Weekend doings

Boy oh boy, what a weekend. The youngest son calls hysterical, he had been stop by the police and they told him he was driving while suspended. They were threatening to tow the car but luckily they were not taking him in. He doesn't understand how, why or anything else  that deals with this. So needless to say my shy little boy has been pretty vocal these past couple of days. I know nothing from the BMV had come here since he has moved back home and that has been almost 2 years now. Drat it all he was going out this week to check out places of his own to move back out, but now with this unexpected turn of events, money could be a little tight for him to do that.

Sat. I had to work and my crazy employer starts work at 5am on Sat mornings so I spent a couple of hours Sat afternoon snoring on the couch, no it was in the chair. What a waste of a good sewing day. I didn't get started sewing until late Sat night and here are the two things I worked on. This first photo is of the club quilt that I (Have no clue as why) volunteered to put together. We were all given some of this black floral and told to make any block. Then there is a good 15 more yards of it. I still have 2 more rows to add to this but this is what I got done so far. I also have 12 blocks that were not quite the correct size, so I am going to make a second top for the club once I figure out how and what I want to do with them. Will keep you posted on that. I couldn't believe all the yellow in the blocks.I  used orange and green in my 2 blocks I made but look at all the yellow! I can count on one hand all the yellow fabric I have in my stash. So now you know what I think of yellow!

These two rows area row robin that I am doing on one of the groups I am on. They belong to Sharyn. I have always thought that this was to boring of a block for me. But I see now how wonderful it looks all put together that I may just have to make one for myself. She sent thangle papers for everyone to make the half square triangles. I had never done that befor so it was quite the learning experience. I have to say that I am not a very good student for I still had trouble with some of the triangles being off just ever so slightly. Guess I need to really stay on the line or just on the inside part of it. I did notice that I was sewing on the outside edge of the lines sometimes. So as I said in another post I need to be more detail orientated in my piecing. This is going to be a very striking quilt when it is all finished.                                                                                                                                          

Heat and quilting

Ok so the furnace is sort of fixed. It is at least working right now but they can not guarantee how long it will work. We kind of knew this when we bought the house but.... we always want things to last longer than they really do. This house had been neglected so we knew that everything and I mean everything needed updated or new. Our plans are to put a gas fireplace in the living room, not only will it make it look nice it will help with the heating.

I am planning on going to another retreat and need to get my money in so I thought I better get another quilt done to help cover the cost. So here it is. 

 A beautiful little baby quilt. It belongs to Rejena and I have to say she does wonderful work. Her quilts lay so nice and flat. I sure wish I could get mine that square. I know she says it is her pressing, and claims to be the  pressing queen. It is more than her pressing it is eye for detail in her piecing. Nope I don't think I will ever be that detailed oreintated in my piecing. Can't wait Rejena to see what is next from you.

I have one of my own tops on the machine now. Great, just means when it is quilted I have binding to do. Not my favorite thing to do. I did go out and find these leather finger thimbles and I think once I get used to it I might like them. They come in a pack of three, and they are joined in the back with elastic so the thimble can fit on any size of finger. With that I am wearing one on the thumb and one on the middle finger to sew my bindings on. So far so good but it is slowwwwwwwwwwwww  learning. As you can tell I am not a hand quilter. I am doing a baby top with needle turn applique and yes I am using those leather thimbles for that too.  Maybe I will learn to love hand work. 

Ok I need another quilt...

Came home from work today and thought the house to be a little cold. Hubby has been on a kick of trying to save money so really didn't think to much about it. he came on downstairs and I commented on the temp and teased him that outside was going to be warmer soon. So he became worried looked at the themostat and headed down to the basement. Darn furnance has went out and repairman busy and can't get to us till tomorrow. Thank goodness it is only getting down to 20° tonight and I do have some quilts to cuddle under while watching TV. Now ustairs is nice and toasty it has a gas fireplace so won't have to worry while sleeping. Starting to shiver just sitting here typing. 50° right now.  Gonna hurry this post up.

Got the red white and black quilt done that was pictured a couple weeks ago. This is Margie's quilt. I wish I could have gotten a better pic of it.

Great thing my Grandson did. Project Night Night

Well for those that have been faithfully following you will remember that back last spring/summer my 10 yr old grandson Devon  finally finished the quilt that he had been working on for 3 or 4 years. He had won second place in people choice in the kids division and had the hopes of giving this quilt away to some little boy that had no home or anything else. Well two weeks ago his hometown had a monster fire in their downtown district. Two historical buildings were totally destroyed in this fire. Now of course the upstairs we rented out in apartments. My son, Devon's daddy, just happened to work with a guy that lived in one of the apartments, and he has a two yr old son. This little boy lost everything that was not in the diaper bag. So  this was Devons chance.  When he was told  the story of the little boy he said 'yes yes this little boy had to have his quilt. Cuz the quilts that gramdma (Me) makes for him makes him feel better so this little boy needs to feel better' I tear up everytime I think how did he get so generous,giving and heartfelt. As the story gets to me, when the little boy saw his quilt it was like Christmas morning for him, his eyes brightened for his favorite things of all were on this quilt,  tools like what daddy has and dinoseurs covered the back and there are his favorites. Appearently the little guy collected dinoseurs.

This is a reminder pic of Devon and his quilt!
Thank you Devon for being a great kid!
I am so proud of him for being so thoughtful!
I just don't know of too many 10 yr olds that 
really want to give to others.









Now all this got me to thinking there must be thousand of kids out there in the same situation, and I hope that they have a Devon out there to cheer them up. I found this sight and it seems like a great thing. If you have been looking for a charity cause check them out.  Project Night Night provides a sense of security for homeless child.


Ok break time up I have other things to tell you but I have to get the quilt done and need to back to it before it gets to late.

So till tomorrow

Sundays News and give aways

I had to watch football last night, the Colts of course, but I am secretly hoping that the Saints win the big dance. I had my hand applique there with me but...... I did none. Oh I love the look of it I just wish I could love doing it.
I have been working on Perry's quilt top and have decided that it will become the next Fridany night sew in item to work on again. I have borders to do yet. Top is pieced otherwise.  So I guess rest of the day will be on the gammill and the red, white and black. Yes I will post pic of it after I am done with it. But a short story on this top is: LQS was doing clothesline blocks. Giving you small amount of one fabric and they had coordinating fabrics you could buy. Make blocks and turn in and possible win all of them. This color scheme is the only one I did and I made 6 or 7 blocks. They had enough blocks turned it that two people won. Margie and ME. This is Margie's top out of yep (alot of) my blocks. Nope I haven't done anything with mine yet.

This is my grandson Kyler and yesterday was his 7th Birthday. His Uncle Nathan and I gave him money, then Uncle Nathan and Daddy took him shopping while the other two came back home with me. The skate board is what he wanted. Daddy and Uncle Nathan did talk him into the helmet and pads. Good thing for that. He has the skate boarder look down doesn't he. I hope he likes it and doesn't break to many bones on it.











I have been going through my comments and going to their blogs. Oh there is so many nice things out there! I found this  Cathron's giveaway she is so talented I am so jealous. Check her out and drool over it.

And here Sue is having a give away too.

My Sew In Accomplishments

Well I partook of my first internet sew in. It was really just like most other nights here. Hubby goes to bed around 6pm cuz he has to get up at 1:30am to milk those cows, so I often sew anyway. Well last night my son brought over a movie but I told him nope gotta sew but I see this morning he did leave it for me to watch today. So I really did just sit and sew, and leaf through books, and fondle fabrics. Went to bed around 1am. I decided that I needed to work on Perry's quilt. I have never made him one, but have had it started for years. I do something I call a shuffled 9-patch, I think some people have said that they have seen it called crazy 9-patch. But anyhow I started this thing way back in 02 and have taught this class many times, and when I do I either make blocks for Perry's quilt or I have found this makes a wonderful soldier quilt. So any way I had 3 sets made in cow-i-fied theme and decided that another one was needed so I fondled fabric and sorted till I found some, made another set of these blocks.

First photo here is of all the blocks before squaring up. aren't they just wonderful. John Deere tractors, farm fields and cows cows cows. Yes the hubby likes his dairy cows. I hope it looks manly. I truly have a hard time thinking guyish. All the first blocks I had made had red plaid. I thought that it was looking to girlie so I then added just the plain blacks to these last two sets of blocks and I think that was a winner.

 Second photo here  is of the few rows I got squared up and sewn together. I had struggled with sashing or not to sash. I decided that I would go sashless. I had done one other top years ago sashless and I liked it but yet I have done every other one with sashing so I was torn. BUT I like it sashless adn I think the hubby will be very pleased. But then I do have to figure out borders yet so it could be awhile before he gets this anyway.

 In between doing this, it seems I can't keep my mind on one thing for  long, I quilted on a lovely red white and black top, see here I am quilting on it.

But anyhow this is what I did on the first Friday night sew in of the year.

Friday night sew in

Just found this and I am IN! I have alot I need to get done and since I am picking up the grandkids Sat. Fri night is a good time for me to just Sew Sew Sew. You can find out all about the sew in at Heidi's Blog. I hope to finish quilting a quilt I have had on my machine since Christmas.

What I did at retreat

Well as you know I didn't do much,way to hot. But I did manage to get a few rows done and these are important rows I might add.  This is Melissa's row. She wanted African Masks and provided the background fabric. I am not a very good (Just haven't done it very often) fusible web appliquer (I know no such word) I wish I would have cut the eyes out bigger but I guess she (Melissa) can add bigger eyes if it bothers her.

This is my starter row for the row by row on the 4"group that  I am in. This is the color of my living room. For those that don't know it hubby and I bought an old run down should have been demolished house and have been remodeling. Can't wait to see what this will end up looking like.

This is Sheryl's rows I have them all laid out together. This is the first Row by row that I haven't sewn the rows together and I don't think I like it. I have a hard time deciding what to do not see the whole picture. My row is the second to the last. I put it there since 3 rows where of one background and 3 rows will be of the lighter background. I wanted to see how it would look and other than the first light row is sewn wrong (spools going wrong direction) I think it is going to be a great one. But I guess I am cheating here I had this all done before the retreat just wanted to show it to you.

This is the New Years Eve mystery that Ann (not for sure of last name) did for us on several groups. I wanted to do this fabric so badly and I knew I didn't have much of it so I just did a small top and then thought I would border it differently as to add more size. Well not being a very good eyeballer I ran out of the blue before I got the border done. So I am on the look out for this blue but of course I don't have a selvedge to go by. Ahhhhhhhhhh sometimes lifes little challenges just keep me going. I will find it or I will figues something else out. But I am not I repeat NOT ripping out the half square triangles.


I have club tonight and I have the lesson. Guess I better get and get it together.

I'm still here

I know that you all thought I fell off the earth. Well not really, just seems that way, I have been real busy. I still have the Christmas photos to post and 3 row by rows that I have been doing. Two are close to being done and are ready to be passed on Thrus night at club meeting and the 3rd is a new start from an internet group. I went to a retreat this past weekend and tried to sew up a storm but get this it was so hot I could hardly work. Now mind you it was 15 outside but (it felt to me) like 100 inside. I found myself wondering the front rooms supervising layouts of blocks instead of in there sewing my own. Still had a great time and did get some things done. I wish I would have brought hand stuff to do but oh well hind sight.....

Here are some quilts that ReJena has made. She does wonderful work!!

Winner is

First I want to thank everyone for stopping by. I hope that you continue to stop in and check on me. I am planning a mystery soon. I have the design made just getting to the steps!
Next order of business is Happy New Year. I hope this year brings frabric and yarn all around me, health and happiness. And it brings whatever you wish and or need in abundance to you.
So that leaves us to the winner. random.org tells me that Colleen is the winner! So you need to email me with all your info so I can get this out to you.

Thanks again

Susan