I'm finally home!

When I left back in August, it was scorching hot here in Ohio and now that I've returned, it's snowing.  I have been busy this past week putting all of my summer clothes away and searching for my winter wardrobe!  I wasn't willing to risk taking my sewing machine on the plane, so it's been a long time to go without piecing.  I did take a lot of  fabric scraps with me to sub-cut into blocks ranging in size from 1.5 inches to 6 inches in one-half  increments - but that quickly got old, and with a curious 2 year old and a 6 month old infant, it was difficult to get much done!  I did get some knitting done though - I finished 2 pair of socks and I'm close to completing a 3rd pair.

So now that I'm back home, I'm looking forward to returning to blogging and I cannot wait to see what everyone has been up to in my absence!

 

Woman on a mission!

I have been all caught up with customer quilting and back on track.  What a good feeling that is!  Sorry about the quality of these photos, but my granddaughters got ahold of my camera and it's beyond repair, so I have no choice but to use my phone . . . .

First up is this customer quilt - they just wanted an all over meander!

 This customer wanted a small meander on this monstrosity - 82 by 117.  When I finished, I discovered a pleat on the back and as I began releasing the pleat, it got bigger and bigger (see photo below.  It took me 4 days to rip everything out to the top edge so I could "taut" the backing and re-stipple, but it's finally done and I hope she likes it as I never had this happen before.  What a nightmare . . .

 This is Connie's first quilt and it was impeccably pieced.  What a pleasure it was to quilt this one!  I used the pantograph Spring Thing, one of my favorites.

This is one of Linda's and I used Spring Thing on this one too and some fun variegated thread!

I quilted one of my own!

Yes, it's a Red Letter Day, I actually quilted a quilt of my own! I have my BQFF Joanne to thank for this achievement as she is the one who laid down a new Quilting Law: after quilting 3 customer quilts, I must quilt one of my own! The problem now is, I don't have any more customer quilts . . .




 

So this is the pieced back of my quilt.  I have been trying to work with fabric that I already have, and sometimes it becomes necessary to piece it to get it to work!

This is another one of Linda's.  It's full of daisies and it was so much fun to work on.  I used Patricia E. Ritter's pantograph:  Purple Meadow!  It was perfect and Linda loves it.

This is the last one of Linda's - it's an Irish Chain in dark blue and WOW.  I have a much better picture that I took with my camera, but it's MIA at the moment.  I used another pantograph by Patricia E. Ritter:  Gardenia.  It was a fun panto to stitch and it looked great on this quilt.

This is a BOM of Pam's. I have never worked with a quilt that was so "straight".  It even rolled straight - what a pleasure it was to work on this one.  I used the same pantograph as the one I used on Linda's Irish Chain, Gardenia by Patricia E. Ritter!  Gorgeous!

I may never piece again . . .

I may never piece another quilt again at the rate quilts are coming in to be longarmed!  Three more are done, but there are 6 more waiting in the "wings".  I was feeling so overwhelmed that I asked my BQFF to keep 3 of them at her house until they're ready to be loaded so I don't feel so behind . . .  The good news is that I am getting so much done and it's just getting me that much closer to the upgrade for my machine that I have been wanting - Railz!!!! 

This is a quilt made from some vintage fabrics and the customer wanted it meandered - done!

Another customer wanted this 9-Patch meandered too - done!

I used the pantograph Petaluma on this Thimbleberries Quilt.  The batting was a pretty fluffy poly, but it turned out great, hope they like it!

One more done, 4 more to go + 4 more are enroute

Finished another one of Linda's that she made for a co-workers child.  I love the colors in this one, they're right up my alley and it was a lot of fun to quilt too!  I used Superior's Rainbow Thread - Citrus Cooler, one of my personal favorites to work with!

See what others are working on at Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday!

Another done, 5 more to go + 4 more on the way . . .

I finished another of Linda's fun quilts late yesterday afternoon.
I tried to get a good picture outside, but it was so stinkin windy I am lucky that the quilt is still here with me and that the wind didn't carry it off! I had to add a piece to the length of the backing on this one (so that's what the shadowing is down the center of the quilt is from). Well, I had better get busy loading another of hers on the frame before the other 4 quilts arrive later this afternoon!


 

1 done, 6 more to go!

I've been in a funk lately . . . but I have kicked myself into gear and finished this one that's been on the frame for almost 2 weeks!  This is Linda's and I think she's going to use it as a table topper for the summer - cute, cute, cute!

2 Quilt Retreats + a Bonnie Hunter Class!

What a whirlwind the past two weeks have been!  It started off with our Guild Quilt Retreat.  I was too lazy to haul my machine, and I have been doing a bit of reorganizing in my Quilt Cave, so I decided to take a copy paper box chock full of scraps to cut into squares for future scrap quilts.  It was great to work on this project but I was a bit taken aback with how much time it took to untangle the mess of strips, starch and press them before I could even make the first cut!  As you can see by the picture below, I was able to get a good bit of them cut up though.  I had to leave the Retreat early on Sunday so Joanne and I could leave for Columbus for the Bonnie Hunter class.  We decided to go down the night before and stay at a seedy inexpensive motel, but that's a whole other story for another day!  The Smith Mountain Morning class was great, but a bit too many students for me.

Then, this past Saturday and Sunday, there was another Quilt Retreat, and I brought along my close personal friend, the copy paper box, still chock full of scraps waiting to be cut into blocks in half inch increments ranging from 1.5 inches to 5 inches.  Perhaps on another post I will show you how I store them . . . .

One more done!

Just took Carolyn's Bargello off the frame!  That's two down and 7 more to go (not counting my own of course)!

I used a leaf pantograph on this one as it looks like autumn colors to me.  It's a good thing I chose to use a panto as the thread I used just disappeared on the quilt - on both the front and the back!

I'm back & Quilting!

 Wow, things have really been hopping around here. First, our new grandson was born and we travelled to DC for almost a week. Shortly after we returned, my husband got really, really sick. After 2 trips to the ER, he was diagnosed first with pneumonia and then with the flu. He is finally feeling better. Today is his first day back to work (I hope he doesn't stay all day). And our granddaughter made her First Communion this past weekend, so family and friends were all in town for that too! Enough rambling, let's get down to business - here is Carolyn's Reunion Signature Quilt!

8th try worked!

We now have our eighth grandchild - a boy!  Will post more later!

Design Wall Monday

I got a new Design Wall last night!  It it made from flannel and it has a 2 inch grid printed on it - it is awesome!  It is 56 inches wide and I got 3 yards, so it covers a good portion of the wall.   Too bad I don't have a project to put on it yet . . .

Check out what others have on their Design Wall at Patchwork Times!

Sidetracked once again . . .

Well, once again, I am working on another project. On Design Wall Monday, I started out working on Carolina Crossroads, but while searching for other parts to the project, I came across a Quilts for Kids Kit that I received some time ago (not sure how long as the postmark was illegible), but it's been a long time. I decided I had better get busy on that so I can get it done and sent out, but it also requires me to make another quilt from my stash to send back with it, so what did I do, start searching through the stash looking for something suitable for a young child. Good grief - that makes 4 projects and the week is not yet over ...

• Postage Stamp Quilt               
• Carolina Crossroads               
• Quilts for Kids Kit                   
• my donation for Quilts for Kids

Design Wall Monday

Got a little sidetracked from my Postage Stamp Quilt and I am now working on this UFO . . .

I found this pizza box in the Quilt Cave labeled Quiltville Mystery.  I looked back through my blog and could not figure out what project it was as the box did not contain the instructions - go figure.  I finally ended up sending this picture to Bonnie Hunter herself and within 7 minutes she'd gotten back to me with an answer - it's Carolina Crossroads, one of the first Quiltville Mysteries!  All of this was precipitated by my signing up for one of her workshops at Quilt Beginnings on May 21st in Columbus, Ohio and I thought it would be nice to bring along something of hers that I'd made . . . I know I have 2 completed tops of hers somewhere, but I have been unable to locate them.   Here is what one of the blocks will look like:

Check out what others have on their Design Walls at Patchwork Times!

Signed up for a class . . .

I signed myself up, and my quilting partner, for a Bonnie Hunter Class in Columbus on May 21st!  I am so excited to finally have her within 3 hours of us so we can take a class!  Now I am on a tear to finish at least one of her patterns (of the several I have started).  This is so sad, I know I have started at least 3 of them, because I found pictures of them on previous blog posts, but I cannot locate the projects!  I waste more time looking for things - and here I thought I was so organized . . .

Best day ever . . .

What a day, I finally found my EQ7 which has been MIA since our move in August '11.  I purchased the upgrade in June of '10 but never even opened the package as I needed a new computer.  This past February I finally got a new computer but had to wait for the weather to warm up before I could begin "the search".  So for 2 days now, I have been looking out in the detached garage where all the quilting overflow is stored.  While rummaging through boxes out there, I discovered a mouse nest in a box of Christmas dishes.  I decided to leave it alone, and quickly moved the box out of the way. When I set it down, a mouse jumped from the box onto my chest and ran down my leg - I am surprised the neighbors did not come running as I was screaming my fool head off!  That was the straw that broke the camels back, so I decided to look once again in the house, in my Quilt Cave.  Lo and behold, I discovered it in a milk crate, still in the unopened shipping box!  I can't tell you how many times I touched it prior to the discovery today . . .  

Design Wall Monday

I've made a bit more progress on the Postage Stamp Quilt.  My plan is to make the entire center of the quilt with postage stamps, then a narrow border, perhaps 1.5 inches and then a border of postage stamps and then bind in the same fabric as the narrow border.  At the moment, that's the plan, but it may change if I see something I like better!

Check out what others have on their Design Walls at Patchwork Times!

Design Wall Monday

This will be my last post from Hawaii as I fly out later this evening (6 hour difference from the East Coast).  I have been busy here with several projects, knitting a bathmat from t-shirts:

I also was working on ripping out the scrappy star blocks as I do not like the sashing or the border I chose for it.  I was in a big rush to just finish this UFO and just grabbed fabrics to complete it and I just plain don't like it.  At the moment, I only have been able to rip out 1 block (see upper left of photo) but I am sure I will be able to finish this project in the 23 hour trip home!

I also have been working on my Postage Stamp blocks.  When I arrived here, I had to make a trip to downtown Honolulu to purchase a quarter inch foot for my daughters machine.  I made one row without the specialty foot and it was over an inch off!  I really got several of these blocks done while I was here!

 

And just to show that it hasn't been all sun and fun while I've been here in Hawaii, here is some of the wildlife I have been traumatized by . . .

giant freakin flying roach on the stove . . .

gecko in the girls playroom

Huge snail

Check out what other quilters have on their Design Walls at Judy's Patchwork Times!

Ripppppppping!

I will be leaving Hawaii late tomorrow evening to return to Ohio and thought I had better work on one of the many projects I brought along!  This is a completed top that I just couldn't bring myself to  quilt because I hate the setting - - love the blocks, but the sashing and borders just don't do it for me.  Before leaving for Hawaii, I found a picture in American Patchwork Magazine I think with this same type of block and I really loved the setting they used, so here I sit ripping!  It will be so worth it!

There are big bugs here in paradise . . .

For those of you who have been verbally abusing me for my being in Hawaii . . . it's not all sun, fun + games!  Saturday evening I went into the kitchen to clean up after putting the twins to bed for the evening.  There was 1/2 of a veggie burger pattie on a plate on the stove and there was something on it . . . a freakin huge bug.  I almost ran screaming from the room, but the thought of this thing being loose somewhere in the house forced me to keep it together.  I quickly grabbed the microwave cover and slammed it on top and then quickly realized that there is a hole in the top so I was looking for something to cover that with.

 Earlier in the day, there was a gecko in the girls play room.  I was able to capture him and release it in the backyard, but this bug is really creepy and did I mention freakin huge?  It is now Wednesday, it is still alive and still on top of the stove under cover where it will remain until my daughter arrives home and probably has to pay someone to come in and remove it . . .  I'm sure she thinks I was joking about waiting for her return to take care of this, NOT!

It's a bit after noon . . .

It's half past noon and the girls + I are still in our jammies!  I thought we might go to the beach this morning, but the time got away from me . . .

Perhaps we will go to Ala Moana Mall to check out what's new at the Disney Store!

Hit the Goodwill Store yesterday and scored some t-shirts to knit a bathmat for 99 cents each! 
Thought I might go back again to pick up some white ones too.  There is a method to my madness as my favorite restaurant, Bravos, is very close by and the pasta w/marinara has been calling me!

Design Wall Monday

I am leaving in the morning for Hawaii again, so I thought I'd better post something before I leave!  I have been doing a lot of longarming, including a couple of quilts for myself.  I recently got a new computer and have been unable to install my printer and then this morning when I went to download my Design Wall photos, I realized that the camera software is not installed . . . I have wasted hours looking for the software, and then decided to just take pictures with my phone, so that will have to do for today's post!  Two days ago, I began this project:

I must be out of my mind, I am not packed and I am starting something new - 1.5 inch squares collected from a couple years of Internet swaps!  This is four blocks.  I decided that it was easier to construct them into 12 x 12 blocks rather than into rows.  At first I thought I would sash or frame each block, but then decided that I like the all smooshed together look better!

Check out what others have on their Design Walls at Patchwork Times!

Design Wall Monday

Well, the UFOs are beginning to stack up.  Two weeks ago, I began to prepare projects to take on a 4 day Quilt Retreat.  While rooting through boxes, baskets and bags looking for the missing fabrics I needed to complete several projects, I came across several more UFOs.  I have now run out of hangers to hang quilt tops on . . . it's getting pretty ugly.  I ended up taking 11 projects with me and completed 7 of them, so I am excited!  I am going to be burning up my longarm quilting these 7 tops! 

I finished the quilt top on the left for myself.  Both of my daughters saw it and said they'd like one too, went back to look at what fabric I had left and I have enough to make 3 more if I purchase some more background.  So guess what's on my Design Frame today?  I saw this quilt on Ruthie's blog a couple of years ago before leaving on a trip to Hawaii.  I printed a picture of her finished quilt and took it with me while fabric shopping in Hawaii.  It turned ugly as I purchased so much fabric that I had to add another duffel bag to our luggage . . .

Here is another project I took on Retreat with me.  It's an Alphabet quilt and the blocks are from an online swap.  I had to re-piece a couple of the paper pieced blocks, sash all the blocks and then I found the pencil fabric I used in the border at an Amish Quilt Shop. 

Two of the 11 projects I took with me I thought would only take less than an hour to complete, like the finished quilt top that had and upside down block - - it took me 3 hours to fix that one.  The other one had two rows sewn on upside down - that took an extraordinary amount of time too, but I got it done.  I was beginning to feel that I wasn't going to have much to show, but by the time we left late Monday afternoon, I had 7 projects that are now ready to be quilted!  Usually after Quilt Retreat I don't unpack my machine for a week or two, but this time, I unpacked it as soon as I got home and continued working!  

Check out what others have on their Design Walls at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

On my Design Wall is a One Block Wonder project from last year, or perhaps the year before, oh heck, it was from April of 2008 - are you smug now?  What is even more sad is that there are still the same number of blocks on the wall.  If I can cut up the rest of the fabric, perhaps this could be a retreat project for this weekend, but first I have got to locate the fabric . . .

Alright, while searching for the OBW fabric, I came across some additional blocks that I've already made a top from.  The top is ready to be quilted, but needs backing.  So I am going to make a scrappy pieced back from the leftover border fabric and leftover sashing fabric and the unused blocks!

Still searching for the OBW blocks and have now realized that I do not know where the book is either - found another completed top and some yardage that may work for the backing!

Well, I am giving up on the remaining fabric + the book.  Guess I'll work on these additional UFOs since I've got all of the pieces/parts for them.  Check out what others have on their Design Walls at Patchwork Times!