Can You Supply A Remedy?

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.

~Pietro Aretino

Our winter here in the central valley of California is usually short lived.  We have had plenty of rain and surprisingly little fog.  We have the Tule (pronounced too-lee) fog here that can chill you to the bone.  I have been colder here in the fog than I ever was skiing in a snowstorm.  I keep waiting for the fog to return.  Perhaps it is the grey that makes me think of color.  I have suddenly gone into a bright color frenzy.  I'm usually quite sedate in my color choices.  Maybe my mind is preparing for spring even though it is at least a month away.  Do you ever have sudden color mood swings?

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Weeds!

Even though we are in the middle of winter, our weeds are thriving.  I look out into the yard and they are everywhere and doing quite nicely, thank you.  With all of the rain we have had lately, I'm sure we will have a bumper crop of weeds this year.  Oh boy!!  A weed, in a general sense, is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens.  More specifically, the term is often used to describe native or nonnative plants that grow and reproduce aggressively.  Generally, a weed is a plant in an undesired place.  Maybe I should just let the weeds take over - it would be a whole lot easier to pull out the 'wanted' plants.

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Today is One Flower Wednesday!  I had hopes of creating several hexie flowers over the weekend.  How many did I create?  Two - just two.  One for me and one for my swap partner over in the Inchy Flower Swap. 

This is the flower I made for Hedda of Iceland.  I don't think she reads my blog so I am able to share it with you.  She requested green petals with a yellow center.  I hope she won't mind a little extra color in the petals.  I like this one so much I think I just might make one for myself.

This is the hexie flower I made for myself.  I keep going hot and cold on whether I like it or not.  Sometimes I think "Yea, it looks good with the dark center".  And, other times I think "Meh, not so much".  I'm sure it will fit in the garden somewhere.

I have made 16 flowers for myself so far.  I worked on sewing some of them together this weekend until I ran out of stepping stones.  So far I like the way the bright little flowers look against the white.  I have a loooooooog way to go before I have made enough hexie flowers for my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.

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I was pressing some fabric to use in my Birdie Stitches BOM today.  As I pressed, there were some creases and wrinkles that I could not get out.  No amount of pressing, spraying, or steaming seems to take care of the problem.  The fabric has been washed so it's not the sizing.  Do any of you ever have this problem?  Those of you who manage to get every little wrinkle and crease out - what is your secret?  Would you mind sharing with me and the rest of blogland?  Or am I the only one that has this problem?  And I've had this problem forever!!  HELP!

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I did manage to complete my goal yesterday of making a block for my swap partner in the Quilting Block Swaps Australia.  I started making a block called Braced Star Variation One.  Looked simple enough.  It used templates and gave what I thought were fairly simple instructions.  I cut out the required squares and triangles and proceeded to sew them together.  After the first seam I could tell something was wrong.  So, I cut out a couple of different pieces - still not working.  After an hour of trying to put this block together I threw in the towel.  Either the instructions for cutting were way off, or I was way off - and I usually don't have any trouble reading instructions.  I may cut something out incorrectly but not repeatedly and not so horribly wrong as this was.  So, scrap that star.  Instead I selected a different star pattern - one I had debated about in the first place.  Had to change fabric as I didn't have enough of the original fabric left.  My swap partner, Gina from the United Kingdom, requested a star in bright cheery or pastel colors.  I went with the bright and cheery (remember, I'm on a bright color frenzy).

Here is a sneak peek of the block.  I'm not sure if Gina reads my blog and don't want to spoil the surprise.  I will show you the completed block when I know that it has arrived at its destination.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I plan to make some blocks for Block Lotto.  This month we are making Stacks.  It is along the line of Chinese Coins but no matching seams or thinking (I like that part).  And it's made with bright colors (there I go again).  We can make up to 5 blocks - we'll see how many I get made.

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GIVEAWAYS

Linda over at Quilt Cookies is celebrating her 10,000th hit on her blog by having a giveaway.  She's not telling us what the prize will be (it's a surprise).  Linda will announce the winner on January 19, 2011.

Cloth Stitched is celebrating her 1 year blog anniversary with a giveaway!  Char is giving away 5 fat quarters of Pillow and Maxfield's Pretty Bird Fabric.  This giveaway is open until January 15th.

Sew Cal Gal is having a fantastic giveaway with 11 different items to win.  She is giving away several different patterns and also a grand prize that includes Cutting Corners Ruler and three patterns by Sharyn Craig.  This giveaway must be entered by Saturday, January 8, at noon PST.

Pigtails and Quilts is having a giveaway you won't want to miss!  They are giving away a $50 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop!!!  If you jump over there to enter, don't forget to mention that I (Stray Stitches) sent you over.  You have until Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 6:00 PM EST to enter.

And yet another reminder to enter my 300+ Follower Thank You Giveaway!   Even if you don't want to make the pattern that is included, how can you pass up 7 1/8 yards of fabric?  You must enter by Sunday, January 9th at 8:00 PM PST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Sometimes I feel as though I'm either way ahead of a trend or so far behind its laughable.  There have been many times where I spend hours, or even days, looking for a certain something in stores and online with no success.  A few months later it is everywhere.  Then there are times where I search for something and always run into those dreaded words "no longer available".  And why is it, and men please excuse me, that when you find a bra that you really like and fits really well it seems you can't find it when it comes time to replace it?  Has something like this ever happened to you?

If an article is attractive, or useful, or inexpensive, they'll stop making it tomorrow; if it's all three, they stopped making it yesterday.

~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

It's the middle of the week - make it yours!!