Sleeping Beauty and a Butterfly

It was way to cold to be out long, but she thought it was fun.

My little Butterfly stayed home to cold for her.

Got a couple things farther along

Half done now. Need to cut some m ore strips for the sashing.

Baby Kate has outgrown the newborn hats she got when she was first born. I tried making this out of fleece so we will see when she gets here today if it fits. I have some cotton double knit I think I will make one out of too. It will stretch more than the fleece. I have more fleece so I can make more easily. Chris

Boo..... It is Halloween

The month is almost over. So I looked at the calender and the year is almost over. Where is the time going? Time change is tomorrow night.

Decided today I would stay off the computer other than to copy some instructions for a Christmas gift. I need to stay focused. Things are not getting done because I'm wasting my time browsing. Anyone else do that to?

The wind is blowing up to 30 MPH and the temp is dropping. Going to be a cold night to Trick or Treat. Hope if you go out with your little ones you stay safe. Chris

Random thoughts

Today is a gray day. Been down in the dumps. Need to look to change things. I think it is personal dissatisfaction on my part. I have been stressed over several things and changes are going on I have no control over.

I would like to start a new project, but I have so many started and nothing is getting completed really fast. My mind works faster than my hands do.

I read blog written by very busy people and I think I'm not very well organized to get things done.
Here I am beating myself up and yet I keep pretty busy with life. I need a day away from the house and yet need to get things done so what do I do?

Kate is coming to visit in a few minutes and she will soon be a month old. Where does the time go? She has her days and nights mixed up and giving her parent fits. So they are trying work through all this and it is difficult to get her schedule changed.

I really would like a great reason to stay up all night and sew. Don't think I could do it. My days and nights are mixed up also. Kate maybe learned from Grandma.

Well nothing important other than I'm here. Just trying to get through each day and maybe things will be better on another day. Chris

I love Fall but...

I love the colors and the fact it isn't so hot and humid. I like the fact a sweater or sweatshirt is the norm when you go out the door.

But..... yes there is a but, I do not like the dark dreary days of Fall. The gray skies and the early nights coming on. We have daylight savings time change coming up, but that is only helping for a short period of time. Dark when you get up and dark soon after the kids get home from school.

I like the time when the comfort food is made and the smells of food cooking while the oven is on. I made chocolate chip cookies today. Now I want to eat them. Not good for me.

I think as I get older the seasons effect me more. The long Winter is ahead and it is so long here. They are predicting a cold and snow filled Winter for us. Hey they say that every year. Last year was almost 70 inches of snow and subzero temps for the whole Winter.

I guess I need to adjust myself to a change to a better outlook on life. The Midwest has up and down seasons and I live here. Chris

Not a lot of sewing to report on

Making some more mug rugs for gifts. They are going slow because I had a little girl for 36 hours. She thinks she needs to do everything Grandma does and I'm not ready to have pins and needles and scissors around her yet. If she finds them in the house she brings them to me. Another year and I will work with her. 

She had to go to a Dr's Appointment yesterday and they determined she has to have a brace on her legs at night. Her hips are not formed right. She walks and runs, but falls a lot. So grandma will be making some fleece pj pants for her. She has to wear special shoes with this brace to bed. So no footed pj's. 

This isn't much farther than the last picture. No sewing yesterday at all. Hopefully over the weekend I can get to this project again. 

The laundry is started. The pattern I need for the fleece pants is printed off and I need to find the elastic I need and get to it. I have several solid colored pieces to use. Also at her size a half yard will make two pairs of pj pants. 

So glad we are getting closer to Election Day.

The negativity this time around is so disturbing. How can some of these people put their heads on their pillows at night and sleep well? I told my Mom then the Presidential election campaigns will start the next day. She said I don't think I can handle anymore. I agreed with her. Before the Internet we didn't hear all this mud slinging.

On a better note there is snow predicted north of us and we are not getting any of it this time. Snow to me is a 4 letter word I don't like.

Hope you have a great day and all is good in your neck of the Woods. Chris

Have a girl today

Monday she was 3 weeks old. Big sister loves to hold her. Autumn is here today in fact she spent the night. We have visitation today and then she has an appointment in Rockford for her feet and hips.

She has a problem with walking pigeoned toed and it stems from her hips not being formed right. She maybe will have to wear a brace at night. We will see after her appointment today.

So today will not be a day I get much done. She woke up early so she will be lazy for a bit. Chris

9-patches are the job today

I bought some solid black the other day and decided to sew small sashing to go with these 9-patches. Then I pulled out a red for the corner stones. The sunlight is coming in the window so they look faded, but they are very vivid in true light.

I have enough to make this 10 X 10 setting. This is from all the random sewing I have done with the 9-patches. It looks really striking in the right light. The colors really pop with the black sashing. 

Making 6 quarts of vegetable soup and pressure canning it today. I cooked the ingredients yesterday

and cooled it over night in the fridge. Warmed it up and got it in the canner already. It takes 90 minutes in the pressure canner to heat through to be safe, but it is a quick go to for a hot meal. Chris

Color

This is the tree in the back yard. The late afternoon sun was on it. Lots of color.

This is the front tree. It is slower to turn colors. Some are burgundy and some red and some green. In another week it will be all red. Most of the other trees in the neighbor hood are completely naked. So we still have color. Chris

Another finish

 This is a shelf my husband made from a kit and I asked him to add the dowel rod for  a quilt holder. This is the quilt that has hung on it off and on for 10 years. I like it, but wanted something different.

This was ans experiment and I decided I needed it made into a wall hanging. It works well on this shelf. This pattern is called Blackford Beauty. I found it on www.quilterscache.com

We are going to go to my Mother's and trim a bush suppose to be 70 degrees today. Chris

Cleaning and some sewing

Yesterday was a different day. In many respects it was a rough day for me, but I kept busy. My husband is a news junkie and for me the bad news has an effect on me that I do not like. Yes I know turn it off, but from the time he gets out of bed until he returns to bed the news is on. 

So to keep myself busy I cleaned two bathrooms and scrubbed the kitchen and bathroom floors. Today I need to get the living room cleaned. This morning I got up after a very rough night of not feeling good and started to make some more 9-patches. I know you think is this all she does is 9-patches. Well this is another idea for a couch quilt.   

This is the bucket of 2.5 inch squares that I have cut over the last couple weeks. 

I just keep picking them up and making 9-patches. I need to add some different colors to this mix. So I will get some more diced into squares in the next couple hours to make it look more like it was just not planned.  

Yesterday I had a request from Talea for a zig-zag quilt. I used colors I had and not as much fabric as I thought I needed. So this will be the center of a baby sized quilt. I have a light yellow print to make a border to edge it with. This now is the size I need to cut the points off to make a square. This is easy to do, but I had to really think through the layout. The instructions I  had used 4 colors with the one common color. I only had three so I had to really use my tired brain to make it work.
Maybe after a little while I will cut it to work for the borders. We have to go to my Mother's and do a simple repair and help the neighbor with taking her door off the hinges so she can paint it.

Sun is out and I need to get moving and get something done even if it is wrong. Chris  

Bought a new printer

Finally found one with what I thought I wanted. Sure could have spent a lot of money if I wanted to. I found a simple printer for what I needed.

I forgot what it was like to have a printer. I needed one for recipes patterns and reciepts when I pay something online.

Hope you had a good day. Chris

Haven't sewn in two days

It is bothering me since I got my belts I still haven't sewn any. Yesterday was a running and Autumn day. So nothing got done, but play with her.

Today is another day. My husband is so thin from being so sick a couple years ago that laying on a regular bed is impossible for him. He has an adjustable height bed, but the mattress isn't much better than a padded board. We have gotten a memory foam topper for it and he sleeps better, but the local Menard's has a softer one so we are going to look at it. They are on sale so now might be the time to change.

We are suppose to get some rain this evening so any thing that needs doing outside should get some. I wish this time of year it would pay to wash windows outside. The reason I don't is we live in the middle of a corn field and it isn't picked yet. There is always so much dust that blows around when the picking goes on. Also we live along the Rock River and it creates lots of dirt also.  Maybe I should just do it and say that at least it was clean for a couple minutes.

Has anyone else had trouble with Internet Explorer lately. awhile back the download for IE 11 was installed and I think it was not right. It shuts down and reopens the pages so many times before it works. Frustrating! I have started using Google Chrome more, but not really liking it either.

Well going to go look for a wireless printer today. I haven't had a good working printer for almost a year. Wish me luck. Chris

What a gidup

She is 19 1/2  months old and this is a 4T pj's. Little long in the arms and legs, but the body is about right. Had to have the monkey wrapped up and her visor on and her pacifier she calls "night-night". Quite the kid. 

Grandpa is feeding her a pumpkin dessert I made yesterday. She really likes it. He had to get more. She loves raw onions, dill pickles,  and sauerkraut, She eats almost anything and wants more. Chris   

Good common sense

With all the viruses going around, I want to let you know we are all vulnerable. Colds, flu and germs are everywhere. No I wasn't talking about computer viruses.

I went to a big box store yesterday and I noticed they didn't have the wipes by the carts. Maybe you think I'm crazy,but they are important.

Do you realize people don't think when it comes to doors, shopping carts and common public places. Children sit in the carts with dirty or wet diapers. You place your purse in that seat. Also some kids are placed in the cart section and you place your food their like lettuce, apples cauliflower. Do you see where I'm going with this? How many germs are you bringing home.

You set your purse on the kitchen table or counter. You place your food in the fridge with hands that were on the handle of the cart or door handles. Also you car steering wheel is touched after shopping.

I worked at a hospital and I was very seldom sick, but I had hands that were cracked and split. Great way to get fluid bacteria.

People don't think. When I have grandkids and a sick husband I am vigilant with the wiping up of handles, door knobs bathrooms and anything they seem to touch.

Let this be a healthier Winter for you if you keep a better watch on what you do. Have a healthier Winter season. Chris  ps. Find a cleaning solution you can afford to use and keep it close at hand.

Managing scraps

My husband decided he could re-glue the belt for the machines since that is all that was holding this tubing together. It worked for about an hour and broke again. So as you can see it laying there I need to make a trip to the sewing machine shop.

The fabric is scraps that I collect when cutting small pieces up into squares and strips. Cut offs or collars or cuffs that can't be cut any way to work with what I'm doing. Most of this is from scrap bags I have bought a quilt shops or from thrift stores.

My plan is to make some tote bags from them. So the larger pieces when done will be squared up and interfaced and lined. When you have kids or take along sewing they come in handy. This is fun to see how much you can use up. I layer the pieces and sew 1/4 inch seems. No foundation is used. Flip and press and add another section. I usually have 4 or 5 blocks in the works to get production done. The fun part is no two are alike.

I have a 20 quart container full of small pieces. So maybe if I get the belt I can do some more production work done. I think the shop opens at 9 am. The man that owns it lives by me so maybe I can see him going to work today.

I think while I'm in town I will do some grocery shopping. One store had some good deals on some that is on my list.

Didn't tell you, but my Mom yesterday gave me a grocery sack about half full of scraps she thought about throwing away, but thought better about it. Then she went to Joann's and found fabric that will work for backs for $2  a yard. So today I need to get it edge stitched and into the wash.

We have 39 degrees weather right now. Suppose to be in the upper 50's today and sunny. We have our yard work done so we will just enjoy the day. Have a good one. Chris

Mind on overload

What mind you might say...... I know, but anyway I have had my mind winging this way and that way over the last couple weeks. do I or don't I?

I need to get some gifts made for the holidays and yet that isn't getting done. I need to carve out more hours in the day. I know you are saying to me in your mind that hasn't happened for centuries why would it happen now.

Well can I make three sewing machines run at once. Not sure that can happen either. Focus you might say, well where do I start?

I thought cleaning the sewing room would help. Did to some degree. Then my mind sees things I haven't looked at for months or years and it wanders off to another direction. Flighty maybe! Making lists and dreaming seems to be the direction I'm going.

I made four lists today. Things that I need to do immediately and some down the road. Where this is taking me I am not sure. I have a deadline for some of this brain scheming I have going on. You ask what is it, well time will tell if I scrap the idea or not.

I know this is a tease, but I am just not sure I can devote enough time to doing something I want to do. At this time I feel like dreams are cheap. They don't cost anything and if you can't dream of things what is the use in getting up in the morning. After all my Mother taught us to entertain ourselves which is what I think I am doing.

Sanity is another elusive thing I have to address. Am I crazy to think I can do what is going on in my brain? Probably. I told you that I had some personal things to address and one is getting my act together. My eating, sleeping and general emotions need to be in check. Being a Mother, Wife and Grandmother I worry to much and it all takes it's tole on me. I get stressed and find myself at the fridge that has to stop. When I shop this next week need to buy better as far as food choices and see if that will help.

As I said mind on overload, but I did sleep in better this morning. Suppose to be a better day to get out and walk. I need to add to my list some better walking shoes.  The ones I have are heavier and  I tend not to want to go out because of that.

Going to do the dishes and get the laundry started. Hopefully you all have a great day. Chris

Had to change machines

Started to finish a few of these

blocks yesterday and the belt broke. Saturday afternoon and the sewing machine shop in the next town is closed. I had bought the round stretchy belt from Joann's and it didn't hold up for very long. Then I set up my MIL's old machine and the belt on it is badly warn also. So Monday when the shop opens I will be on their doorstep.  I did get the last rounds on 6 of the these.

This is all trimmed and ready to have sashing when I get to this point. This has been fun to find fabrics to make a variety of looking blocks. Need to dig into the stash for some of the larger pieces. Normally don't cut fabric larger than 3 7/8 inches for HST's. Not sure what this will be or how large it will become. I can do the leader ender thing and see where it takes me. I think we are getting company today. So maybe will just cut some more and see how many piles I can eliminate. Chris 

Using pieces

using up small pieces. The 4-patches were already made. They are 3.5 inch squares. The pieces for the 4-patch are 2 inch squares sewn together.

The light square in a square round is 2.5 inch squares cut diagonally and sewn on the straight of the grain side. Then sewn to the straight sides of the 4-patch. The next round is 5 3/8 inch squares cut diagonally for the four corners. They are then sewn onto the second round. Then I trim to a 7 inch square. Remember to have 1/4 inch at the points to have it give you crisp points when sewing on the sashing. 

This will take some time to get enough of these done for a quilt. I think I will use it for my leaders and enders project to keep something going all the time. 

Gloomy day here today. Hopefully the sun comes out. Chris

The girls

Almost two weeks old and watching her big sister sleeping.

The thumb must have been needed. She wouldn't suck it earlier today. She slept 7 hours last night without getting up. Chris

4 blocks done

These are done as far as blocks. I thought if nothing else I would make a table topper out of them. I know I don't have enough fabric to make a quilt top so this is probably as far a I will go with this fabric. 

There are a lot of elements to this block and it was a struggle to make sure I stitched them the right way. I think if I did it again for a quilt top I need to have plenty of the three main colors to complete a whole top. I tried imagining it as all scrappy but with light and dark valued fabrics and I can't quite imagine it. Unless you use all the same color of fabric, but it would look the same to pull it off. 

4-patches can be dressed up to look like something. I'm not a planned quilt person. I prefer the scrappy look. 

Get to babysit the kids today. Driving to their house then bring Autumn back with me for a visit with her biological Mother. Off to get ready to get out the door. Have a good Day. Chris

Experiment

My 4-patches are doing an upgrade I think. They are not just 4-patches any longer. They are elements in The Blackford Beauty Block. They will be connected together and make a 16-patch when the elements are sewn together,

I found directions for this block on www.quilterscache.com 

It is a Marcia Hohn's website and she has many different patterns free. Chris 

Counting

While I was cleaning I got these all together and also I made a few. The 9-patches are 96 in the pile and the 4-patches are 80. What am I going to do with them all? Who knows.

I think I'm going to set the 9-patches on point with a dark brown print. The 4-patches I have something in mind, but not sure how it will go. Maybe need fabric for this adventure. I think a two colored block between. Will have to keep this in mind. I have been watching Netflix so need something to keep me busy while doing that.

Been dreary here for a couple days and I need to get out of the house today. I have a flower pot that needs emptying and also maybe a little thrift store therapy might be in order.

Need to figure out meals and also some laundry. A housewife's work is never done. Maybe should run the vac in some of the other rooms. Well I'm sewing now so w will see what happens. Chris

So much better

Well it still looks cluttered and it probably is to many, but I can now see what is going on. I have tons of cutting to do. The bags and the piles all need cutting to be prepared for new projects. This was an all day effort. The cleaning was done as I went. I even did the ceiling fan. Sounds like I never clean. Well hardly never. LOL 

All the bags a totes sitting there are now better arranged so I can get to them. Still looks horrible, but I do feel better about having it out where I can get to it. 

The next goal is to cut everyday so I can whittle it down to a manageable amount. The shelves on either side of the window need attention and I need to get my file cabinet cleaned out. It has warranty papers and old paid bills and tax forms in it. Time to cull that mess. No drop cords across the floor and yet everything is plugged in and ready to use. 

Well off here to do some cutting and clean more up on the table by the window. Chris 

Made great progress

Well cleaned sorted and also pitched. Got the closet all cleaned out and refilled. You can see the lousy carpet in this room now. It is stained and needs replacing. I would like some flooring like what we put down a couple weeks ago. Now the table tops need straightening and it will feel good to see everything in somewhat of an order. 

This is all hooked up and ready to do piecing. I have a light under the shelf above it for plenty of light in this corner. I have room for my laptop to the right of the machine to watch/listen to  Netflix. I have a table I can move to put my pressing board and iron. 

Amazing what you can get done if you set goals. I got a load of laundry, dinner and also the dishes done in between trips to the sewing room to put more away. 

Tomorrow I have some shopping to do and then into my sewing room to clear off another table top. I found my walking foot for the zig-zag machine and I'm going to purchase one for the straight stitch machine tomorrow.There is a difference. It will fit the Featherweight and my straight stitch

Montgomery Wards machine from the 50's. Hope you had as productive day as I had. Chris

Working at it

Made it to the closet. I found things I have been looking for forever. Some yarn that was stuffed in bags and thrown in the back. I was so sick for awhile and my Granddaughter thought she was helping and things got stuffed into bags and shoved into the closet. It was cleaned up, but I knew not where anything was at. 

Found some things I've been looking for, but still missing some dark blue yardage. I have gone through several totes and all the bags. I found fabric I bought for Taylor when she was little and she is 15 now. So I guess I make it for the two little ones. Some is some flannel with crazy looking butterflies on it. Get some pink to go with it and make some rag quilts for the two girls. They will have matching quilts, but I will use their names on them so they don't fight over them. I have plenty of batting scraps to make some warm rag quilts. 

I did find some fabric I had bought for backgrounds for applique. Which was on my list to buy. Won't have to do that now. Now I need to get to the dresser and place yardage in it instead of plastic bags. I also found some foam rubber pieces I thought I had in the back of the closet. Jeff needed some for a project. 

Well off to get some more sorted. Chris

Tackling the mess

After I put away the monitor from my PC and cleaned up the extra wires from getting rid of my tower I was left with this. I did try and sort through stuff and got a basket full of debris. 

I moved my MW single stitch machine to this area for now. The table it was on I want to use for a cutting station. So I can piece on this corner and also I won't have drop cords running across the floor for a fire and trip hazard.  

Next step is clean out this mess in front of the window. The table will go there. So everything in these tubs and bags needs to be sorted and either find a better place or get rid of. I have some shelves on either side of the windows that I think I'm going to place my overrun fabrics on. Still have a basket with smaller pieces that need cutting up, This isn't going to get straight overnight. It took longer than that to get this way. 

Kate update. She went to the Dr. for a week old check up. She has regained her birth weight and added 6 oz. besides. She is doing really well. Her Dr. knows me and has for over 20 years and knows all the other kids so I am glad she thought she was doing well. 

If anyone wants to stop by and help I will pay you in scraps. LOL Chris  

Goals

Well here is confession. I'm frustrated with myself and my lack of organization. This organization touches many aspects of my life and quilting.

I'm not happy with several things in my personal life, but I will not bore you with the details. Let's say I have to clean up my act.

Sewing /quilting is another more frustrating for me. I can't seem to get it all together. Meaning it is difficult to spend much time in one segment to accomplish the cleaning and organization that needs to be done to get the goals I want. I know I keep talking about it and nothing ever gets finished.

I'm up early and trying to decide what is the right thing to do. I need to go in and just move everything out of the room and start fresh and consolidate all the stuff.

For many years of our married life we moved. We never had much extra stuff and now that we have been in this house for over 12 years it is overwhelming. Jeff keeps telling me to get rid of stuff and I just don't. Two years ago he preached to me to get rid of the toys for the smaller aged kids. I hedged on the idea and look we have to grandbabies to entertain  now. So I have toys.

I'm afraid of doing that with other things and have to go out and replace them. Especially sewing related items.

Today for sure I plan on cleaning off a corner of the sewing room where my computer sat. I need to get it cleaned up so I can work in other areas to sort and  get a handle on this mess.

After I get done with this post I plan on making a list of to-do things in the sewing room. Cleaning is on top of the list. I have to make a shopping list also. I need rotary blades, needles and neutral fabrics. If in my planning I find something to cross off the list it is a bonus, but I know certain things just need to be purchased.

Well people this is going to be a ground breaking day if I get a couple hours to myself. That is a big if. Chris  

Ate well and the cleanup is done

My Mom ans son and his 5 kids. The boy on the left is his step-son. They cleaned up a kettle of chicken and noodles. It was an eight quart soup pan.

The older two had to go back to their Mother's and they both ended up in tears. It breaks my heart, but the courts don't see it that way. Chris

Egg noodle recipe

Better Homes and Garden had this recipe in 1989. As you can see it is well worn. I keep copying it in case this gets so bad I can't read it any more. 

Here is the recipe:

2 1/3 cups of all purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup of water

1 teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil 

Place all dry ingredients in the bowl of the food processor. Add the eggs and oil. Start to mix and drizzle the water in  a little at a time. It will come together in the bowl in a moist ball. If it is crumble add about  1 tablespoon at a time more water and it will then come together easily.  

Here are the things you need. All stuff you have in the house. 

Place the big blade in the bowl and turn it on. In seconds it will be a ball of dough.

This is two batches in less than 7 minutes. I let it rest for about 10 minutes and divide into manageable amounts to roll out.

Roll on a floured counter or board to about 1/8- 1/4 inch thickness. Roll to cut.

I use a sharp knife and cutting board. I cut across the roll about 1/4 inch. 

I unroll the coils and break into pieces about 3-4 inches long. Lay them on the floured board and let air dry. After they are dry you can place on a cookie sheet place in the freezer for about an hour and then remove and place in a freezer safe container or bag. They last up to 3  months in the freezer. If you freeze them bring broth to boil and drop frozen into the boiling broth. Cook until Tender. This is a great idea if you are going to be gone and you have eggs that need to be used. Make a batch of noodles and don't let them go to waste.  

After while I will get back out my chicken and veggies and shred the chicken then bring to a boil and place the noodles in to cook until tender which is about 15-20 minutes. You can thicken the broth more or leave as a soup type meal. Options are to use this recipe with beef also. You may use the pasta press to cut  uniform size also. I like the rustic noodle. 

Enjoy. Chris 

All of Grandpa's girls will be here today

This is the two little ones. Can't wait to see all the grandkids. 2 boys and three girls will be here today for lunch. I invited my Mom their Great Grandma, Mom and Dad and us.  

I got up and did some sewing this morning. I dug into the 2.5 inch tub and started to assemble more 9-patches. I have parts sewn together and needed to iron so I quit and will go back to it when I get the noodles all made. 

Been thinking, which I have told you before is crazy, but anyway the idea of strip set sewing to then cut up into strips for 9-patches or 4 -patch elements is a different method. I can see doing that technique if you are using three colors or prints or two colors. Also the amount of stitching is all the same and also the amount of cutting. Scrappy piecing means to me that it is all different. I know others prefer this and if it works for you then it is a great method. 

It is foggy here. We live along a river and in the middle of a corn field. The humidity here is high. Over the next 36 hours we are to get about 2.2 inches of rain. So turning on the lights and getting the noodles made here soon. Have a great day. Chris

Getting ready

The veggies and chicken is all cooked. It is cooling so I can place it in the fridge. I cook chicken breasts, carrots, onion, and celery in the crock pot until all is tender. I save the broth to boil my homemade noodles in.

I made 24 cupcakes and got them frosted for tomorrow also. Sounds like a lot, but my husband says he doesn't like sweets, but they always disappear when they are here.

The house is clean enough so I'm they wouldn't notice anyway. Also something will get spilled or dropped and ground in with all the kids being here. Oh well they are just kids right.

When I get up in the morning I will get to my noodles. I have this recipe that is easy and you make them in the food processor. Sounds different, but you then roll them out and slice them to desired thickness. We love the texture and the taste. Will take pictures tomorrow.

Plan on sewing some tonight. I need to get some tote bags made for gifts. I'm trying to start out with scrappy crumb/crazy quilt pieces for the main sides. I think they will interesting. Chris

Managing

Managing is a loose term in my house. Well trying to control the scraps. Maybe that is a better way of stating it. I try, but I keep cutting and keep stitching and I keep finding more to cut. Let's put it this way, no control just chaos is going on in the  sewing room. My aunt was her from Florida and she said I bet you know where everything is at in there. I said "h--l no". I'm looking for two things now and I need to find them for my own satisfaction. 

I worked on this pile this morning. Shirt pieces and small scraps that can't be put back on the shelf or they would get lost again, yes again. I found them once so they needed to be cut and filed in the right tubs. If I would dedicate an hour each day to cutting and then go onto stitching maybe in a 6 month period I would have it somewhat under control. 

These are leftover 9-patches. 72 are ready for another project. I think about 120 are necessary for the next top. So I have a few more to sew. Today I need to take my machines apart and clean them. They are getting linty and also need oiling. New needles are in order for both of them also. I need to wind bobbins so I will get the maintenance done and be ready to stitch away.

I want to show you what I do with the shirts I buy. This is a short sleeve from a man's shirt. I of course wash everything as it comes into the house. No creepy stuff on the shirts then. I fold them in half and press the wrinkles out.

I determine the cuts. I made two 2.5 inch strips and two 1.5 inch strips from this sleeve. Since I am cutting 2.5 inch squares I then stored the rest of the strips in the marked tub. This way when I want to work with them I have variety. The 1.5 inch strip also work well in my hexie project I have going. Which reminds me I can't find the pieces I have sewn together for that. so add that to my list of look for things. 

The pile of 2.5 inch squares all came from the one sleeve. There are 12 of them. This will be added to my tub of squares to finish the rest of the 9-patch blocks I need. I try and work with a full bin so that I get variety and then as I use it don I cut another batch to make them look different then the rest of the batch. I know many say why not cut strip sets. Well here is my explanation to that. I want variety. When you sew strip sets together you have several strips all the same. My quirky nature doesn't want that. I want them all different. I have like squares, but they are sewn with different squares to meet the challenge I set for myself.  I still have the rest of the shirt to cut up to use in other projects down the road. 

Most shirts will yield between 2-3 yards of cutable fabric for scrap quilting. When buying them I inspect the collars to see how badly they are worn and also the labels to see fabric content. I discard anything or part that has fusible interfacing applied to it. When the stripes and plaids are mixed in with floral and prints who knew it came from a man's shirt other than me? 

Today I plan on cooking. I have all my family coming tomorrow about 11:30 am for Chicken and noodles. I make my noodles from scratch. Tomorrow as I make them I will share the process and recipe with you. I found the recipe in a magazine many years ago and it is easy and so good to eat. I also think I will get the machines cleaned and oiled and ready for use again. Have a great day. Chris