Moving Along

I was able to get all the threads tied off on my wallhanging. I also made the binding and hanging sleeve.  Then I sewed blocks into rows of the rag quilt - got 5 rows done.  Tomorrow I'll get the rest of the rows done and then sew the rows together.  We'll see what else I'll get done because I have some errands to do also. 

Here are some more photos of Christmas decorations.  I really like these guys who sit on the landing of the stairs.  

And, here are some snowmen who are guarding the stairs.  Actually they are really hiding some electrical wires.  

Have a great quilting day.  Bonnie 

Waa Hoo Christmas Came Early!

See my Christmas present?  Pat and I had said we weren't going to exchange presents this year.  A couple of weeks later he mentioned he had gotten me something.  Well it came while I was in the shower today.  He decided to give it to me so I can use it!  Wow, this is the chair of chairs.  It has about 4 different places you can customise -- the seat height, seat angle, back height, back angle and lumbar support.  We saw this at the quilt show in Hershey, Pa and I told him I would like one. (hey I had two office type chairs in my studio and both of them would sink down without any particular reason.) 

I got him a table saw. Nah, he asked for it and picked it out but it was from me! He's making stuff for me with it -- or at least I think he is! 

I got a lot done in the studio today.  I only have the borders to do on the bedroom wall hanging.  And, tying off all the threads on the areas I did today.  I hate that part of machine quilting. Some people don't worry about it but I always tie them off and bury the threads.  

Pat also gets great husband stars today for doing some more decorating in the house.  He's done all of the outside and has moved into the inside.  He has put lights and garlands around the bannisters.  Today he cleared off the Thanksgiving decorations and put out Christmas stuff on the mantel.  

I bought this lovely Santa at a vendor at the quilt show in Lancaster, PA many years ago.  I fell in love with it -- probably because of his old quilt coat.  He is proudly displayed on the mantel with several other Santas I have.  I don't think Pat pulled out all of the Santas but they are peaking out of lots of nooks and crannies of the house.    This one was the beginning of my Santas and now I must have 15 or so. Some are stuffed, some are floppy, some I've made and some have been given to me. Over the next few days I will try to add more pictures of our Christmas decorations.   

We will be putting up a small tree next weekend.  Since the kids were here for Thanksgiving they won't be here for Christmas. Supposedly we aren't going all out with our decorating.  Jen will be going to Brian's Mom's house in Ohio. Kevin will be going to Tennessee with Aimee. We were thinking of going to California for the Rose Bowl but, wow, airline prices are out of sight.  We'll keep looking but it doesn't look good at this point.  Pat and I went to Univ. of Southern California and lived in California ten years before we moved east.  California in December/January looks good compared to the Pocono Mountains.  And, since we get Rose Bowl tickets every year it's good to go to the games every once in a while.  USC just beat UCLA so SC will be the Pac 10 representative.  

And, just to give Pat equal time:  Here is his workshop out in the garage (heated garage). It is always this neat except when he is working in it.  He is very neat, unlike me!  I'm better than I was but I'm not completely cured of my messier nature!  

Happy quilting all.  Bonnie 

Lazy Morning

I've been reading emails and blog surfing for two hours or so.  Must be time to get up and move on to something else. 

My to do list in the studio includes:

 • finish sewing the mystery quilt together.  Pictures will be posted after Jan. 1, 2009. You'll just have to wait to see this great quilt. 

• finish the rag quilt up to the hand snipping part

• finish machine quilting the wall hanging for our bedroom. 

* review the to do list to make sure I stay on task -- now where did I put that list??? 

Hope you have a great day.  I'm off to get going on my day. 

Happy quilting from chilly (13º degrees this am at home) Pennsylvania, USA.  Bonnie

A Productive Day

I spent most of today in the studio machine quilting the wall hanging for our bedroom.  I must have spent 5 to 6 hours stitching and then tying off and burying the threads.  I finally got bored around 4:30 and started on sewing a mystery quilt together.  I only have one row left to add to it. Then I'll make decisions regarding borders on that.  

Tomorrow's plans include finishing the sewing part of the rag quilt. (I ordered more fabric through fabricshack.com  late Tuesday night and it arrived here today.) The flannel was in the wash with in 15 minutes of being in the house.  Yes, I know I shouldn't preshrink it but all the other fabric was and I was worried about it shrinking too much so went ahead and washed.  And, I'll try to get the last row of the mystery quilt on.  I'll probably do some more on the wallhanging too. 

Pat has been busy for the last few weekends getting the lights set out on our new house.  Doesn't it look great?  We're having snow on Sunday so I'll have to see whether we can get a picture with snow.  

A Peak into the Studio

Here's what I've been working on for the last few days.  This is all from the stash.  I did order 2 different reds to add to the mix.  I probably could have done without them but ... I've got to help the economy somewhat!  Today I sewed about 40 blocks with the X.  Then I laid them out to start to get a sense of what this rag quilt will look like.  I thought I would have enough of the dark green and black plaid to do the whole back. Of course not.  I'm not all that much short so I thought I could pop in some of the black and brown plaid. And, as I was laying it all out I thought putting some of the green/black on the top would add interest.  I've got what I have made laid out but will not angst over it until the other colors come in.   And, while I've been cutting all this if I didn't have enough left for the 8" blocks I've cut them all to a smaller size.  So, I might make another rag quilt down the line.

At Wed. sewing group I basted that wall hanging for our bedroom.  It will be quilted this afternoon.  Or at least it will be started.  The rest of Wed. I hand quilted on a Christmas lap quilt.  I'm not really fast but I keep plugging away.  I have most of the motifs done in the open squares.  I still need to mark the quarter squares in the corners.  And, I have most of the pieced blocks to outline quilt. And, not to mention the border.  I was happy to see I have the border stencil that goes with the blocks. The quilt is a Carolina Lily that I made as a mystery at a retreat many years ago.  I am sure it will continue to be worked on, especially on Wednesdays, because it is easy to grab and go and it helps keep me warm!  

Back to the studio.  I really want to get a few more quilts quilted.  I think I have 2 lap size and one table runner basted and ready to go.  We'll see whether I can get them done! 

Happy quilting from rainy, northeastern Pennsylvania.  Thank goodness it isn't cold enough to be snow! Bonnie 

Quick Notes and Then Back to the Studio

I have been trying to take a picture of the woodpecker that visits my bird feeder.  This is really a small bird feeder but the smart woodpecker has figured out he (she? -- don't know where the bird book is since the move.) can sit on the outside and still reach the seed through the cage that keeps the bigger birds out.  Man does the feeder rock and roll when the woodpecker comes for a visit. The feeder can be viewed from our great room and every time I see the woodpecker visiting I grab my camera and go to a window without the screen and try to snap the picture.  He never stays around long enough to get the picture.  Now my plan is to get him used to someone being in the room looking at him. Ha!  As if that will happen.  

I'm going to put dinner together and then go back to working on the current quilt.  It's going to be a Christmas present -- don't tell my friend who is getting this!  It will be a cozy rag quilt.  And this recipient lives where the snow falls -- quite a bit some years!  

Have a quilty Tuesday -- happy quilting.  Bonnie

Back to the Studio

Truth be told I didn't spend a whole lot of time sewing yesterday.  I did start the mystery quilt over at Mysteries for Relay.  YIKES.  It is labor intensive.  I may use it as a leaders/enders project cause it has lots of sewing and cutting in it.   Oh boy another start with a finish in the far distant future! 

It is time to prioritize what needs to be done.  I decided to make one Christmas present this year and the cutting is started for it.  So, I guess that will be the top of the list.  I have one top I need backing for -- or I need to piece bits of fabrics so I have enough backing.  It is going in our bedroom as a wall hanging so I would like to get it done.  And, I have one quilt ready to be quilted.  (basted and sitting in a roll in the studio.) I guess that is my to do list for now.  

The last thing I really need to do is figure out where all my UFO's are.  In other words, take an inventory.  I doubt I remember all the pieces I have started.  And, there is no central location in the studio where UFOs reside.  (Nor will there be one probably.) 

That pretty much identifies my week.   I keep trying to get on Joann's website but it is overwhelmed and I can't get through. Oh well.  Maybe later.  Happy quilting all. Bonnie