I am almost done with the small “Devil’s Puzzle” top! yahoo!! I will be glad to have one done out of this stack of quilt tops to quilt. I am taking a break from drawing the design on the last border. I will start quilting on that tomorrow.
Some of you might read the blog called “Grandma’s Red Needle” – Astrid posted an interesting post about some fruit that is grown on the island of Mauritius where she lives. The island is located in the Indian Ocean about 560 miles off of the coast of Madagascar. The fruit is called Jackfruit and it is grown on a tree. Some of the weirdest fruit I have ever seen!! You should go to her blog and look at her photos. Very interesting 
I was amazed to see this is in the mulberry family of fruit . We have a mulberry tree and it and the fruit looks nothing like this tropical variety.
I find it very interesting to read blogs from other countries – it is so nice to see what quilters around the world work on and also to learn of their lives.
Today has been one of those days where there just isn’t much of anything to post. I drove to Little Rock this morning for short little visit to my specialist – I have no problems going on but because of medication that I take I have to be checked out every 3 to 6 months. My daughter was working today so I couldn’t visit with her so I went around to a few shops after the doctor visit was over – which went so fast this time and even the lab was not backed up and got in and out so fast it was amazing.
I just wasn’t in a shopping mood – most likely because as I mentioned I want to control my spending so I can let loose in mid April when I go to the quilt show I stopped in Hobby Lobby for a little bit to see if the bigger store had different items than our smaller store does here – it does found lots of things that were nice but I didn’t really need and no place to put them if I had bought them! From there I went to McAlister’s Deli for some lunch. I had not been there before and I loved it. I will have to stop there again another time. Wonderful sandwich – pastrami on rye with spicy mustard! Tasted wonderful. From there I went to a store called Garden Ridge. There are not a lot of these around, it is fairly new to Arkansas and the Little Rock store is the only one in the state. They have tons of inexpensive dishes, pots for plants, lawn cushions, some bedding and towels, a little bit of everything. At that store I did buy a new umbrella for the patio table seeing as they had so many to choose from. The one I had doesn’t tilt and I wanted one like that to block the late afternoon sun when it gets to be summer. They had some that tilted and in all kinds of colors and not very expensive – that was the only thing I bought all though there was tons of stuff I would have liked to have gotten – I was good and passed on all of them.
From there was just one more stop before home and that was Sam’s Club (like Costco) -a big warehouse box store. I like to stock up on the big bundles of things that we go through a lot, like popcorn, granola bars, laundry soap, and some food – like big packages of meat to put in the freezer.
And that was my day. I got home by mid afternoon and got started on the laundry and worked on my small quilt some. I am coming along really well on that small quilt. I am almost to the final border and I will get to that maybe tomorrow evening. Oh I did pick up a couple more of the cardboard decorative boxes (cheap) at Hobby Lobby that I use for my scraps but these are for various odds and ends in the sewing room. I cleaned out the two drawers in my cutting table this evening and have those boxes label so I know what various junk is in them and now my two drawers are nice and neat. I have one box left to put some of the scraps in seeing as I haven’t been able to close a couple of the boxes after the last time I rummaged through them. That can wait for tomorrow.
Would you believe we might get snow on Friday! spring where are you!! I thought that if I picked up the umbrella for the patio table maybe it would encourage spring to come along faster don’t know if that will work!
My girlfriend Regina called me up this morning to talk about thread. I hadn’t looked at the Hancock Fabrics Sales flier that comes to me on line so I hadn’t see this. You all know I have a Gutermann 100% cotton thread cabinet full of luscious colors – well there is a sale going on that some of you that have told me how much you like mine want to check it out. Now they do not have the exact same one that I have. Mine is 100% natural cotton very light weight thread that is perfect for hand applique but not quite the strength I like for hand quilting. The thread cabinets they have right now are 50% markdown. They have one for silk thread, one for embroidery thread (I believe that is machine embroidery) and one of hand quilting thread (which is heavier than then kind I have). The silk thread cabinet looks so great and I would love to have it and at half price it is a great deal — but no can do – I’m going to the Paducah quilt show in April and I know I need to save my spending for that!! I would hate to go and then feel like I can’t spend any money I will pass on the thread as I really have a ton of it here but I thought I would pass on the information in case some of you haven’t seen the sale. I just ordered some much needed twin size batting as I would have to baste together too many pieces of scraps for the next two quilts waiting in line which are not twin size but some where in between that size and the next smaller size. That is about all the spending I am going to do right now even though several sites that I look at have some great fabric.
Speaking of which if you want some hand dyed fabric you should check out these two sites for some fantastic looking fabrics. Field Trips in Fiber - Vicki has great fabrics, she is located in Virginia! Check out her etsy store on her side bar. Also another great site is Chris at Dye Candy. Chris is in Wisconsin she has a etsy store also. These hand dyed fabrics just look so great. Another one of my e-friends that sells fabric (not hand dyed) is Jackie in Connecticut at Canton Village Quilt Works. Check out her etsy store, Jackie also does machine quilting for customers.
So I guess today was a promotion day for me to my internet friends I have no other news – I have been quilting off and on today on my small Devil’s Puzzle quilt top and plan on working on it more this evening and tomorrow and through the weekend if need be – I intend to get this top done soon so I can move on to another. I decided I do not want all these quilt tops to gather up and before I start working on more applique blocks I must get caught up on this quilting!! The Star Crazy BOM quilt will have new directions coming out next week (can’t believe March is almost here) and that will give me a little break from quilting and then back to quilting it will be.
We have a little touch of spring coming our way even though it feels very chilly outside and will get down in the twenty’s on Tuesday to Thursday I think from what the news said. Here is a photo of our first daffodil blooms.
the first ones to open
I also found a leave bud on one of the clematis! Could it be that spring really is around the corner although it doesn’t feel like it
a little blurry but here is a leave bud.
Thank you to all that have left me names of authors to look up at the library. I have made a list and will start to look for them soon. I will go through my shelves and make up a list to post on here too so maybe some of you will find someone new to read also.
I have spent the last couple of days quilting on my “Devil’s Puzzle” little top and it is coming along nicely. I don’t know if you can see the quilting very well on this photo though but the center is done and I am almost finished with the first border around the center. If you click on the photo it will go to a larger size to see the quilting on it. Just simple quilting and I am not putting a whole lot of quilting in on this one. Around the first border I used a simple braid stencil. Around the outer border I will use a different stencil. I’m not sure which one I will use but I have several to choose from. This one will be done quickly. I think when I am done with it instead of starting another applique block for one of my other quilts that I am making I might get another quilt ready to quilt. I really need to get caught up on the quilting. Of course I have noticed in this top that I am working on that I have some of the red that bled in the applique block that I did last month it!! I will have baste some of the color catchers on those areas to make sure it doesn’t happen on this one – love to use scraps but you never remember what has been washed and what hasn’t when you use scraps that are close to ten years old or whatever!
I know a lot of you quilters are also lovers of books. I have to share the name and author of the latest book that I just finished and could barely put down until I finished it. I have been reading it since last night and finished it a moment ago! The author is Nevada Barr and the book is called 13 1/2. If any of you have read her books in the past you know she normally writes a series about a woman park ranger and national parks — this one is so totally different you wouldn’t believe it. It is a novel and not her regular character and regular story line – totally different subject and characters – although murder still plays a large part in this total psychological thriller. I think I figured out the twist about a third of the way into the book. Check her out at this link : Nevada Barr
Another author that I love has a new book coming out in the middle of May - John Sandford newest in the Prey series “Storm Prey“. Sometimes I check books out at the library and some I buy – this is one author that I buy all of his books – I have one shelf devoted to his books I can never put them down until I am finished with them it seems. I can’t wait for the new book to come out. I know some people do not re-read books. I really can’t figure that one out. When I find a book that I really enjoy I tend to go back to it. I have some books on my shelves that I have probably re-read more than 3 or 4 times over the years. I have read the entire Prey series 3 times I think. But then I am the same with movies too and can watch a movie over and over again and enjoy them years later as much as I did the first time.
I am constantly looking for new authors to read as the authors I like can’t keep up with me LOL. I think I read as much as I quilt. And talking of quilting I made a start on the Devil’s Puzzle quilt last night before I picked up the book! Good thing or I wouldn’t have gotten any quilting done last night.
Of course I am now done with the 3 books that I checked out of the library early in the week – I did a lot of reading this week – and now I have nothing for the rest of the weekend until I can go to the library again on Monday - I guess I will have to let my fingers go walking through the books on the shelves and see what it will be for the rest of the week – but I think I will go get some quilting done first
I started making “Going in Circles” on December 20th – I finished the top today, this evening actually. It took 12 days of steady work on this top to finish appliqueing the border. I barely worked on any other project wanting to get this top finished.
Here it is folded in quarter size as it is too big to lay out on the floor - Now it will sit aside for most of this year most likely as I finish up other quilts. This quilt is 100 x 100 inches so it will be quilted on my big hand quilting frame and right now there is another quilt on it. I am in no rush - it will wait until I am ready for it. The border is all needle turn applique although I did make the circles using the technique that I showed in early December on the blog and then appliqued in place - which was easy as the ends were already turned under.
Now that this top is finished I am ready to get busy quilting. I have a small stack of tops waiting for me to get quilted. Counting this one that I just finished there are 4 quilts to be quilted plus the Christmas Quilt that is on the big frame in progress. I thought I would select the smallest top and get started on that one on my 14 inch hoop. I will be quilting two quilts at the same time and in between working on the 2 applique quilts I have gotten started on this year – 1 block finished on each, I will also continuing working on the BOM Star Crazy and the second Dear Jane quilt which I have barely touched in the last month. Way too many projects in the works!!!
This top is called "Devil's Puzzle" it is a small one for me, most I make are much larger than this. This one measures 38 x 38 inches and will be used for a table topper.
A close up of the backing fabric that I found in my stash. This whole quilt will be made from scraps right down to the batting - I will be basting 3 pieces of batting together tonight to use for this quilt. I will finally have to order some more batting though as I am down to small pieces and way too many pieces to baste together for the next quilts I have waiting in line which are about 50 by 70 inches I think. I would have to baste about 7 or 8 pieces together from here out so I think they will be put aside for small projects once again.
I will need to continue making scrap quilts next year as I have barely made a dent in my scraps and that is after using them in the big scrappy quilt too besides these smaller quilts that I have made this past year. For the most part for the last year I have mainly just bought fabric for the backgrounds and backings.
Now I am off to watch more Olympics and baste that batting together. We were really pleased with the Men’s Figure Skating last night and really I thought they all did a terrific job - Oh and could not believe it got up to 60 degrees today!! and no I do not think spring is on its way early – I just bet we will have another cold spell with the way this winter has been.
I was asked about the pottery jug on my table from several readers that I posted in the photo yesterday. My younger daughter used to sell for Southern Living At Home and that is where I purchased it from. This company is one where people set up parties at home and they have a representative come to their home and demonstrate and show products. She no longer works for the company but when she did she always made sure that I had a new catalog and knew when she had parties set up so if I wanted to order I could. I believe you can also order directly from them now on line. Luckily I usually got things on sale as some of the items can be pricey. If you want to see their products go to the link above. They are also the company that puts out the magazines “Southern Living”, “Coastal Living” (I think that is the name), and “Cooking Light“. Great magazines but slimmed down a bit from what they used to be because of the recession I am sure. I’m pretty sure they have other magazines and cookbooks as well.
I am working on the last border for the big quilt with the circles while I have been watching the Olympics – GO USA!! (but good luck to all the rest of the countries participating as well )
I will probably be working on other things soon and posting more but right now I am really trying to just finish this one quilt top before I move on to other things. I hope to have more to post in the upcoming weeks – I just need a little down time from blogging this week I guess.
Nothing like a fresh bouquet of flowers to make it feel like spring even though it is nowhere near! Still chilly, still snow on the ground (granted not much), a little windy — no daffodils open even though there are buds. So to bring a touch of spring into my house some fresh flowers on the table in a spring like jug.
My spring flowers
Now I will get off of the computer and spend the rest of the evening working on quilts and watching the Olympics -
I went to the Paducah Quilt Show once back in 2004 – 6 years ago! Wow how time flies. I enjoyed seeing the quilts and shopping the vendors – looking at the quilt museum which I have seen about 3 times over the years. Mike finishes his contract job in the middle of March and I thought he might be ready for a road trip come April 22 – don’t you all think so! He immediately agreed and got on line and found a campground only 14 miles from Paducah that had openings and I am going to the Paducah Quilt Show 2010!!!!
Now I don’t know if all of you are familiar with the show? It is put on by the American Quilters Society of which I am a member for the last couple of years. You do not of course need to be a member to go to the show but if you are you get a discount on admission (not a lot but with your membership you get six magazines a year and access to the sales on their books which can really amount to a bit). The quilts are fabulous to see. So many to look at and the vendors! I won’t even go there – I have no idea how many — OK I take that back I just now went to the web page to see if they have the vendors listed and they do – if I counted right it is around 200!! Do you have any idea how long it takes to walk through all those vendors I will be drooling. (you do not know how many of us quilters who have no local quilt shops enjoy shows with vendors until you have been there – finally we get to see all of these items we go on line to see – but now we can actually see and feel the items!)
We are staying 3 nights and I will be wandering through the quilts on the Wednesday(23rd) and Thursday (24th) of the show I believe. I told Mike that he can drop me off if I want to go back the second day to look some more, there is actually quite a few things in the area he can spend time seeing as he likes to take so many photographs he will be able to keep busy. Believe it or not he really likes to look through the quilts too. I think he likes to see the dumbstruck look on my face as I see some of the really fantastic creations some people come up with. Or maybe he likes to come with me to control my spending? LOL I actually keep that under control pretty well myself.
Of course right there in the same town is the National Quilt Museum. I love that place. It is another place to spend hours at drooling over the quilts. Normally by this time of year it is very hard to get a reservation as all of the motels in the town get booked up in advance. Six years ago when I went with my daughter we planned only a month in advance – kind of a spur of the moment thing and I was lucky to find a motel 50 miles from the show. This time though we have the motorhome – I was kind of surprised that the campground had spots available but I guess it is more women going with other women driving and/or flying in and staying in motels than women piling in a motorhome and taking off I’m so glad Mike was able to find something so close – that 50 mile drive the last time was a bit much considering it is a 6 hour drive from home too!
Just wanted to share my news – anyone else going?
Today is a cold, dreary day. We have had snow flakes spitting off and on all day. It is the type of day where you really don’t go outside unless you are really and truly an outdoors person or if you need to run and errand – like go exercise (which I did). Now though it is time to just sit back and enjoy the inside and hope tomorrow will be warmer. I will tune in to the Olympics sometime today or this evening to see how it is going, I haven’t watched it today yet.
Yesterday we ran to Little Rock to meet up with daughter and her hubby to go to the Arts Center – the exhibit was nice but much smaller than I thought it would be and no gold and glitter among these Egyptian pieces. All pieces were more of the ceramic and bead jewelry type of items and a couple of mummies. Everything was great to look at although my husband and I both thought that the cards all of the information was written on could have been larger – is age creeping in here I hope not!
When we got done with the exhibit we left the kids (kids to me – not to them they are in their late mid-30’s) and headed over to Sam’s Wholesale and Barnes and Nobles for a quick look before we left for home – wouldn’t believe the weather – snow flying everywhere – and it had been in the 50’s the day before – it was melting as fast as it was hitting the ground so no worries about travel.
At Barnes and Noble I always look through the quilt magazines to see what is new. Now and then they will have an overseas magazine and I always look through them to see what is going on in the quilting world away from the states. I found a great one from New Zealand — and the best – it had a quilt border in it that I love and I think I will use that one for the Little Brown Bird quilt instead of the one that comes with it as it is one of the main parts of the quilt that I thought was just a bit too fussy for my taste. (saying that I should actually mention although I love the quilt I find a lot of it a bit too fussy for my taste and I intend to change it a lot – when I get done it most likely won’t even look that much the same as the original as I am planning on substituting some blocks for others that I have found and making some of my own design also). The magazine I found is simply “New Zealand Quilter”.
this issue has such a simple quilt on the front of it I was surprised - most magazines tend to put something a bit flashier on the cover. I'm glad I opened it up to look at it and found the border inside.
The is the border I liked. It is from an award winning quilt by Margaret Matthews (2007) called "Roses for Me" and in the magazine it was the final of a 10 part series. I'm so glad I happened to pick this issue up, it has the pattern pull out included.
So that is news on the quilting part of my day (yes I have been busy with my applique border and I have 1 1/2 borders left to do). Today was a baking day also.
Blueberry, Banana, Walnut Muffins
1 cup of quick oats
1/3 cup oil (I use canola)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small carton of vanilla yogurt (6 oz)
1/2 cup milk
1 mashed banana
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 cup blueberries
Mix all ingredients together except the blueberries. Stir them in after all is mixed. Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 21 small muffins (this depends on the size of your containers).
some of the muffins - as you can see I use a variety of containers, the ones in the back are the aluminum foil toss away and the red ones are microwave/oven proof silicon rubbery things I found these awhile back and wanted to give them a try and they work great. You kind of just pop the muffins out. I had six more baking when I took this picture and they are in a muffin tin. I have very large blueberries frozen from my little brother's berry farm as you can see in the photo - a couple berries and you have enough in each muffin! I have only about a cup of frozen berries left from the crop in June.
my afternoon snack - my very nutritious blueberry muffin and a cappuccino - of course I went and spoiled the nutritious part by having some chocolate afterward can't be perfect LOL after all I was hungry I had gotten in an hour of exercise after lunch!
