Kinks

2 weeks ago, while I was on vacation, I get a call from a lady and she wants me to make her daughter a t-shirt quilt.  So, instead of working on the Simple Things QAL (like I was planning too), I started on this quilt.  And since I have to have the Log-A-Load quilt done by the end of this month...I thought I'd go ahead and do it at the same time...

I will be making a lap sized t-shirt throw for the Log-A-Load Event in August.  I'll share more info about this quilt & event when I get it done.

I hope y'all are having a wonderful weekend!

CGQC May(?)/June Goals...

 I'm a little behind so I'll just focus on June, I have a few things I'd like to complete/start:

1. Red, White & Blue pillow case.  I need to go through my stash to find the right fabrics.  This is for Carol of Brown Quilts.  Carol had a real touching post & if your interested in making a special kind of pillow case, you can check it out here.
2. Bind Scratch made of Chic or Treat.
3. Start on the Log-A-Load t-shirt quilt...needs to be completed by the first week in August.
4. Get a jump start on the Carolina bag!  This is one of Kim's, of Sherrod Studio, patterns.  You can find more of her patterns here.

Even though I've listed my goals, I reserve the right to add or change my list...lol! Have a great weekend!

ps...if you haven't listed your goals, you can click here.

This past weekend the weather here was wonderful.  We spent a good part of it outside.  It was sunny & really breezy.  We had all the windows open.  And throughout the day, we had the sweet smell of honey suckle drifting all around the front of the house & throughout the living room!  This vine is growing on our front porch.  I'm enjoying the spring time much more this year.

I've been working on this quilt for a lady in the next town.  I finally finished the top.  Now I just have to quilt & bind it.

After I finish the t-shirt quilt, this is what I'll be working on!  If you were to see & touch these vintage sheets/fabrics, you would start giggling!  Talk about fabric envy, these beauties belong to Gail.  I'm going to make her a patchwork quilt.  I can't wait to get started.

Enjoy the rest of the week...talk to y'all later...

Teacher Appreciation Week

 is the first week in May.  They are collecting kitchen items to make baskets that the teachers can enter to win.  So this is one of the items I'll be donating.  I had a lot of cream colored charms and dotted backing left over from my Charming Stars quilt so I figured I'd make a runner.  The only thing left is to make a label.

My first project for 2011...

I joined Quilt Dad & ORB's Wonky Log Cabin QAL...way back & I never finished.  As I look back as to why I didn't finish - that awful feeling of disappointment just resurfaced.  See, I picked this color - teal -  to use as the sashing & border for the quilt and it was pretty on the screen but when my order came in, seeing the true color just turned me off from the project completely.  And as I look back, I can't figure out why I just didn't use white?  Well, I'm crossing it off my list now.  I'm using M.E.'s Recipe for Friendship and I just love the colors.  I love the wonky look.  I can't wait to get this top done.

ps...this will be my only goal for the CGQC for Jan/Feb.

State Fair!

I'm hoping to get the State Fair top done within the next few days.  The more I work with Bliss, the more I realize I need to make sure I hoard I mean order extra yardage of the line when it comes out...and I know I'm not the only one thinking that...lol!

Next...

This is what I'm working on.  I ordered the State Fair pattern from Kelly waaaaay back and now I'm going to make it.  And at the same time, I'll be working on a runner for my mom's dresser top.  Hope y'all are having a great weekend!

Sneak Peek...

So, I got a little side tracked from my CGQC's goals...lol!  I mean it's not like it's a legal contract - is it Kelly?  It's more like guidelines.  So this top has been bothering me for the past 6 months(?).  The commercial version - made this quilt top for my sister (b-day present) but got more excited about the line instead of picking out her color - blues.  See all the pink?  No blues in that puppy, So I ended up making her this...

It's just a picture of the quilt top, like a goof - I didn't take any pictures of the completed quilt. Anyhoo, I much happier with Big Blue Bouquet and she liked it so in the end that's all I cared about.  So, now that I got the quilting part of it out of the way, I might add the binding project to my Sept/Oct list.  I feel so much better getting the quilting done - NOW I can focus on my list! LOL!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Alzheimer's...

(WARNING - SUPER LONG POST...)

is not a pretty thing, by the grace of God we don't have it in our family gene pool - that we know of.  But the funny thing is my mom went to CA (several months ago) to visit her sister & sure enough my aunt showed signs of memory loss -she's only in her mid 70's.  My mom was really freaking out.  At first she would argue with my aunt about whatever, until my mom got a clue - her sister didn't remember.  She stayed there for about 2 months (can't remember how long - no pun intended) so she had the chance to see the changes in her sister's behavior.  Of course - this just upset my mom.  She'd call me crying and tell me that if she lost her mind that I should put her in a home...on and on.  But I reminded her that I would take care of her - in our home until she went HOME - know what I'm talking about?  That didn't comfort her, so I told her it wouldn't matter what I say now because if/when you do lose your mind, you'll be living with me and you won't even know it - so this conversation is usless.  She laughed and said okay.  And we made arrangements for my aunt before my mom left.  Which brings me to the reason I'm doing this post...Jeffree Itrich.

Jeffree contacted & asked me if I would be interested in spreading this message:
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Quilts brighten the lives of Alzheimer's Patients

Quilters have long known that a quilt is a loving tribute that bonds quilters with recipients across generations and across vast distances. The warmth of a quilt is enhanced by the often bright patterns and colorful images which frequently suggest a simpler time.
Under a unique donation program organized by Jeffree Itrich of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) and the University of California San Diego, quilts are brightening the lives of Alzheimer's patients around the nation.
The Alzheimer’s Study Quilt Program began in late January 2010. As a quilter herself, she knows how positively people react when given a quilt and how quilters are amazingly generous people. Her plea for quilts to give participants in the NGF (Nerve Growth Factor) Study was picked up by numerous quilting newsletters. Good Samaritans circulated the request for quilts and they began arriving from communities all over the U.S. The program has received nearly enough quilts for all the NGF Study participants and are now looking for quilts for our IgIV and ADNI studies.

Those study participants who have received quilts so far realize that the quilts were made with love, sincerity, and gratitude (to the volunteers for participating in the study and helping future generations). Many of the quilters had family members with Alzheimer’s (AD). One woman who lost her mother to AD made and donated 12 quilts and another whose grandfather had AD provided 11 quilts. A woman in Pennsylvania made five flannel quilts in one week!

If you would like to donate a lap-sized quilt to the Alzheimer’s Quilt Study Project, please contact Jeffree Itrich at jitrich@ucsd.edu.
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Now, I went ahead & clicked on http://www.adcs.org/ to learn a little more.  After exchanging emails with Jeffree, I feel like this is a good cause.  I was asked to spread this message.  So, to anyone out there who might be interested, you can learn more at http://www.adcs.org/.  Also, here is a picture of Jeffree holding a donated quilt & if you have any questions you can contact her at:

Jeffree Itrich
Sr. Clinical Trials Communications Specialist
Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study
University of California, San Diego
(858) 622-5827
jitrich@ucsd.edu

Bar Harbor Scrap Bag...

So, here I am working on my scrap bag.  I want to make the recipe (Scrap Bag Baby) that's on the Moda Bake Shop but at the same time I want to use all the strips that are in my bag.  I'm lovin' the red, white & blue!  And pictured above is what I sewed, it measures approx. 31x72 - not including borders.  Not the typical baby sized quilt.  So my problem is - I need more fabric (TRA-GE-DEY!!!).  Instead of just jumping at the chance to do some fabric shopping, I'm just going to let this piece sit, while I think about how I want to do the border.  So while that's on hold, I went ahead and started a new project...

SPRING FEVER! I'll keep you posted...Have a WONDERFUL week!

Where did March go? & a CGGQC Tag

After we got back from Biloxi, it has been non-stop!  To tell you the truth, it's all been a blur...LOL!  But I do remember, we had a very fun visit.  We had so much fun, I didn't even take out my camera.  I didn't take any pictures of the 2 quilts.  I'll just do it the next time we go visit.

Well, I haven't sewed anything for about 2 weeks...weird.  So last night, I went ahead and picked the Bar Harbor scrap bag and started trimming the strips.  I'm going to work on the Scrap Bag Baby recipe on the Moda Bake Shop.  I've wanted to make this ever since it was posted.  It's also a small project so I shouldn't have a problem getting it done.

CGGQC Tag...

Kelly has tagged us & we either have to share a joke or a funny story.  I have 2 kiddie jokes:
1. Why was 6 afraid of 7?     Because 7 ate 9! FUNNY!!!! EIGHT / ATE ?!?!?!( I love that one.)
2. How do you make a tissue dance?     You put a little boggie in it! I'm giggling...but I think it's because I'm tired.

I have a lot of catching up to do.  I look forward to this weekend so I can see what everyone has been up too.  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!  Talk to y'all later...

Verna...

When my sister saw the quilt I made for my little one & our Mom, she said she would like one.  I was a little surprised because she doesn't seem like the quilt type.  So after emailing her tons of different fabric lines/patterns for her to look through, she picked a few & then I made the final pick.  I mean it will be a birthday present so it has to some what be a surprise...right?  Luckily, one of the patterns she picked was the pattern on the Moda Bake Shop, and it's a simple pattern - YEAH!  This should be an interesting month because I have 2 birthday quilts to get done! So here it goes...

Valentine Quilt Update

So I took a late lunch today to get a decent picture of my first Valentine's quilt I started a couple of weeks ago.  I'm pleased with how it turned out.  I tried to get a 'nice' picture of my quilt like Joan did with her Taffy Pull quilt.  Well, now I'm off to get dinner made and then start working on the pink & green Valentine's binding...the colors mesh nicely together but I can't wait to show you the backing - it's WILD!  Hopefully I'll be able to get it completed within the next few days.

Valentine's quilt

I just can't get the energy to start working on my Simplicity quilt.  But I had enough to start a small/mini quilt for Valentine's day (hehehe!).  See, I had some red fabric I won in an awesome giveaway this past summer from Kelly.  And all I needed was something to go with it.  I found a great deal on 'Love Is In The Air' layer cake over at JoJo's Gift Shoppe.  Anyhoo, after making the 'baby' size version of the 'Baby Cakes' pattern, I had to find/order more fabric (imagine that!) to add a border to it.  I guess while I'm waiting for the fabric I could work on my Simplicity quilt...or not.  Hope all of you are having a good (& warm) week!

Next...

I'm so glad I have finally found a use for the crystal cake stand my aunt gave me.  You can't see in the picture very well but I'm going to store fabric on it and use it for picture taking.  Well, I put that Thanksgiving wallhanging on the side (don't want to talk about it) but thanks to Katherine I don't feel so bad about doing so.  I will explain more tomorrow (I can't stop giggling!).  So this is what I'm going to start on until my thread gets here.  When I went to Little Rock over the weekend, I got many quilting supplies I needed but it's the thread I need to quilt my quilts.  So hopefully it will be here in a couple of days, until then...this is my next project.  Happy sewing!

Teal.

I like the color but I don't know if I like it with my wonky blocks.  It's very bold.  I've been staring at this for over a week...

I still haven't figured out if I like it or not.  It is very teal.  Ya know, I love being able to shop on the internet but the only draw back is not being able to see the true color/feel of fabric.  So I have a couple of issues I have been thinking about when it comes to my wonky quilt:

1. I don't know if I like this color being used on this quilt.
2. If I go ahead and use this color, I under estimated the yardage so I would need to order more.
3. Do I try another color?
4. Do I not use any sashing at all and just put the blocks together?

For now, I'm going to let it rest.  I really like how the blocks have turned out and I just love the pattern.  So, I don't want to rush it.  Well, I do have other projects that NEED to get done so for now I'll just work on those.  Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend!

Time to assess the damage - I mean list.

Scatter brained comes to mind when I think about this month.  Of course having my DH in a head on car wreck about 3 weeks ago - did not help.  But no sense in dwelling with the 'WHAT IF's', life is too short and projects need to get done, right? CHRISTMAS IS COMING!  So, it's been said it helps to write things down, I'm a firm believer in that, so here is what I have on my list I would like to complete (one day):

1. Simplicity - still needs to be quilted & binded.
2. Blueberry Surprise - need to quilt & bind.  I've completed the top so that counts as 1 UFO done.
3. Complete Halloween wall hanging - top is done, it's the rest of it that's holding me back.
4. Dinosaur Uproar (secret mission quilt) - slowly making progress, that sounds good, ya know come to think of it...never mind - I'm still working on it.
   

Looking at my list, the only thing I've done is complete the blueberry top.  Oh, and I did practice some quilting on the Simplicity quilt...I'm still trying to figure out Bessie.  I just wish I had more time to spend on her. I guess I better get the lead out.  Ok, time to focus and get to work...I'm on a mission!  Have fun sewing ladies!!!

Change of plans...

I won't be working on this...

I don't have the right foot for my sewing machine. So instead, I'll be working on these...

My husband bought me one of these jelly rolls at wally world, several months ago. I love it when he throws me curve balls, always doing things here and there that makes me say 'Wow!'. Knowing that I would need at least 2, I went ahead and got another one. So here goes another project! Let the fun begin!!!