Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year!

This is Bev's quilt.  The top was hand pieced by her mother.  I quilted wonky feathers all over it and bound it too.  This is definitely a make-do quilt as while  quilting it I noticed that a few of the background hexi's are made from a corduroy fabric and a couple of the flower one's are pieced together.  

*******

Besides checking FB to get the newest pictures of my granddaughter, which is a new computer obsession!  

And I quite don't get why they aren't posting new ones daily if not a few times a day....I kid, I kid....(sigh)

I've made a couple more Christmas pillows.

A couple are gifts.  The peace one I thought up all by myself  and since the size isn't standard I even made a pillow form from leftover batting stuffed with fiberfil for it.

I have one more Joy to finish-putting binding on it.  I did start another pillow pattern but can't find the  link right now. It's scrappy, flying geese.

*******

Paul and I celebrated another anniversary.

They just keep piling up-haha

yup, thirty-two years of wedded bliss.

buwahahahahahaa  (wink)

life is good.

precious blessing

Joanna

 our granddaughter

Everyone told us...but now we know....

there is nothing like this feeling...

"my cup runneth over"

Life is Good!

Quilting joy

or
 quilting  "Joy"

pillows...

a few more before the 25th...

(Joy is my version of this and this.)

Life is good.

So much happening here!

The baby shower is over!  It was a great success. Over 50 friends and family came and showered Jenn!  

It was a lovely day.

Even the dad to be (my son, John) sporting his "baby beard" received something!

A Daddy's diaper changing survival kit!  

Hilarious!! 

If he's anything like his father; it will come in very handy!!

We got our first measurable snow.  One of the maples hadn't even finished dropping it's leaves yet! They're all gone now and so is the snow. It sure was pretty.

My design wall with more progress on Metro Hoops.  I only have eight more hoops to make!  I haven't sewn the 4 squares together that make one block yet since I have a few blocks that don't have matching hoops.  Not sure how much that would even matter but thought I would just wait until they're all pieced and decide if I can keep them the way they are or if I should mix them all up.

I just finished quilting this top.  It was pieced, by hand, a long time ago by the mother or grandmother (I can't remember) of one of my co-workers.  She inherited the top and promised it to her daughter when she got married.  Well the daughter's been married for years now!  

I did an all over of wonky feathers on it.  

Love the fabrics. 

It's definitely a scrap quilt as even some of the hexagon patches are pieced!  A few of the background hexi's are a very thin corduroy type fabric!  Cool.

I'll be excited to get it done and back to her.  She gave it to me with no pressure to get it done.  This is the co-worker who had a stroke during the summer.  She's doing very well and I know getting this will just be another positive for her.

Almost makes me want to make one, but not quite.  :)

Scrap Happy

After a morning appointment, I bought the 2nd set of purse tabs for my Scrap Happy purse.  

I explained why in my last post.

I went straight to my cutting table and put the 2nd handle on!

I immediately transferred all my stuff into it.  

It's really a perfect size. 

 I love how bright and well, happy it is. 

 It makes me smile!

I want to make another one!

Soon.

I'm gonna try to link up to Amanda Jean's finish it up Friday.

finishes...

I am pleased as punch that the CW Sampler quilt is finished. 

 I sewed the last few inches of binding down this morning!  I did almost all of it last night while watching the Pens v. Bruins game.  If the game wouldn't have been soooo exciting, I could have finished the whole thing for sure!!

Today I also finished two purses. 

(well almost)

 I've been trying to get this Urban Pods one made ever since I saw Jenny's on her blog.  But there is no pattern for it.  Yikes!

 When I started putting together my Scrap Happy Purse, I had an "aha" moment and thought I could do them both at the same time. 

  

 After I quilted the panel for the Urban Pods purse,  I realized that when I sewed the gussets I would lose some of the pod design around the side.  

I was bummed  and almost put it aside. 

So glad I didn't.

 I didn't cut out the curvy part at the top like Jenny did. 

 I was just too chicken!

Here's the inside.  

I lined it with home dec fabric. (that was a hint from Amanda's pattern) -it saved me from having to fuse interfacing to the fabric. 

Nice. 

And I got it on clearance at Jo Ann's! 

Double nice!!

The inside pockets are from the Lazy Girl patterns that I've made. I just went from memory (dangerous since I don't really have one most of the time) and it came out fine-- miracle.

And here is my Scrap Happy Purse.

 Oh MY Gosh!! I LOVE it. 

Amanda's directions are fantastic.  You should go right over to her little shop and get your own pattern and whip one of these up!! 

Seriously.  

 I loved Amanda's purse handles; but the one's I got have rivets on the tabs.  

 Unfortunately, I didn't realize I needed 2 sets of the tabs. I only bought one package... duh! 

I could only attach ONE side!!  

So now I have to run back to Jo Ann's so I can finish the other handle.

I almost used it today with just the one handle.  

Here's the inside. 

 I just love the lime green!  

A new quilting design

I planned on quilting the CW twin quilt with baptist fans.  

But a few evenings ago I was going through a pile of magazines. You know how all of a sudden you just realize that there are too many magazines sitting around and they have to go.  

But you can't just pass them on before going through them one last time to make sure there isn't some pattern or article that you can't live without!

(surely I'm not the only one who does this?)

Anyway, when I got to this magazine

and the piece on Denyse Schmidt; I remembered noticing that the quilts in the article and the one on the cover of her book were quilted with the same all over design.

So I got out some paper and pencil and sat there in the living room at 11:30 at night and practiced it. 

The next day I tried it out.

Love the look and that it was a quick design to stitch out, will definitely be using this one again.  

I did use a long piece of blue painters tape to keep my rows straight and a four inch wide ruler as my guide. 

Needless to say, the stack of magazines are still there! 

The binding and label are sewed on -- just need to hand stitch it to the back!

Yesterday I finished the smaller Urban Table Runner.  I ran out of the background fabric I used for the blocks and although I have at least 10 similar fabrics none where close enough for me to use happily!

I quilted and assembled the outside panels for Amanda Jean's purse pattern and picked out a fabric for the lining-that will be the next step. 

I need to buy handles, I've never used those kind before and want to try them.  

The pattern gives directions for making your own too. 

Finally sewed together these Urban Pods blocks for the purse I'm making with them.

There is no pattern for this one.  I'm just winging it. (scary)

I added the center piece; which will be the bottom.  I was thinking if I  do the same lining pockets as I'm doing with the Scrappy one it will be super efficient!!

I have to cut off the top and bottom of the curved blocks to get the look and size right. I guess I should quilt it first and then cut it.

I f-i-n-a-l-l-y loaded my twin CW block-a-day top. I think I'm gonna do baptist fans on it.  

The block a day blocks are almost gone....that is a  good thing for sure!

Oh and before I forget.  I just finished Kate Morton's book 

I loved it!!  Wow.

Fun times, fun times...

Life is good!

We spent the weekend at The Mount. 

It was family weekend.

During a break in the activities Paul and I drove the 15 minutes up to Gettysburg.  It was chilly and very overcast.

But we got in a short visit on the East side of Cemetery Hill.

The foliage is beautiful. This is a shot from the car on PA 76 right before going through the Allegheny Mountain tunnel on the way home.

We weren't able to head out until Friday evening as Paul couldn't take the day off and actually had to stay late.  So although that meant we missed the Friday evening activities for family weekend.  

It gave me some extra time at home.

I finished my little (36 x 36) community outreach baby quilt for the guild.  

I also got the quilting done on my two Urban runners.  I loaded them together on one piece of backing fabric. I wanted to take a picture before I cut them apart, but forgot.

I'm going to go make the binding now and hopefully finish them both today.  

OK so here was the design wall on Saturday.

About 5 minutes after taking this picture, the Twister Jack was taken down.   Something had to give and he was it!  I think having him up there and knowing it would require a huge chunk of time to do the "twister-ing up" was really bogging my mind down.  I'd come downstairs to work and see him and mentally feel a twinge "OH Man it's almost Halloween--gotta get that done"   :(

 Here's what's on the design walls now:

3 anvil blocks

I got the pattern here.

I "made" another slab of blue yesterday too.

 The two Urban Runner's are together and waiting for quilting.

I mentioned in my last post that I got Amanda's latest pattern.
While I was working on the Urban runner's I kept seeing the pattern sitting there begging me to stop everything and make it.
I didn't go that far but I did sew the panels for the front and back together.  I thought I'd just 'get started' on them but it was fun and once started how can you stop?  It did take me a couple hours and that's when I also pieced the blue slab.
So two things done at once, even though neither was what I started with;
sorta works-right?? 

I was on a sewing roll and spied the leftover curved pieces from this quilt.

And just sewed them together in a crazy rainbow-ish stack-no idea what will become of this- I'll stick it in a backing if nothing else.

But I feel better that it's sewn and not just sitting there.

I finally cut out the pieces for the Urban Pods bag I've been wanting to make for 3 months at least--going to try to get them sewn together today.

And I am still working on learning to use  rulers on my HQ.

It was frustrating and slow going at first.
AND that is an understatement!!

All thumbs I was.

Yes, see that bobble, I think my thumb was in the way...very difficult for me to keep my big fat thumb out of the way at first.
Now if it happens I get mad---I know better!

 I am gradually noticing I'm able to manipulate the ruler with more ease. I'm s-l-o-w-l-y figuring it out and just realized this morning that I can start/stop the machine without having to think about it or hit the wrong button on the handle.
I know that sounds funny, but having to concentrate on holding the ruler correctly--level, straight, just the right amount of pressure, make sure my thumb is out of the way-- AND start the machine and THEN start moving the machine was a lot for my brain to do.

I guess I'm starting to have a 'flow' going.  So progress on that front as well!

I started quilting the X's quilt thinking I would SID along all the pieced seams and do any design -with different rulers- in each of the blue areas.   

That  kind of worked for the first row.

But this is what happened.
I was doing too many new things at once and stinking at them all.
Not a good way to learn and feel like I was ever going to get it.

So I changed the plan to SID along all the seams to stabilize the quilt.
It's now off the machine and I can go back to it when I have some more free time and work on one design or with one ruler at a time.

Urban Runner

Yesterday I demo'ed the Quick Curve Ruler for the "Mod Squad", which is a sub group of my guild.  I didn't take my camera and was too nervous to remember anyway even if I had taken it.

The demo went well. I didn't cut a finger off !  Always good.  And a couple of the quilters actually had a few blocks of their own made by the end of our afternoon. 

I showed the cutting and sewing with these blocks

I ran out of the backing fabric, it's old and I doubt I will find it, and the one block up on the right has a different background but that's all I had of it so now am at a stand still with this. And that is fine because I REALLY wanted to start using my 

 new fabric I just bought anyway!! The line is called Winter Lane by Kate & Birdie Paper Co. (a new designer to me) and I  love the aqua, red and browns.

Last night I had the house to myself: 'glorious'!

 I sewed, 

 and sewed

 and sewed

until my eyes nearly fell out and I had to go to bed!

Fun-fun and so therapeutic!!

I work today but can't wait to get the 2nd runner together.  

Oh and last night I bought Amanda Jean's newest pattern.  

She had the original with her when she was in the 'burgh and we spend the day together. Everyone commented about how cute it was.  

  Now to find the time to make it!