Hand Applique

YIPPEE...WOO HOO...WOWZER and all that good stuff!!! I actually finished all 12 of the 12 blocks on my FIRST ever really truly ALL HAND APPLIQUED quilt!!!!!! I just had to put them up on the ole design wall to check them out!!! I must say I. LIKE.

You can go HERE to read how it all started!

I used the vinyl over-lay and needle turn method this go around, but there are some other methods out there I would like to try NEXT TIME. YES, there will be some more hand applique in my future.

OK, here's my question: these blocks are 20" in size. How in the world do I square them up or trim them down without having to buy one of those $60.00 dollar, over 20" rulers??????????

No Shopping Around Here

Would you believe me if I told you the following items are THE ONLY sewing/quilty things I have purchased since FEBRUARY?????Just a little ole marking pen and some bees wax for my thread when I'm hand appliqueing.

AND THIS PATTERN!!!! OH be still my heart!!!! COG & WHEEL LOVE!!!

Yep, I've kind of been on a fabric strike. The average price farmers got for their cotton this past year was 84 cents a lb.......NOT the 1.50 the market was showing. You can check with the DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE to verify. Yes, some farmers did receive the higher prices, but MOST farmers had CONTRACTED their cotton before it was harvested.

COTTON HERE AT BROWN DIRT COTTAGE RECEIVED .75 CENTS A LB.

My local fabric store had already started MARKING UP their prices BEFORE we had even started harvest.

SOOOOO, I have been a little MIFFED at a LOT of those who used the news media and the price of the 1.50 a lb. the market guys were touting as an EXCUSE TO MARK UP THEIR PRICES ON OUR FABRICS!!!!!

OK......I'll get down from my soap box...........WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON??????

Pinterest

I have some not so good thoughts about this PINTEREST craze....do you wanna here them? OK, here goes. I have begun to realize that a LOT of my photos here on my blog are ending up over on PINTEREST. If it wasn't for the fact that I have sitemeter I probable wouldn't have known it. I guess I should feel flattered and in a lot of ways I am. BUT......I feel my blog and all that is contained in it is MINE. When I started my blog I didn't share it with anyone who knows me. My little quilty blog was a place I could feel free to share my craft and sometimes some personal thoughts WITHOUT familiar people/others in my community/and certain other unwanted visitors always questioning me about what or why I was doing things on my blog. Up until now I have felt quite safe and anonymous here in my little corner of quilt blogland. No one I know in my area quilts so I felt pretty safe they would never end up here on my blog.

Today I discovered a photo of mine on someone's PIN that is one step away from a LOT of people that know me in my area coming to my blog. I don't like this. I feel sort of robbed of my peace of mind. Seems daily my blog is bombarded with those who just run in and take what they want. I have not had one person ask me it they could use my photos. You would think they could at least make nice and leave a comment, tell you they like your blog, your quilts or something!!!

Yes, I know.....some of you may think I'm over reacting, but until now my blog wasn't drawing anyone except other quilt makers. I've had contact with most of the gals who visit me, I pretty well knew who would be coming over for a 'read' AND my quilty blog buddies weren't taking my photos to share all over the NET. I'm not really sure how far my photos have gone.

I don't really want my next door neighbor here by accident because they clicked on a PINTEREST photo and ended up here.

As for the few tutorials I have done, they were done for my quilty friends......my loyal followers when they asked me to share my process with them. Of course I would share, it was sorta of a thank you for a lot of you who have also shared tutorials and how-to's. I know, I know.....when you post something on the internet it is there for 'whoever' but until PINTEREST came along I really didn't worry about it because only true quilters were interested.

I've done some reading and such today and there are some articles out there that describe the legality/copyright of taking photos and pinning them on PINTEREST. PINTEREST has removed themselves from legal action by getting those who sign up to agree in the setup to take responsiblity for what you PIN. They won't be responsible...you will be. The lady who wrote one of the articles I read said she had taken all of her pins down to keep it legal on her end, she being a LAWYER. I want to opt out of my photos being pinned. How do I get those who have already pinned to take my photos down. How would you find them all.......????? I just want things to go back to the way they were before PINTEREST rudely interrupted my blog!!

So.......these are my thoughts on the matter.

Do you have any thoughts????