First Day of School:2011-2012

First day in Third Grade for Madeline and that meant a day off for me.  Her Mom took her and picked her up and I got to spend the day in the yard weeding, taking down spent flower blooms, mowing and watering.  I also tied up the Sweet Pea vines again-three trellis are on my list for next year- and I set the sprinkler system to run tomorrow because everything looked dry.

 I enjoyed relaxing on the patio when I was finished.  The dogs were out and I enjoy watching them sunbathe-they always lie down in the sunniest spot and I don't understand that-and then tear after any luckless chipmunk that wanders in the yard.  We have many chipmunks so they were pretty busy today.  As speedy as they are, they have yet to catch their first one.

Madeline had gymnastics today after school and her Mom confirmed my thought that she was in the wrong group.  She will be in a new group that meets Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Some Saturdays her Mom may be able to take her and sit there for two hours.  I had planned on knitting four hours a week, but I won't complain if Beth wants to do the sitting and watching.


No sewing today, but, while I was resting and roaming the Web I did find a lovely embroidery design I might buy and use on my "designed again" quilt.  I am fairly certain that it is the final design of this one and I wish I could think of a name for it so I could refer to it more easily. Maybe "My 16 Patch Disaster"!  I hope I never start another quilt without a PLAN.

I finished another 1930's quilt top yesterday, that's the fourth, but hopefully, not the last.  I love those fabrics and would like to make one more that is better designed.  This last one is made with the leftovers from the first three so uses much white in the design.  I started just sewing squares together before I even went into EQ.  The LeMoyne Star in the center was a block I made to see if I wanted to make a quilts worth.  Size-wise it fit in the design so I went with it.  I am pleased with the result.

 We'll see.  I hope to start FMQing practice on my new machine on the Christmas Mug Rugs.  I need to decide which machine will work the best for me.

Fall Wallhanging and Acorns

A few days ago I got a little accomplished on my wallhanging.  I had changed my design to a row quilt and completed a row of Maple Leaf blocks.

Yesterday, I worked on the Flying Geese sections and used a quick method of making four at once.  I've done this before but today one set didn't work out quite right and I'm not sure why.  I think I will increase the 7/8" measurement just to 1" next time-if I remember, of course.  Anyway, they are added and, hopefully, don't look too bad.

So on to today...My self-assigned assignment was to make four paper-pieced acorns for the next row.  I attempt to up my skills as I work on these "I wonder why I'm doing this" projects and Paper Piecing is something I thought I should stop fearing.  I had created the block previously in EQ but hadn't printed the sheets yet.  I have done a minimal amount of paper piecing and just couldn't get the necessary motivation as I stared at the fabrics.  

So I decided to applique them individually.  After finding fusible and making a test one I gave up and decided to try one more search on the internet for a suitable (to me) appliqued acorn.  I had searched some weeks ago at my favorite embroidery site and decided against using any of those.  

But today I entered "acorn applique" into my google search field and there it was-the cutest acorn design and it was "free"!  Needless to say it was downloaded and transferred to my machine in no time.  Knowing "free" designs don't always stitch out well, I stitched a practice piece in one color, noted the stops since I didn't have a color change sheet, got my fabric ready and went for it.  I don't usually do things on the spur of the moment like this-except start "new projects" and then "wonder" why I'm doing them.

Anyway, an hour later I had four of these stitched and tomorrow will add them to the wallhanging. Thank you, Planet Applique!!!

Moving along nicely.

Planet Applique Acorn-perfect

I will have to change my design again, however as I had planned to applique a squirrel for this row also. But now there is not enough room.  I found such a cute squirrel applique design on the same site so I am going to have to work it in somewhere.  Back to EQ tomorrow.

Happy sewing!

Well, I'm here!

I've been considering this online diary for some time now and have finally taken the plunge.  I'm sure many missteps will be taken, but I hope to keep a record of some events in my wonderland.  I picked "wonderland", of course, because of its association with Alice; but, also, because I wonder all the time why I do the things I do, especially in the project line.

I am Grandma to three, two boys who live in Maine and one girl who lives with me.  More on her later.

I am one of those people whose motto certainly is "variety is the spice of life". I find I have to work on several projects so I can move between the computer and the sewing machine and keep leaders and enders project related and rethink design choices  Makes sense, right?

I have, at this moment, these projects partially completed.  Or should I say, just begun?  Anyway, they are UFO's.

1.  12 Christmas mug rugs that need stippling and binding.
2.  3 1930's fabric crib quilts in various stages, but one is ready for quilting.
3.  1 simple four patch bed-sized quilt ready for sashing.  I have to decide and buy the fabric.
4.  1 Christmas Tree Skirt that needs backing, batting, quilting and binding before I give it away.
5.  1 Fall Wallhanging which I worked on today as well as one of the crib quilts.  I hope to learn to PP on this one.
6.  A few "Little Dresses for Africa" to complete for my 2011 goal of twenty.

There may be more sewing projects and definitely more knitting projects.

More also on my "new to me" sewing/embroidery machine.

Until next time.