More Progress

Progress - On Point!

Today is a simply GORGEOUS day outside. Very low humidity & what do I spend my day doing? Well of course! Sewing!

Here is ONE block. I think I have 80 done.

Here is the first corner, minus the corner setting triangle. I put those on last so I don't lose the other ones in the process.

I am glad that I decided to set them on point, did that because if I straight set them, I think I'll need more blocks....but now that they're set on point? I think I'll have too many! We shall see.

The fabric that I am using is from my stash. I think I had more than 4 yards of it. I do not know how long I have had it aging it in my stash either. I picked it becasue I knew I'd need great big squares to cut the setting triangles out of (18.5 inches) and I didn't want it to be directional or BROWN since I am using a solid chocolate brown for the sashing. Don't be fooled, I had lots & lots to choose from in my stash, this stuff just looked like it would blend well enough NOT to compete with all the prints in the blocks and allow the blocks to look like they are flaoting. It works & I like it. And that's all that matters!

At this moment, I am going to put one more row on & then I am going to go bake a Banana Pound Cake. I have some over ripe bananas & want to USE them instead of tossing them. I am also going to bake a Blueberry Strusel Braid too, but I'll have to run to the sotre for some breadsticks dough for those!

Talk to Y'all Later!

Sam

Table Re-Finishing

This will (I hope) eventually end up for my daughter. It has about 6 layers of paint! Maybe I am exagerating, but not by much. I did not get a before bpicture. I regret that. I should plan these things out better!

The orange gel stuff is that Citri-Strip stuff. It's the least toxic & has the least amount of fumes - that I have found so far. but I have removed the layers of white paint & I am now working on more layers. Green & yellow, I think! That's BEFORE I get to whatever color stain the wood had originally.

What Have I Been Working On ??????

You might ask that! I have been busy with my real job. And I travelled all last week. I am a homebody. For real. I was in Arkansas to meet & give some training to some of the other sites there. Anyway...

Below is a picture from Quilters Newsletter Magazine. The pattern is supposed to be free off thier website, but everytime *I* click on the pdf hickie do, it gives me an error message. I got the magaine pages with the instructions from Diane (Miller - of my quilt guild).

I have the last round of logs to complete on about 42 (roughly half) blocks & I can start setting them. I think I have 80 blocks. I am probably going to set them on point, as I think it would take 99 to straight set them, and I really (REALLY!!!) don't want to make more blocks. So we'll see how far I get this week.

I failed to read the instructions correctly & my bolcks are one more round larger than the instructions tell you to do. But since I'd already cut up 80 fat quarters, I wasn't going to waste the strips. I cut strips for the Barn Loft as well as my Everlasting Wreath Quilt. (Pretty sure I have more than enough strips cut now!) Since I am fairly certain that I am setting the blocks on-point, I need to shop my stash for something to use for the setting triangles.

Apeaking of stash. On Saturday I attended the TVQA meeting that was held in Winchester. Those girls did a GREAT job of hosting the meeting. The speaker at the meeting was Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. She is the pattern designer for "on Eagles Wings" and the "Everlasting Wreath". Little bitty woman too! She is from Poland & just recently an American citizen. So cute! She inflected a lot of humor into her dialogue and it was very nice! I have never been to one of these meetings. And I nearly wasn't able to attend this one. #1 I wasn't registered #2 They ran out of space. BUT !!! #3 I had a freind that was registered & could not attend. So I got to go! I am very glad that I did. After lunch we went to Decherd Needleworks. FQ's $1 each. I stocked up - that's where the "speaking of stash" comes in......I enhanced my stash!  I had wanted to purchase one or two of the new patterns by Edyta Sitar, but her tables were 5 people deep. I'll order them on line instead. (I'm not a crowd person)

So? In a nutshell, you now know what I have been working on! I promise to post pictures soon. After I get the Barn Loft Quilt sent off to the longarm quilter, I'll start on the grandson's I-Spy Quilt for Christmas & then revert back to my Everlasting Wreath Quilt.

Talk to you later!

Sam

PS - for Donna ~ I love making quilts way more than I like quilting them. I sold the longarm in May. I think i MIGHT have quilted a dozen quilts INCLUDING mine in 18 months.

NQR - New Machines - Both Industrial

Diane's Ever Lasting Wreath

this is a cell phone picture, so the quality OF THE PHOTO is not really good.

I saw Diane last night & failed to bring my camera to take a shot of her Everlasting Wreath Quilt - so she sent me a pic with her cell phone.

I regret to say that you are NOT seeing all the beautiful batiks in this quilt! And her rings are made up of a smokey green. She calls hers : "Smoke Rings" !

Sam

Everlasting Wreath Quilt (AKA: Never Ending Wreath Quilt)

I am sorry, but EVERY time I think of the name of this quilt? I think of that movie with Atreyu & Falcor....The Neverending Story! Thus I have dubbed my Everlasting Wreath Quilt, the Never Ending quilt. That and well? It's going to take 40 forevers to ever get it done.

This is a picture off the webiste of Laundry Basket Quilts. They are the designer of the pattern for the Everlasting Wreath:

Obviously, I will make it BIGGER. As is my normal practice. I like 'em big! And..........before you even ask, I have no clue how I'll finish the edges. I have not got that far & I will likely change my mind a dozen times before I get to that point. Pretty sure I won't have to worry about it THIS year.

Here are a few photos of some of the blocks I have done & the rotary cutter is there for SIZE comparison. Yes, I KNOW it's pictured on a cutting mat but you might not have figred that one out..... I think I need 100, maybe more, of the hexagon blocks with the LIGHT sides for the size I want. How many do I have so far? Good question y'all ! I have 18. I have 1 with all darks. Yep, long way to go yet.

heavy sigh, the reason for my post tonight is to show you how sick dedicated I am. I ran out of LIGHT strips. So I needed to cut more. See this stack of lights/shirtings?

I dragged out 22 differnt shirtings prints & cut 1 strip from each one 1.5 inces wide by WOF. It took me an hour and a half. Unfold, cut one 1.5" strip, refold. Repeat. I have a whole shelf of shirtings/thimbleberries creams. I usually buy 2 yards & I use these as my neutrals or lights in any quilt that I might make. Same prints are in my Spools Quilt too! Some of my 2 yard cuts are no loner much more than a yard! I'll need to restock my stash. I have more Civil War re-pro shirtings than I have Thimbleberries, as not many stores carry Thimbleberries anymore.

Anyway. I figured I SHOW you how insane or stupid or Quilt Pox afflicted  dedicated I am to getting a good start on this quilt!

One of the girls in my guild nearly has her's completed. She's doing it in Batiks & her LIGHTS are a smokey green color & she's calling hers ...wait for it.....you're never gonna beleive it....."SMOKE RINGS". Yep Smoke Rings. I laughed out loud when she told me that. But you have to know Diane before you could really understand her! She doens't have the internet, so maybe she'll let me take a picture of HERS & post it on my blog. I hope so. Hers is gorgeous.

Well that's it for tonight kiddos!

I hear my pillow calling me.

Sam

Spools up-Date

I have been sewing, just very little.

I finished my sppols quilt about 2 months ago. You're seeing it from the balcony of the church where my guild meets. Certainly a birds-eye view!

As you can see, my borders are a tad bit ....um...ruffly? It will "quilt-out", it always does , so I am not worried. It's 93"X107" ! And those borders (again with the borders....) that fabric has definately AGED in my stash. I loved it when I bought it & I love it now. It's a Civil War Re-Pro print and has large pheasants on it. I think I got it one year while Prince Charming was pheasant hunting in South Dakota. Not sure, but I THINK so!

Thank you to Mr Pappenfus for the lovely pictures. You did an awesome job.

Those YELLOW spools sure stand out, don't they? - Know what though? I like it! I even have enough blocks sewn into rows for another SPOOLS Quilt! Pretty sure I'll set them on point, but have no idea for the borders & side setting triangles. I'll have to shop my stash for that.

I am currently working on a few PP blocks for my neverending Everlasting Wreath Quilt. They are faster than the blocks for either of the other 2 PP pineapple quilts...I call it THERAPY QUILTING. I mean, sewing on lines is a no-brainer right??? Right! I am easily side tracked though..I'll tell you that!

My youngest DD graduated grad-school (see post below!) and my NaNa duties have all but halted. Thought I'd have a boatload of free time at my disposal. Turns out, I don't. Can't explain that. Anyone know why? I don't, that's for sure...

Oh! I also completed a chair for my nephew Jeremy & his wife Alisha. This was my Mother's chair.

Before:

After:

It's much more poofier. (sp?) I doubled the foam in the seat becasue , well, it is a HARD seat, it's just plywood. Note to self: When you double the foam or increase the foam size from the original....You can NOT use the old fabric peices as a pattern. They are too small. Self? This is very good advice!

Anyway...that's all I have to show for right now.

Sam

My Baby the Grad-Graduate

I'm late posting these photos. Please forgive me. Saturday we attended my daughter's graduation. she has completed her graduate studies & now has her Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology. The weather co-operated & we did not get rained on.

I am VERY proud of my daughter. I am very proud of both my daughters. Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, in a state not so far away....? Getting this far in life didn't seem possible. I'm glad we had dreams, desires, and ambitions.

Sam

1st Quilted Quilt for 2013

I spent last weekend quilting 2 quilts. #1 was my "On Eagles Wings" & the other, i can't remember the name of the pattern. But it's gold & Blue

Here you go!

this is shown sideways & hanging off our deck railing. You are missing 2 rows in these photos.

Quilting pattern is from Urban Elementz. sort of a Fluer De lis type pattern. Still un-bound. I only finished it at 11PM on Saturday night.

This pattern is from Bonnie Blue Quilts. It's 6 blocks by 7. Again, you are seeing it sideways. also un-bound.

 I used a dark navy blue thread to TONE DOWN this chrome yellow. It was shockingly bright. I think I did okay. My daughter thinks so anyway.

 Back of the quilt. Quilting pantograph is from Urban Elementz.

Well that's it for now! I am off to start dinner. Sketti & sausage & garlic bread tonight ya'll.

Sam

1st Finish For 2013 / Chenille Baby Blanket

Well, it's not a QUILT. But...it IS my first finish for 2013. I started this blanket the 2nd week of January, but then I got the FLU. This weekend is the first weekend that I have felt 100%. Well 98%. Still tire easily, but I just wanted to FINISH something. And I wanted to get it off my sewing table.

This picture shows the channels all sewn & ready to be cut open.

I admit, this was BORING. Very boring....

Sewing the binding on.

This is BEFORE being washed.

AFTER washing.

AFTER washing.

Close up, after washing.

I sewed the binding to the back, turned it to the front & then machine sewed it down. I thought the stitching would be really noticible, but it's not!

I love this print!

I did n't have a pattern. honestly? I didn't figure I needed one. I bought 2 yards of the print flannel to use as the front and the binding. And then I bought 1.25 yards of each yellow, green & pink flannel. I started my diagonal sewing lines at one corner. If I EVER do this again, I think I will start in the center. It was difficult to keep my sewing lines straight. I stopped trying after about getting 20 or more rows sewn. As I expected, the fabric shifts, and becasue I started on one corner (or not, I don't really know...) the edges of the project didn't stay aligned. After I finished sewing the channels, I cut them open. Leaving the print side uncut. I tried using one of those special chenille cutters, I felt like I was tearing the seams apart, so I started using scissors. I cut the print fabric once. I appliqued a little patch over it & you can't see it. You can FEEL it, but you can't SEE it! I got a blister on one of my fingers from the cutting. I had to go really slow so I wouldn't cut the print fabric with the scissors. Flannel cuts easy!

I love the finished project. But I am not jumping on starting another one. While I like the 3 different colors of the chenille part, this is being gifted to a baby girl & I think it would have looked more sweet in just pink & white.

I have seen some of these done on Pinterest in a chevron pattern & I'd like to try that!

Overall I am satisfied with the finished blanket.

Oh yah....remember I said they were 1.25 yards in length? The FINISHED blanket, after sewing, cutting, TRIMMING, washing & drying, it is 35 inches square. How odd is that?

Sam

Spool Quilt ~ Progress

I have the length & the width that I want.

Now to finish the other half & to find something to use as an inner border. It only has to be like 1.5" wide. Just enough color to break up the side setting triangles & the outer border fabric. (which are going to be the same fabric)

I can't get the stinking pictures to load. I'll try this again later.

Sam

Back In The Saddle Again ! Sort Of.....

Again, no sewing.

Today was my first day back in the OFFICE in 10 days. Actually got out of pajamas for longer than it takes to go to the doctors office! Ha! An accomplishment.

That FLU kicked my butt. Royally. The ear infections? I am still recuperating. Still on antibiotics for those buggers. It still hurts my teeth when I chew - sounds odd, I know. But it's all connected. Stinking antibiotics do other stuff to you that I am not even going to bother to blog about.

I am so THANKFUL for SO MANY things while I have been ill this past week or so...Incluldng but not limited to: My loving husband & beautiful girls. They put up with my foul moods, my yelling trists & my all around sick self. During , through, before & after all my coughing & puking..... My Employer. I have great benifits & I used a bunch of those this week, I was also allowed to work from home for half the time I was out. (I didn't HAVE TO, I WANTED to...but they ALLOWED me to!) My Dog. Bourbon has been my constant companion & I had to literally peel him off me several times this week. No joke....He even stayed right there with me when I yelled at him for NOTHING. I hate being sick. I really do!

I am still getting over those stinking ear infections. But YAY ME I have my taste back! And I can hear. Sort of.

I got well just in time for our Annual CPR/1st Aid Training on Saturday. Yay.......

I hope I get some sewing time in this weekend. Just some.

Stay Well Y'all!
Sam

More Being Sick

Well, I called my doctor this morning. I have not been able to swallow without pain in my ears. Got there at 11AM he says, after sticking a long q-tip down my throat..., that I still negative for strep, but positive for ear infections! Yes, plural. One super bad in my left ear & one almost as bad in my right. They popped me with a shot in my butt & gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 10 more days of pills. Yay me! I hate taking pills. At least it's not a liquid. Heck, I'd puke every time I had to swallow it, if it were!

I hate being sick. And I hate complaining about it too. And....yah, and....I have been the absolute WORST person to be around. Zero personality. I have even yelled at the dog today, and I have not been able to peel him off me for the last week! He knows I don't feel well, so he's staying close! And it's getting on my very last nerve. All I want to be is well. WELL.

Hopefully soon.

Sam

Sick With The FLU

Last Tuesday I had scheduled the day off to spend with a group of my freinds. We all got in Sally's van & went down to Alabama to have our sewing machines serviced at Ken's. When I woke up on Tuesday I had a little tickle in my throat. (as of this post? My sewing machine is still in the case on the floor waiting to be used...)

Wednesday that tickle was on FIRE all day while I was at work.

Thursday I stayed home from work & went to the Dr. They swabbed my throat & swabbed my nose. Dr said "Good News & Bad News" - Bad News? Nose swab was positive for the FLU, good news? Throat swab negative for strep. 

I have been IN BED since Thursday. THURSDAY!!! Swallowing has been painful. Coughing has been painful. Sleeping has been painful. My ears ache, my tummy aches, my throat aches, my muscles ache.

This FLU has totally kicked my butt.

Next year? Next Year when they offer FLU shots for free? I'm gonna be first in line.

I feel like I am well enough to go back to work on Tuesday the 15th. I'm not 100%. Far from it. But I'm better. I hope that great ladies I was with last Tuesday didn't get this from me! I got it from someone.....unknown WHO, but I got it from someone....but I wouldn't want to be the one to GIVE it to someone else.

Sam

Sometimes I Laugh At Myself

And laughing at myself is a good thing.

I finished my spool blocks sometime before Christmas. I just have had ZERO time to sew for myself, so I didn't even try. That...and my fingers hurt in the winter. So much sewing makes them hurt more.

Today , bieng the 1st of January, was a holiday & I didn't have work so I did a little piddling around in my sewing room & decided I was going to "shop my stash" for fabric for the side setting triangles & borders for my SPOOLS QUILT. I wanted something brown. No reason, just because. Well I found 6 yards of a brown print in my stash. That's WHY I was laughing at myself. I have no clue when I bought this fabric. It was definately OVER 5 years ago! Is it older than that? Maybe! I really don't know & I really don't care. I am just glad I had 6 yards. That's enough for the setting triangles & borders AND binding!! Yay Me!

It's a Fons & Porter / Benartex Print with Pheasants on it. I think I may have purchased it after Prince Charming came back from hunting Pheasants one year. He brought the most beautiful wreaths back for me from those hunting trips...but, I digress. Here is the print:

This is the piece I have set aside to use for the borders & binding.

(ignore the doll in the background, she's a work in progress - that heart knit? I bought 3 of those shirts from Wal Mart to put appliqued letters on...Let's just say that my embroidery machine did NOT like that knit. It ate 2 of the 3. The 3rd one did not get monogrmammed! - you can see the doll dress I made HERE )

Yep - Gonna set the bolcks on-point. I find it easier to sew squares & then trim them. I'm lazy like that.

See all my blocks??? There are like 700 of them!

Row #1 !

Just my mess.....

See y'all later! No promises, but MAYBE I'll have it pieced before our guild meeting in 2 weeks.

Sam