Blogtoberfest and Give away

Well it is here again and I first thought, I can't remember to post so why join? But then next thought was join and maybe just maybe this will kick start you into posting again. So yes I am joining in and I am going to host a give away with it.
Up for grabs 1st A Quilted Christmas from Quilters World it is last years magazine but unused and what a loaded issue it is. It is sure to please. 2nd is The Quilter's Home Spring, by Lois Krushina Fletcher .

So to enter for these, leave a comment. That's it, one chance per person. Of course I would love for you to follow and if you are a follower Thanks so much for sticking with me. This give away will run for the month of October with the winner announced NOV1






Gosh I am getting so confused on what I have been telling you and showing you that I can't remember anything anymore. I know I know if I would just tell you as things happen it would be easier. Well last month was my clubs quilt show and of course we make a raffle quilt. This year we were really late in getting it all together even though we started right after our quilt show last year. They picked out a Triple Irish chain and decided scrappy. Oh yes that will be beautiful BUT I commented on if you leave that big empty space some pretty hand quilting is a must. Are you prepared to do that. (I am not I repeat NOT a hand quilter) So I suggested lets applique a cute but simple flower. So that's what we did. Then since they were running so close they decided to machine quilt it. Um guess who did that! Yes yours truly. Oh how I didn't want to because now I am attached and want it but I won last years so I don't need to spend a bunch to try to win this one. Don't be greedy right. So I quilted it and it was a beauty and I bought $5.00 in tickets, asked the hubby if he wanted to buy some tickets and he scoffed like we need another quilt. So I let it go, resolved to never see my handi-work again. I had appliqued 3 of the blocks and quilted it so I felt as if it was mine but I took a deep breath and let it go. I do so get attached to many of the quilts I quilt and when I see them hanging in shows I feel like there's my baby and then poof it's gone again never to be seen.  Such is the life of a long armer. lol  So the Clubs quilt show went well, of course I had nothing of winning caliber, never do and that's ok, but walking in to pick up my entries my name is called. The hubby thinks I have won a ribbon I didn't even hear my name. Repeat on the PA system 'and the winner of the raffle quilt Susan Lesh" OMG

Isn't it a Beauty! It is going on my bed! See me doing the Happy Dance!








One of the clubs I am in went on a day trip to see the quilt gardens in the Shippsie area well I took pictures of one in Wakarusa but not sure where it went to. BUT I can find the pictures of all my goodies I bought that day. first up is in South Bend IN Erica's and A Stitch In Time

Then we have Middlebury and Wakarusa. Middlebury was The Quilt Shop and Wakarusa was  going out of business so I have erased the name from memory. Oh this getting old is...........

 Then this was a nice little Amish Store out in the middle of  nowhere (actually a fork in the road) and I can't even remember the town (not much town, 3 houses and this store) but the shop was Calico place or junction or something like that. I'd go again if I can find it.

Then this is a row x row I worked on. It has one more row to go then it goes to its' owner Suzy.








Well today is my Birthday and the hubby treated me to breakfast out. Yay! but he has hurt his back and I got a feeling the rest of the day is catering to him. A friend has offered to make me a birthday cake but I doubt if he will feel up to going out and visiting. So unless by a miracle a cake pops up at my door I guess it is stale chips and dip for me. But it is a beautiful day! and I plan on spending it sewing!
Sew by for now and Sew on

So is this monthly or what

Thought my summer was going so good and that is why I haven't been posting or maybe it was because it was so hectic! Or is it I am lazy! Well whatever the reason I have had a lot happen all summer. I haven't been home many weekends at all. I went home for the 4th of July and we had a family reunion, or somewhat of one. It is so hard to get everyone together, so we were missing a few. I took a cousin down with me and it was a fun time. We went to Hornet MO and looked (you really just sit and wait, in late night hours to wee early morning) out on a country road in hopes that this mysterious light appears. When I lived down in that area I had always heard about it but just knew that it was some B S. But let me tell you we saw something and it could not be recreated with automobile lights. I remember this had been featured on some unexplained TV show back in the 80"s (?). I don't know how to explain it but 5 of the 6 saw it. http://www.prairieghosts.com/devprom.html gives some info on this. Yep I am a believer now. So after returning back to IN for the week I turned right around and went back to Erie KS for my High School reunion. 35 years you hear me 35 years since I have been to school and it was great to see my old friends. Some of them have not changed a bit and some you had to hit me with a brick to make me believe who they were. So then I went managed to stay in IN for three weeks before I went back to KS again. This time Parsons, and went to my Army Reserve reunion. Wow talk about some people changing. Of course when I was in the Reserves I was so young and I remember my fellow buddies really being older and like my dads keeping me out of trouble. Or were they getting me into trouble.All in all I put 6,000 miles on my new car in 5 weeks. But the orange sonic made it and was quite pleased with her performance and comfort for the journeys.
So during this time I am quilting or am I. Oh who knows what I was doing but ....

But here is a quilt by ReJena that she made for her babies graduation. I remember when Cara picked this quilt out ReJena calls me and tells me that her daughter has picked out the most  awful quilt and she just can't make it. What is she going to do. I remember telling her if that is  what she wants make it. It will be her quilt not yours. So ReJena has ate her words a few times on this one. She now claims it is one of her favorites. Moral don't judge a quilt by the colors of the pattern. It can be better. So now my question is, are you one that sees a pattern and has to make it just like the cover pattern, or do you venture off in your own aisle and do your own thing? Do you instantly see it in other color pathways?
As always Rejena did a wonderful job on piecing this top and I am so glad she made it. such a happy quilt. Lucky Cara! And speaking of ReJena look at this baby quilt.

You know when ReJena gets an idea in her head that it should look like this, that is what it has to be and you know I am glad she sticks to her guns, her quilts always turn out to be so cute.  Such a fun quilt and such a lucky little boy.

Here I am with my youngest son and my cousin in Coffeyville, KS. The history in this town is really embraced and was nice to share with family. Yes those are the tie- dyed shirts from our family reunion.

This pattern is called Tangled. I'm sorry but I am not for sure on designer but I know LQS featured this pattern and then ran a challenge with it. I have quilted 3 of these now and really like this pattern but will I ever make it? Just  another one on the list. Which brings me to, why doesn't this list ever get smaller. I know I complete things and move to the next. Do I spend to much time looking and dreaming and not enough time sewing and making. I guess I dream more than I sew and I have to STOP.
So anyway this is Anita's and aren't these colors so soft and pretty together. I just want to cuddle with this one.

This was a Row x Row we did in my local club, and this one belongs  to Barb. She was new to RxR's and was very nervous to join in. She stressed for a long time before picking certain fabrics for her top. She bought fabrics and sent them along and you matched them. I think it turned out beautiful and I hope that she is happy with it and would join in again.

Here is a QOV that Judy sent me.  I believe her niece made this for her dad. Every QOV is special and dear.















Well enough for now I have a row to finish and I want to start something else. I do have lots more to say but will have to wait til tomorrow or the next day or the next. but I will try to get on before a month
Sew on

Row xRow

last Fri night I worked on a Row x Row that was due on Monday, Yes I know I shouldn't leave things for the last minute. But if I got things done in advance it would take all the fun out of it. Well here is my row on the bottom.

She asked us not to sew her rows together so I rearranged them the way I thought they should go of course now I an anxious to see how she sets them together. She talked about putting strips of black sashing in between the rows. First I don't think it needs it and then if I did sash it I think I would use purple as that is the main color. Bu then we all know that everyone has opinions right or wrong. Like I said I can't wait to see what she does with it.




With this row x row done I am now just in two. I had two row x rows in this swap so it is nice that I have two out of the way and can now focus on some other things. Please Lord don't let me start up on another one. Let me be strong to say no.





Carol's T-Shirt quilt, She does such a wonderful job on these.
















I am recovering from surgery and finding I can spend a little more time in the sewing room but still like to recline back in the La-z-boy. With that I have been working on my applique.

I got the top border done and now working on the bottom border, BUT not knowing what the heck I was doing I didn't leave the vine long enough to hang off and join to the top piece so I had to piece it well of course no matter how many times I measured when I sewed it together the seams don't quite match and of course it looks hideous, so I am toying with what to put there. Over this one I have little flowers all the same color. But I didn't go with that you will just have to wait to see what I did go with. Yes I learned what not to do and hopefully if I try something like this again I will remember this lesson. Doubt it, I seem to have a hard head when it comes to these sort of things.
I have so many other pics but they are on the camera so I guess I better go get them.
Bye for now

Grilling time

Yep the grill is fired up and the T-Bones are on! It seems I got nothing done this winter, but I know I am ready for the change of seasons. Winter was mild but my mood was frozen! I have to climb out of the funk and get busy. So far this year I have had this virus twice, and neither time has it been fun. I am not one that normally gets sick but twice already this year!. Not a good sign of things to come. I did get Devons birthday quilt done for him, I can't believe he turned 13. It seems like just yesterday this little cutie came up to me and puthis little chin in his hands and asked me to be his grandma. Oh how special is that, he chose ME! He wasn't even two when my son started dating his mother and now all these years later he still has that special place in my heart as my oldest grandchild.

He  seemed to have liked it! Dragons and Flames is what he wanted and that is what he got. I had this top lying around for years now just waiting to do something with it. So this was the time. Add some more dragons and redo some of the blocks. This top in the most part was made by Darlene Krake for me in a bag challenge. I gave her lots of scraps to work with, which is not an easy task, then she had a death in her family. She was so worried that I didn't like the top, nope just waiting for the right time to give it out. I thought when the boys were younger but I am glad I saved it for he loved it. Thanks Darlene for all the hard work you put in on the top. As you can see by his smile he was happy!

Here is the Maple Leaf Fall Row by Row that I am doing. These leaves belong to Marti. Only 5 of us joined in so we are doing one row plus one block. So the second row is mine and the second leaf also.

This next Row by Row is Kathy's, she chose the Split star pattern and to do it in light and dark batiks! What a stunner this will be when finished.

This Row by row is Carols, she took her top outside the box. Instead of making a starter row she made all the weeping willows. Then as we made our rows we made 6 houses but some of us added our house to the top row and took one of her willows and put it to our row. I don't know sometimes these people make me think way to much. lol  So those are the ones I have done right now.

This is a top I have been wanting to make for years now. It is made with the X-block from quiltqueendesigns. Nope not affiliated with them but check em out. I love their pattens and the template. Maybe someday I will get it quilted. I hope by the 4th of July so I can have it outside on the porch.

This is Diana's, I know she made this for a wedding quilt and I want to say Wow, she must have been collecting those batiks for awhile!  And thent he time in piecing this baby! but what a wonderful quilt!

And here is Rose's. We did this as a group at a retreat. It used to be on the internet as a free pattern but since I didn't do it. (Yes I worked on UFO instead, and I didn't get the pattern thinking I would just look it up someday) I can't tell you the name of the pattern.  rose loved this easy to piece pattern and made a couple of them, I think! Red is her favorite color and so she is keeping this one for herself.

Well now that sort of catches you up on what I have been doing but not quite, I still have a few things to show you but I am still learning my new camera and I think I may have deleted a few but I still have to go and figure that out too. Sew bye for now

Fri Night Sew in and I sewed

Well so many times I sign up for this sew in and then I forget or I sign up and then forget to report what I did do. OR I sew and report but I forgot to sign up. I managed everything this week. Signed up, check. Sewed, check. So now I am reporting what I did. But first I have to rewind to last fall the hubby changed satellite dish providers and in doing so we got the DVR. Yay I can record things to watch at a later date. Well that new series Revenge, I had a friend that loved it so I have been DVRing it. Well last night for my Fri night sew in I sat down in my comfy recliner and took out some hand work, and watched the show. Not bad I have to say, nothing I can't live without, but decent. Now onto the hand work. Needle turn applique.

It's hard to see just what I have done. I should have taken the other quilt down. But it is something that I am working on  too. Sometimes I get 4 or 5 things on the wall and I just have to make do. I am afraid if I take one down then I may not get back to it. So just keep it up and layer it. But back to the FNSI  I got all the vein appliqued and all the leaves  and flowers on one side stitched down. I think it was quite a bit considering... But when the dog had to go outside to do his thing, I went into the sewing room and worked on sewing up the back to my grandsons quilt. No I didn't get a pic of it but it is done and hopefully will get it quilted this weekend. I tried to use up a bunch of scraps on it so it is quite colorfull.
The quilt on the background here is Gail's Row x Row and I am working on the row I am adding. You know for a long time I was addicted to swapping blocks on the Internet but now I am into these  row x rows. I am in 4 of them right now so that is one row a week. Gosh then there is my full time job and then the quilting job and of course the things I want to do for myself. Then somewhere in there the hubby expects  me to cook. I just don't know what he is thinking!

These next three are Janet's. She's a piecing machine and always does a wonderful job. This first one shades of black with some cream. So elegant

One of the down falls of doing quilting for others is you don't get to know the name of the pattern or name of the quilt when I do them. So I dream up names for them This one I call Stairway to Heaven. For some reason it just reminds me of climbing up to Heaven. Now don't laugh at me. I think all quilts should have names and whether or not it is their real names that is how I associate with them while they are here.

This one I called Gardening. That center fabric is seed packages or what reminded me of that. I am not a Gardner and could care less about sticking my hands in the dirt but sure wish someone would come to my house and do that for me. Hmmm wonder if some bartering could be arranged.... now just with whom..... Will have to look into that. BUT back on track. This is a gorgeous quilt and the colors are more vibrant than what shows in the picture. I really do hate the hubby's camera. But I do have my new camera figured out so hopefully no more pics with this yellowed out camera. I had fun with this quilt doing something different in each border. Great Job Janet!!

I told you I was in 4 Row x Rows well this is one that just started and this is my starting row. The chickens are a 8 inch block and once I put them in a pen and a house they turned into a 12 inch block. Once this comes back to me I will add a row of the wood fabric to the top and down the right side thus finishing out my chicken house. I also have the chicken wire fabric that will be the borders so in reality I have a chicken yard when done.

These are blocks I did for Jane's row x row. She didn't want hers sewn together and she wanted fall colors. I thought I would have a hard time finding fall colors in my stash but I didn't so..................

 

I joined this row x row on the Internet that is the maple leaf block (like you couldn't tell that) and it is in fall colors. Everyone will be doing the maple leaf block and we use natural muslin as the background. There were only five people that joined this one so we are doing one row apiece and one block. For some reason I thought it was two extra blocks  and then the center loose block is my label. So with the extra loose block everyone will make a block and sew onto it so when this comes home it will be  6 rows by 6 rows.  Since I made that extra extra  block I am sure that I will add another row so I don't have an orphan block hanging around.  So with the green and cream one in the first pic you have seen the 4 row x rows that I am in.  I will continue posting pics as I make rows.  Well I better get to sewing some blocks or I won't get my rows done.

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.