Done It Now

Ok so last post I said I was going to go take pictures. Hollered up at the hubby to hold the quilts for me and he obediently came down stairs to help. He had the first quilt up and ready and I you get this I dropped the camera. I have dropped it before with no problems but not this time. It must have hit just right and broke a piece of the lens cover. Well we all know that if the lens does not work properly then you are just out of luck.  So my wonderful hubby goes and gets his older camera/recorder. I don't know how to use this so I hold the quilts and he takes the pictures. I don't like this camera, I think the pictures it takes are horrible but I can't tell him that so with knowing that here are the pics.

This is Margie's quilt, yes I forgot to rotate it. As I said the quality of these photos are not the best. The colors are more vibrant than it shows, and not so fuzzy. She made this out of scraps of all other quilts she did. It is so colorful! I love it. Too bad I have to give it back to her.

This is Paul's. I showed it here before, so for new ones it was a kit that was given to me and I gave to him. Of course it is from the 70's so quality is effie, but you know what lots of fabrics from the 70's is still around so who is to really say what is good and what isn't. But anyhow I quilted it for him and he took it home. Then he decided I could do the quilting on the applique too. Normally when someone hand quilts I do NOT machine quilt on it, I leave that up to them. But he wanted me to. So this is the pic after I did all the quilting on the applique. This sat in my living room for months waiting for me to get a pic of it. I really think it was starting to think it belonged with me, I had it so long.

This quilt I have named 'Winner' Ok the story is: When my family gets together we have to rent a place for all of us. So to raise money we hold a family auction. Anyone that wants to can bring a handmade item to sell. The person who brings in the most money for the family gets a gift. This was the winners gift and I won it. This quilt was made by my mother and quilted by my sister. It goes pretty good in my living room too.

Here is the opportunity quilt that my local quilt club is making. It is all needle turn applique and I have really been pleased with the participation of our members. I am working on the inner mass right now. As you can see the quality of this pic is horrible. But once again I can't tell the hubby this, he tried.






I did buy a new camera but have yet to take it out of the box. Maybe sometime this week. I have grand kids this weekend so no time to play. Or shall I say I'm afraid to play with them around. I started a new project for a co worker that was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. This time she is having a mastectomy so I got the bright idea to make her a quilt. I thought it would be nice if her co workers all made a block signed it with thoughts and wishes and I would put it together. I picked out a simple block and cut it out. Typed out instructions and bagged up everything. Took it to work held a meeting and passed them out. It went over well, I had to make more. So this week is dedicated to making this for her. Surgery is not for a couple weeks yet so I have a little time to breathe but I want to have it done so we can give it to her on her last day before the surgery.
Better go check on the grand kids or the house.
Sew On
Susan

Another month gone

Well Well, another month has passed me by and I can't for the life of me figure it out. I started out the month at a retreat.My cousin came in from 300 and some ott miles away for this event. She has never quilted before but her mother (my moms sister) is the one that started the quilting craze in our family. Her mother showed my Mom and the craze was on. So I spent most of my time showing her how to 'do' things. I taught one class Shuffled 9-patch.

Here is her small lap throw. This is an easy design to do and makes up quick. The corner stones were half square triangles from another project and just thought throwing them in the corner would give more interest. Whatcha think to much or just right!
Either way it is what it is and she took it home to try to finish it. Got the call on how and I steered her towards youtube for videos. I mean I have a long arm I have no clue how to quilt with my domestic machine and I don't want to know. I mean if the hubby knew that it could be done.........Before she left to come her her 3 year old great grandson told her to make him a quilt, so...

she picked up this center panel off of the unwanted table. I let her come to my house and shop for matching fabrics. I think a little boy should like the jungle animals. It was a basic pattern just add borders, but another chance to learn. She also took this one home to finish. The other pics were on my phone and haven't learned how to add them to this post so will have to post them separately.


After retreat I quilted my finger to a quilt! Let me tell you pinky finger and a moving Gammill do not mix. It is healed now but the fingernail is slowly chipping off. and it is still numb and hurts to touch but at least it is healed! Not something I want to do again.

This is a quilt from Margie. This woman amazes me with all the different things she does. This was just some fabric she wanted to use and it grew from there. No pattern just her head and thoughts. It was funny to hear from her during this process, she would call and tell me how she measured wrong and now the blocks were the wrong size and she had to figure out a way to make them work. I think it turned out wild and wonderful!!

This is Kathy's quilt she had started to quilt this on her domestic machine and decided that it was not something she wanted to do. She used minkie on the back of this and had spray basted it together. I did have lots of trouble with this one but only in areas that there seemed to be lots of the spray basting. Note to self don't accept quilts with spray basting already done. She had started outlining the flowers and birds but told me to just  do an all over, she just wanted it done. I couldn't let one bird and flower be outlined then do an all over on the rest so yes I did the outlining too. Such a cute panel and it will make some little girl a nice soft blankie.

This is Karen's quilt, it was done as a round robin. Now didn't these gals do a wonderful job! I had to do a custom job on this it deserved something more than an all over. Oh I just hope she liked the end result!





So this is what I have been doing lately besides working 9 hours a day and 4 on Saturdays. Staying busy that is for sure and now the Christmas shopping! Although I got most of it done on Black Friday (ok I had it done on Black Thursday). I asked the hubby today if he thought we could handle taking an angel off the tree to buy for some child. He thought that was a pretty good idea since we have our grand kids done. So tomorrow I am going back out to do that. I have never done this before so I hope I am not biting off more that I can chew. I mean how hard can this be? But it scares me to know that the fate  of some child's happiness is resting on what I get them without even knowing them. I have been leery of this in the past hearing of how some of these kids aren't that desolate and ask for the high priced items. I don't even do that for my grand kids so I know I won't do it for them. I think joy can be found in a book not a video game. but I am trying it any way. Wish me luck.
Well enough for now.
Sew on

You know I have had no excuse for not blogging, except just haven't felt like it. But I have gotten word that I need to update so I guess there is someone out there that takes a peek and so I figure it is time for so eye candy.

The next two quilts belong to Denise. I went to a retreat with her years ago and I mean 5 or 6 and I taught this class on shuffled 9-patch. She called me couple months ago and told me she finally finished it. Yay Denise, but then she floored me when she said she had another one done too.

So this is her second quilt. She made this one for her little boy, now which boy I don't know she has had a second child since starting her quilting experience. Hmm wonder if that is what took her so long to get the first one done. lol  I just can't imagine trying to take care of little ones and quilting. Maybe I am just used to throwing my stuff all over since I don't have anyone here but the hubby, and her rarely comes to my sewing studio.  I cringe when the grand kids come over for fear that they will get into something so yes kudos Denise for quilting and raising the little family.
She called me from a quilt shop somewhere along the way from here to Florida wanting pics of a top I had showed her. Guess she is starting another one. Way to go Denise.

This is a T-shirt quilt from Monica. Once again I spent way to much time reading all the cute shirts.She spent alot of time color coordinating her sashings with her blocks and the result is superb eye candy. This is for her grand daughter, lucky girl

This is another from Margie. I really hope you can see what her topic is in this quilt. SEWING. What a great job on this one. I really really had a hard time giving it back to her. I mean the sewing gals are cute cute cute.

I used a pantograph on this one and it was of sewing stuff. Just the right quilt for it.

This is also Margie's and it is one of the few that she used a pattern for it. Most of the time Margie just takes a block and just goes with it and sees where it comes out, but every once in a blue moon she finds a pattern she just has to do. These Bento Boxes were just one of those patterns. Love the black and whites, love the Bento boxes, so there is nothing not to love on this one.Great job as always Margie.

Well I know there is more but it is supper time so I better get busy with that so I keep the Hubby happy and that way he lets me spend for more fabric or...........................

Friday Night Sew In

Last night was Friday Night Sew In and it started out slow. Hubby and I took the grand kids out to eat and then they came home with me for awhile. My little Savanah is going to do Mini 4-H this year and wants to sew so we sat and read the paper on her projects. I hope I have the patience for it. After they left I got to work on this baby quilt I call 'And one Flew South' this is for my great nephew Kevin. He lives in Joplin, Mo and is already a month old. I try to give to the niece and nephew's first born, can't keep up with any more than that! But I have to get my butt in gear or this one will graduate before I  get this done.

This is Margie's Big Splash and she wanted to tie this! TIE it on no. So I conned her into letting me quilt this, well then you know it had to live up to the 'you gotta have it quilted', I guess maybe she will comment on here if she liked it or not.






Well headed off to Northern Indiana Gathering of Quilters, so be back later.

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.

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                                                           

FNSI and Mystery

Alright sorry I had to rush off so quickly the other day. I have decided that I am trying to do to much. I work a full time job and then quilt for others part time and sew, design, take care of hubby, cook clean (OK so not so much of that) but now I have started going back to gym. OH Lordy what have I done to myself! I ache in places that shouldn't even exist. I tried a Latin Dance class and I tell ya it hurt to breathe. I have the Zumba DVD's but that doesn't mean I try hard at it,but being with others you always try harder and yes I strutted my fat stuff right into dislocating things I didn't have. But I am better now and even thinking that I might do it again. but enough of that lets get onto things you really came to see.
Friday Night Sew In was last night. If you want to check it out go to my side bar and click on the button. I sewed on some snowmen blocks for a swap. Bless Lou Ann's heart these should have been out already but I ummm misplaced mine. I had taken them to my retreat last NOV and no one did the swap so I tossed them, no I laid them in a pile of stuff to do later. Well thinking I didn't make them for no reason I put the swap back up on the group and this time there was one taker. So waiting till the last minute I go get mine and you know for the life of me I couldn't remember what I did with them. I finally found them and only had 6 pairs made. So in reality only 6 for the swap and 6 for me to keep. So I had to get a few more done.

I am sending these off today and now I have 24 for me and I cut enough out last night for 8 more. I really have no clue yet how I am going to set these. I don't think I like them by themselves so I was staring at them and thinking maybe an evergreen in between them. but that will a project for next NOV retreat. Yes you are right no sense rushing in to things. I mean this winter is on the backside and I won't feel like snowmen  in a week or two.
So off to the tote of blocks they will go till I am feeling snowy again. That is all I managed this FNSI but really that was enough, I got up at 5am and worked all day skipped the gym but manged to stay up till 11pm. Wow is that sad. I used to stay up till the hubby got up to go to work at 1:30am. I am either getting old or this working out is wearing me out. I thought it was suppose to make you more energetic?
Next on the list of things is what have I been up to. Well let me post some pics.

This is a baby quilt made for a co worker. Monica is expecting her first, little Alexa. We had a shower for her at work and I found out the week before the shower that her colors were pink, black and white. Well last year some time I did a pink and black block swap. Of course I do these swaps with nothing in mind so the blocks sit for months, Oh lets face it years. I put the blocks on the wall and didn't like them together, just didn't look baby to me.
!Light bulb! I have the accu quilt die cutter and the heart die. Yep looks more like a baby to me. I quilted it with meandering hearts and bound it in a pink/black fabric same as the back. With time running out I wanted to bring the back to the front and bind it that way but never had. So on the phone I went to a friend, Gail, that had demo'd this at club. first she said was to cut the front and batting off even but DO NOT CUT THE BACK So I carefully fold the back away and start trimming up the front and batting. Well you know what I did don't you? Yep I cut the back so quick call back to Gail "Umm thanks but I cut the back!"  So now I had to do it the hand method that I know and this was on MON night and the shower was on TUES got the binding done and at my first break I sewed on the label and wrapped it. DONE and on time!

This is the raffle quilt for one of the clubs I am in. If you have been following for awhile you will remember the other one I put together for a raffle. Well this is for the same club just different year. We were all given fat quarter of this black print. After all the blocks were turned in I took them and had hopes of making two tops for the same year but for some reason I couldn't get the second one done on time. Looking back at this pick I see I would have moved a couple blocks around but you know what they say 'hind sight is 20/20' Not changing it now. I am in hopes of passing this off to the member that has the quilting frame and in charge of getting the hand quilters together, MON night. Whew that will be a relief to have that check mark on the done column.
Check here for the other top I made. Sorry I couldn't find the pic of it anywhere on my pc even did a search for it. Probably another one of those things I lost when the computer crashed. Things that wanna make ya go hmmmmmmmmm.

This quilt was made by Margie. Yes her name comes through here quite often. I love all the different things that she does. Some of us get stuck in a rut but I have never seen two alike from her. Even when she did three fan quilts they were all different. This one I believe is upside down in the pic. She said that she loved the center fabric so much that she couldn't cut it. The simple sqs around the outside in coordinating colors makes a striking quilt. good job Margie!!!!

This is Diane V's this is a free pattern off the Internet and at our last MAR retreat we did this pattern. I believe it is called wicked easy. I am not for sure of anything anymore so please don't quote me on it. But you could search it if you wanted the pattern. I didn't do it so I don't have the patten handy to give you any of the information. The past four retreats that I have went to I have worked on UFOs and other stuff and none of the offered projects. Well this year I want to do some of the projects. Yep there I go again starting things. Yes more UFOs.But back to Diane's quilt. Love those colors don't you? so soft and pretty. I did an edge to edge panto on this one and it turned out great. Sometime I would like to use this panto on one of mine it looked so good on here. Great job Diane can't wait to see what you do next.

So the Mystery is next first I want to say I am going to get things together sometime this weekend so all the mystery can be found in one place.  But for now here goes.Last post I told you to cut 160 2½" sqs. of color 2. Be sure to keep the left over fabric for later.  Take your bckgrd 3" sqs and color 4 or z squares and on the lighter of the two mark a dotted line on the diagonal of the wrong side. Then mark a solid sew line 1/4" on each side of the dotted line. Layer one bckgrd and one color 4 or z  right sides together with your marks on top and sew on the sew line. Do this to all 40 of your squares. This is easiest if you chain sew one side then the other. Clip apart. Cut on the center dotted line and open and press to the dark side. Trim these up to 2½" square. You will have 80 half square triangles. Lay these half sq triangles right side up with the color 4 or z to the top left and your bckgrd on the bottom right. Place a color 2 right side down on top of your half sq triangle. Stitch across the bottom.  Do this to 80 of your color 2 sqs. Put the other 80 aside for later.                                                                                                          

Mystery Time and stuff

Well here it is the 15th and time for the fabric yardage for the mystery quilt. I have had the grand kids over today so I am late in getting this posted. They are both asleep now so I have a little piece n quiet to do my thing!. You know those little ones wear me out!

I did this pattern last year and I used 4 fabrics. I lost the pattern when my computer crashed so redoing it, I decided to add a 5th color. So I am going to give you the instructions for both but I want you to know that I am adding that 5th color as I go, the official instructions are for the 4 colors. So I will be writing the 5th color additions as I go. but things should be fine. Lets keep the fingers crossed. No I am not a designer, I just dabble and like to share those dabbles.

Also NO yardage is given for borders. I find that I have never liked or done borders from a mystery as stated so I just don't give any on my mysteries. With that said the overall size without borders are:
48" x 60". This is traditional pieced.

Here are the fabrics I used with the 4 way

As you can see I used a black (1) and  tonal black (2).
Then a grey (bckgrd) and magenta pink (4).
Now I am adding a lime green as a zinger (z) this
time around.
If picking for these I would use for 1 and 2 something dark and very close to the same. It doesn't have to be black. Dark browns, Navy, Dark greens .....................
Color 4 is something that will pop against your color 1 and 2.
Bckgrd color is something that shows great contrast with your other fabrics.

Yardage:
Color 1) 1 1/8 yd
Color 2)  1 yd
Bckgrd)  1 1/8 yd
Color 4)  1 1/4 yd          if using 5 colors 7/8 yd and then color z) 3/8

Now you have a couple weeks to get the fabrics and then the 1st I will post some cutting. Any questions post comment here (just in case it might be helpful to others). Thanks

Now lets see some eye candy

 This is Margie's I believe she called it Think Spring. I know some of you are ready for spring but I love the snow and cold. This is a beauty though. Margie always does so well with colors. I will say that Margie starches all her fabric after she pre washes it. So her quilts are wonderfully square. The first time the hubby saw some of the excess starch on one of her tops he thought he had done something to it. Oh he puts on the tops on the long arm. Isn't he a sweetie. Well anyway it was funny to me to see him a little worried.  I love the fabric in this top and I really enjoyed the color combinations that Margie used. Once again Miss Margie great top!

Just a pic of the back to show the quilting.













See ya later

Quilting, and giveaway

 Check out Corrie for a great give away. I am in hopes of winning this one. Great frabics for sure!
So to some eye candy.

This is a quilt for Teri. It was made by Margie. She wanted something other than an edge to edge pattern. No problem! I love to create what the quilt wants. Teri picked out the center motif for the Ohio stars, but I was free to do anything else I wanted. I hear that she loves the quilt and I am glad! Here it is on her bed. OH I love the bed! I am an antique nut. I have this bad habit of buying antique beds. This one is a beauty. Ofcourse it does have a georgeous quilt on it. And look at that quilt hanging on the wall! A basket quilt and I love the way it is sashed. UMM what a nice room. Here is a close up of the quilting. I don't think it shows real well but when you take the pics you never really know.



and the back