"Mo-Jo" found again!!!!!!!!!!

 I'm still heeeeere!!!!!!!!!!!  

Remember a previous post where I was sorting my ever-increasing pile of boring light and dark scraps?  This is what happened -- 16 blocks, on point.  More strips had to be cut for this WIP!  

I've been working on the border and faux flange binding of our group Raffle Quilt.  Here are some teaser photos - not allowed to show the full project.  We chose to feature "low volume" and "taupe".  There were some doubts as each block maker checked their stash and wondered "what were they thinking?"  Never fear ... the planners had faith!  

 

I still remember how to make these cheese loaves.  Yum - had to give one away or I would have gobbled both and been sorry!  Even better toasted for breakfast.  

I'm using a finished "I Spy" as the pattern for another "I Spy", using many of the cutsies some of you sent me.  The sewing is easy but the layout was tricky.  A bunch of squares also went home with a friend who also wanted to make a kid's quilt.

The reason for my absence - physician said "surgery, you are High Risk because of past heart history and you are on blood thinners and you are no spring chicken" so I was set up for date with UC Health in eastern Colorado.  Yes, that's right - 250 miles from my home.  Since I live alone, getting to that appt. had a number of logistic issues.  And winter storms that may or may not happen didn't help anxiety levels.  Taking blood thinners mean you must adhere to an exact dose stopping at an exact date before surgery, adding to stress on that point alone.  I planned to drive myself to my brother's home in Broomfield, Co.,  not too far from the hospital, and they offered to get me to/from the hospital, all of us frazzled with Denver traffic and with ever-threatening snow complications. I enjoy driving but have no knowledge of Denver traffic.  I made it just fine to their home.   My brother and wife are also respectful of traffic and rush hours, none of us are spring chickens!  As expected, my visit with them was absolutely wonderful, weather/snow complications were managed, surgery went just fine, I didn't die - what more was needed?   Bruises to my old body (blood thinners) was frightingly impressive, but slowly disappearing.   Frankly, I enjoy "new adventures" but this one was a corker!   I loved my family visit and  rehashing old memories, enjoyed being waited on for several days during recuperation and learning some new food items as brother and wife cook "organic".    My recovery was unexpectedly easy, and I drove home after several days of recuperation.  

Why does it take a month to make up for 10 days gone after returning home???? 

Anniversary, and Ruler Work Practice

Our anniversary is same as Eclipse Day - flowers arrived early, because of all the activity planned tomorrow, big "E" day.  Our little town of 8900 is in the center of the pathway and good grief, so much planned, so many people expected, so many flights in and out and even rumors of a few big name "movie stars"!  We are not accustomed to "traffic" but already 1 day prior to the big "E" day, ... hey, it's a ZOO  out there!  

New subject -- I've been practicing ruler work - this quilt begged for straight lines.  

Originally I tried this ruler made especially for what I thought would be useful - mmmm - not sure it works well for this project, but perhaps on another design.  More practice me thinks! For this project, the straight edge is not long enough before hitting a stop point.  Re-adjusting the ruler each time means delays, and more possibility of a mis-stitch.  

Below is one of my quilting feet - notice the high edge around the foot, meant to keep a ruler  from sliding getting under the needle, but also it slides along the edge of the ruler, keeping the line straight.  However, note on the right of my foot, how the assembly is rubbing slightly against the ruler - it does not actually impede movement but it 's close and something to think about, if choosing a ruler.  Also, there is a lot of "stuff" in my view, hard to see behind the foot, but it can be done.  I did a lot of peeking, up, down, leaning left and right to be sure my ruler was lined up accurately. 

 I found this short, ruler in my stash, a freebee when visiting this Denver shop - it works great!  It is thin so be sure your ruler foot had high edges.  You need a little ruler that slides around easily, doesn't get caught up on seams, but slides over them but also stays put.  Tricky?  Yep! 

Some of my lines - turning corners and then readjusting was difficult without little crooked stitches.  I did used a dark Sharpie to fix some of my mis-stitches on dark fabrics as my thread showed light.  Thread buildup was my problem at the center of the triangles, but then I learned how to stop short before going back the other way and then I learned Jump Stitches when moving from one area to the next.  My first 2 or 3 blocks had to be redone several times -- practice helps a LOT.  

I marked everything, using a Frixion pen in purple along with a white ceramic pencil.  This is not a fast project for now but gets faster with practice.  Perhaps, in time,  I won't need to mark each block. 

DH and I both agreed we are liking the overall effect.  This is before sandwiching.

It's my Birthday!, Visit with Colorado Family, Snake Skins, Machine Quilting

 I had a birthday - I'm still alive and kicking!

I made a quick trip to Denver area to visit my brother David, and his wife Mary.  What a delightful pair they are!  This is a quilt I made for them some time ago.  Mary wanted it in the photo!  8-)

 My brother, the engineer - note the pocket!  Me, having a good visit, looking like my mother.

Their backyard, all full of trees, soil, plants, berms, a hole that was going to be a lake, green things (usually green, if not too dry) and his Solar System that provides INCOME, not a bill!  Rocky Mountains in background, a stunning view.  This used to be out in the boonies, not now.

 That's Mary, retired art teacher.  I wish they lived closer to us. 

 Yes, that's Birthday me, Elaine Adair.

 Bull Snake skins - yikes, I kept watching for the LIVE snakes, maybe in the trees?

Back home again in Nebraska, and I can concentrate on machine quilting my long-delayed project, a Quiltville design called Tumalo Trails.  I renamed it "Cowboy Up" because it looks so "outdoors, friendly, western".  I saw this free MQ design on the Internet by Christina Cameli, called Bear Claws.  Works for me, on this very busy, big quilt.  Only two blocks a day is the goal  -- my shoulders and neck feel it!

 The back. 

Inspiration

This spring I visited my brother and sister-in-law in Denver.  Brother is retired Engineer, SIL Mary is a retired Art Teacher, and their home is always interesting, filled with unusual arty things, (including a beautiful canoe in their living room!).  As I looked around at all Mary's arty items, I noticed a stunningly beautiful cookie tin, and was thrilled to learn it was meant for ME, and filled with 500 Swedish cookies.  How did she know I'd love both the cookies and the tin itself?  I imagined a quilt made with the unusual colors, totally unlike anything I've made before.




Fast forward, delicious, paper-thin cookies are gone, and the lovely tin is on the top of my refrigerator, collecting some dust, but I DO admire it every day.  OK self, one of these days you'll get to that quilt.


In the meantime, spring came and went, summer came and is almost done for, so I started an easy  Linus quilt, using what I had in my stash, ala Quiltville.com.  I had no intention for it to turn out like it did!!! Apparently inspiration DID stay in my overcrowded brain.    Thank you Mary and Dave.  8-)

 

Playing, visiting, and futzing around

I'm still here - not sure what I've been doing with myself!  Certainly, not posting anything!

 

Below are two unusual purses/totes I bought locally.  I've seen similar at quilt shows but never expected to find them in our local gift shop!  I kept one for myself. 

This is Mary, one of my dear sisters-in-law, retired art teacher, at their home near Denver.  Mountains in the background have only small amounts of snow, not a good thing.

This is me, my engineer brother, and my boatmaking husband during a recent visit, when weather was warm! 

This is my current project, "Lady of Shallotte"  on my Design Floor for tooo long, because I haven't figured how to deal with the corners and the flying geese do not fit properly - lack of planning on my part!  But, I WILL figure something!  This is a large quilt, folded to fit the Design Floor.   I am planning on hand quilting this one.

My Quilt Guild friend Sharon and I will be working on quilt show ribbons again this year.  The theme is SUN, so we are each playing in prep for a July quilt show.  My first effort did not work well - waaaay too fiddly, too many wedges, too fussy, too large, etc.  The ruler worked perfectly but not suitable for this project.  I tried inserting little white "rays" of foldy things, more of "tooooo fussy"! 

Than I tried a  45 degree ruler and cut wedges, but moved the ruler down a bit, still using a 2.5 inch strip.  OK, size is better, just 8 wedges (hard to see), has possibilities.  Of course, using a variety of yellow/gold fabrics would have been better.  Still needs something on the back though, but it's a beginning.  Yes, I dislike the center but ...

Sometimes you just have to play to find answers!

"Shirttails" Bonnie Hunter Class

Saturday was our Bonnie Hunter class in Englewood, CO, about 5 hours from my home in western Nebraska.  My travel mate was (above, left) Jody (I usually call her Goddess) who was waaaay more familiar with Denver than I ever hope to be, and her sister Janice who lives in Denver, and Bonnie, then Diane (far right), our table mate from Washington state who was visiting relatives in Denver, but they weren't home so we know which activity took priority!   Our project was from Bonnie's book Shirttails.  Janice and her husband went out of their way to make ME feel welcome - what a lovely visit we had in the evenings and at an incredible breakfast Sunday morning!

This class was sponsored by Wooden Spools, and amazing shop that buys quality cotton fabric from regular quilt folks and resells it at a generous discount to other regular quilt folks!  Bargains galore for first-quality fabric - what a concept!  They also have a Bonnie Hunter ... not sure it's called a fan club, but they all make more of Bonnie's quilts.  What an amazing shop - they gave us breakfast Saturday morning with leftover yummies for Saturday lunch!!!  They are in Englewood, south of Denver.

Because of the distance, we made a weekend of the class - I am exhausted.  It was a VERY good - and humbling experience to be traveling with younger, strong women!  

Many photos are on Bonnie Hunter's site.

Bonnie Hunter class preparations

My preparations are almost completed for a class with Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville, in south Denver.  The all-day class is sponsored by Wooden Spools quilt shop.  I remember how disorganized I am at a class so I cut pieces ahead of time.  Well, then I was tempted to sew "just one" but ended up with 2 Jacob's Ladder, and one Rosebud.   Jacob's Ladder had always been a favorite.  I have a 3rd set of blocks cut for Union Square but not shown here -- better save something for the class!.  Believe me, I have a LOT of plaids!  I LOVE this Rosebud -- normally it ends up looking feminine, but wowser, plaids make a big difference! We're making the quilt Bonnie calls "Shirttails."  I'm planning to set the blocks in a Row format, and each row will using the same fabrics.

I am traveling with a friend who knows how to navigate Denver traffic.  Denver is about 4 1/2 hours from my home in western Nebraska, but we'll have a lovely visit during the drive.

Thanks Jody, for that lovely soft blue plaid in the Rosebud block - it sings!

My Show and Tell will be my favorite Pineapple Blossom that I started in Casper, WY, also taught by Bonnie 3-4 years ago.

Visit with Colorado family

Last long weekend I drove to Denver to 1) visit a GF I've not seen in 45 years, 2) visit my brother and SIL in Broomfield, 3) visit Quilt Fest, 4) visit my brother and SIL new farm and new/old house in southern Colorado, and 5) return home in a snowstorm/blizzard.  The last part was unexpected!

Quilt Fest was overshadowed by my enthusiasm for my SIL to see what happens at a Quilt Fest - I barely spent any $$$.  She has asked me to make her 2 quilts for their new/other house in southern Colorado.

Farm photos show some serious drought situation.  Photos here are generally of little interest to anyone but family members but the DRY situation is amazing!!!

And there is one photo of an interesting 9-Patch quilt seen at Quilt Fest, made my favorite way, making the block and then trimming or cutting, to invent a new layout.  I'll have to make this one, soon, I hope.

 That is white sand off in the distance.

 Red mountain at dawn, or was it dusk?

Farmer brother at his holding pond.

 Windy, dry conditions - look at those dust devils!

 Dave and Mary - new/old real farmers.  Gotta have hats and cover-ups - the blowing stinging sand was merciless!

David walking his acreage. 

When we were kids, our folks moved from Chicago to a small farm in Illinois (with 3 little kids and a baby on the way for gosh sakes!!!).  We all loved that farm life but this brother, a retired engineer, could not resist the challenge of tomorrow, wanting to return to a farm in southern Colorado, using sustainable and green energy and renewable resources within his grasp.  Mary is right there with him - she is a retired Art Teacher, and an artist through and through.  They have embarked on this life with enthusiasm and determination.  Little mountain snow, and climate change, for whatever reason, has not subdued their enthusiasm. 

Is there a problem here?

I just had to send this photo. All these blocks have the corners popping up reminding me of the Denver Airport buildings! Fortunately, they DO press back down flat, using a little bit of starch.
I don’t know what the protocol is for posting locations of amazing photos/videos, and I was going to put the link in this post, but when I did the 'fiddling' with the embedding (a new term to me), the video screen just popped up on my blog, so here it is. This video HAS to be one of the best! My congratulations to it's maker!!! The link came from Stashbusters, an on-line mailing list, regarding how to make Bulls Eye Quilts. As I checked the link to see what the tutorial was all about, I was astounded not only by the great tutorial, but a slideshow of 67 - yes, 67 slides of the most wonderful quilts I’ve seen - totally scrappy, each one better than the last. Give yourself some time to watch it all - you won’t be sorry. And these are all scrappy, using up our stash!

Home Again, Home Again

I am back home in snowy Nebraska after 2 weeks in warm Florida. The flight home was only 2 days before that paralyzing blizzard that cancelled all flights in and out of Denver. I am counting my blessings!

We endured part of that storm, with 45 mph winds and whiteout conditions, but not as much snow – about 10 inches overall. Some of it drifted high but a lot of it blew east towards Iowa! I discovered it’s not easy to take a photo in white-out conditions! But here is part of our back yard, after wind had abated, and after DH struggled with the snow blower. The snow is piled up like cake icing!

I had forgotten these 2 Christmas Pinwheels I had made for my sister and Mother some years ago. Many of you may have made this pattern before. It’s not difficult, but you have to keep your wits about you, getting each color in the right place. I made one for me, and only after displaying it for 2 years, did I notice one of the pinwheels had a wrong color on the point, so I had to fuse the right color in the right place. (I’m not showing you THAT one!)



This is a quilt I made some years ago, one of my favorites, Birds-in-the-Air. It was my first effort on an appliqued border, and as we all know, we learn a few things along the way. It is hand quilted. The border was made up of scrappy string-pieced leaves. I then made a leaf-shaped template, and cut out a larger than necessary leaf, then faced it with a lightweight fusible interfacing, and sewed with a very small stitch around the leaf shape, and trimmed close to the stitches (a la Eleanor Burns method). The interfacing is slit, then the leaf is turned right-side out, finger pressed, and then fused to the background. Later, I blanket-stitched all the leaves in place with invisible thread. The border could use more quilting, but that’s as far as I went. I love the colors, mostly red, purple, black, all rich, color saturated. One of the fabrics saturated right through to the backing, unfortunately – “ooops, did I prewash this?”




I am wishing all you quilt-y gals a Merry Christmas, Good Health, Happy Hearts, Great Quilting, and Happy New Year for 2007!