It's the Great Pumpkin

It all started with orange polka dot fabric in the squares. I thought I was ordering black with dots for the back of the scrap monster that Mel quilted for me. But clicked the wrong buttton. Orange is probably my least favorite color in the world except in small doses in fall themed quilts. But it's my sister's favorite. ;)
When I started cutting all those 10 1/2" squares for backings, it was one of the first to go. Sis saw them and asked for a couch quilt. I said no I already made you a quilt this decade ( I know I'm a bratty big sister) but then I started playing with those addicting 2 1/2" squares and decided to alternate with all the orange I could find in my stash. More than I thought so.....I made her the quilt afterall. She doesn't know shhhhhh- it's a secret. It's Moose approved and in the washer- I'll get it to her house today before she gets home :p as a surprise.

So that will be my last finish for the year and I need to send the quilting mojo back to Leah as she said I stole it while she was sick :p ( I only borrowed it from her so it didn't get bored)





A fun label for the back.




Hubby has a fondness for chocolate covered blueberries- while quite yummy, I prefer raspberries myself :) Look what I got in the mail-I especially loved the card and have it by my desk.

Quilt Finish and Kitties

This is Cliff. He was our first outdoor kitty. He was a matted mess when he first arrived. He is such a sweety but very skitish. Doesn't like to be inside AT ALL. He will let me brush him, cheeck him for fleas and ticks- put frontline on him. Rolls over to scratch his belly. All around sweety. But just don't bring him inside. I never saw a cat cat climb curtains before I brought him inside.
In the summer he around alot, now in the winter he comes in the morning and around dusk to be fed unless it's warm then he sleeps on one of our benches. He and Cyd roam the neighborhood together and pick on Nancy.








This is Nancy...our neewest outside kitty. A small dainty version of Cyd. Cyd at 8 lbs is pretty dainty also but this cat seems to be quite a bit younger. She has the most instense green eyes. (Pic is taken through the screen as not to scare her of DS's lap)








Finally, It's all done. I had originally had this one row bigger but something happened while quilting it and the machine actually ate a hole through the front. There was no saving it. I tried for 30 minutes taking the machine apart on the frame. Off the frame- it was jammed good. I finally cut it out and spent an hour with tweezera and a small brush getting it all out of the "work" of the machine. So I was mad enough to chop a whole row off. But it's still a good size for me to cuddle in my chair and read with.








With the extra strips I made this binding. I love it !!!

What day is it???

Seriously, with everyone home on vacation I'm losing track of what day it is. It seems like a never ending weekend. Which is fine for the first 4 or 5 days and then, they're underfoot. The kiddies are flipping because they both have an XBOX 360- yes
2 kids -2 systems. And no I didn't buy either one. They're having problems getting both online to play with their friends via broadband. Last night at 11 PM one of their friends came to try to fix the problem (didn't work ;P), and I kicked him out at 1:30 AM. Hubby was complaining that he wanted to sleep- then close the door and go to sleep- men! seriously! I've been ripping pieces of my ocean waves apart as the pieces aren't right on the hst part. Nine patch part is fine but I have to redo 6 blocks. And now I can't find the 6 yards of hand dyes for the big hst used in 2 of 4 parts of the block.....grrrrr. So it seems I'm getting nothing done.
So what is everyone else working on ???

Finally Caught up with mystery

Yesterday I spent the day on and off finishing clue 3 of Bonnie's Carolina Crossroads mystery and cut all the parts needed for Clue 4. After making a sample one I called it a night early to watch tv with DH.






For whatever reason I was up at 5AM *gasp* those that know me know I NEVER get up that early on purpose. I mean I was aleep by midnight but still. Once hubby woke up I started sewing clue four of the mystery and even managed to finish them. So *for now* I'm caught up again *VBG*




And by doing my quilt along blocks yesterday I'm caught up there also. Today I will load the pineapple blossom quilt on the frame and baste it "I think" It needs to warm up a few degrees to want to be out in the garage as it's raining and my back and knees will cry out if I have to be out there for any length of time. It sucks getting old huh??

Quilt along - week 6's blocks

Here's block 2



Santa brought me 22 fqs of 30's fabrics and a great ruler for trimming up embroidered blocks. :) Also the Marti Mitchell Double Wedding Ring quilt templates. Before I make myself nuts with a quilt, I decided to try and Orange Peel wall hanging or table runner in reds,pinks and whites for Valentine's Day. How cute will that be????

My sister and I got new baseball jerseys for Christmas. Much to the dismay of my family I got my fav Red Sox player's jersey :) The captain, Jason Varitek. Sis got a past catain of the Yankees, Thurman Munson. The kids made out like bandits and are out still collecting their loot from other family and friends. It's a great thing that DD is driving as they are out and about. Hubby doesn't feel well :( some kind of bug so he and Moose are snoozing on the couch together :)
So while the house is quiet I will start setting the table and get the dinner pre cooking ready so at 2 I can just start throwing things in the oven and turning on the burners ready to sit and relax for an hour or so.
Can't play with the new backgammon set as DS is out with DD and he is my only worthy opponent. Hubby and DD don't make it challenging enough even if we play a nickle a point.







Look what hubby got from my parents-lol





I hope everyone is having a joyous holiday with family and friends. Please take a moment to remember our service men and women here and abroad protecting us away from their loved ones.

3rd Finish in 5 days

GASP!!! 3 Finishes- wow! Not something I want to do again, I do believe I said that with the last Hawaiian quilt I made. This was "supposed " to be a shower gift. I never finished it with the rotatar cuff nonsense so it got laid aside. I embroidered a blanket for the shower instead. The other day packing "stuff" up I saw it an knew it only had a few more hours of quilting. I should have worked on it before I finished the hand quilting on the other one and definatly before all that biniding. My wrist is killing me and I'm back to wearing a brace. for a couple of days and hope it clears up on it's own.


But look what I made this morning for moi *VBG*


All yesterday-13 hours worth of baking with the kiddies - such an adventure
We made lots and lots of cookies and multiple types. One that I let them make the dough for was gingerbread. I had planned to make the roll out cookies but the dough wasn't tasting right so we chucked it out and made ginger crinkles *yummmm*
So to ease my disappointment I embroidered myself some gingerbread cookies instead.


Now yesterday I got a package from the fat quarter shop that had no buyers info only my shipping info ....and a Merry Christmas message :) But look what was in the box



What to make what to make.....so I have no clue who sent it but whoever you are , THANK YOU!!!!

Got this via email- please visit the site

As a father with a son that has Autism this hits close to home.

The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.40 to
Autism Speaks for *each time* the video is viewed. The funding
goes toward research studies to help find a cure. When you have a
moment, please visit the link below to watch the video and pass
it along to your friends and family.
It is a great & sad video.

They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them
to surpass this goal.

Click here: Five for Fighting


It's a beautiful video that carries a tremendously important message

Cory

we're on a roll

My second finish in as many days. :) This one is a present for the girl next door. She's 6 or 7- whatever age first grade is. I haven't seen so much pink since I was a mgr of KB Toyworks years ago. All from stash. It was an Ann Smith mystery over the summer. I'm going to be making another on in Halloween fabrics very soon for a friends bday. He's the King of Halloween in Tempe , AZ and he's turning 50 in a couple of weeks. It will be late but well loved.




I'm almost done hand quilting another one and then the binidng- will it be 3 in 3 days?? Most likely 3 in 4 days but still a stellar finish to the year. Tomorrow is my quilt along blocks and the mystery from Quiltville segment. Then clean it all up till after Christmas as the weekend will be a baking/candy one.





Lookie, Lookie, my secret Santa box finally arrived. It was so worth the extra weeks wait...lots of books and toys. Little rulers,fray check, bamboo presser thing for paper piecingand that great omni grid folder with the 6" cutting mat on one side and a pressing area on the other -I feel so loved :)





My quilting supervisor- sleeping on the job AGAIN. And on my GMFG no less :( Don't you love that vintage quilt on the rack??? I do :)






Tomorrow hubby has a breakfast meeting in NYC and has to leave before the kiddies are up for school. So he wanted to see the look on DD's face when she opened her bday present from us. He bought her a diamond necklace. He wanted to be the first man to give her a diamond. The girl was speachless- what a change*VBG* for her.

She's Here!!! She's Here!!!!

Oh I almost missed the delivery :O
I was outside in the garage FINALLY quilting this Christmas present and heard the mail truck. Not only did the machine come but the quilting foot I ordered for her came too!!! How cool is that????

Before I could quilt I had to clear all hubby's "junk" off the frame. Rolling eyes-and I condensed a couple more boxes! CLAP! CLAP! I went from 8 fabric boxes jammed packed to 5 loosely packed one, WOW!!!! That's alot of fabric. I found a bunch of quilt patterns I thought I'd lost forever -yippee!!! One I definately want to do this coming year and almost reordered the templates. A savings of quite a bit of money. That money can be used for a case for Ethel instead*VBG*

But alas, I need to go finish what I started in the garage, switch loads of laundry out and maybe I can play tonight or tomorrow with Ethel. This a Christmas present for a 6 y/o girl or I'd be playing now.....

We have a finish -FINALLY

Awhile back I found a stack of blocks from Bonnie's Quiltville and decided to sew them together into a small top. I love the pattern and would like to make another one someday. It is all hand quilted.









My pieced backing from stash *VBG*







My new favorite toy. Paula, from Coffeetime Quilt Studios sent it to me as a Pay it Forward gift in the fall. It has a needles threader, newly added folding scissors, needles, a couple of binding clips and the ribbon holds a spool of thread. Very handy for binding on the go- Thanks Paula :)

Not alot going on today

It was used to do wifey/mommy things -lol
First of all the noreaster wasn't too bad in NJ :)
just alot of ice and wind overnight. Which lead to me getting up around 7:30 to no power *gasp* ! Now I've been begging hubby to switch the treadles - the one I bought from Paula (at Coffeetime Studios) with the one his aunt gave me. I can get the first running easier by adding the leather cord and start sewing- but did he listen??? Of course not, he's a man-lol. So I decided to do some of my Christmas cards- but I did ask before he left for work if he would hook up the gas generator so I could sew. I seriously though he was going to have me committed on the spot :P.
About 10 the power came back on. I nuked my lukewarm coffee- started the never ending battle of the laundry- did all my "chores" and decided I NEEDED to finish my Christmas shopping for my parents and hubby. And I did! Borders is amazing!! The had this huge line when I was ready to check out with like 20 people in front of me, I swear it only took about 20 minutes to walk in the door and walk out. Next stop the local Walgreens for stocking stuffer "stuff" and Starbucks. You NEED lattes to wrap presents. And Christmas music- my ipod only has Christmas music on it for the moment :). 3 hours later I am done, done done!
But I did manage to finish the hand quilting on my scrappy mountains and will make and attach the binding tomorrow- yippee!!!!
DD decided that Moose ( poor Moose) needed a Pirate patch and well.....this kinda says it all doesn't it????LOL

Stashbusting Report

Look what my sister bought DD for her 18th bday-lol her very own crash dummy
You can buy ANYTHING on ebay


I finished this top the other day and posted it - 72" square. Going to be a lovely throw :)




and this loud top needs to be quilted 25 different 25 patch blocks of 2 1/2" squares, 24 blocks of orange 10 1/2"
Not too bad this week and NONE bought, not even legal buys *VBG*

We have a flimsy :)

I finally finished the last of the 30's pineapple blossoms last night.
I pieced the top together this morning. It will be the second one coming to the frame after the one I have on now. But of course it's for me so I'll wait. The one on the frame is a CHristmas present for the little girl next door. Then I'm piecing another one and putting blocks together for another top. That will be next.. Not a Christmas present but I want to finish it asap. With any luck I'll have 3 done by New Years .

The quilt top I'm piecing is very simular to what Leah made on
Dec 1st. Only I'm using up more of those 2 1/2" squares. Like 24 blocks of 25 squares alternating them with 10 1/2" squares of ORANGE *gasp* my least favorite color in the world. But it's for my sister and ORANGE is her fav color and I found a few yards of it so - I decided to get it out of here. DD in her infinate wisdom said that I should have used that design for the Girl Scout quilts using the girl's fav color as the alternating blocks as all those little squares are so cool to look at *sigh*. Now she tells me after I have 150 of 300 blocks made of pinwheels.What to do, what to do....That will wait till after the holidays. As my main goal is to get these quilts finished and then decide on what I should do . Plus I still have to make 80 more 9 patch blocks for Bonnie's mystery next week.
Going to be a busy weekend. Cyd has a vet appointment in the morning. Hubby's being installed as the Grand Master of the Masonic lodge tomorrow afternoon and there's a big party going on all afternoon starting at 2. Then the snow storm and if the weather cooperates, we'll have dd's family bday party Sunday night. If not I plan on sewing or at least quilting Sunday night. There's always Scrappy Mountains Magesties to finish hand quilting. Another 5 hours or so and then I can bind it :)

Here Comes the Snow!!!

It's starting to snow- pretty hard already. :-O
Maybe, we'll have a White Christmas after all....
Kiddies are being let out of school in about 30 minutes....

Some Holiday Fun :)

I know, I know I'm getting nothing for Christmas -lol
Holiday Game

2 1/2" Squares and then some.....

I've been trying to clean up the fabric- as fast as I seem to cut it up into usable stuff we find MORE - gasp!!! Last night I made a half dozen pinwheels going in 2 different direction and 10 16 patch block for Bonnie's Quilt. Makes a great leader/ender project.

This morning I tried again to close one of the drawers for the 2 1/2" squares- wasn't happening :( So I opened the pds of Grandma Cora...remember last week when I made the small center? I knew it wasn't what I wanted, so now I have that started too :( But I think it will make a cute wall hanging over the bed when I get the queensized one done also ...dontcha think so too???

Ghost Hunters is on, so I guess I'll try and finish another row of the scrappy mountain majesties tonight ...night

Quilt Along Week 5

Moose seems to have decided he's staying. And he will meow and meow till the kids open their doors and pet him. If you do a good job, he will grace your room with his presence *rolling eyes*. He DS is trying out for an appearence- snicker. Moose actually like DS ALOT for some reason. Chat didn't :P . Later I'll try and get a pic of poor Cyd and her stitches. Poor thing is really not liking the antibotics she's one and will do everything she can to avoid them. She's such a petite thing too at
8 1/2lbs.




I finished my blocks this morning. Now to finish 5 more pinwheels in color 4 for the Girl Scout quilts and I'm ready for color 5 *VBG*







Here's block 2 :)

100 9 patches

Finally! I'm finished- so I wonder what's the next step????

Stashbusting report

Lookie,lookie, I used about 4 yards of fabric to wrap my secret santa gifts *VBG*.
I have another half yard piece of hand dyed to go with me to the post office. Problem is, the person is trying to bust stash-lol. So I lose a 1/2 yard and they gain one. Sounds fair to me. I liked that I saved the solid strips from the 30's fabrics and had white and purple for my bows.

I also used 3 yards of muslin to wrap the frame for the second rag rug. I didn't get far on the braiding part as I threw my back out Friday morning. But will cut some more for tonight's tv viewing. Hopefully another 2 yards- but we won't count that.
I have no idea how to figure what I used for Bonnie's mystery. The saddest part of that mystery is all 3 colors I'm using I have yardage of. But soon that will be gone too.

So I will mark myself at 7 1/2 yards of fabric out of the stash for the week. Yippee!!! And I have kona in the washer with synthropol - so there will be more gone next week.

Sidewinder

So last week I picked the ever popular Sidewinder for winding bobbins. I ordered one online 10/10- my credit card was charged and they were back ordered! What the hell? A million and one excuses but no sidewinder. Last week when in Joann's buying rotory cutting blades ( that went 50% this weekend and I got a credit this morning)I saw this on the counter and used my 40% off coupon and picked it up. The original price is $34.99- kinda pricey it came to $20.99 still more than I wanted to spend but better.
Anyhow this morning when I needed to fill bobbins to continue on with the ever popular 9 patches for Bonnie's mystery by Janome was giving me fits so I decided to break out the sindwinder. It is ALL PLASTIC so I'm wondering how long the gears will last in it but it filed the bobbins well- actually better than my Janome did but it doesn't like connecting threads taller spools so I used my thread stand to help it. Would I buy another one? Probably not and I'm glad I didn't buy one for my secret sister just in case it didn't work as the store manager said that a few have come back already.....so with all the hype over it I think I would have passed- let's see if they make a better model in the future.

New Toy :)

Look what Im getting for Christmas :)
It should be here next week so I can play with it.
It doesn't come with the black box- but I can get them locally or on Ebay also.
I'm so excited and I got it for a GREAT price and I didn't lose the auction in the last minute. That's been happening in the last 10 tries...

She's going to need a name....something 40's sounding

Quilting Quiz

I got 2 wrong- how well will you do??? Here's the quiz
Have fun.....

Quilt Along blocks week 4

Amanda Jean posted our blocks Monday, I know I'm behind. But in my defense I did baste my quilt yesterday and start the hand quilting *VBG* and as fast as I start making Bonnie's patterns , she starts another and a mystery no less. So last night I did my 100 rail blocks.. Seems a bunch of us are doing reds and greens- and they'll all be different.




So here are my quilt along blocks- block 1 -week 4



So here's block 2 for week 4

New Hand quilting Project

So yesterday's post about the Grandma Cora Quilt- well lets just say I need to rip it apart and do the correct size. Or make a matching wall hanging to go with the quilt. The center shown is for the 30" wall hanging/baby quilt size :(

So for now it will stay as is...we shall see what to do later about it. For now I need something to handquilt so I came across this the other day and took 30 of my
10 1/2" squares I cut last week and pieced my backing and basted it this afternoon.

I'm almost done with one row across :) I have no idea what to do with it when I'm done. Too large for a wall hanging where I normally change out the wall hangings - no babies coming that I know of. I'm sure I can save it for someone's baby in the future. But for now I like the hand quilting and it's going to be another finish soon :)

I love these quizzes

What The Holidays Mean to You

For you, the holidays are a very spiritual time. You have as much holiday fun as everyone else - but you never forget what you're celebrating. You celebrate the holidays in a minimalist style. You are likely to only give one great present and decorate your house with a few special items. During the holidays, you feel magical. You love all of the decorations and how happy people are. You like to sit back and take it all in. You think the holidays should be energetic and packed with activities. You'll double up on caffeine and sugar if that's what it takes to get you through them. Your best holiday memories are of childhood foods and traditions. You secretly still wish you believed in Santa Claus.

What Do the Holidays Mean to You?

those 2 1/2" squares strike again......

I finally started my grandma cora quilt from one of the yahoo groups this summer. I had all the setting triangles cut already in candy blue kona and showed hubby the finished quilt in the directions. While he likes the baby blue for the triangles he thinks the borders that will be in the quilt need to be darker....so....what am I supposed to do??? Go find a darker blue fabric in the stash tomorrow and see if I have enough - even if it needs to be 2 different dark blues. But I finished the center tonight and will work on the big corners this week along with the 10 other projects I have going. Problem is it finishes 96" :( too big for my frame so I guess I'll have to save my quarters and mail it to Mel ( ready Mel-lol) See I want the bins to close better and I see that others have them so neatly in the boxes or drawers they're stored in and quite frankly I have to many to do that to :(
So I have to use them up so I can sort them NEATLY AFTER the holidays




So here's my spoiled Moose- it was a cold windy day here today. And I have double pane windows so I don't know why he didn't want to sleep on his perch...he's so spoiled-lol

My Stash busting report for the week

Well let's see
1)I cut about 100 10 1/2" squares to use as backings for the scrappy quilts to come.

2) I made my rag rug and am so happy with it I started cutting more strips for another one in blues

3)I'm working on 24 blocks made out of 25- 2 1/2" squares that will also use 25 -
10 1/2" squares ( not the ones from #1) just for the top. I think I got 12 of the blocks done this weekend.

But I can actually see the results, as in an empty fabric container and that just thrills hubby as he filled it with his junk not even giving me time to think about filling it *wink*

I've also been cutting some less than desirable fabrics into strings and strips of different sizes ( mostly 2 1/2") for future quilts. I have a few of Bonnie's quilt patterns in mind and need to work more on the mediums as I go. Tomorrow will be finishing my 25 blocks and cutting the rest of the bigger squares. I want to piece the top next weekend and get it quilted.

Hubby offered twice to go fabric shopping as I need more whites but I was on a roll and declined - I did manage to get him to order a roll of warm and white for me though :) So once these tops are finished I can get them quilted.

I have a question though, you know those lasagna quilts just big strips of fabric.....has anyone used one as a backing for their quilts??? Just something to ponder with the fqs I found in the digging.

I also found about 15 different fruit/veggie fabrics I want to do "something" with.
But most likely after the holidays.....

all done :)

This was so much fun. I'm definatly going to make another one very soon. So in less than a week I have an empty fabric container and a new rug....
I also started another scrappy quilt as I work on my last 4 blocks of the pineapple blossom quilt. Should finish 2 tonight. And the second color of the Girl Scout quilt's pinwheels....

Do you hear that clapping??? That's hubby over all the fabric being used-lol.
Now I know there's more somewhere in the house.....but I need to finish my secret santa gift's binding and sew the label on it tonight so I can wash it and start packing the box tomorrow for Monday's mail.

But first the dinner dishes are calling me....sigh. Maybe I should make some coffee or take a nap and then make coffee- that sounds better to me *wink*

More Braiding :)

So this is the pile of strings I had to braid with today. What I did was cut a couple of 2 1/2" strips- a 10 1/2" square or 2 and then the 2" strips for braiding. Anything left over was a cut of strings for the next string quilt.

I am so loving this braiding that even the orange fabric from the monster is in it already and I've learned to make a herringbone type pattern which I would love to try again in 2 colors- but I'm not buying fabric just to make rugs- nope not happening. But all those long pieces from backings that I've quilted that I saved so I wasn't wasting fabric etc is finally getting used. Hey I'm down one whole bin already *clap! clap! clap!*





Tomorrow morning I will be sewing down the binding for my secret santa gifty. I got the binding on it this evening. And look for another bin and see what is no longer "loved" BUt Carole- thank you so much for a great idea :)

Wow What a stash buster

All I can say about this process is WOW!!!. I've been cutting strips all day and already I'm running out of 6 yards worth of fabric that was less than desirable than when I bought it! I was looking at the booklet that gave the directions and I couldn't understand why my rug was not looking like the pics in the booklet till it dawned on me....it's not rug weaving , it's rug braiding. And now it's going really quickly and using lots and lots of fabric. I managed to get one backing of 30 blocks pieced today :) and still quite the pile remains. Tomorrow I'll put my borders on the bonus hsts from the pineapple blossom quilt and baste that to be quilted. Yippee!!! I've been piecing pinwheel blocks also today we'll see how many more need to be made of the dark blue ones. But it was a great sewing day and hopefully tomorrow will be better.