HUNTING WEEKEND!!!

It's coming :) Now only 9 days away with all the pieces falling into place. We make easy meals, watch lots of movies, I stay up as late as I can and I sew as much as possible. I have quite a list of things I hope to work on while they are all gone.

Hunting weekend is as close as I get to a vacation a lot of years and I use it like a quilting retreat. Since I have to sing at church on Sunday this time, it does thwart my plan a bit as this means getting up early both Saturday and Sunday, as Saturday we practice and Sunday we arrive early to make sure all is in order.

They were debating on whether to leave Thursday afternoon (preferred by them and me) or early Friday morning, but a few things have happened that make leaving Thursday much more doable. My husband was momentarily put out with me when I told him I was hoping they leave on Thursday, LOL.

I knew that them leaving Friday meant that Thursday would be much more difficult for me. It meant cooking a big dinner Thursday instead of an easy meal. It meant the hunting gear piling up in the main area of the house...including my sewing area...and also meant that I'd have to really focus to get any sewing done on Thursday night as it would be completely chaotic in here until everyone went to bed and by the time I settled and focused there wouldn't be much time.

With them leaving on Thursday afternoon, I get an extra evening out of the deal. While I babysit until 5:30, if they are gone mid-afternoon that means an easy meal and getting my focus together while my little charge is here. I can begin to lay out my projects for the evening and be ready to roll when he is picked up. It also means staying up late without the worry of disturbing the sleeping hunters and no concern of being woke up early in the morning while they prepare to leave, which would have hampered my sewing later in the day.

Hunting weekend is like my last hurrah before the busy-ness of the holidays starts. I promised Lucas McDonald's for dinner one night. Our tight budget doesn't allow for meals out very often so it's been ages since we've been there.

Rebekah and her boyfriend will be here for dinner one of the days, but she'll help and we're doing a fairly easy and definitely fun meal.

Lucas is looking forward to "fun" food....he's helping to pick out the meals. I'm looking forward to major sewing time.

Usually I have something big in mind for that weekend, often some kind of marathon project having to do with Christmas or something new that I know I need to concentrate on with as few interruptions as possible.

This year, I have a whole list of things I hope to get to. The main thing is basting a couple of big tops. I pulled out 3 tops to baste, but will probably only have batting for two. One, I've decided, is going to need a different outer border. The border on it is what is keeping me from wanting to quilt on it so I'm going to have to pull it off and see what I can figure out. I may just go with white and a nice feathered quilting design and use the dark pink that is there now for the binding.

I was also hoping to put together the Posies and Celtic top, but I'm not sure if I'll have the blocks done in time. Once the top is together there is a lot of celtic applique work to be done, so this is a huge, ongoing project at this point. I do still have time, I'm just not sure if I can get the joyful quilt quilted in time to also get the posy blocks done.

If I'm careful with my time, I may be able to get both the "Joyful" quilt quilted AND the posy blocks done before next Thursday, which would be really wonderful. I'm a little afraid of splitting my time too much and having neither done. I guess when I think about it, the posy blocks should probably be the priority since finishing them means being able to move on. I can always quilt on the "Joyful" quilt whenever I need a few minutes to sit with my feet up.

Also on the list for that weekend is some work on the next strip block quilt. I have one seam sewing, so the large "background" triangle and one strip are on the paper foundation. There is considerably less piecing to do on these blocks as compared to the strip quilt I just finished. I could realistically make quite a dent in these.

Another thing I really need to get finished that weekend is the top for a quilt for the little one I babysit for. I'd like to give him this for Christmas so it's important for me to get it ready for quilting as soon as possible. I haven't even started this one, yet, but perhaps in the next few days when my fingers are too sore to sew or I'm too tired to sew any more I will pull out some books and fabric to see what I can come up with.

Just writing about it all really is getting me excited. In light of all the positive things going on here lately, I'm particularly looking forward to this (hopefully) relaxing weekend! I don't know that I ever get quite as relaxed as my daughter!


Speaking of that, it will be interesting to see how I sleep this time. Generally, I enjoy the few nights of having the bed to myself, stretching out, not having someone else pulling on the blankets, and just leaving the TV on if it's helping me to sleep.

I usually don't sleep all that well when he's gone, though. Lately, I've needed more sleep than I used to. I was hoping to be one of those people that needs less sleep as they age, but I think my years of losing sleep in the night over kidlets has caught up to me!

If I can't sleep, but can be productive, all the better for me. If I can't sleep but am too tired to get anything done, I will be disappointed. It won't be long now until I find out which way it will go.

And now, if I'd like to make any progress on anything today, it's time to scoot. I was babysitting but he just got picked up, and otherwise it's a fairly quiet day here which should mean some nice quilting time. It's cold and rainy and just perfect for curling up under a quilt with some handwork and a hot beverage. I'll do just that!

Happy Quilting to all,

Sue

I Lied

I said my next post was going to be about hunting weekend, but there have been a couple of posts since then and here is another. There has been so much going on all of a sudden that I haven't gotten to that one, but it will come in the next day or so as I'm finally starting to focus on it.

The strip quilt is done and has moved on to it's new home. I gave it to my daughter to bring to her boyfriend's house for a couch quilt.

I'm REALLY liking these. They are great scrap users, are really heavy and warm, in part because of so many seams, and they are so easy to make and quilt. I love the back of this one. The strips are 3/4 inches wide and I quilted just next to the seam so the quilting lines are 3/4 inch apart.

I'm hoping to spend a good part of the next couple of days quilting so that I can finish the "joyful" quilt I'm working on by hunting weekend. It's not very big, so this is doable if I spend my usual quilting time.


I have an old project pulled out to quilt on as soon as the current one is finished. The hanger full of binding has been taunting me, it's time to finish up some of those older projects!


I've also pulled out 3 tops that I'd like to baste. I'll probably only have batting for two of them, but we'll see how that goes. With two of them basted, I'll have my winter quilting cut out for me, and there are also a few other smaller things that are already basted and can be quilted, things like placemats and small wallhangings.


I'll finish up with some Ruthie pictures. She asked to have her picture taken in this hat.


And a couple of sleeping pictures. Lucas has one of those backrest things on his bed and she loves that spot during the day if she's watching movies. If it's mid to late afternoon when she works her way up there, I can be pretty sure she'll fall asleep. Usually I know if she's fallen asleep just because of the length of time she's quiet, but other times she'll take a short cat nap. That is usually followed by her coming out of her room, sleepy-eyed and smiling, saying "eep" (sleep) to tell me she'd just taken a nap.





She was completely out of it for this nap!

I'm finally feeling like the cloud is being lifted. We still have work to do around here and things that need to be taken care of, but the return of the van, the fixing of our furnace (I was relighting the pilot during the night all last winter, by the end of the winter I was having trouble lighting it at all) and a few other positive things, I'm cautiously optimistic that things are on the upswing, after 8 or so long years of difficulty. Time will tell! In the meantime, I have quilts calling my name and the next couple of days should afford me a fair amount of quilting time. Time to get to it!
Sue and Ruthie

Giveaway Gift

I was so excited to receive my October Giveaway package in the mail! Sunny pulled my name in her giveaway and this was my awesome prize. The little fabric basket is where I keep my handquilting supplies, the fabrics will be used in my next strip quilt and the book is chock full of templates and even includes a few quilting stencils. The little notebook is in my purse, perfect for keeping track of what quilting supplies I need or what fun little things I find while I'm out and want to remember. Thanks so much, Sunny!

Sue

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

Our van is home. I'm writing this at 12:43am because at 11:45 our oldest daughter walked in and announced "the van is here" as casually as if she was saying it's chilly outside. "The van is here?" I repeated, as if trying to decipher unfamiliar words. She nodded, smiling.

"OUR van is here?" I asked again. She laughed and said she'd driven it home.

My husband was really hoping it would be here for hunting weekend, I was beginning to doubt it was fixable at all and most certainly not in the next couple of weeks. I can't sleep and may not be able to unless I go out there to have a look. I peer out my window only to see a vaguely familiar shape in our driveway.

I'm afraid to drive it. I can't wait to drive it. The kids don't even know it's here, yet. Somehow I have to sleep tonight.

Seriously, though, I thank everyone who prays for us. It's appreciated more than you know and right now I feel like the van in my driveway is a promise and a tangible answer to prayer.

The End is in Sight!

Yesterday was a roller coaster day. As I moved the quilt along, I thought that I had less to finish but found a spot where there was more blocks left than I anticipated.

A little dejected, but not daunted, I continued on only to find that there was only one small spot where there was extra blocks, and when I moved beyond it there were actually fewer blocks left to do than I thought.

As of last night, I'm on the edge blocks. I'm on the second one of them and plan to pound away until this one is finished.

I have a couple of smaller quilts that are basted and partially quilted, so I will pull out those and work on them when this one is finished. While digging for them in my large storage totes, I'll also choose the next several tops to be quilted and put them where they are accessible for marking and basting as I have the supplies to do so.

I've begun a list of projects to be worked on over the next few months. Mostly because I have a few things that need to be finished by the end of November/beginning of December and I want to have a nice list ready to choose from for the big hunting weekend, now only 3 short weeks away.

I LOVE hunting weekend, my next post will likely be all about it.

On my list for today are several chores. I have laundry going and dishes soaking, some picking up to do and some cleaning up in our bedroom. I hope to also squeeze in quite a bit of quilting. The binding is made for this quilt (as it is for all my tops) so as soon as the quilting is done I can bind it and send it to it's new home.

Ruthie's words are coming quickly now, though many still take some work to decipher, especially when they are new. She loves to "dwaw" (draw) and will spend quite a bit of time scribbling on paper. At first the movements were big and random, but now they've become smaller and more deliberate. With her birthday next month and Christmas the month after, we're scoping out different writing toys and tools as she not only enjoys them, but they are so good for her fine motor development.

If I expect to get anything done today, I'd better run. It's chilly in here as we're trying to keep our heat on low so a couple of quick chores and then a warm quilt in my lap for quilting is just the ticket.

Happy quilting!

Sue and Ruthie

A Little Update and a Link

First, the link. Barb over at Ocean Waves Quilts is doing a giveaway with a wonderful prize! You have until October 22nd to sign up, so check it out and throw your name in the hat, she would love to hear from you!

Things have been busy here, our kids' youth group had their annual pumpkin launch so we spent the last week or so on final details, which means me being available at a moments notice to supervise flag making, power tool use and helping to solve little problems along the way. A wonderful time was had by all. Joshua's giant slingshot threw a pumpkin 460 feet, clearing the field they were shooting in, crossing the road (still pretty high in the air) and landing in the trees across the way.

Jonathan made a trebuchet with his friend, they are both 14. They did all of the work themselves, Jonathan even asked how to use the sewing machine and sewed his flags himself. Unfortunately the practice launches bent the axle holding the weight box and they were unable to do the official competition launches. After a few minutes of intense disappointment he was looking toward next year and what they could do to make the machine stronger to try again.

What quilting time I've had has been spent on the strip quilt, which is coming along nicely. I'm really hoping to have this one finished in the next week or so. I have a couple smaller quilts basted and partially quilted so I think I'll pull those out and finish them. The posy quilt will also get more attention once this one is finished.

It's a chilly, rainy day here, perfect for quilting. I went grocery shopping this morning and have a few quick chores to do and then I should be able to relax and quilt for a good part of what is left of the day.

The house smells like cinnamon, a friend brought me a starter for Amish Friendship Bread and I baked it today. I don't have anyone who wants them, so I'm going to keep it going here and make different versions of the loaf cake style recipe and will also use some to make sourdough bread. Ruthie is in a snuggly mood today and was walking around with this quilt wrapped around her.

Any length of time without Ruthie chatter will probably result in the picture on the right. If she's tired she has no problem settling in somewhere comfy (or not so comfy!) and taking a little snooze.

While I'd love to take a nap today, I know doing so will mean having trouble sleeping tonight. I'm going to get those chores done and hopefully moving around will renew my energy a bit so I can quilt without it putting me to sleep!

Until next time,

Happy Quilting!

Sue

Not Much New

There isn't much new around here. The quilting is rolling along, with 3 more posy blocks done and quite a bit of hand quilting on the strip quilt. When that one is finished, I have a stained glass style quilt that I started to quilt on a while back that I will pick up and finish.

Our oldest bought her first car, a truck actually, and that eased up our driving difficulties until our son's old truck broke down a few days later. After two weeks of trying to fix it, I think they are giving up and he's going to look for a new old truck to buy, LOL. So getting everyone where they need to be is complicated again until then.

Our van may be beyond hope, which is NOT good news at all. The boys haven't given up, yet, but don't really have any idea where to go from here.

I'm enjoying the cooler weather and doing more hand quilting. I'm cold in the evenings so a big quilt on my lap while I had quilt is just the ticket. Tonight the baseball playoffs resume, so that means a few more baseball games (good hand quilting time) over the next few days.

In thinking of the posy quilt this morning, it sunk in that I only have a few more leaves and then the next block is done and there are only 3 more blocks left after that. I haven't worked on these since last week, and now the thought of being able to put the blocks together and test out my celtic idea is making me want to get going on them in spite of really wanting the strip quilt finished.

Hunting season is only a few weeks away now and our 16 year old daughter will be accompanying my husband and two older sons this year. Hunting weekend is the weekend before Thanksgiving and they leave on Thursday afternoon and come back Monday night.

Over the years, hunting weekend has meant different things to me. Ruthie was born the week before hunting weekend one year so only our oldest went. We spent hunting weekend going back and forth to the hospital, and bringing her home on Sunday. We painted the girls room once on hunting weekend, and the boys room another year. Mostly, though, it's a sewing weekend for me. We make easy food, watch movies, and do as little work as possible. It's like a mini-retreat, because I have fewer people to feed, fewer people in and out, and fewer people around to make messes.

I haven't decided, yet, what I'll be working on that weekend. I might try to get some batting and backing to mark and baste as many quilts as I can afford to so my winter quilting is ready to roll. The more I think of that idea, the more I like it. I'll also likely do bits and pieces of other projects when I need a break. With nearly 5 days to sew and very little in the way of committments, I should be able to get quite a bit done...unless I spend too much time on the computer!

And, of course, the Ruthie picture. She's big into pencils and paper these days and almost holds a pencil quite well. I found her this morning with the crayon box, busily scribbling away.

And now, several hours after starting this post, I'll be off. My quilt is calling. I'm babysitting this afternoon and trying to get a few chores done so I can park myself and sew tonight during the baseball game.

As always, Happy Quilting!

Sue and Ruthie