Another Finish

WOW...it sure has been quite some time since I posted.....Work was a bear this week and I have to tell you, if I didn't have this quilt addiction I'd be quittin quicker than you can blink an eye!!!

I was picked to participate in the stimulus plan on Joanne's bloghttp://splittingstitches.blogspot.com/, so I needed to get the borders on this 30's quilt so I can get it out to her tomorrow....

As I wrote last week, I took all my 6.5 inch 30's and kona white blocks out, assembled the sampler and then decided I wanted a piano key border. I put a kona white border all around the sampler then the piano key and I think it looks pretty nice!!! My quilt holders are all out tonight so I had to put push pins into it and hung it in front of my sliding glass doors....

I'm heading off to bed...hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Peggy

Weight Loss Monday

I honestly don't know why I am still a part of the group...I am not doing much losing but I guess knowing I have to post on Mondays it keeps me at least attempting to lose something....
Big ole goose egg this week -0- pounds lost :( -0- pounds gained :)

Peggy

Another Finish

I finally got the binding on this top so I can check another finish off my BPF Challenge list...Yahoo!

This is the 2008 Thimbleberries Club Quilt....It is as we speak hanging on the wall in the upstairs faculty room at school. I've donated this top to our multiply handicapped class who are in the process of raffling it off. The proceeds will go to an orphanage in India. A friend of our MH teacher built the orphanage and we do occasional fundraisers for it in school. I thought this was a great fundraiser and am happy to report that the staff loves the top and everyone is hoping to win it.

I haven't done any machine sewing this week yet, I've been working on pincushions for retreat and got myself hooked on my Truly Scrumptious stitcheries so that's what I've been doing....I'm thinking this weekend though I'll do a little bit of sewing on the machine....got a lotta bom's to keep up with :)

Peggy

A New Stimulus Package

Have you read about Joanne's Stimulus Package? She's a new longarm quilter and is offering a great deal...go on over and check her out...http://splittingstitches.blogspot.com/2009/03/update-on-stimulus-package.html
Sounds like an offer you just can't pass up on...

Peggy

Have you seen this????

Have any of you seen this? I was hysterical! When hubby showed me this tonight I said "SHOW ME THE CREDIT CARD!" lol I certainly don't need to be told twice, do you?

Peggy

Monday-Loser's Club

OK, don't go getting the horns and stuff out, it's only 2 lbs....but at least it's not a gain!!!

Another Finish

NO, not another quilt....this time it's just one of the Truly Scrumptious "girls". I love to do embroidery but when push comes to shove, I tend to gravitate towards piecing quilt blocks so my embroidery pieces take a year and a day to do...

I think this one's name is TILLY...isn't she cute?

I'll have to pull out the other ones that I finished and put a picture up.

Peggy

All Roads Lead to the Sea an Update

It seems like ages since I did the steeple portion of the church for this All Roads Lead to the Sea BOM so whenI got the March kit yesterday I wanted to cut right into the new kit. I started it pretty late last night because I wanted to get the sampler top assembled, so I didn't get much done. After working on it all afternoon today I manage to finish it around 7PM tonight. These blocks take a lot of concentration and you have to know that when you start one that you won't get much else done that day.

I took some liberties with my windows today and didn't put arches on them and I used a different walkway than what the quilt shop gave us but other than that, I stuck to the directions.

I did do a little whining this afternoon about how tedious this was and Robin reminded me that this is a once in a lifetime thing so I stopped complaining and just got er done...

Now, here's a picture of what I've got done so far....I didn't realize that I didn't do 1 kit, I found that in the box with the scraps so that needs assembly, and I have another house that has one of those killer rooflines that I can't seem to "get", but I'm going to get it out and make an effort to work on that tonight... This is going to be something that I'll treasure forever and I've already picked a place to hang it so I need to focus and keep up with it.....

2004-It was a very good year

I guess 2004 was a good year, at least it was for me and getting lotsa swap blocks....

I was looking to assemble a quick and easy top the other day and I wanted something in light flowery colors. I immediately went to my 30's drawers and pulled out a couple of bags of blocks and settled on the bag of kona white and 30's since I had enough blocks to arrange them 7 across by 10 down....which, after I add a thin border and then a nice size piano key border, will make a nice single size throw.

After I got it pretty much assembled I thought that maybe I should have put strips in between each block but I was looking for QUICK AND EASY and that would have made for way too much work. I would like to have this done and to the quilter by the time the month is over.

I do have to say though, the quilt is much cuter in person, for some reason the blocks look a little washed out in this picture, and they really aren't....

Peggy

Loser Monday Already?

Holy Kamoley....I cannot believe it's Loser Monday already....
Well, I for one did not weigh myself this morning so I will report back tomorrow.
I know I've been doing this Loser Monday thing for a while but I can't get used to
stepping on a scale so I always come home and forget....I will check in on Tuesday, PROMISE!!!

Main St. Stars

I keep forgetting to post another finish I had in February....It's a block of the month I did with the Main Street Cotton Shop from August 2007 thru July 2008. It was called "Main Street Stars". This was the 2nd block of the month I did with Main Street and when all was said and done, I am just as happy with this one as I was with the first.

Here's a picture of the front and the back. The backing fabric was kind of an interesting winter scene that I thought looked nice with this top....

The first block of the month I did in 2006-2007 was called "Main Street USA".
This one was more of a wall hanging size, which I thought the new one was too but I was sure surprised when I finished it and it was so large.

I've had this one hanging on the wall in my kitchen since it was done.

I absolutely love how it fits right on the wall with the shelf rack with my little dolls and pitchers.

I am thinking I need to make something that I can hang during the spring and summer, I just need to figure out what.....

Peggy

A Little Finish

I didn't get as much sewn today as I'd have liked but I did get a block of the month done and I got the rick rack tacked down onto a cute tablerunner I made yesterday....

The blocks at the left are part of the 2009 Thimbleberries BOM.

I had to get month 2 done 'cause I'm sure month 3 is probably in the mail as we speak....

The picture at the right is the corner of the Mary Engelbreit table runner I did yesterday.

It was made from 1 charm pack and the kit came with the cute fat red rick rack for around the edges.

It will be perfect for the kitchen island....

I made a big pot of chicken noodle soup for dinner and got some fresh bagels so we're all set for a very cold night in New Jersey.

How was your day?

Peggy

Weigh In

Haven't been able to weigh in since we've had 2 snow days....Will report in hopefully tomorrow (Wed)

Can you hear me cheering?

We got a snow day....and what makes it twice as nice, we got the call before heading to bed so I didn't have to set the alarm for 5:15 to get up......and it's still coming down so we might get 2 days and possibly a delayed opening out of it!!! Can a school employee ask for anything more?

What to do now?

Hmmmm.....I'm really in the mood to start something new even though I should really finish up something old... BAH....I'm going to cut into this kit that I've had hanging out on the cutting table for a while. It's called "CHARM RUNNER" and it came with Mary E charms, backing fabric and that BIG red rick rack.

Seems like a fairly easy runner to make so I'm hoping I can get it cut tonight and finish it up tomorrow. Stay tuned...............

Runner

Here's Project # 3 on my UFO List that I finished tonight. It's a table runner that I assembled at a retreat about 4 years ago at least. All I had to do was sandwich it and get it quilted....can ya believe how long it took to do something this small? Geesh....

I was going to stitch in the ditch on it but after I started I didn't like how that looked so I did a cross hatch on it. I think if you look real close you can see the stitching since I did it in a Robinson Anton thread called "Buckskin".

I think this will be set aside and given to one of my sisters for their holiday tables....

How's the weather by you guys? We are expecting between 12 and 14 inches of snow!!! I know you can hear me yahooing from wherever you are :) I've already gotten the call that school is closed so I can sleep past 5:15 tomorrow....

I guess that calls for a sewing day!

Another Finish

YAY, I finished another top.....

You might remember that back on President's Day I laid out a bunch of log cabin and churn dash blocks and started assembling a top. Well, tonight I FINALLY finished getting the 2 final borders on. I don't know why my picture looks washed out but I have to tell you, the burgundy/red border is way brighter than it looks in this picture...

It measures 65 x 90 so it will make a nice quilt to snuggle up under.

I am going to wash the backing now and make the binding so it's all ready for finishing....

So, what did you finish up in February? I'm trying for one large project a month...don't know if I'll succeed but I'm sure going to give it a try...

Peggy

Loser Monday

No loss for me here in NJ.....guess I can be happy that I didn't gain though :)
I'll keep plugging along though.....ONE of these weeks I gotta lose something....

Buckeye Beauties

Robin, Michelle and I were talking last weekend about a swap again this year between the 3 of us. We tossed around quite a few block choices but not fabric choices. We all wanted to use up the Thimbleberries that we have in our stash so we needed a "stash/scrap friendly block".

Buckeye Beauty from Quilterscache was just the ticket..... We decided that we could each make 6 a month, 9-1/2 inches unfinished and still work on our BPF 2009 UFO Challenge Projects.

NOW, we weren't going to start them right away but ya know, over the next few weeks or so.....BUT.....I got a little impatient. I wanted to see what the blocks would look like.

Here they are!!!

Over the next few weeks I need to pull out my TB neutrals and start cutting into them for the next 6 but for now .......this is them. What's everyone else doing?????

Peggy

Sneak Peek

I've sure been busy today...... Here's a sneak peek at what I've been doing.....

I was at a birthday party a few weeks ago for the assistant superintendent of schools and got to talking to the superintendent's wife about quilting and she mentioned how sh'e love a homemade quilt for the back of her couch. She asked me tons of questions about blocks etc. and asked what I'd charge. I didn't want to commit to anything because I've never done a customer quilt so I didn't say much. I decided over the days after that if my good friends would donate some log cabins and churn dash blocks that we'd done monthly on one of our yahoo groups then I'd make the top. Well, Robin so graciously sent me ALL of her blocks and told me to go at them so today I laid them out row by row and this is what I have so far..... Once I connect the rows, I'll add a thin neutral border and a wide red border (because the sups wife mentioned wanting red) and then I'll call her and ask her if she wants the top.... I don't know what I'll charge her yet but the borders will be from my stash and I have backing fabric so that's no big deal but I also don't want to NOT make a little something for my time.... and then there's the batting and quilting...... I'll have to figure it all out before I call her.......STAY TUNED!!

Happy President's Day

Happy President's Day Everyone!!!

This month we got a nice 4 day weekend for the past president's birthday celebration....YAHOO!!! Schools, banks and the post office are closed today so I'm happy that there is no school, but the post office? What will I do without the mail delivery???? GEESH.....

Anyhoo, hope everyone that's off has a nice day, I know I will.....

Peggy

Loser Monday

Well, well, well, I see Pat S has jumped on our Loser Monday bandwagon....welcome aboard Pat!!! I can't post any loss since I am one of those folks that doesn't own a scale :) Yes, it's sad but true. I do my weigh in at school on Monday mornings but since we're off for the holiday I will have to wait till tomorrow morning to do my weigh in. Stay tuned.

Peggy

Chinese Coins Finished

Another finish for 2009......This is not the best picture, I mean come on, it's already 12:39 at night so I had to take what I could get. I started thinking about making this quilt last Sunday afternoon. I spent the week pressing and cutting the fabrics and yesterday I decided to sit and sew....and voile' I have a finished chinese coin quilt!!!

I didn't buy any fabric for any part of the top so it's a real stashbuster in my books......

Now to figure out what kind of backing it will get and how to quilt it.....

Peggy

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!!

I don't do much decorating for Valentine's Day as I've never been much of a fan of this holiday but I made this wallhanging I'm guessing 3 or 4 years ago from a Debbie Mumm pattern and I just love the patterns, fabric etc. so I look forward to hanging it each February.

Hope you all have a nice day.

PEGGY

PS: Michelle made the same wallhanging this year using different fabrics from her stash....check it out here: http://afwife85.blogspot.com/

Chinese Coins

No, I haven't been to China but I've wanted to make a Chinese Coins quilt and use up some scraps to do it, so on Sunday I found a pattern http://maryquilts.com/chinese-coins-easy-version-2/ and decided that was perfect I pulled out a boot box of novelty/bright fabrics and started to cut 2-1/2 X 5-1/2 in strips. NOW...I thought there would be way more fabric in here than I'd ever be able to use but after I started to cut, I realized that I didn't have the fabrics very neat so I thought I had more than I really did. I spent a few nights ironing the fabric flat and cutting strips.

I need 252 strips to make the top I want so I knew I'd be cutting for a while, but, I finished tonight and the pile on the left is what I got.

I have 2 nice piles of strips and under the 2 gallon ziploc bag of scraps are some half yard pieces that I didn't cut into that I can cut up if I need to.... Now, I can start the assembly process.

I guess I should show you the fabrics too that are auditioning for the sashing strips and borders.... I'm thinking that in order to use all these fabrics up that I will piece the backing fabric too so that anyone that gets this will have something nice to look at no matter which side is up.

I KNOW I am supposed to be finishing up old projects but sometimes a girls just gotta do something new when the mood strikes....

Peggy

Weight Loss Monday on Tuesday

So, I thought I had it right this time...I posted a note to Sharon about my 3 lb weight loss but didn't put anything on my blog...so now next week I have to remember, post to the blog and post to Sharon.... whooee....I WILL get it straight, I will get it straight......

So, can you hear me?? 3 LB!!!

UPDATE: All Roads Lead to the Sea

So....Here on the left is block #8 of the All Roads Lead to the Sea block of the month that I am doing with my local shop. What we have here right now is the 2nd floor of a store.

The cream colored fabric between the 2 roof units will get a name but for now I'm reserving naming it till I decide if it's going to be a general store, a quilt store or something else.

I have also laid the block below the some of the blocks that make up the row above it. Can you see the steeple to the church???

Peggy

Bento Box Finished

I finished the Bento Box last night.....I was going to add a piano key border but I auditioned the turquoise Nikki fabric with it and I think it looks awesome.....What do you think?

Peggy

Diet Challenge Monday

Well, darnit if I didn't step on that scale today and the # is still the same.....
I've stepped away from the M&M's and cake and chips but I guess not enough so I have to step it up a little bit this week....

I sure hope all you other girls had a better week than I did...

Peggy

Bento Box Update

I've been working on my Bento Box project this weekend and it's coming along nicely..... Right now it's 45 x 60 . It's 4 rows of 3 blocks which is a nice lap quilt, and I have more fabric so I could probably make 7 more blocks to bring it up to a single size but I kind of like it this size.

I am thinking I might put a small border around this then put a piano key border around that. I don't have anyone in particular that this quilt is for, I just loved the fabric and was dying to try the pattern.

Peggy