Hexagon Swap

This is so right up my alley!! A swap of basted hexagons in two groupings. One is totally scrappy and the other is all 30's fabrics.

http://hexagonswap.blogspot.com/2012/12/basics-for-hexagon-swap.html

I really like the basting part. I have not grown to love the assembly part. So here's hoping that receiving back new hexies after the swap is over will reignite my hexi urges.

I am going to give them a good pressing before I start. And also I want the hostess to say that the two fabrics in the bottom picture are okay for the swap. There are some rules about larger prints. I KNOW I can do some fussy cutting and get the images centered. I will wait until I get her okay!!! Gotta follow the rules!!!

One of my regular swappers on the Yahoo quiltvilleswap is named Victoria. (Love that name) Anyway she always sends a homemade catnip mouse for MaggieMae to play with. The first time I caught MaggieMae trying to bust into her swap package I really scolded her. After I opened it and found the mouse (that was triple wrapped in plastic) I told her (the cat) I was sorry.
The last package Victoria sent had two mouses in it. I hid one in the cupboard. MaggieMae found it the other day....

The catnip on the floor did not come from Victoria's catnip mouse. It is normally how the kitchen floor is in that area. Catnip heaven...so that is why it really tickles me that they still want Victoria's mouses!!!!

All done!!! She napped right where she stopped playing. Oh to live the life of a cat!!!! But then I would want to live here of course.

Or I would want to be a squirrel in this yard. (mine!) They get sunflower seeds and raw peanuts all year round. And that does not count them raiding the bird feeders too! They loved my homemade cornbread. The far squirrel is almost as large as the piece he tried to carry away. Too funny! I did take this picture through the front door window. But it came out pretty good!!!

Making some Geese

What does one do when they have an overflowing box of 2 1/2" neutral squares and a bunch of batik 2 1/2" strips?

I am such a "lover" of my EZ Angle rulers that I had to force myself to not use them for this project.
I needed to use up those squares, remember?
And as a bonus I now have 300 2"  triangles.
So, what am I making?
I have no clue...

Here are 150 2 1/2" X 4 1/2" Flying Geese.
And also 300 2" Half Square triangles.

Here is the box where I found the batik strips. These came to me through an exchange a few years ago. This was BEFORE I became one of the swap hostesses on the quiltvilleswap group.
I love batiks...they smell so nice when pressed. And the colors are all so great.

XOXOXOXO Subee

Second Easy Street completed.

I am totally in love with this color scheme of Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street pattern.
I had to remove one offending 31/2" square this morning. Somehow two of the same fabric made it all the way through final row assembly before I noticed that they were side by side. DH said to leave it...but I decided to replace it. If it would have been a more subtle fabric I might have left them together. But it was the hot pink leopard that simply just screamed at me!!!
So I fixed it and sewed the final seam this morning.

Right now it measures 65" square. I have a nice piece of pinky-brown batik that I will add as the 1 1/2"  outer border...then I may add a bunch of the extra 4-patches around it then add some of that marvelous striped border that I out on my Minkee backed quilt.

I use a piece of batting to lay out my blocks as a removable unit if I get interrupted from sewing. I can simply fold the batting over the pieces and put it away and they stay put.

I have LOTS of extra pieces. Someday they will become another pink/brown quilt!

I have so much help while sewing. Each of my four kitties has to try to claim the batting as a great resting area.

I have the best husband. He is a wheeler/dealer. He found a used bass amp that I can lift!!! It weighs only 35 pounds. We had to drive a little over an hour to go buy it. But it was quality alone time for us.

Macy (on the right) has the rewarding job of moving any kitty so she can steal their heated sleeping spot. For one of the other kitties to remain after she attempts the steal is nothing but amazing! So I had to photograph this episode as evidence that they all can share.
Macy and Pearl came from the same breeder. But different breeding lines of course. I really feel confident buying from this breeder. The cats are raised underfoot in their home and are people lovers.
Happy Sunday everyone.
Bonnie Hunter is doing a quiltcam in 15 minutes!!!
XOXOXOXO Subee

Second Easy Street progress

I was more confused working on the second Easy Street than I was on the first one!!
I figure it is cause I am only using three colors and Our Bonnie used five.
After much hair pulling I did get 9 of Block A made.
This quilt will be much smaller than the original quilt.

My long arm quilter came and picked up the big Easy Street last night.
I had a 90" wide piece of muslin for the back. And since I had made extra 4 patches I added a triple row to the backing. Should be very interesting. My quilter may use turquoise or purple to quilt with. She will do a great job. I trust her.

My little container is now full of papers using Bonnie's recommendation to use heavier papers. I even used the cover off a phone book!!

I should have taken a photo of the completed Girl Scout vest. But this was how I spent the entire Tuesday. Being OCD I also sewed around the iron on patches.

I found this great backing fabric in my stash. After I quilted this quilt I washed what was left and am going to include a good sized piece in each of my quiltvilleswapper's envelopes. A hostess gift in reverse.

Just did some in the ditch quilting and this puppy is all done, bound and labeled.
XOXOXO Subee

My bread recipe for a bread machine

It always seems to come out a little lopsided. I even reach and and rearrange the dough and try to make cuts in the top after the 3rd rise.

here is the recipe I use:

1 1/2 c. + 2 tbl. room temp milk
2 tbl. butter cut into pieces
these two items go in the pan first
then I add:
 3 cups bread flour
1 cup wheat flour
3 tbl. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. fast rise yeast (I keep it away from the salt)
1 tbl. vital wheat gluten
1 tbl. milled flax seed

This makes a 2 pound loaf of bread.
XOXOXOX Subee

Easy Street- final assembly completed.

I totally loved the journey of sewing.

But it sure is GREEN!!!

I am going to make another quilt using brown and pink but it will not be this big!!!

What a journey!
Bonnie really hooked us!
SO MUCH INVESTED THAT IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH OF A WASTE TO not FINISH THE QUILT!
I had to really focus my energies as final assembly is not a favorite task in my quilting world. I do use L&E's and that helps the task. But long seams with pinning simply tries my patience.

I am not sure if I will even add any more borders to this monster!
It is already 84" square and beyond my own machine quilting margins.

I had to keep rewarding myself to get this assembled.
And also to deny myself a pleasure.

I bought a tiny little gizmo that is a bass amp that does not make any external noise. You plug in headphones and can practice in silence. I did not even open up that puppy until I got this completed. I know me...I go off on tangents...and this quilt would have remained un-assembled for a long time!!!
Finally, I can relax and pursue some music!!!!
XOOXXOXO Subee

More Easy Street progress.

Plugging away here in Indiana on Our Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street.

Bonnie was so clever this time...she had us do the border units first so we would not leave them out. Clever Bonnie...

I am doing this quilt in two color ways. Boy! This one really looks "limey green" to me. But this is still okay with me as one of my Grand daughters loves limey green. And since her birthday is coming in March I am thinking this quilt will be gifted to her.

I have 7 of the "A" blocks done today. Slow going but I am very OCD about fabrics being really scrappy in each block. I want them spread around equally.

XOXOXO Subee