Thursday and Friday's Activities

Hi There!

Progress Report Time....

Wednesday, as posted on here already, I finished off one of my flowers for my "Asian" quilt.  I still haven't come up with a proper name for this quilt and its made with "South Seas" fabric, so, for now its my "Asian" quilt.

Thursday, I managed to make another flower block, for this quilt.

Here's the flower collection, so far.

I think I need 9 flower blocks for this quilt.

Gilbert had my 1st "Bobby's Quilt" on Bertha,

our Longarm machine!

Its now ready to "bind".

I will post pictures once that's done.

And here's my new quilty project.

Its for my Dad.  His name is rather difficult to pronounce in English, so a lot of people call him "Easy".  He also LOVES his plaid shirts.  My Mom calls them his "Al Borland" shirts - re: "Tool Time" with "Tim, the Tool Man Taylor".  

Remember that show?

Taking all this into account, I've decided to name this quilt

"Easy Al".

By 4 p.m., I had managed to piece 4 rows!

I got the idea for this pattern from a picture of a quilt that I saw in one of my books.

They called it a variation of Jacob's Ladder.   

So far, it's coming together real easy and fairly quickly.  

And I'm lovin' the look of it, too!

This morning, Gilbert and I have a couple quick errands and then, this afternoon.... I am volunteering at our local Quilt Guild show.

Have a Super Saturday!

Rosa

A BOM and More

 Hi There!

I've been busy working on this BOM (circa 2010).

I "was" going to prep these blocks and bring them to my first quilting retreat but I think the project is best seen and played with, on my design wall... at home.

(NOTE:  I just realized that this picture was in a previous blog... Oh well....  *shrug*)

I just have frame 3 more blocks with 2-1/2 inch (smaller) blocks.  They're all cut and pieced. I just need to add them to its BOM.

After that, I need to machine appliqué 9 more blocks with flowers and leaves.  Should be real nice and quite the challenge, too!

*grin*

Here's hoping you have a Fantastic Friday!

Rosa

A Whole Bunch of Blocks

Thanks to a very dear and kind friend, I was able to cut a whole bunch of 2-1/2 inch blocks in little time! Of course, I used my new-to-me Accuquilt Go cutter.

These blocks will be used to frame the pieced blocks.

Rosa

BOM and More

Another UFO (Un-Finished Object) gets pulled out of its box and dusted.

This was a BOM (Block Of the Month) from our local quilt store. I think it dates back to 2010. *hanging head in shame*

For the design that I have in mind, I need 14 pieced blocks - DONE!

Now, onto the appliqued blocks.

As usual, I'll upload pics of my progress.

Rosa

A New BOM - I've Been Smitten!

Hi There!

One of the blogs that I follow happened to mention this link and after visiting and re-visiting and RE-RE-visiting it once again, I fell in love with these rabbits!

The Raspberry Rabbits....


(picture from their blog)

A couple of my internet friends mentioned that they've never, ever appliquéd with wool before, wanted to try it but were hesitant.

I'm not a complete expert on wool but I will certainly share what little knowledge that I DO have.

Here goes...

* * * * * PRE-FELTED WOOL * * * * *

Before you appliqué with wool, you need to make sure that it was "pre-felted".

"How do you "pre-felt" wool?", you ask.

Simple - it needs to be "shocked".

Wash it with a small amount of detergent and HOT water - NO BLEACH!! (I'll explain about the "no bleach" thing, later).

Rince it with COLD water.

Dry your piece of wool in a HOT dryer.

Not only does it fluff up your piece of wool, but it prepares it so that you can now appliqué your wool and know, for sure, that you'll never need to worry about it shrinking. You will be able to use and wash your quilt... just like you would a cotton quilt.

Oh.... if you buy "hand dyed" wool, it's already been pre-felted.... Although you might want to pre-felt it, anyhow.

* * * * NO BLEACH, PLEASE * * * * *

When I first started rug hooking, with this wool, our local shop owner told me the BEST way to find out if your "wool" is 100% pure is to take a glass and fill it with 1/4 inch of "bleach", only. Add a little snippet of your wool to this and let it sit overnight.

Gilbert and I did this - we're both "Doubting Thomases"....

The next morning, there was NOTHING left in the glass. The snippet of wool and COMPLETELY disappeared, just like the shop owner had told us.

Soooooo, basically, wool and bleach DO NOT MIX well.

* * * * RE-PURPOSED WOOL * * * * *

There's a "Frenchys" just up the hill from where I live. It's a "used" clothing and item store. This Frenchys put "wool" items in a bin for rug hookers. The same kind of wool can be re-used for appliquéing, as well. When you're re-purposing wool from clothing, you need to carefully read the label. This being said, you might not be too concerned if it's 80% wool and 20% polyester. Perhaps it's the EXACT color you've been looking for and your finished piece will go as a wall hanging and you're "okay" with this. You ARE the designer after all, right?

If you DO bring home a piece from a used clothing store, put in DIRECTLY in your washer and WASH IT RIGHT AWAY!!! Do not pass "GO"!

There's a very slim chance that this item might have moth eggs in it. HOT WATER and soap will kill moths and their eggs. You don't want to mix your 2nd hand wool items with your "new" wool pieces, right?

Another bit of advice?
Try to put some fresh lavender, tucked into your wool stash. Apparently, moths HATE lavender! And its a much better smelling option than "moth balls", right?

The nice thing about wool appliqué is that you don't need to worry about your 1/4" seam allowance and turn it under. Wool doesn't fray like cotton. You just do your blanket stitch or your running stitch! Saves time and energy.

To appliqué, all's you do is trace your pattern on "Heat 'n Bond" or any similar product. Iron it on your piece of wool. Cut around the ironed on piece of Heat 'n Bond, peal off your backing and re-iron it onto your quilt block....

Then appliqué. Easy.

IMPORTANT UPDATE !!!!!!!!!!
(3 hours later....)

I went and picked up that piece of "Oatmeal" colored wool and while chit-chatting with the shop owner, she told me that she uses freezer paper to trace her design, iron it on the wool, cut out the pattern, peel OFF the freezer paper and then, she uses a LOT of pins to pin down her design. She says your needle doesn't have to go through the "glue" (AKA Heat 'n Bond or other similar product). It's easier on the hand, wrist and fingers PLUS it's more pleasing to the eyes. I've prepped my pieces for the 1st BOM with Lite Heat 'n Bond 'cept for the bunnies.

I think I'll try her technique for the bunnies and let you know what I think of this technique.

Personally, I LOVE the 3 dimensional feel to wool appliqué.
My fingers love to caress it!
What can I say - I'm nuts!

LOL

That's about it!

Hope you join in with this BOM!

If you do, write and send me an update....
I'll be heading off, in this cold, this afternoon, for my "oatmeal" wool. My local wool store has a chunk pre-cut for me!*

Have a Super Sunday!

Rosa

Running Around...

Hi There!

Well, we were SUPPOSED to get a bad snow storm with rain - storm #10, during the night.

This morning, when I looked out the window, it appeared as if we only got 5 or 6 inches of snow and that a LOT of rain had fallen, afterwards. There was a LOT of slush on the roads.

Not much of a major storm, IMHO.

And HEY!!!!

By tomorrow, I'll be able to say,
"I'm leaving for Florida, next week."

YIKES!!!

I'll probably start running around,
next weekend, well.....



Gilbert and I found and prepared the perfect back for my American Jane Baby quilt. He should be able to long arm it, on Tuesday!

I showed Gilbert how to read the instructions on cutting these BOMs (Block Of the Month) - and he (expertly) cut out my last 2 BOMs.

Thank you, Gilbert!!!

I was then, able to finish off the last BOM from LAST year....

And, finish off THIS year's (last) BOM!!!

I'm hoping to start piecing these together once I'm back from Florida.... if my feet ever touch the ground!

LOL

And, later on this afternoon, Gilbert made a big batch of home made veggie soup!

Then, we dug out my old recipe on
"Pudding Chomeur"
and he made this!

Pudding Chomeur was a dessert that was created in the 1930's,
in the province of Quebec.

Translated, it means
"Unemployment Pudding".

(NOTE: We added a splash of dark rhum to the sauce and it was DELISH!!!)

It's a white cake - no eggs - and has a brown sugar sauce, underneath it.

Finally, I took 2 of my jelly rolls and came up with today's number.

EIGHT more days till I take off!!!

Hope you're having a
Sewing Sunday!!!

Rosa

3 BOM's in 2 Days

Hi There!

Okay, don't tell anyone but I was 3 months behind on our local quilt shop's BOM (Block Of the Month)! I honestly don't know how that happened...
'cept I had 3 business meetings in October,
November - don't ask - it was a blur,
and December?
Well, I finished December's during the month of December,
so that one really doesn't count, as being behind on it, right? *grin*

NOTE: my triangle points aren't really cut off.

Let me present to you,
Miss October.

Miss October is still very young -
she's still got a bit of (lime) green behind the ears.
(LOL)


Next, we have Miss November.

Miss November is still very shy.
We find her, once again, "blushing" (pink)
at all this attention.

And our final model today is,
Miss December.

Miss December's favorite past time is
laying in a field of flowers, with the yellow sun
shining down on her.
(Okay, OKAY... I couldn't think of anything else to write on this block!)

LOL

Seriously, folks, I just LOVE these soft colors.

Unfortunately, my camera isn't behaving and showing you the splendid colors.

Anyhow, that's it for now.

Have a GREAT Tuesday!

I'm back to work,
tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.!

Rosa

2 Countries + 2 Provinces in 3 Days!

Hi There!

Gilbert and I left early Thursday morning for a 3 day trip - 2 sleepies - up the north of our province. We had booked 2 nights at the Best Western in Edmundston, New Brunswick.

I won't go into too many details other than to tell you that since Edmundston is near Madawaska, Maine, USA (towards the west) and near the Quebec border (further north), Gilbert and I were able to cross the border to the US on Thursday and the next morning, on Friday, we went to Rivière-du-Loup, in Quebec.

I'll share with you some quilty pictures. *s*

Here's what I picked up at Mardens, in Madawaska, Maine....

A cute Victorian(?) panel, for a child's quilt. I'm thinking it might be more appropriate for a little girl, rather than a little boy. What do you think?



And here's one of the matching fabrics...

TOO ADORABLE, in my opinion.
*VBG*

I also picked up some "Christmas" fabrics for a Christmas Spool Block Swap. Not sure if I'll actually use this fabric, but I thought I'd get it, anyhow. *s*

And some more LOVELY bright fabrics for my "Magic Tile" quilt, that I haven't started yet. I took a chance that I didn't have these fabrics yet.... remember I had gotten quite a bit of these when I went to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, last month?

Well, I was quite happy to see that these were all new bright fabrics!

And, since I'm doing a Block of the Month, from our local quilt shop, I picked up some matching-to-me fabrics to go with these blocks.

On our way back, we stopped at "The Christmas Crab Quiltery" in Woodstock, New Brunswick. We had a hard time finding the place as it's not quite in an obvious spot - out of town, a bit... but it sure packed a wallop, with fabrics and LOTS of quilted eye candy!!!!
*VBG*

One of the blogs that I have on my web site, "Red Quilts"... the lady works at this shop!

Anyhow, with the owner's permission, I took a few pictures.

Here's a picture of a spool quilt. The same kind of blocks, basically, as what I am now swapping.
(I'll probably be blogging about this swap, in due time.)

OH DEAR GOD!
I fell in love with this quilt. The shop owner didn't have the book (yet)... they'll soon be having classes on this, I believe. Since the shop is like 2 hours from here, she gave me the book title:
"Plentiful Possibilities"

(you can click on my pictures to see them bigger)

And I bought THIS incredible book, while at The Christmas Crab Quiltery...

Here's one of the embroidered (and appliquéd) blocks, in this book.

And that's all the pictures for now.

Early Sunday morning, here.

"What's on my agenda?" you ask.

Sunday = Laundry Day, for me.
Sew LAST month's BOM (from local quilt shop)
Sew label on Thanksgiving quilt - YEP, finished the binding on it yesterday evening.
Continue sewing the border on my "Green Crumb Quilt"
and whatever else I can find, in my sewing room...

I might be going out this afternoon, with Karen, to see a Rug Hooking exposition.

Have a great day!

Rosa

2 More BOM's!!!

Hi There!

Gilbert and I went to our local quilt shop and I showed them August's BOM and they, in turn, gave me September's BOM.

This is August's BOM:



And here's September's BOM,
which I finished, late this afternoon.

Got lots of pictures and blogging to share with you!!!

Hang in - I'll try to do as many, ASAP!

Rosa

Let Me Introduce Hunter's Moon

Hi there!

When I did my first Dear Jane quilt, I had the hardest time with this block:
A-3 = Hunter's Moon.

This one became one of my bloopers.

Gilbert even tried to stretch it in the opposite direction and it STILL didn't come out "round"!

LOL



My 2nd and final attempt came out a bit better. This one is in my first DJ quilt.

As you all know, I'm making a SECOND Dear Jane quilt in polka dots. And you might call this cheating or being lazy, or whatever... I really don't give a hoot on this - I machine appliqued this one, but OH MY GOD, I think it turned out almost perfect.... for me, anyhow!

LOL

(Rosemary - recognize the fabric?!??! *grin*)

This morning, I decided to start and finish the BOM (Block Of the Month) that I've signed up for, at our local quilt shop.

Here's a shot of all the BOM's that I've done, so far...

And here's this month's:

I just LOVE these soft pastel colours!

Have a GREAT week!

Rosa

Weekend's Agenda?

Hi there!

Well, right after work, Gilbert and I took off to do our typical Saturday morning errands, but on Friday evening, instead.... in theory, we're supposed to stay home ALL WEEKEND.

I kinda doubt it, though. For some invariable reason, whenever we try to do this... there's always one reason or another that we have to go out and pick up something, or do something, somewhere else.

Anyhow, one of the things we did this evening was go to our one and only quilt shop and pick up this month's BOM (Block Of the Month). I thought for sure that I had pictures of my previous blocks, but couldn't find their pictures.

Here's June's BOM:



I just LOVE this year's colors!!!

On my agenda?

To do as much sewing as possible, while avoiding as much housework, as possible!

LOL

Hope you all have a GREAT weekend!

Rosa

BOM (Block Of the Month) - Number 11(s)

Hi There!

Well, as some of you might remember,
I decided to sign up for a BOM
(Block Of the Month), at our
local quilt store.

Here's Block # 11 and, to be honest,
I truly can't wait for this one
to be finished!

And, as I've mentioned before,
it's not quite my "cup of tea",
but if I add this and that to it,
it just might please my senses.

*VBG*




Now, remember, this is a BOM....
a "sampler" quilt, right?

The colors are too boring - too blah-blah
for me, anyhow... *s*

While surfing the web, this summer,
I came across THIS QUILT!!!

Now, THIS QUILT has 14 pieced blocks and
some that are appliqué'd, too!

Soooooo, I purchased some of the
BOM fabrics and decided to
do the 2 extra pieced blocks, right?

Now, my friend Frummie
had sent me a bunch of block
kits and their patterns.

I grabbed one of the patterns that pleased me,
used the BOM fabric and made a spare block,
so that I could make
THIS QUILT.
*grin*

I showed this to Gilbert, without saying a word,
and he asked,
"Is that the Block Of the Month?"

I replied, "No, it's one that I made."

So, he replies,
"Oh, it's a Block Of the Rosa."

"Nope," I replied,
"The pattern comes from Frummie."

"Oh then," he says,
"Its a Block Of the Frummie."

LOL

Okay, okay... but it DID sound funny!

Have a great weekend!!!

Rosa

Another 2 BOMs (Blocks Of the Month) completed!

Hi There!

Last Saturday, I picked up
Block #10, in my LQS's BOM
(Block Of the Month).

I finished it up, the next day.

*grin*



Last Sunday, I had also started to work on,
the House BOM....
Managed to finish it, today.

But gosh darn! I AM becoming a
"Paper Piecing Junky"!!!

I only wish that we were able to do this,
by paper piecing....
My houses wouldn't come out,
so "crooked"....

I guess I'll have to call these
"old houses"...
that's why they're all so crooked!

LOL

Heading out, tomorrow on a vacation trip -
Here's my "Vacation Journal"....

Rosa

More BOM's - Blocks, Houses and Baskets!

Hi There!

Okay, I think I'm the Queen of Block Making...

I started a snowman quilt,
for one of my cousins....

But I DID warn her that I wasn't
the fastest needle in the West!

LOL

Anyhow, I managed to finish this block,
last month and didn't get a chance
to share a picture with you...



Here's this month's BOM
(Block Of the Month)....

Remember? The one that I'm doing,
with our local quilt store?

I'm still not crazy about the fabric,
but I certainly WON'T give it up! *grin*

And here's ANOTHER
BOM ... but with houses, this time.

It's a FREEBIE, on the net,
and I do wish she'd give us the choice
to make these houses in
paper piecing!

*long sigh*

Once again.... and what is WRONG with me??!?....

I'm not too, too crazy about these houses, anymore....
but I'll certainly stick with it, till the end. *s*

Now, as some of you might know,
I've signed up with a crazy bunch of people -
better known as "Basket Cases"!

LOL

We'll be starting up, seriously to make
"Basket" blocks, in September.

This one is made in 30's fabrics....

And this one was made with Civil War fabrics...

These are what we've been calling
"Practice" or "Fun" blocks....
and they're the block for the month of June.

Sooooooo.......

Even though I haven't put a quilt together in eons,
doesn't mean that I'm not busy.

*grin*

Busy being the

"Queen of Block Making"

LOL

Rosa

BOM - House # 5

Hi there!

S'me again....

I have a LOT of new thingies and pictures
to share with you all!

Here's the lastest "house" block,
from the BOM (houses)
that I've been doing.

It's a (FREE) pattern on the net,
called....

"Come Over to My House"



I know it looks crooked, but it really isn't and
to be honest... I believe it's my favoritest one,
so far!

*VBG*

Rosa

Blocks of the Month (BOMs)

Hi there!

Okay, even though I'm not feeling 100% A-O-K,
I managed to do some fabric sorting,
ironing, fondling/feeling my fabrics,
AND sewing our NEW BOM.



My friend Susan, in Australia, sent me some GREAT ideas!


Thanks to Susan, I now know what I'll be doing with these blocks....
but it's a secret for now. *grin*

I also managed to finish LAST month's
house BOM....

I decided to take a group picture of all
my houses that I've finished, so far.

No, they aren't "squared up", yet....

Will do that, once I've finished all the blocks.

*grin*

Sunday night and it's only 9h10 p.m.....
and I'm starting to get tired...

Rosa