New Projects

I got a little caught up with some things that were needing to get done so I had the pleasure of starting some new projects.  Doing one project at a time doesn't seem to be the way I roll so of course I had five different things going at the same time today.  

4 of the 5 projects I worked on today

I started the quilt using the ruler I picked up at In Between Stitches during our vacation in CA.  It is the block on the far right.  I am also making a pineapple quilt which is at the top.  I was chaining both of them and just plain got tired of watching the fabric go under the foot so I took a break and read my latest copy of  "The Quilt Life" and then cut out a purse for my niece Melody.  Had enough fabric left over to make a matching pillow case.  That was enough procrastinating so back to chaining and managed to get a big chunk of both quilts pieced.

Tomorrow is a work day at the Ann Arbor Sewing Center.  I am looking forward to that and after work dinner with some friends from the University.

I pray all of you are having a wonderful holiday weekend with family and friends.

Blessings,
Dee

Speeding and/or Speed Sewing

There is a bill being put before the state to increase the speed limit to 80 mph.  It is also known that freeways deaths are most often caused by speed.  The very interesting thing about this is the group of people who are wanting this law passed.  The group would be the highway patrol because this would lower the number of speeding tickets they would have to issue.  I will let you come to your own conclusion on that one.

A question was asked in one of my classes recently about speed quilting and a discussion ensued about what speed quilting was.  Some thought that it was piecing without pins and going as fast as you could to get done, others had no idea and then there were the experienced piecers who knew what speed sewing was all about.  There is that type of sewing where you just want to get things done and you do not take the care needed to cut, pin and press appropriately.  Most of the time that kind of sewing doesn't get us the results we hope for.

For me. I read the pattern completely through so that I understand how to put it together and then assess if there are some ways I can take some shortcuts to make the task go quicker.  Can I chain piece any sections of the blocks?  Will it help me to cut everything first?  Should I make a sample block first to know how the block goes together?  Once I've made those decisions I can get down to work and chain piece saving myself time and thread.  So, I'm not really speeding but I am moving the process along quicker and more efficiently or what some would call speed sewing.

I've been teaching quite a bit lately and working in the community gardens so the sewing has taken a back seat this week.  I am working on a pineapple quilt and am over 2/3 done with it.  (See the picture above of my chain piecing?.  Tomorrow I will start another store sample.    I'll post some pictures soon.

"In this crazy quilt of life

I'm glad each of you are in my block of friends."

Dee

Growing and Sewing

My melons are growing, albeit slowly.  It has been a cool summer and a late planting on my part kept them from ripening when they should have.  I still believe I will have some amazingly sweet and wonderful melons soon.  We have been enjoying the tomatoes that have ripened as well.  To me there is nothing quite like a warm ripe tomato right off the vine.

No sewing has happened yet today.  It has been a computer day.  I am not especially fond of these kind of days but they are necessary.  It does feel good to have the supply lists for upcoming classes done and sent, orders for patterns filled and shipped, emails sent, questions answered, etc. completed.  

I have wanted to undertake another scrappy block quilt and decided I would invite you along on this journey with me.  Starting in September I will post blocks and a picture tutorial on putting them together for each month until we complete enough for a quilt.  I am looking forward to using up some of my stash and scraps for this.  My scrap baskets that I had organized so neatly have now become scrap overflowing baskets and organization has gone out the window.  I hate when I let that happen.

I hope you choose to come "grow and sew" with me in September.

Loving the smell of falling rain,

Dee

Making this for dinner and thought you might like the recipe.  Posting this one for my knitting friends and our conversations about poke cakes.  :)

BANANA PUDDING POKE CAKE!!!

A new way to make it! 

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix (& ingredients to make cake)
2 box (small) instant banana pudding
4 c milk
8 oz whipped topping
20 vanilla wafers, crushed
sliced bananas - use your own judgment

Directions

1 Follow the direction on the cake mix box to prepare the actual cake. Prepare it in a 9 x 13" pan. When golden, remove from over and let cool for a few minutes.
2 When just slightly cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon (the handle end) to poke holes into the baked cake. Don't be shy; make the holes big enough for the pudding to seep into and go deep enough with the spoon that you hit the bottom of the pan.
3 Next, prepare your pudding mixture. Combine your 4 cups of milk and the instant pudding mix; whisk until fully combined and there are no lumps.
4 Now it's time to fill those holes! Pour the pudding mixture over the entire cake, taking care to get it into all your holes. Use the spoon to help really get it into the cake and spread evenly.
5 Refrigerate for about two hours... or until set. Top with whipped topping, crushed vanilla wafers and sliced banana! Serve and enjoy. (Refrigerate any leftovers.)
(From Betty Crocker and Just a pinch)