I Planted Quilt Seeds!

There are days when I just want to sew, sew, sew.
I don't want to think, cut, design, quilt, or finish a quilt.

I had a good size bin of scraps. It also contained quite a few fat quarters.


So I decided to use my Accuquilt GO fabric cutter and cut them all into squares, triangles and strips.


Now the bin is empty and I have two trays full of seeds.

I can randomly sew these together and eventually they can become something.

Maybe they'll be utilitarian quilts, possibly art, or they could also become smaller items.

Normally if I start to work with the pieces in a scrap bin for a project, when I get done the bin is fuller than when I started.

This is definitely a first!

This time I threw away the "scraps too small to use" and it was a good feeling!

Maybe you can put my "scraps" back together as you do this puzzle!

I'm Dyeing!

I have a few teasers to share with you.
I am NOT showing entire pieces of the fabrics I finished dyeing last night - just small sections of them.


This shows a cross section from 3 coordinating pieces I dyed.


This is one small area of one of the pieces I dyed.

I have pressed this group and have it on my design wall as I decide how I am going to use them. I dyed them all to work together in one composition.

I dyed about 25 pieces of fabric. The pieces were various sizes and shapes. They were all shibori dyed on PVC poles using various techniques.

I know some of you are fabric dyers and I wanted to share one finding with you. I had purchased a yard to Joann's cotton sateen to see how it dyed. It was a dismal failure in my estimation and I will not be purchasing any more of it. The colors were so faded out I will not even be photographing them to show you. I will put it in the pile to overdye and see if I can salvage them. I am not holding out much hope that I can save them.

New/Vintage Dining Room Chandelier

Recently I replaced the chandelier in my dining room with this vintage piece I found on eBay.
The colors work with my decor.
It is iron that is gold leafed or painted and the pink and clear parts are lucite.
The seller thought it was about 20 years old, but I think it could be much older than that.
It came from a mansion in Florida.

Although our dining room is small by today's standards the chandelier is very large.
We were concerned it wouldn't work in the room, but by hanging it at the height we did and because of the see thru quality of the lucite it is perfect.

The chandelier that was in the dining room was moved to the front hall where it is much brighter than the fixture that was there. The one that was in the front hall was moved to the back hall where little light is needed and it is more in keeping with the colors and decor of that part of the house.

This was a four hour procedure for the electrician as he had to figure out how to put the chandelier together and then we had to make some decisions to see if we could adjust the height of chandelier in the front hall so even the tallest member of our family could walk under it without hitting it.

The cut for this puzzle is called "Bulbs"! How appropriate!

My Accuquilt GO Cutter

With a price too good to pass up I ordered an Accuquilt GO! fabric cutter a week ago today. I was told it would take 2-6 weeks for it to come in.
Imagine my surprise when I got a phone call yesterday - just 6 days after I ordered it letting me know it was in.
Since I already was planning on a trip to pick up other sewing supplies I was able to pick it up.


I got out my box of scraps and immediately read the directions and tried it.
So far I have just used the die that is included with it.

I was surprised I had such an assortment of fabrics in my scrap box and that many of them were fat quarters or coordinated groups of fabrics.

This is SO much fun! I can't wait to try and cut pieces from some of my fused fabrics too!

I feel a lot of simple quilts coming on!

And to think, it all started when I was asked to review a book!

Waste Not, Want Not - Scrubbies!

Perhaps you saw the dish towel I posted recently that I knit with scraps of cotton yarn a friend gave me.
I used the remaining yarn to knit these scrubbies. There are 3 different types of yarn in this photos and it will be interesting to see which work the best when cleaning dishes and pots and pans.


The pattern for the scrubbies was one I found on Pinterest.
I hope this link will get you to the directions to make them:
http://crochetpatternsonly.blogspot.com/2005_05_16_crochetpatternsonly_archive.html

I enjoy crocheting but there are not a lot of crocheted items I want. This was a way to do a little crocheting.

Knitting is more my thing, and there are so many things I have on my list to knit!

Christmas Brunch - Recipe and Menu

I know Christmas is long past, but this is the first chance I have had to edit my photos and write the recipe for our traditional family brunch recipe.
My grandson Blake wanted me to teach him how to make this. I had planned on letting him help me but he was in New York playing his trombone in the Pin Stripe Bowl.
I have had other requests for the recipe too so I hope those of you who wanted it will find this post!



For 7 hungry people you will need:
One pound Oscar Meyer regular sliced bacon
1 pound fresh mushrooms,sliced
4 Tablespoons butter
28 ounce package frozen OreIda Potatoes O'Brien
16 eggs
2 T water
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
Lawry's seasoned salt


1. Cut bacon into 1 inch segments and fry until crisp.


2. Remove from fry pan and set aside.


3. Fry mushrooms in the bacon grease that is left in the pan.
4. Brown mushrooms so they are cooked al dente. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. Add butter to the remaining grease in pan.


6. Put entire package of Potatoes O'Brien in the pan.


7. Cook until potatoes are crispy and brown on the outside and cooked on the inside.

8 Put bacon and mushrooms back in the frying pan.


9. Mix eggs and water until well combined.


10. Pour eggs over potato mixture.


11. Season with Lawry's seasoned salt.


12. Stir and turn mixture and let eggs cook until set and done.


13. Sprinkle cheese on top and stir into mixture.


14. Cook until cheese is melted.

15. Serve to your hungry guests. Complete the meal with the rest of the menu.


16. We make a fruit salad by starting with a can of some type of fruit cocktail. We cut up and add whatever fruit we have on hand. We always use this bowl to serve it.


17. We mix cranberry juice and orange juice half and half and serve it from this pitcher.


18. We always serve some sort of pastry - either home made or from the bakery. Since we now have a German bakery in town that makes Danish Kringle we chose Turtle and Cherry Kringle to complete the menu.

This year we also learned it can be refrigerated and reheated and is just as good. We took out a portion for Blake who arrived the next day and he said it was every bit as good as fresh.

This is also a great thing to serve anytime you have a group for brunch. It would make an excellent Easter brunch too.

Enjoy!

The Quilting Connection Is Alive And Well In The Villages

Last night my friend Beth and I had the pleasure of attending a reception for Debbie Jones at her friend Donna's home in The Villages.
What a lovely group of quilters we met.

I was so glad to meet Donna. What a lovely creative person. I am sure she will be someone to watch with her quilting as she gets even more involved in it.
She is also a fabulous creative cook. Look at the presentation of her lollipop style cupcakes on a stick! Fabulous.


When I walked in I was immediately struck by this fantastic quilt she had on her wall. I believe it was done with the Nine degree circle wedge ruler. It was so striking.


Then she called my attention to the valances on her windows on the adjoining wall and the fabric was the same one. How clever is that!

The trend today in quilting often is how much can I do to one quilt. I am a firm believer that often the simplest things, well designed, are the best. This is a perfect example of that. It also is an excellent and judicious use of fabric to enhance the decorating style and showcase other items in the area.

In case you don't see what is happening - the entire quit is cut from just this one fabric reversing the sections so that light and dark alternate around the quilt. I didn't see this when I first viewed it from closeup, even though I thought it was extremely attractive. When I stepped back into the next room it became apparent to me.

It was so good to have a chance to chat with Debbie and of course we caught up on our visits to New Mexico with our mutual friend Sue and got updated with what is happening in her life. There are some people who come into your life and you want to keep them forever. Debbie is one of them and Donna is another I hope to remain in touch with.

I also look forward to seeing many of the new people I met again - what a vibrant enthusiastic group.

An all star puzzle for an all star hostess!

The Villages Quilt Market - A Great Adventure

The Villages hosted a Quilt Market yesterday and today. This was their off year for their quilt show and they came up with this great idea. There were over 50 vendors there with quilt and other fiber related items.
What a great idea.
You may know I collect "tasteful" flamingo things! I found all of these items and they came from several different vendors. I have no idea how I will use them, but I will enjoy looking at them and coming up with ways to use them.


I bought this Dovo scissors from Debbie Jones.
Debbie invented an original technique she teaches called "Fabric Decollage". You would swear you are looking at a fine art painting when you see her work. She uses these scissors for the cleanest sharpest cuts.
You can find her store on line and get your own scissors at:
http://www.debbiejones.com/Store.html
Take some time and enjoy looking around her site so you can see her art and her hand painted and hand dyed fabrics which also are art.
YES, she does offer items for sale online and also is a great teacher if your guild is looking for something unique and wonderful.

I also purchased this kit from Lily Ann Stitches.

Lori Kabat came all the way from Wisconsin to be a vendor at the market. She creates felted wool projects and sells them either as a pattern or a kit.
Fall is my favorite season and I love wool so that is why I chose this project. Having it as a kit is a big time saver as I have everything I needed. I also bought the threads to complete it from her.
You can visit her website at:
http://lilyannastitches.com/
You can order either her kits or patterns online and you might also be lucky enough to find them in your local quilt shop. You just might be lucky enough to see one of her trunk shows at your local quilt shop or show.

Her projects are something even a novice can complete and are so appealing. A kit is a great travel project as the size is packable and the materials are all there for you. Most of us don't have time to hunt down the materials we need for a project when we are in the frenzy of packing for a trip.

And now........DRUM ROLL PLEASE............
The one thing I coveted but didn't purchase:

It was the most gorgeous metallic magenta machine I have ever seen. It had tasteful sparkles in the paint. I don't know what you call that technique but I have seen it on cars that have been painted with many coats of paint.

If you'd like to buy this machine, a featherweight in any color, have your featherweight painted or need repairs, reconditioning or parts for your featherweight this is the man to get in touch with:
http://theoldsewingmachineman.com/

It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and be able to see and shop for such a variety of items all in one place.

Color - Pinterist Why Do You Show Me These Things?

I have been pinning things to Pinterest for almost a month now.

Is Pinterist a waste of time or a chance to be able to find things I loved?

I found this pattern for a knit dishcloth using small pieces of left over cotton Sugar n Cream yarn. A friend had given me a bag of her leftover yarns with pieces ranging from about 20" up to about 2/3 of a skein.

This was the perfect project to use them up and use them up I did!

I enjoyed doing this and it was almost mindless relaxing knitting, but I probably could have had a good start on or finished another sock in the same amount of time.

I am not a pastel person, but there is something about these colors and the way they work together that is mesmerizing.

I still have to work in all the ends but that too will be a good wataching TV project.


In this closeup you can see the texture of the stitch I used. I do love that too and it was one of those things you could do by memory after the first few rows. Not only was it an easy stitch to do, but because of the pattern of the stitch and the multiple colors used it does not show mistakes. In case you didn't know, I am still working on my word for 2010 - which was IMPERFECTION!

I thought this made an interesting puzzle.

Quilt Number 362

This is a lap sized quilt I finished yesterday. It is simple, yet striking with only 6 fabrics.


The color scheme came from the backing fabric.

I was able to resize this and adapt it as a puzzle!













I backed it with Polar Fleece.
There is no batting.
The Polar Fleece makes a warm quilt and it is not slippery so it stays where you put it.

I have also done the same thing with children's quilts and they love to snuggle under them.

I Would Really Appreciate It If You Would Vote For My Quilt

I have entered my quilt "In Living Color" in this contest.
The winner will be chosen by popular vote and I'd be honored if you would go to this link and vote for my quilt.

Scroll down to see my quilt.

Votes must be entered before midnight on January 25th.

Thank you so much.

Just click on this link to get to the voting page.

https://apps.facebook.com/offerpop/Contest.psp?c=59778&u=15957&a=255558194495800&p=73173250093&rest=0&v=View

You may have to choose to like Aurifil threads and allow them to access your Facebook information to vote? Wish that wasn't required.

The best quilt may not be the winner - the quilt by someone with the most Facebook friends may win?

I am not sure whether or not you have to even be on Facebook to vote?

They have not make this clear to the entrants.

I am going to attempt to find out.

A Wonderful Reconnection With Long Lost Friends

What a treat to have friends I haven't seen for at least 50 years visit.



Like so many of my friends from school, life got in the way and we lost track of each other quite some time ago.
Marilyn found me on Facebook and she had been reading my blog. I was so excited to reconnect with her and even more so when she told me they'd be in the area in January. They arrived yesterday afternoon.

We had a lot of catching up to do. We will not wait 50 years to see each other again.


They left this morning to head further south where I hope they'll find warmer weather than what I could offer them today!

Yes, there are no friends like long time friends!

Family Gift Christmas Time and Pizza Fondue - 2

Life got in my way and I am very late with this post about the other half of the family.


Over 20 years ago I made these shirts for my husband and myself. They still look like new. It pays to use good quality fabrics when you sew.
My son Greg and my granddaughter Jessica wore them for our gift time and pizza fondue dinner.


Jessica and her brothers Jared and Nicholas are clowning around before we open gifts.


Jessica shows her Santa ornament.


Nicholas shares his Santa ornament.


Jared is studying his Hummel figurine he received. He is always reading so I felt this was quite appropriate for him. He let me know that what he reads is not a German language newspaper which is what this Hummel figurine features!


Blake, like his Uncle Jeff, seems to think his Santa is an earring! Blake missed the pizza fondue dinner. He was in New York City playing his trombone in the Iowa State Marching Band at for the Pin Stripe Bowl. He arrived in Wisconsin on the morning of January 31st so he could join the family for his cousins New Years Eve wedding.


Julie is admiring her Mrs. Santa ornament.


Greg is wondering why I gave him a Santa who is sitting on top of the world?
Maybe that is because I think of him as being on top of the world as he flies so often!

I have only shared the Santa gifts, but this year included Handmade Bear Of the Month ornaments, beer steins, golf towels, rings, jewelry, and many other pieces of family memorabilia.