Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Odds and Ends

I don't have a major theme going on here tonight, but I had some odds and ends to chat about.

A couple of you asked about the pattern for the quilt I'm making my brother and his wife--the one I was pinning yesterday. It's an older Swatches pattern:


If you're interested in the pattern, go to Quiltshops.com, type in the search box "Swatches Renewal" (without the quotation marks), and then click on the Thumbnails box, and you'll find a couple shops that carry the pattern. I modified my version of the quilt a bit by eliminating those small pinwheel blocks that go all around the outside border--although I think they're a really nice touch, I just wasn't into spending all the time it would have taken to make those scrappy half square triangles, and I had already used up most of my scraps of Kansas Troubles fabric in the larger blocks.

At work this morning, I noticed that over the holiday weekend, a ton of mushrooms had sprouted up all around this tree. Since I had my camera with me, I thought I'd take a quick photo of the fungus. Weird, huh?! It amazes me how quickly they grow!


Okay, here's a little bit of a teaser. I haven't talked much lately about thrifting--mostly because I haven't gone thrifting for awhile. I need to go again soon, though, that's for sure--I'm starting to get that itch that only a visit to a thrift store will scratch! In the meantime, I pulled out this sweater from a prior thrifting excursion.


Sometime this week, I'm hoping to make something with it. Hummmmm . . . now what could Kim be thinking about doing?!

Since the quilt for my brother doesn't have a big time deadline, I'm going to take my time quilting it and avoid the shoulder and neck pain that comes from sitting for hours in front of the sewing machine, pushing a bunch of fabric around. I think that quilting for one or two hours a night will probably be my maximum, so I want to have a couple other projects to work on, and that sweater is one of them. If you're curious, stay tuned to see what happens!

9 comments:

  1. Hummmmm, could this end up being an adorable little pillow with embellishments of red ribbons in time for Valentine's Day? Can't wait to see what Kim would do.
    Sandy in Nebraska

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  2. I can't wait to see what Kim would do, too!

    I've been in the mood to go thrift shopping, too, but I need to take down Christmas first. There's too much pretty clutter going on around here! I'm leaving it for for another week or so because we didn't get to enjoy it during the time we were visiting family in LA.

    I'll be back. You have my curiosity going!

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  3. Can you give us your chicken enchilada recipe that you mentioned a couple days ago? It sounds good with the cream cheese in it.........Please!

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  4. Hmmmmm.... what can you be doing? I don't have a clue. Can't wait to find out!

    Jen

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  5. I'm thinking...but I can't imagine! Something cool you can bet!

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  6. I just want to tell you how much I enjoy reading your blog. You have such a wonderful way of writing, not to mention the beautiful quilting you do. You truly are an inspiration! How I wish I didn't live across the country from you, then I'd be able to hopefully take a class with you sometime.
    Barbara

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  7. Hi Toots!

    What a great idea to quilt just a couple of hours at a time. It seems so common sense but how often do we push through moving the fabric back and forth. I am going to follow your example with the flannel quilt I am quilting for DH.

    You have our interest peeled on the sweater project. Is is 100% wool?

    :0)

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  8. well that lacy sweater looks like the lacy ice and snow in my yard, but since you live where there are things growing I don't think that's what you are up to.

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  9. I loved that swatches pattern too. I haven't yet made mine, but I am thinking of using my 1800's stash. Just haven't found the right (in my mind) background fabric. I am ordering a piece from hancock's of Padukah (not sure of that spelling)that is a part of the Kansas Troubles line that I can't find here. It looks good on paper so we shall see. I purchased my pattern at Quilter's Corner in Sacramento.
    --Julia

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Tell me what you're thinking--I'd love to hear from you!