Thanksgiving weekend..so far

I had to work yesterday, so I decided driving to Sweet Home before dawn was probably not a good idea. But I did cut work a little short and headed down there later in the afternoon. (Not that I needed anything!) But that never seems to stop me. I only bought one piece of fabric, a little kit and something that I whipped up for a Christmas present today. And then I headed home.

Today I finished Part 2 of the Bonnie Hunter mystery-120 brown/pink half square triangles. And then I went back to the 34 billion one and a half inch squares. I think those little suckers are multiplying in the bag. 848 squares=4 squares to a block=212 sections. I have made 103 so far!!
I finished the table runner for Kris at least And then I made it to the couch. THE END.
And now it is midnight and I am wide awake..well maybe not "wide" but I am awake. So I think I will move into the bed. Henry is waiting to get under the covers!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am one very lucky person. I got to enjoy my whole family today. We celebrated turkey day at Sue's house. Sarah, affectionately known as the Decoration Natzi has been hard at work on the decor all week. She really gets into decorating the table as you can see. Place mats, doilies, name cards, the whole nine yards.
Rob did the turkey, Sue the sides, Laurie brought her broccoli puff. (I brought the gravy). Poor Rob made traditional gravy as well. Sarah tried both but I think William Sanoma won. (love their turkey gravy base). Kris and Alice joined us for dessert. An unplanned bonus. Tyler has to work at dark thirty tomorrow morning, so he was home napping. It was a wonderful meal. I am stuffed and don't have to eat for weeks..or at least tomorrow.

November Thimbles

I so look forward to getting together with the Thimbles gang. Only downside is that it only happens once a month. And now it will be almost Christmas when we meet again.

This month's project is from the book Scrap-Basket Surprises by Kim Brackett and is called Bali Sea Star. The fabric line is Whittier Crossing from our own Mary Ann at Little Quilts. It is yummy. Gretch has a picture of it on her blog. My fabric is still in the bag. This book has several other projects that are on my to do list. But first I have to finish some of the stuff I have already got in the works. So what have I accomplished this weekend?

-I completed all 172 segments for the Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt

-did the 9 patch blocks for Cindy Lou Who-Schnibble pattern

-made some segments for our Thimbles gang exchange

I have to get busy on that one as I have heard that Gretch has picked out our next one. I also gave Thimble Queen Pat palpitations when I informed her I am signing up for Comfort and Joy her new pattern. It is being offered as a block of the month by Bad Melisa. I did warn her that she would be subject to my whining do to all of the "A-word" that this quilt involves. It is an 8 month project. And every month has a component of applique to be done. I will either survive or become a raving maniac by completion date!

Moda Man, Polly Pockets and dragons..

This has been a good weekend-but Thimbles weekends always are! More about that later

Sarah and Emma came over for a sleepover and actually did! We had our picnic. Spooky and Henry don't quite know what to make of it but Wild Willie enjoys the french fries! We watched movies and I got caught up on Hannah Montana

Moda Man was in the thick of things as well-entertaining the Polly Pocket girls. He played in the castle. I wonder if Marc Dunn has a carriage? I know he does not have dragons like Moda Man.

I need to get the girls some breakfast and take them to church. Then some more sewing to do.

Starting on the latest Thimble girls swap

Well actually I had already started it-cut out all those little one and a half inch squares. I decided I would play with it in the hotel last evening. I figured I would need to fondle some fabric after a day at the home office. I had it all planned and took my little box of stuff with me, plus a little mat and my rotary cutter. I forgot the ruler. BUT I improvised with the directory in the room. Okay-so now it is not quite the way it was before I began-it now has a few raggedy edges. Please don't tell!

When I got home this afternoon-thankfully we got out early and I was able to drive down 85 in daylight, I made 2 blocks. I think I have 22 more to go. I have to check with the girls to see what size we are making as I can not remember. Yet another senior moment!!

So looking forward to Thimbles tomorrow. I wish I could go tonight as well but I am just too tired. all I really want to do is put on my jammiies, get on the couch with the guys and under a quilt!

Back to quilting stuff

I don't seem to be able to get any sewing/play time in during the week. Just too tired after toiling at "the home". I try to use the weekends to accomplish stuff. I made a list on Friday but promptly lost it. I don't remember what I had planned.

I finally finished constructing the back for the Twister quilt using the schnibble as a center. I had planned on using a lighter fabric to surround it but ended up with the yummylicious chocolate brown print. I also finished up a "10 minute" table runner. I have yet to make one of these bad boys in 10 minutes. And I got caught up on the BOM from the Quilt Room.

Today i decided I needed to tackle the background fabric for our latest swap. 848 squares-one and a half inches and other pieces. I grumbled the whole time I whacked off those bad boys. This is not going to be a quickly quilt

Henry is insisting on sitting on my lap right now. He keeps looking up and I swear he is thinking "when is she moving over to the couch." I think he is feeling chilly today. I put the flannel sheets on the bed yesterday and last night he was in his usual under the covers position.

Need to go find another project-I have some Dr. Seuss fabric for pillowcases for the little girls.

Postscript to yesterday's blog down memory lane..

I spent part of the evening with Laurie last night. I guess I failed in part of my mother duties...She informed me that she never got to see the tree at Rockefeller Center when she was little because I never took her. Truth of the matter is-she is right BUT Mahopac was smack dab in the middle of the 2 Metro North lines and we lived further north than where I grew up in Southern Westchester county,
But I say to her-go fly up to NY and see the darn tree. I would like to see it but I no longer go north after the middle of September. I'm cold down here now and I can't imagine dealing with cold in Mahopac! By the way Mahopac is an Indian name but I can't remember which tribe lived in the area. There was a joke that it was named after someone boating on the lake who was having a cigarette and said my-ho-pac fell in the lake. Dumb!!

Just sayin'

When checking facebook last evening, Kris mentioned that the big tree at Rockefeller Center is from our hometown this year. Go Mahopac, New York. Yes I live in Ga now but deep down I am still a New Yorker and proud of it!! It got me to thinking about Christmas when I was much, much younger.
I remember going into the "city" with my Mom. We would take the train-NY Central line, now part of Metro North. It was a treat. I remember a little apprehension when the train entered the tunnel in northern Manhattan and looking out the window and not being able to see a thing. And then, getting onto the platform and walking into Grand Central Station. It was awesome to a little kid. We would walk over to Macy's Herald Square and see Santa and then walk around and see the store windows all animated and decorated. I remember going into the big dime store-Woolworth's. It seemed huge at the time. Good memories.
Then when I was in nursing school in Manhattan, I remember going to watch them light up the tree. You couldn't really get close to the entertainment but you could hear it and then they lit the tree!! Somethings you never forget.

Just sayin' that things are different these days-decorations up and ready to go at Halloween. Some how it loses something when you start so early.


At any rate, I am anxiously awaiting the 2010 tree. The family that donated the tree this year has a story as well. He is a NYC firefighter. Their tree was selected on 9-11 this year.

Relaxing with Henry, Spooky and Wild Willie

The boys in assigned spots-relaxing for some early evening tv!

Groovy Girls weekend meeting

I did get my card punched for last month's project and now I can send Kathy her bag.

Heinous applique first and now I need to be thinking kitchen? What is wrong with this picture??

This month's project was napkins. Now I don't buy paper napkins anymore. They come with the take out I buy. Or I can use a paper towel if need be. So here I am making napkins..and then practicing fancy folds!! I have managed to make one. Also I did finish the 10 minute table runner for which I bought the same fabric twice!

The first one I made took slightly more than minutes..well more than slightly.

Now I am ready for my next punch. What's next, Melisa??

A tail of cats and quilt

Wild Willie and Henry keeping up with the blogging world. They are especially interested when I tell them that Stella and the boys are in the news. Henry is waiting for me to settle down on the couch, so he can get comfortable.

Wild Willie, official top inspector is checking out the X Block quilt. It is the 2010 quilt camp project. I must admit, I lost interest in putting on the outside application, so I just did a plain border. I really love the fabric line. (Moda, of course)

Not to be left out of the evening activities, Spooky joined in on the inspection process. Shortly after this picture was taken, an altercation happened and currently the quilt top is in a wad! I must go rescue it before any damage is done!

Checking on his counterpart?

Oh that Moda Man-always in the know!