The Ramblings of a Texas Quilter

I'm Keeping Up! - Just Takes Two

2012-01-24T21:12:00.000-06:00

The last block in the January 15 blocks -- I printed it out and paper pieced it - it was a lot easier! don't laugh at my leaning wall, or the checks that aren't strait HEY, my house isn't "straight" either !

But I'm giving myself big pats on the back for keeping up!

Now I can start on the "OH My Stars" quilt along by Thought and Found.
doing the happy dance :)

I really did DO something today - really!

2012-01-22T20:55:00.000-06:00

A new block for the Just Takes Two Challenge and the other one I redid as paper piecing - much better 1/4 inch on the points.

The fan kicked me. No fun.

This was all I did. I'll admit it.

Back to work tomorrow - because after all Tomorrow is another day! {did you catch the Gone With The Wind reference?} grins

Weekend Vegetation

2012-01-22T10:26:00.003-06:00

aaahh, the weekend, brings a big smile to my face. No fuss, No Stress, I don't have to be at work ( not that I don't like work, but it's nice not to have to go, if you get my idea )

I vegetated - in front of the computer. I'm a big computer cauliflower, not a potato cause those are fattening but a cauliflower. Puffy white with green leaves ( oops, one in the fridge that needs to be steamed for dinner - I forgot all about it ).

But OH! I love my laptop and the internet. I get to go places and see all the things that people do, that because I'm sitting with the laptop on my lap, I'm not doing, How can hours just slip by! I look up and three hours has gone past in just the blink, or click, of the eye/mouse -- geez - I get nothing done. A Big Computer Cauliflower.

HOWEVER - all is not lost. I really did get something done yesterday - three ( yep 3! ) blocks of the Just Take Two project. The homespun is tougher to work with than I bargined for - it stretches something awful {big frown } My seam lines don't always stay straight and my points on some of the squares are going to be gone when I sew them together. See if you can pick out which block I'm going to do again? I have a couple more to go on this round of blocks but I'm keeping up!

happy dance going on here

So now it's Sunday morning - LOL - and guess what I'm doing !!??

Did you ever have cinnamon toast made with butter and cinnamon sugar put in a broiler until the sugar bubbles and the cinnamon smell goes all through the house? My mom used to make that for us when I was a kid and I made it for my kids and I was so hungry for some this morning -- ( dang! I should have taken a picture of it before I ate it! aahh I COULD make more ) So I had my cuppa tea, my wonderfully warm cinnamon toast and my ticket to the world in my lap - a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning

and this guy staring at me

( he got some crust )

Enjoy your day!

I will get something accomplished, I will get something accomplished, I will get something accomplished.....

Just Takes Two Challenge - January part 1

2012-01-15T10:10:00.005-06:00

I might have said in an earlier post that I'm going to try to keep up with the Just Takes Two challenge ( the word is TRY cause I'm not always good at keeping up! ). This is where you follow along with blocks from Sentimental Stitches and Dear Jane - twice a month ( YIKES! ).
For January Part 1 -- yipee, I got all six done!

These are blocks 1-3, I'm working with homespun ( might not have been the best choice ) in white and navy checked. I got a bolt of each when a store - might have been Hobby Lobby - was going out of business/moving. The tag said $1.00/yd. How could I pass that up!!

and these are blocks 4-6. the small ones are 6-1/2", and of course the large one is 12-1/2". I have to use LOTS of starch to keep the homespun from stretching ( didn't always work) but I like the look of the blue check and white.

There is a new group coming out today -- I better get busy!

Better yet - why don't you come play with me! Here is the website http://justtakes2.com/

2012 New FO Challenge - January

2012-01-11T20:36:00.000-06:00

I had joined the 2012 New FO Challenge cause it's different than the challenges to finish projects. I want to do NEW stuff! not the old stuff. If I like the old stuff I would have finished it, right? Right!

So this is my project for January - I picked #7, the Spa Quads quilt.

TA-DA !!

I did this at retreat from a pack of fat quarters that I found for a reeelllyy good price ( Westminster fabrics ) - couldn't pass them up even though I wasn't all that crazy about the pastels. (I don't do pastels well, they are kind of boring to me )

Ok, I admit, I'm not super crazy about the quilt but it was easy to do and fun. I'm hoping that some really good quilting will make me like it better.

and

if it doesn't, then some lucky person will get this one cause I'll put it with my other donation quilts. Quilts are hugs and everyone needs a hug.

So, my January challenge is met!

First Retreat of 2012

2012-01-11T20:24:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was my bee's first retreat of 2012. Lots of fun, lots of creativity, and lots of escaping from whatever we were escaping from! It was nice to be with friends, to just to be able to sew. Love my family, but boy I like to sew, too! Here is a preview of what we did -- yep, pretty creative folks I get the privledge to hang around with :) makes me happy

The big star to the right is a quilt that one of our ladies teaches classes on - Judy Neimeyer patterns. Isn't it beautiful!

ok, this is one that I made. I'm not sure I really like it - I don't usually work with pastels so I'm way out of my element here. I found the pattern on line and wanted to try it. Found a great deal on the pack of fat quarters so,, why not try one with the other. Maybe it just needs some good quilting for me to like it better.

This is one for Susan's lake house. The orange batik is absolutely gorgeous! and with the blue batik it really makes you think of sunrise on the lake and catching lots of fish!

hhmmm... I think they are trying to decide what border to use. If you can see the fabric, the blocks are coffee cups - this fabric I have to get!

I tried to get a shot of the wonderful french toast breakfast with bacon and juice and all the fixings but, oops! I was too late

Check out the bird houses! I think a Mckenna Ryan pattern group, each little color is a seperate piece of fabric -- so pretty! lots of patience at work here :)

and I love these batik stripes!! I have to make one of these - I just might have to cut some of those batiks that I just keep looking at and not using.
It would also be a good pattern for some of those Halloween or Christmas fabrics that I have and ready to use up. It was super quick - she did this in about 4 or 5 hours!

isn't this just great? so sweet. Some lucky new mom and baby is getting this one. and works so well with the rainbow border fabric.

ok, one of the ladies joined a fiber artist group and this was their first project. Everyone got a square of the fuzzy stuff and was told to Do something with the square of fuzzy stuff. She said it was very liberating to be "out of the box". Buttons, cording, yarn, -- might be fun to get a group together to do that.

I need out of the box.

Oh My Goodness - Get a Little Inspiration!

2012-01-10T20:16:00.000-06:00

a friend sent this to me - you will be so amazed!

Welcome 2012!!

2011-12-31T20:00:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year !!

2012 New FO plan

2011-12-30T12:54:00.001-06:00

Who wants to finish OLD projects - Not ME! That's why they are old, cause I didn't want to finish them in the first place :) So, I'm joining CATPATCHES 2012 New FO Challenge - start a new project once a month. OY, I must be crazy

. See the button on the side of the screen? Click and you can join in, too!

So, here are the 12 quilts/projects that I want to start in 2012. Drum roll please. And in no particular order

1. Black and White Stack n' Whack - I have some great black and white jungle fabric that I've been planning on doing as a stack and whack - this is the fabric Pretty cool - see the gold in the eyes? Anyway, I've been saving this so I'm gonna do it!

2. I found a pattern in a magazine that was Blue and White Churn Dash - the dashes are dark blue/white and the background is white/blue. I had several pieces of dark indigo so I've been gathering white/blue and I want to make that one. I'll find the magazine and picture and post later. ( I'm at work right now and, well, the magazine is home :) )

3. Falling Leaves - omg, I've have this pattern for so long and have had fabric pulled for several years. Now I have a terra cotta colored kitchen and a perfect place for this quilt ( hanging on a big wall in my kitchen ) ~~( another one I have to get a picture of the pattern )~~

4. Kaffe Fassett has a cool pattern of houses - always wanted a house quilt - only this one is made of fabrics with circles on them. I've collected all the fabric and now it's time to make the quilt!

5. A French Braid Quilt! this one in black and white prints ( cause I have them )

I have been wanting to make one of these quilts ever since the book came out.

6. Turning Twenty - in purple! one of my favorite colors - and, guess what! I have the fat quarters already, too!

7. Spa Quads Quilt - I may have the name wrong but I'm at work so that's ok. I'll fix it when I get home. But it's a cool freebie pattern I found on the web, and yep, I already have the fabrics! I did find another I like that the fabrics would be great with - so I'm going to take the liberty to make up my mind later. The other is Birthday Cake Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman at www.ohfransson.com.

8.My friend tirane and I have always talked about making a Hunter's Star - I'll do mine in blacks and whites and she is going to use colors ( she is getting so much better at using color! )

9. There is a green scrappy quilt that I saw in a magazine a few months back - I'm going to put that quilt on this list, too. Found it! It's called "How Green is My Stash" and I was drawn to it cause I do have a lot of green! McCall's Quilting, Sept/Oct 2011

10,11,12 - I have to leave room for donation quilts. Those will be finished, not just started. I have lots of fabric and there are lots of people who need quilts.

SO, there is my list ( I'll come back and edit with some pictures of what I want to do ). The cool thing is no pressure to FINISH! Just to start them!

Want to play with me?

The Last Quilt of 2011

2011-12-27T21:30:00.000-06:00

I took a day just for ME,, and got the top finished on 9-Patch Agony. and I think my borders are even steven on this one ( I usually have problems with pieced borders, they are just not my thing :( ) but I think this time they came out pretty dang good!

I like it.

I like how the dark border gives a good finish to the top. Fabrics all came from my stash -- a new reason to go shopping, right?! no no no, I'm just tickled that I had fabrics that I could use up.

and yes, I took this photo today - it must have been about 60 degrees outside, bright blue sky - absolutely beautiful for Dec 27.

So this is the last quilt of 2011.

and I like it.

No UFO Challenge for ME!

2011-12-23T13:44:00.000-06:00

Nope, not going to join a UFO challenge for 2012. Couldn't guarantee that I would get something finished in a month anyway. My sewing is too sporadic to guarantee that.

BUT

I can join CAT PATCHES Challenge! She has a NEW FO Project challenge starting. Just start something! LOL I can DO that! Check out her blog and see what it's all about. I figure this will commit me to pulling the fabrics ( I wish my stash looked like this! ) that I bought with a particular quilt in mind cause right now they are just languishing in my fabric closet being lazy, taking up space . And Maybe, just MAYBE, if I have them pulled and cut, I might actually get them made.

OH another plus, when it's time for retreat, I'll have kits all ready to go!

so have you figured it out -- sounds like my plan is to make kits, not acutally sew them, but just kit stuff up. No, not such a good plan, but it might be fun to be able to pull something ready to go and get it done.

Ok, making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty or nice --- no no no,, that's the wrong song :)

9 Patch Agony

2011-12-18T20:50:00.000-06:00

Well, not really agony, but I'm REAL tired of 9 patch blocks. I haven't pressed the seams yet on this top, but I got all the rows together and wanted to see what it was looking like. Darn thing is so big I had to push the couch out of the way to get it all flat -- and, get this! I don't have borders on yet!! Yikes! The borders are about 5 inchs, with MORE 9-patch blocks.

This has been a great way to use up some small pieces of fabric and I really do like it but golly molly, I'm ready to move on to another kind of block.

A Christmas Song for a Saturday Night

2011-12-17T22:48:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas Smiles

2011-12-15T21:16:00.001-06:00

We Occupied a Sewing Room!

2011-12-14T22:14:00.000-06:00

Our annual Christmas retreat was this past weekend - and as always loads of fun, loads of food, lots of sewing and wonderful company! I was so busy - eating and talking - that I didn't get everything done that I brought,, but isn't that the idea of retreat? To relax, and enjoy friends?

From The Ramblings of a Texas Quilter

I just finished this wall hanging tonite, got the top all done over the weekend, but finished it up tonight. Think I'll take it to work and hang it on my cubicle wall -- it's a Kim Schaefer design and was so much fun to do. Everytime I do a fusible applique, I think of coloring books.

Check out this one! another fusible --

From The Ramblings of a Texas Quilter

From The Ramblings of a Texas Quilter
and this beauty is all Minkee fabrics - the backing is a beautiful red. so soft and scrumptious! I want to make one for me !

check out Shakespere in the Park! all beautiful batiks - and from her stash! I fell so in love with this that I ordered the book on line that day. hhmm, do I want batiks, too? do I want the blue theme? I can't wait to see this quilted.

t-shirt quilt - being reworked by a nice mother in law

<><>

I love the fabrics in this one, those big roses!

From The Ramblings of a Texas Quilter

ok, check this out.. see the dime?

From The Ramblings of a Texas Quilter
can you imagine !!?? I don't know how she did this. I saw some cutting and templates,, but dang!

ok, lets get out the scraps and you, too, can do this! Now, don't just glance at this,, look close,, it's not just strips, but squares and squares in squares. I bet with all the scraps I have, I could find enough to make one like this :)

great snowballs! it has a very modern look. wonder how she is going to quilt it? wonder what the back is going to be??

From The Ramblings of a Texas Quilter

this is from a block swap we did about 6 years ago. How many groups of blocks from swaps do you have?

one of the ladies was super busy making rag quilts for grandkids -- she cut and cut and cut ( this is just a small pile of batting squares ) finally done with cutting batting she started in cutting novelty fabrics,, we had more fun looking at those fabrics. I have to get mine out, get them used, share them with kids! What good are they doing in the closet.. yep, they need to be shared.

a really cute strip quilt. yep, novelty fabrics need to be shared.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidy season. I have to get busy! I just realized that I haven't started Christmas shopping -- yikes!

Mary did you know?

2011-12-04T21:43:00.002-06:00

it was the most wonderful weekend -- rainy, cold, and just wonderful!! I know, that sounds really strange, but I got to stay in jammas ALL weekend! I didn't leave the house just once and I got to sew, and read and sleep -- I was in heaven! And my DH was gone most of the two days, too - WHOO WHEE! not only did I get to stay inside, I had the house to myself! As a bonus,, ( and gee, it's fun to read other's blogs cause you never know what you might learn ) I was part of the OCCUPY YOUR SEWING ROOM group/giveaway < a huge grin goes here >. There is a button on the right and you can go here to link to the blog. There's a giveaway, too!

So what did I do with my time, you might ask? Well, since retreat is next weekend, I got two kits cut to take with me, cleaned the sewing room a bit, worked on MORE nine-patches for that garsh darn 9-patch quilt. I also started reading the book HUNGER GAMES and I'm just about finished with it . The thing I didn't do was cook -- my husband is just the best - he isn't really picky about what he eats so he was perfectly happy to go out and get us dinner last night and have sandwiches and soup tonite.

And since it is Christmas, I wanted to share my favorite Christmas song with everyone. Enjoy!

went to retreat this weekend -- I think that qualifies for more Occupy Your Sewing Room!

Have I said I'm tired of 9-patches?

2011-11-25T16:18:00.001-06:00

This is my latest project - found the design/pattern in a magazine ( maybe McCalls?) I started it when I when on retreat at Memory Lane Inn and I'm getting it finished now. I still have MORE (aarrrgghhh!) small nine-patch blocks to do for the border. Don't get me wrong, these are super uber easy blocks to make,, I'm just ready to move on to something else - LOL - I'm always ready to move on to something else

Ok, this morning, instead of being out shopping looking for all the super good deals (!!??) at 4am, I laid the blocks out on the living room floor and oops! there almost wasn't enough empty floor space. This is going to be one big quilt! cause borders still have to go on.

but,, I like it! Ok, going to go finish it..

I've been cooking ALL day! - NOT!

2011-11-23T22:14:00.000-06:00

This is usually me right before everyone shows up to eat. Not this year!
This year we go out to eat ( see me doing the happy dance! :-) hahaha~ ) no kids, no grandkids just 6 old people ( dh, mil, me, sil, her dh and neice ) and no one offered to cook. Ok with me!

I have 5 days off, hopefully I can get stuff done, spend some quality time being productive. I don't have any plans on hitting the good sales but you just never know!

I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Need Ideas, Please

2011-11-18T21:35:00.001-06:00

another of those poor orphan quilts that I want to finish. This was made from a couple of charm packs given to me by a lady in my Saturday group cause she didn't want them. I'm not one to let something like that go to waste, so Voila! looks like a kitchen table topper to me!

But,, I need to finish this off and I am just not sure how... so ideas? What would you finish this one?

From Quilts I Make

It's the Giving that feels good!

2011-11-17T20:42:00.000-06:00

From Quilts I Make

My 83 year old Mother in Law lives in a retirement home and has made a very good friend there, Miss Charlene. They talk, they walk, they watch TV together. They share everything! It's almost like sisters -- very sweet, and good, and loving.

Miss Charlene is going to move. Her son has moved to a different part of the city and has found a new closer place for her to live. Both my Mother in Law and Miss Charlene are devastated.

The quilt above was a mystery quilt that I did a couple of years ago. It was all pinned and ready for me to quilt - I just never did. This must be the reason - it was waiting for just the right person to give it to. Miss Charlene!

Now I'm not a good free-motion quilter,, but I keep trying.
So, Self, how can I get the design on this one that a good long-arm quilter does? I have free motion designs, but how do I get them to the quilt, cause I sure can NOT do it without tracing something

AAHH,, self I say, copy those designs to paper then stitch thru the paper!
AAHH! Freezer paper is big and wide, that should work -- ???!
I traced the design and pinned the papers to the quilt top, so far so good. I sewed thru the paper and that worked well. < I'm getting better with my stitches being uniform - that's good!>
But freezer paper is heavy so turning the quilt around was difficult at times which didn't help getting some good curves. But that's ok, I'm Learning!

I told self to remember that -- freezer paper is big, but heavy.

Time to tear off the paper. Freezer paper DOES NOT tear easily. and, Tearing made some stitches come loose. Not good. So I tore off what I could, then figured when I was all done, I could WASH them away! < yeah yeah! that will work good! Paper dissolves good in water! >
But I can't do this until I'm all done with the borders or binding.
For the border, I sure didn't want to use freezer paper again, so I had some Solvy stuff and spray adhesive that I bought at the Houston Quilt Festival last year,, why not finally use it! I copied my design, sprayed the borders and stuck it on. It wasn't bad. Held pretty good and was very easy to follow while I was stitching the design. It even ripped off pretty good and where it was inbetween the stitches, all I had to do was heat up a little iron, and with heat, this stuff balled up and I just brushed it off. VOILA! It was pretty cool for small spaces, or borders :)

From Quilts I Make

The Back....This shows the border design - it doesn't show to be even, but it is on the front. I had put a panel on the back with white surrounding it, but I didn't get it exactly centered. Learning!
How did I get the paper off the front you might ask? No, washing didn't work. All I had was a quilt with bits of paper stuck in stitiching. So Sunday afternoon, I sat in front of the tv with the quilt and tweezers pulling out bits of paper.

I'm learning!!

So this is the story of Miss Charlene's quilt, I hope she likes it and when she puts it on her lap to stay warm, I hope she thinks of my mother in law and how much we miss Miss Charlene!

Watching Dancing with the Stars - and Blogging

2011-11-15T21:05:00.000-06:00

I have a great fascination with DWTS,, the only thing my husband and I sit and watch together, so that's a good thing! ( he likes the half naked girls :) ! ) and I don't have a problem watching the beefed up guys, either! A little booty shakin' is good for the soul

So, you might wonder what else has been going on. I have been busy and completed a few things. A big pat on the back for me!

A couple of weeks ago, tirane and I went to a most fabulous retreat, about 2 hours from here, at the coolest Victorian house. Memory Lane Inn in Tyler was beautiful! You have to go check out the pictures at the web site, I just can't describe it. EVERY?THING was thought of,, the beds were wonderful, the kitchen was fantastic, and OMG! the space we had to sew !!
Imagine a place that is designed to have about 18 people in it and it was being shared by 7 -- tirane and I had a seperate room all to ourselves to spread out or sewing and the other 5 ladies had a huge room for all their scrapbooking... it was great and we made new friends. I can't wait to go back

Seriously, go check it out! Beautiful decorating, claw foot tubs, wavy glass in the windows and the landscaping is beautiful!

So, what did I do, you might ask? Well, I did finish two quilts, was going to put borders on another but everyone decided it was good as it was so that was a WIN and started sewing another. Busy!

My friend had some blocks from a swap that she did a few years ago, she was cleaning her sewing room, found them and gave them to me. I've had them a few years, cleaned MY sewing room, found them and took them with me. Hearts, done in 30's fabrics and 2" strips were included for each block. I just sashed each block and sewed them in rows. It's for a charity quilt and it came out great!
I threw this on one of the rockers on the front porch of the retreat house ( see the flowers and wrought iron fence in the background?!). I think it came out great - longer than wider which will be great for a twin bed. Tirane is going to quilt it and I'll do the binding.

Next -- more charity blocks. I started these a few years ago when my saturday group was going strong and we were doing a lot of charity stuff. Well, these got hidden, too, and I found them at the same cleaning time as the previous blocks. There was only 9 of them and I didn't have fabric to make more. Making bigger sashing gave me a bigger quilt and tirane a pallett to play with when she quilted.

There really is light blue floating in both the fabrics in the blocks and again, the big fron verandah at the retreat -- a great showcase for displaying quilts.

I also had the pink/black/white quilt that my bee did as a block swap ?? years ago. I put borders on it, and messed those up, so I took them off, was going to redo them and everyone at retreat said it looked good as it is. This is a picture with the borders that I like but just didn't lay right..

so, I took them off. Tirane has it and will quilt it -- aaarrrggghh another one that is going to need binding :) about time I got it finished!

aawwwhhh, Hope and Max are going home. Dang! No more of Max and his 6-pack ABS, or his BUTT or his,, geez,, I just like to watch him < said with a huge! big grin!>

ok, back to reality and the husband I love ( I love my husband, I love my husband, I love my husband )

Where in the world is.... ?

2011-11-07T21:26:00.000-06:00

Have you ever just been overwhelmed? I think I am. Don't know why - just feel overwhelmed. Had a great retreat a couple of weekend's ago, enjoyed grandson this past weekend, I'm having fun looking at all the blogs from the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Blog Tour

So what the heck is the problem?

ok, going to have to have a talk with self, drink a Starbucks coffee, and eat a cookie.

I'll get back with you and let you know if things improve :)

(don't forget to join the blog tour! go here to start http://www.quiltmaker.com/index.html)

Quilts, Hugs, and Friends

2011-09-25T22:09:00.001-05:00

I've talked before about our little group that meets once a month, it's a fluid group and we don't always get to meet every month, but for several years we have managed to stay in touch, to meet, to share, to laugh and talk and even get some occasional sewing done!

One of our group needed a big hug - a really BIG hug. So what does a quilter dor for a friend in need? Why make a quilt of course! A perpetual hug - a bunch of arms that wrap around you in affection and acceptance.

So, Tirane and I picked out a pattern, decided on colors and wanted it to be scrappy. She went to her stash, I went to mine; we made blocks and didn't check with each other to see what we had until it was time to put it together. Dang! We did good!



                  this is a picture of the back.   Look close at the quilting. Tirane quilted a path of pebbles with the word Friend spaced thru it -- the thought was that life is a path of pebbles, but friends can help you get thru the bumpy parts.
The blue parts are really full of daisy flowers -- to bring a smile.    I think it worked - for a little bit anyway. Because we knew that our friend was hurting it was hard to work on this, but our hope was to give her comfort in days to come -- I hope it does.

Pillowcases - A Place to Rest your Head

2011-09-18T20:28:00.000-05:00

Doesn't it make you feel good when you can take your craft and make something that you can give to another? This year, my bee has decided that we will make pillowcases for kids at a local children's advocacy center. Our hope is to be able to give them a little bit of happiness when they lay their heads down to rest.

I've made three today. I used the 'burito roll' ( it' called a lot of different names! ) method where there are no raw seams.. made sense to me to make them as durable as possible.

Fabric is from my stash ( what a better way to use it, right?!) and geez, takes about 20 minutes to put one together. It's a great way to spend a day!

Today

2011-09-11T20:04:00.000-05:00

not much else to say today.

Creativity, Productivity, Procrastination ( Gobble Gobble! )

2011-09-05T22:14:00.000-05:00

I think I must have started this last year, yep, probably did cause I was going to decorate for Thanksgiving. Sure I was.
I have Kim Schaefer's Calendar Quilts - its a really cool booklet that has a 20x28 quilt for each month. Each has a basic background of squares sewn together, then the main theme is put on the front ( like the turkey or a pumpkin, or snowman). I enjoyed it because I love doing machine applique - to me it's sorta like coloring in a color book ( and yes, I have trouble staying in the lines :) LOL).

I have/had big plans to make all twelve, to have a specific place with a hanger ready for them and the idea of changing them out once a month.
Sure I do.
Or at least I did.

Well, I have almost two done :) The one above is for Fall/Thanksgiving and I have to put the binding on it and sew the little beady eye. Turkeys have beady eyes, don't they?

I did finally buy a hanger today! Found one at Joann's and I got these curtin rings that are like clippies and thought that would make it super easy to change out these little wall quilts once a month (( who am I kidding! how many years will it take me to get all 12 done??)
BUT, I'm ready for Thanksgiving/Fall!

well, almost.

just gotta sew on that binding and beady little eye.

Pay it Forward - Quilts for Kids

2011-09-03T23:14:00.000-05:00

You've read my posts about the Quilts for Kids Organization before - and I just love using my skills to make something that must might make a little one feel better. I took two quilts to the post office today to mail back to the main Quilts for Kids group in Pennsylvania today - gave me a big smile to drop those packages in the mail box!

This is the one I made from the kit that the group sent me - their fabrics are SO nice to work with,, great quality and nice to know that they will hold up to all the washings that they go through.

The group asks that you send in another quilt along with the one that you make from their kit. This is the one that I made - Dogs Rule. The pattern is one of theirs, so super easy to make and doesn't take alot of fabric. The backing was some that I had bought for super cheap.. good quality at super low prices is my way of shopping!

It's bright and fun and I hope that a special person enjoys it.

If you haven't found the Quilts for Kids sight, just click on the name. Ask for a kit, make a quilt, maybe make another of your own. Send a smile and it will put a smile on your face, too.

Play Along with Quiltifications

2011-08-30T20:58:00.001-05:00

My buddy Tirane is having a quilt-along - she is determined to make 24 quilts ( sorta like a quilting bucket list!) I don't think she gave herself a deadline to have all 24 done -- but knowing her, she'll do this in 24 days (LOL!!!) cut, pieced, sandwiched and quilted!
Anyway, I saw today on her blog that she has pulled fabrics for 4 of them - think about this, pulling fabrics for 4 full quilts, nice stash huh?! OMG, do you know what my sewing room would look like if I pulled fabric for 4 quilts!

here's one and another and a third below and the fourth I think I like the bright stripes the best, I like the bright stripes , yep the bright stripes is my favorite. Sorta reminds me of one that I made a while back only mine was white with stripes of color, shoulda made it in black!

So, if you want to play along with her, check out her blog www.quiltifications.blogspot.com and have some fun!
Wonder if she is going to post tutorials for them ??

She's made me think of doing a 'quilting bucket list' of my own!

A New Long Arm Quilter

2011-08-25T20:58:00.001-05:00

One of my bee friends is trying to break into the long-arm quilting business. You know how hard it is to break into a business and double hard when what you are selling is your expertise and talent! Several of us have given her our quilts for her to practice and show off her skills. I made a Turning Twenty a few ( well many months! like almost a year ago!) ago and thought that would be a good one I could left her do for me.
I should have known. This wonderful lady does everything, absolutely everything, perfectly and my quilt is no exception. Isn't this great! I'm so tickled with how it came out -- I

and this is a close up of the quilting -- no stitch regulator on her machine, either!
So if you need a quilter, call

Joan Lush of Paradise Quilting. She is in Quilt Country in Lewisville, TX 214-213-1600

She'll do a good job for you, too!

giveaway - take a chance

2011-08-19T23:07:00.000-05:00

go to Button Counter for a giveaway of 5 fat quarters -- of course I already have plans for these fat quarters,, I have a charity quilt in mind that will look great with them. But go look and see what they are ( they are really great!), leave her a comment and maybe you will win them. Just make a charity quilt with them if you do, ok?

Pinwheels for Kids

2011-07-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know about Quilts for Kids? It's a great organization with many partner companies that help them in a wonderful cause. Imagine an organization that sends you a kit - for free! - in beautiful fabrics - and all they ask is that you make the quilt, quilt it, bind it, wash it and send it back. Its a great chance to take your talent and make something that a little person will be able to cuddle with. I look at it as a chance to give repeated hugs to someone I would like to know.

These kits are so very easy to do - four patches or pinwheels are mainly what you get. This is the latest quilt that I'm making.. someone who loves purple will really like this quilt.

Go to their web site. Ask for a kit. Make one of your own - then make one out of your stash fabric so you can send back TWO quilts!

Pay it forward.

That's what I'm going to do.

I'm so Proud ---

2011-07-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

I have to brag a bit -- I showed you a picture of what my sewing room looked like when I cleaned out the closet -- a very scary sight ( warning! not for the faint of heart! )

I asked if you would sew in a room that looked like this - well how could you? You can't even get to the sewing machine... !

Well, I'm proud of me (I'm taking a big bow to all the applause I'm hearing in my head ) because I'm so tickled with how my closet looks...

TA-DA!

From Blogger Pictures

I wanted different shelves that were not so tall, couldn't find just what I wanted so I stuck with what I have. The fabric is all organized by color, one shelf is all batiks, there is a couple of stacks of novelties and one of panels. The red case is my Featherweight ( I find it easier to carry the red case instead of the original wood box ). The fabric on the very top is what I bought to use for backing.

It is so nice! to be able to open the door and see it all by color. Neat. Stacked. In Order. Accessible without having to do gymnastics or protect myself from falling objects.

All the fabric that would NOT fit in here nicely is organized into types, colors, projects and stored in an area in the garage. They will stay clean and if I have to get something, it is easy to find.

My plan? Why to sew it all up! I want to use what I have here in the closet, then as the colors go down, I can get more from the other storage and move into the closet.

My OTHER plan? To get a sewing area that is SO big that I can have it ALL, every scrap, every fat quarter, every piece of flannel, all organized and accessible. I have a plan to make that happen ( hahahaha very evil laugh ) I just need to put the plan into action. someday. :)

I'll keep you posted!

A New/Old Look

2011-07-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

I got bored. Didn't want to sew. Wanted to vegetate in front of the television with my husband and stay cool. Started up the laptop and went browsing. Then got one of those wild ideas about updating my own blog. Some is the same as it always was ( I'm thinking about changing the header picture ) and I revised some other stuff.

OH I know why I thought it needed changing. I designed it for a widescreen monitor and when I'm looking at it on my laptop, then some of the stuff was overlapping. I thought more people were on laptops now so that was why I wanted to revamp it.

I really am interested if it works for you!

I'm Back - Sewing in a Cleaner Room

2011-07-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

It's been a long while since I've bloged ( or is it blogged? ) anything. It's been a rough bit getting back into the sewing room since my 4-legged shadow went to Rainbow Heaven. But! I finally got the room ( LOL half of the room ) cleaned up, the closet organized and I actually spent time back sewing today.

It Was Wonderful!

A few months ago I started a quilt in greens, reds and beiges from a pattern I found in a magazine - the block they called a Bethlehem Star ( guess it was a Christmas-time quilt ). I didn't want one for Christmas but I liked the star and the fact that it was paper pieced. Anyway, it's been a work in process for a while!

See me do the Happy Dance! I finished the top today!!

I didn't want a Christmas quilt, and in fact, the border is a floral,, so I think I'll call it 'multi-seasonal' LOL.
I'm happy with it,

and it sure is nice to be back sewing again.

Help!! I Need....

2011-06-01T20:05:00.000-05:00

Would you sew in this room?

From Blogger Pictures

A fabric Fairy that will put all this stuff away. No, I haven't really lost my mind, and I don't try to sew in this mess. But..... here's my story (and I'm sticking to it )

I wanted new shelves in my closet where I try to keep my fabric ( operative word is TRY ) - new shelves so that I could get more fabric in the closet, clean up the room, make more space, blah blah blah. So I hunted down some new shelves that I hoped would work better than what I have, bought them and this past long weekend, I decided that I HAD to get this project done. I want a clean, neat, sewing room.

Well, long story short, the shelves I bought are not going to work, so I'm going to use the ones that I have already, but rearrange and clean up and throw out and see just what is lurking in those corners.

OMG!

I found fabric that I had forgotten all about. I found fabric that I can't remember buying. I found fabric that I don't know WHY I bought it. I found stuff that I bought at the Houston quilt show a few years ago and is still in the package. guess I really didn't need it afterall.

Scraps - OMG! I see two dozen scrap quilts in the making. I have 1/4 yards, 1/3 yards, pieces, there is so much of this stuff that I have to use it up before I can do anything else.

CHRISTMAS fabric - OMG again! and some of it is really ugly. This may be donated to a guild or something. Thee are only so many Christmas quilts that one person can make, right?

FLANNELS - I remember when I bought this, but not why. JOann's was having that great and fabulous flannel sale when they were selling it for $1.29 a yard so I thought it would make great backs for kids quilts. OR, they might make some fun rag quilts... hhmmm...

Ok, I've showed off the "room in progress" - if the fabric Fairy is hiding at your house, would you send her my way, Please?

THE T-shirt Quilt

2011-05-22T21:28:00.000-05:00

From Quilts I Make

Have you ever made a t-shirt quilt? I had not, until now. My niece is graduating from high school this week ( did you catch that, this week! ) and LAST year, well last fall, my SIL sent me all of my nieces shirts that she had been collecting - from when she was a baby till now.

I had not done a quilt like this so I asked for help from friends, browsed the net and decided that I would back each shirt with a light fusible interfacing. This worked really well! My nieces favorite colors are blue and purple and I had the border fabric already so I dug thru my stash to see what matches. I wanted fabrics that read mostly as solids so that the shirts would stand out. I didn't have what I wanted so I did have to buy a couple of solids. But everything else was from my stash! Awesome.

I put borders around each block, started sashing them, didn't like it, took it apart and stayed with what you see now. It was an interesting challenge getting everything to line up. My friend tirane93 quilted it for me, just a very loose meander, staying out of the middle of the shirts where the printing is ( I think it would mess up the needle and tension ). I put the border on, hand sewed it, then I washed it. With a color catcher, just in case. That would be just awful if those colors ran at all!

There were a couple of badges that I wanted to add at the end, and couple of very small blocks/words that I cut out of a couple of t-shirts. I put them on after the quilting,, and I really like it! I especially like her high school letter, down at the bottom,, it's next to a shirt from the school. I'm good!

The back had to be pieced ( had that fabric in my stash - yes! ) and there were a couple of things that my SIL sent that I just couldn't get on the front. Placement of these two didn't work out right when the backing was put on the LA machine, but they are there and that is all that matters! ... I printed labels today and got them sewn on - the larger one has a saying that her Dad sent to me as well as her graduation picture, then the smaller one is my quilting label.

From Quilts I Make

Did ya'll catch that she sent me the box of shirts last year? And my niece graduates this week? And this quilt is laying on my living room floor? Geez, talk about procrastination! But it is ready to go, and I'll take it to the shipping place tomorrow ( I don't have the right size box ) and with luck the delivery man will hand it off later this week.

It's done.
Thank goodness its done.
I'm happy with how it came out.

I hope they like it.

The Last Retreat

2011-05-11T20:57:00.000-05:00

LOL, no not the LAST retreat, but the last retreat I went on... anyway, it's been a bit ago but I haven't been able to post any of the pictures or show off all the cool things that my friends make. I always find myself full of creativity and a desire to make beautiful quilts out of all the fabric I have. Forget cooking, cleaning or even going to work -- just let me make quilts!!

Then I come home, and reality sets in :)... gee, that kitchen looks like a hurricane hit it; don't you know how to make the bed; why are there all those fast food bags sitting on the table, etc, etc, etc.. You know the drill. But I guess he was just as glad I was gone and he could be a batchlor again as I was being with my friends. Short periods of being apart is a good thing!

we are a pretty casual group and believe in COMFORT! I would spend my whole weekend in jammas if I could ( well, I do get dressed to go to the quilt stores ) and usually I have my projects all cut and ready to sew. If I try to cut, I mess stuff up cause my mouth is moving about as fast as my blade on my rotary. I can not cut and talk at the same time.

BUT,, I was not organized so this time I had to cut fabric so I would have something to work on. My son saw a quilt in a book that he really liked, I got the fabric and here it is, all ready to start on. There must have been about 12 fabrics! well not 12 but it looks like 10! And you know what!!! I got them all cut, not one mistake, wrong size, or slipped ruler YAHOO!

Add this is Diane, she had shoulder replacement surgery about 2 weeks before this - do you think that would keep a good quilter down? NO! She was working on a raffle quilt and there wasn't much she couldn't do. You Rock Diane!

Check this out! This was a fusible grid and Susan had all these 2-1/2 inch squares. You fuse them on each square, then follow the sewing lines and VOILA! You have a postage stamp quilt! Now I know what I'm going to do with a lot of those scraps. Put a couple of borders on and you have a really cool quilt -

Isn't this a beautiful quilt! Nelda did a great job. I think she said it was a Lewis and Clark Sampler Block that she did with a group. While they sewed the blocks, they also learned about the journey.

LOL, not only is Miss Nelda a great quilter, she believes in recycling, repurposing and using stuff up. She is wearing a hat made out of an old sweater ( like she said, if you don't have one you want to cut up, go visit Goodwill! ) What a great idea to keep your head warm ( gee you put tassles or beads or anything on this! oops my "weird old lady" is coming out )

Ok, another new technique we saw this weekend was Joan doing some strip sewing, then making this cool quilt. I'm not sure I got the whole thing right on how to make it, but you take rectangles, sew them end to end, fold in half, sew that together, fold in half, -- see I'm not sure about this. But it was really really easy and makes this cool quilt. Think I'm going to call Joan and ask her.

Maybe this shows it - Susan used jelly roll strips to make this kind of quilt. Sew strips end to end, fold in half well, you got the idea :) Susan was making this for a new grandbaby that she was waiting, and I mean WAITING on! In fact, I think she got the call that night - or she found out something cause she left us with a big grin on her face!

What did I say about being inspired? Niki's gorgeous quilt

and YEAH Julie!! You did it! You finished the Beach Quilt! This was one that we started a block swap on a couple of years ago. We had so much fun making the house blocks. For some it is still a work in progress but a few of us have finished theirs.

More inspiration for me -- Donna beautiful black and white quilt. Fabric placement is great, isn't it! .

Well thanks for sharing some inspiration with me! If I can figure out how to get off the couch, put up the laptop I might get some sewing done!

A broken heart and a missing shadow

2011-05-07T11:12:00.001-05:00

This is Webster - he was my shadow. He was a little guy, a mix of mostly Poodle and Schnauzer with the softest gray hair. He followed me from room to room, sat in the easy chair with me or on the footstool at my feet all stretched out. He eased my pains and listened to me talk.  Each quilt I was making had to be investigated and approved by him. I know you have seen his picture throughout my writings - a quilt on the floor and a camera in my hand meant that he had a photo opportunity :).
   Web came to us when he was about 4 years old from a foster mom with a local rescue group. When I first met him, 10 years ago, he climbed in my lap,gave me a lick and I was smitten. I thought I went to choose a pet, but I think he actually chose me to be his people.

After a long illness, my brave and noble guy is now, I'm sure, healthy and running with all the other much loved four-legged companions, all waiting for their people.

We had 10 wonderful years together and I cherish each one.  It has been about three weeks since he has gone and the empty place in my heart is slowly healing.
So long, my friend. I miss you.

Getting my act together

2011-03-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

I'm having a problem getting excited. I am having a real problem getting up from the very comfortable chair, putting the laptop aside and getting into the sewing room. Do you ever get that way? I just don't feel like creating anything.

I have turned into a potatoe - a sweet potatoe :)

Here is my delimma, I am making a t-shirt quilt for my niece . I let that box of shirts sit for a few months after I received it. It has taken me a month to get them washed, backed with iron on interfacing and cut. I have focus fabric picked out and I finally have them sashed with coordinating fabrics.

I have them laid out - I think.

But I can't get moving to get this finished.

So, Dear Reader,, I need a kick in the tootie to get going, please!

Dallas Quilt Show 2011

2011-03-13T15:35:00.006-05:00

This weekend is the Dallas Quilt Celebration 2011 and as every year, I go - to see quilts and, but of course! :), to visit vendors!!
So my friend tirane and I met at the show and first we did the quilts - such beautiful, wonderful, delicious things all hanging like eye-candy. I took pictures of almost every one that was there, snap snap snap, people thought I was nuts,, but with so many to see, I go into an overload and then I don't remember what I saw. With the pictures, I can go back and see them again. ( and, my friends, I can post them for you! )

I uploaded them to an album on Webshots but for your viewing pleasure, you can sit back and watch the slideshow~! This is really cool - and if you see a quilt that you want to get closer to, just click on it during show and you go right to the file. Can I hear a big round of applause to everyone who has a quilt in the show?!?

Dallas Quilt Show 2011

I tried to make sure I got the owner's card and ribbons in the shots, I'm sorry if some didn't make it. And a big apology to those lovely people who have become my portrait subjects along with the quilts! I cropped best I could but some of you are there for history. :)

If you go to the album, please feel free to leave a comment or two or three - what's is your favorite? What technique do you like the best? Whose work do you admire? I still have to go back into the pictures and do some tweaking ( I saw something sideways when I was doing this and thought I would fix that so you don't have to turn your head sideways and look at it and have people wondering why you are looking at your computer screen all weird LOL! )

OK - quilts are done, no on to the shopping! Yeah, I'm the Queen of Spend, the Countess of Cash and Credit, the Duchess of The Deal -- well I just love to shop ( NO! I love to buy! ) but for the life of me, I just couldn't think of one thing that I really needed. I've been complaining ( yikes, did I say that?! ) about having too much stash and no where to put it, so I sure wasn't in the market for material and I couldn't think of one thing that I needed for notions or toys, or tools, or gadgets, or that certain something special that someone is demonstating that you think is really really neat and will make your life so much better if you just have that one special thing ( whew! ) ( however, I did see Jodi Barrows of Square in a Square fame and she showed me again how to use the ruler that I've have for 5 years and never used :( and she made it look so easy so why o why do I not use it?? I even got it out and the book last nite and looked at it again and asked Self, why don't you use this? self had no answer)
and as you can see, it wasn't busy so there was ample room to dive right in and SPEND!!

no,, I was good ( or was I bad? )..

I found a lightbulb for my Featherweight - and

that...was...all.....I.....bought.

Think I'll go look at the pictures again and get inspired - I gotta use up the stash!

Working too Much!

2011-03-09T20:32:00.002-06:00

I've been working too much - sewing too little.

Dallas Quilt Show is this weekend so maybe I'll get my inspiration and my butt in gear!

in the mean time, a friend sent this video - it's older but wonderful. Hope it brings as big a smile to your face as it did to mine.

Baby Laughing Hysterically at Ripping Paper

2011-03-01T20:00:00.001-06:00

nothing needs to be said - just enjoy and maybe smile a little.

Saturday Sewing with Friends

2011-02-20T19:32:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was my once a month get together with my friends for sewing and chatting. The weather here is absolutely beautiful! and it should be since we were freezing our bee-hinds off last week! ( 19deg one day and 79 the next week, no wonder I'm sniffling ) anyway, tirane has this marvelous re-do to her house where our big sewing table/her huge kitchen table looks out wide french doors into the yard. She had them open and the warm breeze was coming in, the birds were a-twittering, the kitty Murphy was having little kitty dreams, I was with my friends sewing and all was well with the world. It was Marvelous!

So, you might ask, what were you working on Beth? Let me tell you --

The day before ( or maybe it was Thursday, can't remember, I'm old, have that disease CRS { can't remember stuff}) I was at work and noticed that my coffee mug was on a folded paper towel ( and to make it worse, I had used it as a note pad ) and I thought

"Self! You are in need of a MUG RUG! "

I had been eyeballing these on different blogs and remembered seeing patterns on FatCatDesigns ( don't you just love her stuff! ), and I had also seen a mug rug on another blog that I like. But I couldn't just make one without help, so I kinda told / asked tirane if she wanted to make one too! "Of course", she said and rose to the challenge. You can see her's here on her blog.

I waited until leaving Saturday morning to find scraps for mine, duh, hows that for planning - talk a friend into making something with you and then show up with no fabric :) ( they aren't but 6x9 so I only needed scraps ) and while driving to our meeting I remembered seeing the one that Ryan Walsh has a tutorial for on his blog, I'M JUST A GUY WHO QUILTS ( do you follow him? he has some really cool ideas ) and i figured that my scraps would be just right for that. I didn't follow him exactly but used the idea, and I loved the straight line quilting that I did ( got that from him! ). I'm just so proud of myself!! LOL tee-hee-hee

So go see tirane's mug rug ( and she is giving her's away - leave her a comment ) and here is
mine including my new insulated mug with purple band wasn't I clever to get them to match??? I love the fabrics I used, but wish I had left the green/white for the border only. OH well,, I can always make more !!

and the back of the rug - with my new purple insulated mug. I can just flip it over and have a different rug each day!

Nope, no contest here, mine is a keeper, but really, go check out tirane's blog and leave her a comment. She's giving away hers ( bless her heart ) and maybe you can replace your folded up paper towel with notes all over it for a real nice desk accessory - a Mug Rug!.

Sunday Morning Fun

2011-02-06T08:27:00.003-06:00

Doesn't have a darn thing to do with quilting - but I just wanted to share how I got my groove back this morning. I'm not sure what he is saying, but the eye candy is wonderful!

It's the guy who does the Old Spice commercials Watch and enjoy! ( sorry, he stays dressed )

Grandaughters are Wonderful

2011-02-05T13:15:00.002-06:00

Have you had the pleasure of teaching your granddaughter or daughter how to sew?

This is my 8-1/2 year old granddaughter with my Featherweight. A couple of weeks ago I got the pleasure of staying with her and her 4 year old sister for the weekend while their parents went out of town. The 8 year old was all ready for my stay with plans all made out. She received her first sewing machine for Christmas and she wanted ME to help her learn how to sew!! It's one of the battery operated child ones with the needle encased in a plastic cover so no one gets their fingers sewn together. OUCH!

Well, first off, no batteries for the machine - yep, could have run out and bought some but I had my Featherweight with me (( silly Grandma, did you REALLY think you were going to have time to sew! )) so I thought to self "Self, she is a very responsible young lady, lets show her how to stitich strips on my little Featherweight!"

She did most excellently! She kept her fingers away from the needle ( after I warned her about what could happen ), she kept the speed just finewith the foot pedal, and she kept the edges lined up like she had been doing this for years -

I was doing the happy dance! The best part, is SHE LIKED IT!! Maybe now I have someone that might like to learn how to sew! ( Do you see the visions of us sewing and creating together dancing in my head? )

Now how about that Bear kit, Granma! ( talk about a fast moving attention span! 4 longs strips of fabric and she's ready to move on). Ok, she gets the kit and of course opens EVERYTHING, including the sequin pack that goes all over the table - but I'm a wonderful Granma, remember, so I don't say one little word <> )
with concentration like this, it's going to be a great bear! but, alas, the attention span goes ZIP ( or maybe she just doesn't like hand sewing! ) and so the kit is put away, with sequins in a snack bag, so that she and Mom can work on it.

So where is the 4 year old?? There is a picnic going on, in the middle of the floor, with dolls and animals and colors and OH GOLLY, I don't know what that child has brought in. (But I'm a wonderful Granma and don't say a peep :)

Mom quilts a little too. She has a sewing machine and decided that for Christmas she was going to make rag quilts for about a bizillion people. ( yep, told her to come shop my stash before she went and bought anything - helped me by clearing out some stuff and helped her, too! )

Mom made them a rag quilt each for Christmas and I tried to take their pictures with the quilts

but one didn't want to pose and the

other, well, no camera shy here.

I'm not giving up on the sewing lessons! It was just too much fun. Maybe for her birthday, she needs a REAL sewing machine! ( and how about a kit already cut out just ready to sew) and an afternoon of her and I and sewing machines.

Retreat, Snow, and Flying Time

2011-01-15T22:45:00.006-06:00

Geez, guess it was last week that we had our annual "get over the holidays" retreat. Always the first part of January, just to give everyone a breather ( I'm not saying what the breather is from, I'm just saying breather :) )
I couldn't go up until Saturday morning, and for the first time my buddy tirane93 got to go, too! We had a great time, there was 14 of us!

Well, ya'll know that at retreat you ALWAYs eat well, right!?! I thought I would start this post off the right way and show you some of the snacks that we induldged on Saturday. Yuum!! Homemade cookies, homemade brownies ( they were the bomb!), chips, candy - and ok, yes, there was veggies and fruit - if you eat a bite of fruit then you can go back for M&M's !

This doesn't count the delicious lunch and dinner we had - and OH MY homemade apple pie,, I'll go anywhere for that apple pie!

busy busy people. three people were finishing up Judy Neimeyer projects - I'm so impressed! I have one of her patterns that has all the pieces done, but I just can't quite get to the layout!
Another Featherweight user - you just can't beat it for a great straight stitch. I had mine with me, too!

Now for some works in progress -- this is one of the Judy N. quilts,, all oriental fabrics. Just beautiful!

isn't this lovely! I think she decided to make the inner border a dark green, instead of the yellow. I should have gotten a picture of that. I like the green much better than the yellow. It really worked well with the fabrics.

This is one of tirane's projects. Don't you love the colors!

This one was already finished, just needed the binding. Same pattern as the one above with the yellow binding - a great versatile pattern!

A great stack and whack -- the inner hex is the main theme of the fabric - look close! She said it started out as a small baby quilt and just kept growing! I understand!
I want to do this one - and I've a ton of black and whites!
And this one is just fun! A great way to use up some stash. Isn't it great to see such different things being made! Almost like our own private quilt show - and everyone a winner :)

This is the one I worked on. I bought this as a kit back in 1997 in New Mexico on vacation. I liked it then, but when I was working on it, I was questioning my decision. This is what happens, isn't it - we like it several years ago, but our tastes change and UUGGGHHH. I'm still thinking it will be a good charity quilt.

So where does the snow come in at?? Saturday morning was absolutely beautiful, in the 50's or 60's and sunny, just wonderful. But the weather guy kept saying that we would get rain and snow on Sunday. Ok, no problem ( and this IS Texas where the weather changes hourly ) we can go up on Saturday and come home Sunday before the weather gets bad. Saturday late afternoon, someone sees a weather report on the phone and it's now moved up to Sunday early morning! Yikes! I do not like to drive in snow and I really don't like to drive in rain -- so tirane and I came home about 10pm Saturday night. We were chickens. Here me cluck :)

I woke up about 4am Sunday morning to a good rain - and it rained until about 1130 that morning - then is snowed - it snowed until about 4pm ( I think we got about 4 inches ). I tell you, I was real glad to be in MY bed, in MY house that morning.

Love my retreats,

Love my warm bed on a cold rainy snowy morning better!

The second day of a new year

2011-01-02T10:36:00.006-06:00

(photo from Flickr - ::big daddy k:: /Rich)

It's a chilly Sunday morning, even the dogs stayed in bed late - husband is still asleep and I'm lost in blog-land.. catching up, reading, oohhing and ahhing. I just love mornings like this when it's quiet, and peaceful. When a cup of hot green tea and my thoughts are my companions.

I see that a lot of resolutions are being made, a lot of resolutions to NOT make resolutions, a lot of UFO challenges, clean up the sewing room promises -- well, you get the idea.

Not ME!

Hadn't thought about whether I was gonna or not gonna make a resolution

Hadn't given a short thought to those UFO's ( after all, if I really really liked what I was doing, wouldn't I have finished it back then?? )

The sewing room is always a mess, it will stay a mess, I give up trying to organize it. There is just way to much stuff ( spelled c.r.a.p ) for it all to fit into my little room (( lol, that little room is 11 x 11 and also houses the computer - see, little room ))

Me - I'm going to sew when I want to, watch TV when I darn well please ( I have become addicted to Netflix instant watch ), browse the internet for hours on end, enjoy my grandkids when I get to see them and pet the dogs on a very regular schedule and take them for long walks.

My husband,, hhmm,. should I pet him,too, or take him on long walks?

To all of you with big plans - I applaud you and will cheer you on with loud applause of enthusiasm. I will live vicariously through you.

As for me,, well, I'm lazy, I'm happy with no pressure to produce, I don't want to meet a challenge in my home hours ( getting to work everyday can be a challenge! ) I don't want to compete or agree to deadlines.

I FINALLY figured out that I will NEVER live long enough to make all the quilts I want to make or use up all the fabric that I have bought. ( did I really say that??! )

I want to love and be loved
I want to enjoy my friends
I want to be a couch potato without guilt
I want to sew when the urge strikes

Wonder what thoughts the third day of January will bring?

Celebrate the Season

2010-12-21T22:18:00.001-06:00

This has been around for a few years, but I still love it - Enjoy!

A Fairy Tale about the Tooth Fairy Pillow

2010-12-19T10:48:00.003-06:00

A 5 year old grandson lost his first tooth and Mom said "Gee, Grammy, it would be wonderful if he had a Tooth Fairy Pillow to put the tooth in and for the Fairy to leave him money. Gee, Grammy, think you could make one?"
Well, the kind and wonderful Grammy said "OF Course! We have to protect those little bitty baby teeth, they can't get lost under that pillow - and the ADORABLE Grandson needs a place for the wealthy Fairy to leave A LOT OF MONEY".

So the Kind and Wonderful Grammy thought,, what kind of pillow would work? For some reason Grammy kept thinking "round",, ( where did that come from?) She thought and thought and was just having a really tough time creating something in her mind that could equal the importance of a lost tooth.

So retreat came and that was a project that Grammy took. She had a small round pillow ( see there's that ROUND" thing again ) and brought some bright fabrics. She knew that Retreat was the perfect place to be inspired and creative and imaginative and make the best Tooth Fairy Pillow ever!

It wasn't working.

The Kind and Wonderful Grammy just couldn't get it right. She sewed the pocket crooked, the letters for his name didn't show, the fabrics clashed. She even sewed the pillow cover closed before the pillow was put inside ( oh my! )

The Kind and Wonderful Grammy shook her head, admitted defeat and cried. Her Adorable Grandson needed a Tooth Fairy Pillow! He depended on her! So she went home from retreat with a not-very-good tooth fairy pillow
( it doesn't even deserve to be in capital letters :( - sad sad Grammy )

When the Kind and Wonderful Grammy gets home - much to her dismay she finds out that the Adorable Grandson LOST ANOTHER TOOTH!! She is going to have to give him the tooth fairy pillow ( that she is not proud of ) afterall!

"NO! I will make a much better pillow!" says the Grammy! and she proceeds to find other fabric and then a design ( it's a miracle ) pops into her head! A four-patch! "I can print his name with the computer and put a picture of a fairy on it!", says the Kind and Wonderful Grammy, wondering why she didn't think of this first.

She finds football fabric ( the Grandson is a football fan! ) and something to coordinate with it, she gets out the printer fabric and makes a template and VOILA! the middle square is done!

She cuts the squares, sews them up quick as a wink, cuts the back, designs a little envelope

with a little snap to keep the itty bitty tooth inside and hold the money that the WEALTHY TOOTH FAIRY will leave and presents it to her Adorable Grandson.

The Adorable Grandson thinks it is cool.
The Adorable Grandson's mother thinks it is wonderful.
The Adorable Grandson's father nods his head in agreement

And the Kind and Wonderful Grammy is proud.

( and at $5 a tooth, the poor Tooth Fairy will be broke )

Christmas Retreat

2010-12-13T20:05:00.005-06:00

Our bee Christmas retreat was the first weekend this month - I always call them my "Eating, Drinking, Sewing, Eating" time with the girls. It's always so! nice to get away and be with good friends. I will say,, we have some of the best cooks! A great chicken casserole on Friday nite, delicious breakfast casserole on Saturday morning, wonderful tiny ham/cheese sandwiches for Saturday lunch and the special pizza catered in for Saturday dinner. YUUM! OH! a delicious chocolate angle food cake ( hand made, too! no box was this one! ). and a to-die-for chocolate sheet cake that I might as well have plastered on my thighs. I sure I'm forgetting something - but trust me,, I was NOT hungry! This is why I have so much trouble loosing any weight :)

So in between the eating, talking, eating, wine-ing,,what was everyone working on, you ask?

I played all Friday afternoon on a tooth fairy pillow for my grandson - didn't like it didn't finish it at retreat. That's a story for another day. Then I pulled out a paper piece project ( tan/green/red stars, got tired of that, SO I had a tan, brown, beige Turning Twenty quilt that I had already cut out and finally! found something fun to do. I'm happy with it! I have already gotten the backing out and I think I'm going to do some straight line quiliting in some sort of a pattern ( yeah, that made a lot of sense, didn't it )

This is the beach quilt that we had the swap on ( was it this year or last? ). This is so cute,, there is a little bush she made to fit in a space,, great idea!

Our resident free motion quilter was hard at work on a "Take Five" quilt that she made. Someday I'll get enough confidence to do a big quilt - she had a few tables all arranged to take the weight of the quilt which made it easier ( she said - still looked hard to me! )

A couple of views of progress and VOILA!!

I love this fabric collection I'm not sure what it will be ( she could send it my way! I'll make something from them )

and I covet these blocks,, so pretty! and if Santa brought me an embroidery machine, I could make pretties, too!

This is a Patrick Lose pattern that I wish I had,, isn't this just as cute as can be! I just love doing fusible applique. I call it "fabric by number" ( like paint by number ?? ok, I'm weird ), but it's so fun!
She sewed them down and then she is going to quilt over the top to secure everything. I might just have to go get that pattern!

Doesn't this one just make you want to fly right down to the beach! ( for those of you already there, can you see me stick my tongue out at you?? )

The sandels and beach ball are buttons! this is a kit complete with the cool hanger with the shell - Santa are you listening??

We had a Pillowcase Queen this weekend, too. She had a mission to make 30 ( yes 30! ) pillowcases for family. It takes me months to make ONE ! I left before she did, and at the count I had, she was dang close just a few shots of what she was doing. The creme and blue poinsettas here are my favorite.

A baby alphabet quilt that is getting the binding put on, I'm not sure whose heart quilt this was, I turned around and VOILA! it appeard on the wall. springy! I liked this one and the different fabrics used - tres modern!

the big squares below was finished but I asked her to hold it up so I could take a shot,, beautiful!

and this one is MINI -- Yes! a MINI, about 12 inches square. wow,,, blows me away.

I hope you all have Happy Holidays! And if the little elves show up and finish projects for you - I'm jealous!

I got myself an early Christmas present

2010-12-11T23:12:00.000-06:00

I’ve been wanting a laptop for a long time – was too cheap to go buy one, just couldn’t justify it to myself. After all, I have a great desktop that I love, does everything and more!

But, I wanted a laptop, to go with me where ever I went, to indulge myself infront of the television ( just what I’m doing now <vbg> ) to take on vacations, retreats and just anywhere I darn well wanted to go.

I did it! Ordered a Dell on Sunday night and brought it home on Friday – that’s just slick! Of course I didn’t change a thing on it or ask for anything special. It’s basic black, 15 inch screen with Windows 7. So far, I’ve spent two evenings playing with Windows just trying to figure that out! It is a bit different from Windows XP.

Enough geek talk – just wanted to share my happiness. Maybe now I can post more stuff to the blog! In fact, that is what I’ or not,, new laptop means more play time on the computer !!

Thanks for indulging me!

How did YOU spend Black Friday??

2010-11-28T20:41:00.007-06:00

It's wasn't Black Friday at my house - I'm in the RED!

Thank goodness I'm off tomorrow cause I need a day of do-nothing but what I want to do - phew! Thursday I cooked my 3rd ( yes, third! we had to have seperate meals to accommodate everyone cause sons had to go to inlaws, and brothers had to go to inlaws) Thanksgiving meal, entertained in-laws, outlaws, and others.

But Friday, oh my!

So who else hit the Joann's sales?? I have always said that there is nothing I need bad enough to get up at an unholy hour and go shopping, so why was I at Joann's at 645?? just to get some of that flannel that was on sale ( like I needed it, yeah, right.). Of course, silly me, I thought that the 20% off EVERYTHING coupon meant 20% off E-V-E-R-Y-thing... but oh no! not the flannel. It was a special sale doorbuster. Did you get caught thinking that it was, too?

But still, how can you complain about $1.29 flannel?? tirane asked me to get her some baby flannels ( she's going to be a new grandmom!) and since I was going anyway I said SURE!. BUT, a good friend, a superb friend, would have gotten herself up and out and met me there - ( dig dig poke poke - see my big grin! )
I will complement the staff at my Joann's, they kept the cutting table moving so I was in and out in about an hour - not bad for 56 ( OMG! 56 yards! ) of flannels. I want to use them for kids quilts for the backs. tirane got about 15 yards of this ( whew! I feel SOOO much better )

BUT - that's not all -- are you ready!

THEN I went to my favorite discount fabric store - I met tirane there ( it was 10am, LOL, she was awake ). They were having a 25% discount on everything, ( this time it really was EVERYTHING) so I left there with ANOTHER 50 yards of fabric - all mine! Yipes, Cripes!! Done, no more fabric buying for me!
( jus tto make myself feel better, some of this was only $1.75/yard and it is all name brand cottons )

My name is Beth and I am a Fabriholic. Hello, Beth.

The Flannels
The Cottons

It took two shots to give the full effect!

This one is my favorite - I know just how I'm going to use this, too. The top will be solids of these colors in a rectangle in a rectangle block and then this will be the outer border. Yep, retro back to the 50's ( at least I think it's the 50's )

My name is Beth and I am a Fabriholic
Need I say anything more?

I'm so full!!

2010-11-25T19:13:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family! I'm tired ( cooked three seperate dinners this week!) I'm over full,not just full but O.V.E.R. FULL!

I think I'm going to hit Joann's tomorrow and see if there is any of that flannel left that is on sale then go to my local fabric discounter who is having a sale ( fabric warehouse and a sale -- uh-oh! I see trouble! ).

but I'm NOT cooking!

anyway, my oldest friend sent me this youtube video -- seems appropriate for tomorrow and the start of the season -- enjoy!

FOLLOW ME - Quiltmaker BLog Tour is ON!

2010-11-09T20:37:00.003-06:00

I'm back from Houston where I had a fantastic time - and now the Quiltmaker Blog Tour is going on! Grab a cup of something you love ( Mocha Latte! YUUMM! ) and read on, my friends..

I'm hoping to win a free magazine! But if that doesn't happen, I'm a winner cause of all the cool things I've found on these web sites... life is good!

( I've got to get it together to tell you about Houston! OH MY! )

Happy Halloween! - Revised because its FINISHED!

2010-10-25T22:02:00.003-05:00

I finished it - just like I said I would.. I thought it was neat to see the two pictures up here,, almost done and done. I "attempted" to machine quilt it, I'm not any good at it, but it will work for this. and I'm happy with the outcome!

Isn't he cute! This is from Kim Schaefer's Calendar Quilts. I'll get it quilted this week -- and hang him on my front door!
( the background really is straight - I think it must be the way I stuck it on the design wall. )
some halloween buttons would be cute in the border squares, too.. hhmm,, ideas!

things that make you go "HHMMMM"

2010-10-24T21:26:00.002-05:00

What do you think is going in the middle?

This has been fun! I ran to the store and bought a bunch of fat quarters ( I REALLY didn't feel like digging thru the stash - lazy is as lazy does ) Cut out what I needed at bee and sewed the blocks together. Tonite I put the inner blocks and stars on with iron-on stuff and then sewed the outline with satin stitch. This is FUN!

Do I have you curious? What's going in the middle???

It's All About the Process

2010-10-10T12:08:00.004-05:00

On one of my sidebars, I have an icon that talks about "The Process". I ran into this while I was looking at blogs and it made me think about the 'process' of making a quilt and how maybe we all don't go about it the same way.
I'm sure that the age old question of "do you start with a pattern or a fabric" has been discussed till everyone is very tired of it -- so let's skip that part. ( Just in case you might be interested, I do both! See a pattern I like, I have to find the right fabric, see a fabric I like, gotta find that pattern -- who am I kidding, I just buy the fabric cause I like it !)

In this case, it was the pattern. I was going thru my books and magazines and found an old copy of QUILTS WITH STYLE from Nov/Dec 2006 { see told you I had old stuff :) }. I must have really liked it when the magazine was new, cause I had already made copies of the paper piecing pieces ( say that 3 times real fast ).

sidebar - do you use copy paper or manila paper, or ?? to make your copies to paper piece?

So, self I say, you have the copies, you have the magazine, why not now? With a chuckle I figured that one more project wasn't going to hurt and I probably had the fabric here. ( HA! that's a joke -- Self I say, you silly girl, of course have the fabric here !)

This is the pattern, it's called Bethlehem Star and it's all paper pieced. Since this was a NOV/DEC issue, they made it out of Christmas fabrics,, nope, I don't want Christmas fabrics, but I thought a nice floral might be pretty. So I'm digging.

Do you pull focus fabric first?

While digging thru my stash, I found this piece of fabric now I didn't have any color scheme in mind, I didn't really care if it was black and white [[ oh! that might be nice ]] or if it was blue and yellow or brown and green so I was just digging until something caught my eye. This piece jumped out and said "Use me, please!".

Yes, I know, it's red, green and tan just like the project in the magazine. Maybe since I didn't have a clear color choice in my head this combination stuck and therefore, the fabric found me. But it's not Christmas! I like it, I have it, lets work with it.

Back in I go! LOl It's almost like dumpster diving! rear end up, arms wheeling, fabrics are flying - got the picture!?

This is what I have picked out - for now,, cause I'm always subject to change, don't you know!

there is my focus and the pattern calls for dark and medium red, dark and medium green, light and medium tan. The gold/brown I think will be an inner border - not sure but I kept it out just in case.

I'm thinking that if I switch the backgrounds of the stars from green to tans and the tans in the stars to green it might not be quite so dark? Make the stars stand out more? Maybe a different fabric for the dark green? hhmmm might have to go stash-diving again!

The Process!
now - for some PROGRESS

and What are You! doing on the BeautiFul Saturday?

2010-10-02T12:44:00.002-05:00

Aren't these just wonderful! The picture is from the blog Quilt Inspiration.

I'm trying to get my head to quit hurting ( no, not hungover! ) and my nose to quilt being icky - see, thought you were going to hear a good story, huh? no, just the new season sinus/cold/allergies etc.

Supposed to go to son's house today - think I'm going to postpone that until dinner, maybe then I'll feel a bit better, at least better enough to play with the kids :)

So, I'm checking on emails, blogs, etc and ran across this really neat blog called

QUILT INSPIRATION. The quilts above are featured on it. Lots of beautiful creations, tutorials, history and oh! just lots of stuff! In fact, the picture above of the quilts, I have the pattern and fabrics all picked out to make - so why don't I get busy!!

check out the blog - I really enjoyed the trip!

Other uses for Stash

2010-09-28T21:20:00.003-05:00

We are having our house painted.
It's mostly brick - just like this fireplace - but there is still stuff that needs painted.
What color?
No paint swatches.
Husband suggested dark brown.
I prefer the color is already is, a very light creme.
We need to decide but neither of us wants to go to the paint store to get swatches.

AAHHAA!! I have LOTS of fabric, solids, in many many shades.

Instant color swatches for paint!

Gas and time saved going to store - who knows but
Brilliance - priceless.

Is your stash out of control?

2010-09-26T19:20:00.002-05:00

Gee, a great Sunday, my plan was to stay in, not get out, stay in jammas and do what I wanted to do ( nap, sew, watch some of the new tv shows I recorded ) - husband is outside powerwashing the house so the painters can come repair and paint.. ( on a sidebar, maybe it's just my DH but if HE is doing something he always needs help, but when I am doing something he is not able/capable/absent - why is that? ) so I'm waiting on the 'YOU GOT A MINUTE?' and I'm watching Hoarders ( on Netflix, no I didn't record this ). I watch this show in the same way you poke at a hole in your tooth -- it bothers you but you just can't help yourself.

See, I have a big fear that someone will come in and point their finger at me and say HOARDER when they get a look at my sewing room! The fabric, the magazines, the bookcase, the STUFF! Forget the fabric, I've already discussed this several times ( I'm currently on a buying freeze ) but
Let's talk BOOKS! This is my bookcase - two shelves and the top - there are two more shelves and the floor in front. I will never NEVER use all these books! Some of them are old, very old, but when I first started quilting I bought stuff because it had QUILT on the cover ( have you done that?) I need to find new homes for some of these cause the bookcase is leaning a weird way and I'm sure that if it fell over, it would not be a pretty sight.

How about MAGAZINES? What do you do with your old magazines? There are some great patterns in there, isn't there? I don't have subscriptions to ALL the quilting magazines, but I have enough ( nope not gonna renew them, either - well... maybe McCalls and American Patchwork those two are my favorites ) so what do you do with the patterns that you MIGHT make someday?
I started several years ago tearing them out and putting them into the clear sleeves then into 3-ring binders. I told myself that 'someday' I'll get around to them
these are some I put in a new binder - #4 - today while watching that show. Will I ever make these? Who knows?

What I have discovered is that my tastes have changed from when I first started quilting, heck, they changed from last year! Everytime a new technique comes out, or a new style, I have to try it. That's good! It's good to try new, different stuff.
But, then I have the old stuff left.

And I'm not even getting into printed patterns! I have a drawer full of those! And I know that I have some I didn't even like when I got them!

So, tell me - where do you take your old quilt books? What do you do with your old magazines? Guess my friends are going to pick thru these books and the guild will get the leftovers. Hmm. wonder if the library wants them? Maybe a woman's shelter?

I am NOT going to be on that TV show, I don't want anyone pointing a finger at me -- but I'll keep watching it. Heck, it got me to clean up this room a little bit.

I'm WAAYY outta the Box - and not sure I like it!

2010-09-12T19:37:00.004-05:00

I had a pattern called "Rustic Cabins" by Little Miss Sloppy that I've been thinking of making for a long time. I don't know where I got it - can't imagine that I bought it new ( I get a lot of things from friends and sales for cheap ) but it looked interesting and we all need to try "interesting" every once in a while, right?
This is the pattern and you can get it here http://www.quilterswarehouse.com/P-4062-rustic-cabins-by-little-miss-sloppy.aspx ( I'm sure there is lots of other places too ).

It took about 19 different fabrics - that was fun digging thru my stash for that many! You should have seen my sewing room OH MY GOODNESS the mess that it was in! And of course I didn't like the first ones that I pulled so back in I went. Fun fun fun! A great way to use up fabrics that I only had a bit of. And I wanted this quilt to be WILD - Bright - BIg Fun!

This pattern is something that you don't cut precisely, yes, it starts out with a specific size of square or rectangle, but then it's all up to you -- the widths and angles, big or narrow,, all up to me -- I'm not used to that. Even on my paper pieceing I have specific sizes cut to use -- but as you see, the blocks are all wonky. Slash here, slash there -- just like this see how the top and sides are all slanted. It was really kind of fun, when I just let loose. I did learn not to cut to short, too narrow cause after you sew the blocks together,, then you trim!

this rectangle gets trimmed from 8 x 14, I think, back to 6-1/2 x 12-1/2

See all the strings! Every block got trimmed back. a few of them I didn't leave enough sides and the points are going to be gone ( like the picture on the left ) -- ah well,, "out of the box" right? No rules, right? Square blocks are over rated, right!

I did get into the groove and it became fun! I also found that it was easy to strip piece if I kept everthing going the right way ( because you had to match what you cut with what you cut it off of )

I finally all the blocks together today and laid it out so I could see it. I flipped and moved blocks

around until I came up with this. Lots of brights, some novelties, stripes and solids ( gotta give a rest). I like the brightness, the wonkiness of it all.

geez,, so not me!

Yee-Haw! Another Finish

2010-09-05T16:57:00.002-05:00

I call this one Paisley's Purse, only because of the fabric that I've had for years! Well, maybe not YEARS, like centuries, but I've had it for a long time and never could figure out what to do with it. Drove me nuts - I'd see it sitting on the shelf and wanted to use it, wanted to get rid of it, wanted to quit seeing it - you know what i mean!

I found this pattern online at www.andoverfabrics.com - here is the pattern address itself http://www.andoverfabrics.com/QuiltDesigns/Home%20To%20Roost.pdf. They call their pattern "Home to Roost". Of course I had to make it my own - so I did some changes.

I was not thrilled with how they did the second border - the jagged border. The pattern calls for cutting triangles,, ICK! So I used my Triangulations CD ( no, I have nothing involved with this, but it's a great tool to have ) and printed out pages to make the HST,, so much easier! and I didn't have to worry about bias edges. I cut 9x9 fabric, one of the pink and and of the pink. Put them RST and then put the paper I printed on top and sew on the sewing lines. Then cut on the cutting lines and VOILA! I had 8 HST, all done, right size. Cool.

The pattern wanted the brick background and the first border to be the same fabric. I didn't have enough to do that, so I used a darker print for the border. I think it worked out well! The solid maroon helps the bricks to be defined and the darker border sets the quilt. I also cut the outer border bigger than called for - I could have gone bigger, I guess, I had the fabric.

I like how it came out and I'm sure that when it is quilted it will be just great. I have so much! of the maroon paisly left that I'm going to use it for the backing and if by chance I need to add more, I'll just use up the scraps of all that is left.

Binding,, hhmm,, no solid maroon left - LOL wonder what lime green would look like??

I'll play Scarlett and worry about that tomorrow.

I hear the sounds of FOOTBALL - does that mean that summer is over???

2010-08-21T21:33:00.003-05:00

Uh-OH! I hear the sounds of football! The sound of Hank Williams, Jr. saying very loudly "Are You Ready for Some FOOTBALL!" is coming from the living room ( from the new big, 46" flat screen with the most bee-utifull picture ). But it's Saturday nite! How can it be FOOTBAll??

I usually spend my Sundays ( That is SUNday, not SATURday!) listening to my dear, darling husband become the creature from the black lagoon - snarling, pounding, cursing ( where does he ever get those combinations??! ) and if they LOOSE! OH MY Please don't loose! Cause then he just doesn't even speak! (lol, that's not really so bad )

Football has arrived at my house. Officially.

and it's time for me to get back to the sewing, to start posting again on my blog. To use up some fabric! I think it has multiplied, just like rabbits,, it just keeps making babies...

I have been to a couple of retreats over the last couple of months - I just love retreats! It is so great to spend time with friends, to get in a bunch of girl talk and to share a common interest with everyone. And Boy! do we ever solve the world's problems - the President just needs to call us :) We can tell him how to make the problem go away!

I make this quilt top at a retreat,, found the pattern on the Moda Bakeshop web site - so simple and easy,, just pick out a whole bunch of fabrics and cut strips.. the picture looks like my strips are waving, but they really aren't. The display board had felt and the top was sticking to it. I like how it came out. I'll get a white for the back, not sure what I will bind it in,, white would make the strips of fabric stand out, wouldn't it... or maybe sew all the colors together and use that for binding - like a rainbow... What do you think?

I have more pictures from the other retreat but I'll post those tomorrow. Now I want to go see what I've been missing on your blogs!

It's good to be back,, thank you to those of you who asked about me - I can't tell you how much that means to me...

Football,, oh well,, it could be worse!

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

2010-07-03T12:55:00.002-05:00

Enjoy the weekend, be safe - be happy - hug your friends and family

2010-06-25T22:23:00.002-05:00

I've been negletful, haven't said hello, haven't checked in, just haven't done anything. Maybe it's the heat ( 100 degrees for several days - aahh, summer in Texas ), maybe it's the lack of food ( trying to loose some weight ), maybe, oh heck, maybe I just haven't had anything to say.

That is probably it.

I still don't have a lot to say and that is pretty sad! Summer in Texas means you move from your air conditioned house, to your air conditioned car, to your air conditioned office and start the same thing in reverse when work is over. We eat LOTS of salads cause they are cool and healthful and real easy to pick up at the store ( long day, and it's hot ). No, I'm not losing lots of weight, I must be buying fat lettuce :(

Do you remember the mystery log cabing quilt that JudyB was hosting? I finished my top a few weeks ago, started to post it,, and ,, well,, who knows - I didn't. I went with the design that I came up with, using all the blocks that we made. I liked her mystery design and I liked mine too - so I made mine! Creative choice, right?
This is my quilt
I'm happy with it,, it's not super big so I might try to quilt it myself,, after I practice first!

Maybe this weekend I can get some sewing, or maybe a nap ( naps are good! ). Husband's birthday is this weekend so we are having a party and going to see WICKED... a nap looks more in my future than sewing - but that's ok! I'll sew when I wake up :)

Happy weekend everyone!

Good Morning!

2010-06-06T10:40:00.001-05:00

Here is to you - Hoping to make your day bright!

Another Top Done and A Log Cabin Mystery Solved

2010-05-31T20:58:00.005-05:00

I have had a very lazy, enjoyable Memorial Weekend, in fact, I haven't left the house ( well, I did go into the backyard ) for two - yep 2! - whole days.. My kind of weekend!... Drives my husband nuts, he has to go SOMEWHERE every day.
What did I do during my two day 'hide away from the world' you might ask? I browsed around on the Quilt Festival -- I am so! inspired by what everyone is doing... If you haven't taken time to surf the blogs,, please do - truly amazing ( thanks Amy for doing this for us! )

I wasn't a complete slug ( yes, I showered and brushed my teeth and even sorta got dressed :) ) and I was busy - I got the southwest quilt top finished - and I like it!

I took this picture during one of excursions to the back yard today - :) I'm happy with how it turned out,, I really wasn't sure when I started it, but I had the pattern, all the fabric is from my stash ( give me 'high five' for that! ).. it's a Judy Niemeyer pattern and I love her stuff, so why not work on it ( mindless paper pieceing ) and if I like it, cool - if not, I know a good charity.

Now the fun part,, all the paper is still on the back! Guess I need to put in a good movie and start tearing,, I could use some help?! Do I hear any volunteers?? gee, it's awfully quiet !!! just one volunteer??

I also played with my blocks from Judy B/Virtual Quilter who had a mystery log cabin that just ended. I had lots of fun following along and making the blocks. She did really well, too, cause she spaced the blocks out just right. I could keep up and manage to go to work ( I would much rather have stayed home - is ther such a thing as 'calling in quilt'? like calling in sick??).
Judy also challenged the participants to come up with what we thought was her mystery design. I did that HERE. Nope, I didn't guess it.

This is Judy's solution (using my blocks on the design wall ) - I really like it...

Now this is my solution, again using my blocks on the design wall I like it, too.

And, oh my, there are a bunch more layouts that she gave those of us who did the mystery - so I can make more blocks and more quilts!
What do you think? I just can't decide which way to sew these together - help me out, ok?

I hope everyone had a great weekend and spent lots of time with family and friends.

Bloggers Quilt Festival

2010-05-22T08:48:00.005-05:00

Amy's Creative Side is having her Blogger's Quilt Festival - this festival is made up of bloggers showing off our favorite quilts.
So, what makes a quilt be a "FAVORITE"? Is it the fabrics, the colors, the pattern, the technique?? I say YES to all of those. But isn't your favorite quilt the one that has the most memories? THAT quilt that brings back a moment in our lives - whether good or bad - but that one special moment that stays with us?

All my quilts are my favorites - for that moment but this one is special to me. ~~~~~~~~
I challenged my friend Tirane to make a quilt with me - well not WITH me but to make the same pattern at the same time. We used a pattern from Bonnie Hunter but made it each our own. I had such a great time colaborating on this ( I understand why there are quilt partners like Gwen and Freddie!).
You need to go HERE to see the differences in our quilts - I love hers, I love mine! But there is a difference - a big difference! Check them out, you wouldn't know it is the same pattern.

Tirane has a long arm and she quilted this for me, too! I never tell her what to do, she just "knows" ( ain't it great! ) Go HERE to see the quilting,, she picked up the apple motif and made the border look like apple pies ( reminds me of my Mom's apple dumplings - OMG they were so! good! ) and there are little curly cues and leaves and -- oh! you really have to go look! -- it's just really great.

I really love the colors in this quilt. It's happy and warm and gives me the "warm fuzzy" feeling. I love the different patterns/textures in the fabrics, too. But I really like this quilt because my friend and I created it together. I have the memories of our conversations, our friendship. I know there are many more quilts that we will do together.

So, this is my entry into the Bloggers Quilt Festival. Enjoy them all!
Gotta go! I've got lots of quilts to look at! Thanks for looking at mine.

Western Motif

2010-05-16T19:28:00.004-05:00

A friend was cleaning out her sewing room and she had a Judy Neimeyer pattern that was hollering my name. I still like the southwestern look ( yes, I know, I need to get into the 21st century ) and I had some fabric that I thought would work great. And besides, I got to use up some stash!

This is the pattern cover,, pretty easy, huh! The directions and the method that Ms. Niemeyer uses in all her patterns makes life so easy when paper piecing - I just love her stuff~

Now this is what mine is starting to look like. My friend had two patterns ( they include the patterns already printed on paper ) cause I guess she was going to make a double size.... so I did too! Might as well use up what you have, right?

You don't see as much variation as you do in the pattern cover,, some but not much. I also need to punch it up,, that will happen in the border I guess..Needs more of the orange!

So far, I'm ok with it,, maybe I should have used batiks!?!

Well, let's see how this ends up.

Mystery Log Cabin Quilt

2010-05-15T23:13:00.003-05:00

Judy B at Virtual Quilter has a mystery log cabin quilt going on and I have been diligently working on my blocks ever so carefully! I learn my lesson with my first log cabin - you HAVE TO square up each of the blocks, not just at the finish of the block but as you sew the logs together or else -- well, I have some wonky blocks in that quilt. Not this one! Straight and true each and every one! ( Can you tell I'm proud of myself! LOL )

She gave us a block each time to make, some were only 4 blocks, one we had to make 8 blocks and the last is only one block. Six different blocks in all. Now she has posted an EQ6 file with all the blocks and she suggests that we play around and figure out how they might all fit together. What a tease!

It is going to be another week I think before she posts her "solution" to the mystery but this is one of the designs I came up with

-- so how about it Miss Judy? Is this the design???

It Wonderful When You Finish a Quilt

2010-04-24T22:44:00.004-05:00

Work is making me tired at nite, the weather has the nose/head in a mess, and I have just generally not been on the computer... and I haven't really done too much to talk about. Till NOW!

Double Delight was a quilt by Bonnie Hunter that my buddy tirane and I did together,, with some liberties taken in the piecing and using different fabrics. I think this was last year ( yep, I'm slow about completely finishing quilts, what can I say )

Well, ITS DONE! And the quilting design says it needs a new name -- so my Double Delight is going to be My Mom's Apple Dumplings ( she made the absolute best! ). tirane quilted it for me in her splendid fashion and I want to show it off.

It is bound in the same color green as the dark in the quilt and the backing is the border fabric ( I bought a bolt of it when it was less than dirt cheap! )
Isn't it pretty!

She put these leaves in each of the green blocks

and the little curley cues in the whites pieces

this is the complete block with the leaves and curley cues,, I just love it!

Look at the feathers - these go down the sides,, there are little pebbles in the veins, too - such detail! This is the coolest part,, the border was worked liked the crust on a pie.. see the half circles with the stitching to make it look like the crinkled part of the crust?

Can you tell I'm very happy!

Life is good

Happy Easter

2010-04-02T23:02:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter Weekend~!
I hope you get to spend it with friends and family !
I hope you get a little quilting in!
I hope you get warmth, comfort, hugs and laughter...
oh
and a piece of chocolate and a good glass of wine :)

Dallas Quilt Show 2010 - PICTURES

2010-03-21T12:53:00.005-05:00

It's wonderful when you have friends that share their pictures with you! I went to the Dallas Quilt Show, with my camera, all intentions of taking pictures and posting them for everyone's enjoyment... pulled the camera out of my bag,, hit the button for power and --- NOTHING!
I muttered a few words under my breath ( I didn't want to embarrass anyone close! ) and went on to enjoy the quilts sans camera.

But! We are saved! My friend Diane gave me a disc of all the pictures that she took!! Yipee!!
She did a wonderful job of getting the artist name and description, too.. Thank you so much Diane!

There are about 300 pictures, you can adjust the slide show to your preference ( see bottom of screen ) give it a minute to load up,,

Dallas Quilt Celebration 2010
Enjoy!

If you don't want the slide show,, you can see the pictures here http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/577090080xSRlLz?vhost=home-and-garden

It's SATURDAY!!

2010-03-20T11:01:00.002-05:00

It's National Quilting Day!!! And I'm Going To SEW!!

I really really thought this day would not get here - I haven't been able to get one bit of sewing done all week,,, a lot of sitting in front of the television, but no sewing! I miss it!!

So, today is the day!! It's raining outside, it's going to be cold again ( someone must be angry with Texas, cause the trees are budding and the flowers are peaking out and it's supposed to get to the 30's again! )

I did go to the Dallas Quilt Show last Sunday and had all the plans of taking pics of all the quilts, posting them to Webshots so everyone could enjoy a virtual show,,, I forgot to recharge the battery. I'm so sorry! No pictures, not even a one! There were some great quilts, too. The theme was Log Cabins ( Judy B at VirtualQuilter would have enjoyed it ). I came away with lots of inspiration! I found batiks for $6.00/yd and scooped up some more ( sure, I need those - see me grinning! ) and got some good quality fat quarters for $1 each -- but that was it! My friend Diane was there too and we walked around for a bit and looked, she got one of the Martelli mats and their rotary - I need to ask her how she likes them. I have their cutter and like it ( so if I like it, why don't I use it more often instead of the Olfa?? )

The Dallas Modern Quilt Guild is having a sew-in today too,, maybe I can scoot down there and say hi.. I don't think I'll get to stay to sew, though.

Ok, have to get a couple of errands done, I'm sewing!!!

What do you have planned for today??

Mystery Log Cabin

2010-03-07T21:16:00.007-06:00

Judy B at "Virtual Quilter" has started a mystery quilt using log cabin blocks. You really need to check out her blog, she has some great designs that she comes up with on EQ6...

anyway,,, I'm always the sucker for a challenge, so I said "Sure! I'll Play!" and dug thru the stash and found fabrics to make her mystery... purples, yep I'm gonna have a purple log cabin. These will finish at 9 inch blocks, each log is one inch wide. ( looking at this, I'm not sure I like it,, Looks better in person ) While digging, I found a bunch of Red Hat Society fabrics, too... couldn't remember why I bought them, maybe something for my mother in law,, but since I can't remember they aren't saved for anything, are they? What would be a better back for a purple quilt than red and purple Red Hat fabrics??! Wow! I'm one smart cookie! I pulled fabrics for the top AND the back all at one time and all from stash!

Judy started the challenge with making 4 blocks in this colorway.. Wonder what she has planned for the next group of blocks?? Even though I'm not just tickled pink ( purple ) with my choice of fabrics, I'm sticking with them. Judy, help me out! Design a quilt that will make them look good, please!!

this is Webster, my shadow

He is my quilt-loving dog,, the really believes that each one is made just for him! He was wondering what I was doing ( actually I was eating an apple and he wanted some, yes, he loves apples ).

Just thought I'd share

Spinning Santas Table Runner - FINI !

2010-03-04T19:39:00.003-06:00

Well, the top is done anyway - and I think I like it!
If you have been reading some of my posts about this project, you have probably been confused about "what the heck is this woman trying to do??!" Well, for background, I had a piece of Christmas fabric that I thought would be great as a One Block Wonder, but I didn't have enough of it to make a quilt ( at least not big enough for a person )
so, I always need table runners for this huge dining room table we have, so, what the heck,, I'll make this stuff be a new table runner! I was actually very pleased with the way the fabric cut into the hexagons and how it layed out,,, so, ok,, I didn't want just some old square rectangle table runner,, these hexs called for somethig DRAMATIC!!

So, my bitty brain thought,,, ANGLES! Put a slash thru the middle and angle it and well,, blah blah blah,, put some red for borders,, blah blah blah,,, oh the santas have leopard print,, hhmm,, that would be a good accent,,, blah blah blah

This is what I have

Like I said, I have a BIG table,,,,( the leaf isn't in this thing either, but it's wonderful when we have family over! ) I took some black and gold fabric and made little skinny 1/4 inch piping around the main parts and this is the red fabric I found ( would you believe this is Kaufman that I found at Joann's??)
It looks more orange close up but it was great for this project,, it really is a deeper red and the swirls are wonderful to coordinate with my spinning santas ( are the gold stars just the best touch! )
And,,, this is a hex that shows off the leopard hat bands that I was trying to work with

See! Spinning Santas!!

Ok, time for Grey's Anatomy,, later!

Elevenses - the difference in designs

2010-02-27T21:49:00.012-06:00

You know my friend tirane and I have made quilts using the same pattern but putting our own special touch to them, either in tweaking the pattern or different materials or just something different to show how unique we both are. Well, Judy at Virtual Quilter put out a challenge a couple of weeks ago to take these eleven blocks and do something with them in EQ. Well, how can I turn down a challenge?? A chance to show my uniqueness but not have to make the quilt - instant gratification!
So I jumped in with both feet and started doodling ( so to speak )...These are the 11 blocks to start with. I thought they were pretty, they are nice, we could change the colors, change the layouts, do anything we wanted really, but we had to stay with these blocks.

So,, staying with Judy's colors,, I 'doodled' these designs:I left alot of 'white' space, thinking of what my wonderful friend could do with her long arm,,, I also didn't use alot of the applique blocks, I do love to do needleturn, but not for these quilts.

Then I decided I really needed something different - but I couldn't change the blocks, remember? I needed COLOR! Lots of color.. so I played with batiks in EQ and came up with these. I like these,,
they make me feel happy!

I'm wondering what other designs have been designed.. can't wait to see!

Spinning Santas - coming alive

2010-02-27T20:39:00.003-06:00

Fianlly! We had a beautiful day -- upper sixties, sun shining,, just a glorious day! Did the grocery shopping bit ( golly how I hate to shop on Saturdays,, it's so blasted crowded! and do you think that it would be nice for others to not stop in the aisle and talk on the phone?! my apologies to anyone who has done this, but I was aggravated )

so this evening I have been trying to get my spinning santas table topper done. I had this done last nite I couldn't find the leopard print I wanted,, ( the santas have leopard print hat bands ) but I did find a black/gold print that is working out just splendidly as a tiny piping between the santas and the red!

But I didn't like how it was lining up in the middle so today I took that apart, turned it around, and I just added the top red triangles to square it all up.. looky looky looky!! It is working out just as I had hoped!!

I'm going to put about a 5 inch border on the sides and probably a 3 inch on the top and bottom,, of course I'm going to do the black piping around all of it.

Ok, that's my update so far...

What have you been working on?

BEACH COTTAGES or keeping warm in the sun

2010-02-25T21:53:00.005-06:00

just a short entry to show off the Beach Cottages top - it's almost done,, needs an inner border and then the piano keys border. I found a wonderful! batik for the back, but I'll save that for later... it's a secret :)

I'm tickled with it! and if you like to paper-piece, it's very easy to do!

But I need someone to tell me why the quilt-loving beasties can appear the minute you lay a quilt on the floor??? This isn't even a quilt, but a top with paper still attached to it! Silly beast, guess he has decided that it is worth claiming for his own!

Blogging about a Blogger

2010-02-21T19:00:00.002-06:00

Have ya'll found The Virtual Quilter yet? Judy is a quilter who makes the most wonderful quilts................. in EQ6! Her blog is just full of wonderful designs and ideas... I am not sure where I stumbled upon her blog from but she has become one of my favorites... both for ideas and motivation!

Well, now she has gone and stimulated the brain is making me think ( that is a VERY dangerous thing these days)... she has started a contest to see what her readers can come up with for designs. She supplies the blocks and a few layouts and some simple rules and as she is challenging the world to "show me what you got!"

Give it a try,, I'm not going to post any of my designs until Feb 28 ( that is part of the rule, so that the players can all have a surprise ) but, go to the blog page here http://virtualquilter.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/invitation-to-elevenses/

and give it a try,,, I'm having a blast!

Sewing Machine Education

2010-02-21T12:50:00.004-06:00

A rainy Sunday Morning and I am browsing around the web and someone on one of my groups posted about this YouTube video --

We all know how a sewing machine works,,, but do you really know HOW the machine works? I found it very fascinating and quite entertaining, too!

This is part one of two,,, if you like it, then you can go to here to see it.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNRuUr4hlo enjoy!
oops! found a third part here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq9V8W6tV40

I Didn't Leaver Forever - just a little bit

2010-02-20T22:52:00.008-06:00

It's been almost a month since I posted anything - bet ya'll thought I gave up sewing anything and moved on to something different! Well, in a way I did,,, I started a new job February 1 and it has taken me awhile to get in the groove,,, I've been off for 5 glorious months and have thouroughly enjoyed myself. But, my wonderful, darling, delightful, adoring husband ( do you see me choking on those words?) really thinks that I am most needed in an office, earning a paycheck, not home sewing, cleaning, reading, washing, having lunch with his mother, scrubing floors - well you get the picture.
So, I'm back at work, and phooey on the housework. If he wants me with a paycheck, then something has to give, and it's the housework ( which I hated doing anyway :) !! )

So ( again ) I think I'm in the groove and I'm sorta back sewing. Yeah!! Cause I've missed it.

Today was my once a month Saturday meet with my quilting buddies. We had a new bud show up today ( hope she wants to be part of our little group! ) so we had lots of fun. Babs was sewing some of the cutest wonky log cabin blocks
They were "happy" blocks, with lots of brights and happy novelty fabrics. They are for a guild quilt contest - I think she will be sure to win!

Marcy is our new bud, she brought some knitting to do ( I need to get her and tirane to teach me!) Her yarn was just beautiful - un-dyed she said. She didn't bring her machine with her today but we all talked quilting and knitting and 'stuff'.

Nancy brought her machine and was working on a string quilt. She makes the prettiest string quilts This is a picture of her machine - she really was working on it, but this was the only picture I got so you just have to believe me.

Tirane was binding a Quilts-for-Kids quilt that she did. Do you know about Quilts-for-Kids? A great way to make a wonderful charity quilt. We all have done them, and have even worked on charity quilts all together, sorta like Huck Finn and whitewashing the fence. Check out the link I provided,,, give it a try - it's makes you feel good!

Anyway, here she is, sewing away, stitch, stitch stitch,,, she said she thought she could get thru about 3 quilts today ( binding ) but ,, LOL well you know how that goes! I know she finished this one, and did she start another??? I'm not sure, did you?

I was working on a "One Fabric Wonder" that I had cut out previously ( one of the ladies in my weekly bee is the bestest instructor and loves to try new techniques so a couple of weeks ago she showed anyone interested in this type of quilt how to make them - super easy! ) but I don't have any pictures. When I get it on the design wall I'll take a shot.

I almost have my Beach Cottages quilt all together - I want to finish it up tomorrow ( that's my plan anyway ) and tirane quilted my apple quilt for me so I can get it bound and the One Fabric Wonder and the spinning santas table topper and OH Golly! I can't work!! I have too many quilts to finish!!

Suzette,, we missed you! Hope all is doing better - our thoughts are with you

Wuthering Heights

2010-01-30T20:55:00.003-06:00

I think it is about 25 degrees outside, wet, damp cold and just miserable. But I just spent the most wonderful two hours, buried under a heated blanket with a box of tissues watching Wuthering Heights on Turner Classic Movies. Yep, the original version from back in 1939.

OH! It is my most favorite movie,, I own it on VHS and still, when it comes on tv I have to drop everything and watch. Oh Kathy, My Kathy!!

Heathcliff!!

It is soooo romantic with unrequited love... and on a cold damp wintery nite,, it was just perfect.

Now I'll go wipe my eyes, kiss my husband and browse some blogs...

I've seen Wuthering Heights,, all is right with the world.

Do You EQ?

2010-01-27T21:55:00.003-06:00

Electric Quilt ( EQ ) has a new tag for our blogs,, I use EQ all the time! I'm not an expert for sure but I love working with deisgns, fabrics, and I almost always use it to see if what I think I have is really what I'm going to get...
If you don't EQ,, check it out! http://www.electricquilt.com/

no, I don't have anything to do with the company but it's a great software package to use to design quilts

Using up the Fabric

2010-01-27T21:43:00.002-06:00

You know how the stores always put the Christmas fabric on a good sale after the holidays -- I have so much Christmas fabric that I usually don't look ( why don't I just use it???!! ) but I saw some that was full of Santa's and thought it would be great as a One Block Wonder. Yep, I'm still making those and find them so much fun! You really never know what you are getting and that, to me, can be great fun!

Well,, I only bought 6 repeats so I knew it wouldn't make anything very big but I just wanted to play, anyway,,, but LOOK!

I am really tickeled with what I have! I want to do some more tweaking but I'm happy! Look real close,, Santa is wearing a leopard print someone on him,,, LOL!

So, this is what I'm thinking,, right now it is roughly 46 x 37 ( not all the seams are sewn together so of course it will get smaller ) I have a really big dining table and this would be great on it for the holidays...
I flipped the picture and I think I want to make a seperation in the middle of the design seperating the darker from the lighter parts,, like a slash from left to right slanted across the design. Then put a red sashing in there, I want to square up the two sections,, make a big border around all of it and maybe put some of the extra hexs in the border somehow.... aarrrgghhh,,,
I know what I want but it's hard to explain..

anyway, big table, good size table runner... like it?? any ideas??

What would you do with these Santa Hexs???

Dreaming of the Beach

2010-01-23T19:00:00.007-06:00

A few months back, my bee decided that we needed another swap to make quilts all alike - and someone had the idea of using the pattern Beach Cottages Isn't this just as cute as can be! So, we all used the same backgrounds for the houses ( each row has a different blue ) and we made 12 houses each then swapped. It's us to us to make the trees, cabanas and sun and finish. I've been working on mine this week, well sorta with other stuff, and I think it's going to be really cute! Makes me want to go to the beach... dip my toes in warm water and drink mai tais all day... dream on!

So, this is my first row, just on the design wall, not sewn yet. House #1 is very special. One of my buds took a picture from a year ago or so, shrunk it tiny and put it in the window of the house - pretty cool!! I really thought that was a great thing to do for our quilts.

I don't know if you can enlarge this enough,, but we are all there! On the beach, dipping our toes and drinking mai-tais... aaaahhhh the life of a quilter!

More later...

A Giveaway, A Sale, no not me

2010-01-17T19:27:00.003-06:00

Browsing around on blogs is lots of fun, but sometimes I stumble on places that can get me into REAL problems! I found on this blog a giveaway and a SALE! YES a BIG Sale... Check out the blog for Suzanne Early,, she is closing her shop and everything right now is 30% off,, plus she is having a contest to win stuff.. I'm a sucker for winning! I LOVE to win!

so, check it out and you might find some good stuff that you don't need but really, really, really want!

Suzanne’s Great Big Giveaway (and sale)

Quiltathon - Sunday update

2010-01-17T15:18:00.003-06:00

I have been working diligently on the colorful quilt I started this week and it is finally finished! Still has to be ironed but the top is done, no borders on this one, and I'm thinking a dark blue binding - just to give it a finish..

I'm glad this is a happy colorful quilt, I need it in my house today cause you see, the Cowboys died... a poor hard miserable death

my poor husband, a die hard Dallas Cowboy fan, is moping around here like his life has just been sucked dry... the Cowboy's got their fannys beat - really really bad!

enough said about that subject - I'll plug in my head phones and he can mope all he wants

so how is your Quiltathon going?

Quiltathon Weekend

2010-01-16T16:38:00.005-06:00

This is the quiltathon weekend with Judy Laquidara at her blog Patchwork Times. It is always fun to think of sewing along with a lot of cyber friends and see what progress is going on.

I was lucky that today was also our Saturday bee so I got to sew with friends for real! Of course, that scamp tirane already posted pictures of what we were doing at her house! So you might as well click on her name and see what we were doing.

I have the Atkinson design that I'm working on, trying to finish up the blocks...

I took the center blocks ( with the star and background) to trim up - do you know how hard it is to concentrate when everyone is talking!! I kept measureing and verifying before I cut ( don't you just hate to cut a completed block wrong! ).. sometimes I just stopped, turned around,,, and talked cause after all,, it's a quiltathon with friends, right?!?

This is a couple of the blocks I have ,, not quite completed, there is still one more sashing to put on.. but they are bright and happy blocks! ( that might have been tirane's opinion )

tonite I want to complete the blocks and maybe lay them out to see how to position them... Tomorrow I want to work on a baby quilt and this and that and that and this,,, oh heck! maybe I'll take a long hot bath and do nothing!

enjoy your evening, give a hug to those you are with..

later gater

Order and Disorder - what to do with scraps

2010-01-10T12:38:00.002-06:00

Order and Disorder,
originally uploaded by manu/manuela [PC lunatic].

I was browsing around on the Four Twin Sisters site and was looking at their alphabet and found this on the page - somewhere not sure where,,
but how cool is this! I'm always wanting something to do with scraps -- no, I don't want to copy her design that wouldn't be nice,, but something like this would be great!

gotta get those scraps outta my room!

whatchathink?

Sunday Morning Catchup - and the sun is shining!

2010-01-10T10:29:00.003-06:00

Yep, the sun is out, it's a beautiful day! I have been so tired of being cold! In Texas, they just don't seem to build the houses to accommodate cold weather, maybe not enough insulation and the slabs are right on the ground so the cold creeps up thru the concrete, thru the carpet into my feet - makes my toesys chilly! I'm so sorry for everyone that has had the big snow storms - I just hope everyone was toasty warm!

It's been a busy week. I'm still working on the Quiltville Carolina Christmas mystery quilt... AND I've been working on a Terry Atkinson design, Lucky Stars it is super easy! I had purchased a group of fat quarters to make this quilt,, golly about 2 years ago! Thought it was about time to get this one done. The background fabric is a mottled light blue/darker blue/pink ( this is it,, it's not as bad as it sounds! )
see, mottled but it looks good with the rest of the fabrics -- aren't these beautiful!

Yep, that is a small block from the Carolina Christmas in the middle of the Lucky Stars fabric..
Anyway, I'm not a speed demon but there is ALOT of chain pieceing going on so why not work on two quilts? The colors sure won't get mixed up ! See my pile of completed chains from Carolina Christmas

I have to break in here...
My husband's office is next door to my sewing room/computer room and he has the tv on to some awful info-mercial about TOTAL GYM.. I'm hearing these people talk about "all you have to do is get on!" and they lost all sorts of weight, inches, they are beautiful and everyone loves them now... Get your Total Gym NOW for the small monthly payment of $big dollars for the next 30 years... Get it NOW! and you too can be skinny, beautiful and loved@!

what a bunch of ..... well, you can fill in your own words.

Wonder how many people are going to order this miracle machine? Should I feel guilty for sitting on my duff - not moving - relaxed - and fluffy? I do a little. Am I doing anything about it? I should. Will I order the wonder machine? NO way! got a treadmill, lifecycle and weight machine in our ""bbrrrr cold"" garage. I should use that.

Sorry, I digressed,, back to fun stuff! ( and I'm turning off his dang tv! )
Back to quilting, where was I? Oh yes,, chain piecing ........... and this my chains for Lucky Stars I got eveything all sewn, then sat in front of the computer and watched tv shows on Netflix while I pressed ( should have been on the darn machines, getting skinny!) So that is where I'm at ... ready to sew one last seam on the Christmas quilt then I can lay out blocks, I can chain piece some more on the Lucky Stars and will have blocks close to finished -- gee I'm good!

gotta go fix brunch,, eggs, sausage, english muffins - all 'very' healthy! ( see me grinning!) for the DH - he has his "feed me" look on..

It's Not a Mystery Quilt any Longer

2010-01-03T13:06:00.005-06:00

I'm not usually a mystery quilt quilter,, I like to know the path I'm following then if I want to make a detour, I can. But this year I thought "Why Not",, it's only fabric and golly gee! I have a ton of that!

So I decided to join in on the fun at the Yahoo group apocketfullofmysteries@yahoo.com and do their mystery quilt. I picked out my fabrics, you can see them here http://quiltramblings.blogspot.com/2009/12/im-sucker-for-mystery.html and waited for the clues. Well, I was good! I stayed on the track and didn't detour. I didn't even wait until they got finished and started mine ( that is sorta like reading the last chapter of the book before you are even half way done - yep, I'm bad about doing that, too! ).
Anyway, this is what I ended up with.. the border seems to blend in with my wood fence! so here is a picture that shows the colors better.. Even after finishing the quilt, I like my colors. Not sure I will do this pattern again, and I have to come up with a name. I added the dark purple border - that was my only detour! This is crib size, about 35 x 35 and I think I'm going to try to quilt this one myself.. LOl OY VEY!!! That should be fun. It will probably be a charity quilt - hope they don't mind my inexperience in quilting!

I have it sandwiched and I even found a yard of fabric with these same colors in it so I centered the backing around that yard ( shucks, no picture )

Wish me luck on the quilting!!

For other mysteries,, I think I'll skip to the last chapter of the book and see if I like how it ends ...

Christmas Surgery ( for a dog toy )

2010-01-01T10:27:00.002-06:00

Webster came to me and said "Mom! You have to fix my toys! The stuffing is falling out and they just don't play good anymore. Please Mom! Fix my toys!" ( this is Webster, a Schnoodle (schnauzer and poodle mix ) in bad need of a clip. )
Yep, one of the seams had come apart and the stuffing was loose. Bet that was pretty yucky to be carring around in his mouth! It was also pretty yucky to be holding...
But, I persevered ... I could try to hand sew it back together or see if my trusty Janome would do the trick ( I was all for the machine - I'm not big on hand sewing )

So, I got the treasured bone toy and stuck it under the presser foot,there wasn't much stuffing left so it squeezed in ok,,, ( he is being patient with me! ) set the zig-zag stitch and stitched it once, twice, and went back over it again for good measure! Here it is, all fixed!

( yep, told you! icky! ) Mom's a hero! He was so happy, I couldn't get him still to get a good picture, and the bone toy is in his mouth,, but this is a happy Webster! It's wonderful to be able to please so easily!

I thought I was done... OH NO! Another catasrophe! The tiger toy has lost a leg...

I'm in the kitchen and he brings me his other pride and joy, the tiger toy,,, minus a leg! "Please Mom! Can you fix this one too??!!" Well, what do you say to a face like that? Of course, I'll fix the ( icky ) tiger! ( ah ha! I get to be a hero again! ).
So tiger toy, Webster and I go to the sewing room,,, hhmm,, how to get this thing attached with out having to hand sew... The leg just fell off?! I think someone might have been playing tug of war with White Dog ( aka Big Dog, aka Dexter),, don't you? Well, I tried the trusty Janome again, even put on the zipper foot so I could get close, but it just wouldn't work. There was too much stuffing and it wouldn't fit under the presser foot. Yuck,, hand sewing!
But, I'm Webster's Mom, I must be strong!

I did my best, stuck that foot up in the opening,, stitched it with a blanket stitch once, twice, three times for good luck. Voila! a whole and complete tiger! I couldn't get a picture of Webster's joy,, he wouldn't stay still long enough...
aahhh,, the satisfaction of being a hero!

What was Dexter ( aka White Dog, Big Dog ) doing through all this?? He was in his normal spot in the middle of the pillows - pretending to be sleeping - or maybe waiting until the tiger is fixed to start playing again!

Merry Christmas - the Party is over

2009-12-25T21:06:00.003-06:00

Nine o'clock Christmas evening,, I'm tired. Don't you think the build up to Christmas sucks a lot of energy? I got to stay in my jammas until about 330 today when I thought that I had better get ready for my 430 family arrival ( should have stayed in jammas! hey~! it's family! ).
I baked a spiral ham, had fresh green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, sauteed sweet potatoes in butter and brown sugar, rolls, salad... there wasn't a whole lot of cooking... but I'm beat!

We got snow yesterday, not like the east coast, thank goodness, ( and I say this cause Texas can NOT handle snow like that! We freak at flakes ! ) but we did get about 1-2 inches. It was sure pretty coming down.. and I can guarantee that I was SO happy to not have to get out in it! It was beautiful from the inside and the news was full of car accidents because of it. Like I said,, Texans do not do white precipitation well..

Tomorrow is the other half of the family, and we go to their house! Enchiladas for dinner, yuuummm! I made my granddaughters these fleece throws,, this one is for Destiny, she is 7 and very much a girly-girl

and this one is for Lexi,, hot pink describes her to a "T",, oh! she is 3 years old too,, can't wait to see what the years bring! They are so soft and nice.. I have made things like this from flannel and ragged them but never fleece. Super easy!

These are from a McCalls pattern and measure about 4 foot tall by about 5 feet wide. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the loose legs... maybe I put them together wrong, the arms should be attached to the legs more than they are. But they are nice soft fleece, double pieced so they should be warm when the girls are wrapped up in them. I sure hope they like them!

Time for bed,, more fun and excitement tomorrow.. but first, another piece of ham

Merry Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T09:11:00.002-06:00

well, the elves are behind but MY work is done! I have all the presents finished ( oops, I lied, the label has to go on the quilt for my son, but that's a piece of cake ). I have to run to the store, again!, for something to finish tomorrow's dinner.

Would you believe that DH insists on wrapping the grandkids presents!?! I said "Sure! Go ahead!" but he is the 'elf' and hasn't started yet. I'm not worried, he has all day!

I stumbled on a great giveaway at Susan's Needlemagic blog. Check it out,, some pretty nice things are in the giveaway basket!

Today I get to sew and stay inside - would you believe that we had 75 degree weather yesterday, all sun-shiny and bright. I even had the back door open! Today! they are predicting snow, 40 mph winds and rain... sorta like the government,, you just never know what to expect.

till later.
enjoy your day!

Video of the Day

2009-12-17T14:10:00.000-06:00

where were these guys when I was putting up my tree!
enjoy

Movie Watching

2009-12-16T17:42:00.003-06:00

I decided that I needed a little bit of indulgence today,, ever feel like that? It's cold ( well, 47 degrees and that is cold to me here in Texas! I know, I know,,, that is n.o.t. cold...) and overcast and just a generally yucky day. I was a good wife first, I cleaned, ran an errand and even took a batch of cookies I made yesterday ( they are yummy, too! ) to my MIL.

Then, the boys and I ( the two, four-legged kind of boys, gray one is Webster and the white one is Dexter ) crawled up in bed, wrapped up in quilts and watched Julie & Julia. I have had it here for about a week and just never got around to watching it. Chick flick - husband wasn't interested. that's ok,, I like movies by myself - well, not by myself cause the boys are there, but they aren't watching, are they? no, they take naps and scooch up next to me and try to push me off the bed, and.... well you get the idea.

Have you seen it yet? I really enjoyed it and recommend it - Meryl Streep is great at anything she is doing. Maybe I liked it so much cause I like to cook, wish I knew more about really cooking ( with a capital C ). One of my goals in life is to go to a school to learn how to professionally use knives. Crazy goal, but I want to learn.

The kind of cooking that I do is SO not like Julia Child - mine is the quick cook -- the "get it on the table, fill up the belly, clean the kitchen - whew! done! ( reminds me of a cowboy roping a steer at the rodeo - you know, when he has the steer's legs tied and he thows out his hands? ) " kind of cooking.

But people in my world aren't into hollandaise sauces, or beef spelled boeuf, geez they don't even like La Madeline's! So, cooking like that would be just for me and I have enough trouble keeping weight off!

Anyway,, I was sorta thinking that cooking to Julia/Julie is like quilting is to those of us who love it so much. It's our form of expression. It's a way to let people know we love them, we care about them. It's our therepy ( and cheaper than a shrink, no matter HOW much fabric you buy! ) and it keeps us sane. We can make beautiful, artistic statements about how we are feeling, whether it is happy or sad, scared or lonely.

It is like cooking... only our quilts last longer and the clean up is easier!

Hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday season... time to go rope a steer -- uuhhh,, make dinner.

Oriental Quilt Finished

2009-12-13T21:33:00.002-06:00

I finally got the borders on the Oriental quilt I have been making, and the agreement from all at my Saturday Bee was the green border was just perfect...

It really was a very pretty day today ( felt like close to 70 degrees! ) and the sun was shining, but the colors didn't come out as well as I had wished.. but you get the idea I hope!

this quilt has the colored border around each of the four patches loose,, like this

so I made the green around the outer border be the same way. My friendly quilter tirane and I were discussing how to quilt this... she's thinking on it! I gave her a challenge -- yipee! Never thought I could do that!

I'm happy with it -- it's folded and on the "completed" stack.

Now, imagine this quilt with the setting triangles the same fabric as the border -- and maybe change the sashing around the four patches,,, something to think about, huh?? I saw this done and it was really really pretty. Maybe for another time.

Giveaway Time at The Green Fairy

2009-12-11T22:49:00.002-06:00

Check out The Green Fairy website,,
she has some of the cutest patterns, and a great sale on charm packs, jelly rolls, etc..
check it out! She is giving away a layer cake, a jelly roll and a pattern --
cool, huh!

Have a Great Morning!

2009-12-11T09:34:00.003-06:00

I have great friends that are sharing funnies with me -- I sure hope you have a better morning than this guy! And my heart goes out to all those in the snowed in parts of the country.
It is about 40 degrees here in Big D, and the sun is supposed to come out and be a really pretty day. I sure hope so, got more shopping to do!
enjoy!

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