Compete and a Pink Pause

I have to give Bonnie, from Quiltville, the credit for these first two pictures. I used her pattern for Trip Around the World for my Very Pink Pause. I needed to make a bigger sized pink TATW for a gift. The pattern I have, you use 51/2 inch blocks and I didn't want that size blocks, so I decided to check Bonnie's website and read her instructions for TATW. Her pattern is very easy to follow and uses 41/2 inch squares. This is what I have so far, all from my stash. I need to go get fabric for the border, didn't have enough of a darker pink for the border so I will go and purchase some border fabric. Here is the completed portion of this entry. The scrappy TATW is completed. I am very happy with the outcome. Once again I have to thank Bonnie at Quiltville for her patterns and their easy instructions. I will be very pleased to see this quilt on my bed. The finished size is 99" x 99". I have put it on my bed before I quilted and was very pleased with how it fit and looked.
Here is a picture of what I have completed for Judy's leaf season. This is coming along nicely. I am enjoying the opportunity Judy gave us (me) to finally make a maple leaf quilt. I am truly trying to use only fabric from my stash, therefore mine will be a bit more scrappy than Judy's. That is half the fun of quilting though, to see how quilts look different just because of the different fabric choices.
Well I best be going. I want to get a lot done before the USC game at 5:00 pm. They play Arizona today. You probably already know who I am rooting for FIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Old Stand By

I had to go to my old stand by. This is my first sewing machine I ever bought. I saved my babysitting money and money I made working at the Libby Dam when I was a kid and bought this sewing machine the summer before I started my senior year of high school. That would have been probably August of 1975. I was so proud of this purchase and still am very proud of this machine. I was 17 and couldn't wait to have a new sewing machine. I was so tired of using my moms sewing machine, having to wait for her to be finished with it, along with having to share it with my two sisters. This was my machine and no one could use it but me unless I gave them permission. I used this machine exclusively, it was the only one I had, until about 1997 when I bought my Elna. I put this aside to use the new improved computerized machine. I have sewn exclusively on my Elna until tonight. I have been experiencing problems with the feed dogs on the Elna but ignoring the problem. I learned how to pull the fabric just at the right speed to get a good stitch and all was well. Well I am tired of that, I have decided to go to the Singer and take the Elna in for repairs. It is weird to sew on a machine that is not computerized but so thankful I kept the machine. My husband wanted it to make some sort of string winding gadget for his guitars but I couldn't part with the first machine I ever bought. I will sew on this until the Elna is repaired then I probably should take this baby in for some TLC.

Loaded and quilted

I finished the scrappy TATW top, I figure I used 192 different fabrics, they show up twice in the quilt, in 2 different blocks, so that means a total of 194 different fabrics in this quilt. The quilt measures 99x99, which should fit my bed nicely. Did it make a dent in my stash? Not as far as I can tell, maybe a ding. It has left me with 32 ends, of the sets of 6 fabrics, that I now will decide what to do with. Do not worry; I will decide, I am thinking 6 or 9 patch with setting blocks which will come later. Judy's October quilt will be my next project. I started the quilting before the USC game. (They won) and continued to work on it during commercials and half time. I finally completed quilting last night at 11:00 p.m. I used the woodlands panto by Lorien Quilting. I really like this pattern. I had it all set up already on the longarm, that is why I choose this pattern but I do think it turned out nicely.
The picture above is of the completed quilted top and the one below is a closer view. I will trim and sew on binding during the week. I will do this along with working on the October quilt. I want to get the binding on before Sat so I can stitch down while watching the USC/Arizona game.
Well I best get busy if I want to accomplish my goals for the day. House work, quilting and of course cooking dinner. I hope and pray all have a great day.

P.S. I don't know how I did it but when you click on the first picture it takes you to Judy's October quilt so enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Friday is here

Well this is a new one for me. The picture is on the opposite side, I must have checked the wrong box for placement, too early in the morning. Nothing to really write about but just wanted to post to let you all know I am alive and well.
This is a quilt I made about six years ago. It was made before I got my longarm so it is quilted on my sewing machine. I like this quilt because I love the colors of fall. I went to a class given by a lady in a Bible study I was attending at the time and this is the quilt pattern we all made. It was so much fun to see everyones fabric choices and how the pattern looks so different when other fabrics are used. I embroidered, by hand, different leaves in the yellow squares to quilt them. I did a decrotive stitch along the seam allowances on the stripes and nine patches.

I have completed the Judy L quilt, and am still working on the scrappy TWTH. The baby blanket was well received. That always puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart. I will post pictures of the completed Judy L top and scrappy TATW later. I have to cut two more sets of six fabrics for the TATW. It is getting close to top completed, four more 36 patch blocks, and one more border. I guess I best get started. Good day to all.

9/11

Let us all say a prayer today for our nation and the heros that selflessly give their lives for our freedoms. Five years ago today one of the most tragic events of our nation occurred. I think about this day often, I pray for the families and loved ones of those lost on this tragic day. The lives that were needlessly lost as we all went to work that day just like the day before. We live in a world were people will and do evil acts, but we also live in a world were there are so many acts of love and kindness. I choose to dwell on the acts of love and kindness but we can not turn a blind eye to the acts of evil. I am forever grateful to all our service personal, our firefighters, our policemen. They give so much, as do their families. This is a day that I truely will for the thr rest of my life proudly bear our Red, White, and Blue, a day when I will remember what it means to be an American, to love our freedoms and cherish every moment of my freedom. Evil people perputrated evil acts upon us and our nation, because of our freedoms, they took advantage of these very freedoms to cause terror to enter our minds and hearts. Let us not allow this evil. Let us be vigilant to keep our country free, our minds free of the fear they want to inflict on us. Let us stand united and proud to be American.

A Finish and Fun

I finished the quilt I was working on for a friend. It is such a beautiful quilt. I just love the fabrics she choose and the placement of the fabrics. This is a beautiful TATW. She had me quilt it in a leaf design, so I choose Woodlands by Lorien Quilting. She really liked the outcome. My friend gave me a partialy used spool of thread to use for the quilting and we were hoping there would be enough to do the quilt. There was, and this is what was left when I took the quilt off the machine.
I call that close, sorry for the blurry picture, I guess I was to close.
We started back up with our sewing group today. Here are a few pictures of the activity. The pattern today was for a table runner from Timeless Treasure. You can find the pattern free on their website. The pattern definately was designed for the fabric illustrated in the directions.
A few of use had fabric that was not the recommended fabric, made the cutting and sewing a bit more interesting but all turned out well.
We had a great time and will get togeather again next month. I believe the decision was turning twenty quilts. I don't know if I will do that, I really don't want to purchase another pattern book right now. I might work on some of my own thoughts for quilts. I have to (or should say want
to) make a quilt for my daughter and soon to be daughter-in-law. I have designs for these quilts ratteling around in my head. I will share as they come to life.

Well I must go now, cooking diner and sewing on the Judy L quilt. Good evening to all.

Making progress II

Well I didn't pay attention to how the pictures were to be placed on the blog template so this is what you get because I don't know how to move things around.

I have finished the baby quilt and it will be ready for the shower on Sunday.

My progress on Judy's challenge is coming along nicely. I haven't had alot of time to work on it, worked three days and finally last night had a chance to sew.

I started quiling a quilt on the longarm, had about four rows done, thought I had checked tension, but guess what, tension way off. I spent four days ripping out what took about 2 hours to quilt. I am slow at my quilting, I take many breaks, I play a game of cards on the computer between rows. I know, I should just quilt and not play but I am really in no hurry. I will be happy to complete the quilt but that will come in time.

I have to pack another box to send to sonny boy. It sure does cost to ship books. Think this will be the last one, I hope any way. If I progress further on the quilt I will post again later. I do have a question, are the pictures sent to Judy of the completed top or completed quilt? Have a great day one and all.

Plans have changed

I had to change my plans for the week-end. I received an announcement for a baby shower for a friend. The shower is next Sunday, she is expecting a girl (so they say), soooo I had to get busy on a gift. Why go to a department store and buy a quilt when I am drowning in pink, due to the cancer quilt I have been working on. I decided to make mom-to-be and baby a quilt out of pinks. I do like this TATW pattern, it is easy and goes togeather quickly. I hope the new expectant mom likes the gift. I will get binding put on tomorrow and sew down during the week so it will be completed by Sunday. If I don't get it done during the week, there is always Saturday as I watch the USC game. Fight On!

In response to questions regarding the previous post, the car did not sale, we did recoop our monies. Family decisions were made and the car went to a relative that was in need of a car. All ended with a gain for all persons involved.