Hexies and More Hexies

I am addicted to making little hexies...hexagons to be exact.  English Paper Piecing was making a come-back and I was determined to resist.  I made it until February 2013, when I was blessed with the opportunity to attend a Jo Morton quilting retreat in Nebraska.  Let me tell you - the girls at the retreat loved some hexies- so I took the plunge.  I am now messing around with 1/2" hexies and I have 2 projects started with 3/4" hexies.


So what are these things and what do they turn into?  There are lots of great examples on Pinterest.  Search Grandmother's Flower Garden and English Paper Piecing and you will see some wonderful examples of beautiful vintage and reproduction quilts.

I am just getting started so I can't show you a finished project but I am sharing progress to date.

Getting started.  You will need some tools.  I know our ancestors probably cut paper pieces out of newsprint or whatever they had available, but I opted to order heavy-weight pieces from http://www.paperpieces.com/.  After playing around with cutting for a day, I went back online and ordered the acrylic template that was the appropriate size for the hexagons I was using.  The template allows me to stack multiple layers of fabric and use a small rotary cutter or scissors to cut the fabric. Using a rotary cutter is faster, but - silly me -likes the feel of sharp dressmakers scissors cutting
through fabric. (Note - I use a rotary cutter all the time for other types of cutting.)



I pulled from my stash and visited a couple of quilt shops to gather the 30's reproduction fabric I wanted to use.  I am actually doing 2 projects at the same time - 1 for me and one for my daughter.  My flowers are all colors and have yellow centers, while Jenn's are more orange, yellow, green, and brown, with orange centers, to coordinate with the colors in her vintage kitchen.  Trust me - we collected far more fabric in various colors and patterns than what you see here.  Part of the fun is collecting and petting the fabric...

To get started, I cut the fabric into hexagons using the acrylic template to get the right size. I punched a hole in the center of each paper piece so I could pin it in place on the fabric as shown above. By doing that, the paper stayed centered while folding and stitching and the paper pieces were easy to pop out later. There are all kinds of ways to stitch, but for me, it worked best to fold and baste the fabric at each corner.  I started by tying a small knot in the thread and with my thumb and finger, I folded down the first side and then the next, forming a neat mitered corner. I inserted the needle right at the corner and took a small stitch to secure the fold. I then folded the next side down and made one long stitch to jump to the corner and made a small stitch to secure that corner.  I continued until all 6 corners were tacked down.  (Note - The basting thread will all be removed when the hexies are sewn together.)


Once I had 6 flower hexies and 1 center hexie basted, I stitched them - right sides together - with a tiny whipstitch.  I added extra stitches on the corners to secure the edges.  I continued attaching each of the flower hexies to the center piece to form 1 flower block. When the center hexie was surrounded, I popped the  paper piece out of it, making it easier to sew more hexies together.  Continue in this manner until the desired number of flowers are made.

I am in the process of joining flowers together to make a diamond-shaped tablerunner.  This is where I am so far.  All of my hexies are sewn together and I am deciding how to quilt and bind it.

This has definitely been a "learn as I go" process.  My stitching got smoother and faster as I progressed.  I enjoy the peacefulness of handwork and I am excited to see how this turns out.  I will posted the finished product.

Happy stitching - Letitia

Another Day

Today is November 18, 2015 and it has been over 2 years since I have even thought about my blog, much less written anything for it.  A lot has changed and a lot has stayed the same.  I am a new Grandma.  My beautiful grandson was born 5 1/2 weeks early.  Today is day 31 in NICU.  If all continues to go well, he will be able to go home in the next week.  Since his actual due date is a week from today, that would be a good thing.  I am sure I am hopelessly biased, but he is the the most beautiful baby ever!  We will be visiting them next week and I hope to finally have the chance to hold him.

On another note, John and I are retiring June 30 and will be moving to a family home in his hometown of Hope.  We have a lot to do to get the house ready to move into, but I think we can be ready to complete the move in July.  We hope to start the remodeling next month when we are off for Christmas break.  The outside of the house has just been painted so we just have interior work to do this winter.

Everything else is much the same.  I am still trying to finish quilts and scrapbook and read and cook more.  John and I are making plans for the things we hope to do when we retire.  The world is a scary place.  God is bigger than all the scary.

One misty, moisty morning

This morning brought to mind an old English nursery rhyme.  I never remember more than the first two lines, but those 2 lines always pop into my brain on the first fall morning when I walk outside and the world is shrouded in a thick layer of fog.

           One misty, moisty morning,

           When cloudy was the weather,
           I chanced to meet an old man

           Clothed all in leather:
           He began to compliment,
           And I began to grin–
           “How do you do?” and “How do you do?”
            And “How do you do?” again!

                             From Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations

Fall is my favorite time of year and October is the best month of all.  I love the crisp mornings and the changing colors - the flannel shirts and snuggly sweaters - the beautiful mums and variety of pumpkins and other gourds.  

Immediately after Labor Day weekend, I have to pull out the tubs and do the "fall-thing" to our house.  Yes - it was as hot as blue blazes when I pulled them out, but the calendar said September, so October was next-in-line.  It was all done well before the first cool day, but that's ok.  It makes me smile to see little hints of fall scattered throughout our home.  

May you see the beauty of God's creation all around you this fall.

Blessings ~ Letitia

Beautiful Summer Day

Beautiful - Summer- Day - in July???  What's up with that?  Yes - it is hot and humid - it's mid-July in Arkansas.  Historically, the only thing harder for me to face than mid-July in Arkansas - is AUGUST.  I have not been a summer person since moving to a job that required working all summer.  You know - summer has always been fine until the 5th of July, then I'm ready for it to be over.  Let's just move on to Labor Day with the promise of cooler days to follow.

I had an "ah-ha" moment this morning.  I am enjoying this summer.  I will admit that the hot days have been interspersed with some not-so-hot days, but even the hot ones have been OK.  We've done some traveling and visiting and I've spent time working in the yard - cooking - sewing - reading - studying - and it has all been good - because of summer not in spite of it.

I've read and done my Bible study outside - early in the morning.  It has been wonderful.  Menus and activities have been planned - taking the heat into account.  Curious that it has taken me so many of my adult years to figure this out.  It is possible for me to enjoy summer - when I work with it and not fuss about it!

Speaking of planning menus for summer.  I decided that I wanted to make a cool, light dessert - easy to make - and not too bad for us.  I found a promising one on Pinterest yesterday.  I followed the link to the original blog and it has great pictures and easy-to-follow directions for a "No-Bake Chocolate Eclair Dessert".  Checkout her recipe and directions at http://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2012/03/no-bake-chocolate-eclair-dessert.html.

Now for my version.  I used her recipe, but substituted lower fat and lower sugar options through-out.  If it tastes nearly as good as it looks and smells, we are in for a treat tonight.

My version of the filling has sugar-free vanilla pudding, low-fat milk, and Cool-Whip Free layered with low-fat graham crackers.  The chocolate glaze has cocoa, Truvia Blend, and butter.  Chocolate glaze needs butter.  I tasted the pudding/cool whip mixture and the chocolate glaze and they were both super yummy.  It is chilling now and I can't wait to pull it out for dinner tonight with my grilled lean chops and fresh green beans and new potatoes!

Have a great beautiful summer day!

Blessings ~

King and Ballard Antiques and Collectibles

Sounds impressive, or at least official.  Jenn and I started talking about getting a booth at an antique mall/flea market several years ago.  We started buying a few things here and there - carefully logging them in our journal and packing them away.  Next, came the desire/need to downsize my collection of "stuff" because there was NO place to put anymore of anything.  My little house was full. Then I got married and I only thought it was full before.  THEN, my Dad brought down all of the boxes of stuff that had been packed away for years.  OH MY - do I ever have stuff!  I have taken the plunge.  On May 5, the first of many things to sell went to our dealer booth at a nearby antiques and collectibles mall.  Hopefully, we will sell enough to pay the rent.  Either way, it's fun and I just have to remember to SELL and not to BUY which is very tempting when you walk by neat stuff 3-4 times a week.  Enjoy your day!

Blessings ~ Letitia
                                                                                         

A Beautiful Monday and More

Good Monday Morning!  The sun is shining - the air is warm - flowers are blooming and the birds are singing.  It is a beautiful day in Central Arkansas.  I'm taking a short break from my spring cleaning and thinking about what I want to plant this year to write a bit.

So - for an update on More.   I know that Less is the idea that people are pursuing now.  Less stuff - less stress - less waste, etc.  But Less isn't where I need to be.  In January, I set my goals of  Praying More - Volunteering More - Sharing More and Finishing More.  If you read this blog,you know sharing more hasn't happened so let's just skip that one.

Praying More

 I am doing an online book study with Renee Swope, author of "A Confident Heart."  Have you ever read a book where you feel the author is talking about your life in EVERY chapter?  Yes - pretty much - this is it for me.  To do this study requires much prayer and soul-searching - or at least it is for me.  I am also using a wonderful devotional that John bought me for Christmas, Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence.  Each daily entry has 2-3 scripture references that I am spending time with.  Between the two books and the time spent in prayer, I am in a better place than I have been in for a long time.




Finishing More

I am finding time every single day to do a creative thing - sewing, knitting, writing, whatever the day brings.  I was raised believing that no play happened until all the chores were done.  Well heavens - the chores are NEVER all done.  I still struggle with this and I am trying not to feel guilty writing right now, because I have laundry to do and spring cleaning to continue.  I know it is about balance and for me that involves pushing through some guilt to do the things that make me who I am.  So laundry and cleaning can wait a few more minutes while I write and think.

Volunteering More

I have always thought that my volunteering needed to be something with kids or something about missions.  After all - I was an educator for 35 year - I am a Christian.  Surely that's where I am SUPPOSED to volunteer.  I have discovered that volunteering isn't about where you think you SHOULD be volunteering, but rather about where your heart is.  I love to sew and knit and make things and garden and so much more.  I have loved going to Mountain View for 30 years and talking to the artisans and craftsmen and listening to the music.  Thanks to a good friend telling me about the Committee of One Hundred for the Ozark Folk Center and getting me involved, I have found my place.  I am working with a great group of women on the Board, in PR, and on the Committee at large doing things to support ideas and people who are dear to my heart.  Volunteering isn't work at all when you love what you are doing.  (Thanks Carol!!)  Check out our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/COOHOzarkFolkCenter and the Ozark Folk Center State Park website http://www.ozarkfolkcenter.com/  for more information on some great things that are going on in our state.  (Any hints for managing a Facebook page would be appreciated since I am very new at this.)

Have a great week!

Blessings ~ Letitia

Finish More - Knitted Color-Block Throw

Last winter I visited Rabbit's Lair, which is an amazing quilt and fiber shop in Northwest Arkansas. They are one of my favorite shops and time spent in there - surrounded by much beauty - is time well-spent.  Of course the trick is to carefully manage the money spent at the same time. 

When I walked in the door, a beautiful jewel-toned color block throw caught my eye,  The pattern called for a lot of yarn, but was easy to knit and I decided to buy 1 skein of each color to give it a try. It turned out to be super easy to knit and was as beautiful as I remembered.  I bought the rest of the yarn to finish the throw.  For the past year the project was a "knit in the car" project and progress was fairly slow.  I recently finished the first strip of 4 and now I want it finished.

I'm now 20 inches into the second strip and I'm loving it.  Knitting and football playoffs go well together so - NFL - keep it coming and I will too!

My friends all know how many projects I have to finish and for 2013 - this will be the first of hopefully many "Finish More" projects.

Blessings ~ Letitia