Input Needed

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Just when I thought I was finished with all of the blocks........

 

......only a few more pinwheels to make..........
......put on a border.........
......finished......right?.......WRONG!

If I continue with this quilt, just as it is and add a border, the finished size will be 74" x 74" approximately.

If I add another row of baskets and Ohio Star blocks, the finished size will be approximately 92" x 74".  More of a bed-sized quilt.

My flimsy finish date is Dec. 9th for the Preview Party at The Purple Orchid.  I could just add the pinwheels on the right side and stop production until after Christmas.  I'm not teaching this until March.....plenty of time to finish.  Gail, I need to have my sister Gail select the fabric sets for 16 more baskets!  While Gail selects, I'll cut and sew and together maybe we could make this happen!

What are your thoughts?  Is bigger better?  Is square better?  I'm usually very decisive, but this quilt has me waffling.  I'm definitely leaning to the larger size, but I will certainly entertain any brilliant ideas from blogland!  (I just did a spell check and the word bludgeoned came up for blogland....not even close!)

That's all for now, I have to go make some pinwheels!

Soon,
An Indecisive Lynn

A Tisket A Tasket

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Just one more basket to go!  It has been fun pairing the fabrics for these little 5-1/2" cuties. I'm not making them too matchy-matchy.

 

The frames go on quickly and they really highlight the basket.  I can just see the crosshatching now in the larger open area.

This basket needs the frame, then it can be added to the mix.  This is the sum total of my quilting yesterday. 

We drove up to the cabin to ride out the storms, yes storms.  While listening to the radio on the way up the mountain, the weatherman said California is going to have 'biblical' rainfall amounts.  That got my attention.  We stacked firewood on the porch, and went to the grocery store so we are good for the duration.  The sky is pink this morning.....red skies at morning, sailors take warning!  I'm going to set my sails for waves of quilting, with an occasional meal in the galley.

Soon,
Lynn

Evelynne's Pillows

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Yesterday when I was working at the shop, Evelynne brought in her two Nostalgic Pillows for me to see. It is so much fun when I get the opportunity to see what quilters make from my patterns. Evelynne did a wonderful job on her creations and I think she had fun too.

 

This pillow is the silhouette of her son and grandson.  She printed it on Printed Treasures fabric and used it as the focal point of her block.  Then she surrounded it with Little Black Dress fabric and just a touch of red, creating a wonderful contrast.  Very classy and very touching. 

We are battening down the hatches here in Sew'n Wild Oaks land.  It sounds like it is going to be raining for days and days accompanied with high winds.  Sounds like good quilting weather to me!  I'd better get some hand sewing projects together just in case the power goes out. 

Have a wonderful day creating happiness for yourself and those around you.

Soon,
Lynn

Back in Blogland

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm back to blogging now that the Thanksgiving holiday is over.  I hope all of you had a wonderful time with family and friends.  We did!

 

I actually managed to squeeze in a little bit of quilting time yesterday.  At the cabin, my sister Gail, put some color combinations together for me. 

 

Unlike most people fairly new to quilting, Gail loves, LOVES to select fabrics for her blocks, and mine.  I handed over the basket of fabrics and she went to town!

She put ten beautiful combinations together for me while I cut out the pieces for the blocks.  When we got home from the cabin yesterday, and all of the company went home, I stitched the final 14 blocks together during the football game.

 

 

The blocks I finished yesterday are the final 14 blocks for Butterscotch Baskets.

 



 

My goal for the week is to finish the remaining basket blocks, and setting pinwheels, then sew this quilt top together.  Now the borders are going to take some time!  This has all the makings of a busy week.  Fun......but busy.

 

Soon,

Lynn

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello Everyone,

The rolls are in the raising process, and I'm just getting ready to start the star of the show.....the turkey. 

I know preparing a large holiday meal for a cast of thousands, (well maybe 10 or so), can be stressful.  I heard a commentary by Sam Sifton of the New York Times on the news the other day and I thought you would enjoy it too.  If you have time today, take a few minutes to read his commentary HERE on his Do's and Don'ts for Thanksgiving.  He's a great writer and he makes a great deal of sense.  Remember.....we are just roasting a large chicken surrounded by piles of mush on our plates.

The next four days are reserved for family time, so I will not be blogging.  I have grandchildren that need my absolute complete attention for walks in the woods, building forts, looking for Big Foot.....all of the important things in life!

Take care everyone and I'm wishing you the happiest of days.  I'm truly thankful for all of YOU!

Soon,
Lynn

Ten Little Scrappy Baskets

 

Hello Everyone,

 

This was my morning project yesterday, finishing ten of the little baskets.  Once all of the HST are made, the baskets just fly together into perfect, little 4-1/2" blocks.  

 

 

This was my afternoon project. During a storm in April of 2011, this tree came down just missing the cabin.  

 

 

 

Our son cut it all up for us and we had rounds of pine tree stacked up around the cabin drying out for the last year and a half. Yesterday, the ax came out and we decided to split some of the rounds for firewood. I took a turn with the ax and my hands and back are telling me today that it wasn't such a good idea pretending to be Paula Bunyon.   A log splitter is at the top of my Christmas list!

 



When I took my first swing with the ax, trying to zero in on the wood splitting grenade,  I'm sure I looked like Wiley Coyote when he hits an anvil instead of the Roadrunner!  My whole body vibrated and my hands almost let loose of the ax.  After a few swings, Mr. Joe stopped laughing and I finally got the hang of it.  Do you know how hard it is to swing an ax when you're laughing?  I need to work on this hand/eye coordination thing. By the end of the afternoon, I was wishing for a real grenade to take care of the wood.

The end result of the afternoons work was a nice stack of firewood by the front door.  We have more wood to bring up the hill from the back yard, which can wait until the rain stops.

Today I will stick to more domestic endeavors and make a pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and persimmon cookies.  All of the company arrives tomorrow around noon, and I want to be ready for them with food and firewood!

Enjoy your day getting ready for the feast of Thanksgiving.

Soon,
Lynn

Itty Bitty Baskets

Hello Everyone,

 

Yesterday I did some experimenting on an idea Melissa had down at the shop.  We are thinking about starting another BOW (Block of the Week) that would run for twelve weeks.  I cut twelve different fabrics from my scrap basket, 6 lights and 6 darks.  All of the strips are 4-1/2" x 11".

 

Here's the first little 4-1/2" basket.

.......and then there were three.  My goal is to make 10 baskets out of the 12 strips.  After cutting the little pieces, I realized that I'm going to have to add 1 additional light strip in order to get to the required 10 baskets.

If we decide not to do the program, then I will have 10 cute little baskets for another quilt!

Is everyone ready for Thanksgiving?   Yesterday, we were packing up to head to the cabin, and space was tight in the car.  The grocery store in the mountains tends to run out of food on a busy holiday, so we literally brought the grocery store with us.  The turkey was still frozen, so we packed it in a box with other frozen food around it........and then we almost forgot to pack it in the car!  We have seen wild turkeys around the cabin, but I don't think they would want to be on the center of the table for dinner Thursday.  Mr. Joe is quick, but he's not quick enough to bag a turkey with his hatchet!

I'll be making more baskets today, then the full blown preparations begin for Thanksgiving.  We will have a house full of family.  Let's see, according to my calculations, (8 people with healthy appetites) X 3 meals a day = 24 plates of food X 4 days = 96 plates of food!  It's a good thing the men wash the dishes!  Everyone has their food assignments, so I can sit back and watch the shenanigans taking place in the kitchen while I play with the grand kids!  For all of this, I am truly thankful.

Soon,
Lynn

Blogging Excuses

Hello Everyone,

 

I've been absent from the blog over the past few days.....did you miss me?  It was a busy week from beginning to end, so I had to let something slip through the cracks.  Here's the rundown of my week and my list of excuses for not blogging.  I guess I can't say the dog ate my computer!

 

Monday - Worked at the shop

Tuesday - Sew'n Wild Oaks class at the shop

 

On Wednesday, I taught the last session of Scrappy Leaves.  Here are Genny's scrappy blocks.  She is planning to sew from her stash and make a very scrappy quilt.  It's amazing what you can do with a bag of scraps!

 

Karen started in on her first two blocks.  She missed the first class, so she's just beginning her journey through the leaves and she's off to a great start.

Patty and I worked on laying out all of her rows.  Backgrounds first, then leaf fabric second.  This is the most difficult part of the quilt.  The blocks go together relatively quickly and they can be chained pieced once you get going.  I can't wait to see the finished projects from all of the girls.

Thursday Mr. Joe and I got our booth set-up for the Sip and Shop at Ruby Hill Winery for the evening event.  He makes items out of wine barrels while I quilt.  He tries to use every part of the barrel from the staves, to the hoops.  I can't believe we forgot to take a picture of the whole booth!  What were we thinking?

Friday I spent the day with household chores, then menu planning and grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. I worked on the accounting for our little business and quilted for about a nanosecond.

Saturday, I was up and out of the house at O-Dark-Hundred and down at the quilt store for  downtown Livermore's "Shop Earlier Than The Bird" annual kick off to the Holiday shopping season.  I was able to get a halfway decent picture of my Country Charmer quilt in the front window....in the dark.

 

Leslie and Lisa were chatting in their PJ's and enjoying coffee before the crowds arrived.  The whole downtown area was busy with shoppers in their PJ's!  Each shop offered sales and gifts throughout the whole morning.....if you were shopping in your pajamas.  It's becoming a fun, annual event that is well attended.

There were cute robes....

Food!

Whole family's shopped in their pajamas.  Family's that shop together, stay together!

After I worked the morning shift at the shop, I headed over to speak at the Northern California Statler Stitcher meeting.....(I wasn't in my pajamas!) The group meets every other month to discuss their machines, new quilting techniques, share ideas and exchange information.  I discussed custom quilting and how I approach quilting a quilt, since I'm not computerized.  I equate my quilting machine to a riding lawn mower that I have to drive around the turf.

I will leave you with a picture of this beautiful Amaryllis at the shop.  I'm headed down there today to fill in for the owner.  It shouldn't be quite as crazy as it was yesterday.  Maybe I should wear my pajamas! 

So, now you can see why I wasn't on the blog much this week.  In fact, I hardly went near the computer.  There's always this week.  Wait a minute.....this week is going to be just as busy as last week.  Where are those PJ's....I think I need a nap.

Soon,
Lynn

'Tis the Season

Hello Everyone,

Today is a very, VERY special day for me.  I'm the featured artist at Quilt Inspiration and Toyland Tree and The House on Edgewood Lane are the featured quilts!

 

During this time of year, Quilt Inspiration features a theme that brings the Holidays to mind.  You will want to permanently bookmark their blog as they offer many free patterns, offer tutorials, and feature quilts and quilters, filling you with Inspiration.  It is a blog full of good, detailed information.

I was contacted by Marina and Daryl last week asking for my permission to feature my pattern.  After I finished doing backflips....no cartwheels....no possibly I could do a sommersault, I checked out their blog and immediately sent a resounding YES to their request.  So head on over to Quilt Inspiration and leave a comment to let them know you visited.

To have my quilts on the same blog with designers the caliber of Pearl Pereira, Sue Garman and others, has sent me over the moon!  I'll return from my outer space trip tomorrow, with more pictures and stories from my life of patchwork and applique.

Thank you Marina and Daryl, and thank you for your blog.

Soon,
Lynn

Sew'n Wild Oaks Class is in Session

 

Hello Everyone,

 

I had a full classroom at In Between Stitches yesterday for my Sew'n Wild Oaks class.  The tables were full, the sewing machines were stitching away, the ladies were appliqueing, it looked like Santa's workshop and my little elves were busy.

 

Kay has been very productive during the month and finished her fabulous version of Party in the Garden. She quilted it herself with her domestic machine.  Very impressive Kay.  You did a wonderful job on my pattern from selecting the fabrics, to the construction, to the quilting!

 

Ann finished her Summer's Blush quilt top.  Ann enrolled in the Fall Sewmester PhD program at In Between Stitches.  Click HERE to find out more about the program and how to enroll.  (PhD stands for Piled High and Deep.)  This program is an excellent way to keep you going on all of the UFO's stashed away in your closets.....and there are prizes!
 

Just look at this precision.  Matching stripes on the flange and fussy cut hexagon flowers!  Great attention to detail pays off in the end and your quilt is beautiful Ann.

Isabelle is finished will all of her Minglewood blocks and she started putting them together with the sashing and nine patches.  The design wall wasn't big enough to hold them all.  She had a STACK  of blocks that are going to turn into a gorgeous quilt.  Her persistence has paid off. 

Kathy finished her corner blocks for Party in the Garden.  These baskets are 6-1/2" square.  I can just picture a whole quilt of these little baskets in groups of four.  When I suggested that to the class, there was a huge, collective groan!

So you do the math.....each basket is 6-1/2"..........how tiny are the hexagon flowers?  Big hint....how big is a quarter?

This beautiful wall of Nostalgic Christmas blocks is brought to you by the combined work of Gail, Kaye, and Barbara.  They looked so good together I almost broke out into a chorus of "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas."  Love them, love their blocks!

Sew a little bit every day.  A few minutes add up to a few hours and then in time, projects come alive and they get finished.  Become a FINISHER, in quilting and in life.

I'm off to the shop again this morning for the final session of Scrappy Leaves. Pictures tomorrow!  I'll try to sneak in a few hours of quilting too.

Soon,
Lynn

Barbara - The Finisher

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Yesterday, when I was working at the shop, Barbara called to make sure I was there, and said she had something to show me.

 

In she walks, with a big smile, a USA ballcap, and a quilt bag containing this, a finished Madrigal! 

 

She worked outside her comfort level on this quilt during class.  She began with the fabulous borders, and started pulling fabrics from her stash and from the shop's extensive fabric selection.

Beth Hummel from Livermore, added just the right amount of exquisite quilting to this beauty.  Beth took a beautiful quilt and made it even more beautiful. 

This is the back.  Barbara had some leftover border print and created a larger version of the block on the front.  She's just so darn clever!

This picture really shows off the wonderful quilting.

Barbara is a finisher.  Here's a link to a post I wrote about becoming a finisher.  With the new year approaching, we can add "become a finisher" to our list of New Year's resolutions.

I'm off to the shop again today for my Sew'n Wild Oaks class.  This class is a group of finishers.  We gather once a month to quilt, chat, eat and most importantly laugh.  There's lots of energy in the room, so I have to go eat my bowl of Wheaties to keep up with the room full of champions!

Soon,
Lynn

What Is She Doing Now?

 

 

Hello Everyone,

 

I made a bunch of strip sets, in all colors of the rainbow and all different sizes using up scraps.

 

Then I cut them up and put the pieces in my little berry baskets.  Do I actually use this berry-picking basket?  No, I would be bear bait out in the woods if I did, and there aren't any berries in our woods anyway!

Then I stitched sections together in groups of eight like this. 

You will just have to wait and see what I'm going to do with them next!

Soon,

Lynn

Christmas Quilt Along - November - Post #4

 

Hello again for the last time today,

 

 

Patchwork finished.....CHECK

 

Start laying out the paper pattern......CHECK (or plaid)



 

17 cute little mittens that lost their kittens......OOPS wrong way around.  I'm getting a little loopy and it's time to think about fixing dinner and pouring the wine.  Enough with the mittens already!

 



Thank you QuiltSue for hosting the QAL today.  I'll look forward to the QAL next month.  As always, you are the perfect hostess!

Soon,
Lynn