and I should know since I had to type it all up along with the minutes announcing it, LOL.

BUT I am planning on quilting up my twister wreath before I close up shop and clean up around here.

I am just glad to be done with this one as I was getting tired of wrestling it around.  Hope you have had an enjoyable day.

Design Wall Monday

This was yesterday's view.  No sooner did I set up to machine quilt and wind some bobbins then you know who was piling on the quilt.  I had to look high and low to find that new cone of thread that I had ahem, "put in a safe place".  Skyler was taking up residence and of course, I wanted him to decide to leave on his own (he bites!) rather than me make him get down, off the quilt, whatever.

 I even went so far as to put the regular sewing foot on the machine and started laying out Hopscotch sections only to find out I had lost 2 of the HSTs.  Thankfully I found a bit of the background fabric up in the bin as it was NOT in the kit box for some reason.   After I had those whipped up he decided to vacate to the window perch for a nice long nap.  I got all the locking lines done and half the motifs I had put on the top so will finish that up today.

The Design Wall
Honestly I need to take some of this stuff down
 and put it in the Christmas pizza box.   It is looking too cluttered and there is no such thing as "design" going on.   I will be cleaning and straightening up by week's end anyway so this will be part of it.   I was trying to figure out if I even like that 2nd twister block on point----answer:  no I don't, LOL.   The two blocks on the bottom (Bed of Roses and Lazy Girl Butterfly) go into an abandoned block project.  And see the little GFG rosette that Brenda gave me?  The purple and peach fabrics will be perfect in my FWIS.  Just need to applique it down to a base and pop those little plastic templates out as I stitch, she said.

Secondary design space.

I would like to get the twister wreath quilted up if I have time this week.  There are two more quilts, slightly oversized, in the pro bono pile but maybe by Thursday or Friday if all goes well.

"Boo" could go back in the BOM box but I may leave it out since Halloween is coming.  I switched out a few wall hangings already that were more Halloween themed than fall so why not?  Eventually it or a re-done version of "it" will be in a real quilt.

This last picture is for my pal at lefthanded quilter.  I was admiring a little foundation pieced floral wall hanging she had posted.   Get this, her 1st attempt at foundation piecing and she gets a 2nd place ribbon!  She mentioned that if she were doing it today, she might have used a different sashing that than pink-rose tone on tone.  I commented that I thought I had the same print but in a yellow-gold colorway in the Hopscotch kit.  So what do you think, my friend?  Same or just similar?   I'll get back to this but it might not be till next week at the Belles sew-in.  I have two other kits pulled as well as I am Friday and Satuday day tripping at the guild retreat next week too.

Today though----finish quilting hearts in the open spaces of this flimsy.  Get done with that?  Start quilting another one----Bridgecreek Blossom or this modified Criss Cross/Prairie Window are both in the stack waiting.  All from 2011.  All this provided that Skyler doesn't take up short term residence, LOL.

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

how I spent that last two days............

..............Erik the Red and I have been machine quilting.   Aline pieced the top, Jane helped out with some of the fabrics and batting.   I quilted it and put the binding on by machine about 9 p.m. Tuesday.  Jane will finish up the binding hand work.

The quilt measures about 60 x 90 as that was the size that the coordinator requested for the veteran's home beds.  DJ has some problems with his shoulder so could not hold it up for too long or high enough to be a decent picture of it.  Hence you get a nice shot of the coffee table, his reading selections and the half covered  fall table runner I put on it, LOL.

So I tried a shot on the bed---------not much better.  All in the ditch except the borders where I did 2 inch apart piano keys.  All the block centers have something in them too--either another star or a heart.  Of course some of those are pieced so I would have "ditched" them anyway.  I treated the 6 little lone star things like a Lemoyne Star so they would pop a bit too.

And then a shot of the quilting from the back-----

You can kind of understand why I am leaning towards cutting instead of quilting today??  I do need to cut out some squares to do a twister wreath for Belles next week as I told the girls they can borrow my Lil Twister tool if they pieced the base part.   (Demo how it is done for those that were not at group last time.)  I  also want to cut some Halloween squares so I can do the row squares this weekend with my FAB pals.   It won't take long!  Maybe a stand up job between quilting--stretch the legs and move around a bit?   OR I can start putting a few stitches in the Halloween stitchery row.   I am so torn.

today's quilting #3

Today's quilting project----what I call Staggered Bricks, top from August 2011.   The fabrics are all donation fabrics.  The lighter gold was from our dear Bama Belle friend Theramae's estate.   Many of the prints came from Ellen at Wrap Them in Love headquarters and from her mother's estate.  The darker brown was something fellow Belle Linda C had put in the donation bin and I think that lighter green might have been hers as well.

Anyway, I combined all this to come up with this quilt.   I have more strips cut with a fall vibe but can't remember what I had decided for them.  One problem with this one though:  either this was just a hair wider than the backing or we didn't get it placed to accomodate the width when we pinned it.  I just trimmed it down by a half inch all around so the border will finish a tad smaller than my original plan of 3 inches but that's okay.  It was easier than adding more fabric to the backing after it was mostly quilted!

OH and to amend my post from yesterday---I totally forgot that I had made a BQ 2 from that same Habitat Challenge quilt.   No wonder I am glad to see that green fabric gone!  4 quilts from the same stuff is enough.   I would say that I met and exceeded THAT challenge.  I made a ton of tops last year but I think this one was the only one that I actually quilted.  It was delivered to the Talladega Presbyterian Home earlier this year.   (Shown here as a top. )

 That's it for today---tomorrow I think it will be Positive-Negative Puss in the Corner from back in late June 2011.   Saturday I have Friendship Quilters guild so that looks to be a binding or stitchery day on my return home.  I would be thrilled if I can get to 6 done and 6 to go.  I had promised myself that I would start cutting  and sewing on Farmer's Wife Sampler but I hate to quit when I am on a roll with this quilting.

And so it goes-------------

WIP Monday

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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

Catch up post

As usual I have been keeping busy since my last week's mid-week post.

• I quilted up Two Blonde Mice's "Bloom Where You're Planted"  shown HERE,  the two recently completed March and April Button Up wall hangings and a little slightly adapted  6 inch basket block from The Farmer's Wife Sampler that I whipped up last week.  (It is going to go a different wall hanging piece for May.)  Between quilting and baking up 5 dozen Oatmeal Toffee cookies for the sew-in that took care of two days "play time"

• Friday was the Friendship Quilters Spring Fling Sew-In.  This time we were off to the Camp Chula Vista Christian Conference and Retreat Center near Pell City.  Well, the sew-in had actually started on Thursday but we had not planned to attend that day.  That's pushing it especially since I had been gone a good part of Tuesday for Bama Belles.  The building you see on the left that looks like a  modified T was where we met. We had two large rooms on the first level, one for our lunch and one for sewing.  I had been there before years ago for a retreat but we sewed on smaller rooms on the lower level---this was much better. The lodging rooms are just to the right and have been  recently renovated.  No TVs, phones or any of the typical hotel features but you are just in the rooms to sleep or rest at a retreat.   They are planning a retreat here in October and our next sew-in July may be here as well.   Lovely, peaceful setting back in the woods.   

image from their website

• With all the quilting, I had not had time to cut or prepare the sections that needed to be interfaced prior to the sew-in.  It seemed like I spent an inordinate amount of time on Friday trying to get decor-bond to stick down to my fabric choices.  Jane and I left for home a little after 3 so I was home in time for supper.   Aline had come as well but drove herself.   She keeps her great-granddaughter a good bit and it was time for Lily Grace to see her maternal grandmother who lives near Pell City.  

• I did not have the machine I wanted to use to sew some blocks for a quilt we will be raffling in the guild so I had  "homework" to do.  The prez and her helpers had paper bags set up with kits for the blocks.  We were to make up the block(s), put them back in the bag with our name on it and that would give us 5 chances towards winning the finished quilt.  Then we all can purchase tickets for the drawing to be done at our Christmas party.  This will be a fund raiser as we hope to get our own frames built for our next quilt show (in two years time) rather than scramble to borrow them from another guild.  So they used the granny square tutorial  from Blue Elephant's blog using a variety of greens and floral prints with the same  yellow centers and white background.  I made 3 of them but didn't take a picture.  Use your imagination, LOL.

• Saturday, mostly I sewed though we had time out for a short business meeting, it being our normal 2nd Saturday meeting date.   Two members of the guild are getting married in early May down in New Orleans.  Margaret and her fiance Walt were feted with a lovely cake and a gift card from the guild.  

• Mostly I sewed and sewed.......... and sewed some more.  Shelia was so patient trying to get me to a stopping off point.  I don't wear a watch so I had no way of knowing that it was almost 7 p.m. when I started packing up.  Bernèe and I were still stitching away, her on her Quilt of Valor and me on my version of Carol's Convertible Purse.   Shelia and Dixye have made several of these in the past.  The bag has long straps so you can use the purse as a backpack or carry it as a shoulder bag.   By the time I stopped to get a bite to eat in Pell City and drove home I pulled in my drive at 8:45, almost 12 hours since I had left the house that morning.  Good thing we had decided early on that I would drive myself!  Jane and Terri came together and could leave when they were ready.

• Sunday---I had no intention of sewing all day!  I thought if anything, I could work on the binding on any of the recently quilted wall hangings.  Uh, that didn't happen.  I had grocery errands and supper to fix.    Poor neglected husband had had to fend for himself, LOL.  When I left Saturday mornings, I pointed out that there was ravioli in the freezer and "here's some pasta sauce to heat up"----surely he could take care of his supper if I was not home in time.  See above--- good thing he had not waited for me!  There was a Cardinal game to listen to on Gameday, computer stuff to fool with, day of rest though I later did finish up the little bit of sewing left to do on my bag.   

The two tweedy looking areas are exterior pockets.   Shelia had put little velcro tabs on hers which I sorta wish I had done but I was lagging behind the other two pupils.   She had used binding on the top of the pockets as well so it set them off a little better.   Denise was making hers for her granddaughter so had put a tab at least one side to hold a cell phone.  I like both ideas.   The pin is marking the spot where I have something planned.  

Below:

I had a little problem getting the interior lined up properly so ignore the rumples.  I'll do better on the next one as I think I would prefer putting binding all around the outside, skip the flap and put in a zipper placket like you do with the Tag-along Totes that I have made in the past.   I wanted to add in the key fob thing as it is a feature I like in one of my purchased pocket books.  Note the interior color as I have something more to say about it in a minute, LOL.  There is an interior pocket that Shelia suggested sewing some lines if you wanted separation for pens, etc but the pattern calls for an interior zipped pocket as well--behind the front of the purse.   I took these next two shots before it was technically finished if you spot a pin...... or four!

This is the back, with another zippered section.   Dixye has made a black and white fabric version of this and uses the back for her front.  This thing is so stiff with interfacing that it is standing alone pretty easily.  Not sure I would do that much of it again.  I swear that zipper line is in there straight, not leaning like this pictures is making it look.

That brings up to this morning----usual stuff.  Computer playing, following up on things from the quilt meeting, updating my blog (obviously!), laundry.  I still need to type up the rest of the meeting minutes so will do that shortly.  My sewing plans for the day include trying out one of Bev's flowers like the ones she did for Angellyn's quilt-----

I want to put the flower on the front flap to dress it up a bit with the leftover purple interior fabric and add a covered button or yo-yo for the center of the flower.  Maybe make another wonder wallet as well though I have one already that has the same fabric (in that tag-along tote link).  I carry two wallets though---one is mine and the other is the household grocery money.  I've got some pieces fused and cut already that I will probably have to toss if I don't make a wallet.  

Time to put the tuna melts in the oven and fold towels.  And sew it goes----------

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----------

WIP Weds

So far the only thing I have managed to get done on the creative side was prep the labels for the button ups and cut/press the sewn piece of tab strap.  I pinned both tops last evening.  I am setting up to start quilting in a few minutes or more likely, after lunch.

We had a fun time at the Christmas lunch out yesterday. So much easier then having to make a dish to pass.  Some of the girls had done that the night before for Lick Skillet Guild so I am glad we didn't go that route.  We had  "Show and Tell" afterwards--along with some date nut bread that Beverly shared.

  Silly me, went off without the camera again.  Marilyn had hers but turns out the battery needed charging so that was out.  Bev took some of her camera phone but I don't have those yet.  I had DJ hold up the turned in quilts anyway once I got home so I'll share those tomorrow.  I promise!

Well, you know were to find me--quilting!

getting closer

I am getting there!  Yesterday was borders day.  Today's goals are hanging sleeve, label and binding application---and that is doable.  This whole deal with need washed to remove the blue marks but not till the hand part of the binding is done.  I COULD sleep under this one tonight if I want.

I swapped out the fall wall hangings yesterday and put my Christmas log cabin quilt on the back of the couch.  That led me to take a peek at one of my other Christmas tops----Patience Corner last seen HERE, last December about this time.   I don't know what I was thinking but this thing is too small as is at 72 x 84.  I am guessing I was considering a fairly deep double border but didn't have the yardage I needed for that.  Since I like the looks of it as shown on the bed, I need to make 14 more blocks to bump the size up to 84 x 96.  Norma has offered to quilt it for me AFTER the holidays are passed and then we both will have one to grace our respective beds NEXT Christmas.  (THX, my friend)  I did have some background yardage on hand yet, but it might be close.  It will either make a substitute or go with a square quilt if I am short.  I am thinking I will cut those bits out when I deal with the sleeve thing in a few minutes.  It is possible that I overcut, (I often do) and I have some of the sashing stuck in my strip bins containers or scrap basket.  Worth a look anyway.

And sew it goes----today's goals in place.  Thoughts of what is to come and a mental list check list is in place.

WIP Weds

Actually I am not all that sure if this will BE a WIP project today.  I am proud to announce that I did get the last 5 blocks that remained to be done quilted yesterday.  It was no easy task either since I do not free motion (rarely) and I stitch in the ditch on a domestic machine, my old trusty Viking 500.  Definitely a two ibuprofen night after wrestling this thing around.  All that might get done is to quilt a line under the little flap of red.

Still, I am happy that I got this moved forward.  The borders still need to be done, of course.  I would dearly love to hand quilt it but I DO want this thing finished and off the UFO "list".  I have used one of the Quilter's Dream poly in low loft in this thing and I honestly do not recall if it recommended for hand quilting.  That is a definite consideration before I put the time into it.

If I am going to do this on the machine then I need a cable with a fairly gentle curve.  The braid will work better than the egg and dart.   The dark fabric will make it harder to mark and then to see the marks.   I am debating about marking it on tissue paper or seeing if they have this made up in Borders Made Easy.   I have used  it in the past on smaller projects. I know you don't want the adhesive on the quilt for long. It is messy to get the paper off no matter which paper stuff you use too.  Then too, you have to be very careful about the safety pins underneath.  Ask me how I know?  Will the standard blue wash out markers "Mark Be Gone" work?  Looks like but I will need a couple more as the one I have is a bit dry and the tip blunter than it should be.  I see a Hobby Lobby run on the horizon after lunch.  I need a couple yards of white on white for another project too.

Yeah, yeah, yeah---I know you are supposed to mark these before you pin then.  The batting is pretty flat so I will probably be okay.

And sew it goes at my house-------marking, not quilting for today.

WIP Weds whatever week

Between not feeling like sewing/quilting this weekend, my doctor's appointment and sitting at the hospital for DJ's 2nd eye surgery, I have gotten a good bit of the June Bee Tree Designs basket block done. Of course, it helps that there is not near as much stitching required as the previous one(s). I did pull the next marked block and the printout and slipped it in the tote "just in case" I finished. Not quite there yet!

DJ is doing well with his 2nd eye. I had to hurry up and put his drops in before he left for the doctor's office. I had planned on driving us in but he either didn't want me to go or didn't feel it was needed. The patch is off and he can see well enough. They will write down what they want him to do as far as eye drops in both eyes and that is all I needed to know anyway---any changes in meds and administration schedule.

So what is on tap now that I suddenly have a free morning? Well, I have to finish up my name tag thing for the Friendship Quilter's Guild. It is expected that each member have one of the same type for the quilt show this weekend. It won't matter for set up day but for white gloving and any job representing the guild at the show, tag required.

Nothing like procrastinating till almost the last minute. This thing has been up on the design wall for months and months---like, March maybe?

I had cut up all the blue print I had used in the block for use in the QOV quilt tops so I dug around till I found something similar in shading for the binding. It won't take long to finish; it was just NOT a priority before. I'll try quilting one or the other of the pinned tops once I am done. Maybe the pro bono one since Jane has already volunteered for binding detail.

Next week, I think I am way overdue for a rewards project and I am leaning towards the last of the Halvorsen autumn "In Seasons". For real this time! The other three are entered in the quilt show but the fall one is still waiting for me. Yep, time to make that happen once the quilt show hub-bub is over. Two other deadline projects are in the wings and they will need to follow. One is a "top secret project (TSP)" for sure as it is Norma's FAB Par-tay next. Cher also has a challenge going that I think we are supposed to keep hush-hush as well, reveal date is not announced yet. I am pretty sure that I know what I want to do in both cases but that is subject to change, LOL.

And sew it goes------

checking in

It has been quite a week. I cannot say that I will be sad to say goodbye to April. at this point. Between the horrendous weather, a morning spent at the doctor's office, DJ's birthday, home duties to tend to I have not been very motivated after the sew-in. Understandable, I guess

I have been asked if my quilt group is okay. As far as I know, yes. I have not heard from a couple of the girls but judging by the storm's track none of us was in the direct line of fire. Some power outages and trees down but not on anyone's house. So minor compared to what others are going through. We are all saddened by the fatalities the state suffered, 9 in our county alone. Please continue to hold those affected up in prayer.

Above, left--This is what I SHOULD be working on. Well, at least the top is finally done. Trust me, I had my doubts for a while there. I pinned the giftie at the sew-in first thing but have not touched it since other than to switch out machines. I guess I shoot for Monday to start that machine quilting, is all I can say.

Oh the doctor did not notice that I had switched from red Santas to green baskets when I went for my appointment. I guess he is just to the fact that I was stitching by now. I told him I thought they were making the eyes of the needles smaller since I last saw him. He related that he had gotten his first pair of reading glasses---neither of us were wearing our corrective lenses though and I really need to get my eyes checked as I am going thru some changes, I can tell. I am afraid I might hear "trifocals" UGH!


At right, what I picked up to piddle with yesterday and today. Talk about small needles and needle eyes since I use 12's. I do love hand quilting and do not get to do it often enough. What do you think? Should I be quilting thru the whole block or leave it like I have it so the Santa looks to be floating on the top? What is the classic look for embroidered blocks? I am undecided about quilting around the main motif. It might detract too much from the stitchery plus I think the cross hatching will provide enough "weighing" down in the block anyway.




And here is the "Happy Birthday" Dutch Apple Pie I made for DJ the other day. I do cake much better when it comes to baking, if the truth were to be told. BUT we had had cake recently and he wouldn't/couldn't tell me what kind he wanted. I suggested "pie then?" My dad would be a pie for birthday guy---cherry pie specifically.My sister-in-law Jen makes a wonderful mile high apple pie that is delish! I will have to be sure to get her recipe when I go "home" next month. Anyway-------

I used the recipe found on Food.com HERE after comparing 4 or 5 recipes from various sources. As with most recipes, they never clearly tell you what type of apples to use or necessarily, how many to buy which aggravates me no end. I don't make pies often and some things need to be spelled out! One source said not to use Granny Smiths and another said TO use them. HUH?? Make up your minds and quit with the contradictory information! Then I read that Golden Delicious, Gala and Fuji would be a good choice along with some that I knew I would never find in our market. I am marking this recipe accordingly 2 of each kind. For the record it took 7 1/2 apples to equal the 5 1/2 cups of peeled, cored sliced apples. Pet Ritz did the deep dish crust far better than I could too. I know how to make pie crust but just do not very often. Pretty yummy pie, if I do say so. I made a mess serving the first slice as it was just a tad too warm from the oven but it ate up just the same.

Soon I better be solving that old dilemma of what to fix for supper. The day before grocery shopping is always a challenge but we won't starve.

Hope things are going well in your neck of the woods----

WIP Weds, wk #51

Not the best picture but I am quilting my long ago Christmas log cabin. I am not even sure when exactly that this top was made---just that was started after I had been asked to show a class at the tech school in Jacksonville how to piece. I had shared my strip boxes with the class. Sometime in the last 10 yrs anyway, LOL.

I know you don't usually sash these but there was just sooooo much red and green that it needed the gold that I had used at the centers. It is big but with thin batting I have not been struggling with it as much as I thought I might. I was not sure how I wanted to quilt it but it occured to me to just quilt a big star on it with multi-color red and green quilting thread. I've quilting on it for two days and have 12 of the 48 blocks to go.

LOL, you know where to find me--watching movies or Hulu on the computer and finishing up tomorrow. And if you were wondering, this was NOT on my "10n10" list but it will be one less thing atop the bedroom dresser in the coming year.

Still at it

I think this quilting has become a bit like taking a multi-vitamin lately----one a day, LOL. I took Sunday off but I have essentially had that kind of output as you will see from the stack below on the right.

I had just started #6 of 7 when DJ took this picture after lunch today. It is a 12 block Thimbleberries sampler that Linda C made. Since I basically just do stitch in the ditch, it is taking a lot of pivoting and quilt wrestling. My upper back and shoulders have had it! I quit with 4 blocks and borders to go for tomorrow's detail.

There is one more in the stack but I honestly do not feel up to the task. It is large, backed with flannel, bulky and the pattern does not excite me since I just quilted one like it but with smaller blocks. I didn't volunteer to quilt it in the first place so that might have something to do with the attitude. Whine, whine, whine. After spending the better part of 2 weeks quilting, I am SO ready to piece or finish up my embroidery block(s). I know that my pal Norma is due some comp time and has a national holiday coming up this weekend. We normally get a lot done when we have some time to work together even when we are not working on the same thing. I'll think about what project I want to tackle while I finish up #6.

SO, onto another topic. My friend Mary Frances used to be with the Master Gardener group her in the county before she and her husband re-located back to eastern Indiana. She didn't recognize my mystery shrubbery from the picture and referred me to the county extension agent. Pointed to the picture on my blog---the verdict was that it is a form of Chinese privet. Thanks for the help in answering that question!

It has been quite pleasant out the last two days with no need for a/c though I hear 90's are coming and maybe rain come Friday. We need the rain. DJ has been trying to reclaim a bit more of the yard back from the kudzu vines and is trying to grow some grass seed. Watering that spot requires two long, long lengths of hose so he would rather Mother Nature tend to that, LOL.

Walking continues 6 days out of 7 and I will be adding another quarter mile lap next week. Not much else going on but that's okay. Hope you have had a good day in whatever you chose to do. Thanks for stopping by!

quilt meeting

In my last post I promised some pics of some of the turned in quilts or some in progress. These are all tops that Lois made.

This one is called "Four-in-Nine-Patch Zigzag" designed by Barbara Douglas and shown in the October 09 issue of Quilter's World. It uses 2 1/2 inch strips or cut squares.

Lois is probably our "Queen of Scraps" though she does some lovely planned quilts as well. Linda C came in with a bag full of scraps and handed it to Lois so bits and pieces of those will be turning up before long. Really it is kind of fun to be pinning and spot something that you know was a backing trim away at one point, LOL. "I remember that one--and this one!" moments.

Next up is Lois' version of Disappearing Nine Patch. It was a block of the month choice at the JOY guild last year and the suggestion was to use a center on the block.

Lois made a semi-planned quilt with the pattern using the same red throughout the top. The twist to the usual version was placing the blocks so they looked like large split framed 4 patches. She carried the same red out to the cornerstones and used the same background fabric for the sashing. It definitely does not make it look like a big blob of color that some D9P's can come out like. Love the scrappy!


This is Lois' version of Eleanor Burn's "Lover's Knot" I love that border print that she used.

I think this one she had made a meandering loopy motif that she free motioned on but a couple of the quilts she described how she did a more planned quilting design. I hope I have the story straight. If not, she reads my blog so can straighten me out, LOL.

She copied off a motif or quilting stencil on the printer and then ran however many copies she had onto erasable bond paper that she had on hand. Then she pins that to the quilt top and stitches through the paper removing it when done. One quilt I noticed she had a flower motif and on the next one, something that reminded me of a molecule or some such scientific symbol. Click to make it bigger and see if you spot it.


Lois also has an embroidery machine so this one has embroidered butterfly motifs scattered on the small triangle areas of the quilt. It looked really cool on the light colored backing she used as the butterflies showed through all layers like they were flying on the background!

I am not sure about the pattern name but I do know that it was designed by Karen Casey at Sew What! quilt shop in Oxford. Linda C made one first and has given away a lot of her old patterns and this was among them. It is oriented on point though---maybe not what you think at first glance. I know this because we helped Linda figure out the pattern at one of our summer meetings pinning the sections to a sheet for her so she didn't lose the pieces as they were laid out. Her version can be seen HERE for a different colorway. LOL, I didn't know the name of it then either! Made with a tricolor strip set is all I know and a good way to use a focus print.

I love looking at quilts like these because it starts me thinking about how I might use my own stash or scrap bins. Who doesn't need a little kick start now and again? I have a couple challenge projects coming up, after all. Tripping through my inspiration photo file, through my purchased patterns and clippings notebooks helps too. Even spotting some one's blog pictures can trigger an idea so it is my hope that you find some inspiration, now and again, from me or someone in my quilt group.

As to what I am working on today----the last three "Be Attitudes" quiltlet bases are stitched up and waiting. Yesterday I rough cut the applique sections and kitted those up. I also checked to see if I had enough binding leftover from the preceeding quilts and added a strip if needed and paired it up. I am ready to "play with paper dolls" as DJ calls it this afternoon--tracing, cutting.

DJ, bless him, was out washing and waxing my car for winter even though it looks like it may rain any minute. Probably on his "to do" list and his is next before he puts the hose up ahead of the colder weather. Leaves are starting to change in earnest this week, I have noticed. More rain is due in but it sure beats the snow that hit my sister's home in the Denver area (she sent pictures--wow, Jan! No wonder you had to shovel twice, maybe more. )

Hope you have a wonderful weekend in whatever you plan to do----

Happy St. Pat's

I woke up a bit ago to a quiet house and Skyler curled up beside me. DJ planned on heading out for 9 holes of golf so must have gone? Stayed in bed another 20 minutes enjoying it till I remembered it was St. Pat's and that corned beef needed to get in the crockpot! I had fixed the green dessert stuff yesterday morning when I made a seafood pasta salad for our Monday evening meal. Just in case I pulled on some green socks for the trip to the kitchen just so I wouldn't get pinched should he be reading quietly in the kitchen. Oh so cute with the pj's and bed head, LOL. It turns out that Skyler and I DID have the house to ourselves for a little while. (He's birdwatching in the sewing room perch and I'm posting, still in my jammies)


I got both Twisted Sister donation tops done this weekend. The blocks are arranged slightly differently on both and the reds are slightly different too should they be going to the same location in the future. Since all but one block are in pairs I can imagine a child playing a matching game with them. Both are bright, happy quilts and were the perfect foil for a dark, damp, gloomy and rainy weekend. I had the perfect backing fabric for one of them in my stash filed in the yellow and orange bin. Orange with a lime green squiggle if you remember that one, Mom from the Hancock's sale table -- enough leftover for binding both of them. I used more of that background fabric color for the other one which will also help to distinguish one from the other. Ellen sent a big roll of the gold on gold for the Belles and I to use so it shows up a lot but I have yet to tire of it.


Yesterday I spent some time quilting these two tops for my pal Marilyn for pay. Yep, my favorite 30's repros, LOL. We share that love. She had enough backing fabric of the pink for me to make binding for it. There is a possibility that she will turn the backing to the front to finish off the lilac one. I decided I better run a row of quilting around the edges on it. Essentially I am done with them though and can call her to have them picked up.

6 others wait in my stack. My WTIL challenge top shown HERE is on tap for today. I am not as crazy about the blue on gold fabric but that is what makes that a challenge, I guess. Should I get done what that top, I'll start on the one of other green Habitat challenge tops 2 of the girls turned in at the Christmas party shown HERE. Scroll down to Marilyn's and Linda S's top--that's the ones in my pile that Nancy fired the girls up to pin last week. The only other one in the closet was turned in early in the year. I am not quite sure just how I want to quilt Lois' flying geese in the cabin top that I volunteered for. I don't free motion and this is not one that I want to practice on either. I don't think I want to go in every line and SID either. Any suggestions? Several of the girls have been asking if I have any ready to bind lately. Nope, I am working on some of my own stuff, I have replied. I should be able to oblige when we meet again on the 24th!

That's about it from my house. I'll be the one hunched over the sewing machine and listening to the last chapters of Live Bait by P.J. Tracy. I don't know if the latest developments are a red herring or not but I am sure to find out this afternoon!

progress

I'm still at the machine quilting, LOL, though making progress---I am about to start quilting #9 of 13 having marked Baptist Fans on one of the tops Saturday afternoon. I quilted #8 yesterday but it was a small one with a fair amount of zoom lines. Friday, was a "lost day"-- I had a medical test that took a chunk of the morning. I was not feeling too red hot once I got home so resting and taking it easy appealed to me a lot more. Baked some banana muffins and started on supper prep basically between reading an old Nora Roberts paperback from my shelves. (Another goal--read some of these Friends of the Library collected books, book club titles that I have so I can donate them back for their cause)

I might have started quilting the one I marked except that the tension started acting up and I needed to get some white thread first anyway. Changing the needle, re-threading and adjusting the machine dials was not doing the trick. Consulting the manual indicated that the numbers were where they needed to be. I ended up cleaning and de-linting the machine. That did the trick. So other than winding some bobbins, I am good to go now.

When I picked out the next top I wanted to do, I decided that one in the pile was far too small for kid's quilt donation so I am NOT going to quilt it. Took that one out of the tally and added the top that I intend to pin at the meeting on Tuesday (my bonus challenge quilt). This little panel, however, would be a great learning tool for the person who donated it and added so many quilts to the stack in the first place. Hey, it is small (wallhanging sized), is pinned with flat batting so less bulk on the machine bed. It won't matter if you mess up plus I'll show you how to do it. Oh best clarify THAT sentence--show you how to quilt, not mess it up though some days I could that part too.

I have a volunteer for free motioning one quilt. Liz (not sure if she has a blog to link to) emailed me off post about it. I do have one she could do the honors with her Handi-quilter. THX!! Once I get the particulars I will be happy to send it on.




I did take a picture of a couple of the more recent completions-----first, Lois' Twin Sisters top. Cute and scrappy. The pattern is in Eleanor Burns' Quilts Through the Seasons. Linda C has made one as well which is one of the remaining quilts in the pile. I think I will mark a small square in the centers of the blocks on that one though rather than accentuate the pinwheel blades as I did on Lois' version just to shake things up a bit.

I want to make one of these but I believe I will change the strip size to make a bigger block. Burns has you cut 2 1/2 inch strips for a 5 inch finished block. While these are cuter than the dickens this small, you also have to make a whole lot of them. Even with two blocks for the deal, positive and negative versions, that is more than I would want to make--boredom factor would probably set in. I don't know if you can spot the pairs of blocks from this view or not. Lois did say that you should have a high degree of contrast in the fabrics. She thought that a few choices were too close in color or pattern and the pinwheel didn't show up as well.



This is one that Linda C made from some leftover 9 patch blocks and strips around them Courthouse Steps style. I had cut that binding for another project long ago and didn't use it at the last minute so it came in handy for this one with all the floral fabrics. Stashbusting wherever you can, right?

As I work I think about what I would like to be doing next as a "reward" of sorts. Piecing is always my first love in the quilting process. Quilting is okay (and necessary) but a stack of it can be a burden. Since the last two in the pile are my own two challenge quilts, I know I will have binding to finish but that is NO reward, LOL. The next FABs whacky challenge from Pat and Cher would be fun. I kinda, sorta know what I want to do with it. That will need to be done but I have some time leeway yet. I really need to finish the quilting, hand and machine, on the RR crossing if DJ is going to be able to use that this winter but I need a break from machine quilting for a week or two, anyway.

But what I really would like to start on is the Nancy Halvorsen "Be Attitudes" quilt. I fell in love with the one that Julie K was working on. I have the book and some of her Williams Inn fabric line to get started on it. In fact, that was my birthday present from my husband-- he gives me money and I spend it on what I want which works out well for BOTH of us. HERE is the link to Julie's top. I can see where this could be an ongoing top, like the redwork Santa blocks I started. Lots of handwork with the button hole stitching. Well, that is all a distant dream if I don't get cracking on the matters at hand but if it keeps me motivated, then so be it.

Hope you are having a good day in whatever you chose to do. Thanks for stopping by. Till next time

dabbling

A view often seen in the mornings---Skyler sees DJ down on the floor doing his exercises and he thinks he should be right in the thick of things, LOL. There was some question as to whether he planned on moving out of the way of the sit up.

Well, another week has passed by and we have moved onto September. The t-shirt top (and back) that I pieced for Out of the Box was delivered to Susan on Wednesday and I ran some shopping errands along the way to Boaz (AL) for stuff I cannot find here in town. I attended the JOY quilt guild meeting in nearby Jacksonville for the first time in about two years time on Thursday morning. In between, I dabbled with some various hobbies. Not completing anything nor will I for a while at this rate. But that's okay with me as I won't get bored with it. I doubt I am the only one who works like this either.

I have been working on a cardigan knitted from the neck down occasionally. (Pattern is from Knitting Pure and Simple) I felt like knitting so pulled it out the other day and finish up the ribbing I had decided to substitute at the bottom. I have made my sweater significantly longer that suggested as I want it to cover a longer top that I own. The next day I picked up the first of the set aside sleeve stitches and worked a bit on that before setting it aside. You start off with a small cord on circular needles and as you decrease the sleeve width you switch over to double points in two different sizes. I am used to double points from making DJ sets of golf club covers over the years and of course, all kinds of mittens. It's fun and mindless knitting except for watching for the evenly spaced decrease rows.

I did a bit of the "Here Comes Santa" block from Bird Brain Designs at the quilt meeting making some progress on the first block that I have traced off. I have decided NOT to use the perle cotton that came with the kit however as it just looked too thick to me. I was not pleased in the spots that called for finer detail work so switched to two strands of DMC floss. Good 'ol 498. Susan had some in stock since they have cross stitch and framing at the shop in addition to the long arm quilting and some fabrics.

I should tell you that a woman at the meeting had been given a bunch of books, magazines and even some quilt tops and blocks and brought those to share with. I was busy stitching but my friend Marilyn snagged a couple of the quilt tops. One she will re-vamp as a donation top and the other she handed me as she knows how I love feed sack stuff. Later, as I was chatting with the woman who had brought the things I saw someone holding up a blue quilt top and then someone pointing in my direction. Then heading my direction, LOL and handing me the quilt top. I think the person SHE had been chatting with told her that our quilt group could probably use it.

And, for a couple days this week I was machine quilting on this Railroad Crossing top. My mom pieced it and I brought it back with me when DJ and I were "home" visiting in June. The quilt will be going to DJ--maybe for Christmas or our anniversary in late January. I have the plain blocks marked with a small motif to hand quilt--what I was doing at the last quilt meeting actually. All the blocks are locked in and I have maybe a third of the bands stitched in the ditch. The borders are done as of yesterday morning. My goal was to get as many pins out of there as I could so it would be easier to maneuver for the hand quilting though I am itching to get started on that part.

One of the Belles wants me to show her how to hand quilt so if I have not started the hand work by then, I will definitely take with me to the meeting on Tuesday. Oops, that reminds me to switch some fabric over from the washer to dryer. I said I would mark off a design for her to practice on but needed to wash some muslin to do that. That part is easy--it is the fabric pressing that I don't look forward to. UGH--ironing!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of talking with Norma on the phone. We email and chat all the time but what a treat to hear her voice! The weirdest thing was a local friend had called to tell me about some feed sacks she had gotten from a friend of hers that does estate sales and deals in antiques. (She will sell them to any of the Belles that wants them at the price she paid for them. You know I will have to check these out!) Had Judy NOT called me on my cell phone I would have missed the call. I am sure that Norma would have just tried again a little later if her schedule permitted.

That's about it for here---scanning some recipe books for some inspiration and looking for a few recipes that are filed in who knows which notebook as it is about time to go grocery shopping. I still want to do the toaster cover and other appliance covers soon. When Norma gets back we have talked about tackling Atkinson's Designs Cheese and Crackers pattern. I didn't even show you the box that my mom packed up that was leftover from her town's raffle quilt that used this same pattern! I should be looking at these patterns in a little more detail to see how much background fabric, etc is needed to make this happen.

Hope you all are having a good weekend in whatever you found to dabble in-----

another week has flown by

Where is time going? Another week has just zipped by while I wasn't looking. All too soon it will be the first official day of summer and 2008, half over. Here in Alabama it is hot, hot, hot even if the calendar says it is spring yet. We hit the mid 90's with heat indexes of low 100's and who knows just what the humidity/dew points are. I have been getting up at 5 in the morning to try to get my walking in between 6-7 but my resolve to do so is getting weaker when I am sweating like a pig and have a harder time breathing in the oppressive air. Oh well--we are all in this together.

So what have I been doing? Quilting, in a word. My Pippi Memorial quilt shown HERE, my mom's Grandma's Scrap Bag and my version of a "Mary Quick Strippie" shown HERE. Picture of the Grandma's Scrap bag when it is finished though I probably won't show the other two since they didn't change a whole lot after quiltinf them. I sucked it up and did some free motion on the cat fabric on the Pippi quilt--yeah, me! But I refused to do the same thing on all those bands on the strippie. A couple of vertical lines were marked and zoomed instead. Binding is applied and I'll take all but the Pippi quilt to our quilt meeting tomorrow if someone is looking for some handwork. All three will be going to M2M. That leaves 5 pinned in my stack. Now I am debating--quilt some more today or start working on the FABS challenge. HMMMMM.

Our oven had been taking forever and day to heat up recently and it was obvious it was going to need a service call. For what we thought was a reliable name this was about the 4th time we had to call them to come out. Tuesday night DJ looked around the bottom of the gas stove to see if perhaps he could replace a part. 45 minutes later he decided it would light so it couldn't be the ignitor. Do we sink any more money in an 11 yr. old stove?? Weds morning, he stopped at the repair shop to talk to them re: parts/service call. On the way home he ran by an appliance store to price a new one and then by the a place that refurbishes appliances. Then he came home to get me since I am the one who uses it. Refurbished one it is since it would cost only slightly higher than the service call and parts. This one was delivered Weds afternoon while I went on my field trip with some of the quilt group.
The cute towel you see hanging from the handle was made by my friend Marilyn who also makes doll clothes to sell--an original design by Marilyn actually. (It will click bigger so you can take a better look) Our little town had their annual craft and tractor show on Saturday and she was vending. My old stove had a molded solid handle and I couldn't hang one. I had walked really early on Saturday while some of the folks were setting up but went back into town with DJ later. Since I didn't bring any money in with me, I asked her to set this one back for me but she handed to to me as an early birthday present. Thanks, Marilyn! And she is the one who was the birthday girl--not me. Skyler is quite attracted to the ties on the side but then he loves the ones on the chair cushions too.
We did make the run to Boaz on Wednesday afternoon as planned. Nancy drove since she had a vehicle that would seat 6. Beverly picked up her quilt in time for her DD/DSIL 25th anniversary and I dropped off the t-shirt quilt. The shop has some fabric so the girls shopped a bit while we took care of business. I got a couple of half yards of red and green for the Christmas row I will need to have completed by early August.
Then off we went through the Alabama countryside to find the quilt shop out in the country. We had only vague directions and we went by our turn off. It was pretty hilly and wooded so we lost cell phone connection for a short time but a stop at service station got us on the right track. The shop is called Mothers and Daughters and fairly new. They had mostly Moda fabrics in stock and not a lot of it yet--that takes time to build up. They have a long arm machine and table space set up for classes in a large open room building. I found a piece that will go with my Bama Belles challenge fabric but will raid my mom's stash for a green before I purchase anything else. We were home about 5 with all of us wondering about what to fix for supper/pickup something or go out.
Aline had finished quilting a neat little cable in the outside borders and the sashing of Sarah's heart memorial quilt so we gave it to Jane. The top is pictured HERE. This is what we intended for this quilt all along--it would go to her daughter in remembrance of her mom and what she meant to our group. We have another top in the closet that can be pinned and donated in her name. I asked Jane to bring it to the meeting on Tuesday so I can get a picture of it completed and the others that did not go on the shopping trip can see how it turned out. I had forgotten to tell her that it needs to be washed to remove the pencil markings at some point.
Not a lot going on really. Just the three of us rattling around the house. DJ keeps busy with yard work, reading and such. Skyler keeps busy playing and is back to normal activity wise after his front declawing procedure. They both nap at the same time, LOL. I go on mouse patrol and he promptly loses them somewhere else--the game we play.
I need to write up a handout for he next step of our "non-mystery" mystery quilt for tomorrow and do a post office/Dollar General run. That is the problem with going into town so early to walk--nothing is open till 8:30 or 9 other than the gas stations and the little grocery store and then I have to go back in again later. As I was writing this and thinking about the deadline projects I have to do, I think the quilting can wait a bit though I am tired of looking at the stack. Piecing, it is!
Hope that you have a good day in whatever you chose to do and thanks for stopping by.