Maybe Ranette's Weekly Stitch????

Boy I need to post more often, don't I? I've been busy sewing, working and cleaning, but just not a lot that I think would be interesting on this blog.

Here is my 30 Stars quilt top finished



This picture looks a little washed out and I notice that my quilt model is stretching the top as he holds it, hmmm I'll have to have a little chat with him about that. Today is a cloudy day, so it's not great for taking pictures. I think the colors are much more vivid in person. This quilt was so much fun and went together perfectly. Don't ya love it when that happens?!?!

So after I finished the stars quilt I decided to work on a UFO. I have many (LOL), but I decided on a quilt kit that I purchased at the Road to California Quilt Show last year. I'm not going to mention the shop name or the name of the quilt or the pattern designer, but I will say that this quilt has been a HUGE hassle. I think I started this quilt last February and I wasn't too far into it when I noticed that my measurements didn't match what the pattern said. I rechecked everything and everything I had done added up. I puzzled and puzzled over this and sent an email to the quilt designer asking for help. I didn't receive a reply. Then I realized that I didn't have enough of two of the main fabrics in the quilt. By the way my quilt was coming out smaller than the instructions said. So what did I do but shove it into a box and forget about it...until the morning after my Dad had passed away and I get this call. Well it's the shop owner/designer of this quilt wanting to know what I wanted. This is at least 6 weeks after I had sent an email to her. I had been up 36 hours straight, not to mention the trauma that we had all just been through and I tried to communicate my issues with her.

Well another 6 weeks passes and I get this package with 4, 1/2 yard pieces of fabric in it. No note, no corrections to the pattern, just fabric which I proceeded to shove into the box with the partially put together quilt top. Last night I decided that today would be the day that I'd finish this quilt. And I did...not according to the directions and not like the original, but it's done and it's okay. What do you all think?



He's stretching the top on this quilt too...lol It will make a nice little wall hanging or table topper. I also made the binding for both of these little quilts, so after I get them quilted I'll be ready to put it on!

By the way the Road2California quilt show was awesome last year and I really wish I could go again this year. I think it's coming up this weekend. If I ever do get to go again I'll sign up for some classes.

I'm off to work in my upstairs sewing room before picking up my youngest at the highschool. Then I think I'll come home and make a fire, brrrr it's so cold out today. I know that many of you have it worse than the 17 degree high that we have today and I feel for you.

Quilt Show

No pictures from the quilt show...well that's not entirely true. Here are my purchases




Oh and a note/mouse pad. Not sure why the picture is flipped. I had fun with Sharon and Paulette, but the quilt show was disappointing. It's been at least two years since I've been able to go to this particular show and I think I won't be going back for several more. I used to find all sorts of new fabric and kits...but it was like I'd seen it all before or it was embroidery, which I'm not into. Oh well I didn't need to spend any $$$'s anyway!

I have done a little more on my 30 stars quilt that I started on the other day. My plan is to really work on this tomorrow and Saturday. Here it is with a couple more borders on it



Ahhhh!!! Does anyone know why my pictures keep flipping over??? I'm too tired tonight to try and fix it and so I'd better go off to bed.

Ranette

How the heck did it get to be 2009?????

Does anyone feel like I do....that time has sped up to warp speed lately? I guess I was so busy finishing the quilt that my daughter made her boyfriend for Christmas that I completely missed 2009. We did get it quilted and she did give it to him and he did love it. Oh and I forgot to get a picture of it finished.

I also finished my Dear Jane top and took it to my friend Linda's house to be quilted last night. I didn't get a picture of the top, but will post photos after she adds her magic quilting to it. I'm thrilled about finishing this quilt...two years of working on those precious little blocks & triangles. Even though I've been quilting for 21 years and sewing for most of my 48 years, I learned so much making this quilt. An added plus is the people that I've met online because of the DJ quilt...hi Rosa, Elly, Susan...

As my husband left for CES yesterday and Emily leaves to go back to Lawrence tomorrow, I gave myself a present and I started last night on this




Not sure why the star picture is flipped, oh well. Isn't this quilt pretty??? I ordered it from Country Threads and I've been saving it to make during this particular week in January...weird I know.

The other big news around here is that daughter #2, Kara has moved into a place of her own. She had a friend that needed out of her last 5 months of her lease and the rent is cheap for college housing, so we figured this would be a good "try it" period. If she hates it she can come back home, if she loves it...great! It's about 2 minutes from the store and 5 minutes from home. Kara has it fixed up really cute already and seems to like it fine. That leaves us just one, Allie, at home! My goal is to keep her from taking over the upstairs...lol

Time to go and get ready for work and then to OKC to have lunch with my Mom. Probably won't stop at any quilt shops today because I'm going to a quilt show in OKC with Sharon and Paulette on Thursday. I'm going to try not to buy anything, but we'll see how that goes...lol

Thank you Linda in Italy!

The above gifts were my SSCS gifts from my swap partner Linda in Italy.
Everything came in this lovely covered Christmas box (I love boxes) and it was filled with Italian candies, a pasta kitchen towel, a beautiful wool (?) rose pin and a Museum book. Plus a fun Advent card which I had been opening daily!

What a fun swap...my partner is Sonia in Australia. So through this swap Elf Donna has connected people from all over the world. Amazing!!! Thank you Donna. And thank you again Linda. I love my gifts!

5 minutes to myself please!

That's all I need right now is just 5 little minutes...LOL My to do list is getting longer by the second because for the last several days I have been helping Emily, the oldest, put together a queen size quilt for her boyfriend. We finally finished the top last night at about 9:30pm and today we are going to pin it for quilting and then we are going to quilt the monster. It needs to be done by Wednesday morning (12/31) at the latest because she is flying to see him and they are exchanging gifts. LOL Is she MY daughter or what! Here is a picture of it layed out on my living room floor before the rows were put together.



I really don't mind helping her and I'm thrilled that she loves quilting and fabric as much if not more than I do, if that's possible, so please don't think that I'm complaining...well maybe just a little bit.

Also I've been listed on the Quilt Qua site which I looked at for a little bit and there are lots of cool blogs listed there and we all know how we love looking at each others blogs for inspiration! lol

Later,

Where has the time gone???

The last week has literally "flown" by. Whew, I'm glad it's over...lol

Kara had her foot surgery on Wednesday and is doing very well now. The first few days were extremely painful for her as I heard they probably would be, but yesterday she was up and moving around much more. I'm so glad she's better and we may even venture out to do a tiny bit of Christmas shopping today.

Here's a picture of the Christmas village that we always put up over my pantry. We actually did it last weekend but I haven't had time to post it.



It's a big job to put it up and take it down, so I usually leave it up until the end of January or so.

I did finish all of my Dear Jane triangles (yipee!) and I also made one kite/corner with another all ready to work on as time permits. I'm without and hand stitching right now, I'd better prep something today. I finished another Truly Scrumptious block and another basket block for my Mom's quilt. No pics yet, sorry.

My Mom and my brother, his wife and their daughter Jessica and her two little girls will be coming up for Christmas Eve. Mom will probably spend the night which kind of upsets her because that has always been a private time for my family, but I told her that this year is different and we'd adjust. It's the first Christmas without my Dad and it's been much harder emotionally than I expected. She's just devastated and very emotional. Anyway we'll have Mexican food and play with the little ones and it will be fun!

My oldest, Emily will be home from Lawrence today. She's the daughter that cherishes tradition and the Season. She loves giving, actually Kara does too. I think they get that from me, I'm a giver. Hopefully we'll get some sewing time in while Emily is here...wait I know we will, we have to finish the quilt she is giving her boyfriend for Christmas...lol

If I don't post again before Wednesday I want to wish all of my "blog friends" around the US and around the world a very "Merry and Blessed Christmas", may it be everything you desire and more!

I wish I could read Japanese

Look at these beautiful books by YOKO SAITO. She is a master at hand-piecing and applique. She also designs fabrics for the Lecien Fabric Co. I LOVE her work and while I will never be able to sew like she does, someday when I get time, I will try to piece one of her little blocks.

I also have her book Houses, houses, houses (didn't get a picture) and I'm totally enthralled with it. I love house quilts and maybe someday I'll do a series of them...in my dreams probably!!

The weekend was good and fairly productive. I've only got one more DJ triangle to do and then the four corners and I'll be done with my Dear Jane quilt. That will free up a bunch of sewing time for me and I've already got the quilt picked out that I'll be working on while hubby goes to Vegas in January for CES. He'll be gone for a week and that seems to free up a bunch of time for me to just sew. I do miss him while he's gone but why not make the best of it, right?!?

The weather has turned bitter cold and windy, with a high of only 22 degrees expected today. No snow or ice to speak of, so just a lot of bundling up.

Have a good Monday...