No more bad Taste

The other day when I was squaring up the center of the Dresden Plate Quilt, I found myself with a bad taste in my mouth.  You know that semi distaste you get when you've been thinking about something to long?  Be it a remodel that isn't finished yet, a project you've been dreading, or in this case a quilt.

So I Hmmped and Errggged about it to myself for a while before coming to a simple and foregone conclusion.  You see I'd already made the borders for this quilt, so even though the bad taste was telling me all was lost I took the plunge and added the borders I'd made.  A funny thing happened while I was sewing on the borders.  First the folded border went on and even as it did I could see the blue in the Dresden Plates being pulled out and brought full circle (or square in this quilt's case).  That bad taste?  Well it started to fade.  The more I stitched the more I felt again in harmony with my Dresden Plate Quilt.

When both borders were on I started to iron down the border seams and that's when it hit me.  By adding the blue borders it forced the background fabrics back into the background where they belong and brought those blue plates forward.  As I took the pictures of the quilt, with Tiny's help of course, the quilt began to feel more and more a facet of myself.  No longer the bold background of "what was I thinking" but more the gentle hum that I knew I could do it.

Always my gentle quilt helper, Tiny was on the scene for pictures before I even had the quilt fully unfolded.  First she went under it, but not being in the mood to play hide and seek she slipped down one side while I straightened the other.  By the time I was refolding the quilt she was back.  After all these new things smell like time and love and really should have more cat smell to them.

Right now the without getting out the tape measure I can say the quilt is right about 87"x89", and I wonder...  Perhaps it's time to call the top finished?

By chance do you have a project like this?  The lack of an iron kept me from this one, how about you?  I say let's throw away the bad taste and go with our gut.  At the very least I can guarantee the cat will like  it.

Tropical Waves Plans Itself

I came up with a border for Tropical Waves, and when I did I thought, hey it can go on two different ways, how about I get the border sewn together without sewing it on and hold a vote right here and see who likes which way better. Great idea right?  Well the trouble with the border I picked - once I laid it out I could see there was very much a right way and a wrong way for the quilt.  So guess what?  I decided the quilt decides this time.

See to the left how the crossing line of teal moves through the border's corner block, while continuing on the same line?

Now in the second picture look past the tip of the quilt back towards the crosses, see now how the purple diagonal is completely parallel to the purple in the corner block of the border?  I think this way will frame the quilt nicely.

My new iron arrived this morning, first thing, I was rather surprised as we're normally on the "oh I forgot" evening pass.  After much research I elected to buy the exact model my neighbor loaned me?  Why?  Oh well let's see, it never peed on me the way the old one did, it has a bigger sole plate so ironing goes more quickly - but weighs the same as my old one.  It also has more steam settings than I would have dreamed possible.  Do you know what I say to those set it wrinkles now?  Shot of stem!  Hiss - Gone and that's nice.

So after I was done with the border of Tropical Waves, instead of sewing it on I started pressing the folded border for the Dresden Plate Quilt, and that went fine as well.  Not sure how long I'll keep the box, I like to always have my iron at my fingertips, whereas having the box implies I will put it away at some point.

Small Block Meets Tiny Quilt

3.5" Quilt -Coaster

After another debacle with the Patisserie Quilt, I started working on the 3.5" blocks for the Dresden Plate Quilt Border.  The first one I made was to small by a hair so I boosted my triangle size then I really got down to work.  While I made all 8 bitty blocks I thought about that one loner.  What to do with it?  Especially as my desire to make tiny blocks is non existant.  So then when I was wrapping everything up I realized I'd made a second extra, why not make a tiny quilt aka a coaster with them?  So here it is, the smallest quilt I've ever made. I'm planning on leaving it on DH's night stand and seeing what happens.  He really does need a coaster there.

3.5" Snowball Blocks for Border

The snowball blocks themselves actually turned out really well.  Being a bit oversized allowed me to square them up at 1/4" offsets from the points of the center fabric, which was better than trying to guess at an edge.  See I even added a pack of needles for reference.  Boy I hope they look good with those 18" Dresden Plate Blocks!  I haven't squared up the main quilt yet and for that matter my folded border will need ironed with whatever new iron I pick before I can progress very far with these.  I thought I might go ahead and sew a block to one end of each of the lighting bolt fabric strips, as it seems like it will save time later.

Quilt Love.

On a different note, remember your visit to my sewing room yesterday?  When you came face to face with a glaring Tiny?  Well I thought I'd post this picture to balance the other one out.  Now tell me how can you scat a cat clearly so relaxed!  I wish I could sleep that good!  And for the record she knows we can't resist her beautiful white belly and uses it against us regularly.

Were you wondering about Patisserie?  Well this is it's current fight.  The fusible didn't hold here and ended up with the quilt back sewed to itself.  Luckily the stitches picked out without to much trouble.

Fusible Batting, Right.

Blue Dresden Quilt ~ Stitched Up ~

Blue Dresden Plate Quilt Top

Today, I got up and first things first set about sewing together the Blue Dresden Plate Quilt. Oh yes that's what I said. I finished up the remade block two days ago and it was time. As I sewed together each row I was reminded why so many other steer away from a large quilt. Funny, until today I was thinking this was just normal sized compared to some quilts I've made. But now I know, Appliqué adds weight.

Wow, What a Big Quilt! At least that's what went through my mind after I hung it up for you to see. What was your first thought? My second thought was okay now I need to figure out the border!  

Dresden Plate Border Concept 2

While I was cutting the black triangles that turn the entire quilt on point I cut one... okay three wrong. But I keep working because that's all you can do, short of stopping and having a cry and who knows if it's worth crying over until everything on hand is dealt with. Now I owe a world of thanks that the fabric store I ordered from makes me order fabrics by half yard increments, so I had enough extra to squeeze by. Not enough for that crazy pieced border I showed you the other week, but quilters thrive on accidents, because we either dream up another way or we grab the credit card.

So here's what I'm thinking.  The lightest blue from the Dresden Plates making up a tiny folded border. Then the blue lightning bolt fabric also from the Dresden Plates (painstakingly saved from myself mind you) with tiny snow ball blocks and then binding the entire quilt with another blue from the Plates.

Blue Border Fabrics Demo

Here's my demo of the involved fabrics. These would be a case of cutting strips and going from there. The bottom most one that resembles crackle is the one I'm considering for the binding. I'd say I'm 90% firm on everything, except that last print for the binding. What do you think?

What I knew I had to do + A Dress for Kailey

Offending Blade

In my last post I told you about this offending blade. The last block to be appliqued down, but yet with a miniscule flaw. Can you see the cut?  Right beside the seam towards the point? I pulled the telltale bit of thread so you would have a better chance of seeing what such a small annoyance can do to a quilter.

I guess it's a good thing I ended up with a couple of extra blades, because it appears I'm going to need one after all.

Nasty business tearing apart a block. But I did it, all for all of my concerns it wasn't as painful for myself nor the block as I had feared. Now if only my sewing room was ready for me and I could start sewing it back together already!

Ripped

Sort of makes me wonder when it happened. Did it happen early and I didn't notice? Or did it happen later? Did I do it? Surely not?!?! How about you? Have you ever looked down and thought "Oh Blemish!"  Right because we both know neither of us was thinking Blemish.

On a happier note: these dresses arrived today. I found them on sale online for 40% off aka $24 and sent DH to go see them in person; except the store didn't have them and the warehouse didn't have them and they weren't just 40% off. They were 40% off + another 40% off + yet 10% more off. So really only $14. Turned out the when DH called they ordered it to be pulled off the rack for us from another store. All that effort for a dress?  Oh yes, aren't they pretty? The dresses are the softest cotton you'd ever dream of, I think even those of us that quilt would agree with me and both dresses have a very nice grown up lining. What do you think? With the hint of an iron and a bit of Easter Surprise? Wouldn't Miss Kailey look adorable dolled up with a matching dress for DD?

Meerkats Invade?

My Sewing Area in the Kitchen

I'm tempted to call this Post: Who wants pictures?  But I wont. Though if you're one of those wanting to see pictures you're in luck; the computer and the camera seem to have reconciled at least for the time being! First things first. My before Picture! Have you ever wanted to know what my sewing area looks like? Oh yes, there it was. The mess level is entirely dependent on where I am with a project. The middle of the project? Messy.  Finished? Clean. We're not done moving everything into the new sewing room, so you wont get to see that for a couple of days. But I thought I'd go ahead and show you the before hand picture now.

Two Blue Dresdens on Black

I've been really wanting to show you these Dresden Plates on the black and gold swirl. I am down to stitching my very last one. So I thought I'd share some pictures with you. Now wait! What's what on those blocks? I can just see a little something there... Oh I see the Meerkats are invading. Well if that's all. It's a running joke with DH that I want to go to Africa and pick up Meerkat fecal. What can I say? How can I argue? If it meant a two day flight there and a three day flight home to go see meerkats for two weeks I'd pick up anything. Hey I'm a mother, it can't be as bad as other things I've dealt with, and besides Meerkats are only about 2 pounds full grown. What is there to fear? Except perhaps being marked with... Yeah, well now you know why DH teases me. Oh yes and the flights really would be that long in case you were wondering. Furthermore those little Meerkats are mine not Jessica's. Though I do find them in the oddest spots after they go play.

Meerkats on the lookout of my Dresden Plates

Dresden Plate Handwork in Progress

These are what the blocks look like as I work on them. Just when I was getting all bittersweet about being on my last one I discovered a single blade has a cut in it. The cut is somewhere between 1/4" and 1/2" in.  The cut is clearly where it does not belong. I'm thinking rather than fixing it with a bit of wonder under I really need to yank the entire block off, take the center circle out take the offending blade out and stitch in another. Then re-sew everything. Sounds like a horror. But advice is what you ask for when you know the answer and wish you didn't so I ask, what do you think?

Dumb Camera or Operator?

Well I've tried to update you three times at least since my last post but each time I go to do so my camera flatly refuses to download.  Software based issue surely, so I'll just update you with words alone.

The Dresden Plates are all nearly finished.  I have just one more to applique and then it will be time to cut the triangles which squares up the entire on point quilt.  It feels a bit bitter sweet coming to the end of the applique work.  I feel like I was just worrying about the size of my stitches just the other week.

I found the gold organza fabric that I need to create the Snake of the Me, The Snake, and the Meerkat Quilt.  You'd never guess how much shopping you have to do to find gold high quality Organza.  Don't all those second time brides want to wear gold?

Quilting Bloggers is having a Swap and while I will not participate, I do plan to make my own tote using the swap pattern.  If interested you can take a sneak peak here.  I'm planning this for the Kailey Doll I showed you in my last post.  I think a nice matching doll blanket would go together well.  Not sure what colors I'd like it to be.  Something tropical I think.  That way we can all pretend we are on the beaches of Hawaii.

Anything else?  Oh yes, I am abysmal in my BOM Scatty Stars.  I'm telling myself it will be fine if I finish up the two blocks for March before March is over and then I'll be right on track for next month.  I added it to my Current Project list so hopefully that will help.

DUST?!?!?!?

Wan'ta Know a Secret?  I've been busy.  You knew that right? But you didn't know I'm getting my own Sewing Studio!  Oh yes that's what I said.  A place of my very own.  Not a chair in the kitchen but a real - Oh my goodness ROOM!  With a door and everything!  LOL Makes me feel like a teenager.

Sunny is also in great spirits having finally found his very own cat house.  His sister Tiny looks on in distain at both him in his hut and me taking his picture because she thinks he's crazy, but that's not news. 

Now that you've heard the biggest news do you want the rest?  Surely you do.  That's what I love about of you.  Yesterday I received not one but two surprises in the mail!  Yes, the fabric we've been waiting for arrived.  Hoffman's Bali Batik Black Onyx G2177 213.

Onyx is one of Hoffman's latest answers to true black in a batik and let me start by saying they did a good job, and no one is asking me to say that.  Are you kidding?  I paid full price for this fabric.  Now I thought this was a gold foil swirl added on top of the black onyx.  But that's not the case.  Instead it's a beautiful blend of browns, yellows, and goldens that reads like a gold foil at any distance greater than 20".  It is certainly a look twice fabric.  

My second surprise is actually one I've worked long and hard for.  Meet Kailey.  Isn't she a sweetie?  She arrived in a Christmas dress so I knew I had to stitch out something nice and tropical after all it's 83 degrees in the shade today.  What better to start with than a take on my own outfit today and make a sarong with a matching top?  In case you're wondering I'm not wearing hot pink I'm wearing ocean blue, but I'm already a BFF of my DD.  At least until she's turns 10 or I ask her to turn the tv off, which ever comes first.

As I can't seem to stop myself from thinking about what is on the reverse this sarong is no exception.  The second side creates a purple towel wrap all set for your best game of pretend.

Before I sewed these, when I first sat down at my sewing machine I saw a horror, something I don't think I've ever seen in the entire three years I've been quilting, could it be that long?!?!?!?!?  There was dust on my sewing machine!  Eegads!  I even took a picture for you, can you see it?  Ewww, if I keep up this sort of neglect I will have to start putting the sewing machine (gasp) away between uses!  Is that something you do? I know, I know mixers and sewing machines; you're supposed to cover them.  But the sewing machine cover is hard plastic and so big and bulky, it always gets in my way when I'm trying to sew.  Hey in my new room I'll be able to banish the sewing machine cover to the other side of the room.

I have a dusty house, it's true and most of this seems to be cat hair, but that says something equally shocking, that perhaps my cats have spent more time by my sewing machine than I have!  How about this, we'll blame the dust on all the hand work I've been doing stitching applique for the Dresden Plate Quilt.  Right that's it.  Happy stitching and may the dust never settle on your machine!

Spring Break Week

Today marks the last day of Spring Break Week for my DD. Due to a built in Hurricane day it has actually been a 10 day break, but who is keeping track? ME! We didn't plan anything and instead just took each day as it came. It was quite a bit of fun.

Would you believe I have appliqued all nine of the center Dresden Plates onto their backgrounds? My fingers were starting to look like pincushions, but luckily they've recovered now. That just leaves the final four that will be appliqued on the beautiful Gold Foil Onyx Bali Batik which I ordered this past weekend. I'll be certain to post a photo of that after it arrives. I am hoping we'll talk about how pretty it is, but if not we can all bemoan the issues of ordering fabric online together.

What have you been up to lately? I'd love to hear from you.

Dresden: Where am I?

All Stitched Out

The hand applique on the Dresden Plates is going more quickly than I had previously dreaded. So far I have seven of the nine center Dresden Plates appliqued on. Lucky for me the stitch I'm using doesn't cause pain in my hands the way other handwork has been known to do. I've been picking up a nice selection of pricked fingers lately, so before I tackle another project like this I'll be shopping for thimbles, do you have a good standby? My friend Vicki tells me the leather stick on ones are good so perhaps I'll pick up some of those to try. She's having a March Madness Giveaway on her blog (and she doesn't know I'm telling you) so if you haven't yet stop by and take a gander at her beautiful work. Perhaps you might even find a laugh or two!

These blocks will be put into the quilt on point, so I plan to sew everything together in strips. Not to shabby for a week or so worth of stitching applique. This is the layout right now. It's planned to be a serious Full/Queen at 90" square. I'm totally committed to the center layout, but still toying with the border options.

Blue Dresden Plate Quilt Layout

The beauty of the Hoffman fabric didn't photograph as well without the sunshine casting on it so I took this extra photo just because. After much thought and some serious hunting I've found the perfect fabric for the black as well. It is surprisingly another Hoffman fabric. This time it is a Onyx Bali Batik with Gold Swirl Foil put on by hand. I'll be ordering that Friday, so hopefully I wont have to much delay in getting to the last four Dresden Plates.

Details of the Fabrics

What have you been working on? 
Anything beautiful coming out of your studio lately?

Christmas Quilt-a-long Year 2 Session 2

Today the Christmas Quilt-a-long finds me nice and cozy.  I feel a bit like a cat dozing in the sun just now.  This morning I appliqued another Dresden Plate (which makes done four so far!!!).  I have also figured out the exact way to fold the block over the scissors, pin cushion, and thread so nothing falls out.

Sue sent me the Christmas block pattern for this month but I most likely will do them later this week.  I told you there is a nip in the air and the sun makes me much more inclined to just sit and take a stitch or 1,000.

I took this picture of my DD the other day.  Doesn't it remind you of a things to come picture?  She was curled up sideways in the chair with her music keyboard, while she pretended to talk to Princess Ariel on the phone.  Just look at the way she looked up at me, oh boy oh boy.

First Fully Appliqued Dresden Block

After my rotary cutter went missing for a week, only to be found in the pocket where it belongs, I thought it best to get back to a bit of sewing.

This is the first finished Dresden Plate Block. Did you wonder about my ability to get here? Na, slow and steady wins the race. Please feel free to click on the photo to see the plate and my stitches more closely. Just keep in mind any comment about my hand work is libel to land you with the job.

This is the first of nine blocks that will be on this light Hoffman background. Then the final four will be appliqued on to a different background fabric.  I've already selected it but it's a bit of a surprise.

Hope everyone is sewing happily. Tomorrow is another installment of the Christmas Quilt-a-long and assuming I can get rid of this headache I'll be here will bells on.

Finally Thread

At long last this stale mate of me vs. my WIPs will be over.  I received the confirmation that the blue silk thread I need for appliqueing down the Dresden plates has finally shipped.  That will teach me to pay extra to get thread here sooner wont it? (I ordered it on the 16th of last month)

18 or 20

You know it's funny I think most teenagers want to hurry up and be 18, but then when they get there they discover they really want to be 21, and of course after that we all wish to say in our twenties - except somehow keep all we've learned...  But that's not what this post is all about.

18" Spacing

Instead I'm following up on yesterdays post about the Blue Dresden Plates.  DH and I laid out a rough measurement of what the 18" will look like sewed together as well as what the 20" background pieces will look like.  What do you think?  Like one over the other? Now keep in mind we only centered these to show the space between and didn't actually line up the plates precisely North, South, East, and West, as I will when I start appliqueing the plates to their backgrounds.

20" Spacing

I'm planning to quilt at least one pointy echo outside of each Dresden Plate - by the looks of it I'm thinking an offset of 1" to 1.5" and for that I think the larger 20" squares will work better as it will guarantee enough space around each plate to make at least one if not two sets of echos.  Now with the large background size that will mean I will need to do something on the intersections of each block - most likely a quilting motif.

So pop me a note and let me know, what do you think?  The nice big space?  Or the traditional closer space?

Floating Dresden Plates?

Today we're having a quiet day.  I noticed this morning after DD got on the bus that Tiny was holding her paw off the table.  As Tiny is always picky about her feet I flipped her baby style and discovered she does have one red pad with a little "mommy I have a boo-boo" sort of boo-boo on it.  So no bath for Sunny day, and no running the vac in the main house.  I'm certain you can tell how heart broken I am!

Let's talk quilts!  I have finished sewing the circle centers onto all 16 of the Dresden Plates!  I am so thrilled!  Towards the end in spite of being hand work they went at a nice clip.  I've found that I work best having my sewing near me at the computer while I'm blogging (or playing Sims; an addiction that is a bit to addicting. That way I can reach over do a little and then go back to what I was doing on the computer.

Blue Dresden Plates all stitched up

These Dresden Plates measure 16" from point to point and I had planned to sew them to 18.5" background squares.  Now...  There is the option to sew to 20.5" background squares.  I'm not certain how much float I want in my circles.  I read on another blog that the quilter was having trouble with the Dresden Plates looking to busy and I firmly feel I will not have that trouble with the 18.5" background squares as they will sew in on point forcing the blocks to be further apart.  But as I have the fabric I've been thinking about it bigger...  The increase would give 1" of "float".  I know, I know, lay it out and look at it.  Well that's a job that requires a bigger quilt helper than Tiny and her hurt paw...

Dresden Pillow

How have you been?  I've been turning out circles here.

I've been working on hand stitching the center circles onto the Blue Dresden Plates, I'm nearly done with those with 10 down and 6 left to stitch on.  Then I will need to pick up some blue silk thread to stitch the entire plate onto the background.  So far everything is nice and flat sans puckers so I'm considering using glue to glue the plates to the background fabric instead of pins.  Does anyone have experience with this method?  I read something about school glue that would wash out and I have used glue sticks for single layer applique before but never anything this heavy, I'll have to look into as I'm not clear on what effect the glue will effect quilting.

I also wanted to make a matching Dresden Pillow.  I knew I wanted to flip it and stuff it through the center hole so while I'm in the midst of all this hand stitching I knew it was time to make it.  First I lined the blocks so the final pillow will not beard.  I sewed the pillow wrong sides together with first one side of the lining, then I trimmed the lining to within 1/8" of the seam edge and then added the second lining panel.  After flipping and turning out my corners I stuffed the pillow nice and full with some leftover shredded batting.  I think it turned out nice.  Even though I have yet to add the closing circle I've already had requests from DD to play with it. If that doesn't validate my pillow lining I don't know what will!

I'll take you and you and maybe no...

Today a friend of mine and I trotted off to our not so Local Quilt Shop, it is self proclaimed the biggest quilt shop in Florida.  This made my third trip there, and would you believe until today I'd never purchased fabric there before?  After going through the entire front of the store and all the way to the back I found one of the background fabrics I'll be using on the Dresden plate quilt.  I would have found it sooner but it was in the back most corner of the Christmas fabrics.

Creamy Golden Fabric with Silver Leaves

The fabric is a creamy golden blender with silver leaves printed on it.  See how they catch the sunlight?  I will be using this both for my circle centers but also for the 9 center most Dresden Plate background blocks.  What does that mean I'll use for the other background?  Well I'm not quite sure.  I nearly had a good match a couple of times, but each time it was a hit and a miss.

Quilt Layout showing 9 center blocks

I had planned on coming home going online and seeing what if anything I could find in a similar family and that's when I discovered there is nothing printed on the selvage edge!  Seriously nothing more than the color match dots!  I really wish I'd noticed that before so I could have checked the fabric's bolt label while I was there.  So if you recognize it please let me know.  It's Hoffman Cream Pearl Style #E889-33P.

Blue Dresden Plate on Creamy Background

On a different note I found the perfect matching silk thread to use for appliquéing the center circles so that at least is a home run.  I now have plenty to sew.  My poor dear husband - he doesn't know how fast I'll be putting him to work making my circle template!

The Magic Bag

This morning when I woke up I knew it would be the day I would start sewing my Dresden Plate Blades together and I was nervous.  Cutting each of those blades, sewing them, flipping them and ironing them while fun was a lot of work. Sewing them together meant a big giant step towards my Dresden Dream.

The Real Magic Bag

First things first I sat down with my blades and my five year old.  All projects should be approached with a young person nearby.  They make everything fun.  So I sorted my fabrics.  Some I had enough that each plate would have a blade of that color and others I had one or two extra and so on.  I put all the ones that I didn't have enough to be in each block in front of my daughter.  All the others went in front of me.  I counted one of each print into a pile and she added to it from her piles to make the required 16.  It was great having the company and it made an otherwise tedious job a joy.  After this I was abandoned to my sewing for a movie involving some princess or another.

Glup!  It was really time to sew.  I have a driving need to have patterns and find it very hard to add randomness to my quilts.  So I grabbed a paper bag in went the blades for one plate.  Add a good shake and sew together whatever comes out.
  

That had my helper back by my side quicker than I could say Magic Bag!  With dd by my side I opened the first plate the results left me amazed.  I don't know if it's good manners for a quilting blogger to toot their own horn but I think this quilt could very well turn out to be the best quilt I've made to date.  The fabrics go together beautifully and I'm so glad I went back through yesterday and added some of the blue shades I'd past over earlier for the really complete the blue spectrum.  I sat and sewed all 15 plates that I need for the project and then when I was done I had enough blades leftover to make one last plate and I sat there for the entire afternoon and sewed them all.

16 Blue Dresden Plates

Now you'd think I'd have gotten over my fear of this project by now, but nope guess not.  Because then it was time to iron them.  Bleck.  My neighbor told me a handful of days ago that she loves ironing.  She even told me I could bring her my fabric when it needed ironing and she would iron it for me.  There's nothing like looking at an non-ironed Dresden Plate to make you want to give it to someone else - anyone else.  Why?  Well because once you set the seams that's it.  If something is out of whack the entire plate will be Katty Whompus.  

At that point I was glad to have the "spare plate" to iron, after all if I mess that up I can still bed someone else to iron the "real ones" for me.  Well let me tell you ironing a plate isn't worth the fear.  I knew the key from watching it on a sewing show 6 or 10 months ago.  Press all seams the same way.  Just glide the iron in a round about way. Then I flipped it over checked my measurements two ways (yes I could have checked it 8 ways but why?) pressed a bit more and then the first one was done.  It looked even better than before I'd ironed it.  Oh the joy of knowing I didn't ruin it!  

My Blue 16" Dresdens Destined for 18" blocks 

So now my fear is gone and I'm left with a question.  I'd intended on using a traditional plain neutral fabric for the background, but the blues are so pretty and the plates are so contemporary that I have started to wonder:  Should the background be a different color?  A hand dyed?  A print?  Surely not blue or green, but then what?  A white on white?  A black on black perhaps?  For that matter what about dark chocolate brown?  

When my husband saw them he said something nice and then said "what about the centers?"  So I ask you, what about the centers?  No one said I had to applique circles, I could applique hearts instead, nearly anything would fit over that small hole.  And what color should it be?  Some of the blades are detailed with gold so I was thinking a nice gold might look very rich and lavish...  I guess that's more than one question.  Do you hold any answers?

Now that's my Quilt!

248 Blue Dresden Plate Blades

Today I finished cutting and sewing all of the Dresden Plate Blades that I need for the Dresden Quilt.  I even went back through my much picked over blue fabrics and found some more that I could use.  The pattern calls for 208 blades, but somewhere; I don't recall where I saw an adorable Dresden pillow that will look awesome on the bed with this quilt so I just had to cut more blades.  With the pillow I needed 240 and I cut 248 so I'm good to start sorting and planning.  I just love this quilt.  I've always approached the traditional patterns such as Double Wedding Ring, Grandmother's Fan, and the Dresden Plate all with the same slight trepidation mixed with a bit of longing.  After all who wouldn't want to touch one of those quilts and say "I made this."  It's concept of actually making it that is the daunting part.

So far the blades have been fun, even though cutting fabric has never been my favorite part of quilt making.  Upon request DH made my plastic template for me.  With it I can cut 8" strips flip it back and forth a bit and be done in no time.  Then it was off to the sewing machine to finish the flat ends into points and once you figure out what they're saying to do that goes nice and fast too.  The pressing is a little tedious because ideally the seam on the back of the point should be preciously in line with the center of the blade but after a bit of finagling I determined eyes are making it - eyes can judge just how centered my points are which helped tremendously.

Oh the joy of moving on to the next step.  I'm once again a little concerned about sewing in circles but if I don't think about it I'm certain I'll do just fine.  Do you have a project that just seems to go your way?  Each time I work on the Dresden Blades I'm amazed at how natural it is.

Lollipop Quilt Binding

No need to worry before I dug into my Dresden Blades I added the binding to the Lollipop Quilt so that one is all nice and finished.  The green binding really looks great.  I'm thrilled this green was included in the kit.  I even like the way the green looks on the back finishing off the poppies.  Oh what fun.

Baby Quilt from Lollipop Quilt Kit

Boot Straps

I guess I've been in a bit of a quilting funk lately.  The Red quilt is coming along just as I'd hoped and I'm in the process of quilting it, the tutorial will follow it's completion.  The weather has turned colder here and that has me in the mood for Christmas shopping. 

Do you know how hard it is to Christmas shop only to come up against a shipping cost total to put your entire purchase on hold?  I know it seems so strange but it's okay to pay $30 something but it's not okay to pay $40 something for the same items.  My family comes from all walks of life so not even Amazon or ebay or Kmart can be my one stop shop.

So I gave up on looking for a while to dwell.  When I dwell I clean.  It's a nasty trait I picked up from my mother during my childhood.  I remember the days of look out mom's cleaning - oh so very well.  Lucky for my family I was home alone at the time.

Because of my disability I clean while sitting on the floor.  I start by cleaning a patch to sit and then sitting there while I clean outward from that spot (and you wonder why my DH doesn't like me to clean?) it works for me but when I'm already a bit sad about what I can and can't do being on the floor makes the perfect place to get down in the dumps and really start feeling sorry for myself.  The "I hates" started in my head started when I was nearly done in the kitchen.  I then made my unhappy way with the vac down the hallway and by the time I got to the bathroom door I'd pulled myself out of my funk.  Thankfully!  It's easy when you come to the end of a lintany and say to yourself  "So what are you going to do about it?" and that's when I decided. 

Oh now I'm nearly teary to admit what I did.  I listed all of my quilts that are finished that don't have owners on Ebay!  I know!  It's sad, but isn't living hidden away in a box sad too?  Isn't it sad that four quilts selling at $25 could help my Christmas?  I listed them and I stand by my listings. 

In case you're wondering my ebay name is jcelestesewingmom; that's "J Celeste Sewing Mom" all smushed together.  The quilts I listed are Christmas Hodgepodge, Patchwork Swirl, Feathered Star and Buckeye Beauty.  I hope they sell well for I'm going to use every last penny earned on our Christmas.  LOL, sort of makes me wish they were bigger!