A bit of History

Kelly has asked about our quilting history.

My first almost quilt – because I threw it away before finishing it – was started my senior year of high school. It was an applique quilt of butterflies. But my step-grandmother said I was including the selvage and it was all wrong and blab, blab blab. What’s the purpose of continuing to make a wrong quilt? So the trash can seemed the best answer.

Many years later I took a class at the LQS, Strawberry Patches and made this twin size quilt. It is totally worn out and I would like to make another Christmas Quilt. (Maybe this year?)

I loved quilting and started another quilt – only the big “D” word got in my way. Going through a Divorce really sucked the life out of my creative side. I soon met and married, Hubby and had another baby and that sucked all the spare time out of my life. (Funny how that happens!) So ten years later I started on this queen size quilt again. Hence the name: “My 10 year Quilt”.

Only it took 3 more years for me to finish it up. I love this quilt. I don’t care that it’s ugly. I don’t care that the expert quilter said my tips are bad and made a face. Honestly they don't look bad to me.

Next my daughter and I designed a “Seven Year Quilt”. She was six at the time but I told her it would take a year for me to finish it so we might as well give it the right name to begin with. And yes she turned seven before I gave it to her.

After that, I took several BOM programs at my local quilt shop – someday those blocks may become a quilt. But that was not the purpose of making them. It was to just enjoy sewing and meeting people at my local quilt shop. (I was actually learning a lot about how to piece a quilt.)

I went to a quilt show and fell in love with this fan quilt. I bought it as a kit and it was my introduction to MODA!! This one was completed in 1 1/2 months. Wow finally getting that piecing down from years to months!! This was quilted by a longarm quilter who only says kind things about quilts. Thank goodness!!
Okay and now for my favorite quilt - It's my Hubby's King Size BB2. We had so much fun shopping for fat quarters together. He helped laying the blocks out and even helped sew on the binding (without my permission!!!) He did an okay job so I didn’t rip it out – how mean would that have been? I would have turned into one of those quilt police!! Yikes.

Then I found the Internet and blogs and I quickly found Kelly. I love her blog, and joined Charming Girls and Guys.

She helped light the fire under me and I finished up a quilt that had been cut out and sitting in my dinning room for 2 years!!! My “Batik Jewels”. (Which I forgot to take a picture of. ) I also started my own blog and that’s been fun because I’m getting to know all you bloggers and quilters. And you people are great!!!

Linda

I'm a WINNER!!

Julie over at JEWELLS had a give-a-way and I'm the lucky winner. Since winning this wonderful kit which is pretty exciting I've been emailing Julie and she's the coolest gal from Australia I've ever met. And you know those Australians are all so nice and friendly! I really like her blog - check it out when you have time. http://jewells58.blogspot.com/ (sorry I just couldn't get my camera and software to take a better/bigger picture. Julie has one on her blog.)




This kit is going to be so much fun to make! I really can't wait to get started on it. It has so many fun parts to it - prairie points, beads and the fabric is so lovely.

Thank you so much Julie!!!

Life with Neptune

One day you have a little pup. She so cute and sweet and adorable. You think life is so good.

Then several years later you wake up to that dog barking at 4 am. Let me repeat. 4 am!! A quick "be quiet" and all is well again. Or so I thought. As I'm starting to fall back asleep I smell something. Something Bad, something so bad it could only be a skunk!



Neptune our fearless brave doggie, while trying to protect our backyard, got sprayed across her chest. And STINK? Oh my yes. She did stink. So did our whole house as she ran in before I could shut the dog door. We quickly checked the Internet for solutions, dressed, ran to the store (okay we drove) and got peroxide, baking soda and Dawn dish washing soap.

After 3 bathes in the morning and one that evening. Neptune was allowed back inside. And after a lot of cleaning and deodorizing our house is good. Actually better than before the skunk. But don't let Neptune know that.

Her fur was all yellow where the skunk sprayed her. Now she looks so sparklely and white.
Do they say life is more fun with dogs? Hmmm....I'll have to think about that one for a minute. Okay, a minute's up. Yes it's better.

Linda

Spring Bingo at In Stitches

It's Spring Bingo time over at In Stitches.
http://the-quilt-shoppe.blogspot.com/2010/05/spring-fever-bingo.html

I've picked my 25 words and e-mailed them to The Quilt Shoppe. Are you ready to play too?

Oh and about that New Washer. It was finally delivered on Friday - but we had to leave out of town and as soon as we came back on Monday - my hubby strained his knee. That meant doing the laundry was up to me. Oh I have to admit that it's so much fun. Yes! I do like doing the laundry! The washer makes little musical sounds when you set up the wash, and tells you exactly how long it will take. It even makes folding the clothes fun. Now how long to you think that will last?

Update to sewing stash/mess

Oh forgot to include this picture taken when I snapping shots of my sewing mess. This is my little girl KatKat. She's guarding my foot pedal. See those big ears? Just listening and wating....
It seems there's always one of my doggies around when I'm sewing. Several times my machine start sewing without me - cause Neptune laid on the foot pedal!!

Linda

Showing our Stash (or in my case MESS)

Oh poor Kelly, of Charming Chatter, was so embarrassed showing her stash but she has a great friend Polly to jump in and help her out. Polly, of Aunt Polly's Porch, has a nice neat stash that she shared, and has challenged us to share ours.
Okay - you asked for it! Kelly no way will you be embarrassed when you see my mess! This is truly embarrassing. I hate to walk into my sewing room. For my birthday (or Mother's Day) my daughter said she would come help me clean up this room.

Warning this is TERRIBLE!!!

But first I just want to say this is totally out of character for me. I'm usually fairly neat and organized. It's the curse of fabric - it makes you buy it, admire it, play with it all the while causing a disorienting mess.

Do you see this? My sewing room also doubles as a play room, nursery, computer room and catch all for empty boxes we might need later (but of course we never do - UNLESS we throw it out).

See that computer? It doesn't even work. I always put up the iron and my mat/cutter when the grandkids come to play, as the toy box is right there under it. And that's a crib in the corner. Those are my quilt books and magazines all stacked.
Oh my gosh, I can barely stand to see the mess in these pictures! All those containers hold one quilt each (that way all the fabric is together when it comes time to start it).

And this next one is the start to getting this room organized. This hold all the scraps.
Each drawer holds a couple colors until I get another plastic drawer. My drawer of purples and blues.
And on the top is my BOM and bunny square. Inside that violet colored box is everything for the rest of the bunny squares. It's a "to-go" project.
And because my sewing room is such a mess - and because I love being with my family, I sew on top the dinning room table. Doesn't this look like a much better place to sew - and see all that light coming in behind me? This is my BabyLock Machine. LOVE IT!! It's a dream for me to sew on.
And hubby comes in and sits there and talks to me sometimes. Its kind of cool. From here I can see the TV. I like listening to the TV while sewing. (That's my daughter's boyfriend in the background - last night was the first time he's been over. He's really a neat guy. I see why she likes him.)

And this is my very first purchase I made when I started working (after buying a car). I love my Kenmore - it does my machine applique so neatly!!! I accidentally broke off the metal things that hold the thread on top of the machine. I use that tomato paste can to hold and control my thread. Works great!
Okay so now you've seen it. Did you know I didn't think had very much of a stash until I saw these pictures. How funny!! Oh Lisa, of Crafty Little Mama - you aren't as embarrassed over your room now are you?

I'll show after pictures when we get around to cleaning up this room.

Linda

Washing Machine Day

Okay today is the day! The washing machine supposed to be delivered.


Only - hubby called and the store said "No, there's a problem. And it will be delievered Friday. But then again that Hubby of mine often teases me. So I don't know if the machine is coming or not. LOL!!


So I'll just think about something else. Not about the handwashing I have to do if that machine doesn't show up today.


Here's my next I Spy quilt for granddaughter Scarlett.


This snapshot does not show the true colors. The Pink is a bright pink with silver and the cream sashings are really silver. These are just the squares layed out not sewed together yet. But to be honest with you, I don't really like this quilt so far, it seems rather dull. sigh. What's a grammy to do? Any idea?

And I just got another call from Hubby saying he did some hand washing...hmmm...Does that mean I'm really not getting that washer today? I getting the feeling he's not teasing me.

Linda

Washing Machine

Well, it finally happened. Our washing machine just died. No warning. Just late one night nothing - it was dead. This ought to be sad news.

But there's just no point in being upset as this seems to happen every decade or so. So hubby, being the man of action that he is, did the research and purchased one before I even had a chance to look. This is fine with me - we pretty much agree on most stuff. All I knew is that it had to be white - as the dryer is white. Then I was thinking a front loader might be nice and Wala...that's what he bought.

One of the salesmen told him that wives are so happy with the new machine they wash everything in the house and love doing the laundry each week. Was that a hint for me to start doing it? Hahaha!! Such a good joke!!!

Linda

May non-goals

Okay so the Charming Gals and Guys are not doing the May Projects - which is good cause we all need to shake things up a bit. I still want to show what I'll be working on. So first up is Scarlett's I Spy quilt. Isn't the fabric lovely? I'm going to do a disappearing nine patch. I can't wait to get started on it and post some pictures cause it's going to be so cute.

And I hope to get this JOY bom done up fairly quickly too.

I think I have a couple things to add to the

I'll post those later.

Linda