Many thanks

 to all of our service people,

past and present...

quilter's block

aka: the hold up...
or MY not being able to decide on a quilting design.

Here's the culprit:

a very lovely quilt by Vickie.

And the

hold up/quilter's block/mental issue

was all mine...

no fault of the quilt-maker by any means!

I

just

could

not

decide

what to stitch in the borders/sashing

that I thought would live up to the

gorgeous fabric that was used in the blocks.

I finally, finally, finally decided
on the blossom and leaf meander that mimicked the fabric in the panels.

Don't know why that took me so long.  Seems so simple, now.  Looking back, I think I was just a little afraid of messing this one up.  And don't know why about that either!  I am always very conscious of the fact that I could really mess up someones' labor of love!

Maybe it was just the fact that we I needed a couple of days of sunshine instead of this infernal rain we've had for the last two months!!! 

Oh, well, it's done and I love it, and I think she will, too.

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, please...

I've been seeing all the great new "stuff"

that was released at

Quilt Market this Spring...

and I need more, please...

more TIME, that is!!!

Oh me, oh my...

Really, what are they (the designers)

trying to do to us stitchers???!!!

Check out these new things-

in no particular order of preference ---

I'm telling you, I love them all!

These first two are from that bunch of troublemakers   from Crabapple Hill...    I can blame them in great part for my lack of time out of the stitching department!! :)

 Then there's that Kathy Schmitz... too many new things here that I would like to do, also!

Then, lo and behold... the new Need'l Love book comes into the lqs where I work part-time... now one of these has made it home with me!

And, I'm telling you,

that I ALREADY

 take my stitching with me everywhere

(just ask my family and friends - EVERYWHERE)!

Really, I have needle & thread with me at all times -

and most of that time it is on my person...

if not in my hand,

then the needle is stuck in my shirt-front 

& the thimble is in my pocket.

The gals at the market/grocery think something is wrong if I come in without a needle stuck into my clothing somewhere (they are kind and mostly over-look the threads stuck to me everywhere).

If you'd see my project stash, you'd think I was starting to hoard  (OK, past the "starting" stage)!  But if you don't get it when you see it, it's not available at a later date, I've found.

Anyway,

back to the ways I've found

to get some more time:

I've cut waaaaay back

on the time-wasting chores

of cleaning and dusting-

that stuff just comes back

almost as soon as you've done it, anyway.

I've pretty much given up on sleeping

(though that could be an age thing :) coming on)...

but that sure allows some more stitching time.

What's a gal to do?

 Retire?

I know,

maybe I could get a stitching job...

with a designer ...

and just stitch...

all day,

every day,

morning, noon & night.

Doesn't that sound like a dream job, or what?

The only thing that could make it better?

To get paid a little-

paid in flosses and wools!

Do you have any 
"more time, please" 
suggestions??

And, tell me...

what is your favorite new pattern

or fabric that's calling out to you?

bug in the shower & obsession, night five

When I reached in to turn the water on in the shower this a.m.,
there was a bug in the corner...
not a spider, but a two-segmented-body bug.
Now, Sweetie had showered earlier - and he said nothing about a bug...
Not that I'm afraid of bugs, or spiders, for that matter.
I just don't care to share my shower with either of them.

So, first try to remedy the situation of bug in the shower:
turn on the hot water and turn the shower head in the direction of the bug.
Of course, that doesn't ever work,
the bug just cowers in the corner,
getting a nice, hot bath. 
Probably thinking how nice the hot water is
compared to the cold, clammy drain and septic
he had just recently vacated.
And, it's not like I'm afraid of bugs, or spiders, for that matter.

So, second try to remedy the situation:
I got the shower cleaning brush and smashed the little sucker.
Then I turned off the water.
I don't know why I left the water on for the kill, but I did.
Maybe the water spray would have protected me if,
I don't know,
he suddenly decided to lunge
when he saw the brush head coming straight at him.

Anyway, remedied situation:
some tissue,
then a burial in the swirling-sea.
aka: porcelain tomb.

Then, I showered...
aaahhhhh. 
Nice moderately hot shower - as I had used up some of the reserve of hot water whilst bug-smashing.

So, the shower was really not that relaxing, though.
In my mind I kept thinking of where that bug had came in.
Was his whole family lurking close by?
Ready to jump up from the drain and attack my legs?
(I've seen Nature shows about how some bugs can jump...
And attack their victims...)
Or was the whole bug-clan/infestation 
clinging to the ceiling
and ready to drop onto my head and shoulders
like drops of water?

Good thing I don't have a problem with bugs,
or spiders,
for that matter.

What I have decided,

after that whole lot of water usage,

is that I think I have used my allotment of water for the day,

SO

no doing dishes or laundry for me -

all day to sew!!!

I'm also thinking
I've been watching too many movies
on the natural science channel

while I've been sewing obsessing

over my little hexies!

Last night...the fifth night of obsessing:

ready to stretch and frame!

It finished ten by fourteen and 

I only had to make 208 little half-inch hexagons.

Yay!

still obsessed - night four

I have a comission quilt on the machine, and I.am.stuck...
stuck, stuck, stuck...
I have never heard of "quilter's block"...
ha ha- Quilter's block...

anyway,
I have the blocks themselves quilted,
but am drawing a blank on quilting design for the borders/shashing. 
I just keep going and standing and looking at it. 
Something, eventually, will jump into my mind for meandering...

and, I really should be working on a wedding shower gift, too!!!

But every night,
I still find these papers jumping into my hands...

those little half-inch finished hexagon papers...

they have paper-cut their way into my evenings...

This is after night four...

(and only twelve more to go!!-
I was really, really tired
and I just couldn't do a dozen more...
I won't tell you what time that was...
wee hours is all I'm admitting :) 

obsessed.

obsession update...

Still playing in scraps of fabric...

still working half-inch hexes...

still obsessed...

after night three

:)

obsession

I may have a new obsession...

I saw these little "hex" papers at the International Quilt Show.

You know, English paper piecing shapes.

Those pre-cut paper shapes that come in all shapes and sizes.

Little did I know

that there were VERY small ones

that fit right into my obsession like of minute detail.

These hexagon papers that I saw 

finished at only one quarter of an inch.

Yes, you read that right, one quarter inch...

There were also half inch hex papers.

Also calling to me.

The problem?

Both packets of these little hexes

were packets of like 12,000 paper hexagons.

I'm not planning on making a king-size quilt from quarter inch hexes right now.

Nor of the half inch size.

So, even though I picked them up and put them back at least five times,

I did not purchase the bulk pack of either size.

BUT,

I did find the small packs

at one of the shops in our local shop-hop.

(Thanks so much, Good Wives & Company.)

Only 200 hexagons in the quarter-inch size packet.

And, only 125 hexagons in the half-inch size packet.

Much more do-able than 12,000 bulk!

(half inch size pictured) They are very scrap friendly!

I've had these papers only two nights...

Total Obsession!!!

See:

Check your local shop and see if they are in on this obsession.

These little papers are available from the manufacturer Paper Pieces in Illinois,

Or, you can call the Good Wives & Company here in Ohio.

You, too, could start obsessing with me!

meanderings

Yes, in thread, this time...

This is Vicky's beauty. 

Very modern, yet subtle in it's green and brown leafy-ness. 

I love it!

Next, a top that I have had finished for I-don't-know-how-long,

waiting to be readied for a baby gift,

and it was time,

so...

this "Lil Twister" finally got meandered and

bound and ready for a new great-niece...

Welcome to the family

Alexis!

Back to stitching -

I have a couple of things to get finished so I can share with you later...

NOT the thread kind of meanderings...

I always feel as though I'm meandering.

Meandering through my thoughts, and meandering with thread...

processing the "stuff" going on in my little part of the world.

This post is Not about quilting,

but a couple of random, make-me-smile things...

As I was driving this past Saturday

on my way to a quilt shop meeting with a friend,

I saw a sign.

Really,

I saw a sign that I wished I could take a picture of to share with you.

But I was driving, so couldn't get a pic,

I think that is frowned upon, kind of like texting and driving... 

but, anyway,

here's what the sign said,

in it's hand-lettered fineness:

YARD Sale

(and under that, in caps,)

INSIDE.

Does that make you smile like it made me smile?

Wouldn't that make it a tag sale,

or barn sale,

or even a garage sale???

Then, just enough time had gone by that I had processed that

and lowered my level of grin,

I came across

another sign...

this one was a little more folk art looking in it's hand lettering,

and much bigger - maybe on a sheet of plywood,

so pretty big and standing with the 8 foot tall side vertical:

SECOND SATURDAY

of every month

CHICKEN SWAP

I  immediately laughed.

Out loud.

Then I called my brother.

(NOT the brother that has the wedding food chickens.

He's not needing to trade any chickens,

as he got the meat chickens that he wanted.)

I called the other brother.

He loves raising his chickens.

He even has a T-shirt that asks if you

"have hugged your chicken today".

And, no, he isn't ready to "swap" any right now,

but he might just have to take a ride someday....

just to check out the process of swapping,

in case he "has an unruly one" or something like that.

Happy Day to you!

Hope that made you smile, too.

Next up:

meanderings with thread

Mother's Day greetings

Saturday was the preview day

for the local shop hop that starts in June...

and I had to take a "little drive"

to check out the "far away" shops.

I needed to see all of the great hop projects in person....anyway,

I live "kind-of" centrally to the shops in the hop,

so a 45 minute drive north

or an hour drive south...

hmmm, which way to go, which way to go...

What a good way to spend the day before Mother's day -

meeting friends at outlying quilt shops!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all.

If Mother's Day 

is day that brings sad thoughts to your heart,

then I was reminded of this verse from the bible,

the New Living Translation...

Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your heart and mind as you live in Christ Jesus.

Breakfast food

I made this dish for

my Easter after Easter dinner

with Sweetie's family...

OK, really, it's not breakfast food...

unless you live in my house world. 

It's Pineapple Souffle...
with a dollop of fresh whipping cream.

When you say it that way, definitely does not sound like breakfast, does it?
But, here's the recipe:

Pineapple Souffle
Butter a baking dish (6x10x2)

Four slices of bread (I used stale whole wheat) cubed, and layered on bottom of baking dish.
In a separate bowl, mix the following:

2 eggs and
3/4 cup sugar, beaten 'til frothy.
Blend in: 1/2 cup melted butter (the real stuff, not the watery, artificial stuff that wants to be called butter)
Add:  8 oz. crushed, drained pineapple.
Fold in 3/4 cup milk (again, the real stuff, not the no-fat kind - that's just water with blue tint)
Pour this mixture over the bread in the baking dish.  Make sure all of the bread gets soaked, pushing it down into the liquid. 
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Makes six generous servings.
Serve warm or chilled.   Fresh whipping cream optional.

Now, back to the breakfast part...

If you're country folk like me,

then it's a fancy bread pudding.

(Bread pudding, the recipe,

I am sure  was created as a way to use up the stale bread and the cow's milk.)

Or,

a glorified french toast...

bread, milk and egg...with some fruit added.

See?

Breakfast!

When the red, red robin comes bob-bob bobbin' along:

I have a great view from my quilting room...

my quilting machine is in the back sun room.

There is plenty of sunlight coming in the windows;

The sights and sounds of spring.

I can see flowers and trees blooming,

hear the songs of birds...

see that nice apple tree full of white blossoms?

 The tree on the right,

over the handlebars of the quilting machine...

not the muddy mess on the left side of the window...

the muddy mess 

that kind of looks like tree blossoms

if you just glance.

Check out the next picture -

a little closer view of the muddy mess:

 and a profile shot, too:

 I have a robin visitor...

It took me awhile to figure out

what the tapping noise was...

he or she repeatedly comes and taps on the window. 

Every few minutes, fly/tap, fly/tap...

Here he is, flying back

to the little arbor six inches away from the window.

 With so much rain this spring,

my windows are not exactly clean and sparkly and shiny,

(who am I kidding, they're never sparkly/shiny!)

so I don't think he is seeing his reflection in the glass.

And I don't have anything shiny hanging in the windows.

Don't know what is going on,

but he now stays around while I am quilting...

my movements right inside the glass don't deter his

bob, bob, bobbin', either...

Anyone know a bird-whisperer?

Happy May!

new stuff coming!

I know the Quilt Market is out west this month -

and I can hardly wait to see what all is

new and coming our way!

Quilting and stitching and FUN!

I have seen a few peeks 

of some new things

on designers' blogs-

everyone getting ready to head out to

"share their stuff" at market.

And I'm really excited about quit a few...

now I just need to find some more time :) !

Check out this new stitchery from Crabapple Hill:

"Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage"

(i grabbed this photo from Meg's blog)

It is colored,

yes COLORED with crayons,

then hand-embroidered with great shades of brown!

Doesn't this look like great fun????!!!!

(I have done a couple of small pieces

that I have colored with crayons then stitched -

alas, no pictures taken before I gifted them,

BUT, I can attest - it was great fun!)

If you want more info about the coloring part,

check out Knot-y Girl's Stitchery Club blog here -

scroll down to the February 1st post.

Meg talks about crayons,

including the WHITE crayons

you will need for this great quilt.

I'm having a hard time containing myself -

anyone going out to market? 

I really would like to

get my hands on this pattern -

asap!!!

Yes, I am still stitching the Crabapple Hill
"Vintage Trick or Treat" for a finish this Fall.

(see the April 30th post)
Yes, I think I can add another Fall project!

Happy Stitching!

p.s. I'm still looking to find some more stitching time, too!!
:)