Not So Fancy Nancy

Delivering the Goods: Lizard Ridge Noro Blocks and Quilted Coaster Tips

Thanks for your kind comments on my garden! Got out there yesterday morning and cleaned up another bed. Filled two large trashcans just in time for the compost pickup. Swore off gardening today when my back got twangy while walking the dog this morning. Hum, what to do with myself???

Blocking always brings satisfaction. Every pin from the cushion is on the job.

This go round I used blocking wires for the straight sides. They really helped with pulling all the blocks to the same dimensions. I need to get another layer or two of cardboard under this so the pins can go in further. There are two cutting mats under this to protect the table, but not much purchase for the pin tips. The curves in the middle overlap slightly to conserve pins.

These six will join the first five. Whoo Hoo --- halfway done! There's one from the first batch that I don't think will make the final cut, so I'm expecting to knit 21 squares. I LOVE how the colors change as you move around the room. At first I worried some of these skeins would be too bright for my taste, but they don't feel that way now when they're all together.

Also got time on my sewing machine today.

I'd forgotten all about these quilted coasters, which were started before school ended and just waiting to be quilted. They're all Rowan fruit and veggie prints on one side and Kaffe's dots on the other. Gave the first six done in reds to R's teacher as part of her end-of-year gift, but I don't seem to have a photo of that 11th-hour project. Might do another bunch in red - I liked those. The first few finished ones of these bright fabrics have been scattered around the house all summer. They're perfect for catching condensation from a cold glass on a warm day. 

After sewing a big stack I've got a few tips for mass production. These are still waiting to be quilted, but I got most of the piecing done in one or two sessions.

There are coaster recipes in Last-Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts and Bend-the-Rules Sewing. I say "recipes" because I don't really consider sewing a little square a pattern. That's not a negative about either of these books. Both women have produced wonderful books loaded with inspiration and do-it-today projects. After looking through each I choose to make a bunch of these and tie them together in gift stacks. I'll give them both credit for bringing the idea to my attention.

Made my first one basically from the L-M P & Q book. Anytime I'm planning to make so many of something I get focused on improving production to suit my style. The following are my modifications that I found made the sewing faster and easier and the finished product neater.

Nancy's Quilted Coaster Tips

Cut batting 1/2" smaller than the fabric squares. I used scraps of 100% cotton Warm & Natural Batting from quilt projects. I love the smooth density of the W&N cotton - it lays flat, but has some heft and absorbs liquid. The fabric was cut 5" square, the batting 4.5". The finished coasters are 4.5".

Stack fabrics right sides together, then place the batting centered on top. Enough of the batting will get caught when you sew to hold it in place until quilting, but there will be no bulk in the seam or trimming in the seams required afterward.

Sew a 1/4" seam around, just catching at the edge of the batting and leaving an opening to turn it right side out just as you would for a pillowcase quilt or finishing the top of a tote. Cut off extra fabric from the corners to reduce bulk. It will look like this:

Notice those two little seams going off the fabric on the right side of this photo? Those are from a really cool tip I got from Lara, who left a comment on my Tote Bag Tutorial. 

Start by sewing a 1/4" long seam in from the raw edge, stopping just at at the batting, pivot and sew around as usual until you get back to the starting side. Leave enough room to turn it right side out, pivot again, then sew off the raw edge of the fabric. No back-tacking and no loosened seams after the turning! The very best part is that the two fabrics will turn together smoothly and tuck right in over the batting with almost no effort. No fuss, no muss. Perfect! This was so much easier, especially when doing a stack of them. Thanks so much Lara.

Chain piecing this method was easy. When you finish one you'll be sewing perpendicular to the regular seam. Just place the new one next to it and sew 1/4" to the batting.

Pivot both pieces.

 

With the presser foot up, carefully snip off the finished one. Be sure to lower the presser foot before you start seaming the new one.

Turn the seamed coaster right side out and use a bone folder to push out the corners out and smooth the side seams from the inside.

My bone folder is from my stamping and bookbinding toolbox, hence the ink and glue residue. I think there's something like this made of wood that's sold as a quilting tool and that I'm sure would work just as well. Mainly you want a flat tool with a good point, but nothing that will cut or mark.

Iron flat and quilt as desired.

Started with quilting the spiraling square shown in L-M Patchwork using a walking foot, but got bored with all that pivoting after about seven or eight coasters. Realized these were perfect mini playgrounds for free-motion quilting, so now I'm goofing off a lot more.

Use a walking foot to run the 1/8" seam around the outside to close the opening and give the edge a neat look, then drop the feed dogs and put on the darning foot. No marking, no over-thinking. Just play. These flowers are fun, but I still find myself tensing up as I sew, so I'm happy for the safe practice time.

The best ones will go into gift bundles and the ones with ... special character ... will be for home. The really special ones will become rugs in Littlest Pet Shop land and the doll house.

Time to watch the Olympics and finish off that magical bubbling raspberry brew that says summer to me. It's got an amazing essence. If only you could scratch-n-sniff!

Almost back from my summer staycation

There are staycations, and then there is my summer. I barely left my neighborhood, much less town. But somehow, I've had very little time for sewing or knitting. What did I do?

Gardening * Garage cleanup * Bookkeeping * Chauffeuring * Pool monitoring * Refereeing * Seemingly endless food gathering, prep & cleanup * Doctor & Dentist & Periodontist & Orthodontist & Veterinarian visiting * Play date monitoring * Housekeeping * Dog walking * Cat kill cleanup

Wash, wipe down, sanitize and repeat daily

Let's consider that enough said. Well, I guess that "cat kill" part may have caught your attention. Just as I was typing this list I was driven to get up from my PC by the incredibly nasty smell that suddenly overtook the room. WHAT is that? But I knew, at least generally. My darling cats like to drag their live toys to a spot in the garden just outside my office window before dispatching them. That, or take it to my office bathroom and dismember it in the tub. Sometimes after having been chased around the house with the poor creature dripping blood. We've had a few successful and dramatic rescues. Some lizards are fantastic at playing dead until you try to pick them up, at which point all involved - the handler, the handler's apprentices, the lurking feline, the curious hound and the scared witless lizard - jump sky high. I've rescued one bird that gratefully flew out an opened screen, leaving behind ruffled feathers and fear-induced poo. We've taken to trying to keep the cats indoors during the day to give the birds and lizards a little peace, but the little black cat is a determined huntress. She'll jump off the balcony to the roof and freedom. She's not caught snakes or rabbits only because we have a snake fence, but the less-fortunate list includes grasshoppers, lizards, mice, birds, and now a rat. Yes, rat, not a cute little mouse, a full-sized field RAT. Given its size that one might have been caught by the big orange cat. The sun had broiled mister ratburn to perfection and the down-chain organisms were having a cookout. I'm all for dust to dust, circle of life, natural order, etc etc, but not under my office window. Cleanup was required. Thank goodness I've not had lunch yet. The upside is that over this summer I've significantly increased the amount of time I can hold my breath. Ready for my own category in the mommy Olympics.

If any of this sounds whiny it's really not (well, except for the rat cleanup). I've saved loads on gas, gotten some tasks done, lost a few pounds and almost perfected my farmer's tan. You've not heard from me here because my creative time and PC access have been severely compromised by my constant companions who have not always been so self-entertaining. And we all know the old CSNY song ... If you can't be with the friend you love, torture the sister you're with. They go back to school in 95 hours and 12 minutes. Not that I'm counting.

This toothless smile is entertaining, but I need a break. Even a still shot conveys what a piece of work this little Missy can be.

The rest of this post is a photo essay on the small pleasures of my summer. Mostly garden related, with one fabric shot at the end (if you're inclined to scroll by the green stuff).

The new Passion Flower vine has the most sculptural blooms - I love it! I'll only abuse your good humor with three photos.

 

  

The vine is in the hottest and sunniest corner of our courtyard. This photo was taken just before the sun broke over the rooftop, but the rest of the day it bakes. It was pretty bare until recently and the heat just radiated off the wall, but I've finally found what's happy there:  geraniums, tropical vines, succulents and cacti. The red vine is a Mandivilla.

The pots on my back patio baked too, so I cleaned them out and went with succulents. Nice thing about a succulent pot is that they can last for years.

I've been working to make the path to the side yard garden more attractive and inviting. Because our property is trapezoid shaped this gateway falls at the narrowest point between fence line and house. I'm trying to visually lead you over to investigate, but space is limited. That smallest pot isn't going there permanently, but it's protecting a young salvia for now. The duranta (blue shrub) makes me very happy.

Since I'm leading you over there, I figured I'd better get that garden in order too. That's my current project, so photos soon. We've had to clear out a lot of beyond-their-time or just plain dead plants over there and rework the irrigation system, which wasn't cutting it. Did manage this arrangement with the bits and pieces. The greenery is bolted Italian parsley. Gives the arrangement an herb garden smell and seems to keep the water from going funky.

  

There was only one bloomed-out stalk of the Black Knight Hollyhock left. I dearly hope that one re-blooms next year. Here's an older photo of the blooms from a few months back. The midday sun shows it as dark maroon, but it does look black next to other flowers in a bouquet. That puppy put out 7-8 stems and hit over 6 feet tall! That was full-body cleanup job.

We added a trellis this summer to support vines. A lonely Graham Thomas rose is peeping over the top, but we've planted a few other vines that just need time. Hopefully in a few years the whole side of the house will be covered in blooms and greenery. This is the SW face and it gets blasted with sun year round. We don't have AC, so any heat management is welcome. We've planted a tree too, but it's not big enough to cast shade on the house yet. Since the area to the right along the fence line is our veggie bed we don't want to shade that part, so we're hoping the vines help. If anything, at least the reflection off the wall won't blind you as you come around the corner. (to orient you, this photo is looking back toward the gateway area shown in a previous photo)

The tall yellow blooming plant is bronze fennel. Ladybugs love it.

As do bees, butterflies, caterpillars, wasps, and beetles. That plant literally hums with insect life as you walk past.

This metallic green beetle fascinated me, but I didn't know until I got this photo on the PC that I was so interesting to him as well!

I'm thrilled that these beetles like my garden, I really really am. But when they unexpectedly zoom at your head buzzing like a helicopter it can be a little unnerving since they're hard-shelled and several inches around with their wings open. OK, I've been known to jump and yelp, but I'm trying hard to set a good example for my girls. Still, it can be hard in some cases. As I trimmed and cleaned the base of the fennel last Saturday a HUGE black spider bolted and took a path straight toward my gloved hand and bare arm. Make a C with your thumb and forefinger - it was that big including legs. Amazing how motivating that was - I did Tigger proud with my backward bounce. Even my dh, who generally dismisses my aversion to creepy crawly things, agreed it was big. And let's not even talk about ants. I'm SICK of ants.

Ok, enough bugs and spiders. Roses are more calming. Finally got around to fertilizing the beds and the poor starved roses are now rewarding us with individual blooms. I'm sure they're hoping the positive reinforcement works. Picked these at dusk last night and did a hasty arrangement, so I was happy to see how they glowed in the morning light.

Each rose is from a different bush. Here's one side...

And the other...

Enough gardening. I'll close with food and cloth. Tomorrow I'm blocking the next group of Noro Lizard Ridge squares, so yarn talk next time. Really. I swear. Scouts honor. Pinkie promise.

French toast with blueberries and bananas is the new breakfast treat of choice around here.

It's this bread that makes it so unbelievably good.

Ok, cheating here because this is a garden photo, but we've also been feasting on our first season of homegrown apples. If you're coastal SoCal, try Dorset Golden. Very low chill with a July harvest. Tart and firm but still quite tasty out of hand; they're perfect for baking. I even forwent my lifetime commitment to chocolate desserts on my birthday for my husband's apple blueberry crisp. Sadly, the last one was picked today.

The sewing machine has been idle, but I am dreaming in color. My crafting life and regular blog entries will return in 91 hours and 41 minutes...