I've been cookin'....

baking actually!  My first loaf of "One-hour French bread"

I had already eaten the two ends before I thought to snap a picture.

this is my 12 days of Christmas quilt (from here).

I never liked the sashing; too white so it's having a coffee staining bath here.

Right now it's out on the deck drying.   It's looking good.

It's hard to tell from the picture but it's way darker and dull-er-

just as I hoped.

I've been finishing bindings-- 9-patch lattice is done-done.

sewing bindings--union jack is just started but I'm hopeful.

quilting an all-over stipple on the Granny Squares quilt. That I first saw here. I can't wait to see this washed and crinkled.

granny square getting quilted

...sewing on more binding. 

I used almost all my leftover pieces of binding from other quilts-hate to toss them, for granny squares. I still have some left but not much. 

granny square w/binding on-not hand sewn to back yet

and all the while thinking more and more of this...

I actually thought for a sec of taking a quilt with me to bind..hahhaaa 

I did find a rug pattern but not sure if I'll have time to transfer it and get a bunch of worms cut, not worrying about it that's for sure.

Went and saw The Bourne Legacy on Sunday (very good if you like that kind of action-I do) and today Meg and I saw "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" (really good.) 

 I can't remember the last movie I saw in a theater and now two in three days- craazzyy.

I have one more quilt on 'the list' that I want to quilt before we leave.  I think I can, I think I can.

Nine Patch Lattice

no binding yet but I quilted it last night.  I used "Kiwi" thread from Connecting Threads  Essential Pro line in the top (really do like that thread) and Bottom Line "taupe" in bobbin.  I loaded it with the long side horizontal and quilted straight lines randomly spaced across it.  At first I started marking straight lines with chalk and then remembered that I do have a channel lock somewhere for HQ....found it and dang! it works!  I did unload and reload it so I could quilt it the opposite way; which took no time at all since it's a small quilt.   I am very happy with how it turned out.  

Today I will make and sew on the binding, which I have already cut from the leftover backing fabric pieces--just love using it all up!

(44 x 64)

Before calling it a night I got out the Union Jack top and backing; it's going to be loaded today.  I'm thinking straight line quilting on this one too.  Although I do find it a tad boring so I may do a jiggly line instead.  I'm also thinking of quilting in a couple Union Jack blocks in the big empty spaces.  I will give it a go but if it takes too long to figure out how to mark it so I can quilt it without a ton of starts and stops I know I will abandon it.

Last night I toyed with the idea of nixing the quilting list and instead spend this weekend prepping and painting my bedroom.

I've had the paint for a long, long time now.  Paul has gone to camp to get the shingles on the sleeping loft addition that has been this summers' big money pit project. And I thought getting the painting done before vacation would be a good thing.  But now that I'm up this morning I've decided to stick to my original plans of staying home and quilting.  Meg and I may take a drive up to see the camp tomorrow.  

We've not been there since last 4th of July and although the guys have sent pictures from their phones, I think we're in for a shock at the changes.  

I will have to do a before and after post  sometime.  

I did spend what felt like a zillion hours last week organizing my photos.  It was brought on by the slew of wedding pictures.  That was another long over due little project which kept nagging at the back of my mind.  

Nine Patch flimsy

is now waiting in the closet to be quilted.

After my last post, I decided I didn't like the pale yellow blocks after all. 

I would just go and buy something better but didn't know when and was feeling a bit stressed/disgusted/resigned over the fact that I've just got too many irons in the fire, ideas in the head, quilts to be quilted etc.

Don't we all.  

It seems to be a blog theme as of late.  

Then I received Wanda's  comment, which re affirmed that I too didn't like the yellow.  

What I wanted was a light grey, OK blue, I love blue always go to blue first; so it's blue, but since I always do blue I wanted to do something else. And grey is so different from blue.... ;)

Saturday morning, I went downstairs and looked at the wall and took down those yellow squares.

And then stood there waffling between:

go buy more fabric 

and 

use your stash...use your stash....

So here it is:

I used my stash. I love the 'blendiness' of it.  And yes the blue too.

I didn't make it bigger and have already basted around the edge for loading at quilting time. In other words: IT'S DONE Growing.

After I cut and had the blue blocks on the wall, I got a comment from Lynn suggesting a soft grey!!  Yep it would have been great w/grey and I almost used some of the grey I have been using for the background of my 

Dresden's

but I was afraid....what if I screw up like 2 yards worth and run short.

Highly unlikely, but I'm going to play it safe.

While I was sewing the 9-patch lattice together I thought and thought.

And came to the conclusion that I'm too busy.

ha, ha I know.. psychic! 

Perhaps I should just have someone hit me over the head occasionally. It would be faster and easier I think.  A quick knock on the noggin' and a loud 

"hello, this is crazy you must stop NOW"

And then I could rub my head and say:

"OK! You don't have to go and get all violent.  I'll finish up a few things.

 Geez, just chill."

So I made a new 'to do' list.

It's taped to the side of my sewing machine.

It's got a lot on it but is doable.  I want everything (or almost everything) crossed off by vacation in September.

There is binding of quilts on the list-hence the 'almost everything' clause. :)

And no I would NOT be taking binding projects w/me on vacation!

******

In other news, Meghan passed her boards and is now an RN. 

Yesterday was her first day (orientation for most of the week, I think).

Another chapter in our live is over/starting.

A big woo-hoo to that.

 If it wasn't for the threat of being hit over the head with a frying pan, I'd go start a new project to celebrate!!

jk...jk

fun times, fun times. Life is Good.

Tuesday and Wednesday I worked the evening shift.  So I've spent the mornings sewing.

the flimsy

75 x 91

Yea!  I love it and now need to get busy quilting a large customer quilt that is already loaded on HQ so I can do this one next! 

Here are my Nine-patch lattice blocks. 

Instead of going shopping, I shopped my stash and found this very pale yellow.  After putting it up on the wall I am saying no to the pale yellow and am still going shopping.  ;)

And of course, since I altered the pattern my blocks will finish 9 inches so this quilt will finish 45 x 54, which starts me  thinking, "hmmm maybe I should make it bigger?"....

That would be "no Diane do not go there. 

 See the blocks on the far end of the wall, when are you going to work on them again????"

Oops!  Sidetracked again.

Sometimes I just need a good talkin' to!

I love this mug:

but this one would be more accurate:

'live life one game at a time' is the inscription inside rim!

fun times, fun times...Life is Good!

Quilts for Kids

I quilted these last week.  

The one on the left I made from a Quilts for Kids kit I got from my guild's last meeting in June.  We're to have them done by the first meeting in September.  Joan, who's in charge of this project called me to see if I could quilt a few.  I think they all turned out beautifully.

I quilted each one differently.

****

About a month ago I saw this quilt pattern and just loved it.

I know --I think I'm going a bit modern here *gulp* but we'll talk about that later.

Elizabeth's directions call for 3 inch strips.  I figured I have all these 3.5 inch strips already cut in the drawer just use them.

I have 4 blocks left to piece.  (the plan is to do that as soon as I'm done here). 

Then I'm going to take them to Joann's and pick a nice solid for the background.  I really like the grey in the pattern's quilt but I'm using the grey I have for this new project.

It is for a certain somebody who has gone all British, even before the Olympics!  

It's going to be a very simply design and (gasp) very modern looking.

*****

On Saturday we took another long bike ride.  The weather was beautiful.

We went to PSU to The Creamery.  Paul's sister had never been to Penn State and although I'd been there many times while oldest son was attending school there, I'd never had their famous ice cream.  

The ride was beautiful.   

The ice cream delish and I'm not even a big ice cream fan! 

Mary, Paul and Me

State College is a beautiful town and PSU is such a fantastic school.  

I do hope they become an even better school in the future with or without football.