Solving problems................

Sammy is very sad this morning. Her friend Milo left last night.  The two of them were chasing each other around the house like idiots. Their tails wagging furiously and panting like crazy - they were having so much fun. I tried to get Milo's owners to leave him, but they said they would have to kidnap Sammy. Oh dear - poor Sammy - she will be lonely today!!!  Milo was so funny - he would run like crazy - slam into the furniture, then roll over - all the while Sammy is behind him wagging her tail.

Little FLUFFY Milo

He loves chewy bones!

AND sleepiing on my gym bag!!!!!

Do NOT mess with him when he is eating.  He does NOT have good table manners - freaks out as soon as he know he is getting fed. 

Little Sammy and Milo ripping up a storm

Peek a boo - can you see me???????

And where was Sparky when all this was going on???   Well - there was a storm and Sparky does NOT like lightening and thunder.  She ran downstairs at the first sign of the storm.  I grabbed her Thunder Shirt - wrapped her in it and then tucked a quilt over her.  She was like that for many hours last night. Poor thing!!!! Of course I had to keep her company so I got a lot of sewing done!!!!!!

Sparky tucked into bed! And wearing her Thunder Shirt

I have to say that the Thunder Shirt works like a charm. She quiets down right away, but likes the extra weight and "protection" that the quilt offers. Sure is tough to get old!!!!

While you may think that it is dry outside - there is a little creek that runs through the forest and although it is dry in the summer, it is pretty muddy right now. Look at Miss Sparky's feet.  Even Sammy comes back with muddy feet.

Muddy feet!!!!!

OK - so let's have a look at what I've working on.  I really need to place that PRIORITIZE FOCUS WIN sign right up front.  I just get distracted and off in a new direction in less than time than it takes to blink!  So many quilts hanging around that are so close to being done.  FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS!!!!!

Got the binding on my Mom's quilt

Got the binding on the community project quilt

Went on a road trip last week.  Oh my - we had loads of fun and we zipped everywhere or so it seemed!!!!  I had a mission - well several missions - I had a list and samples and I was determined to come home with what I needed. Look what I found....................

I was missing one of the last issues of Quiltmania and VOILA - I found it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   That was a bonus and I ended up going through the cash THREE times at this store!!!!    Quilter's Nine Patch   - I love this store - they have some great kits and a mix of country (Kansas Troubles) and modern.  A great place to visit. 

Found the border for this quilt. Perfect fit. Now I just have to get those last two borders on. We found this at Heart n Home. Another great store again with country and modern fabrics.  

Also found the lights I needed to enlarge this kit. No darks, but got a lead on where to find them - that is for this week's road trip!!!!

A rather costly stop at Len's and I found more PINK John Deere fabric so now I have enough to make TWO of the pink John Deere quilts.  I know - will this madness ever end??????

And I bought MORE tractor fabric - I know - just shoot me in the head!!!!!    But I bought enough so that I can make three more - so I only bought the stuff on the right - I had the stuff on the left. Then I will be done  - done - DONE making tractor quilts. Never again!!!!!

Found some new bicycle fabric

MORE novelty fabric - I know - I could NOT help myself. I need a list so I don't have to rely on my memory when I see something, but I know for sure that I do NOT have macroni and cheese.    And Susan - the ONLY blue tractor fabric I could find was this one - the light blue one on the bottom row - there was a small blue tractor - that's it!!!!

Speaking of tractor quilts - I pulled out four more pieces of batting.

My four pieces of batting - now fused together and on the machine 

Quilt is loaded and ready to go - ooops - well the batting wasn't loaded when this picture was taken.  It's been crazy busy and no time to quilt it - maybe tonight. 

Made bias binding using this plaid. Can you see the first join of the continuous tube???

Didn't get quite so lucky on the second seam, but still not bad

Binding is made and waiting to be sewn on

Now you know how you run into problems. The problems can surface as a result of many factors. Well I had some flannel that was left over from a quilt that I had made a number of years ago.  I sewed them together to get a quilt that measured 72 inches square.  Hmmmm - that is OK - a bit bigger than my normal lap quilt size (60 by 72), but no big deal. Then I decided to put fireside fleece on the back. Well fireside is 60" wide.  I had a piece that was the perfect colour, but NOT enough to join two pieces side by side. Hmmm - what to do?????   I could have cut the bottom part off and then pieced it to make it long enough, but that is such a hassle with fireside fleece.

Laid out on the floor and ready to cut. 

I decided to chop the quilt down in order to make it fit the backing!!!!!!!!!!!!    YEP - I ripped TWO rows off the quilt making it my standard lap size and then all I had to do was cut the right length of the fleece and I was in business.    the quilt was just squares - NO BORDER so that was a very easy fix.

Two rows of the quilt - GONE

And now it is ready to be quilted!!!!!    If all problems were that easy to solve!!!!!

I managed to get the three pieces of my feathered star together. Looks awesome - I am very happy with it and not a bad job matching those points.

feathered star - DONE - well this part of it. 

Remember I was missing a couple of things????   Well - I found them. BOTH were exactly where they were supposed to be and were there when I looked for them.  I just did NOT dig deep enough.  GRRRRRRR

Yep - my little Easy Angle ruler was in the bag with the fabric - just like I remembered. And it was tucked with the rulers just like I thought - except that it was tucked BETWEEN two rulers and I didn't see it!!!!!!!!!!!

The other thing I was looking for was this case that holds my camera memory cards. Again - it was tucked a bit deeper on the shelf than I remembered it. DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Camera memory cards - I love this little case.

 Was pulling some quilts out the other day to look at them. And guess who happened to come by????    Little Sammy - the quilt tester.

Oh Mom - this quilt is just right!  It is very comfy!

Ooops - so comfy - let me smell my bum!

Ah yes Mom - this quilt is VERY comfy!!!!!  I like it!

Ah - that Little Sammy - just makes herself at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!1


And that is it for today - I have a class to finish prepping for this morning - actually two classes today - well technically three - two are repeats of each other.   And it is going to be a whirl wind week - road trips, classes, clubs and a meeting or two.  Oh yes - it is going to be crazy!!!!!!!!!!    I love it!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!