Quilts of Valor

These are on their way to Alycia for Quilts of Valor and were both quilted by Joanne.

Happy National Quilting Day!

I had a happy surprise when I went to the P.O. Box yesterday afternoon and found a huge box full of quilts!  Between these and the abundant sunshine this week I believe my quilting mojo has been restored, just in time for National Quilting Day.

Joanne has done an absolutely wonderful job on these.  I couldn't be happier with how they all turned out, and can't believe she was ever worried or didn't like a couple of them. She had the freedom to do whatever she wanted and I tried to assure her there was no way she could ruin them (her worry).  And I told her time and again that they were just tops hanging in the closet, but she was making them into quilts.  She played around with a pantograph and freehand quilting as well as boogie boards (or something like that!).  She says she learned a lot... including some new choice words.  hahaha

I set about trimming them all last night and made bindings for three of the four.  I'm debating about the orange binding, but I want to make it look more gender neutral and not so baby boy-ish colorwise.  I started on the binding for the red quilt first as I want to send it and another to Alycia for her QOV projects.  Better pictures will come once they are washed & fluffy.

Binding kept me up VERY late last night, and I couldn't believe it was 6:45AM when I woke up--I was sure Oscar had peed somewhere inside by that hour, but thankfully he was still sound asleep.  We're used to a morning walk at 5:00AM!

I hope to get at least a couple of tops together today, finish the binding on the red quilt, and run by a quilt shop that's having a $ale.  Maybe I can find some backing fabrics.  

How are you spending the day???

Take care,

Sheila

Someone eats oatmeal for breakfast nearly every day... with brown sugar & vanilla.

Someone came to visit Nana the other day.  Such smoochability!  He's engrossed in a Signing Time video here.  (If you have kids or grandkids, this is an excellent communication tool before they learn to speak.)

Someone got a bath and didn't care for it one bit!

Someone sewed her finger last week.  Ouch!  She wonders if it's considered Workers Comp since she was testing a designer's pattern?  Ha.  Here's a peek:

Someone is working on my Barbara's Antique quilt.  I'm excited to see in person what she's done with all of them!

Take care,

Sheila 

P.S. Re: the previous post, the quilt shop tells me that we were only supposed to get one 10" block OR two 5" blocks from the fabric...  not both as the pattern indicated.  hmph

February's tally

Attn. Quilt Shops:  If you are going to offer a BOM, why not give directions on how to use the skimpy fabric cuts to get all the required pieces?

This Bountiful Baskets BOM is supposed to have one 10" block and two 5" blocks each month.  I didn't get enough fabric to make two of those three, and it reminded me why I don't do BOMs anymore.  But I succumbed to the thought of having a quilt in repro fabrics, since that is a fabric addiction I've resisted.  I've been quilting since 1999 and sewing for 43 years; if everyone got the same fabric cuts I did, there is no way a beginner would be able to work through it.

I did manage to get a little sock knitting in--made it through the heel on one, then started the other to try a different gusset/heel to see which I like better.  This Sockotta sock yarn has nearly equal parts cotton and wool and feels much better to me.

I didn't watch much of the Olympics since my TV is not cooperating with the DTV converter, so I tried to catch the highlights on the computer the following day.  I spent most of my month reading (all excellent reads):

Here's to a more productive March.

Sheila

I've been in a weather funk!

Central Ohio is working toward record snowfall this February (usually one of the two driest months in Ohio).  A few weeks back we did get all the snow that was promised, and then some.  And then another storm shortly after and little bits daily since then.  It was beautiful and sparkling while it fell, with huge flakes or sometimes the cutest little snow pellets.  Otherwise, I'm so over the snow and the piles of dirty snow everywhere.  We had a whole day of sunshine last week and it really felt good.  I even opened my windows most of the day, even though it was slightly below freezing temps.  

With all the snow came overfilled gutters of ice and gutter to ground icicles.   One of the largest (easily 25" diameter;  I'm sure I looked funny to the neighbors hanging off the stairwell trying to knock it down with the broom handle) just happened to be outside the wall of my spare quilting/computer room, leaving water spots on and a buckle in the wall and cracks in the corner.  Just what I needed.

Another was off the back gutter to my deck. It was so large I couldn't break it with a hammer, so I chipped away at it for days until the hammer could break off the largest part.  Despite my best efforts to make it fall away from the house, the icicle ice monster fell into the huge pile of frozen snow and previously chipped ice, pushing it all right into my dining room.   

The good news is that we are in for a week of 30-deg temps and then a week of 40s!!  I am so ready for beautiful flowers, lush hostas, and my CSA.  And long walks on dry ground.

Countdown

I have meetings every night this week, so this morning I pulled out stuff to work on once the Olympics start:  a new sock and handquilting.

I started the handquilting years ago but didn't get far.  I waffle about handquilting a top purchased at a sample sale (vs. something I made myself), so I may take out the stitching on that one block and go for some big stitch utility quilting instead.

Morning sampler

Mary's new sock kick has motivated me to a finish.  (And she is fast!) Mary, I love that you're making them in Scarlet & Gray -- Buckeye colors.  ; )

This pair was started in May'09 and has been languishing... waiting for those last 20 or so rows of the second leg to be done.  As is my usual, once I know what it's going to look like, I've moved on.

Last week I discovered that this young pup has been using my dining room as his personal potty.  I have an open kitchen/dining/living area, but I never go through the dining room, or even use it much for that matter. Unfortunately I've had to go back to crating him while I'm at work.  Here's a picture of one of his milder moments this morning.

Non-diet food:  I made some kolaches to take to work today.  One could find sausage kolaches in nearly every donut shop in north Texas, but no one locally has heard of them. Just as well, since it's cheaper to make them. This last batch is fresh from the oven, but a couple mysteriously vaporized as soon as this picture was snapped!  

Eckrich breakfast links rolled in Pillsbury Grands biscuits (biscuits were separated in half horizontally before rolling).

We're supposed to be in for "the biggest snowstorm of the season" today and tomorrow, but it hasn't started yet. Are the weather people in your area incite-ful alarmists too?  By listening to them, you'd never know this is a northern climate with four seasons.

The good news is... I finally found the cord to my new camera!  It looks just like one of my computer cords, so it was right under my nose the whole time.