What a view!!

I'm having a simply amazing visit with DarLynn and Pat already! And I only arrived 24 hrs ago. I'm sending you a picture off DarLynn's back deck from which we watched the full moon rise last night. It's magical being here.

Hope everyone has a great Monday!
Love to you all
Randy

And the winner is:

JAN in ND

You are the lucky winner!!!


Please email me with your address so I can mail you out the fat quarters.

Thanks to all who commented and thanks especially for putting me over the 500 mark. I never dreamed, in a million years, that I'd be doing a blog, let alone have that many followers!!!  You are the best!!

On another note, by the way, if you are looking for a book to read this weekend, I just started a book by one of my favorite authors: It's called The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva. If you like mysteries that have some substance as well as story lines, this is for you. 

I'm heading back to my packing. UGH. The worst part of packing for a retreat is deciding what projects to work on and putting all the fabrics together. I'm not complaining, mind you...

Oh, I have to show you a picture of the adorable Emma, who fell asleep on my arm while I was swinging her on my porch swing.  She is so precious!

Love to you all,
Randy

Third Sow-A-Long block

It's been a busy week and I'm sorry I didn't get this block to you sooner. I was helping out with the baby all week and only got back last night.

Think of this as a bonus block!

CARRIE NATION:

Little 4-patches:
Background:  Cut (1) strip 1-1/4" x 12"
                   cut (4) 2" squares
Dark:            Cut (1) strip 1-1/4"" x 12"
Sewing two strips together, cross cut 8 of them at 1-1/4" intervals; sew together in pairs and make (4) sets of 4-patches -  2" unf, 1-1/2" fin. Sew these small 4-patches to a "solid" background to make another 4-patch unit 3-1/2" unf, 3" fin

Large 4-patches:
Background:   Cut (1) strip 2" x 10"
Medium:        cut (1) strip 2" x 10"
Sewing two strips together, cross cut 4 of them at 2" intervals; sew together to make (2) 4 patches, 3-1/2" unf, 3"" fin.

I'm leaving in the morning for my retreat in Wisconsin so I'll be posting from there. My plan is to post the next 3 blocks on Wednesday from the retreat.

Oh, and I didn't get to pick a winner from the 500 followers...I will do it later tonight! 

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Love to you all,

Randy

Not MY garden

I once tried to grow dahlias but failed miserably. We found the most beautiful dahlia garden in Golden Gate Park in SF this week while walking baby Emma in my snuggli (do you remember those?). It made me even more sure I was never going to try to grow them again! Isn't this gorgeous??

Baby quilt?

I realized that I didn't get a quilt sewn for Emma yet. How is that even possible?  I was talking with my daughter about what kind of quilt she wants and we were thinking the 9-patch I made for Ryan is perfect and would allow me to measure her growth as the blocks are 3".

Isn't she adorable??

I made a couple of sample blocks, just to see how they look.  We were thinking   teal and a pink for the center. I didn't have much time to really scavenge through my fabrics so I just grabbed some pieces. 

Note that these little 9-patches are sitting on the back of a burp cloth, so it's hard to tell how they will look with alternate fabric squares. :-)

What do you think??

Hope everyone has a great Monday.
Love to you all,
Randy

Bike race is today

Thanks to everyone who donated to my son's fundraising for the MS ride. He is riding 100 miles today and 75 tomorrow. He raised just over $2500!!

Nearly 500!!! GIVEAWAY

I am thrilled and completely shocked at the number of followers to my blog.

We are up to 498...

Once we hit 500, I will have a GIVEAWAY!!!

Send me a comment telling me what you enjoy about my blog and what you think I should do as a project after the sow-a-long is done at the end of the year.   I will draw a winner on Monday. I will be sending out a couple of fat quarters.  Please include your email address so I can notify you to get your mailing address.

WOOHOO.

Love to you all,
Randy

Stumped with changes

It seems there has been a change to how the blogger page works. I'm trying to add the latest blocks to the Sow-A-Long tab at the top but I haven't been able to do it yet.

I'm trying.

In the meantime, I have another block for this week.  And you thought you were only going to have TWO??? NOPE..

I will post it later today.

First day home in a while so there is a pile of stuff to wade through and a **new** sewing machine calling to me.

Have a great Friday.

Love to you all,
Randy

Third Wednesday of September...SOW-A-LONG day

Hi ladies,
Well, it's the third Wednesday of September already. I can't believe it.  I'm getting ready to head back to Wisconsin for my retreat with my dear friends and I'm very excited. But, until then, I have a couple of blocks to keep you busy. Only TWO right now because I ran out of time, having been spending so much time with the baby.  I promise to make up the missing block some time in the next week.

GENTLEMAN'S FANCY

Medium (center)  cut (1) 2-1/2" square
Background:       cut (2) 2-1/2" square, cut on the diagonal ONCE
You are sewing a square in a square, 3-1/2" unf.

Flying geese:
Background:      cut (8) 2" squares
Medium:           cut (4) 2 x 3-1/2" rectangles
Sew on the diagonal of the backgrounds to make 4 flying geese, 2x3-1/2" unf.

Corners:
Medium:         cut (2) 3-1/2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
                    cut (1) 3-1/4" square, cut on the diagonal TWICE

THIS AND THAT:
You are making FOUR square in a square blocks, two pairs of opposites

One pair:
Background:    cut (2) 2" square  (center)
dark:             cut (4) 2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE.
Your square in a square should measure 2-3/4" unf.
Add:
Background:   cut (4) 2-1/2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
Sew a square in a square, measuring 3-1/2" unf, 3" fin.

Second pair:
Dark:           cut (2) 2" square (center)
background:  cut (4) 2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
Your square in a square should measure 2-3/4" unf.
Add:
Dark:          cut (4) 2-1/2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
Sew a square in a square, measuring 3-1/2" unf, 3" fin.
Sew together.

You could choose to make all 4 different, obviously. That's optional.

Bonnie did this up as a paper pieced version, which I would've loved to have had available.  But check it out here.

That's it for right now. I promise to post another block within the week. We are supposed to have an overnight guest this weekend (YEAH!!! Ryan is coming!!) so I'll have to get it done in between his visit.

Hope you are all having a great week.
Love to you all,
Randy

ONE MORE DAY

Lest you think that being with my daughter and her darling babies has interfered with my plans to post new blocks, FORGET IT...

There are TWO new blocks being posted early Wednesday morning, so be ready.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the new baby and darling Ryan immensely.  I am supposed to go meet my new 1230 on Thursday on my way home and completely forgot to bring fabric along to take a test drive. UGH.  Well, I guess I'll have to find a fabric store someplace between here and there!

Hope you're having a great day.

Love to you all,
Randy

Home at last

I have been staying with my daughter all week, helping out with the new baby and, of course, taking Ryan to breakfast every morning!! It's been great! I came home this afternoon with enough time to send off that machine that wouldn't turn on. UGH.  Fortunately it only cost me $50 to ship it back.

I was sure happy to be rid of it! the business I got it from thinks I'm crazy but I tried to start it again today and nothing happened when I plugged it in. Annoying!! Oh and did I tell you that I found a 1230 on Craigslist?  I'm going to get it next week, after I give it a test drive!!!  Anybody have any experience with that machine?? I love the older Berninas. Can't beat them, IMHO.

Here is darling Ryan at our favorite breakfast place in SF:

And of course, Emma!! What a sweet girl. 4 weeks old today!

Hoping to get some sewing done this weekend. And you know what Wednesday is, right??? Third Wednesday of September!!!! BE READY!!! 

Love to you all,
Randy

You'd think I'd learned....

Well, how does that expression go? The first time you fail, it's not your fault. Second time, if you make the same mistake, you're dumb. Or something like that, right?

What am I ranting bout? I bought another Bernina 1130 sort of on ebay...was really happy with it, although I only sewed a few minutes, just to be sure it worked. Parked it until I got home from helping with baby yesterday.
Sewed about an hour last night, then another hour today and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the friggin thing TURNED OFF.  All by itself. NO POWER!

OMG. Am I frustrated? Do I feel stupid??

So I emailed the woman/business I purchased it from telling her it's not working.  I checked the paypal website and they have purchase protection so I should be able to get my money back.

But I am not a happy camper...

I know others have had similar experiences with buying machines on ebay and getting junk. This was looking good. And then: BOOM.... DEAD.

Other than that, it's a great Monday. Claire came over for a bit, which was fabulous.  I worked on my JTForever blocks, trying to catch up.

I'm heading back to SF today again to stay with my daughter to help them some more with the baby. Oh, I'm loving it.

Hope you're having a great week!

Love to you all,
Randy, feeling pretty stupid today!

First Wednesday of September....Sow-A-Long Day

I cannot believe it's September already. If I had kids in school, I'd really be in shock.  As it is, I can feel the change in the weather up here in Sunriver, where the mornings are 32*, I kid you not!!  I went for a bike ride today and thought the view from the river was just gorgeous. It's 80* during the days; cool at night! I think this is one of my most favorite views here in Sunriver. So serene and peaceful.

Anyway, on to the blocks, which I know you're very excited to get started on!

Pinwheels and Sawtooth:

Center pinwheel:
medium:  cut (2) 3" squares
dark:       cut (2) 3" squares, making 4 hsts, 2-1/2" unfit, 2" fin.

Outer border (making 20 hsts, 1-1/2" unfin, 1" fin)
background:  cut (10) 2" squares
darks/meds:  cut (10) 2" squares

Mystery Flower Garden:

Corners:
background:  cut (2) 3" squares, cut ONCE on the diagonal
med 1:        cut (1) 3-1/4" square, cut TWICE on the diagonal
med 2:        cut (1) 3-1/4" square, cut TWICE on the diagonal

1/4 sq triangles:
star points:   cut (2) 3-1/4" squares, cut TWICE on the diagonal
med 3:        cut (1) 3-1/4" squares, cut TWICE on the diagonal
med 4:        cut (1) 3-1/4" squares, cut TWICE on the diagonal

Center:
medium:      cut (1) 2-1/2" square

Tic Tac Toe:
This block consists of 4 small blocks, all different fabrics. There are TWO 9-patches and TWO monkey wrenches.  

Monkey Wrench- make (2) different sets. Instructions are for ONE
Background:   Cut (2) 2" squares, 
Dark:            cut (2) 2" squares, making 4 hsts, 1-1/2" unf, 1" fin.
Dark:            cut (1) 1-1/2" square (center)
background:  cut (4) 1-1/2" squares 

9-patches - make (2) different sets. Instructions are for ONE
Background:  cut (4) 1-1/2" squares
dark:           cut (5) 1-1/2" squares

That's it! Hope you are still having fun!  We are going to be making blocks for only 4 more months, to the end of the year. Can you believe you've done so many? I counted 43 on my spreadsheet! It's going to be a great quilt!

Thanks for following along.
Love to you all,
Randy