Hills Creek Quilter

For the Birthday Girl

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is the second of the strippy quilts that I made for a couple of special children in my family having birthdays soon. See my previous post for details on the pattern.

And here's the pieced back...

...and closeup of the quilting...

You should be able to click on the photos to see a larger view. Sorry for the washed out colors -- it was a bit dreary the day I took these shots.

The mother of the two children told me that she "can't believe anyone can sew such straight lines"! Hah! I need to tell her that curved lines are the difficult ones to sew -- but I don't think she'll believe me. I think only quilters understand...

For the Birthday Boy

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Two special children in my family are having birthdays soon, so I decided to make each of them a quilt to celebrate. This is for the soon-to-be-four-year-old boy who loves construction vehicles and big trucks. The pattern is one of my favorites from Mary of Making Scrap Quilts from Stash blog. It goes together very quickly and is a great way to showcase a fun novelty print.

Here's a shot of the pieced back...

...and a closeup of the quilting....

I found a similar print of construction vehicles and made a pillowcase to use as the gift wrapping. I'm told that the recipient is pleased!

A big thank you goes to Mary for being such a generous quilter and providing free patterns on her website.

My next post will feature quilt No 2...

Modern BOM Block 7

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is my version of block #7 of Sew, Mama, Sew's Modern Block-of-the-Month Sew-Along, made from leftover fabrics of my son's high school graduation/going-off-to-college quilt. It's hard to believe that my son has already started his second semester of his sophomore year!

Click on the "SMS BOM" label down on the right sidebar of my blog to see the other blocks I've made so far.

Seeing Beyond the Trees

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

The stress of attempting to be an "art quilter" is sometimes worse than the stress of a real job!

I Hate It When This Happens

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

From the movie "The Graduate --

Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.

Benjamin: Yes, sir.

Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?

Benjamin: Yes, I am.

Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

Benjamin: Exactly how do you mean?

Mr. McGuire: There's a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?

I don't think I feel quite like Mr. McGuire does about plastics. More and more things are being made of plastic and although at times it's a good thing, it's not that way ALL the time.What you see in the above photo is a piece of the needle threader from my Bernina which broke off recently. (The pin is there for scale). When the original needle threader broke about three years ago, I took it in to be replaced and was appalled that the replacement one had more plastic parts than the original (and I was appalled that the price of the new plastic threader was $30). I knew that it wouldn't last long, especially since the part that gets the most pressure is the part that was now made of plastic and not metal. My prediction came true recently...the needle threader is now broken after just three years of use (the first one lasted me about seven or eight years). It's still usable without that gray plastic piece, but it's not quite as easy. I have decided that it works for now and when it completely breaks, I won't be getting a replacement. I'll just use one of those little wiry things that come in some sewing kits...BTW, in the package of three of those wiry needle threaders that I bought a few months ago, one of them had a broken wire as soon as I took it out of the package! I guess that's to be expected when we buy things from discount stores, but I didn't expect it from my Bernina...

Check This Out

2012-01-21T08:50:00.000-05:00

My fellow guild member Kathy of Cotton Cellar blog has opened a new Etsy store and is having a giveaway for one of her gorgeous creations. I have seen some of Kathy's work in person at Needles Quilt Shop in Wellsboro, PA and I can assure you that her work is outstanding. So be sure to go to Kathy's blog to take a look!

Lucky Me!

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last month, during Sew, Mama, Sew's Giveaway Day, I won a couple of wonderful giveaways.

The first was this lovely "Ruby" charm pack from Katie of Katie's Salt Marsh Path blog...

...and the second is this luscious group of 1/2-yard cuts of six fabrics from Cloud 9 Fabrics...

These fabrics are organic cotton and have a lovely silky soft feel to them. Perfect for when I need to make a baby quilt.

Thank you to all who sponsored the giveaways and especially to those who picked me as a winner!

Modern BOM Block 6

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is my version of Block 6 of Sew, Mama, Sew's Modern Block of the Month Sew-Along. The instructions on the website were for paper piecing the block...Since I've done a lot of paper piecing before, I didn't look closely at their instructions and did it the way I've always done paper piecing -- by sewing on the side of the paper that has the printed lines. The instructions for this block said to sew on the other side, which is why my block is actually a mirrored version of what it's supposed to look like. I didn't discover that until my block was finished. I don't really care...it looks fine this way as well.

Since I'm making this out of fabric left over from my son's high school graduation/college quilt, my supply is running low, especially of the white fabrics. I'm hoping to somehow squeak by, even if it means "making fabric" from some of the smaller scraps.

Here's a shot of what all six blocks in this sew-along look like so far...

I'm liking it very much!

What More Can I Say?

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

THANK YOU all for the kind comments about my finished DJ quilt top! You've done my ego a lot of good!

My HQ16 goes in for servicing next week and I plan to buy some backing fabric (road trip!) and some thread while it's getting the full salon treatment. I want it to be in tip-top shape when I start quilting!

In the meantime, I have a whole lot of other projects that are calling my name...

My Design Wall Today

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is....

Most of my local support group has seen this in person, so I can now share it with everyone in blogland. You should be able to click on the photo to see a larger version.

This is my completed Jane Stickle quilt top replica...all 169 blocks, 52 outer triangles, and 4 corner pieces. No two are the same. The approximate size is 84 inches on all sides. I've sewn on a straight dark border which will be scalloped (like Jane's original quilt) after I quilt it. It took me 3 years, 7 months, and 9 days to get to this point. I finished the top at 3:04PM EST on December 31, 2011 but waited until today to blog about it because I wanted to show it to my local support group in person first.

Now I need to get my HQ16 mid-arm machine serviced (I want to make sure it's in perfect condition before I attempt to quilt this), buy some MonoPoly thread from Superior Threads, and get to work. My goal is to have it completely finished in time for my guild's September exhibit, but it would be even better if I could finish it in time for my four-year anniversary with this quilt in late May.

A big THANK YOU to all who have supported me and provided advice, in person and in cyberspace, during this journey with Jane. I couldn't have done it without you.

If you're new to my blog and want to see the individual blog posts about my progress with this quilt, just click on the "Dear Jane" label on the right sidebar of my blog.

Go to Judy's blog to see what others have on their design wall today.

My Little Corner of the World

2012-01-06T07:40:00.000-05:00

1, 0...

This is "BRC, Sarah Jane", an intermediate-level corner piece for which I used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique. On Jane Stickle's original quilt, this is the place where she embroidered the words...

In War Time

1863

Pieces 5602

Jane A. Stickle

I'm not sure if I will embroider anything on this block or if I will just put a label on the back of the quilt. I'll decide that once the quilting and binding are finished.

So, this is it...the last of the blocks/triangles/corner kites. Now I will add a border around the entire quilt which will be scalloped later on. Stay tuned next week for a photo of the entire top....Can you stand the excitement?

Cutting Corners

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

2, 1, 0...

This is "TRC, Longwood", an advanced-level corner piece that I mostly paper pieced and then added the two small stars using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique. Again, the software said "this applique block cannot be paper pieced". No, the whole thing can't be, but a good part of it can. So again I drafted my own paper piecing pattern for part of it.

Rounding the Corner

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

3, 2, 1, 0...

This is "TLC (Top Left Corner), Sadie Rose", an intermediate-level corner kite piece for which I used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique. Not nearly as time-consuming as the first corner piece that I blogged about in my previous post.

In This Corner...

2011-12-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

I decided to start with the hardest corner piece first. It wasn't really all that hard, just very time-consuming. But that's to be expected when it has 74 pieces (76 if you add the two adjoining dark triangles on the top and right.

"This is BLC (Bottom Left Corner), Goshen", an advanced-level corner kite piece that I paper pieced. This is where I rant about the software -- when I tried to print a paper-piecing pattern for this kite, the software said that "this applique block cannot be paper pieced". That's absurd...this block is not appliqued and a pattern can easily be made to paper piece it. So that's what I did. I paid good money for the software and it has bugs like this? And they haven't provided patches for downloading?

Last @#$%^ Triangle!

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

Finally, the last of the 52 triangles!

This is "LS8, Northern Lights", an intermediate-level triangle for which I used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique.

Now to deal with the four corner kite-shaped pieces...Stay tuned...It may take me a while...One of them has 74 (!) pieces!!!

Getting Down to the Wire

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

This is "LS4, Virginia's Kite", an advanced-level triangle which I paper pieced and also used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique.

Going and Going...

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

This is "LS1, Nancee's Fantasy", an advanced-level triangle. The main part of it (on the right of the above photo) is sewn on using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique and the parts seen on the left side of the photo were paper pieced. The dark red fabric for the applique was cut out as one single piece of fabric as explained in this post here.

Countdown Continues

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

My Christmas present to me was time -- time to work on another triangle. This one is "LS5, Olympic Torch", an advanced-level triangle which I mostly paper pieced except for that little half-circle. It's sewn on using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique.

A Little Early

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Since I'm not sure if I'll be blogging in the next several days, I want to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and I hope the spirit of Christmas lives in all of us through 2012 and beyond!

Happy Festivus to all!

Finished!

2011-12-19T07:23:00.003-05:00

Check out my group blog, Random Acts of Stitching, for the info on all these great quilts!

Ugly Duckling No More

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Remember these awful fabrics that I blogged about here...

Well, I turned them into this...

This was the result of the first challenge presented by my ~~mean girlfriends~~ art quilters' group. Click on the link at the beginning of my post to read about the challenge.

Earlier this week, the group got together to reveal our projects (I'll show a photo of all of them in another post next week). What you see today is my finished piece -- it's about 13" x 16".

The fabrics that I was given sat in my quilting studio for weeks before I figured out what to do with them. Everyone said they were Civil War-style fabrics, but they reminded me of colonial/revolutionary times more than Civil War. The fabric with the cherries made me think of George Washington (the fabled cherry-tree story), which then made me think of making a quilt with a tree or cherries or something, but nothing really thrilled me. Nothing was inspiring me.

That is, until a friend of mine gave me a quilt top to machine quilt for her. It hung on my design wall for a day or so while I figured out how to quilt it. It was a Gee's Bend-style quilt, with the usual improvisational piecing. As I was deciding on a quilting pattern for my friend's quilt, something hit me and told me to make my challenge quilt in a Gee's Bend style. So I quickly started cutting and sewing and before I knew it, I had a piece that I actually liked (even though I can't stand the fabrics by themselves).

I added the white fabric and the striped binding fabric. The cherry fabric is on the back. The piecing is all improvisational and the quilting was done to mimic hand quilting (my Bernina has a "hand-quilting" stitch). While I was researching Gee's Bend quilts, I read a description of the quilting that was something like this -- "Somewhat parallel lines, random distances apart". So that's what I did. And I love the result!

Unfortunately, my friend's quilt is still on my frame....

Modern BOM Block 5

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is my version of block #5 of the Modern Block of the Month Sew-Along on the Sew, Mama, Sew blog. As I've said before, I'm making these blocks using leftover fabrics from my son's high school graduation/going-off-to-college quilt. If you're new to my blog, you can see his quilt here.

To see my first four blocks in this series, click on the "SMS BOM" label on my blog sidebar.

Still Working Toward the Goal

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

This is "LS-12, Button Hook", an intermediate-level triangle that I mostly paper-pieced and then added the two diamond shapes using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique. The one piece of background fabric that looks different from the others bothers me a bit (it is the same fabric, just has a bit more color to it), but not enough for me to re-do the triangle...

Onward....

The Final Countdown Has Begun

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

This is "LS10, Megan's Cathedral", an intermediate-level triangle that I paper pieced.

Now we're down to 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0... (5 triangles and 4 corner kites).

Not So Mean After All?

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

One week from today, this project will be revealed to my ~~mean girlfriends~~ art quilters' group. Although I hate the fabrics (see my post here), I am really enjoying the process of making my quilt. When it's done, I probably won't be able to say that I love the finished piece, but I think I can probably safely say that I like it!

No Waste Quilting (continued)

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Some of the scraps shown in my previous post were sewn together to make new crumb fabric like this...

And then I used my GO cutter to cut out some crumb tumbler blocks from this new fabric...

So far, I've made 11 of these tumbler blocks...still have some scraps left, but this project will be put aside while I concentrate on a few other things that have deadlines. Maybe after the new year I'll figure out what to do with these.

Oh, and the pile of really small scraps that was on the left side of Friday's photo went into a bag that I will give to a fellow guild member who makes animal beds for the local animal shelter. The slivers of fabric and batting that most quilters throw away are used by her as stuffing for the beds.

Voila -- no waste quilting!

No Waste Quilting

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

I had these scraps left over after I made the tumbler quilt I blogged about last week...

I cut them up into two piles....small scraps and even smaller scraps...

Believe it or not, none of this will go into the trash...Stay tuned...

A Second Helping of Jane This Week

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is "LS2, Barb's Diamond", an intermediate-level triangle which I paper pieced and then added the small diamond using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch applique method.

If I can keep up this pace, my goal is to have the entire top finished by the January 3rd meeting of my Laurel Janes support group. After that, the headache of piecing will be replaced with the headache of adding a scalloped border, machine quilting the entire thing, and then binding a scalloped edge...My heads hurts just thinking about it already!

Thanksgiving with Jane

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is how I spent part of my holiday weekend...

This is "LS6, Susie Q", an intermediate-level triangle which I paper-pieced and then added the melon-shaped piece using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch applique method.

Only seven more triangles and four corner kite-shaped pieces to go!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

I wish all my readers a very happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I hope you spend the day with family and friends, if not in person, then in spirit over the phone, computer, whatever.

And in the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, this is my latest charity quilt. It's boxed up and will be mailed today to Basics, a charity in NYC, all part of my mission to make charity quilts for teenagers. The next distribution day for Basics is December 1st, so this should make it in time.

The back is pieced from leftovers...

Free-motion loopy quilting with variegated thread...

You can see the first quilt I sent to Basics here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

This Thanksgiving season I am reminded how blessed I am (and how blessed I have been all my life).

These nine pillowcases (and another three Christmas-themed ones) are on their way to be donated to ConKerr Cancer. I hope they will bring a smile to some children who are going through a tough time in their lives.

I used up 12 yards of fabric from my stash for these pillowcases...and NO, I am not going shopping on Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, or any other holiday to buy more. Holidays are meant to be spent with family and friends, not for spending money on stuff we don't need!

Maybe I'm Hungry

2011-11-17T07:20:00.000-05:00

There seems to be a food theme going on here....last week it was "Connie's Brownies", this week it's "LS11, Kathy's Cake". It is a beginner-level triangle which I paper-pieced and then used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch applique method for the tiny melon and the curved piece at the base.

New Blog To Check Out

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

This picture has nothing to do with what today's blog post is about, but we don't like posts without photos, do we? It's just a binding that I'm currently working on. You'll see the finished product soon.

In the meantime, go over to Cotton Cellar, a new blog from my fellow guild member Kathy. Take a look at the projects that she's working on -- her purses are to die for! And she sells them, too...both online and at our local quilt shop.

Go ahead, check Kathy's blog out and tell her I said "hi" and welcome her to blogging!

Moosewood Monday

2011-11-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

Another great recipe from the famous Moosewood Restaurant. This time it's Southwestern Black Bean Burgers. I made them smaller than the recipe suggests and served them as a side dish for a Tex-Mex meal for guests instead of on a roll with various toppings like a burger as they do in the restaurant. I also made a fresh mole salsa to garnish them with. Everyone gave their thumbs up, so this one is a keeper!

Down to Single Digits

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is "LS3, Connie's Brownies", an intermediate-level triangle which I paper-pieced and then used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch applique method for the two melon-shaped pieces.

This now brings me to only nine triangles remaining, along with the four corner kites. I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel...

Closeup

2011-11-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is my version of the Jelly Roll 1600 Race quilt....the strips are all from vintage sheets found in thrift stores. See my previous post for a photo of some other quilts of the same pattern but with different fabrics.
Edited 8:00 AM -- to see what my friend Susan has done with her quilt, click here. I think the borders she added are a great improvement!

And They're Off...

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you put ten quilters together in a room for a Jelly Roll race?

A fun time and a lot of really cool-looking quilts!

Click on the picture for a larger view.

This past weekend, ten members of the Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild held their own version of the Jelly Roll 1600 Race. Before the start of the race, we sewed our 40 strips together into one long 1600-inch long strip each. Some used pre-made jelly rolls, others cut strips from their stash, and my friend Susan and I cut strips from our collections of vintage sheets. Once the race began (boy, you should have heard those sewing machines!), the winner finished hers in just under an hour. I finished mine in 63 minutes and the longest took just about 70 minutes.

Now I know what it's like to work in a sewing sweatshop... But this one was lots of fun!

A great time was had by all and the quilts look great, don't they?

Feel Good Quilting

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

This month I have a special reason to encourage everyone to check out AAQI -- they recently awarded a grant for Alzheimer's research to a professor at my son's university (Cornell). You can read all about it here.

In addition to that, AAQI is quite busy raising money this month with a Stanley Cup Quilt-Off as well as selling 1500 donated quilts in Houston (including a few of mine).

With the announcement about the Cornell grant, I've decided to make an AAQI quilt in the Cornell colors of red and white. Won't you make an AAQI quilt, too? For details on how to do that, read here.

More Quilts Needed

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Last week I blogged about a quilt that I sent to Basics. Victoria of Bumble Beans is asking for more help in time for their early December distribution date. She recently won a community service award for all of the work she has put into this project (a very well-deserved award) and blogged about it here. Be sure to read down to the bottom of her post for info on how to donate. As she says, you can find one of your old quilt tops (we all have them, don't we?) and just quickly finish it up. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just a completed quilt that will bring a smile to the face of someone in need. And pass the word...

Thank you!

Moosewood Monday

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

I can't stop making things from the Moosewood Restaurant's recipes. Everything I've made so far has been sooooo good! Just like everything served in the restaurant itself.

This is their Mixed Vegetable Curry (I added chicken to satisfy the caveman carnivore in my house). The spices used to make the curry flavor (not curry powder in a jar) work so incredibly well together. I served it over jasmine rice topped with yogurt, cashews, and golden raisins as suggested in the recipe. (Oh yes, I added a few chickpeas as well, but I picked mine out and gave them to the caveman chickpea-lover.)

Served with a glass of Leidenfrost Vineyards Log Cabin White wine.

The recipe is definitely a keeper!

More Good Stitches

2011-10-28T13:55:00.000-04:00

One of my quilts is featured here! While you're there, be sure to congratulate Victoria of Bumble Beans.

Transformation

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

After I finished the quilt that I blogged about in Wednesday's post, I had some strips of fabric left over when I trimmed the backing after quilting...

So I worked on another project, which started with this....

It's a canvas tote bag that was given to me when I went on a shop hop with friends last spring. It's functional, but not very pretty. So I decided to dress it up.

I sewed all of the leftover strips using the Jelly Roll 1600 Race method (except, of course, it wasn't 1600 inches), and then sewed that fabric on top of the tote bag...

Now it's much prettier to look at...don't you think?

So if you have a bunch of scraps (or even an orphan block or two), you can use them to cover up all of those boring tote bags that you probably have hidden away somewhere.

Modern Block of the Month

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is block #4 of the Modern Block of the Month Sew-a-Long on the Sew, Mama, Sew blog. I'm making these blocks using leftover fabrics from my son's high school graduation/going-off-to-college quilt. If you're new to my blog, you can see his quilt here.

To see the first three blocks in this series, click on the "SMS BOM" label on my blog sidebar.

Do Good Stitches

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

I finally finished a quilt I blogged about here (and yes, the pieces are supposed to be crooked -- my husband wondered about that when I showed this to him).

Anyway, this is now going to go to its new home in New York City after I read about a wonderful project about Bumble Beans Basics. It's part of my ongoing mission to make charity quilts for teenagers. Quilters often make charity quilts for babies/young children or for the elderly, but too often the teenagers are forgotten. But they get sick and are sometimes homeless, too. And they could use the comfort of a quilt as well.

Here's a picture of the back....

And a closeup of the quilting. Improvisational piecing calls for improvisational quilting...

I Hit The Jackpot!

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

My guild held a "Needlework, Quilt, Craft and Stuff Sale" this past weekend, at which guild members sold their unwanted quilting/sewing/crafting supplies as well as some finished fabric items.

I wasn't a seller (only a volunteer helper), but came home with all of what you see in the photo for a grand total of $20!

Here's a detailed list --

-- June Tailor Scallop/Wavy Edge ruler ($24 on Amazon)
-- Creative Grids 60-degree Triangle ruler ($25.95 on Amazon)
-- Clover needle threader ($11.86 on Amazon)
-- Quilts of a Different Color book by Irene Bluhm ($19.74 on Amazon)
-- 3 yards of tone-on-tone white fabric
-- 2 yards of solar system fabric
-- almost 2 yards of construction equipment fabric
-- a Diane Phalen fabric panel ($9.50/yard on her website)
-- a Jelly Roll (albeit of W-----t fabric, but it will work for a charity quilt)
-- 21 birdhouse blocks that someone had won at a quilting retreat
-- 7 batik nine-patch blocks, also won by someone at a retreat
-- several recent issues of Sew News and Threads magazines

Oh, yes....and four brownies and a small bag of caramel corn from the bake sale table..but those didn't last long enough for the photo!

Not bad for a morning's work.

P.S. A big thank you to the sellers who had great bargains, and especially to Sylvia for her "everything's free on my table" announcement right before closing!

Moosewood Monday

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Here's this week's Moosewood Restaurant recipe. I made this Sweet Potato Apple Chipotle soup and it turned out wonderfully!! The ingredients are so varied, yet the flavors work incredibly well together. Who would have thought that sweet potatoes, apples, celery, onions, garlic, cinnamon, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce would make a delicious soup? Apparently, someone at the Moosewood did once. It's in their Cooking for Health cookbook, but I found it here.

The recipe calls for blending the soup until it's creamy, but I skipped that step and just mashed the veggies a bit when they got soft. Tasted just as good as the creamy version served in the restaurant.

Served with a glass of Catherine Valley Winery White Cascades wine.

Maybe I'll try the Mixed Vegetable Curry next....

Mean Girls

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

A few of my quilting friends and I recently decided to form an art quilt group that would allow us to stretch our quilting ideas a bit. I am not an artist by the common definition of the word, but I do love to work with fabric and color. Some of the members of the group are more "artsy" than others, but we all want to try new things, which is very exciting. No quilt police will be allowed anywhere near our group get-togethers.

We plan to take turns planning "missions" -- things that will allow us to try new techniques, new colors, new patterns, whatever. As our first "mission", together we decided that we would each draw another member's name out of a hat and then provide that quilter with 4 or 5 fabrics to use in her first piece. These fabrics were to be out of that quilter's normal comfort zone.

The quilter who chose my name gave me the fabrics you see in the photo. Those who know me know why I've titled this blog post the way I did.

I think I may have to quit the group...

DJ Continued

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is "LS-9, Kiwi", a beginner-level block. I just used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method to applique the pieces.

Ten triangles to go...

Moosewood Monday

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

(Technically, we had these on Friday night, but I like the sound of "Moosewood Monday".)

Anyway, my favorite restaurant in Ithaca, NY is the famous Moosewood. It's actually one of my top two favorites anywhere. Whenever I spend a fun quilters' day out in Ithaca with my friends, we always make sure to stop there for lunch. The menu changes daily and we have never had anything there that wasn't absolutely delicious. I made these quinoa stuffed peppers from a recipe on their website. Yum!

There are a good number of recipes on the website, but you can also buy their cookbooks as well.

Next to try...Sweet Potato Apple Chipotle Soup...Stay tuned next week...

P.S. I just did a quick Google search and discovered that my other all-time favorite restaurant (a Thai one in northern VA) has closed. That was shocking to hear -- everyone I knew who ever went there raved about it.

Dress for Success?

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

During my visit earlier this month to the Corning Museum of Glass (see this earlier post), I came across this dress in the gift shop. It was only $4,500 -- hmmm, my birthday is coming up soon....

How does one wear something like this? I think I'll stick to clothing made out of fabric...

My Favorite Things

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Well, two of my favorite things...

Book sales...

...and quilts...

My son was home on fall break this past weekend, so that meant a trip up to Ithaca and the local library's famous book sale. The book sale is held twice a year (May and October) for three weekends each time. The sale is so large that they have a permanent building to house the books. Here's a shot of part of the interior -- I would estimate that's about a third of the entire place.

I came home with this...

Published in 1935, written by Carrie A. Hall and Rose G. Kretsinger. The book has lots of pictures, but alas, all in black and white. But it's still quite an interesting find. You can read more about Carrie Hall here and Rose Kretsinger here. I'm most intrigued by the title of Carrie Hall's other book -- From Hoopskirts to Nudity: A Review of the Fashion Follies and Foibles of 1866-1936.

The quilt in second photo above was hanging on the wall inside the book sale.

Smile

2011-10-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

Celebrate!

2011-10-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my husband's birthday, so we spent the day up in Corning, NY. It was a beautiful day for a walk and for a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, as well as for lunch at the Old World Cafe.

These teapots caught my "quilter's eye" in the museum....They were just a few of the gorgeous glass items on display. If you're ever in the area of the NY Finger Lakes, a stop at this museum is a must, for all ages. And I highly recommend it for local residents, too.

One tip for local residents -- the entry fee to the museum is only $6 for locals, but you have to tell them that at the admissions desk -- it's only on their website, not on the display board at the desk. Otherwise, it's $14. Oh, and you can bring two guests in at the local rate. And everyone 19 and under is always free, local or not.

I took lots of pictures and will post them at some point (as well as photos from the quilt show in Philly, a quilt show in Ithaca, another quilt exhibit at Cornell, etc).

Tribute To Flora

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago, a few friends and I had a fund quilters' day out in Ithaca, NY. One of the things we did was visit a small quilt display at the Cornell Plantations Visitor Center. This display can be seen until the end of October. If you're anywhere in the area, I highly recommend it. Spend some time wandering around the lovely gardens there before winter kicks in. And if you can't see it person, here's a quick slideshow...

Cornell Plantations Quilt Exhibit

Positive Thinking

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

First of all, thank you to all who commented on my post yesterday. It's always great to hear positive comments about what I'm working on and it helps keep me going on this @#$%^&* project!

This is "LS13, Watermelon", an intermediate-level triangle which I paper-pieced and again used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique. Not perfect, but it will do.

What's On Your Design Wall Today?

2011-10-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

I have sewn on the right side row of triangles and am now working on the left side triangles. The four corner pieces will be set in last. I'm not too worried about the set-in seams for those, especially since it's a fairly wide angle.

Having this up on my wall again is inspiring me to keep working on it, so perhaps I'll make another triangle this week. No guarantees.

To see what others have on their design wall today, check out Judy's blog.

The Start of Another Leg of My Journey with Jane

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is the first of the triangles on the left side -- "LS7, Sally's Steeple", a beginner-level triangle which I paper-pieced and then used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method for the rounded pieces.

Be Quick Or You'll Miss It

2011-09-28T00:30:00.000-04:00

If you act quickly you can watch this entire movie by going here. The free offer ends today.

Who Doesn't Like Presents?

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

The bus trip that I went on to the Philadelphia National Quilt Extravaganza was sponsored by O'Susannah's Quilts and Gifts in Watkins Glen, NY. When we got on the bus, we received these wonderful goodie bags filled with fun quilty stuff -- a magnetic needle case, a magnetic bookmark, a nail file, a Purple Thang and a coupon for a free glass button from Joyful Adornments (someday I have to show you the cool necklace and bracelet that I have from Joyful Adornments).

A big thanks to O'Susannah's for sponsoring the trip and for the goodies!

My Quilts Are Going To Houston!

2011-09-23T08:20:00.000-04:00

The six little quilts that I made earlier this year for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative are going to the International Quilt Festival in Houston in November as part of the AAQI group of 1500 quilts that will be for sale at the festival.

If you've donated an AAQI quilt this year, yours may be going to Houston as well. Check the "Holding for Houston" page on their website to see if it's there. And if you haven't made one yet, there is still time -- AAQI needs more quilts!

Modern BOM Part 3

2011-09-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is Block number 3 of the Sew, Mama, Sew Modern Block-of-the-Month Quilt-Along. You can see the previous two blocks in my posts here and here. I'm using leftover fabrics from my son's college quilt (which can be seen here).

My plan was to also make large versions of these blocks in order to use up more of my stash. The previous two months' large quilts can be seen in my blog posts here and here. However, I'm not sure if I'm going to make a large version of this one because it has quite a few bias edges and the thought of working with such long lengths of bias edges isn't sounding too appealing. But I may give it a try anyway.

BTW...the quilt show in Philly was wonderful! I have loads of photos to go through and once I get them organized, I'll post a slideshow.

I'd Rather Be In Philadelphia

2011-09-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Last week I went to Philadelphia, but it was closed.
-- W.C. Fields

I'm off to the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza today, so it better not be closed!
Not sure which of these shoes I'll wear....

Anticipation

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Is anyone else out there going to this on Friday?

White Is Not Only For Surrender

2011-09-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Read this article to see what this picture is from. And be sure to click on the small picture in the article to view the slideshow.

Finally, Another Milestone

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

This completes the right side row of triangles, so all I have remaining are the left side and all four corners.

This is "RS3, Epicenter", an advanced-level triangle in which I used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique. If I didn't have that method, believe me, I would have torn my hair out making this one!

Tribute

2011-09-11T11:28:00.001-04:00

A Quilter's Best Friend

2011-09-09T08:05:00.002-04:00

This is what happens when you spend a sewing day stitching and b****hing.

I was working steadily on sewing some blocks together, but once I got to the ironing board to press them, I discovered that out of 17 blocks, 14 were sewn incorrectly!. That meant that I had to spend a lot of time at home with a quilter's best friend, the handy-dandy seam ripper. Thank goodness for Netflix!

These are the blocks that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago....The ones I worked on that day turned out fine...but then, I don't remember b****ing that day, just stitching!

Procrastination

2011-09-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is what happens when I procrastinate and don't work on my DJ triangles. I find other things I want to do. Last Friday I showed a recent top I made using my stash of fabrics from the Benartex Flower Show line of several years ago and today you get to see another one.

The first two that I made with this fabric looked like this.

Yes, I could have made a DJ triangle or two this weekend, but instead I made a whole quilt top!

Labor Day

2011-09-05T03:00:00.000-04:00

Please take time out this Labor Day from picnics, barbeques, swimming, and back-to-school sales to remember what the holiday is for.

Cheaper Than Therapy

2011-09-02T06:00:00.022-04:00

When my son left for summer classes at Cornell back in June, I made flower blocks to keep my mind occupied with something other than empty nest syndrome. Now that he's back at school for the fall semester, I have to keep busy once again. So I put those blocks together into a flimsy.

I seem to do a lot of sewing while Nick is away at school...I suppose it's cheaper than professional therapy! Especially since the fabrics come from my stash!

Back To Work

2011-08-31T06:00:00.003-04:00

This is "RS5, Geisha Girl", an intermediate-level block that I paper pieced and then appliqued the melon shape using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method. One more triangle remains to be done on the right side of the quilt and then all 13 on the left. Plus the four corner kites.

What bugs me the most about making most of these triangles (and most of the DJ blocks, for that matter), is that I could make a quilt top like this in the time it takes to make some of these triangles!

Buying in Bulk

2011-08-29T06:00:00.024-04:00

I've now cut all the batting for the three quilts in my previous post, so all I have to do is quilt them...that may take a while because I have other things I want to work on, including another DJ triangle. My favorite batting is usually Thermore, but several months ago I bought a 20-yard bolt of white flannel using my 50% off coupon from Joann's online. Even with shipping added, it was a deal. Price per yard (90" wide) was $8. I've used it as batting in a number of quilts this year, and so far I've liked the results. I still use Thermore for my "special" quilts, but this is great to have around when I need batting.

Extreme Stashbusting

2011-08-26T06:00:00.008-04:00

I just figured out that the fabric I used for these recent three charity tops, backings, and bindings totals at least 15 yards! And I'm proud to say that about 14 yards was all from my stash and about a yard from fabric donated to my guild. No recent fabric purchases at all...just using up what's already available.

I am amazed, however, at how much fabric I still have in my totes....

Sewing With Friends

2011-08-24T06:00:00.012-04:00

I'll be spending the day sewing with fellow members of the Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild...This is what I'll be working on. The blocks originally started out like this, more than two years ago. And here's another post about the blocks and their issues....

Stash Busting Continued

2011-08-23T06:00:00.023-04:00

As promised in yesterday's post, here is my large version of the first Sew, Mama, Sew Modern Block-of-the-Month. I had to change the proportions of the pieces a bit because I didn't want to make a square quilt, but I think it looks pretty close to the original. You can see my small block here.

And here is the pieced back....I didn't have any more of the lavender fabric that was used in the front, so I just substituted a very pale pink solid.

Apologies for the bad lighting and the unpressed fabric!

Using Up Stash

2011-08-22T06:00:00.034-04:00

A few weeks ago, when I blogged about the first block that I had made in the Sew, Mama, Sew Modern Block-of-the-Month, my friend Susan said that the photo made my block look like a whole quilt rather than just a 12 1/2-inch block. That comment got me to thinking and then to sewing.

I decided that as I make the BOMs, I will also make a charity quilt using the same or similar pattern. What you see above is my large full-size quilt version of the block that I showed last week. And below you can see the backing, just made out of leftover fabric. Both are just improvisational piecing.

Once it's quilted and bound, I will donate this to Project Linus. It will be perfect for a teenage girl, thereby continuing with my plan to make charity quilts for teenagers (as I blogged about here).

Most of the fabric for the top and the backing came from my stash with a bit from the stash that was donated to my guild.

I've also made a large version of the first Modern BOM...I'll blog about it once I finish the backing....

A Smile for Quilters

2011-08-20T10:55:00.002-04:00

Today's giggle.

Why Quilts (and the Arts) Matter

2011-08-19T06:00:00.010-04:00

I'm proud that my tax dollars go toward something like this....

Modern BOM Continued

2011-08-18T06:00:00.025-04:00

This is my version of the second block for the Sew, Mama, Sew Modern Block-of-the-Month series. Again, I'm using the leftover fabrics from my son's quilt. You can see my first block in this series here.

I can't wait to see all of the remaining ten blocks, but I don't want the year to fly by. Time goes by fast enough as it is. Hard to believe that my son is leaving on Saturday for his sophomore (!) year away at college!

So Far, So Good

2011-08-17T06:00:00.014-04:00

Some of my readers might remember the saga with my iron that I blogged about here. Well, I've now had the replacement one for more than a year and so far it has not given me any problems (I hope I haven't just jinxed it). I love it as much as I did when I first got the first one. And surprisingly, I don't hate the auto-off feature as much as I thought I would. If it does turn off, it heats up very quickly and I don't have to waste time waiting for it.

I'm hoping this one will last me for quite a while now....

Wine, Anyone?

2011-08-15T06:00:00.021-04:00

I recently made a gift bag for a bottle of wine and discovered a great way to make a rounded bottom without having to sew on a circle of fabric.

After sewing a rectangle piece of fabric into a tube, I hemmed the bottom and then just gathered it by hand and voila...a rounded bottom. Easy peasy!

The Kids' Turn

2011-08-12T07:31:00.002-04:00

My exchange partner that I mentioned in yesterday's post has a couple of young children, so of course I had to include some fun things for them as well. The ball below is made from fabrics left over from a baby quilt that I blogged about here.

And the crayon roll is for the little construction worker in the family...

More Exchange Fun

2011-08-11T07:50:00.002-04:00

In addition to the exchange I had with Nancy that I talked about earlier this week, I also participated in one with my cousin's wife. She sent me an absolutely gorgeous knitted scarf/mini-shawl and I sent her the things you see in these photos. A fabric postcard, coasters, and a tea wallet.

When I get around to modeling the shawl/scarf, I'll show a photo of that as well.

Can't Stop Me Now

2011-08-10T06:00:00.013-04:00

This is "RS10, Grandma Nan's Bodice", an intermediate-level triangle. I paper pieced the right side of this and then used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch applique method for the left side. Not perfect, but perfection is over-rated....

Once you accept the fact that you're not perfect, then you develop some confidence. ~Rosalynn Carter

Modern Project

2011-08-09T06:35:00.001-04:00

Sew, Mama, Sew is hosting a Modern Block-of-the-Month, so I decided to join the fun. We'll be making 12 different blocks from now through June 2012. This is my first one, which I made using leftovers from my son's high school graduation/going off to college quilt that I made last year. You can check it out here.

My plan is to make all 12 blocks using these black, white, and red scraps. And this quilt will be for ME!

Different Strokes for Different Folks

2011-08-08T06:00:00.036-04:00

Earlier this year, I signed up for a crafty exchange with Nancy of Blogging, Near Philadelphia. From what I could figure from Nancy's blog, she is a fan of Civil War reproduction fabrics. Most of my friends know that CW fabrics are way outside of my box and almost never find their way into my home. The only time that I will work with them is when I make a gift for someone who likes them. Thankfully, I had this in my stash (winnings from a giveaway a long time ago).

Nancy tells me that she loves it! I'm so happy that she does -- it makes working with these fabrics worthwhile!

The pattern is called Charm Party Tote which I found in a quilt magazine a number of years ago. Since then (as you can tell from this photo), I'm made quite a few of them...

Good Things Come in Threes

2011-08-05T06:00:00.012-04:00

This is probably a record for me...three days in a row...

This is "RS6, Tumbling Blocks", an advanced-level triangle for which I used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method of applique. The dark orange fabric was cut as one whole piece and then appliqued on. To see what I mean by that, check my post here.

52 DJ Triangles on the Wall, 52 DJ Triangles,Take One Down and Pass it Around....

2011-08-04T06:00:00.016-04:00

Wow, what a great cheering section you guys are! It's great to have friends (both in person and in blogland) supporting my effort to get this @#$%^&* quilt finished.

So, for the second day in a row, here's "RS11, Hills of Jerusalem", an intermediate-level triangle that I paper-pieced.

Trust me, you're not going to see these for 19 days in a row....I'm not that dedicated....But I do appreciate the support!

How Miserable Do I Want To Be?

2011-08-03T06:00:00.022-04:00

I had lunch with my friend Madalene the other day and she asked me how many more triangles I had left to make. When I said 19, she said that I could make one a day and be finished in 19 days. I told her that it sounded like she wanted me to have a really miserable 19 days!

There is no way that I am going to make one a day for 19 days, but our discussion did give me the incentive to move along a bit more quickly than I have been.

Anyway, this is "RS7, Fedelia's Hearts", an intermediate-level triangle. I paper-pieced the small triangle parts and used the raw-edge machine-buttonhole stitch method for appliqueing the hearts.

Just a reminder for those who are using the software to make these...there is a bug in the program, so remember to change the size of the triangle to 5 inches by 8 inches before printing out any patterns.

Fun Times

2011-08-01T06:00:00.063-04:00

I spent a delightful day on Saturday meeting new friends from the Finger Lakes Modern Quilt Guild. You've heard of the Modern Quilt Guild movement, right? If not, go here and read up on it.

Anyway, for those who don't know, the Finger Lakes area of NY is quite large in area, so most of us spent a good part of the day driving...but that's OK because we quilters will go almost anywhere to find fabric and spend time with other quilters.

I met four other FLMQG members at O'Susannah's Quilt Shop in Watkins Glen...

...and then had a lovely lunch with them at the Seneca Lake General Store. Alas, after lunch we had to say goodbye to Sue, the owner of O'Susannah's, but it was great fun seeing her shop and talking quilting at lunch.

After that, we went on to a great show and tell (and wine and cheese) at Pat's house overlooking Cayuga Lake. Pat recently started a quilting blog...click here to check it out and tell her "hi".

Here are some of the highlights from the show and tell.

Pat's quilts made from her stash of fabrics that she inherited from her mother (her mother had great taste in fabric, that's for sure)...

...a pink and brown quilt Sherri is making for her daughter....

,,,and some of Sherri's practice free-motion quilting squares a la Leah Day...

...and we were also delighted to see Desiree's work....

What did I show? Well, a couple of pictures of the quilts that I've given away (see my previous post) and this....

...and this...

... and this...

And after all that...since I was in the neighborhood (sort of), I stopped by Ithaca to have lunch with my son! A great way to end a great day!

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

2011-07-29T06:00:00.017-04:00

I've been missing these quilts a lot lately. Three of them were given to various charities, so I'll never know who owns them. And the other three were given to family members. At least I can see my son's red/black/white quilt when he's home in the summers...although this summer he was home for only one short month before he left again for summer classes!

Click on the picture for a larger view.
P.S. If anyone ever finds the two on the left or the one on the right at a yard sale or thrift store, please buy them back for me! Those are the ones that could be anywhere. Of course, my family members would never even think about selling the other three at a yard sale, right?

Let's Get A Move On

2011-07-27T06:00:00.020-04:00

I really need to get working on my Jane Stickle quilt more regularly. I'm anxious to get it done because I have SOOOOOOO many other projects that I want to work on. Only 19 triangles and 4 corner kites to go...

Maybe I'll try to get two done per week...Let's see if I can actually do that.

Anyway, this is "RS9, Danish Delight", an intermediate-level triangle that I chose to paper piece.

Another AAQI Donation

2011-07-25T06:00:00.020-04:00

My quilt for this month's AAQI donation is a birthday postcard I made using my selvage postcard technique (the tutorial is on my blog sidebar). Hopefully, someone will buy it as a gift for someone else and the proceeds will go to research for an Alzheimer's Disease cure. Be sure to check out all the quilts for sale or auction on the AAQI website.

Attack of the Selvage Monster

2011-07-22T06:00:00.011-04:00

I've been playing with selvages again...

They're always so much harder to get back in the storage totes than they are to get out. It's just like those snakes in a can!

My Russian Blood Doesn't Like This

2011-07-21T06:00:00.014-04:00

As I told my Facebook friends yesterday....

"What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."
-- Jane Austen

Watch and Enjoy

2011-07-20T06:00:00.008-04:00

Learn more here.

Glass Quilt

2011-07-18T06:00:00.007-04:00

While visiting the Corning Museum of Glass earlier this month, I noticed this piece that reminded me of a quilt. Unfortunately, due to the fact that we had 4 kids in tow who were anxious to get to their glass-blowing event, I didn't have a chance to read what this was exactly. My husband and I plan to make another trip up there on our own so we can take our time looking around, so I'll be sure to make note of the details of this one.

Lovin' It

2011-07-15T06:00:00.014-04:00

I'm loving our garage quilt block so much, I thought I'd post another photo.

The name of the block is "Annie's Choice", which sort of fits because my formal name is Anna. Although I've never liked it when anyone called me Ann or Annie, it's the closest I'll get to Anya in the name of a quilt block!

I'm Baaaack...

2011-07-13T06:00:00.021-04:00

The main reason for my blogging break was because we had a houseful of guests last week. My stepson and his family (including 4 kids -- a 10-year-old, a 9-year-old, and 5-year-old twins) came to north-central Pennsylvania to escape the heat of South Carolina. While they were here, we took advantage of our gorgeous weather and had our own fireworks display in the backyard, went to Knoebel's (the best amusement park in America), swam in Hills Creek Lake, hiked around the lake, went bowling, went to the Corning Museum of Glass and blew our own glass sculptures, picked (and ate) lots of blueberries, had water balloon fights, played capture the flag, ate lots of watermelon, and basically had a ball.

And...

...finally got our "garage" quilt hung!

Almost Back To Regularly-Scheduled Programming

2011-07-11T06:00:00.005-04:00

My baby turns 19 (yikes!) at 1:12PM today! I'll be nice and won't call him while he's in his Probability and Statistics class...

Happy Birthday Nick!

P.S. Quilting posts to resume in a day or two....