Saturday, April 12, 2008

Back in the Saddle Again

No, I didn't find my missing row. Thank you to those who were concerned that I was losing my sanity, marbles, grip on life, etc., etc. as well.

It's about 40" square now. Continues to grow!

Here is a picture of my accomplishments from last night on the Seeds of Kindness. I have added a couple rows and laid out two more. I feel better now.

~Joan

Friday, April 11, 2008

What in Tarnation?

I hope that's about as close as I'll ever come to cursing. I am one frustrated piecer. It seems I've lost a row of my Seeds of Kindness quilt.

In this picture, the right two rows are sewn together, but not sewn to each other or the quilt.

Here's what I've been doing to keep it all straight.

I have all my unsewn charms in a plastic folder, arranged by colors. When I'm ready to add a new row, I separate and choose colors somewhat randomly, but use twice as many reds and greens as anything else since that's what I have the most of.

Once I have laid out a row, I carefully take it off the design wall and pin a note to it. The note reminds me what direction the first piece goes as well as where on the quilt it will be attached. So it's a small (1-1/2" square) piece that has a square on it representing the pieced part of the quilt with a line where that row will be added, plus an arrow to show me the orientation of the first piece. Simple, huh?

I was brave (or stupid, as it now seems) and laid out 4 rows at once, knowing I couldn't possibly mix them up. Not with my foolproof system, you understand.

When we got home from piano/violin lessons today, I was eager to see how my new rows would look. After all, I had two more rows to attach to my quilt!!

I realized there was a problem at once. I was missing row 1/4. I had 2/4 and 3/4 sewn together and had started on 4/4 (you see how this works?). Because row 1/4 was missing, row 2/4 and the last row of the quilt did not fit together because the pieces were oriented the same direction!!

After searching the house extensively (which was futile from the first, because I always put everything back in my special SOK tote) and realizing that I'll probably find it as soon as I make all new plans for these rows that are already sewn together, I am posting this picture as a stopping place for now.

When quilting gives you lemons, make an apple core quilt.

~Joan, who is not feeling a whole lot like herself and isn't pleased with the poor woman she is right now.

PS: I'm working on this tonight until I can't keep my eyes open any longer. I heard a rumor that my WH is playing bridge with the munchkins, so I'm a free woman.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Whisking You a Joy-Filled Week


We have a group called Secret Sisters at our church. Ladies pick names of other participants and then pray for and encourage them through the year, secretly. The one who has me left me this cute package on the gift table last night. It is a kitchen whisk in a cello bag with iridescent shimmery shredded paper and dark chocolate Hershey kisses. Isn't that sweet?

In case you can't read the tag in the picture, it says, "Whisking you a joy-filled week". How fun!
~Joan

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Smiles & Quilts (These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...)

Smile if you like your haircut!! Side view of Emily's new layered look. I realize we're about 25 years behind the times. That's the way we like it!


Oh, is this a blog about QUILTS? Well, looky, looky at what I finished today. It's now ready to welcome all comers in my foyer.
Thanks for stopping by!

~Joan

Snip, Snip!

One of the reasons I haven't been blogging as much the past few days is that I've been busy giving many of my 9 other family members hair cuts.

This AM I cut my youngest daughter's hair. It was all one length, poker straight. She's growing bangs out. Her hair was about 6" past her 10-year-old shoulders. I trimmed it about an inch and cut layers in the last 6". It must have looked good because shortly afterwards (as in moments), my 16-year-old asked me to cut hers the same way. Here I am about halfway through aforementioned 16-year-old's hair. It was only then that I thought, "Stink! I should have taken before and after pictures." Here is the side I haven't cut yet. It's nearly one length. The top layers were damaged from sun exposure, and they are a much lighter color than the rest of her hair. We can fix that (snip, snip). Emily's hair has some wave/curl to it, and it's very thick, so it's forgiving (and she is, too, so no chances of being sent to the nasty nursing home if she makes the decision later).
Here she is, half finished. Her left is not cut (YOUR right in the picture). And that's the hairdresser's forearm in the picture with the trusty scissors. She looks pretty happy for only having half a haircut. Think how ecstatic she'll be when I'm finished!! In this picture you can see the layers. I cut it dry, so it isn't showing the natural curl now. I'll post an after-hair-washing picture later tonight.
Bet you can hardly wait!

~Joan