Shirley Anne’s Heart

VA Scrappers November 2009

Posted By drsao on November 28, 2009

Even though I was only able to enjoy the VA Scrappers for a short time today – I seemed to pack in a lot of giggles – and pictures – in that short time that I was there!!!

There are always fun things for show and tell – first look at what Patsy did! I love the border that she created….that black fabric really catches your eye and ties it all together!!! I really like this quilt!

Patsy's Creation

The fabric that she used for the back is SO CUTE – love the pins of many colors – and the label is really dear!

Back of Patsy's Quilt

Carmen got a DOORBUSTER gift for herself for Christmas at JoAnn’s this morning! It is a case for a cutting mat and ruler – and not only that, it has the mat AND ruler inside!

And look what Sheddy got as the DOORBUSTER gift at JoAnn’s. Looks like there was a lot of Black Friday quilters out shopping and having fun!

Carmen's Christmas Present

Sheddy's Roller Bag

And while we are on the subject of Sheddy – look at the darling snowman that she made. LOVE IT – especially the green nose.

Sheddy's Snowman

You see, when Sheddy was growing up her family always used a PICKLE, rather than a carrot, for a snowman’s nose…..so Sheddy is carrying on the tradition. I rather like it, myself!

PICKLE NOSE

Sheddy learned to make this mini-masterpiece while on her retreat in Williamsburg. It is really clever. To make it you need three pieces of fabric the same size. Sheddy used the GOLD as the background and one DARK and one LIGHT GREEN fabric.

Sheddy's Retreat mini-thing

First you draw your wreath on your background fabric – or any other symbol other than a leaf can be used as long as its shape is symmetrical (mirror image like the leaves.) And I am thinking that it doesn’t even HAVE to be a wreath, but the wreath really looks nice!

Draw a wreath of leaves on the background

Then using a piece of fabric (DARK GREEN IN THIS CASE) the same size as the background fabric – fuse it to the background fabric with the BACK SIDE of the DARK GREEN fabric fused to the BACK SIDE of the background fabric (GOLD IN THE EXAMPLE.)

Cut along the draw lines on HALF OF THE LEAF. (When you fold it back you will see the dark side of the leaf!)

Cut and FOLD BAKC the DARK GREEN FABRIC part of the leaf

Cut and FOLD BACK the DARK GREEN FABRIC part of the leaf

Green Leaf Sides are FOLDED back when cut

Then when you add the other piece of fabric on the back (RIGHT SIDE FACING UP like the light green fabric shown in the photo above) and the light part of the leaf will show through the open space!

Isn’t this ever so clever!

And remember awhile back I put pictures on my blog of how to do the EXPLODING PINEAPPLE BLOCK – and Catherine is revealing the book that it came from!

SEW SIMPLE PINEAPPLE Book

AND HERE IS TUTORIAL NUMBER 2 for the day. Joy taught us this one. First sew the two LONG EDGES of 1/4 yard of fabric to each long side of a contrasting 1/2 yard of fabric to form a tube.

Making a Table Scarf

Fold the ends in so that they form a triangle at the end – sew on the wrong side, trim, and turn right side out and you have a table scarf. Embellish if you want!

See the point in the middle when both corners are folded in to make a triangle end?

Here are a few more random pictures – – of our fun sewing time……

TWO HOURS and Sheddy is almost ready to sew!

Beautiful coat!!

Patsy is working on her THIRTIES SOMETHING blocks

Carmen has some beautiful fabrics!

Sheddy is finally SEWING - as I was leaving! LOL

Cathy's beautiful Jacob's Ladder

I am sure they had a lot more fun after Catherine and I left for a FAIRY PANELS EMBELLISHMENT CLASS that Catherine was teaching at Quilting Adventure.

Category: Quilt Retreat, Virginia Scrappers | 1 Comment »
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Carolina Christmas and other Quilty Things

Posted By drsao on November 27, 2009

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving – we sure did here in Midlothian, VA. Here is a photo of my DH being SILLY on Thanksgiving (what else is new?) and also a group photo of all of us just prior to indulging in the FABULOUS FEAST! We had a wonderful dinner – and lots of fun! You would never have guessed that there were six children and two dogs celebrating the day!

Max and sao

Bennett/Epps/Owens Thanksgiving 2009

And to make the day even MORE PERFECT, Bonnie Hunter surprised us all by posting her STEP ONE for the Carolina Christmas Mystery Quilt on Thanksgiving night instead of the morning after. I was so excited that even though I was on my way to bed when I checked my e-mail, I printed out the instructions and decided to sew instead – sleep is overrated. 🙂

I finished all of my 192 Step 1 Two-sies and my 104 Half Square Triangles…..what fun! (It doesn’t take a lot to entertain me!)

Sample from Step 1 of Carolina Christmas

So while I am at it – here are some other quilty things that have been going on. One of my friends, Sheddy – but this could have happened to any number of folks, mentioned that she had accidently cut into some 2 1/2″ strips that she had cut for binding……but forgot their intended purpose! I know that I have done this too UNTIL I hit upon a new method. Now when I finish a quilt top I make the binding and hang it on my SHAKER PEGS. Those Shakers were SO ORGANIZED – they inspire me. So….here is a shot of my bindings in waiting…..now all that I have to do is to REMEMBER which binding is for which quilt! 🙂

Bindings waiting for their new home

And here is my BACK for my Christmas Lights Quilt – another Bonnie Hunter Mystery – I think making a scrappy back from large squares (these are 15 1/2″ square) is my favorite Bonnie Back. My Carolina Christmas is with my awesome Sara – who is scheduled to start quilting on December 7. I can’t wait!!!

Back of Christmas Lights Quilt

My grandangel, Sarah, and I ventured out on BLACK FRIDAY to do some shopping and we had a good time. The lines weren’t TOOOOO long! Even though I got in a bit of shopping, I also managed to do some sewing.

Sarah - my Black Friday shopping buddy and #1 Deviled Egg Fan

I am now caught up with my 30’s Club Star Quilt – here are my last two blocks…..and since I made an extra block I may go ahead and put it together before the last block pattern comes out next month. We will see if I get the URGE to do that! You never know about me!

sao 30's October Block

sao's November 30's Block

And I am not quite sure that this THIRTIES SOMETHING block is going to be a quilt in progress – but it is possible. I bought and then LOST the templates for this quilt (it was on the cover of QUILTMAKER magazine 3 issues ago.) It is actually a beautiful quilt done in pastels and designed by Ann Champion. I JUST FOUND the template Thanksgiving day tucked SAFELY away in a sewing basket – go figure. I RE-CUT my blocks (there was an error in the directions for the center square in QUILTMAKER) and made the block.

The jury is still out as to whether it will be a quilt or an orphan block. I am not in love with my block but maybe it is because I used greens, lavendars and orange in the block and these aren’t my favorites. Any comments? After Sheddy told me to cut the center block a 2 1/8″ instead of 2 5/8″ square, it was fun to put together. CAN’T YOU JUST SEE ME TRYING TO FIT THE 2 5/8″ square in the center? It wasn’t a pretty picture! 🙂

Thirties Something by Ann Champion

Category: 30's Club Star Quilt, Christmas Lights Mystery, Life Comments, Quilts in Progress, SAO's Family, SAO's Grandangels, Thanksgiving 2009, Thirties Something | 2 Comments »
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sao’s ANNUAL TURKEY SAUSAGE

Posted By drsao on November 22, 2009

Today was the day to make my annual holiday turkey sausage – a tradition that I started in 1964 and I have made it EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN – really – sometimes it is hard to believe that I have been alive long enough to do this for 45 years – but yes, it is true.

I got the ORIGINAL RECIPE from the DINAH SHORE show – I was 20 years old and newly married – and I was SO excited to make this. (20 seems so young!!!) To make a long story short, this turkey sausage has now become a family tradition! It started out as a hamburger sausage but I have made revisions over the years – adding my own spices along the way! I seem to remember that I used to cook it at 200 for 5 hours – but I have made a little revision on that over time!

I left 30’s Club early today so that I could shop for and make my annual turkey sausage with my grandangel, Sarah. Here she is holding my basket of spices – she helped me do the mixing and shaping of the turkey logs. Right now we are enjoying the aroma of the slow cooking sausage and its spices!

I usually make 10 pounds but this year I only made 5 because we end up not eating all of it!

SARAH AND MY TURKEY SAUSAGE SPICES

SAO'S TURKEY SAUSAGE ROLLS IN THE OVEN

Sao’s Turkey Sausage (made since 1964)

THIS IS HOT AND SPICY SO IF YOU ARE FAINT OF HEART

GO EASY ON THE MUSTARD SEED, CRUSHED RED PEPPER AND TABASCO!

5 lbs turkey sausage (do not use white meat)

1 T dried crushed red pepper

1 T parsley

1 T cilantro

1 T curry powder

1 T chili powder

1 T garlic powder

1 T garlic salt

1 T Boston jerk

1 T mustard seed

1 T oregano

1 T tarragon

1 T rosemary

1 T white pepper

1 T celery salt

1 T 21 season salute

10 drops Tabasco

2 T liquid smoke

2 T teriyaki

2 T soy

2 T worchestershire

2 T Italian dressing

2 T barbecue sauce

Roll into mini logs

225 degree oven

Turn and drain every 30 minutes

Takes about 3 hours

Cover with aluminum foil – REFRIGERATE.

Eat cold with crackers – this is a snacking food.

I like HOT THINGS and so I like it as a sandwich with mayonaise!

(IT FREEZES WELL TOO!)

Category: Life Comments, SAO'S TURKEY SAUSAGE | 2 Comments »
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30’s Club at Quilter’s Corner – November 2009

Posted By drsao on November 22, 2009

We are nearing the completion of our 30’s Club quilt – I think one more month – it is always fun to see the whole quilt come together…….look at the pictures below and you will see Linda’s 30’s Club Star blocks – really pretty! I can’t wait to get mine finished.

We missed our fearless leader, Susan and so I took a few HELLO SUSAN pictures! 🙂

Look below for a glimpse of today

: Linda’s Star Blocks

: sao’s Moda Selvages

: sao’s Main Street Houses

: Sheddy’s Apple Block

: Cathy’s Dog Quilt top

: Marla’s Sewing Girls Quilt top

: LOVE Cathy’s redwork blocks

: Last Month’s 30’s blocks

: Hi from Sheddy

: Hi from Patsy

: Hi from Joy

Category: 30's Club Star Quilt, Quilts in Progress | 1 Comment »
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Christmas Lights

Posted By drsao on November 20, 2009

I just finished putting my Christmas Lights quilt top together – I really like it. This is another GREAT Bonnie Hunter design – her latest mystery.

Now I am working on the back – cutting 15 1/2″ squares. I have a HARD TIME making a Bonnie Quilt without making a scrappy back too.

I like this one a lot – and am now looking forward to the next mystery – CAROLINA CHRISTMAS – the first clue will be coming to Quiltville.com November 27!