Ramblings and Such

things were going along well for me.  

i was making progress on getting my 10 quilt tops quilted.  2 finished and working on the quilting for top number 3 and thinking about the quilting for number 4 so i would be ready when its turn under the needle came.  i wasn't feeling the greatest but i pushed through like we all do.

i did a little custom quilting on this mini sewing machine quilt on the spools and the machines themselves.  i used some of my Tula Pink Neptune fabric for this quilt.

i quilted an over all stipple in the background on it and i added needles to each machine.

the back is fun to look at too.  makes me smile.  plus this was a quick one to get finished.

i was determined to get the 4th quilt top quilted by the start of the big football game a couple of Sundays ago.  despite how i was feeling i pulled the fabric for the backing of quilt top number 4 and went to work. 

i like how it turned out.  kind of it's own quilt.  i love making pieced backs because not only do you get to use up the fabric from that collection but it is also fun.

i quilted this quilt with double and single loops allover it.  more of a big open design so the quilt is nice to cuddle with.  i finished the quilting on this right before kick-off.  so 4 out of my 10 quilt tops are quilted.  yeah!

then the Monday after the big game it hit me.  

i had some extreme pain on my right back flank and it was swollen and a rash was forming.  i was scanning my memory to try and figure out what i had done to myself.  my mind was going crazy with what might be wrong with me.  since i was at work i had a co-worker look at it and she uttered the one word i never thought of 'shingles'.  denial was my first reaction.  there is no way i have that.  but i quick trip to the minor care clinic at the hospital confirmed it.  OMG  let me just say that shingles are horrible.  when the minor care doc told me that i would get worse before i got better she was right.  i got started on an anti-viral medication which helped prevent the blisters and they say reduce the pain but i am not sure about that.  i was home for 4 days straight and dang near went crazy.  i was in pain.  couldn't sleep much. and i don't do well sitting still.  the one thing that helped me the most was ice because it would numb the area.  

while home i would spend some time in my sewing area.  moving stuff around.  organizing.  trying to feel like i accomplished something.  i came across the boxcar tote pattern by Green Bee and decided that i could make that.  so i pulled the fabric and interfacing one time.  then another i cut everything.  then another i fused it all together.  little by little the tote came together.  

i finished it over the weekend and i really like it.  its a great size and very rigid.

i decided to use it to hold all of my hand sewing stuff.  i have several zip pouches that hold the stuff now.  i just put them all in the tote with plans to go back and organize it better.

i also got the binding for the 4 quilts cut and ready to be put on the quilts.  i use my other sewing machine for that so i think a marathon binding session will be in my future.

in other sewing related news i will be going to quilt camp the first week of March for 5 days.  i am really looking forward to this.  i need to make a list of projects i want to work on and start prepping them for camp.

happy sewing

&

i hope you never get shingles

Progress

i have made a tiny bit of progress on my quilts to be quilted list.  

this is a super quick pattern that i got with a kit and i put it together at the November quilt camp that i went to.  i won't be adding the applique flowers to my quilt top.

this is a fun bright quilt top with some yellow and bright lime green.  i think it will be fun and easy to quilt.  i am thinking of doing an overall stipple in the middle and then something different in each border.  i plan on doing a scrappy binding with the leftover fabric.

i got the backing for it figured out and it is ready to go.  i just need to cut the batting and baste it.  i plan on doing that this evening during a virtual sew in.  if all goes well i will get some quilting done on it as well.

i also have dug back into my Tula Pink Saltwater EPP project.  i have it organized into a system that works well for me and i am currently working on row 17 or 18 - i can't remember.  anyways there are 40 rows total so i am almost to the half way point.  

thanks for stopping by and i hope that you are making progress on whatever it is that you are working on.

happy sewing

Quilt Tops Galore

wow.....  i am surprised that i even remember how to upload pictures or even do a blog post.  i guess its kind of like riding a bike.....  LOL  i looked and my last post was sometime in February of  last year.  so much has happened in that time frame.  a lifetime of challenges and i am pretty sure i have aged 10 years in the past year.  thank God for quilting.  it has been my escape from reality and always helps me find my center which is good.  i think i have said this about 5 times on here but i will say it again.  i am going to attempt to get back to blogging on a random basis.  i would like to blog a couple times a month which totally seems reasonable.  right?  i will see.....

i really thought i was doing a good job of keeping the number of quilt tops needing quilted in check.  i thought i had it under control and i was WRONG.  i have several quilt tops that need quilted and by several i mean 10!!!!  that might not be a lot for some quilters but for me it is.  i am mildly overwhelmed by that number and so i hope to reduce that number by getting them quilted.

above is a log cabin star quilt on top that i made with a Noteworthy jelly roll.  the middle quilt is a Strip Search quilt that i made with a Salt Air jelly roll.  the bottom quilt is my Single Girl quilt top which once it was put together i discovered a mistake.  i didn't read the instructions for sewing the blocks together and sewed them with a quarter inch seam allowance so my rings don't touch.  i was suppose to sew them together with a half inch seam allowance.  i am 99.8% sure that i will take the top apart and redo the seams so the rings touch.  its a quilt i am keeping and i know it will drive me nuts if i don't fix it.

the quilt on the top came in a kit that i got at a quilt camp a year or so ago.  it went together super quick and it is a throw size.  more then likely this will be a charity quilt.  the quilt on the bottom i just finished.  its my Aviatrix Medallion quilt made with Kona solids and Essex linen.  it will be an epic quilt for me to quilt.  lots of thread changes and custom quilting.  it might be on the 'to be quilted' list for awhile.

now we get to my obsession love of Tula Pink's fabric.  the top quilt is a fat quarter friendly quilt made from Moonshine.  i love the pattern that i used because it has big pieces in it and so it shows off the fabric really well.  the middle quilt is my 100 Good Wishes quilt that i made using Tula's City Sampler book.  the top has been together for some time i just need to get around to quilting it.  i really like this quilt because it uses most all of Tula's fabric lines in it.  on the bottom of the pile is what i am calling my Tula Pink log cabin Beads quilt.  it was a kit that i got from Stash in Walla Walla, WA.  they made the pattern for a magazine and it was on the cover.  

Neptune......

need i say more?  one of my all time favorite Tula lines of fabric.  i thought this mini sewing machine quilt would be a great use for Neptune.  once i get it quilted and finished i plan on hanging on a wall in my sewing room.

the 10th and final quilt that needs quilting is my Tula Pink Prince Charming Dwell quilt.  i have always wanted to do a house quilt and when i saw the Dwell pattern i knew that was it.  originally i was going to use a few of Tula's lines in it but i eventually settled on Prince Charming.  this quilt will join my mini sewing machine quilt in my sewing room when it is finished.

looks like i have better get busy quilting.

thanks for stopping by.

happy sewing

WIP Wednesday

its Wednesday & there is always a WIP

this is just a WIP of a different sort.

the past 10 days have been a blurr for me. truth be told the past 2 1/2 months have been a blurr for me. my calendar in my kitchen is still on January to give you an idea of how crazy things have been.

super short update:

since the 1st part of January my 90 year old grandma hasn't been in the best of health. she had lived on her own & been healthy up to this point. it has been a change for our family & one that has required a lot of work for some. i also had a trip to Texas for work as well as a trip out of town to the doctors.

since i work with my mom & she has been gone a lot with my grandma i have been working more trying to keep up with both of our jobs. the month of February is a blurr to me.

March came & so did quilt camp - which i will post more about that later. my life was pushed into overdrive on the 6th when my 2nd niece was born.

mom, big sister & baby at the hospital.

i stayed in Boise for awhile. i helped take care of the big monster, did some laundry, meals & those sort of things to be helpful. i did hit some quilt stores as well which i will post about soon.

we went grocery shopping while we were there. not the best pic (taken with my cell phone) but i couldn't resist. my dad on his cell talking & my niece standing in the cart. i am pretty sure that her parents don't let her do that - we just won't tell them.

when i came back home my mom then went down to spend sometime with them. when i got home i spent time with my grandma who was back in the hospital. she is out now & doing better. i am finally unpacked from quilt camp, my laundry is almost caught up & i am working on getting caught up at work.

on top of all the craziness my laptop decided to jump ship on me so i spent a ton of time doing online chatting & stuff like that to bring it back to life.

i just wanted to let you all know that i haven't fallen off the face of the earth. i will be posting soon about the rest of quilt camp, the projects i worked on there, bee blocks that i got while i was gone, fabric purchases made & what ever else i feel like yapping about.

i will say this....

spending almost a week with my family in Boise really make me want to be closer to them...... hmmmm......

***UPDATE***

there is a giveaway going on over at Mauby's.... go check it out!!!

http://www.maubys.net/2011/03/january-pattern-review.html

Camp Update 1

just a few pics from the 1st couple of days of camp. we all have been working on a variety of different projects.

Sharon's clover shaped baby quilt
my charm pack QA top is finished.

Lynette has been doing some embroidery with her machine.

Denise quilted this wall hanging.

i have quilted these 3 quilts.

we are all having a great time & getting lots done.

check back for more updates.

Making Progress

i finished sewing up block #2 for Fat Quarter Shop's Mystery Designer BOM. i LOVE how this one turned out - super cute!



i have finally started on the Charm Pack Quilt Along that Karrie is hosting over at Freckled Whimsy. yesterday while the AC repairman was at my house i got the 1st set of 5" squares cut and the lines on the back. so i am making some progress on this.....


i hope to get these HST sewin tonight so i can move onto step #2.

Fat Quarter Shop BOM Done!

i finally finished putting together the top from last years Fat Quarter Shop's Mystery BOM. it took me all week but its finished........

and since i did the year priors BOM from the Fat Quarter Shop i thought i would share that one as well.




this is the prior year. un-ironed but my AC is out so - sorry - at least you get a pic of it - wrinkles & all.



and here is this past years BOM top all put together. needless to say i LOVE it!




i love how the colors work together in this one & especially the light blue boarder next to the dark brown.

now for the dilemma for both quilts. do i quilt them myself or send them out to be quilted? and, if i send them out to be quilted - do i have all over quilting done on them or do i have them custom quilted? or maybe i quilt 1 myself (i can always use the practice) & send 1 out to be quilted? i need some help here quilting buddies..... please?????

if i knew what i wanted to do i would have already done it with the prior years quilt. see my predicament???

so, its off to work for me know where there is AC and it will be much cooler then it is in my house. i will be back this evening to get caught up on some quilt along blocks/projects & maybe cut some bags cut out & ready to sew.

let me know your thoughts on the quilting of my Fat Quarter Shop BOM quilts & may you all stay cool today..........

oh, i almost forgot. today starts the countdown. countdown to what you ask???

Dave Matthews Band concerts - what else would i have a count down for???

T minus 30 day until my Dave Matthews Band fest begins - 6 shows in 20 days - i will be like a kid waiting to go to Disneyland marking off the days till the 1st show in Boise.

Charm Pack Winner

so, last week when i was in Houston for work i got an email from Bev at 44th Street Fabric (dot) com telling me i was the winner of her charm pack giveaway. i was super excited - i LOVE winning stuff. i was so excited that i gave her my wrong city & state - right address just wrong city & state. i know major dork. needless to say i am sending a little something Bev's way for the double shipping charges she had to pay because of my being a dork.

here is what i won - 2 Halloween Night charm packs by Minick & Simpson. i totally LOVE them. i haven't decided what to make with them yet but i am sure something will come to mind.

THANKS Bev for the great giveaway!!! go check out 44th Street Fabric (dot) com



on the unexciting things going on in my life...... i lost my AC last night in my house which made for a warm evening. i am trying to finish up my last years Fat Quarter Shop Mystery Block top - 1 more boarder to go. and i need to make about 5 western themed bags for a local artisan barn where i sell them at.

with it being Friday lets hope that mr AC man can get me back up & running otherwise little to no sewing will get done.

have a great weekend whatever it is you may be doing.

Its Finally Done.......

its finally done............

my Pumpkins Gone Wild quilt which is the pattern Strip Search which i started in the fall of 2008 is FINALLY finished..........

i bought the jelly roll & fabric when i was on a trip to Tennessee in 2008

i quilted it myself & had several issues along the way - hence the amount of time it took me to finish it. i also hand sewed the binding on which i pretty much never do, but it didn't take long & i think it looks better so i will probably be doing that from here on out

i hung the quilt on my sewing room wall for this horrible pic & i have decided to leave it there for the time being...

i also quilted up my Make Life table runner

which i really love...
made the 1st block for the p&b star sampler quilt along i am doing
Audrey from {pickles & bacon} is doing this - go check it out and join us

& i made the 8th block for the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along i am doing

next up for me will be a few bags

what are you working on?

Mini Pinwheels

i finished the 25 mini pinwheels

these are going to be the cornerstones in my Pinwheel Sampler quilt that i did via a quilt-along with Rachel from ps i quilt

a HUGE THANK YOU to Rachel for doing this

i love how the blocks have turned out and can't wait to get the top together

*******

if you read my earlier post regarding these pinwheels then you know that these are my 2nd attempt at the mini pinwheels. i have been playing with my new EQ7 software to use the 1st pinwheels in a table runner - i will keep you posted on to how that turns out.
*******

A Little Of This & A Lot Of That

this is the "a little of this" part of this post

not little in size of meaning but little as in a small part of this post

*******

i WON again!!!!

i could not believe it when i got the email from Mary Hartmann Bowden telling me that i was the winner of EQ7 that was givin away on her blog http://mequilter.blogspot.com/

above is the note that came along with the software & below is the actual software

i was like a giddy little school girl when i found out i won EQ it has been on my wish list for sometime now

*******

because of my crazy schedule these past few weeks i just got it loaded on the laptop yesterday & have plans to spend sometime with it over the 3 day weekend

*******

a HUGE THANK YOU to Mary Hartmann Bowden for hosting the giveaway & to The Electric Quilt Company for doing the giveaway

now for the "a lot of that" part of this post

my weekend sewing to do list

1. start my modern siggy swap blocks only 101 to make

i am using Neptune bcuz i love it

2. make my last block from the Fat Quarter Shop Designer Mystery Block of the Month then i can start putting the top together


3. sew up a block swap block
4. get caught up on the Hexigon quilt along that jaybird is doing
5. finish up some quilting on an old wip
6. make a new book bag for my niece for her birthday
7. work on my 25 mini pinwheels for my pinwheel sampler quilt along quilt
and many other misc projects to start or work on
*******
now for the major "A LOT OF THAT"
about a month and 1/2 ago i made a large fabric purchase - large for me - i bought yardage of the whole Make Life line & i didn't even feel bad about it, but i made a deal with myself
fabric purchases would be kept to a minimum between then and my annual trip to Sisters
needless to say that did not last long
*******
i went to Spokane this week for meetings and a doc apt and came home with this


2 charm packs, a jelly roll and some yardage - no idea what i am going to do with it but i love it

poked some buttons on my laptop and the yardage above showed up at my house this week

Piece N Quilt was having a sale - what can i say? and some of it is Make Life...

these 2 came from my Spokane trip - plans to make a bag with them

this was in the clearance hall - pj pants

this came from JoAnns - skirt

*******

So during these past few weeks there has been a little winning going on and a LOT of projects to do and purchases made

*******

i hope you all enjoy the long weekend and check back next week to see what i got done on my list of to dos.......

Oh & for anyone else who is a Dave Matthews Band fan

the tour started tonight in Hartford, CT

Production

before i do a show & tell about my sewing production this past weekend i MUST show you all what i got in the mail last week.....

*******

once i read about it on her site it was a must have!!!

*******

Julie from Jaybird Quilts hit the cover of the current issue of Quilts and More with her Circle Around quilt and best of all she has kits for the quilt. i got the kit & the mag, which she signed plus a label for the back of it made by Julie -

*******

Thanks cover-girl - you rock!!!

*******

you can fin the link to her store on her website Jaybird Quilts

i have been productive this past weekend getting caught up on a bunch of stuff that i have been behind on. like the Jelly Roll Quilt Along - now current

like my last Pinwheel Quilt Along blocks - now current

now i need to make the mini pinwheels for the sashing - i think that's 25 mini pinwheels

i finally got started on the Hexi Quilt Along that Jaybird is doing

my pics are in the wrong order but - i am current

blocks #3


blocks #1




blocks #2



last but not least & more important then the items above is this adorable little girl - my niece
i spent a weekend with her and somehow got this shot which i love
we were playing in the back yard with her tunnel



i hope everyone has a productive week whatever it is you are doing.

i am off to finish up my skirts for my upcoming trip the the Virgin Islands.