Friday, October 10, 2014

Time Well Spent

Quilter Bonnie Hunter says that cutting fabric for just 10 minutes a day will yield great results. I'm a big believer in this philosophy, so that will be a goal of mine for the next month. Bonnie is my hero and if she says I'm all in.

Today I started with a stack of neutrals like this -

Then I set the timer on my phone like this - 

After 10 minutes I had this - 

It's not super impressive. I least I have something to show for my time and I'm a wee bit closer to getting my stash cut up. Now I just need to determine which project I am cutting for. 

To be continued....

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Sifting Through Quilt Books

In preparation for a scrap club that I'll be leading next year, I have been pouring over several quilt books that focus on scrap quilts. I believe I have narrowed my selection down to the following:

Cut the Scraps!
by Joan Ford

Scraps Plus One!
by Joan Ford 

The Big Book of Nickel Quilts
by Pat Speth with Charlene Thode

Amazing Nickel Quits
by Pat Speth

I'm looking for books that show actual scrappy quilts not just quilts with a lot of coordinating fabric. It would be good if the books used "standard" size units like those that Bonnie Hunter uses in her Scrap User System (since I've already been cutting those sizes for years). A variety of sizes would be nice, but isn't critical. Some education about color, value, tint and how to put things together would also be welcome.

The book I'm looking for will be the text and basis for a club that will meet monthly for the sole purpose of using one's stash. I think it will be fun and I can't wait to stitch up some scrappy quilts. I think I've narrowed down my options to a final choice. But I still have a little more research to do.


Saturday, October 4, 2014

A Yummy Pork Roast Recipe

I love it when I nab a great deal at the grocery store, especially when that great deal happens to be on meat. I scored a 4 pound pork loin last weekend for around nine bucks. Awesome! Now...what to do with it. Pinterest to the rescue.


I found this great looking - I mean the picture is delicious - recipe from a site called Six Sisters' Stuff. It's called Slow Cooker Honey Balsamic Pork Roast. Not only was the picture delicious, the actual roast was pretty yummy too.

I've steered away from slow cooker recipes because the meat sometimes seems so dry. And yes, this was a tad on the dry side too. But, the gravy you make with the sauce takes care of that quite nicely. Add some oven roasted potatoes and sauteed green beans with onions and we are good to go.

The best part...I got to play the day away while dinner was making itself (well, mostly).

Have a happy Saturday!

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Stained Glass Table Runner (Top) Is Done

In the spirit of celebrating small goals set, I am excited that I completed something I started less than a week ago. I think I first saw the idea on Pinterest. Sure that I could recreate the Christmas Table Runner I saw, I determined that I would draft a pattern based on what I saw. Silly me!

Cut to Craftsy...where the pattern was for sale for a nominal fee. As I went through the checkout process, I felt a certain sense of satisfaction that I didn't actually follow through with my original idea but instead concluded that actually sewing was a better use of my time. Which is why I finished in record time.



Next I need to sandwich it and machine quilt it, most likely in the ditch. I think I'd like to try using Pinmoors for basting this baby. First, I have to buy some. So it may be a bit longer before I get to that, but I'm thinking this will make someone a nice hostess gift in the upcoming holiday season. Yay!

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Thankful for Mini Habits (the book)


I stumbled across a book a few weeks ago. I don't even remember now where I found it. The is called Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results. It is about setting stupidly small goals and how just getting started will often spur a person on to do more and thus achieve more.

This premise is truly fascinating. Start small and be content with achieving that small goal, but be encouraged when that small action is the catalyst for further action. I've read several books about habits. It's intriguing how the mind works. Mini Habits spends a little time going into the mechanics of memory. Because it lays that groundwork, starting small makes a lot of sense. So that is the impetus to kick-start the blog.

Let's see where this road leads.