New Quilt

I really like zig zag quilts!!!  I have made one from my hand dye scraps, so when I saw this on the Moda web site I wanted to try it.  It is made differently however.  The first one was made with triangles---this one is made from two jelly rows and a charm pack.  The  "Crazy Mom Quilts" blog owner, Amanda Nyberg is the creator of this method, which although simpler, can be confusing.  You really have to pay attention---I have had to unsew a couple of rows.  The pattern results in either a horizontal pattern quilt or a vertical one.  I am making the vertical one since the size is larger.  This will be one of the Christmas gifts for our youngest son---very "organic" like----less is more type thing.  Doesn't it look very graphic and modern?!?  I think I will do a really tight water mark stipple in grey.  I am enjoying this one, but you definitely need a design wall for this pattern!

A Finish!!

I finished quilting my "Granny Squared" today using the Circle Lord Baptist Fan Pattern Board.  I had some difficulty with the stylus jumping out of pattern, but after calling Michael, I found out we had installed it wrong.  After doing the necessary adjustments, it was much better.  I still have a little difficulty lining up subsequent rows, but since this quilt is for me, the few places where I am off are okay with me----organic quilting you know!  The background is white organic linen so I know once I wash it, you will not be able to see my little "oops" anyway.  I don't have enough of the polka dot from the border to make a binding, so I think I will improvise with a purple batik.  It is a scrap quilt after all so I think it will be just fine.

I worked in the "garden" today and if I didn't know better, I would almost swear the tomato plants are growing right before my eyes!  They look so healthy and sturdy!  The tag said you would get fruit 70 days after planting, but that time must include the time they were growing in the warehouse, not from the time I planted them.  70 days would put it after summer so from the growth, I would bet I will have fruit by the 4th of July!

Well, thanks for stopping by!  See you around the web!!

Planting the "Crops"!

I have been reading blogs (Lane, Judy, Melody) and so many of you have beautiful gardens!  I love flowers and I have visions of me walking in "my" garden with a big summer hat, a soft fluttery dress, enjoying the "genteel life".    So what is the problem, I gotta tell you, I do not like the hot work it takes to make those beautiful gardens :c)!!!!   The other side to that truth is that I cannot afford to have a gardener to help (less money to buy fabric with you know), and I have a husband who would plow up the yard, pour concrete and paint it green!  The outside is not for him!  so if I want to have flowers, guess who has to do it.

I am also a "old school girl" and believe that today's children do not understand the "natural" way.  They are so accustom to going to grocery stores and buying veggies, or worst yet, getting a can of something,  they don't understand the concept of "growing your food" and few people cook from "scratch" anymore.   Flowers are a little different since most houses have flowers in front, but I feel (maybe it is wishful thinking), that the process of taking care of something and seeing it respond to that care is important in their growth and development.

My kids tease me because when I decide on a project, I "go full force" to make it a reality!  Last year I didn't have any flowers on the deck.  Life got in the way, but this year I decided not only to have flowers, but to plant veggies.  I am afraid of snakes though and other "creepy-crawlies" so planting in the ground!!!!!  Please!!!!!!.  You can see from the pictures that I have  a forest in my back yard so the chances of snakes coming  are great!  Anyway, to make a long story short----they have ways now to plant veggies without actually putting them in the ground!!!!!

Since I am NOT going to plow up my yard and have a "real" veggie garden, I looked for an "easy" way to grow "food for our table".   Tomato plants----designed for containers!!!!!!!!!!  I have no idea what kind, but they are red and  looked good on the tag.  I absolutely LOVE tomatoes----plus the grand babies will really enjoy the process of seeing them grow and "harvesting" them (I know I will anyway)!  I planted three tomato plants (a "3 for" sale).

 My pepper plant.  It will be a yellow pepper (you can buy green ones in the market)!  Again, the process of growing seems like fun to me!

 The plants already have blooms on them, so the fruit has already started.  Such fun.  You wet the container, tear away the bottom (drop it in the planting pot) and then plant the container and all in the pot!!!  "Who A Tunk It!"

I also think Daisy's are such pretty flowers, so I had to have at least one container of Daisy's.  I worked all day in the yard and for me that is something, since I do NOT like to sweat (or "glisten" as southern girls say).  So after 8 hours, and four bags of gardening soil, and a nosebleed (I think I got too hot),  I have done all the initial yard work this season, including put in roses and four large containers of flowers (in addition to the deck garden).  I will post pictures later, but it is too hot to go out front and take pics.  The remainder of the day will be set to clean up inside and try to get a little quilting done!

Have a blessed Sunday!!!!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  AND my grand children are going to enjoy this, no matter what!!!!!!!!!  :c)

Quilting Away!

I have been busy quilting away!  I completed a total of 3 quilts for Diane and will put them in the mail tomorrow.  They both really turned out nice (I think)!  I think I mentioned, that although quilting for others does make me a bit "tense", quilting for Diane, although I still try to do my very best, isn't quite the same.  She knows how hard I try, and so doesn't really give me a "hard time", so I can actually relax a little and concentrate on increasing my skills.

After doing those three quilts, I decided to tackle my pile of quilts and loaded "Granny Squared" (see the pictures above).  I am using the CL Baptist Fan Board.  I think it is looking pretty good, but I am still learning how to line everything up.  I was off a couple of places, but it is my quilt and I am (even with a board) doing "organic quilting", so you expect so little wobbles.  I will see how it looks after I finish, so I might take the small areas out if it looks bad.

The backing is more of the "pillow ticking" I got from Joanne's.  It is working well on the back of quilts, particularly those with white as the background.  It is a little "stiff" when I first load it, but after you have rolled it a couple of times, it starts to soften up a bit.  I like it---

The machine is also doing fairly good on tension.  I am using a new thread and had some difficulty in keeping it in the intermittent tension, but my solution was to wrap it around twice and it is working.  Don't know if I am suppose to do that, but I am starting to believe that I should do what works for me and if it doesn't ruin the machine, I am okay!

I have decided to submit a couple of quilts to AQS for consideration for the show next year.  That will be what I will load to quilt next.  I got a new CL template and picked up some wool batting, so we will see how it works (looks).  I am going to start early so I have plenty of time to quilt it and get it photographed.  I have also decided I will get a professional to take the picture.  From looking at some of the quilts at the show and reading, one thing that helps to get your quilt juried in is a good picture.  That of course doesn't get a win for you, but at least you get in the door.  I really don't think my quilts would win, but it sure would be an ego booster if it was chosen to hang!

Anyway---these are some of my plans.  I am also doing some work in the yard and will dye sometime, probably next week (or the next).  We had a death in my husbands family so we will be going to Oklahoma probably the end of this week.  Not staying very long because I have to get back to work, but anticipating a LONG drive.

Well, just wanted to check in with you all.  Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

Dye Season Is Here!!!

I dyed a total of about 20 yards in addition to some odd (I don't like to waste dye) pieces this past week.  12 of the yards were for a friend and the above were left over and what I will add to my stash.  The colors are great, although they look more washed out in the picture!  I am going to dye more in the next couple of weeks and will post pictures of them as well.

On the quilting front, I have been working on a couple of the quilts that Diane left for me to quilt.  I am so critical of myself and on first look, I wasn't pleased, but then when I looked at them a little closer I think it's okay.  The same old nervousness comes when I am quilting for others, even a good friend like Diane.  I get so anxious and tense and as a result, the process becomes much harder than it should be.  The good thing about quilting these for her---the more I do them, the easier I anticipate it will become.  In addition, she isn't critical at all and even though I may not be especially pleased, unless I just really mess up, she doesn't give me a "hard time".

I have a couple of quilts in the works.  I just have to work it out more in my head so hopefully I will have something to share within a couple of days.  Had a great Mommie's Day----with a delish brunch with the two children who live here and my grandbabies.  It was fun---lots of laughter, joking, food and everyone was happy!  A good day!  The only one who was particularly unhappy was Coal who had to be left alone.

All Finished!

This is the completed "flimsy" of the Granny Square quilt.  I will load it in a couple of days and quilt it.  I am looking for the appropriate panto to use.  I had enough after all to add a small "floating" border of white linen.  The border is purple polka dot and is 8 inches wide finished.  The quilt is now 80 inches wide which is plenty big enough for a queen.  All in all, not a bad scrap quilt at all.  I will post another pic when it is quilted in a couple of weeks.

Well, good night----I am tired!  Thanks for stopping by---I really appreciate it!

And Then There Was A Quilt!!!!!

I am finished with the blocks for the Granny Square Quilt and so am putting it together.  I decided on a diagonal layout and my EQ pattern is working perfectly for cutting the setting triangles!  Unfortunately, I thought I would have enough of the white linen to add a 3 inch border to float it and make it bigger, but I didn't, so it will have only one border and be a bit smaller.  I might make the border even bigger (if I have enough fabric), but when I EQ it, it looks sorta weird, so I will probably settle for a full size quilt rather than a queen.  I don't have the variety as some quilts I have seen have, but I still think it is okay.  My border will be a purple polka-dot---fun.  Hopefully I will be able to put it together and quilt it in time for guild on Saturday.

Don't you just love this sweet little face.  It was funny, after I took his picture he shook himself---I guess trying to get the flash off his skin.  Such a sweet little dog!  Well have a blessed Sunday.  I have more stuff to do and I plan to really try to relax a bit.  Thanks for stopping by!

Y Seams!!!

This is the test block for my  new project----I anticipate that this will probably be my last finish of the year...it is going to take some time with all the Y seams!    It is a replica of an antique quilt that I found in a Marti Michel book.  Instead of her templates though, I am using my GO! diamond to cut the shapes.  I think I am going to have to add some different 30's, especially darks since the majority that I have are mediums/lights.  The block finishes rather large (Yay)---a 12 inch. so I will only have to make about 72 or so for a queen.  I am also going to begin work on another Tumbling Block with 30's as well.

I always make test blocks first for various reasons, one being if I have to put it aside, I have some blocks to help me "find my place" in the creative process.  I usually press my seams open, but I think the traditional way of pressing to the side will work better. The yellows when put together make stars----this quilt will have to be made one block at a time since even in making this one, I got confused and had to do some "frogging".

This is one of the quilts that Diane left for me to finish, and it is all done!  It is a quilt for her DGD and is comprised of fabrics that she (the Granddaughter) chose herself.  I used one of the new panto's I purchased at AQS----wasn't hard to do at all.  The thread matches to so well you can barely see the pattern, but I think it fits the quilt perfectly.  I am going to load another on maybe this afternoon and perhaps use the same panto, I don't know....I will have to see what the quilt wants me to do.

Well, just wanted to check in!  Thanks for stopping by!

Lonely!

 Well, my "Sister", Diane left this morning!  Headed back to sunny Florida!  I am lonely already---back to solitary sewing, talking to myself about the right color, work, making myself happy!  I can do it---I can and I will.  We had loads of fun!  and already I am looking forward to next year.  She left quite a few quilts for me to quilt, and so I will have fun doing those and using some of the new panto's I got at AQS.  As I quilt each one, it will be a walk down "memory lane" recalling our fun!  Okay Patricia----enough of the "pity party".

She usually brings lots of gifts and this visit was no exception.  This is just one of her gifts----a box of 30's.  I really wasn't originally a 30's girl, but the colors are so bright and cheerful.  This box contained a lot of really nice ones including some that are no longer available.

This is a batch of 2.5 inch strips I cut from them.  The picture really doesn't indicate how many I have.  I found this really neat pattern in one of my books of an antique quilt that I am going to reproduce.  The white fabric on the side will be the background.  I am going to get started and make a "sample" to see how it goes.  I really can't start on it yet since I want to finish my "Granny's"---my new rule I will try to adhere to---finish at least one project prior to beginning another.  I am also going to load one of Di's quilts.  I may not be able to start quilting it since I have some "real" work to do first, but at least I will be ready.

Pinning is Friday and graduation is Saturday and then the summer semester begins, so I have some busy time ahead.  I am so glad I got a couple of days of fun so I can reflect on that when things get a bit "over the top".  Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.