Design Wall Monday

The giveaway for the hexagon papers is still on. Go here to sign up to win. It will end this coming Thursday, midnight.  

Got a few more sections done on that scrap bag quilt.


While not on my design wall yet, do have the expanded center on it:

Units not in final positions

Sewing and Quilting will be slower for the next month.  I have DGS #3 here from Colorado for two weeks.  His dad flew in with him yesterday and flew out a few hours later. We're going to hang out with #1 and #4 for most of the next two weeks.  Today they start swim lessons.  After breakfast, we're off for my daily walk. Do visit my tab for linky parties above under the header to see which one's I'm linking too.  You can, too.

Hope your day is filled with what you love to do. Blessings,




Discovering My Favorite Scrappy Geese

The giveaway for the hexagon papers is still on. Go here to sign up to win. It will end this coming Thursday, midnight.  The winner of last week's hexies is Moira.  This is her second win according to Random.org.  I have sent her a message.


So what are my favorite geese?  I've made quite a few in the past 31 years of piecing, however, I was never satisfied with the efficiency of the methods.  Making them with squares and rectangles and stitch and flip resulted in leftover triangles and unevenness at times. And it was slow.  There was all the trimming to do.  I then tried  Patti's at patchpieces.com no waste method (NWM) .  This took care of the leftover triangles, was more accurate, and faster.

These days I"m playing more with my scraps and I found NWM isn't always the method for my geese.  The big obstacle is I don't always have pieces large enough to cut "the finished size" plus 1 & 1/4".  Using four different 7/8" larger squares is doable, but still not scrappy enough at times.  What to do?

Another quilter who blogs came through for me.  I remembered I only used triangles to make sawtooth stars for Barbara Brackman's Stars in a Time Warp back in 2015.  It was a pattern from her Blockbase software that only used triangles for the geese, however one is still cutting up squares.  But using Patti's formula to calculate long edge sizes of the two different triangles, I had another way to cut the pieces to make geese using smaller scraps by making paper templates to make the isosceles triangles.

LOL  - too much math, right?  Then I remembered cutting triangles with Bonnie Hunter for one of her mysteries using the Companion Angle ruler! Just what I needed because I can use strips to cut my geese. I have lots of those.  Here's a photo sequence of putting together a scrappy goose.
 The ruler says on the bottom left: Numbers in the middle are the finished triangle base size - just what I needed.  I just had to find a scrappy strip that fit the size of my finished side triangle which was 1 1/2". I knew that from the pattern's (a Pat Sloan Splendid Sampler pattern) unit dimensions minus seam allowance.  Same with the center triangle.

 Once the three pieces were cut, I laid the left side triangle with the long sides (hypotenuse side to you math wizards)together.
 I then sewed a scant 1/4" from the base to the peak and pressed open.

 Did the same for the right side.

Pressed open, trimmed and my goose is done.
Here are my two blocks.  The one on left done with the NWM, and the one on right done with the companion angle ruler.  Don't have the ruler?  Use the NWM to calculate the squares you need.  Cut those from paper, then cut diagonally to get the individual triangles.  Use the templates with your scraps and straight ruler.   As for speedy - the ruler method only has two more seams than the NWM, and is much scrappier.

I hope you get to piece or quilt today.  I'm getting ready for out of town family arriving tomorrow.
Blessings,


WIPs Be Gone Still AWOL

but I do have a finish!  I mentioned in my Sunday post: "... couldn't stand it, had to start something new, so while in the scrap bag I took out some cut off triangles and made a teeny quilt ".  Here it is  - all 4" square of it:
I got my inspiration to make it from Amanda Jean and all her cute pincushions.  I didn't have any crushed walnuts to make one, so I made an itty-bitty quilt instead.  Here's the back:
I gave it to my friend, Sheila, today.  It's her birthday this Saturday.  Happy Birthday, Sheila.

That was fun and quick, too.  Kept me from starting another WIP.  But I am determined this week to get back to them.  Wonder what number Judy will pick on Tuesday?

I'll announce the winner of the hexagon templates, tomorrow.  Have plenty, so will give another 105 (that makes 15 flowers!) for this coming week although it's going to be a busy week as I'll have two grandkids over for the next 14 days.  Same rules. Link up and get one chance. Comment get another. Follow my blog and tell me so and get a third. Closes midnight, next Thursday. Here's what I've used some of mine for (a while ago - one of those WIPs - I refuse to call them UFOs - lol):


Blessings!

BOMs Gone Missing.

I do have BOMs - Splendid Sampler, Fall Festival quilt, log cabin quilt, Bliss (well, I've made it a BOM), etc.  Have I worked on any?  No. I am working on a new "scraps out of a bag" baby quilt instead. The last time I did this I put together 3 baby quilts from one bag. Not going to happen this time. I am making blocks - simple ones - one at a time.  So this is as far as I've gotten:
I've GOT to change the flannel on my design wall.  I'm finding it distracting.  Next time there's a sale, I'll get some white.  Well, anyway, that's as far as I've gotten.  It will be around 36" square.

The giveaway for the hexagon papers is still on. Go back to the last post and sign up to win. It will end this coming Thursday, midnight.

One last subject - it's peach season!  My mom gave me two bags of luscious, juicy, freestone peaches. One of the desserts I love best is fruit cobbler.  But it's too hot to make it right now.  What to do? Make no bake cobbler.  
Take one peach and cut it into bite size pieces.  Sprinkle with a little cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. Pour a 1/4 cup of your favorite granola Mine is honey and almonds) over the peaches.  Top with your favorite vanilla ice cream. Garnish with a pinch of granola or your favorite nut.  Voila!  No bake cobbler.  I was amazed how much it tasted like the baked version. 


Some of This; Some of That

The giveaway for the hexagon papers is still on. Go back to the last post and sign up to win. It will end this coming Thursday, midnight.

Weather has been lovely - low 90s, very little humidity, and some flower sightings:



In the destashing category, used up some scraps to make a few blocks to begin another baby quilt - .60 yd..  Also couldn't stand it, had to start something new, so while in the scrap bag I took out some cut off triangles and made a teeny quilt - .01 yd.  I'll show you my finish next Friday.  Then went through my stash and weeded a donation for the guild - 2 yds. The YTD total is now at 62.14 yds out.

I didn't show you my itty bitty quilt I won at the steal game at our last Guild Mtg.  I got a patriotic one.  Just right for July. Here it is on its holder on an end table in my living room:
Measures 8 1/2" by 10".

Hope you get to do some sewing and quilting today.  I'm finally getting to prep some more hexies to hand stitch as I watch Father Brown tonight. Last week I fell asleep before he came on.

Blessings!

Christmas WIPs Be Gone

Quilted:

Bound: 

My second Christmas WIP is ready for the season.
This Bonnie Hunter mystery, Carolina Christmas, is from 2009.  I've had the top done since 2010.  One more UFO done from my combined list for Judy's UFO challenge and the 17 UFOs in 2017 challenge.  It has so many pieces I decided to do wavy stitch in the ditch.  Both the back and front are so busy, one can hardly see the quilting.
I hope you get to quilt today.  In celebration of another finish, I'm giving away 105 one inch hexagons to a lucky commentator or linker or both (2 chances).  Link button below. Ends Thursday, midnight.
Good luck!

BOM and DWM

BOM today means Bag of the Month.  I try to make a bag for community service every month.  The Guild makes Happy Bags for the children cancer patients and a carryall for the Rape Crisis Center to give to victims.  This month I'm making a carryall.

I've only got the lining to cut and then I'll be ready to sew it together.  It's a quick sew - less than an hour.  You can get the pattern here.

And now it's done:

Besides the bag, nothing on my design wall right now.  I"m working on those two quilts I sandwiched.

Out in the garden, the amaryllis are still blooming!
I'm amazed with how many flowers they've produced this year.  Blessings!

Some of This; Some of That

In the destashing stakes:  Had to add a larger strip on that back - another 0.16 yard.  Put borders around those orphan blocks - 0.10 yard.  A backing for an old WIP - 1 yard.  So YTD out is now 59.53 yds. 

Here are the two WIP sandwiches:


And the orphan block centers:

Not sure I like them - will add another round and rethink.  Thoughts?


My hexie round is growing. I plan to prep some today for tonight's slow stitching while TV watching.

Hope you get to quilt today. I'm off to buy a new ironing board cover.  Yes, I could make one, but it's my excuse to do a little shopping today.

Blessings,

Summertime Food

Being urged by my doctor to eat more greens and other vegetables, I was curious to read The book of Greens - A Cook's Compendium by Jenn Louis.  I do cook still for DH and myself, and I like to cook simple, easy and quick to assemble, staple recipes.  Something in the order of meat loaf, mash potatoes, stew, baked chicken, etc.  And for vegetables, I'm afraid for so long I just boiled or steamed them.  So I thought this title would lend itself to my kitchen in putting more greens and veggies variety in our meals.

And it does.  Ms Louis provided me with new ways to cook Bok Choy, Cabbage, Chard, Collard Greens, Kale, and Spinach.  I even found recipes for two common weeds here in our neck of the woods:  Purslane and Mallow.  The purslane gets added to a lentil and rice dish - tasty good.  The mallow is treated like okra for "when cooked down,.... is perfect to thicken stew--rabbit, chicken, beef, or fish."(p.176). I had been served this by a Syrian acquaintance and liked it, so I was glad to find a way for me to introduce it to my kitchen.

However, the rest of the greens in this book, while many, are not commonly found in my university town of 400k.  They are probably more common in large metropolitan areas of a million plus residents that have more ethnic markets than ours.  It was interesting reading about these greens (Agretti, Celtuce, Gai Lan, Malabar Spinach, Minutina and others. Louis gives one a paragraph or two about the history of the green and where it is from and how used.  An example:  Agretti was a staple Roman peasant food that became popular in the 19th century.  It is native to Italy.  The description is followed by a recipe or two - not all side dishes; some desserts and drinks. She has provided and excellent seasonal chart of when you'll find these in markets.  There's also great info on how to buy, in what quantities and how to store these greens.  The book is an attractive hardcover edition with signatures sewn into the spine for long lasting use.

I won't be keeping this on my cookbook cabinet in my kitchen.  I think I will give it to one of my vegan friends after I finish making a copy of those recipes I want to try again.  One in particular would be thrilled to get this book.  She is a more adventurous cook than I.

received this book (published by Ten Speed Press, a part of  by Crown Publishing Group from Blogging for Books for this review. 


Barely Some of This and That

First, what with all the heat, I barely sewed last weekend, so not much to report.  I did use a tad for extending that backing (was too narrow), made two more diasappearing pinwheels and generated some bias stems for an applique border for 0.9 yds from the stash.  So YTD total out is now 58.27 yds.  Last December my total for the year was 55 yards used - I'm on my way to reaching my goal of 100 yards out at this rate.  

So what did I do?  Here's the roll of top, batting, and back of my Carolina Christmas.


I'm waiting for when I have 2-3 hours of a free dining room table so I can sandwich it.

On my design wall, I've added those DP blocks.
I've learned a few things.  1) the background has to be the same on each block or the design doesn't stand out.  2) a large print doesn't work here (the flower fabric) - better to save and use it where it can be a focus unit.  3) the stripe looks too busy.  Alas - these will go in the orphan block pile or a center for a St Anne's quilt - still to decide.

And outside - lots of fried plants.  I watered them in the AM - they just couldn't withstand the 110+ temps.  But out my kitchen door, I got a surprise. These amaryllis sent out a stalk of flowers!  It may be because I forgot and left the hose on near them for quite a while one evening.  I hope your staying cool - those of you in the Northern Hemisphere.  I have been humbled after reading about Phoenix, AZ - they had some 122 degree days and eight people died!  I'll stop complaining.  It could be worse.  

Last week's winner of that book is Moira.  I've sent her an email.  Thank you for participating in the giveaway, faithful readers.  There might be another one this coming Friday.  Blessings.


WIPs Be Gone Fireworks

Quilted:

 Bound and ready for the NICU at the hospital. This was around long enough to become a WIP.


As promised, here's why we don't go somewhere for the 4th:


The city does this every year. Sometimes the mountain catches on fire; sometimes it doesn't. Thankfully, it was one of those years when there wasn't a fire.

God Bless America on this July 4th

In tribute to Purple Hearts recipients

Vet Quilt

For Captain Bustamante

Fourth Wall Hanging

Center of a QOV quilt

Service Star for Local Family
A  few I have made over the years.  

Blessings to all in Service to our country on this 4th of July.

Some of This; Some of That

The giveaway is still on for this book.  Ends Thursday, midnight. Go here to link up.

As for destashing, I made two sample blocks, two RSC challenge blocks and a backing for a quilt (as soon as I finish this post ) I am going to sandwich today. It's my Carolina Christmas top - a Bonnie Hunter mystery a few years back and June's WIPs Be Gone I never got to.  I figure I can do it in July since the one Judy picked for this month I've already finished.
My new YTD total of fabric out is 57.37 yds .

I'm also prepping some hand stitching hexies for when I watch Father Brown tonight. 


Out of my north facing bathroom window, I spotted this beauty in my neighbor's yard.

This is a Cassia Gold Medallion tree.  Isn't it gorgeous!  Here's a close-up.

I hope you get to sew or quilt today.  The weather's back to normal for this time of year. Hope it holds for the 4th.  So I close with an early Happy 4th to you and a belated Happy Canada Day for our friends to the north.  Blessings,

WIPs Be Gone on Saturday

The giveaway for the book, Art Glass Quilts will end this Thursday, midnight.  Go back to the last post and sign up to win.

My last yellow RSC block is done. Again a Pat Sloan pattern from her I Love to Make Quilts website.  The color Angela picked for this month is blue. However, I've done my blocks as the April color - multi-color - didn't work for my idea of the layout so I did them then.


I've been working on my isolette quilting - half done now.  So you won't think all I do is walking foot quilting here's the back of a sampler I made two years ago. 
I feel a lot of quilting flattens out baby quilts too much, so that's why I keep it minimal.  

I hope you get to sew or quilt this long weekend.  Blessings,

SAHRR Round 5 and 6

  Ready to show rounds 5 and 6. Actually, the prompt for 5 was make 4 of something. So I chose four patch, and actually since that made my q...