One Block Wonder Encore and fishing

You've got to try this block. It's a lot of fun. Like the box of chocolates, until you sew them together, you don't know what they look like. So that you don't have a million "Y" seams, you have to sew the blocks in half only, then it will be row by row. But, you still need to pin them and design. What fun!

I found this might little gadget. It helps make straight 1/4 inch seams. You can only use it on an extension or if you machine is recessed. I don't have any interest in this product, other than I like it.

Been fishing today. I caught 4 little bitty blue gill. This is the smallest fish I've ever caught. We were on the water by 8:00 and off by 1:00. After lunch it gets busy with skiers and the fish don't like the sun, so we have better luck in the morning. I think I'm feeling a little rocking boat action still. It feels like going to the ocean and you have the sensation of the waves. I guess that comes from rocking around on the boat. Love it!!

The 60 degree ruler is a must

The quilt world is rife with tools-rulers of every angle; cutting wheels of any size; and pins of any kind.

For the One Block Wonder Encore you will need a 60 degree ruler. If you want to know what that is, you can look at one of your rulers you already have and see it drawn out on there. I thought I might get creative and tape it and turn it and save myself-$15.00 at Joann's Fabric store, which is what this one cost. By the way, you can get coupons for that store and if it's not on sale, you can use those coupons for purchasing your ruler. Just google coupons for Joann's. Anyway, I wasn't prepared with said coupon and paid the big bucks for this ruler. It's called the Pyramid Ruler. I suppose you might be able to go to a store that sells school supplies or drafting supplies and find one for much less. But, quilting time is precious and so I just bought it, max money and all.

I like to add tape to my rulers when I am making multiple cuts. I also like to add some sandpaper to the back of the ruler. This is a 3M product that someone gave me that works well for keeping the ruler from sliding around on the fabric. It has an adhesive on the back so I rip a small piece and put it on the bottom of my ruler.

After the ruler has been set. You will need a new blade on your cutter. The floral size 45 wheel is a brand new one I got for joining AQS at Paducah this year. Don't you know, even after reading the warnings on Sharon's Blog, about the critiques of this book, which stated by her

DO NOT FORGET TO REMOVE THE PINS BEFORE YOU SLICE!". I still got carried away and got a flat on my wheel. That's what I call a nick that causes your blade to cut through all but one frustrating thread in your neatly aligned fabric-which causes the fabric stack to tug a little out of shape. So be ware the mine fields that are pins in the fabric. Now, the book says you need a wheel that is a size 45, but, my smaller blade went nicely through all the layers, after having to stop using my lovely new 45.

And here's what you get the beginning of the wonder...smile

One Block Wonder Encore and Quiet Village

This is my sewing room, yep it's nice and clean. That "trash can" is really my scrap can. Every time I finish a project, the usable pieces get gathered up and thrown in there. As you can see, I'm in desperate need to make a scrap quilt. That's next on the agenda.

But for now, I'm working on these 2 quilts, the Quiet Village, from Mccall's Quilting magazine and the One Block Wonder Encore. I'm using this soft color fabric for my first quilt and then I think I'll try a little different color way, with this black and neon colored fabric. I'll be doing the aligning and cutting of strips today. It seems I need a 60 degree ruler! Maybe I'll use some tape and make my own-you know mark it on one of my bazillion rulers I already own. I even have a Kaleidoscope ruler, but, this particular ruler is different than the required one for this pattern. Ah well, that's why we have our LQS and Joann's.

Kentucky State Fair Quilts for Karen

It's State Fair Time Again!

Yes, quilts from the fair can be seen on my other blog, but, the animals take the stage this time.

Close ups of Alpacas and horses and lambs. Youngsters anxiously waiting to hear from the judge, that may hold there future scholarship from 4H or FFA supporters, whether they won or not. Those long hours spent sleeping and grooming, not to mention the cold, cold mornings when they would have to feed and sometimes milk their animals to keep them up to par with the other competitors.

Of course, I couldn't make a post about livestock from Kentucky without showing some of our beautiful horses. I guess they are all from KY, maybe they are not. These are the Saddle Breds, I believe, please correct me if I'm wrong. No mater what they are, they were beautiful.

Our State Fair also has something called the Pride of the Counties. This is where, with pride, each county likes to show it's gleaming prizes within. Abe Lincoln was there and one county even bragged about it's own fair.

Tobacco and a country ham that sold for 650,000! Don't forget the bees, the queen is marked with a white dot. They even judge antiques there, don't ask me how.

Ain't life pretty grand?

Inglorious Bastards-movie review

It's Tarantino so you know what you are getting, as Brad Pitt said. Yes, if you have the stomach, it's pretty violent, but, it's still pretty good. Think Lee Marvin and the Dirty Dozen on violence steroids and you pretty much have the idea. Brad Pitt sounds like Jackie Gleason, as the, "I'm a gonna get that Sombitch," southern accented sheriff, Bufford T. Justice, in Smokey and the Bandit.

But, as good and funny as Brad Pitt is in the movie, it's the "Jew Hunter" villain that will win the academy award.

If you like Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, not to mention Jackie Gleason-and you have the guts, go see Inglorious Bastards.

The Secret City and Museum Hill

So what can you say about Los Alamos? The place where a group of stogie, eccentric scientist did there part for home and country. If you would like a blast from the past, no pun intended, you should visit The Secret City. So much of it was hush, hush during the war. There were no real ID's for the people that served there. Before the project began, it was a mere all boys school for wealthy families with kids that needed extra guidance only life in the rugged frontier could afford, I suppose. The school wasn't given any option-your out, we are in and bulldozing began. Or so goes the guided tour scenario.

Oppenheimer, with his signature hat, helped plan the work for the people involved. They were moved here and lived on Bathtub Row. It was called that, because the men would not move there unless they could have a bathtub! This is a building That housed support staff then, but now is some sort of government building.

A letter, written by Einstine to Roosevelt, telling of the possible development of the bomb and how to go about getting it started is on display. This place is loaded with WWII history. These are some magazine covers of women, picking up the pieces at home...some things never change.

After a day at Los Alamos, we spent our time on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. No pictures allowed inside. These are statues outside one of the 5 museums located there.