MY QUILTY FRIENDS

That is the name of this quilt, a signature block challenge.  Use 17- 2” signature blocks and make something from them.  Blocks were made by members of the Sew Crafty Quilters from Many, LA.   I used the blocks for the centers of larger blocks, to make a quilt that is about 32” square.  (You can click on photos and get a better view of the details.)

Zoe, the quilt model, assisted me in taking photos.  The wind was blowing non-stop, so please overlook the weird angle on the quilt!  She was a big help.  (NOT!!)

 

The colors are very washed out in the photos.  The colored fabric is a very bright hand-painted fabric that I did. 

Machine quilting with brightly variegated thread shows well in the black areas.

  

Seventeen blocks… odd number of blocks to work into a quilt!  I used 16 on the front and made my block into the label for the quilt.  The yellow/orange/ red fabric on the back is something I dyed in a class several years ago.

 

This quilt is currently hanging in the quilt show at Rebel State Park, Marthaville, LA.  The show will hang for the month of February.  They are open Tuesday through Saturday, 9-5.  Ya’ll come!

I will be giving 2 quilting talks/lessons on Saturday, February 25th starting at 10:00AM.  Please come if you can!

KAT

Demolition Expert; Cookie Recipe

I now have a new title… Demolition Expert.  If you need something broken or destroyed, just call me!

Not only did I destroy my glasses yesterday morning, but last night at quilt club I also did THIS to my favorite rotary cutter…

Yes, I have used this cutter probably 6 years or so, but it was my FAVORITE, and they no longer make this style.  A replacement of a similar style is ordered, but I am mourning the passing of my favorite cutter.  Don’t let me get near any of your favorite things… I’m sure I could destroy them for you.

To brighten my mood I think I will go eat another cookie.  These are even better than sand tarts because they are so crunchy.  DH says they are addictive, and he is right… you CAN’T eat just one.

 

“Just The Best” Cookie 

(Thanks to Dorothy Alford for sharing her recipe!)

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup salad oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup crushed Corn Flakes

1/2 cup coconut

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups regular flour

Cream butter until soft; add sugars and mix until fluffy; add egg and mix well; add oil and vanilla.

Mix in pecans, oatmeal, Corn Flakes and coconut.  Stir soda and salt into flour; add to cookie mix, stirring well.

Roll into balls the size of walnuts; place on cookie sheet and flatten with a fork.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. 

Place on a brown paper bag or paper towel to cool and absorb excess oil. 

Enjoy! 

KAT

Hodgepodge

“Hodgepodge… a mixture of dissimilar ingredients; jumble” (The American Heritage Dictionary)

This post is truly a HODGEPODGE of ingredients.  This shows how my day began…  RATS!

Yes, I was cleaning my glasses this morning and one of the arms just broke off!  UGGHHH!  I have been procrastinating on getting an appointment to get my eyes examined.  This prescription is 4 years old.  Thankfully I have a pair of old glasses (from SIX years ago).  They are not as stylish as the rim-less (like I care at this point?) and they definitely do not give me good up-close vision.  I have an appointment Friday for a checkup and getting new glasses.  I was planning on getting new lenses put into these frames.  Change of plans, for sure!

In checking my blog this morning I realized that you have been forced to read posts with no pictures for a very long time.  So here are some pics to brighten things up.

I have taken the “12 pairs in 12” challenge.  That means I plan on knitting 12 pairs of socks in 12 months.  I am well on my way.  The above pair was requested by a certain hunter in my household, to help keep his tootsies warm while hunting.  They are made of sport weight yarn.  That was neat to work with because the larger yarn size really works up quickly.  These were my January socks project.  Unfortunately, hunting season is done (except for squirrel.  No, I don’t eat squirrel… he gives them to friends that like tree-dwelling rodents!) so he is ready for next year.

February socks… just for me!  I made this pair from Felici fingerling weight.  I also made them longer than I have been doing.  I really like the extra height.  And of course I love the bright colors and softness.  CHECK!  February socks are marked off the calendar.  I already have the March socks well under way.

  

YUMMY!  This is what my “hot ham and cheese salad sandwiches” looked like on Sunday evening.  This is a blast from the past.  My mom used to make these for us when I was a kid.  I had completely forgotten about them until a couple of months ago.  It has been over 40 years since I have had one of these.  DH double-smoked a ham last week so it was time to make these.

I used 4 cups small cubes of ham, 2-3 cups of shredded cheese (I used a Colby-jack mix and some sharp cheddar), 4 grated hard-boiled eggs, 3/4 cup sweet pickle relish (Can you tell I LOVE pickle relish?), 2 tablespoons finely minced onion, 1/2 teaspoon celery seed, and enough mayo to hold it all together.  Place mixture on split rolls or inside hot dog buns.  Wrap individually in foil.  Warm in a 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes.  YUMMO!  This makes a bunch, so if you are only feeding a few you would want to half this recipe.

I don’t think DH was as impressed with them as I was.  It was a trip down memory lane for me.

So… there is the HODGEPODGE for today.  The cookie recipe (and some pictures of finished quilts) will be arriving in your blog-reading box soon!

Have a blessed day!

KAT

GO TEAM!!

GEAUX SAINTS!

GO TEXANS!

GO DENVER!

GO GIANTS!

It is imperative that we be flexible and willing to adjust to our circumstances!

Happy Super Bowl, sports fans! And happy eating and commercial watching!

We are having:  hot ham and cheese salad sandwiches, Rotel dip and chips, jalapeno cheese bread, fresh Zwolle hot tamales, veggie and relish tray, and “Just the Best Ever” cookies.  (Recipe will follow on another day, because they really are great!)

So, what are YOU having to eat?

KAT

Trapped Inside My Head…

Trapped inside my head are the 5 blog posts I had planned on doing, but they never got transferred to the computer screen.  Trapped inside my camera are the pictures that accompany said blog posts. 

They are very interesting things!  The subjects include two pairs of hand-knitted socks (and another pair in the making), 4 quilt finishes, and 2 upcoming quilt shows.  Now don’t you wish I would just “get ‘er done” and get these posts written out?  ME TOO!

Today I am wrestling with a bear… getting a 110” x 110” quilt put into the machine.  This is the absolute MAX size I can fit in my 12 ft. frame.  Oh, did I mention?  The backing fabric is 108” wide, so I am having to add to one side of the lining to make it long enough.  Did I also mention?  The batting is 96” wide, so I am also having to add inches onto that.  I’m not complaining, just saying. 

Now you know why the blog posts in my head and the pictures in my camera will not meet up with you today.  But they will as SOON (I HOPE) as I can tame that bear in the quilting room.

Later!

KAT

Priorities…

Today I have worked hard to… sew the binding on a customer quilt.  Check the back of the super-king-size quilt that I finished quilting at (UGGHHH!) 10:30 PM last night.

Now I am going to go sew the borders on that “America The Beautiful” quilt top that has been waiting.  I finished the body of the quilt at SIL Retreat 3 WEEKS ago, and it has been waiting, and waiting, to arrive at the “completed” stage.  It has been sitting on the table next to my machine.  Today it YELLED at me as I was finishing the customer quilt, “What about ME??”  I heard it… I really did!

I know… there are other things I SHOULD be doing.  BUT this is what is calling my name the loudest.

Yes, I fully realize that I may not have any CLEAN UNDERWEAR to take on the trip we are going on tomorrow.  Priorities!  I know that I will probably return to a very messy house, but right now I don’t care.  Priorities!  When the quilt/sewing muse strikes, one must just “go with it”!

Priorities… we’ve all got them.  And they are subject to change the instant we view fabric waiting to be worked into a quilt top.  That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!

Have a great day!  I HOPE to have pictures for you soon.

KAT

The Healing Power of Quilting

All quilters know that sewing and quilting is great therapy.  We can use it to either take our mind off whatever problems/issues we are facing at the time, or use it to bring the issues close to our heart as we work through the grieving process.

If you are interested in an inspirational quilting story, check out the link below from Jamie in Houma, LA.  And as she says in her title, “Get the Kleenex!

http://babyboomerquiltingbee.blogspot.com/2012/01/quilting-to-heal-quilts-for-healing-get.html

Thank you, Jamie, for reminding us of the healing power of fabric, thread, and needles.

Be blessed today!

KAT

Just Playin’ Around!

My friend Marty said, “I’m sending you a quilt to play on.”  It is made from half-square triangles, and a few squares.   Seriously!  Now just looking at this, you would never guess that!  Isn’t it neat?  It is 32” x 32”.

Fleur-de-lis  (Go Saints!  Sorry, I just had to throw that in!) and feathers now cover her little quilt.  (Click on pictures to get a better view of the quilting.)

It seemed to take FOR.E.VER. because I really have not done much with the custom quilting features on IQ.

I really learned a lot and found some short-cuts as I was working through this (for days and days).  I did a lot of adapting designs for the unusual areas, then chunking them and starting over.

Tomorrow it will be sent zooming back to her. 

I think she will like it.

I think I will be glad to get back to quilting pantos on customer quilt…  Playing was fun, but it was HARD WORK!  Work hard, play hard.  Such is my world!

Be blessed!

KAT