Busy Saturday

The day started off pretty early at 5:30 am.  I had my last half marathon for the season today.

I finished with no major injuries, which is always good.  Today's race was my fastest yet for a half.  I beat my best time by 3 minutes, so I was very happy about that.  Once I got home, iced the knee, showered and applied Biofreeze, took ibuprofen, I was better.  Tried to nap but the calves wouldn't have it.

I watched a video on crochet slippers about 12 times but still just couldn't get it.  Thought maybe I needed a little more practice first, so I started another scarf.  I found the softest yarn.  It is called Love by Red Heart.  Much softer than the Super Saver kind.

Going to hit the sack early tonight......my legs are telling me to.

First Crocheted Scarf

I say first, because I enjoyed this project so much I know I'll make more.  The ends are very crooked so I'll have to tuck them in like the picture when I wear it.

I think I figured out what I did on the ends that messed them up.    I didn't skip a "hole" when I turned it around to start another row.  Learn from mistakes!  I think I'll wear it to church this morning. It is cold enough.

Tools for quilters

I read somewhere that office tools can be used to help organize quilting tools.  I made a trip to Staples the other day and picked up some things.

The file dividers are great for your rulers.  The pencil holder works to hold scissors and I liked the little notepad/cell phone rest and pencil holder.

I have a question and I'd love to have your input.

Our quilting group at church made this from church members ties and once it is quilted, the plan is to hang it in our new addition.  It will measure about 80" x 80".  One option suggested is to frame it under glass, after it is quilted.  Although expensive, the money is available to do that.  I realize framing it will probably preserve it longer than hanging.  What is your opinion? I have an opinion, but wanted to solicit others.

Crochet!

I've learned to crochet!

For years I've wanted to learn to knit.  Our quilting class at church is in between projects and we decided to take a couple of weeks to learn to crochet.  It is a simple scarf pattern.  It isn't as hard as it looks.  I know I messed up a lot in the first couple of rows but I just kept going and now I think I've got the hang of it. Crochet is like a preliminary skill to knitting, right?

I know, I don't need another hobby.  I think this will be good just in case I want to do a project here and there, or to keep something going for car rides/airplanes/sitting in the living room with my hubby while he watches TV.

Quilting Update:  I haven't done much quilting lately.  Actually I am waiting on a response from Fons and Porter.  I submitted my Checkered Past quilt (no, you readers haven't seen the full thing), and they suggested a change.  They said to redesign it and submit again with fabric suggestions and they would send me the fabric to make it. I'm assuming IF they like the re-design, and IF they want it for a magazine. They are usually so prompt with emails. So, I'm a bit surprised I didn't get an acknowledgment that they received the new design, nor any correspondence, especially since they requested it for a review meeting that was occurring the last week in October. So.....here I wait.  Maybe I'll send another email later this week......

Baby Quilt

I quilted this one for a friend. This friend has been battling cancer for about 19 years. She is what you'd call a lifer. She is such an inspiration. She made this one for her future grandson. She made one in our quilting class at church a couple of years ago for her future granddaughter. As of now only one of her three children is married and no grand babies are on the way.

Now she has something special made for her first grandson and first granddaughter. They will have it whether she gets to meet them this side of heaven or not.

 

Foothills Half Marathon

Just a quick post about my other hobby, running.

I did the Foothills Half Marathon today. It was tough, but mostly because I didn't prepare enough. However, I finished with no major injuries. I'm pretty slow but I try to remember, that I am out there, and be thankful I can do it.  I set a new personal record in this third half. Barely, but I think a couple of minutes.

Saturday Night

Not much going on here. Had a little excitement earlier in the day.  Ever broke a Corelle dish?  Me either, in fact, I thought they were pretty much indestructible.  Not when dropped on granite.

It was a small bowl.  Shattered in itsy, bitsy pieces.

We've had a few trick or treaters.  Not a lot, but a few.  Our young friends came over as is the tradition.

Friday Catch Up Day

It's so nice having a day to get caught up with laundry, house cleaning, and errands. What did you do today?

As I was putting away some freshly washed quilts today, I wondered....do other quilters decorate their homes with their quilts?  Do you?

The husband often falls asleep in his recliner so there is always a quilt there.  The runner on the back of the couch is not for decor, but to try to keep the couch clean.  One of our cats loves to sleep on the top couch pillows.  I have several on the ladder and a few folded up on the trunk, the little fall leaf quilt on the coffee table, and it isn't very evident in this picture, but I have my retirement quilt hanging by the front door.  I also have a quilt chest in my bedroom, with several, a rack in the extra bedroom with a few, one on my kitchen table as a topper, and one hanging in the landing of the stairwell....plus several little ones packed away. And of course, at least two on each bed.  How about you? Do you decorate with quilts?

Merry Monday

Love my Monday's off work. Finished up the remembrance quilt yesterday. Take a peek....

Then I made a couple of blocks for our guild president's quilt.

Then today, I've done some house cleaning, got in a run.....

....and also have six loaves of honey wheat bread in the oven.....

I eat this every single morning for breakfast. Sometimes with honey and butter, sometimes with cinnamon, sometimes with jam. Yum. Thankful I have a convection oven so I can make a double batch at once. It is a mess but so worth it.

Saturday Sewing and Running

Good day.  Finished the quilting on the latest Remembrance Quilt.

This was difficult to make and quilt.  Sometimes that happens with shirts.  I was not too happy with the outcome but Jim likes it and think she will love it.  I decided to bind it in Harley Davidson orange.  The big emblem didn't work out on the back, so I plan to try to hand sew it on the back after I get it bound.

I did a 5k this morning. I was a little worried because I hadn't run since Monday and my knees really hurt Monday night.  No problem at all with my knees today and I am pleased with my results.  First (of two) in my age group, and finished in 34:38.

I met a friend there who finished first in her age group too. She did awesome at about 32 minutes.

Remembrance Quilt

I've made good progress on this Remembrance Quilt today.

Sometimes shirts are pretty difficult to work with.  These haven't been easy but I think it is going to turn out ok.  I'm doing some of the fancy filler work in each block.  I am not sure how the quilting is going to work out on the back because I put a large Harley Davidson emblem, from one of his shirts, on the back.  I didn't think about how the quilting will work on it. I am going to continue on and if it doesn't work, I'll crawl under the table and remove it.  I didn't piece it into the back but just sewed it on.

I'd love to hear about Memory quilts some of you quilters have made.  Tell me about them!

Quilting Magazines

Aren't they great? I love to look through the quilting magazines for inspiration. Having a quilt accepted for a magazine is a fabulous experience. However, you must have patience.  They work from about 9-12 months ahead so if you get one selected you won't see it in print for months....or even a year. I submitted my latest quilt - the shadow quilt, to Fons and Porter and they have selected it for one of the quilts in their fall 2016 issue of Easy Quilts. I'm really beside myself with excitement but it will be a whole year before my quilt is returned and I see it and my name in print.  So I'll just have to patiently wait.

This makes two for me.  My Edinburgh Square quilt is scheduled for McCall's Quick Quilts in spring 2016. One of the things I love about quilting is there is always a new goal to try for -- learn a new technique, make a really difficult quilt, design a block or quilt, or get one published.

Learning while Running

I had a long run on my half marathon training schedule again today.  Did ten miles on the treadmill.  Thank goodness for Fons and Porter and Quilt in a Day Youtube videos!

Quilting tools

Do you have some quilting tools you can't do without? I'm not much for gadgets. They have to really help me do something better or I won't use them. Some seem to slow me down. For example....

I know a lot of folks love using the binding clips. I bought these recently (are they not exactly like little girl hair barrettes?!). At first I thought they were great, but they really slowed me down. I don't pin my bindings but use my left thumb to turn it up as I stitch with my right hand. Nope. They are not for me. One thing I like to do for bindings is keep my little recycled zip bag full of everything I need -- needles, hand quilting thread, scissors, thimble, reading glasses. When I'm ready to bind, I just grab it and go.

These were an investment ($$$). They are leader clips. Pinning a quilt onto a long arm machine takes about an hour. With these, you place the fabric over the hard plastic dowel that has been inserted into the leader fabric. Then snap on the top. The verdict is still out but I do know they are not good for a quilt that has no border, or a border you want to quilt to the edge. Ok for loading the backing but I probably won't use them on the top again. On this quilt I had a two inch border that I wanted to quilt to the edge. They took up about 3/4" of my two inch border.
This jewel, I love....It is a silicone lint roller. Got it at the quilt show in Chattanooga. It came with three sizes -pocket, regular, and this big boy. Great for picking up all the little threads that attach themselves to us quilters and our work space. The only draw back is after you rinse it in hot water to release the junk it picked up, then you have to dispose of the water, preferably not in the sink unless you also use a drain to catch the threads.

I went out on a limb and tried a McTavishing type filler on my shadow quilt. I think it is much easier than stippling and looks "fancier." It really wasn't hard. The key is using matching thread to the fabric. On the back (Orange) it looks quite messy but on the front, beautiful. I worked all day yesterday on this. The filler took 9 bobbins of thread and today my arms and shoulders are sore.

So, what are your favorite tools of the trade?

(by the way, I've updated my running under its tab, and added a new wonderful recipe under the recipe tab)

Learning machine quilting

I've been scouring over lots of machine quilting YouTube videos lately. I want to learn how to do better at custom quilting. I found a relatively easy technique for filling background called McTavishing. I am going to try it on the white background on the shadow quilt.

They recommend using a thread the same color as the background, at least on first attempts. So I'll be changing thread from a light gray to a white for the filler. This one will take some time to quilt, but I am ready to stretch my abilities so I am excited to get started on it. I found a star pattern and learned how to enlarge it using the iPad. Just take a pic of it, then go into a free application that enlarges it. The biggest enlargement made it perfect for a six inch square. I have a new straight edge tool for the straight line quilting. I am ready to go! Going to a quilt shop today to find the right backing so I can get started.