Thursday, March 28, 2013

Sewing Central!

That's what June and I call it anyway ... we kind of take over the dining room at June's house with our quilting projects.  And the Spring session can now begin as I arrived at June's about 1:30 PM today.  Looking forward to my week long visit with Ollie and Tammy, too.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

The worst of times, and the best of times.

My heart broke into pieces yesterday, as I had to make one of the most difficult decisions of my life.  And I'll admit that if I could, I'd go back and undo it because I'm feeling very selfish at the moment.  The truth of the whole situation is that old age, and all of it's complications, just sucks!  I miss my baby, for that's truly who she will always be, but I know that she's now free of the limitations of her age.

And through all of this, I'm also very blessed.  I visited with my friend Nancy yesterday.  She and her husband have five wonderful Chihuahuas living with them.  I spent yesterday afternoon and early evening at Nancy's house, sitting in a comfy chair with two of them in my lap.  They soaked up the attention, and I soaked up some love in return. 

I'll also be visiting with Ollie and Tammy at the end of the week.  They're the cats who live with June and Joel.  I can usually convince them into cuddling when I visit.   

The picture below was taken a couple of years ago on Christmas morning.  For some reason, I was up early (no, this usually does not happen).  As you can see, Chloe was awake.  And made the moment merrier as she refused to move.  She watched me intently, following every move that I made but absolutely refused to move.


And this one was taken late last fall, after a visit to Pineview Kennels.  Chloe tolerated baths.  Barely.  It was just to plain easier to let someone else do it, and she came home with a something fun to wear afterwards.  It was like her collar, she didn't like for me to take it off.  Eventually, she would pull it off on her own ... I was just not allowed to do it for her.


Rest in peace baby girl!



 


Friday, March 22, 2013

Almost ...

Progress again last night on my quilting projects ... the borders are on the Delectable Mountains and Country Roads table toppers/wall hangings.  One more to go, once I get the foundations printed I can whip "Wild" out!  I've also found my list of blocks for the potholders, so tonight I'll work on those.  It feels great to be catching up on my quilting projects.

I'm taking this all with a grain of salt though as I'm also watching Chloe slowly decline.  It's hard to watch my baby girl make this journey.  But I also know its one that every one of us must make at some point.  My Mom has told me that she's just doing this her way, and if Chloe is one thing, she is most definitely an independant dog.

The picture below was taken in January ... I hope June isn't upset as the quilt in the picture is was a gift from her.  She rarely stays on the bed long enough to fall asleep.  I am comforted that she does manage to get as close to my chair (sometimes even under it) as she can when I'm sewing. 


Excitement is building, along with dread, since I'll be leaving for June's house late next week.  I can't wait to set up Sewing Central and yet I want the next few days to move very slowly too.

Julie

Thursday, March 21, 2013

One down ... One left to go

Well, almost done anyway.  This is the Delectable Mountains table topper/wall hanging.  Borders for sure, just not quite sure how as of yet.  I do love this how the blocks turned out, and the fact that it's a fancy pinwheel block.  And it's not a difficult block either.  I hope to get the borders on this one and Country Roads tonight after work.  Will make sure to post pictures.



Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Show and Tell ... Again

Let me start first with the goal was to make table toppers/wall hangings that were all close to 40" square.  They're to be used as decorations at a convention for an energy education group that I an a member of.  If you know me, you know that I have a hard time following the rules, but I am doing to my best to keep them close to that measurement.

Log Cabin Table Topper/Wall Hanging -

I goofed while cutting the center/first log of this and ended up with a rectangular vs square block.  I opted to keep going, and really do like the finished block.  You'll notice that the finished project is also rectangular.  So I decided to added borders to make it closer to square, and ended up sewing the wider border on the long edges ... once again I opted to let it go since I do like the finished product.  I've included pictures of it without and then with the border.



Country Roads Table Topper/Wall Hanging -

Well, I deleted the the picture that I took of the finished block quarters ... and I've still not decided on whether or not I want a border.  I am thinking it would look more finished with a small border.  And, as I have only a small amout of the green/gold print left, it will be a small border.  I'll see what tonight brings when I get home from work.



Yes, I had left over strips from the log cabin project.  I ran across the pattern below in a magazine from last year.  No, I don't remember which one.  Yes, I opted to not follow the pattern exactly.  I used the same size logs, but a row less than the previous project.  And you'll notice that even the background blocks are  log cabins ... had to stay focused, but I love the finished project.  I plan to use a border of the background fabric and them use some remaining of one of the log fabrics as the outer border.  This is one that I will definitely be using again ... most likely in solid colors though.  Of course in both calicos and batiks.



Sunday, March 17, 2013

Project update

Despite our disappointment this week...the decision to delay Julie's visit...progress was made on both the weekend project from last weekend and the courthouse steps project.

Here is the extra ribbon border blocks. I like how the patten works as a nine patch.



Here is the weekend quilt with the ribbon border


And finally....TA DA!  Here is the courthouse steps.  I'm debating on what to do next.  I'm thinking a 1 1/2" finished black border.  then maybe a another set of blocks using the remaining strips.  I cut a lot of stips when i started this project. 
 
I am having so much fun.  I can't wait till Julie comes and we can get creative together.  She's has been a huge inpiration for me.  she has a passion for quilting that I enjoy and it spills over to me.
 
Time to get back to it.  Quilting is an Adventure.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Oh what a week this has been!

I can not tell you how happy I am that this week is finally over!  I actually prayed for strength to get through everything, and it must have worked because today is finally Friday!

I have made progress on my D&D quilting ... have the blocks for two items ready to put together.  Yay!  It does make me feel so much better having been able to get them that far.  It's also what I plan to work on this weekend.  I will hopefully have pictures to post by Sunday evening.

I have a short road trip planned for tomorrow also ... to the Sonflower Quilt Shop and the Busy Thimble Quilt Shop.  Two places that I have not yet been.  I am so looking forward to spending time with quilting friends!

And although I am glad to have made it through the week, I had another small dissapointment again today.  June found out that she has to work a couple of weekend days during my planned visit.  So, we decided to move my arrival date to a week out ... and you know what?  I was able to reschedule everything that I needed to anyway.  No way was I going to get sewing days taken away from our joint projects!

Happy Quilting!
Julie

Sunday, March 10, 2013

weekend disappearing 9

Bless Julie.  She told me she was taking a break from all her projects and doing a rainbow quilt.  I have been working on the courthouse step quilt and although it isn't difficult, it takes concentration because the courthouse steps on one block match the courthouse steps on the adjacent block.  i'll tell you i've missed on one or two steps, but have pulled it out and have two rows done plus a few other blocks that I'll make fit.  But when Julie said she was taking a break I thought...me too!

I pulled out this mottled FQ set I bought from Connecting Threads and thought I'm going to do a disappearing 9 patch.  My friend, Liz, was working on that pattern at our last Quilt Kvetch, except she called it something different.  I think she got the pattern from Eleanor Burns.  Anyway, here's a picture of the middle of my weekend disappearing quilt.

 
 
 
I'm thinking I'll put a small light blue border...probably less than 2" wide.  then i want to try a ribbon border.  I saw this on a Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day show and thought it looked cool and I've never done one.  I'll see what i have left for fabric and see what I can come up with.  I'll post again once it is done. 
 
 
Even when you're reverse sewing, you're still sewing!
 


Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Surprise!

Well, maybe not really, but I felt that an exciting title would be good today.  The most exciting news to report is that the STaR raffle quilt has been delivered to Ginger for quilting!  So excited to have it that far.  I'm also working on bindings of the four baby quilts I got back last week from Ginger. 

I was also one quilt top ahead, as I felt compelled to get it done.  I had no particular use/person in mind for it when I finished the top.  It's got a lot of pink, with some purple, yellow, red and brown thrown in for good measure.  Oh, and polka dots.  LOTS of polka dots!  My Mom called and told me that the Ohio Cattlewomen (I think) were having a silent auction to raise money for their scholarship fund at the Ohio Beef Expo this year, and my sister in law had asked if I had any quilts done that I didn't have a use for.  Well, it wasn't "done", but it will be tonight.  And will then be on it's way to the silent auction the 3rd weekend of March.


Happy Quilting!
Julie
While waiting for Julie's visit, I pulled out a UFO.  Courthouse steps.  I started this a couple of years ago when I was living at my Mother's when we moved back to MN and were looking for a house.  I cut 1 1/2" strips of anything she had available.  Each block has nine set of steps with a 2" black center block.  the joining square have matching steps.  so you get a secondary design.  I sure I saw this in some magazine but now i don't remember what magazine.  But the affect is wonderful. 

I found out 1/4" is not always the same on different machine.  I'm not sure which machine I was sewing on while at Mom's but the quarter inch was a LARGE quarter inch.  My machine now has a 1/4" foot.  The difference in blocks is amazing.    I didn't want to unsew all those blocks and I didn't want to increase the size of my seams in the new blocks.  I have a row of about 9 blocks that are smaller than the blocks i'm doing now.  The small blocks will probably be use those in the border.    It will be interesting to see what happens.

I have 6 blocks done and another 2 partially done.  I figure I'll make a 4x4 block center and then do some interesting things to the borders to make it a larger quilt. 

Quilting is always an adventure!