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!

Sometimes You Need A Quilt To Hug

This quilt was made for our friend Sonya by a group of online quilters. When I was finishing it, I was sitting on the couch all cuddled up in it. I could feel the hugs coming through. What a very special bunch of friends we have.

Fun Day

Wow! What a fun morning! What a haul! I went to the Stash Buster Bazaar with a list. I wanted thread and a couple books. I didn't find the books I wanted but I found some different ones. I found thread, lots of thread for a very good price. I can hardly wait to play with all these colors.

I was blown away by all the great things people brought for sale. I can't even begin to guess how many tables there were. You know, pay for the table, bring in your stuff and hopefully go home with your pockets full of cash and boxes empty. The place was crowded but you could still holler out for your friends and find them. Sharlene and Marion knew I was looking for thread and they found some for me. Sonya knows I love bags full of scraps and see all the scraps she found me!!! That was after she found some for herself.

When we were all shopped out, we went to eat at this little restaurant called Julie's. I've driven past it a kabillion times and have never stopped there. Shame on me! They have really good food and are really nice people. And it was fun to sit down and chit chat and laugh with my friends. Then it was time to come home and sort out all my treasures.

Now I have to go play with my new to me stuff. I really want to spend the rest of the weekend playing in my room. The weather is still crazy and I guess it's supposed to be all weekend. Let it snow, sleet, hail, rain or even be sunny! I don't care, I'm playing.

Honey, throw another log on the fire!

Today, April 19, 2008

This is what I woke up to this morning! Please, God, can we have some nice, warm spring weather now?

Today is the quilt guild's big Stash Buster Bazaar. I have no intentions of busting my stuff, I plan to enhance it. I am ready to go, I have my list of things to look for, I have my special Wonder Wallet packed with the important stuff--cash, I have my bag with extra bags inside--cuz ya just never know! I am ready to meet my friends in the parking lot. Can you believe, me, the queen of I don't like yard/garage/junk sales because I have enough junk of my own, anxious to get the the sale!

Gotta go,

Progress

I love seeing progress. My Scrappy Sister's Choice is coming right along. I have a bin with each block's pieces pinned together right by my machine. So when I have time to sit down, I can sew one or 2 together. My plan was to just stack them and when they were all finished, to put them up on the wall. But I'm not like that, I have to see the progress I am making. From the left, rows 3 and 4 are sewn. I see I have 2 blocks together with the same background fabric so one has to be replaced.

When I was cutting my background pieces for the stars, I cut pieces for another on going project. In picture 3 you can see I use the Easy Angle ruler to cut my first piece off the strip. Then the Companion Angle ruler (with a template taped to the back) cuts the star backgrounds. When I came to the end of the strips, I cut more half square triangles and if there was anything left after that, I made 2 1/2" squares for my bin.

The half square triangle pieces go into the depression block bag. These are used as my leader/ender project. Learn more about leader/ender projects at my favorite Quiltville. My depression blocks are made using 2 1/2" strips so my blocks turn out to be 8" finished. I haven't worked on this project for a while and it's fun to be adding to it. I have 25 blocks complete. I need to do some math to see how many more I will need.

I had to lay all the blocks out to see the progress. Now they are safe at home in their UFO zip bag and I can continue to make parts for more blocks and put them in a little box by my machine. It takes no time at all to press them and trim off the little ear while working on something else. I will have to cut some more color trianlges but that won't be a problem. I have lots and lots of 2 1/2" strip pieces.

Now that this update is complete, I am going get myself out of here and start to make some progress on the laundry.

QuiltShow and Sewing

Friday we went to the quilt show. This is my favorite quilt of all that were entered. The maker used cream background and floral prints for the drunkard path blocks. I have a very small bin of pieces for my scrappy quilt. I need to get crackin' on that one. I have made 3 drunkard path quilts already but now I want a totally scrappy one. So thanks to this quiltmaker for sharing and for inspiring me to work on mine.

Miss Clella is a quilt show princess. I don't know how Crystal does it but she packed her almost all the time. She uses one of those pack things but just looking at her makes my back hurt.







I spent most of the day working on my Scrappy Sister's Choice quilt. If you enlarge the photo, you can see my center. I started making the centers as soon as I could sew after my surgery. I didn't know what I was going to do with them. Then I had a thought!

I was going to make this totally scrappy like in this post but I couldn't see the blocks in it that way. So I changed plans (that means I spent all afternoon with the seam ripper!!!) and now will make each block have the same background in the star points. I thought I had all my pieces cut but I don't. I need to make star points for 26 more blocks!
(See the block--2nd down, left side? Well, it's been fixed! Why didn't you tell me???)
So now I'm tired and I need my jammies and some quiet time. Good Night.

Spring Break

There are a few things I miss from my childhood. I miss Christmas vacation from school and I miss summer vacation and for the life of me, I can't remember having a Spring Break. But I do remember my children having one and most of the time, we lucked out and had some nice weather.

This year, we have had all kinds of weather with the snow on Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were beautiful, almost warm sunshine filled days. Wednesday was filled with grand kids. Elliot had stayed the night on Tuesday so his parents could take a day trip. Then Jonah came over while his people went to work and Dee brought Taylor to spend the night. They also brought the little 4 wheeler. OH!!! how much fun that is. They spent hours riding round the yard.

I'm so glad I didn't have to help with that! First because I know nothing about those things other than to go for a very slow cruise on ours. Secondly, because I would never been able to keep up with it (I saw Dee run and I don't run!). Boy oh boy did we sleep good! Everyone was out by 9:00!

Little Miss Clella is getting so big! I love talking to her and seeing her little face light up. It's hard to beleive she is now 3 1/2 months old.

Then there is the Maytag repairman! Please God, can I have just one little ounce of his energy! I promise I won't abuse it, I just need it from time too time. We know he has some he can spare.

Yesterday Taylor and I went to quilt party at Craft Warehouse. This was her second time going and I think she might have gotten a bit bored. Today is the Clark County Quilters quilt show. It's raining outside so it's a good day for a calm, quiet activity just for adults. I need some calm time now. School starts again on Monday.

What A Difference A Day Makes

I told you the sun would come out today and it is! The sun shines, the mood improves. I understand seasonal depression. I think we all have it to some degree or another. My oldest daughter has it bad. I bet you a kabillion dollars that she is in a happy mood today! Ok I'm not really betting but you get my point. Now I want all the snow to melt away.

Yesterday, Bonnie gave the first clue in the Orange Crush Mystery. Here are my fabric choices. I didn't have enough orange so yesterday while I was in town, I went to the Value Giant store (which has a little bit of everything crafty and a whole lot more and getting a very nice selection of fabric!) and found some orange. Everything else is from stash. The green with butterflies will be my border. There is also a navy with little flowers and a purple with some black squigglies. The blue assortment are also the same blues I am using for the star points in my Scrappy Sister Choice. I have part 1 done and will work on other things "patiently" waiting for part 2.

This is the view out my living room window. See the top of the glider swing??? Up in the fir trees is a rock knob. The county owns that property and have hired a private contractor to do the mining. I don't care about that part. It was a working rock pit when we moved here but had not worked for probably 25+ years until recently. There is nothing I can do about that. However, having worked for a mining company, I know some of the "rules". Having common sence, I know when I should be concerned for myself and for my neighbors.

This morning, the back hoe is up on top working and I am standing at the window watching him. All of the sudden, I hear a crashing sound and I see tree debris crash onto the road. My neighbors have little kiddos that wait for the bus right by where the debris landed. I was pissed! All I could think of was the kiddos that would be out there shortly.
So I got on the phone, called the county guy--of course he couldn't take my call, did I want to leave a message. Hell No! I want you to get on your radio or whatever and tell those people up there what is going on!

Two minutes later I get a phone call from "my man"! I almost felt sorry for him after I hung up. I don't often get all riled up but the crashing tree sent me into a frenzy. While I was at it, I told him that his lazyassed truck drivers have driven by the debris for the last 10 minutes and not one of them stopped to clear it off the road. Within minutes, I heard the backhoe shut down. I'm not sure if I had anything to do with that or not. I do know that a safety berm needs to be built. And while it is being built how bout putting a flagger down on the road and keep an eye on things from our level!

Imagine my surprise when I heard a truck stop, looked out and a county truck driver was cleaning off the road. Wow, I guess I made my point. If they are going to work up there, they need to be concerned for their neighbors. Don't make me make another phone call! Cuz it won't be to the county guy.

Venting, it's a good thing.

(edited to add that I don't really care that it's spring break---I'm just glad I couldn't find the neighbor's new phone number to tell them to be careful while the kids wait for the bus that wasn't coming today!)