Out with the Old....In with the New

I am ready to let 2019 go.

Truth be known, the last two years have been pretty crazy.













But, 2019 did end on a high note.  Nothing like a new, little one to  remind you of what is important.

Little Miss

She did spend a week in the NICU (with g-ma pulling the night shifts) but she is home now and life will never be the same.

Now I am ready for the new year.

More Than A Long Weekend

Thankful Wreath
eQuilter.com*

The "official" start of the Holiday season.

Some approach this season with so much excitement they can hardly stand it.... they probably already have their Christmas decorates out and hung up.  I have a number of friends in this category. Y'all know who you are.










For others (read"Charlotte") this season will be fun, filled with special occasions and yummy food, but tinged with some sadness.

Me, Dad, B-I-L & Baby Sis

*My mom passed very suddenly three years ago the day after Thanksgiving.

*This year marks the first Holiday Season without my quilting Auntie....
my mom's only sibling.

*The last two years have ushered in some big changes in my own life....
some good .... some not so much.

While I could sit home and cry in my beer (which, truth be told, I'm inclined to do)
I will reflect on all the things I have to be Thankful for:





*My health
*I am well provided for
*My family (son, daughter, D-I-L, g-sons, new baby g-daughter (still in the oven))
*My dad's continued good health (and my baby sister who watches after him)
*My many friends...especially quilting friends

And most of all, I am Thankful for a God who reached down and pulled me out of the pit and by His grace set my feet on
higher ground.  What is the Gospel...Click Here 

I am truly Grateful, Thankful and Blessed.   May you be, also.
Wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving.

*Thankful Wreath by eQuilter.com

Flat Stanley's Girlfriend

Making progress with the Christmas projects.

The Elephants are ready for pickup from the LAQ*.  So today I will pick one up and drop one off  ... the Princess.

I have mixed emotions about this one.  I did not assemble it as the directions were written so the result is not as cute...in my opinion.  But, The little princess for whom it is intended will like it... I hope.

The face was changed to protect the innocent.

A
"REAL"
Princess













An age-old story.  The book will go with the quilt.  There will be a few embellishments.  I'm still going to embroider a little pea somewhere and add buttons for a necklace.  And she needs a FACE! 

Santa Says "30 more sleeps...."

*Long Arm Quilter

Christmas Countdown - Pickin 'em Off, One-By-One

A Look Back....My Christmas Projects.

Now we can add one more to the finished list (almost, I count them finished when the top is done and it is ready for the LAQ*.)  I'm calling the LAQ today.

Mommy and Me

Tonight is "Needlers" night. A group of us from the community where I live get together each Tuesday night in the Mezzanine Room and sew.  Each person brings their own project and we sit and gossip and tell stories and laugh and sew.

Tonight I will work on The Princess....

 

I've been avoiding The Princess because the easy, fun part is done.  Now I'm going to need to THINK to finish this....

tonight is the night!

*Long Arm Quilter

Christmas Countdown - Hit or Miss

A Look Back....My Christmas Projects.

You have your hits and you have your misses.  You can chalk this one up as a miss.
It's done but the finished product doesn't look exactly like I saw it in my head.

Originally it was intended for the church-ladies brunch, but it is just too ugly.  Instead it will find a new home with my son's family.  They think A Christmas Story is the funniest movie ever.  It will  at least give someone a good laugh, and for the right reasons.

And, it did not end up in the UFO pile.

Glorious Hexies, The Perfect Traveling Companion

After a summer of working from my home office, this Fall has been travel, travel, travel.  What's a girl to do?

 

About three years ago my quilting friend, Charlotte-the-Tall, and I embarked on a project that we thought would be oh so fun!  And, honestly, it is fun.  But, it is not a FAST project.  We got off to a good start:  July 18, 2016.
After that, it has been spotty at best: May 20, 2017.

When I'm traveling for work I've been known to drag along Miss Ellie (my 1951 Singer Featherweight) or my Ukulele to give me something to do in the evenings in the hotel and keep me out of trouble.  But for the past few months I've been focusing on Hexies.  They are the perfect traveling companion.  They take up very little room, I don't have to feed them and they don't talk back.

At 30,000 feet

All laid out on the tray, including some
Snappy Tom sans alcohol.

Carter Conlon on the iPad
(he's a preacher at Times Square Church)

Done

Working on Hexies is a good conversation starter, also.  "What are you making...?"
Who knows, perhaps I've help bring another quilter into the fold.

Packing my bags:

I could carry this on, but I generally put it in checked baggage.
The rotary cutter needs to be in checked baggage either way.
Cheap packing cube from the Dollar Store

Cutting and Hexie preparation

What I carry on
Bag by RuMe

Everything I need fits perfectly.

Making Progress

I am currently in Edmonton, Alberta and working on Hexies in the Hotel in the evenings (it is 9 degrees farenheit outside.)  I'm preparing to return home today but have a quick, 3-day turnaround back to Canada.



I'm ready to fly away again.



Making your own:

Visit Paperpieces.com.  Paper Pieces Search New Hexagon.  You can purchase everything you need in one neat package.  AND, it's on sale.

Santa says: "Only 82 More Sleeps"

Well, mostly... if you are of a certain age it is debatable as to whether or not you'll actually sleep... just sayin...

Every year in January, without fail, I make my "Christmas Quilt Gift List" for that year.... 358 days to plan, fabric shop, cut and piece to be all ready for Christmas Quilt Giving for that year.  And every year, about this time of year, without fail, I find myself racing the clock.  (Don't judge.)


Here is what needs to be done and in the mail or gifted in the next 82 days...or about then, anyway.

Church ladies brunch silent auction. Due October 31st  (but needs to be delivered before I leave on a business trip so make that October 13th.)

As you might guess, this is the one I am furiously
working on this very moment.

Designed in EQ8

Son's new-baby quilt. A Girl.  (YES!  I am going to be a g-ma again!  This time to a sweet girl.) Due for the shower October -- Oh wait, it has been postponed...again.  I don't actually have a shower date, but the baby is due Christmas Eve.
(OH!  They should name her Christmas Carole! I'm texting Matt right now!)
  

Mommy & Me

Niece's baby quilt.  It's a boy. Quilt is due for the shower October 13.  (But I'm not attending the shower because I'm leaving on a business trip so she will get it before the end of the year.)

As you can see, it has a way to go.

Designed in EQ8

Niece's older-daughter quilt.  Different niece, but she lives in the same city as the above niece (the babies will be cousins).  I'm planning to send them together, sometime before the end of the year.


























My Brother's and Sister-In-Law's scrappy lap quilts.  And, HALLELUJAH,  the brother's is COMPLETELY done and the S-I-L top is done.  I'm going to tie the S-I-L top on my up-coming business trip.  They may be the only two who actually receive their Christmas Gift Quilts for Christmas!

An I Spy quilt with fabrics from
many, many previous projects
for my Brother

Crazy Quilt Blocks from Scraps for my S-I-L

 
  
I think I'm going to call in to work sick for the next 80 days....

National Quilt Museum

As I do a couple times a year, over Labor Day I traveled to Paducah, Kentucky to visit my family.
Paducah is known for the BIG quilt show every April (and now they've added a show in the Fall), Hancock's of Paducah, and the National Quilt Museum.   My baby sister and I made a visit to the Museum. (I meant to post this pictures then....) 

On exhibit were some amazing collage quilts by Danny Amazonas.

My Favorite

I have completed two collage quilts to date:  Laura Heine's Cat and the Piggie Quilt in memory of my mom and my quilting Auntie, Nyla. They are not as easy as you might think.  Choice of fabrics and getting the colors and shades just right is the trick.  Danny Amazonas is a very talented artist, to be sure!  Google his name.

Laura Heine is probably the most recognized name for collage quilts.  She is a featured speaker at a lot of guild meetings across the country and she makes a presence at quilt shows. (I was introduced to her patterns at the Road to California show.) But here is another option, The Collage Quilter. I LOVE her Adoration quilt.  I also found a a collage quilt tutorial.  While not exactly the way I would do it, it was pretty good.  This has kind of given me 'the bug', again.

Spinning Out by Helen Remick of Seattle, WA - My sister's favorite display.

P.S. While we are talking about the Quilt Museum, they also sponsor a BOM* every year.  Last year's blocks were part of the exhibit. The blocks were very imaginative and very good, but not out-of-this-world.  Don't be intimidated!  At the bottom of the BOM page, click through the blocks. They do an excellent job of giving you all the tools for creating the blocks. Check it out!  YOU can do it!

*BOM:  Block of the Month

Don't Wear White Shoes After Labor Day

Labor Day is the official (unofficial?) end of summer.  School for my g-sons starts tomorrow; football season has started
(Boy has it ever....I'm the foober* driver for Wednesdays and Thursdays...) and I think we can squeeze in one more quick trip.....

Tomorrow Miss Ellie and I will board a Southwest flight for Nashville.  Off to see my baby sister and the B-I-L in their new home "in town." (My dad is now living with them instead of next door.)  She asked me to bring my sewing machine to make curtains for their new home.

"Really, sis?" 

Miss Ellie.  1953 Featherweight.

     But, this is what we do for those we love. 






      So last night I gave Miss Ellie a spa night and she is now all de-fuzed,
      oiled up and shined up... ready for her trip. (I will admit, I did have to watch a few 
      video's from The Featherweight Shop on how to un-assemble and 
      reassemble a Featherweight.)



     (I have flown with Miss Ellie in the past....no one blinks.  
     She may get swabbed for bomb dust.)







I will get my quilting fix, however.... their new house is only a few miles from Hancock's of Paducah! 

 And The National Quilt Museum.

My April 2019 Kentucky Trip.
The official sendoff...breakfast at Cracker Barrel

*foober = football Uber