The Blue Heron and Celtic Soltice and Miscellany

Christmas is over and we are awaiting the New Year.  I've been slowly recovering from my foot surgery.  I'm not having to rely on crutches or my knee wheeler.  I still have some swelling and need to keep it elevated.  I'm seeing the doctor on the 5th and I want him to see some progress.  My boot hopefully will come off around the 17th, then I'll be able to drive.  I'm just not use to relying on others for help.  I guess this is a lesson on humility.  I'm learning.

Sunday the chickens were free ranging and making a ruckus in the front yard. I went out there and I think they were worried about this:

This picture is a little blurry because I blew it up to see it.

Here's one as it was flying off

Pretty aren't they?

Celtic Soltice.  What can I say.  We are on Clue 5 of possibly 6-8 clues.  We're not sure, Bonnie's not spilling the beans. After all, she says it's a mystery. I have all of Clues 1,3,4, and 5 completed. I'm still working on Clue 2.

I've been using my Scrappy Triple Irish Chain as my Leader and Ender.  I like the idea of a Leader and Ender and eventually that becomes your main project.  I am working on my sister's quilt and have to put the borders on and sew the appliques on. I should be able to get that done by July, when I see her.

Here's the border design.  I cut them out on day a few months ago when we had a power outage.   This one is from the Fons and Porter magazine.

 Last of all but definately not least.  I won this Japanese clone on ebay last night.  I just not sure which Singer model it is a clone of.  I need to find out so I can get a manual and learn some about it.  I'm excited to get it.  I did send the Seller a link on how to package a machine for shipping.  She's mailed a couple but I just wanted to make sure this arrives in one piece.

This post is being linked to Celtic Soltice Mystery and Judy's Design Wall.  Check out the links to see what others are doing.

Part 4 CS Mystery

This Mystery has been slow going for me.  I have to elevate my foot often and it seems that I only last about 30 minutes at a time standing or sitting.  I've finished step 1 and 2 and have about half of step 3 and 4 completed.  I'm enjoying the Mystery so far and surprised to hear that we will be putting some of it together soon.

Christmas Eve is tomorrow and my family celebrates the Eve.  We will have our traditional pound cake with a bean in it ( from my paternal grandmothers side), goulash and lefse from my maternal grandmother's side.  I enjoy the traditions, it makes me feel close to my family, those here, out of state and not here.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year.

This post is being linked to CS Mystery and Judy's Design Wall.  Go check out what everyone is doing with their Mystery or on their Design Walls.

Celtic Soltice Step 3

It's been a week since my foot surgery and I am slowly getting around.  I have been having to use an rolling office chair and now a knee walker.  I am horrible on crutches.

Step 2 Chevrons are still in the making.  I have 20 completed.  I think they are turning out great.

Step 3 Pinwheels are coming along, although I have only finished 6.  This is an exciting mystery.  I can't
wait until I can stand on my own and get to cutting, ironing, and sewing.

I am using the pinwheels and my scrappy Irish Chain as my L&E.  I think I'm liking this method of quilting 2 quilts at once.

This post is being linked to Celtic Soltice Mystery and Judy's Design Wall. Go and check out what everyone else is doing!

Celtice Solstice Step 2

We received our instructions for Step 2 of our Mystery Quilt on Friday.  Thursday I spent having a bunion removed from my foot.  I was able to get a couple of my fat quarters in to my bedroom and since I didn't have access to my rotary cutter or sewing machine, I marked and cut a couple of my pieces.  I marked my quarter  and hand sewed a couple of blocks.  I see where one is flipped. I can fix that when I can stand and move a round a little.  I've  never done any hand sewing except for binding so this was an experience.  I'm not sure how to start or stop.  So I started in from the corner and backtracked.  Then in the end I retraced a couple of  stitches.  I didn't tied off.  I hope this is good.

I linked this post to Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt and to Judy's Design Wall.

Don't forget, I can start receiving your quilts in mid January. See my special on the left column of my blog.  Now let's see what everyone is doing.

Celtic Solstice Mystery, Wk 1

I picked my fabrics, joined the Celtic Solstice FB group, printed my first clue and here I am!  I decided to make the Small size quilt.  I have all the orange backgrounds cut for a large, but I want to make some progress with this mystery.  I will probably use the pieces for the large as my leader and ender later on.  Now my leader and ender is my scrappy Irish Chain.  I have used mostly my stash for this mystery, only purchasing a couple of fat quarters in orange.  I have a great stash, that will most like last me a lifetime. Pictures?  Okay,

It's not to late to start.  Go to Bonnie Hunter's blog and choose the Celtic Solstice tab.  The mystery will only be up until June.  The facebook page is private but you probably can ask to join.  

My Leader and Ender project is the scrappy Irish Chain.  It comes from Bonnie's book.

Irish chain project

Order any of her books directly from her site and I've heard she autographs each one.

Go see what others participating in the Mystery are doing.  I have also linked this post up with Judy at Patchwork Times Design wall

Arin's Quilt

The quilt that I have been enamored with from Fon's and Porter is going to my sis.  She's so excited to be receiving it.  She'll have to pick it up when she comes stateside next summer.

Today, I'm working on the border but without the border fabric.  It's on order.  But I am preparing my applique for the border.

This is an alternate border design in the magazine for the border.  I love it and my batiks will look great in the shapes.

I really need to be working on quilting my son's quilt.  I found the backing wasn't large enough for the top.  The fabric was ordered and received.  I have no excuses.  Today, I will add the extra to the back and I have decided, after watching Eleanor Burns that the quilting will be only a single embroidery design placed strategically around the quilt.  I've decided which design I want to use already.  701.  That's so I won't forget or in case my post it gets lost.

I was looking for a picture and couldn't find one.  So I took on of the top and back.

Back

Top

Today is GET 'R DONE

Have a great day everyone.

Design Wall 9-23-2013

I've been so excited about this quilt that I've had a hard time putting it down.  I had canning to do and I didn't want to take time away from this to do that.

The top is pieced except the borders.  I wasn't able to purchase enough of the background material and I guess I thought I would piece a border.  I've decided that I want to applique the border and for that I needed some ric rac and more background fabric.  I ordered it today.  The ric rac is already on its way.  I'm not very imaginative about it.  I've decided to make the borders like the alternate quilt in the Fons and Porter Love of Quilting magazine.  I like it.

Here's way I am.

I'm working on building up my longarm business and according to some experts, the first three years need to focus on getting my name out there.  I decided to make a tote for a longarm quilt show I'm attending in October.  MQX West.  

  I had an extra block from the quilt above.  The other block is a block from a string quilt.  I made them out of the same fabrics from the first block. I've SID'd on the tote and now I'm thinking of how to quilt it.  Next week I'll have some process to show.

This post is being linked to Patchwork Times.  Hop over and see what others have been doing.

My Design Wall 9-16-2013

My design wall last night.  I didn't have any more time to sew blocks into rows.  One row of blocks is on my sewing machine ready to go.  The top half are all sewn together.  Looks like I have three rows to go.  I did spend some time online purchasing some ric-rack for the vines.  I'm going to have a border with applique flowers, birds and butterflies.  Just like in the magazine.  No imagination.  Well, it will look great and I don't want to make the body any larger.

I thought I might work on my son's jean quilt and found out I didn't make the back large enough and I used the leftover of it on another quilt.  So I ordered more fabric for enlarging the back.  

This post is linked to Judy's Design Wall.  See what others have been doing.

I Can't Believe It's Sunday Already

I've been busy.  This morning I had my normal routine of reading my favorite blogs and of course new posts on Facebook.  I found a recipe for Cinnamon Twists by Recipe Girl.  I decided to make them.  Instead of using buttermilk, which I never have, I thought I would substitute with milk.  When I looked, I didn't have any of that either.  Ok, so I thought I had some dry milk but I didn't have the directions for making it.  It usually turns out to weak.  So I looked in my pantry and I had condensed milk. So into the condensed milk I added a tablespoon of lemon.  That's what my research said to do for buttermilk.  Is this what I've been making all along?  Buttermilk?  I thought I was just making sour milk.  Anyway.  I didn't take pictures of all the steps.  These are the twists just before putting them into the oven.

I misread the instructions and baked mine for 20 minutes.  Too long.  12-15 was the ideal and it would have been just right.

So they are a little brown, but I went ahead and glazed them.  My son came in just as I was finished and he and Doug ate one pan.  They must not have been too bad.  These were very easy to make.  The instructions call for using a pizza cutter for making the strips.  I love my pizza cutter.  I use it for a lot of things besides cutting pizza.

While the dough was rising, we hurried and gathered out onions that were already dug and drying.  The rain was suppose to come in around noon and we didn't want to ruin our crop.

This was all we got but that will be enough for us.  Last year we had tons.  We gave away lots and still ended up tossing some.

I've been in my sewing room most of the day in between chores.  I've been working on a quilt for a couple of weeks, not nonstop, I still have a day job.  All the blocks are done and I'm in the process of putting together the rows.  Yesterday, I printed out some applique which I will use in the border.  I ordered some ric-rack for the vines.  I hope it turns out.  

I hope to have a picture of the rows completed for my blog on Monday.  Check back to see it.  I am just loving the secondary pattern.  I sound redundant but I love it and am fascinated by it.

That's all for now.

My Design Wall- 9/9/2013

Wow.  I've been fascinated by this pattern.  I just kept making more and more blocks to see more of the secondary pattern.  I love it.  I think Liz Porter's quilt was out of repro 30's fabric.  This is batiks.  I've been trying to only use my stash and so far with the exception of larger yardages, I have been able to make quilts for the last couple of years with it.

Since this photo was taken, I only have two blocks to go and the top is done except sewing the rows together.

I'm going to have to take a break from this and finish one of my Get'rDone projects done.

This post is being linked to Judy's Design Wall

Design Wall 9/2/2013

This is my design wall as of Monday evening.  It is a quilt I saw Liz Porter demonstrate on Fon's and Porter Love of Quilting Saturday.  She names it Emily's Wedding Quilt.  It is made up of two blocks to create a secondary pattern.  TheShoFly block and the 54-50 or Fight block.  She used repro 30's fabric and I'm using my batiks.  After looking at the picture of these blocks, I find I need to replace a triangle square in the second secondary pattern block.  It is too light and looks like the block isn't finished.  I have since taken all that batik out of the mix.

I don't have a person in mind yet for this quilt.  It will most likely only be a double or queen.  It just depends on how long it takes and if I get bored and want to start something new.

This post is being linked to Judy's Design Wall 9-2-13

Design Wall June 10, 2013

I saw both these designs on two of the quilt shows I watch on television.  The first one is Elle's Quilt in a Day show.  I thought I'd try them both out maybe for tablerunners.  My sister is coming for her annual vacation from Singapore and I thought I may make one of these up for her.

The first one is called Twin Sisters.  I would be totally scrappy.  I experimented with a couple of sizes.  I really like the large blocks when piecing a large quilt and the small one for maybe a tablerunner or corner blocks.

I think this one is called Twirling Triangles.  This one I saw on Fons and Porter.  I just happen to have a 60 degree triangle and  thought I would try it out.  I like it.  I goes together great,.  No "y" seams, just straight line sewing.  I've made a couple of halves.  This picture was taken when I'd only had one done.   I like it.

This post is being linked to Judy's Patchwork Times.  Come have a look around and see what everyone is working on.

Last Week in My Quilt Studio

I have been working on finishing some projects before my daughter and her children come to visit this summer.  Jessee's quilt is finished.

Back

Then onto Jana's quilt.

I'm binding it now in the evening when I'm watching tv.

I have had this top done for awhile and thought this morning that it would be nice for my youngest granddaughter, Dani.  It's a lap quilt and I'm backing it in two shades of purple flannel.

I wanted to get something posted to my blog seeing that it's been more than a month since I've posted.  I have a couple of drafts and will try to get them posted in the next few days.

Design Wall 11-19-2012

I have a couple days off during Thanksgiving and plan of getting my grandson's quilt quilted.  It's on the longarm and I've picked my thread.  That's the trouble, my tension isn't right.  I keep breaking the top thread.    It was late enough in the day Sunday to just quit and start up fresh maybe tomorrow.

This is a Color Palette Challenge  I did with Judy in May.  She named her's Sweet Tart and I'm calling  my Skittles.  It's also a stashbuster.  I didn't purchase a single fat quarter, remant or yard.  

I hope to get it done my Monday next.  Then I can handsew the binding at night while watching tv.

This post is being linked to Patchwork Times Design Wall.

My Design Wall 11-12-2012

When my grandson was here this summer, I showed him his quilt.  

Then he saw this one "Skittles"

"Grandma, can I have this one instead?"  "Of course."   He picked the G.I.Joe material for the back and because I don't have enough, I am incorporating colors from the back to make the backing different.  Once the backing is pieced, it's going on the longarm.

This post is being linked to Judy's Design Wall.

Past Week

I went to the coast this last week for work with a coworker and we zoomed past several barns and businesses toting quilt squares.  If you zoom in on this one you can see the square. I thought it was so cool to see so many of them.  Next trip I'm going to slow down and get some better pictures.

Next to the walkway in front of our house is this knarly ornamental hazelnut tree (tall bush).  It's not even 5 feet tall but an American Robin chose it for her nest.

Inside it, as far as I could see were 4 of the most beautifully colored eggs.  They should be hatching in a couple of weeks.

And today, I finally got to do some sewing.  I mended Doug's work jeans for about the tenth time.  Just trying to get some more wear out of them.

This fabric has been sitting around for a year.  I bought it at a clearance sale at Hancocks in Billings, MT last year on vacation.  It was meant for my kitchen valance.  Today, I finally got it made.  I don't know what took me so long to do it.  

I hope to be able to talk a bit more tomorrow about some more sewing I got done.  I hope to get to quilt a couple of rows on Jan's quilt.  That is also my UFO for June.  I'm not sure I'll get it completed.  We have a busy week next week getting ready for a trip to eastern Oregon for Doug's brother's birthday party.

UFO List 2012

Edit:

Somehow I forgot to post my UFO list in January.  I've finished 5 of them so far. I'm a little behind but hope to catch up by the end of the year. 

I had compiled my list with pictures of my UFOs (unfinished objects) for Judy's challenge way back in January.  I forgot to post it.  So before any more time flys by here's my list.

Judy at Patchwork Times is have a UFO Challenge for 2012.  I've thought about entering it but wasn't sure if I could keep on task to complete one UFO a month.  But if the challenge helps to motivate me to accomplish any, then I'll have succeeded.  Here's my list:

1.   Small charity quilt.  Needs binding

2.   Jessee's quilt.  Only top is completed

3.   St. Paul Parochial School charity auction quilt.  Top completed

4.   Jan's quilt.  Top completed

5.   Jana's quilt. Top completed

6.   Springtime Churndash quilt.  Top completed

7.   Applique wallhanging.  Binding needed

8.   Louise's batik stars quilt.  Binding needed

9.   BOM Star quilt.  Piecing, quilting and binding needed

10.  BOM quilt as you go.  Piecing, quilting and binding needed

11.  Boy Scout vests.

12.  Blue tablerunner.  Binding needed

.
Well, seeing it written down is reality.  I am going to make a concerted effort to get all these done by December 31, 2012