Still Seeing Red

 Progress on the dresden plates quilt--I have about 14 of the blocks done.   The plate above is centered on its block waiting for me to use my Elmer's gluestick to hold the edges in place.  The center has been appliqued with the invisible machine applique stitch using a Sulky orange on top.  You can see the bites into the center, but it looks great.

This block has been appliqued down and I used dark but clear filament thread in my machine.  It went quickly and the bites don't show enough to detract from the piece.  So much quicker than hand applique.

A week or so ago I stopped at the Park Bench to get some more fabric for this quilt and I had some of the plates with me.   Patty, one of the owners, was loving it and after I left, I think she started making a block of her own.  She also got Ann, her partner, going and Ann, too, is working on some gorgeous blocks.  I was in there today and they had been searching through Pinterest for more ideas.  They have a post on their blog, too -
Park Bench Quilt Shop: Dresden Plates Modern Style!.   The Park Bench is a beautiful quilt shop, full of scrumptious, colorful fabric - these girls have an eye for it.  I would love to have at least half a yard of each bolt!!!   That ain't going to happen, though, but I will get as much as I can.

Quote for the Day----

So true!

Yesterday - A Very Good Day

 (Just proofed this and also went back a couple of posts - I had already put up my petunias.  Just ignore these!!!   Keep in mind how old I am!!)

Will start this post with a picture of my gorgeous double petunia basket that I got for Mother's Day.  Probably have posted it before, but the blossoms are just beautiful.

Yesterday was a very good day, as I use as a title for this post.  A couple from Iowa that were a big part of our life in the 1950's and who I have never lost touch with came to see me.    We had not seen each other for over twenty years and it was so very good to be with them again.  Ray and I spent lots and lots of years square dancing from very early marriage.  When we were transferred to Ft. Madison, Iowa, a group of the Santa Fe people from both Chillicothe and Marceline, Mo., got a club going.  Our caller came from Burlington, Iowa, and couples from there joined in - Garnett and Harold were among those dancers.  Over time, there were four couples that we would dance with a tip or two each time and what fun we had.  We also went to each other's homes afterwards and spent lots of other time together playing cards, etc.  What I find so amazing is how the years seem to melt away and you pick right up where you left off.  The three of us are the only ones left of our "square" - we had such a delightful time getting caught up on our families and old friends.  That was such a great time in my life.  Had I had my "druthers" I think I would have been very happy just to stay in Ft. Madison.  However, that was not to be and life has been very good.

Here is our "square" - Garnett and Harold are the couple on the left and the old hag is third from the left.  Ray is kneeling next to Harald.   We had so many fun times and so much laughter with these sweet people.  Beautiful memories!

How about a couple of pictures of my flowers?

The big pot from last year all planted.  The chartreuse trailing plant lived through the winter in the pot.  There are two other pieces toward the back.  Found the pretty cosmos and thought they would look nice in the mix.

Don't know what this is, but I found it at Kroger and brought it on home to put by my old hand pump.  I love white, frilly flowers.

Sewing this top together and am almost done, but I have to do a little ripping - she who sews rips! 

 See the two red and white blocks together?  Just too harsh!  Tried turning the strip upside down but the setting triangles do not fit that way so will remedy that later.  There are two rick rack pieces together, but at least they are going opposite directions.  I didn't see them until I had the long seam all sewn - will not be rippin' that one!

Quote of the Day - Sort of--

Courtesy of Pinterest!

Finally Some Planting at My House

This hangs beside my front door - my attempt to outwit the deer that live in our area!   Sherry and Barclay (my daughter and son-in-law) came over yesterday and Barc put up a couple of plant hangers for me.  This year I will have mainly hanging baskets - two of which I have planted and the rest I bought already filled.  I did add a little sweet allysum to the ones with geraniums in them.  The other one I planted is a pretty one for hanging out in the fir tree in front.  I couldn't get it lifted up there tonight so will find a tall, stronger person to give me a hand.  I did plant a big planter at the side of the house, but I didn't get a good picture of it.  Will show that later.   Sometimes the brighter flowers don't photograph is nicely in the bright sun. 

Here is the gorgeous double petunia plant the kids gave me for mother's day.  I put that in another pretty little hanging basket I have had for quite a while.

This is part of a very large plant in a basket that is hanging on the fence.   Some bright red petunias and some of the new little ones in hot pink with a yellow center.  Reminds me of my pretty fabrics in the dresden plate quilt.  I am now doing the circles for the 25 plates and I will be doing the invisible machine applique stitch.  I have one plate all done ready to be sewn on the block.  I am liking that piece very much.

Sherry had her surgery for hip replacement three weeks ago tomorrow.  She is doing so well!  Yesterday when they came over she didn't have her cane and she is walking pretty much without a limp.  Also, she is driving again and taking about three weeks of PT.  She still has healing to do, but she is really doing wonderfully well.   What a trouper my girl is!

Quote of the Day:   (Appropriate for now!)

                    "Don't forget to smell the flowers!!"

Up on the Wall





Here are some of the blocks and plates on the basement wall.  All of the side triangles are cut and now I have to decide on the centers. 



 

 Two different centers - the top one is a small piece I just bought at the Park Bench and the bottom I found in my stash.  Thought the top would be perfect, but looking at it on the wall--

I think it might be a little too bright.    Maybe I'll put a few more up and see if I can decide then. 

 

Quote of the Day:

 

 





A Little Bit Frosty This Morning



 Lots of sewing across the tops of the blades for the dresden plates -

then lots of turning with the little wooden point turner -

then a lot of pressing to get the basketful of blades all ready for the fun part!  Today I will lay out plates and sew them together.  Takes quite a while to prep the pieces but you end up with such pretty neat little points ready for your applique of choice.  I think I know what the middle will be - a very pretty orange.

Frost on the roof this a.m.  I didn't bring in my two hanging baskets but they are nice and perky and didn't seem to be bothered.  Will have to start thinking about what I am going to put out this year.   For the first time, there won't be nearly as much,  but everything changes.  However, there will be some flowers, for sure!!

Quote for the Day:

       "What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity."

Seeing Red

This quilttop is all ready to have the rows sewn together - but I still have to cut the setting triangles.  I kind of like the sweet colors in this one and like the fact that I used quite a few charm squares that I had plus some that I cut.  The setting triangles will be the light fabric which has little flecks of color in it.   It won't take long to get it all together except that I started cutting dresden plate pieces.

I decided on the dresden plate pattern because many of the quilts done in Kaffe Fasset fabric are the old fashioned patterns and I think they are so striking!  I was also tempted to do the snowball pattern.  Maybe I will another time.  The fabric does all the work in most of the quilts it is used in.  This is the second batch of pieces I have cut.  Altogether I will need 25 plates and each one has 12 spokes so that is quite a bit of cutting.   I have been folding these right sides together and giving them a quick press which makes for easier pressing after they are sewn and turned.  You can make them nice and straight that way.  The colors are soooooo pretty - I do love red.

Here are a couple laid out on the red fabric which will be cut into blocks.  Plan on using the layout that I did on the Edyta Sitar dresden plate hanging I did earlier.  I will use a darker red, also.

Here you can see a piece of the darker red - it shows up quite well.  Both the reds are so very pretty.   The dark will be the corners and setting triangles.

Here is another block laid out by my machine ready to be sewn together.  Certainly looks different on the wood  than on the batik!  Don't know whether I will do invisible machine applique or hand applique.   Haven't done any by hand for a while and that might be kind of fun.  Then I will have to pick something for the centers.  Really bright, cheery fabric to work with!!

Quote for the Day:

Thinking About How to Use the Kaffe Fabrics

I have been looking through my books and on the internet trying to decide how to use the pretty Kaffe Fasset fabrics I bought along with some that I already have.  The scrappy trip quilttop is done and the one with the white star in the middle of the block is almost finished, too.  I will have to get backing for those two and  two other tops which I will have quilted.  This pretty thing above is one idea I like.  It's laid out on the diagonal and sewn row by row with setting blocks and corner triangles.  This is just a long narrow piece to put across the bed - something like 28 x 85 - so it would need to be made quite a bit larger. I have quite a bit of red batik fabric that I could use.



Another one that I think is really scrumptious.  Each block appears to have four smaller blocks and all is outlined in black.  To me, this one is really cool.

Another pretty one - the pattern for this is in one of the Kaffe Fasset books that I have.

I so love red!!!  This is gorgeous and nothing but rows of blocks on the diagonal.  This would be very easy.

Not all in red, but it would be great.  This one I would paper piece.  

I actually made this one, very similar, probably ten or twelve years ago.   I found that pattern in a magazine.  One of the girls has this quilt.

Another one that I really like - the snowball block.  It would be quick, easy and very striking if I got the colors all right.

How about another dresden plate?  I'm thinking hard about this one.  I think it would be beautiful in those color drenched fabrics!  Maybe on assortd red batik background blocks?   Think I will make up a test block of this and also the snowball one.   

Quote of the Day:

Some Ruffly Crochet

For sometime now, I have seen ruffling yarn at Joann's and on the internet and also seen some pretty scarves made up using it.   On a little trip over to Frankenmuth for dinner with my quilting buddies, we stopped at Rapunzel's, a shop that has jewelry, clothing, other odd's and ends and gorgeous yarn.  I bought two skeins of the ruffling variety but have never done anything with it.  You can either knit or crochet and, since I am not much of a knitter, I am choosing crochet. 

This pretty aqua, turquoise, etc., was one of those from Rapunzels.  Last night I did some crocheting with it and think it will be pretty.  Actually, I will probably make a really long one (there will be plenty of yarn) and it can be worn double.  The other piece I bought with that I haven't done anything with yet. 

In the first picture is the start of a scarf I am crocheting with some lovely yarn with a big mesh and a sparkly trim.  That, too, may be done long and worn double.  It is some I ordered from a place called Webs.  It's called Broadway Rainbow.  Kind of loud but pretty snazzy.

This is something called ladder yarn.  I have tried and tried to knit on this but am all thumbs, so I got out the crochet hook.  This stuff is really pretty but it is a skinny scarf so it, too, would surely have to be doubled.  I have another skein of white like this and maybe will take it to Sit and Sew and have one of the girls who knits help me get going on it.  You can make a much prettier piece by going back and forth instead of knitting continuously.  They really go quite fast and are so pretty.  This one is a sparkly yarn called Tinseltown.

I am going over to my daughter and son-in-law's in a little while.  Sherry had a hip replacement last Tuesday and is doing well.  She came home this afternoon.  I am so glad it is in the past now and know that she will recover quickly and fully.  The surgeon did a new procedure (his third time) where the muscles and tendons are not cut which will mean quicker healing.  My girl is strong, healthy and will do all that she needs to do to get back to the way she was before the arthritis took its toll on her hip.   We are living in such a remarkable age - years ago people just had to live with the pain.  Now most problems like that can be resolved.   Thank heavens.

A Good Day

What a nice Mother's Day!  Despite the cold, windy weather, it was a sweet day.  A beautiful boquet from Bill and Ann came a few days before and a phone call with Bill yesterday.  The flowers are still gorgeous.

I went over to my daughter's for dinner last evening and there was a beautiful hanging basket of double hot pink petunias (they had to spend the night inside since it frosted last night so they are by my patio door) along with a cool glass that will keep your water or drinks cold.  And a great dinner with special porkchops from one of the meat markets here.  Then there was a skyping session with Norah and family.  It was also Chad's birthday.  We watched that cutie pie Henry as he played - he is growing so fast.  Really is a busy little fellow.  Later a phone call from Hannah and today Molly and I will skype if I can get it on my Kindle which is all set up for it.  Lovely, lovely day.

One more gift that really touched me.  Barclay, my son-in-law, is noted for writing poetry for all occasions.  That is what they send out every year for Christmas cards and everyone looks forward to Barc's poems.  He wrote poems for the girls graduations, weddings, etc.   This year, he bought me a funny little card himself and wrote me a poem.   It was so very sweet and  really touched my heart.  Thank you,  my dear Barc, that meant so much to me.  

Happy Mother's Day

To all of you moms out there - and special love to Norah and Molly on being new moms!  Norah is having her second Mother's Day and Molly her first.   And special love to my daughter, Sherry, too, their mom!    My thoughts go back to the dear women in my life no longer here - my mom, sister and grandma.  Hope the day is a good one for all of you.

I found a really good quote for the day on Pinterest!

So true!  I have some "my mom used to say" little tidbits that I remember and use occasionally.   If you have read my blog for a long time, you know that my mother was Nan Pearce Droll and she showed up countless times on Fashion Friday.  One of her sayings she would use whenever one of us was whiny or wishing for something that we probably wouldn't be getting was "Wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which gets full the quickest!"   Just a humorous little way of saying no.  There was also lots about Nan on my Pieces of the Past blog which I haven't posted to in a long time. 

So Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there from Funoldhag.

Where Did Spring Go?

My furnace just ran!  Our great weather has left us for a spell but will be back next week sometime.  I think my pretty little hanging basket will have to come inside tomorrow and Sunday night.  Too early to put things out here in Michigan without being prepared to bring in or cover.

Spent some time in the basement today putting things away and straightening up in general.  Ran across this little strip that I had done for a strippy round robin our guild had lots and lots of years ago.  I never finished mine--there are several in that category here at my house.  I found the pattern in an old Sampler Quilts magazine and still have a page showing a wall hanging made out of these blocks.  This was back when I did nothing but machine satin stitch and I was pretty good at it.  I am always amazed at the fabrics in the older pieces.  

Here are two more blocks - there were five altogether including another fat little cat and another angel going the other way.  If I could find something to use for sashing and a border, it might be fun to finish this little thing.  I think it's kind of cute.

These blocks are really old!  They were made probably in the mid 80's.  Look at all that small print fabric.  You seldom see any like that anymore.  It would make wonderful background for applique in the lighter colors.    Actually, I have quite a few of these but will never do anything with them.   Like most quilters,  I have  orphan blocks or rejected ones some of which might make neat mug rugs if I ever got in the mug rug mode.

Here's a quote for the day:

    "What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven't
     happened yet."

 

 

A Beautiful Day

A gorgeous day again - I should be outside doing something, but there just isn't that much to do out there.  Plenty to do inside.  I did do a tiny bit of gardening yesterday.  Went to Kroger after going to the dentist and they have all their garden center things out now.  As a mother day special, they had hanging baskets of impatiens for $7.99 - how can a girl resist that!  All the same color - a gorgeous hot pink.  I bought one and hung it in the mountain ash tree in my front yard.  This year there will be no container on my little porch.  Instead, I will get someone to put up a sturdy hanger and have a great hanging basket by my front door.  Will cut way back this year on planting but, of course, not all the way back.  Above is a gorgeous little Christmas cactus (I think they called it summer cactus) that Kroger had last week for $5.00.  It is so pretty and one of the leaves has four flowers on it.  The flowers aren't long like the familial cactus but it is a beauty. 

 Have been working on scrappy trip.  Just a few more blocks to go and it will be ready to be sewn together.  The blocks kept falling off the wall in the basement so brought it up to the bed.  I rather like this layout and have almost definitely decided to put it together in this manner.  Can a person be "almost definite"? 

Quote for the Day:

 

             "All people smile in the same language."