Frustration

error on the page. No picture. It loads but nothing. I HATE this. At any rate....after a week of heavy duty sewing at Summer Stitch In, I have not gone near any sewing. I did try to pick up a little, as the living room was pretty much strewn with piles of "stuff". I did make a tiny dent yesterday. This morning I decided that perhaps I would play with the Crazy Teapots. One constructed (which was the picture).

Summer Stitch In too soon over

well..maybe not. I am EXHAUSTED!!! 6 days of sewing. I tried to post a picture but alas, it's not working (again). I finally completed a project on Saturday afternoon. It is a Schnibble of a pattern called Huble-a giant star. The fabric is so cute. Not a clue what I will do with it. I also am the proud recipient of one of the coveted Ka Ka awards. I really would like to show that. It is a tradition of our little band of Thimble wacko's. It is a vase/jar filled with snippets and scraps. we all trhrow into the vase during the week. I am also happy to say that I did not win any of the left/right/center games thank goodness. Saturday's game came close and I was really sweating it. I won last year and even cutting the blocks smaller ala Bonnie Hunter did nothing to improve the blocks. I finally game them all away. Maybe I will figure out how to fix the picture thingy.

Pat, Pat, Pat....what day is it???

It is hump day!!!   This week is summer stitch in in Silver Thimble Club land.  6 glorious days of sewing, laughing, eating and just plain having fun.

I seem to have made the naughty list...go figure!  I also can't seem to make the blog work right tonight.  So I'll keep writing here.  I am not getting much accomplished.  I broke the Lady GaGa ruler on Monday morning.  Marty let me borrow hers.  I cut out my pattern, worked on it today and I HATE it!!    Maybe I should just find a quiet corner and read Chris's new book. 

We have a great location with lots of room to spread out.  Today we formed the Silver Thimbles Singers.  We worked on our first song "Soft Kitty".  It need some work!

I cracked Pat up this afternoon.  It was good to see her get falling down laughing.  I have no pictures of the quilts being produced.  I was too busy whining about my lack of progress.  Pat has some great stuff on her blog, Silver Thimble Quilt Co.

Movie Date

 So before I get to the details of the movie "date", I thought I should show that I actually got some sewing done.  The block of the week was a bit behind!  I am now all caught up.  # 43-46 done!!  3 more blocks to go.

When I was up in Dalonega, I got the blue fabric for latice.  The pattern read 32 strips of each and I got enough for that.  Problem was it should have been 64.  Back to the drawing board.  I changed the nine patches to five inch squares and will finish this baby as a Just 4 U.  I need a couple of borders and it is done.  I found a piece of fabric at home that goes much better with the nine patch blocks I made.  I will finish that and it will be incorporated into a backing.  I am thinking it will be on the top that I plan to make at Stitch-in next week.

Now to the date.........are you ready???????


Emma and I went to see Despicable Me 2 this morning.  What a cute movie.  I love the minions.  I can't remember the last movie I saw.  Now I want to see the Smurf movie too!  I am sensing a pattern.

test post

I am trying to see if this works.  I uploaded a picture and it vanishes.  I HATE this

Well maybe it will work.....

computer issues due to me..stay tuned

oops!

Daytona Beach

Lounging on the beach



Limo driver relaxing



Quilt Inspector on Duty

Spooky is being is usual busy self-resting on an unfinished quilt. Binding going on for this Florida bound quilt. It has rained here in the ATL for days now.

Happy Fourth

Most independent cat (Senor Wild Willie) contemplating a very wet day.  He decides to sleep in-so what else is new.  He also lets me know that anything I make, he is entitled to cover with his fur!  Before I put the table runner on, he NEVER lounged on the table.

Just a lazy week

Hump day and what have i accomplished this week?   The only thing is the table runner from last week's workshop.  I attempted to quilt it the way Edyta demonstrated.  Well, that didn't work but I did quilt it and I am satified as it is a first try.

Speaking of hump day-I just love that commercial with the camel in it!  Marty asked me what it was advertising and I did not know.  Had to wait for it to come on again.  (It is for Geico).

Summer Stitch-in is in a couple of weeks and I am still working on what projects I am going to do.  As of now, no clue!

Maybe today I will get myself going.  I am headed for the pool this morning and then we will see!

Bloomin' Baskets workshop

 Tuesday at the Gwinnett Quilt Guild, Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts was the speaker.  She was wonderful.  She brought a boatload of her quilts to show and discuss. Her designs were awesome-teeny, tiny blocks and applique that made me want to do it!  She also is a fabric designer for Moda Fabrics.  Her books and patterns are great.
On Wednesday I had the opportunity to attend her workshop in Cartersville.  We did a tablerunner that was recently shown in Quiltmaker magazine.  See that applique?  Yup-I did that!!  It is raw edge applique.  By the end of the day, I had half of the applique stitched.  I am anxious to try the quilting technique that she demonstrated as well.  Since the table runner is small, I think I just might be able to do it!

I treated myself to some of her fabric for my birthday.  Such pretty purples!!  I am a pushover for purple anyway.  Not sure how Spooky feels about purple.

I had never been to Cartersville before.  It is a cute little sleepy southern town complete with the prerequisite pawn shops!  I don't remmeber pawn shops in NY but there are lots of them down here!

Silver Thimble Sewing

 Many years ago, I became involved in a renewal movement, Episcopal Cursillo.  I remained involved until I moved to Ga.  It was a wonderful experience.  NY Cursillo will soon have its 100th weekend.  A celebration is being planned in the fall and my friend Kathy asked if I would contribute a quilt for the event...  This weekend I put the top together.  The quilt will NOT be donated with the cat.  He stays here!  It was a fun quilt to make.

Queen Thimble also provided step 2 of her new mystery, Spot On!  I have chosen to do my version in hot pink and gray.  I needed to use my Deb Tucker tools for this step: the Magic Wand and the Wing Clipper.  Now all my friends know about me and the magic wand-that I have several in various colors.  (if one is good, then 2 is better, etc.!)  And if you are making flying geese the Wing Clipper is a MUST.  I only have one of those. 

It is a good sewing weekend and next week is chock full of sewing adventures-guild meeting, workshop  and several luches.  I LOVE retirement

Thoughts on Aging

Yesterday evening I was watching another rerun of The big Bang Theory (one of my favorite shows-that an NCIS).  At any rate, Walowitz had to pick up his mother at water aerobics and was talking about giggling arms.  He would be in overload if he were to pop in this morning at the aquatic center at Mountain Park.  Two sessions are combined in the summer to accomodate little people swimming lessons.  As a result, the pool is pretty much packed with old people and giggling arms and other body parts.  It made me laugh.

I got to water aerobics early this morning.  I was sitting in my car looking at the dollar bills   Now I know that the various reserve banks and mints are marked on the bills.   I had a "D" and a "J".  I was trying to read what site those letter denote.  Now I have to google it becasue there was no way that I could read that tiny print. 

After aerobics, we were walking back to our cars.  Sharon misplaced hers.  The parking lot is not that big but she did not park in her usual spot. I mentioned to one of the ladies that I do not let the baggers at Publix take my stuff to the car, mainly becasue I don't want to embarass myself looking for it!  Someone told me when you park you should look at the sign on the building and that way you will know where the car is.  This does not always work either.

So now I am going to Goggle the mint sites.  As for the picture of Wild Willie.  I forgot why I posted it!!

Playing Catch Up!

 Each Saturday for the last million and a half weeks there has been a block published for the Grandmother's Choice block of the week.  This thing almost got the best of me.  By today I was 2 weeks behind and another new block on the site this morning.  The two prior weeks were relatively easy blocks and I was not worried.  Today is the day that I got it caught up and it is a good thing because block #43 is a doozy!  Some of my points are not quite but I am okay with it.

I am not sure why Mr. Wild Willie is posing.  He is just chillaxing in the kitchen.  My guess is that he is waiting to see if some food will magically appear.

Lazy Sunday Mystery-Part 3

I do love a mystery!  And we all know what a Bonnie Hunter groupie I am.  I thought that this quilt would be a companion to my Easy Street but I think the pink makes it pop too much.  So maybe this one will go along with my other mystery quilt in progress.  I am doing Pat Wys's Spot On! in light gray and hot pink.  It seems that I am in a "bright period".

On the "to-do" list for the weekend are 2 blocks for block of the week and a replacement for a missing piece of Blogger Girls block.  It will probably turn up after I make the new one.  I think I also need to make one more block for that project.

So much for cleaning  up the sewing room.  BUT I REALLY need to tackle that project-and soon. 

run away to the mountains

Wonderful time had by all

26 minutes until Happy Hour

 What is better than a bunch of quilters in the woods and Happy Hour?
We had lots of good food came back home with us).  Lots of snacks and goodies.

 North Georgia wilderness.  This is the view from Brenda's cabin somwhere northeast of Blue Ridge.  My goodness the drive up the mountain was take your breath away and thank goodness I was not the one driving!

 I am going to call this quilt 26 minutes til happy hour.  This quilt will eventually live in Florida once I make a backing and get it quilted.  Brenda's quilt is also draped over the loft railing.  It is spectacular-all shirtings and reproduction fabric.

Busy quilters-what a wonderful hideaway.  Brenda's land backs up on a national forest.  Becky is busy working on a mystery quilt and there is Pat, always on the ball!  Gotta luv these peeps.

New Project?...

I've been reflecting on life lately..go figure!  And I think life kind of resembles the pile of fabric strips that I dumped out on the kitchen floor this morning.  This is actually fabric I am playing with for a new project...BUT it is also kind of like life itself.

Friends and family-all different and all with little problems and joys all intertwined.  (Can't check my spelling-the little thingy went away).

I take a "shortcut" to get to the senior center.  I drive thru this strange little neighborhood.  As you enter, there is a sign that states there are "speed humps" to slow you down.  In fact, there are 8 speed humps-I counted them!  And in fact, it does work, I do slow down but I am also checking out some of the sights.  Back to my original thought,  we all have speed humps in life.  I have been blessed with friends to help me over those bumps in the road and hope that I can help them when they hit a bump as well.

And now I must go pick up the pile of fabric off the kitchen floor!

Celebrating One Year

I am finishing up the first year of my retirement.  And I am a happy camper!

I have discovered many things in the past 12 months:

-Pajama days are highly under-rated

-I have more projects (and fabric) than I will be able to finish in my lifetime

-Quilting buddies can get you in A LOT of trouble

-Laughing is contagious, road trips with friends are the best

-There are so many talented people in Gwinnett Co. and they share and encourage freely

-Guild, workshops and retreats are addictive

-When  you leave the house, it will probably end up costing $100

-It doesn't matter what you look like in a bathing suit

All in all, I am in love with my new life style.  I have the time to do what I want to do.  I have the time to enjoy my granddaughters.  I have time to smell the flowers and reflect on how I am so blessed.
And on a side note:  Spooky and Wild Willie seem to enjoy having me around more.

Farewell to Facebook

I've decided that I am done with Facebook.  Lately all there has been is stuff copied from Pinterest and ads.  I am tired of people and their rants and raves as well.  Maybe I will look at the cat pictures-really don't want to give those up.

Yesterday was Sarah' celebration -she is moving onto middle school.  She is growing up way too fast!

Grandmother's Choice block of the week

This is #38 of the 49 blocks in the series.  While talking to Debbie at Thimbles yesterday, I really liked her idea.  I don't think I will be making one large quilt (that way I don't have to redo some of the blocks that are soso!  Mine too just may end up in Just for You quilts.  We shall see!

I do love a mystery and this weekend at Thimbles, Pat introduced the new mystery quilt.  I am excited!!  I will be doing it in light gray and hot pink. 

It is a very gray day here in the ATL.  I have managed to clean up and get dressed.  Just may be all that I get accomplished today.

A Clowder of Crazy Cats

 I finished the crazy cat quilt today at Thimbles.  This quilt makes me so happy.  It is a Buggy Barn pattern.  The second pattern that I have completed.  I sew love doing this technique.  And I must say I am kind of proud of myself as the flowers have appliqued stems and leaves.  They are not needle-turn BUT for me this is quite a step.  I finished the binding and needed to give the kitties some eyes.  At first, I had planned on just black eyes.  Pat brought out her button box and i had a good time finding different eyes for the guys!

Mr quilt inspector is checking out my work.  I also had to embroider whiskers.  I tried to make one of the cats in the quilt resemble Wild Willie.  Spooky is kind of represented but it was hard as he is all black.  I hope he does not notice!

2012 Quilt Retreat swap

I think I am done with this one.  I am not going to put another border onto it.  I plan on using navy binding.  I might even have enough of the inner border fabric left.  Must go check.  I love the secondary patterns that jump out.  many thanks to Sharon Henderson for organizing the swap.  I love that gal!!

#37 -Nameless Star:The Lucy Stone League

 I was glad when I opened the blog this morning that this week was NOT applique!    Only 10 more blocks to go on Grandmother's Choice.  This block relates to women who did not want to change their names when they married.  Back in the day this was quite an oddity.  And as I age, I can relate-although I am who I am, no matter what my name is...so there!!  \
\
Spooky felt the need to assist me this morning in fabric selection for this block.  I guess he did not approve of my choice, as I ended up with a small scratch on my finger!

 The completed block.  This block is also called Variable Star or Sawtooth Star

My other quilt inspector checking out my progress on the swap.  A few of us from last year's quilt retreat met last Saturday to swap our blocks.  I have constructed the center but the borders are still a work in progress.  I do love the secondary patterns that are created with putting the blocks together.  I have navy fabric for a  narrow border.  The outer border is going to be ?????

Yesterday at the senior center I worked on disappearing four patches.  This is one possibility.  And I have the blue/gold half square triangles too.  Decisions, decisions!  We had a spirited and often hilarious discussion yesterday of non-quilt related topics.  I think the powers that be may be sorry they moved this rowdy bunch up to the front of the building  It is good to laugh yourself silly at times!

Emma and I are going to have a sleepover tonight as Sarah is off camping with the girl scouts.  I wonder what Emma has up her sleeve to do!!!   I know it will involve french fries anyway.

Sunbonnet Sue needs rainware!

 This week's Grandmother's Choice block #36-11 to go- is a Sunbonnet sue Applique.  It took me 2 days to get around to doing her.  And now she is done.  It is another cloudy day here.  It has been rainy and cloudy for days  Here it is May and I still feel the need for my flannel sheets on the bed!  I have turned off the heat.  It is a good thing that Spooky and I have quilts to cuddle.  Willie-not so much.

So you ask, what is this?  She is something I really did not need.  But since the tax refund FINALLY arrived, I decided to treat myself.  She has a wonderful stitch that I can do some quilting on small pieces.  She has a built in walking foot.  If you look at old Sue, you can see a decorative stitch I did on her bonnet.  It only took me a few trys to figure out how to wind the bobbin.  I am signed up for a class the middle of May.  I need to write down questions I have.  Otherwise when I get there, I will have forgotten!

Now it is confession time......this past Sunday I went to have something to eat with my friend Sarah.  I arrived first.  I told the waitress that I was meeting a friend who had short, red curly hair.  Sarah does not have red hair and never has.  What was I thinking???  I attribute the booboo to the over abundance of rain lately!!  

Just pluggin' away

It has taken me all week to complete the sashing strips for the Blogger Girls quilt.  It still has 2 months to go for the actual blocks.  It was a powerful lot of square in a squares to make.  I hope I am going to like it after it is finally put together.  I decided to make the squares all the same fabric.

I had a busy week sewing and playing with my friends.  Yesterday we had a food/fuel/fun trip in the local area.  We went to a fabric garage sale!  It actually made me feel not so bad about my own stash.  This lady had a room full of goodies.  I asked her how much of her stash was there and she said it was about one third of what she had.  She is right up there in contention for the prize "she who has the most fabric when she dies..wins"!

And after a trip to a shop in Cumming (a story in and of itself), we headed for the "food" part of the day.  Marty had her of a little restaurant in Cumming called The Foster House.  It is open for breakfast and lunch during the week, and dinner on Sat and Sun.  It is a gem.  The food was delish!  I was forced to rest when I got home.  It was a great day.

As I was rather busy this week with lots of dots on my calendar..I never did get to the block of the week from last Saturday.  And now it is once again Saturday, so I will have 2 to do.  And it looks like  busy weekend.

Thimble Weekend

I so look forward to sewing with the Thimble gang, especially our leader, Pat.  And after a 2 month absence due to illness, she was back!!!(and in rare form..heehee).
I started working on the sashing for the Blogger Girls Block of the Month.  It is a 6 month program by Monique Dillard of Open Gate.  I am using Indigo Crossing line by Moda-pretty blues and creams.  It is so yummy.  I am not quite finished making the square in a square units-I have 15 more to go.  20 large, 62 medium and 47 small done.  The square in a square  ruler by Deb Tucker makes it much easier to do.

Today I really need to rediscover the kitchen table.  It is currently buried under several projects.  It looks pretty outside but it is a little chilly.I will venture out after it warms up.  Pollen count only 768 today.  It is getting much better.

It's not a Baltimore Album!

Since I retired last year (woot woot-best year so far!), I have been able to participate in the Gwinnett Quilt Guild and have done 2 workshops in 2 months!  Last month I did the Buggy Barn crazy.  This is the second one I have done..  My quilt inspector is checking out my work.  He had to get up from his nap on another quilt!  I hope Princess Pat, Queen of Thimbles notices the APPLIQUE.  No, it is not needle turn but check out those flowers.

Yesterday I went to a "Out of the Box" workshop with Mary Lou Weidman.  Free-form piecing an Hoochy Mama blocks.  It was a fun day.  Now I am doing some serious thinking about my next project.  I think it will involve a cow.  Stay tuned!!  (I wonder how Spooky feels about cows?)

Maybe not my favorite block

 Grandmother's Choice blocks #32 and 33.  On the left Mr. Roosevelt's Necktie.  This one was not too hard.  And then there is Contrary Husband on the right.  I am not liking this one a lot.  All those split seams..yuck.  We won't be looking at the wrong side of this baby!  But it is done

Spooky, the official project inspector is checking out my work on part 2 of the Lazy Sunday mystery.  I like the way the colors on this quilt are coming together.  I think I am in my "bright" period. 

Wild Willie is busy observing the backyard from his perch in the sewing room.  He has no time for quilt inspection-too many birds out there.

I have Dixie Diary block 4 completed except for the applique piece (go figure!)  I also have piecing work on the crazy cat flowers.  There is also applique involved there.  It seems there is a bit of stalling going on at willie and Spooky's house.

Doing the Bonnie Hunter happy dance

 Since I don't have a gazillion UFOs already, I needed to start another one.  I saw a blog about trip around the world and went to Quiltville to get the pattern.  AND THEN, I went to my container of 2 1/2 inch strips.  That pile above is less than half of my "supply".

Bonnie's Scrappy Trip Around the World.  What a fun project.  And see all those brights on the border?  I have no idea where or when I acquired them!  I think this baby still needs a final black border.


I realized yesterday that I never downloaded April block for Dixie Diary.  Tomorrow when I do the next block of the week for Grandmother's Choice, I'll just knock that bad boy off too.

Meow

I saw this Buggy Barn pattern completed at the Gwinnett quilt guild meeting this past month.  I signed up for the workshop and fell in love with the process of constructing the  quilt village block.  I found the cat pattern  during shop hop weekend.  And I couldn't wait to start to play with it.  It calls for rick rack whiskers that hang loose.  I really did not want to do that piece.   I think I will use fabric paint for the whiskers and the eyes.

Of course Spooky, the quilt inspector is checking my work.  The first picture I took, he was laying on the cat's face!

FunkyTown ready for occupancy

This was so much fun!!!  I was able to put it together today.  I can't wait to start on the cats and flowers.  But first I need to put together a backing.  I have one house and two trees left over, so I will build from there.

I wonder if it is any warmer in FunkyTown than here in the ATL.  Snow flurries this morning.  will it ever end???

Funky Forest

The trees for Funky Town are completed.  I have 6 houses of the "development" done.  I am planning on 6 more houses.  I will be beginning phase 2 of the construction next week.  I am glad I did the workshop.  I never would have done this had I not taken the workshop.  I also have plans for some funky cats.  I fell in love with that project when I saw Terry's sample.

(too many ideas, too little time!)