Alive but...

not much sewing. I have been preparing some applique and sewing a few pieces on my trip around the world that I have been working on forever.
I went back to my rheumatologist and have to go back next week. Some issues with blood work and pain so haven't felt much like typing or sewing. Very little house work and no walking has happened here.
Lots of my energy has been used up on house breaking the dogs. From the time we brought them home they have spent any time they were not under our eagle eyes in their play/exercise pen. Now that they are 6 months old and have more mature bladders it is time to be diligent. They are progressing well with very few mistakes. :)
I hope to get more accomplished this week. Ray is out of town and I don't have to cook unless I want to (I won't I assure you!) so I should get lots of alone time in the sewing room.

Later, but hopefully not too much later,
Diane

They grow so fast

This was taken today. I still break out in a smile every time I see these cute little faces. They are looking at me like this because I was trying to whistle to get their attention and I can't whistle.  They always turn their heads that way when I do that. Poor dears I probably hurt their ears. I've have been looking through fabrics trying to decide if I had what I needed in case I decide to to the My Tweets BOM over at One Piece at a Time. Last year she did a BOM called Florabunda and it was BEAUTIFUL! I printed all the patterns and put them all in page protectors and even made the templates but couldn't start it due to fear. I loved her color choices but it was so far removed from anything I own I was frozen.

But over the last year I have managed to pick up a few fabrics that might look good. I found the two multi colored spot fabrics on top and loved them. I have bought pieces here and there that kinda go with them. Neither fabric has enough colors in them for a whole selection, but if I put both of them together I can get enough.
  What do you think? Seriously I need opinions. Do I need to pull more? Do I need to get rid of any? I have two or three solids in there just because I didn't have enough greens but if I can find some prints to replace them with I will.

Later,
Diane

Week #2 Civil War Blocks

Fun, fun, fun!

Design wall of chaos

This is  what you get when you find ANOTHER box with all kinds of practise blocks. The sad part is, this isn't all that I found in the box. I plopped them up there to see what I had and see what I could do with them. So far I think I am going to quilt the Amish looking block and put it in my formal living room as a small table topper. The card trick block was used as a mitered border lesson so I am up in the air about it. I may put it in my orphan block box for later use. The bird applique will be made into a pillow at some point. Maybe I will give it to a sister. The leaves that are so gracefully tumbling down the left side will be set aside so I can add a few more, well maybe more than a few. That is my favorite leaf block design so I want to make an autumn quilt with them. The stuff in the middle is the center strips to my trip around the world. The top left is my civil war block from Barbara Brackman's new website and block of the week. I need to make this weeks block but was having too much fun digging in the box. The top right block is one my SIL made and it is a bit wonky. She hated it and gave it to me since I loved it. I think I will quilt it and hang it on the wall just for looks.

I got some rulers in on Saturday that I have been playing around with for a few minutes last night. I want to go play some more and report back. Have you heard of Deb Tucker at Studio 180 designs? She designed the Tucker Trimmer, the Wing Clipper and the Square squared rulers along with some more. The three I mentioned at the ones I ordered to give a whirl. So far I have made some 1 1/2 "X1" flying geese that are perfect and I square in a square that is spot on! I am impressed. Today I want to play with the Tucker Trimmer and see how I like it.
These rulers are designed to do something I have never advocated before. They let you make the block over sized then trim them down. I used to say that was a waste of time, just sew it correctly the first time. That was when I was younger and a bit arrogant. That attitude came when I had one machine, one ruler and no eyesight issues. Now that I am older and use more than one machine (seam allowance may vary), I use different rulers for different things, and I can't always see where my needle is going to come down I don't see a thing wrong with making them a skosh bigger and trimming them down. Now I know any ruler can be used to trim stuff down, but these rulers have Xs and Vs and diagonal lines to line up the points and lines that no other ruler has. So far it has been a good use of money. But I still have one more to try so I will post pictures and comments later.

Diane

You have not because you ask not...

My Pastor told me that once and it was true then and still true today. Back in early December I asked at the retreat if anyone had any Chocolat fabric by Moda. No one had any, but my friend Linda G. remembered and found someone on the internet that had some for sale. Long story short Linda told me about it I contacted the lady and here it is. I love that!

 There is a quilt I found in a Miss Rosie book that I think this Chocolat would be perfect for but I didn't have quite enough, now I do. :^) Thanks Linda!!!

Along the same thought, my guys and I were at the Amish furniture store after having a fabulous meal at Yoder's (in Sarasota). We were stuffed! Anyway back to the story. Ray and I went to look at curio type cabinets  for our formal living room. We knew we would find beautiful stuff at Miller's so we went. While there I just happened to ask Ella if they made sewing furniture. She informed me that 2 or 3 years ago a lady came in and order one special made and they kept the drawing and they could make another one.

This is exactly what I have been telling Ray I wanted. Something that looks like a teacher's desk but with a lift for a sewing machine. They make quality furniture that I would be handing down to my grandchildren. The price is right in the same range as the stuff you can buy at the sewing machine centers only this wouldn't be particle board with veneer.
I want to do some tweaking of the drawing since I'd like to have the leg space a bit wider, since I'm a bit wider. I want slide out board on both sides above the drawers. I like that better than the flip up piece they show on the left side. They have the measurements of the top as 20"x51 1/2" , I think I want it a bit deeper, maybe 30" of so. Maybe by the time I tweak it it won't look anything like the original drawing. :)

Ok I need to go to bed. Ray, the doggies and I went for a walk tonight and I am beat! Boo walked 3/4 of the way, Little Girl hardly walked at all, and Ray and I walked 1.5 miles. I know, it isn't much, but you have to start somewhere.

later,
Diane

So much going on...

Do you remember when I was making the shepherd and sheep quilt and I lost the brown I was using to make the staff? As i was looking to pull some civil war fabrics I looked down in a stack I have in from of my neatly folded fabrics on the shelf, and what do I see sitting right up on top??

 Yep, there it is! I told you it would show up after I finished the whole quilt! UGH! Oh well, at least I have it back. it is one of my favorite very dark fabrics.

 I was looking up here. On the top shelf. The top shelf that holds the civil war fabrics. The fabrics I look through almost every day. Now tell me, why did I put them on the TOP shelf? The one I need a stool to climb up there to have a good look. Wouldn't it make sense to pull those fabrics down to a lower shelf? Oh, but that would be smart!  I'm so goofy sometimes.

 I pulled these fabrics so I could make the block Barbara Brackman put up on her new blog. Go check it out and see all the pretty blocks others have made.  I make no promises, but I would love to make a block a week and end up with a wonderful quilt at the end of the year.

Let's see if I have sticking power and win over my ADD battle.

Diane

New and Old

New:  Yesterday the mail person delivered my needles. This makes me so happy! I have done a lot of research on needles and discovered that I really like the Topstitch needle the best. It makes my stitching line really straight and pretty.

The Universal needle is rounded on the tip and it will jump over to miss piercing a thread in the fabric, thus making your stitching line not be perfectly straight. Now for the average person this is no big deal but for someone who is an ADD quilter with perfectionistic tendencies it made me even more nuts than I usually am, and some of you know that can be pretty nuts! I was so happy to get the delivery I cleaned and oiled my machine and promptly replaced the needle.

 Old: Today while looking for a book I found this OLD UFO. It was one of the first classes I took while I lived in Mobile. I was making it for my youngest when he was in elementary school. He is now 20 years old...I am so ashamed.

 After laying it out I remembered why I never finished it. First I can't seem to follow the instructions in the book. I have tried reading it many times but I just can't seem to get it. I'm sure it is me and not the author, Bethany Reynolds since millions of these quilts have been made. Second I don't have a background fabric. I remembered I wanted to make it with a lime or yellow background, but never bought any.

 Here is a close up of one of the blocks. This may gross you out, but it is parrot heads. EEWWWW!

 Here are the bodies of the parrots from the above picture.

Both things, old and new make me very happy. Joseph just came in from work and told me he still likes it and wants me to finish it for him. I guess I need to go shopping. I was trying to not buy much this year, but this is too far along to set it aside again.

Later,

Diane

Internet issues

I have had the hardest time staying connected to the Internet!
My husband and son entered into an agreement. My son wanted fasted Internet speed and my husband told him if he wanted to pay for it we would get it. Joseph jumped at the chance. For $10 a month investment he felt it was a good deal. I think it stinks! Ever since we got the "faster" speeds I keep getting knocked off line. GRRR!


I'll show them! I'll go to my sewing room and not come out!

 So I did!

Uh oh! I still need some blocks...

 This is what happens to your new ironing pad when you iron over paper piece patterns that have gone through a laser printer. :(

Finally! I have them all made...but I have to put them together and rip the paper...doesn't sound fun...

TA DA!!!! This was always meant to be a table quilt for my dining room, but since them we have moved twice and I no longer know what exactly I will do with it. I may put a small birder and put it on the breakfast table, and I may make it a dual duty. Who knows? :)

I'm just happy I emptied another UFO box! Now to get it quilted.
Blogger and the Internet seem to be cooperating right now so I had better get this published before it all acts up again.
Later
Diane