Monday, March 31, 2008

Time to rant!

hiyall,
I need to rant!~
I have 3 personal principals that are very important to me:
~Honesty
~Respect
~Communication
If you think about it, all three are connected. When you violate one, they all get violated.
This weekend was the weekend from hell at work. Anything that could go wrong, went wrong. I am a bookkeeper at a HUGE retail operation. I am fairly new at this position, but its work I have done before. I know what to do and do it well (most of the time). Apprently there were some 'rules' that was not told to me. We have a failure to communicate! You disrespected me by failing to tell me about the 'rules'. And! You werent Honest with me from the getgo, so now we have TRUST issues......heeelllllooooooooo....... it maybe time to move on.....
Anyone have a older well to do brother who has one foot in the grave and needs a companion?
(sigh) one day I hope to quit work all together and stay home to design purses and quilts.

On the good news side, I finally finished the log cabin blocks for my online exchange. Now to pull fabrics and get started on Aprils blocks. First I will make another purse. I will post pics later. Thank for letting me rant.
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz

time to Rant!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Spring Time and the babys are A'coming!



hiyall,
this last week has flown by! I am finally getting the gist of my bookkeepers job. Some of the steps I have learned finally make sense! Easter Sunday I was left to myself to do the job and I did fine! I found out I do best when ya leave me alone! which is a good thing. I am very anti-social *grin* that is my story and I'm sticking to it! I don't mind being cooped up in a windowless room. I have my radio and a phone. the walls are feline pink and very calming. I learned that the local jail has pink walls in the drunk tank to keep the drunks passive. I wouldn't know, I have never been in a drunk tank myself.....but I have gone to retrieve friends the next day after they were locked up. I will come get your sober arse out of jail, but I ain't gonna bail your drunk arse out!

I found out another co-worker is going to have a baby. great googly moogly, they are breeding like bunny rabbits. tis the season I suppose. I have a standard baby quilt I make for my friends. It is quick and easy and great for a beginner quilter. This is the formula I came up with:

  • cut 16~ 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 in squares of some type of novelty fabric.

  • choose 4 co ordinating fat quarters and cut each FQ into 2 1/2 in strips. there will be left overs so save them for another baby quilt.
  • sew the strips to four squares of each fat quarters.

  • assemble the squares, four across, four down
  • add 2 borders, one will be 2 inch strip (1 1/2 finished), second one will be 3 or 4 inches

  • your top should be anywhere from 40'' to 42'' square. A good size for a baby up to a 3 year old toddler

  • layer with batting and backing, baste and do a simple stitch in the ditch machine quilting. Or tie if you like.
  • my binding usually matches the backing that coordinates with the top

Always machine wash and air dry the quilt before you gift it. Advoid using fabric softner, some babies are very allergic. A friend told me she sends a Tide To Go stick with her gift. This is a great idea, this will insure the baby will get to use the quilt instead of seeing it hung on the wall. You dont know how many times I have had a parent tell me that they did not want the Quilt to be 'ruined' by the baby and hung it on the wall instead. There is a poem you can include with your baby Quilt that will encourage the new parent to use the quilt as it was intended:

Its Ok if you sit on your quilt. Its Ok if your bottle gets spilt. If you swallow some air and you burp, dont despair, Its Ok if you spit on your quilt. There are scraps old and new on your quilt. Put together for you on your quilt. If your gums feel numb'Cause your teeth havent come, its Ok if you chew on your quilt. I expect you to lie on your quilt, If you are hurt, you may cry on your quilt. On a cold rainy night,Don't you fret; you're allright. You'll be snug, warm and dry on your quilt.

(muah) Liz, Keep On Stitchin' On!






Thursday, March 20, 2008

quickie

hiyall,
Its been a rough week at work. Apparently my training as a bookkeeper for the last 2 weeks has been for naught. I have had to be 'retrained' all week. *sigh* The good news is.....I am almost caught up with my online block exchange! 10 more log cabin blocks and I will all done for feb/march....then off to do Aprils! *oye* I am in 2 exchanges thru Yahoo, nine patch and log cabin. I really enjoy doing these blocks, it has made me more experienced in cutting strips and perfecting that elusive 1/4 in seam. later!
(mauh) Liz
Keep On Stitch'n On!

*If you have ever used a spent shotgun shell as a thimble, you might be a redneck quilter.......

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

you might be a redneck quilter.......

Hiyall!

My friends have asked me, why do you call yourself a Redneck Quilter?

First, I'm from the South. I'm told I have an accent, I don't have an accent! Its y'all who live north of the Mason/Dixon line that have the accent, uh huh, uh huh!

Second, Being from the working class and having a tight budget, I have had to improvise certain Quilting tools. The term I believe is called 'McGivering it'. Remember the TV show called McGiver? A guy who could take a spatula, spaghetti pot, a rubber hose and bottle of beer and make a small tank out of it? I have had to do the same for a couple of things. In fact I write articles for a online Quilting Newsletter called The Nine Patch News, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ninepatchnews/
Since I work at the big orange box, I have incorporated both worlds. I write on how you can make your own Quilt related tools and furniture on a shoestring budget by making your own with items from a Home Improvement Store. I also do articles on Quilt related crafts. My next article will be on pin cushions, the history, styles over the years, links on tutorials on how to make your own unique one.

I love Jeff Foxworthy, his sense of humor is a hoot! I have even come up with my own RedNeck jokes but they are about RedNeck Quilters!
  • if you use mawmaw’s old snuff cans to store buttons, needles, threads and assorted notions.....you might be a redneck quilter....
  • if you enjoy cutting up your old man’s old fannel shirts into little squares for a new quilt........while he is still wearing them......you might be a redneck quilter.....
  • if your idea of a Quilters Retreat is tying the kids to the front porch, giving your old man a ½ doz tall boys so he will get drunk and pass out on the couch just so they can leave you alone for a few hours of quiltin’ time........you might be a redneck quilter.......

I have alot more folks! From time to time I will pop one in on a posting.

Keep On Stitch'n On!

(mauh) Liz

Thursday, March 13, 2008

blog signature

hiyall,
can anyone tell me how to create a fancy smancy signature for my blog? I see it on others, but the settings dont tell me how. please advise. thanks!
Keep On Stitich'n On!
(muah) Liz

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Time for a change...


hiyall!

I had been asked by friends who blog when I was coming over to blogger.com. I had not plan on coming over but when I found out I was limited as to how many pictures I could post on the other blog site I decided to give blogger.com a try. In setting up this blog, I discovered that I have literaly DOUBLE to amount of space to post pics and write. good deal! I hate deleting old post and pictures. Im not a prolific blogger like some of my blogger friends but I do chit chat on a regular basis. I hope to tickle your funny bone every now and agin, and ya might even learn something from me (snicker-snort)! This picture you see is my dog Abby. She is my number one quilt tester and my constant companion. She is a large breed mix mutt like me. She is border collie/rottie/malamute mix. She is one of the sweetest dogs you will ever meet. Warning, if she doesnt like you, hide your hiney! Abby will be 7 years old in Sept but still has the new puppy spirit. Til next time,
Keep On' Stitchin' On!
(muah) Liz