heartstrings, snowmen and quilt meetings

Yesterday was the Belles meeting day. Busy as usual! I believe that they pinned 6 tops yesterday and 5 were turned in. I think we all are enjoying the new quilt hanging method because there are plenty of "oohs and ahhs" as the finished quilts are hung. Carolyn got a digital camera for Christmas so she was taking pics too so she could share them with her family--one of the quilts was one she had made but that didn't matter. Some of the girls kept to the pinning table, one was cutting strips again from the donation fabrics, one was quilting and 4 of us did get some machine time in---me included!

One thing I had found was I should have used a different foot. I had the Janome and the quarter inch lipped foot was on -- the open toed one was at home. I kept catching the fabric base in that lip. Really I think my blocks looked a lot better and smoother on the back when I had just used my walking foot out of not wanting to bother to take it off the Viking just to put it back on.

Silly me had went off without my 9.5 ruler so I just "got them ready for their closeup". The June snowman snuck in too as I had just finished it right before I trimmed down the blocks. (I started it Monday evening and did a bit more of it last night so there was not much more to go this morning)--no biggie)

I had brought the 2 inch strip baskets along with the red centers and bases I had cut. Pictured above is the string output. These strips were part of a diminishing box of 2 inchers that Ellen, the WTIL founder had sent a couple years back. It was a xerox paper box packed to the brim!! I've made log cabins, RR crossings and drug them to the meeting a time or two and they are getting down but then I have added more to them as well. I had mentioned before about my cutting my way through a scrap basket that measures about 13 high by about 20 wide that stuffed to the gills last year. I vowed then that I was NOT going to keep a scrap bag or basket anymore and have stuck to my guns. I have 1 1/2, 2 and 2 1/2 inch strips, 3 1/2 inch strips and 3 1/2 inch cut squares mainly on hand. I told the girls that at our next meeting that maybe we can whip up some bowtie blocks (or make some nine patches.) All part of stash busting---just a little at a time.

I keep thinking that I should also cut some rectangular strips as well so some of the short pieces can be made up into a RR crossing or Chinese coins. What stops me is that I have a foundation pieced pineapple log cabin started with 7 inch finished blocks and it also uses the short ones. While I agree with the concept of leaders and enders, I do not work well with divided attention---next thing you know I am off piecing 8 patches instead of the project I was originally sewing, LOL.

Pictured at right, or I am guessing that it around there somewhere, is Lois' top. I was not sure exactly what to call the pattern--Stars yes, but there are also Puss in the Corner elements. The green print has sail boats on it and I thought it was cute that she quilted in a fish motif in the PIC element.

Both Lois and Carolyn reported that their husbands had really taken a liking to quilts they had done for the kids. I told them if they really wanted to keep it, I would understand and they could substitute something else in its place. It made them feel good to think that if they liked them, then one of the boys would as well. Sometimes I think it is easier to make a girls quilt because we KNOW what we like.

I spent yesterday afternoon/evening tying up some loose ends for the Belles. Updating my quilt document, assigning numbers, prepping labels for the ones I brought home, edited the pictures. One person needed a handout that I had run out of and couldn't copy so emailed that out. Another needed a recipe from a long ago sew-in to serve her circle. Another left her scissors and did she need them soon? Who all would be going to the UFO sewing retreat next month call to our hostess. Cleaned out my tote bag and my purse and put most of the stuff away though one bag is parked in front of the front door till I go out to the car in a bit. In the hurry to leave I just more or less dump anything anywhere, LOL to get it out the door. The machine foot is NOT with machine. The cone thread and holder stay out in the car and so on. Still need to run to the bank and will go in a minute. All part of being the group leader. Few other things to attend to but it can wait for another morning.

Between DJ and I the laundry is done. Lunch will be easy as I pulled some veg beef soup out of the freezer, dumped it all in the crockpot and added some more leftover beef from the freezer, broth and frozen vegs last night. Since the fabric is not here yet for the t-shirt quilt, I'm going to quilt one of the tops that Marilyn has asked me to do for her. Next thing I know it will be time to fix supper and head to bed to start it all over again. I am rarely bored when I keep busy doing what I love.