Not the Post I was Planning on Today

My beloved Grandma Nan passed away last night in her sleep. She was 79 years young. This first photo is of her and I and my dad (who passed away last Sept.) on her 75th birthday party. The picture with my messed up star quilt is one of my favorite memories of Grandma Nan. She liked to sew and when I lived back in Wisconsin we would often get together to sew. She helped me with this quilt...I laid it out on the living room floor and was to match up what went to what and pin and she would sew at the kitchen table. It was alot of up and down for me and we did alot of rearranging trying to get the pattern right. This was pretty early in my quilting and with no design wall, etc. this really was too difficult for me. Grandma trusted my pinning and such and we caught a few minor disasters and unsewed and resewed, etc. I recall learning how to do inset seams because I found a few turned around pieces and took them out and redid them before sending it off to be quilted. I was so proud when the quilt was done! After it was quilted and hung up and I took photos, well one day weeks later I realized that with all that froggin around we still had screwed up (this the name my messed up star quilt)! Somehow I had completely mixed up two of the colors in the placement and we had carefully pinned and sewed them together with them in the wrong places. You can see the green in the picture does not add to the star idea! Anyways, by then it was too late and I have all these fabulous memories of sewing with Grandma Nan so it doesn't really matter :)


The picture was taken at my graduation party. The last picture was taken a little over a month ago when I was visiting Wisconsin...we went out to eat and I shared that picture back then, but we also stopped by her place for a quick visit and took these pictures. This is my oldest son Coleman with me and Grandma Nan. She is the last of my grandmas. I still have two living grandfathers. I am just sorry to lose her so soon after losing my Dad.

Today I went through pictures for the funeral home and have figured out my ticket for the most part, started packing, called in to work, etc. I am operating in a fog. I am hoping that my sister comes back to Wisconsin with me for the funeral, but if she doesn't Kathy will go. Usually I am the strong one, but today I feel tired of being strong. I will miss you Grandma, hug dad for me til I get there.

Carolina Crossroads Clue Four is Done :)

Here is my stack of forty half nine patch units for Carolina Crossroads! Very tiny pieces and a bit fussy to put together but that has been the theme of today's sewing! I also had some help from Kathy so half of clue five is cut too.

They are really cute units, but tiny, tiny. And below is the huge collection of clues I have put together so far. Getting close to putting one of the blocks together and then I will really feel like I am getting somewhere. I would love to have this done by November when word is Bonnie will be doing another mystery. Of course, I am in on that one when the time comes. Oh and see how well my spiral bound book is working for me?
That is it for sewing tonight. Should be back at it tomorrow!

Maltese Star Block :)

I am pleased with how my Amy's Passions BOM Maltese Star turned out. There was a tad bit of unsewing and such involved, but I really like how it turned out. I looked at the other two blocks and don't have it in me to tackle them as they both look complicated. As you already know, I am not in the mood for complicated today. However if they turn out as good as this one they will be worth it.

Short Story is a Longer Story than I Expected!

I am less than thrilled to realize that I need to trim up all of these Short Story blocks and I don't want to. As in like a two year old, planting my feet deep, I DON'T WANT TO! Seriously, the directions call for lining up the 45 degree line here and another line here and another line there and then trimming all four sides. I will not be making this pattern again. I am sorely tempted to just sew them together without trimming and hope for the best.I laid the blocks out and then rearranged a few to make it more pleasing to me. I am a row short of blocks, but I think this is plenty. Seriously don't. want. to. trim. UGH. So I just stare at it and wish I might have made Plan C which maybe involves less trimming.

Rant over.

Joy Luck Schnibbles is Quilted!

Ros Atwood quilted my Joy Luck Schnibbles with bamboo stalks and leaves. She figured since this is little Chinese lanterns that would compliment it well even though I used Christmas fabric. I like it, kind of exotic looking. Definately unique! You can see the quilting really well in the close up too and she used a varigated thread which I always love. This one is most likely going to Kathy's sister Kelly and her husband Bob for Christmas.

I still need to bind it, but I was just so tickled I had to share.

Quiltalong Comes Together and Scratch Top is Done

Tonight I decided to sew some of my quiltalong blocks together into rainbow form like I had laid it out previously. I have more blocks left and am undecided if I will do another one or add to this one, but I was happy to have it come together! All those colors make me smile!

More red fabric came for Scratch from ebay so I could finish off the borders. The red was not quite the right red....I added it anyway and hopefully it won't be too noticable, but I won't lose any sleep over it. I found the matching backing fabric at Hancocks of Padukah online for $2.49 a yard! It is so scrumptious! Finally have another top for Ros!

I also cut some more pieces for the Pineapple Blossom blocks that I will continue working on. Been watching Ghosthunters tonight while doing all this sewing...creepy but compelling!

Sewing Day at June's House

I have most of my blocks together for Short Story Schnibbles. Now they need trimming...can't wait to see how they look...

Here is Ros working on her church donation quilt. I think she said it will be auctioned off and each block represents a different church hymn and her binding is absolutely invisible!

Here is BJ with her Chunky Churn Dash (Bonnie Hunter's pattern)...these are her quiltvilleswap exchange blocks. I have never done an exchange and after seeing these, thought I should join for the next swap. HAHA I don't need more to do, but aren't they cute?

Here is June with the quilt she made for her son back East. Ros quilted it (she is on the right) with what looks like checkered flags and cars. I think June is working on the binding and then she will send it off. Today she worked on a bag and then after an impromtu tutoring session from BJ she started working on this:

BJ showed her how to handsew these little hexagons together to make a grandmother's flower garden quilt. Funny thing is this is fabric I gifted BJ (she loves scraps) and June wound up with it. Long as it gets used I am happy!

We all brought food and had quite the little buffet for lunch. I have to say my favorite thing was the coffee Herve makes and the biscotti that Ros brought. She is going to share her recipe and I can't wait to make it! I also got around to making four of the Pineapple Blossom blocks from www.Quiltville.com in a few different colors. I am IN LOVEwith these blocks and look forward to making more!

I also took Ros' advice and ordered some backings from www.thousandsofbolts.com for two quilts that I have been looking for backings for for two months. Glad to have that off my list and I can then pass on the quilts to Ros for quilting.

Got my work schedule today for the college. I will be getting about 35 hours a week there (and 4 or so at Sorenson) and will be there five days a week. So will have more money for quilt stuff, but less time to sew! Smile.
I don't work or have any running to do tomorrow...hmm, I think I will sew!