1+1=YIPPEE

This is my friend Linda G.



This is my quilt the guild gave me.

Linda took my quilt home and is gonna bind it for me. Can you believe that? She can make such as a straight, full, thin binding and she is doing it for me! Now can you beat that?

I got a phone call just a few minutes ago from Ray telling me he wants me to drive to Florida this weekend. I wasn't planning on it, but I don't mind especially if Gustav is headed this way. I guess I better go pack if I am leaving huh? :)
Later
Diane

Progress on the wedding quilt

This is where I am so far. I had so many designs and ideas going around in my head and was leaning toward a pineapple quilt when someone with more sense than myself spoke up and asked "why?".

I didn't have a good reason for the question, and after she showed me how fast and simple this design would be I thought, I would give it a try.

Thank you Karen! This is going together so easily and I will have enough time to quilt it too!

Later,

Diane

I'm having a swap!

I have decided after much cleaning, sorting, selling and giving away in my sewing room to have a swap.

I have decided to swap this new never used pattern left after closing my business, called Tree of Life by Bright Ideas Design Company for ideas from you all on organization.

I am moving from a home I own into a leased home. I won't spend a lot of money to build a fancy sewing room/stash organizer area since I will be moving out of it probably in a year. I need ideas that I can use to make it neat attractive but usable. I don't mind spending some money but I want to keep it to as little as possible.

I need ideas!

Send me your idea and Sunday I will draw a name. EVERY idea will be greatly appreciated, as I am currently living out of boxes in my sewing room and it is no fun!

Hope to get lots of ideas!

Diane

2008 Summer Retreat is history

Our hostesses made us these wonderful drink insulators. The above picture is how it looks if you are good and drink water, and below is how mine is used with a Coke. :^)

This retreat we had Marti Michell come teach and lecture. She taught three count them THREE classes. Do you know Marti? She does templates with these great little engineered corners that make sewing even the funkiest angles easy breezy. Speaking of breezy we had much wind before and after Hurricane/Tropical depression Faye came through. The hottest and humid breeze you ever felt. UGH! But back to the real reason for this post. :^P

I LOVE this Winding Ways quilt. I also love the templates, and believe and the ladies who sat near me this weekend know I am NOT a template person. Give me a ruler and rotary cutter and I am ready to go.

This Sedona Star pattern actually gave me the perfect plan for the wedding quilt I need to make for my niece. More on that later.

One of the classes we had was Double Wedding rings. I tried it, but didn't do to well. I was having a bit of a stressful time with my husband discussing the "Lease negotiations from HELL" so that may have had something to do with it. I set it aside and will try again at home. This is one of the samples of Marti's using plaids and I loved it.

If you are ever on Ebay and you wonder who in the world would bid on the hideous/strange almost quilt top that is going for way too much $$, well it just might be Marti. This is something she actually bought and paid for. I still am shocked.

This is the Sedona Star pattern I am using for the wedding quilt I spoke of. I tried to cut it late Saturday night, and after MUCH help from "Moma" Karen, I did it, then she sent me to bed. LOL

This is just some of my partners in crime. I spent so much time laughing once again I didn't take as many pictures as I thought I did.

For some crazy reason I failed to get a picture of my pal Lynn so I dug one out of the archives. We usually sit together and manage to sing show tunes and laugh a lot,but this time we spent so much time cutting with templates there was much less show tunes happening, which the other ladies may have appreciated.LOL

It is hard to not have fun around these ladies. They really helped me with stress relief.

How do you spell relief?

RETREAT!

More Later,

Diane

Pressure and how to let it off...

Finally!

I tried all day yesterday to post, but Blogger and my computer hates me! If I could get my computer to work correctly, then Blogger forgot who I was. Or if Blogger was cooperating, then my computer would act up. Today it seems they want to play nicely...I hope...

Do you remember when I was going to be so smart and get a jump on packing my sewing room? Remember how the move was just around the corner and I needed to get to work on everything? Why oh why do I listen to people (husband, real estate agent, leasing agent, attorney) when they say "Diane you will be in Florida by the end of June(July, August)"?

If anyone hasn't noticed I am still here! In Mobile! My sewing room has been packed since some time in May! I am no longer a happy camper! GGRRRR!

Guess what I did to alleviate some of the pressure. I unpacked parts of my sewing room!!!!!! }:^)

I dug through my fabrics and picked bundles for the retreat I am attending this weekend. I unpacked utensils so I could find my sewing machine things, such as my scissors I like at my machine, and my seam ripper which I rarely use since I have my favorite scissors with a fine point that is better at cutting seams. I got my rotary cutter and ruler that I love the most.

Do you have a favorite set of tools?I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours...heck lets be honest here I will tell you mine whether you tell me yours or not! LOL

My Favorite Tools:

1. Fiskars micro tip - these are the best! They have a spring so you don't have to work so hard and they cut all the way to the tip, great for taking out stitches.

2. Clover seam ripper - if I have set my scissors aside and have to take out a seam, then I use the Clover, it is fat, great for stiff hands, and it is sharp for even the toughest poly/cotton thread, and the tip is thin so it can be used by those of us who like a short stitch.

3.Clover pin holder - I LOVE this pin holder! I can hear you now saying,"Diane that is just a magnetic pin holder, just like every other pin holder." Oh I beg to differ! This is not like every other pin holder. This one is oval, so it can sit right under my arm in front of my sewing machine. I used to use a round pin holder but it hung off the edge of my sewing table and I was constantly making sure it didn't fall off in my lap. This holder also has a magnet that runs long ways only so the pins stay parallel to the sides,instead of every which way. Last but not least it comes with a snap on lid that comes in handy when I go on trips. No more pins in the bottom of my bag. :^)

4.Bendable sewing light - I don't care where I am I never seem to have enough light. This wonder has made my sewing time so much easier. The best part is it is I no longer have to lug my expensive Ott light to retreats and worry I am going to break it in transit.

5. Timer - I never seem to know what time it is. Most of the time it doesn't bother me, but there are times I need to be finished and out the door to pick someone up, or meet someone for dinner, or call someone ( I am so important you know) so I found this timer in my kitchen and said, huh I could use this in my sewing room. I wasn't using it in the kitchen. :^0

7. iPod- I LOVE MY iPOD! I even made a special pocket in my sewing space saver to hold it. I listen to books on tape, and different kinds of music, my favorite being country.

Let me hear from you!

Diane

Judy L. asked the other day some questions that I thought were good. I answered then right away. I thought I would share my answers here.

1. Why do you quilt?
I have a need to be creative. After cross-stitch, woodwork, and painting, quilting was the one that felt the most “me”.
2. How long have you been quilting?
I started quilting about 16 years ago.
3. What made you start quilting?
I was introduced to quilting by my husband’s Granny. She was the only one I had ever heard of that quilted and it intrigued me. She made it sound so natural to quilt it never left my mind. My last child was born very premature and after 3 years constant care given to him, when he started getting healthier I needed something to do with myself. I enrolled in a quilting class and have never looked back.
4. What sewing machine do you use mostly for piecing?
I have a Brother QC1000 that is VERY accurate for piecing.
5. What machine do you use mostly for quilting?
I have a Bernina 1230 that is my machine for quilting and appliqué.
6. If you could have any sewing machine you want -- money isn't an issue -- just get anything you want . . what would you get?
I have all I want honestly. I have my very first machine a Bernina 1001 which one day will be my daughter’s , a Featherweight that is for looking at, my Brother and my 1230, I have no desire for more.
7. When you buy a sewing machine, how long do you expect you'll keep it? Till a newer and bigger and better model comes out? Till the old one refuses to make another stitch?
I am not the type who trades up just because a new one comes out, so I will have mine forever. My machines become my friends almost and I couldn’t get rid of a friend just because a new one moved on the block. Now if my friend becomes obnoxious and refuses to be friendly to me that is another story.
8. On a scale of 1 - 10, how much do you love your stash? (10 means you LOVE it! 1 means you'd get rid of it all today if you could!)
8! I love it but really need to be reintroduced to it. I have been so immersed in my fabric dyeing business for so long and just adding to my stash and not taking from that I really don’t know exactly what I have anymore. I hope to remedy that soon and then I am sure it will be a 10!
9. Why do you have the stash? How did it come about? Why is it the size that it is?
I have had a stash of fabric even BEFORE I was a quilter. LOL I have loved fabric from a very early age and would buy it just because I thought it was pretty and I may make something with it someday. I didn’t even have a machine! LOL I just knew I needed that fabric, not want, need. My mother and grandmother both sewed everything they wore and everything me and my three sisters wore. I think I was in junior high school before I owned any store bought clothes. So it was natural for me to always go to the fabric store. As I am moving I can tell you almost to the penny how much money I have tied up in fabric. I won’t tell you, but put it this way, when we get moved into the new house I will be greatly increasing my content insurance as it is not NEAR enough. I have a large stash for the simple reason that I am very ADD and I suffer from “out of sight out of mind” syndrome. I am easily sidetracked and may and usually do have many projects in various stages at all times. Then these projects get put away when company comes over and I forget about them and buy more.
10. When we talk about "stashbusting", what are your thoughts? Use every crumb of the stash? Use as much stash as you add? Shop the stash first but don't feel bad if you have to go buy additional fabric for a project? Don't mind buying for a project but not buying just for the purpose of having the fabric . . with no project in mind?
To me to bust stash is to use from my supply first. I have no problem buying fabric for any reason. I still buy even if I have no idea what it is for, if I know I don’t have that color represented in my supply. But I no longer buy if I am not actively sewing. Example I went months without sewing a while back because of my business so I didn’t buy any new fabric in that time.
Since then I have broken that rule too! LOL I am hopeless!

Diane

Yesterday was such a great day!

I'm collecting for a wedding quilt...

I was unexpectedly able to attend my quilt guild meeting. Everyone (almost) was in there since this was the meeting that we had potluck lunch. It was so great! I got one million comments like "your still here?" "are you ever moving?" "I thought you moved already!" "your like a bad penny, you keep showing up!" If I wasn't sure these ladies really loved me I might have a complex by now. LOL

After lunch I was allowed to bring excess fabric and pattern stock from my business to sell so I wouldn't have so much to move. The ladies were so supportive and I was able to sell 2 full boxes of fabric (I brought 6 boxes). I am so thankful!

Before the meeting I picked up my friend and drove her to the meeting. She had just had surgery on her foot and was unable to drive. I drive a 1997 Ford F250. It is a Big truck. I have to jump to get in it so I was worried she would not be able to get in, but she did.

I am one of those people who like to take care of people. So even though Nina didn't need me to take care of her, I still did it. Took her bags in the building, got her drink for lunch, moved chairs for her to prop her foot in, you know little stuff.

I tell you one think, after the whole day of getting up early to make the fresh fruit salad, haul the heavy fabric and patterns to the truck, yada, yada I got home and I was exhausted! I sat down to read my email and fell sound asleep for at least two hours. You know one of those hard sleeps that when you wake up you feel like a zombie.

Another good thing that happened was my daughter came over and spent about an hour. I never get to see my daughter so it was nice to see her. She has grown her hair out again and she looked very good.

Then I made dinner and it turned out great too! I took some pesto and covered a few chicken breasts and pan grilled them, then I boiled some fettuccine pasta and I had some Alfredo sauce in the pantry. It was yummo! Cooking just from my freezer and pantry with no running to the store can make for some creative cooking, but this meal turned out good.

Do you know what this is? I found this at Lacy's Quilt Studio in Foley, Alabama and it is made to hold all sorts and sizes of rulers and even small cutting mats. It can set on the table/floor or hang on the wall. This is going to be GREAT!

I can't sleep

I hate insomnia!
I have suffered with insomnia for years. It never comes along when I have something to do that needs long hours of uninterrupted work. Nope those times I am asleep by 9pm!
When Ray started going to Florida without me I couldn't sleep but understood it was most likely from him being gone and I needed to get used to sleeping alone. It took a while but I finally got used to it. But now it is back. I have only had one good night of sleep in the past 8 nights.
I am too tired to trust myself to cut out the quilt I need to make for my niece, I finished listening to all of my books on tape, and I have read all of my quilt books several times. :( I'm bored.
I have completed about 30 Sudoku puzzles this week. I am really tired of 1-9, I want some new numbers!

I have been listening to OLD music lately. Right now I am listening Boz Scaggs singing Lowdown. Earlier it was the Bee Gees and before that it was Johnny Horton. I tell you I have been reaching WAY back. I used to play Johnny Horton songs for my kids to remind them of the history they had learned in school.

Oh! Argent just came on singing Hold your head up!
But I guess really should lay my head down...

I guess I will go watch some more Olympics.

Later
Diane

I'm back at least for a while...

I'm back from my travels. I had a great time in Colorado if you don't count the hotel room on the fourth floor and NO ELEVATOR! It had broke. Not a problem I am approximately 472 pounds over weight, suffer from arthritis and COPD so high elevation, thin air and four flights of stairs carrying my suitcase and backpack was a LOTS of fun. An hour after arriving in my room and as I was just catching my breath my sweet husband asks me if I wanted to go get something to eat. I was all for it until I remembered if I went down the stairs I had to come back up them.I decided I would be happy to eat the crackers in my backpack and drink a glass of tap water. Yummo! Happiness is a decision remember.
The next morning I headed down the stairs to eat and shop in the local quilt shops. There are four shops in Estes Park area. How cool is that? I managed to stay gone all day and picked up Ray at the hotel for dinner and only had to climb the stairs once. But that last stair climb was it for me.I couldn't handle it. Honestly I thought I was about to die. I would have gone to the ER for oxygen but couldn't face the stairs again. I finally got my breath and called the front desk begging them to kick someone out of a first floor room so I could have it. The evil manager the night before told me there were no other room in the whole place. But this night as I spoke to the sweet, caring, nice manager he said," Well of course there is a room on the first floor and you are more than welcome to it. I had many many thoughts come to my mind like "What do you mean there is a room on the first floor? Why am I dragging my fat behind up four flights of stairs if there is a room?" But I was afraid he might change his mind if I didn't jump fast so I said "I'll take it!" I tell you I was the favorite wife the remainder the week! My hubby thought I was wonderful for getting him a shorter commute (his seminar was in the hotel conference room) and one that did not require oxygen therapy afterwards.

I drove to Golden to see the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum. I enjoyed it. I wish there had been more to see, but what I did see was great. Some were very African style quilts, some were pretty modern and some were very traditional.
Then I drove to Denver and found myself at Harriet's Treadlearts. A GREAT shop. I spent all of my budget there. Well really I spent more,since I had already visited 4 shops the day before. But I didn't really share that with Ray. shhhh!

We arrived back in Mobile late Saturday night with just enough time for me to do laundry so we could jump in the truck and drive to Houston the next morning. The hotel in Houston was top notch with an elevator and a chef! I was impressed!
I spent time with my friend Linda. Y'all I honestly believe everyone should have a friend like my Linda. We have the best time together. I was thinking about this the other night. The only people I have known longer than Linda are my parents and my husband. I hope we have another 27+ years of friendship! I know Linda reads this occasionally and she knows how I feel.
I had dinner with my sisters and my parents. That was fun. I was a bit apprehensive about the evening, as we sometimes have a way of hurting each other. Not intentionally I am sure, but still it hurts. This night was great though. Everyone talked and laughed and got along so well. I enjoyed it a lot.
I also go to meet the newest member of the family. Hannah is 5 months old and absolutely beautiful! She looks a lot like my babies did. It helps that my babies looked a lot like her moma. Hannah has just learned to raspberry. How cute is that???
We got home late Saturday evening just in time for me to do laundry for Ray to leave Monday morning for Florida. UGH! I tell you the weekend rolls around and I have been trained to get the laundry done! LOL

I need to get to bed. All of the travelling had caused lots of flair ups. Between IBS, arthritis, COPD and migraines I have been trying to get more rest so I can feel better. Today I actually felt a difference so it must be working.

Later
Diane