Sister's Choice Quilts

Bloc Loc Kite in a Square Tool

As you know I am doing the Sampler Spree Sew Along. One of the blocks I wanted to make this week is this one from Susan Ache's book "Sampler Spree". You can make the block from a template you make yourself or by purchasing a tool made by Bloc Loc. I went for the tool, "Kite in a Square" because Bloc Loc never has failed me and I love the look of this kite unit. It is pricey, but my son gave me a gift certificate to FQS, so there you are...

The tool comes in three pieces: The kite, the background, and the trim tool. 

Here are the three pieces of fabric needed for the unit. Looks kinda like a big moth. Bloc Loc has a great YouTube tutorial on how to sew them together.

Here is my unit, pieces attached and ready to trim.

The unit is all trimmed up and measures exactly 3 1/2" as it is supposed to.

Four units sewn into a 6 1/2" unfinished block. I quite like it.

I do not at all regret purchasing the tool, and I know I will use it anytime I need a 6 1/2" block for a sampler quilt. You will certainly see it in my Red Sampler project.

I used it for another block in the Sampler Spree book. On the lower right is "Tussie Mussie", featuring one of the Kite in a Square units.

I really liked this tool, as I typically do with any Bloc Loc product. If you had a layer cake of a special fabric collection you are not sure what to do with, this tool might give you some ideas!

Thanks for all your good wishes on my first cataract surgery. My vision is still a bit blurry today, but I am noticing how much brighter my world is. Before I was looking through a golden haze, and now everything is shiny white and clear. I am not so wiped out feeling today and think I am on the mend.

Have an excellent weekend!
 

 

Got Through It Just Fine

Just a quick update to say my first cataract surgery went all right. My vision is still blurry and I am quite tired for some reason. The doctor says things will improve day by day, so I am counting on it. I think I was expecting instant perfect vision, so I feel just a bit let down. I can tell it is better than it was, so that is a big plus!

Thanks for all your good wishes!

Out For a Day or So

I won't be posting for a couple of days because I am going to have eye surgery. Those pesky cataracts are starting to cramp my sewing and reading style, so I decided to do something about it.

I really like my doctor and think I will be in good hands. My left eye gets done this week and my right eye gets done in July.

So don't worry if you don't hear from me for a few days. I will be sure and let you know how it goes!

Happy Summer Solstice and Happy 14th Birthday to Ozzie!

Red Sampler Sew Along Week Four

This Red Sampler Sew Along by Lori Holt is so lovely. I am enjoying the fabrics, and the block patterns are all terrific. The patterns are all from various books she has published over the past few years, so you do need to have them to complete the blocks. I had them already, so that was all fine by me. If I had had to purchase four new books in order to participate in the sew-along, I may have felt differently, just saying. But the books are good, the patterns are well written and easy to follow and my blocks make me happy. So there we are.

The largest block in the photo above is a Granny Square block. They are kind of fussy to make, but the results are wonderful, don't you think?

That pinwheel block on the upper right is really a cool block, and I think it would be a terrific block for a One Block quilt. The construction of the pinwheel is a little bit different, and I really do love the look of it. It was fun to make too.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads in your lives. I am off this morning to spend a few days with mine. Goodness, I feel so blessed that he has been with us for so many years! 96 of them come November. Amazing. And he is a total love. He is so considerate. He forgot my birthday (at 95 I forgive him) and when it was brought to his attention, he called me to apologize and wish me the best on my special day.  Like I said, he is a dear.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sampler Spree Sew Along- and, Let's Talk About Sew Alongs

If you love sew-alongs, a new one started up this week that looks like it will be a lot of fun, and a skill-builder too. It is the Sampler Spree Sew-Along, based on the book Sampler Spree by Susan Ache. A lot of great designers are participating in this one, everyone doing their own thing as far as colors, etc, but all the 6" block patterns come from Susan's new book. There are 100 quilt block patterns in the book, so it is a nice resource.

Here is a link to Moda's website introduction to the project. And here is a link to Lella Boutique's website. I am going to use Vanessa's layout (which is a big maple leaf), and even copy her on the fabric collection she is using. I have fat quarter bundles of both Persimmon and Cider by Basic Grey, which I have been hanging on to for the perfect project for a fall quilt. I plan to make five blocks a week and just start on page one of the book and dive in. Lots of people are posting their blocks on Instagram #samplerspreeqal which are fun to see.

This is Vanessa's planned layout for her blocks.

Now that the Sewcialites Sew Along is a wrap-up, there may be room in my life for another sew-along. I know I have been rather impulsive in jumping into every sew-along that starts up lately, so I thought I would give you an update on the status of the ones I have joined.

Moda BlockHeads 3:  all but finished. One final vertical row to assemble and attach. Then off to the quilter.
365 Little Blocks: these paper-pieced blocks are too much, and besides I have no idea how in the world I would use them in a finished project. This one has been shelved indefinitely.
Sewcialites: all but finished. I have sewn all the rows and just need to sew those rows together. Then off to the quilter.
Heartfelt: I have shelved this one for the time being. I may get back to it, but no guilt.
Serendipity: still enjoying this one. I have a couple of rows to complete, then will sew the rows together for a finish. The colors are quite springy, so I don't feel a big rush to get it done right now. Once I decide to wrap it up, it won't take long.
Red Sampler with Lori Holt: loving this one and have completed three of the ten weeks released so far. I don't feel a rush with this one. The red and white color scheme works well for the holidays, so I'll keep plugging away at it.

So out of six sew-alongs, I have just about finished two, have shelved two, have one that I am in no rush to finish, and one that I am actively working on. So, I have decided to jump into Sampler Spree. I just can't resist. I realize that the idea of juggling so many sew-alongs can be extremely over-whelming. I am going to be concentrating primarily on two of them (The Red Sampler and Sampler Spree). My goal is to complete MBH3 and Sewcialites and get them quilted and off my conscience this next week.

Are any of you as impulsive about joining in on these sew-alongs as I have been? I would like to be a bit more discriminating and not join so many of them. The thing that I love about sew-alongs is the structure of the weekly block making, and the camaraderie of so many other quilters working on the same project. At this point in my life, I don't NEED any more quilts, but still enjoy the process of getting into my sewing room and working on something. The drawn-out schedule of these sew-alongs suits my needs right now, and I find I can still learn new techniques and skills as I participate. 

What are your thoughts?

 

 

 

What a Day

I haven't had quite as much time to sew as I had expected, due to my poor grand dog Remy's anxiety issues.  Since we are taking care of him for a few days while his family is on vacation, we have witnessed how severe his anxiety issues are. He will go to the veterinarian on Thursday, but in the meantime, we are trying to deal with his issues and make him as comfortable as we can.

I thought at first that the poor little guy's anxiety attacks happened at dusk, but it turns out he has them any time during the day. Yesterday he began shaking and trembling and panting at 9:15 and did not stop until 2:30. It was awful. We tried to distract him with sips of water, treats, peanut butter (what dog can resist that?), and holding him securely. Nothing worked. He just had to get through it, but it took a long time. I hope when my son-in-law takes him to the vet, some solution will be offered.

The photo above is Week 3 of the Red Sampler Sew Along Lori Holt is sponsoring.  I love how these blocks are turning out, but those little ones with the 3" blocks sewn in a quadrant are a real challenge!

Hope your week is going well. 

I fixed it:

Doggie Dementia

Have any of you heard of canine dementia? I am curious. I know a bit about dementia in humans, having had friends and relatives succumb to it. There is a symptom that is particularly interesting that is called "Sundowner Syndrome" which apparently affects not only us humans with dementia, but dogs as well.

This little guy is my daughter's dog Remy. He is a West Highland Terrier who is going on 14 years of age in December. He has some issues with arthritis in his hips, (or some other deteriorating condition of his hip joints). Other than that, he has seemed to carry on fairly well with his aging issues. Recently, however, in the late afternoon and early evening, he has started behaving strangely. He paces around in circles, seems anxious, has his tongue hanging out, and appears not at all comfortable or happy. It is as if he feels something needs to happen, but he isn't sure what that might be or how it will affect him.

It turns out that in both humans and dogs, the approach of sundown can trigger emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes. In both humans and canines with dementia, the approach of darkness can trigger fears that they need to be somewhere (go home), or do something to wind up the day. He definitely appears to be anxious and insecure at that time.

I found that getting Remy snuggled into a warm comfortable spot seems to help. He likes being on the couch, surrounded by pillows or with me at his side cuddling up to him. It is as if he is getting the signal that we are done with our day, we are in a cozy spot, and can settle in. Most of the time it works, but at other times he just can't settle in and continues to pace around anxiously.

Here the poor little guy is. We try to hold him and comfort him, but he trembles and shakes and seems terrified. Ozzie sits at my husband's feet, worrying about his buddy. You can see out the window that it is just at sunset.

Have any of you experienced this strange symptom in your loved ones? Human or canine? Have you come up with any techniques to manage it?

Mushroom Leek Tart

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine started last Thursday and lasted through Sunday. It was my birthday yesterday and I seemed to have started the celebration early. My daughter and her husband came over yesterday for a barbeque and I rounded out the meal with a mushroom leek tart. It was so easy and good I have to share how it's made. Here is the link to the recipe that inspired my version.

The original recipe calls for asparagus with the leeks, but I am not a fan, so I substituted mushrooms. This is the third time I have made this recipe and I am getting my technique down better. This time I cut the recipe in half and it was great. I have actually posted on making this tart before. Here is a link to my first effort if you would like to read that. I share more photos of the process in that post.

Here's what I did in a nutshell. I used one refrigerated pie crust, topped it with 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese. I topped the cheese with one leek and 5 or 6 mushrooms I had sauteed in 2 T. butter. I put a few dabs of ricotta cheese on top of the veggies (you could use soft mozzarella too I think). I sprinkled some thyme on top, just a little. Lastly I crimped the pie dough up and all around the filling as you would for a rustic tart. Brush the crust with egg wash. I baked it on a hot pizza stone at 450 for 18 minutes.

Refer to the recipe for detailed instructions for a tart that is double the size of mine. You could use any veggies you like and use a different cheese if you prefer. Make sure your filling isn't too "wet".  The first two times I made this my bottom crust was a bit soggy, but that hot pizza stone solved that issue.

Eva is off camping this week, so I plan to get in some sewing and reading. Summer seems to be in full swing all of a sudden!

Red Sampler Blocks Underway

New Project! Woo hoo! I am so excited to show you my first two weeks of Lori Holt's Red Sampler Sew Along. Each week it seems we will make one 12 inch block and two 6 inch blocks. The block patterns come from three or four of her published books, so it sure helps if you have them on hand. Luckily I have collected them over time. Two weeks done and seven more to go to catch up.

The most challenging block was the one on the bottom left that consists of four 3 1/2" Churn Dash blocks. That is an easy block, but try making it in a 3 1/2" size and you might re-evaluate that opinion. There will be a number of blocks in that style throughout the quilt. Easy blocks, but made super small and connected in a quadrant. It is a fun look and I am excited to see where we are going with it.

While I made the blocks yesterday, I listened to the end of the audiobook I have been so enjoying. The Hail Mary Project by Andy Weil.  Ok, this is a surprise. It is science fiction and I loved it. As a matter of fact, I like it the best of any book I have read this entire year. It will be in my top five favorites without a doubt. I URGE you to read this book. I laughed, I cried, and in the end, I was left with the happiest best feelings. I loved this book so so much. It is a book about heroism, unlikely friendships, and features a character who is the most unusual I have ever encountered in a book. Not going to spoil it for you. Just read it. Or listen to the audiobook. The narrator could not have been more perfect. And then tell me how much you loved it. You are welcome!

Sewcialites- Almost Done

Well. Sewcialites is just about a finish for me. There are a couple more weeks in the sew-along, but I really want to put a cap on this project and finish it up. I made a couple of extra 6-inch blocks to fill in the blanks and figured out my setting. The setting I chose is similar to the Fatquartershop setting, but I wanted more of a star look than they showed, so I switched out the position of a couple of half-square triangles to get that look.

My overall review of the project is that I enjoyed it for the most part. I particularly liked Kimberly's weekly chatty tutorials. Any sew along tends to be a skill builder, and this one was pretty good at that, especially for people new to quilting. The blocks are not as cohesive in style as other sew-alongs I have done. Perhaps there were just too many designers for this project. 

I am happy with my finish, and will get these blocks together this week. It is a fairly small quilt, around 54" square. A nice lap quilt, porch quilt, or display quilt. 

I am ready to move on to a new project, how about you? Lori Holt's Red Sampler quilt is calling to me. So, this illustrates a contrast in sew-alongs for you. Lori's Red Sampler project has multiple block designs, but all by one designer. A two-color scheme, but scrappy within the color constraints. Block designs for different abilities, so there will be challenges for some. I think the resulting quilt will be cohesive and pleasing. My fabrics are prepared and I am ready to dive in!

Lori's Red Sampler sew-along has been going on for nine weeks, so I will have some catching up to do!

Hope to have some May book reviews for you this week. Right now I am listening to the best.book.ever. The Hail Mary Project by Andy Weil, who is the author of the Martian. Did you see the movie with Matt Damon? This newest book is even better. I never read science fiction, so if I love this, it has to be amazing. So so good.