I have part of my first block of my Christmas Baltimore Album glue basted in place – maybe I will finish getting this block ready for applique later today – and maybe not. We are in for a stormy night here in Arkansas. There has already been one tornado report in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 4 to the west of us and I do believe more storms will be popping up and be in Arkansas this evening. I sure hope we don’t loose our power or have any severe storms here in central Arkansas.
I got another block finished last night on my “Insanity Revisited” this one is 
E-6 called Deanie’s Daisies. It is hand pieced and the center is needle turn applique.
We have our first spring flowers open up by the road. We planted some early daffodils along the tree line to our property years ago and they are the early every year. Such a nice bright yellow. Very often you will see them surrounded by snow – I hope not this year – but I would rather have a snow storm than a tornado! I am going to post here a string of spring photos.
I haven’t a clue what this flower is. It was not there last year. Now there is a little bush with these little yellow flowers on it. It must have washed in last summer and I never noticed it.
Here are the yellow daffodils.
Honeysuckle starting to turn green. Actually this stays kind of green all year, but I can tell this one is new, around here honeysuckle tends to get out of control at times and grows all over the trees and bushes if you let it.
Yesterday’s question was which type of pin is the shortest – and the answer was Applique pins – they tend to be only about 1/2 inch long! The shorter length helps to keep your thread from tangling when you are sewing.
Next question: During free motion quilting, the sewing machine feed dogs are: UP or DOWN
Yesterday I was just too tired to blog! We spent the whole weekend outside cleaning up the yard. It was in the high 60′s and you know weather like this does not last too long in February here in Arkansas so we took advantage of it while we could. We have so many trees and they all loose their leaves at different times in the fall, some in October, some in November and occasionally we have one that waits until 
December. It is hard because of that to get all the leaves raked and mulch in the fall. If you wait too long the weather turns nasty and you don’t want to do it – that is what happened this year so we decided that while it was 68 degrees outside it was time to clean the yard. This is the yard right now – it will be green in another month or so. I have to get a little more cleaned up but it is doing good now. Even with a riding lawn mower with mulch bins attached it takes awhile to clean up this place. All the flower beds you have to rake the leaves out and also get down on hands and knees to get all the leaves out so the plants aren’t damaged. I still need to do a little work up in the tree line area but most of that we let stay wild. Of course after two warm sunny days it is time for rain and it is raining as I write and we will get on and off again rain for 3 days at least according to the forecast and then get temperatures back to normal in the 50′s daytime and 30′s nighttime.
I got very little sewing done this weekend. I did work on one dear Jane square and got it part way done, I will finish it this week and post a photo later. I also have gotten started on the Baltimore album Christmas quilt but nothing to show as of yet – I’m in the stage of cutting out pieces and well soon start to glue baste pieces in place to applique down.
I got quite a few people e mailing me “where is the answer to the last question” the answer was the Olfa 1979. Olfa is still going strong with rotary equipment although other companies have joined the competition in rotary cutters. I actually thought the answer was Olfa 1975 – but the test said 1979 so I guess we go with that.
Another question: All of these pins are used by quilters – which is the shortest?
A- silk pins
B- ballpoint pins
C- applique pins
I wasn’t going to write today – I’m so tired! This morning I went to the fitness center and got in a good workout. Came home and had lunch and then started some bread dough to raise. I made the oatmeal walnut bread that I posted a recipe of and photo a week or so ago of. After a short while while the bread was rising we both went outside to get in some outside work. The day was just too warm to pass up the opportunity. The high today was 66 degrees! All week is supposed to be warm like this – with it of course the threat of thunderstorms – of course here in Arkansas that means the threat of tornadoes – hail, whatever. We will see.
Today I got the 5 large squares for the Christmas wall hanging cut out and also have the pattern for one block on freezer paper and numbered (kind of like a paint by number – less confusing that way for me). I might get some work done on it tomorrow. I was just too tired to bother tonight 
I also have one Dear Jane block on the design board (a 12 1/2″ square with 12 1/2″ ruler over top to hold in place) ready to start with the sewing tomorrow maybe! I am going to have to look and see if I can find a large 16 to 18 inch square ruler for the this applique project – it would help hold everything in place – I can always raid the workshop and see if I can find a nice flat piece of wood to cut to fit the same size. I would be a nice way of holding the project together and keep from getting so wrinkled. If anyone knows of a place to get that size square ruler let me know.
Isn’t this mug pretty? After looking at this one and talking to Mike about it we think I picked this one up in Silverton, Colorado. Not 100% sure on that – if it wasn’t there it might have been Georgetown, Colorado. We have been to so many mountain towns over the years that I tend to get confused on where I got what This mug is nice and heavy and large – sometimes when we travel I take this one along to hold all the change that comes with travel – although now in this day and age of travel and debit cards/charge cards I don’t build up the amount of change I use to have. Now though I tend to start with about 20 to 40 dollars of laundry quarters and put them in the mug and put it out on the table for decoration in the camper and then just put it in a cabinet when we are driving so it won’t go flying if we have to stop suddenly. There is something about mountain towns – almost all have at least one pottery shop. Almost all of these towns have a lot of what I call “leftover hippies” you know the type – 50′s to 60′s age group – went to the mountains in the 70′s to live the clean isolated carefree lifestyle, liked it and never went back to their hometown. I mean this in a very kind way – I envy them. They opened up shops of all kinds of crafts and people like us love those shops and pick up things over the years for our memories of where we have been. Sometimes we wish we had made that change of lifestyle as well.
Yesterday’s question was: It’s fine to use hand quilting thread in your sewing machine. Answer was FALSE, this thread usually is a little to heavy for your machine.
Next question: Which company created the first rotary cutter, and in what year was it introduced?
A- Olfa, 1975
B- Fiskars, 1979
C- Clover, 1980
D- Olfa, 1979
That’s it for tonight – I’m of the computer – too tired to look at it anymore!
I started working on the Christmas Baltimore Album quilt today – not much accomplished but I decided which block I would start on. I went through the stash looking for greens and red appropriate for the job. Next I started tracing out the pattern pieces. With this much applique I use freezer paper templates so I numbered all the pieces on the pattern first and then trace in sections onto freezer paper. Next step will be to cut out my background squares from the goldish/beige that I bought on Saturday and then cut out sections and iron onto the correct fabric. This of course won’t be done over night! But that is ok, it will give me a break now and then from quilting and working on dear jane. I don’t expect I will have the this quilt done in time for for Christmas this year but for sure the following year. I have always wanted to do a Baltimore Album so I plan on doing this one carefully as I want it to turn out really well.
This pretty turquoise color mug was given to me by my younger daughter at the same time I received the mug with the cat handle (where the cats face is in the mug if you remember). This mug was not made in any special place or in any special way. It is special in that she gave it to me — eons ago The very slender handle on it makes it delicate. It was bought at the same craft show that the other mug was at in Missouri – I think Springfield if I remember right.
Yesterday’s question: A grapefruit spoon can be helpful prior to which of the following quilting techniques? The answer is B – machine quilting — weird huh. The way the test explains this is that some quilters use a grapefruit spoon to close safety pins used to baste quilts prior to machine quilting. A commercial tool is also available. Both reduce the wear and tear on fingers that occurs when closing hundreds of pins. Makes sense I guess. I have heard of the spoon being used for hand quilting also. You hold the spoon in some way under the quilt and when you push your needle through the layers you have it hit on the spoon which in turn reflects it back up to go through the top of the quilt. I can’t get the hang of it, I tried it. I have to feel the needle come through the quilt to know it is through.
Next question: It’s fine to use hand quilting thread in your sewing machine. TRUE or FALSE
Don’t you all just feel like you have too many ideas for quilts and not enough time in the world to make them all! I am trying so hard to not start another project until I get a couple of these quilted and it is sooooooo hard to do!! I have been going back and forth quilting on two quilts and working on Dear Jane squares. I am almost done with the quilt on the big frame and the other quilt in the small hoop is about half way done. I have been thinking of what to make next and I really think it has to be the Baltimore Album Christmas Quilt. I actually do not have a Christmas quilt and I have been quilting for over 20 years. I really do not know why I have not made one, I have Christmas wall hangings but no actual quilt size quilt. The pattern that I have has a finished size of 75 x 75 which of course with another border or two could grow in size a little if I want or I could leave it at that size to toss on the couch or to fold and lay over the ottoman. I guess the next step is to look through my scraps and start to see if I have enough dark reds and greens for the applique. I might have to order some dark red for the sashing though as I don’t think I have enough for that.
This is my little dragon coffee cup – tea cup, whatever, it is small and has the cutest dragon sitting in it. I bought this mug in Eureka Springs, Arkansas at a really neat little pottery shop. The town is nestled in the hillsides of the mountains (small mountains by Rocky Mountain standards) of northern 
Arkansas. The area is beautiful and you can spend a whole day wandering though the tourist village looking at shops and sites.
Yesterday’s question was: A product that can help keep loose dyes from settling on fabrics in the wash is: the answer is Synthrapol. The other multiple choice answers were Orvus Paste and Retayne.
Next Question: A grapefruit spoon can be helpful prior to which of the following quilting techniques?
A - machine applique
B- machine quilting
C- hand applique
by Karen on February 5, 2009
in quilts
Barb over at Bejeweled Quilts is giving away what she terms an ugly quilt. Actually it is kinda of cute I think, but you know how it is when you get it in your head that you have an ugly quilt and you never like it — I have several like that and they are folded and put away for a extra quilt when the weather gets cold. Anyhow if you run on over to her site you will see it – leave her a comment and you will get in on the drawing.
Another Dear Jane “Insanity Revisited” block finished. That makes a total of 70 complete! Only 99 left to go I believe. At this point I do not plan on making this quilt again, I am enjoying it but I think two Dear Jane’s in two different color layouts will be enough because I have found other quilts to make with tiny blocks like these. One is called “Nearly Insane” by Liz Lois and she recently came up with a new book called “Just Plain Nuts”. Yes I agree I must be nuts to think of going on to more of these. Now if you look at the cover of these books you might be put off on the color of the quilt pictured on the Nearly Insane book. I was and I know some others were too. But you can see the Nearly Insane quilt finished at Hanne’s Quilt Corner and see what the quilt looks like in the two color selections that she chose; after seeing her quilt I decided I was going to make this one after all.
Another of my mugs – this little one that I keep a bunch of fabric pens in was purchased back in the 1980′s in North Platte, Nebraska - my husbands boyhood town. We go to this town to visit family every couple years on our way to the mountains of Montana, Wyoming & Idaho on vacations. On the edge of town there is a campground and right next to the campground is 
Fort Cody Trading Post. Fort Cody has been there since 1963, it is a free tourist attraction that children love and can wander through with amazement in their eyes and the feel that they have to find something to spend that hard earned dollar or five or ten that is burning a hole in their pocket! My husband spent the first 15 years of his life here in this town. Even after he moved away there has always been some family members that live there or near by. It has always been a stop that we make and even though the kids do not travel with us anymore we still make the stop at Fort Cody. It is a nice short walk from the campground that we stay at and it brings back silly memories of our daughters wandering through the store finding silly things to buy. I always find some candy to buy for myself or a little trinket of some sort. And now with grandchildren I am always looking for souvenirs for them.
Yesterday’s question was: When you sew strips together to make a long, continuous binding, you should assemble them end to end with a 1/4″ seam allowance? The answer is False Here is one of many sites that give a tutorial on how to make and attach binding.
Question: A product that can help keep loose dyes from settling on fabrics in the wash is:
A- Synthrapol
B- Orvus Paste
C- Retayne
I mentioned the other day that we were having a taste of spring. Well of course now it is quite chilly again and maybe down to 19 degrees tonight but I thought I would show you all my daffodil buds. The flowers will not open for several more weeks. Almost every year we have daffodils open with snow on the ground. This variety is a very early one – and this is Arkansas (known for weird weather )
Here is a photo of a hyacinth peaking out of the old fall growth as well. You have to look closely but it is pretty much in the middle of the growth. This one hasn’t been growing much and has stayed the 
same size for awhile now. It is the only one I could find, I guess the others realized it was too early to be peaking up out of the ground. This ground cover greenery stays green all year round. In the spring it will have purple flowers on it. I usually leave all the old fall leaves on the ground to help protect the plants and then clean it up when I know spring is really here.
I quilted quite a bit today and got closer to the end of the scrappy Irish chain but still about 10 hours at least to go on it. The end is very much in site though. Now of course I wish I hadn’t put the feather border on it as it will take some time to finish that up – so much quilting . I also spent time putting the block together that I cut out for the Dear Jane quilt yesterday. It is almost finished and I’m going to spend some time this evening finishing that one up.
Another mug for today. This is another wooden mug. I keep a bunch of quilting pin in this one. I picked this one up at Epcot Center at the African exhibit at Disney in Orlando, Florida who knows when — it has been some time maybe 8 years ago? I do know though that when I did a search right now that they no longer have an African exhibit there. The park is also known now as Epcot Theme Park. My husband had a business trip in that area and so I went with him and we enjoyed a week in Florida in the middle of winter. My youngest daughter and her family who live in Wisconsin are there right now doing the same thing. Son in law has a business trip and the family went along and tacking some extra days on to see the Magic Kingdom and maybe Epcot Center as well. I’m not sure what they are seeing other than the Magic Kingdom but that was mentioned to me before they left. I’m sure I will find out later what they saw.
Yesterday’s question: to calculate the finished diagonal width (one corner to another diagonally) of a square quilt block, multiply the finished length of a straight side by? the answer is B – 1.41 Here are some more “how to’s”
on diagonal corners.
Question: When you sew strips together to make a long, continuous binding, you should assemble them end to end with a 1/4″ seam allowance. TRUE or FALSE
If you want to find out if you are addicted to blogging check out Ankes Garten this is a German quilters site and take the test and check out her blog while you are there. I scored a 62% so I guess that means I am more than half way addicted! Anke’s site is in German most of the time but if you use the google translator you can read it just fine. I find it interesting reading some of the blogs of the quilters in other countries. Sometimes the quilts are really quite different. For instance the quilters in the Scandinavian countries tend to lean more towards folk art and the European more towards art quilts. It is different everywhere of course but that is what I have noticed. The Australian folks seem to be a lot like the Americans and vary widely and do not go so much by region.
Today I spent a bit of time working on my part of a raffle quilt for local guild. I have one more border to stitch together and then my part will be complete. Glad to be able to hand that off next week. I want to get back to my own things. I did get one “Insanity Revisited” (I think it was F-5 if I remember right) block cut out today but I have not sewed it – maybe later. I also spent time while the news was on quilting on the quilt with the miniature double wedding ring in it. It is coming along really nicely but I have not spent near enough time on it. I am a slow hand quilter in that I am always working on 3 or 4 projects at one time. I would get each project done much faster if I stuck to one at a time but where would the fun be in that.
The mug for today is this large colorful mug. The artist that did both of the mugs with the cat handles – blue and white, that I posted last week did this one also. I found this at an arts and craft show about 10 years or so ago I guess. I haven’t kept track. I rarely used it to drink from because it is so large, it is another one that could hold 24 oz. or so — more than I normally use at one sitting.
Yesterdays question was Equilateral triangles can be cut from long strips of fabric. Which method do you use to determine how much seam allowance to add to fabric strips? The answer was C – determine the triangles finished height from its base to its tip and add 3/4″.
Question: To calculate the finished diagonal width (one corner to another diagonally) of a square quilt block, multiply the finished length of a straight side by:
A- 1.25
B – 1.41
C – 1.61
In Arkansas you can never tell what it is. On Tuesday we had ice and it was in the 20′s and now yesterday and today it was 63! My daffodils are growing and sticking out of the ground and even have buds on them – unopened of course but buds. We were outside a lot today. I did a little quilting on the big frame but not much. When I get off of the computer I will get over to the sewing machine and get back to work on my part of the raffle quilt for the guild, I have not touched it the last couple of days and need to get to it.
Another mug — I bought this mug in Glacier National Park in Montana. As you can see on the mug there are paintings of people backpacking in the mountains. I never backpacked in those mountains, but I have – years ago – in my youth- in Idaho. Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful places there is. This is one of my larger mugs as you can see by having the scissors standing on edge in the mug. I would say it was a 20 oz at least if not a little bigger. The second link that I put in are photos’ of the park so stop by and take a look at them. Beautiful place! We will go back sometime I’m sure, we have been there at least 2 times maybe 3 – I loose track. We have been to the mountain parks so many times.
Yesterdays question was: To add fabric cornerstones (corner squares) to straight set borders, cut squares with sides that match the unfinished width of the border. The answer was TRUE. Here is a link to how to do corner squares.
Question: Equilateral triangles can be cut from long strips of fabric. Which method do you use to determine how much seam allowance to add to fabric strips?
A- Determine the triangle’s finished length along a sloped side and add 1/2″
B- Determine the triangle’s finished length along a sloped side and add 3/4″
C- Determine the triangle’s finished height from its base to its tip and add 3/4″
I haven’t a clue what this flower is. It was not there last year. Now there is a little bush with these little yellow flowers on it. It must have washed in last summer and I never noticed it.
Here are the yellow daffodils.
Honeysuckle starting to turn green. Actually this stays kind of green all year, but I can tell this one is new, around here honeysuckle tends to get out of control at times and grows all over the trees and bushes if you let it.
