All scraps are not equal

My bee had a two day sew-in at the library. We decided to try the Missouri Star tutorial, disappearing hourglass pattern. I used scraps of solids.

I made several quilts with solids when I began in the mid 1980's. Of course I collected them at the time! Then the artist in me fell out of "like" with them preferring the painterly aspects of hand dyes ,batiks , or Moda Marbles. They have been stored for a long time, coming out of retirement now and then as a background for stamping/ stenciling.

I started making the blocks, then realized some were polyester which stinks when pressed. The colors are not ones I'd like today.

Maybe some scraps should be thrown out.

Still I persisted because I'd cut out 24 squares to make 12 blocks.

And to be part of the group I wanted to try the technique.


There are some fun parts to the technique, like all the variations

I did learn the value of my turning mat, not the expensive one, one I got at Joann with half price coupon. It works very well

I put the block exactly even after sewing around. The ruler goes diagonally matching the mat's drawn lines and cut making half square triangles

cut again after sewing hourglasses and resew. There is bias but I didn't even starch my fabrics and the blocks are fine.
I do not love the finished blocks  likely because of the colors.
It is graphic and with 12 blocks and a border should make a baby or senior lap quilt.
Each block came out about 11.5" before sewing into the top so it will be about 34 X 44 ish before borders

Normally I'd do a rainbow scrap challenge post but we don't know the new color yet so I can't make anything. This will have to do for scraps and rainbows. And mauve has seen it's day and we should wish it a fond farewell, doncha think?

At least I tried something new, learned something about color and scraps and holding on.

For happy inspiration, please visit my "I Like" post HERE !   to see some great pictures of inspirational color. I invite you to do an I Like post too, and let me know so I can link to your blog
Linking to several parties:
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
lovelaughquilt.mondays
Main Crush Monday
the mop link party mondays
http://www.sewcanshe
myquiltinfatuation Thursdays

"I Like" thursdays #43

Welcome to this week's list of likes

I had to get rid of my old flower boxes on the old railing and missed seeing color from the kitchen window. We picked up some half price impatiens in a yummy shade of orchid and white, combined them in the new blue pot with caladiums,

 a rusty bird, and a crystal flower to make a little display on the deck. Don't the impatiens look painted? I must remember this effect when I choose fabric, and use a mottled hand dye or add paint.

It's the little white-ish sections that look scuffed up I like...
The hostas at the base of the stairs have all sent up tall stalks of purple blooms too. To relieve the constant color of green in a shady yard.

I like this painting that was in the hotel.

The design is log cabin, but the variations in line and color are interesting aren't they?

I didn't see an artist's name, sorry I can't attribute credit. I imagine a graphic designer created it with a computer, but I could create something like it with fabric.

Always thinking of how to paint, draw, or sew something...

I LOVED this Ted talk by Anne LaMott  the link is
https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_lamott_12_truths_i_learned_from_life_and_writing
 I've read books she's written on writing, and really like her. She makes so much sense in a humorous and touching way in this talk. In general, I just always get so much from Ted talks. 


I liked being at the hotel (not the reason, which was avoiding the massive mosquito spraying in my 'hood) this time partially because of discovering a wonderful park in Columbia...

The path is 1.4 miles around, past a lake, gardens, buildings, over a bridge, etc.
We walked there two nights, we three.

I like that artists painted this chalk celebration to the 50th year of Columbia, knowing it would not last, but while it was there it would bring a smile to all who walked over it.

Sometimes it's about the moment.

I loved the sky the first night we visited the lakefront...

Luckily this park was created, just to bring beauty into our lives. Not for profit but for humans and critters to coexist. 

I hope your monitor lets you see the brilliant painted sky we saw! The colors were saturated, yet soft at the same time. The clouds looked like a painting. And were reflected in the lake...

So very pretty. So soothing to one's spirit. Shall we all work toward keeping the Earth clean and healthy? Isn't that as important as big businesses making huge profits? 

 I like this book by Eliz. Kubler-Ross. More on it on Tuesday...

I have an interesting post to drop on Tuesday... what's on your coffee table. If you do a coffee table post,  let me know, I'll link to you!

Milo's Likes
I like critters. I like watching birds and these crazy birds were swimming!!!

And I liked being with my peeps the whole three days at the hotel, always with one of them... Ah pawrents are the best! And I got to sleep on the bed with them! (Milo sleeps better than we do)

I'm too big to sit on Dad's lap but still... it felt good to protect him for a moment.

Please visit these folks also posting an I Like list this week... keeping it real and happy.
check back as they come in...
1.http://littlepenguinquilts
2http://imworkingonaproject
3.http://3poodlesandanana
4.maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
5.https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/
6, craftscaviescontras
7. http://hillsidequilter12.blogspot.com/
8.https://gwynedtrefethen (Posts on Fridays)
 

linking to some parties including
http://asoutherndaydreamer
Thankful Thursdays pet parade
http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com
http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/
myquiltinfatuation Thursdays
http://shabbyartboutique.com

Milo's Meanderings West Annapolis Adventure

Milo here to tell you about last weekend's adventure! Whee! Ride in the car!

A puppy never knows where they will end up when his peeps say "let's take Milo!"
This time we ended up in West Annapolis and I had a good time!

We went in an antiques store where the pawrents knew the owner had dogs too. They were Italian Greyhounds and cute. The gray one is old and yelled at me! Then he left us two puppies to play. The white one is Carmen, just adopted at a year old and ready to rumble!
She had the cutest little star hands and we boxed. She loved my games "my teeth are bigger" "boxing day" "surprise, here I am!" so we did that and no body broke even one of those precious dishes!

When we left I said, "don't worry Carmen, I'll get my Mama to bring me back soon!" Her daddy said, good! Next time we'll play in the yard! 

I saw this place and walked right up to the front door

LeeAnna: The Vet center is a place for soldiers to find services. This sign on the door tells them there is a service dog inside. Very comforting.

Milo: so anyway they were closed... Emma looks nice. I know I'd like her. We shopped around a while and Mama went in a quilt store. Lucky for us it was quick! We were hungry! We stopped at a new deli to try out the sandwiches...

Here I am holding the table while Daddy fetches some food. Oh I asked for my own sandwich but all I got was my kibble and a bowl of water.

 

Those people didn't offer me any sandwiches either.
Still, my peeps seemed happy and that's a good thing. Less pulling on the leash when the pawrents are happy, right?

Last stop was this garden center for the mama to get flowers for the new deck...

 Let's see... I like the ones I can tear up but she didn't listen, she got the ones for shade. Named after me... Impatients! Hahahaha (just a little poodle humor) Anyway I steered Daddy around til I was done looking and we got back in the car.

It was a lot of "Milo! Lie down!" and "Milo! stand up so I can lift you out!" and that kind of thing. In between I sucked up the cold air and enjoyed the ride! Guess what? I'm up to 30 lbs now and 4 months old!
I could be driving soon!
Of course I won't text and drive, ever, but if I do learn to drive those squirrels better watch out!

It's a good day when both your pawrents are home, right?? Later gators.

 

Milo's Monday Mischief... Milo helps Daddy put on his shoes

For Monday Mischief today, I wanted to share one of the many ways Milo helps us each day... today it's helping us put on our shoes. He continues to be very interested with shoelaces. I've been known to sort of tie up his nose into my sneakers...

https://www.youtube.com/

I will say, this is about a week ago, and although he continues to help with laces he no longer growls or barks at us.

Our baby is growing up.
He turned 4 months old last Wednesday and lost all his bottom front teeth.
Possibly from having shoelaces and the leash pulled out of his mouth.

Everyone exclaims when finding out he's four months old, "He's so BIG!"

"Milo here,  I just don't see the point in covering feet. I don't like it. I prefer natural. My people will not listen to me so I had to up the ante with growls and barks. Then I had to resort to force, pulling the socks off. 
They will not learn however, so I hope they grow out of this"

Leaves of Gold...

 The color challenge at rainbow scrap challenge  this month is Yellow! Appropriate for summer.

While at a hotel recently, while a certain poodle puppy had a power nap, I watched some shows on Netflix

and hand basted some golden yellows to paper leaves. These are fairly large at 6".
(I also basted, then sewed some more hexie star blocks I had prepared)

Of course I had to play with the leaves a bit... I am raking in a lot of leaves now!

 It really is fun to sort thru the scraps to find tones, textures and prints that would be fun on a leaf shape.

The hotel had a carved gold leafed mirror that I looked at... and wondered how I would paint it. I decided to paint the carved parts I would need dark almost black paint, and light gold almost white paint to give the impression of carving.

 It came to me that we need that in each block too, to give the block interest and depth, so that it doesn't look flat.

This is exactly why I love sewing from the scrap bin. All the tones and shades together remind me to try one next to another. I like this arrangement and I didn't fuss with it, just laid them out on white fabric.

I've been told by other quilters, that one shouldn't use much yellow.
Huh?  Crazy. Yellow, and orange, make a quilt sing. They bring warmth and glow.
Proportion comes into play here... one might not enjoy dark gray, but a strip of dark gray might shadow and bring to life another shape. Same with yellow highlights.

I'm still making some yellow hexie stars as well as other colors. There is a suggested color of the month but I am still enjoying all colors on the stars.  While sewing the star points to the hexies, I loved mixing the green with the turquoise, and the dark gray points were amazingly lively in this flower print.

Two more yellow stars were made. I cut out a few white stars with a yellow background too, like the red one in the foreground.
They are so stinkin' cute lying there aren't they?

What a decadent afternoon it was, peacefully piecing while my dervish of a puppy slept, and comedies played on Netflix in a very cool room. Our house is never that chilled in the summer.
What a gift the afternoon was to me.

Those of you who visit only on Saturday might be interested to know I do an "I Like" post every Thursday where I list the positive things that made me smile during the week. I have been joined in doing these posts by about 12 other bloggers. Please come look at those posts and join us! I'll add in your link! 
the link to all the posts is: Click here!

Linking to a few parties on my links page, including:
http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/
http://www.quiltfabrication.com/
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
lovelaughquilt.mondays
sewcanshe Saturdays
oh Scrap Sundays 
 slow stitching Sundays
sew can do mondays
Inspire me mondays 

"I Like", Thursdays #42

Welcome to this week's list of everyday things to Like!

 *I Liked this placemat found in a store in Frederick. I didn't buy it because we had Milo with us and he was shopping too, and chose a toy so we were busy explaining to him we had to pay for it.
See that post here

I Love all the texture and lines turning a basic circle into a lovely flower! I should make a version of them too! I'm so glad my family sewed, and I took home Ec in junior high where I learned clothing construction and how to use a sewing machine!

I loved fabric from about age 5. I made Barbie clothes, I pieced quilt blocks about age 7, I hand embroidered towels for gifts. I embroidered my jeans in high school, and made most of my clothes from the time I learned how through college.

*I Like these foods in my fridge...

Watermelon cleaned cold and ready to slice in the evenings!
Sausage patties already cooked ready to warm up for breakfasts
leftover casserole waiting to be rewarmed for a quick dinner (Love leftovers)
Horizon organic milk... just tastes better
cherry flavored sparkle water

*I Liked finding this dress at Khols, 90% off at $6! Then another 30% off to bring the cost to $4.30

look at the crystals on the sleeves

 *I Like wearing skirts in the summer

Skirts aren't just for dancing! Now that a person can buy stretchy tight shorts to wear under a skirt, it's like wearing shorts and a T-shirt but with the style of a skirt! I'm all about comfort. There's something about wearing shorts under that make the whole thing so comfy.

* I Liked finding these Father's day gifts at Khols made by IZOD for Milo's preppy daddy

little blue anchors on the shirt. Both pieces have a bit of stretch so they can be a slimmer fit than usual.

*I LIke this blog   http://redrose-tomotomowriting2.blogspot.com/
 
I must remember this blog... no way to subscribe by email I can find. It's filled with lovely pictures of the blogger's life in Japan. So lovely. Travel sideways!

*I Like our video of Milo meeting the 180 lb Bernese young 'un down the street

* Milo Likes  ice cubes!

I try to keep a bowl of them in the freezer for his enjoyment

Milo here... what fun these are! Who knew drinking water could be so much fun! They skitter around the kitchen floor so I get my exercise while eating them so I keep my figure! Funny... they seem to disappear while I play with them though. Mama's always there with another one! She's useful that way.

Please enjoy the lists these fine folks have made too!

1.http://littlepenguinquilts
2http://imworkingonaproject
3.http://3poodlesandanana
4.maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
5.https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/
6, craftscaviescontras
7. http://hillsidequilter12.blogspot.com/
8.https://gwynedtrefethen (Posts on Fridays)
9. http://100sweets.blogspot.com/

linking to some parties including
Thankful Thursdays pet parade
http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com
http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/Let's be social Wednesdays 
myquiltinfatuation Thursdays
http://shabbyartboutique.com

Milo's Meanderings... two car trips in one weekend!

Cover boy... starting a life of modeling

 Milo here: First of all, I needed to get used to riding in Daddy's car... not as much room as Mommy's Van 

I felt quite comfy in this set up. (editor's note: I know I know, a good mom would put him in a harness and connect it to the seat belts. Cole traveled with us his whole life in the backseat, so that's what we're doing now, and may change to a harness later)

 

Milo here, again: They also brought along that stupid cage!

 It's way, WAYYY too small for me now but Momma said I might need it. I showed them I did not!

I liked nesting in my bed. Guess what! If I lay with my head between the seats I can snuffle up ALL the air conditioning of the whole car and finally be cool enough in my black fur coat! 

Oh sure, Mama tried to cut parts of me off while I tried to eat the evidence, but it's still hot here. Anyway, I "chilled out" for a fine ride in the car! I think I'm gonna like going with them places! 

So anyway here I am in Annapolis enjoying my first Father's day!

 That's my Daddy's legs... I LOVE to bite at them! Here we are being men together looking at boats. 

Lots of boats...

and lots of water that looked very inviting to me as I was hot! But I do like to fit in and my people were not jumping in that water so I stayed dry with them! Later we shared a drink in a pub, just kidding, it was a market and we all had a little coconut water.
Anyway I met lots of people and little kids and dogs and walked my little legs nearly down to nubs.

I decided to sit a moment to take it all in. When I decide to sit, my people have finally learned to let me as I am a stubborn little dog. They say I'm not in charge but you'll notice we are sitting for a rest heh heh. Small but mighty!

 The day before we drove a long way to Frederick and I learned a lot about shopping and walking and meeting people and being really good...

We went in a store full of house stuff, where they had dog toys down at MY level!
Shopping is FUN, y'all! 

I looked around in the toy basket, and sorry! I didn't want the one Momma wanted, the ginormous red tomato,  I looked and looked til I found the perfect one! A pea pod.

I grabbed it and said, this is the one! Momma groused and said it's so small for the same money.

I said, Momma, it's not about size, it's about finding the right toy! This one is nearly flat but for three bumps and a really squeaky squeaker!

 I carried it all around the store and when it was time to go, when the Momma finally stopped oooohing and aaaaahing over all the housewares I said "come on! I am getting this and there's no money left for you to buy a chicken pitcher!"

So I reached into Daddy's pocket and got out lots of dollars and paid the nice woman who also gave me a treat. She said, "Frederick is very dog friendly!" and it sure is! And I was very store friendly, not touching anything else, and greeting people, and no peeing anywhere at all! Good boy, me!

Okay, I don't need a bag, I'll carry it out in my "poodle teeth of death"

Thanks Creme de la Creme, we'll be back! Daddy said I better save my allowance though. 

So that's my big two day's in a row car trip story! I'm a travelin' Man!