Outdoor Quilts

We have a porch that goes across the front of our house. It's about 48 feet long. I'd like one of these to hang:

(pictures from porch swings.com)I'd like to put a quilt on my porch. I've thought of making one out of my scraps. I figure I don't need a complicated design, just one to bring some color and make the porch look homey. Here's my big question...... will it get ruined on the porch? The porch is covered so I'm not worried about rain, but what about sun damage? We have big trees in the front yard so there would be just a small part of the day when the sun was directly on it, but I'm still wondering...... What do you think?

If I could, I would decorate my whole yard in quilts!

More About Me (because I'm sure you've been wanting to know!)

I just remembered that I had a list of 25 things I posted on my other blog as a tag. Here they are (sorry, some of them are the same as I already wrote).

1- Right now I'm sitting here in the dark. Why? It got dark as I was sitting here and I haven't bothered to turn on the lights.

2- Sometimes on Saturdays and Sundays when our kids don't get naps we put them to bed between 6-7.

3- I got up and worked out at 6 four times this week. The fifth time I had planned on it I was up for several hours in the night because Jeff was working and Jake kept waking up.

4- When I wake up after about 4am I can't get back to sleep for a few hours. It's always been like that. I had a love/hate relationship with sleepovers because of this growing up. I loved to go be with friends, but hated laying there awake at their houses.

5- I think the key to loving where you live is your neighborhood. If you love your neighborhood, you can make due with your house, even if it's not perfect. We absolutely love our neighborhood here and hope we never have to move again.

6- I'm better at updating my quilt blog then updating this blog.

7- I have always wanted lots of kids. I had planned on 6-8. It's looking doubtful that will happen though.

8- Because it's looking doubtful I've become passionate about adoption. I love talking to other adoptive couples.

9- If I ever went back to work full time I'd like to go back to school and get a degree in social work or something else so I could work for an adoption agency instead of teaching elementary again.

10- I honestly check several agencies available situations pages multiple times a day (can't miss a new posting) in case our next baby is posted.

11- I love helping at Caleb's school. It also reminds me of why I taught 5th grade instead of kindergarten.

12- I don't like to stop reading. If I'm reading a book I don't like to be interupped. I'd rather just read the whole thing straight through. This presents a problem as I have more obligations than time to read. I've had to limit my reading to one book every other week so my family doesnt' get ignored too much. Although last Monday and Tuesday I read a book and I've already started another one......

13- I can't stand to sleep with my elbows bent. I just find it irrating and uncomfortable.

14- I've mentioned this before, but I'm running out of new stuff..... There are three main things I can't stand in a movie: talking animals ( seriously? that is totally fake!), the Nazi's (too scary, although the book from Monday and Tuesday was about them), aliens ( again, who are we kidding? That's about as fake as it gets) and it seems like there is someting else too but I can't remember right now. I'll have to ask Jeff.

15- My favorite tv show used to be the Office, but I'm afraid it's going downhill.

16- If I ever move again I'm going to find a place where it only snows between December 15 and January 2. After that I'd like it to be at least 70. Actually at this point I'd settle for a balmy 45.

17- I just asked Jeff for an idea for #17. He said I refuse to call for pizza delivery.

18- The word cappillary grosses me out. I think of veins popping and blood squirting out. ( also supplied by Jeff)

19- Jeff again- I can't handle brushing my rubbing fingertips. It makes me picture the fingerprints rubbing together.

20- Growing up I HATED to call guys. In fact, I never did unless I was calling them back. I did not ask them out until we had reached the phase we could actually call it " dating" then I felt like I had to do something to recipicate. It made me way too nervous. In fact, I didn't even call the guys I was good friends with. I probably didn't call Jeff on the phone for a good two months after we started dating, as in seeing each other every day for hours on end and on kissing terms. Emailing or talking to them in person didn't bother me, but I refused to talk to them on the phone. In fact, in college my roommates and I stole all one of our guy friends food (ok, so he only owned peanut butter). We realized the next day was Fast Sunday and he was coming over to our house for dinner so he may not notice until Monday that his pb was gone. I was voted by my roommate to call him and invite him over to our apartment to make peanut butter cookies and ask him if he would supply the peanut butter. He told us he knew something was up the second he found out it was me on the phone because I never called guys as a general rule.

21- Caleb has just supplied that I like fabric.

22- Jeff says I think the sewing machine store counts as an electronic store (my sewing machine is computerized so I think it totally counts). I did tell him one day that I needed to go to the electronic store. Then I guided him to the Bernina shop. He didn't love that.

23- When I was an RA in college only one of my roommates (Becca) and I were home one weekend. I think it was a three day weekend or something because most people had gone home. Whenever I had to walk through the dorm I hadn't gone down the basement because the lights were off, plus it was a little scary down there. As I was laying in bed I started to feel guilty for not going down there when it was time to kick guys out. I was telling my roommate this and we heard a door slam and looked out the window to see a guy get into a car. We talked ourselves into thinking it could be a murderer or something. We needed something to defend ourselves with. I knew I couldn't stab anyone with a knife so we grabbed forks. It seemed more humane. Then we checked the basement together. Fortunatly, the dorm was murderer free.

24- Supplied by Jeff again...... I get grossed out by my own blood. I start to feel faint. I once cute my finger with a rotary cutter and about passed out. Literally. Not from the pain, but becasue I kept thinking of the way it felt as I was slicing through my finger. I really thought I was going to throw up.

25- I have terrible handwritting. In fact one of 5th graders tried to give me a compliment once. She told me she loved my handwritting because it wasn't perfect like all the other teachers. I tried to remember it was a compliment.

A Favorite Tool of Mine and a Little Bit of Info

I've not been in a super sewy mood lately. I think part of the problem is that I've been working on a Christmas quilt and to be honest I've had it with the winter weather. The last four days here in Utah we've had spring like weather. I heard though that today we should get to about 55 degrees so that's all for now! I've had it and in protest I'm putting away my Christmas quilt. Yes, I started yet another quilt before I had the first finished. Why? Summery fabric. I am making it out of Sweet . I needed a change. I don't have the first block done yet. I was going to applique it by hand. We'll see..... it may be time to whip out the invisible thread and do it by hand. I'll post a picture when I'm done appliqueing the first block.

One of my friends does a Recommended Consumer Item of the Week on her blog. Probably not every week, but I love it when she does. She always makes me laugh with her love of products. Although I'm not witty like she is, I thought I'd post about the tools I like best when I haven't written for awhile.

Although this isn't necessarily my #1 favorite it really is quite handy. I was making my first apron one day and when I was turning the ties right side out it took me almost an hour for just one skinny little tie. Well.... that was not worth the effort. I remembered something about this that I saw somewhere so I went to JoAnn's and asked if they had anything to help. Sure enough they had these amazing turner outer things. I can't remember what they are called though. Since that one apron I have found quite a few uses for these. They came in a set of three sizes.

When I put away my double wedding ring quilt for the first time it was because I was sick and tired of turning the bands. Not any more my friends! This turns them right side out quick as a wink!

I was reading Sherri's blog today and she has some facts about her. I thought it was fun to get to know the person behind the quilts so I decided to add a few of my own.

1- Before my kids were born I taught 5th grade. I graduated from college when I was 21 and started teaching when I was 22. I taught until a few days after my 25th birthday, then school was out for the summer. I loved my class that year and was sad to see them go. They kept asking me if they could come help me the next school year. Although we had just been approved for adoption I knew in my heart we would be getting a baby boy that summer. Sure enough we did. I didn't tell anyone I was quitting or even that he was coming in the three weeks we knew before he was born. These things fall through all the time and I didn't want to talk about it if it fell through. Caleb was born in July. I hadn't bought much for him (in case it fell through I did not want to have baby stuff laying around and no baby to go with them). Jeff's mom came over and I needed a few more things so Jeff and I ran to the store while grandma babysat. I had planned on going in on Monday to talk to my principal and tell him I was quitting. Caleb was not quite a week old. Well.... we saw him at Walmart. He saw the baby stuff in my cart and I told him. Then Jeff announced that I was quitting. And so I quit at Walmart about three weeks before school started. Fortunately he was very excited for us!

2. I have sang and been in choirs all my life. My parents met in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and we were always doing some kind of music thing when I was growing up. When I was younger I was in The Salt Lake Children's Choir (there is a sample of music). I like very classical, but I also love to be in musicals. I hadn't had time to be involved with music while I was in college and I didn't want to take away time with Jeff when I finished and he was still going. As soon as he graduated were in Oklahoma together, which is not my favorite musical.
We are the couple in the back. I haven't been in anything since Caleb was born. Jeff has to be on call for work so he can't do it so I 'd have to do it without him, which would be fine but practices are usually every night and that's just too much time away from my family. Someday I'd like to do it again.

I'm late to meet friends to go for a walk, but I'll come up with some other things for later.

The Great Hexagon Quilt Along 2

To your right you will notice a new button. Yes, I joined the Great Hexagon Quilt-Along 2. The last few months I've been addicted to making hexagons. I found The Great Hexagon Quilt Along blog a few months back and love to get inspiration. I have like a million hand pieced projects in my head now.

This blog was started to be a sister blog to the first since more people wanted to be a part of it than blogger allows. Check out both great blogs for some hand pieced, easy to take with you inspiration!

Innocent?????

I've been working quite a bit on my small GFG quilt. It's quite fun actually. I have a few more flowers finished, but haven't added them yet. I had a little problem last week.
See this kid? Do you think he looks innocent? Um... I'm here to tell you he's not! This is what he did in about 10 seconds alone with my hand pieced quilt.
Yes, as I got up to get a drink he grabbed my scissors and hacked away. He got this hexagon and a corner off the one next to it. Sometimes I have to remember all those times when I didn't have a baby but wanted one more than anything. I try to think about this before I get mad. It helps. I know, I know.... I shouldn't have left him alone with the scissors even though I was in the same room and he was busily driving a truck when I got up. I won't be making that mistake again.

The biggest problem is that I used my scraps. I don't have any more of this fabric and I don't remember what line this is from. If any of you have any ideas please let me know! I will order it online if I can find some. I'd rather just unpick off those two hexagons than the whole flower. The fabric is at least a year or more old.

I haven't done much sewing in the last week. Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things!

New Adoption Page

I just opened a new blog/website with our family's adoption information on it. We are always looking to adopt. If you know anybody looking for an adoptive couple to place their baby with, please refer them to our site!

http://jeffandelizabethadopt.blogspot.com/

RS Quilt Class

For those of you who are participating in the quilt class this week here is the pattern:

Austin/ Sawtooth Star

I chose this one becasue last month we did basic flying geese and this pattern uses them to make a star. Feel free to cut your fabric ahead of time or bring it on Wednesday to cut. I'll post a picture of mine when I get it done!

A Great Giveaway!

Sherri from A Quilting Life is having a wonderful giveaway for her 100th post. Make sure to go over to check it out. Sherri's blog is one of my favorites. I love her style in both the patterns she chooses and the fabric she uses. Make sure to stop by!

I hope you all had a great Easter. No Easter dresses at my house, but here is a picture of my boys in their new Easter church clothes. I especially love the matching socks with the vest!

Grandma's Flowers

I can't believe I actually finished it. I have to admit when I first started I thought I may just be doing one flower just to frame. I finished it though. An entire hand appliqued quilt (machine pieced and quilted, of course). Here is the finished quilt. Sorry about the shadows. It's 6:15 right now and I couldn't find an unshaded place to take a picture and I was anxious! This quilt is now being washed, which I have to admit I was a bit nervous about. I hope I tucked in those points well. I tried to pay special attention to them as I was both appliqueing and as I was quilting it. I have this horrible fear it's going to fall apart, but I love the washed, wrinkled look. Keep your fingers crossed.

I really like the appliqued part. The scallops and the quilting..... not so much. I found myself making quite a few mistakes with the quilting and hope it's not as noticeable when it's washed. I haven't quilted a hand appliqued quilt before and I kept bumping up on the edges. I obviously need more practice with the scalloped border too. I do like the purple borders as well as the sashing. Thanks for the help Nanette! Also, the purple in the pictures looks a little on the gray side. It's not as grey as it looks.

Christmas Whirlygigs

I started my Christmas quilt last Thursday. I was a little worried at first because there are so many light strips in the jelly roll. I set it against the background though and I think it will be fine. I am really liking it so far.

This weekend was my church's General Conference. I always love conference weekend. We stay home (at least here in Utah) and watch conference on tv. It's alwasy so inspiring. I always work on a little project of some kind while I listen. This time I made more flowers for my Grandma's Flower Garden. I also worked on binding my Grandma's Flowers quilt. I'm not quite finished, so no picture today, but hopefully in the next few days I'll have it done to share.

What's Next?

I did get the borders on my Grandma's Flowers quilt. I decided to go with the solid purple as the border. I like it! I quilted it yesterday, but not without some problems. Let's just say it's not my favorite quilting job. Last night I sat down to carefully trace a scalloped border. Ahhhhhh! I cannot figure out the corners. I started in the middle and worked my way out, but I cannot figure out how to make the corners even. Can I wash the quilt before the binding is on to get rid of my marks and start all over again, or will that cause problems?

Now.... what to work on next? I have a jelly roll of Candyland Christmas. I bought this on clearance just after Christmas but didn't have a pattern in mind.

I got this pattern for Christmas and have been waiting for Patisserie to come out so I could make it with a jelly roll from that line. Now I'm kind of liking Candyland Christmas for it. It would be a cute vintage looking quilt.

I also have a jelly roll of Recess that I got for Christmas.

I also have this pattern that I've been dying to make. It's Triple Crown from American Jane.

So many possibilities, it's the decision that's hard!