February Tally

Let's see...February seemed to be a month of beginnings for me:

• I did finish the four Neonatal Intensive Care Unit quilts and donated them
• I cut and pieced 'Florida' strippy quilt (I need to prep it for Juli (my LA) for a Monday drop-off appointment)
• I made a house block and a few crumb blocks for Bonnie
• I cut and pieced my log cabin blocks...I'm waiting on an inner border fabric to arrive then I can figure out when I can assemble the quilt top
• I cut and am now piecing the black & gold graduation quilt top
• I also started cutting strips for 4 more quilt tops

Not quite as productive as some others but I'm 'keeping at it' :)

Thank You JudyL!

Thank You JudyL for being my motivator this week!

After starting the dinner, making my call...

I headed out on my errands and here is my haul. Wal*Mart had the Wisconsin Badger fabrics that I'm going to include with Mamaspark's package of green squares. I got my meds and a quick trip to the grocery store to 'shore up' for the weekend. Think I'm good until next week. Unfortunately the LQS didn't have the Mary Ellen's Spray Press I like to use so it will mean a return trip when it comes in from order...maybe that's a good thing! I did resist the temptation to buy fabric cuz it's pretty...maybe next time I'll have a project in mind :)

After a little lunch, I think I'll have time to put together Mamaspark's package and get it to the post office before the school bus. That will mean I am free to sew tomorrow! Yeah!

Thanks JudyL for helping get everything done this week with a day to spare!

Quilt-a-thon and other musings...

Do you ever hear a little voice in your head?

This week JudyL has been in my head saying, "Do your chores, run your errands, clear the deck to sew this weekend for Quilt-a-thon!" So on Monday I did DD's laundry and sewed a little, Tuesday (are you ready?) I cleaned the house and my DH's laundry, Wednesday I did DS's laundry, went to the dentist and sewed a little. Now, today is Thursday and I'm going to run to a few stores and Walgreens.

I have very little to show from the sewing room. Here are about half of the subunits from the black & gold grad quilt. This has been way out of my comfort zone as you slice on an angle then sew it all back together. Simple right? well, the odd angles don't line up and I'm cutting each stack just a little different so the seams won't line up...Think I'm going to learn to embrace the wonky-ness of it all!


A few days back, Mamaspark put out a call for a few 6" green squares. I thought I would get out my greens and cut for the green/white/beige quilts I am planning on doing, as well as a few squares for Mamaspark. One will be Mary's Easy Double Four Patch and the other will be Bonnie's Pineapple Blossom. Thanks to Mary and Bonnie for sharing so many wonderful patterns I want to try.

But now, I think I hear JudyL telling me to put dinner in the crockpot, do your errands, make your calls then 'sew, sew, sew!'

Do you hear JudyL, too? :)

Michigan State Fabric

Okay...I can't get the picture to post but I'll link it here from Bear Paw Quilt Company...but I just had to put a picture of Sparty up.

What do you think, Brother #2...help Sister #2 out? Actually, any MSU fabric would be great...I would just rather have the white background rather than the green background...but maybe green would be better...

Sunny Day

The clouds cleared out and the sun is shining brightly. I took this picture this morning hoping you would be able to 'see' my backyard a little better :)

A Peek Into My World

carole and tonya (and a few others) have been posting pictures out of their kitchen window. This house has a great room concept where the kitchen, family room and eating area are located all together. This is my view just past the table when I do the dishes. Yesterday was overcast so the picture is a tad dark (sorry). We have a slider door that opens to the deck. The yellow house is always in view...no trees to hide it! To the right is DD's swing set. To the left is a plot for a garden, some trees are a natural break from the neighbor on the left and just beyond our property line is a series of three ponds that are the common area for our subdivision. Last spring and summer we saw more critters than I ever saw in a zoo! There were momma & papa turkey & about 25 chicks, a herd of deer (about 12) plus a few that roam without the herd, ducks, canadien geese, momma & papa egert & baby (looks like blue heron but poofs on their head) (when they screech...it sounded what I imagine dinasaurs might sound like), assorted birds and butterflies and frogs, foxes, skunks, possum. Some locals even say that there are coyotes here but I haven't seen one yet. well...you get the picture...very much a change for a city girl like myself!

Next is my ironing board in the sewing room. My DH has his own ironing board and iron for when he irons his shirts :) Libby is asking bloggers to post a picture of their ironing boards, comment back to her then she plans on having a drawing on February 29th...not sure if it is an ugly contest or what! My DH thinks I need to change my pad cuz it is worn out...but I think I have a few more miles in it! I have a wide board and it is kinda hard to find a pre-made cover that fits. I got some information at a show one time for a new cover but I can't seem to locate the flyer! no big surprise there. sometimes I can't find my way out of a paper bag :)

Tag! You're It!

I was tagged by Carol E. of Giraffe Dreams.

Okay...Ill play...

THE RULES:

1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

Weird or random facts about me:

1. I'm the youngest of six children...4 brothers and 1 sister.
2. I'm a Catholic school dropout. I left St. Val's after 6th grade to attend public school.
3. As a kid, I loved sweet pickle and mayonnaise sandwiches.
4. I like to drink white milk with pizza then dunk the crusts in the milk. (totally grosses out my DH)
5. I always put the toilet paper and paper towel rolls so they dispense 'over the top'.
6. My DH and I eloped to Lake Tahoe, Nevada 22 happy years ago.
7. I LOVE coffee...morning, noon and night...It's all good!

That's it...the good, the bad and the ugly :)

Next...I'm tagging SueR at North Winds Quilting. You're IT!

Stash Report Week #8

I was real good about getting all my goals accomplished this week. I even found the old Western Michigan University t-shirt I want to piece into the backing of Greg's graduation quilt. On the other hand, I wasn't so good after my trip to the fabric store. The 3 yards of black I bought, have mostly been cut into the B/G squares and for it's backing. I also cut it into 2" strips for my Happy quilt I'm planning on making a little later.


My report for this week is as follows:

• fabric received in: 5.5 yards
• fabric used: 4 yards
• total for this week: + 1.5 yards
• year to date: -11.5 yards (used)

What I did:

• pieced remaining log cabin blocks
• cut and pieced 'Florida' strippy quilt
• made binding for 'Florida'
• cut B/G grad quilt
• found old WMU t-shirt

My goals for this week:

• make backing for 'Florida'
• call and make an appointment with Juli (my LA)
• piece B/G grad quilt

Let's cross our fingers and *getitdone*!

I'm A Believer!

Other bloggers have posted about how their scraps seemed to muliply when they weren't looking. My scraps just seem to hang around the sewing room forever. Well, tonight I just finished sewing my 40 (!) brown and cream log cabin blocks and...

my bin of 2.5" strips looks like I hardly put a dent in it! Now, I do confess, that I was running a tad low so I cut a few more a strips but, really, did I overcut so much? No...I think that my strips are multiplying when I'm not watching!

















Maybe I should wake up my helper Daisy to keep an eye on my strip bins :)

Dessert, anyone?

Last Thursday was my night guild and I had signed up to bring a dessert. Since it was February, I thought I would take something that had red in it. This is Carol's Strawberry Trifle. only one small clitch...I could only find one of the three ingredients! I just winged it and used a dry pudding mix, coolwhip and a combination of fresh and canned strawberries. Surprise of all surprises...it tasted okay! My cooking skills rate pretty low as my kids refer to my dinners as 'prison food' so I was happy that it turned out...the program was 'GO RED...Women and Heart Disease'...my dessert wasn't exactly 'heart friendly'...guess I should have paid more attention to the topic of the guild program...lesson learned :)

She likes it...Happy Dancing!

She likes the quilts!

Happy Dancing!

:)

Simply Strippy---Going Vertical!

Many THANKS to Bonnie and Anne B. from England (here---just scroll down a bit) for sharing this pattern.

When my SIL asked for quilts (last year!) for two nieces...one in Michigan colors and the other in ocean blues with dolphins...these vertical strippie quilts came to mind.

This first quilt was to represent colors in Michigan but it morphed into a Michigan Fall quilt complete with leaves.











This second quilt was to represent 'Florida' and the ocean with blues, light green, turquoise, dolphins and seashells. Figure the seashells will be a good backing.

My DD held the 'flimsies' the best she could as she was standing on the couch in the basement living room.


so...dear SIL what do you think?

Blogger Friends are Great!

I haven't been blogging very long but I want to say, "Thank You" to all who visit. I've been fortunate to get to know a few of you...and 'yous guys' are GREAT! A few posts ago, I was admiring the 'Snowmen through the Year' on LindaJ's blog, Life With Quilts & A little Old Lady In A Fur Coat. and you know what? Linda offered to send her hard copies to me! Thanks, Linda. They arrived via snail mail yesterday. now that's what I call FUN MAIL. I can hardly wait to pull the supplies out and start stitching. It will be a good night project while DH watches IDOL. The next decision will be redwork, bluework or greenwork Snowmen...I like 'em all :)

I've been working on the 'Florida' strippie quilt so no progress on the log cabin :(

Stash Report Week #7

As I thought last week, other obligations kept me from the sewing room. I did manage to be somewhat creative and use 7 inches of stash as ribbons to tie packages together that my daughter's brownie group is sending to their penpals in Texas.

My report is as follows:

Fabric received in: 2 yards
Fabric used: 1 yard
Total for this week: + 1 yard

Year to date: -13 yards (used)

What I did this week:

• pieced the QOV back
• made 16 more log cabin blocks
• made a house block for Bonnie

My goals for this week:

• cut *Florida* strippie quilt
• piece *Florida* strippie quilt
• cut Black & Gold graduation quilt
• hunt and find old WMU T-Shirt (this might be a bit challenging)
• piece remaining log cabin blocks (I need four but might make a few extra)

Hope I can *getitdone*! I have a brownie meeting and night guild meeting this week. plus, I signed up for guild snack this month :)

THe Puddle Mystery continues...

After DH checked the bucket to make sure it was dry and therefore the pipes above are probably not leaking, he moved the bucket to see if the spot would dry. Sure enough, dry land. So exactly where did the mysterious puddle appear from? was it my imagination?

New theory...we have gotten a boat load of snow this season...is it somehow melting and leaking into the house? or migrating up through the cement floor?

I don't know but one thing I do know, for sure, is that the roll of batting has found a new home away from any outside walls :) more later as the mystery unfolds...

Housewarming Party for Bonnie

Tonya at Lazy Gal Quilting, is having a Housewarming Party for Bonnie in honor of her moving of Quiltville. I made a house block to send to Bonnie, since I like and appreciate her site. Plus, I'm getting ready to make a strippy quilt from one of her free patterns and this is a way to say, "Thanks Bonnie for all you do!"

So click on over to Tonya's blog and read all about it. I'm glad I did!

Quilt Of Valor

Debbie was able to complete the inner and outer border on our group's Quilt of Valor. She brought it to the guild meeting yesterday and we passed it off for the next step. Long arm quilting!

I think it really is going to be a great quilt. Debbie, you were right about the outer border looking just right!

Happy Valentine's Day

The Investigation begins...

The investigation began last night when DH dutifully put on his shoes and took a ladder, flashlight and rag down to the sewing room closet. First order of business...put a bucket where the puddle was and see if any water appears in the bucket perhaps from leaking pipes. No water as of this writing but stayed tuned for more updates on the puddle mystery...

WHAT?!*&^!?*%@!

Oh NO!

Just when I thought I'd have nothing to blog about....look what I discovered! a puddle of water in my sewing room closet! right under my BATTING roll! but, alas, disaster averted...my batting was slightly wet with no visible sign of damage (no black mildew marks) Thank Goodness I volunteered batting for my group's QOV. I just had the batting out last week and all was dry. It could have sat in that puddle of water waiting for me. I've decided to start bigger projects which means that I move the batting less often. I would have hated for the remaining roll of batting to have been ruined. My first impulse was to call DH and tell him all about the puddle but then my sanity returned when I realized all was okay, after all, he is in a meeting 2 hours away with his boss discussing goals and the future of , well, the future.

I discovered a new use for the blow-up mattress....cut batting dryer!

On a happier quilting note, I started the next batch of log cabin blocks for my bed quilt. I'm starting to get excited to get all the blocks done. Not yet sure of the best way to attack putting the borders on as the center of the quilt is way bigger than my design wall. Maybe I'll place it on the floor outside the sewing room and work from there. Any other ideas? How do you handle a big quilt construction?

Stash Report Week #6

My progress for last week was as follows:

What was used:

• pieced NICU #3 and #4 approx. 3 yards stash
• pieced 2 backs and found 2 fabrics ok for NICU backs approx. 5 yards stash
• pieced bindings for all 4 NICU quilts approx. 1 yard stash

What was received in:

• backing fabric 4 yards
• background fabric 2 yards
• 2 novelty FQ's 1/2 yard

Total for this past week: 9 yards used and 6.5 yards in. Cool...I thought I might go positive there with more in than out. I'm a happy camper!

I was able to accomplish all my goals last week...I finished up the 4 little quilts for the hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They were fun cuz I tried a couple of new techniques yet didn't commit to a big quilt.

And the best news for last! I pieced a total of 16 (yes, 16!) log cabin blocks. my goal was 6 and boy, I was on a roll. Here is the stack and for fun, placed on the design wall (sorry for the wonky picture)

Goals for next week:

• piece more log cabin blocks (I need 36 total)
• shop the stash and cut for Greg's graduation quilt
• shop the stash and cut for Julie's nieces' quilt
• wash and piece back for QOV quilt

I'm keeping my goals a little light this week as I have brownie scout stuff to do and my portion of a guild meeting to get ready for. Last year, Julie asked if I could make a few quilts for her nieces. One was to be a 'Florida' quilt with blues, torquoise, greens, dolphins and seashells. Check out this strippy quilt on Bonnie's site...you have to scroll down a bit. Talk about made to order...wow! Is that perfect or what? This is also a year of many graduations. Greg (my nephew) graduated from Western Michigan University in December 2007. So at Christmas, I asked if he would like a quilt as a belated gift. He said, "Yes" and picked this quilt out of this book to be done in blacks and golds (school colors)

I also have two nieces and one nephew (one more college and two high shool) that will be graduating in June 2008. I know, I have my quilty work already piled up 'til summer :)

February Finishes

I took the final stitches in the bindings of the four NICU quilts. They are ready to be donated...of course after they make the rounds of 'show and tell' at my guilds!

Bear Creek Quilt Show---Fort Worth, Texas

This weekend is the Bear Creek Quilt Show. If you are in the greater Fort Worth area, considering stopping in at the Amon Carter Exhibit Hall at the Will Rogers Convention Center for a special treat. The ladies are all real friendly and y'all see some great quilts, too. Tell them that 'Pat from Wisconsin' sent you!

Snow Day

While it was snowing (about 16 inches worth), I was busy in the sewing room. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the *quilting* part of quilting! Once upon a time, I spray basted all my quilts then free-motioned them on my Elna. My old sewing room had a west window that opened and a ceiling fan for ventilation. Now I sew in a basement room with a very little window that doesn't open so I've been sending out my tops to a wonderful long-arm quilter. Yes, I traded in my Elna for a Brother but that's a story for another time.

Today I was able to *quilt* and sew the bindings to the front of the NICU quilts #1, 2 and 3. #4 is waiting patiently for its turn to be *quilted*.

NICU #4

I was able to finish NICU #4 to a flimsy yesterday after I got more SpongeBob fabric. I was two 5" squares short after I miscut a piece! I hate when I do that :(

I have been wanting to try this disappearing 9 patch technique. I started with 5" squares in my 9 patch and the block ended up 13" finished. One tricky part was remembering to sew opposite corners motifs upside down so when you twist the parts SpongeBob and Patrick were upside up. I think this would be a fast quilt to go together if I picked a non-directional focus fabric.

Some progress but not many pictures

I've made progress on my Neonatal Intensive Care Unit quilts but not much in the way of pictures. I pieced two backs and found two other fabrics that will work for backs.

I also made the bindings for all 4 NICU quilts.

Usually, I will coil my bindings if it will be a spell before I use them but tomorrow I plan on trying to quilt and hopefully get the bindings stitched down to the front.

Stash Report Week #5

In January I was able to bust the following stash:

1. finished DD backpack....about 1 yard
2. cut logs for my queen size log cabin...about 6 yards
3. finish NICU #1 and #2 to flimsy...about 3 yards
4. QOV stars background...1.5 yards

total for January 2008...about 11.5 yards from stash.

the sad side...

I did order fabric online...4 yards for backing, 2 yards for background and two novelty fat quarters. This fabric hasn't arrived yet so maybe I can count it against February! I better get sewing so I can end the month on a positive note.

Goals for the next week:

1. piece 6 log cabin blocks
2. finish NICU#4 to a flimsy (#3 is already a flimsy but did that on Feb. 1!)
3. make backs, baste, quilt, bind and label the 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Quilts.

Pictures of some of the week's finishes to be posted as I get them done! wish me well :)

A New Friend!

I would like to say "Thank You" to SueR. She emailed me a few directions for using Blogger. She's a newbie like me...so please take a minute and click on her blog in my sidebar (I wouldn't have sidebar stuff if she didn't take a minute to help me out) and see her pretty quilts.

Thanks again SueR!

NICU #3

I was able to finish NICU #3 to a flimsy yesterday. This is my version of Annie's Happy Quilt. I like my colors marching across my quilts. I used up more 6.5" novelty squares from my box. All of these were cut from some leftover backing fabric. Now I have only 1 of these squares left!

Happy February 1st!

Happy February 1st!

I thought I'd share my calendar quilt for February that hangs in my kitchen. It is from an Eleanor Burns' pattern. I took a class from JoAnn Fabric's when I first moved to Texas a few years ago.