The Planets Have Aligned In My World!

 I admit it.....

I love to sew, doesn't matter what I'm sewing, I just need to do it!

Seems all things align and the world is right when I sew.

So, today was a sew day so to speak..

This is how the story goes....

A few years back I made a quilt for Nathan's bed,

a very nice quilt if I do say so myself.

Traditional piecing for the top and crazy piecing for the drop.

(I really don't quilt, I piece and then

tie the whole thing together with embroidery floss).

Anyway....

Our dog Red likes to lay on Nathan's bed , not allowed,

but while the masters are away.....

Apparently those embroidery floss tassels tantalized her.

A nip here a scratch there, well you can guess,

rips and tears beyond repair.

I took it apart and salvaged what I could, the crazy squares!

What could I do with these crazy squares?

It hit me today....Bedside rugs!

(We're living on concrete floors here)!!!



My Dad made the chest of drawers when I was a baby.

The legs came from a chair that the previous homeowners left here.

Crazy blocks are pieced onto a foundation fabric,

plenty enough thickness in those squares for a rug.

I had enough squares to make two, 27" x 37" rugs.

The backing is made from

a dis-assembled couch throw that didn't quite work out.



I'm back in the groove...

 Sun is shining, temps are in the 70's, life is good!

Hope You' all had a creative and fruitfull weekend.

Till next time,

Bonjour

DESIGNING A QUILT....THE EASY WAY!

SO...

In case you didn't know,
most computers have a software program
called Microsoft Word or Works.

You can do all sorts of things with this program.

Write a letter, make a spread sheet, do a table.....

Really you say?
YEP!

Why am I telling you this?

Because if you go to.... blank word document, click table,

click basic table, add rows and columns, you have...

TADA!!!!

A quilt

 Lots of little squares just waiting for you to add colors to each one.

There's also those horizontal, vertical, grid lines to work with.

This light bulb moment came to me

while I was doing some informational paperwork for The Soap Co.

Needless to say I felt like a genius!

I know there are quilting software programs out there,

but for an occasional quilter like me this will do just fine.





QUILT TEMPLATE

 



THINKING ABOUT MAKING THIS ONE

 





BLOCK



BLOCK CLOSE UP



The template on the left is the quilt from Saturday still waiting to be finished.

I'm thinking about making these 2 blocks into a purse or bag. (12 3/4 x 11 1/2)

Haven't decided yet. Any ideas? Maybe a throw pillow?

I've also been making pot holders and drink coasters using the crazy quilt method.

Steve's old cut up jeans make a thick back for these.

If you have any comments or suggestions feel free to share.

I'm missing a piece to that lamp I was painting on Sunday.

Drat, I need to go look for it.

Till next time,

Bonjour

No Dallas Super Bowl Sunday For Me!!!

WELL....

I had another quilt post scheduled for today

but since the weather was so super, I was able to venture

outside for some much needed sunshine!!!

Laundry was hung out, carrots and fruit trees were planted,

spray painting projects were finished, herbs were meddlied, bees were checked on,

and many pictures were taken.



FRUIT TREE




LADY POSING IN FRONT OF THE ROSEMARY

 






RED DOG



STEVE PLANTING CARROTS

























BEE HIVE



NATHAN MIXING HERBS






REDOING AN OLD FLOOR LAMP



POND AND MORE ROSEMARY





Also made some herb bread for Nate to take to his mom,

un-molded soap, and generally just enjoyed the warmer weather.

BAD weather on it's way!!!

Till next time,

Bonjour

I AM SOOOO... OVER THIS WEATHER!

REMEMBER ME?

SO.....

When the weather turns cold my mind either goes to cooking or quilting.

Today it's quilting. Not that I don't have enough or anything,

grandma's, great grandma's, mine....

I'm not really a quilter, I'm more of a piece-r.

I can design, cut, piece, just can't quilt.

By the time I've sewn all those little

squares together I'm ready to be done.

For me the easy way is best, strands of embroidery floss

knotted every foot or so, to hold everything together,

some edge binding and I'm good to go.



I NEED A BACK



NOT QUITE DONE





(The pinkish fabric used to be curtains.)

At this point I can either add something in between

the front and back or just leave it with no middle.

Summer quilt versus winter quilt.

Back is going to be a sheet I snagged for $3.00 at Wally World.

Quilt batting for a queen size bed is about $15.00.....HUMM...

Perhaps an old blanket instead?

I've even see faded comforters at the thrift shop...

Go for the summer quilt?

What to do, what to do?

Perhaps you have some suggestions?

Till next time,

Bonjour

Canning And A quilt

33 PINTS OF PINEAPPLE/PINA

Oh my gosh!!!

We've been canning since last Friday,
a few hours here a few there. (After work)



We finally finished up today.

7 QUARTS CHILI, 3 QUARTS VEGGIE BROTH



2 1/2 GALS. TOMATO VEGGIE MIX

The pineapple will be lunch bag snacks,

kabob fillers, diced for cookies, ham additive,

could even be squashed and simmered for syrup over pancakes.

(Use your imagination.)

The veggie broth is a beautiful amber color,
looks like a French Onion Soup starter.

Onion and garlic skins/ends with celery ends

simmered then strained and canned.

(Used the waste from the Tomato Veggie mix.)

The Tomato Veggie mix is toms, celery, onion, garlic,

mixed color bell peppers and dried chilies.

No seasonings, we'll use this base for tacos, spaghetti sauce,

pico de gillo, guacamole, lasagna, spanish rice ETC. 

Even managed to make a few batches of soap,

mow some of the lawn weeds, clean house and do laundry.

The temps. have been in the high 70's for the last 3 days

so I was able to hang the laundry out and

open the doors for some much needed fresh air.

Snow predicted on Tuesday, damm darn bipolar Texas weather.

Steve planted the carrot seeds, the lettuce, spinach and more of the onions.

We're spacing the onion plantings so they don't all come in at the same time.

Sure do want to finish that quilt.





THIS IS A CRAZY QUILT I DID YEAR BEFORE LAST



CLOSE UP







I think I spy some of the rose fabric from the placemats in the lower left corner of the quilt close up.

Frugal me.

Well, thats all I got!!

Till next time.

 Bonjour

Sewing The New Placemats and Napkins

FABRIC WAITING TO BE TRANSFORMED

OK......

The holidays are over, the festive adornment is put away......

Plain dining table now!

What's a girl to do?

Sew of course!!!

4 placemats, 4 napkins and 1 table runner to be specific.

Are you ready?

What you need.

Sewing machine (optional, but very useful)

Thread

Fabric

Rotary cutter and mat (optional, but very useful)

What you do.

1. Cut 8 rectangles 15 1/2" X 12 1/2 " (mats)

2. Cut 8 squares 10 1/2" X 10 1/2" (napkins)

3. Cut 2 rectangles 21" X 11 1/2" (runner) 

4. Place 2 of the placemat rectangles right sides together and stitch a 1/4" seam around all 4 edges, leaving a 3" opening in the middle of one of the seams.

5. Remove from the sewing machine and press to set the stitches.

6. Clip corners.

7. Turn right side out through 3" opening.

8. Press again, tucking in raw edges on the 3" opening.

9.Top stitch close to the edge around the whole rectangle.



TOP STITCHING ALMOST DONE

10. Continue this same process for the rest of your placemats, then move on to the napkins, then the runner.

FELIX LIKES!!!

VIOLA

You now have beautiful table top adornment!!!!

I made my placemats from a different fabric on the back because

I didn't have enough of the rose fabric for both sides.

The napkins are a little small for this same reason
but look very nice folded in half.

The napkins and runner match the placemat's back fabric.

(runner not shown)

This project was quick and easy and you might
even consider adding some ribbon trim to the edges.

The rose fabric used to be throw pillows and
I don't remember what I had the swirly fabric for.
Fabrics come and go here, today curtains,
tomorrow throw pillows, the next time placemats.
I never get rid of fabric!!!!

I've also been working on a quilt.

WISHING TO BE A QUILT!

HAPPY SEWING.
Till next time,
Bonjour