Pretzel toffee

1c. melted butter

1 1/4c. brown sugar

1 package chocolate chips

Pretzels

Line a cookie sheet with foil, spray with Pam. Layer pretzels in single layer.

In a 2 quart microwaveable bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar.  Cook on high 4 minutes.  Whisk well.  Cook on high 3 1/2-4 minutes (I hang out by the microwave and when I can smell and see it getting dark, then it is done).  Microwaves vary, so yours might take longer or shorter times to get to the right temp.  You might have to make a few batches before you find the right timing for your microwave.  Whisk again quickly (it will be thicker at this point)  Quickly pour onto prepared pan and carefully spread it out.  Sprinkle on package of chocolate chips (you can do less if you want to).   When they have melted, spread it out evenly and refrigerate.  Break into pieces and enjoy! (sorry, I forgot to get a pic of the finished product, but believe me, it is amazing!)

Christmas 1968 - Moda Bake Shop

I am finally done with the quilt for the Moda Bake Shop and it feels great!  This quilt is a KEEPER!

I just adore the little Santas in this quilt material - the plaid is perfect for binding too.  Love love love this one!  I can't believe I have to put it away for so long before I get to enjoy it in December though!

Now that summer is here, quilting will be on the back burner - I will be doing lots of working on the Diamond T and on my newly found hobby - upholstery!

Upholstery and quilting

I have been working on my Moda Bake Shop project, but also on TWO different upholstered chair projects.  One I am keeping and one I got to practice on and flip.  Here is my progress of the one I bought to flip.  It had a cover hot glued onto the original pink/gold chenille.  Yes, HOT GLUED.  The frame was broken, so I had to remove the zigzag springs and repair the frame.  Those springs were a royal pain to put back on!  They were super tight!

After putting the frame back together and reattaching the springs, I covered the springs with cotton (this will be the dust cover since the bottom cannot be covered because this is a spring rocker).  Then, I reattached the cushion springs and the padding over them.  I stitched a new seat cover and got that attached as well.

I pattern-matched the seat to the skirting as well.  I think it turned out pretty good!  It sold the first day I advertised it too!

Moda Happy mail - Swell Christmas

I will just leave this pic right here so you can drool over the fabric as well.  My new project for Moda Bake Shop will be called "Christmas 1968".

2018 already?

I just am baffled where the time goes - I haven't done much of anything since before Christmas..... I caught that darn flu that is harassing the whole of North America it seems.  3 weeks of misery!  Then, right at the tail end of it, I got vertigo for a whole week.  I have had vertigo mildly before - but this was VERTIGO and I actually took myself to the ER thinking it was something serious.  Thankfully, the vertigo seems to be mostly gone now, whew.  And, so I can get back to quilting!

I did do some pressing on my Dresden chain quilt - I have all the chain blocks done and now all the blades made/pressed - just need to sew them together into plates.  I have one plate done.

I need to get going on it though and finish it because I have new fabric coming soon for a new Moda Bake Shop project!  I am SO excited!  The quilt is going to be called Christmas 1968 - and I will leave you in suspense what fabric I will be using until I get it in hand.  But, I bet you might know by the quilt name if you have seen any upcoming Moda fabrics on other blogs :)


This Queen Anne chair is a project I have in mind to do soon too - I have been waiting to upholster it until I find the right fabric/fabrics.  I am going to buckle down and be more serious about finding what I want to do with it though - any suggestions?  I don't want too bright, but I don't want too subtle either.  I want something that is very striking and appealing to more than just myself.   I am considering buying a store-bought quilt (a cheap one!) and covering it with that.  I cannot bring myself to paint the wood, but I do think I would like it better painted, distressed, waxed.  This is a chair my grandparents bought in/about 1942 in Seattle.  So, I consider it a family heirloom.  I love it, but it really needs some attention!