Catching UP

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  We had a very nice one.  Watched the Packers win again.  Unfortunately Ken, Deena and Kids couldn't make it. Ken called and said he was sick.   Kylee couldn't come, it was her Thanksgiving with her mom.  Little Tavyn was the only little one here this year.  He is such a character.  Couldn't believe the entire day went by and I didn't take one picture.  That is pretty unusual for me.

Now its time to get back to work.

Yesterday had Doc appointment, just the usual annual checkup. Came home from that and had intentions of quilting, but I was tired and lazy.  Played on the computer and then we met our friends from Indiana for supper at Texas Roadhouse.  Really enjoy spending time with them. They only come a few times a year and each time they do, we make plans to meet up.

Today I got busy and finished quilting Margie's BB Stockings:

Have hers all finished and then I started quilting mine.  Mine is taking a little longer, I'm doing a more customized stitching.  What the heck, I have the time, and I don't charge myself anything for the extra work.  Only half way done, but my body is telling me I can finish this tomorrow.

Teri's Butterfly Quilt

Feeling oh so much better today.  First thing this morning went to sewing room and finished this cute twin quilt ( thought it was going to be a baby quilt until I measured it ).  A Butterfly print deserves a butterfly stitching.

This was a little tricky to do as the backing was a silky flimsy fabric. I was really concerned about pleating or puckering, but it worked out fine.  The edges were the tricky part, not enough fabric to use my clamps, so I just held on tight with one hand and quilted with the other. It worked and I'm likeing the way it turned out.
I seem to be in a stitching rut.  Using meandering and pops of designs here and there.  It has just worked out this way for the past 3 quilts that have come in.

My next quilt top to do is for one of the BB challenge stockings.  I dont know what Im going to do with this one. Wont know until I get it loaded on frame.  She did request something simple, no customizing.  I will probably do a meandering or looping and throw in a little extra here and there. Like I said I will know once its loaded.

Already cleaned the sewing room and the quilting machine is all ready for its next workout. Maybe even this afternoon, but first UGH cleaning for tomorrow.

In Progress

Unfortunately wont be getting as much done today as had planned.

Yesterday we had entire house carpeting cleaned moved all the small furniture our of the rooms, and back again when carpets were cleaned  In doing so I must have overworked my back, because this afternoon I am unable to finish a baby quilt I have loaded on my frame.  My back is killing me.

Today will be a day of resting and watching TV.

A few  days ago I played with making more crumb blocks.  Here is what they are looking like so far.

I did not realize how much browns I have in my scraps.  After laying them out side by side, I have decided not to use any sashing with these blocks.

Managed to make 1 pass on the baby quilt I am doing for a customer and it will be very cute once finished.

Meandering and closed winged butterflies placed here and there.

Hopefully, tomorrow I will feel rested enough to finish this quilt. I think its going to be darling.

Grocery shopping this morning for Thanksgiving dinner didn't help my back at all. 

$97.00 for one day of eating. Geeeeeesssssss.  First you have to buy the food, come home put it away, cook it, takes 20 minutes for everyone to eat it and then you get to clean up afterwards.  Is it worth it.  If you love and appreciate your family, I guess it is.

I really do like cooking a big meal for family gatherings.  When I think about it, I only have to do this once or twice a year so I cant complain. Imagine those that have large families still living at home. Yikes, I would have to feed them soup and hamburger daily just to afford it.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

Having Fun Today

I just finished another Turning Twenty.  Finished the sewing portion yesterday and quilted it today.

Just messing around with meandering and throwing a flower here and there. It was fun to do, and I will be doing this on another quilt someday. Perfect for a little girls quilt

All freehand, so none of the flowers are exactly the same, which make it fun. Don't worry that one petal is larger than the other, don't worry that some flowers have 4 petals and others have 6.  I guess that's why I love freehand, so individual, and not repetitive.  I know some people want that "perfect" stitch, but I have always been a fan of freehand or even pantos.  When you do a panto, you can not follow the line perfectly and for me that's great then it doesn't look like it came out of Walmart comforter section.

I do have to admit, the quilters using computers do some beautiful work, how can it not be, and Im not saying its a bad thing, but I just prefer a good freehand quilting.

My work will probably never be an award winning quilt show blue ribbon, but for your everyday, average take home and cuddle quilt, Im happy with my stitching.

BB update

Its been busy and productive the last few days here at my house.

Manage to finished the BB Stockings quilt also finished the center of another Turning Twenty.

this is before its sewn together

Today was the monthly sew day with the girls. We had a great time as usual and I learned how to make Crumb blocks for a Crumb quilt.  Basically this is another way to make a scrap quilt.  Its quite fun and look forward to doing more blocks and using more scraps.  Lets hope It wont be necessary for me to throw this scrap one away.

While doing the T/20 it made me think of yet another pattern for a quilt that my granddaughter Brooklynn wants.

She wants a quilt made with tropical fish.  I purchased the fabric months ago but could not decide what pattern to use.  The fabrics are so pretty didn't want to cut the fish up.

Testing one way to lay out the blocks.  Managed to get 2 of 3 rows sewn at sew day today. Everyone liked this quilt very much and I'm liking it too.  I just hope by the time I get it to her, she hasn't changed her mind about the fish quilt. If she does, I will give it to her little brother Luke.

There is much to do, must get T/20 sewn and quilted by this weekend. I am making this for Bff Nettie, and she is giving it as a Christmas present this Thanksgiving.  They are celebrating with part of their family Thanksgiving and Christmas all in the same day.  Some of her family is coming from out of town, and wont be coming back for Christmas.

In addition I have my own Christmas presents I need to finish by Dec 18th. This is when we are doing our family Christmas with our children and their children.  I also have to quilt the Stockings by Dec 1st.

And, hopefully I will have more customer quilt tops to quilt. I can always find time for my customers. They come first and everything else is secondary and how I spend my days when Im not quilting for others.

Stockings Another Buggy Barn Challenge

Yes its time for another BB Challenge.  This pattern was actually drawn up by one of our Barn Chixs girls.

Alice and I met up yesterday. She purchased her fabrics and after a nice lunch out,  we came back to my house to cut and sew.

Diana N. came with us and I'm so glad she did.  Diana is a newbie quilter, and has made one quilt and working on another. She is doing a BOM through Stoughton LQS Saving Thyme. After watching Alice and I trying to figure out how to assemble the BB, she said the BOM seems easy.

The first block took me a couple of hours to put together. For some reason, couldn't figure out how to start. I had forgotten to go from A,B C etc in that order.  Alice came to see what I was doing and pointed it out to me.  After that it started to go together pretty quickly. 

We started at 1pm and hadn't realized how the time was going by. Finally finished the first block at 4pm.  In between sewing there was much talking and laughing.  I really enjoy sewing with friends. The time flys by when you are having so much fun.



See the difference in size from cut pieces to completed block after sewn and trimmed.

Six blocks cut. Finished one yesterday, and laid the others out on my board this morning  Managed to get 2 more blocks completed..

While I'm sewing, I hear Wayne singing to me from upstairs "Happy Birthday to You:"     I started to laugh out loud, and thinking to myself  "and that's why we have been married for 47 years" this month.  He can frustrate me so much at times, as I'm sure I do him, but throughout our years together, he has always made me laugh.

Oh yeah, its my BD today, no big plans, but as I sit here writing my blog, I feel so content and happy. Dont need big BD celebration, just family and good friends and oh yes of course my sewing.

CT Monthly Sew In Day

Once a month Connected Threadz holds a sew in day, where members sign up for the event and spend the day working on what ever projects they choose.  All during the day we check in and out of CT and post pictures and comments.

Here are a few pics of whats happening today

The sew in is just like getting together with friends for a sew day but, this is done via the Internet. People from all over the US.  We have several from Australia but they are doing the sew in today. 

So many talented sewers. Love seeing all of their works finished and in process.  I didn't even put all of the pictures here. More are being posted all day long.

Here's what I was working on today.

Working on a new pattern. Did 15 squares and got bored so decided to do some fleece blankets for Xmas presents.

Jump on over to CT and see whats happening. There is always something going on.  Click on the CT button on my blog site and join in.