Thursday, February 25, 2010

Quilts for Kids


Look at this beautiful fabric that came via UPS today! It is a kit that I got from Quilts For Kids. I am to make a quilt with the kit, providing my own batting, and send the finished product back to them. This looks like it is going to be a fun quilt to make, and for a great cause. You can request your own kit if you want to do this as well.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Product Review: Drapery Rings



I went to Joann's because it was on my way home from work. I was thinking that maybe I should buy some solid fabric for the OSU quilt which may be commissioned. When I got there, I did get smart, and decided to wait until I had a commission before buying any fabric. Even though I could technically make an OSU quilt and maybe sell it to someone else, I have enough quilts on my to-do list to not add another project on the list.

I didn't buy any fabric (thank you, thank you - it did take some will power). I saw that the Christopher Lowell collection of drapery stuff was 70% off. All other drapery stuff was also 40% off. I thought about buying some more curtain rods, because they were at fantastic prices, but I didn't think I had enough wall space. I did get these drapery rings instead. Even though I could have gotten smaller rings, I decided to get the ones with big clips. The rings just hang on the curtain rod. There are clips that you can use to hang up the quilts. This way, the quilts that don't have hanging sleeves can still have their chance to shine. Also I think it will make it easier to switch out the quilts, since I won't have to take the curtain rod down to do it.

It does pinch the quilt, so time will tell if that does any damage. I did test it first, and it doesn't seem to cause any damage in the short run. I also will have to be very careful to put on and take out the quilt on the clips. They grab about a quarter of an inch of the quilt, which means that the edge is right where the binding stitches are.

Pros
  • Convenience of Removing and Adding Quilts
  • Don't Need Hanging Sleeves
  • Better View of Smaller Quilts
  • Works with Many Quilt Sizes
  • Great price - regular price is $10-$12.00
  • Comes in a variety of finishes - silver, gold, black

Cons
  • Pinches Quilt Tight
  • Clips May Damage Stitches if Improperly Handled
  • Have to work at Spacing the Rings (which I didn't do very well for this picture)
  • I don't know if the clips would rust in a humid environment

I really like these, and I think I will continue to use these for a majority of my quilts. If and when I ever make that heirloom quilt, I might save it from the pinchers, but the rest of my quilts will be just fine.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

First Medals Awarded!


2010 Quilting Games

I also started the competition for the 2010 Quilting Games. I am competing in all of the categories:
  • Go back and Label a Quilt
  • Work on a UFO
  • Organize your Sewing Space
  • Expand your Knowledge
  • Try a New Technique
  • Reach Out and Perform An Act of Quilty Kindness - comment on a blog or mail a postcard
Yesterday, I expanded my knowledge by trying to catch up on my blog reading. I have a huge list, and there are so many wonderful ideas out there. I did the short program for the Reach Out and Perform An Act of Quilty Kindness by trying to comment on the blogs I read - have to do more of that to win an medal.

I also participated in the Try a New Technique by trying to hand quilt my Moldy Crackers doll quilt, formerly known as Cheddar Cheese and Crackers. I have done some hand quilting on a muslin square that I made in a class (I made a pillow out of it), but I haven't ever done a real quilt. I kept debating between machine and hand quilting. I didn't do a good job of making it, so machine quilting would make it go away faster. Plus there are lots of seams and batik. But it is an old fashioned design, and I used my cheddar fabric. I finally decided it was something I could do while watching the Olympics. Only it isn't going so well, because my quilt top doesn't lay flat before the quilting, and I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to quilt out the problems. I think the problem is the border, so I am going to take it out, and hopefully will be able to continue the hand quilting.

I've also started cutting out some applique shapes - I'll be using a new technique of sewing down the edges using a straight stitch instead of a zig zag.



I have started competing in the Winter 2010 GeneaBloggers Games.

I will be competing in all of the competition categories:
  • Go Back and Cite Your Sources
  • Back Up Your Data
  • Organize Your Research
  • Expand Your Knowledge
  • Write, Write, Write
  • Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness
Yesterday, I performed Genealogical Acts of Kindness by indexing 100 names in the 1910 Military Census. I think that's enough for a Medal in these games. I practiced a lot for this, as I have more than 3,000 names indexed now. I also expanded my knowledge by doing that, because I didn't even know there was a separate military census. I also watched a couple of history shows on television about African American History and Moroccan cooking. I am going to award myself a Medal for that one as well. I will probably do more of both events, and maybe get a different Medal, but I don't have to if I don't have time.

Both of these Games are great motivation to do something! I also spent a lot of time outside shoveling snow off my steps and driveway. I am giving myself a Gold Medal for that. Whether it is a brand new category or the Organize category in both games, I think I've definitely earned it.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Go For the Gold


The Winter 2010 GeneaBloggers Games are back. While the athletes are competing in Vancouver, we can also compete in our own games. The goal is to get some real genealogy work done. These games are a lot of fun, brings the GeneaBlogger community closer, and makes all of us a bit more efficient for the month of February.

I will be competing in all of the competition categories:
  • Go Back and Cite Your Sources
  • Back Up Your Data
  • Organize Your Research
  • Expand Your Knowledge
  • Write, Write, Write
  • Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness
Many of the geneabloggers are making a flag to show their heritage. I think I am going to skip that part, so I have more time to do the actual competing.

2010 Quilting Games

I thought it would be fun to also create the 2010 Quilting Games. Let's see, think of some categories:
  • Go back and Label a Quilt
  • Work on a UFO
  • Organize your Sewing Space
  • Expand your Knowledge
  • Try a New Technique
  • Reach Out and Perform An Act of Quilty Kindness - comment on a blog or mail a postcard
You win if you say you did. Won't you join me? If enough people are interested, I'll make up some medals.

Monday, February 15, 2010

snow


It's snowing again. It is powdery and pretty. Complete waste of snow, since most people already have President's Day off. My teacher friends were hoping for a snow day on Tuesday!

My friend has finished quilting her Trip around the world quilt, with label. Only the binding is left on this ginormous quilt. Then she wants to make one for her other daughter. Right now, she is thinking about the denim cathedral windows quilt, like the one I made. I brought out my Valentine's quilt in honor of Valentine's Day. As I was watching her sew, I kept looking at my quilting on my Valentine's quilt. I had free motioned hearts all over it. I really need to try to free motion quilt again. Maybe I'll try to do something in the cheddar squares of the doll quilt.

I have two friends who have asked me if I make quilts for other people. I told them both yes. But neither one of them is ready to commit. One of them wants an OSU quilt, and the other one wants a floral one that goes with her granddaughter's floral name. Both quilts would require very little piecing and some applique. The floral girl said she wants a lap quilt, not a baby quilt, and she wants it to take less than 5 hours - I told her a price by the hour, since she said she had some fabric, and hadn't decided on the design then. I have only timed myself a couple of times, and both times it took about eight hours for a baby / lap quilt. I know I would never charge for hours I didn't use, or take longer than necessary, but I also know that if I try to rush, I will wind up taking longer because I will make more mistakes.

I have started cutting some applique pieces on my UFO. For some reason, I wanted the quilt no to be seasonal, but it really called for flowers, so now it will be a floral quilt. I've pieced the backing and the batting for the doll quilt, so hopefully that will be done soon too.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Biological Diversity



We went to the Biological Diversity Fair that is held at Ohio State University probably twice a year. It was free, and there were a lot of people there. This was the first time I had heard about it, but my sister had gone last year, so she invited the whole family this year. Basically you go from room to room, table to booth, to learn about all sorts of biology - plants, insects, birds, animals, fossils, DNA, etc. It was wonderful - there were students who were manning the table / booth, and they were very open and friendly and told you all sorts of interesting things about what you were looking at. The things to read were interesting.

I've been at another research presentation where the boards were written in small print and very specialized language. You would have to ask questions and pull the information out of the students. Here, they offered the information to you so you wouldn't have to wreck your brain to figure out what questions to ask! And somehow the questions were easier to come up with.

In the picture, you see a walking stick. They had many live insects you could hold, including cockroaches and millipedes. In the background you see a termite's nest.

There were things to touch - dead mice! Ewww. There were a microscope attached to a big screen television that showed you a parasite that lives on your forehead. We didn't have enough time to see everything, although my brother and his children were done early. They did enjoy it though - they just didn't ask questions or talk to the students.


The rooms were huge, and kinda reminded me of the warehouse in the Indiana Jones movie. We weren't allowed to go back there, but in several of the rooms, behind the displays, the whole room was filled with shelves and shelves of stuff - animals that had been stuffed, jars and drawers of specimens, very old books, etc.

Afterwards, we went to nearby Whole Foods and got all sorts of fun foods. Apparently seeing all the animals did not take away my appetite, but everything I got was vegetarian! They had a lot of samples out, and it was nice to try things that I don't usually get.

Definitely go if you get a chance. I wouldn't have thought about going to a fair like this, but it was very interesting and informative.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Progress



It's been a colder and snowier winter than usual. It's not bad when you take it day by day, but the statistics make it seem just simply unbearable. Another Winter Weather Advisory, a Winter Storm Warming, a Level One Snow Emergency, lots of school and business closings. It's interesting to watch those closings - learn a lot about what I would have been missing if they hadn't been closed.

I've been more leery of driving in it this year than I was last year, when I was working two full time jobs, and didn't have time to watch the news. In fact I drove during a Level Two snow emergency and didn't even know it until I got to work. I just did what I had to do.

This year, with just one full time job, my schedule is more flexible, so I can take snow days off. Unfortunately, my daughter still has to go to work, and that means I have to drive during snow days. It is a short trip, and I don't want her to get in the habit of calling snow days off, so I do what I have to do. If I worked where she does, I would have avoided driving, and just walked there.

This weekend, my friend came again to work some more on her quilt. She is down to quilting the last two corners, and then she will be able to do the label and binding. Then on to the next quilt for her. I was able to finish the Cheddar Cheese and Crackers top. I'll show it to you when it is finished quilting. Hopefully, I'll get to that today.

A snow day is supposed to be fun, but I need to be working on filing my taxes and completing the FAFSA (college financial aid) form, so it doesn't seem like so much fun. That and cleaning. And snow shoveling, again.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Alien Soldiers

Sure there's been some quilting going on. My friend has resumed making the TATW quilt for her daughter.



But there are alien snow soldiers to be made.



This is our biggest snow for the year. These are the original four. Another one was added to the row, and two of them had to be remade, and the mother wasn't made yet. We might make a second row tomorrow. We ran out of snow!