The Ugly Duckling Quilt

The Ugly Duckling Quilt showing some of the squares and the binding (striped fabric) as well as the plaid backing flannel fabric.  With the extra binding fabric I made a pillow case for her .

This is the striped flannel fabric I used for the binding and the pillow case.  The roll is the binding after it has been cut.

 A few years ago my DD wanted to make a quilt and thought that it would be funny to make a quilt with some ugly flannel fabric.  So the quest began to find what she thought would be "ugly" flannel fabrics.  She succeeded to an extent, the fabrics that she found did not all go together.  But as every quilter knows you can always make lemonade out of lemons!  Shown here is the result of the fabric collection that she put together.  She cut out all of the squares and I made a pleasing arrangement out of them.  Unfortunately I did not take a photo of the whole quilt so that you could see it (maybe she will read this and send me a pic).  I found a striped fabric that pulls it all together and a plaid backing.  I venture to say that this quilt will become a favorite as it is warm, cozy and soft.  It also doesn't need batting, so it isn't a quilt in the truest sense of the word.  I think that batting might have made it too heavy. 
  She is now on a mission to find some more "ugly" flannel fabrics to have me make her brother one!  Let's see if we can make some more lemonade!

Indigo Days

Indigo favorite of mine, this was carefully measured, marked, pressed and stitched.  Then repeatedly immersed into the indigo dye bath.  Time consuming but worth the extra effort.   It is actually a nice blue with white.  This photo has a grey cast to it.   

Clamped and folded, immersed into the indigo dye bath.  Allowed to dry and then immersed in a second dye of yellow.  This is the result, the photo is true to color.

Indigo fold and clamped.  Love the contrast of white and blue here.

This is called Indigo Pond as it reminds me of floating leaves on a pond.  Easy!

Indigo Stitched.  This also shows me that I need to have a design board to mount my pieces on so that they can be photographed straight on.  Too much is lost even on a small angle.

Another favorite of mine.  This one is called Indigo Stripes.  It has not been ironed flat as the texture is wonderful here.

Here is a close up of the texture.  Not quite sure that I have captured it, maybe some back-lighting would help.

  I just love indigo.  It's so much fun to do as it comes out a beautiful emerald green sometimes kind of a yellow green and just get bluer as it oxidizes.  Repeated dips into the dye bath are required to get a deep blue so it can be very time consuming but it is well worth every minute put into it.  Hope you enjoy these pics of my indigo efforts.

New Year's Guilt Free Garbanzo Bean Salad with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

   So now that the new year is under way and we have all eaten our way through a myriad of home made cookies and pies and all sorts of delicious treats I thought it would be nice to have a little something that isn't going to break the bank or for that matter the scale.  Some of you who may be feeling a wee bit guilty about having over indulged during the holidays can now throw that guilt out the window and treat yourself to this delicious salad.  The only fat in this salad is in the olive oil that is drizzled over it.  Olive oil is tasty and good for you to boot.  So go ahead  make some of this for yourself and your family.  It is great tasting and fast and easy to make.  All ingredients can be doubled for a larger crowd.  This serves 4.

 

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

        Ingredients:
             1 19 oz can garbanzo beans
             1 vine ripened tomato,  diced 
             3 T basil gently cut
              2 T chopped parsley
              1 small can sliced black olives
              1 clove garlic, mashed
              1/2 diced red onion
              salt
              pepper
              lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
              olive oil about 1/4 cup, extra virgin

Combine garbanzo beans, ripe tomato diced, basil gently cut, parsley, sliced black olives, 1 clove garlic mashed and diced red onion in a bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and let rest 1 hour.  After an hour combine  thoroughly  fresh ground pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Stir gently to coat. Let rest 10 minutes.  Serve with a slice of crusty Italian bread.  Beat you have more than one serving MMMMmm.

Scrap-a-mania!

  Yes it's Scrap-a-mania!  Yipee!  I am making all kinds of lap quilts for kids to enjoy.  Right now I have 3 that are alike that are all done except the binding.  Those are pictured here.

The three quilts are alike with respect to design.  The printed fabrics are placed randomly and all three quilts are bordered all around in white as are each of the blocks.

The quilting was done on my sewing machine in sets of three rows with about an inch and one half between each set.  Here is also shown the backing on two of the quilts.

Here you see the backing on the third quilt - it is a solid yellow- it is what I had on hand, remember I am stash busting!

This shows a portion of the overall design of the three quilts.  These quilts were fast and easy.

   Started are at least 7 others which I will employ half square triangles.  The half square triangle always does a great job because you can play with them endlessly to create a mountain of designs that will please almost any quilt enthusiast.  Color is the secondary consideration with those.  I will be sewing them ALL together before I bind them, that way I can sit at the end of the evening and hand sew the binding on.   I can't wait to see what direction the half square triangles lead me to.  It's very exciting.
  Once the tops are all sewn together it's onto the machine for them and I will do some simple quilting.  What I have not decided to do is quilt in the ditch or do some square stitching to accent the square design that will come out of them.  I will photo them and show when they are completed as well.
  Then I will move on to a different pattern - I think maybe a "braid".  We'll see.
 
   Another year is about to come to an end - the goals that I had set for myself of finishing some of the UFO's that are flying around in my sewing room were met, well at least some of them and I am glad about that.  I also did manage to do some more dyeing than last year.  And also though try as I might I started a few more projects that are now in the near finished stage - NOT the UFO stack.  So for the next couple of days I will be thinking about what goals I will set for myself for this coming year frolicking with fabrics.  What goals are you contemplating for yourself?

A Handmade Christmas!

Seinfeld fans will recognize this borrowed idea - we all had a great laugh over this.  Great job Sarah.

Something for me to knit!  I plan to use a fork!  Yummy!  Thanks Sarah.

From an old B movie - Manos the Hands of Fate!  A family favorite on MST3000! 

This must have been a little tricky to do!

The SS Sousa!  Mmm a chocolate boat!  Even the fish in the ocean want a bite of this.

Christmas was wonderful!  Money was in short supply but creativity was abundant! Look at these great handmade things that were given. Without planning it that way, much of Christmas was based around food this year.  Of course who doesn't like to eat! But primarily handmade was the idea. Above is a sampling, some of the ideas were created.  Sarah had so much fun doing this that she plans to do it again next year!  I can't wait to see what she makes.  Thanks Sarah - you did a great job. 
Michael made a music CD that made us all laugh hysterically, we had tears rolling down our faces.  He did the cover of the CD with famous celebrities that he did impersonations of.  We laughed so hard our sides were hurting.  I will post pictures later during the week here of that. 
All in all we all had a great time, a great meal and lots of fun.

Merry Christmas To All

 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inns (Luke 2:6-7). 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were afraid.

 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 


 (This small nativity set is from a kit/pattern that I purchased many years ago and cannot remember the name of the company that made this.  If I find the kit or remember who is the creator of this I will certainly credit them. The fabrics used are from Cranston Printworks.)

“A Visit from St. Nicholas" or Twas the Night before Christmas

 

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)

Santa and his sack full of toys.  This has been set out each year for Christmas at our house.  I love the little doll that sticks out of  Santa's sack.  The "kit" was a printed piece of yardage made by Cranston Printworks (if memory serves).  Just cut, sew and stuff, of course you could embellish any way you like.   I think it is out of print now.  

The Wonky Leaf

The Wonky Leaf

  Some time ago I decided to do some stitching, a lot of stitching.  I can't quite remember how exactly I did this little piece but I do remember that I did not use a hoop, hence the wobbly wonky-ness. (I just made that word up).  In any case it is heavily stitched and feels much like a fabric patch that one might sew onto another item, maybe a tote bag or even a denim jacket.  Maybe one day it will end up on one of those items when the mood strikes me.  It measures just under 6 inches long and about 4 inches wide, is beaded.  The threads used are Sulky brand, except for the black - not sure what I used for that.
  The lesson here is USE A HOOP to obtain a flat piece.