Happy New Year's Eve!

I have been busy the last day or 2 loading programs back on to my computer. I am happy to report that it is working well, so am happy about that. I need to write the patterns for the new Sampler which begins Jan. 11, so was getting a little worried. I have to go up and hang it on display today. I usually hang them sooner, but just finished it recently and with the storm and computer issues, haven't done that yet.I have posted it on my upcoming classes page here on the blog.

My sister Deb came down with her daughter and friends shopping yesterday, so I ran around with them all afternoon. It was fun...

Have a great New Year's Eve, I will probably be home sewing...

Sewing day ...they loved the pincushions!

Had a great day in Earling sewing with Mom and my sis-in-law, Amy. I almost forgot to take pictures! Here are my mom's blocks, or the parts.She has been working on this quilt only during our sewing days, so it is fun to see it come along. She is ready to put all the stars together now.

Amy started a new quilt called Fantasy Fish...she is using batiks for the first time, even though she has quilted for years. She didn't want to hold this up, as one of the fish needs to be turned around, but it will be a beautiful quilt when finished.

My dad went out in the shop for awhile and worked on some wooden braces he is making for me for the bookshelves in the library. They will keep the books from sliding back all the way to the back of the shelf. I didn't get a pic of him with them, but will soon.

I stringpieced all day. I got 14 blocks done and 4 partway done. Since I started stringpiecing,  I like to cut smaller pieces left over from other projects and throw them in a bin until I need them.  There are usually  strips cut and not used from other projects so I throw them in too. These are mostly brights. I am adding corners to them to form a star, and will do a class later on. I want to make some string blocks using selvages too, since some people are interested in using them in projects, but not sure what to do.

One of my sisters was sick, and the other had something come up, so they couldn't join us. Hopefully next time!

Yesterday I did something sort of scary...I installed a new harddrive in my computer. My friend Rose has been helping me try to figure out what is wrong with it and we have tried many, many things. We were out of ideas to try so I went and got the harddrive and put it in last night. Believe me, I am no computer genius, but I have learned a lot from Rose in the last few weeks, and she told me how to do it. (Have you ever seen the inside of your computer? It is sort of scary that there really isn't that much in there, to do so much!) We figured if that wasn't the problem, I would have to go out and buy a new CPU. So far everything is working well. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Thanks Rose!

Earling Sew-in...and the sun is shining!!!!!

Yep, the sun is shining and I'm headed up to my hometown today to spend the day sewing with my sisters, mom and sis-in-law. I made these flower pincushions for them the other day when I was snowed in.  My fingers were getting sore and I was getting tired of thread breaking as I pulled it too tight  (grrrrr) but I think they are so cute.

I think I have some little clay pots or watering cans around here somewhere from the crafting days, I might have to go look and see if I can find them. It might look cute to stick them in a pot too.

Another one quilted....

Here is the 2nd baby quilt. I am making these for my sister and her husband to give his great nieces as gifts. I worked on them during the first blizzard 3 weeks ago, and quilted it yesterday. I used one of my new pantos, which is sort of wavy and fun.

I quilted with multicolored thread. Not sure if you can see that.

 

My assistant likes to help with pictures.  She kept fussing around me yesterday when I was quilting. She never does that so I was worried she was sick or something.  Turned out she just wanted to be brushed. She seemed to think I had nothing better to do!

A view of our snowy world.It really doesn't look that bad. I will have to go out back and take pix of the patio chairs, they are buried! I was supposed to go to Earling today for my mom's coffee, and then stay over for a sewing day with her and my sisters and sis in law. The coffee was cancelled, but I might still go up tomorrow to sew, if the highways are passable.

The Day After.....are we still snowed in?

Looks like it blew around some more in the night, but it has stopped snowing at least!

I spent Christmas finishing the quilting on this quilt. Just needs binding now. I have another baby quilt to quilt, I pinned it on yesterday, hopefully will get to it today.

This is the same floral pattern I used on my daughter's quilt. I really like the way it flows from row to row, so it doesn't look so much like rows of stitching.

Here is the back, hopefully this baby likes bright colors!

I had seen a tutorial online for this cute pincushion, so made it yesterday too. The idea is to have a mini pincushion to use when doing hand projects, and you stick it into your spool of thread...isn't it the cutest thing? She used a golf tee, but I didn't have one, so used a pencil instead. I just made sure it fit in the hole in the spool first before I glued it in.

If you want to find other cute pincusions to make, go here. 

I got a couple new pantos for Christmas, so I might try one on the other baby quilt later. 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....

Since we can't stop it, I guess we will just stay home and enjoy being snowed in! We are on our way to 12"! Guess what I'll be doing?

Have a happy and wonderful Christmas! 
Jean

Coming along...

I got the sashing and borders finished yesterday, so am excited about that. I don't really have a good place to take pictures...I have this hanging in a doorway, but the window in the other room lets in so much light, I don't think the colors are quite right.  Plus my table gets in the way...though you can see I had a little helper while taking them!

I also finished a baby quilt yesterday, might start quilting it today. I made 2 recently, just don't have good pix of them yet.
My daughters are coming over tonight for Christmas. We usually go to my hometown and spend Christmas day with my parents and other family, but it looks like we won't make it this year. It is only about an hour away, but they are predicting 10 - 12" of snow for us, with blizzard conditions tomorrow. I have plans to go up on Sunday for my mom's annual coffee for my aunts and cousins so hopefully the weather will clear off by then. I am going to stay over and sew with them on Monday. Should be a fun time

Projects

I have been working on my next Sampler quilt. The challenge for me in each one is to use a different setting and also interesting, but different blocks than I have used before. This time I decided I wouldn't use the same background in each one,  since I usually do to tie things together.

Here are the rows of blocks on point. I am putting sashing in between these rows before adding borders.

I hope to finish it today.

Angie's Christmas Quilt

                              
  I wanted to make my oldest daughter in Seattle a quilt for Christmas so decided on the Circle and Spin pattern as I thought she would like the randomness of the circle design. I debated between using batiks or large modern floral prints, but decided on the batiks, as I know she likes those. I can show it now as she got the package in the mail and opened it already! Above is the back, which is pretty too. I love this quilting design

This is a closeup of the front with quilting. I thought I had a pic of the whole thing, but if I did it is on my flashdrive, so I will check later.

Maybe she will take a pic of her and the quilt and I can post that too.

I haven't really figured out this new picture thing yet. What I had figured out I have forgotten from not posting for 2 weeks,  so bear with me.


Is it just my computer, or is the font larger than normal?

Wednesday news....

Ok there really isn't any, but trying to get back in the swing. I haven't tried to download any pix to my computer yet, as it isn't quite right yet, even though I have some of the new Sampler. I am excited at how it is turning out. I made the blocks without using the same background fabric in each one, and right now have them surrounded by setting & corner triangles. I need sashing and border fabric and haven't had time to shop. Maybe this weekend. I have a class tonight, am finishing up the Sampler clubs this month and getting them ready for another one. Never a dull moment!

Computer issues, part 2

After a lot of craziness, I have my computer up and running again, but not sure it is for long. So I thought I would post and say hi while I can get on.

We had 3 snow days last week, so you can guess what I did for 3 days...if you guessed quilt, you are CORRECT! I finished one quilt, got all the blocks done for the new Sampler, made 2 baby quilts (now need to quilt them).  I went shopping today and got a good share of it done. I have class tomorrow night, but will try to catch up a bit (reading) here too.

Problems....

I am having problems with my computer since Saturday, so haven't been able to blog or read them. I wanted to check in just in case anyone missed me! lol My computer was running as slow as molasses, though it is better now. I can't really do anything though. I am not sure what is wrong, but will have to get it figured out soon as I miss it!
I did a bunch of sewing and made a quilt over the long weekend,  and have it on the machine. It is partially quilted. I am working on the next Sampler quilt too...I have 2 blocks made. I had to coax the picture of the design I am working on out of the computer last night...it took awhile, but I got it to print.
I hope it isn't a virus.