Thoughts from a disorganized quilter

Swoon-Along

2012-02-04T18:04:00.003-06:00

Because I am in desperate need of another Quilt-in-progress (sarcasm!), I have joined the Swoon-Along going on on Flickr. It is being hosted by Katy from I'm a Ginger Monkey. Our goal is one block a week - and so far I have remained on track! Each block takes about 2 hours to cut out and sew together but then again the blocks are 24 inches square. I am using Denyse Schmidt's new line of fabric for JoAnn's. If you want to see some great inspiration, go check out the Flickr group! You can just click on the Swoon-Along button in my sidebar.

Maybe that is what I will work on tonight - while the rest of the family watches Mr. and Mrs. Smith for the 100th time.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

January UFO challenge

2012-02-01T20:06:00.002-06:00

January's UFO was a BOM I am doing from a local sewing store. We still have three months to go - so there is only so much I can do! I was able to put the sashing and borders around all of the blocks that are already done. I have been doing this block of the month with two of my good friends (and neighbors!). They just started quilting a little over a year ago - so some of these blocks have been a real challenge.

Now to move on to February's UFO - #1 - a Christmas quilt from a class I taught last fall. This one needs the outer border and then the quilting.

Thanks again, Judy, for inspiring us to finish up some of these old projects!

2011 Wrap up

2011-12-24T16:53:00.005-06:00

Here are a few quilts from this year that I never shared!

This one of three identical table runners that I made this Christmas. One for my mom, one for my sister, and mine is still at home in pieces!! But the important thing is that I got theirs finished in time.

This was a scrappy log cabin quilt - the kind where you sew on a strip and whack off the extra! It turned out so bright and cheerful. I used it on our Christmas presents table last week.

This quilt is currently residing on my bed and I love it. It came together very quickly. Someone shared a smaller version at our guild show and tell the day before my birthday. The next day, me and my friends had our own shop hop and I bought all the fabric. Over the next month, I pieced the top. When I went to visit Nina in July, I took the top with me and she helped me quilt it on her long-arm. The quilt was slightly too big to fit on my machine. I love all the shades of blue!

My mother-in-law mailed me Arkansas fabric and asked that I make something for a charity auction. I ended up making this wall hanging/baby quilt and a lap quilt. They ended up bringing $400 in the auction!

This (and its twin) were made from the leftovers of my Christmas tree quilt. I made one for my mom and one for my sister. I ended up buying border fabric for both quilts. I really love this pattern - probably because I am obsessed with flying geese! Mom has hers hanging in her living room!

I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

2012 UFO list

2011-12-20T16:50:00.009-06:00

Judy, over at Sunshine Quilts, has once again challenged us to list our top 12 UFOs that we would like to finish in 2012. I didn't join in last year, but I know there are way too many half-finished projects sitting around here that need to be finished - so here goes.

1. Christmas quilt - this was a class that I taught at the local sewing center. The owner decided very late in the season that she wanted me to teach this so there was no time to make a class sample - I was making the quilt right along with everyone in the class.

This one needs the final borders and then to be quilted.

2. 2011 guild mystery quilt - this one just needs quilting

3. Birthday group blocks - These blocks were made by my very sweet guild birthday group. I need to put the blocks together and then quilt it. These blocks are huge - about 18 inches!

4. Soul Blossoms quilt - Hmmm.... this might be a challenging month. I splurged last Christmas and bought a Soul Blossoms fat quarter tower with a gift certificate a friend gave me. I thought I had decided on the pattern. When I started sewing, I discovered that not only were the directions very confusing, but it was a pattern where you needed to decide on the layout of the fabrics as you go. The alternating blocks had a piece of fabric that needed to match the four blocks it was touching. Way too confusing for me right now. So I have decided on a different pattern. Thankfully - I had not cut all the pieces!

This one needs everything - blocks pieced, top put together, and then quilted. Maybe too much to hope for in one month!

5. Kids' Kloset block of the month - Depending on when this number gets pulled, this one will keep me busy too. This BOM finishes in March - so I have 7 of the 12 blocks done. She has already given us the directions for the sashing strips and the outer borders so I could put what I have together.

This one needs the last five blocks, sashing strips pieced, top assembled, and then quilting!

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6. Christmas table runner - this is the last of three identical Christmas table runners that I made. I have finished the first two - because they are gifts for family members. The third is for me. Sorry no pictures until after the big day!

This one needs about half of the blocks pieced, the top assembled, and then quilted.

7. Applique tree project - I started this on a over-night trip with a couple of friends this fall. The leaves are ironed on and about 1/3 of them are machine stitched down. Then it needs to be quilted.

8. The kids' pillowcases - I know this isn't technically a quilting project but the fabric has been sitting here for quite some time. My son reminded me the other day that he is STILL waiting on his soccer pillow case! I guess I need to get busy! These shouldn't take that long if I borrow my friend's serger.

9. Repeat of #4!

10. Repeat of # 5!

11. Denyse Schmidt fabric - This isn't a UFO yet - but the fabric has been sitting here staring at me for WAY too long. I have a lovely pile of the new Denyse Schmidt fabric from JoAnn's that I haven't cut into yet. I know what I want to do with it - Monkey Wrench blocks.

12. Spiderweb blocks - Does it count as a UFO if you have the paper cut for the foundation piecing? I also have the solid fabric for the stars. The spider webs are going to be scrappy so, of course, I have those ready!

Thanks, Judy, for inspiring us to get things finished!!

Another quilt for Maddie

2011-06-20T18:45:00.004-05:00

This quilt was supposed to be Maddie's first quilting project - but it didn't end up that way. I cut up all these black and white fabrics last summer for Maddie to make into 9-patches. We hauled her sewing machine and the fabric up to my mom's house where Maddie sewed for about 2 minutes. She said the machine was pulling everything to the left and was too frustrating to deal with. After she came home, I finished the blocks and then whacked them into disappearing 9-patch blocks. The pink sashing has a black swirly design in it.

The kids and I are up in Tennessee visiting my parents and my sister and her family. We are hoping to have a girls' sewing day (or two) while I am here - but it is difficult to keep 5 kids happy for very long when it is almost too warm to play outside. I suggested we duct tape them up and stick them in a closet but no one else liked the idea!

Last Friday was my birthday and I got to spend it having my very own shop hop with two of my quilting buddies. They both took the day off from work and we took off for Atlanta. We were able to go to five different quilt stores. I collected lots of beautiful blue/grey/green batiks to make a quilt for my bed. Nina won't be surprised by the color but she may be surprised by the batiks! I also found several pieces for my stash that were priced too good to pass up. I bought some fabrics to make the kids each a pillow case. Ian is soccer themed and Maddie's is a white back ground with a line drawing of a map of Paris. What excited me was that Le Madeleine was on the map! We were in Paris when Stacy spotted the Le Madeleine metro stop and fell in love with the name.

Here are the quilt stores we went to in case you want to check them out:
Sewn with Love - Newnan, GA - no web page yet
Tiny Stitches - Marietta, GA
In-Town Quilters - Decatur, GA
Stitch-n-Quilt - Mableton, GA
Red Hen Fabrics - Marietta, GA

Can I ask you all a question? How would you react if a store employee came within a hair of accusing you of changing the price on a bolt of fabric? One particular store made up there own little one yard bolts of fabric. My friend came across one that was marked $2.99 (with a $5.99 crossed out) - both written in Sharpie marker. When she took her pile of goodies to the counter to pay - the employee looked at the bolt that was mis-priced for a good two or three minutes. Then she said, at least three times, that they never have fabric for $2.99 a yard. She continued to be very short and curt with my friend. Either tell us that she is going to have to charge the correct price or give her the $2.99 and let it go - but stop being rude. Needless to say, we won't be going back there again! Yes - it is one of the stores listed above.

Does anyone have any fabric store suggestions in the Atlanta area or in the Nashville area? Where is your favorite place to shop on-line?

What should I share today?

2011-06-15T15:19:00.002-05:00

We have been house-bound for two days now. The A/C on our CRV is misbehaving and we want to take it to Tennessee this weekend - so it needed to be looked at. The mechanic ordered the wrong part Monday and didn't realize it until late yesterday afternoon. When I called today at lunch time, the correct part had just arrived and wasn't yet installed. He has got an hour and a half left before closing time - or I am not going to be a happy camper. But being stuck at home leaves us a lot of time to accomplish other things. I have been making the kids help me clean up the hot spots around the living room and kitchen. I sort through the pile and hand them stuff to be put away. Each spot only takes a couple of minutes - so they don't feel like we have spent the day cleaning! This morning I was quilting a secret project and between rows I made myself come clean off one section of kitchen counter. Now the quilt is quilted AND I have a clean kitchen. I need to go trim it and get the binding put on. Even the label is already made and ready to go on!

This project was actually finished in December 2010, I think. These are the spiderweb blocks that my mother and I made together last summer. I love how it turned out. My mom also pieced the piano key outer border. Thanks to Bonnie for yet another great pattern! I have already bought some bright yellow Kona to make another version of this with bigger blocks.

Off to do the binding!

Alabama summer

2011-06-13T18:33:00.004-05:00

We have had 17 days in a row of temperatures over 90 degrees and two of those days we hit 100! Not exactly the kind of weather I like to be outside in. Good excuse to stay inside and read, nap or maybe even sew. I have been working on several different secret projects - so I have no pictures of things I am working on - but if course I have several completed things to show you.

Yesterday Madeleine and I attended a baby shower for a girl we go to church with. He husband is currently stationed in Afghanistan and will get to come home in a few weeks for the baby's birth. They also have another baby girl that just turned a year old and her name is Madeline. My Madeleine help me to piece baby Charlotte's quilt and then we decided that big sister Madeline deserved a quilt too! It was so fun working on these projects with Maddie. I am so excited that she is getting into quilting. This is her 3rd & 4th projects in the past 2 months!

Here is Maddie's first quilt. She pieced this in about a week and a half! She made this quilt for a friend of ours who is getting ready to be deployed to Iraq. When my dad saw this picture, he said "No wonder Maddie was so motivated to do this project!" David is adorable - but he is also such a nice guy. He was debating whether he was going to take the quilt with him to Iraq or leave it at home with his mom and dad.

One last thing - Happy birthday to my dearest Nines!

Knock, knock, knock....

2011-06-11T20:15:00.003-05:00

Is this thing on? Somehow I have lost the past five months. I can't believe it is mid-June already. My birthday is Friday - which means Nina's birthday is this week too! Nines - I really wish we could have our annual birthday date.

On to the important things - like quilts. When last we talked, I mentioned working on another Christmas quilt. It is finished and I love it! My friend with the expensive computer guided Gammill machine was kind enough to quilt it for me. We enjoyed a fun day of sewing while the Gammill did its' thing.

I ended up having to piece the trees differently than suggested in the pattern. For some unknown reason, they had you piecing the tree with a seam down the middle of the block - so that the diagonal sides of the tree are loose and three dimensional. I pieced one block according to the directions and knew that there would be no way to quilt this on the long arm with those sides flopping around. So I had to improvise! My way saved a lot of fabric and made it quiltable. I LOVE the fabrics in this quilt. This is the first quilt that I had to buy the fabrics that were used in the pattern. I loved them all right away. They are Figgy Pudding by Basic Grey.

I finished piecing the top over spring break - at which point my mom and sister both wanted to steal it. Nice try, ladies - but it is mine! Maybe I will let them sit under it if they come to Alabama in the winter.

I hope I haven't lost both of my faithful readers during my long silence. Speak up and let me hear you! What wonderful project as you working on right now?

A couple of January finishes

2011-01-31T20:04:00.003-06:00

January has slipped away from me. We started off the month with the stomach bug and then went on to have an ice storm. Ian finally went back to school on January 12 but Maddie was still home with the stomach bug until the 18th. I wasn't sure I was ever going to get rid of them! This past week I subbed all five days and in the evenings tried to work on the year end tax stuff for my husband's business. I am thankful that this week seems to be a little slower! In the midst of all this I have been able to sew. I have finished up a couple of UFOs - always a good feeling!

These star blocks were last year's birthday blocks from our quilt guild birthday group. My goal was to get this finished before I get this year's blocks in May. I also send a block packet to my mom and to Nines every year - and so far they have always been kind enough to comply! I think this one might end up being Ian's Christmas quilt. The black makes it boyish.

These are Nina's (pink) and my mom's (green) blocks. The background fabric is snow flakes and I found it at Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago.

This second one is for my daughter. Surprise, surprise! I made this same quilt using the smaller 6" blocks and Maddie of course wanted one just liked it. Because I have a great fear of running out of a fabric, I had more than enough fabric to make Maddie's 12" block version. I just had to buy half a yard of the green to finish the sashing and the binding.

I did very dense quilting on this one - spirals everywhere! Took forever to do - but I love the finished look.

I am working on another Christmas quilt now - made from Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding fabric. You can see an example of it here. Can't wait to see this one finished! I have already requested that my dear hubby install a curtain rod on our big blank wall in the living room - so I can hang quilts up and enjoy gazing at them from my couch.

To all my northern friends - stay warm during this coming storm.

A new post for Nina!

2011-01-11T20:44:00.002-06:00

Sorry Nines, but the blocks aren't for you! I just thought you would like to see these batik blocks I have been working on. These were all made for a member of my birthday group from quilt guild. I had to order some batik fat quarters and then I got addicted to making them and couldn't stop. I only needed to make one block - but ended up with six! The one in the bottom right corner was my first attempt - and I misread the directions and ended up with a 14 inch block instead of a 12 inch block. I am going to give it to the birthday girl anyway - maybe she can piece it into the backing!

Tomorrow is our monthly birthday lunch - at my house. We are having corn chowder and potato soup. For desert we will have Kentucky Derby pie and vanilla ice cream. Can't wait!

Hope you are warm and safe where ever you are. We have had two snow days from school because of ice. Lots of people from town who had gone to Arizona for the national championship football game are still stuck out west! Great reason to stay inside and quilt!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-09T16:36:00.004-06:00

One of my resolutions for 2011 is to blog more often - mostly because I want to keep a better record of the quilts I make. I would also like to use more of my stash - instead of just adding to it!

One of the unshared projects of the last few months is yet another baby quilt. Baby Turner was born right after Christmas! The baby shower snuck up me so I needed a pattern that was quick and easy. I love the look of the rail fence - three fabrics and an hour or so and you end up with such a cute top!

And because I don't have enough unfinished projects sitting around here, I decided to start a new project yesterday. This summer my mom and I worked on blocks for a spiderweb quilt following Bonnie Hunter's directions. I loved the pattern but wanted bigger blocks. After checking into how much a ream of 11x17 paper costs ($25) - I started looking for alternatives for the foundation pieces. Since my husband is an architect, he has a whole box of old plans sitting in his office, waiting to be recycled. They measured 24x36" - so I cut them down to 12 inch squares. My star blocks ended up being about 17 inches. The problem with this project is that although it uses scraps - it always seems like I end up with more scraps than I started with!

Right now we are waiting for an ice storm to arrive. They have already cancelled school for tomorrow. It is already icing and snowing north of us - but nothing here. I never expected to have to worry about an ice storm in south central Alabama! Stay warm and safe!

Hello, 2011!

2011-01-08T15:41:00.002-06:00

So sorry that I have disappeared for three months. I have been sewing some - but mostly I got caught up in subbing, PTA things, and the usual Christmas craziness. But now it is January and things should slow down, right? Ha!

My main reason for posting today is to share a brief moment of fame! Apparently I am not going to get my whole 15 minutes of fame at one time - but little bits are fine with me. If you read many quilt blogs, you probably have come across Blue Nickel Studios. Scott is one of those mythical creatures we have all heard about - a male quilter! His blog is a great read - go check it out! Anyway - if you read the previous post, you will have already seen the quilt I made following one of Scott's patterns. Today he featured my quilt and another quilt made by another blog reader.

Thanks again, Scott, for such a great pattern!

Sundae's Best

2010-10-09T19:50:00.004-05:00

I was recently asked to sew a shop sample for a local sewing store. The owner had a specific quilt in mind - and a specific fabric line. She wanted me to make a quilt designed by Scott Hansen that she had seen at market. The pattern can be found here. Scott made his quilt using Nicey Jane fabric, designed by Heather Bailey. The store owner wanted me to use the Amy Butler fabric she was carrying in the store.

Yes - all those half-round pieces are only attached along the straight edge. This made it quite the bugger to quilt - but I managed to get it done without sewing over my own fingers! I love how the top stitching along the outside round of "petals" makes them really stand up. If I were to ever make this quilt again, I would top stitch around the inside "petals" too.

All pictures are clickable for a larger view!

Thanks, Scott, for a great pattern!

Are you sitting down, Nina?

2010-09-21T09:49:00.007-05:00

My aversion to ORANGE is well documented. Growing up with red hair made me avoid orange at all costs. Through the years, Nina has tried to get me to like orange, all to no avail. But then my sweet boy gets old enough to fall in love with football - the Florida Gators, to be exact. Yes, their colors are ORANGE and BLUE!

While digging through my sewing closet looking for something else, I found a bag with the leftovers from Nina's birthday quilt from 2006. After I pieced all the leftover pieces together I had a good sized baby quilt, but it is kind of loud for a baby quilt. So I decided to make it large enough for Ian to use. You would think that since we live in a town whose university colors are also orange and blue, I would have an easy time finding fabric. I went to Hobby Lobby first and they had one orange fabric. I am looking for fabrics that are reading as solid. Ian has requested "No Flowers!". After hitting the other two small sewing stores in town, I was able to come up with a hand full of fabrics. So far I have added the rows of flying geese around the outside. Since Ian is growing like a weed, I want to add one more round of something around the quilt. Any suggestions?

Nina should also be surprised that I am kind of flying by the seat of my pants on this one. See the strips of fabric I had to add to make it wide enough and long enough so the flying geese would fit correctly.

The picture should be clickable for a bigger view!

What are you up to?

Labor Day

2010-09-06T10:37:00.004-05:00

Friday afternoon I got in the mood to dye some fabric. I even had about 6 yards of white cotton sitting in the closet - so I threw it in the washer and got started setting up the stuff in the garage. It was then that I realized that I had no soda ash - so everything got put on hold. Yesterday Ian and I made a Walmart run and found some soda ash (sodium carbonate) in the pool supply section.

Today Ian and I got an early start, before the heat set in. Ian was being very helpful! I teased him that next time I was going to do this while he was at school - because he kept insisting on doing the fun parts!

Here are the fruits of our labor all spread out on the lawn to dry. This picture is probably a little depressing to Nina - lots of blues and no ORANGE! I have a specific project in mind and needed more blues and greens.

Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!

Per Nina's request

2010-08-31T20:02:00.010-05:00

Apparently I have been too slow in my posting! Sorry - the summer got away from me. Lots of traveling and the painting of bedrooms. And now school has started back up and I have been working on organizing two different fundraisers for two different schools. But I have been sewing in my spare minutes. Tonight I finally got pictures taken and now I can share them with you!

In July, I made another Schnibble. This one was for my sister. The pattern is called McGuffey. Another charm pack gone from the stash!

My mom and I also got the pleasure of having a sewing day while we were at their house. Since I had my Schnibbles Times Two book with me I decided to try the bigger version of Open Season. I love the flying geese. The flying geese were made from my mom's stash. I added to it when I got home. Another entirely stash quilt! I am starting to be able to tell a difference in the size of my stash! It feels good to be using it instead of just collecting.

This Christmas quilt was inspired by Nina! I started off making enough blocks for three table runners - one for me, my mom, and my sister. Then I changed my mind and decided I wanted another Christmas throw. So I am keeping it for myself!

My most recent finish is a baby quilt for a dear friend. She is expecting a baby girl in just a couple of weeks. She already has two boys and we are all excited that they are adding a girl to the family. Their request was for an old fashioned looking quilt. I went with a nine-patch alternated with solid blocks. The solid blocks are actually a daisy print - but it didn't show up too well in the picture. That's what happens when I take pictures with my iPhone instead of with hubby's nice Nikon! I love how the quilt turned out.

OK, Nines, is that enough of an update for you? I will try to do better!

My first Schnibble!

2010-07-03T09:06:00.003-05:00

My birthday was a couple of weeks ago - and my sweet husband bought me two new quilting books. The first was Schnibbles Times Two . The book features Carrie Nelson's adorable Schnibbles as well as a larger version of the quilts. The Schnibbles use charm packs and the larger versions use layer cakes. I had a couple of spare charm packs sitting around so I whipped up this little table topper for my mom for her birthday. It measures about 24"x36". It went together very quickly and turned out adorable. I have plans to make many more of these! In fact I already started on the flying geese units to make the larger version. The other book I received was Amish Abstractions - which I can't wait to spend some quality time with!

I just got home from a week at my parents house. On Tuesday, my sister, niece, daughter and I got to have a girls' day out. We drove up to Bowling Green, Kentucky and had lunch at a cute place called Chaney's Dairy Barn and of course we had to indulge in some of their yummy ice cream! We then drove on up to Whittle's Fabrics - where we each ended up with some fabric - some of us more than others! Maddie and Abby ended up with a fat quarter pack and Naomi chose a turnover. I, on the other hand, found about 10 yards of beautiful background fabrics. After Whittle's, we went to Hobby Lobby and Barnes and Noble. We had a wonderful day!

On Wednesday, Mom and I had a sewing day! I had to wrestle with her old New Home sewing machine. It didn't have a quarter inch foot and kept pulling everything to the left - but I did manage to get a big pile of flying geese made. This is the machine my niece sews on so I am hoping to find a new foot for her. Mom managed to finish piecing the top for Maddie's quilt. Mom is making and hand quilting a quilt for each of the grandkids. Maddie's is the last one she needs to do - which Maddie finds appalling because she is the oldest grandchild.

Thursday was the perfect memory-making day. First of all -the weather was amazing with the high being around 80. After a month of above 90 days, 80 degrees was wonderful. We had the windows open and the A/C off! Papa and Ian went fishing all morning. Maddie and I went to watch my niece's gymnastics class. In the afternoon, Papa flew kites with the kids. We had grilled brats and fresh corn planned for dinner. The weather was so beautiful that me and my sister hauled the dining room table out onto the back deck - thankfully only about 10 feet away! For dessert we had a blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. The cousins and Naomi spent the night with us.

Now to spend a week with Maddie - while Ian enjoys another week with Grams and Papa and the cousins! Next Friday we will meet up and switch out Maddie for Ian.

Have a great 4th of July!

Another month....disappeared!

2010-06-24T07:12:00.002-05:00

This week, we are childless. Last weekend we met the in-laws in Birmingham for a charity event my father-in-law had organized. My MIL asked if the kids would like to come home with them for the week. I was a little nervous that one or both kids would get all the way to Little Rock and change their minds, but I think they are getting so spoiled that they might never want to come home.

So with a free week on my hands, you would think I would get to be in the sewing room but so far, not! Back in March, I told my daughter we would repaint and decorate her room for her birthday. This has been my project for the week. The walls are pink and we are going to have black and white decorations. A Paris theme! The walls are done - except for some touch-ups around the edges. Today I need to start on repainting her dresser. When I found this dresser a couple of years ago, it was already painted with a beach theme, which went fine with a yellow bedroom - but now I need to sand it and repaint it solid white. Then tomorrow we can start moving the furniture back in and decorate. Her birthday quilt is going to look great in here!

This quilt was made for the son and new DIL of some dear friends. It is lap sized and perfect for the newly-weds to cuddle under! Maybe not right now - Alabama is in the midst of our usual summer heat wave! This pattern went together so fast!

Time to get moving! Here's to getting some more sewing time in soon!

How did she like the quilt?

2010-05-31T17:50:00.003-05:00

I was able to get a few pictures of my son's teacher opening her quilt.
She was surprised to say the least!

I guess I caught her in the middle of saying something!

Ian took this picture of Mrs. T and me holding the quilt. Every time I saw Mrs. T that day she would give me a hug and tell me thank you - again! But how can I tell her thank you for all that she has done for Ian?

Such a great way to start the summer!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

2010-05-28T09:58:00.004-05:00

Amy, over at Amy's Creative Side, has been hosting the Blogger's Quilt Festival for the past week. If you are in need of some inspiration, head on over there right away.

My entry for the festival is also my latest finish. I made this quilt for my son's third grade teacher. She is one of those teachers that changes your child's life. Before her, Ian tolerated school. Now he LOVES school. She has truly inspired him to want to learn!

I am a substitute teacher at my children's school and subbed for Mrs. T several times this year. One day I took all the house pieces into class with me and each child got to design their own house. We then put their house into a baggie and labeled it with their name. Even the intern got to make a house! Then I brought everything home and assembled it. I love how each house shows a little bit of the child's personality. (All the pictures are clickable.)

This is a close-up of my son's block. As you can see, I labeled each house with the child's name.

I presented the quilt to her this past week at our end of the year party. She was speechless! She said she is going to hang it in her classroom next year. This group of 3rd graders is looping up with her to 4th grade. We are all very thankful and excited to have such a wonderful teacher for another year!

Thanks to Bonnie Hunter for such a wonderful pattern!

And thanks to you for checking out my blog! I hope you will check back often!

Summer is almost here!

2010-05-22T18:44:00.003-05:00

Summer is almost here! Two more days of school and several end of the year/season parties and then two and a half months of freedom. Maddie's 5th grade graduation was on Friday. Grams and Papa came down for the ceremony. Maddie earned a "President's Award for Academic Excellence" for straight A's. My smart girl. Next year is on to middle school. It will seem strange not having the kids at the same school - that won't happen again until Maddie is a senior in high school.

On to quilts - here is my (our) latest finish. Over a year ago, I talked Mom into making these blocks with me. We were each making two blocks and then we would exchange them and each end up with a lap size quilt. We decided about six months ago to combine them into one quilt. I finally got the blocks together and quilted. Me and mom were scheduled to give a short talk/show and tell at my local quilt guild in May- so I was rushing to get it done. I'll share pictures from our talk later. We both love how it turned out.

When Mom and Dad got here Wednesday night, Mom handed me this heavy trash bag and told me happy birthday. When I got inside, I found my grandmother's antique Singer sewing machine. This is the machine my mom learned to sew on. It was originally a treadle machine but was at some point electrified. I looked up the serial number - are you ready?? 1892! Wow! The bottom case need to be replaced and I haven't checked to see if it even runs - but I am thrilled to own it!

And the week's other big score - a Singer sewing table and machine. The machine runs and dates to 1930. What I really wanted was the table. It is in excellent condition. $60 at the thrift store!! I felt like Nina, finding one of her excellent finds! Now to figure out where to put it!

This weekend I need to put the binding on a lap quilt for Ian's teacher. The party is on Monday. I will post a picture as soon as it is done.

Here's to more quilting time this summer!

May??? How???

2010-05-01T20:26:00.006-05:00

How did it get to be May already? In 9 more days, my baby boy will be 9. I have decided to stop feeding him in hopes that he will stop growing!

This quilt (above) started life as a baby quilt, but turned out to be too big. So I tried a second time and ended up with these quilts. So this one has been hanging out for about six months with no purpose. Every spring the kids' school has a spring festival and silent auction. I decided to quilt this up and donate it to the auction. The school's art teacher ended up winning it! She was excited and I was happy someone I knew won it. Next year, if I do another , I will do a Auburn themed quilt - simply because Auburn stuff always does well.

This week I am hoping to quilt a top that I have made for Ian's teacher. Only three more weeks of school so I had better get moving! It is another one of Bonnie's wonky house quilts, like I made for Maddie's first grade teacher. I cut the pieces out and then let each child pick out their own houses. I labeled each house with the child's name. The top is ready to go and the back is ready to be pieced. I will show it when it is finished.

I also need to work on the top me and mom are making together, shown below. We each made half of the blocks. I need to add a couple of borders (one skinny and one wider) and then get it quilted. It needs to be done by the 20th when Mom and I are supposed to give a presentation at our local quilt guild. The talk is supposed to be about quilts we have made together - but we are starting to realize that we haven't really made that many together. I have quilted a lot of her quilts for her and we have made several quilts from the same pattern (sometimes at the same time). We have also done a couple of quilts where I have pieced the top and she has hand quilted it for me. It is going to end up being more of just a show and tell.

Nina has inspired me - again! Go check out the quilt she is working on! I drew it up in EQ6 and plan on working on it as a leader/ender project. It should be a great stash buster. I am hoping to make it in colors similar to Nina's.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Three finishes in one day!

2010-04-03T20:02:00.003-05:00

This week I have been struck by the mood to finish up some UFOs that have been sitting around for too long. Last Saturday night I went into the dresser where I store works in progress and pulled out these first two quilts. All either one needed was to have the borders put on. This first one is going to go in the mail Monday to some friends of ours in Pennsylvania who just adopted a sweet baby boy. Hopefully they will send me a picture of Elijah enjoying his quilt!

This second one was pieced from leftovers from another quilt. Once I got the borders put on, it was either stick them back in the drawer to marinate some more or bite the bullet and get them quilted. I love having a quilting machine but the Hinterberg frame isn't the easiest thing to use. Lots of adjustments to make every time you advance the quilt. Anyway - I got both of these baby quilts quilted this week, along with another top that my mom had pieced for my cousin who had a baby girl on Monday. Thankfully I didn't have to bind that one! Just stuck it back in the mail to Mom!

Nina - are you sitting down? Today I managed to get bindings on all three of these quilts pictured! Aren't you impressed? Nina knows how I hate putting on bindings. I put it off if at all possible.

This last one is from Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Christmas mystery pattern. It has been sitting in my sewing room, quilted, for about 2 months now. Yes, I hate binding that much! So once I got on a roll today I knew I couldn't stop until this one was done too! I love it! Thanks, Bonnie, for such a great pattern!

Now - will I be as productive this coming week? All the pictures should be clickable for a larger view!

Oops!

2010-03-10T07:40:00.004-06:00

Time has slipped away from me again! I have been sewing some, substitute teaching lots, and on top of it all, I got the flu last week.

Here is the latest quilting projects: (All the pictures are clickable for a bigger view!)

This baby quilt is made from the BQ quilt pattern - using the smaller sized blocks. I have got a large version of this same quilt cut out for Maddie. I guess I over-estimated how much fabric I would need for a baby quilt - I had enough for a lap size quilt for Maddie too! I just had to buy a tiny bit more of the green.

This baby is due at the end of March and her name is going to be Pepper. Never heard of that one before!

Then there is Maddie's Paris quilt. Right before I got pregnant with Maddie, Stacy and I got to go to Europe for three weeks. While we were in Paris, we saw the name Madeleine on a subway stop. Stacy fell in love with the name and the French way of spelling it. Since his previous choice of a girl's name was Mathilda, I quickly agreed with the new name. A year later, Madeleine arrived! I started quilting when Maddie was about 10 months old and immediately started collecting Eiffel Tower fabrics. This is the BQ pattern again - using the large block size to show off the Paris fabrics. Maddie loved it. I gave it to her for her birthday last week. We are going to repaint her bedroom and do a whole Paris theme!

Now that that big project is out of the way, I have started on a end-of-school present for Ian's teacher. I subbed for Mrs. T a couple of weeks ago and was able to get the kids in on the project. I cut out tons a wacky fabrics and let the kids put together their own wonky houses from Bonnie's pattern. We put each kid's house into a baggie and labeled it with their name. After I sew each house together, I will label it with the child's name. I made one of these quilts for Maddie's first grade teacher - and she loved it. Ian's teacher this year is a jewel. She has made such a difference in how Ian feels about school. I went in and talked to her right after school started and she was willing to make some homework plan changes to help Ian with his reading. He loves going to school. Mrs. T does such fun, cool projects with them. Can you tell that I love her? I am making myself sew a few houses each day - so that the end of May doesn't sneak up on me!

Carolina Christmas

2010-01-11T10:48:00.003-06:00

I have been able to spend a lot of time in my sewing room in the past week or so. As I said in my last post, I have been working on the blocks for Bonnie's Carolina Christmas. I had made all of the pieces for the green pieced blocks when I decided I would never finish a bed size version. So I downsized to a lap quilt. I love how it has turned out! The big blocks are ready to be sewn together and then to add some borders. The gold (yellow) really makes everything pop!

My question to you is - is anyone out there interested in my leftovers from this quilt? I have enough of the green pieced blocks (4 inch) to make another 8 large blocks (16 inch). And I have lots of the background/gold two patches. Also a pile of the 4 patches with the red half square triangles. I would love to send this to someone who will put it to good use! Who wants to claim it?

First finish of 2010 !

2010-01-05T20:59:00.003-06:00

For the last several days I have been working on my Carolina Christmas blocks. Very slow going! Ian came into my sewing room Sunday night and kept me company for nearly an hour. Just jabbering and poking around the general mess of the room. At some point he comes across some yardage that we had bought over a year ago to make a blanket for him. Footballs and soccer balls. Ian decided he had waited long enough for this quilt - it must be made NOW! I finally made a deal with him - I would work on the quilt for him as long as he was working on cleaning his bedroom. If he quit - I quit! Monday morning he was ready to get busy at about 8 a.m.! Unfortunately his room only took about an hour to get to a livable state - where as the quilt took slightly longer! It about killed him last night when I told him that I would not be able to get the binding put on until today. Tonight he started buttering me up with tons of kisses - yes - I caved and got back to work! He stood right beside me the entire time I was making the binding and sewing it on. He finally got tired of standing and pulled up a chair. He cracks me up! He was very happy that he was going to get to cuddle up under his new quilt tonight. What more could a mama ask for than such great appreciation! He couldn't resist giving me a cheesy grin for the first picture. What a sweet face!

Overwhelming!

2010-01-03T16:37:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone out there in blogland had a wonderful holiday season. We were so happy to get to stay home this year. Usually we are either going to my parents or to the in-laws. This year, the in-laws came here for Thanksgiving and my parents came for Christmas. This means that a much greater percentage of my time was able to be spent in pajamas! The kids still have a few more days until they go back to school so I am sure the laziness will continue.

I got to spend most of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day sewing. I have been admiring Bonnie's Carolina Christmas since she posted the picture of her completed top. I really didn't want to start another project when there are so many unfinished things sitting around here anyway! But the Christmas fabrics were already out .... yes, I caved. I completed step one and was working on step two when I got the itch to see one of the finished blocks. They are huge.... and beautiful... and each one has 88 pieces in it! UGH! I have decided to make a lap sized version - which could also be used as a table topper. Since I have most of the green 4" blocks already pieced, I will probably use the extras in a border.

What are you working on right now?

Less than a month!

2009-12-16T21:02:00.004-06:00

Nina has been pestering me for a new post - claiming she checks here everyday and there is never a new post. I finally remembered to get my husband to bring home his good camera so that I can take pictures of the latest quilts.

This first one is still just a top. Not sure if it will get quilted before Christmas. It is approximately 50" square. I am going to bind it in red. Can't wait to see it after it is washed - hopefully all nice and crinkly!

This next one is already a favorite! I think I am going to name it "How the Wrench stole Christmas". Get it? The pattern is from the February 2009 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. Four different sizes of Monkey Wrench blocks. I think the largest is about 15 inches. I love all the reds and greens together. Click for larger versions of all these pictures!

Here is a close up of the four different sizes of monkey wrenches. I got tired of making these blocks by the end - but when I got top put together I fell in love all over again. I might even be lured into making this one again!

Yesterday my son and I were talking about a friend of his who has gone home to India for the past month. I told Ian that I guess that means he would need to go home to Indiana. He was up for the idea - with the hopes of seeing snow. He was only two when we left Indiana and says he doesn't remember much. I would be up for spending a holiday in the frozen north - especially if it meant spending time with Nines and her family! Wishing all of my quilting friends a very merry Christmas!

Added: SewCalGal is hosting a virtual Christmas quilt show. Go check it out and be inspired!

Oops!

2009-11-24T08:48:00.005-06:00

I shouldn't have complained about not posting for a month - because now I have gone two months with nothing new. Somehow the fast forward button on time has been hit and I can't seem to slow down.

As usual - lots of baby quilts to show. This pink quilt is made from left overs! I love the fresh look that the white sashing gives it. This one is for a young Chinese couple that go to church with us. The husband is attending Auburn to get his doctorate in math. Baby Hannah is expected to arrive a few days before Christmas!

Another young couple at services are expecting twins in December. Two boys! We have been friends with Matt and Jana for over six years now and she has been waiting patiently for her turn for a quilt. They moved away for a year or so and when they moved back she told me that one of the big reasons she was excited to be back in Auburn was because now she will get a baby quilt! Little did I know she would somehow scheme a way to get two! I wanted to keep the green quilt for myself, but it was a bit small. Maybe I should make another one for me!

I have another quilt to show you, but I haven't photographed it yet, so it will have to wait. This morning is the Thanksgiving play at school and then I told the kids I would go ahead and check them out. We need to get busy cleaning - the in-laws are coming tomorrow. Looking forward to turkey and dressing! Hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

Disappearing act

2009-09-15T11:15:00.005-05:00

I didn't meant to disappear for a month - but just haven't been very inspired to post. I have been sewing though! This first quilt has a long story. About seven or eight years ago, my grandma Mimi gave me a walmart bag with these pieced blocks inside. The fabrics are vintage. I don't know if she had made the blocks or if she had somehow inherited them from someone else. They sat in my project closet for a year or so until we started to pack up to move from Indiana to Alabama. I decided life was too short for these "ugly" blocks - so I passed them on to Nina. Nina has an amazing sense of color. She put this top together and packed it away in her box of tops to be quilted. A couple of years later, I am visiting and we are having a little show and tell. She shows me the top and I fall in love, but she won't give it up. A couple of more years pass - I visit again - and we have another show and tell - and the top is still sitting there. This time I managed to talk her out of it. We even managed to go out and find a backing and she quilted it up for me. Check out the amazing free-hand quilting. Now the quilt has been sitting in my project closet for a couple of years waiting for me to finish the binding. Yesterday I had a friend come over to practice on using my quilting machine - so while she did that, I put the binding on this quilt. I love that it is finally finished!

My neighbor hired me to make a quilt for another set of neighbors who were expecting their first baby. The quilt turned out to be bigger than your normal baby quilt - but that way she can use it longer! The middle squares are the fabrics the mommy-to-be chose for her nursery. I hope the baby likes bright colors!

I am working on a Christmas quilt right now - all shades of reds and greens. The pattern is from American Patchwork & Quilting and is made completely out of churn dash blocks. The blocks range in size from 16 inches down to 4.5 inches. I am loving it!

While surfing through my bloglines the other day, I fell in love with another Christmas quilt. Go ahead and click on the link - but be prepared to fall in love! I ordered 7 of the main prints from a couple of shops on Etsy - My Heart & Sew and Spiceberry Cottage . I gotten the fabrics and I love them even more than I did in the pictures! They are silky smooth! I am hoping to visit a couple of local (45 miles) quilt stores very soon and get the rest of the fabrics - so I can get this done before Christmas. This year we get to be at our home for Thanksgiving and Christmas - so I am looking forward to decorating!

Flea Market Fancy

2009-08-19T08:23:00.004-05:00

The fabric is all gone now! Good job!

Yesterday while shopping in a small local fabric store, I came across an almost full bolt of the polka dot fabric in the middle of the picture. If you are in need of some of it (at about $9 a yard), email me and I will get you the name & number for the shop.

What happened to my free time?

2009-08-17T20:44:00.003-05:00

The kids started back to school last Monday - which should have left me with more time on my hands - but I am still waiting for that to happen. Last Monday we also had to say goodbye to my husband's first full-time employee. She has been with us for over two years. She is now going on to grad school. She loved the quilt I made for her. Her grandmother is a quilter - but Cayce says her quilts look like "Grandmother" quilts. She loved this quilt because of "the cool fabrics".

After giving Cayce her quilt, I had to turn my attention to finishing the latest baby quilt. The shower was on Saturday. As usual, the mother loved it! There was also much talk about my new "one quilt" rule. Everyone said that they would just have to hire me to make their additional quilts. Not really what I was going for, but it might be an acceptable alternative. My mom said it might make them realize what a precious gift I have been giving out.

For the backing, I used the left over fabrics and cut it into 10.5" squares (Bonnie Hunter's suggestion!). I love the patchwork look on the back!

This week I am working on quilting my birthday quilt. I am a member of a birthday block lunch group in my guild. We meet once a month to celebrate someone's birthday and we each make them a block of their choice. My birthday celebration was in July. I love the variety of fabrics the ladies used in their blocks. The quilt is loaded on the machine and will hopefully get quilted tomorrow. I am hoping to have it finished by Thursday to take to the guild meeting for show and tell.

Have a great week!

Latest finishes

2009-07-29T20:12:00.006-05:00

There hasn't been a whole lot of sewing going on around here but I have managed to finish a couple of things. This quilt is for a girl that has worked for my husband for the past two years. She graduated from Auburn and started working for Stacy right away. We have loved having her here. She is quite the Renaissance woman. She loves to make up recipes and is a wonderful cook. She makes her own peanut butter and caramel! She also coached Maddie's basketball team this past spring. Anyway - she is leaving Auburn to go to grad school in Texas - so I thought she deserved a special going away gift. Since Stacy only has one full-time employee - this isn't a dangerous precedence to set!

I found these fabrics at Jo-Ann's over spring break and knew they were the perfect thing to make Cayce a quilt.

Aren't the little trees adorable?

I hate having little scraps of left over fabric and since I am not much of a scrappy quilter, I like to use everything up! I pieced the leftovers into the back with some cream fabric from my stash. And I had just enough of the brown fabric to make the binding.

This next quilt represents the end of an era. I have mentioned before that I have made a baby quilt for every new baby born to someone in our congregation. I have had a very busy six years. This quilt is the THIRD quilt I have made for this family. There is another family I have also made three quilts for. I decided that I can not keep up this pace. I don't have time to do any quilting for me! My new rule is one quilt per family. I can do a gender specific quilt or a gender neutral quilt (so future babies can share). This one is for a baby boy due in September.

Again I decided to use all the leftovers to piece the backing. I love the stripes!

I just went back and counted - I have made, at the very least, 26 baby quilts for people from church in the past six years. That averages out to just over 4 quilts per year. I know there have been more than that but I haven't really kept a list. Things should slow down now with my new rules!

My First Quilt

2009-07-06T11:08:00.003-05:00

Camille over at Simplify and Carrie of Miss Rosie fame are hosting a look at our first quilts. They want us to post a picture of our first quilt and our most recent quilt. So here goes!

My first quilt was started in the spring of 2000. A couple of ladies from church were going to teach the rest of us to quilt. We met once a week for a couple of hours. I almost gave up on quilting until someone explained how to butt opposing seams against each other. Since I was making a Irish chain quilt, that one little hint was priceless! I managed to finish that quilt and have been hooked ever since! My mom hand quilted the quilt.

This is my latest finish. It is a baby sized quilt made from Bonnie's pineapple blossom pattern. In the last almost ten years I have learned to be more adventurous in my color choices. And I have learned how important it is to be accurate.

So now it is your turn - go out there and post pictures of your first and most recent quilts. And then go back and leave a comment on Camille's or Carrie's blog so we can all go check them out!

Bags-O-Bags

2009-06-27T10:26:00.004-05:00

I haven't been quilting much this past week - but I have been working on UFO's. Over two ago Emily over at What's that gonna be? posted directions on how to make a cute little tote bag out of two dish towels. So I bookmarked the page and started keeping my eyes open for cute dishtowels. I found some on clearance at Kroger and stuck them away, waiting for a moment to try it out. Here it is over a year later and I needed several little birthday gifts. So I dragged the towels out and got to work. They are so quick and simple! You can make a single bag in less than half an hour. Now did I take any picture of the 6 bags I made out of the dishtowels? Nope. Forgot.

But all these dishtowels got me thinking! My sweet sister bought me 4 Orla Kiely place mats and some cloth napkins from Target for my birthday last week. I immediately sat down and whipped her up a bag out of two of the place mats. This bag is bigger than the dishtowel ones and stiffer since the place mats were much stiffer to begin with. She had bought three place mats with a blue backing and one with a brown backing. Thus began our wild goose chase to find more of them. Her hubby went back to the Target where she had bought them and found one more with a blue back. He also checked out another Target near by - no luck. Last week when me and Naomi headed back to Nashville, we hit four more Targets. No luck. Oh well - at least I have enough to make me a bag too!

All this sewing got Naomi thinking I could just whip her up a bag out of anything so she went out and bought fabric. The bags are reversible - the picture shows the bags and there reversed insides. Yes - four more bags. I also made my 4 year old nephew Joey a CARS bag. I think I have had enough of these bags for a while.

Today I am trying to get a lap sized quilt quilted up for someone. She does good work - but this time her backing was wonky with a capital W. After squaring it up, it was no longer big enough. So I had to add strips of one of her other fabrics to the sides. Next come adding some strips to the batting! Wish me luck!

Two more done!!

2009-06-03T21:46:00.003-05:00

Today was another banner day! I got TWO bindings done. Nina knows how I feel about doing bindings. Both of these quilts have been sitting in the closet waiting for the binding for an entire year. Sad, isn't it?

This first one is going to be a wedding gift for a sweet couple. The wedding is Saturday afternoon. I love this pattern and will definitely be making another one. (All the pictures are clickable for a larger view!)

This second one is an extremely belated college graduation gift. It is only two years late! Oops! This is the famous Yellow Brick Road pattern. So quick and easy. This is the third or fourth quilt I have made out of these green fabrics. I think they were multiplying when I wasn't watching!

Tomorrow I will get the labels on these and they will be ready to go. Today I also got the hall closet reorganized (again!) and got the fabric storage boxes put away - so there are no more piles of fabric sitting around the sewing room. My cleaning focus needs to turn to the kids' rooms. Some major dejunking needs to happen. My sister and the cousins are coming in a week so we need to get busy!

Things I have forgotten!

2009-06-01T06:47:00.003-05:00

Last week when I started working on the Strip Twist QOV (see the post below), I started wondering where this other quilt went. This is the Star Struck quilt I made in Bonnie's workshop back in October. I couldn't remember finishing it and I couldn't figure out what had become of it. It is so sad to get old! On Thursday as I was trimming the other quilt, it finally came back to me - I had given this quilt to my cousin, who was just getting back from a tour of duty in Iraq. Looking back through the blog, I never even posted about it! Here it is finished. I love this pattern and I may have to make another one.

Friday I quilted this top and got it bound. Saturday was a quilting day for our local guild to work on charity quilts. I dropped this quilt off to the coordinator, along with blocks to make a green and yellow version of it. Two UFO's out the door and gone to a good cause.

Plans for this week? I have had a pile of quilted quilts sitting in the closet, just waiting for the binding. Waiting, waiting, waiting! We are going to a dear friend's wedding on Saturday and I am hoping to get one of these quilts finished for her. There is also another quilt in there that was meant to be a graduation gift for one her bridesmaids - so maybe that one will get done too! Usually I don't give quilts as wedding or graduation gifts, but these two particular girls have a special place in my heart! Definitely don't need to start any new traditions! I am already over run with making baby quilts!

What are your plans for the week?

Summer!

2009-05-29T18:02:00.003-05:00

I have been sewing a lot this week. The kids are home for the summer and we have been being lazy! I sew for a while, then we go to the pool until I get too hot, then come home and take a nap!

This quilt pattern is from Bonnie's site. The pattern is called :Strip Twist". A friend of mine, Kathi, from the local guild quilted it for me on her Gammill with the Statler Stitcher. It is amazing! We did a eagle with its wings spread in the triangles around the edges. In the center I did a free-hand stars and loops. This week I finally got the binding put on it and mailed it to Kathi's step-son. He is a solider and has been to Iraq several times (if I am remembering it correctly!) - Click for bigger pictures!

I have declared this the summer of the UFO. I am determined to finish up some of these unfinished projects that are sitting around here haunting me! Today I quilted a quilt that will be donated to our guild's charity group. I also have some blocks that I am going to donate to them. Two down - lots to go!

A lovely rainy Saturday

2009-05-24T07:48:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was rainy and overcast here in Alabama - a good excuse to hang around the house and be lazy! I was able to finish the binding on this baby quilt in time to take it to quilt guild meeting Thursday night for show-n-tell. The baby shower was on Saturday. Lots of yummy foods and good friends. Summer loved the quilt.

This was the first quilt where I attempted to change thread colors. I couldn't find a thread color that looked good with the brown, blue and green - so I used three colors. The blue and brown thread blended into the blue backing but the cream color thread really stood out and made a cool design. You should be able to click for a larger picture.

I also made these yummy cupcake bites for the party. The inside is chocolate cake crumbled up and combined with chocolate frosting. The outside coating is almond bark. For more yummy edible ideas, check out Bakerella at www.bakerella.com .

This is me and the mommy-to be. Her due date is June 14th - but I am trying to convince her the 17th is better.

Have a wonderful weekend! The kids are done with school so let our summer of fun begin!

Ready for the mail man....

2009-05-18T20:07:00.004-05:00

I have finally finished the birthday challenge that was due last year on our birthdays. Oops! I changed my mind on this at least 5 or 6 times. My first idea was a folk artsy applique pattern - but then I decided I was kidding myself thinking I would ever get an applique done. Another idea was using some of my hand-dyed fabrics in a sort of amish setting. I got far enough on this one that I was trying to machine quilt it on my little machine. It wasn't turning out well. There were some other ideas thrown in there too but I can't remember them all. I hope Nina's mom likes it. I am sending along some other goodies for her too. I actually made this table runner twice - the first time I used a slightly lighter green and wasn't as thrilled with it - although I do like it. This darker green is better.

I am working on the binding for the green/blue/brown baby quilt. It is sewn onto the front - just need to flip it to the back. Hopefully it will be finished tomorrow.

Only four more days of school! This summer will involve lots of travel. Hopefully I will get to quilt some!

Don't tell anyone....

2009-05-08T21:19:00.002-05:00

but I have been sewing some the past few days! Nina actually showed me up by getting our last birthday challenge mailed off to my mom before me. The challenge was to make a table runner for each other's mom. Too bad it has only taken us only two years to get this done! Every time I would sit down to work on mine I would change my mind about what I wanted to do. It's done now and will be quilted next week and then into the mail.

This baby quilt has been awaiting borders for a month now. As you can see, I went with the green on the inside. I love how it turned out. I finally put the borders on tonight and it too will hopefully be quilted next week. The shower is on the 23rd.

I am waiting to hear about a last minute commissioned quilt. The lady wants a good sized lap quilt done in cream colors and using some sort of yellow-brick-road like pattern. We will see if my price quote scared her off!

Have a wonderful weekend and a lovely Mother's Day if you are here in the States!

Green or blue

2009-04-12T17:25:00.002-05:00

These are the 4 blocks that will be my next baby quilt. I need to ask the mom if she wants it to seem more green or more blue. I am going to add one more round of strips, then some sashing between the four blocks and then some sort of border. These greens just seem to scream spring!

Yet another baby quilt

2009-04-02T17:36:00.003-05:00

Yes, another baby quilt. This time I am done early - the shower isn't until Saturday! I love this one - all the soft pinks and browns. The baby's name is going to be Anna Grace. Isn't that such a beautiful classic name?

The next quilt that I am making is for a baby boy who is due right around my birthday in June. The colors for this one will be a chocolate brown, bright blue, and a not quite lime green. I am hoping to make it to Columbus and JoAnn's next week so I can get going on this one.

I also have several quilts sitting here, just waiting for bindings. Nina knows how much I LOVE doing bindings.

What are you making?

Spring Break and the plague

2009-03-19T18:48:00.005-05:00

My children have a knack for getting sick the week before spring break. We decided to pass on our planned trip to Washington DC and stay home and rest. It's a good thing we did because hubby and I have both come down with the plague this week. Lots of laying around, watching movies, napping, and some sewing!

This is the next baby quilt I needed to get done. The shower is April 4th. This is my attempt at a blended quilt -very hard to photograph when all the colors are so pale and close in color! I like how it turned out! The pattern is called "Seeing Stars" from American Patchwork & Quilting, December 2008. Can you see the stars hidden in there?

I have also spent some time playing around with the charm pack I got last week. I had also been admiring Judy's latest stash project. So I combined the two into these blocks. I had to alter the sizes a little bit so I could use the charm block - but it turned out cute. I can make two blocks from each charm square. I think I will use the blocks to make matching lap quilts for my daughter and my niece. I don't think I am going to set like Judy suggests, but am going to put some white sashing around the blocks, ala Crazy Mom Quilts.

What else might I get to work on this week? Hmmm....

Help me!

2009-03-17T09:22:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was roaming around some blogs I read and came across Allison's post about some cute fabric she had found at JoAnn's. Very cute! I happened to need to go and get some batting so we sweet talked hubby into driving down to Columbus with us and went shopping. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it!) the nearest Joann's is about an hour away. Anyway - here's what I got!

This first group is going to be made into a lap quilt for my husband's employee. She will be leaving us in August to go to grad school in Texas. She was #1 in her graduating class and we are not sure how we will ever replace her. We have been lucky to have her with us for two years. Anyway - I wanted to make her something special as a going-away gift.

And then there is this lemon fabric! I love it! It is an Alexander Henry fabric and it is so bright and cheery! It has a nice weight to it.

These last two are from Hobby Lobby. They remind me of the Orla Kiely stuff at Target.

This is a little peak at three lap quilts I am making for the sons of a friend of ours that passed away suddenly last week. The boys are 15, 12, and 9. They will have a long road ahead of them without their mama - breaks my heart. My stomach is still in knots whenever I think about it.

We were supposed to be in Washington DC this week for spring break but Ian came down with a bad cough last week so we decided it wasn't wise to go off like that. Now me and hubby are getting so throats so it is just as well that we are at home. Gives me lots of time to sew though!

Burned a hole in my pocket

2009-03-10T20:03:00.003-05:00

Last week Judy was kind enough to choose the cake recipe I submitted when she was looking a recipe for Vince's birthday cake. I won a gift certificate for $59.09 to The Fat Quarter Shop!

Judy announced the winner on Thursday morning and I managed not to spend the gift certificate until at least 8 p.m. that evening. I would have spent it sooner but there was so much beautiful fabric to choose from, I couldn't narrow it down!

I finally came to some decisions. The picture above is of the SWANKY charm pack by Chez Moi for Moda. So bright and cheerful.

The four pink fabrics all have the Eiffel Tower on them and will eventually make their way into Madeleine's Paris quilt. The others were just pretty browns and greens that I couldn't resist.

Thank you again, Judy! I am glad your family enjoyed the cake!

Oh - did I share our plans for spring break next week? My brother-in-law and his family live in DC and we are going to spend the week with them! And do you know what is between Auburn Alabama and Washington DC? Mary Jo's Fabrics in Gastonia North Carolina. Last time we went to DC I remember seeing it from the interstate - this time we WILL be stopping! I had better start taking my self-control pills today!

Last minute finish!

2009-03-04T07:51:00.003-06:00

The star quilt is finished and given to the expectant mama. The baby shower was on Saturday and she got tons of wonderful things. Including a wet quilt! I was so proud of myself for getting the top quilted over a week and a half before the shower. But when did I get around to putting the binding on it? In the two hours between Maddie's tea party and the baby shower! No problem - except that I decided to wash the quilt too. The white background fabric was being difficult and was showing the little holes where it had been quilted. I threw it in the washer on the express wash cycle - it should have taken about half an hour. Fifty minutes later it is still not done - I stood there watching it spin and spin and spin - and it wouldn't count down past 5 minutes left to go. I gave up and took it out of the washer anyway - and it was still soaking wet. Into the dryer it goes - with some already dry bath towels. 30 minutes later the quilt is still wet - and I am half an hour late for the shower. Out of the dryer comes the wet, label-less quilt and off we go. When I get to the shower everyone is still snacking so I sneak the quilt into the hostesses dryer. By the time everyone finished eating and the mama-to-be had opened most of the other gifts, the quilt had finally dried to a slightly damp condition! I had to bring the quilt back home to put the label on it but it was returned to the mommy the next morning at church. And isn't Shelby Mae just the most southern name you've ever heard?

I am almost done with my sewing room and closet reorganization extravaganza. We are hopefully having some company this weekend - so it needs to get done today - along with the rest of the house. But this "company" knows our normal low standards and is just happy for a bed to lay her weary head down on, so I am not too worried! She will leave her white gloves and magnifying glass at home.

How did it get to be March?

2009-03-02T16:57:00.009-06:00

First things first, today is my sweet Madeleine's 10th birthday. We celebrated on Saturday with a tea party. Lots of fun! All dressed up - eating petits fours,
chocolate covered strawberries, and sugar cookies and
drinking punch out of my tea cup collection.

Today I decided to reorganize my sewing room. It needs it badly. There is an empty white dresser in Ian's room that I decided to switch out with the little bookcase in my sewing room. Got that part done but now my table and the floor underneath are covered with stuff that needs a new home! I think my next job will be cleaning out the hall closet where my stash is hidden, err.... I mean, housed! I am hoping to find room for all of my quilting books in the closet - since they don't work so well in a dresser drawer! Anyone out there a professional organizer? Help!

This is my quilting thread collection.
I just love all the colors!

Go sign up!

2009-02-23T14:31:00.001-06:00

Kerri over at Lovely Little Handmades is giving away a charm pack of adorable Japanese fabrics. Go check it out - quick!

Thanks Kerri!

A Good mail day!

2009-02-13T11:26:00.004-06:00

Long distance friendship can be hard. Me and Nines met when our girls were just 5 months old. We lived about 15 minutes apart and thanks to my 4-wheel drive, even snowy weather couldn't keep us apart for long! We lived close to each other for four years. Then my husband accepted a job way down south - and now we live about 12 hours apart. Yeah - we talk on the phone and email each other - but it's not the same as eating Chinese food face to face!

Yesterday I received a box of goodies in the mail from my sweet friend. Isn't it nice when someone knows your tastes and knows what will make you smile? Of course it makes me miss her even more. Thanks you, Nines! I love all of it! Not a day goes by that I don't think of you and miss you!

A productive and fun Wednesday

2009-02-11T17:13:00.002-06:00

This morning my new quilting friend, Linda, came over and we quilted her quilt top made from Cindy's stash. (Remember I made that orange and blue pineapple quilt out of Cindy's stash fabric ?) Linda was amazed at how quickly we got a lap sized quilt done. We just did a big meander so it took longer to advance the quilt than it did to quilt it! We got done just in time to go to our guild's birthday group's monthly lunch. It was right around the corner from me but we still managed to be late! After a lovely lunch, I came back and took a short nap before the kids got home.

Then this afternoon while doing all the spelling homework, I got the blocks for the star baby quilt sewn together. Those little squares in the diagonal lines are ONE inch big. I am still debating on what kind of border it needs.

So what have you been up to today?

One more choice!

2009-02-08T16:24:00.003-06:00

It seems like most people liked the uniqueness of choice #1 - but Jacquie wondered how things might look with the little squares in random colors. So here you go!

So - last decision - one color or all the colors? One color is choice #1 in the post below.

Thanks for your input!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Bigger Stars !

2009-02-07T09:27:00.004-06:00

At some point this week, I came to my senses and decided that I did not want to make 48 of those tiny little 4 inch stars. Sure - it would have been a stunning quilt, but I may have ended up crossed-eyed in the end! So I decided to go bigger! Much quicker! These larger stars will finish off at 8 inches.

Now comes the decision of the alternate blocks.

CHOICE #1 : This first example is like it is shown in the magazine - diagonal lines in one direction only.

CHOICE #2: Diagonal lines in both directions - in one color.

CHOICE #3 : Diagonal lines in both directions - in two different colors.

So what do you think? Which alternate blocks should I use?

Why you should read the directions carefully!

2009-02-02T16:51:00.003-06:00

Isn't this a lovely quilt? It is from the latest edition of American Quilting and Patchwork. I fell in love with it and thought it would make a cute baby quilt if I adjusted the size down a little bit. Yesterday I decided to start working on it and got out the magazine so I could start cutting the pieces. Only then did I finally read that the blocks are 4 INCHES ! It IS a baby quilt already. It is still cute - so I decided to give it a go.

That is one of my featherweight bobbins to give you a sense of size. Those little yellow squares are 1.5 inches and are used to make the flying geese pieces of the stars. Only about 40 more little stars to go!

Go sign up!

2009-01-30T20:05:00.002-06:00

Judi over at Green Fairy Quilts is having an great giveaway! Not only is she giving away a quilted bag - but she is also including a yard of fabric and two fat quarter bundles.

Go sign up! Hurry!

Maddie update

2009-01-23T12:36:00.003-06:00

Maddie is doing so well. She has only taken the Tylenol with codeine once - because we made her - the first night after surgery. Last night she took some motrin just to be safe. Her eye is swollen - but not swollen shut. She is a little black and blue but she was getting a black eye even before the surgery.

Yesterday she was able to sit and watch TV without having to cover her right eye. She said the double vision is getting better. She said things aren't as far apart as they were before the surgery.

We go back to see the surgeon on Monday afternoon.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please keep us in your prayers - that her recovery will continue to go well.

News on Maddie

2009-01-21T11:38:00.001-06:00

Maddie and Ian accidentally ran headlong into each other on Sunday night. The top of Ian's head caught Maddie right on the cheekbone.

We thought maybe she had a slight concussion but after a CT scan Monday morning, we have found out that she has fractured a bone in her cheek.

We had an appointment with the surgeon, Dr. Zadoo on Monday afternoon. He said she has fractured the very fragile bone that supports the eyeball. If it was just the fractured bone, he would just let it heal on its own. In Maddie's case, it seems like the eye muscle is getting caught in the fracture, making it painful to move her eye up and down.

We got to the hospital at 6 a.m. this morning and they took Maddie into surgery at about 7:30. The surgeon came out at about 8:30 and said everything had gone well. He said the fracture was more like a ledge and he was a little concerned that the fracture might have scraped or ripped her eye muscle. He said we will just have to keep an eye on it. He put some sort of absorbable thing over the fracture so that the muscle won't rub anymore or get caught.

We are home now and plan to sleep the day away!

Keep us in your prayers!

The Headache Quilt

2009-01-13T12:18:00.002-06:00

The January guild meeting is Thursday night and I want to be able to turn in this charity quilt. It is not that big of a quilt - about 60" square - and really shouldn't take that long to quilt. Right? Wrong! My poor little Voyager did not like the two layers of batiks. The thread kept breaking on me. Ugh! I was ready to give up and walk away. Finally I decided to get out the machine manuals and see what they suggested. Tried loosening the top tension a little tiny bit and that seemed to do the trick. Made it all the way to the very last little bit before it broke again. Phew! Very glad to be done with that one !

I would also like to get my Bonnie's stars quilt quilted for show-and-tell , but I don't know if that is going to happen. My parents are coming on Friday so I have to spend a little time straightening up the house. Plus I am subbing on Friday. Busy, busy, busy!

What are you up to this week?

I'm in love - again!

2009-01-02T18:00:00.003-06:00

Photo is clickable for larger view!

These past three days I have been busy sewing for the first time since Bonnie's workshop here in Auburn in October. Sad - but true! Anyway - I needed to use some of the fabric that the guild was handing out from the stash of the lady who had passed away. They are to be made into quilts to donate to charity. My bag had a big pile of batiks - mostly in orange and blues - so I decided to do yet another Pineapple Blossom quilt. I LOVE how it turned out and will have a hard time turning it over to them! Bonnie - thanks again for all your great patterns!

Bonnie's Stars

2008-10-31T11:12:00.006-05:00

This is the top that I started in Bonnie's workshop a couple of weeks ago. It didn't turn out quite as big as I was expecting so I think I will add a thin red border and then a wider blue border.

I have several other projects going on at the same time. My mom and I are making a quilt for the sister of a little boy who has terminal cancer. Here is the quilt we made for him. These kids are about the same ages as my two and it breaks my heart to think of what this family is going through.

I will leave you a picture of Indiana Jones who showed up at my house last night wanting lots of candy! Be careful, he's got a whip! Happy Halloween!

Finally meeting Bonnie!

2008-10-24T17:49:00.005-05:00

After being in Bonnie's Maverick Quilters blog ring for over three years now, and following her posts on other group lists for even longer, I was so excited to finally get the chance to meet Bonnie in person. When I walked into the workshop site, right at start time, with my arms loaded down with my stuff, I hear from some yell from across the room "Sarah!", at which point, Bonnie comes running across the room to give me a hug. It was like we had known each other in person for years. She is so sweet and funny! The workshop was so fun. I was surrounded by a sweet group of ladies. One lady, Linda, (HI, Linda!!) had been hauling her sewing machine around in her trunk all summer and when she set it up for the workshop, it wouldn't work. So Bonnie lent her her Featherweight. I warned Linda that by the end of the day she would be wanting one for herself. The next night at the lecture and trunk show, Linda walks in and sits down next to me and says "I was looking on Ebay for a Featherweight today!" I tried to warn you, Linda!

The lecture and trunk show were so inspiring. Her quilts are so beautiful. Here are a few pictures to inspire you too! All the pictures are clickable to view them larger.

If you haven't been there yet, please go check out Bonnie's Quiltville site. You will be amazed at all the quilting goodness you find there. Make sure you have lots of spare time before heading over there!

Bonnie - I am so glad I finally got to meet you! Next time you head this direction, make sure you call me!

The red, white and blue

2008-10-05T19:50:00.002-05:00

Thanks again to Bonnie for a great free pattern. This top is entirely from my stash! I can now say that I have no more reds sitting around. I also have several pieces of blue, something will work for a backing. I have decided that I am going to make another patriotic quilt in Bonnie's workshop on the 15th.

This week I need to quilt a baby quilt that my mom pieced for one of my cousins. And Saturday a quilt showed up in the mail from a lady that goes to church with my mom. I am hoping to get it done before we head up there in two weeks. It is only another baby quilt, so it should be do-able.

I fell in love with this quilt this past week. Just what I need - another project! I came up with a plan to make the quilt with my mom - actually we are going to make one for each of us. Then Mom thought maybe we should go ahead and make one for my sister too. I think she just needs to get busy and start quilting with me and Mom. So we will make three blocks out of each fabric and then exchange blocks. This is going to be a stash quilt. I love the colors that Nicole has picked for her version of the quilt.

Have a great week!

Expedited service

2008-10-03T19:42:00.003-05:00

Some people and some projects require that you drop everything and pay attention right then and there. A month or so ago my family learned of a little boy named Nathan who has cancer. He was diagnosed over a year ago but all of the options have been exhausted. The doctors have told his parents that he has only a few months left. What breaks my heart is that Nathan is the same age as my little boy - and he too has an older sister. I can not even imagine what this poor family is going through. My mom decided that Nathan needed a cuddle quilt so she whipped up this top and shipped it off to me on Monday morning. It arrived Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday morning I quilted it and bound it - a new record for me! I shipped it off to Nathan on Wednesday afternoon. While I was quilting it, I decided that we also need to make a quilt for Nathan's sister, so Mom is going to get to work on that one.

In other news, the baby quilt was a huge success. The baby's grandma started squealing before the quilt was even out of the bag! And she was to hire me to make a queen size quilt for her bed. I think I am off the baby quilt assembly line until at least next March - unless someone is hiding a surprise from us!

This weekend I am hoping to finish the patriotic strip twist quilt. I also need to start getting my strips together for Bonnie's workshop that I am taking on October 15th. Yes, she is coming to Auburn Alabama! I can't wait to finally meet her in person after being online friends for over three years.

And the winner is.....

2008-09-27T13:47:00.003-05:00

Twenty -two of you sweet bloggers let me know which one of the log cabin block settings you liked for my black and white baby quilt. I made my mind up almost immediately after looking at the pictures, but it seems like you all agreed with me! Here were the results:
- one vote each for the zig-zag layout and the diagonal stripe setting
- four votes for the four diamonds setting (choice #2)
- five votes for the pinwheels
- and ELEVEN votes for the barn raising setting.

So here it is!

The baby shower is tomorrow. I am also in charge of the punch. We are trying a new recipe tomorrow - pineapple juice, raspberry sherbet, and 7-up. Doesn't that sound yummy?

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Hubby is supposed to be on his way home from a conference in Amherst Massachusetts is Tropical Storm Kyle doesn't mess up his flights. Keep your fingers crossed!

An American twist

2008-09-25T20:59:00.003-05:00

I was so enamored with Bonnie's strip twist that I made last week, that I decided to drag out more blue scraps and all of the reds that I had. So far I have made 4 blocks. Cute, no?

What are you all up to?

Coming this weekend - pictures of the black and white log cabin. The baby shower is Sunday afternoon.

"That looks like a Sarah qult"

2008-09-17T14:46:00.002-05:00

I sent my mom an email showing her this quilt and the first words out of her mouth were "that looks like a typical Sarah quilt." I am sure Nina will agree. Why, you might ask. Because it is blue and yellow - one of my all time favorite color combinations. I needed something quick and Bonnie's Strip Twist pattern fit the bill. I started piecing it yesterday around 1 pm and today at 2 pm the blocks are completed - with a LOT of non-sewing time thrown in there. This top is a very generous baby quilt - more like a toddler size. It is three blocks by three blocks.

Thanks to Bonnie for another great stash-busting pattern. This top was pieced entirely from the stash. The backing will be stash too. Doesn't that feel great? Oh, by the way - I get to meet Bonnie next month when she comes to Auburn to give a lecture and do a workshop! Even though I am not a member of the local guild, they had extra spots so I will be able to attend! Yay!

Choices

2008-09-16T11:15:00.003-05:00

Yes, another baby quilt! I go to church with a very prolific group of women! I know you are probably thinking "A black and white baby quilt?". You have to know the mama to understand. The nursery walls are a pale pink and the other bedding is black and white with red accents. She has very sophisticated tastes. Anyway - I have got the blocks done but now I have to decide on a setting. Which one do you like?

Come on - I really want to know your opinion! Please? Help!

Seeing double!

2008-09-06T18:04:00.002-05:00

This is what has been occupying me for the past month or so. A friend from church is expecting twins in October and her shower is tomorrow. Took me a little by surprise that they were having it that early. Anyway - I wanted to make the quilts from the same patterns and using the same focus fabric. Why did I pick a pattern that would require 175 half square triangles each? 350 half square triangles? UGH! But they are done now and hopefully MaryAnn will like them.

This is to try and show you the pink paisley fabric that is in both quilts.
Now to start on the baby quilt for another shower at the end of the month. I need to find less reproductive friends!

Show and Tell

2008-07-30T12:44:00.003-05:00

Since I haven't gotten the chance to sew anything of my own lately, I thought I would share a couple of quilts that my mom made. She sent them to me to quilt. The first one is a baby quilt for a family she goes to church with. They are expecting a baby boy sometime soon!

This second one was supposed to be one of the "heirloom" quilts my mom is making for all of the grandkids. Remember this other "heirloom" quilt she made and then didn't like and then did like again? Well, she got this one together and didn't like it enough to hand quilt it so she sent it home with me. I got it on the machine last night and quilted it this morning. Can you see the cute 30's fabrics? I think it turned out really cute!

The kids go back to school in less than two weeks! I will miss them but I can't wait to get some things done. I am already making a mental list in my head. Tomorrow we are running up to Tennessee for a few days to see the grandparents and the cousins! Me and mom are hoping to get a little sewing time in. I am hoping she will help me work on a million half-square triangles I need to make for some matching baby quilts. Twin girls are due in November (will probably be delivered in mid-October)! I am doing two quilts using the same pattern (same as this quilt) and the same primary fabric. One quilt will have a soft pink as the other fabric and the second quilt will have a cream fabric. The main fabric is a cool pink paisley fabric. Anyway - as you can see there are LOTS of half-square triangles. I think Mom needs to help!

Done!!!

2008-07-26T18:10:00.002-05:00

See this cute little face? Her mommy asked me to make curtains for her bedroom way back in January before Ella was even born. We went and found fabric to match the quilt several weeks before Ella arrived.

When did I finish the curtains? February? No. April? Nooooo. June? Almost! I got the valances made. Anyone want to guess "today"? Right you are! I am so glad to have them done and out of here. That was the last commission project that was hanging over my head. Now I can concentrate on the three baby quilts I need to make. But first I need to quilt a couple of tops for my mom.

School starts in two weeks. Where has the summer gone?

In a rush...

2008-07-08T21:04:00.003-05:00

A young couple that we go to church with just had a baby a couple of weeks ago - actually he was born on my birthday! The dad also has a great-nephew that was born in early June. The little boy has been having several health problems and late last week they had to put a trach in because his wind pipe kept collapsing. Anyway - you guessed it - I made him a quilt.

The letter fabric I just bought in June - just to have on hand because so many ladies at church are expecting. The 9 patches are made from my hand-dyeds, three different greens and three different blues. I think it turned out really cute.

Tomorrow it will be winging its way to a little boy in Colorado. Get well soon, Jacob.

I'm so blue!

2008-07-03T17:25:00.003-05:00

Guess what I did today! I cleaned the garage on Tuesday so I decided it would be a good time to dye some fabric. I got started early - about 9 a.m. - before it got too nasty hot outside. Then I let everything bake in their little plastic bowls, sitting in the sun, for a few hours. Maddie wanted to do lots more purples and reds, but I wanted blues and a few greens. I am loving how everything turned out!

Everything should be clickable for a bigger view.

Paying it forward!

2008-07-01T19:07:00.002-05:00

Last year at about this time I signed up over on Tami's blog to do a Pay It Forward craft exchange. She just emailed me for my snail mail address. I did a search on my blog and apparently I never "paid it forward"! So...

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Repurposing!

2008-06-28T17:30:00.004-05:00

As I said in my previous post, I have been trying to get some of my tops quilted. I thought this top was done, but apparently not! The bento blocks are done but the rows are not together. This row had two blocks together so as I was adding the third block, I got to thinking (dangerous, I know!) that this reminded me of an Amish quilt. Kind of a modern day Amish...an Amish quilt on steroids...an Amish quilt with electricity.

These three blocks are the perfect size for a table runner. Sure, I have enough blocks to make two more table runners, but I can worry about those later. My question for today is: How should I quilt this? I was thinking about just doing it on the featherweight with straight lines, maybe a quarter inch in from the seam lines. Or should I do something else on the big quilting machine? Let's hear your suggestions!

Have a great weekend!

Getting things done - a.k.a. avoidance

2008-06-27T08:15:00.002-05:00

I made up my list of "things to get done in June" and posted it in my sidebar several weeks ago. I have been successful in finishing a few things that have been hanging over my head - quilting a top for a friend in Florida and making a baby quilt for a customer in Pennsylvania. Done - out of the way. The only thing still dangling over my head was the curtains I was hired to make. They are really very simple. Just a simple valance and a curtain behind it. No lining. I got started on the valance last week when the kids were gone, but did not get very far.

What have I been doing instead? Quilting all of my tops that have been sitting in a drawer waiting their turn. Avoidance? Yes. So far I have quilted: the Denyse Schmidt wall hanging ; the big block quilt ; the orphan block quilt ; and a green YBR quilt. Well, technically the orphan block quilt is not completely quilted. The tension somehow got all out of whack and I didn't realize what a big section was messed up until I rolled it up to quilt the next section. I was too frustrated to spend a couple hours picking out the mess, so I just took it off the machine. I will face it later....maybe.

What have you been up to?

Copy Cat quilt done!!

2008-06-04T16:35:00.003-05:00

I got this cute little thing quilted up on Tuesday and put the binding and label on today. I even took it to the post office and sent it on its way to Pennsylvania. Check it off the to do list! I really love this pattern - I am already planning on using it several more times!

I got the backing off the sale rack at Quilting By the Bay in Panama City while we were down there last weekend. Beautiful beach! And it wasn't packed yet so we didn't feel like sardines while trying to get into the water.

Don't you just want to go jump right in that water? The sand is so fine and soft. That whole area of the Florida is called the Emerald Coast and has beautiful beaches.

On to the next item on the to-do list!

Dancing to the oldies

2008-05-30T11:19:00.003-05:00

Anyone else out there having 80's flashbacks while looking at this quilt? A friend of my sister made this quilt several years ago. She had it basted and I guess she thought that someday she would hand quilt it. Here it is 12 years later and now it is done.
I don't know if you can see the lace around the edge of the fan - but I nearly drove myself off the deep end this morning after it got caught under the hopping foot. Pain in the backside!

But now it is done and will be taken to my mom who will be putting the binding on for Tammy. I told her I wold have to charge $50 an hour to apply binding because of my great hatred of binding! Mom kindly agreed to do it for her!

Off to pack for the beach!

Quick quilt

2008-05-29T07:58:00.002-05:00

This is a quilt for another one of my pregnant cousins. Her and her sister are both expecting their first baby sometime late this year. My mom pieced the top - mostly from my stash! She was kindly directed to Bonnie's site for the pattern.

Very sweet and simple!

I am debating on what to do next. I have a quilt sitting here waiting to be quilted for a friend of my sister. She made the quilt about 12 years ago and never got around to quilting it! It is basted so I will have to take it apart first. And then there is the commission baby quilt that is ready to be quilted, just have to find a backing.

My kids are spending a week or so at my parents' house in June. My dad and Ian are going to drive to Wisconsin to visit my grandfather. Mom and Maddie are going to stay home and get in trouble ! What am I going to do with a week to myself? Hopefully get a lot of tops quilted. Mom sent me an email yesterday saying that Joann's has batting on sale so I will have to stock up while I am up there.

What are you doing with your summer?

Copy Cat

2008-05-27T10:57:00.002-05:00

This little quilt came together VERY quickly. It is the same pattern as Nina's latest QOV , just took a couple of rows off and left off the wide final border. I think it makes a cute baby quilt. This is a commission quilt for the same lady that hired me to make a baby quilt for her son's first child about two years ago. She wanted this one to be in the same colors, just a different pattern. So I used 30's repros again.

I am hoping to get this quilted and mailed off this week. I also want to get the top quilted for my cousin's baby. Then it will be taken back to my mom for the binding. Then we can discuss what to do for my other two cousins that are expecting. One of them is having baby # 2 - so we need to decide if we are gonna stick to our one quilt per family rule. Charlie is my one of only two cousins on my dad's side of the family. My other cousin is only 6 months older than my daughter. Yes, my first cousin. On my mom's side of the family I have 9 cousins - all within about 6 years in age of one another. That could be a lot of babies in a very short time! So we are thinking about breaking the rule for Charlie and then making sure that all the other quilts are very gender neutral. Mom is the top piece-er and then I quilt them on the long-arm.

What family traditions do you have regarding quilts?

May goal #2 - check!

2008-05-21T06:32:00.004-05:00

Yeah! Goal number 2 is done! Just gotta slap the label on the back this afternoon and I can give Nicole the quilt tonight at bible class. I love how it turned out.

So I have got one week left to accomplish goal #3 - curtains for Ella's room. Ella is the baby I made this quilt for back in January. Her mama and I went shopping for the fabric several weeks before she was born - so yes, I am a little slow. Hopefully Ella has not yet noticed that her nursery has no curtains.

Once I get the curtains done I need to move on to the birthday challenge. I think I have already changed my mind about what I want I to do. By the time I get around to actually making it, maybe my mind will be changed back!

Only three days of school left! Our summer already seems to short with all we have planned. My sister's answer to this complaint would be "Home schooling!" - but since she refuses to offer a distance learning program, we will have to learn to accept our overly short summer. We are starting our summer off with a trip to Panama City Beach where hubby is participating in a mini triathlon. The kids are worried that he will have no energy to haul himself down to the beach afterwards! I am looking forward to some (read that as LOTS!) of fresh gulf shrimp. My favorite!

What are your plans for the summer?

I Will Survive!

2008-05-06T19:57:00.003-05:00

Can't you just hear Gloria Gaynor singing that now? If you need a chuckle, go watch this video on YouTube.

Nines will be glad to know that I did indeed survive my day of getting the binding done on this huge quilt. It is gone - out of my home - out of my life. I got the binding done around 2 p.m. Took a very short nap and then put the label on it and took it to Jessica.

Thankfully she loved it. The only direction she had really given me was that she wanted it to be pink and brown. I was worried she wouldn't like the pattern I decided on.

Here is a picture of the finished product. It was so big I couldn't get a picture of the entire thing!

I am hoping to be able to finish the blue and brown baby quilt by Sunday. Nicole's baby shower is a week from Saturday, but we will be in Boston. So I am hoping to get done by Sunday in order to give it to her for Mother's Day!

Forced

2008-05-06T10:44:00.002-05:00

Today is being spent forcing myself to work on the binding for the pink and brown quilt. So far I have trimmed the quilt and ironed the binding. Why am I sitting here surfing the net? Avoidance.

I thought by posting this maybe it would force me to be productive. Send me some encouraging thoughts or comments.

Or you can come help.

Please?

Working, working, working....

2008-05-03T20:03:00.004-05:00

The girl who commissioned this quilt is moving home to Birmingham next Friday - and I would really love to be done with (a.k.a - rid of) this by then. I am tired of it hanging over me. Maybe that's why I make so many baby quilts - because I lose interest by the time I am almost done with a big quilt. Anyway... I made myself work on quilting it yesterday - for a total of about 5 hours. Until I came to a point where I had a HUGE amount of fullness - just on one side. So in the midst of freaking out, I call Nina and beg her to tele-transport herself down to my house and help me. I even said "PLEASE" several times. Still a no-go.

Can you see all that fullness? And that is after I quilted it! The next row is just as bad. All I can figure out is that the pieced blocks are stretching. Only one, maybe two, more passes to go. And then I can move on to my favorite part, binding this monster. Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice? Good.

You can tell by the amount of batting hanging off the bottom that I am almost done. Unless I made a huge mistake measuring the batting....which is entirely possible! Anyone want to come help put the binding on?

UPDATE: 9:45 pm - it id DONE!!! Unpinned and waiting to be trimmed and bound.

Another top in need of quilting!

2008-05-01T20:47:00.006-05:00

My question for you today is : Is this quilt finished? Or does it need another border? Size-wise it is big enough to be finished, but I don't know if it looks finished.

What do you think?

I have plenty of fabric to put another border around it. What should I do?

Waiting anxiously for all of your opinions!

Current vote: 14 votes for adding a border

Thanks for all of the sweet comments!

Friday's sewing time

2008-04-25T11:27:00.003-05:00

Well, I finally got enough pieced blocks done and got the rows put together. Getting the rows sewn together is like a wrestling match. I remember why I like small quilts - not so much fabric to wrestle through the sewing machine. Now I need to go make my bed so I can lay the top out on it and see if it is big enough or if I need to add a border. Hopefully it will be big enough!

We are attending a going-away party tomorrow for the girl that commissioned me to make her this quilt. I had brief thoughts earlier this week of trying to finish the quilt in time for the party, but quickly realized I had lost touch with reality! Probably somewhere around the time that I found out I needed to make 7 more of the pineapple blossom blocks! Actually I think I could probably get the thing quilted by tomorrow but then getting the binding on would be a whole 'nother matter!

I also need to get back to the blue and brown baby quilt. Her shower is going to be on May 17th. I will be out of town (in Boston!) but I would like to be able to give it to her on the following Sunday when I see her.

What are you all up to?

Reasons I am not a math teacher!

2008-04-23T10:32:00.006-05:00

Apparently I can't even count to 32. 32 is the number of pieced pineapple blossom blocks I need for the commissioned quilt. I realized a few weeks ago that I needed more of the pieced blocks and set to work piecing them. I finished them up and started assembling the rows. Last night I got down to putting the last two rows together. And yes, I was short 7 pieced blocks. I had started them at some point and then they got set aside. Fine, fine, fine. Finish them up. Nope - I don't seem to have enough of the fabric I was using for the triangles. UGH!!! I do a quick search of the internet and can't find it. What to do? I have one strip remaining and I have to get 8 triangles out of it. I was able to squeeze 6. So the last two triangles had to be pieced. This is the result.

Someday, a hundred years from now, Jessica's great-grand-daughter will look at this quilt and noticed these pieced triangles and wonder what happened!

Last week I pulled the kids out of school for a couple of days and we headed to Nashville to see my family. We missed out on spring break because me and Ian had the flu. My mom and I got to make a quick run up to Franklin Kentucky and go to a cute little quilt store. It was mostly Civil War Repro type fabrics.

I did manage to find a few fabrics to make a table runner for the annual Nina and Sarah birthday challenge. This year the table runner are going to other people, but I won't mention names in case she reads this blog. Nina - the person receiving your table runner already knows so you might not want to post any pictures!

Time to go get something accomplished - besides sewing that is!

April Showers

2008-04-12T21:27:00.006-05:00

How am I supposed to get any sewing done when my work area looks like this? I kept telling myself I was going to clean it up today, but every time I went in there I just wanted to sew for a few minutes instead. So today I got my 150 4-patches done for Bonnie's Orange Crush mystery quilt. That took a lot longer than I thought it would. Since I had left-over pink and brown 2.5 inch strips scattered everywhere on my table, that's what I used. I cut then down to 2 inches. I need to sit down and re-read her fabric directions and figure out what else to use.

The left-over strips were from this quilt that I have been hired to make by a girl at church. The log cabin squares are actually going to Bonnie's pineapple blossom blocks. And the blue strips should be brown - but I am lazy.

Here are a few of the pineapple blocks to show you the colors I am using. All the pineapple blocks are pieced already - so now I just have to put everything together. I am hoping to have it done by the end of May - so I can have some spending money for mine and Nine's annual birthday get-together. We are supposed to meet up in Tennessee again this year. I can't wait to see her!

Another reason I love Nina!

2008-04-03T20:52:00.002-05:00

I knew there was a reason I love Nina so much, a reason she is my quilting hero. It is because she points out the obvious things to make a quilt better. You will notice that I went back and flipped the four-patches to make the blue into a strong diagonal line. Her idea. All hers. So brilliant! I like it SO much better now. I wondered how I had missed this in the first place but I went back and looked at the original pattern and they do not have a strong diagonal color in their block either. The pattern is from the June 2008 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. It is called the Big Block Beauty - because the block ends up measuring 18 inches.

Anyway - I just wanted to thank my dearest Nines for her very helpful suggestion. How would I survive without you? I tried to call to tell you thanks but of course someone was on the phone line!

What do you think?

2008-04-02T15:39:00.003-05:00

I was tired of working on the project I've been plugging along at (32 of Bonnie's pineapple blossom blocks in pink and brown) - so I decided to make a test block of the next quilt I am making. It will be a baby quilt for Maddie's teacher, who is due to have a baby boy in the middle of June. Her due date is the 19th but I told her that the 17th is a great birthday! Mine!

Her colors are chocolate brown, the blue in the block, and then a sagey green (the cross-hatched fabric in the picture). I like the block pattern - it would only require 4 blocks, some sashing, and a couple of borders.

I guess my question is - does the blue stand out too much? Would it work better somewhere else in the block?

I asked Maddie what she thought of it. She said "I like it - make me a quilt just like it." Why isn't she always this easy to please?

So, what do you think?

Boston anyone?

2008-03-01T20:42:00.002-06:00

Is there anyone out there in blog land that lives in Massachusetts? I will be going to Boston in May with DH for an AIA conference - the same reason we went to San Antonio last year! We will be at the Hyatt in Cambridge. We won't have a car but I could take the subway. If anyone knows of any quilt stores that are convenient to the mass transit, let me know!

I am also interested in any other must see sights in Boston. I am already planning on seeing as many of the historical sights as I can. Thanks for the help!

Trying something new!

2008-02-28T20:38:00.003-06:00

Christie and I were going to try and quilt the quilts we made together a couple of weeks ago. Friday is Christie's day off, but I got asked to sub on Friday - so we decided to do it this afternoon. We got her backing pieced and I found a great green piece in my stash that will work for my backing. Loading on the machine went much quicker with both of us working on it! Nines - I told her about our old schedule of you coming over on Tuesdays, we would load your quilt on, you would quilt it, and then we would load my quilt on. I might have to start paying Christie just to come over and help me pin the quilts on!

We decided to do a a big meander. I demonstrated by doing about two thirds of a row and then Christie took over. Christie couldn't seem to find that free and easy movement you need for a good meander. We are going to load a practice piece on next! So I finished up while she stood and watched. She would hold one handle while I guided it using the other handle.

Anyway, we finished her quilt really quickly and it turned out VERY cute. I love the greens and browns together.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Hope everyone gets to spend a lot of time quilting! My DD's birthday is on Sunday - she will nine. Saturday Christie and her daughter (also 9) might join Madeleine and I on a movie, lunch, and shopping trip to Columbus Georgia. We have already warned the girls that if we go to Columbus, we might have to hit our favorite quilt store!

You can just imagine the moans and groans!

Remember this quilt?

2008-02-26T13:02:00.003-06:00

If you have survived this blog for the past 2.5 years, you might remember when I inherited this quilt top from my mom. She made the top for my nephew but then after it was together, she didn't like it. So she gave it to me......... and here it has sat for two and a half years. Mom keeps asking me when I am going to get around to quilting it. I have been ageing it to perfection!

When Mom and Dad were here a few weeks ago, we dug out the top for her to look at again. She decided that she did want to finish it. So I ever so graciously gave it back to her.

Now she is having second thoughts (or third or fourth). She asked me to post a picture of the quilt and ask all of my quilt expert friends a couple of questions. Are you ready to feel smart and influential?

#1 - Should she take the top apart and put some sort of sashing between the blocks? And maybe a matching border?

#2 - Should she take the time to hand quilt it or trust the quilting to the likes of me? Or maybe Nina? (haha!!!)

#3 - What do you think?

Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for the ideas!

Is it purple enough?

2008-02-23T21:37:00.002-06:00

A week or so ago, I heard through the grapevine, that the 15 year old daughter of a friend from college was having surgery to remove a tumor from the base of her brain. The surgery went well and they were able to remove most of the tumor. Yesterday they moved her to St. Jude's hospital in Memphis. Monday they will be finding out about the doctors' plans for chemo and radiation. The daughter's favorite color is purple - can you tell? I thought she needed a lovey. I bought the fabric on Wednesday and just finished putting the binding on. Not bad! I want to get it in the mail to her on Monday.

In the light purple strips I quilted words - love, faith, hope, believe, family and her name.

Better, no?

2008-02-18T11:51:00.003-06:00

OK, when I had some time to think about it, I realized there were only 12 blocks in the whole quilt. How long would it really take for me to fix it? Answer - about an hour. And I like it SO MUCH better!

What have YOU been up to?

2008-02-16T19:49:00.004-06:00

I have finished up the last of the three baby quilts I had in the hopper. The next baby (Maddie's teacher's) isn't due until June - so I have some time off to do other quilting!

Tomorrow I am hosting a baby shower for a girl from church. The bedding she has chosen, from what I can tell from the on-line pictures, looks kind of shabby chic to me. So let's hope she likes the quilt!

My friend Christie decided to work part time this year at a pre-school. Fridays are her day off. Last Friday we drove down to Columbus and both spent an obscene amount at the quilt store there. I was spending someone else's money - I have been "commissioned" to make a queen size brown and pink quilt by a college student at church. She has already given me $100 towards the fabric. It is lots of fun spending someone elses money!! We also bought some cool new patterns. Christie bought a bag pattern and I bought a pattern called BQ by Maple Island Quilts.

We were so anxious to try out the new pattern that we decided to have a crafty day this Friday. Christie hauled her machine and rotary cutting mat over here and we got started. I got my blocks sewn together but Christie only got her strips sewn together. Anyway she took the pattern home with her to finish up the blocks. As you can see, I sewd my blocks together wrong - but I am not changing it. I like it anyway!

I think this would make a great pattern for a Quilt of Valor. You could use blue for the dark brown parts and do the big squares in all different kinds of red prints.

So, what have you been up to?

How did you meet your sweetie?

2008-02-01T19:34:00.000-06:00

I spent most of this afternoon stuck in a highway back up caused by an accident that happened at 2;30 this morning. They had to call in a crane to get the vehicle out of the ditch and they chose this afternoon to block the interstate. So the trip that should have taken 45 minutes took three and a half hours. To top it off, I had an 8.5 month pregnant woman with me!! We had gone to Montgomery to get some fabric for me to make a curtain for the babies room. Anna and I had a nice talk about everything from our irritable bowels to our crazy mother-in-laws. We also discussed how we met our hubbies.

When I was in college in Tampa, me and my sister started going to church with my future brother-in-law. This is the same congregation where DH's grandparents were members. So I knew his grandparents for several years before I even met him. His grandfather is also named Stacy - a family name. Anyway, one Sunday morning Stacy's grandma came toddling up to me and my room mate and says that she wants us to meet her grandson. We looked at each other and with our eyes said "Do we really have to?" Grandma Norman was a nut and we were a bit worried about the genetics of the situation. Anyway, she introduced us and he developed a crush on my roomie. I moved 1000 miles away to finish college for a year and a half. After graduating, I moved back to Florida to be near my sister. Everything clicked - we dated for 8 months, got engaged, and were married 8 months later. We have been married for 14 years now. Here are our cute selves!

How did you meet your honey?

Back to the curtains - here is the baby quilt we were trying to match. We went with the brown with pink polka dots for the main portion and the diamond print for the valance part. Anna loved the baby quilt. She asked me the other night if she could pay me to make a curtain for the nursery to match the quilt. So today we went on a search for the fabric to match.

So while searching for fabric, we got to know each other better and became much better friends. making a friend while stuck in traffic! Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

One down, one to go....by Saturday!

2008-01-24T20:32:00.000-06:00

Wednesday I managed to ignore other tasks that needed to be done and instead got the binding put on the purple and green baby quilt. I was so nervous that Mackenzie would show up at any moment and her quilt would still not be done. Why is it that the binding never takes as long as I think it will?

For the back, I did not have enough of either the purple or the green so I came up with the 9 patch idea. Amazingly I got it centered top to bottom. Right to left is easy since you center the quilt when you pin it on the machine.

April loved the quilt. yeah!!! Now Mackenzie can come when ever she wants to. Hopefully soon!! I can't wait to kiss on a sweet baby girl!

Next up, binding on the pink and brown baby quilt. The baby shower is on Saturday afternoon. I also need to clean house...again... because my parents are coming on Saturday. How does everything get so messy in just a few days? Mess - thy name is Madeleine and Ian. They will be the death of me!

How did it get to be January 19th?

2008-01-19T21:26:00.000-06:00

I know, I know. One day at a time. Christmas and New Year's have come and gone. We survived our whirlwind tour to Little Rock and Nashville. I got lots of baby loves from my new 6 week old nephew, Brady, and my 16 month old niece, Audrey Joy. Also got lots of big boy loves from my 2.5 year old nephew, Joey. Lots of fun and way too much food was had by all. Everyone loved their hand-made goodies. My MIL had the nerve to tell that I shouldn't have given my SILs the table runners that I made because it surely made them feel bad because they had nothing to give me! Ah yes, Christmas joy all around. I am sure that my SILs did not feel this way.

Anyway - on to this new year's sewing projects. This week I finished up the top for my neighbor's baby quilt. I think it turned out cute.

I also got the top put together for the next baby that is due to a couple from church. The colors are pink and brown - but I couldn't get the lighting adjusted right. Use you imagination!

Tonight I started on a third baby quilt. It is going to be a YBR and the bedding I am trying to coordinate with kind of has a shabby chic look to it. Here are the fabrics to give you an idea.

The kids have school off on Monday for MLK day - so I am hoping to get the first two tops quilted. Baby #1 could be here any day and the shower for #2 is next Saturday!

I will leave you with a picture of my kids playing in the front yard today. Mind you we live about 3 to 4 hours from the Gulf of Mexico. Winter fun in southern Alabama!

Shhh....Don't tell anyone!

2008-01-12T16:19:00.000-06:00

Don't tell anyone that I am sewing! Actually, I am taking a short break to do an internet fabric search. I need more of the white background fabric for the purple and green baby quilt I am working on. Wish me luck!

Final countdown - friday 3 pm

2007-12-21T15:12:00.000-06:00

2 days until we head to Arkansas and then on to Tennessee.
4 portfolios ready to go.
5 table runners completed and ready to go.
5 pillow cases made and hidden away.
1 baby quilt quilted and bound!
~~1 table runner still waiting to be quilted.~~
~~1 baby quilt waiting its turn on the machine.~~ -
~~1 portfolio in pink needing to be made.~~
~~1 table runner in need of binding !~~
1 last minute special request that is not getting done!(Sorry mom!)

Can I somehow add more hours to my days?

Here's hoping you are getting all your holiday sewing done!
Merry Christmas!