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Friday, April 15, 2011

What's All Over My Sewing Room Floor

Remember how I said in my last post that I was gonna take down the blocks on the design wall and lay them out all over the floor??? Well... guess what I found and laid out instead!
My Blue Heaven pattern from Marcia  Hohns's Quilter's Cache Site
These are the My Blue Heaven blocks that Crazy'boutquilts and I made and swapped with each other a couple years back. I have most of them into large units of 4 blocks but have our last mailing left as singles. It really wouldn't take much time to get these babies sewed together!
After I get them into rows and joined up - I can then hang the top up in the closet where it can wait for me to work on the pieced HST's border sections. Hanging up in the closet should be a safe place for it right? I also need to shop for the blue fabric for the outside border...
GRrr! Blogger will not let me get this photo turned right... Sorry :/ But this is the plan for the borders that Crazy designed up for me in her EQ program. Thankfully all the HSTs are already made for the border- Crazy & I made and sent extras to each other throughout the swap... now where did I stash those babies? There in a safe place somewhere.
Also do you remember this big box that my children had a good time playing in last Christmas?
(I tried to look for a photo, must have posted to facebook back when... but since I gave it up for Lent you'll just have to wait until later to see the photo of all 3 of my kids in the big box)

I saved the box and have been putting shirt parts in it and it's almost all the way full.... and almost ready to be mailed to it's new home!
Have a great weekend everyone - and PS - say a little prayer for me... David is leaving for Oklahoma today and that means I'll be taking all 3 kids to church by myself on Sunday since he'll be out of town. I'm already prying that the twins behave and don't act like stinkers.
Love from Texas!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Getting ready to take down these and start something NEW!

For the recent JudyL Design Wall Monday I showed you the Pink Project that I completed - when actually here's what still on my design wall but soon coming down. These are only 20 of my blocks as it's about all my wall will hold. There are another dozen or more blocks laying on the desk below the design wall.

Since I have the room on the floor now in the "Happy Room" - I'm going to move these to the floor for putting them together into rows and then into a top and borders.... and as I work on that I'll go ahead and get started on my next project. You know, chain piecing then using the Hand Me Down Blocks as my Leader/Enders while working on the new blocks.

Last night after we got home from the Softball field, I quickly checked my email between supper and heading upstairs for bath time - to see if there was anything from my friend Crazy'boutquilts. She and I have been shooting ideas back and forth on our next project/swap between us and I think we've come up with a decision.

I did have a reply from her and she's already started on her test block! :D

So while the twins were playing in the tub last night - I snuck into the joining bedroom to their bathroom (sewing room) and pulled down my Civil War FQs and started playing match maker!

That is about as far as I got in my 4 minutes but it sure was fun. I just love starting something new! This will be my first ever project for me using my Civil War FQs. I'll wait to let Crazy post and share what the project between us will be when she's ready. She's already completed a test block.

Until then I'm gonna begin joining up my "Hand Me Downs" blocks and get them into rows.

Love from Texas!

The Pink Project is Completed

All 3 kids strapped into car seats in the back of David's truck on the way to church last weekend.

I'll be thankful that Nora is finally getting better and trying hard to work with me... just wish I could get PT to show some pearly whites!

So... you wanna a peek at what I've been finishing up?? Remember my posts a couple months ago about the "Pink Project?"


I've not really told much about it, but at the end of January a lady I go to church with, stopped me one Sunday and said, "I need your phone number b/c I have something I need to call and talk to you about..."

LONG STORY SHORT = MaryJo wanted me to make a quilt. One that she and her friends could use as a Prayer Quilt Project for her dearest friend who was nearing the end of her battle with cancer. The only details about her friend was that her favorite color was pink and that she loved flowers.

I hate that I couldn't get this done for her sooner. I really did begin it as soon as I could (after all my other pots on the stove were taken care of and mailing deadlines were met.) However, a part of the reason it took a little longer to get it done, was b/c I had thought about using a blanket to "birth it" but then decided against that - so had to wait until I could have time to make it back over to the town next door to go to JoAnn's and buy batting and backing fabric. (which was the same as the border fabric)

*Have I told you that every weekend Nora's softball teams participates in OUT OF TOWN Tournaments that take up the whole weekend/s!! So just heading off to the fabric store on any given day is not a reality. :/

Well last weekend we made it over to the big city and I got to go into JoAnn's to buy batting that was on SALE and also backing fabric - so after working on it all weekend pinning ALL those safety pins, today was the day I finished up the binding and handed it off to MaryJo!

Finished as in "full of safety pins to keep it together while they pray and tie knots in it using the twisted pearl cotton thread at each intersection."

I know some would argue that you should not bind a quilt until the quilting or tieing is complete but I went ahead and sewed the binding down so that when it's done, it's done. They don't have to return to me to finish it.

A few weeks ago I watched this tutorial VIDEO on youTube for the Quick Easy Mitered Binding Tool and just knew that I had to order it and have it on hand to use for this project and for other future projects!!! It really did the trick and I made the most AWESOME PERFECT CORNERS I've ever made in my lifetime!! But you'll just have to believe me b/c I forgot to take photos of them today.

This past Sunday I ran into MaryJo again after mass and promised her that her pink quilt was nearly complete and I promised to deliver on Monday afternoon so today I worked and worked until it was complete and drove it to her home after I picked Nora up from school.

I used an old spool to wind the Pearl Cotton up onto - thinking that might prevent it from getting tangled. Something else that I gave to her with the quilt was these little "cheater needles." Have you heard of them? Clover makes them and so does Fons & Porter. I bought my first package from Leah Day --- (CLICK HERE FOR INFO and DEMO on how they're used) They're awesome! ;)

I think MaryJo and her friends will appreciate NOT having to thread their needles! ;) Now I just need to remember to buy myself some more.

I'm just kicking myself for not taking photos of the whole pink twister quilt - but it was raining outside Monday and I just wanted to get it done and delivered. I'm sure I'll be using this binding again & again so there WILL be photos - maybe even a step by step on how I do it. :) so stay tuned.

Here's Nora week before last when she went with me to buy the batting and backing. Isn't she looking so big in this outfit. I usually refuse to shop for clothing for her that even slightly resembles "teenager, tween, or as we also call it - divorced single momma style" after all she's a CHILD she should dress like one... but this black flowly style top and pant set was on clearance for only $4. Can't beat that! :)

and she had some fun being little "Miss Flower Head" at the checkout while we waited. We didn't buy the head bands although she pointed out that she could choose GREEN for Paul Thomas (his FAVORITE color) and Yellow for Olivia. But she had no more $$$ after spending her piggy bank savings on the new Disney Tangled DVD movie this weekend.

If you haven't seen it yet - you MUST! It's that good. For all ages! Perfect for an Easter gift!

and speaking of Easter -take a look at these Decorations.

Isn't this little house so cute??! Look at that large bunny at the corner of the house! We found it in a nearby neighborhood that we sometimes take a shortcut through while driving home today.

What do I have planned for my next project?? To finish this little one's eyes...

Nora has been so patient with me. It was a doll that my "Momma Newt" made for me when I was about her age. Only her face wasn't embroidered - it was just drawn on. It was nearly faded, so I bought matching colors and stitched over her lines.

Until next time....

Love from Texas!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Have you ever watched humming birds fledge?

I just found out today about this amazing webcam of a little hummingbird, Phoebe. You will hear her before you see her as she hums her way to the nest to feed her two babies... They & her little nest - where there are two chicks ready to FLEDGE!!

As I type I can hear them humming... they have practiced a few times - it's gonna happen today for sure! Check it out!

Love from Texas!

Just One Star


While reading the Moda The Cutting Table newsletter I came across a challenge from Moda called Just One Star can comfort a soldier.

The Moda challenge is to piece, quilt and bind 100 quilts in 100 days using the Flag of Valor pattern by Minick and Simpson.

Moda needs 1800 star blocks to reach this goal.

The deadline for star blocks is May 1, 2011 so that they can meet their quilt deadline by Flag Day, June 14, 2011. Moda has requested that you send your untrimmed blocks to:

Attn: Just One Star Project
13800 Hutton
Dallas, TX 75234

There is a tutorial/pattern for stars. What a great way to be part of something BIG for our soldiers!

Love from Texas!