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!

2016-04 part 3 wedding quilt

I've finally gotten this 100x100 Trip Around the World top pieced for my husband's niece and her fiance.

(sorry about the fuzzy picture)

I personalized it for them by embroidering their names on the center block.

Next up will be to piece the backing..  I'm going to have to add left-over strips from the front to the backing fabric to make it fit.

2016-04 part 2 class prep work and a challenge

I am working on preparations for upcoming classes.

I bought these fabrics for the Mardis Gras class.... a variation of a Lone Star pattern and there are no pre-cutting instructions given... just fabric amounts.

As you can see I chose NOT to use traditional New Orleans Mardis Gras colors of purple, green and gold.  These Christmas fabrics will fit in better with my holiday home decor.

Next I pulled these blue and gold fabrics from my stash for the Fire Island class.

I think these will make a nice focal piece in my living room.  I have the dark blue pieces cut and will spend "free time" this weekend cutting up the print and gold fabrics.  I'm a bit short of yardage for the gold and I've added this additional gold print that I think I can use in the center block and/or maybe the 4 corners too.

The third class is Glorified 9-Patch.  I need to select 2 dark/med  and 2 med/light fat quarter pairs to make some blocks in class.   I love my purples, but I definitely do not have enough in my stash for a full project.  I will need to go shopping if I want to go with those colors.   But I do have several blue and gold fat quarters that I think  will do.

After downloading this picture I've decided to change out that one light fat quarter.  I think it will stand out too much.

I am also working on pulling colors for a 3-color challenge project that I am participating in with a group of friends.  We were each assigned colors by lottery and we have until August to make something. I am struggling with finding a way to make these three colors work. I'm hoping to find some inspiration at the upcoming quilt show.  

2016-04 Farwell to another fabric store

I was saddened to hear the news that Hancock Fabrics is going out of business and has been sold to a liquidation company.  I know some of the ladies that have worked there a long time and they are very upset.

Over the next few months everything will go on sale and the discounts will get deeper as time goes by.

We all love discounts... and I did purchase some fabrics for a class that I am taking soon.

But I'd rather pay full price and still have a fabric shop here in town.  Now there will be no last minute trips to pick-up some necessity for a current project.  I will have to plan my projects and trips ahead of time.

2016-03 part 4

Back in January I signed up for a postage stamp swap.  Cut a set of 25 different fabrics into 1.5in squares and mail it off to the swap hostess. You could make as many sets as you wanted.  

I was currently working on a quilt using pinks, purples, and aquas.  I dug through my scraps and easily cut up 12 sets so that I would have more than 1 block to play with.  I emailed the hostess for mailing details.  It was then that I found out a set is actually 25 pkgs of 25 fabrics!  Yikes! I needed 13 more! I dug deeper into my scraps and managed to get a full set.  

Well, Friday, a squishy arrived in the mail full of the 25 return packages of squares.  I could hardly wait to dig in!   I found time to sew eight of these little blocks together.  I absolutely love them!    They finish at just 5inches each so I will need a whole lot more to make some as yet undetermined project.  I can hardly wait until the next swap in the fall.  I will be cutting up a lot more scraps between now and the to add to this collection of little blocks.

2016-03 part 3

The 2015 stump/root removal project is now complete, with hole having been filled with composted leaves, top soil and the dirt we dug out.  As soon as the mud dries out a bit (if the rain ever stops!) I will be able to start planting!  

You can see the top of the root/stump that will be the summer removal project for 2016.

But first, some weeding in the flower gardens!  It's easier to do the weeding now while the soil is damp (muddy).

Doing laundry is loads of fun this time of year!

2016-03 part 2

My treadle is now repaired.... Ted came by to service it.  Turns out that because I have been sewing with the bobbin cover loose... I did not know how to lock it in place... the bobbin case and other inner parts have been moving around a bit. With all the sewing I've been doing on it, the innards moved around enough that correct stitching was impossible.  Ted fiddled with it, cleaned out some lint that I missed and put all parts in their proper place.  He showed me how to lock on the bobbin cover and now she sews better than ever! 

I spent my birthday finishing up a customer quilt, but mostly sewing away on the Trip Around the World wedding quilt for my niece.  I am now 3/4 done and very happy with the color pallet.  

I laid the quarters out on the floor twisting and turning to find the most pleasing layout.  I quickly discovered that the white print I had planned on being the center of the quilt.. isn't going to happen.  I apparently stitched the rows together in the wrong order.  I can have a pink center  (above) or a black center (below).

If I do put the the white print in the center, I get a totally different look! Definitely NOT a trip around the world... more like "X" marks the spot!  It actually isn't a bad option as I want to put a red block with their names embroidered in the middle.  Once I get the remaining quarter and connecting strips made I'll lay it all out again and ask her which option she prefers.

2016-03

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/02/great-minds-great-solutions.html


Recently, Bonnie Hunter blogged about a solution to a common problem quilters have with the pedals on their featherweight sewing machines.  You can read about it here:



I too dislike the tiny button pedal as it makes my toe cramp after a while. So I showed the picture to hubby.... 

and voila!  I too have a new, easier to use foot pedal.

I've made a little progress on my Trip Around the World Quilt for my niece.  

I've completed the first quarter of the quilt and was working on the second when my treadle decided to hiccup.  For some unknown reason it decided not to stitch correctly.  I tried suggestions from my online treadle group to no avail.  I am now waiting for Ted, my Singer "doctor" to make a house call and diagnose the problem later this week.

The parish annual yardsale was last weekend and I worked all last week with the ladies of the parish getting everything set up.  The room was full, the tables groaning and when we opened the door at 4pm on friday we had 137 people (yes we counted) stream in the door.  By the time all was done saturday afternoon the tables were quite bare and our coffers were almost $4000 richer.  And we still had to haul off 3 pick-up trucks and a trailer full of boxes and bags to the local thrift shops.

I even came home with a few lucky purchases!   

another sewing table (although
I have no idea which or what
machine I will put in it.  I just
couldn't let it sit there or be hauled
off to the thrift shop
Also, a Jim Shore nick-nak... a cute
singing dog

While I was busy with the church yardsale my husband got busy working on that backyard tree stump/root again....  He has been cutting away at it since last July and finally removed the last remaining bit!  Once we get the piles of dirt back in the hole, I will plant myself a flower garden this Spring.   And hubby will begin work on the second stump (it's burried under the pile of dirt at the top of the picture!