So Far So Good

So sad this morning couldn't use my Tin Lizzie.

Instead I awoke with an idea to either do a new pattern or work on an old.  Opted to do another Six Flags with scraps here.  (sold my other one)  Need one for the booth for Edgerton Quilt Show October 20th.

Found all the scraps I needed and proceeded.

Lizzie sitting right behind me while I'm sewing and she even looked sad.

About an hour into my sewing I decided to maybe do a a little manual timing backing off her wheel and cleaned her bobbin area AGAIN.

Turned her on with out, thread - and she purred.  What!!!!! You want to try to quilt something??

OK! - Loaded my Buggy Barn Baskets and proceeded to do some pretty fancy custom quilting to see if she could handle it.  I thought the worst that could happen, I would keep my Lizzie Dr appointment on Wed and finish my quilt when she was all better.

Look how pretty she is stitching (right now)

Giving her a rest right now, and myself.

I'm planning on doing this in one day.  Normally it would take 2 but thought as long as everything is going so smoothly better get it done while I can.

I'm going to be pretty tired and sore tonight after this, but if I get it finished, worth the pain.

The painful part is going to be my feet, they always hurt for a few hours after doing a custom quilt.

I'm Sad

Just barely finished the Buggy Barn Bramble Basket for Dee Dee (Alice) and my Tin Lizzie quit working.

 I had to nurse her through the last few stitches, but like a real trooper she made it to the last stitch and then gave a sad sigh and quit.

Will be taking her to the LA doctor Wednesday. With Luck (keep fingers crossed) she will be able to come home with me Wed or no later than Thursday.  Which gives me little time to get my BB quilt done by Friday.

She did do some beautiful work with her last dying stitch.

If Lizzie does get fixed in time for Friday, I don't think I will have the time to do custom work on mine, but even so, the baskets quilt will look nice with a simple overall stitch.

I'm just so happy I was able to finish this one.

Annette took me with her today shopping for fabric.  By appointment only, lady sells fabrics and quilt supplies from her home.

Going back on Saturday sometime with some of my tops to purchase the oversized backing. She has a huge selection and a very very reasonable price.

That is after we first go to Loose Threads to vote on the viewers choice Buggy Barn Bramble Basket quilts.  I just hope mine will be one of them on display.

Its Been A Full Weekend

Went to our family reunion Saturday and had a wonderful time catching up with my family.

Great food and good company, makes for a happy girl.

This morning topped it off with breakfast with some of the family and then all came to the house where I gave the grand tour of the house and  "park" we live in, with many compliments given.

Good news! - there was a small KOI swimming around.  Could it be?  One of those itty bitty fishies that Diane put in weeks ago has grown to a good size and is actually visible.

Last night she added a goldfish won at the Rock County Fair.  So it will be fun watching for this to grow.

This afternoon, my SIL Alice brought her Buggy Barn Challenge Quilt top to me, and we agreed I should do a custom quilting on this one.

I'm jealous and called her to tell her so.  I like what I'm doing so much I wish I had done mine first using these stitching's.

This is going to take hours and hours to finish.

Now I have to come up with plan for mine.  They have to be completed by the 3rd and will be hung at Loose Threads on the 4th for a viewers choice judging.

Ok the challenge is on!!

Dresden Platter

I have it sewn together, and I'm liking it so far.

Now comes the hard part. How do I quilt this one.  The edges are finished and I don't want to put a binding on this, just leave the finished edges.   However, when I layer this with backing and batting that will leave a raw edge on the back.

It was suggested to me to tuck the batting into the points (good idea Darran) but that still leaves me with the backing with a raw edge.  Now I'm thinking, (just thinking) tuck the points, quilt it with excess backing, of course, then trim the backing back far enough to do a hand sewn edge as close to the points as possible.

No hurry on this, but it will bother me until I have it figured out.

As you know yesterday was my play day with Ky outside - here is the rhubarb she cut up and we packaged

That's a lot of rhubarb, and more growing.  Im guessing we got about 12 or more cups of rhubarb.

Today is family reunion day, and I made (what else)  a rhubarb cake.

Call Me Crazy!!!

Today has been a very busy productive day.

Sewed from 5:30-7:30am - 

Picked Ky up at 9 - and headed to the greenhouse, garden center to buy................ flowering plants.

Like I need more flowers right???  Well actually I do. There are some flower beds that are done blooming for the year and I wanted to see color for the rest of the summer so, I just had to buy some perennials.  

Actually have another plant but no flowers on it yet, so I will wait until there are blooms before I photo it.

So here is the day, sewed, picked up Ky, purchased 3 perennials,  planted the plants, weeded 3 and 1/2 beds, trimmed low hanging branches that attack me every time I mow. Picked apples, Ky really helped with that, balancing on a step ladder and with a long pole knocked down some fairly good sized apples.  Picked up weeds and branches, including some dead ones the storm brought down for me.  Loaded and laid down 2 loads of mulch. Picked rhubarb and Ky is cleaning and cutting that up as I type.

Oh and forgot harvested the rest of the poppies and cut down the dead plants.

That was a full day, but it felt good. Today was the first day in a long time the weather wasn't so extreme I couldn't be outside.   

I chose to work outside today, as sewing has been an issue for me the past 2 days.  No matter what I do, I seem to have to rip out and redo.  When you have days like that, walk away and do something else.

Wisconsin Heritage Quilt

I don't know if that is the name of this quilt or not, but that's what I'm calling it.

Peg did a beautiful job putting together all the blocks that represent Wisconsin.

Loving the fabrics she chose to go with the panels.

I used a panto for this quilt - Ginkgo Leaves.  This is going to a man - so no frills, no flowers, and no swirls, but the Ginkgo Leaves is a perfect quilt stitch.

Yesterday was a very productive quilting day, and today its a day to clean.

Those sneaky threads have managed to find their way all through the house. You would think they had legs and walked.  Not to mention the dust bunnies that are collecting and reproducing on my furniture.

A Full Day Of Sewing

Today is CT Sunday Sew In.  Kicking into high gear "Jean Mode"

Yesterday afternoon I quilted this darling baby quilt for Peg

I quilted it using my free motion clouds design.

This morning loaded and quilted Teri's Shamrock Tshirt Quilt

Added a little extra design to the border and sashing.

Now I have another quilt for Peg loaded on the frame and getting ready to quilt a full size quilt for her.

In between this, I'm working on the Huge Dresden Plate

Went shopping with Julie and friends yesterday to Jefferson quilt shop - can you say SALE

Purchased a neat ruler that made the center dresden.    The pieces are just pinned there to see if my theory works.

Now its time to go and start Peg's other quilt.

Me And My Big Ideas

Brainstorm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I watched a You Tube Missouri Quilts on how to make simple Dresden plate quilt blocks.

Need to purchase the ruler to make the pieces.

My mind working overtime, as usual.  Years ago I purchased a large tumbler template and made one quilt with it, so my brainstorm, make a Large Dresden Plate.

.What do you think of this???? - the center is 24" across using Christmas fabrics - this will be a table topper, once I figure out how to make the center circle and what fabric to use for the center.  This took all of 2 hours to make including the time it took to find the fabrics in my stash.

It will probably take longer to make the circle than it did to cut and sew these pieces together.

In addition to making this early morning project, I also quilted another Tshirt quilt for customer.

Rather than just do the simple large meandering all over I decided to add interest to the borders and sashings with loops, loop d loops and medium meandering.

Have already picked up Ky for the day and she is busy sewing her rows together, she will, hopefully finish her top today.

With so many interruptions ,she hasn't been able to stick to sewing.  She has this one to do and she also wants to work on yet another one before the quilt show in October.

Sewing Bee

I had the best day today.

My sister in law Alice, another friend of ours Kathie Snell and I sat down to do the hand sewing binding on a quilt Alice has made.

The quilt is so large it would take her quite a long time to sew on her own.

We enjoyed sitting around a table with the quilt on top and each of us on a side of our own and proceeded to sew at our own pace.

Much talking, and laughing and before we knew it, time for lunch.

Alice made us a wonderful lunch and we pigged out.  Had a chance to see her newly improved sewing studio.  She has added cabinets and a built in sewing area which we fell in love with.

Loved her studio before, but now with the improvements its even nicer.

After sewing today with the girls, I now understand why ladies have enjoyed their sewing bees of the past.  How can you not have a good time, making beautiful quilts and spending time with good friends and family and terrific food.

I would do this again anytime anywhere.

Who needs a binding sewn on???

Bird Quilt

Boredom set in this afternoon.  A person can watch just so much TV.

Kept busy enough this morning, even with the heat I managed to dig out some heavy duty big time weeds and trim back some unruly bushes.  Put our name on the newly painted mailbox.  Now its official the Romack's live her.  

Fixed the one block on the Bramble Basket that was in the wrong position.

I could have cleaned.  That's always an option.  Nah!

Loaded and quilted the Bird Quilt.  Birthday present for Lexi she is going to be 2 in October.

Free motion Flowers and Leaves.

Its so difficult to get a true color for purple or lavender.   The quilt is a light lavender and the border darker lavender.  

Maybe someday I will find out the secret to true color pictures.

OMG I Have Become A Weedaholic

I need an intervention for sure.  Cant stop myself from bending and picking.

Its truly and addiction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spent 2hours this morning cleaning the weeds from between the patio blocks.  They have taken it over, where it looked like a carpet of weeds rather than patio blocks. I know I know ROUNDUP.  However, have you seen the price of the this wonderful plant elixir?  I have, and with the size of this yard/flower beds and patio I would have to buy gallons of it. So its bend pick, bend pick, repeat!!.

After getting every itty bitty and large weed, I proceed to then wash down the patio.  Looks ever so nice.

You would think that would be enough for one day in this heat wouldn't  you?   Oh no, I spy with my little eye, something green that shouldn't be.

So its off I go to investigate and find its time to pay attention to this area again.  Cut down all the spent poppies after harvesting and spreading the tiny seeds.

Stacy saw me out in the yard and stopped and before leaving she was squatting, and picking.  LOL it runs in the family.

Around the side of the house to visit the Rose of Sharon Bush, which just started to bloom, pictures to follow after it has a few more blooms on it, and we find yet more that needs our attention..

Time to feed the Koi.  Should have stayed inside because after feeding, I decide to take a walk out back looking for more Rose of Sharon bushes that Diane said should be there in the way way back yard.

On the way to explore I pass Wayne's vegetable garden.  He has not been able to tend his garden, been painting the house in between the heat.  Of course I see what should not be.  So I jump the fence.  Yeah like I'm going to jump, that would be worth a ticket to see.  Any who, I climb over the fence and proceed to bend and pull from my beets, and before I know it I have 1 and half rows taken care of.  That is until something nasty bite me, or stung me.  I wasn't wearing my garden gloves, I had no intention of weeding while taking my walk. Shuda known better. Like I said its an addiction called weedaholic.

The good news is each day I am rewarded with yet a new bloom or soon to bloom plants.

I was told these are called Baloon plant

This wasnt there yesterday

Again not there yesterday  I was wondering if I would get any blooms on this plant

 I am currently lounging in my recliner enjoying the cool air from AC.  Hmmmm I wonder how long it will be before I need another "fix".

In Just A Few Hours

For over a year now I have promised to make a quilt for my great nephew Nolan Eastman.

Time passes by so quickly, its been over a year since the little guy was born.

Been so undecided as to what kind of quilt to make for him, and at 3:30 this morning I woke up and new exactly what I wanted to do.

Yes, I got up rummaged through my stash and scraps and started in.

After cutting, I don't know how many, 2.5 strips of  various fabrics, I put it together like the Jelly Roll Race, added borders and just finished quilting it a few minutes ago.   Just need to bind and done.

I love the way it turned out.  

Now I will probably have to take a nap.  

Crazy isn't it?  Once I get something in my head I cant rest until I either get it started or started and finished.  In this case it was the later.

Now I have to start thinking about a quilt for my new little grandson coming November.

I will have to go on a F.A.R.T. to find the fabric.  I wont know what I'm going to make until I get another brainstorm.  Hopefully not at 3:30am again.