Oh happy day!!

We are celebrating big time this evening!
My son came home from work today announcing that after 2 1/2 years of working part time he has been made a full time associate at Publix!

WOO HOO!!

How do you spell relief?

FLIMSY!! Check your dictionary, I'm sure I'm correct.

Pardon the mess in the picture. The design wall has not been moved into the new sewing room and neither has some of the "iffie" boxes and containers. Meaning, the spare room is still a mess and my sewing room has room to walk. :)

I showed this to Ray last night and he really liked it. I think it turned out pretty ok too. I probably wouldn't have chosen these color combos today but they were picked and mostly cut so I went with them. I had to pic a few yellows and only a couple of blues for one particular section of the PP. I'm not sure what I had been using for that spot, but I couldn't find any in the box that would fit it now. Maybe that is why I quit back when, I ran out of those pieces and was too lazy to cut more. Sad!  I hope it was something more forgiving.
The measurements are 63" X 69". Perfect for a small person to take a nap under. I may have the perfect small person to give it to also, but I will need to make sure.

Later,
Diane

Galaxy Star update

This is part of the blocks that are complete. I have miscounted the number of outer blocks that are needed two times now and still don't have enough. I must need a nap.
I like it so far!

Diane

Fun finds

Every time I do a deep clean/move of my sewing room I find so many things I have completely forgotten about. I'm sure I'm not the only one, at least I hope not. :)
One of the things I found this time was some paper piecing I had set aside years ago. I mean YEARS ago.

The pattern actually has a date of 1997. Now in all fairness I might not have found the pattern that exact year, but I do know it was close because I taught this as a beginner paper piecing class in my guild in either 2000, or 2001, and I had already played around with it for quite a while before doing the class.
Anyway I found the box on a day I was not feeling well and couldn't focus so I thought it would be a prefect thing to play with.
I am working on the last couple of blocks and I will have a perfect quilt for a child.

Pattern info: The pattern was designed by Mary Ann Beattie in 1997 and named Galaxy Star.

 I have looked for information on her and her designs but have been unable to find her.  Woo Hoo!! I found the pattern!
http://www.reocities.com/pcpiecers/galaxystar.html

 I do know if it weren't for her and her free patterns that I could print myself I would never have paper pieced. I made so many mistakes and had to print so many extras, there was no way to afford it if I had to pay for them. I have a hard enough time with straight forward...trying to remember that I am piecing backwards took a LONG time to sink in. The angles! OMG! Those nearly drove me over the edge.

This pattern is easy with a nice design.

I will have pictures of my progress soon. Pictures of my blocks stacked together wasn't very interesting.

Later,
Diane

What am I reading?

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens.
I think I said before that I was given a subscription to Audible.com and I enjoy it every day.
I have read (listened to) a couple of Charles Dickens books and I really enjoy them. They take a bit of time to get into since he writes with so many characters and with great detail. I always remember what project I am working on when I hear the name of a book or I remember which book I was into when I look at a certain quilt.

Nicholas Nickleby is just getting interesting as I have been listening only a couple of hours and the characters are starting to show themselves. The main character is a kind young man who's father died and left the family with no money. The uncle (father's brother) is a Scrooge type character, and arranges for Nicholas to go to work at a boys boarding school being the school master's assistant.
So far, in true Dickens' fashion, nothing is working out as Nicholas was told it would.

If you like stories with great characters and lots of them you will probably like this book. Don't push it away because of the language or the length of the book. I have enjoyed every minute of each of the Dickens' books I have read. I think I will buy the books on audio CDs for my children so they can enjoy the stories as well. None of them have time to sit and read, but they all have commutes of over 30 minutes.

I listened to two books while driving to Houston and back and it sure made the time go faster.

Diane

While in Houston the last day me and my BFF spent a couple of hours having fun. On our way to deliver the Monkey quilt to her youngest grandson we stopped at an antique mall.
I found a couple of items I liked and of course they came home with me.

Old pipe holder is a useful thing!

 

I have a weakness for old irons. They get so hot and no auto off!

Monkey quilt and boy! Look at that smile!

When we drove home we stopped at a really nice antique mall and spent a couple of hours strolling and looking.

301 Longbed

This machine was not used much. I had to give it a good oiling and smear on some grease and it hummed to life. The previous owner made a note to remind her how to thread the machine.

Thread from this side

So far this note is still intact. I'm afraid to try anything more than soap and water, not wanting to harm the finish.

I'm still behind on laundry.
Later,
Diane