Posts Tagged ‘accomplishments’

23rd May
2009
written by JAK

Just before my trip I finished the quilt I had been making for Baby B. It turn out pretty well for my first real foray into patchwork, first try at machine quilting, and considering how often (and how late into the game) I changed the design while making it.

I went with a farm/garden/food theme as Baby B’s mum and dad have one heck of an organic garden on their one acre and mum has been active with Heifer International. I could picture Baby B sitting on the quilt watching mum or dad weed or pick fruits and vegetables (though I have a feeling he will want to be more hands on than that!)

I liked the backing fabric: red tomatoes against the grasshopper green background.

I added yellow ric-rac to the binding.

When I began I had planned on Snowball blocks alternating with simple nine patch blocks. By the end, however, I had exchanged the nine patch squares with the much more complex 54 40 or FIGHT! blocks. I really like the secondary pattern this block makes with the corners of the snowball blocks, creating a diamond effect for the farm scenes. I left the center of the 54 40 or FIGHT! block as one solid piece of watermelon fabric (the original block calls for a four patch duplicating one of the corner four patches) to create a tertiary star pattern.

The piecing is a bit off so the points don’t always match up. There’s an old saying “As you sew, so shall you rip.” I put that into practice with this one. I’ve now learned to baste, baste, baste.

In the end the top wasn’t flat. This lead to major problems machine quilting it. I was able to stitch in the ditch around the main diamonds, but had to tack/tie much of the rest of it.

3rd July
2008
written by JAK

My friend Jenn got me thinking about pie. Pie is my favorite food in the world. I felt compelled to bake one of my own.

I had rhubarb from my mom’s garden in the fridge, so that decided it.

Rhubarb Custard Pie
3 eggs
3 Tbsp milk
2 cups sugar
¼ cup flour
¾ tsp nutmeg
4 cups pink rhubarb, cut into small chunks

Heat oven to 400°F. Beat eggs slightly; add milk. Combine sugar, flour, and nutmeg and stir into egg mixture. Mix in rhubarb. Pour into pastry-lined pan (9 inch). Cover with lattice top if desired. Bake 50–60 minutes, until nicely browned.

Yum—enjoy!

Full disclosure: I didn’t make my pastry from scratch (Michelle’s horrified.) I’m quite happy with the Pillsbury® unroll-and-fill pie crusts you can find in your grocer’s refrigerated case. After all, to me it’s really just a vessel to hold the tasty filling!

18th December
2006
written by JAK

I finished my internship at American Public Media’s Speaking of Faith radio show Friday. It was a good, though at times, tough experience.

I’ll miss working downtown St. Paul. It’s such a pleasant little city. This photo shows the American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio building in the foreground (with the ticker going ’round the building).

There’s a couple exceptionally good shows in the next few weeks:

No More Taking Sides: An Israeli-Palestinian Story

Planting the Future with Wangari Maathai (Nobel Peace Prize Winner)

13th July
2006
written by JAK

Yep, it’s my birthday. 32 to be exact.

I spent the evening at a class at the Textile Center called “Make a Handbag: Out of Duct Tape!” And let me tell you, that’s just what we did.

But no boring silver duct tape for us (unless that tickled your fancy). The instructor had tape in red, pink, aqua, blue, tan, burgundy, black, yellow, orange, green, and more.

So you want to learn how to make a handbag? Lucky for you, I took photographic notes. This is what you do:

Did you get all that?

My end result for the two-evening workshop:

9th April
2006
written by JAK

Today my mom and sister and I decorated Easter Cookies. It was fun!

Yesterday I went to the Como Zoo with Gayle. Here’s me on the ole tortoise. No, I’m not mad, just squinting into the sun.

All in all, an excellent weekend!

30th May
2005
written by JAK

[Note: I am posting this in March 2010, but in the chronology of my life, it goes here.]

From 2003– May of 2005 I worked on a quilt as a present for my friend Gayle for her wedding. Here it is:

There are nine blocks containing floral wreaths, eight from Karen Kay Buckley‘s Floral Wreaths and one, the Roses and Rosebuds block, created by myself with roses adapted from Elly Sienkiewicz‘s Dimensional Appliqué, Baskets, Blooms, and Baltimore Borders:

Roses and Rosebuds

Tulips and Thistle

Pansies and Forget-Me-Nots

Dogwood and Squill Flowers

Grapes and Violets

Marigolds, Blueberries, and Honeysuckle

Clematis and Bluebells

Orchids

Peonies

The quilted motifs are adapted from Elsie M. Campbell‘s book Winning Stitches:


Finally done:

Special thanks to Mary for helping me with the basting, Diane for keeping my
ambitious plans grounded enough to be realistic, Beverly for doing the binding, my mom Gen for helping me wash the quilt and lay it out to dry, and my sister Michelle for the photos.

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