Orca Bay Mystery Quilt

I put the Orca Bay Quiltville Mystery 2011 button
 

 
on here a couple of weeks ago. It is my first mystery quilt. (Well, I've done a couple but I already knew the outcome so they don't count!) This mystery is run by Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville.
 
So the first week, starting November 18, I had to make quarter square triangles  - 224 of them! That's when I decided to do a smaller quilt - half the size! So I began - I dug out fabric scraps, I cut, I sewed,I pressed, I trimmed. I even learned to use the Companion Angle ruler that I didn't know I owned! Then I counted - 20 done and 92 to go. End of week 1.

 

Week two began November 25. I needed to make 36 string blocks. I got busy. I finished the string blocks yesterday!

Then I finished the quarter square triangles! Wow!

There is still hope!

This sounds like fun!

I'm going to do this. I've done just a little free-motion quilting and I need to get better. I took the challenge and I plan to learn lots!

Quilt Day Camp - Thanksgiving Placemats

Finally, after about a year, I was able to go to Lucky 2B Quilting Quilt Camp today. Yes! The theme for the day was Quick Gifts - but of course, you can do whatever you want. I went by myself which is unusual but had a great time. None of the campers knew each other so we all made new friends!
 
I took a couple of ideas (not really gifts) with me - a small tree wallhanging and a Thanksgiving placemat - a friend sent me the free online pattern just yesterday. I spent my whole day making two placemats. 

The turkey's wings are loose. Isn't the wing fabric great?

   

The silverware and napkin fit in the feathers.

They are cute and I'm anxious to see them 

on the table Thursday. 

Our "Very" Best To You

I got the pattern, Our "Very" Best To You,

at Country Threads Quilt Camp in September. I began making the paper-pieced 3 1/2" blocks at the retreat in October. 

The pattern has 63 blocks.  I finished 19 at the retreat. Later, when I got back to this project, I decided to stay with just the red, white/tan, and blue color theme and to only make 20 blocks. This is the finished project - quite a bit smaller than the original pattern! 

Barn Quilt - Ours!

Yes, we have a barn quilt! No, we don't have a barn! We both love seeing the different barn quilts and decided we'd like one of our own. 

While 'we' were at Quilt Camp in September, I ordered the Corn and Beans Block Quilt from Country Threads.

  
When we got home, we had a problem - where to hang it. We finally decided on the screened porch. Then the new problem - how to hang it. The vinyl siding hooks arrived the other day.

So there it is - I love it!

A small basket

I bought the Atkinson Designs Pattern: Pockets To Go a while ago. And I just finished this cute little basket. It's 6" X 6" X 6" and is rather spacious. There are lots of pockets inside,

  

  

zippered pockets on the two sides, 

  

and handles on the ends.

This one sits beside my chair and holds all of my hand quilting tools. The pattern has a longer, narrower version. I might have to try that one of these days.

Tuesday night I came across a blog that was asking for mini drawstring bags for Operation Care Package based in Joliet, Illinois.  So I went to my stash and started making little bags. In three hours, I had 25 almost done - a few still needed drawstrings.

Christmas bags need to be in Joliet by November 25. My understanding is that there is a need year round. There were also a number of other items needed that could be made. 

What a win-win situation - I get to donate to our troops and I get to use some of my stash!

Organized! and a couple of recipes

I'm trying to be a little more organized... I don't think we are eating very well because we continually decide what to eat about an hour (if that!) before dinner. So I have reverted to menu planning like I used to do.

I planned menus for the week, made a grocery list, and bought everything I needed. I made a detailed plan and did not deviate until Tuesday! What actually happened was that we had pizza leftover from Monday night so I just rearranged the days. I'm sure we'll have more deviations but we are getting more and more meals in the freezer. That means lots of easy meals during the holidays!

Here is my dinner plan for the week:

Wednesday - Lori's Chicken (see bottom of post)

                     caramelized green beans ( a bit rich)

                     cornbread (from the freezer)

   

   
Thursday - lasagna
                 salad
                 hay hand bread (see bottom of post)

Friday   - chili
               hay hand bread (see bottom of post)

Saturday - chicken crescent squares
                 scalloped corn
                 salad

Sunday - teriyaki steak
              leftover scalloped corn
              salad

We have some new recipes and some old. Hard to believe but the lasagna (2 pans!) for tomorrow is already made and sitting in the fridge ready to bake, the bread is started, and the chicken is cooked for Saturday. I can't remember the last time our meals were this organized!

          Lori's Chicken           

This is a great recipe.
(Lori was, and still is, our Division Secretary when I was teaching at the college.)

Mix:     spinach, cheese, egg, mushrooms

Pound chicken. Wrap chicken around spinach mixture. Wrap bacon around the outside.

Bake 1 hour.

           Hay Hand Bread          

This is a brand new recipe.

(The blog where I got this said they think the name is because the recipe makes a lot – the ladies made it when all of the farmers gathered to help each other put up hay for the winter. I usually note the blog on the recipe but I didn't this time ;( As soon as I come across it again, I'll update my records.)

Ingredients

2 pkg. yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp. Salt

1 cup sugar

3 cups water

In an extra large mixing bowl, mix yeast & 1 cup water until dissolved.  Stir in other ingredients until bubbly.  Cover, and let it set over night.

In the morning, to this mix, add:

3 beaten eggs                                                     

1 cup shortening (melted)

1 cup sugar

8 cups of flour

Mix together, and knead.  You may need to add a bit more flour, but your dough will be sticky. Clean the bowl, and spray it and the dough with Pam so it doesn't stick.  Cover, and let rise for 2 to 3 hours.

Pound down and shape into rolls

Let them rise again (for 2 to 3 hours).

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees!

There is supposed to be lots of dough so I plan to make 2 9X13 pans of rolls, and use the remaining dough to make a pan of cinnamon rolls!

A few things....

We went to Madison yesterday and did a little shopping - birthday, not Christmas! Last night we ate at the Coliseum Bar. We'll go back - it was really good!


Today,  I saw the surgeon for my 6 month post op check. All is well. I got to finally see the x-rays and all of the metal in my back - there is quite a bit! We also could see where the 'cement' is between the vertebrae. It was all quite interesting but I'm more delighted that I am healing well and only have 6 months to go to be released from care. 


We ended up eating lunch at Meriter Hospital - just across the Sky Walk from the surgeon's office. It was nice to see their new sign showing that they are one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the Nation! It was also nice to be there and not be a patient!


We stopped at The Quilt Trunk in Fitchburg, Wisconsin on the way home today. (I don't think they have a website.) I found fabric! 

I think this will be a nice winter throw backed with flannel. So much for no more big quilts...


We've been in rain and snow all day. When we finally headed home, the precipitation was tapering off. There was a good ground cover of snow when we got home. Grandpa Ray had to make a snowman and we had to take a picture. This is for Granddaughter Grace:

The snow was very icy and we tried to use M&Ms for the eyes and mouth but they just kept falling out. Anyway, Grace, this is for you just like you asked! 

Thanksgiving hanging

After I took down all of the Halloween decorations, I found that I only had one small (about 12" X 12") fall hanging. 

Ray asked about that since we have two hangers that size. I think he enjoys the small hangings. Anyway, I said I'd work on it. 

Yesterday I decided a turkey would be good. I saw a turkey trivet on Moosestash Quilting and decided to start there. When I finished the turkey, I remembered that I had yet another hanger that had three parts so... Last night I made the two side panels. Here's the result.

And now I still have one empty hanger!

Orange Quilt with machine stippling

In September, as we walked into The Quilted Forest, I saw this selection of fabric and knew I had to have it. I love orange! 

So I made this quilt and didn't have quite enough fabric for the back so I used some of the scraps.

And did you notice the stitching?  It is machine stippling! Yup, I did it! I'm learning. Although I love hand quilting, I just want to know how to machine quilt.  It takes LOTS of practice and I'll never be great but I think I might become good enough - this quilt has been washed and it is still together!