Can You Believe It?

A friend asked if I would make her a quilt to gift to her Dad for his birthday.  He will be 85 (I think) in a few weeks....so she thought he might enjoy a quilt.  :)

Doesn't everyone enjoy a quilt or two or a million?!  lol

So I ran out to the fabric store today. She said that he likes blue but NOT green.  I was searching for three blues that I liked together but it was just not working for me. Sometimes certain color combinations my eyes have trouble with... I had originally asked if patriotic was good~rwb are classic~so I fell back on that.  I purchased red, dark blue and cream. The stars/hearts are for the backing.  I plan on making the Mock Trip Around the World, pattern here.   I also picked up some black and more of the flat grey.  lol.


+14 yards

A Borrowed Idea

While I was quilting the Hockey Lanes, I ran out of thread on my cone.  :(

I had seen a idea similar to this on the Gammil Owner's Yahoo page except, she used an empty film canister.  Since I only had medicine bottles~I emptied one to use.

The bobbin in the bottle.

Some of my quilting is a little uneven but the quilt is quilted. Now onto the sewing back of the binding....

The Happy Times panto from Lorien Quilting.

Design Wall Monday...

....and floor, too!

I am working on the bday 4M11 quilt.  His birthday was actually last Friday but I just decided on Thursday to make him a quilt. I am hoping to have it completed by Wednesday so that I can gift it to him!

The blocks. It is Eleanor Burns' Country Lane Quilt found in her Quilts Through the Seasons book. One source for the book.  I actually purchased mine at JAF with a 40% off coupon a few years back.  :)

The flimsy top.  I was questioning the use of the flat grey but, fingers crossed~it will look better quilted.


Visit JudyL's Patchwork Times for more inspirational Design Walls.

Stash Update Week #9

A little late on a Sunday night. :)

fabric added this week:  +2.5 yards
fabric added this year:  +63 yards

fabric used this week:  -7.5 yards
fabric used this year:  -63 yards

net fabric for the year:  0!!!!  even!!!!

What I accomplished this week:

quilt and bound Sashed Animals (B)

Goals for next week:

work on bday quilt 4M11
work on skate lace bracelets~yes...they are sold out!
work on UFO #1
work on quilt ty


ummm....busy week in the sewing room!

Visit JudyL's Patchworrk Times for more Stash Updates....

Another Friday Finish

I finished the Sashed Animal (B)!  except for the label~as soon as DH decides on *the wording*~I'll be good to go!  lol

The Heartstrings panto from Willow Leaf Studio.

Today I will be linking up with Amanda Jean's Finish It Friday.

Sashed Animals (B) Quilted

I quilted Sashed Animals (B) finally!  It seemed like I have been putting it off forever!  Well~maybe about a week...lol.  Next up: the sewing of the binding and labeling before gifting.

The Heartstrings panto by Willow Leaf Studio.

WIP Wednesday

DD and I picked up another Milwaukee Admirals player scrapbook.  Brodie Dupont started playing on January 14, 2012 so it will be a half season book.  Brodie is from Russell, Manitoba, Canada.

Adding to the Stash...Again

I guess if I am not sewing or quilting, then I am shopping!  A few fq's to add to the orange and purple scraps.  Is there something wrong with me that I buy fq's to supplement the scraps boxes?!  lol

+2.5 yards

Stash Update Week #8

I had one finish this week and no fabric added!

fabric added this week:   0 yards
fabric added this year:   +60.5 yards

fabric used this week:  -8 yards
fabric used this year:  -55.5 yards

net fabric for the year:  +5 yards

What I accomplished this week:

quilted and bound 4 Patch Posie

Goals for next week:

work on Sashed Animals B

Saturday!

I only needed to put the final stitches in two sides of the binding to finish the 4 Patch Posie!

woohoo!  another finish!  Life is Good!  :)

The Next Quilt

I started the blocks on the next Sashed Animals (B) quilt.  DH has said the ladies at work are DEFINITELY pregnant.  With one due in March and another in April~I best get the second completed.  I asked if the other co-workers were going to hold a baby shower but all I got was a shrug and, "They never tell me anything!" answer...

When I was working on these blocks, my almost last wound bobbin ran out. I still have a few bobbins of various colors-red, black and blue-that I don't like to use to piece. Since I can't remember the last time I changed needles...I went ahead and changed it out and wound 8 more piecing bobbins.

When these piecing bobbins run out~the needle will be needing changing again. :)

A little about my piecing needles~I like to use 80/12 in my Baby Brother.  I ran out of my regular needles but found a stash of these titanium needles.  I had brought he titanium ones when I was quilting on Baby Brother and using spray basting.  I was hoping that the spray basting wouldn't stick as much to the titanium needle.  Now~I am simply using what I have before I buy more of the traditional piecing needles.

WIP Wednesday...on Thursday!

I changed out my kitchen wall hanging from Valentine's to St. Patrick's Day, circa 2004.  One fun thing about this time of year is that the house decorations change fast!

I did spend a little time and quilted the second 4 Patch Posey.  Turning the binding is the next step to be done.

The Contempo quilting panto by Lorien Quilting.

I aslo said that I would make 40 Thank You cards for our recent Casino Night. 


I was inspired by Clean and Simple Stamping #174!.  I like that the designers give you the dimensions to cut all the card stock.  :)

Happy Valentine's Day

My kitchen wall hanging. It's a Eleanor Burns pattern slightly modified to be a wall hanging, circa 2005.

I made a small batch of cookies from a Valentine's cake mix~sprinkles included in the box!  I decided to skip the frosting for easier storage...

I made a few sour cream containers with 3 kisses in each.  I sorta followed this tutorial except (well~there always seems to be some modification, right?!) I used regular two sided tape and omitted the tags.  :)

I plan on giving them away to Milwaukee Admirals workers at the game tonight.

Design Wall Monday

err, floor.

I had a few 4 patch posey blocks leftover from this quilt so I framed them out and added borders.

The first 4 patch posey.

The second 4 patch posey.  I normally just don't add huge borders to bring a quilt up to size but...sometimes it's okay.  This one kinda has a goth feeling to it~in my opinion.  :)

Stash Update Week #7

A mixed week for me.  While I had two finishes, I also added fabric.  Tell me, why do I feel compelled to buy more fabric when one runs short?  Of course, the store doesn't even have the same brand so I buy that much more of another~they were out of Kona black.  :(

fabric added this week:  +10 yards
fabric added this year:  +60.5 yards

fabric used this week: -14.5 yards
fabric used this year:  -47.5 yards

net fabric for the year:  +13 yards  (added)

What I accomplished this week:

quilted and bound Animals A
quilted and bound Pink Popsicle

Goals for next week:

work on Animals B

Here is the fabric I added.  Boy, I just noticed that the colors are NOT true. 

The far left is red!
The far right is brown!  I've already cut into these fabrics otherwise I would take another picture....

Sewing on Pink Popsicle

Sewing on the binding on Pink Popsicle.

Pink Popsicle finished. I quilted it with Angel Wings panto.

Miss Daisy enjoying the snow from yesterday!

A Friday Finish

I finished the Sashed Animals A!  Woohoo!  DH hasn't given me a deadline for these work quilts except that one co-worker is due in March and the other in April.

The Curly Hearts panto~again, a little hard to see as the thread blends pretty well.

I looked out the window this morning and some *white stuff* is falling from the sky!  I thought we only had six more weeks until Spring arrives! at least, the ground hog in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin did not see his shadow...

Look who's pretty bored by it all...Miss Daisy...I think she needs a trim...

WIP Wednesday on Thursday!

I quilted Popsicle Sticks.  I feel this one is a *Hot Mess* but Linda thinks her JR1600 still has the TOP honor so I have renamed this quilt to....Pink Popsicle.  Real creative, right?!  lol

pattern source:  Popsicle Sticks by Terry Atkinson

I was going to quilt it with Trailing Vine but at the last minute I used Angel Wings.  Butterflies in the garden type thing happening. 

I used pink thread which is a little difficult to see.

If I'm going pink~might as well go all the way~

Design Wall Monday

Up on the Design Wall this Monday are the blocks from my Popsicle Sticks Quilt from Atkinson Designs. This was my pal, Norma's choice for her Birthday Sew Party.  I am making the smallest size, 48 x 64, while the others are making larger...almost queen to queen to king!

Looks like I need to move some blocks around to balance the bolder colours, eh?!

Stash Update Week #6

The order came IN!

fabric added this week:  +32 yards
fabric added this year: +50.5 yards

fabric used this week:  -7 yards
fabric used this year: -33 yards

net fabric for the year:  +17.5 yards (added)

What I accomplished this week:

bound Everglades Sidelights~UFO #5
quilted a guild QOV
finished piecing and quilted Sashed Animals A
pieced blocks for Popsicle *HOT MESS*

Goals for next week:

bind Sashed Animals A
start Sahsed Animals B
work on Popsicle *HOT MESS*

Popsicle Update

A little late but here is my update on the Birthday Party sewing.  I had to take DD to a party at 3:30 pm yesterday. So when my day ended I had sewn all my strata together and were cut into the blocks.  I had planned on sewing last night but when I sat down, yep!  I napped.  Once while watching the news and the other while watching hockey.  I reminded myself of my Dad~he used to come home from work, drink his cocktails, eat dinner, nap then go to bed!  A happy memory for me!

This morning I thought I would sew a few blocks together.  Then I thought, I'll just sew until the bobbin runs out. The bobbin ran out and I had two blocks to go so yes, I went ahead and sewed the last two blocks together.  :)

I think this time~I have the *HOT MESS*!  agreed?

Norma's Birthday~FAB Style

Norma's birthday was US Thanksgiving, November 24th.  Since I was out of town that weekend then the holidays came (and went!), we finally decided on today, February 4th to celebrate together with all the FAB's~Norma~the birthday girl~,Pam, Linda, Cher and me! 

I was originally going to make *a little something* with roosters as Norma just LOVES roosters but DD persuaded me to make *a little something* with ladybugs instead. 

So here is what I did~afterwards I got to thinking these placemats might just be the *dieters* version because one just might *lose their appetite* when eating with a bunch of jarred ladybugs!  lol 

I photographed the placemats individually so you would be able to *see* the ladybugs!

placemat A

placemat B

placemat C

placemat D

One of the labels I put on the placemats.

I had also made the other FAB's a waterbottle cover for a birthday gift.

Here is Norma's!  no surprise!  More ladybugs! I also sent along a ladybug card but I have no idea where the picture of that went off to...so~

HAPPY LADYBUG FAB BIRTHDAY, NORMA!!! 

Norma has chosen the Atkinson Designs Popsicle Sticks as our sewing pattern today.  Stay tuned for a sewing update later in the day...

Another Quick Quilt

On and off in one day! 

I quilted the Sashed Animals A today.

The Curly Hearts panto by Lorien Quilting.


I was going to start sewing my strata together for tomorrow's Birthday Sew Party but I think I will hide threads on the Mary and Patty quilt instead so I can give it back to Mary and Patty for binding. 



Who knows?  Maybe one will stitch the binding back during the Super Bowl!!!

ps.  Think I will be the slower sewer tomorrow! I can hardly keep up with the Speed Demons! lol

UFO #1 is...

...my CUB BEE Row Exchange!  It's been marinating for over 5 years now!

I remember that Paula made the bunnies, Patty made the flowers, Karen made the flags, Maureen made the apples, Elizabeth made the watermelons~maybe~and I made the sailboats.  I'll need to look back into my Bear Creek file and *see* who made the other rows....unless, YOU made one for me and remember from 5 years ago!

My friend Maureen, sewed the apple rows as a *Thank You* when she visited about 2 summers ago and also sent along the pattern (and seeds!) if I wanted to make the other 4 rows to complete the quilt!  Only 7 of us in the bee originally exchanged rows, prior to my move to Wisconsin...








The $64,000 question is: do I make the other 4 rows for a quilt or do I do *something* different?! 

I think this is WHY it is has been a UFO~I can't decide what to do!

CRUNCH TIME!

On and Off in 24 Hours

At my last guild meeting, I received a Quilt of Valor to quilt.  I decided to practice the Flirtatious panto from Willow Leaf Studio.

Maybe on second thought, I should have done one I am more familiar with...but how will I get any better on the ones that I don't sew often if I don't sew them?!

This quilt was pieced by Mary and Patty.