5/15/12

A Posting Potpourri

Quilting


Yesterday I started on my May NewFO project.  This is a quilt I've made before.  Here's my previous version:


This is Mike's favorite quilt, and he wraps up in it every night while we watch TV.  It's not a large quilt . . . about 58 inches by 70 inches (more or less).  It's flannel front and back, and I tied it rather than quilting it.  Some quilts are better suited to tying, I think.  I found this pattern on the All People Quilt website.  They picture another, smaller version of it as well:


I decided to make another of these more along the lines of the second colorway.  I didn't want to do more applique, however, and so I'm changing it up a little bit.  I'm keeping the nine-patch blocks.  And I'm making it the same size as the one I made originally, in the top picture.  For every block that was a tree in the original, I'm substituting a spool block, and for every block that was a bow tie, I'm substituting a pinwheel.  The nine patches will go where the stars were.

Yesterday, I did all the cutting for the large blocks.  I'll still need to cut the pieced blocks as I go, but I started by making the first two rows.


I'm going to include the dark blue gingham from the first row in all the odd-numbered rows, and the blue horizontal stripe in all the even-numbered rows.  I'll turn the stripes both vertically and horizontally.  Both versions of the quilt are from scraps.  

I was having trouble getting a good mix of fabrics from the ones I selected at the outset,


and so I might end up adding more fabrics to the mix.  Some of them are too similar in color, and so they don't give me as much variation as I'd like.  I'll see how it goes as I make a couple more rows.  There's always time to change my mind with this quilt.  

The mix of colors reminded me of the colors in a bag of saltwater taffy, and so that's the name I've given to the quilt.  (Unless I change my mind, which I often do.)  This quilt is going to replace the throw I use in the living room, which is dropping feathers everywhere.  (Note to self:  Do not use feathers in place of regular batting.)

Another Kind of Quilting


Have you seen the card frames that Carol Doak makes for paper-pieced greeting cards?  I really like these. They are a little bit expensive, per card, but no more expensive than a purchased greeting card.  Recently, I reunited with my cousin on Facebook.  She broke her ankle when she was 18, and she's now in her 60's.  Her ankle has bothered her all of her life, and she recently underwent surgery for a third ankle replacement.  Sadly, it failed within days, and she's now anticipating surgery to fuse her ankle once and for all.  

She lives far away from me, and so I can't be there to help.  Nevertheless, I got in mind to send her a quilted greeting card . . . a flower to brighten her day.  So yesterday I made this:


Even if you're not a fan of paper-piecing, these go together quickly.  They're small and so the waste of fabric is minimal.  It helps to have Carol Doak's book, 50 Little Paper-Pieced Blocks, since the blocks are all made in the right size for the cards.  


Any paper-pieced pattern could be reduced down (as long as the pieces aren't too tiny).

It Came!

Yesterday's mail call brought a couple of things I've been waiting for on tenterhooks.  (I just read that word in the New York Times this morning, and I couldn't wait to use it.)

A couple of weeks ago, I won the Wheel of Fortune game that appeared on Make.Share.Give, a blog I  love.  Lucky me!  Actually, I just happen to be a Wheel of Fortune aficionado (see "tenterhooks" above).  So what did I win?  This fabulous vintage copy (October/November 2006) of Quilt magazine.  



Cool huh?  Since I wasn't a quilter in 2006, it was kind of fun to take a trip back in time and see what was going on before I happened upon the scene and rocked the quilting world.  (I have that effect on things.)  Also included was this great fat quarter with the admonishment from Susanne to start something summery.


Great idea, Susanne!  And thanks.  I love the whole package.  The fabric is so bright and pretty.  Just the way I like it.

In Non-Quilting News:


Cooking


Also in yesterday's mail was Marisa McClellan's new book, Food in Jars.

I read Marisa's blog of the same name, and I love it.  So when her book was published recently, I wasted not one second ordering it.  Canning is one of my favorite things to do in summer.  There are few things more gratifying than growing one's own food and canning it to eat in the dead of winter.  I'm not one to go on huge picking expeditions, however, and so I like books that allow me to can in small batches.  The jams, chutneys, pickles, fruit butters, and other delicious offerings had my mouth watering as I perused it this morning.  

We're planning to plant the garden this weekend, and now I'm all hepped up to get some water boiling on the stove top.  (Hepped up:  something my mother used to say.  Anyone else ever heard that?)  I suppose it's a little premature to break out the canning supplies at this point.  Maybe I'll wait until I actually harvest some vegetables.

Photography


Some of you are having babies . . . 



and grand babies.  No grand babies for me, by the way.  I'm not bitter, you understand.  Just waiting on tenterhooks.  (Did you ever hear that if you use a new vocabulary word three times in a day, it is yours forever?  Done.  Tenterhooks, you are mine.)  

Babies:  check out this blog post at El Petit Taller.  Doesn't Irina look fantastic?  Irina lives close to where I'll be traveling in Ireland.  It would be wonderful if we could find a way to meet up.  With a new baby and a tour bus in the mix, I imagine it will be an insurmountable challenge.  It doesn't stop me from wishing, however.

So, photography:  (Babies and tenterhooks are so distracting.)  I caught this blog post on Digital Photography School this morning with links to several good tutorials on photographing babies.  I wanted to pass it along to those of you who have use for such a thing.  I can't use it, but maybe someone else can.  (Not bitter, you understand.)

Cats


Speaking of bitter, George hates having his picture taken.


When he sees me with the camera, he generally sticks out his tongue or turns away.


Today, I told him it was for you, and so he faced the camera and gave you his winning smile.  Sort of.  


He wants you to know that he's almost completely back to his old self this morning.  He still has a bit of a head tilt, which can be permanent with this illness.  It's too soon to know.  It can take up to two weeks for all of the symptoms to resolve.  He's at least able to walk in a straight line, and he doesn't fall over at the slightest provocation.  It's very good to have my kitty back.

Today I'm working on the next block for the Amish Sampler.  It's an around-the-world block made up of 121 squares 2-inches each.  That will take a while.  If I finish that, I'll move on to my block for the Block Lotto and maybe do this month's Free Motion Quilting Challenge.  Tomorrow I have to go into town to see the eye doctor, and so I'm savoring this day at home.  

What's on your agenda for today?







16 comments:

Judy1522 said...

Great pictures of George. I think he is cute with his tongue sticking out. You sound like you are keeping very busy. Have you been watching Wheel of Fortune since it is in Portland right now. Last night my cousin's grandson was a contestant and he won over $26,000.00 which also included a trip to New Zealand. I thought he did very well, the winner of the bonus round won over $60,000.00. After watching several of the Portland shows I have decided we have some very smart people here in Oregon.

Snoodles said...

I used to get all hepped up for the Wheel of Fortune, and make everybody fuss when I would shout out the answer before they got it...but I didn't want to keep them on tenterhooks. LOL Fun post today - and so good to see George looking more fit!

WoolenSails said...

Wonderful quilts and I do like tacking quilts when I can, so much easier than free motion;) Those puppies look like stuffed toys, so cute and George looks so much better and happier now that he is home.

Debbie

make.share.give said...

I'm totally hepped up that your magazine arrived safely. I'm also thankful you decided post-2006 to rock the quilting and blogging world.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

That fabric is for another May NewFO. Love the card you made for your cuz. I've been sewing pinwheels, both for a Bonnie Hunter class later this week, and for my nieces grad quilt. I'll try to show some pics later. Gotta go sew some more. Glad George is doing better. Give him a scratch for me.

Unknown said...

Love you post today! The book looks interesting and I'm going to look it up. George looks sooo much better...he just needed to be back home with Mom! The Chow pups reminds me of teddy bears! Lol.

Hugs,
Loretta

PJ said...

I haven't heard that word in many years. My Grandmother and at times nmy Mom used it.

George is lookin' better every day. He's a good kitty posing for pictures - probably today only.

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

So glad to see that George is looking and feeling better! Loved the picture of the chow puppies :) You sure are busy. Thanks for letting me know about the card frames that are available from Carol Doak.

PJ said...

Tenterhooks is the word that I haven't heard used in several years. My Grandmoither & my Mom used it. Mom also used the phrase hepped up. Fun seeing some of these old words/phrases again.

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Oh Barb, the puppies look like toys, so snuggly too. Happy for George's continuing recovery; a head tilt is a small price to pay. I think it adds to his character.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad to see George is doing so much better! Charlie's vet called this morning to check on him, and I told her how much I appreciate her doing that. George's vet sounds like a winner, too. Sharon - ssauser@dishmail.net

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

I'm happy that George is doing better and those are good photos, I like the tongue. I'd like to try the paper piecing!

Lisa Cox said...

So happy to see George home and looking more himself. He's earned the right to stick his tongue out at the camera, LOL.
Hope you have a great trip!

Mrs.Pickles said...

happy to hear George is doing well! lovely post full of lost of wonderful info!

Lisa said...

I loved this post...shmorgishboard-ish :)
feathers? there must be a story there, lol :) Do tell.
I too was inspired to do something "Summery" today. It is from the front of the "All You" magazine that came in the mal today. The front said "Enjoy Summer" and I intend to do exactly that!

quiltzyx said...

By the way you're getting stuff put together, you've probably got the new couch quilt top finished! I actually made a table runner today for my Aunt & Uncle - done & delivered. :D

George is looking quite suave! Glad he's feeling better -- give him a pet from me.