Saturday, September 30, 2006


LOOK - I'm Sewing!

I just sat down to start assembling those bazillion half square triangles I made almost two weeks ago. Not sure how long this will last but I'll enjoy it for as long as it does. LOL

Thanks for words of encouragement - it's so nice to know that I'm not alone in this funk and that others have experienced this, too.

OK, 'nuf said - back to the machine before the moment passes. :-)

Friday, September 29, 2006

Don't Ya Just Hate It?????

What? When you're in a funk and you accomplish absolutely nothing. My sewing machine has been sitting idle for almost two weeks. What's wrong? Oh, who knows! Just not in the mood to sew - well I am in the mood but just can get motivated. grrrrr I've been visiting lots and lots of Blogs and cheering everyone else on but can't seem to cheer myself on. BIG SIGH! :-)

Next week end we head to the mountains to sew for three days again. I need to make the most of it because we don't go again till sometime next year. Hopefully between now and then I'll get inspired to at least prepare a couple of projects. My cute little teaser half square triangles are sitting in the basket calling my name but...
Another BIG Sigh! :-)

OK, I'm done feeling sorry for myself - thank you for listening! This too shall pass!

Saturday, September 23, 2006




Pincushions, Quilt Tops & More

I've had a blast reading all the wonderful comments about my enormous pile of quilt tops. I'm sorry I'm just getting back here to post but it's been a strange week. Thursday I was feeling "out of sorts" - nothing felt right so it was best to just lay low. Yesterday was a full day and it just got away from me. So here I am today to say thank you - I'm hoping to respond to all your comments but please give me a little time. Some had some questions that I'd like to answer so just bear with me.

Evelyn posted pictures of her adorable pincushions and asked about ours. I've seen some great pics of some cute pincushions. Two pictures of my pincushions - the one on the left is of pincushions with a tale. I bought the red one in 1977 when I was garment sewing and doing a lot of Stretch and Sew type stuff and used it till it just wouldn't hold another pin (I keep it for posterity!), the other wrist pin cushion I bought to replace the red one but while at a retreat or in a class someone made fun of it (was I still in 8th grade home ec?) so I quit using it. The one on the extreme right is just a cute one I used for a couple of years - love the tart tin and the one in the center is my newest acquisition and the one I use every day. I bought it in the Country Threads booth at the Chicago Quilt Festival in April. I love it but it's a little "baggy"; not packed very tight! (goodness, does that make sense). And, I have a ton of different tins i.e. mini Chocolate Sampler, Altoids (every size and shape) that I keep pins in, also. The picture on the right some have seen before - it's Gladys and the Peeps (as my DH lovingly calls them). Just gifts from two friends and they just sit on a shelf in my sewing room.

Gratitudes: An afternoon nap and no demands on the day

Wednesday, September 20, 2006




Final Score - 46 to 48

I can't believe that I'm here telling the world about this!

You'll either laugh, gasp, roll your eyes or call me stupid - wait maybe all of the above! :-)

I should not be allowed to buy another piece of fabric ever. Actually, I probably shouldn't be allow to get near my sewing machine. This is ludicrous but remember I've always described myself as a PROCESSOR! I love "to do".

So what are you looking at? The picture on the left is two piles containing 46 quilt tops with their backings and the picture on the right is one very large pile of 48 quilt tops without backings. Yep, you got it, that's 94 quilt tops that need to be quilted.

If you decide to leave a comment please be kind ;-)



More Progress (another little teaser!) teehee

Last night I finished sewing the bazillion half square triangles and got all the paper torn off. I pressed a handful just to post a little teaser this morning. I really enjoy doing this - it's my evil side. LOL

I've got my handful of half square triangles on one of my favorite tools - an Olfa Rotating Mat. This mat was a Godsend last night when I was cutting my triangles apart - slash/spin/slash/spin, etc. High recommended!

I've been playing a bit too much so now it's time to get to work - it's starting to pile up so I must get busy.

Thought for today: "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity" Dorothy Parker

Gratitudes: Early morning quiet (a favorite time); a cup of fresh coffee

Tuesday, September 19, 2006



I'm Sewing! :-)

I'm a Happy Girl - I'm sewing! WooHoo! This is just a little teaser! Like so many of you I like to post little teaser pictures of my current project. :-)

You see I'm all set to work on a bazillion half square triangles (OK, only 288) but that's bunch. I've got my Triangles on a Roll squares pinned to paired lights and darks. I'm ready to start sewing.

I did get some sewing in on Sunday evening but it was a quick and easy project. While digging for a project I found four packages of 6 1/2" squares of Chealsea Lane by P & B Fabrics. I sewed them in rows of 10 squares across and 12 rows - need to find inner and outer border fabrics and it'll be done. It's a bit boring, although pretty, so I won't bother to post a picture. It's just going to be a basic throw and will look pretty on the back of a chair and such. Sometimes boring projects like that will motivate me to sew more.

Thought for today: "It's a happy talent to know how to play" Emerson

Gratitudes: A new project (well an old one I found deep in the cupboard); Triangles on a Roll; my supportive DH; and time to "play"

And, now I'm off to make tacos.

Sunday, September 17, 2006


Nada, Nil, Zilch, Zero, None, etc.

That's how much sewing I've done this week - the big goose egg. I have BIG plans everyday to get to busy but nothing happens. This is what happens to me after I finish a project - I have to start thinking about the "next" project and the prep (picking out the pattern, searching through fabric, pressing and cutting - UGH) and I shut right down. If someone would just prep all my projects and line them up for me I'd be a happy camper just sewing away. LOL So, do I have any volunteers?????? ;-)

So, what's the next best thing to no sewing??? Well, shopping of course. tee hee Yesterday my DH and I were going to go shopping for a new TV (decided we needed a larger screen) but he took me over to our largest quilt store first (what a guy!) - QuiltZ and I had a blast. I needed background type fabrics for a couple of possible projects and I found Another Can of Worms and the cute package in the foreground is a bunch of repro type hankies from Moda that I'd been searching for.

I've had a strange computer week - I've been reading my favorite blogs on a regular basis and leaving comments where I felt I wanted to but I've been remiss in responding to everyone's nice comments on my blog. I like to say thank you and chat with everyone a bit but ...
So, this should tell you that it's been a weird week for me and I don't like it. No OOMPH to do anything. BUT, I have been working on my Hexagon Flowers while I watch baseball at night so I guess it hasn't been a complete bust. BIG SIGH!

Thought for today: Sigh!

Gratitudes: Chinese for lunch yesterday (it's so yummy)
Popsicles
Fresh coffee this morning
Cooler morning (still too hot during the day)

Tuesday, September 12, 2006


3" Nine Patches

My 3" nine patch cuties have a home! I finished piecing the quilt top late this afternoon and it feels good to have another one done. Actually it feels good to have another fat quarter bundle/tower out of the cupboard and into a quilt. :-) That makes me extremely happy! LOL This is was a quick and fun pattern from Moda University.

Thanks to Evelyn I've been doing quite a bit of thinking about my pile of quilt tops that are waiting to be quilted. I've been trying to decide whether or not my quilt tops are UFO's and everyone has been kind and told me that they're my quilt tops so I can call them whatever I want. LOL I appreciate that very much. However, Evelyn left a comment regarding her definition of UFO's and the following profound statement really touched my heart. Evelyn said " You can't USE a top, even if the top is technically done. I don't want my "tops" to end up in a yard sale some day - BUT finished QUILTS are cherished for years!!!" Evelyn, you are absolutely right - you can't use a quilt top and while I don't necessarily make heirlooms I do want to leave my quilting legacy to my daughter. (although she and my DH tease me that if I go first they are going to set up on a corner and hang my quilts on a clothesline and sell them - LOL) So, I've decided that over the next couple of days I'm going to organize all my quilt tops with backings and such and prepare to quilt them. Evelyn, thank you very much!

Sunday, September 10, 2006


3" Nine Patches!?!?!?!?! And, More!

Remember my 3" nine patches? Here's one of the blocks with the cutie in the center. I finished the blocks on Friday and they sit waiting. It should be finished but I need to lay them out on the floor and I've been too lazy to do it. Yes, I need a design wall so that I don't have to crawl all over the floor! Note to self - figure out where to put a design wall.

What's a UFO???? Thanks so much for posting your opinions and definitions. This question came up because last week my DH was with me at one of our local quilt stores and the owner was telling one her employees about me and how much I sew. They asked me how many UFOs I had and I said, "none". My DH started laughing and I realized that his definition and mine were not the same. A UFO to me is a project that's been started but has been set aside. The fabric has been cut and I've started sewing. I try very hard not to do that - yes, I prefer to work on one project at a time and it makes me crazy when I hop from project to project. Now, I have a ton of PIGS (projects in grocery sacks, as Patti calls them) but I don't think of those as UFOs. Speaking of Patti - she provided "food for thought" - I have a large (read very large) pile of quilt tops and never thought of those as UFOs. Now, I have to decide whether or not those are UFOs in my mind or just quilt tops. LOL Nancy says they are just quilt tops. HMMMM - something to ponder. I'm truly a "processor" so I'm sure that I will always have a lot of quilt tops waiting to be quilted so I'm not sure I want to call them UFOs - LOL. This is definitely something to ponder! :-) Again, thank you for sharing your opinions and definitions.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRR - need to vent!!!! I realized yesterday that I'm too addicted to this computer. Way to addicted. Why? Our cable company was experiencing an outage and I couldn't do anything on the computer until last night. My world was tilted on its axis - crazy I know! LOL My DH looked at me later in the evening and said "we're back up" and I felt such a sense of relief when I was able to log on. I really need a life!

Friday, September 08, 2006

What a UFO????

As I'm sewing and enjoying my new project with the cute 3" nine patches I was thinking about UFO's.

What's your definition of a UFO????

1. A UFO is a project that's been started and is still waiting to be completed.

2. A UFO is a project that's waiting in the "wings" (drawers/closets/bins/baskets, etc) to be started.

3. Other - please explain.

I'd love to hear what you think a UFO is. Feel free to either leave a comment with your definition or post in your own blog.

I'm feeling pretty chatty today so don't be surprised if I post again today. ;-)




Thursday, September 07, 2006


Little 9 Patches

I'm heading to bed with a smile on my face and a song in my heart! A new project! WooHoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My new project has this cuties - 50 three inch nine patches. Aren't they sweet?
I've done a few blocks that these cuties fit into, so hopefully tomorrow I can show all the finished blocks.

Gratitudes: Moda fat quarter bundles
Fun quilt patterns
Green grapes

Monday, September 04, 2006



A Quilt One Day?

I can't stop making these. No, I'm definitely not complaining, as they really are as addicting as Libby told me they would. :-) I really do need to get back to my hand applique - oh those projects are piling up. Actually, I just have a handful of leaves to do on my Country Cousins BOM block #3 but I need to prep all of block #4. It's September and blocks #5 & 6 will be here very, very soon. When I started this BOM I told myself that I would try to stay "on-task" so I'd better get busy.

Thought for today: Keep the promises you make to yourself and others.

Gratitudes: A sluggish day, a lazy day, a quiet day, etc.

Saturday, September 02, 2006


My Nerve Center

Susan asked what we sew on; so here's a picture of my new "baby". My DH bought this new machine for me in April and it's a Janome Memory Craft 6600. When Janome introduced their 6500 a few years ago I really wanted one but thought it would be silly to buy a new machine. Then they introduced this one and I really was coveting it. I kept teasing my DH that I was going to buy it and he'd just say "go for it". Well, in April I attended the Chicago Quilt Festival and had an opportunity to really play with it and I came home really excited about it. A week later I was the proud owner. :-) I can't tell you how much I enjoy sewing on this machine - it's smooth and quiet - the deeper harp is really nice and roomy. Is this the only machine I own - oh no! In fact, Lisa says that I own a "fleet" of sewing machines - LOL.

Bernina 150 Quilter's Edition
Bernette 90e
Janome Jem Gold
Singer Featherweight (Centennial Edition)
Bernina Deco 650 embroidery machine

Yes, I'm spoiled rotten - right down to the core!


Thought for today: I am not the first woman who has turned to handwork for salvation. What is it about exacting needlework that stitches and sews us back together again? (MaryJane Butters)

Gratitudes: My corner of the world - it's my happy place!

Friday, September 01, 2006



Just Sewing!

Sometimes I don't want to think; I just want to sew. It's so relaxing to watch fabric moving along and the needle doing it's thing. So, I pulled this project; cut the strips and started sewing. Oh, I was having a blast - no thinking - very little planning - Oh what fun!!!! WooHoo

AAARRRGGGHHH It's a very simple strippy pattern and yet I had problems. Why? Well, I got all the strips sewn together and it was time to square it up and move on to the borders. I struggled and struggled trying to get this thing squared up. I did the best I could, added all three borders and called it DONE. I took it in the livingroom and laid it on the floor and my DH looked at it and said "what happened, I've never seen you miss" - FULLNESS, yes FULLNESS toward the bottom of the strippy part of the quilt. I know exactly what I did wrong! AAARRRGGGHHH. It's done and it'll quilt out! So, I'm only showing you the top half cuz I'm a little embarrassed. :-( So much for simple!!!!!

Thought for today: Let go and move on!

Gratitudes: An evening of sewing; more projects to sew; more fabric in the cupboards, the drawers, the closet, etc.

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