I've met some nice people in my day!

And one of the nicest would have to be Miriam. We live a world apart, but we have become friends, true friends. Miriam is always encouraging, helpful and kind. She is also making a reproduction of the Sarah Morrell quilt and her blocks are just wonderful. Yesterday I went to the mailbox and pulled out a soft package...hmmmm I said to myself, I don't remember ordering anything and I didn't, it was a wonderful package from Miriam. She had it wrapped up beautifully, but I ripped into it before I remembered to take a picture. Take a look at what she sent me for my birthday.

 

I had seen the cute little bag on Miriam's blog and now it's mine and I love it because the blue and red fabric is one of my favorite fabrics (I haven't been able to cut into my piece of it yet :o). Look at those scissors, well actually they are "scissoroos"...can you see the kangaroo? Scissors are my "dirty little secret". I LOVE them and I collect them. I don't think I've mentioned that here before, but now it's out...lol Also she included a very pretty batik fat quarter and a lovely card. Thank you Miriam, thank you!

I made an easy Nearly Insane block yesterday afternoon...I know I should have been cleaning, but I just had to sew.

 

I also finished the first block from the Material Obsession bom by Sue Ross that I joined in a weak moment. But I'm glad I did because this block was fun and it challenged me because I had to needle turn applique the large circle onto the background and that's the first time I've done that. I am going to love this quilt...I think it's going to be a happy quilt.

 

I'm off to work in a bit. Have fun and pick up a needle and thread today if you can. It makes the day great!

Whoa.....

Time needs to slow down! Do you remember those lazy, hazy days of summer? It's not like that anymore is it? August is almost over and then September....oh my gosh...I'm not sure how I'm going to make it through Sept., but I guess I'll just do my best! As long as I can carve out some stitching time I think I'll be okay.

Here's a picture of a quilt I brought back from my Grandpa's room at the assisted living center. My Grandma made it probably in the 70's from scraps left over from sewing clothes. I know that because there's fabric from one of my Moms dresses and fabric from some of mine and my sister's clothes and even from one of my Grandma's dresses.

 

Grandpa had the quilt in a big box with some other bedding to be thrown away....good thing I looked before I tossed!

I have made a couple of Nearly Insane blocks lately. The second one was a doozie! I could have made an entire quilt for the time I spent on this block!

 

 

I have one quilt back from the quilter and my Truly Scrumptious girls should be done any day now. I'll show pictures as soon as I get them bound. I like binding quilts, but I have problems labeling them. I've still never labeled my Dear Jane....must do that I guess.

I've also been working on a new bom and I'll show a picture when I get it done. It's been a bit of a challenge, but that's okay, I'm up for it. The pies and tarts are coming along as well. So I have been sewing, but it's just been slow going. The sewing rooms are a mess and I may spend this afternoon cleaning them so I'll feel peaceful when sewing.

Oh and the knee still hurts, darn...my Grandpa told me to keep using it and stretching it out. Actually it did feel better yesterday and I was on my feet a lot so he may be right.

Have a terrific Monday!

Well I'm back!!!

It's been a very busy couple of weeks around here...I think I need a vacation! :o)
I've been to Taos, NM, LaJunta, CO and I've been quilt shop hopping in Kansas. I came home sick from Colorado, but recovered in time to go to Kansas with my friends Sharon and Kathy where we met up with my daughter Emily and even went to a great shop in Lee's Summit, Missouri (11 shops in all). I think fun was had by all and I know that money was spent by all. The only downside to the trip was driving through pouring rain on our way up and then I fell and banged up my knee pretty bad coming out of the hotel on Tuesday morning, but I think I'm recovering. I'm not one to rush to the doctor as I really prefer playing one here in my house :o), but I think I'm doing okay. It slowed us down a bit, but it didn't stop the fun!

Last week I won a give away from Elaine and let me show you how generous she is.

 

 

 

 

 

Can you believe all of that?!?!?! Elaine took great care in preparing this package and I am truly thankful and blessed by her! Thank you so much Elaine.

Also thank you to all of you that sent birthday wishes my way. Oh and I came home to a clean house, courtesy of my daughter Allie and my other daughter Kara and her boyfriend Jacob built shelves in the game room closet for me...something I have wanted for years! My husband was super busy at work this week, but he financed my shop hop...wow I'm so spoiled!

Have a great day!

I'll be incommunicado for a few days.

My Mom and I are going to see about my Dads 95 year old father in La Junta, Colorado by way of Taos, New Mexico. We go to Taos first because by the time we leave Colorado we're pretty emotionally drained and ready to get home. I wanted to show pictures of quilts, but I really haven't been working on much lately except my pies and tarts quilt, so I thought I'd show you some of my inherited quilts. There isn't much if any value in any of the quilts that I inherited, but I treasure them still.
This quilt was made by my Grandma Alyne, my Dads mother, and it's all double knit fabrics sewn together by hand with the featherstitch, I think. It isn't finished, but I have the extra fabrics to finish it. My Grandma was already pretty well advanced with Alzhiemer's when she gave this to me, but she made me promise to finish it and I will someday.

 

The quilt reminds me of her because most of the fabrics in it are left overs from her clothes.

This quilt top or summer quilt, because it has binding on it, was commissioned by my Great, great Aunt. She wanted it to go on her bed in the summer. The bad thing is that she wanted the top flat and not scalloped so she cut the top off...lol...she was a mess. She was a missionary in China in the late 1920's or early 30's I think. I have her diary from that time and she had to escape China for fear of being killed along with the other missionaries she was with. Interesting life Aunt Bea had and I'm tickled to have this memento of hers.

 

I'll be stopping at a couple of quilts shops along the way I think. Have a great week blogfriends and we'll chat when I get home.

My favorite flowers....

are Pink Ladies or n**k*d ladies (that's so I don't come up on the pervert searches). I love them! They are so tall and dignified (something I'm not...lol).
Problem is they only bloom for a week or so in August, usually at the beginning.

 

Here's another picture

 

These pictures do not really do them justice because the color is much prettier in real life. On to quilty stuff.
I finally got my Antique Quilt all caught up. Yeah!

 

Also since I'm going to be out-of-town for a few days next week and then again for a couple of days the next, my sister went ahead and sent me my birthday present.
Oh My Gosh .... I LOVE this fabric....can you believe that Pam ordered this for me off of the Glorious Color website!

 

Isn't it beautiful?!?! And here's the Kaffe Fassett pattern that all of that fabric is for(sorry about the flash)

 

Pamela is the best sister in the whole wide world. Thank you Pam!!!

Emily is home for a few days, so I'm enjoying being with her and I am getting a little bit of sewing done. The pies and tarts quilt is coming along nicely and I'll post a picture in a few days. Still no sugar...this is day 7 and I still crave the heck out of it, but I'm not going to give in. I didn't really realize how much I pacify myself with sweets. I can tell that I'm feeling better and that's a good thing. Well back up to the sewing room I go...

Enjoy the day!

That Elaine is doing it again!

You should hurry on over to Faithful Quilter: Elaine's Journey right now because Elaine is having another of her Stimulus package giveaways!

 

Elly won the last one and you just have to see what all Elaine sent her....WOW!!! Major goodies!
Quilters are for the most part, the most generous people I know. I love that I'm part of this world wide club of really cool awesome people :o)

Update on the Antique Quilt!

Well I've got two sides completed on the Antique quilt and I've made the other two Lemoyne stars, just need to prep the applique for the smaller stars this evening.

 

A BIG thank you to Guute, who is drawing this quilt in EQ6 and sharing with others, Miriam and Renate, all three helped with moral support and measurements when I cut my first LeMoyne star diamonds the wrong size! I am continually amazed at how the love of quilting surpasses all language barriers. Although Guute and Renate speak much better English than I speak their languages :o)
Miriam is Australian so we write the same language, but I'm sure if I heard her speak I'd have to ask her to slow down...lol...I couldn't even understand people in Boston when my husband and I visited a few years ago. He had to translate everything for me!
Here's a quilt that I did a few years ago out of a Kaffe Fassett book (not sure which one right now, but I have all of them)called Handkerchief Corners, I believe.

 

I may have shown a picture of this quilt before, but it just looked so pretty hanging on the stair rail thing this morning that I decided to post a picture of it. I think this quilt is one of my favorites because it is SO soft. I won't let anyone use it because I don't want it to wear out, but I think my oldest daughter occasionally sneaks a nap with it when she's home.

I'm thinking about doing a big giveaway soon. August is my birthday month and I like giving as much as receiving. Stay tuned for more info. Also I quit eating sugar on August 1st...cold turkey! I'm doing pretty good so far although it has been tough. I am a major sugar addict, but I need to get healthy!

Have a Blessed day today!