Snowball Quilt

As of this date, January 29, 2010,
I, Debra, being of sound mind and body
(mind is questionable - as I have just finished an untold amount of half-square triangles;
and the body is always questionable)
would like to report that I have completed THE CHALLENGE!!!

PROOF:
OK, it's not quilted yet, but it is a finished quilt top. In my world, that counts!
It finished at 88 by 106 inches;
I really like it.
I may need to purchase new white sheets and some nice linen shams.
What is on the bed now is flannel in a very lovely print of moose, skis and pine trees in a very dingy tan and green and blue. NOT the right look for a very nice snowball quilt!
So, now I can go on vacation with my family!!!
It's time for our winter ski trip!!!
Well, they ski, I happily sew and cook.
So this is the start of my packing:

The important stuff- my slippers and some dark chocolate!


Then I gathered more stuff that's really important.

Yes, that's the Farmer's Wife book and some nicely folded fabrics I will be using. And now I can start this, as I have finished my snowball quilt challenge!!! Did I mention that I really like this snowball quilt???


Then I packed my sewing maching and all that paraphernalia.


After that, I went to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of recipes I want to try and packaged up some spices for those recipes and stuck in some snacks.
Then I gathered the stuff that daughter and s-i-l want us to take to them in Rhode Island (stuff that they couldn't fit in when they flew back after Christmas and a very large box of reference books that takes a crane to move and more shoes and boots than two people should need!)
But first, I will print off a few address and directions of quilt shops that might be on our way between Ohio and New Hampshire!
Now that that is packed I really should go and pack some clothes!


Again, my thanks to Nicole and Allyson for the challenge - all the organizing and pictures and especially since I heard there are going to be prizes!!! And, I don't know if I mentioned it or not, I really L O V E this snowball quilt!!!

THE Snowball Quilt Challenge and Bobbins

My method of attack was to wind 4 bobbins at a time.

 And this light just kept coming on on my machine! 

 It wouldn't stop!

I wound 4 bobbins FIVE times for this quilt!!!

First...I enlarged my quilt to be 13 squares by 13 squares.  That should be big enough.
Then...

I strip-pieced all the nine-patch snowball blocks and pressed them well.  Then I cut off all of the corners and added half-square triangles to each of the four corners.  Then I pressed. 

And I pressed.  And I pressed.

Before I forget, I really want to thank Allyson and Nicole again for this great challenge and for getting me to use this book again "Forty Fabulous Quick Cut Quilts by Evelyn Sloppy" (it really is quick-cut, just not necessarily quick put-back-together!!! and I swore last time I used it I would not use it again, which is silly, as there are great patterns in there!) (And, I have really enjoyed working along with everyone doing this challenge, and particularly "meeting" my fabric swap partners!!!-Thanks, gals, it was great to receive all those packages in the mail!!) 

Anyway, after all was pressed, I trimmed, and I trimmed, and I trimmed.  Then I layed out the blocks.  At this point, I decided that it needed to be bigger. 
ONLY two more rows. 
That's ONLY 26 more blocks!
These went much slower, as I wasn't strip-piecing any more. 
I was sewing 2 1/2 inch squares together.
Now that it is cut, sewn, trimmed, pressed and all laid out and sewn back together in it's larger size...
the backing that was from my stash? ...
Well, you guessed it, it's not big enough! 
So quilting will have to wait until backing is aquired. 
Or, maybe, I'll do a little more piecing...

Matters Pressing & Pressing Matters

Yes, there are many Matters that are Pressing---
you know, like taxes to prep,
work,
bills to pay,
you have to eat, so someone has to cook,
and sleep,
there is always cleaning,
and laundry.
Another important Matter that is Pressing 
is the Snowball Quilt Challenge.
The challenge was to finish this quilt by the end of January.
I am very, very close!
My quilt ended up being 13 squares across by 15 squares down- that's 195 blocks.
Then I added a four inch pieced border to finish out the star pattern around the snowballs.
That doesn't sound too bad, until you count all the pieces in this quilt. 

2,947.

That is a whole lot of cutting and sewing!

That is a whole lot of pinning:

A whole of pinning in each and every row!

After putting all those rows together,

I decided it really wasn't going to be big enough for my bed, so I added a couple of rows.

And that is where the Pressing Matters point comes in. 

Look at all of these seams that need a little help to lie down!

With that many pieces,

Pressing DOES Matter!

All that cutting and piecing and trimming and pressing creates a mess all over the floor - again!

And then we're back to the

Matters Pressing: vacumming!

I will post my finished Snowball Quilt picture when I get all the Pressing Matters taken care of!

(The matters pressing/vacumming can wait!)

fabric is addictive

Sunday:  a whole lot of sewing (snowballs are all in rows, and half is a quilt!!!, which is good, since the challenge deadline is one week from today!),
then, just 'cause there are too many things going on,
I decide I needed to move around things in my sewing studio. 
Everything a quarter turn clockwise! 
Maybe I was thinking I was getting ready for "springing forward"????? Who knows?

Now my sewing desk faces into the room instead of against a wall of shelves stacked with fabric. 
Now the cutting table is under the wall of shelves stacked with fabric. 
Now the design wall has moved clockwise.
And a WHOLE buncha, buncha stuff is stacked on the bed in the guest room. 

You know, stuff like fabric stacks and project bags and project containers and rulers and fusible stuff and more fabric and tubs of wool and baskets of scraps and, oh, you understand, I'm sure. 
That will be another few days a weeks work to get it back in and in place. 
If you look at the stuff I have moved back in already, you think it's a nice studio with a nice stash. 
Then you look at the stuff that isn't back in yet, and you might ask: 
"What was she thinking?" 
I don't really believe I will live forever.
Really, I don't!, Promise! 
I haven't found the fountain of youth. 
Nor do I have the "Tuck Everlasting" secret.
I need to get a handle on this. 
I really think that fabric is addictive. 
What else would explain it?

So, I'm working tomorrow at the LQS,
Here's Not a smooth transition:
Oh, and, I ordered another book ----
I know, another book in my just organized room!!!???,
BUT.... the plan is to use up some wool scrap! 
(No, that is NOT justification!!!  Is....it....?, Nah....)

Here's the cover picture.  It's called Wool Crazy
and written by JoAnn Mullaly.
And here's a picture of the finished project.  Each quarter of the quilt measures 24 by 24 inches. Put the finished quarters together, then you add sashing and borders, so it's pretty good sized! 

Now, that should use up some of those scraps!

maybe not gloom, dispair, and agony on me-e!

Helen, of Hugs n Kisses replied about the Cherry candies(!!):

**when I stop laughing I shall find the details for you,
I had it made in North Queensland but I know they had a
website and sell retail too!!! hugs, Helen**

Dear Helen,

I received your message (see above) in regards to the
Tasmanian Cherry hard candy question I posed to you yesterday,
and I just want to say:

Yippee, yay, yahoo, wonderful, fantastic, magnificent, excellent, terrific, cool, groovy, good, great, greater, greatest, superb, amazing, marvelous, incredible, out of this world extraordinary, and... (deep breath)...tremendous!

Oh, I mean, thank you, I really appreciate it, I’m grateful, pleased, obliged, and maybe even beholden and indebted?
I can't wait, well, I can, but I'm so excited, it will be difficult.
And please let me know when you are ready for your Marshmallows, Jello, and American canned Cheese Sauce.

Friends in Stitching,
Debra in Ohio

"Gloom, despair and agony on me-e!

Hi Helen,

I met you at the Houston Quilt Market - I'm sure you remember each of the 100,000 people you met!! ha
That's me - 12 back and three in from the right....
Anyway, after enjoying your Schoolhouse Lecture (sorry that you are blurred in the picture, but the quilt wasn't blurry and I really wanted a pic of your creativeness, sorry, so so sorry),

I was given a very nice packet of candy, all wrapped up nicely in a shiny, crinkly bag and tied with a matching red ribbon.
I offered a piece to a friend and I ate one piece to sustain my energy through that busy afternoon.
Then I realized how good it was, and I stopped offering pieces willy-nilly, friend or not!

And then, in your booth when I bought some of your patterns (like "Life is Beautiful") and I colored [:)] with you, I was given another very nice packet of the delicious, red, hard candy.

This is the end of the first bag of deliciousness: 
See how cute it is?  See how the colors just jump out at you?  Can't you almost smell the fruitiness of it?
The problem, you see.....
I think I am addicted to this very nice candy!!!
I have hoarded that candy. I have hidden that candy from myself. I have doled it out to myself.
I have stretched out those two little bags of delightfulness all of November, December, and almost all of January!
And, now it's almost gone.  This is my gloom, despair and agony - I have only 2 two lonely pieces left.
(See my candy jar below?)

And can I find it anywhere in the United States?
That answer would be a big, fat, NO!
In capital letters!!! (I know, that's shouting in blog-land, but I feel like shouting!)

I also know, that there are many more important issues going on in this world today other than finding a candy.
So, not that this is a dire emergency or anything like that, but I am on a mission to find this candy.

I think that I remember that it was a Tasmanian Cherry hard candy.  Is that right?
I don't need the very fancy candy that had Pattern Press wording made into it, though that was great too, because every time I picked one up I read the Pattern Press wording and I remembered the fun of Market.
I just love the color.  I just L-O-V-E the burst of fruity flavor when you set one on your tongue.

I would like to fill my little candy jar that sits on my sewing table.
Fill my little candy jar many times over and over if it was possible.
And I promise that I would continue to dole it out sparingly. 
Make it last for a   v - e - r - y     l - o - n - g      t - i - m - e.

Oh, I know you didn't make it yourself, and it was probably a "Pattern Press" promotion, but do you have any information on this candy???
Do you know of a place that sells it.  Distributes it. Makes it?
Could you please help? Any info at all!
To find this information I would bribe you do the following:
I would stitch your designs. 
I would proof-read your copy.
I would wash your dishes.
I would pick thread clippings from all of your furniture and clothing. 
(OK, those last two would be difficult given the ocean between us.)
I would even be willing to work out a trade if need be!
Do you crave anything American?
Marshmallows? Jello? American canned Cheese Sauce?
(I was drawing a blank on American thingys, sorry).
Anything?
Please let me know.  I will work it into my schedule.
Thank you, Helen, for hearing my plea.
And, I promise I'll TRY not to stalk hassle trouble you again.
Your friend in stitching,
Debra from Ohio

naked lips and fabric scraps

Yes, you read that correctly: I said "naked lips". 
Naked lips are tragic.  They need moisture.  And maybe a little color now and then. 

To my way of thinking,
the tragic, naked lips are kind of like fabric scraps. 
They just need some lovin'. 
They need just a little attention.

And they will bloom. 

Bloom into something wonderful.

Scraps of fabrics for this Farmer's Wife Sampler?
Yep, I have them collected!
Scraps of reproduction fabrics that are from the 1890's through the 1920's. 
Maybe not enough scraps of the dark colors, so I probably will have to add a few more fat quarters.
Like adding a dark colored lip balm.  Very soothing, and the color just pops! 
And I love a couple of the new/old cheddars, so definately some of those scraps will have to be added.  More fabric balm needed!!!

Do I have scraps of miniscule proportions?

Yep, those also.

Like the scraps in this quilt called Oh My Gosh, by Sue Garman.  The irish chain  nine-patch blocks in this pattern finish at one and one half inches.  Yes, I said 1 and 1/2 inches.  Each. 

That is like those little lip sticks that used to be offered as samples from the make-up companies.  Really too little to use in most instances, but you kept them anyway, just in case you might need just the right color without buying the full-size product.

Maybe you will call me crazy, but I'm thinking that the Oh My Gosh quilt is calling my name.  I have the pattern in my studio.  I picked it up at a shop on the bus trip on the way to the International Quilt Festival, held in Chicago.  And I think that was two years ago. 
This one may be like the lip color that was just a little trendy,
but you had to have it before it was gone!
Both of these projects will use some of my scraps.
The scraps that just need some lovin'. 
The scraps that just need a little attention.

Scraps that are under-rated.... 
After a little pondering,
maybe it's the fabric scraps that are like the tragic, naked lips,
not the other way around.

Scraps that will bloom with a little "balm".
Bloom into something wonderful.And they will bloom. Keep smiling and scraping!

Are you sleeping? Dormez-vous?

HQ Fusion update.....
The table brace that was not in one of the TEN huge packages is here.
The screws to attach all three handlebars are here.
The parts are the correct ones and are now in their proper places.
WE HAVE COMPLETED SET-UP!!!
All parts are here and the HQ Fusion is up and going. Finally. YAY, Wahoo, and


And this is the tune that is running a continual loop (and I mean continual loop!) in my mind:


Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines
Ding ding dong, ding ding dong.


Do you ever get a song's tune stuck in your head?
Why does this happen?????
And I don't speak french, so why this tune, IN FRENCH???
I finally get the french version out of my head,
Then there's the english version that takes it's place:


Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing
Ding ding dong, ding ding dong.


Really, not better in english, though I do have a brother John.
Any maybe my brain is telling me to get back to work: morning bells and all.
That is bad enough, that this keeps rattling around and around and around in there,
but then my head replaces all the words to this little ditty with this:
Same tune, different words:

I am quilting, I am quilting,
HQ Fusion, HQ Fusion,
Stitching and meandering, Stitching and meandering,
Yes, I am, Yes, I am.

So as I move my machine around, stitching with the new machine,
I am moving to the tune of  "Are you sleeping?"
The cadence must be a good one for stitching, 'cause my brain just won't stop the madness.
Make it stop, please make it stop!
I need to create a diversion!
Hurry, sing something else.
Turn on the TV, the radio, the oven, something!
I just want to sew in complete bliss.
Ding ding dong.

Fabric and Food!

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen!
Welcome to pictures of the past weekend of furious cutting.
Welcome to pictures of the past weekend of furious piecing.
Yep, here are pictures to prove it.....
Cutting and piecing:
I made this cranberry orange bread.
Then we cut it and pieced on it.
This started as two loaves....
we really pieced, didn't we?
Just kidding; it did start as two loaves, but we shared, & then I took some to work yesterday, too, so this is all that remains at my house.  I also made up some vegetable beef soup that was yummy.  (We had it for lunch and dinner.)
Oh, yeah, the fabric part of the equation:
Cutting:

We cut charm squares for the Lil Twister pattern...We each made the sock monkey version. D made a bright/primary version.  And I made a girly version with pinks and yellows and aquas.  And as we cut, we cut at least two charm square kits at a time.  For the sock monkey version we cut 4 "kits" of charms.  And I packaged the extra up for projects at a later date.  The time consuming part of the Lil Twister pattern is cutting all the squares. So that part is out of the way the next time we feel the need to make a baby quilt!

Here's more evidence of our cutting.  Looks like a rat nest, huh?  But really, just trimmings and thread snippets from a great day of production.

And now, ladies and gentlemen ,

for your viewing pleasure...

Piecing:

Sweetie took the picture for us, and he thought it hilarious that our foreheads were in the picture, like we were Mr. Wilson,

the neighbor on that Home Improvement sitcom.  Looks like our expressions are good, we  just needed our hats.   Anyway, on the left is D's forehead with her primary/bright and her sock monkey versions.  And, that's my forehead on the right, with my sock monkey version and girly version.  The two sock monkey versions and the girly one still need outside borders added,  but sweetie was just passing through, so we got a picture while we could, which was before the finishes happened.  And, yes, that's a few of the charm packs we cut that are ready for the next time.

And, finally, here's a picture of my tops all lined up. 

I know it's not a great picture, but each top has with it the backing and binding, all ready to go.

Left to right:  crazy nine patch in primary colors, froggy Yellow Brick Road,  girly Lil Twister, Over the River and Through the Woods, primary colors Lil Twister, Christmas gift (yes, I still have one Christmas gift to finish-bad me), and finally, the sock monkey Lil Twister.

Cutting and Piecing:  a good way to spend a day! 

just a couple of things: accountability, and accountability

First thing:  Farmer's Wife Sampler Block Quilt.  

If you haven't heard about this great book, here's the scoop: 
In 1922, The Farmer's Wife magazine posed this question to their readers:
"If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you allow her to marry a farmer?" 
The question was answered by MANY folks and the letters were recently put into book form along with 110 six-inch block patterns. 
The book has a CD with templates for the block pieces, and instructions for 4 different sizes of quilts. 
 
I think I want to do about 6 to 10 blocks a month starting this month.  I have a friend that wants to do the same.  There are a couple of classes offered at the LQS, but I can't make either of the classes for the first four months.  And, I don't need the class, really, just the motivation  and accountability of doing it with a group.  Yeah, accountability to continue through all 110 blocks.  So, not really a very organized thing, with rules and such, just a blog picture sharing at the end of each month. 
I am very interested in doing this quilt.

Anyone else out there interested also??????
What do you think?  Any takers???  Let me know;  I'm looking forward to getting going.

Secondly:  A sew-in. 
This Saturday, I am going to sew.  Sew all day.  I am going to make baby quilts ALL DAY.  I have waaaay too many baby quilt gifts on my list.
There, now I have said it out loud. 
I have put it out there, and it will happen. 
Join me in this also, if you'd like. 
Choose a day and chain yourself to your sewing area, leaving only to refresh (you know, food, drink, restroom breaks). 
No laundry, no grocery trips, no errands, no Wii Fit or treadmill, no gourmet cooking. 
NO blog-a-gagging, just plain ol' sewing. 
Pre-pack your lunch.
Only leave your sewing area to refill your water glass, get your sack lunch, and put on your lipstick (naked lips are bad for morale-- you know they are (naked lips are a post of their own), but if you don't use lipstick, use chapstick)! 
Move your ironing board away from your sewing machine (this is your stretching time), put on your favorite music, and get your groove on. 
OR, invite a friend  to sew-in with you and tag team sew. 
I am going to tag team sew. 
We will cut together, sew together, press together, eat together, share and laugh together.
WE WILL PRODUCE. 
WE WILL TAKE BABY QUILT GIFTS OFF OUR LISTS.
Again, it may be the accountability I need.

Someday is NOT a day of the week!

Tomorrow is my day to work on unfinished projects.
I'm not sure that is such a good mantra.
Tomorrow...
Tomorrow is always tomorrow.
Tomorrow never seems to come. 

Maybe I should have made the list (you know me & List Making!) a "Day of the Week" list.
Someday, by the way, is NOT a day of the week!!!
Anyway, back to the list:  you know, Tuesday: blankity blankity quilt.
That way, EVERY Tuesday, it's on my list!
OR, maybe I should create a weekly "pill box" thingy for my quilts:

you know, like this:

So whichever lid I lift for whichever day it is, there is something in each compartment to work on!

Or, I could drop each project into a "grab bag", close it up, and put them all on a shelf.  Then, any day I go into the studio to work, I just "grab a bag of project" to work on.

Anyway, on my list for tomorrow my day off, are the following projects in progress:

• Work on my BOM - Sweet Land of Liberty blocks for meeting the end of the month.  I am up to date on this one in the block making, just a couple of small wool appliques to add.
• Class sample: Wall Flowers:  a wool applique on cotton piecing Block of the Month.
• Work on putting together the quilt pieces from ONE quilt (of two) that are layered on my design wall. This is a wedding gift UFO-a wedding that happened the fall of 2008!--(BUT, the groom's brother had his wedding quilt in five years, so, in my mind I'm ahead of schedule!!!)  (The second layered quilt will wait for another day). And, by the way, I don't recommend layering two different sets of quilt pieces on your design wall at the same time; very confusing!
• 
  
  And, maybe most importantly, The Snowball Quilt from the Challenge - it is already almost the end of the second week of January!!!! aaarrrggg!, where's the time going already?
  
  
  

I know, time flies for everyone.

• Also on the list - a little domestic activity: clean laundry would be nice, undecorate the tree, make some homemade egg noodles to go with the chicken I cooked, maybe a little dusting - naaah, what was I thinking there on that last one?!
  

OK, when it's all listed out like it is above, that looks like a whole heck of a lot to even think about trying to accomplish tomorrow. Someday. Wednesday.  Let's just leave it at accomplish, what do you think?
Happy snowy day again!!!

A quilting I want to go

Parts, parts, everywhere parts.

Boxes and packing and straping and foam and more boxes.  But it is finally coming together.
Wait, more boxes and packing and foam and strapping and bubble wrap.   And moving stuff around and looking for missing bolts and mis-matched braces.

It is coming together.  And Sweetie and I are both "handy", so it's not difficult, just VERY time consuming. 

Now I think we are just waiting on one over-nighted box from Utah with missing handlebar bolts and a brace that matches one of the two that we have in hand.

And, then,

a-quilting-I-will-go,

a-quilting-I-will-go,

Heigh-ho, the dairy-o,

 a-quilting-I-will-go!

Lil Twister and upcoming gifts

Product review:

The Lil Twister pattern is a quick and easy and it's a fun quilt to make. 

I have the small pattern that uses 5 inch squares or charms.  Using a charm pack would diffently help make this a quicker project to complete.  (There is also a large pattern made to use 10 inch squares or layer cake packs.)
I chose to cut the 5 inch squares from 36 different fabrics, so this took a little bit of time to cut them all out. 

I sewed them together in six rows of six

(a little bigger than suggested in the pattern),  pressed,
and then added a 3 inch border as directed. 

Then all you do is put the pattern/template on the sewn top, aligning the black lines of the pattern/template with the sewn lines of the pieced squares. 

Then just cut around the pattern/template,




turn each piece slightly and sew back together in the same order. 

Continue cutting and sewing until all rows are back together and pressed.

I then added another border (7 inches) and --- WaLaa! -- a finished baby sized flimsy about 40" by 40"!!! 

I did the whole thing from cut to pressed in under 4 hours.  Think how fast you could go if you used charms!
(Note to Mary:  You won't believe how fast this is.  You won't believe how easy this is!)
This same afternoon I had a little show of production:

• This "Twister" flimsy has the backing ready and awating the HQ Fusion to be up and going.  :(   This emoticon = me sad that the new Fusion is still awaiting parts.
• I got TWO more backs ready for baby top flimsies, prepped the bindings, and have the batting cut to size. 
• AND,  I have a table topper ready to quilt (this is a Christmas gift UFO-sorry, recipient).   On this one I have a specialty thread I'd like to try - I think it's called "sparkle"? 

Anyway, the baby quilt "Lil Twister" was a hit for me.  Quick and cute.  I will change out some of the larger prints in the "twisters" next time, but it definately is a keeper and worth making another.  It may be my new "go to" for needed baby gifts.
(Oh, I almost forgot, Mary, you should try this Twister quilt....it is sooo fast and fun and easy.  You won't believe how fast it is and how fun it is.  Really, Mary, you should try it.  You won't believe how fast.......)
Now, back to work for me! 
Thanks for stopping by.

the "S" word, four letters

Said with emphasis!
S... is for S N O W!!!

Snow!, I love it. 
Another snow day. 
Really snowy.
With wind chill. 
Storm warnings. 
State-wide, level one snow emergency. 
All the local schools were closed.
The clipper came through town and left us a great gift of another heap or so of the great white stuff on top of the last dumping.
And it has stayed REALLY cold. 
No melting and thawing. 
Now, the winds are supposed to come, so the drifting will start out there.
Today, for me, was a work at home day.

 Sooooo, what was I working on?

Snow!

Snow in the studio.

The fabric snowball kind..>.

These are some of my favorite "snow fabrics" below.

And as I was making snowballs in the studio, this is what I could see out my window:

 And this.

The snow continued to fall all day.  I think this is now fourteen days in a row with snow fall outside. 

Then, there is this: 

This is the snow flurry stuff that is all over inside my house.  It sticks to my slippers and follows me from the studio, down the hallway, and into the kitchen.  It static-clings itself to my pants and follows me to the laundry room and the bathroom and living room.  It jumps off of the cutting table and throws it's self around the studio. 

I think there may be the start of a drift or two in here. 
But I'm not going to start any plowing as of yet. 
There are still a bunch of white flurries to come.  I can feel it!

Hope you got to sew a little today, too.