Sew Lucky Am I

It has been a frantic month but I have had some time to quilt and see my grandboys. I had to get online immediately because Vince gave me my birthday present early. Tonight when I came home he had carried my gift up to the quilting room and I had to show all of you. He designed it himself to hold my grandmother's sewing machine head that I have always cherished. He cleaned it up as it was covered with a sticky grime from being anywhere except in a house for years. We converted the treadle feet and drawers to a sewing table for me many years ago but the head has always been saved for something special. Here it is, all polished up except for the worn off painting where it has been used. The three little drawers are for quilting threads, scissors and tools, and buttons. The middle shelf holds my books and magazines and the bottom shelf accommodates my seasonal stash (can be changed to meet the seasonal needs I am working on). I just love it!

Sew Where Have I Been?

There is just no excuse for not blogging! I have been busy with work and now we are traveling, but there is just no excuse for not blogging! Actually, I have been working on some projects. I mailed my friendship bag to Australia. I have started on my Fall Mini Quilt Swap. I have been working on getting some fall wall hangings done. But most of all, I have been using my trusty book, Quilters Travel Companion that my brother and sister-in-law gave me for Christmas last year.
Vince and I have been on a well-needed vacation. We left Mitchell last Friday night and this is our seventh night on the road. The foliage we have seen is certainly the most beautiful of God's quilts. The roads through Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky were gorgeous, but when we drove into the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland the expanse was breathtaking. The weather in Williamsburg was warm and sunny and I needed that. We also took in the drive to the Delmarva Peninsula and the sight of water gave me a thrill.
Today, however, I visited a most delightful quilt shop in Ohio. I have visited many on our trip but this shop was special. Kathryn, the owner, helped tally up my purchases and I told her that I was going to spread the word on this wonderful place. Lucky are the people who live near Springfield, Ohio (not Illinois) as Creative Fires was a real find. I have never seen and touched so many beautiful flannels. As we were driving, I had decided that I was going to put a tree or a wreath in the center of the twelve friendship blocks we made and shared for a Christmas quilt. I found the pattern for the wreath at Creative Fires. One of the very pleasant staff told me that the owners started out selling stoves, then Bernina sewing machines and one of the customers asked Kathryn why she didn't sell fabric as well, thus the name Creative Fires.
The pattern book I bought for the wreath is one of Eleanor Burns books but in the shop they have the wreath done in four different fabric types for the four seasons. I took a picture which I will download when we get home on Saturday.
The great part about finding this shop is that they are building a new web site and you can order from them online. http://www.creativefires.net/ Check it out!

Progress

I have been having some great fun finishing projects. First, I finished my summer mini quilt swap and it is packaged ready to go to Europe. Can't tell you any more than that. I named it Dew on the Daisy. I really think it is quite pretty.

I also finished the pillow and lap throw for my nephew and his bride to be on September 12th. I love Holly Taylor's Moda fabric and this year's is no exception. The lap throw is the "Cabin Fever" created for Frosted Memories. I added a border so that it is a bit bigger and I used the Qbot to quilt snowflakes on the cornerstones and inner border. I think it turned out quite well. If you click on the cornerstone I think you can see the snowflake. Loads of love anyway.

What a difference a center makes

I have not had much time to sew lately with schools starting and work hectic. I did spend a bit of time tonight working on my mini summer quilt swap. I have never done a Dresden plate block and I had picked up some gorgeous daisy prints earlier this summer. Daisies and summer go together in my book. Well, my creative juices are going and I added some old crystal beads I had in my sewing room and now I believe I am going to call it "Dew on the Daisy" as the bit of sparkle reminds me of that. Be sure you click on the picture because then you can see the sparkley thread also. I just had to take these two pictures because the center made so much difference in the block. I'll be certain to show you the finished block before I mail it away.

Another Swap

I am just loving it. I love to give gifts and it is fun to get packages in the mail. Hurry over to Quilting Gallery and join in the fun. This is the cutest little bag and just think of what you could put in it.
Wanted to include a picture of all of us from Mitchell who went to Quilts and Vines last Saturday. I know some of you read Sara's blog (she is in the picture). I am in the hat on the right in the back.

Baba in South Dakota is Praying for Stellan

God is working in our "small world". Leslie wants us to wear orange tomorrow! This dear little one and his family are friends of my daughter and her family in Minnesota. I know God is watching over him and his family. Stellan is a precious child who is in the hearts and prayers of many. I pray that all of my blogging friends begin to pray for him and spread story far and wide. God will do the rest!

By the way, go to Leslie's post and add your post! http://www.lambertslately.com/2009/07/orange-for-stellan.html#links

Just to let you know I am reading the blogs

ABC's of ME
I've seen this on Sara's and Tonya's , so I thought I'd give it a shot as well.
A - Age - 62
B - Bed size - Queen and I love to sleep
C - Chore you hate - cleaning the cat box
D - Dog's name - our English Cocker is called "Abbey"
E - Essential "start your day" item - coffee with cream
F - Favorite color - lime green and red
G - Gold or silver? well, I really like both and together
H - Height - about 5' 1"
I - Instruments you play - I played the clarinet and piano
J - Job title - Agency Director
K - Kids - son 37 (next month), daughter 34
L - Living arrangements - the most kind man in the world who happens to be my second husband
M - Mom's name - Carol
N - Nicknames - Mickey and DocSly
O - Overnight hospital stays (except when giving birth) - too many to mention
P - Pet peeve - someone who listens with their mouth going
Q - Quote from a movie - anthing said by Dermot Mulroney
R - Right or left handed? Right
S - Siblings? a brother who almost nine years younger than me
T - Time you wake up - through the week early enough, weekends - 8:00 or so
U - Underwear? always
V - Vegetable you dislike - chard
W - Workout style - I try to do something everyday and that means walking or biking at the rec
X - X-rays you've had - I light up
Y - Yesterday's best moments - baseball game in Denver with my grandson
Z - Zoo favorites - I really don't like the zoo at all!

I've Been Sew Busy

I have completed 14 Boutique Burpees (Allison's friends are having babies and the shop down town has a supply to sell now). The fabric for one of them is sew cool I wanted to show you a closeup picture.

Last night Marilyn and I went over to Sara's for dinner and sewing. We each made a grommet purse and it went together very quickly and nicely. I plan to make another this evening for me to take on our vacation this Friday. Four fat quarters and away you go.

I also finished a Christmas wall hanging. Lots of hand sewing going on while I recuperate from the surgery. I am planning to take plenty in the car this weekend as well. Need to get a wedding gift completed this week to take along to bind as well.

Must go back to work but didn't want you to think I have been deprived of creative sewing time.

Congrats to Sherri

I really enjoy Sherri's blog and have been a follower for a time. She is celebrating one year of blogging. Check her out at http://aquiltinglife.blogspot.com/ A Quilting Life. She is a great blogger with so many ideas and wonderful projects to share.

Sorta quilting

While we were on the Guild Shop Hop early this month, I saw this nifty wall decoration. It was so beautiful outside today that I just had to have a reason to sit on the deck for a little time between quilting and exercising. If I go exercise, the I can "quilt without guilt". I have to remember that one of my reasons for adopting another hobby (other than knitting) was to help keep me away from food. Anyway, back to my deck time. In one of the shops they had an old Scrabble board hanging on the wall. I loved it and now I have one for the quilting room. I am missing some tiles (thimble, pin, rip, triangle) but I am going to watch for a garage sale and snap up another game so that I can add more words and fill in my blanks. I made 13 boutique burpees for Allison today. She has numerous friends having babies and I love the fabrics she selects for me to stitch. More handstitching than anything.

What a beautiful surprise

Tonya from North Carolina just brightened my day with my mini-quilt arrival in the mail. And four fat quarters as well. What a fun way to share some happiness in this world. I love the colors.

Had to include a picture of "the girls". We have been keeping Allison's two dogs for two weeks while they visit family in Michigan. I just love the attention they give. Bailey is the big Golden Retriever. She is by far the best behaved and loving animal I have known. Elly is the small beautiful "muttress" Allison adopted when she was at Clemson. Elly is on Grandpa's "sh__ list" for her trips to the basement and her misbehaviors. Then there is our own Abby that is hyperactive, ADD, and as Vince names it, TDD (too d---- dumb). She does love unconditionally however.

Giveaway at Quilt Qua

I sew love Holly Taylor and her Moda fabrics. Was glad to read about this on Sara's blog. I would love to win this and really enjoyed looking around this web site.

A wonderful giveaway

Kaaren has posted a giveaway on her blog. The Painted Quilt is one of the blogs I follow. You better go check it out!

Mini Quilt Spring Swap

Today was a productive day in quilting and I did a good deal of hand work while watching the College World Series in Omaha. I wish I was there!

I finished my mini quilt to send to Polly. I think it is quite pretty.

The detail in the center white square are tiny yellow crystals. I quilted the edges with tulips as that it is the flower on the border.

I also quilted a table runner for Christmas. Yes, I know, it is a last year's Moda panel but I think it turned out quite well. I used a snowflake block pattern on the Q-bot. It was fun to do. Different sizes and it looks sharp. One project done and many to go.

Follow Tonya

I have been following Tonya and now she has a giveaway. http://tonyassewingroom.blogspot.com/2009/06/100th-post-giveaway.html Sew nifty! I will post a picture of my finished mini swap quilt tomorrow.

Quilt Guild Trip

The trip was fantastic and we had a great time. The first shop we went to was Heart and Hand Dry Goods in Sioux City, Iowa. http://www.heartandhand.com/ It was not a large store but just full of wonderful projects. I especially loved the pillowcase kits they had arranged and the napkin kits were splendid. I bought a pattern book for Big Blocks and the layer cake to do a quilt of that sort. Low and behold, when we got on the bus, I realized I had selected the Moda Christmas Wishes layer cake that made one of the patterns in the book.

We then went to the Omaha Quilt Show at UNO sport center. It wasn't as large as I had expected but the quilts displayed were exquisite. Many art quilts that I appreciate but don't want to make. My favorite quilt was an applique masterpiece. At the quilt show I bought a pattern for a triangle bag I hope to make soon.

After the show, we went to a very nice shop in Omaha. They were demonstrating a crazy cut block that I just had to have. Sunshine Stitches http://www.sunshinestitches.com/ was a beautiful store with many choices. It was very different from the shop in the morning. I found a darling Christmas panel that will be on my list of projects soon.

We ate at the Cheesecake Factory on the patio. It was a lovely evening and the company was divine.

On Saturday we went to Plattsmouth, Nebraska to Seams To Be Quilts shop http://www.seamstobequilts.com/index.htm. Plattsmouth has a neat main street with many antique shops. I bought a Bohn marking pen the owner had shown to me at the Quilt Show. Again the shop was unique. More panels than you could imagine. I found a birthday present for Marilyn in the coffee shop across the street. We left Plattsmouth for Papillion, Nebraska and the Country Sampler Too http://www.countrysampleronline.com/index.php. Needless to say we found some beautiful fabric but I loved the placemat template and will have a tutorial next week on this blog. The Quilted Moose http://www.quiltedmooseonline.com/ in Gretna was probably my favorite. Beautiful quilts on the wall, kits everywhere, wonderful children's fabric, and I will definitely return. The last shop was certainly not the least, three floors, County Traditions http://www.countrytraditionsonline.com/ in Fremont was a real find. I bought a significant amount of sale fabric.

It was a great trip. Met wonderful new friends, relaxed with some of closest friends, and picked up loads of ideas and material for gifts.

Mini Quilt Spring Swap

A sneak preview of the piece I am working on for someone special. She likes spring flowers. I have never done a scalloped edge so I am in the middle of binding the edge. I love the pattern. Hope she does also.

Leaving for Omaha on a quilt trip tomorrow morning. Such fun!

A beautiful wallhanging

Marcia and Sandy came over today to quilt the beautiful wallhanging Marcia has been working on for her sister. The pictures do not do it justice. Sew many pieces!!!!! Marcia decided to meander quilt and she did an absolutely great job. She used a batik for the backing and it is stunning.

Something for Polly!

She says, "I love spring flowers... tulips, hyacinths...and big beautiful peonies...wild cottage gardens with wrought iron gates and shadowed glades for fairies to hide in..."
She lives in Clifton, Virginia.
I have started the project and I think it is pretty. I used a Pinwheel Bow block from book called Lessons From Mama by Atkinson Designs.

Rolling On

My friend, Sara, took this picture on Tuesday night when we gathered at Marilyn's house to put the 80 blocks (16 made by 5 of us) together. Marilyn suggested the design and bought the book for the pattern. The pattern is called "Rolling On" which is most appropriate as we are making it for a raffle to support a foundation being started by my grandson, Dillon's, teacher who is Mrs. M. She was diagnosed with breast cancer this year and her students have rallied for her fight against this horrible disease.

You can see more pictures on Sara's blog (see my favorites). I couldn't believe how rapidly it went together with each of us pinning, stitching, pressing, and trimming. I love being with my friends and creating something while we are together. Dillon picked out the backing which is the softest cotton and we will quilt it on Saturday at my house. The veteran quilters tell me that since it is somewhat busy in fabric and design, we should quilt it in a rather simplistic manner, probably large meandering. Some lucky person will have this gorgeous quilt in their home by the end of June. The blocks were quick and easy to make. Tina suggested it would be a nifty pattern for scraps. Our blocks are shades of pink, white, and black. I am hoping Sara will make a computerized label for the back so that 100 years from now someone will know that in 2009 people cared about people and making a difference meant using your talents to create something useful and beautiful for others!

Want to buy a chance?

Pay It Forward to Reddirt Woman

I am finally finishing my Pay It Forward projects. First one goes to Helen! These were the steps: 1) I found two fat quarters that I especially liked and machine quilted the two together. 2) I folded the fat quarters in half and stitched and bound the sides. 3) I bound the top edge and added a ring to the inside to hook your keys to (Sara taught me this trick). You can see the black circle and bead near the top of the inside of the bag. 4) I used drapery locking rings for the circles to put the handle through. These are really slick! 5) I took a conference lanyard (educators get them all the time for name badges) and used the ring for inside and took the lanyard to give the handles some strength. I love the fabric and I hope Helen loves it too. I will mail it tomorrow after show and tell at the Pin Cushion!

That Christmas Project

Thought you might like to see Mary's (she lives in North Carolina) block that will be part of the Christmas exchange quilt we are making. Each of us will have our own quilt from the blocks and the 13th blocks will be put together to raffle for Cancer. I think this block is beautiful!

Been Sew Busy

My brother and sister-in-law came over this weekend from Minnesota and Linda brought her first quilt to quilt. It is beautiful and she really did an excellent job. We put a star in each little four block center and then she meandered the rest. I have a couple of pictures to show her work.

On the weekend I also finished my 16 squares for the Eighty Wheeler quilt we are making for my grandson's teacher who is starting a foundation for cancer in our community. I love them and when we combine our 80 squares it should be awesome. It is black, white, and shades of pink.

Call Me Compulsive

I signed up for this today - a quilt swap on a wonderful blog. http://quiltinggallery.com/swaps/spring-blooms-2009/

Actually treevillemary had it on her blog. I think this will be fun. Just one more project for me to get started.

Did I tell you that a few of us are making a quilt for my grandson's teacher who is starting a foundation? She had fought breast cancer this year. The quilt is going to be black white with pink. I will take a picture of the four blocks that I made for it. We are each making 4 of each block and then will mix. It is soooooooo neat!

Can I Quilt With You?

A secret we have been keeping is that a mother squirrel has taken up housekeeping very near our home and one of the little ones has decided to take up quilting. When Vince and I went into my quilting room this evening, this is what we saw through the window. He or she, not sure, posed for numerous pictures. While I was unable to turn off the flash, we still got some great photos of our little friend.

Pay It Forward

I got this wonderful idea from another one of my favorite blogs. We have heard about paying if forward. I loved the movie and I have done it in the line at McDonalds once or twice. Now a chance to do it on my quiliting blog. If you are willing to start the chain of random acts of kindness in our world and promise to pay it foward, this blog post is for you. I will "pay it forward" to the first three people who comment on this post. I will send you something I have made with special kindness. You must then post this idea on your blog and continue the chain reaction. What a wonderful way to get through this economic slump. Our own quilters stimulus plan.

Easter sewing

We got together on Good Friday and quilted up a storm. It was so much fun and much productive work was completed. We had Saturday Sampler and got our new block for the month. A tree in our "Favorite Things". I was inspired to make a couple of gifts for Easter after that. I won the fat quarter in the small bag on the left that I designed. I also designed the "egg mat". It really quilted on the machine nicely.

Seams So Great!!!

Also, if you love blogs like I do, hurry over to http://aquiltinglife.blogspot.com/ and read about Sherri's 100th post on her blog and her giveaway. This world of learning from other bloggers is a wonderful thing. It is really a beautiful bag.

I Sew Love the Snow

Really do believe it is April and the song talks about showers but I thought it was suppose to be rain, not snow. Oh well, that just means more time inside and so I sew. I have some pictures to post of projects that I have been working on.
Allison has some friends who are having babies so we decided to make some "boutique burp-ups". That is what I am calling them. Rectangles about 18 inches by 11 inches made of beautiful fabric on one side and some organic cotton fleece on the other. I order the fleece from Very Baby http://verybaby.com/ and I can get 10 burp-ups from a yard of it. I washed it before I quilted because it warned of shrinkage. I am using some Amy Butler prints that are quite charming. I will mail six of them to Allison in the Easter package. I also made the boys their Easter placemats from some cute bunny fabric.
I made a bag today out of some fat quarters I picked up at Heavenly Patchwork while in Minnesota http://www.heavenlypatchworkquiltshop.com/. The pattern was in one of my recent magazines. I just made it smaller. I love the big buttons that are in bright colors.
I am designing another quilt. It will be predominately blue but will have a rainbow color arrangement from corner to opposite corner. I have the pattern arranged, now just need to gather the fabrics and begin to make the simple half triangle blocks.

March goes out

My goal was to make at least one Christmas item each month so that when fall came, I wasn't overwhelmed. Well, I finished the wall hanging, two of Allison's Christmas placemats, and three of my Christmas blocks for the exchange. All is well even though we had a real South Dakota blizzard today and it was great impetus to complete something Christmas like. I need to finish the spring placemats for the Minnesota boys tomorrow so that I can mail them later this week.
McCalls magazine has a mystery quilt showcased in this month's magazine. I think I will make the blocks in blue and perhaps use the quilt in our bedroom. I have loads of blue fat quarters but may have to invest in some bigger pieces of something I really love.

Christmas in March

I decided to do something for Christmas each month so that the fall doesn't become inadated with projects. This month I completed a pattern done by Karen Taylor for Moda. I bought the fabric last summer in Minnesota and decided to do the wall hanging. I also completed two of the six placemats in the same fabric line for Allison. I delivered those this past weekend. I really love this Birchwood Lane line of fabric for last Christmas. I am pleased with how it turned out.

Something for one of my sweethearts

I made this cozy small quilt for my little Garrett. I know he will love the monkeys. I think grown-ups should get quilts made of this fuzzy stuff. If you look closely at the picture on the left, you can see Garrett's name. Love my Q-bot!