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

Done and Moving On

Yay! The baby quilt is done with plenty of time to spare.

The binding gave me a few fits, of my own doing, as I tried to cheat and use some that I had already made. I couldn't think of what project it was for so thought it was leftover from something else. Wrong. As I finished sewing it on I realized what top it belonged to (I make the binding for my quilts when I made the tops so I don't accidentally use the fabric for something else.) I sat for a while trying to figure out what to do. I could leave it on, but then have trouble finding fabric for binding for the other quilt. I poked around my stash trying to find something else to use but was having trouble finding anything that looked nice. I did have another piece of binding made that could be used for the other project, allowing me to leave this binding on, but I knew that I did have something else that piece might work for so was reluctant to use it.

I took off the binding and went back to my stash in hopes of finding something that would work. I found a piece of fabrc that looked similar in color to what I just pulled off....hmmm...it was the SAME fabric. UGH. I could have left that on after all!

So I cut and made binding from the new piece of fabric and sewed it on, happy to be done with that project and learning my lesson about using binding I have already made!

I'm babysitting 4 afternoons this week, so will have to use my time wisely. I pulled out the posy project and have nearly finished another block. My scraps are overrunning me again so I started cutting some into strips and putting them in a box for the next strip quilt. I want to be sure to gt some time in hand quilting as well, seeing my hanger full of made binding makes me realize how many tops I still need to quilt and I plan to finish at least a few of those over the winter months.

Jonathan (14) and a friend are building a trebuchet. The youth group at our church is having it's 3rd annual pumpkin launch on Columbus day. Our older son is a youth leader and has a team making a giant sling shot, last year they threw pumpkins over 300 feet with something similar. This year they are going with a bigger, more heavy duty version in hopes of throwing even farther.

The trebuchet is being built at our house and Ruthie decided that it would be a good place to perch and watch the boys while she had a snack.

While I made Sunday dinner yesterday, Rebekah set up shop in the kitchen and colored her sister's hair. She had highlights but wanted it all put back to her natural color, so that's what they did. She also gave Ruthie a nice haircut and cut Rachel's boyfriend's hair.

Ruthie's hair was cut straight from a ponytail so isn't sitting the best in this picture, but I'm sure there will plenty more pictures! I'm hoping she'll start to let me play with the blow dryer and curling iron soon, so we can find some pretty hairdos with her stylish new cut.

Today, I plan to finish the posy block, cut some more strips, and maybe do a bit of hand quilting if it doesn't get too warm. I may start the next posy block, too, as I really would love to get that top put together so I can work on the celtic applique. I'd better get to it!

Happy Quilting!

Sue

Moving Right Along!

I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped on the Baby Quilt yesterday, the plan had been to finish the blocks by the time I went to bed last night.

I dawdled, allowing myself to be distracted by various things. I had picked two different fabrics for the border, neither of which was doing it for me, but I left them out where I could take a look at them with the completed blocks.

I finished the blocks today, sewed the all together and laid out the border fabrics. No go. Neither one of them was doing it for me AT ALL. I dove back into my stash, not feeling very hopeful, as it took quite a bit of looking to come up with the two I had. While I wanted a print to pull it all together, I was contemplating a textured solid because nothing in my stash was filling the bill.

Then I found it. I couldn't believe it. I don't recall seeing this piece of fabric, I know I didn't buy it. I think it came in a box of leftovers from a friend and it had been used for something. I measured the usable portion and it was enough. I laid it out and bingo! that was the one.

My goal was to have it basted and ready to quilt by tomorrow night, but I actually put the first quilting stitches in it about an hour ago (though I'm not sure if any more will be done tonight as I'm doing my nails and have to make sure they are good and dry before hand quilting.)

I'm quite pleased with the results and hopefully will have an "It's done!" post before too long!

And really, how tired does one have to be to fall asleep like this??

I wish a restful Sunday to all!

Sue

Time Out For A Baby Quilt

I got a baby shower invitation today. Our church often does them for regular attenders having babies, but I don't go to them all. I looked at the invitation and didn't recognize the name of the sender, nor (at first) did I recognize the name of the guest of honor. Until I realized it was my niece, I'm just not used to her married name!

I should have planned ahead, assuming I'd be invited to the baby shower, but I wasn't invited to the bridal shower (though we were invited to the wedding) so I just wasn't sure what to expect.

I have 3 weeks. Yikes. Now really, I won't have any trouble making a baby quilt in 3 weeks, but I'm a little sad that the Posies and Celtic and the strip block quilt will both have to be put aside until this quilt is done.

At first, I couldn't even come up with a block that I felt like doing. After the initial feeling of panic, the wheels started turning and I decided on an old faithful, The Friendship Star.

I can use triangle paper on that one, the blocks go together easily, it should quilt up rather quickly and, after poking around in my stash, I found some fabrics that would do.

I printed off sheets of triangle paper. The program I have for this was really one of the best things I've ever bought, having saved me oodles of money on triangle paper rolls and oodles of frustration as I find piecing papered triangle SO much easier than cutting and sewing them the traditional way. So tonight, rather than hand quilting, which really it's too warm and humid for anyway, or working on Posy blocks, I'll do some preliminary work on the Baby Quilt. The plan will be to have the top together and have it basted and ready for quilting by Sunday night.

Once I get a feel for how long it will take to quilt, I might be able to sneak in some Posy time, but I've gotten to where I really don't like to work myself right down to the last minute, so the plan will be to work on the Baby Quilt until it's finished.

And speaking of Posies, here are the next two blocks, bringing the total finished to 8 (of 16.) I'm getting more and more excited about getting this top together and working on the celtic applique part of it. I imagine I'll sneak in bits of time during the making of the Baby Quilt.

And no post would be complete without the Ruthie picture. Looks like we need her big sister to give her a bit of a hair makeover!

Time to run, my projects (and dinner dishes) are waiting. I hope to make quick work of the dishes, and hopefully a leisurely evening of quilting will follow!

Happy Quilting, and prayers of safety for those in the path of hurricane Ike.

Sue and Ruthie

Crazy for Posies

I've been obssessed with the Posies and Celtic quilt. I've barely worked on anything else since completing those first two blocks. I do have to admit part of that is due to the weather, which has been very hot and/or humid since I basted the strip block quilt. It's cooler today, so that one may get some attention, though I do have my sights on finishing up the basting and yo-yo making for the Posie quilt. Since I last posted, I've finished 4 more of the Posie blocks, cut and marked the rest of the background pieces and have basted about half of the rest of the remaining pieces, a job I hope to finish today.

I think part of the reason I'm anxious to get these blocks done is my sights are set on the sashing and border. I'm curious to know if what I want to do will work, and excited to get to it if it will.

During this time I also prepared paper for the next strip quilt. This one will be a bit different, with half of the square being a background fabric. It will be set in a zig zag, be slightly smaller than the strip block quilt (mostly so it will be easier to back) and it's purpose is to help me clear out some more scraps (I save everything) and provide me a machine project when I feel like working on one. I'm finding I like piecing less and less, though do get a hankering to do it occasionally.

Today is a rather dark, dreary, rainy day. The grocery shopping is done and it seemed so much more daunting a task with the dismal weather. Other than babysitting this afternoon for a few hours and a couple of chores, I should have plenty of sewing time and, with goals for the day in mind, I just might be able to stay focused enough to reach those goals.

Beanie babies used to be a big thing in our house. When they first came out, my mother-in-law was working at a craft store that sold them and was buying them for our kids (and collecting them for herself.) She admonished them to leave on the tags because someday they'd be worth a lot of money, but to our kids, they were just toys and we let them do what they wanted. She once tried to buy one of Rebekah's from her for $20 so she could have it for her collection, but

Rebekah refused, it was one of her favorites. My mother-in-law was really miffed! Since then, the beanies have been relegated to shelves or baskets and not really much attention has been paid to them.

Our older boys decided to rearrange their bedroom and in doing so the beanie stash was found...and given to Ruthie. She particularly likes the little monkeys and had one up on each shoulder like babies. I tried to get a picture, but when she saw the camera, she took them off of her shoulders, sat down and held one up for the camera, showing off her "baby."

Now it's time for me to run or I'll not get anything done. With shopping finished and lunch well under way, my needle and thread is calling me and so is my comfy chair.

Happy Rainy Quilting Day!

Sue and Ruthie