Sunday Evening QuiltCam!

Another evening spent working on those (*&@#$(*& Nearly Completely Insane Zig Zag border units!

Do you have something to work on too? A binding? Some cutting out? Some straightening up of the cutting table and clearing of the ironing board so you can find it?

Why not come and join me!

I'll stop and scan the comments below and answer your questions as I go along. I can't answer them all, or I wouldn't get ANY sewing done, but I'll read them randomly and we'll have a really good time!

I'm going to leave the QuiltCam up for about an hour or so----

*Note* If it says OFFLINE below -- you missed it! It's live streaming, not a recording, so you can't play it back like re-runs, you'll just have to join us next time!

Wanna join me?

Click Below!

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Kitty in Camo!

I’ve noticed that Emmy Lou will often be seen coming UP from the basement, but I could never see where she was hiding when she was down here.

Her usual favorite spot, on top of a box in the corner – has been vacant for some time.

She loves dark secluded places.

She is a “Solo Cat” which means she doesn’t like to be around other cats AT ALL and she loves to be off somewhere by herself.

Before our other cat Oscar passed away, her favorite spot was upstairs underneath the guest room bed.

Since Oscar has been gone, she has really come into her own and is much more social in letting us pet her, and she meows back in conversation when you talk to her. She is just HAPPY to the one and only inside cat.

So that brings me to THIS picture…

This is a photo of part of my stash storage ---the wall of “What was I thinking” fabrics. The novelties, the juveniles, the Christmas, some batiks, and a lot of backings with potential. Sorry, it's kind of a mess, but I'd rather sew than straighten in my time home!

In this walk in closet-room are also my rolls of batting, my collection of baskets that aren’t being used, many of my sewing machines on shelves and other quilt paraphernalia.

Yesterday while sitting at my desktop computer, I looked over, and I saw her go into this room. And she didn’t come out.

Take a good look at the picture at the top of this post…do you see her?

Check Closer!

My smart grey striped Tabby has picked the bottom Grey/Black cubbty as her new hiding spot. It’s Kitty in Camo! You can’t see her in here unless you get down on your hands and knees….and LOOK at that piece of black fabric she is on? Eeeeuuurrrghghg!

I’m fine with her nesting there, but I think I need to find a towel to put down over the fabric so she doesn’t make it any worse!

Pondering The Blocks!

In my antique wanderings the other day, I found some treasures that left me wondering about what will happen to MY UFOs 100 years from now.

I think quilters have always had UFOs…whether they be tops, or blocks that are not yet set together, or even blocks that are just basted and prepped, but the applique has not yet begun.

Why these projects get waylaid we all can guess, because it happens to ALL of us.

Sometimes we lose interest.

Sometimes something with a deadline ((A baby quilt, a marriage gift, a healing quilt, etc)) sneak in and things go onto the back burner never to see the light of day again!

I found the most awesome blocks….and I wondered about their makers!

This picture is of a prepped applique block that is completely cut out of VELVET and basted to a muslin foundation. No stitching has begun yet ---I’m not sure how they appliqued velvet, but in my mind I’m seeing this done with a close buttonhole stitch…it doesn’t look like she’s left room for needle-turning under a seam allowance to applique.

The velvet was still so soft to the touch!

Here is the whole block!

I love those bright green velvet grapes or berries that are falling out the right side of the pot! WHY did she not finish this?

This is the second velvet block.

Look at that awesome basket! It’s all basted and ready to go!

I do love the mystery, even if the mystery is never solved. Who was this quilter? We will never know because the price said “two unfinished quilt blocks” and that was IT.

More Blocks!

Along with the velvet beauties was a stack of “Pennsylvania Dutch” applique blocks in a set. There were 10 of them in the set. I was awestruck as I turned the block over to look at the miniscule stitching of the applique. This was one skilled needlewoman!

There were duplicates of blocks, not all 10 are different. The tan fabric is the same in all. I don’t know if it was once green, or if this is the original color. I couldn’t see any crocking or bleeding and these blocks have not been washed I don’t think.

I loved this one! I loved the fact that I could see where her red from under the tulips shadows through the light pink on top of it…it makes it look shaded! Of course, the blue/cheddar ones scream at me too.

OH! Be still my heart!!!

A heart wreath with berries! Is this not gorgeous? So the question arises again ---what happened in these quilter’s lives that their beautiful handwork never became a finished quilt?

We’ll never know ---but it makes me want to finish MORE of the ones I’ve started so someone doesn’t have to sit and speculate on MY UFOs!

It poured last night, and it’s still raining outside now. I don’t know if the drive to the mountains is on for today or not.

And for those asking about a heads up on QuiltCam, or doing it at a set time ---I’m sorry, but my life doesn’t work “on-demand” like that. I honestly don’t know when my day’s work will be done so I have time to sit at the machine, or do I know how long I’ll be able to sit at the machine.

I love doing it ---but it has to work on my schedule if it is going to happen at all. I can’t say that “QuiltCam will be on at 7pm eastern time zone” That just doesn’t work with my life at all. Thank you for understanding that!

Saturday Evening QuiltCam Time!

I'm still working on those (*&@#$(*& Nearly Completely Insane Zig Zag border units!

Do you have something to work on too? A binding? Some cutting out? Some straightening up of the cutting table and clearing of the ironing board so you can find it?

Why not come and join me!

I'll stop and scan the comments below and answer your questions as I go along. I can't answer them all, or I wouldn't get ANY sewing done, but I'll read them randomly and we'll have a really good time!

I'm going to leave the QuiltCam up for about an hour or so----

*Note* If it says OFFLINE below -- you missed it! It's live streaming, not a recording, so you can't play it back like re-runs, you'll just have to join us next time!

Wanna join me?

Click Below!

Live Video app for Facebook by Ustream

iPhone-o-gram! One more for the road!

Just one more!

I am so not used to big chunky pieces but I am envisioning this set with the sold red sashings and cornerstones like the antique quilt that inspired it and quilt it up in big stitch with pearl cotton!

Big baptist fans, anyone!?

DH and I are headed out to dinner and some last minute errand running. Turns out what I thought was a travel converter for electric items is only an adapter--not the same thing!

It may be too late for QuiltCam by the time I get back, but we'll see!

Tomorrow may be busy too---he's talking about running up to the mountains for the day and since I'll be gone for 12 days I feel I should go too!

Off I go!

It’s a Guilford County block!

I got my errands done this morning, including two trips to the post office to make sure everyone’s books get out!

There is a notice on the website now, and on the book ordering pages that any book orders that come in between August 19th ((tomorrow)) and September 2nd will be sent out in the order that they were received upon my return from Bali.

That left me some play time this afternoon and I just…well..I just…..

I just had to MAKE ONE!

I really loved this quilt at the antique mall, but I don’t have room for it, and I bought Doris instead --- so I made a test block..sewing along with Doris!

I also think this block would look awesome in the more modern fabrics because it is so big and chunky!

When I first looked at this block I thought of it as an uneven 9 patch with a square in a square in the center.

But if you look at it closer…the center is actually a “King’s Crown” type of block on point in the middle with pieced corners sewn on.

I drafted it in a 12” finished size…which STILL seems huge to me, but it is in keeping with the feel of the original quilt--- so hey!

Maybe I’ll try it in an 8” Maybe I’ll go down to 6”?

The one thing I wanted to be sure I did was work it in a size that used as many “easy to cut” normal sized strips as possible.

And this is what I’ve come up with. I used a solid that was more gold than orange –I had maybe a yard of it, so we’ll see how far it will get me!

For printer friendly version, CLICK HERE!

For one block cut:

From Cheddar cut:

(4) 3-1/2” squares

(4) half-square triangles from a 3-1/2” strip using the 3-1/2” line on the easy angle ruler. ((OR—(2) 3 7/8” squares cut once on the diagonal to yield 4 triangles))

(4) 2-5/8” squares

From Blue cut:

(8) half-square triangles from a 3-1/2” strip using the 3-1/2” line on the easy angle ruler. ((OR—(4) 3 7/8” squares cut once on the diagonal to yield 8 triangles))

(8) quarter square triangles cut from 2” strips using the companion angle ruler and the 2” line on the ruler. (( OR--- (2) 4-1/4” squares cut with an X to yield 8 quarter square triangles.

The photo above looks like there are 4 -- but there are 4 pairs totaling 8 triangles above!

(1) 4-3/4” square

Inner Block!

Flying Geese units:

Use 4 of the cheddar half square triangles and the 8 quarter square triangles to make 4 flying geese units. Press seams toward the blue fabric.

These will be odd sized and measure 2 5/8” X 4 3/4”. Be careful in handling and pressing as there will be bias on ALL EDGES. Starching before cutting can help you here. They are cut this way so that the straight of grain will go with the edge of the block when the pieced corners are added.

Arrange units as shown in photo above and stitch the inner block. Press.

Pieced Corners!

Following diagram above, make 4 pieced corners by sewing the blue half square triangles to two sides of the (4) 3-1/2” squares. Press seams toward the wing triangles.

Block Assembly!

Add the 4 pieced corner triangles to the block. I like to add one triangle, and then add the triangle on the opposite side. ((Think 9 o’clock & 3 o’clock!)) and then press carefully. Trim dog ears and add the remaining two corners in the same manner. Press.

Block should measure 12-1/2” at this point and finish at 12” in the quilt.

Guilford County! Tada!

More Cheddar—More Better!!

I found this AWESOME quilt in the same antique place that I found Doris. It was in “ehhhh” shape, there were some badly worn areas and some really badly stained places. It’s not the kind of quilt I would want to risk washing – but OH the fabrics in it!

It’s a very heavy quilt, made to be warm through the winters. Batting is either cotton or wool…..

The quilting is simple, but --- did I mention THE FABRICS?!

The blocks are rather large….and I love the pattern! Will this be the next Cheddar Quilt on my to-do list? It just might be! I love everything about it. The red sashings, the indigos and other dress prints used..and of course..that golden cheddar is just calling to me to beat the band!

Oh, SO YUMMY!!

I see diamonds quilted in the sashings..the other patches are outlined not quite 1/4” from the edge of each patch, and large squares are then further anchored with an X of quilting stitches.

I had to find a place to lay out out! Layout space is hard to come by in an antique mall with rows of cram packed booths. The corners are rounded, the outer sashing strip on the left narrower than the others.

See my hand? That should give you an idea on the size of these blocks.

At least 16”

But Oh, Oh ---The INDIGO!!

A couple more blocks. This quilt SINGS!!

Bottom Left Corner.

You can see the bad staining going on…who knows how long this was stored ---it doesn’t necessarily look like it was used and washed a lot – I have a feeling it was packed away somewhere it got wet.

The backing is a hand dyed cotton…and this could also be what migrated to the front…the dye from the brown backing. I do love how the quilting detail shows up on the back side, don’t you?

This was not a quilt that came home with me. The price was too high, and it was either the quilt, or Doris. And I chose to bring Doris home instead.

Still, it’s a wonderful quilt and I’d love to recreate this…maybe not in a 16” block…but my mind is working on it!

Join Me on QuiltCam!

I'm tackling that dreadfully boring zig-zag border for my Nearly Completely Insane quilt this evening!

I'm turning on the QuiltCam for about an hour or so, in case you want to grab a project and come sew along with me.

*Note* If it says OFFLINE below -- you missed it! It's live streaming, not a recording, so you can't play it back like re-runs, you'll just have to join us next time!

Wanna join me?

Click Below!

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Early Evening Edition: Free Kindle Book!

I’m writing posts ahead for while I’m gone.

Sometimes it can be mind numbing type type typing – but I think you’ll like what I have in store for you while I’m out of the country…..so from the time I arrived home after putting myself behind the wheel of the RIGHT Shamu, on the LEFT ((HA!)) I have been sitting here at my desk working on those, answering emails, updating the online calendar for workshops henceforth and what seems like forever!

I just took a breather to find this!

Hidden in the Shadows by T. L. Haddix is free today in the Amazon Kindle Store!

Genre: Mystery/Romance.

Book Description:

Even the good guys sometimes have secrets they don’t want revealed to the rest of the world….

For thirty years, Wyatt Dixon had worn a badge. Sworn to protect and serve, he’d done just that for the people of Olman County, Indiana. He’d even sacrificed his first marriage on the altar of the office of Sheriff. But then the blackmail letter came… And everything he’d worked so hard to build threatened to crumble around him.

Wyatt wasn’t the only one to receive a letter, either…

Fighting a deep attraction to a woman he should know better than to become involved with, Wyatt’s professional frustration also grows as the investigation is thwarted at every turn by a master extortionist who has the citizens of Olman County, Indiana, in an uproar.

With decisions to make that will affect his life and the sheriff’s department for a long time to come, Wyatt has to choose – to reach for personal happiness and risk it all, or to walk away from what could be his soul mate.

Come to Leroy, and see just how dangerous small-town living can be.

Hidden in the Shadows is the fourth book in the Shadows Collection, standalone Romantic Suspense novels by T. L. Haddix. Other titles include Secrets in the Shadows , Under the Moon’s Shadow , and Shadows from the Grave .

If I get the rest of this stuff DONE – I can QuiltCam!

Back to the grind ----

iPhone-o-Gram! One Shamu, Two Shamu!

After a terrific lunch on the patio at The Loop Grill in Kernersville, I headed for some much needed stuff at Target.

Okay--and some much un-needed stuff too, but certain clothing racks were as much as 70% off on clearance!

And when this girl can find casual pants that are long enough for tall people, and in terrific colors, and they fit well---I buy them. One of each color available!!

On my way out to the car I found myself trying to get into the wrong Shamu!!

This has never happened to me before---I'm glad no one was watching! Lol!

I'm planning on turning on QuiltCam this evening but I have stuff to finish up first so not sure when that will fit in. It's too hard to do it on schedule. It is what it is---Que Sera, Sera!

Hello, Doris!

We brainstormed last night while on QuiltCam just what to name my new little machine!

She’s a 1957 girl! And that proved interesting. When I looked up the popular names for that era, all I came up with was “normal” stuff like Debbie, Cathy, Jo Anne, Cindy – These are names from my own childhood era because I was born not much later in 1962!

We looked up movie star names popular in that era….we looked up music and singers popular to that year.

We had it narrowed down between Polly, Tammy, Jo Anne, and Doris!

Doris Day sang “Que Sera, Sera” in 1957

This morning when I woke up the name Doris had really stuck with me! It’s perfect for her! Doris it is!

I'm still pretty knocked out on those muscle relaxers by the way – HOLY COW!! It was after 9am when I woke up and I still feel like I’m stuffed head to toe full of cotton wadding!

She didn’t come with a full load of accessories..but I do have her manual and a tube of lubricant that is so old I dare not open it!

I love the photos in her manual!

She has a KEY!

when I was showing her off last night on QuiltCam --- how fun! We had 357 people at one point! ((My son Jason pinged me on the cell phone and said “357?!? PEOPLE!?”)) I mentioned WHY I bought her. Since my Magenta baby died in that awful baggage mishandling fiasco, I have been on the look out for one that was worn out and ugly enough to repaint. The price limit in my head was “no more than $200”. I found this one in a booth in the antique mall with a sign that said 20% off EVERYTHING. That put the price on Doris under $200.

The only problem is –she is too perfect! She is in gorgeous condition as it is, and I’m not going to repaint a machine in this good of shape!

And maybe I’ve found myself OVER wanting a souped up machine. Maybe what’s important is what’s on the inside – just like our mothers always told us. Or maybe ---I just need to wait until I cross paths with an already painted machine at a show and let it call to me that it needs to come home.

Whatever it is, I’m in no hurry to HAVE a painted one anymore.

This morning I woke up with THESE lyrics in my head from Bad, Bad Leroy Brown:

"Well, Friday 'bout a week ago,Leroy shootin' dice. And at the edge of the bar Sat a girl named Doris. And, oh that girl looked nice"

Doris and I are bonding just fine!

QuiltCam Time! She's a 1957!

I'm sewing on my new baby! I have photos to show of her tomorrow, but if you want to come see, and may be get in a bit of evening sewing in, I'm going to be working on my scrappy 9 patches and answering some questions live on QuiltCam!

*Note* If it says OFFLINE below -- you missed it! It's live streaming, not a recording, so you can't play it back like re-runs, you'll just have to join us next time!

Wanna join me?

Click Below!

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iPhone-o-gram! Oh yes, I did!!

Any guesses what is in this black boxy case??

:-D

iPhone-o-gram! Some time for THIS!

My errands this morning gave me enough time in the middle to wander!

Look what I see!

No, I didn't buy the machine but I love its color!

The Donny Osmond album is one I had as a pre-teen! Oh this takes me back!

Nothing is coming home with me but pictures this trip---and that's ok too!

North Carolina Harvest Time!

I’ve posted about the Tobacco growing and harvesting that happens in my corner of Wallburg, NC each year. The first time I saw Tobacco growing was about 4 years go – the first year we lived here. The whole process is fascinating to me. And yes, I know there are lots of feelings from all over the globe about how “terrible” it is that North Carolina still grows something as vile as Tobacco --- but you have to understand how deep rooted this crop is here and how tied to history it is.

I don’t smoke. I can’t stand it --- but the history is as real as real can be.

“In North Carolina, tobacco growing developed a long and rich history that spanned almost three centuries. Sir Walter Raleigh was the first explorer to bring the leaf to Europe, and in later decades before the American Revolution, settlers in Carolina grew tobacco with moderate success along the Atlantic coastline. In the 1880’s, however, a new tobacco boom occurred in the state when Washington Duke introduced mass-production techniques in cigarette manufacturing. From then until 2001, tobacco growing and manufacturing were the largest source of income for North Carolina.”

It’s been a way of life for close to 300 years. It’s provided for families through good times and bad. And I love this photo of these women preparing the harvest for drying and curing! All over North Carolina you will find the remains of tobacco barns dotting the countryside. Some still in use, some fallen into decades of disrepair and crumbling into non-existence.

These are some pictures I took of the fields around my house.

Little by little these fields are giving way to other crops, as progress marches on and fewer and fewer farmers are making a living from growing tobacco.

The green leaves are turning yellow as harvest time approaches. The North Carolina heat and humidity and yearly average rainfall provide for these crops, and they’ve thrived here for generations.

The planting, grooming, and leaf removal are all done plant by plant, by workers and knives, the way it has been done for as far back as tobacco has been grown here. I love the view of the house far in the back corner of the photo. Their view? Green tobacco, as far as the eye can see.

The plants stand about waist high at this point…..my favorite part of the harvest is the “tobacco wagons” that connect to each other much like train cars --- two or three wagons being pulled behind pick up trucks laden with leaves ready for curing and drying. I know summer is almost over when I hear the rumble and jumble of the tobacco wagons being pulled down the road past my house to the drying facility beyond.

Another summer drawing to a close!

It’s been a good one, hasn’t it?