I'm excited!

A few weeks ago, one of the editors at Quiltmaker Quilty Pleasures blog requested photos of quilts using the color brown.  As some of you know, I use a lot of brown fabric so I sent along a few photos of my quilts.  Guess what?  Three of them were included in this post Quilty Pleasures Blog -- Brown Part 2.  I never expected any of my quilts would be blogged about.  Very cool!  Check it out!

I rearranged my sewing space (again) last night with the intention to help relieve back pain while cutting and piecing.  I took a grooming table and placed a table top on it and moved a small dresser away from the wall and placed my ironing mat on it.

This puts everything at a more comfortable height.  The little dresser is going to be perfect to keep some of my sewing supplies in, which will be nice since Speckles likes to help me with them.  I put my new ironing board in the closet to be used when I'm doing something other than piecing.  I rearranged the closet some and intend to buy a few more storage bins.  I need to give a little more thought to this before I buy anything else.  Maybe I can re-purpose something else.

Speckles found something new to play with.  When I first bought my machine, I had to pad the knee lever which lifts and lowers the presser foot so that I could reach it better.  I did a quick fix by wrapping it with layers of batting and masking tape.  Did you know batting is fun to scratch at?  I found a solution.  My sister sent me some 'cat' socks.  I placed one over the end of the knee lift lever.  We'll see how that works.

Here are the two blocks I pieced today:

Cypress

Darting Birds

Hope you're enjoying your day.

-- Pat

Savvy Shopper

This morning after meeting with my Journaling Group, I headed over to Jo-Ann Fabrics.  My goal was to find just the right fabric for my One Monthly Goal (OMG) project.  After much auditioning, I found what I think is the perfect color.  While I was there I purchased an 18 x 24 inch cutting mat.  I had enough coupons so that the mat cost me only two dollars and the fabric was 30% off.  I'm quite the shopper, if I do say so myself!  And on top of that, the mat is the perfect size for the table I'm using for cutting.  I'm including a photo of my mat and a sneak peek at my OMG project.

Here's also a picture of Speckles 'watching' me sew yesterday.

I may not sew much today.  I think I overdid it yesterday and the day before.  By the time I sat down last night my back was pretty sore.  Today it's better, though a little tender.  But you know how it is when you get on a roll--it's hard to restrain yourself.

Hope you have a good day.

-- Pat

Where there's a will...

Some of you know I adopted a cat a few months ago from the Humane Society.  She is 1.5 years old and has had a litter of kittens.  She has also nursed 3 kittens in addition to her 4.  So I think since she's come to me, she's stepped out of her 'adult' role and is living her 'kitten' stage.  We've had some adjusting to do.  She's kept me on my toes.  One of the things we've had a problem with is chewing on cords.  Not so much the cords, but the connectors on the ends.  I've found a solution that appears to be working with regards to my iPad power cord.  My apartment doesn't have many outlets so I had purchased a longer power cord.  I decided to try to wrap it in some way since it didn't seem feasible to put it into some sort of channel.  I had some scraps with batting that I had cut off before binding a quilt so I stitched that all along the cord.  It appears that Speckles doesn't like the taste of batting.  I stitched it by hand and left the excess.  Because the cords tend to give out around the iPad connector end, I reinforced a portion of that end using a straw and cable ties.  Here's the result:

Earlier this week, I pieced another block from the 501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks book by Judy Hopkins.

Cut The Corners

Yesterday, I spent most of the day working on my OMG - One Monthly Goal September project.  While I am using the original flimsy for the project, I've taken an entirely different path with it.  I'm not sure if I'll post photos along the way or just wait until the end.  The original flimsy was unloved and tucked away in the closet for many years.  Recently I added hexie flowers and was encouraged.  Monday, I shopped for fabric and hoped for inspiration but was unsuccessful.  After watching a ton of Youtube and Crafty videos, I chose a different direction.  So far, I'm delighted with it.  The idea was to turn the flimsy into a fun twin-sized bed quilt.

Hope you have a good day.

-- Pat

Peek-a-boo

'Hey Mom! Whatcha doin'?

Every now and then, Speckles goes crazy, jumping from one piece of furniture to another.  Sometimes that includes jumping on the counter, to the fridge, to the top of the cupboard...at top speed.  This was the sight this morning.

Yesterday, I finally broke down and bought a new ironing board.  I was shocked to find out that the one I wanted cost so much.  I bought my last one 10 years ago.  I guess if I divide the price for the new one by ten years, it doesn't really cost that much.  Today is the first day using it.  It's a wide one and so much more sturdy than the last one.

 Here's today block, Crown and Star - 61 pcs.

Crown and Star

Hope you had a good day.

-- Pat

Speckles Approves

Every now and then Speckles gets too quiet and I have to go and check on her to make sure she's not getting into trouble.  This was the sight this morning.  I guess she approves of my changes.  And it looks like she's daring me to tell her to get off.

Hope you had a good day.

-- Pat

Know Any Card Tricks?

How about this one?

Card Tricks

Spinner

I changed the sewing area around again today.  This arrangement makes more sense to me, having the cutting area close to the ironing board.

You'll notice Speckles, my cat, in the window.  I adopted her from the Humane Society about 2 months ago.  She's 1.5 years old. She's tried to train me but I have a long way to go.  You'll notice the can of compressed air in the window.   I spray it any time she does something I don't want her to do.  I thought leaving the can in the window would keep her away from the window and the sewing table.  Silly me!  It's a lot like having a toddler except that nothing is safe.  Everything is fair game.  She sure keeps me on my toes.

Hope you had a good day.

-- Pat