VISIT TO ANOTHER "CITY"

Block No. 1 of Tula Pink City's 100.............................
I have to say that I am not really a pictorial person after looking at this block for what seems
FOREVER!! I found it difficult to put together .(duh!! being a super "Verbal"  person--not to mention my verbosity*, lol).

If you peek across the very top of the right hand page you can see that I taped little pieces of "MY" fabric choices in order to keep it straight!

At the very beginning we are told that the blocks will finish at 6.5" when put together--WELL,
so much for THAT! Mine are just able to be trimmed to 6".
  Now either my cutting AND/OR
that danged 1/4" thingey are off or....or.....well--who knows--So, 99 others will have to be 6"
I am not repeating this one.  Most likely it's something i did--surely it is....

I am challenging myself to figure the cutting instructions and the "putting together visuals" for the entire book's blocks. What would you do?

Stay tuned to see if I just shelve this into the UFO drawer or "MAKE" myself do it!! LOL

My Monet's City will be making a comeback during the Summer months--as I like to do hand sewing on our deck (now ice covered to the depth of about 6"!!) and sip iced tea and kind of wool gather....
the hexagons allow me to do that.  Whereas, I can see that these blocks take intense concentration.
at least pour moi!! ;--000
(*No "MUTE MONDAY" here....)

hugs julierose, La Blageuse
P.S.  what is it they say?  "Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there...???"

RAINY DAY IN HEXAGONIA & POTATO LOVE

HERE'S MY LITTLE SHELF RIGHT OPPOSITE WHERE I SIT TO WATCH TV.  PHONE, CUPPA AND HEXAGON KIT--RIGHT AT HAND.  I AM WORKING AT THE LONG ROWS I HAVE SET UP FOR WATERLILIES. (Apropos in this rain, I thought lol)

SO FAR TODAY, WE HAVE ONLY HAD RAIN, BUT THE TEMPS ARE FALLING AND SOON I THINK IT WILL FREEZE.  UGH!

FOR ALL OF YOU WHO INQUIRED ABOUT MY FLU BUG AND SENT ME GET WELL WISHES I THANK YOU.  I AM FEELING A LOT BETTER TODAY.

In between sewing  on Monet's City (resting that hand), I am reading my latest quilt book--I just love THIS sampler quilt--and I am not a huge fan of samplers as a rule. (Although there are a whole lot of lovely ones out there)

But somehow, this has caught my attention. (Could it be that I love BUSY quilts [heart]!!

Elizabeth Hartman, author of one of my other books "Modern Patchwork" (I bought this hoping to find patterns for my modern fabrics) really makes a wonderful presentation of her methods; although the blocks look complicated, somehow her instructions make them look do-able (even for me!!).

She states upfront that this is to be a long-term project--not a fast quilt.  This appeals to me.  Working on one block and taking my time...I was SOOOOO tempted to rush out and get more modern fabrics, but decided that I should USE UP what I have...AND I already had Melody Miller's Faces fabric right in my stash!!  (Fabric diet and all ...still holding ) YAY!

Rainy Monday's dinner will be leftover roast chicken, served with leftover gravy, stuffing and my own oven fries.  (potato recipe to follow)..............

I make these by peeling fresh potatoes and cutting them into wedges (not too thin); then putting them into the fridge in a bowl of ice and water;

then, about 45 minutes before dinner, drain, dry in a towel and sprinkle with good Virgin Olive Oil (also spread a bit of oil on the sheet);
 place on cookie sheet and bake at 375-400 degrees until they crisp up on the outside. (In my oven, usually 45-60 minutes)

 They will still be chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside.  (And, of course, you HAVE to test for doneness--hopefully, there will be SOME left for dinner LOL--spoken by a true dyed-in-the-wool potato lover who has not eaten them in over a YEAR!!!!!)

hugs to you all, Julierose, La Blageuse

SUNDAY IN HEXAGONIA

Here's where I was this afternoon-- IN HEXAGONIA HEAVEN--using my new GO!BABY die for cutting fabric AND paper hexagons.  I lost count as to just how many I cut in 45 minutes.  

This die is amazing--(I am not in the pay of Accuquilt either--just sayin') ; it cuts SIX layers of fabric on the lower four shapes --so 24 in only ONE pass AND TWO layers of paper or cardboard in that same pass yielding 8 paper backings.  

I used 8.5" x 11" freezer paper and folded it in quarters to get 4 sets of double papers.

I am in love with this die!  No threads to snip off--I did a generous accordion fold of 6" fabric to cover the hexagons.  

and now I have all of these perfectly cut hexies to add to my Monet's City outskirts--
the fabric (tan/black )--is french script and the blues are some batiks and some hand dyes representing the waterways where those gorgeous waterlilies he painted grew.  

See how you get that perfect 1/4" (YAYA!!) allowance to fold over and either baste or use the spray starch method..I have always basted them...but may try that spray starch on a few. 

This is how I attach the freezer papers--easy peasy...

(Excuse my old ironing board cover )--I line them up and just iron over 5-6 at a time....

then I can sit and watch tv with my sweetie at night and baste away...

I haven't decided how to add these as yet to my main piece--but will lay them out this week..

There is no way with my hand/wrist and shoulder problems I could have C U T  OUT  all these pieces.  So, for me, the cost of the die is really worth every penny.  

And so another gray day passes by us and soon we will be in Mid-November....hugs to you all--

from 
Julierose, La Blageuse P.S.  DH says"Someday I will hear a muffled sound from your sewing room and I will have to come in and rescue you from those stacks of hexagons that have taken over!!  Hahaha....

SUNDAY SURPRISE(s)

So glad I took pix yesterday of our Fall turning leaves; this morning I awoke and they were almost all blown away; cold front winds still howling......
And So (sew!):
I went into my room this morning and finally sewed last border on Georgie

the one at the top--less dense, but still flowery...and then

I realized that I had cut GAZILLIONS of pieces ready to become 9-patches....my nemisis it seems--none of them come out evenly! 

And so, thinking of the back of the quilt for Monsieur Georges, I made these blocks....

Those wonky 9-ers in a cross hatched pattern--and so I now LOVE them! 
should I use them on the "back"?  Or make another top with them....here is the pile I have left to go--

22 more plus 6 on my cutting table and many 1.25" red and off red strips I found in my drawer--in the back!! (Oh that stash does come in handy).

And so another decision makes its way into my brain....I also have some big 9.5" flowery blocks left over that could become a plainer backing for Georgie...I hear him tapping his foot ("ZUT--ALORS!!" ---I think he must have known French--don't you think??  " Une autre decision pour faire!!")--his face is turning red--I SILENTLY AND SLOWLY  crept out of the room and closed the door on his shenanigans....what to do, what to do? 

What would you do????   ;--000

MEANWHILE: as this is Slow Stitching Sunday, I am working on these: my Monet's City hexagons--yes, my thumb allows me about maybe (with wrist/thumb support on) to sew a row!  I am doing my "Happy Dance"...

I am blowin' in the wind today...the Season is really changing and I want to finish up Georgie before the New Year--at least get him layered for quilting....
Have a warm and toasty Sunday--
P.S.Tom feels so much better today-- he made his Spaghetti Sauce with meatballs for supper--YAY--no cooking for Julie today!!  What a guy....

Hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse

MONET'S CITY

MONET'S CITY

This hexagon piece is beginning to come together.
I am sewing the long vertical rows keeping the colors in the same position.

The fabric on the left (blue watery print) inspired me to think of Monet's Water-Lilies and I will choose a background to surround this piece to continue that motif.

Busy week; not much sewing except for playing around with Moonscape on my design wall for RSC13--and kinda stymied there...
Toodles, Julierose, La Blageuse