Geese, Band, and an Anniversary

My Geese in the Forest top is done! Now how should I quilt it? Any suggestions?


That was a lot of paper to tear off ! But I love paper-piecing, so it's a small price to pay.


We went to a friend's long arm studio to watch her new computer drive complete one of Julia's QOV's. So cool!


I created two band geeks! I'm so proud!
I loved being in marching band in high school, and I'm happy to report that Pete and Julia love it, too. (Don't let the goofy teenage grins fool you!)


Their first performance was at a football game on Friday night. Pete has a really cool snare drum part in the marching cadence that the horn section was dancing to in the stands. They had more fun than anyone at the game! Unfortunately, they got rained out of the Fireman's parade on Sunday. That gives them more time to practice marching before the Veteran's Day Parade.


These 2 cuties started "dating" 2 years ago today.
(13 year olds don't really date and 15 year olds don't have any money, so they mostly hang around at home. That works for me.)


They make each other happy and that makes me happy.

Julia made Josh this neat card. Then they cooked dinner together.
So sweet.

Have a happy day!

I Sewed!

Yay! I finally had some time to sew. I made a list of what needs to be done this fall and it's not pretty. Well, the finished quilts will be pretty!

First up: Three by Three swap blocks are almost a completed top.
I need to decide on the border(s) and if I'll quilt it myself or give it to a longarmer friend.


Silly long-arm story:
At our last Guild meeting, I was asked to read a blurb about an upcoming guest speaker aloud to the members. As I tired to focus, I had to move the paper farther and farther from my face. When I finished reading about this award winning long arm quilter, a friend said:
"Tina, it looks like you've become a long arm reader!"
Hahahahaha!

While I was waiting for my new washing machine to be delivered yesterday,
I finished my Geese in the Forest blocks. I'm hoping to get them sewn together today so I can pull off the paper during Pete's game tomorrow.


During the Mentalist, I laid them out and pinned them to my foam core design wall.
When Bill got home from DC late last night, he said "It looks like a forest."
He's so smart.

Not sure if I mentioned this before-
I don't like paper-piecing large blocks. The original patterns for 6" blocks were just enormous for me, so I reduced them to 3". Without borders, the top will finish at 30", my favorite wall-hanging size.


I need to call Sears this morning to mention that as the washer delivery guy was bad mouthing the salesman, he was hooking up the water lines wrong. I set the washer for a COLD wash. I went in a few minutes after it finished, and the laundry room felt like a sauna! Bill reversed the lines this morning, so I'm ready to spend the day attacking Mount Washmore.

It's going to be a crazy fun weekend.

• Drum lesson and Boy Scout popcorn sale after school (P)
  
• Marching band at the football game tonight (J&P)
  
• Baseball game tomorrow (P)
  
• Airing of the quilts at Cranston Historical Society (1/2 mile from baseball field!)
  
• Silver Award - last few hours of work (J)
  
• Sunday Mass and religious ed class (J&P teach 1st grade)
  
• Firefighter's Parade (J&P)
  
• Praise! rehearsal (J,P &B)
• No School Monday- hurray!
  
• Drive to Providence with Silver paperwork
  
• Celebrate J&J's 2nd anniversary.
  

We will enjoy every minute!

Weekend Update

I started two new little projects this weekend.
Jack, from Happy Zombie, and some Kanzashi flowers from Diane's book.


I traced Jack onto a piece of linen blend, colored him in with crayons, then embroidered the outlines. I need to search the stash for cute border fabric and make him into a pillow.

The Kanzashi book is gorgeous! My first attempt at a flower was a failure. I'm not even going to show you. The orange and purple ones are mine. Julia made the purple one with black button and attached it to a headband. They are really fun to make. Go buy the book now!

Julia and I stitched our way through Pete's baseball double-header yesterday. She's binding the QOV, in the home stretch of her project.


Pete is awesome! When I realized how insanely dirty our windows were, I sent him out to wash the outside of the picture window, the kitchen windows and the french doors. Then he mowed the lawn. I love that kid!


Have a beautiful week,
Tina

Super Simple Signature Block Tutorial

This signature block is super easy, fast and just the right size.
At 4.5" finished, these blocks can be combined with 5" charm squares in a final layout.

I'm working on a super secret project for an online group I belong to,
and I thought a tutorial could be helpful to other groups.

Step 1:
You'll need a 4.5" square
and a 2" X 7.25" rectangle.

Cut the 4.5" square in half
on the diagonal.

Step 2:
Fold each piece in half and pinch at the center.


Step 3:
Align the centers.

Step 4:
Sew one triangle to the strip,
right sides together,
using a 1/4" seam.
(I used pins so I wouldn't stretch the bias edge.)

Step 5:
Press the triangle
away from the strip.

Step 6:
Add the other triangle
and press.

Step 7:
Square up 2 sides of the block.

Step 8:
Trim the block to 5" square.

You signature block is done.

Well, you still need to sign it!

Here's how I did mine.
I make quilt labels this way, too.

Step 1:
Using a word processing or drawing program,
(I use Powerpoint)
type and print out the text.

Step 2:
Tape the printout to a bright window
(or use a lightbox)
and tape your block on top
so the text shows through.

Step 3:
Trace the text or pictures
with a fabric marker.
Heat set the ink if necessary.

Step 4:
Done!
See that frayed edge on the left?
That's from pulling off the tape.
You might want to do the writing
before you trim the block to size.

You are welcome to use this tutorial for your next group project,
but please give credit or link directly to this post. Thank you!

Enjoy!

Guiding Light

I admit it. I'm a soap opera junkie. I started watching CBS soaps when I was about 10. The only time I watched another network was in maybe 1980, when the Luke and Laura thing started on General Hospital.


It was a sad week in our house, as Julia and I cried our way through the final 5 episodes of the Guiding Light. Pete was shooshed more than a few times! Don't talk to us from 3:00-4:00 this week!


We were pretty happy with the way the ending was written. We just wish it didn't have to end. I grew up with Phillip, Rick and Beth. We graduated from high school the same year. I'll miss them.


Looking on the bright side, now I have an hour a day to do something else!

Broken Needles

Julia is the only one doing any sewing around here lately. She needs another 18 hours to meet the requirement for her Silver Award. She's making progress and sewing just about every day.


She has been free-motion machine quilting this week. The machine has been humming! She was quite pleased with herself yesterday when she ran into her finger for the first time. Just scraped the skin, so no blood on the quilt. That was the first needle she broke. Then another broken needle when she ran into a safety pin. I heard the clunk and then the question, "Mom, are needles expensive?" Have you ever seen such a thing?


Since she's quilting on my Bernina, I might set up her Janome today to do some piecing. I've got deadlines, too!

I'm so annoyed with these point and shoot digital cameras. I am sooo ready for a digital SLR. The first photo above was taken with Julia's Nikon coolpix which is not even a year old. The exposure stinks and the lens refuses to focus in macro mode. Ugh! The second photo was taken with Pete's new Nikon coolpix, and it looks like they improved the exposure quality and his macro actually works. Christmas is coming! (and birthday and anniversary)

Class Rings

Julia came home from school yesterday with the class ring order forms! Of course, she and her brother had to try on our class rings (and wore them for the rest of the night). I think the most fun part of designing your class ring is choosing the "pride side," the design on the side that represents what you're doing or who you are in high school. I chose music because I was (and still am) a total band geek. Bill has track and field on his, and he still suffers from back pain from those years of long jumping.


Will Julia choose music, too? Or maybe be more specific and choose brass? Or have a trumpet engraved next to her name? Oh, just rack up those optional costs!

Julia actually asked if she needed to have one. She realizes that a class ring is worn for a few years, then you get a college ring and wear that for a few years, then they both sit in a jewelry box. I do love mine and I'm glad I have it. Where is your class ring?