how small is too small?

I cannot seem to find a picture right now of any of the three log cabin quilts I have made with the 2 inch strip baskets that I am currently sorting. I DID quilt this one using primary colored variegated thread in the same one I did from "scratch"

I arrived at our meeting place some time ago to find several things set in our storage closet. There is a no lock on it and no one seems to disturb our things. It is not surprising to find that someone has donated a bag or box of things they think we might use.

Wow, quilting tools and a whole pile of log cabin blocks this time. From the quilter's sketch she was planning on queen/king star like set with these. I went down to the office to ask the church secretary if she knew where these treasures had come from. She did--one of the church members was a quilter, had passed away several years ago and these were from her estate. They thought we could use them for our donation quilts. And boy, did we! I believe we got 4 quilts out of the deal. Carol, the block maker, had taken quilting classes from our co-founder Joy, as it turned out.

What led me to look for the log cabin picture is sorting out these strips we tore through recently. They are still separated essentially by light, medium and dark, of course but now I'm going for sizes. Some of this stuff is my strips but a lot of it is some that Ellen, the head of Wrap Them in Love Foundation had sent in a stuffed Xerox paper box. It is not good enough to just have strip baskets, you gotta use them!! I have made a dent in them and the Belles have helped me as well. I kept telling them to grab a handful and make something scrappy. One girl turned her head and didn't even look for colors---now that is what I had in mind!

So here is how it is going as sort through the 3rd of 3 baskets--I did manage to empty out a shoe box sized bin as I went along but only because it is moved to other spots. I know I am deluding myself into thinking it is gone rather than "gone elsewhere", LOL.

• I have a pineapple log cabin started in 6 or 7 inch blocks so some of those smaller pieces can stick around for that. Separate pile#1 but file back as I'm not digging in the closet to drag out that bin. The 3 inch and smaller could be cut into squares for leaders and enders at some point.
• 5 inch or a tad longer for the pioneer braid--pile #2 but then add them to the project bag. Any leftovers can go for strings--maybe another RR crossing down the line or piano key borders somewhere.
• around 9 1/2--sashing for Pineapple Blossom--pile #3 but then add to the project bags
• longer strips and "tweeners"---pile #4 to be left in their baskets as who knows where they will end up? I may try a project called Double Weave that Keryn of the Quilt Maverick ring shows on her quilt school site.
• most of the pastels are already pulled out for my log cabin basket blocks. I won 12 in the participants drawing for the current raffle quilt but will need at least 8 more blocks to make a top.

And so it goes--DJ is off to the golf course. I'm still in my jammies petting and piling up my fabric bits, scheming and planning future quilts and getting myself revved up to quilt this afternoon. Two days off doing other stuff is enough for me.

Hope you have a fun quilty weekend------

day off yesterday

no quilting yesterday and here is part of the reason why................

Doesn't she look comfortable? When I tried to remove her from at least the top one (which is up for quilting next) she was having none of it--bat with paws and attempted nips. Where is that sweet kitty I heard was sitting on kitty daddy's lap when I was gone quilting?? Okay, that's just jealousy on my part as she never sits on my lap---ever. She is a lot of things but NOT a lap kitty.

Here is proof that she does park on his lap occasionally. I think she was in hopes of ice cream bowl lickings though she doesn't get any and hasn't for some time. Hope springs eternal!

To the right in the upper picture is the stack of 2 inch strips that need to be re-arranged and some strips pulled for sashing two pineapple blossom quilts and the 5 inchers held out for pioneer braid. I still need to attend to that before putting them back up on the shelf.

The main problem and deterrent to my craft was all that paperwork and the unexpected things that arise--like someone's dues check bounced. I've been treasurer for 3 years and that has never happened. Plus now I need to get tax ID numbers of the two non-profit group accounts apparently, thanks to the Patriot Act. Gee thanks! I can see why I procrastinate doing this stuff. I've got some phone calls to make in that regards this morning and then off to the dentist right before lunch for a filling.

Maybe, just maybe, that quilt might get the quilting started today. If not, there is always tomorrow OR binding to work on OR strips to sort.

lchj

Good things come in small packages

My friend Linda S handed me a package yesterday in a plain brown wrapper. NO, not that kind of package, LOL. She said it was "just because" but there was a challenge involved. I am to use the contents for me, myself and I--any scraps can be worked into a kid's quilt but the main quilt or wall hanging is to be for "me". Well, take a look at my 2006 stats and you would see why she might make that stipulation--my personal stuff always seems to take a back seat.

Isn't it cool! Cats from Timeless Treasures . Of course, she knows how much I like cats! I've got a few ideas here but may need to get a bit more of the contrasting fats depending on that pattern decision. No time stipulation, thankfully as I do have some other things that need done first "for pay"

I got distracted when I started to open it though. At a meeting-- what else is new? I can get like a kid with ADD with so much going on. Like, did we have enough batting to pin my last quilt top and was there a big enough piece left somewhere, I think at the time. I am sorry, Linda, that I didn't finish ripping into it and took away some of your surprise element. I don't tear into my mail or packages I get at home either though DJ would like a kid at Christmas. It is wonderful-- I appreciate it and more so, you.

This morning: paperwork. This afternoon/evening: quilt the heart memorial quilt. That will go pretty fast as I have "ghost" hearts marked in the alternating blocks that makes " ditch" work in the hearts and quilting in a zig zag effect in horizontal rows. Any time leftover: binding but I doubt it, LOL. I have to set some goals for the day or I could (and do, far too often to suit my DH) stay in my jammies till noon and play on the computer far too long.

Technique of the month

Here is what we were working on today as our "technique of the month" rather than the block of the month. Of course, I never did get my machine out though I started to several times---that's the way it goes. Pinning, trimming, xeroxing, etc.

Both Ginny and Lois had a band done by the time they left. Ginny's colors were so distinctive that she is going to make a strippy version with 2 or 3 bands so I don't have it here in the picture. Lois trimmed hers down to see what it would look like in a quilt.

Others of us have bits started (me, for one) that will work into a quilt top at some point. I'll put it together after more sections are done. I laid it on the backing fabric of the heart memorial quilt top I will be quilting tomorrow just for some contrast. The ladies at the church had recently made new table cloths for a smaller tables using a forest green and burgundy fabric. Antoinette said she put the leftover fabric aside for us to use--for backing, borders, whatever. I think that broadcloth will work great between these strips, much like Jan Mac showed on her 3rd UFO finish.

Good day today. Some quilts pinned though the batting roll ran out just as we got to the heart quilt--the last one on hand to pin. Thankfully, there was some bits left in the closet that could be stitched together. I didn't catch Judy in time to ask her to bring one of the three rolls she is storing at her house. It worked out okay in spite of that though.

Well, DJ wants spaghetti with meat sauce tonight so I better start thinking about shifting gears here and start supper. Catch you later!

Linda S Pineapple Blossom

In my now non-existent blog I had written about our trying the Pineapple Blossom block last month. Linda S took this block to heart and made me enough blocks for a whole top and made this one for a friend's child. She added her own personal touches and had a great time making it, she said. She used some red bandana fabric on the back which is similiar to the black paisley print that she used for the center square and geese. Can you tell I am proud of her? She has not been piecing very long.

Dogwood

I had said earlier today that I had not seen much dogwood out yet. The drive over the "mountain" to our meeting place this morning showed me that there is more out there than I had thought. The meeting locale is about 12 miles from my house in the fellowship hall of a local Presbyterian church that one of our members attends.

It has a been a bit warmer the past few days so that may have helped the trees progress a bit more. I took this up close picture at the church when I arrived this morning. One the way a house that I pass has a ton of azaleas that were just starting to burst open. I also saw quite a bit of wisteria out in spots where it normally grows.

Now if I could just get my own little tree to bloom---my pink ones died and I have such high hopes for my little white one.

UFO 10 quilted

Except for two personal projects that will remain on the back burner and top I think is too small for our immediate group needs, I am officially caught up on my quilting----but only till I come home from my quilt group meeting, LOL. That's they way it goes though.

The Jewel Box Redux is showed you in Hot off the Press was finished up last evening. I got smart and quilted diagonal lines through the four patch chains. Every once in awhile I'll have a good idea like that--normally I just let the quilt tell me what it needs.

It has warmed up a bit here but now it is raining. We have been about 15 degrees below our normals for this time of year and even got an unexpected frost after the official start of spring. It appears our azalea bush that was starting to look so pretty got zapped. DJ thinks the camellia is done blooming as well but it has been at that for about 2 months now--loaded with blooms. I'm waiting for the dogwoods to come out though the native redbud is out in full force. Gotta love the spring.

No pics this morning---maybe after I get home from the quilt meeting? A pile of paperwork will need attending so that's probably where you will find me.

busy weekend

In spite of my tinkering my blog and spending too much time online doing it, I have managed to get 3 tops quilted since Thursday: EZ bowtie, 3D bowtie and hot off the sewing machine, Card Trick. These are AKA UFOs 7, 8 and 9 and will be done once the binding is complete. It helps, of course, that these are in the 40 x 60 or 50 x 70 range. My quilt group meets Tuesday and I will probably have some volunteers for binding detail--bless you! I can proceed with two others that are NOT on the UFO list once I get two pinned.


Since it will be a bit before I can share any pictures of my recent output, I'll share a top that my mom sent me recently as a donation towards my group's efforts to make 55 quilts for an area girl's residential home. Isn't it pretty? Nice and scrappy and probably leader-ender worthy project. Good sized too since I don't see my husband's feet sticking out from underneath.

Recently I saw a photo Marilyn posted on her Quilts, etc. blog after she attended a retreat with her friend her Jan. Marilyn was kind enough to share the pattern source. American Patchwork and Quilting--October 2002, Issue 58. This was a magazine I have in my quilt "library" so with that information on hand I found it easily.

Since Mom also makes quilts for Wrap Them in Love , we both are always on the lookout for something we can size down for the kids' quilts use or some interesting patterns. Who wants to keep making the same quilts over and over, after all? Designer Judith Hughes Marte called in Crossing Paths but Mom said it reminded her of her town's Town Square---and it does! We have to call it that instead of the designer's choice for that.

I tell you, she can cram more stuff in the smallest of boxes. Not only did she have this quilt top folded up, but there was some fabric I had asked for for another project, some bits for a polka dot kitty quilt I will make one when I collect enough fabric bits and some interesting quilt-y package filler at the top. I recycled the box to mail two books and some other stuff on to Pam that should be arriving soon.

I'll use some muslin backing from my stash but here is a time where we busted HER stash instead of mine. The little nine patches may have been scraps though. She has what looks like Jinny Beyer border print on the outside border and some dark eggplant fabric for the binding. I don't know how well that shows up in the picture.

Thanks again, Mom, for the top for the girls and for teaching me to sew and quilt. The sewing might have been a trial sometimes but the quilting stuck, LOL. Beats Barbie doll clothes any day!

Today's tinkering has taught me:

• how to align the sidebar lists to the left rather than center
• how to add a bullet button
• how to add the Graphic Garden button so it has the link when you hover over it
• that no way, no how will I be able to keep up with what Pam is doing to hers
• that I have a lot to learn about HTML obviously

I appreciate the comments you have given me about my efforts as I learn how to make those changes to my template. (Jan, I don't know if I got the font bigger for you or not?) Sorry that I confused someone into thinking that all that quilts could be seen. I haven't figured out how to do the bullets selectively. I suppose I could change them to links or at least try. I DO love a challenge!

Where has the day, or the weekend, gone for that matter?

lchj

Top 25? can't do it

Evelyn has issued her readers a challenge to come up with our top 25 projects but they cannot be UFO's? Oh, boy. I don't think I can up with even one as so many, many things ARE on my UFO list. I have the spreadsheet to prove it. Seriously, if I had not needed to get some sort of organizational chart in hand to participate in the Stashbuster list UFO challenge for 2006, I would never, ever have counted them up. I felt that nothing stifled my creative processes more than having to list them all and make myself work on them. Still, I am getting things done and moved along because of it but I gotta tell you--- if some new thing came along and I really wanted to try it/make it, I would kick the other "hafta" to the curb in a heartbeat. Some much for resolve.

Finn noticed the changes I had made around here---thanks for the positive comments. I just barely know what I am doing but don't mind experimentation, I guess. Our mantra lately has been....Tinker, Preview, Save and Republish, right Cher and Pam? I probably should have hung an "under construction" sign on mine till I got that graphic in the title straightened out but I believe I stumbled on a solution now.

This is what it will start looking like in Alabama soon. Our two azaleas are starting to bloom from the bottom up but of course, this picture is NOT them, LOL. DJ and I took a trip to Calloway Gardens in GA a few years back and this is a scan of a photo I took. It is what I have presently as my wallpaper and part of my screen saver. Gotta love the spring as the summers here are long and just too darned hot and humid most of the time.

Where has the morning gone? I threw our supper in the crockpot a few minutes ago (chicken and dumplings with those good thick Amish style noodles to be added later) and the next thing I know it's lunch time. Since I was busy with spontaneous fabric shopping with my pal Judy, no leftovers to be had from our evening meal as I got out of kitchen detail save warming up the night before's. BUT DJ will get one of his fav comfort meals for lunch because of it--bacon beanwiches.

Back to bowtie quilting this afternoon and I hope that the binding process will not be the pain that is was Thursday!

I really was going to quilt today........honest!

I finished up the quilting on my EZ bowties yesterday and then ran into snafu after snafu putting on the binding. The mitered seam was going to hit right at the corner miter. ACK!! We talked about that recently in the web ring. Give yourself permission to cut some of the binding off and re-sew the seam to avoid that---I did, twice. Then the one and only time I cut only 5 strips instead of my usual 6 for a quilt this size, I didn't have enough fabric. Fabric hunt ensued into all the cut strips bins but wait, it was with the polka dots that I am collecting for a cat quilt. Finally, finally, I was done and just in time to fix supper.

Then I thought I would quilt for a bit on 3D bowtie. Pippi had other plans for that one. Oh, well, I thought, I have had enough punishment for the day and got online with Cher and Pam for chat and template tinkering. There is always tomorrow--that quilt isn't going anywhere.

This morning not long after I got up the phone rings. My friend Judy is on the line--big sale at one of the Birmingham (AL) area quilt shops--buy one yard and get another yard free. Oh, boy!! Forget going to get my hair trimmed, forget quilting too. I need some stuff for my part of the round robin applique, it turns out. Such a deal! DJ, you are on your own for lunch--spontaneous girls' day out!

SO here is what followed me home- not bad for 6 yards of fabric for 26 bucks. As a whole though this is not a terribly attractive picture. The three on the right end are for the round robin. You would have to see the medallion so far to see why these will work together for background (the yellow), the pumpkin for flowers of some sort and the green for vines and leaves. The teal goes with the teals and purple prints that I already own and buy a yard of each time I go to that shop--a possible Terry Atkinson's Confetti quilt one of these days. The 30's repro on the end---well, I am a sucker for those, enough said.

We stopped at the 2nd area shop on the way back--the two shops are only about 4 miles from one another but I didn't indulge there. I might have if they had had any straw needles in stock. Checked the machine quilting thread as well but none that I could not live without. Before we headed back to Calhoun County, we had a yummy lunch at Applebee's and a run by Judy's in search for an applique pattern she thought I might be able to use. She couldn't find it but I got to see the fabrics that she picked out at the same quilt shop---yesterday! Yep, she went two days in a row and bought some of the coolest fabrics for blended quilts.

Once I got home I played with my blog template some more--well, you see the result. I still want to add a graphic at the top if I can figure out where it fits into the scheme of things and I have the cutest cat divider that I would love to use (from the free graphics on graphic garden website. ) It is all Pam's fault!!!

So, by now it's 7:30 my time---tomorrow, 3D bowties, tomorrow. I could work on binding on EZ if I really HAVE to do something quilt-y. NAW, take the whole day off.

back in quilting mode

Helping me quilt, she is. This is an older picture of a Puss in the Corner top I was quilting for one of the Bama Belles. BUT I was in the same sort of situation with Pippi last night--parked on the quilting in progress. It was getting late so I just let her have her way and got in some good heavy duty snuggling and petting, LOL.

Weird, isn't it? Blogger won't let me post a pic at all but the Hello process seemed to work. Somehow I edited out that little button moving text around. Now, if only I can figure out how the software works................

DJ and his golfing buddy were off to the course yesterday though the day started off cold and breezy (high 30's). Really not as whole lot better than what he might have left in central IL. Herb said that it was starting to snow when he left Tuesday morning---4 hours later he was driving in 5-6 inches of snow on two lane road and arriving at a point that he would normally reach in 2 hours. Still, he got to our house about the time he usually does.

I went over to my friend's house to pin 3 of those quilts you saw in my previous posts and helped Aline finish pinning one she already had on the pinning table. Tedious work but necessary but made easier by the company of my friend. DJ told me he would get lunch out so I ran several short errands before I came home.

By afternoon, I was quilting one of the bowtie tops. I think I have 4 rows to go on it till Pippi "told" me it was time to quit, LOL. And really, it was---my back was squawking at me. Gave up and chatted with my pals on IM, read my email etc, tinkered with my blog template a bit, etc.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture but I have to set up my machine table right up against my big office desk to have space to the left for the quilt top to go when I'm quilting. A little folding banquet table I found at Wal-mart goes in front which leaves me about a foot to get out of the room when I am quilting as the cutting/pressing table (30 x 60) is on the opposite wall. The book shelf row ( about 14 inches taken up there) is right behind me. It's a squeeze when you sew in a 10 x 10 room but it is what I have to do. Cher would tell you that every inch of my room is used to its maximum potential. The computer sits on one corner of the desk top so access is limited till I decide I've had enough for the day. Or make that, till Pippi decides I have had enough for the day, LOL.

Stashbuster list posed the question recently about "do you sew everyday" and a poll set up to gauge how many hours a week we spend sewing. I will be interested to see the final results as many who wrote in did seem to squeeze in at least 15 mins doing some form of sewing and hand work. I would fall in the sews almost every day for at least 4 to 6 hours though somedays it is more and other days, less. Some days, not at all but I don't string many of those together very often.

I spend most of my waking hours in my little room--who wouldn't when all my "toys" are in here?? Computer and sewing machine, fabric, some books and related items. You would think I would feel more claustrophic in the small space but for some reason, not really. My living room is, more or less, a pass through spot to the kitchen for me and I consider it my husband's space--poor man has little of the house to call his own, in the first place.

If it were just me, I don't know that I would even have a living room or would shift the rooms around so the biggest space would be the sewing room. My friends and people that I would want in the house know I sew so what difference would it make? Not going to happen but a girl can dream!

a week's worth of sewing

A pretty apt description of this picture--a week's worth of sewing ready to be pinned and quilted.

I finished up the heart top borders this morning. I might have gotten it done last night but Pippi hopped up in my chair when I got up to press the inner border and wouldn't vacate. She nips or scratches sometimes if you try to move her and she doesn't want to go. Finally, I just gave up (or gave in) and let her park on the quilt top on the pressing/cutting table.

I am of the opinion that the top is not done till you prep the backing and the binding is sewn and ready for the next step. That is the standard I apply to myself anyway since I work in cycles. When I am ready to quilt, I do not want to have to stop and press, cut or sew binding---it all has be ready when I am.

Yesterday I found a cute little birdhouseprint that will go with the Jewel Box for backing. I also marked the quilting lines for the bowtie, card trick and the hearts that needed it. I am hoping to pin a couple of these anyway if my friend Aline is going to be home tomorrow and will let me use her most excellent set up. Otherwise I may run over to Hancock's and use their classroom if they don't have something going on.

Other than that, DJ's golf buddy will be here from central IL sometime this evening. House cleaning ensued as soon as my sewing (mess making) was done this morning. Since parts of the house looked like a bomb went off, it needed it even if Herb wasn't coming. Neither my husband or I live to clean--we like it clean but aren't going to knock ourselves doing much more than the surface stuff as a rule.

That spaghetti pile of binding to the left of the quilt tops needs pressed obviously. But after that --- do I pull something else out to sew, figure out what in the world I am going to do for that applique round robin, do some paperwork or just goof around on the computer awhile? LOL, I guess you know what I decided temporarily.

hot off the presses

Well, here it is hot off the presses--Jewel Box Redux. UFO top 10 for 2006. I guess in retrospect, I have had my own little sew-in to celebrate National Quilting Day weekend.

I foundation pieced the little cornerstones in the outside border and the quilt finished about 45 x 60. I see now that his hands might be covering up the square a bit at the top. Oh well--you get the idea anyway.

I am done with whatever remained of that animal fabric and tossed the scraps as no way do I want to make another quilt with it. Emptied out another 2 gal ziploc project bag this weekend and that is a very good feeling. Only kept the peach stuff and there is not much left of it.

ALL the animals are upright this time--the first one I made they were every which way. It took a little longer to sew as I had to piece each block individually to be sure of their position as well as the chains going the right way. Still, I think it looks sweet and girly.

I was digging in my binding box to see what I might be able to use on the Card Trick and found I had a very similiar peachy color that would work for the Jewel Box. No such luck for the Card Trick--I'll will use something that I had gotten for different quilt that works quite nicely. Found a nice stripe yesterday at Wally World that will go well with the 3rd top and kinda cool cut on the bias.

Yahoo, just the right amount of peach is already made up! (See, Cher, it does pay to over cut sometimes!) DJ said that I didn' t take much to make me happy today. I told him that sure made things easier on him, LOL--tomorrow he might not be so lucky. It has been drippy, overcast day today and too many of those in the row DOES start to get me down.

Not sure what I'll try to get done after supper. Cut some binding and maybe mark the bowtie blocks which I was going to do the other day?? Never run out of things to do around here but I may just kick back and see what y'all are up to.

this and that on a Saturday

Okay, shower taken but towel still around my head and no shoes on, laundry is started, still haven't eaten breakfast and DO have errands to run. So what am I doing? Pecking at the keyboard keys. Talk about getting one's priorities straight, LOL.

Judy commented on the Heart block that we use for our memorial quilts. Just a simple one from World Wide Quilting pages that we have used. I said to the quilting group that maybe they didn't necessarily need to be red but I think they like the two color quilts. Since Theramae and I (along with my Mom) have stitched the majority of the blocks, I guess red and white, it is. Of course, we use the whole gamut of reds when we make them and toss them all in the same quilt---it works.


I used a slightly different heart for Karen's quilt---sorry will have to post a picture again since the one I am referring to is gone with the wind. I was fine with the existing pattern for 6 inch hearts but not for those 3 inch finished ones around the t-shirt center.

This one uses a large rectangle and then a smaller one but diagonally oriented across the block To be mindful of straight of grain I cut large bias strips and quarter square triangles when I foundation pieced themfor both sizes of hearts. With the fiber content of the quilt strings, I needed to know that some of it was on straight of grain at least.

We used it for a block of the month but I am not sure of the pattern source. Er, some of us did. Like Karen showed on her blog a few days ago, I only got a bunch of spool blocks done and then decided I wanted to go another way with the colors. I gave those blocks away to a friend so they won't go to waste. Then I just never got started again. Not sure if the Belles did anything with the patterns either but they can add them to their files for whenever. Here is what it looked like in EQ.

Yesterday I had intended to mark by bowtie top and make some binding. Ah, that's boring. I wanted to sew so pulled out a kitted UFO and finished up #9 for '06. I am calling it Card Trick Redux--revisited the pattern and the leftovers from the first one. Borders are totally different and I floated the setting triangles to make it a little larger this time around. Backing, pulled from stash so another almost 2 yards will be going bye-bye.

Keep that up and cat will not have anything to lay on in one of her "hiding" spots. This has been cleared out considerably since this picture was taken. She is a little round short legged kitty so it is not easy for her to get in there. I had to laugh at how many times she circled to get comfortable on her last foray up there and what's more, she was in the basket on the LEFT.

See, I am making progress on the stash reduction however subtle. Gotta help a kitty out, after all.

Today, I'll sew on the Jewel Box redux and pass on that boring but necessary stuff. Just hope that the ruler does not fly off the pegboard in pop me in the mouth again. Hit me right on the front teeth and bit my lip---ow!

Evelyn commented about printing off her blog in relation to my losing my archives and starting over again. Of course, this is a journal of our everyday lives and therefore women's history. I think Mary wondered about that last month as well? I have a suggestion before you run out of paper or ink printing it all off.
You can tell blogger to email it to your address and then save the email to file OR use Blogger for Word. You cannot insert pictures in it when you are writing the post to send it. You CAN save the document part and insert the pictures back in when you are done posting and of course, back up your files!! Just a suggestion.

Have a great day in whatever you choose to do--------

back in the fold

Thanks to Judy I am back in the fold with a new look to boot though I would not recommend losing your stuff to make that happen. I goofed, pure and simple, and blogger was not playing nice. As I told Finn, it is just lost words and pictures---I doubt that I will run out of either one anytime soon. The pictures are all in my files--the words, no biggie as I have only been at this for about 6 weeks.


So back to the business of quilting---

I will wait to show you the 3D bowtie top that I finished in the on point setting last evening . On that one--quilting may well change its appearance as I am going to mark a "ghost" bowtie in the plain squares. Easier to continue the quilting lines that way and does some needed fill work. I have done this same thing with our heart memorial quilts and it works well.

You see, when we have a member of our quilting group has passed away or a member of the group has lost a close family member, we make a heart quilt and attach a special label to it in honor of that person. We make quilts for kids so the quilt is then donated and pictures are given to the family.

This is one such quilt. I don't know how well the quilting will show up but there is an echo of that same red shape in the plain squares.

Today will be making binding for two quilts, marking the bowties and then move on to one of those half done kits I did some cutting on earlier in the week---several are very close to being finished.

Like Jeanne, we hope to enjoy a St. Patrick's type meal this evening. The corned beef is in the crockpot. I have a recipe that I like to use from Mabel Hoffman's Crockery Cookery that uses a glaze of molasses and dijon mustard or something in the broiler after the meat is cooked. Some mashed potatoes with sauteed onion and cabbage will be added and steamed carrots, I think. Need something green for dessert though. HMMMM

Hope you are wearing your green and don't get pinched!

It's not you, it's me

A girl cannot quilt in a vacuum, right?

I was trying to change my template and some where along the line I lost all my archives. I thought it was my errors but it turns out blogger was having some hiccups (again)

Consider this a test email and hopefully I can get back on track and back into the web ring fold with a slighly different color, etc.