Sunday almost gone!

Goodness, I thought yesterday went by fast. Today flew by even faster.

I got an early start to do a little cleaning and then start sewing. My goal was to get this wall hanging quilted. It is 9:30 p.m. and I am only a little over half way through it. But I do like how it is turning out.

I haven't been working on it all day. I had to make a quick run to town and I did some laundry. We left at about 2:15 to go to Fort Smith (an hour away) to get a few things. We attended Mass and dropped by Craig and Becca's and spent too much money for nothing. Isn't it amazing how stuff adds up these days.

So, I plan to stay up this evening tonight until I get this wall hanging finished. Tomorrow I hope to get the two pillow cases completed, make 2 stockings (Zak and Aiden), and make gifts for my brother and sisters. Every year I wait until the last week to make something . . .  and every year I say I won't do that again next year.  This is my project for this year  . . .

I am adjusting it a little to make it a little more simple because I don't have much time.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

I've got that joy, joy, joy, joy

down in my heart that comes from warm weather and sunshine. It is amazing how much better I feel.

On the design wall this week. Well, both projects are off the design wall.  See Patchwork Times for many great ideas.

I finally have one side of the border quilted. It seems to take forever and my hands were aching this morning, so I think I'll let my hands rest from hand quilting.

I have a tabletopper/wallhanging pieced and sandwiched--waiting to be quilted. I'll do it on the machine some time this week.

We had state testing last week so many students have the idea (attitude) that nothing else matters from now until the end of the year. Unfortunately, some teachers feel that way also.

I am trudging right along and continuing to teach -- in a little more relaxed way -- and will continue until the end of school. I do tend to add a few more fun projects that we don't have time for during the rest of the year.

I'm feeling sick about the bombings during the Boston Marathon. It saddens me that someone would even think about doing such a thing. Prayers to the families of all present there today.

One of those days . . .

when nothing goes right. I decided to make a winter banner to hang outside. I was planning to machine embroidery on it.

So I got out my machine and then realized I hadn't loaded the embroidery software on my Macbook yet. It was only installed on my pc--which quit working quite a while ago. So I loaded it on my Macbook, downloaded the design, made changes, and saved it.  When I got ready to write it to the card that fits into my embroidery machine, it wouldn't write to it. So after messing with it for a couple of hours, I finally figured out that the card reader I had to use is not working any longer.

So, it was 11 o'clock and I had nothing accomplished. Bummer!!! I had planned to quilt while the embroidery machine was running so that didn't happen either.

Had a quick light lunch and then got busy on this panel I had purchased a couple of years ago. I don't usually buy panels and only did because it was on clearance and I had just decorated my bathroom with bird houses. 

Anyway, I did a quick stitch in the ditch around the triangles and decided to follow the pattern of the fabric for the quilting. 

My question is . . . "Would you leave the bird puffy like it is or do some thread painting in that area follow all of the lines in the design."

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Busy, Busy, Busy

and getting very little accomplished. Or it seems that way.

School starts on the 20th. The summer has flown by.

I went to school for a few hours yesterday and the only thing I accomplished was getting some decorations laminated. I was interrupted way too many times. :) I was planning to get up and out of the house by 7 this morning--didn't happen. Forgot to turn on the alarm clock.

On the quilting front, I have made some headway on this wall hanging.

It is over halfway machine quilted. All of the floral blocks are quilted and some of the star blocks. I am just doing free motion stitch in the ditch on those. And believe me--I need practice on that.

And I have 2 rows completed on the star quilt I am hand quilting. I have two more blocks partially quilted on another row.

That is 10 blocks completed out of 25. I have decided that this is the pattern that is taking me a long time.  You know the continuous hearts around the Irish Chain block.

The continuous curves seem to take so much more time than the straight lines.

Well, that's a catch up in a nutshell.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Another finish

That makes it sound like I am really busy. Actually this wall hanging was pieced and quilted last fall.  I even went so far as to square it up. All I needed to do was add the binding. The piece of binding was even laying in the middle of the wallhanging. Wonder why I put it down and didn't finish it?

Even though summer has just begun, it looks like fall outside with all of the dead grass. Does anyone else in Arkansas have trees dying? It's so sad.

Yesterday, three other teachers and I, traveled to a teacher's co-op warehouse. What is that?  The state of Arkansas is divided into co-ops and each co-op has a an office that is responsible for providing teacher training. The schools must pay to be members of the co-op, which makes most of the workshops they offer free for the teachers.

Luckily, the co-op our school belongs to is only about 10 or so miles from my house. So, taking classes during the summer is easy. The co-op we went to yesterday is in the small town of Plummerville,  about an hour and a half away. This co-op has a large warehouse that has all kinds of office supplies that teacher's need in schools. The prices of some things are very good. Some items are items not readily found in nearby stores.

Teachers are able to have the co-op invoice their schools so we don't have to worry about paying and then being reimbursed. Anyway, the only downfall to this teacher's warehouse is "no air conditioning". And, oh my, it was hot. We were probably there about 2 hours and then ate lunch and returned home. The heat must have zapped all of my energy because withing about 15 minutes of sitting down when I got home, I feel asleep.

So today, hopefully, I can get some of the housework completed that I didn't get finished yesterday. I also hope to get the "star quilt along" quilt sandwiched and put on the hand quilting frame.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Totally Frustrating

I designed a wall hanging in EQ6 to be hung in my bathroom for the Holidays. I was all excited. It was applique blocks with a pieced block border.

I had the center blocks appliqued and started on the borders.

I had all of the pieces cut out and then let it sit on my sewing table for a couple of weeks while completing other projects. When I went back to finish it today, I couldn't find the EQ design. I don't know what happened to it. I left it pulled up on my computer for days so I guess when I finally closed it out, I didn't save it.  I went ahead and pieced the borders from the rotary cutting directions that I had printed out.

Now . . .

Have you ever had one of those days when you used your seam ripper more than you used your machine. Well, that was me. I sewed and ripped, sewed and ripped, and sewed and ripped. Ridiculous becuase it wall all easy squares and rectangles. Then I finally got them put together and it was toooooo short on the sides. And, I had used all of the border fabrics.

So, I decided to take off the end borders, which did fit, and just quilt it as it was.

What a sewing day!  One I hope I don't repeat in a long time. Sometimes I think I am beginning to show my age. Not fun!!!! Almost 50 is not old, is it?

It looks kind of plain now so as I look at it throughout the holidays, I may decided to cut off the binding and add another 1 1/2 or 2 inch border. Or I may just leave it as it is.

Maybe it was meant to be. If I would have added the borders that I had created, I think it would have swallowed up the quilt rack and wall. 

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

An Awesome Fall Day Planned

After being away from home for two days, I easily slipped back into my sewing routine. I found that I missed sitting down at the sewing machine for a couple of hours on Wednesday evening while I was away.

I enjoyed making my "Believe" wall hanging so much that I decided to make a "Faith" one like it. Here's a little sneak peak.

I though I would be able to finish it today but it probably won't happen. I really need to do some cleaning. But, that may wait. Our town has a Frontiers Day on the first Saturday each October on the town square. Many people go and stay all day. They offer some games for adults and children, along with food, entertainment and craft vendors. I usually go and walk through it but do not stay long. It is a fun and festive atmosphere.

Our 30th anniversary is Monday so tonight Larry and I are going out to eat at Fort Smith and then the hear the Fort Smith Symphony. Of course, we have a little shopping to do also.  I can't wait. I've only been to the Symphony once about 15 years ago.

So, I'm going to squeeze in a little quilting before I go out to the happenings on the square in downtown Paris.

Usually I say, have fun sewing the day away. But CJ is right, it's the time of year, here in Arkansas, to go out and enjoy the wonderful cool weather. I think Sunday night temperatures are expected to drop down to the high 30's. Wait, we've only had fall weather for two weeks now.

Happy snipping, stitching and quilting.

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!

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.

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!

Latest Project

After my last quilt finish I decided I wanted a quick project. I guess it's kind of like instant gratification. As I read blogs and search web sites, I bookmark sites and have a category for quilts to make. So I paged through these bookmarks and decided to use this pattern from "You Can Quilt This" to make a wall hanging to cover the vents on my fireplace this Christmas. 

I have enlarged the letters and the finished wall hanging will be around 40 inches by 16 inches. The letters are cut out and I am ready to machine applique. I think I'll use a satin stitch for a little more dressy look.

I know, Kelsey, I don't need any more Christmas decorations. And yes, Craig, I know it's not Christmas.

But . . . 

That's just me!

Happy snipping, stitching and quilting!

Wall Hanging Flimsy

I finished the wall hanging flimsy on Thursday evening. I look forward to quilting it. That may be what I do Saturday afternoon after I clean the house.

Then, I will want to hang it. But, I am going to make myself wait until I get the pool table out of my sewing room.  Then I can decide where my design wall and tall shelves will go. That will help me determine where to hang it.  I can't wait to get the room cleaned and organized. I have too much stuff in there and do not have room to get around effectively. But, I will get around to it soon. The pool table is going with my daughter at the end of May. Then I will get busy.

Sorry, if this doesn't make sense. It is 11:23 p.m. and I am nodding off as I type.

Birdhouse Wallhanging Completed

Well, I machine quilted the wall hanging that I am planning to put in the bathroom. I put it up on my design wall to take a picture . . .

and realized I did it again. I have a row on the outside border turned the wrong way. See the bottom border with the green on the left when it should be on the right.  Oh well, it is just for me so it will stay that way since it is already quilted.

Even though I only outlined the applique and stitched in the ditch for the rest of the quilt, I think it made the fence and birdhouse really stand out.

Hopefully, I'll get the binding on tomorrow and Larry can hang it for me on Monday. I do believe I am going to have to quit sewing at 11 o'clock at night especially when I am all stuffed up and not feeling well.


Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Design Wall Monday

Oops! I have the same thing on my design wall today as I did last week.

The week just totally got away from me. Hopefully, I'll get to this quilt sometime this week.

I got out this "work in progress" today but didn't get anywhere on it either. It is one of Bonnie Hunter's patterns from her website called "Ohio Stars and Rails". I'm trying to decide if I want to use what blocks I have made and then add borders to get to the size I want or make about 40 more blocks to make the queen size quilt I need. My goal is to finish it by the end of May. I am giving myself a goal so I will be more apt to finish it by then and not let it sit on my shelf for another year.

I also have a few ideas for some wall hangings I am sketching out with my EQ6. I am more interested in doing this now than finishing the "works in progress" I have laying around. Oh well. top

Stop by Patchwork Times for more Design Walls.

Until next time . . .

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.