Sister's Choice Quilts

A Weekend Full of Finishes

A fellow quilting blogger recently asked the question "At what point in your quilt construction do you get bogged down?"  There were plenty of different answers.  Some folks let their quilts sit for months before they get the bindings sewn on.  Others love making the blocks, but hate the lay out and row construction. 

I have been guilty of many delaying tactics, but I have to say, my issue is borders.  I love getting those quilt tops together, and then I set them aside for a little rest.  Borders are boring.  Or they can be, I suppose.  I had a bit of a look around the sewing room last week and discovered I had a fair number of borderless quilt tops still waiting for that final step before they go off to the quilters.  I had my work cut out for me, but I made the most of this wonderful four day weekend.  Aside from Thanksgiving Day, I barely left my Bernina.

Here is my completed blue and white quilt.  Please don't tell me you see a block turned the wrong way around.  It would be cruel at this point.  My gosh, I had trouble with this lay out.  I think it might have been easier if I had used blues all in the same tone.  I still like the effect though.

This is Birdseye, with its final border.  I will be so happy to get this one back from the quilter so I can start using it.  This quilt just says "Autumn" like no other.

Remember Prairie Paisley?  This poor thing has been waiting so long for its borders.  Once I get this one back from the quilter, I will display it from Memorial Day to Fourth of July.

And finally, Woo Hoo!  I am so proud of this one.  Flowers for Clara, complete with machine appliqued borders!  This is one huge quilt.  I couldn't get back far enough to fit it all into my camera lens!  I practically had to go outside and take the picture looking in the window.

 

I made it just as the pattern showed, but am thinking it would be cool to put the applique motif in all four corners, and not just two of them.  Besides, I was having myself a good time once I got into the applique thing.  Now, I can't stop!  I am going to be putting appliques on everything.

 

If you have not done much machine applique, please reconsider.  Start small, with dish towels to give as holiday gifts, or baby bibs, or aprons.  Once you start with applique you will love it.   Applique adds such a special touch to a quilt, I hope you will give it a try.  I felt like a little girl again, cutting out paper dolls.  My teachers always did say I had good scissor skills...

I kept referring to Barbara Brandeburg's wonderful tutorial, and it made all the difference.  She shows you how to trace the shapes onto fusible interfacing, how to iron them onto the applique pieces, and what stitches to use to sew them down.  Her pictures are great and she makes it look easy.  Shoot, it WAS easy!  I only goofed up once and ironed my interfacing to the right side of the fabric instead of the wrong side, but it was ok, I had extra fabric.

So now that I have four quilts finally off my "Finish It" list, I can buckle down on my Red and White Snowball quilt.  What a good feeling to get these done!

The Day After

Good morning.  This is my sleepy self saying, "Hope you all had a safe and happy Thanksgiving".   Mine was lovely, and I seem to be operating in low gear today.  Probably the effects of too much turkey (and mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie).  Seriously, it is a known fact that turkey contains an amino acid called tryptophan, a component that in large amounts makes people sleepy.  I think you would have to eat a truckload of turkey to achieve that effect, but in combination with all carbs one eats at Thanksgiving dinner, I for one, always feel like curling up on the couch and sleeping until next Thanksgiving.

The picture above is of the pretty Japanese maples my mother planted in the garden at her house in Palo Alto.  They are always at their full glory on Thanksgiving.  They always remind me of my mother, as if she is still with us through their beauty.

We had a big crowd of family at the table, and since everyone in attendance brought a dish or two or three, there was enough food for the entire neighborhood.  It wouldn't even all fit on the table.  My sister Kate brought her special gold and white holiday dishes, so the table was truly festive.  The guests ranged in age from 16 to 84.

We brought both the dogs with us to the party.  Sophie did not get car sick, for the first time in her life.  Now that is really something to be thankful for.  The dogs did not get into a fight and embarrass us to death.  Another item for the gratitude list.

I know I didn't feed Ozzie and Sophie any turkey, but somebody must have.  They are pretty much sacked out and good for nothing today.

 

Ozzie making himself small.

 

Sophie making herself large.

Thank You Dee

The best thing about having a quilting blog?  The kindness of other bloggers!  You can share your work, see what others are making, exchange tips, join challenges and generally offer support and friendship to others who share your passion.  Today I have a big reason to celebrate blogging.

Yesterday I posted a picture of my partially assembled blue and white quilt.  I was pretty happy with it, and indeed got a lot of positive comments.

One of the comments was from the lovely Dee, who pointed out gently that I had a block turned wrong.  She said she knew I would see it myself any second, but wanted to point it out just in case.

Gasp.  Dee was right.  This is the sort of mistake that would just ruin this quilt.  It is so important for the strong visual effect of this quilt not to make any sorts of errors of this kind.

 

There were in fact, two blocks turned wrong.  See the difference in the pattern?  You would think it would be impossible to mess us a strong design like this, but you would be surprised.

Thank you Dee.

Here is another reason to celebrate blogging.  Welcoming new bloggers to our midst!  Go on over and say hello to Laurey in Oz.  She just started a blog and would love to make some new friends.  She is working on a Jane Austen reproduction quilt she is making for her parents 25th anniversary.

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program...

I know, I know, I am supposed to be working on my Red and White Snowball Challenge quilt.  And I am, really.  However, working on this red and white two color quilt got me thinking about a project I started about two years ago.

I adore two color quilts, and back in June 2008 I started a blue and white quilt from an old Marsha McCloskey book called On To Square Two.  The inspiration for the quilt was an amazing project completed by Patti of Quilting is My Passion.  Here is a picture of the quilt Patti made that so inspired me:

Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?  I just had to have one, and since I owned the book and had a hefty stash of blue and white fabrics, I got going and started my own version in blue.  And stopped after making 16 blocks.  Why?  Because the author, a very well known quilting guru, who I respect and admire, favors the most regrettable method of constructing half square triangle and hour glass blocks known to man.  She does something called Bias Squares, which involves cutting strips of fabric on the bias and trimming them up into half square triangles.  It is a method I find tedious in the extreme.

So, I shelved the project, but it has haunted me and called to me for the past 15 months. 

"Niiiii-cooooooollle, we waaaaannnnnnt yoou to fiiiiiiiiniiiiiiisssssh us". Great.  Now I am hearing voices.

So, as I said, the Red and White Snowball thing got me thinking about this potentially fabulous UFO.  I got the project box down out of the closet, blew the dust off it, and got to thinking about a different approach.  I did the math and figured out that to make the  3 1/2 inch hour glass blocks, I needed 4 1/4 inch squares.  Great.  To get the  3 1/2 inch half square triangles, I used my trusty Easy Angle tool.  All I needed to do was take my fat quarters and cut one 4 1/4 inch strip and one 3/12 inch strip.  And, I got two blocks out of each strip combination!  Instead of butchering my lovely fat quarters with Marsha's method.  Sorry, but I think my way is better.

 

Before I could say "Bob's your uncle", I had made 42 blocks.  The block,  by the way,  is an old classic called Massachusetts Cross and Crown.  But I was far from finished.

The quilt calls for a complicated pieced lattice.  There are a lot of ways to go wrong with the lattice, which involves 2 1/2 inch light strips and dark strips paired with half square triangles that must be positioned just so.  One way for the light strips and another way for the dark strips.  Would you think that Marsha would have included a diagram to help out with the placement of the lattice strips?  Me too, but she didn't.  She does include a black and graph thing that you could color in with your own colored pencils, but please.  Just give me a diagram, is that too much to ask?   Woeful directions.  So that took another hour to figure out. 

Then the lay out.  Aye yi yi.  This is one tricky so and so.  Not for sissies. Do not drink any chardonnay while working this out.

My version of the quilt is not so large as Patti's but larger than Marsha's.  Patti made 64 blocks to get the design she chose.  Marsha made 30 blocks to get the quilt pictured in her book.  I believe in quilts that actually fit a bed, so I decided on 42 blocks, a 6 x 7 layout.  This block and lattice are conducive to just about any log cabin type layout you can imagine.   I liked the sort of off kilter design featured in the book, but just needed it to be a scosh bigger.

 

I'm at the half way point, and I know this is going to be great, but stay tuned! Back to the Red and White Snowball Challenge in a minute.

A Patch of Sunshine

Thanks for all your encouraging comments after my post on Thursday.  I don't have so much trouble finding things to do, I just miss the routine and company that having my husband and Ozzie home brings.  So, Friday, I had the entire day off and made the most of it.  I didn't leave the house all day long, and spent about nine hours in my sewing room.  I will show you what I was up to on Monday.

Sometimes we need to take lessons from our pets.  That is Ozzie, the eternal optimist, in the picture above.  He is never bored.  He can always find some sort of trickery or mischief to get up to.  Everyday is a new adventure for him.  They say dogs love routine, and that is definitely true when it comes to Sophie's preferences, but not Ozzie.  Oh sure, he likes to have his dinner and walkies at the usual time, but he is a guy who is Always Up for Some Novelty.  A ride in the car?  Oh yeah.  A toy?  Whoopee!  A visitor?  Hang on to your hat.  And if there is no entertainment, he will make his own.  Hide your shoes, cell phones, the tv remote, eye glasses, any small personal object he can get his paws on.  He will grab it, make sure you KNOW he has it, and then make you chase around after him to get it back.  Fun, fun, fun.

Even when he slows down and stops for a second, he has a knack for finding the patch of sunshine.

See what I mean?  We can learn a lot from our pets.

Isolation

"Tap tap tap....is this thing on?  Anyone there?"

I think I am done with the being on my own during the week business.  I am lonely.  TV has no appeal, and reading is ok, but I want something more.  I play with the dog and I goof off on the computer, but those activities, no matter how enjoyable, are no subsitute for human interaction.

After the first week or so of being on my own, I have completely given up on cooking.  I buy a big sandwich for lunch and eat half at noon and save the other half for dinner.  Sad.  Fast food is tempting, but that equals FAT in no time flat.  Still too vain to go that route.  However, cooking for one just seems like too much of a bother and mess.  I still set the table for two though.  How pathetic is that?

I want someone to talk to!  How do the rest of you who live alone, all or part of the week deal with your solitude?  Is it peaceful or is it boring?  I am lucky that at least I have the weekends with my husband and sometimes other family members.  I don't know how I would cope if this was a permanent arrangement.

Maybe this is just a blip on my solitude adjustment graph.  The low point before I start thinking "Oh yeah.  This is the life".   Maybe next week.

This isn't the post I started out intending to write.  Obviously I don't have a heck of a lot to share, but what I wanted to show you was my progress on my red and white snowball quilt.

Half square triangles done--check.  Red strip units done--check.  Light strip units done--check.  The next step is to complete the light snowball side units and then assemble all the blocks.  This baby will be done way before the end of January if I keep this up!  By the way, have any of you checked out Thelma's blog to see what she has done with some of her blocks?  Please go check it out, it is the cutest idea ever.

Have all of you swappers received your swap fabrics?  Let Allyson and I know if you haven't.  If someone has had to drop out of the swap and you are left with less fabrics than you counted on, send me an email.  I will try to make it right for you.

I totally lucked out in the swap department.  Not only did I get all my swap fabrics in a timely manner, I got some totally unanticipated extra goodies!  Which I, the gal who didn't even remember to enclose her fabrics in a plastic zip lock bag, or leave a cheery note, did not deserve.

 

Check out that little cupcake stick pin!  How cute is that?  Thelma again.  That girl always takes it to the next level, I swear.

Seeing Red

I'm seeing red alright, but in a good way!  I found the fabulous border fabric above for my Red and White Snowball quilt challenge.  My plan is to add a narrow black containment border, and then a wider border of this pretty red print.  Inkwell Prints by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.

Sophie, my little companion, is fascinated by this project and keeps getting into things in an effort to "help me".  She is a swell helper indeed.  She is prepared to hang on to this zip lock bag of red snowball units no matter what.  I had to give her a dog biscuit to let go of that.

 

I am so glad that many of you enjoy shoes as much as I do!  It was fun hearing from some of you about your memories of buying favorite shoes.  Just so you know that I share the goodies, I am organizing a holiday shoe drive at work. 

The charity is called Soles4Souls.  It provides new or "gently worn" shoes to people all over the world who perhaps have never had a pair of shoes on their feet in their lives.  It is an especially good feeling to be able to provide foot wear for barefoot children who live in poverty stricken conditions.  Imagine their joy at receiving a pair of shoes when they have had to do without their entire lives.  This is a great cause, and if you are interested, you might want to check out their website Soles4Souls, and organize a Holiday Shoe drive of your own. 

We take having good shoes on our feet as a basic right, but it sure doesn't work that way in many other places.  Do you know most American households have dozens of shoes in their closets that they are not wearing?  Take a good look, you probably do too.  I may not be ready to give up those snazzy red plaid heels just yet, but I do have a few pair of decent loafers and sneakers I could donate that are more practical anyway!

Choosing Shoes

Choosing Shoes

by Frida Wolfe

New shoes, new shoes,
Red and pink and blue shoes.
Tell me, what would you choose,
If they'd let us buy?

Buckle shoes, bow shoes,
Pretty pointy-toe shoes,
Strappy, cappy low shoes;
Let's have some to try.

Bright shoes, white shoes,
Dandy-dance-by-night shoes,
Perhaps-a-little-tight shoes,
Like some? So would I.

BUT
Flat shoes, fat shoes,
Stump-along-like-that shoes,
Wipe-them-on-the-mat shoes,
That's the sort they'll buy.

What is it about red shoes?  Susan at Blackberry Creek had a post the other day on how much she loves red shoes.  Me too.  It is a proven fact that wearing red shoes makes a person happy.  Plus, I think red shoes are lucky.  At the very least they indicate a person who has courage.

The poem by Frida Wolfe is one of my favorites from back in my teaching days.  You must believe me that the words in that poem resonated with every single child I ever read it to.  Remember when you wanted the Glow In The Dark Mary Janes and your parents wouldn't let you have them?  And you had to settle for some other more sensible, far less fun, shoes?  Every one of us has had that happen.  The first time my mom let me buy my own shoes was when I was in 8th grade.  I had earned the money myself by babysitting.  What did I choose?  Gold Lame' Ankle Boots.  (Hanging head in shame).  All I can say is that becoming a person of style and taste takes some practice.

One of the joys of becoming an adult is being able to choose our own shoes!  And I hope I can say I am doing better than I did when I was 13.  I love shoes.  But the red ones hold a special place in my heart.

 

These are the most recent red shoes to come live with me.  They were on sale at Macy's and I couldn't resist.  The heel looks high, but it turns out if you buy your high heels a half size bigger than you normally wear, they feel better.  (What is that line from Steel Magnolias?  Dolly Parton says,  "I wear a six, but a seven feels so good, I always buy the eight").

These are the red shoes I wear most often.  Very silly shoes.  However, they feel like butter, and I got them in Madrid when I joined Sara and Ryan on their honeymoon in Spain.  (I'll tell you about that another time).  Great memories associated with these shoes.

These are my Go-To shoes when I want to feel glamorous.  The first time I wore them was to a family party for the Academy Awards.  I dressed up in little black cigarette pants and a red silk kimono style blouse and wore these shoes.  Fun fun fun.  They have a  little heel, but not so high it is dangerous.

Oh shoes.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.....

Back In Business

I used to fantasize how lovely it would be if my son became a doctor.  Or maybe a jeweler.  Sometimes you don't get what you want, you get what you need.  (Thanks Mick).  My son is a getting his graduate degree in Computer Science.  Yes indeed, he is.   Are you making the connection?

He came home this weekend and took my seemingly dead laptop apart.  Honestly, can you even imagine?  How the heck can anyone even get in there?  Well he did.  It turned out that the damage from my coffee spill mishap wasn't fatal after all.  But the computer was pouting and needed some coaxing and prodding to wake up and carry on properly.  It was interesting to see all that lies underneath the keyboard on a lap top.  Once you see what is under there, you can understand why spilling some sort of liquid would be a disaster.  

Now that things are all better (Thank You Ahren!), I vow never to have an open cup of any sort of liquid in the vicinity of my laptop.  If I do have any coffee, it will be in the old Tommy Tippy cup Sara used to use when she was a baby.  Notice the dishtowel underneath the laptop?  Just a precaution. 

Now.  On to the Red and White Snowball Challenge!  How is it going girls?  I have my 480 half square triangles all done.  Man, that was a lot of HSTs.  I used the Easy Angle ruler to make mine, but half square triangle papers would be a good way to go with this task too.  I was just weary of the paper method, having just done a million HSTs that way recently.  This is what 480 half square triangle units looks like:

The way I kept track of how many I had was to stack them in 10 piles of 48.  I got 12 HSTs out of each 21 inch long fabric strip pairing.  I made myself do 4 sets at a sitting (48 HSTs), and before you know it they were done.  

Next, I was on to the strip sets needed for the middle part of each block.  I am using 21 inch long strips for those too.  Just so you know, you need to make 7 strip sets to get your 49 or 50 2 1/2 inch units.  If you are using 21 inch long strips of fabric like I am.

One word of advice:  follow the pressing instructions very carefully.  You will be glad you did.

I have finished 100 of the 118 red side units that I need for my blocks and borders.  I haven't started in on making the light units yet.  This quilt isn't one of those snappy things you can throw together in a weekend.  But isn't it nice to work on something that takes a bit of effort?  I agree.

 

One thing I always always do when I am making any quilt, is to make a test block first thing.  It is kind of an incentive thing for me I think.  These are the two blocks you will be making for the quilt.  

So, how are you all progressing?  Let's have a status update!

What Not to Do List

So, my laptop is fried and I can't connect my camera to my husband's computer to post any quilting pictures, so I am relying on Getty Images to inspire me with blog topic ideas.  The photo above got me thinking about unfortunate things that could have been avoided had they been on my master DO NOT DO THIS list.  All so true.

1) Do not take your cell phone or the tv remote into the bathroom with you.

2) Do not try bikini waxing at home.

3) Do not leave dirty motor oil on the side yard where the dog can knock it over.

4) Do not drink coffee in an open container next to your lap top.

5) Do not leave fat quarter collection on coffee table where son in law is drinking red wine

6) Use less soap than you think you need when filling the dishwasher or washing machine.

7) Do not stick your head between bars of any sort.  It will get stuck.

8) Don't catch your heel in a crack on the stage when you are being introduced to make a speech.

9)  Do not wear a new white bra and a new red tee shirt at the same time.  Especially on a warm day.

10) Do not carry a bottle of red nail polish in your purse.  

11) When in doubt, double bag it.

12) Do not put your rings in your shirt pocket when you are playing at the beach.

13) Five Reese's peanut butter cups is enough.

14) Don't forget about the spaghetti in the pot.

15) Do not leave your new orange sandals alone in the same room as the puppy.

16) Don't forget to put the lid on the blender jar.

17) Do not confuse the spray adhesive with the Scotchgard when spraying your new canvas shoes.

18) Make sure the tree stand is big enough for the Christmas tree.

19) Don't let your freshly colored wet hair touch the back of your beige suede chair.

20)  Do not let your toddler play with marbles in the bathtub.  Please trust me on this one.