Sister's Choice Quilts

Don't Hate Me

This week was a very busy one for my mailman and UPS guy.  A number of packages came for me, all of them containing fabric.  My husband nearly had a heart attack when he saw the empty boxes and the dining room table stacked with fabric!  "What are you doing, buying all this fabric???  Are you CRAZY?"  lol   I only bought a couple of things, the rest was sent to me by my friend Carrie, who seemed to think she needed to repay me for a little sewing project I helped her out with.  Check it out.  Fresh from Market, not available anywhere yet for love or money.

The dogs also thought I had lost my mind with the whooping and jumping up and down I was doing.  They are learning to lower their expectations where I am concerned.  That works both ways.

These are a few things I purchased myself, which happened to arrive on the same day from Fatquartershop.  I told my husband they were from Carrie too.  We both agree that she is extremely generous, but now my husband is dying to meet her.  Whoops.  It may be my imagination, but I think my nose may be a few centimeters longer. 

What am I going to do with all this largesse?  Never you mind.  You'll see!

New Challenge Project

From time to time, my friend Lisa and I like to work on the same project. She works on hers in Washington, and I work on mine here in California.  We call it a Challenge, but the challenge part is that we encourage each other to keep plugging away at the quilt, and to make regular blog posts on our progress.  We both love doing this, and have about six future challenges in mind.  We both agreed however, that our Summer Challenge would be to use the Prairie Paisley collection in a project that was on the cover of last summer's American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.

Lisa is ready to sew already, but I am still in the cutting stage.  I have my project box all labeled and am nearly done with the cutting.  I may finish it this afternoon.  The fabrics are Prairie Paisley, designed by Laurie Simpsonfor Moda.  The pattern is called Paisley Parade.  We will undoubtedly come up with a better name for ours  (sorry, some of these pattern names are so lame).   Lisa called hers "I Love a Parade", which has a better ring to it.   It seems very appropriate to use this happy red, white, and blue All American color scheme for a summer project!

I got my fabric at two different places--In Between Stitchesin Livermore, and Prairie Queensin San Jose.  I have a lot of pieces, but not the complete bundle.  I am pretty sure Lisa has the whole bundle, with a piece of every fabric in the line, so her quilt may show more variety than mine.  At least, our fabric placements will undoubtedly be different.  The pattern is a medallion style, which I seem to love these days.  You really feel as if the quilt is coming together quickly as you add borders around the center.  This is a great style of quilt for you to make if you find the block setting part of quilt making a bit of a bore.

Now, here is something interesting that I found while I was cutting.  What is wrong with this picture?

Oooops.  I wonder if this is like finding a stamp that has had a mis-print?  Could this be worth thousands of dollars to a collector?  Hundreds?  Call me, we can talk.

For those of you who don't get the "ooops"---The fabric pictured above was designed by Laurie Simpson, not Sandy Gervais.  The factory got the wrong label on the selvage.  Making an error like this takes credit away from the designer and causes LOADS of problems for people who use the information on the selvage to identify and locate fabric.

Chain, Chain, Chain

Excuse me Ozzie!  I am trying to take a picture here.  That's better.

This is Licorice Twist, a pattern by Joe Wood (of ThimbleCreek), made with the Dandelion Girl collection by Joanna Figuera (Fig Tree) for Moda.  I did all the pattern directed, but you know what?  I do not think this quilt is finished.  What it needs is a big blowzy floral border.  I just ordered two and half yards of the Dandelion Girl pale yellow rose print (on sale!) that I think will be the perfect touch.  Besides, this quilt is so darn pretty I want it bigger so I can put it on a bed!

I do love a quilt pattern where the blocks form a chain.  These pinwheel blocks are beautifully set off by the alternate block with the dark brown squares.  When designing a quilt top, keep in mind how a simple alternate block such as a snowball block or the one shown above can form wonderful secondary patterns.

There are a couple of advantages to buying your border fabric after you have the main body of the quilt top completed.  First, sometimes what you originally have in mind for the border isn't the color that "speaks" to you once you have the top together.  Once the top is done, you have a much better idea of what would work best as your border.  This is often the case with scrappy quilts or quilts made from a specific fabric collection.

Second, for me, by the time I get around to using a fabric collection, many many months have typically gone by and none of my local stores have the fabric anymore.  No selection.  You might think that this is a big disadvantage, but I beg to differ.  It has hardly ever happened to me that I have not been able to locate a fabric from a collection that is long gone from the stores.  My secret?  www.quiltshops.com  This fantastic website has hundreds of quilt shops all across the country linked to it.  You do a simple search, using the fabric collection's name is usually all you need, and you are supplied a list of links to shops that have the fabric you are looking for.  And the big bonus is, if the fabric is from an older group, it is often at a bargain price.  If you know of a similar website that is a link to lots of stores, please share in the comments section.

Now, if you know in your heart from the start of making your quilt what exact border you are using, then by all means, buy it at the time you get all your other fabrics.  You sure don't want to risk not being able to get a crucial element to your quilt.   I know many times we plan an entire quilt around the fabrics in a border, and actually that fabric is our starting point.  Just as often though, I don't make up my mind about the border until the quilt top is complete.  In those cases, I wait and see what my quilt wants!  Make sense?

Graduation Girl

Does this look like a graduation quilt?  I think it just might be.  I have a sweet niece who is graduating from high school this next month, and we are all very proud of her.  She is a great student, and has applied herself so well to her studies that she has been accepted into a good college.  I believe her accomplishments and bright future warrant a quilt.  I don't give quilts willy nilly, but am selective about whom I decide to bestow one of my efforts.  And Emily deserves it!

This quilt is feminine, yet has a sophisticated quality I like.  The fabric is Patisserie by Fig Tree for Moda and the pattern is Around the Block from Heather Mulder Petersen's book On A Roll Again.  I have ordered the backing (and got it on sale!) in the print that is a map of France on a pale green background.  I adore the pieced border and how the little pink triangles make a zig zag design.  This was a terrific pattern and I will probably make it again. 

Friday Favorites

Activity:  My favorite activity lately is sleeping.  I have been working every day between my two jobs and the next day off in sight is Monday.  I didn't think working retail was all that physically demanding, but standing on your feet for six hours straight, bored out of your mind really wears a person out.  If things are busy, the time flies, but management has been sticking me up in the Petite department on the second level, where there is little traffic.  I fold tiny tee shirts, I adjust miniature pants and skirts  on hangers, I make sure the price tags are neatly clipped in place.  Every now and then a prototype size person peeks over the counter and needs my help.  Numbingly dull.  My naughty husband took this picture one morning this week when I should have been up and about already.  That big lump Sophie is cuddled up against is me.

Read:  I have begun reading My Abandonment by Peter Rock, a story about a homeless man and his daughter.  Let me say right off the bat that this is a fairly strange book, but has me oddly hooked.  I have just begun to get into it, where the man and the girl are scavenging for things to take back to their shelter in the woods.  From the review I read on Amazon, the girl some how attracts the attention of the police and the pair of them are taken into custody, where it is revealed that the daughter may not actually be his child.  So, it is a mystery of sorts.

Listen:  No music this week.  I have been totally engrossed in an audio book called The Little Friend by Donna Tartt.  I had read the book a few years ago, but when I saw the audio version at the library, I picked it up.  This story is hair-on-your-head-standing-on-end thrilling.  I would classify the story as a Southern Gothic, with the main character a twelve year old girl named Harriet Dufresnes.  When she was a baby, her older brother was inexplicably murdered in their own yard, and Harriet's mission is to wreak revenge on the low life person she thinks committed the crime which destroyed her family.  You do have to suspend belief and accept the plot developements, but this is a heck of a story.  Get the book, get the audio version, you will not regret it! 

Cooking:  The best meals I have had this week have all been prepared by my husband.  Nothing like staggering home from a long day and having a handsome man tell you dinner is ready.

I did make a casserole this week that was mighty tasty though.  It involved mixing corn bread stuffing with celery and onions and a can of creamed corn and baking pork chops on top.  That was good, and we ate it for two nights.

Golden Pork Chops
1 can (14 oz) cream style corn
1/2 cup each finely chopped onion and celery
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cups crushed corn bread stuffing
4 boneless pork chops
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. spicy brown mustard
Combine the corn, onion, celery and paprika.  Stir in stuffing. Transfer to a 11 x 7" baking dish.  Arrange pork chops over stuffing.  Combine brown sugar and mustard and spread over chops.  Bake, uncovered at 400 for 35-40 minutes.  Serves 4.

Favorite New Find:  http://yellowbirdart.blogspot.com/
Maria told me about this nice blog, Yellow Bird Art, that has a giveaway going on right now.  They went to Quilt Market and are giving away some goodies they picked up there.  Go take a look and see if you might win! 

Added later:  LOL.  Ok, never mind, they just named me the winner of the give away.  But do check out their site, it is very very nice.

Quilting Project:  Huh?  My plans to sew didn't pan out so well this week.  I have plenty of ideas swirling around in my head for new projects, but can't start until I get the borders on Dandelion Girl and Around the Block.

Gratitude:  Happy Birthday Ahren!  I am so proud of you!

Simplify

The simplest thing I could think of.

Did anyone watch Oprah yesterday?  She focused her show on the theme of Doing Without.  Two families were chosen to participate in the program, and the deal was, they had to give up all their electronic gadgets for a week.  No cell phones, no iPods, no computers, no TV, no video games.  Each member of the family had to say bye bye to whatever their electronic drug of choice was.  What a novel concept.  Instead of focusing all their attention on something electronic, families shopped for groceries together, families shared meals together, families played games together, families walked the dog together.  One teenaged girl had some issues the first day and was shown petulantly asking her mother. "What do you expect me to do, READ A BOOK????"  The dad missed watching sports on tv.  The son missed his video games big time.  The daughter didn't know what to do with herself if she couldn't be texting her friends.  The mother was in withdrawal not being able to check her favorite blogs and talk on the phone with her friends.  Recognize yourself or anyone you know?

So, could you make the sacrifice?  Give up electronics entirely for a week?  Or less excessively, maybe spend a couple less hours watching tv or surfing the internet?  Spend more time interacting with your family, cooking real food instead of ordering out, reading a book, just thinking ?  Could you?

How many of us are overly encumbered by things that suck our time, our energy, our enjoyment of the here and now?  What could you give up?  Forget the electronics issue, are you drowning in possessions?  Clothes, shoes, fabric, collectibles?  Could you pick ten things a day for the next seven days and throw them out or give them away?  Free yourself of un-needed and un-used possessions?  Could you simplify your life in any way? 

I know this concept isn't a new one, but what do you think?  Is this maybe the way we are headed in our country?  After years of MORE, years of acquiring, years of excess, are we ready for something simpler?

I'm just thinking here, but look at the results of American Idol last night.  In spite of the extraordinary odds, didn't America make the simpler, less excessive choice?  Didn't we?  How unexpected and totally amazing.

OK, no tv for me for 7 days. while I think this through.

Dandelion Girl and Patisserie

I had two and a half uninterrupted days of sewing this past weekend, and got a couple of projects to the "nearly completed" stage.  This is Dandelion Girl, made with a fabric group of the same name, designed by Fig Tree for Moda.  The colors are so soothing, in a faded vintagey way.  The pattern is called Licorice Twist by the charming Joe Wood of ThimbleCreek.  I still have to finish the pieced border, and plan to get going with that this week.  The dark brown fabric is not part of the Dandelion Girl collection and was chosen specifically for the wonderful contrast it makes with the pastels.  That chain really stands out!

Here is the other project I worked on, Around the Block from Heather Mulder Petersen's book On A Roll Again.  I seem to be on a Fig Tree streak these days, and used the fabric Patisserie for this quilt top.

I wish I had made one more red block in this top.  I think it would be better balanced.  Too late now!  I adore the pieced setting triangles, don't you?  There is a pieced border that is going to be added, which will pull out the red in the quilt top.

Now if I sew on one border each day the top will be finished by the weekend!

Tuesday Sale

I am continuing to raid the stash bins I have in storage and have found some cool stuff one or two of you may be interested in.   To make a purchase, just click on the PayPal drop down menu on the right side bar.  If the item has been sold, you will get a sold out notice.

The first offering is a collection of tea related fabrics.  On the upper left, I have 1  yd of the tea cups with black background.  Below the large cut I have four fat quarters of the same fabric (total 2 yds).  I also have four fat quarters of a matching fabric that is printed with plates (1 yd).  On the upper right, I have 1 1/2 yds of this cool tea pot fabric with black background.  Below that I have 1 1/2 yds of tea cups with a light background.  It all works well together.  Total 6 yds.  $35 plus $10 postage.  SOLD

This collection is left over from my brief cherry phase.  There is 1 1/2 yds of the fabric with the yellow background, 1 yd of the red cherries and 2 yds of the light background cherries.  4 1/2 yds total.  $25 plus $5 postage. SOLD

And these from my vintage produce label and seed pack craze.  They are super fun prints though and I have a fair amount of yardage.  Small seed pack labels on black background:  3 yds.  Vintage produce box labels (to the right), 1 yd.  Large seed pack labels and veggies on black background 3 1/2 yds.  Total 7 1/2 yds.  $45 plus $10 postage. SOLD

This next assortment is a Grab Bag.  All the lavenders I can fit into a Flat Rate Priority Mail box.  This is all usable scraps, and some fat quarters.  50 odd pieces.  $30 plus $10 postage.  SOLD

Another Grab Bag.  How about some darker purples, along with some purple prints?  Mostly fat quarters, some larger cuts and some large scraps.  I didn't have quite enough to pack the box full, so I am tossing in a Bali Pop (retails around $30--Ozzie tore the plastic off, sorry).  Around 40 pieces plus the Bali Pop.  $45 plus $10 postage.   SOLD

Evolution of a Quilt

This is the secret celebrity stunt sewing project I did for Joanna Figuera of Fig Tree Quilts.  The quilt has had its reveal at Market, and now I can share the story with you.

Out of the blue, Joanna sent me an email asking if I would be willing to make a quilt top for her on a super tight deadline.  The quilt was to debut at Quilt Market and was to be made using her new fabric line "Mill House Inn".   Feeling a bit star struck,  I agreed without hesitating and received the gorgeous pattern, "Rosettes" and the fabric in a short time.  Trust me, I spent some quality time fondling this new fabric line before cutting into it.  I think it is one of her prettiest designs ever.  You will want lots of it when it is available!

I was so determined to do a really good job on this project, and was more than a little bit nervous!  My husband took over the household chores and cooking, and I barricaded myself in my sewing room until it was finished. 

This pattern is layer cake friendly, for all you Moda pre-cuts fans out there!  Fat quarters would work great as well, and you would have enough fabric left over for a second project.  The block construction was simple enough, but a certain amount of perfectionism was necessary to get all the seam joinings to line up just right.

 

Once my part of the construction was finished, I packed up the quilt top and sent it back to Fig Tree, where it was handed over to the person who would really make it into a proper quilt.  The quilter!  After she did her magic, the quilt was to be washed and made ready for photography.  Check out Joanna's blog Fresh Figs for photos of her booth at Market.

This is the new pattern, which I understand is selling quickly.  The fabric line used on the quilt on the pattern cover is Patisserie.

Being involved in this process was such an honor for me.  I loved every minute of it!  I would do it again in a heartbeat!  Carrie?  Heather?  Camille?  Call me.....

My Stars (and Pinwheels)

My stars, that was a bit of a flurry yesterday!  I guess the Grab Bag idea is popular!  I will have more of those, you can count on it.  Next time, maybe purples and greens.  Lots of greens.   Thanks to those of you who are helping me clear the stash out.

I had a chance to sew for a bit today and finished my pinwheel blocks.  Tomorrow I shall endeavor to sew the blocks together with the alternate blocks and work on the pieced border.  Here are my pinwheels:

And here is the layout of the blocks.

I saw this quilt in person at Thimblecreek in Walnut Creek a year or so ago.  The pattern is designed by Joe Wood, owner of Thimblecreek.  His quilt was made of lovely striped shirting fabric and looks so different from this version!   The fabric I used (and shown in the picture) is Dandelion Girl by Fig Tree for Moda.  Don't you love the addition of the dark brown chain to the pastel prints?  The dark brown is definitely not part of the fabric collection, but sets the lighter, more delicate fabrics off so well.

Ok friends, here's a question for you:  What do you do with all your little trimmings, bent pins, and snipped threads while you sew?  Do you toss them over your shoulder like Eleanor Burns?  Do you tape a brown lunch sack to your sewing table and use it as a receptacle?  Share with us!  What do you DO with those wasted bits?

Here's my solution.  I received a souvenir cup from a quilting camp I attended in the Sierras, and it seems just the right vessel for my sewing detritus.  I keep it on my sewing table and when it gets full, it gets dumped in the waste basket.

Have a simply MAHVELOUS weekend Dahlings.

End of the Week Grab Bag

I had so many emails from you saying that if I did a Grab Bag sort of sale you would be interested.  I spent a couple of hours sorting through some of my stash, by color group and came up with six selections for today.  The deal is, I will fit as much fabric as I can into a Priority Mail Flat Rate box (cost $10 postage) and you will get the box within two days.  The pieces in each box range from fat quarters, half yards and larger cuts, plus odd sized pieces that still provide plenty of usable fabric for your projects.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

First up, I have over 50 pieces of Fall Themed fabrics. Most are fat quarters, some are smaller, some are larger (up to a yard or more).  $35 plus $10 postage.    SOLD

Next up, some pinks.  Half yards, fat quarters, smaller pieces.  There are around 50 pieces total.  $35 plus $10 postage.   SOLD

 

These 40 pinks are more salmony, and I have 3 yds of a coordinating light fabric.  $35 plus $10 postage.  SOLD

Remember the pansy prints that were so popular awhile back?  I bought lots but never got around to using it.  I have some blue pansies with pale yellow background and blue pansies with white background.  Over 9 yards total.  $40 plus $10 postage.  SOLD

Now for some lighter blues.  40 pieces, assorted sizes and larger cuts (around 3 yds) of the two prints on the left.  $35 plus $10 postage.   SOLD

And some medium/darker blues.  Forty assorted pieces plus 3 yds.  $35 plus $10 postage.  SOLD

Before and After

My sewing room is a total disgrace.  Things have gotten so far away from me that I couldn't get in there and find anything, much less SEW.  The Tuesday Sales have been a great help in clearing out some shelf space and showing me some hidden treasures I had forgotten I had.   See, there is a bit of empty shelf space exposed!   I worked every spare minute this last busy week and this is what I managed to achieve.

Bed all cleared off, check.

Books organized.  Mom and Dad beaming at me proudly for cleaning my room so nicely.

Cutting board cleared off and ready to go.

And best of all, the closet is organized!I can actually see what I have in there, and look at all the batiks I have collected!  Who knew?  They were all jammed in a Rubbermaid tub.  I have an entire shelf devoted to Fig Tree fabrics--what a groupie I am!

Projects labeled and waiting to get finished. 

I am so delighted with my tidy closet, that I had the door open yesterday afternoon while I was working on my pinwheel blocks.  I was so enjoying glancing up and admiring my organized stash.  Ozzie has come in to say "hi", and like a flash, grabbed *two* of my Miss Rosie patterns off the bottom shelf and went tearing out into the back yard with them, Sophie in hot pursuit.  Before I could get the patterns back, they had ripped open the plastic envelopes and had the pattern pages blowing all over the place.  Darn dogs.  Guess I will have to close the doors and post this picture of how I want to keep my stash closet.

Who can work in a messy, cluttered space?  This is SO much better.  I have a couple of spare days coming up where I will be able to stay home and sew (huge happy face), so I should have something to show for it by Monday!

No Tuesday Sale Today

Hi Everyone,  No Tuesday Sale this week.  Inventory is finally getting manageable, and I am down to the stuff that I am really on the fence about parting with.  I will re-assess my situation and see if there is anything else that folks might be interested in.  I have tubs of fabric organized by color, with really large cuts down to fat quarters or fat eighths.  If any of you think you would be interested in a "grab bag" type of deal-- for instance, (all of one color) I could fit into a flat rate Priority Mail box, let me know.

What I have been doing lately has not been sewing, but straightening out my sewing room.  I plan to post before and after pics tomorrow, so be sure and check back.  My sewing table was all cleared out and the room so inviting, that I arranged my schedule at work so I could leave at 2:00 and come home and work on some pin wheel blocks for a Dandelion Girl project I am working on.  So much for good intentions.  The owner of my company came in to my office and asked if she could meet with me at 2:00.  So, I couldn't leave the office until 2:30.  Just as I was going out the door my DH called and asked me to do an errand for him.  The upshot was, I got home at my usual time, but I was still determined to work on those pinwheels.

Love, love, love this fabric group.  I had all my pretty pinwheel combinations lined up.

I marked and sewed a few pairs, and what do you know?  Instead of making pinwheels, I sewed my combinations into hour glass blocks.  Yes, I did.

My kindred spirits out there know what this means:  lots of unsewing.  I am pretty sure I can salvage them.  At least I hadn't cut them in half.  Oh dear.

Guess my mind wasn't fully on my task.

My daughter Sara and son in law Ryan are in the throes of buying a new home, and have encountered a glitch with their lender.  Lots of angst on that front today, which may have distracted my mind.

I want to take a moment and thank all of you who read my blog regularly.  Sometimes I get really busy and don't get a chance to personally respond to all of your comments, and I want to apologize for that.  I appreciate hearing from you all so much.  Seriously, it makes my day.  I vow to make a bigger effort to respond to everyone on a regular basis, so if you haven't been commenting because you think I don't care, please reconsider!  I love you all, and believe me, your feedback and comments are what keeps me blogging!

Enough About Sophie

Hey, everyone, it's me Ozzie.  That darn Sophie has been stealing the lime light lately, so I thought I would give you an update on how I am getting along.  She is a trial to live with, but I am coping pretty well.  As you can see from the picture above (don't I look dapper?), I still have my sense of humor.  I am sitting on the back of my favorite chair, where Nicole lets me lie if I promise not to drool or nibble on the leather.  She keeps putting these quilts on top and I have to say they are pretty comfy.  Sophie is outside chasing birds, so I have a minute to chat with you all.

Oh man.  Just when I start to get really cozy, Sophie has to jump up and horn in on my space.  That's her on the left, trying to nudge me right off my spot.  I tell you, she is so pushy.  Did any of you have a younger brother or sister who always had to being doing whatever you were doing?  Well, then you know how it is for me.  She follows me everywhere.  I can hardly get away from her to hide my bones and toys like I like to do.  I do have a few secret spots in the yard she doesn't know about though.  When my hidden treasures get nasty enough, I will dig them up and won't she be jealous?

So, she got my spot on my favorite chair.  That's ok.  I can find something else to do, like watch Dennis get ready for work.  He puts this white stuff on his face and then scrapes it off again.  It makes him looks very strange.  He put some of it on my nose once, and I could smell it all day long.  People are so odd.

Nicole spends a heck of a lot of time sitting here looking into this thing.  I wonder what she sees in it?  Seems kinda boring to me.  Wait, maybe if I push these buttons, something will happen....  Whoops!

All in all, things aren't too bad.  I have to say that despite the pesky little sister, I do get my share of loving around here.  They keep telling me there is enough love to go around so everyone gets their fair share, and I guess it's true.  Love it when they rub my neck.  Yawn.  Time for a little shut eye.  So long for now.

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites!  Thought I'd share a few of my faves for this week.

Photo:  Sophie with a rawhide bone.  What can I say?  She is intense.  Everything she does, she does it full force, no holds back.  We have had our issues with this strong willed little dog, but she has been behaving lately.  She is a girl who wants a job.  With a capital J.  She is busy all the time, constantly on the alert, ready for anything. Any Thing.  I wish I could leave a list of tasks for her to complete while I am at work during the day.  I know I'd come home and they all would be done.  If only she could fold laundry.  She spent today protecting our garden from some kind of creature--it could have been a gopher, or maybe it was a big ground squirrel or prairie dog.  Who knows, last I saw she had it scrambling over the back fence.

Reads:  While in the car, I've been listening to an audio recording of a book called The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes.  It is a fictional story of a landlord and his wife who take in a lodger that they believe could be Jack the Ripper.  Do they turn him in and give up the rent money that they so desperately need?  This is such a suspenseful tale I find myself driving past my own house I am so caught up in the story!  Don't miss this oldie!

On my bedside table is The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.  The characters in this book move from Pre World War 1 to the present, and between Brisbane, Australia and Cornwall, England.  Morton's books are best sellers in England and Australia, and I am so pleased to have discovered her.  I recently finished her House at Riverton and couldn't wait to get my hands on more of her works. 

 

Listen:  Pink Martini.  If you don't know Pink Martini, your life is incomplete!  This is their third album, Hey Eugene.  They have quite a global sound, and one of their songs that I can't get out of my head when I hear it is "Donde Estas, Yolanda?" from their Sympathique cd.  Fun music, always lifts my mood.

 

Cooking:  My fave meal of the past week has to have been the Shepherd's Pie I made when my son Ahren came from Cal Poly.  You hardly need a recipe for this stick to your ribs dish.  Brown a pound or so of hamburger along with some diced onion, carrot and celery.  Add a couple tablespoons of flour to thicken.  I also added salt and pepper, some broth and Worchestershire.  It needed something else, so I put in a squeeze of lemon juice.  Put it all in an oval baking dish and top with mashed potatoes.  Yum.  I sprinkled on some cheddar cheese for color and cooked it for 30 minutes at 350.  Supposed to serve six and the three of us ate it all at one sitting.

Favorite New Find:  This gingham skirt with a botanical print from Talbots.  So cute with a black tee and a narrow belt.  Add your favorite strappy sandals, and you are good to go anywhere.  I adore this skirt and it will be in regular rotation all summer long!

 

Out and About:  I think I neglected to mention that I have taken on a second part time job at said Talbots, mentioned above.  They have me working this Friday and Saturday, so that will pretty much be my outing!  With any luck I will not be scheduled to work Sunday and can get up to Palo Alto to see my dear dad, who I have missed the past two weekends.  Sunday Dinner with the family is what feeds my soul!

Quilting Project:   Fabric is Dandelion Girl by Fig Tree for Moda.  Very pretty colors of pale blue, yellow, pale coral.  I am making two blocks, a nine patch surround block and a pinwheel block.  The nine patch block will form a chain pattern on the quilt top and will be a strong contrast to the pastels.  I hope to get some pinwheels finished this weekend in my spare moments.

Gratitude:  My children are safe and happy.  Sara and Ryan bought their first home in Angel's Camp, California and the deal should close escrow this following weekend.  Ahren is doing well in graduate school and doesn't ride his motorcycle anymore.  That is one worry gone from my life!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

After Work

The clock over the pantry door says it's Wine O'Clock as my dad likes to say.  Here I am, home from my day at work, which was a good one, all in all.  Time for a restorative and a bit of a walk about the yard.  Glorious weather today, it was.  About time.

Won't you join me for a glass of chardonnay and a stroll around the garden?  Those roses above were picked by my wonderful husband, who often collects pretty roses and puts them in vases in places he knows will delight me.  I even found a bud vase with a perfect red rose next to my toothbrush cup in my bathroom last week.  The roses are doing their best right now, as they always do for their first bloom in May.

Don't ask me the names, I would have to get down on my hands and knees and look at the little metal tag at the roots.  I am wearing white slacks, it isn't going to happen.  I love this one, in all its Peppermint Twist perfection.  If it isn't called Peppermint Twist, well, it should be.

I do remember this one's name.  Just Joey.  I have a notion that it was named after a B Movie (sorry)  & TV actress named Joey Heatherton.  The last I ever saw of her she was doing some kind of commercials for mattresses.  Anyway, this rose is a yummy apricotty color that everyone needs in their garden.

This is the rose arbor.  My husband planted two climbing red roses at the base on each side and we have been waiting three years for them to climb up to the top.  They just won't.  Stubborn old things.  Any suggestions on how to persuade them to CLIMB?

If you want a landscaping rose, this is your answer.  Iceberg.  As in icy white, not lettuce.  This rose never fails, wherever we have planted it.    There is a tree rose version, a climbing version--whatever you want, this rose is game for it.  It is full of flowers all summer long with out a break.  It was a major player in my mother's All White Garden.

The rose planted in this urn is ready to burst into blooms.  It is one of those Carpet roses, another fantastic landscaping choice.  They will even cascade down the sides of a pot, which is a very cool look.  What is cascading down the side of my pot is alyssum, which volunteered from last year, and is ever more magnificent than it was.  I do love a flower that comes back. 

My sister Andrea recently had a post where she posed the question, "Why is it, that a red version of the flower you are planting always pops up when you were just expecting whites or pastels?"

This is what happened to her pastel arrangement (photo stolen borrowed from Andrea):

 

Here's what happened in my pink pot:

 

Andrea yanked out her intruder, but I am letting mine stay on.

Thanks for joining me on this little walk about.  DH is home, gotta go.

History

Susan recently had a post that was inspired by an old family photo she had been given by a relative.  She showed how her daddy's baby picture resembled a new baby in her family.  It was so interesting to see how strong physical traits are passed on through generations.

The photo above is of my maternal grandmother Agnes, great grandmother McGrath, great-great grandmother Collins, and great-great-great grandmother Paquette.  Grandma Paquette, I never knew, but was reputed to be a sweet heart.  Grandma Agnes is the pretty young girl on the right, with her grandma Collins next to her.  My great Grandma McGrath is the assertive looking, well corseted woman on the left.  I remember her so well, as she lived to be 100 years old, and dyed her hair red until her last day.  She may have gone to her grave with some grey roots showing, but somehow I doubt it.

My Grandma Agnes was a very influential figure in my life, as she took care of me a good deal of the time when I was little, and my parents worked and finished college.  I loved her beyond measure and wanted to be exactly like her when I grew up.  She was bosomy, wore aprons and big plastic button earrings with her house dresses.  She worked hard, but always had time for a cuddle with me.  I could have a real conversation with her, as she listened well and never talked down to me, even though my constant prattling must have gotten tiresome.  And I remember always giving her a fight about going down for a nap.

But I digress.  My point is that family resemblences carry on through the generations.  My niece Madeline looks amazingly like Grandma Agnes did as a young girl.  I tried to find a picture of Maddi all on her own, but the only one I could find of her was a group shot of all my nieces and nephews which was taken at Sara's wedding.  That is Maddi in the pink polka dot dress standing next to the bride.  She looks just like Grandma Agnes' red haired sister!  Can you see it?

Tuesday Sale

 

This is a bundle of Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet by Sandy Gervais for Moda.  Such pretty colors for your Fall or Halloween projects!  37 fat quarters plus large panel.  $70 plus $10 postage.  SOLD

PayPal purchasing information is at the bottom of this post.  Inventory issues resolved.

 

I love this group and have really been on the fence about giving it up.  It is another Sandy Gervais collection called Old Friends, New Quilts or is it New Friends, Old Quilts?  At any rate these purples and sage greens are wonderful together!  I even managed to collect some flannel/wovens that coordinate with it.  There are 35 fatquarters (10 of them wovens) and two yards of the lighter background fabric in the foreground.  $75 plus $10 postage.   SOLD

 

This is such a beautiful group by Branock and Patek for Moda, called Wildrose.  The colors are a rich red, a sage green, navy and some creamy backgrounds.  There are 34 fatquarters and 3 yards of green paisley for a border.  $75 plus $8 for postage.   SOLD

 

If you love Kansas Troubles fabric, you may be wishing you had bought some Shades of Autumn when it was available.  These lovely fall tones would make a gorgeous quilt.  I have  22 fatquarters, with approximately equal pieces of brown, red and golds.  Add your own tan or cream backgrounds and this would be stunning.  $40 plus $8 postage.   SOLD

 

How about some wovens?  There are 23 assorted plaid pieces here, most are fat quarters.  Some may have had small cuts taken out of them.  $30 plus $8 postage.    SOLD

 

If your taste runs more toward lighter colors, here are 20 wovens that coordinate with previously released Moda collections.  Most are full fat quarters, but I may have taken cuts off of some of them.  $35 plus $8 for postage.  SOLD

 

Remember Blackbird Design's Madeira?  I have some fatquarters that I didn't use for a project.  22 fatquarters, some of which are wovens.  $35 plus $8 for postage.  SOLD

 

I have combined two Branock and Patek groups here because I had a project in mind.  The groups are Rites of Spring and Porch Swing.  22 fatquarters  $35 plus $8 postage.  SOLD

 

This is a 2 1/2 yard cut from the Gatherings collection by Brannock and Patek.  I had purchased it to be a border, but found that the blue was speaking to me more than the red, so changed my plan.  $15 plus $5 postage.   SOLD

 

Peas and Carrots by American Jane.  Loved this pink and green color combination and thought it would be a great border.  4 yards $24 plus $5 postage.   SOLD

 

Morning Garden, by Alex Anderson for P&B Textiles.  When I ordered it, I thought it was red flowers on a white background, but it turns out the background is pale pink.  I couldn't use it for the project I had in mind.  4 yards, $24 plus $5 postage.  STILL AVAILABLE

 

Assorted pieces of Moda Marbles.  The cuts range from 1 1/2 yards of the darkest brown, 3/4 yard of the light tan, and I believe the other cuts are all 1/2 yard.  The light tan has a cut taken out of it that I used for a project.  12 pieces, plenty for a quilt top, or to have on hand in your stash.  $50  plus $10 postage.   SOLD

 

40 fatquarters of the yummy Bound to the Prairie collection by Kansas Troubles for Moda.  Lots of light  backgrounds for a super scrappy look.  This is a beautiful quilt waiting to happen.  $72 plus $10 postage.   SOLD

 

I bought this pink print to be the backing of a quilt I know I am not going to finish.  The print, In The Pink, was designed by Buggy Barn and goes with a couple of collections they have come out with.  6 1/2 yards!  $35 plus $10 postage.  SOLD

There are two PayPal links on the right side bar.  Only ten items fit on one PayPal link, that is why I needed two.  If you click on the Buy It Now button you will see a drop down menu of the items, with the total price including postage listed.  If you select something, you will be taken to PayPal, where you can use a credit card or PayPal account.  If the item has already been sold, you will get a notice stating that.  Thanks for shopping!

File Cabinet Covers

Aren't these purple batiks yummy?  I had a Bali Pop of 2 1/2 inch strips and made this over the weekend.  It looks like a quilt for a monk's cell cot, but it isn't.  The monks and I are on good terms, but are not that close.  What it really is, is a cover for my beat up file cabinets in my office at work. 

My husband popped his head in my sewing room door and said "Wow.  That sure is purple".  Which I am pretty sure was not a compliment.  Then he inquired what it was.  I explained that I had two tall file cabinets in my office which were kind of beat up and that this was going to be a cover for them.  He was so confused.  "How will you be able to open the drawers if the cabinets are covered up?" he wanted to know.  Honestly, you would think a man with as much education and experience as he has had in his life would have a better grasp of things.  "It goes on the TOP, with the overhang on the SIDES", I patiently explained. 

I don't plan to quilt this, but I will back it with some more batik so it has a nice weight and finished edges.  This pattern was great.  It is called Boxed In from Heather Mulder Petersen's book "Let the Good Times Roll".  Fantastic pattern, and I will be making it again, you can bet on that.  The pattern is for a bed sized quilt, using jelly rolls.  I just made it narrower to suit my purpose.  You can add more blocks to make this any size you like.  It turned out to be a perfect use for the Bali Pop I had on hand, and I highly recommend it to any of you who have some of those fun batik jelly roll treats on hand.  Of course any collection of jelly rolls would work, it doesn't have to be batiks.  I thoroughly enjoyed making all the different fabric combinations for the blocks, and the construction took no time at all.  You could make a quilt in a weekend.

Tuesday Sale tomorrow.  Don't know how much longer I can keep this up!  My shelves are starting to look slightly more empty!  Tomorrow I have 14 items.  8:00 AM Pacific Time.

Friday, Day Off

Greetings from sunny California.  Looks like it will be a mighty fine day here, and it will be tough to stay inside at the Bernina.    I am going to try though!  Can't waste a day off.   These are some blocks I finished while up at the retreat.  The fabric is Patisserie by Fig Tree for Moda, and the pattern is on the cover of one of Heather Mulder Petersen's books.  On a Roll I think.  I could have sworn I was all done with these blocks, but as you can see, I am short one.  I should at least be able to get that done despite the enticing day.

But there are always other interruptions.  It is a miracle I can accomplish anything around here.

Here I am in my jammies trying to blog this post and Sophie just isn't having it.  Welcome to my world.