Welcome Changes...and Quilting Update

It's been an interesting couple of weeks around here. In an attempt to cut some expenses, or at least get more for the money we're spending, we're making some changes to our wireless services and launching ourselves into the 21st century...well at least taking some baby steps in.

The biggest changes for me are a cellphone plan that allows me to actually talk on it, LOL, (I had one that I only used when absolutely needed) and a wireless internet connection rather than the archaic dialup. Don't get me wrong, I was content with the dialup service, but being able to shift expenses to include wireless internet is wonderful.


With the change to wireless, my computer desk became movable. I was limited to where I could put it when it needed to be near a phone line, but now that it doesn't, I did some furniture moving as well. The computer desk used to be where the bookshelf is and vice versa. I also swapped the tables, putting my sewing table in our dining room and bringing the dining room table into my sewing room. This opened up quite a bit of floor space and, so far, seems like a really good change. I took the leaves out of the table to fit it nicely in my sewing room and can put them in when needed, for now, I'm adjusting to less table space and hoping this makes it easier to keep it cleared off.


I took a short break from my challenge to make this baby quilt, which Bren's mom bought from me and gave to a neighbor. These are so fun much to make, I've done a few of them now in various sizes. Tone on tone fabrics with quilting motifs done in colored thread, they are easy to get to the quilting stage and quilt up quite quickly in spite of the amount of hand quilting on them.



I'm getting anxious to get back to the posies and celtic quilt. I haven't done anything on it in quite a while, and the plan is for it to be the next one in the hoop. I'm appliquing on the border, have the posy sets chosen and ready to applique along with more bias made and ready to sew on.

The Oriental Roads quilt is moving along well. I'm on the outer row of blocks and hope to be quilting on the borders by Easter weekend. I don't know how realistic that is with all else that is going on here this week, but that is the plan.

Ruthie loves to have her picture taken and this one was taken just after her bath. Her hair is still wet and she's all snuggly and quite mellow.

I have mixed feelings about the warm weather coming, I do love when the windows can be opened, we can take walks, and sit outside. I'm not a warm weather person, though. The hand quilting may have to take a back seat on the warmest days, but I have plenty of hand piecing waiting to keep me busy! I'm already starting my list for next year, which will start off with whatever doesn't get done this year (I really think I've bitten off more than I can chew this time.)

Nothing will get finished if I don't get to it, so it's time to go!

Happy quilting!

Sue

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