Fun things have been going on in the sewing room!
I started a new quilt!
Jumping right in with the Got-Done's!
My only to-do from last week was to start on a new quilt.
After two days of deliberation, I still couldn't decide so I
went out there in Quilt Land to have a look around.
Down the rabbit hole I went.
A spring quilt is lacking in our bedroom so for fabric
I had already settled on a recently-purchased jelly roll:
"Secret Garden" by Meags and Me.
The Secret Garden (Burnett) was a favorite read
as a child so I'm just gonna steal the name.
Hubs likes the fabric a lot so it's a win.
After narrowing down a billion quilt ideas to about 8,
I had hubs pick--because I sure couldn't.
Now we're at "win-win".
I'll reveal that in a bit but first
--and I know this will amaze you--
<sarcasm>
the jelly roll strips weren't exactly 2.5" and had
to be dealt with. Blast those pinked edges!
I know why they do it.
I just don't care, and wish they wouldn't.
I can't live with the uncertainty, people!
With a hand on the ruler, I use a firm craft paint brush to
move away all the trimmed bits without moving my fabric.
Still a bit jagged here and there but at least I know
exactly where to match things up for trimming the
other side.
The original directions cast aside some strips. <cringe>
The last thing I need is more orphan strips but because
I'm putting two extra rows on this quilt, not only am I using
the entire roll (except for the whites that won't work), I was
able to bring my backing and a border fabric in.
Here is my trial:
I thought this to be kind of an odd block, and I don't think
I've ever made one like it, but it goes together smoothly
(something I haven't worked with lately!)
so my fondness for this thing began right there.
Just the project I'm needing: simple yet different.
Another break from cutting to make a couple more...
so I could see where it was all going of course.
When I moved on to piecing, I was still distracted by
that squirrel on the wall.
The design was getting fun and this squirrel wanted to know
how the pile of nuts was gonna look so in the middle of all
that piecing (the 4 sections that make up the block),
I made few more blocks....
I might have to call this Squirrel in the Secret Garden.
It kind of makes sense when you look at the whole
thing. A lattice with some randomness going on
behind it--that little squirrel is making a mess.
"Scrappy Makes Me Happy" is from the book
Easy Quilts From Pre-Cut Fabrics (Martingale).
I'm still not done with the piecing but
I'm having fun.
From a previous to-do,
I also got 3 pin cushions made:
This chick gets long arm duty.
On the food front,
I'm still trying hard to use up everything from
the garden but a few other things sneaked in.
These BBQ Chicken Lollipops have been all the rage in a
"Yoder Smokers" group that my husband follows and he
is now on the band-wagon. The sauce is the best part.
My daughter requested an oreo cheesecake for her birthday
and as a master of all things cheesecake, I obliged.
Hey, if you're gonna be a master baker at something....!!!
A friend gave us some fresh corn so I tried out these
Pretty much anything I've made by Kevin over the
years has been good and most of it awesome.
This one went in the awesome category.
But, of course, corn is a favorite with me,
and street corn is my favorite way to have it.
Out in the garden,
we released 6,000 ladybugs to help counter the
6 bajillion aphids that are attacking every leaf and bloom
they can get their teeth into--or whatever aphids have.
Those ladybugs like each other. A lot.
It turns out that bunnies and aphids aren't the only prolific
creatures out there so it looks as if we may win the war
on at least some of the blooms out there.
Oh my goodness! A few posts ago, I mentioned that my
record pumpkin was 44lbs. But when I was looking for a
picture of it the other day, I found this post where I
showed off my 56.4lb beauty! These are the times I am
so, so glad that I put things like this in my blog!
So, I'm currently watching 6 (so far) "jack-o-lantern"
pumpkins to see if they are up for the challenge.
This guy is just getting started but I see obvious growth
with every visit to the garden. He's already put on inches
since I took this pic last week. (Reminds me of when
I think it's smart to keep M&M's in the sewing room...)
There are more blooms and lots of bees so let's hear it
for 60lbs! Grow, grow, grow!
(And you aphids: die, die, die!)
Finally,
to work on next week:
1) I'm shooting for finishing all those blocks,
maybe even get them into rows.
2) Pick my next quilt out.
As long as it took to pick out Secret Garden,
I figure I'd better get a running start!
This one is very likely to be a fall one.
3) Publish second post on pantographs for beginners.
I'm working on a series on learning pantograph quilting
I'm working on a series on learning pantograph quilting
that I'll be joining in on Cheeky Cognoscenti's Long Arm
Learning Link Up Party. With garden season winding
down just a little, I'm hopeful to get these out at least
every other week, maybe even weekly, for a time,
likely on Wednesdays. If you missed my first one
in which I introduce myself and my long arm, it
can be found here. Check back tomorrow for
some help on choosing your first pantographs.
3) Can more tomatoes
Yesterday I canned another 14.5 quarts of Italian-style
plus 6 pints of plain diced tomatoes.
I feel like I get a little reprieve now but I'm sure
I'll have more by the weekend. Already seeing
red out in the garden.
Maybe:
Load up one of my to-be-quilteds
Have a wonderful week!
Happy quilting!
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