Waste Not, Want Not

 My cousin gave me this wonderful old quilt and asked if I could make some Mondo bags with it.  It was so soft and worn and just really cute.  She gave me an old curtain to use as the lining.  I decided to quilt the lining to give the bags more stability since the quilt itself was very thing in some places where the batting had basically disappeared.  I later realized that this meant there were chunks of batting in other places.  

I love repurposing old things.  Most of the curtain fabric is gone.  There is still a good portion of the quilt left.  I even used the quilt borders for the handles, which while cute, were problematic as far as the uneven distribution of batting mentioned earlier.  

I think the remainder of the quilt will make some nice bags and zipper pouches, but no more mondo bags.  

I also did this sling bag that my sister said she likes.  This was way more trouble than it was worth I think.  I tried a second one with clear vinyl that she could take to the US track and field championships, but midway through decided that wasn't happening.

The Dan's Journey wall hanging is complete.  The little stars were from scraps of another project and measure 3" finished.

And the reindeer pillow is finished.  It turned out very cute, and I wouldn't want to make anything very large with that brown fur fabric.  It shed a lot when you cut it and was very stretchy.

TTFN,

Christi

4th of July Happenings!

 Well, it all started out with this...........

Our sweet corn was ready (after battling the coons and a possum) so I fixed a nice shrimp boil for lunch on July 2nd.  We did get some human hair from the hairdressers in town, and that seems to have deterred the wildlife corn patch parties somewhat.

That evening, we realized the refrigerator wasn't working and probably hadn't been working correctly for some time.  We had thrown out so much stuff that soured or molded way too quickly and I poured some milk into the mac and cheese I was making and it was chunky and still had 5 days to go before expiration.  So, we dumped most everything and cleaned out the freezer (which was still working), and early on the morning of the 3rd, I headed to the appliance store for a new frig.  When I was told they might not be able to deliver it that day, I kindly informed them that I would be purchasing a new frig somewhere and getting it delivered that day.  This beauty was installed by 10:30 that morning!  She was a pricey thing and has more stuff than we needed, but I was taking what was available that fit my spot.  No we didn't hook up the wifi for it.  

I didn't realize until they plugged it in that it had wonderful honeycomb lighting on the back panel.  This I LIKE!

It also has a door that opens for just the shelves so you can just pull out your milk or whatever without having to open the whole frig.  Didn't need this, but I have it.

And Mabel's kittens celebrated their one week birthday on the 4th!  They all have names now.  We have Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Minnie, Maxie, and Ziggy.

David's twin sister came up from Texas for 8 days.  So we spent the evening of the 4th over there.

One of his great nephews got to come over and see the kittens.

They are supposed to be living outside in the shed.  I did bring them in during the hottest afternoons, but Mabel has been bringing them up to the patio where Friday gets a hold of them.  Sunday morning I caught him trying to plant Minnie in the flower bed.  Then David caught him with Maxie.  So, we brought them in before we left for church.  When we got home, the box was empty!

We found them all tucked (piled on top of each other) in my deer antler basket.  So, now all the baskets are put away for awhile.  

This morning, I found Mabel in a tussle with Friday and then noticed Willow guarding a kitten.  It was very wet and muddy as was Mabel, so she was obviously trying to keep the kitten from Friday.  I brought it in and went to get the remaining ones.  I thought it was a black one, but both of those were in the box, so discovered it was Harry Potter who now looked black because of all the mud.  So, Harry Potter has had his first bath.  These kittens are using up their nine lives at a rapid rate.  We'll see if we can keep Friday in check.

Christi

Quilts and Kittens

Mabel and her kittens have been successfully moved outside to the shed.  It was a little bit of a shock to Mabel who had been totally inside for over a month, but we definitely don't need 8 cats in the house.  Mabel was always supposed to be an outside cat who got to come in and hang out some.  She didn't think too much of the situation at first, but has adapted once she realized that she could come in and visit a couple of times during the day.  She always helps herself to food and water (not that she doesn't have those right beside her box in the shed), and manages to use the inside litter boxes (there is one in the shed as well).  But this way, Willow can "check" on her from time to time.  I like to go out and sit beside her and watch the kittens too.  This one fell asleep in my hand!

 And now we're moving on to quilts, but another animal is involved.

I made the smaller version of the Love Stinks (Art East pattern) quilt.  It's a baby quilt.  So cute!  I stitched it up in an afternoon.  It's waiting to be quilted.  I need to cut some backing and batting, but the binding is made.

I cleaned my sewing room and was putting completed patterns back in binders which led to some reorganization of binders which led to looking at all my patterns, which led to cutting this small Kim Diehl pattern from my reproduction scraps.  It will need to get sewn together soon as I don't have very good luck leaving quilts laid out on the floor.

And both basketball quilts (Slam Dunk pattern by Cluck, Cluck, Sew) are finished!!!!  The fronts are just slightly different.

They have flannel backs.  I purchased these at JoAnns right when they started their sale.  There wasn't enough of either bolt to do both quilts, so the backs are different.  I can't quite decide which one I like best.

Well, Willow, Princess Leia, Cici, and Esme have all been brushed and Cici and Esme got baths.  Mabel tried for a bath, but was denied.  Laundry is going.  Gulf shrimp are thawing for a shrimp boil at lunch.  We are having our first sweet corn in the boil!  We're trying to beat the coons to it, but it's just not quite ready yet.  That doesn't seem to be stopping the coons though.  David has some pork on the smoker to make some pulled pork for next week.  Hope you are having a wonderful day!

Christi

Kittens! (and puppies)

 Well, take a look and count again!  Now there are FIVE!  When I checked on her before lunch yesterday, there was another kitten.  She is definitely done now.  They are all fat and Mabel seems to be a good mother.  The plan is to move them to the outside shed today.

And Willow introduced herself.  She doesn't normally go up or down the stairs in the house, but made it down to check on Mabel.  I think she's missing Mabel.  So, every time she comes in, she heads down to check on them.

She puts her nose right in on the kittens and Mabel lets her.  I'm not sure Friday's attention would be so well received.

And speaking of Friday, he's a jumper!  He doesn't jump on people (yet), but is so excited to see people that he literally jumps up and down in front of them.  I challenged David to get out the dog jump Sarah had made as a 4-H project and see if he could train Friday to jump over it.

He really doesn't even take a run at it, just jumps up and over (well, most of the time he makes it over).

As to the quilting, I have 2 Slam Dunk basketball quilts to hand bind (I started on one last night but fell asleep under it before I got very far).  I finished quilting a wall hanging and need to get the binding machine sewn on it so it can join the hand binding que.  I finished piecing the Love Stinks quilt that I had cut to do at retreat but never got around to.  It needs to have binding made and a backing and batting cut.  I have some scraps to cut up and put away from that.  Am planning to sweep and mop the sewing room today and maybe break out a new cutting mat!

Christi

Quilting Catch Up

 Let me catch you up on some things from the sewing room.  I finally finished my jelly roll rug.  I think it turned out pretty well.

Mabel used her pregnant girth to help flatten it out.

And I was challenged to take a picture of my sewing table exactly as it was to post on Sew Sweet's facebook page.  Here was my photo.  I'm working on an Adventure Sling Bag.

Earlier in the week, I did some quilting.  This baby quilt is now finished and ready to be gifted to a baby coming in the fall.

And Waddles got quilted!  I still think this might be one of the cutest quilts I've made.  I'm planning to hang this above my piano in the spring.  I have discovered that having a larger quilt hanging there helps absorb the sound when I have a "pounder" at the bench for lessons.  And, it's just stinkin' cute!

And we're still waiting on kittens................

Still laying down to eat which Esme finds rude and unlady like.  

Willow has been lending support (although there are some who believe this is just a ruse to get to spend time inside when it's hot.).

And the hubs has been working on a new project.  This is his first completion.  One wonders why the hog farmer chose a cow as his first subject, but it's really cute, so I'm keeping that thought to myself.

Stashbusters, an online quilting group I'm in, is having a stay at home retreat this weekend, so maybe I'll have lots more show and tell soon!

Christi

P.S.  I typed this post early and have an update..............Mabel is now a mother.  She has four beautiful kittens!  I was working in the sewing room late last night and when cleaning up a little before 10 noticed some spots on my cutting mat (never fear, it's been thoroughly sanitized).  I started hunting for Mabel and found her on the rug in front of the kitchen sink.  We moved her to a nice padded box in the basement for the night.  Here is your first peek at the kittens!

Day of Adventure

 My car has been in the shop all week (supposed to be done today).  So I've been dependent on the Hubs for transport in the farm truck.  I was in need of some quilting thread and suggested a trip to Hunter's Quilt Mart by way of Red Shanty Roadside BBQ in Higginsville (yes, I know how to get a trip to a quilt shop.....offer BBQ!).  

I was a little concerned about leaving for the main part of the day since Willow has been living through this heat wave INSIDE most of the time.  Right before we planned to leave, David got out the little wading pool and put water in it.  I came out to the deck and said, "Oh, that's awesome!  A way for the puppies to cool down."  His response, "No, this is a birthing tub for Mabel.  I'm gonna put her in it to have kittens."  Yeah right!  No, we don't have kittens yet.

We had an amazing lunch and got way too much food.  They give such big portions.  We had 2 bags of the homemade chips and part of a sandwich to bring home.  Right across the road, there was a kid selling sweet corn.  So, we stopped and got a half dozen ears.  I didn't want too much as ours should be ready in 10 days or so.  (Are you keeping track of what's in the truck so far?  2 bags of chips, a sandwich, and 6 ears of sweet corn............remember, this is the farm truck, already filled with all sorts of questionable things and it's not an extended cab.)

Then the quilt shop.  I looked everything over well and was able to get the 4 spools of thread on my list.  Then back to Warrensburg where we stopped at Alwells meats to get some of our favorite pineapple brats.  Well, there was a sale, buy 4 packages and get the fifth free!  You know we couldn't turn that down, and a couple bags of Hemme Brothers cheese curds made it into the sack as well.  Then I realized that Warrensburg has a Hy-Vee!  And it was spend $60 and get a 40-cent per gallon gas reward!  And I hadn't been to the store all week since the car was in the shop, so then came the skill drill of fitting $60 worth of groceries into the truck.

In Sedalia, we stopped at QC Supply to pick up the fan blades the hubs had ordered.  Fortunately those could go in the back.  As we were leaving Sedalia, my phone ran and it was the local newspaper calling to say I had won something in a contest they had (I sort of remember entering) and could I stop by to pick up my prize.

This cooler full of goodies was the prize!  It was really exciting until we realized we had to fit it in the truck.  Needless to say, we had to work together to see out the side windows to get home.

After unpacking all the groceries and putting stuff away, I unpacked the cooler to look at my loot!  What fun!  

And we're thinking there might be a small leak on the pool.  At least it's a slow one.  And that was the day's adventure!

Christi

Quilt Retreat

 My guild held our spring (actually summer) retreat last Friday and Saturday.  I got to sew for about 10 hours on Friday and 6 on Saturday.  I did get quite a lot done..............

This top is called Spangled, pattern by Kim Diehl.  I had cut this at the end of the year last year and started sewing but sort of lost my mojo for it.  Then a couple of weeks ago, I saw on Bonnie Hunter's blog that someone at her retreat center was working on it and I was re-inspired.  This is how the pattern leaves it, but I have lots of these scraps left, so am planning to add some sort of pieced border.

This is a pattern called Dan's Journey that I had picked up at the Gathering.  It is made from the scraps from the Spangled quilt (I still have a tub of scraps).  Those little stars finish at 3".  It needed two borders added to it which are done now and it's in the quilting que.

This is a pillow (18") that I am making for Sarah.  The deer fabric is called Fireside and it is furry.  It is also stretchy which made this not as fun to do.  It's all quilted now and made into a pillow, and is just awaiting a pillow form.

And I felt I should work on something seasonally appropriate...........

It's now complete and awaiting to be gifted to the person who always hosts us for a July 3rd cookout and fireworks.

I worked on another quilt, but only got a few snowball blocks done, so no photos yet.  On Sunday, I worked on putting the borders on Dan's Journey under the watchful eyes of my sewing supervisors.  I don't know how I managed to sew for 2 days without them!  Maybe that's how I got so much done?

So, another retreat is in the books!

Christi