Still Here

Still here, still plugging away at the usual. Doesn't seem like there is ever any extra time to blog. If I could only teach the dogs to help me with the housework...

I have been doing a little Christmas sewing. Dylan's I Spy quilt is made and has arrived in CA. I am now working on Kendall's. I should be able to put the rows together tonight and get it quilted sometime this week. My goal was to have it done by Sunday but that didn't work out.

I installed new blinds in my bedroom on Sunday, which took most of the day. It shouldn't have, but it did. Lucky stays in my room when I am gone. One day I forgot to pull up one of the blinds so he could see out. There are windows on both sides of my bed. My house is on a little hill so he has a birds eye view of the back yard and the neighbors back yard. Apparently he likes both blinds open so he just ripped the one I left down in half. So I hope to remember to pull both of them up before leaving. I also installed the one remaining intact blind in the guest room where he had eaten a little hole in the that blind. He sure has cost me a lot of $ over the years!

This picture of Lucky makes me laugh every time I look at it. This is probably how he feels when I tell people about the bad things he does.

I am off to tidy up the kitchen and head over to Kendall's to babysit today. Looks like a nice day - no rain so maybe we get a little walk in today.

Carol

Another one of my own

The pumpkin quilt is hanging in my kitchen. It looks very nice there. I see it from my front door when I walk in the house. Very nice greeting.

The Lovers Knot is now just waiting for binding. It is big enough for my bed and then some. I worked on this one a few years ago while caring for my Mom. I took my machine to her house and whenever she napped I would sew. I finally finished it last fall or sometime last year. It has just been waiting for an open space in the quilting schedule.

Today I need to load a customer quilt and also hope to prep some more flowers for the DWR.

My friend Sylvia and I are working on our own little BOM also. I need to finish block 1 today. I can't believe Oct is just right around the corner.

Carol

Pics

I figured out why I couldn't upload any pictures. Forgot to check the agreement to terms box.

Getting Things Done

I'm sure that the few people that read my blog have seen these pictures from the message board but I am going to put them here also. I can move some things around on my lists too!!



Labor day weekend and this weekend have been mostly sewing for myself!! A couple of customer quilts thrown in. It feels good to get some quilts on to their next respective stages.



I have to take some time out today for household chores but hope to get back to sewing this afternoon.

Guess I will have to add pics later, can't seem to do it now.

Carol

DWR

I am finally getting back to the DWR. I need to cut the setting triangles and start putting it together.

Carol

Natalie's Baby 9

This is my new grand daughter's quilt that I delivered to CA in July. I love this pattern. This is the second one I have made for grand daughters. My next baby quilt needs to be done by Feb., Sherry and Brandon are expecting a baby boy. I don't have a favorite boy quilt pattern, will have to start looking.

Carol

Ice Cream Ride

I just got back from a motorcycle ride with friends. I went as a passenger since I haven't really shopped for a bike yet. We went 77 miles for ice cream and the shop was closed!! We were told they were open on Sundays - ? That is the farthest I have ever gone just for ice cream! It was 100 degrees today so we were pretty happy when we found a Dairy Queen. It was a fun day even with all that heat.

Not much sewing going on this weekend. I did do a little garage organizing, hung some shelves, and found some long lost needlework. I also found a sack of acorn squash that my brother brought to me last Nov. It was not a pretty sight.

Off for a cool shower and then a little sewing. I'm back to the DWR. I have 9 more sections to put together and then I can start putting it into rows.

Carol

Mission Accomplished

This is what I did the whole weekend. Motorcycle classes started on Friday evening, continued all day Saturday and we finished up today. I passed both the skills and the written test. Now all I have to do is go to the DMV and take another written test and I'm good to go. I never thought I would be riding a motorcycle at my age. Just goes to prove you can still teach an old lady new tricks. I have enjoyed the class and am looking forward to getting my own bike.

Carol

Finally

This is not a good picture but I am finally finished with the t-shirt quilt I have been making for a customer. I have been working on it off and on of since Feb., I think. I finally got it all together last week, put it on the machine on Sunday and just finished quilting it tonight. What a nightmare!! Even though I used interfacing on every shirt there was a lot of shifting. Seems I had to tweak every row. I think I should have used a large meander instead of trying to use a pattern and quilting it from the back of the machine. It is really big. 99x96. Now to get the binding done. I will never do this again!!!

Home Again

I'm back from CA. I had a wonderful time meeting my new grand daughter and catching up with Dylan.

Neal, Monika and the kids just moved into their first house. They have remodeled the kitchen - it's almost done - very pretty. I think the yard will be there next project. Dylan is loving his yard. They had lived in an apartment so Dylan hadn't had a yard before now.

Did a lot of shopping, got to visit with Sylvia and visited a nature park with Monika and Dylan.

Of course I have tons of stuff to catch up on here. Customer quilts are waiting and then there is always the yard. My flowers on my front porch got toasted while I was away so they have to be re planted.

I will post pictures of my grand kids as well as the finished baby quilt later.

Carol

Melting

I was doing some shopping on Sat for my upcoming trip to CA when my daughter called to tell me that she had just gotten her AC fixed, it went out Fri. night. The tech told her that the part he replaced typically only lasted 5 years. So she says, you are next. Sure enough when I got home in the afternoon my AC was out!!! I am waiting for the repair guy now and hoping that I got home in time to shut off the unit before it burned up. Hopefully some of it will be covered by the warranty. My poor dogs are suffering, they are so used to being comfy cool.

I will be finishing the hand sewing on Natalie's baby quilt this morning while waiting. Hopefully I will get a picture posted when it is all finished. Another baby 9's. I used some of the Moda Clementine collection for it. Best of all I get to deliver it in person. I arrive in San Francisco late Tues. Not only do I get to spend time with the kids - I get to have a day with my friend Sylvia. Should be a great trip - hope the AC issues are fixed today so my dog sitter doesn't melt while I'm gone. She may not ever want to come back!!

Carol

Sand Sharks

Kendall and her cousin John look over the sand shark that John caught. He caught 4 sand sharks and one flounder.

Week at the Beach

I have been enjoying this week at the beach with my family. My brother and I have taken a bike ride each morning, some long, some not. We have done a lot of shopping and tried out a couple of new restaurants along the bike trail. The grand kids are enjoying playing together, playing in the pool and the ocean. The week is speeding by, only one more bike ride. They will be packing up on Sat and heading home.

Busy Weekend

Another weekend has flown by. I finally got my porch flower boxes planted but have a lot of attending to the landscaping to be done yet. I have never been this late planting and getting things shaped up in the yard before. I guess there has just been too much going on.



My daughter's dog Derby seems to be failing. He has been on medication to give him a little more time before the cancer takes him from us. He doesn't act sick, he still plays and does everything he always did except eat. His medication did help him to eat but he is beginning to slack off again. Such a hard time. This isn't the best picture of him, he is such a cutie. He knows what days I come to take care of Kendall and sits on the couch and watches out the window for me.


I did manage to get a customer quilt loaded and the quilting started. Also, a few DWR blocks made and another row of the CW swap quilt together. No sewing tonight. After cleaning, shopping, quilting and planting I'm ready for a good hot shower and off to bed for a little reading.

Carol

So Many Projects

I have listed the projects that I have unearthed so far. I'm afraid there are many, many more. Yikes, I need to concentrate on these!

My friend Sylvia and I are challenging each other to get some projects finished up. I think it will be fun and motivating. My challenge for June is to finish the civil war swap block quilt, completely. I will also be working on the DWR and Neal and Monika's baby quilt. So much to do!!

Taking Control of Clutter

I spent last evening and this morning trying to organize my quilting. It seems to be taking over my house. I usually have someone stay at the house to care for my dogs when I go away. This always entails taking all the quilting stuff off the guest bed, moving it into the quiting room. When I return I have to move everything out of the quilting room to work. Enough. I am going to get this mess put away. I started with scraps. They seem to multiply. I have them in baskets, sacks and boxes. This morning I bought 2 big tubs and have one full, waiting by the cutting table. I still have some more to round up. The plan is to cut a little every day and get them organized. I will follow Bonnie Hunter's plan. I need to get some bins yet. Of course that means I will have to find a place to put the bins, which leads to cleaning out the closet and cabinets in the sewing room. It's just like a snowball, the job keeps getting bigger. That's what I will be doing this week and trying to squeeze in a few stitches on the never ending double wedding ring and loading and quilting a customer quilt.

Finally, computer is fixed

My computer is finally fixed. How I missed it!!! I need to get some of my pics transferred to CD to clean up some space yet.

We attended Brandon's graduation ceremony in Quantico, VA this past week. He is finished with his officer training but will now have to go to Maryland for 4 more weeks of training. He leaves on Tuesday.

After the ceremony we headed into DC for the afternoon. It has been many years since I last visited here when the kids were little. It was nice to go back. This is a picture of the unknown soldier's memorial. We saw the changing of the guard and a presentation of a wreath from a local school.

These are the graves of JFK and Jackie and two of their children.

Of course we had to walk by the White House.

And the Washington monument. We also visited the Lincoln monument and the VN memorial. By the time we got to the VN memorial it was getting dark, so no pics. The memorial was very crowded, lots of people looking for the names on the wall.

It was a beautiful day, very warm with a nice breeze. I don't think I have walked that much in one day in a very long time. I walked for another hour yesterday getting the back yard mowed so today I am going to sew. Hopefully get some of the DWR blocks together!! Tomorrow morning I may get the front yard done and some schrubs trimmed. I haven't even started planting flowers yet!!

Carol

Neal and Natalie

Hope Sherry doesn't mind, I saved this to her pics so I could post it.

Welcome Natalie Jane

My son Neal and his wife Monika and little Dylan welcomed Natalie Jane into the family yesterday evening. Natalie is a month early!! Now I will have to hustle to get her quilt done. I am making a Baby Nines but don't even have it started yet.

I am waiting on pictures. They live in the Bay area so not sure when I will get to visit, thinking July, but just thinking as of now.

My computer is down so I can't post any pics of my latest projects. I finished the multi color socks and started another pair of toe up socks. I want to explore other techniques but wanted to get this one down before moving on. My next pair is in shades of blue and green. Really enjoying knitting again and getting together with other knitters on Friday evenings.

Today, before coming over to Kendall's to babysit, I worked on putting together my kitchen island. JCP had a 50% off sale plus free shipping. I had been thinking of getting an island for awhile so I ordered it. I'm glad I didn't have to pay postage since the box weighed 119#. That was a trick getting it in the door but after a little struggling I managed to get it inside. It hasn't been too hard to put together - hope to finish it tonight. Then I have to figure out where to move the computer desk that is in kitchen where I want to put the island.

On the sewing front I have gotten about 3 rows of the Civil War quilt put together. Need to order border fabrics yet. The t-shirt quilt is coming along. Ordered a bolt of backing and fill in fabric on Monday. I will be glad when that job is finished. Not much time to sew with the yard work. Sometimes I think I see a townhouse or condo in my future and other times I think I would miss the yard work.

Hope to get my computer fixed soon and get some pics posted.

Carol

Daybook

I'm feeling...Sad
I'm seeing...Derby playing outside
I'm thinking...How can he act so happy when he is so sick (Derby is my daughter's dog)
I'm appreciating...Being here with Kendall
I'm cooking...herbed chicken, green beans and creamy rice
I'm planning...nothing
I'm reading...Diane Mott Davidson, The (something) Torte, I can't remember the name
I'm wearing...blue jeans and a plaid cotton shirt
I'm creating...knitted socks
I'm hearing...Kendall laugh at Dora
I'm enjoying...the weather, even the rain
I'm sharing...nothing today

Obsessed with Socks

I seem to be obsessed with socks. I am in the home stretch on the first pair and have already cast on the second pair. This time on dp needles working top down. I haven't worked on any of my sewing projects for a couple of weeks now. I just want to knit.

These are the beautiful swap blocks that arrived a couple weeks ago. I am going to do a simple lay out of 6 x 6 with 3 small borders and one wide one. I need to order the fabric today. I want to get this quilt finished and displayed in my living room. Such a nice memory of Marlene.

I purchased a sock book this week. It is pretty fun with the flip pages. All kinds of possibilities.

I do have to get some work done today. Another customer quilt is on the agenda along with repair to a comforter. I hope to squeeze in a little time to work on the t-shirt quilt and of course I will be knitting a little this evening.

Carol

Busy, Busy

I took on the task of making a t-shirt quilt for a customer. These are a few of the shirts. I think the quilt will be a queen size. I have about 1/2 of them fused, then onto finding a good lay out.

Little Kendall was intent on egg coloring. She seemed to have a good time but it was all over too soon. I still haven't figured out how to remove an extra photo so she's here twice.

Knitting is coming right along. I have finished the heels and am in the home stretch. I have cast on a second pair of socks, this time on dp needles. I think I already know that I like the toe up ones better.

Progress

They don't look much like socks and they look pretty small but they do fit. That's the neat thing about the toe up socks, you can try them on as you go.

Knit Night

Whew, I'm recovering from knit night. Who knew knitting could be so social. The little shop was packed last night with ladies. The wine was flowing as well as the conversation. What fun. The evening was pleasant and warm. The door to the knit shop was open and we could hear music from the Irish Pub a few doors down. There was also smoke from the cigar shop drifting our way, not so great but not so strong that it was unpleasant.

I started my socks over for the third time, on the third pair of needles. I am using a 1 now and I think I am finally pulling the ends tight enough to not leave a big hole. The socks I am making are toe up socks on circular needles, making both socks at once. I came home and worked on them until I couldn't see straight. I really want to work on them this morning but maybe I should get busy on my customer quilts!! Marlene's string quilt is ready to quilt too, just need to squeeze it in between customers. Guess I'd better get busy.

Carol

Afternoon Walk

Lucky and I did slip off to the beach yesterday afternoon. He is enjoying the fresh air, hearing the waves and probably dreaming of actually catching one of those birds he likes to chase. Really, I think the sun was in his eyes. It was a lovely day and we had a nice walk.

Little Kendall discovered my wind chimes this morning when she came to visit. She was here while her Daddy put dead bolt locks on my doors. With the increase in break ins I feel a little safer with the locks on.

This is the customer quilt that I finished up yesterday. I used Daisy Swirl on it. I really like the way it came out. It is a beautiful quilt, she did a nice job with the colors.

Off to load another top, then maybe a little stitching on one of my projects later this evening.

Carol

Busy Saturday

I have so many things to do I don't know where to start. Guess it will be finishing up a customer quilt and load the next one. I have one HS quilt ready to quilt and another one almost together. It's a beautiful day and there is lots of yard work to do. I think that will wait until tomorrow. I did get the grass cut in the backyard this week. The weeping willow has come to life again and looks so pretty. The daffodils are in bloom although only a couple came up this year.

I'd better get busy, I know I will have to take time out to play with the dogs sometime today - maybe even sneak in a walk on the beach with Lucky, I know he wants to go!!

Carol

Yet Another Project

Well I have been wishing that there was a yarn shop close by. Turns out there is. Just a few minutes from my house. It's called the Salty Sheep Yarn Shop. I visited it this morning, signed up for a sock class and was invited to the Friday night knit-in. The knitters get together every week, knit and drink wine. Sounds like a perfect evening to me.

Guess I will have some bright socks. There were so many beautiful yarns to pick from, it was a hard choice. The quilting guild raffle quilt is finished. Can't post a picture of that one. It is a new pattern that hasn't been released yet. I'm sure that will be happening soon so the ladies can begin selling tickets. I'm taking the day off from quilting to do a little cleaning.

I will do a little sewing this evening. I have received more blocks to make Marlene's HS quilts.

Carol

Jane's Booth

A couple of pictures of my friend Jane's booth that I helped with at the quilt show. Jane sells Quilt in a Day products for the East coast shows. We packed up in warp speed on Sunday afternoon to beat the bad weather home. We had to drive through lots of wind and rain but no snow or ice.

Playing catch up this weekend. This is the third year that I have quilted the raffle quilt for the Relay for Life. It is lists of cancer survivors. Another very nice quilt for the raffle this year.

Back to work. I am quilting another raffle quilt, this time for the local quilt guild. I think I measured it at 92x92 - so I must keep at it.

Carol

Quilt Show

I'm heading out to VA in the morning to the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show. I will be working with my friend Jane in her Quilt in a Day booth. I am looking forward to this little get away. I have made a list of things I would like to purchase so hopefully I will stick to it!!

Carol

A little stitching

I put together the first 2 rows of Marlene's HS quilt. It looks so pretty!! I received more blocks in the mail yesterday. There are going to be some pretty quilts donated in her memory!!

I worked a little on N&M's DWR. It looks kind of rough right now but I think it will be okay. I wouldn't use this method of making a DWR again. I just hope it is presentable when I get done. It has been such a long process. I'm planning a backup quilt if this one doesn't look good. It will be much simpler to make.

Well I see the HS picture is on here twice. Don't know how to get it off without starting over!!

Carol

Sunday's quilting

My customer quilt is finished, put in the last stitches this morning. I really like this panto, Feather Me.

This is the stack of Heartstrings waiting for me. Hopefully I can start on them tonight after getting home from watching Kendall.

I was in hopes that Kendall and I would go for a walk today but it is a bit chilly. Beautiful sunshine - so maybe.

Carol

2009

So far not a good year. The loss of yet another quilting friend heightens the reality of how swiftly we can leave this earth. I have to believe that these two women are in a better place but even that thought doesn't erase the sadness.

I have finished my swap blocks for Marlene's memory quilt. It will be a beautiful quilt, I am anxious to get it put together. Memories of retreats together, sewing late into the night ,were with me last night as I finished up the blocks. I will now be working on putting together some Heartstring blocks made by Mar's friends to be donated in her memory. I am also going to start a few blocks for Mary Ann to be assembled by some of her friends in quilts to raise money for breast cancer research in her honor. These projects are helping me in a way to ease the loss. I love quilting and I love the friends that I have made over the years. It sure is hard to lose them.

On a happier note - I spent the day with Kendall and Sherry. We went out to lunch, shopping and stopped by Sherry's office. Sherry moved some things around in the office while I chased Kendall, trying to keep her out of things. I did teach her how to turn on the water fountain, she had fun playing in the water. A Grandma's gotta do what a Grandma's gotta do!! I have been quilting since getting home. Two more rows on this customer's quilt and it's done. I think I will finish it in the morning!

Carol

Swap blocks and T-shirt quilt

Swap blocks are about 1/2 finished. They are pretty blocks and will make a beautiful quilt.

And - the t-shirt quilt is done. This is the back.

This is the front. Pardon the messy quilting room!! I used the popcorn panto and it turned out pretty good. There was a lot of drag on the machine, from the combination of the t-shirt fabric and the pellon and the batting.

My customer made this quilt for her daughter and will be sending it to Jerusalem. I bet it costs a small fortune to mail, it's very heavy. My goal was to quilt 2 quilts this weekend and only finished the one. I will have to get up early tomorrow and get the second loaded before I go to Kendall's house to babysit.

Back to stitching.

Carol

Quilting, Quilting

I have loaded a dreaded quilt on the machine. I guess I was more stressed than I thought over this one cause now that it is going along nicely I feel so relieved. It is a t-shirt quilt, top and bottom. The first block had a lot of that rubbery writing and pictures and the machine just did not want to move over it. I was concerned about stretching and puckers. It is going pretty good. The t-shirts all have the pellon on the back plus the batting so it is kind of thick. Some of the things I get myself into!!

Other than that I have been getting some string blocks done and some swap blocks finished. The swap blocks are very pretty!!

Back to work.

Carol

Productive Day

Even though it was an absolutely beautiful day I spent most of it inside. I did get out a little to meet a friend for lunch and then to Lowes for a new iron. My Rowenta lasted about 10 years but finally gave up. I bought another one today, my cheap replacement for the Rowenta was smoking so I thought I'd better pitch it before I burned down the house!!

I finished 10 swap blocks today and started another 12 Heartstring blocks. I also colored some of the paper foundations for the twisted log cabin. The DWR is set aside again until I get the swap blocks done, 20 to go.

Carol

Nothing quilty here

I had the pleasure of cutting Miss Kendall's hair for the first time. She was a little angel, of course. That baby fine hair is so hard to cut but I did manage to get her bangs out of her eyes. She has a little fuzz ball in the back of her head that drives her Mom crazy but that will just have to grow out.
I will be quilting a customer quilt today and hopefully getting it delivered. Then I plan to work on swap blocks and Heartstrings. N&M's double wedding ring is being pushed aside again and I was making such great progress. As soon as the swap blocks are finished it's back to the DWR.

Carol

Out and About

This past weekend Sherry, Kendall and I attended Brandon's promotion ceremony at Quantico where Brandon is attending officer training. A very interesting place to visit.
We also got some shopping in. Visited an Ikea store. What a great store. I had never been to Ikea before so I was kind of in awe.

Now it's back to sewing and quilting again. I did get a little applique done over the weekend and just about finished my second knitted scarf. I'd better hurry and get it done, hopefully our cold weather is pretty much over for this winter.

Carol