I Dub Thee Sewing Room Kitty

How many quilters/sewers own cats -  it seems if you sew you are also a cat owner - I know many that are including myself.

That's why I especially love this new quilt that I custom quilted for a customer.

I'm going to steal this one for sure LOLOLOLOL


Happy Thanksgiving everyone -  looking forward to not cooking or cleaning this year -  just gobble gobble gobble good food

Beautiful Stars And More

Love love love this quilt the colors the pattern, everything about it.

Used a panto this time -  Polka Dot Stars - looks good - I think!

Some lucky person is going to be so happy to get this one, unless the customer decides to keep it herself.

I know I would have a problem giving it away.

But then, I always want to keep them after they are finished - even the ones intended to go to a different home.  If I kept every quilt I made, they would be stacked to the ceilings in every room and bulging out the walls.

I do have photos of every quilt, - well almost every one.  The first few I made I neglected to photograph so now I have to use my memory (which could be a problem) and try to remember each quilt I have made and given away.

There a few that come to mind, that I wish I could get back.   You know those people that just don't appreciate the love and work not to mention the expense of making quilts.  The gifts I give are intended to be used and loved. If a quilt is worn out from use, I don't mind.  I know it was appreciated and used as it was intended.   Not shoved in a plastic bin to be forgotten or possibly tossed out by mistake while cleaning a garage.

Wow where did all of that come from.   Something must be nagging in my subconscious.

Shake it off - like Toby said - bad things/people don't get to live in my head rent free.

On a much brighter note - went over to Toby, Sarah, and Gus's house last night for chili and birthday cake -
Its so darn hard to believe Gus is 3 already

Number 2 for yesterday

Not much to say other than snow is good for quilting hehehehehe

Loving this - simple but effective, shows off the movement and  texture -  this is for a gentleman therefore, no swirls and flowers -  this ripple effect is one of my "go to" for men - I have others that I can use as well but for this quilt I really like the way the ripples enhance the blocks and stripes.

Another day of staying in, and winter begins with hibernation.  At least for me - unless I have to be someplace I spend many days inside.  This can lead to cabin fever but its a little early in the season for that.

I am thinking of getting out the Christmas tree and decorations soon, but I can wait until after Thanksgiving.

A change of decorations always perks me up.

Hunkering IN

And so it begins - snow snow snow -  My only appointment to get nails done will be cancelled.

I on the other hand will find the time to get caught up on customer quilts - starting with these 2 small couch quilts

Actually I finished one yesterday while Gus played on his new keyboard gma bought him for his birthday.

Last Monday,- Wednesday I went on another quilters retreat and had  the the best of times  - made new friends and enjoyed good food.

All 3 days I worked on paper piecing quilt and had all but 5 blocks finished before returning home.

Set up "camp" on my dining room table Thursday rather than my sewing room as I thought I would be having Gus for the day - not so but even so I finished the blocks in my dining room - now its on my design wall awaiting sashing and borders

Now would be a good time to get back to my "room" and get some work done.

Now This Was A Fun One

After looking at pink cats for a while it was nice to rest my eyes on a green and white.

Green is a relaxing color and it was the perfect time to quilt this one.

Surprisingly this did not take me as long as I thought it might - all custom but it went quickly - even though I did a lot of ruler work and free motion quilting.  I'm happy with the results, lets hope she is as happy as I am.

Finished just in time -  going to a friends house for a fun craft day and tomorrow head off to another 3 day retreat.

Lets see I only have to bake a cake, make chili, clean house, wash clothes - pack - no problem

What Can I Say

Cats cats and more cats

The challenge to lay them out - sew a sashing and cornerstones in between the cats and rows and then............. Quilt it.

It took more time than I had expected but at long long last its done and ready for me to add the machine binding.


This is a customers quilt that was not finished and she brought me the completed blocks to assemble into the top and then quilt and bind.

I seriously doubted if I was ever going to finish this one before Thanksgiving, but I pushed on.

The problem being, each cat and attached sashing took over 15min a piece and after standing in one position for 15 min and side stepping only a few inches, became a real issue with my back.  I had to take many many breaks in between the quilted blocks.  7 across and 7 rows down - and the outer borders all custom quilted.

So you can do the math just on the quilting portion, not the breaks in between.

If a person ever got tired of the cats they could flip the quilt over because I think the back is pretty too..

Cartoon Quilters

Last April retreat I made the top for this really cute wall hanging.

The other day I finally loaded it on the machine and began the quilting.  Here is where I do my practice customizing.

Rather than attempt a new design or even one I'm used to doing on a customer quilt I like to drag out one of my tops and do all the mistakes on it.

Such was the case here -  I had somewhat of an idea of what I was going to do and proceeded but!!!! again with the thread changes and even a stitch design - I started out using a dark purple and thought this might look OK on the lighter fabrics   -  Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hated it.  I then went on with some other sections that I did like and after I completed all of the top except these small borders. it came off the machine and into my lap for about 8 hours of taking out the ugly stitches and replacing with more appealing thread color and design.

Back onto the machine and finished up the quilting this morning

Pretty pleased with the completed quilt

Etc Etc Etc

I haven't been writing anything lately because sometimes I feel like I'm just repeating myself for myself.

Yes I quilt!

Yes I post pictures of those quilts, mine and my customers!

Yes I post pictures of Gus who I see regularly! (after all he is here 3 days a week) and who could resist taking pictures  If I saw my other grand kids more often I would be posting pictures of them as well.
   
Yes I go with my girlfriends to quilting events! - Why? because its my business and my passion

My goodness I'm going to be 70 and what else can I do - but work on my "hobby" as some people call it - I call it therapy in addition to making money

I travel when I can as much as I can and yes it usually involves something to do with fabric (go figure)

Just went on a quilters retreat last weekend.  Fun for me!!!

Dinner out with girlfriends and occasionally with couples that Wayne and I have known for years.

My life is not challenging, exciting, or glamorous but its a good life for me.

So turn away if you don't want to be bombarded with pictures because  I haven't posted recently

Starting with a few retreat pictures:

of course this isn't nearly as many pictures as I took ( lucky you )

and now Gus:

and quilts:

some of my favs from quilt show

and there are more - so you see what happens when I don't post for a while  -

So this is who I am and what I do  etc etc etc

Oh and lets not forget flowers

There that pretty much covers it for the past few weeks