My Latest Obsession

I want to knit socks! Everyone else is knitting socks. I want to knit socks.

Fun, funky, bright, warm, useful socks. I am going to make socks. Only problem--I don't know how to knit. I don't have time right now to take a class so I am teaching myself to knit.

I am making dishclothes. Do you know that there are a gazillion free dishcloth designs on the web. I Googled free dishcloth designs and opened a few pages where I found Knitting Pattern Central whick led me to the Dishcloth page. So on my next trip to town (so I made a special trip--I have a new obsession!), I bought some cotton yarn, some knitting needles and a teach me to knit book. I'm doing pretty good. I am on dishcloth #5 now. I gave one away and am using one. I also picked up a few more balls of cotton yarn.

I'm getting braver. I am actually following a pattern now and I'm doing a pretty darn good job. Only problem is my arm. There seems to be muscles in there that haven't been awake for a while and constant knitting is playing havic with them. Today I will try to rest my arm a bit but tomorrow they will work! I need to knit. I want to knit socks!

Have a great day. 

Blog Cruising Leads to Shopping

I was innocently cruising along in blog land, you know where one blog links to another. I don't know about you but after a while, I have about 10 windows open all trying to load at the same time and on pokey ole dial up, that could lead to a major shut down but that night it didn't!

I had linked to Fringe Notes and right there in the 1st post I saw Studio Sale, Phase 1. So to add to my scrap fabric addiction and to my over flowing scrap basket, I emailed Laura and offered to buy the box of tidy scraps. I used pay pal on Tuesday evening and on Friday, I had a message from that I had a package up at our little store. I couldn't wait to get my hands on that box! Look at that photo. I could not believe how much fabric was in there. Also Laura included that art piece you see in the photo. Thanks Laura. I love stuff like this and it is now on my wall.

So this morning as my dear hubby sleeps in, I am going to start sorting (sounds like another word for fondle) those scraps. Some will go into the scrap basket or the string basket, but most will go into the bin for big chunks of fabric.

Oh what fun.
TTFN

 

It Was Soooo Worth It!

Look at my spare room now. Isn't it pretty? I love the floor. I love the paint color (although some one else didn't like it at first) . I love the new bed. I love the new pillows and pillow cases. I love the new comfortor. I love that I can display my flannel wonky log cabin quilt on the bed and it looks great.

Now I want to make a couple wall hangings for that room but that will have to wait for the bathroom and hall to be finished.

Until then, I will work on my next HIP plan!!!! 

H.I.P.s

My Darling Husband hates HIPs (Home Improvement Projects)! I come up with a brilliant idea, share my idea with him, jump in with both feet, then scream for help!

My favorite phrase "Alls ya gotta do is...!" He hates that phrase. Everytime I say it, I imagine him with his fingers in his ears and singing lalalalalalala until I go away.

I painted the tree on the wall several years ago when I turned this room into a play room for the Grandkids. Now that Crystal has moved, we need a guest room for when they come to visit. The room needed a new floor and new paint.

See the shelf in the right side of the picture? That is the shelf you must slam in to when you go in the room. I don't know why I put it there at that height but I did and it stayed there for a long time. It will not be going back into the room.

Catching Up With Myself

Wow, it has been a while since there's been an update. I'm still here with lots of good things going on.

Have you ever seen such perfect little faces? How do you get 5 angels (according to Gramma!), ages 10 1/2 months to 12 years to all smile pretty at the same time? I know my photographer daughter can, but it takes lots of shots and lots of patientce. Actually, she took this picture with my camera and I love it. I have to have at least one picture each Christmas of all the grands.

We spent Christmas Eve with the family at Jenny's house. It's now a tradition that it's at her house. When they were talking about leaving for the holiday, I told her to be sure to leave us the keys for her house. It must have scared her because they stayed home!

There has been very little sewing around this house. We have been working on the house for the last month or so. New floors in the spare bedroom, hallway and bathroom. Actually the bathroom got a complete facelift--almost. The only thing not new in there is the toilet. I just finished painting the ceiling and the walls and will have to put one more coat on. Then Ernie can get the trim done and I can move the bathroom things back in. I'm so afraid he is going to throw out the big garbage bag that has all the towels and extra tp in it!

Our house is quite old, belonging first to my grandparents. We've lived here for almost 32 years (wow!) and have done some remodeling but not alot. We were too busy raising our family. It is now time to take care of some things. So there is only one room left to redo the floor in and that is my old sewing room. I am so afraid to go in there. It was a disaster before but now it is down right scary! It has become the dumping room for all things without a home. So after the hall cupboards are painted and we get back from a trip to Arizona, I am jumping in with both feet and a box of garbage bags. Lord give me strength!

Mike loaded Picasa2 onto my computer so I can upload pictures to my blog but I haven't figured out how to upload more than one at a time. Guess that means I will sign off this post and create another.

TTFN 

Can I Upload A Photo???

I think I can! Thanks to my fabulous son in law, Mr. Mike, I think I can. And with just a bit of help from Mr. Mike, I think I just may have figured it out. Wow, what can I do next?

I think I'd better go eat my dinner that Mr. E cooked and I'll try to be back later to update this poor ole blog. 

Busy, busy, busy

I've been home from the retreat for 2 weeks now and Crystal and Elliot are now safely at home in Arizona. I sure do miss them.

I have a new burst of quilting energy. I needed that quilt retreat. I was quite nervous about the reaction of the other retreaters about having a 9 month old baby there with us. We have never had any children at our retreats before. But these wonderful ladies pounced on that baby boy and spoiled him rotten and had a blast playing with him. He was absolutely perfect. Crystal stayed just one night and then came back home to sleep. I think more for Elliot's comfort (and her own!) and the fact that we old broads might keep him up too late with out snoring. She swears it was for our comfort! I chuckled each morning as 16 women watched the door to see if the baby was coming in yet.

I worked on 2 projects. I am doing a Four on the Road from Quilter's Cache. I got all of my blocks done and then discovered I didn't have enough of my background fabric to use in the borders. Suzanne thought she might have some in her stash at home so I put it away and was waiting to hear from her. Yesterday I got a nice little notecard that said if she has it, she can't locate it. Now I will have to go with plan B and use a different fabric for the border.

I worked on my Marbled Rounds Quilt. I had ordered the templates from Nancy Elliott MacDonald and had all of my pieces cut before leaving home. I got all of my blocks made and came home and sewed the black sashing to my blocks and it is now hanging on my design wall with the long sashing strips waiting to be sewn on so it can be made into a top. I already know how I want to quilt it. It is stunning, I love it and hubby hates it. (He just doesn't know art when he sees it!) So instead of hanging it in the living room like I'd originally planned, I'm going to hang it in front of some of my shelves in my quilting room. He doesn't know that when he is sitting in his chair and my door is open that quilt will be right in his line of vision! That will teach him to not like my work!!! I almost feel a bit evil with this plan but I'll get over that soon enough.

This week, I quilted a customer quilt and today I quilted and bound one of my older tops. I have spent some time each day with fabric in my hands. I've made alot of progress on my posie applique blocks and have only 2 more to do until I can start laying out the quilt. I finished the binding on a little table topper and on a lap quilt. I even took my sewing machine to work one day and worked on string blocks. But then got too busy and had to actually work! But my machine is still packed and ready for this week at work. I never know what kind of a day it will be--a sewing day or a work day! Gotta be prepared.

Now I need to get busy and work on a stocking for a stocking exchange. And since blogger doesn't like uploading my pictures, I am again photoless! I wonder if it has to do with changing the settings on my camera, the fact that I am still on pokey ole dial up or a combination of the two. Someday I'll have to try uploading from one of the girls computers.
(Tried again Sunday morning and I still can't upload my photos. Anybody have any ideas for me?)

Until then,
How's your Christmas sewing coming along???

Squeezing In An October Post

Wow, I was almost too late to have a post in October. I've noticed alot of my favorite blogs have slowed down posting so I have quit feeling guilty about being a slacker. I will just post when I can and be happy with that.

Since the last post, we took a trip to Arizona to see Crystal, Mike and Mr Elliot. Everyone told me it was going to be hot there. Imagine my surprise when we arrived and it was actually hot! Duh, people! I LOVED IT!!! The only day we saw 100 was on the way to the airport to come home. Got into Portland and it was raining. Enough to make me want to get back on a plane and head south. I plan to head back down the end of January for Mr E's 1st birthday in February. I sure hope it's not Super Bowl themed! (Does this make me a parttime snow bird?)

Mike wasn't able to be there with us after the 1st day so Crystal showed us all the local sites and good eats of Mirana. We took one day and drove south to Seirra Vista to see my friend Pat and her fabulous quilt store, Thimblweed Quilts and left her some of our money. Then after lunch, we headed over to Tombstone. I want to go back there when it isn't so warm (notice I didn't say hot!) so we can do the OK Corral tour. Grampa and Mr E were getting fussy.

Good news is that Crystal and Mr E will be here on Wednesday. We are going to our quilt retreat. We have friends coming from all over the state of Washington. It is held each fall at Royal Ridges Retreat. If you go to their website, you will see why we love it there. We sew with horses right outside our window. Some days there are kids there riding, the meals are homestyle meals and we get to have a slumber party with our girlfriends. Lots of sewing, laughing, eating. Fabulous show and tell. Oh I can't wait.

Blogger is being fussy now about my picutres, so I am going to keep on babbling.

Miss T spent the weekend with me and had a nice new denim skirt. Being Gramma, I took the liberty of deciding it needed some embroidery on it. We added some rhinestones to the flowers and she thinks it's just beautiful. It is pretty darn cute. I love all the embroidery on the jeans and skirts now.

On a quilty note, I haven't been doing much. I made a few blocks for the retreat, have 2 projects cut and ready to sew and I'll take my scraps to work on scrappy string blocks it I have time.

I guess I don't get to upload pictures tonight. So I'll have to try again later.

I have to eat dinner and finish the quilting a friends quilt tonight. We need it for show and tell.

Until next time,
Stay happy.

September Tidbits

Wow, long time with out a message. I guess I am just a bad blogger. I've been busy at my sewing machine so haven't spent much time blogging. Long days at work and then trying to get a bit accomplished in the evenings makes for little time at the computer other than checking email and catching up on blog reading.

I did get my t shirts and jacket finished. It felt good to actually make something for myself with out a huge struggle. I still haven't make another pair of pants.

The red, white and blue quilt is Crystals. I quilted it using the Waterworld pantograph. It turned out great.



I have her second quilt, Turning Twenty, about 1/2 done with plans to finish it today. I goofed when measuring the backing and had to add to it. At least I caught my boo-boo before I got to the end of the backing. I had enough room on the longarm table to set up my Janome Jem and sew another strip with out having to take the whole thing off and used the roller as my ironing surface to press the seam open.

I'm using Daisy Swirl on this one. I am loving how it's turning out. I have to get it done so I can hand deliver both quilts to Arizona in a few days. Then I have 3 customer quilts to do and I can get busy on mine again.

Until next time,
keep smilin'.

Back to Normal? at Home

It's all quiet on the home front now. Friday evening we took Crystal and Elliot to the airport for their new Arizona adventure. Our house is a bit lonely now. Sure didn't take long to get used to having other people here. Even DJ, the dog, is lonely. He's so funny sniffing around Elliot's stuff that is still here.

I was lucky enough to get to work on Saturday! I forgot to take my sewing box with me! Darn and double darn. I have been working on my applique blocks--Thursday I finished 2 and Friday, 1 complete and 1 more started. It's fun to put the completed ones on the design wall and watch the quilt grow. I wonder if I watered it if it would grow faster!!

It was 5 hours of sheer boredom. I sketched some clothes that I want to make. I've been planning to make a wardrobe and now with a trip in a few weeks, it's time to get crackalackin'. I love reading the Sewing Fanatic's Diary. She gets more done that I can even think about and is such an inspiration. So instead of working on a quilt for an hour a day as in Judy of Sunshine Quilts is doing, I'm going to work on my wardobe.

Last night I took one pair of my pants apart. I guess I am so used to wearing jeans that slacks feel too baggy. These slacks are too baggy from the thighs down to almost the hem.

Today's plan is to clean the sewing room, rearrange my sewing table and then work on those pants. I've been thinking of slipping in to town to get the fabric for some tops and a jacket. I also need to get some new shoes. But first I want to work a bit in here and then when it gets hot, I'll run into town.

So time to get busy. I've babbled enough today. The sewing room arrangement kept popping into my head during my sleep so we'll see if it works out in real life.

TTFN

Keeping It Together

This is Mr. Elliot's first attempt at a sippy cup. He didn't do too bad. It was more fun to play with it that to try to drink out of it.

Wow the last 2 weeks have flown by. Crystal and Elliot have been staying with us and will leave on Friday evening for Phoenix. I am trying my darnest to keep myself together. Sometimes, that's pretty tough. I'm going to miss them so much. It didn't take long to get used to the smiles and lovies I get as soon as I walked in the door from work. We already have plans to go down to visit in just a few weeks.

As for sewing, do I own a sewing machine or 12??? I haven't touched them. I'm getting in as much smoochie time as I can. I have been working on my applique blocks a bit at work. I think I only need to do 10 or 12 more. They really don't take that long when I just keep at them. A few stitches here, a few more there and I can complete one in a shift at work. I think I'll make that my goal. For the rest of August, I will try to complete 1 block a day at work. Right now that doesn't sound too ambitious.

Crystal had planned to get 2 of her quilts quilted while they were staying here but that hasn't happened either. I'll probably load one of them on Sunday and get started on it. I want to take them down to her on our visit. I also have a couple of Sonya's to get done before our quilting retreat. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea if I got one of my own finished also. Right now, I can't think of anything of mine that I have finished this year to take for show and tell. I think my brain is tired.

I should have my new templates and ruler mate tomorrow. That will inspire me more than anything else. I love playing with new toys.

Beddy bye time now,
I need my sleep if I'm going to stitch tomorrow.

One Word

One Word for -
1. Yourself: fluffy
2. Your partner: steady
3. Your hair: wimpy
4. Your Mother: distant
5. Your Father: strong
6. Your favorite item: computer
7. Your dream last night: funny
8. Your favorite drink: coffee
9. Your dream home: log cabin
10. The room you are in: sewing/quilting/computer
11. Your pleasure: family
12. Your fear: loss
13. Where you want to be in ten years: retired
14. Who you hung out with last night: Ernie
15. What you're not: skinny
16. Your best friend: Ernie
17. One of your wish list items: security
18. Your gender: female
19. The last thing you did: baked
20. What you are wearing: standybys
21. Your favorite weather: sunshine
22. Your favorite book: Life Is Not A Dress Size
23. Last thing you ate: cheese
24. Your life: pleasant
25. Your mood: cheery
26. The last person you talked to on the phone: Dee
27. Who you are thinking about right now: family

More Sisters Quilt Show Pics

Here ya go Sister Sue, more pics from Sisters. I wish I would have taken more. I've been quite concerned about the wildfire over there. I pray no one gets hurt and that property loss is minimal.


One of these days I want spend the weekend in Sisters. They have such great shops. But during quilt show, it is almost impossible to really see what you want to see. This trip has been on my road trip wish list for several years. I think it's time to load up that diesel powered motor coach and hit the road for a while.



Now you have it, my favorite pictures from our day trip. Already planning 2007.

1st Saturday in August

Today was family reunion day. For several years, our family reunion has been the 1st Saturday in August at Lewisville Park, usually in the Filbert Section. Wow, what a group we are. I missed Gramma today. She is 100 years old and would have loved seeing another of her great, great grandchildren. But we did get a 4 generation picture. Me and Ernie, my dad, Elliot and Crystal.

Food was plentiful, children running everywhere, cousins catching up on family news, 2nd cousins getting reaquainted, and "who does that one belong too" being figured out.

My favorite conversation was with Aunt Helen, Cousin Carl and myself. We decided that there isn't a great many years between us anymore. Aunt Helen will turn 60 next month, I beleive Carl said he is 61 and I am 52. They used to me so much older than me and then all of the sudden, they aren't. Time has a way of doing that to you.

Food was awesome. We can always count on Aunt Dot's famous baked beans and Aunt Helen's chocolate cake. Yum yum.

Baby It's HOT Outside

Call me a whimp, I don't care. I used to love the hot days but now I don't. What I really don't love are the hot nights. I like to go outside in the evening but when it's 80+ degrees, it isn't pleasant. We don't often get temps in the 100's on the west side of Washington state but today is the 3rd day, even when we do, it cools off at night. I am lucky to have a couple of window air conditioners and the house has stayed pretty pleasant. But I like to go outside on nice days. Especially when the munchkin is here.


Miss Taylor spent the weekend with us. Momma Crystal and Master Elliot sought releif here on Friday and Daddy Mike joined them on Saturday. We have a hot tub and Miss T wanted to swim. Well the water was yucky and it was too hot for tubing. So Poppy emptied it out, cleaned it, filled it up, warmed it up and turned it into a swimming pool. Momma Crystal dipped Mr E in then went and found a swimsuit for herself. After dinner, Gramma even took a dip.

Satuday morning Miss T and I made some Barbie dressed and a new purse for Miss T. It is so fun to have her assist me. She likes to choose fabrics and buttons and has a pretty good eye for color. Being 6 1/2, her attention span is pretty short. And since she thinks I am "smart and good", she is the designer and I am the sewist. She even helped me place fusible flowers and leaves on some more applique blocks to work on this week.

Everyone has gone home now. Poppy is napping in front of the tv and I think it's time to relax in front of the fan while holding down the couch for a bit. Think I'll make a nice little salad and call that dinner. Later, it's still TOO HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Am Elmo

You Are Elmo

Sweet and innocent, you expect everyone to adore you. And they usually do! You are usually feeling: Talkative. You've got tons of stories to tell. And when you aren't talking, you're laughing. You are famous for: Being popular, though no one knows why. Middle aged women especially like you. How you life your life: With an open heart. "Elmo loves you!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

WOW!! What A Week

I can't believe this week is over. It seems like yesterday that Sonya and I boarded the tour bus and spent the day at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. It was last Saturday! I love the huge hanging baskets. They are all over town. I only saw one that really, really wanted a drink of water. Water was the beverage of the day!
It was so hot--How hot was it??? We took refuge in a beer cooler.

97 degrees is too hot to for this ole gal to spend all day outside and by the time we boarded the bus to head for another quilt shop, I was not feeling well at all. I didn't buy a thing. But I'm still thinking of calling and ordering a quilt kit!

I love this string quilt with the 9 patch corner stones and 3 strip sashing. I think I will copy this for the string blocks I have in progress. You know, one of those on going things.

There were several quilts with the panels in the center and log cabin blocks around them. This quilt would be perfect on my log bed. I think I need mine to be flannel and bigger.
I've been so inspired that all week long, I've been stitching for a half hour or more after work. I'm working on a little wall hanging for my sewing room. It's amazing how much I can get done if I just sit down a do a bit.

On the bus, Sonya and I each won a book because we were the only travelers that have been on every tour with the gals that organized the tour. 3 tours, 3 trips. The book I chose is call Patches and Posies by Teri Christopherson. On the cover is a Posy Patch Quilt with 9 patches and alternate blanket stitch applique blocks. Perfect for me, I have a bag of floral and cream 9 patches. So Sunday afternoon, I traced and fused a whole bunch of flowers and leaves and cut some background blocks. I have been stitching on these all week at work and have 7 up on the design wall. This is a good summertime work project. Very portable and no problem laying it down when necessary.

So when my little wall hanging is finished, I am going to load up a top on the machine and get some quilting done, a little bit at a time.

TTFN, I'm gonna go stitch for a minute or 2.

Shopping

While at Netty's, I just had to shop. I need buttons for my camp shirts and when I went to pick them out, there was a box of buttons for 50 cents a card. She said some had been there for quite some time. I love buttons and came home with quite a few.

Then I needed more fabric. I saved a bunch of half square triangle from another project and made them into little pinwheel blocks. I needed a soft fabric for alternate blocks and chose a soft yellow.


Then I found this cute monkey print and got white background for a small border and then purple for the outer border and backing.Then there was this awesome orange that jumped off the shelf at me and I had to enhance my background stash. Actually, each piece I bought has a purpose. Oh and she had some wider lingere elastic that I was out of so 10 yards each of black and white.


Before going on our trip, I found Fays Fabrics on line and ordered some of her value packs. I got 2 value packs of elastic, 1 of lace and 1 spandex pack. $47 and I have enough fabric, lace and elastic to make lots and lots of awesome bras.

I am in bra making mode and needed to find fabric. I wasn't happy with what I found at JoJo's. When my package arrived, I was overjoyed. I love the lime green spandex . There were 5 large pieces of spandex in my pack.

(I've tried 3 times to upload pictures of the elastic and lace but blogger is cranky! Maybe they think I've been too chatty today! )
The lace is great. Each piece is at least 2 yards long. I can't wait to use the maroon or the orange or the dark green on the lime green fabric.

I love the variety of elastic. There is some Victoria's Secret elastic and Honors and several pieces of picot edge. The pieces are just like she advertised, and I think I want some more of the value packs. Nothing like a good surprise! I also need to order underwires, hooks, and probably a few other things. ;-0

Off to make more buttonholes, 1 shirt done, 2 to go, and both pair of pants need a button and buttonhole. Don't think I'll do much for the rest of the day.

Back To Quilting

After work yesterday, I decided I better get my hiney busy and finish Sharon's quilt. I call it "Sharon's Fireworks Watching Quilt". I don't know when Sharon started piecing this top but she hated it. So when she decided she did not want to be a quilter (have you ever heard of this before?!?), she cleared out most of her stash and gave it to me. I had already finished 2 quilts for her. And I had to finish this one. She was just going to throw it in the trash but I couldn't let that happen.

This poor quilt was in a bag with all of it's parts crying to be remade (probably the reason she didn't want to be a quilter). So during this past winter, I took all of the seams apart (Trust me, I will never do that again!) and remade the blocks--Oh I love projects at work. I had them all sewn together and yesterday, after doing some serious sewing room cleaning. I remembered the date and paniced. So I got this project out, added a couple of borders, pieced some of the leftover fabric for a back, then went to bed.



At 5 am, I woke up raring to go. Tiptoed out of the bedroom, shut the door, made coffee, wound a few bobbins, got a cup of coffee in me, loaded the quilt on the frame, warmed up the machine, went out to get another cup of coffee, came back in and went to work. I love doing the loopie meander and this quilt was finished at 10 am. Binding on and machine stitched down. Done, done, done!



Sharon is going to love snuggling up in this quilt. I hope she doesn't have anymore hidden treasures crying to be finished.

What a productive day. Finished a quilt, washed my car, shampooed out the spilled coffee, wrote in my blog. Sometimes I scare myself. Now on to the next project. I need to make some buttonholes.

Rant--I Hate Working Saturdays

Yes I do! I'd rather work 12 hours Monday through Friday than work 5 hours on Saturday. But when I took this job, I knew I would have to work lots of Saturdays. I've been doing it for almost 10 years! I shouldn't really complain too much now because I get lots of Saturdays off. It's just when I think I'll be here for 5 hours, then find out it could be 10 or so, I tend to get a little cranky. Everyone says "But it's all overtime.", big deal, that just means I'm paying more taxes! And I am not at home doing what I want to do.

Ok, I'm done with my rant! I have put on my happy face. The attitude is now good.

Remember when I wrote about my job and the fact that I can do what I want when there are not trucks???

The biggest advantage at being here today is that I brought my laptop and I can use the extra phone line--yes I am still on Dial Up--to be on the internet. I have spent the morning reading sewing blogs. How fun is that.

Here are some of the blogs I've read today:
Getting Stitched on the Farm
Right Sides Together
Sew Random
Diary of A Sewing Fanatic
Rusty Bobbin
Susinok

Now I think I'll go on a search for something more. There are so many facinating blogs to discover.

Until next time, don't worry, be happy!