month four of five: Vintage Trick or Treat

Month Four of Five ALREADY!!!

Though I'm not ready to admit that Fall is a-comin'...
Fall must be just right around the corner,
as our "fall project" is almost finished!!!

The stitch-along group at the LQS

has been meeting on the third Tuesday of the month

and working on

Vintage Trick or Treat

by Crabapple Hill:

This month's assignment

was the finish of the

center bottom stitchery block:

The Gang's All Here!

This group reminds me of some of my "gang" of friends :)

Also this month - get all of your machine pieced blocks done

and start assembly:

We'll discuss a little issue
of when to "fly-stitch" between the side stitcheries...
(I disagreed with the instructions
and felt it could have been done sooner and at an easier point in the construction process)


Next month's assignments:

• hand-embroidery stitch the last two blocks: Hoot Owl & Squiggle Mouth

• piece together the two corner blocks with the "Gang's all Here" for the bottom of the quilt (remember to check your measurements against already pieced blocks before you cut!)
• piece together the corner blocks with the stitched "Halloween Banner" for the top of the quilt (remember to check and double check those measurements before cutting your stitchery blocks!)

Next month we'll discuss:

• putting all the machine-stitched blocks together with the hand-stitched pieces
• attaching borders that are the correct length for the center blocks so we do NOT end up with wavy borders
• quilting options
• optional rick-rack and pom-pom-tassels
• doing a scalloped edge border
• binding a scalloped border

still with the scissors/giveaway

OK, so, lots of scissor input - thank you very much.

First, I've learned, that I'm not the only scissor freak in this hemisphere.

Second, evidently there are negative connotations with the scissor whore label :)
but, hey, just telling it like it is!

Third, I am lovin' these little scissors that I'm giving away!

They are now next to my lazy-girl sewing chair permanently-
as this is where I do my red-work or wool applique stitching EVERY night -
so they are a perfect fit!
(The more expensive, longer, serrated-blade Ginghers are now with my wool project stuff where they work the best!)

Here's the latest project:

a sample for the LQS,

one of the newest Crabapple Hill patterns -

Vintage Traditions Stockings

Keep leaving your comments about your fav scissors and why -
I'm closing the
scissor giveaway contest
this Friday, July first at midnight, EST

month two of five: Vintage Trick or Treat

Month TWO is here!
in the second installment of the stitch-along of

Vintage Trick or Treat by Crabapple Hill ...

a class that I'm leading at the lqs.

This month's assignment piece was

the banner that runs along the top of the quilt:

It was a quick and easy piece to stitch -

not a whole lot of stitching,

and the stitching that was there was not a solid fill stitch.

Also included in this month's assignment:

finish up your nine-patch blocks...

press toward the dark in your strip piecing,

then spiral or pinwheel the seams open on the back when

pressing the nine-patches

(spiral seam example on bottom left):

The pattern suggested cutting out 200+

1 1/2 inch squares then piece them into 9-patches.

I recommended the strip piecing method...

using only a quarter WOF strip...

not quite as scrappy looking when finished,

but also not as daunting to those newer quilters.

I shared before that I was going to change up my colors

from the pattern recommendations.

You can tell from these pics that I'm living on the darker side :)

And I like it - I like it a lot!!!

Here's the finished center:

Next months' assignments: 

• Trace and stitch the two small blocks from the right side of the pattern: Squiggle Mouth & Scaredy Cat
• finish up any remaining nine patches
• piece together the four pin wheel blocks that are needed for the corners of the quilt
• go ahead and put together the four "corner blocks", using your remaining nine-patches and the pin-wheel blocks you just made
• get your tracing done for The Gang's All Here block

Happy Stitching!!!

month one of five: Vintage Trick or Treat

OK, girlies and guy friends...

month one is a goner

in the five month

"Vintage Trick or Treat" plan...

We started with the center stitched block

in our first class at the lqs.

So by the third Tuesday of each month 

we would have a section completed...

And, I am proud to say,

as the "leader" of the chain-stitching gang,

I had mine done for the first month (May),

just as a good leader should...

but I told the participants not to hold me to a finish every month :) !
Here's my first month's stitched piece:

It still has the basting stitches in it

& needs to be pressed,

but stitched is stitched!
(yes, there are just a couple of places that need some black outline stitching!-thanks for noticing)

Here's the cute pattern...

called Vintage Trick or Treat by Crabapple Hill.

If you are stitching along at home,

 the block for next month is

the "banner" across the top

that spells out Halloween. 

 And, to finish up the piecing of the nine-patches. 

(the pattern calls for a couple of hundred individual 1 1/2 in  squares for the nine-patches, but I did mine with strip-piecing and sub-cutting.  Maybe not as scrappy, but they're looking good.)

Remember, don't cut the center stitching piece down to finishing size until you have sewn your nine patches!  as there can be issues between your quarter-inch seam allowance and the pattern makers'.  Most of the time it's a minor difference, but QUADRUPLE check before cutting that piece of fabric with all of your hours of stitching!!!  (Meg, from Crabapple, has a great freezer-paper method to do the trimming that I really think works, even for non-beginners. Thanks, Meg.)  And, no, I am not speaking from experience on the wrong cutting thing, but now that I've mentioned it, I'll be paranoid!

Happy Stitching!

p.s. send me pics of your project if you're stitching along with us & I'll share with the gals in the class!    

more class stuff

I love fall colors and all of the fall colored fabrics are just yummy:

 I made a whole bunch of one and a half inch strips, sewed them together into a whole bunch of light/dark/light and reverse dark/light/dark strips, then sub-cut into one and a half inch strips:

 to sew together to make a whole bunch of these:

 to go around the stitchery part of this:

for the Vintage Trick or Treat,

a Crabapple Hill pattern.

I'm leading this hand stitch embroidery class

at Always in Stitches here in Ohio.

It's our goal to stitch the center block this month

& do a little piecing too,

stitch the top banner next month, and so on,

until we have them all stitched in the next five months.

That way we'll have a quilt top ready by October!!!

You are more than welcome to join in at home...

we meet the third Tuesday at the shop,

but if you send me your pics, I'll add them here to share with others!

Ready, set, go!

The center stitched block is our goal for May 17th 

Abe's logs

I LOVE log cabin blocks...

and I LOVE this little goody...only 11" x 14".

It is Abe's Log Cabin

using all one inch cut pieces!!!

from the Fit to Frame series: Set Twelve, by Lori Smith.

I used all reproduction fabrics and then hand quilted it with the

"Utility Stitch" ...aka the Big Stitch and a

Valdani floss-size 12 #O545

The color of this floss reminds me of santa's beard...

I did it as a sample for an upcoming class I'm leading

at Always In Stitches here in Ohio.

Join me if you can!

Happy President's Day

and keep on stitching!

a snowman

Ahh, snow...

Nope, still not tired of the snow...

real or fabric :)

"and in the Meadow"
by Larkspur Lane,
a paper-pieced pattern
that will be a class I'm teaching
at
Always in Stitches
 THURSDAY, February 24th, 6-8 p.m.
It's a good beginner paper-piecing pattern...
this wall hanging finishes at 33"x41",
so no little stuff...
unless you do the four corner house blocks,
(which I did not do for the sample for this beginner class).

So, I was thinking...if you are tired of the real stuff...snow, I'm talking,
then this is a great end of winter project to usher out the season.
If you are not in town, you can order the pattern and a kit from the A.I.S. shop and they'll ship!

Happy day!
And Happy Snow!!

Warning!!!

I have been asked for a recipe.

Maybe a bazillion and two times.

The recipe for the bars that I took

to the Shop Hop Preview Party

at the LQS, Always in Stitches.

The recipe that I slaved over. 

That I alluded to being time-consuming to make.

The recipe that wears you out just making them...

Well, they really are quick and easy, ridiculously easy...

BUT,

Let me warn you ahead of time...

ONLY MAKE THESE

IF YOU ARE

TAKING THEM SOMEWHERE!!!

The recipe is called Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars.

Really they should be called:

"Warning, You Will Eat These Until Sick Bars".

Or, "Warning, Ten Pound Gain Ahead Bars".

I'm telling you, the name really should have the word WARNING in it somewhere.

They just have a few ingredients, including those rolled crescents in a tube. 

You do have to turn on the oven, though. 

But don't be afraid. 

They only have to be baked for about half an hour.

They really are SOOOOO easy - just don't hurt yourself when you pop open the rolls.

You know how sometimes you really have to struggle to pop open those containers of crescent rolls?

You peel back the paper and then have to crack the can on the edge of the cupboard, even though the package instructs you to use the tip of a spoon to push at the seam.  The pushing with a spoon never works for me, so I end up beating the roll against the cupboard about ten times.  And then you have to twist and turn to get the rolls out of the package, contorting yourself around the entire kitchen as you twist and turn.

Just be careful, I'm telling you...

So, if you are still interested, here's the scoop:

WARNING:  Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars Ahead
(note that I added the Warning in the name!)
2 Pkg. crescent rolls
2 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
topping:
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter, melted

Layer 1 package rolls into ungreased 9x13" cake pan.
(Pinch seams together and spread well to cover bottom of pan).
Mix next three ingredients together until smooth then spread over crescent layer in pan.
Top with other container of crescent rolls.
(yes you have to open the container and unroll the dough!)
Mix together the topping sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the layers. 
Pour the melted butter over the topping.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cool, then refrigerate.  Slice when completely chilled.

They can be served as is or with a side of fruit topping and a dollop of whipping cream.
For those non-cooks out there:  read fruit topping as pie filling from a can.
(The fruit might be considered part of the daily recommendation of fruit/vegetable, I suppose.  And the whipping cream? Just more decadence.)

This is when the problem starts...

When the WARNING should be applied.

Even if you cut them into very small portions,

the just keep jumping into your mouth

every time you walk by the kitchen!

PS.  If you double the recipe like I usually do, use two cake pans.  I put both recipes out on a large jelly roll pan with 1 inch sides.  Not a good idea.  The dough raises and dumps the sugar/cinnamon/butter over the sides of the pan onto the oven floor and then it burns and smokes the next 3 times you use the oven.

PPS.  I used the low-fat version of rolls and cream cheese in the recipe this time and it was just as good.  Also, I cut back the sugar in the cream cheese mixture by a third, using only 2/3 cup.  I liked it just as well, but maybe a little "cheesier" in flavor.

OK, gals, you have been warned!  Do Not Blame Me if they add poundage to your life!

more quilting

This cute, new panel came into the

LQS 

and one of the gals there asked me to quilt it for her...

check out the close up:

bats in the border!

No, I did not say Bats in the Belfry!!!

I think that's my favorite part ... the border bats!

But I am not ready for fall!

I'm enjoying the Africa-hot temps!

Maybe there are bats in the belfry!!!

My Crazy Pumpkin Patch

I am not ready to declare the summer going, going, gone, but I HAVE been working on an Autumn project...

This is a peek at my version of crazy patchwork and one of my favorite seasons-Autumn. It's paper piecing, but not miniature, so easy to do. This pattern I designed is for a class I'm offering this fall for beginning paper piecing, so it will be great for that purpose, but I think it's calling me to stitch and bead and embellish like "crazy"! I even may add some applique...it seems a little on the plain side, even though it's crazy patched. I used a lot of batiks hoping that would liven it up. What do you think? If you were doing it, would you jazz it up, add stitching, add applique?

The class is available at my local quilt shop:

Always in Stitches, Grove City, Ohio. Jump over to the A.I.S. page to check the schedule if you're interested. The pattern is also available at "Always In Stitches". Just give them a call (614-539-7845), and they can drop one in the mail for you. That way you, too, can start some paper-piecing-crazy-stitchin' fall project. And you don't have to declare summer gone either!!

cooking and lovin' it

Well, today was another busy day.  I worked at the quilt shop all day, stopped at the grocery, then came home and cooked for 3 hours!  My son has asked me to "cater" his OSU tailgate parties for every home game. So...only about 40 people for the home opener.  The weather is going to be wonderful, and the guys are very appreciative of home cookin'.  This week's menu is breakfast of hickory smoked ham, cheese, and egg soufle'.  Lunch is:  quarter pound (yes, Quarter Pound!) all-beef weiners with homemade chili sauce, diced onions and cheddar cheese; a taco dip with fresh tomatoes, green onions, and grated cheese on a bed of homemade bean dip and taco seasoned cream cheese;  and dozens of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. 
As the season progresses, the food quantities increase, as do the number of fans.  I have the usual standbys planned:  chili in a bag, chicken and noodes, brats and burgers.  If you have any great suggestions for tailgating food for crowds that can be heated on grills, let me know.  I'd love to hear from you.  Oh, yea, GO BUCKS!

p.s.  Friday, I will be working at the Circleville Quilt Show for Always in Stitches Quilt Shop.  It's held at the Trinity Luthern Church, 135 E. Mound St.  9-5 both Friday and Saturday.  It's a good show with over a hundred quilts and 10 vendors.  Stop and visit if you are in the area.