Sunday, July 18, 2021

Christmas in July Blog Hop

I am thrilled to be part of this year's Christmas in July Blog Hop.

Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is our hostess and besides organizing this Hop, she is facilitating a Sew Along. Each day, for twelve days, Sarah is sharing steps to help you create your own Peppermint Twist quilt. 


Along with Sarah's instructions each day, various bloggers are sharing lots of fun holiday ideas and tips. 

Today is my day to share, but in case you missed a few days, here's the line up...

Wednesday, July 14th

Thursday, July 15th

Friday, July 16th
Jamie of L'Fair Quilts

Saturday, July 17th

Sunday, July 18th

Monday, July 19th

Tuesday, July 20th

Wednesday, July 21st

Thursday, July 22nd
Sandra of MMM Quilts

Friday, July 23rd

Saturday, July 24th
Joanne of Everyone Deserves a Quilt (Part 2)

Sunday, July 25th

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Today I am sharing a table runner pattern with you that is quick and easy to sew, and makes a quick gift or perfect decoration for any table.

Here's what you need for the 24.5" x 39.5" table runner


Background Fabric: 3/4 yard (white in sample)
from that, cut:
4 - 7" x 7" squares
8 - 2" x 6.5" rectangles
2 - 2" X 30.5" rectangles
2 - 2" X 18.5" rectangles
2 - 2" X 36.5" rectangles
2 - 2" x 24" rectangles
 
Red Fabric: 1/4 yard
from that, cut:
2 - 7" x 7" squares

Green Fabric: 1/4 yard
from that, cut 
2 - 7" x 7" squares

Gold Fabric: 1/4 yard
from that, cut 
8 - 2" x 8" rectangles

Print Border: (red print in sample)
from that, cut
2 - 2" x 33.5" rectangles
2 - 2" x 21.5" rectangles

Binding: 1/3 yards
from that, cut
4 - 2.5" x WOF strips

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Now the fun begins!

On the wrong side of each 7" background square, draw a diagonal line, corner to corner.

Layer these, right sides together with the 2 - 7" Red and 2 - 7" Green squares.


Sew 1/4" on both sides of the drawn lines.


Cut on the drawn lines.


Press open or to the Red or Green fabrics. Trim to 6.5" x 6.5".


Being careful of the orientation of the angle, sew a 2" x 6.5" background rectangles to the bottom of a Red/Background half square triangle. Press open or to the Background rectangle. 


Sew a Gold 2" x 8" rectangle to the left side of the unit above. Press seam open or to the Gold.


The block should now measure 8" x 8". 


Follow the same procedure for the Green/Background half square triangles; only this time, press open or to the Green/Background half square triangles when adding the Background and Gold rectangles. 


Following the image below, lay out four blocks. Sew the four blocks together and press seams open. Make two of these large blocks.


Sew two of the large blocks together and press the seam open. 


Sew the 2 - 2" x 30.5" Background rectangles to the sides of the quilt. Press open or to the borders.
Sew the 2 - 2" x 18.5" Background rectangles to the top and bottom. Press open or to the borders. 


Sew the 2 - 2" x 33.5" Border rectangles to the sides of the quilt. Press open or to the borders.
Sew the 2 - 2" x 21.5" Border rectangles to the top and bottom. Press open or to the borders. 


Sew the 2 - 2" x 36.5" Background rectangles to the sides of the quilt. Press open or to the borders.
Sew the 2 - 2" x 24.5" Border rectangles to the top and bottom. Press open or to the borders. 


Quilt as desired and bind using 4 - 2.5" x WOF strips.

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Wasn't that easy? 

Be sure to check out the other bloggers and get yourself a head start on those Christmas projects!  

 

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Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Christmas in July Blog Hop

 It's the first day of the Christmas in July Blog Hop!

Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is our hostess and she is sharing her talents by facilitating a Sew Along too! 

Isn't this Peppermint Twist  adorable?!?


Each day, for twelve days, Sarah will be sharing steps for you to create your own Peppermint Twist quilt. I can tell you from personal experience that her instructions are wonderful and very easy to follow. 

Along with Sarah's instructions each day, various bloggers will share some fun holiday ideas. Here's the line up...

Wednesday, July 14th

Thursday, July 15th

Friday, July 16th
Jamie of L'Fair Quilts

Saturday, July 17th

Sunday, July 18th

Monday, July 19th

Tuesday, July 20th

Wednesday, July 21st

Thursday, July 22nd
Sandra of MMM Quilts

Friday, July 23rd

Saturday, July 24th
Joanne of Everyone Deserves a Quilt (Part 2)

Sunday, July 25th

So why not grab a cup of your favorite beverage, relax and enjoy some Holiday cheer?

I'm trying to beat the heat (it's currently 82 degrees here in northern Ohio) and just thinking about Christmas is helping me do that.
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Monday, June 7, 2021

When Fabric Speaks to You

I love it when fabric speaks to me! 

Just to be clear, it doesn't actually talk, but it does touch me in a way that helps me determine how to use it. 

I think we've all been there. We buy a piece of fabric without a plan for it. We just fall in love with it and have to have it. That has happened to me many times, which is why I have a substantial stash. 

There are also times that while it is not verbal, the fabric actually does send me a message. That's what I'm talking about today. 

I was working on my Homespun quilts and was surprised at how many times it looks like I fussy cut pieces. I did NOT fussy cut anything. As a matter of fact, I was using a pre-cut so these "messages" simply appeared. The fabric is Keep Shining Bright, by Anne Rowan for Wilmington Fabrics. 

I love what I'm reading and choose to believe that there was some divine intervention involved here.   





My tops are complete, but I don't have pictures yet. But...I will show them up on the design wall before blocks were sewn together. This quilt has two layout options and here's a picture from the designer (Modernly Morgan) that shows both of them - side by side. 


Here are my versions. I used the same fabrics for both, but simply laid them out differently. I seriously did not mess with this at all and randomly placed blocks. (Yes, these are really bad pictures, but I took them to help me keep track of the layout when I was moving blocks from the design wall to the sewing machine. If I don't do that, I always seem to sew at least one thing wrong.) 



I don't know when, but I will get better pictures and share them here. I seriously loved making these quilts! I toyed with the idea of adding borders but changed my mind once I started looking at my options. I did however, create my own size for this quilt because I wanted a somewhat small rectangular quilt rather than a square one. My quilts measure 48" x 64", which is just what I wanted. 

What are you working on today?

Check out some eye candy at 


and

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Tuesday, June 1, 2021

June Color Challenge

 


It's a new month and a new color!

June's color is orange

and the featured food is

Pumpkin


Pumpkins are native to North America (northeastern Mexico and southern United States), but they are now grown world-wide. As a matter of fact, pumpkins can be and are grown in six of the seven continents. Only Antarctica is unable to grow them.

Pumpkins are a warm weather crop that are usually planted in early July. They need soil that retains water, yet drains properly after heavy rains. Even though this may sounds challenging, pumpkins are quite hardy. Even if the leaves are damaged or part of the vines are removed, the plant can usually regrow secondary vines and still produce the fruit. 

While pumpkins can come in a variety of shapes and colors, ranging from white to very dark green, I'll be focusing my information on the typical (to me), orange variety.  

Pumpkins are produced for a wide variety of reasons, including food (both human and animal) and commercial or ornamental sales. 

In terms of nutrition, one cup of pumpkin has 87% of the daily recommended vitamin A intake, and is a good source of fiber. It is basically fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free. All in all, pumpkin is basically a healthy food to consume.   


Pumpkins are very versatile in how they can be used for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. It can be boiled, steamed, or roasted and is often used in soups and purees. Of course pumpkin puree is used to make an amazing pie that many people eat at Thanksgiving. (FYI - pumpkin pie is good ANY day or season!) 

Pumpkin can also be made into oil by roasting the seeds and then pressing them. The resulting oil is quite thick and has a very robust flavor. While it's often difficult to find near me, when used in salad dressings, it adds a delicious and somewhat nutty flavor.

We all know that pumpkins are harvested in the Fall and used for many Halloween and other Fall decorations. I always find it amazing how intricately some people can carve their pumpkins; and while I've tried to do something fancy, I'm a simple "cut out triangles for the eyes and a jagged mouth" kind of gal.  :-) 

You could go even simpler and do this for decorating. 


Yep! Sometimes I just don't feel like or have time for carving a pumpkin, but I still want to decorate. This set up was at my daughter's house and I love it.   :-)  Easy, peasy!!

But, I have to admit that my favorite Halloween decoration of all time includes a quilted project and I still pull it our every year. These pumpkin placemats are an adaptation of an Eleanor Burns pattern. I've added the face cutouts so the placemats are interactive. 



This is one of my favorite pictures! Mom passed away in 2012 but Sadie still remembers playing with these placemats with Mom and that warms my heart. 


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Talk about simple. Let's take a look at this month's block.

Be sure to check out Jen's Blog for this month's pattern!


I love my pumpkin fabric! I think it looks like this picture...


The above block was constructed according to the pattern, but I wanted to see what it would look like if I rotated the corners. 


 I played around with the corners before I stitched up the first block. Because I liked it both ways and I had the fabric, I decided to make a second block. For my end of the year project, I need more than twelve blocks, so I was happy to make a second one again this month. 

I used the original block layout for my 6" block; and like some other months, I used the bright light mini mosaic fabric. I LOVE how it looks! (If I had taken my pictures correctly, you would have seen an individual picture of that block, but no.... since I didn't do that so you get a picture that includes the similar 12" block.  😒


And because I DID get a picture with all the blocks, you get to see that....


These are SEW much fun!!!

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Don't forget to head over to 
for your copy of the instructions
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As always...
Thank you to the Second Quarter Sponsors!

Let's show them our appreciation and check out their products.

Jen has a complete list of the sponsor HERE. 


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It's recipe time!

Yes, I like roasted pumpkins and pumpkin seeds, but I decided to go with a dessert this month. This is delicious AND simple

Pumpkin Spice Cake 

15 oz pumpkin puree (canned** or fresh) 
1 box (18.25 oz) Spice Cake Mix

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray and flour a bundt cake pan (you can also use a 9" x 13" pan).

In a large bowl, mix Spice Cake Mix and Pumpkin Puree until well blended. 

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in bundt pan 5 minutes and then invert onto cooling rack. 
(Leave in 9" x 13" pan to cool.) 

Serve warm or cooled. 
Drizzle with a white glaze, if desired. 

(To make glaze, combine, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon softened butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 - 3 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream.)


This cake is AWESOME the second day and is great in the morning with a cup of coffee.

Speaking of coffee, why not grab a cup and check out the rest of this month's bloggers.









I'd love to see your blocks! Feel free to leave a comment and include a picture.
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Friday, May 28, 2021

A Little Sewing Time

I've been busy the last few weeks working on a number of things, including some secret sewing projects. I will soon be able to share those; but in the mean time, I decided to do some sewing for me. 

I finished sewing my blocks for my Homespun quilt! I love this pattern by Modernly Morgan. Truth be told, I like EVERY Modernly Morgan pattern. 

Ok, since I'm being honest, I am working on this for a Sew Along that I will be hosting. But the reason I am hosting this Sew Along is because I wanted to make this quilt and I knew that if I used the pattern for the Sew Along, I could justify putting aside a few other already-started projects and make this quilt.  :-)  

I used fabric that I already had on hand and that sure felt good. My background is scrappy, but it works since all of the fabrics are tone on tone whites.  

My goal is to get this top together this weekend and get my notes in order and finalize the Sew Along schedule. 

What are you working on this weekend? 

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Saturday, May 1, 2021

May Color Challenge

 

It's a new month, which means it's a new color challenge reveal.

This month we are using 

Brown

and we are featuring 

Potatoes


Potatoes are a root vegetable, native to the Americas. It was believed that the potato was originally domesticated by various Native Americans in multiple locations, but genetic testing of a variety of species trace a single origin in what is present-day southern Peru and northwestern Bolivia somewhere between 7000 and 10,000 years ago. 

Potatoes were introduced to Europe from the Americas in the second half of the 16th century by the Spanish. Today, there are over 5000 different types of potatoes and they are considered a staple food in many parts of the world. In 2014 potatoes were the world's fourth-largest food crop. Only corn, wheat and rice surpassed them. 

So, just how healthy are potatoes?


Potatoes are a nutritious vegetable, packed with essential vitamins and minerals that help support the body, boost the immune system and improve energy levels. Potatoes are heart healthy too because they are rich in potassium which helps lower systolic blood pressure and helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. They are also rich in vitamin C and fiber, both of which lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol. The fiber found in potatoes helps satiate hunger and support "gut" health.  Potatoes also contain Vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and iron. They are gluten free, fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free.  

Potatoes can be healthy, but it is important to consider how they are prepared when considering the overall health benefits. Studies show that there is a direct correlation between eating certain types of potatoes and potato products and an increase in waist circumference and weight gain. (Really?? Who would have guessed that?) So, instead of eating potato chips or fried potatoes, choosing healthier preparation options such as roasted, boiled, grilled, or steamed is the way to go. 

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Let's take a look at this month's block

I had the perfect mosaic fabric for the 6" version of this month's block, but I couldn't decide which fabric I wanted to use for the 12" block. I finally decided to stop fretting over it and just make two blocks. Problem Solved!!


These potatoes are the basic potatoes that I grew up eating. They are tasty and I have always enjoyed eating them. 


The potatoes in the fabric above are just plain fun. I love all the colors! There is a difference in taste, which provide a nice pleasant variety to many dishes.  

See what I mean about the mosaic fabric for the 6" block? Perfect!


I enjoy this picture of all three blocks. I like the fabrics and I like the block pattern. 


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For this month's block instructions, head over to 

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Thank you to the Second Quarter Sponsors!

Let's show them our appreciation and check out their products.

Jen has a complete list of the sponsor HERE. 


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It's recipe time and I think you'll like this one!

Roasted Spanish Potatoes
AKA Patatas Bravas


These potatoes are a delicious side dish that can be served with just about anything. If you like a little spice in the morning, they are wonderful with scrambled eggs!

Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes - peeled or unpeeled - your choice, cut into 1" chunks
5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
14 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
2 or 3 teaspoons hot sauce (Tabasco)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Fresh Parsley, if desired for garnish
 
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss potatoes with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt.

2. Arrange in one layer in a casserole pan or on a rimmed baking tray. Roast until browned, about 50 minutes. 

3. While potatoes are roasting, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a medium pan over medium/high heat. Add onions and saute 4-5 minutes or until they begin to brown on the edges. 

4. Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes. 

5. Add the chicken broth or white wine and turn heat to high. Boil on high until the liquid is reduced by half. Add tomato paste and stir until combined.

6. Add tomatoes, hot sauce, salt, sugar, and paprika. Stir well and reduce heat to simmer. Let sauce cook slowly for 40 - 50 minutes. 

7. When potatoes are well browned, toss them with the sauce and return the pan to the oven until the sauce dries out a bit and the potatoes caramelize, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve warm. 

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You'll have some time to kill while the potatoes roast so you might consider gathering up friends and family to play the Potato Game
That sure looks like fun! 

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Speaking of fun, these blocks were fun to make and I like how they looks. 
Check out the May Bloggers to see what fabrics they chose to use for their blocks.
I'm also looking forward to some delicious recipes to try. 


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