Tea Dying Fabric---NEED HELP!

Hey Y'all,

I need advice and suggestions on the best way to tea dye fabric.
I have a large piece of white fabric,  9 yards, I want to lightly stain with
tea.  I want more of a natural off white color.  I tried a small piece but it came
out darker than I wanted and also a bit streaked.    I failed to soaked the fabric
first!  Here is a picture of the before and after.

I left it to soak longer than I should have.

I want a color lighter than this.  You can't see the streaking in this photo.

I have never tried this before so any tips, techiniques, dos and don'ts are most welcomed.

I hope to get this done sometime today!

This is what I am using it in.  I think it just need more of an

antique color and look to it.

Thanks !

Taxes are filed! Money to spend!

Hey Y'all, 

This has got to be a record for me!  I got our taxes filed today!  YEA!  The good news is we are getting a nice chunk of money back so my mind is going full speed ahead thinking of my next treat to buy myself.
I think I want to buy an small embroidery machine.  Nothing fancy just something I can use to do monograms and names on purses and a few others things.  I really don't want to pay a large amount and really would like to buy a used machine that maybe someone has grown and moved on to a bigger one.

As I have no idea where to start, please offer any suggestions and thoughts you may on what type machine you have or like  or dislike!  I'm  thinking no more that $500 so I am really hoping to find a good used machine.   I have seen the Janome 200E new for about that price but really don't know anything about it.  I need to know what size of the hoop is best, different fonts they have or I can download or buy at a reasonable price.

We have a Shop Hop of sorts this weekend at our civic center so I am hoping to get some good info there too.   This is shopping at many vendors all under one roof!  I can't wait.  I just wish I had my refund back now.  But I guess that is good thing because I would spend way more than I need to.

Who ever thought Quilting would be such an addiction!  I better start looking for a QA group soon!

Krazy Tie Quilt - The last of the Ties -- suggestions wanted please

Here is my third and final quilt using ties from Eddie's Father who passed away about a year ago.

(12.5" squares on my working in progress wall)

This quilt will be for the Eddie's daugther and the granddaughter.

It is going to be a Krazy Quilt of sorts after seeing a pattern in Fons & Porter magazine.

I started with a piece of muslin about 14" and then cut a triangle piece to start with.

I added another piece down one side.

I continued to add pieces one each side and used a piece of

cloth to press open so the heat didn't ruin the silk ties.

Now I need to decide how to finish this. What color / type sashing should I use.  I have used grey in both of the other but they were for men.  This is for the granddaughter so I hope to add a bit "girly" to it some how.

Any suggestions and thought are more than welcomed!  PLEASE!

I also have many points from the both ends of the ties I can use somehow.

Any ideas on what to do with these??

The small ones remind me of prairie points kinda. I probably have about

twenty or so of the big and the smaller ones.

In case you missed the first two I did, here they are.

This was the first one for Eddie.

This one was the second one for his Brother.

Fabric & Book Giveaway!

Hello Quilters!


A while back I met a wonderful lady who was in the process of publishing her
first book! Melinda Evaul and I met thru my blog or facebook and then we met in person. Her novel, Grow Old With Me has now been published and doing well.

Now Melinda is holding a giveaway in thanks for those who have help spread the word about her book. SO I am passing this information on to you!

Celebrate my E-Book Launch

With a Happy Valentine's Day Drawing!

I'm very grateful to those who help spread the word about my novel Grow Old With Me. Paperback sales were good during December. I'm celebrating its launch as an Amazon e-book with a special contest. To reward those who help me promote my book, I've posted a prize on my blog http://www.melindaevaul.com/blog

Visit the blog and read out about the many ways you can accumulate chances to win.

The winner will be announced on my Facebook pages and at

                       http://www.melindaevaul.com on the evening of February 2, 2011


Please take time to visit Melinda's website www.melindaevaul.com and read about her and her writings. Be sure to enter her giveaway! Feel Free to pass on this information to any of your friends who may be interested.

Snow Day and Bird Watching

For some strange reason I thought it would be no problem driving to work today. OH BOY!  I was wrong. Luckily I made it there and back safe and sound but I only drove about 20 mph the entire way. I was really more worried about someone else sliding into me.

Before I could go home, I had to get more bird feed. My husband was worried about the birds not having anything to eat. But I think he was more concerned that Spooker wouldn't have birds to watch. The other day  Spooker  was watching all the birds thru the window and got so tired she fell asleep.

see the empty feeders!

So When I got home I filled up the feeders and the birds came in bunches!

Here are some pictures I took thru the double pane window thru the screen.

It really is fun to sit and watch all the birds.  Usually there are squirrels out there among the birds too.

Got my camera back and now for My Latest Projects

YEA and HURRAY!  I have my camera back!  It died on my a couple of weeks after pictures of our last snow.  Well I got it back just in time for our next big snow starting tonight!  oh yea!  ugh...

I didn't realize how much I used and enjoyed my camera until I didn't have it.  Now that I have it back,
here are a couple of pictures on my latest projects.

This is going to be a hexagon quilt for my son. Or at least that is my intentions. Once I get more

of it together, I will decide for sure.  He had seen a picture of this quilt in an old McCalls

quilting magazine.  I have a stack of these half hexagon pieces that I have to sew in

strips then match up. Not gonna be as easy as I thought it would.

I also started another project this weekend.  I still have many pieces of the ties I have used for two

other quilts and I have one more to make. This will be for the Grand Daughter of the man who wore the ties.  I could quite decide what to do yet.  Today I went to the grocery store to stock up on much needed groceries for the "snow storm" we are suppose to get. You know milk, bread etc...

My daughter works at Food Lion and the people stocking up have been nuts!

Anyway back to the quilt. I was looking at the magazines and saw the Fons & Porter one.

I picked it up and flipped through and found the perfect pattern.

The pattern in the magazine was using flannels and called Flannel Jack.

This is a picture of it from the magazine.  Has a Krazy theme to it!

Here is the pattern layout. The blocks are 13.5" each.

Here are my first to 12.5" blocks using ties on a foundation piece of muslin.

I did these two as trial and error but I really think this is gonna work!

The one on the left is all ties. The right one has a center piece of dark grey fabric similar to

what the pattern calls for. 

Now the only problem is this Krazy snow storm that is going to hit us for a couple of days.

I need more muslin to keep working on this!  I'm out!

Why is it when you get the urge to really go going on a project you don't have

all the parts and pieces you need!

And for all of you who live in states that really have snow storms, my apologies for complaining.

But here in NC we normally don't get much snow or ice here and when we get more than 3"

the news media goes Krazy and then so does all the citizens of this fine town!

But the fireplace is burning, dogs are in the house and all is well!

And the Winner is.... Lindsay!

I finally did the drawing for my giveaway for a copy of Melinda Evaul's Novel,

GROW OLD WITH ME. 

I had wanted Melinda to do the drawing but

I was unable to reach her.  

And the winner is....

LINDSAY!  Her her blog is Savedsinnr@blogspot.com 

I want to thank all of you entered and those who signed up to receive Melinda's newsletter. 

I know Melinda thanks you as well!

Happy Reading Lindsay!

Today is GiveAway Day! Still time to sign up to win!

Today is the day I give away a copy of Melinda Evaul's Novel, Grow Old With Me !

You still have time to sign up to win!  Winner will be chosen at random after 5pm today.

Be sure to visit Melinda's website and sign up to receive her newsletter or follow her blog.

Good Luck !

Begining the New Year

Happy New Year to all!  I hope that this year will be a wonderful journey for you and your family in all you do,and for your love of quilting.  I started mine off cleaning the house with my husband wondering what had gotten into me.  I thought was this year I will try to keep the house clean and straightened up before spending hours quilting and blogging.  THEN... a Friend of mine called to ask if I wanted to go to Hancock Fabrics with her.  Now I couldn't leave a friend stranded by herself so I had to accompany her.  In answer to your question, YES I had to buy some fabric. Well so much of it was 50% off so I had to!

Now the bad part of starting the year off so far is that my camera I received for my birthday has decided to lock up on me.  I thought it was just kinda frozen as the last time I used it was taking pictures of our Christmas Day Snow.  Luckily my husband had purchased the extended warranty with it so on Monday I will take it back to Best Buy and see if they can fix it.  I sure do feel lost with out it.

Lauren, my daughter, gave me The Farmer's Wife sampler book for Christmas and so far I have made eight blocks.  My goal is to get all 111 completed by Christmas 2011. I would post pictures but my camera is broke!   I think I can do this as this is a project that when I want to work on something I can do one block in no time.  But I get the satisfaction of playing with fabric choosing colors, cutting out and sewing it together and the feeling of accomplishment!    I think I can do this! I think I can I think I can..... lol