Yesterday, the bike gang went out again!

We left at 9 am and got home at 9 pm.  We were some tired puppies!

Paul, Scott, sil Mary, bil Ed 

Scott behind us on Rt 59 a few miles from the dam

 Our destination was Kinzua Dam.  I'd never been there before and it was so cool.

 I even saw an eagle!! so excited about that!

Kinzua Dam

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Today I needed to really give the house a good cleaning but I still spent some time sewing.

I took a picture of the Modern stack n slash that I finally got the binding done on.

50 x 53

After this picture I washed it and it crinkled up wonderfully.  I just straight line quilted it but I didn't use channel locks just 'eyed' it. So it's not perfectly straight and I just estimated the distance between the lines too. I quilted it one way then reloaded it the other way and quilted it that way.  I really like how it turned out.  

I got another row of feathers quilted on Aster Manor.  I'm using wool batting on this one. It's the first time I've ever tried wool.  It really shows the quilting.  I'm quilting it very close, doing all-over hooked feathers and hope that is OK with wool to quilt it so densely.   

I've been working on piecing the diamond (triangles on the corners) of the Medallion blocks.  I was having trouble seeing the cutting line I drew because the overhead lighting casts a shadow on my cutting table.  I was getting a bit frustrated when it hit me that my Ott Light is sitting in the corner unused.  

So I dragged it out, plugged it in and 'wah-lah' no more shadow.

Here are my medallion blocks.  

just 6 more to add the triangles too

As I'm piecing these, I started a new Leader/Ender project.  I stopped using the L/E method a while back, it just sorta happened.  But I've been saving my binding triangles and even cut some from 2.5 inch squares to make this quilt.  I don't have near enough triangles yet but what the heck it's a start.

in no time at all I have over 20 made. only need a couple hundred more. This will take some time. :)

Pillow finishes

August is starting on a positive sewing note...

I finished 2, yes two, pillows yesterday!

yea!

Well one side of the family has left the 'burgh

 and this week my sister and family are in town! 

My niece walking Annie

and trying on all of Meg's and my high heels.
We painted our nails too!

 It's a whirlwind.

I get a little cranky and overwhelmed to be walking past my quilt room day after day and not having time to sew a seam.

So between Tuesday and yesterday I got in a pretty good 'sewing fix'.

The signature quilt is as together as I can get it-still need 2 blocks signed.  I took it down so I would just have the medallion blocks up. The fabrics of the 2 quilts beside each other on the DW clashed so badly it was distracting to me hurt my eyes.

The medallion blocks are pieced and arranged and now I am going back to add the corner triangles to form diamonds when sewn together. You can see a diamond down on the lower right. I'm using the same fabric for all the diamonds.

I finally finished this pillow from my Metro Rings sample block.

20' x 20"

Oh and I forgot to show Happy Jack!  He's all sewn together and now hanging in the closet.  I will have to have a free day to 'twister him up'.  

Another picnic weekend coming up and a couple long bike rides planned; if the weather cooperates.  

Lotsa quilting coming in too-so Aster Manor, which has been loaded since the 17th needs to have some major attention. I'm going to do that today, before work at 3 and after I take the car in for inspection...

fun times, fun times...

life is good!

A Biker post

This past weekend was the (3rd) annual Erie Roar on the Shore bike trip.  The weather wasn't the best this year: 90's and humid on Friday with an occasional downpour, then cloudy and chilly on Saturday but it was perfect on Sunday for the trip home. 

We rode up on the Harley but the exhaust gave us trouble.  Well it gave Paul trouble, I am no help with such things.  Thank goodness Paul is! 

This was the first fix 

and then the 2nd fix, there was a hardware store about a hundred feet from this place so he fixed it good!

There was a quilt shop right up the road too, but it was so darn hot we just waited in the little shade there was. 

 When Meg saw this picture she said, "mom you look all gangsta" 

ha-ha

Oh yea, I am definitely tough wearing my yellow bandana!

After another delay, this time for rain, which lasted about 45 minutes-- Wayyy to long of a time to be stuck at a Dollar General store, but thank goodness it was there!

A trip that should've been 3 hours turned into 6 1/2 but we finally arrived and still have smiles on our faces. 

The standing joke has been will the Victory trailer be there?  Paul and I have taken demo rides the last 2 years and have been planning on getting one next spring. So we head over to check 'em out.

**Notice I'm wearing my Potato chip bag? It was the perfect size! I do need to make one in a neutral color-I can't stand when my purse clashes with my clothes.**

Anyhoo, a little talking with these nice people and a very good trade in deal and we were heading to the dealer.

Goodbye harley (I never liked you anyway). Hello Victory Vision!

Brand new, more comfortable than the Goldwing-hard to believe but true

and I don't have to wear earplugs--that's a big 'woot-woot'!!

 I'm actually excited about riding again, 

Change of plans

Yesterday was suppose to be a Dr appt. shopping etc. But a morning call from the Dr's saying they needed to reschedule changed all that.

I decided to turn it into a sew day for me! woo-hoo!

Here are my 16 completed Metro Medallion Blocks.Of course, I'm going to make it bigger! 

Why would I ever just follow the plan and be happy that I'm ahead of the schedule?

The blocks are big 13 x 16, so this layout

 (4 x 4) makes it 52 x 64. 

If I add one more row each way (5 x 5) it will be 65 x 80.  

I have the pieces for 9 more blocks cut and I am going to add a small triangle shape to the corners of each block to make a diamond where the blocks come together. This was an option added to the QAL after it started and it really adds to the design.  

I've also been slowly sewing the blocks for my twister jack  pattern. As you see below right now he has a splitting headache ~ackk did I just say that?? 

yep! I did.  ha!

As soon as I get the top together, (maybe today) it's coming down as I have another signature quilt project started...I'm using this pattern and a layer cake of 

Chateau Rouge and I need the design wall space for that.

And I'm super excited that I finally decided to put my Aster Manor flimsy on HQ.  It's 86 x 98 and a block-a-day top. I'm going to quilt my all-over feathers in the center and do the borders separately. The back is ready too. I have a little note pinned to it saying I finished the top in Sept 2010 and I prepped the back in Aug. 2011!  

  I'm going to load it today.  OH MY Gosh binding?? I don't have anything written about making the binding...

fun times, fun times!

Life is good.

quilting related stuff

a finished customer's quilt

on this one the customer wanted 'something' in the center plain block.

I was stumped for awhile and then photocopied this embroidery pattern that I have, pinned it to the block and stitched on the lines.

It worked! She liked it. win-win.

and here is my new laser level. It's so easy to cut batting on the roll straight now.

I saw this on some one's blog a while ago and can't for the life of me find it now, so whoever you are --thank you for sharing the idea! I've used it a couple times already. It was $15 and I know I've have other gadgets lying around here that cost about the same and have been used once if at all.  This will be used a lot by me and I'm sure Paul will be borrowing it too. :)

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What?? more CW Dresden blades??

  It's the never ending quilt saga! 

The last time I blogged about this quilt was in February.  I thought I was close to done then-just sew the last row on.

Well the day before shop hop last month I pulled out the flimsy to measure it; planning to purchase outside border fabric for it. Could you believe that it was long enough but not wide enough for my queen size bed? How'd I do that?

A few weeks ago I brought it up and laid it on my bed. yep it needs another row along the side that means 6 more blocks.

  Sheesh!!

The blades are all sewn together now and I need to get them appliqued to the foundations.  I do still love it and will shoot for having it on the bed this fall/winter.

Metro Medallion QAL

Yea for starting!!

I was hoping to get at least four done yesterday but we had an impromptu dinner with the kids and my parents.  It's a fun block!