Thimbles Weekend

 The boys were busy.  Wild Willie decided to investigate the inside of a bag and had Spooky being his watch cat.

The entertainment was short lived!

I got the gigantic quilt back last Sunday from Vicki.  The thing weighs a ton!  If I had tried to sew the binding on at home, everything in the sewing room would have been on the floor.  (and considering there is already mucho stuff on the floor, it would not have been a good thing).

I did not have enough of the blue fabric to make binding and I did not want to piece different colors.  I did have a yard of fabric in the taupey family.  Blue fabric would have meant a trip to Little Quilts and I didn't want to do that.  At any rate, I like how the binding looks.  I think Spooky approves because right now he is sleeping on the quilt.  Has to make it ready.  This quilt is for Laurie and Lily, #1 granddog.


Pat, Thimble Queen, otherwise known as the normal one (haha) introduced a mystery quilt.  When I came home, I had to forage in the sewing room to find some fabric...It was hard!  I think I have made my color selection.  But I am going to take it outside in natural light tomorrow just to be sure.
Also started sewing on our latest swap.  Lots of 1 1/2 inch strips to sew together.

And now it is time to put the clean sheets back on the bed and have some good couch time.

Blue and Tan Swap

I was determined that I would not spend the entire weekend on the couch!  I had put together the blue and tan swap from last year's quilt camp and decided I would do a piano key border.  I hate to say it took me the whole weekend to cut and sew the strips on.  But the top is finished!  And I love it.

Vicki delivered the last quilt yesterday afternoon.  It Finished at 112"!  I have to make binding for this baby.  It is going to live at Laurie's house when I get it done.  Willie the quilt inspector did check it out and pronounced it  ready for binding.

30 WORKING DAYS LEFT UNTIL RETIREMENT!

new phase dawning..

The plan has been in the works for awhile.  I have kept it under wraps until now.  But I have made it official.  I am retiring, hanging up the uniform, taking the license out of the wallet.........

I have been to the social security office and signed up and the day before yesterday let the bosses know....I AM RETIRING!!!!!!!
It is a little scary but I want to get up in the morning and not worry about not getting assessments done timely or  whether "the state"  will come in on a complaint.  I am done.....I don't want to be a nurse anymore!!!!  I want to play with my grandkids and play in my sewing room and hang out with my quilting buddies.


so May 25th is 31 working days from today.  The countdown if officially on!!

2012 Shop Hop

I decided this year that i Really didn't need to do shop hop.    My sewing room runneth over!!  That being said, Thursday afternoon I headed for Sweet Home.  After all....work is half way between my house and Bad Melisa's.  Just a hop, skip and a jump down to Conyers.  I even said to Melisa that I was not doing shop hop this year but had to come see her.  I managed to purchase a few things-a lovely bundle of  FQ that looks like Spring minus the pollen.  I also could not resist the Peanuts fabric for little girl pillowcases.  I patted myself on the back and headed home.  A new piece of bling for Moda Man.

I was good on Friday...I promise you that!!!!

Sarah no blog emailed about going "south" on Saturday.  I could NOT let her drive all that way by herself after all.  So yesterday morning we headed off to Scarlet Thread  I made her buy a new toy there.  It seems though that Carol Yates already has one.  At any rate now 3 of us have this excellent gotta have toy!  I also bought another toy that makes prarie points.  I am planning on making fabric rick rack for border design  (I will have to applique it on...hee hee)
Back on the interstate, a stop at Quilts n' fixins in Jonesboro.  There animal fabrics are the best.  pig fabric!  We stopped for lunch and fortunately did not get food poisoning.  I forgot to check the score on the way in-the servers left a little to be desired.
We did a drive through at Toco Hills Sbx to see if Gretch was there.  She was not but we did stop for a little bit at Intown

All that hopping made me very tired and I needed a nap.  I was pretty much done for the rest of the day.

The boys got mail

Purfect Play is a site Gretch told me about.  They have great catnip and toys.  (They also have stuff for dogs but dogs just drool)  At any rate the good toys have been MIA.  And I used up all the loose catnip at Christmas.  The new ones arrived yesterday.
Would you believe that little white mouse that Wild Willie is smelling is already missing.  Have not got a clue where it is.  I found the tail in the kitchen this mornin  As for the rest....gone

Soo BIG

Yesterday morning I put the last border on the top I began at Ellijay.  Surely it did not look this big in the picture American Patchwork Quilt June 2011  The bed looked like a queen size.My bed is a queen size as well and this quilt goes nearly to the floor.  I love the fabric line Battle Hymn by Moda. (maybe).  Ready to go off to the quilter along with Orca Bay.

I need to get back to Dark and Creepy and the other project started at Ellijay.  I need to cut 85 gazillion 1 1/2 strips for our next swap as well.  Just need to stay awake long enough to do these things.

I'm still here.....

...but the google chrome thingy throws me for a loop and it takes me 15 minutes to figure out how to do it!  I really hate that it got changed and my IT person is in Vegas (even though she reminds me that she no longer does IT...the brat).  As a result, I put off blogging.

At any rate, I have been working like a slave it seems like forever.  No time or energy to do any sewing, even though it keeps calling me.  I have been making very slow progress on the quilt started up in Ellijay.  Tonight I put one side of the border on it.  I did not realize just how big this puppy is.  It is really going to be a dazzler when it is quilted!  I don't yet have a back for it.

As for the other project started up in Ellijay, it remains someplace boxed up.  I did manage to get all my stuff back into the sewing room.  Now the kitchen only has boxes of GS cookies piled up on the table.

I also need to get back to Dark and Creepy...I know where that project is.... oops that's on a chair in the kitchen along with Orca Bay.. also requiring a backing.