Oh, How Sweet!

That's exactly what you'll say when you see the photos of my latest little quilt. For the past few weeks I've been working on a project for Andover Fabrics. They sent me some pretty pretty fabric from one of their recent lines designed by Renee Nanneman and said -  "We like your blog. Your followers are some of the sweetest people on the planet. Here, make something for them." Well, okay, that's not exactly what they said  - but I DID get the fabric and I DID make something out of it. A small quilt. And YOU get the free pattern.

                              

                                     

 



    

I know you are thinking it's a little out of the box for me and you are probably surprised by the PASTELS.  But I thought the fabric was so adorable and, anyway, secretly, I'm a pink and blue girl from way back. I've been itching to make something a little lighter for awhile now. Here was my chance.  Here's the pattern. I encourage you to thank Andover by "liking" them on Facebook.
 

 

Is this quilted floral border sweet or what?

 

Oh, and get this - something else that's "Sweet." Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Andover Fabrics - on Thursday, February 14, Valentine's Day, I will be giving away 30 (yes, 30!) Charm Packs of fabric to 30 lucky winners. Can you believe it? Come back here on Thursday and leave a comment for the big fabric Giveaway.

 

 

 

My little Sweet Pea Doll Quilt was made with some beautiful prints from The Chateau Chambray collection designed by Renee Nanneman for Andover. 

 

As a child, my daughter's nickname was Sweet Pea and she's always loved pink. I showed her the fabric and she fell in love with it and told me it sure would be nice if she had a quilt made out of it Not this one  . . . . a big quilt, LOL.

If you love this fabric too, post a comment on my blog on Thursday for a chance to win a charm pack. Visit your local quilt shop and see if they have it. Also, check out Andover's Blog. They often have awesome giveaways. "Like" them on Facebook! Read their Tweets! (Oh yes, and while you're at it, don't forget to take a look at the rest of their fabric on their website.)

 

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It's very easy to make!
 

 

This little sweetheart cried out to be hand quilted and so I dug through my stencils and came up with this one I've had for years -

 

I wish I could tell you where I bought it but I honestly can't remember. I checked The Stencil Company's website  and it's not one of theirs but they have so many other cute stencils to use for the borders I know you can find something similar if you get inspired and want to make one yourself. Just check out their page on stencils for 2.5 inch borders  that are perfect to use on these small quilts.

 

 

 Use a Sewline marking pencil or a fine line washable fabric marker. Mark the lines (lightly) and then quilt them. Easy as pie. Wash out the markings with a damp cloth after you're finished.

 

 

This pink candy-striped binding makes me smile.

 

 

I made another gorgeous quilt using more fabrics from Renee's Chateau Chambray line and will try to put the pattern up on my website sometime next week.

 

 

Don't forget to stop back here by on Thursday and leave me a comment for your chance to enter the giveaway for the Andover Charm Packs (Sorry, NOT the fat quarters shown above, but all those fabrics in a smaller pack). You'll be glad you did. And, let's just say these odds are much better than winning at Lotto . . . .

 

The Jig Is Up!

It was unusually quiet in the house this morning. My husband had already left for work. I was drinking my coffee and checking e-mails when I heard a THUD coming from upstairs. I looked around and waited for a dog to bark, but  . . . nothing. Shoot, I hoped it wasn't a raccoon in the attic. I heard it again, this time mixed with a few playful growls. Sounded like it was coming from my room. I climbed upstairs and instead of a bat I took my camera -

 

 

I knew what was up. The rule is - NO DOGS ON THE BED (well, at least when my husband's around. "No, dear, I do NOT know how that dirty paw print got on your pillow . . . No idea. The dogs never go on the bed.")

 

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure that thud I heard was one of them falling off the bed, LOL.

 

 

The big dog is feeling so much more playful since his surgeries last year. 

 

 

The little one likes to instigate him and I'll bet this was her idea: "Mom's busy in the kitchen, let's go upstairs and jump on her bed!"

 

 

Uh oh, cool it - Mom's here! 

 

                                   

       MOM? Where???

 

 

Okay, the jig is up! Time to take it outside.

 

Meaning: You are caught, you are discovered, the deception is uncovered.
 

Origin: "Jig" is defined as a trick or game. Hence the "jig is up" literally means the trick is over. Alternative: Webster's gives the origin of the word "jig" as a transliteration of an Old French word defined as "frolic" (c. 17th-18th century).

Yes, a morning filled with frolic. And, hey, by the way, I haven't posted photos of dogs for WEEKS.

 

Giveaway Winners

Boy, you all gave it your best shots at guessing what was in my basement. Many of you guessed correctly but - did you seriously think I would give away my books, my dolls, or my fabric?? Nice try though.

 

There were no vintage sewing machines, no antique doll beds. I have lots and lots of things I don't want or need but cannot afford to ship them to you. Such as  - an antique headboard for a full-sized bed. (We have a queen, don't ask why I bought it. As I told my husband - it was a steal.) Two blue plaid arm chairs from my "country" decorating days.  Four pairs of used crutches, all sizes, belonging to the clumsy members of my family who kept breaking their legs and ankles and/or feet. Two vacuums that sort of work but not really well. 8,000 pairs of children's snow pants. (They seem to multiply.)  Four tool boxes full of nails that we inherited (we use about 4 nails per year). Lots and lots of baby clothes that I will not part with yet. Oh, and one pair of SIZE 8 skinny Calvin Klein jeans. ( In 1980 NOBODY wore a size ZERO.) Noooo, I will never give them up! Nor will I ever fit into them again, you understand - they're there just for the record. I fit into them for exactly one day, I believe. But that day I said to anyone who would listen - "I'm a size 8 now." 

Thanks for entering my giveaway and leaving a comment. Here are the 3 winners of the magazines with a pattern for this cute little doll quilt I made. (This month's challenge, which is also in my book The Civil War Sewing Circle.)


Granny Lyn

Cathryn in Corvallis

        and

Ruthie

Yay!! Please send me your addresses (kathyktracy@comcast.net) and I will mail out your magazines this week.

Again, thanks for entering and please come back next week when I will be giving you a free pattern for an adorable little quilt. I'll also be giving away some beautiful FABRIC to quite a few of you, more than 3 this time. That's all I'm saying right now. Mark your calendars for Valentine's Day. Be here.

Small Quilt Challenge for February

For the challenge this month we are making the Civil War Scraps quilt from my book The Civil War Sewing Circle  (page 36). There are quite a few quilts in that book we'll be making this year and I'm excited to see your versions.

 

I really love this little quilt and am sure it has something to do with that green mixed with the indigo, am I right? Or maybe it's the red in the blocks and border that makes the quilt dance. I used  a simple, overlapping binding technique, which is explained in the book, just so  I could get an even scrappier look. There's a wonderful blend of scraps in this little quilt and if you're going to try to replicate it, take out your small fabric pieces and play around with the colors a bit this week before you decide. When I look at my tangled strips and squares of fabric in my scrap basket it makes my creative spirit soar. I tell myself: I really need to make something! I wonder, did women of the past feel this way too?

 

The quilt was originally published in Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts  magazine a few years ago but I think it still holds up today. I was going through the basement yesterday looking for my box of Civil War photos and props to include in the pictures of the quilt and I found some extra copies of this magazine I bought when it came out. What am I going to do with them now? Think my kids will want to use them after I'm gone?

 

 

I thought it was so cute that they photographed the quilt with a Shirley Temple doll because as a child I had the one made by Ideal in the early '60s (Wish I still had her now. Yes, don't remind me - I am old old old.). And even though Shirley was born quite a bit after the Civil War I love that she's there in the picture with my quilt.

 

Some of you still may have this magazine lying around in YOUR basements. It's from Summer 2008 and sold out quickly if I remember. Go check -

 

 

Most of you probably don't have this issue anymore so I decided to have a giveaway. Yes, that's right, folks  - I am cleaning out my basement and giving away OLD magazines! What could be better?? The good news is if you do not own the book we are using to make the quilt this month, the pattern is in the magazine. A genuine freebie and winners will have an excuse not to buy the book until later. It's a great book if you like making little quilts with lots of reproduction fabrics though.

 

 

So, leave a comment and tell me what other stupid things you think are in my basement that I should  give away and your name will be entered into the giveaway. I will announce 3 winners on Monday. And if one of you hits the nail on the head and really guesses something I don't need that's there then it's yours! (Please, please, somebody say boxes of AICPA journals from the '90s.  I'm telling you, my husband won't even notice they're gone . . . . )

 

PLEASE include an e-mail address where I can contact you if you win. If there is no way to contact you I will move on to someone else.

 

By the way, this is NOT the fantastic giveaway I keep talking about and plan to hold in a few weeks. You will love that one, which is expected to be announced sometime during the week of Feb 11. It might even have something to do with a special heartfelt holiday. Hint, hint.

 

Remember, you can also follow me on Twitter for more hints as we get closer to the giveaway.

 

 

Bread Pudding for Breakfast

I love bread pudding but, I'll admit, I'm lazy about baking sometimes. For some strange reason I woke up this morning with a taste for bread pudding but did not feel up to actually making some. I knew if I made a whole pan, I'd probably end up eating most of it.  Plus, I only had one egg left in the frig.

 

You know how I love quick recipes made  in a mug -  didn't I show you a recipe for chocolate cake in a mug some time ago? I remembered that last year I also found this recipe for instant bread pudding you make in a mug and cook in the microwave. It's actually not too bad and today it hit the spot. I've tried it with egg beaters and it's okay that way too. Works in a pinch. And it's so much fun to watch it cook.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

·         1 egg, beaten

·         1/2 cup milk

·         1 tsp. sugar (optional)

·         1 slice of whole grain bread

·         optional favorites - raisins, chopped apple, cinnamon, vanilla

Directions:

Break egg into a mug, and beat with a fork. Add the milk and sugar to stir (and any optional ingredients). Tear up one piece of bread into the mug, and with a fork, press the bread pieces into the egg/milk mixture to moisten. Make sure optional ingredients are mixed well.

Microwave for one minute, and then continue cooking but check every 20 - 30 seconds until you see the bread pudding rising out of the mug.

 

 

 

Sometmes, instead of adding sugar to the egg and milk I skip it and just sprinkle a tsp of syrup on top after it's done. Yum.

Yes, You Can

Do you think you don't possibly have time to make a bunch of small quilts this year? In my Yahoo group SmallQuiltTalk we are working our way through 12 quilts this year -  a challege to make one a month - same as we did last year. Every month I assign a quilt to work on from one of my books and it's been fun to see how many of you are joining us.

If you are serious about making a lot of small quilts this year, and make it a goal (as some of you have), then it's fairly easy to accomplish, even if you have other projects you need to work on at the same time. If you can only get around to making a few quilts this year, that's better than none.

Quilts this size take hardly any time at all.

In order to finish one quilt every month, try breaking the sewing into small steps. If you divide your work into weekly sewing sessions that will make it easier for you rather than stressing about finding a big chunk of time to make the whole thing at the end of the month.

Here's my plan and how I've managed to make so many small quilts:

Week 1 - Choose your fabrics and cut the pieces, following the directions in the assigned book. (The quilts for each month are listed in the Files section of the group.) This shouldn't take too long. Just have fun with this part of the process and don't stress about finishing the whole quilt right now. Put it aside and then spend a few hours sewing the pieces together next week. Just don't forget about it. The borders can be sewn the following week in just a little bit of time and, before you know it, you have finished your quilt top. Spend a little time quilting it during the last week.

Week 2 - Sew the pieces together into blocks.

Week 3 - Add the borders.

Week 4 - Layer the quilt with batting and backing and either hand quilt it or quilt it by machine. Add the binding. Before you know it, you're done!

For me, it's key if I stay organized. If I have a messy sewing or cutting table I find I don't get as much done. If you can work in a mess and need that to be creative, then more power to you. I can't and so it's much easier for me if I know where everything is and I manage to keep it somewhat clean. More room for the project to take over and develop itself, I figure! It always seems to do that.

You may want to keep notes in a notebook to help organize your monthly projects and keep to a plan. I am always looking for any good excuse to run to Target and buy cute little notebooks and new pens. Write down your goals for that week and schedule small sewing sessions. Then stick to it. It works for me.

My ongoing 9-patch lap quilt project. The remaining pieces are cut - 10 blocks left to go! 

It really helps me to stay organized. If  I'm working on more than one project at the same time, I will sometimes store my blocks and pieces in one of these slim plastic storage cases (typically used for scrapbooking, I think) -

I can clear it off the sewing table and put it away without worrying about the pieces getting lost while I work on something else.

I bought mine at Michaels and need to run over there for a few more. They also come in different colors  - yippee, more organization! Yes, my family tells me I am a little bit of a control freak . . . but hey, if it works . . . .

And lest you think that I am some kind of crazy, organized perfectionist, preaching at you - don't worry. I am just like you, struggling to keep it all together most days. Do the best you can and go easy on yourself. Reward yourself with fun sewing time after a particularly bad day. Since I work at home I always find myself scrambling around trying to get everything done around the house first so I have time to sew (and write), attempting to find time to shop for and cook healthy meals and lately also trying to find time to run to the gym to exercise too. I'd probably go nuts if I weren't a little organized about some things. And one of these days I will organize my small quilts even more. I promise.

Acckkk! Not sure you even want to look in here!!

My cupboard overfloweth. Sometimes they all come tumbling out when I open the door. 

Remember, these are SMALL quilts we're making, people, so this is definitely something that can be worked into a busy schedule. And you all know that being creative and making something feels sooo good. It's good for your soul and clears your head, look at it that way.

My New Morning Perk Me Up

I love my morning coffee and you can imagine how upset I was this past Christmas when I put my freshly ground coffee into the coffeemaker, turned it on and nothing happened. What?? Oh, come on. If there was ever a time I needed a cup of hot coffee it was Christmas morning before all of the hectic activity began. I had gotten up early before everyone else and just wanted to relax by myself before we opened presents and I had to cook the turkey.

I stood there staring at it, willing it to work. Please please please. The light went on but nothing happened. Not one drip. I even tried plugging it into a different outlet but the heating element seemed to have burned out. What timing! I briefly wondered if there were any stores open on Christmas morning so that I could rush out and buy a coffeemaker. I finally fished out a really old one-cup drip model  from the basement and used it three times. 

The next day I decided I'd had it with drip coffeemakers -  I never really liked them and was tired of replacing one every few years, no matter how expensive the brand. Plus, one thing I hate about all drip coffeemakers is that the coffee never gets hot enough for me or stays hot. Always lukewarm. And, after it sits for a bit, it burns and tastes terrible.  

It was time for a change. I did my research and settled on an old-fashioned percolator based on 500 (!) five-star reviews on Amazon. Can you believe it? I think it must be a new "retro" trend. I couldn't wait for delivery, however, so I went shopping. All the top brand stores were out of this particular one but the last store I tried before giving up - Sears - was the charm. They had a ton of them AND it was on sale! Good old Sears. Now I really felt like I was back in the 60s . . . . 

Isn't it elegant? Every morning I wake up and feel like I'm on the set of Mad Men.  It looks looks so cute sitting on the counter and wow does it give me that good old-fashioned coffee taste. This Presto percolator that I bought keeps the coffee at the perfect piping hot serving temperature for hours without overheating it or burning it.

I've owned both inexpensive drip makers and expensive ones.  The percolator seems to give me a really good, hot cup of coffee. My son is a big fan of the old TV show Twin Peaks and when he saw my new percolator he laughed and said "Oh, THAT'S what a percolator is!" I guess he never bothered to look it up.
                                                               

[Waitress pours Cooper's coffee:]

Agent Cooper: Wait a minute! Wait a minute! [sips, sighs blissfully] This is-- excuse me--a DAMN fine cup of coffee. I've had I don't know how many cups of coffee in my life, but this is one of the best.

    If it's good enough for Agent Cooper . . .

I'm not a coffee snob and I've heard that coffee "experts" will say that a percolator is about the worst possible way to make coffee. But, I'm sorry  - my experience is that it definitely tastes different from regular drip coffee and I think it's richer, hotter and stronger tasting. And I absolutely LOVE it. Reminds me of the old days. No plastic parts to a percolator and no plastic aftertaste. I read somewhere that perked coffee also contains less caffeine so I guess that means I can drink even more coffee! And it somehow stays hot without burning, unlike coffee sitting on drip burners.

Let's see, I've had my coffee. What stupid things can I accomplish today ?? Maybe I'll make myself one of those frilly aprons . . . or a cherry pie.

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 . . . .