Holiday Light Step One Complete

I finished sewing up all the step one clues for Bonnie Hunter's Holiday Lights Mystery (in Quiltmaker) tonight. I then spent some time trimming them up.

I am excited to finally have this clue done...it was nice to take my time and enjoy it since I knew there was two months before the next clue came out--but that is right around the corner now so I wanted to get this done. Not sure who this one will be for or if I can part with it. Bonnie has a way of making me fall in love with scrap quilts! My DD is still sitting here though in the box. I need to call my quilter in Wisconsin and see about sending it out to her. I have two baby circus quilts in another box waiting on another quilter who is in the middle of moving but will do them for me when she gets settled.

Found out yesterday my dad (Lenny, I have two dads ;)) in Wisconsin has a new and most likely improved kind of cancer. He had throat cancer almost two years ago and went to the brink of death to get rid of it....now having trouble swallowing and talking again....he will get more tests this next week to find out how far it has spread and such, but they are pretty sure he has it on his lip and in at least the one lymph node. He mentioned survival was about one in six. Please pray that my father doesn't suffer and that if he can't beat this he just goes peacefully. I hate cancer and with all my being want to die just about any other way. My sister happens to be in Wisconsin at the moment on a quick visit so I am happy she will get to see him and hug him and smooch him for the both of us, I dang near bought a ticket to fly out to see him for a few days but I go to PA on Friday night and just got back from CA and I hate to be squished on planes! So I will settle for phone calls and email for now. Thanks for your prayers! Here is a pic from two summers ago when my dad was going through the first round...my sister Tina, Dad and me.

A Weekend in Burbank, CA with a Visit to Hollywood!

Last Thursday I flew to Burbank for a few days of job training for my new video relay interpreting job. Despite the full plane both ways the trip was great. I made a few new friends, learned how to receive calls for the company and even got a quick trip to Hollywood via subway in!

These pictures are borrowed from the web since the only pics I took are on my cell phone and I don't know how to get them off yet. One gal had a camera and if I get those pics from her I will add them in...so I didn't see this Hollywood sign, but I looked for it! We rode the subway (first time ever for me) and I can't say I am excited to do it again. There was a guy down there playing Michael Jackson on keyboard and a crowd listening to him so that was neat. We got off the subway on the Hollywood Walk of Fame street and walked up and down it. Saw the Chinese Theatre and took a pic of John Wayne's footprint mainly because it is the one Lucy stole on I Love Lucy show and it was neat to see what they were refering to in the show.

We also walked up the stairs to the Kodak theater where they lay the red carpet out. Beautiful and very cool to see something that I have only seen on TV!

I also got to see Michael Jackson's star on the Walk of Fame. There was STILL a crowd around it despite the fact that it had been almost three weeks since he had died. Everyone was taking pictures and such. I took one (not this one like I said) too. There were a few people playing his music, and dresssed up like him posing for pictures with people. The later in the night it got the more crowded the street got! We went in and had some ice cream at the Disney Ice Cream Shop and by the time we left it was packed. Also, something had happened near the MJ star and crowd since many fire trucks had arrived and were still arriving. We left before it got crazier!

The only crafting I did was each night in my fabulous hotel room I worked on the first block my new crochet group decided to do. It is a free online pattern and since the group met last Thursday while I was in flight I tried to do it on my own. I think I got it mostly right. I used yarn I already had but may pick up some coordinated stuff to redo it...I just wanted to at least practice crocheting. Nice to be able to read the pattern on my own.

Last night we went and saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince at the theater. I had forgotten how most of it went and the ending was sad! The movie was good, though I read others didn't think it was true enough to the book. Good thing I read it several years ago and can't recall many of the details they may have taken creative license with.
Update on the tomatoes and peppers. Note to self, don't try to grow anything but cactus in Arizona's summer heat. We watered and watered and they turned yellow from scorching...will plant again in the fall I think.

I am happy to be home and back to a normal schedule until I leave for the RID conference in PA in a few weeks!

Pincushions!

I think I didn't show a picture of the pincushion I got from the exchange on my NewQuilingClub Yahoo group. It is this little star. There was a mix up and mine was the only one not to arrive by the start date (the gal sent me a quilt meant for someone else and I think that person got my pincushion which was supposed to be a cute little ladybug) but it did happily arrive a few days later. The button fell off in the mail and my dog liked it so now it has that "charm" of being well loved. I put it up on a shelf we hung in the quilting studio so I can display my little pincushion collection. Thanks Ruth!


I went over to June's (and BJ came too) last Sunday for a few hours. I worked on these larger than life pear pincushions and finished them up today. I think if I make more I will do them a bit smaller so they look a bit more real! One is going to my collection, and the other will go to someone for Christmas I think. I used leftover scraps (see the lining and Amy Butler fabric from my hat?) and also used my new lime prize fabric...I think they turned out cute. I added some new leaf pins and they are ready to go!









Also at June's I worked on clue one for Holiday Lights. I have 24 more of the last block to do and then they all need trimming, no picture of those yet.

Binding for Double Delight, Progress on CJ's Blanket and a Bday Gift for Tina

I finally whipped up the polka dotted binding for my Double Delight quilt...here you can see it and the background fabric all ready to go with the top to the quilter. I can't wait to send it off and then get it back! This one will go on our bed and change the look of the whole room!










This is the progress on CJ's blanket....I have two more skeins of yarn to go and then I think it will be large enough. I am just using up what I had in yarn laying around...though I did buy two more to add to it..not a work of art, but he will like it!









I just stayed several nights at my sister's house and she didn't have pillowcases on two of the pillows in my room. It is a long story, but she packet all her extra sheets when she thought the owners of her house needed to move in and she needed to move out..(I helped) then they decided to stay where they were for the time being though at some point will move back into her house...so she didn't unpack everything and now she is lacking some pillowcases..so her bday is in August and I made her these pillowcases out of some of the Goodwill fabric I found...very inexpensive type gift that I am sure will be appreciated. They whipped up in no time too! So finally a little bit of sewing...really enjoyed it while listening to Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey."

When you get behind...

I feel like I am behind in my blogging and the more behind I get the less I want to blog. Smile, so first off I participated in an all day anniversary celebration with my NewQuiltingClub yahoo group two weeks ago and I won (by default since the real winner had already won and graciously passed her prize on to me! Thanks Sandy) this fabric, cards and needles from Dianne! I love the lime and red fabrics I happily added them to my drawer! Next, the voting on my UFO's...I had three votes for Bargello Seasons, five for the Stars Quilt, and six for the A Walk in the Park Quilt which is the most complicated finish but the one I will start on! Most of the comments came in on the post, but some were emailed to me from people in my online quilting groups. I am happy to know that at least fourteen people read and take the time to comment on my blog! Thanks. So up soon will be:

I crocheted another dishrag. I used a different free pattern which I really liked. It took me awhile to loosen up so it got wider as I went. I really have to focus to not crochet tightly when I start a project. I will make another of these and try to loosen up!

Next up...I wanted to show you my previous knitting trials since I started knitting class last Tuesday...I ripped out these to start again after taking the pictures and they are from several years ago when my mother and my Grandma Nan tried to teach me knitting! They both knit left handed and I am not left handed so it was really tough for me to do it the way they showed me.

The last picture is when I finally caught on but then put it away! So now I am relearning with the purple yarn. Have a few holes, but overall feeling pretty comfortable now with casting on and the knit stitch!

I am really hoping to make my binding for my Double Delight quilt today....I have the cute polka dot fabric all set and just need to get to it!

Making an Amy Butler Blue Sky Hat

Some of you may recall that over a year ago at the Chicago Quilt Festival I bought a pattern for Amy Butler's Blue Sky Hat nad a bit of her material to make it with. Finally yesterday I went out and bought the "duck canvas" it calls for at JoAnn's and a bit of lining too.








If you are planning to make this it is quite easy with the exception of getting the brim on the cap being a bit thick and requiring some patience. I will also say that Amy is QUITE GENEROUS in her fabric amounts. I could have not bought the lining fabric and used my actual fabric to make the lining as I had plenty left. I also didn't need over half of the Duck Canvas I bought...I have enough to make another whole hat (which I may do!).
Here is the top of the hat, then with the green is the lining.

And the completed hat, I still need to slip stitch the lining closed, easily done in the car. Now you are wondering maybe why am I finally getting to making this hat now? Well, my brother and sister and assorted friends have asked me and Mac (16 year old son) to tube down the Salt River this July 4th. I love tubing and will go with LOTS of sunscreen and water, but know that my head burns easily so I really needed a new hat. The one I have used for the past few years I bought and it looks like Gilligan's hat. They tease me about that one, so we will see what they think of this one, it is much improved as far as I am concerned!

Quilt History Butterfly Block

Today was my NewQuiltingClub's Anniversary Party. I got up early (well early for me when I am not working) and chatted and posted most of the day. We played bingo, had trivia games, etc. It was fun and the only one I "won" had two winners and when they drew--wouldn't you know it I didn't win. I don't have the best luck with that sort of stuff.
I have entered to win on various blogs and so far nothing. You would think in time I would randomly win! Anyway I guess if that is all I have to complain about life is good.
I sewed a bit on four patches today and this Butterfly Block for Quilt History (I am AHEAD now, we don't meet until July 30th this time!). This one gave me some issues...the size just didn't all want to line up and I was patient and ripped and tried again (and I won't dwell on the fact that I sewed the wings on backwards the first time despite doublechecking and thinking I had them right!). I then hand stitched the wings on. Not great, but better than the last two month's blocks. I am supposed to present next month for a bit on the Lockport Batting Company so yesterday I researched that and came up with this:

Lockport Cotton Batting Company History

1870 Lockport Cotton Batting Company was established by George W. Hamlin east of Buffalo, NY. They made cotton and wool batts and added other items as the years progressed

Succeeded by Levan and Gritman

1894 Niagara Cotton Batting Company

1902 Three batting companies in Lockport (Niagara, Lockport and New York)
Operated out of two buildings in its heyday

1938 8 page publication “Land O’ Nod, the Monthly Magazine for Quilters,
Vol. 1, No. 1 was published by Land ‘O Nod publishing company which
has the same address as the Lockport Cotton Batting Company. The
editor was Mrs. Scioto Imhoff Danner (biography said she is a prolific
quilter who sold her patterns and traveled with her quilts), Had a “new”
appliqué pattern “Climbing Rose” and an article by Dr. W.R. Dunton
“How I Became A Quilt Fan” as well as a Q & A column

No evidence that the second edition was printed though it was to have an
article about the Genesee Valley Quilt Club of Rochester, NY

The old cotton batting company building was adjacent to Vine Street and
had a pond in front of it with polliwogs, Barbara Thurston Petty was
forbidden to go there

1935 Sold cotton building insulation “Lo-K” used in U.S. homes 1935-1950

1940 Niagara Cotton Batting Company and Lockport Cotton Batting Company
Merged, Large and thriving industry at this time

1942 Lockport Quilt Pattern Book, Replicas of Quilts Old & New, 1942
published with “Climbing Rose” pattern again in it

1944 19 page booklet “Lockport Quilt Pattern Book-Anne Orr Quilts” (were
two), a few pages in it explained about available battings, included “An
Initialed Quilt” typical cross stitch style and “Jonquil Quilt,” “Garland
Quilt,” and Strawberry Quilt” appliqué type quilt patterns also a line of
“Colonial Quilting Patterns” with perforated paper patterns in it

1967 Lockport Cotton Batting Company quit operation, no buildings are
standing presently
Sources:
http://www.lockport-ny.com/Features/Petty.htm
http://www.quilthistory.com/2005/014.htm
http://history.rays-place.com/ny/lockport-ny-3.htm
http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=O017aahttp://www.inspect-ny.com/interiors/Cotton_Insulation.htm
If you happen to know anything else I should include (you never know, lol) let me know!