Thursday, January 08, 2009

odds 'n ends

have you seen this blog??? i feel like i hit the jackpot when i found this site.
today i am trying out the taco soup recipe.
more crock pot use=more quilting time!!!
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several of you had asked if i could pick a favorite quilt from 2008. no, i can't. my least favorite was the green quilt. it turned out ok, but i don't LOVE it.
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in my new year's post i said i was going to make fewer lap quilts, since i have 20. did you know that all 20 of them are in use throughtout my home at this time? none are sitting in my quilt cupboard. not one. granted, my boys have 5 or 6 quilts each on their bed right now. they love quilts, just like their mama. (insert large cheesy grin here.) i just might toss out that goal...
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my daughter (2) has been calling me "sir" the last few days. she cracks me up. it makes me think that she's been watching too much Charlie Brown lately.
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and did you know...I LOVE TO STIPPLE????


i really, REALLY do.

63 comments:

Unknown said...

Isn't it nice to know that all your quilts are well loved. It is just like that in my home too!! (cheesy grin here too!) Being a long arm quilter, I can honestly tell you that stippling is one of my least favorite things to quilt, but I still do it.

Ali said...

I have been following the crockpot lady for the last year. She has come up with some amazing recipes for the crockpot. Although her challenge of using the crockpot is over I hope she continues to share recipes!

Alissa said...

Oh how I love to stipple too! I could stipple and stipple and stipple all day long. It's my favorite part - it's like you watch the quilt come together as you do it!

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

I can't stipple for the life of me. I like the randomness of it but I just can't get it!

Jen

Heather said...

1st: love the 365 blog. she not only cooks in her crock pot but does cool stuff like melts crayons.

2nd: how do you stipple with what appears to be a 'normal' machine. i always feel like i have too much quilt when i am just strait stitch quilting. help me please. :D

Amanda Jean said...

heather,

my machine has a much larger throat than most for that purpose. it's much easier to fitthe bulk of the quilt in between the needle and the machine. i just work around the bulk...i wish i could help you more!

aj

Jennifer said...

That taco soup recipe is awesome! It's one of several I've tried, and it's absolutely the best one.

I can't comment on the stippling cause I'm a newbie, and haven't gotten that far on my first quilt. Pretty sure my machine can't do it anyways... or maybe it's just me. :)

Sarah said...

i love your green quilt! and your stippling. i need to practice that more.

MelissaS said...

You're a "stippling sir"! Ha ha! Don't you love what kids say? My 9 and 7 year olds are working on their "New Year's ReVolutions."

Susan said...

Amanda, you taught me to love stippling. I was afraid of it before I saw your tutorial. Now I just relax and enjoy it. I just stipple-quilted a twin sized quilt, something I never believed I would be able to do.
Thanks again!

Thimbleanna said...

Ha! Was that "love to stipple" comment in retaliation 'cause I said I don't love to stipple LOL??? IMHO, you can NEVER have too many lap quilts. We need several for every room -- especially in the winter!

Tine said...

I love you stipple stitch too :)

Philigry said...

thanks for the link to that site! crockpot meals are the best, especially this time of year!

Mama Urchin said...

I can't stipple so I'm really glad that you can! I got the box you sent and I love it even more in person.

The Demanding Doll said...

Hey! Thanks for sharing the crockpot site. I just bought one yesterday. Just for the "I can quilt longer reason". :)

Blakely said...

There can never be to much Charlie Brown.

Roxanne said...

Sir! Ha! Sydney loves to watch Charlie Brown too. We borrow them from the library, but she never wants to get the ones that go with the current season. Over Christmas we watched the Easter one!

Sweet Em said...

I've never stippled but I watched your video tutorial and am pumped to try it. In fact I had a dream two nights ago that I was in the midst of quilting a grid pattern in a quilt and inexplicably I started stippling...it was actually sort of stressful, but still funny!

Sara said...

AmandaJean - I've been to that cooking blog!!!! And, I found this one:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/

it's pretty good too....

Jessica said...

If there isn't a single quilt in your quilt cupboard then by all means you MUST MAKE MORE!! :D I've been practicing my stippling and its not so good yet, but I can bet that I will become addicted to it once I get a little better at it.

Its funny that you mentioned "hitting the jackpot" when you found that blog (which I'm headed over to check out) because I have used those exact same words before when describing finding your blog! :D

Carrie P. said...

I have a dish in my crockpot as I write this. I am going to check out her blog. Thanks.

Laural said...

I love to stipple too! I was gifted with a jelly roll of moda's 1974 fabric so I'm going to do this pattern with smaller blocks.

Jacqueline deRuyter said...

Haha! I had to laugh when you said you hit the jackpot when you discovered that site. I felt the same way when I found your blog! I'm a mom and I love to quilt (though I don't spend as much time doing it as I used to.) I spent waaayyyy too much time that evening reading your back posts and admiring all of your quilts. Thanks for sharing!

Anina said...

Thanks for the link. I LOVE my crockpot!

CAB said...

Oh, to spend a day with you and just watch and glean!!! So glad I found your blog awhile back - it's one of my favorites!!

Team Sax said...

It's funny because your green quilt is my favorite of the year! I love checking in on your blog often and wish I had more time to quilt myself.

I want to stipple, but am worried that I will completely mess up a quilt that I worked so hard to get together in the first place. Also, my back stitches always look funky. I will keep trying!

I put up a new baby quilt I just made. Not nearly as gorgeous as yours, but you serve as great inspiration for my future quilting self.

Claire

Stephanie ODea said...

Amanda Jean, thank you for your nice words and for the link to my blog.
xoxo
Have a phenomenal 2009!
steph

Gretchen said...

Would you ever stipple for money?

I love most everything about quilting - picking the fabrics, the pattern, cutting, sewing, pressing, putting the binding on... But the actual quilting? Ugh.

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

SIR, that just cracks me up, thanks for the smile!!

Sara said...

Thanks for the crock pot blog tip. I am always looking for new crock recipes.

The quilt looks great! I found your blog and it's keeping me inspired! Thanks.

Beth said...

I do love my crockpot, so I will have to check that out.

Strangely enough, my two-year-old has been saying "YES, SIR!" This week. Maybe it's something on the two-year-olds grapevine??

Anita D. said...

The real question is, "did you put the corn in?"

Sounds like a good recipe, but I'd probably halve it for us.

MichelleB said...

LOVE that crockpot site! I love my crockpot, and to have someone else test the recipes - well, what can I say. If the quilts are being used, I say, make some more!

lera said...

Spenser and Sawyer have been known to call me "sir," as well. hee hee hee

Maybe it is Peppermint Patti influenced.

aSprinkling said...

I want to stipple a quilt soon. Can you give us lots of tips, instructions, etc. to help anybody who wants to begin?

Kate/Massachusetts said...

I'm a newbie. How does one stipple? Any tips/tricks?

Anonymous said...

I've got to give that stipp;ing a try, I'm so afraid I'm going to ruin a quilt top.eeekkk

Katie K said...

You know what I need to see? Video of you stippling a quilt- I don't see how you can make the pattern so tight! I know that's like asking a magician to reveal his secrets, but pleeeeeeaaassssseee, pretty please?

Anonymous said...

you are most definitely the queen of stippling! love that new quilt. now i'm off to check out the crock pot site, thanks!

Unknown said...

I am just learning to stipple...but it is a lot of fun.

Marlene

Alana Jo said...

I love that crockpot site too. Ive visited it, many times.

the Campfollower said...

My kids all have a stack of quilts on their bed too...They think they need a bunch to sleep with. Fine by me! The quilting is my favorite part of quilt making. I LOVE stippling/meandering....so darn soothing!
xo,
Tia

Anonymous said...

Love your blog, too!
As a die hard hand quilter, I always thought stippling was a way of cheating, LOL! Though it did always intrigue me. With your tutorial and videos on Youtube, I gave it a go on a twin size quilt, very similar to your flea market type quilts. I stippled all the borders and hand quilted the squares, for pop. It turned out bee-u-tee-ful, first try! Anyone wanting to give it a go, try it out with just plain fabric, if need be. There are many tutorials on line and yahoo has some some sewing groups that are most helpful! Who knew my new machine could do so much?!!
Too bad quilts are finished SO much quicker! I'm struggling for more ideas, and people to give them to!

a friend to knit with said...

okay, sir. i love that you shared the crock pot lady.
i have been SEARCHING for good crock pot recipe's!!

my charlie would love a stack of quilts on his bed......can he move in??? :)

BitnByAQuiltingBug said...

And in my humble opinion....you are the Queen of Stippling! Thanks again for all your help with the stippling. I finally located my camera and posted of pic of my first decent stippling job thanks to your video. Yipppeeeee....I'm doing the happy dance!
Regina

kristyn said...

I love the whole stippling thing and it turned out pretty good for the wall hanging I made my mom all except that the bobbin thread was doing something funky. I really need to figure why...maybe a tension issue? Anyways my goal is to get my quilts to look as good as yours!

Renee said...

These chilly days are the best for using the crock pot. There's nothing nicer then a well used and loved quilt!

Sarah said...

I just discovered the crock pot blog too, and it is great. I also found a wonderful book with tons of crockpot recipes - Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. I highly recommend it!

Mandy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mandy said...

I just got a new crock pot for Christmas and looking up recipes for it was on my to do list. So, thanx for your help with that!

Ever since I saw your quilt cupboard I have been green with envy. Quilts in use around the house is great - but to hoard them in my very own cupboard... the thought gives me butterflies!!! Hopefully, with the help of my new crock pot, I'll get there some day.

Unknown said...

Hope you've enjoyed your stippling Sir! :)

Anonymous said...

do you know I have never used a crock pot? I know I should, but I just haven't. Maybe this will be the year :)

Your stippling is gorgeous so I believe it when you say you love it.

Nice job, sir :)

Hannah said...

I have been enjoying the crockpot site this year. I love my crockpots! Crockpots = more sewing time...

Love the flea market quilt!

Natalie said...

Stippling is fun! I love that even when you "mess up" it doesn't really look like you did. The other type of quilting I like is the random loopy loops one. Is there a name for that one? Depending on the fabric used I sometimes do that as well.

Kerri said...

thanks for sharing about the crockpot site!

your quilt is looking lovely. i have stippled two quilts now and am ready to start my third. it's addicting!! :)

Chara Michele said...

I LOVE to stipple too :) Honestly when I first starting practicing my stippling, I thought I would have it, but I absolutely love it. It really is quite addicting :)

jacquie said...

and you're good at it too! i'm still struggling managing the bulk of the quilt. i'm pretty good on small things, but big things give me trouble.

Anonymous said...

my 2-year-old daughter calls me sir, too! not in lieu of mommy, but rather when i ask her to do (or not do) something, she replies with a firm "yes sir!"

Rebekah said...

thanks for the crock pot blog link! I really need to try that out for some better meal planning!

Jackie's Stitches said...

Everything I put in a crockpot ends up tasting like cardboard. I think I'm going to use my crock for yarn dyeing!

I make a version of the taco bean soup. We love it - even my die hard junk food junkie teenager! It's about the only way I can get a veggie in him!

Threeundertwo said...

How great that your kids love your quilts so much! We have them stacked all over the house too. My kids don't like seeing movies in theaters because they don't have quilts there.

Judy said...

ME TOO!!! I do other things too but I always love a quick easy stipple!

sulu-design said...

It warms my heart to no end that your boys love quilts. How unbelievable cute!
And your daughter calling you sir is hysterical. Does she know how funny she's being?