Christmas gifts can be surprising!

I bought myself an early Christmas present. Since my family usually doesn't go the quilting route for my gifts I felt I was safe. Well the book came in Friday and I immediately ripped open the box.

Stop! Why am I so excited?
I was only buying myself the book to add to my collection. I really like Bonnie Hunter and I own two of her books but had never really cared for String Fling as I have enough of a mess in my sewing room without sewing in strings. I have been saving all of my small strings and pieces to mail to a friend since she likes to make crumb blocks. I'm not a crumber either. Not that I don't have everything needed for them, just I don't need the added mess.

Well last night I was a bit on the tired/stressed/aggravated side so I decided I needed some sewing therapy. I love the look of pineapple blocks so I thought I will make me a copy of the pattern and do some mindless sewing.

Hmmm I didn't want to cut any of my strips into tiny bits so what do I do? Oh! I have that bag of scraps! I can dig out a few pieces and no one will ever know.

Do you know what happens when you unzip a stuffed bag? It explodes! This bag weighed over 9 pounds. How many scraps make up 9 pounds?
A LOT!

This is a beauty!
It didn't take very long.
I didn't have to cut any fabric.
The room is a mess, but I had fun and that is all that really matters. 

Merry Christmas!
Diane

Let the dancing commence!

We do NOT have to move!

This has been a constant stomach knot for way too long. I tell you these companies need to find a better way to conduct business that to try and up-end the whole thing the last quarter of the year, it is just too stressful!

Tomorrow night my oldest son arrives from California. I'm thanking Jesus for that as he has been really sick for the past week. I'm so thankful we live in a time of antibiotics.

I am so happy I think I will sew today!

I do have pictures of some work...Bonnie's mystery. I was all caught up, then life happened and I am back to being behind. :(
Maybe I can get caught up again. Let's see.

Later,
Diane

Hit the floor running...

We arrived home last night from the last trip of the year, I hope.  It was supposed to be the Christmas party for the company, and Ray needed to attend and I was going to stay home. Last minute he had to stay for a couple days afterwards so I decided to ride along and keep him company.
You do realize my keeping him company in the truck is usually me storing to the music he is whistling or singing. :)
Monday evening a cold front came through and wouldn't you know it neither of us even threw a long sleeve shirt in the truck this time. I got a bit chilly with that wind, but we survived and when we got home last night it was 74 and muggy.

I have been working on designing a quilt for a dear friend and thought I would shop at a couple of fabric stores on the way home. I shopped and I looked and came home with fabric but only one little piece is for his quilt. Ray asked if I found what I needed as I carried a good sized bag and crawled in the truck. I told him I didn't find anything that would work and he looked at me strange.
Ray - "You didn't find anything that would work, yet you have that big ol' bag of fabric?"
Me - "You would be correct!, I found some for other projects though. "
Ray - "You mean stash fabric?"
Me - "Correct again, now take me to that other store I HAVE to get Jimmy's quilt started when I get home!"
Ray - "Yes dear."

This store has been having all quilting fabrics on sale for $5.50 a yard so I knew I needed to look there first. I did find a dark blue but what I really needed was a background. I need 8 1/2 yards of a background and if I use what I have in my stash I will end up using all of my shirting fabrics. I will still be shopping, so I hoped to find something but no such luck.
So I will shop online today. I refuse to pay $12 a yard. Oh I know what some of you will say. "We have to support the quilt shops", "If we don't buy from them, they will go out of business and we won't have them anymore".
I have spent twenty years supporting the quilt shops. I refuse to pay these outrageous prices. I understand the quilt shops don't set the price of cotton, but I can't help that. I can buy one yard at $12 or two at $6 so I choose the latter. I have opinions about these prices but will remain quiet. I had a business for several years and I worked in several quilt shops so I know a little bit about this.

 I have two puppies that have missed me and need some play time and then outside to decorate my palm tree.

Later,
Diane