I'm Back in the Groove

I finally have taken some pictures so that you can see what I have been up to. I am trying to multi-task - that is knit, stitch and quilt each day.

I am currently working on knitting hats for Christmas presents and for the homeless. Our quilt guild members made 350 hats last year that were distributed to soup kitchens and shelters. They are quick and I can usually complete one in an evening. No picture yet but it will come.

I am also working on a cross stitch project that will be a Christmas present. I have it ~2/3 completed and hope to get it done this weekend.

I have been making blocks as thank yous for the co-chairs of our day guild and one of our bee members.





















I am also working on finishing a BOM quilt top that I started in 2007. Of course, Kay and I are still working on our blue stars - it will take a few more months to finish that as we work on it on the first Thursday of each month. I have also finished a tree skirt - here are pictures of the front and back:

I'm Back in My Sewing Room

Well, what a good feeling. I am finally upstairs again working on several things. I completed a block for our outgoing guild president today and am also working on some really cute towels I bought at our quilt show last weekend.

Kay and I sewed together today - the first time in at least three weeks. We always get a lot accomplished and today was no different. I'll post some pictures when I remember to bring my camera upstairs.

Tomorrow will probably be another good day to sew as they are predicting rain all day. What else is there to do on a rainy day?

What A Success!

The quilt show is over and I am awake but not doing much today. This has been a really busy week since I returned from Houston late Monday and had judging, set up, hanging and vendors and then two days of the show. Take down went very smoothly and the pipe and drape have returned to their home not to be seen again for two years.

And, what a show it was! No numbers yet but we had a lot of people attend and lots of compliments from them and the vendors. The quilts were absolutely beautiful. We have so many talented members in our guild. Congratulations to all of our winners!

The Quilt Show

Well, the first day of the show is over and it went well. We had people waiting to get in at 10:00 a.m. and still had a couple of stragglers looking at quilts at 6:00 p.m.

The quilts are beautiful - so much eye candy it is almost overwhelming. Here are pictures of Jen's prize winning quilt and my lighthouse quilt that I finally finished after working on it for 2+ years - the delay came after I fell but it was still a lot of work.




You may notice that there is a ribbon on it - here is a closeup - sorry to brag but I am pleased.

Here are pictures of the Peony Shop (items for sale by the guild that were made by members) and the raffle baskets (Terry did a fabulous job on them).
















Tomorrow is the final day - we are hoping for a good turnout again. Hope you can come by if you are in the area.

One Show Is Over; The Next One Begins

Well, I'm back from Houston. Quilt Festival was as good as ever. The quilts were outstanding (I will post pictures as soon as I get my laptop back from the repair shop - hopefully today) and there were 900 vendors. Talk about visual overload!!

Today I am off to assist with judging for our guild quilt show which is this weekend. Tomorrow is pipe and drape assembly, Thursday is hanging and then the show for two days. We have ~350 quilts to display plus the small quilt auction, guild Peony Shop, two featured artists, bed turning and more. If you are in the area, please try to stop by. The location is Westfield Middle School at the intersection of State Highways 31 & 32 north of Indianapolis.

We Went on a Shop Hop

Yesterday was a lot of fun - three of my fellow bee members and I went on a shop hop to three local shops. None of them had ever been to Shiisa Quilts in Bloomington so that was our first stop. The shop is normally closed on Monday but Jan said "Come ahead!" So, off we went. The weather was cool and the leaves are starting to turn so it was a pretty ride. Jan was waiting for us and, as it turned out, members of her bee were there working on projects. We had a great time (and I sold more raffle tickets for our guild quilt - see picture below) and Jan, Kathy and Pat went to lunch with us. Lennie's is really good and a definite place to try if you are in Bloomington.

After lunch we headed over to Ady's in Morgantown. We didn't stay as long but still managed to buy a few things and leave them smiling.

On to Greenwood where we stopped in at The Back Door. Loralei loves batiks so she was in heaven. It is hard to choose when there are so many beautiful fabrics.

On the whole I was pretty good yesterday as I am leaving for Quilt Festival in Houston tomorrow. Today I am finishing up my last of three quilts that will be hung in our guild show in two weeks. Have to get them done and in to Jen as dropoff day is this Saturday and I will be looking at lots of other quilts. :)

If anyone is interested in tickets for the raffle quilt (it's all batiks - the background is navy batik), just let me know and we can work something out. The tickets are $1 each or 6/$5. It is a queen sized quilt.

More later - I'm off to finish sewing down my sleeve and adding the requisite label. I'll post pictures of the quilts going in the show when they are hung. The lighting is better and they show up better.

Here is the raffle quilt:

I'm Having Fun!!!

Yesterday and today I took workshops with Debbie Bowles. She is a really neat lady and a good teacher. I don't have yesterday's project sewed together enough to show yet but I do have today's fairly far along. Here it is:
Cutting free form curves was really neat. You have to take a deep breath when you do your first one but once you do it goes pretty easily. Sewing them together is a breeze as long as you don't get your pieces flipped (which I didn't do!).

I want to get the strips sewn together so that I can take it on our field trip on Monday to Shiisa. Jan has some great contemporary fabrics that I want to audition for the border. Debbie suggested black which I am seriously considering with a scrappy binding made up of the fabrics in the body of the quilt. Any thoughts?

No Pictures

It's been a while since I have posted but I have completed a few things. Unfortunately my laptop is in the shop with plug problems and I can't post any pictures. I'll definitely catch up with them. I'm hoping to get my laptop back by the end of the week or early next week.

I finished my block of the month top - it is so bright and cheery. I can't wait to get it quilted and the binding done so that I can put it out.

Last Saturday Jen and I spent the day together and got in some good sewing time while the kids were napping. I pulled out a winter pillow pattern and fabric that I discovered while looking for something else - imagine that! I really like the pattern and the fabric so I whipped it out in no time. I think you will like it too.

I basted a neat Christmas wallhanging at workday yesterday and just have to quilt it quickly in my best style - stitch in the ditch! :)

I am getting my quilts ready for the quilt show on the 23rd and 24th. The pillowcases are ready so I should be able to bag them tomorrow. I have to get them done early as I leave for Houston next Wednesday to go to Quilt Festival. I am actually going alone this year (one of my friends wanted to go but has conflicts) for the first time since I have lived in Indiana. I am looking forward to seeing all of my friends and fellow bee members. We will get together on Thursday night for dinner and show and tell. A fun night for all.

That's about it for now. I am off to my sewing room - I have Jack and Jenna here overnight but they asked to go to bed! How good is that!

A Neat Workshop

George Siciliano spoke to our guild at our September meeting. The man is nuts!!! He makes the smallest quilts I have ever seen - they have tons of pieces in them and are really neat. I took his workshop on Friday and had a great time. I have only completed one block but it was fun. I enjoy his technique and plan to make 17 more to finish a 15" x 15" quilt. Here is a picture of my block - I took it next to my rotary cutter so that you can get the proper perspective on the actual size (3 1/2" x 3 1/2").

I've Been Busy

Well, I'm still here. It seems like I haven't posted in ages but I have accomplished a good bit.

I finished my patriotic table runner - one more UFO done. Here it is - only it's on the ironing board, not the dining room table which is it's official home.

I also started and finished a Halloween wallhanging for my daughter-in-law. She picked it out last fall and I wanted to get it done in time for her to hang it this Halloween.


I also got a good start on Christmas presents; I started and finished pillowcases for Jenna and Jack and a runaround bag for a friend. It is nice to have them ready to go!

Lots to Show

Let me preface this post by advising you that the loud thud you heard a while back was most likely Jennifer fainting when she sees this and realizes that I actually got all the pictures not only loaded but in the right place!

It's been awhile since I posted because I have been trying to complete some of my UFO's.

Today I mailed Brit's birthday present so that is completed. The heart wallhanging is a Sweet 16 birthday present for a lovely young lady. I have known her since she was born and can't believe that she is now driving. Oh my, how quickly the time goes by.

I have also taken two quilts to my longarmer but won't get them back for a few weeks. I am posting pictures of them because I did get them assembled.



The red, black and white top is my railroad quilt. It was a block of the month from Fennell's in Arcadia. I had the blocks done for a long time but couldn't decide how to finish it. Jen won a book and I found the finish in there. I am pleased with it and can't wait to see it quilted. I assembled the top at sewing day at Shiisa a couple of months ago. I really enjoy the sewing days and get a lot accomplished plus I get to sew with a neat bunch of ladies. Jan is very generous in opening her shop to our online group - actually, I think she enjoys it too. :)

My lighthouse quilt was probably the most difficult thing I have worked on yet. It was a combination of piecing and applique and everything had to fit together! I started it before I fell so it has been a long time finishing. I plan to hang it in our guild's quilt show in October. I am glad to have it done and very pleased with the result.











I have also done a couple of small projects. Our bee makes blocks for our members so I have posted a picture of the basket blocks I made for Kay and the civil war blocks I made for Kathy. Our next project is paper-pieced 4" blocks in the Delectable Mountains pattern. I'll post that when I finish tearing my hair out! I also made another Take Along Purse for a Christmas present. Well, I can't find the pictures of Kathy's blocks so they will come later.

A Wonderful Project

Yes, I am still around. I haven't posted in ages - I have been working on many projects and have actually completed a few and will post them later.

I did want to pass along this link for making Patriotic Pillows to be mailed to servicemen and women. They are small, quick and easy. Our guild has worked on Quilts of Valor but they take a lot longer and this is also a good project for using up scraps.

http://patrioticpillowproject.org/?page_id=10

Progress???

Well, I just looked at my posted UFO's (I have marked the completed ones with a red *) and am surprised that I don't seem to be making a lot of progress. I have completed several things but not many of them are on my lists. Oh well, I have one more block to do to get caught up on my blue and white stars project and I'll get back to my list.

Of course, I added several more things to work on after my trips to Paducah and Columbus, OH. I have put myself on a strict "no buy" regimen for a while in the hope that I can get some new ones under way (only to become more UFOs) and complete some current UFOs.

Oh my - so many projects, so little time.

I'm Making Progress

I've been busy working on the star quilt that a friend and are are working on together. It was a block of the month kit that we bought for half price (good deal - ~15 yards of fabric plus the pattern for $99). I have never seen so many stars in my life - tons of cutting lots of small pieces. It will be so nice when it is finished but getting there will be challenging.

I have finished some of my UFO's and done a couple of small Start to Finish projects. The small bag is neat and will be good for traveling. The batik square is foundation pieced and will be donated to my guild's Small Quilt Auction at our quilt show in October. The snowman is a quick cross stitch project that I really enjoyed. It has beading on it.

I also finished four blocks for a fellow bee member - I don't care for 30's fabrics but the pieces were small. :) I also finished my blue and yellow wallhanging. That was a quick one.

I'm still here

Yes, I'm still here - I made a premie quilt last but didn't get around to posting it. I used some of the fancy stitches on it as well as embroidered the baby's name. The fabric is so busy you can't see either. Lesson learned.

Yesterday I got my blocks from last year's BOM from Back Door assembled. It still needs borders but at least it is in one piece now.

I also made four blocks for a bee member - she asked for two but I volunteered for four and they went together quickly.

Here are pictures of the premie quilt and the top but my camera isn't cooperating and won't download the blocks. I'll try tomorrow.

Look What I Found!

Well, I have finished one more project but haven't posted its picture yet. That will come. Since I first posted my UFO list I have been looking around my sewing room - big mistake! Now I am adding just a few more items to the list so here goes:

16. Lighthouse quilt - quilt and bind
17. 2008 BOM - make alternate blocks, assemble, quilt and bind
*18. Batik Wallhanging for the Guild Small Quilt Auction at the Quilt Show in October
*19. Brit's birthday wallhanging - quilt, bind and mail
20. Socks for me - I won't work on those until August
21. Socks for Jen - I'll work on these after I complete #20
*22. Patriotic Table Runner - quilt and bind
23. Glory Be! wallhanging - blocks are made, assemble,quilt and bind

Well, that isn't as bad as I thought but I guess I do have enough to keep me busy for a while.

Another one done

Jen here posting for my mom (in all fairness, she is sitting just across the couch from me, but she is working on a cross stitch project). This is a baby quilt that she bought at least 8 years ago to make for one of our exchange students when he had his first child. Never happened, but she did put it together last year and I quilted it for her on my hq earlier this year. She got the binding done and now it will be a charity quilt for our guild. Another one done, only about 47 left (muah, ha, ha, ha - that's what she gets for letting me post!).

Finished My First One

Here is my first finished UFO - the Christmas table runner that I have been working on way too long. I needed some extra fabric, had to put together the batting and then get it quilted. Not too hard but I just kept putting it off. Thanks for the swift kick!

I will be adding more items to my UFO list - I have been looking around my sewing room as well as getting prodded by Jennifer. Will I get them all done? We'll see. I guess I will be around for a loooooooong time. :)

My list of UFO's

*1. Christmas table runner - just needs the binding sewn down
2. Quilted Santa - all cut out and just needs to be assembled
3. Halloween Table Runner - has to be quilted and bound
4. Christmas Block of the Month Quilt - I started this in the late 80's or early 90's and now I don't know how to quilt it - guess I will decide!
*5. Charity quilt - quilted by my daughter on her HQ16 and I have to finish it
6. Railroad quilt - I have 12 neat blocks that have to be set, quilted and bound. I finally figured out how I want to finish it so now I just have to get the fabric I need.
7. Carol's Bear - I have had this bear cut out for many, many moons - it is only two pieces and should go together fairly easily - we will see.
8. Christmas wallhanging - I'll have to look again - can't remember this one.
9. Fat Quarter Quilt - it is assembled but has to be quilted and bound. This one is only 3+ years young!
10. Jen's sweater - very close
11. Nancy Odom Block of the Month Quilt - has to be quilted and bound
12. Baby cross stitch for one of my grands
13. Snowman sweatshirt - we'll see if I finish this one
*14. Snowman cross stitch - almost done
15. Jenna's sweater - I've been working on this for a while and have changed the pattern at least once!