2014 Last Finishes and New Project Plans

I don't know about you, but I have a ton of projects in the UFO (Un-Finished Object) stages.  Some of them are finished blocks that just need to be sashed or sewn together and then borders added (or not) and some of them just need one or two borders added to be a complete quilt top.  This year (2015) I am going to complete a few of those items (mainly because I need the plastic tubs they reside in for more fabric and projects).  Below is one of those items that just needed a few steps to be called complete.  I have blogged about this one before (picked up the jelly roll at the Lovington, New Mexico store on a shop hop a couple of years ago, tried to find yardage of this fabric - no luck, just need to finish blocks, add a border, etc.)  Well, now it is a finished QT (quilt top) and the next thing I will whine about is having to make a back for this thing and get it quilted, but not today. : )  I know this isn't the best picture, but I promise to get one made as soon as I return to school and can post it up on my white board.  I just don't have the space here at my house to do that.  Truthfully, I just needed to post a picture of the colors so my mother could see them.

 

 

 

 

While I have been on winter holiday, I have scrolled through some blogs and pinterest (just a bit) and found a couple of items I wanted to make.  The first of those was a trash bag for my car.  I read through the directions while I was writing them down and asked myself, why?  So, being me, I threw away what I had written down and did it my way.  Below is my prototype.  The fabric is from a pair of pants that had ripped, but I thought the fabric was interesting and would make cool grocery bags. So, I cut apart the pants and kept the usable bits.  Then I cut them up even more and made this bag.  Instead of having a separate lining and a timtex insert, I did a self lining and inserted the timtex in between (next time I will sew it in instead of trying to line up seams)  I have also included a handle with button holes that attach to a button sewn on the back (sorry no picture of that) The handle can go around the stick shift to hold the bag in place.  If anyone knows me, you know I have a problem with trash in my car (I have a lot of it) Maybe this will help me keep it corralled and make it easier to dispose of.  I can put a plastic trash sack inside this bag to keep it all in one place (and not all over the passenger floor like it is now)

 



 

 

 I need to try it out in my car - in a few days after all the ice has melted and it is safe to drive in town again.  (yesterday afternoon, according to the news, the police were working 20 wrecks that happened within a one hour period  AND by the 10 o'clock news, Midland police had worked over 100 wrecks!  That is how inexperienced and crazy people around here are on the ice and why I choose to stay at home!  I think most of these people think that if you just speed up, you can slide to where you want to go) I had a great time at the store yesterday morning (about 8:30 or 9 - before it iced over) meeting up with friends who were also stocking up on supplies and trying to get off the road before the crazies woke up.  I wouldn't have had to go if I had just remembered to get black eyed peas when I went a couple of days ago!  Oh, well, it was good to see my friends at the store. 

Now to go work on my word of the year.  Last year, you may recall, my word was

And even though I struggled with this at the beginning and ends of the year, I did get out and be more social.  (my friends may not think so, but I really did do a bit more stuff)  I will continue to try being more social this year, too, but I am adding another word to my list.  I will post it as soon as I have my quilted word done.  I think I will do pieced letters for this one.  (a new technique!)

Two New Tops

I am sitting here playing Candy Crush (don't hate me) and every time I begin this game (level 152) I forget that the sound of the boxes breaking sounds like my toe breaking and it makes me nauseous for the for a little while until I get used to that sound.  Speaking of which, how long should it take for a bone to heal?  It seems like it is taking forever for my toe to heal.  (it hasn't even been a month yet)  I don't think it took this long for my little toe to heal, but I have to remember that I shattered that toe back in the 70's and that every time I break it now, it is just the shattered pieces putting themselves back together in a hodge podge way to create some kind of stability in that toe.  I think I have broken that little toe about 6 times now.  The toe that it currently broken is the toe next to my big toe and it hurts!!  It has hurt since day one.  Sorry, didn't mean to start this out to make anyone else nauseous, too. 

What I did get on here to do was to post these two quilt tops.  I don't think I have posted them yet since I still had them on my camera and not in my computer files so here are the latest two tops I have completed.  A while back I asked for your opinion on which border you thought I should go with - the flowers or the plaid.  I only had one friend post and she said to go with the flowers.  That was the way I was leaning also so that is what I did.  This one I call Christmas Crosses and it was a lot of fun to put together.  I think I blogged about it here.  (hopefully I will go back through the blog and find the particular one in question and link it to the word here in the previous sentence.  Otherwise that sentence is useless)

 

 

This next one I have named Lovington Quilt.  This is from a $5.00 packet of fat quarters, some fabric from my stash and JoAnn's for the borders and here it is.  I think I blogged a bit about it here.  (see the part above about linking, etc.  Sorry if it doesn't get linked up, but it is 11:30 while I type this) 

 

 

 

Normally I like to start a new quilt this week or at the very least on New Year's day, but I am thinking that I really, really need to empty some tubs (so I can put new fabric in them) and get some of those blocks and partial blocks and projects finished up.  The last couple of days (okay - yes, it's been over a two day time period, but it has only been about 6 hours or so of actual working time) I have pulled one project out and finished up the blocks and they are now sewn into rows and then tomorrow I will put the rows together and try to find some fabric in my humongous stash to use for a border (or two or three).  This latest one was a jelly roll of very unusual fabrics that I picked up at Lovington two years ago on the first shop hop and there was no yardage at that store (I have checked several times in the last two years) and no yardage anywhere (at least not anywhere that I have found) that matches this fabric.  I can't remember the company, but I do remember it was one I had never heard about before.  I will hopefully be able to post pictures tomorrow.  We will see how I figure out to do that.  Or like before, you may have to wait until I go back to school and I can hang them on my white board like the two above.  

Stocking Swap Exchange

The plan was to go to the laundry mat today and finally wash those chef jackets and hats from school.  However, it's a rainy cold morning and I am not sure I want to get out into that mess.  Maybe a little bit later - or like this summer, not at all, LOL.  Yesterday, a few of us met up at McAllister's here in Odessa and exchanged our Stocking Swap goodies  There were only three of us participating thing year - which is good, more is better - but, the fun part was there were 4 others that came along just to eat, visit and see what all we made and got to take home. 

Even though it's raining, that sounded like ice hitting the window just now.  I don't think it is, considering we have been in the mid to upper sixties to lower 70's for about a week now, but wouldn't it be fun to have a bit (just a bit) of the white stuff for Christmas?  I know it won't stick or stay around unless we have some colder weather, but a girl can wish, can't she?  I only say this because I know I might not be getting out on Christmas day and therefore won't be driving in any of it. 

Back to my tale of Swapping.   We were there almost 3 hours visiting and swapping goodies and it was such a pleasure being "social" with my friends in another setting other than Bee.  Even though I love going to Bee Friends group, it was just another special time with just a few close friends.  Maybe the next time (if there is a next time - we will see at the end of 2015 if there are any interested parties for the 2016 year Swap.   I only host them in even years!) we will have more that want to participate and we have to "rent" out a room somewhere for a special party.  That would be sooo cool!!! 

Oh, yes, the swap. I know you are biting at the bit wanting to see pictures so, here are some of the stuff I made that was swapped.  First up is a pot holder.  This one I made a couple of years ago - I couldn't find one I had made more recently when I was wrapping the packages for the swap.  (more on that later).  This one is made with Christmas fabrics and is quilted as I stitched.  I was demo-ing for our group and made this one.  As you will see, Liz got my Swap goodies. 

 Next up is the mug and mug rug.  I got the mug at Tuesday Morning about a year ago and made this specifically for this swap.  I loved the little houses on the mug (changing stations at the beach) and decided to make a rug that matched or was a close match.  This one was fun to do.  I may have blogged about it back in January, but that was a long time ago, so here it is again.  The mug is a delicate cup and I suspect it will be used for hot tea and cider instead of coffee.

 

My journal cover was an "I am not wanting to do the current project, so let me just sew some stuff together" happenstance.  After sewing "stuff" together, I thought I could use that fabric to make my journal cover, so I did.  I really like the way this turned out.  I even had fun quilting it (large triangles that sometimes go all the way to the top and definitely cross over each other) That band of fabric goes all the way around the cover.  With this one you also give a nice pen and I gave her a sharpie pen that writes in turquoise ink.  This cover is made to go over the standard size college journal books that can be found almost anywhere so once she fills this one up, she can just take the book out and put in a new journal.  *note to self - make yourself a journal cover some day soon!!  

This is one of my favorite pillow covers of all time and I didn't even make it and I can't believe I gave it away!!  I love this one.  I acquired this cover one day when a bunch of goodies came into our group and it all needed to go to a nice home or get thrown out.  Of course, when I spotted this jewel, I knew it had to go home with me immediately!  I have never used it and have just admired and petted it for years, but when it came time to wrap up the gifts, the pillow cover I had originally made for this swap, just didn't want to leave my house and this one volunteered to go in it's place.  Thank you for the sacrifice and now I need to make me my very own bull's eye pillow cover.  (I think it secretly knew it would be going to Liz's home since she was part of the bull's eye party that helped me make my own bull's eye quilt)

 



The placemats, there are 4 of them, came about because I had this fat quarter stack of fabrics and thought that they would make lovely placemats.  They all have insulbright inside so you can place a hot plate on them if you need to.  Each one of them is unique since I didn't have a pattern, but just cut  up squares and rectangle willy nilly and sewed them together quilting as I went.  Some sections got added in chunks, but for the most part it is a flip, sew and quilt.  The binding is all sewn down by hand.  



Okay, I gave in and purchased a travel sewing kit.  I know, it's bad to give in to peer pressure all the time, but in this case, I am glad I did.  I found this lovely kit at The Sewing Cottage in Andrews and in each one of our boxes/bags we all got a store purchased travel kit.  It's not what I had originally planned for this swap, but it works.  I made a prototype of a sewing kit, but haven't put it to the test quite yet.  I will show it in a future posting and then discuss the pros and cons of it.  This sewing kit has a good size pair of scissors inside and Liz loved the clear plastic case so she could easily see what this zippered pouch contained.  (also in this picture are the placemats and pot holder)

 

 

I had picked up two needlepoint stockings at an estate sale that I was going to include in this swap, but since I knew the three people swapping were all single ladies, giving two stockings (even though they could give them to someone else) seemed like one too much and I think these should stay together.  So, I went to my box of made goodies and pulled a stocking I made a couple of years ago.  This one is made from leftover fabrics from a quilt I recently got back from the quilter.  (I probably should have kept this, also)  It's a good size stocking and fairly light weight since the only part that has any batting is the cuff.  (it is lined so when you stick your goodies inside it doesn't mess up your seams and come unstitched.  A bright colorful stocking to hang on your mantle.  

 

 

Last, but not least, of the pictures I took and didn't delete off my phone, are the pillow cases.  I loved this fabric when I was making these, but didn't have a place/person in mind and they have been sitting in my quilt room for a couple of years.  Here again, when it came time to wrap pillow cases, these jumped up and volunteered to go and they are perfect for Liz.  

 

Along with these items, Liz also received a book, some nuts and candy, a pin cushion and pins, an ornament and a bag.  I had some pictures of a few of these on my phone, but deleted them because I thought I had better pictures previously posted on my blog, but I apparently do not.  Oh, well.  Maybe next time I will think sooner to get my phone out and take pictures of everyone's goodies.  Sometime this week I will post pictures of what I received (it's all still in the box).  

 

I think I am ready to post this.  I hope that it hasn't messed up with bits inside other bits of writing.  It has been randomly moving things around and deleting other items while I am typing (one of the pitfalls of typing on a laptop)   It deleted entire sections at one point and if it hadn't saved it on it's own, you wouldn't have anything to read at all.  Merry Christmas to everyone!







Jingled!

I got Jingled!!  What is that?  At our school we like to change things up a bit and try new practices.  This years Christmas practice, instead of drawing names and giving several small and one large gift to a single person, we have been divided into two groups (we have a very small campus inside a larger campus.  We have a red group and a green group of about 6 or so people) and one person gives a gift to anyone on the - let's say green - list.  Then you put a jingle elf outside your door letting everyone know you have received a jingle gift and you have 24 hours to jingle someone else on the list.  The trick is to figure out who hasn't been jingled - the reason for the jingle elves.  No one is to know who jingles who (or is it whom? I always get this wrong).  The good thing is I have the entire weekend to gather together the gift I wish to give.  Plus make 4 dozen cookies for a cookie exchange on Monday, plus get together my finals for my classes, plus finish sewing that one last item on my stocking swap that I still haven't figured out what I want to do, plus . . . the umpteen million other things I need to do this weekend.  Thank goodness this jingle thing is the easiest.  Okay, what did I get?  I know you have all been chomping at the bit to see so . . .

 

 

It's an apple shaped canister that was filled with these marvelous Lindor truffles - they taste like coconut cream inside - they are to die for!!  I have never had them before.  AND Ferero Rocher.  I will confess I have already had two pieces this morning - okay two of each!  AND a wonderful Candlewishes soy candle in Creme Brulee.  I wish I had my candle warmer here so I could smell up my classroom.  (we can't light candles at school)  Speaking of which, it's time for me to start school today.  

Food Truck

Last night I messed up my dates and ended up going to a local business, Home Made Wines, waiting on the others to show and of course, they didn't.  I was a week early!!  Have you ever done that before?  It is so embarrassing sitting at a table, having the waitstaff look at you.  Having the other patrons watching what this single person is doing.  She is not having a drink.  She is just sitting ther uncomfortably reading the wine menu, looking around the place.  However, the good side of this is that I discovered a food truck here in Odessa, Texas.  The name of the food truck is "Roosters" and they serve a Korean fusion style of food. 

Fusion meaning that they have a Korean style taco (Mexican food), Lettuce Wraps (Chinese food) and Pizza (Italian food).  I ordered the soft corn tacos with the beef and was blown away.  It was so delicious!  The sauce on the beef was sweet and tangy and full of flavor, but the touch of cilantro put it over the top!!  Apparently they are there almost every evening.  There being - in the Harrigan's parking lot over by the 7-11 and that new bar.  I encourage everyone to stop by there soon and take this delicious food to your family.  I can't wait to go back and get those tacos again or maybe try out that pizza.

Auditioning Fabrics for Crosses Quilt aka 3rd posting

One of the quilts I have been working on for a little bit is this one below that I am calling "Crosses".  I was avoiding working on another project when I spotted a gallon zip top bag stuffed full of scraps, so I just started pulling stuff out and sewing it together to make fabric.  Some of it had already been sewn together so I cut and sewed and cut and sewed having no real purpose, just avoidance.  Then I decided to make enough to cut some squares out of it - about 6 inch or so squares.  So, I kept on sewing, cutting out squares, sewing the leftovers together and sewing until I had 9 squares.   I thought that was enough, but if I wanted more, I would sew more together the next time.  Those squares sat for a few nights when I pulled them back out and (avoidance again) and saw the cream colored fabric over to my left - still out, hadn't put it away from a previous project - and thought I wanted to do a slash and sew.  Hey, I could do crosses.  Do a double slash and sew.  So I did with all 9 blocks.  I put them to the side and worked on something else for a few days.  Then I came back to them and thought I would just sash them and make a wall hanging. What color?  was the next question and I auditioned several fabrics, but kept coming back to this bright red.  My original thought was for a straight 2 1/2" sashing, a little border and done, but this quilt had something else in mind.  I cut out skinny strips - about 1 1/2" and sewed them all around and once again, they went on the pile.  Now what?  I spotted this blue plaid that I had dumped out of a box because I needed that box for another project and I wasn't in love with the project in that box.  So, this fabric, some 5" squares, 12" squares I had made in a class at Ogallala Festival along with the book and other paraphernalia were sitting on the cutting table waiting to be worked on some day.  (not ever if I have my way!)  Since this blue plaid was just the thing, I snitched it from that project so it could now belong with this one.  I cut wide strips - about 3" - sewed them on and then using my 12 1/2" ruler cut them all at wonky angles back and forth.  I put them on the board and looked at them next to each other and thought, nope, they need some sashing.  This bright green batik wouldn't have been my first choice, but it works. Which is why I used it.  This quilt top is about 50 inches square or so and now I want a really wide border.  I have pulled two fabrics from my stash and took pictures for you to see.   This first one is an older fabric that has been in my stash for many, many years.  It is my favorite of the two, but doesn't seem quite right somehow.  (and yet I keep going back to it)

 

 

This second one is also an older fabric from my stash and is a plaid which also looks good, but doesn't have the punch that I think it needs.   Yep, now that I see it here, it just isn't right.  I don't know what I am going to put with this.  I may have to scrounge through a few tubs to see if I can find the right fabric.  You may not have seen the last of that floral one.  It is kind of whimsical.  

What are your thoughts on these fabrics, the quilt.  Maybe I should go with another color altogether.  Notice the stack of green fabrics over to the left of the picture?  All of those were pulled to audition for another project and need to go back in the drawers.  The black and cream were for yet another project and the red/white/pink on top are dish towels that need to find another home in the coming month.  I will pull and audition more fabrics - if I have what this quilt is looking for in my stash.   Once I have it all done, I will post a picture of the finished top. 

New picture and second posting of the day

This is me, wrapped in my Strawberries and Pistachios quilt trying to stay warm.  This room is the coldest room in the house and if I would hook up my Wi-Fi I wouldn't have to freeze to death (also if I would bring back the space heater from my bedroom where I don't need it anymore since I turned the heat on I wouldn't be freezing to death) here in my office.  But, no, I just wrap up in a quilt and type away and play games and stay in here as long as I can stand it until I have to go to another room in the house that the heat reaches.  This room is the most poorly insulated room in my house.  It is hot in the summer and cold in the winter.  You would think that all the fabric would help out with the insulation, but you would be wrong.  This picture is me reflected through my computer screen.  I thought it was pretty cool that it turned out in color since all I could see on the screen was a dark blob.  You can also tell how dirty my screen is.  It doesn't look this bad when I am on it, but when the screen goes totally black, you can see that it needs to be cleaned.  Oh, well, I am about to give up in here - toes are cold - and fix me something for lunch and try to warm up.  I may just make some potato soup.  That sounds delicious.  

 

 

 

BEE Newsletter for December

I hope this helps the members of my group who couldn't see the newsletter I e-mailed out.  Or the parts of it that didn't translate into real words.  I have cut and pasted everything, but have taken out the treasury amounts as it is no bodies business, but ours. 

There were 10 members and 3 guests who attended the November meeting.  Guests:  Margaret Irby and Beth Herron and her son, Peanut. 

The President, Vice-president and Secretary were all absent so treasurer; Gerrie Hollowell presided over the meeting.   No minutes were read and there is approximately (blank)  in the treasury of which (blank), is Girl Scout raffle ticket money. 

 Old Business: 

·         All tickets and raffle money must be turned in by December 6.  The raffle will be held at that time.  Two of the drawing prizes, the wall hanging and pillow were shown at the meeting.

·         Kathy and Nathalie’s retreat has a date change due to a scheduling conflict with the Girl Scout camp to February 6 – 8, 2015 at Mitre Peak.  

·         Food was brought and shared by all and it was delicious.   

New Business:

·         If you have any suggestions for programs for next year you may contact either Judy Brewer or Kathy Hassell. 

·         An updated membership list was requested.  There will be forms to fill out at the December and January meetings to assist with getting a new list together.

·         It would be helpful if we could put together some group guidelines and have them in writing for new and incoming members.

·         The next meeting will be December 6^th and will be a regular work day from 9 – 3 with the meeting being held at noon. Work will be on a project of your choice.

·         Instead of having another pot luck for lunch in December, members are encouraged to bring finger foods or grazing foods, but please try not to all bring desserts.

·         There will be a Christmas block exchange.  Blocks need to be made from Christmas fabric or in Christmas colors and be 12” finished.  Wrap your block up to gift it in the exchange.  *The majority of the raffle items were made from past Christmas block exchanges so you never know how the block you make will end up. Everyone is encouraged to participate.

 

Show and Tell followed the meeting. 

We are in the process of coordinating calendars with the church and hope to have meeting dates for next year at the December meeting. 

DUES!!!

 It’s that time of year again.  Dues are only $15 for an entire year of fun and fellowship and are to be paid by the January meeting.  This covers 12 monthly meetings, Saturday workdays and monthly newsletters.  The quilt-ins are an extra $10 each time (Thursday and Friday) and that money is donated to the church to help cover the cost of electricity.  Quilt-ins are held 4 to 5 times a year. 

The Good and the Bad of Monday.

I really want some wool felt to add to my travel sewing kit for the stocking swap (okay, for when I make the sewing kit or get around to making the sewing kit sometime this week, I would like to have some wool felt on hand to add to the kit for the pins and needles).  So, this afternoon, after watching all those shows I haven't been able to watch due to having to work, I finally (about 3 o'clock) decide to take a shower and get dressed -(okay, here again, let me clarify,  I was dressed, just not in clothes to wear out of the house, or at least out of the drive thru lane and car) - I even put on a little bit of make-up and mascara, big step for a vacation day.  My real pursuit to get out of the house is to get something to eat - see, I could have stayed dressed and in my other clothes if I was just going to go through a drive thru, but I thought I might - just might - stop in either at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby for that wool felt and oh, yes, some Velcro.  (the list is growing)  Since I didn't go to the grocery store this morning, (vacation day) I don't have anything to throw together for lunch - or anything that sounded appetizing - I could make some scrambled eggs again, but I had that for breakfast at 7 this morning - I know I am on vacation, but the dogs, don't.  I could also eat an apple, but I wanted something more than that since it had been about 8 hours since I had eaten those eggs.  I just don't know what I want.  (this is why I decided to take a shower and get dressed since I wasn't sure where I would end up)  I kennel the dogs, re-set the alarm and head out of the house and toward Jo Ann's.  Traffic is bad. What is new?  Traffic has been bad for a couple of years with this oil boom and not looking to get any better any time soon.  So, I deal with it.  Whoa.  That guy wasn't turning onto my street, he was making a U-turn and I pulled out kind of in front of him.  What an idiot.  (him, not me)  Why is it so bad at 3: 30  oops, it's now 4 in the afternoon?  Where did the time go?  I finally make it over to Chimney Rock shopping area and the parking lots by Jo Ann's is quite full and there is a car on my tail so I have to go around the place again, but thank goodness I did because a spot opened up pretty close to the front of the store.  Whew.  Finally in the store,  I grab a cart and pull and push and pull and it's stuck so I grab a different cart and head through the store.  I know I don't need a cart for some felt and Velcro, but I am not wearing my knee brace and am using the cart for some stability in case my knee decides it is not part of my body and chooses to go it's own way - which is why I wear the brace in the first place.   I have been trying not to wear it for the last 4 or 5 days and it is doing okay, but being out in a store and having to walk a lot more on it, I wanted that cart more for peace of mind than anything else.  I find a very helpful sales clerk who takes me over to the felts and nope, no 100% wool felt here.  So, I ask about just wool fabric and we backtrack (I knock over a small bolt of batting that was behind me and I didn't even see it.  I pick it up and hurry after the sales clerk.  She pulls out a 97% blue wool suiting and I find a 100% wool in camel, but both of them (only the camel would work) are about $35.00 a yard.  That is way too pricey for me - even though I only need a little bit, I don't want to pay that price, so on to plan B.  The sales clerk guides me to the Velcro and I find what I need, thank her for her assistance as she is called up to the front check out station.  Since I am only getting the Velcro I slowly wander up to the register and I am 3rd in line behind the person checking out that my sales clerk was called up to assist and one other person.  I peruse the magazines, don't put any in my basket and it's now my turn.  My sales clerk, hmm, she must be an assistant manager or even the new manager, is reminding her register person that remnants are 75% off.  DING, DING, DING  - SALE!!!  my ears perk up and I verify with the "sales clerk" about the 75% off and turn my cart toward the remnant area.  It's mostly fleece pieces, some satin, some ugg, I am not sure what that fabric was, and "WOOOL".  100% WOOL!!  It's a nice chocolate brown, about 1 yard of it and still $35.00 a yard, but now it's 75% off of that $35.00.  A much easier price to handle.   I add it to my cart along with a nice purplish modern looking piece for a quilt and an orange chevron canvas piece to work into a bag or even in this sewing kit. It's starting to shape up.  This is going to be more money than what I wanted to spend, but at least I have the two items on my list, kind of.  Wool felt (after I felt it) and Velcro.  She rings up the wool and wow!  it's on sale for $10 off the original price plus the 75% .  All the fabrics are off their original prices and then the deep discount.  She rings everything up and tells me my total - major drum roll here - $9.05.  WHAAT>?>????  Did I hear that right?  yep, $9.05.  Less than ten dollars.  I saved $45.82 according to my ticket.  I looked it over and along with the remnants and their major deep discounts, I also got a 20% off the entire transaction which was more than the Velcro  - making it totally free!!  What a great day!!  So, glad I went to all the trouble to shower and get dressed. 

That was the good part,  I am feeling good, driving slowly through the parking area making sure I let the pedestrians have the right of way and watching out for those drivers when a lady, talking on her phone, doesn't even come to a slow roll before she pulls out in front of me turning to go opposite from me.  She is coming off of a row and I technically have the right of way.  She would have been the one ticketed if they gave tickets on private property - which is rare - I am so glad that I was watching out for idiot drivers and my car is all in one piece.  She never even looked either way and kept on talking on her phone.  If you drive in Odessa, you have to keep watch for all the idiots out there that drive distracted, by either talking on the phone, texting, smoking or whatever else they are doing.   It's a crazy time in this town. 

That was the bad part - I ran through Panda Express for my lunch/dinner meal and ate almost all of it.  (that is not usually the case, but by this time it had been 9 or 10 hours since I had eaten anything and was really hungry.  Since I don't have leftovers, I guess I am getting up early tomorrow and going to the grocery store.  All in all a good first official day of vacation.  Now that it's almost 1 in the morning, I am getting hungry again.  sigh.  I guess I will go to bed before my stomach growls any louder and I can't get to sleep.  LOL 

Stocking Swap Check In

WHEW!!!!  Hopefully the rest of you have been hard at work on your Stocking Swap.  I only have one more item to make - the travel sewing kit - why did I add that one in this year???  Oh, yes, because I desperately need one.  My zip tab bag is just not the correct image for a quilter.  I need something a bit more . . . quilted . . . snazzy . . . edgier. . . (did I spell that one right?  It doesn't look right) . . . less plastic-y.  Yep, that is why I added that into the mix this year.  A travel sewing kit.  Hmmm.  I am going to google (again) for some ideas on what I want to make for this.  Since I am off the entire week of Thanksgiving (YEA ME!!) I plan on getting this item made and everything finalized. 

How about you?  Do you have the majority of the items made?  If you are participating this year, give me a shout out either on here or my e-mail and let me know.  If you shout out here - it will go to my e-mail also.  It's almost time to swap!   I need to know who all is joining in on the fun by December 1st.  I will put all the names in a hopper and draw them out, send you the name of the person you are to send to (and address, etc.) then between December 13 and 15th you need to either mail or deliver your package. 

It's always fun to get this box of goodies - either by mail or in person depending on who and where your swap person lives.    It's fun to see what the other person made and what fabrics they used.   What their favorite book is or what kind of mug - remember that one from back in January?  I made several mug rugs so I need to decide which one I am going to package up and give away.  I can't wait to see what comes my way. 

So, as I write this, I am trying to figure out several things . . . 1.)  Do we (me and you and you and you) want to do something next year?  (I usually only do the Stocking swap in even number years)   If so, 2.) what do we (see above reference) want to do?  Would you be interested in doing a swap of items - just not as long or as intense as the Stocking swap?  Hmm.  Send another shout out!!! 

An Extra Posting Found!!

 

just saw this one left in the bin as a draft.  So, two in one night is great! 

 

I ran across a jelly roll of this wonderful fabric and just had to have it.  It is another design by Michele D'Amato.  (My black jelly roll quilt is from fabric by her, also)  My students didn't want to be in the picture, but this one just couldn't figure out how to hold the quilt and not be in there.  I told him I would delete him out, but I didn't do it.  LOL  He will just have to be in the picture.  I thought I wanted to applique something - a flower or leaf - on here, but my mother repeatedly made comments about how beautiful the fabric was and if I was going to do something, then maybe I should do an outline of a flower.  That way more of the beautiful fabric would show up.  This one is all in browns from espresso to cream.  I did a small light border, a larger leaf print border and then added a small border of dot fabric.  This is the first quilt I have made where the outside border is the smallest or equal to the smallest border.  Apparently this was all the rage in Arkansas last year.  I will definitely do this again on another quilt.

 

 

Anytime I go to the Country Store in Lovington, NM or see them out at quilt shows, I am compelled to purchase their brown bag specials.   What is a brown bag special?  It is, of course, a brown bag filled with 6 different fat quarters.  You don't know what you are getting, but just that you are getting 6 fat quarters.  Oh, yes, the good part is, they only cost $5.00!!!  What a bargain!  I can't pass this up.  Last year on the shop hop I challenged everyone in my group to purchase a bag and make something using only the fat quarters found in the bag.  Below is my little project.  I knew they kind of went together, but was worried about the turquoise and the floral print clashing too much.  By cutting up the floral fabric into smaller chunks and putting the turquoise between two other prints, I think I have neutralized them enough that now they go together.  I would like to add some borders, etc. but for that I will have to get some more fabric of some kind.  Since I waited a year to get this one together - I made the square in a square pretty quickly after I brought the bag home - I guess it can wait around a little bit longer until I decide what - and what fabrics - I want to add to it.  

 

I got bored one day and picked up my box of 1 1/2" blocks and started sewing them together.  When I got it to a size I was happy with, I pressed it all out and saw a 2 1/2" strip that had come as a "sucker" from the latest shop hop so I sewed that all around, trimmed it up a bit and put it on the wall.  In the next few days I decided that it needed something else.  I pulled out another box of blocks - I think these were about 3 or 3 1/2".  Sewed and added them as borders. put another 2 1/2" strip around it all and called it good.  Put it on the design wall and walked away.   Then I got the great idea to turn it on point.  Pulled out the 5" squares, put a 3" border around and yep, I am liking how this is turning out.  Stay tuned and we will see where else this one goes.

 

one last note - at retreat I was looking at what one of my friends was working on and was surprised to see she was quilting this little beauty.  It's my Divide and Conquer pattern.  That was a pleasant surprise.  She is going to add the red/hot pink strip as binding and was showing it to me when I commented on the quilt.  It's beautiful!!  So much fun to see your patterns made up by someone else. 

 

 

Paintings and Kaffe Blocks

Life has been very busy and I haven't had time to take pictures and get on here to show you what has been keeping me busy.  Saturday I had the opportunity to attend a private Wine and Canvas party where we painted the picture below of what I call Tata's and Tutu on a Hanger.  I think I made the boobs way too big, but that is real life for me.  I wasn't really impressed until I took it off the easel and thought, this isn't as bad as I thought it was. 

 

 

It is sitting on top of a shelving unit along with another private party Wine and Canvas I did back in May.  I don't know if I posted it on here or not, so please bear with me if this is a repeat.  This one is Paisleys and Posies.  They were fun to make and I really want to make many, many more in the future.  

Here they are together with all the stuff that adorns the top of that shelf right now. 

 

I have been doing a bit more than painting this past week.  I also put together the blocks for my KFC Exchange Group blocks for October.  This one is called Mrs. Lacey's Choice and was a lot of fun selecting the fabrics to use in this fun block.  I love the way the fabrics work together to create the patterns.  I can't wait to see more of these blocks put together. 

I don't think I posted last months KFC blocks so here they are.  Ignore the ugly carpet, but I had forgotten to take the picture of them on the design wall and had to quickly take one to post on the group page. 

The cold front is blowing in so it's time for me to get in a nice warm bed.  I will soon try to post the other things I have worked on during my little bit of down time, retreats and just playing around. 

My Week - Utter Chaos

Okay, I just deleted a long and rambling account of my crazy (or as I like to call it, because it was super crazy, - my cra-crazy day).  I was reading it over and making sure it all made sense and thought, nope!  you don't really want to hear all the nonsense and stuff that went on today - tea spilling all over my desk and floor and papers - students wanting stuff from me right and left - how do mom's do it?  Oh, yes, they only have 3 or 4 kids wanting things all at once, not 15-20.  I swear, I think they all got together and decided to ask questions all at once.  I even threatened to scream at one time and a student told me to do it.  I didn't this time, but I have before.  It gets their attention and makes them realize they are driving me crazy.  I had about 60 work related e-mails all wanting me to send something, fill out something or just post something.  Some even wanted me to do some things next week!!  Then there was a fire drill!  (our second one in two weeks.  Are we going to have one every week?)  How do they expect me to teach these two dual credit courses in the 15 week semester we have before Christmas and get everything else we do in there done?  I only have 13 weeks left and I haven't even started the course work yet.  It's a good thing some of this was taught in last years classes and I can just re-fresh their memory on part of it.  I hope they retained it! 

When a sub walked into my kitchen to get some ice about 2:45 this afternoon, I was talking to a maintenance man about my pilot lights (that is a totally different story from earlier this week), while I was trying to get the tea in my room cleaned up, get the students papers turned in, the video re-wound - the machine kept kicking it back out, the mop washed out, the pantry stuff put away, the food out of the fridge, lids for the coffee/cocoa cups for the kids,  and everything else done in that last few minutes before the students left, because I had to leave within a few minutes after them to go downtown to turn in some paperwork, I just had to laugh. 

Okay, I know I told you I wasn't going to tell you all of what happened and I didn't.  Truly.  This was just a little bit of the chaos that happened today.  I didn't even leave school when I planned, but did make it downtown to turn in the paperwork before the end of the day.  However, leaving the building, the heavens opened up and poured.  Yep, that about sums up the kind of day it was.  Actually that was just a part of how the entire week went.  I hope next week goes much smoother. 

On the bright side, I did manage to make another chicken pin cushion and a little bag from just playing around in the studio.  I hope to spend several hours in there this weekend de-stressing from this past week.  That is after I roast the 25 pounds of Hatch green chili's I got at Bountiful Baskets tonight.  What was I thinking????? Anyone want a pound or 5 of green chili's?

Kaffe Blocks and Angry Birds Pillow cases

I received two more blocks in the mail this weekend and now there are 8 total.  Since my sewing machine is in front of my design wall, it makes it a little hard to put up the blocks so please excuse the wonkiness. 

 

They are looking really good together.  I think I will sash them - at least a small sashing to break them up a bit since there is such a variety of fabrics going on there.  I worked on a couple of things in the studio today.  I couldn't really settle down and get busy in there. The only thing I got finished were these super cute Angry Birds pillow cases.  A friend of mine had to go to Carlsbad to pick up a package she had won in a recent shop hop so another friend and I tagged along.  This cute Angry Birds fabric was calling my name and just had to go home with me.  I pulled fabric from my stash to finish the cuff and flange and I think I may have to put these on my bed tonight.  OR I could save them and give them as a Christmas present for someone special.  (I have no idea right now who that special someone might be, so more than likely they will be making an appearance on my bed in the near future.)  

 

I did get the blocks all sewn from another project I started at our last quilt in and purchased some more fabric in Carlsbad to make a border and back for an almost finished top, so those hopefully will be making an appearance on the blog soon.  Now it's time to get in bed since I have to be up early for school.  Having Labor Day so soon after we start school, really messes with my head and system.  It would be so nice to be able to sleep in tomorrow, also, but alas, that is not to be. 

New Blocks, Quilt Tops and More

I showed a picture of the first block earlier in the month, but here are my two blocks I made for my KFC Block Exchange group. The blocks are starting to trickle in and I thought I had taken a picture of the other two that Pat had made for me, but unfortunately, I didn't have it on my camera.  (might have taken it with my phone or tablet.  I will have to check and see.)  As soon as I have 6 + blocks, I will post another picture.  I might have to sash this quilt so the blocks stand on their own, but  I will think more about that when I get a few blocks up on the wall. 

 

 

One Friday on a Missouri Star tutorial, Jenny showed how to make little chicken pin cushions.  I have seen these pin cushions all over the place for many years, but have never made one myself.  Until now.  Below is my chicken pin cushion (or will be after I stuff it) without her tail feathers.  I totally forgot about that part of the video.  This one is made with leftover made fabric from the blocks I have made in my KFC Block Exchange group.  When I get to a point where I don't know what I want to work on, or am trying to avoid something that I need to do, I pull out some scraps and make some fabric to use in a project.  I had already used some of this made fabric in another project, but had enough to cut out a couple of squares. Check out the Missouri Star tutorial and make one for yourself.  I will definitely be making a few more of these to give as gifts.



 

 

Speaking of Jenny Doan, early in June, I went to Arkansas to visit with family and got to attend a Jenny Doan trunk show with my mother and take one of her quilt classes with my sister.  Paige and I worked really hard and fast and made many blocks in the short time we were in class.  We had a great system going and were cranking out the blocks.  I didn't realize that Jenny would be leaving at noon from this "full day" bring your own lunch class that I had signed up for.  Apparently everyone in the class knew and some had made plans to stay there the rest of the day and sew and some left at noon to go do other things (some even had to go to work).   Since the teacher was leaving, Paige and I decided to leave pretty soon after she did.  So, I packed everything back into my car and went back to my mother's house.  I left all the blocks I made in a tub until yesterday when I decided to get them out and finish putting them together.  I had already started sewing them into rows during the class and had two rows sewn together and another completed and ready to add when I pulled them out of the tub.  30 blocks!!  Can you believe that we made 30 blocks (31 really) in about 3 hours time?  We did!!  Did I mention we had a system going?  It was fun.  Paige said I was the better sewer and kicked me off the cutting detail at one point  That didn't hurt my feelings - I had previously been kicked off another cutting detail many years ago when my mother, a friend and I made my bulls-eye quilt.  (I can't free cut a circle out of a square of fabric to save my life. They were more a fat football shape)  When I put the remaining blocks together, I only had to make one more "dark" block to make the pattern work.  I have two leftover "light" background blocks and they may have to go on the back somewhere.  This is probably a crib size quilt (about 45 X 52 or so) and I wasn't sure what fabric to use for the outer border.  I auditioned about 10 different fabrics and only two of them made the cut and I wasn't totally sold on either one of them.  I am glad I chose and stuck with this one.  It makes the quilt cheery and fun. 

 

 

The only other thing I am going to type about tonight is the little quilt that is to the right of the exploding block quilt.  That is made from trimmings from a company in Australia, Umbrella Prints.  They have a challenge every March - June and they send you (for a small fee) a packet of fabrics and you have to make something out of it.  I didn't learn of the challenge until late and by the time my fabric arrived it was toward the end of school when I got very busy, so I never put anything together until now.  Here again, like making fabric, I just pulled things out of the packet laid it out on the table and started sewing bits together.  Where I thought I might be going with the fabric and design, doesn't even show up here since I cut that up and sewed it all back in.  It looks like I was making a couple of log cabin pieces, but I only made one.  I was crossing my fingers on the border because I wasn't sure I would have enough fabric to go all the way around.  I am really enjoying this little piece and can't decide how I want to quilt it.  Either by hand with pink pearl cotton or by machine with pink or khaki thread.  Oh, yes, these fabrics are linens or have a rough feel to them so hand quilting may be a bit much, but it might just add some fun if I big stitch.  Until I decide, I will enjoy it on my design wall. 

 

 

Kaffe Blck Exchange Blocks

I have been doing a little bit of sewing - FINALLY!!!  It is almost time to go back to school and I am in a bit of a panic mode to get in the studio and sew.    I knew I really had to get going on these paper pieced blocks for my KF Block Exchange Group.  There are 9 - 10 people in a group and we have three groups going on right now.  Each person has a month and must post his/her block pattern choice along with any fabric directions they have by the first.  Then we have one entire month plus a10 days to get the blocks made and in the mail.  (they must be posted by the 10th).  Now we all know that things happen and in the case of the June blocks .  . well,  I made them within a few days of the pattern being posted.  That was good.  I took them to show my quilt group and then I  wanted to show my mother so I took them to Arkansas planning to mail them from there, but I didn't. When I came back home I forgot all about them.  Hey, they were made and done, on to new things.  By the time I remembered them, they were already late.  I finally got around to putting them in the mail - I took the envelope up and weighed it so I could be sure and get the correct amount of postage on there and sent them off.  Well, a few days ago - 7 since I had mailed them off - they came back needing more postage.  WHAT???  That was why I weighed it out in the first place.  They went back in the mail this week with more than enough postage on them so, we will see if they make it there by Monday.  (I am hoping they arrived either today or tomorrow, but Monday at the latest) 

 

Now that June's are taken care of - it's time for July's blocks.  Below are the two blocks I made for the July person.  I should have paid better attention to the orange fabric and made sure the entire star points were from the orangiest part of that fabric and not let those other colors intrude. but that is how it came out and I think it adds some character. 

 

 

This next one has better contrast.  I used some unusual and older KFC fabrics in these blocks so maybe no one else will make the same fabric/color combinations.  They turned out well and I can't wait to see them with all the other blocks to see how they stack up.  I may have to offer to re-make the first one if it clashes too much with her other blocks.  (that gray/green background may be too weird)

 

I am the August person.  I had been thinking about what block I wanted to request and had planned on writing up some instructions, but then I realized it was the first of the month and I needed to post something within the next 30 minutes and I panicked.  I fell back on my second favorite block - Goose in the Pond and just sent everyone directions/access to the tutorial here on my blog.  I told them they could use any fabric combination as long as they used three different fabrics.  I hadn't had time to make an example one - hey, August creeped up on me! 

 

Tonight, I finally got around to making one block using my pattern - someone else has already posted a picture of their block they made and it looks great!  Here is one of mine.  I realized after I made it that I used the same warm/cool placement that I requested from last years Bee group.  I guess I just like that combo.  I have already pulled fabrics for the next one and I am mixing it all up!  Even though in person it looks a bit busier, I like how this one looks in the picture. 

 



Reunion Quilts from this Summer

I finally got around to downloading pictures off my camera and onto my computer.  Toward the last few days of school, I had 15 million things going on and things to do, so I gave my quilts and camera to a small group of students to take pictures of them for me.  I, of course, expected for two of them to hold them up and the other to take the picture.   Quilt picture taking 101, right?  Well, I was surprised later that night when I looked at the pictures and these are the pictures they took.  They set up several tables in the restaurant and laid out the quilts like they would be laying on the bed. 

 

Anyway, here are the three quilts I finished binding and gave away at family reunion.  This first one was for my aunt.  The name of the quilt is "Welcome to the Zoo".  The pattern is a 3, 6, 9, 12 quilt from Fons and Porter and the block pattern is chain link.  I love this quilt pattern and this is my 5th or 6th quilt using this style, but I have used 3 or 4 different block patterns so they all come out differently.  The hardest part about this quilt is making 15 million (my favorite number today) 3 inch blocks, but you gotta do it to make the quilt sparkle!!!  (the block is not hard, it's just tedious! and that makes it hard) (what's really hard is typing today - I think I have had to re-type almost every word) Oh, yes, this quilt is all batiks.  Everything but the green is an animal skin batik.

 

 

 

This next quilt was a long time coming!!  I made the quilt top many, many years ago and was just waiting on a back, but I just wasn't motivated enough to get it made.  Now that I have an awesome quilter, that has all changed.  This quilt is for my cousin's daughter, Chelsea.  Her favorite color used to be orange.  Now, I am not sure it still is or not, but I made this top when that was the color she told me she loved.  Technically this is her high school graduation quilt.  She has since graduated from college, technical schooling and gotten married.  (so, you see, why I said it was a long time coming?)  I named this quilt, "Good Morning Sunshine".  It is so bright and cheery.  The black and white stripe is from some found fabric that was only 36 inches wide!!  That is some old fabric, but it was perfect for this quilt.  Pattern: well that is a good one since I saw a picture of a quilt on a calendar and this quilt was made in honor of that one - not the same pattern, but some of the same colors.

 

Someone at family reunion held it up so we could take pictures.  You can just get a better feel for the quilt when it is like this.

 

 

This third quilt is another one that had to wait to be quilted and is for another cousins daughter for high school graduation.  This one even had the back and binding all ready to go, it was just waiting on me to find a quilter.  This is a flannel quilt that I named, "Firefly Fuzz".   I think it's a yellow brick road pattern, but with more blocks.  The back is a different black and white flannel, but I don't have a picture of that - or I may have one on my camera, but I didn't download it to the computer, sorry.

Alright, there are three of my 20+ quilts I need to bind all done and given away.  Now if I can just get myself motivated to do the others.  (I did finish one that was part way bound, but not included in the 20+ and I am halfway through another)