2010!

I am posting early since tomorrow will be a busy day! As in keeping with tradition, I am working hard to clean the house and make sure I have no dirty laundry. Folk lore has it that if you begin the new year with your house in disarray and a stack full of dirty laundry, you will have the same throughout the coming year.

In addition, I am also planning to cook the traditional "good luck" dinner of blackeyed peas and rice; and greens. The greens to guarantee you will have "money" in the coming year, and the beans/rice for good luck. I have had this dinner for New Year's Day for as long as I can remember. I have considered phases of my life to indeed have lots of blessings, but I am still waiting for the monetary riches :-)

I wish you the most wonderful New Year you have ever had! It is my hope that you will spend the day in the warmth of love/friendship and that you look forward to the coming year with hopeful anticipation.

xoxo

Patricia

2009!

I have family visiting, including two grandchildren so the house is a "hive of activity". Our oldest son will be arriving on Friday, so I know I will not have a lot of time to blog. As a result, I am posting probably my last post of 2009.

In looking back on 2009 I think it has been a good quilting year! My quilting has been very productive---17 finished quilts! There are only 2 that need to be quilted and I will do that in the coming month. I have 8 projects that I am working on and will carry into 2010. A couple of them only need binding, but because there is something about the quilt I don't like, I am finding it hard to do that---weird huh! A couple of unfinished projects, both applique remain after years, but I am really rethinking my even finishing them. I may just move them off my list and pack them away in the re-thinking box.

My quilting has definitely progressed. I am much more comfortable with my longarm and am branching out into much more complicated panto's. I really would like to do more freehand stuff like I see so many others do, but at this time I am only comfortable with versions of meandering---feathers continue to elude me.

I am now dyeing my own fabric and loving it! My next task will be to use all that fabric I have dyed since I am really not a "solids" kinda girl---but I am seeing more opportunities to use solids and that will be my challenge next year---to use my own hand dyes in quilts I make.

Although I have been more productive, I really find quilting still an enjoyment! That is certainly a plus since often I read where you can develop a quilting "block" especially when you make so many. So far not for me!

My goals---
1) To use more of my hand dyes in my quilts.
2) To finish the two quilts that only need binding and if I still don't like them, to find a good home for them.
3) To work on my freehand work---especially feathers.
4) To submit a quilt for inclusion in a AQS show, even though I know it will not be chosen.

I have really enjoyed blogging and even though I don't get a lot of comments, I now have 18 Followers and if you look at the number of views, there are a lot of people who are stopping by to read. Thank you to each of you! It is such a rush to see that number increase! As I have often mentioned, quilting is a solitary hobby but at the same time, have the best participants. Thank you again ever so much and I wish each of you a Blessed, Wonderful and Productive New Year.

See you in 2010!

xoxo

Merry Christmas!

My blogger friend Kat posted this on her blog---see sidebar. I though it was perfect (at least for me)......


Twas the night before Christmas,
I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa
brought just for me..

Could it be fat quarters
or a pattern or lace?
Or a quilt kit, I said,
with a smile on my face.

And that's when I heard him,
"Hi Santa," I said
"You know....good little girls
should be in their beds ".

"I know I should Santa,
and now I've got caught.
But I was just so excited
to see what you brought."

"Well, let's take a look
in this room where you work."
He shook his head quickly,
And left with a jerk.

I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear.
"You've got enough stuff, I'll see you next year!"

author unknown


Thank you so much for stopping by to read my little blog!!!! It is so nice to see that there are others who are as interested as I in the wonderful art of quilting.

May tomorrow be a blessed one for you filled with loving friends and family, lots of belly-shaking laughter and the true joy of this holy season!!!!

Patricia

Christmas Is Almost Here!!!

My son and his family have arrived and the house is awash with the laughter and non-stop activity of little ones. I love it!!! The kids seem to be having great fun with each other and I am certainly enjoying my son and his sweet wife. The good news is I thought they were only going to stay until Sunday, but they are staying until after the New Year! This year they have had some real challenges, especially with his health, and so they will get a chance to really relax and hopefully rejuvenate themselves.

The First Annual Yo-Yo Christmas Party was a suggest. We exchanged "12 Days of Christmas Bags. They included:

1 Tote (made of course)
2 favorite notions
3 Christmas patterns
4 spools of thread
5 Fat Quarters
6 inch ruler
7 pieces of candy
8 inch scissors
9 feet of ribbon
10 sewing needles
11 sewing tips
12 inch block

I got Trish's bag! Isn't it beautiful---but I have to tell you, I would have enjoyed any of the bags. We are going to do it again at Easter. New Year's Day will find us at a "sew in". Too much fun!




My Go! dies also arrived. I think now I have all the ones that I will need, at least for now. I am participating in a Christmas Mystery and cut out all the required pieces using the Go! I love it!






Well, gotta go---I am baking cookies!

Hugs!

Christmas Purchases (for me)!!

My husband and I have been married such a long time, that the effort to surprise each other at Christmas isn't important. It is more important (if we get each other a gift) is to try to get something we like and will use. For me, that is easy---anything to do with quilting. To ensure we get the right thing, at least one of the gifts is chosen by the recipient. Last year I chose the Accuquilt GO! I have really enjoyed it and with every special occasion, will get more dies. That was what I did this year. When they come (tomorrow) I will have all of them except the applique ones (I DON'T applique); the chisel (seemed useless for the type of quilting I do); the rag quilt die (If I got it I would probably only make one); and the 1.5 and 2 inch stripper. I really like this tool---it has saved me numerous hours of tedious cutting. There was free shipping so since I ordered so many I actually got one free. What a deal :-)

I also ordered some panto's. I was reading Millie's Blog (on my sidebar) and she had pictures of quilts she had quilted and the panto used. They were absolutely beautiful. Since I am a new longarmer, I don't have a lot of panto's and always have a difficult time choosing, so I purchased all the one's Millie had used on her quilts. The place I found them (Sew Thankful) was an on-line store and each one was on sale --- so not only did I get some really beautiful panto's but saved money as well.




xoxo

Plugging Along------

That's what I am doing with Carolina Christmas. I got so tired of just doing the "parts" so I skipped ahead and started making blocks. When I do that it helps me to realize I am getting somewhere. This quilt will have 100 blocks! The most in any quilt I have made so far. It is though going to be a awesome quilt. Since it is so scrappy though with so many blocks, I am glad my background and light fabrics are similar. That should make my stars and poinsettia's stand out more---anyway, we shall see. I don't know if I will make the pieced border though, I am holding on my final decision until I see it.




Oh another subject, I don't know about you, but I am into comfort as I age. I use to walk around the house in my blue jeans, but anymore, they are so uncomfortable. I would rather be in my pajamas. I have been wearing guys flannel plaid bottoms during the winter---my DH keeps our heat turned low to conserve on energy. That is great, but I am a cold natured girl, so I am almost always cold. When I went shopping for Christmas, I saw some really cute flannel bottoms for a really good price $7. This is a picture of my latest ones with a read fleece top. There were two ladies that were absolutely laughing hysterically about these bottoms. I felt kinda weird, since I thought they were cute! I bought them anyway---I figure no one is going to come to my house and laugh at my bottoms---if they do---they can leave! I also got some cheetah ones, some polka-dot ones, some with little dogs on them and some with Christmas sayings (those I will wear on Christmas Day). My grandchildren smile and think I am odd I know, but I kinda like that :-)

Well, gotta go back to quilting!!!

xoxo

Another Birthday!

Today is our middle son's birthday!!! I can't believe that he is now 40!!! Wow, he is almost MY age!!! I remember when he was born---he was suppose to be born on St. Valentine's Day but got really impatient! He remains that way to this day! He weighed 3 pounds 8 ounces and except for his weight, he was perfect. I believe he was born smiling---and still does to this day!!! He walked at 9 months---or rather ran at 9 months and was one busy little boy. He is in the middle of retraining for another profession as a result of the economy (he was in construction) and is doing a great job. It is clear, that as soon as he graduates he will be "out of the gate" just like he was as a little one!!! Happy Birthday Sean!!!!!

Now for what else is "happening". I went to my Guild's Christmas Party and it was great fun to get out. Even though I arrived with a headache, it was soon gone. A group of us have formed a informal-formal group called the "Yo-Yo's". We on the surface have little in common (although one Yo-Yo and I share the same name--Patricia), but when we get together we laugh and have a good time and find then that we are more alike than different. Anyway, one of the Yo-Yo's was my Secret Sister!!! I had suspected originally, but then discounted it. She treated me as a "favorite" sister all year!!! I sure hope my new "sis" treats me as well---and my Secret Sister even gave me a gift!!!! Such fun!!!

I have put the Carolina Christmas Badge on the blog with a link to the pattern in case anyone wants to join in. I have slowed down a bit since it is finals time at school and I have to work to get my grades completed and submitted before the end of the week. This quilt is not for the faint hearted, and you have to LOVE scrappy! I suppose you could however make it more controlled, but to me, the scrappier the better! I am glad though that I chose to have my background more controlled and use one yellow, because the design could easily be lost if you didn't think about your colors. At any rate, it fits my bill---big and scrappy!

Well, gotta go work on grades some more. I have to take a break every now and then---and my break is over!

Hugs~!

Under the Weather!

It seems almost like after my birthday I started to "fall apart". I have been sick every since that day---first I had some GI "Issues", then when those cleared up, I developed a bad cold! It isn't the flu but it sure makes me feel bad. I spent all of yesterday in bed and decided to work at home today. I give my final tomorrow, so I really need to be feeling better. I do feel better than yesterday--so the rest did me some good. My DH seems to think I am just "rest broken"---he could be right.

Now, although I haven't been feeling well, I have still be quilting (of course). I am really into family tradition....Every year we get "Christmas pj's" and this year I am giving each of the grandbabies a pillowcase. I found the cuties fabric at JoAnne's for 75% off. I should have gotten the entire bolt but for once I was frugal---the fabric says "family tradition; families"---perfect! The cases turned out really nice, don't you think.




I am still plugging along on the Bonnie Mystery!



I have downloaded all the clues thus far and think I am going to skip ahead and make some of the blocks with the "pieces" I have. I don't know about you, I get really discouraged sometimes just making pieces of blocks. Making a couple of blocks sorta encourages me and I can go back to making the pieces. I have almost 100 pieces of blocks to make yet. I also have a bunch of 2.5 squares to cut---like 500 or something! I am so glad I have a GO! cutter. It is saving me bunches of time.

My Guild is having their Christmas Party tonight---this is also when the identity of your "Secret Sister" is revealed. I am going to rest today because I really do want to go. I am all prepared!!! I hope my "Sis" isn't disappointed it is me :-)

Hugs!

Happy Birthday!

I have had a quiet birthday today! I taught my last class of the semester and then came home. The weather is awful---wet and cold! The perfect day to sit and sew on a binding---which I did. I've gotten lots of well wishes from friends, so all in all, I think it has been a good day.

I don't know what's up with Blogger. For some reason my "Followers" are not showing. I don't know how to fix it so I will just hope it will come back. If you are a "follower" and you notice you aren't listed, I didn't do it---just keep "following". It is so nice to see that people are interested enough to list their names, it is sorta "lonely" to not see those pictures up there :-)

Just wanted to check in. I am busy working on the Bonnie Quilt, but have just finished the 104 blocks of Step 2. I will start on Step 3---another over 100 blocks--whew!!!

A Mess!

I don't know about you, but I can't seem to "create" in a space that isn't a mess!!! This is what my quilting area looks like as I am creating a quilt based on Carolina Christmas---the Bonnie Mystery. I didn't get to really work on it much this week-end, but after I clean a bit today, I am going to get back to it. I am also going to participate in the Christmas Mystery with another web group, so yet another quilt will be started. When I look at the quilts I have finished however, I haven't done so bad. I am averaging over 1 quilt per month---pretty good huh!?! I am also only using fabric from my stash, so I am doing pretty good at "stashbusting". Although fabric is being added, the majority are FQ's that I have received from my "Secret Sis", or yardage I will use for backing---so all in all, this hasn't been a bad year for quilting.

Hope today will be a wonderful one for you. My grandson is home from school sick so I anticipate I will be pretty busy!

Tomorrow is my birthday!!! It will be celebrated quietly (as usual) which is usually how it is with us December birthdays. It is okay with me, I am just so thankful for celebrating another. Getting older use to be a bit of a challenge for me because each birthday meant that I had less time to do what I wanted. As I have gotten older however I don't feel that way anymore since I believe now that age has absolutely nothing to do with accomplishing goals. Plus, the alternative to getting old is dying young---me I want to be get to a stage of VERY old---like my MIL who is almost 94 and living along, having a wonderful time!!!

Hugs to all!

Another Start!!!

I know, I know---I have a list of quilts I need to complete on my sidebar---a couple now "years" old. A few only need a binding and then they will be done.....so why am I starting a new quilt. Cause I am "grown" and can make that decision :-)

I really love Bonnie Hunter Quilts. They are always BIG and are scrappy--both my favorite things. I have often said however that they also have LOTS of pieces, but isn't that what quilts should have (I guess). At any rate, I really haven't ever seen a quilt of hers I haven't liked---.

She is doing another mystery----(which I also love)--called Carolina Christmas. I started it and am already almost done with Step 2---which will result in 104 blocks!!!!!! I am using the same colors as her--green, red and yellow (one constant) with a scrappy background. My reds though range from red to pink and my greens from dark green to a pea green. I found I also have the same ruler as she is using---although I really don't remember buying it---I LOVE rulers and templates---just ask Diane. At any rate I am off to the races! I will post a picture of what my sewing room looks like. I cut way too many green 2.5 inch strips (I used my GO!) but I am sure I will find a use for them. I have decided however that I am going to need to replenish my green stash. It isn't my favorite color, or it once wasn't, but I am finding I am using it more.

Hope all is going well with you all. I was a bit "under the weather" and still don't feel real perky, but hopefully I will feel better tomorrow. Pictures to follow!!!!!

Hugs!