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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Another Lesson Learned!

I often too often say that I learn something with each quilt I make. Well, with this one, I thought I totally ruined it.


What did I do, you ask? Well, normally, I do not quilt this densely. The dense quilting is what my learning experience lead to.

First,  I outlined the pumpkins and then stitched curved lines from the top to the bottom to make them look like real pumpkins. Then not being able to decide what to do in the green, I decided to do pebbles. Yes, that is a very dense filler stitch but I decided to try it. So, I finished it, washed it, and dried it and almost got sick. The pumpkins were so puffy that the whole quilt was distorted.

Now, what do I do? The only solution I thought of was to fill in the pumpkins with a dense stitch also. So, that is what I did. Rewashed it and then laid it out on the floor to block. Not my normal quilting style, but I saved the wall hanging.

And another lesson learned.

I'll be out of town Wednesday and Thursday. I'm going to be in Northwest Arkansas at a Reading Workshop. I'll actually hope to get some extra rest since I won't have my quilts calling my name each night. lol  That's really not why I don't sleep much. Really, I think sleeping is a waste of time and I am afraid I'm going to miss something. That's why I go to bed late each night. I can't blame it on my quilting.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

All Caught Up

I finished my 9th block of the Snowbound BOM from Bunny Hill Designs. So, I am all caught up. Now I have to wait for the next 3 month's blocks to come out. The last one is supposed to be posted in December. But, I hope she releases it a little early so I can get it finished for the holidays. I usually start decorating the day after Thanksgiving.

I also have all of the Irish Chain Blocks completed. In the next few days, I will probably go ahead and finish embellishing the blocks and sew together all of the completed blocks. Then I will be able to finish it more quickly in December.

I really need to plan the borders and backing so I can have them ready also. I believe her pattern calls for one 4 inch red border. I may have to piece some reds together or order some red fabric because I don't think I have a large enough piece of any one fabric to make borders.

I attended the wedding of a niece today. It was simple but beautiful. Her dress was really pretty--form fitting and elegant--not one of the heavy ball gowns.  I didn't have my camera with me so--no pictures. I also was able to hold some of the beautiful babies that have been born this past summer.

I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring. I don't have my planning done for school this week so I will either have to finish them tomorrow at home or go to school for a few hours. But, I know I'll take time to do some sewing.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Another Snowbound Block

I started up walking again when we were camping and have been walking sporatically for the last couple of weeks. But I have walked an hour two nights in a row. I thought I would be sore but I'm not--so far. I go with a friend and it's so much easier to walk if you have someone to talk to.
The only problem is that we go around 6 so it is cooler, but it seems to take a big chunk out of my evening (only 1 hour).

On the home front, I finished the 4th block for the Bunny Hill "Snowbound" BOM quilt. I'm looking forward to doing the other 5 and then have to wait until the final blocks are posted on the web site.


Over the weekend, I finished all of the blocks that will go between the snowman blocks. I can't wait to put it all together. I feel the fabrics have a wonderful contrast and it will all be so vibrant when put together. Something else to look forward to.

Now, I am sitting here nodding off at the computer. So it's time to go to bed.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Fall-O-Ween Quilt Designer Blog Hop



I came across a blog called Gudrun's World who is hosting a Fall-O-Ween Quilt Designer blog hop from September 27 to October 6. Now, I have never participated in a blog hop but I thought it sounded like a lot of fun.

So hop on over to Gudrun's World to get an idea of the fun we can have. She has a great giveaway going also.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting?

Edited to add: It's only 9 p.m. and I fell asleep making this post. That's what happens when I sit at night and watch TV instead of sewing.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Friday Night Sew-In Update

While I did get something accomplished I didn't get started early enough to get a lot accomplished.



 I ended up staying at work until almost 7 p.m. when Larry met me there. We then went out to eat as we were both starving. So it was well after 8:30 before I got home and started.
I had two "Snowbound" blocks from Bunnyhill Designs free BOM already cut out. I was able to get them appliqued and a third block completed. 
 
So today I am sewing, cleaning house, and doing laundry. Aren't we quilters talented?

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Behind on Baby Quilts Again

A big "Thanks" to all of you who gave me suggestions for the borders on the pink and green quilt. I still haven't decided what to do and plan to let my daughter decide when she stops by this weekend. I plan to lay out different fabrics using the various border options you suggested to see which we like best. For some reason I cannot visualize it, so I need to actually see how it will look.

I have a group of teachers that I have dinner with once a month. Some months there are 3 or 4 of us and some months there are 8 to 10. The one thing we all have in common is that we have taught/worked at St. Joseph School.  We met tonight and had a surprise mini baby shower for one of our group members. It is always so much fun when we get together.

I have promised her a personalized baby quilt. She is having a girl so I will probably use the circular pattern I used for this quilt. She is using many colors in her nursery but mentioned pink and brown. So the wheels are spinning in my little brain thinking about what fabrics to use.

Another one of Larry's nephews and his wife just had a baby boy. So, I have that baby quilt to make also. Thank goodness neither one of them expect their quilts real real soon so I can still work on other things in between.

Tomorrow night is the Friday Night Sew In. I almost forgot about it and was going to work late at school. But as the time gets closer, I really think I'll come home and sew. I have 3 or 4 quilts planned that I want to finish before Christmas.  A couple are gifts and a couple are just patterns that I consider to be Christmas quilts. One is a Poinsettia applique quilt.  Another is the Snowflake quilt from the Moda Bake Shop.  I fell in love with it the first day I saw it. Another one is a Bunny Hills Design BOM "Snowbound".



I almost forgot. I have completed the ninth block of Molly's "Tree Time BOM" . I'm going to put a large yellow star button in the center of the mini crocheted doily at the top of the tree.




I grew up sewing my own clothing out of necessity and do not enjoy it anymore. I think the "door of quilting" was open as a way to help me cope with my children growing up and leaving and my husband being gone so much. God is so good.

Well, as you can see I have plenty to work on. Have fun!

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Advice Needed!!!

I asked my son (the electronics genius) if I could replace my camera card and card reader for about $20 each and he laughed and told me more like $10 each. That's all I needed to know. I loaded up and went to Walmart and I'm back in business.

My pink and green top is only 68 inches right now and with a 4 inch half blocks not sewn on yet will make it 76 inches. I need it to fit a queen bed so I want to make it a little larger.


Would you add the half blocks all around and then a wide floral border and binding?


Or would you add a wide floral border and then the half blocks and maybe a narrow pink or green border and then binding?


Or would you skip the floral and use a pink or green or maybe pink, white, and then green?

Too many decisions for me. I would love your input.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

I'm Home

Well, we are back at home. I'm not sure why, but I feel tired. It is probably just laziness from relaxing since Friday.

I was able to get my green and pink quilt flimsy made. I went to take a picture to show all of you but my camera told me the internal memory was full. I looked and my camera card was not in my camera. No big deal, I often leave it in my card reader and forget to put it back in.

The problem was that my camera card was not in my camera case. It was not on my sewing table (the place I last used it). It was not on my coffee table. I have totally misplaced it.

I used it on Wednesday when I made my post. I also went to Wal-mart one day to print out pictures. Of course, the machine said it needed service and I needed to contact an associate. Was there one around to assist me? No. So I put in back in my purse and came home. I cannot remember what day that was. I'll look in my vehicle tonight and hope it is there. If it isn't, I guess I will replace it in a couple of days. The only pictures on there I need were pictures of my students. I'll just have to retake them.

Now, I'm spending too much time trying to catch up on blogs. It's good to be home.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Friday Night Sew In



The next Friday Night Sew In is Friday, September 17. Visit Heide to join in on the fun.

I usually spend Friday Nights Sewing. The house is always quiet because everyone is doing their own thing. If Larry is at home, we may go out to eat but then I sew and he plays games or checks facebook, etc. We are just a lazy kind of family.

A great way to start the weekend. And end the weekend on Sunday. Quilters! What a life!

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A Mini Vacation

We are heading out with the 5th wheel to Shoal Bay, an local corp of engineer recreation park. We will be leaving on Friday and stay until Monday or Tuesday.  The park is actually closer to my school than home is to the school so I will meet Larry there after school on Friday and then drive from there to school on Monday and Tuesday.

Lots of rest and relaxation. I hope the weather stays cooler but we have a retrieve from the rain at least part of the time.

What will I do? Read and sew and take walks. Doesn't that sound like the life.

I have my "Give Thanks" wall hanging pin basted and ready to take along.


I'm also going to take my green and pink quilt block along to get sewed together. That and the reading I need to do for a reading class I am taking should keep my busy.  But, I have a feeling that the book I have  downloaded to my kindle that is a sequel to another book that I have been waiting to come out will take a front seat to everything else.

So, I do have plenty to do.

But, no internet, except for on my phone. I will survive!

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Pink and Green Quilt

I have had several express interest in the pink and green quilt I am making.  Which, by the way, is ready for me to square the blocks and sew together. I think that will be my project for tomorrow night.

The pattern is in the June 2008 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. The pattern is called "Sweet Retreat" and was designed by Holly Holderman.

It is not the cover quilt but I wanted to show the cover so if anyone wants to search through their magazines, it will be easier to spot. 


The Snowflake and Daisy Quilt is completed, binding and all, but I do not have good enough light anywhere in this house to take photos at night.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Do You Think . . .

that mistakes made by well-known quilters often end up in new patterns or new quilt names or new quilt stitch names? 

Of course, I am not a well-known quilter, but that is what happened to me. My blue quilt has been known as the "Snowflake" quilt since its' start as a thought. Well, as I was quilting one of my outside borders, my quilt got a new name.

"Snowflakes and Daisies"

What? It is really quite simple. I decided to do a "loops and snowflake" meandering in a couple of the outside borders. But, after I quilted the first snowflake--I looked and it was definitely a daisy.


Well, truth be known, I was too lazy to rip it out so I just continued to make loops and daisies. Therefore, my quilt was renamed.

Now, if I was quilting this to give to someone, I would have taken the stitches out. But since I will keep it myself (or maybe give it to Craig), I wasn't worried about it and continued to make daisies.

So what do you think? Do you think mistakes often become really grand ideas?

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Snowflake Quilt Almost Quilted

Well, I got the urge to work on my snowflake flimsy.  I got it sandwiched this morning and spent most of the day quilting it. I decided that I would stitch in the ditch around the big blocks and then wasn't sure what I wanted to do inside the blocks. I knew I didn't want to use a lot of fill because I want the quilt to be snuggly soft.

So this afternoon I decided a big snowflake would be perfect. I wasn't sure I wanted to free hand it because I knew I didn't want to take the time to practice that much. So I printed a snowflake clipart from the internet and then used it as a stencil. Since I didn't have a light colored marking pen, I decided to try pinning the paper stencil to the quilt and sew around it.


It actually worked okay. I just had to be careful and hold my hands just right so the foot wouldn't get caught on the paper.


It's been a quiet day here. I quilted and rested all day. Kelsey and Ismael and 2 nieces and a nephew came to swim for awhile. I know the water was cold but they toughed it out for a long time.

Today is Craig's last day at Walmart. He has a new job with a web design company in Fort Smith (about 40 miles away). A pretty good drive but he has been making it for 4 years because that is where he went to college.  Congratulations, Craig. We are proud of you.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Does Your Sewing Area Ever Look Like This?

Warning Kelsey, don't look!

Actually it is only two projects.

This is the quilt I'm making for Kelsey and her boyfriend to give to his mother for Christmas. All blocks are made (except the prairie points edging) and ready to be sewn together.


I enjoyed making the quick "Believe" wall hanging so much last weekend, I decided to do another quick one this weekend. I drew everything free handed including the letters. Still thinking about border colors. I have fabrics laid out and will be eyeing then as I applique to decide what direction I want to take.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

My, Oh My . . .

how dependent we are on the internet in our little blog world.

I had my throat procedure on Tuesday which left me very hoarse because they could not numb my throat because of an allergic reaction to lidocaine (the numbing meds). Therefore, I coughed all through the procedure and now cannot talk above a whisper. I stayed home from work on Wednesday and was pleasantly sewing away through a rain shower when all of the sudden I heard a snap, crackle, and pop. I knew lightning had struck somewhere in or near the house. (It was not even thundering or lightning prior to the strike.)

I walked through the house and found that the hot tub was no longer on. So I waited for the rain to stop and checked the switch box and luckily after I reset the switch, the hot tub came back on. Thank goodness.

But later that evening I discovered that the internet was not working. Sure enough, lightning zapped it.

My point is, after being without internet for less than 24 hours, you would think I was cut off from the world. When in truth, it was just my blogging family.

Now, I'm catching up on blog reading and realize that I really need to show a new pic of the quilt I am working on. Playing hooky from school really paid off. I have all of the blocks pieced and waiting for me to lay out.

Hopefully there will be pics tomorrow night.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

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