bzyqltr

slow Sunday

2012-01-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you have had a CHALLENGING weekend (20 teens at your house till after midnight doing something called 'Epic Mealtime' -TRUST me! Its nothing that a normal human being would eat. BUT, they did and they left a messy house/kitchen/stain on my log cabin design rug and 3 shot glasses of congealed bacon grease in my refrigerator. Seems they were gonna do bacon grease shots. :::Shudder:::. IF this happens again, it will be a once a year thing. Oh, and the rug will be safely stowed under my long arm!), Then feeding the 7 that stayed the night. Yesterday I had my long arm chapter meeting. It was closer to my house this time, so was not a HUGE time drain. I enjoyed it and came home ready to do a bit of sewing. (You will see THAT progress tomorrow on Design Wall Monday). So, I wake up with a headache. I have been a 'tolerant' mom, so what do I get for my troubles?

WILD DOG!!!

Oh, You think he looks cute? (well, he IS that!) You think he looks MILD? (well NOW he is!) He is sleeping now. But with a headache and 2 sleeping teenagers..he was a WILD MAN! He is going home with his mom this week. She has been deployed since August and just arrived stateside on Tuesday. He has been with us since last February, so almost a year. I WILL miss him...just not that noisy on a Sunday morning with a headache!

Design Wall Monday Jan 23

2012-01-23T06:40:00.000-08:00

Good morning! How was your weekend? Mine was fairly quiet. Remind me of that when we have 2 boys in at least 3 sports! I'm sure you will hear about it!

On Saturday night we went to see the US Men's soccer team play Venezuela in a friendly match. They are getting ready for pool play to qualify for the World Cup. They played it the Cardinals football stadium...with the ROOF open! I only had my sweatshirt jacket on...so I had to go look for a cup of coffee. I was never FREEZING..but it was SO windy outside. I am working on being hoarse this morning, so wondering if that is why. It was a good game. We had 13 shots on goal to their 3, but didn't score till stoppage time at the end of the game. I forgot my camera, so only got one shot of the field on my phone. No idea how to get it OFF the phone! Final score? USA 1- Venezuela 0. A good time was had by all the occupants in MY car. (oh, well NOT the 20 mins we SAT in line in the parking lot not moving an INCH. What a lesson in patience! The 16 yr old NON DRIVER sitting next to me giving me advise didn't help much either!)

Here is what I'm working on today:

The request was a baby quilt. When I asked boy or girl, not known. I asked colors or theme

and was told Dr Seuss. Love it!

I found a FQ pack and also purchased some yardage

here is the backing. I used up the fq I didn't use on the front with a few pieces left over. My favorite are the two with all the names of the books!. Now to get it loaded and quilted. Hopefully that will happen today. I have to clean off the long arm and get it all oiled.

Head on over to Judy's Design Wall Monday to see what others are up to today!

CHAOS!

2012-01-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

I had happily driven to the grocery store. I'm making sauce to freeze for eggplant parmesan to be made at a later date. SOMEONE is having a birthday and requested eggplant. Actually he asked for it at Christmas, but I was not up for that much cooking in the small amount of time we were in Texas. Also, shlepping the sauce two days in a car didnt' appeal to me either. So, off I went to get tomato puree and peeled tomatoes. I even stopped to get gas. And THAT my friends is when it happened! CHAOS!

I stopped to talk to a neighbor
Erin called from Qatar on my cell phone
I said goodbye to the neighbor.
as I drove in the driveway, my cell phone DIED
I madly dragged 3 big tomato cans and an ice cream into the house
   (not wanting to miss her if she called back!)
3 boys need eggs before soccer practice
dogs start barking MADLY
yard guys arrive, make alot of noise, thus stirring up dogs to
BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK
son fusses at me for not leaving the icing out for the cinnamon rolls
   (HELLO? they were 3 INCHES from the pan! and do we not know
    how to use a cell phone???)
Erin calls back (yay!)
talk to Erin...on a cell phone thats plugged into the wall!
(did you know you cannot scramble eggs when you are talking
   on a phone that is plugged in across the room? Remember those days?
I didn't like them either!)
hand phone to her brother
scramble eggs
BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK
son grumbling about cord (me TOO!)
son fusses at me because he thinks I don't know how
to turn up the volume on the cell phone. I don't tell him
he has just turned up the RINGER volume, not the ear piece
volume and that I'm not THAT DUMB!

BARK BARK BARK BARK
son hangs up the cell phone.
I dash outside to pick up after FOUR DOGS so the yard guys can
   well....DO THE YARD

....son;s friend drives boys to soccer practice (did you just see
him sprout WINGS???)

SIT....BREATHE....Try not to wig out! (the dogs have settled, the yard guys
   are gone, the boys are at practice). Relative quiet...for the MOMENT!

I think I need a nap...oh..I have not started the SAUCE yet! And later today,
I 'GET" to host a version of Epic Mealtime (search THAT on YouTube...warning!
bacon overload and not the cleanest language, but son thinks its WONDERFUL.
He BETTER clean my kitchen!)

I'm not holding my breath that this won't happen again today! I better get that sauce started.
An hour in the sewing room is called for too!

Design wall Monday Jan 16, 2012

2012-01-15T16:48:00.001-08:00

I have decided to enter this wall hanging in our AZ Quilters Guild show

in March. I'm working on the center now. How about an opinion? I know I'm going to do a star to

echo the big star, but I cannot decide on the color.

Do you like the chrome yellow (same as out side round of the star)?

Or do you like the dark orange (same as 2nd round just inside the

chrome yellow?

I would appreciate your opinion!

Are you ready?

2012-01-03T08:05:00.000-08:00

This is Thinking Cap Day! Do you have LOTS Of scraps?

orphan blocks?

Odd crumb blocks?

little bits of strings?

Would you like to be BLESSED by these things? How about a quilt? I have a proposition for you! (no, not THAT kind! This is a CLEAN BLOG! remember that, please!! hehehehe!)

I am working on using these scraps in MY sewing room , as a friend put it, to BLESS me with a quilt. Want to play along? You need to think about this now! Do you need another project? How about a leaders and enders project? I will post Mr Linky later (when I figure him OUT!) and you can sign up then. If you post your scrappy goodness progress 3 times, I will send you a square of

THIS fabric. I'm naming my quilt (are you ready? Its the reason I LOOKED and LOOKED for this fabric!)

Everything AND the Kitchen sink!

(I know! I'm SO clever!)

I'm off to play in my scraps, sew my ONE seam on the blueberry stacked bricks (I'm paying attention to my UFO, Lise...PROMISE!) and get some beds made. (our exchange student moves in today,I THINK!)

todays

2012-01-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

Today I had big plans. I did OK, but the 3 hours of sleep I got last night, didn't help my list any. Tomorrow (or maybe Wednesday) , we will be adding a Japanese exchange student to the household for the spring semester. We already know him as he had a class with Sports Guy and plays varsity soccer with him too. Thru no fault of his own, his original host family was not able to host him. He has been living with the coordinator and her family. They dont live anywere NEAR the school, so they have had to make the committment to schlep him up and down the freeway daily. He will be a good fit for our family. I hope he will like it here too! Anyway, I spent today dusting, vaccuuming and generally cleaning the room he will be staying in. We may have to do a bit of moving as the house computer is in there too!

On top of cleaning, I made banana muffins, did laundry and worked on my New Years Day Mystery quilt. I'm just about finished with Step 3. I have been a good girl and have not peeked at the next step! I would have been farther if my family didnt' need food yesterday and if I had precut BEFORE I started! Oh well, its not a race. I also did one seam on the UFO on the design wall. Looks like that is going to be this months UFO. I still cannot find the border fabric for my husbands quilt. Could be I used it and will have to pick something new. I thought I saved it, so I will keep looking a bit more.

I hope to sleep better tonight and wake up with a titch more energy!I like this organization stuff..especially when its DONE!

design wall Monday week 1

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a mystery and organizing my sewing room, but THIS is what is on the design wall. The plan is

to sew one strip on a day. I already have the backing, so it may get done this month. I didn't plan for this to be the UFO in January, but it might BE the UFO for January! This is an OLD UFO.

2012

2011-12-31T16:40:00.000-08:00

Well, by the time you read this, it will probably be 2012. WOW~ I was just impressed that I made it to my youngest's 16th birthday...and he does not even have his drivers learners permit yet! (please pray for me! lolol) So, here is a bit of ...transparency! 2012 is going to HAVE to be more organized in my house...and I'm declaring it "The Year of UFOs and Scrappy Quilts"! ( do you think if I make a 'Declaration' it will stick better? I sure HOPE so!) I have signed up for a UFO challenge over at Patchwork Times. She suggests you pick 12 UFOs and number them. Each month she will pick a number, and you are to work on the UFO that has been tagged with that number. I"m not going to be that organized. I already realize that some months will be WAY busier than others. I plan to pick accordingly. Hopefully, on the less busy months, I can work on the UFO I will get credit for in a busy month! (clear as mud? sorry!)

So HERE is the transparency:

THIS is the current state of my sewing room. (Lucy's room (aka the long arm room) is a BIT better and could be usable in about 10 mins time.)

cutting area (this would be a HUGE area, IF I can get the fabric put away!

Ironing table

Sewing table with machine (hiding behind that empty drawer)

design wall

(this is not the January UFO pick, but I AM working on it.)

here is a close up.

Yes, they are ALL blueberry fabrics.

its one of my oldest UFOS

its MINE

:-D

Tomorrow I have an idea about a sew along..and a give away! Are you ready to join me in de-scrapping?

See you tomorrow.

(oh, I KNOW your kind, You are probably cleaning up YOUR sewing area JUSt to show me up, arent' you?!! Thats ok, maybe it will wear off on me!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

UFO challenge

2011-12-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Judy Laquidara is having a UFO challenge again in 2012. I have not picked out my UFOs yet. I think I will pick out one as I go along. Some months will be busier so in that month I will pick a quicker UFO to work on. If you go to Judys site, you can see links to other peoples UFO lists. How about you? Do you need to wade thru some UFOs?

WHEW!

2011-12-16T16:23:00.001-08:00

Well, I'm happy to say that MY alma mater (Vanderbilt) will NOT play my husband/daughter's alma mater (US Air Force Academy). Now we can all root for each others team..and no family fights will ensue! I'm SO relieved!

Thank you!

2011-12-16T06:48:00.000-08:00

Not only did I get ONE invite..I got MANY! Thank you...(and now I can blame YOU when I sucked into that DIY void called Pinterest! I'm buying a new timer today to put by the computer. If I DON"T time myself, I will never live my life! lolol)

Here is what I'm working on today. You better look quick, because this baby is going to its new home on Monday or Tuesday. Wanna guess where Beth will be over the weekend? HUNKERED DOWN to Get 'er done! This poor customer has waited WAAAY too long.

The hold up on this t-shirt quilt was the size of the logos. I had a couple that I could cut in 12 1/2 sqs, but there were also some that were over 16 inches. All the patterns I had used had smaller logos. I finally decided to border them all and then trim to the same size. I have one more on the ironing board. My goal for the day? top finished all the way to the borders, and a small start on the backing. Wish me luck..and I will post again in the morning.

PS Its nice to know I still have people out there listening to my ramblings! Thanks for reading!

request

2011-12-14T19:46:00.001-08:00

Anyone out there on Pinterest? I requested an invite, but found out its much faster if you get a member to invite you. I anxious to get started. Anyone have an invite to extend? Thanks!

Dilemma!

2011-11-26T19:12:00.000-08:00

My husband's Alma mater is probably going to play MY Alma mater in a College Bowl game! Last time THAT happened, our oldest child was a BABY! Now SHE is a graduate of his college TOO! Its two against one! WAAAAA!

I'll be back with pictures...as SOON as I can find the dang camera battery charger! I remember saying :this is where I'm going to keep all my chargers: NOW I can find all of them but THAT! My brain has not returned from vacation in Tahiti yet!

the kitchen sink!

2011-11-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a couple months for fabric with a kitchen sink on it. I have a project planned for January. You can play along, so keep your ear out for details just after Christmas.

Here is Suzy Homemaker, doing her dishes by hand. Gee! I love my dishwasher! lol

Caught!

2011-10-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

The canines in this house, know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are NOT allowed on the furniture. Well, Chewy does not know that...and well...Buddy is allowed up with one of us, and ONLY if invited. But the 2 big dogs know that the floor is their domain. HOWEVER...when we leave the house, there is no infared camera to catch their antics while they are w/o humans.

Guess who didnt' get the memo??? ROOKIE! GET OFF THE COUCH! (he does not listen to me very well. Can you tell?)

You KNOW what these mean, right?

2011-10-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

I KNOW you know what these are. They mean SOMEONE was a patient in the hospital. Its been a week, let me tell you! Yesterday was the 1st day of a two day soccer tournament for Sports Guy. It to be held on the other side of town from us. Lots of road closures due to construction, and took us about 45 mins to an hour to get there. 1st game went off w/o a hitch (remember that word 'hitch', it will come up later. There MAY be test). We had too far to go to go home between games, so we went with another family to eat and then walk around a small outdoor mall area. Not too hot. Nice in the shade. We arrive back at the fields before the boys need to be back. I read my Kindle in the car, the rest went to watch the game before us. When I went looking for them, the sidelines were PACKED. It was time for our boys to start, and yet they were not on the field. ?? Whats up? There were TWO games scheduled for that field at the same time. They had no referrees for another field (altho the next one over was open), so we had to wait for that game to finish. UGH. (luckily our neighbor has a copy of our house key. My dogs were fast approaching 12 hours stuck in the house..I OWE that kid something! cookies? brownies?) Finally we start our game. At half time, its tied 1-1. Kid on our team that scored had had some health issues and had not scored all season. He has now! As the game restarted after the half, Sports Guy is starting to come off the field. He kneels down and covers his head. Covers his eyes, sneezes repeatedly, and when he looks up, he looks like Hitch when he ate that seafood (have you seen that movie? CUTE movie, but then I DO like a good Will Smith movie! Its one my DH and I can agree on!)

This is Will Smith

This is Will Smith's character in Hitch, on seafood, which he didn't know he was allergic to.

Now I don't have any proof, as I was a GOOD mother and didn't take Sports Guy's picture. Well,

he ASKED me not too. I told him it would only be so HE could see what he looked like. I swore an OATH, I would not blog, tweet or facebook said picture. He respectfully declined. Ok, he just declined! This picture

resembles Sports Guy in the swelling dept. Other than Will Smith is a black man and Sports Guy is Korea by birth!

After a SWIFT drive, ( no I did NOT speed or run any red lights), we arrived at the nearest hospital, they took us RIGHT back, and soon there after, he was hooked up to IVs. He got steroids, epineprine and VOILA, he was cranky again! It took awhile for the swelling to start down and his eyes were still swollen. All the bumps on his face were gone and his lips were back to normal. No more wheezing, sneezing...and we got to go home. All we have to show for it are these bracelets and 2 prescriptions. One for an epi pen and one for a ' just in case' steriod for today. Oh, and did you know there is NOTHING TO EAT after midnight in this town except McDonalds and Dennys'? Not even on a Saturday night? Gee, I'm glad I"m usually home in bed.

One last thing? Did I mention that Pilot Guy came home from a trip early with a toothache? Had an unscheduled root canal and is still not over feeling punk? He cancelled his next trip and I even drove to soccer yesterday. That never happens. I always take a bag of something to do 'cause he ALWAYS drives. I'm just saying' it was SOME week!

PS. Sports Guy was mad that we didn't wait 20 minutes until the half was over! He THOUGHT we should have let him PLAY that half and THEN go to the hospital. This is why they say that the male brain does not mature till around 26. I'm just saying...

on the frame

2011-10-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here is today's frame offering. It is another top from Cathy, the owner of that last cute embroidery baby quilt. Here is a picture of a pieced block...

Here you can see the quilting. Its called 'wonky feathers'. I learned it from The Pajama Quilter. She has

2 DVDs out. I only have the 1st one, but the 2nd one is on my Christmas list!

She is very encouraging and gives lots of cute quilting ideas. She is the one

that started me off with practicing my designs on a white board. (just one tip I learned the HARD way! USE LOW ODOR DRY ERASE MARKERS!)

This is going pretty fast. I have lots in my queue, so I"m glad that my quilting mojo is back with a vengeance!

Thanks for stopping by!

Embroidered baby quilt

2011-10-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

This adorable quilt belongs to my friend Cathy. She gave me permission to quilt whatever

I wanted on it. The embroidery is peach and the backgrounds are white. I think I

was taking pictures after dark and the over head light made the backgrounds look yellow. I need to be in less of a hurry when I take pictures! I practiced a few different fills around the embroideries.

I was lucky enough to take a class a couple weeks ago from Carla Barrett. I had

taken her Quilt Whisperer class online. It was fun to meet her in person! Her class spurred me on

with my freemotion. I will be continuing on with pantographs, but hopefull, with more

free motion as well. Thanks for looking!

A strong case for prewashing fabric

2011-09-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

I will admit freely...I'm a prewasher. I have been since the 1st quilt I freemotioned on my domestic sewing machine had the border fabric run all over the white background. When I found color catchers, I thought I was home free. NOT SO FAST GRASSHOPPER! Here is the top being quilted :

Notice all the off white and white fabrics. And here it is after washing. 1st wash: color catchers were NAVY BLUE. I think I ended up washing it about 6 times total. After the 1st wash, I used Synthropol and at least 2 color catchers. The deposited blue dye never faded. Lesson learned!

Here is the good news:

#1 its for my older son and he won't care

#2 I kinda like the way it looks. Good thing as I cannot get that dye out now!

Lesson: When you prewash, use color catchers. If they come out NAVY BLUE, keep washing until they come out close to white. OR don't use that fabric! You have been warned! (oh, on the 1st wash? I used THREE color catcher and all 3 were navy blue)

You know you love your child when....

2011-09-25T21:21:00.001-07:00

You fix his soccer sandal with Shoe-Goo...and the sandal smells MUCH worse than his soccer cleats. (which you cannot be in the same ROOM with...). Oh, and you hold the sandal together while the goo sets. YUCK!

(you can find Shoe Goo at WalMart by the shoe laces. Good for making repairs on soles and other things that fall off shoes. You can also put it on shoes to make them water proof. Well worth having around!)

a BREAK!

2011-09-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Whew! I think my slump is breaking AND the weather is cooling off. Now, I dont' want you to think its COOL here! I'm still in shorts and sitting under a fan...BUT! last night I had to wear pjs with sleeves (hey! my shoulders get chilly!) and this morning was in the 70s. SO NICE!

On the quilting front, I got 2 quilts mailed. ( I know...I hope no one went into SHOCK or anything!). Its nice to have them on their way home. My friend has been MORE than patient with me. I almost had the 2nd one done, when my Uncle John passed away (Aug 1st). With a quick trip to NY (as in a 48 hour trip...yeah..like door to door) and then another one a week and a half later (that one was 4 days...but I also did a 5 hour trip up state to Plattsburgh where he lived), I have been playing catch up. When I am stressed like that, it seems to take me longer to get my feet back under me. I hope I'm standing up now!

I purchased a set of red snappers from Renae Haddadin. It is a quick loading system for the long arm that uses NO PINS! I tried it last night and even for a 1st time, it was easy and quick. I will like no pins. So will the dogs and cat. While I attempt to keep them out while I quilt...SOMETIMES one will slink in. When I'm down a dog, I might look into some type of gate. (Chewy will be going home with his mom in January) I have been using a quilt rack to keep them out of my sewing room. I cannot move around in there with 4 bodies hogging all the floor space. I need to add a panel on it so they cannot duck under the bars. Maybe some of that mesh..then they can see me, but not get TO me. AH! ANOTHER PROJECT! (this is NOT a good thing!)

I have signed up for a Paper Organizing class over at simplify 101. I am hoping my husband will do the lessons along with me. Setting up a good system is the hardest part! I'm also going to take a class on how to use PhotoShop Elements. I want to be able to send my quilting customers ideas on how I can quilt for them. Being able to manipulate pictures with add on drawings is my goal. Between those two classes, a husband that travels, a son who is playing a high schools sport AND a club sport (not the same sport...that is against the rules!), volunteering 2 mornings a week (one sewing class, one Ladies Bible study running a camera), and quilting for others and myself.....I think I'm maxed out, don't you?!? Oh..I forgot...4 dogs, one ELDERLY cat (she just turned 19) and I"m co-executor for my uncle's will. Can you say CHAOS??? I think I need more than that Paper Organizing class! See you tomorrow...

a special keepsake

2011-08-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

The end of July, our son and I were visiting my parents. My mom had a pile of costume jewelery and odds and ends on the table. She is trying to figure out what to do with them. In the pile was this little silver box. I opened up..but it was empty.My grandmother's initials are carved on one side. No clue inside to what it was, but from the way the top opens, I am convinced it was a cigarette lighter. (I never remember seeing her smoke, so not sure if she did. Maybe this was something else.) Then I started looking at the design. These are FEATHERS! These will find their way into my quilting in the near future. They almost look like Zentangles. See what you think...

front of case with initials

back of case

I will use this as a needle case...so on the lookout for a tiny pair of scissors that will fit. It fits in the palm of my hand.

Out from under

2011-08-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

I'm here. I'm fine. I have been busy in a sad sort of way. I will be back tomorrow with something special. And maybe a bit of explaination. It has to do with a cross country trip...by air and train. An adventure of sorts. And..well..I will have to make the trip AGAIN in the next couple of weeks. BUT, I will travel by air, train AND car. WHEW! I'm tired already. In the mean time, I am prepping some hand applique for the trip and quilting madly on Lucy (the Gammill).

all by myself

2011-07-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you are home alone? This weekend Sports Guy had a soccer tournament in San Diego.I begged off and let Pilot Man play parent..for the WHOLE weekend! About this time of the summer, I'm tired of being on call for everyone and everything. I'm ready to change my name to Agnes and move to Timbuktu. I love my family..I do..but they think I should wash every piece of clothing and make every morsel that goes in ...and wash every dish. Now..to HONEST..its not really my husband. He is very self reliant...its..the other person who lives here. He is LEARNING to be self reliant! He is not there YET! lolol So what do you do?

I:
-eat whatever I like. Sometimes even junk food ALL DAY LONG. Do I pay the price? Sometimes, but I usually only get to have the house to myself once a yr..
-stay up late to sew. Ok, by about 11pm I can barely drag myself to the bedroom..but HEY, I didn't HAVE to go to bed, I CHOSE to go to bed!
-go see a friend. This time I got to go to my Long Arm chapter meeting with a friend. They had a yearly 'garage' sale for quilty things that people were done with. I got a few patterns, a book and 3 pantographs. I didn't spend a whole lot, but I had a great time. Once in a while I like to be around people that speak 'long arm quilting'!

I don't;

-feel like I have to clean the whole house, wash all the dogs and cars and generally be TOTALLY productive. HEY! This IS my vacation! When we went to Colorado? I cooked every evening meal except one..and did most of the dishes! When I go to see my parents next week, what does Mom want help with? COOKING. I don't mind..I really dont..but ONCE in a while, I'm tired of deciding what to make! Buying it all...cooking it all..cleaning it all up. Time to have a class : 'Dishwashing 101'!

Saying all that, I DID get some things done.
-I repaired 2 dresser drawers and may glue a 3rd.
- got clothing ready to go thru when Sports Guy returns ( I am not allowed to get rid of it with out permission!)
-almost done with a customer quilt
- cleared some things out of Sports Guy's room that belong to me (it used to be the guest room and never really got cleared out...as he never REALLY moved in there..just started sleeping in there..morphing it into his own room..never really figured out how that happened! lolol)

and I'm getting ready to
-caulk a sink and a tub
-clear off a hallway dresser and dust it off

Then I'm DONE for the day. Its been a good productive restful day! Oh, and if you were wondering? Sports Guy's team made it to the finals! Figures..if I was there we would be on our way home by now! ROTLF

I need ideas for next year! How do you spend alone time? Do tell!

reading

2011-07-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love to read, but have not done much this summer. I seem to be a reading ADDICT! When I start a book, the whole HOUSE could fall down around my ears. No laundry gets done, no food gets cooked ,cleaned up after OR bought. I do read now and then..but no stacks of books from the library. They just CALL to me...and sometimes they say things that are not nice! One of my coffee friends lent me a book. He reads ALOT..Mostly Nora Roberts from what I can tell.. I brought this one home and it took me a few days to read it.. I actually slept...cooked...and did normal things before I was finished reading it. One passage near the beginning made me laugh SO hard, I almost fell off my chair. Dogs and kids had to come into the room to see WHAT was so funny..

Here is that excerpt;

From Sister's Choice by Emilie Richards (go look for it...its a good summer read!)

Inside, Kendra admired the personal touches that Jamie had added to the cabin. "I love those place mats. Did you bring them with you, or did you find them here?"

Jamie hoped the praise was real and not just her sister's way of apologizing for her early arrival. "They're great, aren't they? I found them in a shop in Strasburg. They're denim strips, hand woven on a loom. I wish I had time to work with my hands. I've always wanted to do something. Knit, crochet, paint."

"Be careful what you wish for, and keep your voice down."

Jamie turned. "What? Who's listening?"

Kendra lowered her voice. "They're everywhere."

"Are you nuts? Who's everywhere?"

Kendra lowered her voice even more. " The quilters."

"Quilters?"

"Now you've gone and done it. They'll be here momentarily. Bolt the doors."

Jamie was relieved to see this more playful side of her sister. "Explain youreslf."

"I'm afraid you'll find out soon enought. Let's just say that if you ever had a yen to learn how to quilt, you're in the right place. Toms Brook is crawling with them."

"Does that have anything to do with the old quilts in your house?'

"I collect, they quilt,although I'll confess, they've taught me a little. Call it survival."

"I'll keep my eyes open."

"They'll sniff you out." ......

We are in TROUBLE now! Our SECRET is out! Muahahahahahahaha! Keep those ears out...You just NEVER know when you can HOOK a new quilter. I even got a new customer at the baseball game a week or so ago. My husband just thinks its an obsession...little does HE know!

ANOTHER busy week? Really?

2011-07-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

Oh dear...here I go again! I was envisioning a week of actually catching UP on the laundry...sleeping till SEVEN..WOW! Who was I kidding? Those kind of weeks just sneak up on me...I cannot PLAN them. If I TRY to plan them, God just laughs at me. Oh..and gives me ANOTHER hugely busy week.

Pilot Man took Sports Guy and his buddy to the All Star Fan Fest in downtown Phoenix. Someone with a brain scheduled it INSIDE at the Phoenix Convention Center. PM had to get tickets on StubHub as they were sold out at MLB.com. We considered going to the Home Run Derby..or the All Star Game, but those too had sold out. When we looked, prices were too much..and PM is not home till too late to go. Saturday afternoon, Sports Guy gets a call from a friend (Little League and high school teammate). They had purchased a package deal for ALL the events, but had two tickets left over. Did we want them? After a bit of basic math..we said YES! I punted on the Fan Fest (SG went again today and gave my ticket to ANOTHER friend..who was THRILLED to go as I was NOT THRILLED to go) and the Future game/Celebrity Softball game last night. I will meet up with them this afternoon.

Did I say I have been up since around 2AM? Its thunderstorm season here in Desert land...I did doze a bit on and off..but I"m betting that very little REM sleep was to be had. There IS a nap before I head to the Home Run Derby.

Need more? Yesterday AF Girl (our pilot daughter) called. She had a swollen gland just below her ear. Its sore, even with out touching, and especially when she chews. Called the flight doc this am and they tested her. She has MONO. She is due to deploy a week from today. She is NOT HAPPY...not tired, no sore throat, no fever...just this DANG swollen gland. And the worst part? for me? there is NOTHING I can do for her. I cannot send her a plane ticket to come home. (not sure she should fly as she is contagious at least for a bit). She said she MAY be able to go anyway, wearing a mask.

I think I'm ready for that nap now... Then I may need to quilt something!

grrrr!

2011-07-09T13:43:00.001-07:00

OK...what is UP with Google!? I am already signed in to Google Reader. I directly sign on to a blog to comment. I have to RE-ENTER my password and then it STILL sees me as 'anonymous'? THEN..when I sign on AGAIN, it never gives me the security word, so have to back for the 4th or 5th time to enter THAT. SHEESH...I'm about to not comment anymore! Too much work!

What a WEEK!

2011-07-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

Usually I am pretty busy with other people's activities..mainly Sports Guy. But, high school summer baseball is over and he is only practicing soccer for a tourmament in a week and indoor soccer. All of that is in the evening. SO, I decided to do something for ME. About this time in the summer, I have had enought of being at everyones beck and call. Kids show up to spend the night I dont' know about, there are extra people at the dinner table I don't even KNOW...you get the picture. On Tuesday I sewed star blocks from Moda Fabrics 'Just One Star' project'. We were well on our way to 3 tops using 90 blocks total. Not bad for a few hours.

Wednesday found swimmers at my house! I have not done ANY swimming this summer (and you ask 'why NOT in that heat, woman?" ...good question!) I have a friend who has 3 children. I have been saying for the past two summers, I was going to have them over to swim. I never did..this is not right! So, I put my foot down..and let her pick the day. Wednesday was it. We had a blast ...after I laid down my one hard and fast rule: NO DIVING ... its a play pool..only about 5 1/2 feet in the middle. They can have plenty of fun with out diving. When we came in, everyone got dried off. I had set up my 2 Featherweights and my friend set up her machine. She had never taken it out of the box. Not threaded it, not wound a bobbin..NADA. I started the boys with lined paper and no thread...off they went. (Boys like to make the machine GO..they think they are driving!) Mom did the same, after we learned how to thread it and wind a bobbin. Back to the boys...now they are making small string blocks with used Color catchers. I think they liked it. Little sister picked out pink beads for a bracelet. When the big ones were done for the day , she got to try out the lined paper too. BOY did she go to town! lolol I hope to have them help me make a string QOV. I told the boys, after those blocks are done, if they don't want to sew, its ok. I think everyone should at least know how to use a machine even if they don't use it alot.

Thursday I caught my breath..I was POOPED from Wed. Oh..and I quilted all day like demon on this:

My Lunch Bunch group gave our favorite 90 yr old member 90 charm squares for her birthday last summer. She also recieved a book. We thought she would piece it and we would quilt it, but she really isn't piecing much anymore. One of the other members made this. I don't know the name,but I LOVE it! I quilted it...MADLY! I had to take another quilt off the frame to put this on. I had planned on everyone in the group to help a BIT on the binding. They did not cooperate..so its not done. Her birthday is in Aug, so we will have it done for that.

Today is for catching up. I will be finishing a few small things on the quilt that got RIPPED off the frame (not literally! I think my friend just had heart failure! her quilt! RIPPED! lolol), Laundry (everyday..but more on Saturday..I can dry after 1pm...rates don't go up till Monday!) and hopefully loading the next quilt. My men are at the All Star Fan Fest. I think they kinda wanted to go to some of the other festivities, but they are SO PRICEY. By the time they decided they wanted to go, all the tickets were sold out at MLB. On Stub Hub etc, they START at over $200 a ticket. I can see all I want from my recliner! lolol

All my STUFF from sewing at Lunch Bunch and show and tell

Featherweights, foot pedals and extention cords!

A left over doll house and pool toys (alas, this one hit the floor and one of the DOGS nibbled on it! The rest have been dried out and put away for next week)

I think I'm STILL pooped!

Big day!

2011-07-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

From this :

(dear old sweet '01 Sienna...it got great gas mileage and was a workhorse!)

To this:

(Sweet NEW 2012 Kia Sorrento. Not the color I would have picked, BUT it has a light interior. In Arizona, a dark interior is a deal breaker for me! The exterior color will grow on me..and they dont make it in a PRETTY blue!). I still even have a third row of seats that fold into the floor when not in use. Great for those last 2 kids who need a ride home from school. I just CANNOT leave them in the heat!

Poor Chewie!

2011-06-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is Chewie when he arrived here in February. Just groomed in SD.

This is Chewie today. Poor guy! His Mimi (bad BAD mimi) took too long to find him a groomer. He needed to be shaved to get rid of all the mats. We have a saying in our house that the difference between a good haircut and a bad hair cut is about 3 days. In Chewie's case..I would say more like a month! He does not seem to be mad at me...AND its hot outside, so he should be a good deal cooler.

Buddy looks GOOD! he is very soft and only needed a trim around the eyes.

Rally got his body shaved. He looks good too! Rookie is sniffing all the dogs to see what kind of body spray they favor! Rookie stayed home and seemed to enjoy being the only dog for a couple of hours. Poor Chewie!

WOW!

2011-06-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a day that just went ...GOOD? That was my yesterday! No summer baseball (almost done..will miss it..but not daily!). We have not had a working ice maker in over a year. Now, I have done just fine with ice trays. BUT, my husband replaced it..no go. Called someone, he looked at it , said it was working...left...no go. My husband told someone 'we are getting on just fine with ice trays', BUT I was the only one dealing with them. Hey, the fridge has an ice maker..and its just sitting there staring at me MOCKING ME! (Its AZ in the summer...and 'hello, I'm Beth and I'm an ice hog'). I looked up 'ice maker not getting water' and found a solution. Finally DH and I were on the same page, so we tried it. Long story short: original company was called (and we were told the 1st technician no longer works for that company! Interesting!), they sent someone out with in HOURS..and we have ICE! Ah, what a lovely sound: Can you hear it? The drop of the ice! (ok, ok..I TOLD you..its Arizona in the summer! Yesterday was around 112!)

Then, in the afternoon, DH went to hit golf balls and I went to pick our son and his friend up at said friends house. My mini van has a power door that has not worked in TWO years. We just muscle the thing open and shut. SO, since we had no ice YET (it does take a LITTLE while to make), I stopped at Circle K (convienince store) so the boys could get a cold drink. While I waited..just for kicks, I pushed the 'lock power door' button and then the power door button...it WORKS! I thought I was going to fall out of the van. I thought said son would fall over on the broiling hot concrete!

All this, AND I organized a bit in the closet. Now I can sit down to tie my shoes. Ahh....the wonderment of a chair and ice!

this is what I did today:

My friend brought her daughter over. She wanted to quilt a small panel baby quilt. So, we loaded it up..and off she went. She did a great job, and we had a good time.

This is what I'm working on today for me. My friend wanted feathers...so feathers she gets! I'm done with the blocks (not in THIS picture, but on the quilt), so I will try to work on the borders tonight It has been a fun quilt to work on!

summer meals

2011-06-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

woke with 5 male teens in the house...

3 full batches of pancakes (with chocolate chips)
3 servings of sausage
1 serving of bacon
pitcher of OJ

for lunch:

16 hotdogs ( got one)
2 cans of baked beans
1 pound of strawberries
various drinks

I'm already worn out...and I'm NOT doing the dishes

update on 'batting strip' bag

2011-06-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

OK, so I got called out by my friend QuilterC. She saw my bag when I was on vacation. When she looked on my blog, she could not find it..so here goes:

You can find info on how to make the strips here. I will show you how to put them together. I kinda morphed the pattern and made it my own for what I wanted. I may be able to get pictures of the other bags made by my Lunch Bunch group next time we meet. That is IF I remember my camera! (it always seems to get left at home...sigh...)

Here the strips have been zigzagged together. I think the picture will enlarge if you click on it. Try to sew them opposite ways to keep the section from warping too much. You can see I'm blocking that section. I pin into my ironing table, spray some water on or steam it flat. When you are done blocking, you can cut this into sections for a bag or purse.

Here is a picture of the finished bag. I sewed another strip over the cut edges and then zigzaged the sections together. I was able to finagle the bag to be able to sew all the way down the side.

I did the bottom of each side by hand.

Here are some pictures of the inside.

large pocket for my laptop. I wish I had made this a bit larger. Its a bit of a tight fit. Velcro to hold it closed for support.

Another smaller pocket on the opposite side for my Bamboo Fun pen tablet. This pocket has 2 smaller pockets on top. One fits a Kindle and the other is for cords and chargers.

Velcro tabs to hold laptop charger.

Cute handles cut off an ugly straw bag purchased at GoodWill for $3.99.

Hey! good handles are hard to come by!

I hope this spurs you on to make your own bag. I enjoyed using up some of my scrap batting! I used 20 strips from a Bali Pop. If you look at the picture of the hand sewing on the bottom of the side panel, you can see about 6 scrappy strips. When I found out I needed a few more for a bottom, I was stingy and didnt' want to use up any more batik strips. I scrounged around my scrap bins and found some fairly ugly green strips for the bottom. They will just get dirty anyway! Hope you liked seeing my bag. And now I'm off the hook with QC!

vacation!

2011-06-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

No blog posts could mean a couple of things:

I have done nothing I think is blogworthy (is that one word or two? lol)
I"m so busy I have not seen the computer in DAYS
I'm out of town with no internet access (GASP)
OR

I'm on vacation with my family. Yep..thats the one!

Over the Memorial Day weekend, we drove to Southern California for Sports Guy to play in a soccer tournament. We were short handed...so it was kind of a tough weekend to swallow. One win, and 2 losses. Just so you know we only had one substitute. That means the whole team had to run the whole game...we usually have 4 or 5. One game, one of the boys had a migraine...ie no subs. The last game , Sports Guy had to sit out due to 2 yellow cards on the previous day = a red card. He had to sit. It was not easy for him.

As soon as we returned home, I did a laundry marathon...and turned around the next morning and headed for the airport. Sports guy and I flew to Denver...met up with Pilot Grl (our AF DD) who drove down from Rapid City. We spent the night there and the next day the kiddos headed for 6 Flags. I met up with an online buddy I had not seen in low these many years. We didn't have as much time as we would have liked, but got to visit..and that was the best. We also hit a quilt shop (HER decision....hehehehehe). All I left with is two heat transfer patterns. (not showing them yet..they may be used for gifts). Then we all met up, hit an AF base close by for food. Pilot Grl packed her cooler and off we went up into the mts. AH COOL! There is still TONS of snow up on the mountain...much to Student Man's (that is the middle kid...just about to start nursing school..) distress... He is a snowboarder...and to HIM...all that snow is going to waste! Student Man and DH drove up and played golf on the way. Not sure we can jam 4 people, 4 suitcases and 2 sets of golf clubs in DH"s car. Time for me to get a new vehicle that DH will be willing to drive on vacation. It needs enough room for all of THAT...AND my Featherweight!

We are staying in Breckenridge. Just off the main street in walking distance. Here are just 2 pictures of what we see walking down and back from the condo. Yesterday the whole clan, minus me, went to play golf. (THAT is when I missed the Featherweight!) I walked down to main street and there were people and dogs everywhere! Oh how I missed my furry boys! I even got to pet TWO Westies. HEAVEN! lolol

There is a nice quilt shop on Main Street. I visited once..and got a bluebonnet fabric for my Mom. Then yesterday i went back again for show and tell (Pilot Grl brought her quilt with the seashell border for me to bury threads) and bought another fab...OK OK..You can have pictures! Gee...I didnt 'know quilters could be so pushy! :::;grin::::

this one has rescue trucks all over..but in a small stripe..with the word 'rescue' intersperced. sorry its blurry. On sale. :-D

bluebonnet one for Mom. No clue what I will do with it tho.

I'm still amazed that out of all the fabric stores and all the fabric I have seen, there is still fabric I have NEVER seen! Lovely!

ok., That is all for now. I did major clothing damage and quilting fabric damage in California. With the rapid turn around, I didn't have time to take any pictures. Stand by for that update when I get home and wade thru the MOUNDS of laundry. ...Oh..and by the time we get home? We will be up to our ears in shed dog hair too! oh joy!

here is my handsome kid...

2011-06-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

Coach's present

2011-05-17T06:00:00.001-07:00

Well! after 3 days and 3 sports banquets, I 'm banqueted out! Who knew that High school coaches were so long winded! I bet the kids do! rotlf!

At the end of the soccer season, I sneaked in a signing session with the boys varsity soccer team. I had fused some white muslin onto freezer paper. The boys were to sign their name, their jersey # and the year they graduate. I did BIG BLACK lines for them to sign INSIDE. (can you see where I'm going on this?). I had to do some finageling (sp?) to get some of those names on the pillow top..and why its not SQUARE! I made a pillow form just for this pillow. I like how it turned out and the coach did too. The team picture was printed on Printed Treasures fabric. (that head in the middle is a coach standing in the background...as usual, I finished it about 20 mins before we left and forgot to snap a picture at home. SOMEDAY I will get my act together..and then LOSE IT for sure.... ::::Sigh:::)

This is the back of the pillow. I scanned the cougar, enlarged it on my home computer and used wonder under. I stitched along the raw edges. This pillow will probably not be washed , so we are good there. I really like how it turned out and will use this particular cougar head again. I saved my pattern. I may even use it on a t-shirt quilt I'm starting on today. Could be a marathon as the grad is having a party on Saturday. I would LOVE to have it done to gift to him then! ...And ..we're OFF!

off the frame

2011-05-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest finish. It came off the quilt just before the Pillow Extravaganza! My friend Pat No Blog pieced it and gave me free rein on what to quilt on it. First quilt that I have know EXACTLY how I wanted to quilt it when I saw it! I think she plans on binding it in the border fabric. The whole quilt is quilted in Permacore....center in light blue and the borders in pink

I'm not sure why, but Blogger decided to turn all my pictures 90 degrees. Good thing its not a directional quilt!

small pause

2011-05-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

This blog will be 'PAUSING" this week to make way for THESE. I didn't make any last year, but this year I'm back at it. between 50 and 60 pillows will be complete and on their way home by Friday. Maybe THEN I can breath a bit! I DO love it so...and the smiles on the kids faces make it all worthwhile. See you Friday! (or maybe Saturday!)

QOV

2011-04-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

Here is my pending finish. I still have a side of binding to do, but wanted to get pictures while it was still light out. The pattern is from http://www.maryquilts.com/ and the center panto is FeatherMe by Meredith England. I will make this one again! I love the look of the circle without any curved seams. its the combo of the tri-recs peaky stars and the HST in the churn dash. I will have a hard time giving this one away, but it was always destined to be a QOV.

Thursdays

2011-04-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures of the quilt on my frame. I feel like I have turned a corner..this is the 1st quilt that I have ever looked at and said " I know JUST how I want to quilt this!" Of course it didnt' hurt that the owner of this quilt, my friend Pat No Blog, lets me quilt what ever I want. She is nice that way...well..she is just plain NICE!

Here is a picture of the border. I did the body of the quilt in light blue , but I didn't think the blue would show up on the turquoise, so I used a pink. I just love this leafy feather. I have seen it done also with some berries. I'm not sure where I would put the berries, so saved that idea for another day. The curl with the feather comes from Carla Barrett. Look under the tutorials.

The body I did a whimsical feather meander. I added curls and curliques. The squares were done in continuous curve. I love quilting things that need no marking. Its kinda mindless...hehehehe. NO...I don't nod off or get mesmerized. Its just fun wandering around a quilt with no particular place to go!

I will show a whole picture of the quilt when it is off the frame. I think we are going to look for a new vehicle for me! YIPPEEE! I believe my mini van days are over.

Best Laid Plans

2011-04-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Does this happen to you? You have a 'free' day. I dont' mean you have nothing to DO...I mean there is really nothing scheduled at a certain time. I always have laundry, household STUFF, dealing with 4 dogs and a cat...you know the drill! But no place to go except pick the Sports Guy up from baseball practice...thats IT! Heaven! BAM! You get a phone call..your nephew...who lives in Florida and attends flight school...is landing in Phoenix...in 2 hours...at the FARTHEST airport in our valley. (for those of you who know nothing of Phoenix...its the 6th largest metropolitan city in the US...its BIG..take my word for it!) We have at least 6 airports...one international, one bigger regional and a bunch of little ones. Could he land at the one that is 10 mins from the house? no...the 2 that are 30 mins? no..how about the 2 40- 45 mins?? (please????) NO... It had to be the one that is over a solid hours drive! We live on the west side...and its WAAAAYYYYY on the east side. I could not even talk College man or Sports guy to come with me. (altho later, Sports guy claimed I didn't tell him I was staying over there to take Nephew Pilot Man to dinner,,,,ok I DID tell him, but I think it was too early in the morning. He tunes me out till after noon.) So...I was the good Aunt and did the drive, the dinner..the take them to the layover apartment (its farther east than the airport!) and then home to the then grumpy Sports Man (he missed his cousin AND a dinner out! hehehehehehe). And the worst part of the night? I left my camera at HOME! WAAAAAA! Nephew Pilot Man had his instructor take our picture in front of a saguaro cactus on his smart phone. I should get a picture in a day or so. He is SO grown up!

Oh...and you KNOW I"m happy I went! I had not seen that kid since 2005! He hugged me twice when I got there...and 3 times when I left...what a kid!

say 'bye bye'!

2011-04-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

We moved into this house in January 1992. So if you are COUNTING...we are getting to 20 yrs! WOW! Time sure flies when you are raising kids! I put THIS

wall paper border in soon after we moved in the house. That makes this border close to 20 yrs old TOO! I'm thinking there is a need to update this room! Here is a before picture of the sink area too. I have preapproval for most everything, but hoping to update the counters too before I'm finished.

You may get update pictures..and you may just get the final product! I'm going in to make a MESS! :-D

Design wall Tuesday!

2011-04-12T07:08:00.000-07:00

I try and try to get something posted for Judy's Design wall Monday. My weekends lately have been PACKED! Last weekend it was the end of the club soccer season with 2 losses in a row...most depressing! This past weekend I had 6 teen boys (young men?) sleep over at our house on Friday and 4 still here on Saturday. Now before you start feeling sorry for me, up to a point I REALLY don't mind. I know WHERE they are...and mostly WHAT they are doing. Not sure a few of them will sleep on the floor in the family room again after that 'dogs chasing each other around the house at 8AM' fiasco. I could NOT convince the dogs that there were sleeping PEOPLE on the floor! :-D I HAD warned them...and offered guest room and other beds...and air mattresses in rooms you can close the door. AHH youth!

Here is my design wall Tuesday! I'm busy today too..but I have a few moment to catch my breath before I dash. Oh...and its done before noon...no baseball practice, and DH and Sports guy will be attending the Diamondback/Cardinals game tonight...so no dinner to make either! I'm gonna be on a sewing/quilting binge! AHHH! As Mrs Goodneedle says "Live is GOOD!"

Here are my accomplisments for the week, thus far:

The French Braid wall hanging is coming along. I'm trying to do a seam or two a day. A few have been fiddle-y, so I don't want to rush it. I'm toying with the idea to enter it in next years guild quilt show. It would be nice to have it finished early...maybe I will have more than one entry! :-D So far I'm very pleased with my results.

And I STILL just LOVE this fabric! It feels like the illuminations done by monks in the old hand writting manuscript books. I am already worrying about how I will quilt the setting triangles!

And I'm QUILTING! I hope I have not shocked anyone! lolol This is the 1st quilt I have had on the frame in 2010. I have about 3 or 4 in the queue...so it will be followed closely with another. I"m just happy to be quilting again! I will show this again when I get the borders all done too. I found a stencil in my stash of a swag with a heart between them. I had never tried my pounce chalk, so I took a stab at it. Not sure how the corners will pan out, but I like the ease. I did not use the pouncer, but a cheap-o foam brush. I think Kimmy Brunner suggested that on her DVD. Anyway, it stuck in my brain when I heard it, and found its way out yesterday! I think the thinking is you get alot less chalk floating around. The panto in the center is feather me. It was one of the pantos I got with the Gammill and had never used it. It is a nice pattern...and more open than alot I pick. Consequently it quilts up faster.

Thanks for visiting!

trying out the new post editor

2011-04-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

I am trying out this new post editor. I read Sew many Ways and she had a Blog Buddy post about the updated post editor. I will have to see how it goes for the next few days to see if I like it! Probably hit and miss like I learned how to use the old one...

I'm learning how to move picture around. Its MUCH nicer than the old editor. I think I will be happy with it

Time to take a deep breath!

2011-04-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

Since last weekend when Sports Man's soccer team lost two days in a row in a double elimination tournament, our soccer season is over. Bittersweet!

NOW, he just has high school baseball on his plate, instead of two sports at once! I felt like I had roller skates on, and I was not even playing!

now I can work on this: Any suggestions on how to quilt this? It has been loaded on my frame, but since I have not decided on how I want to quilt it...there it SITS....SIGH!

I have made 3 of these little >sweet zips from Terry Aktinson. Before you tell me there are only TWO in the picture, my husband grabbed his and RAN Off before I could snap a picture. You see he is using his for his IPOD...and before a sweet zip made out of AF Academy fabric, he had a sweet little envelope bag with a snap made from oriental silky fabric...PINK silky fabric! He likes the manlier look! :::snicker:::: I added a ribbon loop for a caribeener (is that how you spell that hooky gadget from mountain climbing? I love them for keys!) Sports man uses his for his contact case and a small bottle of contact solution.

And this is what is on my design wall. I found the missing sections the day the quilt show opened. Figures! I guess its destined for next yrs show! I am putting the sections together slowly. They are kinda fiddly...and I want the seams to match REALLY well if I am thinking of entering it in the show

And JUST so you know, I'm a typical quilter...here is a REAL look at one of the working areas in my sewing room. I just clear a path if I need to take a picture! Just a small service I offer so you don't feel overwhelmed like I do!

I am hoping to post more often now. I'm taking an online whole cloth quilt class at MQResource. I will try to post a few pictures of my drawing progress tomorrow. See you then!

Finished t-shirt quilt

2011-03-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

yes! I am busy!

2011-03-16T11:51:00.003-07:00

I have been busy..and here is part of my proof! In the past 2 weeks, I have finished up the thread on all of these spools. Now, granted, some of these didn't have much LEFT on them! I had gotten a spool of Masterpiece at Road to California in 2010. I think the color is called Granite...a nice light grey. I do 99% of all my piecing with that. I ran out in February..and had planned to replace it when I went again this year. BUT..I didnt' go this year. A friend offered to put our orders together and so while I waited for it to arrive I had to scramble to find thread to use! I finished up some Aurifil...some Mettler...and then even some Coats and Clark! I know i have become a bit of a thread snob..but it worked JUST FINE thank you very much! I am happy to report I have a new cone of Granite...with a backup! WHEW! I'm SO relieved!

What do you like to have extra of for those 'just in case' times in your sewing room?

2011-03-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

Did you find the boo boos? On the top row, the 1/3 churn dash unit is upside down...and on the 3rd row of blocks, the star on the right has a 4 patch turned sideways. Did you find any more? Please tell me! lolol

2011-03-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

This is what I have been working on this week. I have all the parts done, but have not started assembling the top. This is where I usually bog down..and in typical 'Beth' fashion, I'm hankering to start something new and am scrambling around throwing fabric around my sewing room. I have already spotted 2 units turned the wrong way. Funny how seeing it in a picture gives you a great new perspective! Can you find the boo boos? Glad to find them NOW..and not after its quilted and bound like other quilts I have done! ROTLF

If you would like to make this pattern, I found it on Mary's website. She has alot of great patterns! Maybe next time I will do the reverse..with red stars and blue churn dashes...A girl can dream!

BRRRR!

2011-02-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is staying warm today! Even here in sunny AZ, we are just above freezing. That is very unusual for daytime temps for us. My doggies are snuggle bugs for sure!

Two comics that brightened my day! Ahh...life with a teen!

This is us after a soccer game. DH and Soccer man in front, and me in back - with TAPE over my mouth! We don't come up for air for 45 mins!

(Axe spray! The bane of my existence! Don't get in the car with him at 7am. I'm warning you!)

I'm in the middle of a binding frenzy...so I"m off to ...well..sit in the chair and Bind, what did you think I was going to say? :-D

aahh! a bit of calm

2011-01-15T21:09:00.000-08:00

well, WHen I got the latest quilt loaded, I had to do a bit of housekeeping in the long arm room. Usually if I am not actively quilting, things just...well..magically appear on the long arm and in the room nearby. My poor daughter had to sleep on an airmattress on the floor next to the long arm when she was home for Christmas. I was not able to even get in the door! I can now!

You can see the FLOOR! (I'm surprised that there is not a dog hanging out there! One or the other usually follows me in only to be shooed out as I quilt.)

AND you can see the pantos! There are even some pockets of calm in OTHER rooms! Don't be shocked...it happens sometimes. Please note todays date...hehehehehehehehe!

I found the yellow organizer at one of the big box home improvement store. I love having all my gadgets available and still easily moved when I change pantos. It was pretty inexpensive if I remember...around $5?

Do you know any beginner quilters who would like some online patterns with instructions? I'm thinking of doing a series starting with Roman stripe and then maybe rail fence or warm wishes. starting easy and moving up in difficulty. Please reply if you do. Thanks!

finally back at the frame

2011-01-14T16:07:00.000-08:00

With all my busyness of the holidays added to some sad losses have kind of sapped my energy and desire to do any machine quilting. However, I need to get the quilt loaded on my frame off, as I have 2 customer quilts in the queue as well as my son's quilt. His just needs 3 free motion borders. Despite my repeated measurings, I ran out of backing just a couple inches from the edge.
S I G H! Ah well, it is easily repaired. Thank GOODNESS for zipper leaders! I just zipped it off..and zipped on my second set and I'm off. It feels good to be back with a purpose and as always, thankful for the solace of my quilting and piecing. Here are a few pictures:

I am using a pantograph by Michelle Wyman called Simply Seashells. I got it at
digitech

You saw these blocks, but not the top.

Here is the border with the panto quilted on it:

Can you see the seashells? I wanted them to be more of a textural design rather than to stand out, so I matched thread. Not exactly, but just a couple shades lighter. I will show you the panto for the body of the quilt and a full picture of the quilt when its done.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T12:41:00.000-08:00

I hope you have a healthy happy New Year. Mine started quietly enough. They just passed a law recently in AZ that you can buy fireworks. Just the kind that stay on the ground. I was anticipating staying up for a couple hours with nervous dogs. I stationed myself with the wooden shutters closed and the TV on in the sewing room. By 1 however, I heard nothing so 4 sets of 4 paws followed me into the bedroom and we all proceeded to sleep in! NICE!

We woke up to frosty temps! My DH saw a bit of ice yesterday morning, so I had to go out and see if we had any today...

This is the view out of the back door....

Getting closer! Anyone want lemons? This poor tree is crying for us to pick some! A couple limbs look like they are about to break. By the time we harvest this, we won't need to trim any...looks like it needs a haircut badly doesn't it? My dad just drools over this tree when he visits. Too bad I cannot send more home with him on the plane!

This is the corner of the 'pond' that magically appears when we have a hard rain. We had a hard LENGTHY rain a couple days ago. The ground is so hard, it cannot absorb this much water too fast. Takes a couple days of no moisture to see a difference. This is about half of what it was when it stopped raining. ICE!

You cannot see this well, but the whole thing had a covering of ice. Didn't take much to melt the thin stuff, but the corner with the rake was icy most of the morning. This is one of only a couple days a year I wish I had a fireplace!

I'm off to the laundry room...I have MOUNDS to do today! That and play in the sewing room....THAT I like!

I'm so thankful for my quilting

2010-12-21T06:47:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I attended the memorial service for a dear friend. We met when our husbands were active duty AF. She was one of those people who was larger than life. Blunt (but not hurtful), funny, opinionated, practical.... I didn't see her regularly but when I did, it felt like I had seen her yesterday. She attended one of my quilt classes in March (altho I found out yesterday, it was NOT an easy process for her! She was VERY frustrated! lolol). She had a major stroke the day before Thanksgiving and passed away a week later. She was 56. I'm heartbroken. The Christmas tasks I have yet to finish are a priority, and yet...I feel like my spirit is quiet. I love hearing the Christmas carols and songs, but I don't join in. (usually my family cannot get me to shut up!) My quilting room is a solace. Jan would understand.

Sorry for this somber post. I just could not let her passing go unnoticed by me.
Hug your loved ones and put aside your quarrels. Thanks for listening.

have you ever had THIS happen?

2010-12-19T19:00:00.001-08:00

I have NEVER seen this happen. I'm not a world class quilter or anything...but when you buy a spool of thread from a reputable company...you think you are getting a CONTINUOUS piece of thread... I was quilting along and my top thread broke. I checked the tension and it was REALLY tight. Checking along the thread path...all is well, till I get to the spool. Its kinda wrapped on itself. Takes me a minute to see what the problem is...

and I see THIS

The thread is in two pieces. I have never had a spool with two pieces of thread...they have always been continuous. Have you ever had this happen? Or do I need to get out of my sewing room more often?

I was hoping to have this off my frame already, but my older son came to visit me yesterday AND today. Its for HIM...so I could not work on it while he was here! I KINDA had to shoo him away....WAAAAAAAA! I did take him to dinner before I told him "its Christmas time and I need some time to finish things you cannot help with'. Do you think that was diplomatic enough? lolol

What do you get....

2010-12-16T15:35:00.000-08:00

What do you get when...

your 14 yr old son gets out of school early after exams.
goes to his friends house with his soccer teammates.
you live in the desert (ie: no grass this time of year..and if you DO have grass?
it looks like straw
it is raining....
they are BORED
They decide to play soccer...IN the Rain...

THIS! See the white shirt? That BROWN thing next to it? Those are the MATCHING
shorts! I sure hope OxiClean works its magic!

I'm here

2010-12-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

I'm still here...just working a bit at a time...I have a customer quilt on my design wall

This is a Christmas gift...I dont' think the recipient reads my blog..I HOPE not!

my sketch to practice before quilting...

one row of quilting. The border is the same design in a blue varigated...with continous curve in the blue checkerboard squares. This design is called Streamers. I was hankering to FEATHER..but thought this was a bit more MANLY...We will see what the recipient thinks!

National Mutt Day

2010-12-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

Did you know that today is

National Mutt Day? I'm proud to be 'owned' by three of my own. Rally gets 2 pictures because he looks guilty so well! (and most of the times he LOOKS guilty, he IS guilty! Today I didnt' even know there was a problem..but I went LOOKING for one...because he had his hang dog look on! Too funny! The other 2 are not blameless..they follow along and get in PLENTY of trouble right behind him....)

Rookie, man of the 4 month 'adventure'

Rally, terrier of undetermined lineage, surfer of cat box (sorry...but he does, the rascal), lover of all things 'squeeky ball', and ball catcher extraodinaire!

And last but not least...Buddy...pesterer, lap sitter, couch sneaker, heel nipper and most vocal of the three....

TA DA! There you have it ..my mutt haven!

wordless Wednesday

2010-12-01T14:52:00.001-08:00

clothesline tips

2010-11-18T08:56:00.000-08:00

Have you tried the wrapped clothesline bags? I had bought a pattern, but had not been able to find the cotton clothesline. Even the quilt shops did not have any. Now, you KNOW I don't need another project. But WHAT is a girl to do when she just NEEDS to start something new??? She pays attention when her friend Monica offers to show her a new way. AND THEN SHE JUMPS! She taught my Lunch Bunch group this method. AND its scrap friendly. I used a Bali Pop on this 1st one, but next time , I'm gonna stash dive in my strip drawer. It uses 2½ inch strips of fabric and batting. ::::tap tap tap::: did you say BATTING? YES! You know! All that left over batting that is not big enough to bother to piece together? The stuff you feel guilty throwing away? Or sometimes I stuff into a dog bed, but wish I had another way of USING it?! Yup..thats the stuff! Today I will show you how to make the strips. Next time I will show you how to block it. After that, I will show you the basic bag. YOU have to decide how to add your own touch: handles, pockets etc.

You ready? Here we go!

You will need:

machine with contrasting or matching thread
strips of 2 ½ inch fabric
strips of 2 ½ inch batting

(just one quick note: some of my friends had trouble with the 2 ½ batting.
They cut theirs 2 ¼. I didn't have any trouble, but in the stash busting
spirit, when I cut mine up, sometimes I got smaller than 2½ inches. Be flexible
and see what YOU like. I used both...they both worked for me)

Layer the strip wrong side up with the batting.

Fold the two long ends into the center....

fold in half. Try to keep the folds even. Dont' stress if they are not! Just make sure the raw edges stay inside. You can pin this if you want. I just folded as I went along.

Stitch down the center. I like to lengthen my stitch a bit. Its kinda bulky and takes long enought with a longer stitch. If you use your reg quilt piecing stitch, you could be there all day!

Thats IT! Its kinda mindless...I thought it was fun!. Try not to stretch as you sew. You will see why next time... For a nice size tote, you will need between 20 and 27 strips. See you next time!

bad sad day

2010-11-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

I usually wear a lovely pair of Clarks clogs when I travel by air. They look nice, I can walk in them all day and they are easy to slip on and off at security. Imagine my distress, when we were hustling to get our off-airport parking bus, I looked down and noticed that my shoe looked larger. In the bunion area...now I DO have bunions. They don't bother me on a regular basis...only because I'm careful to get a shoe with a big enough toe bed. These clogs DO...but this day, my bunion was looking...larger. UGH... When I got on the bus I did a bit of investigating...and much to my distress...

THIS is what I found. A BLOW OUT! I was hoping I could get them restitched. That is until I checked out the OTHER shoe:

Here we have a sad case of disintegration.

I guess I need a day of shoe shopping. Oh and a trip to the shoe repair shop. I DO have a pair of black ones. Different styling, but they are NOT NICE to my bunions. I can only wear that pair from the car to church. By the time I sit, they are OFF. I think a bit of stretching is in order.

PS. Did you catch a load of the carpet? I may have shown it before. My husband was SO excited to find a quilt patterned rug...and the right colors too! I think I have him trained to see a quilt whereever he goes. He is a keeper!

t-shirt/memory quilts

2010-11-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

My friend Betty No Blog made this quilt. She was commissioned to make a series of quilts from clothing. She has a wonderful eye and I always get fired up when I see her work. This one is my favorite. It feels like art...and I get the same feeling as when I look at the Gee's Bend quilts. Just a simple snowball..but SO effectively placed! She asked me to quilt it...so I did!

Just be warned that we both agreed to stay away from the corner triangles during quilting. There are 8 layers in those corners! Can you say 'broken needles'? lolol

I'm piecing 2 memory/t-shirt quilts and will post pictures as soon as I have them made into tops. Do you have a favorite way to showcase t-shirts or memory quilts? I'd love to see!

worn OUT!

2010-11-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

We had our monthly Lunch Bunch potluck yesterday. I had it in my brain that I would have my friend Nancy's quilt finished to lure her to join us. Why do I think I can get it all done in an hour? I must have a very inflated view of my talents...maybe I just have SUCH a good time, it FEELS like an hour! Her quilt is nice and flat...I'm trying out a new panto I had drooled over many times before I ordered it...and my sweet husband looked at the quilt and said "THAT is a very pretty quilt!" He very rarely comments (or for that matter notices) much of what goes on in either of my sewing rooms. They are both such messes, most of the time you cannot see anything in progress! Poor Nancy! Her quilt is still on my frame...BUT...I have more realistic goals today. I'm going to finish it! ROTLF!

Are you a group sew-er? On most Lunch Bunch days, I do schlep my machine. While I like to think I'm going to get TONS done, I usually have to check out everything the group is doing (lunch bunch rule #1: you NEVER have to do the group project), say hi to all the shop staff, say hi to all the shop FABRIC...you get the picture. Yesterday, I did NOT take my machine, but I AM doing the group project. Miss M is teaching us how to make the clothesline tote bags. Did you know you can use BATTING strips instead? (you KNOW...all that scrap batting you either threw out or felt guilty about because you didnt' know WHAT to do with it?) I will show you pictures of mine, and how to do the strips soon. I have to block all of mine..they are kinda...well..lets just say..NOT STRAIGHT! It was fun to see all the colors of strips and hear the ideas flying around. When I got home, I sewed some of MY strips together, made dinner, drove and picked up Sports Guy from the last football game of his freshman year, and oh yes! I quilted 2 more rows on Nancy's quilt. I didn't realize how tired I was last night until I got up this morning. When I took off my nightgown to get dressed, I still had my BRA ON! ROTLF! Normally I that would keep me awake...I was WORN OUT!

I'm off to quilt, make Italian meat sauce for a company dinner on Tuesday, and dejunk my house...oh and there is laundry to do and put away, dogs to let in and out....see ya!

PS Sports Guy made the varsity soccer team as a FRESHMAN! There will be no living with him now!

home again, home again

2010-11-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

I DO like to travel...I just dont' like getting ready and then getting everything back to a normal schedule. I need a week to rest up from all my resting! We made a trip to Las Vegas for a soccer tournament, returned on Sunday night, my parents arrived on Tuesday, DH and I left on Wed. We spent our annual Cambria weekend with good friends, WAAAAY too much good food, and I think the best weather we have had yet. Of course, it went way to fast and now we have to wait a year to do it again...WAAAAA! We returned on Monday and my parents went home on Tuesday. Mr Sports Man and all the furry ones were glad to see us. (the furry ones wiggles and wagged tails..Mr Sports Man didn't!he is too grown up...trying out for the high school soccer team...more on that tomorrow)

I didn't take my sewing machine, but I threatened to! Instead I did binding...LOTS of binding! I finished the USC quilt..and delivered it. I thought Mr N was going to jump up and down. He loved it!

He and his wife were kind enough to let me get ONE more picture of it before it rode off into the sunset. It glows doesnt' it?

I also bound and delivered 5 of these pumpkin wall hangings. I just love pumpkins! And while I'm not a Halloween person, I DO give thanks for fall and pumpkins...funny I'm not a huge orange fan! The ladies were sweet to hang them up.

Here is a close up of one. I did them all the same except for the background fill on the pumpkins. Each one was different.

you will see more of these as I have 4 more to quilt! First up, I have a customer quilt on the frame. I taught a class on Tues and last night, and had another class scheduled for this morning, but I didn't get any students. A DAY FREE! Yippeee! (just so you know..i DO love to teach quilting..who would NOT want to hook someone on my favorite pastime? :::grin:::)

Any suggestions on how much to charge for a memory quilt? I had someone ask me to make two. I think I need to see what sizes of fabric I have to work with and how large they want them. I surely don't want to charge alot..but I don't want to give it away either. I think this is the hardest part of providing a service! I have heard people say 'oh,its just SEWING! how long could it take?' and then ask you do so something that basically needs you to take the garment apart and resew the whole thing. JUST sewing! HARRUMMPH!

Off to the frame and the washing machine! As Mrs Goodneedle says :

Life is GOOD!

DRAT!

2010-10-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Well....DRAT! I have been hard at work on a project I cannot share yet...and YET...I COULD have found other things to take pictures of, IF I had not left my camera at our son's house. We had a huge hail storm about a week and a half ago. His house is ...well OUR house. We just let him live in it...in exchange for some money once a month! They lost 2 windows in the golf ball- baseball sized hail. It was amazing...and I know you would have liked pictures...but well...you know...I left the camera there! Took me almost a week to realize #1. it was not in THIS House. #2. I didn't LOSE it..and #3. WHERE I left it. Then I never went that way to pick it up...OR I was over that way, but I knew the whole house was sleeping. Do you think they would notice if I let myself in, tiptoed across the living room and took back my camera? I didn't want to scare anyone...so there it sits. Anyway, I'm working on something I cannot show you ...so I will post THAT when I can.

How did you like that round about way of me saying I have no pictures to post!? I get wordy like that...ask my friend Julie No Blog. She is the best listener I know. :-D

Oh, and thanks for the nice comments on my last rant. Funny thing..the lady who made the snide comment on my quilt at the shop in front of the owner? I could not make it to quilt guild chapter meeting that night...that was the hail night. I was in line buying plywood to cover the windows. Good thing...I might not have been very....cordial. Hehehehehe...

Off to a soccer tournament this weekend. I may or may not have my camera with me. ....grin.....

Grrrr!

2010-10-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Guess its been awhile since I posted hasn't it? Soccer has been kind of intense this season. Since Sports guy is in high school now, they cannot play on a club team during the high school season. Less games you say? NOOOOO! Same amt of games in aLOT smaller amt of time. That adds up to two games every weekend AND out of town tournaments...AND practice 3 nights a week. (oh..and did I mention he is working out with the high school soccer and baseball teams too?)

Ok, how do YOU deal with clueless tactless people? I tend to be exasperated...and try to be nice, but I'm getting crabbier as I age. I was at a new quilt shop, showing off a couple quilts I wanted to teach. I have met the new owner when she worked at another area shop, so we are not totally new to each other. BUT, I'm still wanting to make a good impression. A lady from my quild chapter, who I know, but am SURE she has NO CLUE what my name is, over heard me tell the owner the pattern name of one of the quilts. (we were moving them off the cutting table and heading for the classroom/office to spread out). 'Oh, I have been having trouble with my 'fillin the blank name of pattern'.' She took ONE look at mine as as she turned around to leave left this parting remark "OH, that is not nearly as cute as the one in the pattern"
...............................................................................................................................................................................(this is me being speechless!) I TOTALLY get that we all have our own sense of what we like...what we don't like...and what we get immersed in what WE think is important, but COME ON! Luckily for me , the sweet shop owner said something like, 'well I think its cute'...and we went on from there...I normally would just wave something like that off. However, this certain lady, has done this numerous times to me... and as I would suspect to others.

Then this morning, I ran into the grocery store for bread. My husband likes cappucinos occasionally, so I thought I would order it, then go get the bread. By the time I paid for the bread, the coffee would be ready to go. BAD IDEA. There was a lady standing by the cash register. She had obviously paid for her drink and instead of moving down to the end, where they put the drinks, she was still by the case register. Fine..no problem. She sees me..and moves down the way. I move up to the register, but not all the way with my tummy on the counter. She is pawing thru a barrel of sale priced coffee mugs...brings 2 to the counter and pushes in front of me. Never asking my permission..she asks the barista 'can I pay for this?' then she goes back and forth asking the barista her opinion on which mug she likes better. After 2 are rung up...she changes her mind...TWICE..and they have to wait for a manager for an override. I walked off...got the bread...waited in a 6 person line...and when I got back, she was JUST leaving Starbucks. I did get my sweet husband his cappucion, but I was MAJORLY irked.

I think the think that gets me the most is that I have been in both of those situations before. I would NEVER push in front of someone. I have found things I wanted at Starbucks, after paying for my coffee..and I get in the BACK of the line..even if the line is just ONE PERSON! And about quilts...I would be mortified if I had worked hard on a quilt only to overhear someone cut it to smithereens at a quilt show. It may not be my color choices...or style..or what EVER, but I still try to find something to praise. You just never know who is near you when you spout your opinion. I try to keep the rest to myself...or take a picture and talk about it with a friend..LATER..in PRIVATE. That thoughtless woman could have cost me the chance to teach at that shop at all.

I think I feel better now. I think maybe the 'Mom's Night Out' with the soccer moms last night helped...a bit of wine..some food...and who knew the coach's wife was such a Kareoke Queen!? She knew all the words to Rappers Delight! Thats alot of words!

late design wall Monday

2010-08-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

...well..its late MONDAY..not late as in the wrong day! Its been a busy day..and I tried to cram too much into it.

Nothing up on the wall..

except this finish! It was due at the quilt shop Saturday..but I was not feeling well..so didn't get it quilted until Sunday. And I JUST put the last stitches in the binding. Tomorrow morning...bright and early, I will shuttle it to the quilt shop to live for awhile as a shop sample..and then a class sample! I won't get my wall hanging (same pattern, diff fabric...no slit for the tree...it will just be a circle with an applique over the center...) done till after the class, so I can use it as a teaching aid.

The pictures are not very true...sorry..its after dark, so the room is not lit very well either...here is a section. Ribbon candy in the turquoise, double bubble in the hot pink, holly and berries in the green...swirls in the purple..and dragons breath (its a free hand hooky thing...sorry..ask me another time and I will sketch it out for you...) in the setting triangles. I had fun quilting it...and it was the THIRD project finish of the week! The USC quilt just needs binding..and I quilted a quilt for a friend..(pictures of that tomorrow...)

NOW I'm exhausted..and I'm going to bed! night night. ...if you are a night owl and need some thing to look at, head over to
Judy's to see all the design wall Monday offerings! I will catch up on them tomorrow! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

OK OK..I know its Monday...

2010-08-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

No design wall to show again this week. BUT...I have been busy on the long arm. See how may footballs I have quilted!? (OK Lori, NO BLABBING...I'm on the home stretch..and if I think Nick knows...it will slow me down! Odd..I know..but true!)
Each block has a large football in the middle..and 8 small ones around the edges..

AND the setting triangles each have a big football. I think I could quilt these in my SLEEP! I'm not EVEN gonna do the math...::shudder::::

as a background fill for the USC letters, I did a crosshatched grid and filled in every other one with a back and forth squiggle (such TECHNICAL terms! heheheheh).

My last bit is a inner tone on tone border. I had PLANNED to put football words..but my sweet...usually uninterested husband got this GLINT in his eye...(not THAT kind!). He suggested BIGGER words...National Champions...Heisman Trophy...HARD words! Words I have to PLAN where they go...:::Sniff:::: OK, so I didnt' spent too much time spinning my mental wheels...I just made a list..and off I went. I melded HIS ideas...and picked 6: One for the top and bottom each, and 2 for each side. Any room left over means I do a football word (tackle, punt, kick, etc) and a football(GASP) inbetween. Top and bottom done last night..today I have to turn the quilt and do those last two sides and call it GOOD! I hope by this time tomorrow to be trimming and applying binding....a girl can HOPE can't she?

I spun my wheels this morning ...I started swimming at LA Fitness last week. I have had the membership since FEBRUARY...ok, don't go there! I dropped the Sports Kid at school..half way to swim: forgot my member pass I have to have scanned...head home. Get the pass...drive to LA Fitness, get out of the car : NO TOWELS. Now I know , I probably can get one to use INSIDE..but..nothing to sit on (DH car has leather seats...don't like to get chlorine on them) BACK in the car...get the towels..BACK to LA Fitness. And so starts week TWO. I do get credit for being stubborn and not quitting. I started wtih 6 laps (two lengths of the pool) and am up to 10 with one length of free style (gasping the 2nd length of the lap on my back!). I am looking for a widget to add to the sidebar to track my distance. At this point, I'm only interested in how FAR I can swim..not how FAST I can get there. That said, I did those laps in about 20 mins or so. I'm pretty happy with that my 2nd week!

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out all the design walls over at
Judy's.

Same bat time, same bat design wall

2010-08-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

I dont' think a thing has changed on my design wall...ok..well maybe more of the Soda Pop blocks have been moved to the other room..thats IT...well..I have been quilting on the long arm...so ...I have been doing SOMETHING, but nothing I can show. Maybe tomorrow I will get to dive in. I really would like to see the floor in there! I"m waiting for a new power head for my in-wall vaccuum to arrive. I may need to VACCUUM to try it out! (no...REALLY? did she say she WANTED to vaccuum? She really DOES need to sew! Her brain is FRIED! heheheheheh)

head on over to Judy's to see all the pretty design walls!

not much happening

2010-08-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

I promise to post with picture when I have something to show! I MUCH prefer last week, when I felt like I could get it ALL done. This week has been more about spinning wheels and being MAJORLY frustrated. Maybe that will lead way for a breakthru on accomplishing what I want to get done.

Yesterday found me...crying in the afternoon. NO, I was NOT watching soap operas! I quit those 20 yrs ago! I have been FUZTING ( I think that is a word either my mom or I made up..I have never heard anyone ELSE use it!..means fiddling...or puttering) with the channel lock on my Gammill. (for you non-long armers, you can either use the vertical or horizontal channel lock. If you hit the appropriate button, you either get a nice straight vertical or horizontal stitch.) It is a big magnet. Mine would only engage on ONE TINY edge (so I could still SCRAPE along the track...no nice line...) and then when it REALLY engaged...it would not let GO unless I trotted around to the other side of the frame and PULLED it up. This has not really worked since I got the frame about a yr ago. It was not a problem THEN..but the more I quilt, the more I really WOULD like that feature! I like piano key borders..and this makes them nice, neat and extremely easy to quilt right along. ...AFTER I shed tears...I read a post from a quilter who suggested the SPRING screws (NO ONE ever said ANYTHING about those..this WHOLE YEAR). I unscrewed them all the way...and tightened a bit at a time....VOILA! It works...from BOTH side of the frame! Who knew!?

I was also very upset about my new laptop. Its a nice laptop...but I cannot get online with it. My wireless router has a security code on it...I dont' KNOW it and I can't FIND it. All the advise says to log on to it..but my home computer does not USE it..so it does not SEE it, so I cannot log ON to it. (are you getting the drift of this thread?...::::SIGH::::) Today I'm quilting...and maybe..just maybe, if I feel the need to be frustrated,I will try again to locate that security key!

Thanks for stopping (oh, and if you EVER tell ANY man that I figured out my channel lock AFTER I cried...I will...DISOWN you! ROTLF

Monday...1st day of school...and design wall too

2010-08-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

so...up until this very day, when my kids went off to school...I did a happy dance. Today, I'm feeling a bit more...ambivalent. My youngest kiddo, walked out the door ( he did come back and give me a hug), marched across the street..and got a ride with the neighbor. His 1st day of high school. My neighbor was able to snap a picture of him...I will see if she will e-mail it to me...

I actually did alot of sewing this week, just not much to show ON the design wall

Here are 4 of the Christmas tree skirt sections sewn together. most of the colors are true..except that PINK. It is showing too...bubble gummy! It is closer to hot pink. There are 10 sections...so I still have a ways to go..but it will not take me too long.

THIS is what sidetracked me! I'm sorting strings, strips, little scraps and pieces that have already been pieced and are ready for more scraps...or SOMETHING. I think there is an orphan quilt..or maybe a kitchen sink quilt. I may need to keep my eye out for fabric with a kitchen sink it it! lolol

Does anyone have any suggestions for organizing ...non quilty supplies? I keep stacking up plastic boxes of ..well..STUFF! plastic tubing...hardware...velcro...you name it! I am thinking I will start a small notebook..and when I find a home for whatever it is, I wil enter it in there. That way, I won't spin my wheels LOOKING for it!

Be sure to march over to Judy's and see what is being worked on! My fav part of Mondays!

Its MONDAY!

2010-08-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

I think Design Wall Monday is the best thing that has happened to me all summer! ( and we have had a great summer...not WEATHER wise..just family/vacation wise!) You should have seen me scrurry around last night to get new stuff on the design wall! rotlf! My family didn't know what to think!

I have expanded... I have use of a whole wall in the guest/computer room. That is where the Soda Pop blocks are migrating to. (that is the quilt that was on the design wall last week.) On that wall I can fit the whole quilt...so I'm moving them..and working on color placement. I will update that top next week. I hope to have it together to take to my quilt group this Friday so I can pick out borders.

I added a small space over the door to the closet. It is just attached to the door with command strip hooks and a few pins to pin it to itself. I have the 1st of two flag blocks (my quilt chapter is doing a BOM..and we just started in July!) I have the other flag started. The strip blocks are an ongoing project I started with a friend. We will both do these blocks and share to make scrappy quilts for Quilts for Kids or other causes requesting quilts. Covers two ends: use up scraps and make charity quilts.

This is Design Wall central (by my sewing machine!) I am making two of the same pattern at once. The one on the left is going to be a wall hanging for over my cutting table and the one on the right I want to teach as a Christmas Tree skirt. It is from the book French Braid Obsession by Jane Hardy Miller. I fell in LOVE with one color way (MY wallhanging), but didn't want it for a tree skirt. The colors in this are on the dark side. The true colors show up a bit better in the close up pictures

Here is a close up of one of the fussy cut triangles on the base. The one I fell in love with had a Laurel Burch fabric there. Of course by the time I saw it, it was long gone from the stores. I found this Folklorico fabric at
Strawberry Patches in Bakersfield CA last fall. I kinda fussy cut it...but not TOO fussy!

This is closer on the tree skirt. The base triangles are black with bright Christmas stockings....actually I think THAT Is a Laurel Burch fabric! lol I didn't notice that till right now...

Don't forget to pop over to judy's and see what all the busy quilters are up to this week!

close up

2010-07-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

This is for Mary, who asked how big this ruler holder is. I tried to get picture of it last night...but it was the middle of the night (like 3:30am!). I was up with my nervous nelly dogs in a thunderstorm (that NEVER got too close...just close enought for them to HEAR it...so up I got....). The light was bad...so I took them this morning.

Its 6 inches tall...7 inches wide..and has 8 slots

The slots are slanted...so its made for the wall. Up it will go...as soon as my wall hanging is hung!

PS Mary...I was looking at your blog...and Maggie (the infectiously happy and brightly decked out maggie?) She is my friend! I met her thru an online friend when she moved to my state. Small world! But how could you miss Maggie!too funny!

a day in the sewing room

2010-07-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

well..the good news is we got home from Pinetop around 6 yesterday. The bad news is that the reason we could come home is that the All Star team lost twice in 2 days. They took 3rd, which is good, but they were disappointed. They just didnt play like they wanted it the last game...they stopped running halfway to the base...dropped balls..and played like they wanted to go home. So we did. It was nice to be home, even if I had only been gone 2 days.

here is what I was working on it the sewing room today:

Its called a Fat Sack and I found the free pattern on

Terry Atkinson's blog.

I really like how you make this pleat..that is what gives it a squared bottom. Reminds me alot of the Lands End or LLBean canvas bags. I used denim for my bag bottom. I think I will like it more when I find something to use as the bottom INSIDE. I cannot even find a SCRAP of foam core in this house. I think the men used it all up when Sports guy had to do a marble maze for science. I made the mistake of lending them a rotary cutter...and found cuts in the cover of my homemade big board. GRRRR...I should know better than to lend my tools!

I DID find a very nice quilt shop in Pinetop. I snuck over there when the boys left for the field. They had to be there by 8:30, but the game didn't start till 10. PLENTY of time to peruse the aisles!

I picked up a few patriotic pieces. A good friend of my husband will be retiring from the AF Reserves in the next yr. DH is 'directing' what he wants to see in this quilt. He tried to wrangle a QOV out of me, but I was quilting it for someone else! There is also a cute heavy equipment panel perfect for a little boy (who I don't know yet...but SOME little boy!) with two coordinating fabrics (one has big tires...red, and the other one traffic cones...blue)

and this ruler holder. I dont' have it on the wall yet, but I will. I'm waiting till I have my wall hanging up before I add things around it. It will be nice to have most of those little rulers off the work area. I was tickled to find this..and a small one too. Next up: faux piping binding.

design wall Monday

2010-07-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

I was kinda embarrassed last week...as my design wall had not changed ONE BIT. I think I like this..spurs me on to keep things moving. Alas, I may be away from my sewing machine ALL WEEK. I think I will be depressed! Knitting and cross stitch will have to suffice. Here is my design wall today

This is on top..I'm trying to figure out what to quilt on this. I hope by this morning to have it on the frame. This is the top that matches the backing I was working on a couple of posts ago.

And this tucked underneath. I'm afraid I will need to move this to a different room. I have a wall in our guest room where I can get the whole quilt on the wall. I'm missing about 3 rows on the bottom. I used a Bali pop (think batik jelly roll), but when I opened it, there were not enough solids for my taste. Some are really pretty..but BUSY. This may grown on me once I get a border on it. This is for our daughter..she asked for 'beachy'. Not sure this is what she had in mind!

I DO like the pattern alot...I'm thinking Bento Box meets 4 patch.

Be sure to zip over to Judy's blog to see what everyone else is working on this week!

Molten brownies in a mug

2010-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

now...I'm sure by now, you have seen this. As a matter of fact,I got this over on Terry Atkinson's blog. She had a cute bag to go with last Fall. I made some up for teacher presents to go with a gift card of some type. I needed this in a hurry today and could not find it...so as long as I'm going to type up the whole recipe for myself, I thought I would share it with you! (and if you like it, be sure to visit Terry and tell her I sent you!...)

Molten Chocolate (aka in our house : Brownies in a Mug..QUICK..we need brownies QUICK!)

In a coffee mug put:

2 TBSP margarine or butter
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Microwave for one minute and then

stir till smooth.

stir in a beaten egg

add:

1/4 cup of sugar

2 TBSP cocoa

2 TBSP flour

stir till smooth

microwave for 1 minute. It will look wet on top, but the inside will be cooked JUST enough. Try it once...you will see!

This is only HALF! Its a great dessert for sharing!

What prompted this recipe now? One of our neighbors is a Fire Captain...and is a GREAT cook! He called me from the station...seems the firefighters 'needed a brownie QUICK...we NEED brownies!' I could not find the recipe in my files...so off to the computer I went, not remembering just WHERE I had found them...

LOOK at the mess I made! Most of this is recipes! I think I need a new system!

Here is the recipe for copying and pasting to print. I will see if I can figure out how to do a pdf file tomorrow and edit that in. Enjoy! (hey! Do I see CHOCOLATE on your face ALREADY! See!? I told you it was quick!)

Molten Chocolate Brownies in a Mug
from Terri Atkinson's blog
www.terryatkinson.typepad.com

¼ cup chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 beaten egg
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp flour

Put butter and chocolate chips in a coffee mug. Microwave for 1 minute or until melted.
Stir till smooth. Stir in a beaten egg with a fork. Add sugar, cocoa, and flour. Stir till mixed.
Microwave for 1 minute. (It will look 'wet' on the top. This is what is SHOULD look like)

THRIFTY!

2010-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Have you discovered vinegar yet? I'm not talking about making a volcano for a school science fair...or a salad dressing! I'm talking about cleaning....yup...you heard me...that 'C' word! I have used vinegar in my washing machine as a fabric softener for awhile. I DO use a commercial one too...but for sheets, towels, and anything ..well..STINKY, I like vinegar. Its cheap...yeah, you can smell it as you use it, but it cleans the air too. It takes all the extra 'left in the towels' detergent. I find that my towels are fluffier..and less...'crunchy' sounding. And no vinegar smell.

But today..look what I used it for today! I'm not sure you can see these pictures very well...so I may try again on the pictures later..its dark now. Dark granite..in the dark...well..its kinda dark! I think you will see what I"m trying to show you anyway.

We have hard water in Arizona...VERY hard. SO most houses..and ours is no exception, has some type of water conditioner. Some use salt, ours does not. So I"m not accustom to finding mineral deposits on sinks and faucets.

You remember this picture...black granite with black granite composite sink? I just showed you this the other day. Can you see the deposits on the base of the faucets from here?

Can you see this better? Not TOO bad..but annoying. (its SO easy to get rid of!)

Here is the same sink..with 2 faucets cleaned. NOW there is a difference! The two on the right have been 'vinegarized' and the one on the left is 'au natural'

how did I do that you ask? Scrub scrub scrub?...nope..not even a sponge, scrubby or old toothbrush! All I did was soak a paper towel in vinegar and wrap it around. Skip off and do something else for a while..like SEW ...or QUILT...or make molten brownies in a mug (oh wait! Thats TOMORROWS blog! oops...I spilled the cocoa beans!). Come back in about 15 mins or longer...and see what happens. MAGIC! If you still have minerals, do it again. No scrubbing needed. Gotta love that vinegar! This works on shower heads, sink sprayers, or anything else that gets minerally. You just need to figure out how to soak it. oh..and just FYI...don't get it on tiny cuts on your hands....OWWIIIIEEEEE! (ask me out I know!)

changing colors?

2010-07-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

I have ALWAYS thought of myself as a blue girl. Even growing up, blue and more specifially ROYAL blue, has been my focus. Lately I have added periwinkle and other shades, but all in all I have more blue in my house/wardrobe/fabric stash than any other color. (well...after making Sports guy's ORANGE quilt a couple years ago, I do have a nice selection of orange too!). So imagine my surprise...I'm doing all the dib dab of laundry that often get in the wrong pile, the bottom of a hamper that gets moved...and look what I found (you are getting the end product...I'm not showing off my dirty laundry!):

GREEN! And wonder of wonders...LIME green! Who knew!? (that is 5 shirts, a pair of shorts and a pair of socks..this is more than a trend!)

Judy and Julie NoBlog will be SO proud!

And yet...look what showed up in the NEXT load?

MORE green! I think Julie NoBlog would be over the MOON, if I decided I loved green AND the Dodgers. Maybe the moon is made of GREEN CHEESE too!

funny dog!

2010-07-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Rally is my terrier 'of undetermined parentage': (doesnt' that sound grander than MUTT? lol) He is my 'panic during thunderstorms', 'locate every lost tennis ball that is wedged under the couch', 'see what all the other dogs have for dinner before I will eat' and the most all around amusing dog I have ever owned. I had heard that dogs cannot see television. Someone forgot to tell Rally!

It took me a few tries, but here he is trying to 'play' with the dog on Madeline. I had it on while I washed cabinents yesterday. funny scruffy loyal dog...gotta love him!

baseball

2010-07-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

What a week!..oh wait..TWO weeks...and it could go on longer! This summer, sports guy (aka only kid left at home..rising high school freshman) played on 3 different teams: Little League Junior team (13-14 yr olds..not the ones you see playing in Williamsport), summer high school baseball, and soccer. I know, You and I BOTH thought soccer was over for the summer...but NO. He usually plays indoor soccer...I love it...all you do is show up for the game. No practice, little 'post game pep talk'. Just fast paced one hour game...kid tired/hungry/ ready to go home/ seen his buddies. Life is good. This summer the soccer coach proposed an out of town tournament to kind keep skills up over the summer (our season is in the fall/winter/early spring). Think of soccer summer school. We said Great! Fast forward to the end of Little League.

Sports guy made All Stars...
(what kid doesn't like to see his name up in lights!...took me over an hour to figure out how to blur that...and see what I got? Some swirly thing! HA!)

team won the district tournament and are now flying their way up the ladder of STATE tournament. Bad news is : its 4 hours from home, you dont' know when you are done (double elimination...so 2 losses and you are done. IF you dont' lose, you keep going...like INTO NEXT WEEK!) I'm not sure how other families can do this. You dont know in advance, no way to ask for work off, and its not cheap! Dad of Sports Guy is with him now with a changing of the parental guard over the weekend. (oh..I forgot..NO GAMES on the weekend...seems backwards to me!)AND in the weekend between the District and State tournaments? You guessed it :soccer tournament in San Diego! WHEW! I was a wreck and I stayed home! After 2 previous trips out of town this summer, kenneling 3 dogs is just too pricey. Chances are pretty good they may advance to district. That is in Southern California...and I"m on tap for that trip. Hubby will be working..so dogs would be off to "camp". I'm home saving $...no meals out (well..maybe one..or two!), no dogs in the kennel..and I"m working on the house.

I"m enjoying my 'forced' vacation. I don't think a time I have been home by myself to do what I like for this long since I had kids! I don't even mind cooking: no one complains! (my DH never complains...just FYI..he is wonderful!) and this strange phenomenon....do you have 'mystery dishes'? When I go to bed, the kitchen is clean (I rarely get it ALL done..but wiped up, dishwasher loaded...clean dishes draining/other sink EMPTY) and when I get up..VOILA! these dishes just APPEAR overnight! how does that happen? I thought elves and brownies and such CLEANED up. I guess mine DIRTY up!

But home alone? nope..not one! (yes, that is a BLACK sink! Its Granite compostite: no stains and no water spots. Has a bit of a texture, but easy upkeep...never thought I would have a black sink, but it goes so nicely with the black granite!) And the same thing with laundry. I would not want to do this long term..but for a week...HEAVEN!

a quick picture

2010-07-20T18:37:00.001-07:00

I have had time to myself..and have not gotten much done at all! can you say VEG IN THE HEAT? I was up from 2-4am last night..my panicky dog got all excited about a dry thunderstorm. I love that dog..but DANG. I woke up thinking we were having an EARTHQUAKE! He just had his claws in the bed..and was shaking all over. I was glad no earthquake...and I DID get some sewing done. He just climbs under the sewing table and quakes.

Here is the finished Christmas wall hanging. I had more trouble with this...and the instructions were fine...I was just spacey! I hope to quilt this 2nd in line...Maybe more tomorrow? I did take my backing off the design wall and finished piecing it. It goes on after the quick lap quilt on there now. Thanks for stopping by...

ps This was a free pattern. If you are interested, you can find it at:

clothworks textiles. You have to scroll down ...its called Snow Flurries

coccooning in the sewing room

2010-07-16T16:33:00.001-07:00

I have been working on a holiday wall hanging. I saw the fabric and free pattern at my local quilt shop, Quiltz, last Friday. While I have LOTS of projects,I was bound and determined not to leave this one at UFO stage. With our heat...Heat...HEAT...:;;sizzle:::, I have been coccooning in my sewing room. Its quiet, cool...and I GET THE REMOTE! (sorry..in a house full of men, that only happens 1. if I"m home alone or 2. if I'm watching in the sewing room.) Here is a sneak peek at my wall hanging.

a star.....

a tree...or...a few trees...:-D

part of a panel...Those snowmen make me feel....a TITCH cooler! (ONLY a titch...)

and some pieced blocks.

maybe tomorrow I will have it all put together. Tonight we are out at the Peoria Sports Complex. That is the spring training home of the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres. Drew's team is in the district finals for Little League Juniors. They get to play on the big field under the lights! I'm excited ...except for the 115 degree heat predicted!

Tomorrow during the day will find me at the July meeting of the Arizona Long arm Quilters. I just love those ladies! This time we have a program and LUNCH! I come home SO jazzed!

Stay cool and keep sewing!

::::whine:::;

2010-07-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

ok, so with the best intentions of posting today,I burnt the ring finger on my left hand. i'm not going very far from my trusty piece of ice in a baggie at the moment. ( I have heard that is not really the thing to go..but it HURTS w/o it) I must be out of practice with the waffle iron. That and a Little League All Star game this afternoon/evening means I may not get much done in the sewing room. Maybe surfing with the computer mouse is more my speed. A quick check of clean baseball uniform items is in order too...hope to be back later....with out the baggie of ice!

design wall Monday

2010-07-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to play along each Monday. And MAYBE have something different up there every week. Boy, do I feel ambitious!

I'm working on piecing the backing for a USC quilt that is going to live with a friend of my husband. One of the men that goes with us to the beach house each fall. Last fall I had the top..but I never got it quilted. I hope USC does better this year..maybe this quilt will bring our friend luck!

close up of the USC fabric

update: Be sure to head over to Judy's blog to see what everyone else has on their wall..what fun!

an ahHA moment!

2010-07-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love when a new idea tickles your fancy..and then WORKS...really well!? I think it is one of the reasons I quilt! (among MANY MANY others!)

Last weekend, my friend wanted to quilt a quilt for a family that was moving away. The husband always put up the Christmas tree at their church, so she wanted to quilt a tree someplace on the quilt. She didn't want a tree panto..just a couple trees. I pawed thru my quilting books and Quiltmaker back issues to find a tree she liked, that I thought I could quilt. We found a couple...and now the dilemma....to quilt from the back like a panto? Or what is my other option? Now remember, I never got an owners class with Lucy. I"m flying by the seat of my pants most of the time. (with LOTS of help from my Gammill Yahoo group and MQR!). Then I remembered: I can use the laser stylus from the needle side (read: freemotion side). So..here is what we did:

First, I put the laser on the top of the machine. There is a post JUST for this option. Now I can point the light ON the quilt.

Next, I traced one of the trees I liked. (I labeled the copy where I found the tree pattern. Just in case I want to look for it again...I think this copy will go into a file marked :trees. Then next time I CAN look for trees, I just won't have to if this one or the other 3 I found will fit the bill.) Then I found the spot where I wanted the tree to go, put my needle down, and the laser light on the top of the tree. (you will notice too that I taped the corners with blue tape. This time of year, we use ceiling fans in EVERY room. The fan was moving the paper...so it got taped: worked like a charm...I love that stuff!)

Then I just quilted the tree, following along as I would with a panto. It was nice to be able to see as I quilted. If I was going to get too close to something, I could just modify the design as I went along. Kind of panto meets freemotion. I hope you can see the tree. We only put 3 on the whole top and the rest was stippled. I LOVED this method and will use it again! I spent more time looking for a tree, than I did moving that laser. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! I hope you will try this and let me know how it works for you.

I have been working hard to get my sewing room ORGANIZED! Just when I think I"m ready to take a picture, I find something ELSE to do...then I trash the whole place again! Its getting to the point I can ACTUALLY walk around in there (of course stepping over sleeping hulks of dogs..they get shooed frequently, but as soon as I plop down at the sewing machine, one sneaks back between the cutting and ironing tables...and we go round and round!). Soon I will be confident enough to show you some pictures...and then maybe I can work on the long arm room! HA! I must be feeling AMBITIOUS today! I think I may be alone next weekend...the anticipation must be going to my head....lolol

piecing batting

2010-07-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ready for another quick tip? Do you have pieces of left over batting? I do! Smaller scraps get saved with my left over quilting scraps and stuffed into dog beds. My local shelter loves them! But what about larger chunks? I have cut some to use on my swiffer...or dust with them. I think I have heard of someone washing those and using them again. I bet it was my blog friend Anita that came up with THAT idea! I regularly have larger pieces from my long arm. I have paid enough money for that batting... I don't want to cut it up or throw it away! So lets piece them and use them again!

My first tip? don't try to piece different TYPES of batting. I usually use Warm and Natural or Warm and White. DO piece like types.

Lay your pieces out and overlap the ends like this:

Make sure they overlap the whole length of the pieces.

Now use your long ruler to slice thru that overlap. You can remove the little slivers (and start stuffing your OWN dog bed!). ( I did try this without a ruler. It did not work for me. I had a bit of stretch and then the little variables in the edge didnt' line up. I like the straight edge better. What works for you?)

Take the two pieces to your sewing machine. Set the machine for a zig zag. You may have to practice on some of those slivers. You want to get a 'bite' of each side and still lay flat. The two sides will butt up against each other snugly. Try not to tug on the batting as it will stretch (ask me how I know!)

This has been pieced and is ready to use.

And here is the same piece loaded in a quilt on my frame.

Hope you found this helpful and happy frugality!

Quick Corners

2010-07-07T12:10:00.001-07:00

Have you heard of Quick or magic corners? You probably already know how to make them, but my Guild Bee is doing a Block of the Month. They will be using this technique, so I thougth I would do a quilt picture tutorial. Refreshers can be fun! Be sure to let me know if you have a different way to do these...or maybe a tip. I love to see how others do things. You never know when something will be YOUR 'ah HA' moment! Here we go.... (this is easy!...)....

Your pattern will call for 2 square. The large one is background. The small one will be the corner triangle.

On the back of the smaller square, mark the diagonal. you can use pencil if it will show enough for you to see, or sometimes I use a chalk marker. This will be your seam line.

place the smaller square in the desired corner of the larger square. On some projects or with directional fabrics, you will need to pay attention to this step. (ask me how I know!). Sew on this line.

Trim corner edge to 1/4 inch. Put the 1/4 inch line on the seam line to get a nice seam allowance. (some quilters wait to do this step after ironing : to make sure they have enough fabric in the corner. Some quilters do not trim.)

Iron your triangle out. You may iron the seam allowance to the triangle or to the background.

magic! No triangle were harmed in the making of this tutorial!

Thanks for visiting my blog. Tomorrow I will show how to piece batting. (I feel frugality coming on! Anita will be SO proud!

wow!

2010-07-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted! I have been READING blogs..just not motivated to WRITE one!

Here is a great picture! This quilt was made by one of my quilt students! She and her sister and mom were here in Phx. The men went to play golf, and the girls took my Fire Escape class. Miss E has hers FINISHED and ON the bed! I'm so proud! Don't you like the colors she picked? For me that is half the fun!

This is the top:

And here is the back. She took my advise and did a scrappy back! I'm so proud AGAIN!
Well done Miss E!

This is a Terry Atkinson pattern called Fire Escape. It reminds me of the play bill for West Side Story. One of my all time favs...its a fun pattern, and as you can see, can be done nicely by a beginner. This was Miss E's 1st quilt. Lets hope she has caught the quilt bug...

Pattern info

2010-05-27T22:35:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in either of these patterns:

The wrapped candy quilt is called "How Sweet it is!"
McCalls Quilting magazine march/april issue Here is the link to a picture of the one in the magazine.

The Star quilt is from a Terry Atkinson book. I can find it if anyone would like to know.

Aren't these darling?

2010-05-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple pictures of two quilts from a customer of mine. She graciously let me post some pictures. I had a blast quilting them. I loved the 'candy wrapper' one so much, I have already purchased border fabric for one of my own!

2010-04-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am a GREAT starter! I love the process of picking patterns, fabrics, modifying patterns and starting to sew! YIPPEEE! After a day or a week or so, reality HITS me! This is ALOT of work! lolol! I AM getting better..well..with Lucy's help! I started this BOM about 6 weeks ago. A new block is posted every other Monday. SO far I have kept up!

Block one

Block two

Block three

If you are interested, its a jelly roll BOM. (You can used your own 2 1/2 inch strips in place of a jelly roll...or even a nice set of FQ to start.) Head on over to Moose on the Porch if you would like to play along. All the links to pattern instructions are on the blog. You will have to scroll back a bit, but not too far. Come join the fun!

EARTHQUAKE!

2010-04-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

OK...so WIMPY AZ girl just about PANICS yesterday. I was sitting in the recliner trying to get over a migraine I woke up with. I was feeling better , and all of a sudden...ICK...I feel kinda dizzy..and nauseated again. But NOW all the pendant lights and the chandelier are swaying...and the pool water is SLOSHING.....EARTHQUAKE!

Of course it was all over the news this morning...but yesterday they were so fixated on telling the world that LA felt it, they never mentioned that AZ felt it too...No damage that I heard of on the news. Back soon with next step on round tote and some BOM jelly roll blocks I"m working on...

Hope you all had a Blessed Easter! I did!

its DONE

2010-03-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have been wresting with this quilt for about 3 weeks. I circled it for 3 weeks before THAT...and now..its DONE! YIPPPEEE! I will get to show it off at the AZ Long Arm guild on Saturday and deliver it on the way home. Thanks for looking!

I PROMISED!

2010-03-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

yes..I promised a second step yesterday. Today, despite a planned soccer 4 vs 4 soccer tournament, it RAINED...AGAIN...on a WEEKEND. Luckily for me, they actually cancelled it BEFORE we left the house! YIPPPEEE! I made pork chops in the crockpot yesterday, and I was the only one home to eat them. My husband was at a golf tournament for his old AF squadron..it included dinner...altho I didn't KNOW it included dinner. Our son was at a birthday party that included pizza...altho I didn't KNOW it included pizza. VOILA! An afternoon to myself...and dinner premade. HEAVEN! (I dont' want you to think I don't LOVE my family! I just don't get much time to get my projects done...and ...well..an afternoon to myself is a welcome break.)

On to the tote.

Now we are working on the long edges: one is the quilted edge and the other is the lining. They will not be sewn together on this step. If you have an uneven side seam (the short side), you may trim that up now. Be sure that if you trim up the 'good' side', you have lining underneath. (ask me how I know!).

On each long edge, zig zag over a heavier thread-being careful not to sew THRU that thread. You will use this to gather the edge. (my friend used dental floss...ooh MINTY! she said she had trouble with her thread breaking. I used hand quilting thread on one and just a heavier machine quilting thread on my 2nd one w/o any breaks.)

this is the quilted edge

this is the lining edge.

Now match the short end edges together lining to lining and quilt to quilt. You need to sew a seam along this line. I used a 1/4 but you can make it a bit larger if you like. Be sure to not sew thru your gathering stitches and leave a gap large enough to fit the 12 inch embroidery hoop thru. Backstitch each time you start and stop.
(you can see along the quilted edge that I didnt' take my own advise : trim the uneven quilted edge. I will do that now..and maybe carefully serge the edges where its sewn. Not the unsewn..will need an extra bit when I turn the tote)

if anyone can tell me how to turn this tutorial into .pdf files, I will try to do printable pages...

2010-03-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

:::;tap tap tap:::; Is this thing ON? I have the feeling I am missing something...that odd feeling...I didn't miss a birthday (at least not YET..give me time!)...no missed dentist/orthodontist/doctor visits....no missed soccer practice, quilting group/guild/meeting. We SURELY have not missed any MEALS! (ROTLF)

I'VE GOT IT! I missed posting steps for the round tote! Not once but TWICE! I'm SO SORRY...just for that, I will post 2 steps TODAY. And here is the 1st one:

After you top stitch along the seam on the pocket, get out what ever it is you might want to stash in said pocket. mark with a pencil or chalk wheel. Here is mine marked.

Stitch these lines. I did these in black, so you might JUST be able to see it! Be sure you are only stitching thru the LINING. Don't stitch thru the quilted bag body. (ask me how I know!) I'm off to see how much I need for a paper back book and a water bottle.

Back later or tomorrow for the 2nd step of the weekend. I wish I can grabbed my camera so you could see all the CUTE CUTE totes that showed up at my Lunch Bunch this week. SO CLEVER! And MORE ideas for handles..you will have a hard time choosing! Me too...

We have WINNERS!

2010-02-25T10:48:00.001-08:00

YIPPPEEE! This was fun! I tagged in each comment, either on the blog or by e-mail with a number. I found a random number generator over at mathgoodies and generated 3 numbers...because..well..I have THREE set of prizes! Thank you all for playing..and I promise not to wait TOO long before I do it again. (it was fun!..oh wait..I already said that!)

::::::::drum roll please:::: The winners are:

Joyce
Kathy at Fancy stitching
and Nn859 (she is from my aol chat room..and I have met her in PERSON!)

Congrats!

Please send me your snail mail addys.

I'm off to take quilty pictures...and to do tomorrow's tote info...see you in a bit...

INERTIA

2010-02-24T11:34:00.000-08:00

That is what I have a bad case of! I have been circling a wonderful Egg Money quilt my friend asked me to quilt fr TWO WEEKS. I worked on it JUST an hour last night. I think that cleared the log jam in my brain..but this DANG INERTIA! Once I'm up and going...I'm GOING...its just the getting going!

Pictures tomorrow!..Don't forget to leave me a comment for the give away! I will close it out tonight at 10PM MST. (ya had to think about THAT time zone, didnt
cha!?)...well this time of year, we are the same as Colorado..so think Denver.

Bloglines

2010-02-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

Anyone else having trouble with Bloglines today? Either NO ONE is blogging, or the updates are not working well. I think I must be addicted to some of them...I mean...where ARE those bloggers..and why have they not blogged TODAY??? (no, they are not allowed to have lives until their blogs are updated!)...(Julie No BLog is gonna have a CONNIPTION when she sees this...as...well...I'm not a very faithful blogger either!~ LOLOL)

well, at LEAST I posted the next step for the round tote LAST NIGHT, so it would be up early this morning. I really meant to have it post today, but I forgot how to set the timer, so to speak. Of course, as SOON as I posted it, I remembered....AHHH the 50+ yr old mind! (no sputtering Julie-No-Blog! You will be as OLD AS ME SOON! Muahahahahaha!)

I'm off to throw fabric around in the sewing room again. I actually cut fabric yesterday..that means you could SEE the cutting mat! WHOOPPPPEEEE!

round tote tutorial step 2

2010-02-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

ready? Ok...here goes step 2

Trim off the bottom edge of the tote body: trimming backing,batting and evening up the bottom.

line up the edge of your lining with the bottom of the tote. (don't worry about how much extra you have, we will trim it off in the next step. I sewed on my whole lining piece. We will use the trimmed part to make the pocket in a few steps) Sew right sides together using a 1/2 - 5/8 inch seam. ( I used 1/2 inch seam) Press seam toward the lining.

Fold the lining to the back, leaving about an inch of it showing on the top. Press lightly along that top edge, creasing the edge.

Trim the bottom edge: including the batting/backing, and lining fabric.

out of the trimmed lining, cut a piece 12 inches by the width of the fabric
****miyo alert*** You can use a different fabric for the pocket if you want.
press wrong sides together long ways (when you are done, you will have a piece 6 inches by the width of the fabric). Top stitch the folded edge. A decorative stitch would look nice here.

open up the lining from the body of the tote. measure up 3 inches from the cut edge of the lining. I marked mine with a chalk wheel. Place the cut edge of the pocket on this line, with the raw edge facing away from the bottom edge. Stitch a generous 1/4 inch seam. (you are just stitching thru the lining and pocket. Don't stitch this thru the body of the tote.)

I used the left side of my pressure foot for my 1/4 inch. If you are not comfortable with this, you can mark it with a chalk mark. I did this so I didn't have to stuff the whole tote thru the arm of my machine.

Pick the pocket up from the lining and fold back with the folded edge up toward the top of the tote. press lightly to crease.

top stitch along that edge you just pressed.

VOILA! you have finished step 2! look around at what you would store in these pockets to get ideas on how big you need them to be. Our 1st step next week will be sewing the pocket sizes.

no pictures

2010-02-18T09:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry..no pictures today. Actually you should THANK me! Remember that picture from yesterday showing my 'creative' sewing room? That was BEFORE I started pulling fabrics for some Camp Erin 'manly boy' quilts. You should see it now! (no...really, you SHOULDN"T). Its so bad in there now, the dogs don't even come in....wait...maybe that is a good thing! I can walk in there, but when my 4 footed kiddos follow me? I feel like I might break a leg or something!

OK..back to cutting those Camp Erin quilts...OH..and I need to do my step for the round tote for tomorrow! Gotta fly! bye!