HST Conquered - Easiest Way To Make Half Square Triangles

Well, this is the easiest way for me to make Half Square Triangles

since I am sewing them by hand.

I didn't realize how tedious it would be to make so many HST.

No drawing of cut lines like this...

Strips marked with cut and seam lines.

I will only be drawing 1/4 seam line on four sides.

Yay!

I didn't want to mess around with dealing with math

so I laid out 4 HST that I had cut from the earlier pattern
and measured... which made about a 5 1/2" square.

So, I cut out a 5 1/2" test square and made some HST.

And the half square triangles came out to be 3 1/2".
Yay!
Well, close enough for me.
I am not going to quibble about 1/16".
I'm not a perfectionist quilter and I don't count threads either.

My first 5 1/2" square made with quilt material.

One light, one dark, right sides together.

After sewing 1/4" around the four sides I cut the square on the diagonal.

Wow!

How easy is that!!! 

I am not an exact quilter so if my blocks come out within 1/2"

of the finished size

then I'm happy and the quilt goes together

and the fabric does a little adjusting and everything still looks great.

I think I have enough of the light material to use as sashing

around the blocks.

I'm aiming for 12 finished blocks.

Then I can start adding sashing around the blocks.

Well, back to sewing.

---

Update:

Click on link to see

Finished quilt.

Finished Broken Dishes Quilt

P.S.

Morgan is fine... she is sleeping.

~:>

Smiles

Two Broken Dishes

If I could end up with one block a day I would be happy.

Today I managed to cut out and sew together

another broken dishes block.

Two more blocks with these two fabrics to go.

Kristine said that instead of Broken Dishes

Tortilla Chips would be a good name for this block

since the triangles look like blue corn and regular tortilla chips.

A Tortilla Chip quilt is a great idea!

But this quilt is going to be made from scrap fabrics

and will have many colors.

A real barrel of broken dishes!

More rain and cold weather is due this week.

The late afternoon sun light was lighting up the tops

of these tall trees.

I can't see any tiny green buds yet.

On my google searches for different ways to make

half square triangles

I found 10 different methods

and there was mention of at least 16.

The method that appeals to me is the one where two squares

of fabric right side together are sewn together

around all four edges with a 1/4 seam

and the the square is cut apart from corner to corner.

That method seems it would be the easiest for hand sewing.

Less marking up of seams and no marking of cut lines.

I'll have to try it out but first I need to

figure out the size square I need to start with

to end up with four 3 1/2" half square triangles.

Quilting is such an adventure!

~:>

Smiles

Stew And Broken Dishes

The stew was something of an experiment because

when I added flour to coat the stew meat it turned out that I had

dumped in oatmeal instead of flour

and when I reached for the four and poured that on top of the oatmeal and

 meat what I was adding was pancake and waffle mix.

I finally found the flour and added that to the mix

and found that the concoction tasted rather good.

(all the packages look the same)

When the stew was almost done

I added a bunch of chopped kale on top

and popped on the lid for about 6 minutes.

Surprise!

All in all it made for a good dinner.

The broken dishes blocks are coming along slowly.

I'm piecing them by hand and marking the fourth inch seams

takes up more time than the sewing.

But I've got one block sewn together

and four more in the works.

These blocks are made using 31" x 3 7/8" strips.

Next I'm going to try the 8" square method to get 3 1/2" blocks.

I'm going to keep looking for other ways to cut/make 3 1/2" blocks.

Hopefully easier?

Gray rainy day today.

Watched Jeeves and Wooster while I worked on the blocks.

~:>

Smiles

Catch Up!

Well, this is as caught up as I'm gonna get today,

which is really tomorrow already.

Here is Genevieve Rose with the little knitted rattle

that her Aunt Kristine sent from Australia,

which Genevieve lost at Disneyland.

But good news!

Disneyland found the rattle and mailed it home

Pretty neat!

Here is another photo of the kids on the porch.

So cute!

I'm working on a Broken Dishes quilt.

These are the first 16 blocks.

Now I need to sew them together.

I think I'm going to like making this quilt.

I have several other quilt tops to quilt.

Getting back into blogging again is going to take some effort.

Since it has been so cold I've been staying in the house

and not doing much.

Hope warmer weather will get me moving!

~:>

Smiles

Welcome March!

March came in like a lamb...

supposedly March 2013 is going to be cold and dry

if the forecasts can be believed... maybe?

I'll have to do a wrap up of February stuff tomorrow

but to tide things over here is a photo

of the

February snow.

I think I jumped the gun hanging that flag hoping for Spring weather.

But the flag is cheery and bright.

The snow is gone... well mostly.

Photos of the March sunshine tomorrow.

I hope!

And February photos I didn't post.

I need to catch up to March.

Smiles

~:>

Grandkids At Play!

Fun in the snow!

~:>

Smiles

Company Coming!

This darling girl and her family will be stopping by tomorrow

for a visit at grandma and grandpa's house.

Lucky us!

~:>

Smiles

New Keyboard And Magic Mouse

Not the greatest photo but I love the new keyboard

and the magic mouse is so neat!

My old USB mouse allowed me to click on things

but the other features were out to lunch.

This mouse is amazing!

And I love the way the keys feel when I'm typing on this keyboard.

The keyboard reminds me of the keys on a laptop.

And

there is the possibility of a new display that will have a camera.

I think the display I have now is just fine except that there is no camera.

So, if the store can find a monitor with the old connection

we will get it for sure.

The new displays have a DVI connector and I don't want to have to

have work done to upgrade the computer.

So, I hope there is a new older display out there for them to find.

Maybe on a shelf in the back somewhere?

Tom also stopped and got a Valentine's Spring themed flag.

I'll have to take a better photo tomorrow.

The wind was blowing and it was very dark.

Also, Tom brought home chocolate!

Smiles!

~:>

Dinner For One

Waiting for dinner

 

of canned dog food and kibble.

 

Last year I had photos of our dinner out at

Cafe Vista to celebrate our anniversary.

How things and taste change!

 

Tonight we opted for

Chicken burgers, fries and coleslaw at home.

Mmmmmmm... Yum!

 

Morgan wearing her new muzzle

with more nose room.

 

 

I'm using the keyboard viewer on the Mac to type this post..

 

I hauled it on top of the photos so I could

Grab capture the online screen keyboard

And show you what I'm clicking on.

 

 

 

It really is great to have this on screen keyboard

built into OS6.

Wish I had a touch screen.

 

I'll have to finish up onBlogsy

because the caps lock isn't working.

 

 

Happy 45th

 

Smiles

 

Posted with Blogsy

Tea cup accident!

Tea cup accident!

I fell asleep at the computer watching a

Last Of The Summer Wine show

and knocked my tea cup over.

The keyboard is not working just right.

Hope it will dry out and be ok tomorrow.

I'm typing this on my iPad and using Blogsy to post.

Morgan's new crate and water dish.

She sleeps in it sometimes when she wants

but I haven't left her in the crate with the door closed.

Morgan tonight asleep in her big bed.

she likes the bolster sides to use as a pillow.

Short post tonight!

Smilesu

Posted with Blogsy

6 More Weeks Of Winter

According to Morgan's shadow

on this Groundhog Day

there will be 6 more weeks of Winter.

Don't believe in the prediction necessarily,

but it is a fun tradition.

This tree has kept a lot of its Fall leaves.

I had to try and capture

the leaves shining like gold in the sunlight.

Most of the oaks have lost all their leaves

and look bare and dark.

Morgan is still doing well.

She wants to sleep a lot and not take

very long walks but she is feeling better.

Tom brought home Chinese dinners and

a beautiful apple pie

from Ikeda's.

to say

Happy Anniversary!

Hard to believe but in two days

we will have our

45th wedding anniversary.

~:>

I Love Pomegranates!

Pomegranates are in season and while they are available
I'll eat one every day.
They are even more fun to eat than slices of watermelon.

This is how a I eat them:

I slice the pomegranate in quarters and pull it apart.

Put the quarters on a paper towel in a large bowl and then

tease and nibble the juicy seeds out of their sections.

The bowl works to catch the seeds I drop.

Don't want to waste any!

So good!

The chickens are enjoying warming themselves in the sunshine.

I put back up the Autumn flag.

I really need to get a winter flag that isn't Christmas themed.

Morgan is holding her own and getting along with her new diet.

She isn't any peppier yet but she is ok.

~:>

Smiles

Oops! Paper Towel Snack!

Last night I found this paper towel on the floor. Someone (not me) left it on the coffee table. Morgan luckily only ate the middle portion. The vet said that the paper towel shouldn't cause a problem. Sure hope Morgan is not going to get sick again. The vet said I could add kibble to her canned food tonight. 

I couldn't find any muzzles except plastic ones that had openings that Morgan could manage to stuff tasty bits through and eat and then get sick. So, I sewed a piece of pink cloth over the end of the black cloth soft muzzle I had that had an open end. The cloth covering the opening is working out very well. The cloth is very thin material that lets Morgan breathe easily. I would love to find a mesh muzzle with a solid piece over the nose area.

Morgan still tires after her walks and goes back to bed when we return to the house. I'm hoping that adding the kibble to her meals will give her a bit more energy. If all goes well, I'll add up to a cup of kibble, some non fat chicken broth and a half a can of her special dog food to make up her meals.

Morgan used to hurry along the paths stopping here and there to sniff out stuff under the leaves along the way. Now she walks slower and she seems happy to get back in the house.

Here is a path I raked before the rain and snow slowed me down. I like walking on the path when it is covered with leaves, but the leaves hide branches, pine cones, rocks, etc., that I can trip on, so I opt for raked paths. I like the exercise I get raking all those leaves; and I think the raked paths look pretty.

Tom left yesterday and today attended a funeral. I was holding the fort here to take care of Morgan and also I needed to feed and walk Tom's husky. I don't usually ever walk Lucky because is powerful and can run away with me or jerk me off my feet. Lucky is just a big happy goofy fellow that doesn't mean any harm, but I have to be careful  when I walk him. I managed to stay upright this time.

Hope Morgan is going to be able to digest the kibble alright and won't be sick again. Tricky business trying to feed her. 

~:>

Smiles

Morgan Has Pancreatitis

Morgan has been very sick and spent 3 days at the veterinary clinic. She has pancreatitis and must be on a strict bland diet. She is starting to feel better and seems to be getting some energy back, but she lost weight

and a lot of sleep... me too.

Morgan has to wear a muzzle when I take her outside for walks so she doesn't eat anything that will set off her pancreas and that means she is an inside dog from now on... poor Morgan. No more running around after squirrels and watching the chickens.

She is such a sweet little dog. I'm glad she likes her new food.

I haven't been taking photos lately, but I thought I would post some of the Christmas photos that were in my camera. I wasn't going to post until next week, but I found these photos and thought why not just go with these.

Here is a photo of me wearing my Christmas Ugg boots. The bed is piled up with quilts because it got very cold. Morgans big soft bed is at my feet.

Snowy even.

But mostly it was just cold and icy.

I had to make sure to break the ice on the chickens water and bring them warm water to drink when it was that cold.

The chickens have their nice new feathers and they don't seem to mind the cold at all.

Here is a photo of the first snow falling on the new deck.

Pretty, but cold. I did have to be very careful walking on the icy deck and almost took a spill or two but managed to stay upright. Tricky. The deck doesn't look slippery when it is icy. I have learned to walk very close to the house where the ice has melted and watch my step on the way to the gate.

Thought I would add a December photo of the warm weather before Christmas taken from the car as we took a trip down to visit family in the low lands.

We were able to visit with family over the holiday and also were fortunate to have my sister and niece stay with us for a short time.

Hope they can come again soon and stay longer!

I have been getting a few things done around here. Not much.

All the Christmas stuff is packed away for another year.

About a third of the paths are raked clear. But I still also have the driveway areas and the garage roof to rake.

I tell myself that I'm waiting until it stops raining/snowing and until the weather warms up a bit.

I also do a lot of telling myself to get busy with my sewing and get to work on doing some quilting. But...

Until then I'm enjoying playing computer games. I do need to get back to reading blogs, taking photos and posting on this blog. 

~:>

Smiles

There weren't many smiles when Morgan was sick.