Quilty as Charged Pt 2

Hello from almost spring Connecticut!  

 

I have daffodils in my yard but I'm finishing talking about my Christmas Quilt.

My favorite way to machine quilt a liberated quilt is what I have termed: 
Relaxed Crosshatch

 Here are the steps I use:

1. Spray baste the layers together when working on a small quilt.  
2. Using a Hera Marker I mark a good 45 degree line across the quilt.
3. Mark another line at 6"
4. Mark another line in between - at 3"
5. Eyeball the line between the 3" lines.  This way I have a little variance but it's not totally wonky - which I have also done.
6. I really like the look.  What do you think?

Rounded Corners (nice oxymoron)

I picked up this little corner tool and I have to admit I hardly ever use it. lol

 It offers 3 different sizes, but of course none of them suited me, ha ha.

 I used this giant button wall decor instead.  You can use anything round that suits your size needs.

 I used straight binding and just carefully pinned it around the corner right on the line I wanted.

 Easy Peasy.

 In case anyone is wondering, I still make a rag ball of every most quilts I finish with the batting and backing trimmed from the edges.

 Spring bird sightings.  This poor house sparrow is visiting my bird bath which is frozen because I unplugged it - waaaa

A bluebird!  These birds are so shy it is hard to get a photo.

I like this little guys style - he just moved into the window feeder and filled up.  :)

I'm off to The Quilt and Sewing Fest of New Jersey tomorrow.  If you see me, say hello!

xo

Christmas in April?

Christmas Memories of Jill 

In my last post I showed you the start of this project.  

I hope you can see my machine quilting in this shot.  I will show you my method of "relaxed crosshatch" next week.

The backing fabric has two popular Christmas Gifts:  Books and Money.

Jill loved the Christmas season and the center Santa came from her sewing room and was made by Lori of Humble Quilts as part of an online swap.  Crazy, right?

The white circles are Jill's, the red circled center was made by Lori  and the black circles are random blocks and bits I had around.

I am so happy to have another collaborative quilt with Jill.  It's been almost 4 years since she passed away.  You can see my Memorial Post here.

We've started some gardening inside this year in a sunny window.

 Obviously coco has been here.....these are not brownies!

Bird Watching Season has begun!  The Bluebirds are coming around, but I haven't caught them on camera.

 Do you know this bird?  I think it is a Juvenile Gray Jay.

Have a Happy Week
xo

Quilty as Charged!

Creative Craziness is happening in the development of a couple of new workshops.  Here is one "mood board" approach.  Stay tuned.

I pulled blocks and scraps from every corner of my sewing room.  I'll be adding 2 new workshops and a 3rd lecture in May.

This week I made a easy, healthy, low fat, veggie filled casserole that I thought you may like.

Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked Chicken (I like to use a rotisserie chicken)
2 cups egg noodles (before cooking - I used veggie pasta)
20 oz. mixed vegetables (or peas and carrots if you prefer)
1 can cream of mushroom (I used fat free)
1 can cream of chicken (I used fat free)
1 cup milk (I used Fat Free Lactaid and added a few TBs of Ranch.
2 TBs. melted butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup for topping
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasonings
salt and pepper to taste

** don't judge my pan, I've been using it for 30 years lol.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  

Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. 

Spread into a greased 9 x 13" pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Top with 1/2 cup (or more) shredded cheese and broil for 3-5 mins - watch closely so it doesn't get too brown.

This is what I think of as "Real Food - for Real Lives".  My family is devouring the leftovers.

If you are going to Quilt Fest Chicago say hello to my Jubilee Quilt on display in the American Tradition Applique' exhibit.  It comes home after this show - yay!

Have a happy week.
xo

ps
today's blog title credit goes to Phil at Goodwin College :)

Lollipop Garden

The only garden growing here is a quilted one!  Lollipop Garden.

I presented my Scrap Quilts lecture on Monday for the Shoreline Quilters.  Thank you ladies (& gentleman) for being such an enthusiastic audience and for inviting me.   This quilt was a favorite from the talk.

 You just can't miss using 30s reproduction fabrics.  They go together so well and are always cheerful.

 It snowed 5" inches here Monday - can you believe it?? Thank goodness I was only traveling 18 miles.   Seeing this happy garden quilt was very welcome.  The piano key border frame this quilt well and uses lots of scrap strips.

 Here is a little Hollyhock flower featuring Little Bo Peep.

Oh, there's her lost sheep.   tee hee

For the backing I used 3 food fabrics that share the same color story.

 I'm a good girl and have it labeled.

 My Scrap Lecture is both informative and fun.  Email me if your group is interested in this program and trunk show.  I have some openings in late spring and fall 2018 and I'm booking 2019.

Thank you FWB block swapper, Jane, for your random act of kindness!  Quilters are so generous and thoughtful.

I love the Abe socks you sent me.  What a fun mail surprise.  I've never even seen these  - yay!

**Last Call**
 Paperpieces.com is giving away 2 packages of circles to a lucky winner through my Instagram.  Go to my feed funwithbarb to enter.  Drawing closes today at 5pm EST.

I love these circle papers!!

Have a fun week~
xo