Post #77 - I miss you

Sorry we haven't been around the last couple of weeks.  We've had stalker problems so I'm doing a test post. I think the problem has been solved. We should be back to posting regularly soon. We have so much to tell you!

Post #76 - I finished my first quilt!

Today was the day. 

Today I was determined to conquer my fear of binding a quilt. 

I took a quilting class at the library several years ago. I learned how to applique and hand-stitch a small wall-hanging quilt. I learned how to hand quilt it.  During the last class I was quickly showed how to bind it and told to go home and do it. 

I never did.

And thus began the dread of binding a quilt. I'd had an instructor to critique every other step of the quilt, but no accountability to finish it.  So I didn't.

But today I was determined to finish a quilt.

And I did!

I laid everything out and cut the binding strips and trimmed the quilt.

I stitched the binding to the back and turned it to the front to finish off with a decorative stitch.  Just a little something I saw in a YouTube video that I watched to psych myself up for the task.

And, TADA! Just like that it was done.

I really like the decorative stitching in the variegated thread.

The mitered corners came out perfectly.

I even included a pocket to put a rod through so I can hang it.

It's there. See?

I am so excited and relieved that it is finally finished.   I won't be so afraid to tackle the next quilt's binding.  Nope, nope, nope.

Post #75 - What I done been doin'

Well, I did not go to the produce auction yesterday. 
We both had other things to do so we decided to do that another day.

So I stayed home and canned the (FINALLY ripe) Roma Tomatoes that I had bought last week.  Out of a bushel I got 15 quarts of chopped tomatoes and 7 pints of tomatoes and green chilies (think Rotel). Not a bad day's work. 

The kittens "helped" of course. 

And by "help" I mean they slept on the kitchen floor while I worked. 
Then they moved to the living room and slept on the floor there.

Remember a month ago we were naming them and I posted these pics?

Well, they've grown a good bit, but they still wrestle a lot.

I was pretty tired by the end of the day, but it was Tuesday and I'd gotten a new pattern for the #50StatesStitching quilt so of course I stitched it up.

I really need to get the rest of these squares done. 

With all the crafting I've been doing lately the garden has been utterly neglected and has become overgrown with weeds. I had decided to swallow my pride and take before and after pictures to post on the blog. 
Ugh. This will not be pretty.
So I went outside at 7:00 this morning to weed the garden, but the boys had taken care of it for me last night. 
Without me asking.
I'm so thankful that is done.
I have no pics. But hang around, it will probably happen again.

Now I need find something else to do. 
Maybe I'll write a blog post.

√check!

 

Post #74 - WIP Monday

I plan on visiting the local Amish Produce Auction tomorrow so there probably won't be a WIP Wednesday post.  I know, I'm disappointed, too.  haha   So I will update you today.  Yay!

The last time I posted a pic of the fall wall-hanging it was just a panel with the batting and backing beside it:

 Since then it has been assembled/sandwiched and hand-basted.  Then I put it in a frame and played around with adding (and removing) beads until I was happy with the way it looked.

Then I began to hand quilt it. It's just a basic running stitch. Nothing fancy.

Once half of the pumpkin had been stitched I removed the basting threads to see how it looked.

The left side of the pumpkin is quilted along with the yellow border on that side and along the bottom.  I think it makes it "pop" and gives it some depth.
So far so good.

Now we take a break from the crafting update to see a cute kitty picture. Brutus had no worries at the Vet's office last week. He's relaxed on the scales and watching Lizzie, who was a little upset because she had blood drawn moments before. He weighed 5 pounds 5 ounces. Our petite Lizzie weighed 4 pounds 4 ounces.  He really is a brute.

Okay, back on track:

Yesterday a friend from church handed me a bag with patriotic material in it.  There is a panel and a couple bandanas along with some scraps of a white background star material and this complimentary blue material:

There is enough of the blue to use for the quilt backing of my #50StatesStitching project.  

Isn't it absolutely perfect for the States quilt I'm working on?

 And no, I haven't gotten any more stars assembled. That's why you keep seeing the same three when I write about that quilt.  

But I do have the embroidery caught up for those stars:

 Virginia (I finally remembered to put a penny in the picture)
& New York

One day I'll sit down and work on those stars assembly-line-style.

But probably not this week.  It's canning week.

Of course, I could easily be persuaded to go camping this weekend.

Off to do my chores.

TTFN

(Ta Ta For Now)

Post #73 - It's the most wonderful time of the year

I went to my favorite Amish produce farm today only to find out that he no longer has the help to keep up the produce stand. He sold me a bushel of Roma tomatoes anyway.  He said most of his 5 brothers and 2 sisters have moved on and he probably won't have a stand next year, either. I'm really going to miss dealing with him. I am more heartbroken about not getting fresh garlic than anything else.

So I stopped at another farm and stocked up on bell peppers, yellow onions, candy onions (sweet), and watermelon.

 While driving home a friend called and offered some fresh-dug potatoes so I drove there and also got some corn and cucumbers.

These four potatoes and three ears of the corn played a big role in supper last night along with a pepper and an onion. Yum, yum.

And while at the grocery store Wednesday I picked up some fresh peaches and fall mums. 

Isn't this a great time of year?

Post #72 - WIP Wednesday

My name is Pam and it's been two weeks since my last Work In Progress blog post.  Or any blog post, for that matter.

But I've been really busy and I have the photos to prove it.

The last time I posted I had just started sewing the dark brown dog doll.  Today both dogs are finished.

I bought the pattern from Wendi. Go check out her blog.

The last time I blogged I had just started on the dark brown one. He is made from a low-pile textured cuddle fleece and he went together rather quickly.

Stuff me!Stuff me!

The burnt orange dog took more time to sew. It is made from a two-sided medium/deep-pile cuddle fleece.  

 It takes a LOT of pins to keep this stuff from shifting while you sew it.

It takes time to put all those pins in.

 And it takes time stopping to take the pins out while you're sewing.

Then once it's sewn you have to pick the pile (fur) out of the seams.

Before and after picking on the medium pile:

  I use an awl to get underneath the fur and lift it out of the seam.  (Oh, in the background is a peek at the fabric Kate is preparing for her quilt.)

Just look at the difference it made on this ear. To the left is the fur stuck in the seam of the deeper pile; to the right it has been picked out. 
The seam disappears!

 The cuddle fleece is soft and just makes you want to pet it. The deeper pile of the burnt orange dog makes it softer than the brown one, though. I didn't stuff the orange one as much as I did the brown one because I wanted him to be "squishier".  :-) I'm very happy with both of them. Now I need to find children who would enjoy them and give them a good home.

#50StatesStitching

 The 50 States Stitching Quilt is coming along. I have the embroidery part caught up. Here is a close up of them.  I still have to paper piece the last 4 stars and sew them onto their blocks. I have not sewn any more striped blocks since the last update.

 Thomas Jefferson called Delaware a diamond (small, but valuable).

 Pennsylvania is represented by the Liberty Bell.

 The New Jersey beach is represented by a seashell.

 Maryland has an adorable blue crab.

 Massachusetts proudly displays the Mayflower.

 Connecticut's state flower is the Mountain Laurel.

 And New Hampshire's state flower is the purple Lilac.  

This one was so much fun to stitch!

Well, I *was* caught up with the embroidery until the new pattern arrived yesterday. A Virginia Ham!  This cracks me up.

I should probably mention that the embroidery hoop in that picture is 3 inches wide. These are tiny patterns...roughly an inch wide (some more, some less). So if my lettering is a little wonky, it's because I find it difficult to stitch a word that is about 1/8-inch tall. I get impatient and use bigger stitches than I should. The letter "s" is giving me fits. Just look at how many are in Massachusetts! Maybe I'll be a pro at this by the 50th state?

Mollie's patterns always make me smile. Even though I adore them, I decided not to put the smiling faces on every object. I also decided to use the full name of the State instead of the postal abbreviation.  The abbreviation would have been much easier (not nearly as many "s" letters) but I don't always take the easy road.

And that's it. 

I did not stitch on the Ohio state counties pillow project. 

Nor did I work on the pumpkin panel that I showed you last time. 

Kate is working on her first quilt and we are both excited. She has it planned, the fabric is cut, and the blocks are laid out and organized. She will begin stitching soon. I can't wait!

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