Sunday, February 26, 2012

more granny

granny squares
Here's where I've ended up this weekend! I've finished my 30 squares that I was aiming for. These last ones went a lot quicker for me because I mapped out what color combos I wanted to do based on where they'd be on the quilt. I was just doing each one kind of fly by my pants seat method and then I'd be like I can't put this here because then I have two reds right next to each other, blah, blah. I'm pretty sure this is the final arrangement and then I will add the sashing. I almost wanted to just sew them together as is, but then realized that if everything didn't line up just so then it would drive me batty.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

grannies and a recipe

And so, here's my twenty squares so far. I'm going to make more so I have rows that are 5 across and 6 long. I keep rearranging them, so they are different now than in this picture even. I like the way they are turning out, though! I've tried to stick with bolder colors with distinct variations between the center and outer squares.
granny squares
Oh, and do you like my fancy new "design wall"? So last weekend at scrapbooking Connie and I were talking, she is also a quilter, and she mentioned her design wall. And, dang those green horns of jealousy came right on out! So I asked her how she made it because I wanted one, too. She said all it is is a vinyl tablecloth, the kind that have the flannel backing and she just pinned it up and the squares stick right on it! There you go, a design wall on the cheap! It works really well and best part is that it's up off the floor! No more getting mad at George or the dogs for messing things up!
Today I have a little potluck get together thing to go to. I decided to make chili cheese roll-ups, and here's the recipe:
Chili Cheese Roll-ups:
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of diced green chilis, drained
1 can chopped olives
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 tortillas, I like the jalepeno cheddar kind but any will do

today I did everything in the food processor which mixed everything very nicely and shredded the cheese at the same time, v. convenient :) Basically you mix together your cheeses and then mix everything else in, I didn't use the whole can of olives because there is a ton in one little can!
After everything is mixed up nicely, spread evenly on a tortilla and roll it up, then slice into little wheels. The very end pieces don't turn out well, they usually are my sampler pieces :)
100_2973[1]
They aren't super pretty but they are delicious!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

granny squares and fabric and prayer

100_2960[1] by colimachia
100_2960[1], a photo by colimachia on Flickr.
So, this past weekend I worked on some more granny squares. I'm up to 16, there's an additional row that I didn't get a picture of.  The original pattern calls for 20 but I kind of want it a little bit bigger so I was thinking possibly 30 finished squares. I was thinking I'd do some white sashing in between each square and then a scrappy border after that. I've been using a ton from various scrap bags that Mom gave me or ones that I picked up at the thrift and stashed away. It's fun using tiny scraps that might otherwise not get used but that I've loved the fabric and wanted to somehow be able to keep and see them. I'm really digging how bright these are turning out, course I've done that on purpose. You know, cuz I love bright colors.
fabric
So, this past weekend, Joann's was having a good sale for President's Day, where you could get extra 20% off of entire purchase for past or present military. I took advantage of this extra discount, yes I did :) I picked up mostly basic supplies like a pillow form, white fabric, sequins, and quilting safety pins. But, as I was browsing around, my eye caught this stripey fabric, which is my all-time favorite fabric! Yikes! I fought the urge to buy all they had, because frankly I don't need it....but I did buy a yard and a half. I love it for a binding and to mix in with other fabrics. It doesn't look like anything exciting but it's the perfect mixer-inner. Yup, that's a word. I thought the gray polka dot would also be a nice binding fabric. I love a stripey or dotty binding. I also thought it would be cute mixed into my granny squares.
I think I'm finally getting used to a 2 day weekend. This past one I didn't feel like every second was being wasted if I wasn't focused on sewing or reading or something useful. I went to scrapbooking, and was okay with not getting much done. It was nice to chat the day away. I have even been struggling to take the time to go to church, it's 2 hours right in the middle of the morning when I usually like to have coffee and bust out a few squares. I think this weekend I'll get back to church.
So, I had a nice reminder today when I least expected it. I was reminded by a lady at work that I should pray. This is something I know, but seldom think to do in certain situations. I know the bible says to "pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV. And, in another vein it reminded me of a theme that keeps popping up....which usually means to me that God is trying to get me to do something and I should listen up :) Let's see, where should I start this story? I'm not sure when exactly picking a word for the year entered my consciousness. But, mostly likely it was close to January, at or around this blog post by Modern Marigold.  And she maybe (?) got her word idea from this post.  I don't even know about that, it's just credited on her post so it's possible.  At the time, I thought, hmmm - what in the world would my word be?  Dunno.  and moved on.  I listen to a cd of Joyce Meyer and there is a part when she says not to worry about things, to pray instead.  At every urge to worry just pray instead.  Then, stumbled across a Guidepost that had gotten stuck in a pile of mail and wouldn't you know it?  It had Debbie Macomber on the cover and what was she talking about?  How she chooses a word to live by each year.  Yikes.  Okay so I was just starting to pay attention the recurring theme.  Last year was memorizing scripture, which, let's face it I'm not the greatest at.  So maybe this year God is like how bout I make it super easy for you and you just have to remember ONE word????  I do always ask for him to make things obvious and easy for me -grin.  Um, so that's a super long winded version of me saying that I've picked my word for the year and it's pray

Sunday, February 12, 2012

attack of the granny squares!

So, Friday I couldn't decide if I should stay on task with my red/turquoise star quilt....or start something new.  And, I woke up Saturday dreaming about granny squares.  Literally.  In my dream I was cutting out different squares and comparing what colors would look the best together.  In my dream, and in real life I decided mostly solid backround colors and very distinct color differences would make the best combination.
What do you think?  This is what I have so far:
granny square quilt
I think I sharted the link in the last post for the tutorial, but I'll share it again in case you don't want to scroll down.  So anyways, I woke up thinking about granny squares and just dove right in.  I made the two on the far right before the baby shower and then the rest  last night and this morning.  These are actually really dinky squares, mine came to 9 inches!  The little squares are only 2.5 inches, which for me is a little too fiddly.  I don't know how people do those postcard quilts!!!  I might lose my mind if I did.  Or not.  Who knows?  So,  the baby shower was yesterday and I gave Kristin the quilt.  I think she liked it, she said she really liked the fabric.  Hopefully she will get a lot of use out of it!
I guess that's all that's new around here.  Man, 2 day weekends sure do go fast!  I was spoiled for too long....

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Siena's quilt

And, so.  Here is my "swoon-ish" quilt!  I think it turned out pretty well.  There were a few times I wanted to throw it across the room and then remind myself that I am not an idiot.  Oh, yes....there are lots of mistakes here.  But, from afar you can't see them, lol!  I made this quilt for my friend Kristin's new baby, Siena.  She had not found out what she was going to have so I had to wait for her to be born to know what type of quilt I'd be making.  I had been wanting to try a swoon block, but too cheap to buy the pattern you remember, and I saw this quilt on flickr and thought "that's perfect!"  These colors remind me of Kristin, and at first she wasn't digging the girly pink stuff.  Of course, after this was already in the works I heard that she had embraced it.  Oh well.  She gets modern not obviously girly from me :)
100_2955[1] Sorry this picture didn't turn out brighter.  So, basically where I was ready to throw it were the bigger brown parts, where a flying goose block meets a rectangle.  I could NOT for the life of me get my flying geese to end up 3'x6' and have the corners not end up smaller than the rectangle.  I had to end up making my geese taller by 1/2 an inch, therefore having to add fabric to all the border pieces.  Which, I had to just come to terms with and realize that once I stipple over it it wouldn't be glaringly obvious.  Here's a close up of the middle medallion so you can see the colors a little better?
100_2954[1]
This is the first quilt that I tried using a basting spray.  I have to say that I love not getting poked by pins, but other than that not super impressed.  The perimeter started to lose adhesiveness as I was quilting so the layers were just free and then I wished I had pinned.  Not sure what the malfunction was because I felt like I had really sprayed well and covered the entire area.  eh.  Maybe a different brand will be stickier?  I haven't totally given up yet.
Here's the back:
100_2957[1]The color is bad in these pictures!  Dang.  Well, the back is a nice sherbety limey green.  I had picked the binding based on how it would look from the front and then had the whole thing all sewn on and realized - doh!  Christmas colors from the back.  Oh well.  It doesn't look terrible.  The binding is a fun red on red check.
I'm seriously struggling not starting a new quilt this weekend!!!!  Yikes.  I need to finish the star quilt.  Need. to.  Because I get chilly at night watching tv and I do actually need it.  Um.  but then there's this really cute granny squares quilt, it's like granny squares idea from crocheting but then it's with fabric.  And I love it and I just want to make it.  And there's a tutorial that looks really easy, making it even harder to resist.  And I do have so many scraps that would be so pretty together.....
And then there's this one, with fun stars that are so wonky and look scattered all over the quilt.  That would be a cute quilt too.  And there's a tutorial for that one too.  I mean, what's a girl to do?  I only have 2 days now for the weekend and I must spend it wisely.  Bah!

Monday, February 6, 2012

recovery

There are times in life that you come across something that just stops you dead in your tracks and it's like your heart stops and the air gets sucked right out of you.  Reading this post, this one, and this one  from Beth Moore was the beginning of several of those moments.  Her sister, Gay, is a recovering alcoholic by the grace of God and she is guest writing a series on Beth's blog.  Holy cow.  Without calling anyone out, I have been very, very close with alcoholics.  There is no way to describe what it's like to watch the chaos.  I thank God so often that these people in my life are sober, recovered and healthy.  I pray that they continue to be and that God will heal them fully.
I just felt like I needed to share that link so that if you felt inclined you might read it.  You just never know who is reading, even though I don't think many people do read my little blog.  Maybe someone needs to know that they can beat alcoholism, that there is hope!!  Maybe, someone needs to know that there is hope for a loved one!  God can do anything, he can heal anyone.  And, really alcohol is just one thing, and He's not limited to that.  Whatever it is, God is bigger.