Another Rainy Day Project

Donna Royson renewed my interest in Eleanor Burns after she became a certified Quilt In A Day Instructor.  Donna represents the brand very well.  She even has a humor about her similar to Ms. Burns.

Part of my renewal includes a setting on my DVR to record episodes of Quilt In A Day anytime they are broadcast.  The show airs on 345 RFDTV on Direct TV.  It does not matter to me that the episodes were originally broadcast many years ago.

Quick Quarter Quilts aired November 5^th.  An assortment of recorded programs played in the background while I worked on Maridee’s quilt.  Eleanor suggested fat quarters.  She did explain how you could use ¼ ‘ cuts, if you were without fat quarters.

Eleanor, did you say fat quarters?  Into my stash I went and came out with a package of Tonga Treats, 12 color coordinated fat quarters.  This quilt will finish at 44X52, perfect for the Ronald McDonald House.  And I’m checking off another project for Aby Dolinger’s Fat Quarter Challenge.  Thank you, Eleanor!

The two border fabrics were selected and ready to press, but then I went to a guild meeting.  Cindy Williams, quilter, not actress, was our speaker.  No way can I put plain borders on this quilt.  I need to put her teachings in to practice.

First opportunity available, the graph paper and colored pencils are out, drafting ideas for borders.  Anyone that attended the program have a suggestion?

This quilt literally went together in a few hours.

Progress on Maridee’s Quilt

Ta Da!  Two borders remaining and this quilt top will be done.

A busy day attending an orientation for the Chavalitos Project and then home long enough for dinner and it’s back out the door for Garden Club.

James Carston, retired Army CID, now a Private Investigator, spoke with us last year about personal security.  One of the best speakers ever, we invited him back to speak to us about internet security.  Another eye-opening presentation.

Two key points from tonight:  Change your password(s) on a regular basis, yes it is a pain, but easier than having to fix identity or credit card theft.  If in doubt, don’t open that email.  Contact the company it is allegedly coming from and ask if they emailed you.

Have you heard about the latest scam?  Romance scam.  Unscrupulous persons set up a profile, using photos of another individual.  They contact you through various dating sights, eventually learning enough about you to steal your identity or they begin to ask for money.  And we know the rest of that story.

Have a good evening everyone!

Quilters Enjoy Bad Weather

When it’s cold and raining, what’s a quilter to do?  You will not find us outside raking leaves and/or pine-straw.  Saved by the rain!  Scratch that raking project.

After receiving so much rain causing roads and bridges to wash away, flood homes and generally cause a disaster, South Carolina is now under drought conditions.  Matthew was our last rain fall; 31 days ago.

Rain and temperatures in the 40’s gave me a great reason to get started on Maridee’s quilt. Happy to have the center block of this project completed.

 I find myself being a little OCD about my fabric placement making sure that the directional fabrics are going in the right direction.  Memo to self:  Don’t use directional fabrics next time you make Maridee’s quilt.

On to the next block!

Maridee’s Quilt

Fat Quarter Challenge

Did you accept the fat quarter challenge Aby Dolinger gave us in January 2016?  Aby is consistent in her effort to reduce her stash of fat quarters.   Some followers, like me, are less consistent.  One thing for certain, we are all having fun.

Aby’s September/October  posting showed a project made by Maridee.  It includes various techniques she has learned over the years.  I really liked the quilt and Maridee was kind enough to send me general instructions for the construction.

I have collected bundles of fat quarters from the Cotton & Steel fabric lines since they first appeared on the market; it’s time to start using them.

I’ve dug in to my stash and pulled out seven fabrics.   The finished project may not include any of these, some of these or all of these.  That is one thing so great about quilting.  We have the freedom to interpret a pattern using any fabric, any color, any design, we choose.

If you accepted the fat quarter challenge, remember to post your completed project(s) on Aby’s blog.

How Did You Thank A Veteran Today?

The Quilt of Valor (Mosaic Quilt pattern) I started in September is done!  You may remember my error with the borders and the suggestion by Cindy Munn to make stars for the corners.  Today I finished the last two stars and stitched on the final borders.

I’m continuing to make scrappy stars for another Quilt of Valor.  Six more blocks need to be finished and then the construction can begin.

What did you do to thank a Veteran on Veteran’s Day?

“A Great Concept, But Will Never Happen”

 

 

 

These are the words Professor Zavaglia sprawled in big red letters across my 1990 final exam for Legal Research and Writing.

 

Have you ever gone to look for something only to become sidetracked for hours traveling down memory lane?  Happened to me recently.  Searching for some documents, I opened a Pandora’s box filled with nostalgia.  Four hours later, still not having located the specific documents I wanted, I did find a 26-year-old final exam. (This course was the deciding factor that directed me to any career other than law.)

In the day, smoking was allowed everywhere and anywhere.  Always a non-smoker, your smoke bothered and irritated me.  I frequented the mall often and always came home smelling of smoke.  It was enough of a reason not to go to the mall.

That was the premise for Smoking Within All Areas of Enclosed Malls Should Be Prohibited.  Students had to defend an approved premise in the form of a legal brief.  I received an “A” along with the comment, “A great concept, but will never happen.”

Twenty-six years later, you can hardly smoke in any public place, in fact, in some parts of LA (Los Angeles), you can’t even smoke on the street.  The point being this, if you have an idea share it.

Quilting is much the same.  If you have an idea, plan it out; cut the fabric; sew it back together; quilt, bind and put a label on it.  You just never know what will happen.

 

A Quilt Well Traveled

 

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill

Cat not included

Happily Scrappily Irish began as a leader and ender project circa 2012. Apropos as the pattern is from Bonnie Hunters book,  Adventures with Leaders & Enders.

Two patches grew in to four patches and then eight patches and eventually a 25 patch.  A total of 66 25-patches and background squares are needed.

 

Then it was on to making unit 1.  You need 132 of those.

This project traveled to many locations in South Carolina, North Carolina and even Georgia.  Yes, Happily Scrappily Irish is well traveled.

I’ve been student, teacher and tourist while traveling with this “Quilt in Progress.”  I’ve met a lot of people and made a lot of new friends.

“What are you working on?”  “You quilt?  I didn’t think anyone did that any more.”  Why yes we do and there are lots of us.

As I stitched the final two sides of the outer border today, as I was sewing, I found myself smiling, thinking about all those great people and all those wonderful places Happily Scrappily Irish and I have traveled.

Are you a “Quiltvillian?”  Which Bonnie Hunter patterns have you made?

Update on the “Cemetery Project”

Presentation cases and 12 quilts are complete – THANK YOU to all that made and donated a quilt(s) – and ready to wrap the caretakers who work at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery.

The wrapping has turned out not to be an easy task to schedule.  The cemetery has between 15 and 19 funerals every day.  Yes, every day.  We discussed many options.

The cemetery has a “shut-down” period in December.  During these three days no funerals are scheduled.  We have proposed the wrapping take place during the “shut-down” period.

We are waiting for approval from the Director.

The next mission, should we accept it, 30 quilts for the Veterans who reside at Wildewood Downs, a retirement community.  For one reason or another, these Veterans are unable to attend Memorial Day ceremonies at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery.  A second program is conducted at Wildewood Downs on Memorial Day for these residents.  Some Veterans are confined to a wheelchair which means smaller quilts will be required.

More to follow on the new challenge.  In the meantime, it looks like December for the National Cemetery wrapping.

Cats not included

Congratulations Students!

 

Mary Ann H. won a ribbon at the SC State Fair on her stash busting string quilt.  She attended the class I taught for Threads of Time.

 

 

 

 

 

Eleanor M. and Kay Y. finished this string quilt as a fundraiser for Holy Angels, a facility that cares for severely handicapped children.  These ladies are members of Foothills Quilt Guild in Shelby, NC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QSC Pieceable Retreat student, Harriet W., completed a Halloween table runner from the “extra credit” class I taught during a free evening.

 

 

And what’s on my machine?  Scrappy blocks for Quilts of Valor.  With the exception of the white star, all of the strings were given to me or were scraps from previously constructed quilts.  The navy blue frame is the fold of the fabric.  Salvaged from a retreat, someone was going to throw these perfectly sized scraps in the trash.

 

If you have attended one of my classes, I would love to see pictures of your finished quilt.

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

Kudos To Snapware

Kudos to Snapware!

 

I recently broke the tab off of the lid of my stacking bins.  No excuses.  It was totally my fault for overloading and carrying the bins a long distance.

 

 

When I called snapware to order a replacement lid, I was told the product has a lifetime guarantee.  Even after explaining that my mis-use of the product caused the damage, the representative told me it did not matter.  The product has a lifetime guarantee.

 

UPS delivered a large box today.  I’m thinking what an awfully large box for a lid.  Snapware sent me a complete set.  And at no charge.

Customer service like this is frequently hard to find.  It’s nice to know businesses like this still exist.