Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Starting something NEW

I have oooohed and aaaahed at many of Bonnie Hunter's scrappy designs, this time Jamestown Landing.  I just LOVE all those little scrappy stars.  So far, I've made about 690 HSTs, and need  840.  Then I need to make a bunch of string squares, then sew a bunch of half stars, then ......!   LOL   I DID clean up a lot of little 2 1/2 inch pieces.

So far, so good!   BTW, they don't go together this way, I just was playing.



Chiropractor says" don't sit and sew for long periods of time."  OK -- good advice -- I won't, but then I sit at the computer instead.  Duhhhhh!


Monday, March 18, 2013

Green Bargello is DONE (or is it called Scrappy Trip Around the World?)!

  Finally, I have this project finished - someone how I thought it would go fast but it seemed to take forever!  Must be LIFE interfering, again.  Now that I am retired, I find I was MORE productive when working.)  Anyway, "Scrappy Bargellos" are "going around"  ala Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville.com and I've wanted to make another one.  Just one FQ was purchased.

I could have arranged dark blue in the CENTERS of those blocks, but I"m not sure other features would remain constant.  This will be a Linus quilt and is waaaay too large for an toddler.  4 x 6 blocks = almost 60 x 80!  Yikes, a little kid would get lost under it!  It would be good for an older girl perhaps, who likes little "Cutsies."  The blocks are 12 inches finished.

I LOVE this inner border of rabbits and orange carrots.  The quilt NEEDED a little bit of orange - this was perfect, and I just had enough.

That dark blue (above) in the border has little red/orange things in it, and it was on sale, so I swooped up 6 yards years ago, thinking it would be a good backing with those little red/orange "flowers".  Later I realized the red/orange "flowers" were lady bugs and the idea of ladybugs as a backing did not seem the best choice.

Determined to use what I already have, I cut 88 backing squares at 8.5 in.   My plan for quilting was this wide sweeping "dwirling" but I had unfortunately forgotten that this sweeping design is great for a long-arm, but I have a Domestic Sewing Machine and with almost every stop and start came a little "glitch" - crooked stitch, driving me crazy - it's difficult to control those glitchy stitches!  Lesson learned.  Previous "dwirling" on other quilts was successful when keeping the movements small, and hand-sized.  Where was my brain?

Looking at the back, at first it looked pretty awful and jumbly, but I resorted to "have faith" approach and in the end is OK.  Another handy thing I had forgotten is, when you do these kinds of squares keep all of them either with the grain or across the grain - don't mix them.  You can tell because they stretch more cross-grain.  They handle better if consistant.   I have a few pleats which I believe were caused by  carelessness, where I mixed them up. 

If you have not tried this Scrappy Bargello, you are missing out on fun - your brain will just smile when you make the first one!  

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Excellent results with camera repair

My camera was returned this morning, safe and sound, all repaired, and even better than I remembered.  Sum total of 10 days gone, including 4-5 days in transit from western Nebraska to Bensenville, Illinois, west of Chicago.  I'm happy!

I went to UnitedCamera.com, and just started following directions.  Make of camera, kind, what is the problem (mine was a common problem apparently - broken View Lens), choose shipping method, here is the estimate, choose payment method, and off it goes to their facility.  I called to get an estimate time for repair and she said 7-10 days.  My camera cost about $300.00, 7 years ago, it has limited video and audio, plus the carrying case, extra batteries, memory card, learning to use it, downloading its program to convert photos, etc., and all that takes time, energy and agitation, so I wanted to try REPAIRS.

Now, after an unexpected warm March day, I'm too exhausted from gardening to use it today!  8-)))  Thanks very much for all your excellent suggestions for it's replacement if that was the route I could have taken.  For now, I am happy with the decision to REPAIR.  8-)))

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Scams and Fraudsters

When returning home I had a long message on my phone, from my credit card company.  He quoted the kind of card as "platinum" which was the first clue of something odd - I didn't know I had "platinum", whatever that is.  He quoted the kind of CC I had, (which is seldom used, always paid promptly when I DO use it).  I did charge an airline ticket two days ago, purchased through Travelocity.  I kept listening to the long message and at the end it automatically connected/redialed to a live person.  He asked for last 4 digits of card and last 4 digits of my SS.  I asked, who are you trying to contact - he just kept talking.  I said I wasn't going to give that to him, and he responded, "if you are not comfortable giving me that information, please contact the number on the back of your CC."  All very polite and seemingly legitimate.

I called my CC and their Security Department said NO ONE from their company had called me.  The balance on my card was accurate and as expected, that of the airline ticket.  The rep. said this is not uncommon Phishing, or Fraudster-ing.  I am soooo relieved I did not give out more info - I had been uneasy about even HAVING that CC.  We all know/hope the CC company will contact us if we have "unusual" or "unexpected" charges, and that was my first thought, something wrong, so I was tempted .

The telephone number on caller ID was 800-462-2016.  Doing a Google search relayed many others who had the same experience.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Spring! Comet

Happy Dayyyyyy!  Daffodils are pushing through the mulch!


(Stock photo - my broken camera is already on its way home from the camera hospital - I've missed it!)

Remember to watch for the comet March 12, - it's supposed to be best viewing that evening.  Look in west, just at/after sundown.  There will also be a sliver moon.  We saw it a few nights ago (I think) but it's hard to differentiate the comet from jet contrails.  For more info, officially called Comet 2011 L4 (PANSTARRS).  Bring binoculars.  

Saturday, March 02, 2013

Haste Makes Waste

While hurrying home after errands, a quilt presentation, library book review, K-Mart,  race home before the cable tech guy arrives, and deciding to NOT take a second to  put my camera safely into my big purse, I got out of the car with arms loaded, camera swinging on my arm by it's strap, walked through the garage door, slammed the garage door behind me  ....  on my camera.   DANGGGGG!   I no longer can VIEW anything except a cracked VIEW window.  The good part is that the photos are still there, and it still downloads.  I doubt if Kodak can fix the mess I made of my camera.  8-((   It might have been better if it had been completely trashed, not it's only partially trashed.  I can't review photos, but it DOES still take them and download them.

However, on a happier note, here is Jane's project - isn't this the cutest wall hanging?  The little dimensional triangles are all from scraps she already had.  She says a button will go in each center.  TOOOOO CUTE! 


Here is Jody (Goddess's) Chunky Churndash - she is a prolific quilter, knitter, rancher, calver, babysitter to grandkids, friend, Postmaster, teacher, etc.  She can do anything - rumor has it that she doesn't sleep



Here is a label for our recent donated quilt.  Nancy donated his label, done on her embroidery machine.
 And here is a final photo of the donated quilt.  We even made the newspaper today!!

Thank goodness - we can start working on something else, but I'd like to win this one.  We local quilter/gals  donated the top fabrics, and RSVP paid for the batting, backing, and quilting.  My friend Chell did the beautiful machine quilting.  One of our local quilters, Carol,  has won not just one, but TWO Raffle Quilts in about 2 years!!!  And with just one ticket per quilt!

I know I've shown this before, but wanted photos for posterity!  8-)) 


There  are minor issues with the ribbon corner but we managed to make it look right - only a quilter would ever know there are discrepancies.

Jody is known for her interesting flange type border treatment (below).  Some old person stuck their finger in the photo to show details.  Oh yeah, was that me???  LOL