Get Me To The Church (Or Guild Meeting!) On Time!!

This post is not really related to Quilting directly, but it IS related to getting to our fun Monthly or weekly events like guild and small groups on time and on the right day! It seems that most everyone has an Apple Product of some sort these days whether it be a phone or an iPad or a computer or notebook. I have an iPad tablet and an Android phone so these are run differently in the guts of the computers and are not comparable with each other when it comes to using the same apps. I think everyone probably knows this, right? If you have an Apple product of some sort, perhaps this post will help you!

So many people I know struggle with the calendars on these devices and easily putting our events on our calendars. So many of the calendars on these devices come only with the option to repeat the event on the same DATE of the month and my friends and I have talked about that complaint so often! This would be handy to put in guild and small group meetings that occur on the 1st Tuesday of each month vs. the same DATE of each month which would be a different day of the month each month...got it?

Well, with the newest IOS update to my old iPad I guess the calendar had an update too! ***Please read the starred paragraph below before you do the IOS 8 update!*** Anyway, I just discovered the option to create a custom repeat In the calendar app so that my entries have now become so EASY! I am THRILLED! For so long I have chosen the option for an event repeated monthly and then I move the event by sliding the entry on the calendar. WHEN I remember to do the slide that is... BUT I have such a hard time remembering which week of the month each event falls on, it's still not easy for me. I am constantly referring to past calendars to find out exactly which week the repeating event falls in. This new update has solved that problem for me and I know it will help some of you too! The solution is a bit buried in the app.

So here is the new solution I've just discovered. Using the iPad Calendar (I assume the iPhone calendar will work the same) create your event as you normally would. Click on the date and start filling in the form. After you've entered the title of the event, go down and click Repeat.

Then choose the frequency of the repeat...could be daily, weekly, etc. I've chosen Monthly.

Then click "on the..." And the schedule option will show up that coordinates with the option you chose above. This is the new part! You can now choose the same day of the week each month vs the same DATE. Yeah!!

Then click the repeat arrow to go back a page and you will see a custom repeat! Yeah Again!!!

I've chosen to never stop this repeat so I won't ever need to remember to make an entry for this event again!! And you can also see that the custom repeat is saved.

Then click ADD and it will be saved on your calendar on the same day of the same week forever!!!! I'm so excited! Can you tell? I will never be disappointed to miss another fun meeting because I will know it's coming without having to think about it! And an added bonus is that it will be on the correct day! LOL

There were several different options and it should fit to most any schedule that you need to put on your calendar. It's a GREAT addition!

Now the second part that is very cool is that I can download the Android calendar app on my iPad and sync this calendar with the iPad calendar. Then the Android calendar on my phone will sync with this calendar as long as I am signed in so I have all my calendar events with me where ever I go. This is nothing new, but just in case you didn't know, the option is there for you!

*****A word of warning...when I did the IOS update for my iPad 2, which is only a few years old, Apple considers this old. The new IOS update is not very compatable with these "old" models and did require that I adjust some settings and do a restore to make it work as good as it used to. I was very upset for a while but am now used to the changes that occurred due to the update. For a while I wanted to throw the iPad across the room!! But all is well now. The big thing I've noticed is that I can not have lots of browser windows open at once or the iPad freezes. And sometimes FB has trouble with the browser open at the same time. So I close a few now and then to keep the open windows to about 5 or less. Otherwise it works well now. If you have not done the update yet, do the research first to decide if you want it!!!

I hope this has helped some of you! Hopefully you don't think this is a stupid post. So many I know don't know about this option, so I just thought I'd share! It made my day once I discovered this one little option to do a custom repeat that works with my schedule!

I'm getting ready for "It's A Gatherin' " in Stover, MO this week. It's a fun shopping event in central MO at the Community Center in Stover on April 10 & 11 and opens at 9am. The shoppers are so excited and get there early to come visit us vendors. This was the first show I ever did and now here it is the third time I'm going there! Time flies when you are having fun!! If you are in the area please come see me and say hello!! I am hoping I can make the adjustment from a 20' booth to an 8' booth! Something has to give and it's always so hard to decide!! LOL

I've also started a new project for Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine. Thanks to all of you who have ordered the kit for the little quilt in the spring issue. Look for another next spring! One other New project will be published soon in the new magazine Punch Needle and Primitive Stitchery. Kits will be available for the new magazine project also. I'll show a picture when I can!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great week!!

Take care,

Missie

 

Visit my web store www.TraditionalPrimitives.com

Hexies Are EVERYWHERE!

Have you noticed that Hexies are found everywhere these days?!? We bought a new (to us) car last spring and believe it or not, the seats have a Hexie texture to them! I drive a Nissan Juke if any of you want a Hexie car too! Haha! it is not the reason we bought the car, but it sure was a fun little perk for me!

And here is a close up view!

Since then, I've started noticing Hexies EVERYWHERE !!! Here are a few pictures I've collected. These are from TV- weather reports, auto commercials, news reports, TV shows, football; Product Packaging- toothpaste, TVs, advertising, clothing, non quilting magazines, Auto grills, shopping carts and MORE!! That snowflake is a photo of a real snowflake! Look at that Hexie in the middle!

 

As I'm typing this post in the living room, a news story has come on the TV and I just had to pause it and snap a nice picture of a few more Hexies! This is a 3D food printer...WOW! And see the beautiful Hexie shapes it's using to build sugar decorations?! WOW! Wouldn't we love to build candy Hexies in our own kitchen to serve our quilty friends a special treat!

 

As you are out and about, start looking...Hexies are EVERYWHERE!! So fun! We Quilter's are not the only ones Hooked On Hexies!! Have these shapes always been used in marketing and TV or am I just now noticing??

I'm sewing on some Hexies today trying to finish up the little Candy Stripes small quilt I started a while back. (Like a YEAR ago!) This little quilt keeps getting pushed to the back of the line when it comes to stitching order. But it's so cute, I thought I'd bring it front and center in stitching order to get this little gem done.

I have made up kits for the Dallas Show in a few weeks. Some are red and ivory and some a blue and ivory. If you happen to fall in love with this little gem, send me a note and I'll give you pricing info. This little Candy Stripes Quilt is about 12" Square. Just big enough for a little mini quilt or table topper! Of course, you could always add more to it and make it any size you want.

This little quilt pattern explains my starch basting process and is a good starter if you want to learn my way using the Finger Stiletto and Starch Brush found on my website. It's just another little addition to my starter kits to learn the method. Quick and simple, not counting all the time it sat in my "to do" pile! Haha!

Notice I don't keep the papers in while sewing Hexies together. I keep my finger nail very close to the edges and this helps me to take tiny bites in the fabric, keeping the stitches hidden from the front.

This picture shows how I "bind" the edges, which really isn't a binding, but just a pretty old fashioned finish. After the top is completed, I lay more Hexies around the edges, right sides together and sew all around the edges, attaching the new pieces together at their side seams so they will lay flat. When they are sewn all around the edges, I'll just flip them to the back side. You can see those pieces lifted slightly in the picture below. While looking at the backside, see how wonderful those seams look? That Starch keeps things nice and neat!

 

When all of the "binding" pieces are sewn in and flipped to the back, I'll slip in the batting and backing, appliqué the edges of that binding down and quilt a simple design!

I wanted to say a quick thank you to all of you who have been purchasing the kits for Colors Of Coxcomb which is in the current Spring 2015 issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine. It's been overwhelming and I'm so grateful that so many of you like this little wool or punched design! Thank you, thank you!

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

Take Care,

Missie, PS- I've added a new tip to the Gardens Of A King Tab

 

 

Visit my web store www.TraditionalPrimitives.com

The Gardens Of A King is 100% Done!

The quilting on this quilt really had me stumped! I've been pondering how to quilt it for quite a while. You remember back in October I had quilted the center and wasn't happy with the thick batting, so before I added the borders, I unquilted it! That was lots of work, but needed to be done.

 

To an advanced quilter, this quilt has great "negative space" to fill, but to a beginner custom quilter, I just couldn't see anything but simple shapes. In the coming months I will be teaching a BOM on this quilt and plan to make another. Maybe by the time I quilt it, I will be an improved negative space quilter!

You can see the quilting's not perfect, but I am happy with it and will improve on the next quilt I get quilted.

See that striped fabric under the outer sharks tooth border? That is a scrap of fabric used to help me while quilting. My foot tends to catch on lofty battings so I lay strips of scrap fabric just under the edge of the quilt edge and baste them in place as I baste the edges of the quilt before quilting the center. After the quilting is finished, I cut off this strip of fabric as I trim the outer edge. Any leftovers that have been sewn in stay there and become part of the batting inside the binding. I do my best to keep this extra fabric 1/4" inside the edge so it does not extend into the body of the quilt and show through light fabric.

When folks see my quilting machine, they often ask what kind I have. This is a Bailey Home Quilter 17" mid arm. It's mounted on a Hinterburg frame...nothing fancy at all, but efficient for what I need and it makes a beautiful stitch.

Last night was my trunk show for the Garland, TX guild. These ladies have such an active group!! One activity I was impressed with is that those interested can participate in a BOM exchange. Each month they get block instructions for the blocks that will be brought the following month. When they bring the finished block their name goes in the hat for a drawing to win the blocks. They had enough blocks for 3 drawings of 17 blocks each last night! How wonderful is that!!! They had several other programs and this guild has lots of participation in their activities!! They laughed and chatted and had good food. Wish I lived closer and could visit and stitch with them more often!!

Today I'm teaching the Wild Zebra cutaway appliqué technique to create a difficult looking quilt with ease. The class is at Sew Let's Quilt It in Dallas.

Tomorrow Punchneedle Mini Quilt and Friday Wool Appliqué at Happiness is Quilting in McKinney.

If you are nearby and want to join in, call the stores listed above and join in the fun!

Saturday is the English Paper Piecing workshop where I will teach all sorts of English Paper Piecing tips and techniques, including my favorite way to baste for English Paper Piecing using starch.

Thanks to the Garland Guild for inviting me to join you this week!

Take care,

Missie

 

 

 

 

 

Visit my web store www.TraditionalPrimitives.com

Lookie Lookie! Primitive Quilts and Projects Spring Issue!

Look for a new Mini Punchneedle Quilt from me in the newest edition of Primitive Quilts and Projects Spring 2015 Issue...being mailed this week!

 

 

 

Kits will be available on my website very soon!

 

Thanks for stopping by and Take Care,

Missie

 

Visit my web store www.TraditionalPrimitives.com