WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU DID SOMETHING STUPID?

Well, my stupid time was yesterday.  My one hour of stupidity will now cost me probably a good night if not more of fixing my mistake.

I finally got the "humph" to get going on an old quilting project.  Got it all backed and ready to quilt.  So, in the last week I was able to get some hand quilting done around the applique on the quilt top.

Oh my, new fall TV programs to watch.  I can't just set and watch TV, I have to have something in my hands to work on.  So, I figure I will just mark the top of this quilt really quickly and I will have something to work on.  It didn't matter that I couldn't find the right marking pencil.  No, I would sharpen, and sharpen, and sharpen the old pencil that the lead kept breaking on, and you couldn't get a descent point with if your life depended on it.  See where this is going?

So, when you don't have a nice point on your pencil to mark with, you get a bulky kind of mark.  But, no problem, it will be fine.  I can correct it as I go.  Or, I will have a quilt that I will say is on the "Primitive" side. LOL  I just  kept on quilting, saying, oh, I'll fix that later.  Three hours later, I had a mess.

So, what will I be doing tonight?  Yup, I will be ripping out all that hand quilting, and then taking out all the markings I made.  I went to the store today and got me some new pencils.  Hopefully, I learned my lesson and will not end up like this again.  Haste makes "waste" of time.............

Until we meet again.......make it a good one!

Sharon

Got Apples? I Got A Quick Dessert!

At this time of year, it's going to the apple orchards and buying lots of apples.  We are pie people, and the only pie my son really cares for, are apple pies.  But sometimes, I just don't feel like doing the whole pie crust thingy, so this is when a good apple crisp recipe is needed.

I have faithfully used Betty Crocker's recipe  for  years, and it is okay, but; it just doesn't have the zing that I want out of my crisp.  So, once again, I search the internet.  I came across one yesterday that promised to be quick and super easy. Tried to find it again today, no luck.  (But to my amazement, I wrote the ingredients down yesterday.)  I am all about ( "easy":)  This one does prove to be super easy and really, really good.  So.........

IN A BOWL..........
                                         6 cups apples..........sliced
                                         2 - 3 Tbls. of sugar.  Depending on the sweetness of your apples.                                                                                                  Mine were all Macintosh's
                                         1 tsp. cinnamon  (or to taste)
                                         pinch of salt
                                         * lemon juice.....I used 1 Tbls.,( the same as apple pie:)

MIX ALL TOGETHER......place in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan

IN THE SAME BOWL YOU JUST USED :)....COMBINE:
                                         1/2 cup brown sugar (I happen to like dark)
                                         1/2 cup quick oats
                                         1/3 cup flour
                                         1/2 Stick butter (cut in small pieces) Definitely use butter for crispy topping.

Mix all this with your hands until small crumbles appear.  About 2 minutes.  Sprinkle on top of your apples.

BAKE AT 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes.  Really good when warm!!!

I hope this will be a "to go to recipe" for you tool

Sharon





                                                                         

                                       

On My To Do List For September!

First, I need to get this quilt backed and quilted.......... I made this last fall in a class that I took with my friend, Char, and my daughter, Sarah.  I didn't have time to get it completely done last year,  but I hung it anyway for fall:)  Well, guess what, it is fall again, and I just remembered that I don't have it done yet.  I have taken the first step though, and I purchased the batting yesterday!!  I have to wash the batting, as it is 100% cotton, and I don't want to take the chance of it shrinking............and then disaster.

I am so far behind in my monthly small group challenges......but, I have two small quilts that I want to make. After a road trip last week, I was able to purchase some fabric for these two quilts.

This one was July's small quilt challenge developed by Marian Edwards of our group.  It is to have poison green and chrome yellow fabrics in it.  Can't wait to use my poison green fabrics in this!!

Our September challenge is a Little Red Schoolhouse, pattern by Kathleen Tracy, found in her book, Prairie Children & Their Quilts.  Or in  the book 101 Fabulous Small Quilts.  The schoolhouse pattern has long been a favorite of mine, I just have never gotten around to making one.  I bought some really great red fabrics (I think anyway) for the houses.  Also, a stack of light colored shirting's I can use in this quilt.  I just need to get some blue fabric, and I am all set to get started.

Don't worry, I will be back with my "peaches" story:)  Soon!!

Sharon

Where has Summer Gone?

Well, I know a good portion of my summer was spent at my sewing machine in my craft room.  I had joined two signature block swaps, plus was invited to do a private block swap that goes along with one of the other swaps. I think the ending balance on all the blocks I completed  is somewhere around 135.  Give or take a block!  That is not counting the many, many blocks I redid again, and again, because they just didn't come out to the square inch they were suppose to be.  But, in the end, I have many "flying geese" blocks that will become a border on a quilt down the line!!

 Being the procrastinator that I can sometimes be, I put my sewing off for a couple of weeks while my daughter and grandchildren were here visiting from Texas. But, as of today, I am totally done with all my swap blocks.  Yippee!!!!!

These are some of the different flying geese blocks I made

These are the snowball blocks I made for another swap.

These three blocks were made for a quilting friend that was unable to participate in either swap due to an illness.  But, many of the "signature swap" quilters have also made extra blocks for her, and eventually she will also have a signature quilt she can put together.

On your left are the 20 Ohio Star swap blocks I made to go with the flying geese blocks.  On your right, are my mistakes.........But I am going to use them in my quilt.  I like them, they are off their measurement by a fraction of an 1/8 inch.........and the seams will line up, and most of all, I like them!!!!!

This is what happens when you thing your paying attention, while watching your favorite DVD!!!

NOT!!!!

My next post, after I have another cup of coffee...........has to do with "peaches".  Stop back and see what I have been up to:)

Sharon