lauretta's quilt and more

Quick before I have to go to a 6th grade football game...

Not quite two weeks ago, my nephew had his third child - a little girl.  I'd been working on a quilt for her since the Colour Value Mystery quilt along happened many months ago.

I went to my local quilt shop and bought fabrics and then changed my mind a little bit...

The lightest fabric wasn't playing nicely enough.  It ended up being the back of the quilt.

Cutting instructions were given and those went quickly, but I was doing the smallest option.

As a mystery quilt along goes, clues (instructions) were given on a weekly basis, so a little encouragement to get into my sewing room was good.  And I kept up.

Eventually I had blocks...

And then a top!

(With cats, of course.  The colors are super off here.)

Then it sat for a while and when I knew the birth was imminent, I got it onto the longarm.

A little later I got the binding finished and put a label on it.

(These colors are pretty accurate, but being outside probably helped.)

Friday afternoon we dropped it off.  We didn't stay long and didn't even really get to meet little Lauretta (odd spelling to honor a grandma), but they had other family visiting and we know we'll get to see plenty of her soon enough.

The pattern is no longer a mystery (and not just because I showed it to you), but the pattern is available from Canuck Quilter on her website and maybe in your local quilt shop!

In other news this week, I bought a dehydrator.

I've been thinking about this for almost a year.  I purchased some books on dehydrating to make sure I knew what I was getting into and see that I could figure out something more than bananas.

Today I loaded it up on its maiden voyage with tomato slices.  I seasoned them with Italian seasoning and, from what I read, you can eat them like chips, put them on burgers or pizza, or even grind them up into a powder that can go in soups and stews and sauces or even be rehydrated into tomato juice or make ketchup!

I just did about five tomatoes (what I had in the house - it was raining earlier), but tonight (it takes 8-10 hours) we'll see how it went!

In addition, I made and froze pesto.  My basil plant has turned into a bush almost rivalling the tomatoes, so something needed to be done.  I'll use that soon and let you know how it came out.  (I tasted it before freezing, but that's a little different than when you actually cook with it.)

I also finished two books.

This one I have no recollection of adding to my bag of treasures, but I must have.  I accused the hubby of seeding my bag with extras, but he denies it.

Though found in the fiction section, as often happens when you have volunteers sorting, this is non-fiction.  That's okay - I've found some good stuff that way.

This one, not such a good one.  Not awful, but not as good as I'd hoped when I read the blurb.

It is three biographies in one - all women who owned this same palazzo in Venice.  All of them eccentric, but from the description of the building, it was odd as well, so I suppose it attracted a certain type.

I had hoped for more renovation and such, since it was a crumbling mess at the start, but mostly what I got were rich people cheating on their spouses and many failed marriages.  It was a lot like lives of the rich and famous, just with a focus on these three women.

The last was a Guggenheim and she did have a modern art museum there when she lived in it (sharing the space in an odd arrangement), but when she passed away, it was fully converted into a modern art museum.

It took a while to read both because it has a lot of pages, but also because there were sections that were kinda dull.  But for non-fiction, it wasn't awful.  I've read a lot worse!

With that done, the random book chooser got this:

This one was recommended somewhere in my travels on the interwebs and I ordered it with Christmas money last year.  It was a quick read.

But I'm not sure if I liked it or not.

The start is very sad and I almost quit reading.  I wasn't sure my mental state was up to what all happened.  But I kept at it.  It didn't get all those accolades posted on the cover for nothing, right?  And though I often distrust those, I wanted to give the actual people who had mentioned it a fair chance.

It got happier, but it is not a happy book.  Hopeful, yes probably.  And it made me think a little differently about my life and situations I find myself in.

But if we're being honest?  I'm glad it's finished.

I pulled another to start tonight.  It's one many of you will probably recognize, but I'll wait to share until I'm done!

Happy quilting and dehydrating and reading!

Katie

taryn's 3rd baby quilt and more

Though I haven't touched my sewing machine this week, I do have a finished quilt to share!

A few months back, a coworker and I were chatting and I found out her daughter was pregnant for her third baby.  A baby that the docs cautioned her against even getting pregnant with, as her body has been through a lot in the first two pregnancies.  For whatever reason (I'm sure she has a good one), she opted to try for a third.  And since the first two got quilts, number three needed one as well!

I went scrolling through my Pinterest quilt board to see if anything in there could spark some ideas.  And I came across a photo of four farm trucks with animals in them - using the Lori Holt mish-mash she posted about in the later half of this blog post - and was sold.

I have both Farm Girl Vintage books, so it was off to the stash for fabric selection!

It took a while to decide on truck colors.  I didn't want any pink (too girly - this will be a boy) or yellow (I was worried about too little contrast with the background), and though my stash is plentiful, getting fabrics that look nice to be part of a two-tone truck was a little tricky.

But I got it and cut and cut and cut...

I only needed nine trucks, but anyone who has done one of Lori's patterns knows there are a LOT of pieces anyways.

I started sewing the next day...

And after a few sewing sessions, I had the trucks together.  Now on to the animals that go in the back (plus one of hay bales - the original pattern).

But this is where I got hung up.  I was still going to work from the stash (which makes sense), but there are NINE DIFFERENT blocks to make.  And a LOT of pieces to cut and fabrics to choose and keeping track of them...ugh!

Eventually I realized they would be a good project to work on while on vacation, but I needed to cut the pieces first.  To make sure I had everything I needed.

This was taken when I got it all out and was setting up for the first round of vacation sewing.  You can see each block/animal has a baggie of pieces.  I sorted those out, clipped my letter clips to the appropriate pieces and dug in.

As it turns out, I managed to cut or sew one piece wrong (or more) in every single block, so it was good that, as I was cutting pieces, I set aside each piece of fabric and took it with me on vacation.  None of the errors were from the pattern - all were mine.

Slowly the blocks came together and in a few days I had them all constructed.  Then I needed to decide who went in each truck.  Something that was photographed and then deleted.  Oops!

So the next photo is a finished top!

Taken from the porch facing the lake on vacation, the neighbors probably wondered what the heck I was doing wandering down to the beach for a few rocks with shoes on - I'd forgotten my flip-flops in the last-minute morning rush of packing.

But I was pleased to have this monster finished.  This was a lot of work, but I really love it.

I also made the binding while I had everything out and that made it easy to put everything back when I returned home.  The cornerstones and binding are the same fabric and were chosen because I had enough to do both.

It stalled out here for a while because I'm always worried about the longarming part of things.  I did got out and get a back for it, though!

This is a little darker than reality, but you get the idea.  I really like it!

Finally the day came and it needed to go on the longarm.

It went better than expected with only one thread break.  It seems my machine likes to decide quilt to quilt what it wants to do.  Sometimes from one pass to the next.  I know some of that might be the tension on the quilt in the frame, but I also am pretty sure it's more than that.

I did swirls - my go-to, but also something I know my machine can do fairly well and minimize my frustration at thread breaks.

I proceeded to sew on the binding - the machine-sewn side - and then it stalled out again.  I got sick (which is not a very good excuse because it sat for at least a week before that) and then finally made it happen.  Of course, then it sat another week waiting for a label, but she had the baby last Wednesday, so I really needed to get this finished.

Friday I sat myself down to make the label and sew it on.  They never take long, but I always feel awkward about putting my name on things and what to write without sounding corny or dumb...

I took it with me to work to hand over to the friend and ask that she pass it along to her daughter.  I expect I'll hear more about it this week when we're both back.

Oh, wait, you want a finished photo, don't you?!

It's funny how a day that looks so calm can ruffle a quilt so quickly when you want to take a photo.  And the program on my phone has changed yet again (why can't they just leave well enough alone?  it worked fine before), so editing has gotten harder.  They are really pushing the AI editing, but that makes everything less real and more cartooney and why can't that be an option, not the go-to?

Anyways, there you have a finished quilt that took me way longer than it should have because I'm very good at procrastinating.

The other baby quilt still needs a label, but she was born last Tuesday.  So once I get that label on, I'll get a truly finished photo and post about it next week.

In the book-reading news, I finished just one:

Set in Iraq during the reign of Saddam Hussein, it is the story of a young woman, American and Australian, the wife of the Australian ambassador, and two local women who used to be friends but had a falling out years ago.

One of the women is the secretary of the ambassador and she and her husband are asked to drive the young woman around, as it is deemed unsafe for her to be venturing on her own, but also to spy on her for their country.

The young woman wants to learn more about her mother, who had spent time in the country many years ago, when life was much different there.  This takes her into some dangerous places and eventually connects her with the other friend.

There are some dangerous situations and a lot of tension from the people who live there.  The author wrote from some personal experiences, so I expect I can trust it to be a fairly accurate portrayal of life there at the time.  It was not a comfortable book to read, but I'm glad that I did - I saw a different way of life and it made me appreciate all that I have a little more.

And that's it for my week.  No canning - the tomatoes have slowed down with the cooler temps we'd been having.  And I'm about half way through a new book, but already excited about another used book sale at the beginning of next month.  (I'd better get cracking on reading so I have room for more new books, though this one is smaller and I usually don't come home with much.)

Oh yes, my eyes.  The doc is pretty sure it's just dry eyes related to aging.  He's got me using some drops a few times a day (something I hate, but am getting better at) and has me trying a new brand of contacts to see if that helps.  I'll go back in another week for a recheck to reevaluate.  I guess worst case, I'm wearing glasses for the rest of my life, but I really do like my contacts, so I'm hoping for a solution that includes them.

Happy quilting and stuff...

Katie

short and sweet

I don't have much to share this week.  A nasty cold caught me last Monday afternoon and had me sleeping as much as I could.  It wasn't awful, but I hate how much it slows me down.

I managed to finish one book:

This one I enjoyed, though there were parts that slogged along, too.

Mary is the Mary you're probably thinking of - mother of Jesus.

Set when she was 14-17 or so, it is her story.  I'm not sure how much was real and how much was imagined, but if true, she knew Joseph before she became pregnant with Jesus.  I always kinda thought some kindly old man took pity on her, but apparently he was her age, a successful artist (carving not just wood, but apparently marble), somewhat well off and good looking and they wanted to be together for a number of years before the pregnancy.

It also tells how her family was kicked out of Nazareth and lived in the desert for a number of years.  Also something I wasn't familiar with, but not something I'd think was made up for this book.

The kicking out was political and there is a lot of warring going on to secure power and her family was caught in the middle of that.  The boring part is all these battles, but they do give you a sense of the dangerous things in this culture.

Mary was a spirited young woman with a mind of her own and parents who let her speak it, which seems dangerous and unlikely for this time, but I also can't imagine the fame she came into could have happened to a mousy, quiet woman.  A few times in the book, she was fleetingly referred to as a witch, but I'm not sure if that was a real accusation at the time.  But looking back at history, definitely I can see how that accusation could have been made of her with the right group of people.

It was enjoyable.  A new take on the bible story - well, a prequel I guess - but not preachy at all.  You know how it ends (she gets pregnant) of course, but I like knowing more.  (Science nerd Katie at her best!)

I also have another book by this author that I read years ago and liked enough to keep on the shelf ("Almost Adam"), so I guess I like this author?

Okay, that wasn't short.  But I also got a phone call from a friend and a text from the boss in the middle of things, so...

Once I was feeling better, the hubby and I canned another round of tomatoes from the garden.

Just 7 quarts, which is all my canner can handle at a time, so it worked out nicely.

And then I finished binding both baby quilts.  Lily helped.

Lily helps with everything.  Whether I want her to or not.  She claws and bites and yells if I tell her no.  I thought by 2 years old she'd have calmed down, but apparently she is working on the human timeline and it's the Terrible Twos.  Good lord, she just turned two.  It's gonna be a long year.

I promise to have full reveal photos of both quilts once I get the labels on.  Next week for the blog!

And yesterday we went to a Detroit Tigers game with the hubby's coworkers.  It was a management team building thing and since many of the managers opted to not go, spouses were invited to fill extra seats.  I'd never been, and it was a bus trip with all the details already worked out, so that was nice.

Inside the stadium, we ate at Bert's, as the sign says, because that is a family nickname for my hubby.  We got mac and cheese with smoked chicken and BBQ sauce on top.  It was delicious.  (And this photo is the only one I took of the whole experience!)

I've been to minor league games (we have a few teams nearby enough to have been a number of times), but this stadium was so much MORE!  The food vendors were so varied (schwarma next to mexican next to ice cream plus the regular hotdogs and peanuts on carts) and there were picnic tables to sit and eat so you didn't have to balance it on your knees and hope the guy next to you didn't knock your beer out of your hand.

It was also so clean.  The bathrooms, the floors, everything.

We had seats behind third base, which I guess is a good spot.  I'm not a big baseball (or any sport) fan, but the hubby said so and I believe him.  The weather was gorgeous, but that sun baked my face, so apparently behind third base is not the best on a super sunny day?

In all, it was fun.

And now I'm trying to play catch up from being sick.  I'm getting there, but still have a pile of chores to take care of.  Time to get back to them!

Happy quilting and gardening and reading,
Katie

no bats, little quilting or reading

If you read my post from last week you'll understand the no bats.  But really, it's what it says.  No bats were found in my house this week.

(Thank goodness because three in a week is the threshold where I need to call in a professional and with two last week, we were getting dangerously close!)

I also mentioned last week that I was going to quilt the baby quilts.

I did!

Freddie helped piece the backs.

I spread them on the floor to lay the quilt on top and see where to cut and this little nutcase burrowed right in.  At least twice for this back and once for the other quilt.

He's usually the chill, aloof cat.  Apparently not last Sunday.

Eventually I got both backs pieced and the longarm prepped and loaded.

Of course the colors are wrong here (why, oh why, can't my phone "see" the same thing I do?), but you can see the swirls going in!

This is the Colour Value Mystery Quilt Along from Canuck quilter.  The mystery is no longer available as a mystery, but you can purchase the pattern.  It's really well-written and easy to do and offers (I think) four sizes!

This will be going to my nephew and his wife for their third child.  If labor doesn't happen on its on before then, she will be induced Tuesday.

My father-in-law claims this will be a boy, but they have had multiple appointments where the docs tell them it's a girl.  I guess come Tuesday we'll see who is right!

Once this was done, I kept my "big girl panties" on and loaded up number two!

Again, it looks a little yellow, where the background is a nice white (with confetti squares), but whatever.  You get the idea.

This one got swirls also because I was being lazy and anything custom would just be insane.  (Also, it's a pattern that my longarm seems to tolerate well, even in its state of tantrum throwing.)

The pattern is a mashup of patterns from both of Lori Holt's Vintage Farmgirl books.

Binding has been attached and I've started the hand-sewing side of that, but this week has been a little busy again.

I had Monday off, but I went to lunch with friends, so that took a chunk of the day.  A fun chunk.  I haven't been able to join them in a while.

I worked Tuesday through Friday, alternating opening and closing shifts, which wears me out.  (Working till 9:30pm and then having to be back at 8am is not fun.  You basically start the day exhausted.)

Friday morning I got up and got my tire fixed.  I hope.

And then yesterday, Saturday, I got up and prepped to do a third round of this:

14 more quarts, though three didn't seal in this batch.  Not sure what's going on with that (one I could see had tomato seeds in the seal, but the other two?), but those got frozen, so all is well.  They'll be a little more work to use, but they didn't go to waste.

My house smells like canned tomatoes now.  Even with the windows open most of yesterday (it was cooler out and I'm not complaining!), but I guess it could be worse.

And THEN we headed to the in-laws for a cookout of hotdogs and s'mores.  Might be the last of the season, so I ate two s'mores and an extra marshmallow.

I have been reading, but not a lot.  For a few weeks my right eye has been giving me trouble (I have an eye appointment a week from tomorrow), so I've been wearing glasses instead of contacts and trying to limit my up-close stuff (reading, phone, etc) more to see if that helps.  I think it is, but I still want the doc to tell me it's nothing more than eye strain.  (Fingers crossed that IS all it is!)

So I haven't finished the book I started last week, but I'm enjoying this one, which is nice considering the two before it weren't so great.  I might finish it tonight, but the hubby also has a fantasy football draft this afternoon, of which I am expected to participate (someone has to get the names of the picks on the chart...), so we'll see.

Not much quilting, but I can't complain much about the stuff I've been doing.  I worked all summer to have those tomatoes to can.  I enjoy cookouts when the weather is a little chilly and family is always important.  And work allows me the means to have cats and make those quilts.

Time to go find a cheat sheet for the fantasy football (some dude makes a ranked list of players and the hubby uses that to help choose his team...can you hear my eyes rolling?) and get that printed.  At least it's at a place where I can order good bar food!

Happy quilting and reading and canning!
Katie