Five Shadows

Bat Moon Rising is coming along. I’m using an ombre fabric for the background, which means more fussing with placement of the fabric.

I’ve started with light background around the moon and will work into the darker fabric as I move away from the moon. This is a Sew Kind of Wonderful pattern from the Mini Wonderful Curves book.

Happy Little Things: Block 4 embroidery is all stitched up. I’ll be using the fabrics shown for piecing the block.

I didn’t think I got much hand work done this week, but when I pulled out Happy Little Things last night, I only had a little bit of stitching to complete the design. Plus, since I took a road trip last Friday, which included stopping at a new-to-me quilt shop, I bought larger embroidery needles that worked well with the Perle Cotton.

With Thanksgiving in the USA just around the corner, I’m dreaming of making these cute pumpkin rolls for dinner – and use them as part of the table decorations.  Or this version. Maybe both, since I have some vegans in the family.

(photo from Handle the Heat)

Do you have any special recipes that always make it to your dinner table during the Holidays?

Last To-Do List:

1. Continue quilting Curve it Up ✔️ I didn’t get much done, but any progress is better than none.
2. More fabric cutting, then start piecing Bat Moon Rising ✔️ I’m happy with the out come so far!
3. Hand embroidery in the evenings ✔️Finished block four of Happy Little Things, but didn’t get to Dropcloth Sampler.

To Do List:

1. Continue with Curve it Up quilting
2. Keep piecing Bat Moon Rising
3. Piecing block 4 of Happy Little Things
4. Finish Satin Stitch in the Dropcloth Sampler

Linking to To-Do Tuesday sponsored by Home Sewn by Us.

I’m working on 2 BOMs this year. It just so happens that both are paper pieced this month.

This is the last month for One Block Wonders hosted by Sandy of Upstairs Hobby Room.

Pattern is printed, and fabrics are cut.

On to piecing. I’ve made 4 blocks for a table topper. Borders will be added.

Hmmm, now to decide which layout to use for a table topper.

Which do you like best?

Or maybe, linear?

I’ve enjoyed participating in this year long BOM which started October 2015. Each month Sandy gave us a pattern for one block that we than used anyway we wanted. I mostly made table toppers and table runners, but I did also make on lap size quilt and have one prepped for sewing which will be lap size, but only a few blocks sewn. Funny thing is, it is also a paper pieced pattern! When I get the current table topper pieced, I’ll have 10 quilt tops ready to sandwich and quilt, I have one underway with some quilting, and that one quilt top to finish paper piecing.

The next BOM is Leah Day’s Machine Quilting Block Party.

Paper piecing underway, trimming the extra fabric to 1/4″.

Paper pieced units trimmed to 4 1/5″ square. Time to remove the paper.

Block all pieced and pressed. It’s ready to be marked, sandwiched, and quilted. This month Leah is going to teach how to put the quilted blocks together in the quilt-as-you-go method.

I have a non quilting new-to-me toy.

It’s a Zojirushi Bread Machine that makes a 2 pound loaf. I still have some tweaking to do to perfect the recipe. And then there will be so much to explore. The manual says you can make jam and cakes in it too. Sounds interesting, I’ll have to give those a try once I’m happy with my whole wheat bread!

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List?

1. Binding t-shirt quilt (picking up from quilter this week) ✓
2. Piece September’s block for the Machine Quilting Block Party. ✓
3. Download last One Block Wonders BOM pattern. Can’t believe we are already on the 12 month! ✓

Yesterday was a great day. Today, not so much. I started out today with flu like symptoms. My day turned in to sleeping, coughing, sneezing, aching. Blah blah blah. NOT how I envisioned this week going!

Monday, I hosted my quilting group, Curvy Quilters. We jokingly started calling ourselves that when at one time all of us where working on some curved version of a quilt design. 2 of us love Sew Kind of Wonderful‘s Quick Curve Ruler and patterns. And another gal in the group decided to give the ruler a try, and she loved how easy sewing curves was! The name stuck, and we are the Curvy Quilters!

We had a birthday in our group, so I made a little cake that we shared at lunch time.

Usually when we meet, I work on one of my UFOs and that has proven to be a good way to check several off my list this year. But yesterday, I decided to work on April’s One Block Wonders, Diamond Path. I had a pile of 2 1/2″ scrappy strips left from other quilt projects, and thought they would work great in this month’s design.

Here is my scrappy version of Diamond Path with a cream border, and piano key border with HST in the corners.

At 38″ square it could be used as a wall hanging or a colorful baby quilt.

With all the customer projects I have right now, Diamond Path will join my ever growing pile of Tops to-be quilted.

I did meet up  with a customer at the local quilt shop Friday and now have t-shirts for a hobo bag and for the back of a signature pillow. I have to stop by the local big box store to buy a 24″ pillow form.

Two t-shirts and black, red, & white fabric for the hobo bag and a signature block pillow. We forgot to buy a fun red print to go along with the bag. Sigh. Another trip needed to the LQS. Hard life, isn’t it when you have to visit a quilt shop!?

Yesterday, I inherited a t-shirt quilt to finish piecing. My friend who does them along with her longarm business needed help to finish this one as she cares for her aging mother. She has the t-shirts cut and fused, ready to square up. I’ll do that and sash them, sewing together the top and get it back to her for quilting.

That’s 35 fused t-shirts! Fusing is the worst part in my opinion, so the rest should be a breeze!

How did I do on last’s week To-Do List?

1. Bargello quilt has to be on the top of the list. ✔︎ Strips are being sewn together. I’m thinking this is a bigger undertaking than I originally thought! One step at a time, I’ll get-er-done!
2. Meeting a customer who wants a signature quilt and hobo bag. ✔︎ I have the t-shirts and fabrics. Customer selected a simple HST design for the signatures.

To-Do List for this week:

1. Recover from what ever this flu-creepy crud is that is currently plaguing me!
2. Keep plugging away on the king size Bargello.
3. Fit in FMQ March’s Block Party BOM.

I’m keeping the list short this week as I recover from these flu type symptoms. My focus will be on the Bargello when I have enough energy and a brain to tackle it! Deadlines for the t-shirt projects are fortunately in May and June, phew! I’ll have time for those later.

How about you? Are your plans going well? Anything new on the horizon?

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

This week I’m binding table runners and trivets for a friend. She is mass producing runners, trivets (hot pot holders) and Christmas ornaments for a bazaar she will be vending at this Saturday. Last week she said she was not happy with her bindings and has been spending more time on them than the actual sewing and quilting. I like do bindings, so I offered to help. She took me up on it!

8 runners & 2 trivets & 1 baby quilt completed

She is using the 60 degree wedge design for her table runners. This Christmas runner is my favorite.

Bright and cheery design. The wedge ruler method works best with border & stripe prints. (hmm photo is distorting runner, don’t know why)

I have 2 left to bind. I’m using the Flat Felled method for attaching the bindings. I sew the binding on to the back of the runner and press it to the front. I pin the miter at the 120 degree corners and use the Flat Felled Presser Foot to stitch the binding down along the edge of the binding. This is a quick way to put a nice finish on mass produced table runners!   As fun as these have been, I’ll be looking forward to returning to my own sewing next week!

I took a break from sewing and made this for supper.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash. Yum! It got the stamp of approval from the family. I think next time I make it, I’ll cook the Acorn Squash in the microwave to speed up the cooking time. And might try subbing black beans for the sausage.

Do you have a favorite Fall recipe? This was perfect for our cool day here.

To-Do List for this week: Finish 2 more table runners. Thursday is quilting day with my little group – I’ll be working on Metro Hoops, will take along Dot to Dot as a back up project. Saturday I’ll be going to the bazaar to encourage my friend. That’s all folks!

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

I was surprised today by seeing a familiar photo on Connie’s Linky Tuesday post. Connie featured my photo of making Flying Geese using Jodi Barrow’s Square in a Square Ruler. Thank you for the feature, Connie!

This week I set up my sewing machine for some ‘ruler play’ using the 1/4″ ruler foot for my Janome and rulers originally designed for Longarm quilters. I’m taking Amy Johnson’s Craftsy Class Quilting with Rulers on a Home Machine. I decided to give the rulers a try on the Flying Geese table runner. Now don’t go judging! This is my first time to quilt using rulers on something other than a practice piece!

It’s not finished yet, but it is a start. The block design is from Sandy’s One Block Wonder BOM she is hosting, October being the first month.

Close up of the straight line quilting, above. I used a varigated 30 wt. thread for the top.

Stitching on the back, using Superior Threads  Bottom Line 60 wt. thread, color no. 637 ‘Blush’ in the bobbin.

I have more ideas for how to quilt this piece, so I just might make up more Flying Geese table runners to use to practice the ideas.

My busy weekend went well with all the cooking, Fall party, and having our adult kids in for visits and meals.

I made this Cranberry Cobbler twice and it was a hit both times. It disappeared at the Fall Party before I could even get a taste! And it also disappeared at our family gathering Saturday night! Family has requested I make it again, but double the recipe next time. It might be showing up on our Thanksgiving table next month!

This week’s To-Do list:  I hope to finish up Metro Hoops designs by Sew Kind of Wonderful. Maybe make up a few more table runners for quilting practice. Also pick up the t-shirt quilt from the longarmer and finish it with a flange binding.

I’m linking to Linky Tuesday and To-Do Tuesday.

This past week I stumbled across a Cast Iron Cooking Facebook group. I’ve been hanging out there a bit reading recipes which inspired me to pull out my long neglected cast iron and give a few of the recipes a try. Up to this point, I really only used the 10″ skillet and scone pan for cornbread. I dusted off the dutch oven & roasted up a rather tasty chicken on a bed of herbed rice. And that scone pan? Actually used it for blueberry scones that turned out wonderful! Family raved!

I forgot to take a picture of the scones until after my son and I had each eaten one of them! Yummy!

Thursday, a few friends are coming over for a sewing day. I’ll be making another batch of the scones to share. Can’t wait!

I’ve not gotten to any quilting this past week, but Thursday I plan to make progress on my Paradiso paper pieced blocks. I did play around with a shoulder bag design using a t-shirt and yardage. Not finished yet, so photos next time!

This coming week I want to: Finish up the shoulder bag. Work on some Paradiso blocks. Pack for a trip hubs and I will be taking once his summer session ends later next week.

Are any of you Cast Iron Cooks? Do you have a favorite piece or recipe? Hope you have a good week!

Chocolate Cheese Cake with a Brownie bottom and whipped cream topping. Yum! Made by little ol’ me for my daughter’s 19th birthday.