Friday, August 29, 2014

Making Sunshine!

We've had several coastal storms pass through this week ... here in DillyDallydom, we learned long ago how to create our own sunshine!
Princess Flicka comforts herself by excessive napping ... in her own recliner ... with her special quilt. Yep, she insists on the royal treatment and receives it! ;-)
My weekly dillydally playdate with Barb C. provides much needed sunshine!  This week she shared a new BOM that she recently joined.  She received the first block kit this week and has already made great progress!
While we sipped tea and discussed all of the world's concerns, she worked on this wool appliqué project.  So inspiring ... tis the season to work with wool!
Sunshine in a postal box!
I wonder if they packaged the box this way deliberately ... sew fun ... I am going to believe they did!  Yep ... that is Princess Elsa peeking to see where she has arrived!
I love all things that Kim Diehl creates ... and just had to have bits of her Vintage Farmhouse fabric!
Confession ... back to Princess Elsa and Anna ... I didn't buy just one panel ... I bought yardage!  Flicka approves and I make no apologies!  Too fun and loads of self-made sunshine!
When there is a break in the weather, Kysa and I work in a walk.  We usually end up a bit damp ... no sunshine to be seen ... but there is sun shining in our hearts!

Do what you love.  Shine.  Do dillydally!
Mrs. DillyDally

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

DillyDally Updates!

Thought I would update some recent and current activities here in DillyDallydom ... we are always busy ... and the days and weeks seem to fly by!

Mother Nature
Mother Nature is especially busy as she prepares for winter.  Red currants are ready to be picked.
We found some beautiful willow roses while out berry picking ... love nature's artistry!

Kysa
Today was Nat'l Dog Day ... for Kysa, every day is a great day!  She really has the sweetest and happiest disposition!  We always go for walks when the weather cooperates!  She loves it!

Quilt Math Facts
I am still basking in the glow of finishing my Red Ridge Beauty!  I thought I would share the correct math facts.  When making a quilt of this kind, I never do the math in advance!  It would be completely over whelming ... I probably would never begin.  I just work away at it over time ... and eventually I get there.  This quilt finished at 90" X 114" and took three years.
The quilt has 252 six inch blocks.
Every block has 2 four patch units for a total of 504 pieced 4 patch units.  Two thousand sixteen, 2" red and light squares were required for a total of 4032 two inch squares.
For the half triangles ... 504 units ... 1008 light and dark triangles for a total of 2016 triangles.  Whew!  And that is why I am still enjoying this finish!  It feels wonderful!

007 Project
Flicka and I have been buried in polk-a-dots!  We finished it this very evening!  I'll be able to share it in a few weeks!  Yay!

Knitting
One thumb left and this pair of mittens will be finished!  Already have new yarn waiting in the wings for the next pair!  Wish I could knit at warp speed! ;-)

Retirement
Monday (8/25) was the first day of work for local teachers.  A couple of friends and I celebrated our first "Un-Inservice Day" by going out the road with lattes and caramel rolls!  Great conversation and such fun!

There you have it ... that's the news from my remote corner of the planet!
Enjoy this recent sunset from my front deck!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!
Mrs. DillyDally

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Buddies and Berries


In Alaska, the common belief is that when the Fireweed blossoms reach the plant's top, summer is coming to a close.  As you can see ... the blossom is at the very tip!
There is still a lot of green ...
... but the shades and tints of green are changing.
The ground cover seems to take on the fall palette first ... subtle in the beginning ...
... the smallest of plants seem to change earliest.
We have been harvesting nagoon berries ... they grow very low to the ground ... I love how the plant turns to these beautiful crimson tones ... they're as beautiful as the berry they produce!
The blueberry season is also coming to a close ... these are my favorite berry to pick and consume!  Many of the DillyDally family favorite recipes involve this sweet/tart berry!
I can not imagine berry picking with out my friend Barb ... she is my Berry Buddy!  We have picked together for ... well, let's not reveal our age ... too many years to count!
This year her friend Deb joined in our annual berry harvest.  They went to college together and have been lifelong friends.  Harvesting is nothing new to Deb, she and her husband have orchard farms in Washington state.  They visited for the first time last year and plan to return annually!  It was so nice to meet her ... such fun.
Deb fits in to our dillydally lifestyle well ... here are some of the projects she and Barb worked on during her visit!  They both have granddaughters that are a joy to sew for!
Together they also made this flannel rag quilt!  It will remind Deb of the fun and friendship she enjoyed with Barb here in our remote corner of the planet.  Loving my dillydally life ... grateful for old and new dillydally friends ... and I enjoy celebrating all that they accomplish!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally with your buddies!
Mrs. DillyDally   



Thursday, August 21, 2014

Quilt Math!

Those of you who have been following my blog, know that I am a devoted Bonnie Hunter fan!  She traveled here and taught classes to our local guild in 2011!  What a thrill ... we all learned sew much from her!
Drum roll please!  I finished my first "Leaders and Enders" quilt top!  Envision me doing back flips!  That is how excited I am!  Plus ... I love the results ... and not a single fabric was purchased for this quilt!  Yep, it all came from my stash!  Whoot!  Whoot!
Basically the concept of "leaders and enders" allows you to piece quilt block units while working on other quilts or sewing projects.  This quilt used a 4 patch unit ...
... and a half square triangle unit!
Together they create this block.  The only block necessary to create Bonnie's Blue Ridge Beauty quilt.  For more info on this process visit her website here.  This process really does deliver and I will always have one in progress!
I decided early on that I was going to use the technique as intended ... I would piece the units as I worked on other projects ... occasionally sew them into blocks ... and allow them to add up over time.    This is where my exceptional math skills play into the scenario!
Early this spring, I decided to pull out my blocks and determine where I was on this journey.  Part of my math genius is that I leave mathematical notes for myself ... helps me stay on track!
I took the units that were available and pieced them into blocks!  Counting as I went ... or so I thought!  ;-)
Life got a bit crazy as the school year came to a close ... but I kept counting.  When things settled down ... I only had 12 blocks left!  Easy peasy!
Finished those final blocks ... checked the pattern ... yep, I was 44 blocks short.  Quilt math ... go figure! ;-)
No problem ... back to the bin of pieces.
In no time, those blocks were done and it was time to lay the quilt out.  Sew exciting!
Loved the results ... however there was one problem ...
... I had 76 blocks left over!  Obviously another example of my amazing math abilities!  Yikes!  That was too many to leave unused.
Flicka and I began exploring other options that would incorporate those additional blocks.
We thought about making two smaller sized quilts ... but I didn't want two of the same quilt.  I eventually decided that I wanted to stick with the idea of a generous queen sized quilt.
Yep ... more blocks were going to be necessary!  So grateful for those quilt math skills ... ;-) .
Finally!  All the blocks were done!  The layout was complete!
And ... most importantly, Flicka gave her final approval!
Time to begin sewing the rows ... yep, 18 rows of 14 blocks is exhausting for the Supervisor!
Meanwhile, I began piecing the next leader and ender quilt in the process!
Love how the Supervisor gets to nap her way through the entire experience! Such a silly kitty!
Progress on the next quilt is going well!
Half way there!
Finally ... the last row!
Yep ... Flicka was alert for this one!
We celebrated!
The next decision was to add borders or not ... without borders it was 84 x 108 inches ... a generous queen!  It just seemed to look unfinished ...
So I took some of my leftover 3 1/2 inch strips and pieced together a scrappy border!  I can't begin to express how happy I am with this quilt!  It feels so good on so many levels!  All of my math issues were entirely my own ... Bonnie's pattern is completely accurate!
I packed up my remaining 2" and 3 1/2 " strips.  I have plans for them in a future "Leader & Ender" quilt ...
... but for now ... look how these little units grew ... this is what was accomplished while piecing the top ... I love my quilt math!

Do what you love.  Love math!  Do dillydally!
Mrs. DillyDally

Sorry, just one more pic!  I can't help myself, I just love this quilt!