Sunday, June 27, 2010

A Sunday in review & Stash Report June 21 - 27


I began my morning by cutting up a few 2.5" and 4.5" strips to make up 6 (actually 8) more sets. Two of the sets will stay with me. So, in the end, I will be swapping 18 total Buckeye Beauty sets. We are being requested to just piece the 4-patches and HST's so that each swapper can choose how to piece the final blocks. My blocks will be pieced just as they are laid out; they'll be made up with the same layout at Bonnie's Blue Ridge Beauty, which is also a L/E project of mine that has been set aside so I can work on my Star Struck swap blocks. DARN! I don't have the Blue-Ridge L/E listed in my WIP! Grrrrrr....now that's 12!

This brought me up to lunch time. After which...
we took some time enjoying the sun that finally decided to show up.

After about an hour, we were all back in, ready to start some afternoon projects...

Paintbox was the next project I wanted to spend time with today. I needed to finish piecing the 6 other rows that weren't finished last night. Then---sashing across the width of all the rows. OMGoodness! Pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning, pinning. {{that'd be 11 times in case you didn't count}}. PUTZY and enough to drive any ADHD quilter insane with the monotonous steps!!!!

Cassie asked if there was some way to set her up downstairs by me. With a few adjustments and some hunting for another extension cord, I had a new neighbor ;0)

I helped Cassie with the cutting and sandwiching of her back/top/batting/lining, and then set up the Brother with the FMQ foot. Oooo...Cassie was nervous! The first few attempts were tough, so I had her put on my quilting gloves, which seemed to help a little bit, but she was still strugging with the coordination between foot and hands ;0)

This is where she needed to leave it for the evening because it was time for a bath and then bed by 9:00! She has another dentist appointment at 8:30 tomorrow, so I needed to be sure all the girls got to bed at a SOMEWHAT decent time.

I asked Cassie if it was alright if I quilted up the back of her bag. Naturally, she appreciated the assistance. It was fun to work with a small patch to quilt on with the BSR. I haven't used it in quite awhile. This is also a good shot of her piecing. QUITE a bit wonky and I needed to square up the top and back before sandwiching. Still fun though!

Boy! I had had enough of those Paintbox sashings though! It was like putting on borders and we ALL know how some of us feel about those things!!! So, the final piecing of the top will be a goal for tomorrow. In the meantime, I grabbed my Jared Takes a Wife blocks and finished sewing on the gold and light 2" squares to make the "arrow units." I'll finish trimming off those corners when I'm done posting. And...**GASP**....no double sewing on these! They really are too small for even ME to deal with. They'll just be thrown into the crumb box.

And don't you dare laugh at this! I have FINALLY mastered BOILING EGGS! Yeah, yeah....sounds simple enough, right? But I can't STAND IT when you attempt to peel an eggs and the *&@(*! shell sticks to the egg-white, and you LOSE most of your egg! Oh, and BTW---I HATE yolks! The only time I eat the yolk is if I make up a quick lil' deviled-egg treat! Yummmmmm.... Or if I whip up a quick egg salad. Basically, the yolk only gets eaten if it gets mixed up with Miracle Whip (NOT real mayo. YUCK!)

Anyway---my mistake was always putting the eggs in when I first put the water on the stove. I only did it that way because it seemed when I waited for the water to boil and THEN put the eggs in, too many of them cracked due to the instant expansion due to the boiling water. Well---the last batch I boiled, I tried to boil the water first again. Then put the eggs in for 15 minutes. THEN (and I think this is important too!!!), run them under cold water the instant you finish boiling. I even let them soak in cold water for a while (one time it was even over night because I forgot about them).

You'll get one lovely peeled egg just about everytime :0)

Okay, the nervous moment I've been waiting for all week due to all of my NAUGHTY purchases!!!!!

Stash Report: June 21 - 27
Used/week: 10.319 yards
Purchased/week: 10.25 yards WHEW! At least I used more than I bought!!!!

Used/year: 159.15 yards
Purchased/year: 168 yards

Net used: -8.85 yards

Okay...NO MORE FABRIC BUYING! Sure, 159 USED yards looks great....but 168 BOUGHT this year! Oh golly! Time to start using it!!!!!!l


Here is Judy's Stash Report post for the week to look around at how everyone else is doing with their stashes.

9 comments:

Andee said...

Be sure and tell Cassie she did a great job on her first little quilt (bag)! I am SO impressed with her doing her own quilting...makes me a little braver to do something besides quilt in the ditch! Your paintbox looks great and as always am amazed at all you get done, bit by bit...and I am glad I don't keep track of my stash bought and used...though I have more now than ever!

Jane said...

Cassie has done brilliantly. That will be a joy to look back on over the years.

Amanda said...

I think learning to be happy with wonky is good for the soul, very 'liberating'. Cassie's done a great job and has clearly enjoyed herself; will there be a next project? Delia Smith taught me to boil eggs - soft, medium or hard - years ago when I bought her How to Cook books.

Melissa said...

I was told that the eggs stick when they are fresher. So you want to use your less fresh eggs for boiling. Not sure if that is the case or not?

Judy D in WA said...

I am jumping up and down over Cassie's progress! Be sure to tell her I think it looks awesome!
I know only a couple quilters that don't have a few things in progress. It is that she shares your passion and wants to be sewing with you. :-)

The eggs--really, I just learned this the other day. I even did it with some day old eggs and it is amazing.

Tracy said...

I love the fact that Cassie wanted to be near you to sew! And she did an amazing job too. I was nervous about quilting my first time too and I'm...well LOTS older than her!!!
As to the eggs, always use ones that are about a week or two old...usually the ones from the store you can use right away. I start them out in cold water, bring them to a boil, cover them and shut off the heat and let them sit for 15 minutes or 20 if I forget about them! Drain the hot water off and rinse with cold water several times till they're cooled down.

pecasatwo said...

I always keep eggs in my fridge for 2-3 days before boiling. I put them in cold water, bring to a boil, cover pan and turn off heat and let sit covered for 20 minutes - then cool with cold water (i also throw in ice cubes to speed this process) always peel from the large end under running cool water. I have rarely had a problem this way.

Chris said...

I am thrilled to see Cassie sewing. I am getting ready to make a first quilt with my youngest daughter. I have set up a blog just for that process. alexandmom.blogspot.com. We will either have a quilt in the end or end up in the nuthouse.....

Darling Jill Quilts said...

I keep going negative myself... I think it's because I have been getting some really great deals on fabric. If only I could use it up very quickly! lol