Thursday, June 6, 2013

Just a Couple Things . . .

First, if you haven't stopped by for a few days, you will probably want to scroll down a couple posts and check out the quilt pattern by Hen House Designs/Monice Moffat.  She's given me a pattern to give away to one of you and there's a link to her Etsy shop you might also be interested in if her style appeals to you as much as it does to me!

When I quilt, I always have the TV on something, and much of the time, it's just background "noise" more or less.  And I'll watch just about everything, but I never thought I'd get into anything "redneck," "cars," or "swamp" related . . . until now.  Now I'm oddly hooked on Duck Dynasty.  Tonight, for instance, I found it hard to pull myself away from Willie, Jase, and Si.  There was some sort of Duck Dynasty marathon--and it didn't matter whether the episodes were ones I'd seen before or ones I hadn't seen.  If I didn't have to go to work in the morning, I'd still be watching.  How about you?  Have you seen Duck Dynasty?


I wanted to pass on this idea someone had mentioned to me some years ago--you may or may not already be aware of it, but just in case . . . .  You can purchase adjustable magnetic curtain rods and use them to hang quilts on metal doors, the refrigerator, a dishwasher, etc.  I was told they were available at WalMart and that's where I found mine but I suspect other stores carry them.  (This is the door from the kitchen to the garage.)  It's nice to be able to decorate a door with a small quilt.  When I first brought it home, Hubby thought the rod would fall off the door when it opened and closed; it's always a point of satisfaction when his doom and gloom predictions don't pan out!  So far, so good!

Florence left me a comment saying she always makes just as many blocks as she needs for a project and she's surprised when I make little projects like the patriotic mug mat from random blocks and half square triangles, so I thought I'd explain.  Sometimes when I'm playing around with a design idea, something won't turn out right--or even when it's not my own design, after I get some blocks and sashing up on the design wall, I'll decide a color or pattern just doesn't look like I expected.  So I start again and end up with some stray blocks to play with.  That doesn't happen very often though.  What DOES happen a fair amount is that I seem to make a lot of flying geese blocks and I like the method where you sew squares on the diagonal to a background piece and fold the corners back, then trim away the underneath layers.  If I'm feeling kind of frugal, I'll sew a second seam, so when I trim away the excess layers, I trim between the two seam lines.  The "discarded" pieces then form "extra" half square triangles.  If I'm sewing flying geese where those side squares measure 2-1/2", I can usually trim the half square triangles to measure 1-3/4" or even larger.  It doesn't seem to take very much more time except the trimming part, and I usually work on trimming when I've finished whatever my main project for the evening was, but Duck Dynasty isn't quite over yet.  Hey!  Win, win, right?  That's what I thought.

14 comments:

  1. Would you believe that Duck Dynasty has made its way all the way to Papua New Guine (though we do get our Pay TV from Asia). I find them oddly compelling...

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  2. duck dynasty is funny. I laugh because I have a brother that could be related to them.
    if only he were as rich LOL

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  3. I have not seen Duck Dynasty - but I know my brother is humored by it (I think he probably fits right in! Lol). Love the magnetic rod, and the quilt you put on it!

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  4. I have never seen the one you mention - I've gotten into British mystery shows and never thought I would be interested in them.

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  5. I have never seen it, but my fourth graders picked it as their favorite show! Then we were talking about it in the lounge at school and the prissiest teacher their admitted to being hooked on it! Apparently it is not just hooking in rednecks!!!
    (Regardless of what some people think, all people in IOWA are NOT rednecks!)

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  6. Love those quick corners. Learned that method years ago from Mary Ellen Hopkins method. Love to be at the machine with NASCAR racing on in my sewing room. Have sewn a few of the Pie In Sky blocks from your sew along.
    Launa

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  7. My husband starting watching Duck Dynasty last year, and I'd hear him laughing and laughing. I started watching it with him, and it's very humorous, so we set it to record every new show now and love it! Now you see them on TV all the time, award shows, music videos, you name it, they're very popular!

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  8. Haven't seen it, but now I think I need to check it out. TV has been so boring lately. I always make the no waste flying geese, so don't have the extra hst's. But, I can always make more hst's! LOL

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  9. My husband pooh-poohed Duck Dynasty whenever I was watching it. You know he couldn't be bothered to watch that "stupid show". But lo & behold, a couple people he works with were talking about how great it is and now guess who's hooked??? Yep! He's a Ducker now. Love those guys!! As for leftover bits & bobs to make little projects...my sewing room overflows with such. It's all just "seed money" for new projects. OH! my word verification is hasesmp loiterers. Sounds like it could be a legal term, eh Kim?

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  10. I love your idea of the magnetic curtain rods. I think that would be a great idea for these metal filing cabinets I get to stare at all day in my office!

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  11. Okay, I have not watched this... but just the thought of you getting hooked on DD cracks me up! That being said, last Friday at Bass Lake, we were out for a burger at the lake and they were having a big DD party! Duck tours on the lake on some odd tour boat/bus kind of thing. Everyone wore camp... so funny! I haven't been here for a while... so I'm going to go check out your other posts!

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  12. I will watch Duck Dynasty they make me laugh. There is so little on TV which is not negative so they are refreshing.

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  13. I am seriously addicted to the Ducks--two of my favorites--Si's dog and his new glasses.

    Your quilts give me inspiration

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