Can We Talk?

Does anyone else have this problem other than me?  I've never seen a reference to it elsewhere.  You're looking at the back of a quilt I had quilted by a well-known long arm quilter. From the first picture you can see what at first glance looks like a smudge or stain.  On closer examination, it's clearly a bunch of thread trapped between the backing and the batting!  The first time this happened I was in a panic until I realized what it was.  The problem is not always easily solved.  In this case I threaded a large needle hoping the know would 'catch' on the offending thread clump.  It did and I managed to slowly get the green thread out without leaving any damage to the quilt.
Another time I had a long length of red thread that I never got out.  I just ended up moving it under a seam using a bamboo skewer!  I've had this happen to me there times, all with three different long arm quilters!  Am I just unlucky, or is this a common problem that no one notices or talks about???  I'd love to know!

Thanks for stopping by, I'd love it if you left a comment!

This and That

Hope everyone had a pleasant weekend.  I spent mine sewing ~ On Saturday my LQS sponsored a Pillowcase Challenge Day.   I precut a bunch of novelty fabric and ended up using it all, 10 pillowcases, which means 10 yards out of my stash!

Then while waiting for my fabric to finish my Patchwork Party sampler quilt to arrive I started another kit in my stash.  Another one I have no recollection of buying nor can I summon up why I would want to make a kite-themed quilt.

Here's the fabric,

I decided to use this pattern from Moda instead.

The blocks are large ~ 15 inches. And I like them better than the kites!  My fabric came on Saturday late afternoon so I was able to add the sashing and cornerstones on Sunday. 

I love how it's turning out, so soft and feminine looking.  All I have left is a light pink tone-on-tone floral for an inner border and then the purple for the outer border.

And a pocket tissue holder I made for my daughter.  I made the quilted fabric and somehow it came out all askew and with squares rather than diamonds. 
Lastly, the back of a quilting book I found at the library featuring a men's quilted vest that I thought was a hoot!  Can you imagine... LOL.

Thanks for visiting.

Fish Swimming in the Road

Really. We had a hurricane-worthy storm rain-wise early Saturday morning and throughout the day. Yikes at one point I thought our pool was going to overflow, it was that bad. This is a picture of water flooding the woods and making its way to a lake. Normally this is grass.

Here's where the road flooded from overflow from another lake and..

there were catfish swimming in the road! It was difficult getting a picture as I was on my bicycle and had no boots. Plus there was the occasional car to avoid. The fish were discovered rather quickly by hawks and osprey.

Here's a turtle I recued from the road. They can't make it up the curb.

He kept looking over his shoulder astounded at his good luck, I suppose!

And lots of armadillos displaced by the flooding.

In between pictures, lots of sewing was going on. I have just the outer borders left to add to the project I started the other day. Way too dark for pictures yesterday. Here's Cinabella keeping me company. She's a Tonkinese which is half Siamese and half Burmese. She's 15 years old.

We have a saltwater aquarium and I thought I'd share a picture of a fish that's taken up residence in a fanworm, or featherduster. The worm is none too pleased and will spin its top trying to dislodge the fish.
Thanks for visiting.

This and That

I think I mentioned before my Mini Swap in a Bag I was involved in. In fact these swaps are what brought me to blogging. I finally got a label on mine and mailed it out to my partner albeit a little late. Sorry Solidia!

I ended up adding a lot of my own fabrics to the ones my partner sent. She has 3 girls and everyone is crazy over pink. Me too!


I've been putzing around with the Batik Challenge leftovers. The half square triangles inspired me. I did not have a lot of leftover fabric as I started the Batik Challenge quilt with fat quarters.

I made a few houses, love this yellow one.

And this pink one! More photos as this project evolves.

What a life!

Recycling

I have heard of cutter quilts being used to make pillows, stuffed animals, table runners, stockings, or even cut down to smaller sizes but never being given to a baby orangutan! You've got to admit, he's kind of cute! Lots more pictures at ZooBorns.
{photo Willie Stark}

Thanksgiving Cactus

Not much sewing going on here as I've been feeling out of sorts with a cold, an unusual one at that. Mainly with a sore throat, rather than the more typical symptoms. This is all I have accomplished in the last few days. I decided to simply sew all the 1.75 inch squares together rather than make four-patches and now my cutting table is empty. I am none too happy with the results but they match the effort exerted.


My two Christmas cacti have begun to bloom. I realize these plants thrive on neglect but really, now! Sometimes I think I should be arrested for what crimes I commit against these two! I have been known to go weeks without watering. They must be in the perfect light, east window, or maybe they like the view of our lake. I have had them for several years and they never fail to bloom, usually twice a year.

This poem comes to mind,
Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the wind-blown bud
which blooms in placid beauty at Verdun.

Forgiveness is the tiny slate-gray sparrow
which has built its nest of twigs and string
among the shards of glass upon
the wall of shame.

Forgiveness is the child who
laughs in merry ecstasy
beneath the toothed fence that
closes in Da Nang.

Forgiveness is the fragrance of the violet
which still clings fast to the
heel that crushed it.

Forgiveness is the broken dream
which hides itself within the corner of the mind
oft called forgetfulness so that
it will not bring pain to the dreamer.

Forgiveness is the reed
which stands up straight and green
when nature's mighty rampage halts, full spent.

Forgiveness is a God who will not leave us
after all we've done.

by George Roemisch
x,M

Investigations

1. Marianne, 2. Sunday's supper ~ rotini w/ Italian sausage & simple tomato sauce, 3. Float My Boat, 4. Meeting the pregnant princess of the forest, 5. Brush with Fame, 6. Amarcord, 7. green liquid street, 8. eye candy!, 9. can't come to the phone right now, 10. Natalie and Joe, 11. Stand up and take a bow..., 12. little wing } photo credits.

I saw this idea on The Quilts of Mimi Park and decided to give it a try as I'm not, ahem, how shall I say this, not to literate with the usage of Flickr. If you will notice I didn't realize I should rename the pictures before you post them to Flickr! You answer 12 questions and type the answers into the search on Flickr. Then you put your favorite from the first page only into the Mosaic Maker. I used her questions, with my answers, of course!

1. What is your first name? (Marianne)
2. What is your favorite food? (Italian)
3. What high school did you attend? (Newfield)
4. What is your favorite color? (green)
5. Who is your celebrity crush? (Russell Crowe)
6. Favorite drink? (Wine)
7. Dream vacation? (Venice, Italy)
8. Favorite dessert? (chocolate)
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? (Doctor)
10. What do you love most in life? (daughter, Natalie)
11. One word to describe you? (Confident)
12. Your Flickr name? (I used 'wings' as my Flickr name yielded nothing)

This was fun! I should mention I have spent a fair amount of Saturday and a little of today perusing quilting blogs with a DQS5 badge in the hopes of figuring out which one is mine! This is how I found this Flickr mosaic. Terrible cheat, I am. I used to search the house with my older brother to snatch a peak prior to the wrapping of Christmas gifts also. That didn't always work out well! Kind of ruined the surprise on Christmas morning.

Jackson

I am by no means a celebrity watcher, but was surprised when I read this morning that Joaquin Phoenix was quitting acting. He was just superb in Walk the Line.