What I Will Be Reading

After quilt guild this morning, I went to the library to get more reading material. This should keep me busy for a week or so.

Speaking of the guild...we made the cutest things (and of course I didn't get a picture)that were of the quilty and recycle nature! We made finger and wrist pin cushions using plastic bottle caps, elastic hair bands, glue, stuffing, and fabric. I will try and get a picture next week. The guild will sell them in a couple of fabric shops, the county fair, and the Apple Festival.

Yesterday, I did my first applique ever. I'm working on a border piece that will go on the quilt that my guild will donate to the Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum that will open in Carrollton, Georgia during the first quarter of 2011. Yes, that's right....we will have our own Paducah!!!!! I'll post a picture after I get the flower sewn on to the stems.

GD at Milwaukee Zoo....another mobile blog test

OK so it does work without an iphone...it just takes reading just a little closer for instructions at the end if you don't have an iphone...duh again!!!!

I've Been Reading...And My Little Dancing Machines

 

 

These two were the hit of the wedding! They were well behaved and danced their little feet off at the reception. Although, it did get a little ugly after GD had to leave the dance after 11 pm....what a hissy fit!!!

When I travel is about the only time I buy books, otherwise, I'm a library kind of girl. It would be easy to check out a couple of books to take along, but I just don't lug hard covered books around and have to worry about leaving one behind.

It never fails that I end up buying a paperback that's the newest of an new (to me) author's series of books about a continuing character. That's the case with "The Girl Who Played With Fire", the second purchase (Walgreens). It's Stieg Larsson's fourth book (700+ pages) in the series and a lot of the characters were in earlier books. He did a good job of filling their background, so I kind of doubt that I will read the earlier books. Besides, I've read some reviews that said that the earlier books lost something in translation...from Swedish to English.

My first purchase was at the airport in Atlanta (don't I really plan ahead) and they mainly had the Top 20 on the NY best seller list. I picked #20, mainly because it was the author's first venture into crime stories (Linda Castillo previously wrote romance novels...not my thing)so, no catch up. Her second book came out June 22 and I'll be checking the library for it.

In Milwaukee

Well, the mobile picture blogging was unsuccessful, maybe it's operator error. To me, a 150 character blog without a picture....well, it's just not very appealing!!!

We're heading off to Appleton, WI soon where the wedding will be held. I'm pretty sure the kid brought a laptop along. I'll see if I can pick some pictures off Picasa to post.

More About Mobile Blogging

This picture was taken on my cell phone, but I had already sent it to my laptop via Bluetooth. I can't seem to send a picture email on my phone like they say is possible. Now, I can send a picture text, but that's not what they say to do! This SMS and MMS stuff is confusing....also, Blogger must think everyone has an iphone!

I'm leaving for the Atlanta airport soon (heading for Milwaukee) and I'll try a picture text and see if it works....who knows.

This an experiment in mobile blogging. I have 150 characters to use per mobile blog or I can send a picture and title - will try that latter.

First And Second Attempt At Klosjes (Spools)

Can you tell which is my first attempt? I changed to Quilters Cache's tut for the bigger (second :) ) spool and it worked much better. All is not 100% good though...the block is a 1/4" too small. That was discovered when I was squaring the block and I measured the template that I had downloaded (duh! I think of that how!!). I'll have to play with the print %.


I've sewn more hexagons on (right) and cut more out and auditioned them (left). They were placed fairly randomly and only move a couple that didn't have enough contrast from it's neighbor.


Quilting just wears Reggie out!!!

In The Mountains, When I Rains...It Pours!!!

I was up in my quilting room when I heard the rumbling start and then the rain come down...hard! It frequently does rains hard here, but not like this! This picture doesn't really show the force of the rain very well.


This one doesn't either...no that's not chocolate...it's good ol' Georgia clay.


Now this one gives you a better idea of how hard it was raining...water is shooting out the drown spout like it was a fire hose! My little rock drain bed performed very well!

Do You Ever Feel Like Banging Your Head Into Your Machine?

Maybe....this little piece of blue tape will keep me from doing that!

Maybe....I shouldn't be quilting today (had to take several long breaks today)

Maybe....I should have started this block a little sooner (due Wed.)!!!!!!

Maybe....I should have done an easier block!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK....I'm better now!

Let Me Show You My Freezer Paper Hexie Method

I used a Marti Mitchell 2.5" Hex template to cut out the freezer paper hexagons and then ironed them onto hunks of fabric. They were then rotary cut out with 1/4" seam allowance. Then the piece was put in place with a pin or two.



It's not in this picture, but I make a mark at each end of the stitching line...it's just easier to see where to start and stop. Back stitching at the beginning and end is a must!



Then you flip it around, line it up and pin and then sew along the next side.



Now you can peel the freezer paper off...it may be my cheapie freezer paper, but mine at this point is coming loose.



I prefer to press as I go.

Quilty Dog Cave!

Max was in need of a bigger crate and I wanted to make it less of an eye sore and more homey for her.




This is an old store bought double size quilt that I just wrapped around the crate and pinned in back with an old broach.


Did you know you can print hexagon graft paper?! This is 1/2" hexagon paper.



This is a new method for piecing that I thought of last night using freezer paper. I'll let you know how it works out as I do more.



OK, I have to get back to working on my hexagon block...not sure I like sewing rows...maybe today it will go a little better.