Circles are appearing and 1st Hexagon set done.

Yes, we have circles appearing in my batik version of the Eye Fooler  pattern designed by Krisanne Watkins.

Krisanne Watkins

1428 Pheasant Run Drive

Springville, Utah 84663

I KNEW I would love this pattern. And I was right. Even DH likes it!!!!

I need to make more of the "B" block. I was not sure I was going to make a full size version of this pattern. But I am. So more blocks need to be made. I did go ahead and make all the units needed ahead of time. I can always use them in another quilt.  They are waiting in an ice cream container. But I am totally loving how this has so much movement and will make it as big as the pattern calls for. It says to use a 90" X 110" batting. And I am sure that is a smidge bigger than the finished size of the quilt.

This was my first circle appearing this morning . WHOOHOOO!!!!

Then my design wall began to be VERY overcrowded. I had to move all the other projects temporarily. Yes, I work on multiple projects at the same time.
And I can see they are all batiks.....love 'em!!

I have my first set of hexagons done for the swap I signed up for. Only 34 more sets to go. Well, I actually signed up for two swaps. The other one is all 30's fabrics (35 sets also). But I have to go dig that fabric out from under the quilt frame. I will do that soon....as I said I multitask.
At last night's guild meeting I was able to baste 12 hexies while visiting. Then we played a round of quilting bingo so I had to stop sewing. I have never played bingo before. It was fun. I won a nice quilt journal.

I made homemade chicken and noodles a few days ago. I had lots of broth and chicken meat leftover. So when DH did his snow removal yet again, I made chicken ribble soup just for him. The ribbles have not been added yet. But doesn't it look yummy??? I am not a good cook. My food is not pretty or fancy. But there are a few meals that I do like to make because they always turn out for me.

DH says he heard a robin sing this afternoon. I believe him!!!!

XOXOXOXO Subee

Paper Piecing planning

 I love to paper piece. The results are so precise. But it does take some planning.

I remember when I first started paper piecing. The instructions were so vague and we were told to use "hunks" of fabric. That way is too wasteful and at times when you would fold the fabric, parts of the pattern would not be covered completely.

I have developed my own way to insure the right results. I lay a ruler over the pattern area and measure generously. The minimum you need around an area is 1/4". Live on the edge and use that measurement if you wish. But that also means there is no room for any misalignment or postioning errors. I use a 1/2" allowance. I still do not use much extra fabric and I am always sure that my pattern area is covered perfectly. And since I use squares to cut my pattern pieces the straight of grain is right where it needs to be. Pre-cutting is a time saver too!
But before I cut any fabric I cut the piece from a piece of paper. I write the measurement on the paper piece and lay that over the pattern area to double check. If I am happy I then begin to cut my fabric.

I stack all my cut pieces, like with like as you can see in the picture. I also check them off the master pattern piece. This little bit of planning gives me the edge and I get perfect blocks everytime! If the pattern is really complicated I glue a piece of the correct fabric to the master pattern. I call this my "road map". This was also the term I used during my 31 years of working in the shipping department in a factory. It kept me from retracing my steps and I was always aware of where I was on my orders no matter how complicated they were. I kept advancing in that area until I was the "lead person". I trained all new people coming into the shipping department. I could tell from the first week what part of the area the new person was suited for or NOT AT ALL!

 Isn't this a beautiful block? I used my new Janome DCQ 3160 to do the sewing. She works really good for paper piecing as she has the thread cutter button. I love that button! The only thing I miss on this machine is the knee lift bar that is on the Janome6600P.

I spent the entire day yesterday back in the cutting room sewing on this machine. Hubby keeps complaining that he misses me when I am back there. He is so sweet to want my company even though he is in the other part of the house when I am sewing in my main sewing area in the living room.

I do feel as if I am in a sardine can back in that little room. But I also have a feeling of comimg back home as I used to sew in this room from the beginning. (that was before my fabric collection, sewing machine collection and supplies took over two spare rooms and the entire living room.) I still have my eye on the family room for a longarm machine but Hubby says "NO WAY"!

I know I had posted I was ready to return this machine. I still have not heard back from the sewing machine store about the recall on this machine. Yet I cannot get the machine to foul up again. I worked her hard yesterday. I am a marathon sewer...hours on end. The machine was an angel. And I feel that after 8 solid hours sewing , the machine would have messed up. The machine is powerful and quiet. I can no longer complain about her. And I want to name her. That means she is staying!

 My new Topstitch needles came yesterday. I ordered them through Needlecoop, a Yahoo group. WHOOOHOOO! 200 new needles. These are titanium coated. That adds major time to their use before they get dull. It does add cost to them too. But I am VERY happy with these needles.

Thank you Organ needle company for making these needles!

 My first sighting of a Robin in our front yard. Hubby and I have been hearing them but as of yesterday had not seen one to be sure. The males arrive first. This one is fat and healthy. I offered him some bread and he was not afraid of me.
Today I put some more bread out and he flew down and started enjoying the bread before I was back in the house. I know that they are wild animals. But I really feel an afinity with creatures. I have squirrels that take peanuts from my hand and I am almost positive this bird remembers that "food" comes from this house and he returned from his migration to find it.

 Isn't he a nice chubby Robin?

And the grass almost looks green!

I love my Janomes!