Design Wall Monday

I have been getting alot of sewing done. I am making table runners and table toppers for a fall craft show. I really hope they sell. I was making tote bags and I gave some away. I am not sure how many of those I want to make. I am making some quilts to sell too. The longarm quilting I have completed will be up on Finished Stitches soon. I am getting a little nervous about the sale, the nagging question "what if no one buys anything?" is starting to set in. Hmm, get over it, right!!

I am working on this Snowball and Star Quilt, named Tennesee Waltz by Quilt in a day. This quilt is, hopefully, going to be done for the local quild's show in October. I am contemplating the benefits of joining. I am not sure I want to invest that much time. I feel guilty not being home in the evenings, I guess. But I am sure I am going to join this summer. What do you think the benefits for joining are?

It is hot here. It is going to get even hotter, 90 degrees! Hot for May. Our garden is nearly ready to plant, the boxes were filled with dirt yesterday and we were a little short. Back to the garden center. The seedlings are getting hardened up with wind exposure on the porch. I haven't done seeds before so I have to call my Dad and keep reading. My husband is too. Maybe we will have a photo opportunity for the plants soon.

Chain piecing

I tried chain piecing for the first time today. I guess I decided I don't want to dawdle while sewing anymore. I saved thread and the 4 patches were together in 15 minutes including a mistake that I had to rip out. Mistakes were my biggest fear in using this method because I get in a zone! I guess watching all of the Quilt in a day episodes are starting to sink in with the chain peicing or assembly line sewing. I think I will do this more often.

Is this what Bonnie Hunters leaders and enders are ? I am guessing the L/E are sewing 4 patches in between sewing other components to use up scraps, save thread and have a perpetual stach of sewn patches, maybe?? I guess I have never really been clear on that.

Monday Design Wall

I started a new quilt. Shame on me. I am putting away the 6 inch blocks for now. They will come back out in the fall. I am making this 2 block quilt and I hope to have it completed for our local unjudged quilt show in October. Here is the first completed block. The eq6 rendering had just sample colors in it.

I have a couple of pictures to catch up on. Here is how much I knitted on my prayer shawl while in the car driving to Longview, Texas and back. It was my daughter's college graduation. A 1300 mile trip!

Here are the fabrics purchased in Longview for future design wall use.

Wow am I sore today. I spent yesterday afternoon gardening. I have been working out too, at the gym, so why am I so sore??

Home again

It was a nice week to visit my daughter in Longview, Tx. She graduated from college and then went to Austrailia on a mission trip. She was in Australia before we reached home. We drove, go figure!

I saw many things while traveling. Flooding around Nashville was terrible. Prom mini-dresses in Longview complete with cowboy boots and crenoline, thumbs down. I saw many dead armadillos all the way north to Indiana. We called the highway the Dead Armadillo Trail. I learned all about the creatures on my smart phone, how did I live without one? I saw all kinds of truckers, restrooms, hotels and resturaunts. All great.

We stopped at Vicksburg on the way home and toured the town and the military park. It was wonderful. I shopped until I couldn't do it any more on this trip. I bought 3 yards of fabric in Longview at a Hancock Fabrics. I learned Paducah, KY is a long way from my Michigan home and I am not sure driving it myself is possible.

We hit a broken piece of concrete on the flooded highways around Nashville and got a flat tire. No injuries to anyone. My parents, son and I piled into my parents car (they were following ) and drove on . My husband caught up at the hotel. He met some very nice people in Tennesee who helped him get a replacement tire that was under warranty. Our first break down after 24 years of travelling together.

Lots of great ideas for future trips. It was a great time to see family and the University that my daughter called home for the past 4 years. I saw it last when I dropped her off as a freshman.

Now back home, to do laundry today and run errands. Tomorrow back to the old routine. I hate the first day back, it is so, well, work. :)

Done

A longarm project done!! Pic at Finished Stitches

Monday Design Wall and technology

These brighly colored stips were found deep in my closet. They were cut off strips from a brighy colored Sunshine and shadow quilt I made for my Daughter 4 years ago. Yes, spring cleaning pays off. I will make this quilt up and try to sell it in the fall. I had 41 squares. See the scrap pile in the corner? I salvaged the last block. I chose the layout on the strip set on the left. I think it will be called Awsome Bright string it is 36x42.  

Now a note about technology changes. I can't keep up. I have had several changes in the past week and the learning curve is huge. We replaced our old cell phones with the Droid smart phone. I needed a tutorial on how to run it. We changed our satellite to cable and new remote. I needed a tutorial on how to run it. The Cable change was bundeled to include internet and phone. Our wireless router cut the internet every time the phone rang. Need a new phone the 10 yr old phone had the same frequency as the router. I think I finally found something where I gave a tutorial. Yeah!!

 Now I need to learn new ring tones, push the right buttons and pay attention. I keep turning off my phone, turning the volume up instead of changing the channel and freaking out every time my phone speaks to me saying "Droid" just like in the commercial. Ok, where's that weird computer in 2010 space oddessy. I have too much technology at my fingertips these days and it is a little scary. :)

Sunday Stash Report

I used up about 2 yards of fabric this week. Made some tote bags. I had a big week of cleaning. In all that mess, I found a project from 4 years ago. I made a strip quilt of bright and planned to use the cut off strip to make mitered squares. Hmmm, forgot all about it.

I made squares last night and today to join the row. It will be a crib sized quilt. I think it will go in the craft show this fall. Pics on the design wall tomorrow.

So for all my misery in spring cleaning, it is nearing the end. Yeah, I have more fun things to do.

Total: 2 totes with added stash from a friend. It will be amazingly small by the end of the year. I am making thing to sell and practice new ideas for my long arm quilting!

Prayer Shawl

I finished the prayer shawl this week and cast on another prayer shawl. I haven't done much sewing this week because I have been spring cleaning. After 7 months, my "tennis elbow" is better so I can knit. I will try crocheting next to finish 2 projects started last year.

Sigh, the closets are getting more organized. I just hate the fact that the house gets more cluttered before it is all said and done. Off to buy some big lawn and leaf bags for the trash.