The Quilt Police

 

Saw this on Facebook this afternoon and couldn't resist sharing it with you. Next time you are at a quilt show and want to touch a quilt or look at the back of it remember this. It might save you from this fate. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas I'm off to sew some more to finish up a project.

 

I'm making two of these quilts for gifts still working on the second one.

 

It's from Connecting Threads. They sell a baby quilt kit, but I had to figure out how much flannel to purchase to make two of the larger sizes. I'm putting fleece on the back of them. I'll try to get pictures of the finished product before they are given away.

Winter Shows up Again

After several days of unseasonal warmer than normal weather the temperatures have dropped. While we had wind and rain last night there was snow in the mountains. So this morning this was the view from the living room windows,

 

It must have still been snowing at the top of the mountains with all the cloud cover they weren't visible all day.

 

Tomorrow is a day spent in the quilt room so guess I'd better call it a day. Hopefully, if I'm very industrious I'll have something to show you.

Winter Blowing Through our Neighborhood

Terrible picture but this is the snow that came down most of the day. It has been very cold here which is unusual for this time of year. It's the kind of weather that makes you want to stay home with a quilt on your lap and read or knit or nap with a cat on your lap.

Before this last week we have had lovely fall weather. Dh went to an auction and came home with a tractor and a few days later he went to another one and came home with a mower and a blade for it. He showed me how to start it and how to drive it. Not something I want to do a lot of, but it was the first time I've ever driven a tractor. It will come in handy to keep the drive clean if we get a lot of snow this winter and to keep the grass mowed next year. Next thing you know he'll probably want to build a barn to keep it in.

Well, it's time to get comfy, read for awhile and get to sleep.

Have you Been Wondering Where I Am?

It's been one of those summers. I had surgery on my left eye the 31st of July to remove cataracts and on my right on the 4th of September. So my long distance vision is wonderful and bright the close up not so good. I am waiting for glasses that let me use the long distance and be able to see close up. Right now I'm using readers for close up and while they help they leave a lot to be desired.

Almost no quilting was done during this since I couldn't see to sew, cut, measure and so on.  At the same time we were (my husband and some friends) replacing the sunroom roof which took longer than expected because we had a storm system come through and when it was gone temperatures went back up into the 90's so it put a kink in how much time could be spent on the roof. However, it is done and very nicely to,
but the best part is it doesn't leak anymore.




While the roof work was being done I cooked lunch for them and managed to put binding on this jelly roll quilt top. It's really bright and cheerful.  It surprised me, but DH really likes the quilt. Usually he says he can hear the busy ones coming.

I've also been working on this sweater for the #1 daughter. It's a pretty easy know so hopefully I'll be able to get it finished soon. I'll try to get a better picture soon.
Tomorrow I'm making plum jelly and we have grapes we need to do something with so I'll probably be making some grape jelly also. I'll try to post more often now that it is easier to see.

p.s. Today is our 48th Anniversary.  He told me to stick with him and he would show me the world. I did and he did. Happy Anniversary you good looking man.

Squeak Around the House

Last week when I was in Costco I bought some cantaloupe. When I got home I started to cut it up into chunks so it was ready to eat at a moments notice. By the time I got the knife all the way through the melon Squeak was at my side wanting some cantaloupe right now. In order not to lose hearing or get bruised from the non-stop pounding on my leg I quickly cut up a few chunks for him. He sure loves cantaloupe. After his snack he needed a quick nap so I found him in one of his favorite place. In a box of fabric where he can see all the action. Every time I try to get a picture of his face he turns his head so I asked him why he did that and this is what I got in answer to my question.

 

Life is never dull with Squeak around to keep you on your toes.

 





This week in my corner of the world.

This is the front and  back of a Sampler Block of the Month quilt I did for a customer. I quilted it using the Circle Lord Baptist Fan template. In came out very nice in spite of the thread breaking more than I liked.

 
 
 

The weather has also warmed up and our Peony bloomed nicely this week. They sure are pretty but the don't seem to last very long.


Last, but not least before dh went walk about he put up two raised beds for me to use. I'm going to plant some greens veggies and try some cantaloupe and see if I can get anything to grow. They will have a retractable top on them so I can protect them from the birds. They should look and act like mini greenhouses. We'll see how that works.

Unvieling the Stage

Today was the day all DH's musical friends come over to cookout, eat and make music. They got the important things out of the way first:

 

 

Once that was taken care of they started playing some music.

 

 

 

It was a lovely day today, not to hot just a light breeze and everyone had a good time.



March Finish

This is my finish for March. It is a kit from Connecting Threads which I've had quilted for a year or so just needed binding. Finally have it bound and washed. These for some reason aren't some of my better pictures, but it is a really pretty quilt. It measures about 52' x 72". Haven't decided if I'll sell any of these quilts yet or keep them around. Hope to get caught up in the next few weeks.

This is my February Finish. It was a 20 piece Jelly Roll which I did like the youtube video of the Jelly Roll Race. I really like the fall colors and I used a Kona Bay fabric for the back and binding. I quilted it with a new pantograph of leaves which came out very nice. I'm binding my March Finish so hope to be posting it soon.

January Finish

 This is my finish for January. It is a kit from Connecting Threads and I provided the backing and binding. I quilted this with the pantograph called Double Rose Vine. I don't know if you can see it or not, but it looks like the roses are following the barn raising pattern of the quilt.

Design Wall Monday

It's design wall Monday over at Patchwork Times . I finally have my Trip Around the World top together so I'm linking up with Judy. Now to decide on how I want to do the borders.

 

Today was a good day since I also rec'd the new Bonnie Hunter book More Adventures With Leaders and Enders.

 



What I've Been Doing

I've been busy making a Trip Around The World Quilt as a gift for one of my son's friends. He married a couple of months after Kyle's wedding last August and I said I would make them a wedding quilt. I'm also working on a wedding quilt for my daughter who married in January this year. Pictures of that soon.

Today I was trying to clean up around the quilt room and came across some Preprinted tops that need borders and quilting - 14 of them:

 

I also found tops that need borders added, some that just need quilting and one that just needs binding. There are 37 of these. Some are wall hangings, most of them are lap quilt size or bed size so I'll be busy for awhile:

 

There are a couple of quilts in there from Bonnie's mysteries. Double Delight and Easy Street that need borders and quilting. Soon hope to have RRCB into top form and added to the list. I'll be busy for quite some time. These are just the ones I have found so far. Are you as behind as I am?



Wee Small Hours of the Morning

Did you stay up last night to watch the eclipse? I did and for awhile the night sky was clear enough to see it.

Just starting

 

Not quite half way

 

Unfortunately, by the time it was in the blood red stage it had moved behind some wispy clouds and my camera wouldn't pick it up at all. At that time I gave up and went to bed.

  

  

Other news around the homestead. Dh has been hard at work getting his stage ready for it's debut. His music making friends are due to break it in on the 26th of April. We will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and I will make potato salad and we'll see what other food delights show up. Now if the weather will just be a real spring day without a lot of wind or rain everyone should have a good time.

 

I'm off to work in the quilt room. Have a couple of quilts to get made

and sent off in the mail. Happy Tax Day.

Your laugh for today

Have you ever seen dehydrated chicks? Just add water and you get

baby chicks. The magician is Michael Carbonaro. Enjoy. If it were

only that easy.


 Click here: #.UTwOkqWVdOQ

Design Wall Monday

 

I'm joining up with Patchwork Times  on her Design Wall Monday Post. Accuquilt came out with some new dies fall of 2013 and the Hunter Star was one of them. I've never made a Hunter Star quilt before so decided to try out the die. It took me about 40 minutes to cut out the pieces for 12 blocks. It works really well and goes together easily.

 

Just when you think spring may be here you get something like this:

 

We woke up yesterday morning snow. It was a heavy wet snow and by afternoon it was all gone and we had rain. Today is overcast with more rain tomorrow and Wednesday. I knew I shouldn't have washed windows last month it was just asking for trouble.

 

I'm off to find something for borders for the Hunter Star Quilt. Soon as taxes are done I should be around more often. 

 

A Quick Visit

Just wanted to stop in and let you know I'm still here. Have once again gotten over a sinus infection and bronchitis and have been playing in the sewing room. Accuquilt came out with some new dies last year and I tried out the Hunter Star die this last week. Having never made this quilt, but having quilted many for other people, it was a nice surprise to see how easy it is to put together. If you have an Accuquilt product I would recommend this die. Next I am trying scraps and I'll let you know how I like that look.

A Give Away Keepsake Quilting

I just found out about a giveaway over at Keepsake Quilting that will end on the 28th of February. It has some really nice prizes and you can do one entry a day. You can enter Here . They have 3 very nice prizes and say they will have at least 50 winners.

 

On Wednesday evening we had a glorious sunset. The picture doesn't begin to show it. Everything was painted a golden color. You can see this tree looking out the dining room window. It is across the canal in the neighbors yard it was a lovely golden color.

 



Finally figured out what was causing the problem with the quilting machine. I had put a new needle in and it just made a mess of the quilting. Found some of the needles I thought I was out of, put one in and it quilts like a charm once again. It sure puts me out of sorts when the machine acts up. So now I have to catch up on my UFO Challenge to myself and get two quilts finished in a week so I can start working on March. It's really sad when you give yourself a challenge and then fall down right away. We'll see if I'm up to getting January and February finished by the end of the week. If you challenged yourself this year how are you doing.  

Winter Has Arrived

 

Now that we are half way through winter she has decided to get serious. This is our snowfall the last two days with more forecast.
Nothing like what is happening in the Midwest and East coast, but still needed here. The wind is picking up so I'm sure that this dry snowfall will probably start to drift. It is a gray and white day and for once the mountain isn't visible.

 

 

It makes me want to curl up with a good book on the kindle and a hot cup of tea with a quilt on my lap and maybe a cat or two. Hope you are all safe and warm.

Squeaker Reclaiming his territory and Design Wall Monday

A couple of days ago I caught Lucy up on the cat tree. Until the last few weeks the only cat to climb the stand was Squeak. Then Lucy started sitting on the first perch. Then one day she was on the second one. A couple of days ago I looked up and she was on the top one just quietly enjoying herself.

Squeaker was in the sunroom for a time out. I wish I'd had my camera ready when he saw Lucy up on what he considers to be his Cat Tree. His face registered such disbelief.  He wasted no time climbing up there to claim his territory. He really wasn't happy about someone else in what he considers to be his space. 

I've managed to get some sewing done and a bit of knitting. I've been working on a Scrappy Mini Trips quilt you can find the pattern here Quiltville . Unlike Bonnie I didn't plan where to sew the strips I just put them together at random. It's fine with me I'm using up 2.5" strips and that was the goal. So far I have 15 blocks done and I think I'll make some more just not sure how many yet.

I have this quilt in the machine, but I am going to have to rip out the quilting because something isn't right and it's a mess. Quilts is still pretty though. It is one done like the Jelly Roll Race on Youtube . That's pretty much what is happening here. What's happening where you are?

Frosty Mornings

We've been having cold foggy nights which freeze so that in the morning when the fog is gone we have trees which look like these before it warms up and melts it all. We are having what the weatherman calls an inversion which is keeping our daytime temps in the mid to upper 40's. For this time of year that is almost a heat wave. The other morning everywhere I looked there was frost which made it look like a winter wonderland. One nice thing is the sunshine and blue skies. One other nice thing we have been having some really beautiful sunsets.

 

I've been doing a little sewing, some knitting and reading. It's time to get busy and get some things done. So hopefully I will have something to show this week.

A Belated Happy New Year

 Meet my Granddaughter and my Great-Granddaughter. I still find it hard to believe that I have not one but two Great-Granddaughters.

 This is the youngest GGD: She always seems to have a smile now that she is smiling



.

We are going to the movie tonight to see Saving Mr. Banks. What I've heard has been good. Before we head off we are having stuffed Green Peppers for dinner with salad. Dh makes the best salads they could be a meal on their own. This is the salad he made for dinner last night so we are having some more of it to go with the peppers. This is them ready to go in the oven.

Gotta run the oven timer just went off.