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Monday, September 30, 2013

Design Wall Monday & Twist to the 60s with Batiks Hop

I taught an all day quilt class on Saturday and spent all day Sunday sewing. It was a great weekend! 

There are some hints in this picture :)

Some of the projects I won't share until later this week and some I can't share until Friday when it's my day on the Batiks Hop! I hope I get it done in time!

He is NOT as innocent as he looks! Little devil child!
 I also officially caved and adopted The Introoder...that only took 3 months! That makes his Gotcha Day 9/28/13! He about drove me crazy yesterday with his lack of indoor manners but he follows me around and butters me up enough to eventually make up for what he did. The girls aren't super happy but things are improving every day. We'll do his official debut and renaming after the batik hop is over...

Don't forget to check out today's hoppers!

Seams To Be Sew
Words and Stitches
Banks of Frog Creek
Quilted Delights

Friday, September 27, 2013

Feline Friday & Batik Hop Day #3

Yes, Momma, I'm ignoring you.

-You spent over an hour playing with fabric this morning...again.
-You checked the porch several times for The Introoder cuz you wanted to announce his new name. How did that work out for you?
-You held me and tried to get me to sit next to the warm space heater.

But all I wanted today (and really every day!) was an *entire* bag of treats and nothing less will do!

Go on and announce todays Batik Hoppers.


We'll have this convo again when you finally get home from job#2...




Thursday, September 26, 2013

Let's Twist to the 60s with Batiks - Day 2

Goodness where has the day gotten too??
Hmmm...wonder what colors these are?

Thanks to "life", I just hadn't been very inspired to start a project for this hop until yesterday. I finally decided what I wanted to aim for so I doodled it up in EQ7 and cut the batiks. Now we'll just have to see how it translates into fabric :) I'm still out of my league but now I'm having fun. Wish me luck!

Don't forget to check out these other chickies and their creations!


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Let's Twist to the 60s with Batiks

Today is day #1 of another wonderful Blog Hop hosted by Sew We Quilt. I'm pretty much out of my league with this hop but with my love of batiks I had to give it a try. The hop runs until next Friday, which is my day to post, so be sure to stop back daily to get the links to some wonderful 1960s batik projects!

Today's groovy bloggers are:
Beaquilter
Patchouli Moon Studio
I Piece 2-Mary

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

I think Owl make another one...

Did y'all miss me over the weekend?
Probably not but that's ok cuz I was back in the ADK Mountains for one last trip this year!


The weather was pretty chilly with lows around 40 and yesterday's high of only 45F so it was perfect to huddle around a campfire or go moss hunting in the woods. The trees were gorgeous shades of red this year but my camera never left my duffel. I was having too much fun looking at the colors than stressing over why my camera just can't get the colors quite right. We went to an antique show on Saturday but since I got home late last night the goodies are still in my car - we'll do photos later this week.

Instead, I'm sharing yet more Owl blocks... imagine that?!

I'm loving the multiple strips and how the similar blue and brown fabrics are playing on each other.


Friday, September 20, 2013

Feline Friday - 9/20/13


A. Yes, we did have a frost Monday night but it's now warm enough to open the windows again.
B. I have my annual fall allergies/cold (see A)...Momma gave me medicine.
C. I'm still miserable and not eating well (see B).
D. I still can't find my brother (see C).
E. The Introoder is still outside...which is where he belongs, except I feel bad for him (see A).

Next week has got to be better...




Thursday, September 19, 2013

Guild Secret Sister

My monthly quilt guild meeting was this past Tuesday. Our speaker wasn't able to make it so my quilting friend Kelly, taught us how to do Zentangle, which is essentially structured doodling. I wasn't prepared to take photos but maybe I can share our samples another day. She had a great sample of Zentangle done in hexie shapes. You know I want to replicate that is some fashion!

I am most interested in Zentangle because of the quilting aspects. In fact, some of the quilting on my recent "Walkabout" quilt was Zentangle-ish - altho I found out I did it backwards. Who knew there was a right and wrong way to swirl?! I checked all my blog pictures on the quilt and none of them show the quilting well because I used black thread on a black and orange quilt. Silly me.

Anyway...on to Secret Sister gifts! The first thing I noticed was the gift bag was from a store in Old Forge, a town in the Adirondack Mts. It's probably one of the few stores I have not yet been to, given how many trips to the ADK I make every summer :)

This cute stuffed cat was my gift. Isn't he just adorable??!! He's got a fluffy tuft on his head and he's holding a bat. If only my Secret Sis knew I had a thing against bats - they used to get in to the house when I first moved in. This guy, however, is stuffed and fluffy so we are ok :)

I also received these great charm squares. I am debating to save these for a birthday project or not. Our hexie club gives each birthday girl basted hexies in her fav color and I am planning to use mine to make a pillow similar to this one from Pinterest. I could always use more purples!



Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

 
Hi Auntie Sarah - where we going?

 
Don't cha just love sunshine in the fall?
Yes Shaggy but I also love your curls!

 
Me too but I'm glad you're taking me to the groomer! I'm so excited to see again!
You're my favorite Auntie Sarah!
 

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

HeLP for Hexie-aholics!

Hello and welcome to HeLP for Hexie-aholics - a monthly linky party for anything hexie. Yes, that means all EPP shapes and projects of any vintage.


Today I thought I would share my method for putting together a rose star block. It's probably nothing earth shattering but some people "struggle" with the different shapes and I have figured out the best path for me to use the least number of threads for whip stitching. Assume you will baste pieces and cut off the thread, unless stated otherwise.

Let me first tell you that I do not baste thru the papers and my basting and stitching is all done with the same thread (a pale yellow Bottom Line). I also don't knot my threads - a couple or 3 tack stitches on top of each other does the job. I also advocate for tiny binder clips to hold your fabric steady while you are basting - I get mine at Walmart. Lastly, be sure to punch a hole in all of your papers so they are easier to get out when the piece is done.

The rose star consists of 31 pieces: 1 hexagon, 18 kites and 12 hexie-thirds. I'm using 2" pieces from paperpieces.com.


I start with basting the hexagon and because of the size I use 3 binder clips.


Next I baste the 6 inner hexie-thirds. I use 2 clips and start basting at the bottom right corner, finishing at the bottom left corner. Because the top 2 sides are a little longer, I just catch the needle/thread into a smidge of the fabric, that way the thread isn't waving about.


Next I whip stitch the 6 thirds around the hexie, "travelling" the thread on the short sides to eliminate starting and stopping threads.


Now I baste 2 more outer hexie-thirds, 2 inner kites and 1 outer kite. I again use 2 clips for the kites but start basting in the upper right corner, finishing at the point and catching the needle/thread into the fabric on the long side. I try to plan my basting so that I am basting the last inner kite using a long thread and don't cut the thread. Don't worry about the "dog ears" at the point of the kite - they will be on the back side of the star and will nest together.


Lay out the 3 kites and 2 thirds as shown. Using the basting thread from the last kite, whip stitch the pieces together and do not cut the thread from the last side. Using the same thread it can now be stitched to any side of the center. Repeat twice, sewing to every other side of the center hexie.


Now lay out 2 inner and 1 outer kites, assembling in a similar manner. The thread will end at the side of the triangle allowing you to stitch to a hexie-third in the spaces left from the previous step.


Oops...before I forget. This is what the back looks like where the dog ears are nesting with each other. When I am whip stitching kites I just tuck the dog ear out of the way to do the stitches and then let it fall back in to place.


And here are the blocks that I have finished so far. I have a 12th in progress and 3 more ready to fussy cut. I still need to play with color placement and decide how many stars to make. I have a feeling I'm going to make stars until I run out of fabric :)


All right friends - it's time to share your hexie projects! Please remember to link to a specific post and not your blog in general. Ask for help if you need it. Non-hexie links will be deleted.



Monday, September 16, 2013

Design Wall Monday - 9/16/13

I've finished one rose star...


and started another!


See y'all tomorrow for our monthly Hexie Linky Party. HeLP is to share hexie projects new and old. I'll be sharing all my rose star blocks so far...what will you share?


Friday, September 13, 2013

Feline Friday - 9/13/13

RIP Pepper
8/12/02 - 9/9/13





Thursday, September 12, 2013

Yikes ... Stripes!

I'm having fun playing with stripes!



Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Design Wall Monday on Tuesday

Life has yet to get back to "normal" now that summer is over but this was another rose star that I was able to finish over the weekend.


I layed out the finished stars Sunday (I'll share next week for Hexie Linky Party!) and think I'd like to make the project bigger since it's currently not bigger than a wall hanging. Then again...maybe that's enough. I'll decide eventually, but not this week...it's been a rough one...


Friday, September 06, 2013

Feline Friday - 9/6/13


Momma - it was cold outside last night...do you think The Introoder had a warm place to sleep? He hasn't come to get his morning snuggle yet today and you need to go to work...


Momma - it's cold inside - do you think you should have closed the windows?


Momma - Forget those two whiners, I don't see any more treats in my box!







Thursday, September 05, 2013

One more Fair post

I know this is loooong overdue but things got off schedule with the hexie hop. We'll get back to quilting and current events next week :^)


Make sure you start with the Antiques Division. Mom and Dad run the building and apparently in just a few more years it's mine to take over. Yikes! Dad also helps with the antique engines outside. This is a restored sawmill.


4-H is a very large part of our local county and the Fair - the kids can enter exhibits in a wide variety of categories and have their own building for those exhibits, including a special area for exhibits being sent to the State Fair. On the day I took pictures it was Dairy Day and there was free ice cream!


Animals are also a large part of the 4-H program and there are plenty to look at: rabbits, pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, horses and cows. We are a dairy county with more cows than people!


Don't forget to check the produce section since we like our veggie gardens and canned goods!


After looking at exhibits, it's time to cruise the midway. Take advantage of a ride or two with the kiddos (they can buy a pay-one-price wrist band and supervising adults ride free!) and then find something to eat. If you can't find *something* to eat you didn't look very hard :) My personal favorite? Elephant ears and black and white milkshakes!



Wednesday, September 04, 2013

Hexie UFO sightings

I also made time to work on hexies over the long weekend...you knew I would, right?!


First order of business was this little table topper. I had made the hexie puzzle section with rainbow batiks to show some students that you didn't have to make a large quilt to try the pattern. I pulled out the papers and opened up the outer seam allowances, spray basted it to batting and a perfectly matched batik. I used a stencil for the quilting design and machine sewed the binding on. I need a travel project for a meeting tomorrow night - binding is perfect!


My next project was to finish up this rose for my owl project. I have another one cut out that I will work on at Hexie Night this Friday. I'll try to cut out the (last?) 2 roses this weekend. I'll be on ambulance standby for 4 hours at the local football games Sunday and I'll need something to do...


I also worked on my hexie puzzle project for quite a while. I finished up the last 3 stars that I need and worked at adding in the 2" solid hexies. I think Midgie gives her approval. I'm sure she wants a treat for posing so nicely.


My last project was this little kit from my guild secret sister! It worked up quick and easy and there is no binding - I just need to decide how to quilt it. Thank you secret sis!




Tuesday, September 03, 2013

UFO Sightings

I hope y'all had a great Labor Day weekend! I know I did!

As much as I had planned to do lots of house and yard work over the long weekend, the expected thunder storms and the jelly arms after trimming the (stupid) shrubs plus chores from my 2nd (school tax collector) and 3rd (LQS) jobs made me a lazy girl!

I did however declare Sunday and Monday as UFO days!!!


The first UFO completed on Sunday was my 2012 Quiltville Mystery Easy Street. I'm not sure why but I always seem to stall at the borders - and these were easy non-pieced borders. Either way the top is now done. I added the top to the "needs a pieced back" pile - I just wasn't into piecing a back at the time.

I also worked on another UFO yesterday. Again, I had stalled on the borders except this time I only had to add a 13" piece to 2 opposite corners. Must have taken me all of 20 minutes to finish...good grief.


I then pieced the back from the leftover fabrics, made the binding (lime green!), folded the larger chunks for the stash and trimmed the bits for the scrap/strip bins. I managed to clean out a drawer! It was such a good feeling. Now I just have to trim up a batting and this quilt will be sandwiched at our next Sandwich Club meeting in October.

Tomorrow I'll share the hexies I worked on and a new little project I treated myself to :^)