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.

It's finished! and I played.....

I got the t-shirt quilt finished today, so had some time to play around. I have been wanting to make one of the cute journal covers that Wanda and others have made. I didn't piece mine, but think it turned out cute.

I used a weekly planner for mine. It is about  5 1/2" x 8 1/2"  so could fit in a purse.  I love this fabric!

I then made something my daughter requested awhile back. She wanted to know if I could make a cute quilted coaster for her to use at work. So I used the same fabric and made that too.

I wasn't sure how big to make it, so it is a little bigger than a CD.  I really do love this fabric and if she doesn't, I will just make another one!

It's the weekend!

Ok, not technically, but my holiday starts today, so just imagine that I am cheering and jumping up and down! I really like my job, but love the time at home too. 

I am going to sew the binding on the t-shirt quilt today.  After that, who knows?

We will go to Earling tomorrow to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. Several family members are coming that we don't see too often so it should be fun and a madhouse.

Better get busy!

Just stuff...

I got the t-shirt quilt quilted yesterday, so now just need to bind it and it will be finished. I also went up and got the displays all ready to hang. I couldn't  hang them yesterday as I hang the displays over the cutting table and they were really busy cutting fabric the whole time I was there. I have classes to teach tonight and tomorrow night, so hopefully can get them hung then.

We only have school 2 days this week  and then off for a long weekend...I am so ready! I don't have any classes for a week or so either so hope to get something done here at home.

Saturday class & other trivia

The Treetops Glistening Table topper class went well yesterday, I posted some pictures on my Flickr page if you want to take a peek. We spent most of the time on paper piecing the trees. They are so cute when finished.

I loaded the T-shirt quilt on the frame yesterday, so it is ready to go. I plan on starting it today. I also want to go up to the shop  and hang some displays for upcoming classes later too. I need to get them posted here too!This is one of the classes I will be teaching in February. It is called the Potato Chip Quilt. I first designed and taught it a couple years ago. At the time I was making the quilt for a friend, so have given it away. Bad idea when you teach classes...luckily my mom and sister each made one during one of our sewing days, so they are letting me borrow them to use as my models so I don't have to make another one right now. I would love to make another one, but time...there just isn't enough of it.

Here's my Potato Chip Quilt.

 I have a new Sampler  quilt in the planning stages that I want to work on as soon as I get the T-shirt quilt finished.

Quilting finished

I finished quilting my friend's Stack & Whack quilt yesterday so could give it to her during class. I really like this pattern and how it fills in...she did too. Now on to finishing the T-shirt quilt.
Here's the back.

The Lone Star Quilt class met for the 2nd time...lots of beautiful quilts in various stages of being done. I posted the pix to my Flickr account, so go check them out. It is so much fun to see them all come together.
My sister-in-law Denise finished sewing her circles together and brought her double wedding ring center to share. You might remember when I posted about her working on it when we got together and sewed last year. I have to admit, I had my doubts about this one getting finished, not because she is a quitter, but a DWR is a big project. She paper pieced the rings, which took a long time. She is going to put a border of people holding hands next...should be cool!

T-shirt Quilt and other Quilty news...

I am still working on the T-shirt quilt and hope to get it finished next week too. I had some questions about how I've made these. There are many ways to make a quilt out of T-shirts. I like to use fusible interfacing on the backs of the T-shirt squares so there is no stretching when putting the quilt together. It also gives a crisper look to the shirts, especially if they are getting worn out, which the favorite shirts usually are. Plus it makes quilting it easier too. I don't know if I could quilt it without the interfacing, I think it would stretch out of shape on the frame.

I cut my squares 14 1/2" so that they finish at 14". Some shirts have such large patterns that you need that big a block just to get it all in. For the smaller pieces I like to piece several together into 4 patches, or whatever works with what I have. Sometimes I use a sashing as in the above picture, sometimes I border each block (see previous post). These can be made pretty much any size you want. The one I am working on now will be about 90" x 90".

I have been working on quilting a quilt for a friend the last few nights. I hadn't done any quilting since I finished the Christmas Topper, so it felt good to turn on the machine and have a go at it.

Busy class

It was a very productive UFO class yesterday...I posted the pix to my Flickr account (see sidebar).
After the class was officially over several of the ladies stayed a little longer and I stayed and worked on the T-shirt quilt I am making for someone. It is coming along nicely. I have the blocks all sewn together, and tried to pick out a border for it. I got one, but not sure yet if I will use it. I have several choices here at home too and not sure if I like them either. Decisions, decisions....
Two ladies worked on the Lone Star quilts started last week in class. Here is one of them. I can't wait for next Saturday when we meet again to see everyone's progress.
I need a bigger design wall!

Books, books, books...

My bookfair was a success! In fact I think we might have set a record last night! I have to check my records when I get to school today. It was crazy busy fun while we set up, sold, and took down in 4 hours. Whew! My 2 daughters who live here came to help out, good thing they did! The booster club had a family bingo night, and it was a full house too. Probably the most popular book there was the 4th in a series of Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, Dog Days, by Jeff Kinney. It just came out last month and the kids have been asking for it ever since. It is a story of a boy's life in diary form, with some hand-drawn illustrations. It is funny and a bit irreverent, but in a good way. They can't get enough of it. I can't keep the copies of the first three in the library, as they go out as fast as they come in. I know they will be asking me for it all day today, as they won't understand why the copies I bought aren't ready to be checked out!
In other book & daughter news, Angie, my daughter in Seattle, recently blogged about Mennonite in a Little Black Dress on her blog, Small Pressures. She does book reviews as well as writing about living small in today's economy. It sounds like a great book so I will have to find a copy of that to read too (for me, not school!).

What's up?

I have my bookfair at school tomorrow night. That is always fun and hectic. Most schools have it for a week, but because the library is on 2nd floor it isn't practical or possible to take everything up there, so I just have it for one night. This year the Booster Club is hosting a Bingo Night too, so it should be fun (translate: wild).My sister got her Circle and Spin blocks sewn together last week. This isn't a very good picture, she sent it to me on her phone. I will get a better one when I see it.

Friday night is my every other month or so get-together with friends...we sew, eat and do a lot of talking. Should be fun.

Beautiful day in Iowa!

Today was a gorgeous day, about 60. I worked on a T-shirt quilt I am making for someone, then went for a bike ride.
The Lone Star classes went well yesterday. I can't wait to see them next time. They meet again on Nov. 14. Here are some sneak peaks at how they will look.
It is always interesting to see what colors everyone comes up with. I posted pictures of everyone hard at work at Flickr.

Goodies in the mail...

The other day I had a nice surprise waiting for me when I came home. A gift of 3 Halloween fat quarters from Heather. Recently she had a giveaway, and though I wasn't the winner, she sent me something anyway! What a friend! Now....what to make...
Then I was notified by the Quiltmaker blog Quilty Pleasures that I had won a giveaway they had awhile back. It is a Coneflower spool holder...it is so cute! There's even a spot to hold extra bobbins. I was very excited when it came yesterday.

It is so much fun to get goodies in the mail!

Tomorrow I am teaching 2 sessions of the Lone Star Quilt class...should be fun to see all those fabric choices come together.

Aren't you proud of me, I didn't once mention that it's Friday.

A new camera case!

After working on getting the pictures loaded and everything how I wanted it online Sunday, which took a surprisingly long time, I decided to work on something I have been wanting to make for awhile.
I recently bought a new camera and decided I wanted to make a case rather than buy one. I had seen this tutorial for a cute camera case awhile back at Amy ala Mode. So dug out some fabrics and started in.
I added a long strap as I like to have strap so I can carry it if needed. I also made mine about a 1/2" wider than hers, as I wanted to make sure I could put the strap inside when not using, so wanted it a bit roomier. Don't ya love the little pocket for extra batteries?

I love how it turned out!

Changes to my blog & cute kitty pix...

I started a website several years ago to post pictures I took of quilts made in my classes. I also used it as a place people could check on times, dates, etc. for upcoming classes. After filling up 3 websites, I have decided to try doing the same thing a bit differently. I am going to be posting pictures to my Flickr page, so if you want to see pictures from classes, you can check them out there. I have added a link to an Upcoming Class page also. You can find both of these links in the sidebar.
I will continue to blog as usual, so for those people not from Council Bluffs, and not interested in class activities, things will be pretty much the same. I will be blogging about what I am doing and what I am working on at the moment.


Stack n Whack went well yesterday, everyone enjoyed seeing their fabrics turn into beautiful kaleidoscope blocks.

Don't these 2 look comfy? The sun was shining in and it was a warm, cozy spot! I keep the chair covered as it is easier to wash throws than it is to clean cat hair off of the chair.

After spending the whole morning on the computer, I think I will make something fun even though I should be cleaning.