My Blog Anniversary and a Give-Away!

 I am jumping for joy.

It's my blog anniversary time!

I've been blogging since 2009.

I feel like such a winner

that so many of you follow along

and leave your positive comments.

So I'd like to celebrate

with a  give-away!!

Nothing could be finer.

Just leave a comment,

or just say "Hi",

but make sure I can email you.

I'll draw two names next

Tuesday, September 6th.

Until Next Time-

  Kyle

Log Cabin Loonies

It's that time

when August's green corn moon is full

and all Log Cabin Loonies

report in to Julie K Quilts.

My report is that I've finished my

Strawberries and Chocolate log cabin.

 30" x 30"

You might remember that I pieced it 

from my

scrap basket collection of 

1 1/4" strips.

 I love running my hand over the surface

and feeling the texture created 

from perel cotton and a big stitch.

I'm going to be presenting a labeling

and documenting demo 

at one of my quilt groups next month so

I wanted to try a different technique and product

for my label.

I used the June Taylor Sew-In 

Colorfast Fabric Sheets for

the Ink Jet Printer. 

It was easy to design a label on the computer,

easy to print,

but, to be honest, I don't care for

the feel of the fabric after it's been set.

It has a plastic rubbery feel

and it was very difficult to needle

through when I added the perel cotton

stitching around the edge.

But I do have to add that the

photo transferring quality is excellent

and so much improved since this technique

was first introduced years ago.

Does anyone have a suggestion of a 

different product that

has a better feel?

I'd love to know.

Thanks, Julie

Your log cabin loony

sew along

has been crazy fun!

Until Next Time-
Kyle

A Balanced Diet

 We all the know the importance

of eating a healthy and

a well balanced diet.

It's a way of maintaining good health

and making you feel your best.

Of course, the opposite is true.

Eating too little or too much 

of a certain food group

is unhealthy and can 

lead to all kinds of problems.

Lately, my quilting diet has

been all hand stitching.

It's one of my favorite things to do,

but most of my current projects

are either hand appliqued,

embroidered,

 English Paper Pieced,

or wool appliques.

The good thing is that 

I've finally gotten all of the parts

to my hexagon quilt finished. YAY!

 

But more hand stitching lays ahead.

It's all the small diamond shapes that 

are needed to connect the blocks together.

They're all prepped and ready to go, but 

I'm feeling the affects of an unbalanced diet...

 Burn Out!

Oh, No!

I needed some quick energy, 

some quick results,

some quick piecing!

****

Awhile ago a quilting friend's neighbor past away.

She was also a quilter.

And like all of us, she had many unfinished

"works of art".

Her family generously shared 

a lot of what was in her studio.

We passed projects and kits around 

and I finally took a kit for a French General pattern.

"La Fete De Noel"

The quilter had already started it,

but unfortunately, had cut a few things incorrectly,

and the pattern was missing.

I found the picture online

and sat down with a pencil and paper

and figured out the math.

And started sewing.

It tasted heavenly,

like when you crave a crispy green salad

when it's been missing from your diet.

Sections have come together quickly.

I'm feeling revived.

A couple more days and the top

will be together.

I'm being fueled

and feelin' good.

Until Next Time-
Kyle

The Hazy But Not Lazy Days of Summer

In 1963 Nat King Cole

sang about the

 "Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

the days of soda, and pretzels and beer. 

You'll wish that summer could always be here."

We are in the midst of

 the hazy days.

 

 Most of this thick haze is due to 

wildfires to the south or north

depending on which way the wind is blowing.

There wasn't much time
to be lazy this week despite the hazy part.

I  spent several days helping

my daughter set up her second grade classroom

for the start of a new school year.

Last year she was in 4th grade, so once again, she had

to change classrooms and

 get ready with a new curriculum. 

It was good to have a helper with us to

 keep us on task.
"toot sweet"

Having been an elementary teacher
a looooong time ago, there's energy

 when the bulletin boards start going up.

****
I spent another day last week
being a "quilt judge" for the
local county fair.

It's an interesting and challenging task.

The quilt makers come to listen

 to your critique and comments both positive
and the suggestions for improvement.

You get to see a lot of fantastic work.

I did noticed the lonely little pile of 3 quilts
in the hand quilted category and nothing
was hand pieced.
It's an almost extinct area for 

some shows.

I know hand quilting isn't something I do as

much as I use to.

I did hand quilt my Mountmellick quilt last year.

(I'm giving myself a positive nod)

There was one hand appliqued quilt entered

and no hand embroidery quilts. 

Binding for the most part were

machine finished.

(There's a real skill to do that well, 

I'm just saying).

It all must be a sign of the times.

The slow quilting movement either needs

to pick up speed, (hahaha) or 

come to my area of the world

or those special categories will soon disappear. 

****

With all that work behind me

maybe this week will be the

lazy days of summer.

 

I can't speculate

 about the

crazy part.

Until Next Time-
Kyle