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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Sew Cal Gal FMQ Challenge for July

Well, I'm just making under the wire for Sew Cal Gal's FMQ Challenge for July! I struggled mightily this month, not so much with the design (I loved Angela Walters' design), but my new sewing machine. Miss Frances (my new machine) was showing me whose boss and I think she won this round! I think I had some serious operator error or something.

I think I broke about 1/2 a dozen needles just stitching this much!

A lovely bird's nest on the back

Luckily this stitched up nicely


At my local quilt shop (Quilters Corner), where I bought the machine, they have a "Make Your Own Class" next Friday. Bring a project you are struggling with and they have someone there to help. Well, I signed up and will take this project. I think the problem is the thread (Isacord), it seams to want to twist. I know I had lots problems when I first started FMQ on my Babylock Ellegante. I just think this is part of the learning curve!

Today I'm linking up with Sew Cal Gal for July's FMQ Challenge and A Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Monday, July 30, 2012

Done, Except the Binding

It feels so good to have this quilt almost done. I started this quilt in January! Even though the binding isn't done, yesterday was so beautiful I had to take some pictures.


This quilt was from Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL. I'm really loving how it is turning out. Now I just have to get the binding done. And speaking of binding, I saw this really cool method for faux piped binding in the latest issue of American Quilter magazine. I think I'm going to try it out on this quilt.

Today I'm linking up with Sew Happy Geek for Manic Monday and Plum and June for Let's Get Acquainted blog hop.


Sew Happy Geek



Plum and June

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Saturday, July 28, 2012

The Wonderful World Of Crock Pots

Baa baa black sheep have you any sandwich meat? Yes sir, yes sir, three crock pots full! 

 

Shredded Buffalo Chicken

Carolina Pulled Pork

Mongolian Beef - Shredded
 I posted the recipe for Mongolian Beef yesterday.

Buffalo Chicken
3 to 4 boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/2 cup water

Place everything in the crock pot. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or until meat is ready to shred. Remove chicken and shred using two forks. Place chicken back in crock pot with juices. Serve on slider buns with chopped celery and blue cheese dressing.

Carolina Pulled Pork
1 3/4 lb pork shoulder
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup onion
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp cider vinegar

In a skillet, heat oil and brown pork on all sides. Place in slow cooker with all other ingredients and cook on high for 5 to7 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours. When done shred with two forks and return to juice in slow cooker. Serve on slider buns with creamy cole slaw.

Friday is also CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) day for me. I belong to a fabulous CSA - Sweetland Farm. I picked a huge bag of basil and made a gigantic batch of pesto, YUMMY!


Three double batches - 12 cups of basil!
 Pesto 
4 cups packed basil leaves
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon minced roasted garlic
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1/2 cup or so good Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Put everything but the olive oil in the food processor and pulse several times. While the processor is running, slowly pour in olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. Enjoy!
Freeze pesto in ice cube trays, then pop them out and store in a large freezer bag.
The tent is still not up, there is a huge line of thunderstorms on the radar. Cross your fingers we don't get rained out today!

I can't wait to get back to quilting!

Color Me Foodie!

Pat

Friday, July 27, 2012

Picnic Season


There will be a short interruption in quilting, while I bring you some picnic fare. Since I live on the lake, can you guess where the family and company picnics are held???? Yup, right here on my beach! Starting tomorrow through next Sunday, I will be hosting three picnics (yes, I have help). We put up a big tent, even bring in a port-a-potty, we have it down to a science.
We decided on sliders (mini sandwiches)

Now, everyone brings a dish to pass, but I supply the sandwich fixings. I used to have cold cuts, but last year I had pulled pork in the crock pot, it was a big hit. This year I'm kicking it up a notch - 3 kinds of pulled meat sliders. Mongolian Beef with Asian Slaw, Buffalo Chicken with Celery & Blue Cheese Dressing, and Pulled Pork with Creamy Slaw. All made in the crock pot/slow cooker.

Recipe for Mongolian Beef
1 beef chuck roast
1 onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup hoisin sauce (although I just throw in the whole 8 oz jar)
1 Tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
1 Tablespoon of pressed garlic.

Put everything in the crock pot for about 8 or 9 hours on low (it will be faster if you put it on high) or until the meat is falling apart. Remove meat from crock pot and shred using two forks. Remove fat and any other sinewy stuff and put shredded meat back in the crock pot with all of the juices. You can make this a day or two ahead, then just put the crock pot on warm and serve on slider buns.

Recipe for Asian Slaw
1 Napa Cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 Sesame oil
2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 Tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 Teaspoon salt
2 Teaspoons of sesame seeds (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together, except cabbage. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss. Serve on top of Mongolian beef sliders.

 I will post the other two recipes tomorrow. 

 I really love having family and friends, I look forward to this every year.

Color Me Picnicy!

Pat

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Branching Out and Getting It Together

I am not going to start another project, until I can finish up some of my WIPs! I'm drawing a line in the sand, or should I say, stitching a line in the fabric! But that doesn't mean, I'm not going to do my homework. I just have to work it into some of my current projects. I liked this week's homework from Leah Day and it fit nicely into my wonky/improv quilt.

 What a fun little sketchy design! It give great texture too.

Good news regarding last week's question to Leah regarding bobbin tension, Isacord and Aurifil seem to be happy at the same bobbin tension (same top tension too for that matter).

My question for Leah this week: I seem to struggle with quilting a big quilt, especially when the majority of the quilt is in my lap. It seems to get caught on the front edge of my acrylic extension table. My machine is at a good height for me (I've lowered my table and raised my chair). Short of getting one of the cool Gidget II tables (which is on my wish list, but isn't going to happen any time soon), any suggestions on how to keep my quilt from dragging on the front edge?

I did get to work on another project this week, my Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt. I got all of the blocks joined into rows and the first two rows joined.

I liked this funky little plaid for joining the blocks.

I used this QAYG method to join the blocks. Seems to work for me.
My goal is to have this finished next week. Totally doable if I don't get distracted.

My stats are:

In-process: (10)
Wonky/Improve QAL quilt -  (Continue to quilt)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (Continue to quilt)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (join the rows and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
Sew Cal Gal's May FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow
Sew Cal Gal June FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.

New projects: (0)
At least I didn't start any new projects this week!

Finished (0)


I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday



WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
Free Motion Quilt Along

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Monday, July 23, 2012

QED Winner for July!

WOW, we just had a spectacular thunderstorm, brilliant and beautiful, somewhat like the work of those that linked up form Quilty Embellishment Day (QED)!

This months winner is:
Amy from Amy's Crafty Shenanigans! Thank you so much Amy for linking up! I have to say, I love these cards, the fabric is sewn directly onto the them.

Photo from Amy's Crafty Shenanigans
Amy, I will be emailing you shortly to get mailing information for this months prize.









Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Sunday, July 22, 2012

But It Was On SALE!!!


Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to visit Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, NH. A lot of you might get their fabulous catalog, but it is nothing in comparison to walking in the store. One word - OVERWHELMING!

Now, I will be the first to admit that I need more fabric like a need a new hole in my head. But it was on SALE and, in NH, there is no sales tax! Tell me, how could I pass this up???!!!

Twenty-five 10" squares for less than $17. The two on the right were remnants

Even some shot cottons thrown in for good measure (they were not on sale, but just had to have them)

I just fell in love with this print - less than $7.00 a yard.
Just remember: The more you spend, the more you save!  And I saved a lot! ;)

Color Me GUILTY!

Pat

Friday, July 20, 2012

A Friend's Finish and A Kick in the Seat of My Pants!






As I told you on Wednesday, I spent a long weekend with my dear friend Kate. We had a grand time sewing and working on projects. One of Kate's projects was Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL that she started maybe a month or so ago (I started mine in January). She used some of the fabric that she hand-dyed at my house last September. Yummy! Well, she was able to finish her quilt this week.
Kate's Finished Quilt!
I think Kate's quilt turned out fabulous! Now, as I said I started mine in January, finished the FMQ ages ago. Is mine done??!! Nope! So I pulled it out of my substantial WIP pile and started working on it. 

I quilted around the edge of the inner block and trimmed them to 10" squares
So Kate's quilt had some benefits to me, a squarely aimed kick in the seat of my pants to get me moving on my quilt.

I'm linking up today with TGIFF over at Plum and June!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Dual Learning Curves

I had such a wonderful time the past few days visiting my best friend Kate, who lives up in New Hampshire. I was hoping for cooler weather, but it was screaming hot. Luckily for us, her dear, sweet hubby bought an air-conditioner for the sewing room.

Did I mention, Kate got the same machine as I did??!!  I brought it up to her and brought mine along too. We had a grand time sewing together.

One of Kate's WIPs, same as my QAYGFMQQAL

Kate was having a bit of a problem joining the blocks. I showed her the method I use, and voila, it worked.

This is one of the quilts Kate is working on for a wedding present. Pretty!

But don't worry, I worked on my wonky/improv. quilt. I have to say, I'm REALLY bad at stitching these big, long lines. I know, I know, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!

Stitching the fillers is MUCH easier. A little paisley and loop-de-loop.

Sharp stippling.
It has been an interesting learning curve with my new machine. I really love it so far, FMQ in the sensormatic setting is pretty wonderful, because the foot doesn't hop, so the quilt sandwich just glides.

One of the things that they showed me in the basic training for my new Pfaff, was how to test and adjust the bobbin tension, I've never done that on my Babylock. The setting between cotton thread and polyester (Isacord) thread was quite different.  So my question for Leah this week is: Is is normal/typical to set the bobbin tension for each type of thread? Do you piece with cotton and FMQ with Isacord? Would that mean I would have to change the bobbin tension back and forth?

My stats are:

In-process: (8)
Wonky/Improve QAL quilt -  (Continue to quilt)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (Continue to quilt)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (All 30 blocks are quilted, need to join and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
Sew Cal Gal's May FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow
Sew Cal Gal June FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.

New projects: (0)

Finished (0)


I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday


WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
Free Motion Quilt Along

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Time for Quilty Embellishment Day (QED) July!

Oh wow, summertime is just crazy and I'm visiting my best friend Kate in NH! But it's time to link up to Quilty Embellishment Day and showing us all some really cool embellishments - i.e. free-motion or hand quilting, applique, embroidery, painting...if it makes you quilty projects look cool, it's an embellishment!




Color Me Quilty


Now, if you've linked up before, you know I try to have a really cool giveaway, and I will this time too. But it's going to be a bit of a surprise (for me too), I'm off to Keepsake Quilting today. For those of you who don't know Keepsake Quilting it is one of the premier quilt shops in the U.S. I'm sure to come back with all sorts of treasures and one of them will be offered as my giveaway this month.

UPDATE: My giveaway this month is this cute little fused art quilt pattern. 


Instructions for Linking Up Your Blog:
1. Write and publish a blog post.

2. Copy the link of the specific blog post. This is not just the link to your blog itself. 
3. Click the blue link up button below and paste your link into the box. 

4. This link will stay open for a week.
5. You may link up to three posts, you must link back to this post in order to be entered to win the giveaway.  
6. By linking up and linking back you are automatically entered to win 

For guidelines for QED click here!






Color Me Quilty!

Pat