UFO's

look at this...

I'm ahead of the game.

My list (over there on the right sidebar) only goes to 9.. Hee hee..

That means I can catch up on Jan/Feb and March..

Bitty Baby went home tonight. I am tired.

Nancy

a short story....

Is Bitty Baby tired?

no...

Is Grandma tired?

yes....

Did Bitty take a nap?

no.....

Did Grandma want to take a nap?

yes....

And so ends today..

Nancy

is it ok to have cheesecake at 9am?

It is when you are at Grandma's house....

look what I got...

And she is all mine until Wednesday..

It's supposed to be nice this week, so be prepared to be bombarded with granddaughter photos.

Nancy

giveaway....

Not me, but Geta..

You could win one of these two bag patterns. I love the Amelie...the orange color...the hidden pockets...the cute curved top...

Nancy

uh oh...

I guess I should have checked the pattern one last time... Looks like I have another border to put on this quilt before it is finished. Luckily I have the red fabric to match...

Thanks for all the great quilting suggestions yesterday. I think I will do what most of you suggested which is to use the pinwheels as a guide to do some straight line quilting on the diagonal and also do 1/4 inch inside the chick blocks.

But first I need that last red border and my chicks are still hobbling...

Nancy

the bug came....

Somehow I have caught the bug. Thankfully it's not the kind that leaves me hacking, coughing and with a fever...

It did leave me with some almost finished projects. Tuesday I dropped off Wild Thing at the LAQ. With real sickness in her house, I rang the doorbell, dropped my tote and ran..

Then the UPS man came and brought me my Downy Quilt for Kids package. I first read about this on Pat's blog. Downy's Touch of Comfort links Downy, Quilts for Kids, Inc., and the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals with spokesperson Chandra Wilson (from Gray's Anatomy, one of my favorite shows) to bring comfort to kids. How better to comfort kids than with a snugly quilt. If you go to the website and click on the volunteer button Quilts for Kids will send you a complete quilt kit. It includes all fabric pre-cut and the backing. You just follow the easy pattern, add batting, machine quilt and send it back. They even send you a label to fill out for the back of the quilt.

Here is mine almost finished.... It is basted and ready to be quilted. Surprisingly I didn't have any thread that matched. And I will have to pick up some fabric for binding.



So now what? I found this sitting on my closet shelf. I'm not sure why it was all bundled up and put away. It only needed that white inner border sewn on and then the flying geese border was all ready to attach. I think I last worked on this last summer on retreat... I can't remember now why I didn't finish it? Maybe it was time to go home? Well, it's all ready to be quilted now. Problem? I don't have a clue how to quilt it. Any ideas? I really need ideas. I can straight line quilt, but I am a bit rusty on the stipple stuff and I know if I take the time to practice, this will land back on the shelf not to be seen again for a while. So can I straight line quilt it? How? Where? HELP!!

sorry for the crappy photo....it has rained all day



Now if you will excuse me, these baby chicks need some legs.....



Nancy
PS... My baby quilt is featured over at Make Life Sweet

Make Life....

I don't usually name my baby quilts. If I named this one though it would be Make Life a Charm... This was the quickest baby quilt I have ever made. Started last week it is now done.... I put the last stitches in the binding this afternoon while watching "Coraline" a crazy "Alice" type movie. It's animated, but not necessarily for the younger set. Then I washed it and while it was in the dryer I took a nap. I didn't sleep well last night..

So here it is in all it's crinkly goodness...





fabric is Make Life by Sweetwater and Michael Miller Kona Snow
link to pattern - HERE



Now we just have to wait for the baby...

Yesterday my Downy Quilt for Kids kit came in the mail so I will be working on that.

Nancy

this is me today.....

back tomorrow...

Nancy

The Sweat Shop....

Did you celebrate National Quilting Day by sewing, shopping for fabric or something else fun? Except for a few "had to do" chores, I spent all of yesterday in the sewing room. With hubby turning the thermostat up and me turning it down, it felt like a sweat shop most times...

I got both borders on Wild Thing (it really needs a new name, any thoughts?) and will drop it off at the quilters on Tuesday....
The quilt is pinned to another quilt so that dark red border doesn't belong to Wild Thing....it belongs to a house quilt...



I didn't have any backing, so I dragged asked the hubby to go to Hobby Lobby with me.. I had a 40% off coupon so I got Kona cotton in an olive green....

I also picked up some Kona Snow to start on a baby quilt.. Here is a sneak peak..

Make Life by Sweetwater.. Love it..





Hopefully I will have the baby quilt put together today...

Tuesday we are having a "Caravan of Real Estate Agents" coming through the house, so tomorrow will be spent cleaning..... and making some chocolate chip cookies so the house smells good... Gotta get this house sold!!

Nancy

Hey look at this...

Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims are celebrating National Quilting Day by offering all their shows free for 24 hours.... Go HERE to register or login....

What a way to spend the day...

Nancy

Celebrate...

Happy National Quilting Day
2010

To celebrate I decided to poke a few buttons... and today Postlady Marilyn delivered..

I bought this to border and bind the Wild Thing quilt. When I started the Wild Thing quilt I realized that I was using an older line of fabric called Tranquility by Sandy Gervais. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find any coordinating fabric for the border and binding. Etsy to the rescue!! After using the search box I found Jeannies Fabrics and was happy to order...

And then I kept poking and bought these fabrics for a special baby boy due sometime this year. I need to find out when that is so it can be ready... got these from the Fat Quarter Shop . I have the pattern all picked out . At one point the pattern was a free download, but now I don't see it... hm...not sure why. Luckily I printed it out and as soon as I get some background fabric I will start it. The blue is for the backing... I found it!! Here is the free download.... CLICK HERE




I'm off to spend the day in the sewing room... maybe I can get all the rows sewn together and two borders on my Wild Thing. Maybe not.

Nancy

wild thing.....

UPDATE - All the blocks are now finished. I hope to get a quilt top in the next few days...YIPPEE!!

Wild thing...you make my heart sing...
You make everything
Groovy
I said wild thing...

Wild thing, I think I love you
But I wanna know for sure
Come on, hold me tight
I love you

and today's sewing....



Nancy

still working...

I have made more blocks since Sunday...and they have all been trimmed to the pattern size... All the greens are done and I am starting on the gold/tan colors now. I flipped through the charm pack and I can't wait to get to the oranges and blues..



I am going slow and taking my time. This quilt hasn't been spoken for so I don't have a deadline. This is a Thimble Blossom pattern by Camille Rosekelly. The link is in the last post.

And I finished a little baby quilt. I was making this for a special someone, but it turns out she is having a boy...so I have some different fabrics ordered and will make a different pattern. This one will go on the shelf for a sweet baby girl at some point. I need to get a few on the shelf for emergencies...

This started as this pattern off Moda Bake Shop. I thought I had a honey bun... After getting the strip sets sewn and sub-cut, I didn't have 25 blocks. hm...I count 9 blocks. I had a little green box with two rolls of strips in them. They didn't match. Wonder what that is called? Cause it isn't a honey bun.



So I used that pattern to start and then added sashing and the little peeker with inspiration from Linda's quilt pattern that I tested last year. (BTW, that's my quilt on the pattern front!)



And I love my straight line quilting... It doesn't get easier than just putting on the walking foot and going to town...

It's been washed and dried and is all crinkley and sitting on the shelf...



Nancy

PSA...

clunk....clunk....clunk....

hm..

time to clean...

I clean my machine about every 3 hours of sewing. Especially now that I am sewing with charm squares. I get many more fuzzies off of those charms with the jagged edges..

Remember to be nice to your machine.. Clean it regularly and change your needle either every project or every 8 hours of sewing.

This has been a Public Service Announcement brought to you by your sewing machine.

i'm tired....

I loved Blazing Saddles.. as politically incorrect as the movie is, I find it hilarious. This is my favorite song of the movie....

Like Madeline, I'm tired. Tired of sewing Civil War blocks.. So yesterday I decided to pull out a new pattern, a couple of charm packs and some Kona.

The pattern is Wild Thing by Camille Roskelley. I fell in love with it when she featured it on her blog way back when...



I had 2 charm packs of Moda Tranquility designed by Sandy Gervais. I guess it's an older line but I did google and found a few places on line with some charm packs. I think I bought this last year in Paducah. By the time you read this hopefully there are more than 3 blocks finished, but who knows...



On another note, a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Sarah of Jewelry Art Designs and asked if I would like to receive a free piece of jewelry just for reviewing and blogging about it... um...let me think for a second...YEA!! I will...
After looking through her site, I finally settled on a pendant. This one in particular. It came a few days ago and I must say it is beautiful. Very well made and so pretty. I can't wait to wear it tomorrow to quilt guild and show it off. Thanks Sarah for finding my blog and giving me this great opportunity. I love it...



Nancy

because...

apparently someone doesn't have anything else to do....



Yes, those are teeth....

with etchings on them....

puts a whole new spin on "want to come up and see my etchings?"

Off to spend the day with Miss Nancy and my stitching..

Nancy

what I didn't learn at first....

Yesterday I showed you two blocks from First Saturday. There is one more block to get done to be caught up (I was two months behind) and it is FILLED with half square triangles. I haven't counted them, but I think I remember the number 16.... ugh...

I have always struggled to make them. I finally learned the 7/8 inch trick. You probably know it also. This allows a bit of fudge factor... I like that... I like fudge...

Saturday I went to pick up my new block from Patches and THANK YOU GOD, I stayed and watched the demo..

This is what I learned... HOW TO CUT THEM!! Yea, I am sure ALL of you know how to do this. I didn't... No one showed me... Where were my friends when I was making that second cut across the top and scwishing the corner.

I can't possibly explain it, so I made THE SON (formally known as the rock star, he doesn't want to be known as the rock star anymore) video me. He actually said " I will video you if you don't call me the Rock Star".


See where I start cutting the top? Janet showed me that. She does the demos at Patches for First Saturday. So simple, yet no one had ever told me to start cutting in the middle of the second side, not at the end. Watch the second part of the video where THE SON gets real close...

And yes, I always use the edge of my ruler to sweep my cuts aside. That's ok right? I'm not hurting my ruler am I? Cause I really like those two rulers. I use them to cut everything. I have the larger size, but it rarely leaves the ruler holder.

So now I am sharing. Cause, really? Someone should have shown me this a long time ago...



Nancy

design wall monday (March 8th)

The bedroom set is finally finished.. We (meaning DH and the son) lugged all
400 lbs of it up two flights of steps. They are now resting.

I give him a week before he tells me the next project. He has to have something going at all times. Otherwise he is bored.

Isn't it pretty? He even cleaned out his old dresser and put all his own clothes away.

Those are rugs underneath.. I am funny about the carpet and I didn't want to take any chances of any wet stain seeping. They aren't there anymore.





You can see the other bedroom furniture pieces here and here...

And my design wall isn't empty either.



These are the next two blocks in my First Saturday quilt at a LQS. I have one more block to make and two more Saturdays and this one will be finished.

And because I can, here is a photo of all five of my grandkids and one of Grace cheering for a basketball game at a local church.




Tomorrow I have a video for you... It's a good one...

Nancy

uh....

I want this...



DH thinks THIS might be more fun....



it IS cheaper!!

Nancy

Have I got a design wall photo for you tomorrow...don't forget to check in...

redwork....

I love to do hand embroidery and usually have something going all the time....
Thursday was my monthly Redwork Club in old St Charles. We meet at Anne Hazelwood studio and usually have a program, treats and then show-n-tell.

This month our program was given by Miss Nancy. She did a wonderful program on Ruby Short McKim. There were also yummy treats brought by Pat.

Then we got to the show-n-tell..... There were only a couple this month, but boy they were fabulous...

Waunetha's redwork quilt. These are Ruby Short McKims Roly Poly Animals. She does absolutely stunning stitching..



And look at that red quilting in the border...



We have two Japanese women that come to our club... I am not sure why they in the US, there is a bit of a language barrier...

Original design, hand pieced, hand quilted... She said since our club was all about red and white, she felt she needed to make this...



Original design, made in one month.. and she just learned to crochet..



Great show-n-tell, huh?

Have you voted? You have until tonight...

I am off to see all 5 of my grandkids today.... hope I can get them to sit still to get a photo...

Nancy