I am on fire!!

...With projects that is. Someone get a bucket of water for me!!! OK, now I am being silly. I guess that is what happens when I am on vacation.

I finished my Mom's tote bag today. I started one for me this afternoon. It has textured contrasting color and some other little modifications to the pattern (out of necessity due to a little fabric shortage). I have to quilt the pieces and assemble. My modifications took a lot of time this afternoon. I want to finish it before I return to work on Monday. So, after making four bags, I think I will not make a bag for a while.

I made this CWDQ block this evening. I am getting more confident and ready to try some of the more complicated patterns. I hope to do several of these blocks a week.

Welcome 2010, I am ready to put 2009 to bed. Looking forward to next year, Happy New Year to all.

Civil War Diary Quilt

Today was the beginning of my Civil War Diary Quilt or CWDQ. My goal is to have it pieced in 2010. I love the 6" block size. I learned the basics of paper piecing in a pineapple class this fall. I was afraid to start but it went well. I also used EQ6 to assist me in organizing the blocks and print the patterns on the CD I bought last spring. I need to learn more with EQ6 but it is a learning curve. I am doing more each day using it. LOVE IT!!

I chose 2 easy blocks. I thought I would only get one done this week and I did 2 blocks this morning! 10-1 is the first block and 8-11 is the second block. I am proud of my fussy cut flag in the center of 10-1. Tomorrow I am going to try the block that is Chinese Coins. After I do each block I want to read the the diary entry in the book that inspired each block. Makes history more personal, doesn't it?

I also had to go to something easier so this afternoon I started another curved tote bag for my Mom. Then tomorrow, I am going to make one for me with the Texture magic I have left from my class. So both classes have paid off in learning things I have been using over and over again on my little vacation this week. I feel that I made a good investment. I need to check the class schedule for January to see what else I can learn at the quilt shop.

Next stop, the yarn shop!!

y lo

I wish everyday were as productive as this....

I am freezing cold. It was a high of about 20 degrees and I walked around the indoor hockey rink today. I have had cold feet since then!!

I have been sewing. I couldn't wait to show the photos. They turned out so cute. I decided the pockets were decorative and not useful, besides a pain to put on the bag. The polka dot one is for my daughter and the blue one is for my friend SP.

I had so much fun, I thought I need to make more. I have the rest of the week off. I think I may make one for EVERYONE, without pockets, thank you.

I am going to try to paper piece tomorrow. Wish me luck. I am not very confident about it.

This photo is the progress on my prayer shawl. I want to make another one of these too. Hmm, working really gets in the way of my fun!!

The last photo is for my daughter, see I put matching rings on the new shower curtain, looks so much better. Tomorrow I will try to get a photo of my flatironed hair. Very different from the big hair of days gone by.

Staycation continues...

And I am enjoying it, too. Today was a stormy, snowy blustery day with 25 mile/hour wind gusts. I sewed on a tote bag for my DD. I will have a finished pic tomorrow. I just need to line it. I want to make a few of these. The bags are fun and relatively good for instant gratification. They also will use up my stash of fabrics. The pattern for this particular bag is in a magazine I bought but I found it also on their web site http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/. It is the blue tote from the latest magazine called Curve Appeal.

Pictures shown are of a light display at a local golf course we went to on Saturday. Then we went to the town's park with "old school" displays that I enjoyed too. I think that everyone had fun over the week of Christmas, I know I did. I hated for it to end. Soooooo...

I started to clean up the house. Then I started my diet and exercise program. Well as much as a diet as I can do with all the goodies around. Then.....

I bought a flat iron for my hair. It really did work to make my hair straight and not frizzy. New year coming so I thought I would get a head start. I was getting a little sick of the "memory lane" trips that my MIL was taking over the weekend so I thought looking ahead is good. 2009 wasn't a bad year but I am looking forward to next year. I am not getting into the year in review TV shows either. I think I will watch College football bowl games instead!!

A Lovely Christmas

A lovely day was had by all. DH made a fabulous meal of prime rib. I made a pie. I washed the dishes!! Our parents were over and visted. Gifts were exchanged and family was home. My DD came last week and her husband beat the storm in on Christmas Eve. DS was very excited and had a great time.

I must have been good this year because I recieved EQ6 from DH. It was such a surprise. Now to learn how to use it!! The time has come to start the Civil War Diary quilt.

I have been crocheting, and I finished my little rug. I am working on a my cross stitch project. To alleviate the tedious cross stitch, I started to knit a shawl. It is fun. The cross stitch project is was started in 1992 and I want to finish it!!

I watched "It's a Wonderful Life today." I love that movie. I baked some cookies. A nice way to spend a vacation day.

Stash Report

No sewing this week. I did purchase any fabric either. Lots of shopping for Christmas!

I did work on my old cross stitch project. I am slowly seeing the end of the Vintage Santas. I have been crocheting a rug. I want to make a prayer shawl and then I want to sew a tote bag. My goal for the next 2 weeks because I am on a Staycation!!! Yea me!!!

I have the visitors and we are enjoying the holiday season with shopping, looking at vintage train sets yesterday and a light show this week.
What are you doing?

Fibber's Closet

As I was rummaging through the boxes and storage places yesterday, it occurred to me that my closet's are a wreck. Where I worked several years ago, we had a storage closet referred to as "Fibber's Closet." I have listened to old radio shows in my lifetime and Fibber McGee was broadcast on local radio stations on Sunday nights when I was first married. I was working in a little gas station that sold nothing but gas. The station was a relic from the 50's. On a Sunday town was very quiet in those days. So I was bored and listened. In recent years, I listened to Fibber on satellite radio on car trips.

Yes, poor Fibber has problems every time the closet is opened everything comes falling out. It is the stuff that is comedy classisc. Well, it isn't so funny when it is your closet. All of them!

So, after my wonderful mad dash to get some quilting done yesterday, I decided that I really should do something about my closets. Next year, I think.

Sunday Stash report and another top

I used about 4 yards of fabric today binding and adding borders. I bound 2 quilts and 2 table runners this morning. I finished the spool block exchange top. I am pleased. My spools all lined up nicely and the spools that didn't make it for the exchange, I used for the corners. They each had an issue but for my quilt they are fine!

The tote is 3/4 full plus I do have a collection of Civil war fabrics for my 2 quilts planned for next year. So honestly I think I ended where I started with fabric. But I did so much and I didn't accumulate tons of fabrics. Yeah!!!!

Here are a couple of quilts I have finished recently. The Road to the White House was a block exchange and I loved how it turned out. I made the Rag quilt out of the stash completely from flannels. None left.

I am crocheting today. I am making a rug out of the huge stash of yarns I recieved this summer.

Hmm, summer. We have been socked in with feet of snow and the kid is off school for the third day in a row tomorrow. It was a blizzard, with thunder!

During this holiday season, we remind ourselves that it is the giver who makes the gift precious. “Not what we give, but what we share, for the gift without the giver is bare.”

–James Russell Lowell, 1819–91

A few observations

While watching the wrestling tournament, I came up with a few observations. BTW, he did get a win in one match.

-I don't do well watching the matches without come handwork. I am too nervous!

-the more wintery it is outside the more weird I get about housework and needing everything done, I guess It is because I see it all the time

-I like Mom jean's fit better. I have some low riders with wide legs. They look good but are so uncomfortable. I have to adjust my fat all the time. Then I worry my butt is hanging out. Don't like it

-I can't straighten my hair at all but my hair is not always curly in an even pattern naturally, so I decided to grow my hair out so I can do a pony tail

Enough observations for one day. I did sew the bindings and finished 2 quilts. The third is in progress. I have another to bind and 2 more to quilt, I believe.

The Victory quilt is a small wall hanging with 6" blocks. I like this quilt alot. I am going to make another with the fabric from the 40's that Elenor Burns has designed for it. The table runner is a 60 degree triangle pattern.

Off to take on the week.

A failure of epic proportions

The laptop has been given the name "crappy lappy" by my Son. It is about 10 years old and a little slow. BUT IT WORKS. I do the things that I want to do on it-blog, facebook, photos. It won't support i-tunes because it is too old. I have been ok with that but now I can't see Farmville on Facebook!!

I have to use the PC to do play and that is a busy piece of equipment around here. I don't want to miss any thing. I have been so busy managing my farm, my cafe, my happy aquarium and relaxing on paradise Islad it is an amazing thought I get any thing done. I like to play Bejeweled Blitz, too. So far, only farmville has been affected. What will I do?!?! Take a number I guess and hope no other apps go down.

Well, I may need to add a new computer to the list of things to buy this next year.

Stashbusting Report

I didn't buy any fabric this week. I basted three quilts that used about 4 yards to back and bind. I have three more to finish. I feel like I am not going to make it to half of a tote as my goal stated. However, I did get much accomplished this year and I want to do the same for next year. I still might make it over the next couple of weeks.

It is really beginning to look and feel like Christmas. We have had snow for a couple of days but it isn't "sticking" to the warm ground much. Roads are icy. Winter is here. I got my warm jacket out.

Yes, I am fascinated with Biggest Loser. I agree that this is a jump start to morbily obese people. The ranch is a perfect and sterile environment without Resse's Peanut butter cups or potato chips. If all I had to do was exercise, I think I would do it. I know people can go away to these retreat but they cost a fortune. So, I decided to just get up more and make an effort. The show has inspired my that if they can do it, I can too. Even at home. I am feeling physically much better and I need to get in shape. Losing weight is hard for me and I know I need to do it. So I want to start early this year in making an effort not a resolution . Be healthier. More yucky, I mean yummy, veggies.

On the creative front, I am sewing binding down. I have been crocheting grannies.

Tomorrow is DS wresting tournament. They make me so nervous. I am taking projects, my i pod, and planning to do some Christmas shopping. It is at TC so there is more shopping than here. I am nervous alreading thinking about it. I don't know why, I didn't get this nervous in the past about football when he played!!!!

BTW, have you ever seen the "Everybody Loves Raymond" episode about the approved snack list for the soccer team. I feel like Debra today. There is a list of who is bringing food for the whole team. The parents cater in "healthy" food. It is divided up by weight class. There is an approved/suggested health food list. I have paper plates, cups and napkins this week. I have my rebellious streak rising up but I will suck it up for the team. Hmmm, what's wrong with packing your kid his own lunch!!! If he chooses to eat crap on a stick and not organic chicken in a lite low fat marinara sauce (on the list) what is the big deal... this is high school not the olympics. Enough of my rant

Have a great Friday.

Wednesday

I hand sewing some of a binding down today. No other quilting.

I did exercise for the 4th day in a row. I am not sore either. Yeah me. I am trying to get in better shape. Ugh, it looks so easy on Biggest Loser. I wish I could lose weight like that but I don't want to exercise that hard!!

yea, so much was done today!

I have been sewing bindings on today. I counted the number of quilts big and small that needed binding. There were 6 in the pile!!! WHAT! I am on a finishing roll now. I bound 3 of them tonight. Now the handstitching isn't done, but it will. I have 2 more quilt tops to quilt and a couple of little things. Wow, I guess I have been doing more than I gave myelf credit for. Watch for the finishes to grow in the side column with links to photos.

Stash Report and Basting spray

I did go to Joann's of black Friday and bought 5 fat quarters. I used up about 4 yards of fabric this week doing projects. I am mostly likely going to be close to my goal but I think NOT for reducing the stash to 1/2 tote. I have about 3/4 + with some of the purchases in the past couple of months. I need to purge the fabrics that I won't use. I also have preprinted panels in the closet that Dad found at the sale, remember? So I have more net fabrics than when I started. I have BIG PLANS for next year.

Basting spray is very cool. Saved me time and so far the back and front of the quilt is flat. Yipppeeeee!!!!!! Thanks for the tip everyone. See my Pumpkins gone wild?? And, yes that is black cotton batting, 40% off at theLQS.

I also used several fat quarters to make these cute 8" blocks. I may make a snowball and 9 patch with this. I need to think about how I want to finish. I just needed something easy after the pineapples!!

Black Friday

But not for me, I slept in. I heard the crowds at Wal mart and ABC warehouse were lined up at 5 am. My parents were out before Mom had to go to work.

I cleaned up the kitchen this morning that was nearly clean from yesterday. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family. I didn't do anything but eat, watch football and clean up a little. My husband did the turkey and stuffing. I made the green bean casserole. Mom made the pies. It was delicious.

I think I will run over to Joann's today and see if there are any good sales. Dad has the day off so we will do something and not just sit around!! I have started to get ideas for Christmas but I am not shopping much for them today. Probably more online shopping for me.

The DS and Dh are deer hunting with Uncle out at the cabin today and tomorrow. That means sewing time for me..... be prepared for some great finishes.

It snowed last night and now it feels more like the holidays. I bought the DVD that shows a fireplace and I like to watch it. It is relaxing. No smell or concerns about safety!! I know it's weird but I like it and think it will be nice for my computer at work too. I am going to put in the DVD player now and get some coffee.

Frustration

I can't seem to machine quilt anything without some puckers on the back. Today's project was worse than the last one I machine quilted. Today I quilted a table runner and it was worse than the larger project. It wouldn't be such an issue but I wanted this to be a gift. I will try again to see if I can get better results.

I pin baste, I have hand basted , I have done it on the floor as well as on a table. I haven't tried clamping or taping the back. That will be next. .... Any Tips? Anyone? Anyone?

I did add borders to the X quilt and I found 2 fat quarters at Joann's that I haven't been able to find since the one fat quarter I purchases a few months ago. I love how it looks.

I am not a multi border person. I don't like heavily pieced boarders and I am not a scalloped border type. Some borders that are too showy detract from the quilt, I think. So I stick with simple borders.

Everyone is in bed. I have a night time ritual in the bath (brushing teeth, face creams and wash etc) when I noticed I didn't wash towels today. I washed everything else BUT!! I had a busy day 4 stores to grocery shop for all the Thanksgiving feast, cleaning up the kitchen, assisting with meals, going to church, talking on the phone, playing on the computer not counting the 4 loads of laundry completed. Sigh, at least there is a quick wash setting.

I am thankful for modern appliances that can do quick wash!!