KC Quilter

Inspiration, Motivation, Incentive and a Fire Under the Seat of My Britches

2009-07-11T10:41:00.006-05:00

Was that title long enough??? Those words may all just be synonyms for the same thing-- what I need right now. But they all seem to express what's lacking around here. I was so sure that after things settled down from the Fourth, my little self would be holed up in the sewing room--but no. My little self has been just holed up! What's been going on? Reading, lots of reading. Just finished The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan. An absolutely fascinating look back at the Dust Bowl during the Depression, it delves into the lives of some of those who lived through the hardship. I learned so-o-o much--from how much of the blame for the dust storms belonged squarely on human shoulders to what federal programs were first initiated during the Depression. Of course, the winds and the drought were dealt from nature's hand but the soil that was bared by overplowing millions of acres and laying the land raw in No Man's Land could not be attributed to Mother Nature. We as a country hopefully learned a lot about soil conservation. For some reason, I have become very interested in the Depression. I immediately checked out The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck from the library. Oh, sure, I have read that book---but probably 40 or 50 years ago LOL! Its first copyright is 1939. And I do vaguely remember Henry Fonda in the movie version. But I think I will read it now with new eyes. Hmmm...maybe I should look through my 30s reproduction fabrics to find the missing inspiration, motivation, incentive and fire! Or, dear readers, you could leave some comments relating what motivates you when you get into a sewing slump....

On a very exciting and delicious note, we are planning a trip to PARIS!!! I am so beside myself I can hardly stand it. Of course, it won't happen till 2010--probably May, but all I can think about is I'M GOING TO PARIS!!! The one in FRANCE!!! We'll travel with dear dear friends. We'll also go to the beaches of Normandy. Mmmmm....Eiffel tower, the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, wine, pastries....ooh la la! I'd also love comments and suggestions from any who have been to Paris.

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer—WHERE ARE THEY????

2009-06-30T09:24:00.002-05:00

Gosh, June is GONE! Not much sewing or blogging got done this month. Between the weddings, the showers, the high school grad parties, two weekends of houseguests, an out of town funeral, visiting relatives from Colorado in another town, attempting to keep the weeds away from my herbs---whew!

Oh…and this vice

…nose firmly stuck in books. Dating back to the bookmobile days of my childhood, it just seems right to read away any spare time in the summer. I loved Julie and Julia. Back in the infancy of blogging Julie Powell decides to learn to cook by cooking all 524 recipes in 365 days found in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking---and to blog about the adventure!!! Gosh, I wish I had been reading blogs back then (2002ish—2003ish).

Of course, the story is about so much more than cooking—although it is fun to read of the successes and hilarious failures. It is a tale of a Texan transplanted to New York, her zany friends and supportive husband, her “career” which she despises, her family relationships, her life in general and even some snippets of Julia Child’s life. Great read. Can’t wait for the movie.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane was a bit of a stretch for me. A good stretch. The premise is what if there really were true witches in 1690s Salem. Very supernatural, very intriguing.

Oh, forlorn sewing machine…where art thou mistress? I am at least THINKING about sewing. Here’s Block 6 of the KC Star BOM (photo from the newspaper):

I do at least have the parts ready to fuse. Maybe after the Fourth…

This block honors Elizabeth Cady Stanton who helped officially start the struggle for women’s right to vote.

As Independence Day creeps up, I am preparing for a family gathering at my house. Recipe-digging-out, grocery shopping and more grocery shopping, cooking and the dreaded housecleaning will consume the rest of the week. Can’t wait!!!

The Things We Leave Behind

2009-06-18T08:11:00.003-05:00

My MIL passed away one year ago on June 14th, Flag day. She was 96 years young. DH and his siblings have been going through her things in preparation for a sale later this summer. The treasures of old family photos and letters and greeting cards, bibles, newspaper notices of deaths, births and wedding announcements have been pored over. The woman saved EVERYTHING! One of the interesting things SIL found was a list of every gift she’d ever given! And of special interest to me, she kept a list of every quilt she’d ever made and to whom it was gifted. I don’t recall ever seeing one of her hand-pieced, hand-quilted beauties on any of her own beds. We proudly own these—and they have each graced a bed in our home at one time or another.

They were not labeled so I am hoping her list will help me remedy that! I know approximately when each was made but would love to have better dating info.

This experience of digging through another’s belongings and wondering why items were saved has certainly made me think of the day when my loved ones will be faced with the same task. I really believe that DH and I must start culling through “stuff” to lighten the chore of our sons from those decisions of what to keep and what to donate, what is valuable and what is trinket-y. It is a daunting task, no matter who does it.

On a lighter note here’s Block 6 of Tisket, Tasket.

This looks orange-y on my screen but in “real life” the basket is a softer peachy coraly color. I adore those coneflowers!!!!

And on the decorating front, I love to put some patriotic touches out (then leave them out!) from Memorial Day through D-Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Isn’t that a little on the lazy side????

Not I, Said the Duck

2009-06-10T12:55:00.002-05:00

I can’t imagine having a hubby who a) CAN cook and b) WILL cook. But Sista’s DH does both! A few days ago he sent me a bag of mushy stuff:

Doesn’t look much like bread, does it? It was the beginning of Amish Friendship Bread. Years ago I kept a Sour Dough Starter going for a lo-o-ong time. When it became a hassle to “babysit”, I finally threw it out. But if memory serves, it did make delicious bread. So I decided to play along with this new starter stuff. After ten days of mushing and adding ingredients, the day came to bake it off:

Two loaves! One to eat today and one to freeze!!!

Very tasty! A lot like cinnamon bread. Now, what to do with the new baggies of starter it created! Much like the Little Red Hen, I think it will be hard to find “takers” who will want to mess with it. Think I’ll start with a couple of unsuspecting neighbors…

Baby shower gifties are DONE DONE—and a bit early! Since I can’t attend the shower due to a prior commitment, I’ll get them delivered tomorrow to the granny-to-be and she’ll take them to the shower for me.

And from the “I’m Just Sayin’” department, could anyone greet the morning with these beauties looking back and not feel a smile creep around the lips?

Even after being beaten down by a huge rainstorm we had yesterday, they just keep going!

June Is Busting Out All Over!

2009-06-01T08:41:00.002-05:00

The colors of early June inspire.

And…drum roll please…a quilt is DONE DONE!

Thanks to Carrie of Cricketwood Prims and Gardens for her suggestion of a limey-green flange between the quilt and border! And thanks to the other Blogpals who weighed in with other suggestions. It really helps to get another eye. I put four plain blue cornersquares in so that baby’s “stats” could be embroidered after he makes his appearance. This photo could have been better—the holderperson isn’t home!!! So the quilt is laying over the sewing table and some odd features occured LOL! Today I’ll get a label made for the backside.

The weekend brought some reconnecting with longtime friends—always a pleasure. As our talk turned to travel, I had to laugh at DH as he told everyone that he had been in quilt shops in Alaska, California, Colorado, Arizona, New York, Tennessee, Georgia—and on and on and on!!!! Can anyone relate?

Somebody Stop Me!!!!

2009-05-27T12:26:00.002-05:00

Crochet has its grip on me---BAD! But just look at this cute lion amigurumi

Who could resist whipping this up? Hope Baby Boy Great Nephew likes it. (I’ll be glad when BBGN has a name!)

And crocheted flowers? Oh, my—so quick and so fun.

But I must concentrate on the quilt!!! Squares are all stitched together and I am auditioning borders.

I was thinking of a calming small print but nah, let’s stay with “busy” LOL! This cute number print caught my eye and I hope there is enough there for borders and backing. I’m thinking maybe I’ll have to put an inner border to stop those red squares from flowing right on into the red border! Maybe a bluish? Help, please.

Baby Fun

2009-05-24T09:20:00.002-05:00

DH’s niece is having her first baby in the fall. Yippee! I thought I had lots of time to make a quilt….BUT…the shower is in two weeks!!! Due to scheduling conflicts among her friends and family, the shower had to be really early. This may sound familiar. The same thing happened to me two years ago (see this post) when I made a mad dash to whip up Kyle’s quilt.

So…yesterday I decided to make a quickie Eye Spy Match ‘Em Up type quilt for the new baby boy who is on the way. I dug through my stash of novelty prints. How much fun is that?? I have a tendency to buy those adorable fabrics with absolutely no idea in mind as to how I’ll use them. Well, this should be perfect! Most of the Eye Spy quilts I have seen have rather small blocks. I decided to give Baby (and myself) a break and use 6” finished blocks. And since I could, I cut two of each to make it a Match the Pairs game too.

Somehow I want to incorporate into the label what to find and what to match: teddy bear, horses, butterflies, watermelon, farm, lunch boxes, crayons, chocolates, sheep, kids, cowboys, Dalmatian dogs, whales, baseball stuff, hen & chicks, frogs, monkeys, lemons & limes, flamingoes, cats and penguins.

This really looks busy but then, I’m sure Baby Boy will be busy one day too! Here are a few of my favorite prints:

And on the I’ve-Gotta-Stay-Off-Attic24’s-Blog scene (it’s just too-o-o much fun over there) here is a cute way to spiffy up an old pickle jar.

Crocheted Jar Jackets!!! Who’d a thunk? I tell ya, that girl is a designing genius. And what a great way to use up bits and bobs of yarn. I just love all her colorful crochet goodies. And now, she is into patchwork! Give her a look.

Tomorrow is a day of remembrance. Along with the barbecued brats, coleslaw, baked beans and strawberry pie, I hope to pause in reflection and think of all those brave ones who have served, are serving, and will serve in defense of our freedom.

Have a peaceful, safe and mindful Memorial Day!

Adrift In A Sea of Blogs

2009-05-18T07:47:00.003-05:00

Not really accomplishing as much as I should…but that’s Spring for ya! What HAS been happening around these parts…

enjoying a lovely Mother’s Day

opening day movie watch of Angels & Demons (two thumbs up)

clucking over a dear friend who had a mild heart attack and subsequently a stent inserted

crocheting kitsch for friends coming to visit from Arizona

and the rose that ate Chicago for me

watching the rain gauge fill up (Friday we had 4.5” in a very short amount of time and lots of local flash flooding)

cooking up a storm (my yummy Rainbow Stuffed Peppers for one thing)

catching up on the Kansas City Star BOM Block 5

and picnicking and geocaching in our favorite state park, Watkins Mill.

Whew, how’s that for a run-on sentence??? And from a former teacher at that!

Edited to add the recipe for the stuffed peppers as requested by a commenter:

Rainbow Stuffed Peppers

Wash 4 large bell peppers--red, orange, yellow, green or a combo of any.

Cut off tops and clean out stems and seeds. Parboil the pepper shells in

boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Place on a towel to drain. Cook 3/4 cup

instant rice according to package directions. Saute 1 med. chopped yellow

onion in olive oil till soft. Prepare the stufﬁng mix: 1 pound lean ground

beef, the cooked rice, the sauteed onions, 1 clove chopped garlic (or 1 t

jarred minced), 1 T chopped fresh parsley (or 1 t. dried), 1 T chopped fresh

basil (or 1 t dried), 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 1 t

Kosher salt, dab of freshly ground black pepper. Mix gently by hand.

Sprinkle insides of the pepper shells with salt and pepper, then stuff them

with the ground beef mixture. In an oven baking dish pour a small amount

of either tomato sauce or jarred marinara sauce. I love to use Bertolliʼs

Italian sausage garlic romano sauce but whatever tomato-based sauce is in

your pantry will do! Set the ﬁlled peppers in the dish and cover with more

sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for about

an hour till ground beef is thoroughly cooked. Serve a little warmed sauce

on the side. Add a loaf of warm Ciabatta bread and a salad and youʼre

good to go!

Inch By Inch

2009-05-07T11:55:00.003-05:00

Block 5 of A Tisket A Tasket (link in sidebar) was so much fun and is just as sweet as the first four. (And, yes, I put the upper wings on the butterfly upside down—doh!!)

I cannot believe how tickled I’ve been with this adorable BOM series. A huge thank you to Anne at Bunny Hill for providing this for us devotees – FREE!

Made a beginning on some baby gifts (see previous post). Here’s Rudy the Rectangle. Isn’t he a goofy guy?? He is an amigurumi (Japanese-style critter crocheted in single crochet stitches) and the pattern was FREE at Michael’s, compliments of Lion Brand Yarn. Are we seeing a trend here? Free? My favorite price?

And a few burp cloths…almost free as I pulled from my stash of 30s kids’ prints. Just stitch a rectangle to a pre-fold cloth diaper and embellish with some rickrack to make burping time just a little more colorful LOL! Can a new Mom ever have enough burp cloths?

Wrap a few up with some ribbon or netting and toss into the gift bag.

And a few more crocheted hexies join the group:

The hexie pattern is generously provided by Lucy at Attic24 (see side bar for link).

It seems as though I accomplish more when I have several projects going at once. I can flit from thing to thing as the mood strikes!

Hope all you moms out there in Blogland get to spend a little time with your sons and daughters on Mothers’ Day. And maybe there’ll be some chocolate involved.

Sympathy Berries

2009-05-04T08:44:00.004-05:00

After the “Rocky Caper” involving DH’s ruined blueberry pie (see last post), pity was taken! Since California strawberries could be had for a ridiculous price this weekend at the supermarket (local berries not in yet), it seemed only nice to fix a little poundcake/strawberry/whipped cream delight for the sulking boy (DH—NOT Rocky!).

(DH tends to like a little cake, a lot of berries, and a truckload of whipped cream.)

And, wow, for THE BEST poundcake recipe—ever--

go here. A big thank-you to that blogger for the yummy recipe and a big thank-you to my 6-month-old KitchenAid mixer for the rather fiddly amount of mixing required (well worth it) to make this recipe so-o-o delish.

And the big bonus—the recipe makes TWO poundcakes, one for now and one for the freezer. This cake was so tasty, I even ate some plain!

Baby News: One of DH’s nieces is expecting her first baby in the fall. FUN! And a dear friend is gaining her second grandbaby this fall so….you know what that means. Baby sewing—always the most fun kind there is. Of course, there’ll be the “required” Snoopy dogs (see this post)

and burp cloths and bibs. Maybe a quilt or two?

Just look at this beauty in the newest issue of Quilts & More magazine. Waiting to learn of the sex of the babies to pick patterns.

Well, Monday ramblings will end with a salute to Mine That Bird

Thanks for the inspiration, Beautiful Horse.

CSI Kansas City

2009-05-01T10:19:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was our first trip for the season to a local farmers market. Of course, not much in the way of veggies there (except some gorgeous asparagus) but hubby was well rewarded. One of our favorite Mennonite vendors brings delicious homebaked goodies. DH spotted a yummy blueberry pie and bought it on the spot. Well, back at home, after having a slice or two, he dutifully wrapped it with Saran. Hmmm…apparently a midnight marauder decided to have a taste too.

You probably can’t tell from the photo (click for big to see better) but the Saran was broken into, juice was licked clean, and (here’s where the CSI part comes in…) purple pawprints were left at the scene!!! It was pretty easy to determine the culprit. Natasha’s, ahem, girth prevents her from jumping onto the countertop. But this naughty boy

can fly right up there! Rocky, you’re so busted!!! Not the cleverest of criminals to leave your pawprints at the scene of a crime, but at least you managed to get the purple off your tongue before morning.

And just to keep things even, here’s Natasha hoarding the remote control

as if to say, “I will decide what we watch tonight!!!” Who rules THIS household?

On the cloth and yarn front, I am still slicing away at the pyramid pile. Since I have found that I cannot rotary cut sitting down, I have been working on some crocheted hexie love during TV time

because these hands have to keep busy. Rainy days in KC are keeping me indoors. Here’s hoping for a bit of sunshine and a terrific weekend for all us Blogpals!

Charming Charm Quilts—Scrap Quilt Royalty

2009-04-27T09:41:00.002-05:00

I’ve been cutting a few pyramids here and a few pyramids there. Here’s what 400+ pyramids look like:

I try to knock out a few each day. Here’s what the waiting pile looks like:

Oh, and there are several Moda Charm Packs hidden away too, just in case.

And the bag o’ crumbs:

And ten little pyramids all in a row (look like little tepees, huh?):

I became curious about when charm quilts were first being made so a little googling taught me that they were wildly popular during the American Victorian age. They were also known as “Odd Feller” because there were no two identical pieces of fabric. AKA “Beggar” because women often asked others for bits of fabric to collect enough different scraps. (Womenfolk.com) Womenfolk. com is an excellent site for learning historic tidbits about quilting. There’s even a section on uncovering myths about quilting.

The very word “charm” brings to mind collecting (think charm bracelets) and also delight. These precious 5” squares certainly fall into both categories. As I’ve previously mentioned, my charm squares were swapped and collected with my mini-group. And they ARE delightful. In fact, they are so “charming and delightful” I’ve had a hard time cutting them up!!! I’ve enjoyed a couple of years of just fondling them and looking them over. It was time to commit!!!

According to Victoriana Quilting Designs these quilts sprang from the custom of collecting one-of-a-kind buttons on a string, called either charm or friendship strings. I love that idea! Oh, no, I feel another addiction coming on…

And Quilters Studio stated that generally they are constructed of a one-patch design. So…no two fabrics alike and only one patch template. Love it.

It’s a rainy day here in KC so time to whack a few more pyramids. Have a simply charming day!

Every Day Is Earth Day

2009-04-22T08:23:00.002-05:00

How glorious of Mother Nature to bestow upon Kansas City such a beautiful Earth Day. It is sunny and will reach the mid-70s later and best of all, the wind is calm.

Our plan to celebrate the day is to go “geo-caching” with friends this afternoon. It is our new hobby. While we are novices at it, our friends are pretty proficient and hope to teach us a few tricks. If you aren’t familiar with it, you can learn more on geocaching.com. It involves using a portable GPS

to find secret “caches”. Coordinates are given at the website, along with a few hints and other tidbits. It’s a good way to get a bit of exercise by hiking and to explore areas you might not ever take a look at. All in all, lots of fun.

A very wee bit of sewing

took place yesterday. The fourth installment of the Kansas City Star BOM came in the Sunday paper. This one is called Whig Rose or “Rose For Julia” and honors Julia Ward Howe who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic in 186l. In 1869 she helped organize the American Woman Suffrage Association. I have really loved reading the snippets of history about women who were so instrumental in equal rights.

Here are the first four blocks. They will not appear in this order in the quilt. I do see that I need to jazz up the color scheme somewhat!

Hope you have a wonderful day—and go do something earthy!

Three Years Of Blogging

2009-04-17T08:33:00.003-05:00

Wow, it’s hard to believe but I’ve been writing this blog since April 20, 2006. Some marriages don’t even last that long! I wanted to celebrate in some manner and decided that, for me anyway, the most enjoyable way would be a little walk down memory lane. You know, kinda like TV shows do a reel of clips of old shows when they reach a milestone episode? Since my blog’s theme is primarily “making stuff”, I’m showing some of the projects I have had a lot of fun creating.

A few quilts first…. (See, I do occasionally finish things.)

And a favorite antique quilt (NOT created by me)

Some crocheted goodies

A knitted baby sweater with crocheted hat

Since I am expecting houseguests for the weekend, I am posting this a bit early. Happy Blogiversary to Me!

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T17:47:00.003-05:00

May your Easter be filled with chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks!

Eggs, Glorious Eggs

2009-04-10T08:56:00.003-05:00

Over the past couple of years I have made a determined effort to, as much as possible, eat locally grown and produced food. It is a concept that was brought home to me after reading the wonderful Barbara Kingsolver’s book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Of course, there are so many things that the KC climate and locale cannot produce (lemons, bananas, shrimp,etc.) but there are so many things that can come from local farmers. I recently discovered these local eggs in my grocery store. They are beautiful—no Easter egg dye needed LOL!

I love that they are from free-range chickens and that no antibiotics or hormones were used and that the hens were vegetarian fed. And each box contains a little note from the farmer telling a bit about what is going on at the farm that day. This sweet entry says, “Little calves are appearing beside their mothers in the pasture fields. The little lambs with their mothers are out for fresh air too—how cute they look; it is a sign of spring…” How precious is that!

Speaking of lemons (we were, weren’t we?) I found the most yummy lemon cake recipe here.

From these

to this….mmm.

The recipe is written in metric. I diligently googled the conversion chart but I have to tell ya, I came up with some pretty bizarre amounts in the American equivalents!!! Imagine my glee when I discovered that my Pyrex measuring cups had both the metric AND American amounts all lined out for me. Whew! Anyhow, made the luscious, lemony, light cake yesterday and it is GONE. So moist, so delish. I won’t post the recipe but hope you’ll click the link above--you won’t be sorry. Speaking of the link above (and we were, weren’t we?) Attic 24’s blog is one of my new favorites. A young mum in England, Lucy writes eloquently and entertainingly. She is a beautiful crocheter (one of my current obsessions) and has a Victorian home that is about 100 years old that she is doing wonderful things to. Check her out.

And, on the quilting front

this pyramid cutting station was set up in the kitchen. I had intended to do this in front of the TV in the living room in the comfort of an easy chair but find I have to rotary cut standing up!!! I pulled out a ton of the nickel squares and culled out whites, creams, and screaming brights. I am making two piles: darks and medium/lights as I cut. I’m trying to keep them in groups of ten (hence, the six-pointed star effect!) for ease in counting. I have to tell ya, the mini-rotating mat and the pyramid ruler are proving INVALUABLE! And, yep, that’s a Klutz glove you see there because, well, I am a Klutz!

Odds and Ends Monday

2009-04-06T10:10:00.002-05:00

Since April has proven itself to be “the cruelest month” these first six days here in KC, there seemed nothing better to do than stay inside and do a little of this and a little of that.

You may remember if you have read my blog for a few years (please say you have…) that my mini-group embarked on a year-long 5” square swap around 2005-2006.

This photo was taken after 9 months’ of swapping.

Well, I really never had decided exactly what I wanted to use mine for, except that I was pretty sure I wanted it to be a “charm” quilt—one pattern piece. For years I have loved these 1000 Pyramid quilts (from a 1989 book Creative American Quilting)

and thought maybe these little nickel squares might work. After searching for an acrylic template that would fit snugly inside the fabric so as to keep waste to a minimum, I finally saw one on the Fons & Porter TV show. I promptly ordered it but it was back-ordered for several weeks. Wah-la, it finally came in the mail the other day

and I love it. It is adjustable and can make pyramids from 1” to 6”. This will be a great TV project in the evenings to sit with my smallish mat and rotary cutter slicing those little babies!

Another divine TV project is crocheting. While watching Changeling yesterday, in front of the roaring fire, I whipped out this little scrubbie and matching dishcloth as a quick gift for a friend I’m having lunch with later this week.

Doesn’t that flower made from a non-stick scrubber, some cotton yarn and a G hook just scream Spring? Such fun.

More crocheting…I have been wanting to crochet a Ripple afghan for the longest time and think I have FINALLY figured out how to do it. The pattern stitch is a piece of cake, it’s the counting that always messes me up LOL!!! So…..collecting some yarn and digging through the stash….

and deciding on this pattern (from a Lions Brand yarn book)…

I should soon be ready for another TV project. I am hoping to catch a good sale on the rest of the yarn I will need. My sewing machine is upstairs and most of my current quilty projects are machine-y, so I try to have some fun stuff to do while DH and I watch the tube in the evenings.

The temp is hovering at 33 degrees right now, the wind is fierce, and the skies are gray. I WANT MY SPRING---NOW!!!

A Little More On Tennessee

2009-04-02T09:24:00.008-05:00

Karen and Marne so kindly asked to see more photos of the trip to Tennessee.

View Full Album

Hope this works. I am still fumbling with Windows Live Writer!!!

I promised to give more info on the wonderful shops I stopped at on the trip and to show in more detail the ~~greedy purchases~~ souvenirs.

On the way down we made a quick rest break in Paducah. Paducah??? Say what? Isn’t there a sweet little fabric shop there whose catalog I drool over? Why, yes, that would be Hancock’s of Paducah.

I will almost always go for a nice bit of cream fabric since it seems as though I use it constantly for applique backgrounds so I picked up a yard. The darling little honeybuns are from the Flag Day Farm line by Minick & Simpson. DH is so funny in quilt shops! Something will catch his eye and he’ll insist I buy some. So this very patriotic fabric will most likely go into my Courthouse Steps project.

Then a stop in Chattanooga at a WONDERFUL shop called Lavendar & Lime just blew me away. The shop owner had a most gorgeous quilt using Charisma charm packs that I HAD TO MAKE! But, of course, she was out of the charm packs. Waaaa, waaa, waaa. I bought one jelly roll on spec and the book with the pattern (thought in mind: find those charm packs on the internet!!!) Which I did but opted to wait before ordering in case I found them elsewhere on the trip. As an aside, I must give a shout out to quilt shop ladies. Whenever we travel, we always work in a quilt shop or two and my husband never complains because we ALWAYS get the best info from quilt shop ladies!!! Anything from best place to eat lunch to historic attractions in the area to easiest routes. Gotta love quilt shop ladies. Beyonce should write a song…

On a tip from the Lavendar & Lime owner, we headed down to Chickamauga via her BEST route and stopped at a shop in Ringgold, Georgia, she recommended. Sew Bee It—fantastic!

I have been admiring the Louisa May Alcott book by Terry Thompson so I took the plunge. While waiting to pay, I saw Remembering Adelia which had just come in. This is by Kathleen Tracy, the lady who wrote those wonderful doll quilt books, American Doll Quilts and Prairie Children and Their Quilts. Even if I don’t make the quilts for Adelia, I have already loved reading the diary excerpts she had written during the Civil War. (I know this is a very lo-o-ong post, so maybe you’d like to grab a cuppa?)

In Sevierville, Tennessee, we found The Cherry Pit, another amazing shop. And wouldn’t you know, she had a shop sample made up of Charisma—and it was kitted!!!

I don’t have a photo of the quilt but I did buy the kit. I can either make the one I saw in Chattanooga or this one! And I supported local quilt shops. Yay, me!

This post probably sounds very materialistic (oops, bad pun) but honestly, when we travel, I’d rather have quilty souvenirs than t-shirts or cedar boxes. That’s my story and I’m stickin’…….

On Top Of Old Smoky…..

2009-03-31T11:39:00.002-05:00

…..all covered with vapor…. We have returned from a short trip to Tennessee. Even though the weather was not very cooperative, we still had a wonderful relaxing time. We saw the “choo choo” in Chattanooga,

we toured the largest national military park in America—Chickamauga (hubby is a huge Civil War buff) on the Georgia side,

we stayed in a wonderful mountain log home in Gatlinburg,

we spent lots of time in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park,

we saw the artists and craftspeople both at Arrowmont and along the Glades Road loop,

and ate lots of delicious country food. Talk about flaky biscuits!

Of course, I have lots more touristy photos but I know you aren’t really interested in that!!! You want to know about the quilt shops, right? Well, here’s the loot:

Details of books and fabric will follow in a later post. It’s good stuff so check back.

I do have to share a piece of handthrown pottery that I just had to have. Wish I knew how to do that. Perfect for scrambling up two eggs for breakfast!

And, of course, I can’t travel without a handwork project! Inspired by this beauty and also a desire to whittle at the yarn leftovers, I crocheted a few rows on an afghan.

Now to whittle away at that pile of laundry….

Channeling Gwen Marston

2009-03-21T13:06:00.002-05:00

The anti-dote to template piecing (see previous post) is a heaping cupful of Gwen Marston’s liberated process.

I LOVE this book. Even though I have had it for simply ages, I always notice something new each time I sit down with it. This time it was her analogy (page nine) to conventional quiltmaking being like traveling on an expressway. “Nothing new to see and traveling on the same wide straight road with multiple lanes with everyone else becomes wearisome. The only choice for lunch is fast food…” Then she talked about taking road trips as a kid on the two-lanes—no end of things to see, going slow enough to see them. Fun and adventure along the way…that is what liberated quiltmaking is all about! And Process—making your own creative decisions, reflecting your joy. Wise woman, that Gwen!

I am caught up on all three BOMs and not ready to work on my other projects, so I spent a little time in the sewing room yesterday just playing. Just enjoying the Process. Gwen’s house blocks Process is just plain ole’ fun. I hadn’t made any for a long time so these first six were just to get back in the groove. After sewing six, I am ready to be a bit more creative. I want to construct a whole neighborhood—and I won’t even have to deal with City Hall to obtain permits!

Speaking of road trips DH and I will be leaving bright and early Monday morning for a little much-needed excursion of our own. We are heading for Tennessee. First we’ll hit Chattanooga, then on to Great Smoky Mountain National Park and sites thereabouts.

Hopefully we’ll get to travel a few of those two-lane slow and easy paths. See you soon.

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Quilting Fairy…

2009-03-19T12:18:00.002-05:00

but she doesn’t live at YOUR house!!!

I completed Block 3 of the current KC Star Block of the Month this morning. Whew! I just don’t like working with templates any more. I have gotten so used to quicky techniques for HSTs and Flying Geese that I find it hard to work with templates and usually find that I am less accurate—even though I frequently check my 1/4” seam allowance and check sections for size after stitching, for some odd reason, I am mostly OFF a tad. AAARRRGGGHHH! This block is not exactly 12 1/2”.

The good news is—apparently the first and second ones were off the same amount of tad!!! Guess this will be a “liberated quilt” LOL.

In other “news” DearSister and I had a Sisters Day Out yesterday—so much fun. She is not a quilter but she IS a shopper. Man, can she wear me out!! We went to one of our favorites—Cockrell’s Mercantile out in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. (I may have blogged about this place before. If so, mea culpa.) Such an incredible place. Five little cottages of wonderfulness. One is Fiestaware only, one is baking equipment, one is cooking supplies, one is a gifty shop, and one is a garden goodies spot. Let’s just say, we did our part to help the economy. Here is just a sampling of my “contribution”:

This little doodad is a Garlic Zoom. You fill it with garlic, roll to chop, and empty it out! Can’t wait to try it.

And a retro timer—so cute. I have a bad habit of sticking something in the oven or on the stovetop to cook, then heading off to my upstairs sewing room and forgetting all about it! I like to carry a timer with me to—hopefully—avoid starting a fire.

Much needed winestoppers! One for red and one for white, of course!

We also each added to our Fiesta collections and shopped at Dillards and a pottery store and, best of all, lunched at a darling Italian restaurant, Ciao Bella, in Lee’s Summit. Oh, and mustn’t forget, our late afternoon tradition on these little excursions—a McDonald’s ice cream cone. It’s a rule! Sisters are just the best.

YouTube Fun on St. Paddy’s Day

2009-03-17T09:12:00.001-05:00

Just Playin…

2009-03-16T13:19:00.001-05:00

You know how it is when you get a new toy..ya just gotta play with it. Using Live Writer to blog with is really fun. I love how it places photos where you actually want them to be and in the order you want them—something I always struggled with using Blogger. Even though I would load them in reverse order, if I wanted more than 5 photos, it just didn’t cooperate! I have also been interested in watermarking my photos. Piece of cake with Live Writer.

I like the ability to tilt pictures. There are more options I will explore soon. I also like the ease with which you can make a list. Here’s a Things To Do:

Go shopping for one-speed bikes with coaster brakes with DH
Learn how to use our new portable GPS for geocaching before our trip to Tennessee next week
Start a checklist for the trip
Continue lessons with my next door neighbor on giving shots to my diabetic cat
Gather some handwork to take along on the trip

I like that “crossing out” feature:

Today is a ~~nice~~ gorgeous day in the neighborhood. I should be out ~~playing~~ exercising instead of being on the computer.

Tables can be fun too,

Wacky Webs String Quilt Add borders to the long ends Pull scraps in color scheme

Chocolates & Cherries Big stitch quilt with brown perle cotten Mark fans pattern

Hot Salsa Nights Piece blocks together Arrange on design wall

I know there is much more to it but that’s enough for today!

Signs of Spring

2009-03-15T16:00:00.002-05:00

A short little trek around the backyard revealed some promises: iris, sedum, knockout rose, and lily—all poking through the brown earth. What a welcome sight!!

I am trying out a new blogging program, Windows Live Writer, a free download. Sorry, I didn’t make a link but I’m sure it can be googled.

In response to a request by a commenter, here’s the recipe for Irish Sweet Potato Soup:

3 medium sweet potatoes—peeled & cubed

6 medium carrots—peeled & cubed

1/2 onion—chopped

4 cloves garlic—crushed

2 sticks celery—chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1 t. salt

Pepper

Put all ingredients in a dutch oven and simmer till soft. Blend with immersion blender till pureed.

Fingers are crossed that this actually publishes and doesn’t wreck my blog!!!!

Warning: Sunglasses May Be Needed To View This Post

2009-03-12T07:55:00.004-05:00

Dug out from the depths of the sewing room the other day, this string quilt UFO was my first attempt at string piecing. It was started several years ago in a bee class at my guild. It was so much fun but I soon grew tired of the bold color scheme. I have now decided to finish it as a picnic quilt or just a fun Halloween cuddle quilt. I have run into a road block, though. The piecing was done on a very lightweight foundation material--an interfacing type fabric. This is what the leader of the bee had us use and so I just went ahead and finished it that way. It is a "leave in" foundation and that appealed to me. I so dislike having to tear paper foundations out. Well, here's the snag: the weight of the quilt body is slightly heavier than the borders which do not have the foundation fabric under them. How is THAT going to play out??? I am planning to use a low-loft 80-20 batting. Maybe that will help to camouflage the two different weights? Also the top measures 60" square. Maybe an extra border would be good to make it a more useable size? Hmmmmm...what to do, what to do...

Wacky Webs String Quilt	Add borders to the long ends	Pull scraps in color scheme
Chocolates & Cherries	Big stitch quilt with brown perle cotten	Mark fans pattern
Hot Salsa Nights	Piece blocks together	Arrange on design wall