Friday, August 3, 2012

A New Project

Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.  

~Art Linkletter

Has everyone been watching the Olympics?  Unfortunately I haven't seen much of the games.  I'm either busy sewing during the day or they come on after my bedtime.  My DD#2, on the other hand, has probably seen more hours of the Olympics than most.  She is a big sport fanatic.  She will watch almost any sport so she is in hog heaven - she gets this sports watching trait from paternal grandmother - lol!  Hopefully this weekend we will have some time to watch at least some of the games.  Which sport is your favorite to watch?  Me?  I prefer the winter Olympics but do like diving, gymnastics, and rowing.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY


Straws

I use at least one straw each and every day.  Bright and early (well, really dark and early) I open a can of Diet 7-Up and insert a straw.  Did you know you can anchor the straw in place if you angle the pop-top so the straw can go through the bottom hole?  I got really tired of the straw trying to escape from the can because of the fizz and figured this out one day.  I have used every color of the straws above plus more.  And it has to be a bendy straw or I'm not happy.  Here a couple of facts about straws.....
- The drinking straw dates to the ancient Sumerians, who used them to drink beer. A seal from 3100 B.C. depicts two men using straws to drink beer from a crock, and archaeologists discovered a gold and lapis lazuli drinking straw in a Sumerian tomb.
In 19th-century America, people used naturally hollow rye grass as drinking straws. Frustrated with how these natural straws began to disintegrate in beverages, Marvin Stone invented a wax-coated paper straw, which he patented in 1888.
Joseph B. Friedman made another major advancement in drinking straws: the bendy straw, which he created by molding a paper straw around the grooves of a screw. He patented the invention as the "drinking tube" in 1937.

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A NEW PROJECT


I have started a new project that I'm really enjoying.  I have begun the quilt by Carol Doak, Dancing With The Stars.  I even splurged and bought the exact fabric that she used to make up the quilt.  It is a foundation paper piece quilt and the CD allows me to print out the pattern with ease.  I have a new love in the world of quilting!  No, it's not Carol Doak, but foundation paper piecing!  Here a couple of the blocks I've made....

This block is called Lambada.  I have to make 15 of these as they are the connecting blocks.  So far I've made three.

This is the second block.  It is called Lindy Hop.  I make a Lambada block before every new block so that way I don't get bored making the same block all the time.  Like I said, foundation paper piecing is my new love :)

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A BIT OF CROSS STITCH


I have continued to work on my large counted cross stitch project but have taken a bit of a break to make up three blocks for WOCS.

One of the blocks they requested to be made was tropical fish.  I finally found this pattern through an Etsy store.  It was fun to stitch.  I have made couple of other designs but I will share those another time.

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FINAL THOUGHT


And since last time I included a puppy video, I think all cat lovers can relate to this video.....







18 comments:

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

Your Dancing with the Stars is going to be fun to watch! I am dabbling a little bit into paper piecing too but not on your scale! Love your beautiful counted cross stitch too!

Impera Magna said...

I love me a bendy straw.... so much so that I got one of those glass soda straw thingies like they used to have at old timey soda fountains. It looks great on my counter...and the grandbabies love getting a straw out to drink from.

Love your blocks... the colors are great!

Maria McCabe said...

Your posts are always so much fun! I love the new project and my son loved the cat video! Thank you.
Maria

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Your 'Dancing' is coming beautifully - good idea to break up all the spacers. I have not watched any of the 'games' myself. Lovely cross stitch piece. Oh, I have not seen a Simon cartoon in a long time - thank you for sharing that, I laughed so hard - yes, that's a cat!

krisgray said...

Love those blocks! The fabric is lovely. My DS has been going through straws lately and I'm thinking of buying some stainless steel straws from amazon.com, they're dishwasher safe (yippee!). Have a great weekend!

Linda said...

I have a Carol Doak book with that pattern in it. The quilt will be stunning!
Loved your video! Also loved the "straw" facts. I also use one every day to drink my lunchtime V-8!

Quiltingranny said...

You are such an amazing lady! Thanks for the straw tips! If you get a chance, please share with others our goal of wrapping Aurora in quilts. We need approximately 280 more for first responders, wounded and families of the lost. A tad bit larger than lap sized:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Colorado-Emergency-Responder-Quilts/401592493230782

Needled Mom said...

Who knew that inserting the straw that way would keep it from popping out????

Your blocks are incredible. I love paper piecing too. They come out so perfectly and Carol is the queen of PP.

Love your little fish. Nice work.

I have been DVR-ing the Olympics and watching them early in the morning without all of the commercials. I do love watching the swimming and gymnastics. I am not so keen on the track and field, but know I will watch it anyway.

Have a great weekend. I hope you don't have a lot planned.

Kelli Fannin Quilts said...

Your blocks look perfect! Can't wait to see more. Love the cross-stitch, too. :) I prefer the Winter Olympics, too, but I do like to watch swimming, gymnastics, and diving.. fast forwarding through all of the commercials! Ugh. There are so many! :)

Maria said...

WOW!!! Your PP blocks are lovely and the colours are great..
Cute little cross stitch.
Haven't been watching much of the Olympics..

Gene Black said...

Gee, does it show my age to say that I remember wax coated paper straws?

Your blocks are gorgeous.

Terri said...

Love your stars! Another convert to paper piecing, Hurray!
LOL thanks for the video.
Hugs

Lynette said...

I want a gold and lapis lazuli straw! ;D

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

I did buy the CD for that quilt, but that's as far as I got. I'll enjoy watching yours.

Lynda said...

I love the exactness of paper piecing but I don't enjoy the taking off of the paper part. It is going to be a beautiful quilt. Loved the cat video.

Bailey said...

Love the blocks! Great idea to make one of the 15 before each new one...I usually get bored doing the same blocks over and over as well.

Shannon said...

I love paper-piecing. It is a different way to quilt. Your blocks look great. Those fish are so cute!!

Melissa said...

I love the Dancing with the Stars blocks - your fabrics are stunning!

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