Scared myself...

Remember the trouble I had Friday night with this block?  Well, I figured out how to do it correctly - didn't figure out what I did wrong, though.  Basically, what I did was take it apart and flipped the one blue/black triangle and restitched it - and it fit.  I also went down to The Hen House and bought more of the same fabric and re-cut the squares that needed to be cut into 1/2 square triangles - this time I cut at 4 7/8" instead of cutting larger at 5".

Once all this was done, I was able to finish constructing the 4 blocks needed this month.

Last night, I finished my first embroidered block for my Vintage Tin quilt... (thought I took a pic, but guess I forgot).  Today, I traced the pattern for the next block and will work on it tonight while watching tv.

After doing the tracing for Vintage Tin, I decided that today would be the day that I would make the bowl cozies that I had told a relative that I would do for them.  There are two adults and five kids in the family so I made one for each member.  Mom & Dad are both EMT's and he's a volunteer firefighter ( or was) and I remembered seeing some firefighter scrap fabric in my stash the other day ( left from when I made gson Steven a quilt), so I used that to make their cozies... used Minnie Mouse fabric - along with Mickey Mouse fabric) for the youngest girl - the Minnie Mouse fabric was left from the apron and chef's hat I made her for Christmas.
The only son, I thought, might like a sports themed fabric and I had some; then used a cat print for one of the other girls, a horse print with cowboy/cowgirl boots print for another and a Nemo (the clowfish) type print for the last one.  I still need to sew the hems on the edges ( left from turning right side out) but can do that tonight while watching tv, too.  Then I'll try to find a box to pack them so that I can mail them off tomorrow while I'm sending pkgs to great grandkids in Texas and Holt, too.

Pretty much used up all of my batting for the cozies - was hoping there would be enough left to make my hubby a couple of the cozies using some of the Coca-Cola fabrics I have.  I'll just stick the fabric in the tub with the little scraps of batting I have left and when I get some more of the batting, I'll know where the fabric is to make them for him.

Guess that's all for today - actually, the weekend.  Tomorrow, I have to run errands ( get groceries & pay bills) so there probably won't be much done quilting wise.

TTYL

O Wa Ta Goo Siam!!

The other day, I went over to Annette's to see if I could help her figure out why her sewing machine wasn't working.  I tried sewing with it - got a couple of stitches and then it would lock up and make an awful noise.  Checked underneath to see if there was some loose threads jamming it up - nope.  Tried again... still same reaction.  So I told her that I would take it in to Galls when I went in to pick up the part for Mo'e with the plan that I would do it Wednesday - but then the snow came early and heavy.
Finally got in to Gall's this afternoon... as soon as I removed it from it's handy carrying bag, Mike saw the problem... it wasn't threaded properly...the thread hadn't hooked into the take up arm properly and it had slid out.  I hadn't even checked the take up arm - and I know that I knew I should do that!!
Well, as Annette said when I returned her 'broke' machine - at least it didn't cost any money.

As for my own quilting... I've been doing a little of this and a little of that.  Finished two rows (snowman and penquins) for my Christmas row by row.  No pics yet and I've already stowed them into their proper bin.  Bought a new shelving unit to set by Mo'e that will keep my supplies there a little more/better organized - everything's off the couch and the floor.  I sort of started another quilt last night -  it has lots of embroidery and I traced one of the blocks last night & then basted muslin to the back of the block this morning.  I might start the hand embroidery part tonight while watching tv - if there's anything good on; if there isn't, then I'll wait til tomorrow night ( I'm a big fan of Pitbulls and Parolees).

Today, I've been working on Amish with a Twist Block 2 and almost broke my heart.  I'm really trying to be careful about following the directions and measuring twice before cutting the pieces.  I had started on doing the 1/2 square triangles - got the first set done and then read where I'm to repeat it with the other colored blocks.  Well, I had two more colored blocks listed than I had the blue/black blocks to go with them.  I went over the directions again and again and AGAIN.. could not figure out what I had done wrong or missed... checked my blue/black fabric to see if I had enough to cut two more - umm  NOPE.  I'm figuring I'm going to have to go to The Hen House to see if she has anymore of the blue/black.  Sat there in my chair and read the pattern directions ONE MORE TIME when I finally saw my mistake... I had two teal blocks that were supposed to be sewn to the two pumpkin? blocks and then cut into HSTs.  By golly I GOT IT!!  WHEW!!
After getting the HSTs sewn, pressed and trimmed, I decided I was going to take a break and that's when I went to Gall's.

 I deserve a treat after all the stress I caused myself so hubby and I are going out for dinner tonight - no cooking for me  YAY!

Dinnertime!

TTYL

Unproductive

This weekend was our monthly sew in at the library...usually I can count on getting a reasonable amount of sewing done... not this time.

First off, hubby had a CT scan scheduled for Friday morning and when we got back home from that, I realized that I NEEDED a nap because I apparently did not sleep well the night before.  Two hours later, I finally made it to the sew in -- missing lunch with the group.

After arriving, I realized that I did not have everything I needed.  I had packed my machine, cutting mats, the tub with the project I wanted to work on ( I Love My All stars), etc.  but forgot the glue stick and acrylic ruler.  Not wanting to go back home just for those two items, I ended up just sitting and chatting with the others while they worked.

Home once again and I packed the glue stick & acrylic ruler into my purse the first thing... I had every intention of getting off to a good start and just whipping out those paper pieced blocks like nobody's business the next morning.  What's that saying... the best laid plans... can't remember the rest.

Yeah, they didn't happen.... first, it had been a few weeks since I had worked on these blocks, so I had to refresh my memory on which patterns I needed to use for the next row of blocks; got that figured out, and I struggled through the first block without too much trouble.  But that's when the best laid plans went awry.  I kept messing up... sewing fabric upside down, the wrong color fabric in the wrong place--- in other words, LOTS of unsewing was being accomplished, but not a lot of keepable seams.  I did manage to finish two blocks; started on block three but didn't get far because I was tearing the pattern pieces due to frustration at having to rip out yet another seam.  I finally cried "UNCLE", packed up my chit and came home about two hours earlier than I had planned.

I stopped at Walmart on the way home & picked up a pizza for our dinner along with a few other groceries and two new balls for our Buddy (hopefully ones he won't be able to chew up so easily).
After dinner, I went to turn the tv in the family room on, only to find that it wasn't working.. the power outage from high winds the night before had apparently messed it up ( found out three hours later that the one in our bedroom was suffering with the same problem).

I went through the troubleshooting in the booklet the dish company gives out and tried what it said to do if your tv has 'snow' on the screen - it didn't work so I looked up HELP on their website and tried what was there... still didn't work.  I found a phone number to call - got a computer, of course - and after a couple of frustrating minutes trying to do what it suggested, I asked for a REAL PERSON... I actually got one!!  SHOCK!!  AND he was in Florida - not some foreign country!!!... Very nice man, very patient with me.  We tried several things, but met the same results so scheduled a tech to come out.  Unfortunately, the quickest he could get me on the schedule was next Sat.  I told him that was ridiculous and he agreed... he said he left a note on the schedule for the tech to give me a call if he found an opening any sooner.  I asked if I was going to get credit for not having my full service for the next week... he said that I would and that it would be in this billing cycle.  Sure enough, when I was checking my email a little later, there was an email from the dish co. notifying me that we have a $20 credit on our account.  It's not a lot compared to the rates they're charging us ( ridiculous amount), but it helps.  So, now we sit and wait....  took sleep aid pills last night so I could get to sleep since I need 'background sounds' to fall asleep at night and will probably have to take them for the rest of the week, which I hate :(.

Oh well, at least now I'll catch up on my Netflix list of shows/movies I've been wanting to watch.

Today, I'm going to try and get at least a couple more All star blocks done and maybe work a little on my Christmas Row by Row.

TTYL

Thursday's a go!

I decided to go through my stash of blue fabrics last night to see if I could find SOMETHING that would work for binding on the Snowbaby bowtie quilt since I didn't feel like going over to Walmart to buy 1/2 yd of 'something'.  I found just enough... just a small strip left that can go into the 'string' bin.  Binding made and sewn onto the quilt... that's three this week - woo hoo!!

I finally got started on the Christmas Row by Row ( Sindy Rodenmeyer design).. it seemed like every time I wanted to start, something stopped it... missing white fabric, missing pattern, etc etc.  The fabric was 'missing' because I had taken care of it while I was cleaning last week - all the more reason not to clean, right?   Last night, I traced the six snow men and fused three onto their panel.  Decided to blanket stitch with white thread around the snowmen, straight stitch with brown for the stick arms and narrow satin stitching in orange for the noses - and I'm using tiny black buttons for the mouths and eyes.

I've also been going through that bin where I found the fabric kit that I used for the Snowbaby bowtie quilt... going to weed out what I definitely will use and what I probably won't use and should donate to the guild's charity quilt stash.

Went to Dr. this morning for yearly checkup... he said I'm so normal that I'm boring  lol.  He did increase my Vit. D, though... from 1000 to 5000 - he said I'd quickly notice the difference ( as in more energy?) woo hooo!  I'm all for that - as long as my legs co-operate, which they didn't when he wanted me to 'jump' up on the exam table -- I tried, but it just wasn't going to happen.  He said I gave him the 'wife look' and he gets it enough from the Mrs. Randall at home enough to recognize it.  LOL

Ok I'm off to play

TTYL

Hump Day

Finished the John Deere quilting yesterday; got the binding & label on first thing this morning,  This afternoon, using another cut of the John Deere fabric and fabric left from the quilt backing, I made a matching pillowcase.

Here's the quilt on Mo'e before I started the quilting - the only picture I have right now.  

Ok  here's the finished quilt... a little narrow, but I'm sure it will work for a kid :).

that's all 

TTYL

Tuesday noon

Not a lot to report (so far) today.. I started quilting on the baby bow ties later yesterday, but couldn't get the tension right - I stitched two rows ( one straight and one meandering) then reached underneath the quilt to  feel the stitches... and I felt them.  If I can't feel them, it means the tension is correct.  I peeked underneath and saw eyelashes and really loose stitches.  Good news/bad news... good is that they were pretty easy to put out since the tension was so loose... bad news was that I had to pull them all out and then had trouble getting the tension right.  I ended up taking a break for a few hours before trying again.  On the second attempt to set the tension, all it took was a couple of turns and everything was back to normal - well, my normal anyway - lol.

So I got back to the quilting this morning and finished just before noon.  There wasn't enough fabric left to do the binding so I dug into my stash of binding leftovers.  I don't have a lot of blues - or enough of any one other color to do this quilt - did find a turquoise with dragonflies on it, but will use that only if I can't come up with anything else.  I'll check my yardage stash to see if I can find something there - if not, it's off to Walmart because I'm not spending big bucks.

Next up on Mo'e is another piece I found in one of my stash bins - fabric I 'inherited' from my cousin, Phyllis after she passed away.  It's a farm scene with tractor, barn, cows, corn in the field... I'm not cutting up & piecing it - going to keep it as a whole cloth.  I even lucked out and found enough green yardage ( in one piece) for the backing - YES!  Now I just have to make sure I have green thread for the bobbins and I think I do :).  There's a smaller piece of the same print that I can cut into binding strips, too - YAY!

Haven't worked on All stars in DAYS and I'm behind on my self-imposed schedule for making the pieced blocks for Scalloped Potato and I haven't even started my Christmas Row by Row BOM yet... partly because I misplaced the white fabric I need for the snowmen - arghhh.  See what happens when I take care of things? - I lose them.

Ok, off to do something, just not sure what.

TTYL

Monday morning

I was back working at the baby bowtie quilt.  The top is done YAY!! and, after piecing just about everything that was left to add to the backing fabric, it's all loaded onto Mo'e - thread is wound on bobbins and threaded onto the machine; just not much energy left to actually do the quilting.
Here's the top hanging on my 'design wall'

Yes, I know that one pair of rows was attached upside down... it is what it is - I wasn't going to stress myself out making sure that everything was 'perfect'.  I'm sure that whoever receives this probably won't even notice; they'll be too busy enjoying the colors and snuggling under it.

What's next?  I think it's probably time I got back to the All stars blocks... maybe tomorrow.  :)

TTYL