A Class In Applique

The inertia hardest to overcome is that of perfectly good seconds.
~Martin H. Fischer

Yesterday seemed to fly by.  I did a little blog reading and POOF - it was time to have breakfast.  Caught up on some email and POOF - half the morning was gone.  Started some sewing and POOF - time to eat lunch or I might as well just wait for dinner.  Finished marking for an applique project and finished up another little project and POOF - time to fix dinner.  How does so much time just go POOF?  I think the minute hands on the clock must have been flying - sort of like those funny clocks in cartoons.  Another day that seemed to have evaporated before my eyes.  Humph.....thank goodness I get another day today :)

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

 

OPENING DAY
 
The Ringling Brothers Circus began in 1884 in Baraboo, Wisconsin using the title "Yankee Robinson and Ringling Brothers", the only time the Ringlings ever gave themselves second billing. It was a small circus at first, conveyed by wagons, and differed little from scores of other little shows that traversed limited geographic areas.  By the late 1880s, however, the circus had established itself as one of the largest and best-run circuses in the country.  What distinguished the Ringling Brothers Circus from others was its honest and fair attitude toward the public. Unlike other small circuses of the time, Ringling Brothers would not allow ticket sellers to short change customers, nor did they allow games of chance such as Three Card Monte and shell games on their lots. This reputation for clean dealing and good value brought them success, and soon they were able to make the leap into the ranks of railroad circuses.  In 1907 the brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus and ran the two circuses separately until they merged them into one unit in 1919, when they also moved the winter quarters to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
 
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START OF CLASS

Last week I started a class online at Quilt University.  The class is called Triple Treat Tulips and is being taught by Susan Brittingham.  It will cover 3 methods of machine applique.  I thought since I am so new to applique, that it would a good class to pick up some pointers and learn the 'correct' way to do things.

For the first lesson we had to select fabrics and assemble the background.  No applique so far so I didn't have any troubles with making this much of it.  The tablecloth will be appliqued down in the next class - that's why you are seeing so many pins.  So far the piece measures 27" X 36".

If you look real close you can see that I've traced the placement of the pattern pieces onto the background.  Sorry that the picture is so poor but I didn't want to make the ink too dark.  This Friday will be the next class where we actually start doing some applique.

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SMILE WITH ME :)

Today I received a squishy envelope that made me smile......

Last week I was one of two lucky winners over at Farm Girl Transplanted.  I won 2 charm packs of Prayer Flag and one yard of white background fabric.  Kris included two pretty nail files - and believe me my nails need all the help they can get.  I can't wait to get started on a project with these charm packs.  I think I already have the pattern in mind.  Thank you so very much for your generosity, Kris!!!!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I am going to start assembling the Designer Mystery BOM quilt - woohoo!!

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GIVEAWAYS

From The Blue Chair is having a giveaway. Katie is giving away a Kona color card. Katie will pick a random winner on Monday, May 23.

Crafts and Stuff is having a giveaway.  You could win a miniature created by Hetty.  The winner will be selected on Wednesday, June 1.

Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting Blog is having a giveaway.  You could win a set of May for Me Note Cards and The Easy To Sew Quilt Pattern for both you and the person who has inspired you.  Marcia will draw two winners on Sunday, May 22, at 6:00 pm.

Kati Cupcake is having a giveaway.  Amy is giving away a fat quarter bundle of her newest line of fabric, Sugar Blossom.  Not sure when this one ends :(

The Intrepid Thread is having giveaway #2.  You could win a charm pack that Julie has cut out.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, May 25, at midnight.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Would you believe I'm already thinking about tomorrow?  I usually try not to think too far ahead because I feel like I'm just wishing the day away.  But tomorrow I have something to celebrate and I hope you will celebrate with me.  What am I celebrating, you ask?  Well, you will just have to wait until tomorrow to find out.  How can you help me celebrate?  All you have to do is come read my blog and join in the fun.  I'm just a tease, aren't I.  Tonight I will be attending the local guild meeting.  I will be reporting back to you about what happened and my thoughts on the whole thing but I won't be doing that until Monday's post.  I'm going to keep you in suspense again :P  Sometimes it's necessary to have a little mystery in your life, it adds a little spice to your life.  Now are you thinking about tomorrow too?

It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself.  Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about. 
 ~Alan Ball

Enjoy your Thursday - I know I will!!

Minnesota Stars Quilt - A Work In Progress

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  Mine flew by much too quickly.  We had an overnight guest in the form of our daughter's corgi, Samson.  She and Ryan were going up to Santa Cruz to help paint the family vacation home along with her cousins, aunts and uncles and figured that Samson would be happier here with us.  He is such a good and smart dog that he is never a problem.  He did miss his mommy and daddy though.  We then were able to provide Kristen and Ryan nourishment on their return trip home, plus enjoyed catching up with what is happening in their lives.  On Sunday I wasted most of the day renaming my blog.  Who would have thought something so simple could take up so much time.  I finally decided on the new name of "Stray Stitches" since so much of my life seems to be made up of one kind of stitch or another.

Today I thought I would share a work in progress that I have been working on for probably 4 months.  This is a kit from Connecting Threads called Minnesota Stars Quilt.  I should have easily completed this quilt by now but have taken several classes online that have interrupted the completion of this quilt.  I'm trying to be realistic now when I say I hope to complete this quilt by November.  I have never had a quilt take this long to finish and I refuse to let this become a UFO (unfinished object) as I have only one UFO currently in history of quilt making. 

Here are the steps that it takes to create one block:

Squares all cut and one flying geese patch sewn.

Both flying geese patches made. You need four of each patch.

(Sorry about the dog hair in the pic!)

Two geese sewn together - create 4.

Step 3 - Create 4

Sew two triangles to the previously created square (pictured above) - create 4

Sew triangle to just completed triangle - create 4

Sew a flying geese patch to each side of the large square

Sew the triangle square to each side of the flying geese patch - create 2

Join together to complete the block.

Here is a look for my work in progress, just a corner of it but I think you can get the idea.

So far I have completed four of the six required rows.  Only two more rows to go!  One of the hardest parts of this quilt is selecting the prints to make into the blocks.  In this kit there are 5 different browns and 11 different prints to create the blocks.  I am trying to make it so the center print of the block is not near another within each row or next to each other in either the row above or below it. 

My latest interruption in finishing the Minnesota Stars Quilt is I am starting a new class at Quilt University called "Make Your Own Quilt" with Nancy Chong as the instructor.  I've taken a class from her before and she is great!  I have selected my fabrics for this class - a light blue and a white on white.  Now I have to create my own design for this class.  I hope I can, but if not, she does provide a pattern that you can use.  This is a five lesson course spread over 10 weeks.  I'll let you know how things progress and will share pictures later.

Well, I'm off and running on a Monday.  I hope your week is off to a good start.  Look for my first giveaway next week.  Speaking of giveaways, check out Megan's great giveaway at http://kitschysuburbia.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-time.html .  She is giving away a $40 gift certificate to CSN Stores.  Check it out!

Happy stitching!