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!

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!)

Sewing News

Despite my complaining about the weather...I have been sewing. (And last I looked, it has stopped snowing!)

In January, at our quilt guild meeting, the guest speaker was Elinor Peace Baily. She is fabulous, outrageous and a super funny, friendly lady. It was a pleasure to meet her. I couldn't wait to start making dolls again. I had never used her patterns so I bought a kit with 3 patterns and some face fabric and a couple of books. I decided I would make my daughters dolls again. It's been a long time.


This doll is Penelope, Pretty in Purple and now lives at Jenny's house. I had fun making her and I hope she is happy at her new home.

I'm just a beginner again and this whole new world of creating faces and using color crayons on fabric is quite an adventure.

I have Dee's lady almost finished. She doesn't have a name yet but I am sure when the time comes, a name will come to her.

I have been using my quilting machine again. I'm taking it slow and easy. I quilted a baby quilt--a UFO from March 2007. It is finished and in the box of charity quilts. I also finished piecing and quilted a flannel baby quilt that is ready to be snuggled with but I'm not ready to put it into the charity box. So I'm taking it easy with the quilting machine--I am not going to push myself. But the next quilt just needs to be loaded on. The thread is ready and the top is pressed and laying over the rail patiently waiting to go on. Maybe it will get on there tonight.

In the mean time, I'm working on some blocks for a birthday block exchange. That is what the drunkard's path block is for. The quilt top is based on Quiltville's Scrappy Sister's Choice. Bonnie used 9-patch blocks for her centers but I had these blocks made and decided to use them instead. I need to make a few more and use up more of my 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" bricks from my scrap drawer.

I always have to have something going. Lord knows my UFO box won't starve as long as I keep finding quilt tops to make.

What Gives With the Weather?!?

Today is March 31, it is snowing outside. It started snowing the other day. I didn't think anything of it, it has snowed in March before. But not like this. It started snowing and forgot that it is spring and just kept on.

I'm done now. I want it to stop and to leave. I want my flowers to bloom! The snow can come back in the winter.

Monday the garden area was rototilled. The camillia bush is loaded with buds ready to pop open. I couldn't wait to see them. I don't know what is going to happen now. I'm glad I picked all the daffodils that were budded out. At least I enjoyed them on my window sill.

I want spring and I want some sunshine. I will wait until tomorrow. The weatherman said the sun will come out tomorrow. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, you're only a day away!

Happy Birthday DeeDee

My baby's birthday is today. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself and then after talking to her this morning I am laughing at myself. She has a way of putting things right in your face.

I told her about telling my day how old I was feeling and and dad always answers with "how old do you think I feel". He just turned 77, his mother is about to turn 102. Dee says next time Grampa says that I should say "really old!".

So I guess when my Gramma feels old, she is entitled to feel old. And so is my dad. I am not. Even when my oldest and youngest have birthdays a week apart and I have always had moments like this morning, I will think next time I complain about feeling old.

Happy Birthday DeeDee. I hope all your dreams come true!

I cropped this picture trying to get just her face but when I saw the dimples on both cheeks, how could I not share. What a great picture.

Happy Birthday Jen

Today is Jenny's 35th birthday! WOW! Just yesterday we brought her home in her tiny pink blanket.

We are quite proud of the woman she has grown up to be.

I need to go cry now! We love you.

Photo taken by 7 1/2 year old Ian--I think he may take after his mom with the camera.

Day ??? I Lost Track

These are the reasons I am using for not getting things put away in the kitchen. They aren't the real reason though! I think I am coming down with something. Yuk! I don't want to be sick. I have a touch of a sore throat and just feel like crap. So today I worked on my newest socks.

Crystal, Mike and the kiddos came out yesterday. Mike did some touch ups and installed a soap dispenser on my utility sink. Little Big Man was supposed to be taking a nap but he proved to his parents that he is a big boy now and climbed out of the crib! I swear I tried not to laugh. Miss Clella is growing too fast. She responds when you talk to her with that precious smile. Then Dee, Vern and Taylor came out for dinner--thanks again Mike & Crys for the pizza. It was great to have a house full of happy people.


The new sink came in this box and I knew it would be a great new toy. I was right, nothing better than a big box to climb in, on and under. We thought maybe the dogs would leave Clella alone if we layed her down in the box but it wasn't the dogs we needed to worry about! She didn't like it for long so I HAD to hold her for a while.

Here are my new socks. I got the yarn quite a while ago and started them before my surgery. I hate doing the ribbing and the first one isn't as nice as the second one but they are mine and I'm not going to let that bother me. I am working on both socks so I don't get too lost with my yarn pattern. And the fact that I will have them both done instead of just one sock. (Not naming names but there is this one lady I met with a monster stack of single socks. She doesn't like to get bored working on one pair at a time. If I did that, I'd have a huge stack of single socks and no pair to wear!)

The last picture is for Sissy Sue. She had surgery on Monday and now she is home recouping and surfing the web and needed an update. Update for today is a couple more boxes empty, a few more to go.

I haven't comeplety made up my mind about the backsplash. I thought it was made up, I bought the tile and the grout, then Crys came up with another idea. She thinks painted bead board will make a nice backsplash. We even picked out the colors. Now I don't know what I want so I am going to live with it for a few more days. If you click on the picture, you can see the tile on the left of the stove. What do you think???

Gotta go, I'm hoping to get the the toe section tonight.

Days 9, 10, 11

Day 9 brought more dust and noise. Those are good right? It seems the closer we get to being done, the less progress I see. One more trip to town to get the right plumbing stuff. The sink is in, the dishwasher is hooked up. I can get cold water and ice out of the fridge door. I can also lock it because it is quite a fun toy.

Day 10--Can this get any cuter??? Mr. Elliot is trying to put a screw in the screw driver and fix that darn drawer slider thing. Crystal and the kiddos came out to spend the day (yes Mike, we missed you!). Elliot is quite the helper. When you think something is safe, think again cuz he either has it or has had it. It's a good thing he has a short attention span.

Day 11--I spent a good deal of the day in the sewing room. I finished a little towel project for my sister, Karen and then started making more blocks to finish the quilt that is on my design wall. After a couple hours, I came out and almost started bawling! I can't believe this is my kitchen. It's been a long time dream, I never thought it would come true. I really am blessed and I am really spoiled and I like it!

Tomorrow I am going to get the tile for the backsplash and about 10 other little things on my list. I just realized I need to get a new garbage can.

I can't wait to get in there and get things put away. I still don't know where things go and will probably be searching for what I need. But I would rather be searching in drawers and cupboards that searching in boxes.

Thank Goodness Day 1 was only 11 days ago. If it had been longer, I would have lost it! Good thing I haven't been counting since the plan was drawn up. ;-)