Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Stash Report - Week 25

And just like that another week is done!

Used this Week: 0 yard
Used year to Date: 74 1/8 yards
Added this Week:  0 yards
Added Year to Date: 32 1/3 yards
Net Used for 2015: 42 1/4 yards

Same as last week .. Nothing in or out! 

I had to laugh because I was sewing on my APQ quilt along yesterday; making some more blocks as I had stopped making blocks and started putting quilt together.  I always chain stitch ... Lay everything out in front of me and then sew away ... Look what happened:
Three out of these four blocks have duplicate fabrics in the solid squares!  I just left them that way because it's not going to matter in the long run!  I crack myself up!

Sunday, June 21, 2015

APQ Quiltalong - Update

Hi!!  I have worked on this quilt twice this week!! I love the way it is coming together!
It is taking a long time to put it together ... Part of it is the size and trying to get it laid out on the floor!  There are 22 rows, and I think I have 8 here!  The other part is that the blocks are rather small within the larger block, and so I am opening all the seams ... That takes a ton of time!  I'm trying to not hurry and enjoy the process.
It's going to look great on my bed!!  I am shooting for the end of July to have it done.  What have you been working on?

I took some hand sewing to a friend's the other day.  It is a cute little kit I bought on impulse at the Del Mar craft and quilt show a month ago.
My blanket stitch leaves a little to be desired, but I got a few ladybugs done.
They are super cute, aren't they?!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

My life

I try to not say too much about my personal life ... I do want you to know me, but this is mainly a quilting blog.  I don't like to burden you sweet folks with what happens in all areas of my life.  

My son has a 2 year old daughter from a relationship he was in; he was engaged to be married and it didn't work out.  It has been a tumultuous 3 years and in January he moved back to Michigan to be able to see her.  Without going into detail, the child's mother did not like this and has tried to prevent all contact.  Six months later, he finally got a positive ruling and has visitation of his daughter.  It is supervised visitation, and in 4 months they go back to mediation to
review.  I am hoping at that point he has regular visitation and some form of shared custody.

This has been such a hard thing in our family; we have a granddaughter that we have little contact with.  I have visited her 3 times, my husband only once.  I send her things all the time, but once my son ended the relationship, and moved back there in January, our family was cut off pretty much.  I get hardly any videos or pics from mom, and no contact anymore from the grandparents.  Of course I have hurt feelings ... But I made an important realization this last week.  All I want is a relationship with my granddaughter; the rest of the stuff is just stuff.  I will do whatever I need to do to have a relationship with Kylee; if I have to see mom, I will; if I have to see grandparents, I will.  I know we all love this little girl ... I just want her to be a part of my family.  I don't know why people do what they do ... I choose to forgive and move on.  Hopefully my actions towards mom make it easier for her to accept that Kylee has family that love her and she can see that that is a good thing.  Don't get me wrong ... I have wanted to tell her off and stand up for my son.  In the end I realized it might make me feel better, but won't really change anything.!!  It's hard to be the bigger person; it's hard to be the voice of reason in your entire family!  But I know what is most important .. It's that little girl that is 2, that needs her daddy in her life.  She doesn't care about any of this other stuff ... She needs her entire family to love and be in her life.  I had the best grandmother in the world!  That's all I want to be, and I am!  Family is more important ... Yesterday my son finally saw his daughter for the first time since October, and after six months of battling and court appearances, etc.  it's going to be a long and probably bumpy road, but I know she is worth it!

Stash Report - Week 24

Again this week ... Nothing and nothing!! Did a little more seeing on my AOQ quilt along.

Used this Week: 0 yard
Used year to Date: 74 1/8 yards
Added this Week:  0 yards
Added Year to Date: 32 1/3 yards
Net Used for 2015: 42 1/4 yards

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Stash Report - Week 23

Nothing!  It is impossible to sew and paint at the same time!!  Getting s lot of painting done, but no sewing!  I have a sample due for my June class, so I hope to get to that in the next couple days.

Used this Week: 0 yard
Used year to Date: 74 1/8 yards
Added this Week:  0 yards
Added Year to Date: 32 1/3 yards
Net Used for 2015: 42 1/4 yards

Think of all the money I'm saving not buying fabric!!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Last Quilt

I apologize for being absent so much lately ... my son and his girlfriend are visiting from Michigan, and in my free time when not running around with those lovelies, I have been trying to paint my family room/kitchen ... two coats of color on the wall - a change of color after the first coat.  I finally love it, but now I am onto the trim and have one more coat left.

It is with great sadness that I write this last post ... a dear friend, that started out as a longarm customer, passed away last week.  I had just talked to her a week ago to arrange a visit ... we were finally getting up to the northwest part of the country where she relocated last year.  I was so excited to get to see her and say hi.  She and her husband had decided to move there to be closer to their families.  I knew her lung cancer had come back, but the last she spoke of it a couple of months ago, she was going to start a new drug that was just being released off of trials.  True to her nature, she never mentioned a thing about not feeling well, or that even maybe this was the end ... but how do you say that?  I am just shocked ... and although she would not want anyone feeling sad for her, I do.  She had such a spirit and a love for life, and she just knew how to live.  She found quilting late in life, and I was her first teacher ... it was an honor to have her in my classes.  After a few, she quickly wanted to move past the beginner classes and challenge herself ... every new quilt she tried had to be something a little more difficult than the last.  Her seams weren't always perfect, and her top not always square, but she didn't obsess about it ... it was in the love of doing it, and she was going to get it done.  She never had an unfinished project!  When she lived in San Diego, her sewing machine sat in front of a huge bay window, and she just sat and sewed ... it was a lovely, airy and simple space ... fit her just perfectly!  When she moved to Oregon last year, I told her I would be happy to quilt for her still if she didn't mind mailing me her quilts ... she had said she was hoping I would as she loved everything I did.  She was so easy to please ... she always complimented my work, and while I appreciated the comments, anything I did to them would have been okay by her.  The simplest pattern she gushed over!!  She was just so appreciative!  She will be so missed ... I will remember the great fun we had together laughing and sharing stories, and her gift of friendship I am honored to hold in my heart.  It was an honor to quilt for her, but more so, to call her my friend.

This is the last quilt I finished for her ... I hope one of her friends will finish the binding so it can be counted as done like all the rest of her projects! 

There were so many patterns and fabrics in there, that I just tried to give the quilt texture ... It is free motion quilting ... My version of straight lines!
Border 
Inner border
She loved happy fabrics and this quilt just screams happy!
Stunning!
Another beautiful quilt ... I'll miss you, Judy.  

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Stash Report - Week 22

Well here it is Wednesday and I have been MIA!  Because I have been ...
No, not robbed ... Painting!
I am painting kitchen and family room in preparation for new kitchen tile and sink being put in next week.  I bought 5 colors of paint samples, put them up, picked my favorite ... Painted one coat today and it is way too bright!  Heading to paint store tomorrow am with tile in hand and hope someone can help be find a better alternative!

I did do a little sewing on my APQ quilt along this week, but it was fabric already counted in my totals.  So nothing in or out!

Used this Week: 0 yard
Used year to Date: 74 1/8 yards
Added this Week:  0 yards
Added Year to Date: 32 1/3 yards
Net Used for 2015: 42 1/4 yards