A Tale of Two Quilts

At our January quilt guild meeting we had a wonderful speaker, Nancy Wakefield. Even though her topic, color blindness in quilters, was very interesting and informative, the real stars of the show were her amazing array of quilts. And, as often is the case, one of her quilts grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go! It was this gorgeous Courthouse Steps with Floral Applique. I bugged her and wrangled the info out of her (well, actually she shared quite willingly LOL) as to where I might find the pattern. She said it was in a Leisure Arts book called Scrap Quilts. Oooh, I was just sure I had that in my home library. Hmmmm...I searched and searched as soon as I got home from the meeting. I had lots of books with the word "scrap" in the title but not the coveted one. Durn. So I went online to my local library's website--nada. Checked Leisure Arts website--zip. Looked through Amazon.com--no dice. Then over the next few days I looked at every local quilt shop (and some not so local) and every craft store for the elusive book. AAAARRRGGGHHH--it was nowhere to be found. I asked my mini-group buddies to please check their libraries--no luck.

Not to be deterred, I decided to just "improvise". After all, Courthouse Steps is a popular log cabin variation so it would be easy to come up with the basic middle of the quilt. Then the old lightbulb went off in my brain (yes, occasionally that happens) and I remembered a Fons & Porter magazine I had been saving for ages--almost seven years actually. Found it and voila!

Just look at this beauty from the September/October 2002 issue of Love of Quilting. Isn't that something? I remember now why I loved it so much. It is traditional and folk-arty and colorful and fun. And I am so in love with pieced quilts that have an applique border. I will most likely stick with the black and cream and red color scheme as I want it for my bedroom. And I will probably make a wallhanging rather than a bedsized quilt. But it just goes to show you, ratpack tendencies occasionally pay off.

I took Bernie to the "spa" yesterday for her annual treatment (translation: my Bernina is at the Bernina shop for yearly maintenance). I miss her already!!!

Bake Shop, Movies, Bread

Oh. My. Goodness. Just had to share this wonderful site I learned of over on The Happy Zombie. It is Moda Bake Shop. What a fun assortment of "recipes" for quicky projects using the precuts out there today: fqs, charm packs, jelly rolls, etc. Go see for yourself. I turned my heart block into a table hot pad for February. I did make it a little larger than the sample (just 'cuz I already had this 12 1/2 inch block) and I did replace the regular batting with heat resistant batting (just 'cuz I had a large enough scrap of it) and I did add a bit of lace (just 'cuz I had some and well, it's Valentine month!!). Other than that it's just like the one on Moda Bake Shop LOL!!!

Movie Time. On Thursday DH and I decided to go see Slumdog Millionaire. Oh, wow, what an amazing movie. I can see why it won the Golden Globe for Best Picture. It is suspenseful, eye-opening, a bit violent, entertaining, and romantic--all in one! It was a bit depressing to see the orphan kids of India and how they grapple with staying alive. But so uplifting in a strange way also. Two thumbs up!

Then yesterday dear sister and I had a Girls Day Out. We lunched at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Margarita's (and yes, had margaritas!), went to the new Dillard's store for some shoe shopping therapy, and then to the movies to see Marley and Me. Now THAT is a ten-hankie film! A sobbing and dripping and sniffing ten-hankie film. But entertaining nonetheless.

I have been on a kick for about a year or so to find a great go-to no-knead bread recipe. This book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Hertzberg and Francois, has a good one. You can google the master recipe (Boule Artisan Free-Form Loaf)--that's where I first learned of it. Wish I had saved the website. It is one of those where you make a large amount of dough and keep it in your fridge, then pull out what you need for that day's bread. It has a very good flavor and it is convenient to have the dough waiting for you in the fridge. Will post a photo next time I make it. Next picture is from the Mary Jane's Farm magazine (which is an amazing mag, BTW, if you are interested in organic food, crafts, and farm life). Her No-Knead Artisan Bread uses a sourdough starter and looks very similar to the Hertzberg-Francois loaf. I am going to give this one a try some time this week. And, of course, the NY Times Speedy No-Knead Bread is also a tasty one. That recipe is also google-able. If any readers have another yummy no-knead recipe you'd be willing to pass along, I'd greatly appreciate it. Mmmmm....warm yeasty bread, is there anything better?

Off to buy ingredients for making quesadillas to munch on during the Super Bowl...

Fun With Blocks

One of my favorite blogs, Tall Grass Prairie,

has an amazing tutorial for making heart blocks from 1" strips of fabric. Well, obviously, this ain't it LOL!!!! I got my strip set of 10 1x22 reds and off reds all sewn together ready to cut out the parts I needed when I discovered I had cut the strips 1 1/4! Toopid, toopid, toopid!!! Will have to try that one again--after I've calmed down. In the meantime, I so loved her pattern idea, that I decided to make a heart block using some nickel squares but using the same idea. Kinda like it!!

Next I stitched up Block 1 from Gail Pan's current BOM. These should be really sweet.

Next I got my KC Star 2009 Block 1 all sewn up. Not sure I'll stick with this dark of a red....

With Super Bowl right on our heels, I thought this darling way to serve the ole' layered dip would be so fun! The dip recipe I usually use is: 1 8-oz can bean dip, 1 8-oz carton guacamole dip, 1 16-oz sour cream, 2 diced tomatoes, 1 bunch chopped green onions, 2 ounces chopped ripe olives, 3 cups grated cheddar cheese. Throw this together using the photo as a guide (how's that for exacting directions?!!!) and serve with tortilla chips. The adorable cardinal was on the cover of this month's Missouri Conservationist magazine--not an endorsement of either team, just a cute photo!

Kansas City Star 2009 BOM

One of my most favorite things to anticipate each year is the arrival in my Sunday newspaper of the annual quilt block of the month.   This year's promises to be lots of fun and also educational.   Each year the project pays tribute to some aspect of history, most often pertaining to women.   This year's focus is the 90th anniversary of women securing the right to vote.   Along with the monthly pattern and fabric suggestions will be a blurb commemorating one who influenced the history of women's rights.   This is a topic right up my alley and I can't wait to collect all 12!!!!     I have pictured a photo of the finished quilt in a blue/red/gold color scheme along with the first block, Lucy Stone.   I just love the mix of pieced and appliqued blocks!    As of yet, I have not pinned down my own color scheme but that is on the agenda for today!    Hopefully some stash can be busted.

One of the directions I want to take with my "new" blog is exploring some of my other interests in addition to quilting.   I decided it would only be fair to drop out of the various quilting rings I have belonged to over the past 2 or 3 years.   Most people in a quilting blog ring expect to read about quilting!!!!    I will be posting a variety of topics: books I am enjoying, color studies, crochet/knitting, stitchery, cooking, cats, etc.  This will make my blog more of a journal for myself so I totally understand if I lose readership.   But I am hoping that will not happen and that readers will chime in more! 

Babystepping Back Into Blogging

Gee, I never expected to stay away so long! Seems that once you get out of the habit of posting, it is very easy to stay out of the habit. I hope to get back in the bloggy groove now. I decided, since it was like starting all over with my blog, it was a good time to come into the 21st century and update my template. I am still learning how to use all the fun new ways to add lists and banner photos and other such techie stuff--so bear with me!


I have managed to accomplish a bit while on break. I had felt very "creativity-challenged" back in November--both with blogging and with quilting/crafting. I realize now that part of the quilting problem was the horrific state of my sewing room. No before photos! And really, no after photos either as this is a work in progress. However here is a photo of part of my stash--after it has been culled and ROYGBIVed.

It is so much easier to find a certain color or print with it downsized like this! Now if I can just keep it this way. I have plans for reorganizing the rest of the room, slowly but surely. I have done a bit of sewing too. On the sidebar of the blog I will attempt to keep track of current projects and UFOs. This list will grow. Many projects were packed away. Ya gotta know when to fold 'em, as Kenny Rogers would say. Just getting some UFOs out of my line of sight improved my attitude 100%.

DH and I decided to purchase a new mattress recently--it had been a while LOL. And boy, did that make a big improvement in my sleeping!!! Of course, that meant a new comforter was needed. And new sheets. And new throw pillows. And new nightstands. And a new wallhanging! Ya can't just buy the horse now, can you?

In keeping with the theme of change and new beginnings, I also decided to start the new free BOM from Bunny Hill Designs. I just love their patterns and this looks to be so cute. Here's my 12 8 1/2" squares of creams and whites all cut and waiting. And here is the first little block all appliqued and embroidered.

So many more photos and thoughts to share, but tomorrow is another day.