I need to think outside of the box. – that is something as quilters we should all do once in awhile - I have some fabric that I normally wouldn’t have bought as it is not what I normally work with. I won a really nice stack of fabric last year from a give away on someones blog. And I do mean a really good size bundle. 15 fat quarters and 19 strips 5 inches wide by 44 long. It is from the Windham company the “Williamsburg Centennial Collection”. Very nice fabric but not the style I normally go for (moda marbles, almost solids, batiks ect. ) I am trying to figure out what quilt pattern to use with it and have books pulled off of the shelves looking through many patterns all day. I’m narrowing it down but still not sure what I want. I have been looking at this fabric on my shelf for about 6 months or longer letting it run through my mind for an idea to pop in my head. Today I took it down and pressed it all looking at it some more thinking by having it close and running it through my hands I would have an idea pop in my head — it didn’t work!!
These are fabrics:
fat quarters on the right, strips on the left.
another view of the strips
the fat quarters
Does anyone have a pattern that just jumps out of their mind saying that it would look great with these fabrics? 
LOL I know it is my fabric and I need to make up my mind. I am thinking scrappy with a off white background. I love scrappy quilts and there are plenty here to make it scrappy. Any suggestions will be appreciated – I’m not saying I will go with it of course as it might not be a pattern I like, but it will help having more ideas to choose from. (I am thinking a fairly intermediate level pattern, I might possible end up hand piecing – but maybe not so not a lot of sharp points).
I got one more Dear Jane block done for the “Insanity Revisited” quilt:
Row 12 Block 3
No news today. I spent part of the day working outside and part of the day reading. I still have part of my book to finish – maybe a quarter of it? I’ve been good though and not spending hours on end just reading
I need to get another Dear Jane block prepped and ready to work on. One thing I had been working on the last couple of days was putting a label and a wall hanging sleeve on the first Dear Jane “Insanity”. I had finished it you know back in November but never got around to putting the sleeve and label on it. I plan on delivering it to Melanie and Ric soon so really needed to get that done. They plan on hanging it on a wall as they have a dog who believes she is mistress of the house and sleeps on the bed and the couch so they do not want to put it where Patty could sleep on it and possibly damage it without really meaning to – I got the sleeve and label on so now that is finished. I am caught up on labels. I used to do that immediately after finishing a quilt but this past year I have been lazy 
I have been reading a lot of blogs lately and my reader has so many on it it is pitiful. I need to go through it and start culling out the ones that rarely blog and cut it back somewhat. I have never gotten more than 120 on my reader but that is way too many blogs to keep up with!! Especially when we travel and I’m not on the computer so much. Then I tend to run through it and look for the ones I am in the most touch with the authors and the rest I just delete. When we travel I need to try to get that reader down under 50! (hmm I wonder if I can do that – probably not).
Time to get off of here and get a DJ block prepped to work on while Criminal Minds is on tonight!
I got one more Dear Jane block finished last night – this one was one of those that took a little longer than usual – about 41 pieces I believe -
Row 12, Block 2 - 24 blocks remaining.
I won’t get much sewing done this evening or tomorrow. The newest Jonathan Sandford book came out today – “Storm Prey”. I just had to run out and get it – 1/2 price at the local bookstore and I have all of his books and re-read them so it was a must have as soon as it came out. I always enjoy curling up and indulging myself in a good day or two of reading with his books.
Storm Prey
If you have never read one of his books you might want to try this series. Each stands alone but the characters continue off and have evolved over the years. You might want to look at his list and start with the first one and go from there.
There are numerous ways we draw designs on to our quilt tops. I bought a Sew Ezi Table about 3 years ago and I got the clear insert top also that could be used as a light box. I actually had not used it for that purpose until now. I drew a feather design on a piece of Mylar plastic (I didn’t have anything else on hand and didn’t want to run to Hobby Lobby) and thought to give it a try.
The shelve space under the insert is very narrow which is why I had not used it – you have to have a light under a light box in order for it to be a light box. Yesterday I got to thinking about it and decided to try out my little book light. After all it is a light and it is small – you sure can’t use anything larger – does anyone else have a lighting solution to this?
the narrow space to use a light in
the book light laying flat and the design taped to the clear insert
the book light laying flat under the clear insert on the narrow "shelf" (this is the area your sewing machine normally sits on)
the design showed through making it easy to trace. I taped my fabric in place so it wouldn't shift and used my mark be gone blue pen. The designed showed through better than this photo shows.
I have a large stencil of a feathered wreath that I am using on two of the plain blocks in the center of the quilt and then this design from the photo in the plain triangles and corners. I will be drawing a grid on it also for the empty spots.
Row 12 Block #1 - 25 more blocks to go - and 52 pieced triangles and 4 pieced corners - a bit of work still to go.
This past weekend my sister who was visiting and I got to reminiscing about cake recipes that we used to love and hadn’t made in a long time (the desert table was long at times holding all kinds of goodies which sparked the conversation!). We both remembered the Tunnel of Fudge Bundt cake recipe that we used to make. Back in the 70′s there was a dry frosting mix that came in a box that was the main ingredient in the cake. It is no longer made so for a long time we weren’t able to make the cake.
Awhile back after searching the mighty land of internet I came across a recipe for a new tunnel of fudge cake that was proclaimed as good as the old recipe so I thought I would try it out and sent the recipe to my sister as well. I was talking to my friend Regina earlier today and she said I needed to take photos and put the recipe on here – so here it is
Tunnel of Fudge Cake
1 3/4 cups unsalted butter – softened (this recipe doesn’t call for any salt – I think it needs a little and if I make it again I will put in either salted butter or 1/2 teaspoon of salt – you do as you wish)
1 3/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners)
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 cups chopped walnuts (essential)
Preheat oven to 350 – grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan (I used the flour Pam spray – works just as well and is easier)
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Gradually add icing sugar. Blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup (this is an important step since too much flour results in a dry cake). Level off. By hand, stir in remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter in to prepared pan, spread evenly. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Cool upright in pan for 1 hour or longer. Invert onto serving plate. Ice if desired.
my heavy bundt pan
the cake - with no icing - plenty sweet enough without it!!!!
the fudge center - the cake even though cooled off for an hour was still a little warm - the center firms up a little more the cooler the cake gets.
I’m sorry no calorie count was given or sugar grams or fat grams — most likely figured we would all of course not eat it if we knew what we were eating — and if you believe that LOL enjoy! (a very sweet cake)
EDITED: 7:06 PM – the cake is good but I think the original was better.
by Karen on May 17, 2010
in quilts
11 rows of hard work put together. Already got started on the 12th row last night – 25 blocks left to do The stats so far: 259 hours and 55 minutes of hand piecing. 143 blocks, and 2,943 pieces (started this one April 12, 2008)
11 of the 13 rows (click to enlarge)
Today it is time to do some work outside – it is not raining!! Thank goodness I’m getting tired of getting April’s rain in May. I will get back to some sewing later this afternoon or evening.
First of all I got done with my May BOM for the Star Crazy yesterday. After I was finished with it I took photos and then this morning I was resizing the photos for the blog when I noticed my mistake on the Irish Chain block. I have the lower left corner reversed so will need to pick that out and restitch that section. Isn’t it weird how you can sew – press, step back and place it on the wall,take a photo and never notice a thing wrong until you are resizing a photo and look at it again!
214 Half Square triangles - I think they are 2 1/2 inches if I remember right. I'm not sure how many of these are needed but we have been making between 24 and 48 of them every month. They are stacked in the box in the color groupings that I used.
This months 3 larger blocks - including the Irish Chain mistake. Some of these I wasn't sure if I would like using lighter colors in the stars but decided a few here and there will be fine. If I find I really don't like the light colors when it comes time to do placement and sewing together I can change them then. But because this is a scrap quilt it might turn out to look just fine.
5 months worth of blocks. The Irish Chain and larger stars are 8 1/2 inches and the smaller stars on the bottom I don't remember and don't have my book of patterns handy - I think around 6 inches? We have a lot more of the smaller size to make.
Yesterday I completed two more Dear Jane blocks for my “Insanity Revisited” quilt also. I am now done with Row 11!!! Two more rows to sew the blocks for – 26 blocks and then on to the border – the end is coming into site (maybe next year?) Actually it would be nice to finish the blocks and triangles sometime this year but who knows.
Row 11 Block 12, this one was so easy - hand piecing only took 45 minutes. Again a difference in lighting - one day I will get it right - but I am a quilter not an expert photographer.
Row 11 Block 13, this one had more pieces and took a little longer - I think total time for this one was a little over 2 hours.
Tomorrow I will have a photo of all 11 rows sewed together. Today looks like another rainy day – I tend to get a bit done on rainy days. Today I am going to be working on quilting design for the Baltimore Bliss quilt that I finished (I think) late last year or maybe it was very early this year. It is about 54 x 74 I think – I have it written down someplace. I am contemplating getting this quilt top with the quilt design on it and basted together to take along on our next trip to quilt on the road. It would be nice to be able to totally finish this quilt while on the road. I am thinking of doing feather designs – I know it will take longer to quilt then simple grid which I lean towards, but feathers on this applique quilt would look nice. I have my new feather book out and template that I bought in Paducah so will be experimenting – better get my big drawing pad out! I feel there will be some to toss out until I get the feel for it.
I woke up so early yesterday I knew I would get something done! I had to or I would have ended up falling asleep in the middle of the day which I didn’t want to do.
I had fallen behind on making labels to attach to the backs of the quilts so I got four labels made and attached to the proper quilts – one more to do! Then I am caught up on that.
Dear Jane – Insanity Revisited really needed some work done also, I had been neglecting that quilt lately. I got two more blocks done.
Row 11 Block 10, I had sewn this block to the row and added the sashing before I remembered to take a photo.
Row 11 Block 11, this is more the true colors of the quilt. If my lighting is not right the butter cream fabric can look very light. There is a distinctive yellow tone to this fabric and it shows up in this photo.
Two more blocks to make for this row and then there will be two more rows to make – 26 blocks to make plus the triangles for the border.
Besides working on all of these things yesterday I had time to quilt for a half an hour on the quilting frame with the Christmas quilt and to do laundry! Today – I do not know what I am doing, another poor night of sleep and it is raining. I guess I will decide later what will happen today.
by Karen on May 14, 2010
in quilts
Not that it means I will get anything more done than usual! I woke up at 4:30 and couldn’t fall back to sleep so I went ahead and got up at 5. I finished the baby quilt last night after working off and on with the binding all day yesterday. I had several people ask how I could finish hand quilting so fast. This is a baby quilt only 40 x 43 inches – it is small and I have been hand quilting for years so that is why AND there is no fancy quilting in it, just cross hatch and quilted around each flower. Here is the finished product.
Sugar and Spice 40 x 43 inches just right for a new little baby.
A pretty pink plaid backing makes this little quilt reversible.
Now today I have one Dear Jane block that I started and want to get finished. After that I will try to get back to my BOM Star Crazy. I am about half way done with the May assignment and would like to get it done and packed back in it’s box until next month. I worked for a little while on the Christmas quilt last night after I got the baby quilt finished. I really need to try to spend time with it every day.
I mentioned yesterday that I was meeting two Arkansas quilt bloggers for pizza. It was fun finally actually meeting them. Vivian from Sew At Home on Pine Ridge lives about 45 miles from me. CJ lives closer – only about 15 miles or less she is from Created by CJ. New friends. Isn’t it odd how “now days” we meet people that we might never have met before due to the internet. Good pizza and lot’s of talk on a variety of topics. We got along great.
Last night after I got back home I settled in to watch “Criminal Minds” on CBS and finished the quilting on the baby quilt!! Finally – it took longer than it should have due to me not totally concentrating on one project like usual. This one took me about 6 weeks to make – any faster than that and it would have been “work” and not “fun”. I think is is about 44 x 48 I will measure it after it is washed and dried.
"Sugar and Spice" the top with applique took 18 hours to make and the quilting took about 30 hours. Now on to the binding today and I'll take another photo in a couple days after it is washed.
I used to keep track of my time for every quilt. Now I do sometimes but not on all quilts. It used to be that I would have people ask how long did it take to make that and I wouldn’t have a clue other than “about 6 months or a year or whatever”. I started to keep track just out of curiosity, now I have more of an idea how long it takes and don’t keep track on every quilt any more.
Now I have to get busy today and get the quilt edges evened up before I get the binding sewed on. Maybe get to my BOM Star Crazy also, I have a lot to do on that this week to get caught up.
