A few more green fabrics...........

While I was in the basement doing laundry yesterday morning I also looked for more green fabrics to use in the green Rosy quilt border.  This time I looked through the other 2 parts of the Kaffe collective fabrics, the Philip Jacobs and Brandon Mably fabrics.  I didn't get any of them cut yet but I think they are going to add a lot of good value changes to the quilt.

I put a few more of the squares I cut the day before up on the design wall so I can get a better idea of how the border is going to look.

When I came upstairs my mail was there and a card from Linda S was in it.  This is another of her wonderful hand painted cards.  I love my collection of them.

The middle of the day yesterday was spent making the last batches of Chex Mix.  The boxes are empty now so I'm officially done with that task.  My family loves my Chex Mix so it is worth all the work.

Packages mailed............

I finished the baking and got the packages packed and mailed by 3 p.m.  I didn't even have to stand in line at the post office.

Last night I started playing with a few border pieces.  The first border is 3" finished squares and the outer border 2" finished squares.

Rather than making long strips of squares to attach, I will make blocks of 2 - 3" squares and 3 - 2" squares and attach them as I sew the rows together.  I have lots of cutting to do so this project will stall for a few days.

My longarm quilter dropped off another quilt she quilted for me and I'll show that soon.  I have a Christmas stocking to make for my newest great-grandson before I do anything else. 

3 batches.............

Yesterday morning I cut 3 more  pieces from one more fabric for the 6" finished squares and took a daylight photo from my computer chair.  It is looking better with more of the dark squares removed.

I made 2 batches of Chex mix in the afternoon and in the evening my first batch of spritz.  Now I need to make the chocolate ones.

I had some questions yesterday about the Hamilton Beach cookie press I showed on my post.  I also have 2 parts to a Proctor-Silex cookie press with extras in the second box.  I'm not sure which one came first.  One company bought out the other and after doing a search I find that most of the ones available now are on e-bay, some new, some used.  It looks like the newer style with a push down handle is the way they are going now.  I have had mine for a long time and I hope it lasts a few more years.

Busy day.............

Yesterday started with cleaning up from baking the night before.  Then I had to get the last supplies I needed for the treats that I make for family.  It was 28 degrees with a 30 mph wind when I left for the stores.

When I got home my mail was there.  I was so excited to get a Christmas postcard from Vicki Welsh.

I was surprised there was no postmark.  I think these have to be hand cancelled so my card was missed.

Here is the whole collection of the postcards.

I only got one treat baked, one of my 2 recipes of Kringlas.

I was too tired to bake anything else last night so I worked on the Rosy quilt.

All of the holes are filled in now but I'm sure this isn't the final layout.  Next to cut are 3" and 2" finished squares for the 2 borders.  I'm still considering taking out more of the dark 6" squares.  I started out with a pile of squares that were cut several years ago.  I think I can find some more lighter fabrics to use.

Hopefully I'll get to this project today.

 

#5 finish for December..................

The binding is finished on I Spy 1 and now I just need to inspect it for any stray threads and then get it ready to be mailed.  This one ended up at 64" x 80.5".  The novelty print squares are 4" finished.

The backing is flannel that I bought at a year end sale 2 years ago.

The batting is Warm and Natural because I wanted a flatter quilt.  I didn't want rolling puffs through the novelty prints.

I found 4 more green Kaffe fabrics to use in the Rosy quilt.  The 2 on the left will be for the big squares and the other 2 in 9 patches.

I meant to get a daylight photo of my orange cactus blooming but next thing I knew it was dark.  I rarely use the flash on my camera and it takes forever for it to warm up.  I finally did get it to work.  All of the blooms are on the side that faces my west picture window.

I started my Christmas gift baking yesterday late afternoon.  I started with the English Toffee bars.

Then I made a batch of fudge.

Last was a double batch of shortbread cookies.  These are a favorite of my great-grandchildren.

Spritz is probably next.  I also make homemade Chex mix for everyone and I haven't purchased the supplies yet.

Working on two...............

In the morning yesterday I trimmed I Spy 1 and looked for a binding fabric.  I finally decided on this bright red/orange.  I started sewing it on the quilt last night but didn't get it finished.

After lunch I went through some early Kaffe fabrics for more greens for the Rosy quilt.  The stripe might be the binding.  I cut strips for 9 patches from 5 of them and 6.5" squares from 2 of them.

I sewed the new 9 patches last night and then decided to see if I had enough variety.  This is layout one.

I still had three 9 patches and about a dozen squares left so I added a row on the right and partial row to the bottom.  I need to make 5 more 9 patches if I stay with this size.  I have too much dark at the bottom so the layout will change.  I might look for more greens and take out the some of the really dark squares.  

Meanwhile I need to get the binding finished and start baking for gifts to mail.

 

Nothing but trouble..............

The same top thread was used on this I Spy 1 quilt that was used on the last 3 quilts, no problem on them.  I had at least 12 thread shred/breaks on this one.  I changed the needle in the middle of it but that didn't help.  But, it is done.

This is one of the oldest fabrics, from somewhere in the 1991-95 time range.

I love the tractor print.  My dad never had a tractor that looks like that but I saw many tractors in my childhood.  We also had a windmill like that over the outside water pump.  We didn't have an inside bathroom until I was 2 and I don't know if there was plumbing in the kitchen until then either.  Eventually the windmill was taken down when I was young and the pump closed off.