Saturday, November 14, 2020

sewing Saturday light neutral scraps turn into beauty!


size: 6" X 8"
I know I just did a quilt post yesterday about two big finishes, but today I want to share what I made using light neutral scraps for the rainbow scrap challenge. 

lozenge blocks are 3.5" X 6.5" at the momemt

the lozenge blocks are cornered with dark as the fabrics this month are to be light. Next month I'll do the mirror image of dark neutrals with white corners. 

I use light neutrals as backgrounds all year with the monthly  colors of the challenge so for this month I chose ones with cool prints. 

  some close ups

Here is a finished endless star block (hand pieced) of yellow too

and I did several in light neutrals against white as well. 

My plan for these at the moment is to combine them with the other improv log cabin blocks into one quilt top

the design wall today

 to see yesterday's finished quilts in detail, click here



Linking with these parties

Friday, November 13, 2020

Two finishes for Friday, a tiny bit of paint!

 

I know it's paint party Friday but I've been sewing instead of painting again this week... except for the tiny wooden word here at the bottom.... I'll let my assistant show you how I painted it...

I collect fun embellishments, or did before the pandemic, and had these little wooden words on hand but they were too plain, so... gold metallic paint to the rescue!

another little embellishment, placed just so along the top. 

If you remember I made tiny leaf blocks with leftover half square triangles a few weeks ago, and turned them into two quilts for fall. 

This one looks art deco to me and is now hanging in the living room. So pretty with golden yellows , and metallic gold fabrics and threads. 



It's small but I sure love it, and might like it framed....




I wanted you to notice the rows of pretty gold and amber beads on the sides




click on photo to enlarge it for details
I love this black binding with gold threads shot through too!

I always add beads last, by hand, and it was fast enough to finish during my conversation with Joy!

Back to the other leaf piece, notice the leaf blocks are the same but set differently in each quilt

My assistants were making suggestions for quilting it... I loved the colors they chose! I always like to see the back of a quilt, don't you??

I pieced all the flying geese units to paper, and placed them around my set blocks as a border, but it was challenging to piece them into a border... measuring and math were involved...

you can just see all the seam lines from making them all fit while keeping the border fabric scene going on behind them!!
look at the appliqued kitty!
After I pieced the whole top, I decided the corners along the bottom needed some applique, so I fussy cut some kittens and pumpkins, and a frog and appliqued them to blend the bottom border with the gold border. I love them!

So, two finishes last weekend, and they are already up on display in the house! This one is on the credenza in the family room near Home and Thankful to feel like Fall and Thanksgiving for a couple more weeks, til Christmas season starts!

I had a good time making the tiny leaf blocks and designing the two very different quilts was a great exercise as well as fun! 
BTW I might not have made them but for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and yellow month. If you run across a challenge, I say take it! You never know where it will lead! 
Tomorrow I'll show the RSC project for the week... neutrals... the lozenge blocks plus with the tiny Half Square Triangle blocks

LINKING TO

Thursday, November 12, 2020

I Like Thursday # 219


Welcome to I Like Thursday where we share what we liked this week. 

Above is one of my quilts finished last week, with the golden painted wooden word on the bottom. I'll write the post about both finished quilts tomorrow. I like finishing projects almost as much as starting them! 

 At first I thought this audio book was weird but it was hysterically funny, so I continued to listen and realized it is very meaningful. To me it was an allegory of how to love people despite their weird conditions, while telling a whimsical story

Now I'm listening to   and it's a current day librarian mystery series. 

Watching on TV

This is US, Bachelorette, Amazing Race, Escape to the Chateau (peacock) Emily in Paris (netflix) great British baking show, and movies... we watched on netflix this weekend the movie, "Holiday in the wild"

lost love, found love, and found meaning in life at an elephant sanctuary. You KNOW I love elephants, well also the plot and actors in the movie as it turned out.

 

The library is about to take my second book before I'm finished, but I'm reading 

 

 We made a pear crumble to drool over, and it was delish to the last bite


This week we made Little Penguins' pumpkin loaf, and it couldn't have been better!!! I subbed orange juice concentrate for the orange peel, no fresh oranges available. She has the link on her site!

Last weekend during a heat wave, we had some blueberry cake with PUMPKIN WHIPPED CREAM, out on the porch...


I would love a bite, thanks mama!!!

good to the last lick!

I liked changing the closet to winter clothes and still having room in there. Every time I go in I'm glad I got rid of things that I didn't wear.



 This made me laugh this week!  "pets being jerks"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFJ-EDRlb5U

This made me think this week, and nod my head... Ask yourself, do you think we could achieve more if we worked together? 
Ask yourself do you want the United States of America to remain a united country?
Ask yourself do you believe that people that have different opinions can work together? 
 
This talk is not partisan... this is a very smart man who worked in congress and has thought and studied how to get out of a stalemate and into achievement. 



https://www.ted.com/talks/adam_hinds_how_we_overcome_political_division_in_america 

 nearly 11 MILLION people have been infected and 241,000 that's THOUSAND Americans have died so far. More than in wars, more than in attacks, and in less than one year. Still happening daily

Do not believe anyone who says this virus is not devastating... the whole country is under siege and I see very few people in masks here. Want to get back to activity? Put on a mask, if we all wear them we'll all be safer. 

MILO"S MOMENT

this is where food comes from, I like treats!!!
 Mama got a gift from Miss Joy of a handmade basket with hand dyed fabric in it, and I got toys and treats from Auntie Diane in Texas!!! I LOVE them, so much that I've only torn one leg off (so far)

come over here and let me lick your face aunt Diane!!!

So far Mama hasn't cut her treat up yet but sooner or later she'll tear up her toys too!

Now sit! Stay! visit these nice friends to read their list of likes too!

 
LINKING WITH

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Tis for Tuesday

 

We woke to a blinding white sugar coated world after yesterday's gloomy off and on snow day.

the fountain looks dipped in sugar!

 I was blessed enough to fall back to sleep after my husband and poodle got off the bed and went downstairs. I feel like  I haven't slept well for years

Breakfast this morning is blueberry cake, made from an online strawberry cake recipe, plus dark roast coffee with milk. We mix it half decaf. 

worth getting out of bed for

The sun came out and is busy this morning melting yesterday's snow off sidewalks. While it's occupied I decided to check in with the T is for Tuesday folk, who talk about their worlds and what they're drinking. 

Last week I was drinking this spiced red wine in the evenings...

something about fall spices in wine...

I was happy that I changed out the closet from summer to winter a couple weeks ago now, as I needed to put on my cuddle duds long 'wears yesterday and today. They are so thin and cozy that I generally layer over them with no problems. 

However today they are fighting with the cashmere mended old sweater and the fleece pants. REally their only job is to work together to make me warm, but here they are pulling against each other, causing me stress, in general making things harder than they need to be.... hmmmm.....

hand sewing

I'm torn about activities today, artwise. Oh I know I have real chores to do, but when it comes down to a choice between sewing/painting and mopping, I'm ashamed to admit art usually wins. 

on the design wall





I finished two quilts last week, story on Friday for both yellow leaf quilts... but the design wall is pretty when I walk into the studio. Inspiration each month partially comes from my online group at SoScrappy where we are encouraged to work with a certain color each month. This time it's neutrals. 

ack. 

Neutrals are used in just about every design as bit players to the saturated color I want to see. But being a team player, I got out my boxes of beige, white, gray and cut out some blocks to make today with low contrast. I do like seeing a quilt of blocks with some low contrast in there, so my eyes get to continue the lines where they seem to disappear. 

 I'm tired y'all, so I need to be gentle with myself, to allow for rest, mental and spiritual. I need to pet my dog, look at pretty colors, watch tv and read good books. I need to feel soft clothes all around my limbs hugging me. I need fresh food and good drinks. Then I can continue on. 

Speaking of gentleness... this video was good for me... I enjoy taking time to make intricate pretty things, and had no idea of the work involved in making paper umbrellas. I have often wanted one here in summers in sunny Colorado...

want to lower your blood pressure, hear gorgeous gentle music and learn how a delicate paper umbrella is made? this is the video for you... it was for me...


Link in case my video doesn't work 

LINKING TO

T stands for Tuesday... like a "drink' post


Sunday, November 8, 2020

sunday questions... what would you answer?

 

From SundayStealing...

 
 1. What’s something no one wants to hear but everyone should?
A: Do the right thing, even when it's difficult 

2. What’s the most annoying animal you’ve ever encountered? 
A:  we had a cedar home in MD and woodpeckers were always pecking holes into it!! I became like Elmer Fudd when I heard the tapping running out screaming waving my arms


3. How much does language affect our thinking?
A: we think in words...I'm interested and usually annoyed with the evolution of our language... how people communicate or not. We used to rely on facial  expression to help communicate but not with social distancing that's being lost. Some current 20 somethings don't seem able to convey meaning in words...scary. Luckily not all of them


4. Do you prefer to watch movies in the theater or in the comfort of your home?

A: home!

5. What topic could you spend hours talking about?
A: ART... and past lives... books...


6. If you could run away from it all and start fresh somewhere new, would you?
A: yes. oh yes please


7. What’s the most polarizing question you could ask a group of friends?
A: well I'm not bringing that up!


8. Do movies have the same power as books to change the world?
A: a good story is most important, and that stands alone in books. A good story turned movie needs good screenwriters, good actors, good directors. That said, movies reach a lot of people and they provide all the imagination for them.


9. What would you rate 10/10 ?
A: dh said, married life. 


10. What are you really good at, but kind of embarrassed that you are good at it? 
A: I think things through, and am logical but feeling at the same time. I can usually learn things quickly too. 
Often, I know things are going to happen, I see it as a gift from God


11. Who do you go out of your way to be nice to?
A: I automatically want to be nice to my friends and husband. Go out of my way.... neighbors? 


12. What problems will technology solve in the next 5 years? What problems will it create?
A.1: wouldn't it be wonderful if we discovered and USED alternate forms of energy? To save the planet?? Come on, you have to know we've damaged it...
A.2: communication technology is ironically pushing us apart. Some people can't converse in person now... which is a give and take. They feel free to say any thing they want on their terms even if it hurts others or the collective group. 
 
Things they might not say to a person's face. If you can't say it to someone directly then don't say it on social media.
 


13. What from the present will withstand the test of time?
A: stretch fabric in jeans
 


14. What movie would be greatly improved if it was made into a musical?
A: 


15. What is something common from your childhood that will seem strange to future generations?
A: pin the tail on the donkey? Hokey Pokey? Spaghetti-o's? 
 
LINKING TO

Friday, November 6, 2020

A small quilt for the mantel

 

12" X 14"

Today's offering is painting with fabric collage. 
One day I looked at the HOME quilt that was originally to go over the mantel, only I have plans for Christmas so I placed it to the right. I thought, I need a fall quilt on the easel!
so now I have one for November. I thought, something fun, listing things we like... 

 
gather fabrics with fun motifs

Like HOME I wrote out Thankful with a calligraphy pen, enlarged it to the size I wanted, 

transferred the word to fabric... using saral paper over face up fabric, then put the word over that and pin in place so you can trace over the word. Time for the sharp scissors to cu

Time for the sharp scissors to cut out the word...
then cut out motifs to use, gather word fabrics and background fabrics and start the collage design process. Trying different placements, ratios and lines...I cut the peltex stabilizer to size, and start laying possibilities onto that...
 
not right...
getting better!

the winner!

secure it and quilt away! I love the vine for harvest time! 

The things that we like... pretty teapots holding cinnamon tea, poodles, flamingos, words, a home, bounty of food, cows, painting, and the flamingo is playing the guitar!
my husband plays a blue guitar!
I like the words gratitude, thankfulness, and the smaller words include time to dance! time to Laugh!
The finishing touches were iron on crystals to draw your eyes to the pretty motifs
shiny metal hearts in surprise places
I added in a tiny scrap strim that says pure love

leftovers for the next quilts

I made this in one afternoon. Quilted it in a couple hours, and it was on the mantel! It looks pretty next to home, in the same colorways. It reflects us, and reminds us of things we enjoy. 

Quilt making is so much fun... such an expressive art form. I recommend it as an exercise for a day, and do not let yourself worry about it, just put it together. 

I usually discuss painting on Fridays but I have been too stressed to paint. I did add color to a printable calendar free on the shabbyart newsletter. 
black and white becomes colorful!

 
at least I painted a little, right?

this one got daubs of paint... I doodled over the paint while listening to music on youtube this week. 

Fun, no pressure, useful for the coming year.

I find art to transport me from anxiety of the election, but when the anxiety won I didn't pressure myself to produce. I did finish the two small leaf quilts this week, and will share them tomorrow on Sewing Saturday.

LINKING TO

https://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/
friday smiles at a stitch in time