I haven't mentioned this yet

'cause it has absolutely nothing to do with quilting or sewing. However,


World Series Champions!!! Whooooo Hooooo!!

I will never love the Phillies the way I loved my Mariners but it sure is exciting. One of my favorite players, Jamie Moyer, plays for the Phillies now but used to pitch for the Mariners. I am especially excited for him. 22 major league seasons and now finally is a member of a team that took it all the way!

Now that I have stirred up the pot a little more...

Back to sewing!

I am working on Christmas gifts. I will never finish everything that I want to make but I will just let those ride over to another year!

Here is the fabric for something I just finished.

From Quilty stuff

It's pre-quilted, double sided. I put a piece of the back on top of the yummy print so you could see the contrast. The item I made came out really pretty and I am using some of the fabric scraps to make accessories. I am feeling ever so crafty!

My 2 cents...

I just read something on another blog that made my head hurt. The premise of the posting was the author supposed that some people thought they were better than others due to having expensive sewing machines or having a quilt studio.

Until I bought Jenny, most of my sewing machines were yard sale purchases. My favorite machine for quilting cost me $5. I bought Jenny because I could not afford the Viking Mega Quilter and since the Janome was essentially the same machine at a much lower price, I purchased it. What I was looking for was a larger harp to make free motion quilting easier.

When I was living in my apartment, I sewed in a 12 x10 room that also housed my computer, all my scrapbook stuff and a bed for guests. I cut fabric on either my dining room table or in my storage room on a big banquet table that I had set up. When I bought my house, I was looking for a space where I could quilt and craft and only when absolutely necessary use for anything else. I call it my quilt studio. I could as easily call it my sewing room or my crafting room.

I have been quilting for about 4 years. I am an adequate quilter. Most days I like what I have created.

I quilt for one person and that is me. Having a new machine and my designated place for quilting makes me happy. I certainly do not think myself a better quilter because I have the tools to quilt. I am simply a happier quilter. I make no apologies for that.

Thank you!!

Thanks to Treasa, I have the information that I needed. I knew I could count on you ladies!!

Need a little help from my friends!

I bought this magazine this summer. I want to make something that is in this issue and I cannot find the magazine anywhere in my house. I have looked high and low. All of my quilting magazines are SUPPOSED to be in a couple of plastic magazine file thingies. I have issues of this magazine going back to last year and the fall and winter issues for this year but I can't find the one for which I am looking. I could just scream!

If you have this issue and would be willing to share some information about the cutting mat bag, please leave me a comment so that I can get in touch with you. Yes, I know I could order it as a back issue from F&P but I don't want to spend the money again. (And, yes, we have established in the past that I am cheap...)

Thanks!!

Graduation quilt

About 2 weeks ago I mentioned a graduation quilt my sister and I were going to make. This is the biggest one we have done (queen size) and we used the basic concept of "Four on the Floor". We used 2 focus fabrics and then used a variety of black and white prints. This really was a collaborative effort including the quilting. Julie would do a pass and then I did one. It is DIFFICULT to imitate someone else's freemotion! We gave it to my niece and then promptly retrieved it so that we could bind it. Julie and I actually finished the quilting portion about 45 minutes before the party began. (We LOVE living on the edge!)

From Quilty stuff

From Quilty stuff

From Quilty stuff

Both the color choice and the graphic prints were definitely out of the box for my sister and I. Julie leans toward colonial colors and traditional. I lean toward pastels and florals. We did enjoy doing this one because it was so different for us. I think it's a good idea to jump out of the box every once in a while!

Healing Quilt

Here's the healing quilt flimsie. I think it has kind of a Victorian feel to it. With the exception of the large border, all the fabric was from stash. Most is 3 Sisters Vienna Nights, the red is from Winter by Minnick & Simpson and the outer border is 3 Sisters Chocolat - all from Moda. You cannot tell from the photo that the quilt measures 54"x70". (It looks tiny in the picture!)

From Quilty stuff

I love these colors, especially the reds. Lately I have been drawn to red. Maybe it's just a phase but I really do love the warmth in a lot of Moda reds. Perhaps I should add some red fabric to my bedroom and spice up the place!

Another quickie...

Just a quick update -

I had a FABULOUS weekend with my girlfriends. We had great discussions, laughed like crazy and just enjoyed being with each other again. We have pledged to do it again, same time next year and take advantage of the Lititz Chocolate Walk.

My knee is much improved though I spent too much time walking and standing so that it is swollen...but not hurting! (Thank goodness for that!)

My niece is in the rehab center now and having physical therapy twice a day. She does not know how long she will be there. Right now she is a little down emotionally. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that she doesn't know what the future holds but does anyone really know? The important thing is that she is mending well.

The borders are on Kendra's quilt. I just need to get it over to Julie's to put on the LA so that we can get it blessed. I am starting to sew blocks together for the other niece's quilt which we can (hopefully) give to her at her graduation party on Saturday. Now that I think about it, maybe I should just quilt Kendra's on Jenny so that we can get the BIG quilt on the LA.

I am shopping tonight at Burkholder's for backing fabric for the big quilt. I really wanted to get it at Joann's with a coupon but they didn't have anything I could use. Instead I got to spend my 50% off coupon on the new Quick Quilts from Fons & Porter. Check out the new one...they have lots of good stuff!!

Hope everyone has a great week!!

Mo' Betta Knee

Thanks to everyone for your inquiries and well wishes. My knee is much improved after cortisone, lots of rest and ice. This morning I went up to the studio and put some borders on my niece's quilt. One more and it will be ready for the LA.

While my sister and I are in the mood to be generous, we decided to make a quilt for our other niece that is graduating from a Medical Assistant program next week. She likes black and white so Julie picked up Mark Lipinski's Califon.



It is really pretty in the black & white colorway. We are going to do another "Four on the Floor" but this will be double bed size. Rather than spend the big bucks on yards and yards of backing, I am going to cheat and pick up 108" wide backing fabric from Joann's with a 40% off coupon. They have a white on white that should work.

I will not get any sewing done this weekend until maybe late Sunday afternoon. My friends from Virginia and New York are coming for a "girl's weekend". They are not quilters. Maybe I can lure one or two of them over to the dark side...

A picture is worth a thousand words

Last night I was going up to the studio to put the border on my niece's quilt. I heard a "pop" and I screamed. Screamed! The pain is incredible. I cried like a little girl. Trying to get back to the kitchen for an ice pack was an ordeal but I did it...and it only took 20 minutes.

I gave birth to 2 children without medication. I am not a baby about pain. Lemme tell you...this knee pain is a killer. I am calling the orthopaedic surgeon as soon as the office opens and try to get an appointment today. Hopefully they will be able to inject the site with cortisone and I will be good to go. (Or at least with reasonably less pain!)

I have girlfriends coming from Virginia and New York to visit this weekend. Wouldn't you just know it!?!

Remember...

back in the old days when I would post nearly every day? I am getting really "random" about my postings. For those of you who follow me, thanks for reading. Sometimes life just gets in the way!

Update on my niece - in her own room, chest tube is out. Things are looking pretty good!

Update on the healing quilt - Julie and I worked on it yesterday. We got very little accomplished. My right knee (sewing leg) is swollen up like a soccer ball and it is difficult for me to drive, sew and walk. Just a major pain all the way around. I have plans to add the borders tonight and it will be ready for quilting on Tuesday night if I can stand up that long. (I see knee surgery in my future!)

Quick post

Thanks to everyone for your kind comments regarding my niece. She is still in the trauma unit at the hospital but is doing very well. We are expecting that she will be sent to a regular room this weekend. It will be a long recovery process but we are all feeling very hopeful at this point.

Kendra's quilt won't be ready for blessing this Sunday but will be by the following Sunday. My sister and I are anxious to give it to her. I will share photos when we have it finished.