Haunted House Paper Piecing

Now that I’m not actually employed, I have more time to sew.  No job is good…more time…and bad…less money.  I picked this pattern up a few years ago and since I wasn’t in the mood to spend any money, I made the decision to Git Er Done.  Granted, I finished it AFTER Halloween this year but it will be brand spankin’ new for next year.

I’m such a dork, I started taking photos of the pieces as I finished them

Piece No. 1

Piece No. 2

and then I totally forgot to take more.

It will be hiding in the closet until the bewitching begins again in 2014.

Check out the spider in the doorway

Jack-o-lantern and flying geese

Star and flying geese

The pattern is by “Little Bits” and the finished piece measures 15 1/2 x 18 1/2 inches.

Getting back to sewing reminded me how much I enjoy it; hopefully I will have more completed projects in the near future.

Thanks for stopping by…

;o)

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More kimonos and a finish

Slowly but surely I am working on the kimono quilt.  Out of 36 kimonos to be completed, I finished 2 and 3…

Kimono #2

Kimono #3

So far, I’m very happy with these and I have figured out an easier way to deal with the diagonal pieces.  After ripping those pieces out half a dozen times on the first kimono (you can see that one here), I knew there had to be a better way.  I’m in the process of packing all the fabrics and copied patterns for our trip to Florida.  We will be spending four months in my condo in Port Charlotte and I’m attempting to sort out what I must have with me while I’m there.  We will be traveling with my machine and taking along numerous accoutrements but I can’t stuff the car full with nothing more than my machine and fabrics.  I’m planning to ship a couple of boxes of fabrics and kits to arrive after we do.

I actually finished two snowman wallhangings for my friends, Su and Deb.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get them done before Christmas but I don’t think they will care.  I had plans to meet Su for lunch and was going to bring hers along but she is having serious family issues and had to cancel.  I wrapped it and tied it with a bright gold bow, leaving it on her door as a surprise when she returned home.  She loved it!

Su's snowman up close

Deb's snowman w/quilting, borders and binding

Both pieces were completed with the same borders and binding.  The area between the inner border and the stitching was quilted with a meandering loop and occasional “snowflakes”. I’m not totally satisfied with the eveness of the quilting but I’m getting better each time I practice.

Quilting close-up

These patterns are 2 of 4 belonging to Cold Twigs Snowman published by buttermilk basin.  Check out their website here.  I did not originally plan to make these as separate gifts but I’m glad I did. I will stitch both snowmen again and make a larger piece using all four patterns.

I worked my last shift at Lowe’s on New Year’s Eve and it’s a great feeling to know that I don’t have to go to work any time in the near future…not tomorrow or the day after or the week after.  Woohoo!!! I may reapply when we return in the spring; time will tell.

Bill worked his last shift on Dec. 30 after more than 25 years on the Cambridge Fire Dept.  He grew up in the firehouse and all he ever wanted to be was a firefighter.  Together we are going to create an exciting new chapter in our lives.

We are expecting a storm over the weekend with wind and snow so it will be a good time to stay inside and get organized for the trip.  We are taking the cat to her winter foster home on Monday and want to leave by Thurs or Fri at the latest, weather permitting.  There is lots to do between now and then.  It’s not as easy as you would think to prepare for a four month vacation.

Thanks for stopping by…

;o)

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Do you paper piece?

I do.  I am currently working on a queen size bed quilt made up of 36, count them…36 paper pieced kimonos.  The pattern is called – Kimonos – by Betty Blais and is distributed by Embellishment Village.  The original pattern is a 9 kimono piece but when Bill saw a completed sample at Knights Quilt Shop in Cape Neddick, Maine he had to have one of his own and he wanted it to fit the bed.  He loves Asian fabrics, has two quilts already and was very excited when I said…ok.  Not sure what I was thinking, maybe it was a caffeine high or something.  That was several months ago and I finally got one of the kimonos finished.

kimono #1

The finished square measures approximately 12×11.  Each kimono has four sections and requires 3 fabrics plus the background fabric.  I cut one of the patterns into separate pieces and color coded them but still managed to mix the fabrics up in one of the sections. The pattern says it is designed for intermediate to advanced quilters.  Maybe I have over estimated my piecing abilities.  This pattern kicked my butt for a couple of nights.  I must have ripped out one section 4 or 5 times.  First, I sewed the wrong fabrics together.  Next, because the piece is on the diagonal, it doesn’t come together the way one would expect and the darn piece of fabric was not covering the appropriate section the way it was supposed to.  To make matters worse, the fabric was directional.  ARGH!!!   I actually put it down one night and found something else to do because I was so frustrated and the paper was coming apart.  However, I did persevere and I’m really satisfied with the finished product.  Only 35 more. **sigh**

I think I would have more completed but Bill purchased the fabrics for Wendy’s wallhanging and I started that instead.  The binding is nearly finished.  That will be one of the fastest pieces I have ever done.  It pays to have a deadline even when you miss the deadline.

I have been wanting to make cookies for several weeks now and today was the day.  The temp today was 61 so I had to go for a walk first and then run to the corner store for shortening.  However, 2 hours later I had 4 1/2 dozen chocolate chip cookies made using my daughter’s secret ingredient.

yummy choc chip cookies

If you are a regular visitor, you know I hardly ever post anything about food.  Bill does most of the cooking, I do most of the eating.  It seems to work for both of us.

Thanks for stopping by…

;o)

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