We're in a nice routine

Here's the string blocks on my design wall.

and although I can't get the picture to turn correctly here is Molly on her bed. This is where she stays while I'm quilting!  You might be also able to see that HQ is too close to the design wall for me to use it easily. (as I posted about last time but didn't have pictures)

I need to take some time and seriously figure out this room and the arrangement I want. But too many distractions right now. 

 It will get done. 

I may actually get Evening Shadows finished today or tomorrow.  yippee!

Right now I need to get dressed and go take a walk while it's still cool out.  I was doing really good with the walking routine and then that oppressive heat wave knocked the wind out of my sails. Yesterday and today have been wonderful, in the 80's and low humidity.  I have the windows open for a bit of fresh air, will have to close them up later today. 

We've got it figured out

I think!

Molly's 1st night with us



Molly is a shy, sweet English Setter.  Otis fell in love w/her at first sight. 

Dominate Annie did not share this feeling, she couldn't even conjure up polite hospitality-as her humans would require- or even mild disinterest. Nope, Annie wants to fight.  I understand the dog hierarchy thing. 

 I'm a bossy control freak, I admit it.  Call me the Alpha and I will say 'damn right'.

If my family were behind me right now, they'd be nodding their heads up and down furiously in agreement. But even my alpha-ness hasn't been able to make Annie tolerate Molly. Unfortunately, Otis got in the way and Annie went after him-I didn't anticipate that one! So now Otis is staying far, far away from Annie, which really makes us feel bad. 

So we're keeping them separated. 

It's a pain, yes, but workable. Annie and Otis upstairs and when no humans are around Annie in a bedroom away from Otis, for Otis's peace of mind.  Molly is in the basement.Saturday night and last night she slept there, where we put her bed. 

Happily, I have a working bathroom down there and the priming is done on the walls so I plan on quilting this week, as I normally would and keep Molly company.   I quilted on HQ last night; my Evening Shadows Bl-a-Day sampler, and Molly slept the whole

 time. 

Yesterday afternoon I was down sewing some strings blocks and realized I was bored out of my mind.  So I counted how many blocks I had (35) and made one more. I arranged them 6 x 6 on my design wall and am calling it quits on the string quilts.  (for now anyway)

I realized, while trying to put the blocks on my design wall, my HQ is too close to the wall for me to work comfortably.  So now I need to try to rethink HQ's spot or a new place for the design wall. 

******

Oh man it is getting so dark here and I can hear thunder rumbling.  Otis and Molly are afraid of storms....this should be interesting.

******

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

A break in the action

stairs before

I had more "before" pictures but when I went to upload them there was a card error and they wouldn't transfer.  I didn't find this out until the new studs were being put up.

door to powder room under the stairs

still needs a mirror and the tp holder and towel bar

I LOVE the floor tile!  We will use it in the entrance area as well. 

Here is view from bottom of stairs and the new cedar closet-still need the shelves installed. There will be 4 shelves, should hold most of my completed quilts...if I figured correctly.
Can you see the built in cupboard going up the steps? My dad made the doors for it. Inside are 3 shelves. (forgot to take a picture). I hated the thought of losing ALL my shelves along the steps; in my little house storage is a premium. The picture of the shelving before was one of the ones that was lost. Dang!
 The outside wall is sanded and I have to primer it. Hopefully tonight.  I've mopped and cleaned up as some of that darn powdery drywall dust got through the plastic wall barriers. *sigh* I'm not uncovering HQ until the primer is done as I have a quilt loaded...been loaded since the 7th.  I thought I'd be able to sneak behind the plastic at night and do a little work but that proved to be to much.
This small area took almost 3 weeks. 

There is a break now as my brother, who is doing all this work, is going to the beach w/ his family.
We're going to watch his dog, Molly, an English setter.  I'm a little nervous about how Annie will react...Otis will be in love in 2 seconds, we're sure!  Molly is a sweet heart so we know any trouble it will be Annie! 
Annie had to have 2 moles removed from her shoulder/neck area last week and the one incision pulled open....I hate dogs and stitches.  So now she is wearing an inner tube instead of the traditional cone to keep her from licking it. If you ever have need of one of these, we're finding it works great and as you can see, she can sleep in it too. 

We think it looks like she's ready to join the Navy!  She's sleeping right next to the wall register...it is too hot out there.  Tomorrow the high is only suppose to be 88!  woo-hoo!  This 90+ stuff is crazy!

****

On the quilting front not much is happening.  I pieced 5 more string blocks and made 2 sets of curtains for the camp but that's all.  I'm not finding it enjoyable to sew at the table-I can't get the chair height adjusted right and it puts the dampers on it.  Which isn't a totally bad thing, I really need to quilt more and piece new tops less.  :)

work continues

on the basement (the walls are up! I can 'see' how it's going to look: good!)

And I'm sewing upstairs, which can be a pain when I need something that is downstairs, but I'm adjusting and it's a good reminder of how I used to sew all the time and how lucky I am to have a dedicated area for sewing/quilting now.

 I made these string blocks

and then when I was culling my binder of "Quilts I want to make some day"--you know the one that I'd have to live to be 400 to even come close and that's if I would quit adding to it; I found a free pattern that was given out at one of the Shop Hops from years gone by.

It's called Stack of Scraps by Susan Fuquay

These 3 rows are 6.5" wide and 60" long and then you're suppose to put a stripe fabric in between the rows (4.5 inches, I think) and then a wider one (6.5 inches) for the outer borders.  But I'm thinking of making another row or two with the stars. I got tired of making them and put it aside. 

I've been continuing the Zentangling. 

On Sunday, I brought my quilts out of hiding. There is going to be a cedar closet for quilt storage and I wanted to see how many I could fit.

This is a pile of 30!
It's not all of them. 
I refolded them to measure 14 x 35 as I think that's the inside area of the closet.
This stack measures about 40 inches high! 
Reminds me of the story The Princess and the Pea!

I started the Schnibble Winter White but couldn't find where I had put the pieces.  I found them finally yesterday and this afternoon I had a flimsy.
The fun continues.

"Seppy"

32 x 37

Once I quilted this I fell in love with it. Before it was quilted I felt a bit so-so about it.  I'm glad I took the extra time to quilt the feathers in the border.  I used a blue thread on that, it sorta blends but not completely.  I wonder if I'll ever get brave enough to quilt feathers with a high (higher) contrasting thread.  I hope so. :)

I just made the label and will sew it on with the binding, catching the bottom edge in the seam of the binding~so happy I remembered to do this; half the time I forget and then have to sew 4 sides of the label to the quilt back, which isn't hard to do just one more step that I like to avoid.  It also means that the label is on there really well!  If I remember (and can get to my fabrics) I should prep the hanging sleeve and catch the top side of it in the binding seam as well.  I'm thinking of putting 2 hanging sleeves on as I can't decide which way I'd like this to hang.

This morning I loaded Evening Stars, then the guys arrived and I covered the whole thing with plastic and they resealed the area off.  Sadly, I had also started laundry, but I will have to wait until they leave to finish it---ya I'm really crying over that!

72 x 86

This is one of my block-a-day tops and on my quilting goals for 2011 list.

I wanted it done in June but July is good too.

Well, they're hammering pretty hard down there and the water is off for a while so I think this is my cue to go shopping.  I'm getting real comfortable in Lowe's! This is probably not a good thing. *wink*

Henrietta Whiskers

Block Seven

The door to this cute little acorn house needs is knob, probably a button as pattern suggests. I chose not to put the word "HOME" in the cap.

Since I have the background blocks made already,  I just had to blanket stitch the appliques after I fused 'em.  I did this at the kitchen table. It's a workable situation; more and more of my supplies are migrating to the living room.  I don't think this is a good thing but as they say, "It is what it is."

They're making good progress on powder room, I'm guessing the walls will be framed in tomorrow as they started on laying it out this afternoon. 

I'm really excited about the big new closet we'll be gaining down there.  I can see it now that the layout has started.  I'm terrible at being able to visualize this kind of thing.

HQ and all my stuff is plastic-ed off but I snuck in there tonight after supper, it's nice and clean (yeah!) so I loaded 'Seppy'

 and am going to quilt it tonight. 

**GRIN**

The work has begun!

On my basement bathroom that is!  My machines have been quarantined.  I was really out of my element today for sure.  Tonight we are going to Home Depot to get toilet, vanity etc...I have a 12 mo. 0% int. coupon that I want to put to good use.

Marsha's baby quilt

I spent last week quilting 3 quilts for others.

Libby's Jelly Roll Races

Libby's 9-patch shuffle (I think she called it)

I thought I could get one of mine loaded but it didn't happen.  Saturday Meg, me and my Mom drove the 2 hours to "Camp Diamond in the Rough".  Meg and Mom's first visit.  It's coming along..slowly. We packed a picnic lunch, it was a lovely day. 

Meghan and her dad

Yesterday Paul and I went on a 6 hour bike ride following Rt 30, a beautiful historical route through PA's laurel highlands-wonderful scenic views. We came home a different way on Rt 31 which is mostly pasture and dairy farms.  A coyote ran across the road in front of us (but far enough ahead not to be a danger to us hitting it). It's the first I've ever seen-quite exciting. 
We both agree 6 hours is our butts max for one day.  The kids came over in the evening for a short visit, nice.