Pat Myself On THe Back!

There are times you want to shout from the rooftop something you accomplished!

That was last week--did you hear my yell??  "Look At What I Did!"

I've been putting this off for some time--finally, got up my nerve--

got out backings and batting--placed the backing down, layer with batting

and quilt--ready for the needle--machine is ready; walking foot on and away

we go.............

 Of course, it's not perfect but it's quilted!  Did straight line
stitching, sewed on the binding--ready for hand stitching!
This was Fort Worth Fabric Studio's Valentine pattern--watch for their Autumn one upcoming

Above is my version of an orphan quilt top!  I found all these blocks just waiting to be pieced together--add a nice inner and outer border--ahhh, a charity quilt for someone.

I also quilted my window pane Christmas panel!  Perfect way to frame an oversized panel.

and it's ready for hand stitching the binding as well.

I feel accomplished!!

Here We Go........

Calico Patch is offering this free stitch along for the next six months!

From Temecula Quilt company

For basket cut:⁣

1 square, 3” x 3”⁣
4 squares, 2” x 2”⁣
⁣
For background cut:⁣
1 square, 3” x 3”⁣
1 square, 1-1/2” x 1-1/2”⁣
2 rectangles, 1-1/2” x 2-1/2”⁣
4 squares, 2” x 2”⁣
⁣
1. Using 2” squares make eight half square triangles. Square units to 1-1/2” You will have one of extra. ⁣
2. Using 3” squares make 2 half square triangles. Square one unit to 2-1/2” You will have one extra. ⁣
3. Use layout to assemble block. ⁣

 Quilty Girl is doing happy half square quilt along.   It doesn't
matter what size your half squares are--she has these two layouts now, and watch for others on her blog.  She is making these for
Quilt of Valor recipients.

 Quiltville blog has a new leader/ender challenge--

I like these projects!  There is a small box filled with the perfect size blocks

to begin this!  Sew at the lead for your regular block and end with this!

By the time, you have finished over the year--you'll have another quilt!!

Zucchini!!

This time of year the garden is overgrown with ZUCCHINI!  So many of those

green things coming on strong!  Zucchini here, zucchini there! 

 What to do with them?

Can't let them go to waste..............

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that handily use up those green cylinders---

For dinner tonight we are having Zoodle chicken casserole--

two ingredients needed--zoodles (you can buy them this way or we have a spiralizer) so make our own--well worth the price of the machine if you have lots of Z's to do.  We are using leftover chicken, jar of alfredo sauce and zoodles--oh yes, lots of cheese on top.

add zoodles to dish, add chicken bits, pour over alfredo sauce (we like Trader Joes' but you can make your own),  add cheese to top and bake till bubbly!  Yum! delish!

Our son likes to use red sauce and ground meat to his zoodles--it's just as good--always a use for leftover meat.  

 And how about desserts--which we're not doing much of now--but this chocolate zucchini cake is to die for--best part--no one knows it contains green stuff!

and there is my favorite--Z-apple pie!  This takes a little longer to prepare but Oh My Goodness--tastes just like an apple pie!    And here are a ton of other recipes you can utilize with that vegetable.  I just wish that all veggies were that verstible.

Sometime to Motivate Your Quilting Stitches!

Learning a new skill is always challenging--Even at any age! Therefore, I'm on a new adventure and this is right up my alley!

 

This sew along class is free! via you tube--you can stitch up this panel and

join in on the fun of learning how to machine quilt!

Do you have any idea how many machine quilting workshops/classes

I've taken?  Neither to I!  Never had much luck with my machine--so why

not try this one with Natalia Bonner!

These free you tube lessons, beginning September 1, 2020 will

feature the use of rulers--never thought of using rulers, did you?

So, here we go....

I'm stitching up the panel--each nine patch block measures 4" unfinished

block will measure 12" finished.  NIne patches are easy to piece!

Christmas in July

Yes, Christmas in July!!  Why not?!!  If your summers are hot and humid, this is a way to cool off with Christmas fabric and stitching.   Debby Kratovil Quilts is leading us off with Christmas and Hanukkah ideas.

Diadem is Etsy pattern.  She will offer free patterns as she adds to her blog.

making Jelly Snowflake mystery Quilt along is on my list--I'm not using

Christmas fabrics though as my Jelly roll is spring time fabrics--using what I've on hand is

my motto!

Here is the first blocks--each Tuesday throughout July you'll find a different

designer block

July/August Reads

I’m reading faster than I thought I would!  Added to my

Stack this past week—found four of these books on

PaperBackSwap 

Never know if the swap masters will have a book

You seek—so was quite pleased to find all these

Titles except “Keeper of Lost Things”

“Three Weeks to Say Good-bye” is a used library

Book, not what I like but it is clean and unmarked so

It could go back to swap when finished. 

"The Far Empty" by J. Todd Scott is a modern western set

in Texas Border Town (all of which I know well)

"The Keeper of Lost Things" by Ruth Hogan--

He finds and keeps your lost items and now his treasures

are passed along to Laura, who is trying to find the owners of

these lost items.

"Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon--

was so happy to find this book as a swap!  Takes place in 1945

in Barcelona, Spain--a book in a book! 

"Three Weeks to Say Goodbye by C J Box (known for his

Montana adventures) takes place in Denver--

"Enemy Women" by Paulette Jiles--

Paulette takes little known events in history to tell

her magical tales of courageous women during the

Civil War

Guess I'm set for reading till September maybe!

What are you reading that is exciting, adventurous, mysterious,

comical, historic....?

American Country!

couldn't decide on borders at first--on right --With borders--American Country is finished!

This is interesting pattern--mostly paper pieced, especially the

trees, From designer Charismas Corner

The pattern on the left is Simple Traditions; her first pattern to be published in a

quilting magazine!  Yay! For Charisma!

You can find this pattern in Autumn Quilter's World magazine.

I'll be looking for this for sure!

There is pumpkins on front cover--I'm sucker for that feel of fall!

Plus, Charisma's pattern has nice open spaces for quilting--since

I'm learning to long arm quilt I need big open spaces to practice with

rulers.

The Carvings of Gene Zesch

The Carvings of Gene Zesch is another outstanding exhibit

at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, TX

Hold onto your hat folks!  This is laugh out loud show!

We had to chuckle at many of the pieces--such wise sayings along 

with the carvings.  Remember, these are small caricatures--nothing

larger than 6"--  

Just unbelievable work! 

some with cigars or cigarettes in their mouth--all carved by hand!

"End of the Trail"

"Oh--that buck"

"I see by the outfit you are a cowboy"

"Can't Look"

"Now, that ought discourage rustlers"

The cow is branded all over

This is one he did especially for our time period--

" Quarantined"--beer bottles and cigarette butts galore

Museum Walks

Thanks goodness, museums are open now!

We took a visit to Kerrville, TX Museum of Western Art--

Both of these exhibits will be on display till August 1

Great exhibits for sure--special exhibits too!

You can't help but admire the paintings of G. Harvey

He gives us the bright light of night with his western paintings

This one is "Christmas Eve At the General Store"

"Christmas Ride"  I love the contrast of the horse/buggy with

'modern car'

"In HIs Footsteps" 1979

1980 painting "Mission Well"

Look how the light glows around the animals--

super exhibit!

"Second Generation"

All the paintings are on loan from L.D. Brinkman Collection.

so glad they shared!

What's on Your Bobbin?

How have you been doing with your spinning during this July 4th weekend?

Did you accomplish any goal you set?  

Did you set a goal?

No worries, if you didn't achieve what you set out to accomplish--

hopefully, you are spinning some during the Tour de Fleece--

There will be another chance when the real Tour de France takes

off later this summer.

Here are some of my bobbin efforts--all need to be wound off

and plied--

so happy to spin up the last of one braid --the far bobbin with red/gold.

the front bobbin is the tencel/merino blend--

anyway--happy treadling!

Happy July 4!

Star Spangled Recipes..

There will be no parades this Fourth of July--

Yes, there will be fireworks though!

It is a time for us to celebrate with our friends the

freedoms we enjoy--It is also my father's birthday--RIP--

He was born on July 4, 1918 and has been gone from this earth

since 1975-

-anyway, we will gather with our neighbors and

friends at the local airport tarmac and watch the fireworks

sprinkle in the sky!

Here are some fabulous recipes to bring to your firework party

from Home is Where the Boat Is