I'm Late, and Later Still

to post for Thursday and Friday - ah, me - such is life. But I've been puttering along in this very warm August in SoCal, and now it's Sept 1.  Some say I have it good - at least I don't have humidity with our 95-100 degrees like some parts of the South. And I'm praying for all in the path of Hurricane Dorian.

On the quilty side, I've been struggling to make the pieced units for my applique quilt. Yes, there are four - one for each corner and so far I'm struggling to make them the right size - 3 1/2" unfinished. I need nine for each block. I made a sample block with cut pieces - didn't come out too hot - when I sew them together I would lose the points - ugh.

I made it in the fabric I want to use for the blocks, but since this didn't work, I'm changing to scraps. 

Tried smaller seams - not working.   Then I decided to foundation piece the teeny pieces .

One came out nearer to 3 1/4" unfinished size and the other I don't know what went wrong - look at that top triangle on the right - Sighhh.

Why wasn't this working.  Sat back and started to think thru the process.  I went to print another sheet of templates when I noticed that my printer property was set to Fit to Frame. Could the setting be causing the problem?  So I printed one with this feature off and one with the feature on.  Made the units above - still not 3 1/2" square - arghhh.

So went back to where I made the templates - EQ6.  I brought up the square and printed the templates from the program instead of saving the page to a file.  There!  It worked!  I made the square and got my 3 1/2" unit.  WOOHOO!  And here it is:

Since I had measured the side of one template and it was 3 1/2" I was pretty sure it was going to work so I used the actual fabric for the block. One down, four to go.  I have a different unit for the four corners.

To keep me sane I kept looking at some photos from my last trip - something soothing, flowers of course.  I was going to show you these Thursdays, but that didn't happen.  Hope you like them.

beautiful tuberous begonias

lovely geraniums

gorgeous dahlias

giant hibiscus

sunny and bright - all from CSU's Test Fields in Fort Collins.

This one's from my kitchen garden. These 8 naked lady stalks followed the sole one two weeks before.

I'm linking to Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?, I Like Thursdays, and Oh, Scrap! Go on by, gentle readers.

I Like Thursdays

Another week has come around to Thursday, and it's been busy again.  My likes were mostly around home.

Here my completely finished Winter Blue - label, binding, hanging pockets. I am so happy with it.

Walking to the bus stop I liked the amaryllis a neighbor planted.

Walking up from the bus stop, I liked that Alan spotted our blue cactus.

And the next day, I liked how DGS read a Dr. Seuss book to his sister in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday.

He likes to read to her and she likes to listen. And I like to listen to these chimes at my DD's house. They are so restful. I could listen all day.

And today, I was glad that it was the first day it was warm enough I didn't have to wear my coat inside.  What did you like?  Visit Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays to see what others have posted. I'm also linking to Wendy's Peacock Party - so many pretty things there.

I'll leave you with this verse:

A late I Like Thursdays and a Friday Finish

Wednesday was getting readY for some library lesson presentations and story times at the library.  Thursday was presenting the lessons and a surprise story time. By the time I got home I was exhausted.

Enough excuses. I did finish a baby quilt:

All it needs now is binding.  I love the center dogie fabric!

All of this flannel fabric wAS leftover from previous St. Anne's quilts. I used the cotton fabric on the back. My flannel medallion was too cute not be front and center.

Throughout last week, I spent more time at home except for my assignment. It was just too cold for me. However I did take a walk with DH and saw our neighbor up the hill had installed a fascinating windmill.

The merest of a breeze would make it turn.

I like what he did for the base.

To the left of our hill is Cucamonga Peak again covered with snow from the last two storms.

The right side of the hill has a view of the easterly mountains. They are spectacular, but I haven't had a chance to take a photo. 

We have sightings of new flowers in our yard.

The geraniums have begun blooming.

We found our first Bird of Paradise

Our Christmas poinsettia is still as beautiful as when we got it in early December.

I'm linking to Finished or Not Friday, Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop, Let's Make Baby Quilts, and Free Motion Mavericks. You'll find them in my Linky Parties tab under the header.  Blessings!

I Like Thursdays and Friday Finish

I Like Thursdays has come around again.  And while there are lots of things I liked, not many photos were taken.  Here are the ones I did take.

That baby quilt?  I like that I got it done. A mistake showed up. Maybe I'll fix it and maybe I won't. Requires three seams to be done over. And yes, it is that soft and muted in real life. This was a Marti Michell all over print from maybe 20 years ago. Does anyone know?  It was given to St. Anne's. I was excited to get it until I opened it. The previous owner had fussy cut a square next to the train so it was graced with holes all over. Decided to take on the challenge and try to salvage some of the fabric. Here's what I came up with. Measures 36 1/2" by 38 1/2".

Next up is a UFO that isn't on my list, but I've been working as a Hexie a Night to make some progress. I like that I finally got the next round finished and attached to the center. I've even figured out what to do for the next round.  I'm trying to figure out how to make this EPP into a round project.

And in my quest for being more mindful for my Gentle Domesticity study, I like that I saw my jade plant that was blooming away unnoticed in my garden.  Sometimes, one has to stop, take a deep breath, be still and look around. Look how the purple wandering jew surrounds it.

I'm linking to Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays, Needle and Thread Thursdays, Confession of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday, and a few other link parties. See my list at the More tab under the header.

Blessings and good wishes for all.

I Like Thursdays and Finish For Friday

Let's give a Whoop, Whoop! It's been raining all day.  Praise the Lord!  A steady rain except when a cell comes over - then it's a downpour for a couple of minutes.  We're so grateful.  I pray for our SoCal neighbors to the West which are in the Woolsey Fire area.  They are on notice to evacuate if the authorities call about potential mud slides.

I've been working on a crochet project.  Some stitching to do as I watch Dr. Blake - my evening quiet time with DH.  The quilt under it is one I made back in the early 2000s - maybe 2002.  It was a New Year's Eve Mystery by the yahoo group, The Quilting Post.  It was suppose to be a bed size quilt.  I decided to make a mini.  I ran across it the other day as I was putting away Christmas things and told myself I should put it out.  A bit big for the table, but I like it. 

Here it is finished.  Took only three episodes.  This is a baby washcloth I'll include with the baby quilt I started today. I like how the colors match.

Not sure what it will look like as I'm designing as I go.  This will be for St. Anne's so all I need to add are three more rows to make it 36" square.

 I also finished a little mug rug made from scraps as a gift for a dear friend.  Her birthday is next week.

And I really like this quilt I found at Shark's Dinner - it may be my next EPP.  She's making a BOM out of it and has designed nine other blocks to go with the first three.

I'm linking to Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Fridays, and a few others. See my linky party buttons at more tab under the header . Blessings!

Last 2018 I Like Thursday

A momentous week - Christ is Born! We have 9

days left to celebrate Christmas.  How will you be celebrating them?  I'm keeping up the various creche we have around the house.  Bringing out the panettone to have with tea.  Serving tamales one day this week for dinner.  Admiring last year's poinsettias now growing in the garden -and they bloomed for the Holiday! Answering Christmas letters.  Changing my tree quilt for the nativity scene.

Brought out some Christmas quilts.  Laid out some table toppers.

Enjoyed the family Christmas morns around the country - he's in CO.

Started back to quilting - made a sample block of a kit I want to start in 2019

This used scraps - not the color scheme of the quilt. Think it's going to work out.

How was your week?  Hope you are warm and dry and enjoying the season.  I'm linking to Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays. Visit and see what others had done to fill their days. PS - my brother is in rehab now for PT. We hope he gets to go home soon.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for him.

I Like Thursdays

Here's the big news for us:
It's raining in California - SoCal to be exact! Suppose to rain for part of today.

Thank you, God!

and I really like I'm back to the quilting part of a project:

Now I'm off to get ready for a very special luncheon - I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Be sure to drop by Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays for some happy likes from this past week.

I Like Thursdays

The weeks are going by so fast!  Thursdays come around in a whirl now.
This week I like that my Paint Brush lily (some call it Soap Brush - Haemanthus  genus) is in bloom again!

This plant is in the Amaryllis family.  God made flowers of such variety.

I also liked all the cute costumes I saw at our parish school.  Here's the Pre-K class who I read to each week.  I'm privileged to be the lady who reads to 4 classes this year.  It's so much fun.

I also am thrilled that I finished a quilting project.  Come back tomorrow when I report my finish.
Look forward to viewing your likes at Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays post.

I Like Thursdays

I like that I only have two more blocks to go on the border for SLOL.

Then I can start on the right side border.

On my walk earlier in the week, I was so happy to see that my neighbor's wisteria is blooming again. I've liked this plant for a long time (-going on 50 years) but a tree in front of it kept it from blooming. The tree died and was cut out and let light do it's wonder.

 You can see the vertical prop the owner installed to keep the plant in place.

This year I see some white sprays of flowers. I wonder if they get purple with time.

Go to Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays to see what others found to share with us. Blessings,

I like Thursdays

I like to re-purpose and this past week I've done a bit of that.

 This block has scraps of black and a paisley I saved from long ago.

Then I took an old pillowcase from my rag bag and cut out 8 squares and made that block into a twinkle star for a new project (New Project for 6and6 in 2018).

Then I pulled out my scrap bag of batiks and hand dyes and started this crumb block:

I have an idea for this one, too, however this is a one block quickie.

How about you?  Have any likes you want to share?  Leave a comment. I'd like to know.  Also, you can see other I Like Thursdays at Lee Anna's.

Blessings,

I like Report on Thursdays

I like piecing.  Here's one fourth of a new project I started.

 I like applique - here's one of 24 flowers I have to make that go in the outer border of the new project.

For the past two years, I've been playing with various applique methods to see which one I like (and which goes faster for me - lol).  I'm finding this Zena Thorpe method the one I go to the most.  I combine with McKenna Ryan's. So here's what I do.  First, I make a copy of the pattern page on plain copy paper.  Then I cut out around the outline of the design to make my templates - on the right.  Then I number the pieces so I know in which order I must lay them on the outline guide from that copy sheet - on the left.  I turn them to the wrong side and draw them on the paper side of fusible interfacing.  I use to use Steam a Seam 2, but now like to use Heat-n-Bond light weight.  I cut these apart and place on the back side of the appropriate fabric. I lightly bond them to the fabric and then cut them out.  I then cut a background fabric - usually 1/2"- 1" bigger than the block I need.  I place my outline copy on the background and lay the fabric pieces on it.  If I like the fabrics, I then press the flower together and then onto the background.  Then I machine straight stitch the flower to the background using invisible thread.

But what I like best about this project is that it has both piecework and applique.  Here's another I'd like to make someday.  I don't know the name or the pattern - I'd just make something like it.

So how about you?  What did you like this week?

I'm linking to LeeAnna's I Like Thursday's post.