The MANIACS at Monday!

I miss the sewing days on Monday, but I am still able to "attend" in a manner of speaking.  The keeper of the key - is an early bird - much earlier than I ever was and so I can arrive about 8 AM.  A few of them arrive shortly thereafter. If I leave at 9:30 - I am able to make it to work by 10 AM - an arrangement I worked out with the powers that be at work.  It just gives me an opportunity to keep in touch with friends and it is all in the name of research.

Part of my job is keeping up with what's happening in the quilt world. So yes - research it is.

However from time to time - I get to spend an entire day with the group. Such was the case last week when I got to take a sewing machine and projects of mine and sewed all day. It was pretty exciting and nice to catch up with the others that are not so early in the morning.

Here are a few pictures of what they were working on...................

Mary and her Itty Bitty blocks from Quiltmaker magazine

This was a year long project and every first Monday of the month a new block was published.  Yes - I did some, but haven't worked on it in ages.  Best to try again?????

Maria making autumn table runners

 She was making independent leaves and once they were finished, the leaves got arranged and sewn together to make a leafy table runner.


Claudette had taken a class on scrap quilts and she was working up a storm with her scraps.

Scrap quilts in the works!

Elaine S had collected all 15 blue and white block kits from the July Shop Hop and she is almost finished all of them.

July Shop Hop blocks

I can't remember whose this is.  Was that Judith's or was it Vivenda's?  They were both sitting at the same table. Anyway - I think it is actually a toy and they are using it as a pin cushion.  Pretty cute!

Nifty pin cushion that is actually a toy!

Judith is almost always doing some hand work although she is pretty handy with the sewing machine as well.  After finishing her yo-yo quilt, she is now working on this block which involves a circle and a square and hand stitch the folded over edges of the circle onto the square. I have no idea what this is called. Ooops - I have the pattern sitting on my desk - I better check so I am in the KNOW!!!

Hand project by Judith!

Sharon was working on a wall hanging for her grandaughter.  She quilted it and bound it the same day!!!

Wall hanging - Just Dance

And then there is Tish.  She doesn't let anything get in her way so when she discovered she had left her quilting gloves at home - no problem. She whipped out her fingerless gloves/mittens and worked away.

I love how she sets the speed of her machine to a speed that is very calming (well the noise is). Then she uses her Stop/Start button and away she goes.  So steady!!!   Love it!

Tish quilting with her new quilting gloves

Karen - ah Karen.  I love her!!!!!   Well besides the fact that she is a nice person, look what fabric she was making her Lover's Knot project out of?????   Yep - that would be Porcelain Blue by Northcott.  I always associate this color with Northcott.  It is a very popular color.

Karen's Lover Knot project

 Joyce was working on One Block Wonder.  I always love this quilt - three different ways to try those blocks!!!  It's always a pleasant surprise at the end.  Love it!!!!

One block Wonder by Joyce

And how did this happen???  Mary got TWO projects in. I always thought that she was a bit agressive!!!!  Oh Mary - what am I going to do with you?

Table runner by mary

 Vivenda was also working on the Lover's Knot project. She choose a Christmasy theme and those blocks are looking awesome.  Keep it up and that project will be ready for the Christmas table!!

Vivenda Lover's Knot

Still don't have a picture to show you of what I did that day - well I did get my flannel quilt sewn together - the one that still needs borders and that will happen tomorrow.   As for the little bag - I swear I took a picture, but nope - there is nothing in the camera.  I guess I will have to take one.

The other day Donna asked me or made a comment that I always seem to be tidying and organizing.  Now that she mentions it - yes I am. Ok - here's the scoop on that. For many years our family collected stuff. It came into the house but it would appear that not much was going out. While a good part of it got put away, much did not. So there is a LOT of stuff to go through.  However - compared to a pack rat - we are the poor country mice with few possesions.  But still - there is stuff.

Often times the stuff just needs to be sorted and put away.  That means one has to find a home for it. Some times the stuff has to be thrown out. And sometimes - it is a question of putting like things together so they can be dealt with another time.  My biggest problem in all this - is that I never finish anything.  Like I said yesterday - I pulled the kitchen apart in January and there are still about 5 boxes of stuff in the dining room that I never dealt with. The batteries just got fixed up the other day.  So those boxes are still cluttering up the dining room.

It is an on-going battle, but the good news - I am WINNING.  The house looks in much better shape than ever (despite the huge mess still in the hallway) - at least the upstairs hallway which was equally as bad is pretty much clear!

Well - I see I have to run and get dressed or I'll be off to work in my PJs which might not be a good thing!!!!


Have an awesome day - did I say how much I love going to work?  I know - you are rolling your eyes and saying - enough already!!!!  Can't help it!

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