meeting day rolls around again

Pippi this afternoon when I came home from the meeting---sunbathing. What a little cutie, IMHO. It got up into the mid to high 60's today. Gorgeous weather with no rain due in till late tomorrow.

Mostly we pinned today---7 of the 8 (miscounted yesterday) tops that I brought plus Theramae had two tops and Beverly, one. Fleeta and Rosa were working on some more Heartstring blocks and Beverly brought in some she did up at home and will make me three more since we figured that we could squeeze on three center strips from the red center fabric.

Another group followed us in the fellowship Hall this afternoon. One of our members was on the decorating and set up committee for an event that is actually tomorrow. We left just a little bit earlier than normal but to be truthful, I don't know if my back and legs would have wanted to stand on that concrete flooring for another 3o minutes to do that last top. I had to seam the batting for 4 of the quilts so my knees were begging me to sit down and stay down, LOL.

The quilt pictures I am showing are a couple of the tops that my mom sent featuring the same John Deere tractor print. I don't think I showed you these before. ( And if I did, it was month's ago.) I quilted both tops last month on the last quilting blitz. Theramae did the binding honors. At right is the double attic window set. Below a churn dash variation. How very different they both look.

After supper I whipped up 5 heartstring blocks. I am going for a 5 x 7 block set on this. Cher was saying how heavy the quilt had gotten with the muslin backing so I'll just add a border to bump it up in size when I join them. I spent the rest of the evening sorting out the 2 inch strips into darks and lights. I pulled out all the short pieces which can be used for a pineapple log cabin I have started or some narrow strips for a Railroad Crossing. I also pulled out all the Christmas strips too ---would anyone want these for some Christmas crumb blocks or something???? I really don't have much use for them. It has taken some time but I am down to two partially filled baskets now from what had been a packed to the brim Xerox paper box. String blocks galore and several log cabin quilts as well as Pineapple Blossoms will do that.

That's it for tonight---bed is going to feel good. I am SOOOOO behind in reading and commenting but one of these days........

a couple more...........

I am still having a grand time piecing! 1st pic shows the Frogs in Race car Snuggle Up that I finished up yesterday. Originally it was supposed to be one row longer but I decided to forego that once I had the top done--more un-sewing. I moved the squares over the right side for a little bit wider top after I cut a couple more squares. Normally I cut the squares 4 or 5 inch finished while these are six inch finished to keep from chopping up the cars too small. The binding will carry out the race car theme a little further---black and white check like the racing flags.


I also pulled a piece of fabric that I have had for years and years---a crinkled looking black that looks like old faded jeans but is not a denim fabric. I had planned long ago to make a jumper out of it----not going to happen. Actually I am thinking about seeing if Linda S wants to take it on what is left for one of her raggy quilts--I've even got the red bandana fabric that might work with it. More then one way to bust fabric!

The one at right I just finished this afternoon-- kind of a Bright Hopes variation from a pattern I found online. Does anyone know what the source might be??? I wanted to link to it here on the blog. The pdf file does not give a name of the quilt OR any contact information. I would not have needed a pattern really since Bright Hopes is a favorite of mine but usually I would frame it with 4 different fabrics and make a 8 inch finished block set block to block without the sashing row. Maybe I needed the picture after all, LOL.

I think the sports uniform fabric is some that Cher sent for our boy quilts. I have enough squares cut to make another that I will arrange a little differently BUT I was supposed to cut them 7 1/2 inches---maybe two strips were cut that and then I started cutting 6 1/2 inch centers in error----oops! Recalculate the framing strips---2 1/2 x 8 1/2 instead. The red is what I am using on the heartstring blocks, the light blue is leftover from the scrappy strippie and I love that tone on tone "kit" gold. (Veronica, Pam and Cher know exactly what I mean by that.) The binding will be a navy blue star tone on tone that I dug out of my stash--not sure of the source.

A little story: DJ was headed to the golf course this morning and has been a little discouraged about his play the few times he has been out this winter. In past years he would go out regardless on the "marginal" days . Since we were sick for three weeks in late November/early December, he has been worried about a relapse of the cough/cold. It is either too damp, too breezy, too cold and he stays home. He is also NOT one to hit some shag balls very often or hit the putting green to warm up all leading to rusty skills once he does try to play . Before he left, I was trying to give him a pep talk---"I don't want to hear you say you are going to give up golf. Can't never did anything!" He countered with "how would you feel if you were sewing and kept sewing things on backwards or upside down?" I might set it aside for a few days but I would NOT quit forever since I could just be having a bad day, tired or just not paying attention. If I don't "feel" like sewing, I know not to do it.

Well, talk about the power of suggestion! I flipped on of those top two rows on that top above this morning. They were already joined too but you know, I kind of liked the way it looked instead of them all facing the same direction with the gold on the top and blue on the side. Happy accident then.

The quilt group meets tomorrow. I doubt that we will get all nine of the tops I have on hand pinned. Some of the others may need the pinning table as well so I won't hog all the time we have available. I have a hunch that I'll be off in quilting mode by the end of the week. It is all cyclical---cut, sew, pin, quilt and hope someone volunteers for binding, LOL.

sewing the day away

Still sewing the away for the past three days----

Thursday's output was backing for three tops, binding for two more and applying borders to two tops that Jeanne had sent for donation. I had planned to refer back to her old blog for pictures of the tops but see that something weird has highjacked it---oh, my!! Her long time readers may recall a Delectable Mountain top she did in orange-peach-rust tones as well as neat rail fence with skinny strips in blues and greens. (I promise I will get pictures of them once they are quilted)

Jeanne helped me out by cutting the binding and borders for the DM and provided the backing for both tops. I did some slight remodeling on the Rail Fence as it was a tad long. I took the last two rows off and moved one row plus 2 blocks around to the side but had to re-sew them so the rail went the right direction and zigzagged like they are supposed to. The other block will probably land in another top down the line--that strippie thing worked out pretty good earlier in the month, after all.

I started off Friday morning by making the binding for the Rail Fence and then moved onto the top you see above which I just finished a little bit ago. This one uses the "giant" modified nine patch blocks technique that are later quartered using a technique from Slice 'Em & Dice 'Em by Nancy Brennan Daniel. It probably says in the book somewhere NOT to use directional prints. But I did and then found myself ripping off the sashing bits to turn them upright. I overcut the amount of 6 1/2 inch squares but that worked to my advantage in the end.

This is a stash buster all the way around. I got the bright idea to make 8 of the larger nine patches but needed to dig out a similiar bright green in order to sash them. Then decided that I needed another row this morning. Not enough of the black hotwheels fabric---use another airplane. Couldn't find anymore of that red print since I used it all in the RR Crossing as part of the backing. I found the leftover RR crossing sashing bits since it used the same print cornerstones, removed them and sewed them together in a four patch to squeeze out the last row square. The print transporation squares were some that Ginny gave me, some fabrics from the donation box, a few fat quarters I owned. There are Finn's dots too. Maybe not the most gorgeous quilt ever made but I hope that a young boy will enjoy it even if all does not match---its close enough and I wanted it that way!! (right?)

I will use the fabric at right for the backing--not sure who it came from now. Finn, does it look familiar? I'll need to sew about an 8 inch band of fabric on it for length and that same yellow that I used in the RR crossing will work for that. Too neat to cut this up in small pieces.

Next up: another one from the kit basket-- Frog in race car Snuggle Up. After that, I am cutting out two more. One will use this beetle fabric in this configuration. It is inspired by a Ursula Reickes' pattern from one of the quilts for baby books but I re-drew it in EQ to eliminate the seams that result in a block to block set. I see a series of background and center squares alternating with a pieced four patch so drew it up that way. Triangles on a roll will work well here. Then there is some dalmatian fabric from the donation box that is calling to me too though I best decide what I am doing with it first, LOL. Patience Corner, maybe as I haven't done one of those for awhile.

Well, that backing and binding is not going to sew itself. Back to work.

break time

Today's output-- I finished putting the borders on the Framed 4 patch a little bit ago. DJ is holding it upside down from how I had it pictured in EQ but it would be incumbent on me NOT to complain to the quilt holder. This should definitely be a girl quilt with that pink background, don't you think? The blocks came from Nancy as a donation for kids quilts. This set was all the same color so they went in their own top while the green, blues etc all went in another that I assembled in late January. It can be seen HERE for comparison and I think can go to the Boys Ranch.

My EQ sketch looks fairly similiar but at the time I drew it up I was not sure what background fabric I would be using.

I continue to get better acquainted with the Brother machine today. I did notice that I was harkening back to the days of the old Kenmore and trying to use the knee lift as the control---we are talking 30 some years ago! It was an old machine of my mom's, in a cabinet and what I took with me when I was in nursing school.

I also did a bit of stashbusting for the quilt's backing. I know that I used some of it for the backing on Beth's Indiana Puzzle quilt because the fabric she picked from the suggestions I had was not wide enough and I filled in with the complimentary piece. She will be 12 and I know that I bought all this "Peppermint and Sassafras" line when she was just a baby. I have some over cut binding and a 10 inch square of it left---outta here! They will make more of a nice neutral tan should I need it down the line. All that is left to do is press the binding and mark a line down the middle of the zigzag's for quilting later. After supper for that though

Spring is feeling like it is right around the corner here in NW central Alabama. The crocuses have been in bloom for about a month now, the daffodils are about to open and the camellia has been trying to burst out in bloom for weeks now. That is not good when the temperatures got so cold the past two weeks and we had almost a week of nights in the 20's. Today we are up in the mid 60's and heading to 70's by week's end but that front came with rain and thunderstorms this morning. The birds are out in full force digging for worms and our car port is full of worms that have crawled out and didn't crawl away so will probably will dry up. What I call "worm suicide" I tried to take a picture of the oak tree (the lone oak in Lone Oak Subdivision) across the way as it was loaded with those black birds. I see them on the larger view so hopefully it will click open. It had gotten so loud with them singing! I hear the frogs too. Good to get some fresh air in here.

That's it for now--got to start supper preparations.

whole lot of nuthin'

Sunday I started off great guns sewing on my new Brother machine pictured at left. By the end of the evening I had the bulk of the pink and brown framed 4 patch that I showed HERE assembled with just borders to go---and two days later, that is as far as it got.

I really like the machine---nice stitch, runs quietly. The threader works wonderfully and I found that I am sorta getting used to the concept of a knee lift to raise the presser foot as well as a button to raise the needle. Another cuts the thread when the stitching is complete if you want---I still found myself using the scissors or the side cutter, LOL. (Clearly I need to develop some new habits.) The short threads worried me a bit that I would unthread the needle--and I did but only one time.

What seems odd to me is that you could conceivably sew without a foot! I had to correct myself when I first said that to Pam and Cher while chatting. That statement made it sound like I physically did not have a foot/leg when I meant the foot pedal. Near as I can tell if you poke that green button to start the seam and also set the speed with the slide switch, you don't need the foot controller!! The first seams I took that is what I did. The screen said "remove the foot controller" once I pressed the button -- I was thinking "then how will it sew?" I tried it and found out but how practical that is with the stops and starts of piecing, I don't know.

Shortly after I had asked Mom to pick up the machine for me at the dealer in Bloomington (IL) she called me to say that she had gotten another machine as well. I thought maybe my asking her to go shopping led her astray. She already had a Brother NX 400 and has used it for several years. Somewhere along the line she had checked out THIS PQ 1500S at the dealer. She tells me that it goes really fast. Not sure if it is meant for a short arm set up or not? Looks like a lot of good space between the body of the machine and the table base.

Yesterday was errand day though it being a federal holiday threw a little kink in my usual plans---the bank and post office trips had to wait till today. I delivered the t-shirt quilt as I had hoped but just dropped it off at his office. He was not in but I had already been paid so did not need to see him anyway. Hope it is okay. Linda S had another top and we had arranged to meet up at Hancock's for delivery. Nice and bright with fun fabric for the back which she had just purchased.

Once I got done running around I had to put on my "treasurer hat" for Home Extension since it is dues paying time. I wait till I have a stack to deal with and it took several hours to get all that paper pushing, ready the bank deposit and set up a bulk mailing. I have had this job since 2002 having reluctantly agreeing to do it. I was not elected to the position and at no time have I ever heard when the term is supposed to end. I do not attend the board meetings or planning meetings. I will go to the cooking school in the fall and occasionally if my schedule permits, sew chemo hats, tote bags and pillows for cancer patients. There is a new president after many, many years. She called to get a current number of members and I told her to start looking for my replacement. I'll see this period through but she has got to find someone else come fall. I just do not have time for all this.

Today, the bank and post office errands were ran. The rest of the day was clearing up other personal paperwork and some other household chores. A decent meal for supper that took a little time to prepare. The rest of the time I was working on a play list of songs that I enjoy. Mix of genres since I do like R & B, soul, country, some rock. Even classical. Small rant: I hate top 40 country radio because they play the same stuff incessantly and it all sounds the same. The morning group on the station DJ turns on when he exercises has a feature called "Hit or No Hit" where they play a song and then ask people to call in with their opinion. Usually I really don't care for their selection but today I actually like it. Because I was looking for songs for the playlist, I wanted to include the one from this morning. I knew it was one by Kenny Rogers and Don Henley so did a google search. The song is "Calling Me" not that those guys would bother to say so. Come to find out , it was released in early March 2006 off Roger's "Water and Bridges" CD and was just up for a Grammy in BEST COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS. Sheesh--those dodo's at the sation should not be acting like it is a new release--only been out for a year. Are they that clueless in the music biz stuck in top 40??

I'll get back to sewing tomorrow but it just didn't happen today. As DJ is always saying "who gave you all these jobs anyway?" Normally, it is me. I may just go curl up with a good book---my SIL sent me a couple to read and then share plus I promised her our copy of Hiaasen's newest book. Oh, and there are two quilt mags on the night stand that I have not even opened that have been there for a week. Guess that's it for now--------

done-done x 3

I am happy dancing--I reached my goal of having three quilts bound a day earlier than I thought possible. Not my favorite thing to do and I am easily distracted by the computer--or anything to NOT work on it to be honest. I cannot cross one darned thing off my goal list though because the only things on there are PERSONAL projects. The donation stuff gets done--my own stuff doesn't, I'm afraid. I suppose I could set up a tally list of how many WTIL tops I have made and how many quiltedmore or less for my own purposes but have not yet.

At lunch time today I told DJ that I had just turned the corner onto the 3rd side of the t-shirt quilt binding. That was more than I had done yesterday at the same time as I had not even started it. He had been teasing me about not getting in production done the day before when I took a 20 minute break (he said 5 mins should be sufficient, LOL) After lunch when I left him to deal with the dishes, he said those fingers better be flying. I took the last stitch in it at 3:30.

No picture though---it is far too big and too heavy to even think about asking him to quilt hold. Besides the poor boy got pressed into duty on the other two I finished. You can see the top HERE so just imagine the all over wave quilting and brick red binding the same color as the lettering I pieced.

I was switching the sewing table back around to its usual position and setting up my new machine so look who popped up into my chair once I vacated it? I think I need to read the manual a bit as I have no clue how to wind a bobbin, thread it or what all those feet are for. There is a knee lift too and built in thread cutter, etc to learn how to operate.

I had finished the Interlocking Square (at right) binding Thurs a.m. and started right in on the Toadie BQ (below?) so was done with it by Thursday evening. Linda S stopped by with a quilt top Friday morning and picked up the Toadie and 4 others that I had stashed in the closet that will go to the Boys Ranch---she says we have 31 at her house now which is what I had told the girls---we are halfway to goal with completed quilts. I delivered the quilts that are going to the Presbyterian Home for Children to the appointed spot later in the morning stopping by the hospital to see Sarah. Thankfully she is doing much better than when I saw her earlier in the week.

Other than that about all I have done is work on binding. Hardly been out of the house. Took the lazy way out for supper tonight but we'll live--not going to starve by any means because I fed him a corn dog or two. Just not in the mood to deal with cooking pork tenderloin and the stuff to go with it.

DJ wants me to watch something with him on TV so I'll wrap this up for now. I intend to get some piecing in tomorrow---once I figure out that machine. About time don't you think since that machine came home with me two months ago almost?

Hope you all are having a good weekend.

Happy Valentine's Day/meeting wrap

Happy Valentine's Day!

The EQ sketch is similiar to a quilt that was made by one of the Belles several years ago combining a 9 patch heart block we had found online along with a Mary Ellen Hopkins style heart from the Connecting Up #4 book. Well, some of them showed up in that strippie quilt I showed you in the two previous posts. I had a little pencil sketch of her quilt but had not drawn it up till this morning. Anything to get out of binding, LOL, but I thought it might make a nice Valentine's greeting as well.

My husband and I don't make a big deal out of Valentine's Day. After all, our anniversary was about 2 weeks ago and that is far more important and personal to me than a holiday, more or less, exploited for commercial gain. What holiday isn't these days, come to think of it? No special meal and so forth. He got me a sweet card and then took my car in to get the oil changed and a new wiper blade. I appreciate his taking care of these things and consider that a present of sorts because it shows he is looking out for me. We still have Fannie May's that his son sent for Christmas and it is always a contest to see if the anniversary flowers will make it till Valentine's. My mums look pretty droopy but I guess you could say they did.


A few of us Belles met yesterday--the ones that I had spoken to on the phone or in person basically. I didn't expect many on that short of notice. Ginny brought the Toadie BQ that she had quilted on her short arm set up and the football quilt she had made for the Donoho school raffle for us to see. I cannot share a picture of it yet but will when she gives me the heads up. I had the t-shirt one for the same raffle to show her because I was going to put the binding on it at the meeting place.

Rosa needed some help laying out a king sized star quilt blocks she had made along with the scrappy cornerstones. A BOM on steriods and all in gorgeous batiks--yummy! It really helped to push three of the tables together and get an overall view of what colors to put where. She and Theramae put their heads together on that.

Lois had a top to pin and one to drop off. Even better, her husband had repaired/replaced the handle on my grandma sauce pan that I use to mash potatoes, cook pasta, you name it. How many times my husband had threatened to toss that pan or offered to buy me a whole new set!? He kept wrapping electrical tape on it to keep the crumbling wood on and have something to grab onto. Nope, you will NOT get that pan away from me! I would have used it even if the handle was a stub. My SIL had offered my brother's help with this as he does woodworking too. Lois' husband Les was closer or Steve might have been asked to help out especially since he has his shop set up now. But I digress....... LOL, I often do but that is what you get when you just write in stream of consciousness mode (it shows, doesn't it?)

Back to the quilt top she had finished---a Whatever/Chiclet type top with the 16 patches she has been making at home. I had printouts of a couple other arrangements she might consider--Road to St Louis and this one that Joy had made that looks like 16 patches and pinwheels alternating . I think she said she had 12 blocks leftover. Lois, if you are reading this check out this archived post for the zigzag layout I mentioned. It would take 13 and you cut two of them in half more or less plus seam allowance. I can tell you what size to cut the setting triangles is you need help there OR refer you to the table found on Bethany Reynolds site for on point sets HERE though a printout where you could see the vertical lines might help. (That would be in the April 06 archives near the Whatever post)

Theramae brought two she had finished binding and picked up four that I had quilted to do the honors. She also brought in a block she had found in an old quilt book or magazine. She could not remember the name of the pattern but thought it was "Loop the Loop" or something similiar. She thought it might be one for us to try--possibly for the sew-in. I had to draw it up in EQ to see what happens with the loops when the blocks are joined. Not crazy about the colors though it is a nice paisley print in EQ6 but the snapshot will give you the idea.

Rosa also brought in Bonnie's Hidden Spools or King's X to share. She had done this with one of her quilt groups in Florida and thought we might be interested in giving it a whirl. She had sections of the hers in progress so it was easy to see how it went together. String like, scrappy effect without the foundations.

Actually, both blocks or techniques intrigue me. I wonder how the loop one would look done scrappy! I can see alternate methods of construction as I look at this that might eliminate some lines where the blocks join. More fodder to keep me awake at night thinking of quilts.

Back to the meeting wrap up--I am all over the map today, LOL.
We pinned three tops then and it was approaching noon. I needed to come back and put the binding on that queen sized t-shirt quilt--my primary goal for the day. Off we went to Quizno's for a sandwich and a sit down break and chat. They went home after lunch but I stayed on. The church has nice wide tables that they use for serving at potlucks and dinners so I was able to put that out in front of the machine and seat myself on the far right corner. I pulled over one of the smaller tables to my left to hold the bulk of the quilt to put on the binding. Those sure helped when it came time to trim off the batting too.

SO I am not getting any binding done pecking at the keys. This week's goal is to bind the butterfly challenge, my Toadie BQ and the t-shirt quilt. Antoinette will be taking the quilts that we have set aside for the Talledega Presbyterian Home for Children down later in the week and that butterfly goes along with that bunch. Then I am piecing all week, next week--my reward!! That might make more to pin on the 27th but hey, it is all cyclical. I think we are about half way to our goal for the boys' quilts but I need to do my part towards getting there.

I have been trying to get caught up at least reading my blog list--if I don't stop to comment, I have probably been by but had my hands busy binding. I was up to the Q's last night, LOL. See you online............