Two Question Tuesday - 5/31/11

Two Question Tuesday – 5/31/11

Here's the deal - I really liked Mama M.'s Five Question Friday - but that's just too many questions for me.  So I'm going to do my version - and without the linky thingy.

I'll ask two questions and then give you my answers.  If you want to play - you can give me your answers in the comment section.  If you have a blog and would rather answer them there - just leave a link to your blog instead.  I don't know how to do the "Linky" thing like Mama M. yet - and to be honest - I would rather sew than find out - so I'll do it this way until I figure it out.
==========

Two questions for you this Tuesday -

1.  Are you a crier?
2.  Pre-wash or not?

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1.  Are you a crier?
No.  Not usually.  Sometimes I will tear up when I watch a movie – but that doesn’t happen very often.

2.  Pre-wash or not?
It depends.  A couple of years ago I went through my entire stash and washed – pressed – and folded every square inch.  So all of my long-term stash is pre-washed.  But I do not pre-wash anything that comes pre-cut – 5" charms - 10” squares – or "jelly rolls".  I do pre-wash fat quarters.  And I do not mix my pre-washed and not.  It’s all or nothing.  If I have scraps from a "jelly roll" project that were not pre-washed – I will put them in a lingerie bag and wash them – then sort – press – and cut them up for my scrap bins.

One extra note - I have seen projects where the instructions specifically say not to pre-wash the fat quarters before you cut them.  Because - if they are pre-washed – they may shrink – and you may not be able to cut the proper size patch or cut the correct number of pieces.

Huh?? 

Silly me – if the fabric is going to shrink – AT ALL - I want it to shrink BEFORE I cut it - not AFTER it's all sewn together!

==========

OK - your turn.



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 5/30/11

Design Wall Monday - 5/30/11

So this is what’s on my wall today –

B/W/R – BLACK STRIPE
Yeah – It’s back!!

I’ll give you the update on my Hawaiian Applique blocks later -

But for now – I’m going to play with this – while I wait for Judy’s next UFO number.

And lest we forget – today is MEMORIAL DAY – a day to say THANK YOU!!

Please check out these tribute posts – they say it much better than I ever could.

Chris – Shared Creativity

Judy – Patchwork Times



Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

LHQ - Sewing Room #4

LHQ – SEWING ROOM #4

TECH CENTER - RT SIDE
The "computer tech center" side of the room - cabinets hold more books, patterns, magazines, etc - handy but "out of sight".

.
TECH CENTER
This "computer tech center" came with the house - standard - I knew immediately that this would be "MY ROOM" - no question!!  (My husband uses one of the back bedrooms for his "man cave".)

TECH CENTER - LEFT SIDE
I try to keep this room neat since it's right off the dining room.  When my projects started spilling out onto the dining room table and surrounding areas, we turned the "spare room" into my fabric storage/project planning room.  My "new room" was my Christmas present!

I’ll show you that one of these days.



Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

LHQ - Sewing Room #3

LHQ – SEWING ROOM #3

BOOKCASE WALL - RT SIDE
This bookcase was an upgrade option when we bought the house - I LOVE IT!!  The photo boxes on the right hold my thread - by type.  The baskets hold more rulers and templates along with other "stuff".  The scrapbooks have photos, scraps, and stories to document the quilts I've made through the years.  The wooden plaque by the teddy bear on the top shelf says "You Sew Girl!"

BOOKCASE WALL
I have more books in the cabinet above my computer - I try to group them by type but they tend to get out of order quickly.  I waited until Michael's or JoAnn's had photo boxes on sale and got them in matched pairs - then just scattered them around on the shelves.  They hold all kinds of things - and make it look all nice and neat.

BOOKCASE WALL - LEFT SIDE
The lower cabinets are great for storing stuff I want handy but "out of sight" - like stabilizers and fusible webs.

Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

LHQ - Dryer Sheet Experiment

LHQ - DRYER SHEET EXPERIMENT

Yesterday Katie M. asked me if I had ever used dryer sheets instead of fusible in machine appliqué.  She was thinking of doing that and then using school glue to secure it.  She asked me to share my thoughts.

Who me?  Share my thoughts?  Why, of course!  Thanks for asking!

I replied that I had not done either – but that I thought that we should both try it and then compare notes.

So here’s my experiment – and test results –
==========

OK – I tried it with a "heart" shape - folded some fabric in half and traced one side of one of my other "hearts".  Super simple shape - and I figured that would give me an "inside" and "outside" point to play with.

I cut a heart out of red

Backed it with a used dryer sheet

Sewed around it

Made a slit in the dryer sheet - trimmed the point - clipped the "v" - turned it inside out - carefully.  I made sure to put any "stress" on the fabric and not on the sheet.

It seemed to work OK.

Then I couldn't find ANY school glue - in my whole house!  So I didn't use any - I just held it in place and appliqued it down as is.

I used a decorative  --!--!--  stitch.

Then I rinsed/scrunched it under some cold tap water and ironed it dry.

(As a side note – I have never had any trouble with school glue washing out completely.
You just have to be prepared to wash the quilt when it’s finished – to remove the glue.)

It looked OK and feels kinda soft – but I don't know what the long term effects of leaving the dryer sheet in will be.

I think I still prefer featherweight fusible interfacing, though - because it is designed for use in cuffs and collars and such.  I think that it may hold up to wear and tear and washings better than dryer sheets - but who knows?  And fusible interfacing also eliminates the need for glue - and washing the quilt when it's finished.  Fewer steps is always good - don't you think? 

Bottom line - I would probably stick with the fusible interfacing rather than use the dryer sheets.

My personal preference – that’s all.



Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew

Two Question Tuesday - 5/24/11

Two Question Tuesday – 5/24/11

Here's the deal - I really liked Mama M.'s Five Question Friday - but that's just too many questions for me.  So I'm going to do my version - and without the linky thingy.

I'll ask two questions and then give you my answers.  If you want to play - you can give me your answers in the comment section.  If you have a blog and would rather answer them there - just leave a link to your blog instead.  I don't know how to do the "Linky" thing like Mama M. yet - and to be honest - I would rather sew than find out - so I'll do it this way until I figure it out.
==========

Two questions for you this Tuesday -

1.  Do you have a kindle?
2.  Do you like/participate in swaps?

==========

1. Do you have a kindle?
No.  I prefer the real thing.  I like the smell of books – and the feel of paper.
I have this fear of us becoming the Eloi.  (Look it up.)

2.  Do you like/participate in swaps?
No.  BOB can tell you why.
(If you are a swap lover – you don’t want to know what BOB thinks – trust me!)

==========

OK - your turn.



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 5/23/11

Design Wall Monday - 5/23/11

So here’s what’s on my design wall today –

It may look pretty much the same as last week -

but I actually have made progress.

This is the status of each one – today –

1.  Hibiscus – red on white -
Last week -
Hand appliquéd – hand quilted
Needs more quilting – I’ll do that by machine – try out my sewing machine’s “hand” look quilting stitch.
Needs binding – I’ll bind it and use it as a sample for my series on binding quilts.

This week - almost DONE
I decided against doing any more quilting and bound it with pre-packaged red quilt  binding.

Then I used some twill tape - some small brass safety pins - and a chopstick - to hang it.
It still needs a label and story.  (No heart or scrapcard on this one - rats!)

2.  Ulu – green on muslin - no change from last week
Hand appliquéd
Needs quilting and binding – by machine

3.  Pineapple – green on muslin - 
Last week -
Hand-basted for hand applique
Needs to be redone for machine appliqué – fusible interfacing?

This week - 
I removed the hand basting and pin basted the applique to a piece of fusible interfacing.
Now I need to stitch around it - slowly - turn it inside out - and fuse it to a background square.

4.  Hibiscus – dark yellow on light yellow -
Last week -
Partially hand appliquéd by two of my teachers – and me – as a teaching aid
May just leave it the way it is

This week - almost DONE
I decided to leave it just the way it is.
I wrapped it up and put it away with a note saying who stitched what and when.
I still need to write up the story.  (No label - heart - or scrapcard for this one, either.)

5.  Ginger – red on white - no change from last week
Hand-basted for hand applique
Needs to be redone for machine appliqué – fusible interfacing?

6.  Stephanotis – black on white - no change from last week
Hand-basted for hand applique
Needs to be redone for machine appliqué – fusible interfacing?

7.  Woodland Lei – peach on rust batik - no change from last week
Fused-basted
Ready for machine appliqué

So - in order of completion - 

#1 and #4 are almost DONE
#2 block is done
#7 block needs to be machine appliqued
#3 block needs to be sewn to the interfacing - turned - fused - machine appliqued
#5 and #6 blocks need to be redone for machine applique


Tomorrow is Two Question Tuesday.  Wednesday I’ll show you some more photos of my sewing room.  Stay tuned.



Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

QJ - B/W/R PILLOWCASES

QUILT JOURNAL
B/W/R PILLOWCASES

MACHINE PIECED

FITS STANDARD SIZE PILLOWS

STARTED – AUGUST 15, 2010   

COMPLETED – AUGUST 19, 2010

PATTERN – CONNECTING THREADS

BACKYARD FUN PILLOWCASES

MADE TO MATCH FIVE B/W/R BIG & BOLD QUILTS

LHQ - Sewing Room #2

LHQ – SEWING ROOM #2

FROM BEHIND CUTTING TABLE
Back side of the cutting table - you can see the other door and the drawer that holds my rulers - the 10-drawer unit holds finished blocks and the squares I cut from my scraps.  I just push the cutting table around if I want more room.

DESIGN WALL AND IRONING BOARD
Design Wall - a piece of felt thumb-tacked to the back-side of the angled/wonky wall.  It's empty in the photo because I was "between" projects.  I'm left-handed so I put the pointy end of the ironing board on the left to hold the iron - I move the whole thing to the other side of the room when I'm playing around with block layouts.  Sometimes when the window is open, a nice breeze will blow the blocks off the wall - that's always fun!

Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

LHQ - Sewing Room #1 - My Happy Place

LHQ – Sewing Room #1 - My Happy Place

Here are some photos of MY HAPPY PLACE -

SEWING ROOM - OFFICE
View of the sewing room/office open to the dining area and living room - the white curvy thing in the top left corner is part of the dining room fixture.

CUTTING TABLE
Cutting table with project bins - the cabinet opens from both sides and stores ironing "stuff" and spray basting cans - the other side has a drawer on top that holds my rulers. Both ends are drop-leaf extensions and it slides easily so I can push it back and out of the doorway if we have company. We bought it years ago at K-Mart - it was supposed to be a kitchen "island" - but, hey, that's what "re-purposing" is all about, right!! The height is perfect, and the top is 24" x 36" (without leaf extension) - perfect for my old gray Fiskars cutting mat (24" x 36" including border) - but my new yellow/lime green Fiskars cutting mat is 24" x 36" plus border - so it hangs over the edge just a bit.

WINDOW TO FRONT PORCH
My window looks out onto the front porch - my Husqvarna / Viking Lily 555 sits on the same desk I used in high school - I painted the desk white to match the room. I love my white walls - they show off all of my COLORS!

Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

Two Question Tuesday - 5/17/11

Two Question Tuesday – 5/17/11

Here's the deal - I really liked Mama M.'s Five Question Friday - but that's just too many questions for me. So I'm going to do my version - and without the linky thingy.

I'll ask two questions and then give you my answers. If you want to play - you can give me your answers in the comment section. If you have a blog and would rather answer them there - just leave a link to your blog instead. I don't know how to do the "Linky" thing like Mama M. yet - and to be honest - I would rather sew than find out - so I'll do it this way until I figure it out.
==========

Two questions for you this Tuesday -

1. What is your “guilty pleasure” TV show?
2. Do you like/participate in “giveaways”?

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1. What is your “guilty pleasure” TV show?
My guilty pleasure is watching PBR – Professional Bull Riding – on the weekends. You know it’s bad when you know the names of the cowboys/riders and the bulls!


2. Do you like/participate in “giveaways”?
Sometimes. I did win one over on Toni’s blog. She gave away a pattern and a charm pack – cute stuff! Sometimes a blog is giving away a new book – I’ll enter just for the hell of it – even though I know I have a snowball’s chance of winning – but you never know. Other times I think it’s just a gimmick to up the stats – and I don’t bother. So it depends – probably on my mood that day.

==========

OK - your turn.

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 5/16/11

Design Wall Monday - 5/16/11

So here’s what’s on my design wall today –

My UFOs - #9 - Hawaiian Applique  - pillowtops -

Stage 9.  Cut/Basted for Hawaiian Applique - Pillowtops - etc.

• ·    Hibiiscus - red on white
• ·    Ulu - green on muslin
• ·    Pineapple - green on muslin
• ·    Hibiscus - dark yellow on light yellow
• ·    Ginger - red on white
• ·    Stephanotis - black on white
• ·    Woodland Lei - peach on rust batik

So far this month I have been working on the ladies.  Now it’s time to work on my UFOs.

I only have seven at this stage of completion – so we’ll see how far I can get in the next two weeks.  Two days apiece – in theory – that is – if nothing else happens in my life during that time.  (Yeah, right!)

And for you those of you out there who can crank out an entire quilt in one week – good for you!!  But not me!!  I am S-L-O-W – and I like it that way!!

This is the status of each one – today –

Hibiscus – red on white
Hand appliquéd – hand quilted
Needs more quilting – I’ll do that by machine – try out my sewing machine’s “hand” look quilting stitch.
Needs binding – I’ll bind it and use it as a sample for my series on binding quilts.

Ulu – green on muslin
Hand appliquéd
Needs quilting and binding – by machine

Pineapple – green on muslin
Hand-basted for hand applique
Needs to be redone for machine appliqué – fusible interfacing?

Hibiscus – dark yellow on light yellow
Partially hand appliquéd by two of my teachers – and me – as a teaching aid
May just leave it the way it is

Ginger – red on white
Hand-basted for hand applique
Needs to be redone for machine appliqué – fusible interfacing?

Stephanotis – black on white
Hand-basted for hand applique
Needs to be redone for machine appliqué – fusible interfacing?

Woodland Lei – peach on rust batik
Fused-basted
Ready for machine appliqué


Tomorrow is Two Question Tuesday.  Wednesday I’ll show you some photos of my sewing room.  Stay tuned.


Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

Mother's Day Present - Part 2

Hi there -

Yesterday I posted a photo of my new sewing table - 

NO - I DID NOT GET A SIT-DOWN LONGARM MACHINE!!

I WISH!!

No - it's just a new table and a very old sewing machine.

The sewing machine on the table is my old "Toyota" - my White - Jeans Model 1777.  It's about twenty years old.  I bought it at a Husqvarna/Viking Dealer when I decided that I needed a sewing machine that had "adjustable pressure" and a "drop the feed dogs" feature.  I remember going into the local Joanns where the local Husqvarna/Viking dealer had rented some space.  I was overwhelmed with the selection of machines available - but I knew what I wanted.  I asked the saleslady which of the machines had the "drop feed" feature first - figuring that it would narrow the field dramatically.  It did.  She pointed out a couple of machines.  Then I asked her - which of these has "adjustable pressure" - she showed me two.  Great - I could manage test-driving two machines.  So I did.  I spent about an hour fiddling with each machine.  And my "Toyota" came home with me.  It is a mechanical machine - and a workhorse!!  I love that machine!!  I have made some of my best quilts on that machine!!

My Husqvarna/Viking Lily 555 is my "Lexus".  I bought it at the same Husqvarna/Viking dealer when I decided I wanted to upgrade to an electronic (non-embroidery) machine.  I checked out the super-duper, super-expensive ones and basically said "No thanks!!"  I am just not into embroidery (BOB will explain - someday) - so I asked to see the "top of the line - just UNDER the embroidery models".  I was shown - at the time - the Lily 545 and Lily 555.  The price difference was not enough to warrant settling for the 545 - and I knew that if I didn't get the 555 - I would be "settling" and would regret it.  So - I bought the 555 on the very last day of the sale - about 15 minutes before the store was going to close - and got some FREE stuff - because they wanted the sale!!  Anyway - Lily is set up for piecing and sits in front of my window - so I can watch the world do its thing - while I do mine.

I have wanted to practice my free-motion quilting for some time now.  I have some baby quilts that need quilting - but I haven't had the nerve to try to quilt them - and ruin all of my hard work so far.  So they sit - patiently - on my UFO pile - Stage 3.

I have followed the FMQA on A Few Scraps and the FMQP on Leah's site - so I set up my Toyota on the dining room table - with its extension table - planning to practice.  What a pain!!  The lighting is horrible in the dining room - just the overhead fixture.  And the table is too high!  The last quilt I quilted - with the walking foot - was on the kitchen table - too high - and my shoulders ached for weeks.

No - I needed a "proper" table.  So I waited for a sale - and told my husband, "Thank you for the new table."  when the delivery guy dropped it off at the house.  Happy Mother's Day to me!

The table has a platform for the sewing machine to sit on.  The platform can be adjusted up or down to make the machine level with the table.  We adjusted it - and then I remembered the gaps!  Forgot about the gaps!  The larger table comes with an acrylic insert to fill the gaps.  I have a smaller machine - so I got the smaller table - no insert!

Leah to the rescue!  I remembered one of her videos.  I could use the extension table as an insert!  It fit the throat plate of the machine perfectly and would cover the gaps!  So we took the legs off the extension table - put it on the machine - and readjusted the platform to accommodate the height of the sewing machine and the extension table.  Works great!

Now if I can just figure out how to keep the "Slider" from sliding all over when I try to quilt!!

And don't say - tape it down!  I do that and the quilt catches on the damn tape!

Stay tuned while I figure this out...




Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Mother's Day Present

So here's what I got for Mother's Day -

The table - not the sewing machine - that's my old "Toyota" -

Now I have to practice my free motion quilting -

Wish me luck!

Oh, yeah - two more things -

1. I had to add the Ladies to my UFO list - Stage 5 - ugh!
2. I had another thought about the challenge I mentioned on Monday's post - 

What if you reversed it??

What if -

YOU took on the challenge and asked someone to send YOU a fat quarter -
to see what YOU could do with it??

That might be fun!




Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Two Question Tuesday - 5/10/11

Two Question Tuesday - 5/10/11

Here's the deal -  I really liked Mama M.'s Five Question Friday - but that's just too many questions for me.  So I'm going to do my version - and without the linky thingy.

I'll ask two questions and then give you my answers.  If you want to play - you can give me your answers in the comment section.  If you have a blog and would rather answer them there - just leave a link to your blog instead.  I don't know how to do the "Linky" thing like Mama M. yet - and to be honest - I would rather sew than find out - so I'll do it this way until I figure it out.
==========

OK - the inspiration for the questions today comes from reading a bunch of blogs over the weekend.  They were all blogs written by quilters - and they covered a wide range of subjects - including quilting - cross-stitch - embroidery - knitting - crochet - cooking/recipes - family - travel - and history.  The first question is pretty general - as you will see.  However - the second question was inspired by a visit to Bonnie Hunter's blog  here.  She had a wonderful photo tour of Christ Church, Philadelphia ((And Betsy Ross too!)) - and she asked a question about what she had found.  The reader comments/responses got me to thinking.

So here goes -

Two questions for you this Tuesday -

1.  Do you like quilt blogs that only talk about quilting?

2.  Do you know your Roman numerals or do you have to look online for a chart?

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1.  Do you like quilt blogs that only talk about quilting?
Yes - actually I do - sometimes.  I like reading about a quilter's project of the day/week/month.  But I also like to read about the other things that interest the blog author.  If their interests match mine - I will probably continue to read their blog.

2.  Do you know your Roman numerals or do you have to look online for a chart?
Yes - I do know my Roman numerals.  And my multiplication tables.  (Still get messed up with 6x7 - 7x8 - though.)  I am a baby boomer.  I know this stuff.

==========

OK - your turn.

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -


P.S.  BOB's answers are here.

Design Wall Monday - 5/9/11

Design Wall Monday - 5/9/11

Worked on the ladies - for a long time -

I am a Slow Poke Quilter, after all.

I kept changing them - and changing them -

and then -

I finished them - yesterday.

Mother's Day - how appropriate is that?

They agreed to stay on the wall long enough for me to show them off. 

TA DAH!!

So - what do you think?

=====

OK - your turn.

You guys are into challenges - right?

So - send a fat quarter to someone you know - and challenge them to do something with it.

You can always blame me.  I don't mind.

Have fun!



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

P.S.  I'll tell you Wednesday what I got for Mother's Day.  Tomorrow is Two Questions Tuesday.  Gotta think up a couple of questions.

GOOD NEWS...

GOOD NEWS...

I have GOOD NEWS...

Make that TWO GOOD NEWS(es?)...

NEWS #1 -
I have a NEW Lefty Button!
Did anyone notice?
It's over there on the right - on the sidebar.
See it?
All Pretty and Pink.
If you are a Lefty - grab it for your blog - pretty (and pink) please!
Thanks!

NEWS #2 -
I have a NEW Follower!
Follower #10.
Amanda.
Welcome Amanda!
How did you find me?
Are you a Lefty?

Oh - and one more -

I guess that makes THREE GOOD NEWS(es)...

NEWS #3 -
The ladies are almost done!
Well - the top is almost done!
And I think they're happy now.
I made them skinnier.
Ladies like that.
I want to finish the top today - and post photos tomorrow.
Wish me luck.

In the meantime - 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

BOB has left the building...

===========
WARNING - BOB is my alter ego - Bitchy Old Broad.
BOB's adventures are basically rants - some funny - some silly - some stupid - some sad - some just plain bitchy - depending on your point of view.  (If you haven't already - you may want to read my post - Meet BOB.)  If you prefer not to read rants - STOP READING NOW!!
===========

BOB has left the building...

Isn't that what they used to say when Elvis had finished a concert?

Elvis has left the building...

Well - anyway - BOB has moved to another blog.

I decided the other day to give her her own space and her very own blog.

That way I can keep this blog more about quilting and less about bitching.

BOB can bitch all she wants now in her new home.  (And she probably will.)

Unfortunately, when she moved she was unable to take her comments with her -
so feel free to give her some new ones - I'm sure that she would like that.

If anyone wants to visit her - she can be found here.

Stop by and say hello - I'm sure that she would love to chat.



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Picasa - One Last Post

OK - this is the last post on Picasa Web Albums - then I'm dropping the whole subject.

If you don't think you have a Picasa Web Album and find out later that you actually do -
I reserve the right to say, "I told you so!"

Check out these links - you might find them interesting -

1.  Google Storage: How it Works - 

http://picasa.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=39567

2.  Is there a way to blog on blogger without having every picture I post get uploaded to picasa?

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=2ce9a0d36550b38b&hl=en

And my personal favorite -

3.  Trying to recover space on my blog by deleting old posts, why isn't it working?

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=12ca129d89f755af&hl=en

I like the part at the top that says - "Another discussion addresses this question."

Then when you go to "Another discussion" - you get - "FAQ":  This thread is closed."

Golly, gee - that's helpful -

And Mishka's answer - at the very bottom - 

@caseyq - the Help Center for Blogger explains that the images are stored on Picasa

http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=42475

Did you find this answer helpful?
Yes
No
=====

Ummmm - NO!!

If you go to the site Mishka mentions and find the section -

What are the limits on the size or number of pictures uploaded?
To find out how much space you have available, please see this help article.

And click on the help article - it isn't there!!

=====

Anyway - this is how I understand it -

Blogger is a Google account - so they are related.  Picasa is also a Google account - and is the default storage site for Blogger photos.  It stores all of the photos that have been posted on your blog.  I had no idea - I never set up an account with Picasa.  I never downloaded the software - nothing.  When I uploaded a photo - it was from my computer - I skipped the other listings thinking I didn't have any accounts - not knowing it had been set up automatically - "in the background" - and was storing all of my photos.  Silly me - I thought I was "copying" them from my computer and "pasting" them to my blog.  I didn't know I was "storing" them - in Picasa.

And these are the answers I gave a couple of readers who were kind enough to play along and leave me a comment on my last post -

Toni - I didn't choose Picasa.  It was automatically attached to my blog by Google.  It is the default storage site Blogger uses for the photos posted on my blog.  I didn't know I even had it.  I don't know how Blogger works with Flickr or Yahoo.  I'm going to do one more post and then drop the whole subject.  Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Katie -  I don't know anymore.  Silly me - I thought I was "copying" photos from my computer and "pasting" them to my blog.  I had no idea that my blog photos were/are being stored by Google in a Picasa Web Album.  Blogger is a Google account and Picasa is the default storage site for Blogger photos.  I'm going to do one more post and then drop the whole subject.  It all makes my head hurt.

So that's it - no more talk about Picasa -  I'll shut up now - just don't say I didn't warn you -


Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - the ladies are calling my name -

Surprise! Surprise!

Hi there -

I posed some questions yesterday - and got very few responses. Oh, well - maybe this time.

Anyway - to any and all bloggers who actually read my blog - I want you to do something for me - if you would please.  (This may be something that you already know - but it was news to me!)

First - I want you to open a new window to do this side-by-side.
Use the right window to read the instructions - and - the left window to do the stuff.
(This first set of instructions is to help you make the two windows - if you already know how - just skip to the next section.)

1. In the top right corner of this screen - the middle icon says "restore down".  Click that.
2. Left click in the top blue part of the small window and (while holding the mouse button down) drag the whole window to the right side of your screen.  Release the mouse button.  (You can make it skinnier if you hover your mouse over one of the sides and watch for the left/right arrow - left click on the side and drag it toward the middle of the little window.)
3. Open another window to the left of the one you just made.  (Top left corner of this window - click on File - New Window - Restore down again - drag it to the left side of your screen.)

Now -  this next part is ESPECIALLY for those who DON'T HAVE PICASA!!

(That includes you - Toni!  ;))

Just humor me here, OK??

1. In the left window - go to your Blogger Dashboard.
2. Go to the very, very bottom of the page - where it says "Other Stuff".
3. Find the middle column that says "Tools and Resources".
4. See the line that says "Picasa Web Albums"?  (On mine - it's the fourth one down.)
5. Click on that.  

Surprised?

I was.

But then again - maybe it's just me.


Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - this bloggy stuff makes my head hurt -

BOB and Two Question Tuesday - 5/3/11

BOB and Two Question Tuesday - 5/3/11

Like I said last week -

Here's the deal -  I really liked Mama M.'s Five Question Friday - but that's just too many questions for me.  So I'm going to do my version - and without the linky thingy.

I'll ask two questions and then give you my answers.  If you want to play - you can give me your answers in the comment section.  If you have a blog and would rather answer them there - just leave a link to your blog instead.  I don't know how to do the "Linky" thing like Mama M. yet - and to be honest - I would rather sew than find out - so I'll do it this way until I figure it out - if you don't mind.  (Computers and I get along sometimes and then they do something stupid like give me "server reject" errors when I try to "insert image".  Drove me nuts on my Design Wall Monday post yesterday.  So no more photos until I figure out what is going on.)
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It was that last part - last week - that was the inspiration for this week's first set of two questions designed For Bloggers Only.  But - because I want everybody to play - I'll also ask a second set of two questions - For Readers with or without Blogs.  (Bloggers - please feel free to answer both sets of questions - I don't mind.)  And this week - BOB is going to answer as well.  (Meet BOB here.)

Two questions for you this Tuesday - 

Set #1 -  For Bloggers Only

1A.  How much of your Picasa Web Albums storage are you currently using?

1B.  Did you even know you had Picasa Web Albums?

Set #2 - For Readers with or without Blogs

2A.  Do you like surprises?

2B.  Do you think you cuss too much?

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1A.  How much of your Picasa Web Albums storage are you currently using?
Last week I had maxed out my free storage.  I was using 991 MB (96.87%) of my allotted 1024 MB.  That's why I kept getting "server reject" errors when I tried to upload photos to my blog - no more room!  So I had to upgrade my storage - today I am using 0.98 GB (4.61%) of 21GB.

1B.  Did you even know you had Picasa Web Albums?
No - I had no idea!  It was a complete surprise to me!

2A.  Do you like surprises?
Nope - never have.  They make me nervous.  Most surprises in my life have not been the "fun" kind.  (BOB may need to do a post on surprises - especially THIS one!!) 

2B.  Do you think you cuss too much? 
I try to watch my mouth on my blog - but BOB says "Fuck, yeah!"

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OK - your turn.

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 5/2/11

Design Wall Monday - 5/2/11

STILL working on the ladies -

I keep changing it - and changing it -

This is one of those quilts that keeps telling me - No! - No! - Not that way!
So -
I keep changing it -

Now it's telling me it wants to be skinnier.

Maybe I'll add a border to just the top and bottom -

Maybe that will make the ladies happy.



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - gotta finish this one - someday soon -

UFO Challenge - May - 5/1/11

UFO Challenge - May - 5/1/11

This morning - Sunday - Judy picked #9 - which translates to my Stage 9 Projects -

 Stage 9.  Cut/Basted for Hawaiian Applique - Pillowtops - etc.

• Hibiiscus - red on white
• Ulu - green on muslin
• Pineapple - green on muslin
• Hibiscus - dark yellow on light yellow
• Ginger - red on white
• Stephanotis - black on white
• Woodland Lei - peach on rust batik

PERFECT!!

These might actually be doable!!

The first one on the list is the very first Hawaiian - hand - applique pillowtop I ever tried.
I decided that after it was appliqued and quilted - I would simply bind it and keep it as an example of my first attempt at handwork.  The applique and quilting are already done (albeit atrociously) so all I have to do now is bind it.  AND I'm still drafting a series of posts about binding - so it can be a "sample" as well.  Two birds and all that...  (I probably should have put it in with my Stage 5 (Need Binding) Projects - but when I made my UFO list I just grouped all of the Hawaiian applique projects together by size - pillowtop and wallhanging.)

Anyway - the other pillowtops will be great "practice" quilts to perfect my machine applique and machine quilting techniques (the size is right) before I work on my Stage 7 - Floral Applique.  (When Judy calls #7 - I want to be READY to finish it!!)  And - as much as I would love to honor the Hawaiian tradition of Hand Applique and Hand Quilting - I am no longer able to do handwork (health issues) - so these will have to be done by machine - or not done at all.

So - gotta dig them out - get them ready - and actually DO them -

After I finish the ladies - of course! 

Is it any wonder I have so many UFOs?  I have the attention span of a gnat these days!


Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -