Quilts I made for Christmas this year

This year was really different for making quilts...we has a wedding and a 50th anniversary party within a week of each other this summer and at the last minute I thought I could make autograph quilts.  I've never made an autograph quilt and had no clue what size the strips or squares for the autographs to make, so I winged it!  Then it was fun to figure out what quilt pattern to use for the quilts.  At first I was just going to border each autographed rectangle with the focus fabric rather like a lasagna quilt, but then I found a wrapped candy quilt pattern that fit the candy bar my DSD had at her wedding for her guests to enjoy.  The I experimented with an X block for the anniversary quilt (that sample block turned into the label for the candy quilt!).  I'm sure there is a name for the X block, but I didn't have a pattern to follow, so I just played.
The last quilt I made this year for a Christmas present was for my DSIL and I chose the Hidden Wells pattern.  Well, let me tell you...I obviously can't cut or sew straight!!!  I LOVE the batiks I chose for this quilt, but like all my quilts, didn't turn out the way I thought it would.  The focus colors were to be the blueish-purple and green, not the orange and pink!!!  Because we spent a lovely week in Hawaii with with DSIL this past February, and the quilt ended up reminding me of the beautiful flowers of Hawaii, I named it "Hawaiian Dreams".

50th Anniversary quilt with my DILs

Hawaiian Dreams

Wrapped Candy quilt with the lovely bride and groom - love the picture of them at their wedding in one of the candies!

Merry Christmas!

1. Ok, my last post was right after Thanksgiving...how did it get to be Christmas already???  We had a lovely Christmas Eve with my DH's family last night  and got some great things...2 new shawls, cookies, cookbook, Sarah Palan's Going Rogue, bird food all ready to hang out, and a gift certificate to my LQS!  This morning, after some yummy French Toast, we opened presents here with 3 of the kids.  They have scattered this afternoon and will all end up at their mom's house tonight.  My girls are in Texas where their dad has joined them for the holidays.
2. I did get the two autograph quilts finished for giving, but my SIL had to give her quilt back so I can get it bound...I just ran out of time!  I'll post pictures as soon as I can get them off of my DH's camera.
3. The only white we had was left over...almost all melted :( but it is easier for travelers.

Beautiful Thanksgiving

Just wanted to share the view of my Thanksgiving.  It is still snowing, making everything beautiful.  A totally fabulous Thanksgiving with yummy food and time with family.  I hope yours was as wonderful.  Blessings, Susan

The Rolls

It has warmed up to 10 and the rolls are finished.  They rose so beautifully in the warm oven, but the time sitting on the stove top for the oven to heat to 350 had them wilting in the cold a bit. However, the smell is heavenly and the recipe was so easy I just have to share!  I only got 3 dozen, but I think mine are larger then the 2 oz. they state.

Yeast Rolls

4 cups of warm water

1/4 c. yeast

1 c. sugar

Warm a large bowl with water; dump water, grease bowl and fill with the above. Stir and let ingredients work until bubbly.

Add:

1/2 c. oil

2 eggs (optional)

12 c. flour (approximately), add gradually

2 Tbsp. salt (add after some flour has been added)

Let dough rise about 1 hr.; make desired shapes and let rise and additional hour.  Bake at 350 until golden tops; about 10-12 min. Remove from oven, brush lightly with melted butter or margarine.

Makes about 4 doz. 2oz. rolls

Just risen:



Fresh out of the oven, brushed with melted butter!!

BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

It is still 20 below and the sun is sparkling off the snow.  There is ice on the insides of many of the windows in the old farm house.  Of course, today is the day I have to make rolls for Thanksgiving dinner!!!  Wondering how well they will rise when I can't get the house warmer then 60 <G> guess they will have to go in a warm oven!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with family, friends and food!  Tris, I wish you were able to celebrate the day with us instead of by yourself!  Brenna, have fun with your Texas family!  Miss you both so very much!!!

Joan's Quilt

I have been busy up in my quilting loft quilting this beautiful quilt for my customer, Joan.  I just put it in the mail to her!  Only 2 weeks on the frame...I wanted to keep it, so beautiful!!!  The recipient is a gardener, so Joan requested leaves.  She also wanted it "puffy", so I used a Hobbs poly batting and a Quilter's Dream Poly.  I love doing custom quilting, so I turned feathers into leaves by changing the shape a bit and adding a spine.   Beautifully pieced - yep, that border with the parallelogram was paper pieced!

Chicken Chalupas

This is a wonderful recipe - yes, I'm making it today to put in the freezer for my folks so when I'm back at my home, they will have lots of food in the freezer so my mom doesn't have to cook so much.

Boil 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, when cooked through, cool, cut into bite-sized pieces
Mix with chicken:
1 1/2 pints sour cream
3 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans diced green chilis
Then you'll need:
1 1/2 lbs. shreaded cheddar cheese
18 corn tortillas, torn

(if you want more punch, add chili power, cumin, Tobasco, whatever suits your taste)

Tear corn tortillas into pieces, putting one layer in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, put a layer next of the chicken mixture, top with the cheese, another layer of torn corn tortillas, chicken mixture, topping again with cheese.

Cover with foil and place in refrigerator for 8 hours or over night. 

Bake 350 for 1 hour, leaving the foil on for the first 45 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!  If you come up with other additions, please let me know what they were and how they turned out!

LaDonna's quilt

This is a quilt pieced by one of my customers and she wanted the quilting to look traditional, otherwise she let me do what I wanted to.  I did lots of ruler work on this quilt - took me about 40 hours in all to quilt it.  Love the way the quilt turned out.

I WON!!!!!

I have been so blessed!  In the Fall into Fall Blog Hop I won at 2 different blogs!!!  Zarina at http://www.concerningzarina.com/ is sending me 2 skeins of her hand-dyed yarn and Lisa at http://www.quiltingkarzyblogspot.com will be sending me fat quarters, charm packs or books!  My own personal trick or treat filled with treats!!!

Thank you ladies for your generosity, I, who NEVER wins, won twice!!!  Blessings abound and return to you 6 fold.

Happy Birthday, M'Kenna!

My beautiful granddaughter turned three on Friday!  It's hard to believe this beautiful blessing has been here for three years!  I wish I could have been there for her birthday, but at least I got to spend some time with her in August<G> 

M'Kenna with her English Mastiff buddy, Raven.

Black and Tan Quilt

Are you interested in free quilt patterns?

If you are interested in free quilt patterns (and who isn't!), you gotta check out  http://www.freequiltpatterns.info/ 

Great patterns and all FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun with my Innova

Yesterday and today have been interesting with trying to quilt.  I timed my machine yesterday after it's cross-country ride from Washington to Florida and back again shook it out of alignment.  No problem, a few pictures sent back and forth to Michael at ABM, it was working beautifully...and then my needle broke.  That doesn't happen!  I took the needle off, put a new one on, and then went hunting for the reason for the break.  Well, I didn't tighten the screws enough on my hook assembly and after quilting for a while it became loose and the hook assembly was in the wrong place when the needle came down.  Ok, I can re-time the machine and get on with it.  While I was turning everything up front, apparently I shifted the drive shaft and then the hook assembly froze.  Well, I can't figure out what to do next, so I called Michael again.  He walked me through fixing what I messed up and Dorothy (my Innova) is running beautifully again!

I love having someone I can call whenever I have a problem and know that he can walk me through the fix!

Fall into Fall blog hop and giveaway

I am hopping in the Fall into Fall blog hop and giveaway!  If you would like to hop along with me October 1-15, go to http://fall-into-fall.blogspot.com/2010/09/i-am-hosting-fall-into-fall-quilters.html and join in the fun!!!

First post

This blog is to record my quilts and quilting, family life (on the farm and around the world) and anything else I decide to post about!  Thank you for joining me on this journey!