Carolina Christmas Clue Four Done!

You can see from Jade kitty above that I had some *help* while I was sewing up clue four. I sit on the left, Kathy if with me on the right and Jade finds something soft in the middle to lay on so we have to dig things out from under her to cut or sew! There is a dog under each of our feet and one under the ironing board at all times too--there are five of them ya know. I should really be much thinner from all the dog hurdle jumps I do all day and night, but I digress.

I had sewn these babies up before today, but ironed them out and stacked them up ten to a stack..there were 208 of them. They are not perfect, I only squared a few (shh don't tell, I planned to square, but I just didn't!) and I made them work. All Quiltzilla's need not comment, I do this for fun ya know.

Here is what some of them looked like after I got the little block together. And the last picture is what all of the stuff I have done so far looks like. I have seen the blocks (I have no patience for waiting, it is amazing that I have only opened the two Christmas presents that have been given to me early--usually I am trying to find out what they are!). I am loving how the colors are playing together and I think this one is going to be for my daughter Hannah for her birthday in February. She will be 20, how did that happen? Her favorite color is purple and she has moved up from a twin bed and needs a quilt, so hopefully this one will do.

I hope to get started on clue five tomorrow...so exciting to see actual blocks coming together! On the home front, we got my youngest son, Mac a ticket to come here for Christmas. So should be seeing him next week. Plenty up with him in Wisconsin and I wish he would move here and be near his mom instead of staying there mainly because of a girlfriend that isn't the best influence from what I gather. His dad and I are going to discuss this tomorrow since he is in Iraq and DS is with his grandparents which wasn't really the plan when I left him there with his dad.

I couldn't sleep last night so I didn't even bother going to bed at a decent hour tonight. Least I got the sewing done. Oh and I forgot to tell you I sewed about thirty of the triangles squares to the background squares incorrectly before checking for the eighth time and discovering I had turned the triangles..so unsewing and resewing commenced. I wonder if there is such a thing as triangle dyslexia because I definitely have it! I had flashbacks to when I sewed the Picnic Schnibbles quilt!

Carolina Christmas Clue Four Started

I spent a little time working on step four of the Carolina Christmas mystery today. I have stacks and stacks of half square triangles that need ironing and then joining with some more squares before becoming a little block and having that clue done. The above picture shows the stacks (facedown). In other news we put up our tree, and a wreath outside and decorated a bit for Christmas. I had a good weekend, but it sure went by fast!

Carolina Christmas Clue Three Done!

Not the greatest picture, but after eight more hours of sewing today clue three is done. WOW this took awhile and I have a bag of bonus units that were cut off of these that will eventually become something too. Watching ten most fascinating people (love Adam Lambert) and gonna have a quiet evening at home. I will get back to this and start clue four tomorrow.

More Mysteries, History Block and a Few Finishes...

I haven't had time to make any progress on the Carolina Christmas quilt and I feel way behind on step three when clue five is out! I will work on it tomorrow with any luck since I am not working for the next three days there should be progress. Meanwhile I picked fabrics for Ann B. Smith's NYE day mystery quilt. It is tradition that Kathy and I each do one. It is the one day a year she will sew with me...otherwise I can get her to cut but she would rather cheer me on than join me. She hasn't picked her fabrics, but I fell in love with this floral and then found some fabrics to match it in patriotic colors. I was thinking I might donate it to Quilts of Valor when it is done, but if I grow too attached to it, I have three different military people in my life who may wind up with it instead! Then of course as all good timing goes....Dorothy Young announced her next quilt mystery. I wasn't going to join but I will have way more time to sew for the next month with Christmas break so I plan to do a baby size quilt of her mystery. A gal at work just had a baby and her colors are aqua and brown (it is a girl) and I am thinking these fabrics would work for that and making the small one should help me keep up. We will see.

My Ho, Ho, Ho wallhanging is all done except I need to go around his nose....it is going to fall off it I don't. He is okay, not sure where he is going but someone will get him for Christmas.

Tonight I whipped up my quilt history block (class is next week already and I always get the block done before the next meeting...do you sense I hate to get behind? Maybe there is medication that will help me chill???) Anyway, this one is from the Kansas City Star way back when called "Economy" and is Barbara Brackman Block 1873. It went together okay compared to some of the others.

I also quilted this baby quilt for Randy's daughter's FIFTH grandbaby. This one is for Cara (Kara?) Marie. I quilted it myself with my new machine...not bad for my first attempt without following lines. I pinned down the edges and zig zagged around it for binding just to get it done so it can be mailed to Georgia where they are stationed at the moment. I have made quilts for each of those babies, and am hoping this is the last one! Smile. This is the Simple Quilt pattern from funquilts too.

Other than that feeling kind of down lately. Trying to get over it as it ruins no one's day but my own. I wish people were nicer or my heart was harder. I just take things way too hard, I let people hurt me when I should have long forgotten them. Life should not be so difficult.

Winter White Schnibble and Star Blocks Quilts Bound

Here is my Winter White Schnibble in Glace fabric on my kitchen table...it is so far the only Christmas decoration out in the house. Haven't found time to get through the Christmas stuff though I have been wrapping gifts because they go out to Norway, Wisconsin and Minnesota...must get in the mail soon!

This picture is part of the back, it is actually pieced in a red, brown and this that you see. I was thinking I could give this one as a Christmas present, but I am rather fond of it now and so it might not be going anywhere!

This is the back of Maggie Lou's Star Block Quilt.

And this last picture is the front of it. I used leftover binding so it is all scrappy and I really like it. These stars were each blogged about as I made them for one of my online groups...I really enjoyed making them and struggled to figure out what to do with them since they were all odd sizes and I am not at all mathmatical. In the end it was not that hard and it looks fine! Thanks again to my fabulous longarmer Steph in Kingman, AZ! I hope Maggie Lou and the rest of the family enjoy it for many years...I know all that work will be appreciated and am happy I now only have two UFO's! Of course if you remember you all voted on which one I should finish and this quilt did not win, so I still need to get done with my Walk in the Park quilt. And just to let you know...at quilt camp I bought invisible thread and gave applique a go with some help from the gals there and NO LUCK, it is no farther than it was. On my list though!
And if you are wondering how I am doing on the Quiltville Mystery--Bonnie has put out clue five today and I am still barely into clue three. I am not super motivated to get up there and get to it since I have several Christmas gifts that really need my attention first! This is why I hate to get behind, then it is easier to stay behind. Well, off to bed since I am working tomorrow!

Visit with a Friend and CC Clue Two Done!

Here is a picture of my Carolina Christmas Clue Two all done. Yippee, it took quite awhile, but I am happy with how they came together. Kathy helped me cut the stuff for the next two clues and started three, but didn't get too far.

I had Gelato with Janelle and her new baby Caroline (adorable little tiny thing who slept for almost two hours while we gabbed) and gave they a baby quilt. Finished the binding last night..don't like that under the wire feeling! I am working on the binding for my Glace Shnibbles becuase it was easy to drag along and work on when I had time to kill in my car. In case you don't know freelancing seems to sometimes give you an hour or a half hour here or there to kill. Usually I read or run an errand, but working on a quilt is nice too! Now I am enjoying a glass of wine and watching my recorded shows. Real exciting Friday night at my house--which by the way must be 60 degrees since we never turn on the heat (but are reconsidering that with this cold).

Kathy works all weekend so I am going to be sewing and hopefully hanging out with friends to pass the time. Whoot, whoot.

Box of Quilt Arrived from Steph!

Guess who has lots of binding to do? Started this girl baby quilt first because I have to give it away tomorrow...then on to the star one as it is a Christmas gift. They look even better in person than in the pictures!