Monday, March 25, 2013

The Rancher's Daughter Quilt Along Mama's Rose Garden Block 12 Tutorial

And here's our block for this week.
Not exactly a 'rose' but it will work!

If you haven't joined us....
we are traveling along at
It only takes a few hours a week to do a block,
and then by Christmas you will have a quilt!

So here's the key for this block:


Cutting Instructions:

A Cut (2) 2½ X 2½ Squares (White)
    Cut (10) 1½ X 1½ Squares (White)
    Cut (2) 1½ X 2½ Rectangles (White)

B   Cut (3) 1½ X 1½ Squares (Yellow Print)
C   Cut (3) 1½ X 1½  Squares (Red Print)
D   Cut (3) 1½ X 1½ Squares (Green Print)
E   Cut (3) 1½ X 1½ Squares (Green Print)
F   Cut (3) 1½ X 1½ Squares (Red Print)
G   Cut (2) 1½ X 1½ Squares (Red & White Print)
H   Cut (1) 1½ X 1½ Square (Red Solid)
            (2) 1½ X 2½ Rectangles (Red Solid)
                (1) 2½ X 2½ Square (Red Solid)

We are going to put this block together like we did last week's block.

Make your half square triangles first:

(1) B/C HST
(1) A/C HST
(2) A/D HST
(1) B/F HST
(1) A/F HST
(2) A/E HST
(1) H/A HST (This is from the 2½" squares not the 1½" squares)

Stitch the two H and A rectangles lengthwise together too:
   Position all sewn units and blocks out using key:
 
 And  sew it in thirds like we did last week since we have more rectangles on this block:
 
  Sew the three rows together:
 Whoops!! See my mistake?

Rip out....
and do right...

The Rancher's Wife....my darling mom,
always had a rose garden at every house we lived.
And still does to this day.
She always has cut roses in the house too.
Must be where I got my love for them.

She is 84 and still quite a lady.
The Rancher, his wife and daughter!
    Happy Sewing My Friends....
 

Monday, March 18, 2013

The Rancher's Daughter Thunder and Lightenin' Block 11 Tutorial


It's a stormin' big time outside!
And for some reason it made me think of what The Rancher always called his wife.
Lightnin'

And she would say, "Okay Thunder!"

And Thunder he was!

Thunder was known for his yellow legal size memo pads.
Every morning Lightnin' would get her list on one 
of all he expected her to do for him that day.

The Guitar Man sure liked that idea.
He said he was going to go and get himself some memo pads.
"Yeah, you go right ahead, " I said...
"you will be eating yellow legal size memo pads if you think
you're going to give me a list every day!"    

I hope the power doesn't go out before I get this posted.
The lights are flickering...
I see I didn't get some of my white stripes lined up....sigh...
I'm in love with this block!
I think a whole quilt in scraps in happy colors would be so adorable!

So here's the skinny....
    A Cut (1) 2 1/2" X 2 1/2" Square out of a Feature Fabric
    B Cut (2) 2 1/2" X 2 1/2" White Squares
         Cut (24) 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" White Squares
    C Cut (12) 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" Red Print Squares
    D Cut (12) 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" Green Print Squares 
 
 

 Make 12 B/C Half Square Triangles
Make 12 D/B Half Square Triangles
Lay out block:
Sew together in thirds for the best results.

Row 1 and 2 across
Row 3 and 4 across
Row 5 and 6 across
Then sew the thirds together to complete block:

I'm doing another happy dance...
I just got a call from my girlfriend...Nancy...
she's coming to see me and we are going to the Paducah quilt show together!
And I don't have to be a vendor!!
Oh happy day...

Happy Stitching Everyone...
 
   
  

   

Saturday, March 16, 2013

FREE Quilting Shows on The Quilt Show this weekend!

Just saw on 

that Alex Anderson and Ricky Timms
is offering tons of their shows for FREE
this weekend only
for
National Quilting Day today!!


It goes on through Sunday.

Enjoy!!

   

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A Peek into my Reading Life....


Current books in my own library on crafting that I am reading.
 Do you ever wish you could know a little more 
about how a person ticks?

I do.
Thus...I am sharing a part of my private life with you today!

Reading.
My current books from the library.
Is anyone else having trouble posting photos that have been positioned right, but when you put them on Blogger they go back to the original way they were taken?

First of all...
I keep a notebook with me so when I am at places and see a book
I want to get from the library I can jot it down.
 I then keep notes to the side for when I've ordered it from the library, and if it is a book I want to purchase for my library.
Before doing this I used to always try to 'remember'....
what book I saw and wanted...yeah right!
The memory just ain't what it used to be. 

  Another thing I have come to adore is

 If you aren't apart of this and love to read,
I highly recommend it!
You can keep track of books online you see that you want to read,
record and review books you have read,
hook up with 'reading' friends,
and because of the lists you create,
Good Reads makes a list of Recommendations just for you.
Amazing!

And last but not least,
I adore my new Kindle Fire HD the Guitar Man
bought for me before he left.
I never thought I'd like to read a book on a screen,
but it's been great!
Especially for times waiting around for something,
I can pop my little Kindle out of my purse and
catch up on some reading, instead of hauling books around.

Make sure you sign up for 

I downloaded their app onto my device
and each day they have a list of all kinds of FREE books
you can download!  

Here is my own little reading nook by the fireplace...
      And I have to tell you,
if you've never been to a used bookstore you are missing out.
We have a fantastic one here in Nashville called McKay Books.
A HUGE delicious store to get one's self lost in.
I turn in books from my own library that I don't want anymore for 
store credit or cash there. 

Yesterday I went downtown to our favorite place to have breakfast together...
that man that used to be here..hrumpf!
Provence Bread Cafe.
Ordered their omelet with artisan cheese, had them put some spinach in it,
served with fresh fruit and artisan bread toast,
and sat and read.

Next door to this place is the Bookman Bookwoman used bookstore.
I can find more books in this tiny little place that I am looking for to buy secondhand,
than anywhere else.
Yesterday I found the King Arthur's Flour Cookbook for 1/2 price.
Scored!

I also sit at Books A Million and spend hours reading and writing.
One of my top 5 things to do.
And if I have the energy, I will go across town to Brentwood and hang out at the lovely Barnes and Noble. That is if I want to fight traffic.

My latest finds at BAM
Loving both of these reads!!

So there you have it ladies....

And after this post,
I think I'm just going to head down to BAM now to get a little inspiration,
a pick me up with a latte' before I really dive into  my day!

Happy Reading you all!
And I would love to know what your favorite book of late has been!


 

Monday, March 11, 2013

The Rancher's Daughter Quilt Along (Haystack Block 10 Tutorial)

Another Monday....
another Block!

Welcome back to:
I drove home in the pouring rain at 5 a.m.
from Tory's to be able to get this block to you all like promised!!

Yeah...I know....
if I had it together...I could preplan a little better..
do my posts ahead of time.

But something I haven't shared yet.
Kenny Roy....the Guitar Man....
left for North Dakota January 10th and I haven't seen him since.
Oh this could sound so dramatic...
like he left me.
No girls!
He got a job up there on the oil rigs fracking.

No more cutting fabric for that 'ole boy.

He's happy, thrilled actually to be in a man's job again.
But guess who got his full-time job??

So yes. I'm behind. Will I ever catch up?

On to the block:

I tried to find a block that I thought related to a 'haystack'.
These haystacks can be a work of art to make them
stand erect over time,
weather jumping kids and rough cowboys pulling them apart.

The Rancher didn't believe in having a television.
Nope. He never had one, and still doesn't.
So us kids....of course thought we were abused,
and that surely he should have been turned into somebody for the neglect!

Funny thing....I still don't have a TV.
Ken was used to one and talked me into having one for a few years...
but I couldn't handle it.

So us kids, had haystacks, work, animals, a pond etc.

Our haystack housed more fun than just about anything.
King of the Hill...hiding places, you name it.

The Rancher also housed a Sunday morning church meeting in his home.
To paint a picture...
our living room had three full sides of windows.
No curtains, no blinds.
One could see the comings and goings of the ranch.

On this particular Sunday...
people were having a hard time concentrating on the dealings of the Holy Spirit.

The haystack was on fire.

Big and beautiful, roaring fire!

No more haystack that year. 

All was well.
The fire put out.
The people calmed.
Back to reality.
But I sure liked that Sunday.
Didn't have a hard time sitting still in my seat.

Okay...
onto our block:



You will need to cut:

A (24) White 1 1/2" squares
B (12) Green 1 1/2" squares
C (12) Yellow 1 1/2" squares
D (12) Red 1 1/2" squares

And of course time to make some Half Square Triangles
Click Here for Tutorial on HST's 
  
Make 8 A/B HST's
Make 8 A/C HST's
Make 8 A/D HST's
  Layout on Key:
 
          Sew Row 1 pieces to Row 2 pieces:
            If you are having trouble keeping your pieces situated right,
I've come up with a solution.
It might seem a little tedious,
but this time I didn't have to do any ripping out!
First block in this project for that to happen.

So keep Row 1 and Row 2 blocks together.
Don't cut them apart.

Continue sewing Row 3 and 4 together.


Lay them beside Row 1 and Row 2, not taking them apart.
Do the same with Rows 5 and 6.


Now sew Row 1/2 to Row 3/4

Rows 3/4 to 5/6.
Clip apart, lay them out and now sew the horizontal rows together:
And there you have it...

another block done!!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Toodles...