A Finish… or Two…

Finally… this Aunt Grace Circle of Friends sample is finished (pieced not quilted) and ready to hang at the shop.  It took much longer than I’d have liked for it to… but it’s done and that’s all that matters.

I didn’t put ‘Grace’ in the corner blocks (sorry but I don’t like her)… and I didn’t put 5 leaves on the flower stems… it just seemed to be too busy.  I’ll look at it while it’s hanging and decide if I want to add another one or two but for now - this is done!

Back in mid-March I mentioned that I was designing a quilt for a shop hop.  I sent a preliminary pattern out earlier in the summer so that the shop owners could get their quilts made up.  My good friend Dawn Marie (from up in Maine) used that set of directions and made up a test sample to check out the details for me – Thank You Dawn Marie!! 

In the mean time I purchased a better software program that allows me to more easily edit and place pictures and text where I want.  The pattern had to be divided into 8 pages – one page will be handed out at each shop… visit all 8 shops to get the complete pattern.  Each shop will make the quilt up in what ever fabric line they choose – I can’t wait to see how different they all will look.  After some redrawing and reworking of this that and the other… I sent the completed pattern off last week.  Man it sure felt good to have that done! 

I’ll be going up and helping to work the Massachusetts Shop Hop up at Southampton Quilts (the shop I use to work at)… so if you are in Western MA October 15, 16, 17 - you may want to hop along.  I can’t wait to see everyone!

The One That Got Away…

A little more than a year ago I ran across this quilt whilst out poking around antique places.

I wish I’d had the money for it because I keep thinking about it…

It occurred to me when I ran across the picture again today that I could add this to my University list…

Not a whole quilt… maybe just some blocks to test out the pattern.  Or maybe make it into a bed runner?  Maybe if I put it on the list – I can stop thinking about it.

I did buy the Curve Master Foot at the Lancaster Show last spring… so I can’t use the curves as an excuse for not making it.  Hhhhmmmm?

It seems to be an Antique Extravaganza Weekend around here if one were to believe all the signs posted.  So The Engineer and I will poke around some places on Saturday and then Sunday we are going to treat ourselves to a Crab Cake lunch at a seafood place we like down in MD.  We haven’t been down there in over two years… although we’ve talked about it often. 

It should be a nice couple days for getting out and about to enjoy the beginning of fall. 

Who knows… maybe I’ll find that quilt again and I won’t have to make it!

Cutter Quilt Window

A few weeks ago when my youngest girl was here we found a local farm craft stand and I came home with this.

They had several - all put together in colors… red blocks, blue blocks, etc.

An interesting way to make use of old quilts that really have seen better days and discarded window sashings.

They had very loosely glued craft paper to the back which allowed me to take a peek… very interesting!  Let’s take a closer look at a couple of them.

The blocks are cut to fit on the frames on the back – too bad most of the blocks would fit better in square windows but we don’t have square windows do we?

This one is especially interesting – because this heart is cut from an old quilt and is stitched onto the back of an old quilt – which was only apparent to me once I looked at the back of this. 

You can see the faded colors of the original prints in the Dresden fan pieces.  You can see that the ‘heart’ was stitched onto the other side completely through the layers – which is what made me realize it was added on.  You’ve got to wonder who Velta Wood was…

This one makes me wonder – was this a mistake in assembly?  Or was there some other design element going on in the quilt that isn’t apparently in just one block?

I also love the embroidery block… tattered binding and all.

On other subjects…

I am finally feeling human again… actually enjoyed a cup of coffee today.  Those antibiotics make me feel nauseous… and coffee just wasn’t happening for me.  I even had to ask The Engineer to clean the coffee pot the past couple days… yeah that bad.  Good news was that he was working late all week and I didn’t have to cook.  I just went out and got whatever my mind said would taste good. 

Now that I’m feeling better it’s time to get back in gear.  Let the cleaning begin…

Addendum: University Submission

At the risk of having my fellow students think I was trying to win favor with the Professor and earn my place as Teachers Pet by submitting a very sparse Course List for the First Semester at Quilt University… which by the way would have been a really good idea had I thought of it – I have an Addendum.

My list was sparse only because I’ve been sick and was too lazy to trudge all the way up to the third floor where all the evidence is my sewing studio is and the list I had started.  So I confess… I just decided to wing it.

Now I don’t want anyone thinking I don’t have stuff to ‘finish’… I do.  Most of it’s still packed though and since most of my stuff ends up as samples in a quilt shop – I usually move on to other things once the top is assembled – little ever gets done beyond that.

The last quilt that I completely finished was this one from Focus on Florals by That Patchwork Place… I worked on it while I was getting the MA house ready to sell and blogged about it – 3 years ago this month!  (And I’ll say I just wasted an hour reading through my life back then… aahhh bittersweet.) 

I finished it – sent it off to a long arm quilter in the area and it hung in the quilt shop for a long time – whilst I pack, sold my house, moved, packed and moved again, and then packed and moved again.  I did get it back – actually picked it up this year… wait a minute – it isn’t completely finished – it still needs it’s binding.  I’ve purchased binding twice because I didn’t really like what I selected the first time and bought different stuff when I picked it up… ADD THAT QUILT TO MY LIST!  (I will have to go hunt for the binding – but it’s up there).

Well this post has gone astray – I was going to demonstrate how long it’s been since I actually finished things by showing you the last thing I finished.  But even the things I’ve finished haven’t really been finished.  Hmmm and in thinking about that and bindings – I do have a confession.  I have several quilts that have bindings sewn on – and glue basted to the back – which in theory makes it easier to sew as it’s all in place and no pins or clips are involved.  Certainly makes them look finished but the glue basting doesn’t hold up well in the washer.  Ask me how I know this… there is a certain Circus Quilt involved.

OK - the Addendum.

I guess I’ll start with the bindings since I’m thinking about those right now…

MD – Focus on Florals – needs binding made and applied(picture above)

MD – Circus Quilt – trim threads from washing, glue baste the binding (again) and sew (somehow I don’t seem to have proof of this quilt? I’ll get a picture later)

MD – Homeward Bound from 30 (40?) Quick Cut Quilts by That Patchwork Place  – glue basted binding needs to be sewn.  Picture taken before quilting…

Trust me when I say there are many, many more that need finished bindings… when I find them I’ll add them to my list.

Here are some more of the things I believe I have on the list (upstairs) but forgot to submit…

PHD – Peas in a Pod out of a Kim Diehl book (brain not currently working and there’s that ‘stair thing’ so I’ll add details later), pieced blocks are done – only the appliqué to finish.  Only… Ha, ha, ha… so why did I stop?

PHD – Serendipity out of the same Kim Diehl book details to follow.  I have all the backgrounds pieced and am in the process of the machine appliqué.  This picture doesn’t show the pieced sashing but it is pieced as well. 

OK that is the Addendum… at least it’s the 1st Addendum.

As much as I hate that the antibiotic I’m taking now makes me feel bleah for a few hours and I can’t do much more than sit on this couch… I have been able to type this.  But I do need to get my self in gear… whether I feel up to it or not.

University Submission…

I have made my selections for this term at Quilt College at the University of Southampton.

I’ll be working simultaneously on both my PHD (Projects Half Done) and my MD (Mostly Done).

(MD) Swimmies Pattern by Lisa Boyer:  First up is the project that really does have a time line… it was due nearly 2 years ago when my grandson was born.  Now I don’t want to lead anyone astray… this top was finished long before my grandson was even conceived.  My daughter loved it and asked if I’d finish it for him.  Needless to say it’s still not quilted and needs to be finished and mailed before his 2nd birthday… he’s a turkey.  So I think I have enough time… if not it will be a Christmas gift!

Everything else is in no particular order…

(PHD) This is a kit I purchased at the Quilt Odyssey Show at Hershey this year.  Civil War Flying Geese by Calico Corner in Carlisle PA.  I don’t usually buy kits myself… but I could have walked away with every one of their Civil War line.  Pretty stuff!  Anyway – the geese won’t take long… and then I’ll have pomegranates to appliqué in the evenings.  At least that’s the plan… LOL  It’s also a wall hanging – so should be do-able.

(PHD) This is another find from the Hershey Show… Star Whimsy out of the Star Savvy Laps From Fats.  The quilt at the show in the booth was lovely… and they had sold out of all the books and kits.  I selected a Moda fabric line… but can’t remember off hand what it is… so I’ll have to tell ya later.  but the stars are looking lovely!  Everything for the stars are cut and bagged, and I’ve completed several stars.

(PHD) This is a Bonnie Hunter (Quiltville) Mystery Quilt free pattern I started more than a year ago… I pinned that third row of pieces onto the block a long time ago – and there they sit.  So if nothing else I need to sew those seams so that I can get the pins out before they rust…

(PHD) I don’t have a picture yet of Heart Crazy by Buggy Barn Quilts.  This is my second Buggy Barn quilt… I hope I love it as much as my last.

That’s all I can think of right now - that I have pictures of… but I believe we can pick up extra classes projects as the term progresses.  I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

Is It Bigger Than a Bread Box?

Actually…

it is a Bread Box…

I have been looking for a vintage looking bread box for my counter and was very happy to find this over the weekend while poking around antique shops with my daughter.

Tomato Pie…

We’ve been eating, cooking and giving tomatoes away… and they just keep coming.  Note to self… next year don’t buy so many plants!  LOL

I didn’t dress this up as much as I had planned – but that was because the first thing I did was cut my thumb on that mandolin I was using to slice the tomatoes… you know – right after I thought to myself… ‘gee ya  better be careful’.  One of these days I’ll learn to just stop when I have those thoughts and walk away… far away!  I have scars to prove that it would be prudent to do so.

Anyhoo – not a bad cut - but anything on the edge of your thumb is an annoyance.

I kept it simple - I was aiming for a mexican flavor so used some corn tortillas and green chilies.  We will dress it up when we serve it tonight… some nice salsa (homemade of course) and avocado and sour cream…. mmmmm, mmmm!

Basic ratio for making a quiche type dish is to use 1 egg per half cup of milk or cream.  When I’m using tomatoes I add a little more egg.  For this 9 x 13 pan I used 6 eggs and started with 2 cups of cream.  I added a little more milk (maybe a half cup) around the edges as it wasn’t quite as high as I wanted the liquid level.  Sometimes you have too much liquid and other times you don’t have enough… life is like that sometimes!

My youngest is coming in by train from MA to visit this long weekend… I’m going to make her make the salsa today!  And maybe do some weeding in my garden too!  She’ll spend some time finishing up a woodworking project with her father and she and I will spend some time running around Antique shops!

Oh and I’ll make her go out and pick the tomatoes while she’s here…