Sunday Breakfast at the VFW

We are starting a new family/friends tradition it appears.  Once a month the VFW hall has a breakfast.  The price is great and the food is wonderful.  Scrambled eggs, potato pancakes, home fries, sausage, ham, blueberry pancakes, french toast, biscuits and gravy....Oh my.  Anyway family and friends get together and we all have breakfast. 

After breakfast we headed back to the MIL house to finish installing her new washer and dryer upstairs on the main floor.  She is thrilled, and we feel so much better that she is not going to be climbing up and down the basement stairs to do laundry. 

After yesterday's weather fiasco I worked a bit on my jewel box quilt, and then decided what the heck I will just order fabric online.  I think I got enough to give me enough bright, jewel tone choices.  Can't wait until my stash enhancement arrives. 

These are my two blocks I created.  One is completed and the other one is waiting to be sewn.  I am absolutely loving how this quilt is turning out!

What do you think of my pink block?

Anyway it is a beautiful, but cold day, and I can't help but smile at the sun and blue sky.  Have a blessed Sunday all.

Escape from "The Traz"

It is Saturday sharing day and over at http://www.pigtalesandquilts.com/.  What have I done this week?
I got all my blocks sewn together for my Easy Street as posted earlier

 and was waiting for my stash enhancement supplies to arrive to finish the borders.  Funny haha around our house my new Hubby is a mechanic, we have a huge barn which he uses to work on tractors, heavy equipment, cars....our family owns 6 cars of which at this point in time only 3 work.  Lately I drive the 1980's vintage Jimmy which has been lifted.  It was appropriated this week when DH vehicle lost a transmission and a clutch.  So to say the least I have been stranded at home with no way to get out so my fabric enhancements have been via mail.  I wanted a purpley grape fabric for a small 1 inch border and so this looked like it would fit the bill.

Then I wanted a turquoise polka dot for the borders and I ordered this.

I am not too sure about the turquoise at this time, but I feel that I may be committed to it.

While I was waiting I started a jewel box quilt using strips from my stash but I definitely need some more oranges, yellows, pinks, and greens.  I would also love to find a beautiful yellowy amber color.  I finished 2 blocks and am working on my 3rd.

Since it is the weekend, and DH is off with is buddies I have a ride to escape from my prison.  Don't get me wrong I love this house it was built by DH great great grandfather before the Civil War, but it is a big brick block building and she needs some definite love!  So I jumped into the Jimmy gassed her up and away I went.  I really wanted to go to The Quilt Patch in Tecumseh, Michigan.  Love the store they have rooms, and rooms full of  bolts and bolts of fabric.  While not really my closest local quilt shop my favorite by far even if it is about 1 hour drive away. 

Then horrors of horrors it started to snow,and so I thought well I will go to Lake Erie Mercantile they are on my way and we will see if the snow lets up just a little before I head west.  They had a few yellows, and greens, but not much in oranges that really caught my eye.  I did pick up these beauties though.

I really wanted to find a soft buttery yellow batik, and maybe one more the color of lemons but this is a start.

And here are my greens.  I wanted some more lime, emerald, and apple greens but this will help a bit too.

Since the snow didn't seem to want to let up I nixed the idea of Tecumseh and decided to head homeward and see how the road were.  The roads were not too bad so I thought well lets help the local economy so I tried to go to The Material Girls in Dearborn, MI.  Obviously that was just not in the cards.  The snow really started falling heavy, and wet, and it became extremely slippery.  So I put the truck in 4WD and headed home.  Since I have been home I bet 2-3 inches of snow has fallen, and at one point it was a complete white out.  DH brought me a sandwich home, and told me that my travels were done for the day and took my car, he was off to help the local tow yard.  There are several huge pile ups on the local interstate and he would prefer me safe and sound.  Now though mother nature is mocking me and the sun has come out and it is beautiful blue sky with high whispy clouds and I am sitting here with my sandwich just a wee bit perturbed.

Hmmm what to do, Easy Street Borders?  More Jewel Box quilt blocks?  More trimming of my ancient flying geese?  Some Machine Quilting?  The day is still young and the possibilities are endless.  Everything happens for a reason.  Happy Saturday everyone!

Just Puttering Around

Can you believe it is already Ash Wednesday?!?  How this year seems to be flying by.  Thought I would just do a quick hop in to share what I have been up to.

I finished piecing my Easy Street and am waiting for stash enhancement supplies to arrive by post.  While I love to go fabric shopping, the vehicle situation in our household is insane lately.  Lets just say that there have been 4 lost transmissions and the old beat up plow truck which my DH used to use for off roading is now being used as his daily driver.  ;P 

I have a deep grape purple ordered and of course a turquoise polka dot.  Then I ordered an actual wide backing which is turquoise too which should be in at the end of the month.  But while I am hanging around I did work on re-trimming my flying geese from this project.

And I have been just dying to use some of my wonderful batik strips from group which I belong to.  Many of them are currently making a disappearing 9 patch.  But there was also talk of making a jewel box quilt so I drug out my stash and have created this chaos!

My cutting table

My dining room table

Just so I could end up with this.

Not too bad for an hours worth of work last night.  I don't like the layout but I have lot of other 4 patches to put together and I will go from there. 

Just a Normal Adjustment Period Right?!?!

Good morning at least I think it is morning.  Our house has been hammered with disease.  At this time still 3 walking wounded (including me).  The baby got shipped to stay at his dad's while we were trying to recover.

I have spent days in bed trying to recover but I did manage to get all the blocks sewn for my Easy Street and attempted to get them on a design wall.  My DH is supposed to help me create a design wall, but family obligations have prevented it from getting done.

When DH saw my makeshift design wall I thought he was about to become unglued.  HOW could you put a hole in the wall with 2 push pins!!!!  This from the man who uses drywall screws and a De Walt Drill to hang everything.....

See we have lots of family obligations....I know the picture is almost all white but if you look at the pine trees you will see a little white house.  That is the elderly Great Aunt and Uncles house (She was born in this house).

This weekend DH is going to install a new washer and dryer for his momma.  He is making a steel frame to lift them up so she will not have to bend over.  He is then going to run the plumbing, electrical, and venting, as well as install a drip pan.  These are going to be put into a bedroom on the main floor of the house, so she is not trying to go up and down the stairs to the basement.

Oh well since I have been ill I will stay home, and since I am feeling so much better, maybe Easy Street will get the top put together at least! 

Monday Goodies!

Just a quick post to show my treasure I snagged at my mom's when I was visiting.

My mother and sister have 20+ big bins of fabric sitting in their storage unit.  They received the fabric from an aunt's mother who passed away a few years ago.   The aunt's father, several years after she passed asked the daughter to clean out her craft/sewing room.  What appeared at my mother's house was 30+ copy paper boxes full of fabric.  Those boxes were repacked into big plastic totes-- 22 of them total.  Now my mother and sister are not into scrappy quilts, they are much more organized.  So I went through those boxes, if the fabric was hideously ugly it went into a bin to be donated.  Since my mother and sister had access to this stash for 5+ years I get first pick.

I ended up shipping home 34 lbs of fabric via UPS.  Now too see if I can convince my DH to lug the box to my playroom to be put away over the next few years.

Also my scissors that my daddy sharpened for me, my cake topper, and pictures from my wedding.  

Don't hate me for my hoard!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Happy Groundhog's Day

Wow it is early afternoon already.  It is snowing, and HH is off with his Bestie to Menards, the little boys are at their father's and it is eerily quiet right at this moment.  I was sewing a bit and decided to take a break before the final round of my Easy Street Quilt.  I am doing the final big block which I need to make 9.  1 is completed, and the other 8 are all sewn into rows, and pressed waiting to be nestled together and sewn.

Thearica over at Pigtales and Quilts is having a It's Saturday Sharing Day http://www.pigtalesandquilts.com/


One of the blogs I read frequently is Woolie Mammoth and she had a post about her sewing area, which had me literally in tears.  What I realized is that many bloggers/quilters have 'spaces' and all with different names.  Woolie Mammoth calls her space The Command Center and has a definition for it's different states.   Come on check it out you know you want to!  http://wooliemammoth.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-command-center.html

My DH calls mine the sweat shop which I just abhor it takes all the joy out of the area.  Some people call their area the design studio (much too professional for little ole me), the sewing room, there are a couple of ladies that blog that call it the sweat shop, one calls her's the ivory tower because it is upstairs.  Amy over at A Quilted Sheep has a link to show her work area it is to die for!  So I thought I would show you my room.

 Please forgive my mess.  I did a death march to get 4 quilts completed in January to give to my grand daughters when I went to Oregon

 

 This is my cutting table, and my cork-board.  Those two boxes on the shelves underneath are full of scraps which need to be managed.  The boxed on the table are ones which have been trimmed or pressed and my quilting books.  

Just Monday the table looked like this.  With all my treasures I brought home after shopping, going through my mother's and sister's scrap stash (we will save that show and tell  for another day).

My sewing table.  Yes there are actually 4 sewing machines in view right there.  I am currently sewing with Rita my featherweight.  LOL  Again we will save that for another time.  Underneath extra foot pedals, power cords, my batik strips I exchange with some wonderful ladies at the Batik Strip Swap at My Quilt Place.  You can see my Easy Street strips all laid out waiting to be sewn into blocks.

My pressing area, yes, you see a huge bin of fabric there, it is the dregs of my sewing days when my girls were small.  And another sewing machine.  All that fabric on the floor is from my 4 quilt extravaganza last month.

My closet full of my stash, and batting, not including the roll leaning against the door.  No that is not another sewing machine in the top of the closet, just a case.

Another stash holder, as well as some of my cross stitch, knitting and quilting books.

 Where part of my UFO's are hiding, my patterns, and yes you see another sewing machine down there, and I will just fess up on the floor is yet another.  The sewing machine on the floor is named Marilyn, the one on the box is going to get fixed and sent to my mother and sister to share in Oregon. 

Some more of my UFO and yes there are 3 machines there too!

And finally the space the DH gave me in the living room for evening when I want to sew and he wants to be near me. 

Now you have seen my space.  Currently it is the pig sty but I am swinging toward my playroom and home sweet home.

Have an excellent Saturday, stay warm, dry and safe!

 

Welcome to February.  Lily's Quilts is having a meet and greet.  What have I been working on?  My Easy Street.  The last installment had 16 and 9 block respectively.  I am a wee bit slow and it takes me a while to get a 25 piece block completed. 

This is the offending piece of the block which I needed to make 16.  This was part of row 4 of the final block of the 16.  I had to pick this piece apart 7 times....yes I said 7.  I sewed it upside down, TWICE!  Backwards 3 times, and once with wrong side, right side together, then to the top before I finally got it. 

 

The offending piece was attached to this piece

And this little piece went on the end.  

 

All to make this strip that went in the block.

   I finally got it finished.  It had taken me weeks to get those 16 blocks done.  I feel like such a slow poke at times.  I had been lucky if I was getting 2 done a day, but I finally got the swing of how to set them up and actually completed 7 of those today.  Now I am working on the other block which it too had 25 pieces but I only need 9.  I have 7 of them sewn at least in the rows if not in the full blocks.  Maybe this top will at least get completed this weekend.