Progress

Well, things are getting back to normal here. I am still having some asthma, but basically I'm better. I've been working on my snowmen, and here are the ones I've done since last time.

This is my daughter's snowman.  Notice her glass of wine.  She has 3 kids so I gave her 2 snow angels, and then Joey is back by the house jumping around.  You just gotta' know Joe to appreciate this!

The block below is almost, but not quite finished.  My son is a geophysicist and he loves the west and, of course, rocks.  This is his unfinished snowman at the Grand Canyon. I found this color sheet and totally adapted it.  I love that he's standing on a rock.

This is my daughter-in-law's snowman.  She used her initials and was very original.  I just added a branch and she's hanging vines.

This is my granddaughter's. She is into some anime thing so she drew her snowman to be a character in the series.  The perspective is a little off, but I love it.

And this is the other 5 year old's.  She has her dogs.  Buster is at the bottom and Millie is chasing a cat at the top.  They are all very happy.

I went down to the sewing room and made two more patterns this morning.  I also finished packing up my Christmas decorations.  They are packed up, but not put away.

So I continue to listen to news and worry about our country while I sew.  Talk about hell in a handbasket!!

Great design site

I'm guessing you already know about this site, but they have the most beautiful designs and it's a free BOM!!

Monday

I am updating  because it's Monday.  I continue on the same path.  I am still sick with asthma, sinus, and coughing.  I haven't cared about accomplishing anything until lately.  I have gone back to my handwork and am working on my daughter-in-law's snowman.  I'll put a picture up when I get it finished.

Valentine's Day was uneventful here.  I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who has made me laugh for the last 32 years.  We spent the day with each other and some of our family.  I couldn't ask for more!!

Here is my dream!!

Have a good one!! Pictures later in the week!!

Cough, blow

Well, I am still here chugging along.  But slowly.  Blowing my nose and coughing as I go.  I made a horrible mistake.  I didn't go to the doctor when I realized I was going to need to go.  Instead, I loaded up the car and went to see my boys in North Carolina wrestle!

So it was really, really fun.  Really.  Lost my voice by 9:30 Saturday morning.  Went downhill from there.

Mistake #2.  Decided since I already had a physical, I'd just wait until Tuesday.  So let's count.  I knew I should go Thursday.  Didn't go until Tuesday.  This stuff had all those days to dig in and it acts like it's here to stay.  Have done nothing for 4 days except cough and whine to my husband, poor guy.

But they were worth it!

Snowmen

So three down 14 to go!!  They are fun, though, and don't take as long as those Halloween quilt squares I did. Whew!! Well, naturally the pictures uploaded in the wrong order so I'll just go with it.

The first snowman is my 5 year old granddaughter's.  It is a cheerleader as you can see by the pompoms in her hands and the football players around her.

This is the 10 years old grandson's.  I love his pipe and he did the trees, so all I had to add was the ground line.

We live in SE Tennessee, and this is the best we got.  It's pretty, but we're staying in.  May go for a gator ride just to check out snow on our acreage.  We live 3/4 of a mile from the main road, so that could be my small adventure for today.  I'm cooking a slow cooker Taco Chicken Chili for supper.  We'll fix a little rice and be good to go.  It's from Skinnytaste  and even has WW points for this recipe.  I think I'm going to go there quite a bit.

I thought I'd introduce Rosey, our precious toy poodle.  She and a brother wandered up in our yard about 11 years ago.  She was the tiniest thing.  She needs a haircut, but she is a sick girl.  She has COPD and an enlarged heart.  She is on 5 meds a day and still coughs and coughs.  It's just heartbreaking for us.  But she still enjoys life.  She fetches and greets everyone who comes to the house, and she still pushes her food dish around when she doesn't have her favorite yellow pieces. At this point she has good quality of life but we are watching her closely.

This is my Valentine quilt.  It was popular several years ago.  I have repaired it a couple of times.  My granddaughter who is quite the quilt critique girl informed my that this had plenty of strings that need clipping, and she's right.  Guess I will get to that before she comes back to visit.  Wouldn't want her to have to deal with strings as she cuddles.

And, last but not least, this is my 7 year old grandson's snowman.  He got a snowboard for Christmas, so his snowman is holding the board.  I added the skier on the right, the trail marker, and the Ski App sign.  They live in NC and that is where they go.

Wow.  This turned into a book. Didn't mean to.  Hope you are having a good winter and are warm and happy wherever you are!!!

Tragedy!

So I am still stitching snowman. Will get some pictures and show the 2 that are finished soon.  But I have really had something horrible happen!! Feedly.  They changed their whole set up and I lost every single one of my quilting blogs!!!!!  I mean really!! This is horrible.

Now I must start all over.  I know I don't have many readers, but if you are out there (echo, echo) and have the time, let me know your favorite blogs so I can start building up again.  There is someone named Linda in Alabama (close to me in Tennessee) who lost her husband a couple of years ago that I really like to keep up with, but have no clue how to find her. I do have Judy in TX and Bonnie, of course, but that is it!!!

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.  And snowman pictures to come soon.  Stay warm and cuddle with a quilt!!

Snowmen!

I have 3 snowmen ready to embroider.  I will post when I get started.  This will go fast and be fun!

Snowmen!!

I haven't been doing much sewing lately, but I've been doing some handwork.  I really am sick of the computer and my husband's newscasts, so it has helped to be doing something I enjoy while I listen.

I was looking at this....

because I would really enjoy the snowmen. 

Then there were several that I like at Crabapplehill Studio.  They have beautiful patterns, and I did that Halloween one from there.

So I just couldn't decide.  And then, as I watched my little 5 year old granddaughters drawing and coloring, and idea was born!!!  I figured I'd get all my grandkids to draw snowment, and I'd embroider then.  Seven grandkids?  Weird number.  SO EVERYONE HAS TO DO ONE!!!

So part of our Christmas visit was spent with everyone drawing a snowman.

Here are a few examples of what we came up with.  There are 17 of us total, so I'll have 16 for the front and then mine on the back to use as a label.  

I ordered my white background and it will be here on Wednesday. It has snowflakes and streamers.  I'll try to share it later in the week.  I'm going to do this whole quilt in blue, except that the snowmen noses will be orange.  

I'm excited.  What do you think?  Have you ever done any of your own embroidery designs?  (I've also decided that I will blog and sew more.  We'll see how that works out.)

Happy New Year! Here's to a creative 2016 with lots of finishes!!!

Hmmmmm....thinking about this one!!!

First blocks are the reindeer row.

Hancocks of Paducah

So we took a little road trip this week, and we went right through Paducah!!! And there it was! Just a block from exit 4. I had to do it! Fairly unassuming exterior, but I was getting excited.

At first, I wasn't that impressed.  I mean, I've been to Mary Jo's many times.  But the more I looked the more I liked!  I found so many beautiful fabrics.

I was ready to go, and, while in search of the bathroom, I stumbled on a whole new room.  Oh my gosh!!!!  It was the room of kits and cuts room.  I had so much fun looking! I had a Christmas tree quilt picked out, but they were out and had no more.

Those shelves in the back were for the internet sales and were all nicely labeled with specials and sales! It was really a wonderful place.

But here is the part that you will find hard to believe:  I didn't buy one thing.  Not one.  I would have gotten the kit, but they were out.  I looked at notions, but nothing called to me.  And the one thing I really, really wanted, thread or my mid-arm, they didn't have.  So I just enjoyed breathing in the dyes and looking around.  Next time we go through there, I'll have myself an agenda! I actually think it's better than Mary Jo's!!

I still am without mojo, but I'm thinking about quilting more.  That's good.  I need some black thread to quilt my Halloween quilt, but I haven't ordered it yet.  Need to continue work on my tshirt quilt.

I am working on an embroidery for my nail lady who has done my nails for 20 years.  She's a Halloween freak, so I'm trying to get it done for that.  I enjoy hand stitching.

Hope all is well for you.  Busy times coming up.  Fall break for my grandkids.  Football games.  Hayride.  Halloween.  Another road trip!

I'm here....but nobody will care!!!! Ha!

So I disappeared off the face of the earth, but I see a couple of people have still be checking in!  Thank you!

My mojo sorta' kinda' got up and left.  I helped my friend do the quilt below, and then she wanted to do another one for her sweet precious boy.  So we did.  Now she wants to do a Christmas throw for her couch since she found some fabric that she liked.  I have created a monster.  So will do that soon

I have been busy and seems like I can't do two things at one time.  I was planning our Europe trip.  We took our oldest grandson to Paris, Germany, and Austria for his graduation present.  We had a wonderful time.  He practiced his German a tiny bit, and now is off to college.  I didn't look at fabric one time but I some beautiful linens.  Like I needed them.

I have started a tshirt quilt for above grandson.  I've worked on it twice.  Two whole afternoons.  I have decided I don't like my beautiful sewing area downstairs.  It's lonesome.  I want to be up here junking up my living area.  I don't know.  And how in the heck am I ever going to get all those different sized blocks all together????

Maybe I'll be back blogging?  Will you be back reading?

Sewing Buddy!

I have really had fun this weekend!!! I had a sewing buddy who is not a dog!!! It was so nice to have someone to bounce ideas off and visit with. My friend for years, Joy, is making a quilt for her first grandbaby due in March. It's a little boy, and she is happy beyond words.

 I tried to help her with an easy pattern, so we went with this one. After a few hours of sewing circles on, I realized she'd have been better off with a straight stitch pattern like a Jelly Roll Race or charm squares. I've apologized profusely, but she is happy with her quilt, as she should be. She has taken it off to the long arm quilter today and hopes it will be ready for a shower in February.

This is the quilt from Missouri Star Quilt Company that I'm making for her daughter.  It's all Dr. Seuss fabric.  I'm going to make a small border of the black and then a little wider with the white.  The back is like the white with red stripes.

Here is Joy's complete circle top.  Her daughter's colors are gray and navy.  I think this will fit right in.  Also, she has some deliciously soft gray Minky for the back.  I've never used Minky on a back, so I wasn't much good on advice there.

So I am going to have to quilt the Topsy Turvy quilt myself.  I refuse to pay a long arm quilter when I have that Tiara just sitting there.  So I must practice.  Nothing else to do on days like today....cold and rainy and yukky!!!

So I was getting ready to write up all I accomplished last year, when it hit. I had finished nothing. Not one project. And there are so many things that need to be wrapped up. On top of that, there is more to do.

This is a bear paw that my aunt started years ago.  I said I'd finish it, but there it sits.

And I have a good friend whose first grandson will be here in march.  I started the topsy turvy blocks from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  So there's that.  It's all in Dr. Seuss fabrics.

This is my quilting closet.  Everything on the top two rows is a UFO or PIGS.  A lot are all organized with the pattern and fabric.

But here is the saddest group of all.  This Valentine heart quilt I did last February and it is totally ready to go.  The back is even ready.  I would have it done, but I bought that Tiara II and I can't take it to be quilted since I should do it myself.  And I am sooooo bad.  This is a sad situation.

This one is from Diane Hundley and has been finished for years.  It's ready to go, too.  I just didn't know how I wanted it quilted.  I still don't.

So I am going to contemplate a while before I make my list of things to do for 2015.  Have so many possibilities.

Thought I would show you part of our collection of Matrousakas and painted figures we got in Russia when we were there a lot several years ago.  My husband was working there, and I made several trips.  I bring them out in January when Christmas comes down.  I hope you enjoy looking at them  I love the slender figures the most.  They are beautifully painted and costs about $8 a piece at the time.

Have a wonderful quilty 2015!!  Happy New Year!!

Books!

I am really a reader.  My favorite time of day is when I head to bed after a shower and read until I fall asleep.  These days it's more late than early, and it's nothing for me to look up and see it's 2:00 am.

Anyway, I've decided to keep a list of books I read over on the side bar and rate them from 1-5 stars.  I'm calling it books of 2015, but I've started it early.

I just read a book I loved and wanted it on the list!  The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber is so good!!  First, let me tell you that I don't like normal books.  Don't mention Debbie MaComber to me.  I can't get through them.  Books I like have to be different.  And this one sure is!

It's about a Christian missionary in the future who goes to another planet to minister to the race who have been found there.  I give it 5 stars!!!  And I don't give my stars lightly.

Let me add that I don't buy books anymore.  Ever since I discovered my library's ebook check out system, that is all I use.  I can have 15 at a time on hold and can check out about that many, but I never do.  I keep up with NPR Books on Facebook and read their reviews and recommendations.  I keep an eye on Book Riot, as well.  I often tell my husband how much money I've saved him, but maybe he'll believe me when he sees my list.

I thought we were going to do this on Judy's Patchwork Times, but I guess it fell by the wayside along with Comfort and Joy!!  (Still finishing up the border applique on that one!)

And....Christmas approaches

I have been manically shopping online since Thanksgiving. When you have 4 kids, 4 partners, and 7 grandkids, that's a lot of money, time, and effort to get ready. I'm a little bit excited as we are having our get together on the 27th, so I plan to be out and about picking up some last minute bargains on the 26th.

 Anyway, I've gotten busy today. I have two of these ugly panels for my 4 year olds who love Frozen. I mean LOVE!!!  I have them both sandwiched (my knees are killing me!!!!)  and they will be my first real product to use my  new Tiara II.  I really thought of them as practice, but while talking to my daughter today I realized this will probably be their favorite of all time quilt and will pull it out to show they children and it will look like crap!!  Well, such is life.  Better finished than perfect.

Speaking of the Tiara II, I have gotten a little better.  I am not using the stitch regulator, but have slowed it down to about 30% and I can get some decent meandering and following the lines.

I have come across my first project for after Christmas.  I bought these little (about 5x7) coin purses in Thailand years ago.  If you ever have a chance go.  The fabric, both silk and cotton, is amazing, even in the little markets.  Anyway, I used it when I traveled putting credit cards, foreign money, and American money in different pouches.  Well, guess you can see it's had it.  I liked it so much I just never moved back into my old billfold.

I found this one put back in a drawer that I thought was too  beat up once before.  Ha! Compared to the other it's brand new.

Well, I can't seem to find any on the internet to buy, but I did find this tutorial on making one, so, even though anything zippery makes me cringe, I think I'll give it a try after the holidays.  It is illustrated beautifully, so hopefully I can get it done!

Happy holiday finishing up to all.  I need to read  blogs to see what you all are doing.  I've been worn out from the shopping!!

Can't sew!!!

Must shop!!!!!!  Cyber Monday, my favorite shopping day of the year!!!!!  Woohoo!  (PS.  Yes, I ordered fabric!!!)

Tiara II

Well, I have tackled the quilting machine.  It won for a couple of days, but then I rebounded.  I was having terrible tension problems, but it was just because my thread was not "flossed" into the tension disk.  Someone told me I should hear a click when the thread is engaged, and I had never heard anything like that.  So I put some elbow grease on it and I heard the click.  Now I am having much better luck with the sewing.  My stitches look great.

I don't, however, have much skill with the quilting.  I have a panel from Madagascar that I got half price with some coordinating backing.  I decided to practice on that instead of little tiny quilt sandwiches.  I've decided to follow the lines of the hippo ballerina and then maybe move on from there.

Winter has moved in here like it has everywhere but Florida, I think!!  Looking forward to some quilting time next week.  

Exercise in Avoidance!!

Well, I haven't been doing very much.  I did get the little girls' Frozen quilts done by cutting off some border that was on the panel, and then adding my own.  Those are still some really ugly panels.

Then we had out hayride.  It was Nov. 1 and so darn cold that I stayed inside all I could.  Everyone seemed to have a good time, but I was happy to take the little girls to the house about 9:00 so our sleepover could begin.  Little Ruby would walk around asking people if they were tired.  She goes to bed about 7:00 so 2 hours late about got to her.

So this week I rested and recovered.....and avoided practicing on the Tiara II.  ARGH!!!! Must practice!! I also wanted to finish Comfort and Joy, but I'm still machine appliqueing the borders.  I didn't get the Halloween one done, and doesn't look like I'll get the Christmas done in time either.

The whole family!!  This doesn't happen much any more!!

Me and my little girls.

Hope you are accomplishing more than I am.  I am hoping to finish cleaning the playroom and then hit the machine!!!

Gold Mine!!

So I found a big box of quilts that I had forgotten I had. They have been in a huge box with some tablecloths in our climate controlled storage barn. I brought them over this weekend and it was Christmas!

 All of these were made, to the best of my knowledge, by my grandmother, mother,and aunts in the 30s. I know a lot of the fabric is feed sack, and some is just beautiful.  Paisleys!!!  Not one of these has a label and they make me want to go grap a marker and start labeling all my quilts that aren't done.

They smell a little musty.  Do you think it would hurt them to air fluff with a dryer sheet?  Or should they hang in the sun?

STARS!!!!  I love this one!  It has a couple of different yellows in the background, but it's still beautiful.

Love this!!!

Looks like they had some printed squares and just used it on the back.  Did they put those on feedsacks?

This is the only quilt I remember, but I don't know where or why.  I think one of the fabrics had a velvety feel.

The one below is the best shape all around.  I love it.  It just has one place I need to mend.

Grace had a headache today so she came to our house.  She perked up pretty well after Tylenol and we had a good visit!