WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

[Sylvia H]

I hope everyone is doing well this week. I have been caught up in listening to the Senate confirmation hearings, and I almost forgot to start this thread! How fantastic that we have the opportunity to see history being made through wonderful technology.

I've have been playing with my Instant Pot this week, so I have been a slacker in the quilting area. I will be visiting my daughter and her family this weekend, so it will be 'projects with Izzy' time. I'm looking forward to it.1

I am also looking forward to reading about everyone's WIPs.

[GuitarGramma]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

How do you like your Instant Pot? How does the food taste?

[grammaterry]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

I've been listening to the confirmation hearings and press conference today as well. While I was sewing. I am amazed at how the talking heads interpret what was said...I listened and that wasn't what I heard.
Anyway, took the older Husqvarna in for a cleaning and told them that I really didn't think the feed dogs were rising up high enough and it wasn't feeding properly. Wasn't sure if it ever fed properly. Anyway, they should have it ready next week. On Thursday thru Sunday I used it at the restaurant to piece a DP9. It was work the way it was feeding especially after using the brand new machine that was purring along so purrfectly . So anyway, I finished making those blocks (64 of them) and set them aside to start FMQing the nine patch swap that I sandwiched yesterday. I have it about 1/4 finished. Maybe on my days off next week I can finish. Then maybe I can assemble the DP9. I have to figure out a backing for it. Going to need to piece something together. Hate to use my pretty fat quarters for that. I'm certain I have a bunch of left overs I can use...I made the whole quilt out of leftovers!!
Made a venison roast yesterday and turned it into soup today. DH doesn't much care for leftover food, but I made new garlic bread and cookies to go with it so now he's full and sleeping in his chair. The tv streaming has quit and it is relatively quiet in the house, cept for Sammy Jo the bird counting and wanting me to count with her.
I may try to read for a bit after I surf the forum.
Stay warm tonight. A warm front is headed our way an we should be in the upper 60's by Friday. Quite a change from our 10 degrees Monday.

[kimsophia]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

My cross stitch arrived and I have been continuing the work on it. Man am I having a time with the Rhodes hearts on this tiny linen. Even with the magnifying lens it is a struggle. The holes are so small that the needle doesn't want to go through. I have three done, two more left. I am taking a break!

[DeniseSm]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

I got the backing pieced together for my next quilt sandwich. I was 8 inches short to do it all out matching fabric, so I improvised again. I am going to experiment by doing one long continuous wishbone squared spiral quilting motif over the whole quilt top. Tomorrow theory will meet reality as I attempt to cram it through my DSM.

[Sylvia H]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

How do you like your Instant Pot? How does the food taste?

I will equate using an Instant Pot wth learning how to quilt. You think you have all the information you need - and then you find there is more that you need to know. So, I did the water test ... I didn't taste the water afterwards! I cooked soaked navy beans and was very satisfied with the results. I made hard cooked eggs, and was thrilled! Woohoo - this is the way I will be cooking my eggs from now on. I still have to try out soft cooked eggs. But, you can cook one egg, or a dozen, in the same amount of time.

Rice is phenomenal if cooked correctly. I'll have to go back and find the links, if you are interested. I made jasmine rice yesterday, as a test. It was al dente, which I am not used to, but I liked it. Today, I made basmati rice, and I absolutely loved it. Today, I also made a recipe that was called 'chicken and noodles', well, I didn't want the noodles, as I had a great deal of basmati rice. But in less than 1 hour I was able to cook 2 pounds of frozen chicken breasts with the equivalent of 2 cans of frozen cream of chicken soup (my homemade cream of chicken soup). I did add some salt, but that was all that was needed.

I have already adapted some stove top recipes, and been happy with the results. You have to be aware of the amount of liquid - you need at least 1 cup, and you have to understand that the amount of seasonings may have to be increased due to the excess water.

It has its place as a kitchen appliance. I like it primarily for these two reasons. 1) It is an electricity saver; 2) you don't have to take the time to check what is cooking. I have only been using it for 1.5 weeks, so I still have a way to go before I fully understand what I can and can not do. I am looking forward to cooking a chuck roast next week. This is a roast that should be done in much less time than in an oven or crock pot.

[Juliet Taylor]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

Yesterday I behaved and mended two pair of jeans for my friend and her bra.
I hate mending but I love to help my friends so I accepted LOL so it's on me! Now just one more pair of jeans, a couple of more stitches on the bra and a seam on my hubby's pants and I can go back sewing MY Blocks

[pcbatiks]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

I pulled out a UFO that I've had for a few years. Got the top finished. I'm in a UFO group in our guild and this is the one I need to have ready for the beginning of February. It's fairly small and I just need to layer and quilt it.

[TMP]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

When my daughter and I both started quilting we bought some of the cheapest thin fabric we could find. Most of the fabric has been sitting untouched in a closet for years. I had given several pieces to DG to learn to sew with and used a few pieces to practice free motion quilting. Last week I cut the rest into 2.5 inch strips for a scrappy quilt. Actually it doesn't sew or ravel near as bad as I thought it would. I also have a ton of backing scraps that I also am working into the quilt. I think this one might make a good picnic or camping quilt.

Sylvia, I enjoy reading about your instant pot and all the things you can make it with it. I am not familiar with this appliance but it sounds like something I would love to have.

[AMG]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

My Instant Pot is still in the box it came in months ago - I started reading the instructions and got confused and didn't want to fool with it. I know intellectually that it would be a great appliance to master; I am irrationally opposed to learning how to use it when I know how to use my stove, lol.

No sewing for me so far this week - back to work after being on medical leave and hoo boy, the days have been long. Looking forward to Saturday when I hope to finish a zig zag table runner.

[Bubby]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

My cross stitch arrived and I have been continuing the work on it. Man am I having a time with the Rhodes hearts on this tiny linen. Even with the magnifying lens it is a struggle. The holes are so small that the needle doesn't want to go through. I have three done, two more left. I am taking a break!

I know .all about those tricky Rhode hearts....I once bordered a sampler with them. They are beautiful but a lot of concentration. I love seeing them grow with each stitch.

[Sylvia H]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

.....
Sylvia, I enjoy reading about your instant pot and all the things you can make it with it. I am not familiar with this appliance but it sounds like something I would love to have.

My Instant Pot is still in the box it came in months ago - I started reading the instructions and got confused and didn't want to fool with it. I know intellectually that it would be a great appliance to master; I am irrationally opposed to learning how to use it when I know how to use my stove, lol.......

TMP - The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker, with the ability to do many other things. It has special settings for various things like stews, chili and rice. But most recipes just use a manual setting, which is what I have been doing. You can also use it as a slow cooker, which I haven't tried yet. One great feature is saute - you can brown your meats in the same pot you are going to cook in, so you don't have an extra pot to clean. As a pressure cooker, you can pretty much set it and walk away and let it do its 'thing'. No need to check it.

I never used a pressure cooker before, so that was a new experience. There are plenty of videos to show a new user what to do.

AMG - I had the same issue. It took a friend on Facebook to give me the incentive to start using it! I find the instructions from the company hard to understand, and, for the most part, not very accurate! There are several Facebook groups devoted to this appliance. My favorite site for recipes is: http://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/e...t-pot-recipes/ I used their instructions for rice and it turns out wonderfully.

[Caroline T.]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

Last night I pin basted my flannel log cabin top. I use to help my mother pin baste her quilts but haven't done it in decades (since I found spray baste). I don't have enough floor space to crawl around on to do it (much less the knees for it) - so tried on the table, but when I looked at the backside I wasn't happy with it - lot of wrinkles that I know will turn into pleats & tucks if I were to fmq as is. So tomorrow night, I'll unpin the whole thing and start over.

I guess it's like riding a bike, you never forget how to, but stay off of it long enough and the first couple of rides will be wobbly.

I have a club board meeting tonight, so no quilting for me tonight. But I'm determined to get this one done this weekend!

[MichiganMermaid]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

I thought I had the Solstice done, but alas another square came in..So working on that and Vintage Farm girl AND making journal covers.

I was working on the Checkered Dresden, but template has yet to arrive.

[Granny Judy]

Re: WIP - 1/11/17 - The Rules of Quilting

I finally got into my sewing room .. found my polka dot layer cake and white on white fabric so I started cutting fabric for a swap. Disappearing pinwheel arrow. Maybe I'll get some time to sew later tonight. nothing good on tv. I do have a peddle machine for when the power goes off... and great lights to work with at night.

Just hunkering down with the rain turning to ice and slippery, sliding roads . We will have to see how bad it gets, but we are all set up for the power going off.

Just stay safe everyone..