This is just another story about how a project that came to be, didn't come out the way it was originally envisioned. This is of course not to say that it's horrible. I think it's rather awesome. Long story short, and this usually happens to be the most often told story in my crafty life, big dreams but little time.

Now of course that doesn't mean that this was a last minute project. B's sister is getting married next month and I had been thinking of making her quilt for quite some time. So her bridal shower proved to be the perfect excuse for some crafty gift giving. Her quilt had been brewing in my mind for a few months already. But somehow, and again, the story most often told in my crafty life, time just sneaks up on you. So idea #1 through 3 that involved applique and freezer paper and all sorts of new techniques (okay maybe just 2 new techniques) got shoved in the closet. And here enters the theme, simple is better.

Mendocino Quilt Sampler
Fabrics: Heather Ross Mendocino and Kona Cotton in bone
Size: 55"x76"
Started: June 2009
Finished: June 2009

Continue reading "Swimming Along" »

Nothing much to say over here except that I've finished all the piecing for the Mod Sampler Quilt! Behold, a funky front..

and a funky back..

I may or may not sandwich this immediately, depends on how I'm feeling. But in either case, the quilting is off until my blogless quilt-along friend catches up, no pressure or anything ;).

In a effort to break away from the Grellow Quilt, I do believe in multi-tasking for one's own sanity, I started up on the Mod Sampler Quilt again, aka "Funky Floral Freak-out." I mistakingly started out by sewing up all the easy squares first. So of course, I left myself with the more labor intensive, time consuming piecing.

But I'm happy to report that as of last night, all the pieces are done and I started attaching the sashing. The sashing, oh the sashing. I'm really excited and also anxious to see how this will all come together. One of my first dilemmas when choosing the fabrics for the quilt was how I could get the sashing to tie it all together, especially since the colors are all over the place. I originally intended to do cream or off white, but once I picked that as one of the coordinating colors in the quilt, I felt like I painted myself into a corner. So naturally, instead of figuring it out right then and there, I decided to deal with it once the squares were done (also realizing that I still hadn't chosen the fabrics for the quilt back).

And here I am (or was) at the point where I have to start thinking about the sashing. A couple things came to mind, I either go neutral and do a "burlap-ie" linen, or totally go totally funky and use an outrageous color not present in the quilt yet, red and purple. What do I have to lose by going funky right? So the neutral linen option when out the door fast. At this point, I also decided to use stash fabric for the back, it just so happened to also be a funky floral print (a reject for the top) and a coordinating solid. So off I went to the store with my pieces in hand. I grabbed all the shades of reds and purples from the Kona Cotton section and my heart just sank. Nothing was working. There were a few possibilities, but nothing that came out just right. The purples were either too dark or too cheery and the reds just made it look evil and angry. And who came to the rescue, B of course. He grabbed a light green and it worked out, it totally worked. Now it's not perfect, because one of the color combos doesn't quite fit well, but I'm hoping and praying that in the grand scheme of things it all works out. And the other bonus, it matches the quilt back, too!

Hmmm and of course, I left the store without even thinking about the binding. I'm leaning toward that mustard yellow on the quilt back. Man, my carbon footprint for this quilt is going to be big.

Ahh, the Grellow Quilt. What can I say.. the original intent was to create a throw size whole cloth quilt, grellow pattern on top and yellow on bottom with yellow binding. As the started to measure out the fabric, it turns out the quilt would barely be 4 feet wide. I would have pieced the top to make it big enough, but with the quilting pattern I had in mind, it wouldn't work since the print wasn't seamless. I originally decided that I would just live with a skimpy little throw and then the bright idea struck..

I'll create a checkerboard border to extend the width! Genius.. until I started to excute. Apparently, with the measurements I came up with, looks like I'll be making a lot of postage stamp size squares... we're talking one-inch squares and I'm going to be needing a lot of them. Be patient with this progress on this project.. I sure hope it's all worth it in the end.

It's really not that hard drool and want to make everything that Deb of Smitten Kitchen blogs about. I bookmark just about every other recipe she posts. Add hers to the many other numerous food blogs I keep tabs on, the chances that I'll make every single recipe I've bookmarked are really really really low. But this week, the stars must have been aligned in my favor because I just so happened to have a 5-pound box of matzoh crackers on hand.

Yah, the only thing I can say is, don't go shopping for a passover meal the night before.. or you'll end up with more that you need. In my case, I ended up with a LOT more than I needed. So what to do with all the leftover matzoh? Deb pointed my way.. chocolate caramel crack(ers)

Deb, if I've never told you before, which I probably haven't, I love you.

I don't doubt that I will use the remaining 3 and a half pounds to make more crack(ers). It was the easiest thing to make. You can make these with saltines, too, but for my own waistline and the waistlines of those I love, I might just tell myself that these are reserved for post-passover treats only. I'm not sure that I'll believe myself because they're so easy to make... that and mama- and papaFasu quite often always have a box or two of saltines in their pantry.

I'm going to try to make these last as long as possible. I will only allow myself one piece per day, with my tactic will be to search out the smallest piece.. leaving me the biggest pieces to enjoy at the end, my reward for having so much self control and discipline. But then again, Deb said these would only keep for a week.. I gotta finish them all before they go bad right?