WIP Wednesday - Just Barely!

Hello, all!  I planned to post a WIP today but just about didn't get the posting for the WIP.

Here is my BOM:

It is a work in progress!  I was just sitting in the living room (while my husband watched the Military Channel) and turning all 28 or these.  By Friday I should have the actual blocks done.  I am also working on another pin cushion in that mess.

On a side note, isn't Emma beautiful?  She is my 1936 Featherweight.  I am using her for this project.

I also pressed these today:

They are from a box of sewing items I bought long ago at an auction. I used to buy up the odds and ends boxes that no one wanted because I couldn't afford the boxes with the good stuff!  I am still using the ricrac and zippers these little ol' ladies had collected.   It is amazing how similar these fabrics are to many I have in my stash now.  They are very thin, though.  I can also say the quilter wasn't any better than me at the Dresden plate.

This is this month's "practice" for my BOM.  I did a full Dresden but my BOM is 4 quarters. It will make sense when you see it.  I tried to talk myself into hand stitching them to the background fabric since the FW doesn't zig zag but I don't think I have the time now.  The meeting is Monday and I have to work on weekend and go to the onco on Monday. So, they are probably going to be appliqued on a modern machine.

This is my final WIP I worked on today:

I think I am going to add a border in this fabric:

And I plan to embroider butterflies on the white.  I will be putting the baby's name and birth date in one corner.

I am going to link up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.   Be sure to go check everyone else out.  Tell us, what are you working on today?

Better get back to turning sections.

Keep stitchin'!

Mary

What is on my bed(s) today

Bonnie Hunter is having a linking party for what quilt is on your bed? I give away pretty much everything I make. So, what is on my beds are quilts made for me or that I inherited. 

This is my bed.

I am not positive but I think that is a LeMoyne star.  It was hand pieced and hand quilted by my husband's great aunt, Tante Ida, in the 1940s.  My mattress is 12" or 13" thick.  So, getting any vintage quilt to over it is a stretch but Tante Ida's is a generous quilt by the standards of the day.

Next are the quilts in one of my upstairs bedrooms.  These were made by my own and my husband's maternal grandmothers.

 His Granny made this in preparation for his eventual marriage.  She gave it to us when we married 29 years ago. It was on our bed off and on through the years and now is on this bed. I had never seen prairie points prior to this but she used them on every quilt she did.

The other bed in the room has this quilt.

My grandmother made me that Trip around the world when I graduated from college 22 years ago.  It was on our bed for almost 8 solid years.  The fabrics are actually fabrics I gave her from my own sewing.  I did not quilt at the time.  It is hand pieced and hand quilted.

 Those grey looking pieces are actually a faded navy blue with white polka dots I had an Easter dress from in 1987.  The turquoise was a maternity dress.  The red and white polka dots (and vice versa) were the bumper pads for my sons' crib and cradle.

The flower basket quilt at the foot of the bed is one she made, too. It was for my mom and I inherited it.

Finally, one I made.

This is made from flannel. It wasn't going to be as big as I wanted and I was running out of fabric (and money).  So, I added borders with stuff I already had.  I really wish I had made a different choice than the blue but my son loves it.  He teared up when I gave it to him.  I think he was 17 at the time.  I made and quilted this on my Janome 6600.  I did not know flannel was supposed to be difficult to work with.  I didn't know HSTs were either. I just drew out something that would use the fabric I had and waded in.

Be sure to go over to Bonnie's and check out the other quilts.  I am almost ashamed to link mine after seeing theirs but....I did anyway!

Today I am running my MIL to dialysis and going to the eye doctor myself.  I worked last night. That will probably be all I accomplish.

Keep stitchin'!

Mary

My Little Chicken to Finish a Busy Week

Okay, so this is my finish this week.

She is a project for my BOM club.   It was the first time I have done foundation piecing.  It would be good for some things but not for my favorite block - the log cabin.

I had hoped to have a couple other things completed today and make this post tonight.  BUT....The UPS man brought these.

And these:

So, instead of sewing, we planted 28 trees, 10 lavenders and a single switch grass.  That job is done!  They were all in the ground within five hours of arrival on our doorstep.

Now I have bathed and my husband wants homemade pizza for supper.  I am working tonight.  So, no sewing.  But, I did get these done this week:

All the blocks for my disappearing 4-Patch

The top for the Making Change:

I also worked on my BOM stuff.  I can't stand the yellow.  So, I am changing it to orange.  As usual, I didn't get everything I wanted done but I did okay.  Oh!  I took a couple classes on my HQ16 this week.  Can't wait to try what I learned.

I am linking up with Richard, Crazy Mom Quilts, The Fabric Addict and Amy Lou Who this week.  Be sure to check out the finishes everyone else have!  I have to say that the one The Fabric Addict posted is my favorite!

Keep Stitchin'

Mary

p.s.  Edited to add.... my son and DIL came home this weekend.  She saw my chicken and really liked it.  I said I didn't and she said, "I'll take her.  I don't have a pin cushion."  Since it was her idea I am going to assume she wasn't just being sweet and give the darn thing to her.  Yay me!  I did my project and I don't have to waste it or keep it!  Thank you MJ

WIP Wednesday: Disappearing 4-Patch

It is Wednesday.  I go back to work on nights Friday.  I had such grand plans but....as usual, life interferes.

So, here is today's WIP

I was trying to work on these Disappearing 4-patches.  They are pieced in the Twirl  collection by Me and My Sister for Moda.  I didn't realize there was black in the collection. I am using them for a quilt for a baby girl.  I just can't leave the black.

So, here are all the blocks I am using:

I have 6 more 4-patches to make disappear.  

I am going to sash them with leftovers from the Making Change quilt.  I finished that top Monday.  It should have gone on the quilting machine last night but I am a clumsy oaf.

It was supposed to rain here today and tomorrow.  I thought I would make good use of my time and wash the cars yesterday when it was sunny.  I did that with reasonable success.  Then I tripped and fell and messed up my left hand.  If you look too closely at the D4Ps above you will see they aren't quite right.  That is because I can't hold a ruler down firmly with my left hand.  Grrrr....

This too shall pass.  When it does I will set these blocks and then turn the entire thing on point and add white triangles to the corners to make it a decent size.  I have a couple of the greens from the collection to potentially use as a border and binding.

What are you working on today?  I am linking up with Freshly Pieced.  Be sure to go check out the other WIPs.  They are truly inspiring.

Keep Stitchin'!

Mary

Design Wall Monday: True Blue and Making Change

Hello, again!

Since my post this morning I have planted some lettuce and then moved to the sewing room.  I didn't feel like sitting so I worked on cutting all the triangles for a quilt I am calling True Blue.   It will be one of the graduation gifts for my best friend's daughter.  Her younger daughter best described our relationship one day when she told someone, "I don't have any aunts but that is okay because I have Mary and she is like an aunt only better."

The blocks are from an exchange I did last year on Homesteading Today.  They really are all shades of blue.  You know what photography does.  I have them laid out with blocks 2 and 11 in the middle now.  I am debating that.

When I am sewing I am working on my version of the stacked coins.  I think I like how it is turning out.

I think it is modern looking.

You will notice that I switched design walls floors  - see the different carpet?  I don't have enough wall space anywhere for things this big but I do have floor space when I am home alone....like today.


So, that is what is on my wall floor today.  What is on yours?   I am linking up with Judy. Hop on over to Patchwork Times to see more walls.  So much inspiration there.  Really wish I had won that lottery!


Keep Stitchin'!

Mary

Monday's Makings: Peanut Butter Cereal Cookies

Today's recipe will be super easy and most kids love these.  I have one that doesn't.  He doesn't like peanut butter.  Weird.

I first made these using corn flakes from a recipe titled Aunt Ruth's Corn Flake Cookies.  I loved them.  They were a drop cookie.  I took them to work one time and I was informed that they were Special K cookies.  Then my mind began to turn.  I always have Cheerios.  I don't always have corn flakes.  I tried them with corn flakes.  Fantastic!  I tried making them easier by spreading them in a pan.  That was the ticket.  Now we have Cereal Bars.  I still make them as drop cookies for corn flakes, though.

They are still a little warm there and not completely holding their shape but you get the idea.

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups cereal of your choice (fresher is better. If the cereal has been open a while, crisp it back up by putting it on a cookie sheet in the oven @ 350°F for a few minutes.)

Grease a 9.5" x 13" cake pan. Mix sugar and syrup in a large sauce pan.  This is a 4 quart but I was only making a partial batch.  None of the kids are here and I really don't need to eat an entire batch.

Over a medium heat, stirring occasionally bring the sugar mixture to a boil.  If you boil it for too long the cookies become harder.  So, just get to a full boil that dissolves the sugar.

Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter.  I generally don't measure the peanut butter.  So, I can tell you if you get too much peanut butter they will not be as firm.

Once the mixture is uniform, stir in the cereal.  If making bar cookies, transfer to the greased pan and let cool.  

The other option is to drop them by spoonfuls onto wax or parchment paper.

You could add mini chocolate chips into these or even frost them after they are cool but we love them just like this.

Now, off to the sewing room.  I plan to be back with a Design Wall post later.

Mary

p.s.  I made these this morning because I wanted them for breakfast.  I know.  Really bad,  but I am the grown up now.

A Sign

This really is a sign.  I haven't told any of my family I have a blog, let alone what it is called.  My MIL called me this morning to ask me how to fix her sweater and if I had any interfacing.  When I took it over to her - they live just through the woods - she gave me this.

Can you see that is says "Made with love" on the bottom?  How ironic.

She gave it to me for my sewing room, which I am thinking about moving.  The room I am in is just under 9' x 12.5'.  This house has three bedrooms upstairs that no one is in most times.  The smallest is my sewing room.  My youngest son will be back home for the summer.  But, he  would not care one bit if I booted him out.  I am not doing that though, I do covet his bedroom.  It is the largest in the house at 12.5' x 18'.  He was in the little room until his brother moved out.

The third bedroom is 12.5' x  15'.  I would gain 75 square feet by moving in there but the lighting is really bad.

Having this new sign seemed like a sign to redecorate for a sewing room but I think I have talked myself out of it.  I want the big room with the southern exposure and all the natural light.  I will make do in my little room for another year or two.

My sign will have to go up in the mean time.  I showed it to my husband and he grinned and said, "I can drill a hole and that and drive a nail for you."

Think again, Bucko!  We have more invested in woodworking tools than sewing machines and that is saying something.  One of us is making a frame.

He owes me.  Remember the doily for his gun safe?

Happy Spring, all!  It is a beautiful day here and I am going to enjoy it by working more on the Making Change quilt from yesterday's post.  Thanks to all that advised me.  I stuck with the original plan.  Pictures to follow this week.

Mary