It's The Beginning

Prince Charming is starting a new woodworking project. What you see in these 2 photos is the beginning of our entertainment unit for the big screen TV in the living room. It's all oak. We have cut it, planed it, joined it & now he's beginning some of the construction.

it's going to be beautiful!

I love Oak!

Sam

These Are My Girls

DD#1 in Black, DD#2 in green.

Sam

Brown Log Cabin Quilt / Mine!

This quilt is one I started earlier in this year. I actually made 2. The first one that I finsihed was set in a "feilds & furrows" setting & I quilted it & gave it to our realtor on the day that we closed on our house. THEN I decided that this one needed to be set in another setting & I needed 8 more blocks. i had enough fabric, but barely. I set the blocks together & added the borders. i do not usually put light colored borders on a quilt, but this looked good. They are hard to see int he photos because the outer border nearly blends with the carpet.
Excuse the cat. That is Fiona. My grand-cat. She is the BIGGEST attention hound EVER. Soon as i laid this out to get a photo, she jumped int here & stretched out like it was HER'S.
I bought just plain muslin for the backing on this one because I am hoping to quilt it with a pantograph of acorns & oak leaves & I WANT to be able to see the quilting somewhere. The prints are too busy on the front for that pantograph to be seen, so I'll see it onthe back!
I have the binding sewn & pressed & ready to go too!

Sam

Ryan's Log Cabin Quilt

This is a Log Cabin Quilt that I made for my DD#2 LAST YEAR! All it lacked was borders. Since I am off work this week, I decided to catch up on some projects.
I was thinking that if I could get the quilts finished that I started, I could start *NEW* ones.....maybe, maybe not.
I took these photos in our bonus room. Since we watch TV up here, it's sort of DARK - the borders are purple!
All I lack now is to peice the backing. I got some polka dotted fabrics from Wal-Mart & I am going to cut them into 10.5 inche squares & make the back for this little gem! (backing got finished on Friday 12/26 and I uploaded the photos to this post...it's big enough, and WAY bright enough!)
it's bright, very bright. We call it the Skittles Quilt.
Once I have the backing done, it will go into the closet with my other finished tops, to wait being quilted.
I am really rotten about getting bindings done. so idecided that BEFORE I ever get to backings, quilting, or ANYTHING else, that I would get the binding ready. I already have the binding sewn togheter, ironed & rolled. All ready to go! I am hoping that I can keep my promise to myself & make sure that the bindings get done! I have a jar on top of my cabinet in my sewing area in the bonus room, it's got bindings in it for finished quilt tops! maybe seeing the jar will be a reminder to get them done!

Sam

Fabric SCORE !

Okay
I just can't keep my mouth shut, so here goes. I bought some fabric today.
More? You say? Well, yes. I did buy MORE fabric. No, I didn't NEED it, I WANTED it. I had some "Christmas" money & decided to indulge myself.
A few months ago, I joined a quilt guild. They meet the second Monday of every month. I miss it more often that not, I just keep forgetting. (even WHEN I write it on my calender....) Other times, I can't seem to get away from work early enouhg to get there for any kind of fellowship....ANYWAY....my first time there they told me about a shop in KY that "is worth the trip" to go buy fabric. 113 miles ONE WAY from where I live later.......I came home with 35 yards of fabric.
Definately worth the drive. I bought 3 different backings. 108 inches wide. One was $8.50 per yard & the others were $6.50 per yard. (This past weekend, I bought 120 inch wide muslin from Wal-Mart & it was $6 per yard, mabe closer to $7...) These backings are Marcus Brothers! I bought 3 & half yards of each of those backings. i also bout 7 different regualr width fabrics. Each @ 3 and half yards. Two of the fabrics are the same print in a different color, I couldn't decide which one I liked best, so I got both. All of the regular width farics are either black, brown or dark blue background prints. i only bought one light colored print.
most of their fabric was only $3! Name brand, major manufacturers @ $3 per yard.
Where is this place you ask? In the middle of NO-WHERE Kentucky. No joke, I passed the building twice. It's called "Whittles Bargain House" in Smiths Grove, KY. On Hwy 101. Literally in the middle of nowhere.
Definately worthe the trip.
I bought the backings larger (longer) than I thought I might need them because I never know when I'm going to use them! I bought 3 & half yards of the "other" prints because #1 they were VERY inexpensive & #2 - if I use the prints for borders, I'll have enough length for even a KING size quilt. (since I like to tear mine the length of the fabric instead of peicing them...)

Anyway...I'm pleases with my purchases. Giddy nearly. I hope I "find" some more descretionary money to go back again. Only this time I'd like to have a better idea of what I SHOULD get instead of buying whatever I fancy.



Sam

Putting the Big Boys to Bed

It's been more than a littel chilly here in Middle TN, lately! Below freezing most nights.
I have been bringing in the "big boys" from outside. Bourbon (the Springer) just got a hair cut, so he needs to be brought in the most. Bourbon will lay on his little "bed" all night & not move unless called to. Briscoe (the Shepherd), on the other hand, will chew up everything, mess on the floor and tear up anything that is fabric. So? Briscoe has to be crated. He crates without problem. They both stay quiet, and they both stay warm.
Disregard all the mess, it is, after all, our basement garage. right now, we are using it for everything except parking cars!

Sam

Small & Handy Projects / Not Sewing!

My Prince Charming finished a few projects for me in my Long Arm Studio. The largest project was a shelf that he put up on our "dividing wall". I now have 16 feet of shelf space in my studio. It's sort of blank right now, but I will remedy that as soon as I find some baskets that I like. The second "big" project was hanging my storage cabinets on the wall. That was harder than it sounds because the wall that they are hanging on is cement blocks so every hole had to be drilled & then little metal inserts put in & THEN the bolts were driven through the cabinets to hold them onto the wall. He also put the peg board up too - actually attached it to the wall. In my old house the peg board was only leaning up against the wall under those cabinets. So it's an upgrade! The last project we did was to put up an extra peice of pegboard on the wall, it is mounted on 1 X 2's that are screwed to the wall. Voila! i now have a place to hang my stencils. I didn't have that before. These were projects that I have been wanting done, but they were not on the TOP of the list. I'm glad that they are done! See? This is why I call him Prince Charming!

Sam

Home Made Ornaments

Darn it, this is the 2nd attempt to publish this post!

Maybe this time it will take...

You can "BOO" me now, but I have not put up a tree for Christmas in 5 years. maybe more.

On Saturday 12/6 we went to find our tree. DD#1 did her research on the web to find the closest Christmas Tree Farm. Found one in Clarksville. An hour away. We all got up early to trek to Clarksville to cut down our tree. packed work gloves, saw 7 battery powered chain saw. We get to the farm & there MIGHT have been 20 trees. And they all looked like Charlie Brown planted them! No joke! DD#! was hugely disappointed. Pouted like a 4 year old. We didn't even get out of the truck. We ended up going to home Depot & got a Frasier Fir. Nice tree...

We did not decorate the tree until this past weekend. DD#2 was home from college & both decorated the tree.

This evening I am showing you all some of my prized ornaments.

One is a beaded ball that DD#2 made for a 4H competition when she was in grade school. She won 1st place with that ball!

One is a clear glass heart that I glued beads, roses & ribbon onto. Very victorian!

One is a Snowflake made from beads. We made several of them, some in clear glass beads & some in solid white beads. They REALLY look like Snowflakes.

One is part of a set of ornaments that my DSD (Dear Sister Debi) made for me. There are 4 , each with our names on them. mine is the Santa that you see in the top photo.... I hope she makes some more, because the ones she made with the girls names on them will go to them when they set up house for themselves.

All of these ornaments are treasures, and they would likely look better in daylight instead of the flash of the camera!

See Ya !
Sam

Quilt for Christmas - Not For Me !

I still lack putting borders on this quilt. I made it as a commission.

My customer wants the borders to be Orange & Burgundy.

There are 144 blocks in this top! I didn't think I'd ever get them all done.

Pattern is Antique Checks / 9 Patch Reunion byAtkinson Designs.

I didn't have anywhere large enough to display it out flat that I could get a whole photo, except in my longarm studio. I have 3 florescent lights in there (so I can see while quilting) and the lights make this quilt seem brighter than it actually is. there ARE some bright prints in it, but it isn't in the crayon-y looking colors like it appears in the photos. The top photo is the border choices. And I have to choose quickly in order to get them onto the quilt, quilted & bound by this time next week.......

Sam

Christmas Fabric

last month I quilted 2 Log Cabin Quilts for a lady that was giving them as Christmas Gifts this year. I am not real big one theme quilts, but Christmas Quilts stuck a chord with me. I don't know why, it just seemed like a good idea. So I decided that for 2009 I wanted to make 3. That sounds pretty agressive, but the 3 I want ot do are just going to be simple Log Cabins. 2" strips. I'm fairly certain I can crank those babies out in plenty of time. ha! It will give me an excuse to get a few more Christmas themed Pantographs! I have 2. One is a super simple Christmas Tree & I have another one that is a Snow Flake. I'll have to hunt the web-sites for a 3rd.
anyway- I really, really thought it would be soemthing very nice to have, especially for my girls, to have a Christmas Quilt , that they can drag out once a year & display year after year. Me Too!
Well, I have attached photos of the fabrics that I have gathered so far. I need more "lights". I am trying NOT to buy any cartoon or kitchy prints. I want timeless designs. Most of what you are seeing I bought from Stitcher's Garden in Franklin, TN. They are moving thier store this month. They have the largest store I have ever been in. it sure lacks ambiance (sp?) but what they lack in looks is made up in selection. bolts & bolts & more bolts. Stacks, scads & bunches. they do NOT have discounted prices. Most of what you're seeing here is $7 - $9 per yard stuff. It all feels delcious and looks even better.
The photos are more rich in daylight, but I took these photos at night in our bonus room in my sewing area & only had the clamp lights to work with.
the "squares" are an old Thimbleberries print called Candy Coated Christmas. I bought this yardage several years ago. I cut out all these blocks last weekend. I think I have 221 of them. I figured I could use them as the center of a Courthouse Steps block , or the center of a Log Cabin block or even the center of a modified Square in a Square. THAT print was EXPENSIVE. it's selfish, but whatever block those squares end up in, is a quilt that will STAY at MY house. it won't be a gifter.
I thought my BFF, Kat, would like to see what I have accumulated!

Sam