A Few Finishes, Finally!

My second Moth in the Window quilt is a flimsy.  I love it!

Winter Blues aka Packer Bliss is also finally a flimsy!  So happy to have that border done and added on.  

I started working on my second Princess Crown quilt last week since it is cut and waiting.  Got about a quarter of the blocks made.  

 

Moth in the Window Blocks are Complete!

I have eighty-one Moth in the Window blocks made this time around.  I laid them out and then took pictures, stared, changed things around, and repeat several times.  The final layout-ish is this first picture.  Not perfect, but I am happy with it.

Last night we had a game night at Hannah and Jeremy's house.  We played Cascadia!  Kathy suprised me with it yesterday so I watched some videos and played it solo twice so I could teach it.  It is easy to teach and learn and we all liked it.  I won!

 Update on the grandkids:  Lily is growing up fast and went to a father/daughter dance with her Dad (pic below) recently.  Saxon is growing fast and still trailing Coleman around.   Indie is army crawling and sitting up so well and has signed MILK, BYE and DOG.  Hazel is recognizing numbers and letters and sounds.

Friends All Around!

I added twenty more blocks to Friends All Around.  It is now big enough to go on the back of the couch for a summer quilt.  I think the top is done, but giving it some time before I decide for sure.

                                         

I also printed out the label (and one for the most recent Quiltville quilt--I am behind three or four labels there) and redid the math to make the backing bigger for my longarmer.  I need to piece it together so I can get it quilted.

I am currently working on Moth in the Window blocks.  I have 42 out of 81 made.

Happy National Quilting Day!

I participated in the National Quilting Day sewalong on the Modern Quilt Studio page.  We sewed Friends all Around.  Here is my first block.  I originally wanted to make a baby quilt so I only did twenty blocks.  I love it so much I decided to add twenty more and we will see from there.

                                        

I also FINALLY started my second Moth in the Window quilt!  Hazel laid them out for me on Friday.

Then I laid them out!

                                        

I have made five more since then.  The one below has my Dad's shirt in it.  Love seeing it in my quilts! These blocks are like potato chips, you cannot make just one!

 

Shelves, Backings, Organization, and a Finish!

After a few years of waiting, Kathy finally had the time to make me a huge shelf on wheels!  I painted it turquoise.  You can see it is in a little nook that opens into my quilting studio (loft) and directly across from it is the guest bathroom(which the catbox is in since it is rarely used--thus the baby gate so the dogs can't get in it).  Next to it (covered by quilts) is a door that opens into the AC return.  I have to be able to get in that door to clean now and then (dust and dog hair) and when the AC folks come out.  So that whole nook area was wasted space and I tended to pile things up in there which was a pain if we did need to get in the door!  So now I have a shelf on wheels that I can roll out when we need to get in the AC door!  I wasted no time in reorganizing and filling the shelves either!  I used a dry erase marker to mark some of my bins (the others have post it notes inside the bins).  My modern fabrics fill an entire shelf and now I can actually see what I have!

Last Tuesday was the Nimble Thimbles meeting and we all turned in our star blocks.  Two gals won them..they really turned out great.  This month is red, white, and blue--will be fun to see how they turn out.  Would love to win so I have another QOV to donate so cross your fingers!

 We had a swap and sale meeting--I tried really hard to not even really look at anything because after my reorganization I discovered that I truly don't need anything!  I have full shelves all around.  However, one of the gals let me know that someone was selling six Happy Scrappy Houses from our Bonnie Hunter workshop.  At least I think they are from that day but in any event I had to save them!  Kathy and I did Halloween houses (and I actually need to decide if I am going to add to it or border it, would love to have it done for Halloween this year) so these won't go into that quilt, but maybe I will put them in the back or do another little quilt.  For two bucks they were a steal.

 I did get a chance to sew during the week this week too!  I made a backing for Classic Meets Modern (when I was reorganizing my shelves I picked out some bigger chunks of fabric that would make good backings--I think that is my least favorite part--making the backings!).

 I also made a GIGANTIC backing for Grand Illusion.  It is mostly teal but one strip of flaming fabric to make it big enough.  I need this quilt done before November when we do our next Kickoff party!

See what I mean about full shelves?  Many of those lights were in a bin and now that all my boxes are off the fabric shelf I got to folding them and getting them out where I can use them!
I got some outdoor pictures of Moth in the Window for Coleman and was very excited when an editor from Quiltmaker Magazine contacted me to put it on their facebook page!

Whoot whoot!

I also am still working on the weight.  I had a bad week last week and worked much harder this week to make up for it.  So 3.4 pound loss for a total of 92.8 pounds.  I did my first advanced Pilates jump class (15 minutes after a regular Pilates class) and I was able to get through it!  Really sore the next day but I went hiking (alone even) and did Pilates again the next day.  Today I rest and tomorrow Jump again.  :)

Moth in the Window

Ros has quilted up Coleman's Moth in the Window quilt. 

I cannot wait to get it back and get it bound.  He will be so thrilled with it!

A Lotta Loose Ends!

 Today I spent some time putting away things that have been stuck here or there in the studio (too many projects getting finished and clean up has been lacking!) and so I decided to finish the sashing, cornerstones and borders on this Christmas Past and Presents from Temecula Quilt Company.  This is the second one and will most likely be a gift for Christmas this next year--I will keep one too!

 I decided that I am going to do a small red and white quilt using the Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. Lil Crumbler ruler.  So I started by cutting from my leftover fabrics and then that led to cleaning out the red bin and cutting from all the fabrics that were mostly red or white/cream/lighter than a paper bag.

 I have a little stack of reds, but not too many lights yet (didn't get into that bin, just the red and whites that were in the red bin).  These are about 4 inches by 2.5 inches.  If any of you feel the need to send me some of your reds for inclusion in this little quilt I would love that!  I realized in doing this today I may just be collecting fabrics for a good long while and not actually making this little top.  I think I will look online for a charm pack or two of reds...

Becky came over to sew for a few hours which was fun.  She brought me a pile of clothes too!  I am now down a few sizes and seriously in need of some work/dress clothes.  I went thrift shopping today after Pilates but only found one pair of pants and they are one size down from what I am in now!  Price was right so I bought them anyways.  I then wound up at JCPenney and found two pairs of pants (one on clearance and one on sale).  Later I realized I did have one pair of dress pants Becky had already given me and so I at least have some pants for work.  I can get away with more casual stuff which I have more of, but the first week or two of the semester I try to be a little dressier than usual.  Weird, I know.

 So after cleaning my closet and dresser and trying on all of the clothes Becky brought I decided to work on Moth in the Window.  My goal was to get it to 9 by 9.  Whoo hoo, it is done!

 Coleman is happy with it too!  I am so happy that several of my Dad's shirts and his PJ pants are in this quilt.  Also the green plaid fabric and the little golfer fabric that is in my Dad's quilt is also in this quilt.  Next up is backing for it.

 I also made two ILY hand labels for Margie's Florabunda quilt and our Lozenges quilt.  Still need to hand stitch them on.
On the Weight Watchers front, I am really struggling to get to 75 pounds lost!  I have been dancing around and close to it for six or eight weeks.  I am trying to be patient with the plateau but I find it harder to not cheat when the scale isn't going down--which doesn't help the scale go down!  I am not giving up but am ready to move past 75!

Moth in the Window Update

 I made a few more Moth in the Window blocks to add to the top I shared with Bonnie at the Happy Scrappy Houses workshop.  (This is her picture--we made her blog!)  Becky and I are showing it off..still needs at least two long rows to be big enough for Coleman.

 Kathy was really happy to show her Celtic Solstice quilt too.  She followed Bonnie's colors (this is last year's mystery) and it turned out great!

I am back to work today--long work week ahead but it sure was nice to have several days to sew my heart out!

Gifts and Today's Sewing

I got some great gifts from some of my quilty friends this year!  Barb made me a Packer scissor holder which I just love!  Becky made me the coolest owl ever and a pretty potholder/dishcloth and some jam.  We used the jam on pb and j when we went to the ostrich farm yesterday.  It was delicious!

Ros made me and Kathy each a chicken pincushion!  I think it is so cute...showed it to my mom and she said--I want one.  I said, I don't have the pattern!  LOL!  Mine is the blue one.  Love pincushions!

After the kids got on their plane today I sewed block twelve of Ooh Rah!

Here are all twelve blocks!

I laid out the blue sashing fabric (before I cut it) and plopped the cornerstones on it to see what it would look like.

This one will be done before long and off to Alycia for a Quilt of Valor recipient!

 Next I talked Kathy into helping me cut (so I could sew) this Lil' Twister--tiny!  We have the process down now!  So now I have Barb's and mine to quilt.

I also added two or three more Moth in the Window blocks to the pile.  I really love making these blocks!  They just go together so quickly and I don't often work with plaids so that is fun too!

Tomorrow is NYEve already.  We opted not to do the mystery that popped up last minute in my online group.  It has a zillion tiny pieces in it and lots of precutting and sewing that we just did't have time to do before tomorrow.  I am not sure who the designer of it is either...if it is a Bonnie quilt I may change my mind, but it it isn't I am good.  Kathy will work on her Grand Illusion quilt and if Bonnie doesn't surprise us with another clue I will work on Moth in the Window and/or a baby quilt since I found out two of my Neff cousins are pregnant--Kai Len with her first and Jamie with her second!  They are both due in May.  Thinking about Dancing Nines or Princess Crown....we shall see!

All Caught Up on Grand Illusion and...

 Kathy got me this fabulous quilty angel for Christmas and I hung her in my sewing room.  LOVE IT!

 Despite being at my mom and dad's until Saturday late afternoon, I did manage to get our easy clue 5 done!  Love being all caught up and ready for whatever Bonnie throws at us!

 Here is all of it together!

I spent a good part of today sewing (part of it watching the Packers win!) with Hannah.  We watched quiltcam and Bonnie shouted out to us which was fun!  Cannot believe Bonnie will be here in a few weeks!  I made these five Moth in the Window blocks to add to Coleman's quilt.  Also managed to get a Wild and Goosey made--really shocked this happened this week!  

Hannah wouldn't let me take a picture with her in it today (didn't do her hair, etc.) but will get one tomorrow.  This is the project she worked on all day today.  About six or seven years ago she started cutting this one in Wisconsin...when we moved I took it with me but it didn't see progress til now.  She is calling this "Greybear" after he kitty who is 16 years old now.  I am going to get Ros to quilt it for her for her birthday (heads up Ros).  

 It was really fun to have a relaxing sewing day with Hannah!  Mac came up and went through pictures and asked me questions about them and such.  We also took a break and went out and had smores by Kathy's new firepit.  I am trying to stick to my Weight Watchers, but Christmas, parents house, travel, eating out and kids do not make it easy!
I will be linking up with Bonnie at Quiltville in the morning!  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html?m=1

Here is Mac, Hannah and I in Wickenburg on Friday--went with my parents and shopped.  I am wearing my new long sleeve shirt from Mom and Dad and holding my new Vera Bradley purse from Mom and Dad--we were all spoiled this year!