WIP Weds??

Another Wednesday that finds me working intermittently on my Santa red work blocks---albeit, the 11th one now called "Naughty or Nice"

The Belles met yesterday and back at our normal meeting place for the first time in 2 1/2 months. If I remember back to May, we skipped the 2nd meeting of the month since it was Memorial Day weekend?? It seems like forever! We pinned a few quilts and then went to lunch as we had two birthday girls this week.

Since I don't have anything of my own projects to share, how about I share some of the quilts that were turned in?

The cute holiday flannel squares (above, left) was one that Beverly completed. She was off on a bus trip with her DIL and couldn't be with us but she sent it along with one of the others. I just love the green rick rack that she added along the outside of the quilt!

The quilt at right is one that Lois made using scraps of Linda C's fabric. The colors really are not what you would find her gravitating to so that explains the almost Amish/country look. Lois' husband was saying he would flip it over and use the back if it was his, LOL. She has a bright print of feathers or some such thing back there.





I really should know the name of this one but it is not coming to me at the moment. Lois made this one as well. A form of tesselated block anyway. It too is backed withe a fun print---a frog border print.


I know this one is from a recent Quilter's World magazine article---4 patch zigzag, I think is the name. Lois says she has enough 4 patches done to make another. Well, of course she does if Linda C keeps loading her up with scraps, LOL.

Lastly, we have a stack and whack fan that Aline's daughter made for her. I love the butterfly blocks in the corners and of course, the colors that Fran used to make the quilt.





Come Saturday, the Piecemaker's Quilt group in Jacksonville will be having a small quilt exhibition at the church where the group meets on Thursday evenings. They are doing this to celebrate their 10 yr. anniversary as a quilt group. The Belles share several members with that group, Aline being one of them. I am sure that this lovely fan quilt will be one on display.

So, I plan to go and will probably have pictures to share. I may pull some fabrics for the Halvorsen calendar quilt blocks---August one will be fused and machine appliqued and the September one, back to stitchery. OR keep stitching Santa. There is never a shortage of projects but this is just one of those chopped up weeks where I can't keep at anything for very long at a time. Almost time to start supper............hope you have had a good day.

finished to flimsy

Woohoo! I took the last stitches in Allison's t-shirt quilt top at about 4:30 last night.

Today, Marilyn went along with me to deliver it to Susan, our long arm pal at Out of the Box in Boaz (AL)

When I snapped these two pictures, I still had to put on a top and bottom border. I had it laid out on the floor of DJ's room to snap the measurements. Of course, the little black and white quilt inspector had to weigh in. I am not sure if he is looking for a loose string to chew on or thinking about crawling under it to play "where's the kitty?" Top sheet, blanket, quilt top........all the same to him, LOL.

Not the best picture in the world but you get the idea of how it turned out. The only thing I had done a week ago Thursday is the initial shirt whacking. Not bad to get a quilt this size done in a week, I think.

Marilyn and I did the Hobby Lobby and Wilson's stop. Susan had a piece of yardage that will work for a special project I have coming up too. My Wilson's purchase was more of this same white on white---boring but needed. Marilyn SAID all she needed was some John Deere fabric for her business BUT those lovely 30's fabrics were making their siren call, LOL. Lunch at Mill Street Deli and a run into Little Lots for a household item I needed.

We came back to find that it had been raining while we were away. We hit it about the time we hit the Calhoun-Etowah County line. Marilyn's husband said he had 0.9 inches in his gauge, our house is just a hair under 2 inches. I think it has quit now though. DJ said that there was thunder and lightning accompanying it too plus the power went off for about 5 minutes. Glad that is was not a factor for much of the drive back.

So I can sew on whatever I want tomorrow---what will it be? Might be good to have another day free from bending over the machine and put some stitches in my Santa red-work. HMMMMMM See how I feel in the morning.

WIP Weds, wk #33

Well, I sewed from 10 to about 4 with time out for lunch preparation, phone calls and other short breaks to stretch the legs. Half of the t-shirt quilt is done. My goal was to have this in the hands of the quilter by Friday or Saturday of this week---and I WILL make that goal.

As I showed you in my last post on Monday evening, all the blocks were done by then. I tried to work on the design in EQ but all but one of the FABS was on IM and I was too busy chatting to get the math right, LOL. Also I wanted to make an adjustment in the width of the first column---it is easier to just start over with custom set, I have found than try to make adjustments to each and every piece of an existing quilt. The picture might look "right" but I need to know exactly what size to cut those sections and verify it on my printouts.

By mid morning Tuesday I had my cutting map all figured out and went to work on cutting the background spacers and pinning them to each individual block for easy sewing today. The sashing bits, borders and binding are also prepped. I was worried that I would not have enough fabric. Knowing that I had bought it up in Boaz, I sure didn't want to make an additional about 100 mile round trip to get more! Since I decided to only have a top and bottom background colored border, that was a good decision. I could squeeze them out if I had to but just barely.

I ended up piecing Allison's initial block (the extra one) into the backing so it is all set. I even prepped the backing for my Daisy Chain in case Susan will let me drop that quilt off as well. There are some space storage concerns so maybe not but then I won't have to get in a giant rush when she tells me she is about ready for me.

By the time I got done pressing, sewing and wrestling about 18 total yards of fabric around I had enough for one day. It is amazing how sweaty you can get just ironing when the a/c just won't keep up with the muggy, hot weather we have been having. UGH

That is about it for me----mostly focused on that quilt. DJ has been lucky to get a meal around here, LOL.

some progress

Well, the blocks are all done for Allison's (my niece and godchild) sorority t-shirt quilt. The blocks will be floated on some white on white but I used my bed for the design surface.

The blue was her sorority color so we wanted to incorporate it into the quilt but I did not like the way it looked against the purple or the green block that is about falling off the bed so I framed it in white first. Also there is a blue shirt that is very close in color. Now looking at the picture, I should have done that with the black block as well. It is not too late to fix it though.

I foundation pieced her initials in a block "just in case" I needed it for filler. I might stick it on the back. The blue fabric in the letters is what I have picked out for the backing.

Well, next up some calculations so I can draw up my cutting/piecing map in EQ----after I fix that block, LOL. I only THOUGHT I was done!

Stash enhancement

"A shoppin' they will go-------"

Note the fabric inspector on the job here? I had bought the pattern that you see earlier this summer at the Quilt Symposium show in Cullman (AL) from a vendor. Today I looked for the fabric to actually make the wallhanging.

Since Beverly had a quilt to pick up from our favorite long armer Susan at Out of the Box, she had invited Lois and I along for the trip to Boaz (AL). This particular pattern is "Avocato" designed by Helene Knott from Story Quilts. I would dearly love to do a whole quilt of these cat patterns. According to the website, she has 12 designs in print but more in the works, all with a vegetable theme. Maybe a couple of them would be more my speed--wall hanging with 4 cats? They finish at about 20 inches.

Anyway, the olive greens, orange, gold, fall-ish colors are for the cat wall hanging---most of this is 1/4 yards though I wanted a bit more of the stripe since I want it for bias binding. The blue cherry piece near the wall is from the Wilson's Discount Fabric stop along with the bright yellow stripe and green tone on tone from the flat fold discounted table. The blue will work for borders for the Bridge Creek Blossom #2 borders and the other two, possibly for my challenge quilt, whatever it might be. I am still mulling that one over. Oh, I also picked up a magnetic purse closure thing.

Susan and Joan at the quilt shop recommended a new deli near Wilson's for lunch so we tried it out. I guess my mind was set on a reuben (what I often order from Mill Street Deli) so I didn't look over the menu too far, LOL. We will go back as what we ordered was good.

I know for sure what my next sewing project needs to be though. Susan says my name is #7 on her quilting list so I have got to get to work and deliver her something late next week or early next. My options are to either hurry up and piece my niece's t-shirt quilt (doable) or prep backing for my Daisy Chain quilt last seen HERE back in January. There is no rush needed on that since it my quilt for me. Either way I have to get some batting in here and get my rear end in gear.

Looks like I better break out the supply of fusible interfacing and get cracking! My cat, purse or whatever can wait as a "reward" project.

well duh!

Math has never been my strong suit. Other subjects came far easier to me but math, nope. Boy do I need to correct a statement I made at the end of July about my walking tallies.

It hit me today, about the 4th lap in at 6 in the morning, that I had not walked 488 MILES since I started tracking my laps in May to the end of July. I had walked 488 LAPS at 0.28 miles/lap. DUH! Darn it anyway. Also turns out I miscalculated the laps too with simple mathematically errors in multiplication and then addition.

To date, the corrected number is 557 laps and 155.96 miles. DJ said I could almost walk from St. Louis to Bloomington, IL (my former home) with that kind of mileage. Wonder how long it will take me to get my mileage from Alabama to my parent's house?? About 675 miles from our front door to theirs. That would be a fun way to celebrate, wouldn't it? (Or how far to BC, Norma?) Well, I sure wouldn't trust my math on that one! About 50 miles a month x 10 months= May 2011 when we need to go back for our grandson's high school graduation anyway. Could that be right?

I think I was wise to dial it back---4 days on and then one off cycle. Far less discomfort in the back of my leg and low back. I am still toying with the idea of adding one more lap though. 8 is getting too easy but only if the body parts don't start squawking, LOL.

Make it a good one---------

WIP Weds, wk #32

Looks like I cut off a bit of the block when I took its "glamour shot" but Santa #10 of 12 is finished.

The WIP part? I started #11. Still didn't narrow down my next sewing project and toyed with the idea of pulling out a kit from the UFO hamper. May still do that tonight for a little while anyway.

DJ and I had a quiet day--some minor house cleaning stuff, a little laundry. Our STL Cardinals were playing a day game against the Cincinnati Reds so listened to that before and after their rain delay. Supper is simmering on the stove so no biggie involved with meal preparation.

One of my quilting buds called and wanted to know if I wanted to make the Boaz run tomorrow. There are a couple items on my "want" list plus we will probably get lunch out. I'm in, LOL. I need to track down the pattern to see what amounts of yardage I need first though. Shop informed instead of on speculation, right?

Have a great evening in whatever you chose to do---------

finished to flimsy 2

Woohoo! Another finished up donation top. I think whoever gets this one can have fun looking for the matching blocks, finding the pairs. Some have them and other colored fabrics don't.

Not sure what I will work on today, though maybe the redwork Santa at least for a little while. I had been considering working on the purse that I bought fabric for recently but am reminded that I have a purse in the UFO pile that I could finish up first. Not sure exactly I left off with that one---it is a Lazy Girl Designs Towne Purse. Since I used a dark fabric I know I wanted it more for a fall/winter thing. Still, going off on another tangent would be more fun, LOL. I'm all about the fun, dontcha know?!

Speaking of purses, have you seen Lazy Girls newest design that is going to be released next month? Too cute especially if you have some striped fabric on hand--which I do! Try this link.

DJ and I will be going out to lunch in a bit---birthday lunch. I never did pick the restaurant though. I was leaning towards Chinese or a BBQ place I wanted to try but figured I had plenty of time to make up my mind. He heard a new spot advertised on the radio and suggested this place---and I agreed. Hey, any meal that I do not have to cook myself is fine with me. Since this spot is near downtown and our car tags are due with us both in the same vehicle, I think he wants to stop at the county administration building to take care of that.

I was surprised on Friday though. My pal Marilyn had called Thursday evening to see if I wanted to run to Hobby Lobby with her and then maybe over to Olive Garden for lunch, her treat. (She has no problems remembering my bday as I share it with her son.) When we got to the restaurant, 4 members of our quilt group were there waiting for us along with another friend from the Thursday evening group. I knew Marilyn was going to see if two of them could come as one had a birthday in late July and another, later THIS month but this was even better! Another of our pals is even later in August and the other, early September----one big old party!

Nothing much more to pass along----hope you all have a good day in whatever you chose to do.

WIP wk #31

A little progress has been made on this triple rail donation top in the past two days. I had the bulk of this section done a few months back so row 6 was the one I pieced and attached.

Below is rows 7, 8 and 9---the long rows thru the middle of the quilt. 10 will complete the lower left corner when I get to it. Since it is on point, the rows get progressively smaller as you work out to the lower right. I'll get back to it tomorrow.



I have a ton of blue and green blocks made up so I am only trying to NOT put the same print right next to each other. I admit that is hard NOT to try to be too matchy-matchy with the prints---to just pick up a piece and use it no matter what, LOL. I couldn't resist working in some of the jigsaw scraps from the last donation top. You can't see it on this shot but it is in there. I'm going to whip up a couple more from the scrap basket before I resume the rows.

The pattern (from Mary Ellen Hopkins long ago online subscription) calls for a heart block to be pieced into the rails. It is in memory of the founder of Wrap Them In Love's mother who passed away earlier in the year. I have made this quilt once before but did not make that section heart colored. The heart part didn't show up as well. This time it will. THIS post contains a shot of the first one I made. You will see what I mean about the heart not showing up and where I am headed with this thing.


I'm going to put a few more stitches in this block today rather than machine sew. And maybe read a bit---I am right in the middle of Earlene Fowler's State Fair book. DJ and I also picked up a couple books from the bookmobile today.

Plus I see some kitchen time ahead on the horizon. I am thinking about trying a new cake recipe for Honey Bun Cake. I found it printed up in this month's ALFA members publication but HERE is a link online (looks the same to me.) I do love cinnamon! Someone I know has a birthday next week.....not that this IS a birthday cake. ( I refuse to make my own bday cake!) I feel like baking and just want a taste of a little something sweet tonight. The leftovers can go to the freezer. HMMMMMM, it says to bake it in a 13 x 9 but shows it in a Bundt pan so I may go that route instead.

Hope you are having a good day in whatever YOU chose to do

another finish

Redwork won out yesterday---as I was very close to a finish on this one.

Pattern: Bird Brain Designs "Here Comes Santa"

Santa's Overflowing Bag of Toys is the block name. I have 9 blocks done and 3 to go plus itty bitty ones for the quilt's cornerstones.

I'll sew on that triple rail top tomorrow and stitch some more on the next block---because I can, LOL.