The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I've been FMQ on my practice pad.  We are doing "wiggles".  I think this is going to take some practice.  When I started out today I could tell right away something didn't feel right.  I forgot to put on the Supreme Slider.  It sure makes a difference on the smoothness of my curves.  I need to practice stopping and starting and staying in my U shaped area between my hands.  I'm going along so well and then the next thing I know I'm going too fast and my hands are in the wrong place and my arms are stretched out--causing not as much control, so not as smooth curves and even shapes.  As they say:  practice, practice, and practice some more.  If I'm not willing to put in the time, I'm never going to be happy with the results.

I got my practice quilt pieced today.  I used some of my "vintage" fabric. 

My 1.5 inch strips are 2.5, because they were already cut and left over from a long time ago.  They are little monkeys.  I thought I might need some smiling faces looking at me while I FMQ.  How can you resist a smile like that?  I didn't want to cut an inch off them, so I'll just have wider strips to quilt.

I used just plain yellow on the back.  It is the same fabric as the 3 inch strips on the front.  I used an 80/20 Hobbs batting.  I use spray adhesive on my quilts with good results.  I don't use alot.  I use enough to anchor it and then pin.  My knees don't kneel at all anymore, so I usually use the bed for the anchoring process.  I then take the quilt to the dining room table and pin it.  I use my cutting mat to protect my table. 

 The biggest quilt I've ever made was 60" x 60".  It is still waiting to be quilted.  It is a Kim Diehl appliqued quilt and took me a long time to do.  I hope I can figure out how to quilt it someday and do a good job.   I think my pinwheel and jelly roll quilts will be larger than that by the time I do borders on them.  I'm slowly stretching my boundaries. 

When I was working I felt like I wanted to make mostly smaller things, so at least I could finish something.  I think baby quilts are my favorite to make.

It rained 1.3 Thursday night, so yesterday we made a trip to Pierre for farm supplies and groceries.  We ate lunch with Michelle, so she could see Rocco and vice versa.  We took lunch to her apartment.  She had to work 2-10, so it was a quick stop to see her.   The Walmart in Pierre is one of the few in South Dakota that still sells fabric.  I picked out some flannel for baby blankets.

                          

I thought these were so pretty--soft colors.  One nephew is having a boy in November and a nephew on my side is having a girl in December.  I'm not sure what I'm doing with them yet.  I had planned to make receiving blankets, but when I saw the 9 patches or 4 patches I thought this might be good practice fabric for FMQ.  

I better get off the computer and get back to my quilting.  Have a great week-end.  Hugs.............

Free Motion Quilting

I finally got some time yesterday to start my free motion quilt along.  It's really hard for me to pick out fabric to practice on, but I finally decided on a piece I thought I could spare from my stash.  I decided these will be cat quilts, so it isn't really wasting my precious fabric.  I'm also choosing fabric I bought that probably isn't the best quality.  

I did some lines, zig zags and loops.  My tension was fine.  I really just need to practice, practice and practice.

I spent some time going through my books and pulling out the machine quilting ones.  I really like this  book the best of them all.

I did find the Kathy Sandbach book I have too.   And of course, I found some other ones too.  I'm great at buying and reading books.  I think it's one way of procrastinating--I'm good at that too.   This free motion along is going to help.  I had fun yesterday and that's what I need to do--stop putting it off and jump into it and "have fun" with it.

I used the Supreme Slider yesterday.  I bought this from Leah Day when she had it on sale.  ( I love her blog.)  I really liked how it worked.  I have done free motion on  my smaller quilts, placemats and table runners.  I think this is really going to help.  The practice piece really slide through so easily.  I don't think my arms will get so tired on a bigger quilt.

It is a sheet of plastic that lays on your machine bed.  It sticks on there.  It's very slippery and the material doesn't drag at all as you move it across.  I really love my stitch regulator on my Bernina.   

I'm looking forward to doing the work to finally start being a free motion quilter. I have a pinwheel quilt and a jelly roll quilt that will need to be quilted. I'm actually getting excited about that instead of nervous. 

It was a rainy day today.  It only rained .40, but took all day to do it.  DH was in the house, so I didn't get any sewing done.  It was a lazy rainy day. He doesn't get those very often, so we took advantage of it.  There were things that could have been done, but sometime you need a mental health day.   I baked some zucchini bread.  We spent some time on the internet looking at companies that build buildings.   DH is dreaming of a new shop.  He wanted to check out some different sites and plans. 

It's raining out again.   The sunflowers have needed rain--I hope it's not too late to make a difference.   It has been cold at night, but not freezing yet.  I hope it holds off for a while, so I can keep picking tomatoes and cucumbers.  They are such a treat. 

 It's getting late and I'm off to bed..............................

My favorite kind of roll

I received my favorite kind of roll in the mail yesterday--A Jelly Roll.  I won a Hello Betty by Chloe's Closet jelly roll from Scott at Blue Nickel Studios.  Scott designed Block # 12  for the Jelly Roll Quilt Along put together by Konda of Moose on the Porch Quilts.  I really enjoyed this quilt along.  I have all 12 blocks completed.  It's the sashing and sandwiching that is next on the menu--but now I'm trying to get baby quilts completed for new babies.  Thanks so much Scott for the jelly roll.  It will be put to good use.  If you have time, check out Scott's website.  There are lots of things to look at over there.

The silage cutting is complete at our place.  I wish I could have gotten more photos of the tractor packing the pile and the pile before we covered it up, but it just didn't work out to do that.  This is a picture of the big pile after we covered it with a 75' x 150' plastic tarp to protect it from the weather.  The large bales are holding the plastic down so this tarp that costs $515.00 won't blow away in the SD wind. 

We are glad to have this part of harvest completed.  This will provide lots of good nutrition for the cattle this winter.  DH will need to help the cousins with their chopping, but they are wetter down at their place, so it will probably be next week before they start there. 

I thought you needed some kitten pictures today.  They are growing like babies do--quickly.  Peanut has not weaned them yet and she is on constant guard to make sure all is going well for them.   They and the bigger kittens seem to be making friends, so everyone can eat together at the communal dining area.

I took Rocco to the vet yesterday and had the two stitches in the corner of his eye removed.  His eye is very blood shot and not focusing correctly.  Dr. Dave said to give it time and continue with the medications.  DH

continues to have a hard time with the whole experience.  I'm about ready to take him in to Dr. Dave and have him put to sleep.  (please pardon my sic humor, but I've about had it with him).  I had forgotten how DH was when the kids were sick or hurt--he just doesn't do very well in those situations.  I continue to pray and believe for the best outcome.  It does no good reminding him that it could have been so much worse.  I guess opposites do attract---glass half full people and glass almost empty people.  We will all survive with time.  Thanks for letting me vent!

Have you been freehand maching quilting?  I plan to get started with practicing this afternoon.  I've really enjoyed all of Christina's posts.  I was so surprised to read about Kathy Sandbach's diagnosis of dementia, so sad.  I happen to have her book and plan to pull it out and review it. 

I'll show you my progress later.........................

Awesome Giveaway

Check out the huge giveaway at the Quilted Fish!!  Quick and easy to enter.  I can't buy more fabric, but I maybe I will win some.  I sure need another kit.  Don't you............

Fall is Here

Silage cutting always signals the start of fall here.  As you can see the hot dry conditions have taken a toll on the corn in some fields.  This is silage corn that was planted to have more stalks and leaves and not so much ears of corn.

In low places where the moisture stayed the corn is still green.  The tractor pulls the cutter, which chops the corn up into small pieces and shoots it back into the dump wagon.  The green and brown will mix together in the wagon.

When the wagon is full it is dumped into a dump truck.  The truck hauls the silage to the piling area that is located in the feed yard.

The truck dumps the chopped up corn and corn stalks at the end of the pile.  The tractor with the dozer will create a silage pile.    This is just the beginning stages of a huge pile to come.

DH drives the tractor with the dozer.  He pushes and packs the corn into a large pile that will be covered with plastic paper to preserve the feed until needed this winter.

DH and his cousins, Steve and David will work together at our place this week and then move everything 30 miles south to their place next week to cut their corn.  There have been alot of breakdowns this week with the cutter.  Hopefully they will be done today and I will show you the big pile that resulted.

We also raise a different type of corn that will grow more ears and will be combined by a combine for actual corn kernels.  This corn we will sell to the ethanol plant for making fuel. 

Michelle came home this morning.  Rocco was very pleased to see her.  He is more himself everyday.  Thanks so much for all your kind words and thoughts.  Peanut and her family have moved outside to the garden shed.  The kittens are having a great time playing lion in the grass and climbing trees. 

When DH gets moved down to the cousins for silaging, I hope to get back to the sewing machine.  I'll continue my work on Safari Star as the baby boy has been born and all is well.  I had flannel picked out for the backing, but found something I really liked in FL.  (the only fabric I bought on my trip, promise.)

I really couldn't resist this lovely "Jungle Babies" flannel.   I want to get this quilt done, so I can start the "farm baby quilt" for the baby boy due the end of October.  Have a good week-end.  Hugs...........................

Where does the time go?

What a crazy couple weeks!  Of course, being gone and coming home and getting sick have made things all pile up.  I am knee deep in cucumbers and tomatoes, which is a good thing.  You can see by the header the hot temperatures and high winds have dried the corn out badly.   I was all set for a grateful post about good health on Monday and it's Friday already.  Wow!   So................................

I have been fortunate since retirement to not be exposed to the daily germs of working with the public.  Although I've never been a sickly person, I think I caught my fair share of the common bugs each year.  I haven't been sick for quite sometime.  I'm not sure what I picked up between FL and SD, but it layed me pretty low for longer than usual.  I spent a few days acting like it was nothing and trying to get things done.  Finally I slept most of Saturday and Sunday and was a new person by Tuesday.  I think I need to have this happen to remind me how blessed I am with good health.   I also need to renew my prayers for those that struggle daily to live their lives while living with illness or fighting illness.

Rocco is feeling better today.  I won't go into great detail, but it was a traumatic day for all of us on Wednesday.  As I said before it could have been much worse.  Time will tell how things turn out, but I know Rocco can live a wonderful life with one eye too.  He is doing well with his medications and resting alot.  He is of course pretty timid right now.  Michelle doesn't have to work this week-end, so she's coming home for the long week-end.   That will make Rocco feel better and all of us too.

Have you been over to Kaaren's for the First Friday Freebie this morning?  She has given us a wonderful pattern for a fall wall hanging.  It is so cute!  Fall is on it's way.  It was 44 degrees here this morning.  Just a taste of what's to come.  After the hot, dry, windy days of last week it felt rather good, but I'm not looking forward to a steady diet of it.

Just a quick post right now................I hope to have more time later to catch up with you all.  Thanks for all your prayers and support for Rocco and us!!  It has helped so much.  Hugs   Janet

Say a Prayer

Please say a little prayer for Rocco. I know alot of you are animal lovers who are my blog friends.  Yesterday Rocco had a bad encounter with DH's cousin's dog.  Rocco's little eye is in bad shape.  We learned alot about veterinarians and small animals yesterday too.  We are asking for prayers for Rocco's eye and eye sight.  I am so thankful that it wasn't worse.  It could have been much worse.......................

Thanks so much, friends.  Hugs