All Decked Out: January 2011

Working on a SLAGI

Sunday, January 30, 2011 8 Comments »

When it's doing this again:

It's time to retreat to the sewing room and pull out a SLAGI. You know, something that Seemed Like A Good Idea way back when you started it. The weekend, my SLAGI was a 9 patch project I started last summer when The 9 Patch Project was all over blogland.

The idea was to make a 9 patch a day for almost 3 months, a rather painless way to accumulate 80+ patches that could then be assembled into something magnificent. I found a jelly roll and a charm pack of something by Kansas Troubles and I was off to the races. Of course no one actually makes one 9 patch each and every day for 3 months, so I made them in batches & obediently crossed off the days on my calendar. I even got complimentary Kansas Troubles fabric for the alternating blocks and borders. This was going to be only the 2nd quilt I planned to keep for myself, and would have a home in my family room. Along about mid-July, I stopped, distracted by something else (a symptom of my ADQD).

When all of the snow started, I pulled The box with the 9ers, and started back to work. I needed to get creative with some of the blocks and pull from my stash, but eventually all were done. Last week I laid everything out and made the row-by-row sewing piles. Yesterday I started sewing them together.

I love the way blocks look set on point, but holy cow are those corner-to-corner strips a chore. Today I'll probably start at the other corner and work towards the middle because I just need a break from those long, long rows. Hopefully I'll get everything done in time to snuggle by the fireplace when next winter's storms hit!

Looks like the snow dance worked!

Thursday, January 27, 2011 4 Comments »

BBQ anyone?

I did the snow dance last night. I performed the snow incantation ritual, and even put my jammies on inside out. No, I don't work in a school, but a lot of my friends do and I just wanted them to have the day off. No need to thank me, guys -- just send wine.

I poked my head out the front door to see if should really try to make it in to work. Geez, tough decision. Compare this shot to yesterday's. Lots more white stuff on the bushes!

Just to give you an idea of scale, that bottom vehicle in the driveway is a Ford F150 truck.

I love this shot. It's looking through the birch tree on the side of the house. About 2 hours later, that hill was filled with every kid in the neighborhood and their sleds.

Poor Maggie Mae! She couldn't even find a place to do her business!

This is looking out our back door, towards the old golf course on the other side of the fence.

And just in case I decide to do a little sewing.......

That's really an old treadle machine frame my hubby found at a flea market. He put a piece of slate on top to turn it into a nice patio side table.

Well it's time for me to do a little 9 patch snow therapy. For more fun on a snow day, check out Nancy's blog. Don't you love her buns?

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 7 Comments »

From the front steps at 7:30 this morning, on the way to work. Home from work by 6:30 PM, & it's pouring sleet & rain. Starting at midnight, they are predicting another 10" dump of snow. This is so not right.

WARNING!!!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 4 Comments »

Do not, under any circumstances, visit this link. And if you do, don't look at this page. You will be seized by an overwheming urge to buy fabric. Beautiful, bright, lux fabric. And whatever you do, DO NOT sign up for their newsletter, which will tempt you every so often with fabric offering you are unable to resist.

It's Nancy's fault.

Top Chef, Baby Edition

Friday, January 21, 2011 6 Comments »

My son just sent me this picture on my cell phone. Yep, that's sweet Miss Madeline Rose, also pictured on the right sidebar in a much more lady-like pose. 9 months old and lovin' life. And feeding herself. Yeah, I'd kiss her anyway. Time to get a clean-up dog.

Bless Be the Tie That Binds

Monday, January 17, 2011 8 Comments »

I enjoy the process of hand-sewing the binding on a quilt. Usually I look for the easier, faster, better, gadgety-er way to get the job done. But binding? That’s a whole ‘nother thing.

It’s when everything comes together. It’s the last station on the long train ride. You’d think I’d want to get it done as fast as possible, but not so. I’m not fond of attaching the binding by machine to the quilt’s edges, mind you, but once that’s out of the way, it’s time to savor the experience.

Bind: to fasten or wrap by encircling.

I tend to meditate on that while I’m stitching. Last night, for instance, I began stitching down the binding on a very special quilt. It is for my daughter Kate’s first baby. The TV was on in the background, but it wasn’t long before my mind started to wander.

I remembered when Kate was born, when we brought her home. Her smile, her stubbornness, her creative talents, her gift for teaching. I see her dancing, kicking a soccer ball, graduating, walking down the isle with her dad to join her best friend and love of her life. I see things that I regret too, things that I could have done better as a parent and wish I could take back. Most of all, though, I see a woman who will be a wonderful mother.

Then my thoughts turn to the baby who will be wrapped in this quilt. Will he/she have brown eyes or blue? Will baby “O” be tall? Have brown hair or blonde? Will he/she laugh at my very bad jokes? Will he/she be artistic, creative, strong, loving, kind? I try to form a picture in my mind, but all I can conjure up is an overwhelming feeling of love.

I am binding this quilt, but I am also binding myself to this new little person, this new life and newest member of our family. My daughter’s child.

As Mrs. Goodneedle would say: Life is good!

Zippity Do Dah!

Thursday, January 13, 2011 3 Comments »

Remember this post? It was inspired by Nicole's post and her subsequent Astounding Zipper Tutorial.

Well, I am a convert. A veritable disciple. All of my girly relatives got very cute zippered cosmetic cases as gifts for Christmas, none of which I remembered to photograph. Even Annabelle got her own screamingly pink and purple number, adorned with heart-shaped pink buttons. I made Kate one too, in her baby nursery fabrics. She claims that the smaller one is exactly the right size to disguise that supply of, uh, monthly feminine products (like I'd remember).

Here's a picture ofthe latest batch, which will probably be used as prizes at Kate's baby shower:

Tres chic, no? It's so very satisfying to whip up a complete project in an hour or so, especially when you know how to zippity do!

Miss Bobbi, do you see the one that's all Kaffed out?

M.I.A.?

Wednesday, January 12, 2011 4 Comments »

I know. I've been M.I.A. quilting-wise. It's been a very busy few months!

First, my husband and I were fortunate enought to be able to take a 12 day trip to Germany at the beginning of December. We started in Munich, traveled to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (with a side trip through the Alps to Innsbruck), then met our ship in Basel for a cruise along the Rhine to visit ChristKindl-Markts (Christmas Markets) in Strasburg, Koblenz and Rudesheim. We ended our trip in Frankfurt. More on our adventures, including pictures, at a later date! That's me in Munich, after several cups of gluhwein (sorry, but I can't figure out how to get an umlaut over the "u").

Then came Christmas, with all of the holiday craziness. And now the focus is on my darling daughter Kate, who is pregnant with her first baby. You think I'd be an old hand at being a GG (Gorgeous Grandmom) with my son's 3 little ones, but this is different. Kate's my baby! She's due February 23rd, & we're comin' down to the wire, folks.

Kate wanted me to outfit her nursery. She's not at all traditional in her tastes -- "modern" is what she is. No pastel bunnies, Noah's ark or duckies for her. And the sex of her baby will be a surprise to one and all. Geez.

After much combing through the Hancock's catalog, and many hours on line, she settled on Kate Spain's Fandango fabrics. Since my Kate's father-in-law is originally from Mexico, the Mexican influence in the Fandango fabric line made it even more appropriate.

Last weekend Kate's wonderful mother-in-law Lori hosted a shower attended by their relatives, friends, church ladies and neighbors.

Almost 8 month's pregnant & she's still wearing heels!

Great gift! A box with a baby bib for every season and holiday.

It was touch-and-go, but I managed to finish a set of bumper pads for the crib and a set of 3 coordinating fitted sheets. You'll have to wait to see everything in the crib itself, but here are some pictures taken on my cutting table (I know you won't mind the mess).

My shower, for all of our relatives, friends, and Kate's friends, is next Sunday. I'll post pictures of her Fandango-tabulous quilt afterwards (I don't want to take a chance on spoiling the surprise). Now I've got to get to work on the crib skirt. A GG's work is never done!

Time to stock up

Thursday, January 06, 2011 1 Comment »

I hate dull rotary cutting blades. Hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em. I can never have enough replacements on hand because I don't want to be stuck having to cut some juicy fabric with a quirky old blade.

If you feel the same way, now is the time to stock up! Jo-ann's is having a 40% off sale on all of their rotary cutting supplies, including cutters, blades and mats. What's even better is that now through Friday 1/7, if you use the promotional code below at checkout, you will get free shipping on any order of $50 or more.

So, save those old blades for cutting paper and get yourself a stash of new ones. Maybe some of your fellow quilters would be willing to join you to help reach that $50 minimum.

Here's the code: EVDCX7

Now that my DH has discovered that rotary cutters are really cool tools for picture framing, I ordered a new cutter for me & am gifting him with my old one (plus a container of those annoying used blades). And a bunch of new blades por moi.

Oh, and while you are at it, check out Mrs. Goodneedle's post about a cutie-patootie new cutting gadget. Yep, Joann's has that baby on sale too. You know me and gadgets!