HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend, with some time to celebrate the real purpose -- remembering that we are the home of the free because of the brave -- and also some fun kicking off summer. Small town parades, barbeques with family and friends, it's all good.

YES WE CAN -- SKILLZ!

Leila, at Sewn blog, is hostessing a skill builder course. There's always more to learn, right?

Here's a list of what she will be covering, as quoted from her site:

"Here is the outline for Skill Builder Sampler:


June:
Skills: Cutting, ¼ inch seam allowance and value.
Blocks: Log Cabin and Around the World


July: Half Square Triangles and Quarter Square Triangles
August: Flying Geese
September: Wonky Blocks
October: Foundation Piecing
November: Paper Piecing
December: Raw Edge and Needle Turn Applique
January: Curves
February: Improvisational Blocks
March: Working with odd shapes (tumblers, hexagons, apple cores)
April: Inset Seams
May: “There's no way I can sew that block!!!” - but you totally can because we now have the Skillz.
(we will also learn how to draft and use templates - those skill will be used in multiple months)


The first three weeks of each month we will make blocks based on that set of skills and the forth week will be a catch up week. Everyone who is caught up at the end of the month will be entered in a drawing for a special prize. (Probably fabric, because everyone Loves fabric, right?)


By the end of the year you will have 36 twelve inch blocks you can make into a queen sized quilt or you can divide them up and make several smaller quilts. But more importantly, you will have the skills and the confidence to tackle any quilting project you can dream up. Priceless. "

I think I'm pretty good at most of the skills, but curves??? Improv??? I will be following along. There's always new things to learn, LOL! I've put a link on my sidebar.

FRIENDSHIP BLOCKS FINISHED

I finished up my blocks for my small group annual Friendship Block Swap. Every year we choose a different signed block for the swap. This year we are making Prairie Flowers from quilterscache.com. I used intensely colored fabrics from Jinny Beyer for my flowers and leaves.

Here you can get an idea of how they look when they are all spread out. Of course the varied colors of all the different blocks will really add. It will make a spectacular 'prairie of flowers'.

WHAT QUILT BLOCK ARE YOU?

One of my on-line groups posed the question, "What quilt block represents you?" That was easy for me. I chose the Wandering Star block. I have used it in several swaps where we are to pick a block that represents something about us. My husband and I are always on the move. I've surely lived in more different homes than most people, and no, we aren't military. We just keep wandering, LOL!

I'm not so sure about the star part, but the wandering part sure is me! The star shown is one I made for a Christmas block swap a couple years ago.

So, what quilt block are you?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there, as well as to all the nurturers who aren't moms.

FOLDING BACKING TO FRONT FOR BINDING TUTORIAL

This is a neat way to do the corners of your 'binding' when turning the backing to the front to use as binding. I had turned the back to the front before, but this way you really get a nice neat corner miter. I saw this method at a demo at a LQS. I didn't invent it. It has probably been around a while, but it's new to me.

Being careful not to cut your backing or front, trim the batting to desired width. Mine is 1/4" out from the edge of the quilt top. Trim the backing fabric twice the size needed to reach from the edge of the batting to where you want the 'binding' to end.

Fold the raw edge of the backing fabric up to the batting and press.

Fold again, this time folding over the edge of the batting and press. Do this on all four sides.

Open the backing back out.

Fold at a 45 degree angle at the corner, backing sides together.

With your ruler lined up at the bottom fold (notice I have turned the fold to the bottom in this pic), and the edge of the ruler on the batting corner point, draw a line from the fold up to the crease mark.

Opened out it should look like this. Your line doesn't have to be so dark! Refold and stitch on the line.

Trim 1/4" out from the stitching, continuing past the stitching, all the way to the edge of the fabric.

This is how it should look now.

Flip the binding to the front, over the corner.


Tuck under on the fold. Then stitch it down, using invisible hand stitches, or using a decorative stitch, if desired.

I made myself a little sample with backing and batting about 6" square to keep to remind me how to do this. I finished each corner to a different step, so I could look and remind myself how it's done.

TWO SMALL FINISHES FOR APRIL

I have two small finishes this month. Both are mats to go with the coasters I had made up earlier.
A charm pack has enough to make 6 coasters plus 6 charms left to make a small table mat to hold a pitcher of lemonade, or ????

And here's the other mat with matching coasters.

This is the May Day Basket (box) swap that I sent to my partner, Sandy. You've seen the coasters before, but now it has the coordinating mat, and includes a pack of butterfly chocolates, a nail file, and a FQ of gardening fabric for spring.

I used a new (to me) technique on the mats. I've turned the backing fabric to the front for binding before, but this is a neat way to trim the bulk and get a really nice, stitched, miter. I saw it at a demo at a LQS and will share it with you in a tutorial here soon.

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter everyone! I made this Bunny Basket back in the late 80's. I used to sell them at craft fairs. I remember one year, when I had made too many, and had bunny feet dancing in my dreams!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

EARTH DAY

GOOD FRIDAY

CHOCOLATE!!!

This is Nancy's first row from the row swap, and the first one I get to work with, making a row to go with it. This 'Chocolate' theme is soooo fun! I can't show you what I created to go with it, because it's a surprise for Nancy. Expect full disclosure in January, LOL! But, I knew you'd enjoy this unique starter row.

Here's 'Grandma' up close.

WHAT A NOVEL IDEA!

Pat Sloan is sponsoring a blog hop called, What a Novel Idea, to kick off her new book that has lots of ideas for using novelty prints. Each day there's a different blog to hop to. Join in the fun here. The hop begins today. Did I mention prizes?

ROW SWAP STARTS THE ROUNDS

I managed to get the first row of the row swap I'm in mailed this week. I wasn't going to join the swap (who me? LOL!) until I realized I could make it one of the quilts I want to make this year anyway.

A dinosaur quilt for a DGS was on my list and I decided to go with it. The first row is the black background part. I used Sindy's Dino Rawr pattern on fatcats. The fabric behind it will be the borders on this bunk sized quilt. The seven rows will be the center of the quilt.

We each chose our theme and made our starter row. Then we included some fabric, and sent it on. We will make one row for each of the seven swappers. It's all a secret after the first row, so I won't know what gals come up with until next January, when it comes back to me.



The dino footprint fabric is what I included, as well as scraps from my dinosaurs. The teeth (or is that spine?) fabric will be narrow border or binding, and the large dinosaurs print is for border.

I really enjoy coming up with something for the other gals. The first quilt I will be making a row for is chocolate themed. The next is a garden. And so on. We have 6 weeks to make a row and send it on. Fun! But I won't be able to post about what I made for each quilt, because it's a secret for the owner, when she gets them all back.

MAY DAY BASKET SWAP ARRIVES!

This morning I sealed my May Day 'Basket' in its box, and so now felt free to rip into (did I say I was eager?) my box which arrived Saturday. All I can say is WOW! Cindy F. made me a cute mat to put under my sewing machine. Hanging off the table are pockets to put my 'stuff'. She filled the pockets with cute embroidery scissors (I've bought those same ones for a swap once, but never for myself!), a color wheel type color selector (no, gadget girl me, didn't have one of those yet!), straw needles (which I use all the time and go through a lot, due to my vise grip on needles -- never could get that gentle touch!), a 'P' key ring (did she know my car key is separate, by itself, because my 'up-north' keys are on my other key ring?), a note pad (did she know I was making a list at JoAnns pattern table last week on an old receipt?), and M & Ms (I always carry those for sugar lows!). OK. Either she is a mind reader via the net or she has a spy following me!!!

Also, did I mention the great machine embroidery label on the back of the mat??? Oh my! I may have to fall in love with machine embroidery after all! I never thought about using it this way! Oh, the labels I could make! Hmmm........................

It's a good day here!





Swaps are so fun! Thanks Cindy!

HEART

I had eye surgery a couple weeks ago, and my dear friend, Carol, sent me this heart in bright colors. What a sweet gesture. You have to really blow up this picture to read the inscription on the bottom right -- "Bright Eyes".

No, not cataract surgery like many my age, but rather a hoped for fix for my SLK issues, that just won't get better by conventional means. We'll see. I'll know if it 'worked' for me in about a month.

MODERN CLOVER BLOCKS

Block Lotto is doing a modern clover block for April. Here are my ten blocks. And if you are wondering, nope, I didn't win in March. I'll be mailing my D4P blocks off tomorrow to 3 of the 9 lucky winners. Yes, we had so many blocks last month, there were 9 winners!

BLACK, WHITE, TOUCH OF RED

Today I started working on swap blocks for a Black/White/Touch of Red swap that I'm hostessing for my Friendship Swap group. We each selected blocks from Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. I'm making Ohio Star (here) and Grandmother's Flower Garden. The challenge is to make the blocks mostly black and white, and just add a hint of red.

When I saw this fabric,

I knew it would be perfect for this swap. Besides, who could resist those adorable birds?

SIGGY SWAPS

I have used up all my made-ahead siggies for swapping. My last ones used a spool stamp and spool fabric.

This time, I decided to go with something representing our location on Lake Superior. Whitefish Point Bird Observatory is just down the road/beach from us, at Whitefish Point. Especially in the spring and fall, there are many migratory birds. But all the time, birds are around.

So I selected this shore bird stamp and fabric for my new batch. I'll be using them on the International Siggy Swap (scroll down on the left on my sidebar if interested), and also for the 2011 Dear Jane Siggy Swap, which just opened up today. You must be a member of the Dear Jane list if you are interest in that one.

If you'd like to swap one-on-one with me, just email me. And it you need to know how to make these siggies, scroll down, and click on my siggy tutorial.

Lighthouses, waterfalls, shore things, etc. all would be good to represent our Paradise location, so I have lots of fodder for the future.

WHIPPING UP CUPCAKES

I whipped up a batch of 3 dozen cupcakes with chocolate frosting and sprinkles the other day. They are fusible applique and are for a birthday swap on the ScratchingPost group. On your birthday you received cupcakes from 49 others. I think they'll make a nice b'day table runner, place mats, etc. I might even put some on the cuff of a birthday pillowcase. But, my b'day isn't until July, so there's plenty of time to decide.

My sewing machine is at the spa, so I thought it was a good time to get these all done for the rest of the year.

They are made like other fusible applique.

You trace, press the fusible on, and cut, just like always.

Once you have the two halves, we don't fuse them to a background. We are just making an applique that the receiver will fuse down. So, flip back the part of the paper to fuse the two pieces together.

Fuse the overlap together. Then flip the backing paper down. To save your pressing surface from the goo, use a fusible applique mat, or I like to use parchment paper (available by the foil, etc., at the grocery store, intended for baking) as a disposable fusible applique pressing mat.


And it's all ready to send to the birthday girl.

So far, I don't think anyone has received any two alike! Yum!

BLOCK LOTTO BLOCKS

I ended up making 9 blocks for the Block Lotto this month. I think it's a record breaking month, as to total number of blocks made. That means we'll have more winners, and I have my fingers crossed to be one of them!

FEELING GROOVY PILLOWCASE

My eight-year-old granddaughter, Ali, decided she would like a pillowcase made by Nana too. You may remember the chipmunk one I gave to her sister for Christmas. She had selected a rather pathetic piece from the scrap bag that I let the grands use for their sewing projects, without asking. I suggested a shopping trip to select just what she would love. So off we went. She picked this groovy fabric. And while they did have coordinates, she also selected these bright Kona solids for the trim and cuff. A couple hours later she was all ready to sleep on it.

The first morning, she commented that she woke up and wondered where her stripes were (from her usual pillowcase). Then she remembered!

Here's an up-close of the peace and love fabric. I would have selected it back in 1969 or so!

I use the rolled sausage method to make these, and then do a French seam for the side and bottom. That way all seams are encased. I should do a tutorial sometime. It's much like the one on this web site, where I learned about the sausage method.
http://www.rainydayquiltschool.com/Rolled%20Pillowcase%20Pattern.pdf
But I do a French seam. This site is almost how I make mine.
http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/easy-pillowcase-pattern.htm
But I make my French seam all in one with a pivot, so I can trim up the corner to reduce bulk. I really should do a tut.

I WON!

Isn't this a cute pattern? I won it on Tag Along Teddies blog. Kris Meares designs patterns and this one is now in her on-line store. I'm planning to make this wall hanging for my DGD who is totally in love with HER bear. Yes, it's hers. She's 2, and the name of the bear is 'MY Bear'. I will probably replace the blues with oranges and pinks. Kris is down-under, in Australia, so it will be a couple weeks before the pattern arrives.

Kris is a real sweetie. Not only does she post her fun blog, but she has her on-line store, and she's one of the hostesses of OPAM -- One Project A Month. OPAM certainly helps me FINISH something every month. Even if it's something small.

Thanks so much Kris, for all you do for the quilting world.

FREE EASTER BAG/BASKET PATTERN

Bronwyn, over at Red Brolly Blog, has posted a free pattern for this lovely Easter bag. I just love hand-embroidery mixed with patchwork/sewing. Enjoy!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! My gift to you is this great Irish Brownie recipe. I got it from Micki, over at Irish Muses Blog, last year. I'll be making some later today. Enjoy!

Chocolate Guiness Brownies

Ingredients: 4 eggs, 3/4 cup superfine sugar, 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup cocoa 1 1/4 cups Guinness stout, Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-square pan. In an electric mixer, combine the eggs and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the bittersweet chocolate, white chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat into the egg mixture. Sift the flour and cocoa together and beat into the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the Guinness. Pour into the pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. To serve, dust the cake with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares. Serves 8 to 10

Then, if you want to have a very comforting drink, nothing beats Traditional Irish Coffee. Here is how to make it:

1 1/2 tsp. sugar per glass
hot coffee
1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey per glass
lightly whipped cream, 3 Tbsp. per glass
freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind
Assemble four or more Irish Coffee glasses. In each glass combine 1 1/2 tsp sugar with enough hot coffee to dissolve the sugar. To each glass add 1 1/2 oz. (one jigger) Irish whiskey. Fill glasses to within 1 inch of the top with hot coffee. Float 3 Tbsp. whipped cream on top and sprinkle the cream with freshly grated nutmeg, if desired

ANOTHER DJ SS GIFT ARRIVES!

What a week! My DJSS has been traveling, and that is why my Feb. gift just arrived on Monday. But yesterday, Tuesday, my March gift came too.

Wow is all I can say! She sent me a beautiful beaded necklace from S. Africa. It is so bright, and so beautifully made. I just love it. She also sent me a tissue cover made by refugees in Beruit, a magnet from Boston, a DJ bumper sticker reading "No Pain, No Jane" 'Finished is Better than Perfect' (a Dear Jane quilt saying), and a container of yummy 'pills' for quilters only.

She is so thoughtful! I'm feeling very 'gifted' this week.