Poodles and Quilts

My April List 1.-Keep up with Road to Round Rock 2.- Mystery 4 military-Gettysburg 3-City Streets- Justquiltin 4- something off the UFO list-I think the summer snowball blocks I may change my list a little but this is what I am thinking My March List Did get a few things on the list done and to the quilters.  If they are back before the end of March I hope to get them bound. All 3 are bound and ready to go out the door!Fire Escape, Soccer Quilt in the County Line pattern and the baby quilt 1. The UFO Hayes Corner blocks that I pulled out last week- done and mailed 2. Another UFO- 6" cake stand blocks from a swap also done in batiks and black- done and mailed 3.  I am putting Road to Round Rock on this list-hopefully keep up with it! 4.  Need to also get busy and make blocks for Quilted With Love lotto. I am sure I can find somdething else if I get all this done! what do you want to get done?

Number 3 or 4 will probably be the first one I try.  Now the decision-pattern! I have several here and also need to see what I have from Ravelry. back to Patchworktimes

This is choice #3 back to Patchworktimes

Since I am not sure what yarn I will start off with-here is choice #2 Back to Patchworktimes

Judy over at Patchwork times as issued a challenge-knitting socks and getting the yarn to pool and not end up all in stripes.  I have picked 4 different yarns but also not sure I'll get any made bu June 1.  Seems a long way off, but I know what my schedule looks like.  My challenge will be try and get a pair done and probably not worry about the pooling!!!!! Not sure yet of pattern or if I will use dpneedles or circular needles.  Lately I seem to be all thumbs when working with the dp needles! back to Patchworktimes

It was another week where we spent a lot of time working in the yard.  I am only good doing that in the spring and fall here in central Texas.  So I have been taking advantage of the decent day time temperatures. Have been working on the Road to Round Rock, but can't include those numbers yet.  Did put together 3 pillow cases that have been sitting here.  These numbers are very rare for me, I almost always have bought more than I have used.  this little exercise has been a great help. Used this Week:               3.375   yards Used to date:                     66.4555   yards Added this Week:                0            yards Added Year to ...

Tried another new recipe, thanks to Judy.  Found this on Simply recipes (link below).  It was delicious.  I think for us,the next time I make this I may cut back a little more on the jalapenos.  Galen was fine with the amount, but for me, a little less would have been better!  I would have a picture, but that was another problem-batteries do need to be charged once in a while. Even smart phones need to be charged.  For some reason, I must have been doing a little too much surfing while out of wifi territory, the battery was low. Anyway here is the recipe. So the picture is from the site. Hope that isn't a problem, but i did want you to see how delicious looking it was!!!!! http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pinto_beans_with_bacon_and_jalapenos/ back to Judy for other good recipes!

This is now on my wall-clues 1 & 2 for Road to Round Rock.  I didn't want to start it until I finished a few other things.  And there wasn't a whole lot of time to bond with my sewing machine this past week.  I should be able however to catch up this coming week.  And if you remember what was on my wall last week-here it is the top is all finished.  Will send to the quilters this coming week!  I really love the way it turned out.  The Stonehenge grey was perfect for the background! Samuri Squares flimsy. Back to Judy at Patchworktimes

My numbers this week are getting better again-was a good girl! I finished up the Samuri Square top, backing is all cut as well as the binding.  Just need to get it quilted.  Used this Week:               11.875   yards Used to date:                     62.705   yards Added this Week:               0           yards Added Year to Date:        15.775    yards Net used year to Date:      46.93     yards Not quite to where I was several weeks ago but going in the right direction! Back to Patchworktimes

Our ingredient for this week was to use squash.  I chose spaghetti squash as I had seen a really great sounding recipe on simply recipes. Spaghetti Squash and Chard Saute.  I have made it twice now and both times it has been a hit with those eating. Once the squash is baked and shredded it is a quick recipe. http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spaghetti_squash_and_chard_saute/ What did others fix?

The Samuri Square Quilt are still on the wall, but just about ready to add the borders.  Wanting to get this one done before starting the Road to Round Rock. Will be using the same fabric for the first border as ther setting trianlges, then a red with black (very narrow border) and a bloack tonal for the final border. back to Judy

I wasn't very good this week.  Decided I didn't like what I had here for the setting triangles and the first border for the quilt I was working on.  I also treated myself to a  birthday present and ordered the kit from Vickie Welsh for the Road to Round Rock. I am so glad I did, I love the colors and the gradient is stunning.  I won't count what I used this week as I have not finished any tops yet. Will be better numbers again next week! Used this Week:               0 yards Added this Week:             15.775 yards Added Year to Date:        15.775 yards Net used year to Date:      35.055 yards How did others do in their stash reduction this week!

                                            Texas Laurel Judy has started a new topic for Thursday's since she is no longer showing off socks! Good news big news, little news but good news!  Mine is little news today-got to sleep in this morning, enjoy a cup of coffee while listening to the birds. (Sleeping in is a rare occurance in this house-I think even the dogs enjoyed it!)  A beautiful morning.  Oh yes, we saw our first hummingbird at the Cross Vine.  Just added an item on the days' to do list-make hummingbird food and get at least one feeder out and hung!  They're back. This is the Cross Vine and the hummers love it. We weren't quick enough to get a picture of the bird feeding. First Iris of the year! What are others thankf...

The blocks on the wall this week are from the pattern Samuri Squares (Cozy Quilt Shop).  It's a strip club pattern from my LQS ( 7 years ago).  Should finish the rest of the blocks today, hopefully!                                   My Hayes Corner UFO is ready to be quilted   The Cake stand UFO is also ready to be quilted This is progress!!! For those who don't want to read a little Round Rock history- back to Judy and Patchworktimes  And for those doing Judy's Road to Round Rock-here is the Round Rock the town was named for.  Doesn't look like much, does it? You can see we still have drought conditions.  But this was part of the old Chisholm Trail.  If they could see the rock it was okay to take the cattle through the creek-no rock, they waited until the ...

I didn't report last week-nothing in and nothing out.  This week there was some progress! I have 2 more quilts ready for the quilter and that meas 2 more UFO's off the list for this year.  That is progress as they had been hanging around for about 8 years. Used this Week:  11.5 yards Added this Week: 0 yards Added Year to Date: 0 yards Net used year to Date: 50.83 back to Patchworktimes

Orange juice was the ingredient for Judy's what's cooking.  I found a recipe for chicken with orange juice.  It was tasty, think I would skip the almonds if I make it again.  Couldn't tell that they added anything to the flavor. Chicken baked in Orange Sauce 1 frying chicken, cut into pieces (about 3 lbs) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup fresh orange juice 1 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup seedless raisins 1/2 cup blanched almonds (ground fine) 1 Tblsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tspt. salt 1/2 tsp pepper Brown chicken in olive oil.  Place in shallow baking pan. Combine other ingredients and pour over chicken.  Bake in 350* oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender, basting often. makes 4 servings- it did taste better than the picture looks! see other delicious orange juice recipes

I have a new group of swap blocks on the wall this week.  Yes, I am on a roll getting long overdue swap blocks put together. The reason why they aren't done is you never get quite enough for the quilt you want. they get put away until a later date, in this case about 7 years!  They have aged enough.  Once again they are blacks and batiks-gtood time to work on them, those fabrics are handy. I can't decide how many more of these I want to get made.  At least enough to make it 5x6 blocks.  I haven't put the borders on the one from last week yet, decided to do both of these at one time.  My husband is out of town this week so I can hopefully get a lot of sewing and knitting done in between taking Dad places, doing a little work in the yard and of course playing with my girls, Tilly and Tiki. what's everyone else working on?

I am finally making progress on the piece I showed last week.  And yes, I did rip it out a few more times. If all goes well, maybe there will be something else to show next week!  Last week I showed a few blossoms on the Texas  Laurel.  We have had some cool nights but more flowers are showing.  Would say by next Friday, this one should be in full bloom.   back to Judy