Kismet?

Here is the picture of Ashley's quilt as promised.

On another note, I attended my first lupus support group meeting last night. A while ago I had been talking with my niece about my cancer support group. She inquired as to why I go to a cancer support group but not a lupus support group. Good question, since I continue to live with lupus every day. So, I decided maybe I should look into one. Call it kismet, fate, whatever, the following week I get a booklet in the mail detailing all sorts of support groups. In there, I find one for lupus. Last night was their monthly meeting and I was in attendance. I met a lot of nice people, but I seemed to hit it off with one woman in particular. She was from my area and we seemed to have a lot in common healthwise. Okay, fast forward to tonight. Jack and I are waiting for a table at a local restaurant, when out walks the woman from my support group! This time we discuss how we wished we would have exchanged information because we both got along so well at the meeting. Kismet again? Long story short, yeah right, we did exchange information. So, not only do I have a new support group, but now I have a new friend!

Finally

I am FINALLY done with Ashley's quilt. That is, unless you are a purist and believe it isn't done until it has a label. Oh, you say you need a picture? Well, that will have to wait until tomorrow when I have a "holder". Right now everyone is in bed and my house is tore up because we had our carpets cleaned today. I can't tell you how glad I am to be able to check this one off the list. Yahoo....

Blog Withdrawal

It's been two days without blogging. I have been busy. The Friday night girl's hangin' out went very well. We got no quilting done, but we did solve all the world's problems. Last night we went to a friend's wedding. Michael was the groom's best man. He has been best friends with this young man since high school. It was a lovely wedding/reception, but a very looooong day. Today I took a drive to the quilt shop. I was looking for 6 different fossil fern fabrics. I came home with exactly what I went for. Most of tonight has been spent stitching down the binding on Ashley's quilt. It is slow going.

Unbelieveable

Yes, it is. Truly. I finally recut and attached the binding to Ashley's quilt. The quilty girls are having a hangin out tomorrow night and I needed some hand work. It was time. I am hoping to get the label done tomorrow morning so that I can sew it right into the binding. I also have a couple of burp cloths that need small openings in the seams sewn shut. Then they will be ready to be topstitched and finished up. It is getting towards the end of the month and the push is on. I need to get a few things checked off the to-do list.

Fun and Games

Tonight was our quilt guilds monthly meeting. May is always a potluck dinner and program. If you remember, a month ago I made a secret project. We were asked to make something small and not show or tell anyone what it was. Tonight the projects were going to be unveiled and we had to guess who made what. There we 28 participants/projects. We were given the list of participants and had to match the item with the member. I thought I would do really well, because I know who hand quilts, who likes paper piecing, who does needleturn applique, etc. Well, that strategy did not work. I got 4 correct and one of them was my own! The tote bag made with Mary Engelbreit fabric was my entry.

We also were asked to bring 6 strips of fabric cut 2.5 inches by width of fabric each. We played a game with them. You play with 3 strips of fabric at a time. There are 3 dice. Each dice has an L for left, an R for right, a C for center (better known as the pot) and a DOT, which means you get a pass. You shake the dice and the fabric swapping begins, depending on what you shake. If you have less than 3 strips of fabric, you shake that many dice. You keep going until there is one person left with fabric and they win the pot and ALL the fabric strips. It was great fun watching the fabric being moved back and forth from player to player. I don't think there was a person there tonight who could say they didn't have a fun time.

Still Busy

Today was another busy day. I spent the afternoon stitching borders on name tags. I had 20 of them already done and another 35 to go, so that is what I did today. Tomorrow is our quilt guild's monthly meeting and I wanted to have them done so that I could pass them on to my partner. She will put the names of the members on them and affix a few hot crystals for sparkle.

Tonight we had the Chef's Series at Gilda's Club. A chef from Whole Foods gave the cooking demonstration. As usual, the food did not disappoint. We had a wonderful pear salad with toasted walnuts and an apple/gorgonzola dressing. That was followed by jasmine rice and breaded ahi tuna. Yum-o.

Another Busy Day

No studio time today. However, I did attend a wonderful quilt show this morning. The North Shore Quilter's Guild had their biennial show this weekend. It was a great show, with lots of beautiful quilts. They also had some unusual vendors. As with most quilt shows, they had vendors with fabric, notions, etc, BUT, they had vendors with jewelry, wool, purses, beading and silk scarves. That was a nice change.

Later today, we went to my Niece's home to celebrate the birthday of my Godson, Zach. He will turn 15 tomorrow. I remember the day he was born. I sat in the waiting room with my niece's husband at the time. He was pacing back and forth between the waiting room and labor room. When he came back to tell me that Zach was born, I will never forget how he cried. He was so happy that the baby was born healthy and a BOY and that my niece (his wife) was doing great. I knew right then and there what a great Dad he was going to be. My niece isn't married to Zach's Dad anymore, but they are BOTH great parents.

Ashley's Bridal Shower

Today was Ashley's bridal shower. IT WAS WONDERFUL. Ashley's shower was part of a dual shower. Ashley's sister, Brooke, is getting married three weeks before Ashley and Mike. Ashley's Mom threw the shower and did it for both girls at once. Brooke's started first, at 4:30 and then Ashley's followed at 6:30. As you can see, it was very colorful. Brooke's colors are red, orange and fuchsia. Ashley's colors are orange, fuchsia and green. Both sisters had such a good time and it was touching to see how much love they have for each other. I am heading to bed. I left the house at 1:45 this afternoon and got home at 10:30 tonight. Time to call it a day.

A Little of This and A Little of That

The first picture is the card of the month. April showers bring May flowers, you know. The second picture is a luggage tag. I was testing a tutorial for an online friend. I really need to improve the buttonhole, which isn't really a buttonhole but rather a satin stitched rectangle. Oh well, that's what samples are for, to work out the bugs.

Today I was in the studio working on more purse sized tissue holders. I was a few short for the shower goody bags. After making the four that I needed, I decided to keep going. The others will be donated to my quilt guild. I also made 8 small (10") table toppers. They are nothing fancy, just two pieces of fabric and some thermolam sewn together and turned right side out. They are going to be placed under some plants that are being used for table decorations at tomorrow's shower.

Time for bed. It's 1:15am and I have a looooooong day tomorrow.

Big Blue

Well, the monthly cards are done and in the mail. I went to the Oak Creek Post Office this morning and I couldn't believe my eyes. There, in all its glory, a new, big, blue mailbox. The box outside our post office has been an eyesore for years and just kept getting rustier. It must have taken nothing less than an Act of Congress to get a new one because people have been complaining about it for the last couple of years to no avail. And, Big Blue is also twice the size, which isn't a good thing if you are talking about weight, but in this case, it is awesome!

I didn't get too much done in the studio today. A lot of time was spent cleaning up and putting away. It is amazing all the stuff you need to pull out when you work on a project. The good thing is, I am now raring to go on the next project.

Getting Punchy

This months cards are almost done. There was a lot of paper punching involved...and glue. The hardest part of making cards every month is coming up with a new, creative idea. No picture until after they go in the mail, otherwise it spoils the surprise.

I also worked on my reindeer table runner today. Hand embroidery is so calming and relaxing. It is a joy to work on.

Surfing

Today I spent a good chunk of the day web surfing. I needed to catch up on my shows from "The Quilt Show". There were three of them that I hadn't seen yet. Then on one of the shows, it was mentioned that one of the women had a site with free podcasts. Well, of course, I had to check that out. So then after listening to one of the podcasts, I need to check out that woman's website. It could have gone on and on. I am so easily distracted. I took a break and went to JoAnn's to pick up some fabric. I am making some small circular table toppers for the shower on Saturday. Ashley's Mom is picking up some gerbera daisy plants for the tables and I thought it would be nice to have some VERY colorful table toppers to sit them on. Guess what tomorrow's project will be? I also picked up some beautiful papers for this month's cards. One stop shopping. That's what I like!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms. And Happy Mother's Day to all those who are not Moms. Most women, even childless ones, are caretakers of someone during their lifetime. They should be remembered today too.

Okay, onto quilting matters. Today was kind of a slow day. I did get the 15 purse sized tissue holders done. That makes 60 total. I still have a couple of them cut out and I will probably sew them together at some point and donate them. My guild has a boutique table at our quilt show and they are always looking for donations. These will fit the bill perfectly.

Itty Bitty, Teeny Weenie

This afternoon I headed down to Racine. A quilt shop there was having a "meet the teacher" day and fabric sale. I checked out the classes, but honestly found nothing I was interested in. However, that didn't stop me from checking out the fabric sale. Twenty percent off books, fabric and patterns. Well, I DID need a few things. I picked out a contrasting fabric for the last of the purse sized tissue holders. I also bought some jet black fabric for the backs of Matthews bibs and the binding on the Hawaiian log cabin quilt. Purchase number three was something I plan on using for the backing of my dazzling dogs wall hanging. Then there was this pink/brown stripe fabric that I just had to have. It will be the borders of my star challenge piece. Lastly, I bought a small piece of yellow backing for two more bibs. Of course, all that shopping really put me behind in the studio. Nevertheless, I did get something accomplished. Matthew now has a guitar bib added to his ever growing collection. And that itty, bitty, teeny, weenie log cabin is going to become a pin to wear. The measurement of the body is 1-3/4 inches. Thank goodness there were no mistakes made because I would have had to trash it. I used a 1.0 stitch length! There was no way those stitches were coming out once they were in. Lastly, I cut out enough fabric for 15 more purse sized tissue holders. I started sewing them together and am about half done, but will have to finish up tomorrow. Since I don't usually blog until late in the evening, I want to wish all you Moms out there a Happy Mother's Day.

No More Piecing

Row 5 is done....YIPPEE. Onto putting the rows together. However, that will have to wait until after the weekend. I have things to finish for the shower, I want to make Matthew another bib or two, and I need to finish the luggage tag according to Morah's tutorial. That's just tomorrow. There's another list for Sunday.

On another note, we went to our first Brewer's baseball game tonight at the not-so-new stadium. I say not-so-new because it was probably built 5 years ago and we hadn't been inside it until tonight. It was very impressive, compared to the old ballpark. But really, the sticker shock came at the concession stand. My gosh, you better feed the kids before you bring them, otherwise forget about sending them to college!!

One More Row

Well, that title is pretty self-explanatory. There are now four rows of blocks done on the Hawaiian log cabin quilt. I am blogging early today, because tonight I am heading downtown to watch my Goddaughter perform in a city-wide chorus. More tomorrow.

Get Your Shades

I like bright colors. These really fit the bill. However, the border will tone the quilt down a bit. I am soooo liking this quilt. I have decided to have it quilted. I have so many other projects that I need to get to. My quilting just wouldn't do this quilt justice. Besides, since I am not buying fabric (ahem), it is one way to support my local quilt shop.

The Rippin' Is Done

Yes, I have finally finished ripping apart the log cabin blocks that I need to redo. Today wasn't much of a quilting day. My entire front yard was landscaped and I needed to stay on the main floor, which meant no studio time. Tonight my girlfriend and I went to a quilt shop that is closing. They were having a 30% off sale. I picked out my background fabric for Judy Laquidara's 1-hour a day quilt. I also bought backing fabric for my pink/brown challenge quilt. I spent $50 and got a ton of fabric. Plus, they gave me $5 more off because I had a punch card that was half full. I will be sorry to see this shop go. I could always count on them to have the cutest fabrics for babies and kids. Lately we are losing more and more quilt shops. Bummer.

Testing

Today I spent part of the afternoon making a sample. An online friend is writing tutorial for a fabric luggage tag. I told her I would make a sample following her directions to make sure they were easily understood. I did hit a snag and e-mailed her. She e-mailed me back, but I ran out of time and will continue with the sample tomorrow. I also spent some time today ripping more of my Hawaiian log cabin blocks. I am hoping to get them all back together, with the correct configuration, by the end of the week.

On The Road

Today my girlfriend Jill and I went to visit a quilt shop in Reedsburg. Reedsburg is about 2.5 hours from here. In March, Jill won a $25 gift certificate for this particular quilt shop and she wanted to spend it before it expired. I was happy to come along for the ride. I didn't find the backing fabric I was looking for. I did purchase a miniature 9-patch quilt kit. I purchased it because it contained shirting fabrics. I don't own any shirting fabrics and those really made the look of the quilt. I may change out some of the other fabrics for some of my own. The day was sunny and warm. A perfect day for a road trip.

Clean As A Whistle

I am referring to my design wall. I could have included an "after" picture, but there would be nothing to look at :) I got a lot done today. I spent most of the day resurrecting my Hawaiian log cabin blocks. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. Just a lot of mindless sewing. Tomorrow a girlfriend and myself are going to a quilt shop in Reedsburg. I plan on bringing scraps from the Hawaiian log cabin quilt so that I can look for backing fabric. Yes, in my world things need to coordinate. Even the back.

Hindsight Is 20/20

And mine is in FULL focus! I spent the day today ripping. I have 20 log cabin blocks that I made either last month or the month before...I forget. Anyway, I used Eleanor Burns' book. I decided I wanted to do the Fields and Furrows setting. I followed her instructions in the book, except for the fact that she used one set of lights/darks and I decided on two. Last night I started to put the blocks together, only to realize that I needed to reconfigure the sets. Instead of two sets, I needed 4 different sets to get the effect I wanted. Ripping is not a problem. I like to think of it as hand quilting in reverse. What really gets me is the fact that I have a design wall. As of late, it has become a bulletin board. I have a couple of blocks up there, a calendar, a name tag, some instructions and a whole slew of flyers for upcoming quilt shows. Had I used the design wall for what it was intended, this never would have happened. Like I said, hindsight is 20/20.

A Fresh Start

Well, it's the beginning of a new month and time for a fresh start. Of course, I have my to-do list, and here it is:

1. Ashley's quilt and pillowcase to match
2. Hawaiian log cabin quilt
3. Christmas stocking...this will be a carryover
4. Dazzling dogs wall hanging
5. Mike and Ashley's quilt...this is questionable
6. 4th of July crafts...hey, I'm slow, I need time
7. Reindeer table runner...again, a carryover
8. Bibs for Matthew
9. Paper pieced pins
10. Handmade cards

I know, it looks ambitious to me too, but I just have to keep plugging away. Eventually they will get done.

I did get some work done on the Hawaiian log cabin quilt today. I am toying with the idea of quilting it myself or sending it out. We shall see.