welcome to this week's sewing round up, and I've been obsessed with my latest Christmas quilt which is filling the design wall
free pattern source Missouriquilts
I still have two little octagons to surround
and have had such fun making the blocks. I take care to keep them even as I trim, but warning Jenny aat Missouri quilts does not, she just whacks away! If you're like me, and if something is meant to meet up then I work at making sure it meets up, then take time with each row to keep it straight. The octagons have an amount of bias, so this isn't a perfection block.
I'll show you some close ups of some newer blocks
the green around the cow block came from a cow fabric, which only I will know but I WILL know and it makes me happy
I love that santa fabric and those Christmas tea cups!!!
I'd love some like that... while making these blocks I get some waste triangles, which I sewed into improv flying geese one day, mindless sewing. Mindless but not lacking in fun, I squealed while putting the cute tiny triangles one next to the other
they are just lying on a fun green fabric
Some order to the stitching...
and they will go in something soon I hope. I like improv curves and these will be fun to piece into a larger fabric. For now it did it's job giving me stitching without worry.
I also did the last wine bottles for the year in RSC dark neutrals... I like to think of them as holiday wines...
let's see Frosty snow dessert wine, and spiced pear Thanksgiving wine!
I have decided to make them into a dining room wall quilt instead of table runner, so that can wait for the new year.
I've been listening to Christmas novels and finished this one and learned Anne Perry has written many of these Christmas novellas over the years, a fast listen on audio. I checked out another or hers to hear this coming week.
right now I'm listening to
If you need me I'll be in the studio... next is deciding how to piece blocks together to be able to quilt this in sections. Plus borders... also to be quilted in sections.
I have just the right selection of Christmas fabric to turn into a fun back
welcome to this week's list of likes... Milo likes having a stocking so Santa can leave him whimzees, and toys! I like having a garland and lights on the mantel
I like the colors of Christmas and bringing out some quilts
I love the show Survivor and this season has been fun, even though I do not understand the why the vote went that way, annnnnnnnnd... you can watch Ponderosa on youtube where you see the jury cast offs go to wait for the end of the game vote... so fun
this juror #6 my favorite cast off, but you can go here then look for juror #1 if you want to see them all and of course you do if this show is one of your favorites.
for this week's sewing round up... I offer up my hexi blocks for the RSC project and the octagon Christmas project that I am obsessed with. Both use scraps...
as I always say, little scraps create beautiful quilts and life's little moments create a beautiful life.
I love black labs... dogs...
kitsch from the 50's and 60's
color and pattern
and have learned a lot while making octagon quilt blocks, and am now more than halfway through making them.
pattern source missour star quilts
when I got the idea of making a fussy cut quilt like the one in the pattern, it quickly became a slower project with fussy cutting Christmas prints from my stash, and finding fun scraps for the joining strips. In my mind I saw the fussy cut centers like they looked on the design wall...
but to keep them like that I'd have to use one solid fabric behind each of them, and what fun would that be for someone like me who loves variety and color?? I was surprised that the pineapple like design took center stage when glancing at this. Joy reminded me the centers still run the show but you have to be closer to see them. The blocks go together to be 60" then borders are added. A great cuddle size!
For the RSC blocks this month, I'm using dark neutrals... neutrals this time mean dark backgrounds!
I made three blocks (cut 5" squares, RSF, measure over 1 1/8th inch from top right
measure over 1 1/8th in from bottom left, connect the dots and cut on the diagonal
keep pairs together and stitch on straight sides, open and then connect 3 pairs to make the hexi, which is about 9" across as a block.
I will show you close ups of these and the one pink one I made too... now I have 30 blocks and don't know how I'll set them yet because the design wall is busy at the moment (!)
Setting blocks can be stressful to me, so I'll do that after the Christmas quilt is finished. Plus my back has really been bad and interrupts my studio time... I did learn I liked one fabric strip on all four sides of the color pineapple area. Learning anything is good, right?
Welcome to I Like Thursday where we list the small things we liked this week? Small things add up
I like quilt making and have been obsessed in making blocks with my fussy cut octagons this week as seen in the pic above. Lots of little leftover scraps add up to a beautiful quilt... like life
I like watching videos about art supplies to give as gifts for holidays 2021...
it gave me ideas for things I might want like a sketchbook of watercolor paper that I can do small paintings on and they will be a book Link HERE. Or the micro eraser link Here
the pentel pencil sharpener that won't break colored pencils Link HERE
I am so enjoying this story, a man who fought in the civil war as a young teen, takes a group of girls home from school for Christmas and adventures are many. So far it's endearing
I finished the last book, in Jenn McKinley's bakery series and it was cute even though it was a murder mystery
I cannot recommend any tv shows at the moment. We finished the Great British Baking show and it was awesome this season. The Canadian version is not as good to us, plus youtube doesn't have all the shows, only a few out of all seasons. (Netflix is supposed to have them but we can't find them)
I'm fully invested in the bachelorette this time. As an example, one of the cast offs said one of the things I hate lately, "sorry IF I hurt you/ you got hurt" she cut him off and said, that's like saying it's my fault for getting hurt by your lies, that's no apology and not good enough. In a way it's like blaming the victim. He actually got it, and said, "I'm sorry that I told mistruths and it hurt you" wow. Another cast off said about her" she listens to understand you, not just respond" and that's a good quality.
I've been obsessed this week with baking and quilt making.
Fine Dining
whole wheat bread --- with a little coaching by Diane in Texas my baking guru, I made a whole wheat yeast loaf of bread that was SO GOOD!!! There were moments when I wasn't sure if it would work but it was so good dh said we should stop buying bread. It was all gone by end of 4th day however and store bought bread has preservatives to make it last. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7169/buttermilk-honey-wheat-bread/
twirl cookies
also my goal is to make enough cookies that I'll have a tray of pretty Christmas cookies by the 24th, and I'm trying new recipes and freezing some each time. This weekend was cream cheese cookies, OMG so good soft and two bite sized.
Also tried cinnamon twirl cookies, which kind of unfurled but tasted good. Not that sweet so I drizzled on a thin almond icing. (half recipe made)
After talking with Joy, about school food, I wanted to try something the lunchroom ladies made. When I taught, we looked forward to broccoli and rice casserole day. All cream of mushroom soups have stuff bad for me, so I tried making my own... recipe is HERE . It was really good except in CO the onions take four times as long to cook as most recipes say and I forgot so next time I'll use less and cook them four times as long.
We added it into a casserole with rice, broccoli, cheese then bake.
I love doing the Jacquie Lawson advent online calendar daily
It's been a bit cooler the last few days, I really prefer cool weather. Unfortunately dh read that our climate in the West will be hot with no snow within 30 years. It's started already with no snow or rain, and temps about 30+ warmer than usual. Than last year.... we've been here 3 years and this is the first time it was over 100 so many days and near 70 in December.
want to play chicken??
Milo's Moments
Milo: I've had a lot of work this week, barking everyone away, and look forward every day to when I can quit work for the day... we three then go out for a pee, chase the toys, and mama and daddy yakity yak.
Oh, I came upstairs yesterday to see why mama was taking so long to get dressed and found her skinning the "big bed"!!! What are you doing?? It was just right to cuddle into at night!!!
Mama: I am changing the sheets honey, I usually do it without supervision, don't worry your blanket will still be there tonight.
Milo: well, okay, but next time tell me first, you know how I am...
Mama: yep! I know you! Don't like change but lovable and protective and handsome! Like Daddy.
now please visit these fine folk to see what they liked this week, and if you write a like post, let me know to add your link in
