Time Lines, Sashiko, Tulips, Traveling Day w/ Big Shakes, & Steaks

What is about trying to stay on a schedule that seems to make it harder to do?  When I started this blog I told myself that I would blog once a week. I figured that would be the only way to develop a following.   And once again here it is two weeks again since my last blog. Geeesh whiz!! But I did see that I gained another follower, Thanks Tinker!  Yaw Hoooo that gives me 5 followers! So big THANK YOU to my followers!

4th Of July Mini

This week have been a hodgepodge things going on.  Ummmm I finished hand quilting my mini 4th of July quilt. Humm just realized I had a Humble block in this as uploaded.  Oh well, it gives it Character.  LOL. I used the "Friendship Star Pattern" from Kathy Tracy's "Prairie Children & Their Quilts" (pg 13). Mine has a slightly different look from the book.  I used sashing instead of borders making this one measures nicely at a whooping 14.75'' x 21.75" I did some simple hand quilting on this one.  Around the stars, I did a echo running stitch 1/4" out and then just around the blue edge I ran another running stitch. 

Which struck my funny as I am currently doing Jane's R/W/B Blog Hop. Which you can find here.  http://janesfabrics.blogspot.com/2012/05/redwhiteblue-blog-hop-schedule.html  It started on the 1st and goes 'til the 16th.  Lots of blocks of inspiration that would work for the Quilts of Valor or any other reason you want for a Patriotic/Americana quilt.

Then ... hummmm.... Oh then I was trying my hand at Japanese Sashiko when my 9 yr. old son decided that he wanted to also try his hand at it too. So I dropped everything that I was working & got him going.   He did a simple plaid design on a 6.5" squares in an afternoon.  It is hard to tell but there are 2 colors in his plaid. So far I am working on my second square of the same size. 



Son's Japanese Sashiko



Son With His Japanese Sashiko

  I went back to also working on my Challenge tulips. Of course I never work on just one project at a time. So what else am I working on you ask? I have to start working on my 25 ~ 3" signature squares for my Quilt&Needle group, then I have my forum block on HomesteadingToday.com.  We got a piece of this really pretty paisley print on white with blue, red and yellow print on it.  So after a few days of stewing I made the choice for an applique block from the new "Quiltmaker's 100 blocks, volume 5" magazine. Then there is the block I'm doing for HoneyFork Fabric their newsletter.  They are having a "Make Ugly Beautiful Contest" for the 2012 for the Stefanie Speilman Fund for Breast Cancer Research. They sent me an "Ugly" fq to make my block(s) from. If I have it back before Aug. 1st. I could win some great prizes.... if it goes in after the 1st they will still use the block in their projects. 


Make Ugly Beautiful FQ

My Freehand Tulips




 

Testing the Background Fabrics

So from the Yellow FQ, according to the rules; you have to use a "Recognizable" amount of the fabric and each block must be in 12.5".  I had been working on my challenge tulips for my Wisconsin Friend .... which lead to inspiring for my own freehand tulips with a little fussy cutting.  And then I was thinking that I wanted to try using "Tumble Blocks" as the background fabric.  I wanted them to fade into background so that the tulips POP. I think I need to change out the top fabric for something of a more solid pale pink. And then again I might just go with that white background.  Aaaahhhh decisions!!

I actually got away for a day, which is a rare event let me tell ya!  My neighbor took my son for a couple of days and the other half & I went a couple hours North to meet a cousin & wife.  We managed to get tickets to see Garrion Keilor at the Interlochen Center of the Arts. You might know know the name from the "Prairie Home Companion" radio show.  It was great, and a Live Broadcast.  They also used some of the students from the academy as part of the show.  We got some great seats and pictures of the stage. We also got to go Don's for the BEST Shakes!!! And the price is to smile about... $5.35.  I got a picture of it with my son's Flat Stanley.  These things are monsterous.... like 64oz. of crazy goodness!!!  I had a Cherry Shake which was sooooo right as it was Cherry Festive in Traverse City.  TC is right up the road a few miles....but so crowded we stayed away.  We did get to see Traverse bay.  Even on a clouded gray morning it was pretty. 



Flat Stanley @ Don's



Flat Stanley with 64 oz. Cherry Shake



Garrison Keilor
of The Prairie Home Companion



Traverse Bay, Mi.



So then we went to Boone's for dinner. OH  Man ...  no pictures of that but it has the BEST steaks!!  Primo Prime Rib with all the fixings is what the only 3 had. I had to buck the stream and had a Filet Mignon..... YUMMMMMM.  Then we headed back.  It was a long but great day.  

Well I should go and do some sort of stitching today. So I'll sign of for now and as always.... I welcome all your comments!

Toodles,

Tricia



Time Went Where? Oh Don't Panic Yet!!! Grandson and finally the Show

Wow it's been a month since I posted last but I have been sooooooo busy! This has been a month of "hit & gets" from the beginning. 

I did receive a phone call that sent me into a manic phase of sewing.  The local Variety Store in my little village had invited me to take part in a mini craft show.  Which I jumped on immediatily on ~ not really thinking ahead.  Once I thought about it after hanging up did I went into panic mode.  The show is schedule for June 23rd. Thus giving me just over 3 weeks come up with some inventory since I had next to NONE!!! Let me tell ya once again quilters generousity came about once again in the form of several care packages in order to help suppliment my stash along with some encouageing well wish of luck to boost me along. 

For 3+ weeks, the rotary cutter was slicing, the sewing machine was going medal to the petal, the fingers was plying those handstitches that was needed, the many list was growing and my brain was frying from the over use that it was exiperencing. The cooking and the housecleaning took a detour as my wonderful other half took those over so that I concerate on the sewing of inventory.  So a Big Thank You to Him!!!! I ended up making some wheres in the neighorhood of 40 items that went from a dozen reversible homespun mugrugs, to multi-purpose mats in a variety of sizes, to 3 table runners to wallhangings. 

I even tried a few new patterns for a couple of the wallhangings.  I used Kathleen Tracy's "Bear's Paw" from her "Prairie Children and Their Quilts" (pg 25).  Mine was a lot less scrappy and more planned out.  One with black paws and the other has brown paws.  I also made 2 of her "Civil War Nine Patch" from her "American Doll Quilts: 16 Little Projects That Honor A Tradition" ( pg 43).  I made that one in Red, White (well okay~tea-dyed white) & Blue. Which just happen to be the Quilt of the Month on her yahoo group that I belong to. Love making miniSo quilts!!   I can get them in a more fashionable timeline. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smallquilttalk/)



4 Block Version of "Civil War Nine Patch" multi-purpose mat

Black Bear Paw's Wallhanging

So then I also had a 1st birthday party for my Grandson to go to ~~ which also is the 1st time I have had the pleasure of wrapping my arms around Him. 



Kisses from Grammy Tricia



Time For CAKE!!!!!!

Remember the challenge I mentioned about a month ago from my friend.... here is a sneak peek at some of the tulips that I have hand pieced before the manic sewing time kicked in. It will nice to get back to these in full swing as soon as I finish handquilting another red, white & blue mini wallhanging made with friendship stars. 

Challenge Tulips



I am currently handquilting a baby quilt for another friend for her grandson.  This was made from several of us on thequiltandneedle.com group.  This was made in brights and actually is eye pleasing to me as I'm not a big one on brights.  Maybe because I don't have much of them in my stash. But it is growing on me.


Handquilting Stitch-In-The-Ditch

But then I tend to have my hands in many projects at one time.  For example you can see from my little set up for the June 23rd Show that I mentioned earlier. I did manage to sell 2 items so that was encouraging.



Walk Up Shot

Left Side of Table

Right Side of Table

Table Shot

This also on top of the fact that my son is here for his summer visit.  Oh Vay !! It sure has been busy around here.  Well with all that is going on, I think I'll give this post as final look and put it to bed as they say in the newspaper business.  And as always your comments are most welcomed!

Toodles 'til next time!
Tricia