The Modern Diary: November 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Figgy Pudding Tablerunner

I quilted and bound my Figgy Pudding Tablerunner today (and quilted another smaller one that still needs bound) and am pretty happy with it...I am not going for perfect, but done and am glad I enjoyed doing it! My new machine has me spoiled already and I can see I will be learning more about quilting and trying new things in the future. This tablerunner is already at home underneath two laptops on our antique table. The other runner needed a rest! Next one will be about three more squares long because the table needs a bigger one and I apparently can't eyeball it and get it right..lol!

I also did some cooking today and made homemade Chicken Dumpling Soup from my mom's recipe. Took a picture and uploaded it to Tastebook where I have typed in about 100 recipes but only have pictures of about twenty or so because I always forget to take the pictures! Despite the fact that I mistook Red Robin seasoning salt for chicken bouillon this soup tastes great!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Sewing at Becky's and at Home

I went to Becky's to sew with the gals today and had fun. I met several of her friends and another gal I know from quilt camp came too. Everyone was doing their own thing and it was really relaxing! Becky even cooked us a good dinner of white chili. I used my Amy Schimmler fabrics to make Ben two pillowcases which were fun.

Not the greatest picture, but I made eight of these Christmas napkins, these four are a gift and the other four I am keeping!

I also made CJ a pillowcase from his leftover quilt fabric.

Then at home I decided to go nuts and make each of Randy's four (fifth on the way) grandkids a pillowcase from odds and ends leftover fabric I had (and the Thomas the Tank Engine fabric I bought thinking it was Little Engine that Could that another gal online wanted) so four more Christmas gifts done. Also cleaned through all my odds and ends bits and made another dog bed with scraps in it and have much less odds and ends fabric left! I hate to waste anything so it felt good to use of some of these bits! And I feel a bit more justified in buying more fabric.

Bonnie is out with clue two and if I am in a sewing mood I will work on it tomorrow--but we are going to Kathy's sister's for Thanksgiving and I have to make pickles, cream cheese and ham to take and we will spend part of the afternoon there with more turkey so not sure how much sewing there really will be.

Thanksgiving Table and Carolina Christmas, Step One Done!

We had Thanksgiving at my nephew Ben's other home (Suli and Diego's) and since Diego is a chef the food is always excellent. We had three different turkeys to choose from--smoked, baked and deep fried! I miss my Mogan David Grape Concord wine gravy though his was good. We will be making our own turkey so we have leftovers soon.

Here are the colors I finally wound up with for Bonnie's new mystery--Carolina Christmas. You are just looking at the top of the box, but there are lots of different shades of the colors all cut into 2.5 inch strips and I have more fabric waiting for further instruction.

I started out with these little twosies which were fun to make after I figured out a decent quarter inch seam with my Singer. They are all ironed and pinned in stacks of ten!

June was almost done with that part before she ran out of zip. I kept on going because I am such a night person that I had hit my stride (and June cooked us some Chop Suey/Goulash for dinner which interrupted her work flow!). I used the EZ Angle and now FINALLY really have the hang of it and can appreciate the work it saves me. I should have tried using that for the Picnic Schnibble--it would have saved me tons of work. I then got more than enough of the triangles sewn together, ironed and counted.

Bonnie may post the next clue tomorrow. I am ready for it! If you are interested in the mystery go to Quiltville.com and look for Carolina Christmas, you will not be disappointed!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Good News and Bad News

The good news is Becky won my 300th post prize, but the bad news is the dog ate my camera cord so I can' t post a picture of it (or any other new pictures which will drive me crazy) til I get a new cord. Sigh, I will find a picture in my files of the offending dog--Zoe! Congratulations Becky! Some fat quarters will soon find their way to your house!

Randy had a cord that works, so I guess there is less bad news..here is your prize Becky!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Friendship Stars, Learning Embroidery and Christmas Stockings!

Not the greatest picture, but my new machine which I am in love with!

I made some friendship stars for my NewQuiltingClub group this weekend. Many people in the club make the blocks and send them in and some of the gals get together and put them into Healing Hugs Quilts like the one they sent me a few months ago before my Dad passed. While planning his service I went to the nearest quilt store and found this maple leaf looking fabric which is remarkably similar to the pattern on his remembrance bulletin. I decided to get it and make these blocks to help restock the supplies for others that need a quilty hug. I have several more cut out to do and while these are not colorful like I would normally do I hope that each quilt the group makes has one of these blocks in it for awhile to come! Lots of hugs go with them!

I spent the better part of both Saturday and Sunday at June's house and she taught me how to embroider! I came home and though I did not have the right thread I gave it a try on my own and this is what I got! I am very happy with it and know with the right thread it will look even better. Yippee!

While at June's I worked on these Christmas stockings. I found the pattern on the internet and the blogger referred to another blogger for the star pattern and she referred to Gwen Marston's work...and I also used another pattern called Magic Stocking I found on the net, and between all that and some freehand stocking drawing I got these stockings! I am quite happy with them...they were fun! The second one I pieced the front and back of the stocking to make it more quilty. I have another (plainer) one partially done too.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Downey Quilts for Kids Done, Christmas Napkins and a Santa Applique (and a Giveaway!)

I quilted this little quilt on my new Viking Husquavarna Diamond machine! I need to post you pictures and talk about that soon, but it did a great job on this little quilt for Downey Quilts for Kids Project. The lable is blury, but I got it on there and hand sewed on the binding last night. I even washed it as they requested and it is all ready to go back to some deserving little boy!

At camp I started these little Christmas Tree napkins and finished them up at home where I had red and green thread! They look like trees, but when you open them up they are a napkin for Christmas time. Really fast, easy and cute. I will be making up some more of these.

At the last Make it and Take it we worked on these Santa Appliques. I had to do most of the applique at home but now he awaits quilting and eyes and binding and he will be all set! The teacher and a friend of hers made up the pattern. It is a bit fiddly to me (applique I am not so good with) but it really is adorable when done!

This is my 300th post and is time for a giveaway! I will put together some goodies (including fabric) to mail out to a commenter posts here who has already posted a comment to me somewhere in the last 300 posts! I want to reward my commenters, not find a zillion new commenters I guess. So tell me why you read my blog, or what you like about it in a comment to this post, and on Wednesday I will randomly draw one of you for the giveaway. If you have never commented go ahead and you are in for when I do another giveaway down the line! Smile ;)
Well, I am off to my friend June's to do some sewing and gabbing. I love my sewing friends!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Quilt Camp Fall 2009

These are the quilts for the quilt auction, I contributed one, bid on a few and took home none. My favorite is the one on the far right that looks kind of three-d-ish.

I arrived at camp on Thursday and after helping a bit with the set up (the gals in charge of camp do a lot of work and I hope they know how much we appreciate it!) I set to work on my Schnibbles Picnic quilt in Bubblegum Basics fabrics. Thank goodness I was really motivated and sewed and sewed...and then...

I got to the part where I needed to square up, and square up, and square up (what you haven't done this pattern? I can't say all that squaring up was my favorite part) and I didn't bring my rulers or my cutting mat that turns in circles (hey at least I brought my rotary cutter!). So I set it aside and started to work on Slide Show. After shopping on Friday morning for my missing materials I commenced to squaring up a gazillion (ok eight times 16, maybe not a gazillion) little two inch squares (don't forget to line up the diagonal line) and 16 of the larger squares. This required much perseverence and several breaks...all the way from breakfast until close to dinner I was squaring up! Really! In fact I think I put it down and went back to it the next day because I didn't finish it Friday if memory serves me. This pattern is a bit more challenging than the previous two and now I love Cindy Lou Who even more than before! Somewhere in there I started putting the blocks together and did them all the same, exactly as the pattern showed for the first basket. When I was done with the last one and checking directions for the next step I discovered the "variations" of the basket I was supposed to use as I went (ha now I know why I am supposed to read all the directions before I start) but mine are not varied at all...AND they could have been because I did a whole lot of wrong sewing and ripping. I am not good with the triangle colors going this way and this way (I put them that way and that way, if you know what I mean). It almost got ridiculous. The borders (pieced the previous day) went on in a snap after dinner on Saturday though I have a bit of wonkiness and may take out one "tooth" in two of the borders, I already did that in two. I do love the sweet fabrics and hope never to make another tiny basket again.

Thursday I also worked on this Slide Show quilt. These are the fabrics I bought from Peggy at the Chicago Quilt Show the year before last! http://magicthimblecreations.blogspot.com/ is her blog. I cut up the border fabric before I realized what I had done...so have to think what to do since I am sure I can't find anything like this fabulous fabric from Indonesia around here. Peggy do you have more you will sell me? Smile ;) I had to ask.

The pattern is from Atkinson Designs and was easy to do though all those squares took a bit of time I am delighted with the result. Don't think I can part with this one either.

Another simple Eye Spy Quilt that I may add more to...fun to see the fabrics that are in so many other quilts I have made...especially the golfing guys that are in my Dad's quilt. I was missing him and thinking of him as I sewed all weekend on my new machine I got with some of my inheritance money. More on that later.

I also made some Christmas napkins (thanks to Patty who is an awesome quilter and who I want to be when I grow up!) and a red bowl that is smaller than my first one is mostly done too. Will show pics later on when the beaded fringe gets bought and put on it. My roommate and sewing neighbor was Becky and despite me being a night owl (and her not so much) we really had fun together! It was nice to have someone to pal around with a bit. I also spent a little time with my night owl friends Laura and her mom (I wish my mom sewed and went to camp with me!) and found out they live real close to me! Hope to be doing late night sewing, or shopping with them before the next quilt camp. I also need to find your blog Laura--let me know the address please!

I came home early from camp because I just couldn't bear working on the other quilt I brought with me...I barely started it and wished I had brought some of the quilting I need to do (simple tablerunners and baby quilt, etc.). Next time I will bring more variety I think. It was fun, I hope to go again.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Quilt Camp Plan....

I am bringing my cut up fabric to work on both of these quits (pictures are not of my quilts but fabric is the same or close to it). I am also bringing Schnibbles Picnic and may start with that one first!

With any luck I will get two of them done and make good progress on the third! The car is all packed and camp starts tomorrow afternoon for us early birds...I am going to my mom's house (about 20 minutes from camp) this afternoon and spending the night with her since I am off work for Veteran's Day.

And by the way I want to acknowledge that I do appreciate those who give up their time, their families and sometimes their lives for our safety and freedom. As an ex-Army wife I know it isn't easy and I am proud of all those who are in the service or are family of servicemen and women! I need to make another quilt of Valor for one of them too! Soon, soon!

Bonnie K. Hunter of Quiltville is doing another mystery set to start the day after Thanksgiving. Her blog has info if you are wanting to get in on what will turn out to be a gorgeous quilt. She is calling it Carolina Christmas!

I will be posting again most likely on Sunday with pictures from camp, happy sewing until then!

Angela

Monday, November 9, 2009

Christmas Lights Goes to Maine

My Christmas Lights top and the backing shown here (the lights) are on the way to Maine to be quilted! I should have it back before Christmas and I can already see me working on the binding and laying it across the back of the couch! Not ready to part with this one permanently yet.
Last night Kathy helped me cut the Picnic Schnibbles out after a quick trip to the casino for Randy's birthday. No one won which wasn't so fun, but afterwards we went out to Outback for some steak and such. Randy was pleased with his Packer T-shirt and hat and new slippers though today is really his birthday...everyone is working so yesterday we pretended! A few more days til Quilt Camp!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Little Zip Up Bags

I had fun with June and BJ..we eached worked on our various projects and I got all of these little pouches made! I am keeping one, the rest will be gifts, and I think I will make a few more. The free pattern is available at http://threebears.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/little-boxy-pouch-tutorial/ and they really whip up easily. I used fabric I had and zippers that were gifted to me fifteen years ago that just never found a home...very inexpensive but fun gift! I will be filling them with favorite things for the people who will be getting them. Think that is it for sewing today. Oh, I also marked all of my squares for sewing the Picnic Schnibble, but haven't cut the background fabric so that is as far as I can go!

Modified Charm Square Bag Done!

Last year I made this exact same bag in the same fabrics (lining and handles different I believe) and gave it to my mom...Suli saw it and wanted one too (and I almost gave it to her in the first place!) so finally got one made for her this year. I hope she likes it, these fabrics are so sweet and bright I almost don't want to give it away. I used a free online pattern but I changed it as I went and didn't make the sides and bottom as they suggest. I also was a bit lazy and didn't turn out the handles on this one as I hate that!

Well off to sew some more at June's with her and BJ!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Joy in the New Year Challenge, Magnolia Bud and Other Special Flowers!

Over at Tallgrass Prairie Studio a group of quilters are challenging themselves to finish up WIPs and such. I went ahead and joined (twice I think, haha) and am aiming to get six quilts done by the new year. I just finished the flimsy on Christmas Lights and hope to have it back and bound, I have two Schnibbles, three baby quilts and a lap sized star quilted being quilted so I will be binding all of them when they get back. I am sure I will get more tops together because I have quilt camp coming up soon and I have two projects ready to go and a third (my Schnibble for November) needs cut.

I also wanted to show you the fun flowers my honey gave me a few days ago. I got some potted petunias outside, and a hanging tomato and these...all a suprise when I got home from work! (And yesterday the kitchen floor was washed in my absence, man am I lucky!)

Here is the Quilt History block for October Magnolia Bud. This was easier than some of the previous blocks, but yet I still had trouble with the triangles--getting them cut at the correct angle. The green are reverse of each other so that went fine, the peach are not! Found the out the hard way after two (yes two) attempts. So one part of the bud is creased, I am over it, lol. I see now that I should have trimmed the bottom (green edge) too instead of the top edge as I don't have a point in there....well leaves vary so let's pretend that is how it looks. I seriously am not sure I would have been a good quilter back when patterns like these were in vogue...they leave far too much for me to figure out and I do better with written directions, not just pictures. Both are better, and the best of course is someone there showing me!

At quilt history class a few weeks ago Lynn brought in lots of cool kit quilts to show us and this was my favorite of them all! Very cute. She has quite a collection and lots of knowledge which she shared with us about kit quilts.

Christmas Lights Top Done!

Hot off the machine, Christmas Lights top is done! It is on top of my new bushes so that is why it is wavy, I will take another picture in full sunlight tomorrow but I had to show someone! I am pleased with it, Bonnie K. Hunter at quiltville.com rocks! If you haven't ever checked out her site please do. I can't wait for her next book to come out. I am really liking scrappy looking quilts because of her, used to be I wanted them all coordinated. I have no idea who will wind up with this quilt, but I almost don't want to part with it!