The post that never ends

Today I am going to keep this post running with my updates as I get to them. I have lots of odds and ends that I want to work on, so thought posting the bits I work on would keep me motivated.

I started today off with finishing up the second top made from the leftover mystery blocks. It is snowing a bit outside, so I just flopped the flimsy on the couch and took the pic. Hopefully when I get it quilted, I can take the pic outside and you can see the colors better:



I got a few more tiny 9 patches done while putting this top together to add to my leaders and enders project:




Off to project #2!

Alright. Got the 168 units made for Kitchen Sink by Kim Brackett. It is in her Scrap Basket Surprises book:





I even made sure to double seam the corners that are going to be cut off so I will have all those wonderful little ready made half square triangles for another project! Yay!!

Next on my list involves these:



I have had this pile of old jeans taking up space in my sewing room for too long. Time to start doing something with them! Stay tuned for what comes next with them!!

Well, I worked on another project while my son, Joe, did me a HUGE favor and is cutting the old jeans up for me. With my RA, there is no way I could cut that long with scissors. So, great kid that he is, he is cutting them for me...oh..and yes, I promised him I would pay for some dvd rentals for all that work! lol

So, I pulled out mystery #17 and finished making the blocks. Here they are all laid out:



Alright..onto the next item! Not sure what it is yet, but I will find something!! lol

Well, I put 2 more rows on my tiny 9 patch leaders and enders project. I really love how this is coming along!



Joe just brought me these cut from the jeans:



So, onto my project with them!!

Okay..I just started the project, and I have to tell you, I am LOVING this!! I haven't had this much fun and excitement sewing in a LONG time! Wanna know what I am doing? Check this out. First I sewed my circles together:




Any ideas yet what I am doing with them? Here is a hint:



Isn't that the coolest thing ever?? They will be a cathedral windows style when done! I am going to put some more together before I start adding the middle fabrics. Then, just have to zigzag stitch around the edges and you are done! Don't even have to quilt this one because look at the back:



Can't you just imagine how heavy and warm this is going to be?? Ohhh..LOVE it!!
The site I found this on is Blue Jeans Quilt Gallery. I found it ages ago and have been slowling collecting jeans. Can't wait to get back at it!!

Moving right along

Getting a bunch of odds and ends done today in the sewing department. I got a test block done and submitted and made a block for a friends baby quilt.

I also finished up Pinwheel Party, other than the handsewing of the binding.



I had fun quilting this one and quilted in all kinds of bedtime sayings:



My plan was to donate it, but as you can see, Hannah has claimed it for her own! lol



Last but not least, I took a handful of scraps and got them cut up. I have too many bags full, so thought I would start a little at a time.





Not sure what is next on the agenda, but tomorrow is booked up so I hope to get some more time in the sewing room today. Happy sewing!!

Frugal tip: make your own laundry detergent. Yes...really! It is super easy, pennies per load and better for the environment! Lots of different recipes for it online. Try it!!

House of Mercy quilt done

Wasn't sure what to call this, but since I am gifting it to the House of Mercy..there is the name! lol Finished quilting it this morning and will handstitch the binding tonight.



Have a few other odds and ends I want to work on today between the cleaning and snuggling in my new quilt. I REALLY love these Christmas quiltalongs. I get so motivated to get stuff DONE!!

Wish me luck and will update later!!

Still working

Well, I am back at work after a great dinner out. I know it is not Christmasy, but I needed to get this quilt quilted so I can gift it to the homeless shelter. One Christmas finish is good, right? lol



I also think I know what fabrics I am going to use for my Scatty Christmas Stars....but not sure yet. Well, still time to think about that!

One project down

Yay! Finished quilting the Christmas ornament table topper I pieced at the end of last year. Here it is sans binding:




I love having something to cross off my list! Will handsew the binding on tonight while watching tv. Now on to the next project!!

I'm trying!!

Honest..I am trying to get some sewing done! I started quilting my christmas ornament table topper, but the day is full of distractions.

First was a visit from the UPS man. This was inside the box he delivered:



Ohhh..what IS it??? NO WAY!!!!



A new Kindle from my daughter, son in law and hub!! Wow...now I just need some to show me how to work it! lol

Soon after, Mr. Mailman stopped by with a package. Inside I found this..from Shellie...umm..didn't she just see me yesterday and gift me with a great new cutting mat??



Hrrmph...pic is sideways..kinda like Shellie and I! lol So, inside these delectable wrappings are:



She made me this gorgeous wallet!!! Inside is filled with all kinds of goodies..my fave part? The 9 cents! lolol

Next was this..and she is sooooooooooooo in trouble for this one!!



She gave me this Pumpkin Patches quilt!!!!! I am just floored. Can't even tell you how floored...and honored. Shell..thank you..you made me cry...jerk!

Last but not least in any way, shape or form is this:




Today is my birthday. I wanted a blizzard on my birthday. For weeks I have prayed for this blizzard. Everyone around here was not happy with me and the forecast looked like I wasn't going to get it. This morning was cold, but sunny. People called me and laughed at my blizzard. I got texts laughing at my blizzard. God heard, though, and look what He did...just for me!! Who is laughing NOW?? Thanks, God!!!!

Caught in the act

For the past few weeks, everytime I go into my sewing room, bunches of my fabric are lying on the floor and not on the shelves where they belong. So, I have been investigating. I first asked the humans. No clue. Next, the dogs.

"Any clue as to how my fabric ended up on the floor?"

Dog #1 Luke: "Fabric on the floor?? Just show me where it is and I will KILL it!"
Dog #2 Delilah: "Mine, mine..I dunno what fabric is but it is MINE and I will hide it somewhere 'cause it is MINE"

Okkkaayy..onto the cats

Cat #1 Buddy: "Fabric? Oh, please. Like I have time for trivial stuff like that when there are sunny windowsills to lie on. Ask those other 2 demented cats that you just HAD to bring into the family"

Cat #2 Hallie: "Fabric..on the floor in MY sewing room?? I would NEVER make a mess in MY room. You are just lucky I allow YOU into MY room."

Cat #3 Ricky: "Fabric?? Oh...fabric scares me. Wait..everything scares me..as a matter of fact, you talking to me scares me..think I will go hide."

Hrrrmpph..so much for that investigation. The chickens were left out of this as they don't come inside. At least as far as I know they don't.

Well, look what I found when I came into the sewing room today:



Buddy! Mr. I am so cool I would NEVER act silly or undignified! Caught him right in the act! That blur next to him is more fabric falling on to the floor that he was grabbing and pulling down! Soon as he heard me, he stopped, gave me that, "You did NOT just see that" look and nonchalantly sauntered out of the room. Sheesh!! lol

Christmas Quilt Along is today!

Yay!! It is finally here. I must have really been looking forward to this since I posted last weekend that it was then!lol I have LOTS to work on and I can't wait to make some progress!

Shellie came and visited me at work yesterday and we went out to lunch. How fun is THAT? She brought me a piece of apple pie for dessert ( I would show you a pic, but it is looooong gone!!) and a brand new rotary cutting mat! Woohooo! lol I think she was just a TAD frustrated with my old one when she was here last and tried to use mine!

Well, off to sew. Will update soon!!

A couple of quick tops

The volunteers at the Target I work at are collecting items for a local homeless shelter. I gifted a couple of quilts that I had finished, but decided I wanted to gift a couple more. So, headed up to the sewing room to figure out what I wanted to make and remembered that I had these:



These were to be my second Mystery #11 from Relays for Life. My first one is here:

http://aquiltcomplex.blogspot.com/2010/03/whewfinal-finish-for-our-ufo-challenge.html

I was going to make this second one the way most folks did..a quarter courthouse..kind of like a Bento Box. But..like many others..the blocks just sat. Looking at them last night, I decided I liked them as they were and split them up into a dark and light pile. Instead of one extra large quilt, I decided to make 2 small ones. So, here is top #1:



I will make the other top with the dark blocks this weekend and hopefully get them both quilted up so I can gift them on Monday. This is GREAT! I will have 2 quilts to gift and get to cross one off my to do list!! YAY!!

Geese Crossing is done!

Well, the top is anywho..it is still not quilted. It measures in at 84" x 96". I am really happy with this border..thank God, as I didn't want to have to rip the borders off AGAIN and try something new. What do you think?




The dreary day made the colors dull, so here is a shot that hopefully shows the colors better:



That will be all the sewing for today. Going to make a big pan of lasagne and some home made breadsticks and hunker down to watch House with the hub tonight. What a feeling of accomplishment this quilt is! Ah...I love this feeling!!

We be jammin', mon!

Well, that is as good as my Jamaican accent gets! lol Bob Marley is keeping me company tonight while I sew and Aerosmith is on the side waiting for their turn.

First, I have a clarification. Airhead me mentioned yesterday that it was the Christmas Sew Along. It was not! lol Thanks, Shellie and Sue for straightening me out on THAT one. It is NEXT Saturday! So, instead of Christmas goodies, I worked on more blocks for the Folk Art Tribute BOM:





Now I just have one more to do and I will be all caught up.

Here is a pic of the table runner I worked on with Shellie last Saturday:



I also put the borders on Geese Crossing. And hated said borders. Spent the rest of the day making 200+ flying geese for new border and ripping off old borders. So far tonight I have 2 sides of the borders pieced and attached. As long as Bob Marley and Steven Tyler keep me pumping, I might just get the other two finished tonight.

I did great with the no spending last month. Really not a problem for me as I am not much of a shopper. I did continue to buy cigs, though. And I bought some fabric right at the end of the month. I will continue to keep an eye on what I spend..and see if I can avoid buying at all. And...I will continue to work on not smoking. I think I need to go on that tv show, Intervention. Sigh..keep saying prayers for me on that one, folks!

Frugal tip: When going somewhere you need to bring something (like Superbowl parties!), look around and see what you have to bring before running out to buy something or to buy more ingredients. Thanks to my lovely girls, I had plenty of eggs, so made up a big tray of deviled eggs to bring tonight. Big hit!

Holy moly...

...has it really been two weeks since I posted? What a slacker! Unfortunately, you really haven't missed much. I have only been working on a few things and didn't get much done on them. I made the second batch of test blocks for 100 blocks magazine, I made a table runner with Shelly last Saturday ( and broke my no buying rule and went fabric shopping with her!), I made a couple new blocks to go into my Folk Art Tribute quilt and that is about it.

Today is the Christmas quiltalong. I have a table runner to quilt up and I am not sure what else I will work on. There is a block of the month quilt that Sue is doing for the quiltalong. I may just have to cut some fabric and join along in that, also.

I still have so many projects partially done. Sighhhhhhhhhhh...I HATE that! I think this will be the weekend where I try to put a big dent in them and get some stuff DONE. It will be hard, though, to finish and not START anything else!!

Oh, yeah...the house is in desperate need of cleaning, also. Guess I will have to fit that in there somewhere.

Check back later for updates and pics. I am determined to have LOTS to show you!!

Frugal tip: Have a book party! Invite a bunch of your favorite people over, everyone brings a munchie and something to drink..and their used books. Trade books, eat well and spend some great time with friends. Everyone goes home with good new books to read, a full belly and a great memory!