Chicken Mug Rug

I have been reading about Mug Rugs and have found several very good tutorials online for different types.

First I thought about making a place mat, and I decided to make a chicken themed mat to use with my tea cups and snack.

The mug rugs I saw were a bit smaller than I wanted and a place mat was too large, so I came up with this design and size that is just right for a cup and a snack.

Well, it is just right for me.

Kristine brought home 

a bunch of boxes 

of 

Girl Scout Cookies.

I just had to raid the boxes

for the photos... yum!

I was going to make the back out of scraps and use up some of the fabric waste. Next time...

The brown fabric has hearts on the right side and arrows on the reverse. I'm sure the arrows are not supposed to be used, but I think they are cute, so I put a piece in wrong side up.

Oh!... I can't lie... it was a mistake... I made an oops... but still the arrows look ok and it kinda looks like a plan. I like it!

I like this solid color

chicken mug rug

because it shows up the shape 

of the chicken better

or doesn't look so confusing

or I just like it better?

Anyway this is my favorite!

Timberrrr!

Missed the fence by a few feet. Glad I wasn't walking under it when it fell.

Poor little tree... well, it's not little, about 40/50 feet, but still a young tree. I guess the winds and snow load were too much for it to bear.

Still haven't gotten back to working on the quilt, but I have been:

1. planning some neat projects: an apron, mug rugs, tea cozy and some place mats.

2. rereading a set of David Weber Honor Harrington books.

3. and I have been letting a finger on my right sewing hand calm down. First time one of the finger joints got upset and swollen from too much hand sewing. I guess that was my birthday present. No more marathon hand sewing.

Raining today, but still looks like the photo, and rain and snow forecast. Really don't think we will get much snow tomorrow, but you never know.

Well, I'm going to go heat up the chicken soup I made yesterday and make some tea. Kristine brought home pizza. Guess she has had it with the chicken soup.

Quilt Batting!

100% Cotton Needled Batting!

Kristine brought it home and tossed it on me. I was in bed at the time. I guess I will have to get up tomorrow and go back to work on the quilt back.

I still have to add a few more rows and some side strips.

I think I'm feeling better.

The weather is warming. We have gone from snow to rain. I love the sound of the snow sliding off the roof. It sounds like a train coming through.

Well, time to make some tea and head off back to bed. I want to feel good enough to start sewing in the morning. I've been dreaming about sewing.

Morgan Is Clean And OK

I didn't see rain or snow today because I was asleep. After I saw Kristine out the gate and off to work this morning, Morgan and I went back to bed.

Morgan went back to sleep because she is a dog and takes advantage of any opportunity to take a snooze.




I went back to bed and slept all day because I am trying to get rid of my cough/cold thing.

Kristine got rid of this dumb cold, but I just seem to stay tired... not sick... and cough a bit.

Maybe I really do need the sun to come back and warm things up so I can get outside and breathe some Spring air.

Morgan is not limping anymore! And she is clean and smells like doggie perfume. I think she would rather smell like cat pee. Too bad, Morgan!

Screamer (Light Brahma) and Morgan

Still sewing on the quilt back so here are some photos I took recently.

I really like the Light Brahmas. The two we have are big healthy hens and lay lovely brown eggs. That is Curly the Cochin standing to the rear of Screamer. I read that Brahmas were developed using Cochins and other breeds. They do look a bit similar as far as they are nice round hens.

Morgan is on the extra bed

that Kathleen used.

She doesn't usually get on the furniture

and she has three beds of her own,

but I guess the opportunity

was too good to pass up.

I snuck up on her with the camera.

She does look a little guilty.

Squares For A Quilt Back

The chickens are ticked off having to stay in their pen and not even able to scratch in the snow this year. The tarp I put over the pen has worked very well to keep the snow out and even better to keep the rain out. I really don't like a muddy chicken pen.

I take Morgan out on a lead otherwise she gets too cold and wet. She has fun in the snow, but she makes a mess of herself. Tomorrow she goes to the groomer. It will be nice to have a non smelly dog.

I have been working on making a quilt backing instead of blogging. Not much reading or commenting on blogs has been going on. I am trying to get back to posting everyday. Hope the power stays on.

Kristine wanted 6" finished squares... so that's what I have been doing... cutting them out, laying them out in groups of 13, marking the 1/4 seam allowances and pinning and sewing the rows together. The backing does look a lot better in real life.


The only thing I will need to finish this quilt is batting. I want to find some 100% cotton batting... don't like the synthetic stuff. I have some leftover pieces of batting, but I don't think I have enough. Wish I had bought several bags of batting when I had access to a quilt shop.

I made stew on the wood stove. Smells so good. I want some comfort food.  I think I will make some buttermilk biscuits tomorrow. Trouble is I want to eat them all. Biscuits do not help keep the pounds off. Sure do taste good though.

Rain and snow due tomorrow and Thursday. I'm enjoying winter. The Christmas decorations and tree are still up. Seems like they belong what with all the snow. I'll pack them away once the snow is gone.

1 egg today.

Thawing Out?

There was snow!
The power was out... no computer... bummer.

But, the wood stove kept us warm. The chickens didn't seem to care much about the cold weather. They just wanted out of the pen. Sorry chickens. No playing in the snow.

There was a goodly helping of snow. Kristine couldn't make it home and was fortunate to be able to stay with friends. Kathleen and family got off the mountain and away before the storm hit. The sun came out with forecast for sun, clouds, rain and maybe more snow. Maybe?

Getting out to the shed for chicken feed and then making it back and forth from the chicken coop is hard work for me to stay upright stomping in the snow.

But the trickiest part for me of getting around in the snow wasn't falling down or getting stuck.


It was trying to keep the vinyl trousers up!

I guess all the knee stomping action kept pulling them down.

Tricky trying to carry water, chicken feed, hold up your pants and not fall down in the snow.

Pajamas are regulation wear for cold weather. At least they are for me.

No eggs today.

And I had my 70th birthday. Happy Birthday to me!

Winter Came Back... snow!

I'm glad to have the cold days back and the snow.

The temp is up to 32 and there is some melting going on, but there is more snow due the next two weeks.

We are only at around 3000 feet and so don't get the heavy winter snows that are dumping higher up the mountains.

This time I remembered and left the gate open because after a snow I would have to shovel clear a place to move it. Don't really want to do that.

I did move the chicken's feeders inside and filled up a pot of warm water.

They are lucky hens and had some chopped up leftover steak and fresh broccoli for treats.

No eggs, but I saw an Australorp in a nest box, so maybe an egg later?

The kids are away on a side trip, but will be back for my birthday. Forecast is for a sunny day. Rains may come and melt all the snow by then. Sure doesn't take long for the snow to melt. I would just as soon have a snowy birthday except I don't want the kids to have to drive through bad weather.

Real Snow!

Yep, snow!

The ruler says 9 inches this morning. I think we made the 15 inches forecast and maybe a little more.

We are supposed to get rain and snow for two more days. Who knows? Maybe the the rain will melt all the snow and we will be back to the goofy Spring weather?

I haven't got back to working on the quilt yet, but I did make it to a quilt store. More about that next post.

I'm liking the snow. The chickens are dry, warm and well fed, but only one egg today.

Hail!

Hail, but not large hail. It was more rice size. The kids thought it was a fun experience being out in the hail.

The wind blew the cover off the wood in the wheelbarrow last night. Wet wood is not fun when trying to light the wood stove.

I dumped the water out and wheeled the barrow out to the wood shed, filled the barrow half full and kept it covered to keep it dry in transit.

After I wheeled the barrow back to the house and parked it next to the slider the kids helped me carry wood to fill the barrow. Nice having help.

Tonight the barrow is covered with a tarp weighted down with heavy wood to keep the wood dry. I hope.

I'm glad winter is back. Spring in February is kinda weird.

Quilt Top Is Finished!

It is hard to see the red border against the wood floor. I'll try to get a photo of the top outside tomorrow.

Kristine picked out a number of fabrics she likes and I'm cutting up around eighty six and a half squares to piece to make up a backing piece.





I cut up some cabbage and gave it to the hens along with some carrot peelings.

Kathleen and family are coming tomorrow to visit. I'll post when I find the time. And I hope to find some time to keep working on the quilt backing.

Kathleen seems to be bringing some wet weather with her. Maybe even some snow.

Peek at the Past

(February 12, 2010)

I'm ready for snow again this year.

It is weird having this spring weather.

[4 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Light Quilt Border

The light fabric won out over the dark print. Kristine and I both decided that the dark fabric brought a somber note to the quilt. Not a good thing.

I want this to be a happy quilt. A quilt to snuggle under when reading a book or messing about with computer or Ipad.

Or... even a quilt that would bring a cheery feeling to one down with a cold. A cozy quilt.

I use the same method to measure the length of the border strips. I cut two strips. I lay one strip down through the middle of the quilt and mark the edge with a pin.

I then lay that strip down on the other strip... careful not to stretch the fabric... and cut both strips at the marked spot.

I have the six inch red border strips cut and ready to sew tomorrow.

The red fabric looks great with the light strip. I can't wait to see how this quilt will look. And I keep changing my mind about how to put the quilt sandwich together and finish the quilting.

I guess I'll just keep on as I have... making up my mind as I go along.

I'm liking this quilt top much better 

as it comes together.

Morgan didn't limp today

so Kristine didn't take her to the vet.

I think she might take Morgan on Monday

just to make sure Morgan is ok.

Peek at the Past

(February 10, 2010)

[2 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Quilt Top Needs A Border

This is how I measure how long to make the side strips. I lay a strip down the middle and cut two that length.

I have the side strips sewn on the quilt top and I'm trying to make the choice of border fabric. I have several fabrics I would like to use, but I don't have enough fabric. I need a yard and a quarter for the border.

I like the dark fabric, but it does tone down the overall feel of the quilt.

I'm leaning more toward the red fabric. I'll wait to make the final decision until tomorrow when I can get some sunlight on the quilt.

Colors look different under lamp light. I'll wait until tomorrow to start cutting fabric.

Maybe I'll put a narrow strip of the dark fabric around the top and then put a wide border of red. And I have been thinking of trying out the quick turning method of putting the quilt layers together. Neat thing about that would be I wouldn't have to put on any binding. I'll take photos.

Morgan has been sleeping most of the day and not limping. Well, I don't see her limp. Kristine says she thinks she is favoring her left foot. Sometimes I think she does and sometimes not.

Kristine says she limps when she first gets up. Maybe. Well, tomorrow will tell the story. If Kristine thinks Morgan has a foot problem then she'll take Morgan to the vet.

I'll get to stay home and work on the quilt!

Peek at the Past

(February 10, 2010)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Morgan May Have To Go To The Vet

Morgan stayed in the house today, but she still has a limp sometimes... mostly when she first gets up. We found what we think might be a puncture wound, but now all we can see is a small dried scab.

So, Friday she will have to take a trip to the vet unless she stops limping. Poor Morgan. She has three acres of stuff to step on and hurt herself. Maybe I should get her some dog  booties?

Morgan will have to stay inside until we find out what's wrong or she recovers. Maybe the problem is a sprain?

The chickens are not happy having to stay in their pen. I gave them lots of scratch today. They'll get some cabbage tomorrow.

I sewed the horizontal lattice strips on the four panels of quilt blocks. I just laid the four panels out on the bed so I could get a photo.Tomorrow I'll sew the panels together, sew on the side lattice strips and pick out a border color. Red? Dark blue?

I tried out every fabric I have until I found the lattice fabric that worked the best with the blocks. It will be easier to pick out a border color after I get this part stitched together. I know why people buy color coordinated fabrics for quilting. It is so hard for me to pick and mix and match the different fabrics I have.

I did separate the fabrics into color groups, but it is still hard for me to tell which fabrics will work together.

Peek at the Past

(February 9, 2010)

[2 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles