True Lover's Knot Block (Spokane, WA)

On The Cutting Board

A couple of years ago, I read Emilie Richards' Lover's Knot.  I became interested in the quilt pattern and did a little research.   When I looked up the True Lover's Knot I found two different patterns.   One used the Bow Tie block:

The other one used a variation of the Orange Peel pattern which is what Emilie described in her book:

I don't know why, but I am attracted to curved patterns.  I have made a few Drunkards Path blocks in the past.  I love sewing the curves by hand and this one wasn't going to be any different.  I made templates using paper pattern rubber-glued to quilter's template plastic.  I dug out my trusty add-a-quarter-inch-seam wheel and some 1930s fabrics.  I use 0.7 mechanics pencil to get a nice crisp line to mark the pieces.  Plus, the tip fits nicely into the wheel's center.

I find marking and cutting my  pieces by hand to be very relaxing.  Using the rotary cutter is fast, but can be hard on my back and shoulders.

To pin curved pieces, I crease both in the center...

 

and that is where the first pin goes.  I slowly pin and adjust all the way to one end before starting the other side.

I know it looks like a pin cushion, but it saves me from having to re-position them if they shift.

Pins and lines match up - looks good on both sides...

Time to sew using the running stitch...

Soon, I have my first block... Don't you think the Retro colors are perfect for a traditional block? 

Okay, my fingers are starting to itch...I need to get back to my quilt blocks...but first here are a couple of photos from this area.....

Spokane

Everywhere I look in Spokane, I see flowers.  Of course, most of them are in people's yards and I don't want to be standing in front of their house taking photographs.  Spring time here in Spokane is wonderful!  Not great for the allergies, but it is worth taking a pill to enjoy the beauty.  

I saw some Quail on my way to the dumpster, so I ran back to our motorhome for my camera.  I only got a couple of pictures.  This guy seemed to be the leader.  While the others moved away, he stayed behind to see what I was doing.  Once the others were safe, he took off.  

Happy Quilting!

55 years! (Patagonia, AZ)

Yesterday, I turned 55 years old.   Yep, I have been around for awhile now...well, not as long as some people, but longer than most of the people I know.  Do I sound senile?  I hope not!

I took assessment of how I feel about turning 55.  Except for quite a few extra pounds that I would like to get rid of and lots of grey hair which I am happy to keep, I think I am doing pretty good.  Not too many aches in the morning although my knees are starting to creak and my shoulders are popping more often which makes my Sun Salutes a lot slower.  I am very thankful for my health.  I walk two to three miles every day and I am trying to stay limber with my yoga practice.

For me, celebrating 55 years isn't about "so far so good".  I worked hard at being here today to celebrate being 55 years old and feeling good about what I have done and where I am today.  No regrets.  I feel great about practicing good eating habits and exercise routines.  I don't deprive myself of sweets.  I do eat them quite often. My weight can certainly testify to that! I am enjoying life my way by being as healthy as possible.  My overall goal is to grow old and still be aware of my surroundings.  In other words - to have a better quality of life as I get older.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

I do have my Senior moments.  Exercising my brain can be quite a challenge at times, but it is very important to keep the brain cells active.   There are days when I think my poor brain is about to shut down for good from information overload.  It gets back at me by forgetting why I went to the closet.....umm, I know I was going to get something...well, I'll remember later....maybe....probably in the middle of the night....

Yesterday was wonderful.  We woke to a frosty low 20s morning.  Dan & I took an early walk around the Preserve (closed Monday & Tuesday).

We visited Mr. Owl, saw one or more hawks, and one deer.  I got some great photos of the hawk(s).  We are not sure we were seeing the same hawk or different ones.

Always stretch and warm up before flying

Fluff once a day

It was so peaceful and beautiful.

Excellent view!

What a great way to start a day!

Good Morning!

The rest of the day was spent hanging around the motorhome just catching up on different items, watching birds, quilting...just relaxing and enjoying the moment.

Hey you! Yea You!  Got any birdseed?

Today, we are going out for lunch at the German Cafe in Sierra Vista for a second day of celebrating.  

I also plan to stop by the Squirrel's Nest for a little fabric shopping.  I'm hoping to find some matching fabric for my prize of 10-inch squares - Delighted!  I have been to this quilt shop before - many years ago.  I was amazed to see that they also carry supplies for spinning, weaving, and knitting.   There were the large weaving looms and yarns hanging from the walls.  Oh my!  The colors were amazing!  Just what I need - temptations to start a new hobby...It's a good thing I don't have any extra storage space.   Oh, and I love their url address:  fibernuts.com.  LOL!

I also did a little cyber shopping on Etsy.  I see so many wonderful things that I like, but of course, I have no room for more stuff.  So here is my Happy Birthday to Me - Tuesday Treasury:

Did you noticed that I slipped some fabric into my shopping?  ;0)

One More Block Done and Another Quilting Murder Solved!

Well, this block took a lot longer to finish considering I did not do much stitching on this block.  Can I blame it on the holidays?  Oh, and my brother came down for a visit and the weather was just perfect for being outdoors.  The cats wanted to go for walks and kayaking to do.  So, yea, lots of excuses for me not to be working on the quilt.  I guess I better stop with the excuses now the weather has turned a little colder and windier.  Time to do some serious quilting!

 

I just finish reading another Quilt-Murder-Mystery book called “Quilt As You Go” by Arlene Sachitano.  Yea, call me obsessive.  

Anyway, Arlene gave the best tip that I have ever heard.  I have often heard and read about threading a bunch of needles before you start your project to save you time. I have never tried it because I always thought I would cut a strand of thread, thread the needle, tie a knot and then……..well, where do I put the threaded needles? I would need to hide them so my cats would not tangle the thread or run off with the thread or worse – getting the needle with the thread. They have taken straight pins and needles in the past, but I have learned to hide all sharp objects while I am quilting. So I thought I would have to put the pre-threaded needles back into the pack and hide the pack. That sounds like more trouble than threading a needle as I needed it.

Here’s Arlene Sachitano: Load a whole package of needles onto the spool. Tie a knot in the end of the thread and then each time you want a new needle, you grab it and pull some thread out, then clip the thread and needle from the spool. Retie the end of the spool piece. Perfect! I can keep my needles and thread in a baggie and none of my smarty cats will be able to get to either one! HA!

Needles ready to go!

Oh, and how’s the book?  I would recommend it to anyone interested in murder mysteries and quilting.  The main character is a long-arm quilter so I have learned about the other side of the quilting business.  I’m more of a traditional quilter so I don’t know very much about the long-arm or the quilting business.  The story can be a little slow at times, but I like the characters.  I also like the story’s location which is near Sequim and Port Townsend, WA.  I spent a lot of my childhood growing up in the Puget Sound area on Whidbey Island.  This is the third one in a series of Harriet Truman/Loose Threads Mystery and I have read all three.  I hope she writes more Harriet Truman books.

Happy Holidays to All!

Finished Another Block!

Well, I can’t believe it.  I have actually finished another block and I still have over a week before the end of November!

I have my fingers crossed that I will be able to keep this pace up and finish the quilt on time.  Oh, I do uncross my fingers while quilting.  Yea, it would be hard to hold a needle with crossed-fingers. 

I need to finish the two sashings before going on to the next block.  Even though they are more detailed, they are small and don't take more than a couple of evenings to finish.

I finally broke down and bought my first Kindle Book from Amazon. It finally came in the mail from being on backorder.  I swore I would never get an electronic book because I like the way books feel while reading them. I guess I am a Traditionalist in more than one way, but I'm going to give this a try because this Kindle has a different screen that looks like paper and I can enlarge the fonts so I don’t have to wear my reading glasses all the time.  I just won't have pages to turn.  Hmm.  Well, I'll give it a try.

The best part is that I don’t have to wait to find a bookstore. This Kindle has 3G so it is independently connected to WiFi and I don't use up our limited BandWidth.  Now I can download my new books as soon as I get the urge to buy another book.  This is going to be great!

The main reason for buying the Kindle is for storage. I have a lot of books. Books I have not read  yet and books I plan to read again. I have been trying to get rid of each book after finishing it but then I buy two more!  I finally admitted that we do not have the space for a large collection of books, not to mention the weight they add to our motorhome. So what have I been doing with the extra space?   Yea, you guessed right! Fabric and projects are filling up those empty spaces. At least they are lighter. ;0)

Surreal Serenity

Today was a travel day.  We left Tyndall AFB near Panama City for Old Town, FL.  We could not have asked for a better day.  Weather and traffic was wonderful not to mention a lot of great views of the Gulf along the way..  As we drove through Apalachicola on East Hwy. 98 .  People were out enjoying the weather in the downtown area.  Some were shopping while others were having a yard sale.  Yet it wasn’t crowded.  Two boys holding a sign we could not read gave Dan the “Blow Your Horn” motion and Dan obliged.  We could hear the two cheering over our motorhome’s engine!  Okay, on to quilting.........

My top is finally done! I had to make myself stop adding more appliqué. I started this top over 2 years ago. Not because the quilt was giving me a hard time – no, no, it was because I was enjoying the growth and the process. Working with batik is a real joy. It is easy to manipulate and it easily forgives my mistakes.

For the longest time, I could not come up with a name for my quilt. I tried several but none fit: “My Pond” (too plain), “We Are Not Being Koi” (they are goldfish), “Lanai Memories” (nah!), Serenity Pond” (yep, so calm it will put you to sleep)….nothing fit. I wanted people to know that this quilt was not a lot of work, but the opposite. This quilt relaxed me, challenged my imagination, and brought me many hours of peaceful moments. Then a friend and a great photographer posted on Facebook a photo of some beautiful lilies. I told her they looked surreal. That’s when my quilt’s name came to me! My pond is surreal and serene! Surreal Serenity! I have never had such a hard time naming a quilt.

 

Everything is hand sewn including the border.  I was using the freezer paper method.  I had talked to a friend once about using the turn-under-as-you-go.  She seemed to like it, so I switched methods when I started working on the small lotus petals.  I find I do like that method a lot better.

I added ginkgo leaves to give the water a little more motion.

The blue batik started my idea for a water design, but it was my pictures of the purple lotus that inspired the Japanese garden pond.  I added bamboo to give the sense that the garden continued beyond the border.

My Yin Yang goldfish.

This is the book that inspired me to use the mosaic style instead of making the plants and fish more solid.

Here's my old post of the top:  http://quiltincats.blogspot.com/2010/05/little-hand-quilting-little-applique.html

Well, for now, I have to put the top away.  I want to finish my granddaughter's quilt before she outgrows it!  Good incentive, don't you think?

Backing Up Just a Little

So I wanted to explain how I decided to take up quilting especially in the late 70s when it was not so popular. It was also hard to find cotton material or quilting information/instructions.

I have to admit my passion for quilts started when I was a child. My Grandma made each grandchild a flannel tied quilt. I still have that quilt. The comfort and warmth kept me feeling secure during our frequent moves as my Dad received new assignments to different Naval Air Bases. This quilt was also my connection to Grandma.

Moving became a part of my life again when I married Dan 34 years ago. The Air Force moved us every three years so we, along with our two children, saw a lot of the world during his 27-year career.

I used my son as an excuse to buy material. He was going to need a couple of larger blankets for his new bunk beds, right? Why not make a quilt instead of buying all of them. Of course, it took me three years to finish it. Ami Simms quilt “Train Tracks” caught my eye in the Quilt magazine for my choo-choo train-loving 3-year old son. I marked the material with pencil and plastic templates. I sewed it together on my Mom’s old Singer. After basting the quilt, I bought a very flimsy quilting hoop from variety store. My husband had to add more wood and screws because the hoop would lean over from the weigh of the quilt. Through trial and error, and studying my magazines, I taught myself how to quilt stitch the three layers together. I did not like the rocking stitch. Too big! I could not get them small enough so I started using the stab stitch. I still use that method as of today. My only regret is not taking a picture of my first quilt.

The older posts before this one came from our first blog: Too Many Cats I plan to keep this one all about quilts, quilt shops, my projects, and any quilt shows I come across during our travels.

Lack of Space Challenge: Full-Timing Travel Quilter by Sandy

Have Fabric, Will Travel!

I thought I would share some of my space saving tricks along with tips given to me. Dan & I started traveling last March and I have learned a few things during this time. I have figured out a way to quilt inside and outside.

1. Where to keep my iron and ironing board:
In the back of my closet, I have mounted an iron/ironing board holder. I also bought a short ironing board for easy storage and use in our limited space.

2. Where to keep my rulers, mats, and other hanging tools:
I have inserted several ‘L’ shaped hooks inside the closet on the doors and on the walls. Anything with a hole for hanging is now on a hook somewhere inside my closet.

3. Lighting is not very good for up-close needlework so add an Ottlite to save your eye-sight:
I have had a freestanding Ottlite for over 5 years and I cannot live without it. I was worried about my light bulb getting broken while traveling.
I attached a Velcro wire-organizer to the wall near my favorite chair. I can detach my Ottlite if I want to use it somewhere else or leave it attached to the wall.

4. I made a custom sized pocket organizer for traveling. I did not use Velcro since the arms on the passenger seat are open and I can slip the loops over it. I use safety pins when I sit in my favorite chair. Now I can have spools of thread, scissors, thimble, and reading glasses in one spot. And, I don’t lose my thread nor my scissors under the chair. I also keep my keys and cell phone in the organizer. Now my purse stays in the closet.

5. I bought a drink holder with trash bag while on a quilting retreat in Chama, NM last year. It has a clamp and can be moved to any table. I find this very useful inside and outside. Threads and scrapes do not blow-away thanks to the trash bag and I don’t spill my tea!

6. I also want to show you our computer center. Dan converted our dining table into a more space-saving storage area for our computers and accessories. Not to mention, the expanded countertop space. We have a bookshelf at the end of the counter. It also holds our printer/scanner, safe, paper, and printing supplies. Our laptops go on the top shelf when we travel. I also use the area for sewing. There is plenty of room for Dan’s laptop and my sewing machine. (that's Hitch being helpful)

7. I added a wall basket near me to hold pens, another pair of reading glasses, earphones for the computer, etc.

8. I keep my fabric in labeled Rubbermaid containers. I have been using Space Bags to hold more material. But if the bag gets a hole in it, well, let’s just say the container doesn’t close as well. Even with holes in the Space Bag, I feel the material is better protected from dirt, bugs, and rodents. Yes, we have already had one mouse in our rig. He is gone now.

9. My sewing machine has its own travel case on wheels. It is well protected so it can be stored below. The case has enough room to hold two small tin cans. One filled with rotary cutter, quilt safety pins, and good-grip gloves. The other is for sewing on the machine. It has a magnet for holding my straight pins, measuring tape, and small scissors (2nd pair). I also use the lid as a catch-all while sewing – spools, bobbins, scissors, etc.

10. I bought a 3x4 foot oak board for a sturdy cutting surface. I have to admit some of the picnic tables have seen better days. Dan rounded the corners and I sanded it down. I did not glue my cutting mat to the board since the board is stored below with items on top of it. I keep the mat in my closet. I also have a mat/ironing pad folder for the small projects like paper foundation piecing. The folder fits well on the kitchen counter with only one of the sink’s covers in place.

11. If you did not see my pictures in Webshots, here is my new design board – again thanks Cher for giving me the idea. It is not perfect, but it is better than nothing. I am using straight pins to keep the wind from blowing away my blocks. When I get a chance I plan to get some felt to glue to the backside of my oak board. One side will be for cutting and the other side will be for my appliqué designs.

12. I found a sturdy, but very light folding table online: This table has come in handy a couple of times when the campground’s picnic table wasn’t the best or non-existent. I use a dining room chair instead of a folding chair when sewing outside. So far, I have only done my sewing outside when we have a cemented site.

13. I like to hand-quilt, so I also have a freestanding 29-inch hoop. I am storing the hoop and my quilt under our sleeper sofa. I wrap the quilt in an old sheet to protect it. If I ever get a chance to sit outside with my hoop, I plan to use the sheet as a rug to protect the material from the ground. I don’t want to take the feet off for storage, so the stand is stored between the passenger’s chair and the first livingroom chair.

Here are a few more tips that I was given years ago:
1. Always cut the thread from a spool at an angle. It makes it easier to guide the thread through the eye of the needle.

2. Don’t wet the thread; wet the eye of the needle instead. The thread swells when wet. Yea, I wouldn’t try this trick on my sewing machine. I could see me explaining to hubby with a swollen tongue – no, I did not get my tongue pierced without talking to you…!

3. One more tip from a traveling quilter I met in South Dakota. She opted out on having a washer/dryer in her rig. Now her laundry closet is filled with fabric and quilting supplies. As much as I loooove my fabric, I cannot live without my washer/dryer. The machine is small, but I wash almost everyday so the dirty clothes do not pile up. I only use the campground’s laundry rooms when I have large items to wash.

Endnote:
One of the biggest problems I am facing with full-timing and quilting is not having enough time! Setting up and breaking down takes time when projects and tools are spread throughout the rig. So to shorten the setup and breakdown time I found being organized is a big Plus! Something I am still working on with my new lifestyle.

-I try to label everything!
-1 and 2 gallon Ziploc bags with blocks and patterns together.
-I have organized materials by project, by color, and by backings. I should pin a note to the material packets as to what project I was thinking of using them for when I bought them. Have you ever bought material and later wondered why? That’s me – short-term memory here!!
-In the storage below, I have my sewing machine, table, thread cases, and two tubs right next to each other. I can pull everything out from one spot.
-Looking through all of my storage areas periodically helps refresh my memory of where I put things. This is quite frequent these days!