Stashbusters is having a mini-retreat this weekend and I am off this weekend so I can participate!! Yipee!!

I was sick all last week and still have the "dreaded cough" hanging around. But I want to SEW, so I decided to work on the Christmas quilt at the 'retreat'. Below is the picture of the layout on my bed. I have the blocks sewn into rows and only two completed rows sewn together.
*NOTE TO SELF* - remember to check the bobbin thread BEFORE starting to sew on the LONGGGGGG row. (sigh) I only sewed about half a bock before running out of bobbin thread but I sewed 2.5 blocks down before realizing it. bummer.

The picture looks a little narrow, because I was standing on a chair at an odd angle when I took this picture. oh, and the rows are scrunched up on top of each other at the head of the bed. I wanted to hurry and post this information :)

Now, I need to work on dishes and then hopefully back to sewing before I have to start on dinner. Well dishes are done, quilt not done, am off to work on dinner.

Trish

I was very busy yesterday. I know, I know, I said I would get busy on my quilting...well, I did. Just not as expected! I was directed to another blog by Kathie and she was showing a pattern that she had figured out by looking at a quilt. See hers at: http://quiltsbykathie.blogspot.com/ Well.......... I figured it out (my version) by looking at HER version! And the race was on. Christmas fabric. Yes, I have tons of it. Just 'saving' it for the right occasion. Well, after many, many years of waiting I am using alot of it! Yipee!!! This was my total focus yesterday. Now, sore back and sore feet and all!! lol Here is a picture of some of the strips that I have cut and of my finished block. Like Kathie's mine finished at 18" and this will make the quilt go together rather quickly.

That was yesterday, Sunday.

Today things have been busy already. Rain, rain, go away... at least for a few more days. Alas it is not to be. More rain. Yes, I took pictures. Did you expect anything else? First thing this morning I realized that it had been raining for quite some time and I needed to empty the bucket I had out to catch the rain water. I got totally soaked because I had to go out when it was pouring rain. :(

Our dog, Freckles, woke up and had to come in. Isn't she sooooooo pathetic. This is her "please let me stay inside, I don't want to go back outside" look.

Back to working with the Christmas fabric. Lots more to cut!
Well, the bucket is full again. This is the THIRD time that I have emptied it! I need to go check the rain gauge and see how much rain we have had so far.
This is how I start to empty the bucket. Must remember... Bend from the knees, not the back. I have to scoop out a majority of the water and throw it onto the grass, then pull the bucket to the edge of the deck and pour it out. I do believe that I will be sore tomorrow. Especially if it keeps raining!

This is a view of our driveway and the road. Yes, it is a dirt/gravel road. Yep, lots of puddles.

I do believe this is a great day to stay inside and quilt. I only have a few more pieces of fabric to cut some strips from and then on to sewing! I need to decide if I will use these as leaders & enders or straight sew and use the 4" squares that I have setting beside the sewing machine as my L&E's ahhh decisions, decisions, decisions. lol

Hugs, Trish

This is the table top that I am hand quilting. It started off as a quilt for my son because it is in Chiefs colors. As you can see it didn't happen. Then when I ran across it I decided to make it a table top cover. I took the batting and sandwiched the topper, started quilting and then discovered that I had used some batting that I had purchased to make a purse. *sigh* Oh well, I am still working on it!! I surely don't like to do frog stitching!!

This is the Christmas Braid Quilt. I had no measurement in mind. I just started braiding until I was tired and then started a new row. The stocking fabric at the top and bottom is from a Christmas stripe and I love the way it turned out! I had discovered the Spray adhesive and have attached the batting already. I need to find a backing and then get to quilting. Hmmm soon I think.

This Paisley fabric was found in my stash. I decided to use it as the basis of a quilt. I then choose the Yellow fabric and the Green. Next I had to come up with a pattern. After putting it all together I wasn't sure I liked the yellow. It seemed that is wasn't bright enough. But after setting off to the side for a few years, I don't mind it. I had just enough Paisley fabric to make the border. So it is ready for quilting. Yeah!

Similarly I ran across this floral/paisley fabric. I cut the floral squares first. Then I made the hour glass blocks. I started with the blue/white block but it seemed rather boring. So after suggestions, I chose the salmon fabric to add to the blocks. I have a bolt of the green fabric that I used on the outside border. Here is the top all finished.

Isn't this fun. I have fallen in love with orange! Four Patch Frenzy was a wonderful quilt to put together.









This is Bricks and Stones variation. I thought it was a great way to use up stash fabric quickly. I just need to decide on a border and get it done! Maybe I will try some more machine quilting with my sewing machine.









Tamaras Choice is the name of this quilt. All of it came from my stash and I really need to get this finished and put onto my bed! I believe that this is a quilt that I will make again.














As you can see I do like a busy border. I loved doing this mystery quilt, but it has been long enough that I can't remember the name :( if you know, please tell me and I will put it in here.

This Halloween topper is made from stash fabric. The orange fabric with ghosts on it was left over from making Halloween treat bags for my children's grade school party. What a great way to remember the time spent with them. :)

Wow, this is a lot of pictures and information. But I am very glad that I have put it down here so it will be a great record of accomplishments. Now. I need to find my thimble so that I can continue working on the Red/Yellow table topper.

Tom has been off on his golfing trip and I have accomplished lots! Hope you all have a great weekend. Trish

Wow, 4 months have gone by since I added anything to this blog. Shame on me. I WILL try to do better. The Kansas City Sewing & Quilt Expo is coming up in October!! I have mulled over the list of classes, wrote down what classes seemed interesting, wrote them all down. Hmmmmm... I do NOT have enough time or money to do all of these :( So after careful consideration I have chosen one class to take. It is called Magic Stax with Debby Kratovil. I also tried to figure out how to make the quilt on my own. I did not succeed but that is OK, because I have enjoyed the experience, and I have made a table top or a small wall hanging in the process. I will see if I can put a picture up soon. Ok, picture taken and lets see how to do this. Well the format I chose put the picture up there! lol Anyway, it is up!

This morning has been momentous. I have found alot of my UFO's and took pictures of them. Usually I make the tops, set them asside (not completely done sometimes) and then get distracted with another quilt pattern. I never really seem to go back to the tops, though. After finding these and laying them, looking them over, remembering what was going during that process make me wonder why I have not completed them. I want to put the pictures up and write an account of them. Let's see what happens.

This is a paper piecing project. I was to pick the border first and then choose my fabric for the inner pieces. I didn't do this, I did the center fabric and pieces first, and am now trying to find a border for it.





I have found this fabric in my stash and am debating about it. It is awfully busy and I am not sure about using it.


I am going to save this and then get some more work done. See you soon. Trish