Wow! It's November already

I can't believe that it is November!  It doesn't seem like two years ago that we started planning our guild's quilt show.  It was last weekend and it was, I say modestly since I was the chair, a great success.  My committee was wonderful and worked very hard.  The quilts were just stunning as usual.  The Small Quilt Auction and Silent Auction were very profitable.  The Peony Shop (items made and/or donated by our members) was very popular.  Isn't it funny how you work and plan for something for a long time (Christmas, a party, etc.) and all of a sudden you are looking back on it?

My  friend Aljean (we've known each other since her youngest and my oldest were in preschool and they are both turning 40 this year!) came last week and worked her tail off.  Her flights were delayed and she didn't get here in time to watch the judging but she did get to help with setup, hanging, white gloving and takedown.  I told her I would work her if she came.  Boy was she surprised!  I don't think anyone realizes how much work it is to plan and carry out a quilt show until you actually take part in it.  She left on Friday to go visit her sister in California and to get some much needed rest.


Actually while she was here we did get quite a bit accomplished.  She finished a jelly roll quilt top that is quite stunning.  She left it for Jennifer to quilt.  She also made the back for a top she brought with her and we got that over to Paul to quilt.  Her grandaughter who is living in Indy for the next three years while her husband is in law school will bind both of them for her when they are quilted.  I finished quilting my Debbie Bowles quilt and sewed on binding and sleeve.  No time to stitch down the binding but I hope to do that this week.  It was my October UFO for Judy Laquidara's UFO Challenge so my finish will be close.  

I have also been knitting - I have finished one scarf for Special Olympics and am working on the second one. The color in the picture isn't great - it is red and blue. Here is the link for the patterns in case anyone is interested in making one or two (http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/).  They are easy patterns and go very quickly.  I also bought more yarn (just what I need!!!) yesterday when Jen and the kids and I went to Threads of Time Quilt Shop and Retreat Center in Danville, IL.  It is a dangerous place for me as they have a yarn store in the middle of the shop.  Jenna picked out some pink yarn for a hat which shouldn't take me too long.


On Wednesday, Aljean and I went to stitch group.  I finally got to work on Jen and Mike's wedding announcement (I should finish it soon as they were married 11 years yesterday) again.  I had put it aside for the last couple of weeks while working on the show.  While at Needle Fever

I picked up a quickie project that I did one day since I had forgotten my huge bag of floss (talk about a senior moment!) and wanted something to work on.  Karen framed it for me and did a great job.


I plan to get into my sewing room today and get packed up for our bee workday tomorrow.  We are going to do a jelly roll challenge.  I sewed my strips together when I had my weekly sewing day with Kathy and Kay on Thursday so I am ready to go.  Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Last weekend was the Shipshewanna retreat.  Jen, Kathy, Loralei and I went last year and had a great time.  We sewed with Judy Laquidara and made some new friends and really enjoyed ourselves.  We had to miss this year because of the quilt show but have already printed out our forms for next year.  Can't wait to go back to Lolly's again - their bargain basement is larger than a lot of quilt shops I have been in.


In addition to everything else that has been going on I have been keeping my boss's dog Yukon for the last week and a half while she and her husband have been at Quilt Market (Whimiscals)

and then on a cruise to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.  He is a lot of fun and Jenna has absolutely fallen in love with him.  Next Wednesday morning will be a sad day when she gets her in the morning before school and he is gone.  She knows he will be going home but I know how much she will miss him.

Can you tell that I finally figured out how to link websites to my blog?  Amazing for an old lady!  Hope you have a good week and gets lots accomplished!

Question?

I was just updating my 2011 Project List and I'm really pleased with the progress that I have made.  In addition to the completions from it, I have done several other projects.  Yesterday, I laid out my blue stars blocks that I have been working on with Kay for at least a year.  I was delighted to find out that I have two complete segments and three partial segments (out of 15) to complete.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!

My questions is this:  I have finished the top of the snowman quilt that I started a year ago at the Shipshewanna retreat.  The only problem is that I used a SewFine pencil to mark the words for embroidery and now I can't get the pencil marks to go away.  Any suggestions?  I have tried the SewFine liquid mixed with water and also the SewFine eraser - both with no luck.  I don't know if I can wash the top as the snowmen have wool eyes, noses and mouths.  I am afraid they will run like crazy.  Also I did the embroidery with black floss and I am concerned that it might run also.  I guess one option would be to take off the embroidered strip, do a more careful job of marking and re-embroider the words.  Obviously, that is not my first choice.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Have a great weekend - the weather here is very nice - warm, dry and no humidity although I am ready for cooler weather.  :)

Another One Done!!!

I am delighted to report that I finished my UFO for September - actually two days early!  Here is a picture of it taken early in the morning (see my socks but not my nightshirt - thanks Jen!) so the lighting wasn't the greatest:

I have completed seven UFOs so far this year and hope to get at least one or two more done.

Have a great weekend.

Carol

A Strange Noise

I am sitting here tonight stitching (a really cute, quick project), watching the Colts game and listening to it rain. Yes it is really raining!  It rained some yesterday, overnight and a good part of today.  We are so far behind on rain and this is good.  Up until a few minutes ago it was a nice steady rain - now it is coming down pretty heavily.  Don't get me wrong - I am not complaining at all!!  I just wish I could send some of this rain down to Texas.  It is so bad down there - they need rain much worse than we do.

I  have a few pictures to post.  I don't know where the time goes.  My summer was busy.  I don't know if I have mentioned that I am chairing my guild's quilt show which is October 28 and 29.  It has not been a  terribly difficult job as I have a wonderful committee that is working very hard and doing their jobs very well.  I still have to keep up with all that is going on, answer questions and make some decisions.

Here are a couple of  pictures of our guild's raffle quilt:

"Batik Bouquet"

Closeup of center applique

It was made by one of the bees in the guild.  Didn't they do a marvelous job?  It is all batiks and the center is hand appliqued.  In case you want a chance to own this quilt, let me know.  Tickets are $1 each or 6/$5.  The drawing will be at our guild meeting in November so you have plenty of time to get tickets.

I continue to keep busy knitting and stitching as well as quilting.  Here are a couple of pictures of recently finished projects:

Jen did a nice job of quilting this one

For Susan's birthday in memory of her dog

Socks for Susan and a dishcloth for Ann

I am also mentoring Lois' great niece for her Senior Project.  She chose quilting so we have been working together for a few months now on her quilt.  She had never quilted before she started so it has been quite a learning experience for her.  She now has her top assembled and today we sandwiched it and she marked it for quilting.  She is using fabric from Lois' stash which I think would please Lois greatly.  I'll post pictures when she finishes.

In addition, I am now working part time for Terri Degenkolb, the owner of Whimsicals (www.whimsicalquilts.com).  She lives in Noblesville (about 45 minutes from my house) and works out of her home.  She is a great designer - she produces two fabric lines and at least two books each year.  I am helping with lots of things - taking orders, packing and shipping orders, web site, cutting fabric, invoicing, etc.  We have a good time together and I really enjoy it.

Well, the game is getting exciting and I usually don't get very excited about football games so I'll go for now.

July UFO Challenge

Well, I didn't get around to posting my June finish (two snowman pillows) and I don't have a picture of them yet but I do have a picture of my July finish.  I bought this kit at 50% and thought it would be fun (read easy) to do since there was not matching of points, etc.  Well, guess what?  It is done and I don't think I will do it again.  It took forever to cut out all those strips and some were quite narrow (cutting is not my favorite part of a project).  Then I started sewing them together - I tried to be as careful as possible with the 1/4" seams and I think I did pretty well but it seemed like I just sewed and sewed and sewed.  When I got it all together I decided that I would quilt it myself.  I stitched in the ditch down the pastel stripes and then quilted a leaf pattern in the wider strips.  Since I am not confident about free motion quilting, I traced the leaf pattern on to cash register tape (thanks, Jan) and quilted over it.  I think it turned out okay but that sure was a lot of paper to take off (thanks, Alice).  Here are a couple of pictures of the finished quilt:

Unfortunately the quilting doesn't show up too well but I hope you get the idea.  Oh yes, my friend was very surprised and like the quilt a lot.

Be sure to check Judy Laquidara's blog in two or three days to see how others have done with their July projects.

I'm on a tear!

Yesterday I finished six pet beds that will be donated to the Humane Society.  Jennifer suggested to our bee that we save all of our quilting scraps and make them into pet beds.  I have been saving for a while but didn't realized how much I had.  I keep looking at the bags and telling myself to get the beds made.  When I sewed with Kay yesterday I decided to work on them since I didn't have any specific project for the day.  I still have enough for at least one more bed so will get more fabric from Jen (old stuff that she will never use).  Here they are:

If you have lots of scraps and just throw them away, think about making these beds.  These are good for the animals, especially in the winter, and are totally machine washable.

I've been stitching!

Don't know where the time goes - it seems like it was March just a few weeks ago and I was enjoying the snow at Solitude with Eric and his family.  I had a great time and really had fun with Mr. Alex.  Also got to see one of the girls who was in my GS troop and her family.  The boys played well together.  Here's a picture of the two cuties (Alex is in the blue):

Since I got home I have been doing even more stitching (can't figure out why this is underlining - bear with me).  Here are some pictures of three pieces that I finished.  I had to wait to post them since they were gifts.

 

Now I am working on Jen and Mike's wedding cross stitch.  Since they have been married 10 1/2 years I figured it was time to start on it.  I've put it off because it is 30 count fabric over one thread.  I am making good progress on it and hope to finish it by the end of the year.  I told them good things come to those who wait!  :)

I have completed a few other quilting and knitting projects but I'll put those in another post - maybe I won't wait quite as long.

Have a good weekend and try to stay cool.  It hit 100 degrees here yesterday.  For this heat I could still be in Houston!