I have one more block ready to take along on the trip and this is the last one that I am prepping. I think these 3 blocks to applique plus the baby quilt to quilt will be plenty. If not I can always stop someplace and pick up some yarn to fool around with. I can stick a crochet hook in my bag and that certainly will not take up any room.
Here is the block I was working on yesterday and this morning:
this one is called "Complex Whig Rose" I was going to do a different one just called "Traditional Whig Rose" but the pattern pieces were not going together right to trace out the whole block. I'm not sure if it was something I was doing or a mistake in the book. I will look at that one later in the year. As you can see this one has a touch of yellow to brighten things up and it has a lot of pieces in it - I think there was 80 of them all together.
These are the 4 blocks that I have now (the one in the upper right corner is finished and trimmed to size:
I'm not sure which one is my favorite right now - I think one of the two on the left I believe. They will also be the easier ones to applique. On the block on the top left corner I added a circle to the intersection of the stems. I do not know if I will use it but if my stitches are not met there well I think I will use it to cover up any mess up 
That is it for now on preparation of quilting supplies for the trip. Now I can get back to quilting on the Christmas quilt and working on the Bow Tie squares.
I got another block prepped and took photos while I was doing it. Some have asked how I do it and question why I glue the whole thing on before stitching – I like to wander from room to room to outside and this saves me time by having it all glued in place I do not have to keep going back to the work table to get another piece in place. Just what works for me – the good thing of quilting, applique and piecing is that we all have our own way to do it and none of it (in my opinion) is wrong – we do what works best for us. I always say “a quilter never has to go by the rules – you make your own rules – for what works for you” (the main purpose of being a quilter is to enjoy yourself! don’t stress out, quilting should be fun and if you aren’t having fun maybe you need a different art )
My photos of how I do it:
My fabric is a very light color beige Moda Marble. My pattern is traced using a red sharpie. This made the pattern dark enough to see through the fabric with my overhead light on. This eliminated the need for a plastic overlay cutting out one step. This method would also work on a light table.
A freezer paper template cut out and ready to go. I number my pattern and templates with numbers and color groupings making them easy to find. This one for instance is 5 MR (Medium Red)
glue dots on the back - then press in the correct spot
several pieces in place
one flower glue basted in place (the glue really just takes the place of the many pins that some use)
a close up of the fabrics used in these flowers - the white chalk line is my stitching line. Possibly some of the chalk will rub off while I am working but by always cutting the turn under about the same I can judge it if needed.
The whole block - "Asymmetrical Rose" the background color is the light beige shown earlier - the lighting was not right here - it is not yellow 
one of these days I will get it right all the time!! The fourth photo has the most accurate color.
When working with glue if you need to reposition a piece you can most times just tug gently to loosen a piece and then pin in place if no glue is handy. If it is stubborn you just damping it and it will come loose. There is a possibility that you could have a glue dot here or there stain the fabric. I have been using the Roxanne Glue Baste It for many years and only have had one or two spots on one quilt that didn’t wash out the first time I washed the quilt. I washed two or three times (it has been awhile I don’t remember) and it came out to my satisfaction. If you are making a quilt though for a show or contest you use your own judgment if glue is the way you want to go with your basting.
This now gives me 2 quilt blocks to applique on my trip and one crib quilt to quilt. Wonder if I have enough for 8 weeks? I think seeing as I have time I will prep another block or two
Judy at Patchwork Times has a weekly thing called “Design Wall Monday” people post what they are working on – it is interesting to see everything. The link is there if you want to see or participate.
Well I am not back to it for long – but when I was preparing the quilt block yesterday going through things I remembered I had started a block for the Little Brown Bird quilt when we had traveled to Paducah back in April and never finished it. I have still not decided for sure if I am going to make this quilt but I only had the flowers and embroidery left to put on the block so I thought I would finish it before prepping another block red/green block.
Here is what I did today:
Little Brown Bird block #2 with the flowes and embroidery now added. (8 1/2 inch blocks)
And this is the first block for that quilt that I made last winter:
Little Brown Bird block #1
I hate leaving things unfinished so now that I am done with these two blocks for sure they can go back in their project box with the book until I decide what I am going to do about it. If I ever decide to make this quilt I will be changing it a lot because where I do like most of the quilt I do not like every single block and I think the border is too fussy.
The next block that I am preparing for the Red and Green Applique quilt is called Asymmetrical Rose block#8. An interesting block because is doesn’t look anything like a rose to me!
I made one of these blocks months ago and never got back to it but it is the other project I am taking with us in the motorhome. I had several inquiries on our trip. My husband is semi-retired. Meaning he works when he feels like it now normally he takes off about 10 – 12 months then contracts at the local nuclear plants training center (he is an instructor) for six months. We bought a small motor home (25 feet, no slide outs) 2 years ago and the longest trip we took was about 4 weeks – this trip we are doubling that to about 8 weeks. We are going west. We will follow parts of the Oregon Trail (of the 1800’s) through Nebraska and Wyoming and then divert from the trail and go to Yellowstone National Park and other sites taking a round about way home as we intend to stop to see our daughter and family for a short visit in Wisconsin before heading home. We will be covering a lot of miles and seeing a lot of sights. I will be truly “quilting on the road” this trip with the quilt that I got ready yesterday to take with us.
I got one block prepped last night – this is glue basted only – I use Roxanne Glue Baste It. I love using that product. The pieces stick on well, and stay stuck on although if I need to reposition a piece I can tug on it gently and get it up – I then pin it in place and stitch.
this is the book I am using. The book has 24 patterns in it including the large center block that I intend to use. I am not doing all of the same blocks as on the cover but instead picking out the ones I want to use. The blocks are 16 1/2 inches the center is 32 x 32 inches. Maybe I will make all of them and turn it into a king size quilt So many pretty patterns I haven't decided which ones I want.
the block is called "Cotton Boll" now we all know cotton is white - but this book is red and green so that is what it is. Now of course my lighting was off once again. I will need to take another photo later. The background is off white. Some of the blocks have a little bit of yellow and/or pinkish colors but mostly are red and greens.
I am going to continue to work on prepping blocks this coming week and try to have 3 or 4 to take with me.
I do have one more block prepped and ready to go but today was taken up with other things. Blueberry picking first thing this morning. I met CJ at 7 and we headed out to my brother’s farm. We had a great day for berry picking. Neither of us had “fixed” ourselves up we assumed we would be hot and sweaty with hats and bug spray. We were pleasantly surprised when the weather stayed at a comfortable 70 (?) and very cloudy. Here are photos of the farm – caught CJ in a couple ( but not close ups – not when we aren’t fixed up )
part of the blueberry farm, that is CJ walking up to the shed
another part of the farm - those are rows of blueberries. I should have taken a close up of the berries but didn't think to do so - lots of ripe ones out there.
and more blueberries - I have no idea how many rows and plants he has - I will need to ask him sometime. Doesn't he have a pretty view
My brother Jeff and his daughter Lily busy at work. Lily helps out every summer and does a good job. Back of CJ.
a gallon of fresh clean blueberries - and they are all mine! (Mike doesn't eat many of them)
Instead of starting the dehydrator with blueberries today seeing as it stayed nice out I was working outside instead. The berries are washed and I will start that process tomorrow. Also the plan is to make fresh muffins and a cheesecake with blueberry topping.
Tonight I will get back to work on a Dear Jane Block – number 8 I believe it is I prepped it last night so it is ready for stitching. Last night I got to work looking through the Red and Green Applique blocks and picked out two that I will start prep work on. I have the patterns traced out on to freezer paper and will need to get those pieces cut out and then I will glue baste the design down so I will not need to bring the overlay with me on the trip – just no room for something like that. After I get these two blocks glue basted down I will look and see if I want to do another 2 blocks to bring also – sometimes they really go quickly. I still need to draw the quilting lines on the small quilt I plan to quilt on the road also. Too busy!
Continue reading about No Blocks Today – Blueberries instead!
Moving right along, one more block done this morning and working on another one this evening, here is block 11 from row 12:
Row 12 block 11
I have not gotten done with a lot today other than getting the grass cut this evening. In the heat of the day work I did some quilting on the Christmas quilt !! It will get done one day
I was looking through projects trying to figure out what was coming up to finish or work on some more and realized it is actually almost the end of the month so the Star Crazy patterns will come out in a couple days and then I can get the June assignment done. I’m trying to decide what to bring along to work on when we travel this summer. I am getting the Baltimore Bliss quilt ready to quilt and will bring the hoop and the quilt along to quilt on the road. I have more of the design to draw on the top, then baste and it will be ready to travel. But knowing me I need one other project to work on for when my fingers get sore of quilting and for variety- we do have some down time for sight seeing and hiking after all. I do not want to bring the Dear Jane triangles to work on – I know I need a break if I get done with all of the blocks before we go. I think I might prep a block or two for the Red and Green Traditional Applique as I only have one block for that quilt completed. If I prep a block or two all I will need to bring with me to work on that is thread and needle – I will of course already have needles and thimble packed so really will take up very little space. I think I will do that.
Well that was easy to decide LOL. I will get busy prepping some blocks in between working on other things this month. The Bow Tie Medallion is coming along nicely although no rush so although it is coming along nicely it is coming along slowly I just counted up blocks and I have 21 of the large ties (need 140 for queen size) and I have 12 of the smaller ties and I need 56 of those. So many more to go!
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.
I told you all yesterday that the red and green applique had some red bleeding on it. I couldn’t zoom in on the bleed very well so you could see it. I could see it – it wasn’t a lot but I thought what the heck lets see if I could get it out. Before I do another red and green block I will pre-treat all of the fabric first, just plain washing it doesn’t always work with red and green I have found!!
Ok so here is what I did – first I basted Shout Color Catchers all over the colored pieces of the block.
the catchers basted on the block
Then I put it in the wash in a lingerie bag with some laundry soap – cold water wash. This is what it looked like when it got done.
I don't know if you can see on this photo that there is red dye caught in the catcher - but when I looked on the other side I could still see dye in the fabric.
Remember this was an experiment – if I had to re-do this block I would. I had a fourth of a bottle (4 oz) of Retayne (I have not used the company at this link but I am showing what the product looks like for those of you who have not used it) left so I put the machine on a small load once again and I dumped the rest of the bottle in it!
When the wash load stopped I took it out and took the stitches out holding the color catchers to the block. Can you see the red dye in places? I'm happy to report that all of the bleeding came out. What did happen though is that the background block is actually just a tad lighter now - weird! There had been a brownish type of marking by the top rose bud on the left side at the top. If you look at yesterday's picture you will see it. It is not there now. But all the bleeding is out.
the finished block - it shrunk just a tad. It is supposed to be a 16 1/2 inch block and it is a 16 1/4 inch block instead. I will deal with that later by having a skinny seam allowance when it is sewed together.
the rose bud where there had been a brownish type of marking that was in the fabric is on the top left side.
before using the color catchers and the Retayne - see the brownish mark? I don't know if you can see the bleeding -it is just a light pink
It is possible that the red and green colors have lost just a little bit of color but as all of the blocks will be in various red and green fabrics it doesn’t matter for the overall quilt. I am ordering more of the Retayne (the company I use is Connecting Threads as their books are 40% off right now and there is one I want (of course I will find a few other things I need as well) – if your order comes to $50 it is free shipping) and I will follow the directions on the bottle and pre-treat all of the red and green fabrics I will be using! I learned my lesson.
Our snow is starting to melt already – we got up to 35 degrees today and the rest of the week should be in the 40’s – this snow will not last long!! Because I spent just about 3 whole days in the house and barely got outside I did get some sewing done, and a bit of tv watched! Too much, I don’t like to sit still for so long and can only wander back and forth in the house so much. I spent a lot of time on my applique square for the Red & Green Traditional quilt. Even though I washed my reds and greens 3 times I can now see I will have to pre-treat as well. I finished the block and washed it this evening as I had glue basted and I like to wash the glue out. I had a little bit of bleeding!!! Not a lot and it isn’t real noticeable. I have some Retayne and I will try treating it tomorrow and see if that little bit will come out. I am also going to order a new bottle as I am almost out – I might just order two while I am at it as I can see that even though I washed all of these reds and greens numerous times I might just as well pre-treat them all as well.
Block one of the Red and Green Quilt. In this photo the bleeding does not show up well and my husband couldn't spot it without me pointing it out to him so it is not real noticeable - probably just to quilters that are looking for that kind of thing. All of the rosebuds are from the same fabric, it was a really great mottled red that had some black in it as well to almost shades of pink, great for buds so they are not all the same. The really dark ones in the photo though are a little darker than they actually are, they appear darker here and I couldn't lighten the photo up properly.
Block 5 from Row 10 Dear Jane, Insanity Revisited. The first time I made this quilt I pieced this block as shown in the book, this time I appliqued it for something different - I think it was actually easier to piece.
Tomorrow I am getting out of the house for sure – I can’t stand being in the house all the time I go crazy.
I know I already did one post today, but I thought I would do another. I think we are going to be home bound for several days to come with the ice storm fast approaching our area of Arkansas. I thought I would get an applique project ready to work on. I have the Christmas Quilt on the frame but if we loose power the room that the quilt frame is in is far from the fireplace so most likely I would not be back here working on it all that much. I will have to put one of the space heaters back here if I do quilt.
I posted of the Red and Green Traditional Applique by Jeana Kimball at this post I had not gotten started on it although I did get the background fabric last month. I thought it was time. I think what I will do is alternate between the Little Brown Bird Quilt and the Red and Green. I won’t get bored that way I hope.
My first block, I am in the process of glue basting in place. When that is all done it will be ready for me to bring into the living room where I can applique in the comfort of the fireplace in the living room if the power goes out.
With the cold weather approaching I thought it was a good day to bake some bread. I love the smell of bread baking don’t you all? I made some modifications to a recipe I had – yes I know I do that a lot –
Mixed Grain Bread
1 package active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups of warm water (110 degrees about)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
4 cups white flour +?
2 tablespoons ground flax seed (optional)
In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt, oil and wheat flour, oats, 1 cup of flour and the egg. Beat until smooth. Add as much of the flour you can with the mixer you use and beat until smooth. Turn onto a floured surface and knead in a little more flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. You might need more than the 4 cups of white flour total. If you are a bread baker you will be able to judge this ok.
Cover and let rise in a warm area until the bread is double in bulk. About 1 1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and divide the dough in half. Shape each into a loaf. Place into 2 greased bread pans and let rise again until double in bulk.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool.
Don't they look good! I think I am almost ready for an evening snack - some butter and jam will make it perfect
Stay tuned – I’m sure I will have photo’s of our winter storm over the next couple of days — thank goodness for our generator! I don’t know how we would survive our winter storms without it. Maybe we won’t loose our power – one can hope!
Comments are now closed on this blog post, winners will be announced shortly. (edited 1/22/ 11:59)
I started blogging in April of 2007 – almost 3 years ago – wow how time flies. At first I really didn’t know what to write and didn’t write very frequently. I finally decided to just write as I talk as though I was actually chatting with you. I am not very good about formal sentence structure and I know it! I just don’t care anymore – I assume if that is what a person wants to read they will go elsewhere About a year and a half ago I really got into it and started blogging on a very regular basis. To celebrate this 500th anniversary I am having a give away – winner will be announce in one week on Friday the 22nd of January.
There will be two winners. The rules are simple. Leave a comment and tell me where you are from and you get one chance. Blog about it and make sure you tell me and you will have two chances.
prize #1 included 20 light aqua hoffman batik 6" squares, 20 dark aqua hoffman batik 6" squares, a McKenna Ryan pattern and the other things in the photo.
prize #2 is another stack of both colors of batiks, another McKenna Ryan pattern and an assortment of other items in the photo.
The two aqua fabrics are the ones that I used in my Dutch Treat quilt which originally was going to be much larger than it ended up being. I had cut a lot of 6″ squares in preparation for the quilt so had a lot left over. The 3 bears pattern featured in the second grouping of prizes is the one that I used for the wall hanging in the motorhome. It is like new as you trace the pattern on to fusible web so the pattern is not disturbed in anyway. I had cleaned my sewing room back in the late fall and filled a basket with items that I do not used – possibly used slightly but not so you would notice. Some things were given to me that I never used as was not something I needed or use. I still have a basket – no longer overflowing but still full so plenty for future give away’s.
And the weather today with this warm up that we are having and enjoying!
slightly out of focus as I had to stand over to the side so my shadow wouldn't be on it. The little boy has no jacket this time and no little snowman in the corner Someone asked the last time I posted a photo of the thermometer what kind is it. It is from the Weather Channel and is digital.
I have been busy today organizing fabric – yes once again. I have decided that I will go ahead and start soon on the Little Brown Bird quilt after all. I have been undecided about it. I do not know if I will make the whole thing, but I am going to give it a start and decide as I go. I will be using a lot of almost solids – batiks and moda marbles. I want to make sure there is no bleeding so I have been washing fabric and pressing all day! And still more to go through in my wire baskets on the shelves. I will use a little of the other fabrics (prints) here and there but most of them I will wash as needed.
The Red and Green Traditional Applique quilt I will be starting first. I have the background fabric for both quilts on bolts on the shelf. The Red and Green quilt will be mainly moda marbles and batiks also with prints thrown in here and there. I have been collecting batiks and marbles for sometime now in preparation. I mainly get fat quarters and I have plenty of them. I might be organized enough tomorrow for a photo. My fabric needs organizing and I have a feeling it will take several days of working on it to get it all under control (and I have a very small stash compared to some of you I know).
Continue reading about Blog Post #500!!! I am having a Give Away
