tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71963370093578607342024-03-12T09:31:10.558-05:00Mary, Mary Quite ContraryMary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.comBlogger355125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-21796328367953507832024-03-12T09:29:00.004-05:002024-03-12T09:30:03.490-05:00<p> <b>All Better Now</b></p><p>The surgeon told me when I had my back surgery (March 2023) that it would take a year for full healing to happen. Not that I would be in a lot of pain during that time, but from a medical perspective it would be that long before everything was fused, etc. Well, it's been nearly a year and my back feels great. No pain and I can stand without my back feeling tired and wanting to sit down. The past several days I have been able to sit at my sewing machine and sew as long as I like.</p><p>Saturday our guild is having a paper piecing workshop. I already know how to do this, but want to show support for workshops and also socialize. I resurrected a UFO from (10?) years ago. I have completed five of the blocks and prepped another for Saturday. It's a pattern by Carolyn Friedlander and I am excited to finish it up.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoXL7ixE-MY3yfU38X-UEQysPI9XWmqLzOmMwwwu6XHUbi1BtpBSWR5SUwVQ3XKMBy4J6r3hZP1LfkPSCQ_mw_W7TTFYFK9TKn460Xo5N-xfPjiaRHr-Jh6_r5niTTa1XzesUNuFZ4wcMG59Fgk6eNqGklz3enRWCW-ln17tX78nr1biti5ghiRTx6_yBY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="611" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoXL7ixE-MY3yfU38X-UEQysPI9XWmqLzOmMwwwu6XHUbi1BtpBSWR5SUwVQ3XKMBy4J6r3hZP1LfkPSCQ_mw_W7TTFYFK9TKn460Xo5N-xfPjiaRHr-Jh6_r5niTTa1XzesUNuFZ4wcMG59Fgk6eNqGklz3enRWCW-ln17tX78nr1biti5ghiRTx6_yBY" width="186" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I have a number of her patterns and have made several of her quilts. The latest pattern I have acquired is her Alphabet pattern. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmxdCoHZ1Q0zi-2sph2O3lY-2jaNnTyY9kAxmB9iWbmgu1QdDqsb5Cc0ADhbi6ELNrPALbnAyPShKUe8JMmZztG7H4VIgBgKw9B-KDq9WCcMFXsuqukTmHZYVjde6embcMHbR6TUZQZo--Luv6mVxjBT9VdNeAN64NJLXXHgeXcVXQJBr-tMNi4Z3kM2DB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="790" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmxdCoHZ1Q0zi-2sph2O3lY-2jaNnTyY9kAxmB9iWbmgu1QdDqsb5Cc0ADhbi6ELNrPALbnAyPShKUe8JMmZztG7H4VIgBgKw9B-KDq9WCcMFXsuqukTmHZYVjde6embcMHbR6TUZQZo--Luv6mVxjBT9VdNeAN64NJLXXHgeXcVXQJBr-tMNi4Z3kM2DB" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I have made Grove. Pieced but not quilted.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Q81L2eeVK2CFz12GNClULG3WC6PKcLAV5Dv0thU7D45Lmv9aKSn64yJJTCC5FUzFCwWIqlZSip9_7sHLwct3HzHapAePpt8L4f-n0YIxXh8YTci0vIAORVt_eSjqZVNwSNzHp9xUMBbCHDHTFYJYPdwkmGKwL7KduSDogxFRKHRcYOUdOhME2jg6_wqS" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="790" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Q81L2eeVK2CFz12GNClULG3WC6PKcLAV5Dv0thU7D45Lmv9aKSn64yJJTCC5FUzFCwWIqlZSip9_7sHLwct3HzHapAePpt8L4f-n0YIxXh8YTci0vIAORVt_eSjqZVNwSNzHp9xUMBbCHDHTFYJYPdwkmGKwL7KduSDogxFRKHRcYOUdOhME2jg6_wqS" width="240" /></a></div><br /> I have this pattern, "Hunter." Each block has many narrow blades and I haven't tried it yet because I am wondering how well I will be able to line up the pieces for applique.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd98-JdPOAwDTQKmqyM6mvOVdkC7LeH0fV3-o-AgcNIvxy7NaZrhS0JGoe71ox80j92gqBHbby-vZP7Y7L3jBwHel3Awy_0j8RLG1TW5K2V-BNnp4PamEBxvEE-1IK_bQB9_fbbiEXM0jXcu_Ks1S0t282teAGfItRNRMm744BKiaXayfB1GEN5FG-zOk9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="790" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd98-JdPOAwDTQKmqyM6mvOVdkC7LeH0fV3-o-AgcNIvxy7NaZrhS0JGoe71ox80j92gqBHbby-vZP7Y7L3jBwHel3Awy_0j8RLG1TW5K2V-BNnp4PamEBxvEE-1IK_bQB9_fbbiEXM0jXcu_Ks1S0t282teAGfItRNRMm744BKiaXayfB1GEN5FG-zOk9" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started Eads with a fair number of blocks completed. I need to dig this one out and finish it! I don't remember if this is paper pieced or not.</div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg11dxFBAbU_8yukZkImCW9Je8KW1qwS1Y-5UXOqyxnfBxMoHlNh0paMxI43ErE_kzFG4qfrN5Bke-LeArxQhH2jjZdZD-FypHDw_g0dKISGJVMl9H_IyesGCl5iZZ9XaINIzrYa8j6pta481P4Rd_xLGCuGIljx7ce816NLq2QXzVUyGSigY5us_X7AjV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="790" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg11dxFBAbU_8yukZkImCW9Je8KW1qwS1Y-5UXOqyxnfBxMoHlNh0paMxI43ErE_kzFG4qfrN5Bke-LeArxQhH2jjZdZD-FypHDw_g0dKISGJVMl9H_IyesGCl5iZZ9XaINIzrYa8j6pta481P4Rd_xLGCuGIljx7ce816NLq2QXzVUyGSigY5us_X7AjV" width="241" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I have Outhouse ordered. Simple but effective with repetition.<p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDpyxBQt6ltrQlkmmgIApeaC-YII8ApotjRyc2uoK_a5jLBDQ0sE-hIEftc6jRGHNVrUbor9J5ZYag7MMEgWfh0io27oN-a7Ht9Ax6ZZv0VVGyfv1GUPmCt0st6-cCGquL3XktVS5H5H-vmBwZ-muPkOmTPCTA9KAoCLaSt72irC-8xzEjpKDU_AVmxp4b" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="790" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDpyxBQt6ltrQlkmmgIApeaC-YII8ApotjRyc2uoK_a5jLBDQ0sE-hIEftc6jRGHNVrUbor9J5ZYag7MMEgWfh0io27oN-a7Ht9Ax6ZZv0VVGyfv1GUPmCt0st6-cCGquL3XktVS5H5H-vmBwZ-muPkOmTPCTA9KAoCLaSt72irC-8xzEjpKDU_AVmxp4b" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hive several other patterns by this designer, but at the moment I can't recall the names of the patterns and therefore can't find them to show pictures of them.</div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><br /> <p></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-61905125460735064682024-01-25T11:58:00.007-06:002024-01-25T12:04:55.225-06:00<p> January</p><p>One of the times of the year I like is January, followed by February. Nothing much going on after the hubbub of the fall and winter holiday season. My cup of tea. Plenty of time for quilting and other leisurely activities. I am slowly making progress on the desert palette quilt. I am quite pleased with the colors I have chosen and the slow pace of evening EPP sewing.</p><p>My back is fairly comfortable. Not perfect, but much better. No need for ibuprofen, etc. I have been getting chiropractic treatments, but remain skeptical that they are doing anything more than depleting my wallet. I don't feel much different afterwards. I still thing chiropractic is 95% placebo. I know there are lots of people who believe otherwise. This has been my experience.</p><p>I recently visited my brother in Escondido, CA (San Diego). I had a very relaxing time. The timing was good as I missed the extremely frigid weather in St. Louis and the heavy rain and flooding in San Diego that happened upon my return to St. Louis. The days are slowly lengthening and we are almost through January. Can spring be far behind?</p><p>My calendar is fairly empty allowing me time to make an entry for our guild's president's challenge - "Make a Pink Quilt." I am the president of the guild currently and also a breast cancer survivor. The parameters - other than the color pink -were non-existent - make a quilt of any size or technique that reads as pink when first viewed. We will vote on our favorite in February and the quilt with the most "likes" will get a small prize. I look forward to what folks come up with. I am continually amazed at the creativity of our members.</p><p>My entry was inspired by one I saw at exuberantcolor.com. It consists of half-rectangle triangles. I was a bit challenged at first because you need to make two types of triangles which are mirror images of each other. When I finally got that idea straight in my head, things progressed swimmingly. I like the pattern because it looks like a twisted breast cancer awareness ribbon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiQuDg6_yJE4yXwyHr6evqFjGPa6cetwj8UXnWzSnrga9LSdQlQnFq24TTUSuXRszFWgxqaTKPGrVOcF8ie5yqg_vyQQOsTiLw4S0vTTVzSAi6PRxSESxdjRFToxOhjwhxHWac0h6LEWhOtz5w9gU63Qz0RgUH4BUtw-B0RH99gbA-BPKMzeYsPpQMfX8/s339/Pink%20Ribbon%20Quilt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiQuDg6_yJE4yXwyHr6evqFjGPa6cetwj8UXnWzSnrga9LSdQlQnFq24TTUSuXRszFWgxqaTKPGrVOcF8ie5yqg_vyQQOsTiLw4S0vTTVzSAi6PRxSESxdjRFToxOhjwhxHWac0h6LEWhOtz5w9gU63Qz0RgUH4BUtw-B0RH99gbA-BPKMzeYsPpQMfX8/s320/Pink%20Ribbon%20Quilt.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I finished a memory quilt for a friend and it has been gifted to her. Her two sisters also wanted one, but I didn't have enough fabric left to make two more quilts. I decided to make them each runners that can be used across the foot of a bed or on a longish table. I made one with log cabin blocks and the other will be blocks from </span><span style="text-align: left;">Denyse Schmidt's "Free Wheeling Single Girl" quilt. Here's the finished memory quilt.</span></div></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStUqXicLGfbBQkno9bUZxUIPKPoI3vc9MzQVYDwqlu6c5OgI8zIHsRI8rrHcKd5LNjBMrAS8exb-kiBv2R2-RQC7u6VbZeJok_ZidouSD1NxinixKn-Uac2D6Ys6XqXnIEoBWvEl5qgibT0CwQRAJINgAkgpY2nlM7wDzBIncYQKNU0fzLCMO-V7E8Bzt/s640/IMG_20231216_053944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStUqXicLGfbBQkno9bUZxUIPKPoI3vc9MzQVYDwqlu6c5OgI8zIHsRI8rrHcKd5LNjBMrAS8exb-kiBv2R2-RQC7u6VbZeJok_ZidouSD1NxinixKn-Uac2D6Ys6XqXnIEoBWvEl5qgibT0CwQRAJINgAkgpY2nlM7wDzBIncYQKNU0fzLCMO-V7E8Bzt/s320/IMG_20231216_053944.jpg" width="320" /></a></p></span></div><div><br /></div> I made one of these quilts each for two year old identical twins. Both are scrappy and pretty similar. I varied the border fabric so they can tell them apart. It's "Dancing Plus" by Jan Ochterbeck at colourfulfabriholic.com. I don't normally make the same pattern more than once as there are so many fun ones out there to try. This pattern is very forgiving. No seams to match except for sewing the blocks together. I have made it any number of times and it is scrap basket friendly. A neighbor h ad a baby over the winter. It's a boy and I will be making this again for the new baby. Maybe in blue and green.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpx89Te6NVKdqNvwMSrFgUevs0QHDj9jE9BZaDeFYAD8BWe-NHy1CSNCAufjoIkl12IopMeIj8j61KslZAd_IKZCA4JG24RYSu6PEFlpb_FqQBehFsAaAFOieHyZ9m4Qqi2TTi4XOrT3Y-gvV-HJrVxPlC09hipxvJX4F1pqtNssQNfdNAlemL8GSlRdY/s2992/20231223_111950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpx89Te6NVKdqNvwMSrFgUevs0QHDj9jE9BZaDeFYAD8BWe-NHy1CSNCAufjoIkl12IopMeIj8j61KslZAd_IKZCA4JG24RYSu6PEFlpb_FqQBehFsAaAFOieHyZ9m4Qqi2TTi4XOrT3Y-gvV-HJrVxPlC09hipxvJX4F1pqtNssQNfdNAlemL8GSlRdY/s320/20231223_111950.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Lastly I will be starting an Elizabeth Hartmann quilt for my niece who is due in April. The shower is this Saturday. I bought her some things from her baby registry so there is something from me to open at the shower. Her theme for the nursery is animals. I will be making Fancy Forest", which I have made once before. More of that mirror imaging in the piecing. I follow Gyleen Fitzgerald's suggestion and lay out all the pieces for one block next to my sewing machine. She calls it "making the picture". I still manage tp get things backwards at times, especially with mirror imaging but it does help. I imagine I will have some time with the seam ripper.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsVeytMSZNBLJNccYnIExV6pB3WA7ec3fq5DN8X_3yFxC0Vp4IAqDeP8i_rWe08MsKnbELkXjLG6I95FSd87GqUL3wOvYUt22Ox6x_bPjVfZLrcp8oYseleE4e6-HuxtH0HSWbBNGH4PD7A5bHubB6CFEfBsU4zdVKzo1TAwDgbn8k36kiM46cH3mTr6a/s659/Pacific_FancyForest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="485" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsVeytMSZNBLJNccYnIExV6pB3WA7ec3fq5DN8X_3yFxC0Vp4IAqDeP8i_rWe08MsKnbELkXjLG6I95FSd87GqUL3wOvYUt22Ox6x_bPjVfZLrcp8oYseleE4e6-HuxtH0HSWbBNGH4PD7A5bHubB6CFEfBsU4zdVKzo1TAwDgbn8k36kiM46cH3mTr6a/s320/Pacific_FancyForest.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I will make one fourth of the quilt. Each section repeats, just in a different colorway. and there are already two of each animal in each quarter. The size of one section is plenty big enough for a baby quilt.<div><br /></div><div>I have chosen a mantra for the coming year. This is in lieu of a New Year's resolution. It is a focus for my thoughts and this year it is "believe", as in believe in yourself, love, friendship, etc. I have a subscription to the weekend edition of the New York Times. I had a daily subscription some years ago and could not keep up with all the content. It is a great newspaper and I missed it so have taken the weekend edition again. Anyway last weekend it contained an article on delight practice which sounds goofy given the current state of affairs in the world. It consists of taking note of small things that delight us in our daily lives. A sunset, smile from a friend, etc. Quilting has many such small moments to savor. A perfectly pieced block, fabric selection for a new project (even if you never make it!), stitching down the last inches of a binding, etc. I encourage you to try it.<br /><div><br /></div></div>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-20301550859870387582023-11-27T16:15:00.003-06:002023-11-27T16:15:48.380-06:00<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Desert Palette Quilt</b> </p><p style="text-align: left;">I have been working most evenings on the quilt that was inspired by the desert near Santa Fe, NM. I am working on it in EPP, a technique that lends itself well to the pattern which has a jillion Y seams. I don't like doing them by machine, although Gyleen Fitzgerald has a great technique for them. I like handwork and needed a new project for evening TV watching. I changed up the colors a bit from the tile mosaic at the Governor's Inn in Santa Fe to more closely reflect the desert palette I experienced on my road trip there in September. Specifically there needs to be more green - sage, gray green, and some brighter (almost) spring green. I am pleased at how it is coming along. I have about 70 blocks finished and need either 96 or 108 depending on the width. I will know better when I can lay things out and measure. The blocks are finishing at 5" square. I figure the quilt should measure at least 60" in length, giving a total of 12 blocks per column. 45 to50 inches in width seems about right, so then either 96 or 108 blocks are needed. I am not in a hurry and enjoy the process. Either amount will be okay.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Inn looked like this yesterday after a light snowfall. The pool was supposedly available a bit later in the day. It is heated to 87 degrees. I doubt I would have braved it, though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZT9UE7YZrbJUC1ytbw1TQUc8LKhuKZjk3-yR1ItNqGoYXN2ZdUh1MkPmS-M5XiqpgPS5xokzJKQUdcg3s3UG68s7O6wnHK7wl0XNsphypOhNhY2EHrPw6K_yzFvxLR_Rkmzuf82tTIaGeleswj9kiEKC9HaU12_JV_gsyo3yuFti8aYPRI4C7TXrFXVd/s720/inn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZT9UE7YZrbJUC1ytbw1TQUc8LKhuKZjk3-yR1ItNqGoYXN2ZdUh1MkPmS-M5XiqpgPS5xokzJKQUdcg3s3UG68s7O6wnHK7wl0XNsphypOhNhY2EHrPw6K_yzFvxLR_Rkmzuf82tTIaGeleswj9kiEKC9HaU12_JV_gsyo3yuFti8aYPRI4C7TXrFXVd/s320/inn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">I am also nearing completion of a memory quilt for a friend. It is turning out well, although today I realized I had miscalculated the width of the borders that are needed to make the last element fit. I cut the borders to a width of 2" finished and should have made them 3". A simple enough fix to take them off and sew on the correct ones. The 2.5 strips that will be taken off won't be wasted as I need that size to make the strip sets for the final borders. I hate wasting fabric so was glad to realize the strips are completely usable. I have plenty of fabric on hand, too, so I can recut the borders without the fear of running out of fabric. I was intending to go to a local quilt store today to select backing fabric but I want to soldier on and get the top completed today if possible. A longarmer form our guild told me a couple of weeks ago that she can get it quilted for me in time for Christmas. I hope so. I could quilt it myself, but it would by ever so much nicer to have it professionally done.</p><p style="text-align: left;">A friend gave me an EPP kit last month. She said she will never make it and thought I might like it. I do! It is a lovely pattern with all the paper pieces and acrylic templates (for cutting the fabric) and will probably be my next evening project after the desert one is finished.</p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-34564331786905756062023-10-25T15:05:00.005-05:002023-10-29T02:18:18.358-05:00Back Surgery<p> I had back surgery March 28, 2023. The pain from the compression fracture and herniated disc has been alleviated with an L3-L4 lumbar fusion. The surgery was laparoscopic and spared me a large incision. The surgeon still did all the same work internally, so there was a healing process from the surgical wound. Currently I am pretty comfortable. Physical therapy has been completed, and while I have good mobility and am pain free, I need to build strength and endurance. I will call on the services of a personal trainer for that. I still have to limit time sitting at the sewing machine, but I have been working on a memory quilt for a friend from his deceased wife's clothing. I have also done quite a bit of EPP and knitting, which require no time at the sewing machine.</p><p>Besides the memory quilt and EPP, I need to finish up a quilt for a friend's grandson who became a US citizen last October. I am using a pattern from Gyleen Fitzgerald in red, white, and blue. It only needs one more column to finish it up. I will send it to a longarmer to be professionally quilted.</p><p>Last weekend our guild had a retreat held at a location new to us. It was a wonderful venue and quite an upgrade from our previous meeting place. The sewing room was large and we each had our own table. The room was so big and we were able to spread out, that it seemed almost as thought there were fewer of us than there were! The food, served buffet style was excellent. We have booked our retreat for the next two years.</p><p>Since I am feeling better, I have been traveling some. First was a three day trip to Eureka Springs, AK, and then a12 day road trip to Santa Fe, NM and Colorado. I rode a narrow gauge steam train in Colorado which was spectacular and the highlight of the trip. From there we traveled north through Rocky Mountain National Park and then home to St. Louis. Two weeks ago I traveled to Livonia, MI (Detroit area) for a reunion with people I worked with prior to retirement. We stopped both coming and going in Kalamazoo, MI to visit a friend's daughter. She is also a quilter and asked my opinion of the Singer Featherweight. Since I have three, the response was what you would expect. She will be visiting Missouri at Christmas and I will gift her one of mine. Since two of the three that I own were given to me and I don't use them all that much, this will free up one of them and make her happy. A win-win situation.</p><p> Favorite photo from Santa Fe trip</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ootBBvghyphenhyphen7-mxGZCmJuT27AA1J2N31oodZuELwWslh4x1-Dv6BhDhQnYiyy3BamYTnZnn683Us8_x3pGHhHXqhw0J66JhHpzL8b5JfgUmqngIlTzrYPkCN6U2TPai_V6tIrzg5f8DQVZog1_wPT8SwhkSeglgm_LJB68XxlBBm8mXWsbBYV4gNmVefPW/s960/Favorite%20Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="960" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ootBBvghyphenhyphen7-mxGZCmJuT27AA1J2N31oodZuELwWslh4x1-Dv6BhDhQnYiyy3BamYTnZnn683Us8_x3pGHhHXqhw0J66JhHpzL8b5JfgUmqngIlTzrYPkCN6U2TPai_V6tIrzg5f8DQVZog1_wPT8SwhkSeglgm_LJB68XxlBBm8mXWsbBYV4gNmVefPW/s320/Favorite%20Photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tile mosaic from hotel breakfast room. I am making this now with EPP.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYz1f9nw3c1_U3EjfBRqqHBRPMBsgPt9O4FVXH3bmp2Fp0CE2IHiK2TXqfxVsmAFR_j59-O-gVaQgTlMdlrxd7zJZLWldnLD1kh1Rjg6WANgGjKnrgvVh8O6Q7hPM5-2vnPuOXRkD6_mNUFdGUblZB8HY6J7Qz1c7czje_-mym4bsBHtJvYTd2RN_8X8bk/s843/Tile%20Mosaic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYz1f9nw3c1_U3EjfBRqqHBRPMBsgPt9O4FVXH3bmp2Fp0CE2IHiK2TXqfxVsmAFR_j59-O-gVaQgTlMdlrxd7zJZLWldnLD1kh1Rjg6WANgGjKnrgvVh8O6Q7hPM5-2vnPuOXRkD6_mNUFdGUblZB8HY6J7Qz1c7czje_-mym4bsBHtJvYTd2RN_8X8bk/s320/Tile%20Mosaic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Desert Palette in New Mexico</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihm9r1ep2tiNBY4wb0vpqbdKwcp6Exui-CuDSa4eR4zkfa0ChIn34uqkmuNRS1ayQiyijucC8uvFrXR2OTAmATxhgyJVeNPLQ7Kk_HbgE_6nErk0EwLrq2Z8NNnfEF8J0oCKWkSGSbHm15cRkG6ssTSXkEov_MJxurN0lXdHznPvS67TWtpGrVdpjxIN0z/s843/Desert.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="843" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihm9r1ep2tiNBY4wb0vpqbdKwcp6Exui-CuDSa4eR4zkfa0ChIn34uqkmuNRS1ayQiyijucC8uvFrXR2OTAmATxhgyJVeNPLQ7Kk_HbgE_6nErk0EwLrq2Z8NNnfEF8J0oCKWkSGSbHm15cRkG6ssTSXkEov_MJxurN0lXdHznPvS67TWtpGrVdpjxIN0z/s320/Desert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-34467742529849880662022-09-08T21:38:00.002-05:002022-09-08T21:38:41.179-05:00Back to Quilting!<p> My back has healed enough that I am not in constant pain and can sit at my sewing machine long enough to make it worthwhile. While I was unable to do that, I did some hand work - mostly EPP projects. Lately I have been putting together and quilting smallish baby-sized quilts. Our guild makes up kits with donated fabric. The kit includes everything needed to make a small quilt from start to finish - 5" squares in various coordinated fabrics, batting, backing, binding fabric (already cut!), and a label. They do a really nice job with the kits and are generous with the items they include so you don't run short.</p><p>Currently I am working on Hexagon Charm School with Gyleen Fitzgerald. I am also participating in her sew-along from her booklet, "Evolution." Although these blocks were made in the smallest size using acrylic template intended for EPP, I managed to sew them by machine to speed things up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpnBMwFfRHidcyrgY5Zynm3T9hrx1t8z2-8mZ0ASd3ACEACuPstXuQKHU7T18r0MrpPtNFxwILt1-4Bemd_kYHlRzbfoCefHB0LBBJKTXRdgknbg8mOoitnozOnqKsyscSgVCrcRfadVFXW3N1DqN2KuS-S9xagx-59dnYQ7a4yUaXis2u3lDuNNIzw/s2345/Evolution%20Blocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2345" data-original-width="1282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpnBMwFfRHidcyrgY5Zynm3T9hrx1t8z2-8mZ0ASd3ACEACuPstXuQKHU7T18r0MrpPtNFxwILt1-4Bemd_kYHlRzbfoCefHB0LBBJKTXRdgknbg8mOoitnozOnqKsyscSgVCrcRfadVFXW3N1DqN2KuS-S9xagx-59dnYQ7a4yUaXis2u3lDuNNIzw/s320/Evolution%20Blocks.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>I have photos of several other things I have made since feeling better, but the photos are on my phone and I am composing this on my desktop. When I get the photos transferred over, more photos will be forthcoming.<br /><p><br /></p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-76151058496808002712022-04-22T10:55:00.003-05:002022-04-22T10:56:06.491-05:00Some Respite in Sight (I hope)<p> I still have terrible back and leg pain from a piece of protruding disc that is caught between two vertebrae and impinging on a nerve root. I also have/had (healing now) a compression fracture of one of the lumbar vertebrae. Yes, it's as painful as it sounds. I have tried hot/cold, prednisone, acupuncture, physical therapy and pain killers. However none of this is going to move the vertebrae off the nerve. I will probably need some relatively minor surgery to fix this.</p><p>In the meantime I have been able to sit for a time in some comfort in a recliner and work on EPP and other hand sewing projects. That is truly a blessing as otherwise the time hangs heavy on my mind and hands.</p><p><br /></p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-89872677734889380392022-02-04T13:48:00.006-06:002022-02-04T13:51:59.036-06:00Healing. Slowly.<p> I am slowly healing from the pain of sciatica. Lots of clinicians/therapists visiting and treating me at home. That's one silver lining to the whole Covid pandemic. Many practitioners have already changed over to online or in-home protocols. I have found that ice and Aleve are more beneficial than heat and ibuprofen. There are daily stretches and exercises to do as well, which I am doing religiously.</p><p>I have mostly been working on the cross stitch project shown in the previous post - that is as my pain level allows. The past few days have been better so I am making progress. I have a few baby quilts for donation that are small enough that they could be sandwiched on my breakfast bar. If I feel up to it I may get them ready so that when I can again sit at the sewing machine, they will be ready to quilt. Needless to say, my therapists are not happy to hear that. They don't like the idea of sitting for any period of time. I am not sure what the alternative would be. Lying in bed? I certainly can't stand for a prolonged period. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUqdTTawNj0qENU7V1zARNAn7W0xCege4SpOjUY-E88z6UcE-gpapfLuau7JniLoLcLzOXnpkffpSvStuI5p8VF0vFlxSjMeJSfYSYJ_VuzrRuAdmc3a9UF4dUlgvPZlA3pLKDERwn-mlSfr8oX0c8wZ6Z8Olopt-pDsiRxAzhiwyZcB74hqmerC18FA=s3000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2318" data-original-width="3000" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUqdTTawNj0qENU7V1zARNAn7W0xCege4SpOjUY-E88z6UcE-gpapfLuau7JniLoLcLzOXnpkffpSvStuI5p8VF0vFlxSjMeJSfYSYJ_VuzrRuAdmc3a9UF4dUlgvPZlA3pLKDERwn-mlSfr8oX0c8wZ6Z8Olopt-pDsiRxAzhiwyZcB74hqmerC18FA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p>We had a big snowfall Wednesday overnight and all day yesterday, Thursday. We received around 8 inches where I live. It could have been worse. It was predicted that a record could occur of up to 18 inches! It's very pretty and I am glad that I can't drive right now. It's supposed to be in the 50s by this time next week.</p><p>With anticipation that I will have something quilty to show soon, I will sign off now. Wishing that you are all safe and warm.</p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-29048385125423194572022-01-19T15:43:00.000-06:002022-01-19T15:43:00.683-06:00Hiatus<p> I won't have anything to post about quilting for a bit. I am not sure for how long. Sciatica has reared its head and I am not comfortable sitting at the sewing machine for any length of time. I have taken up an unfinished cross stitch project for now.</p><p>I am working with a personal trainer, chiropractor, and physical therapist to vanquish the sciatica. Nothing is immediate as far as pain relief. Fingers crossed that I feel well enough for Quilting on the Beach next month. I am going come hell or high water!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjo9Fua912FojZwTJr-ntRBonmPhas_0uKcNGqFzayNM7qGyU1sf4oEJcW22y5CDnvGyzHa3f59fNKh35Ozd_3aOId6TPBgOl7XstHqUl-F6PCi8D54g7oxjzgBec4ez1UQMfMs0vll4o0fIr_W1PF8ie2Lv6VDR3Lz7tnklMVVuJjFOVwhhvo_BzKdFQ=s2700" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="2382" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjo9Fua912FojZwTJr-ntRBonmPhas_0uKcNGqFzayNM7qGyU1sf4oEJcW22y5CDnvGyzHa3f59fNKh35Ozd_3aOId6TPBgOl7XstHqUl-F6PCi8D54g7oxjzgBec4ez1UQMfMs0vll4o0fIr_W1PF8ie2Lv6VDR3Lz7tnklMVVuJjFOVwhhvo_BzKdFQ=s320" width="282" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-66992850848798271662022-01-15T17:30:00.010-06:002022-01-19T07:35:30.781-06:00Asian Attitude<p>This is the third UFO completed this year. It only needed the dark outer border cut and sewn on. This was a BOM from a local quilt shop started in 2009. The center of each block is an Asian print. Various indigos with a constant cream fabric are the alternate blocks. It's in the pile for the longarm quilter.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2VrhhUh5k0bmqoC9VULOmXu67I5NmUAlKJGbkN23dmhxc-MIMZXpyE_w74Oau8Lne60hq4f6nre2zv2JLqHu6TimmsM3q5G0XLOdHxgrGDFSoxrKya5sRc931rRhTpKJyoh5m56eIQZTkNTMnx6SIBJgyfUug7uXdMlVPGQ7WGzHmqdtmj0SIjijDgw=s3572" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3572" data-original-width="2763" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2VrhhUh5k0bmqoC9VULOmXu67I5NmUAlKJGbkN23dmhxc-MIMZXpyE_w74Oau8Lne60hq4f6nre2zv2JLqHu6TimmsM3q5G0XLOdHxgrGDFSoxrKya5sRc931rRhTpKJyoh5m56eIQZTkNTMnx6SIBJgyfUug7uXdMlVPGQ7WGzHmqdtmj0SIjijDgw=s320" width="248" /></a></div><p>Next I am looking for another quilt made from BOM blocks from the same local quilt shop. I set the blocks on point with Kaffe Fassett fabric in autumnal colors. I saw it recently so it shouldn't be too hard to lay my hands on it. I even have a photo. BOM started in 2011.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHI_T80COIEXhdwFLmoNkyyhROsdzpmGE1ZpmkFo5KS5EvMv9TEpOzx8bh7ngD3gZ1KnD26KdrRM2pLffv6HoDMwGUWQwoyoY_6x6HzzfsfzZyBj0yi7zEDLMT4wU_q2kYxCLn8pHOX5L2AYgeOqMMoHVnSgLgxmWya5NovupdfcxLTIv2U4G1eil3Bw=s4160" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHI_T80COIEXhdwFLmoNkyyhROsdzpmGE1ZpmkFo5KS5EvMv9TEpOzx8bh7ngD3gZ1KnD26KdrRM2pLffv6HoDMwGUWQwoyoY_6x6HzzfsfzZyBj0yi7zEDLMT4wU_q2kYxCLn8pHOX5L2AYgeOqMMoHVnSgLgxmWya5NovupdfcxLTIv2U4G1eil3Bw=s320" width="320" /></a></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">Update 1/17/2022. I found the project box with this top in it. I also found plenty of extra fabric for borders.<p></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-75923491350172560172022-01-08T14:34:00.003-06:002022-01-08T14:53:15.283-06:00And Then There Were Two<p> Two finishes for 2022, that is. Stepping Stones, a paper-pieced Judy Niemeyer pattern, needed only the outer border, a print by Kaffe Fassett. Truthfully, I don't know why I procrastinated so long. It's really childish.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgskrEOjMIqDSxbEyQH_NIMttbb7jp9RhVvDRfq6sQ4Lo8RkHEWVVcuGwA35BaEkqGQJgObN13og1l3i8rPEw-KHjHfX45hYjTg5Ng8t7kOVvLhfGsZpe60_YQN5au4-NVhy7SbrmuZ2P1Ss1vlQZiPF8kU-NBdxswf4oYCc6vJ1Q-83_jb_wiSSmiclw=s3380" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3380" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgskrEOjMIqDSxbEyQH_NIMttbb7jp9RhVvDRfq6sQ4Lo8RkHEWVVcuGwA35BaEkqGQJgObN13og1l3i8rPEw-KHjHfX45hYjTg5Ng8t7kOVvLhfGsZpe60_YQN5au4-NVhy7SbrmuZ2P1Ss1vlQZiPF8kU-NBdxswf4oYCc6vJ1Q-83_jb_wiSSmiclw=s320" width="284" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Admittedly this is not a great picture, but you get the idea. I like this pattern a lot and I remember that I enjoyed piecing the individual blocks. At the time I started this (August 2014) in a guild workshop with May Gunter, a certified Judy Niemeyer instructor, I bought an extra set of papers to make a second quilt. I can't find them, so I may order them again. I am forcing myself not to order them until I get a fair number of UFOs finished, otherwise I will be down the rabbit hole again, starting something new when I have plenty of things to finish up. <div><br /></div><div>One of my fellow guild members was working on this same pattern at retreat in October. She was using jelly rolls in neutral shades with gorgeous metallic highlights. If I was able to locate the same - or similar - fabrics, I would already be down the rabbit hole. She had bought the jelly rolls by haunting every JoAnn's for miles around. I was amazed that she had found them there, because I had never seen anything like them in JoAnn's.</div>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-31243241750262602022-01-07T19:06:00.000-06:002022-01-07T19:06:28.782-06:00First Finish for 2022<p> Virginia Bound is a completed quilt top. I am pleased with how it turned out. Bonnie's directions are really well written. I had to do only a minimum of futzing and finagling to get the borders to fit. I changed the dimensions from using 3" squares, as her pattern directs, to 2.5" squares and I still got it to work. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVvujmienhM-ZssUSLVlLi02_DqLuRHOUihk1kN1_n4XofpmCLy2NnLYcBnspQSIe7S5-rH8Z5ItkJJ4WIafiZLBX3tGozEDGWeLaJ_9eALGoAGlb1Ul_AK19R9ex5fAjAiBfOFTO0Vqmg5tTo-wrTaMG5FzMj7Yb9MrZndgMuAQ9YcGK3P9QamzwvIw=s3413" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3413" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVvujmienhM-ZssUSLVlLi02_DqLuRHOUihk1kN1_n4XofpmCLy2NnLYcBnspQSIe7S5-rH8Z5ItkJJ4WIafiZLBX3tGozEDGWeLaJ_9eALGoAGlb1Ul_AK19R9ex5fAjAiBfOFTO0Vqmg5tTo-wrTaMG5FzMj7Yb9MrZndgMuAQ9YcGK3P9QamzwvIw=s320" width="281" /></a></div><br /><p>I intended to finish a second UFO today - Stepping Stones - a Judy Niemeyer paper pieced top. The universe conspired against me, though. Power went off in my house shortly after noon today. Service was spotty. Refrigerator, furnace, garage door and some lights and sockets worked. The range, microwave, kitchen lights, sewing room, internet and wi-fi were out. The culprit was AT&T. They have been installing underground cable for a 5G network since the summer. Despite all the underground utilities being marked with literally hundreds of flags, the AT&T workers still managed to nick quite a few electrical lines. That was the case at my house. It's strange because some houses lost all or partial power and some not at all. The Ameren supervisor I spoke with a couple of months back said that AT&T will be getting a bill for all the damage they have caused.</p><p>Suffice it to say that by the time I set up a temporary sewing station in my living room, the power came back on but it's early evening here and I am done for the day. Tomorrow I will tackle Stepping Stones.</p>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-54406909807656825502022-01-05T23:32:00.001-06:002022-01-05T23:35:32.025-06:002022: Year of the UFO<p> Two years later and Covid is still with us. After a brief period of relative "freedom", I am back to being more careful and restrictive in my activities thanks to the Omicron variant. With the start of the new year, I am focusing on completing some of the many UFOs that clutter up my sewing area. I don't make resolutions as such, but I t think it will be productive to take stock of things and work on some of the UFOs I have. This is one that was started in late 2018 or early 2019. It is Virginia Bound from Bonnie Hunter's book, "From Scraps to Shirttails" and uses thrifted shirts. It was taking up three large containers - a basket and two large plastic bins - in my sewing area so it makes sense to clear those out. After taking stock of what I had already completed, I only needed to sew together a block to make enough for the quilt top. Then I worked on the borders, which are now almost complete. Tomorrow should see this UFO done and dusted. Well, at least the top. I will have it long-arm quilted, putting it in the queue for quilting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtSVLIG6mYjEg5dchUD0-Z_ts4UlkuJpxxJRmt7uVXX-pahJSRcFcYV11HS8urGAYqPUri28m4mr2Q7IQxGxs_Q9VrbsJ7IWjdPk1glWqJbJdTdN5yZtAs47KzUSxSHOv0OJoOLRxhHzXkIYQqaUQ0dTnopaa6w0ulf2I7MZOakQehtsCI9veaDgJHCw=s2147" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1452" data-original-width="2147" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtSVLIG6mYjEg5dchUD0-Z_ts4UlkuJpxxJRmt7uVXX-pahJSRcFcYV11HS8urGAYqPUri28m4mr2Q7IQxGxs_Q9VrbsJ7IWjdPk1glWqJbJdTdN5yZtAs47KzUSxSHOv0OJoOLRxhHzXkIYQqaUQ0dTnopaa6w0ulf2I7MZOakQehtsCI9veaDgJHCw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I have made several projects that Gyleen Fitzgerald gave us for getting through Covid. Here is "Library."<div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoPP-8_PO6Odd-4M5claOUDagvk7A-5cHuwH-73FdZReNJwtL2nDNrAzH0MpEUcCn-hs3TVDK_yqYKXSb3mNYoOxYH8OKr7gQrCM5P5clSIjd7I0b3pJEcT8u-GNK94_c-A0yZFiRjoc2fiPrA0LyPUuaNTvmagIxeDl81nDFyd-rH_690MPlvhxuT8w=s3342" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3342" data-original-width="2566" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoPP-8_PO6Odd-4M5claOUDagvk7A-5cHuwH-73FdZReNJwtL2nDNrAzH0MpEUcCn-hs3TVDK_yqYKXSb3mNYoOxYH8OKr7gQrCM5P5clSIjd7I0b3pJEcT8u-GNK94_c-A0yZFiRjoc2fiPrA0LyPUuaNTvmagIxeDl81nDFyd-rH_690MPlvhxuT8w=s320" width="246" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This is Men's Undercover (her title, not mine).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf-CkFIOopDUXM1lId4nYVU-ztnmmMJUno-K6cF3_rtnP8eIjwXtY3_S-2ysor83WbMN3gkACvKmbKwQgHRfZW1-sCxybva85C8FCK_nn4qBcN7rRX_R6CFAYTY0_cpq_YlT4txkmSAXn3_ky5SWE8puv2LCk0uVhNqRjEsnKS-rfZArSSwIIUuJEQ5g=s2982" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="2844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf-CkFIOopDUXM1lId4nYVU-ztnmmMJUno-K6cF3_rtnP8eIjwXtY3_S-2ysor83WbMN3gkACvKmbKwQgHRfZW1-sCxybva85C8FCK_nn4qBcN7rRX_R6CFAYTY0_cpq_YlT4txkmSAXn3_ky5SWE8puv2LCk0uVhNqRjEsnKS-rfZArSSwIIUuJEQ5g=s320" width="305" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Both of these have been quilted and donated to a local charity organization. Here is a table or bed runner from one of Gyleen's books: It is not quilted. At some point I will quilt it myself.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQhe0BKouaThT7d_ujyY6o1uCnGMnoXYiAJLE0BlMujc3EoKgsoUMUXizYNmOB6xKbbl-9_G6eRIQ043xTdAAM7F0K0j4pt6LooKxrgYNMrTeeOPAqp0KrO5vh69gRdL2S0Z1nrPkBFiF_8vBxhfIjblBH2Ti8e_yUbRWWa9sFQNvO3baCr73ondT3iQ=s3140" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1649" data-original-width="3140" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQhe0BKouaThT7d_ujyY6o1uCnGMnoXYiAJLE0BlMujc3EoKgsoUMUXizYNmOB6xKbbl-9_G6eRIQ043xTdAAM7F0K0j4pt6LooKxrgYNMrTeeOPAqp0KrO5vh69gRdL2S0Z1nrPkBFiF_8vBxhfIjblBH2Ti8e_yUbRWWa9sFQNvO3baCr73ondT3iQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is "Octo", a paper-pieced pattern that I started several years ago when Janie Lou, a local quilt shop, was still in business. The blocks are fairly large and I really think this would have been easier to do with conventional piecing instead of paper piecing. My daughter liked it, so I gave it to her.. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlOYT5sbPH9nsfLvmUIZ1GqkcmFJ9gnIuR3xdUQPNaCJ4smJlPplM6CGcLfd44D1jK4Qv6HV4Ml8dqZErPXlRgISHrQ-F7X0X5O5tZ4z5oFW_Ehi-WblmX7y6FRjiX4JIbcSkDuipxiRaMKRyilNCGr9qcKAMDSCU4dIbBLwINac28KI_5Rw7U7jETwQ=s3025" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2699" data-original-width="3025" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlOYT5sbPH9nsfLvmUIZ1GqkcmFJ9gnIuR3xdUQPNaCJ4smJlPplM6CGcLfd44D1jK4Qv6HV4Ml8dqZErPXlRgISHrQ-F7X0X5O5tZ4z5oFW_Ehi-WblmX7y6FRjiX4JIbcSkDuipxiRaMKRyilNCGr9qcKAMDSCU4dIbBLwINac28KI_5Rw7U7jETwQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The next photo is made from the alternate blocks of a local quilt shop's BOM from ten (?) years ago. It just lacks some sashing and a border. I have the fabrics selected and stored with the top. I really don't like sewing on borders; I find it boring and several projects in the UFO pile just need borders. How pathetic is that? I have even taken this one to retreat with me, but didn't touch it. Time to finish it up. The setting was inspired by a quilt in one of Kaffe Fassett's books.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLWvJiknUeK8emRSbbOT54rLhPAJZnFGDDs6SXyb-R8J93ohJJ0lpmfsgdT1UzdDmyGuAQg7iDM6nh0ST0Cre7LVcoGyOiv3Y_eD_xqfwfV8XwNY8eWTirHvX2SuKG5h2VjHZkKbYPqy5ekjp-ZtW13pg1wEisFVypcS5NDuwS7-MN94IqjHNsDKa6LA=s4160" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLWvJiknUeK8emRSbbOT54rLhPAJZnFGDDs6SXyb-R8J93ohJJ0lpmfsgdT1UzdDmyGuAQg7iDM6nh0ST0Cre7LVcoGyOiv3Y_eD_xqfwfV8XwNY8eWTirHvX2SuKG5h2VjHZkKbYPqy5ekjp-ZtW13pg1wEisFVypcS5NDuwS7-MN94IqjHNsDKa6LA=s320" width="320" /></a></div> <div>I have another BOM from the same shop that is in the UFO pile to finish. It also only needs borders. there is also a Judy Niemeyer project,, "Stepping Stones" - all done except for - you guessed it - borders. I may be able to get the two BOMs and "Stepping Stones" finished this month. Wouldn't that be great!</div><div><br /></div><div>After these are dealt with, it will be time to take a deep dive and see what else I can finish. There are at least two Bonnie Hunter mystery quilts lurking in bags and bins somewhere in the chaos of my sewing room. There are also two leader\ender projects of hers around somewhere, too. One is Hourglass, which I got bored with but want to complete. I could probably stop now and get it into the long-arm queue, but I would like to add one more round of blocks - possibly in red - to make it large enough for a queen-sized bed quilt (.<a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/07/hourglass-leader-ender-challenge.html" target="_blank">https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/07/hourglass-leader-ender-challenge.html</a>). the other is Cheddar Bow Ties. I have quite a few blocks made, but they are so small, finishing at 3", that it takes a ton to make a top of much size. I will see what I have and perhaps settle for a throw sized quilt.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been busy the past couple of years making a ton of small baby quilts for local charities that our guild supports. There are too many to show here and quite a few were made from kits of 5" squares that the guild gives to members. The fabric is donated and they are not all that exciting. Someone else selected the fabric, cut the squares, then bundled them up with batting, backing, binding, and a label. I feel a sense of accomplishment when they are completed, but it's kind of mindless work. I appreciate the kits; having everything packaged up is a real time saver and I can usually knock one out in a couple of hours.</div><div><br /></div><div>I cam back to my blog because it affords more opportunity to document things than Instagram. Stay tuned. I will try to be more regular in posting.</div><div><br /></div>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-47513975938281905692020-03-29T13:45:00.001-05:002020-07-29T09:39:39.754-05:00Shell GameI thought the shelter at home situation would spur me to complete things and get focused. Not a chance. I have started a new project with Gyleen Fitzgerald through an online workshop she is running on her Facebook page. We are using her Polygon and Polygon 2 tools. She is creating this on the fly, so right now we are just making blocks. Her original plan was to use plaids and stripes, but many of us don't have the collection that she has so we are using what we have. Gyleen says the wilder the better, as if I needed any encouragement.<br />
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<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-23264334465676635672020-03-21T09:49:00.001-05:002020-03-21T09:49:33.415-05:00Checking InI am well and self-isolating despite the fact that the governor of our state (Missouri) has done nothing to ensure that the entire state is on the same page. Thanks goodness for local officials who are. Just checking in to say everything is fine here.Lots of quilting going on, also knitting, gardening, and reading. If I get really bored I might even clean out closets or organize my sewing room.Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-31724207231644725102020-03-08T09:55:00.000-05:002020-03-08T09:55:08.377-05:00Organized ChaosMy latest finish, just back from a friend who bound it for me. She has been laid up with surgery and wanted something to do. The pattern is by Sujata Shah. It was quilted by Sandi Wagner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2gAUKfmFEDXAVlnnKSa4d28YLuMngStiwnLHNT2GEPHoo7UTNODupqB_-x5OpUZlL1XaFm0n5lYlwSiqsxgaKkqH1fHbbVPC24NtjocPwYtxBK5BLLW9l2x8zFxNJO-WYwWUoZsWbxNQ/s1600/IMG_20200308_094545_656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2gAUKfmFEDXAVlnnKSa4d28YLuMngStiwnLHNT2GEPHoo7UTNODupqB_-x5OpUZlL1XaFm0n5lYlwSiqsxgaKkqH1fHbbVPC24NtjocPwYtxBK5BLLW9l2x8zFxNJO-WYwWUoZsWbxNQ/s320/IMG_20200308_094545_656.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-79983596460512406892020-02-06T19:05:00.001-06:002020-02-06T19:05:35.654-06:00ImprovI have made a number of quilts using improvisational techniques. Primarily these have been relatively small quilts that I make for my local guild to support a children's organization here in St Louis, Missouri. Here are several that will demonstrate what I have done.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mnolRcBB1pNmzKkT-hqlnEH3rwmimm9DD6ilzBnko52Z2QkXGkX-1VZVA_TJ_kuwFq6eGwwEUUeNLWTTwkmpabj3TdRjdoanxd5RU4_dTJinygg8-bSCQPLR7k4D5Ky9t2GxM51Wxas1/s1600/20170426_074239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mnolRcBB1pNmzKkT-hqlnEH3rwmimm9DD6ilzBnko52Z2QkXGkX-1VZVA_TJ_kuwFq6eGwwEUUeNLWTTwkmpabj3TdRjdoanxd5RU4_dTJinygg8-bSCQPLR7k4D5Ky9t2GxM51Wxas1/s320/20170426_074239.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvdiS_8z2Law5YU8_eW-xL2QAqUMRIQXCe2Mf0W8ilXLnGIHJeZBUNfX46hWlX9xDeNQrUxmj1FTu7hMoQaCEY-vsm-kS2WlVKN3NcK5vT4RZK5T3lkY6wGnjtmfXm3bG1siLgYHIpnuk/s1600/20180614_162753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1149" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvdiS_8z2Law5YU8_eW-xL2QAqUMRIQXCe2Mf0W8ilXLnGIHJeZBUNfX46hWlX9xDeNQrUxmj1FTu7hMoQaCEY-vsm-kS2WlVKN3NcK5vT4RZK5T3lkY6wGnjtmfXm3bG1siLgYHIpnuk/s320/20180614_162753.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-70179811847860565632019-01-15T19:36:00.002-06:002019-01-15T19:42:37.723-06:00Two Borders Down, Two to Go!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwgZcbGediofzxWalUSMDB5nYQaNs3RFW_aBzDeV5oawICQFGNnY85bZEk00baQmSZjVo_6KIhMnbD2daLI9Bjn64i9y2owtRpzNQIAeZKG2WynpaCMDHwgXDhShAzMWV-PifpLGMkJ_X/s1600/100_3237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="800" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwgZcbGediofzxWalUSMDB5nYQaNs3RFW_aBzDeV5oawICQFGNnY85bZEk00baQmSZjVo_6KIhMnbD2daLI9Bjn64i9y2owtRpzNQIAeZKG2WynpaCMDHwgXDhShAzMWV-PifpLGMkJ_X/s320/100_3237.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Two borders are finished and attached with two more to go before this quilt top can be considered finished. This is Bonnie Hunter's 2018 winter mystery, Good Fortune. I changed up the colors to make this a Christmas themed quilt. I don't think it comes across as such. Yellow for Bonnie's orange and light green for her green; dark green for her blue. I think the yellow and light green are too wimpy to carry the design well. The ones that I like the best have very distinctive color choices. That said, it is what it is. I was able to keep up with all the clues and will have a completed quilt to gift or donate.<br />
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Others have posted their progress at <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2019/01/mystery-monday-link-up-reveal-2.html">Mystery Monday Link-Up, Reveal 2!</a>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-7436012207047656652018-12-31T13:13:00.001-06:002018-12-31T13:13:30.258-06:00Good Fortune Clue #6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week was clue #7 in Bonnie Hunter's 2018 Mystery Quilt, Good Fortune. There were three ways to achieve this step - string piecing, strip piecing, or solid pieces of neutral. Those that chose the third option - using only one neutral fabric - were told not to cut anything this week and skip this step until later when they would be told how to cut their fabric. I chose string piecing and finished the same day as the clue was posted, last Friday.<br />
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We should be getting close to the end and the big reveal. Bonnie has said to stay tuned because clues may not be posted when you are expecting them to be.<br />
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To follow along and see all the other color choices that people are using, click <a href="https://adamsmaryellen.blogspot.com/2018/12/good-fortune-clue-5.html">here</a> for Mystery Monday Link-Up, Part 6!Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-61300039258396629512018-12-24T12:00:00.001-06:002018-12-24T12:24:17.675-06:00Good Fortune Clue #5Merry Christmas to all! Every week we are getting closer to the big reveal in Bonnie Hunter's 2018 Winter Mystery. I was able to complete clue #5 with no problems on the day (evening, actually) that the clue was revealed. I wanted to use the Essentrial Triangle ruler, but couldn't find it so I resorted to the "old school" method of using the Easy Angle and Companion Angle rulers. It worked out fine. I am subbing yellow to gold fabrics for the orange that Bonnie is using and dark green for her blue. I am hoping for a quilt with a Christmasy vibe. Here is my completed clue #5 shown with the other four clues. I am pleased with the colors. This should make a nice Christmas themed quilt.<br />
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I am linking up with others who are posting at Bonnie's web site. Click <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html">here</a> to look at what others have accomplished this week.<br />
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I continue to make blocks for the Virginia Bound quilt being made for a relative, using shirts from her late husband. It is an easy process to make these blocks, albeit not terribly fast. Now that there are six stars completed, the secondary pattern made by the light triangles has appeared.<br />
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This pattern is in Bonnie Hunter's book, Scraps and Shirttails (the first one, not Scraps and Shirttails II), and is the very first pattern in the book. The second pattern, Cactus Patch, has also captured my eye and I am getting sucked into making that next. I sewed up a test block last night to see if I like it and I do! The centers of the blocks are 4" finished scrappy string pieced blocks. After the Christmas festivities are over I will pull out my treadle to complete the blocks needed for the quilt. Last night I used the Pfaff sewing machine to make 8 of the 4" blocks which work up very quickly. I really enjoy treadling, so will put off making the remainder until Wednesday when I can use the treadle and not worry about the mess that will be made in the living room, where the treadle lives. Here's the "test" block.</div>
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I haven't seen this pattern shown in Bonnie's Show & Tell sessions at the various places she has taught workshops. Pinterest only has a few pics as well and several of the photos are actually from Bonnie's web site or book. There hasn't been many (if any) requests for workshops for this quilt either. At least that I can find. Maybe it's not one that Bonnie offers for workshops.I did find a few references to this quilt on Bonnie Quiltville blog, including the original antique quilt that was her inspiration.</div>
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Bonnie's instructions indicate the the half square triangles can go any which way. That combined with the string pieced centers make for a relaxing project. Her instructions call for the conventional method of add 7/8" to the finished size for cutting the strips to make the half square triangle patches. Using her updated way of making these, I was able to use strips cut 1/2" larger than the finished size and cut the triangles with her Essential Triangle ruler.</div>
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<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-86077242942582150882018-12-15T19:51:00.000-06:002018-12-18T16:56:38.193-06:00Good Fortune Clue #4This week's clue in Bonnie Hunter's Good Fortune mystery quilt can be done four ways. I chose the string piecing method, since I really like string piecing. I found a phone book that was relatively large, so I was able to get four blocks from each paper foundation. The pieces flew through the sewing machine and I was finished in record time.<br />
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I am using yellow to gold fabrics in lieu of orange, as in Bonnie's palette. To see what others are doing, click <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html">https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html</a>Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-47348266138105831542018-12-09T12:11:00.003-06:002018-12-10T17:19:42.906-06:00Good Fortune Clue #3I was really dreading the chevron blocks that Bonnie had for us in clue #3. I had made these blocks in previous years for her mystery and it was a sad tale indeed. Mine were quite wonky in many cases. However this time I used her Bonus Buddy ruler according to her directions and was amazed to find that all of the chevrons and bonus half square triangle blocks came out spot on. Almost no trimming - except for dog ears - was needed. I am a happy camper.<br />
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I am using grass or lime green for the darker green that Bonnie calls for. I substituted very dark forest green for the blue called for in the pattern. My intention is to make a Christmas quilt and with any luck these substitutions will work. To see all the other wonderful color palettes, head on over to Bonnie's <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html">blog</a>.<br />
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I am going back and forth between Bonnie's mystery quilt and Gyleen Fitzgerald's Bricks, Cobblestones and Pebbles QAL on her Facebook page of the same name. Bonnie's clues are posted on Fridays and Gyleen's on Tuesdays. So far I have been able to finish the mystery clue well before the following Tuesday. I am now in the process of seaming together the QAL blocks. It is a bit of a puzzle as there are several partial seams required to put the top together. I am methodically working through Gyleen's instructions after first thinking I could just wing it. It's a little more complicated than that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6iFQvoCf2-9tGjwBQZ5gksDVK0M-2ohyphenhyphenjEbdStuaOtqMoPt68eJbsZk_iCfxEZvacpZ7cjw0NtGR7npKxZGZcb1NR1EF4xAosGwG7SIUrsy-H0mlZMNAEkZE5LG28Gu1T6JOUmyiNSju/s1600/100_3231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6iFQvoCf2-9tGjwBQZ5gksDVK0M-2ohyphenhyphenjEbdStuaOtqMoPt68eJbsZk_iCfxEZvacpZ7cjw0NtGR7npKxZGZcb1NR1EF4xAosGwG7SIUrsy-H0mlZMNAEkZE5LG28Gu1T6JOUmyiNSju/s320/100_3231.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The colors look washed out in this photo. Next time it should be all sewn together and I will attempt a more saturated photo that shows the colors better.</div>
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<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-22146555028521161972018-12-02T11:30:00.003-06:002018-12-03T07:50:56.378-06:00Good Fortune Clue #2 & Monday Link-UpBonnie Hunter's 2018 mystery quilt, Good Fortune, is on the second week of clues. I finished clue #2 yesterday evening. The task was to make a slew of half square triangles. I used paper foundations found online at <a href="http://quiltingandwhatnot.com/">Quilting and What Not</a>. Each sheet makes multiples of half square triangle units which allowed me to complete the clue in record time. I have substituted dark green for Bonnie's chosen color blue since I am making a Christmas quilt.<br />
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Here are four of this week's units arranged as a pinwheel and paired with the four patch units from last week's clue #1.<br />
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To see what others are doing, check out the Monday Link_up over at Bonnie's blog: <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html">Monday Link-Up</a>.<br />
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I am also working on Gyleen Fitzgerald's Weaver QAL on Facebook. This is a preliminary arrangement of the blocks completed so far. There will be lots of moving blocks around as I make more. I chose the Kaffe paperweight fabric in pumpkin as the unifyimg fabric but now I am thinking it would have been better to choose something brighter and less busy. Live and learn.<br />
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<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-63733040625975100472018-11-26T10:55:00.003-06:002018-11-26T10:55:35.372-06:00Good Fortune Clue # 1This is the quilt I am not making this year. Ha! That was my first inclination. Then I decided, per Bonnie's suggestion, to make just 12 of each clue. Then only half and now all of them. It's so addicting and I blame Bonnie for being the enabler. I decided to make a Christmas quilt from this year's mystery. I have always liked the colors in Bonnie's Carolina Christmas from Scraps & Threadtails II.<br />
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So in my version, neutrals = neutrals, red = red, light/bright green = green, yellow/gold = orange, and deep darkest forest green = blue. I think it will work out fine. I have a number of Christmas fabrics and a fair number are glittery or metallic. This is the first time I have changed up Bonnie's colors preferring in the past to take the easy route and use what her pattern states. Iam almost finished with this week's clue with about two dozen left to do.<br />
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Today is MysteryMonday Link-Up over on Bonnie's blog. To see what everyone else is up to, click <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/11/mystery-monday-link-up-and-cyber-monday.html">here</a>. Today's post has lots of other good information as well, such as a report on a party held each year in Chandler, AZ to kick off Bonnie's annual mystery, how to make a label for your mystery quilt, and Cyber Monday sale at the Quiltville shop. I downloaded the Punkin Patch table runner pattern. Lots of good deals available.<br />
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I am also participating in Gyleen Fitzgerald's Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles QAL over on Facebook. This is a closed group, but it's not too late to join in. Search under "Gyleen" in Facebook and the page should pop up. Then click on it and ask to join. The next task will be posted tomorrow. So far we have only been tasked to select fabrics from our stash.<br />
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I made one of each type of block to see how I like my fabric choices. I am using neutrals with orange for the centers. I broke open a Bali Pop Cappucino bundle that has been hanging around for at least 10 years, dating to the time when Bali was the only company putting out jelly rolls. These two blocks are from the darkest strips; there are lighter strips in the pack which will definitely be needed to lighten things up. They were hand cut back then and required some trimming in several instances. Time to use them up!<br />
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<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-6930265247531985512018-11-22T12:08:00.002-06:002018-11-22T12:08:17.419-06:00Thanksgiving DayA quick post before we head out for the family Thanksgiving dinner. This quilt is finally finished and destined for Home Sweet Home, a local charity that provides furniture and soft furnishings for people moving into proper living quarters from homelessness. The pattern is Criss Cross Applesauce and can be found <a href="https://www.craftsy.com/profile/butterfly-angels-quilting">here.</a><br />
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The pattern uses a layer cake bundle. I had one on hand from Kate Spain so that is what I used. The problem was that there were many large patterned floral fabrics in the bundle which did not make for a very calm quilt. I added some Kaffe aboriginal dot fabrics to try and tone things down a bit. I am not all that enamored of this quilt and added the black and white border because I felt it needed something a bit less colorful somewhere. That said, a local speaker we had at guild last year absolutely loved it. Go figure.<br />
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I quilted it using rulers. I cannot say that ruler work is fun or even particularly accurate. At least in my case. I found it very difficult to get consistent results. And it was very tiring trying to keep the ruler and the quilt moving in unison. My hat off to those that have mastered it. I much prefer free motion quilting even with the less than stellar results I produce.</div>
<br />Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196337009357860734.post-72143333691327430912018-11-19T19:58:00.004-06:002018-11-19T19:58:53.611-06:00Projects on the Design WallOur guild makes "tummy time" quilts for a local organization, Nurses for Newborns. The visiting nurses include these small quilts (24" x 36") in the items they take when visiting a new mother for the first time. Since babies now sleep on their backs, they sometimes do not get enough "tummy time" which helps to strengthen their necks and upper back. These are the ideal size for newborns and they are also small enough to tuck into a diaper bag. The moms can use them in public restrooms to cover the baby changing table as well (I wonder how often those things are cleaned) as using them as a cuddle quilt in the car.<br />
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I have lost track of how many I have made. Probably upwards of 50. This is the latest one. The green dog fabric has been in my stash for years, dating back to when I first started quilting and thought collecting dog and cat fabric was just the ticket. The small Chinese coin strips are cutoffs from a raffle quilt I recently finished for the guild to donate to the retreat center we use each fall. The backing and binding fabric is the very last bit of a bolt of fabric I bought when a quilt shop near me closed years ago. The print has the name of many different dog breeds printed on it. Other than my time in making it, this cost me nothing and used up some fabrics that needed some love.<br />
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I recently acquired Pamela Goecke Dinsdorf's (Aardvark Quilts) latest book, "Parallel Lines." This is the cover quilt and it is hand appliqued. Very easy because the curves are gentle and the pieces are large, about 10" in length. The book is published by Quiltmania, which means that although the quality is good, the book is pricier than normal. And now I can't find it. It's here somewhere (I hope) although I have taken it to guild meetings and gatherings with friends, so it could have been left behind somewhere. I don't think so because my name and address are on the inside cover and I would like to think that someone would have found it and let me know.<br />
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I collected as many striped fabrics as I could find at a recent quilt show in Springfield, MO. The blocks are on the wall in no particular order. I just threw them up there as I finished them. If memory serves, the pattern calls for 24 blocks, each with two of the "petals". After the blocks are sewn together, the horizontal pieces (just pinned on at present) are appliqued over the horizontal seams. The books is wonderful and as the title implies, features projects made with striped fabrics. I love nearly every single one in the book and frankly don't think there is a dud among them.Mary Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04066177625064170284noreply@blogger.com2