My View

Bonnie over at Quiltville did a blog post about her view from her house every day. I decided to post my view because I love looking out my window. Just today when I pulled up in the car, I told my granddaughter how much I love looking at all the trees and the flowers. It makes me happy. And its peaceful and usually quiet. I feel sorry for anyone that isn't able to have this serenity for at least part of their day.

The first picture is out my kitchen window. See the rooster's head there on the bottom right. He is my Mother's Day gift from hubby. The Azeala bush was planted by my gramdma after my grampa's funeral. It is one of my prized possesions and I have taken care of it for 33 years. I have transplanted other plants around here but never this bush. There is a lavender lilac bush on the right side that was here and all the other plants I have put in. You can see the garden fence on the left side. I just wish the weather was a little nicer so I could plant some more things.

Mr Happy Bird just happen to catch my eye from the sewing room one day. So I zipped over to grab the camera and very slowly snapped pics as I got closer to him. I had never seen a bird like him around here. (I'm just assuming he's a he! I couldn't get close enough to look under his tail.) We have more birds this year than I can ever remember seeing. Maybe I'm just noticing them because I am home all the time now.

The lilac alone in the picture is one I bought at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens several years ago. Last year there were a couple flowers and this year its loaded. It seems every year I forget to go there when all the flowers are in bloom.

Since my last post, I have turned a year older. This is my special birthday year so I have been celebrating all month long. I can't believe how many of my friends are party haters but that's their problem. They need to come over to the fun side and enjoy the little things. My birthday is special because I was born in 54 (I'm talking 1954!) and I'm 54. And it's my 27th anniversay of being 27. However I look at it, I need to celebrate. So I have been opening my birthday blocks as they come in the mail--OHHHHH, my quilt is going to be so fun! I'll post more on that at a later time.

Now I want to get to the sewing machine. Bonnie posted Step 5 of the Orange Crush mystery and I'm not done with step 4! I have more I want to post but that will wait. I am itchin' to be stitchin'! This post should satisfy the sister that sent me a scathing email today! Happy? You should be! I did this just for you.

One More UFO Done (Almost)

I say almost because it needs binding. Looking back, I see I posted about this quilt on April 27. I had the rows hanging on my design wall all this time. So I am going to get the binding ready and take it with me to the retreat and sew the binding on. (Maybe I can inspire someone to sew her binding on her flannel quilt.) Then I can stitch it down during show and tell. (After reading this post, I decided I better edit this last sentence. You see I know my friend and she is going to think I am wanting to stitch down her binding. I'm not, she needs to do that herself. I am going to stitch down the binding on MY quilt. :-} )

Yesterday I got a birthday block in the mail and I wanted to put the blocks on my design wall and this was in the way. I took it down, sewed the rows together, made the back, found a piece of batting just the right size and wound some bobbins. That was enough work for one day!!! Not really, that was a good place to stop since Crystal and her family were coming out to fix dinner. I love it when that happens.

So this morning, I got busy and got this baby quilted. I did a simple meander so I could let my mind wander as I quilted. I used a new to me thread. It is Sulky cotton size 30. Color 4009, according to Sulky's color page it is called foliage. On the top of the cone is the word Gunold. I'm thinking that maybe this is acutally an embroidery thread??? I don't know-I didn't read the website yet. All I know is that it never broke and the whole quilting job went smooth as silk. I did have to clean off the hopping foot and in the bobbin area with every bobbin change. This is the linty-est cotton thread I have ever used. I will use it again just because I love the way it works and looks.

I got this cone at the quilters stash enhance bazaar for $3! I think I can do at least 4 more quilts with it. You can bet I'm going to find out how many!

Now I have to get some packing done for this weekend's retreat. Most everything is still packed up so it won't take long.

Retreat Fun

I am exhausted! We had a great time. I learn something new at every retreat, sometimes I even teach someone else something new.

This is my main project for the weekend. I wanted to start this mini wall hanging right when we got there but I had a couple other things to work on first. I did my April and May BOM and I worked on my step 4 for the Quiltville Orange Crush Mystery. Then we had the postcard class. Oh, that was so much fun.

After that class, I got going on my mini. Saturday night all 36 blocks were done. When they are pieced together for the center, it will measure 9"! Holy crap! I thought the center was 12" but I was wrong. Wait right there, I am going to go measure.

Eeeek!!! It measures, right now, unsewn, 10 1/2". Each block finished to 1 1/2". Lordy, what was I thinkin'!!! Honestly, I love the way it's looking. I can't wait to get the "quilt" sewn and the borders on it. I need to sew the corner blocks before I can add the borders. It would be fun to have it done before retreat #2 in 3 days. Then I could start another one!

But now I'm tired, I need to unpack a few things and wait for my next bunch of company to arrive. It's been a great Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day to you all.

Retreat Time

It's that time of year again. Retreat time! One this weekend, home for 4 days and off to another. I am quite excited and I am ready to go. I'm taking several projects to work on. I have 2 Carol Doak BOMs, all my lottery blocks, some signature blocks for an exchange in September, a couple miniature projects and in case I run out of things to do, I have another long term paper piece project with me. And we are having a postcard class on Friday.

I don't know why I'm so worried about running out of things to do. I'm coming home every night to sleep in my own bed. The retreat center is only 3 miles away so I'm not sleeping in those army bunk beds anymore. So I say now!

I have 2 completed quilts for show and tell and maybe I'll grab a couple tops to take also. The quilt in the photo isn't ready to take anywhere. It's a quilt as you go project. I saw Betty Cotton of Cotton Theory Quilting fame on Sewing with Nancy and had to try her method. I'm glad I DVRed it because I have had to go back and look at some things again. I think it will be a fun quilt when it's done. And I've been playing with the decorative stitches on my machine. I still have 2 more rows to set together before I can start sewing rows together.

Hopefully I won't be making any more UFOs this weekend. I'm hoping to have completed projects when I get home. Talk to you later.

Strange Morning

How cute is this. Oh, peeze let us off the deck so we can run and play. Ohhh Peeze, peeze, peeze!

Well I've had the strangest morning. I sat down, wrote out an exciting blog post with 2 other great pictures, clicked to publish and now it is floating around out in cyber space never to be seen again. I have too much to do this morning to write another one. Maybe later today I will share with you all my exciting story but right now, I have to stay on my somewhat of a schedule.

Have a fabulous day. Places to go, people to see!

Yeah, It's Friday

It is Friday, isn't it? I've been mixed up all week. No reason why really, I just have weeks like that. Maybe is was the anticaption of my baby's arrival. She got here yesterday. She is quite petite. The front flapper, (I don't know what it's called) is a lot shorter than on my other featherweight. I wonder if it's because it was made in Great Britian and the black one was made in the good ole USA. I'll do more research on her. She needs a couple parts but other than that, after a good oiling, she runs good. And the cord is wired direct instead of a plugger thing.

Maybe I'll just pretend she's my Bronco and invest in her future. Don't tell hubby I'm comparing a sewing machine to his precious Bronco. (You know the one, the brand new 1992 Ford Bronco! that has had almost every part on it replaced!) I've been thinking of taking her to the repair guy just to make sure everything is ok. That's gonna be a while though, I filled my car up with gas yesterday. Ugh!

Here are the rulers I've been working with. The green one is called The Line Tamer by Four Paws Quilting. Out of all my rulers, and I have several, this is my very favorite. The lines are easy to read and I love that the hopping foot glides through the slot. The orange one is from Sew Far Sew Good and is called the Braided Cable. I need lots more practice with this one! I have just a little bit more to do, including the binding and I can call this UFO done.

Time to think about what's for dinner. Some day I am going to be like Judy L of Patchwork Times and have a weekly menu and stick to it. It's been quite a while since I've done that. Oh I have such great plans!

My New Baby

I wasn't going to do it. I didn't need another machine. No, I don't need it. OK, just one more reserve bid. Oh dang, ok, one more. 48 seconds to go. Crap, I lost it. Let's see what dial up can do. Confirm bid.

Congrats, you just bought this item. Yahooie! I have a new baby!!! I'm so excited, I can't stand it. I really, really hope she's in good shape but if she isn't that's ok, cuz neither am I!!! And I now know a good repairman! Thanks for the info Patti. I had called him earlier in the day to have my Pfaff service.

After slowing my heart rate down, I had to drive into town to deliver my Pfaff. Is it Friday yet, that is the expected delivery date of My New Baby! Good bye, I must get ready for her arrival.

Another UFO Out of the Box

This UFO has been sitting in it's 2.5 gallon Jumbo Hefty Storage Bag since July 16, 2007. Not too bad. (And yes! I am a bag snob. These being my very favorite project bags.) I started this after picking up a copy of Quilt Sampler Magazine for Spring/Summer 2007 while at a quilt shop on our Sisters, Oregon trip. The cover quilt is from Intown Quilters in Decauter, GA and is called all squared up and uses Patty Murphy's method of cutting and peicing purchased squares.

I didn't have any squares but I did have a bunch of 3" flannel strips from a couple of online group swaps. So I got out my handy dandy paper and pencil and started to draw and measure. This is what I came up with. My block finishes 9 1/2" square and hers is 8". Doesn't matter to me. I just love the block.

I know I can get the pieces for one block out of one 42 inch strip. Not all flannel measures 42" without selvage so I have several blocks that use the same center block color. I don't care, this is a fun quilt to make and to look at.

I had the rows pinned together and numbered in order. (See my pins with the numbers marked on the head? Love the Sharpie!!!) So I got them out and started sewing them into rows. I know I don't have enough flannel for the back of this quilt but I will pick some up next time I go shopping. I'm hoping to have it quilted before the next retreat. No pressure, it's in less than 2 weeks!

I'd better get busy! I'm trying to figure out why I am such a project jumper! Ohhhhhh, is there enough time for that answer?

I Didn't Expect This

When I started working on this UFO, I didn't know for sure what I was going to do. I knew it needed to be bigger. I had 12 blocks and they are only 10" unfinished. That's not very big. So I layed out some different sashing fabrics and then got the brilliant idea to make
9-patch cornerstones and a 3 row sashing.

I've seen this on other people's quilts and have always liked the look. I think it makes this quilt a happy little thing. I just finished the last of the 9 patches I needed to make. For some reason, I was 6 short. So now I am going to sit down and make the last row and sew all these rows together.

I have another little quilt waiting it's turn for the long arm. I'm thinking I will get into my box of novelty prints and pull out some girly looking ones and make these both into fun revesible quilts.

Crystal and the kiddos spent the day out here. We planned to work in the garden but my dad stopped by and we never made it down there. Oh well, I'll go do a weed check tomorrow. Heck I might even bend over and pick up a few rocks!

Now I'm off to finish this top tonight.

Happy Friday!

Edited at 9:40 am I guessing blogger, Picasa and my dial up aren't getting along today. I tried uploading 2 pictures and they didn't show up. I tried again using blogger but my dial up is a killer for this. So I am going to go on about my day. Maybe later today, I will feel like messing with this but I don't right now.

Saturday--7:50 pm Dear Blogger, I am sorry for being cranky. Maybe you were just having a bad day. Thanks for playing nice today.

I am a happy camper today. It's before 7 AM and I just finished the quilting on my Carolina Crossroads Mystery Quilt ala Quiltville. I don't know if the instructions are there on the website or not, you will have to explore and see. I say you can't go wrong with a Quiltville design. Even when its a total mess like mine is. I love the black, white and red but after looking at it for a bit, it kind of hurts my eyes.

This is my next UFO project to get done. Its from Ami Simms and is called Twisted Sisters. I don't even know when I started it. I had fun making the blocks and then must have jumped to something else. The dark fabric is a fun floral with butterflies. I am going to make a 3 row sashing for the inside and then use the floral for the outer border. Some little girl will love it. I'd like to make another with each block different--pretty much totally scrappy and happy!

So now I will fill my coffee cup again, eat a piece of toast and make some binding. YaaHoowie! It's a Happy Friday!