Out with the Old and Shop for the New

What a face in the Quilt Tent!

Last night DH basted the Patisserie Quilt for me. Later I'll post about the batting I used, but not today. While he was working the iron I love to hate gave up the ghost. I knew it was a goner when the timer which hasn't worked in over a year shut off. Sure enough, it was never to come on again. Luckily I have some amazing neighbors and a quick phone call and a trip out into the rain had a loaner iron in my hand for the night.

Basting Tennessee Waltz Patisserie Quilt 

That drat iron! It had a non-stick sole plate, so as the coating started to wear off it began leaving marks. You could never tell quite when it would mess; but it always would. Not often enough to land it in the trash, but I'd guess at least once per project.  It's favorite thing to do was to pee hot water all over me. I sit to iron so that means burning hot liquid on my legs. Truly not pleasant. But no matter what how crazy it made me it kept working and so did I. Of course until now.

In case you were wondering, my new sewing area is right where this quilt is laid out, so rather than set up the sewing machine to take it down, I switched away from the Dresden for now.  It's only for a little while.  Today I've been marking the snowball blocks with the quilting pattern I'm using.  I'm more than halfway and my hand is thankful!  I'd like to freemotion between the snowballs but I'm not sure what design; I saw a double heart that might work....  Any suggestions?

It is pouring down rain here.  So hopefully it's warm and dry where ever you might be.

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!