tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32620532235624878742024-03-13T15:13:20.036-04:00A Sisterly ConnectionWelcome from two sisters who connect across the miles, sharing our love of family, God, and quilting!
Hope you enjoy our musings, whether it's about quilts, food, or our lives in general. We love it when you leave a comment or follow us! Thanks for stopping by!
LaDonna and DianaDiana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-72499841631276106112017-05-23T19:26:00.000-04:002017-05-23T19:33:39.425-04:00Life is Full of SurprisesDear Faithful Friends,<br />
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The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.<br />
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My sister and I love quilting! We love sharing our quilts, projects, and family. It has been a wonderful experience. The joy of sharing has added to our love of quilting.<br />
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But....things have changed in both our lives. We are sisters, after all. Six years separate us but we share a bond that is often described in twins. Despite the miles that separate us, we buy the same clothes, try the same recipes, share the same likes and dislikes. When we are together, people often ask us if we are twins, though we don't see it. And now, we share the same disease, a genetic chronic illness.<br />
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Our priorities have changed now. Our energy has to be rationed. To do what we love, choices have to be made.<br />
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We have made the disappointing decision to close our blog. We are still sewing, gardening, enjoying our families and life, but on a limited scale. At this point in our lives, we can choose to do the things we love or blog about them. So we choose to do.<br />
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We wish you all the best in your quilting and life adventures! You can still see some of our projects on Instagram (when we post!) at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/asisterlyconnection/?hl=en" target="_blank">asisterlyconnection</a>.<br />
Thank you for being our blog friends!<br />
<br />
LaDonna and Diana <br />
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<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-26060858701813709602017-01-19T06:00:00.000-05:002017-01-19T06:00:00.188-05:00Baby BibsThere are soooo many free bib patterns and tutorials on the internet! Sewers, crafters, quilters... many generous people! Once again, I got carried away! I made different sizes, different styles for the grand-baby. Some she'll have to grow to use, but that's ok!<br />
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To make the bibs, I could have used Velcro, and I did on one, but snaps are so much prettier and neater. I bought a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012HUKQXG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">snap kit</a> from Amazon and it made putting the snaps on so easy! <br />
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<a href="http://www.auntieemscrafts.com/binky-bib-pattern-and-tutorial/" target="_blank">Bibs</a>, <a href="http://www.climbingthewillow.com/2013/06/baby-bib-tutorial.html" target="_blank">bibs</a> and more <a href="http://www.auntieemscrafts.com/basic-bib-tutorial/" target="_blank">bibs</a> links are here. Templates are included in their tutorials. I especially like the binky bib! Now you may be wondering about the "Keep Calm and Eat Bacon" bibs for a baby! The pork industry and our family have a long time connection. We all love bacon around here! When we saw the fabric, we had to get it! <br />
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These bibs all have a layer of terry cloth and PUL fabric inside. <a href="https://www.fabric.com/buy/cx-617/pul-polyurethane-laminate-1mil-white?CAWELAID=172000510000022832&cm_mmc=google-_-Google+Shopping-_-GS_fabric-_-_mkwid|sl1vP6v6L|pcrid|46683858482|pkw||pmt||pdv|c|&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Google+Shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=sl1vP6v6L|pcrid|46683858482|pkw||pmt||pdv|c|&gclid=COLBgYGtuNECFYhbfgodxSENxw" target="_blank"> PUL</a> fabric is a thin waterproof fabric. I bought mine at our local fabric store. The order of fabric in my bibs is front fabric, terry cloth, PUL, back fabric. The terry cloth to soak up the wet and the PUL fabric to prevent it from going all the way through. <br />
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I'm very pleased with how these turned out!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
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<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-84823158535577533002017-01-16T14:03:00.000-05:002017-01-16T14:03:06.908-05:00Baby Hooded Towel and WashclothThe baby stuff continues....<br />
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I'm linking to an excellent tutorial for a hooded towel and washcloth. For once, I didn't change a thing!<br />
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<a href="http://www.sew4home.com/projects/bath-linens/hooded-baby-bath-towel-matching-washcloth" target="_blank">Hooded Baby Bath Towel</a><br />
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The sets I made:<br />
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In hindsight, I probably should have added another layer of fabric in between the dinosaur print since it's so thin, but I'm not going to worry about it. <br />
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The dinosaur and binding fabric on the towel and washcloth go back a long way. Here's picture of my son working on the dinosaur quilt he and I made together when he was 12 years old. Multitasking...pressing the flying geese patches and watching TV at the same time!<br />
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Here we are with the finished quilt. It took us a few months to make. No pattern. And yes, we still have it! I can't wait to get a picture of him and his baby girl using it!<br />
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So that's the back story. Now here's his reaction upon seeing that fabric on the towel! He was not surprised at all that I still had the fabric!<br />
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<br />I absolutely adore this picture! It's THE moment!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
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<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-12255393232586706672017-01-12T06:00:00.000-05:002017-01-13T13:59:55.911-05:00Baby Changing Pad Using Iron-On VinylWhen I was looking around the World Wide Web for baby stuff, I came across this <a href="http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2010/02/tutorial-baby-changing-pad.html" target="_blank">tutorial</a> for a baby changing pad from <a href="http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2010/02/tutorial-baby-changing-pad.html" target="_blank">Homemade by Jill</a>. Be sure to check it out! This post won't make much sense otherwise!<br />
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I made just a few changes. I didn't want pre-laminated fabric because I wanted to use my own fabric. I ordered the <a href="http://www.joann.com/therm-o-web-gloss-finish-vinyl-iron-on-value-pack-17inw-x-5yds/8032120.html" target="_blank">laminate vinyl</a> because it isn't available in the store.<br />
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I learned some things while using this product. Follow the package directions but keep these tips in mind: <br />
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<li>First, turn off any fans. Trust me. I have a ceiling fan in my sewing room where I was ironing. The reason I say turn off all fans is because I didn't think about
it.
Despite my best efforts, I laminated a piece of thread, dog hair, and
one of my hairs on my first try. <b>ANYTHING</b> on your fabric will be very
visible after laminating. </li>
<li>Second, iron the fabric that you want to laminate very well. </li>
<li>Third, go over the fabric with a lint roller repeatedly. If you shine the beam of a flashlight horizontally over your fabric instead of pointing it down to the fabric, fuzz, loose threads, hair etc will show better than it will by just eyeballing it. </li>
<li>Fourth, when ironing the vinyl to the fabric, an iron with no steam holes is the ideal choice. I don't know about you but I learned a long time ago that, with fusibles, a steam iron can leave hole sized shapes of areas not fused. </li>
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According to the vinyl package directions, it should be wiped
cleaned. It can go in the washer but the vinyl might separate from the
fabric. If so, just iron it again, making sure to use a protective
paper between it and your iron or you'll have a big mess on your iron!<br />
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I followed her directions for cutting the laminated fabric (her step 1 and 2). Though on my third changing pad, (yes, third!) I didn't round the corners which made for easier binding.<br />
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Because the store was out of fusible fleece (her step 4), I used two layers of <a href="http://www.joann.com/pellon-thermolam-plus-interfacing/529404.html" target="_blank">quilt fleece</a> instead.<br />
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<b>Before</b> cutting the non-laminated fabric to the size specified in the tutorial, I quilted the two layers of fleece to my non-laminated fabric in straight lines an inch apart. On my second changing pad, I found that if I cut the quilted fabric an 1/8th of an inch bigger than her instructions, it fit the laminated fabric better. Quilting makes it a little smaller. I sewed a small zigzag around the edge of the quilted fabric to squish the edges together for easier binding. (Small enough so it won't show after binding.) <br />
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I got a little confused when it got to the part about attaching the strap (her step 7). I blame my brain. :) Place the strap with the Velcro end <b>face down</b> to your fabric. The non-Velcro end should be at the 9 inch mark. Stitch across the non-Velcro end to secure it to the pad. I stitched an X through it as well. This makes it flatter and even more secure. Be careful when sewing the stitching lines for folding the pad (her Step 10). I failed to make sure the strap was out of the way and sewed right over it. :(<br />
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Instead of store-bought bias tape (her step 12), I made my own binding just like I do for quilts, because I wanted to use my own fabric. And, cute little clips are so much easier than pins for the binding. These are available at many places, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Quilting-Crafting-Crafters-Crocheting-Knitting/dp/B01FDJ3XLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484060695&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=quilt+binding+clips&psc=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> included, and they come in different colors and package size. <br />
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Here's the one I made for my granddaughter. First picture is the pad folded. In the second picture, it is unfolded and the shiny part is the light reflecting off the vinyl. Third picture is one with square corners instead of rounded. <br />
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Slim and compact, I think this is perfect for when the baby is away from her own changing table. <br />
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LaDonna <br />
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<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-46508764707413640222017-01-09T13:07:00.000-05:002017-01-09T13:07:58.221-05:00Receiving Blankets and Burp ClothsWe are almost grandparents for the first time! We are so excited and looking forward to having a granddaughter! Seeing her in the ultrasound pictures makes me tear up. It's such amazing technology that we didn't experience with our baby. Seeing her already chubby cheeks and hands and feet...oh, I'm so in love!<br />
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Is there such a thing as making too many things for a new baby? I may have crossed that line, but I couldn't help myself! Getting carried away is fun! I won't put everything in one post because, well, it's too much. But I do want to share and link to some of the wonderful ideas that are out there in the internet world.<br />
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First up, receiving blankets. My husband and I went to <a href="http://www.joann.com/" target="_blank">Jo-Ann's</a> and had a lot of fun in the flannel section. We were pairing up fabrics that we liked and next thing I knew my buggy was full! We looked at each other and said, "We can't get all this!" I think we put fabric for two blankets back on the shelf which still left fabric for seven blankets. We were standing there in the aisle trying to decide what else to put back when my husband said, "Just get them all. She'll use them." So we did. :) He's so good!<br />
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In all my years of sewing, making a receiving blanket was a new thing for me. Google is my friend, however. I found this <a href="http://klee2strings.blogspot.com/2013/11/tutorial-satin-binding-on-baby-blanket.html" target="_blank">tutorial</a> and used it for all the receiving blankets. <br />
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After making the blankets, I made matching burp cloths using this <a href="http://so-sew-easy.com/perfect-baby-burp-cloth-pattern/" target="_blank">pattern and tutorial </a>which uses fat quarters. One change I did was to make it wider by three inches to provide a little more coverage. Of course, that new width wouldn't fit on a fat quarter but I had more fabric than that. <br />
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While we were at <a href="http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/" target="_blank">Hancock's of Paducah</a> I also found fabric for cloth baby books. Adorable! So we bought enough for two books each for our grand-baby and niece's baby.<br />
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Come back again soon because there's more baby stuff to come!<br />
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LaDonnaDiana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-80329473930540043442017-01-07T13:17:00.000-05:002017-01-09T13:25:23.779-05:00Lil' Miss M Is Here!We have a new member of our extended family! Our niece and her husband are the proud new parents of a beautiful baby girl! We haven't met her yet, but her pictures and Skype sessions show a joyful baby!<br />
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Of course, I had to make a quilt for her! Despite going through all my fabric to set up my new sewing room, I had absolutely nothing that I wanted for her quilt! Can you believe it?! Just like a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear! I mean I could have made do, but this is for a special little girl! So new fabric it is! Really, any excuse to buy new fabric is fine with me! Fortunately, my husband and I just happened to be visiting in the area of quilter's paradise, aka <a href="http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/" target="_blank">Hancock's of Paducah</a>, and found some lovely batiks in the colors her parents chose of pink, black, and gold.<br />
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Her mom had picked out a chevron item on her baby registry, so I thought I would use that as my pattern. It's such a popular design and easy to make! I colored on some graph paper to decide on my color layout, which is always fun to! It ended up about 42 inches by 48 inches. <br />
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I quilted it of course with Aurifil thread, my favorite, in continuous line circles.<br />
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Her name begins with "M" so I appliqued her initial on the back for a little extra touch! On the label I put the scripture passage from Psalm 127:3. "Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord." I love putting scripture passages on quilts, especially baby quilts. <br />
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I really like how it turned out! And, best of all, they loved it too! That's the best feeling! I hope the quilt gets worn ragged with all the loving! I can always make her another one, which I probably will anyway!<br />
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LaDonnaDiana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-50421437659229015962016-09-14T13:43:00.003-04:002016-09-14T17:36:07.270-04:00Previously, in LaDonna's Sewing Room.... My husband and I remodeled one of the bedrooms in our 1962 house into my forever home sewing room.<br />
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This was my sewing room all packed up in Texas, ready to move to our forever home. Well, most of my sewing room. ;) <br />
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Here are pictures from the realtor listing of the house.<br />
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We bought this filing cabinet at our favorite thrift store and turned it into this bookcase/filing cabinet tower.<br />
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My old computer desk that has been through so many moves with us definitely needed a new look and more storage space.<br />
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My old bookcase that I bought at the thrift store in Germany where I worked, before and after.<br />
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Here is my new sewing room! My husband and I make a great team! </div>
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Now
the room is completely full, though not fully organized. My main
sewing machines and tables are in the center of the room. This room has
been a long, long project. Other things kept pushing it down the list,
but we finally completed it this summer. This is the best space I have
ever had for my sewing! And best of all, I can see most of my fabric!
Let the creativity begin!<br />
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LaDonnaDiana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-45431028622101572352016-09-13T19:30:00.000-04:002016-09-13T19:30:46.313-04:00It Is What It IsDear Blogging Friends,<br />
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Our mother would often say, "It is what it is." It's a way of explaining things by not explaining things. Accept it and move on, deal with it and move on, whether people understand or not. <br />
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The main purpose for our blog is to share and document what we are working on despite the miles between us. Sharing with the world and being a part of the blogging universe is a wonderful bonus!<br />
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We have a lot of catching up to do! We hope you enjoy our sisterly connections!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-60921313594928415772013-07-25T19:03:00.001-04:002013-07-25T19:03:12.352-04:00Hello again...at last!!!<br />
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Awww! Thank you, LaDonna! You are amazing yourself! The things that you can do...you take "stuff" and turn it into such gorgeous things from your ideas! I don't have access to those type of things but even if I did, I don't think I could turn out such beautiful rooms, furniture, and accessories. <br />
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Now backing up to my last post. I did get my mother-in-law's quilt completed and presented to her at the family reunion last week. She acted like she couldn't believe that I had done it for her. She kept saying how pretty it was. The quilt was difficult to complete because other things kept getting in front of it and then I found it hard to go back but I can now move on to what's next.<br />
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The quilt kept getting put aside because the school year ended, people got married and others were having babies!!! Two very important people in our lives this past year were my granddaughter's teacher and her aide. I made her teacher an initial wall hanging for her house. I made the aide/ assistant an initial wall hanging in honor of his wedding.<br />
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I continued to make initial wall hangings for family and friends that either got married or added to their family.<br />
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I am now trying to finish up two more wall hangings for twin boys. Then I will be able to hopefully focus on other projects. My daughter even said while I was making her grandmother's quilt...."Mom,she already has one from you. I don't." Sounds like a big hint to me that I'd better be thinking and doing more in that direction! And we won't even talk about the sigh and look I got from my husband!<br />
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However, first I have to get through the next couple of weeks and find homes for our "unexpected blessings". Yes, we had a stray cat show up in our backyard. (She is beautiful by the way.) After waiting the required number of days to locate her owner, I took her to the vet to get checked out, shots, and spayed. Well, she got checked out at any rate. The vet told me that she was basically a kitten having kittens. She was 5 weeks pregnant so no shots no surgeries. She blessed us with 6....... yes, 6 kittens! None of them look like her but they are cuties! I have to keep saying the mantra......we cannot keep them all...we cannot keep them all! I cannot have 6 kittens and two grown cats in my house. I'll be lucky to convince my husband that we "need" two...well maybe three!<br />
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So as LaDonna said, with grands, daughter, husband, house, garden, dad, and kittens it may be a bit before I can get back to say hello to everyone who has not given up on us and our blog. Until then, anyone want a kitten to help in your sewing room????<br />
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~Diana<br />
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<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-58585959035469376872013-07-18T10:25:00.002-04:002013-07-18T10:25:59.682-04:00In case you haven't figured it out....It's no big surprise. One look at our blog and you can tell. Our blog is out of date. Diana is so busy with the grands, daughter, husband, 6 kittens (whoopsie!), dad, house and garden that she makes me tired just thinking about all she does. And yet, she still manages to find time to do some sewing. Just no time to get it on the blog. She is an amazing woman!<br />
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As for me, the only sewing I'm doing is at my church, making baby quilts. We are remodeling our house, some structural work, a lot of repair work, updating, and lots of painting. Oh, and the yard. Ugh. Anyone who has done work on their house knows it's one step forward, two steps back on just about everything. Yes, we are do-it-yourselfers. My sewing room is not a happy place right now (still as it was when we moved) and won't be for some time. But the future sewing room will be delightful! It looks great in my head! <br />
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So since I'm not a woman who can multi-task magnificently, don't judge. I hope to someday show you the befores and afters, my new old sewing machines (yes, I got the bug...estate sales and craigslist, yay!), and get back to my quilting. Until then, happy sewing everyone!<br />
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Talk to you later!<br />
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LaDonnaDiana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-20279226205425116672013-03-05T16:08:00.000-05:002013-03-05T16:08:23.847-05:00I'm still here...Please don't faint and fall over because I'm posting. I know it has been FOREVER since I was on here. I'll just put it down to that time got away from me. So please excuse that this post may turn out to be a bit lengthy.<br />
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First of all, I did get all of those stockings finished....I even
threw in a few extra for the teacher's daughters and the girls I keep
after school. Having them hung on my design wall, it sure did look like a
lot of stockings! Each one was stuffed with a pencil, a couple erasers (hard to get away from being a teacher), a candy cane, and a sticker.<br />
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For Christmas, I made all of the adults in the family and my granddaughter's teachers, quilted trays. Everyone got one out of fabric that seemed appropriate to them, including the quilting. This is the one I made for myself. I had to try it out didn't I? I'll be making some tweaks should more be needed..<br />
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I had to dig out the baby quilt pattern that LaDonna had posted about earlier and make baby quilts. One of my former students became a daddy for the first time. He was one of those children that touched my heart and had always kept in touch with me. So his little boy got a quilt.<br />
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Of course the month of December was packed but not with any quilting. My son and daughter-in-law were able to fly in from California for a few days at Christmas. It had been two long years since we had seen them and so it was a wonderful few days! After they left, it was hard to get back into the swing of things so during that time, my sewing machine went in for it's check up.<br />
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While my machine was in the shop, I used that time to go through, throw away, clean, reorganize and then mess up again by cutting out a Valentine quilt for myself and Granddaughter's Kindergarten teacher. She is one extremely awesome lady. I used a pattern (Ragged Hearts) I got from LaDonna years ago but never got around to making. Over time, I had gathered fabric together to make a 'kit' but just never got around to making the pattern. Something else always got moved in front of it. When we presented the wall hanging to the teacher, she just sat there rubbing it and smiling it...which I took as a good reaction.<br />
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So now you are basically caught up on the quilting that I've been doing. As of today, I am tweaking the arrangement of quilt blocks for a quilt for my mother-in-law. The blue flowered one that I made her a few years ago was looking rather worn last summer when we saw her. As soon as I get an arrangement that I am satisfied with, I'll begin trying to quilt it. Don't know how long that is going to take...I do tend to obsess about such things...right after I decide on pattern and fabric...which is an entire other story!<br />
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~Diana Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-55000243335405608602013-01-15T21:33:00.000-05:002013-01-15T21:33:59.471-05:00Sanding Not SewingNot much sewing going on around here! Though I did start a new project...sanding the wood trim in the house in preparation for painting. I plan to paint the baseboard white and have the quarter round match the floors that my husband did such a good job on last year! No clue yet on what color will go on the walls. All those years moving around in the military, dreaming of our forever home, and now that we have it, I can't decide what colors to use! <br />
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Everything in the living room moved to the center, covered up. You can see the sanding dust along the floor. <br />
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Cleaning blinds is not something I enjoy doing... really, who does?! Covered them up until the time comes to do the window trim. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hBZdP-6GEaM/UPYOjrY2NUI/AAAAAAAABRA/bLpWG-M__QY/s1600/Sanding+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hBZdP-6GEaM/UPYOjrY2NUI/AAAAAAAABRA/bLpWG-M__QY/s320/Sanding+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Action shot. My goodness, look at my hair. That's gotta be sanding dust making it look gray. Yeah, that's it.<br />
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See my new knee pads? Love them! Makes the job so much easier!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xAzAMK5exY4/UPYOjJLde-I/AAAAAAAABQ0/RN6LJP1X6no/s1600/Sanding+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xAzAMK5exY4/UPYOjJLde-I/AAAAAAAABQ0/RN6LJP1X6no/s320/Sanding+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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For such a small house, there sure is a lot of trim! We have so many plans for the house. I can't wait to get it all done! But just like in quilting, I'm trying to enjoy the process! <br />
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LaDonna <br />
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<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-74280243060967992112012-12-17T20:08:00.000-05:002013-01-15T21:38:19.699-05:00Pillowcases For Sandy Hook Elementary (No longer needed!)<span class="userContent">Check out
this shop's page. They are doing a pillowcase drive for the children of
Sandy Hook Elementary School.</span><br />
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<span class="userContent"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/QUILTERS-CORNER/182422601980" target="_blank">Quilter's Corner</a></span><br />
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<span class="userContent">Here's the address for mailing: </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[404].[1][2][1]{comment184166058393578_674746}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[404].[1][2][1]{comment184166058393578_674746}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[404].[1][2][1]{comment184166058393578_674746}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]">Quilter's Corner, 312 Danbury Rd, New Milford Ct. 06776 </span></span></span><br />
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[404].[1][2][1]{comment184166058393578_674746}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[404].[1][2][1]{comment184166058393578_674746}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[404].[1][2][1]{comment184166058393578_674746}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]">I can't believe it...I don't have any kid prints in my stash! Time to go to the store.</span></span></span><span class="userContent"> </span><br />
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<span class="userContent">LaDonna </span><br />
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<span class="userContent">Update: Here's the two I sent: </span><br />
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Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-59227620083005159962012-11-26T12:33:00.000-05:002012-11-28T14:51:55.665-05:00Fast and Easy Baby QuiltNeed a baby quilt in a hurry? Diana and I use the "<a href="http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/details.html?idx=184&idx=184&idx=184" target="_blank">Super-Sized Nine Patch</a>" as our go-to pattern for fast baby quilts. The pattern is available in a pdf for easy downloading! Here's the link: "<a href="http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/details.html?idx=184&idx=184&idx=184" target="_blank">Super-Sized Nine Patch</a>". I love this pattern because it's fast, super adorable with different prints, and best of all, you get three quilts out of it! With a new 60mm blade in your rotary cutter, you can cut all the fabrics at once, which saves you even more time! The hardest part of this quilt is deciding which cute prints to use!<br />
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I like to quilt these in an overall wavy grid. The wavy lines add visual interest to a linear design and hide all kinds of wobbles and bobbles! Here's the back showing the quilting:</div>
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Here's the front showing the quilting: </div>
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Because I like controlled wavy lines, I use this ruler to mark my lines:</div>
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It's actually a ruler for making leaves, but I bought it for marking wavy lines! Here's the link to the designer's website: <a href="http://suepellanddesigns.com/" target="_blank">Sue Pelland Designs</a> </div>
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Scriptures are a nice finishing touch to a baby quilt! </div>
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Once you get started on these baby quilts, you can't stop! They are addictive! </div>
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LaDonna </div>
Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-52891578228682941462012-11-07T15:26:00.000-05:002012-11-07T15:26:11.952-05:00Super Fast Stockings Done!Just a quick note....<br />
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The one hundred stockings from my previous post (click <a href="http://asisterlyconnection.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-make-stockingfast.html" target="_blank">here</a>) turned into 125 stockings because of operator error! I misread the email. So much for attention to detail! <br />
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The main thing is they are now done! FYI, the pinking rotary blade is wonderful! Fifteen different pink fabrics with the same pink lining/cuff and snowflake bling: <br />
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For a little extra gift, I glued ribbon to tea lights: <br />
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I am so thankful for the opportunity to make these gifts. I hope I can make more next year!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
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<span class="userContent"></span>Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-87140340926730014662012-10-24T11:35:00.000-04:002012-10-24T20:58:44.326-04:00How to Make a Stocking...Fast!I don't know about y'all, but my summer has flown by! February to October has just gone by so fast! We have worked really hard on our yard this summer. We have taken several pick-up truck loads to the transfer station and we aren't done yet! We've dug up a gazillion daffodil bulbs and calla lilly bulbs! Now that fall is here, we've moved plants and planted bulbs, putting them in a better location for us. Here's our progress in the front yard so far:<br />
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After having the same glasses for 6 years, I finally got some new ones! Completely different from anything I've had before! Still working on getting used to them, but I like them and better yet, Tony likes them! I always take him with me to pick out new glasses because as I tell him, "You're the one who has to look at my face!"<br />
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Now that Tony has retired from the Army (gosh, that's now been one year!), we are quickly putting down roots here. Hair stylist (without having to go through even one bad haircut before I found her!), optomotrist, dentist (how nice that we won't have to change doctors in 3 years!), neighbors, friends, civic club, church, shopping, sewing machine service, car repair (I could have waited on that one!), sewing group...I'm really feeling at home here and I love it!<br />
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Now to the title of my post. To help with a women's ministry in this area, I offered to make 100 pink stockings. I know what you're thinking; believe me, I thought it myself! One hundred stockings?!! I needed a super fast method for making all these stockings. I found this technique on another blog from a few years back (<a href="http://everydaycelebrate.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">she has lots of cute ideas, click here for her blog</a>) and adapted it for my stockings.<br />
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Use whatever shape stocking you want, it doesn't matter the size or the shape, to make these stockings. Because I have so many to make, I didn't want a separate cuff to sew on. I adapted my stocking pattern so I could turn down the top of the stocking for my cuff. An easy way to do this is to draw your stocking pattern on a piece of paper, decide how big a cuff you want, (I used 2 inches),<br />
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fold down the cuff on your paper pattern, <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckkV3NY48eo/UIftj7yJl-I/AAAAAAAABHY/zWIy2ApzY9Y/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckkV3NY48eo/UIftj7yJl-I/AAAAAAAABHY/zWIy2ApzY9Y/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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fold over the edges to get
the cuff close to the body of the stocking, <br />
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unfold, and you have the angle for the cuff!<br />
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I then transferred my pattern to some sturdy plastic.<br />
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With right sides of your fabric together, place template. Cut a lining fabric and an outer fabric. I used my small rotary cutter and cut through 6 layers at a time. Don't have time to waste...100 stockings!</div>
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Layer your fabric this way: lining fabric right sides together, pretty outside fabric right sides together on top of lining fabric.<br />
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Stitch 1/4 inch seam around the stocking, leaving the top open.<br />
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I used my pinking shears (gosh, it's been a long time since I used them!) to trim close to the seam all around the stocking. Or you could just clip into the seam at the curves. The main thing is to have your stocking be flat and smooth.<br />
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Now you are ready for turning. Reach between the lining fabrics and turn the stocking.<br />
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Use a point turner to smooth out the seams.<br />
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Next, reach between the pretty outside fabric and turn.<br />
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Use as point turner to smooth out the seams again.<br />
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Give it a good press.<br />
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Now after pressing, you may notice that the top raw edges of the stocking aren't exactly even. That's ok! Use your rotary cutter and ruler and trim even. </div>
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Satin stitch around the opening. You'll be stitching the lining fabric and the pretty outside fabric together. I used a water soluble stabilizer to make sure my satin stitches were nice and smooth. <br />
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Follow the manufacturer's directions to remove the stabilizer at this point. Press cuff down.<br />
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For the hanging loop, I cut 1 1/2 inch strips. Fold so the raw edges meet in the center, then fold again. Stitch close to the edge. <br />
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I satin stitched the ends of the loop together and then placed it inside the stocking, about a 1/4 inch down from the edge.<br />
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Stitch close to the edge all around the folded edge of the cuff, making sure to catch the loop. <br />
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Now for some bling! I found the cutest little snowflake button. Dug out my glue gun and glued the button to the cuff.<br />
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The finished stocking!<br />
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Only 99 more to go!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-23473827881260539402012-10-11T11:18:00.002-04:002012-10-11T11:18:18.923-04:00Finally another finish! One of the last quilts that I completed was the one for my "princess " granddaughter, so it has been a while since I have been on here. School started and the circus really got into full swing. With a daughter in college ( where every professor thinks they are the only one and papers galore have to be written), a granddaughter beginning kindergarten, a four year old who just doesn't get it that he can't go with his sister, and my husband's work schedule changed, it has proved to be a hectic time here at my house. However, I have finally completed my grandson's "all things with wheels" quilt. This child loves and I mean loves things with wheels! The bigger more rumbling the better!! One of the adventures that LaDonna and I went on during the time she and I were together last year, I found some fabric that just screamed to be made for the boy. Long story short, I finally got it finished in spite of all of the interruptions. LaDonna has been telling me that she couldn't wait to see it and since I took it out of the dryer yesterday, I can now post the pictures.<br />
I did have to rip out some of the quilting and switch to the wonderful Aurifil. I thought I could at least try to use up some of the other thread that I had but once again, I was proved wrong. I have learned my lesson. Piecing with the other thread is fine....but for quilting...Aurifil all the way! Once again, my sister was right!!<br />
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I did different kinds of quilting on this quilt....stippling, waving lines, diagonal lines, swirling circles and attempted the pebbling ..... which turned out to be much more enjoyable that I though it would be.<br />
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So now I am off to the next. At this time, I am working on a baby quilt for one of my former students and then stockings for my granddaughter's class. I really have to get busy!.....there are 23 children in her class so far!!!<br />
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~DianaDiana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-2175138512719702802012-09-08T10:02:00.000-04:002012-09-08T10:02:05.206-04:00I Hate Summer ColdsI have a cold. First one in ages. No more working outside until it goes away. I just don't have the energy. Maybe between naps I can actually get some sewing done! Though with the fuzziness of my head from the cold and the medicine, I should probably stay away from sharp objects! <br />
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Since I'm confined to the house, I thought I'd show you some of what has been going on around here. Our sun room roof is now fixed, thanks to my wonderful and talented husband. Here's a picture of him popping up through what used to be the sky light. No more sky light and no more moldy roof! And best of all, no more leaks!<br />
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Because the roof is practically flat, we had to use roofing on a roll instead of shingles. Every time we laid out the roll, Maggie had to walk on it like she was modeling! It was the cutest thing and she did it every time!<br />
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I have loaded our pick-up truck 4 times with trash for the dump. Concrete blocks, the old roof, junk left around from the previous owners, yard clean-up, etc. We've sold some concrete blocks and hope to sell the sky light and some more concrete blocks too. Here's the latest load for this weekend. <br />
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I have been digging up old plants, trying to get the beds ready for new plants and our future garden. The previous owners loved landscape plastic/fabric and used layers and layers of the stuff. The old plants were so old and packed that not only the roots, but the lower branches had grown together. They were as thick as small trees! When I got to that part, Tony had to step in with his manly muscles and ax to get it out! I am now on my third pair of work gloves...I keep wearing them out! <br />
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It hasn't been all work though. We celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary September 1! We went out to eat at a wonderful Irish pub and the food was delicious! <br />
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We have found our favorite garden center and been spending lots of time and money there. I'm so excited...we are getting fruit trees! Our soil has been tested, we bought the fixes for it and are just waiting for the garden center's order to come in! <br />
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We've been successfully shopping at some antique stores. <br />
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Found these "antique" quilting books, 1987, 1988, and 1991! The more things change, the more they stay the same! Some of the pictures in these books could be in magazines today, very "modern"! However, the instructions do not include rotary cutting, of course, and every picture of the artist quilting showed her with a hoop and quilting by hand! I'm really enjoying going through these books!<br />
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Tony has now been at his new job since retiring from the army for one year now! Hard to believe! I've been here for 7 months; time is just flying by! But that also means we are coming up on the first anniversary of my mother's death on September 13. It doesn't seem possible. It still hits me hard sometimes but I know she is happy celebrating her first year with Jesus! <br />
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I'm hoping this cold will go away soon...there's still so much yard work to be done! Maybe I can get some sewing done or catch up on some reading, or better yet, just watch some old movies with a cup of tea! <br />
<br />Talk to y'all later!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
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Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-24140110730351967262012-08-22T08:50:00.002-04:002012-08-22T08:50:18.323-04:00How to Make a Wood QuiltWhen I first saw this, I thought it said, "How to Make a Wool Quilt"! Boy, was I surprised! This guy is talented!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xOx62QqlVxI?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-14525530817611957722012-08-09T09:54:00.002-04:002012-08-09T09:54:47.500-04:00Quilt As You Go, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not liking this very much. This is probably the worst quilting I have done in long time. All that bias is not friends with my machine quilting. There's not a lot to hold on to and there's too much give. For something that was supposed to be a quick and fun method, it sure is causing me some frustration. But, since I like to win, I'm going to try another line of attack. Despite the name, Quilt As You Go, I'm thinking I'll make the blocks, put them together, and then do an overall quilting design, maybe a wavy grid. Not only will that give me more to hold to, but sewing across all that bias should stabilize it better. And, I'm thinking baby quilt...no way do I want to do a big quilt like this! <br />
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On a positive note, I did make some smaller squares to go with the bigger squares. Maybe as a sashing? Or just mixed in somehow? Don't know yet. My small squares are made with 2 7/8" cut squares. Really, it should be closer to 2 13/16" but with all that bias, who cares?!<br />
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Kudos to all of you who have made beautiful quilts with this method! I applaud your patience and skill!<br />
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I'll keep you posted as to how this all turns out. <br />
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LaDonnaDiana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-73516971493171340282012-08-07T17:14:00.002-04:002012-08-07T17:18:26.133-04:00Quilt As You GoFirst of all, good news....our insurance is going to help with the cost of repairing our sun room! Thanks to my sister and dad for insisting we call our insurance company, the bill is not going to be all on us! Tony and I just didn't think to call because it wasn't storm damage, just an old, bad roof, unbeknownst to us. We figured we deal with it on our own. The insurance won't cover the roof, but it will help with the water damage. So, yay! Second, we have new front windows! The old windows were, well, old and ugly! Now that we are having to deal with the sun room, the other windows will have to wait a bit. Almost makes me nervous though...when we get the next set of windows, what's going to go wrong after that?! If the sun room damage had occurred just a couple of weeks earlier, we would have put off getting new windows. Here's the living room before and after!<br />
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Now on to quilty stuff! I belong to 4 quilting message boards; really I'm just a <strike>stalker</strike> lurker! I seldom make comments, but enjoy seeing what others are doing. This week when I checked in on one, someone had posted about a quilt-as-you-go quilt that grabbed my attention. I've never done a quilt-as-you-go quilt so I started googling and found several tutorials about it. I followed the instructions. And it worked! Only then did I think, I should put this on my blog; so no process pictures of the first one I made. And then I thought I had better write my own tutorial, with my own pictures, so I'll have something to refresh my memory later on!<br />
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Cut 2 light squares and 2 dark squares. I used 5 inch squares because that's what I had in my stash!<br />
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Sew a light and a dark together. Press toward the dark side. (I always think of Star Wars whenever I see that!)<br />
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Sew those units together, nesting the seams, to make a 4 patch.<br />
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Here comes the different part. With right sides together, bring one edge of the block to its opposite edge. Pin along the now short sides and stitch.</div>
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Trim the corners. At this stage, there are three stitched sides and one left open. </div>
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Now the fun part! Open up the block and bring the short ends together, matching the seams.</div>
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Stitch, leaving an opening. (On this block, I stitched from one end to past the center seam, thinking that would get the center matching really nicely. And it did, but it made the batting process and the hand-stitching more difficult. On my first block, I had left the center open, and that's the way I'll do the others from now on. Makes it easier for inserting the batting and the hand-stitching.) Use something pointy to get those corners out nicely.</div>
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Measure your finished block and cut a piece of batting that size. My block finishes at 6 1/4 inches. </div>
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Stuff the batting into the block, being careful not to stretch the batting. (I'm hoping this step gets faster the more I do it!) Hand-stitch the opening closed. <br />
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Press the block carefully.<br />
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Here are my first two blocks! I haven't quilted them yet, can't decide what I want to do! And to put them together...most tutorials say to whip-stitch them together, other say zig-zag, or use a decorative stitch on your machine. Again, I haven't decided which I'll do yet!<br />
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This is a fun way to use up scraps! The front will be exactly the same as the front, a reversible quilt! Even though this is a technique that has been around for-ev-er, I've never done it. I do have some concerns but I don't think it will be a big deal when it's all done. The edges are on the bias. Can you say, "Stretchy?!" I'm hoping once they are all sewn together, they'll be stabilized. Will just hand-sewing the blocks together last through all that a well-loved quilt goes through? And then, what about the outside edges of the finished quilt? That's on the bias too. I'm thinking I'll bind it even though the edges are finished. All my concerns about this type of quilt may be completely unwarranted once it's all quilted. If you have made a quilt like this, I would love to hear from you! </div>
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</div>Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-85653682582626548512012-07-29T15:56:00.001-04:002012-07-29T15:56:29.705-04:00Demolition WeekendWe had a deluge of rain Friday night while we were out shopping. I mean, it really came down. Our sun room, i.e. poor man's sauna, was a mess. We were going to redo the sun room eventually anyway, because it was not usable the way it was, but the decision of when we were going to do it made itself after this storm. Sewing room moves down the list again, and that's ok.<br />
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Maggie, a little nervous, kept her eye on me because the last time we cleared out a room, we moved. Fergus, not so much.<br />
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Before pictures. Painted paneling, plastic ceiling. </div>
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Ceiling down...<br />
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and on the floor.<br />
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Insulation supports coming down. <br />
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Insulation down. Tony bent up the side paneling of the sky light and immediately, our giant EZ Bake oven started cooling off. The sky light was like a magnifying glass, beaming heat and damaging light in the room. <br />
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<br />Some of the damage. Evidently, this has been going on a while.<br />
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Removing trim so paneling can come down. <br />
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Even the trim was bad.<br />
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More paneling coming down.</div>
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Gross. <br />
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Bags of insulation. <br />
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Sweeping up. <br />
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So this week, part of my to-do list is to take the wall insulation down and bag it up. Clean up the old ceiling with the hopes of selling it and bundling the paneling into the proper size for our garbage collectors. Another busy week! <br />
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Hope your week is a good one!<br />
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LaDonna<br />
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<br />Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-19421784299857085322012-07-26T12:07:00.000-04:002012-07-26T12:07:44.377-04:00One down.......I know that I will regret saying this.....but I am so ready for cool temps!!! I am tired of 9o degrees plus, with triple digit heat index. I do not like being hot. I usually go out into my garden first thing when the sun is barely up but by the time I am finished, I am usually drenched. This garden has been more productive than I originally thought possible, so in that I am thankful. I just wish that it would cool off so that at least the kids could and would want to get outside. They do not like being hot either...not even in the pool!<br />
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The garden has been keeping me busy but I have actually been able to finish a quilt. (applause, yay, and finally!) My granddaughter loves all thing pink (sometimes purple), sparkly, and princess. When our Wal-Mart here in map-dot discontinued its fabric department and all of their fabric was on super close-out, I bought..and....bought...and bought....with quilting in mind, of course. Some of the fabric that I purchased, I knew that I would be using for my grandchildren. So after sorting through, I set aside some of the pinks/purples for a quilt for my granddaughter. (Other fabrics I set aside for my grandson. His quilt<strong> is</strong> in progress.) After I stewed ( which I know I go overboard on that.) about a design and enlisted the input from my daughter, this is the result.<br />
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I don't know if it can be seen very well, but a castle is quilted in the center, flowers, crowns and the word princess is quilted in the borders. <br />
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I realise that the quilting is not the best but believe it or not it IS better than the last time. I owe that to the thread ( Aurifil) and hints from sister and blogger friends. The whole time I was working on the quilt, my granddaughter would ask..."Is that for me? Is it my princess quilt?" I guess she likes it.<br />
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Now on to the next one......for my grandson who likes <strong>all </strong>things with wheels!<br />
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~Diana<br />
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<br /></div>Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-89361044579551354802012-07-19T12:09:00.000-04:002012-07-19T12:09:57.390-04:00Work and PlayFor the last week and a half, I've been working out in the yard. Since it's hot (duh, it's summer!), I work in the mornings up to about lunchtime. Walk the dogs first, of course, and then they cool off in the shade and watch me work. Our new-to-us yard needs a lot of work and we have big plans for fall: repairing the shed, moving plants, setting up the garden spot for next year, and planting fruit trees. Fall will be here before we know it and I wanted to get a jump on things so we don't have to do it all in a hurry. <br />
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I made a list. It's not all-inclusive. For instance, I didn't put on there "mow the yard". That's a given, though I probably should have put it on the list so I could mark it off every time I did it!<br />
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I sweated...a lot! I sweated through my bandana, hat, and leather gloves! I got blisters even through my gloves. I wore out gloves. You know those endorphins that runners get? I think I got those too! It felt good clearing gravel, digging up concrete blocks, electrical lines, massive weeds, and plants! It was great seeing the difference. But then, of course, the downside is I was wiped out for the afternoon. And, even worse, my arms were just too tired to do any quilting. I tried it and my quilting was just way too wobbly! Lesson learned there!<br />
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Our crepe myrtle finally bloomed! It even has more flowers now. It's needs some pruning. That will be Tony's job in the fall.<br />
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But it's not all work and no play! I won a trip for two from our local radio station for a winery tour along the Eastern Shore! I couldn't believe it! We had a wonderful time and learned so much about wine making! The main thing is it's a lot of hard work!<br />
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We traveled in style on a double-decker bus! Very nice!<br />
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One of the grape fields: </div>
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Tony and I with one of the vintners:</div>
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On another evening, we also went to a big band concert at the beach! It was really enjoyable! I wanted to get up there and dance, even though I'm a terrible dancer, but Tony had on his motorcycle boots and was worried about my feet. Since he also is a terrible dancer, that is a valid concern! I think we need to take dancing lessons. And guess what, they have them through the parks and rec department! Hopefully, the next class offering we can sign up. After seeing the way the people dance, we definitely need lessons! These people can dance! You should have seen some of their moves!</div>
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Tonight is our monthly community meeting. It's always a good time! We don't normally have a meal there, but tonight is the indoor picnic night. Indoors because it's hot outside! I'm taking a cucumber salad. Light and refreshing!</div>
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The recipe is from a <u>Taste of Home</u> magazine, years ago. Super fast and easy!</div>
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Kansas Cucumber Salad</div>
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1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing</div>
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1/4 cup sugar</div>
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4 teaspoons vinegar</div>
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1/2 teaspoon dill weed</div>
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4 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced</div>
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3 green onions, chopped (I thinly sliced mine)</div>
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In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, dill, and salt. Mix well. Add cucumbers and onions; toss. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.</div>
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Now that I'm done with what I can do outside for now, I'm hoping to get back to my quilting. Too bad there's also an inside the house list! </div>
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LaDonna</div>
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<br /></div>Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3262053223562487874.post-88155128627927530452012-07-09T07:41:00.000-04:002012-07-09T07:41:09.844-04:00A Martian Quilt?Doesn't this picture of lava flow on Mars look like a quilt?! That was my first thought!<br />
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LaDonna</div>Diana and LaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13763790514465110826noreply@blogger.com11