Robot quilt

Finally! I finished Luke's quilt top. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. I was a little unsure about all of the red at first, but now I really like it.


I used mostly David Walker's robots prints, along with some Heather Ross polka dots, Michael Miller sprockets, and Cogsmo by Cosmo Cricket. I was able to sneak in a few precious squares of Ariel's Robot Red Rover fabric too.


It's huge--63 x 88 inches. There's about a foot hanging over the fence too.



One thing I need help with: I'd like to applique a red letter L on one of the squares. Any tips? I've never appliqued anything before. Would I do it before the quilting or after? Good idea? Bad idea? Any help would be appreciated.


When I set this out to take the picture, I realized that the backing fabric is a different blue than the blue in the quilt top. Der. I'm going to be okay with it.


Here it is, all ready to go to the quilter. I got a little bored with all of the squares, but I think Luke is going to like it. I'm going to try something a little more ambitious next time! Also, with quilt #3, I'm going to try to quilt it myself. I just thought this one was too big to attempt. I'll post more pictures when it's all finished up.


Head over to Amy's blog to see lots and lots more quilts!

Finished Frenchy

I know you've been waiting with bated breath to see my finished Frenchy bag. (You have been waiting with bated breath...right?) I appreciate everyone's opinions. They helped me realize that I didn't have the right fabrics to make the bag I wanted. After doing some research, I figured out that the fabrics I had were all from Amy Butler's Nigella home decor line, but they were from different colorways. So I found a fabric I like in a smaller scale that actually matched my favorite exterior fabric, and voila! Frenchy was born. Without further ado...

This is a great pattern with very clear instructions. I'm glad I used the home decor fabric. It makes for a sturdy bag. It has lots of fancy details like a lining, pockets, and even a magnetic snap closure. I pretty much love it.

On the menu: Chalupa Dinner Bowl Nachos

I love having dinner waiting in the Crock-Pot when I get home. Tonight, Chalupa Dinner Bowl Nachos were ready to go. This recipe requires minimal prep time in the morning--just toss a pork loin roast, spices, chiles, and some chicken broth in the Crock-Pot. Instead of cooking dried pinto beans with the meat, I just topped my nachos with warm black beans. This came out a little on the bland side (I ate mine with salsa, so it was fine), so you might want to increase the spices a bit.

You're cordially invited...

Aw, crap. I'm going to cry during Jim & Pam's wedding.

Bringing the funny

Are you watching Modern Family? You should be. It's hilarious. You can catch up on Hulu if you missed the first two episodes.


Can anyone tell me how to adjust my blog so my videos don't overlap the sidebar? Much obliged. UPDATE: I fixed it! Thanks so much for your help, Kris! Aah, much better.

Splat!

I was looking for a quick project last night. I still need to sew up my Frenchy bag, but my brain capacity hadn't quite recovered from spending a week on the couch. Then I remembered I had all the makings for Tania's Hot Frog. After making a few of her Chickummyjigs, I knew the pattern would be easy to follow. (Free pattern on her Myrtle & Eunice blog.) I made him out of corduroy for extra coziness.

I'm afraid my version looks a little more like amphibious road kill than Tania intended.

What puts the "hot" in the hot frog? He's filled with wheat kernels (I found them at Whole Foods), so you can pop him in the microwave and use him as a hot pad. I think he'll be a perfect foot warmer. Too bad I didn't have this guy made up last week when we all had the chills! Oh well. Next time.

Am I the last person on the planet to read this book?

Even though I've seen this book on every best-seller and book club list, I had no idea what it was about. Turns out it's a novel written in epistolary form (English degree pays off!) about the German occupation of the English Channel Islands during WWII. I know that might sound dry, but the story follows the lives of the island's residents, and it's actually very interesting and charming.

If you haven't read it, check it out. If you have, what did you think?

Watch it: Modern Family

I got an e-mail today inviting me to watch a sneak peek of Modern Family before it premiers on Wednesday. (I always suspected I was VIP. Now I have proof!) I was already on board after reading comments from the Entertainment Weekly reviewer saying it's a "Riotously funny single-camera comedy focusing on three very different dysfunctional families. Easily the best comedy pilot of the new fall season." After seeing the pilot, I'm setting up my season pass. There is a lot of setting up to do in this first episode, but it's very promising. I found Phil, the "traditional" dad, to be hilarious. Check it out on Wednesday on ABC! (By the way, I didn't have to post a positive review or anything. I really liked it.)

Perhaps it's my twisted sense of humor...

But I think Zombieland looks hilarious.


We've adopted "nut up or shut up" as our personal motto.

Pizza night

Thanks for the recipe suggestions! I'll keep those in mind when I plan my menu for next week. In the meantime, I made this recipe for Barbecued Chicken Pizza from Sunset for dinner tonight. It was delicious--chicken, cheese, barbecue sauce, bacon...that's a recipe for success. (Luke was eating this too, so I omitted the chiles and red pepper flakes.) I got a ball of pizza dough from the Publix bakery, and it turned out really well. We'll be repeating this one in the near future!

I <3 Acafellas

Wanna feel old? This song was recorded 19 years ago.

I think they should've gone with Testostertones.
I loved last night's episode, in spite of the fact that it got a little after school special-ly at the end.

Tis the season for comfort food

Sure, it's still in the 80s here, but when I leave work to the tunes of the high school marching band practicing, it feels like fall. Maybe that's why I've been seeking out comfort food this week.

On the menu:

Baked Potato Soup: I was in the mood for a potato soup, and this one had very high ratings on MyRecipes.com. It turned out a little bland for my taste, but topping it with bacon and cheese helped add flavor :) (Warning: I'm pretty sure your cholesterol will go up just looking at this recipe.)

Paula Deen's Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie: This was a good, simple meal that was quick to put together after work. In true Paula Deen fashion, it calls for you to melt a stick a butter and pour it over the top of the casserole. I definitely cut back on that, and I didn't add the hard boiled egg to the pot pie because...ick!

I'm really trying to get out of my dinner rut. Any recipes I should try?

If you need me, I'll be reading this.

Don't have a copy? Check out "21 New Shows: Worth Your Time?" on EW.com

Opinions, please

I'm planning on starting my Frenchy bag this weekend, but I'm not sure how I want to use the fabric. I need to decide which fabric to use for the top exterior, main exterior, and lining. I have enough fabric for any configuration.

Here are the fabrics I have (all from Amy Butler's Nigella line).

What do you think? What's my best bet for the lining, main exterior, and top exterior? Please let me know what you think!

Awe. Some.

I'm so excited that Ellen is going to be the new permanent judge on American Idol!

Aren't you?

Don't forget!

Glee returns tonight! My hopes are high. You might say I won't stop believin' in this show.

Rent it: State of Play

State of Play is a solid political thriller with plenty of twists. Ben Affleck plays an up-and-coming star in the political world until his aide/mistress turns up dead. The story is made more interesting because it unfolds through the investigative eyes of Russell Crowe's character, a newspaper reporter and the congressman's personal friend. Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, and Jason Bateman round out the all-star cast. Check it out!

Heather Ross Pajama Pants

I figured it was time for me to try my hand at a garment, and pajama pants seemed like a good place to start (like home ec, right?). I used the pajama pants pattern from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing.

The fabric: Heather Ross's Kelp Forest in Blush.

The pattern was simple, and I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. They fit! One note: If you make this pattern, the fabric requirements are off. It calls for 2 1/4 yards of fabric for medium/large. The errata calls for 2 1/2. I ended up using 2 1/2 for the large in pants that are short enough for me. If you're any taller than, say, 5'2'', you might need more fabric than that.

{More} robot fabric

I know what you're thinking...Surely Katie has enough robot fabric by now. True, but when I saw Ariel's Robot Red-Rover fabric, I knew it would be mine.

I'm considering sneaking a few squares of these guys into Luke's robot quilt (which is coming along, by the way). Stay tuned.

Ariel is an independent fabric designer. She has her cute designs printed through Spoonflower and sells them at her Etsy shop, Pocketful of Pinwheels. Check it out!

Mark your calendars.

Wondering when your favorite show is returning? Just click here for a complete list of Fall TV premiere dates.