My dirty little secret..not for the squeamish

This is my sewing room! I know I cleaned and organized it not too long ago, so when did the cyclone hit it???? I have been so focused on getting some projects done, that apparently I had turned a blind eye to just how BAD this room had gotten. No wonder I feel so scattered and fragmented!! Who could work in a room that is so out of control? I do have a lot on my plate already today, but I have decided to work on one section of the sewing room each day until it is under control. Some accountability works wonders for motivation...especially when I have a great idea for a top that I would rather be working on! lol

Each time I clean up a section, I will show the before and after pics. Sigh..not really thrilled with showing you all what a slobby quilter I am, but hey...that's me

Farm Animal Finale!!

Yay! It is all quilted and the binding is machine stitched on, just awaiting the hand stitching tonight. This was a big quilting project for me, and it feels GREAT to have it done! I do love my chickens strutting along the border! It measures in at 72" x 72" and is backed in a flannel. Talk about heavy and warm!!



Now, off to enjoy a dinner of yummy spare ribs, potato salad and cucumber salad..and wine! Hopefully more stitching later!

Cluck, cluck, cluck

With as much time that has passed since my last post, you would think I would have lots to show you. Nope. Life has kept me busy and for the most part out of the sewing room.

I did get some of this done:



4 quarts of nummy green beans...yay!!!

It is just the start of a great garden season for me and putting up all the harvest will keep me hopping for the next month or so.

I did get into the sewing room last night and got the center of my Farm Animal block swap top all quilted. It was too dark to get a good pic so I just took this little one:



I cross hatched all the 16 patches and each animal block got its own special treatment. Then it was time to figure out what to do with the border. I have probably put more time into quilting this quilt than just about any other I have done. So, I wanted something quick and easy. But wait!!! What was that little thought I had that was wriggling around in my brain? CHICKENS!! The border needed chickens walking around it!! What a great (read that as really dumb) idea!! What possessed me to do this to myself?? I have only been machine quilting for a few years and am NOT good at it. I can do simple things like meandering, but heck..I can't even do swirls!! Dope that I am, I jumped right into the chicken border. Believe it or not..I had a chicken stencil I could use!! (Where the HELL did that come from??) Anywho, here is the start of my chickens on the borders:



The rooster:



The hen:



This is obviously not going to be a fast finish, but too late to change it now! With any luck, I will get some sewing time in this weekend and have a thing or two to cross off that list!

Finished a Tote bag

Okay..it's not quilty, but it is a finish! (Darn..why didn't I put this on this week's list??). I made this tote out of plastic grocery bags. Since it was the first one I made, I didn't use different colored bags to spice it up, but will next time!




The pattern can be found at Kayla K's Thrifty Ways. Take a look around her blog. Lots of great ideas!

AccuquiltGo! for sale

After much thought, I have decided to sell my AccuquiltGo! I just don't use it. I used it once or twice here and gave a demo with it at a retreat. I keep meaning to use it, but don't, and my little sewing room is so cluttered that I think it is time for it to go (pun intended! lol) I am going to sell it for $300 and that includes postage. Here is what will be included:

1) the AccuquiltGo!
2) half square 3" finished die
3) 5" square die
4) Drunkard's Path 7" finished
5) Value Die which includes:
4 1/2" square
2 1/2" square
2 1/2" triangle
6) 2 6" x 12" cutting mats
7) 5" x 10" cutting mat
8) 10" x 24" cutting mat

I have priced them online..I think the lowest I saw was Joann's online for $199 (not including shipping and don't forget tax!) The dies alone are an extra $120 so I think the $300 price is fair. You can always make me an offer if you think this price is too high! If you are interested or have any questions, feel free to leave me a note here or email me at spreeeewell8@yahoo.com.

I am about ready to head up to the sewing room, and will decide what to work on. Will update later!!

The list

I was reading Bonnie's blog, Institches With Bonnie, and she had her weekly list up. I love her list and seeing the progress she makes each week. I used to make lists but somehow got out of the habit, so tonight I am starting back with a weekly list of what I want to accomplish. So, here goes:

1) Finish quilting Farm Animal Swap quilt
2) catch up on blocks for Scatty Christmas Stars
3) catch up on Marge's weekly mystery clues..I haven't even started and she is on clue 3, I think!
4) finish basket blocks for Delfina's Baskets quilt
5) start writing up patterns for Allegany Rings and Geese Crossing quilts
6) put together blocks for Summer Dreamin'

There. That is MORE than enough. I feel good having goals listed, though. Nothing like a list to get me motivated!

I do have lots of garden work to get done, also. Here are the first of the canned pickled beets I made on Sunday. Only about 1/3 of the beets were ready, so more of these yummies are in my future!

Slacker? Not me!

Well, okay..I confess. I DID slack all afternoon. I did not housecleaning, no gardening, nothing but watching some tv and reading a book! I should have kept up the momentum from finishing the wallhanging, but what can I say?

It was actually cool enough today to cook, so we had spaghetti, salad from the garden and garlic bread. Was nice to cook something inside again! After that, we all watched a scary movie..Insidious. Umm..lets just say screams were loud and they weren't all from me!! lol

Then, I decided to keep plugging along on some of my ufo's, so I am quilting my Farm Animal block swap top. These go back to August 2009! Sheesh. Right now I am crosshatching the 16 patches in between the swap blocks and it is taking forever. No wonder I put this off!! Here it is in progress:



With any luck I will get the cross hatching done tonight. Off I go!

Partridge has roosted and been duly finished!

Well, I found the Partridge in a Pear Tree wallhanging this morning and added a few applique hearts and then got it quilted and the binding stitched on. It measures in at 25" x 37". The pattern can be found in the book Quilt and Sew Fanciful Folk Art by Miriam Courley.

Wait until I take the pics of the other items that I found while searching. Sheesh..that room is getting a TOTAL overhaul....soon!

I have the day off today and am glad to have a finish to start it off with. Now for cleaning and gardening. Hopefully I will get some more sewing in, but if not, there is always tomorrow's Thursday Night Quilt League!!

The sound of fabric screaming..

..will be the next sound you hear coming from my sewing room! I am bound and determined to kick some fabric butt tonight and make some real progress! I don't know on what yet..but it is going to happen!!

Considering it is probably about 3000 degrees in my sewing room, I deserve some kind of medal, but I figure I will sew, I will go hop in the pool, etc..

So, if ya hear some fabric screaming, no worries..it is just me doing some serious damage!!

**Update**

Well, not as much done as I would have liked, but I did manage to make 256 Hst's for the remaining 16 blocks for Summer Dreamin':



I also made 2 blocks for 100 Blocks Magazine, but of course I can't show yout those yet!

Now, it is off for one last dip in the pool ( I have been in the pool 3 times since I started sewing tonight!!) and then off to bed!

Anyone see a partridge flying by??

Mine apparently has flown away! Went up to sandwich my Partridge in a Pear Tree wallhanging so I could start quilting it, and I can't find it! Now, my sewing room is not big. It IS a mess right now, I will concede that, but all my flimsies are piled together. Sigh..guess this is a major call to CLEAN that room. Sigh..off to look some more!

Saturday evening

Well, what a great visit we had today! We hit the stores first and we all did well.



That's Shellie on the right, Kathy in the middle and I am on the left.

3 shops later and I only spent $18! Can you say WILLPOWER!! Wasn't easy! lol By this time it was lunch time so we grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to my house for some sewing. I think we got back around 1, which wasn't going to leave us much time for sewing as we needed to wrap up around 4 as I had dinner plans.

Now, you have to understand...I don't think there was one minute of quiet the whole time so far! Shellie and I have gotten together, but we haven't connected with Kathy since our retreat last Thursday. So, lots and lots of gabbing was being done!

Finally settling down to sew, we worked away. Here are the girls working:




We did manage to each get a few of our blocks done before we had to call it quits.





The ones on top are mine..and so far I am liking the melon background. I know it is not a great shot, but what do you think?

Dinner plans panned out but hub went and got us dinner and Patrick, hub and I ate our dinner on a quilt covered table outside in the shade and just enjoyed the evening. One movie later and here we are. So, soon Patrick will be off to bed and I assume hub, also. Then I am hoping to do some more sewing!! Now, off to check out how everyone else in the quiltalong did!!

Spectacular Saturday!

Today is the Christmas Quiltalong! Yay! I know it is too early to even THINK about Christmas, but honestly..I am sooooo tired of rushing come November to get my Christmas projects made. This quiltalong has been just the best thing for me and I sooo look forward to it every month!

Today will be spent sewing with Kathy and Shellie from my online quilt circle, Cobbled Court Quilters. We all are readers of Marie Bostwick's books and have met up in person and chat online all the time. Btw..have you read Marie's new book, Threading the Needle? It is a MUST read!!! Go get it..I PROMISE you won't be disappointed!!

We will be checking out quilt shops in the morning and then settling in to sew for a few hours. Our project won't be Christmasy, but that is okay. Sharing some time with good friends is part of what Christmas is about! After that, dinner out with the hub and some friends and then maybe..just maybe..if I am not too pooped I plan on quilting my Partridge in a Pear tree wallhanging:



I will be checking in on the other quiltalongers and posting updates!

Fabulous Friday

Yup..Friday is fabulous!! Why? First because of what I got done last night. I finished cutting out the fabric for Summer Dreamin':



Yes, I really am planning on using that cantaloupe colored fabric for my background..hope it works! lol

I also made my 2 blocks for 100 blocks magazine and made the bottom half of the remaining baskets for the Delfina's Baskets quilt:



Last, but not least, I got the next 2 blocks done for Scatty Christmas Stars:



I even got some bonus hst's because I was a ninny and sewed the wrong size blocks together:



As if that wasn't enough to make today fabulous, I have tomorrow to look forward to with my Cobbled Court online quilt circle friends coming to sew! I am so excited to see Shellie and Kathy.

Ohhh..and tomorrow is the Christmas quiltalong, also! See the link on the right for more info. Wow..how much more fun can a girl take?????

Thursday quilt league

Yay..I LOVE Thursdays now that I have joined this league! lol Tonight will be a little different...I am making dinner for the family and I already did two loads of laundry and have a few other odds and ends I need to get cleaned up. Going to try to finish the mini list I made the other night and who knows what else. Will post updates!

Bath, book and bedtime!

Well, I got TONS of laundry done (I hate when the kids finally clean their rooms and bring down every piece of clothing they own to be washed), made a new batch of laundry detergent, cleaned up my room , cleaned up Patrick's room and gave him a long guys spa treatment. On the sewing front, I didn't come close to getting done all I had listed. I did get the 7 shirt quilt all cut out. Then, when I went upstairs to start picking out fabrics for one of the other quilts, I discovered a small wallhanging that I didn't even remember I had! I bet this one came from the 80's or 90's. Looking at it, there wasn't much left to finish, so I brought that down and worked on it. All I have to do now is applique a vegie on the seed packet on the right. I love this little primitive crow wallhanging!!



So, now it is off to the bathtub with a book and then bed. The rest will have to wait until Thursday's quilt league!!

A little this...a little that

Isn't this a neat shot? Only my Hannah could make a dandelion and flip flops look good! lol

I have the super urge to sew today, but I have so many things to do..and Patrick is being a stinker and not giving me a minutes peace..so I am compromising. I brought cutting mat and accessories down into the kitchen, so I can work on some odds and ends between getting stuff done and keeping Patrick happy.

When she saw my post about looking for patterns for all my shirts, JoAnne (waving atcha!!) sent me a perfect link. It is for a quilt made totally out of 7 shirts. I borrowed this pic from the website so you could see what the design is:



It is over at Life is a Stitch.

Here are my 7 shirts:



I am going to get them all cut out and kitted up between doing my chores. That will be 12 down altogether...60 more to go! lol Thanks soooo much, JoAnne!! This one is PERFECT!

I also am going to try to get my 30's fabric kitted up for this Saturday. I will have 2 of my Cobbled Court online quilting group here for a sew in! We decided on Summer Dreamin' over at Moda. I think I am going to go with a pink/peachy background color. Hmm..not sure yet. So, will go pull the fabrics for this and hopefully get everything cut and ready to go.

Then..as if I really will get any more done... I am going to pull my fabrics for the Summer Mystery going on at Mysteries for Life. This time Marge is only posting 1 clue a week (and she already is on #2) so hopefully I will get caught up on that.

Next then...I have 2 blocks that are to be tested and are due in a few days. Need to get them done!

Next, next then..I want to do 2 more blocks for the Scatty Christmas stars quilt.

I would add more Hobo quilt blocks, but I am going to be doing those in bits and pieces. Whatever I have leftover from the shirts I use for other quilts will be used to make the hobo blocks.

Well, big hopes for this afternoon/evening...I better get going!

Ugly Fabric Challenge project and summer yummies

Here are some shots of my Ugly Fabric Challenge project. The pattern is from the Thimbleberry guide for Weekend Quilters. I didn't win, but I did have a great time and I was awed by the projects the ladies came up with. Congrats to the winners!!!

Hannah and I went and picked our strawberries on Wed morning. Perfect day for it..sunny but cool. Glad we went then as the season is just about done. We picked 8 quarts:



From that we got 20 1/2 pints of jam ( I dropped one and they ate 2 already!):



We also have 3 quarts frozen now and ate 1 quart in strawberry shortcakes. THIS is waht summer is about!!!