Really Random Thursday - 5/23/13

First I'm so happy that my daughter will be graduating next week.  I think it's the end of worrying about her.  (Now don't go popping my bubble!  Just let me live in my fantasy world.)

Another thing that mades me happy is my orchid bloomed.

I really didn't know if conditions were right for it to bloom or not.  I love the way the new flower's petals are slightly green and turns white as it fully opens.

And this little bitty guy, brought me all kinds of happiness. 

I found him like this - just floating in our pool.


And check out what my sister did to my needle book.  (remember I've been making them for family?)

So it was her idea to make a little embroidered flower so that I would know the embroidery needles go on that page and beading needles go on the page with sequins and beads.  I so appreciate her doing this!  And it makes my needle book so much more special having her handiwork in it.  It will bring me joy for years to come.

And best of all, is the happiness of having my fab family over working on Christmas Stocking...

See what I mean?  They are so much fun.

I do have one small problem.  I'm hoping someone will be able to help me out.  I have this block to make (for the Terrier Town BOM) and I would like to change it.

I've done HOME SWEET HOME before - (like quite a few times!) and I would rather do something else.
I thought of LIVE LOVE LAUGH but I'm a bit tired of that also. To you have any suggestions?  Something that is about 15 letters long?

Well, this ends my Really Random Thursday.  I do hope you all have a lovely day.

Happy Stitching,

Linda

Linking up to:

Live a Colorful Life - Really Random Thursday

It's a Done Deal

I have it wrapped and sitting in my closet.

Yep,  it was super easy to put on the minky.  Look how cute that ruffly minky binding is.

Is that cute or what?  As I was sewing it felt like I was sewing a rabbit (not in a bad way) - it was just so fluffy.

See all that white stuff on the black fabric - a couple shakes of the quilt and "Poof" it was gone.  I guess I was sewing a magic rabbit.  hehehe

It was quick and easy. I sewed one line around the quilt where the border meets the main body of the quilt

and then made the binding by turning it over to the front.  I did this before to a quilt and that quilt has lasted years and many machine washings.  The only problem is the minky is thick when you come to the corners - however, a couple snips to reduce the bulk and those corners look great.  Fuzzy - and great.

As you know Sugar just had to pose with the quilt.  Personally I think she makes it look better. 

And the mess when I finished cutting the minky?  Here check it out.

This is all of it. Really not much. I wiped the cutting mat down with a damp cloth and vacuumed the carpet.

So as I said I put the present up in my closet.   High up in my closet, where no one looks. And how long did it take Serena to spy it?

Like two seconds!  LOL  But she has to wait.

Happy Stitching,

Nicey Linda

Linky up to

Anything Goes at Stitch by Stitch
Sew Cute Tuesday at Better off Thread
Show & Tell Tuesday at I Have to Say

And:

The Great British Sewing Bee

Hey I have something really cool to share with you. 

Have you heard of The Great British Sewing Bee?

I really like this show - it makes me want to stop what I'm doing and sew up a blouse or at the very least go  put pockets on something.

I do hope you enjoy it.  There are 4 episodes in total.

Did you dig that music? Sort of cool, huh?

Happy Stitching,

Linda

Decisions, Decisions...

Let's talk about the weekend.  It was great. (Did you have a nice Mother's Day?) We had lots of family, games and pool time.  And some how I managed to get Serena's graduation quilt sandwiched.

You know it really wasn't hard at all using the spray basting.  I even managed to ready my machine for Free Motion Quilting. You know clean out that lint etc.

And then my plans started to go awry.  The reason my plans go awry is because of ME!  Yep.  I started thinking, that maybe I should make the quilt bigger. (Sometimes thinking is just not good.) I could take the backing cut it in strips and use it as another border.  Or maybe I should just leave it as is.

And then I starting thinking - well, remembering that Minky is so nice on the back of a quilt.  And you know, then I wouldn't even need to quilt it.  So I'm sort of stalled.  To quilt or not to quilt; to enlarge or not to enlarge; to minky or not to minky.

I'm just like the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz ... If I only had a brain....

then maybe I could make up my mind.

Happy Stitching,

Linda

Linky up with Judy's Design Wall Monday

Do All Good Plans Go Awry?

It's been a little hard for me to post lately. I've just had so much going on.  I suppose it gets that way for everyone from time to time.

I'm so please to say I finished piecing Serena's quilt.  YEA!

Yick that brown carpet makes this quilt look sick.
It's much nicer in person. 

I was all ready to sandwich it.  I decide to use spray basting this time.  So early Saturday morning I ran out and hosed off my back patio.  I figured it would dry and I would get it sandwiched before Serena got up.  Such a good plan.  I looked out the window about an hour later and it was almost dry.

Within half an hour we were having a major dust storm.  Major sigh !

Then life got in the way - Serena had her wisdom teeth removed, we had repairs done to the house and the
car and now it's already May 10th.  I'm hoping, really hoping, that I can sandwich it today. Start quilting tomorrow. Sounds like a good plan.

What are you working on this weekend?

Happy Stitching,

Nicey Linda

Me VS April Goals & May Goals

Some months meeting my goals are a breeze and then other months (I bet you know where I'm going with this, don't you?) are a Big Fat 0.

Goals met in April  - 0  

Yep - A big fat 0

But don't think for one minute that I'm unhappy about that!  Check this out, as you know my daughter is graduating this month.  Oh you didn't know? didn't care. That's okay.  This month I've been busy working on her quilt.  I have almost finished piecing it, still have the border and stars to complete.

So here's the real cool part about this quilt. I bought this pattern and fabric several years ago.  I've never made Serena a quilt because she really doesn't want one.  So a month ago she comes home with some shoes on the color as the background fabric and says "This is my new favorite color!"  Whoa,  I'm thinking that's the exact same color as the quilt I've been thinking of making for her. 

I get the fabric and instructions and start in.  I had so many problems with this quilt.  Some have been my fault and some have been the instructions. I was sewing up one of the stars and when the block didn't go together I realized they reversed the paper piecing template. Oy Vey!  I spent quite a few hours with the seam ripper.  

This is just my opinion.  I love the white stars with the white of the panel of verses rather than how it's pictured on the pattern.  See?  What do you think?

So now on to May Goals

#1  And the most important.  Finish Serena's Quilt

#2  BOM Terrier Town

#3  Sulky BOM

#4  Work on the Christmas Stockings

So just those four will be more than I can do, but I'll give it my best.

Happy Stitching,

Nicey Linda

Linking up with Get it Done at Patchwork Times

PigTales and Quilts Monthly to Do List

Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday
Fresh Sewing Day at Lilly's Quilts