Just One Star...

I decided that I wanted to sew Just One Star for a soldier so I worked on this last night.
http://www.unitednotions.com/LA_just_one_star.pdf Here is the link if you haven't heard the details on this and are intersted in making a block or two. I am not sure what my problem was but I cut all the two inch stuff two and a half inches and then had to trim it all down. This was a pain in the keister. Then when I added the last triangles I cut off lots of star points. I am sending it anway. I wasn't having the best night and it translated into my sewing apparently. I may try again and see if I can do better with the star points. I didn't even notice it until I looked at the picture. That is how my night was going. Oh well, the thought was there.
I just finished reading "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" which was a strange book but I was thinking imagine if you had the power to tell what someone was feeling while they sewed a particular quilt or block...(instead of while they were cooking as this book was about that) I need to sew a happier star and send hope to a soldier just in case!

Streak of Sunshine is Complete!

I taught DJ how to tie a quilt last night and we finished this one up for Kelly's baby. It is so sweet looking and I think she and the baby will like it! Off to work!

Happy Easter and A Streak of Sunshine

Randy did most of the cooking for Easter this year and here is our ham and below is our whole spread. He made the most delicious carrot cake with homemade frosting.

Coleman had to go to counseling and DJ had to work so we ate in shifts but we made it work all the same. We didn't make it up to my sister's either--just couldn't work it out with the hour drive and the time we had to work with. It was a good Easter anyway.
I also got in some sewing which made it a great day. First I cleaned up in the sewing room and swapped the quilts around and did some refolding and all of that. Next I sewed some Harley Davidson patches on a jacket for a friend. (Sort of like asking Picasso to paint your garage, I know) and when that was done I decided to cut and sew a Streak of Sunshine quilt for my co-worker Kelly who is expecting her forth baby. She has no idea I am making her this quilt. She is due in a few weeks so I need to get a back and get it tied up for her soon. I am not sure if it is a boy or a girl (or if she knows) so I did it neutral and used the new duck and umbrella fabric DJ and I picked out at the quilt show.

This is a Bonnie Hunter pattern from her website and the directions are really clear and it whips up in no time. I was listening to "House on the Strand" by Daphne du Mariuer for the second time while I was sewing away and later was on the video phone with DJ (she was on break at work).

I changed up the pattern a bit by only adding one border and the overall quilt is a little smaller because of that, but I am quite happy with it.

This is the forth or fifth time I have made this quilt and I am always pleased with it when it is done and especially like it for the ease in tying it up...since it isn't in my budget to pay to get everything quilted!

Carolina Crossroads Top Done!!!

Need I say more? Carolina Crossroads Top done and photographed....had to do it quickly because five dogs all wanted a turn walking on it in the backyard....now I recall why I usually do it in the front! I didn't want to wait for the sun out front though so here are the pics. I love this one!

BOM Block 11 and Carolina Crossroads Top is DONE!

Disregard my crazy hairdo but check it out! I finally got the borders on my Carolina Crossroads quilt at June's today! We didn't get the best picture because the quilt is so big but I did a red inner border and a blue outer border...both scrappy. Tomorrow I will get better photos outside and blog them! Still thinking I should gift this one to my youngest son Mackenzie for his high school graduation in June, but this will be a hard one to part with!

I also completed block eleven of the Designer Mystery Block of the Month and put it in the row...so one more to go! This one is called "Block of Good Cheer" and the designer is Anne Sutton of www.bunnyhilldesigns.com

This quilt is really going to be stunning. Each block took me a few hours to make (and Kathy a half hour to cut!) and it really it is a bit more frogging around than I like but I am glad I did it anyway. It was challenging and I love the colors. It is coming together very nicely and I think my mother will love it.

A Postcard Win and DS Picnic and Fairgrounds Purchase

Guess what arrived in the mail for me this week? This fabulous postcard made by Gail, the Cozy Quilter! Check out her blog here.
http://thecozyquilter.blogspot.com/

Here is the back of it. I told her she made my day twice..the day I found out I won and the day it arrived! I have always wanted a fabric postcard and hopefully this will be the first in my collection. Anyone else want to send me one, feel free. I have hers displayed on my bulletin board in my quilting studio. I love the generous nature of quilters.
I added to my DS collection by stopping at JoAnn's again today. I had a 25 percent off coupon and so I bought a half yard of the fabrics I didn't already have (only had three already) though two of them I bought a yard. Not sure that I have them all but I have all that they had!

I borrowed the above picture from ChickenJulie on flickr. She must have spent some time organizing the pictures and getting the names of the fabric with each fabric. Very impressive! I plan to sit and see if I am missing any and if she updates the photo (she said a few were missing) may update it.
I love, love, love these fabrics. Here is my current stack of them. I couldn't be more happy though I have no idea what I will be making with them yet. Well, a quilt....but which quilt!

I am sewing with June tomorrow afternoon, can't wait!

Amy's Passions BOM QOV is Quilted! Thanks Ros!

Ros posted these pictures of my completed QOV that will be heading off to Alycia in Colorado at http://www.alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/ since she delivers them to the soldiers! You may remember awhile back that I made this blocks with Amy's Passions blog http://skattebo-skattebo.blogspot.com/ and am thrilled to have another donation quilt that was so much fun to make! Thanks Amy.
You can see Ros' gorgeous quilting in this close up. http://ros-the-quilter.blogspot.com/ to see more of her work! Thanks Ros, you are truly amazing!
And here is the back...found this fabric in California at that closeout store near Disneyland! Happy to put it to such good use! America's soldiers rock!

Progress on My Hexies :)

I promised a photo of my handsewn hexies so here it is! I haven't decided for sure but I think I will keep going and make it bigger...there is a cool hexie bag project in Stitch magazine I am tempted to try to make so I could look into the size for that...decisions, decisons. I was too busy with Pride weekend to even sew my BOM...and of course I work like crazy the next two days but might get a chance to do something with it on Wednesday, keeping my fingers crossed for that. Happy five months to DJ and I. We celebrated by stopping at the Spaghetti Factory for dinner after Pride tonight. Rode the light rail both days and it is on the way, so that was nice. It is a long time favorite restaurant of mine and her second time being there. We were the only people in the place 45 minutes before closing, so that was nice! Well, better get to bed, I work bright and early tomorrow!

And Another Purchase...

It is Pride weekend here in Phoenix so my face is currently sunburned. Here we are enjoying the parade early in the day yesterday. Friday DJ was sweet enough to run to JoAnn's while I was working to use two more of my coupons and get me two yards each of two other fabrics from the Denyse Schmidt line. She had to go to FOUR stores to find it, but she was determined. Good thing we have JoAnn's aplenty here. Anyway, these are the two that I wound up with. I am a happy girl.

I have been suddenly remotivated to work on my hand sewn hexie project too! Really for two reasons..the first of which is I got this fabric and that is done also in Denyse Schmidt fabric so it made me want to play with it. And second because one of my online groups is apparently doing a hexie challenge which I have been missing out on! It is a bit late for me to join in (behind in my mail) but it was fun to see all of their hexie progress and to dig mine out and start sewing. So I added about five hexies yesterday :) I even dragged it all with me to Pride but didn't wind up sewing there after all. Maybe today? I will get a picture of it soon, it needs a good press first!

The Finster and some Denyse Schmidt Fabric!

DJ has a little fish tank (you see here) and a huge one (not yet set up) so we decided we needed a fish. I have always loved betta fish and still fondly remember my first one named Fins. So she let me pick this guy out and we named him "the finster"!! In a few weeks when the water is less chlorinated DJ plans to get a cory catfish or something like that and we want to get a female betta too. Then this little tank will be full!

JoAnn's was having their usual sale where you can get 50% off one cut of fabric and since a few of my blogging friends kept carrying on about the new Denyse Schmidt line that is there, I had to go and see for myself. I wound up with four yards of this polka dot for just under twenty bucks. That was my deal of the day. I love it. In fact I really loved about six of the fabrics, but I just didn't want to pay the full price. However, I also wanted to buy "Stitch" magazine and the price of it about sunk my saving on the fabric....there are several great projects in it though and so it may really turn out to be worth it. It is my first time buying this magazine.

Designer Mystery BOM is Beyond Caught Up!

This morning I was up early and got spaghetti sauce going, fresh green beans ready and even made muffins and coffee! Whipped up the dishes and started sewing way too early for me, strange! Now all of the blocks are in rows and the rows are sewn together. Only the last row awaits two more blocks which I don't have yet. Next I have to get the stars for the border cut and start sewing them so that the border will go on quickly by the time the last two blocks are done. I guess I could also piece the backing and make the binding while I wait. Feels good to finally be where I want to be on this quilt.

I also took some time to find some red strips (instead of creams and whites) for the small Carolina Crossroads border and to cut some blue strips for the larger blue CC border. Later on today if I get a chance I will piece them and maybe even attach them for another top finish! I am so close I can't stand it.

And I decided to make a quick pineapple block from blues since I didn't have one yet. Then I cut a bunch of my leftover lollipop fabric (not sure that is the name, I forget already!) into the right size pieces for future blocks. So it is barely noon here and I feel so accomplished today. I even went through the entire week's mail while waiting on the muffins to bake. I hate that chore, but there was a lovely suprise in the pile that I missed during the week somehow...my Quiltmaker magazine was in the stack!

Designer Mystery BOM is Caught Up!

Today I went to June's house (finally, it has been forever since we have sewed together!) and made twenty of these little sashing blocks. This is a sneak peak of what they look like with the Designer Mystery BOM blocks!

Then I worked on blocks 9 and 10 so I am finally caught up! Block Nine is called "Matching Ornaments" and is designed by Joanna Figueroa. Block Ten is called "All Tied Up with Pretty Red Tinsel" and is esigned by Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson.

After I got home I contined adding the sashing to rows one and three before dinner was ready and I stopped for the night. I am really liking how this is turning out. It has been labor intensive, but I know my mother will love it! So two more blocks to go and some stars in the border to make and this one will come all toghether!

NYE 2010 and Block Express are Quilted!

This is the NYE 2010 Mystery Quilt I did this year with a whole lot of help from DJ (and Kathy did the cutting, then sewed her own top). Ros quilted it with elephants all over...quite fitting to go with the circus theme of the fabric--though there is saggy baggy elephant fabric in there too. I was using what I had at home. We plan to give this one to DJ's sister Samantha who is expecting baby number two in a few months. I haven't seen these in person yet, but looks like rainbow thread on this one, I love it!























Here is the back.














I haven't shown this one to Kathy yet since I was wanting to surprise her. This is Block Express and for some reason Kathy fell in love with the pattern and fabric. It was at a store about 45 minutes from us and we saw it two or three times before I finally just bought it for her. It will look great at her new apartment..she needs more color. She has her firefighter quilt with her and the quilt that used to be on our bed which was tons of work (with the mermaids on the back but the name escapes me) and her roommate nephew has the Sox quilt we made him, but their apartment is still lacking on the quilts!











Here is a close up. As always Ros did a fantastic job.











In dieting news...I haven't done much the last six weeks or so. I am sort of in a slump. Trying not to gain, but for sure not losing. I am up a few pounds and not really happy about that. I have slacked off on the exercise and tend to eat right during the week and go nuts on the weekend. It isn't working for you, gotta change it. Oh how I envy the people who are naturally thin or who have an affinity for exercise. Smile! (Sorry for the screwy formatting, I am on a different computer and it has different defaults or something!)

Carolina Crossroads Flimsy Comes Together

Really enjoyed getting this top done! Well, almost done....borders to go yet, but the bulk of the work is done. Also managed to get the laundry done and had a great day catching up with Kathy too.

Can you see how happy I am to have this top come together? I only had to unsew one little end...the rows went together really well and wasn't so complicated. Now that I get how Bonnie does things it almost seems easy. Ha!

Oh and P.S. I checked back through my blog and I started this quilt last year in June so almost a year in the making and it isn't quite done!

Carolina Crossroads is Half Together

This morning DJ and I ran out and bought yet another plant for my favorite pot (everything dies in the heat because no one-ahem-manages to water it enough) and she planted me this pretty hibiscus. We moved it to the front yard in the hopes that we will remember to water it there. If someone steals my pot I will not be happy though!

Next we worked on laying out all the CC blocks on the wall. This was DJ's first time doing this and she was a hoot trying to get the blocks to stay on the wall!

Here is what all we could fit looked like all laid out! I think this quilt is going to wind up with my son Mackenzie. He will graduate high school in June and I this quilt should pass his inspection.

Later Kathy came over and did some cutting. She cut my next two Designer BOM's and the cornerstones and sashing for the same quilt so now I have that to be working on! After DJ and I pinnned CC together I worked on sewing the blocks while Kathy was cutting. DJ made homemade salsa and then grilled us a delish lunch.

Here is the first half the quilt all put together! That is as far as I have made it so far. I love it!

I had to take it outside to pose it in the sunlight too. I love it when a long range project comes together.

Carolina Crossroads Blocks are Done!

I had a really good Friday despite getting some bad news.... DJ and I went and visited June and Herve after work for a few hours. It has been far too long and I really enjoyed catching up with them. Came home and did some sewing to include finally finishing the last of the Carolina Crossroads blocks! WHOOOPEE. I would have to look back through my blog to see when I started this quilt, but seems like forever ago. I can't wait to get the top completed and then I can readjust my focus to Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll! Here is what it looks like with a few blocks laid out together. Bonnie K. Hunter knows what she is doing and if you haven't been to quiltville I suggest you visit!

It was also a good mail day at my house today and yesterday. I joined fatquartershop's club to

get the new Schnibbles patterns as they come out. I got six at once and there is only one that I really am not too nuts for...I can hardly wait to make several of the others. I see that the Brocante is the La Petite Project for April and I really would like to find time to make it but not sure it will happen in April!

Here is some fabric I had to have and Jaybird Quilt's new pattern (or at least my favorite one) but now I need to order the lazy angle ruler and I will be all set to make it!

I also peiced together a bunch of leftovers to make a doll or dog quilt top. I just needed some mindless type sewing to help my night go better. Two of the people closest to me just found out they have cancer. One is not telling very many people and that has been stressful, the other is my mother. She just found out she has breast cancer. That is all she knows so far.

Tomorrow Kathy is coming over to cut and sew with me and I plan to try to get caught up on the Designer BOM Christmas quilt and get the sashing and cornerstones going. That way when the last two months blocks arrive I can get them done and get the quilt to Ros...I want to get the quilt to my mom way before Christmas.