finished to flimsy

The color is not correct as it looks far too yellow but I was taking this at night and in a different room than normal.   The color DOES look "right" in the post for a few days ago.   Woohoo, the tree skirt piecing is all done as of yesterday afternoon.  I had 5 blocks to piece, the lower 3 rows to join and borders to put on.  Then a lot of fabric pressing for the binding and back piecing.  . Even had to piece the batting.  The binding is cut but I still need to seam it but that meant a trip to the store for the correct shade of rusty red.  I was thankful to get my jammies on and hit the bed as my back was really squawking at me by 8:30.

I got the okay to go over to the church fellowship hall to pin this morning.  The pastor was there and came in to put up some of the tables that were set up for Bible Study as the congregants will be having their Thanksgiving meal this evening.  I was especially mindful of getting any loose strings up off the floor before I left.

SO I could be quilting but I am leaning towards piecing my guild paint chip challenge first.  What I have in mind for the challenge will not take long to cut or piece.  Quilting means swapping out machines, relocating the sewing table and generally tearing up the room for a bit.  And then dragging out the preferred piecing machine all over again.  I'm thinking that I can quilt the paint chip piece, one more donation quilt that I want to turn in and of course, the tree skirt after I am done with the challenge piece.  I estimate about 3 or 4 days of quilting.  Then, oh boy, spend a week doing binding.   Yep, that I what I think I'll do---as soon as I clear off the stuff I dumped on the table on my return from pinning, errands and the library.  I've got Bama Belles next week and a couple of sew in days coming up on the 6th and 7th of December.  Paint Chip Challenge is due on the 14th.  Belles have a challenge too supposedly due on the 10th but I am not so worried about that.  If it gets done then or a week from then---we are pretty loose about deadlines.  We have not even decided what to do about the Christmas party either, LOL.

Okay, talking about it will NOT get any of that done----------hope you have had a good day so far.

changing holiday theme

 Since last week's blog hop, I have been stitching intermittently on Kristine and Andy's promised Christmas tree skirt.  At this writing I am at the half way point.  The plate and measuring tape show where it will be cut to accomodate the tree trunk.  The edge with the quarter square setting triangles would be the front edge of the skirt.

You may recall that earlier this summer I had made two tree skirts for the HO HO HO hop?  They are shown in THIS POST.  One went to my niece/godchild Allison and the other to my nephew Blake and his bride Julia as delayed wedding gift,  Well, Kristine has been married a bit longer than her brother Blake and I asked if she might want one for her holiday decorating.  Obviously she said yes or why make another?

When pointed to the photos of the other two, she liked the style of Allison's better so I said I would do something similar but use a different block pattern.  Since I over-cut on Allison's project, this has allowed me to use quite a few of the leftovers from that going with a modern and traditional palette of holiday prints.  I did get one charm pack that blends with the border and binding choices though to carry those colors out a bit more.  I hope it looks like little sparkly jewels against the neutrals of the block.

These are 8 inch finished Patience Corner blocks and use 3.5 inch cut squares and then strips cut 1.5 x 3.5 and 1.5 by 4.5.  It is not a hard block but you DO have to pay attention!  If it does not look like a right leaning figure of 8, then you have done something wrong and get out the ripper.

I cut the setting triangles one inch larger than I needed them to actually be.  I may elect NOT to trim then down and in fact, add a fabric strip on the corners for a mock inner border.  I'll decide that later.

And sew it goes--------I hope to have this done by Thursday and possibly pin on Friday.  My original goal was that she would have it by Thanksgiving and it may be close!

On another note:
I want to thank all the blog hoppers who dropped by and made my feature day so special.  I had a several people tell me that they would take the quilt I made off my hands since my husband is apparently not too enthralled with it. LOL.  Good to know!

There will be another hop starting in a few days to end up 2013 but I will be cheering the others on with that.  Hoping to get my deadline items done in early December, quilt up the ones in my stack (currently 4) and then see what Mdm Samm has in mind for the latter half of January.  I've got a mental list about a mile long of things I would like to make but maybe can narrow that down to a workable goal list.  Pipe dream or not.

change of plans

I hate it!  And I think I know why.  I do not fly by the seat of pants very well.   I can tweak a pattern but have a much harder time starting off from scratch.  Sewing on this tree skirt, making it scrappy, doing crazy patches is going too far against my grain.

I am proudly a traditional quilter who likes to try new patterns and techniques.  I can produce a good facsimile, I feel, with my own fabrics but reinvent the wheel?  Not so much.  It is making me nuts.

I woke up at 2:30 this morning and this tree skirt thing was on my mind---among other topics, to be honest.  In spite of my best efforts to shut it all down I was awake till 6:30 and then blessedly, back to sleep till about 8:30.  SIGH.  Some nights are like that but I am not going to waste any more time worrying about it now.

My niece/god child likes the idea of lots of different fabrics for this so it will go with anything decor-wise down the line.  It does NOT have to be crazy patches----it can be planned ones, just a mix of them.  Of the ones I pointed her to, it was the colors, not the style or pattern.  The only thing she requested really was a white or cream backing, I guess so it could be used on either side.

I love my Patience Corner!  I love how the fabrics just glow against the light sashing.   Why not just make a piece large enough that I could cut the segments out of it?  Create my own yardage, in effect from the quilt top.  I threw it all on the bed to get an idea of just how big I would need to go, blockwise.  Of course, you know who had to get in there to see what was going on.  Sniff it out.  I could make a quilt and then cut a hole it in for the trunk??  Or I could do the Dresden Plate wedges since I already have the backing and batting cut??   I need to quit dragging my feet and just get going with this already!  After all, sewing is supposed to be fun, not have the prospect of doing so keep you awake at night for hours on end!!  EQ to help with the idea.

The more I mull this over, I think that this idea is scrappy enough for her but controlled enough for me.  Just make a 7 x 7 block square of 8 inch blocks, scaling the cut squares down to 3 inch finished instead of 4 1/2.    I can do that!   Any holiday fabric works in it so the stuff I bought will still work in it plus anything left from my own version of the quilt and stash.   I bet I can use the twister blade I made up as a Christmas stocking if I want.  The tree I was working on last night can be taken apart for the fabric.   If I don't use the batting and backing as is, I can find another use for it.

I'm off to cut 196 pieces for these blocks-------decision made.  Going for it!

some cutting etc

 After spending some time this morning on the photo editing project, I decided that this afternoon I could try some cutting and sewing.  Playing with setting up the Kenmore electronic machine now and trying to determine where my quarter inch is on this thing.  I do not think I can change the center needle position on the machine to compensate for the distance of the foot but for what I am doing at the moment, it is NOT critical.

I am going with a shortened Christmas tree for one of the Dresden Plate blades for the tree skirt, using the "Charley Brown Tree"  Button Up like the one I already made in Nov. 2011, as a start.  I am using a couple of the fabrics that were in the Sweet Saint Nick line at Connecting Threads and use stash for the star and flower pot I plan on appliquing.  The original pattern had you piece in the tree holder----no way!  This blade will be less "busy" than the twister blade was.

I just found out that my lefthanded blogging friend and her friend the "other Linda" are going to do another "Leisurely Turtle Race to Christmas with Squirrels Allowed"  (or LTRTCWSA) for 2013.  These two were trying to get me to join in but I had other stuff going on----when don't I?  BUT this starts immediately after this just past Christmas so I may have a leg up with these two tree skirts and my plans to finally complete my version of the Oxmoor House.  Now I have to tell you that my lefthanded blogging friend has done some swaps with me and some of her previous projects have and will be coming to my house.  The girl loves scraps and I can accommodate that!   Want to join in----you got till November 30, 2013.  No rules either!  This year they called it a draw---you are done when you say you are done, LOL.

Mail call today brought the fabrics that I was able to purchase from the Fat Quarter Shop, thanks to the gift certificate I won in the blog hop from Starwood Quilter and part of my Christmas gift money from the Bama Belles.  Isn't it pretty?   Better than the thumbnails I posted the other day.  THX y'all!

The next thing I know it will be time to start supper! I already had to make one meal already today (spinach pie)  plus threw some chicken in the crockpot to make some chicken noodle soup earlier today.  I may go with the soup and save the Seafood Creole idea for tomorrow instead.  Some of the fish needs to thaw slightly anyway.   Ambivalent.

And sew it goes------

Christmas Shopping----for me

Thanks to Susan P at Starwood Quilter and the generous blog hop gift certificate I unexpectedly won. these fabrics from the Bonnie and Camille Marmalade line from Moda will be coming to my house soon.  I added in some of the Christmas gift money from my dear Bama Belles and got a couple more to do with it. I hope to include them in my Farmer's Wife Inspired Sampler when I get back to working on the blocks again.  THX again, y'all.

Can you tell I love orange and yellow??  And that green that goes with their Vintage Modern stuff?

DJ had asked me if I was still waiting on the part of my Christmas gift from him----I am but I had received notice that hit had shipped.  When I heard the mail lady out in the drive, I thought it might be here.  They only pull in the drive when they have a package, otherwise it is out in the mail box across the lane.  Instead it was the fabric I had ordered from thousands of bolts for Blake and Julia's tree skirt I will be making for them, a delayed wedding present.  DJ said "that just means more work for you" when I told him the present was NOT here yet.  Yeah, maybe but I enjoy sewing so that is not technically work.  Work is having to mop the kitchen floor because you spilled your extra full coffee cup all over the kitchen table and floor.  And having to do a load of towels since you soaked up a couple dish towels cleaning up the initial mess on the floor.  SIGH.

The ivy on the left is the backing.  The green is a bit brighter than I hoped but I'll probably use it anyway unless I have a better option in the fabric bin.  The red is perfect though not as orange as it looks in the picture. 

I will use the Frosted Tree Skirt pattern from Connecting Threads but sub out the kit fabric for the stuff above .  The kit fabric will combine nicely with a previous line from CT called Twilight Frost---won't go to waste.  It is no longer available on their website but the pattern is now able to be downloaded , now calling it "Star Bright Tree Skirt.   It  was gorgeous in the frosted blues!!. 

I had downloaded this from the website when it was up there.  The light cream will go where you see the white.  The creamy dotty print is the sashing.  I have to dig in the stash for the cornerstone fabric.  Where you see the medium blue will be the red  and the dark blue is the green print.  I think. Now that I see the fabric.  I may reverse the red and green but will mull that over before cutting.  I ordered enough that it can go either way but it would change the binding choice.  

I will finish up Allison's first, then do this one and get started back on my version of the Oxmoor House quilt.   But for today, I am going to get back to my snowman row that I started yesterday for the guild row of the month.  I drew it up in EQ so I could  foundation piece it but only got as far as their hats chaining 8 blocks through. 

And sew it goes------

Twister Blade

Hot off the press----

The newly remodeled bits of twister from my previous projects.  Some was part of a placemat and I was able to keep the dead center of it fairly intact but the rest of it, not so much.

I did have to put that "obnoxious green zigzag BACK in the mix--near the bottom left.  4 or 5 fabrics were not original to any of the three pieces I took apart.

Anyway, 1 out of 8 is done.  I think I am going to work on that snowman row now and get back to this once that fun project is done. 

Yep, got a plan so let's get back to the machine.

this and that on a Thursday

This was a day of doing other little odd jobs around the house----laundry and trying to re-make the bed around a little wild cat, baking a new to me sugar cookie recipe and then fixing potato soup and reuben sandwiches for lunch.  (leftover potato soup works great for a base for chicken or turkey pot pie which we will have in a day or so, LOL)  By the time I had clean-up detail done it was close to 1 p.m.  

I re-organized some files on the computer, did a little knitting on another hat and ordered part of my Christmas present when DJ asked what I had in mind for my spending money he normally gives me.  Easiest shopping that boy ever has to do---give me the credit card and I'll take care of  the shopping.

Next thing I knew it was time to cook supper---and more clean up though I still need to tend to my cast iron skillet.  DJ is forbidden to do anything with it  as he would have soap in there in a heartbeat.

And here it is evening----what to do, what to do?  Nothing on TV that I care to watch. 

After looking through the tree skirt pattern, again---I decided to at least get the backing fabric cut.  I cannot remember the last time that I had to use a tissue pattern for anything.  I had to confirm that you cut with the right sides of the fabric together.  I used to make some of my clothes (sundresses, dresses, shorts) but it has been years.  Maybe when I made the kitchen curtains, way back in 1997??   Since these sections have three straight edges I used my rotary cutter and ruler anyway. 

Well, I still need to cut the interfacing or as it says on the pattern "non-fusible fleece"  I am going to assume that they mean like a flat batting and look through the bag of batting cutaways a friend from Friendship Quilters passed on to me.  She has them all labeled as to size that will help OR I will use the batting tape to join what I need and work with it.

I am expecting some sale Christmas fabric from Connecting Threads to augment what I already have---primarily so I can make some stockings as well.  That should be here tomorrow----more washing and pressing ahead.  So enough I will begin piecing on these---piecing the 8 scalloped pieces like a  huge Dresden Plate really with an open hole in the middle for the tree.   5 inches at the top and flares to 17 with pieces about 22 inches long.  HMMMMM

Also I think I need to re-cut the loops though with something contrasting rather than matching the backing cream color---that can wait till I see what fabric predominates.   It closes with big 1 1/2 inch buttons which is kind of cute.

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

Moving on

I finished up the monster quilt I showed you in the last post as planned yesterday afternoon, almost right on schedule. Aline had called me about something else and I told her I would be finished in an hour or so. What did she want to do about pickup and delivery? They attend church near my home and it being Wednesday evening, there is usually choir practice and/or Bible study going on.  We left it that one of them would probably run by before heading home.

Funny thing was her husband stopped  to pick up the quilt and the phone was ringing at the same time.
  I could guess who it was on the other end though we let it ring.  Aline was telling me that if I didn't see Hans by 7:45 he wouldn't be coming, LOL.    He'd already been and gone!

I have been knitting a bit in the evenings and started the hat on the right Tuesday evening.  Really I wanted to do it as using a true circular needle or "in the round" as they say but had already shut down the computer so just went with the standard methodology.  Circular needles but used straight like I normally do.  I am at the point with that watch cap where you switch over to stockinette stitching. 

Since I was done with the quilt before I had to worry about supper prep I cast on and followed along with the video tutorial I posted last month from knitdenise.  Well, I cast on twice because the first time I had done it far too tight and should have used a shorter 12 inch cable between the needles.  Another inch or two and I'll be doing the shaping for the top.  Then do I try the video for knitting with two circular needles OR switch to double points?

And just like that----I got more than one thing going, just like I do with quilting! 

And also considering another project with any leftover yarn.  I do like this Grape Fizz color and can see getting another skein when I am down near  Hobby Lobby next week.  I  may need more to finish it.  I know I can get two watch caps out of one skein of yarn but switching things out, maybe not. The hat is from the redheart dot come website for "knit roll brim hat".  Change things up a little bit and adapt for in the round. 

At some point I need to re-crochet the top of this hanging towel thing for the kitchen----provided I can remember where it is that I found the directions.  Just poking the button through the double crochet spaces has led to some raveling.

Oh, speaking of the kitchen.  DJ is just about done in there!  A couple coats of green on one last door and he is finished.  The ones he has already completed are hanging.  I'll get a "tada" picture taken when he is officially finished.  It really looks different in there!  I can also expect to have a return on my dryer top as he has had it taken over as his work/storage space since this whole deal started.  You can do the laundry but forget using that normally available surface for a folding/holding prep area.

At present I am pre-washing fabrics for Allison's tree skirt (and maybe stockings).  Most of this is half yards, from Connecting Threads.

Technicolor Tidings

Peppermint Frost

Sweet St. Nick--but only that candy on butterscotch background

The cream is for the background of the skirt, as my  niece requested.

I hope to combine this with other things in my stash, including what was cut away from the backing of my Patience Corner to make crazy patched sections of the "petal" segments of the tree skirt.   I know I have some charm squares left from my quilt and can incorporate some pieced elements into the segments, whatever.  She wanted a mix of fabrics that would go with any decor down the line.   So that is exactly what I will do.  I like the button and loop closure on this as well.  McCall's M6453

But first----slog through pressing all this fabric.  I hate to iron but half yards are not too bad as three yards of backing fabric.  Today may only be about prep work---and fill in with knitting for actual creative time.

Friendship Quilter's Christmas Party is on Saturday and I am signed up for dessert.  I am thinking I am going to make another peanut butter sheet cake since the girls seemed to enjoy that at the retreat in October.  I made cookies for the last sew-in a few weeks ago though I am wanting to try an Angel Sugar Crisp Cookie recipe I have flagged on pinterest from Taste of Home.  Maybe next week, midweek or so.

Well, I've got a date with the iron.  Good thing it is warm enough outside to open a window and maybe keep from getting overheated doing said pressing.