Looking Back ... Looking Forward

This has been a tough, tough year for our family..... talk about Life Interrupted ... this is not the place for details, but suffice it to say I'm so happy the year is coming to an end.  No one has passed...but it has been one-heck-of-a-year!

A few things kept me going this year; my faith, my friends and my sewing room.

New, Improved Community Sewing Room

I have managed to complete a few projects, despite all the chaos:

I'm looking forward to 2019.  Not necessarily because all my stresses and worries will vanish, but because it feels like a fresh start.  I'm looking forward to a fresh start.

Life Interrupted...Quilting Interrupted

It is hard to believe three months has flown by since my last entry here... life certainly got in the way, big time. I will not bore you with details, but suffice it to say lots-o-work travel and lots-o-family stuff.

And, here we are coming up on the end of another year!  Even my 12-year-old grandson said he thought this year flew by fast. ( I didn't have the heart to tell him the older he gets, the faster the years will fly.)


I have two more weeks of work-busy and then a week off.  I'm hoping to Get back on Track with Quilting.

When The Going Gets Tough

Sometimes life hits us hard...lately it seems many of my friends and family are going through tough times...when the going gets tough, those of us who can, get sewing.

One of my brothers-in-law is going through chemo therapy right now so I decided to make him a lap quilt.

This is a very simple pattern: Half Square Triangles (HST) using 10" blocks.  I originally used this method with another quilt from Missouri Star Quilt Company.   Still using HST but an entirely different pattern. (See it Here)

This is a very versatile, simple way to make a very fast-but-interesting quilt.

My LAQ used a pattern that complimented the geometric shapes in the quilt.

I decided to do the binding by machine.  The method I like is this "little flange" method.

I started using this method on place mats, wall hangings, baby quilts and anything that wasn't a bed quilt.  But, I find myself using it more and more. (I don't enjoy handwork so much.)

Click HERE for the tutorial.

 And finally, to make it cozy I used minky on the back.

I cannot DO anything about the suffering around me (sometimes I wish I had a magic wand) but I can make a warm, cozy quilt to let someone know I'm thinking of them. And I can, of course, pray.

James 1:12  (NIV)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Wrapping Up Summer

A Few Signs that Summer is pretty much OVER! 

Dog Days of Summer - hot, Hot, HOT outside!

Oldest G-son's Birthday.
My first grand-love.

Football practice before the Season starts.
Youngest Babe all suited up.
He still looks a bit like bobble head.

There are a few times during the year that I like to re-group.  

End of summer - just before school starts is one of those times.

Yesterday I finished another UFO (#5 on the UFO list).

Laura Heine's Puurfect Cat Collage

This is for the up-coming charity auction for Cat Adoption Team, Whisker Wonderland.

 AND

I cleaned and organized my sewing space ....

I'm ready for Fall and new sewing adventures!

Circling Back

Been a busy summer...vacationing with The Babes in the Portland area; with work (of course) and even a bit of quilting done along the way (still working on UFOs)  the summer seems to be flying by.

Biking Portland's Waterfront

Ever have one of those quilts that NEVER seem to be finished?!  While I was away in Portland I received several texts from my LAQ...different "issues" with my most recent quilt.  (See Previous Post.) Seems I was in too much of a hurry to get 'er done.

Issue number one: BACKING NOT BIG ENOUGH!  What??!!???  I measured, I cut, I pieced....still, I missed?

Issue number two: some of my seams on the borders were "skimpy."  Trying to get those borders on a bit too quickly, 'eh?

Issue number three (the one that broke the camels back):  my outer border was wavy.  WHA!?  It was more than a body could handle! 

 After an appropriate time out, I had to decide what to do.  I was discouraged AND I was ready for this quilt to be done!  I was too far into it to say "forget it"  and besides, it is a gift for my sister's birthday...which was two weeks ago.  So I decided on a nice long date with Jack....cheesy movie on Netflix, a glass of wine and Jack. My personal version of  "A loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou."



First:  take all the borders off.
Second:  remove the last row of four blocks from the length (it was too long anyway), make an additional block and add another row to the width.  Now instead of a 4-blocks by 6-blocks quilt, it is a 5-blocks by 5-blocks quilt.

New Quilt Size

New, Additional block

Finally:  Reattach the borders.

I decided to use a different method suggested to me by my quilting-neighbor, Wanda.
Her suggestion: instead of adding the borders (3) one border at a time, sew all the borders together and THEN add to the quilt, mitering the corners.  Sounds hard with that scary word "miter" but Wanda assured me it wasn't bad, she does all her quilts that way and she's been quilting A LONG TIME.

Borders

My very first mitered corner!

I love the look,  but it was harder than I thought it would be. 
It doesn't help that the finished top is 107" by 107".   SO much fabric!  

I believe this is the largest quilt I've ever made.

(My LAQ asked if it was "big enough" for the sister's bed....I should hope to shout!)

And, FINALLY, it is finished!  AGAIN!

Picture taken before the corners were mitered.

Of course, it still needs quilting and binding, but all-in-all, I'm happy with it.

Once Upon A Time....

...in a city far, far away (Portland, Oregon) a sad woman (a non-quilting, sad woman) at the encouragement of her quilting Auntie joined a Block-of-the-Month group at a local quilt shop (Cool Cottons). After a bad break up with a boyfriend, she needed something.

The first BOM lead to another and the adventure began.  But now she had a stack of blocks and too many other ideas she was anxious to try -- the blocks were set aside.  (Her very first UFO.)

Then, a few years later at the siren call of "The Babes" (grandsons) there was a big move to another state. While many household items were left behind, not much left behind was from the sewing/quilting room. (And by now there were more UFOs.)



Fast forward 5 more years: American Patchwork & Quilting issued a challenge for 2018....complete 12 UFO projects this year.  The now-happy woman signed up. (Read January 8, 2018 and February 10, 2018.)

 

Each month a number is published on their Facebook  page. That number corresponds to the number on your UFO list. That is your assignment that month.  May was #6.

Here it is July, but FINALLY, my #6 is ready for the quilter.

The layout is not any particular pattern.  My quilting friend, the "other Charlotte", has a computer program that will figure out layout and fabric requirements.
Quilt Pro.

How cool is that!





Recognize the triangle setting blocks and the outer border fabric?  I've used this fabric in other projects, one being my Nephew's Tee-Shirt Quilt.

You just can't beat a good blender! I did have to search the internet to find more of this fabric.  The original yardage was purchased in Portland at  Fabric Depot a year ago.  

That is why it is always a good idea to keep the a piece of the salvage with fabric information.

The result is both BOM blocks combined

 
This will be for my sister; for her birthday later this month.  She mentioned a few years ago she wished she had a quilt big enough for her bed....this should do the job nicely; 80" X 124.

I realize it is pretty long.  I didn't pay attention to the layout...oh well, it is long enough to go up over the pillows when (if ?) she makes her bed.

Because I didn't pay attention, I ended up with two blocks left over.

Quilters do not make mistakes, they make variations...and pillows.

Happy Birthday, Peanut.

Thelma and Louise

Two weeks ago I traveled to Portland, Oregon for work and play. I am originally from The Rose City so not only do I have a lot of friends in Portland, but my daughter still lives there, as well. I fell like I am "home."

Portland in the Spring, west side of the Willamette River, looking east.

I spent time with my daughter celebrating our birthdays; time with the C.O.W.s (Company of Women, my Portland Bible Study group) AND I bought a car!!!

My colleague recently moved right downtown. In Portland, where you don't actually need a car. 
You can  pretty much get anywhere on a bus, a train, zip car, a pedal bike, the street car or by walking, not to mention Uber.

So, I bought his car.  Mind you, I did not actually NEED a new car, but isn't she pretty?

Now I needed to get her back to So. Cal.  My friend and quilting buddy, Charlotte-the-Tall,
flew up to Portland to drive back with me.



Just call all us Thelma and Louise!

We did not zoom out of town, however, before visiting Cool Cottons
to kick off our very own shop hop.

Cool Cottons is a small shop in SE Portland.The proprietor has a wonderful collection of fabrics!  I bought a blouse pattern (and fabric.$$)  When you are in Portland, this shop is a MUST.  Tell Marie "The Charlotte's sent me."


Next Stop, Spokane, WA to see the quilting Auntie...only 350 miles in the wrong direction, a slight detour. We helped Auntie clean up her sewing room (setting aside a generous pile of quilting junk stuff to haul back to Calif.)  Even though the visit was short, we had time to visit one of my favorite quilt shops in the Spokane area, The Bear Paw Quilting in Coeur d'alene, Idaho.

Yes, we did pick up a few items at The Bear Paw. $

All too soon it was time to say goodbye and head for Bend, Oregon and The Stitchin Post in Sisters ... 368 miles.

We picked up a few BUGS along the way!!!

All over my new car!  EEEeeekkkkkk!

OK, we did spend a few coin at The Stitchin Post. $$$$$
A "fat quarter bundle" for The Gypsy Wife.  It was the first time I've ever purchased an entire FQ bundle but I wanted The Gypsy Wife blocks to coordinate.  (More about this project in a future post.)



Bend, Oregon is so beautiful and we are not just talking about the quilt shops.

Melotius River

There absolutely IS more to life than quilting.

I could SO live here!

 The Three Sisters

Heading out of Bend with Sacramento, CA in mind, we stopped at two quilt shops in Klamath Falls, experiencing wind, rain, dust and more bugs along the way!

The credit card did not get any activity in Klamath Falls.$$

Spending the night in Sacramento, we were pretty much ready to be home, but we had 423 miles between us and our own little beds.  Off we went....

And, you guessed it, we did stop at one last quilt shop.  This one in Bakersfield, CA.  Thimble Town.  This shop is in a very out-of-the-way location but worth the scavenger hunt.  We did whip out the 'ol credit card for a few purchases. $$

All-in-all we made pretty good time UNTIL...dun dun dunnn...we hit Santa Clarita and the infamous Los Angeles rush-hour traffic.  It was U-G-L-Y to be sure.

Two-and-a-half hours later we pulled into Charlotte's driveway in Huntington Beach.  Thankfully the hubs had a dinner reservation for us at their favorite Italian restaurant...WITH wine.  So, the day ended on a good note.

1,718 miles, 4 hotel rooms, a visit with the Auntie & Unkie in Spokane; 8 fabric stores along the way; 7 episodes of Car Talk; picked up a bushel of smashed bugs on the front of my new car; too many restaurant meals (not enough veggies)....but, what an adventure.  I can honestly say my wander lust has been satisfied for a while.

$$$$$ Oh, and the damage to the pocket book?
$212 for me, double that for the other Charlotte. $$$$$

Happy Surprises Come in Small Packages

My children grew up in the age where everyone received a trophy just for participating....so no one would feel bad, dontcha know....(When I moved from Portland to "the land of endless sun" I gave a gob of trophies to Goodwill.  I sure hope there are more kids out there with names of Ana and Matt.)

I always thought receiving a trophy for showing up was pretty silly because when we grow up and become adults we do not get trophies for showing up.  We get FIRED if we don't.  That is the real world.

Having said my piece, last night at our monthly Guild meeting I RECEIVED A RIBBON!

This pattern is from Fandom In Stitches, enlarged 200%

I'll admit, it was "honorable mention"  (the ribbon for showing up...)  But, it was too fun!!!

This was a challenge quilt for the Flying Geese Quilters Guild.  We were given (for $15) a packet of three pieces of green fabric.  The theme was "It Ain't Easy Being Green."

There is some amazing talent in this group.  Here are but a few of the entries:

I think Gordo was my favorite.

There is a reason we let professionals color our hair.

Just plain nice.



















This is the first challenge quilt I've done...not sure if I'll do another.  It is hard thinking up ideas, and the competition in this group is big.   But, it was a fun experience.

Hopped Out - Shop Hopping - Day 4

Last Day on the road, headed back to the O.C.  Hopping makes a person tired!  But, it has been fun.

Yesterday on my drive from Hollister back to the O.C., I visited three stores...

Quilts and Things in Morgan Hill  

Small shop with a bit of EVERYTHING.  Chatting with the shop person, it is the only shop in Morgan Hill.  Local quilters appreciate that, I'm sure. (Bought some pins.)

 

A few miles down the road is The Nimble Thimble in Old Town Gilroy.  
(I actually did buy a cut of fabric here...1 yard .)








Located in Old Town, downtown with your typical old town, small town look and feel.  A very nice shop with lots of modern fabrics.  AND, Gilroy is the garlic capital of the World, with a Garlic Festival and everything!  Bet you did not know that.

 They are currently featuring classes for Jen Kingswell patterns.


 












And finally, Family Threads in San Juan Batista.  (And, honestly, I was hopped out by this time and the only reason I stopped was because it was right next door to an eating establishment, where I had some "pretty good" BBQ ribs and mac-n-cheese.")







 This was a very nice, bright, shop with lots of modern fabrics, patterns and notions, and, of course, very nice sales people.

AND, a collection of Featherweights!

I did buy a pattern at this shop...it uses scraps!








 


All-in-all, I visited a lot of shops.
Met some really nice people (and a couple of new BFF's.)
And, got lots of inspiration.... all without breaking the budget
(Dave Ramsey will be happy to know that.)