Well Here It Is

This is the tree with 65 beaded tassels. All ready to be taken to the Guild meeting on Thursday so that each member can select a tassel to take home. I am really pleased with how they look. So much that I will be making more for my own tree as Christmas Ornaments.....

That is all I got finished last night. Still moving a bit slower than usual. I still have to finish printing and getting ready to mail the Christmas Cards for Mama. My sister lives close by and does so much for her. Cards are one thing I can do.

Some Like it Hot.....

The color on this is just not good. The orange is really more of a burnt orange so you will need to mentally adjust when you look at this.

The pattern is from Planet Patchworks Block of the Month.

I had three blocks already completed and this week I made the other nine. This morning I put the last border on it. I will back it with the print and use the electric blue as the binding.

I will say that it looks much better in person....................

Having back problems now. Not able to do much of anything that requires the use of my right hand. Being righthanded that is a real problem.

Another Vacation Picture

Here is another vacation picture. Rebekah brought her 221 so that I could do some alterations for Mama. Naturally Jason wanted to know all about why we kept talking about how special it was..........

I got all of the alterations done so now she has a few things that fit.....

We went to Truro yesterday but I failed to take the camera. I am still not used to making sure I have it just in case I see something worthy of a picture. We went to the Atlantic Spice Company for spices for pomandor balls. I am hoping to use them as the centerpiece this year.
Did a bit of shopping this afternoon. Two small lamps for the holidays, a tablecloth and some garland................. Now off to see what we can have for dinner. 

Recap of the Month

Judy's Hour a Day Quilt
Done and it turned out great.......... Now I have to wash the fabric for the backing and get it quilted. I think I will send this one off.

Finish Holiday Swap Blocks Need 20
Mailed and they arrived on time. Now to wait for my portion to be returned. Wonder how I will set these blocks?

Finish Beaded Tassels Need 65
All done and now they need to be put on the tree for the dinner. When that is done I will post a picture.

Finish Insipid Geranium Quilt
Sleeping under that quilt now. Since the temperature is dropping I might need to add another one.

Finish Brothers Quilt
All done and I am glad to have it ready to deliver to him. Hope he likes it.

Finish hot pink stretch socks
I got one done and began the second one. Since we were traveling I finished another pair instead. It had no pattern and was easier to work on without thinking.


Make Nifty Fitty Blocks 2 to be sent for approval
That is still on hold.

So I have two items to carry over........ They will go onto the January list. For December the goal is to:

Finish 2 quilted Christmas Stockings

Make 18 potpourri balls

Finish 24 little stuffed angels

Decorate for Christmas

That will take all my time this month. Of course, I will be thinking about two quilt tops I have to make in January............................

Dear Brothers Quilt

Finished at last. I began this quilt so many years ago. Thought I would try my hand at it. I didn't like quilting at all. Made the blocks and put them aside. I came across it several years ago and had it quilted. Then it hung around waiting for the binding. I have many projects like this. I hope to finish many of them this year.

The Insipid Geranium

Well, here it is, the “Insipid Geranium”……. The pinwheel blocks began life as part of another quilt. They looked terrible so I rushed to my Local Quilt Shop to see what I could do with them. This geranium fabric seemed to fit the bill even though I thought the flowers were faded and past their prime. I even used the flange on this quilt. I have always liked them. The original quilt is still incomplete. It needs to be quilted and I hope to finish it in 2007.

Darlene has gone public with her plan for clearing out unfinished projects. One thing about blogging, I feel obligated to do what I say I am going to do each month. I find that I am more productive knowing that I wrote down in public my goals…………………..

For the year 2007 I plan to finish a quilt each month or two quilt tops. Completing a quilt means that it is ready to use complete with binding and label. Completed quilt tops will be bagged with the label, binding cut, backing stitched together and ready to layer.

I am sitting here and mentally reviewing what is on the top layer in the studio. I can easily name 12 tops to be assembled. These are all machine piecing projects, no appliqué or hand piecing on this list. I have the fabric for all of them………. They will be listed on the sidebar. I will only list 12 of them. I will also have a hand quilt project, a knitting project (probably a sock) and an embroidery project to work on upstairs in the evening.

There, I have said it………….. Now let’s see how well I can do it…………..

The Last Ones............

I do apologize for the terrible picture. I just can not seem to hold the camera still these days.......

These are the last of the Holiday Swap Blocks......

I mailed them off yesterday. It does feel rather strange. I can work on anything I want to........ I have no deadlines looming now.............

Rebekah and I are getting into the holiday spirit starting this week by playing Christmas music and putting up the tree.

I can't put mine up yet. I will be using it to put the beaded tassels on for the Christmas Party.......... I will get it back next week and perhaps by then I will have my little stuffed angels ready to put on it. I am even thinking about making a tree skirt.

Break time is over so back to work for me. 

Eight of the Blocks

I can't seem to get a clear picture these days........... Anyway, here are 8 of 12 blocks I need for this quilt top...........

Next Up...........

I found this fabric in the discount bin at Big Horn Quilts...............

It is so bright and alive that I just had to order it............. That was 2 years ago...........

On New Years Day, 2006, while surfing the net I found Planet Patchwork. They had a Block of the Month that seemed really easy.

I checked out the fabric I had on hand and this piece spoke to me. I added a green and a yellow. The sashing will be burnt orange and the cornerstones will be peacock blue. This is one quilt that will keep you awake unless you close your eyes fast........................ There are 12 blocks and I have 8 completed. The instructions for the sashing and cornerstones and borders has not been posted yet. I hope to have all the blocks done by the time it comes out online..................

I am giving serious thought to trying to complete one quilt or two quilt tops each month for the year 2007.

Gratitude

Well, here it is......... My Hour A Day Quilt for November.

Judy at Sunshine Quilts designed this for us to enjoy. She does such wonderful things with sashings and borders that make such a difference in the quilt.....

I am so pleased with the way this one came out. I went to Thousands of Bolts and ordered this backing. I plan to get this quilted right away.

I still have one more block for the Holiday Swap to finish and I can mark that off my list of November projects.

More surprises tomorrow.....................

Not Bad.............

 

Wishing everyone....

The turkey is in the oven and I am back to the studio to stitch. Just Lem and I today. Rebekah and Robert are off to Mississippi to celebrate with his mother. Kim and Jason are in NC where all of Kim's family are supposed to show up for the holiday.

Today I will enjoy the quiet of just the two of us because I know how things can change so rapidly in ways you never imagined...................

Baking a Turkey

Only Norman Rockwell could paint a turkey like that one. I never could get mine that perfect.

I well remember the first one I baked. My parents and my in-laws were eating Thanksgiving at our house. I was baking the turkey. I was not to pleased because I did not recieve the giblets and was really feeling slighted with only the neck of the turkey wrapped and placed inside the bird. I washed it well, covered it with butter and wiped the inside with salt as my mother had instructed.

I brought it out on a platter and my husband began to carve. It does seem as though someone could have told me that the giblets would be wrapped in paper and placed in the neck part of the bird and not inside. There the were, still wrapped and completely baked......... Oh the humiliation of the moment.......... I can laugh now but not then.............

There are so many traditions associated with holidays and each family makes their own traditions.............. One of my favorite stories is about a Christmas Ham.

The mother is preparing the Christmas ham to bake and her small daughter asked her why she cuts the end off before she bakes it........... "Because my mother always did" was the reply.

That afternoon when the grandmother arrives the small girl asked again why you should cut off the end of the ham before you bake it........ as before "Because my mother always did" was the reply.

When the great grandmother arrives the girl again inquires " Why do you cut the end off the ham before you bake it?" "Well" her great grandmother replied, "because my pan was not big enough."

Rebekah called last night for the recipe for dressing balls. "I don't have it" I tell her, "You are supposed to have it."

"I cannot find my copy now and I need it, it isn't Thanksgiving without dressing balls"

I suggest she try Google and there it is, the recipe she needs.......... Think I will fix dressing balls myself tomorrow.

Three Sets Done

Here they are... Three of the four sets I need for the swap. How good to have them done. The other set is paper pieced and I need to pick up some paper for them. It will be so easy to get them done this weekend and mailed on Monday.

I still have 10 tassels to knit and that project will be drawing to a close.

This morning I found some time to work on my Gratitude quilt. I am still in hour five but when that part is done it should move a bit faster.

Off to the library to see if there are any talking books. The last ones I checked out were mostly duds........... I also need to stop at the knit shop near the library for some needles. I know I have them but they are among the missing right now.

I see that if I apply myself, I could actually finish my goals for November.........

Good Morning All

My friend Lu stopped by on Saturday with chicken soup and fabric. What a treat........ Great soup and great finds and the local church sale. All the fabric was $3.00...... I will get it washed and into my scrappy stash. I have it set up the way Bonnie Hunter recommends. It works great for me that way. I know exactly where to put each piece. Anything that is trimmed and too small to use I toss in a basket. That goes to make doggie pads for the animal shelter........... Nothing wasted.

I am feeling much better today. Staying in all weekend was the right thing to do. I even got most of the blocks made for the swap. I will be wrapping that project up this week and the tassel project will be completed next week. I anticipate starting the New Year with no deadlines looming. I can start on the Pink Heart quilt and enjoy working on it.

Holiday Swap Blocks.

Sorry the picture is blurry. I can't seem to hold the camera steady these days. Must be all the meds.......

This weekend I am finishing my Holiday Swap blocks. I now have two sets complete and two left to make. I do hope to get them in the mail by Wednesday at the latest. 

Beginner Sock

Beginner Sock

There has been some discussion recently about knitting your own socks. I find it a wonderful way to sit and relax in the evenings. The new yarns available now are computer dyed and yield wonderful patterns. The link above will provide a mini-sock to knit. It is a great instructional sock and many thanks go to Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer for providing this pattern.

If you would like something with a little more challenge try some of Jackie's lace sock patterns or beaded socks. Her instructions are concise and easy to follow. She no longer sells retail but she has a store locator on her site that will provide information needed to purchase her designs. I have to order them from a shop off Cape.

I can also recommend Earthfaire. She carries some of Jackie's sock patterns as kits so that the beads are included.

Enough said about socks. I am going to stitch a few quilt blocks while I am still on bedrest.

Another Vacation Photo

Here I am with Mama, my husband and son. Batteries were low on the camera and the flash did not recover fast enough to get a good picture.

Thank you to all that sent me get well greetings. I think I am among the living again. Moving a little slower that usual (and that wasn't all that fast).

I looked at the November list and realized that I will not complete all the tasks I had assigned myself to complete. Sure am glad I am not being graded on this..........

Tomorrow is the day I have assigned myself to finish my Holiday Swap blocks. The deadline is fast approaching on that project. Then I will have to finish the beaded tassels. Time waits for no man or women for that matter. 

A Few Days of Bed Rest

Well, it is official……………I am not well. Just saw the Dr and she sent me home to go to bed till the temp is normal. And I was making such great progress on my November list. I still think I will be able to get everything done on time that has a deadline. The other things might get put on hold for a bit. I do have the blocks I prepped for the quilt Rebekah and I are working on. I think I shall go home and play with them while I rest…….

I will share the photo of my first block from the Gratitude. I am most grateful to Judy for providing such a delightful quilt.

A Spot of Local Color

Here is Vickie Wilder, the manager of my Local Quilt Shop. On the occasional Friday morning, we meet for breakfast before work and the Homeport Restaurant.

They have grits on Friday and being from the south I am partial to them.

I am pleased to report that my attendance report is finished for the month and filed. I got little else accomplished this morning. The cold that began Sunday is working its way into a real inconvenience.

No sewing done this morning, perhaps I can find an hour when I get home.

Last night I got 20 of the tassels completed. I am looking forward to putting that project to rest...........

Monday, Monday

I still haven’t read what everyone did while I was away. I will get to it as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone for the warm welcome home.

Lem and I are both starting to get a cold. He has a Dr’s appointment on Wednesday and I plan to tag along. Perhaps we can get something to encourage the cold to leave….

I did get some sewing done this morning. This quilt is going to be so lovely. Thank you Judy for sharing this with us. I am thinking this might be a good setting for some Dear Jane blocks I have from swaps….. It will take some effort on my part but surely worth it.

I am going to try flying again. I have been in remission for some time and it is time to get those wings out and go again. Anyone want to join me just go to www.flylady.net. She has a great method for keeping you on track and making life so much more pleasant.

Break time is almost over so I will add my picture of my Gratitude quilt so far.

Hour One

This morning I did get the first hour done. I am not as swift as some and it did take me 2 hours but they were time well spent.

Then upstairs to complete the house blessing. That was longer as I had to finish the unpacking and putting away suitcases and such.

Now I am a wee bit tired even though I did fit a small rest in there.

I have a cup of tea waiting and I am off to finish working on the beaded tassels......... there are 60 of them all knitted but not finished. I want to get 15 more done this week. A friend will check on the number needed.............

There are so many pictures to post and stories to share and I just don't have the time just yet. Perhaps tomorrow................... 

Here's Mama

Here she is, my dear mother. She turned 90 in August so Lem and I met the children at her house for a few days. We all had a grand time and more pictures will follow later. I have much reading to do to catch up with what everyone is doing. Just wanted you to know we are home and were blessed with a safe journey. 

 

I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane.

Looked for fabric for this month’s swap. Wouldn’t you know I was a few inches short…. Then it came to me about 3:00 AM………….Use another pink fabric for the outer border. DUH……….. How slow can some people be? Now my fabric is all selected and ready to cut out. I will be a week behind everyone else but I am still going to join the fun. Totally destroyed the studio looking for fabrics for this quilt but discovered some hidden treasures………..

I met dear Peg after work for coffee and she passed on a few quilting magazines. They have wonderful patterns in them to use some of the fabric I have. The quilt pictured is one Peg made for her granddaughter. The horse blocks have over 100 pieces in each block.

I am going to visit my dear mother. I haven’t seen her in almost 2 years. I will be able to see my children and grandchildren also. We will be gone for 8 days.

I will miss everyone and will check in if I can.

Please don’t forget me while I am gone…………….

Bead Spinner

Several people have asked about the bead spinner. I fount this company online that even has a video of one in action. If you are making something that requires lots of beads it a a real time saver.




http://www.beadspinnerlady.com/beadspinner.html

Carnival Socks

These I call my carnival socks. In 2003 when I began quilting I purchased a pattern for a quilted sweatshirt. I went to the local quilt shop with the intention of purchasing one in red, gray and black. I ended with some really wild oranges and purples and yellows...... The sweatshirt is not yet done but when I saw this yarn I knew it would be the perfect socks to go with the top. I even bought some dark purple velveteen to make slacks...... Boy, I sure do have enough to keep me busy for many winters............ 

At last I have something to show for my efforts this past month. The top socks were made start to finish. They are acrylic sport weight yarn. I found the yarn on sale for $1.00 a skein and could not resist. Not having any nylon content I am not sure how long they will last but they were a fun project to make and I like the cheery colors. They will be great to wear on Saturdays with jeans......
The second pair has a little metallic thread running through the yarn. black slacks, denim blazer, winte white turtleneck with a gray crew neck over it...... Hmmmm 

I find that some projects require a table. This is the favorite spot for those task. Right now I am making the beaded tassels and here I sit each evening with my bead spinner. You can see the pearl cotton lined up in front of the beads. 

My Favorite Spot

Having seen recently the favorite spot of some of my friends, I thought I would share my favorite spot. Especially since I got it cleared out this past weekend. The needlepoint bag in the chair was made from a piece of needlepoint my mother worked..... I had it made into a bag but do not want to get the bag dirty so I keep my sock stuff in there to work on while I watch television.





This has a view om my tray with my necessities of the trade. I find vases to be great for holding scissors, pens, knitting needles and the like. There is also the Baleek dish my friend Lu brought back from Ireland for me. That if for orts.... A member of my needlepoint class takes the contents of her container and puts them in a clear plastic Christmas Ornament, marks the year on them and hangs them from the tree. I think that sounds like a good idea and will be trying it this year................

Why Not

I got this from Darlene who got it from Bonnie who got it from ....well you get the idea........

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
2. Swam with dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said "I love you" and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an expert
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Eaten fugu (pufferfish)
89. Had a one-night stand
90. Gone to Thailand
91. Bought a house
92. Been in a combat zone
93. Buried one/both of your parents
94. Been on a cruise ship
95. Spoken more than one language fluently
96. Performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show
97. Raised children
98. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Ridden a bike
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life