List & Pics!!!

Hey Y'all!!  Here in Mid-Michigan we had more snow visit us and it's a whole 23* F. before the wind chill on the semi-bright day. The Chickadees are flittering about on the branches of the neighbors apple tree lending a bit of color against the super bright white background.  So why not grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage and settle in warm up by the stove.  Glad you was able to stop in for a spell.

So I can't wait tell ya what's all new and happening this week.  I found I had a very productive week and of course we have new eye candy to look at in several forms.  The 1st thing I did today was to sit down with my coffee and list making supplies so that I could decide what I wanted to do this week.  So with coffee in the veins and pencil in hand,  I'm off.... sound the charge!  So far my list looks like this:

• Decide on a border design for my HT Mystery Top  Decided to try ribbon border late Friday Night
• Make the borders for the 2 Red & Green Doll quilts for donating for Christmas Festival  Added both sets of borders Sat. Afternoon & in sandwich mode
• Continue to hand quilt for one hour on  "Sunflower & Crows" Had a date with Beethoven Sunday afternoon Monday & Thursday
• Sew together some of my scrap blocks for donating doll quilts for Christmas Festival Completed on Sat. Afternoon 
• Finish hand piecing the last 26 tulips
• Design a personal swap pattern  Drew 1st Draft on Sat. Afternoon
• Cut out a Schnibble pattern.   Finished cutting out Sunday
• Finish reading at least one of my current reads - I have 3 going right now.  Almost finished with 2nd book
• Finish at least 2 more layers on new knitting project. 
• Make batch of Cranberry & White Chocolate Chip Scone Cookies.

Yes, I know it sure looks like a lot don't it.  LOL.  But some of this is busy work for the evenings or when I'm out and about running errands this week.  Some things, like adding on simple but small borders for doll quilts; I can do in one sitting.  I usually cut in multiple batches.  I have some scrappy 6.5" blocks already together so I can start chain-stitching them together.  When I'm hand quilting - I tend to do approximately do a minimum of just over an hour at a time since that is normally the length of one Cd of the Cd Book that I'm listening to.  Etc., etc..  And of course all this will be recorded in my quilt journal as I like to see what I have accomplished. Since I have started to keep track, I don't think I've missed more a couple of days in total in almost 2 years.

So are we ready for some eye candy?  One of the things that I did this week was to catch up and finish my Homesteadingtoday.com (HT) mystery top as directed up to the point of borders.  So due to a special surprise I was am to take part in this and here is what I came up with. 

I went from this....

To this.... 

So now I'm contemplating on a border for it.  I really don't want to do my normal single strip of one color for it.  I'm thinking I might try something different, something I haven't done yet, which in reality leaves a world of designs to choose from.  LOL.  I do know that I want the red fabric to add that extra little pop with the focus fabric flowers  (wow...say that fast a few times...lol)

Some of my other stitching includes some red and white triangles that I made some time back but managed to sew them wrong according to the block instructions so they got tossed into a box of scraps.  Well I dug them out, decided to square them up to 4.5" and made 2 Ohio star blocks out of them.  I'm going to turn them into doll quilts to go with the soft dolls that I'm making for our village Christmas Festival.  They will be added to Santa's bag to give out. 

 I know the red looks darker in the block but there is hints of the brighter red is there.  Nice thing is I still had the solid red from that table runner project so I didn't need to purchase anything for this project so far.  Got to like when that happens.  And to me these won't look overly "Christmas-y" even though these are the more traditional colors. 

This week my loving S.O. decided to try a new recipe that he had found online.  It's one of his favorite things to do when he can't sleep.  Any how, he found a recipe for a cheese souffle.  I have to admit that as much as I LOVE to cook, I thought that making one of these required a special skill .... only to find out that it's actually not that hard to do.  Now we don't currently own a souffle dish but we do have a 6 cup Pyrex bowl.  So since those things are oven proof, it was put to good use.  Tada......



Before the hoards attack




Breakfast is served!!



The funny thing is ..... I'm sooooo not a breakfast person!!  It's usually brunch time around here so that I can get at least 2 cups of coffee in me so that I become more human-like before food is served.  On this day he waited and timed it out just perfectly.  Made some hash browns and popped in some English Muffins to which I was able to add my orange marmalade to.   Yummmmmm!!! It was nice to have some marmalade in the house again!  It never fails ... when I get a hankering for something it is almost never in the house. Dang that Murphy & his  bloody law!!

This past week I was able to partake in some out-of-the-house time with my friend from my local sewing circle.  It was really nice to go along and have some time to pet some nice soft yummy cottons, flannel and minky. We had made it to a little Amish shop that is in Clare and the joy of it all on a snowy day.  The best part was I didn't have to drive so that was a good thing...lol.  It was funny ... I was told we would be visiting several stores in the area so I knew what was in my pocket for spending and that I could buy a few FQ's at best as still be able to buy my lunch.  Yeah Right!!!!  The long & short of it is .... I came home loaded down.  Here is part of the bounty that I was only going to buy the pattern print out for "Hidden Stars" 'cuz I was sticking to my serious budget plan .... I ended up with everything but the backing for it....included the batting!!  All without dropping a dime as I guess my friend decided I needed a nice pick-up-me after all that I've been through of late.



The Yummy Fabrics for "Hidden Stars"

I  really liked the sample that was hanging up as this "Hidden Star" pattern is done with 4-patch blocks instead of the normal 9-patch block and was made from a Kansas Troubles (?) line.  This particular layer cake is my 1st one so I don't care that it wasn't the most current one as I LOVE Holly Taylor's fabric lines.  The  one yard of brown fabric is one of her current ones and will used as a border.  The ohhh so buttery Moda yellow is 2 yards and destined to become the "stars" and the binding for this quilt.  I'm not much for yellows, but I just kept going back to it.  I was only looking to buy a FQ so that I could take home to admire it until I found a nice pattern worth of it.  I thought that I was helping my friend pick out the fabrics for herself..... Surprise!!!  We only manage to visit this store and have lunch as the weather was starting to go downhill.  So once lunch was over end wandered closer to home but we ended up @ her place.  Where she taught me how to do a simple knit stitch.  So while I was clacking along with my size 4 needles, trying to get my tension right;  she starts pulling out books to look at (& a few to keep) and 3 of those embroidery boxes filled with flosses for me to take home.  It appears she is got so much stuff that she has been trying to thin the masses so to speak and I'm to be the receiver.   Free is Always a good thing and her loss is my gain!!!  Thank You very much. 

A good way to use up some yarn

And of course I needed a new skill like another hole in the head but this was something that I wanted to learn for a while now.  My friend said for an adult, I sure picked a new skill quick like and that is kind of unusual.  With in 5 minutes of being shown I had gotten close to an inch done on the needle.  Yea for me I guess ...lol.  Maybe that is because I don't really have anyone to show me how to do crafty type things so I'm more or less self-learning. 

I'm making some progress on my tulip blocks with just 26 left to hand piece.  Most the time this is my "on-the-run" when I go to see my doctor.  But the last couple of nights I worked on them during TV Time and completed 17 of them done.  So chances are  -in theory- I could have the rest of them knocked out by weekend's end.  Whoo Hoo!! I also have been time in on my hand quilting of "Sunflowers & Crows" as I either listen to my small collection of Classical music or a book on Cd. 

The cats have been quite amusing this week as you will see from the pictures.  They are really getting that whole running through the house like a herd of elephants down pat.  We have this little braided rug they just LOVE to terrorize! 

  

And of course they always must always they sure love to be in my seat no matter which one it is...



Hummmm .... Thread....



What?  Did you want THIS seat?



And they are ALWAYS so Helpful....
 

Gee Mom... You shouldn't Have!!....Box ....Empty Box 



 

 



Wait.... WHAT ...!!!!!  You mean this isn't ..... MINE?







They sure have been a delight since they came home with us those 3 short months ago!! There just something about kitties.... and being released from the Cat Prison aka the Shelter .... life is good!!

Well now it's time for me to mosey on now so that I can start me some Angel Hair Spaghetti with Garlic bread for tonight's supper.  I'm really glad could stop on in as I enjoy the company and the hen session.  Sure hope You'll stop back in next week ya here now.  I'll have the (place fav hot drink in space) on fer ya.   ;)

Toodles,

Tricia

Accountablity, Insight, WIP's progress, Resolutions w/flashbacks,

It's the weekend and it's time to sew!  Yeah!!

I'm know I'm still a little slow with the whole blogging and sewing thing right now,  but I'm feel like it's slowly coming back to me. Some of the problem is the time of year for me and the other part is we are still dealing with the family issues from the end of Oct.

But I have been making myself do something "quilty" every day as I still try to hold myself accountable in my sewing journals.  At the beginning of the year I have started my "quilt journal writing" process and I think I have only missed one,  maybe 2 days thought out the whole year.  I have made it part of my routine to write in it just before bed as to what I did for the day.  I even came up with an UFO list in it and managed to knock 10 out of 14 items off the list so far and number 11 is the hoop being hand quilted as we speak.  Now I know that for the most part they were smaller items and not full size quilts but I figure it was a start.  I have only really been truly quilting for about 3 years since I moved back to Michigan, but even I managed to acquire quite the UFO list. 

Ever since I started this, I'm really amazed on just how much time I have found for my "self-preservation therapy" as I like to refer to it.  I have discovered that I really enjoy doing several forms of hand work in the evenings as I "listen" to the TV.  I have found that it has had some other positive effects as well.  It has helped me to quit smoking for the last 20 months, help build my confidence in my skills, it has allowed me to get some instant gratification as I finish something even as simple as some mug rugs or wall hangings, it keeps me busy and in the last couple months, I have been going to the library to be a part of the little quilter's circle. By doing that, it has me out & about seeing people at least once a week. Which in a way has broken some of my reclusive and introverted behaviors. I was, at one point; only going out of the house once month on grocery day. I now spend quite a bit of time on the computer actually taking part in groups, heading up a few swaps, taking part in challenges ... basically being a part of the Computer society as I refer to it.  I'm not just lurking unseen, I have become a part of something. I'm making friends, chatting online and I even have one friend that I have been talking to on the phone close to once a week.  Talk about Progress!!! 

This week I'm proud to announce the I finally finished the Bright Baby quilt for Sue (you might remember it from my postings in May). Any hows.... it's currently winging it's way over to Scotland as we speak.  I did argue with myself about the binding as I looked at it again during the packing process, but with my OCD, I has to force myself to let it go!  I am quite happy to have meet my self imposed deadline that the grand baby it was made for would receive it in time for Christmas.  I did take some pictures of it but will wait to post them once it has been received as it sort of a surprise.  So please hang in there a little longer to see the end results.

What I'm a working on right now you might be wondering?  While it's quite the list and things are in a variety of stages.  I got an apron done for Steve.  I have it wrapped with a can of cashews and it sits under the tree waiting for him.  I been working on a extra long lap quilt for him on Wednesdays when I go to the library. I have it all tied, the binding fabric has been soaking to let loose any extra dye before I start cutting it and I just need to cut off the extra batting.  I should have that ready to under the tree just in time. 

I am currently in a holding pattern on my boy's "Boo" quilt that I was making. It needs some batting, but I have a pillowcase ready to be rocked out for him.  I have a couple extra days since he won't be here 'til the 28th.  I also have two wall hangings in the works and a table runner that I'm hand appliqueing the snowflakes on. Along with these swap items, I have a couple of mug rugs and a few pincushions to make.  But those shouldn't take too long as I'm pulling from my scrappy squares that I have really cut out for some 9-patch blocks. 

I'm also working on hand quilting an UFO (#11) that I started about this time last year.  I thought the piece that I designed up would have been a gift, but it ended up being much larger than I had anticipated so it was put aside and placed on my UFO list.  Well since I finished the baby quilt, I wanted to have something in the hoop and this piece really fit the bill as it was already sandwiched with a little of the cross hatch quilted.  This piece is a bit of everything with it's machine piecing, hand applique. It has cotton and crafter's felt on it, with a bit of primitive running stitch along with tiny blanket stitches on it's applique work.  There is nice bright prints combined with a version of my tea dyed muslin.  It seems to be a piece that I have mashed quite a few techniques on and I let them fall where they may. 

Lately I have been thinking about what I wanted to do in the New Year seeing how the commissioned piece has falling through.  I think I'm going to trying a work on some of my larger pieces this next year. I still have a couple "Slooooowwwww WIP's" (as I fondly refer to them) that I want to work on finishing up and maybe one or two of my Kits that I have.  I'm setting a goal of 3 with a possible 4th WIP's and a New Project with a pobbile 2nd.  I'm going to list them here so that everyone will know what I'm working on.

             My 2013 Resolution  List

The SLOOOWWW WIP's -- in no particular order:

1. Feedsack Commons by Windham Fabrics  This was pattern for the top that I made for the Q & N Challenge.  I had pulled this one back out and have been making some additional progress on it. I have been trading this one off with 2 other applique projects that are in the works.  I have started to applique the vines/stems onto this sashing to begin the process of adding the period appliqued flowers.  This was the one where me & my partner Debbieann had decided to push that challenge even further by adding on to it.  Here is what my top looked like at the end of the challenge and how we planned to add on to it.  (http://tricia-ramblingsofaquilter.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html) I believe this one might be queen/king once I complete the added sashings & borders.
2. "Tulips from a Friend"  as it's referred to for now. This was the tulip pre-cut kit that was gifted to me by my friend in Wisconsin.  Progress is slow but there's progress none the less.  This one of the Hand Applique projects that I have going on right now. I think this one will be queen/king size when finished.
3. "Sunflowers & Crows"  This is the one currently in the floor hoop and I talked about earlier. This is one of my "Frankenstein" designs. It just needs it's hand quilting done and binding put on. This one is a lap quilt size.

If I get the above done, I'm adding this one to the list:

1. "Summertime Nine"  This is coming from a swap that I took part in on my homesteading group and need to make additional nine-patches to bring it up to twin size for the guest/son's bed. This is one of the those projects that I can do to tame some of my scraps as I turn them into "workable" squares.

The New Kits On the Broad:

1. "Hearts Are All Around" This is a BOM from the UK Magazine "Popular Patchwork"  that my friend from Scotland  sent to me last year for Christmas.  I have most of the fabrics picked out. I will be starting the Red work/ Embroidery as soon I find my chosen flosses as I have decided on a different color way that will challenge me to reach beyond on my "normal" palette.

If I get all of the above quilts completed I'm going to get this one started once those are all done.

1. "Quilt Barn Quilts" (by Wellington House Designs) This was just given to me a couple of weeks ago for my birthday from one my library quilty friends.  She was generous that day and introduced me to a LQS named Elm Creek Ltd.  (no .. not related to the books lol). We was out for the day and was in awe in this little shop. It is one of those has a bit of everything but the quilting section was to die for.  My was walking around it with my jaw hanging and resembled a kid let loose in the candy shop with a unlimited budget!!! It was a site to see  I'm sure.  So not only did I get the pattern, I got all the fixings to make this wonderful top.  Here is what the pattern looks like if you're wondering ... http://www.riversedgefabric.com/pop.php?f=/item_images/redbarn_wallhang 1613.gif

So that is my list of goals.  I'm sure I will still take part in some swaps but this next year I'm going for more of  the "me & mine" projects.  I found that I get so wrapped up in the swapping that I tend to forget that I have my own personal projects that I want to work on. I know that I have several other WIP's/UFO projects that are mentally on this list and if I actually get to those that's GREAT!! But this is my "okay now I've made it public I HAVE to work on these" list.  It should prove interesting to see if I can get theses done.  Some are  bigger than others and there will be lots of hand stitching in one form or another but it's more of making the commitment more then anything else.

So what you think?  Are you looking for ways to hold yourself accountable to yourself with your quilting?  Have you started to think about what you want to accomplish in this next year? Feel free to share your goals with me & others.

I highly recommend starting that Quilt Journal Keeping process. It's been very helpful to me.  I have worked out a way that I work on my sewing machine during the day but I really do most of my work in the evenings after supper and settling in for that TV Time and feel quite productive.

As always, I love comments, hearing your thoughts on things that I write about. So come share with me. I do read them all and try to respond to them.  But for now I'll leave you thinking about next weeks topic of "Pay it Forward"  I have touched on this before and want to revisit the subject. It's time to put this edition to bed as they use to say in the printed newspaper days.

Toodles,
Tricia 

Upcoming Blog Hops, WIP's, Hand-Work & Afternoon Plans

Hey Y'all!!  The weather is a bit gray and starting to feel like Autumn around here this week.  Which is great for spending lots of time with the sewing machine for sure.  I have been feeling  like I have been a bit under a "blah"  cloud.  But today I sat myself down and made myself get to the business at hand.  Like all those pieces of Halloween fabric that I had cut up a couple weeks ago.  I posted a great picture of it back about 2 weeks ago. 

I also plan to be part of the "Leaf's Me Happy" blog hop. This fun blog hop is hosted by Cherry of  "Cherry Blossoms Quilt Studio" and Madame Sam of "Sew We Quilt".  Both buttons are on the side there if you want to check them out.   This will be interesting as I'm going to be a participate this time.  Yuppers!! You guessed it.... A FIRST for me. This is schedule for Oct. 1st to 10th.  Infact I just found out that my day will be on Oct. 4th.  Here is the link for the Master Schedule that Cherry has put together.  http://www.cherryblossomsquiltingstudio.com/ 

I have one project done and I'm on the second project for this hop.  This one is in a current magazine and yet again another 1st to be added to my list of 1st.  Needless to say I'm hard at work coming up with ideas for projects and a possible give-away to share with everyone.

Well from that picture, I have a small top completed and I have all 49 blocks pieced together for the "Boo" quilt that I'm working for my son.  Yes ~ that is 33 blocks more than the orginial pattern called for.  These will revealed during the "Wicked" blog hop that I'm going to be a part of will be from Oct. 22nd to 31st.   Which is hosted by Wendy of "Why-Knot-Kwilt" http://why-knot-kwilt.blogspot.ca and Madame Sam.  I hope you will stop in and check it out.  I promise to get you the schedule for this one as soon as it becames available.  I know I have a couple of projects that I want to show off for that one!! Samhain (Halloween) is my favorite part of the year.

Last week I did something a little different from the usual quilty.  I made a vintage-inspired full length reversible apron.  It came out really cute. I used doubled stitching on all the seams and really secured the ties on with triple stitching lines.  It will have to take some serious tug-of-war for those to even think about coming undone.  LOL.   Instead of trying to attempt button holes for the neck,  I improvised with Velco.  It was the stick on type so it was easy to place both sides at the same time.  With a few well placed hand stitches, Volia!!! It was finished. 

Side B

Side A

This is also from the same book as the half apron came from that I show ya a couple weeks back.  Which reminds me...... that little apron sold quickly after I showed it to a friend at the local library.  Did my happy dance on that one since it gave me the funding it make this one.  LOL.

Let's see what else since the last time we talked?  Oh I finally finished the center of the baby quilt that I was hand quilting for my friend in Scotland.  The quilt is for her new grandson and made by several of the ladies on my Quilt and Needle group.  They are currently working on two quilts for my grandbabies too.  This group loves making baby quilts and this year we have had a good number of them to be a part of.

I am still  working a couple different pieces of hand applique. I'm Hand-Appliqueing the tulips on to the background fabric.  You might remember that this is the Challenge that my friend in Wisconsin sent me to do.  This is  a challenge that I think I bit off to much.  The challenge was I'm suppose to have all the applique done on all 42 blocks by Dec. 31st @ 11:59pm.  I put my foot in my mouth and said I could have it done by then....  ummmm yeah .... only if I worked nothing else I might.  What was I thinking!!! But I'm still going on them. 

I'm also appliqueing a pair of raven's on a pillowtop for my son to go with his "Boo" quilt.  I'll share more details on that project during the "Wicked" blog hop.  And I'm finishing a Monkey Face for my Granddaughter's quilt that the Quilt & Needle Quilty Aunties are making her.  That will be done today.  So then there are the 3 little blocks that I need for my "Leaf's Me Happy" project that is done by hand embroidery.  I don't think those will take much TV Time to do.  Those might be done by next Wednesday night if all stays on schedule.  Yes, I love doing hand work while "listening" to whatever my Other Half has on the tv in the evenings.  I find it to be quite productive and relaxing. 

Well looks like today I might make me some scones this afternoon.  I'm thinking cranberries sounds really good to me.  Either Cranberry and Orange or Cranberry and White Chocolate.  These will be nice to go with my tea or as a snack.  On the quilty side of things, I'm going to ironing, & trimming the "Boo" blocks so that I can start working on their layout.   So with that, I'll say Thank You for stopping by and let you know that comments, thoughts & suchnot's are always welcomed.

Toodles,
Tricia

In Gerda's Honor, WIP's,, Another Sneak Peek, Update

Well this week has been kind of  an up and down for us.  But I'm hoping that those of you who read last weeks post remember me posting about the piece I made  with my Good Friend Gerda.  Well I decide to enter it in the "Quilting Gallery" weekly themed contest and it is currently up along with lots of other beaurtiful quilts.  You should stop by if you get the chacne and have a peek.  http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/08/31/vote-now-leaves-trees-flowers/

So I have been hard at work on the Halloween lap quilt for my son Curtis.  I got all the little embroidery centers completed.  And can start the piecing process.  Yeah!!! I did decide to add 9 blocks to make it just a bit bigger for him. 

Embroidery Block Centers

It is part of a pattern in "Quilt Sampler" fall/winter 2010 issue. I'm hoping to at least have the top done in time for the "Wicked" Blog hop that is in Oct. I'll bring you more details on that soon.  ;)  Then I'm also working on what I hope is my first tutorial during that hop and currently in a designing process.  But it include these fabrics. 

Sneak Peek in Up Coming "Wicked" project

Then I finally got a stencil for the baby quilt that I'm working on.  It's a 2" wave spiral pattern and should nicely balance the straight lines of the pinwheel in log cabins blocks. Now if I can stay off this computer this weekend I should be ready to start marking it out. So depending on how fast I can do all that, I can continue the hand-quilting process.  YEAH!!!!! 

So with that in mind, I'll be signing off and be starting.  Please feel free to leave comments, thoughts or such-nots.

Toodles,
Tricia