BOB's Tuesday Toast - 7/30/13

Here’s to quilters who don’t like -
Or get confused by Foundation Paper Piecing -

May they realize that the “Standard” method -
Is not the ONLY way to do it - ;))

===

I often read blogs where the blogger mentions -

How much she dislikes Foundation Paper Piecing -

Or how difficult it is -

Or how backwards and confusing -
The whole process is -

Trying to cut the right shape -
Putting the fabric on the back -
And sewing from the front - ;))

I thought the same thing -

Until I did it differently one day -

Totally by accident - ;))

I thought that I was doing it "correctly" -

The fabric was right-side up -

The pattern was right-side up -

I cut a couple of "chunks" of fabric to cover the areas I wanted -

And because my foundation paper was see-through -

I just put the fabric on top of the pattern -

Flipped it over -

And sewed on the line - ;))

I didn't realize that I had done it "WRONG" -

Until I saw that my block DIDN'T come out REVERSED - ;))

Oh, dear!!

I did it BACKWARDS!!

The block came out STRAIGHT!! - ;))

Funny how the "CORRECT" way is REVERSED -

And the "WRONG" way is STRAIGHT - ;))

But I didn't care -

I LIKED it STRAIGHT!! - ;))

It was easier to cut my fabric the right shape -

Because everything was right side up - ;))

I even fussy cut a patch -

And had it come out the WAY I wanted it to -

WHERE I wanted it to -

When I made the heart for my Wolf Song quilt - HERE - ;))

You can read How I Do It - HERE -

And try it yourself by using a Sharpie -

To draw a heart -

On a coffee filter - ;))

Granted, you have to be able to see the sewing lines -

Through your foundation paper -

And that may be a problem for some -

But - all things considered -

I think that it is easier -

More intuitive -

And not nearly as backward and confusing -

As the "other" way - ;))



But then again - it’s probably just me - ;))

Design Wall Monday - 7/29/13

DESIGN WALL MONDAY - 7/29/13
Check out all of us who link up with Judy L. at Patchwork Times on Mondays.
We have some awesome stuff on our walls!
Well, THEY do - ME - not so much sometimes - ;))
===

As I said yesterday -

I've been working on my LHQSQ blocks -

But since last week -

There has been a slight change in plans - ;))

I had said that the NEXT four were all cut and kitted -

And that is partly true -

They ARE all cut and kitted -

But they will not be the NEXT four blocks -

They will be the LAST four - ;))

Instead - the NEXT three blocks -

Will be from my bloggy buddy - KatieM’s -

Mystery Quilt - Four Corners - HERE - ;))

She graciously gave me permission to re-size them -

And to use them in my LHQSQ -

Thanks, Katie!! - ;))

These blocks use “units” that I have made before -

And look to me like variations of Block #92 - Tiramisu -

So I thought that they would fit in very nicely -

As Blocks #93 - 94 - and 95 -

And they do - ;))

===

Three more 6” sampler blocks -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #93 - Tiramisu - Variation #1 -
KatieM’s Mystery Quilt - Four Corners - Block #1 -

Don’t tell the quilt police -
But this is how I pressed the seams - ;))

Block #94 - Tiramisu - Variation #2 -
KatieM’s Mystery Quilt - Four Corners - Block #2 -

Block #95 - Tiramisu - Variation #3 -
KatieM’s Mystery Quilt - Four Corners - Block #3 -

And - if you screw up -

And inadvertently reverse Row 1 and Row 3 -
Before you “unsew” it -
And fix it -

You can make Variation #4 - ;))

===

By the way -

That Tan fabric with Red Roses -

Was included in a bunch of stuff -

That Katie sent me -

When we worked out our last “trade” - HERE -

And was the PERFECT choice for these blocks - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Making a mess -

Since I last showed you the 92 LHQSQ blocks on the wall -

There has been a slight change in plans - ;))

I had said that the NEXT four were all cut and kitted -

And that is partly true -

They ARE all cut and kitted -

But they will not be the NEXT four blocks -

They will be the LAST four - ;))

Instead - the NEXT three blocks -

Will be from my bloggy buddy - KatieM’s -

Mystery Quilt - Four Corners - HERE - ;))

She graciously gave me permission to re-size them -

And to use them in my LHQSQ -

Thanks, Katie!! - ;))

These blocks use “units” that I have made before -

And look to me like variations of Block #92 - Tiramisu -

So I thought that they would fit in very nicely -

As Blocks #93 - 94 - and 95 -

And they do - ;))

So I made some HST and some 4-patches -

Some geese -

Got the “units” sewn -

And - while I was at it -

I made a mess to clean up later - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

BOB's Tuesday Toast - 7/23/13

Here's to the Royal Baby -
Who was born yesterday -

May he live long and prosper! - ;))

=====

As everyone knows -

I borrowed that line from Spock -

But I don't think that Spock would mind -

Since it really does say it all -

That and "Happy Birthday!!" - ;))



And this time - I'm pretty sure that it's not just me - ;))

Design Wall Monday - 7/22/13

DESIGN WALL MONDAY - 7/22/13
Check out all of us who link up with Judy L. at Patchwork Times on Mondays.
We have some awesome stuff on our walls!
Well, THEY do - ME - not so much sometimes - ;))
===

If you have been reading my blog -

For the past week or so -

You already know -

That I have been working on my LHQSQ blocks -

Left-Handed Quilter Sampler Quilt -

And am up to 92 blocks on the wall -

That's 92 out of 99 -

So I'm ALMOST there - ;))

The next four are all cut and kitted -

And should keep me busy -

For the next few days - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

LHQSQ - Block #92

Another 6” sampler block -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #92 - Tiramisu -

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

LHQSQ - Block #91

Another 6” sampler block -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #91 - French Silk Pie -

I'm not real happy with my choice of fabric for the HST -

But it's too late now - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Our little campaign -

Maybe -

Just maybe -

Our little campaign -

To have Connecting Threads -

Bring back their VARIEGATED thread -

Will work - ;))

I did my part -

I sent in my request -

To Connecting Threads -

On their Customer Service form - HERE -

FROM: (Me)
EMAIL: (Mine)
DATE: (Tuesday)
SUBJECT: Suggestions for products
PRODUCT No: variegated thread

PLEASE bring back your beautiful VARIEGATED thread.
Thank you.

=====

And they acknowledged my email -

Dear (Me),

Thank you for your email to Connecting Threads with a suggestion for our products. We welcome your input, and appreciate that you've taken the time to contact us. Our Customer Service department will be in touch.

Sincerely,

The Customer Service Department
Connecting Threads

=====

And then - later -

Dear (Me),

They are looking into that possibility, we have had more and more requests.

Sincerely,
D----
Connecting Threads Customer Service
Phone: (###) ### - ####

=====

So now we wait -

And -

Maybe -

Just maybe -

The “more and more requests” -

Are US - ;))

Thanks, guys!! - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

LHQSQ - Block #90

Another 6” sampler block -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #90 - Apple Pie -

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

BOB's Tuesday Toast - 7/16/13

Here’s to Connecting Threads -

May they bring back their beautiful VARIEGATED thread - ;))

===

One Christmas many years ago -

I was given (not gifted) -

Several spools of Connecting Threads VARIEGATED thread - ;))

Top row - Country - Fall
Middle row - Warm Neutral - Purple
Bottom row - Ocean - Cool Neutral
===

They are/were absolutely gorgeous colors -

And it was a wonderful gift - ;))

Since I am down to one spool of each color -

I recently tried to replenish my supply -

From Connecting Threads website - HERE -

But VAREIGATED thread is no longer available -

Only SOLID color thread!! - ;))

I don’t WANT solid color thread -

I HAVE solid color thread -

I WANT/NEED some more of their VARIEGATED thread -

But they don’t sell it anymore -

And I REALLY wish that they did - ;))

Maybe we should start a campaign -

Contact Customer Service - HERE -

And ask them nicely to -

PLEASE bring back your beautiful VARIEGATED thread.
Thank you.

I REALLY would like to see it again - ;))



But then again - it’s probably just me - ;))

Design Wall Monday - 7/15/13

DESIGN WALL MONDAY - 7/15/13
Check out all of us who link up with Judy L. at Patchwork Times
on Mondays.
We have some awesome stuff on our walls!
Well, THEY do - ME - not so much sometimes - ;))
===

Another 6” sampler block -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #89 - Flying Geese -

Actually this one is a six by six grid -

And called for 36 HST to finish at 1" each - ;))

I chose to Foundation Paper Piece the block in rows -

Six rows - three geese across each row -

Six geese across if you count the "spacer" geese -
And the half goose at each end - ;))

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” - ;))

Somehow I mixed up the rows -

Row #5 and #6 should be Row #1 and #2 -

But you wouldn't know that -

If I hadn't told you -

Because the pattern still works -

Lucky for me - ;))

So -

That makes 89 down -

And 10 more to go - ;))




Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

LHQSQ - Block #88

Another 6” sampler block -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #88 - Split 9-Patch -

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

LHQSQ - Block #87

Another 6” sampler block -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #87 - Cross Roads -

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

BOB's Tuesday Toast - 7/9/13

Here’s to lawmakers -
Who levy a variety of taxes on cigarettes -

May they realize how much more $$$ they could make -
If they levied the same taxes on beer - ;))

===

BOB quit smoking cold-turkey several years ago -

And has often wondered why it was OK -

For cigarettes to be taxed so heavily -

But NOT OK for beer to be taxed at the same rates - ;))

If the same taxes that are levied on a pack/carton of cigarettes -

Were levied on a 6-pack/case of beer -

Just imagine the tax revenue that would generate!! - ;))

And -

BOB thinks that beer/alcohol is a mood-altering drug -

And should be regulated as such -

But it's not - ;))

I guess it’s because beer -

Is socially acceptable -

And so much better for you -

Than cigarettes -

And you can’t have FUN -

Without the beer - ;))

But let me ask you this -

If you see a fight break out -

In the stands/parking lot at a sporting event -

Do you suppose that they were smoking cigarettes -

Or drinking beer? -

I'd go with drinking beer - ;))



But then again - it’s probably just me - ;))

TUSAL - 7/8/13

I have joined hundreds of other stitchers in Daffycat’s TUSAL 2013 - HERE -

It's a Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long - ;)) -

To play the game -

I have to fill my glass container -

With saved thread clippings -

Or ORTS - Old Ratty Threads -

Fabric trimmings -

Stitching cast-offs -

And then -

On (or about) the New Moon -

Take a picture of the ORTS in my jar -

Post it to my blog -

With a link back to her TUSAL post - HERE -

And label the Totally Useless posts with “TUSAL” -

It's EASY -

It's TOTALLY USELESS -

And -

It's FUN!! - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

LHQSQ - Block #86

Another 6” sampler block -

That you can make using -

2-1/2” squares -

And anything else -

That finishes at 2” -

Three across and three down -

Variations of the basic NINE-PATCH -

The sewn block will MEASURE 6-1/2” -

And FINISH at 6” -

===

Block #86 - London Roads #2 -

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Happy 4th of July!!

Hope you all have a VERY -

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!

A day for celebrating -

Life - Liberty - and the Pursuit of Happiness -

With -

Family - Food - and Fun -

And that no-such-thing oxymoron -

Safe and Sane Fireworks - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

BOB's Tuesday Toast - 7/2/13

Here’s to Pattern Writers -
Who don’t furnish information on which direction to PRESS the seams in the block(s) -

May they realize that there are different ways to PRESS block seams -
And that quilters usually prefer the way that makes them “NEST” together -
When joined to other blocks - ;))

===

This is another one of my pet peeves - ;))

When I read a pattern -

I like to know which way to PRESS the seams in a block -

So that they “NEST” when I go to join them to their friends -

And some pattern writers do not provide that information -

And I REALLY wish that they would - ;))

I realize that it may not always be possible to “NEST” seams -

Depending on which way the blocks are rotated -

And -

Lucky for me -

I can usually figure out my own “PRESSING” scheme -

But it would be nice -

If the pattern writer provided the information -

So that I could spend my time -

SEWING instead - ;))



But then again - it’s probably just me - ;))

Design Wall Monday - 7/1/13

DESIGN WALL MONDAY - 7/1/13
Check out all of us who link up with Judy L. at Patchwork Times
on Mondays.
We have some awesome stuff on our walls!
Well, THEY do - ME - not so much sometimes - ;))
===

On my design wall - kinda/sorta - is a TEST block -
Because I saw the prettiest quilt the other day -
And I HAD to make ONE block to check it out - ;))

The pattern is found on the Moda Bakeshop site - HERE -

It’s called Simply Woven by Jess Kelly of SewCraftyJess - HERE -

And then KatieZ - Zana’s Ninis -
Posted that she had made one - HERE -

It was very weird -
Because the day before I read Katie’s post -
I had been checking my stash for jelly rolls to play with -
And had chosen a couple in blues and greens -
Just like Katie did - ;))

Then I made a TEST block -

And the very NEXT day -
KarenM - Karen’s Sewing Room -
Posted that she had made one - HERE -

BOY - Great minds DO think alike!! - ;))

Thanks for the pattern, Jess!! - ;))

===

Now about my TEST block -

It may not be obvious to a Right-Handed quilter -
But most photos included in patterns -
Are RIGHT-HANDED -

And since Lefties cut from the LEFT side of the ruler -

The photos are BACKWARDS to us - ;))

And for those of you who say “JUST REVERSE IT” -

It may be obvious to you -

But sometimes the obvious messes me up -

Do I reverse LEFT/RIGHT -

Or TOP/BOTTOM -

Or BOTH? - ;))

That’s what I need to know -

So -

Before I invested my time and energy -
And jelly rolls -
Into making a huge quilt -

I thought that I would make a TEST block -
And work my way through the instructions -
To see if I could get my block to “weave” properly -

And I decided to use Christmas fabrics -

Just because - ;))

Notes I made along the way -

#1.
For this TEST block -
Reverse LEFT/RIGHT only -
See what happens - ;))

#2.
If you are making a TEST block -
And cutting each strip individually -
PAY ATTENTION when you cut the background strips -
As they are NOT cut the same width as the jelly roll strips - ;))
I learned that the hard way when my first set didn’t “measure up” - ;))

#3.
When I sewed the sections together -
I sewed the NARROW section to the NEW strip FIRST -
With the NEW strip on the bottom -
And used the NEW strip as a guide for the finished size of the new section -
Easing the top piece as needed - ;))

#4.
If you step away from the block for a bit - and come back later -
You may not remember which strip was the NEW one -
It’s the one that goes ALL the way from one side to the other -
Because you haven’t cut it yet - ;))

#5.
When measuring for the next cut -
Make sure the NEW strip is at the BOTTOM of the block -
Running horizontally - left to right - like in the photo -
And place the 2-1/4" mark on the LEFT side of the first vertical strip -
Make the cut - separate the pieces - that is where the next strip goes -

#6.
The pattern didn’t specify which way to press the seams -
Bummer!! - THAT information would have been useful - ;))

So I decided to press the first set IN - toward the center/NEW strip -
Then after I made the first cut - and sewed it back together - I pressed OUT -
Then after I made the second cut - and sewed it back together - I pressed IN -
And so on -

My pressing seems to have worked out -
One direction has the seams pressed one way -
The other direction has the seams pressed the other way -
So when the blocks are laid out - and some are rotated -
The seams should nest nicely -
I hope - ;))

My final block is a LEFT-HANDED version -
A MIRROR IMAGE of the one shown in the pattern -
And although the edges appear to be the same -
The weave is different so it may not look right -
And may or may not play nice with a RIGHT-HANDED version - ;))

AND -

After taking it step - by - step - by - step -

And taking TONS of photos as I went along -

To jog my memory later on -

I now realize what should have been obvious -

I probably could have saved myself a LOT of trouble -

AND made a RIGHT-HANDED version -

If I had simply taken the photos provided by Jess -

And turned them UPSIDE DOWN -

Making sure that the NEW strip was always at the TOP of the block -

And cutting off the LEFT side of the block -

DUH!! - ;))

So now I KNOW -

To reverse BOTH -

And that’s EXACTLY what a TEST block is for - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -