2016-05 some progress

I've been busy with customer quilts lately and not had a lot of time to make progress on my work.


But when I was awoken before dawn by thunder & lightning storms I made some progress cutting and piecing parts for my Mardis Gras quilt.

I have also spent some down time de-boning shirts in preparation for another Bonnie class that I will be attending in July... Bricks in the Barnyard.

I will have to continue stopping in Goodwill in search of one or two more denim shirts to complete this.   I think I also need to locate another half-yard of that gold colored fabric.

2016 may 10

May 10 called for another very special dinner and cake


grilled chicken, macaroni & cheese and home-grown green beans

   and a dinosaur cake.... do you recognize T-rex??

He was very happy blowing out the candles and opening presents... dinosaurs of course!

I had a bag of Easter eggs tucked in the corner of the dining room that I forgot to get downstairs into the closet.   They had so much fun looking for treasures.   and they weren't too disappointed that all the eggs were empty.

2016-05 Paducha classes

I signed up for three half-day classes while in Paducha...

The first class was Fire Island, by Linda Hahn.  This should have been a full day class with all that we had to do.  I did learn how to make the New York Beauty blocks and sew in those arcs and managed to complete 2 of the 40 needed for this quilt. I only trimmed one of the blocks ... I wanted to leave the second untrimmed as a guide for future blocks.  The kit included templates for the block and a dryer-sheet type fabric to trace the pattern on instead of using tear-away paper.

We had a two-minute quick lesson on making the alternate block for this pattern and class was over.   I would have preferred to have time to make samples of both blocks.... the alternate block is a HST with a flip and sew corner so I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out.

No pattern was included with the kit... you had to buy her book at an additional cost... but I'm positive I can figure out the block placement when I get that far.

The second class was Glorified 9-patch by Toby Listcho.  I really enjoyed this class.  Templates and pattern were included with the kit.  Two blocks were completed and she demo'd how to assemble the blocks on-point using her template for "bikini" shaped filler blocks.  There are also directions on how to bind the quilt matching the different color backgrounds in each block.  I look forward to completing one of these.   I can't show you what I did complete in class... and afterwards back at the cottage... because I used this opportunity to make a tablerunner for a 3-color challenge that can't be revealed until August.  I promise pictures will come later.

The third class was Mardis Gras, by Toby Listcho.    This is a Lone Star based pattern and I enjoyed learning how to make those 45deg cuts and piecing the star parts.  But again, this should have been a full-day class.  She did give a demo on how to do those pesky "Y" seams, but there wasn't time to try one.  I was a bit frazzled when  I left class and as soon as I got home I laid out all the pieces I had cut in hopes that I'll remember what to do.  I ended up changing out one of my fabrics.  I had cut my striped fabric in the wrong direction and then once laid out I didn't like the look, so I went on a shopping trip and found a replacement.

As soon as I have time, I'll attempt to remember the lesson and give those Y-seams a try.

2016-05 Paducha

I've been a bit busy the last couple weeks and forgot to post!   shocking!  I know.

  

It has now been quilted and is waiting to be bound.  I pieced the backing for the Trip Around the World wedding quilt for my husband's niece.

I took some time off and went to Paducha for several days to see the AQS Quilt show.

I arrived in Paducha Tuesday afternoon and spent several hours drooling over fabrics at Hancocks... and burning up the credit card!

I bunked with Wanda (from Alaska) and her friend Terry.  We went to TGIFridays for dinner and a "rousing" game of trivia!  LOL!


Wednesday through Saturday I rented a cottage with Barbara, a friend from church.   It was a very relaxing place to be after a busy show and classes.


We set up tables and featherweights in the living room and enjoyed the view of the Grand River, watching tugboats go by... pushing barges of coal .

  

Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday I signed up for classes (more on that later) and spent time at the show.   But Friday we spent all day relaxing in the cottage sewing and chatting.... except for an afternoon exercise break when we walked down the hill and out to the end of that jetty and back.

There was the mandatory "Sloanie" meet-up on Thursday with Pat Sloan

Pat laid out her blocks for the Splendid Sampler... an online sew-along that she is hosting.  There will be 100 six inch blocks made when this is done!

And no trip to Paducha would be complete without a dinner at Patti's 1880 Settlement.  Great restaurant... great food... great friends... old and new.

2016-05 garden happenings

Early in April we had to cover the strawberry patch with cheese cloth to protect it from last frosts.  Now it is, hopefully, protecting the berries from birds.  We've already picked several quarts of tasty, juicey berries!   YUM

This is my garden... where the tree root used to be.  I've got 3 rose bushes and half rows of peas, kale, spinach and kohlrabi.  I've planted seeds in front of the roses for galardia and callendula.  I'm not sure what will come up there as Toby has decided that loose dirt is his playground and he has been digging in there.  If nothing comes up in the next week or two I'll have to run to the nursery and buy some plants.

Our grandson has his garden planted now too... lilliputt, medium and large zinnias, sunflowers and cosmos.  He is hoping to earn a ribbon again at the fair in August.

He has been very helpful planting and watering beans in the vegetable garden. He had wear his backpack fully loaded and armed to defend against anything that would dare hurt  his plants!

2016-05 May 1

May is a very special month...


   It calls for spaghetti and meatball dinner while watching Scooby-Doo on tv...

  and Nana stretched her artistic skills and made a Scooby-Doo birthday cake!