Confetti Quilt

I finished this quilt several weeks ago and decided I need to show it off. It's a pattern from an old issue of AP& Q called Confetti. The pattern instructions said I should cut over 1,000 squares - NOT! LOL So, I sat and figured out how to strip piece the whole thing. I love to use fat quarter bundles; especially the ones from Moda. This is a line called Seaside Rose and because it was so light I couldn't decide what I should make with it - well I'm really happy with this quilt and probably should think about quilting it soon.

It's been a quiet week end. Spent some time working both days but for the most part I've been relaxing. I keep saying that I need to clean my playroom (sewing room) but just not motivated. LOL.

Thought for today: My heart is fed by needle and thread

Gratitudes:
Quiet days
My ability to sew and truly enjoy it
E-mails from friends (new and old)

LOOSE ENDS

I'm having one of "those" days - at loose ends. I just keep flitting from one thing to another and not able to concentrate any one thing. Ugh! I did receive my new issue of American Patchwork and Quilting so I was a happy girl - "fun mail" - LOL

I'm wanting to set up a table in my playroom just for applique prep so we went to our storage unit and got the table that will work and it's still in the car. Setting up the table means I have to clear space. Actually, I really do need to clean my playroom but can't seem to concentrate on that either. So, the day is getting away from me and I will have accomplished absolutely nothing. Double Ugh!

Now, I do have to say that I have spent alot of time on the computer today reading blogs and "meeting" lots and lots of inspiring quilters. That's been a bit of fun for the day! LOL

I've been waiting patiently for approval to join the Stashbuster Webring and then I noticed that there's a new ring being set up (problems with the other one) so I've applied again and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be approved this time! I've "met" quite a few of the people that are a part of that webring and they are delightful so it would be a ton of fun to be a part of the "inner circle". And, so patiently I will wait. :-)

Thought for today: "Patience is a virtue"

Gratitudes:
My DH who comes to my rescue when I'm having computer problems :-)
Going out to lunch
A double chocolate cake that a friend made for my birthday

Blogs, Inspiration and Thank yous!

I discovered blogs almost two months ago and have had a wonderful time reading and getting to know so many people. These same people and their blogs have provided me with lots of inspiration. Patti, Vicky and Jeanne provided a lot of encouragement for me to jump into applique and if you've been reading my blog you know that I've been having a BLAST! LOL Jeanne was kind enough to share her method of applique, Vicky gave me the final shove off the applique fence I was sitting on and Patti sent a long list of wonderful tips and hints. Ladies thank you!

When I posted last week I shared pics of three blocks and 10 people left comments - thank you, thank you!

Patti - yes, I'm very hooked on this thing called applique LOL
Jeanne - thank you for your kind words and your compliments
Doodlebug Gail - thank you for visiting and leaving such nice words
Vicky - thank you for all the adjectives :-)
Kim - yes, the method I've been using does have a lot of prep but once it's done then you just sit and sew.
Shelina - a block a day - LOL - almost! Thanks for visiting
Kimberly - thanks for your compliments
Bebbs - oh yes this is very addictive and you did warn me. :-)
Tara - thanks for your kind comments and for visiting my blog
Tracey - thank you so much and please take some time for you

Since I was here last to update this blog I've finished block# 7 and 8 so that completes the applique on my Pumpkin Hill quilt - WooHoo!!!!! Two blocks and 32 leaves - ugh! Not the greatest but "finished is better than perfect" LOL I need to practice those durn leaves! Now I have a bit of embroidery to do and then put the blocks together. This is so incredibly exciting.

My 9 year old grandson, Seth spent a few days here with us and we had a terrific time. We took him to see "Cars" - cute movie but otherwise we were just hanging out having fun!

Thought for today: Age is a state of mind! (today is my birthday)

Gratitudes:
Grandchildren (I don't have to raise them - LOL)
My hands and my eye sight (I hope I never lose their use)
Apple pie and ice cream - yum

Again, thank to all who have been so kind! Now, I'm off to dinner at Outback Steakhouse - double YUM!

PUMPKIN HILL #4, #5, & #6

I've been a busy appliquer and having so much fun! I know I keep saying that but it's so true. Never in my imagination would I have guessed that I would be enjoying this so much. I keep asking myself why I waited so long to jump into applique and have finally decided that the time was just not right. Everything in it's time!
I only have two more blocks to applique and then I have to finish the final touches on the blocks - embroidery and such. So, there's still alot of work to be done.
I've been spending so much of my free time with this applique that I'm neglecting my sewing machine and I'm starting to go through withdrawals - LOL - it's time to think about piecing a top. I keep wishing for more hours in a day or that 8th day of the week - "someday".

I will be back later to address everyone's wonderful comments - I appreciate them very much!

Pumpkin Hill - More Progress!

Block #3 is done, done, done! I went to sew with my buddies last night at one of the local quilt shops and they couldn't believe how far I've come. :-) I sat all night either finishing up this block or tracing the next three blocks. I was really excited because I got a lot of tracing done and then realized I'd made a huge boo-boo - so all my tracing was a waste of time. AARRGGHH!! Oh well, it happens. So, after I'm finished with this update I'm going to sit down with my light box, box of freezer paper and marking pen and start all over again. I'm thinking about just tracing the next block and prepping all the pieces cuz there's a baseball game on tonight and I need to be ready to sit and sew. :-)

It was so nice to see my sewing buddies last night - such a relaxing time. We're 9 women who came together completely by accident over two years ago at a time when we were all at loose ends with our lives. One of the ladies says it was a "God Thing" and I completely agree. We're a very diverse group - all ages - we're moms, grandmas, career women, retired women and quilting is our bond. We'd been sewing together once a month at one of the local quilt stores and my 50th birthday was approaching so I asked them if they'd like to go north to the mountains on a quilting retreat with me to help me celebrate my birthday. I couldn't believe it they all jumped up pulled out calendars and said "Absolutely". I believe it was that trip that helped us bond - we've been sewing together twice a month since then and we go on a retreat four times a year now. In fact, we're going again the first week end in August and I'm looking forward to it - we're going to celebrate my 52nd birthday while we're there. :-) They went in May but I couldn't join them because I was recovering from surgery and didn't feel it would be a good idea to go. I'm really looking forward to this one coming up. Lots of sewing, eating, laughing and relaxing.

Thought for today: "Well behaved women seldom make history" ;-)

SNOWMAN COUNTRY - WOOHOO!!!

I'm really, really excited the Big Brown Truck stopped by and dropped off a new applique project - SNOWMAN COUNTRY. I've been bitten so hard by this Applique Bug. This is all I want to do. I'm having a blast with Pumpkin Hill but now I want to start this one. No, I can't do it - really I just can't. Oh my goodness who's going to stop me from starting this one. Temptation!

Off to look at my new pattern! ;-)

PIECES PARTS ;-)

I've been working on Block 3 of Pumpkin Hill - the house and hill are done and now, you see I've scattered the other pieces parts all over the place. LOL The last two days have been busy ones so I'm looking forward to putting my feet up tonight and doing a bit more on this block.

I definitely suffer from OCD (most know that to mean Obsessive Compulsive Disorder my DH calls it Over the Counter Dilemma) consequently when I get into something I get into it BIG. Applique has taken over my mind - this is all I think about and all I want to do. I've got a ton of projects that I've purchased over the last couple of years and this week I ordered yet another project and signed up for another block of the month. Sick, sick, sick!

Thought for today: "I'm ordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end." Margaret Thatcher

PUMPKIN HILL - PART DEUX

Block #2 is done! Well, I still need to do some details - poor little owl still needs his eyes and feet. I'm thinking about using buttons and beads for his eyes. I'll decide that later.

On Saturday I took a P3 Applique class again - decided that I needed a refresher. Same quilt store but different teacher so the class was definitely different from the first class I took well over two years ago. I came away "refreshed" and more excited.

It's time to prep Block #3 and it would probably be a good idea to prep several more. This is a good time to do it because it's the All Star break for baseball, so no games at night till later this week.

Thought for today: Do something today to make your heart smile!

Gratitudes:
a husband that understands, supports and encourages my obsession and addiction (quilting)
caffeine free diet coke (so refreshing)
A/C (yes again - I live on the Surface of the Sun)

Thank you!

I'm still learning about blogging so I'm not sure how to respond and send individual e-mails to everyone who has taken the time to post about my quilting and applique progress.

Thank you very much for you wonderful comments and words of encouragement. I especially want to say thank you for visiting my little corner of the world - my Quilting Daze blog.

Applique Progress

Here's another section to block #1 - still need to add four stars to the blocks below the squirrels and pumpkin carriage but I need to practice prepping the stars. Points and I are not friends. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr And, of course I'll need to add the finishing touches later - buttons on the wheels and on the door of the carriage, embroidery from the carriage to the squirrels and heart leaves. That will have to wait till later so, I'm going to set this block aside temporarily and start prepping the pieces to block #2. This so exciting and I'm having an absolute blast. LOL

Thought for today: May the work of my hands be a gentle expression of the love that is in my heart!

Gratitudes: Air Conditioning - it's hot and muggy today - ick!

Sewing, Sewing, Sewing

Absolutely nothing has gotten done in this house all week end! No cooking, the dishes are piled in the kitchen sink, the whites are still in the dryer, etc. However, I have gone to bed every night with a smile in my heart. :-)

On Saturday night I pulled this project - "Black and Beyond" from "40 Fabulous Quick-Cut Quilts" and got busy. Very scrappy and lots of strip piecing but another quick and easy project. Another quilt top to add to the "need to be quilted" pile. LOL

I have had so much fun this past couple of days - lots of time spent in my sewing room/studio. Out long enough to grab a bite to eat, watch a baseball game, etc.

Thought for today: "Let freedom ring"

Gratitudes: My little spot in the world - the freedom to choose how I spend my days!

APPLIQUE!
Oh my goodness I've actually completed part of block 1 and have another section ready to sew down. Yeehaw! I am so excited! LOL Now I want to find the other projects I have and get busy. Oh, that's probably not a good idea. Better to just continue plugging along on this one. :-)

OK, Vicky are you ready???? Pull your Pumpkin Hill pattern and all your fabric out and get started. :-)

I wish I could tell the whole world how excited I am. Silly I know!

I went to sew with my buddies on Friday night and they were shocked when I pulled out my light box and Pumpkin Hill pattern and started tracing more of the blocks. I can hardly wait to see them again to show them what I've done.

Thanks for all the comments and compliments on my pattern selection.

Off to play some more!

P3 Designs - applique

P3 Designs style of applique is basically freezer paper and spray starch. Here's the link to Pearl's website www.P3Designs.com .

I'll be back later with pictures of my completed Acorns - finished them today while I watched the baseball game and now I'm going to finish prepping another section. WooHoo. I'm loving this. :-)

Be back later!

Applique and Me

I have had a love/hate relationship with applique for quite awhile. Why? I wish I knew! LOL I was extremely interested in handapplique because I love handwork.

A couple of years ago I took a P3 applique class at one of our local quilt shops and I fell in love with this method. Here was a way for me to do some handwork and hopefully enjoy it. I played with it a little but haven't really accomplished much. BIG sigh! About the only thing I've truly accomplished is purchasing lots and lots of projects. Oh, yes, there are lots! ;-) When I discovered the world of blogs I saw pictures of some incredible applique projects so I sent e-mails to Jeanne (Spiral), Vicky (LA quilter) and Patti (Passionate about quilting) and briefly chatted with all of them about their applique preferences and why. All three of three offered lots of words of encouragement and told me to just jump in and do it. So, I've been thinking about this alot and even purchased yet another project. LOL

I'm not overly fond of alot of prep in anything and the P3 method has lots of prep (starch and freezer paper) so I was still feeling shy about jumping in.

OK, enough is enough! LOL This week I decided it was time to just jump in and get started. And so I have - WooHoo!! I selected my project (Pumpkin Hill by Bunny Hill Designs), gathered my tools and prepped my first two blocks - Acorns! I've got thread to match and hopefully tonight or maybe tomorrow I'll start doing the handsewing. I am so excited!

2nd Thought for Today: Busy hands make happy hearts!!!!

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO SEW!!!

A slump or lack of inspiration??? Maybe feeling paralyzed by my so called "stash. Is it because my room is a mess and I don't like to work in clutter (yet, I'm not inspired to clean it either - LOL) Doesn't matter, I simply have not been sewing!!! I had a long talk with myself and decided that it was time to find a project that would be quick and easy and make friends with my sewing machine again - it's been missing me! LOL And, so I sewed this week - WOOHOO! The floral project - "Turning Twenty-Again" is done with 12 floral fat quarters. Quick, easy and done. And the pastel quilt is a twin size (it's folded in half) Yellow Brick Road quilt. I purchased the fat quarter bundle of those plaid pastel fat quarters over 7 years ago and have been hoarding them for "the" quilt. I found them on Wednesday and decided that they would be a great Yellow Brick Road and I love it. I even had border and backing fabric in the drawer with the bundle. Another quick and easy project - call them DONE!!!!! OK, so they're not quilted - technicality :-)

Now, it's time to search for a new project. Am I ready for something with more grit and substance (triangles, etc) or should I find another quick and easy? More questions - sigh!!!!!!

On a different note. My daughter, Kristie and I had a girl's night out on Thursday and we went to see the premiere of "The Devil Wears Prada". We laughed and laughed and had a wonderful time. On the way home we did "dashboard dining" - had Chick Fil A - yum! Thank you, Kristie!

Thought for today: "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gratitudes:
My only daughter, Kristie
Time to sew