Quiltingrandma's Blog: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

So happy to share-Volume 5 "Tester Blocks"

Here are a few of my "Tester" Blocks...in no particular order. I follow a few of the Designers and have read their Blogs. Knowing the names made it even more special to 'test' their Block for volume 5. I was excited to see the ones in the Magazine that weren't named when I tested them. Today I will show the ones I tested that are on the Blog Tour. That way I won't spoil the surprise for the designers. The link to their blogs are highlighted.

Deanne Eisenman- Shooting Star Melissa Corry- Gear works

Konda Lukau- On the Path Kay Mackenzie- Sitting Pretty

Leave me a comment and your name will go in the drawing for my extra copy of Volume 5 100 Blocks. Tell me if you are a FOLLOWER of my Blog for an extra chance to win. Drawing will be May 14th.
You can find the Blog Tour HERE with the list of Designer's to visit for more chances to win copies of the magazine and lots of other prizes.

Design Wall Monday, April 30, 2012

Better late than never to put the UFO up on the Design Wall. It's been the April UFO two years in a row I just realized in looking through my UFO book. I still have all day to get it to the "flimsy" stage, right? I'm at the point of deciding if I want to make some connecting 9-patch blocks to set it together or just sash it and be done! I found a dark green fabric in my Christmas Stash that I think will work. The stars were to be red, green and gold or tan in this swap back in 2009 with the SBS group. I have siggy blocks to put on the back from the block swap ladies. The stars came from US, Canada, Ireland and UK. I could call it "International Stars". I still am playing with the blocks to get the lights and darks sorted how I like them.

The two choices of sashing fabric I found at the 99 cent/yard sale is up on the wall today too along with a dark brown that Lynn has. I like the PINK the best. The Light green is a small check. Both pieces have plenty of yards in them to make the sashings. 5 yards should do it.

Click over HERE to see all the Design Walls linked to Patchwork times.

Check back later today to sign up for my Drawing for a copy of the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Volume 5.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

What a week-end... (long-picture laden post)

I was too tired to Blog last night and woke up too early again this morning to finish preparing my Sunday School lesson. Too much fun was crammed into the Friday/Saturday portion of the week-end- I'm happy for my 'Day of Rest'. A reminder that we have our children when we are YOUNG for a good reason. I didn't take pictures of all the happenings, however. DD#1 will post on her Blog (the rest of the story or her view of the week-end).
Friday morning there was an Applique class at the Quiltmania in Richland. I haven't been for a while and took the opportunity to drive over. It was Payday and DD#1 asked me to come spend the night to babysit early Saturday Morning. Bonus, I don't have to be asked twice for Grandchildren time and my week-end wasn't already too full. HAHA. I just wish the drive was shorter to see all of my grandchildren, HINT HINT! I digress...

This is the applique I made from the lesson on back-stitch applique. It will work for a H&F quilts block for our Guild. Rhonda showed it made into a Mug Rug, but I don't really need those, so to the guild it will go. I was close to DD#1's home so I dropped off the goodies I'd made to share, they needed to go in the fridge- Cream Puffs.
I had time after my class to just go to the places I wanted. I went to Janean's to ask more q's about the new Gadget to make my Quilt Table move and be computerized....cost is still out of my budget. :(
Next stop was the Taco Time for my favorite Burritos, Mexi-fries and sugar crustos for my Lunch. I wanted to see if the Stitchin' Bug was still selling off the fabric from the shop. The owner passed away on Easter week-end. She was a quilting friend I knew from my days at Hancock Block of the Month. The signs on the window said LAST DAY fabric 99cents/ yard. WOW, I was lucky to go on the last day... I found a couple choices for my sashing fabric and only paid $5 for the amount I might need. Good thing I'm not counting my STASH this year. I saw another Farmer's Wife class member there and ladies that are in the Tri-cities Guild were helping measure yardage. Some of them were in the Jo Fox BOM classes with me at Hancock's too.
When I got to my daughter's house the older girls were just getting home from school. I took a few of dresses I made for my girls to have them try on. We went grocery shopping and had dinner before the night's activities started. Game night at the Ransoms and a Free Play "A Comedy of Errors" at the Jadwin Building. In the photo we are ready to go to the Shakespeare play . Elizabeth is wearing the dress I made for NaDell when my niece; Beth was in the Warden Jr Miss. The play was well-done and I was happy to share the time with the girls. We were the only ones in dresses though. I told them it's better to be over-dressed.

NaDell made this Book with "My Publisher" for my Mother's Day gift and gave it to me early.

It has a baby picture of each grandchild and a more recent also, one child on each page. A few of the many group photos are inside front and back pages. The girls know what gift makes me happy! Thanks!!!

I was awakened early by excited grandchildren. NaDell and Andy had a 7:30 AM appointment at the Temple. Elizabeth got them cereal for b-fast while I got dressed. We spent some time just reading, playing and watching the "Inspector" videos. Elizabeth and Olivia had some sewing lessons until Elizabeth lost her needle and Baby Abigail climbed on the table. I had to tell them of how the pioneer women only had one needle and if they lost it they couldn't sew anymore. We tried un-successfully to find it with the magnet and hope someone doesn't find it later with their foot. I forgot to take more pictures on Saturday morning. I also forgot to bring home my extra Cream Puffs and my Tupperware container.

Next on the last-minute agenda- Colby's baseball game in Kennewick.

At bat- ready to HIT the coach pitched ball. His dad told me he could hit and I had to go and see for myself. He hit every time he got up to bat and ran for home to score each time too while I was there. Joe took a cute picture of Sam and text-ed it to me, but I can't find the right computer cord to download it from my smart phone right now.

His 'stance'- ready to play ball at 1st base position. They rotate the positions every inning at this age. I had more grandchildren to see in Tri-cites and frozen goods in my trunk so I couldn't stay.
I got to Milton and Christen's and the family was getting ready to ride bikes to the park. They stopped long enough for me to snap these pictures.

Aunt BriAna and Dustin waited patiently while Milton helped Lydia get her training wheels on and Seth got his valve stem straight so he could pump up his back tire correctly. I remember the days of bikes in the house getting 'fixed' in Umatilla. I got home in time to have a nap before the Young Women's Fund-raiser/Auction at the Church. I put 2 things in the Auction and brought home a 50" tri-pod. They had a Chili and cornbread supper and sold desserts for 50 cents.
Paul had called me while I was gone and told me I had packages at home waiting. I had to put my Mother's day book in the picture too.

I knew my books from Amazon were coming but I was surprised to get Saturday's mail and find this MUG from QUILTMAKER magazine. I'd found my name in the magazine Friday night as one of the Block Testers. I know they send mugs to the Block Designers, I wasn't expecting one!

The 100 Quiltmaker Blocks Blog Tour starts on Monday. I'll be posting again then to put up the correct link for that and my GIVE-AWAY of a copy of the magazine too.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Blocks of the Month- Blogger's style

I've been behind on a bunch of my Blocks of the Month. I'm all caught up now on this one. Canton Village Quilt Works sponsors this. You can click the link and see all of her Blocks and go to the maker of Month # 8 block. These are all 8" blocks. Mine are a bit more subdued. I had fun making them today. Gotta keep busy until my books arrive. I'll want to just sit and read then. My QUILT BOOK has shipped as well. I should have a bunch of packages this week-end. So FUN! Me and Amazon are too good of friends lately- I had to order Marie Bostwick's and Sandra Dallas' new books, and a Book for a Bargello project the guild is having later this year. I've not made a Bargello Quilt before- wish me luck. .Next BOM to catch up on Just Takes 2 and Morning Glory Designs. I finally found my Eleanor Burn's Block of the Month that I ordered. It's for her new book coming out next year- "Quilts from El's Kitchen" Each month a recipe is given with the one or two blocks. This month is the center, a Cherry Basket Block. HERE is the link to watch Eleanor make her blocks. It's a 'Hoot' to watch her. I'll be making mine with more of my repros collection and a few of Eleanor's fabrics. I'm only 7 blocks behind on it. I still have to decide if I'm making the 6" or 12" blocks. What's a few more 6" blocks???
Richard Paul Evan's has a new book coming out that I think I have on order...

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Table Runner- tested (reveal)

Here is my TEST of Pam A's Table Runner pattern that she shared at the Spring Retreat this past week. You can see the other ladies Table Runners HERE. I made mine a while ago and still don't have it quilted. That seems to be a trend this year. I have several quilt tops and small quilts on my 'ready to be quilted' list now.

I was counting the projects I had finished by this time last year and am astounded that I barely have finished 2 small items in the past 3-1/2 months, that isn't counting the Birthday Pillowcases I've made. I think it helped that the Alliance Deadline was sooner and I was in the McCall's Contest, so that kept me busy. Also Lynn wasn't quite as busy with customer quilts so I had time to quilt on her Long Arm.

I used the "Bitterweet" fabric line from Nancy Halvorsen, along with a shiny piece of off-white for contrast. After it is quilted it will be trimmed so the sides are straight. Thanks to Pam, aka: Knitoid -for letting me 'test' your cute pattern.

Monday, April 23, 2012

DESIGN WALL MONDAY, April 23, 2012

I have enough blocks made for the Farmer's Wife to start auditioning sashings. The 1st picture shows the last 9 blocks I made on Friday night. The top 3 are more Blocks for May, bottom 6 are for June. In the picture I see a turned square that I will fix before I sew them to sashings. I could change the points on the block to add more contrast while I'm at it. The blocks look different in the pictures- the camera "eye" is a good tool for seeing contrast or lack of it as the case may be.

After my walk home Friday night, my feet hurt and I tried sewing with my Left foot after a while. I found that I didn't have as good of control but I've been told that it is better for my back to use my left foot on the foot pedal. It's worth trying and I just have to keep trying. I was happy to finish 9 more blocks and one more for the SBS too. My DH, Paul was on a camp out with the Youth in our Church. I usually stay up late/early on nights he is gone. That meant I slept in on Saturday.

Here is the bottom of the quilt- in the designated order.

Here is some green sashing up on the wall. Maybe a lighter green would work better since I have used this shade of green in some of my blocks. My other choices are yellow or there is two shades of Blue to choose from at Lynn's shop. I'm thinking of scrappy cornerstones to break up the sashings. I've used the yellow and the medium blue in some blocks also- I'm up for suggestions. . . Comments, please.

Click HERE to see more Design Wall Monday posts.