Look what my sister made me!

Isn't this precious?  My sister made it-she even posted a photo online but I didn't know it was for me!  She also found me a tea cup from Canada (we're half-Canadian).

all that's left

All that's left is to get this quilted by Christmas afternoon!  I really hope I have enough fabric left for the backing.

step by step

Step one: sew blocks together in rows
Step two: sew rows together.

Tomorrow: cut borders and sew on

why I am behind

I just thought I'd add some photos of why I am behind on my Christmas stitching:

Somehow a pipe burst in my mom's attic.  The ceiling collapsed and, as you can see, dumped the contents of the attic in her spare room.  Then the entire house flooded.  My folks were not happy!

So close!

I cannot believe how close Christmas is.  I'm working all this week and Christmas is a week from today!  How did that happen?  Last night I realized I absolutely had to get my packages in the mail so I knocked out this apron for my sister:

Ignore the little foot there!

My inlaws really liked the quilt I gave them.  My MIL even said that she knew I put a lot of time into it-she's not crafty but her mom was so she does have some idea of  how long something can take.  My FIL was pleased as well.

So, I've got to make a pair of pjs for my nephew, finish some stitching on the gingerbread aprons (I'd really like to make something for my baby niece out of this gingerbread pattern, maybe a  pinny)  and, most importantly, finish my mom's quilt! I am really behind on it.  I've sewn the blocks together and now need to get the rows sewn.  I'm hoping I can do that tonight.  Actually, if I sew the rows tonight, do the borders tomorrow, then I could possibly layer and start quilting Friday when the boyos are off camping.

for The Poppas

My oldest son always referred to his grandparents as The Poppas (we call them Mema and Poppa) so this quilt is for The Poppas!  Karen the Quilter did a really good job on it.  I was so pleased it arrived yesterday.  I'm planning to give it to The Poppas as an early Christmas present-which I will do if I can get it labeled and get rid of this nascent cold I've acquired.  I'm really pleased to have this one finished!  For some reason the border fabric doesn't photograph well-it's really a bright green.

my lunch today

More fabric for mom's quilt-I plan to border it and back it with the shell fabric.

The red/brown print will be binding for yesterday's prim santa.

The dots. . .not quite sure but may use them on the pilgrims.  I couldn't find more of the fabric I needed so I may need to try something else.

ran out of fabric!

I was working on the seashell quilt for my mom and ran out of fabric.  So I picked up my pilgrims-would like to finish that this year.  And I ran out of fabric.  So I made this primitive Santa instead.  It's a Jan Patek pattern that I have been wanting to do for years.  It needs a bit more quilting and then binding.  I think I'm going to wash this one and get it all crinkly and vintage looking.

Early Christmas present

Isn't it lovely?  I am so excited!

getting started on Christmas gifts!

Aren't these aprons adorable?  I saw them in a magazine and just fell in love with them.  These will go to my 6 and 7 year old nieces.

Coastal sampling

Trying to get a handle on this quilt for my mom.  I had planned to only frame the scenic fabric-and fussy cut at that.  But now I'm not so sure.                                  

Come on Autumn!!!

Here is my little autumn set up in my office.  It's still hot here but I am hoping that we will get a break from the heat soon.

This little quilt was a kit from the Quilter's Cottage out in Richmond.  I've had it for a few years but was always intimidated by all of the HSTs.  Well, I have gotten better at them and I pulled it out last Sunday afternoon and knocked it out!  It's 13 x 19-just the right size for a table.

Art deco love

 This afternoon DH called me from an estate sale-he found two vintage sewing machines.  One was a Singer 15-91 and the other was a treadle.  I was really interested in the treadle but it was seriously rusty.  This one caught my eye though-look that that lovely art deco style!  The veneer is in terrible shape-they obviously used it as a plant stand and didn't protect the wood-even the back of the desk is messed up.  DH, however, thinks he can fix it up.  The little drawer on the left hand side actually has a pen tray and the original glass inkwell!  How could I not love this?  The stool is original as well and opens up for storage.  The serial number indicates it's from 1949.

This one isn't mine-I just grabbed it off someone's blog but see how  beautiful it could be?

Ready to go!

And here it is, ready to go up in my office.

 

All done!

Well, it's a top anyway!  Quilting tomorrow (I hope).

I really need a bigger design wall.

I'm trying to make a carpenter's star and get the colors laid out right.  Tight squeeze!!

Labor Day

Spent a beautiful Labor Day by the sea. . .it was really restful and there was a good breeze off the water.

 

The purple flag was out though-which means jellyfish!

DH amused himself by capturing jellyfish.  He caught about 30-you can see eight or so in this picture.  They were really small-fist sized or smaller but they still could sting!

Angry Birds!

 Getting ready for Tig's birthday party next weekend.  We're planning to have some beanbag games-plus they will go home as party favors!

Best thing is-I didn't have to buy anything!  This was all from stash including the poly pellets!

Red decided that he wanted to make one too.

Inspired by Patti

I was inspired by Patti who is trimming down her scrap collection.  That plastic bucket was stuffed full of scraps.  I set a limit and started cutting.  Now only two (large) boxes of scraps to go!

Going Coastal

These are some samples for a quilt I want to make for my mother.  She loves the beach and when I saw the shell fabric I knew I had to do something with it.  I'm wanting to make more flying geese as I learned how to use a Fit to Be Geese ruler and now my geese mostly turn out!  This will be just for playing around until I finish the Summer Sampler as I really want to get that off my UFO list.

Summer sampler

 You know, even when I have on the World's Most Expensive Glasses, I still can't see straight.  Here are the finished blocks from the 2011 Summer Sampler at Quakertown Quilts.  I had to stop making the blocks that summer because  QQ closed their storefront.  I wasn't able to get the rest of the blocks until October.  By then I was irritated and put them in time out. 

I made the remaining nine blocks over my vacation last month.  Sashed them last week and now am onto the borders.

DH recommends the stripes in a piano key fashion but sister and I are thinking go for the green print.  The quilt right now is only 44 x 33 ish so it is really too small for a lap quilt.

Sweet Stitches

I finished this little quilt one evening last week.  It turned out really sweet!  I like RWB and I usually keep my RWB decorations out from Memorial Day until Labor Day. 

Guess what I did on my vacation?

Red came in and asked me "Mama, when are you going to vacuum this floor?"

Uncle Sam

I just love this panel!  I just added the red and white striped borders.  I wish they were a little darker but I am trying to work from stash here.  I'd like to quilt this with baptist fans.  We'll see how that goes.

added some borders

I decided that this one really needed a border-it just looked unfinished.  The blue will finish about 2.5 inches.  I started to quilt it but the backing got really wrinkly.  I will try again when I'm not so tired.

claiming my blog

So Google reader is on its way out so I am trying out Feedly and Bloglovin.  Not sure if I like either.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

back sewing

 Thankfully, I've got my Janome back!  It sounds like it is running kind of loud so I need to check it a bit before I do too much more sewing.  Here is my latest project.  I'm using a panel that wasn't printed straight so I decided to trim the blocks a little wonky after I added the goldish fabric.  The blocks measure 10.5 inches.

I can't decide which fabric to use for the binding: red, gold or blue print.  But now as I look at this photo, I think I should find some dark  blue.  This will be a little wall-hanging either for home or my office.

Arrrrrrgh.

I've been without my sewing machine for over a week.

Why?

I broke my needle plate and snapped off one of the feed dogs on my beautiful Janome.

How?

By mending jeans for DH.

Arrrgh.  Thankfully it will only be around $100 for the parts and repair but I told DH that if he wants any more denim mended he's to buy me an industrial sewing machine.

Ugh.  It's a really bad feeling to look into your sewing machine and see springs.

I should get it back one day next week. So I've been sewing on DH's Kenmore.

Arrrrrrrgh.

What I have been doing. . .

This is the finished scout quilt.  I made it to auction at the Cub Scout spaghetti dinner.  It went for $70 which, I am happy to say, was the biggest ticket item in the auction.  It felt weird to have one of my quilts go to someone outside of the family though.  I'm collecting more scout fabric so I can make additional quilts in the future.  It's hard to find because it's out of print.  Wish I could find the cub scout print!

 Here is my pile of knittings.  Believe it or not there is a baby bib, baby hat, peanut rattle, pair of my socks and a single sock for Tig there.  Obviously I have some loose ends to finish up! I've done most of this knitting in the car, waiting at stop lights. 

And here is my SIL holding my adorable niece.  I'm teaching her and my brother how to wear the baby.  I wore my boys until my back protested and it was a great experience.  No one touches the baby with their dirty hands when you are wearing them!  It's so snuggly to have a baby like this-plus your hands are free so you can do stuff around the house or shop easily.  As you can see my niece is fair skinned-she's fairer than her big sister and baby has light brown, nearly hazel eyes and big sister has big brown ones.  I hope she has curly hair like her big sister!  Big sister has lovely curly hair the color of milk chocolate. lovely!

I really do exist. . .

Life has gotten really full lately but I am still around.  Firstly, Patti over at My  Current Obsessions sent me the most awesome giveaway:

 There NINE patterns there plus a kit to go with the top one!  Thank you Patti!

I've been working on my Stitches but I didn't have time to make up the March stitchery into a quilt-and I didn't even get started on the April one.

I've spent what sewing time I've had on this quilt for Cub Scouts:

We're having a Spaghetti Dinner and silent auction in May.  I better get cracking on this.

I've done some knitting-socks, baby bib, baby hat etc-but nothing worth showing!  I have a good excuse though-I'm exhausted when I get home.  We're preparing to move out of our current facilities at work and I've been busy with that and the packing, and I'm forcing myself to go workout after work.  I'm too tired to do anything but sit when I get home.  I'm a whole lot of fun I can tell  you!

Baby Surprise Jacket

Finished this Baby Surprise Jacket last night.  I made if for one of the girls at work who just had the cutest baby boy!  I've been wanting to try this pattern for years.  It's by Elizabeth Zimmerman and it has a really interesting construction.  I meant to take a photo before I sewed it up but had one sleeve done and was not about to tear it out!  It's knit all in one and then seamed across the top of the sleeves and shoulders.  V. cool.

Still running. . .

 One for Magpie. . .

 one for MIL. . .

One for Aunt Cindy (and one just like it for my mom!).

Some of what I've been doing. . .

 This is the finished Kathy Schmitz stitchery.  I love how the cloud is blowing the wind!

And these two are some table runners I'm whipping up for Easter.  I sent one to my sister and gave one to my CCE co-teacher, Vicci.  I'm making some more out of different fabric for my mom and MIL.