Quilting Continues

I finished quilting the first of three Quilt for Kids I have remaining. I'm going to take the backing and pull it to the front to bind.  This is the first time I've done this, so wish me luck!

I ran out of thread - both the bobbin and the spool at the same time!  It was also a good time to clean the machine.  I had to switch colors, but I don't think the color difference (light green, beige) is that obvious.

The photo is of my Moldy Cheese quilt.  The pattern is drafted by Lori and she called it Cheese and Crackers.  I changed it a lot, because I put in the little green squares without organizing them by colors, I took out the half blocks and added a row of checkerboard for a border.  I am hand quilting it.  I think I am going to quilt sunflowers in the cheddar, so even though the quilt is nicknamed Moldy Cheese, it might have a more pleasant formal name.

Quilting

As I have been catching up on blog reading, I have found that I have been really drawn to scrap quilts lately.  Edited to add a link for an example of a gorgeous scrap quilt.  Lots of teeny-tiny pieces, both pieced and appliqued.  I can't start a new one, because I have been working on a Leaders and Enders for a while now, and I want to show some finishes this year.  I decided to count the blocks I have already made, to see how far I have gotten, and estimate how much time I will have before I can start one with even tinier pieces.  I want a big quilt, because the pieces will look smaller proportionately in a bigger quilt, like a generous lap quilt, because the days are getting cooler, and I am looking forward to having a new tv watching quilt.  My mother bought my purple princess quilt from me this summer.

It turns out I am only at the halfway point.  I cut some more fabric (I think I need more multi-colored, larger scale, more interesting, fabric) and sewed a few more strips together to speed the process along.  It's times like these when I wish I had more than one working sewing machine and space to put them.  I have quilts that need quilted and on their way to their recipient.  Three Quilts for Kids quilts.


Yesterday I quilted some more on the first of the three.  I seem to be doing one bobbin's worth a day. It looks like it is going to take four per quilt.   Hopefully I can get two today so I can finish it. Maybe I will do straight line quilting on the next one.  It isn't as much fun, but I think I can manage to get it done faster. Or else make bigger squiggles.

I also did one thread's worth of hand quilting while watching Who Do You Think You Are?  It was a rerun but I am hoping to give some good karma to the show. I did find out that Ancestry is offering free access this Labor Day weekend, but it is only for the immigration records.

Review: You Changed My Life

This is a small book, with beautiful pictures, and short (1-4 pages), inspiring stories and Bible quotes throughout.  There is even a page where you can write who you are giving the book to, and how they changed your life.  I think the idea of getting a gift like this, even if it is a crappy book would be sweet.  But it isn't a crappy book.

The heartwarming stories are divided into these sections:  love, kindness, commitment, compassion, hope, courage, wisdom and friendship. Sometimes it is nice to take the time to make connections.  Instead of thinking about the day to day grind, and the list of things to do, we can pause and think about what really matters in life, and thank the people who have made a difference.

Many of the stories are about Christians and Christianity.  All of the stories have already been published in other books by Max Lucado. Since I haven't read any of his other books, this did not bother me, but I would imagine that someone expecting new stories might be disappointed.  Unless they are really happy that their favorite stories made it in the book.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson, through their Booksneeze program, in exchange for this review.

Edited to add:  Another review pointed out that the cover page includes the following note:  "One hundred percent of the author royalties from this book will benefit children and families through World Vision and other ministries of faith-based compassion."

Quilting has Resumed!

Kate has posted the third step of the stay at home robin today.  I wanted to do this quilt.  I still want to do the quilt.  I thought that I should hurry and catch up on the blocks, because I think that doing each step in a separate month would help give it that round robin flavor.  All the blocks would look different, because the decisions were made in separate months.

The first week's step is to make a 6 inch block.  I flipped through my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler quilt and chose a block.   The blocks in the book are smaller than 6 inches, but I figure I could add a sashing to bring it up to size.

The directions are skimpy, but I studied the picture carefully and put my pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle to make sure I added all the parts in the right places.  It turns out that the template is reversed.  Maybe all templates are - it's been a while since I've sewn with templates. I sewed the triangles together so I was left with four squares.  Oops.   I can't make the block I set out to make.

Before I bring out the seam ripper, I try to determine whether there has been a mistake that needs ripping, or whether it was simply an alternate design choice.  There were many times when I was making the Jane blocks where I wished I could play with alternate design choices.  I decided to play.  How can I position these pieces where the resulting design looks intentional?

Like the four patch posie, I twisted the pieces around and around, and found several pleasing designs.  I've decided to run with this, and make some more blocks.

I'm not sure whether these will wind up in the round robin quilt, because they won't look like a different person made each block.  But I guess it wouldn't hurt to have some orphan blocks laying around.  Or maybe I'll make another doll quilt, using the same layout as my last one.

In other quilting news, I have finished making all of the tops for the Quilts for Kids quilts.  I am hoping to get them sandwiched and quilted soon.

Still Here

I've been catching up on my blog reading.  You have certainly been busy making all sorts of beautiful things that I need to add to my to-do list.  Eventually I finally figured out that I wasn't going to be able to get to that to-do list if I didn't get off the computer.  I've managed to get some sewing done, but I figure I should finish a block or a quilt before I show you progress.

Did you notice that the truck is hanging in mid air in this picture?  I'm not sure what that is all about, but it certainly interesting!

I found these pretty ribbons in a gift shop. They even sold some fabric in the shop.  They packaged everything up really prettily.

Melon Pan Part Two

The double work (sometimes triple and quadruple and whatever comes after that) continues to go on in my attempt to whittle down the to-do list. The pharmacy and the doctor still haven't figured out the last prescription, the oil change place had a computer glitch that doubled up all their appointments, etc.

Even the baking had to get done twice.  My daughter wanted to make melon pan.  It's a Japanese dish.  It is a bread with a cookie on top of it.  Since she hasn't cooked from scratch very much, and this is a complicated recipe with both bread and cookie, I told her that we needed to make it together.  She resented the implication that she couldn't follow a recipe, but in my experience, things always go wrong, and I thought it would be a good group activity.  For several days, she didn't make it at all.

Then finally she relented.  But she decided to use me as a helper to do things, but would not listen to any advice.  The recipe called for very precise measurements, 7/8 cup of water (I think they're converting from Japanese to American measurements) and then said ("you'll probably have to add some more flour").  I told her to add less water, but with a precise measurement, she wanted to follow the recipe.  The trouble was the "some more flour" wasn't a tablespoon here or there, it was almost the amount that was originally put in.  As a result, it tasted very flour-y.  I tasted it, and it was fine.  I would have eaten it as bread, with butter or jelly.  But the Teflon coating on our cookie sheet also decided to come off on these delicacies, so pretty much the (double) batch was ruined.  And the fact that I'm allergic to wheat, so I can't eat them with or without the Teflon coating.

She tried again yesterday, by herself, with a brand new cookie sheet, now that she knew to adjust the water instead of adjusting the flour.  She also used a little more sugar.  She also made them bigger, now that she knew that they don't rise very much.  They look great. She was going to share them with her friends, but now she might have to make another batch, because she says they taste great too.

Come Back

As I have told you before, I have a to-do list that has been piling up, and I finally am getting a chance to whittle it down.  I've been getting reminder notices about my failure to meet my deadlines.  This is not normal for me.  I like to get things done early, not just on time, or way past the deadline.

The problem is, everything I do is taking twice as long as I thought it would.  The plumber doesn't have a part and has to come back the next day, the dentist says I have a cavity so I need to come back, the pharmacy needs to consult with the doctor, so I need to come back.  Again and again, everything on the list has to be done at least twice.

But it is okay, the list is getting smaller, and eventually it is getting to be at a manageable level.  And on my to-do list is quilting. The Quilts for Kids are back out again, and I get to finish them.  I don't have to save quilting for after the list is done.  The picture is of the quilt I finished a while ago.  Just have to add to the pile and ship off.