Elm Creek - October reveal

I am BEHIND!!!!   We had our reveal for Elm Creek a couple of weeks ago.  To refresh your memory we are going through the book Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. There are 140 six inch blocks. The class is doing 10 blocks per month. We started in January so we are over half way there!!!!

It was an interesting show n tell. The girls have all been pretty good at keeping up, but as I went around the room, I got this "sorry - I don't have any blocks!!!"   Yikes - what happened?????   Anyway - there was some show n tell and here it is..........

Jeanette made TWO of the same block  - neither of which she liked. She just doesn't like the block. (More on Jeanette later)

Marianne 

Judy

Lois - a grand total of ONE block!!!

Ruth was a tad behind and played catch-up - here are TWELVE blocks

Ruth - and SIX more of her blocks. Great effort Ruth!!!!!

Cecelia

Susan

And now back to Jeanette. We knew that she was working ahead and look what she had for show n tell....

Not one

But TWO quilts!!!!!    She split the blocks in half and put 70 in each. And NO the shooting star block did NOT make it into either quilt. Great job Jeanette!!!!   I wonder what she is going to do now?????

I think the class is doing amazingly well. These blocks are all challenging whether it is the size of the pieces (because they are based on a 5 by 5 grid (in a six inch block), curved seams, partial seams, mixing paper piecing and regular piecing, small pieces, templates, Y-seams). Well it is all included here. A great learning experience for sure. Great job everyone!!!!!!


We also had other items for show n tell......................   (hope I get the names right!)

Carol

Cecelia

Judy

I made an offer to the class that they could have a sewing day at my house to help them with the blocks IF they needed it. Three of them took me up on the offer and they spent yesterday sewing. Amazing how the problems seemed so much smaller at my house!!!!   Too bad, the others couldn't make it as we had a LOT of fun.  I expect the others will be all caught up at the next show n tell since they didn't need help!!!!!


And here is what they got done yesterday.....

Judy

Ruth

Lois (who got bits and pieces of several other blocks done as well)

It sure helps to have everything cut out and ready to sew. Then it goes relatively quickly!!


And while they were sewing - I got myself busy and got a "FEW" things done.

Another quilt quilted and trimmed

Detail of quilting

Binding made, but NOT sewn on

Got the last border (that was already cut) on a mystery quilt that I pulled out a couple of days ago

The backing and the binding done for the mystery as well!!!!!

Binding and backing for the PLUSH animal quilt DONE

Got most of the batting pieced for the class on Saturday

Got all the pieces cut for the 2nd Clue from Border Creek Mystery

Got the half square triangles cut, marked and partially sewn for Border Creek Mystery - Clue 2

Embroidered (on the machine) my spider web (and what is it for??? and why are there those holes???)

Crystals will fit in each hole - how cool is that!!!!!!

And here is my little table topper. This was the result of the Monday Mystery #1 from This & That.
However I think was a bit challenged because this is NOT how it is supposed to look. 

This is how it is supposed to look. But I only changed TWO pieces and I got a totally different look. I just started to lay out the pieces and went with what I thought I liked. OK so for the next mystery - I shall try to keep up with it from the start and not go astray!!!!!

No wonder I was tired when I went to bed!!!!   Wait - I got one more thing done. At our upcoming retreat we are going to start a new group project. Each person will pick a theme and some fabric (if they choose). Then each person in the group will add a block to the project. At the end, we will each have our own blocks in our chosen theme. I wanted to try something different so my theme - not sure of the title yet, but it goes like this - All about ME in WORDS. So NO pictures - just words and they can be nouns, adjectives, punctuation - whatever - but has to be words!!!!!   So yesterday while we were chatting, I asked the ladies for some words to describe me. Of course - that could have been dangerous!!!!    I needed a word to start the project and Ruth came up with the PERFECT word. Especially when you consider all I did yesterday. And what was the word???????    ENERGETIC!!!!!!!!     How perfect was that!!!!!!    Thanks Ruth!!!!!

So now to try and find a font that is somewhat energetic. I looked in Word and didn't find anything I liked, so did an internet search and came up an amazing site with 1001 fonts - free to download. OK - this is going to be technical. Please please please let it work!!!!!    I downloaded the font, unzipped the font - then went to HELP for Word to see how to make it appear in the font list in Word. VOILA - it took only a few minutes and there it was. I was THRILLED!!!!!!!   Yes - I can do technology. The font is called GIZ and this is what it looks like.......

Giz font

Background for my ENERGETIC block. Got to find a BRIGHT BLUE with lots of movement in it for the letters

This is my backing fabric

Some fabric I will include in the package

A couple of books to give ideas and patterns (but they are NOT allowed to add pictures like the book on the left)

And that it is for the day!!!!!!!   Got another busy day planned so I had better get started. 

Have a great day!!!!!





Ciao!!!!!! 

Be careful what you wish for!!!!!!

I have a class at my house this weekend - Introduction to the Long Arm. I am going to throw a big piece of muslin on the machine for them to play with. I'll use some of those batting pieces for the batting (I am blowing through that batting in the closet!!!) but I wanted something very cheap for the backing. Not cheap in quality, but cheap in price.

YES - I could have hit my stash, but I needed 4.5 meters and I didn't want to give up any of MY fabric for this class. I know - I am a tad too possessive of that fabric stash!!!!

A quick trip to Ruti's - my local quilt store. I dash in - and shout - I NEED THE CHEAPEST FABRIC YOU HAVE. The store is quite small and was busy. Anyway the girls said they had a great deal for me - downstairs $5 a BOLT. They had a bunch of stuff they were trying to clear out. I practically fell down the stairs as I rushed to see what goodies awaited me.

OH OH - I'm in trouble.

Bottom line - I left the store and STAGGERED to my car which fortunately was right out front.

The result of SEX (stash enhancing experience)

 Plus I got four new patterns I had ordered and  a small swatch of fabric to test with that Etchings fabric line for the Border Creek Mystery (the second one I want to make)

This was NOT on sale, but I got three meters cause I LOVE it

This was ON SALE - sorry - if you like any of it - you can't have it cause I bought it all. Well maybe I could sell it to you!!!!

Don't quote me on that price if you are going to go. I think it was one of those "you had to be there moments". The girls were trying to tidy up and had so much to deal with. But if you sweet talk to them - you might get some kind of deal. Oh yes - did you notice that bottom right fabric (shot cotton by Kaffe Fassett!!!!!! and I have a GOOD use for that and it will NOT be a quilt backing)


Back at the long arm and got another quilt done.

Customer quilt

Marian came over so we could work on a project. I purchased a kit for her in the summer from The Quilt Patch in Moose Jaw, Sask. I had purchased the pattern several years ago - when it was still a pattern. Now it is the cover quilt on the book - Tis The Season. We decided to set aside Tuesdays in November to get the quilt done. And when we had our little road trip with the owners of The Quilt Patch last week - we added to the kit for two reasons - ONE - we both want to make the quilt and TWO - we both want to make it bigger. So we got Jeanne and Shelley to help pick out the extra fabrics.

Marian got ALL the green squares cut.

Green squares - all 162 of them  - enough for TWO quilts

This is what the pattern looks like although I don't think ours will look quite like that. 

We went through my fabric buckets and Marian took part of the kit fabric home to search through her stuff. Oh yes - we have some cool ideas to dress this up!!!!!!

Now I have to lay out the green squares so I can sew them together. That means I have to make space on the design wall.


Now you know how obsessive I can get. Well it appears that mystery quilts are my current thing. I have always loved mystery quilts. OK - let me rephrase that. It took me a while to warm up to them, and there are some I won't touch, but lots I like.




The other night I was busy and got my Border Creek Station mystery UP TO DATE.

The EVIDENCE from Border Creek Mystery - Installment One

And good thing too because the next clue was available yesterday. 

Border Creek Mystery - Clue 2

So far - a lot of cutting, but that is OK by me. 

SPOILER ALERT - I am going to show pictures from The Quilt Patch mystery so if you don't want to see - you will have to skip the next picture. 

And I thought I had better get started on the mystery from The Quilt Patch. So here is the result of Clue 1

Clue one of The Quilt Patch mystery

And good thing because I am now sitting with Clue 2 to do and just got Clue 3 in the mail yesterday. Yikes - better get busy.

Clue 2 - Snow Country - The Quilt Patch mystery

While working on this mystery I got to thinking about the other mysteries from The Quilt Patch. After a quick search, I discovered.........................

Not one (almost finished)

Not TWO

But THREE mysteries!!!!!

OK - that is BAD. The packages are open - the clues are inside and all the fabric. I had better get my butt in gear and get them done.

One of the quilts on the design wall is the result of a mystery - just needs to be sewn together and borders added.

And then all hell broke loose because I am following the mystery on This n That. They are cute little projects and don't take a lot of time (OK - so I have to finish the Halloween one). But here is the next one - already started.

The start of This & That Monday Mystery #2

 Now I think with this next one I have completely flipped out. I think EVERYONE is familiar with Bonnie Hunter and Quiltville. The lady is the queen of scrap quilts and I am not sure why I haven't really kept up to date with her since I ADORE scrap quilts. I think she has THREE books out and I do not have any of them!!!!     Anyway I was talking to someone two days ago and they mentioned that Bonnie's new mystery was going to start on November 1. I checked out the web site - got the info, printed it out and I am ready to roll!!!!!   The first clue doesn't come out until November 18 - we just need to get our scraps together (already done!!!)  for this quilt.

Part One of Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt

I love what she says in the instructions - she does INTENSE PIECING - LOTS OF PIECES - MANY OF THEM SMALL. Hmmmm - that woman sounds like ME!!!!!!!  Oh yes and the sign she is holding in the picture says THOU SHALT NOT WHINE. I gather she has had a LOT of feedback in the past.


I still have some other mysteries that are partly completed (go figure!!!).

This one (by Debby Caffrey) just needs the final border

You see - I do have a disease. I have no clue what I will ever do with all these quilts and I don't really care, but I just LOVE to sew. I could sew all day.

And on that note - I am going to sew/quilt all day!!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!

What NOT to wear!!!!

Managed to get another customer quilt done. This was a big one. It looks awesome - will be delivered today.

Customer quilt

Are you familiar with the TV show - What not to wear???   I watched it a couple of times several years ago - still haven't broken my "vow of TV silence" and no desire to do so either. Anyway - I remember from this show that Stacy London and Clinton Kelly would walk around and grab a "victim". All prearranged of course (I hope). But one show, I remember they stopped a woman in the mall and literally cut her pants off of her because they were ill fitting. (Hmmmmm - what would they have done if she was COMMANDO or wearing a cute little thong????????)

Not that I have had any major weight loss - I seem to aim for 1 pound every 6 months!!!  How is that for slow. If I keep this up - I will reach my ideal weight by the time I am 80!!!!!   Don't do the math - I just picked a number!!   However my jeans have been getting a tad loose and particularly baggy in the bum. Should I buy new pants? should I keep these (oh - they are so comfy!!!!)

I had to pop into Mark's to get hiking socks the other day. While in there, I got some amazing hiking socks. I bought two pair in hopes that I would like them and when I wore them out the other night (more on that story later) - they were awesome!  Actually bought another pair of these heat socks and they have already been confiscated by a certain teenager!!!!

The socks I managed to KEEP

The socks that got confiscated!!!!

Happiness is - a nice pair of warm, dry socks!!!!!!   But I digress.....

I see that pants are on sale - 30%. Hmmmm - what should I buy?  Black jeans, brown jeans, faded jeans, light coloured jeans - too many options. Well - I start by checking the size and eliminating those BLUE jeans that are  somewhat like dress pants. I mean - I like the traditional Levis style of jeans. I grab a couple of pair in "my" size. Run into the fitting room and quickly shuck off the loose fitting jeans. There are LOTS of advantages to loose fitting jeans and that is one of them. I pull on the pair of jeans. WHOA - wait a minute!!!!!  This is NOT good. While the size fits perfectly, I am NOT into those low waist pants. Holy cow - while I work out, I am strong, but not toned. And that ROLL over the top of those hipster pants - well just say that they quickly went back onto the shelf!!!!!

The next pair fit just fine - still a bit low in the waist, but at least high enough to keep things tucked in!!!!   Yikes!!!  And the "good" news of this all - I bought pants that were TWO sizes smaller than the ones I have on. Now is that really an indication of weight loss or just the sizes getting bigger?????  I don't trust these pant makers!!!!

And now the big decision - do I get rid of the comfy pants or hang on just in case?????  Well the right thing to do would be put the comfy pants in the give away bin. Get out the smaller pants and keep working on that 1 pound per 6 months weight loss.

Honestly it is so hard to know whether you are gaining or losing anyway. The fluctuation in a SINGLE day can be as high as FIVE pounds. How the heck do I know where I stand when I am dealing with that????   Yes - I know - go for the same time each day.


Yesterday was Halloween and the girls dressed up at Monday Motivators.......

Flo (our bridge fanatic) as a deck of cards

Marian made a rare appearance and wore her Halloween socks

Drat - I have Halloween socks and completely forgot about them. I also forgot about my Halloween shirt that Ronda purchased for me. I had the darn thing sitting out and I completely forgot about it. Too rushed when leaving the house.

Baby Robbie in his cow costume

Oh yes - we even have babies at Monday Motivators!!!!!


However a few of us did get the message at least on WHAT TO WEAR!!!!1

The shade of orange of the three shirts on the left were almost identical!!!!  That is ME second from the left. See those damn ill fitting pants!!!!!!

In light of trying to get more toned and not be in so much pain when Alwin FORCES me to do those 100 leg lifts, I am trying to do more at home. I got out the yoga mat. Well let`s just say that at least someone is using the mat!!!!!

Sparky enjoying a quiet meditative moment on the yoga mat!!!!

Life is all about fun and games!!!!!!    And every day there is something crazy that comes up!!!!  


Well on that note - have a great day!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!