Life Gets in the Way!!

I'm not getting very much sewing done. My bff Claudia thinks that is all I do all day long but it's really not. Yesterday, for example, the only sewing I got done was some hand quilting on a wall hanging during a couple of hours of TV. Gotta watch my Dancing With the Stars!! Here's a picture of "my sweet spot". It's where I spend my evenings hand quilting, crocheting, cross-stitching, whatever I'm in the mood for as long as it involves a needle. You can see the quilt on the ottoman and the crochet in the basket on the right. My Ott Light is indispensable. I do need a better table for my notions there on the left.

Instead of spending time at my sewing machine yesterday, I got to buy groceries. We seem to think we need to eat everyday. Go figure! After that daunting task I have to come home and put them all away. Don't you think that's even worse? I certainly do!! Then, I get the call that track shoes have been forgotten and are needed NOW at the high school. Off my little van goes again. Then it's time for supper. (Again, all this eating!!!) After clean up, it's TV time. Oh well, life just gets in the way sometimes and that's ok. Dare I even say it....life IS more important than quilting?!?!?

I really am joking here. I am so blessed to be able to spend as much time sewing as I do. I am able to stay home(that reads - no outside employment because I really don't stay home much) and now that my boys are off at college and track girl drives herself everywhere, I do have the time for sewing that I have always yearned for. Life is good!!
Happy Quilting!

My trip to Findlay, Ohio

Last Wednesday, when all the 30's fabric arrived by mail, I was going to share about my trip to Findlay. Findlay is only about a 40 minute drive for me. There is a quilt store there which I have not gotten to visit yet called The Crooked Needle. There is also a wonderful antique mall there called Jeffrey's Antique Gallery . I decided to take the day and hit both of them. Well, I got down the road just a bit and saw this.
I just about turned right around and headed home. I can't believe that gas continues to climb. I guess if we would stay home, car pool, take mass transit more then the prices would have to come down because demand would not be so great. But...anyway off the soapbox now. Needless to say, I didn't go home. I missed my turn to get to the quilt store so I went to Jeffrey's first. Oh my gosh!! I spent way too much money and could have spent much, much more. I'll show you some of the things that I passed up. The pictures are not the best since they were taken with my phone(I'm going to have to learn to take my camera everywhere). I was also by myself so it was hard to pose the quilts so that you could see more of them. Oh, I was drooling everywhere.

































I bought several bags of yo-yo's(among other things) that were in the process of being sewn together to make a quilt. I am going to try to clean them up some and then finish sewing them together. They are from the 30's and 40's possible some feed sack fabrics. I also bought a remnant of a feed sack. The lady wanted $25 for the one pictured and I wasn't willing to pay that much so I just had to take a picture of it. I would like to begin collecting actual feed sacks and make quilts from them to sell.

Three hours later(and it could have been longer but I was starving) I left with my load and drove through the golden arches for a bite. I decided that it would be wise not to go on to the quilt store since I had spent so much money already. I KNEW I would never walk out of a quilt store without making a purchase!! I'll just have to save that fun for another day.
Happy Quilting!

Ohio is finally blooming!

I thought it would never happen. My garden is really starting to bloom. I love hyacinths especially purple ones. Since this is the first spring we have lived in this house, everything that is coming up is really a surprise. We also have yellow tulips. Aren't they pretty? The rose bush behind it is really budding also. No roses yet, of course but life is starting to show.

You see we are native Texans. We lived in central Illinois for the past six years but the winter there was nothing like it has been here in Ohio. We were beginning to think spring would never happen here. I'm so glad we were wrong.


I have been sewing up a storm on all that 30's fabric I shared with you a couple of days ago. I have finished all 80 of the blocks. I'm now waiting on the fabric I ordered for the sashing and then the quilt will be done. I'm so excited about this quilt. I wish I could show it to you but you will have to wait a little longer. Sorry!!

My Easy Angle ruler is coming in the same package with the sashing fabric so I can't even get busy on my step two of the Orange Crush Mystery quilt. I guess I'll have to find something else to work on. Not a problem!!

Thanks for stopping by. Happy quilting!

What's In Your Purse?

Here is my latest purse. I have to admit I am quite proud of it since I made it. It is the first time I have ever attempted anything like this. I love quilting but have never much liked sewing. Does that make sense? I have never been one to enjoy sitting down to a sewing machine to make clothes. I've done it. I just don't enjoy it. When I began quilting it was ALL by hand. My first several projects, which include a queen size quilt, were completely hand pieced and hand quilted. Well, I got over that!! I now do almost all of my piecing on the machine and so far all my quilting has been by hand. I hope to remedy that soon! (I digress.)

Anyway, the reason for this post is because Pat Sloan who is one of my favorite designers has posted a challenge. She has asked what we have in our purses AND has promised a give-away if she can get 500 comments on her blog listing what is in our purses. How about it girls? She has some really nice patterns and fabric lines.




Here it is! Now don't be so surprised at how clean it is. Pat caught me on a good day. Inside are two coin purses. I'm not sure why I carry two because I never have any money anyway but there are two. Those white pieces of paper are the supply lists from the classes I am taking at the NQA Quilt Show in June. You never know when you might be around a quilt store, JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby to pick up an item or two from the list. Next is my pocket calendar. My family calls this "my brain" because if I don't write it down I don't remember it. Pretty sad, I know. I call them senior moments. Next is my wallet. See that little green slip poking out of the outside pocket. That is a coupon for a LQS. You can never have too many of those and of course, they need to be an easy reach. The little orange cap on the right side is my Tide Pen. Yes, I am a slob and try not to go anywhere without it. It's great!! There are regular writing pens in the same pocket. The pink showing down in the pocket to the back is my pink chocolate phone. Well, that's it. Nothing exciting. But you need to go on over to Pat's blog and read what Shelley has in her purse. Let me tell you, if I get stranded on an desert island I want Shelley there with her purse(s).
Thanks for stopping by. Happy quilting.

Mail Call - -Be forewarned...Long Post

Oh, just look what was sitting at my door when I got home from the Antique Mall (more on that another day...this is just too exiting to wait). Did I tell you that my very best friend in the whole wide world (Hi again, Claudia) and another very dear friend (Hi, Julie) own a quilt store just northeast of Houston? I don't think I did but that's who this package is from. They don't do online orders (yet????) as they have only been open for a little under two years. The shop is called The Quilt Room and is just as cute as can be. Their website is under construction right now but if you are in the area just bookmark it then give them a call and they will give you directions. You won't want to miss it or them.

I cut right into that package and what's this? It's a tote bag from one of their vendors. I really need a tote bag for the NQA Quilt Show in June. Now I won't have to make one!! I have another project in mind with what is under that tote bag.
Want to see what it is?? Sure you do!! It's from a quilt store, isn't it?


Oh, just lookie there. I see fat quarters. Sweet '30's fat quarters. I just love the "30 reproductions. In fact, I love all the reproduction fabrics. I'm a traditional quilter at heart. I love the basic scrappy, vintage quilts the best. I think I've probably mentioned that before. You are probably thinking you would like to see it all laid out.

Oh, ok!!



Wow!! Just look at that haul!! If I counted right it is 17 yards of cuteness. I tried to count it as it was going into the washing machine. That's right, it's already in the washer. Since I already know what I am doing with this cuteness, I'm just chomping at the bit(there's my Texas-ness coming out) to get started on it. In fact, I might ought to go check and make sure it's not ready for the dryer.


It was ready and now is in the dryer. Sheesh! Don't you just hate the way all those threads ravel and knot up the fabric. It's a real pain. Have you found a way to circumvent that jumble? Leave me a comment with your hints, PLEASE!!

Well, I guess this is long enough and plenty of pictures for one day. I'll be attached to my iron shortly. I don't have to worry about getting supper since hubby is in Minneapolis on business. I bought a rotisserie chicken and some fresh broccoli on the way home. Sounds like a plan. Happy Quilting!!

One Mystery Down, One To Go!

The borders are on my Carolina Crossroads quilt top. I have the backing washed and ready to go. Now for the quilting. I decided that since all my strips are cut and I'm waiting for my Easy Angle to be delivered for the Orange Crush Mystery from Bonnie's site I should go ahead and get the borders on this one. I am really pleased with how it turned out. The picture could be better but the wind was blowing (it's always blowing at my house) and my daughter was getting tired of holding her arms up. The colors are washed out in the photo.

This was my first ever mystery quilt and I had so much fun doing it. I kept right up with Bonnie's weekly directions which was quite a switch for this procrastinator. Picking the fabrics for a quilt is always the hardest part of a quilt for me. I was so scared that this one would turn out bad so I went along with Bonnie's color choices and I LOVE IT! Scrappy quilts have always been my favorites so it's no wonder. I hope I feel the same about the Orange Crush.

Thanks for stopping by.

This picture is of the very first quilt I ever made. I took a class in 2001 along with several friends in the home of my very best friend in all the wide world (Hi Claudia!). Her sister, June, taught the class. The quilt is completely hand pieced and hand quilted. It hangs in my sewing room (which is really the formal dining room at my house. I'll show you more of the sewing room another day.)

I have since moved to the sewing machine for most of my piecing but am still hand quilting all of my quilts. I have sent off my registration for the National Quilt Association's 2008 Quilt show in Columbus, OH and have signed up for a machine quilting class on that Saturday. I haven't gotten my confirmation letter yet so I'm hoping I get into the class. I would really like to learn machine quilting for my smaller pieces. I also registered for a hand quilting class for Thursday. Right now I quilt without a hoop. I think it will be much easier on my hands if I use a hoop so I'm hoping for that class as well. And, lastly, I have signed up for a Pat Sloan wool penny rug class on Friday. I LOVE Pat Sloan's work. I'm really excited about going to the quilt show. Since it is the weekend before my birthday it is my present for this year. (Thanks Sweetie!!)

Look what came in the mail yesterday. Don't you just love getting mail like this?? I have been seeing these and other Australian patchwork magazines all over the internet for some time now and really wanted to see them. I found them here and ordered a couple of back issues. There were so many choices. It was really hard to choose! I might have to do that again soon. So much inspiration packed in those pages. You might be asking yourself if I found any future projects in them. OF COURSE!!!

Off to my machine. Thanks for stopping by.

Orange Crush

Meet Lily. She is one of our 3 orange tabbies. She is inspecting my four patches for Bonnie Hunter's Orange Crush Mystery. As time goes on, I'm sure you will meet the other two as they are also very involved with any quilting that goes on here.


These are the fabrics I have chosen for the quilt. The picture doesn't really show the black accents in the red fabric. I'm hoping in time that my photography skills will improve. Anyway, I love all of Bonnie's quilts. Scrappy quilts are really my favorites. I had a great time making the Carolina Crossroads quilt(pictures to come later since I still need to add the borders). But I can't tell you how excited I was when she announced this new mystery. You see, one of our sons attends the University of Illinois. Their colors just happen to be orange and blue. In fact, one of the largest spirit organizations on campus(best known for their charity contributions) is called the Orange Crush. I think she is designing this one just for us but we will let you play along too. LOL!!

Thanks for stopping by. I'm having fun with the new blog. I hope you are enjoying it also.

Donna

Well, here goes.......

Have you ever really wanted to do something but immediately felt like you were in over your head? Well, that's where I find myself today.

It was only last November that I discovered the world of quilting blogs. I was hooked immediately. So, after six months of reading and with much trepidation, I launch myself into blogging.

The picture above is a table runner I recently finished. It is machine-pieced(except for the hand applique) and hand quilted from a kit I purchased from Connecting Threads. I have decided that this is the year of the UFO for me. You see, we moved from Illinois to Ohio this past July. I worked full-time while in Illinois and didn't get much quilting done. But as you know, that doesn't stop the urge to buy fabric, patterns, kits, etc. And, as you quilters also know, that goal has not stopped me from taking on new projects also. I will be sharing those projects in days to come. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will continue on with me for days to come.