Today is Crazy Thursday for me. I'm posting now, not much interesting, just so I can get it done, in case I don't get back later today.
I have a huge list of things to do. Started one already - had to print something off so I can finish that little project.
I have to do two more invites to the baby shower. Pics to come soon.
I will also be starting to work on the house today. I am determined not to spend the entire beautiful weekend inside cleaning...but I will be opening the windows and enjoying the Fall weather. Sposed to be absolutely beautiful for the next few days, and I'm going to take advantage of it!
I'll be back, I hope, with the photos of the goodies my good friend Rita brought me from Australia. :-)
So off I go. Wish me luck on getting all my stuff done! Wheeeeeeeeeeeee
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Finished projects!
Okie dokie! I finally have 2 finished projects I can crow about! :-)
First, the pinwheel quilt that was "easy" to do, although once the pinwheels were done, sewing them together wasn't the easiest thing for me. I am NOT good at piecing! The quilt has a few bloopers, but they are fixed and it's not going anywhere. Every project I do is a learning experience for me. The yellow is actually a pretty gold. Camera issues. Operator issues. The quilt is laying over a chair.
First, the pinwheel quilt that was "easy" to do, although once the pinwheels were done, sewing them together wasn't the easiest thing for me. I am NOT good at piecing! The quilt has a few bloopers, but they are fixed and it's not going anywhere. Every project I do is a learning experience for me. The yellow is actually a pretty gold. Camera issues. Operator issues. The quilt is laying over a chair.
Here is the Noah's Ark Precious Moments quilt panel.
Above is the top.
Below is the back. I free motion quilted this on my home sewing machine. Its a small, basic Janome.
This is what the panel looked like originally:
See that border? I hated that border. Don't ask why - I can't tell ya. But I felt like it just wasn't right for this quilt. That's when I decided to add my own border in colors I wanted, and I think the difference is huge. You actually lose the print in the original but with what I added, you can actually appreciate the panel more. I'm so glad I did it this way. I will have to figure out what to do with the border I cut off. I like the little animals. I just didn't like them around the panel.
Since I got those two projects done, when I was in town getting my massage, I stopped by the little quilt shop, and I found some really cute cuts of fabric. I didn't buy yardage ~ I'd have liked to, but I didn't. I just bought FQs and a couple of 1/3 yard cuts. But I loved the fabrics and wanted them.
Then, the owner tells me, the Moda charm packs I've been begging her to order, came in, but they are in the shop up in the other town. Wow. Ok. So after my massage I had to come back to this town anyway to pick up my med refills. I did that and drove downtown and went to the studio where she sells Berninas and art supplies, etc. The young lady that works there is so fun. So we went back and opened the shipping box, and viola! There was all this wonderful fabric! I wanted to take the entire box with me. Alas, I couldn't afford it all. I HAD to be good. But I did get 2 of the charm packs I've been wanting. Too bad I don't have the time to go make my brothers quilt that I wanted to make him. His birthday is the 12th. The quilt will be late.....oh well. Considering I don't ever get anything from him for MY birthday (or any other holiday), I won't worry about it. He's lucky he'll be getting a quilt from me! I haven't decided what I'll do yet - since my pinwheels weren't done very well. I may try the traditional method of pinwheels and see if they come out any better. We'll see...........he may just get squares sewn together. But I want to use the charm packs I have (I have 2 patterned packs and the 2 neutral packs). I'll have to look thru my patterns and see if there is something easy there that I can make.
I have some other photos that I want to take, but haven't yet, to share here. Today, I have to get Evan bathed and groomed to go volunteer at the hospital. Since we've been going on walks in the park and to dog classes, he's not staying as clean as he used to. So off to bathe him and get him cleaned up, then do a little housework, then get me cleaned up, then off to volunteer. This day will fly by.
Thanks for visiting.
Gratefully, Martha
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Day 3
My pinwheel and baby quilt are in the wash. Praying they don't fall apart. And colors don't run (have that sheet you can put in there to catch running colors). And that the fabric from one quilt, doesn't stick to the other. Taking chances.
My Good Hubby T put the flannel sheets on the bed yesterday when he snuck around and changed the sheets and made the bed for me. :-) I LUV my flannel sheets. I hate taking them off in summer. I hate to get out of bed when the flannels are on also!
Cool this morning, in the 40s. Was supposed to walk with friends and dogs, but decided not to go. Will let the massage therapist fix the foot first, then will walk later in the week. Or if not walk, at least practice with Evan on the agility stuff.
Turned the heat on for the first time this morning. It was about 65 in the house. brrrrrrrrrrr............
Finishing my tea, then off to get myself together to go out and do my errands before the massage. One of which is to stop by the quilt shop down near the massage place. Shouldn't be spending money, but, I love some of the Christmas fabrics that are out right now. :-) Since I missed out on some of the Autumn fabrics because I didn't buy them soon enough, I want to at least try to get out there and get some Christmas fabrics before they, too, are gone.
Off I go.......have a great day everyone!
My Good Hubby T put the flannel sheets on the bed yesterday when he snuck around and changed the sheets and made the bed for me. :-) I LUV my flannel sheets. I hate taking them off in summer. I hate to get out of bed when the flannels are on also!
Cool this morning, in the 40s. Was supposed to walk with friends and dogs, but decided not to go. Will let the massage therapist fix the foot first, then will walk later in the week. Or if not walk, at least practice with Evan on the agility stuff.
Turned the heat on for the first time this morning. It was about 65 in the house. brrrrrrrrrrr............
Finishing my tea, then off to get myself together to go out and do my errands before the massage. One of which is to stop by the quilt shop down near the massage place. Shouldn't be spending money, but, I love some of the Christmas fabrics that are out right now. :-) Since I missed out on some of the Autumn fabrics because I didn't buy them soon enough, I want to at least try to get out there and get some Christmas fabrics before they, too, are gone.
Off I go.......have a great day everyone!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Day 2
Ok, so don't pass out. I know, two days in a row. Hey, I'm trying! :-)
Today I finished the panel quilt - I just finished hand sewing the binding, the not bias binding. I decided I didn't have the patience to learn something new. If the binding falls apart, I'll fix it. It's all good. I made my share of mistakes just trying to put the binding on.........from sewing the lengths of fabric together, to the last stitches, there were flubs. But it's done. I'm going to wash it and pray that it's ok........the colors don't run ( I have one of those sheets to catch the colors) and that it all comes out ok in the wash.........literally.
I don't know if I mentioned but I got the back of my sweater finsihed. I've started the front. But hands have been a bit bothered by the cold, damp weather...so can't knit as much as I'd like. So I do a row or 2 and put it down and do other things, then try to pick it up again.
I have the invites for the baby shower mostly done - the ones that are on the list are all done. I have a few extras that I'm going to do for special people that won't come, but I know they want an invite. So I will work on those this week.
I also asked my friend Rita to help me out with the shower. She said yes. She's the closest thing I have to a sister here. I'm so happy she said yes, it really means a lot to me. It'll make it a lot easier to get things ready and to get this put together.
I get to have my massage tomorrow. That will be SO nice. I need it. I messed up my foot again on Saturday, but I know the massage therapist can fix it.
K, that's it for my thoughts for today. Pics of the quilt (and the pinwheel quilt) when they are washed and dried.
Today I finished the panel quilt - I just finished hand sewing the binding, the not bias binding. I decided I didn't have the patience to learn something new. If the binding falls apart, I'll fix it. It's all good. I made my share of mistakes just trying to put the binding on.........from sewing the lengths of fabric together, to the last stitches, there were flubs. But it's done. I'm going to wash it and pray that it's ok........the colors don't run ( I have one of those sheets to catch the colors) and that it all comes out ok in the wash.........literally.
I don't know if I mentioned but I got the back of my sweater finsihed. I've started the front. But hands have been a bit bothered by the cold, damp weather...so can't knit as much as I'd like. So I do a row or 2 and put it down and do other things, then try to pick it up again.
I have the invites for the baby shower mostly done - the ones that are on the list are all done. I have a few extras that I'm going to do for special people that won't come, but I know they want an invite. So I will work on those this week.
I also asked my friend Rita to help me out with the shower. She said yes. She's the closest thing I have to a sister here. I'm so happy she said yes, it really means a lot to me. It'll make it a lot easier to get things ready and to get this put together.
I get to have my massage tomorrow. That will be SO nice. I need it. I messed up my foot again on Saturday, but I know the massage therapist can fix it.
K, that's it for my thoughts for today. Pics of the quilt (and the pinwheel quilt) when they are washed and dried.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Blogging
Wow, where does the time go??? I haven't been very good about blogging. Or sewing!
I watched Julie & Julia, the movie, yesterday. Direct t.v. is having a free weekend of STARZ. I like that movie, but it made me feel really bad, because I envied Julie's determination to stick to both the cooking, and the blogging.
At any rate, I'm going to try harder to stick to posting every day, even if it's not long, and doesn't include pictures or sewing. Although, I AM going to also try to get SOME sewing done EVERY day. I like sewing, and I like getting projects done.
I have so many ideas of things I wanna do. I need to GET WITH IT.
I did have a busy week last week. This week is also going to be busy. That is, however, not a good excuse. Its bad time-management. Therefore, I'm capable of changing that. And I will!
I went to the quilt expo in Dulles, and I was VERY disappionted. The show in the Spring was much nicer, had many more good vendors, and more machines to play with. This show had machines, small frames, and I got to show the longarms to hubby. I just love them and really really want one of my own. I'm going to start scrimping and saving, and try to figure out what I can sell to get money put away to put down on a long arm machine..........and hopefully finance the rest. Tony thinks it's crazy, but, I think it could be an investment if I could get good at it. Not that there aren't enough long arm quilters in this area............from what I understand there are quite a few. But heck, why can't I be one too?
I did work on the baby quilt. I cut the edge off the panel, and I actually felt FREE to move on and be more creative. I can't believe how that border that came with it was holding me back.
So I'd gotten some yellow and pink fabric. I went back to get some more pink fabric which I probably didn't really need, but when I went to get it, I realized, it's not 100% cotton. I really like to stick with cotton, but, hopefully this quilt will hold up and it won't matter. I am going to try to do a bias binding which will be my first one. I have a couple of magazines with good binding instructions in them, and plan on using them. So we'll see.........
I have so many Autumn projects I want to do. I have my Mystery Quilt that needs to be continued, and I haven't even finished August, have done NONE of September, and here it is October! Yikes. Where DOES the time go???
Tomorrow I have the vet coming at one, then my friend is coming around 2 and we'll spend some time knitting. Tuesday I have walking with the dogs in the park in the morning if no rain, then my massage in the afternoon (I can hardly wait for that!!!). Weds I have volunteering in the afternoon at the hospital with Evan, and Thursday evening is dog class with Gabbi, and Friday morning, dog class with Evan. Of course, I can do stuff in between. I also have to clean - since my cousin and her hubby are coming from CA in 2 weeks. Egads, I'm not nearly ready. But I have a plan of attack, I just have to stick to that!
I'm outta here for now.
I watched Julie & Julia, the movie, yesterday. Direct t.v. is having a free weekend of STARZ. I like that movie, but it made me feel really bad, because I envied Julie's determination to stick to both the cooking, and the blogging.
At any rate, I'm going to try harder to stick to posting every day, even if it's not long, and doesn't include pictures or sewing. Although, I AM going to also try to get SOME sewing done EVERY day. I like sewing, and I like getting projects done.
I have so many ideas of things I wanna do. I need to GET WITH IT.
I did have a busy week last week. This week is also going to be busy. That is, however, not a good excuse. Its bad time-management. Therefore, I'm capable of changing that. And I will!
I went to the quilt expo in Dulles, and I was VERY disappionted. The show in the Spring was much nicer, had many more good vendors, and more machines to play with. This show had machines, small frames, and I got to show the longarms to hubby. I just love them and really really want one of my own. I'm going to start scrimping and saving, and try to figure out what I can sell to get money put away to put down on a long arm machine..........and hopefully finance the rest. Tony thinks it's crazy, but, I think it could be an investment if I could get good at it. Not that there aren't enough long arm quilters in this area............from what I understand there are quite a few. But heck, why can't I be one too?
I did work on the baby quilt. I cut the edge off the panel, and I actually felt FREE to move on and be more creative. I can't believe how that border that came with it was holding me back.
So I'd gotten some yellow and pink fabric. I went back to get some more pink fabric which I probably didn't really need, but when I went to get it, I realized, it's not 100% cotton. I really like to stick with cotton, but, hopefully this quilt will hold up and it won't matter. I am going to try to do a bias binding which will be my first one. I have a couple of magazines with good binding instructions in them, and plan on using them. So we'll see.........
I have so many Autumn projects I want to do. I have my Mystery Quilt that needs to be continued, and I haven't even finished August, have done NONE of September, and here it is October! Yikes. Where DOES the time go???
Tomorrow I have the vet coming at one, then my friend is coming around 2 and we'll spend some time knitting. Tuesday I have walking with the dogs in the park in the morning if no rain, then my massage in the afternoon (I can hardly wait for that!!!). Weds I have volunteering in the afternoon at the hospital with Evan, and Thursday evening is dog class with Gabbi, and Friday morning, dog class with Evan. Of course, I can do stuff in between. I also have to clean - since my cousin and her hubby are coming from CA in 2 weeks. Egads, I'm not nearly ready. But I have a plan of attack, I just have to stick to that!
I'm outta here for now.
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