PQ 15.6 A Busy Bee Week

I knew when I saw the challenge that there was no way I was going to actually finish my project this time.  I love Irish Chain quilts.  I have made several.  They are probably pretty close to my favorite block.  I really wanted to try making a double or a triple Irish chain. I pulled the fabric for one.  But good sense got in the way of a grand plan.  

So I grabbed this busy bee fabric that the Mr made me buy a whole bolt of.  And I grabbed my favorite white solid that I buy by the bolt and I used my handy strip ruler to cut it all out.  I discovered... OK... I finally completely convinced myself that my ruler with attached cutter is finally crap and must be replaced.  So I used the strip ruler for cutting the whole thing.  Even with the nerve-wracking make the folds perfectly parallel or it with smile... and not in a good way...  it worked great.  

I know from my long experience as a bench scientist that if you use a different instrument you introduce a variable and can get a different result.  Imagine... that works in quilting too.  Use the same ruler in all directions.  Use the same thread.  Use the same sewing machine.  AND your corners actually will meet mostly.  This is the squarest neatest quilt I've managed to make.

 

I DID completely finish piecing the entire top.  It is 70 x 98.  However, there is a LOT of white space and very little time.  The quilting is really going to stand out on this one.  So I decided to wait until I have the time to do it right.  

 

Thus I present you the pillow coozie of last resort.  One of the leftover blocks with an envelope back and a machine stitched binding  

It is 14 x 14 inches.  Imagine it with a pillow form. 

And that is the end of the first season I have finished all 6 projects in a very long time.  Thank you Kim and Trish for a wonderful, motivating season. 

PQ 15.5 Very Shy Wearables

I seem to go out of my way to find a way to break the RULZ or at least interpret them as uniquely as possible.  That means that over the years, in addition to coozies of last resort, I have also made wearables.  Typically shirts that I upcycle into something I actually want to wear.  

So when I saw the prompt for this week's challenge, I said "Trish.  Seriously!?!"  Literally.  I said that.  To her.  She said the best way to break the rulz was to follow them since the rulz said to break them.  

 

Meet the Very Shy Monsters Who Live Under the Bed.  They are one of the many types of denizens of the WaggonsWestTraveling Chicken and Monster Show.  They are very shy.  But the part of their story that I do know is that they collect glimmers of happiness and save it for a gloomy day.  (I will write their story as soon as they tell me the rest of it.  In the meantime, if you are interested, you can read about some of the other denizens in books 1,2 and 4 of the Traveling Chicken and Monster Show Adventure Series.)

Visitors to the TCMS often ask if the monsters are backpacks, bags, pajama pillows or tooth fairy pillows.  They do have small pockets, they have to have somewhere to hold all that happiness, but they are not really suitable for bags.  I've been meaning to try and prototype a Very Shy Monster bag so I took this week as an opportunity to do so.  

For a first draft this one isn't too bad.  I did a simple bookbag style just to see how it was going to be to work with the fleece and a lining.  The lining in this is an old tablecloth.  Unfortunately, I only had a satin ribbon of a suitable color for the strap so that isn't too sturdy on this one.  And I didn't add a zipper or any sort of closure.  The next version will have bigger eyes, snaps and a real strap.  But I am happy with it for now.  

 

PQ 15.4 Time Enough 2

This little quilt is reprise of a swap quilt I made a bajillion years ago.  I was so excited that the original ended up in the collection of one of the big name quilters in the group.  But I have also been kind of sad that I had give it away.  So I tried again.  It isn't the same.  They never are.

I had to work quickly because I don't have much time this week.  So this quilt does break the prime directive.... Make it structurally sound.  This one is even on the edge for the art quilt exemption.  The background is scraps randomly stuck to embroidery stabilizer.  I intended to tear it away but there were some pretty thin seams and a few tiny holes.  So rather than try an patch or beef it up, I decided to leave the stabilizer attached.  

 

It is echo quilted.  I added fast finish triangles to the corners to hang it.  The lace is scraps from other projects... many ones done for or as a result of Project Quilting.  

PQ 15.3 Inside Out: Showing What Should Be Hidden

 

This week's project doesn't count because I technically started it ahead of time.  It is a pair of jeans whose distress was moving far enough north to start causing me distress.  So I ripped out the side seam.  Did some structural repairs and then left them on my mending pile.  For a bit.

I used the darning stitch on my machine to put reinforced stitches at the apex of the worst tears.  Basically any spot the looked like it was going to continue tearing got a hefty patch of stitches.

 Then I pinned some fancy cotton scraps behind the distressed bits.  I probably should have used scrap denim but getting it to lay flat and and be stable took forever and I didn't want to do it all over again.  So it is what it is.

Then I used a zigzag stitch to secure the fabric to the back of the jeans.  Well, actually I had to wait a week while my machine went off to visit Mike at the machine spa.  I think it got cranky about stitching in weird directions on heavy denim.  But Mike was able to save her.  (Although he did happen to say that a 15 year old machine with TWENTY FOUR MILLION embroidery stitches that he couldn't get parts for was probably getting a bit past her prime.  When I mentioned I had a second one I was hoping he could keep alive for me he said it was good I had one for parts.  I wanted to cry.)

Then I forgot to take a bunch of pictures but I basically used all the pretty scraps I have been saving and patched it.  Randomly.  Poorly.  No rhyme or reason.  Well, we can get fancy and call it raw edge applique but that is probably giving it more credit than I deserve.  

No matter.  I stitched the side seam back up.  Inartfully draped it on the door and took a picture.  Voila!  Patched pants.  

And it qualifies for theme because if you knew my mother, you would certainly know that this is the part of patching a pair jeans that should be kept hidden from view with tiny small stitches. 

Project Quilting 15.2 Kansas Sky

So, I've been known to complain about the challenges that dear Trish comes up with each week during Project Quilting.  This week, was no exception.  The headline on the challenge was colors of the sky.  Immediately, I was thrilled.  I have a pent up desire to make a blue and white quilt.  I was going to do it.  YAY!  It would even be a traditional quilt.  No stretching the rules at all.  

But then, I read the fine print.  No blue.  Harumph!!!  I openly declared that I was going to make a quilt that was puke green Kansas tornado sky.  That seemed to strike a chord.  Down in the comments, Robyn Wimmer said "Don't forget the flying monkeys."

Oooooooo......  I got it! I'm going to make a monkey quilt!  You might think that the background color is a pretty jungle green.  However, it includes that puke green Kansas tornado sky.

 

I didn't have any puke green, or the appropriate shades of brown in my stash.  So I ended up getting the proper colors of grunge fabric.  It has a frankenbatting stitched together from scraps.  Remarkably the backing is a VERY old piece of flannel from my stash.  I mean very old.  It is at least 10 years old and probably a whole lot more than that.  

Because it is basically a baby quilt, I decided to tie it with embroidery floss rather than FMQ.  I rounded the corners (it has been a while since I've done that).  It finished at 40 x 40".P

PQ 15.1 Saving Bird Houses

Birdhouse ... nest ... tree ... forest fire ... smokey the bear ... saves trees ... saves bird nests ... saves bird houses

I bring to you my Project Quilting Season 15 challenge 1 'quilt' project.  It contains applique and it contains quilt blocks in the form of yoyos! 

This shirt has meaning for me on several levels.  I was a huge fan of Smokey the Bear as a kid and I still have my stuffed doll and ranger badge.  I also still have my turquoise Tonka jeep.  In fact I use it on my table as a napkin/salt/pepper holder.  All through high school and college I drove a 1953 CJ3B F-head Willys Jeep.  It was beige.  I worked as a research assistant on a project studying high altitude forest fire recovery.  Even though I have since learned the preventing all forest fires was a tragic ecological and environmental mistake, I still do like my smokey the bear. 

Back of the shirt with applique and yoyos.  The yoyos came from an antique store.  I kept looking at the bag thinking I should sew them into a pillow top but I never found the patience to do it.  When I pulled the bag out of my stash while looking for the lace trim, I decided this was a much better way to use them. 

 

An upcycled flanned shirt.  Front with machine embroidery.  Yoyo trim and hem.

 

Back applique.  Image printed on fabric.  Framed in embroidered sisal.

 

Collar trimmed with cotton lace... tiny pompoms on lace mimic yoyos on hem.

Pocket machine embroidered with modified club logo.  Trimmed with more antique yoyos.

Side panels have map fabric inserted into them.

Antique yoyos stitched to hem.  I learned it was easier to do this with a zipper foot.

Close up of yoyos on side panel.

PQ 14.2 An Effort Was Made

 I should have known when I was pulling fabrics a noon on Saturday that I would probably not finish.  However, I was determined not to make a cozy of last resort. Yep.  Week 2 of Project Quilting.  

 

I didn't finish, but I did get the top finished, the back pieced and the binding cut.  The hold up was the unfortunate reminder that one of the spuds stole  asked for the soundproofing boards in the basement.  One of which, I was using to make my quilt sandwiches.  It was about the size of a 4x8 sheet of plywood, but made of something much lighter.  It was upholstered in a gray woven furniture grade fabric.  That fabric grabbed onto the quilt backing and held it tight.  I didn't even need to pins or tape or anything.  And I could put it on a table so I didn't have to crawl around on the floor.  I completely stalled out on finishing when I realized I would have to go back to plan A.  I couldn't even.... By the time I got over my snit, I no longer had the time or energy to make the sandwich.

But then I remembered that the way I easily did my free motion quilting on my last several quilts was by renting time on the sit down long arm at the LQS.  And, would you believe it, they don't stay open all hours on Saturday night for my convenience.  So...  Another project gets added to my WIP pile.  The only benefit is that this one doesn't require any special skill or problem solving to move to the done pile.  It just requires a little less whining and little more enthusiasm.  

On the plus side, I was able to make this entirely out of my stash AND I was able to use up a couple different fabrics without generating a pile of scraps.  So far (OK, I've made it to week 2) I haven't purchased fabric for PQ.  I think that will be my personal challenge this year.  Well, that and at least attempting to get something made each time. 

Street Corn Dip

 Oh, my poor neglected blog....  It has been too long since I have visited you.  And others still come by every now and then.  

Well today, I need a place to record a recipe and here you are waiting for words.  A match made in cyberspace.  Today's recipe is for Street corn dip.  As usual, I'm not going to put down exact amounts because even though I tried, I always end up adding something... just a little bit more... and what about.,,, This becomes a guide rather than an actual recipe.  

1 yellow onion.  strong enough to make your husband cry when he generously volunteers to chop it for you.

Saute in a bit of olive oil until softened

add

Frozen corn... (whatever your brother has left in the bag in the freezer.  Probably about 3 cups

Fry these until they all start to brown just a bit.

reduce heat and season with chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper (probably about a tsp of the chili powder and paprika.  To taste for the salt and pepper.)

4 ounces cream cheese

about 1/3 cup mayo

Stri together until cheese is melted.  

Stir in a small amount of cohito cheese.  Adjust seasoning. 

Put in oven proof baking dish Top with more cohito cheese.  

Bake at 350 until bubbly.

Serve with corn chips.  Those fancy little cup shaped ones are perfect.  

The cousins loved it at Thanksgiving reunion. 

Project Quilting 13.3: Kitchen Inspiration. A 'Cookbook' Holder.

 

OK Trish, I am pushing the rules here.  But then that is who I am and what I do.  This is a 'cookbook' holder.  Because the cookbook I use the most is my phone or my fire.  It is made using root vegetable fabric; carrots and beets to be precise.  And it technically has three layers that are stitched together.  That flat part in the middle has some cardboard sandwiched between the two layers of fabric.  Ta Da!  Three layers.  Stitched together by hand or machine.  

 

It has been a challenging PQ season for me but I didn't want it to go completely by without completing at least one project. 

Gearing Up for Spring

Baby it is cold outside.  But in here, we are working on "Spring" holiday things.  You know.  Like Valentines Day and Easter. 
 

An Adventure

 

This is one of the only two pictures I took at our last show... the first one in a year and a half.  

It was crazy.  We struggled to remember how to do it.  We struggled to figure out ways to change our booth to limit contact and maintain some distance.  We struggled with new ideas and new realities.  But eventually we loaded the truck and were on our way.  

Setting up was a delight.  We love this show and the producers.  They are helpful and friendly and work hard to make sure everything goes well.  It is a fantastic show.

Our set up time was late in the day so we were almost the last to set up.  To our surprise, we had an unexpected end of the row spot, giving us an open side which meant better air flow and a better ability for social distancing.  Of course we struggled.  It took awhile to figure out how to best arrange things to fit this space.  While it took longer than normal, we were able to set up our tables, tablecloths, displays under our properly weighted tent.

I need to note that our tent has been solid for all of the years we have had it.  We have the appropriate weights on each leg.   We use two concrete weights each about 25 lbs on each leg.  They hang and are secured to the poles.  It has withstood heavy rains, high winds and a severe storm where all of the tents around us were damaged or destroyed.  It is a good tent.  

We did not stock the tent,  We never do.  Our products are light, easy to carry and easy to put in place.   Our plan was to be up early, finish setting up and have leisurely breakfast while we waited for the show to open,  We secured it for the night and went off to enjoy a wonderful meal with our hosts and get a good nights sleep.  

At some point in the night I had a horrible dream where I was screaming at the show organizers for taking down my tent.  It ended when I had to apologize because there was a very good reason for their actions.  I woke up perplexed because the one thing I never do is scream at or berate show organizers or anyone for that matter.  

While getting ready, my husband came up and said, "there was a big wind and our tent is gone."  Not shifted, broken or bent.  Gone.  All I could think of was the potter in a nearby booth and pray that our tent had not damaged another vendor.  Truly, I was more horrified at that thought than anything else. I did spare a thought for all of the year spent collecting unique display pieces that would never be replaced.   I knew we had our stock secure and would be able to put together some sort of display.    But all those artists with glass and ceramic and fragile.,,

I skipped my ridiculous show shirt in favor of a work shirt.  I almost ran the block to the show.  There was a tent on the end.  I thought it was ours but as I got close, it was clear that there was a little pile of things beside it and our tent was, in deed, gone.  It was 200 feet down the street behind the row of tents in an empty parking lot.  Somehow, our tent with all its weights and sides and drapery moved that far without hitting or damaging anything.  It was crumpled and two of its legs were completely sheared off.  Almost like some one cut them off.  

It most likely happened because we were on the end of the row and our tent took the brunt of the initial blast.  All in all about half a dozen tents were destroyed and many more vendors either had damaged tents or damaged stock at the tents all shifted around.  Even the fanciest, heaviest, super weighted tents moved 6 inches.  It was a powerful gust.

The security crew was still on site and every single one of them came up and apologized that they were unable to stop it.  They took the time and carefully gathered up everything they could find from our tent and piled it up in the space.  

Remarkably they found everything but a few business cards that had scattered across the site.  Every table, tablecloth, suitcase and shelf.  It was amazing

My brother-in-law quickly brought us a tent from his business.  My husband started salvaging the pieces of the old tent and both of the offered pieces to others in the hopes that could use them to make repairs to their damaged tents.  I set about dumping sand out of my suitcases and setting up again.  

There were many blessings in the situation.  It happened at night when no one was there.  It flew behind the row of tents and didn't damage other booths.  It was wind without rain so there wasn't water damage to the booth.  The security team was thoughtful and went above and beyond to gather the scattered booth together.  We had a wonderful support team nearby to fill in and loan and help out.  And somehow I got out all of my hysterical and unhelpful angst during a weird nightmare and was able to face the initial shock with a degree of calm and was able to quickly get into a solve the problem mode.  So many blessings.

We were set up and open by the time the show opened.  We did not get our leisurely breakfast.  I did find time to change in to my ridiculous shirt.  We had a few missteps as we started because we were so rusty from not doing shows for so long and because we were so frazzled.  But we did settle down into our routine and had a good show.  

The only real problem was I didn't take any pictures.  No set up pictures.  No booth pictures.  No close ups of the new denizens or the new displays.  Nothing.

Next show is indoors and we don't have any things else scheduled for the rest of the year. 

PQ 12.6 AB INTRA: Crowded

 

My inner 5 year old is happy with the pink and lace.

 

My inner 12 year old is happy with the denim.

My inner environmentalist is happy with upcycling a messed up shirt into something useful.

My inner fashionista is happy with having something no one else will be wearing.

 

My inner quilter thinks we are nuts for starting on half in half square triangles the night before the challenge is due.

 

My inner old lady says what the heck. I always said I was going to wear purple.

And we all told the inner perfectionist to get back on that galloping horse 'cause we don't see anything wrong with it!

 

This week's Project Quilting challenge was AB INTRA, from within.  Well, there is a lot going on in here but what else would you expect?  

 This is an upcycled denim shirt made with lace and quilter's cotton. The wee small quilt in the pocket is a prairie rose block (from moda bake shop pattern).  It measures just under 4 inches square.  

 

PQ 12.4 CRAZY!

 Not much to say about this week's challenge.  The prompt was Crazy Quilt.  I've had this idea in my head for a while now.  So I decided to take this opportunity to make a prototype pillow.  

This is about 14 inches square.  It is made from scraps of minky.  That is why the colors are kind of whack.  I wanted to use the fabric type to see how it would work but I didn't want to cut into any big pieces.  So, I used what I had.  

I was going for monster faces on the digitizing but I think I ended up a little more cute.

 

I Followed the Snail's Trail! PQ 12.4

Busy Day.  Quick post.  

 This week's Project Quilting challenge was to be inspired by the traditional quilting block called snail's trail.  It is a pretty challenging block that has been giving even experienced quilters some starts and fits.  

I decided to follow the snail's trail to see where it would lead.  And look what I found!  The snail.

 Over the past year I have been working on understanding pattern design,  It is a non-trivial process.  This is really the first three dimensional pattern I have drafted with which I am some what happy.  I think the issues I have with it are more in the realm of sewing rather than in the pattern design itself.  I am pretty sure that once I shrink it down and hand sew it he will be just fine.  

 As it is, this guy is just over 9 inches long about a bit more than that high.  He is made from quilting cotton and stuffed with polyfil.  Just to be sure he meets the letter of the requirements if not the spirit he has some patchwork appliqued on his shell. 

Bearly There. Project Quilting 12.3 Virtual Vacation

 

 Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a true "cozy of last resort".  Well technically it is a mug rug of last resort.  

This week's challenge was to make a quilt that interprets the idea of virtual vacation, where you've been, where you want to be, where you actually are.  It was the perfect opportunity to pull out some of my 'travel' fabric.  I have a small set of cuts from Hawaii that my mom and my sister picked out for me when they were there a few years ago.  Since Spud 3 was known for his Hawaiian shirts it is a quilt project destined for him.  I also have a stash of fabrics picked up in Alaska on a trip with my sister, the mister and Spud 3. 

Our trip to Alaska was primarily a fishing trip for the spud.  My sister has taken all of the spuds to Alaska for their graduation present.  I just happened to figure out how to tag along one time.  It was a tightly scheduled vacation with lots of people and one car.  I figured I could finagle in one quilt shop during our travels.  I researched.  I really researched and settled in on the Quilted Raven in Anchorage.  It seemed the most Alaskan.  We had a few days there as we waited for my mom, my brother and my cousin, who summers in Alaska to arrive.  

So my sister and I ventured out shopping one afternoon.  We looked at art galleries.  We tried on mukluks.  We had a blast looking around and spent quite a bit of time in the Quilted Raven.  I carefully considered my options and I purchased a restrained amount of fabric and patterns.  

This table runner was made for a PQ challenge a couple years after our return.  It is from the that little stash of fabric.   

Much to my surprise, my sister declared the following day at I needed to go back to the quilt shop. I was happy to oblige.  I could look around again.  There was so much to see.  So we all piled into the car and went back to the quilt shop.  Much not to my surprise, after a very few minutes, my sister decided she was bored with the quilt shop and she and her husband went off to the mukluk shop next door.  

The mister and the spud found fabric.  They found lots of fabric.  They insisted I needed more fabric.  I ended up buying waaay more fabric than the day before.  It took up most of the spare space in my suitcase.  It really, truly wasn't my fault.  

So... I have a stash of fabric from Alaska.  I never had a plan for it.  It was purchased as blocks and fat quarters, a few yards here an there and a couple panel-ish cuts.  None of it is in my usual selection.  All of it is big bold prints with designs that need to be featured.  It has lingered in my stash for quite a while as one of those sets in need of a plan.  

 So I had fabric from Alaska where I have been and want to return and from Hawaii where I have never been but want to go.  Both fabrics seem destined for spud 3.  Fortuitously he was home this week.  So we looked at the fabrics and came up with a plan.  

North to Alaska.  North the rush was on.  

We decided to use the pack of 7 inch squares and one of the panel-ish pieces of fabric.  Spud 3 has an amazing eye for color and design.  He suggested we use brown as the sashing color.  Of course, my selection of brown was limited so.... off the the store to purchase what looked right.  And we auditioned them all.  We sent pictures to the mister to get his opinion.  We selected the perfect fabric and I got started.  

 

I had to do some math to figure out what size to cut the center panel so that the blocks all lined up and fit.  OF COURSE, there were 18 blocks in the pack and needed 22 blocks no matter what.  That meant I HAD to fussy cut four more blocks.  Those of you who know me, know that the two two things I truly dislike in quilting are fussy cutting and sashing.  Yep. This whole project depended on both of them!  

But I persisted. 

I love using clips to label each block.

I got everything cut and laid out and had to wait for the spud to approve the layout.  He can be very fussy about block arrangement and can see patterns that no one else will ever notice but will make the quilt over the top better when you follow them.  I carefully sewed the rows of blocks together.  I was extremely careful to make sure the seams were consistent so that things would line up in the end.  Things were going swimmingly.  And then.... 

My math was correct but I set up the story problem wrong.  Those  perfect 7 inch blocks actually finish at 6.5 inches.  Yep.  Amateur mistake.  So.  I had to figure out how to fix it.  It threw me for a loop and I lost a day. Then I had to work of the nerve to actually cut the panel down.  No way I could get a replacement.  Fussy cutting an order of magnitude worse.

I did get it done, with an assist from the mister.  I did get much of it pieced, just a few things left to do.  But by late Saturday, I knew I was not going to do the quilt justice if I pushed through and tried to finish it up.  This one is too special to risk making more amateur mistakes.  So I had to come up with the cozy of last resort.  

 

There were 18 blocks in the pack I was using.  Seventeen of them were gorgeous and graphic and wonderful.  And then there was the one that stood out like a sore thumb, or paw as the case may be.  This print was just plain awful in the quilt.  So I had to fussy cut yet another block.  ARGGGHHHH!

This little patch of paw prints was left over.  I decided to take one of the rejected browns, applique a bear on to it and make it a mug rug.  It reminds me more of Colorado than Alaska but as I am always going there on vacation it still works.  So.... Bearly There is my cozy of last resort.  

The real quilt will be finished in short order.  I want to have it ready for the spud to take with him when he heads back out.  

Bearly There.  PQ 12.3.  Virtual Vacation.  7 x 7 inch mug rug.  Raw edge applique.  Outline quilted.  Hand stitched binding.  Made near St Louis, MO.