KATHY'S FANCY STITCHING NEWS



Postings and ponderings of a quilting and knitting addict!





Thursday, June 30, 2011

So, How Do You Like Me NOW?

I’m not fishing for complements, I just want to know if this background/photo combination works.  The quilt shown is “Peach Smoothie”, and you can read her story HERE.

Of course, BLUE is my favorite color, so the background works for me!  This is much more “restful” than the very busy background I initially chose.

So… How do you like me now??  Inquiring minds want to know!

AND while I am on your computer, what’s up with the disappearing FOLLOWERS gadget?  I tried removing it and then adding again, but the pictures of my followers still did not appear.  Does anyone have an idea how to fix this?  I have noticed that the followers have disappeared on other blogs, too, so it is not just a problem with me (for a change).  All help will be greatly appreciated!

KAT

Change Gone Bad

SHEESH!  I just wanted to give the blog a “fresh look”.  I was tired of looking at that same background and header photo.

I struggled with this for several hours yesterday, replacing the background and trying to get a new photo to load in the header.

I am none too happy with the results… the background will be changed ASAP because I do not like the texture where the posts are… who wants to read THROUGH a checkerboard?  It is really tough on the eyes.

The photo is the photo I wanted, but only the left half of the photo shows.  It is a sunrise on the marshes, and was an absolutely perfect beginning to our day when we went fishing in south LA several months ago.  I tried re-sizing it and then posting, but I can’t get it to load… blogger informs me there is an internal error, which I assume means it can not retrieve the photo from my computer. 

It was an exercise in frustration, but today sometime I will try again.  For sure what is there now needs some work because it just does not work together.  Please bear with me while I redecorate… you know how frustrating home remodeling can be?  The same goes for a blog overhaul!!

Have a great day and be BLESSED!

KAT

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

We Went…

We went, we bowled (OK ,but not great), and we ate really great stuff!  Lafayette, LA has wonderful food, for sure, and we sampled lots of it last weekend when we went to state bowling tournament.

Such as…
crawfish & shrimp chimichanga (at Coyote Blues)
oyster poboy (at Chris’ Poboys)
shrimp sampler platter (at Nimbeaux’s Cajun Restaurant)
shrimp and crab meat in wine sauce (at Don’s Seafood Hut)

Bad blogger that I am, I did not even take my camera.  Next time I will try and remember that blog postings without pictures are rather dull!

We stopped by The Borne Quilter in Lafayette to take advantage of their 3rd anniversary sale. I was strong... I bought what I needed (border fabric for a t-shirt quilt) and 3 more fabrics that would do well for striped bindings.  I'm hooked on striped bindings!!

While in Lafayette we also went to Pack N’ Paddle, a local sporting goods store.  It appears there is a possibility that 2 sit-on-top kayaks may be coming to live at our house.  We will be going back down in July to test-drive several to see if this is something we could use for fishing and recreation.

The Tree Fort socks are done… except I dropped a stitch when binding off the heel and now have to decide if I am going to rip out the bind-off and re-do it, or anchor the dropped stitch with more yarn and leave it as it is.  The jury is still out.

After a very long day quilting I am ready to relax, so I will now go work on the Bible study that must be completed by tomorrow night.  We are studying “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn.  This will be our first session, but it appears to be very interesting.
Have a great evening, and be BLESSED!

KAT

Saturday, June 18, 2011

I Couldn’t Do It!

I just couldn’t do it!  Today was our guild’s “Quilt Till You Wilt” Saturday, and I just could NOT make myself load up all the stuff I needed to sew.  It was too hot, and I decided I was NOT schlepping the machine, fabric, notions, iron, ironing pad, etc. 

I also could NOT make myself take fabric to cut.  The project I am working on required lots of little pieces and it is scrappy.  Each block is a different pattern so it is very tedious cutting… I tried cutting these types of things at QTW before and I make many mistakes… too many distractions for TR (thinking required) Cutting.

The blog readers selected “Tree Fort” yarn for me to work with next.  I cast one sock on this morning before I left for QTW, and I got the toe completed.  I spent most of the day working on it and HERE is what it looks like now!!

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I will finish the heel and then open the instep to make the leg tonight.  I had no idea I could get this much done in one day!!  This is July’s pair of socks so I am way ahead of the game.  Next weekend we will travel so again I will have lots of knitting time.  It would be wonderful if I could finish July’s socks before July even gets here.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

KAT

Friday, June 17, 2011

A Really Neat Quilt (and other STUFF)

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Isn’t it absolutely gorgeous?  This antique quilt top was purchased  at an estate sale by a friend.  I absolutely love the funky fabrics, which I am guessing are probably from around the 1960s.  It is hand-pieced, and for the most part, nicely done.  (Who in their right mind would try to machine-piece this pattern with all those set-in seams?)  There was some fullness in some of the blocks, but for this pattern and the time period (pre-rotary cutter days) it was wonderful! 

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I spent over an hour looking through the Barbara Brackman Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns to find the name of this block.  I FINALLY found it, only to discover it is an UNNAMED block… sheesh… what a disappointment and waste of my time!   Why didn’t SOMEBODY give this wonderful block a name?

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And on the sock front… the green socks are DONE!  I just finished weaving in the thread tails, and I am ready to move on to the next pair.  (Speaking of which, only 2 people have voted on which yarn I should use next.  PLEASE go to the previous post and vote!!  Pretty-please!!  I will probably be casting the next pair on tomorrow, and I would love to have your input!)

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There… you can see the pattern better when I am NOT using the flash.  I am LOVING this pattern, easy to remember as I am working along, and the cuff is just stockinet stitch and is intended to roll on the top edge.  For this cotton yarn it is the perfect pattern!

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We have been busy this morning!  DH picked and shelled peas, and I have processed them.  Six more bags went into the freezer.  The crowders are all getting ripe at once in this extreme heat (104 degrees yesterday), and perhaps we will get some purple hulls, or maybe not.  I am putting as many as I can in the freezer to have this winter.  YUM!

I must run… lots to do this afternoon.  PLEASE go to yesterday’s post and pick your favorite sock yarn!  THANKS BUNCHES!

KAT

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

So Close…

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I’m so close to finishing the green socks I can taste it!  That wonderful feeling when you bind off the last stitch and weave in the last thread tail… I’m almost there.  Just a few more inches of cuff on the second sock and it is done.

I promise a better picture when they are finished.  WAIT!  Before  I can model socks I MUST shave my furry legs.  Oh well… it is probably time.

By Friday, these will be seen ON MY FEET!  Stay tuned!  Now I am off to put on my nightgown, turn on the TV and knit until I decide to go to sleep.  Life is good when the needles are clacking along, making progress on a sock.

Next up… (you KNOW I can’t go without a sock on my needles) is a wonderful hand-painted yarn, and I can’t decide which one to do.  On the far left is “Pony Ride”, and on the right is “Tree Fort”.  Top to bottom in the middle is :  “Cartoons”, “Berry Patch”, and “Tiger”.  HMMM… It appears SOMEONE has been doing a little too much yarn shopping lately!

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So , 5 choices…  Which  one do YOU think I should use next.  I will let my readers decide, so be sure to give me your opinion by Friday, because you know just as soon as the green yarn comes off the needles I will cast the next yarn on!

Thanks for your help, and in the event of a tie I will let DH pick between the top 2.

And I’m OFF… I can taste it, that wonderful “FINISHED” feeling!  I must go get closer!

KAT

Monday, June 13, 2011

How Hot IS It?

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WWAAAAYYYYY TOOOOOOOOO HOT!  This was taken on the front porch in the shade.

We have had several days of 100 degree temps, and more are predicted.  Hold on here… let’s look at the calendar… Yep… we are still in SPRING here.  Did someone forget that SUMMER has not officially arrived yet?   UGGGHHHH!  Too hot to do anything outside unless you do it early in the day.  Temps this high usually occur in August in our area.

Our local TV station’s weatherman informed us today of THIS wonderful news….  We are in an EXCEPTIONAL drought in the area where I live.  That was the highest of the 3 designations, with the lowest one being SEVERE drought, EXTREME drought, and our area with EXCEPTIONAL drought.  That is because (as he also informed us) we are 30” behind the expected rainfall for this area in the last 18 months.  Did you read that?  30 inches, my friends.  And the outlook?  No rain in sight.

I think I will take my hot, tired self into the kitchen now and stand over the pots of boiling water.  WHY?  Despite the drought DH has managed to keep some of our garden alive by watering EVERY day.  Today he picked corn, crowder peas, and 2 tiny pods of okra to drop in the peas.  Supper will be good tonight!

PROGRESS REPORT:  As predicted, I did manage to work on both of my projects during yesterday’s lazy-gal events.  I FINISHED hemming Jeremy’s quilt and made good progress on my other green sock.  WOOOHOOOOO!  Nothing feels as good as finished… especially since I have been working on Jeremy’s quilt for about 9 months now.  Need I mention the irony of that number… it took that long to bring him into the world.  Well, actually it took 10 months, but you don’t want to hear the story of how FUN it was being pregnant for 10 months!

Enough ranting, complaining, whining keeping you informed of our current situation and other things you don’t want to know.

Be blessed, and a prayer for rain in our area would be much appreciated!

KAT

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Decisions, Decisions

Tomorrow will be a vegetative (lazy) day for me after church.  I plan on doing much of NOTHING!  I have worked so hard this week at various things that I am just worn out, so I will truly make this Sunday a “day of rest”.

But I have a dilemma… which project to work on while vegging out in my Lazy Gal chair?  I have several opportunities for getting a lot done.  First there is NASCAR… that is good for a short while.  DH records the events, then fast-forwards until he sees the yellow-light symbol at the top of the screen.  He backs it up enough to see the crash several times, then proceeds to fast-forward to the next yellow light.  If there are not lots of crashes he can turn a 4-hour show into about 30 minutes!

The second opportunity comes tomorrow night.  I will be cheering Dallas on to victory (hopefully) in the NBA Finals game.

HMMM… I also have 2 projects that need my attention.  I have about 3/4 of 1 side left to hem on Jeremy’s quilt.  I would really like to finish that up, but boy is it HOT dealing with that!  Our temps tomorrow are supposed to hit 100, so I think I will crank the AC   WWWAAAAYYYY down so I can stand to work on the quilt.  Then I would love to knit on the second green sock.  I have finished the foot/heel, and have reattached my needles and made the opening for knitting the leg (Cat Bordhi’s technique).  If you have not tried this method of knitting socks, I highly recommend it!

So, just MAYBE I can work on BOTH of them.  I may even get a little sewing done on one of my projects in between the 2 shows.  I have great plans… we will see how things go!

Be blessed!

KAT

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