Augusta and Melissa’s Quilt Retreat at BethPage Camp Resort in Urbanna, VA, November 2012 – VERY SILLY FUN

Posted By on November 21, 2012

Yes, there was actually a bit of silly fun that provided lots of giggles at the Quilt Retreat at Bethpage Camp Resort last weekend!  Maybe I will just show you the pictures and leave out (MOST OF THE ) names – to protect the innocent……LOL.  Here are some of Not VERY MUCH – because I had to remain serious to  take the pictures!

ENJOY!  We had a wonderful time and  I am already looking forward to next year’s quilt retreat!

What is on my Design Floor AND On the Needles Monday, November 12, 2012

Posted By on November 11, 2012

I am doing a DOUBLE REPORT here….my quilting Design Wall Report and my On The Needles Knitting progress.  First the quilting…..

I actually got LOTS done this week.  The first thing I did was put a new ironing board cover on.  I am embarrassed to admit that I have had this ironing board kit for 2 (and maybe 3 years) but it required READING DIRECTIONS and fitting the materials to my board……so I procrastinated.  I tried to PRETEND like I had LOST it (that is a pretty good excuse for not getting in on!)  BUT FINALLY I GOT BRAVE – and desperate for a new ironing board cover.  I DID IT!  )By the way, I got this kit at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA.)

Yes, I know there is a giant WRINKLE in it – but I felt like I was in an episode of I LOVE LUCY putting wallpaper up.  I mean – really – this was a STRUGGLE (and if there ever was an occasion to vent frustration, this was it) ….the peel off paper did not peel off easily (IT CAME OFF IN LITTLE PIECES …… and it was VERY STICKY and kept sticking to my clothes and arms and fingers……..and so I felt like I was LUCKY to have only one GIANT WRINKLE!)   LOL  I will NEVER EVER EVER DO THIS AGAIN…but I do love the cover – it was just difficult to get on.  Maybe this was a TWO-PERSON JOB?  (Oh no … and now I have Taylor Swift’s latest song going through my head…..”We will NEVER EVER EVER get back together……….tra la la”

TA DA….the ironing board cover is on…….

 

 

Did you notice that the iron has a little COAT on too?  That wasn’t so hard….because I  just had to pull a drawstring.  Actually it isn’t called a little coat – it is an iron shoe and I REALLY LIKE IT!

The Iron Shoe

 

OK – SO BACK TO THE QUILTING REPORT.  I don’t like to sew on bindings so it is amazing to me to say that I actually put the binding on TWO CHALLENGE QUILTS this week…… one is for the Richmond Modern Quilt Guild – a Michael Miller Cotton Couture Circle Challenge.  The PLAN was to sew the little circles on – wash it – and then watch the little chenille edges MAGICALLY appear around the flower edges.  Well, I did wash it – and dried it – TWICE…..and it didn’t turn out the way that I had hoped….NO CHENILLE EDGES……but it is too late now to do anything different.  I made the CIRCLES for the flowers WONKY because I thought it would be more interesting than having perfectly round circles …. but actually the flowers look more ODD then WONKY……oh well…..I tried something new and learned what NOT TO DO EVER AGAIN!     LOL   The Challenge Quilts are due in December!   That makes TWO THINGS I WILL NEVER DO AGAIN….put on a sticky ironing board cover and try to chenille appliqued flowers…….:):)

Field of Flowers

 

My second quilt that I finished this week is the CHILDHOOD MEMORIES CHALLENGE for the Colonial Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild.  My grandmother (GRANDMA REITER who lived in COLORADO) cut out these hippos for me years ago and she was very special to me – so it seemed like a good CHILDHOOD MEMORY TOPIC!  I got the binding finished this week too!  TWO IN ONE WEEK….BINDING…..I am very happy about this!

Happy Hippos

 

The Hanging Sleeve for Happy Hippos

 

The hanging sleeve was made from the actual sleeves from one of my mother’s blouses…….I love making quilt sleeves out of SLEEVES!  I think it adds whimsy!  I wonder if my mother is smiling down from heaven to see her blouse on my quilt?

Finally on my DESIGN FLOOR is something new I am playing around with while waiting for the first clues for the Quilter’s Club of America’s  NANNA’S SURPRISE MYSTERY QUILT  and Bonnie K. Hunter’s EASY STREET MYSTERY QUILT.  I have a large box of 1 1/2″ squares (Postage Stamp Squares!) and I got the idea to make some little star blocks!  Here is what I have done so far.  I think I will call this quilt TWINKLE TWINKLE TINY STAR.    I think I will make the sashing with the little squares too.  I LOVE THE LITTLE PIECES!  I can’t call this an original design because there are millions of these variations of scrappy star blocks around!

TWINKLE TWINKLE TINY STAR

 

ON THE NEEDLES…..look at my socks….UNBELIEVABLE….I only have the toes to do and then I will have completed my SECOND PAIR OF SOCKS EVER!  HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY AM I!  Next week I think I will be finished with BLUE SKIES!

 

To see what other quilters and knitters are doing go to Judy Laquidara’s blog at Patchworktimes.com!

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/11/12/design-wall-november-12-2012/

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/11/09/on-the-needles-november-9-2012/

 

SAO’s ANNUAL HOLIDAY TURKEY SAUSAGE

Posted By on November 10, 2012

Every year before Thanksgiving I make my annual turkey sausage.  I have been making it for a LONG TIME – and it has become a family tradition.  Originally I heard about this on the DINAH SHORE SHOW (on TV) but she used hamburger and fewer spices.  I have added and revised this over the years and this year I made a few more modifications…..(because the truth is I don’t enjoy following directions even when they are my own.  LOL!)

Sao’s Annual Holiday Turkey Sausage (made since 1964)

 

6 lbs ground turkey (do not use white meat)

1 T dried crushed red pepper (leave out if you do not want it HOT!) This year I used ½ T

1 T parsley

1 T cilantro

1 T curry powder

1 T chili powder

1 T garlic powder

1 T garlic salt

1 T Boston jerk

1 T mustard seed (use 1 t if you do not want it HOT!)This year I used  ½ T

1 T oregano

1 T tarragon (or 1 T Thyme if you run out of tarragon.  J)

1 T rosemary

1 T white pepper (fresh ground black pepper is fine)  I like the FRESH BLACK PEPPER BETTER

1 T celery salt (or 1 T Steak Rub if you run out of celery salt.  J)

1 T 21 season salute

1 T  Ginger

1 T  Onion Powder

1 T Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

1 T Dill

1 T Cumin

1 T Basil

10 drops Tabasco  (This year I used the green because it is milder than the red.)

2 T liquid smoke

2 T teriyaki

2 T soy

2 T worchestershire

2 T Italian dressing

2 T barbecue sauce

 

 

Mix all of the dry ingredients together

Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the ground turkey (mixing frequently)

Mix all of the liquid ingredients together

Pour in the liquid ingredients and mix thoroughly

 

Roll into small logs

250 degree oven

Turn and drain every 30 minutes

Takes about 3 hours

 

It has been in the oven almost an hour now and the whole house smells yummy!

sao’s turkey sausage in the oven

QUILTS FOR SANDY SURVIVORS

Posted By on November 9, 2012

Bonnie K. Hunter of Quiltville.com posted this and I wanted to also pass the word on……there are so many people who are in NEED because of Hurricane Sandy.  Let’s all do what we can

 This is from Bonnie’s Blog….

I am the Long Island Chapter Coordinator for Quilts for Kids .org and am hoping that you can send a shout out for child size quilts. 

We are working with the local schools in Long Beach, pediatricians in the Rockaways and the Community Outreach Center of Nassau Community Hospital and Winthrop Hospital to help get warm quilts to people. We are also going straight to where the Red Cross Disaster Relief Vehicles are and directly giving to people in need.

Quilts can be sent to:

Carrie Crowley Davis Long Island Quilts for Kids 304 North Ocean Avenue Patchogue, NY   11772

Any questions can be emailed to me at ccrowleycsw@aol.com

WinterFall

Posted By on November 9, 2012

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 10 from 9 am until 4 pm stop by the Swirly Girls Design studio to experience a celebration and sale of all things wondrous and unique for the Holiday Season.  If you live in Brandermill, the studio is right across the parking lot from the Brandermill Association Offices.

 3005 Boundary Trace … Suite 3

Midlothian, VA

My friends Catherine Etter and Ann Prince have a wonderful array of EYE CANDY – so I hope you get a chance to stop by.  Here are just a few pictures that I took!

 

Fabricaholics Webring

Home/Join| List| Next| Previous|

alt-webring.com


Mystery Quilters

Home/Join | List | Next | Previous | Random

alt-webring.com