QUILTING UNDER THE SUN

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Good friends

I don't know why I am naming this post this, but it was the first thing that came to my mind. I've been carrying some family stuff around for a while, and it has really been weighing on my heart and head. I decided it wasn't good for me to continue along that path ... when you keep a secret from someone, especially someone close that loves you, it creates in your mind shame ... there must be shame attached to whatever is going on, because why not share the burden? Part of what friends are for is to help us through troubled times ... I know I want my friends to always feel like I am there to listen to them. We had a pow wow yesterday and I just feel so much better today ... my circumstances haven't changed, but I am no longer carrying this burden around. I really feel like a small weight was lifted from my shoulders. My friends just lifted my spirits and are helping me shoulder the changes that are going on around me.

I'm going to a b'day party this weekend. My uncle has a son who is about 12 ... Jonathan is the light of his life, and he also happens to have Downs syndrome. JJ (as they call him) ... has everything! His mom comes from a large family and everyone loves JJ so much that he is showered with goodies. He usually gets so much at his b'day that they put part of it away for Christmas! I usually buy him a book, or something like that, but I decided to make him some pillowcases! After making my daugther's for college, I was reminded how stinking easy they are and oh so cute!!! I'm not exactly sure what he's "into", and I was going to call my aunt, but decided to just wing it! I'll make them later today and post a picture tomorrow!

Haven't made any progress on my broken dish block quilt ... yesterday morning when I was up at 2:45 and couldn't go back to sleep, I went through a bunch of my old quilt magazines and pulled out some pictures of quilts I'd love to make. Now I just want to piece, piece, piece!!

This is a super easy pattern called Soft & Simple from the summer 2011 issues of Quilts and More. What a great donation quilt (or baby/kid quilt) and a great way to use up all the extra fabric I have.

This is a super cute baby bib that was made out of charm pack squares; I thought it would make a great shower gift ... easy to do and you could make several. Designed by Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms and came from the Quilts and More summer 2011 magazine.

This cute quilt is Tonee White's All for Fall and was published in the October 2011 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.

It's hard for you to really see the design in this quilt, but it really intrigues me! It is called Wild Wild Web by Amy Butler and the blocks are 22" x 24" spider web blocks that are paper pieced ... I love paperpiecing ... I can see this quilt in halloween fabrics ... wahoo ... did someone say HALLOWEEN my favorite holiday!!

Presenting Fresh New Attitude designed by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins of Piece O' Cake Designs; it was published in the August 2011 issue of APQ. I don't do much applique anymore because I really love piecing better, but I think this quilt is so sweet.

This quilt looks rather complicated, but when you look at the way the block is constructed, it is so interesting. There is some strip piecing involved, so that helps ... it's called Crack the Code by Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios and it was in the latest APQ October 2012 magazine.

So there are 6 quilts that I would love to make ... and you know what??? I am going to put them all on a list and make a commitment to myself to make them all. The first one I'm going to start with is the easiest, Soft and Simple ... I'm going to make it with loads of fabric that I have ... I'll keep you posted on my progress ... I'll give myself the date of September 30 to have it finished! Think I can do it? Of course I can!

P.S. Don't forget to check out this post and follow APQ's pillowcase blog challenge Pillowcase Challenge

Monday, September 3, 2012

Pillowcase challenge

Me again .. don't pass out when you see two posts from me in one day! I was just on Laurie's Simpson's blog (http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/) and found out that APQ is doing a pillowcase challenge for the month of September. Please join me in following along:

This is also to remind you that there is a pretty neat blog hop starting tomorrow. The 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge!

Sigh ...

Hi friends ... trying to keep myself busy this week ... I just feel exhausted all the time! Haven't been sleeping very well ... it may be because it has been hot as can be here lately! We had a bad spell of a couple of weeks, then some nice normal weather for a few days, and now we are back in the middle of a week of 90 plus humidity ... have I mentioned before that we don't get humidity here? Have I mentioned before that this is normally the perfect climate here ... am I whining? Yes I am! I know I am and to all you that don't live here I do apologize for whining, because I know it's a lot worse other places. Okay, enough of my whining about weather ... there seems to be the summer cold thing traveling around ... my hubby brought it home last week, and he has been coughing and blowing his nose. Now I'm fighting it and that could have something to do with me feeling tired as well.

But it doesn't matter how you feel, the sewing must go on, right?! I've been putting together a halloween broken dish block quilt ... I got the inside put together:

I like it ... I made it really scrappy with whatever I had. I tried to do a little color arranging, but I had the most difficult time chaining the blocks together, so everything got messed up! Every time I tried to chain the entire blocks together in rows, the whole mess came out a tangle ... eventually I just gave up and wherever it fell, it fell! As you can see when you don't use the same colors in a block, you kind of lose the "broken dish" look. But I still like it ... I don't have as much halloween fabric as I thought ... oh, I might need to buy more!! I thought I had quite a bit, but when I started cutting for these blocks, I realized most of what I have is fat quarters. I had a hard time picking fabric to be the "solid", as I had so much pattern in the rest of the quilt. So I chose a brown, and found several different fabrics that were in that range. I think it works ... now I just really need some punch of color in the border. Instead of doing a solid border, I think I'm going to use a bunch of different strips and make it very colorful. Not sure what my outside border will be ... I don't have a huge amount of anything, and I am determined not to buy any fabric for this quilt. I had an idea that a flying geese block in the inner border would be really spectacular, but I decided to scrap that idea because it was too much work. I'll let you know how I do!

Here's another quilt I did last week ... this one is one of my friend's from work ... I know she usually likes a really small pattern close together, but I didn't want to do too much close stitching over this beautiful embroidery:

Cute, huh? It's a block of the month from last year I believe ... very fun to do. I used YLI in the top and Glide in the bobbin. I really like the way the YLI looks on the quilt and I love the stitches it makes, but it really sheds ... a lot. It sheds more than any other cotton thread I've used ... I put it aside for a while and didn't use it, but I thought this was the best color, and it's a good thread. I just make sure I wipe off the area above the needle when the fuzz starts collecting too much ... that way it doesn't wind up falling onto the quilt.

See what I mean about not wanting to put too much stitching over these cute little snow people, houses and trees?

In the midst of last week's quilting, I had to go to the dermatologist for a checkup ... I had a basal cell removed about three months ago ... the scar is healing really well, and you can't even see it. I was expecting to get in and out of there pretty quick ... hurray ...

Look what he did to me? Sheesh ... didn't like the way these two little bits looked on my face so he biopsied two more places. Sure hope they are nothing ... that Mose surgery they did was really nifty, but expensive! I'd prefer not to have any more surgeries, please! I must mention this to my dermatologist ....

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Peace and quiet

... this is what I am sitting with right now ... I feel like I have gotten so much done already in the last week, and as it is always my way to question ... wondering why?? Life is settling back down .. my hubby is back to work as he works for the school district, and school is back in session (as many of my friends are doing that end of summer dance that only moms do!) ... my son is busy working part-time, and continuing to work on full-time employment ... my daughter is adjusting to school and having a great time, a little homesick, but settling into her second week of college.

I'm adjusting too ... last week's craziness with getting ready for the Sew for the Cure sale at work ... it's done and it was a huge success (more on that later), but this week I just feel like I can breathe again! For right now life is calm and I am thankful for that ... because tomorrow that could all change, right? Ha, ha!! I am a little behind on my "quilt schedule," but I'm not letting it bother me ... I don't know why, but I know that it all will get done, no matter ... in addition to the two Sew for the Cure quilts I quilted last week, I also quilted this beauty ...

Recognize this block?

How about now? Yep, it's a string quilt! Isn't it beautiful ... Kim made this quilt using a navy blue as her "string" and it is stunning! It was really fun to quilt ... she wanted a tight stipple on it, and I think it was all that was needed!

I used a navy Permacore 40 wt. thread with Glide in the bobbin ... I love the combo of cotton or poly/cotton on top with Glide in the bobbin. That Glide thread goes forever in the bobbin, and it makes such a nice stitch!

I also finally quilted my Mystery Quilt which is on the new schedule at the Country Loft ... it is now called Scrambled Sampler

This is the only picture that is on the store's website, and I forgot to take a picture when it was done. I am still finishing the binding, so when I bring it home to finish, I'll take a better picture.

Yesterday I did this sweet quilt for my friend's daughter ... it's her first quilt ...

Isn't this quilt wonderful? It's a block of the month and her stitchery is really amazing! She wanted me to stipple over the embroidery ... I like that look because if you quilt around the stitchery, it puffs up in the center.

I was a little nervous about stitching over stitching ... if the embroidery is too loose, the foot of the machine will catch on the stitching, and that is just awful, but I didn't have that problem at all.

I used YLI on top and Glide in the bobbin ... free motion stipple. I think she's going to love it ... she did such a wonderful job!

After I finished with that quilt yesterday, I even had time to do a little stitching of my own ... I've been working on the Heart to Hand block of the month ...

Isn't it cute??? All ready to stitch down! I'm a little behind ... this is block 5 (May) ...

Here's what the first six blocks look like according to the pattern .. I just finished block 4, and have 6 all ready to put down on the block, but I wanted to get 5 done first so I could sew it to 4 ... see how the tree on 4 is sewn down onto 5? I should have sewn both block #4 and #5 together and done the stitchery all at one time, but I didn't think of that!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Sew for the Cure

Hi and happy Thursday ... I'm getting so excited and I'll tell you why! This weekend on Saturday, from 10 to 5 our store is having it's annual Sew for the Cure sale and classroom show! We have a group of ladies that work very hard all year long to organize this wonderful event. People donate quilts, dolls, stitcheries, etc. and the proceeds from the sale go to support the Susan Komen Foundation. Last year it was a little different, as the proceeds from the sale instead went to help our friend who has worked at the store for many years ... her daughter, Megan, was going through treatments to battle a rare form of cancer and the proceeds helped with some of their medical bills.

In the backyard is a chance for everyone to see all the beautiful things our customers and friends have made during the year ... it is such fun and if you go back and look on my blog from last year, you can see those pictures from last year's show. http://quiltingunderthesun.blogspot.com/2011/08/grateful-heart.html Try that link ...

Here's a peek at a couple of quilts I have done this week for the sale ... the Wednesday ladies at work put the quilts together and I was happy to contribute the longarm quilting. Let me just say that this group of women is amazing and year after year they continue to dedicate so much time and energy to making this event what it has grown into ... last year we all raised over $11,000 ... what a blessing! Quilters are such wonderful people and this day at the store is always so exciting to be a part of!

That one was a lot of fun to quilt ... it is the largest quilt in the show I believe and I was honored to be able to quilt it for my friends.

I know these are all the same cute little girls, but I thought it was a fun twist on them because the applique is really lovely! I like how they are twisted different directions, like they are talking to each other ... it is such sweet fabric!

So that is just a small sampling of what is in store for you on Saturday ... come join us ..

The Country Loft, 4685 Date Avenue, La Mesa, California, (619) 466-5411, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. I will warn you that if you are interested in purchasing goodies in the frontyard to support "the cure," the people start lining up early, so get there early to save your spot! If you've found our sale by reading my blog, I would love to meet you and say "hi." Please find me during the day ... I'll be at the tables inside signing everyone up for the new fall and winter classes. Oh I forgot to mention, as if all of this above wasn't enough reason to come by, our new class schedule is coming out so come see the samples of all the great classes. We will also be decorated for fall and it is so cute (and scary!) at the store right now ... pop on over to our store's blog and see the fun pictures! thecountryloft.blogspot.com

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

College bound!!

Took our sweet daughter to college on Friday ... finally the day came ... I was just dreading it on Thursday, wishing it was over with! The last time I took a kid to college was four years ago and it was to Hawaii -- by myself, no hubby -- and it was just awful leaving him there, watching his face as I left and missing him all the long flight home to San Diego. I knew this would be a little easier because she is only 1 1/2 hours away ... but still, she's my baby and my daughter ... and so special because of those things.

Her friend had come over several times to help her clean up her room and pack, so I had no idea what the packing was like nor what she was taking ... here's what my house looked like that morning as it all started to come downstairs ...

Hmm ... what is she taking? When our son went to school it was a couple suitcases worth of stuff, and that was it! Trust me ... even if we had driven in a car, nothing much else would have come with him. I will give it to her that she was totally organized and had everything downstairs before I could even think about helping her. Sheesh, I was hoping it was going to all fit in the car ... I have a Honda Pilot, so there is a ton of room in there!

Just barely ... good thing no one else was coming except for the three of us. We got on the road as planned, and almost made it to the first exit before she realized we had left her comforter and pillows at home .... eeeeeerrrrkkkkkkkk .... off the freeway and back home ... so only 1/2 hour behind original schedule ... for our family, that's on time!

Got up to Irvine with plenty of time to get everything situated ... her roommate hadn't checked in yet, so after some scrambling because of confusion over tuition and how/where to pay (long story), we found a suite mate that shares the bathroom area with my daughter, and got into their room and started unpacking ...

This is daughter's back half of the suite ... her closet is what is behind her bed ... see all the stuffed animals looking down on her bed? I thought that was a perfect spot for them ... the closet is awesome! Whoever designed these rooms at Concordia University was a genius ... closet is 12' x 12' with wrap around shelving and lots of space to store things on floor under shelves ... there is also a long bar to hang the clothes on, and when you open the closet doors (both her's, and her roomate's) it creates a divider between their spaces so they have some privacy.

No her quilt is not made by me! Have you seen a teenager's room? Have you seen a college kid's dorm room after their parents leave .... no good quilt is going in a mess like that to wind up who knows where! The sweet fleece quilt hanging at the end of the bed is one my son's girlfriend made for daughter to take to school ... it goes really well with what she had picked for bedding, and girlfriend didn't even know what my daugther had chosen.

I did make the green pillowcase in the back and the cute little coral pillows in the front ... she picked out the Grass Shack pillow to remind her of home and the beach! It was so funny because all the girls beds in the dorms where done with all these cute throw pillows ... then you walked by the boys' rooms ... comforters were on their beds only because mom's had made up the beds for them ... nothing else though and certainly no decorations ... girls are funny!

This is the back half of her space ... dresser at the foot of her bed, window that looks over the parking lot with a pretty view of trees, grass, and a desk and chair. The door on the right is the access to their bathroom that they only share with two other girls. Where the trash bag is hanging there, forward of that is the sink for their room ... it's in my daughter's half of the room ...

Here you can see the roommate's closet -- it is identically opposite of the other closet.

Look at that cute little girl ... not quite ready (she thought) for college and her parents to leave her, but she's ready! See the bed pillow on her right ... she was so excited to buy that! I bet she almost never uses it ... ha ha! We never did get picture frames for the Greece prints that are hanging above her bed, but they were beautiful and reminded her of her heritage and our amazing trip over the summer!

After an exhausting day full of moving and walking back and forth across campus countless times, activities for parents, activities with students ... a closing ceremony complete with a motivational speaker who was incredible and followed by a yummy root beer float party ... a walk around campus and lots of reassurances ... we took a picture ... proud parents with a beautiful daughter ... she was scared and sad, but I know she will have a wonderful time and I am just so proud of her ... xoxoxo

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Not doing what I'm supposed to!

Ha, ha ... I think I've mentioned before that the way I get stuff done is ignoring something I'm SUPPOSED to be doing and doing something else instead! It doesn't have to be something I'd *rather* be doing, it is just called avoidance ... well, my sweet 18 year old daughter is going to college on Friday ... we are driving her a mere 1 1/2 hours north from here to Irvine, CA. Not that far, but away nonetheless ... so I have been avoiding some of the more unpleasant feelings associated with all of this by sewing!

It all started the other day when I had the second part of my three week class ... the first week of this beginning quilting class I decided I really loved the quilt I was teaching so much (I made it back in 2006), that I needed to make another one out of halloween fabric (my favorite holiday and so I have more of this kind of fabric than anything else in my stash!) ...

I have all these charm packs like a lot of people ... it was easy to just put all of them together and make half square triangles ... then they get trimmed ...

See how cute they look all trimmed ... have you tried the Precision Trimmer? That's the ruler on the left ... my FAVORITE ruler for half square triangles ... from 1 1/2 inches to 6 1/2 inches ...

Look at how pretty the scraps are!

Not enough charm packs, so luckily I had a ton of stash to go to for more fabric! The last step before they get sewn together ...

I'm going to alternate the broken dish blocks with these "solid" squares ... and wait until you see what I come up with ... I'm excited! I don't know what it's going to look like. This is my original quilt that I was working from

The quilt is the one in the background ... instead of making a broken dish block that has my background fabric in it, my blocks for the halloween quilt are going to be really scrappy. I'm interested to see how it comes out!