Popping In

Just popping in to say a quick hello. Time just keeps getting away from me.
I have been very busy cleaning and decluttering around the house. It was supposed to be a project that DD and I were going to do over the summer. Between her work and school schedule and my work schedule and the heat....well we never did get going. I will just keep working on it myself. It will keep me busy once she leaves for California. 
Tomorrow we are having her graduation party. All of her classes are done. She is really finished and we are going to celebrate with her. I will pull the camera out and get some photos. I will also get some pics of the mini quilts I have been trying to finish up.

Later
Happy stitching all

So what's new?

These days the time is going so fast I can hardly keep up. I have been working s few extra hours at the quilt shop, going to Physical Therapy for my neck, and coordinating the raffle quilt travels for our upcoming quilt show. Still seems like I should be able to get more done than I do. Do you have that problem?

I did my demo at the store and it went well. So well that I still do not have my samples back. Maybe I will try and remember to take my camera to the store and take photos there so I can show you all the fun I had. I am still working on another demo (half done,  but it is the easy part that is done).

As I mentioned, I am coordinating the travels for the guild's raffle quilt and doll. The guild has a show every other year. At the show we raffle off a quilt and an American Girl doll. The quilt this year is called nearly 100 because 99 of us worked on it. If I can get DD to hold it up for me I will get a photo. The doll comes with a huge wardrobe created by the guild members. She also comes with a bed, a rack to hang her clothes on, and usually a three drawer (plastic) storage cart to hold all her stuff. The bed and rack were made by hand this year by a guild hubby. It is always fun to see all the clothes the doll ends up with.  It has been a challenge at times to find volunteers to take the raffle items to a venue and sell tickets. Usually if I can't find anyone, one of the quilt show committee members takes them.  I have had a chance to see some fun shops while selling tickets.

I have been trying to get some quilts finished, you know...really finished not just a top. This is my pile to bind and I have the bindings all ready. Maybe today is a good day to get some stitched on by machine then I can hand sew whenever I have a chance.

I am also working on my BOM. The wool ones  for the month :

and the pattern that I won:

I have been doing a mystery quilt on the Pat Sloan forum. It was designed by Pat Sloan with Emilie Richards and goes along with Emilie's books Happiness Key, Fortunate Harbor, and Sunset Bridge. The books are great. I couldn't put them down. The  quilt is fun too. Here is my top.

There are lots more on the Flickr page,

Happy sewing and try to say cool.

Where did I put that?

Seems like every time I turn around lately I have lost something I just had in my hand. What's up with that?  I think I just have too much on my mind. Yep that is my story and I am sticking to it! LOL

We are having free demo day every other Wednesday at the shop this summer. It is way fun. I am doing two of the demos so I have been super busy trying to make step by step pieces for the demos as well as finished projects. ( Or at least tops). The topics are not published ahead of time so I can't tell you more just yet.

I have been trying to get some small quilts quilted on the frame. I have a little pile to finish up. They are quilted but not trimmed or bound yet. I will get to those soon and take some pictures.

I did finish this wool project. I know, not summery, but I will be ready for fall. LOL.

I think that I mentioned that I am doing a BOM at a LQS, (not the one I work at) it is wool applique on a cotton. Here is the first block. From here on out we will be doing 2 blocks a month. I have the next two cut out and ready to fuse and stitch.

More later...happy stitching

Book Review

     Set during the depression, this story gives you a look at life from the perspective of two high school girls from completely different backgrounds.  A classic coming of age story complicated by the challenges of life in depression era America.
    
     I would give this book two thumbs up. This is not the genre that I normally read. I enjoyed the characters in the story because they were both products of their environment, but they were also able to grow and change. The point of view switches back and forth smoothly between the girls' perspectives. As the story progressed I found it harder and harder to put  down.
     In addition to learning about the lives of these two girls, I learned, thru the story more about the realities of the depression era. 
     In some parts of the story, I felt that the relationships of the girls and their families was over simplified.

I got this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in return for reviewing the book. If you are interested in reviewing a book check them out http://www.bethanyhouse.com/

I'm baaacck

Time really got away from me this time. Since I last posted, my DD#2 graduated from University of Illinois. She chose to go the the ceremony for her department rather than the large convocation for the whole school. The graduation was in a small auditorium and it was really a nice ceremony. I was so proud of my baby. She is at home working at her the ice cream store. (She has been working there since the end of her Senior year of high school). She plans to move to Los Angeles with a friend in the fall.

I wish I had lots to show since it has been so long since I last posted, but I haven't been very productive. I did get some needle work pieces framed. A needle punch rabbit for spring.

A needle punch house.

A cross stitch Victorian house. ( I have a thing for houses).

I did just finish this top as well. This is Hop To It in flannel and wool. I did the same BOM in batiks and some other fabrics mixed in at the shop where I work. Just as soon I started it at work, my friend emailed me the BOM from Primitive Gatherings. I just had to do the wool version too. I am not sure what I will do with two of them.... but the tops are done.

I started Physical Therapy on my neck this week, so I hope that I get some pain relief. I need more time at my sewing machine!

See you later and happy stitching

Playing catch up

Happy Mother's Day to all. This morning the Assisted living home where my Mom lives was having a brunch. My Dad, my sister, and my niece and I went over and we had a nice meal and a chance to be together, I took my Mom some pink roses and she loved them.

I  have been trying to get some projects done that need to be mailed out. ( A couple of them a while ago).
Does your family seem to have babies in bunches? My cousin had another son. Another cousin has a new grandson. The newest baby was born in Feb., another grandson for a different cousin. My DD#1 asked me if I was going to make a quilt for her friend' new baby.   Sure. Why not?   Next up another baby, bridal showers, and a wedding. I am never going to catch up.

I slowly got these bound: This one is going to California. It is a cute panel just bordered and quilted with a meander.

This one is for my daughters friend. I made it from a Pure charm pack and a bit of yardage. JoAnn Fabrics had a sale on the minkee-like stuff and this one and the next one have that on the back.

This one is for the newest arrival. He is about 8 weeks now.

I still have one ready to quilt, but I had to search the stash for something to use on the back.

I finished this block. It is the pattern that I won from Humble quilts. I am doing it as a block of the month.

I was able to resist the block of the month that we are doing at the shop this year. I have way to many things in topsville waiting to be quilted. I am trying to work on UFOs and getting my tops quilted. I really like the colors that the boss is using for the BOM though...... so hard to resist.  I am starting a BOM next week with a friend at a different shop. I will show you the pattern when I pick it up.

I better get quilting. ;)
Have a great week.

Sunday update

It has been a crazy busy week this week. I worked Tuesday and Wednesday and Saturday. I normally only work 1 day a week, but the boss was on vacation so I had extra hours. On Thursday and Friday I took the raffle quilt from guild to two different shops to display it and sell tickets. It is always fun to see new shops and I had  never been to either of them before. Needless to say, I didn't get much sewing done.

I did finally finish this...it is the lovely block that Liri sent me with my APQ swap blocks. I had the purple in my stash and used a bit of it the frame the block. I even had the pillow form in my bin of left over batting. So a little bit of time and it was done. I like it.

Speaking of the APQ block swap, this is where mine is right now. Still need to hand stitch the applique. and I am still pondering the border.

I did sit for a while last week end and quilt this . I have had this project sitting around first as a kit for a year. I think it has been fused for two years and just got moved around the sewing room. It just needs to be bound now and It will finally be finished.

Last on my list is a project you saw a bit of before. The mini Hawaiian shirts. I have been hand quilting both of them. I am happy to report that they are both finished and the bindings are completed on one of them. In the photo the quilting is not quite done yet. Another project off the UFO list.

That's all for now. Happy sewing everyone!