Busy, sad week

This has been a busy and disturbing week for me. I haven't sewn much - just straightened. I had two funerals this week. One a long time sweetheart of a friend. She was battling Lymphoma and doing very well and then got a urinary tract infection. At the start of my blog, I asked everyone who read it to put my two friends in their heart for me. Patti, with the lung cancer is doing well, Shirlee who had Luekemia , died this week. I cannot tell you how much I admired this woman. Born with crippling polio, she battled post polio recently - just as bad as polio in many ways. Also breast cancer, and then Luekemia. I've never known anyone to fight so hard - she had the heart of a lion! So please, think of my friends, Joan and Shirlee will you?
We have decided bad economy or not we need to do some things to our house. Last year Bob put in Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors and they are beautiful. I asked if we could get them in our bedroom and he said "NO"! I'm done. Ok, I respect that, know the feeling. Guess who's getting Cherry floors? He heard I wanted them and said "Why didn't you tell me?" "Huh!" says I. He was pretty adament about not wanting to do them. So, we will have a really torn up house again. I was looking for carpet to put on our stairs that go to the lower level. The flooring guy, says we saved 1/2 by doing them ourselves. Wow.
I am hoping to keep up with my blogging, so see you soon.

This is Bonnie Hunters Chunky Churndash, found on her Quiltville site. We did a Chunky Churndash swap on Quiltvilleswap. I made 2 sets of 55 blocks, all different. My intention was to trade 1 set of 55, and receive 55 different blocks. I, actually got quite a few repeats and I used them for the pillow cases I'm making and I sent off a bunch to Bonnie as a thank you. So, most are different, but don't you know that the three blocks I used this one fabric on (I didn't know I did that) all migrated to the same spot. They are all across from each other!! Talk about a big duh moment! Not sure anyone would notice, but, of course, I do!!!!
This quilt will be finished off with a gray border and I'm thinking geese surrounded by two 5" borders.

The top two pictures are Double Delight, that I finished last year. The next is Old Tobacco Road. This quilt really didn't do it for me until I saw the borders and how the geese make it look. I will get a picture with the geese and show you.

Christmas Lights

This quilt was in Quiltmaker magazine as a three part mystery from Bonnie Hunter. Bonnie loves scrappy backs and I had a bunch of Christmas fabrics I wanted to use, so I tried it. Turned out nice, I think and some of my fabric got used. I really need to use up my fabric.

Head hanging low

Why, oh why do I have such a time blogging? Well, I do have one good excuse! I have been quilting like a fool!!!!!!!!!!
Since my last blog I have finished Bonnie Hunters Christmas Lights. I have Old Tobbacco Road ready for borders, Bonnie did a Christmas mystery she called Carolina Christmas. Mine is in purples, pinks & teals and is called Camryn's Christmas because my dgd wanted a quilt from Meems & I already had a Christmas color quilt. This quilt turned out very nice, but is not my favorite of Bonnies patterns. I think that honor has to go to Carolina Crossroads. And Old Tobbacco Road. As some may know I have a quilt site for unwashed swappers on Quiltville swap. Melinda is our washed hostess, so there is something for everyone. We did a block exchange of Bonnies Chunky Churndash. I have this completed up to borders and I'm thinking a line of geese between two 5" borders. We have 2 twin xl adjustable beds with a headboard and footboard. So, I like to make my bed with the quilt under the pillows and longer sides. I make fancy pillowcases for the pillows and they sit on top. This quilt is 80 by 82 now. I will finish the top and bottom plainly - no one will see it, and put the big borders and geese on the sides.
My daughter will be 40 this year and just got engaged. Tyler is a great guy and we couldn't be happier. She lives in San Francisco, he's from Canada and he has a company he started in San Fran. They are marrying sometime in May. They are doing this very quietly in May and in September we will have a party in Glendora, Ca. where our closest family is. Maybe another party here in December. They are also talking about going to Canada. Up in the air right now. She is certainly none traditional. She wants no big marriage, just a party.
I hope I get in the habit of writing more!!!!
I am going to post this now so you can see some of my work I've done lately.

Catch up time

Here it is August - the wettest in a long time for Ohio. The grass is green, but it sure cuts down on the camping.

My latest quilt was given a few weeks ago. I made it for my special friend Santi, who is an embroidery designer and lives in South Africa. We met online - ten years ago - I actually wrote her a fan letter after I bought her first set of designs. We just clicked and she is now part of my family. She remarried two years ago and I wanted to do something special for her and Peter. She was at my house when this box of fabric came and she flipped. Just loved it. Remember my Trips around the world? - somewhere on this blog? I have been wanting to do another on with each strip scrappy, but following colors. So, since Santi travels extensively and loved this fabric, and I had 6 different pieces, I said this is fate. So here it is. I met up with her in July, and I brought the quilt along to show her how the fabrics turned out. She loved it. I told her to look at the label - it's your designs. She did and said "Oh you used my designs, how nice" I said - "You didn't read the label, did you? - No - so she read it. She said "You can't give this to me!" I said - "Yes, I can" - she says "OK!" It was so funny! So she swore she would wear it on the plane - now this puppy is huge 117 x 90. I bet she packed it!!!, but it is on her bed.

I have a Double Irish Chain in batiks on my design wall waiting for border inspiration - sound familiar? And I started Bonnies Christmas Lights - I don't have a Christmas quilt so this will be nice. I have intentions of doing Bonnies Old Tobacco Road this year also. And my husband wants another Shades of Green - I'm thinking teals & beige - or teal & purple - hmmmmmm!

Today is bridge with the girls, so I will be sewing later.

Until then........

Beautiful Sunday

It's a beautiful Sunday and I am enjoying just relaxing. Yesterday was busy. Megan's grad party - she got to see the quilt - as a flimsy - it needs backing, batting & quilting. I am changing the backing to a green I think. I have a beige, but I think Ill go with green instead. And a birthday party for one of our camping friends Pat. We saw lots of people we love yesterday so all is well.
My honeymoon quilt is getting borders as we speak. er write! I found a quilt in a magazine with exactly the right border, so I was lucky enough to have a fabric that fit right in. I had bought a focus fabric for this quilt, but didn't use it - now I will. The borders are driving me mad to put on though. They are strips & blocks, with a phlange, so I put them all together and now I am putting them on the quilt - except??!!! I have divided the quilt length & border length in 8'ths, but for some reason in the middle they meet up perfect, where everywhere else I am working in a small amount of extra from the quilt edge. Something is not right, so I have to work on that.
Everyone enjoy this beautiful day.

Megan's college quilt

May 29 - I'm good, I'm writing again.

This is Megan's college quilt. She enters Ohio University and this is their colors - well green & white. I LOVE this quilt. Amy S had it on her blog and I fell for it - she figured out how to make it and I'm so glad she did. Thank you Amy. I like the border - hope I can figure out something for my honeymoon quilt!!!

Megan's quilt

Here's Shades of Green

May 28, 2009 - where does the time fly

I can't believe it is May 28th. I am such a bad blogger. I really must try and do better.

In this time I have finished a few quilts. Ashleys college quilt, Bonnie Hunters Double Delight, OC. I'm working on two right now. My dear friend remarried and I have made her a honeymoon quilt, and my niece is leaving for Ohio University and I made her a green/neutral quilt that I fell in love with - thank you Amy S for figuring the pattern out!! Right now my trauma is figuring out what to do for the border of the honeymoon quilt. I will upload some photos. Help me decide which border to do - or should I make a pattern? I'm going to upload this as I have several other photos I want you to see.

It's been forever

I'm a bad blogger!!! Too much time has gone by.
My daughter & grand dog are on their way home for the holidays, from San Francisco. Can't wait, haven't seen her in a year - too long.
My Carolina Crossroads and Trip Around the World, where big hits. So glad I got them sent out and the girls love them. My Orange Crush ( Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt) is finished and at the long armer. I'm still working on the Honeymoon quilt and the Triple Irish Chain. Ashleys college quilt turned out so cute
The camper is in storage and the weather has turned cold, so looks like quilting weather to me. At least once the holidays are over.
I have two friends fighting for their lives. Please keep Shirlee and Patty close to your hearts. Patty is a life long smoker and was diagnosed with lung cancer and given 6 months. Shirlee has Leukemia and is a born fighter. Polio victim, post polio victim, breast cancer, she fights them all. A brave lady.
I am working strange hours and with Jen here I am going to be occupied, but I will get back to my blog and catch you all up.

It's been months.

I have a lot to catch you all up on.
First off, we have a new camper. Boy, am I surprised. We loved my camper, but.....We were camping July 4th at Lexington Horse Park - my favorite place. They have a camper dealer there, so when you're bored you've got something to do. My son is hot on the track of a toy hauler - as soon as he wins the lottery! I walked in this camper and my jaw dropped. I could have designed this baby. I am also a shopping fool, as well as a quilting fool, so 1 week later we had a new camper. I'll get a pic up.
Both my quilts have been finished by the long armer and look great. Love them - another great job Theresa. My orange crush got caught up in finishing Ashleys college quilt. I am doing trapunto in the signature blocks since we didn't do the siggys. So the OC sits on my design wall and I couldn't even start Bonnies Old Tobacco Road. I didn't think I'd like that quilt - too linear, but the geese make it, I think.
I suggested a swap on Quiltville and Bonnie set DeeDee and I up with our own site, Quiltville Swap, and as DeeDee says, swap divas. I just mailed my first swap and some got them today and seem happy. We had beautiful fabrics and I got some lovely hostess fabric. Thank you gals - love them!
Ashley started college, and she and boyfriend Donavan are missing each other, but surviving.
Did you hear about our wind storm last week? Ike came roaring up from Texas - no rain, just the fiercest wind I've ever seen. 78 mph, I hear. Lots of cosmetic damage - lots of trees down and no electricity for over 6 days. Four trees went down around the camper and didn't touch it. House was fine also. We ended up showering in the camper with the generator running it. I even got the swap completed with the help of my friend Margie. The things you can do!! I wanted to sew, but it didn't stay light long enough. We did have a lot of clean up and by then it was dark. Our land is full of cut up & split wood & branches. Next thing is to get a chipper out here. We are weeks away from being what we where.
I am going to get some pics up and I'll write more later.

This is not a well made piece of furniture, but I fell in love with it. Bob had to remake the draws and he crackle crazed it and it is really pretty now. All my do dads and odds & ends go here.

This sat out in my fil garage until he died - who wanted a smallis entertainment center, even though it was nice. We did. Not much we had to do except revamp the inside with shelving. Looks good in the room too.

More storage

This we found in a second hand furniture store. He just added shelves and voila!

storage and such in the sewing room

This is an old type cabinet - deep, but shallow drawers - perfect for fq. My husband spray painted it and it looks nice

My first featherweight

I have collected sewing machines for years. I love them. But I resisted the featherweights. They were always too expensive and I thought of them as toys. I have the big sister - a black 301 that is gorgeous and sews like a dream. But I got a chance at this machine and now have 2 more coming and maybe more. I am dying to paint a beat up one. My husband is so excited to try it. This little dream is in very very nice shape. I am very happy I got her. She runs quiet and strong. I love Ebay!

I am in the middle of 4 quilts. I started the Double Irish Chain, have a honeymoon quilt for my friend from South Africa, and a college quilt for Ashley and the OC mystery quilt from Quiltville. I turned over my red/yellow Trip and the Carolina Crossroads to the LA. Can't wait to see them. They are going to two nieces in California.

I've had a stiff neck for 3 days and I'm sick of it!!! It does not stop me from sewing.

Hugs to all.

May 27, 2008 - granddaughter graduated high school

This was a huge weekend for us. Ashley graduated from high school with a 4.00 and athlete of the year award. Also, she has a full scholarship to Pikeville college. I call her the best signing bonus anyone ever got. She was 3 when I first met her. Such a cutie pie. I think her mom was thinking I wouldn't be happy with a daughter in law with a child, but boy was she wrong!!! Ashley has 2 little sisters and they love her very much. Ashley, actually, introduced us to her boy friend. And we like him - imagine that! We're so proud of her. Beautiful and smart!

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Here she is - fresh out of storage.