Friday, January 30, 2015

Last Saturday in medium blue....

I finally got to make the card trick block this week.


I realized I need more blocks to make my birds in the air quilt to the size I want so I made 12 blue blocks this week. They will be added to the pile of blocks I made a few years ago with the RSC Challenge. I am hoping this one will become a wedding quilt in September for my nephew and his bride. I'm thinking a 15x15 setting for a 90x90 quilt with my 6 inch blocks.... but I just counted and have 133 blocks including these 12. I'm going to need a lot more of these...or they will get a couch throw!

I've been working on my scrappy blue strip all month and it is about 72 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Head on over to SoScrappy on Saturday morning and see what other blue projects (or pink if you started February!) are being worked on.

Oh - I've been looking online for yarn for the mystery crochet along I joined and found this site -consumercrafts.com and ordered my yarn Friday. I am going with my own color selection... hopefully it works! All the color selections were out of stock at the various places I checked on-line and I know they don't have all the colors available at the stores near me.

4 country blue, 2 light country blue, 2 off-white (I'll look for dark country blue at the stores near work Saturday - Joann's, Michaels and Walmart), 2 charcoal heather grey. I really hope I find the dark blue but either way I think it is a good color combo. I do love blue =).

Now to test out dinner. It is clear out the fridge and use up leftovers night. I chopped up the leftover shake and bake chicken breast, added the various veggies and the container of plain spaghetti and plain penne pasta. Made a bechamel sauce and added cheeses. Mixed it together and threw it in a pan in the oven with cheese on top. It smells good. Time to test it out.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Oh boo, something new....

I was poking around blog land and noticed that Amy is going to do a crochet mystery at thecrochetcrowd.com. I checked out the link...... thought about it and then checked it out a few more times over the last few days. Then..... I signed up for it! Yikes, what am I thinking? I see a trip to Walmart or Joanns in my future to pick out some simply soft caron yarn. This crochet or knit along starts on February 10 and will have instructions and video's of the pattern parts posted each Tuesday for 10 weeks. Now do I go with their posted color combinations or do I try my own? I need to get back in there and find the color combo page and have it with me when I go to the store.   It really will be a mystery!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Pumpkin cookies....

I had taken some things out of the freezer this weekend - a pork roast we had Monday night with a minced garlic, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper rub (very yummy) with some roasted potato with rosemary and onion. The frozen chicken breast will be tomorrow nights meal - thinking shake and bake or a baked mediterranean version? I also grabbed a ziplock baggie of 1 cup of pumpkin I had baked off and pureed back in the fall. I was thinking of making Aidan's pumpkin moose but...... I was not in the mood and went searching for pumpkin recipes. I found this one at Taste of Home for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I have to say... they are pretty yummy. The scale say's I need to stop eating them!


In between things, mostly at car pick up line I have been adding some squares to the 2 inch TATW version.


Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Tiny Tuesday.

Here is the finished ruffle heart from last week. It got finished up on Sunday night. After getting it done I don't know why I put it off so long  - it went pretty easily once I marked outside the basting line with a chalk pencil to help with the turn.

Next up - the Pineapple block. I used freezer paper templates ironed to the right side of the fabric and used needle turn with that. In hindsight, I wish I had back based the green parts as I did not line them up very well. Oh well, it won't be that noticeable in the finished quilt (I hope!).


Time to head out for my walk, then a quick shower and it should be close to lunch time with Aidan. I did lunch with Emily on Friday and we are getting close to the end of the month. I try to do lunch with them once a month at school. 


Monday, January 26, 2015

Design wall Monday and a package in the mail.....

First off - I rewarded myself with a couple of hours of sewing after my walk this morning. I lost the 4 pounds last week that I had gained the previous week at the conference and cruise =). I now have all the blocks made for the center of my Goodnight Irene Quilt.


As for the package in the mail..... I got this on Saturday and the kids were so excited to see what it was. My MIL's friend in Ohio had found some quilting books from her Mom and asked if I wanted them a while ago. I said - sure!. These are from the 1970's before rotary cutters. The templates are on the pages and there are some really neat patterns with curves included in the various books.

Some of the detail for the quilting - which they have a few pages of the different patterns and tell you to trace them onto paper and then sew without thread on the line. Then use chalk to mark your quilts. 




They give you 1/4 of the block as an example and then the templates are marked in the picture.

A house on a hill - so cute! Love the title 'House on the Hill - Appliqué that fascinates Youngsters.'

I love the quilt on the right with the partial flower. Neat idea.

This was adorable - all squares or half square triangles to make this cute rocking horse. Hmmmm I wonder if there will be some babies from the nieces and nephews in the next bit that I could make this for? Maybe it might be good to have on hand, just in case =)


Clean up the house.... or sew the GI blocks together. Yup - I think I'm going to sew the blocks together. 


Sunday, January 25, 2015

Slow Stitching Sunday....

In between cleaning up the house (playroom and sewing rooms are atrocious!) I plan to take a few breaks today and relax with some slow stitching. I have a feeling the boy will want to snuggle up with a movie at some point as he is a little off today when his medicine runs out. He started feeling poorly last night as Dad picked him up from Grandma's around 5. Chills and achey with a fever and sore throat. :( He woke me at 6 AM for some vicks for his chest so he could breathe, a dose of medicine and a cover him up .... he slept until 8! Unheard of for him.

I have 15 blocks quilted out of 49 on my Hugs and Kisses quilt. I started block 16 this morning.


I also hope to finish the appliqué on my ruffled heart today. I have the inner part done. I just need to stitch the outer heart.  I am using back basting based on this tutorial over at sentimental stitches.


Hop on over and check out the other slow stitchers at Kathy's Quilts today.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

RSC Saturday in blue.....

I've been playing with my scraps .....
I showed this trip around the world block earlier this week. It is hand pieced 2.5 inch squares and this block should finish around 30 inches square.

I also used my 2.5 inch squares to make these 16 patch blocks...... and I'm working on some X blocks to make a scrappy Goodnight Irene Quilt! I have a slew of 4.5 inch neutral blocks cut and ready for more X blocks. I think this will be 5x7 for a block set.


Thank goodness there is one more Saturday this month! I still need to make my card trick block and  cut out the alternate blocks for the Sampler.

Head on over and see what others are working on today. I'm off to work on a rainy Saturday.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Blue TATW block is completed!

If my calculations are correct this will be a finished 30 inch block. This is completely hand pieced with 2.5 inch squares and I think it might be hand quilted in a quilt as you go method. Should I continue on with more blue blocks or go with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and add some other colors for each block(orange, yellow, red, green, purple)? I still have a week or so to decide =)



Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Tiny Tuesday....

Third week and I am behind! Oh well, it has been a wee bit busy and I did not prep anything in advance. I selected the Ruffle Heart to do today. I traced the pattern onto the back of my appliqué block. I then stitched those lines so I have it shown on the front.

The next step is to trim down to 1/4 inch around those lines so I can lift a few of those stitches and turn that under to appliqué it down.

 I decided this might be easier than standard turning as it is a wee bit of a wonky line. Hopefully this will get finished at some point later today but I did want to have a post.

Sunset Friday night from the cruise ship off the Florida coast.
Time to get the kids to do their homework and review their spelling words. Then I need to think about dinner. I seem to have collected a few (4!) unwanted pounds over the last week with the food at the conference and on the cruise. To combat that it is lots of walking (all the way to 103rd street Mom!) and smaller portion sizes and hopefully they will fall away as quick as they went on? A girl can dream =).




Friday, January 16, 2015

Progress....

I have been away all week but I did manage to get a few stitches into my Trip Around the World block. Unfortunately...... I counted WRONG! I am missing those four blocks on the bottom and do not have any that are the same shade. So ...... I'll work the three sides with the rest that I have cut out and will have to go back next week and find that fabric and cut four more squares to finish him off. Now the next hurdle is to hopefully not loose them overboard this weekend as I am sitting on the balcony on a ship headed to the Bahamas for a couple of days =)

Trip Around the World - VTQuilter.
I did snap a few pictures this week. We are at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando for a conference and took the kids out of school for the first two days this week before our conference started. We hit Animal Kingdom before it rained and then headed to the hotel where Grandma was waiting. It was  little chilly in the high 60's and low 70's on Tuesday but the kids enjoyed the heated family pool and the unheated water park which they had to themselves. Yes Mom - we all went into the heated pool.


This was the view of the atrium from our balcony. Note to self - a little noisy in the morning as they had one conference eating breakfast there before their sessions started. It was beautiful though.

This is the carpet in our room - makes me wish I had my Hugs and Kisses quilt to work on!


Time to check out shortly and head over to the coast to board our ship. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

I'm not sure if I can link up or not but don't forget RSC challenge in Blue at Angela's blog on Saturday and Slow Sunday Stitching over at Kathy's blog on Sunday.


Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Tiny Tuesday - Four Hearts

Well one week in and I have decided to go out of order. Something about those tiny 12 leaves on the second one has me intimidated but.... I will do it! I needed something easy last Thursday and had about 10 minutes prep time so I prepped the four purple hearts with freezer paper on top. I used needle turn appliqué to attach them during the car line Thursday and waiting on the oil change on Friday morning.
Easy Peasy. This one is called Four Hearts. I need to tuck that little bit of purple under with a stitch.




Sunday, January 11, 2015

Slow Stitching Sunday.....

I pulled out the Hugs and Kisses quilt and gave it some lovin' this week. I have learned how to quilt around two cats who think they need to be on the quilt I am quilting!

I have 13 blocks completed and I'm half way through block 14! Only 36 to go =)

Oh - progress on the TATW quilt as well this week - I'm finally working my way down to the edges after getting the white round on - the first light blue round is on and it will go to medium and darks to the edge. I think the white in each block there will make it look really neat in the final quilt. Fingers Crossed.

After a little prep work today of some black hexagons to work around my hexie flowers I will be putting some slow stitches into my Hugs and Kisses Quilt. It will be well deserved after cleaning the house to make it MIL acceptable while she stays with the kids this week.

Head on over to Kathy's Quilts and see what other slow stitching is taking place today.

DH turned 49 today! One more year before he is an old man! =)
My niece is also celebrating the wonderful 22 today as well in Boston. So proud of the young lady she has become.

Friday, January 9, 2015

RSC Saturday in blue.....

This week I searched in my closet and found some pre-cut 2.5x4.5 blues from a swap back in the 90's to make a table runner. Nope - never got made so..... I decided to split them up into light and medium values and make some blades for a dresden plate! I used the tutorial from about.com here and it was really easy to do. I just need to appliqué it down to a background.... but I have not decided on that part yet so it might wait for a few months with the growing pile. I think I'll have enough white left from the Hunter star quilt I am going to make for a graduation quilt this year but I want to make that first to make sure there will be enough left for 12 - 12.5 inch blocks for the dresden plates. The medium blues plate is done.



I also made a twinkle stars or wonky 25 patch stars in blue. I just love how this came out! I made the light blue one this month too since I had them in that scrap pile from last week.

Head on over to SoScrappy on Saturday morning to see what other blue projects are in the works this year.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Attempting to hand quilt last night....

This is what happens when I get the hoop and quilt out. Meet Maxie and you can see Sophie the white cat laying on the end of the recliner.
Mommy put the quilt down for me!

That hoop is in my way Mom!

Fine. I'll make it work but it is not the most comfy pillow!
I timed it and it takes me 1.5 hours or so to do a block! I am probably just slow and there were some breaks for some cereal and reviewing insurance policies on-line (Greg did all the work I just review the two and select the best one after some discussion.). I did have three needles going and that was a big help for not having to turn it so often and disturb the poor cats from their naps. I have nine blocks completed and one block just needs some quilting on the inside of the four peels. 40 blocks to go.....and the borders =).



Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Tiny Tuesday - Week 1

This year I am back to doing my Tiny Tuesday posts. I am working this year with the Midget Appliqué blocks from SentimentalStitches.com with 52 blocks that will finish at 4.5 inches. Yes, that is TINY! I hope my appliqué skills will improve this year and maybe I'll try a few new techniques in the process. Some have asked about the appliqué process I am using. I am not an expert (self taught by books and Youtube video's) but I'll try and write how I make the blocks each week. Freezer paper is my friend!

The first block is called Wild Rose. I used my clover bias maker 1/4 inch  to create my flower stem (ok, it is a little bigger than it should be but it is my block!).

The leaves I traced the shapes onto freezer paper and pressed to the top of the fabric. Cut out with a seam allowance and then pulled off the paper and put it on the back and pressed the edges onto it to form the leaves to appliqué down. The flowers - I left the freezer paper on the top and used needle turn appliqué to turn and shape the flowers. The circle... I cut a shape onto card stock and basted the yellow fabric over it to create the perfect circle. Then I just used appliqué to attach it and cut through the back of the project up to the front to remove the card stock.

Wild Rose by VTQuilter
My companion today while I was stitching is Ms. Sophie. She is purring away and was not too pleased to be disturbed for a picture.






Sunday, January 4, 2015

Slow Stitching Sunday......

I'm trying to put the house back together (putting xmas away and pulling out my snowmen) while trying not to reinjure my back. Somehow on Friday I did something to it and boy did it hurt all day yesterday. It was fine when I got up today but after doing dishes and putting away the dishwasher... I guess it was a little too much bending and lifting. I did manage to put away my snow globes but now it is time for a break with the heating pad and some prep work.
I'll be drawing the lines on my white squares to add a round to the Trip around the world block.



Trip around the World block - hand pieced 2.5 inch squares.
Edited - The white round is on.... time to select the next blue color for this. Quiche is in the oven - spinach, scallion and cheese - with a salad on the side and dinner is done.

After a rest - I plan to head into the sewing room and pull from my bin of sorted scraps and prep some Midget Appliqué blocks. Those will be my Tiny Tuesday posts this year and if things are all prepped in advance it is so easy to grab a bag as you head out the door and get a few stitches in while waiting on the kids or even at night in front of the tv relaxing. I printed out a bunch but will only prep 4 or so... unless I am really on a roll and do more =).

Later tonight - or as my back yells at me - I will be putting a few stitches in something - either the TATW or Hugs and Kisses (in the header picture) while I sit against the heating pad. I have a feeling there will be some movie watching time this afternoon with that heating pad on my back. Greg took the kids for a bike ride and made breakfast this morning. The kids have been playing doggie and are entertaining themselves good so far today. So nice to just run outside to play (84 degrees today!) instead of bundling up in winter coats, hats and mittens up in VT last week.

Emily came down with the fifths disease on Friday (rash that appears 4-21 days after a fever) that was going around school before Winter break. It is not bothering her at all - no itching and no fever or aches so I don't think she needs a doctor visit on Monday but can go to school as she is not contagious once the rash appears. I will call her pedi on Monday just to make sure. It is making me itch just looking at her though.

Head on over to Kathy's Quilts and see what other slow stitching is taking place today. I figured I'd show a picture of my rose bushes out front as of Friday. Just something bright and flowery for all those getting a freezing chill or winter storm today.




Friday, January 2, 2015

First RSC Saturday in 2015 is BLUE!

I made the first block posted for the 2015 RSC Sampler quilt on New Years Day. What fun fabrics to play with from Vicki Welsh.

I had started a blue trip around the world block in December with 2.5 inch squares. This is a hand pieced block and goes together really easily. I think I will do one in nine of the bright colors this year and make them into a quilt. The next row will be either a cream or white which will be in each block at this round... they should connect like a chain and hopefully it will look pretty neat.


While putting away my extra feet (walking foot and A foot) I found some blue blocks that are 8 inches finished.  I grabbed a few fabrics for leaders and enders and added a couple 8 inch blocks to the group.

While the kids were at Grandma's Friday.... I dumped one bucket of scraps and sorted. I knew this one had lots of blues and creams from my log cabin...... and since this month is blue I will play with this blue pile. Maybe I'll try and sort another bin next month. Now to put away the other colors so they are ready when their month comes up.


Head on over to SoScrappy on Saturday morning for the RSC 2105 link up. There will be lots of ideas and eye candy in blue this week as we start a new year of scrap busting.


Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year - 2015

I remember the saying -'Whatever you do on January 1 you will do the rest of the year!'.... or something like that.

So far I made homemade cinnamon rolls (note to self - 1.5 hours in the bread maker and then more rise time and baking makes it a nearly 3 hour process! Do not start this at 7AM). They sure are yummy though. Almost as good as my ex-SIL Donna's. Boy were those yummy when someone else made them =)

Watched a little Myth Busters.....

Was a doctor and patched a hole in Pluto. He made it through surgery with flying colors.

Stitched some binding onto the RSC Sampler quilt. One side done - three to go.

Did dishes and cleaned the kitchen a bit while I prepped a bunch of appetizers - meatballs in sauce (10 ounces grape jelly and one jar of chili sauce melted together and put in a crock pot with meatballs and/or mini hot dogs - so yummy!); deviled eggs; veggie platter and shrimp cocktail. Grandma H is bringing a slew of things and she and my FIL should both arrive around noon for nibbling and enjoying the last Christmas exchange.

Then the kiddos will head out with Grandma (I am so lucky she is taking them overnight!) and I plan to put a little xmas stuff away and then start the first block of the RSC 2015 sampler quilt posted here.

An hour walk will be worked in this afternoon as well.

Hope you all have a wonderful day doing what you enjoy. I know I plan to.