{Post 1,557} Now the Cozy

I realized after I published my last post that I neglected to post a picture of my coffee collar/cozy/ice insulator. I am one of those (I suppose) rare people that do not like hot drinks. I might have a hot cocoa once or twice a year. Homemade icees and smoothies are my go-to drinks. Every beverage (even water) should have LOTS of ice. I bought a Magic Bullet to make THM drinks. The cups are single layers of plastic. So when I am enjoying my beverage, I am not enjoying the frosty fingers. Last night I was inspired (since my grandchildren were all home) to make sort of a coffee collar, but to keep from getting frostbite, not burns. This was my first one. I made a second an inch and half longer so that the ends of the collar overlap. I think it turned out well. The band is a covered elastic for ponytails.

The circumference of the cup is huge. It holds 40 oz. I think this will help grip the cup better, too. I could pour it into another glass or cup, but that would mean another thing to wash.

{Post 1,556} Cup Cozy and Grands

I have had 3 of my grandchildren for the past 9 days. One left Thursday night to go home, and the other 2 left yesterday AM. It was an act of love to give 2 of my daughters breaks from their normal responsibility and routine. I hope they enjoyed it, because I. Am. Worn. Out.

My husband and I took them to a "ranch" Thursday. It was fun. And exhausting. Like everything I did all week.

{1,554} Another New Quilt Underway and Catchup

My blog has been neglected for too long...again.   Here is a project I started this AM. It requires a specialty ruler. I made my own revolving cutting mat to make trimming easier. 

The two left rows are sewn together. The others are just stuck on the design wall. I see a couple that need to be moved. The blocks finish at 5" square.

Years ago a man who did remodeling on our house was moving, and I got this Lazy Susan from his wife. Her mother had made it. I have never, ever used it, although I thought it would be so cute for SOMEthing!! Once the blocks are assembled, one uses this ruler to trim them down. All four sides need to be trimmed, and moving the ruler just took so much time. Hence my innovation. I cut a square off a dying cutting mat for the center. It works splendidly.

The quilt was started as a result of seeing that I had a bunch of watercolor fabric strings that were just taking up space. I had seen a quilt made from this ruler in a quilt show last month and made a note of it. I waffled on buying the ruler because they just cost so much (to me). Finally broke down and started it. I like it.

I am catching up as I look back at my pictures. Next up...grandchildren!

{Post, 1,553} New Quilt Underway & A-maz-ing Light

I am going to a wedding in September about 10 hours away for a young man I sorta adopted while he was in college. He is marrying a girl I only met once through him. So I decided to make them a scrappy throw for a wedding gift. I wanted something easy but impressive. 

I saw the Pecking Order quilt tutorial from Missouri Star Quilts and knew that was the one. I don't know their colors or style, but how could I go wrong with this? This is 96/210 blocks. About 45%.

The blocks are 5" square unfinished.

This light made this nighttime picture possible. I got it at a rescue mission thrift store for $10, less than the cost of the 2 daylight bulbs that came in it!! Although it is orange (probably not a highly sought-after color),  my room has orange in the curtains and the wreath, so it is a winner.

The design wall is pushed into the corner, so that explains the odd angle of the wreath.

Hope you enjoyed something you love today.

{Post 1,553} Machine Quilting the Mountains

It took a couple days to piece the back (because it involved washing brushed cotton) and loading it onto my frame, but I am finally machine quilting my Scrappy Mountains Majesty quilt.  It took less than a month to piece, but the quilting has taken a while. I actually am making it for my daughter's boyfriend. They have had a "committed friendship" which in everyday language means they have been dating exclusively. He was my friend and sign language apprentice before they started dating, so I semi-claim him. Anyway, it was an awkward time to give him a quilt, but now all is well.

Here is a picture before I started the quilting. I also added 2 rows of rectangles of shirt fabric at the top for a pillow tuck that are not in the picture. I am doing swirls in the border and wavy lines in the mountains. Hope you can see that in the pictures.

The quilt is about 108" long by 79" wide.

{Post 1,552} Soup Bowl Cozy

I made this little soup bowl cozy a couple days ago, and I've used it at least once a day since. I put my leftovers in the bowl, then transfer it to the cozy, putting the whole thing in the microwave. Since there are 2 layers of batting, one can put the bowl right in her hand w/o getting burned. Since I usually eat alone back in my sewing room several times a day, this makes it easy to carry.

The pin for the pattern is here - - https://happyhourstitches.com/2016/12/19/soup-bowl-cozy-pattern/amp/. Very quick and easy. Make sure you use 100% cotton batting as the poly stuff might melt or even catch fire!

{Post 1,551} New I Spy

I am going to teach a friend to piece quilts. We were supposed to get together yesterday. She has never sewn. 

One of my girls gave me back a sewing machine I had bought for her, so I am giving it to my young friend (early 20's). She has a nearly 2-year-old and is pregnant with a second child. She has had rough morning sickness, so I did not get to go. 

While I was looking through my I Spy prints to taken them with me (I'm letting her pull from my stash), I found that I had a large stack of 3-1/2" squares. Usually I use 4-1/2" squares. I found myself thinking, "There are a LOT of these! I wonder if I could make a quilt top from just this size?" I pulled 144 of them, and this center was pieced this AM. I debated about framing each 4-patch, but I ended up just joining them right next to each other. I laid them out in a color wash, dark upper right corner down to light lower left. I will add a border or two and call it finished.

The picture is just the squares laid out, but the top center is pieced. I have my 3-year-old grandson this weekend. He is napping right now, but once he is up, I am all his. He got a haircut on his way over. Cute as can be!