Well, It's Cold

So, turning the oven on and cooking a cherry slab pie seemed like a good idea to me today.

It was.

It really was. I know. I shouldn't have done it.

The other half square triangle quilt top is complete.

I sewed some of the leftover hst's together and will incorporate them into the backing.

Only trouble is, I feel like taking a nap. Too much pie, I guess. ;-)  I'm really thankful that I did not have to go any further than the chicken house in this cold.

I do hope you are behaving better that I did today!

Hugs and kisses,

Half Square Triangle Quilt Complete

I finished the half square triangle quilt over the weekend. I just kept forgetting to get Mr. Muddling to hold it up outside while I took pictures.  We almost waited too long today.

But, since the pictures aren't that great, I'll post more.  That ought to work, huh?

I really like this little lap size quilt.  It is all flannel, front and back.  I quilted it fairly densely, so it should hold up to living here in the land of Muddle.  Since Miss Lady has exercised her pretty white teeth on several of the quilts here, I'm replinishing our supply.

The backing is also flannel.  These two pieces are some I bought a while back and they are nice, heavy flannel.  The brown center stripe is also what I used for sashing on the front.  It came in a box of odds and ends I bought from a seller on ebay.

I played with the blue hst's last night.  Each of these blocks is assembled, but not sewn into a top yet, and that is the sashing I chose there on top.  I started pressing them last night, but only got about half way through.

Today was a doctor visit day for Miss Ru.  Not a bad one, but tiring nonetheless.  I sometimes think the worst part is the waiting.  We got bored and started taking pictures with our phones.  This blog post is about all I've accomplished since getting back home. 

 

I hope you've had a day that was fun and productive!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Half Square Triangles

I've had that little container of half square flannel triangles hanging around for a while. They were already sewn into squares, light and dark. I decided it might be a good time to get them made into something and started playing.

Pretty soon they had grown into a pretty good sized design.

I have the vertical rows sewn together and maybe I can get it the rest of the way sewn today/tonight. I'm liking the scrappiness of it and how easily it goes together.

The triangles were cut with my Go! cutter using the 6 1/2 inch half square triangle die.  As you can see I've already cut a fat quarter bundle into more of those triangles.

I'll  cut these "leftovers" into squares and small strips later.  Hate to waste.  Yes, I do.  This fat quarter bundle was a clearance deal at Connecting Threads.  Love those great buys!

I've been working yet again on organizing fabric.  What a mess it makes to try to make things neat!

Dinah has insisted on giving me her expert assistance.

And it IS starting to look a lot better in there.

It is a beautiful day here, sunny and cool.  The sky is just such a clear blue on these cool winter days.  Makes me smile and thank God!

I hope you're finding plenty where you are to be thankful. 

The world is so full of a number of things I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.  Robert Louis Stevenson

Hugs and kisses,

Another Saturday Night

We just got word on Thursday that our pastor had been hospitalized.  I started work on a quilt for him.  There were some interruptions (aren't there always?) but by Saturday night I had it ready to quilt.  It was loaded on the frame at 8:30 Saturday night.  I got to bed at 4:30 Sunday morning, but the quilt was completed, washed and in the dryer.  Glory to God.  The background in the collage above is the backing fabric, a Phillip Jacobs design.  Isn't it pretty!  And you KNOW I like those churn dash blocks!

The good news is that he is back at home.  He will have to have some real rest and time for recuperation, but home is surely a good place.  There are lots of love and prayers sewn into this quilt.  I believe he will feel that.  He and his family showed us such love and compassion when we showed up there broken and battered after our sad experience at the church we had attended for nine years.  They will always have a special place in our hearts for that kindness.

And lest you think it never gets cold in Texas, this photo is from a trip my Sweetie took to Dallas this week.  We had frozen bird baths here, but since there is no fountain in our back yard, I don't know if that would have frozen or not. LOL  I'm just glad to be back to our regularly scheduled weather here!

Speaking of Mr. Muddling, he took the quilt out of the dryer this morning (I was asleep) and hung it outside and took pictures of it before taking it to church.  I am definitely keeping him!  

In posting this I'm thinking about Sarah of Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  She and her group of quilters have such a vibrant quilt ministry at their church.  It is amazing how much can be done when there is a will to work.  I hear she's writing a book!

I do love making quilts - the whole process is just so enjoyable to me, and that I can bring happiness to someone with one of my quilts just makes it that much better.

I hope you are doing something that brings you joy!

Hugs and kisses,

Balance

We did have some really cold (for us) temperatures last night and the night before.  It has, of course, taken a toll on things growing out in the yard.  But it is a beautiful day today, the sun is shining, the birds are singing.  And the chickens are making merry free ranging all over the back yard.  And there is still plenty that is green out there.  Even roses blooming!

Inside, it is nice and warm.  There are pretty plants in the windows and I can see how very blue the skies are.

 I can see chickens and birds enjoying all the good things out there to eat.

Yesterday was good day for chicken soup, and so that is what we had.  It was good, too.

Last night/this morning I finished sewing all the strips together.

Now, I'm thinking about borders.  Yes? No?  I'll let that marinate for a while. 

And, I had some leftover blocks from the last churn dash I made, so I put them up on the design wall.  I do so love making these blocks.  I may go there again.  Thanks Deb, for inspiring me to make these.  Thank you, Sheila, for sharing the instructions you got from Sharon. Aren't blog friends wonderful!  You have all enabled me to do so much more than I could have figured out on my own.  I am thankful for each one of you!

Hope you have a wonderful day and evening, full of things you love.

Hugs and kisses,

Working on My Red Strips Again

I have been working along on this one since Christmas.  I really wish it were already finished.  It's COLD here!

This one will live here on our bed. I do like red.  This has been a fun one.  I don't have a pattern for it.  I saw one on a blog, sorry I don't remember which one and just sort of figured it out for myself.  Muddling, you know.  There are seven columns sewn together so far.  I think I'm going to do four or maybe five more.   

I was outside bringing in or covering the things I don't want to freeze tonight when I noticed this seed pod.  Isn't it pretty?  I had noticed it months ago on the Confederate jasmine vine.  It was green then and quite hard. I hadn't noticed it at all since then until today.  That is my computer mouse above it to give you an idea of scale.  The "hairy" part is incredibly soft and silky.  I love seeing the variety in God's creation.  

Bruno tried so hard to stay awake and help me with this post, but he went to sleep!

I do hope you here in the Northern Hemisphere are staying warm and dry, and that you in the Southern Hemisphere are staying cool.  Isn't that funny?  And how amazing that we can be reading about each other's lives and interests and getting to know each other a little bit!  I am thankful for each one of you!

Hugs and kisses,

Happy New Year!

Here are the quilts I completed in 2013.  I did not make them all, but I did quilt them all.  I had a good time with each and every one of them and I truly hope to make even more in 2014.  

For many of us, and certainly for me - making quilts is something that not only blesses others, but also helps to keep us sane. (No comments please about my sanity or lack thereof. LOL!!) I was so touched by this portion of her post in Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog last night:

There are a couple mismatched seams that I would call "GLARING”.  And I’m not fixing them.  They are quilted in.  Those are the spots where my heart got derailed.

Some future “quilt inspector”  may tsk tsk at the inaccuracy of those places, the wobbly-ness of seams, the chopping off of a few points.

But I will know when I see these humble places that at that moment –seams went awry while sewing through a veil of tears and much heart-trembling.

This is how we hold it together.  Sometimes, just like life –Quilts are just a beautiful mess, and we just keep quilting on while trying to hold on to our sanity.

You can read the whole post here.

Of course I have "helpers" who keep me in line. Hasn't Dinah grown!  She came to live with us in September, and it seems like she's been here forever.  We love her, and Miss Ru really loves her.

I am so thankful as we begin a new year for so many things.  God has been good to me.  I pray that you also have many things for which to give thanks.

Hugs and kisses,