Rugs and Guild Challenge

Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn. 

~ Elizabeth Lawrence

Gosh!  What a week!  We were gone for 5 days and I just can't seem to get back into the sewing groove.  We were in Las Vegas attending the PBR (Pro Bull Riding) finals and were they ever exciting.  We stay at South Point away from the strip and downtown where many of the riders and member of the PBR stay.  It such a nice hotel and definitely calmer than the strip casinos.  We didn't win big - of course, it's hard to win big on penny slots :D  And then the other day I spent time online looking for a new cell phone.  Who knew it would take 2 1/2 hours to finally make a decision.  I'm hoping today that I get back to sewing.  How was your week?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Cows

What do you think of when you think of cows?  Milk?  Leather?  Here are a few interesting facts about cows:

* A heifer is a young female cow that hasn't had a calf yet. A cow gives milk for the first time, only after she gives birth to a calf.

* Cattle is the name for the entire "cow" family

* A cow can climb up the stairs, but cannot climb down. This is because her knees cannot bend properly.

* There are about 920 different breeds of cows in the world. Cows were domesticated about 5,000 years ago.

* Humans and cows have the same gestation period which is about nine months

* Cows have almost total 360 degree panoramic vision and are able to see colors, except red. 

* Cows can hear lower and higher frequencies better than humans

* A cow stands up and sits down about 14 times a day.

* It takes about 350 squirts for each gallon of milk from a cow.

* When galloping through boggy, soggy places or deep mud, cattle can run faster than horses. They have cloven hooves and their toes spread so their wide feet do not sink as deep as those of the solid-hoofed horse.

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MUG RUG SWAP

I am a member of a yahoo group of 10 ladies that swap mug rugs every other month.  Wednesday I received the best squishy in the mail from my swap partner, Sunny.

First off, I just love the adorable rug Sunny made for me with the cute embroidered snowman faces.  A little while ago I had seen the beautiful cross stitch piece, FAITH, she had made for someone else and told her how much I liked it.  And she made one for me!  I really like what it has to say and Sunny did a fantastic job with the variegated threads.  Sunny also included two yummy biscotti, a fat eighth of Christmas fabric and a darling little handmade card with a hexie snowman.  Thank you so very much for everything, Sunny!  And thank you for being such a wonderful swap partner.  I will have the rug out for the next few months.

This is the mug rug I made for Sunny.  Full of snowmen front and back.  The snowman on the left is paper pieced and so easy to do.  It was supposed to have embroidered eyes, mouth, and buttons but I went with real buttons all the way.

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QUILT CHALLENGE

Last month my guild (Cotton Patch Quilters of Kern County) held their annual quilt challenge.  This year the theme was monochromatic.  There were 10 entries this year and they were voted on by the membership.  Here are the ten quilts that were entered:

This adorable little quilt was created by Nancy Palmer.  And, yes, it is all in the color range of blue (according to the Ultimate 3 - In - 1 Color Tool)

This beauty was created by our guild president, Marilyn Smith.  She is a fairly new long arm quilter and her work is amazing.

Isn't the embroidery work on this quilt precious?  It was created by Celia Ho.

Sorry this is blurry but I love this Convergence pattern.  This was created by Nancy Erskine.

This amazing quilt was created by Jim Rupp.  It looks so 3 dimensional!

Another beautiful convergence by Nancy Erskine.

This one reminds me Valentine's Day.  It was created by Mary Jo Henry.

"Where It Rains".  This green convergence won 3rd place and was created by Nancy Erskine.  I love the colors in this one and the quilting was beautiful.

"It's Spring" won 2nd place and was created by Char Emery-Neabeack.  I really like her use of embellishments on this wall hanging quilt.

And, finally, my entry for the Challenge.  I called this "Purple FANtastic".  And I won 1st place!  I am so happy that my fellow quilters selected my little quilt - the smallest entry of the bunch.  Our membership is around 150 so to have my quilt selected by them was very thrilling.  In case you didn't see my description of this quilt on Wednesday, it measures 13 1/2" square and is entirely paper pieced.  

Oh, and while I'm talking about my little quilt, I've also entered in the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  Nominations are currently going on (thru November 4) and I would certainly appreciate your vote.  There are over 500 quilts entered!  Mine is about 3/4 of the way down #553 - just look for the purple.  There are some amazing entries this year.  Thank you for your consideration!

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FINAL THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Don't you wish the stores felt this way?

Two More

Life's problems wouldn't be called "hurdles" if there wasn't a way to get over them.  
~Author Unknown

It has finally cooled down a bit here.  It has been cool enough the last couple of days to leave the windows open all day long!  Now keep in mind that I'm still wearing shorts but I have been wearing my zip hoodie the last few mornings.  It's so nice to be chilled for a change!  The powers that be are predicting high 80's for the end of next week so I better enjoy these days.  Fall is here but only for a little while.  We don't have any big plans this weekend - only a few errands and an ALS support group meeting.  What are your plans for the weekend?

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FUN FACT OF THE DAY

Firefly / Lightning Bug

I have never seen a firefly.  They do live in the same part of the world that I do.  I would love the see their display some time.  Here are some fun facts about those little buggers:

* Fireflies are not flies. Fireflies are not in the same group as houseflies. Rather, they are a type of beetle. They are in the insecta class, and in the order Coleoptera, which includes beetles. They are related to ladybugs.

* Fireflies live for approximately two months, sometimes more, sometimes less. Their lifespan depends usually on how well they can hide from prey and the weather.

 * Fireflies are small insects that are never bigger than one inch. They are usually about 1/4 of an inch to 3/4 of an inch long.

* Male fireflies use their blinking light to help them find a mate. They will fly around blinking their light in a certain pattern for signaling mating. If a female notices him, she will flash her light back until they reach each other.

* Some types of fireflies will lay hundreds of eggs. Others will only lay about 40. The eggs take approximately one month to hatch and become larvae. Firefly eggs may give off a steady light.

* You are most likely to find fireflies in damp areas. They live in fields, woods and of course, backyards. They are found over all of the US, however are not in some areas where it is very dry (and, thus the reason they do not live where I live)

* Fireflies are the world's most efficient light producers.

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MORE DANCING

I'm still Dancing (working with the blocks) but hope to have them completed next week.  Here are a couple more.....

This is Rumba.  The center blues are actually more purple than they appear.  "Rumba" is used as shorthand for Afro-Cuban rumba, a group of dances related to the rumba genre of Afro-Cuban music. The most common Afro-Cuban rumba is the guaguancó. The other Afro-Cuban rumbas are Yambu and Columbia.

This block is called Two Step.  The Two Step dance seems to refer to more than one kind of dance.  It is commonly just a dance move, and then there's the country two-step known as the Texas Two Step.  There is also a 'Nightclub Two Step' that is commonly known as the California Two Step.  There also appears to be a acrobatic maneuver used in break-dancing that is called the 2-Step.  At least this block was easy to maneuver with the foundation paper piecing pattern from Carol Doak.

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QUILTING GALLERY ENTRY

Once again I have decided to enter Michele's Quilting Gallery Weekly Quilt Contest.  This time the theme is "Paper/Foundation Piecing" and I am entering...

Bubbles.  There are 28 wonderful quilts entered and you can go HERE to view them all.  I would certainly appreciate your vote if you should care to cast it my way.  You can vote until Monday at 8:00 am.  Thanks!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Last weekend was our annual Walk To Defeat ALS.  Here is a two minute report on of our local news channels did (neither me nor my team made the cut) .....

It's GIVEAWAY Time!

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.  

~Thomas Alva Edison

I'm sooooooooo tired of the heat!  102 degrees on Friday.  100 degrees on Saturday and Sunday!  Maybe today it will be a bit cooler.  This as should come as no surprise to me as we normally heat up for the opening of the Kern County Fair but usually not to 100.  I am trying to think cool and stay cool.  Ceiling fans are working day and night right along with the poor air conditioner.  I feel so sorry for those that have to work outside in the furnace we call the Central Valley.  I'll be staying inside doing some sewing and stitching this week.  What are your plans?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Fox

Do you remember when fox coats were popular?  These are beautiful creatures.  I think I've only seen one in the wild.  Here are some interesting facts about foxes:

* Foxes are solitary animals that do not really prefer to live in packs. The fox belongs to the medium-sized canid group.

* This animal is found in almost every kind of habitat. They also show an ability to adapt to the presence of humans.

* The Fennec fox is the smallest fox seen amongst all the species. This tiny animal weighs a mere 3.5 pounds.

* Foxes use various sounds and pitches to communicate between each other. 

* Although foxes belong to the Canidae family along with dogs, they also display behavior patterns similar to cats. The vertically slit eyes are on similar lines of the feline cats, besides, they also have retractable claws.

* Foxes feed on rodents, worms, insects, birds and all types of relatively smaller sized animals. They also store their food so that it can be consumed later on during the day.

* Foxes are basically nocturnal animals and prefer to hunt at night.

* The fox is an excellent tree climber

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CROSS COUNTRY DOLL QUILTS

Kim and I were Doll Quilt Swap partners for September.  We live just about as far apart as you get and still be in the continental US.  Kim lives in New York and I live in California.  The theme for September was Harvest but we both pretty much just went with a fall theme.

Kim made this beautiful quilt for me.  She created this little quilt using 1.5" sample pieces sent to her with an order from Keepsake Quilting.  Kim selected the perfect background fabric and then anchored the little squares with the quilting stitches.  This looks so nice out on my living room table.  Thank you so very much, Kim!

This is the quilt I made for Kim.  The browns are much richer than the photo depicts.  I had fun making the paper pieced maple leaves using some of the batiks I had plus another fall print.  It ended up measuring about 15.75" square.  I just might have to make one for myself.

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FAT QUARTER SHOP GIFT CERTIFICATE

Are you ready for a giveaway?  One of my all time favorite places to shop online is sponsoring this giveaway - Fat Quarter Shop!  How would you like to win a $25 gift certificate to spend any way you would like at their wonderful online store?  

I bet I have your interest now!  How can you enter?  Well, let's see.......

1.  Go to Fat Quarter Shop and look at their Coming Soon section.  Then in your comment tell me what you are going to be adding to your wish list for a future purchase.  For me?  I'm looking forward to the release of Backwood Batiks by Hoffman Fabrics due out the end of October.

2.  Spread the word of this giveaway by including it in a post on your blog.  Make sure you include a link back to this page.  (I will be checking!).  Include a link to the page where you posted it in your comment.

Easy enough, isn't it?  So you can have two chances to win the Fat Quarter Shop $25 gift certificate.

Fine Print:

- only two entries per person

- open to everyone, everywhere! Yes, Fat Quarter Shop ships everywhere!

- if you are a no-reply blogger, you must include an email address where I can contact you in your comment.  If I can't reach you, you CAN'T win!

This giveaway ends Monday, September 24, 2012, at 5:00 pm PDT.  I will announce the winner in my post on Tuesday, September 25, 2012.

Thank you, Fat Quarter Shop, for sponsoring this great giveaway!  I wish that I could be the winner.

GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!

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FINAL THOUGHT

Catching Up

Autumn arrives in early morning, but spring at the close of a winter day.
~Elizabeth Bowen

Finally I can say we felt just a touch of the fall weather that will be here permanently in the not too distant future.  Both Friday and Saturday nights we were able to sleep with the windows thrown open.  We were finally able to enjoy some fresh (albeit smog laden) air.  We didn't have to listen to the sound of the A/C or the neighbors evap cooler.  We've even had crickets chirping in the yard at night - something we haven't heard in a very long time.  I know this was just a hint of things to come as we are to warm up again starting today.  This comes as no surprise as our county fair starts Wednesday and we ALWAYS have a heat wave for at least half of those 10 days.  But one can hope that autumn is just around the corner.  Maybe as soon as October 1.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

The Constitution

Saturday, September 17, was Constitution Day.  Previously known as Citizenship Day, this holiday was dubbed Constitution Day when it was established by Congress in 2004. Before that, it was I am an American Day in the 1940s.  Here are a few more facts about our Constitution:

* One state did not attend the Constitutional Convention. That state was Rhode Island. They did eventually sign it in 1790.

* Benjamin Franklin was 81 when he signed the constitution, and was the oldest delegate to sign. Jonathan Dayton was the youngest delegate, at age 26.

* The word “democracy” does not appear once in the Constitution

*Established on November 26, 1789, the first national "Thanksgiving Day" was originally created by George Washington as a way of "giving thanks" for the Constitution.

* More than 11,000 amendments have been introduced in Congress. Thirty three have gone to the states to be ratified and twenty seven have received the necessary approval from the states to actually become amendments to the Constitution.

*When the Constitution was signed, America's population was approximately 4 million.

* The Constitution was written in Pennsylvania State House, now known as the Independence Hall.

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BLOCK FROM LAST MONTH

I completed the August Designer Mystery BOM shortly after I received it in the middle of August.  I had forgotten about sharing it until I received the newest block in Thursday's mail.......

So far this group of blocks of blooms and blossoms for the Mystery have been a lot easier than a lot of the previous Mystery Christmas blocks.  But that's okay as it is nice to have 'easy' every once in awhile.  I do love the fabrics that Fat Quarter Shop is using this time around.

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PROGRESS

Last week I was able to work on my foundation paper piecing project for three days in a row.....

Block F

Block G

(the easiest block yet)

Block H

Blocks F, G, & H sewn together

And here are A through H.  As you can see, my tree on the right must have gone through some growing pains with the way the trunk sort of has a bend in the middle.  But that's okay.  This is a learning process and I'm learning A LOT!!!  Hopefully this week I'll be able to sew on it at least a few more days.

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FRIDAY'S FMQ

Friday, I think I should have walked away from the machine......

I enjoyed this practice but for some reason, I could not make a smooth arch.  Almost every one has a wriggle or a blip.  I did get the general concept down but jeeze.  Hopefully today's will go a little smoother.  Oh, this one is called Echo Shell.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will work on the most recent Mystery BOM I received in the mail on Thursday.

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GIVEAWAYS

Kansas Troubles Quilters is having a giveaway.  You could win  a Cattails and Clover Layer Cake, Jelly Roll or fat 1/16 bundle.  This giveaway ends Sunday, October 2, at 10 pm.

Happy Cottage Quilter is having a giveaway for you knitters out there.  You could win a pair of Rosewood needles and two skeins of Sugar 'n Cream.  This giveaway ends at the end of the month.

Cat Patches is having her weekly Fun Fact Friday Freebie.  You could win a fat quarter for answering her question.  The winner will be announced Friday, September 23.

Hancock's of Paducah is having a giveaway.  You could win an Imari Plate quilt kit featuring Kaffe Fassett cotton fabric.   This giveaway ends Friday, October 14, at 4:01 pm EST.

Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win a charm pack from the not yet released Meet the Gang line from Creative Thursday for Andover Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, September 21.

Pink Sweet Treats is having a giveaway.  You could win the software, MyMemories.  This giveaway ends Saturday, September 24.

cadamsCREATIONS is having a giveaway.  You could win $20 credit to Silly Mama Quilts.  This giveaway ends Friday morning, September 23. 

Blueberry Patch is having a giveaway to celebrate her birthday.  You could win 5 fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 23, at 7:00 pm PST


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FINAL THOUGHT

I'm always glad when Monday roles around.  It seems as if it is my one full day of sewing.  I start the day and the week with a renewed interest.  I'm ready to get going - alone in my sewing room.  The weekends are usually busy with running and doing the wash.  Mondays are special - you either love 'em or hate 'em.  I like this day.  It just makes me take another look at how special life is.  You can decide what your week will be like.  Welcome Monday!  I'm glad you're here.

  
~Walt Disney

Flowers and a Learning Process

Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater. 
~Roman Polanski

I read the book, The Help, way back in 2009.  At the time, I thought it was one of the best written books I had read in a very long time.  And I still do.  Over the weekend we went to see the movie version of the book.  What a great movie!!!  It followed the book fairly well.  You laughed, you cried, it made you think - just like in the book.  My DH thoroughly enjoyed the movie and as we were walking out he said "That has Academy Award written all over it".  You can't give a movie much higher praise than that.  I know most guys think it is a chic flick but it really isn't.  There were actually a quite a few men in the audience.  Even though it has been released for awhile, there was almost a full theater - and this was for the 11:15 am showing.  I know I sound like an advertisement for the movie but I really can't say enough about it.  If you have the chance and would like to be totally entertained, go see The Help.  Oh, and we saw a preview for a movie that won't be released until Christmas time called War Horse.  Now this movie I will be waiting to see until it is released for home viewing where I can cry my eyes out.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Acorn Squash

Today, September 7, is National Acorn Squash Day.  The acorn squash was a favorite of early civilizations as it could be baked whole in their outdoor clay and brick ovens. Dating back to 4000 B.C., acorn squash, sometimes called Danish squash, is an edible gourd that grows on a vine. Generally considered to be a winter squash, the acorn squash is a member of the same family as summer squash, Cucurbita pepo.

While dark-green acorn squash are the most familiar, new varieties are becoming available, including gold acorn squash, and a white acorn variety which also produce yellow-orange flesh.
The dark green to blue-green squash is acorn-shaped, hence its name. The golden-orange colored flesh offers a mildly sweet flavor and a somewhat dry texture. Usually about five to eight inches long and four to five inches across, the hardy rind has deep, characteristic ridges with a splash of yellow-gold, considered a sign of maturity.

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TWO LITTLE FLOWERS

Once again I was only able to create two more flowers for my Aunt Sarah quilt......

This little 3/4" hexagon flower definitely reminds me of fall and the colors leaves turn on the liquid amber around here.

The shades of blue in this one remind me of a stormy winter sky.  Maybe next week I can get more than two made of the 3/4" hexie flowers.  Can you tell I'm hoping for cooler some time in the not too distant future?

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TWO BIGGER FLOWERS

For One Flowers Wednesday, I made two flowers.......

Anyone ready for the circus?  Where else might you find multi colored zebra :)  The circus was in town a couple of weeks ago but we didn't attend.  Maybe that is what made me go with the zebras this week.

Now this is my favorite for the week.  Red Hot Momma!!!  These are the temps we are still feeling here in central California.  It also reminds me of the flames on the race cars I watch with DH every weekend going around, and around, and around.......... LOL!  Well, not this week, as the race was delayed because of Lee.

Thanks to Karen (Journey of a Quilter), you can go to one spot to see more hexie flowers.  Karen has provided us all with a linky so you can hop all over blogland and see all of the gorgeous creations out there.  Thanks, Karen!!

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WHAT I STARTED

Yesterday I started on a new foundation paper piecing project.

Doesn't look like much yet, does it.  I am working on a pattern from England Design.  In the space of 3 hours, I unstitched numerous seams (I lost count) of itsy, bitsy stitching, wanted to pull my hair out, cried a few tears, and then actually started to create something.  I am still in the learning process with this method.  Thank goodness this is considered a beginning pattern!!  I almost gave up on it but walked away for a few minutes, took a few, good deep breathes, and returned to the machine with a new determination.  I will keep you updated on my progress - this is day one.  Wish me luck!

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FMQ PRACTICE

When I first looked at the practice piece that was next in line, my thought was why bother.  But I gave it a try and found out it was fun.  This piece is called Loopy Paisley. 

I had so much fun with Friday's practice I moved onto Loopy Flower.  This uses the same basic shape as the one above.  I missed tracing over a couple of my lines and probably could have taken a bit more time planning out my exact design but this was just practice so I just went with what felt right at the time.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow's practice already.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to make more progress on my FPP (foundation paper piecing) piece.

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GIVEAWAYS

Verykerryberry is having a giveaway.  You could win a GO! Baby Cutter and your choice of 3 dies.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 9, at 6:30 am GMT.

Cat Patches is once again having her Fun Fact Friday Freebie.  Answer her question of the week and you could win a fat quarter.  The winner will be announced on Friday, September 9.

The House on the Side of the Hillblogiversary with a giveaway.  You could win A handmade gift each month for a year. So that's 12 secret presents Melody will make just for you, with lots of love and attention to detail. Plus your first gift will be accompanied with a $25 Gift Voucher from the on-line shop Want It, Need It Quilt.  This giveaway will end Thursday, September 15.

Vicrace Designs is having a giveaway.  You could win some digital scrapbooking software from MyMemories.  This giveaway ends Saturday, September 10.

Sew Fabulous Quilt Shop is having a giveaway.  You could win a Going Coastal Fat Quarter Bundle by Emily Herrick for Michael Miller Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 30.

Want It, Need It, Quilt! is having a giveaway.  You could win a a design roll by Dena Fishbein for Westminster fabrics called Kumari Garden.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 30, AEST.

Sew Cal Gal is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a $10 gift certificate to MyEQBoutique.com.  This giveaway ends Saturday, September 10.

The Intrepid Thread is having a giveaway to celebrate their 300th post.  There will be three of all sorts of wonderful things.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 9, at midnight.

Tonya's Sewing Room is having a giveaway.  You could win a darling zippered coin purse by ZiaMaria Designs.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 9.

We Love Quilting! is having a giveaway.  You could win a surprise package.  This giveaway ends?

Quilt Inspiration is having a giveaway.  You could win Hoffman California fabric, or a $10 gift card to Joann's, or a copy of At Home With Thimbleberries Quilts by Lynette Jensen, or Valley of the Kings fabrics by Robert Kaufman, or Quilter's Newsletter, August-September 2011, and Quilt Magazine, October 2011.  This giveaway ends Sunday, September 11.

Pieces From My Heart is having a giveaway.  You could win a Sassy fat quarter pack, or a Sassy Layer Cake, or a Sassy Jelly Roll, or a Kit that includes a pre-printed apron and apron lining from Sandy Gervais.  This giveaway ends Sunday, September 11, at 10:00 pm CST.
Blueberry Patch is having a giveaway.  You could win 4 Halloween fat quarters.  This giveaway ends Sunday, September 11, at 7:00 pm PST.

Happy Quilting is having a giveaway.  You could win a sample pack of AuriFil threads.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 8.

Quilting By The River is having a giveaway.  You could win My Memories, a digital scrapbooking software.  This giveaway ends Sunday, September 11.

Gosh!  I almost forgot to remind you about my giveaway.  If you would like a chance at a GO! Baby cutter and your choice of 3 dies - go HERE.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Have you ever gotten so frustrated with something that you just wanted to throw it away? Never wanted to see it again?  Sometimes learning is like that.  I remember as a kid taking piano lessons, I thought I would never learn all of the scales and the proper way to hold my hands.  But, before I knew it, I was actually playing little songs, followed by songs with cords.  Then I was able to add in the foot pedals and the rest is history.  I've lost the ability to play the piano - that happens when you don't have one in the house to practice on.  I'm hoping it will be a similar experience with the foundation paper piecing.  I'm falling and stumbling, still feeling my way around.  Trying to mold my mind around how to place the pieces together without wasting too awful much fabric.  Hopefully taking one step at a time, I will learn to walk through the process and one day be able to take it on at a full run.  Learning something new is good exercise for the mind, even if it is a little painful at times.

I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma. 
~Eartha Kitt

I Tried Something New

Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella. 
~Terri Guillemets

I hope all of my friends back east weathered Irene without any injuries or damages.  I spent some time on Saturday watching the news reports and was amazed at the speed of the winds.  Our Saturday was spent running errands in horribly hot and humid weather.  We made it to the Farmer's Market and were able to refill the produce bins in my refrigerator.  It has been a long time since they had been so barren.  We had to make our Walmart/Costco run and surprisingly, Walmart was a much better experience that Costco this time.  The poor pups thought we would never stay home with all of our quick visits to drop off cold/frozen products that had to be put away.  However, they were happy to see us home after our visit to Petsmart where we picked up their food supply and even brought them home a purple squeaky spider toy.  Sunday was the normal washday and catching up on some recorded TV programs.  I am ready to get back to the sewing machine and look forward to a great week.

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Cherry Turnovers

Sunday, August 28, was National Cherry Turnover Day.  Yet another yummy dessert is celebrated.  Although there isn't much to learn about turnovers, how about some info on cherries.....

* Cherry blossom and the cuckoo appear at the same time. Apparently the cuckoo had to have three good meals of ripe cherries before it stops calling. Work that one out - it means you could hear the cuckoo right through to July.

* The bark and stems of wild cherries has an odour of almonds

* In the 17th century, cherries were preserved more or less in suspended animation by 'hanging them under bell jars standing in pans of water.'

* Hot cherry stones were used in bed pans to warm beds.

* The volatile oil of wild cherries contains a small quantity of cyanide.
* Apparently cherries are a symbol of fertility. The owner of a cherry tree was supposed to have a rich crop if the first cherry was eaten by a woman who had recently given birth to her first child.
* In an average crop year, a sweet cherry tree will produce 800 cherries.
*Broadway in New York shifts west at East 10th Street because a cherry tree once stood there.

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LITTLE SWAP BLOCKS

Friday I made two blocks for my swap partner in the 6 Inch Swaps Block Australia....

Boy my picture taking really needs to improve.  Every block I posted today doesn't look like it is square when really they are.  Anyway, Anna asked for autumn colored blocks in the 9 patch pattern.  This one is done in the darker tones of autumn with a yellow sun center.

This is the lighter tones of autumn.  These will be winging their way to the Netherlands in today's mail.

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A NEW TECHNIQUE TO ME

Friday I decided to finally try some foundation paper piecing.  Tonya, of Hillbilly Handiworks, was putting out a call for heart blocks for a charity quilt.  Well, she actually put the call out earlier but somehow I missed that post.

This is the very first foundation paper piecing that I have every done!  Wouldn't you know it, I had to rip out the very first seam I put in.  Oh well.  I guess that's why they call it learning.  After only one more seam error, I finished up this heart.  I was so happy with how it turned out that I made another one....

This one had no errors in it and went together much quicker.  Tonya has a great tutorial on foundation paper piecing that can be found HERE.   These two hearts started their journey across the country on Saturday.  Thanks for introducing me to foundation paper piecing, Tonya!

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FRIDAY'S FMQ

Friday I started the day with my FMQ practice.....

This is called Spiky Vine.  I forgot to dot my i's when I was stitching - lol!  I put too much curve in my 'leaves' and I was supposed to put the vines closer together but you get the general idea.  It was a good practice and I'm getting better at tracing over previous lines.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will make another bee block and hopefully start the Designer Mystery Block

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GIVEAWAYS

Pigtales and Quilts is celebrating reaching 300 followers with a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Freehand Filler Patterns by Sue Patten.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 1, at 2:00 pm EST.

Fort Worth Fabric Studio is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Fabric Remix by Sandy Stone.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, August 31, at midnight CST.

Adventures of a Cross Stitch Drama Queen is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of Promenade in blue from Intrepid Thread.  This giveaway ends Friday, September 2.

Sunshine Yellow is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks vol. 2 magazine, a Schnibbles Short Story pattern, and a stack of magazine patterns.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, September 7.

Meemaw Love To Quilt is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of American Patchwork, true stories from quilters.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, August 31, at 11:00 pm.

Yankee Valley Stitcher is having a giveaway.  You could win 8 f 1/8's, embroidery scissors, tape measure, note book, post its, and marking pen.  This giveaway ends Thursday, September 1.

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FINAL THOUGHT



The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. 
~Henry Ward Beecher