We're fine...

Not so much for hundreds of others. I' m actually a little ashamed to say I was sewing away in my room and knew nothing of what was going on until hubby called to see how the weather was at home and if we were okay. I don't watch tv stations during the day that carry any local news or I watch dvd's. He works right across the water from Suffolk and the water front saw more action. We just had heavy rains.

Luckily no one was killed. Lots were hurt and about 250 homes totally destroyed. The pictures are simply astonishing. How a tornado can level a house, skip the next, and level one side of the street while leaving the other fine.

Thanks for all the caring!

Catching Up...

Lots and lots of little things for lots and lots of quilts! That's what my week has been like. I finished the pink quilt, as I said, but just didn't have the strength to lay it all out and start pinning it for quilting. So I picked up all the pieces of projects and BOM's laying around and got those finished. Now I'm all ready for when they arrive in the mailbox!

First up is the Four Seasons Springs first block...all embroidered and pieced.

Then I finished the checker board block and the heart block to finish the current section for the Sweet Land of Liberty quilt. Since I was doing so well and moving right along...I decided to keep sewing and put the second row of the quilt together and make the skinny strip for the bottom to attach before you can add the square in a square blocks on the right end.

This is going to be a great quilt. I'd keep right on moving along except that I like using the fabrics they choose, so I have to wait for my packages to arrive. That should be any day now for both these quilts.

I also started using those new fabrics...a lot! I'm still deciding whether or not to show the blocks now or wait until the quilt top is completely finished before revealing what I am making. I really don't care what others think normally, at least not anymore. I used to worry a great deal...then I grew out of that! So I shouldn't worry. But for some reason, I'm still milling the decision over. It's gonna be a small quilt..50x50 or so and shouldn't take that long to do. Yep, I'll think on it some more.

No quilty stuff today...

Kitty pictures will have to suffice for today since I don't have a picture of the whole *completed* pink quilt! I finished it Monday night and it's waiting for me to load it on the table and start basting it for hand quilting. I'm gonna use pins since I really don't feel like thread basting an entire full size quilt. I might add a few stitches, but mostly pins.

Thanks for the tips about the "basting gun" I read quite a few reviews and found a very good one that gave me loads of info. I doubt I'll get one any time soon but it was fun reading about another method of basting after hearing from the gal at the LQS.

I also wanted to share my latest mail delivery too. These lovely ladies came today! Thanks Nicole! I ordered the Cowgirl, the Laundry Gal was just too cool not to pick up on Nicole's site! Now the shelf really needs to go up so they have a place to sit in my sewing room!

Now I'm going back to catching up on CW blocks, my Sweet LOL package and piecing the sections onto the Four Seasons block for this month. Pictures will follow of my progress in a few days!

CW blocks...

I've been trying to find the time to sit and sew for a few days now, but those last two borders are finally going on the quilt today...promise! Then I'll have to get it basted. It *IS* going to be hand quilted so I really should do a proper basting, but man all those stitches and wasted thread. I think no matter the method pins will still work fine. Anyone ever use those guns with the plastic tack thing? The gal at the quilt shop said she loves hers. Might look into that.

Kathie declared these next few weeks a "catch up time" with the CW blocks and I certainly need it. I'm behind on those, so I can use the time. She also asked for us to post a picture of all the blocks we've done together in one spot on the design wall. 60 total blocks which is half way to a king size quilt. Actually this was fun, since I had seen small groups but never all of them at once before. I definitely need some alternate colors and combos, and maybe some lightening up.

Below is what I bought at the LQS today along with some other fabric for another new quilt I saw on Sharon's blog and loved. See the last picture of the red and yellow "trip" quilt! I always need ideas for smaller 50 x 50-ish sized quilts so it should work up really fast when I'm ready to start it.

These are for a secret new quilt. No hints, no pictures until it's finished. Just the yummy fabrics.

Still working....

Friday ended up with me not touching a needle all day...yikes! Loads of running in the car to get some things handled. This morning was grocery shopping and chores and after lunch I am spending my time finishing up the borders on this baby! Then to get it ready for....quilting. Maybe hand quilting? Tracey has inspired me. We'll see.

After a lot of thought, I've decided for the time being to slow down blogging for a while. I'll still be around, but only posting about once a week with shorter posts to let you know what I have going at the moment, and how my progress is coming along. I'll still be visiting all my regular reads, but I may not get around to leaving comments on every blog each post. I'll comment on yours one day and some else the next time.

I love getting comments here too, but unless you ask me a specific question, I won't probably write an email back specifically thanking you for the comment. I still love the blogs, I just don't want to spend the amount of hours I have been spending on the computer.

I'd just rather spend them quilting!

Making progress...

Here's where I am at the moment....2 more seams and the center top will be finished! This is just a sneek peek with a few holes remaining before I started to assemble. Then on to loads and loads of half square triangles for the border!

**To answer several ladies, the blocks are 6" finished.

While I was doing a small turn on Bloglines this morning I came across Melanie's post about finding the perfect jar to create one of these. I commented that I loved looking at my jars I found at Walmart and would share a picture! I loaded them up with threads from Herrschner's from doing several quilts with big stitch. It's neat to find something that's so pretty to look at and also so lovely to use! (enlarge for a better view)

Back from vacation...

Miss me? I think I missed you all too! I did stop by a few blogs here and there as I needed something online. I got a tiny bit of relief for my shoulder and I think mostly I'm just going to have to slow down and not spend too much time online, especially no more 3 hour sessions anymore. I'm gonna try and post once or twice a week at most.

I did work a lot on my Civil War blocks but I didn't get quite caught up with the list. Some of these blocks now take 3 hours to get made with all the pieces to be cut, trimmed sewn, trimmed, etc. The list really is a suggestion and I might not do all the blocks on there anyway, but at least I don't feel too behind anymore.

So my CW blocks:

The Farce of Reconstruction, Diary Pg 269

Whizzing Bullets, LL pg. 157

United No Longer, D pg.253

Last Letter Home, LL pg. 123

Sugar Cane, D pg. 247

Hand Grenade, D Pg 131...this block was easier than the next one which I found odd, but the faux paper piecing made it a dream to do!

Bolts of Fabric, D pg.179

I also got part of my Sweet Land of Liberty BOM done for this month and will post the picture on the other blog. You can see it by clicking on the link on the sidebar. Mostly what I worked on this week was the 9 patch pink quilt. 6 more blocks to make and I'll be ready to sew the top together and add the border. I'll post with pictures soon of the pink top!

Going on blog-cation!

That's a vacation from blogging if you didn't get the word play! More like a forced mini vacation time away from the computer. With my muscle condition I can get some serious spasms and knots that never go away unless I stop and take time away from doing anything to aggravate the problem. I've over worked my right shoulder area right above my shoulder blade to the extreme and most days the skin stays almost numb. Numb is better than the burning hot poker that occurs 3 minutes after I get on the computer. So I'll be gone for a week or so from the computer. I'll check emails, but I'm gonna stay off the blogs, comments, and emails. Machine sewing does fine, but the hand sewing will stop too.

So as I leave I'll share my latest 2 CW Love Letters blocks....

top one is : Back Home LL Pg 65
bottom one: Angel Visits LL Pg 265Lastly, you might notice that the ring button for Sew many Blocks is gone and has been replaced with a larger prettier button..The ring was changed and no one liked the ads or the way you had to visit the blogs inside the ring. Under the button I've listed some CW friends that are doing the blocks and links to their sites...if you want to take a peek at their progress. Please click on the link to visit any of them. If you click that pretty big "Sew Many Blocks" button it will take you to Meghan's Blog where you will find the list of most of the other people in the ring.

See ya when I get back!

Copy cat...

I guess I should be ashamed really, but sorry...it's just too yummy when all these wonderful quilts are on display to not grab your fabrics and join along. That's how the diary quilt started, and the Dresden quilt, and more than a few others. Heck without my blog friends I would lead a rather boring life really.

So along that thought...I just couldn't pass up starting this quilt along with Kathie and her friend Meghan. Kathie is waayyy ahead of me, but it isn't a race so that's fine. I have a few other quilts added in the mix to contend with too, slow and steady wins the race and gets the top done eventually. After seeing the alternate fabric choice they both made I was off to search. I really loved Kathie's choice but didn't want the exact one. Low and behold under the huge pile of washing from my quilt show purchases I found the perfect one!

It shows as a more solid pink from afar but I wanted it to say PINK! and I think it works perfectly. It suits me and that's all that matters. I still deciding between the 2 greens for the border design.

** Forgot to include this info: The pattern can be found in the book: The Ultimate Quilting Book by Maggi McCormick Gordon. I got mine used for under $10 and it's filled with lovely pictures of antique quilts. Be WARNED..the pattern is NOT in this book. There are some quilting instructions, but no standard pattern. But it's a fabulous book and well worth adding to your collection!

Of course all these ongoing projects make for one very full design wall, but I'm not complaining. Mine is bigger than a lot of other peoples, but not nearly as big as I would like someday. One day maybe I'll be as lucky as some others and have a h*u*g*e room devoted to nothing but quilting. I see a whole basement all mine! For now I am as happy as a clam with what I've got! And happier to fill it up with lots and lots of fabulous projects!

More blocks...

Tomorrow I am doing some 30's blocks for a swap and then I think I'll start on my 9 patches for a new quilt...the same one that Kathie's doing at the moment. I found the perfect fabric the other week and ordered several yards for the alternate blocks. I'll show them all when I get some made up.

For now...A few more blocks for the Civil War quilt...

Tents of the Enemy LL Pg. 43
Grammer Class, D Pg. 123Union Soldier's, D Pg. 51
Wow as the blocks get more complicated, it takes time to make the pattern fold the lines, find the fabrics and then do piece by piece...but so worth the effort. This will be a really cool quilt.

I also found my little helper under my table by my feet! He's helping me with the fabric scraps! Yea, that's it....helping.

Four Seasons...Spring

I had these almost done for weeks and tonight after I turned off all the lights to wind down for bed, I crawled into my sewing room and decided to put the whole lot together while I waited to get sleepy. I had one more block puzzle to make and then fitted them all into one big section, just in time to open up the Spring section that arrived today.

Now that's done and I'm happy to say that I am staying current on it and the Sweet Land of Liberty BOM. I finished that a while back and showed you, just need to pin down the first block pieces, sew and then start embroidering the words. I think staying on top of the current months project is the key to not getting overwhelmed.

Of course, that doesn't mean I don't have other things to do..lots of them. Two little quilts to make before July 4th..oh and the patriotic Stitchery guy, oh yea, and a few other things. Not to mention a new antique quilt I find to reproduce every other week! Yikes! I better get busy!