Sister's Choice Quilts

Spaghetti Salad and Eva Under the Weather

Whew, it has been hot here. HOT. Heating the house up with the oven just isn't anything anyone is interested in doing, so I have been trying some recipes that can be made early in the day and served chilled later. One new recipe that we had this week is Spaghetti Salad. I discovered an Instagramer whose account is called "Belly Full" that has some great recipes. I highly recommend that you follow that account for some really delicious recipe suggestions. 

Spaghetti Salad was a make-ahead, easy recipe that tasted delicious. I used peppered salami and creamy Havarti cheese, along with olives, peppers, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. To make it positively divine, it was suggested that you use the included recipe for Homemade Italian Dressing. I was feeling lazy, so I used some Olive Garden Italian Dressing that I had on hand in the fridge. It worked out just fine for us. 


On another topic, Eva was very excited to have an appointment with our hairstylist for a new haircut this week. She will be 13 at the end of July (can you believe it?) and is ready for a hairstyle that involves some maintenance and styling. She had an idea in mind and was so excited to discuss it with our stylist. She wanted layers, but because she is involved in a lot of athletic activities, she needs to be able to pull it back off her face when needed. They came to an understanding, and it seemed that the desired outcome was achieved.

I thought she looked amazing, but during the haircut, she got progressively quieter and quieter. Uh oh. When we got out to the car I asked her "Honey, is your haircut ok? Do you like it?" And poor baby, she said "I love it, but I feel really yucky". We had planned to go out to lunch afterward but decided we needed to hightail it for home. When I look at the photo above, I can see she is smiling, but that smile does not quite reach her eyes. 

We got home, and sure enough, that was the right decision. She stayed in bed all afternoon and finally, after hours of running to the bathroom and sipping tiny amounts of water, she declared she felt "10 times better".

At this point everything is fine and she is experimenting with styling her new "do". She is off to spend some time with her mom this weekend and into next week. That girl is really growing up, which for some reason, blows my mind. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Summer in the Country- Bonus Block this Time

This week's block was supposed to be one called "Picnic Table", but it wasn't my cup of tea. In my opinion, that block has too many seams and just doesn't fit in as well with the overall aesthetic of the quilt. Luckily I discovered an additional bonus block which was left off the FAQ page for the Summer in the Country sew-along (oops). This one is called "Grandma" and was submitted by  Anne Wiens of Sweetgrass Creative.

I have made this block before with success and decided to use the method I employed previously. I made the 12 1/2" unfinished "Great Granny" block from Lori Holt's book "Great Granny Squared". In the book, Lori gives instructions for the block in both a 6-inch and 12-inch finished size. The block is made oversized and is then trimmed down to perfection. I wish I could give you all the details, but I don't want to be in copyright violation. If you have Lori's book, by all means make it her way. If not, the Moda Bakeshop pattern instructions indicate that their version is a bit oversized as well to allow for trimming.

Lori's method directs you to assemble the block units in strips. Instead of using triangles for the background fabric, you use rectangles, which gives you more wiggle room for trimming down. 

In this photo, you can see that I have all my strip rows sewn together. Next, I will even up the left and right sides of the block because I need to attach additional background rectangles to the two sides and the top and bottom.

Here is my block with those additional rectangles attached. Now it's time to trim the block down to 12 1/2".

There are better trim-up rulers nowadays, but I used what I had on hand, which was an old Omnigrid 12 1/2-inch square ruler. I rigged up a strip of narrow tape diagonally to help me position the ruler just perfectly.

This block came out great and I think it is a fitting addition to the country vibe of the other blocks in the quilt. 

Patt sent me a couple of photos of how her quilt is coming along, which I will share below. Thanks for sending these to me Patt! Your blocks are beautiful.

Summer Basket

Cherry Pie, the other bonus block.

 

Halloween Figs Sampler Progress

I've been pulling out my Halloween Figs block of the month kits and working on it again. I can't tell you what month this is though!  I got mixed up when I set the applique blocks aside. What I do know is that it is called "Goose in the Pond". I do love how striking this block is. And it's a big one! 

I am so pleased with how this block turned out too. Matching up those points for the black fabric was no joke. I may have used my seam ripper a bit, but I think I conquered it. This block is called "Carpenter's Wheel". Love it.

My sewing room is absolutely stuffed with projects in progress, but I couldn't bear to put these pretty blocks away just yet. This is going to be a great quilt!

I told you I had a lot going on in there!! If you look behind my iron, you can get a sneak peek at the next Summer in the Country block. It is an extra bonus block I found that was not on the FAQ sheet. Here is a link to the pattern "Grandma".

But you know me, I made it slightly different. Check back on Thursday for all the details.


This girl just got back from a vacation to Alaska, and the first thing she wanted to do was bake. She made a chocolate cake! I missed her and am so glad she's back in my clutches again.

 

Summer in the Country- Block 7- Summer Basket

This week's Summer in the Country block is a beauty, and certainly a challenge. It is called Summer Basket and was designed by Nicola Dodd of Cakestand Quilts. It may be my favorite so far and I think it will be a gorgeous addition to the quilt.

Be that as it may, I have to tell you that the instructions for this block are not great. A whole step involving the units for the basket section was left out. Never fear my friends, I've got you. Follow along with me step by step and you will end up with a fabulous block.

I did not make this block exactly as the pattern recommended. I have certain methods of construction that work for me that I substitute in when I can. Here we go. Hang on to your hats, there are many photos ahead and this will be a long post. 

The pattern tells us to first construct the stem unit for our flower. I followed the pattern instructions for this unit with good results.

Now we do a stitch and flip triangle to attach the stem to the base of the basket.

Draw a diagonal line as shown above, stitch, trim, and flip.


Next, we need 8 flying geese units that measure 2 x 3 1/2" unfinished. I prefer to make my flying geese four at a time, slightly oversized, and trim them down. There are many tutorials online for making them this way. Or use your own tried and true favorite method. Or follow the pattern...

Lines drawn and ready to stitch.

I used my BlocLoc trim tool to trim the oversized flying geese down to size. I made eight.

Our next unit is a 3 inch finished square in a square unit. I get the best results when I use Fat Quarter Shop's square in a square paper, so that is what I chose to do. 

Isn't it lovely? I made one.


Next I needed to make two 3 1/2" finished half square triangle units for the side flowers. I followed the pattern instructions for those.

Now I was ready to tackle making the basket and basket base. The pattern did have instructions for making the smaller base unit on the right.

But then the pattern instructions let me down. I was ready to cut out and construct the pieces needed for the other side of the basket base, but that information was left out. 

What size is the "A" fabric piece in the lower right corner supposed to be? What size is the "D" fabric unit that is attached to it supposed to be? 


To make that left hand basket base, you need a background square 3 1/2 x 5" and a blue square 3 1/2". Draw a diagonal line on the back of the blue square and sew it to the background.



Flip that blue triangle over and press. And there is your unit.

So, let's see what we need to assemble our block.


Two 3 1/2" half square triangles, one 3 1/2" square in a square unit, eight 2 x 3 1/2" flying geese, and five 2 inch background squares. (Only four are pictured above, but you will need 5).


Two 3 1/2" background squares, our 3 1/2" stem unit, two 2 x 5" rectangles, and the two base units for our basket. The one on the left measures 2 x 3 1/2", and the one on the right measures 3 1/2 x 5".

We are going to assemble our block in four quadrants. 


This is the top left quadrant. I sewed the sections in two "rows".


Top left quadrant sewn. I pressed my seams open.


These are the pieces we need for the top right quadrant.


I sewed the flower pieces together and then attached the background rectangle. 


I pressed my seams open, except I pressed the white rectangle away from the flower.


These are the pieces we need for our lower left quadrant. I sewed the pieces in "rows" top to bottom.


I pressed my seams open except for that white rectangle. I pressed that away from the flower.


Finally, our final quadrant, the lower right basket section. Here are all the pieces ready to go.


You know what to do. Press open.

Now let's sew those four quadrants together!


This is a beautiful block. I think it was worth all the fiddly steps.


I think you will be happier with the final results of your block if you press open. Everything comes out so much flatter.


My blocks so far. How are yours coming along?

Honestly, it took longer to write this post than it did to make the block!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Update

Our golden hills are scorched looking, but the grass underneath the trees burned so hot and fast that the oaks should be ok. The fire's progress has been stopped, but firefighters remain on the scene putting out hot spots and flare-ups. In the photo above, you can see the trenches dug by dozers that stopped the fire's progression. Fire breaks have also been set up on the ridges surrounding the fire area.

People who were evacuated have been allowed to return to their homes. The air is pretty clear, which I don't understand. I guess the wind blew it off in another direction from us. The elementary school was saved, with the fire being put out at the back fence of the school property. The warehouse where my son-in-law used to store his wine has scorch marks all around the building, right up to the doors, but the building was saved and looks to be undamaged. Thousands of homes were threatened, and only one structure was destroyed. A very effective air and land firefighting strategy and dedicated firefighters are the reason for that. 

The incredible work done by the firefighters, air tanker pilots, Pacific Gas and Electric, and Cal Trans cannot be over-emphasized. Also, so many people in the surrounding communities stepped up and offered to come with trailers to transport livestock out of harm's way. So many kind people offered to take in people's pets when they were evacuated. Mr. Rogers always said "Look for the helpers" and he was right. Thank you helpers.

This was an early start to California's fire season, and experts predict that it could be a very severe year for us. All prayers are gratefully accepted.

Summer in the Country- Block 6 Goose Pond

After all the drama of my last Summer in the Country sew-along block, I am happy to report that block 6 is a nice easy one. Just flying geese. The block is Goose Pond, designed by Susan Vaughan of The Felted Pear. Make your geese using your favorite method and you will be good to go. Since I wanted mine to each be in a different fabric I opted to make them the way the pattern instructions direct, which is one at a time.


I did not make these flying geese units oversized, but still trimmed them up using my BlocLoc flying geese trim tool. As you can see in the upper right, I managed to trim off a tiny sliver now and then.


This is the back side of my block, where you can see how I pressed. I sewed the blocks in six horizontal rows, pressing the seams open. After sewing the rows together I pressed the longer seams all in one direction, away from the top points.

Hope your week is going well and if you are sewing along that you are enjoying yourself!

 

 

 

Living the Dream in Carmel While Rome Burns

We continue to have an amazing time in Carmel. This picture was taken on 17 Mile Drive, a must if you ever visit the Monterey Peninsula. The weather has been just perfect and we have been making the most of it.

We started the day with a healthy portion of avocado toast and strong coffee. We briefly considered having a heavier breakfast or maybe even just pastries with our coffee, but settled on avocado toast instead and didn't regret it. It was SO good!


I've mentioned that we used to live in this area, 13 years ago. While we lived in the Monterey area, our son Ahren lived with us while he attended college at Cal Poly and did internships at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey. He also had part-time jobs at various retail businesses in Carmel. One of them was the location in the picture above. When Ahren worked there it was Villeroy and Boch, a high-end dishware company. Now it is a women's clothing store! When he worked there when it was Villeroy and Boch, I acquired several sets of beautiful dishes and even glassware with the help of his employee discount. Those were the days. I thought he would get a kick out of the changes that have taken place in the place where we used to work and live, so I was texting him photos all day long.


There is definitely a lot of money in the Carmel/Monterey area, which is reflected in the type of automobile you see all around town. Honestly, people drive cars that cost as much as some housing!

While my husband and I have been hobnobbing with the rich and famous, spending our children's inheritance, and eating like kings, something bad has been happening back at home. A fire has broken out about 7 miles (as the crow flies) from our home. Supposedly someone was welding their fence in the weeds and sparks caused a fire to break out. It is now at 5500 acres and all the power to our town and the surrounding area has been off for over 24 hours. I had a freezer full of nice things I am going to have to throw out. At this point, I think the fire is only 23% contained.


We are headed home this morning and will need to take a detour rather north of where we live because the highway we normally would use is closed due to the Aero fire (as it has been named). You can see from the photo above that things are serious. Many people have been evacuated and cattle and other livestock have had to be rounded up and transported out of harm's way. This is a huge undertaking and hardship in our rural agricultural area. Fires in California are real, seem to happen more often and with greater damages each year. When will people learn to have common sense and not endanger other people, animals, and property through their thoughtless carelessness? The cost of fighting these blazes is enormous.

 

 

 

I May Be On Vacation...

I had a birthday recently and my husband surprised me with a little getaway. We are at Mission Ranch, a fabulous resort in Carmel Valley, owned by none other than Clint Eastwood. The Monterey Bay area is my old stomping ground, so we are really having fun revisiting places we used to enjoy. The photo above is the view from our room. Yes, that is the ocean in the distance and lazy sheep in the foreground.

The restaurant is just a short walk up the hill and across a little bridge.


I promise not to bore you with food pictures, but this Linquini and Scampi that I had for dinner was pretty spectacular.

I may have done some shopping this afternoon and got myself a super cute new outfit to wear to dinner. The shopping opportunities are unparalleled in this area. I got this lightweight poncho at Chico's and it looks fantastic with a white tee and jeans. I felt very fancy when we went to dinner.

I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring, but hang in there and I will try to share it with you!


By the way, Sara and I put out another podcast on Reeding Between the Lines! Be sure to give it a listen and hear all about the books we are enjoying this summer. Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.

 

Summer in the Country- Block 5 Lemonade

Lemonade is our fifth block in the Summer in the Country sew-along. Jessica Dayon designed this block. I really enjoyed making it, although some things puzzled me along the way. It is definitely the most challenging block so far, as it involves templates. If you think this block may be too much for your current sewing skills, feel free to substitute any 12" finished block you like in its place. In fact, the Moda Bakeshop folks have thoughtfully included a bonus block called "Cherry Pie" which you could do instead of this one. 

My block went together beautifully and I was so pleased with it. Until I measured it. It is a full 3/4" too large. I do not know if I am going to be able to use it in my quilt top! I believe that when I printed out the sheet with the templates, my printer did not print them the exact size. So, check your printer when you print out the template sheet. It has a square on it that should measure exactly 1" that you can check for accuracy. 

I am so disappointed, because like I said, that block came out so great. Well, you can at least follow along as I explain the construction process.

You will need to trace your templates onto some template plastic. You can buy this by the sheet from your local quilt shop or by the package from online sources such as Amazon.  I happened to have some on hand so I was good to go. Sure wish I had checked the measurement of that 1-inch square that was provided.

I used a Frixion pen to trace around the templates onto my fabric. I used nice sharp scissors to cut out the fabric pieces.


Here are my lovely pieces all cut out and ready to sew. Sure do wish I had more of the ladybug and light blue fabrics.


The pieces went together like a dream. There are little notches you cut at some of the places where the pieces intersect that help you position the fabric just right for sewing. That is the center section pictured above. It came out nice and square and the center points matched up. I pressed all seams open to get the flattest block possible. That is a lot of fabric coming together in the middle there.


My rows are ready to be sewn together. I was alarmed when I first looked at those top and bottom rows, as they look very weird because they aren't straight. Don't worry, it will all come out ok. Just pin carefully and pivot just the teeniest bit at the seam intersection where the angle changes.


Don't worry, I promise it will come out ok. 

Unless your templates aren't the exact size and your block comes out too big like mine did. But it is a gorgeous block. I may try to remake it, but I don't have any of those pretty blue fabrics left. Sad face.

So what did I do? I made an alternate block, which I may or may not use. This cute cherries block is from Lori Holt's Farm Girl Vintage book. I am not sure how these gigantic cherries are going to fit in with the look of the finished quilt top, but hey, if it looks weird I can put it on the back, right?

I sure hope your construction of the Lemonade block had a better result than mine! Let me know how it's going if you are sewing along. 

I know Nancy Alderman is sewing with us, as she is posting her fabulous blocks on Instagram. Check her out!

 

 

 

 

 

Starch Method of Applique-Not for me

I don't know what I was thinking. I have tried the starch method of applique before and failed totally. For some reason, I thought if Joanna Figueroa made it look so easy ("It's the only method of applique I do", she said) I thought ok, I can do it too. Not. What a mess. I wasted lots of freezer paper, burned my fingers trying to turn the edges over and completely failed. It was a disaster.

The only method of applique that has worked for me in the past is fusible machine applique. So, I started over. I traced my shapes onto fusible applique material and ironed it onto my fabric. Then I cut out my pieces exactly to size.

There is no turning edges over, no burning fingers. You just iron the fusible onto your fabric, cut it out to the exact shape, and then when the time comes, remove the paper and iron it onto your background fabric and applique on the raw edge. I got all my pieces prepped and ready to blanket stitch onto the background squares.

Only, I realized that my BerninA 740 is still in being serviced. My back up machine doesn't have the blanket stitch I need for this applique process. So, I packed everything up into little baggies to be appliqued properly when I retrieve my sewing machine from the repair guy.

So, I moved on to Month 7 of the Halloween Figs Block of the Month.

So there we are. We do what we can. The first block of month 7 is done!  I'll finish those applique blocks from month 6 when I get my Bernina 740 back. For now, I will move ahead and do what I can.

Hope you all will have a great weekend!