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May 14, 2012
Hello all, it’s ME again. The brownies were a hit yesterday. Very rich! About 1/2 of a regular brownie size and a bit of vanilla ice cream and you’re good to go. Definitely a keeper recipe. I’m going to write it up, and figure out how to start a recipe file. Oh! I’ll just send it to the file over at our website for now, and get to the file here eventually. Finished my first block for Loosey Goosey. Not real happy with the slight hole at the center, but I think when I take all the paper off the back, I’ll be able to fix it up with some steam. I’m leaving the papers on until I attach this block to something else. I’ve used all sorts of scraps with no regard for grain so I’m sure my block’s edges would get really wonky if I take the paper […]
May 12, 2012
Hello everyone, it’s ME. I don’t know why Saturday still is the day I do a lot of the typical household chores. Now that I’m retired, I could do them any day I want. It must be programmed into my genes now after all those years. I was elected to bring the dessert to the Mother’s Day get together tomorrow. by request, I am making a recipe from the Pioneer Woman’s cookbook Food from My Frontier. I am a sucker for cookbooks with big color photos, as this one is. She could give Paula Deen a run for her money as far as rich ingredients go, as well. Not every recipe has a pound of butter in it though. The dessert I am making is called Knock You Naked Brownies. I just took them out of the oven, and the bubbling caramel, chocolate chip gooiness (sp?) in the corners is […]
May 11, 2012
Good morning all, Mary Ellen here. Came across this article on my daily stroll around blogland. Love to read about youngsters getting into quilting, and this one didn’t learn it from a family member or friend. How could we as a guild reach out to young ones who would like to learn or, maybe like Chloe in the story, who don’t know yet that they would like to learn? Have you discovered Pinterest yet? It is really a fabulous site/group on the internet. On one of the pinboards for Quiltmaker magazine I found these quilts made from one of the patterns that Anita Grossman Solomon will be teaching at seminar. Found this there too. If the first plate said “quilt” it would be my thought exactly. Waaaaaaaaaay too much good stuff to spend hours looking at-so if you decide to explore pinterest, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m going […]
May 10, 2012
Hello all, ME here. Did my weekly grocery run yesterday. Instead of going to the small Tops near me (where I can buy just the basics), I went to a Wegman’s. I’ve avoided Weggies lately, since I find I buy way too much “fun” but not “necessary” stuff when I shop there. I picked up 2 quilting magazines. (Which group do they fall into?) The first is the summer issue of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks. Both of our seminar teachers for this fall have blocks featured in this issue. Beth Ferrier’s block is called Butterfly Dance-a lovely appliqued piece. Anita Grossman Solomon’s is called Ginger and Fred, an interesting and versatile pieced block. I’ll bet there is a quick trick for cutting it as well. Maybe she’ll share it at seminar. One of our future teachers, Bonnie Hunter for 2014, has a block in the issue too. Her block is called […]
May 10, 2012
Hello all, ME here. Just taking a lunch break before finishing up the binding on an eye spy quilt. What is an eye spy quilt? My definition is that an eye spy quilt is a quilt made of a simple pattern, featuring a collection of novelty fabrics in the blocks. I try not to repeat any fabrics, so for me they are also charm quilts (the original definition which is a quilt which doesn’t repeat any fabric). I also make sure that there is at least one image for every letter of the alphabet. There are lots of games that the recipient (usually a child) can play with their quilt. Since the blocks are made of many different fabrics, my eye spy quilts have a very scrappy look. I like to finish them off with a scrappy binding. Whenever I have a length of binding remaining after completing a “normal” […]
May 8, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. It seems there is some interest out there in the Loosey Goosey Quilt-a-Long. Hopefully the problems some of you had, trying to print the paper piecing pattern have been resolved. Thanks to Marija for her help too, while I was “out of the office” today. Just a few general comments that may help some of you–first make sure that you have a recent version of Adobe Reader installed on your computer. Almost all pdf file that are posted, whether at Google Docs or any other such sharing site, are readable with Adobe Reader. Sometimes it automatically opens them; sometimes you have to first save the file and then you open it yourself via Adobe. If we get into more of this type of sharing on our blog, Adobe Reader will definitely be a help to you. Secondly when you are going to print patterns or […]
May 7, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen again. Thanks to Loretta, for getting a paper piecing demo set up for our next meeting. Maybe more will then join our inaugural Quilt-a-Long, Loosey Goosey. You can back up a post or find the details in the category widget in the sidebar. The first block is a paper pieced star. Probably an advanced beginner paper piecing block, the sections are easy to paper piece, but several (8) must be joined to form the starburst. You can do it!! I’ll be glad to help at any meeting. If you want to skip that block and just jump into the fray with a later block you certainly may, but come on…give it a try. You might want to use the same background for all of your stars (not a requirement). If so, keep that in mind when gathering up your fabrics. We’ll be making 6 blocks, 12″ […]
May 6, 2012
Good morning all, Mary Ellen here. What a gorgeous morning! Had a great long walk with the dog early while the dew was still sparkling in the sun. Needed a sweatshirt but once we got moving, the temperature was perfect. This weather can stay year round, if anyone is taking a survey. From my spot at the seminar table during our quilt show, I got a perfect view of all of our demos. We have some talented people in our guild! I watched Kelly and Jackie talk about paper piecing–two different methods, both interesting. I love to paper piece, but haven’t done much of it lately. This morning on the computer I came across this pattern for a Starburst block. Her samples in those gorgeous modern brights have motivated me to give this one a go. I mentioned doing a quilt-a-long in one of my posts at the previous home […]
May 5, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Nope, I’m not starting off with words about fabric or sewing machines. My Favorite Things is the title of a concert I went to last evening. The director of the Buffalo Choral Arts Society is celebrating her 25th anniversary as the director, and chose many of her favorite songs for the program of the concert. I know of 2 guild connections to the chorus–Judy Balcerzak’s grandson has a solo in the concert. He is featured in the song “All that Jazz” from Chicago. What a surprise to hear the deep bass voice come from this young man! Kim Guido, one of our members, is a soprano in the chorus. The evening was great. Beautiful singing of a collection of tunes from Broadway shows. There is another performance tomorrow (Sun. May 6) at 3:00 at Rockwell Hall at Buff State. Wonderful way to spend a relaxed […]