From Beth's Desk Archives - Page 2 of 20

October Holiday To Do List

It’s Time to Make a Plan

Had a question about Deep Cleaning. It’s doing the big stuff. Husband helped me…we pulled the living room rug 13′ x 20′ wool rug out onto plastic in the drive-way. We powered washing it, we went over it and over it to get the water out…Pulled the plastic and rug into the garage EVERY night for four nights. It’s finally dry…probably will not do that again. But, it’s deep cleaned and perfect.
Deep cleaning is to get the corners clean so when needed, you dust, vacuum and ready to go.
It’s true many hands make light work, other’s live in the house? Pick a day, afternoon, weekend and everyone helps, it’s everyone’s holiday, not just yours. Make a plan. NO signing up for anything, Click on link and GET !

Here is my October To Do List

The idea of no drama is what my slow and steady has become these past few years. Nothing makes me happier than a list so I’m loving my Holiday To Do List here.

Gift List for Mom and Grandma !

The Wedding Quilt Pattern Book www.bethanndoing — ONLY Available in Print, NOW on Amazon Prime

Read about All of Beth Ann’s Books

Beth Ann is a Quilter and an Author
who decided to self-publish her books and quilt pattern books

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

My Featherweight Sewing Machine

It Sews Perfect

I knew it was in the closet and seeing it again, well…

It’s been a very long time

I had to say good-bye to it’s original box years ago and this carpet bag
is perfect for it.

A Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine
My mom gave this to me years ago and I used it for classes for years.

She tells the story behind it. This sewing machine was the first thing that her and my Father purchased together. She remember is being around 70.00 dollars. If they did it on payments my Grandfather would have to co-sign. They saved and purchased with cash, she said with a very large smile. The pedal was replaced sometime ??

It works wonderful

And So Pretty

Read about All of Beth Ann’s Books
Beth Ann is a Quilter
and an Author who
decided to self-publish her books and quilt pattern books

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download
quilt patterns on Etsy

www.bethanndoing.com
www.thequiltladies.com

Get Your Christmas Holiday Planning Started – BethAnnDoing

Free September To Do List

With Christmas in July sales, I started picking up a few things here and there for the holidays. Christmas in July at our house, should be called let’s purchase for ourselves July. July done, August hot and kids back in School, my quilt project off to long arm quilter. It’s time to plan.

I have added September to my holiday To Do calendar this year, I am planning to take a bit of time in November and December. Part of my slow and steady plan.

Knowing myself and not being able to let things be. That’s why it’s important for me to start getting ready now, or think about getting started?!?

I loved my enjoyed my slow and steady holiday last year and I am going to try hard to do it again. Click below and with NO Signing up for anything you will get my September PDF To Do List

Click on Logo and get my September To Do List

Read about All of Beth Ann’s Books

Beth Ann is a Quilter and an Author
who decided to self-publish her books and quilt pattern books

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

www.bethanndoing.com
www.thequiltladies.com

Gift List for Mom and Grandma

How to Survive Retirement with Fun – Beth Ann Doing

Think About What You Will Do in Retirement

Thinking about retirement or already retired? Here are my tips to find fun, excitement, and joy in your days. It took us 40 years to achieve our retirement goal, and I see people struggling every day to find happiness in their every day retirement. In print or Kindle and NOW on Amazon Prime

When Husband and I tell people we retired early, reaching ages 57 and 55, they ask, “What do you do all day?”, very rarely do they ask, “How do you afford it?”

Before retirement, you plan financially and set a retirement date, but we don’t take time to figure out what we want to do for 20-30 years of our retirement. It’s been ten years now and we’ve seen that everyone assumes you magically know how to retire, but the truth is that you don’t.

That’s why I’ve written this book to share my life lessons and help you plan your life for the 20-30 years of retirement. With no money talk, this book contains all the ideas to make your retirement what you want and need it to be for years of joy.

There are just four things you need to expect in retirement:

1. We are all going to die
2. Stop fearing change.
3 .Stop living in the past.
4. Be easy on yourself
These four things may not need to be said, but please think about them.
#1 is one that can help you get up, get started and do what you want.
#2 is fearing change, you will and need to change.
#3 past is the past let it go.
#4 take care of yourself and be kind to yourself.

Here in my book, laugh, read and find your passions by staying connected, keeping your mind active, embracing slow living, and finding your community can help you thrive in retirement.

But ultimately, the key to surviving retirement with joy is to find what works for you and your unique situation. Whether it’s quilting, travel, volunteering, family or something entirely different, find what brings you happiness and purpose, and go for it!

Read about All of Beth Ann’s Books

Beth Ann is a Quilter and an Author
who decided to self-publish her books and quilt pattern books

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

www.bethanndoing.com
www.thequiltladies.com

100% Cotton Fabric for Quilt Making

Learn to Make a Quilt

Today, lets talk about quilt fabric
One of the best things about quilting is the Wonderful Fabric.

Basic Sewing Supplies
Sewing Machine
100% Cotton Fabric
Fabric Scissors
Seam Ripper
Sewing Needles
Quilting Pins
Rotary Cutter and Mat
Freezer Paper

FABRIC ! ! THIS IS THE WAY I Do Fabric, this is MY Way.

Purchasing fabric is fun, please, always buy the best fabric you can afford and what you like. For quilts you will use 100% cotton fabric. Fabric will cost between $6 and $17 per yard. If you are just purchasing for a maybe project, I do most cuts 1 to 2 yards. If you have a quilt pattern, follow the recommendations, but as I say in my books, “Please think of purchasing more fabric than needed, as a pattern designer I have no idea how you will cut and use your fabric.” One way to pick fabrics

I recommend for a new quilter to purchase charm packs, these are pre-cut 2 1/2 inch or 5 inch packs. (They go larger but start with these sizes and DO NOT WASH)

Purchased cotton yardage, wash, dry and iron your fabric before starting any project. Please think of purchasing more fabric than needed, a pattern designer has no idea how you will cut and use your fabric. From My Quilt Ladies Site HOW to Pick Fabrics

When talking about fabric it always brings up the conversation of washing fabric. Here is what I do,

I wash and dry all my fabric BEFORE sewing cutting and piecing a quilt. You only have to pull out one finished quilt from the washer and see bleeding to know you must/should wash all fabric.

Cotton fabrics bleeding means, the dyes used on the fabric will become loose when washing. It’s said that it’s common is cottons, but all fabrics can bleed. Dyes will/can stain other fabrics in a prewashing, the biggest problem is the dye transfer after a quilt is finished.

When cotton fabric is made it is stretched on a loom, pulling the fibers straight. A stabilizer is applied to keep fabric straight and that is what you are washing off. Washing allows the fabric to relax and return to a more natural state. A dryer lets the fabric relax or shrink. All cotton fabrics are different you cannot know the amount any fabric will shrink.

Knowing a cotton fabric will not bleed and not shrink is worth a bit of time for the perfect quilt in the end.

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

When prewashing quilt fabric, I use my daily machine washer detergent, the same type that will be used when the complete quilt is washed. Same with the dryer, use the setting that will be used when the quilt is completed.

With 100% cotton fabric after washing and drying you will need to clip away all the threads that have twisted. If fabric is wrinkles you can shake it to smooth out more wrinkles, or press the fabric with a dry iron.

It’s a habit for me to wash/dry as soon as I purchase fabric. You will develop YOUR way of caring for your quilt fabrics.

When using/cutting the fabric I will press and starch it BEFORE any cutting and square up the fabric so that all cuts with a rotary cutter are straight. I use what I use for clothing as my starch just plain old Niagara brand, it makes it just a bit stiff and will washed very easily.

All this being said,
“I do not EVER wash contest quilt fabric before sewing, or quilting the quilt.” That is just me, you do YOU !

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

At NO Additional cost to you Disclaimer, this quilt pattern post contains affiliate links. I receive a few cents if you click to my links and purchase. These few cents help with my fabric collection and or obsession.
Beth Ann and as always, Thank you for making my dream a reality ! !

Grandma’s Pearls and Mom’s Quilt

A Quilt and Pearls

_{We all have one or two items that become a beautiful heirloom from a loved. It’s something we’ve received as a gift or has been handed down.}

This quilt is my empowerment. This quilt started me on a ride that I’ve been on for over 40 years, quilting. So today, I’m share my FAVORITE quilt !

My Great-Great Grandmother’s Quilt This quilt was a gift to my mother from her Great Grandmother. And then a Gift to me from My Mother.
Making it my, GREAT-GREAT Grandmother’s Gift to ME !Well…That’s how I like to look at it. I never met her and my mom only remembers helping with the peddle sewing machine. I use this quilt and love sleeping under it. It goes in the washer and now living here in Florida and not having a clothes line it does go it the dryer….Yes… it bothers me too, but…. the colors are still very bright.

_{These carry more than just aesthetic value, they carry a story, a memory, and a treasure that is truly priceless. For me, it’s my grandma’s pearls. I wear them on special occasions to this day. This is her (Grandma Glade) on the left in the picture, with my Mom and is on the cover of my, The Quilt Ladies Book.}

_{My grandma was a fashionable lady, from furs or jewerly. She loved to accessorize her outfits and her favorite was a strand of pearls. Pretty sure they were a gift to herself, but I have not way to knowing that.}_{Remember to cherish the things that really matter.}

Meet Beth Ann:
Beth Ann is a Quilter and an Author who decided to self-publish her books and quilt pattern books

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

Fish Quilt for a LONG Night

Nothing better an a OLD Quilt

Funny thing is…it WORKED ! Sleep sometimes is a very hard thing to come by for me. A few nights about I raided my closet and pulled this quilt out. With the air conditioner running, a quilt and was asleep in no time, it’s my chair.

It was Husband’s old fish pattern quilt, which I made YEARS ago.
The cottons so soft from all the washing it’s almost like silk, with it’s rag binding and just the right amount of love, I made to through some very LONG nights.

Together me and a fish quilt. I know this pattern is on the quilt ladies, I will post it !

Thank you for stopping and for all your love and support.

At NO Additional cost to you Disclaimer, this quilt pattern post contains affiliate links. I receive a few cents if you click to my links and purchase
See all Beth’s Books Quilting and MORE
On Kindle and In Print
My Etsy Quilt Pattern Shop

It’s Time for the June Quilt Block Pattern

Monthly Quilt Block for June

It’s all about different in this quilt block and it’s perfect to use up those quilt scraps of fabric you have. I like the scrappiness of fabric prints.
This quilt block has a finished size of 12″ x 12″

If you missed the others quilt blocks they are here for you

Center of Block

Cut 8 Assorted Colors – 1 ½ x 2 ½”
Piece as shown for the center

Cut 8 Assorted Colors – 1 7/8” x 1 7/8”
Cut 8 White – 1 7/8” x 1 7/8”
Make Triangles
How to make Quilt Block Triangles

Cut 4 Pink – 1 ½” x 1 ½”
Sew as shown

Cut 20 Assorted Colors – 1 ½” x 2 ½”
Cut 16 White – 1 ½” x 2 ½”
Make 4 units as shown

Sew 2, sew one on left and one on right

Cut 4 Pink – 3 ½” x 3 ½”
Sew to the unit as shown

Sew to the top and bottom of the block

Thank you for stopping and for all your love and support.

At NO Additional cost to you Disclaimer, this quilt pattern post contains affiliate links. I receive a few cents if you click to my links and purchase
See all Beth’s Books Quilting and MORE
On Kindle and In Print
My Etsy Quilt Pattern Shop

Make a Quilt Monday

Learn to Make a Square, Triangle and Quarter Square Triangle Quilt Block

I always tell new quilters, “Learn to make a 4-patch quilt block and you can do anything in quilting. It all starts with a square.” Add learning a triangle and you are on your way to becoming a Quilter.
Both my square and triangle tutorials are here for you.

How to Make a 4-Patch quilt block.

Square
Cut 2 squares the same size (finished size of square plus 1/2 inch) example cut 2 ½ x 2 Good to good Fabric
¼ inch seam allowance, sew
Trim threads
Open and Press to the dark

How to Make a 4-Patch Quilt Block with The Quilt Ladies

1)sew seam with a 1/4 inch seam allowance,

you may need to mark your machine with this measurement.

2) You can chain piece a few at a time

Cut thread and open your two squares sewn together

3)sew these two units together

Watch your color placement, sew good side of fabric to good side of fabric.

4) A 4-patch quilt square

How to make a Triangle and a Quarter Square Triangle Block. There are many ways to do these, this is the way ‘I” do them.

Triangles

Sew Good to good fabric, with a pencil draw a line corner to corner, this is
The line you measure your ¼” seam allowance from
Sew from edge to edge use a ¼” seam
Cut in half on the pencil line, trim threads
Open and press to the dark fabric,
There will be 2 blocks

Quarter Square Triangle

Cut 2 squares, 1 each color – your squares need to be cut 1 ¼” larger than the finished size you need, example you need a 4” finished square cut square 5 ¼” x 5 ¼”
On lightest color on the back, pencil mark from corner to corner.
Sew ¼” from the line, on each side of the line.
With scissors cut on each of the center line, open up, now move the match colors, draw a line corner to corner, pin and sew as before, you will have 2 blocks.

For Future Information here is all the cutting sizes which are used the most

Thank you for stopping and for all your love and support.

Make a Quilt Monday – NOW I started Choosing Quilt Colors

Fabric Colors from a Photograph

This may seem a bit strange, but I love the colors in this dress, it’s from a Vogue magazine probably 6-8 years ago, (LOVE IT) and it’s how I picked the colors for my quilt Pattern Book.

Last week we did color HERE
See all Make a Quilt Monday

I do have to say that after all these many years, I don’t over think color anymore. I have used some real dog of fabrics and when it’s all together…the quilt seems to work on it’s own.

quilt fabrics from a photo in vogue — Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Shop

Can you see it?

The purples, the pink/red sleeve, the green top
And a White added for the white Chair !

B Annie Quilt Pattern eBook by the Quilt Ladies

This is one of the quilt rows, choosing fabrics this way

The only color that just didn’t work for me was the black belt and I couldn’t find anything I liked, so I just left it off.

(Note: when piecing the blocks the dark green took the place of the black)

Here’s a look at one of the 16 blocks !

It worked !

http://www.shop.thequiltladies.com/product.sc?productId=78&categoryId=37

Meet Beth Ann:

Beth Ann is a Quilter and an Author who decided to self-publish her books and quilt pattern books

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

At NO Additional cost to you Disclaimer, this quilt pattern post contains affiliate links. I receive a few cents if you click to my links and purchase. These few cents help with my fabric collection and or obsession.
Beth Ann and as always, Thank you for making my dream a reality ! !
www.bethanndoing.com
www.thequiltladies.com

PDF Digital Download
B. Annie HERE

and NOW on KINDLE and in PRINT

The idea of no drama is what my slow and steady has become these past few years. Nothing makes me happier than a list so I’m loving my Holiday To Do List here.

Today, lets talk about quilt fabric One of the best things about quilting is the Wonderful Fabric.

All this being said, “I do not EVER wash contest quilt fabric before sewing, or quilting the quilt.” That is just me, you do YOU !

We all have one or two items that become a beautiful heirloom from a loved. It’s something we’ve received as a gift or has been handed down.

This quilt is my empowerment. This quilt started me on a ride that I’ve been on for over 40 years, quilting. So today, I’m share my FAVORITE quilt !

My grandma was a fashionable lady, from furs or jewerly. She loved to accessorize her outfits and her favorite was a strand of pearls. Pretty sure they were a gift to herself, but I have not way to knowing that. Remember to cherish the things that really matter.

Funny thing is…it WORKED ! Sleep sometimes is a very hard thing to come by for me. A few nights about I raided my closet and pulled this quilt out. With the air conditioner running, a quilt and was asleep in no time, it’s my chair.

It was Husband’s old fish pattern quilt, which I made YEARS ago. The cottons so soft from all the washing it’s almost like silk, with it’s rag binding and just the right amount of love, I made to through some very LONG nights.

It’s all about different in this quilt block and it’s perfect to use up those quilt scraps of fabric you have. I like the scrappiness of fabric prints. This quilt block has a finished size of 12″ x 12″

I always tell new quilters, “Learn to make a 4-patch quilt block and you can do anything in quilting. It all starts with a square.” Add learning a triangle and you are on your way to becoming a Quilter. Both my square and triangle tutorials are here for you.

How to Make a 4-Patch quilt block.

How to make a Triangle and a Quarter Square Triangle Block. There are many ways to do these, this is the way ‘I” do them.

Triangles

Quarter Square Triangle

This may seem a bit strange, but I love the colors in this dress, it’s from a Vogue magazine probably 6-8 years ago, (LOVE IT) and it’s how I picked the colors for my quilt Pattern Book.

Last week we did color HERE See all Make a Quilt Monday

I do have to say that after all these many years, I don’t over think color anymore. I have used some real dog of fabrics and when it’s all together…the quilt seems to work on it’s own.

PDF Digital Download B. Annie HERE

Today, lets talk about quilt fabric
One of the best things about quilting is the Wonderful Fabric.

All this being said,
“I do not EVER wash contest quilt fabric before sewing, or quilting the quilt.” That is just me, you do YOU !

_{We all have one or two items that become a beautiful heirloom from a loved. It’s something we’ve received as a gift or has been handed down.}

_{My grandma was a fashionable lady, from furs or jewerly. She loved to accessorize her outfits and her favorite was a strand of pearls. Pretty sure they were a gift to herself, but I have not way to knowing that.}_{Remember to cherish the things that really matter.}

It was Husband’s old fish pattern quilt, which I made YEARS ago.
The cottons so soft from all the washing it’s almost like silk, with it’s rag binding and just the right amount of love, I made to through some very LONG nights.

It’s all about different in this quilt block and it’s perfect to use up those quilt scraps of fabric you have. I like the scrappiness of fabric prints.
This quilt block has a finished size of 12″ x 12″

I always tell new quilters, “Learn to make a 4-patch quilt block and you can do anything in quilting. It all starts with a square.” Add learning a triangle and you are on your way to becoming a Quilter.
Both my square and triangle tutorials are here for you.

Last week we did color HERE
See all Make a Quilt Monday

PDF Digital Download
B. Annie HERE