UFO DONE!

This cute little lap quilt has been calling to me for a while. Yes, another project from Quiltville. It's called String-X and makes a nice little dent in the scrap basket. I think I have enough pieces cut for 2 more of this size.

I have been wanting to practice my ruler work on the machine. Oh boy oh boy, I need to continue the practice. The curves in the plain squares--I figured out how to do those really good by the last row!

On the border, I used my circle templates and the information from my video, Longarmed & Fabulous to do a border treatment that included turning the quilt. Good thing it was a small quilt. I almost gave up on it. In the inner border, I did my standard loppies. They are so fun to do.

On the X strips, I just did a wavy back and forth wiggle. It was fun. Lots more fun than the stitch in the ditch with the ruler. When your longarm quilter gives you "the look" when you tell her you want stitch in the ditch, there is a reason for that. Honestly, I don't mind doing it. I know I have to practice that a lot more.

I have a sampler top that I am planning to do lots of stitch in the ditch work and lots of free motion in the background. I am about ready to tackle that one. But it is at the bottom of my to quilt bin so it will wait it's turn. If I'm still in the mood tomorrow, I have another quilt to load on. Either one of mine or the famous BOB quilt--depends on when I get the fabulous thread for that one.

I know, 3 posts in one day. But I had a lot to say.........so until next time.....

PS-Dee & Taylor, this one is for me to keep. Love you.

Quilting Baby Quilts

I love quilting baby quilts. I think all baby quilts should have one side with flannel. There is just something so snuggly about flannel and babies.

The top picture is a quilt made by my friend Sonya for her son's friend's baby boy. Seahawk colors with no prints. That's what he wanted, and Sonya did a great job picking colors and fabrics. The lime green binding sets everything off perfectly. Cotton front and flannel back.

Quilt #2 is for same son, different friend. He wanted teddy bear colors. So Sonya picked teddy bears! She found the softest teddy bear flannel. It was so much fun quilting these 2 quilts.

Picture #3 are my 2 charity baby quilts. Both are made with the Wicked Easy pattern and flannel scraps from grandkid pajamas. It was fun showing these to the grands and listening to them remember their pj's. Ian told me he still wears his pj bottoms from 3 years ago.....they must be shorts by now!

I sewed the backings together, loaded them on the frame, layed down the batting and then the seperate quilt tops. Then I just meandered my way across. It didn't take long to get these 2 quilted. I put the binding on them right away and then used my fancy sewing machine to finish the binding. 2 done with 1 more of these to finish and a box of girly flannel for 3 or 4 more.

I just follow the cutting guide lines for the size of scrap I have and stack the pieces. After a while I count what is in the stack to see what piles need what. When my scraps are gone, I sit down and start sewing the blocks. The fun part comes when I have the blocks finished and I need to sew the blocks together. What a fun quilt to make. I can't wait for these to find their loving owners.

My Fun Saturday

Did you know there is an event (not just) for guys that is almost like Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show? There is! Its the Great Oregon Steam-Up. This is the 37th year, July 28 & 29, August 4 & 5. 62 acres of heitage powered equipment. It is entirely maintained and operated by volunteers. Lots of eye candy for the menfolk! It is located just west of I-5 exit 263 in Brooks Oregon.

We went yesterday. I enjoyed spending the day with hubby while he drooled over the John Deeres and other old and new tractors. There is also a Caterpillar Museum and its a good thing there is.

We have an old Cat D7. Her name is Charlene. (I figured if he was going to spend so much quality time with her, she had to have a name. She's lived here for so long that now she is considered family.) She needed a new magneto--all I know is that it is something that helps start the pony motor that starts the Cat. We found 2 guys that work on them and then we found Guy 3 that had a brand spanking new one in a box ready for us to take home to Charlene. But......

Guy 3 wanted to be sure it was the right one. We go over to the Cat Museum and right there inside in low light is a cousin to Charlene! Hubby climbs up on him, and there is the magneto with the numbers all dark and tiny. The numbers are angled so you can't see them very well but with sheer determination, the numbers are spotted, the part is listed on Guy 3's product list and Hubby is happy.

Go back to Guy 3 to buy magneto. No, he doesn't take Visa and we have no checks with us and not enough cash. Let's go find a cash machine. And bless the Great Oregon Steam-Up, they have a cash machine right there by the main office. Get the cash, got back to Guy 3, buy the mag, head for home. Good thing too cuz my dogs are barkin and its getting hot outside and I want to quilt.

After we get home, Hubby goes out and talks nice to Charlene. She's been parked for a while and needs a bit of TLC before she fires up and moves some dirt. After a couple hours, I go out to see what is happening and I smell fresh dirt. I now all is well.

Hubby is happy, Charlene is happy and I have to apologize for wanting to call in the scrappers to take her away. I'm sorry Charlene. You can live here forever.

Next weekend is a quilt show at Pomeroy House. I should make Hubby go with me before we go to the family reunion! No, I'll go on Sunday with Sonya.

Dear Mike and Elliot,

Please forgive me. I did not mean to hurt your itty bitty feelings. Of course I want you to move up here. I am an insensitive boob. I am so very sorry. You know I worship the ground you walk on. And Mike, I kind of like you too.

Dear Blog Readers,
Evidently my darling son in law has his feelings hurt because in my last post, I neglected to include Mike and Elliot. But is he pregnant and needing my help with packing and such??? I am now publicly apologizing to him. I must go now and give myself 40 lashes with a wet noodle.

Dear Mike,
I hope you will still be my friend. Because of my lack of sensitivity, I now have welts caused my a wet noodle. Are you happy!!!!!!!!!!


So, Dear Blog Readers, I will be going to Arizona in August to help Crystal, Mike and Elliot get ready for the move back home to Washington. I sure hope Mike isn't mad at me any more because I can't wait for the whole fam damily to be in Washington again where they belong.

Love you.

Fun at Gramma's

Here are Taylor, Ashlee, Ian and Amanda. Life is good at Gramma's house.

Jenny and the kids were here from Texas for a few days. I had breakfast with them this morning as they were headed for the airport to go back home. Taylor had to come a spend a couple nights also. She misses them all. At night, my living room looked like a flop house with 3 kids sleeping on the floor and one on the couch. I had to share them with other family and friends so they only stayed here for 3 nights.

It sure is quiet now. Knowing they are so far away makes me miss them a bit more. So now I am going to go full speed ahead on some of my projects before I head down to Arizona next month to help Crystal move back up here.

I have a pile of quilts to do for a friend and a pile of quilts to do for myself. I am slowly making a dent in my "tops to finish" pile and adding them to my "tops to quilt" pile. On Monday, I quilted 2 baby quilts and finished the binding on them yesterday morning. Next up are 2 more baby quilts for my friend. I hope to get one of them loaded on the machine tonight so I can get going on it first thing in the morning.

I did stop at Joann's on the way home from breakfast. I got 2 dress patterns for Taylor, a blouse pattern for myself and I found a cute maternity pattern for Crystal. I still am shocked at how much patterns cost and thankful that Joann's has them on sale. I love a good sale at Joann's. I got a new quilting design packet for half price. I wish they had the thread I like to use on the long arm but they don't so I will just have to make do with what I have.

I'm off here now to finish putting groceries away and to fix hubby a fabulous dinner. snicker, snicker BBQ pork chops and ceaser salad. It does sound fabulous, doesn't it.

Sisters Quilt Show

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show , second Saturday of July, already marked in my day planner for 2008. What a day!

For the past 4 years, my friend Sonya and I have taken a bus trip over the mountain to Sisters, Oregon. This year was just as fasinating as the past 3. There isn't enough time in the day to see all the quilts. But there are a lot of talented photographers (not myself amoung them!!) that post their pictures on the web, so after a while we do get to see everything. So, thank you to all of you for sharing with all us.

Here are a few of my favorite quilts.

I come home just full of inspiration and awe. Oh the talent--the piecing--both hand and machine, setting, quilting--again both hand and machine, color seclection, design--you know what I mean. It still amazes me--all the talent displayed in one city.

I was also amazed at the people of Sisters. Our bus has a reserved parking space!!! Donna and her husband (sorry, can't remember his name) save 3 spots on their property to park tour buses. They open their home to strangers that need a cool place to rest, use their bathrooms, or just sit.

After the quilt show, we head out to a quilt shop where we are even more inspired. But I am hot and tired and still thristy. I did spend some money but I didn't get what was on my list--guess I will have to visit my local shops cuz you know I have to have what is on my list.

Now its time to head back to our side of the mountain. We do a stop at Safeway to pick up dinner and drinks. Vitamin water sure helped me. Glad I got that instead of the diet Pepsi that I really wanted!

Now I am going to get ready for my company that arrives tomorrow night. Jenny and the kids will be here for a few days and I can't wait to see them. Hopefully I'll stop by here and show you some of my favorite non quilt pictures from Saturday.

Until then, drink lots of water!

Happy July!!!

Holy Cow, when did that happen! Oh yeah, on Sunday. Retire and forget the date.......life is good.

I miss my company from last month but I'm looking forward to my company for this month. Crystal and Elliot went home last week. Jenny, Ashlee, Amanda and Ian will be here in 2 weeks!!! WooHoo! Poor Elliot must have caught a bug on the plane. Now Crystal has it, I have it, Mike is getting it. Ernie refuses to get it. You can see in Elliot's picture that he has the I don't feel good look. Poor baby!

I've been sewing (when I'm not blowing my nose!). I got my pj pants cut out, then took a break to work on this cute little box. I found the fabric on a remnant table and had to have it! I seem to be grabbing alot of orange and yellow fabrics lately. Someone needs a spash of color in her room. I also made my lotto block for Thursdays quilt party at Craft Warehouse. It is so much fun to go to quilt party.

Now if you are afraid of a fat belly and butt, don't look at the next pictures. I had Ernie take pictures so I could see where I needed to make changes on my pattern. I also need to have my online sewing friends look at these and give their advice. I can see alot of my tweeking spots by using this fabric. I can see my pucker and pull lines and see where I needed to do more adjustments. Then I finished them up and wore them to bed last night. My next pair will have a sew on waistband instead of the hurry up and get them done fold over.

I now have another wearable muslin laid out ready to cut. This muslin will be a pair of capri pants out of a pink and purple print floral. That should be attractive, a big ole flower right on my big ole butt. But I am not going to make a trip to town to get some $1 a yard stuff when I have a mountain of fabric right here at home. If nothing else, I will make them into pj capris.

So on the front I cut the crotch curve a little deeper and took a bit more from the inseam. On the back, I also made the crotch curve deeper. I think I will put a couple darts in and add a zipper. That should take care of the waist frinkles.

I also got out my favorite book and looked through it again. If you are a full figured gal, you must have a copy of Rita Farro's book, Life Is Not a Dress Size. It is Rita Farro's Guide to Attitude, Style, and A New You. There is even a special section on sewing your own clothes. Not about fitting, just about the freedom to be your own designer. If you don't own this book, you are missing out on a great feel good about yourself book. I love it and read it often.

Happy Birthday America!!!!