Back to Ruthie

I've been ignoring Ruthie a bit over the last 6 weeks. In fact, I only quilted one quilt in October. So, now I am working on Ruthie a bit more. Today I started on a twin size charity quilt from Faithful Circle Quilters. I pulled out one of the pantographs I bought a while ago. I'm a bit more smooth doing it but I'm not overjoyed with the results. I still have some funny looking designs!

See the cute little design below. I just picked one that actually could be seen in the picture.

And, here's what the panto looks like. I'm not sure I would buy this now, after I've seen it sewn up. But, maybe after I get this whole quilt done I'll like it much better in reality. I really liked the panto.

The next quilt up after this one is a charity quilt made by members of Stash_Quilters on yahoo. It will be going to a wounded soldier as soon as I am finished with it.

And, around the corner is a super deluxe BIG king size quilt for Jenny. Remember seeing this one? It is the one behind all the others. It will just barely fit on Ruthie. I'm pretty sure I will be doing free motion on this quilt. And, knowing my luck I'll probably have to flip it also. I am sure learning about machine quilting with all of these quilts!

And, still waiting to be sewn together is the Mystery Quilt. And, I want to put the binding on the Bricks and Stepping Stones quilt... .... .... time to get onto to all that!

Happy Quilting All!

Mystery Day Results

Yikes! I've missed nearly a week of writing. No wonder my readership is dropping! Sorry folks. Here's what's been happening:

Have you ever pulled out a fabric and looked at the selvedge closely. YIKES! I did recently. This was a 2 1/2" strip that was used in the mystery quilt -- it was from 1990. (um, that is ridiculously close to 20 years old. It's old enough to vote and next thing I know it's going to get to the wine rack.) I feel quite virtuous for slipping it into this quilt.

Mystery Day at Mysteries for Relay was great. I guess I am a pretty slow sewer because I just barely got the blocks cut and not sewn back together. These are spread out on a queen size bed. I've taken close ups of a couple of my favorite blocks (to be since they haven't been sewn back together.)

I liked the way the red, white and blue blocks popped so nicely. They would look good as their own quilt. And this teal one is a real stand out also. (no, don't you dare say it sticks out like a sore thumb! LOL)

Friday we were doing a quick trip to NJ to order some chairs for the kitchen. Pat played a fast one on me cause we ended up going to a Sonic Drive In about an hour south of us. Little cold for the young lady delivering the food but not too bad for us.

Saturday I squeezed some quilting in but didn't finish as much as I would have liked. Heaven only knows what else I was doing but probably working on other blocks at the same time as I did this mystery.

Sunday after church and choir practice we took Raggs in for day 2 of his obedience classes. He is the star pupil. Well, the only other pupil is a big lab/shepherd mix with attention deficit disorder. He'd rather sniff the world then follow any commands. I have worked a lot with Raggs so he has most of the common commands down. I still need to work on him learning to bark and more importantly NOT bark on command. And, I think he needs to learn to come when asked and to drop what ever is in his mouth. I have been diving into his mouth to get all sorts of fun sewing stuff out -- usually just fabric. But, shoot... the other day he had part of a block in his mouth. UGH.

Take care all. I am in big clean mode for the rest of today. We are hoping to get the dirt and the dog prints off the hardwood floor. Happy Quilting

Mystery Day

It's Mystery Day at Mysteries for Relay on yahoo groups and I am READY! The last several mystery days I've skipped because I had so many projects hanging around. Not this one! After I finish this short post it'll be time to get ready. Hum, did I wind some extra bobbins? How long ago did I oil the machine? How old is that needle.

I actually have the answers to all those questions except the bobbin one -- but I don't think I did any bobbins recently. I know about the oiling/cleaning/new needle because I have put a bright pink sticky note on my sewing desk. I have an older desk that the machine sits down in a well (so to speak.) I have stuck the note on the piece that holds the machine so it doesn't get brushed off as I sew. I'll check those notes and do what is required. I'll be up in the studio shortly so I can begin.

These guys were tromping through our woods a couple of days ago. I'm surprised they aren't hiding ... but I guess they feel fairly safe cause no hunting is allowed in the neighborhood. (thank goodness!)

The bird feeder is back up after the summer and birds have found it -- they ate about half of the seed . Of course, a squirrel or two tried to hit it two. Were they shocked when they heard Raggs go nuts after seeing them. Hum, we may have to reconsider the feeder if he barks his head off.

Off to the studio for a fun mystery. You can join for the next mystery by clicking on the button on my sidebar. Happy Quilting All!

Bricks and Stepping Stones -- Quilted

Bricks and Stepping Stones is quilted. I am harried. Evidently I picked up some needles that "looked" like they were the right ones for my machine but were in reality, a hair too long. That translated into broken needles while sewing -- at least four of them, maybe five. And, every time a needle broke it left a little hole in the quilt. URGH. Luckily this quilt is for me. I will be repairing the little holes and I doubt anyone will know except me. I have needles directly from the Nolting people coming in, hopefully soon.

Next up on Ruthie will be a twin size charity quilt. I don't know what I will quilt on it yet. Something free motion, that's for sure. But, I won't even consider starting until the new needles show up.

I signed up to take classes next April at MQX the big machine quilting show in the northeast. And, surprise, surprise, -- I got all the classes I wanted to. Hopefully I will learn lots during that week. Anyone else going to MQX in April. We'll have to plan a meeting!

Here are a couple I noticed in the lobby of the Shawnee Inn where Quilter's Day Out was held. It was

hard to get a decent picture but they were quite the couple!

Pam -- here are some of the blocks I sent

you . I just loved this little witchy. I don't think I have any more fabric with it on. I may not have had yardage -- I might have gotten it with a batch of 4 1/2" squares.

Have you tried this block yet? The

directions are here Twisted Happy Block. I have wanted to do some but just hadn't gotten around to it until Pam wanted some for her blocks for FCQ Equilters. I whipped out 10. I'll probably make others but I am trying to finish up enough regular Happy Blocks for a charity quilt. And, I have to get a few charity quilts packaged so I can mail them out. I think I have 6 hanging around in a closet upstairs.

Tomorrow I start another mystery quilt over at Mysteries for Relay. I'm jazzed because it uses 2 1/2" strips. My drawer of 2 1/2" strips was overflowing. While watching Antique Roadshow I sorted through and grabbed a goodly number of light and dark strips. My plan tomorrow is to be ready to go at 9 am for the first installment. I can sew until 3:15 or so when I have to leave to volunteer at the library. Should be a great day.

It is past time to get ready for my Wednesday quilt group. I still need to make my lunch and grab my project. I plan on working on a Tisket a Tasket applique from Bunny Hill Designs. I haven't done a thing on any of the blocks for a couple of months.

Happy quilting all!

Where Did the Week Go?

I was surprised to realize it has been nearly a week since I last posted. I guess I really was busy. More details about that after I post my fabric usage for the month.

Fabric used: 4 yards

Fabric purchased: 1.5 yards (again ... weird eh?)

Net fabric USED from stash: 2.55 yards

YEAR

Year to date fabric used: 75.875 (75 7/8ths) yards

Year to date fabric purchased: 84.375 (84 3/8ths) yards

Net Year to date USED from stash :(8.5) yards

I am slowly making progress to get more out of the stash rather than bringing IN to the stash. I am being somewhat vigilant... I think before I buy new fabrics... truth be told, I did buy 3 fat quarters yesterday.

Yesterday was Quilter's Day Out sponsored by Mt. Laurel Quilters Guild. It was held at Shawnee Inn on the Delaware. Mt. Laurel does this instead of running a quilt show. It truly is a fun day with less work than a big (or little) quilt show. We usually have 4 to 6 vendors. There are 2 demos each given two times. A light breakfast of juice, pastries, yogurt, fruit and coffee is available. Then a very nice lunch, door prizes, guest speaker, raffle drawings and finally other guilds are invited to share one or two of their charity quilts.

I was one of the people doing the demos -- although I didn't demo as much as talk about signing quilts.

I had been prepping samples of computer generated labels, hand done samples with pigma pens and other pens. And about 10 or 12 of my own quilt labels. It seemed to me we had big crowds at each event -- 40 or so at one and probably 60 at the other. I was impressed! After I did my talk I went to the vendors where I didn't do all that much damage... As I was prepping for the talk over the past few weeks I was pulling my quilts out to evaluate which ones would go with me and which would stay home. Boy was I surprised -- about half of my quilts are not labeled. And, I have always advocated for signing quilts. Ooops, I guess I have a little work ahead of me.

Blogger is being a bit weird now (as I type the letters are at appx. 48 point, overlapping and editing is too difficult. I'll post more soon but not in this post! Sorry for mistakes it just isn't letting me do what I want!

Happy Quilting All

Christmas Stockings

FCQ Equilters made 52 stockings that will be sent to Columbia, Maryland. I hate to admit that I forgot which good cause will be getting these but, I did forget. These were very easy and I was delighted to put some of my old Christmas fabric to a good use. There are 6 of us in the group. I was a slacker and only made 5 or 6 of them...!

Here are some directions that I used to make my stockings. http://everydaycelebrate.blogspot.com/2008/11/tutorial-lined-stocking.html

• The Witch is In is finished and up on the wall. Picture shortly.

• Only 2 seams left on the Bricks and Stepping Stones quilt. Then on to piecing the backing.

• Need to make a couple of sample labels for my demo on Sunday at Quilter's Day Out.

• And, pull quilts for examples for the demo...

Short today, but better than nothing! Happy Quilting All!

I'm On a Roll Here

Wow, two posts in two days. Will wonders never cease. Here are a few excuses for my neglect of my blog buddies:

• I'm addicted to playing Bejeweled Blitz

• My glasses were broken and I couldn't see much up close when I attempted to wear multi focal contact lenses

• We went to Cleveland

• I read two big books

• The battery on my laptop is failing. Everytime I used the laptop without being plugged in, it would turn itself off with no notice. (new battery ordered, wrong battery. Another new battery on order.... so I'll be able to be free again soon.)

Actually all of that happened in the last week or so. I have given up trying to make the multifocal lenses work for close up, mid distance and long distance.

I am swearing off Bejeweled Blitz for a day or so.

I finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and Echo in the Bone by Diane Gabaldon.

I have been doing a little quilting and here's proof. This is a little quilt that I made for the guild's raffle next Sunday. The little sashing blocks are 1" finished .... or at least I think they were. I used my thirties fabrics that I've got stashed away to make a Terry Atkinson design. I think it is cheese and crackers but it is upstairs and I'm not going up there to find out! Someday I will make the quilt. And, I think I have plenty of these fabrics left to do so. (darn, now that I think about it I have fabric pulled for another quilt Terry designed. )

I've been having a bit of trouble with old fabrics. WHY did this have to bleed all over my new ironing board cover? And, yesterday the stuff from the cover bled onto a piece of muslin I was ironing. Honestly.

And the next big question? WHY do I think I need to rescue this piece of fabric? I'm going to throw that baby away as soon as I hit the studio today. WHAT was I thinking -- I don't really need the fabric. I guess I'll be buying a new piece of fabric to cover the board again. Hum, note to self... put another piece of batting over it also. Try to staple it tighter next time round.

Time to get breakfast. And then up to the studio. I'm coming close to a finish on a top so need to figure out a backing for it. I'm afraid it will be a pieced back as I just don't buy fabric in 3+ yard pieces. Happy Quilting All!