Came in the post.

I recently stumbled across a company that creates a book out of blogs and decided to try it out. Shared Book.com did a very nice job. The grandchildren love having a book with their photos in it and looking at some of the entries with the goings on in years past.



I choose to have 2008 and 2009 both printed into a "Quiltsmiles blogpsot journal".




How nice! I really think it's well done and now my mind is realing with possibilities to have a family cookbook created or journals with the family histories documented and printed for gifts.
As if I don't have enough going on already, not sure I could get to those or not. So for now, I'll just be enjoying this little journal and mulling over the possiblilities. TTFN!

Jane

Progress on Orange Crush Quilt

I've been calling this quilt initially the Orange Crush since that is the name of the Mystery Directions when I started it with Bonnie Hunter's quiltville Mystery. Thereafter,I started referrign to it as the Cadyville Orange Crush or Color on Color challenge quilt. But now I think it's appropriate to call by it's wanted name.
When I look at this all I can think of is the sunsets seen while we were in Key West, Florida. A flaming Orange Sun dipping down into the sea with hints of darkness coming about. So I think I'll be calling this my KeyWest Sunset and go with the sea themed quilting in it. I always am amazed at what the quilts are saying to me and shift me towards that direction. I found a quilt design called Splish-splash that would work for the orange crosses blocks that would alternate this quilting on the top.

Trying out this new to me technique of using the "Golden Threads" for a quilt design in the C.O.C. quilt that will be in a show on Columbus Day weekend. After seeing several successful quilting bloggers using this, one I remember off the top of my head is Jamie in Louisianna, and after I figured out which design the quilt needed, I figured that I'd give it a try. Jamie gave a step by step photo session of her using it in a project, Thanks Jamie!

So I gathered my supplies including a copy of the design, cut numerous pages of golden threads in a approximate size, then stacked them and stapled the stack. Went to my machine and sewed on the lines on my machine without any thread. When it was completed, I had 10 pages of needle punched design papers. Then I used my favorite adhesive spray, 505 and placed them on the blocks that needed quilting.
















I gathered threads and decided for this portion of quilting I would use the variegated blue/red sulky in the bobbin and for the top, a YLI navy blue. Now I am very happy with that decision I was ready to proceed. Why is it I torment myself over the different steps within a project? I am still trying to figure it out!!!! Anyway, back to my quilting.....



























I did just one block and then I cautiously pulled the paper off to see how it turned out.

Not perfect, but not too bad either. Very surprised and happy with these results I continued on.





The worst part seems to be pulling off the paper afterwards. Grrr..., so what did I try next?









Thats right, I tried another new to me technique with this Sulky water soluble transfer stabilizer.














I didn't care for this and am not sure I actually used it correctly. So if anybody has any hints or tips on it, I'd love to learn more.

Following the directions, I drew out the design with a permanent marker on one sheet and then ironed it onto the project, or should I say tried to iron it onto the project. Not sure I wrote on the correct side or if it was the true adhesive side that I tried to adhere to the block. That's the point I had trouble with.

It didn't want to stay put on the project so I used pins to adhere it. Still had to pull most of it off before I can dunk it into water after all the quilting is done, and pulling it off was much easier than the golden threads block. BUT to stitch the quilting, even using my textured gloves, was slippery and very hard for me to handle with the hand/neck/shoulder and back conundrums. So, I ditched using the Sulky and resumed using the Golden threads all the while knowing it would be tidious getting all those snippets of paper off after I finsh the quilting.


So there are a total of 23 blocks done so far with just 9 blocks more to go for quilting the main area of the quilt and as for paper removal that number is around 16that I need to get the paper off and also tie off and bury my threads.


Here is a snap of the backing showing how it looks so far, what do you think?





Thanks for stopping by. If you know about using the sulky, I'd appreciate any tips. I really Love the idea of using this for some embroidery projects right after I finish this quilt for the weekend of the 12th.

Jane

Blog into a book, nice.

Link for shared book where you can get your blog postings made into your own book. How easy it was!

Youngest grand child on his way..

The youngest grandson (PGS#3) who is 2 and will turn three at the beginning of December is now a big boy and attending preschool. His Mom isn't sure that he is really ready so she is paying her daycare provider through the end of September to reserve his space there. Preschool occurs 3 times a week and I know he is ready and happy to get to go to school.



See what I mean, he did fuss just a bit when we were ready to leave but he did fine. I just wonder when the I'm not going to school today phase will kick in. Perhaps I'll be lucky and if it will happen it'll be when it's 40 below zero or something handy like that. VBG!

These next two shots are quite washed out, sorry about that. Somehow the camera setting shifted.

His big sister is in first grade now and when she got home after the first day of school she wanted to jump rope. Ahhhh..... I remember those days when I considered that fun. Now 2 jumps and I am winded and just try to breath!

She was so proud and couldn't wait for Mom and Dad to come pick her up to show off her new skills. Check out that smile while she's jumping....uumphh, what a show off! giggle

This is what she learned (of course you need to sing it into a rhyme):

Ice Cream Soda
Bananan Split
Who's your boyfriend
I forget

Is it
A
B
C
D etc....and which ever letter you can't jump by becomes the first letter of a boy's name. Oh those simple times. {smile}


Here are a couple of recent finishes.

Jeweled pavers is Tout Fini! Attempting to get an artsy pic. (if I do say so myself, it's not too bad LOL).


A view of the back. I Like to finish by using some leftover blocks in a linear orientation besides I threw in a bit of a Kaffe fabric that worked too. It was at this time when I noticed that the camera was not set correctly and was wasing out the shots. You'd think I could have taken another shot of the back showing the true colors BUT NO, didn't think of that. Oh well.


Blackbird Designs Easter Parade also finished, that is except for the framing.


Closeup of a little variation that felt right for this piece. Flipped some design details and added in three crosses representing calvary with the center cross more embellished.


A Closer view:



One of my current WIPs,

I really don't care for the ribbon that was kitted with this scissor fob that I recently won on ebay. It was a great deal from a lady that I enjoy doing business with. Besides this kit I also purchased 4 others to complement my scissor collection. Not sure yet what I'll use for the cording or ribbon trim. Will have to sit on that for a bit while the C.O.C. quilt is worked on.

Current and URGENT WIP:

Would you believe that this will be a finished quilt in 3 weeks? What do you think besides get your butt moving faster Jane.
Thanks for stopping by to visit and perhaps leaving a message. Your comments are always appreciated and I enjoy viewing the links to your space to see what you've been up to as well. Blogging is truly a nice benefit of living today. See you soon.

Jane

Remembering

September 11, 2001

Whiz, bang POW!

Life continues to throw wrinkles my way but I do find the silver linings. Hurricane Irene left a devastating path along the whole East coast and the devastation is amazing. Without power and a just a bit of damage with erosion on the waterfront of our property and food spoilage we didn't fare as badly as quite a few of our neighboring friends, they lost everything. We do need to install our electric service line and both of us are thinking of having it buried to eliminate any future damages done to it by storms. Currently we are waiting to hear back from an electrician. Along the roadways where there were no brooks or rivers the erosion was amazing to see what flash floods could do. Tearing up the road shoulders, support systems and making ravines wherever the water wanted to go, carving out paths through tarmack even. Flash floods are something that typically don't happen in our neck of the woods so it is with a renewed reverence for water that I report this.

I have always had respect for our fore bearers in working in lamplight while doing their craft and found myself grateful to have flash lights and candles for working on my WIPS while we were without communication, power and even cell phone coverage. My silver linings were that I was able to finish my BBD Easter Parade while the lights were gone, and also made huge headway in my monstrous sized quilt of the Jeweled Pavers, aka Patience Corners. The binding was just finished this evening so the only bit left is to make the label for it. Our daughter borrowed our camera to capture the damages she had from Hurricane Irene, so when I get it back, I'll be showing you my finishes.

The next focus on my WIPS, (After the above mentioned label of course) is to finish my borders on the C.O.C. quilt that will be in next month's quilt show. The acronym for that quilt could be Color on Color since it is quite boldly colored and not my usual trend, but it was an exercise in color for me that started as the Cadyville "Orange Crush" Mystery quilt. It was started a couple of years ago as a "mystery quilt" with Bonnie Turner from Quiltville.com. so I did try to follow her recommendations BUT I did have a scrap Madras skirt in my scrap pile that I thought, those colors were close to what she suggested and would stretch my color consciousness too and the rest as they say is history. So recently, during Hurricane Irene, while stitching the other items, I pondered and finally figured out what the best border treatment for C.O.C. quilt is calling for. I only hope it works and can be finished quickly.

Will be back with you when I can.

Jane

During day one of the Hurricane, DH set up our generator to at least run freezers and our medical equipment. It was a gas powered one that kept reving up and shuddering down. Then in the middle of the night, while it was whizzing more strenuously "ka- POW"! She broke down.
Great! with our medical equipment, a machine for his heart and then my C-pap machine for my apnea we were literally sleeping with one eye open, or at least that's how it felt. Thankfully a friend tried to repair it but alas, without success. Thankfully our local fire dept loaned us a generator the last day of our lack of energy, what saints they were and are.