Mom's Day Off

I generally don't get much done on my day off and today was no exception.  Yes, I take great pride in keeping things as boring as possible and if the phone doesn't ring, all the better. 

On the way to school, Co-Defendant #2 informed me she wants to be a pirate for Halloween.  Mind you, I've been after the child for weeks now Whaddya wanna be for Halloween?  hoping to beat the mad rush and grab a costume at a decent price.  Not my kid, ya'll; there is no rushing her.  So, being the cheapskate frugal gal I am, I decided to make the costume out of stuff she can use later for dress-up (yes, I'm still hoping to convince her she really is a girl) or wear later on this winter.  The pants, shirt and bandana are handled; I made the waist-thingy, cumberbund...whaddya call it?  I don't know, but it's done..made from gold satin and gold-coin trim.  Snazzy, if I do say so myself.  All that's left is the eyepatch, and yes, I'm making that, too.  Co-Def #1 has decided he's too old for such childish pursuits.  I don't know whether to be giddy or slightly crestfallen, but remembering last year's homemade werewolf costume I think I'll go with giddy.

I had lunch with the Hubby who gleefully informed me to clear my calendar for the weekend 'cause we had plans!  Am I awful and shallow if my first thought was that we were going to a car show/air show/swap meet and that I'd rather shove my head into a fire ant mound instead?  Imagine my surprise when he said we were...hold your breath ya'll...GOING TO A HOCKEY GAME!!!!  WHOHOO!  Big, burly, bearded fellows with missing front teeth zooming from one end of an ice encrusted rink to the other, wielding sticks at a tiny bit of vulcanized rubber whilst balanced precariously on thin metal blades (gasp!).  BE STILL MY HEART!!!

I'm all right now.

Where was I?

Oh, yes...here's the quilty thing I accomplished today.

I've got one side border of polka dots left and the outer border of yellow with white polka dots to go.  The paper-pieced pattern is from Quiltmaker Magazine...I believe it's called Pops-a-Lot, but don't quote me on that.  I do so love paper-piecing...almost as much as I love hockey.

Almost.

Disappearing 9 Patch, Part Two

So, after the debacle that resulted from slinging all nine blocks together in one ginormous Ode to Grossness...

...I decided I better 'quick, do something...anything' which meant either 1) burn it or 2) rehab it.  It went to rehab.  The end result wasn't what I intended either because when it came time to sash it, Block #9 was nowhere to be found.  Eight blocks does not a 9 patch make.  Take that, Mrs. Emmitt!  See, I did too finally get math!!  I searched all over my sewing 'room' aka a corner of the dining room.  Do you think I  found it?  Nuh-uh.  I have a better chance of waking up tomorrow a size 2 with Tom Selleck rubbing my feet.

Time for Plan B...

I don't think it turned out too bad and am still toying with possibly adding a red outer border.  I'm thinking of quilting clusters of cherries in the green squares, too.  Then again, I'm about done with this puppy and am ready for something new, which translates to easy and idiot-proof.  You know, there really is a book out there called Quilting for Dummies.  And yes, I own it.

Once I was finished up for the night, I half-heartedly began to clean up and, guess what, Block #9 came home, the jerk!  AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!

Disappearing 9 Patch

Marilyn, a lady from our quilting bee The Happy Stitchers, made some of these blocks one evening.  What she came up with was really pretty so, I thought I'd give it a try.  What an amatuer, I am!

I chose the Cherries Jubilee charm pack from American Jane for Moda.  I actually wound up having to use two of them because I could get only four 9 patch blocks from each charm pack.  Luckily, I'm practically drowning in charm packs.

The concept is really simple.  Start by sewing a 9 patch block: 3 rows of 3 blocks each.  I used charm packs because they're precut and I'm impatient, but you could use any size block you wanted.

Once the 9 patch is assembled, cut it down the middle vertically...

...and across the middle horizontally.

What you wind up with are four wonky 4 patches that you simply turn any direction until you're satisfied with the look.  Alas, this is where I encountered some trouble as I am never satisfied.  You can really drive yourself bonkers if you're too finicky with this pattern.  I'm already bonkers, so it was a short trip.

Mom and I got together last night to sew and chat...and eat cheesecake and I still managed to get all the blocks pieced.  When I put laid them out...hmmm (this is me, sounding not very pleased).

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear my daughter's crayon box threw up on my design wall.  It's a bird!  It's a plane!  No!!  It's technicolor fiber vomit!  So for now I'm stuck, but I'm contemplating adding some sashing to break up all that gawd-awful nauseousness.  Or I may just close my eyes, pull a Michael Andretti to speed sew them all together and get this thing outta my way.  I'll think on it awhile...and you know how long that takes me.

Happy quilting, ya'll!







Fall Quilt Retreat

I love fall.  Even though living in Texas means the leaves don't really change color, unless you count varying shades of brown, at the very least we can count on cooler temperatures.  Hey now, don't knock those high temps of 86 degrees!  In Texas, that is cooler.  Fall also means Nancy's annual quilt retreat at Compass Centre in Mt. Calm.  I missed last year, opting to go elsewhere for retreat and wound up getting really sick.  Who says there's no such thing as karma?

Mom and I spent Friday through Sunday with 22 ladies and 1 courageous man (bless you, Mr. Bill) and managed to get more done than we would've had we just stayed home.  Nothing beats having someone else cook and clean up after you for an entire weekend!  Being able to pee without interruption is just a bonus...if you don't have kids, you simply cannot appreciate this.

Generally, I get a lot done at these shindigs, however, because I'm on a mission to reproduce my son's airplane quilt to replace his tattered, beloved one made by Gramma,  this retreat proved to be an exception.

I managed to get the quilting and binding completed on my batiks miniature (sorry, no picture but I did post the completed top awhile back) and finished the top for my crazymomquilts 36 patch quilt along.  Go, me!

And, because my daughter said a quilt looks better when she's in the picture, I give you....

Such a modest child, I have...the little darling.  And, yes, she's wearing shorts.

The remainder of my weekend was spent making these...

...a big-assed stack of 56 paper-pieced airplanes.  For one weekend, I was Tippie Hedren in The Birds only my birds were aircraft.  By Sunday afternoon, I wanted to jump from a plane but, by golly, they are done ya'll!  I think Seth's rather pleased...

I am exhausted, but it was so much fun...and did I mention I got to pee by myself.  Yep, it was worth it.

Happy quilting, ya'll!

Anonymous and Not Loving It...

Just a quick post since I don't have my schmidt together yet about the weekend quilt retreat...

If you comment on a post and are unable, for whatever reason, to post with an ID, please leave your name in the comment section.  Ya'll know I can't even remember my own kids' names!  I like to reply to comments, but when I know you only as 'Anonymous' it makes me feel like I should leave a few bills on the nightstand, if you get my drift.  And no, I don't have any experience in that area, but thanks for asking.

As an update to my last post, What a Concept, things seem to have blown over and now I think The Mom is stalking me as she seems to be most everywhere I go.  Smile.

Happy Sunday, ya'll!