Sewing Junkie

I want Spring

2012-02-09T07:01:00.002-06:00

We have had such a different Winter. 40 plus degrees and no snow. Yes why would I complain. Well it has been dark and gloomy. The snow would help brighten the day. No I don't like shoveling and yet the dirty look of the streets and the brown grass is depressing. I ordered a new book. Well it is in it's second printing, but it is new to me. The www.connectingthreads.com website has all their books 40% off right now. Also all the Hobbs batting are 30% off. No I don't get paid or and I affiliated with them. I just like to pass on a good sale if I know of one.

Doesn't this look clean and remind you of Spring. Bright colors and white backgrounds always seems peaceful to me. My Mom and I talked about those days and the way things were so much simpler. Many times the only color in a bedroom was the covers on the beds. They had white sheets and white curtains. This makes a statement that reminds me of Spring. Where is it?? Chris

Not sure of my sanity

2012-02-04T17:15:00.005-06:00

Have you ever questioned your own thoughts and actions?? Well I am sure questioning mine right now. I have stitched all these small 9 patch blocks and then make them into star blocks now they are becoming 9 patch-stars in a square. Yes seams and more seams. This is the last one I did and I need to get some more fabrics to cut out for the rest I have finished.

Sorting the color combos isn't something I am finding easy because of the centers and all the colors in them.

I think this will have to all be sashed with a grounding like fabric. It will have to frame them all so they pull together into a quilt. Pulling my hair out. TTYL. Chris

Maybe creative

2012-02-04T07:33:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was another day that I couldn't make myself do anything productive. It was foggy all day and we have the same thing today only instead of fog it is rain.

So this morning is the productivity day I decide I wanted more on these tiny blocks. So I add another layer of flying geese and squares. No to get back to the creativity. I didn't have a pattern in front of me. No dimensions to work off of. I winged it. I stated cutting and then I made adjustments to my measurements. I am sure someone else can take credit for this block design and I take my hat off to them for the original one whom ever you are. I just decided to try the look and this is what I came up with.
This was my first attempt to try and get this right. Well it isn't quite right. It is a little off grain and the seams are not exactly straight. I find the bias seam and I are not working well together. So I need to adjust my technique on this part of it. Drawing a seam is going to be my next step to get it right. Eyeballing it doesn't work for me.

This one I used the same fabric for the outside square in a square layer and it makes the block look different with all the same background. As I said I am playing with the sizes of the pieces and also the fabrics to come up with something that I am please with.

Of course all is scraps and all is what I have here at the moment. I have decided I need to make a sizing solution to help with the pressing. I have a liquid starch and I think a weak solution will work the best for this application.

Creative maybe, working at it yes. Have a Great day. Chris

Creative

2012-02-03T06:44:00.003-06:00

My mind has wandered as of late. Where it goes only it knows. I have caught myself sitting and staring off into space and yet I really don't recall what I was thinking about. My Mother calls that open minded.
The creative juices have all but dried up in the last few days. Yes I have cleaned some in my house and looked at the new quilting magazines, but to no avail. My mind is blank.
Yes I am sleeping and little stress I believe at the moment, I think the weather is taking it's toll on my abilities. We have had fog and it has lasted all day long for three days now. My mind is literally in a fog.
I read in a magazine and on a blog about taking advantage of opportunities when the thought of desires have crossed your mind. If you have dreamt about doing something that is a stretch of your current abilities try it. You will never know unless you make the first step towards doing something you have dreamt about.
Whether a new technique or a challenge that you need to try and hone in on a skill that you have but you need to perfect. My skills all need work. I am lazy when it comes to cutting threads well. I am lazy when it comes to perfecting the best 1/4 inch seam. I get in to much of a hurry and find myself rushing to get something done for a deadline. Procrastination is a bad habit I have and I need to take care of the problem by not doing that anymore. Sounds good right?? Well making myself do it is like making a resolution for the New Year. NOT going to happen!
As a caregiver my blocks of time are limited and they change from day to day. Some days the time for me is not there. Other days it is not a convenient time. Yes some days we all don't have the energy to be productive. I have many of those.
Yes depression is a factor, but I guess I am a giver and my thought should be not selfish. So many times I think I should get up and get some knitting so I can sit here, but be productive. Then I don't do it. The creative juices are dried up like this old prune.
Well today I am doing my household chores and then something is going to get accomplished. Even if it is only to trace something off. I need to be creative and find myself.
I have wanted a light box for ever and the cost is my hangup. I read an article in a magazine that made sense the other day to be inventive. Use a clear plastic storage tub and a cheap like dollar store touch light to place under it and use it for the light box. I can do that. What was I thinking? Why didn't I come up with that idea. So many times creativity is there because of necessity. Someone found a way to make things from items they have in their possession.
Now if I could find a way to click my fingers and the laundry and cleaning would get done I would be in great shape right? Maybe not that creative. LOL Chris

What to do with leftover polar fleece

2012-02-01T09:09:00.015-06:00

I have small pieces of polar fleece laying around and I have made these dusting covers for my name brand duster handles. As you can see I have been chasing dust and decided today I needed another one. I have made them and given them as gifts.

Cut the fleece double and the width you want. I cut my 4 1/2 inches X 7 1/2 inches. double for the back layer. I cut the next layer 2 X 61/2 inches double.

I layer them one on top of the other to make sure the coverage is enough for my handle.

I have this picture out of order sorry. But when the two are sewn together they have one line of stitching down what would be the opening on the handle.

As you can see the rectangle on the back forms the casing for the handle forks. Then the stitching in the middle makes the sleeves to go over the forks to hold it in place.

At the folded end I have clipped the opening for the fork tines to slip into. This makes the cover stay on the handle.

This is the part where you need to make the slashes in the layers.

I make sure the opening is there for the handle to slip into and then you can see the layers to know you have the right end to start the slashing on.

The cutting begins. I cut the smaller layer first to form the flaps to collect the dust.

Then I fold them back and make the cuts for the back layer.

Cut them as small or large as you like. Cut only to the line of stitching that forms the rectangle to hold the forks on the back layer.

Insert the handle between the layers on the back piece. This will go easy and yet it makes it stay in place.

This is one that I have used time after time. It goes in the wash and dryer and keeps on dusting. I do use a spray on dusting product to help with the pick up of dust. A light spray and it collects the dust and doesn't leave it someplace else.

See the little tab that clips over the end of the center seam to make it stay in place. Now to get some more chasing done.

Progress in piecing

2012-01-31T08:23:00.005-06:00

Here is my progress. I have some of the 9 patch sewn waiting for the flying geese pieces.

These take some time to handle all the small pieces. Remember they are 1 1/4 inch pieces through out the 9 patches and 1 3/4 inch pieces for the rest of the blocks.

The 1 1/4 inch strips are used for the rail fence blocks also. So I am slicing and dicing a lot of small pieces.

I need the color to offset the dark days of Winter, but is it Winter. Yesterday it got to 60*F and today is suppose to be 56*F so it feels more like Spring. The sun is out today and I need to chase some dust. Chris

Monday Tip a couple days late for me?

2012-01-30T05:00:00.001-06:00

Yes it is Monday, but on Saturday I went out and shoveled the driveway. I have a snow blower and I thought oh I need the exercise. Well it set me on my can all day yesterday and today I am in shell shock with my back and hips from the shoveling. So the tip today is don't do something you will regret for a couple days.
I have issues with my back and arthritis and I should have remembered it, but oh no I want the exercise. I am paying the price believe me. Think things through and be smart about what you do. Chris

Where has the week gone?

2012-01-27T15:45:00.003-06:00

My intentions were to get so much done this week and it is like I have not got a thing done that was on my list. I wanted to sew and also do some cleaning. Yea I know cleaning! Well get the big chunks up anyway. I have snippets of thread and corners of blocks tracked all through the rooms. I really want to rip carpet out and put laminate in my sewing room so it would be easier to keep up. Money not in the budget until maybe this summer.
I have done a ton of running. I buy my groceries and supplies once a month. Then all I have to do is add bread and milk as the month goes on. With the price of gas it is the only way I can keep ahead of the game.
Planning on getting some lumber tomorrow so my husband can finish his walls in the garage. We insulated because he has a furnace out there and also a A/C for the summer. We buy a few sheets of plywood to get around the walls and the last three need to go up. It stays warmer out there than in the house.
I figure down the road I can turn it into a huge sewing studio. LOL That will never happen while he is alive.
I have some closets and cupboards to clean out and get the junk out of them. I have some old paint clothes that need to be pitched out. I am sure they don't fit anymore. Also a huge pile of old towels and washcloths he can use as rags in the garage for painting or grease rags.
I have decided that we need a bridal shower thrown every ten years to replace the things that have worn out. I have more worn out that good right now. Not sure of colors I want to buy. I have been looking and I am not liking what I am finding. Maybe it will have to be white so I can bleach them if necessary.
Well tonight fried chicken and a salad for dinner. Leftovers for tomorrow. Off to the kitchen to start dinner. I hope your week went well. Chris

New light fixtures

2012-01-27T05:25:00.002-06:00

We needed to replace the light on the front of the house. It was plastic and the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter had broke down the plastic material and it was damaged. We went to the hardware store and found this one for a good price. This is the front of the house. Then the light on the garage is a dusk to dawn light on low beam and comes on bright if someone walks in front of it. It was a used light and so we bought one for it.

It got to 41*F today and so we were out putting up new lights. Earlier yesterday we went to the Dr. for my Husband. He was pleased with his progress, but we have to change one of his meds. Also need to get more protein into my husband. So I will be cooking as a short order cook now. I sure don't need the kind of food he requires.

The last few days I have been shopping for the months supplies and have gotten away from the machine. I need to get back to the sewing room and try and get a back for a quilt made and get a quilt ready to sandwich and quilt. It was suppose to be a Christmas present and I haven't gotten back to it.

Today the rain and snow mix starts tonight and the snow fall will pick up over night. Hopefully the first predictions are right and a light snow. Yipppeeee! More snow. Chris

Followup on Monday's Tip

2012-01-23T14:46:00.005-06:00

I had to stop and wind bobbins so I dug in the thread bin and got odds and ends out and wound all these bobbins with 6 spools of thread.
I am going to try and see how many spools I go through and how many bobbins to clean out the bin. Should get several quilt tops pieced if I just use it all up. Might be less lint in my machine also. Chris

Monday Tip

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-06:00

Having sewn for 50 years now, oh my has it been that long, well anyway I have a ton of odds and ends of sewing thread. Some of these spools I have acquired by those that quit sewing, but most are mine. I know they will rot if not used up. My son isn't into sewing and my granddaughter thinks she wants to, but then she is into playing volleyball and baseball. So I am not holding my breath over that one. She is who she is and I can't force her into sewing if she doesn't want to.
So to get back to the tip[. I am going to start using the more neutral colors on my bobbins and use them up in piecing. No it isn't all cotton, but you know I made clothing all those years and it didn't matter if it was cotton or polyester back then. I will use 100% cotton on the machine quilting though.
I even have some hand quilting thread that is poly cotton wrapped. So they never made a quilt law that said it all had to be cotton. I know I have heard the story about the poly cutting the threads of the fabric and yet none of the quilts I am making are going to be here in the year 2112. Do you know what I mean? Mine get used everyday and the issue of being a true quilter is the thrill of the challenge and the results for your purpose.
You use polyester quilt batting and poly and cotton batting and that never seems to matter. The quilt police will not be on my door steps at least not in my life time. I am using up the extra thread. Chris

I am not sure

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

Not sure if I like the stars over the square in a square. Both the same size both the same amount of pieces. My hand is sore from cutting all day and I feel like I have spent enough time in the sewing chair today. I did take time out to do 5 loads of laundry, cook lunch and dinner and do a load of dishes. I think tomorrow the vacuum needs to come out. The slivers of fabric and the threads are everywhere.

Here are some of the 9 patches. I need to cut more of the background fabrics and the HST for the star parts. I thought I could cut them to match the fabric in the 9 patches and have the difference in the textures that way.

These are 1 1/4 inch squares that make the 9 patches. I have large hands and trying to get them lined up isn't an easy task. My hands feel swollen tonight so I quit and will get back at it in the morning. A few here and a few there maybe someday they will make a quilt. LOL Chris

Yes I am Certifiable

2012-01-22T09:40:00.005-06:00

I got up this morning looked at the Google Reader and decided it was going to be a day when I needed to get something done. I have had this pile of scraps on my cutting table and it has been driving me nuts.
I started to cut and got involved between laundry loads. Well I have cut for over three hours and still not done. This is the last of the pile. It is about half of what it was. I am cutting 1 1/4 inch strips and squares from this mess.

This is the pile my Mom the Enabler gave me. She would shoot me IF she new I called her that. Then she would laugh and say I have some more.

Here is my results after three hours of slicing and dicing. Some I cut an eighth of an inch off of and others I could cut a lot of strips and squares out of. Then I had some 1 inch pieces out of it and they went into another bin. Not sure what it will be.

Some of the larger pieces and the lighter pieces were cut into 1 3/4 inch strips and squares. These will be used on the square in the square blocks and the star blocks. I basically am cutting four quilt blocks at one time. My mind has to figure out how to cut all that I can cut out of a piece and yes I made a couple goofs but it worked out in the end. The challenge is to sew them all together when the cutting is done. I need to get back to it and also to get the laundry done. Take care Chris. ps. The guys in the white coats haven't shown up on my door yet, but I figure any day now. LOL

Who would have thought

2012-01-20T07:30:00.003-06:00

Same pieces and yet different looks. I turned the flying geese section the wrong way or was it the wrong way. I wanted to make a star block and when I finished the first one it was a square in a square. Then this morning I made a star block. All of the pieces are the same for each block. It is all in the direction as to the outcome.

I might have to make both blocks and see what they would look like in a quilt together. So when I cut off small pieces from the rail fence pieces I can then cut the pieces for these two blocks.

With the weather we are going to face need to stay in and do something productive. Talking about 4-7 inches in our area. It is just off in the Iowa border to Illinois and we will be getting it in about an hour. I have all the groceries I need and I will just plan on staying in because the windchill is below zero right now. Hopefully little or no wind with all this snow coming. Stay safe and warm. Chris

Ok Ok I am really crazy and I have been up since 3:30am

2012-01-19T05:25:00.003-06:00

This is the latest pile I got from my Mother. Fun to use someone else's scraps. They are different to me and yet I am having nightmares over using them all up.

I got up early and decided the pile of cut off pieces was getting to big. I started slicing and dicing. Well this is the results but it was a mistake.
I made the flying geese part the wrong way. I want a star and instead got a square in a square. Live and learn. My oh my do I dream a lot. As you can see it is finished at about 5 inches. Yikeeeessss!!!! Chris

Progress being made

2012-01-18T08:26:00.003-06:00

This is my progress. I have more blocks in the sewing stage. This is a queen sized bed I have them placed on and it covers about 1/4 of the bed. This is 19 blocks that I have done. My Mother has one of the blocks to show a friend. As you can see I am not fussy about the prints on the pieces as long as two of the same color isn't in the same section. Yes as the sections are sewn together sometimes they will meet. But they generally are going in the opposite direction.

Of course this isn't the final layout either. As I get more done and can get them laid out to look at I might be able to move some around to make a better looking quilt. I am going to look on line ands see if I can find some different layouts for these blocks. I know I can sash them, but not sure I want that. This being taken on point it might be a way to piece them together.

This is a straight look at the blocks and not sure I want this either. If I place them on point I maybe can introduce a solid triangle for the outside edges and make a totally different look. Have to play with the finished look in my mind and lay things out before I sew anything together. I hate to rip out after sewing all the seams together.

I am steering towards the on point look. I have some Navy blue solid fabric, but a solid looking print could work also. To many what iff"s. Chris

20 blocks made

2012-01-17T18:21:00.004-06:00

Lots of cutting and stitching, but they are coming together. I am using scraps and getting a lot used up.

I now have 20 blocks sewn and getting ready to make some more. I am at a point I need to do some more scrap cutting so I have variety in the pieces I am sewing.

20 minutes here and there will get quite a few seams sewn. I think one day I spent three hours but most of that was cutting and pressing scraps to cut. I am getting anxious to get this one done and then I think I will start a 9 patch that turns into a star pattern. Yes it will be scraps again. I lay awake at night and think about what the next one will be.

I have been doing some research online for some other projects I want to do and it has taken some of the quilt dreaming away from my normal waking hours in the night. I haven't slept all the way through a night in over 35 years. I am an early riser and go to bed early. If I email you after 11 pm it is because I am awake looking at the computer. I was awake at 4:15am this morning but was emailing Wanda at 11 pm last night. Crazy life I lead.

Waiting for my Tuesday night TV now and then I will be off to bed. Have to watch NCIS and NCIS LA.

Need to put an extra quilt on the bed tonight. It is suppose to be only 6*F tonight. Chris

Ok I am Guilty

2012-01-16T04:28:00.003-06:00

Yes I am a bad girl. I went to my mother's yesterday and I was taken into the sewing room and three tubs of scraps were there. No I didn't take them all. My Mother does a lot of children's quilts to character fabric was left behind this time. This was a Walmart bag full. I need to sort through it this morning and decide how much I want to cut up for the Rail Fence blocks I am making.

I know I need to cut into new fabrics and yes I will sometime this year, but a lot of my fabrics are getting down in size. I need to start picking up some lighter colors to use as blenders for some of these scrap quilts.
My Granddaughter saw the bag and she flipped out and said Grandma Nanna shouldn't have let me bring it home. She said you need no more scraps Grandma. LOL Chris

Sorting and found Odds and Ends

2012-01-15T07:05:00.005-06:00

I never realized that I would be like this. I can't throw anything out. I am not a hoarder really. It is manageable, but still it is a thing that I need to let go of. Lace from some wedding work I did. Flower girls dress for my Granddaughter when she was 3 years old. Crocheting a kitchen washcloth. This one needs the threads tucked in and it can be used.

Buttons. Why, well my neighbor brought me three jars of buttons her Father had cut off garments so he could weave strips of clothing into rag rugs. Also I bought a large amount when I was making kids clothes and the bright colors were necessary.

Hexies that are made but not sure what to do with them. Thought about appliqueing them onto a table cloth and yet they aren't done.

There was talk about using our good fabric instead of trying to get all the scraps used up.
My Scottish heritage is screaming at me. Use it up!!!! I will make an effort to use the better stuff and yet I will have side projects to use up the scraps.

Where are you with your stuff? Hanging on or letting go of it? Chris

Saturday night no place to go and no energy to do it anyway.

2012-01-14T18:56:00.002-06:00

This has been a funny weekend. The cold weather has drug me down. Not that I had to be out in it, but I guess because I couldn't get out and enjoy some of the day as we had been doing.
This morning it was 2*F out and the windchill was below zero.
My son was doing a training session out in the cold burning an old farm house. They call it a live burn and have firefighters go into the building as if the rescue someone in a fire situation.
The grandkids stayed here last night and wanted to go see Dad today doing this. They have been to many of these and their terms for it was "We want to smell like smoke." Sounds like a fireman's kids??? So they went and were all dressed up with ski pants and multiple layers on. They had the car there so they could get in and warm up.
I stayed for a few minutes and decided I didn't like the smell so I left. They will sleep tonight with all the bad smelling and the cold air they smelled today. It is in their blood like their Dad. I think both will be volunteer fireman when they are old enough. I am going to go to bed early tonight and see if I can get caught up on some sleep I have been missing out on of late. Stay warm Chris

Up early waiting for the storm

2012-01-12T04:11:00.003-06:00

We have our first major storm on it's way to our neck of the woods. Depending on which news source you look at it could be up to 8inches, Yikeees! I thought about going back to bed to get some more sleep but when I wake up early if I don't get up I have more of a chance of a migraine. So I am up coffee is in the cup and I am sitting here writing this.
Here is some of the progress I have made in the last couple of days early in the morning. Each part of this block is made up of 5- 1 1/4 X 4 1/4 strips. Yes it is smaller pieces, but it is what I had cut out. You can make the strips what ever size you want. After sewing them together I then clean up the edges so they are square. Sewing them together have been a challenge for me. LOL I find I reverse the way they lay and it makes them come out in reverse of the way I have them started.

Can you see the difference in the picture. The lower block in the middle had the reverse seam done. I have to rip out the seam and try and figure it out. This is the third time since I started sewing the blocks together. Not enough coffee HAHA! maybe to much.

Off to cut more strips and see if I can fix the block I screwed up on. I will be in and out trying to get something done while getting rid of snow. I am sure a nap will come also.
Hope you have good weather in your neck of the woods as Al Rooker would say. Chris

ps. The snow is an hour away in the Quad Cities in Davenport, Ia

My Mother the enabler

2012-01-11T05:58:00.004-06:00

My Mother kills me. She won't go anywhere for days and she showed up here yesterday and brought me a handful of scraps. She told me she had a lot more and I should come and get them. She knows how I fuss over her throwing scraps away. She loves the looks of the scrappy quilts and she has made many herself, but she also knows that her likelihood finishing then is growing thin. Her hands are hurting and she can't make them work as she use to. The other thing was she was on a medicine that made her loose focus. Now she is off of it so I am not going to take everything away. She maybe will start over on something this Winter.

The news this morning has so many 4 letter words in it. I am just really offended with it.
S-N-O-W! We haven't had much and it all melted by noon that day. The other day they said we were 9 inches behind on snow fall. Well we are to get blowing and 2-5 inches of snow. Isn't that a slap in the face. I am running to the store and getting a couple things today. We need milk for sure. I want to get stuff to make a pot of veggie soup. Maybe I should go by my Mom's and get the rest of the scraps. I will not get all of it used up before I die at this rate. LOL Chris

Monday Tip

2012-01-09T14:30:00.003-06:00

This may seem funny, but it is a way to use up odds and ends of threads. Over the course of time I have acquired a lot of different colors of sewing threads. Meaning polyester and poly blend threads. I have accumulated a ton of odds and ends of different colors. Many have given me threads that are half used spools that their mother or aunts had. Many times I use them to baste quilt sandwiches together. I have sewn over 50 years and many times you buy two spools thinking it will be enough only to have to go back and get another spool but you don't use it all.

It dawned on me today that I need to sort through the thread and make sewing kits for my son and also for my granddaughter. They are always needing me to sew on a button and if they had the tools to do it they could remedy the problem themselves.

I am going to the dollar store and see if I can find crayon and pencil cases like they have in the school supplies and throw several spools of colors they would have in the box with some easy thread needles and a small pair of children's scissors from the school supply aisles again. Maybe even a needle threader. What a great way to use up the odds and ends that fill our thread storage containers. This would make a nice gift for the small repairs for anyone that needs a small amount of pink or navy thread. White, gray, navy, black and brown for the guys. Maybe a tan also. The girls pink, red, yellow, blue and white along with navy, black, gray and tan. No money outlay unless you need needles and the boxes to put it in. I save button in several sizes of shirt buttons in a zipper bag maybe would fill the case up nicely. Chris

1 1/4 inch strips

2012-01-09T07:21:00.003-06:00

Lots of sewing and only 5 blocks. Oh well! I think I started this because I saw a magazine article about the older patterns that are being revived. Last year, boy that sounds funny, I cut strips in 1 1/2 and 1 1/4 inch strips as I was handling the fabrics. I thought about making these in between making other quilt blocks. That way I won't get so bored with making all one style of blocks.

Sure is a mixture of different fabrics and yet it will be a utility quilt with a definite attitude.

I thought about using the Bishop Fan quilt design for the quilting on this quilt. I thought it would make a definite statement of looking old. Chris

Over my head

2012-01-08T15:12:00.007-06:00

I am a piecer and an appliquer, but not a miniature piecer. Hettie from http://stitchingmatters.blogspot.com/ tried talking me into the Building Houses from Scraps 2012 Challenge. I had thought about it. You can see the blog it came from here. http://www.buildinghousesfromscraps.blogspot.com/ They are 3 inches finished. OMG. I have a migraine and I tried two methods and I think I will pass on this project. Sorry Hettie. The first one was hand pieced and I didn't like the Y-seam.

It doesn't matter how I stitched it and it was three times it wouldn't lay flat from the blogs pattern. I am sure it is me. The templates I cut out I didn't add the 1/4 inch seam I tried cutting it onto the pieces as I cut them out. Not good!

Hettie and I emailed. She went onto her EQ7 and printed out a pattern with templates with the 1/4 inch seam added. So nice of her.

I then thought ok 1/4 inch seams I can machine piece this. Well the Y-seam was still there. Yuk!!!!!!

At the roof line I cut the Y-seam out and added a seam with the background fabric and tried adding it. Well the seam first looked great but the chimney piece is not sewn in the right spot. It over shoots the roof line. Not Good!!

I guess I wasn't cut out to do anything smaller than 4 1/2 inches. Then it didn't have as many pieces. I am not a paper piecer. I get crazy when it doesn't look right. So I tried. Not my cup of tea. Hope those of you that are involved have a great time doing the challenge. It looks like it could use up scraps and small pieces. Hettie, If you do try this you are a better quilter than I am hands down on that one. Chris

Overwhelmed with scraps

2012-01-07T07:19:00.003-06:00

I have some here and I have some there. They are all over the sewing room and I need to get them used up. I can't make myself throw them away. I have wanted to make some more of the traditional type utility quilts with scraps so here I go. These are 1 1/4 inch strips. My Mom had a container with pieces in them for miniature quilts she gave me and I decided to start using some of it up. I have added to the pile believe me.

The Rail Fence pattern goes together quick so this is where I started. I think this will work out doing these in between other projects.

After I cut a quilt I save all the usable pieces and ow I have to sort and cut to size. I have several containers with different sized strips and it is easy to slice and dice the pieces and store that way. Yes I am nuts just ask my kids and husband. Chris

500th post

2012-01-07T05:26:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we spent it doing different things. We had a switch on our furnace act up and we knew what it was. Our furnace has a signal board on it and you can diagnose the problem. So we ordered the part and got it in two days. We could make the heat work in the mean time. But we knew we wanted to have it work all the time when the real winter weather hit. So we got it yesterday and we decided to tear the furnace apart and clean it really well. My husband use to do this for a living so I am fortunate that he knows what to do. He had the blower out of the furnace and we took it apart and I had the squirrel cage in my bath tub washing it up. Please don't try this yourself. We got it back together and now we have a clean furnace outside and inside. Maybe less dust for a while.
We talked about the real winter weather. The last two days we have had record highs of middle to high fifty degree weather. One record was beaten from 55 years ago. Also we were warmer than Orlando Florida. But we think the shoe or the boot will drop soon and we will get dumped on. Less than an inch of snow has fallen already this winter and we normally have about 5-9 inches by now. We have had rain which is good for the trees because this fall we didn't have much moisture before it did get cooler.
Have to do some errands today. Then I think I am going to do some sewing and see how far I can get. Ideas running around in my head and not sure which will work. Chris

Been thinking and the shame of it all.

2012-01-06T05:28:00.003-06:00

Really has been a quiet New Year so far. I have been accessing my life style and also my bad habits. No I don't drink or smoke. I have a problem with procrastinating and also trying to cover up my feelings.
I am a very frustrated with my situation. My husband isn't well as many know and I have to stay around for him. Yes he is much better than a couple years ago and my freedom of staying in the house is relieved a bit. We have had a mild winter so far and I have been wanting to get outside and try and enjoy the fresh air. BUT.... Here is the kicker I tell myself that I can't leave him alone. So I sit and stay in the same room with him. Not good because I don't get out and move and I am miserable.
I stuff my feelings some days with food and that has been a disaster for me.
Then I want to sew and I feel like I am abandoning him by being in another room. He says come sit with me. I feel bad because I go to bed before him so I can have some alone time and I get up before him to sew. I wish I didn't feel the way I do about it. Being a caregiver and wife to the same person is hard. I need to spend some more time with my Mother and I feel guilty not getting there, but the time with my husband seems more important, but is it?? More than likely my Mother will go before my husband at this point. BUT... Am I fooling myself? Selfish I don't want to be, but I am frustrated as many caregivers get. Chris

Sewing off and on

2012-01-05T08:48:00.003-06:00

I drug these out of a pile the other day and decided on sashing and I pieced it all together. I had limited amount of 4 patches which were orphan blocks left over from a bigger bed quilt. After a few hours here and there and some minor ripping and resewing I got this top done. I think it looks pretty good for the pieces I started with. Sometimes the final look is surprising because you are not really interested in the elements.

Here is a closer look at the blocks, sashing, and borders.
We all need to re look at the elements we have that we really don't care for and see if they can be used into something pleasing to the eye.

I still have enough for the binding out of the brown print, but need to sort and find a backing for the quilt. The other thing was I have lots of pieces that are good sized of batting that are all the same brand. I think I will piece a few of them to make the batting for the quilt. Nothing like being frugal and yet getting a nice gift out of the mix. Chris

Using orphan blocks

2012-01-03T09:14:00.002-06:00

I read Wanda's blog this morning and it put me to shame. I didn't stitch a single stitch yesterday. I have been burned out since Christmas. Well this was laying there and since I need to get something done or closer to done everyday I picked up the plastic bag these were in. I thought they need to be used up. I picked out a fabric that I don't like for other things because it is to busy and decided it was enough to cut sashing for these orphaned blocks. But I needed corner stones so I picked a complimentary color and started stitching. It won't be bed sized but a good sized lap robe.

I have three more rows to stitch on them a couple borders and I have some done. I have to run to the bank today my debit card quit working and yes I have money in the bank. LOL They think the magnetic strip is faulty. We just got the card and it is frustrating. Just goes to prove don't give up your hand written checks because you never know if something will happen. Chris

Monday tip on Tuesday

2012-01-03T04:42:00.002-06:00

I tried to post a tip last night and it wouldn't let me. I was a bit upset and I just walked away.
The tip is this. On the 1st I made a housekeeping chore out of my Computer. I cleaned up a lot of old files and also deleted a bunch of pictures that aren't something I wanted to keep. I am terrible about downloading free quilt patterns thinking I will do them and after a year if I haven't touched them I just delete them.
I ran a scan disk and also defragged the computer. Yes I do it all the time, but I decided I needed to make the process a purging thing. It runs so much faster and I can get into several programs with quicker ease.
I also found in my experience that if I get onto a blog or website with a lot of ads in the side bars that I end up with more viruses and spyware. My email address has so many more SPAM emails when I spend anytime on them. You don't even have to click on the ads just roll over them and you can have a ton of exposure you don't necessary want. Also earlier this year I had 6 Trojan viruses hit me. I know it was from either an ad or Facebook. So many times we think things are safe and surprise it is infected. Make sure your antivirus and malware are all active and up to date.
The National news today said that mobile devices are victims of hackers this year so download your protections today. Chris

We are old and we stay home for New Years Eve

2012-01-01T06:13:00.004-06:00

This is some of the progress for the block I started. There are multiple layers and when you do all the prep for the block it takes some time to get it finished. Today I need to make a bunch of bias strips for the stems and then the leaves for the stems so as I work I can lay down the background pieces in order.

This is the pattern I chose to make this block. It is one of the patterns in The Rose Of Sharon Book by Sharon Pederson.
This is the project my husband did while I was sewing. He does jigsaw puzzles. He had dementia and it keeps his mind working to get these together. This one had 500 pieces and he has large hands and they were small pieces.

He started this yesterday afternoon late and got this far before he went to bed last night. I on the other hand went to be early and got up just before midnight and then went back to sleep, I am a morning person and I was up at 4:30am this morning.

Here is how we spent our New Years Eve. We are creatures of habit and we the age thing happens also. I hope every one has a Great Safe and Happy New Year. Chris

The last few days of the year

2011-12-31T08:09:00.004-06:00

I got started on this project and then never took it to the hospital for the time my husband was having the procedure done. The hospital called and said they had a cancellation and we needed to get there in 45 minutes. He was still sleeping and it takes 15 minutes to drive there. But we made it and we were home by 10 am. The procedure went well and the Doctor was please with the progress. Then yesterday I got a phone call and the biopsies came back negative for Cancer. So another bit of good news.
I sat this morning and worked on the applique for about an hour and I still have many more layers to put in the whole project. This is going to be a table topper and it will have two more blocks go with it. Few minutes here and there will get it done.
Doing laundry and going to cook a corned beef brisket for dinner tonight. We like it as a sliced meat for a full dinner and leftovers for sandwiches.
I don't believe min resolutions because I can never keep them. I will make a couple doable goals and then as I progress or regress I will try my best to make them work.
I hope all of you have a Great safe and healthy New Year. I am sure I will be asleep before the ball is dropped. I am a morning person. Happy New Year. Chris

This is my method of applique

2011-12-27T07:45:00.011-06:00

I use a couple things to make my templates. I use freezer paper and also Templar plastic. This is freezer paper where I trace off the shapes. I layer the freezer paper three thick to make it more stable like the Templar Plastic. It makes a more rigid edge to press against. I layer it plastic or shiny side down on all three layers and press firmly with a very hot iron. The stability of the finished pressing is really firm.

I do use the Templar plastic for smaller pieces. The Templar plastic is more expensive and I use it for circles and leaves. Also when I make a Templar Plastic template I try and mark it with a permanent marker with the info I need. Like the abbreviations of the pattern and then I save them for other projects because they do last a long time.

I then press the shiny side down to the back of the fabric. Leaving plenty of fabric to make the seam allowances around the shape.

Trim the excess of about a 1/4 of an inch away from the edge of the template. Then clip to the edge about two or three threads away from the paper template. Clip into the crevice and then you are ready to work your magic with the iron and the starch.

I use a cheap artist brush with firm bristles and I use a mixture of 1/2 starch and 1/2 water to starch the seam allowances under.

Press the seam allowance to the back and make sure you get a crisp edge. No bumps and lumps. Press it until it is dry. Let it cool and then you can handle it without changing the shape.

The pressing is the reason it works so well.

Turn it over and see if you need to readjust any of the edges. They should all be even and no raw edges visible.

Pull the paper template loose on the back and carefully tug it out of the shape.

The seam allowance is now set and dry and ready to be stitched down onto your applique background.

After you are sure they are completely dry and cool store in a plastic storage bag and you have them ready for on the go hand stitching. I have to sit at the hospital for several hours tomorrow while my husband has a procedure and I want to get this all prepped so I can be distracted while he has this done. I plan on making a table runner with the pieces I am making. Stay tuned it will look like something in a couple days. Chris

What did you get for Christmas?

2011-12-25T17:23:00.002-06:00

I didn't even receive a gift, but I had the joy of watching the kids open their present.

I don't expect anything. Times are tough and they all have families to provide for. We were together and enjoyed the day. I remember being young and the gifts we got weren't real costly, but we had fun opening them and being with family.

We talked about the things that we got that we didn't expect. My Mom said she got a new kitchen faucet one year for Christmas. Not a romantic gift, but it was a needed item and was installed before we had Christmas dinner. It isn't the gift it isn't the amount of money it is the thought that counts. Hope you all had a nice Christmas experience and enjoyed your day. Chris

Phew that is over with

2011-12-24T18:32:00.008-06:00

Quilt one was opened and liked

He was to busy opening other things
Mom had to read some things to him

This one is my little fireman.

Taylor has changed so in the last couple years. She isn't my little girl any longer.

The Spidey quilt was really liked. I made a flannel pillowcase to go with it and he was surprised.

He carried it around for awhile and Dad finally said he wanted to look at it.

The food was good and everyone was full when they left. The quiet is deafening right now. The TV is on, but not anything else. The kids were getting loud and then all is quiet.

My Mom stayed until the truck behind my car left and I took her home. She was glad she came.

I hope everyone has as good a day as we did. Enjoy the excitement. Merry Christmas. Chris

Just a Few More Hours to Go

2011-12-23T18:04:00.002-06:00

The cooking has started and the packages are wrapped. The sad part is no snow this year. Oh Well! we can live without the snow. Safer for those on the roads.
The grandkids will be here tomorrow and the wild times will start. The anticipation builds in the car on the way here. The kids get excited and they have a lot of fun together.
We are just giving gifts to the grandkids this year. I think Christmas is for the kids and the adults should be thankful to be together and enjoy the day.
Tomorrow is our Christmas celebration and I hope each and everyone of you have a very Pleasant and Wonderful Christmas. Chris

Blue and Green

2011-12-20T07:45:00.004-06:00

Ok I got on the band wagon and made some quick gifts. My neighbor is having a birthday in a couple weeks and she hasn't been real healthy lately so thought a new mug and rug would cheer her up. These where some strips I had cut for something else and I pieced enough together to make two of them. She uses cobalt blue and lime green in her kitchen.

They are 7.5 inches X 6.75 inches. Nice size for a mug and a snack. I made these in a couple hours this morning and I am sure as I get into them I can cut my time down. They were all scraps and yet they are using up pieces of batting that are to small to use for anything else. Thanks Wanda for the ideas. Chris

I'm Done, I'm Done

2011-12-18T14:03:00.002-06:00

All four of the quilts are completed. I worked really hard today to get it done. Now the wrapping and the house needs a good cleaning.

I never thought I would be working so close to the day. I started early, but then the ways of life got in my way. I guess I should have a better schedule planned and I didn't. I don't think quilting will be part of the Christmas gift list next year. I am burned out for now.
The Grandkids are getting older and they want big ticket items and Grandma can't afford that so I think next year will be a small gift and money to go buy what you want. If it were up to me they would get an apple and a hug and a kiss and they would have to deal with it. I know Bah Humbug. But I do not like the holidays. They are so commercial and costly and it never seems enough because so- and-so could get me this which is better.
We as kids were happy with a few small things and we never questioned our parents or grandparents as to why we didn't spend more. But I don't have control over how the kids are raised in a divorced family situation.

I should qualify the kids are good kids, but the statements do come out and they do hurt. They weren't raised like that when Mom and Dad were together.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your families. Chris

Machine quilting will be done by 7am tomorrow

2011-12-17T19:42:00.002-06:00

No pictures yet, but the machine quilting will be done early. Then the binding. But the little angel/devil that is to receive this will be here tomorrow. So it has to be hidden before he gets here. Father was told to call on his way here so I can hide it.
This has been a trying week for me and I have struggled to get this all done. I have three of them to wash and get markings out of them and then I bought large plastic Christmas bags at the new Dollar Store. They are nice for odd sized items.
The tree isn't up and nothing out for Christmas. No baking and yet I really don't think we need all the sugar in this house.
I plan on pulled pork and salads and baked beans for Christmas Eve dinner. Everyone has a different place to go on Christmas so the lighter the meal the easier on me. It isn't about the meal it is about getting together and celebrating the season. Merry Christmas. Chris

Headache still here but some sewing was done

2011-12-16T04:59:00.004-06:00

Here is some of the progress. I still have the cross rows to quilt in this section and then 2/3rds of the center is done. This is part of the sashing between the block rows. I stitched free form around the fire trucks and rescue squads. It needed some stabilizing and this is all I could come up with.

This is the darker block rows. This was a challenge to make this quilt with the fabric being striped. It has been a struggle the last couple days to get this one done.

My headache was wild yesterday with all the high winds and temp dropping. I still have part of it this morning, but I think I might live. I tried laying down yesterday and the phone kept ringing. So not much rest happened. I did sew about 2 1/2 hours and every stitch
helped getting it closer to the end. Chris

Migraine Day

2011-12-15T07:41:00.002-06:00

Hopefully I can sew, but the head pounding isn't fun. I woke up at 12:30am and knew something was wrong. By 4 am it was a full blown migraine. Hope everyone has a great day. Chris

OUCH!!!!!

2011-12-14T19:48:00.004-06:00

This little ripper is only 2 inches long, but it hurt me.

I went and got some ointment and a bandage to cover it for the night so it doesn't get infected. For those of you old enough to remember the diaper pins and how they hurt when you poked yourself with them, it hurts like that. It didn't bleed a lot either. When stuck like that you need to make it bleed so it doesn't get infected. Chris

All ripped out after 6 hours of cursing

2011-12-14T17:44:00.002-06:00

I couldn't find the seam ripper I wanted. You know the Granddaughter puts things away and I can't find then. I found a small one and the first few minutes of using it I stabbed myself on my pointer finger and it hurts like a son of a gun.
The gloom of the day didn't help my mood because I had to rip out and it was all my fault it was that way.
I took a nap and then I made some progress. It is all ripped back to correct the problem now and I think I am watching TV tonight and dealing with the sewing tomorrow. It just took 6 hours of sitting and ripping that I could have done some more sewing if I had paid attention in sewing before all this happened.
Oh Gosh I have to find the sheets for my bed and remake it or I will be sleeping on the couch. Bye. Chris

Frustrated

2011-12-14T09:13:00.003-06:00

No pictures today. I am ripping out some of what I have already quilted. I got ahead of my self and now I have tucks and puckers and I am not a happy camper.
Thought I could breeze through this one and I did things out of sequence and now the ripping of threads begins. I was so frustrated yesterday I had to walk away from it. After I started on the sewing I thought maybe I shouldn't have done this and sure enough I was right. The gut feeling is always the right one I think.
It is pouring rain and gray so I will turn on all the lights because it is black thread on black fabric another yipppee moment. "What was I thinking????" Chris

#3 is done but the washing

2011-12-11T09:20:00.002-06:00

I just finished the binding on the Spidey quilt. I used a washable kids marker on the border and so it has to be laundered to get that out. I need to get some color guard sheets also for this quilt with the red flannel. As you can see the radiating lines of quilting is to represent the spiders webs as they make the web. The red blocks are quilted with the spiderweb design. Hopefully the five year old will like the quilt.

He has a tendency to get out of bed in the night and crawl in with Mom and Dad. Well this quilt is heavy and maybe he will stay under it and stay in his own bed for a full night.

Now I have to clean my machine and get all the fuzzies out and then on to the last quilt before Christmas Eve. Chris

Deadlines scare me

2011-12-09T19:23:00.004-06:00

This one is done. This is almost done.

This one needs sandwiching and quilting.

This is done.

Fourteen days to go and I have a deadline. I need to get focused and I really and not focused at all. The days are withering away and I need to regroup. I will get it done, but I need some motivation. Tomorrow will have to be the day to get a good start on finding the motivation.

I really don't know why the sewing juices have stopped flowing. Normally this time of year I want to get things done because it isn't nice enough to be outside.

I was outside this morning shoveling snow. We had about a half of an inch, but we like to keep the driveway cleared off. My Mom comes and I don't want her to fall. My husband doesn't need to fall either. He has been in the garage and going in and out.

Hopefully the morning will come and I will up to getting something done. Wish me luck. Chris

Hard to see in the picture

2011-12-08T05:14:00.002-06:00

This isn't the greatest of pictures, but I am making a spiderweb design as the quilting in each block. I am using black thread , but the red shows up so intense in the picture. I have it about done. I think by tomorrow I will have some more of it done and maybe I can decide on the borders. I would like to have this one done by the weekend. I have one more to quilt for gifts and then I have a larger quilt for my Mother to get done. She will understand if I don't get it done before Christmas. She will be glad to get it when it is done.
Hope all your sewing projects are going well and everyone finishes in enough time to enjoy the day. Chris

Another Blah gray day

2011-12-06T08:19:00.002-06:00

We might get some snow and we might not. Had flurries last night. My time of working on these quilts is running out. The laundry is started dishes are needing to get done and the rest of the day is devoted to machine quilting this quilt. The in the ditch stitching is about done and then the fun part. I think some spiderwebs will be the quilting design. Not all of it will be spiderwebs, but a few here and there. Maybe on the borders if nothing else. See what the mood is when I get to that part. Hopefully he will like it. Chris

Monday Tip

2011-12-05T17:17:00.002-06:00

Yes I am late but not forgotten. Been a mello day here. Gray and cloudy. Nothing wrong just blah.
Tip for the day. Learn something new everyday. I learned today that I don't know everything, but I never said I did.
I was told that my dryer door could be changed so it could be opened more conveniently for me. I have had this dryer for 10 1/2 years and didn't know it has hinges and a handle that can be changed like a refrigerator door can be to open either direction. I have struggled with this door hinged on the wrong side for the whole time I owned it. I guess so you learn something new everyday. Chris

What is Christmas in Your life?

2011-12-04T06:08:00.005-06:00

What do you believe in? Is it Santa, religious beliefs or is it just a commercial time of year to get your money? Everyone has a different feeling about Christmas. I haven't decorated for Christmas yet this year. I feel very much in a slump about the whole season. The money issue has plagued us for several years and we just don't feel we do enough for Christmas. When times are tough you make things to give your friends and family. Whether it be a quilt or a wooden box you find a way to say Happy Holidays. Or should I say Merry Christmas. Hasn't the World made the one time of year sounds so hollow because it isn't politically correct to say Merry Christmas.

If we can't believe in something is it all worth it? Christmas in my book is for the kids and the faith they have in believing. Yes it has become commercial and yes it has started way to early each year, but if we can't believe in something what good is it.

I remember getting up as a child and seeing all the packages under the tree. I know now it was a meager amount, but at the time it was heaven to me. We had to be good and we had to understand that sharing with others was important. Is that a lesson we carried through our lives? I believe we did. So to me Christmas is the lesson of sharing and being true to our beliefs. Maybe they are not someone else's beliefs, but we have something to hold onto for the next generation to work towards.
It isn't the amount of money you spent or the house full of decorations it is the time we spend with family and friends to share and give of ourselves. Sit and hold Grandma's hand and spend time with those that have less than what we do. Give a plate of cookies to your neighbor or shovel a walk for someone. Be kind and share in the Christmas spirit. Say a prayer for all those in the military overseas and to their families that are home alone.

Take the time and decide what Christmas means to you. Time is approaching the big day and are you ready for it? Chris

Are you Ready?

2011-11-30T06:09:00.002-06:00

25 days until Christmas. Yes I know it is fast approaching. I am getting there, but the final stretch is going to be busy.

My neighbor went and shopped yesterday and she got hers all done. Mine needs sewing machine time to get done. I am going today to buy batts and then it will be up to me to get the discipline to get it all done.

I have a few seams on the last top and then I need to get the backs pieced and sandwiching time will begin. The good thing is they will all use the same color of quilting thread. I bought a large spool and I will fill tons of bobbins and I will be off and running to the end.

The wrapping will be harder to accomplish. I need to find some large bags to wrap them in.

We have a new Dollar store that has opened and I think I will hit the place and see what they have available. Hope you are all ready. LOL Chris

Row top almost done

2011-11-28T16:08:00.005-06:00

I bought about 3 yards of this fabric three years ago to make valances for my Grandson's bedroom at his dad's. As you can tell it never got made. It was a stripe and had the length of the stripe going the length of the yardage. I cut it all apart and resewed it back together after slicing and dicing the stripes. I added red and black to make it all come together into a quilt top. I still have a couple more borders and then it will be done. I did all this today. My back is screaming and my mind is a blur.
That isn't hard to do anymore. I think I have lost it along the way. LOL

Derek's Dad is a fireman and he is really into all that is about the Fire Service. Derek goes to training sessions my son has as an instructor. Derek sets up the props for training and the other Firemen can't believe he knows so much about fire fighting and he is only 10yrs old. He has gone with his Dad to training and even to a few structure fires and watched from the trucks. He has ridden with the Chicago Fire Station on the SW of Chicago more than once. Unless his course in life changes a lot I think he will be in the Fire Service as soon as he is old enough to join as a volunteer. Public Service and helping others is the name of the game in my Family. Chris

Monday Tip Leftovers

2011-11-28T05:00:00.003-06:00

I had tons of leftovers. We have had sandwiches and used several up already. I had lots of sweet corn leftover and ham. I thought why not. Corn Chowder.

We like soup and this was easy. I had about 3 cups of corn that was buttered and in it's cooking juices. I added a small cut up onion and 2 large potatoes peeled and chunked up. I let that simmer until the potatoes were tender.

I then took out some of the ham and diced it up to bite sized pieces. I added some chicken bouillon and salt to taste. I then simmered all together and added some celery salt for more flavor. I would have used celery but used it all in my stuffing.

After letting it simmer for about 15 minutes I added some Wondera flour to thicken slightly. It is a good one pot meal with leftovers and not so filling like we have eaten for several days since Thanksgiving. Two more bowls out of the fridge. I am slowly making more room by downsizing containers and using up leftover. I think the rest of the turkey and ham will be frozen and used later in the month. Hope you enjoy. Chris

Another top done

2011-11-27T15:41:00.002-06:00

This one is done another finish. The Wall Crawler quilt is a Christmas present for the five year old.

Brody is into all the action comic figures so Grandma will please with this one. The blue is used jean legs that I cut and pieced for a border and also for the sashing. The black is just cotton broadcloth. The back will be the Spidey flannel and I think the binding will be black. Hopefully he will stay warm with this one. Chris

Talking over the pie

2011-11-25T20:29:00.002-06:00

My Mother and Mother in law. My Mother is 83 and my Mother in law is 96. They talked about cooking for their families and how they remember all the work to get it done. We had a great time. A lot of food and all had fun. The dishes are almost done and the table is cleared off. Grandkids go home tomorrow and the room gets put back to normal again until next month when Christmas comes again.
Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. Chris

Prep and Cleaning day

2011-11-24T07:00:00.002-06:00

Not a pretty picture here. Very gray and cold right now. Suppose to be warmer than usual later today. My kitchen table is full of canned goods and also bread for all the things I need to prep for our dinner tomorrow.
I go and get the grndkids tonight so will have them on top of all the prep work. My oven is a normal size so the turkey will be done on the grill. Ham and stuffing in the oven. The rest will be prepared ahead of time or on top of the stove. The fridge space is at a premium. I plan on using my neighbors fridge in her garage if I need to. They are out of town and yes I cleared it with her.
Due to some family issues I am really stressed. Not sure who all will be here and what will transpire. As I said before holiday time is not my favorite time of year. Next year it maybe won't happen at my house. I guess it is time to pass it off to someone else and not have the stress. Hope everyone has a great day. Friends, family and great times together is very important. Happy Thanksgiving Chris

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T18:13:00.002-06:00

MENU
Turkey
Spiral cut Honey Ham
Mashed potatoes and turkey gravy
Stuffing
Corn
Green Bean Casserole
Dinner rolls
Orange Jello Salad
Cranberry relish
Pumpkin Pie and Whipped cream
Pumpkin Carmel Pecan Pie
Blueberry Pie
Milk and sodas
Hope I have enough LOL

Monday tip

2011-11-21T06:10:00.002-06:00

Yes I forgot last week. This week I am not to sure about what I have to give a tip about.
I have had a trying time the last few days and I guess my tip is to be forgiving without being judgemental. Many times things are said and yet they are not meant. Also things can be blow out of proportion. Decisions are made and maybe they are not your choice you can't judge what the other person is dealing with and how they handle things. Tip is be understanding and don't make an opinion out loud to hurt feelings. Chris

No I am not Ready!!!

2011-11-20T17:47:00.002-06:00

I need to do grocery shopping and I hate doing it just before a holiday. I need cranberries, potatoes,celery, onions, radishes, carrots, pie filling, nuts. Bread for stuffing and chicken stock. Did I forget something?? Eggs, Jello, Butter, time to get something done. Can you buy a slot of time for a good price?
I need to make 4 pies, should make dinner rolls, but I think I will buy brown and serve kind. I know not a good thing. I didn't tell you yet I have a turkey and a spiral cut ham already.
I found out yesterday my MIL who is 96 is coming also. Now I really have to clean in the corners. She use the white glove test and I know I don't pass ever, but I think I really have to make an effort.
I am pulling my hair out and sweating all the small things and for what. This isn't my first rodeo. I have cooked for several before this. So we will have 11 people for dinner and I only have one oven. The grill is coming out to do the turkey so I can cook the stuffing and the ham in the house. If you plan on coming by call and bring a bottle. I might need it. Chris

Are you Ready????

2011-11-16T07:34:00.002-06:00

The Turkey is in the freezer the ham is also. The pies need to be made and the stuffing prepared. I love that my family gets together, but the history of Thanksgiving at my house hasn't always been a fun time. Families that are blended are difficult when the holidays come around. This one can't be here at the same time the others can be.
Children don't understand and the parents are to set in their ways to compromise.

I plan on trying to make the best of what is going on. This week I plan on cleaning getting ready for the event. When we live just the two of us we let things slide and get to it when we are up to it. I need to set my sewing aside and try and get a handle on the confusion that will be here on the 25th.

We are trying to get the kids and their kids together and the 25th is the earliest time. No it isn't Thanksgiving, but we will be together the next day.

Hopefully we can all have a good time and the day doesn't matter. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and your time with family and friends is pleasant. Chris

Wall Crawler Quilt

2011-11-14T11:19:00.002-06:00

This is a different quilt for a little 5 year old. He loves Spidey! This is a flannel I found and I used old jeans for the sashing. I have enough of the flannel for the backing also. I think I will have to add borders for the top, but plenty of denim and I also have a bright blue flannel so it will be big enough.

I think that I will quilt a spider web in the middle of each block with red thread
It will add to the finish of the quilt. Thought about black thread but I think it will get lost in the printed spiderwebs of the fabric print. I will take more pics as I go. Chris

Been Busy Quilting

2011-11-13T21:04:00.005-06:00

Another one done. I started this a week ago on Friday and finished today. It was a kit, but I changed it up some and added borders. Bright and colorful and big blocks. Not normally what I do, but it isn't for me. It is for Christmas.

The black border needed something so I stitched an inch away from both sides for some contrast I used a silver colored thread.

Now I have to hide it. Granddaughter is coming this next weekend and she is nosey. If there is a gift in the house she finds it. I have seen her fake a surprise more than once. LOL Chris

The latest wood project

2011-11-10T15:43:00.005-06:00

This is scraps yes scraps leftover from making the entertainment center. He had end boards and he likes to use everything he can. I have one of these boxes from several years ago that has a double hinged top on it. His friend saw it and wanted a single top so he made him one and the second one is in the works.

He made it so he can store a pistol in it. The top has a chain on it so it won't over open and the bottom is lined in velveteen.

I used a piece of thin tag board and glued the velveteen to the board and turned the edges under so it wouldn't fray. I think the box turned out well.

It snowed here yesterday and we had over an inch of wet snow. Which didn't last, but the sky has been really gray to black today. This tree is called Autumn Glory it is a Maple tree which is a graft tree, but very colorful.

The picture doesn't do it justice because it is really neon orange right now. Against the gray sky it really stands out. When the sun hits it it's really beautiful. I am sure it will loose it's leaves soon. Have to find a bright spot someplace with all this gray skies out there. Chris

Thinking

2011-11-10T05:27:00.004-06:00

This is a post I found on the internet from another blogger. Click on the image and it will increase in size so you can read it. We all find the negative in a issue we are facing. Sometimes it is all in the attitude we approach it with. I like to find a place to feel good about an issue and yet somedays things feel overwhelming. I think this will add some prospective to your thoughts for the day. I guess we all need to own our issues and try and find the bright spot in our outlook on life.
http://heidiclaire.blogspot.com/2010/08/wisdom-of-soul.html This is the site I snagged this post from. Hope this helps in your day today. Chris

A Twin Top Done

2011-11-08T11:13:00.004-06:00

Got the last border on a few minutes ago. This is all she wanted as she described to me. Plaid, Blue, Green, Dark and Bright. Lots of wants filled with this quilt. It is a twin size top. so I need to rummage for a batt for it. I think I have one in the closet.

Sure is a lot brighter than I have sewn together before. I hope she likes it. Off to look in the closet to see if I need to make a trip to the store before I go any farther.

Color, color, color doesn't lack for it. Chris

Borders

2011-11-07T08:07:00.003-06:00

I have one more border to sew on this top. This is a kit that was given to me. I wanted to make it larger than what it was so I started adding borders to make it larger. I used a solid black for a dramatic frame around the busy blocks. This framed it and I cut the remaining pieces into 3X3 squares and sewed them together to make another border. I am thinking of adding another narrow black border then a bright green that blends well with the greens in the blocks. It will end up twin sized.

If you don't have a lot of brights in your stash do as I did and get a kit to make the initial top and add borders. This is for my Granddaughter. She wanted blue, green and plaid plus black, but bright. I think this covers all the requests. Chris

Monday Tip

2011-11-07T04:43:00.005-06:00

As we all know the cutting tools we use are not cheap. I go through blades for the rotary cutter quite fast. With scrappy quilting and my style of blocks there are tons of pieces. I contemplated getting a blade sharpening tool and decided others have tried this trick.

I got online to Harbor Freight and purchased their carpet cutting blades. At the time I got them for 2 for $1.99. I ordered 20 blades and shared with my Mother. They do have stores and they can be purchased online. Different, somewhat. They have a round hole in the center of the blade. The Other name brand blades have a notched hole. They still work well. Each package comes with two blades. I was concerned if they were sharp enough for carpet would they cut up the mat and I can say they don't. Do they last longer? Well I think they are about the same as the name brand. When I get closer to using all of the ones I have I will order again.

Here is the website for the company. http://www.harborfreight.com/ In the search box type carpet blades. It will show several styles but only one round blade.

Chris

Big blocks for me

2011-11-05T07:25:00.005-05:00

This was a kit I was given. I thought well how would I use it. All was cut out and they provided a pattern sheet with many different designs for the pieces. My Granddaughter wanted a bright,blue, green, plaid and black quilt. This has many other colors but all of those things in it. She is 12 and thinks things have to be bright but dark. What is up with that? Kids!

These are 10 1/2 inch blocks and they went together fast, but I am not use to the progress of fast. So I now have to decided how to get borders on and I have a lot of the pieces left over so one will be the 3 inch pieces sewn together for a border.

Hopefully she will like this one. Chris

Done, Done, Done!

2011-11-04T15:19:00.002-05:00

Seems like I worked on this one for ever. I started a long time ago and yet I set it aside for a long time also. It is about 87X92 inches. I think it will fit a double bed. He only has a twin right now, but hopes to get a new bed soon.

I now have 5 more to quilt and finish before Christmas. I have one in the works on piecing and one to be cut out and the rest are flimsies, but need to be sandwiched and quilted. Ho Ho Ho. Chris

In the house and in place

2011-11-03T13:25:00.003-05:00

It took some muscle, but it is in the house and we got this all set in place. This makes such a nice addition to the living room. The color of the wood and the fact it is designed and made by my husband makes it even more special.

All of the parts to the stereo and the speakers are all withe the TV now. When we get a flat screen it will fit on this cabinet also. What was a pile of wood is now something very useful. Chris

Last of the color

2011-11-03T05:49:00.006-05:00

This tree is on my back yard. It has finally turned color. This year the color isn't as vivid as other years. Also the day was very gray because rain was on it's way.

The leaves turned funny this year. Very deep red and orangy yellow. Is that a color??

Yet when you stand back it looks more orange.

This is the tree in the front yard. It is growing a lot. It was a twig when we got it.

This is almost completed. The quilting will take a couple hours and then the binding.

It will be used a lot. It is for our 13 year old Step Grandson. He loves quilts and needed one for his room. Not as happy with the quilting. I am using a different machine to quilt and once I started decided to finish it with this machine. Chris

Pictures of the new TV Cabinet

2011-11-01T14:50:00.004-05:00

Currently we have still an analog TV. It is big and heavy, but it still works great. Good picture and great sound and color. The TV stand it was on was a man killer to move. I had to have three guys move it to clean behind it or even to move to another part of the room. It was cast iron legs on it. We were given a stack of old aged pine boards that had no nails or screws in them. They were aged looking and yet they were in really great shape. We got them on Sunday and today the finish is going on this TV stand. Jeff pieced it all together and made shelves for the TV components. The color difference is Tung Oil. We used it on the trunk we did a week ago. This gives it a rich look and yet doesn't take away from the character of the old pine.

This time he is brushing it on. It is thin and several coats make it look all the more rich in color and tone.

Mr Handy didn't want his picture taken, but I took it anyway. It will sit next to the fireplace and I think it will fit in with my eclectic decorating scheme. Can't wait until the weekend to get it in the house and get the TV in it's new home. Chris

November 1st OMGosh where has this year gone??

2011-11-01T06:29:00.002-05:00

No pictures today. I am frantic I realized I have procrastinated to long. I am on a mission to get things done now. I mowed for the last time yesterday and today I have a little outside work to finish and then the Winter storms can come and I am ready for them. HaHaHa.....
I have to run to pay a couple bills today and then I am home to work on things in the sewing room. Jeff is making a new TV stand for me so I am going to get that ready for it to come in the house by the weekend.
I will take pictures. He is so handy. I have three shelves I want him to make and he is putting that off. I think the choice in wood is the problem. I said pine and he wants oak.
Well I am off to the sewing room to get a few more lines of quilting in before the sun comes up. Have a Great Day. Chris

Monday tip on Sunday Night, Hey I was quilting

2011-10-30T18:21:00.006-05:00

I got this one sandwiched and started on the machine quilting. It was going pretty well and I decided I would use leftovers for supper. I thought what should I do. I wanted to make a potpie and use left over roast and potatoes and carrots. I made this two nights ago for supper. This was the plan. I got out 4 frozen biscuits cut them in half and thawed them.

I got the left overs out and cut the potatoes and carrots in bite sized pieces. Added the meat to the mix and the gravy I had saved over the meat. I spooned the gravy over the cut up food in small casseroles I have.

Then I placed the cut up biscuits over the top of the leftovers. I placed them on a tray and got them in a hot oven. About 400*F.

They were in the oven for about 25 minutes and the top was brown and the food was hot.

They tasted real good and it was a warm meal from leftovers. I still have some meat left and I think I will freeze it to make beef and noodles on another day when I am sewing and don't want to stop for a cooking day. Chris
PS. Paula Deen says frozen pie crust, frozen biscuits are a good thing. LOL That sounds like Martha Stewart.

Got some inspiration

2011-10-30T10:22:00.005-05:00

We went shopping yesterday. Decided it was nice enough to go and got a little later start, but it was beautiful out unlike today that is overcast and gray. I guess rain is on the way. So the inspiration. We went to two quilt shops. Both about 50 miles away. One is called Uniquely Yours and it is in Orangeville, Illinois. In the NW corner not to far from Galena, Illinois. It is out in the country in this woman's house. She has a newer home and she made a huge quilt shop in the back side of the house. It must have almost 7000 bolts of fabric. The other quilt shop is about 25 miles from the first. It is in a small town and is about the only business other than bars and gas stations in this town. It has a website you can visit. Lots of Civil War prints Thimbleberries and repro fabrics. This shop has it's own designs you can purchase online. http://www.yellowcreekquiltdesigns.com/ . I found several ideas for quilts and wished now I had bought some of her patterns. This Thimble was and idea my Mother had and she couldn't see how to make it without a y-seam. So I made a test sample for her.

It is 3 3/4 inches square. This shop has many small quilts for wall hangings and for table toppers. some of the selection if you look at the site are very attractive and scrap busters besides.

I am not affiliated with this store just happen to be a customer. Small quilts can be so attractive and also nice gifts for the person who is hard to buy for. Enjoy the site and if in the area stop by you will enjoy your visit. Chris

Do I have the discipline to do this

2011-10-29T09:57:00.002-05:00

I have put aside all things I want to do. I have concentrated on Christmas things and now I am at a stand still with them. Not because I don't have things to do, but because I am not disciplined enough to do them. I want to do hand applique and I want to get things done, so what should I do??

Here is a project I am at a stand still on. I need to finish this, but I am at odds as to why to finish it. It was to be a gift and now thew reason for the gift is an ugly subject. Family issues which we will not discuss. I think I am burned out. I did a lot of piecing for several months and the reason to get them done was for Christmas gifts. I really want to finish them. I think the real problem was I started to sandwich the green quilt top I have and the backing wasn't big enough. I had to undo all my efforts to smooth things out right and add pieces. Now I am not in the mood to go back and start over.

I wanted to go to a quilt shop today and instead my time was taking my husband to the hardware store. The bathroom faucet broke last night and needed replacing. Money not planned on. Oh Well can't take it with me right. LOL

Tomorrow is the day we do the shopping. I am taking my Mom and we will make it a whole afternoon journey. So I guess I make myself go in and start over on the sandwiching process. Frustrations are going to hit me I know and I will want to give up. Persistence and maybe I can convince myself this is the right thing to do. sigh! Chris

2fer

2011-10-27T14:25:00.013-05:00

This is Bread in a Jar. The original recipe and idea came from Hillbilly Housewife. At the end of the post I will list the links to the recipes and the great blogs that go with this recipe.

You see some pint wide mouth canning jars. They are grease with shortening and ready to fill. this recipe makes 8 pint jars with Bread In a Jar.

. Here is the mixture from the recipe. I am making Cranberry and nut bread. The cranberries are in the stores again and I decided to make this up.

I use my canning funnel and that way the bread mixture doesn't get on the rim.

To fill the jars half full and make sure they are not overfilled.

I placed them in a roasting pan or on a cookie sheet and bake the jars until they are done. About 45 minutes and the toothpick is clean when poked in the center.

Remove the jars wipe all the little crusty bits off and place the new seals and rings on the jars and the heat in the jars makes the bread seal. The great part about all this is that they last for about a year in the sealed jars. This is a great idea for snacks taking to work for a mid morning snack with a cup of coffee and tea. Or for a single person that the rest of the loaf of bread would go to waste. This recipe has other options. Pumpkin bread, Banana Bread, Zucchini bread and Apple bread. So many things that can be done with it.

The potential for a great recipe and I have had the pumpkin bread already and it is delicious. The link for this is: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/bread-in-a-jar.htm
This website has all kinds of great time and money saving tips. Great recipes and also a newsletter that you can get weekly.

This is the 2fer. This I found on another blog and went nuts over the thought of the Cream Cheese Pound cake. Can you imagine the calories. Well they are there believe me. I am sharing this with several people so I don't eat the whole thing.

I don't have a bundt pan so I used an angel food cake pan. I greased it and floured it so it wouldn't stick. The stick is spaghetti to test the doneness. I don't have toothpicks long enough to test it.

Here it is all done and on a plate to cool. It looks so great. Hate to cut it but I want a taste.

This is the link for this blog and she has fabulous recipes and lots of pictures. http://catsandcasseroles.blogspot.com/ The name of the recipe is Cream Cheese Pound Cake. She got the recipe off of the site she list at the bottom of the recipe. I tried to link it here and it didn't work sorry.It is called Elizabeth's Edible Experience. If you click on the source it will take you to the site.

I can take no credit other than I am sharing these links with you. Save the links because it is an ongoing list of great food and ideas. Chris Enjoy.

Monday tip

2011-10-24T07:15:00.004-05:00

New looking or aged? Which do you like? You can use the same fabrics but the background fabric can make the look of the finished quilt look so different. See these are bright colors, but if you use a muted or darker background you can make bright colors look old in the quilt.

Look at your background fabric and if you think it is to light change to a muslin look or a darker print. If it is to dark change to a brighter white. Do you like Old or New? Chris

OMGosh what has she done!

2011-10-24T04:25:00.004-05:00

This is a picture of the two grandkids. Taylor is 12 and Derek is 10. They came to visit over the weekend. We see them every other weekend. Kids of a divorce they like to stay at Grandma's. Derek is a messer and Taylor is an organizer. Well she did a number on me.

Things got piled together and stacked on flat surfaces. She feels she is helping and yet I didn't walk in there to really look until after she was done. I can't find anything.

My cutting area is cleaned off, but the closet is a dumping ground. I have storage tubs and also a shelving unit in there. If she didn't know what to do with something it got dumped in there. She thought she was helping and yes it is cleaner. The floor was vacuumed.

She has good skills she will carry on with when she gets older, but I guess I was to busy doing other things in the house and it is all my fault it got in that shape anyway. Chris

Dog had trouble with quilts

2011-10-23T16:09:00.003-05:00

I have been fixing quilts. I got three fixed and one was to old to work on. It was in shreds and from wear not the dog This is going to take some work to fix this one. I told him and the kids anymore get chewed don't bring them back because I refuse to work on them.

I had one extra block leftover so I have the pieces I need to piece in the missing section. I found some of the binding fabric, but the back will have to be pieced.

The other quilts I was able to match the fabric or come very close to what was there. I spent hours on them yesterday, but three are back home.

The dog is left alone so much and in a kennel most of the time. When she is out she gets bored and this is what she does. She is a good dog, but she needs attention and I want them to find a home for her. Hard to give her up. Chris

Top number 2 done this month

2011-10-21T07:22:00.004-05:00

Well it is a done deal. this top is finished. Need to get the backing for it and then I can get it finished. I really need to go shopping one of these days and look for backing for these quilts. I don't even have enough of three fabrics to make one back. I have learned a lesson not to buy plaids for the sashing and borders again. Most are printed on the fabric and they don't line up right when you cut them.

I tried to pull the colors out of the black sashing to make the borders. I think it makes it look a little more contemporary by doing that.

This is 87X87 inches so a fair sized quilt. Off to the grocery store for milk and cereal. Have a Great Day. Chris

Getting closer to being done

2011-10-20T10:06:00.003-05:00

Looks more like a quilt. Two long sashing rows to be sewn on then three borders and the top will be done. I even have the fabrics laid out for the borders already. This is the top as it is. I feel it will quilt out better than what it lays at the moment.

It is colorful and yet it looks old in some ways. I will have to get going and get something more done on it today. Chris

Not a pretty sight

2011-10-19T16:08:00.002-05:00

No there won't be any pictures you have to only imagine what I am talking about.
You ever have something in your house you know needs fixing, but the other half says how do you know? Like the washer or the dryer or the car isn't working right?? You mention it several times and how do you know??
Well I had wash stacked up to my kneecaps and my husband decided to take the washer apart. He had it upside down on it's top and he figured out it wasn't what he thought it was. We had the agitator out and I cleaned it. Got it back together and it worked better. I have said for months the dryer vent needed cleaning and it has a long way to get out to the side of the house. While the washer was out of it's spot he took the vac and cleaned what he could reach with the vac. Then the serious stuff came out to work with. He has a sewer rod that he took out and placed down the long vent and you should see what he got out of it. I have been telling him this is what was wrong, but how do I know??
He thought it was the washer wasn't pumping the water out of the clothes and I said it was the dryer. I dried a load of towels in less than and hour. That has never happened in at least 8 years. I guess I did know what I was talking about. Needless to say the wash is almost done and the washer and dryer are cleaner and working. Not what I planned on doing today. I want to throw my hands up and say I told you so but I wouldn't get anywhere with that. LOL Men! I don't know what I am talking about! Chris

Had to stop sewing and rip

2011-10-18T07:02:00.006-05:00

I had three rows sewn together and then I went to press and I had one on backwards. DAH!

I need to cut more sashing rows and then I can get the top on the road to being finished. It has several borders and I think this will be at least full sized when done.

I figure it can be used on a couch or as an extra at the foot of a bed if necessary. I am not sure I would do this quilt pattern again. The bias seams and the stretching has bothered me. I tried to be so careful and I feel like it is not truly square.

We wallpapered the inside of the trunk. Have you ever wallpapered the inside of a box. It took for ever to do.
It is clean and all is covered so she can store stuff on the inside without troubles.

It was a thicker wallpaper. It is designed to cover textured walls like cement and old paneling. It worked well in the application for this project.

She is coming for this on Thursday after work. I think she will be so happy with it. The first we saw it the likely hood of it being a usable trunk was questionable. But the look and the finished project was rewarding because it is a thing to look at now and can be used for several things. I think she is going to use it as a coffee table in her living room. She is into primitive and antiques so it will fit right into her decor. One man's junk is another man's treasure.
Chris

Scant 1/4 inch or 1/4 inch seams

2011-10-17T10:37:00.006-05:00

I have read on some of the quilting forums and other sites about this question of 1/4 inch. Should we use scant or a full quarter inch. Well here is the problem I have. This is the 1/4 inch foot I have for my machine. It measures a full 1/4 inch from the center of the hole to the edge of the foot. So that means unless your are a perfectionist and you have perfect stitching skills your 1/4 inch foot is just a tool to maybe sew straight.

This isn't the clearest of pictures, but the lighter thread is 1/4 inch from the edge of what I saw as the line of stitching. The blue line is 1/4 inch more after the silver thread. With the two lines of stitching I am getting a full 1/2 inch of seam allowance. If and only "IF" I sew straight.

The way to measure is to take your foot off the shank and measure from the center of the hole in your throat plate out 1/4 inch. Not all machines stitch the same and have an accurate marking for their 1/4 inch throat plate markings. Check yours. Make sure the needle is in the center needle position also.

Place your 1/4 inch pressure foot on the shank and remeasure to see if the 1/4 inch is really taken with this foot.

My machine takes a full 1/4 inch seam not a scant 1/4 inch. Some machine companies say they are a scant 1/4 inch foot. Check. Also the debate over the thread thickness is on going. If the machine markings and your foot are not accurate the thickness of the thread isn't going to matter. I have an older Pfaff and the 1/4 inch mark is off and the seam is larger than the markings. Many of the machines have parts made over seas in place we don't know about and they are all metric and the conversions are not accurate. To be sure check and recheck your machines and your feet because the proof is in the pudding. Chris

Monday tip day

2011-10-17T08:34:00.003-05:00

I hate to do dishes by hand. That is the only way for years I could get my glasses spotless. I was lurking on the blogs and websites one day and I found this listed on Dee's The Pioneer Woman site. She lives on well water as I do and I have used it ever since. I use my regular dish tabs and then I add this to the closed dispenser part in my dishwasher. It only takes about a tablespoon full and the glasses and dishes sparkle without all the liquid stuff you run out of all the time. I do not work or am I affiliated with this company I just like their product.
It is available in the big box grocery stores and now they do have a liquid to add to the dispenser in you dishwasher which I have not tried. I love this stuff. Water spots are a nasty thing to me and I really don't like them. It cleans up your baking dishes, but if you have hand painted dishes I don't recommend it. It will dissolve the paint. Some things still need to be washed by hand. My stainless flatware is sparkling also.
Tip number two. Vinegar, yes it stinks, but it is great to remove hard water deposits on chrome. It isn't harsh enough to remove the chrome, but the faucets need a touch up and it works great. Apply with a soft cloth and let sit. You will be surprised at how it eats the deposits on the faucets. It neutralizes soap build up also. So not just for your salads it works many other ways. It also disinfects surfaces after precleaning them. The smell goes away after it dries. Hope these help in your everyday life. Chris

Remember this trunk

2011-10-16T15:15:00.009-05:00

This is what we started with. Looks like an old junk trunk. We found a label that is stamped 1895 in it. After a lot of cleaning and sanding and painting it is all looking so much better.

The the final touch is the tung oil. We got a low gloss tung oil to help preserve the wood. It really is rich looking now. The strap had to be replaced and a hinge had to be replaced, but it is looking so much better.

This is what the tung oil is doing for the wood. It was old and dried out. It will lighten some when dry, but oh my what a difference

Here is the tray my husband made to put in the inside. The original was missing. He stained it and varnished it so it could be used.

It has been a challenge for him. He has Parkinson's disease and the fine trim painting was getting to him.
He is tickled that my friend is overjoyed with it. She just loves it.

This is the sky this afternoon. The wispy clouds are like cotton balls drifting in the air.

Here you can see a jet trail. We are about half way between the Moline Illinois Airport and O'Hare Airport in Chicago so we see a lot of air traffic going over head.

It rained this morning and has been off and on again sunlight the rest of the day. Chris

Finally let me upload

2011-10-16T06:57:00.002-05:00

Here is the picture of all the borders. There are 4 of them. I like the way it pulls colors out of the quilt to make it all work together.

I got to the last piece and I was 3 1/2 inches short on the black border. It is pieced, but when you cut fabric short you have to make up for the deficit. It is dark enough I don't think it will be noticed when all is done and quilted and bound. Chris

I've been busy.

2011-10-16T06:23:00.005-05:00

As you can see I have been sewing. The last border went on today. This is a picture of the third border. When I tried to upload the fourth border picture it wouldn't take so I am sorry. This is a queen sized bed so it fits well. Enough at the bottom for a pillow cover if wanted.

The last border is the same fabric as the sashing. My mom said the other day she would take it if given to her. I think this will be her Christmas gift. I do need to get backing and batting yet for it, but other than that it was all scraps other than the black sashing.

Now I have requests for three more of them. My grandkids and my step-son all like it. I will be seeing 9-patches in my sleep. Chris

Comfort

2011-10-14T12:57:00.003-05:00

Whether it is a pot of soup cooking or a nice fire, a soft chair and a warm sweater they all are some sort of comfort to you. The things I like the best is a warm quilt and a bit of hand work to sit in my chair with the fire going. This is a top that needs quilting.I am sure that it will be nice a comfy to sit with it over your legs in the blowing of the Winter months.

We live about 110 miles West of Chicago and The National weather men are saying Chicago is to have the worst weather this Winter on record. 59 inches of snow and more cold than they ever remember.Well the weather other than lake weather goes right through where I live and on to Chicago. I am trying to figure out how to have all the groceries in the house and things ready for hibernation. This next month I will have some purchases made and I will share them with you. Extra flour, Extra Sugar freezing milk and more to come. So I will add some tips I have picked up to pass along to help with the shut ins and the cold days ahead. Chris

I am having one of those days well a week this way

2011-10-14T06:55:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I got up an sewed for about an hour. I got two borders sewn on the quilt top. I am at a stand still because I am not sure of the next border I think should be cut to sew on.

I need about 6inches more to all sides to make it the size I need. The last border will be the black as in the sashing.

As I decide which to do I need to figure out how I am going to get enough energy to go out and grocery shop and mow three yards today. The weather has been a roller coaster in the last few days. With having arthritis I'm suffering greatly. I feel like I need a bath in Ben Gay. Not! I can't stand the smell.

The stress level in my life has been elevated and I am sure that is playing a roll in the way I feel. Trudge on and get something done. Grocery store first and maybe limber up.

The trunk is moving forward and I will get some pictures of it today and post later. Chris

All the top done

2011-10-12T10:34:00.002-05:00

Well I should qualify this. I still have to audition borders and there are four on this quilt. All the strips and the rows are sewn together. It is pressed and ready for the borders, but I have to look and see what fits well with the top. Gloomy day here. We are suppose to get rain so off to audition borders. Chris

Washing and cleaning day

2011-10-11T15:34:00.002-05:00

Well the sewing didn't happen. The washing and moving furniture and also cleaning was the order of business.

I washed the quilt on my bed and the sheets and the sheets in the other room. I then cleaned the kitchen area carpet and moved a tall cabinet to the kitchen and hooked up a TV in there. We ran the cable for it the other day. There are times I don't like what he is watching on TV and I have to go to a bedroom to watch another channel. This way I can do tracing of applique pieces or cutting out in the kitchen and watch something I want to watch. I think I might be a little more productive with this out there. I can have my coffee in the morning and watch the World news and then cutout while sitting there.

I have some sad news. My son came with a laundry basket yesterday and it has three quilts in it. I opened them up and they all had holes in them or major portions missing from the dog chewing. I am so upset I could just sit there and cry. These are ones I spent hours and hours on and the dog uses them for a chew toy. I told him to get rid of her and I wasn't very happy. Now I get to see if I still have fabric to repair them. One I can for sure, but one my Step-Father made several years ago and I am not sure if there is any of the fabric left. I may hold them hostage until he does something. Maybe not a good thing, but it ticks me off that it happened. He does want them fixed, but I am not sure I want him to have them back. I will get over it but it hurts after you put so many hours in to making them and this happens. Frustrated! Chris

Stitching and maybe an end soon

2011-10-10T08:19:00.005-05:00

I have been sewing long seams and getting down to the last three long seams on this top.

Seams sewn and the pressing needs to happen. Pressing as you go makes a big difference in the finished top.

I love to see the look while pressing. Each row is so different looking and the enjoyment of pressing the seams really makes me feel like I accomplished something.

I still have three rows to sew on. they are sewn to each other but the connecting strip needs to be added then the outside strips need to be added.

Your eye is moving all over the quilt to take it all in. Color is in every corner and you look away and look again and you see something you didn't see the first time. Scrap quilting is a lot of fun that way. Chris

This was my day yesterday

2011-10-09T08:02:00.009-05:00

We got up and went for milk and came home to work outside. This is what is left of 134 blocks. Every joint and muscle in my body hurts from my hips to my toe joints. If anyone has ever done work with these blocks they know they are heavy and when you handle 115 all in one day you are not having fun the next morning moving if you know what I mean.

We went around our flower beds with these blocks so we can contain the grass from creeping into the flower beds. We still have to put mulch down and that will wait until Spring so it is all done at that time.

We went all around the house flower beds with them. As we went we cut off plants getting ready for fall. In the flower beds we have landscaping cloth under some mulch and then in the Spring we can reapply the mulch to make it all look nice again.

This is the south edge of the house.

We have pines trees close and the needles have come down in the last couple days so now I have to go out and rake today. OUCH!

I think this will look nice when it is all completed.

This is the front flowerbed and it is next to the patio. I have hostas and a Smoke bush planted here. I think I will place some pots with Impatiens in them for the Spring to fill in until the plants mature.

Lots of work, but I think it will look really nice when we get it all completed. The big expense is the mulch. We can purchase about 100 bags and I don't think it will be enough. Today is the raking as I said and I am sure I will fall into bed again tonight. Nice weather is slipping away fast here. Chris

Half the top is sewn together

2011-10-08T06:36:00.005-05:00

I have been busy. I have been laying landscaping blocks and I woke up early because I hurt so bad from all the lifting. so I went in and started sewing rows together. Now I am at a point I need to cut more sashing and corner stones to make more sashing rows. Half of the top is sewn together now and I need to get this one done. I really need to get more machine quilting done for the Christmas gifts. I always say I am going to start earlier every year and I get farther behind. I would like to be somewhat pointed in the right direction this year. LOL Chris

Merrily sewing today

2011-10-06T07:05:00.002-05:00

Finally getting to the point it is all coming together. I have all the blocks made and stitched into rows. Now the rows are coming together and it will be a quilt before you know it. As you can see all the corners and seams are meeting up. Hope it stays that way. Scraps are very pleasing in this quilt pattern.

I thought about doing this with a white sashing and 30's prints. I think that would be interesting also. Back to my sewing. Chris

This is the latest project

2011-10-04T06:05:00.004-05:00

We have a friend that is into antiques. She purchased this trunk at a flea market. It had mildewed canvas on the wood and was in kinda rough shape when she bought it. It was missing the tray in the inside and the bottom of the trunk was really rotted thin. We made a tray to fit in it and also a piece of wood was put in the bottom to make it more stable so it can be used.

I used a Scotchbrite pad and cleaned off the mildew and the glue from the canvas. Roughed up the rust on the straps and the corners and hinges of the trunk. I sneezed and was stuffed up for two days after all the work on it. Now need to go out and work on the inside and also take a bucket of water and mild bleach and wipe it all down. We are going to tung oil the wood parts and use flat black paint on the metal parts. The inside will get a free start with wallpaper.

She is going to use it in a bedroom to hold extra blankets. Have to make it as clean as can be, but not get rid of the over all old look. Found a label on the inside that said it was made in 1892. Hey it is older than I am. LOL

The nice thing about this one is a glass top could be set on it and used as a coffee table if she wants to. I will take pictures when done. I get involved in more odd things. No wonder I don't get any sewing done. Chris

Sewing Junkie

I want Spring

Not sure of my sanity

Maybe creative

Creative

What to do with leftover polar fleece

Progress in piecing

Monday Tip a couple days late for me?

Where has the week gone?

New light fixtures

Followup on Monday's Tip

Monday Tip

I am not sure

Yes I am Certifiable

Who would have thought

Ok Ok I am really crazy and I have been up since 3:30am

Progress being made

20 blocks made

Ok I am Guilty

Sorting and found Odds and Ends

Saturday night no place to go and no energy to do it anyway.

Up early waiting for the storm

My Mother the enabler

Monday Tip

1 1/4 inch strips

Over my head

Overwhelmed with scraps

500th post

Been thinking and the shame of it all.

Sewing off and on

Using orphan blocks

Monday tip on Tuesday

We are old and we stay home for New Years Eve

The last few days of the year

This is my method of applique

What did you get for Christmas?

Phew that is over with

Just a Few More Hours to Go

Blue and Green

I'm Done, I'm Done

Machine quilting will be done by 7am tomorrow

Headache still here but some sewing was done

Migraine Day

OUCH!!!!!

All ripped out after 6 hours of cursing

Frustrated

#3 is done but the washing

Deadlines scare me

Hard to see in the picture

Another Blah gray day

Monday Tip

What is Christmas in Your life?

Top done and backing pieced all ready

Are you Ready?

Row top almost done

Monday Tip Leftovers

Another top done

Talking over the pie

Prep and Cleaning day

Happy Thanksgiving

Monday tip

No I am not Ready!!!

Are you Ready????

Wall Crawler Quilt

Been Busy Quilting

The latest wood project

Thinking

A Twin Top Done

Borders

Monday Tip

Big blocks for me

Done, Done, Done!

In the house and in place

Last of the color

Pictures of the new TV Cabinet

November 1st OMGosh where has this year gone??

Monday tip on Sunday Night, Hey I was quilting

Got some inspiration

Do I have the discipline to do this

2fer