Yellow = Sunshine!

The color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge  for March is yellow! I was hoping it would be a warm color because it still isn't warm here...  It is warmer than some other places.

I did my investigation again. This time I colored on of my butterflies for you. I wanted to let you know that I'm working on a butterfly tutorial for a friend (Yes, Ginny, that's you!) who wants to try this butterfly to learn paper piecing. It's not a difficult pattern.

First thing to do is color your pattern, or write color names on it. Some patterns can get really difficult once you are deep into them. Hard to know what color goes where.  On this pattern 1B and 3B are butterfly, the rest is background.

Here is my comparison of yellows from the 64 count of Crayolas... a lovely gift from my sister. Thanks Barb!

If you notice there is only a Yellow, Goldenrod and Dandelion for yellow. The golder colors seem too orange to me. I do have a bunch of golds in my yellow bin of fabric, but I don't know that I'll use them.

Anyway, if you'd like a step-by-step tutorial of this pattern for paper piecing tune in tomorrow.

Hugs,

Terri

Giant Jack o' Lantern Tutorial

So you say you need to cover your garbage can being used as a safety block.... see the "cobbles behind the can - we don't want them to walk there and trip or sprain an ankle.

Tongue in cheek
Tutorial starts here: Grab some fabric - 3 panels of orange

Sew with a basting sized stitch - so you can retrieve your stash later.

 

 

Drape and tape - top is a nut jar covered in a batik - sacrilege! 

It still needs something...

Bits of black paper taped on from behind....

You'd never know it was a garbage can, would you?

So we are almost ready for the Trick or Treaters... Hope you have a fun evening with a bunch of delighted kids and CANDY!

Hugs,

Terri

plants, oranges, voodoo doll tutorial, roses

Hello again my Friends,
Today I have lots of pictures of my side interests... I've been playing hooky from quilting.

4 new jade plants and a Christmas cactus for the Halloween give away... See the yellow snowflake I made for my hubby.  (He likes my "artworks".)

The two oranges on the right are the size you might get in the store... although mine are still better because they are tree ripened (a couple of extra months on the tree... much sweeter!) The 2 on the left are some of the larger ones we picked, and the little fella in the center is a tangerine?  We've been told they are something else, but we call them tangerines. They are yummy.

The big ones are suitable for carving...

Handsome, nutritious and DELICIOUS.  None so far were woody either.



 Now for the Voodoo Doll Tutorial....  You know my daughter has cancer... and there is nothing I can do about it either....         
Anyway, a while ago I made her a cancer voodoo  doll.  Then I made one for me, too, because even though she has gone through so much the disease is back... So I'm taking some of my frustrations out on this:

Several views of it. It's the ugliest fabric I have, stuffed with some batting and tied round and round with the ends of the piece. I kick it, scream at it, punch it, stab it with the scissors, poke in pins, pinch it in a door or drawer as below. (I think the violence of my acts are frightening to the hubby, but I don't care.

It does seem to help me. I just wish it was helping my daughter. Die cancer cells, die!!!!

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But now we can't end our blog on such a note. Today we went to Costco - that means pizza lunch, purchasing gas (it's a little cheaper there) and chocolate covered almonds.... and today....

2 dozen roses! One flower went into his bathroom and the stem was planted to try to grow this color. You can't see from the picture, but they are a gorgeous rust color... very different than a regular red, and this pretty yellow down below.

Better picture?  Notice on our kitchen (breakfast) table there is a paper plate of tangerine seeds?  That's what will get put into envelopes for Halloween seeds. Gotta start early.

Final picture is the stem being rooted... hopefully!

If it works out in a couple of years I'll make some more and offer those for Halloween, too.

No sewing today... I do have my bingo card almost finished, but for the hand stitching on the binding. I was so proud of the binding going on so easily... no problems. Some time I'll let you in on my (secret) method.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hugs to you all!

Terri

Tiny Tutorial and WIP

Welcome Friends,
I have an I Spy top done today, and a tiny tutorial... It is probably something you all do already, but maybe some of the newbie quilters could use this tip. First - since Blogger loaded in the wrong order - here is the WIP (work in progress) top that is done, but needs batting, backing, quilting and binding yet. I thought it was going to Australia, (Oz Comfort Quilts) but she requires a wool batting, and I can't afford that, so it'll be a Project Linus quilt when it's finished. Notice that some blocks are tipped, and others are not. I'm using blocks left over from a quilt I'm still working on for a possible new grandbaby - whenever. (I want a few quilts ahead... you never know when you need a gift.)  I thought I could tip the newer squares, but there isn't enough fabric for that.  Anyway, I kind of like it as is  -  just a bit unpredictable.  I have to work into that wonky stuff.

Here's the tip. Once I have the blocks on my design board  arranged the way I like them I sew them into rows. To make sure I get the same placement I pin,  right sides together while at the design board by turning the left side onto the next one to the right.  I pin the whole row and take it to the machine.  Pictures below.

Once I'm at the sewing machine I pin into place... top to top and align the side.  Then I sew and go on to the next square. Then I press all the seams in one direction, usually, but this time I pressed the seams open because there is lots of fabric at the seam edges on this pattern.  Then I pin that row back onto the design board, in it's place, and start over again with another row. Keeps me organized.

I'm linking this up to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday Go on over and check out her linky party.

Hugs,

Terri