Two years ago this past February, I sold my Grace Quilting Frame
(that had been with me for years without completing one quilt)
(Picture from their website)
and bought an embroidery
machine a few months later.
I ended up getting the Brother SE-400 Combination Sewing and
Embroidery machine
(Picture from their website)
rather than my dream
– the Ruby Viking.
(Picture from their website)
Oh, My, Goodness! I could by a used car for that price!
Maybe someday, after I win the lottery!
The process of learning how to machine embroidery came
slowly, then abruptly stopped. It was July of 2011, when I had to go to Dallas to be with my
parents as Daddy ended up having two major surgeries in less than a month. His
healing process was slow going and Momma needed help taking care of him. Once
the crisis was over and I returned home, to the studio, it’s like I’ve had a
mental block, lack of desire, or any interest in using the machine.
Of late, I’m grateful the desire/interest has rekindled
itself. I’ve brought out the machine and placed where I can easily use it, to learn
and discover its true value. A “study” of sorts begins today!
Somewhere, several months ago, I ran across a Sudoku quilt
someone had created putting several puzzles together to make a full size quilt.
I thought I had pinned it, but
can’t find it now! Suffice it to say, it was lovely and inspired me to create a
simple wall hanging based on the Sudoku pattern.
What is Sudoku?
Wikipedia describes it as a
“logic-based, combinational number-placement puzzle. The objective is to fill a
9x9 gird with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3x3
sub-grids that compose the grid (also called “boxes”, “blocks”, “regions”, or
“sub-squares”) contains all of the digits from 1 to 9.”
When creating this simple
Sudoku Mini Quilt Wall Hanging, I encountered a few challenges:
Selecting nine coordinating colors for the actual puzzle!
Fortunately, I had my mother with me, an artist with a keen sense of color!
The “tenth” color – I used a dark brown print - for the dark bold line
separating the “sub-squares”.
I purchased 1/4 yard each. I
decided to use one of the colors as the backing, so that color I purchased a
full yard. (I’m thinking with this size wall hanging, fat quarters would have
worked just as well – but don’t forget about the binding, too!)
Finding small prints to show up within the finished 1.5” square (the size I
wanted)
Keeping the “number” color
separate/identified
I began by drawing out the puzzle on a piece of paper, then
color coding the squares to represent numbers 1 – 9.
Using “snack” size baggies, I marked a number on each
baggie, to keep the individual nine cut squares – per color - separate. Then I
began cutting out my squares!
What size individual squares
do you want finished?
Whatever that is, add
a half inch (for your quarter inch seam allowance!)
Following the diagram closely, I positioned each
“sub-square” together,
then stitched the pieces together.
The three rows then went to the ironing board.
On each sub-square, I pressed the center row toward the
center square. The two outside rows, press away from the center square.
Two sub-squares received the strip of dark brown, the “bold”
line, on the bottom.
I learned quickly to immediately sew the strip on the
appropriate line.
Always, always, always, as you go, check the placement
before sewing the sub-squares together… I had to rip out twice when I placed a
row up-side-down, which invalidated the puzzle!
Press Press Press (DO NOT IRON) - What's the difference? Read about it here!
Clip away all dangling threads
Once the “top” is stitched together, and the puzzle complete/accurate,
sandwich the batting between the top (right side up) and backing (facing
down).
I started out machine quilting (3.5 stitch length) simply
around the sub-square. It didn’t quilt it enough for me, so I continued with a
“stitch in the ditch” technique within each nine square.
Rather than re-invent
the wheel here, Serena Smith provides a great video to show the technique:
I never can remember how to miter corners when binding. I
now have saved the .pdf document Heather
Bailey so generously provided showing/explaining the amazing directions!
Then I went in search how to prepare the quilt for hanging
and found this delightful tutorial at Patchwork
Pottery. I did make my corners larger (7”) than what she suggested.
On January 21st of this year, I decided I wanted a new “flower
bed” in a location basically worthless growing anything - even grass. The packed,
hard ground was only conducive to growing Texas Size Stickers!
Unacceptable.
I envisioned an area outlined in English Lavender, with only
one natural entry into this “space” then filled with rows of herbs and flowering
plants to bring in the butterflies. I wanted the area is as far away from the house
as I could muster – within the fenced in yard – away from the cows! Oh, and I also
want a chair out there, one heavy enough to withstand the south winds, a place
to sit and read during the quiet early mornings.
The concept of building a KeyholeGarden,
layers of recycled materials to break down over time, is what I was going for
when raking leaves, pecans/shells, and collecting cardboard boxes and newspapers.
This slow “filling” process began. The plan to work on it a little bit at a time
over the next month changed when –
my daddy died a week later.
I spent the entire month of February, and part of March, and
some of April already, in Dallas
with Momma.
Back home for a bit, while sitting on the front porch with
hubby the other day, I mentioned I wanted to start working on the new area again.
He looked down there and said something like, “Good. It is trashy looking.” I agree.
I know, however, it’s a work in progress.
I got back to it yesterday! And, Oh, My, Goodness! It’s amazing
how nice the dirt was underneath the trashy mess! It’s a good thing I left it
alone for weeks, to let it “work” and do its magic. I wish now I hadn’t stopped
covering & trashing it out back in January. I wish I had made the time to get
the space totally covered, so all the area could start the “cooking” process.
It wasn’t meant to be. And, that’s okay. I’ll get it done. Maybe
not this year, not like I have it envisioned, but I do have two Lavender plants
planted, a chair (although I never know where it will be in the yard the next
time I go out), and I do have a book!
It’s been a while since I’ve shared any discoveries I’ve
stumbled upon while searching the Internet! Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve
done any exploring. With the high winds blowing crazy outside this morning, it’s
a good time to see what’s new (at least to me, and maybe you)!
How cute is this!?! At Make It & Love It, she shows how
to create your own Fabric
Shoelaces!
I love this idea Farah shares: Make
your own customized colour paper! Take that plain dull white paper and turn
it into something fabulous for creating cards, scrapbooking, or simply let your
imagination go to new heights!
Sorry, only a couple today. It’s a start!
Please let me know if you try either idea! I will you,
too!
I’ve been pondering a couple of days now whether to write this
post. While looking down my wall on Facebook this morning, I saw this picture. I’m
taking it as a big YES. Hopefully, you’ll understand what I mean in a little bit.
During my last visit to Dallas, Momma, Bud, and I went to the
cemetery and pleasantly discovered they had placed Daddy’s marker at his grave.
The next day, she and I went out and bought the silk spring flowers, then placed
them in his permanent vase. Needless to say, when we left the cemetery, we both
were upset, missing him terribly. Understandable. It’s not even been two months.
On the way home, Momma cried her words, “I just wish I could call him, to hear his voice one more time.”
A couple of days later, my oldest niece called and spoke with
Granny, then to me. In our conversation, Leasa asked me if we had any recording
of Papo talking, something, anything to hear his voice one more time. We don’t.
Then on the Bones
episode we watched last night, Booth videoed a “living” message to his
daughter. Priceless.
Several years ago, for Christmas, I gave Momma & Daddy each
a recorder. I asked, for my Christmas gift for the following year, to have a
recording from them of different thoughts, favorite past times as a child, any
experience they’d like to share. Sort of like the book “To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come" by Bob Greene – but have it recorded rather than in written format.
I never received the gift.
I encourage each one of you who have
children/grandchildren, record your voice. It will be a priceless gift. Do it
before it’s too late!
First, a little background – A while back, my sister gave me
a HUGE tub full of unused/unopened craft projects ~ mostly quilting related. The
tub was too heavy for me to pick up as it was packed full of goodies! Thank you
again, Sister! I quickly separated/sorted into smaller boxes and brought them
home. What I learned, a friend’s grandmother had passed away and no one in the
family wanted the items, so they gave them to those interested in either
creating them, or to pass along to someone who would.
As I organized the multiple packages for “Quilt of the Month”
Blocks, I discovered an amazing thing! One had 95% of the pieces already
cut to size! Only a tad worth needs additional marking/cutting! YES! The
perfect project I needed to work on right now… not much thinking or deciding or
designing required!
Although I’m not all that excited about the colors and
prints the creators selected, I keep reminding myself it is an autumn quilt. The
finished quilt is supposed to be 89” x 97” but I’m hoping to redesign and make
two lap quilts with the blocks using the “backing” provided in the “Setting Kit”
package. If it works! I’ll give an update later with its status, and what the
veterans end up receiving!
I love the simple instructions – WITH PICTURES – within each
block kit. They even have little arrows pointing to which direction to press
the seam! No thinking needed!
I’ve never bought/used a kit before. They are a little too pricy
for me. BUT, considering the instructions provided to make new blocks never
tried before and the “save” on my hands cutting out all the pieces, I may have
to reconsider/rethink!
If you’re interested in learning how to piece a quilt top
together, try a kit!
I’m not a professional speaker, but a group representative
asked me to speak before an audience of mostly business women! Over two hundred are expected to attend this annual event. Oops! Have I mentioned I’m not a
professional speaker?
At least, I am passionate about the subject matter: my first book, Where Forever Begins, A Simple Love Story. They’ve asked me to give a book review. The author doesn’t
usually give their own book review! Oh my!
Every writer knows coming up with a synopsis for agents,
or for the back of the book, is much more difficult to compose than the entire
book was to write! Even more difficult is writing/giving the balance ~ the enough
~ to pique the interest of a potential reader/buyer without giving away too
much!
My time allowed: 20 – 25 minutes.
I finally have something down on paper, now to practice practice
practice so I don’t end up “reading” from my notes! But, I’m not going to fret
about it if I do end up simply reading it. This book means too much to me to
mess up the presentation I want to share. The information I’d like to convey
outweighs the need to “perform” – does that make sense?
The way I structured the presentation:
Greetings
What’s
ahead
Envisioning
the 1800’s
Small
glimpse into the life of Jane and Thomas that includes two quotes from the book
Finding the new normal is going to be hard. After having
someone in your life, and being such a huge part of life, for almost sixty
years, it’s an odd feeling not to be able to pick up the telephone and hear that
familiar sweet voice. It’s weird not seeing, or hugging my daddy, or playing a
game of dominoes with him. Not to mention kissing that perpetual five o’clock shadow
scratchy cheek. I always loved the opportunity. Those memories will carry me
through the days while learning a new normal.
Leaving Dallas
today, after being here since that full moon night in January, is going to be hard.
Being with Momma, helping her, crying with her, laughing together, remembering wonderful
times with Daddy, and both so grateful he’s no longer in pain, has been a blessing.
It’s time, however, I go home.
It’s hard to let her go it alone. I have such mixed emotions.
I know she’ll be okay. She has over sixty six years of memories to hold on to
while she finds a new normal. She’s a strong woman. She’ll show me the way.
It’s interesting the way things happen. I wrote my last post,
Things
in Order, exactly ten days before the Lord called my daddy home. Between then
and the phone call at 6:10 p.m. on January 28th, I worked and worked,
getting my things in order. I’m still not finished, but that’s okay. I’m now working
on getting things in order for Momma.
I wouldn’t be any
other place.
Although I’ve set my ArtFire Studio to “vacation” mode right
now (due to timely shipping issues since I’m away), I so appreciate customers contacting
me via email. Several places, such as Facebook and Pinterest, have pictures of
my products, with links. I am receiving inquiries and continue to receive special
orders.
I’m grateful to each and every one of you!
It’s a nice break from paperwork to create an apron (or 4!) for a
special occasion!
You know, that twilight time before truly waking up? You
stay perfectly still wondering if it’s time to get up or if you can fudge a few
minutes longer. For me, it’s then the really weird dreams happen. What seems
like a complete dream happens within a blink of an eye – had one been open!
That happened to me this morning. The only thing I remember about it was an unknown voice telling
me: “Get your things in order.”
Maybe because sometimes I feel like I'm going against the wind:
I didn’t feel sad or anything other than matter-of-fact. It’s
simply the sense I woke up with. I need to get my things in order…I guess for
the next chapter of my life or less clutter for the continuation of this one?
Which ever the case, it wouldn’t hurt me one bit to get my
things in order.
