What?

I've been waiting......and today is the day!  Bonnie Hunter publishing yardage requirements for the new mystery quilt.  I did not even bother reading it on the computer.  Just hit the print friendly button and turned on the printer.  And this is what I got...directions in code.  AND I printed it twice since in my eagerness I hit the button twice.
Do over....and now I have the directions in readable form.  I will soon be off to begin gathering fabric.  The first clue is not until the end of November-so I have time.  That being said, I will soon begin anyway.

Now my friends know the condition of my living room at the current time and now I will be adding to the chaos/piles of fabric.  I have been working steadily on pineapple polka dots so there is a pile of polka dot pieces.  And then there is the Silver Thimble mystery-a pile of lime green pieces.  I've been cutting for the blue/red/gold swap.......get my drift.   Did I mention the bag of teeny trimmings to give to Becky for pet beds?    Can you say OUT OF CONTROL?

BUT I am a happy quilter and that's the truth!!!!

Just Playin'

 Little table topper for the upcoming holiday.  It will be leaving here-I am not a big fan of Halloween (but I liked the fabric.  It is a quickie-3 fat quarters and a focus fabric for the center.

This week's BOW did not require an engineering degree.  It also went together quickly.  This is block #9 in the series.  I think I need to go back and redo week #2.  I did not have Blockbase at that time.  I have printed off the template for that one and while my pieces were right, the size was off.

I have 20 blocks made for polka dot pineapples.  I am not sure how many blocks I will end up with-it depends on how far I can stretch the black Kona.  It will be 25, 30 or 36 blocks.  In the meantime I have one big mess from all the cutting and trimming.

Little Projects

The BOW for this week has been hanging over my head.  But it is Thursday and the day after tomorrow, there will be another one!  This block is similar to week 2 and I struggled with that one.  But I didn't have Blockbase then.  Maybe I will go back and redo that one...maybe not!  At any rate cross one project off the list.

I told Kathy that I would make her a quilted container for her Kindle.  That was back in June.  Then I forgot.  But now that is done as well.  It does need a snap.  I made use of some of the extra flying geese I made for "Turkey".  Don't think this will get lost if put in a bag!

I also got the tea cozy made but it is already on it's way to NY.  Good progress this week

The Pineapple quilt and other stuff

I am continuing to work these blocks two at a time.  12 blocks done.  This project is probably the reason the living room looks the way it does.  Piles of polka dot fabric in strips and pieces.  And then there are the other projects currently being worked on.  I have the little spool blocks.  I cut more pieces for that one this morning.  I finished month seven of the mystery quilt but that is a secret that can not be shared. 

I printed off this week's pattern for the BOW on Blockbase.  This is going to take awhile to do and since it is like the other block.......

Kathy sent me a request for a tea cozy and Becky hooked me up with a site.  Now that is on the to do list when I find the perfect fabric in the stash (and I think I know just what I will do with it).

I guess I should do a little picking up before I start.

Thimbles-sewing or visiting?

I so look forward to the monthly Thimbles meeting.  And I headed over yesterday right after the pool.  (I also love the time in the cocoon pool).
So what got accomplished yesterday?  I needed to work on the BOW from last Saturday-the womens' rights on line quilt.  Must get it done before next block published.  I decided that since I managed to needle turn that one block, I would do it again.  After all, it is just one block and not a Baltimore Album!  I had a little trouble with the star points but otherwise, it went together.  

After completing that block, I started working on this month's installment of the mystery quilt.  It is almost done but can't be shown.  Pat is taking this program to Houston next week.  Don't want to spoil the surprise. 

So I do not have a lot to show for the eight or so hours I was there but I did have a great time visiting with the quilting buds.  And that is what Thimbles is all about-sharing!   Quilters are the best!!

Kykuit

 This is the home built by John D Rockefeller.  It is in Pocantico Hills, north of NYC.  It was home to the Rockefeller's until Nelson died and it was given to the National Trust.  Look at Kathy concentrating!

 Statue imported fro Italy.  View looking down county toward White Plains

 Golf course with Hudson River in the distance

Phillipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hallow, NY.  Up the road is the church and graveyard.  We be in Headless Horseman country.

Escape to Mahopac

 I took a quick trip up to NY to visit with old friends.  I love Georgia don't get me wrong but there is nothing prettier than the Hudson Valley for me.  Saturday morning it was 29 degrees (that is why I live in Ga now).  Kathy and I went out to see some sights.  By the afternoon it had warmed up and was beautiful.  This is the overlook on Storm King Mt/  Across the river is Cold Spring.  The leaves aren't at peak yet but it was so clear and crisp.

 Looking down at West Point.  Did not realize how big it is.  The buildings that you see in pix are on the other side of that slope.  That is the soccer field.

 Bear Mt. Bridge from Fort Montgomery. Looking down the river toward Peekskill

 This is the "goat path".  This road wides up the mountain from the river level to the bridge across the Hudson.  That brick wall is all that separates you from a long way down.  It is a really pretty road but not constructed for today's speeds. 

Overlook on the "goat path" looking down river toward Croton and Indian Point.


I had such a wonderful time. I so wish it was not so far away.  i visited with former co-workers that I had not seen in 14 years.  Also my old boss.  He was the most wonderful man to work for-fair, honest and funny.

I have more pix from our trip to Kykuit.  I have to resize them first.

Pineapple Progress

I was recently inspired by both Marty and Becky's progress with the block demonstrated at Quilt Camp back in August.  I had made one block but was concentrating on my version of Bonnie Hunter's turkey quilt.  I love, love, love it!  Since Dark and Creepy has been completed, I need to do something else.  Yes, I need to work on the applique that Gretch assigned but I wanted to play with polka dots too.

I have 6 completed blocks now.  I need to wack some more strips for the next batch.  the more blocks I do, the more I am liking this little block.

Crafting with Sarah and Emma

Sue had school today but Sarah and Emma did not.  I hope they had more fun than their Mom.  I took a class on making floor cloths last month.  And I decided why not mess up Sue's house.  So today we got out the ModPodge and went to town.  The process is quite lengthy as well as being messy.  I prepped the cloth on Sunday, so we were good to go today.  We have the whole Friedrichs family on the cloth including the fur children.  I brought it home to complete the process-several more coats of ModPodge and acrylic as well as treating the back with anti-slip stuff.

We also made some Halloween cupcakes and did a little reading.  Quite the nice day with my little girls.  Love being retired so that I can play with them/

Gretch is the best!

My computer has had issues.  Gretch came over and fixed it!  And she showed me how to do a few things..  And while we were waiting for the "defrag" she said, "how about we do some applique?"  How could I say no.  I knew exactly where "Comfort and Joy" by Pat Wys has been collecting dust.  And now I have the start of the first applique block.  My assignment from Gretch is to do the other blocks and then we will work on the stitching.  Maybe I will have this baby done by the end of 2013!

I have completed Havenstone AKA Dark and Creepy.  I am up to date on the mystery top and some other stuff.  It sure helps when work does not get in the way!!

and now I am going to see if this thing publishes

trial run .......

this is posting because Gretch came to fix my blog and now it seems to be working