Not done yet..................

You would think I would have run out of steam by now. I mean, I have probably not got this much accomplished since I began quilting. I do feel like a bit of a fraud because I am not actually doing the quilting part myself. I am sending them to Barb who has the long arm. Still, my goal was to use and not waste all the fabric I bought over the years. My first project a nine patch got me hooked. That one I did stitch in the ditch and hand tied it. My first quilting lesson I was talked into taking. Silly me. How could I know it would become an obsession with fabric?



I wish the colours would show better on this one (above) Its just beautiful. I bought the panel and the fabric seperate but it just goes so well. It will be backed with a nice deep red. I did add another border and it was the right choice. I love this one and may keep it myself.
I started sewing just after I left school. We did learn to sew in school back then so was already well on my way. My Dad bought me and mum a sewing machine. Well we both made clothes with it. I had started going out on weekends with friends to dances and needed clothes. We would make a new dress for every Friday night. It was easy back then as "shifts" were in. I have always learned quite well by reading instructions. I taught myself to crochet that way. So I even sewed one dress with a scalloped hem. I made clothes for our next door neighbour and even made a wedding dress.
Anyway, it seemed that a 9 patch was simple enough and would teach me basics for quilting. I enjoyed the lesson because I was with friends. I was horrified when I saw the 9 patch quilt we were to make. I figured 9 squares sewn together how bad could it be? Well those 9 patches were small and formed one quilt block, not at all what I envisioned. Still.........it was fun and we got er done.



The next one above is a Christmas quilt, most likely wont be done for this year but will be added to the stash for next Christmas gifts. I have two more Christmas ones to do.
I do have some bed size quilts to make but will save those for last and maybe make those a bit more complicated. I do hope I can get the machine out again after Thanksgiving and not stop while I am on this binge of sewing. I have 3 more cut out to start this week. I am hoping Edna will have time to come over and help me figure out the size for the backs of the ones I have done so far. Also hope Barb has time to do them for me.


Meanwhile I also got another Scubbie done. I love this yellow. I am going to buy some plain tea towels and put borders on them to go with the quilts I am giving as gifts. I am currently doing one in a raspberry shade. I like the combination of the two yarns together. Although I must say that the one I did for me in the beginning that is just the scrubby yarn works very well for what it was intended. I just wanted to try with a more absorbent yarn in it to see if it works better. I shall see when I try the first double yarn one.
Meanwhile I am also doing scarves but they can wait until done to show those.
Carry on................

Project review............

My last couple of quilt tops.


I really like this one with the Roosters, I have no place for it though. This will be finished after Christmas as I have too much to do before Christmas to complete what I want to make. I may keep it myself, I am not sure yet.
The next one thats under way

Egyptian Kitty
No home for this one yet either. I am not sure what I will back this one with just yet.

I really don't want to buy more fabric so may just choose to use the plain beige and have Barb do an intricate design that will show.
The one I am working on now is a garden quilt. It would actually be nice to sit outside in the garden in the Spring or Fall.

I brought down the rest of my fabrics from upstairs storage. I thought I was doing pretty good in using up fabric but when I got it all down I can see that I have only just began. I even brought down the Christmas fabrics. I think I will save that until next year and do it justice because I do have some nice Christmas fabric. I have to keep myself on track though. I need to start on Tote bags soon.

accomplishments....................

Not a lot accomplished this week but a bit anyway..............I got 6 more quilt tops to Barb this week. I picked up 3 she had finished. Good deal right. She does an awesome job with her long arm quilting. She also has some nice patterns. I did this small one for Cooper at Christmas and she had a pattern of a happy little fat plane that went on the back.


Isn't the little chubby plane cute?
These are lap size quilts. Handy for snuggling on the couch to watch TV or maybe take to a ball game.
This next one is a kitty quilt and she enhanced it with kitty paws in the machine quilting.


The third one is a bird quilt.............these quilts are quick and easy to make and use up printed fabrics that you dont want to cut, or use panels. I have so much fabric that I am using as much as I can. I will keep on making these and keep a stash of ready made quilts for gifts instead of fabric.


On the bird quilt you can see that Barb used a pattern of small birds.
I have two more cut and ready to sew. These too are both a panel and some fabric I dont want to cut up. I didnt have a lot of the Egytian cat one so its going to be a lap quilt and I have some Egyptian pattern fabric for borders. I am not sure what I will back it with yet. This is what I am putting together as the top.

Then the next one I think will be a table topper.Not sure, I may just do another lap one.

Another thing I have going, I am making pot scrubbers. I made one as directed but found it not at all absorbent. SO............I did the same thing with double yarn, the scrubby yarn and some cotton. If that's no better then I will back it with terry fabric but dont want to have to buy more stuff

I will also do a few kits that I have to give as gifts. This is one from a couple of years ago that I kept but will give away I think. If I had more followers who left comments on my blogs I might just do a giveaway.

Then this is one I bought a few years ago with the intent of doing a few myself.

I stopped in the Thrift shop the other day and didnt find a lot but did get this little teapot.

Well thats it for this time

It's the Little Things.............

Life can be full of heartache and tears, if you allow it. It can also be full to the brim of wonderful things if you look for them. To me I find pleasure in the little things. The big things take care of themselves. To a certain extent you can't do much about the big things, I give them to the Lord and move on. I give the problem my best shot and thats it.
I find joy and peace in walking on the beach, no matter the weather, hot or cold. I love to find the pretty stones and see the wild things along the way. The woods are always full of pretty things, surprising things and peace. Even with the noise from children running and playing it's peaceful. I found these pretty things on the beach on Sunday. I collect hearts so these were special.

The top heart is special, it is a purple Leland Blue stone, held up to the light its like glass.
WE did freeze our toes getting the blue stones

When I get time I will look into learning to make jewelry with some of the nicer ones. Meanwhile my friend Barb showed Edna and I some yarn. It's called
"Scrubby yarn" she made kitchen scrubby cloths. Both of us decided we wanted to do some, nice to stick in with Christmas gifts. Edna cranks things out so quickly she had already done 4 before I even got the yarn. I now have my yarn. First one half done.

I would like some myself and will try to get a few done when I am not doing other things. I still have to get outside and plant my ivy.It's supposed to be nice tomorrow but I want to sew. I was very lazy today.
I am going great guns on the quilting. I have two more almost completed and ready for Barb to pick up when she is in town. I ended up bringing most of my fabric down so I can match things up. I have two more ready to sew.These two almost done.


It sounds like I am busy but really I am not. Edna on the other hand gets much more done than I do. She also gets up at 4.30am. I get up at 6.30 but am a zombie for at least a couple of hours. Edna can have baked a dozen pies by then, she makes me tired. She came over on Tuesday to help me with my cutting out. I had found an add for a quilt shop in Suttons Bay I showed her the add and we decided to forego sewing and go look. Well, it was a lovely shop Cherry Country Quilters and I found fabric better than I had for Laura's quilt so got that. Then I found some for another I was putting together. It was worth the trip, we also stopped at Leelanau Cheese near Suttons Bay and got some really nice cheese. After that we stopped at Ben Franklins back in Traverse City so we could get the yarn, Edna had used hers all up already so wanted some more haha. Then we went to lunch at Rounds Restaraunt who serve breakfast all day. Had me some nice corned beef hash that was awesome. That was enough for one day.

Quilting........

I am pleased to say I am getting back to quilting. My friend Edna, the one I go on shop hops with. Well we do a lot of things together, like shopping and road trips to Amish stores and quilt shops. Anyway, I have been procrastinating on the sewing. Edna offered to come over (now Tristen is in school I have my machine out) and help me by cutting out some of my fabrics. I decided to do some lap quilts for Christmas gifts. I am doing simple quilts. Take a panel for example and just put on borders. Easy peasy. I also have some good patterns that do not require a lot of cutting. So here we go.
I have done 5 so far, tops and backs. I will take them to my friend Barb who has a long arn quilting business.

Not a lot to show at the moment. I have done 5 tops so far and Barb will do them for me before Christmas.
When we all lost our jobs at the bank we all went in different ways. I stayed in touch with most in my department for years and a few of us still see each other quite often. Nancy and Edna and Barb have been the ones I have had the most contact with. Meaning we hang out and do stuff together. Nancy moved away to downstate to be near her kids. Edna still lives here and was really missing her because they did a lot together. I couldn't because I had Tristen but........now he's in school all day I have more time. So Edna offered to come and help me with getting going again on my quilting. I have problems cutting out fabric due to my sight.
Barb started her own quilt business. She invested in a long arm quilt machine and taught herself how to do that. She practiced on our quilts. She was good right from the start but now she is great. Her business is BJ Quilting and she is on Facebook.
Well, here is a look at what I have done so far, you cant see what the quilts will be like when done but can see the fabrics at least.
this one will be for Cooper who is 2, it will have a pillow to go with it. A nap time quilt and pillow. If he is lucky I may get to his bed quilt soon.

This one will be for Reina. A quilt to sit and snuggle in with the fairies


The next two will be for Carrie my daughter in law.


Teal wants a larger size and likes cats so I chose this fabric for her.

....and if I have time I will do something with this as well, but I have to see what I have to go with it.

These all have funny cats on them but not sure what I have that will go with them so...........

So look at my messy dining room, its my work shop for now. Well its not often that its not covered in junk of one kind or other.




Some other fabric combinations I have are for later, this one for Cooper again.


and I loved this fabric that I want to make a purse or tote out of.

At least I have made a start and I am feeling ambitiouse. I have actually been enjoying myself. Its going to cost a fortune getting them quilted but as I have so much invested in fabric there is no turning back. It will be nice when the stash is down and I can get things as I need them. One at a time.

Another visit to the Thrift store...............

Saturday was our visit to the groomers for Bodi and Bijou. That is always my opportunity to visit my favourite Thrift store. Next week we have to take the other two poodles. We go to Brenda's Pet Parlour she is awesome and although I cant say the poodles love their visit, they dont complain haha. We will be back there again next week when we take the other two in for a spruce up.
Anyway suffice it to say I will be in the Thrift again next week. Meanwhile, I did find a few things.


The bowl shown above is Marqui by Waterford. Its a nice size bowl and I make good use of these at Christmas or parties to hold snacks or fruit or candy.
Its a lovely piece of crystal and heavy.
I also found these lovely candle sticks. I am not really a candle person, I would probably burn the house down by forgetting them. I do use candles sometimes in the winter though. Especially at Christmas time. I love the way the glass and crystal sparkles.


I think I have said it many times I just love glass and especially crystal, it glows.
I also picked up these two little bird votive candle holders. I am not sure what the purpose is of votives as they dont last long. I just could not resist these two though. The glaze and detail is really nice, no makers mark though.


I always look for glass, and I could not resist this wine bottle holder because it came with a Pier 1 blue bottle.

The there was this silly green bottle, well I could not leave that could I. Not at all sure what I will do with it but maybe it will be something I use for garden ornaments for next year. I know I can use it somehow.

Last of all this lamp, came with a candle. Again, no idea what to do with it but it would be handy if the lights go out haha. Or maybe with a bug deterent candle next summer?

Well, I left before I could do anymore damage. There was plenty left that I could have picked up but will wait until next week. I have to be discriminating. Look for things I can use. I do need some new crystal glasses. Hmmmmm.