Showing posts with label check in. Show all posts
Showing posts with label check in. Show all posts

Aug 21, 2013

Check in/Day 2 Hexie Queen Blog Hop

I will have to confess to lagging behind here and horrors, did not find time to start Day 1 hopping because I was busy quilting!  In my defense, the way I have to set up my room TO quilt blocks access to the keyboard, my chair, monitor viewing----- for anything but the most cursory glance at email.

And then you have this------


I had about one more inch to go of attaching the hanging sleeve to my PopStix when you know who hopped aboard for a little nestling in the quilt folds.  This was shot  from my seat at the machine, forward table in front, desk and computer at the left.  There is about a foot to get around the table and out of the room, here in the smallest bedroom in the house.

Yesterday I was able to quilt my hexie entry and get the first side of the binding attached, hanging sleeve attached.   While I had the machine set up to quilt, I also quilted up a chevron donation quilt that Donna H. had made.  Then I pressed all the binding for the PopStix and attached MOST of it before I gave up for the night at about 9:30.  I finished up the last joining edge this morning and well, you see the rest.

Oh, the stack and whack top is done as well but I did that over the weekend.  I finished up the borders and then turned my attention to piecing the back.  I had to piece it as I just barely had enough fabric for the width of the quilt.  The 4 leftover blocks were pieced in a column and off set symmetrically, again out of necessity.  I think I can quilt is as it finishes approximately 55 x 65 but I want to use some of batting leftovers to augment a 45 x 60 batt that I have on hand before I think about pinning it.

On Monday, I pieced a Hexie Garden block using an Atkinson Designs pattern but I am not sure I like it.  It looks huge but part of that was my fault for not using the suggested ruler system.  I may try it again with the next size down cuts and see if I like it any better but not till I get the real hexie entry bound!! ( I will share it on  my featured day 8/26.) That is today's plan----binding.  Not my favorite but I will have access to the computer (best light for binding is here at the desk)  and I can get caught up with yesterday's hop participants and today's featured hoppers.

Here's today's list:

Wednesday, August 21
Sunshine Girl Nicola 
Why-Knot-Kwilt

Hopefully I will be able to report a finish soon and take advantage of the sunny weather to get some pictures taken!
THX for stopping by---------


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Jun 24, 2013

this and that---"Put Your Stamp On It" Blog Hop

First off, there is another blog hop happening on Wednesday the 26th which will run till the following Wednesday, July 3rd.  I am not participating this round but here is the schedule for the gals that will be.

Well, I can't find the schedule as I am trying to write this up.  Thearica of pigtales and quilts is the cheerleader but she says on her blog that she has been out of town.  If she is back home by now, she apparently has not had a chance to post the schedule.  I'll edit this area when I get the list.   I am curious to see how the group has interpreted the theme as the stamp was supposed to be about "You".

HERE WE GO!

Wednesday, June 26

Marjorie'sBusyCorner
Life in the Scrapatch
Pig Tales and Quilts
littlemushroomcap
sosewgreen
The Thimblemouse
Just Let Me Quilt
Words & Stitches
In Stitches And Seams

Thursday, June 27

Life @ Ruffhaven 
Englating
Charlottes Creations
Moments
Feathered Nest Studio 
Moose Stash Quilting
Jane's Quilting
Hillvalleyquilter

Friday, June 28
Robin's Fabric Nest
In The Sewing Basket
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Just Quilt It
AnnieOak Designs
Buzzing and Bumbling
kris loves fabric
Cherry's Prairie Primitives
Hanging On By A Thread


Monday, July 1

Quilt Matters
Scrapbook-ChickADoodle 
Patchouli Moon
The Slow Quilter
A Loose Thread
Janes Fabrics and Quilts
Selina Quilts
Debby Kratovil Quilts
Dancing Thru Threads
Sew Many Yarns


Tuesday, July 2

Sew and Sow Farm  
fishkopp
Scraps of Life

Katie and Kwilts    
Em's Scrap Bag 
GrammieQ's
How ART you?
BumbleberryStitches
A Stitch in Time

Wednesday, July 3

Meadowbrook 
More Stars in Comanche
Dachsies With Moxie
NotionNanny
13 Woodhouse Road
Heikes quilt
Traveling Quilter
Jackie’s Art Quilts
What About Rheema?
From This to That
Sew We Quilt 

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Moving on----

There has not been much sewing going on around here this past weekend but actually more like some re-designing, etc.  The need to make this trial block in some leftover fabric sort of proves my point from the "pattern post"  Would it kill you to say what size a block should finish???  The pattern came free with a kit so in a way, I got what I paid for, LOL.  Still it is irritating.

 Why did it matter to me??  Well, I am not crazy about piecing square in a square blocks like this.  I think it can be pieced another way what is far easier in the end and uses no more fabric for the end result.  I also think I can eliminate a few extra seams.  Therefore, I needed to know what size so I could draw MY idea in my quilting software.  BTW, the answer was 12 inch finished.  I cannot tell you what this is going to be (not that fabric though)  as it will be one of my entries in the HO HO HO blog hop.

And then there is this---
I started something and  I want to go a different way with it. Again, with the quilting software to see if my idea would work. I ran it by a couple of my quilting buddies---which one do you like?  Out came the seam ripper to un-sew.  I am going a different route but can selvage most of the pieces of fabric in a slightly different manner.    HO HO HO so this is the last you will see of this stuff for awhile though it looks like I caught a small hint. 

I am done with that and in fact, just finished pressing the pieces to get things ready to sew again.  I don't know if sewing is going to be happening today as we have had intermittent thunder and lightning.  The machine is unplugged for the immediate future.  I can cut though.

Of course, Skyler is no where to be seen since about 10:00 a.m.  First clap of thunder, wind or rain and he finds shelter under the bed.  No amount of coaxing will convince him to come out as the next wave comes calling.  It has mainly been sound and fury but only about a half inch of measurable rainfall, according to our gauge.  The cloud cover is keeping the temps down and we are getting by okay with box fans in the windows.  That's okay till the rain starts, I guess.

Tomorrow is Bama Belles day as well.  I think I am just going to take my embroidery as the girls had wanted me to show them how to do a simple outlining stitch.  We were going to do it last time but ran out of time.  Still, I have things to pack up and haul out to the car or park by the door to haul out, weather permitting. 

Our evening meal will take a bit of extra prep work.  I want to try a different meatball recipe for spaghetti and meatballs than what I normally use.  I had to make lunch today too when my original plan was to run out for a couple Arby's beef and cheddars since I had a coupon. Not going when it is pouring down rain!  I fixed chicken quesadillas instead---which was better, LOL.  With being meeting day tomorrow, I will not have to cook in the evening with leftovers available so that is a little consolation. 

The day is just getting away from me already!  And sew it goes-----

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Apr 30, 2013

Final day of the "Shake Your Pom Poms" Blog Hop/checking in

First, let me thank all of you who stopped by my little spot in blogger land yesterday to see what I had crafted for the hop.  Many of you left such sweet comments that made me smile and in some cases, out right laugh!  I am surprised my husband did not come in just to see what I thought was so funny.  You see, he does not think I have much of a sense of humor but I think it is all in the delivery (read: his delivery, LOL).  When he catches me really laughing then he wants in on the joke!

 You warmed my heart and I just want you to know that I appreciate it.  Won't you stop by and brighten up the last day grouping as well?   


April 30
Sew We Quilt

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Skyler wants to think those of you who commented about what a good kitty helper he is.  He is tired and has to rest up now though.  At least the sun is out today and he can nap in the bedroom perch between cool off spells on the bed.


Around here I have been keeping busy but not necessarily with anything piecing, quilting, sewing, knitting.  I know my local pals would find that hard to believe since they think that is all I ever do or think I get "so much done".  Okay, I have my moments but mostly I do try to stay on track especially since I have deadlines with the blog hops to consider.

DJ's birthday was on Sunday but we had elected to go to eat for lunch on Saturday at one of his favorite restaurants.  I barely got the marketing done and it was time to chase off to Oxford.  I ended up clearing up the paperwork piles along with typing the guild minutes as well as preparing my hop post.  Mdm. Samm and her designated cheerleader want us to be sure to schedule these for 12 a.m. ET of our day---that means 11 pm central for me.
I also needed to bake his birthday cake on Saturday evening.  When I asked him what kind he had wanted, he quipped "what kind can you make?"  Well just about anything you want, or I can at least try, I said handing him my "Cake Mix Doctor" cookbook because I knew it had some great color plates in it.  He chose a two layer Caramel Cake.  Okay works for me other than having frosting fly about everywhere trying to frost the sides----the frosting hardens as it cools but in its hot state, it was puddling up.  Silly boy asked me if we could stick one big candle in it and get up at 0530, the hour of his birth, to have cake on Sunday.  He was kidding, of course, but for a minute or two he had me going!  I could have gotten two big fat 7's though just so he could blow something out but that just seems cruel to remind someone of their age.  Or I am projecting??  Maybe.  At some point some people become proud of that number because they made it that far.

Sunday I made him Brats and German Potato salad for his real birthday lunch.  He was still complimenting the meal when eating leftovers yesterday so I guess he was happy with it.   The budget wouldn't stretch this week for steaks and any other fancy dancy meal but he is a man of simple tastes anyway.  We had quite a bit of rain yesterday and wouldn't you know about the time I needed to toast the buns and flip the brats it started sprinkling? 

I have spent some time working on one of my entries for the "Say It with Flowers" blog hop--the handwork project the past few days but it is not completed yet.  I am debating whether to take this with me to the guild sew-in on Friday and Saturday.  The plan for today is to pull fabrics for the main entry and get started on some preliminary cutting.  We'll see how things look come time to pack things up for the guild event.  I do like to keep busy!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day--------

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Apr 21, 2013

check-in/ Shake Your Pom Pom Blog Hop April 24-30

In the picture below, I was looking for a "needle in a hay stack" so to speak.   Some of these are old---I don't know if you can see it but one of these packets is priced 10 cents.  Another 40 some cents.   When DJ's step-mother passed away in the mid 80's, I had received her fold out sewing cabinet and its contents.  For a while I had one of those glass lamps that you could artfully arrange flowers and what not in the base.   You guessed it mine was filled with old wooden spools, needle folders, darning eggs and the like--some of this stuff.  But not a chenille needle in the lot!   Why a chenille needle?  Apparently the eye needs to be large enough to thread many strands of floss or perle cotton but its sharp point is preferable to a blunted tapestry version but so far a 22 tapestry needle is doing the job.  Nope, can't show you----yet which has been my constant refrain here lately, I know.


Today has been a hand work day for something with a floral theme for the "Say It With Flowers" blog hop in late me.   Friday I finished what will be the other entry.   Saturday I pinned it.  Monday I'll quilt it but today, hand work.  Tuesday is the Bama Belles Spring sew-in day, really just an extended meeting but we all try to bring our machines and get some sewing done instead of pinning or hand work.  There is no shortage of kits to pull out for a pro bono project.   In the meantime I keep plugging!

The "Shake Your Pom Pom Blog Hop" is coming up Weds. April 24 through Tuesday, April 30.  I am participating this round on Monday the 29th.   This is a bit shorter with just 5 days to hop. 

Here is the entire schedule though I will post the daily hop participants as we go along---should be fun!  I know I am interested in knowing just what others found to do pom poms!

April 24
April 25
April 26
April 29
April 30


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Apr 11, 2013

check in/blog hop schedule


another facebook find



I have made some progress on one of my entries for the upcoming "It's for the Birds" blog hop next month.  Actually the first item IS done and I was trying to get a decent picture of it last night.   The colors are not right or the light is glaring----ugh.  With flash, without??  Every available camera setting too.  Early in the day I was attempting some outdoor shots of the pom pom entries.  No, I can't show you any of this yet.  All in due time!

Today I will be moving on to another bird hop choice, mostly narrowing down the fabric choices.  I have a pile of possibles on the cutting table and need to get it winnowed down.   I sure could not cut anything with that mess piled up! 

Most of the state of Alabama is apt to be under some sort of severe weather threat today through the evening hours.  Our area in particular is targeted between 3 and 9 p.m., they say.  The schools was already planning on releasing the kids early before the storms even entered the state, announcing it yesterday.   Maybe they have to do this to give the parents a heads up but it still strikes me as a little odd.  How do you know, for sure, that it is necessary??  It is spring and anything can happen but last time straight line winds were the culprit, not tornadic activity.   Hope the electricity will stay on as there were so many affected by outages.  We'll see-------

In the meantime, since I have no other pictures to share, you can always pop on over to the April Showers mug rug participants for the day.  I woke up thinking that maybe I could do HIS and HERS mug rugs for DJ's bday later in the month--golf theme for him, sewing theme for me??  I may not do it, but considering it, LOL.  They are wearing me down on not wanting to make one!!!

THURSDAY, APRIL 11th

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures
Jill @ Apple Avenue Quilts
Cathy @ Cathy's Chatter
Quilter Kathy @ Kathy's Quilts
Marsha @ Quilter in Motion
Pat @ Life in the Scrapatch
Connie @ Shepody Mountain Crafter
Vickey @ Gingersnaps Quilts
Danielle @ A Geeky Crafty Life
Gwen @ Get More Done...Today
Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After!


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