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Friday, October 31, 2014

Feline Friday - 10/31/14

Hello Midgie here!!
Does your Momma know anyone famous? Noooooo, I'm not talking about her or even him...I mean someone really famous.

Momma knows this lady named Katja (I know - pretty name, right??!!) who just published a book named "The New Hexagon." Thing is, Momma got to participate in this project when it was a block of the week from Katja's store. Momma was one of the furthest-est away participants cuz Katja's store is all the way on the other side of Canada. I didn't say Momma finished the project, just that she participated...
 
Momma says that Katja named all the blocks and one of them has Momma's name.
Can you guess which one?? It's prettier in person but there was no sunlight for pictures this morning...

Momma knows another lady named Margaret who is actually giving away a copy of The New Hexagon starting today!!! You should go over there right now and put your name in fur the book. You have until next Friday to enter but I hope that Momma wins. Bwahahahah.

 
I had a little costume malfunction today with Momma's hat so I let my favorite sissy wear it. 

Happy Halloween!




Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Almost Wordless Wednesday @ quilt retreat

Busy at Work
 
Shuffling thru crispy leaves


View across Camp Asbury and Silver Lake

Monday, October 27, 2014

T is for Tyler tutorial

Last week when I showed my T is for Tyler update there was some interest in a tutorial...

This is a 2 color project so gather up some fabric - I can't exactly tell you how much since I modified the directions I found in an old book and I've just been winging my project so far. I know, kinda useless info but I trust you can deal with it.

We are going to start by making "strata" or strip sets. For the sake of the example, lets cut 4 of each which would be a total of 16 strips. You can make wider strata if your cutting board can accommodate the later steps, just remember to work in even numbers of pairs.
  • From the dark fabric cut an even number of 4" and 3.25" strips.
  • From the light fabric cut an even number of 4" and 3.25" strips.
 Separate them as follows:
  1. 4" light strips are piled with the 3.25" dark 
  2. 4" dark strips are piled with the 3.25" light
Starting with pile #1, sew the strips together so the colors/sizes alternate. Press towards the dark.
Repeat with pile #2, still pressing towards the dark. I find it's best to put all the wider selvages together on the same end, making it easier to trim later. Each strata will consist of 8 strips.

Fold the strata in half with right sides together and trim the selvages off. Your cut should be perpendicular to the center/folded seam.

From the remainder of your strata you need to cut 4.75" strips. I was able to get 9 from each strata.

The original directions had a template to trace and attach to a clear ruler but I was keen enough to notice that the template was pretty much the same as my Companion Angle (CA) ruler. woohoo.

Back to pile/strata #1 ... lay one strata strip in front of you so that the 4" light piece is on the left. Using your CA, line up the "4.75" dotted line found in the middle of the ruler with the bottom edge of the fabric and center the tip in the middle of the first 3.25" dark piece. The blunted tip should line up with the top edge of the fabric. Trim on both sides of the triangle and save the piece you trimmed from the left - I figured out a way to reuse it!! As with when we normally use the CA, flip the ruler 180 degrees and trim another triangle centered on the dark piece with the blunt tip close to you. You'll have a bias scrap piece between each triangle that is about 1" wide. Keep rotating the ruler across the strata to cut a total of 3 triangles.

Repeat for pile/strata #2 centering over the light fabrics.

Once you get across the strata you'll have a right most piece that looks kinda large. However, if you sew the first piece you trimmed to the last, it's big enough to cut another triangle from!

I use the large number 2 on each side of the ruler to center it in the light space

Remember how I said that you should make the strata in even numbered pairs? I learned the hard way by making a strata with just 3 pairs that the first and last chunks don't fit together so I made another pair, cut it into 4.75" sections and sewed it between the 2 pieces, allowing me to cut 2 more triangles.


I'm betting you can guess the rest of the process: you've made 2 "opposite" triangles so you'll need to pair opposite triangles, match the seams and sew them together. Just to be consistent, I then pressed towards the side with 2 dark pieces. Trim the dog ears.

All that's left is to lay out the blocks in straight or on-point rows and you've got a quick and easy quilt. If you decide to go with the on-point layout, like I am, I've using the half block triangles as setting triangles for the top and bottom edges of the quilt (see the first photo above) and I used the CA to cut setting triangles from the border fabric for the sides.

Please feel free to let me know if you have questions on anything...

Friday, October 24, 2014

Feline Friday - 8/25/14

Momma??!!! Momma??!!!


What's this shiny silver thing that keeps going up and down????


Can I stay here and help you??? I like these green fabrics - they remind me of the grass outside!!




Monday, October 20, 2014

Design Wall Monday - 10/20/14

Saturday I taught another Quilting 101 class. I had 4 students (oh it really bugs me when people sign up and then don't show up!!!), including a 90 year old retired minister. His work was spot on and I think the students in this class could be my most diligent ever. They were very interested in getting their work to be more accurate. I'm looking forward to seeing them in 2 weeks for the rest of the class.

That left Sunday for my "therapy session." LOL! I decided to rotate projects with every CD of my audiobook. I didn't follow that rule explicitly but I did make good progress on several projects.
 

I have 3 craft bazaars coming up so I'm trying to get myself into production mode. It's kinda slow going at the moment but that's because I tend to do a lot of the prep/cutting first and then when I get in to the sewing it's lickity split. I love picking fabrics but sometimes it just seems to take forever to make a decision.
Yup - time for a new cutting mat. I just need decide if I want a bigger mat which requires a trip to the city and a JoAnn's coupon or stick with the same size which is available locally but has no coupon,..

I also made more ruby blocks from my class with Bonnie Hunter. I now have 52 done. I only need ~150 more. LOL. I've been using these as leader enders as well as just making a chunk of them at a time so I'll get the blocks done soon enough.


Lastly, I worked on Tyler's Christmas quilt. It's called "T is for Tyler." Can you see the Ts in the design? The border and setting triangles are camo (his fav color at the moment) so maybe you can pick a few of those out there on the upper right. I know they are hard to see cuz they are camo. Haha. I kill me on this gray, chilly Monday.

I thought I would be able to finish all the blocks this weekend so I can start assembly next weekend at retreat but look at this next photo:

The light green had just a 1/4" extra and the dark green was 1/4" too short to cut the last piece. I wasn't able to get quite enough blocks from the fabric I had so I'll pick up some more this Friday and at least get the blocks done and get started on assembly at retreat. There is still a chance I can have it done by Christmas - I have 65 days!!! Woohoo!!!

Friday, October 17, 2014

World Wide Feline Hexie HeLPin' Hoppin' Friday!


Hello!! My name is Squeaky and today is a VERY special day here at sarah did it! – not only is it the day I become famous for hijacking hosting the World Wide Blog Hop but it’s also Feline Friday and HeLP for Hexie-aholics!! Holy Schmoly I’m tired just thinking about all the activity!!

Just in case you’re new to this part of the blogosphere, let’s start with Feline Friday.

Every Friday, my sissy, brother or I host a little linky party, called Feline Friday, just for us kittehs. We have furrrriends who stop by often and some we haven’t seen in a while…it's always fun to see what they've been up to!

We also have HeLP for Hexie-aholics on the 17th of every month. Why the 17th you ask? Cuz it’s Momma’s birthday and hexies are her favoritist thing in the whole world. Some of her furriends even made her Head Troublemaker she likes hexies so much. Momma likes her furriends to share their projects, both new and old of any shape or construction method at this linky party.

And then there is the World Wide Blog Hop. Have you seen it? All those humans were posting about their creativeness when Sally from The Objects of Design wondered why there were no cats involved?! I mean we do rule the ‘net, don’t we?! She invited me to join and I immediately said yes. I did wait until a Friday to post tho…I am a Feline Friday Gal!! LOL!

 So let’s get to the hop questions…
1.       What am I working on?
Do you mean besides my tan and a good nap?  You’re funny!


2.       How does my work differ from others of it’s genre?
I think Sally said it best: “Squeaky seems to enjoy a scrappy colorful look yet has a somewhat hidden modern edge balancing a lot of white with lots of colors. Very trendy! “

3.       Why do I create what I do?
Really, I just like to support Momma in her work. She creates such pretty stuff and I cover it with my furs to protect it! Momma is still working on this fussy cutting project for her hexie club where she is head troublemaker.  I don’t think I have enough furs on it yet so that is my project for the weekend!



4.       How does my creative process work?
I just look around for something to do. Sometimes there are hexies to furr, sometimes I need a good stretch and sometimes there is a new cobeweb to explore.

 

And what is the bestest part of a blog hop? Finding new places to explore of course!! I'm still working on finding more links for you but lets start with Leia. She's misunderstood cuz she has beautiful furs but lives in a house with an increasing number of little people which can make her a teeny weeny  cranky. I can understand - in fact, I run and hide when Momma's nephews come over.

Ok my furriends - it's time to share on this special day. We only going to have one linky party for both HeLP and Feline Friday so please link up your hexie projects and your felines!!!

 





Friday, October 10, 2014

Feline Friday - 10/10/14

Momma?!? Why are those men doing digging in MY front yard?

They're working so hard I think it's nap time!

Thanks Momma!

Oh wait - changed my mind on the blankie...this is more better!!


PS - Stop back next week when my Sissy was invited to take over the World Wide Blog Hop! She'll be famous, just like me!!




Tuesday, October 07, 2014

The Bibliphile Files - 10/7/14

Hello and welcome back for another edition of The Bibliophile Files – my monthly book report.

As I’m sure all y’all will recall, I challenged myself to the following challenges for 2014:

#1 is to read 74 books that have a word in each title that begins with letters that spell out the months of the year. I’m already 80% done while the year is only 75% done. I’m quite impressed with myself, being ahead of schedule and all.  BTW – I need suggestions for the last 4 books to order from the library – I need three “Y” books and one more “U.” Ugghh…

#2 is to read 9 books that have certain colors in the titles.

You can read more about the challenges on my BF tab up above and then you can curse me for not updating the titles I’ve read so far. Soon, I promise!!

Finished this month:
Ferguson Rifle (9/7/14)
Red Mist (9/16/14)
Eye of God (9/19/14)
Unlucky 13 (9/21/14)
Steeped in Evil (9/27/14)
Orange Crush (9/30/14)
Naked Prey (10/4/14)

Currently on my stereo and nightstand: *Everglades & Devil in the White City

Ok, my friends, now it’s time to link up and share the books you’ve read in the last month.  As I’ve said before, feel free to share novels, quilt books, magazines or even cereal boxes (and I have yet to have that one appear on the linky party. LOL) – just share something you’ve read recently!




Monday, October 06, 2014

Design Wall Monday - 10/6/14

While this ought to be called I.Have.No.Self.Control…I’m actually leaning towards “Cotton Candy” based on the colors of the various components that I’m not yet showing. This will eventually become a table runner.

It’s like this…Friday night was hexie club and we finally picked an official name: For the Love of Hexies. Awesome, if I say so myself!!!!! On Saturday while working at the quilt store, the owner and I decided we needed a logo for the sign she was going to have made for our group.

Since the group has designated me as the lead troublemaker I started looking around and made an executive decision when something grabbed my attention. Of course, then I spent the rest of the afternoon surrounded by new fabrics and thinking about that great design and how I already had all the paper pieces needed. I was doomed from the beginning…you know that right?!

Since I’m paid in fabric, I picked out a focus fabric and 4 FQs to match. As soon as I got home I fiddled in my stash to find complimentary FQs (each rosette uses 4 shades of a color, black and WOW). I left it sitting out for the next day to make sure I liked them and then cut in to them last night.

And just to prove that I’m not just about the hexies and do use my design wall for more than parts storage...the start of a class sample for a Christmas twister class....

Friday, October 03, 2014

Feline Friday - 10/3/14

If it fits...I sits...

And if I tuck my face in...

I don't have to put up with any of these frufru photos and the ensuing "kissies".

Ok, promise not to tell and and I'll let you in on a secret. ..When I'm in the purrrrfect mood, sometimes I offer my nose for Momma to kiss!!

PS - don't forget next Tuesday is Bibliophile Files!!