More Blocks...

Dancing with the Stars is finished.

Reruns are showing on tv.

What does that translate into for me?  

Extra time to spend at the sewing machine!

What did I do with that time?

I finished the blocks for

the 'barter with Maureen' quilt.

I have 11.

Not 12 as I should have.

11.

Not sure how I messed

up one block, but I did.

So, 11 it is.

That's actually okay.

I came up with a good plan

the other day.

It doesn't really matter

if I am one block short.

(Do you think that is like

'one brick short of a full load'?

{grin}

I surely hope not!)

Here are the 7 blocks...

 

If I did this pattern again,

there are a few things

I would do differently,

but this is fine...

especially considering the

new plan I have for them.

Doesn't hurt to take a different path,

you know.

I hope you are having a good week. 

"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

Pinwheels...Everywhere!

In my Aqua and Red Block bee,

Karen asked for pinwheels...

lots of them.

This was the specific block

she asked for.

We could either do the block

with 16 mini pinwheels,

or a combo of mini & larger pinwheels.

I opted to make one larger

pinwheel with 12 minis...

I really like how it turned out.

And, I believe that I

mentioned this before...

Maureen (coworker) and I bartered...

hours of cleaning for a quilt.

I started on the quilt today.

She is going to give it to her

15 year old granddaughter.

I think it is going to be awesome!

I love how this first block turned out...

makes me excited to do more!

Going to take a little break now...

figure skating is on.

Edited to add:  got 4 pinwheel blocks done and am calling it quits for the night.

Have a good and relaxing Sunday evening.

"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

Frolicking...

Maureen and I bartered.

She'll clean.

I'll make 2 quilts.

For her granddaughters.

I think I have the better end of this barter.

Maureen was here this morning.

She cleaned. 

I sewed on my quilt for the 

Charmed Whirlygig Quiltalong

that I am doing with Cathy.

You know, my friend from Quilting on Turtle Hill.

For the whirlygigs,

I am using 2 charm packs of Frolic 

by Sandy Gervais for Moda.

Love these fabrics!

For the background of my whirlygigs,

I am using Kona solid cotton in Eggshell.

Love me some Kona!

I messed up cutting the whirlygigs.

Can you believe it???

I couldn't!

I've messed up before.

Here. 

But, I have already made 2 whirlygig quilts

(see them here and here)

so I was surprised that I messed up!

It's not like I didn't refresh my memory

on how to make the whirlygigs.

I looked at the instructions

and carefully cut them.

The wrong way.

{sigh}

So.

Instead of 8" blocks,

mine are 6.5 inches.

Not the end of the world, I know.

Still.

Not only are the blocks smaller,

but the whirlygigs don't have

as much of an angle to them.

I am okay with them.
The Kona Eggshell is perfect for these fabrics.

I love my Kona Cotton Color Card!

And, Tag!

What did he do?

Well, the first thing I saw was this...

 Then, I saw this...

(that's my ostrich feather featherduster)

Had to remind myself that he is, 

after all...

...wait for it...

a bird dog.

{grin}

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

Quilt for Maureen...

I never showed you this quilt...it is for Maureen, a wonderful coworker/friend.  Measures about 52" square.  It's a prepayment, of sorts.  When I move, she's going to clean the house for me.  Am thinking I need to make another quilt to give her...for all the work she's offering to do.  ha!  Anyway, she loves it.  I thought it was perfect for her.  Maureen has been one of the major influences in my walk with Christ and I appreciate her so very much.

Not the best photos of this quilt, I know.  Didn't realize that I had only taken these two.

25 Hours With My Sisters...

Wow, I finally have some time to do this while my satellite speed internet is being cooperative. Finally.

I last wrote on Thursday night, when I made a quilt block for Julie.

The next day, Friday, Julie & I went to the vet school (where I work & where she used to work) so that she could visit with some friends.

We did a few errands and then came home to get
ready for the other two sisters.
Julie wanted some photos

taken with the pups.

Here's Tag, sitting nice & straight for her

(her hand - holding a stick - is just outside the shot).

I think she's whispering sweet nothings to Allegra.

Joyce & Jill finally arrived! YAY!!!

We had pizza for supper and then sat & gabbed.

(l to r: Julie, Jill, Joyce)

Each time we have our 'sisters weekend' we exchange gifts. Jill gave sister plaques, Julie gave each of us 3 jars of jam (oh, it's sooo yummy), Joyce gave each of us a votive candle, dishrag that she made + money. I made aprons for everyone. Julie's has a wine motif, Jill's has motorcycles, and Joyce's is black/cream with a pocket that matches the fabric of theplastic bag holder I made for her last Christmas. I think they all were very happy.

(I made one for myself...pizza slices!)

Mom and Aunt Bev sent gifts, too,
but I don't have good photos of them.

Thank you very much...the gifts are great!

I wanted to give Jill her Christmas/birthday gift so

that Julie and Joyce would have a chance to see it.

(yup, she's crying.)

We got our jammies on and were all set to watch a movie (he's just not that into you). Julie grabbed my 'practice' quilt, Jill grabbed a tan quilt that I usually have on the ottoman, and I had my star quilt that Brenis made for me last year. Joyce sat there in the middle...here's how it went. (Close, anyway.)

Joyce: don't I get a blanket?
me: oh. do you want one?
Joyce: well, yeah.
me: {sigh} I suppose I can get something. (walking toward the hallway) I think I have an old...

Joyce to sisters: I suppose I'll get an old army blanket or something...that'll itch.

I came down the hall with the black and white quilt (I know, you haven't seen it, yet...be patient!) and tossed it into her lap. She looked at it and asked if I had made it. Told her I did...she noticed the patch of purple on the back (her fave color) and we told her to look at the label. She did.

It read: "To Joyce, From Jacque. Heart, 2009."

She sobbed. Not kidding! See?

And, sobbed.

For 10 minutes!

She finally calmed down and looked it over.

I think she likes it. 

And, here it is...the black and white quilt I made for her.

I bought the fabric last spring and made it
in 4 days a few weeks ago.

It's Joyce's birthday/Christmas gift.

See the text pieces? They are verses from Psalms.

Here's the back. See the purple?

She LOVES purple, so I had to put a piece in there for her.

I didn't want to have any quilting in the text blocks,

so I just quilted it in straight lines on both sides of each horizontal seam.

After all the excitement died down, we settled down to watch the movie.

The pups got comfy, too.

We stayed up late, chatting and laughing and having a good time.

The next day, Saturday, I made breakfast for everyone.

We showered, etc., and went shopping at Gordman's

(a discount department store that is Julie's all time fave store!).

Joyce and I talked about the doll quilts she wants me to make...

so we ended up at Stitcher's Crossing to look for some fabric.

Went in with Joyce saying she wanted purples and pinks.

Here's what we ended up with.

They are gonna be so dang cute! {grin})

Julie bought some fabric for a quilted kitty blanket. More on that later.

We ate lunch here...

(left to right: Joyce, Julie, Me, Jill)

Salute! To the 4 J's!

Of course, time for them to leave came all too soon.

I love them & miss them very much.