1, 2, 3...

There's really not much going on around here.  

Must be why I have not blogged.

(wow...it's really been almost 3 weeks?)

BUT...

I do - finally - have something to show you.

3 doll quilts.

For 3 little neighbor girls.

Each doll quilt measures about 18 inches square.  

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Thanksgiving is tomorrow.

I have much to be thankful for.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Just a Little Bit...

I haven't been able to spend much time with Naomi Janome.  

However, I did manage to get a few little things done.

Here's the quick story on these two projects...

While packing up to move, 

I came across some leftover blocks

and pieces that I had planned to use up.

So.  

That's what I did.

I used them up.

I had five 5" squares and the brown polka-dotted fabric.
Plenty to make this 16" pillow cover for Jill.

I had these blocks and the striped fabric for binding left,
so I made an 18" mini quilt.

It's fun to make little things.

Doll clothes and a t-shirt quilt are coming up soon!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Something to Do...

I was looking for something to do.  I didn't know what I wanted to do.  I knew what I didn't want to do, though.  I didn't want to read.  I didn't want to knit.  I didn't want to sew doll clothes.  I didn't want to lay out the blocks of the bowtie quilt.  I didn't want to work on anything that was already in the works.   

So, here's what I ended up doing...I took the cut off corners from the blocks of the bowtie quilt and made them into half-square triangles.  72 of them.  I needed just 64 of them to make this mini-quilt...

You may think I planned the center 4 hst's to be the way they are, but actually, I made an error.  The prints (not the neutrals) should be making up the inside square.  But, I kinda like it like this, so I am not reverse sewing anything!  This mini-quilt measures about 12 inches square.  

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Here's Riley wearing the football hat that I made for me Mum to give him (talked about here)...
                                


                                



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Surprise in the Mail...and a Tag Story!

So.

You all know how I love getting packages in the mail!

You must...cuz you keep sending them!  {grin} 

I'm not sure if you remember Erin of 'why not sew?' fame...

from the 'We Double Rock Swap' last year.

Just the two of us.

Swapping doll-sized quilts.

I blogged about it here and here. 

Yup, she's one of my blogger BFF's.

For sure!

Anyway.  I received a small package from Erin in today's mail.

No clue what it was.

ohmygosh...

She sent me a needle case that she made and blogged about here!!!

(I really hope you all are checking these links out!)

 

...it's now MINE, ALL MINE!

ohman, I love it and I needed it soooo badly!!!

BUT, wait!  That's not all she sent!

She also made this little half-square triangle

(hereafter referred to as hst)

mini quilt for me!

I love it!!

Look at all those bitty hst's!

Finished size of each hst is 1 1/4".

The mini quilt measures roughly 9 x 10 inches.

It is A. Dor. Able!

Don't you think?

Thank you so very much, Erin!

I love, love, LOVE them!

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And, now...the Tag story!

As most of you regular readers know, Tag E Butt is one smart boy.  He is my service dog.  Not officially, but in reality...yes, he is.  He picks up whatever I ask him to.  Paper, phone, remote, fabric, shoe, sock, pen...the list goes on and on.  Being a retriever, this all comes naturally to him.  He has such a soft mouth, too.  When he picks up paper for me, there is not a tooth mark on it.  Not all wet and sloppy, either.

In addition to being the quintessential brown dog, he also has a huge vocabulary!  I have always talked (LOTS) to my dogs, and I think that they develop a better vocabulary from that.  And, the word recognition game is an ongoing process.  He has recently learned 'food bowl'.  So, now, it's up to him to bring his food bowl to the kitchen when it's time to eat.  As I walk to the kitchen, I say, 'get your food bowl'...he grabs it and brings it to me in the kitchen.  


Course, he thinks it's great fun to bring it to me at other times to see if I'll fill it up.  I don't...unless it's actually mealtime.  Which, sometimes, it is!  His inner clock and all that.  




Okay.  Here's the story.  It was suppertime for Tag.  I didn't say a word to him...just walked to the kitchen...didn't ask him if he was 'hungry', if it was 'time to eat', I didn't say 'get your food bowl'...nothing.  He followed me out to the kitchen, being the ever hopeful food-driven boy that he is...he knows what time it is.  (really)  I opened the cupboard door, got a pill (phenobarbital) from the bottle, and stood there looking at him.  Put my hands out, as if to say, "well?"  but I didn't say a word.  He looked at me for a moment, sat (a very nice sit on the slippery floor, too) and then you could see it...the 'aha' moment!  He ran out to where his crate is (his food bowl sits on top of his crate between feedings), grabbed the bowl and brought it to me.  

5/25 edited to add:  Apparently, I should have given a more detailed explanation of the 'feeding Tag' routine so that you would better understand the 'aha' moment.  Tag gets a pill (anticonvulsant because he has idiopathic epilepsy) with each meal, so opening the cupboard door to get one is the first thing I do once he brings his bowl.  So, to just stand there...I didn't have his bowl to put the pill in...that was the 'aha'!  Tag connected those dots and got his food bowl.


I praised him BIG time and we were both happy that he had figured out what I was doing.  What a good boy!  It is always so exciting to see it happen...when he figures out what the missing piece of the puzzle is.



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DWTS is tonight!  Two dances...one a freestyle!  Cannot wait!

GIVEAWAY!

I have nothing finished since the last time I posted. Except for Erin's mini quilt (psssssst...Erin!), but she hasn't seen it yet. Would be so unfair to show you all before she gets it in her hands. Don't you think?

I'm hoping to get a few things done this weekend...time will tell. Supposed to be hot and humid...perfect weather for sitting at the sewing machine in the air-conditioned house, hey?

It seems that The Quilt Shoppe is having a birthday bash! Two years old!!! YAY for them! And, in conjunction, Rachel of p.s. i quilt is having a fabulous giveaway! You must go visit them both! Click on the photo below to get to The Quilt Shoppe.

Have a great weekend!

BOM 7

I finally got my July BOM done. How frustrating this one was. Only because, for some reason, I couldn't get the points to match the seams. Redid 2 sides 3 times! Each! But, I'm gonna pull the 'I'm just a beginner and learning' card. haha. No...not really. I finally decided this was good enough. And, ya know, I probably am not going to put this one in the quilt. The colors are too Christmasy, or something. Will have to see how it works with the others before I make that decision, I guess. Here it is.

Next on my to-do list...Erin's mini quilt. Seriously! I know she's waiting and waiting and wondering what in the heck is taking me so long!?! After all, I've been enjoying the mini quilt and other little gifts she sent me for several weeks, now! I've got everything ready to send...just waitin' on the quilting/binding/laundering.
After that? Well, I have several choices. And, I am not sure which one I'll do first. I think I'll have to put them in order of when they need to be done.
Something fun is coming my way in about a month. I hope, that is. Not that it's not coming...it is. But, I hope that it's everything I think it is. If it is...watch out everyone! ~grin~

All Done!

Whew...finally got two minis done and ready to show you. This first is with the Harmony fabric collection, in the disappearing nine patch pattern. Measures about 20" square. This is the first quilt I stippled with my Janome...must say, I am very pleased with how it went...and how it looks.

This one is my DQS7 mini quilt. I had never done (l to r) friendship stars, zigzags or churn dashes, so it was a lot of fun. I hope my swap partner likes it!

ohman, gotta love the softness and the crinkles!

And, last but not least, here's the back. Pieced, as always.

Am in the process of working on another quilt to donate and another quilt to swap...they are at different stages of completion. Should get both of them done by the end of the weekend!

Kashmir...

I walked into the credit union the other day and that song was playing...ya know...'Kashmir' by Led Zeppelin. Made me smile. I don't listen much to classic rock, anymore...mostly listen to my fave Christian music station. It was a nice surprise to hear it. Told the teller I couldn't leave until the song was over...and it's an eight plus minute song! ~grin~


As it happens, there is a fabric collection called Kashmir...can you believe that? Wonder if the designer was inspired by the LZ song? My fave is Kashmir III (I and II are nice, but III is to die for!!!) I totally and absolutely love it! So, hey...if you run across some and want to send it my way, well...I'll gladly accept!


I got a package in the mail today. I was in a 2-person mini quilt swap with Bren...and showed photos of the red/white wonky log cabin mini quilt I made for her here. Well, my mini arrived today. YAY!!


Ya know when you are so surprised at something that your mouth opens and you suck in your breath...gasp? Well, I about choked myself, I sucked in so much air!!! That's when I saw the front of this baby. ohmy. Bren had given me a peek at the quilted back and I was delighted with that. I knew she used Kashmir, but OH. MY. GOSH!!!! I had no idea how she used the Kashmir. This pattern is called stacked coins...or stacked chinese coins...or chinese coins. This mini quilt (measures ~29" square) is sooooo soft feeling and looking and...ohmygosh, I love it to death!!! (Kelley, ya don't need shades for this one!)
Check out the quilting...all swirly swirls!

Bren also sent along a 12" square cutting mat, a 12" wooden ruler, a pair of Fiskars scissors and 4 pieces of fabric...She is so fun!

Thank you so very much, Bren!

DQS7

So. As I had nothing better to do with my time, I joined the Doll Quilt Swap 7. (Yeah, that means they've done 6 swaps before this one. Cool, hey?) The quilts can be anywhere from 12x12 to 24x24 inches...or some variant in between. It's a secret swap, so I know who I am sending to. BUT, I have no idea who is sending to me. It's interesting...and fun. Looking at what everyone is doing and wondering if 'that one' could be for me???? I've finished one possible quilt top. I know from what my swap partner said/wrote, that this will be well received. However, I have another idea that is busting to get out of my head and onto fabric! Will be totally different from anything I have done to date. Not difficult...least I don't think it will be. We shall see. Here is the first possibility. I think it measures about 22x24 inches. Churn dashes, zigzags and friendship stars...none of which I've made before. I think I did an okay job. Now to decide on how to quilt it...and with what color thread! Any thoughts?

Here's How It Is...

I called work (yesterday) as soon as I found out that Ray's surgery was rescheduled. Instead of today and tomorrow, could I have off Monday and Tuesday? Well, since someone was already scheduled to take my place these 2 days, the answer was no. Bummer. I actually could have gone in and worked on other things that I am seriously behind on. ohwell. So. I'm not excited about having 2 days off that I don't need to take off...BUT! I decided that I had best be productive. I cut strips out of the Iced Mocha...was thinking of doing another strip quilt, but then decided that these fabrics would be better showcased with another pattern. So, that's what I'll be working on.

I made my June BOM block...not really liking those fabrics. No doubt, this will NOT be one of the 9 I use of the 12 we're making. May not even end up in a pillow. And, I see that I didn't do such a great job matching seams on one row. I'll probably redo it.

Just so you all know I'm NOT perfect, I'm gonna show you a big mistake. big. HUGE! (remember Julia Roberts in 'pretty woman'???) I knew better...but...hmmmm...still went ahead doing what I was going to do.

Remember the swap goodies I showed you from Erin? Well, I had made my mini quilt to swap with her...Kansas Winter charm pack...gorgeous fabrics. As I may have mentioned before, my machine is giving me fits, so I am not able to do free-motion quilting...I'm stuck doing wavy lines or straight lines with my walking foot. I decided that a rectangular spiral would be really cool. Okay. Stick with me here...don't fall off your chair laughing...or hit yourself upside the head with a 'duh' so hard that you hurt yourself. Obviously, starting on the inside is the best way, so that any excess fabric would move to the outside. Right? Well. I wasn't sure I could do it and come out with all sides of the rectangle spiral on the edges of the mini. Ya know...figured I'd end up with 2 inches of empty space on the end of the mini. So. I started on the outside. It was going very well, mind you, until the last 4 times around. Well, here...take a look. See how the center is skewed? I didn't notice until I was done...thought about taking alllll the quilting out, but just couldn't make myself. So. I finished it. I love it. Skewed center and all! But, I don't feel that I can send it to my swap partner, so I am in the process of making a different mini for her.

I love this charm pack, kinda prim/rustic looking. (yoohoo...kelley!)

Look at this back...are you able to see that the quilting is done in a rectangle? I love how it looks. Best get moving on that Iced Mocha fabric. I'm hoping to get the quilt top done today.

Have a good day!

Swapping...

is great fun! I think it could get addicting very fast!!! Especially when one has the most awesome swap partner!!!

Erin participated in the quiltalong I've been talking about. She admired my work and I admired her work...mutual admiration society thing going on here. We're two awesome gals, let me tell you! She made 2 mini quilts about the same time as I made my two minis and I LOVE her work! We decided to do a mini quilt swap...just the two of us. Well. I am in the process of working on her mini...but she is much faster than I am...got a package from her yesterday.

Here's the awesome mini she made for me...very prim. This mini quilt measures 18 inches square...from top to bottom/left to right, the squares are: crow, jacob's ladder block, bee skep, spools block, log cabin block, churn dash block, star, star block and willow tree. How fun is that! PERFECT!!!

AND, as if that wasn't enough, she sent 4 pieces of fabric (check out those dog faces...aren't they fun???....and how about that bones fabric??), a 'friend's plate, 'laugh' tag, tin star, candy (all gone now...and delicious!), and the little wooden sheepie with star (naughty boy tag wanted that star, for some reason...bad puppy!). WOW! I LOVE LOVE LOVE everything...perfect gifts!!! Totally awesome and I am in love with my mini from Erin!!!



Thank you so very much, Erin! Hope you feel the same about your mini that I am still working on!

Hot and Humid...

which is making it hard to work on anything today. I have several things I am trying to get done (sewing as well as all the usual household chores). I work a bit on one thing and then take a break and work on something else and take a break...well, you get the idea. Would be much better if I would turn on the central air, but I'm trying to resist. Maybe tomorrow.

I just finished quilting my 2nd mini quilt. Will get the binding done later. Wanted to try something different for the quilting, but my machine is too dang fussy. I like this, though.

Here are some more photos from last weekend.

This is my niece/godchild, Michelle.

We visited her at the pizza place she works at...

My Great-Aunt Florence. She's 94...love her to pieces.

My Aunt (& godmother) Bev & Uncle Babe sitting on their garden bench...

Here they are with me Mum and Ray...
Watching "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in small pieces. Likin' it.

Reading "Sacred Chaos"...have lots to say about this book...

for another time, though.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Another FRESH one...

Here's the second mini-quilt using leftovers

from my quiltalong quilt fabric.

It's 24 1/2 inches square.

I am lovin' it.

Not sure how I'll quilt it...
guess that will be a surprise to all of us!

Just For Something to Do...

I'm working on another mini-quilt...with still more of the leftover fabrics from my quiltalong quilt. It's different than the first one...& I see that it's put together wrong. ha! That's okay.

So far, it measures about 17+ inches. I think I'll add a small bit of white around what's there and then a tiny border. Time will tell. I'm done for tonight.

Have a good evening.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jog...

I'm home! After 4 days of travel/fun to see my sister, Jill (in Wausau), and me Mum and BFF's Janer and Cindy (in Eau Claire), I am back home!!! Much as I love seeing my family/friends, it is good to be home!

I have much to share...a ton of photos, exciting things...will probably do this in a few different posts...don't want you to get all tired out!

I consider this to be the most important thing that occurred while I was on vacation...I've been thinking of donating baby quilts and/or coverlets to the neo-natal unit in a hospital close by, but wanted to do it on my own...not through a guild. I have procrastinated and not talked with anyone. Then, one day, me Mum was talking about the stocking caps she knits for the newborns at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire (I was born there) and I asked her to talk with her volunteer leader about what I wanted to do. She did and set up a meeting for us. On Friday, I met with Jaci, who was immensely pleased to meet me and to hear what I had to offer. I took my mini-quilt to show as an example of my work...and Jaci kept it! ~grin~ So, that's cool, hey?

What happened next, though, took my breath away...she asked me if I would be willing to sew kimono/bonnet sets for the stillborns. I tried really hard to not burst into tears, and said, "yes, I would love to." How sad. But. How gratifying. I'm not sure if the kimono/bonnet sets will be used as burial gowns, or just to put on the babies so their families are able to hold them and say their goodbyes. Jaci will find out what exactly is needed, the sizing, etc. and will send me a packet. I am so excited to be able to use my skills in this way, I just cannot even begin to explain. Apparently, this is a much-needed service that no one is providing...I will be honored. Once again, I am reminded of how God leads us in the direction He has planned for us.

I got to spend a few hours with some fantastic dogs...Collies! Allegra's breeder has been a very good friend of mine since Allegra came to live with me...but I don't see Cindy often. While in Eau Claire, I took time to visit her. Janer went with...and I think she might have been a bit overwhelmed with all the dogs...but, we had a GREAT time! 2 puppies, several adults. I didn't get photos of all the adult girls, but here are some of the photos that I did get during our time there...

Janer and I visited The Calico Shoppe...you guessed it, a quilt shop. ohman...so glad I had just a limited amount of money to spend. I saw so many fabrics I've not seen before! Picked up a few patterns for future gift-giving ideas and this charm pack...

Okay, this is taking a long time. Will continue later...and just wait til you see what I got in the mail!!! woohoo!!!!