The Hurrier I Go...

...The Behinder I Get!

My Gramma Maple used to say that all the time. She used to say alot of fun things. And most of them stuck in my mind. I guess I need to write them down before I really forget them. Sister Sue, we need to make a list.

Anyhow, I wanted snow. For 4 days the weather people had been telling me I was going to get some snow by morning. Why do I beleive them??? It took long 4 days to get here. I'm not complaining (no, really I'm not!) It is so pretty. I love to look outside and see the beauty. I have little birds that come on my deck for their treats. I hunker down, make soup, keep the fire going and do what I want to do. I am lucky, I don't have to leave my house.

I would like it to stay nice and pretty. Melt slow and be pretty. My darling hubby thinks otherwise. This is a time to play on the tractor. He gets to play on heavy equipment all day at work, why does he need to play at home! But I'm not complaining because I need to get out of my driveway tomorrow. Well, it's not the getting out that could be a problem, it's down hill, it's the getting in that makes me nervous. You see, I'm only a fan of Slip Slidin' Away when it isn't happening in my car. {I would add the utube thingie bobber that I linked to but 1--I don't know how and 2--I am on dial up and while I am typing this post, it still hasn't loaded on my computer!} Oh how I love Simon and Garfunkel!!! I am going to go buy myself a CD and remember the good ole days.

Next Tuesday I get to have carpal tunnel surgery. I really am kind of excited to have it done. I've been practicing doing things with only my left hand. Talk about hilarious! I won't go into details cuz you really don't want to know!

I'm trying to get my quilting obligations done. I'm in a birthday block swap and the first ones aren't due until the middle of March (we are a small group) but I want them ready to mail off. I have a couple of my quilts to get quilted and the backs need to be made.

But the biggie is mending. I hate to mend. So I let it pile up. That is really a dumb thing to do. Then it becomes a dreaded job. So this morning while folding clothes I came across 2 pair of my new pj pants (I buy mens when they are on clearance) and decided to sew the fly shut and then just kept on stitchin'. No, I do not want your pile! I will have another of my own one of these days!

Paul and Art still haven't downloaded. I am bummed. I may have to make a special trip into town. Later.

"Gramma, I Wanna Sew!"

This is what I've heard all morning. If not "Gramma, I wanna sew!", it's been "Gramma, can we sew now???". So after we made pancakes for breakfast, cleaned up our mess, vaccumed, chopped and diced for the crockpot turkey soup, made brownies, roasted hot dogs, we finally got to sew.

I've had this cute teddy bear and watermelon print for years. I've made myself some new pot holders and Miss Taylor wanted to make one for Momma. She did really good. Maybe tomorrow she will make one for Gramma. Or maybe Aunt Jen or Aunt Cryssie.

Now she wants a sewing machine of her very own with all of the things that go with it. Like all the fabric and the needles and the string (thread). But we decided that we will wait until she is a bit older. Until then she can sew with Gramma. I think she needs to down grade a bit and learn on a regular machine. And besides, I think Miss Amanda gets a sewing machine before Miss Taylor does. I think it would be great to have 3 of my Granddaughters sitting around the table sewing up a storm. I see a play date coming on!

In the meantime, Gramma is going to work on her patience. Not everyone gets it the first time they are told. And not everyone wants to sit for hours at a time in front of the sewing machine. Gramma isn't going to do that today either. But I think I'm going to whip me up one of those cute potholders before I put the stuff away.

We are going to give Uggie and the Granddog, Shadow a bath. That should be fun!

Hey Crystal!

What do you think now? Looks better without all the white squares, don't ya think??? I have three rows put together with several more to do. This will be my project for today. I don't think I will put a border on it. It is just too busy. I have a fabulous black with white flowers in pindots for the backing and I am going to use the red for the binding. I bought extra so I want to use it up.

I think I am going to quilt it with a nice meander. Any design will get lost and I need some instant gratifiacation. I want this quilt to be finished sometime this weekend. I haven't started a quilt project and worked it through to the finish for quite a while. Maybe that will be a good start for this new year.

Time to fill my water cup and get ta work!

Yip, Things Are Back To Normal

Last night when I wrote my post, evidently I clicked on save as draft instead of publish post. Big ole duh moment for me.

So here is my 4 patch picture. And below that is my Carolina Crossroads Mystery quilt.

I'm going to start today now. I have some sewing to do and who knows what else I'll find.

TTFN

Publishing post now. ;-)

Woo Hoo! I Did It!

I think I can use this post to call myself an Over Achiever! Just this once. Then I'm back to my normal ole self.

This photo shows 100 four patches. These are for a swap with my longtime on line group. We are doing a 10 year signature block swap using the hatchet block and these 4 patch blocks will incomplete them nicely. I wasn't going to do the swap. I am trying to get my own things done but I've been with this group since almost the beginning and how could I not participate! Besides, the pictures that someone did in EQ6 look like a pretty awesome quilt. I am such a follower!

So my 4 patches are complete and in the mail to the head swapper. Now I need to finish my hatchet blocks. I have 50 sewn that need signing. I think I will make 100. They need to be complete before September.

The Quiltville mystery quilt is calmly waiting for the next step. I went to town a few days ago and got my replacement fabrics. I got all my hour glass blocks sewn up then started on step 6 which is to make Ohio Star blocks, 16 full size, 16 half size and 4 quarter size. So then I had to be a smarty and start to lay them out. I think this might be the right lay out but I will have to wait and see. Step 7 is supposed to be posted tomorrow. That means I have to get busy tonight. It's a pretty busy looking quilt right now. I don't know if the next step will calm it down or make it harder on the eyes. Either way, I plan to finish it so it can go to my May retreats as a show and tell.

I am cleaning my sewing room again. I worked for a while today putting stuff away and then I decided to to start cutting up the other 2 bags of scraps that have somehow turned into 2 bags and a basket full! I cut strips, squares and some rectangles. Leftovers went into the string basket. I like to make a few string blocks when nothing else will hold my interest. I can get a quilt top done in no time.

What I really want to do is make a doll. Last week at our guild meeting, our guest speaker was elinor peace bailey. She is quite a lady! Now I have the itch to make dolls again. I haven't made a doll in at least 7 years! I think I will trace my pattern tonight. Just to have it ready for when I can "schedule" doll making time into my busy life. HAHAHA!!! Sometimes I make myself laugh out loud.

Edited to say that Bonnie posted Step 7 and yeahaw!, I was right. Ok, I'm done now. I have to put my remaining blocks together and create a masterpiece.

Saturday Fun

Today is a good day to stay inside and play. I don't feel like doing anything serious so I spent this morning finishing up my goofed up blocks. All 103 are all nice and neat in zip bag waiting for a project that needs them. Heck, they could work their way into a border for this quilt, who knows.

Then I started to put things away and spotted my pile of fabric I had out for making grocery bags. I found a free pattern at The Creative Thimble for fabric grocery bags and decided today was a good day to try it out. (This fabric is actually left over from my kitchen valance.) The bag turned out nice and I plan to make a few more.

I'm also tired of my old stained, wore out potholders so I whipped up another one. There might be enough scraps left to make a couple more. Fast and fun.

I just noticed that I might want to run the lint roller over my "design wall" and pick off some of the threads that are hanging out there. There's always something to do around here so I think I'll get to it.

For Once In My Life...

...I want to be one of those overacheivers! Just once! I tried, honestly I did. I am going to give up. I will no longer strive to be an overacheiver. I'm done. I'm going back to my old ways. Just work on stuff when you want to. Don't try to keep up with the fun mystery quilt that people all over the world are working on. Go ahead, screw up a simple direction by not paying attention to the cutting instructions. It doesn't matter that you have the first 4 steps complete before step 5 is published. Then when it is published, why not mess up on step 5??? When you get done with my way of doing step 5, you'll have 100 quarter square triangles just like mine.

The instructions clearly state to cut your strips 2" wide. Did I see that? NOPE! I have 1 1/2" strips stuck in my brain. So I grab my little pile of already cut light colored strips, cut up the rest of my light fabric, cut up some more of my red and cut my little triangles like a crazy woman. Yip, I will become an overacheiver!

It's a good thing I can get to my Joann's Store in less than 30 minutes. I have to go buy some more fabric. I have been hoarding black and white fat quarters for almost a year. Then Bonnie comes up with this mystery and I want to play along and I want to make my black and white quilt with an accent of one red fabric. Why one red??? Because when I found this cute fabric, I ended up with 4 fat quarters. Why 4??? Because I forget that I have that print in my stash, I like it so I buy another one. Now I am going to Joann's, use my gift card (Thanks Dee) and buy some more red fat quarters (Yes, they still have them, I checked last time I was there.) and some more white/black because I don't have enough any more.

Then I will finsih up my 2" hour glass blocks, bag them together and decide what to use them in. Then I will make my 3" blocks like the intructions clearly state.

I needed another UFO because I only had 28 to begin the year. And maybe, deep down inside my brain, I wanted to make 2 red, black and white quilts. I think I'll buy 5 of those red fat quarters!

2007 In Review

I just spent some time reviewing my blog to see if I can figure out what I have accomplished this year. After waiting for each page to load (yes, still on stinky ole dial up!) I decided why not just look back through the pictures. That's where I document almost everything.

January found us working on the house, new floors and a bathroom remodel. And October has us working on the kitchen and on the shop. December has us not finished!

I've spent time knitting. Remember I taught myself to knit in December of 2006 to keep me on track with my not smoking and it has worked. 13 months smoke free. I've knitted 4 pair of socks and started and torn out a few more. I've made lots of dish clothes, hats and scarves. Carpel tunnel has slowed me down but I do have a couple projects on needles because I just can't stop. And I have a growing stash of yarn!

I've made 3 trips to Arizona. The 3rd trip was to help Crystal and Mike pack to move back home. Jenny and Lonnie moved to Austin, Texas. Then they decided to move back home so I didn't get to visit them in November like I had planned. That's OK! I don't have to ride on the scary freeways that I've heard about.

I adopted a new dog, Uggie. He is part of the family now and it's like he has always lived here.

I "retired" from my job of 10 1/2 years. I have never felt better. I love being home. I love being able to visit with my family and friends. I can go out to lunch, shopping or stay home, which is what I do more than anything. I've put more hours on my new sewing machine in 6 months than I did in the first years I owned it. I've decluttered a lot, I have a bit more to do but I don't want to run out of projects too soon. ;-)

I went to an outdoor Brad Paisley concert. I went to 3 retreats at Royal Ridges. By the 3rd one, I was retreated out. I already have 4 scheduled for 2008! I spent time with my friends at 3 different quilt show and a day at the Clark County Fair.

Poppy bought a new John Deere lawn mower. I have never driven it! We were gifted an old Caterpillar 966 loader from my father. Thanks Dad. She sits out beside our old Caterpillar D7 bulldozer. I went with my husband to an outdoor tractor show and now I am on the lookout for him for an old fixer upper tractor.

I've quilted several quilts and still have a pile of my own to do. I finished 10 of my UFOs and added 4 more to the list. I have 3 WIPs and don't intend to let them become UFOs. I embroidered on most of the Christmas gifts this year.

I've surrounded my self with my family this year and I am quite happy about that. We added a new baby girl. How could I not be happy? My life is quite good. I am a very lucky woman.

I discovered a new blog today. It's called Life Is A Quilt. She had a post listing her quilting accomplishments for 2007. I want to keep track of my accomplishments for 2008. I am trilled that I am starting the year being current on the mystery from Quiltville. I have a list of projects to start and a long list of projects to complete.

I think 2008 is going to be a fun ride. I hope there aren't many bumps in the road.

Happy New Year

Christmas Sewing Report - Part 2

Sewing continues as the big days is approaching at a faster pace than ever before.

These towels were made for Doug's girlfriend Lacey. She's kind of the outdoorsy type and she loved them. Now I want to get some more towels and make some for myself.

I made 2 of these teepees for the grand dogs. One for Dee's house and this one for Jenny's house. I was so shocked when the dogs went right inside. Now I have to make one more cuz there is another grand dog at another house that needs one.

These are some of the gift bags I made. I am not a good gift wrapper and have decided to make bags instead. I think I came home with half of them. The little girls wanted to keep theirs.

This is the best Christmas present we received this year. Little Miss Clella is 12 days old today and is growing so fast. We went in today to put some Gramma smoochies on her. I tried to give her more but Poppy was being a baby hog.

Christmas Sewing Report - Part 1

I tried to upload 7 pictures but Picasa2 says I can only do 4 at a time so I will make a Part 2 in a bit. I wanted to show off some of the stuff I did for Christmas gifts this year.

For each of the kiddos, I embroidered either their names or their initials on a set of towels. The boys each have a set of face and butt towels and the 3 of girls have fancy monograms and Clella has a set with her name on them. That's 10 sets of towels.

For my 3 girls, I made them each a table runner using the instructions from Quiltbus with the center square being an embroidery design that I found free on the web. Probably at Ann the Gran. That's were I find a lot of my freebie designs. Now I want to make them each one that isn't for the holidays but for every day. I just need to find a longer day somewhere.

I made 2 sets of these dish towels. These are more freebie designs. I figure since we have to do the dishes, we may as well do them with fun towels.

These towels are at Dee's house. I was there yesterday and I loved seeing her table runner on her table and a towel hanging from her stove.

Introducing....

...Miss Clella Mae with mommy Crystal. Born today, December 17, 2007. Weighing in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces and 19 inches long.

Welcome to the world Miss Clella! Momma and baby are doing fine. Gramma, however is exhausted. Brother Elliot is fighting sleep knowing that Gramma is exhausted. Poppy is in visiting his girls. Gramma is exhausted.

Guess What This Is Gonna Be

If you guessed a Christmas gift, then you guessed right! Give yourself a prize!!!

Actually, I am thrilled with the way this design--free from Ann the Gran --turned out.

About a year and a half ago, at the Clark County Quilter's quilt show, there was a rummage sale. I found that little baggie full of brand new spools of metallic thread for $5! I love thread and I know that many spools is a real bargin. Well, I brought it home, hung it on the thread rack and looked at it every once in a while.

Today when I'm getting thread out for this design, I decided to put in a metallic needle, slow my speed down and try the thread. I wish you could see how sparkley it is. I didn't have any trouble at all. I only wish I would have used more of the metallics. Now I might have to make this design again for myself.

I've been busy finishing up gifts, making gift bags and thinking about baking some goodies. Mmmmm, fudge. Maybe I'll make that tomorrow. Or maybe not.

Funny Bone Kind Of Day

I absolutely love it when I have a day where little things tickle my funny bone. Today has been one of those days.

First thing this morning, I look in the mirror and some funny looking ole hag is staring at me. Her hair is wild and full of gray and she has more than one chin. I could have been scared to death if she wasn't laughing at me.

I had to go to town and I followed a car with the license plate of 859 WIP. Well my mind says if I have that many but I'm certainly not gonna advertise it on my car!!! For you non quilters, whoever you may be, WIP means work in progress. I thought about that all morning and it too made me laugh.

Then I am waiting at a crosswalk for a lady to hurry across. She's all bundled up in a long winter coat with the hood pulled tight around her pudgy face. As I'm watching her waddle, I notice she is wearing a long denim skirt with sweat pants under it. I also see she has on socks in her thin little slippers. I don't know why that stuck me as funny but it did and I smiled and waved to her when she crossed in front of my car.

Every store I was in today was full of happy children--it was still early in the day and not quite naptime. Clerks were happy and so were customers. Then I went to the Dollar Store.

I kind of lost it when the teenager behind me thought he needed to be as close as he could get to me while waiting in line. When I asked (ok, I told him!) to back up away from me a bit, he had to get nasty. Silly guy, my feet hurt and I still have to get groceries and YOU want to get nasty with me! You are an idiot! Do not argue with a woman with tired feet that is still facing the grocery store! After a minute, he backed up out of my space and I kind of chuckled. I also felt like maybe he was gonna stick his hand into my bag and borrow my wallet. That would have not been funny!

How do you like my abandoned church picture? It's on the road where you turn right (Jen) to go to the Kah Nee Tah resort. It really is a cool looking building and it's too bad its in the state that it is. I think it would make an awesome quilt shop somewhere other that where it is.

Gotta go, got things to do and Oprah's almost on. :-)

Bonnie Is At It Again

Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville isn't busy enough planning a move, she started a new quilt project and turned it into a mystery for all of us Quiltville junkies. You can be a Quiltville Mystery junkie too. Just follow this link to the Quiltville page and you will be on your way. Don't be shy, join this Yahoo Group and see what everyone else is up to. All 865! members.

I wasn't going to do it, I wasn't going to join. I have enough to do. I love mysteries and I love Bonnie's projects. So my step one rail fence blocks are done and pinned in piles of 10. My step 2 9 patches are started. I hope I am caught up by the time she posts step 3.

Darn Her!!!

Will I Ever Get There???

Where am I going? I am on a long trip to Organizational Heaven. I don't know if I will ever arrive. I've never been there so I don't know what it will be like. But I'm willing to be adventerous and I just might like being there.

Over the past several months, I have been trying to get my sewing and quilting stuff "together" but I don't know if there is an end in sight. I have 2 more of these bags stuffed with scraps that need to be cut. I spent all of one morning on one bag. (I'm not complaining, I got to watch a really good movie.)

My 2" bin is overfull, as is another 2 1/2" bin. I have been cutting, squares into 10 /12", 2 1/2", 5", 3 1/2" and rectangles into 5 /12" x 10 1/2" and 2 1/2" x 4 1/2". Then there are the strings I keep that are at least 1" wide. I also found a few orphan blocks. That bin is getting pretty full too.

It felt pretty good to get those piles put away and the empty bag ready to be filled again. I love looking in the bins and seeing all the neat strips. I also know what they will look like when I am ready to start another project.

Today has been a strange day. I woke up at 4"30 with an aweful headache so after the big guy left for work at 5, I took some ibuprofen and went back to bed. I think that's only the second time I've gone back to bed since I retired. Then I got up at 9:30, still had the headache, and took some more ibu. I have done next to nothing today and my list is pretty long. I think I will start the washer and then sew the binding onto a quilt so I have something to sew on at night.

I picked up a baby quilt yesterday that I want to get quilted and returned ASAP. I don't think today is a good day to start it. Tomorrow has to be a better day. Maybe I'll take a nap!

Happy Birthday Taylor

Happy Birthday Taylor Marie.

Didn't Aunt Cryssie and I tell you that you couldn't be 8 yet! We were going to skip today so you could be 7 for another year. You are so grown up and we aren't quite ready for that.

I don't know how to stop the hands of time from turning so fast. When times zooms by, I always think of my Gramma telling me how fast time goes when you get older and I never understood that until now.

As they say, Time flies when you're having fun and for the most part, I'm having fun.

Hey Sonya, Look At This!!!

The "5 Year Old" quilt is off the frame waiting for someone to make some binding. We are so funny with our names of quilts. Sonya was involved in a pastel and white 9 patch swap and in a heart block swap. She combined the blocks to make this quilt for a friend's 5 year old daughter, making this the "5 Year Old" quilt. When she first told me about it, I thought it was a top that she had done for 5 years. I mean, geez, that wouldn't be uncommon for me. I think I have a few of those.

This is the quilt that made me almost be a bald woman. First I tried using a batik for the back. The fabric is beautiful, my machine hated! it. So after a row and a half, I picked it all out. We decided that flannel would be more snuggley anyhow and that was the right decision. This quilt is definetly snuggley.

This is the first time I used Jodi Beamish's pantograph Plumage and I can't wait to use it on something else. But first I am going to load another quilt with a fun name but I can't talk about that until after Christmas, just in case.

Yesterday's post where I worship the ground Bev walks on should have included a link to her website. So I will include it here. It is called Dancing Threads Custom Quilting and when you visit, you will see her dancing threads. And a picture of Bev. She looks like the sweetest lady and talking to her yesterday proofs to me that she is. Again, Thank You Bev for taking the time to calm me down and tell me to loosen my tension. I think she meant on the machine and in my shoulders. :-)

After the mystery quilt is finished, I am going to take some time and work on my stack of quilts. I know that sounds kind of selfish but I am starting to feel a little guilty about not finishing my own things. That will last until I get the sweet little whiney voice that says "I need this quilt done 3 days ago!" and Oh, OK!

Life Lesson # Oh I Don't Know!

Two life lessons in one day is a fine way to spend the day. Especially if I start thinking I'm all Miss Smarty McFarty! Well, guess what?!? I'm not, I'm just a McFarty.

I'm all full of myself because I can quilt a ways, then I run out of bobbin thread, have to change that and write a boast post. Big mistake. When I went back to quilting, my thread is breaking, I can't figure out why, I'm ready to start drinking! I don't drink!

So more adjust, try, adjust, cry. Then I decide I need to talk to someone. First I will check my Nolting Yahoo group to maybe find the solution and there right in front of my face is Bev's phone number. I decided to give her a call. Whenever anyone has a problem and they post to the list, Bev usually knows what they are talking about and she can solve the problem.

I am so frustrated that I need to talk so I called her. Bev, you are the sweetest thing. And smart! Oh my goodness. She calmed me down, talked to me, made me laugh and solved my problem. With just a little adjustment to the top tension, I am now finished with this quilt.

Whoo Hoo, It's a great day. Now I will go grocery shopping. Now that should be fun!

Another Life Lesson Learned

Don't you love life lessons??? Usually not at the time I'm learning them! Then after the lesson, I want to bonk myself between the eyes like the V-8 commercial because the solution to my problems is generally simple. Maybe I should have had a V-8!

My life lessons are usually DUH moments. Like my longarm frustrations of yesterday. I have timed that machine numerous times. I know how. But why do I torture myself instead of taking a break and going back to it when I've calmed down.

This morning, I started over. I took the thread off, the bobbin out, timed the machine like I know I can, put the bobbin in, threaded the machine, then run a test swatch. Well I'll be! That baby is stitching like a dream. I wonder if my little prince came in here last night waving his magic prince wand!!!

OK, break is over. I have work to do.

There's a Whole Lot of Activity Around Here

We have some changes going on around at Gramma's house. Here is Mr Mike helping Grampa put up the extention to the shop. I can now park my car out of the weather. I still have to walk through the rain to get to it but at least when I open the car door, my seat won't get wet.

The whole family, except Vern's boys, was here on Thanksgiving Day. Jenny and her family left before dinner but everyone else had a pretty darn good feast. The men deep fried a turkey and the girls got to fix everything else. I don't know about anyone else but I missed the traditional roasted turkey. I love the smells and the gravy drippings. We even bought the pumpkin pies. They were good and I'm happy to buy them again from Costco.

Then on Friday the crew started putting the new roof on the house. Oh boy, talk about loud! There were times I thought someone fell through and would land on the kitchen floor! Thank goodness that didn't happen and now we have a fabulous new roof and probably will never ever have to do that job again!

So today, Grampa went back to work, all our company is gone and the house is quiet. I kind of enjoyed it for a while this morning then this afternoon it was too quiet.

Then the most frustrating thing happened! I filled bobbins this morning, made a back for a quilt, loaded it on the frame and started quilting. It's looking so nice and then!!!!!!!!! The thread wrapped around the bobbin case, the needle shattered into a kabillion pieces and I have to fix my machine. I don't even know what happened.

So I have spent the last several hours trying not to run out screaming. I have retimed, retimed again, changed needles, bobbins, thread and my attitude. Nothing has worked. I think I'm close then go back to the quilt and take ten stitches and the top thread breaks. I break out the video, watch it, pause, retime, try, watch, pause, watch, pause. It isn't working. I took all the parts off that I could to check them for burrs and haven't found any. I might have to check again. But tonight I am done. I can't think any more.

Tomorrow morning I am taking the video out to the fancy disc player where I can pause and zoom in and see exactly what I need to see. If that doesn't work, I am making a phone call to Nolting and see if they can point me in the right direction. I wonder if they will point me to a new machine!! Just kidding!

Tonight, I am going to do nothing but dream sweet dreams. If I wake up in the middle of the night with some hair brained idea, I'll just get up, write it down then go back to bed and back to sleep.

Yeah, right!