Time has flown by with my eyes wide shut!

I can't believe that it is the 22. I last blogged on the ......9th. I knew I probably wouldn't make every day but I thought for sure I could do atleast 2 or 3 times a week. Well boy was I wrong. But I have been working.

This is Rejena's. She loves this pattern and has done it on another quilt or two. Can't you see why!Such a striking quilt for such a simple design. This was her first works with Homespuns and I have to say she did great with them. I now know when I need assistance with those stretchy Homespuns who I can turn to. Once again Rejena great job.

This next quilt is Melissa M's , her and I bartered for this quilting. She had a bunch of old Feed Sacks and I have long arm. Well you now know who owns some of those feed sacks don't you.  She is making  a series of quilts of the 4 seasons. These hang in the entry room of her home. She has Summer hanging still, so this is her Fall. I hope she gets it bound in time. Or I guess I hope she has Winter started.   

Well now I just need to find the rest of my photos. hmmmm wonder where I put them

Day 8 of blogtoberfest

Whewre has time went. One day it was day 4 and I was going to post pics the next day and now here it is day 8 and I am just getting back to my blog. All I can say is working working working. Day job is going great guns and with Christmas coming the quilting is steady and in demand. So Yes my only excuse is I am staying busy. So here is a couple I have done.

This is Arletta's. It was so big that I couldn't hang it outside so I just grab a shot in the house.this is the first one I have done for her so I hope she likes it, She had other quilts done by someone else and wanted me to do the sam thing as they had. Uh Oh ! Gotta do what some one else did, I hope I understand what she wants right. Well then she had and emergency and her hubby picked it up so I may really never know if it was really what she wanted or not. But from what I could understand by her explaination it was just meandering hearts. So I did just my basic meandering hearts. But no matter Arletta what a lovely quilt.

This is another of Margie's. Margie is more than just a great quilter she is a great friend. I love getting her quilts they are all so different. If you don't rememeber I did a whole post of nothing but hers sometime last month. You can find it here. so just add another to that show. She was a little skeptical on this one. She thought the borders may be to big and struggled for months on quilt it or take it apart. I am so glad that she had it quilted. Even tho it is slightly off it still looks wonderful and after she washes it no on will know. Heck I doubt if many would know now.  This quilt is made from her late Mother In Laws left over scraps and I believe maybe some clothing. So yes the fabrics are questionable in todays standards but the meaning of this quilt out weighs any of that other stuff. Margie I know your Hubby or one of the kids will love having this quilt made from Mom or Grandma's things. And to top it all off it is a wonderful design and beautiful quilt. So pretty!! Another job well done Margie.

Blog Blog Blogging away, Days 3 oops and 4

Yep Day three just slipped right away. I mean I woke up and it was day 4. Does that mean I did nothing or does that mean I was so busy that I didn't have time. I am going with the latter. That is my story and I am sticking to it.  I got 2 customer quilts done but have not downloaded a pic of either so you will have to wait. You know I was telling you about the shop hop I went on,,, well I won one of the smaller gifts. Yeehaawww. I have only ever won one other time so it is cause for celebration. Whooott WWhoooottt Toot Toot. Happy Dance Happy Dance. I am going out to buy lottery tickets tomorrow. I mean my luck has changed I won the FQ's from Linda last month and now this. I went and picked up my winnings and got a small bat of Dream Blend and pattern book and some Christmas fabric. Yep feeling pretty happy about it. I also have started knitting a pair of socks for a friend of mine. We are bartering services. She is a wonderful fantastic artist. As in painter. So she is going to paint my sign out front for wool winter socks. Yippee! I love to knit. Yep I will have to get a pic of them too. But right now that darn camera is so stubborn. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Hmm sounds like the owner. Ok pics tomorrow I promise!

Blogtoberfest Day2

Well I have been having trouble with my camera but I managed to get a pic of the quilt I did for Ruby.
I have never done a whole cloth panel so this was something new. I love trying new things. I sure didn't want to put to much one here and Ruby wanted it double layered with batting so it was puffy. I had some glow in the dark thread that I wanted to do the outlining of Jesus in but I think it was too old, it wouldn't run at all. It broke before I could take a stitch. So I pitched it and went back to normal thread. I think it turned out great ans she seemed to love it. As a quilter sometimes you get nervous when the customer comes to pick up their quilt, you just don't know how they will react. I mean just because I like it doesn't mean they will. But she seemed pleased and ohhhed and ahhhed with a smile on her face. I am thinking that doing a panel wasn't so bad.
Well my birthday was Friday, did I mention that? see the age thing is creeping in. Well any how my hubby sent me this cute balloon to work.

The gals at work thought it sounded like me too. So my new favorite phase (apparently I say it all the time anyway) is whatever.











Well it was a good day for football, my beloved KC Chiefs finally won this year. Wahoo go Chiefs. If only Carl Edwards would have won the NASCAR race it would have been a perfect day.
Well I have to finish another quilt so I better get er done.

Another year gone as another month gone

Small blog Hopping going ons, I did spend sometime checking out new blogs. You know some people seem to have a lot more blog sense than me. I can't figure most of this out. I want buttons to go to different pages but no I can't manage that. But any way I getting way off track but then not really when you read this next part.Also for my going ons in SEP , I really haven't kept track but I posted the going ons in the previous posts. And you know what I need some instructions on how to make those collage pics that so many do. but check out the button on the sidebar for the small blog hop or the fresh sewing day. It is really a great way to meet other bloggers.




Well Well Well, yesterday was birthday so I am another year older. Hmm I don't feel older I feel younger. Ok OK I know I am lying now. The hubby took me out for a steak dinner and then home where I spent time looking through some quilting books. Yep you can tell not much on my mind. I went on a Shop Hop today. Yea. I said I wasn't going to but then I thought go for it. Take the day for me. My journey was for black and white FQ's and I did well. Only veered off the path a few times. Once for a new bolt of red of Bella solids from Moda. I think I got heck of a deal. $57.00 for 16 yards. Then again veered off at a sale table that had some solid Tan for $5.00 a yard got 5 yards, should make a nice back for some quilt. Also got a yard of tree, leaf type for my son and grandsons hunting quilt. Not sure what to do with it but for $5.00 yard I know I can throw it in somewhere. so the third time I veered it was for again some sale fabric a nice beige for $5.00 got 5 yds of it too. Then the 4th and last time I went down the wrong road was for just 2 half yard cuts of  yellows. They were just $2.00 each and it seems I am always needing a yellow for something. So 9 shops and I only went down the wrong road 4 times. I really didn't think that it was too bad. Now I managed to acquire 14 new black and white FQ's. I think I have what I need now for what I want to do. I would show you a pic of my new yummies but the camera doesn't want to work for me. Yes it has been acting up so I think a new one is on the short list. But I have managed to get a couple pics of things I have been doing so here goes.....

This was on my machine for the last FNSI and I did get it done and it was hanging for the contest. This belongs to Diane M and her ability to pick out colors is superb. I would have like to keep this one I love the lime and blue combo. OK I know what am I talking about I want to keep all the quilts that come through my door. But yes I really liked this one. I liked how she chose to use the same background fabric as the sashing,making it look like all the blocks are floating.  Great job once again Diane!










So this next quilt is mine.

I did this top as a mystery for a retreat in 2008. When I did it I just pulled from what I had enough of and boy howdy did I ever pull out some weird ones. The aqua is of some really cheap 70's fabric. But since it was just for a sample I thought why not. Then the burnt orange came from Jo-Ann Fabrics. I knew the two colors didn't go together but since it was for a sample I didn't care. So for the past three years I have been trying to quilt this. I would start something then have to take it off the machine and it sat for a year or so. Put it back on and think OH I don't like that but this is too cheap of fabric I can't rip it out. Take it back off and let it sit for another year or so. Finally I got it all done all in all I think I had this on my machine at least 8 times and off it 7. So I know the curves aren't the same and swirls are different but Oh well it will be going on my bed for me to use and I know it help keep hubby and I warm and that is all that matters. I thought about giving it to Joplin tornado victim but I just can't give em that cheap fabric. Well even with all of it's ups (were there any) and it's downs I love this quilt. I call it Odd Couple since these are two colors that normally aren't together.

So I also have decided to join Blogtoberfest just another way to meet other bloggers. Use this link or the button on the side bar.


Well I have to finish one for a customer that is going out the door tomorrow so I best be getting to it.

Friday Night Sew In and...

Well this post was suppose to be yesterday but I got so busy. Life has been busy the past couple weeks or should I say strange and confrontational. I will get to that later but here is the FNSI doings.

These are crazy Birds. I did a swap on internet group and was talking with my sister about them. She thought they were cute so she decided she wanted to swap some of them too. Well then she got our mother roped into it too. So I am making more of them to go with the ones I swapped via internet. Oh goodie I should have a nice wall hanging when done.

When I got bored of the birds and grass I worked on this quilt. It is a customer quilt and has to been finished this weekend. I believe the pattern name is tangled and the designer was around here recently and even signed this top. This next weekend is a shop hop and LQS is sponsoring a contest with all the Tangled quilts. I gotta get this done so she can bind it and have it at the shop Thursday.

This is my design wall and it has plenty of projects on it. The one I worked on FNSI was the applique border. I worked on the right one it is in by my chair in the living room, so when I watch TV I can work on it. I looks like the one on the left. I have over half of it done, I am using the needle turn applique method. No I am not to good but practice make better right.

So that is what I worked on for the FNSI

Well you remember a couple posts back I won a give away. Well here are the yummy FQ's

I won these from Linda I really really love the top pink and brown one. I have been making and swapping pink and brown  6" blocks for years. I mean years. I laid them out once and decided I needed around 22 more blocks to do what I wanted. I can see the top 3 of these fabrics being in that quilt top now. So guess what I got those and put them in sight. So now I may actually work on them soon.

Now to tell you everything that has went on here the last couple of weeks. As you know the ankle problem well it must be better I am starting to walk to work again. YAY ! Well anyway... The hubby decided to change from DishNetwork to Direct TV and take the unlimited long distance off our phone since we both have cell phones. So one day I come home from work and we can no longer call out on our phone just receive calls. Ok no problemo we have cell phones. Labor day weekend the Direct Tv goes out. No it is not storming, yes it all plugged in. Sorry but we can't get any one there till Thursday. OMG now no TV and your Sorry. Not near as sorry as I am. I mean what am I going to do. I still can't stand that much and I have the sewing machine tore apart cleaning it.  I spent alot of time cleaning out the machine and I did manage to quilt some.And of course went blog hopping. Like I said every day the ankles are getting better but still not 100%. So now on Tues I go off to work and come home to no phone at all and no internet. NOW what. Well it seems when embarq saw that we took off our long distance someone there thought we cancelled our services. NO we still wanted stand alone internet. So now it was a very quiet day, I needed to let Linda know that the FQ's arrived and  the hostess of the Crazy Bird swap that mine arrived. I think by this time we had an antenna so we could at least watch the basic channels on one TV in the house.  Sewing machine is back together and I am quilting a little bit. Then I get the call from ex daughter in law could I keep the kids for the weekend. My son well lets just say I don't blame her for not wanting the kids there. So talk about exhausting and head spinning. I am not, absolutely not used to kids being around. Took them to the Healing Field. 

This is a place to Honor, Respect, Reflect upon those that have given their life for our country. It is also a Memorial for all those that perished in the 9/11 tragedy. Had a World Trade Center Museum with bits  and pieces from there. Very moving.

 Come Mon I think I felt a relief when I had to go to work. After work I came home and fell fast asleep in the chair, woke up with a stiff neck. I am hoping that things are calmed down now and I can get one with my boring ole life. So now that catches you up on the short version of my life. Aren't you glad I gave you the short version?

In a giving mood

I saw this over at Natalie's and like the idea--who doesn't like getting random gifts in the mail throughout the year? So, here we go:



Rules:



1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people that comment on this post. It will be a surprise and may arrive at any time in the next 365 days (yes, a year).



2. To sign up to receive a gift from me you must play along too. Share the giving love on your blog by promising to send a handmade goodie to the first three people that comment on your blog post.



3. You must have a blog.



4. After commenting on my post, you have to post this (or similar) on your blog to spread the love.



I don't know if three people will even get around to commenting on this, but I will say that if you find this post 6 months from now and only 2 people have bothered to comment, you can still be commenter #3 and get a random goodie from me! When you comment, I'll email you and get your address and then you should get something from me sometime before next September.

Back to the Grind

Tomorrow I have to go back to work. UGH! I have been working on quilting this weekend so it is not like I haven't been doing anything. I Have spent alot of time right here at this computer surfing small blogs and playing games. I would have liked to been watching some TV but Direct TV put a stop to that. We changed from Dish Network to Direct 2 weeks ago and Sun morning whisssssstt nothing but white. I guess it has done this a couple other times while I was gone and the hubby called them and they talked him thru resetting it. Well reset didn't work so back on the phone. 'Oh were sorry but the soonest we can get somebody out there is Thursday'. That is unacceptable! A long weekend and no TV. You don't realize how much you depend on it till it is gone. So..... I have been listening to music, and playing on the computer. Since I still can't stand for any length of time, I would quilt awhile ,sit and play games awhile, quilt awhile, surf blogs, quilt, play games. OK you got the drift.

Ok this is what I managed to get done this weekend. This is Karen O's. This is Bonnie Hunter's RRCB pattern. I didn't do this one and wow what a stunner it is. Lots of little pieces but then what do you expect with Bonnie.

So it be fitting for me to post once again Bonnie draped over my machine.She surprised me with a visit one night while in town. Very very nice lady. Karen did a wonderful job with this one. The close up is the quilting I did on it. It is Feathered Leaf panto a Jodi Beamish design. It has become one of my favorites. I have never been much for pantos but I love this one!

So this next quilt is Diane V's. She did this for her daughter. Some of the hearts have inspiring saying to honor a daughter. The colors on this one are so gorgeous. I absolutely love the color combo!! Diane you did good!                                                                                                               

Now did I ever show you the quilts that I have gotten done for myself this year. I am sure that I have in some stage of completion but did I post totally complete. Well I wouldn't think so since I just took pics of them recently. So here they are

Pinwheels Across Indiana. A row by row done with an Internet group from Indiana. I think it turned out wonderful. Better than I had hoped. I love pinwheels and there are a lot of them in this quilt. Thanks to all that had a hand in this quilt. I love it.

Scrappy Diamond Plates. A row by row that I did with my Local Quilt Club. It was their first time doing a row by row so I wanted an easy pattern for them. I was surprised when some of them stated this pattern scared them becuz of having to match all the seams. You know I had never thought of that. So I guess I didn't make their lives easier but instead stressed a few of them. But never the less they did a wonderful job. I took the border pieces from another quilt I was making and made them work for this one. Thanks ladies I love this quilt.

This is also a row by row I did off the Internet. Just a fun fun quilt and one that will always hold a dear and special place in my heart and home. This row by row was specific in having to have red in the blocks and the hostess named the swap Ravishing Red. So that is what I asked everyone to do. Do what you think of when you hear Ravishing Red. Everyone did a wonderful and thoughtful job. I was amazed the shoes have beads sewn on them and the gloves have rings and watches,these gals really put some thought into each row. I mean look at it garters with lace for example. Thank you Thank you ladies of the 4"quilt block group.

Well I best be off for now.

I won something! Little Forrest Quilt Along and Small Blog Meet

Wow,  I can't believe it but I won a give away at Linda's. I think I better go buy me a lottery ticket. Or maybe it is too late since I was picked last Fri. Shucks I should have thought about the lottery ticket earlier. I am excited to get my yummy FQ's. The fun will be deciding what to do with them.......... Oh thanks for having the give away and thank you random generator for picking my number. Go on over and check out her blog. She is co hosting a Little Forrest Quilt Along.with Stephanie,from peas in a pod. I am doing this and I am also joining in a small blog meet and greet. Well that is not the official name but find the button on the left (small blog meet) or check it out here at Lily's quilts and check out some other small bloggers.  Since hurting both the ankles I haven't done any sewing. The month of July and Aug have been do only what I had to. I had a couple quilts that had to be quilted and they took me for ever. Only being able to stand for a few minutes at a time and being exhausted from HAVING to work the day job, I let my sewing and quilting get behind. The Orthopedic Dr was bit concerned with my ankles still swelling 7 weeks after falling so he put my in the sexy compression socks and braces on both. One week later now and I went to a one stop shop hop and spent 2 see that 2 hours on my feet. YAY I hope the recovery is a permanent one and not one that I have to wear these things forever. I wish I could show you a bunch of pictures of things I have done this past month but me eating while feet in the air would not be a pretty sight so continue on down to the next post for a virtual quilt show.

Quilt Show

I have quilted quite a few quilts for Margie and I know I did some of them before I started blogging so I thought I would treat you to what I want to call Margie's quilt show. This is fun just showing everything one gal has done. Oh I do know that she has more but this is just the ones I have easy acess to. The others may just be on film. I hope you enjoy this small cyber quilt show. Some I know the name for and others I don't  or just not for sure but either way they are still wonderful to see. Great job Margie, as always I look forward to the next one. Thanks for your return business and the friendship we have made.

As Time goes By

Just for Fun

 October Fanfare

Ramblin Rose

Starry Night

Twilight Flurries

Moody BluesDeep spaceChristmasTime

Rainbow Fandango                                                           

give away and quilt along

Well! Well! Well! I haven't done much quilting since I have hurt my ankles but thought I would try today and boy within minutes swelling and pain. I can't wait to go to the Orthopedic Dr. I am sure he will tell me it is all the weight that is hampering my recovery. but %&^* I am tied of the hurting!


Well I found this quilt along check it out here, thinking this is kinda of a cute top. Might have to go searching for some fabric for this one, but I am thinking............................ ok you will just have to wait and see. She is having a give away too so don't miss out.

Well It's about Time I showed Up

I know over a month ago I said "I am going to do better. I am going to make a comeback".  Guess you tell that power of postive thinking has done nothing for me. So lets start with way back in July. I had my sisters and parents coming for our 'girls annual gathering'. My dad would stay here at the house and keep my husband entertained while us girls went up to MI to a lake cottage.
Here are the quilts just to keep you entertained!

This is Diane M's. These Lady bugs are so cute! How can you not love this quilt! Diane is a great piecer and I am sure will turn out to be a great quilter too. She is learning to do her own machine quilting on her domestic machine. Go girl! I bet she becomes great at it and won't need me any more so Till then I love looking and working on her tops!

Just a close up of the Lady bugs!









Three of the sisters and my parents all came together in one vehicle from MO, well the sister with the vehicle was over the line a bit into KS. A days drive and they were here. The sister from VT had already arrived and we got to have a nice quiet visit before the others arrived. Then the next day us girls set out for MI. for a wonderful weekend on the lake. While sitting on the deck staring out onto the lake us sisters have a chance to catch up. Two of my sisters quilt along with my mother, one sister is a retired art teacher and the other loves to scrapbook. So sitting there the sis from Vt starts to tell me how I have inspired her by all the internet stuff I do so she looked on the net and found 'this crazy lady doing a mystery' She then holds up a top and viola it is my mystery from this past winter/spring! Then the sister behind her holds up and top and says 'I found her too' and then my mother holds up a top and says 'me too'.

Me standing under the three mystery tops. Sister on left and Mom on right are from MO and sister in middle is from VT. You know I still can't find mine. I know you say how can you loose a top. Well my family has been here and they have seen. I have totes of tops done and when I look one then they seem to get shuffled around. I have to admit I really haven't looked to hard for mine since I don't have time to quilt it anyway. I believe these quilts are all being donated to Joplin MO tornado survivors! I know I need to get mine and put right along with these. Put that on a list of to dos.


So  while here at this cottage I took a spill down the stairs. Sprained both my ankles. Not one but BOTH! We are going on 6 weeks now and I put my tennis shoes on for the first time today. Granted the laces were pulled out but I had them on. Weeks ago just the shoe against my foot and ankle hurt. Yes they still hurt and are still swelling. I went to the DR just a few days after I did it and they didn't examine them or even take x-rays. I would think you see this old fat lady and think hmmm brittle bones better check em. But she looked and said it was swollen and wrapped the left one and didn't do a thing on the right one, then sent me on my way. Now mind you the left one is still swelling like a cave mans club and if you put the ace bandage on it it HURTS. The right one hurts on the inside sharp pains but not as much swelling. Crazy I tell ya crazy. so I went to my family Doc on Mon and had x-rays and made an appointment with an ortho doc. Got the call from my Dr today that they took x-rays of the feet not the ankles. So I get to go back again. Yep what ever (if anything) I did to them they will be healed that way by the time I get to the Ortho Dr. So I really haven't been doing much of anything but having my feet up. But here are some quilts I did before all this happend.

This is Kathy's and it is made from recycled mens shirts. Our local club had a challenge for their quilt show this year and it was to use a mans shirt. Soem got energetic and went to Salvation Army and bought more of them and made whole tops out of nothing but mens shirts and others just added a yo yo or two out of the shirt fabric. Me I didnt' even get it started. Next year! Yes I will do it I have to I have the darn shirt here.
But Kathy told me she was going to give this to her Dad so I quilted vintage cars in it. Well I think her hubby has now decided that he wants it.

Here is a close up of the quilting. I don't know if you can make out the car or not. This was fun to do!

 Great job Kathy I love the quilt. Outstanding as usual!





These next two are my Moms

What a Beautiful Quilt 

Mom is an appliquer and a good one at that. I almost hate to work on her things afraid that I won't do them justice. I want to do justice to everyones but YOU MOM. Well it is just scary!

This is the pattern From Four to Nine. Last summer while visiting I showed this to my mom and she went right home and made this with some fabric that she got here in IN. She calls it Blind mans Bluff. I believe it is named becuz she feels either that even a blind man could see this fabric or it makes you go blind, and it was bought in Bluffton IN.

 Just a close up.


These are two awesome quilts.My mother always does a wonderful job. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful teacher!








I know there is more but I have been working on this post for an hour so it is time to hit the post button