Things I Like on Off the Wall Friday

Four Flying Geese for the price of 

Yeah know, I don't know where the idiom, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" comes from.  I know we're all set in our ways, but really, doesn't everyone like to learn something new that will make their life easier?  That's what I did this week.  I continued on with The Quilt Show's Block of the Month quilt, Homeward Bound.  With June, came the piecing of the stars that radiate all the way to the edge corners.  When I first read the directions, they were made with half-square triangles which was fine because last month I finally learned how to make them accurately.  But then I listen to Barbara Black's live Facebook talk on this month's section.  Barbara besides being a nationally known quilt
teacher, is also this year's Forum's moderator for the quilt.  Also,, it is her job to make each section early so she can answer questions and find pattern mistakes.  This month she did just that but also added her suggestion on how to make flying geese.  Now I know that I made a rule to go by the designer's suggestion on the construction of this quilt, but Barbara's flying geese tutorial was too good to pass up.  After a careful reading of her directions and watching the video, I managed to make 4 flying geese at once which fit the star nicely....on the first try....yeah it shocked me too.  I felt very smart, let me tell you!  So one down and 23 more to go!

I like finding new things I like, don't you?

Another thing I found that I like this month, was a fine mist bottle on Amazon.  I've been wanting a new spray bottle that would spray my Best Press evenly over my traditional blocks.  I know there is a cutesy one that quilt shops sell, but I just wanted a nice plain one and leave it to Amazon to have a wide range of them.  I picked one that was 17 oz and could be here in 2 days all for the cheapie price of 10 bucks.  Happily, it was as advertised and really has made a big difference in my pressing.  One thing I have learned with this Homeward Bound, it's all about pressing accurately.  I had no idea how I was sabotaging my work by not pressing right!

Another gadget I found on Amazon that I love, was a welding torch cleaning set.  Yes, a

welding torch cleaning set.  One day,  I was complaining to Paul that there are times when little pieces of thread and lint get stuck in my machine.  Also, my Glue Baste-it nozzle gets clogged and I have nothing that was small enough to clean it.  He said did you try a welding torch cleaning set?  hmmmm, let me check my notion cabinet, amazingly noooooooo.  He brought his in and although it was "all knuckled up" it look like it would do the trick.  But I wanted one that was shiny and new.  A quick Amazon search and you guessed it, they had a set that would do nicely for $7.   It has all these little brushes and wires that are perfect! Since I got it, I also found that it cleans lint out of my machine easily.  LOVE IT!

Finally, if you haven't heard, June is Pride month.  With that, I started listening again to my favorite police procedural mysteries, the Kate Martinelli Series.  Well, the author Laurie R. King would call it a mystery series.  I would say the mysteries are there just to provide a vehicle for King's super interesting characters, the best of which is Kate Martinelli.  Kate is a queer police inspector in 1992 when it wasn't popular to be queer or a woman in the San Fransico Police Force.  I just love this series. King's female characters are so smart, interesting, vulnerable, strong - well basically real.  Plus it shows a lesbian couple as a very real, regular family unit.  Like it is in real life.  A Grave Talent is the first one of the series and one of the main characters is an artist which is super interesting!  If you like detective novels, I highly recommend it.  I LOVE listening to it as well!

So those are the things I like this month...Barbara's flying geese tutorial, a fine mist spray bottle, a welding tip cleaning set, and Laurie R. King's A Grave Talent.  

(Oh and yes I finally changed the color layout of this blog.  I'm not a big fan of the continually changing websites of today, but I figured once in 14 years wasn't too bad)

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