PopStix comes home!

I have more to add to a post---after all, I had a sew-in and a birthday between posts---but I wanted to share my recently quilted Popsicle Sticks (PopStix) bed quilt. Pattern source:  Atkinson Designs.  I still need to bind it and that is on my "to-do" list, right after the hexie items are finished up for the next hop.  I jokingly told my pal Norma this morning that I may never see daylight with all that is ON that list.  I may post it just to keep myself accountable but trust me, my previous goals list needs to be tossed.  Blog hops happened and I have not done one thing on it!  Oh, I have gotten lots done, just not THAT stuff.  You may see what a sorry confession that is. Or to put a positive spin on things, maybe I should make a list of what I HAVE managed to get done instead or in addition to what was listed.

I took one of this from this angle hoping you could see how pretty the back is and what a great job Denise did with the quilting.  She is a friend from Friendship Quilters Guild who long arms.  I had taken it to the last meeting and she had it done in time for me to pick it up at the sew-in.  Not knowing which pantos she had,  I had said to use something like a big stipple or rounded since the top itself is all strips.  This bubble shape and the variegated thread was the perfect choice.  THX Denise!  I love the fabric too which I found for a good price at thousands of bolts.  Good thing too since I needed like 9-10 yards of it.  Habitat by Jay McCarroll for Free Spirit but it also says Westminster Fibers #JY 34 For the Birds.  There is probably enough left to bind the quilt and maybe make a couple pillow cases for my bed.

I must tell you, that I had to make the bed to even get to this point.  Skyler was NOT making it easy either.  A rousing round of "where's the kitty?" ensued with each layer.  I thought the coast was clear when I pulled out the quilt and the camera.

But, here is the quilt complete with kitty lump.  He had taken a tour of the bedroom clothes closet between bed making and my getting dressed.  I thought he might be done playing and settling in for a the morning into afternoon nap.  You think that they have built in radar when it comes to quilts??

Looks like I should have lightened up the pictures a bit before I posted it.  I'll be sure to do that when I take the final glamour shots instead.  Too late now!

From another angle.  Again I hope that the quilting shows up.  All my favorite colors.  But even better, the quilt does not feel like an army blanket with all the cuddle mashed out of it by over quilting.

I have some more sewing to do this afternoon as I near completion of one of my hexie hop projects.  I hope to pin it tomorrow at Bama Belles so that will push me to finish up sometimes this afternoon.  I'm close!

With that more immediate action plan in place, I best make it happen!  Tell you about the other stuff later.

THX and checking in

The HO HO HO  blog hop continues for a few more days, ending on Friday August 9th.  Today is Day 5.  I hope you are enjoying it as much as I have.  Such inspiration and creativity from this group of participants.  I have been late getting around to see everyone till later in the afternoon the last two days but would not miss it if it meant looking at midnight, or the next day!

I sincerely appreciate everyone who stopped by Friday and a few since then leaving such sweet comments about the tree skirts I have made for family members' holiday decorating plans.  I do try to answer each email but am a little bit behind if it arrived yesterday or today.  I'll get to it though! 

There were quite a few no reply bloggers, more than usual it would seem.  I replied there but I don't know if anyone ever goes back to look at that.  Please see our most excellent cheerleader Carol's note on how to fix that!  It is not hard and really you have two options around it.  It is particularly disheartening to me when someone has asked a question about something, I have an answer to share but is it a one way conversation.  Not only that but you miss out the blogger's giveaways, those who chose to do so,  and the ones offered by Mdm. Samm from our lovely sponsor (this round Timeless Treasures. )  

So what have I been up to besides answering email?  More stuff I can't really show you, LOL.  A few ideas for the hexie hop actually. One thing is completed.  Another, I am more or less winging it and designing/working it out as I go---up to a hand work part.  Another, well let's just say, I've been nubbing off corners and now I need to vacuum up the floor in the sewing room.

Also I was making an early birthday present for my friend Norma.  One thing she knows is coming as I previewed the fabrics choices with her.  I cannot tell you what either as I made one for me first---that entry that is done.   I asked what color.  Silly me should have known she would pick Lime Green, to her green is the new neutral.  The item will need to live at her house so I wanted to sure I was on the right track, LOL.  All the main components are completed but I cannot join them till an ordered supply comes in.  I'm in a holding pattern for a few days longer, it would appear.   Then because I ruined her surprise, there is an add-on or two. She will get the item I am designing IF it works out, that is.

Today I spent a goodly amount of time out in the kitchen.  Starting off with  a Southern Peach Cobbler using this recipe, on All Recipes  but halved since I had just 4 fresh Alabama grown peaches on hand and some soft spots to work around.    It was good but I thought at first that I had over browned it.  I believe that was the half brown sugar called for in the recipe.  It made the peaches look darker too.  

Then I had planned on making Fish Tacos with Avocado Sauce and Fresh Salsa  from Taste of Home.  The fish is slightly marinated in lemon juice, garlic and oil.  It looked like rain so I baked the fish instead of grilling it as I often do for this, good with tilapia.  DJ does not like avocados as much as I do but he was using the sauce and even using some of the chunked up avocado!   Just a nicely flavored, different kind of meal.  All that took some time to prepare for chilling and then eating!

Lastly, I have some clean out the freezer type vegetable beef soup in the crockpot.   That means you just dump stuff in but the next thing I knew the crock pot was overly filled.   DJ said "how did that happen?  Don't you measure?"  Yeah if I am baking and the amounts are critical to the success of the dish.  Who needs a recipe for soup, after all these years?    I had to take some out to simmer on the stove instead.  Lots for the freezer, LOL, once completed.  

Tomorrow I'll be back out there again though it will be making something to like sheet cake to take to the guild sew-in on Thursday-Friday.  I thought I would try this Peanut Cola Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting from my recipes.  Sheet cakes bake on a jelly roll pan and usually only need about 20 minutes of baking time.  Maybe I won't get so over heated, or have to spend 2 hours out in the kitchen without benefit of a/c.   He turned it on once it hit the normal 81 in the house and after I was done----grrrrrr.   As it was, I had two fans on, cooked in my pj's and had to wait to shower till after the dishwasher was done running.  Oh the life of the domestic goddess, LOL.

Oh, when I was talking about tree skirts I have to tell you that I will be making a third one.  My niece who will be celebrating/did celebrate her 2nd or is it her 3rd anniversary will be getting one as well.  I did not want Kristine and Andy to be left out when I had made one for her cousin and one for her brother and sister-in-law.  I asked if she needed/wanted one and she will take me up on my offer.  I will doing something similar to Allison's jewel toned one since she liked it best but picking another block.  That sort of look but not a clone using my Patience Corner idea but scaling it down in size---more like 46 inches finished.    Sort of like this-----but ignore the block colors, being lazy there.

The blocks will be on point--24 of them.  The corners will be notched not squared off but that is the only way I can draw it in EQ.   The center is the cutaway for the tree and the slit will go directly out at the halfway point of the quilt horizontally, as the others did.   I can use some of the leftover fabrics from the other two but had to order more backing and background materials. 

BUT first the hexie things MUST be done!!  I mentioned the guild sew-in.  It is a "Christmas in August" theme, make it/take it format or work on your own stuff.  I am signed up for a few things--some things they are providing kits, others I need to pack for.  That and laundry are my plans for tomorrow though I had a pile of towels to do today after the cooking chores.  Skyler loves warm from the dryer towels  <VBG>  He was looking at me so cutely, till I got the camera out.  Then he flopped and started rolling all over it absorbing the warmth.   Lacking any quilty pictures, we'll go with it.

I may be sewing a bit after supper,  getting started on my main hop entry and thinking about what to  pack up for Thursday.  Should be fun!  THX for stopping by!

Day 3 HO HO HO Christmas in July Blog Hop---my day!

Are you having fun with this hop so far?  I sure am and not only because today is my day to finally show you what I had been working on much of July.  Such creativity! Such sense of fun and whimsy too.  Quilting I can only dream of doing!  Such holiday themed eye candy.  What's not to like there, huh?

Last fall my niece/godchild Allison asked me to make a tree skirt for her.  Well, more like she hinted and I volunteered.  Actually she had seen a picture of my twister wreath  and asked if I could cut a hole in it.  Anyway, we hammered out some details and I agreed to make her own but NOT for Christmas 2012.   I had made two false starts and had other patterns on hand under consideration but nothing seemed to click.  Allison requested something scrappy that would go with any future home decor she might have and either a white or cream backing.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Uh, see the previous comment.  Anyway, along came the HO HO HO blog hop and just the jump start this project needed.  Give me a deadline and I'll meet it!
I dug through my stash and found some traditional prints but also went with some more modern colors.  Some playing in EQ finally worked what I wanted to do, though even then I tweaked it.   I decided on a sashed block with sashing in side the block, on point.  It sort of reminded me a bit of a Christmas package.   This is my own design with an inspiration source that you will see in a minute. 

Trust me, I wanted to get out our artificial tree to stage this but my husband looked at me like I had lost my last brain cell.   I would have gotten the box out of the storage shed but HE would have been the one who had to assemble it, more or less, on a whim.  Bedroom floor, it is for this shot.

My girlfriend suggested seeing who might have an outside round deck table for photos when I mentioned wondering how I could accomplish that.  Two of my quilt group volunteered and Bridget was able to help me out on Tuesday.  Still can't see the whole piece properly and now it looks like a table topper, LOL but definitely scenic, looking down hill.  Other than being hot outside, it was a Chamber of Commerce day on Tuesday.

You can see the colors and quilting better in this one but we couldn't get it to hang just right, being held up.   Maybe between the three shots you have an idea of how this turned out??

When Allison had asked about making this item, my mind sprang to the newlyweds in the family.  My nephew Blake and his lovely bride Julia were married in October 2012.  I contacted them to see if they too could use a tree skirt and/or Christmas stockings, though no way would be done for Christmas 2012.   Go for it, I heard.  I selected the "Star Bright" Design that was offered at Connecting Thread but shown in a lovely blue palette.  Julia preferred a more traditional red and green.  I could do that!  The fabrics were purchased months and months ago. 

First the floor shot.  The binding is the same dark green/black gingham print as the cornerstones which is blending into the carpet a bit.  Now you you can see how I came across the idea to "notch the corners"  on Allison's design. 

I will say that I did not follow the piecing directions--- at all!  The pattern called doing the quilt in a 3 columns,  3 x 3 block set, for  what can best be described as Square in a Square strippie set of Puss in the Corner blocks.  I hate doing Square in a Square blocks, well not hate, but strongly don't like.  I cocked my head to the left and put this all on point, laid out just as you see it.  The large star points are just big half square and two quarter triangles.  Easy peasy. 

If you look at the quilt below than you can see how the originally designed skirt may have been pieced.  BUT there would have been seams breaking up the large red triangles.  Makes me dizzy looking at it, LOL.   It is also how it would look once it was placed under the tree.  Bless Bridget for standing in her plant and wearing a black shirt so the center pops.  

Now if you will indulge me, I want to share what the silly kitty of mine did while I was getting ready to take the first indoor shot.  It was my idea to put on three ties, not just one.  Skyler spotted me tying them closed---oh goodie!  Strings!  Up he hopped on the cutting/pressing table.  First, he just sat on it but soon the front side went into the skirt opening, leaving that back end protruding. 

A 5 inch opening must have been enough to get down inside.  Then he turned around so he can hide but it was not working.  I see you in there, Buddy!  (Now you can see the fabrics a little better.  Some is Nancy Halvorsen's holiday fabric while that red is a Debbie Mumm Holiday print a stylized dot and the green from Connecting Threads. cornerstones and binding, my stash)

  And because I was laughing so heartily by then he had enough of the noise and got out!

I hope their cat does not think this is what you do with a tree skirt!  I am planning on making them each a special holiday bag to hold the skirt with the fabric leftovers before I mail them off to their new owners but with things to prepare for the next hop, it will wait just a tad!

As always a big thank you to the creative mind of Mdm. Samm of sew we quilt but also to our cheerleader this round Carol of just let me quilt.  Thank you as well to our sponsor Timeless Treasures.  You'll have to pop on over to Mdm. Samm's to see what treats (a clue there!) are being donated for top 2, most creative and commenters.

I appreciate your stopping by today.  Now will you please show the others who are featured today some bloggy love too?  Here are the links---

Friday, August 2

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Ridge Top Quilts

Editha

Stitchin By the Lake

Quilts, Fabric and Thread Tales

Sew Many Yarns

Kwilty Pleasures

Kris Loves Fabric

52 Quilts in 52 Weeks

Robin’s Fabric Nest

Day 2 HO HO HO Blog Hop

Here is the list of today's participants as we turn the calendar page to August:

Thursday, August 1

Vroomans Quilts

Abyquilt

MacDonald’s Patch

Life and Everthing Around It

Hill Valley Quilter

Traveling Quilter

Quilting Lines

The Reluctant Quilter

Pig Tales and Quilts

Teatime Creations

Ravelly1

HO HO HO Blog Hop

I am very happy to report that I finished up my project #2 last night, taking the last stitches in the binding about 8:30 last evening.  Woohoo there!  Of course, I cannot wait to show you what I have to share with you but I will not have to wait too long.  Today I am moving on to a hexie idea I have, doing some minor laundry and just generally kicking back a little bit.  DJ wants a hair cut this afternoon and other than cooking dinner I am not feeling any pressure from deadlines.   Not for another 3 1/2 weeks anyway when the next items will be featured.

I do have some photos to take, however and I put out a call to the Belles to see about an outdoor location for this. Hopefully tomorrow will work out.   Of course today's indoor shot attempts were a little comical---and I think I may show you just why soon enough, LOL.  Skyler had me quite amused and laughing, let me tell you!

I thought I would post the entire schedule today---Carol our most excellent cheerleader did not announce any changes to it when she sent a reminder post so I assume it is all "a-go".  I will probably do daily schedules as well..  The hop runs from Wednesday, July 31st to Friday August 9th with time out for the weekend.   I see some familiar names but also some new ones, possibly past participants or first time hoppers!  Always a blast to see what everyone has come up with.  Who knows?  You may get some ideas for your holiday crafting too!

Wednesday, July 31

Just Let Me Quilt

Grandmama’s Stories

Thimblemouse & Spouse

Pumpkin Patch Quilter

Bumbleberry Stitches

Baas Amazing Adventures

The House on the Side of the Hill

Geta’s Quilting Studio

Felt Free Pa Asly

CLF by Nailaa

How Art You?

Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.

Thursday, August 1

Vroomans Quilts

Abyquilt

MacDonald’s Patch

Life and Everthing Around It

Hill Valley Quilter

Traveling Quilter

Quilting Lines

The Reluctant Quilter

Pig Tales and Quilts

Teatime Creations

Ravelly1

Friday, August 2

Quilt Doodle Doodles

life, quilts and a cat too   <<  That's me!  >>

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Ridge Top Quilts

Editha

Stitchin By the Lake

Quilts, Fabric and Thread Tales

Sew Many Yarns

Kwilty Pleasures

Kris Loves Fabric

52 Quilts in 52 Weeks

Robin’s Fabric Nest

Monday, August 5

Cherry’s Prairie Primitives

Scraps of Life

Words & Stitches

Blue Heron Quilts

More Stars in Comanche

Handmade by Mama

Julie from Quilted Works (on Carol's blog)

In Stitches and Seams

Scrapbook ChickADoodle

Jane’s Quilting

Beaquilter

Life@RuffHaven

Tuesday, August 6

Why-Knot-Kwilt

Debby Kratovil

Apple Avenue Quilts

Domestic Deficit Disorder

Jane’s Fabrics and Quilts

Marjorie’s Busy Corner

Cate’s Linens

Brenda’s Blog

Charlottes Creations

Selina Quilts

Made By Me In Red

Blooming where I am Planted

Wednesday, August 7

Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio

From This to That

I Like To Quilt Blog

Leah @ L3designs

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much?

Just Quilt It

Meadowbrook

Peanut’s Patchwork

Around the Homestead

Feathered Nest Studio

In The Boon Docks

MO Broker, My Creative Side

Thursday, August 8

Quiltscapes

Marla’s Crafts

A Stitch In Time

Mehitabel’s Musings

Buzzing and Bumbling

Transitions For Meee

A Little Bit of Lorene

I Piece 2-Mary

Under the Presser Foot

A Reformed Heath’n

Just Sew Quilter

Friday, August 9

Moose Stash Quilting

Cathy’s Chatter

Darlington Delights

Life in the Scrapatch

Quilt n Queen

Forget-Me-Not Stitches

Quilted Delights

AnnieOak Designs

Sew Peace to Peace

Wips & Tuts

Just Keep Swimming

Sew We Quilt

this and that

Okay, found on facebook this morning and since I DO have a cat often featured on here-----  well, I thought it was funny anyway.  (He does NOT go on the table or the counters but who knows what he does at night when we are not around to scold him!)

I am happy to report that I have finished up project one for the HO HO HO blog hop that starts next Weds July 31st.  Tons of  binding but I slogged through it yesterday.  Today's plans, after I run a few errands, start quilting item two.  You know the drill----can't show till the assigned reveal day which is Friday, August 2nd in my case.  Sadly, lack of pictures for the blog!  I'll post the schedule early next week.

I don't even have pictures from Tuesday's quilt group to share though I had my camera with me.  I should have gotten a picture of the purse Teresa finished. Or the giftie quilt she is making for one of her kids.  Or Janet's red and white quilt top, made from Faye Burgos fabrics that she bought at a quilt show.   Gorgeous!

The weather was not conducive to meeting but we had a good turnout in spite of that.  (This year it has rained so much that if we were to let that stop us, we would never go anywhere,  LOL).  A few quilts were pinned, more scraps to sort through, one gal sewing, one cutting, one clipping threads, me embroidering.  A couple more were teamed up on a fall project another group is doing.  Nancy dropped by with the dachshund puppy she had just picked up---now that little sweetie deserved a picture.  Oh and a potluck lunch complete with a birthday cake for all the May to September birthday gals.   Just a fun time of fellowship and friendship and no big decision making about where to go for lunch either, LOL.  Normally we have to start thinking about THAT about 45 minutes before we are actually going to go.

And sew it goes in my little corner of bloggerland----

One week later..........

I sure didn't mean for a whole week to go by without posting.  I meant to post yesterday as a matter of fact and even had a couple picture to share but somehow it didn't happen, LOL.  Thunderstorms and having to power down the computer may have had something to do it with it.

 I have finished up the piecing on HO HO HO blog hop project 2 now and went over to the church meeting place to pin both one and two fairly early on Friday morning.  I was home in time for lunch which was all DJ was concerned about.  Rather than set up to start quilting, I finished up the binding on the remaining two sides of this Tons of Black Challenge quilt from last year.   Now it is ready to be counted for the guild obligation but I am allowed to donated it for the Bama Belles cause too.  I am thinking that this might be a good one for the Ogden House project that my friend Gene Black headed up last year provided they are doing it again this year.  You can read about the efforts HERE.

I can't show you the other stuff so this will have to do!  Pattern Source:  Quilting Assistant Mock Trip Around the World.  I would do another of these in a heart beat as the blocks can be arranged just about any way but I like this medallion style one probably the best.  The website gives you a couple of other ideas but I came up with a few others.  See my past post HERE for that.

I am also considering making a pillow case/gift bag for projects 1 and 2 but I have never done one of those roll up type deals.  I mentioned that to my friend Norma yesterday but I had a kit that I had one at guild to practice on first.   I said I would probably have to watch a video first to get through the process---or holler for Jane to help me, LOL.  She has made quite a few of them so I knew where to turn.  Norma came up with a couple of links before I had a chance to google it.

Missouri Star Quilt Company has one that she finished up the interior seams on the serger found HERE.  Robin Gallagher of Robin Quilts, Etc. also has a video for the pillow case but uses a french seam on the remaining two sides  HERE.   I recently said that I would like to have a basic serger and this would have been a good chance to use one.  I did the french seams BUT see how much off I am where this band meets?  Actually I think it is my fault for not re-cutting the strip in the kit.  The quilt shop tears their fabric.  I pressed it is half as instructed but there are spots where it is about an 1/8 of an inch off in the width.  I know because 1) I can see it is NOT even and 2) I measured it after the fact. 

Robin said to seam it on the other two sides, like an L, at first a quarter inch seam sewing with wrong sides together  and then turning it and doing a 1/2 inch seam.  to encase the raw edges.  I know how to do french seams from the old garment sewing days.  That just made for a big blob in the corner that I ended up clipping anyway.  I should have done it one seam at a time and it might have been easier to press it too.  Oh well, this was a "try it and learn" endeavor.  I know what I would do differently next time.

It is sort of cute though, isn't it?  Ballerina mice.  Who knew?   If they are still wanting these at guild I may donate it.  If not, maybe we can do a few more and send them with our quilts when we donate them down the line.   OR I might just use it myself, LOL.  Probably not. 

Other than that I did a bit of research for a hexagon idea I have for the late August hop.  I need to know how big it might finish so I  have cut something out to try my theory.  This is a case of combining a few things from a few sources to get the result I THINK I want.  It may not work but then again, it just might, LOL. 

Here we go again with the thunder bumpers and it is pouring down rain!  Same thing happened yesterday and we had two inches fall in a very short time.  Skyler has seen enough and is heading for his hiding spot under my bed!  Thankfully, I had run the grocery errands before this came blowing in.   I had planned on quilting today but that may need to wait till things calm down a bit in the weather department.  I'll swap out machines anyway.  Plus there is a whole boatload of binding to press as well. 

Hope you are having a good weekend in whatever you have chosen to do----