Monday Goals

Time to think about the next week.  The Two Lips blocks are waiting for some pastels Henrietta is sending.  So---

1. Finish block #5 of Beyond the Cherry Tree
2. Set the Log Cabin block together

I didn't have a stash report this week.  I haven't left the house or poked any buttons, so my numbers are still all zeros. I did finish block #4 of Beyond the Cherry Tree.

Block #4 of Beyond the Cherry Tree

There are errands to run and Les the Handyman is working on a mud room type bathroom in the basement.  South Dakota is still gripped by winter.  

A few days ago in the fridge I found this---

Mason's Bug Juice

We know Mason left it, we miss him.
 
A few pictures from today--

9:00 am, before the storm

4:30pm--Nanook blowing snow

 

Motivation Friday

Quilting is slow when you do applique.  But, I AM enjoying it!  I finished Block #3 of BTCT.  I redrew the "fingers" at the base of the pineapples.  Mine have five, the original quilt had seven.  

Block #4 is almost done, and I've started #5.  A couple more Two Lips blocks done.  Henrietta is sending me some pastel pieces for more Two Lips blocks because my stash has very little pastel fabric.  

I need to work on some UFO's.  Found a pile of OLD log cabin blocks I want to lay out and pick a setting.   There is a large pile of 9 patch blocks.  Q is for Quilter Martha added snowball blocks and the 9 patches look like stars.  The Farmer's Daughter block uses 9 patches as a center and adds the star "points".  I love my 9 patches and either of these two settings would work.  I have a soft brown for the points, my 9 patches are scrappy and one fabric/color for points would help pull them together.  Finished and done is better than a perfectly planned UFO.  This should be my mantra! 

I REALLY wanted to start a new project I saw.  I printed the pattern out and even had the color picked.  I've been thinking--do I enjoy starting projects, or do I just enjoy cutting them out?  Hmmmm........

PS--the weather is much warmer at the moment--47F--and bright sunshine.   

Still Plodding

Ken and I both have caught one of those winter bugs.  Achy, headache, no energy.  Fuzzy brain.  

I counted my Two Lips blocks--there are 42.  I have to pin a note to the stack, I never remember how many are there!

I have blocks 3 & 4 of BTCT almost done.   I prepped #5 tonight.  

Red circles.  Yes, BTCT has lot of cherries.  I practiced making circles, I am going to use them for a different block.   I know there are all sorts of methods and tools to make those pesky circles.  Can you see what I used??

Quarters and some washers.  Pennies and dimes work well too.  I have all sizes of washers.   Do you use household items for quilting??

Sunday Stash Report

Nothing in, but nothing out!  My sewing, well, I'm plodding along.   I have been baking.  Using the oven keeps the kitchen toasty.  First, I made caramel rolls.

Last night I made cookies.  Ken had talked about these cookies, but I had never made them.  

They are orange slice cookies.  Remember, the ones with orange slice jelly candies in them?   I love transfer ware dishes--these are from England.  Henrietta--can you refresh my memory?  I know they feature famous "houses" from England.  Transfer ware comes in all colors, blue is the most common.   I also have a few green pieces.  If you come for coffee, I promise to serve fresh cookies on my transfer ware!

Ken is getting on my last nerve.  And jumping up and down.  I made cookies after he went to bed.  (He went to bed about 7:30pm!)  He got up this morning and whined I hadn't made him chocolate chip cookies.  Grrrr.  Anyway.....

Today is bright and sunny.  A few pictures--

To the back yard.  You can see the snow is too deep for Ruby the quilting dog--she floundered back onto the deck--the look was "do you think I'm crazy??!!  I am NOT putting my tender parts out in that cold snow!"  And she trotted down the ramp where the snow was not so deep!  

The snow is about 8 inches deep on top the railings.   

I am going to try Judy's recipe for beans and sausage.  Bake some bread.  And sew.  Yes, definitely some sewing!

Outdoor Freezer

My sister said no more weather posts!

My "outdoor freezer".   It's even LABELED!  Yes, that's snow from the last few days. 

Keeping Warm

I'm staying inside during this cold weather.   Yesterday I made White Chili and Sweet Potato bread.   Comfort foods.  I mixed up Cherry Nut Slice cookies, but they are outside in the "freezer".  

Last night I made a "Catch Me If You Can" block from Barbara Brackman's Civil War blog.  How does it look?

The points all came out nicely.  Instead of finishing at 8 inches, my block finishes at 7 inches.   I am math challenged!  Tomorrow I will check my camera, that's brown, pink and cream fabric.  

And I made a block just because.  

A red and white honeybee block.   I'll add it to my red and white swap blocks.  How is your week??  

Monday Goals

Time for goals!

1. Make 5 more Two Lips blocks
2. Work on a UFO
3. Finish Block #4 of BTCT
4. Maybe join Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilt a Long
5. Make a block or two for fun

I have a fair sized stash of Civil War fabrics, and making the blocks would be fun.  And I have decided this year is all about "enjoying the process".
The weather has been strange.  Last night it was 18F and RAINING!  Yes, it made ice all over everything.  Now it's 30F, but cold cold COLD weather is right behind it.  At least with the rain and ice our snow is anchored down and won't blow around.  

Did you remember to plan some "fun" into your week?  Please tell me!!

Sunday Stash Report

0 fabric in, 0 fabric out!  My numbers are all zeros.  The temp is to be BELOW zero this week.  Ugh.

Motivation Saturday

Better check my goals for the week.

I made 4 more Two Lips blocks.  Need to rootle in the stash for some pastels.  Yoyos started but not finished.  I did work on a UFO out of the closet.  

Raggy Flower Swap Quilt

These Raggy Flower blocks were from a swap several years ago.   I cut the leaves out and sewed them to the top.  It's now ready for quilting.


Remember I said I was going to enjoy the process of quilting?   This might be one process I'm not going to like.  Hand piecing.  

Hand Pieced SawTooth Star

Perhaps I just need more practice.   And I did work on a BTCT block.  Here is #3--

Beyond The Cherry Tree #3

Enough said, I've started Block #4!!!  


I've had a handyman in my house the last week.  Les is making a bathroom downstairs.  Tomorrow I have a wall to paint.  I hate painting.  And its COLD here.  Weatherman said -20F or more some of the week.  


Keep warm everyone!

 

Monday Goals

Time for goals----

1. Work on a BTCT block
2. Make five more Two Lips blocks
3. Finish yoyos for red/white swap
4. Work on a UFO

That will be enough for this week.   Wind is picking up and it's cold out.   I'm going to stay inside as much as possible.  

Sunday Stash Report

Nothing bought and nothing finished.  Stash totals are zero for the year.  

Kathy and I are in Mankato visiting.  We've had lots of Mason time.  See---

Mason Smiling

Mason making a "scary face", but still smiling!

helping Mom clip coupons

Nick sorting clothes

Today we are heading home.  Nick's checking the weather for us.   

Motivation Friday--Checking In

Time to check on my goals.  

I finished block #2 on BTCT quilt.  Here are blocks #1 and #2

Block #1

Block #2

My red/white swap blocks are done.  

red/white swap blocks with yoyos

The blocks are truly red/white--not creamy yellow.  And they have points, I accidently whacked them off when I cropped the picture.   The yoyo's aren't sewn down, I'll just send them with the blocks and they can be added if the receiver likes them.  Or not! 

Only made one block from the magazine, paisleys!!

Block from Vol #2 Magazine 100 blocks

Five more Two Lips blocks, I now have 33.  Only 21 more to go!  The background is ready for blocks 3 and 4 from BTCT.   No more sewing this week, my sister and I are in Mankato visiting Nick, Laura Beth and Mason.  

I usually don't take pictures of my design wall.  Blocks are hung on it in layers.  Most ANYTHING might be pinned to it!

Design wall 1/6/11

Its COLD here in Mankato!!  Not sure what we're doing this weekend, but suspect there will be lots of playing with Mason!  

Monday Goals

Monday, time for weekly goals.  

1. Finish block #2 for Beyond the Cherry Tree quilt (BTCH)
2. Work on red/white swap blocks.  
3. Work on a UFO
4. Two blocks from the Vol. 2 Quiltmaker 100 blocks
5. Five more "Two Lips" blocks
6. Prep background for block #3 BTCH

There are a lot of goals there.  I know I won't get them all done.  But I have a variety to chose from!

Since I've been doing the *A* thing, I use my thimble a lot.  I lose it a lot too!  I have a variety of thimbles, always thinking a new style might be more comfortable.

The green thimble is soft plastic.  But it's rounded on the end and I push my needle with a thimble, the needle slides off this one.  The brown leather one is better, it has a ridge around the end with a flat metal piece, but the leather stretches and it will fall off.  Middle leather one is good if I am hand quilting and goes on my left hand.  I'd hoped the purple plastic one with metal end would be the best.  Fits good, but the plastic drags on the fabric when you sew.  I use the plain metal one the most.  Do you use a thimble?  Do you have a different style you like?  I need one that fits tighter and doesn't fall off easily.  I don't have long fingernails, so haven't tried the open type thimble.  The sticky dots aren't for me, my hands are frequently wet while using a thimble.  


And hand needles!  I am hard on needles.  I bend them A LOT.  I think John James makes a quilting needle that has a large gold eye, I will have to try them in a heavier weight.  Anyone like another brand??

New Year, New Stash Report

A fresh start!  Nothing bought or finished in the new year.  So my totals are big fat 0's!!

I wanted a post asking you to estimate how much fabric was in your stash.  Henrietta started to think about, hyperventilated, and said NO WAY!!  Hey, I was willing to guess how much was in mine!  But I don't want to stress anyone out, so we won't go there.

Since I've been playing with *A* blocks, I needed to make some bias tape.  No bias tape maker that size.  Somewhere on the internet I had seen this handy little trick----

Yes, it's just a piece of paper with two T pins.  Underneath I have drawn lines vertically the width I wanted my bias tape.  (3/8")  Inserted the T pins so that the strips could run underneath the pins.  The corners are anchored to my ironing board with more T pins.  I just slipped the strips through, ironing them as I went.  Simple and cheap! 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year--did you count down the year last night?   Blizzard conditions in South Dakota with nasty wind chill.   Ken slept and I played with *A* things.  Today is bright and sunny, but still blowing and cold. 

Picture from my front door
 

 Last night I cooked one Fairytale pumpkin--

There was a lot of pumpkin!  Which turned into---

Don't you love that deep orange color??   There are still two more pumpkins, I'm not sure how much more I will can.  


Over the last week I've been thinking about goals/resolutions for the next year.  Here we go---


Sew what I enjoy
Limit stash additions
Quilt half my completed tops
Finish half my block sets into flimsies
Complete 56 "Two Lips" blocks
Applique half Beyond the Cherry Tree blocks

I will do things I enjoy.  Participate with block swaps, lottos, group sewing.  Donation quilts--yes, I really enjoy them.  I will fret less over deadlines.   I will cut into yardage! 


Non-quilting goals--

Bake and cook less
Exercise more
Enjoy life more

Bake and cook less???  Yes, I am cutting back.  More simple healthy foods.  Less baking sweets.   Last night as I canned the pumpkin I was looking for empty jars.  I have LOTS of food I've canned.  This next year I will probably only need tomatoes, a one or two Fairytale pumpkins, a FEW JARS of jam, and some canned turkey.  Maybe a bit of home grown sweet corn.  I know it is ingrained in me to can all that extra food, but we don't NEED it.  Exercise more.  How many people do you know that could say "exercise less"??!!   I am not "saving" things for later.  

And here are a few holiday pictures---

Mason and Laura Beth

Mason checking Grandma's Angels

Opening Presents

  

My sister Kathy wearing the holiday shorts

 Mason with Antlers

The best toy--the wrapping paper!

 
The holiday shorts were in the white elephant gift exchange.  My dad has claimed them.  We said if he wants them--he has to model them!

I wish you all a Happy New Year!