What’s Your Shape?

Shapes!! 

That's what I'm working with now!

So many different shapes and sizes!  Here we have hexagons on 6" square fabric

 

different size for a hexagon

This is the shape I'm in now!! Working on this 'eye spy' quilt for a year.

"I Spy" excited for little hands and eyes to use 

Many small hexagons make one large one

triangles make different shapes--I'll be working on boxes 

different papers for different sizes and shapes

large hexagons, small hexagons, medium hexagons

then there are heart shape pieces--

I make these to place on note cards that are sent to friends

how about these shapes?

Really like this idea of using on wearables

another way to create a different shape with one small shape

What shape are you?

Collections!

 Collections!  I LOVE to collect!  I can not stop collecting!  You could say I live to collect!

Let’s begin:

  knitting needles—you name the size, I’ve got it!  Straight needles, circular needles, double pointed, wooden, metal—I’ve got it!  

Fabric—now, this is a small ‘collection’ compared to quilt shops—there is a good selection of colors, patterns, etc some on bolts, some in bins (supposedly arranged by color)—HA! That’s a laugh! 

Fabric scraps—talk about scraps!  I’ve got them!  Bins over flowing with fabric scraps—just can’t bring myself to throw anything away—never know when you might need that tiniest piece

Fiber (unspun)— brown cotton, white cotton, green cotton, silk, mohair, angora, acrylic too.  I gave away my llama that had aged for 20 years—gone!! Didn’t put a dent in the collection either. 

Rulers—I love rulers!  Quilt rulers that is!  Long ones, short ones, square ones, triangle ones, circular ones, tiny ones, large ones—my collection is perfect for any project

Quilt blocks—alas,  this is one of the collections that I wish would shrink.  I love piecing blocks!  Just stack them on the table and one day we’ll assemble a top!

Yarn—cotton yarn (hand spun, of course),  weaving yarn—trying to weed out the wool yarn—a closet, sorry two closets of coned yarn!  

Finished quilts—this a Joy of a collection—haven’t counted lately—every year the grands can search through the piles and take what they want—soon the great grands will have that chance too.  I don’t keep count of the quilts I’ve given away—so many in the hands of others who need some love. 

Books—oh yes!! The best collection of all—books!! Doesn’t seem to matter how many are stored in Kindle, on audible, or on the book shelves,  I’m always looking for more to add to the collection. 

  I think I have an addiction!   NO!  It’s just a Stash!!

Do you have collections!?  

What’s old Is New!

 Many moons ago, a group of us discovered rubber art stamps; mainly because one of our group was selling stamps.  We stumbled upon Bowers Art Rubber stamps (no longer in business)—these stamps printed a pattern for mini quilt blocks. 

i searched for these type of stamps and found some on Esty for a hefty price--

;

Today we can print off patterns; but, I sure enjoyed stamping my blocks on fabric.

Piecing on paper is called "Paper Piecing"

also, found this group of stamps, but you use individual stamps to create a block

then you hand stitch each piece together to create the whole.

okay that works

This stamp gives you a complete block

Or you can use this type of stamp, it's clear plastic.

This little stamp will give you a complete block;

This was one of my favorite!

and I used hand dyed fabric scraps 

I made my mother small hangings

many uses for tiny quilt blocks--

Fun projects for on the go!

I'm so happy I have my stamps, even though they have been hiding for some years!

I'm bringing them out of retirement for my next road trip!

May! Food! Fun!!

We have suffered through the past few months--so much food!

February, we ate chocolate covered strawberries!  Yum yum!

March arrived to the smell of Hot Cross Buns, Easter ham, Lamb with mint jelly, family gathering with too much food on our plate!

Swing in April--how about Crawfish/shrimp boils and plenty of Beer!

Along with watching the Masters Tournament, we ate Egg Salad sandwiches and pimiento cheese sandwiches 

Guess we'll continue to enjoy birthday cake/ice cream--we have four April birthdays

Here comes May!

 Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo!

One year we had a big Kentucky Derby party and served all the foods associated with the race--especially Hot Brown sandwiches!

This sandwich was created at a Louisville hotel, 1921.

Ingredients

For the Mornay Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for topping
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
  For the Sandwich:
• 14 oz. roasted turkey breast, sliced thick
• 2 slices Texas toast, crusts removed
• 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
• 4 slices bacon, cooked until crispy
• Paprika and chopped parsley for garnish

How about Marguerites' and tacos or fajita?

Looking forward to that tasty treat!

Here comes Memorial Day--usher in Summer!

Hot Dogs, Hamburgers Yay!!

Just fill us up and roll us out!!

 

Finding the Next Read!

There are my TBR books--sitting on the table, just waiting for the opportunity for someone (me!) to decide on which one to read!

I already begun "Not Quite Dead Yet" by Holly Jackson.

Daughter said it was a good read; kept her on the edge of the seat, quickly turning pages--

not so much for me.  It's an okay book.  I'm reading it at bedtime--and yes, I can put it down!

I'll finish it--I have my ideas about who is guilty..............

Also, started "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" by Holly Jackson.  An okay read--not

earth shaking-- I found out there is a movie--might just watch the movie

"Upward Bound" by Woody Brown.  About three weeks ago, our daughter posted in family chat about Woody Brown from an article she had seen in New York Times.

Then couple weeks after that, Today morning show interviewed Woody and his mother to promote his book.  It sounds intriguing.  How someone who can't talk can write a book.

In March, we had visitors who like to read as much as I do--we took one afternoon to scout out the new bookstore in our neighborhood plus visit resell bookstore-- rewards were gathered!

George Bellaris, whom I'd never heard of, had a huge section of mystery books in the resell shop--written during Agatha Christi's time.

I couldn't find the first in his series of inspector Littlejohn, so picked up

"The Case of the Famished Parson"

dated to the period time but a quick, enjoyable read.  I'll return this book and pick up

another Littlejohn book in the near future.

"Murder Among the Stacks" is part puzzle (word search) part mystery.

This is going to my friend, who loves word searches.

Two other books from resell shop:

Richard Osman "The Bullet That Missed"

Frances Brody "Dying in the Wool"

Both will be quick reads!

Two books by Kathie Lee Gifford are in my pile

I began listening to

"Herod and Mary" on a long road trip.  The audio is read by the author--she has a smoothing voice, 

but on a long driving journey, it was too smoothing!  I found myself getting sleepy so I switched to Rock music!  I decided to finish the book with my eyes!

and her other book

"Nero and Paul"--these are both books based on the Bible.

That's the tangible books I have--not counting the books on my tablet or on Audible or

Everand!  

So many choices!  So little time!

 

Dishcloths Are My Forte

What Makes a good knitted or crocheted dishcloth? 

A good dishcloth is highly absorbent , quick to dry, durable and resistant to odors.    100% cotton fiber is preferred fiber to use. with 100% cotton or cellulose being the top materials. It should be textured enough to scrub food, yet soft enough not to scratch, and machine-washable for easy sanitation. The best dishcloths are sustainable, long-lasting, and hold up well to heat. 

Why knit or crochet dishcloths?

• great to try out new patterns
• make good gifts
• try new yarns
• can be laundered quickly
•  learn new techniques 
• Practice pieces

My favorite dishcloth designer is # Kitchen Sink Shop on Instagram.

Below are a few free patterns that can be knitted in an hour or so.

Not the creator of this pattern but wish I had been!

Everyone should knit at least one of "Grandma's favorite" cloths!

CO 3 sts

- Knit one row

- K1, Kfb, K1 (4sts)

- Start Increasing:

*K2, Yo, Knit to end of row.* Repeat between ** until you have 46sts on your needles.

- Now the tiny short row:

*K2, turn work, K2, turn, K1, K2tog, Yo, K2tog, knit across to end of row.* Repeat between** one more time.

- Now decrease:

*K1, K2tog, Yo, K2tog, knit across to end of row. *Repeat this until you have 4sts left.

- K1, K2tog, K1

- K1, K2tog, BO (pass stitch over). 

Three Easy Dishcloths by Henriette Schwarz

Three dishcloths by Joan James (Ravelry)

leah michelle designs

 

Take up those needles and see what you can create in a matter of minutes. And your dishes will love you! 

These can also be used as face cloths!

Stacks of Blocks!!

This year 2026 is the year of making no more quilt blocks--Why?

Because--there are stacks and stacks of finished blocks, just waiting to be completed into quilt tops.

It's slow going mainly due to the fact, some of the stacks do NOT have all the blocks--

where did they go?  It's not possible I didn't sew them--yes!  In December, there was no sewing--

I'm hoping I saved the instructions otherwise, I'll need to research each one--

just what I wanted to do--NOT!!

Okay, let's begin with this stack--I count and there are 16 blocks--I only need 15.

what to do with that one extra?  I'm NOT going to make two more blocks--

the extra will begin another stack--which could become an 'orphan' top.

Then, it hit me!  I could use that extra block to make it a SQUARE top!! my brain is not engaged!

The more I looked at this top--it bothered me!

What to do?  Frog it!! And make it square quilt. 

All the fabrics are hand dyed.  Also, doing quilt along process.

Quilt the block first, add sashing strips to each side and attach another block.  The question now is to add borders or not?

now!  that looks better and I used all the blocks!  I don't know where my brain was when I was assembling the blocks.  One border added and another on the way.

The best part about this top is it will be finished when I stitch on the binding.

Finished!

I had some leftover blocks that were orphans, so I took them apart and used as backing.