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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Changing Gears

I've been sewing a little most evenings and have a few more block completed.



I am going to put these blocks away for a bit in order to work on Kelsey's Double Wedding Ring quilt. The center is complete and would be ready to go but I am going to add a wide appliqued border. I am not happy with the arrangement of the daisy flowers and I am searching the web for ideas.


 I found this arrangement that I really like. I'm going to see if I can get it to work out. I'll have to see how the big flowers will work with oranges instead of yellow.

Martingale - Flower Show Quilts (Print version + eBook bundle)

Not sure how I will go about making them. I may try layering. And I am having a hard time matching greens for the leaves. Some are too light, some are too dark.

The whole feel of Kelsey's quilt is different from the one I made for Craig and Becca (much less formal) so I didn't want to use roses.


Although, if I ever make one for myself, it will be very similar to this one with the roses and red and green color scheme.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

A Beautiful Sunday

I'm not sure what the temperatures are, but it is such a relief from the hot weather.  We went to a matinee and was quite surprised when we walked out and did not have the heat hit us in the face.

I finished cutting all of the pieces for the blocks of the new quilt I am starting. And, I actually took the time to sew one block together


and have another one laid out and ready to start again Monday evening.


I think I am going to love the pop of red that will be in about half of the blocks.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Middle age

is not agreeing with me. I have always been very healthy until a few years ago. And not it seems like it is all going downhill.

Okay, I'm finished feeling sorry for myself. Where was I going with that? Oh, Thursday night I sewed the two of the inside narrow borders on and was just too tired to sew the other two on. So I left them for last night.



Well, I wasn't feeling well last night and didn't want to mess with it. In fact, for some reason I had the urge to work on small pieces. I really wanted to piece but didn't have anything cut out and ready to go.

So what do you do? I started cutting pieces for the next quilt. Which will be this one.


It is going to be totally scrappy. In fact, I am trying to use all of those pieces left of fat quarters that have been used for other projects. I worked on the light colored triangles. As you can see, I didn't get very far.






That's about half of what I need.


I have a busy Saturday planned. Craig and Becca will visit in the morning. Then I'll head to Van Buren (about an hour's drive) for Aiden's birthday party.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

A little progress

on the first of my "fall" quilts. As you can see from the picture, I sewed a couple of the long sashings last night. I really am going to like this quilt and am excited to get it together.


I don't seem to have very much time to spend sewing in the evening. I have been spoiled for years because Larry has been cooking on the days he is off. So I can stay at school until time to eat. But, now he is working 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is home each night. I have pretty well taken over the cooking and it has been going good. But, I have to make myself leave school by 4:30 each day.
This changing to 6th grade is kicking me in the behind.  Have you ever tried to teach 6th graders how to analyze text and recognize and discuss the underlying messages in poetry. Or how to compare two informational articles from different sources. Their little minds just don't always want to cooperate. Or, is it their attitudes at that age? lol

 But, I will persevere. :)

We have a school over the bridge from us (about a 10 minute drive) where 20 of the teachers and staff members were trained as security guards this summer and will be carrying guns. I have such mixed feelings about this. The state gave them a license. Then said, "No, the could not legally carry guns in a school setting." Then, yesterday the ruling was overturned and they will be carrying guns, maybe starting today. I'm glad it is not me. What are your thoughts?

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Last two strips

of triangles.


I was so tired I didn't even have the energy to press and hang them on the wall.

I snuck out of school at 3:10 today. I say "snuck" because I never leave that early, even though we can every day. I had a couple of errands to run on the way home, but still arrived home before 4:00.  Luckily, I had made "Mexican Chicken" last night so all I had to do tonight was stick it in the oven, make brown rice, and a salad. Super easy for a great meal.

So, I was able to sew for an hour or so before dinner. After dinner, I went and walked 40 minutes. Thus, the reason for being tired. I thought is was wind and had cooled down. Not.

I hope to be able to leave school early again tomorrow and get the sashing strips cut before heading out to prayer group. It would be great to get them sewn in also.

How was your day?

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Design Wall Monday

Well, after the first row, I figured out my what I was doing and it has been downhill from there.


I'm not sure why it didn't dawn on me that I am using equilateral triangles and I could turn them to match the flat end of the triangle with the sewed edge.  Senior Moment, I guess.

Stop by Judy's for Design Wall Monday.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Hmmm!

I had a comment from Marlene saying she had a hard time with triangles. My thought was "why"? Now, I know. 


This is the first two rows I sewed together. Can you see how it curves there at the bottom?  Hmmm.  The first row was worse before I sewed the two together.

I may have lied to my daughter-in-law. I told her not to worry that when you get it quilted no one will be able to tell. I will persevere.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

New Quilt and Pesto Tomato Pizza

It was such a nice day. I have grown to really appreciate the weekends. I cleaned a little bit this morning.  Mostly the utility room.

Larry was replacing a part on the car. And I had to help him. (Well, I actually just held the light and he probably didn't need (or want) my help. lol That took most of the day.

I decided to make a pesto tomato pizza for dinner tonight. We have had it twice before and really enjoyed it so I took a stab at it. And, it did turn out really good.


The only pesto I could find was a dry mix to mix with olive oil. I wasn't sure how much to use and will use a little more next time. I also forgot to get mozzarella cheese, so I used Provolone cheese. It was good but doesn't quite have the stringy goodness of mozarella.


Yummy goodness, just fresh from the oven. Becca told me where to look for Pesto in a jar, so hopefully I will find some. I think it will have a little more flavor than the powder. The recipe I used was from Pioneer Women.

I sat down this evening and cut all of the triangles I need for the quilt I am starting.


I have all the fabric I need and hopefully will be able to sit down and get them all sewed together tomorrow. This is the quilt I decided to start on first. It will go on one of the kids beds.


Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Fall Decorations

I have a few fall indoor decorations that I put out each year. Just a few flower arrangements mostly. But I also have a couple of table toppers and wall hangings.  But, I realized I only have one fall quilt (the one in the header) and the Orange Crush quilt to put on the beds. I have three beds.

Yep, a good excuse to start a new project. I found this one in a quilt magazine. I really like it's simplicity.



This is the other one I found. I am going to make it first.  I have all the fabric I'll need except the inner sashing and the outer border. I will probably use something I have for those also.   I want to see what I need after I sew the rows together.


Here are the fabrics I have chosen so far. The green Thomas Kincade print is what I may use for the outside border. But that takes away from the neutral  aspect of the quilt, which is what I want.


I am excited about starting a new project. I will need to stick with it to get it to get two of them finished by the end of October. That is when I'll take the orange quilts off. 

Hmmm. I have three beds. I guess I need to look for a third pattern. Maybe I can get Larry to buy me some fabric for an early Christmas present. Oh, I do have an anniversary coming up in October.

 Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting! 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Quilting is finished

On the Christmas quilt I have been working on.


I still need to trim, square, and bind it. But that is all downhill, right?

Craig and Becca were talking about making their own laundry detergent when they visited this weekend. He sent me this link with the recipe and a review from a blogger who has used it for an entire year.  I decided to make some today. I used a tote with a lid from Walmart.



I tried it and I like it. I had some clothes with stains and the detergent got them out as well or better than the normal liquid detergent I use. If you decide to make it, read all the comments on the post as there are some good ideas telling how people have changed it to make it better.

Well, it was back to school this morning. The day off just makes me want another one or two or three.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Since I missed Christmas in July

I am working on Christmas now.

I was able to quilt a few more blocks last night. It is really good to get back in the groove of quilting. 


I had no idea how to quilt it. The pattern suggested stitch in the ditch around the blocks to stabalize, then stitch around the houses. Then they followed the patterns in the fabric. So that is what I am trying to do. But some of the fabric doesn't really have a pattern so I just quilt what comes to mind.


It's been a very long time since I participated in Design Wall Monday. But I do check in almost every week.

Looking forward to an extra day off today.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting. 

Sunday, September 1, 2013

The first two weeks

of school have really kicked me. Changing grade levels (moving up to 6th grade) is a big jump. Some of the things we are required to teach--I don't think their young minds are ready for. But I will work hard and they will too. Hopefully, we will persevere.

On the homefront, we spent the weekend in Branson, MO last weekend. We stayed at the Bradford House Bed and Breakfast. It was so homey and the host and hostess were wonderful. I have never been to a bed and breakfast but we are sold on them now.


This one has twenty rooms so it was quite large. My dream home has wrap around porches and lots of decks. I think the wood is so warm and homey feeling. Our room was in the back of the house and opened to a deck that looked out onto the pool and a wooded area. It was so nice and quiet and peaceful.

We worked for a few minutes Saturday morning on the quilt Becca is making her mom. We still need to add borders.


I finally finished the block border that goes around my latest Christmas quilt (Welcome to the North Pole). This one has been in the making for most of this year. I quilted one block of it last night. My plan is to work on it again a little this evening.


I really planned to complete it this summer, but once again, I didn't accomplish anything. I have decided that sewing and quilting is a big stress relief and that is why I quilt during the school year and not the summer. Or maybe it takes me the summer to recuperate from the school year. lol

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

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