Scrap Therapy

I was anxious to organize my scraps last week in anticipation of what arrived in the mail yesterday.

Last week Kathie, on her Inspired by Antique Quilts blog, mentioned this great shop that has reproduction fabric scrap grab bags. She ordered a few, and then, when they arrived she was so pleased she went back and ordered more. A lot  more, in fact, LOL. I knew I had to act quickly because I am a scrapaholic myself and I had to have some new scraps too, before she bought out the entire store. Buying yards of several pretty fabrics is fun and they're very nice but I adore tons of scraps. Really good scraps make me want to jump and sing. I needed some SCRAPS!!

 Did I tell you, these are some really good scraps. I only bought 2 bags to begin with but I will be going back for more too.

As you can see, these are not small pieces.

When I first began to quilt, I used to visit a shop that tossed all of their leftover scraps from classes and kits into a large basket. For $5.00 you could buy as many as you could fit into a large zip-lock bag. Of course, I used to go there often and spend an hour picking through their fabric and filling up bag after bag. That's how my fabric collection started - with scraps. I had fallen in love with scrappy small quilts you see and no scrap was too small for me to use. In fact, I loved having a wonderful variety to comb through  -  hundreds of prints - and I'm sure if I look hard enough I can still find some of those same scraps stored away somewhere in my baskets or in a drawer. The shop owners would laugh at me (and roll their eyes when I wasn't looking, I could tell) because I used to go in there often only for scraps and bought yardage when I needed  fabric for borders or backings. They had no idea what I was doing with them because small quilts hadn't really taken off yet. Well, if you make lots of small scrappy blocks from 1 1/2" or 2" pieces, scraps are the way to go sometimes. At the time, I wasn't making large quilts so I never had any leftovers to use up for my doll quilts.


If you need to increase your stash of reproduction fabrics (Honestly, who doesn't??), then check out what Homestead Hearth - is offering. I e-mailed them this morning to tell them you were coming and they said to mention that, because of the recent extreme demand (Kathie!), processing and shipping of individual orders may take up to 7 -10 days to make sure everyone gets a nice variety. Glad I got my order in early! So now go shopping. Everyone needs some good scraps to make some great scrap quilts.

Made from scraps

Made from scraps

Yes, made from scraps, just in case you were wondering what I do with all those little pieces . . . . 

Scrappy Nine patches

I'm making a scrappy nine-patch lap quilt for my sofa. I started a few blocks before the Christmas rush and just sewed a little on it this past week. It will be very utilitarian and nothing special so that if something spills or the dog drools on it, no problem.

 

 

Right now this Calico Comfort quilt from my book Remembering Adelia is being used on the sofa and I love it but really don't want it to get ruined, what with my letting the little dog up on the couch so often to cuddle with me while I read. I keep an old afghan near but she will curl up in a quilt faster than an afghan. I love looking at the scraps I used in it and it gives me so much pleasure to run my fingers over them - over and over again. My grown-up blankie? Don't think I had one as a child. 

I've made 16 blocks so far and need about 30. They don't take long to make - the hardest part (but "funnest") was choosing fabric from my scraps. 

 

 

 

 

Since I will not be making the small quilts along with you this year (mine are already made!) I figured I'd get some projects done that I've been wanting to make for awhile. A simple one first will be good.

You can see it will be verrry scrappy. I'll set the blocks on point and then decide on a print for the setting.

Poor Dear Jane, so many blocks left to do. They're sitting in their box, waiting for me to have more time to get back to them . . . someday soon, I hope. I have too many ideas for things I want to make and not enough time lately.

Yet, I think it's always a good sign that there are so many projects I really want to make even though I don't have time to get to all of them RIGHT NOW.  Take a look at one I fell in love with recently - 

from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine

 

This quilt by Jo Morton (featured in the current American Patchwork & Quilting magazine) is one of my goals for the year. Okay, okay, maybe I'll get to it next year. I love the simplicity. Hope I can make time to make it. If I really do get around to doing it, oh well, the dog will probably not be allowed to cuddle on it with me. 

 

Don't forget - Season 3 of the Masterpiece series Downton Abbey premieres tonight, on PBS, friends. We've been waiting awfully long for it.

 

Happy New Year, Quilters

I wasn't sure we would even have a new year - those crazy Mayans, scaring us like that. What's coming up in 2013 for the Sentimental Quilter? This year there will be more free patterns for small quilts to go along with our Second Annual challenge to make One Small Quilt a Month in 2013.

One pattern in particular I know you will love is coming in late January or early Feb (Of course, I have not started on it yet but I will soon). Plus, PLUS, a fantastic giveaway in a few weeks that is so good you will not believe it. So, keep coming back. I've got some other good things planned for this year.

The kick-off quilt for January is a small quilt of your choice from one of my books or patterns. Buy or borrow a book if you don't already have one, or visit my website for some free patterns, then make a quilt. January's quilt was originally planned to be an extension of last year's challenge - one more for good luck - when I thought you were making 12 quilts and STOPPING there. Silly quilters, many of you want to continue making MORE small quilts this year too. So I will do my best to encourage you and nag you to finish them as much as I can. If you weren't able to finish 12 quilts in 2012, then maybe it will happen in 2013, which is still pretty good because I know many of you make lots of other projects as well.

                        

Have  you made this one yet? (from American Doll Quilts)

 

 

 

How about this one?? (Red Schoolhouse from Prairie Children)
These may be among the quilts used for the monthly challenge this year.

One way I hope to encourage you is through my new Twitter account and you may want to follow me and sign up for my inspirational "tweets."  Whaaat? Yes, I know, I said I would never go this far, I would draw the line at doing a blog and that was it. I never ever wanted a Twitter account and still do not want a Facebook page but, what the heck. The times they are a-changing -

 

"Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

                     -The Times They Are A-changing by Bob Dylan (1963)

No siree, I do not wish to sink like a stone. For those of you who are reading this, shaking your heads and looking at me quizzically - Twitter?? What's a Twitter? Here's the deal. Twitter is yet another way to stay connected and share information with people who like the same things. You can get "tweets,"  which are short lines of text (words or sometimes photos or links) from me on your phone (just download the Twitter App on your iPhone or Smartphone) or by going to the Twitter website and reading them there. Probably through e-mail too. (Not sure, I'm still a novice.)

 

Despite the fact that I hate the high schooly "popularity" aspect of all of these social media platforms - the more friends and likes you have the more successful or popular you must be (yuck, some are really obsessed with this) - I think Twitter may be a really good use of technology to keep some of you on track with annoying reminders from me to get your quilts finished each month. (And perhaps some other fun stuff and inspirational tips as well.) So tune in now and then to see if it's working.

I remember when Ashton Kutcher was once proclaimed the King of Twitter after reaching 1 million followers a few years ago. He now has over 13 million followers on Twitter but has been dramatically upstaged by Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, who are neck in neck with over 35 million followers. Maybe if I can figure out a way to get Ashton or Bieber to follow ME, I will also have a million zillion friends and I can be popular too. The POPE has a Twitter page, for goodness sake, so it can't be all bad.

                        

 

I promise I will try NOT to tweet about my breakfast or the temperature in Chicago. I don't think. Maybe, I don't know, depends on what I make for breakfast or if I run out of inspiration for this after 3 or 4 days. Can't promise I won't tell you what I am reading or what's for dinner though. First Tweet will be coming soon - Today, January 1st. Be ready, quilters - you don't want to miss any of the many pearls of wisdom that will be spouting from this fount.

Gallery of Quilts

We're winding down the challenge to make 12 small quilts this year. One a month - there's only a few days left to finish up. A couple of my blog posts recently focused on some of those who made all of the quilts this year. I thought you'd also like to see photos of other quilts that were posted on my Flickr group. Pretty cool, huh?

                                   

 

My Signature quilt from Prairie Children

I was going to gather individual photos from you and create a slide show of all of the quilts and show you at the end, when the challenge was over, but that's a lot of work and time and I think it would be easier if you upload your own photos of the quilts and let everyone see them in the Flickr Gallery as we are finishing up.
                           

 

Flickr is a photo sharing site run by Yahoo. If you are unfamiliar with it, here's some info that will help you navigate the site. If you are in my Yahoo group, you already have a Yahoo account and the rest should be easy. To post photos to the Flickr group - Quilts Designed by Kathleen Tracy - just join the group and follow the directions to upload a photo or two (or perhaps 12?). They have to be made from a pattern designed by me -  either in one of my books or from the individual patterns on my website. They do not have to be quilts from this year-long challenge either, they can be from any of my quilt patterns. Remember, also, that they can be YOUR interpretation of one of those quilts, so they do not have to look exactly like mine. I get a kick out of seeing what some of you come up with.

It looks like some of you in my Yahoo group SmallQuiltTalk want to continue challenging yourselves to make one small quilt a month from patterns in my books AGAIN next year too -  that's 12 MORE quilts if you kept up and finished the ones we did this year. Like chips, you can never have too many small quilts I guess. I will do my best to select one each month for you to work on.

It's been decided that the quilt for January will be one of your own choosing. Pick a quilt from one of my books or patterns that you have not made and just MAKE it, okay? Pretty soon you too will have a lot of small quilts you don't quite know what to do with. Like that little old quilter who lived in a shoe . . . . she had so many quilts she didn't know what to do.

But, before you begin January's quilt, have any of you actually finished Turkey Tracks for December??? I've seen it made in other colorways and it looks wonderful.

            

 



Merry Christmas!

 

I can't help it. I get extremely sentimental at Christmastime.  I love the season. I love the message. I love the snow.

And I love Santa - and all of the magic and mystery that surrounds him. Especially this Santa,  in his blue coat . . .

 

 

 

I've been thinking of all the special Christmases we had when I was young and "Santa" brought me dolls . . . almost every year. I get all sentimental remembering those special dolls wrapped in fancy paper and I continued the tradition with my daughter for years. The Christmas she was 8  my sister bought her an American Girl Doll  - Samantha, with the beautiful long, dark hair just like her own. My big surprise that Christmas was when my husband bought an American Girl Doll for me too! Kirsten, modeled after an 1854 Pioneer girl, because when we were looking at the catalog for accessories for my daughter's doll I told him that she was my absolute favorite and oh how I wished I was young again because that's the doll I would have wished for when I was 8. I think I cried when I unwrapped the box. No, I'm sure I did.

 

 

Kirsten doll is now retired

 

 

(My REAL pioneer girl . . . when she was 8, dressed up for a school field trip to a Pioneer village, pretending to be a girl who came to America in the 1850s. I told her to look wistful for the picture because she had to leave some of her family, friends and school behind and she really got into it, can you tell?)

 

My daughter's way too old for dolls now, but I still have those memories and every year I always always hope there's a new doll under the tree for me (I'd even settle for a doll QUILT). Hint, hint, in case anyone responsible for buying dolls at my house is reading this. . . .

 

Have a wonderful sentimental Christmas!

 

 

 

 

Tree Ornaments

I got the ornaments up on the tree, finally. Every year I forget some and then am so tickled to see them again at the bottom of the box. I only have a few ornaments that are handmade, most of them by friends. Yes, I did put up the new embroidery ones I designed, but still, I wish I had time to make a few more cross-stitch ornaments for myself. I love those. Every year I say that I'll make some just for me but hardly ever do. If I end up taking time to make them I usually give them away. Silly, because they don't really take that long. Maybe this weekend, after cookies, LOL. If only it would snow. I know that that might inspire me . . . .

 

Have you seen the wonderful quilt ornaments that Julie makes and sells? These little Christmas tree pendants  double as ornaments.  Contact Julie here for more information.

 

 

 

 

How lucky I stumbled upon this ornament 2 years ago . . . .

 

 

Our designated Santa's Helper

Christmas Cooking

Cooking is a great way to stir up some Christmas memories at our house. I love cooking and baking and pull out old standby recipes I've made over the years but also try a few new ones if I can. Sometimes they become the new traditions. Christmas at our house wouldn't be Christmas without the gingerbread cookies and pretzels dipped in white chocolate and sprinkles my daughter and I make. If you can get the kids to help, it's even more fun. Oh, and don't forget to put the music on while you're baking.

 

Last Christmas someone in the family brought over some of those flat pretzel thins dipped in white chocolate with peppermint sprinkles from Trader Joes and I haven't forgotten them. Much better than the ones we make ourselves from thicker pretzels. I found that Trader Joes runs out of these fast. A few weeks ago I picked up 2 bags but we've gone through one already. They're just too good to save for Christmas . . . .

 

If you live near me and happen to be at a Trader Joes, save me a bag, please!

As a back up in case I cannot find them, I bought a bag of pretzel thins and will try to make my own by melting white chocolate and then dipping the pretzels and sprinkling them with crushed peppermint sticks.

I love making anything peppermint at Christmas! If you happen to be a new blog reader of mine, see more peppermint recipes I posted last year (a recipe for delicious peppermint bark and also the pattern for a small peppermint pinwheels quilt. Merry Christmas! )

I know people who are so organized they get their shopping done in July or September and their Christmas cookies made by October and can actually keep them in the freezer until the holidays. (This NEVER works in my house -  we all know they're there and then I still have to make more in December.)

Some of you may imagine that I am so organized but I often start to stress around now because I doubt I'll have time to make all the things I want to make. But here's something that helps me. I try to make a point of setting aside one day or evening - and put it on the calendar  - for baking even just a few batches of cookies. If I don't make that cookie appointment with myself, it may not happen. I like to honor my commitments and will stay up late baking cookies while everyone else has gone to bed.

 

Well, almost everyone .  . . . "Are those cookies done yet? It's almost midnight!"

 

~  .  ~  .  ~

 

I am also trying hard to do my shopping even though it's so depressing that we have not gotten any snow yet here in Illinois (No snow! How can I shop?). Last weekend we went shopping and later I got sick from eating mall fast food (Shrimp - at the mall - what was I thinking??) So, instead of rushing around and eating fast food after or during shopping I vowed to do better this week, and decided to cook dinner beforehand, refrigerate it and then just throw it in the oven or microwave when I get home to save time.

Have you tried vegetable lasagna rollups? Here's a  recipe - I've made this before and recently pulled it out of my recipe box when I was looking for cookies (cookie recipes, I do NOT keep cookies in that same box but wouldn't that be a nice surprise if I did? I'm usually hungry when I go through my recipes.).

My recipe is a little different. I use one egg instead of 3 (and cottage cheese instead of ricotta if I do not have ricotta), mix spinach, zucchini and carrots, no mushrooms, one cup of grated mozzarella instead of 2, and I also use Prego (Prego? The shame! My mother will be rolling over in her grave right about now. What, no homemade sauce??))

Cooking and baking are great ways for me to get into the spirit of the season. If you're not a baker or don't have time, get some store-bought or bakery cookies, serve them on cute Christmas plates and sit down and have yourself a cup of tea or cocoa in a Christmas mug. Works every time to get that Christmas spirit going for me.

I love to put Christmas music on, turn out the lights and sit in front of the tree watching those lights twinkle. Oops, as you can see, the tree is bought, the lights are up but I haven't quite gotten the ornaments on yet. That will happen right after I finish sewing and cooking and baking and shopping, sigh. But you get the idea. I still have 12 days left . . . .

 

I'm Still Making Things for Christmas

-  -  -  -  -  -  -

Thanks for all of your recent orders! I'm so happy so many of you liked the little embroidered ornament pattern I designed and I hope they have arrived by now.

 

I'm still making things for Christmas. Yes, I got the handmade bug. Bad. Here's what I made yesterday. A Christmas present for YOU.

Click here for the free pattern.

If you have a quilter friend or need a Secret Santa gift for someone in your guild, wouldn't this sweet little Christmas present pincushion make a cute gift?

 

Almost sweet enough to eat.      

I have a few more things I want to make. And then it'll be time to buckle down and start on the cookies . . . .