another cowboy quilt

I finished this quilt last year--another cowboy quilt made from thrifted plaid shirts.

married life

Andy and I were married on St Patrick's Day 23 years ago. Here we are early in our married life. We tell people we chose St Patrick's Day because we are too disorganized to remember dates without a trigger from the world. Living in Chicago, this means we note when the river is dyed green, the green Hostess Snowball cakes come out (we had them circling our wedding cake), and McDonalds serves Shamrock Shakes. One of those a year is plenty.

advent at lent

I am finishing an advent wall hanging for our church auction. I have made many of these over the years adapted from a Debbie Mumm piece--I usually find her stuff a bit much, but loved the simplicity of this tree. I changed the construction techniques, put 24 buttons on for advent, and include small ornaments to hang each day.
I have made some of these as mourning quilts, using buttons of loved ones who have died, one with uniform buttons of a veteran of WWII; she was one of the first WACs.
I also add a dowel and make a storage bag for it all, giving a bit of organization out of my life of chaos.

crumbs from shirts

I have been making crumb blocks from plaid shirts I have taken apart--the great stripe for the border has been on my shelves so long I have no memory of buying it. The blocks were trimmed to 6 1/2 inches.
Yes, those are Christmas lights still up on March 6th.

students!

I really enjoy teaching--my quilting students are so wonderfully excited about their newly discovered talents.

buzz saw mountains

One irritation with the new blogger is it rotates my photos. I will take time later to fix this, but has anyone else been having this problem? (((FIXED!!)))
Here is a delectable mountains variation of the buzz saw pattern--made with plaid shirts from the thrift stores.

strings

All the wonderful string quilts showing up on the stashbusters ring got me to make my first string quilt. I had made blocks before, but is my first whole top. The strings are lights that have been languishing in my 1 1/2 inch strip drawer--the stuff that was not selected over time due to the blah feeling of most of them. I used 3 different blue solids I had pieces of for the diagonals, and had some 5 1/2 inch squares given to me by someone for some unknown reason that I cut in half for the corner pieces on the foundation. I used Bonnie's method with the wax paper, and 8 inch strips of 6 different lights for the borders.
A cheerful, summery looking quilt made in my unheated attic when it was -1 degree outside!

Bible Story Theater 2007

I needed two shots to get the cast of thousands (ok, cast of 169). This year, it was "Follow Me" a look at the calling of the women and the disciples. We reused/altered many costumes from previous years.


These are some of the demons who disturbed Mary of Magdala


And, a drop of the Sea of Galillee with her fish, and some of the catch.

cropping

I am getting ready to teach a Buzz Saw class--it has been a while since I made one, so I have been having fun making samples this week.


This is a photo of my shelves. I worked very hard last spring sorting, donating, throwing out stuff.


Uncropped.

her mother's footsteps

Eve decided, like her mother, to make many of her Christmas gifts. Also like her mother, it is the middle of January and there are several still not finished.
I am very proud of her chosen project, to make 12 tote bags for her friends. She looked at her purchased bags, looked online for patterns, came to me for technical support, and designed her own pattern. She raided my collection of solids and purchased cotton webbing for the handles. I love how she is embellishing them with buttons from my button collection. I also am amused that she considers these nearly free gifts, since she only had to pay for the webbing. Apparently my fabrics and buttons and needles fell like manna.

more dragon teeth

Here is my little dragon teeth quilt, finishes about 20" by 25".


Maggie's teeth in progress.


Patricia and her daughter with a fabulous teeth made from plaid shirts. Note the little teeth on the side borders.

flower garden class

I gave this class for the first time today at the Portage Park Center for the Arts. I have very generous students who help me edit my worksheets as the day goes, making a better class next time. This is my sample--made for my mother's birthday. It includes fabric of her mother who died in 1949. Mom had a wonderful flower garden on our farm, along with a half acre vegetable garden.
Here are some of the students' work. We exchanged fabrics and I am amazed how each quilt turned out differently :

Pam's got the top ready for borders!


We tease Patricia that her setting possibilities reflect her European esthetic, or her own warped color sense!


Kathy has learned so much in the past year. I love how she matched her fabrics today.


Kay has returned to quilting from a long hiatus.


Joan is intrepid in her approach to quilting--nothing I throw at her discourages her.

Coming soon, pictures from Maggie, Ruth, and Judy.

stretched star

I need to bind this yet, and talk someone in this house into holding it for a full shot. I cut 5 inch squares of large prints as I used them for other projects and set aside for a few months. Bonnie has a similar quilt up on her site. I used 2 1/2 inch squares for the flip and sew triangles. A quilt with lots of memories.

making life busier

I have taken on a third part time job. A friend and I were talking about if we gave up all our part time jobs and side enterprises to concentrated on one, we would probably be making more money and have a lot more time! But, I enjoy what I am doing, and am at a time of life where I find I am very valuable out there. Now is the time to try different aspects of nursing and quilting. My newest position is as an adjunct nursing faculty member. I continue my hospice nursing, quilting workshops, and liturgical quilting commissions.
And raise three kids, wrangle acolytes at church, sit on committees, try to be a good wife and daughter and sister... Life is good!
In a bit of multitasking, here is a quilt I am making for a neighbor's baby shower (tonight) that will also serve as a sample for a workshop I am teaching on Saturday. I used some of my hand dyed fabric on the back which is difficult to sew through for the binding. I found my good thimble I misplaced for about a year-that is helping. (Note housekeeping was not on my list of duties I am trying to juggle; I do try to have a home cooked meal every evening.)

acolytes

My sweet Seth and his friend Margo acolyting on the third Sunday of Advent

useful bags and cranberry torte

I have been making gift bags for about 15 years. I donate them to my kids schools craft fairs where they have become popular items. The methods have changed a bit over the years, and the current version I find very efficient.
I had an open house at where I teach quilting at the Portage Park Center for the Arts last night and we had about a dozen people drop in and make these bags. My cranberry torte was popular and I include the recipe.


Useful bags
Designed by Lynn Dykstra
Lrdykstra@aol.com
Portage Park Center for the Arts

This simple bag is just the size to carry a pair of shoes in winter, diaper supplies, a child’s change of clothes, or as a reusable gift bag and storage bag for ornaments.

Supplies to make two bags:
½ yard of fabric
1 ½ yards coordinating rattail cut in half
(actually, I leave it whole, cutting to size after stringing the bags--my frugal side.)
Coordinating sewing thread
Fra-check to seal ends of rattail

Cut in fabric in half and square off to measure 18” by about 21”.

Press in 18” sides ¼ inch.

Press in 21” top ¼ inch.

Press down 21” top another 1 inch to form a casing.

Top stitch along bottom edge of 1 inch casing.

Fold bag in half, right sides together. Sew along side from just above previous stitching, down the side, pivot, sew along the bottom.

Trim bottom with pinking shears.

Turn right side out.

With safety pin as a “needle”, thread the rattail through the casing. Knot the rattail. Dab edges of rattail with Fra-check.

Enjoy!




Hazelnut Cranberry Torte

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put parchment paper in the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Butter the paper and the sides of the pan.

2 cups cranberries (you can chop these or leave them whole—the cake slices better if you chop them.)
1/2-3/4 cut chopped hazelnuts (I’ve also used walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
½ cup sugar

Mix together and put in bottom of the pan.

For the Batter
Cream together:
12 Tablespoons butter, melted (1 ½ sticks) Do NOT use margarine!
1 cup sugar
Beat in: 2 large eggs
Add:
1 cup flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp. almond extract (I have also used vanilla, lemon, or hazelnut extracts)

Mix batter until smooth—it will be thick like a biscuit batter. Spoon over the cranberries and nuts and spread carefully.

Bake from 40-55 minutes. It will take a little over an hour if the cranberries are frozen and left whole. Make sure the center of the batter is done!

Loosen from sides of springform and remove sides. Invert onto a serving plate right away and remove the pan and parchment.

Serve warm or cold. Can dust with powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream.
It slices easier if it is a day old.

I buy about 6 bags of cranberries, several pound of butter, and a few bags of nuts at the start of the holiday potluck season and make this for nearly every one we go to.

dragon teeth workshop

A few weeks ago I had a Dragon Teeth workshop at the Portage Park Center for the Arts. My samples are in the first and last photo, and my students' work is in the middle photograph. I enjoyed this workshop, and love at the variety of quilts they made. I am having an open house at the arts center on Tuesday, December 19th in the evening. If any of you Chicago types want to come, just email me for details.
ADDED:
I have had several questions on this pattern--I adapted it from Karla Alexander's second book, Stack a New Deck--I believe she called it Lizard Lounge, or something like that. I worked in sizing changes, setting options, and a few other quirks. I also like my title better! This book is great, better than the first in this series. I like her way of looking at freedom in block making.

photos again!

I finally broke down and bought a new camera/computer cord. This means I will find the lost cord this week, as usually happens in this house (see battery charger incident last year).
This Saturday some women of my church decorated our tree in the chapel. I made the tree skirt, one year later than I was asked, but I finally got it done. It is a church with a German history, so I planned to use a loden boiled wool, until I priced it. I switched to a loden fake suede with a gold embroidery. I made it into an octagon, added an ivory corded trim, and am pleased with it, except it seems a bit flat, even when draped--my mind still wants that boiled wool thickness. Maybe I can poof it up with some tissue paper.
This tree is decorated with fruit and pine cones. Very pretty. I made the parament in the background for Advent about 10 years ago.

Dykstra cousins

Being born in the middle of 20 cousins (on one side--26 on the other!) has given me the advantage of remembering them all well--those at the beginning or end of the pack are less likely to have this.
Christmas 1959 has me at the youngest in the photo--the crying one. My sister and I are wearing matching red dresses my mother made. There is one cousin 3 months younger than me not in the picture--she must have been crying even harder.

dungeon laundry room

(note to relatives horrified at the condition of my laundry room and that I am showing it--this is part of a ring of quilters posting photos of our laundry rooms. You may come by and help me clean it any time!)

Living in a 100 year old house means the laundry room is in the basement that looks like a dungeon. I was hesitant showing it, but realized we are the sixth family to live in this house and the others did nothing to improve it either, so I'm not the only lazy one. The washer and dryer were placed on concrete steps decades ago to prevent damage during the occasional storm drain backup that Chicago downpours give our neighborhood.
For the first 6 years we lived here (and for two pregnancies), this was also our only shower. Every shower during the third pregnancy I gave thanks for not having to shower in a cold place with spiders.
I saw a wonderful photo of a laundry room painted Chinese red, with colorful paper lanterns. The apple green idea is great too.
I may just have to put this place in order.

my favorite halloween story

I have not been posting as we have lost the cord to upload from the camera to the computer. I have 2 posts ready, but not the photos. One is about my dungeon basement laundry room!
So, I will share a story an acquaintance told me about her Grandmother.

Grandma had moved to town from the farm, and the family was worried about her safety as this town had a reputation for wild Halloween pranks. An uncle spent Halloween night with Grandma and told of her evening.
At about 10pm there was a knock at the door and on the porch was a group of teenaged boys. "Trick or Treat," they called out in their low voices.
Grandma replied, "Oh, I'm out of candy, but here are some cigarettes for you."
They awoke the next morning to find that every house on the block had been toilet papered except for Grandma's!

another maple leaf

This was my second maple leaf--I had most of the blocks made and searched for the best orange for the setting strips and border. I found this beautiful Princess Mirah batik when I was on jury duty in the Land Beyond Ohare (what we Chicago types call where I tend to get lost),
It is being held by a nice young man from New Zealand who is visiting with my nephew. They teach English in Korea and are watching Korean soap operas on tv this morning before heading downtown.

fall, maple leaves

Judy and others have been posting maple leaf quilts. I have made two, this is the first, made about 8 years ago--one that got away without a label. The pattern was in American Patchwork and Quilting, I followed it closer than I do most patterns. I changed the orientation of the blocks to get a more diagonal feel. Note one of my signature ghost blocks--I love including a few low contrast blocks in a quilt.
Lots of thrift store shirts in this quilt!
The little leaves are 6 inches, the large ones 9 inches.