A friend of mine is going to be a grandma for the first time ... hmmm by now she should be a grandma - the doctor was going to induce labor last Friday since the mama-to-be is two weeks late. I made a "grandma" quilt.

 

Soft flannels on the front and back. The pattern is Atkinson Designs Yellow Brick Road (all time fav). The fat quarters were a little on the skimpy side so I added in some flannel scraps I already had to make up the extra pieces and parts.

 

(Nancy is my official quilt holder - forgot to crop the pic - cute socks Nan)

 

I quilted it with double hearts and loops.

 

I also finished up Sherri Falls Mystery Monday wall hanging. This was so much fun to make. I've wanted to make a fall wall hanging for ages.

 

 

I feel like that big area above the small pumpkin needs something...would it look okay if I embroidered "fall" or "autumn" or a couple of leaves in that area?

 

Garage Sale Find

A few months ago I bought this quilted top at a garage sale. The elderly lady who made the quilt thought she had made it some time in the '70s.

I love the orange gingham in the center of each block. The quilt is truly scrappy...it has flannel, denim, and double knit. The rust fabric is the king size sheet she was planning on using for the back. I bought it thinking it would be a great FMQ practice quilt and (since it was such a bargain) I would donate it after I quilted it...only there's a bit of a problem...

It is huge! 90 x 110 inches! And very heavy. Too big for my frame and Juki.

I was thinking of turning it into four smaller quilts. So how horrible of a person/quilter would I be if I just cut it into four pieces instead of unsewing it?

Here's a rare pic of my motley crew together...Obba, Fred, and Siddi.

Here Kitty Kitty

I have three new kitties.

This guy likes to nap in the sun...

This kitty was a gift from Nancy, she likes to chase the butterflies that land on the verbena.

This cute little plate was a gift from Rose, these little kitties like playing in the sand. Rose made the plate - she decoupaged the cute kitty fabric to the glass plate. Love it.

 

And then there is this cute little kitty, aka psycho-Siddi...she's not new, but so rare stays still that I had to post a picture.





 

Can you tell I haven't been doing any quilting?

 



Changes

 
I changed up the spare bedroom a bit...removed the foot board from the bed, switched out the side tables, got rid of the rocking chair AND changed the bedding! New sheets, new dust ruffle, new shams and a quilt that looks like it was custom made for the bed.

Love it!

Okay, love the bedding...the walls need some pictures and none of the furniture matches. I'm going to try painting one of the side tables. If that works out then I'm going to paint everything else (except the headboard).

Grey kitties are NOT allowed in the spare bedroom.

The Shopping Experience

Last weekend Stephanie and I went to four new-to-us quilt shops, two in Morgan Hill, one in Gilroy and the last in San Juan Batista, CA. Each store was interesting, each store had different fabrics and patterns and each was a very unique shopping experience.

 

The first shop was in an old house, not overly large but it had lots of nice fabrics...that's it. We never received an "hello" when we walked in or a "can I help you with anything".  I bought a yard of two different fabrics that I had been looking for. As we left the parking lot, Stephanie and I commented on how unfriendly the sales person (owner?) was, how unusual that was for a quilt shop, and that we wouldn't be in a hurry to return to that shop.

 

The next shop was a 180 from the first. The owner greeted us when we walked in, knew we were not regular customers and asked where we were from and where were we going. Asked what type of fabrics we liked and what type of quilt patterns we liked, showed us some new to the store fabrics, showed us where the sale fabric was and demo'd a gadget she thought we would like. Plus gave us directions to the next quilt shop we planned to stop at. Stephanie and I both burst into giggles when we left that shop because we were both thinking the same thing - "Great Shop! When can we plan a trip back?" Guess which shop we spent the most money at?

 

The third shop had just been purchased by a new owner, and from the sounds of it changes are in process...hope so. It was so packed with stuff you could barely move, you couldn't pass a person in the isle, someone had to back up and go around. Fabric bolts were piled on up on other fabric bolts. I did see a few interesting fabrics but didn't feel like digging for them. We didn't spend much time there.

 

The fourth shop was nice and bright with a variety of fabrics, and the staff was friendly. Another store I wouldn't mind going back to especially since they had some lovely civil war reproduction fabrics.

 

Then we hit the Gilroy Outlets...what a zoo, that was a whole different shopping experience! Overall a very fun day.

 

I have been doing more than just shopping. I have one more grey border to add to my solids quilt. This has been very much out of my comfort zone but I really like how it is turning out. I've been calling it my Modern Amish.

 

And I making progress on Sherri Fall's Monday Mystery.  I have no clue how she is going to pull this all together, I'm dying of curiosity. Tomorrow is part 6, can't wait.

Lots Going On

Finished all of my binding. Three of my largest quilts (and one of the oldest) DONE!

Check out the new ironing board. Isn't it pretty. 18 inches wide and four legs. Every ironing board I've had in the past was a hand-me-down with T-feet...the T stood for teeter-totter. Ever time it would tip I'd have to remember not to grab the iron and hope there wasn't a cat (or my foot) underneath.

I finished the quilt top I started at my mom's.

And pieced a back for it.

I started Sherri's (This and That) Monday Mystery. Normally I wait until after the mystery is over but this time I decide to brave it...here are the first two blocks. This is going to be fun.

I also cut all my solid scraps into strips and started a new quilt...I'm planning on making a quilt using only solids...

...way out of my comfort zone but I'm really excited about it.
 

Finally Busy

I went to visit my mom last weekend hoping to get away from the heat; it didn't work. While it was cooler (103-108 at home, 96-102 at my mom's) it was still too hot to do much more than sew.

I started a new project...and almost finished it.

Don't worry I didn't neglect my mom...

 

She was right behind me working on her own project...she has been making a bazillion of these little wallets. 

 

Check out her sewing space. An old treadle coffin sewing machine cabinet. The original sewing machine is gone, her Elna is under the cover.

 

Her sewing machine foot pedal propped up on the treadle pedal makes me giggle.

 

Still Nothing New

So all the little UFOs are quilted and have the binding machine sewn on. I'm very slowly finishing the hand sewing on the binding. Riding the bus is the perfect time to work on binding.

Now I'm working on the binding of the big UFOs. So I'm very very slowly moving quilts from this pile...

Over to here...boogers, ran out of binding. I had bits and pieces of the border fabric left over. Hopefully it will be enough.

Then to this pile...

Hmmmm... there is something wrong with this picture, shouldn't there be something finished?

Nothing New

Not much going on here...I have very slowly (very very very slowly) been moving stuff from this pile:

Over to here:

 Then to this pile:

With a little of this thrown in:

Ran out of bobbin thread... a week ago... haven't touched it since... practicing is sooooo boring... but I really want to learn this pattern... sigh.

Don't bother me I'm Blog Touring

Oh, oh...I don't think I'll be doing much sewing this week...

Quilt Rush

Day One

I picked up the "I shouldn't be doing this, very guilty" Karen and began the journey. We meet up the with the "I can't believe we're doing this" Stephanie in Stockton and the shopping began.

Store 1 - Quilters Quarter, Stockton - no purchases.
Store 2 - Country Sewing Center, Elk Grove - won a fat quarter of my choice, ordered an open toe free motion foot for the Juki.
Store 3 - Quilters Corner, Sacramento - one pattern and a lot of restraint, this shop has wonderful reproduction fabrics.
Store 4 - Thistle Dew, Fair Oaks - no purchases. Oops, the elusive Karen eluted us, it was so much fun having her join us the first day.
Store 5 - Fabric Garden, Sacramento - 5 fat quarters for $5 and two patterns.

Approximately 119 miles round trip - minor damage to the credit card.

Day Two

The day starts at a ridiculous hour of the morning. The "Boy do I need a girl's road trip" Nancy has joined "Wow, we really did make it to five stores yesterday" Stephanie and we are driving...and driving...and driving.  Finally we arrive in paradise...Paradise, CA that is.

Store 6 - Morning Star Quilts, Paradise - no purchases.
Store 7 - Debbie's Quilt Shop, Paradise - three yards of a wonderful reproduction print.
Store 8 - Rabbit Hole, Chico - no purchases
Store 9 - Cloth Carousel, Willows - oops, I thought this shop was in Colusa good thing we double checked the address - one yard of fabric, one pattern.
Store 10 - Sew So Shop, Yuba City - no purchases by me, we won't talk about Nancy.
Store 11 - Sugar Pine Quilt Shop, Grass Valley - one pattern.
Store 12 - Whistle Stop Quilt and Sew, Auburn - no purchases.
Store A - Angel Quilters, Lincoln - 9 yards of an amazing cheap inexpensive, perfect back fabric for the refracted oriental quilt
Store B - Sew Katie Jean, Lincoln - two charm packs of Moda Solids.

Wait a minute store A and B???? Yes, we actually managed to hit two stores that were not in the Quilt Rush. NINE stores in one day! 306 miles and one tired, almost grumpy driver.

Day Three

"You talked me into it" Nancy and "I'm ready to go home" Stephanie started without me. After filling up the car with gas "Lead foot, don't look at the speed dial" Joy arrived at the first shop within 5 minutes of "we already bought fabric and are ready to go" Nancy and Stephanie.

Store 13 - Cloth Carousel, Winters - barely got in the store, no purchases.
Vacaville Outlets, Vacaville - Oops how did that get in here.
Store 14 - Quilted Heart, Vacaville - no purchases.
Store 15 - Cornerstone Quilt Shoppe, Fairfield - two yards of clearance, extra wide backing fabric.

Approximately 140 miles round trip.

Wow! I can't believe "Can we really do all 15 stores" Stephanie and I managed to get to all the Quilt Rush stores and my credit card hasn't been revoked by the bank. It was a long three days, but it was also very fun, largely due to spending time with my great friends.

Wanna see the loot?

Attitude

I've been wanting to make these place mats ever since I saw them on Needled Mom's blog.  Mary was kind enough to share the paper pieced patterns and let me copy her design.

With the darker focal fabric (so much for making them in pink) I wanted less white so I created a paper pieced pot to fill in the space. Now to get them quilted.

Want to know a really good method to keep yourself from buy new fabric? Reorganize what you have!  Some how my fabric has gotten spread out all over the place so this weekend I've been sorting and regrouping my stash.  I'm only half done. OMG, slap my hand if I pull my wallet out to buy new fabric. LOL...wonder how long that attitude will last. Next weekend is Quilt Rush, Nancy, Stephanie and I are planning a road trip to hit at least five stores. I'm thinking my attitude won't last long.
 

Correction

Nancy would like it known that she did not kick my butt...she just strongly encouraged. And I'm glad she did...

 

I love the border on this quilt. This baby is BIG...80 x 97.

The tutorial pattern is Refracted by Melissa of Happy Quilting. It is a fun, easy, quick stack-n-slash pattern. As soon as I saw her tutorial for the quilt I knew it was perfect for these fabrics.

  

 

All but the green sashing fabric is from my stash.

 

 

Cranes, coins, bamboo, a variety of oriental scripts and dragons - love the dragons!

 

 

Wouldn't Tell a Lie

I was hoping to show you a finished quilt...I started out really gung ho then kinda fizzled. Nancy came over to sew today and kicked butt...mine.

I was thinking of stopping at the green sashing but Nancy kicked some more butt...mine...so I'll be adding the border fabric. Since it's a stripe I'm going to miter the corners. I haven't added a mitered border in ages, hope I remember how.

If Nancy says she didn't kick any butt...don't believe her...I wouldn't make something like that up.

Lucky Girl II

 

I recently won a couple of patterns from Sherri Falls of This & That.

 

 

How cute is Suzy's Sack! Thank you, Sherri. I'm looking forward to making both patterns. If you've never been to Sherri's blog before you need to go check it out. Besides having wonderful patterns that she sells, she has Mystery Mondays with some great free small projects.

 

Today was overcast and blah...but my daffodils are blooming like crazy.

I love their bright yellow.

I have been sewing, just nothing to show this week.

If you hear hysterical crying on Tuesday don't worry, it's just me getting my taxes done.

Lucky Girl

This is called cutting it close...

...very close.

Done with the flannels

Who knew...after I finished cleaning out the flannel bin I ended up with:
     1 - Turning Twenty quilt top cut out
     20 - 30" square strip blocks
     30 - 15"  square pieces and parts blocks
     8 - 14 x 16" brick blocks
     28 - 10" squares
     37 - 6.5" squares
and a shoe box full of 2.5" strips.

All from left over pieces from all the flannel quilts or backs I've made.

 

I know I said I wasn't going to do anything with the pieces and parts. I just started mindlessly sewing them together. It was kinda fun. All the pieced blocks are random, no thinking involved, as you can tell from the combination of colors and prints I put together. Who knew I'd end up with so MANY blocks. Next time I need a scrappy flannel back for a quilt I will be more than ready.

 

What else have I been doing? Stephanie and I did a mini-quilt shop hop a few weeks ago, last weekend I went to the Folsom Quilt Show with Nancy and Karen (with more shopping) and this weekend I loaded a quilt on the frame and cut out a new quilt (super easy, can't wait to show you).

 

I have the next two days off - wonder how much sewing I can get done.

Back Blocks

Strange title huh?

I've been making blocks from all those flannel strips. I sewed all the like widths together then cut 30" strips. Now I'm sewing the strips together until I get a 30" square block.

 

I'm not sewing the blocks together yet. I figure someday when I need a back I'll sew the blocks together to the size I need. I have 12 made so far and probably have enough strips to make another 12.

I'm really enjoying making these: no precise cutting or sewing, kinda brainless.

I have QADS

Quilting Attention Deficit Syndrome

After I finished the Friendship Triangles quilt I started thinking about my next quilt, I pulled out the fabric and pattern...hmmm, fabric won't work with this pattern, need a different pattern...found a new pattern...No, can't start a new quilt until the Friendship quilt is quilted...thought I had back fabric for it already...hmmm, I have a lot of back fabrics (I keep large amounts of fabric on the cardboard bolt thingies) I should make up the backs and put them with the appropriate quilt so everything will be together...hmmm, don't like the back fabric I had for the Friendship quilt...actually I like it too much to put it on a back I'd rather have it on the front as a focal fabric I wonder if I have any fabrics in my stash that will go with it...I could piece a back out of my scrap flannels....pulled out the bin with the scrap flannels...there's a lot of scraps in this bin...Ohhhh, Mary of NeedledMom is so nice she sent me the paper piece patterns she used for her place mats....love the place mats I think I want to make them in pink...no, focus, you need a back for the Friendship quilt...hmmm, what quilt did these two back fabrics go to? well I know this fabric goes with this quilt so I'll put the fabric and quilt next the sewing machine...how much yardage of this fabric do I have? is it enough for the Hot Pocket quilt?...no, I got the flannels out I should do something with them first.

See what I mean...I've been going in this circle for the last 3 days.

Most of my quilts have flannel on the back, so I ended up with all of these really long pieces of different widths.  I cleaned up the edges some. I have an idea on how to put these together to make a back.

 

I also cut out a Turning Twenty quilt (okay, half the fabrics where already cut must have been a past QADS outbreak).

 

I do have some yardage that I didn't cut up.

 

Cut some 2.5 inch strips, 10.5 inch squares and some 6.5 inch squares.

 

 

Still have a little more in the bin to go through.

 

Now I have this pile of pieces and parts. I am NOT going to make a flannel scrap quilt.

 

Anybody want the pieces and parts?

 

Shoot, I still don't have a back for the Friendship Triangles quilt...maybe I should go shopping...

 

How did my sewing room get to be such a mess?

 

 

 

 



And Another Done

My first finish for 2013 (depending on your definition of "finish", it's not quilted yet).

 

My piecing was pretty good (all the triangles have points) until I put the four quadrants together. I'm going to quilt it by stitching-in-the-ditch.

I did the math...1764 triangles, 840 1.5 inch squares. It started with a charm pack given to me by Nancy and it includes lots of my scraps. I followed Bonnie (Quiltville) Hunter's advise - ugly fabric looks good when it is cut small enough and there are some truly ugly fabrics in this quilt...but I bet you can't find them.

I love scrap quilts!