Brown Pizza

My daughter loves art. Painting, chalk, crayons, you name it she's done it.

So she is working on coloring a Pizza when the following conversation takes place.

Me: A Brown Pizza? What goes on a brown pizza?
DD: Mushrooms
Me: Mushrooms, does daddy eat mushrooms?
DD: No mushrooms belong in the ground.

What a silly girl I have. Of course at this point Daddy chimes in, about good mushrooms or something, but I was already laughing.

Quilty Pursuits

The Apple Quilt is calling me, but I'm ignoring it. Yep. I started working on the last 8 blocks (they are all started) with a pattern that I designed. My trouble now is that I started sewing before I finished the pattern. That's what happens when you create in your head instead of on paper. haha! So now while I'm almost certain what I need to do... There are two tiny triangles that will need attaching before I can wrap them up.

Rob will be working the next two days, so hopefully I will feel up to getting this quilt top all sewn together. The sooner the better I'd say as I'm ready to quilt it. I'm so tried of making blocks, counting and making more blocks. A personal challenge is one thing, even facing my own dread with the Log Cabin blocks was fine. But it seems like I've been working on it so long! Not really of course I only started it this month... My personal deadline is Feb. 14th, I'm not certain if I will make it, but if not it will come for father's day.

The Row Robin Project is coming along swimmingly. I only have two rows that haven't gone out in the mail yet, and I have had contact with both of those group members and I feel we're right on track. Everyone has been eagerly sending me messages about their second rows. It doesn't get better than that. Joann's is having their clearance fabrics half off starting this weekend, and I'd really like to go and dig through the racks. I'm in need of two greens to really make Mary Jane's Row. It will be another altered from original pattern, but hey I didn't do so bad with those candle sticks I made now did I?

I wish you all a safe and happy weekend. Enjoy the Superbowl, or the commercials your choice.

The Quilt that Needed More

With DH off at his new job (oh it is so good to know that he's working) the Apple Quilt is at the top of my get'er'done list. Interestingly enough, no matter how much I kick on my quilting hat, this quilt still needs more. I thought I had about two more hours on it. WRONG, 6 hours later I still need 12 more blocks. That's after I did the 8 embroidered hearts, thinking I'd be done with those. Nooooo... Naughty thing. My stash is wearing quite thin in regards to these colors, so hopefully not to much more..

The good news my sister tells me she will help me baste it when I get it done, so once the end is reached the quilt will become a quilt in short order after that. Today I am sharing the center of the quilt. As well the heart embroidery blocks that I stitched out, which can be seen above. Sort of a shabby chic on the reclaimed denim (from my curtain project). Reduce, reuse! I have enough denim leftover to make 4 more blocks. That will bump me up to 12 leaving me with only 8 more instead of 12. I'm thinking the 4 denim blocks I'll add would look good having applique apples on them, so wish me luck there, I've never done that before. While I was putting DD down to nap it hit me, oh Cherry pie sounds good! So I set about making one. It took less than 30 minutes from taking out the ingredients to in the oven. I thought that was pretty good. Of course DH was disappointed he wont get any until he gets home, but I'm certain he will grab a piece then. I did receive the next Row for the Row Robin 2009. Adding the Second row is February's task, but I was so excited I started a little early (which is completely fine). These are two candles that I made one for each end of the row that I will create. The theme is Traditional Elegant Christmas, using cream, gold, red, and green. I do so hope she likes them. I found a paper pieced pattern (a couple of them in fact) but it seemed like complete overkill to me - so I reworked the pattern, thereby making my candle flame more realistic, as well as removing the paper element of my piecing. Because I used a border fabric to make the candle stick holder it has these pretty gold dots almost like fine filigree that just stick out at the top and the bottom. Okay it will stick out at the bottom once it's sewn in by the next person, until than, that extra black seam allowance will just have to be there. Trust me it's worth the effort. Last but never least, I caught DH, and I just had to have a photo. Last week DH expressed an interest in my casting on before starting to knit. Well it flew from there, and before I knew it I'd taught him how to knit! Two wash clothes later, his tension is more uniform than mine, and at my request he is now working on a mat for the cat water bowl.

Good Progress...

The apple quilt is coming along swimmingly. I have made progress in the right direction. The Log Cabin blocks (all 20) are done. I have also sketched and decided on an arrangement for the blocks, and have created an 80" braid which is to be part of the design. I have selected a center. It will be a handkerchief I bought for DH from Joann's about two years ago with a pirate map on it. It's 22", so I'll need to border it, and I haven't yet selected a fabric to do that.

I also need to cut the apple fabric that will be my "filler squares". After those things are done the quilt will be nearly finished. Mostly only awaiting the last fabric to add, of which I haven't decided on yet. I'm planning on using Muslin on the back because I still have enough left from the two bolts I bought to do two more quilt backs. The main body of the quilt is going to be 80"X80" with borders framing it up and bringing it up to size. There are no photos of this process because DH is home and so far it is still completely a surprise.

My row for the Row Robin is in the mail and should arrive around the end of this week or the first of next. The row I will be adding to for the month of Feb. I have already seen parts of, and am very much looking forward to adding to it. My current plans include a bit of embroidery, a tree, and a couple of candles, sound like a traditional elegant Christmas? I sure hope so because that's her theme.

While doing a bit of research for that Row I stumbled upon something else. A beautiful bit of embroidery that screams out for a bit of painted glitter. I looked it up and for the colors I'd like it would run about $10 or so, I'll be doing a bit more research and keeping you up to date about that.

The Spring Sampler hasn't spoken to me in anything above a whisper lately. I think the next block I make will be a Grandmother's Fan Block (there was one on her sick bed in "You've Got Mail"), but with no printer it will be up to me to create the template. Not my first choice and certainly adding a degree of difficulty.

As I mentioned sorry no photos today. DH doesn't return to work until next week so I might not have anything to show you until then. Take care everyone and have a safe weekend.

Sewline Fabric Pencil - Rave

I would like to take a few minutes and write a review. Today I am reviewing the Sewline Fabric Pencil. I bought mine from fabric.com for around $12.

Mine is the Pencil color, also known as Black, but trust me this is no ordinary pencil. It has ceramic lead, which washes away with a bit of water, or can be erased with the built in eraser. These are all facts and I have found them to be completely true. I love the way this pencil feels in my hand. It fits like a high end pen would. The lines can be light or dark with very little effort and all vanish completely. The light lines do seem to fade a bit with handling, but easily remedied by running the lead down whatever template twice instead of once.

Unlike normal lead that you can never really trust on fabric, or other fabric pencils, the Sewline lead does not flake or crumble when you write. This fact together with the hardness of the lead means it lasts a while. The pencil comes with 6 replacement leads and I am on my 2nd quilt still using the lead that came inside the pencil itself.

The replacement leads can be found with a bit of Google searching for around $5, and come in a variety of colors so you are not at all limited. Replacement leads can of course easily be used, so there is no need to buy multiple pens. Unless of course you want one for the cutting table and one for near the sewing machine...

Now I must say, everyone in my house loves the look of this little red pen. I'm still keeping it put up with the original packaging to keep DD from running off with it. Because of this it seems like I can ALWAYS find this pencil. Even when I can't find a pen. It has taken effort not to grab it and use it whenever I need a pen. Part of me wishes it had a flipping end or some such to hold a normal pen or the like, but I completely understand why it doesn't.

I would recommend this pen to anyone working with fabrics. It is a joy to use. It is worth more than I paid, but I doubt I could have brought myself to splurge and try it - had it been more money. I will never go back to anything else. I have labeled it my pen and so it shall be.

I have used it to mark stitching lines, cutting lines, as well as to sketch quilting lines. In all these applications it has preformed flawlessly.

This review may not be copied, ripped, or otherwise used. This is for personal use only.

Round Robin Label

I mentioned earlier that I stepped in to add a Border in a Round Robin. I also helped the person making the center by creating this label to follow her center around. I thought it was only fitting to put a robin on it. :D

The toys are picked up the kitchen is clean, and the rest of the house is a mess, but I'm off for the evening. :D Have a great night everyone

CatchUp

I have been so immersed, that I have been neglectful. Well let me catch you up. I altered some old curtains to fit my bedroom window (and most of the other windows in the house, just in case). I took before and after photos. That has been part of my mending mission. Hey reuse! They had been floor to ceiling, but I cut them down, as a bonus I even have a bit of denim leftover for some future project. Yesterday afternoon I FINALLY got to the mixer cover for my mixer that I've been wanting to make so long ago. I made one for Jessica back then and ever since mine has been on the to do list. Well I took it off last week, I was sick of seeing it, that was just the right push to get it done. The fabric is easy clean indoor outdoor so it's a real witch to sew on, I broke more needles than I'd care to admit, but I think it turned out nice, complete with pockets. One is just right to hold my small cookbooks and another is perfect to hold the box tops that I collect for my brother's school. There is another small one, I don't know what I will use it for, but something will come to me. A new Block of the Month came out for the 15th of Jan. This one is Hole in the Barn Door, I'm happy to make anything that looks nice for the Spring Sampler 2009.

Quilting Mania

Good Morning Good Morning. I woke up this morning to my daughter going through her new clothes. Did I buy them for her? Yes, I always try to buy ahead and these I purchased this past summer or perhaps earlier. I keep all the "grow into clothes" in the bottom of her dresser, and every once in a while she digs through them. Today she couldn't resist a tied pink floral spaghetti strap top with gentle ruffles. Is it warmer? Yes, but not warm enough for that top. Oh well she really wanted to wear it.

Last night I admitted my addiction. I am addicted to quilting. When I first joined the quilting board someone said welcome to the addiction. My mind thought, "addiction, no it's not an addiction, I just enjoy it". LOL! Well last night was the clincher. Rob was off to his new job (there I said it) for the evening not expected back till the wee of the morning. Jessica and I made the yummiest dinner (One Pot Pasta with Sun dried Tomatoes!) watched tv together, and then I STARTED to pick up the living room.

Of course I came upon fabric strips GALORE! I filled in to help out with a Row Robin, and I gave it a bit of strip therapy, so all of my strips where out, even my beloved Birthday Jelly Roll. As I began to clean my fingers touched the fabric. Whatever will I do with this fabric? Portugal from Moda... It feels so nice on my fingers. And then it hit me, wouldn't it be funny to give the strips DH gave me, back to him in the form of a quilt? Now what pattern? Log Cabin is at the top of my hate list, perhaps he will appreciate my efforts, why yes Log Cabin Blocks will be perfect. Now how to best utilize each and every strip of fabric, without waste? The math floods into my mind. More and more numbers cascade over me, and then I emerge with my scrap of paper. I have it! Yes that is just right. I begin making more specific notes, yes, yes... Nope... Okay change thing, that and here too. Now to sit back down with the fabric and begin sorting it into what might be pleasing patterns. At first none can be found but then they begin to appear. A study in patterns, yes, perfect.

Apples are red and my red border fabric will make great centers. I check to see that I have enough fabric ah yes, I will have two extra, perfect. Red stands for the home of the hearth in the log cabin blocks, and red apples are always ready for me to make pies for DH here in my hearth.

I look up. 8:30! Oh no! I'm late putting Jessica to bed. Hurry hurry. Her routine can take anywhere from an hour to two depending. I don't know how long it took last night. I did everything and doted on her in my happy mood.

Then off to the sewing machine... Nope not yet, first we have to cut those apple centers. The fabric cuts perfectly, it's like a dream. Of to the sewing machine. Sewing each block what a joy. I know now who and what I am, I am in control. Block begin coming out of my sewing machine. I sew until 11 pm, there is no one to stop me, no one to tell me to head for bed. It's marvelous. Afterwards I stash everything away. Pleased as a dung beetle with a ball of... The joy, the love. I watch Bewitched and then sleep claims me in a happy slumber. Dh comes in after the timer on the tv has gone off. I have no idea what he says to me, I'm to completely content to care. My mind processes that he is home and safe and that is enough for me.

Early morning, sleepies

I'm not an early riser. Just because I can be up early does not mean that I like it, and I know 8 am isn't early to most people, but I don't particularly like the bleary eyed allergy nose mornings.This morning Jessica is thrilled over the top to be wearing her pink polka dotted dress. She is so beautiful in this photo. If this pc was better setup for it, I would completely edit the back and get a big print. Oh well. Sunny is in dire need of lovin's and maybe a sip of coffee (sorry not allowed poor cat has little enough brain cells. A package from one of my quilting friends came arrived safely. Words can not express my amazement at your generosity, Thank you thank you thank you. She sent four purple blenders of different shades, which is a very wise thing. Jessica just loves purple. She will pipe up at the oddest times and say "My favorite color is purple", and a rotary blade. How she could have possibly know I horde and save rotary blades. P.S. this was made much easier and safer when I invested in one of Patrice's rotary blade sharpeners! A sharp blade is in fact a safer blade.

The York Mints tin was her divine way of shipping the thing I was watching for in the mail. All of those beautiful old quilting pins. These things are so cool (I'm a crazy quilter I know!) Some of them look like straight pins that had color heads poured on top. We've come such a long way in pin making and don't even realize. Also there is one that is so neat I would photograph it in a heart beat if I thought the photo would turn out, but alas I don't have a macro setting at least not one I can find... It looks like the metal was folded to make the head of the pin. Very cool stuff.

And last but not least crayons for Jessica. My little artist will never complain about more art supplies. Though she keeps asking why the lady sent them. I wish I'd had the camera when she opened the package her face was the sweetest. :)

So now that the awful coffee DH made today has hit my system I'm off to start my day. Wish me a safe and happy day, and I'll wish you the same.

Try it again Ernie...

Mending has been the topic for me for the past two days. I seem to only get one or two things patched up in a day. Slow and steady for certain. This is a Kitchen Dish Rag that had earned itself an early hole. I honestly didn't feel like the rest of the cloth was that worn so I did a bit of embroidery to repair the hole. High time I did a little fixing for myself. I also did the embroidery work on this t-shirt. Rob hated a couple of them I'd bought a while back because they where to tight in the neck, so I inherited them by default. In the past I'd just stretched the collar a bit to make it not so tight just before wearing (I'm so refined yes I know, haha). So when this shirt earned it's first tiny hole I just embroidered the daylights out over the thing. Honestly it's quite comfortable now. I was worried about the neckline plunging to much and so I moved the entire design up in the hoop. Clearly I didn't need to do that. Jessica discovered the Minnie outfit I made for her the other day. Doesn't she look so pretty? Since yesterday DH has been hard at work digging out the roots in our septic tank. What a large nasty smelly pain. It's fixed now, but not before Fios had to come out and rewire our line because they buried it right on top of the septic so as soon as DH started looking for the corners of the tank. SNAP. They had put us on the list for tomorrow, but after a THIRD phone call they moved us to this evening. You don't realize the problems of having it all together until phone, Internet, and tv all go out. Good thing we have a great movie collection.

Well wait, Verizon does have to come out tomorrow anyway. My fios line is just laying on the grass right now, hey I'm not complaining at least it's working, but someone will have to come out and bury it tomorrow. That will be DH's deal, as I'm hopefully off to the biggest quilt store in all of Florida! Rainbow's End Quilt Shoppe, here I come!

News on that big corp interview DH had, but I'm not ready to share yet.

I finished my scarf, but I don't know how to cast off yet, so no final phone just yet.

The first one for the books

The memorial quilt is done. Hopefully it will be mailed out by the first of the week. This quilt had is hanging sleeve hand sewn on. Boy oh boy how time consuming! In the future I will plan a border big enough to have the sleeve machine sewn to the back in that area. At least the sleeve hides nicely. Can you see it?
This is the update on my knitting. I'm onto the last ball and it is 52" with a goal of 58"+, not much longer now. I hope you can see better this time. Once again length does not include the tassels. I have also been working on blocks for my Springtime 2009 Sampler. It's fun picking patterns. I have a pile of fabrics that match my "main" theme fabric, so when ever the mood strikes I pull out a pattern and pull out my fabric and away we go. The photo above is Churn Dash, with Jessica hollering in my ear this one didn't turn out as great as I would have liked but the embroidery I'd done before Christmas as a trial stitch out, worked here beautifully. This one is my favorite. It is called cactus basket, but I've also heard it called many other things. The basket went together beautifully, and the "flowers" in the basket are my main inspiration print. This one is called Anvil. I like it as once again I was able to use an old stitch out test. The light color is swapped with the dark one in order to use that center to it's best advantage so the directions were backwards, but I got through it.

Currently DH is off for a meet and greet for a little pt job at a big chain. Hopefully he will get it. Having him unemployed since June (father's day) has been really hard.

A word from one who knows, do not sew to the elastic all the way around the waist, if you do you end up with more of a waist band than a stretchy waist. So nearly as soon as I'd made Jessica a skirt she out grew it. Yesterday I decided I would remake her skirt. This time I used Red polka dots complete Minnie Mouse style. Here was the final outfit. I liked it enough to make the skirt long so she can wear it for a long time, perhaps even next Halloween. Can you see my trademark tail feather? Jessica on the other hand wasn't interested. Silly girl, doesn't know what she's missing. I'm certain a real Minnie outfit would be over $50.

Pizza and details

Tonight DH made pizza, it was the second dinner he cooked, seems he forgot I promised Jessica pizza this morning. Now I would never make my husband cook a second dinner, but he did it while I was busy quilting, and what is a gal to do, by the time I knew it was nearly done. Oh and what a yummy pizza it was too!!! Better than mine for sure. This is a bit of nontraditional hand quilting. What appears to be a sketch is actually the real quilt lines. Rob drew it on the quilt for me and I quilted over his lines this afternoon. The lines are long gone with nothing but the quilting detail remains. I tie it up, and loop around in the back so the back is nearly as nice and the front.

Focus?

Apparently a little whining was just the thing I needed to do yesterday. I didn't go to bed until around midnight, but I slept okay. Dreams, but none that I can remember thankfully. I've made beautiful progress on my scarf for Soldier's Angels. It is currently 43" inches long minus the tassels. I'm on my second to last ball which has gotten noticeably smaller so the home stretch is coming up. So sorry you can't see the original green and the tassels very well on the navy, perhaps if you click on it you'll be able to see it better, either way I will be certain
I feel at ease enough that I did a bi-block of the month for Jan. 1st, it is called Flower Bud Block, not to be confused with the Rose Bud Block that I used in the Butterfly Bouquet Quilt. Note for the Rose Bud I did make my a bit differently (I used the Eleanor Burns method from her Quilt in a Day Egg Money Quilts Sampler show, which can be found in her book but costs money). This block was used with some of the colors I have picked out for my 2009 Sampler, so it will be set aside for doing that.

As well as starting the BOM I have also signed up with my quilting board to create one pattern for the BOM myself, how exciting is that? I'm planning on a Crossed Pinwheel. I could not find a pattern to feature, but I did find a cross stitch version that I will be creating the quilt pattern for. Pictures and everything folks so be on the look out for it. My date is April 15, but if someone can't do theirs mine could move up.
Nearly the entire time I have been writing you I have been watching my cat. It's Tiny our Alpha being crazy this time. She was talking up and down the back of the couch and showing off her beautifully long and lean body. DH found some CD's in the shed of all places and she's been trying to smell them. I've tried and tried to take a photo but alas, this one was the best. :( Silly Kitty.

Weight

I'm feeling a bit restless tonight. For the past three nights I've had nightmares from the time my head hits the pillow until I open my eyes. It has not done well for providing rest or for helping me want to sleep tonight. Perhaps I will ask the sewing machine to provide comfort and solace this evening.

It seems that you can't be straight Medicaid, so I've spent the past two days trying to find some plan any plan that lets the members of my family continue to see the doctors they've been seeing. DH's PCP is out. DD's PCP is only on one of the plans so I have to try and get her into that one Monday, and of course I'm up the creek. The doctor I've been seeing for my foot is not on any list except straight medicaid at least as far as I can tell, and the woman he referred me to who now has all my records is on two different plan options, but when I accidentally came up for the reviews online for her as a doctor, well let's just say they are bad really bad. So I am beside myself. I can't imagine trying to have everyone in my family on different medical plans. It's a great worry for me.

Oh the good front Kitty's neck is healing beautifully, nothing but a little scab now. I've never seen anyone ever heal as fast as she has. It's like she has a new lease on life. I keep telling her it was a double or nothing deal and now she's stuck with us for another 9 years. Yep Kitty just turned 9 at the first of this year, how about that. Tomorrow marks the day we picked her up from the ASPCA eight years ago. Right this moment she is content to sleep at my feet, and her large bulk and desire to be with us more and more has DH planning a stepping platform to help her get on the bed with us. Perhaps a bad idea, but she is so funny, she will walk into the room and look for me, if she can't find me she will walk to DH's side of the bed, and then back to where she expects me to be, and back and fourth until one of us helps her. She is such a shy cat if you lean to quickly or the bed creaks to much she runs like a crazy cat. You honestly wouldn't believe a cat as large as she is (18 pounds) could run like she does. She will knock you off your feet to stay away from the vacuum! If you have been watching my to do list you have seen a Memorial quilt there. It has been a joy to work on, and now the top is completed. This is my only eye candy for the evening, I hope you enjoy.