Playing in EQ6 & Tooting 'round with Toys

I managed to find a little time to play with my new toy. It took me some time to learn how to wind a bobbin on it. If you remember this fabric then you must be a good friend of mine - because I posted about this project a very long time ago. I discovered something crucial when working with jellyrolls...don't pre-wash them. That's my recommendation anyhow. The 2 1/2 inch strips lose about 1/4 an inch with washing...and there aren't many patterns that call for 2 1/4 inch strips!!! I have plans for these, what are at the moment four patches. But you can bet it will be something very simple because the math is going to be horrendous. I don't like math when it's easy!

Also I want to thank Arlene, for the very nice package that arrived here the day before yesterday. I am constantly amazed at the generosity of quilters. I had asked her some time ago where I might be able to get my hands on a pattern she had. Not only did she copy and mail me the pattern (all the way to the States from the UK), but she sent me two delicious quilting magazines and a beautiful hand made ornament. I adore everything you gave me Arlene, and will never part with any of it! :) Thank you!

I also am going to be tracking a few things in the sidebar for 2009. I've attempted this before, but am going to try and really keep myself motivated this year. I thought it'd be fun to track how much fabric I buy and use during the year. A lot of you have done this in an effort to stashbust, but I just thought it'd be fun.

I've also drawn up a few quilts in EQ that I will keep track of on the sidebar. This is to help motivate me to actually MAKE them! I gave a lot of thought over the past year to starting up a little pattern business, and I have finally come to the decision that, with hoping to have more children in the next few years, I just don't have the time right now to give such an endeavor the attention it deserves. I still have a lot of learning to do on the quilting front, and maybe something will be in my charts for the future. For now, I'd love to share my little quilt ideas with you, and as I go I'll share instructions. Be prepared that some of these draw ups may change if I get too frustrated with them! LOL* If you'd like to make any of them with me, please let me know, it'll make my day. :) The only thing I ask is that you don't steal the idea, change the colors, then try to sell the pattern for profit. Here are two favorites that I will be working on first...

Oh and last but not least I'll be tracking the the ever popular "completed projects" list that I usually only finish one or two items from. Now, if I were smart, I'd keep a UFO list, because then I'd look like I am a much busier quilter than I am! :)

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! :)

Cathedral Windows and Some Goodies

Remember the cathedral window experiment? I continued on to make a few more windows. I think this may possibly become a pillow, if I ever get motivated to complete it. Now I'm just itching to make a full sized quilt! :) I have found I really enjoy handwork.

Also, a few weeks before Christmas my Husband went to an auction and picked me up this beautiful sewing table, for only $2! The Kenmore that originally came with it on pins was beyond repair, so we scrapped it and my Dad put in a shelf so that I could put a new machine in the table. I have set it up so that it is always ready for free-motion quilting, and when I'm not using it I us the table to display some of my projects. I'm so excited with it!

The day before yesterday my Mom and I took a trip to a nearby town to visit their much larger Jo Ann Fabrics store. I recieved a few gift cards that were burning a hole in my pocket! So here are some of what I picked up...

A little shameless bragging...

If I haven't mentioned it lately, I need to share, that I have the most wonderful Husband ever! Not only did he give me a new digital camera for Christmas, but he also gave me this...

Isn't it just beautiful? I have been drooling over featherweights since I first learned of them several years ago. Husband and I have been looking at yard and estate sales for as good of a bargain as we could find on a featherweight or the next object of my affection - a treadle. A few treadles have come and gone before us, either more than we had to spend, or more work than we could undertake, but these featherweights seem to be even harder to come by. When the weather is warm we go to sales nearly every Friday and Saturday, and I may have seen one in 5 years. He paid a little more than the bargain we'd hoped to find, but I'm so glad that he did. It came from our local sewing center, which makes me feel confident that it has been given a once over inside and out, and it is guaranteed to be in good working order. It's clean and shiny, and I was so excited to find that the decals show little to no wear at all. The owner, who I adore and is just the epitomy of a charming small town shop owner, shared with my Husband that years ago he sold these when the store was located on Main Avenue, for $100. He said they couldn't keep them on the shelves way back then, and it's becoming that way again today. Seems that some good things do last! I can't wait to get sewing on my beautiful little piece of history. :)

Lots of Things :)

Please forgive me for being a lousy blogger lately. Many things have been contributing to my absence.



My Mother has been battling with her health. Thursday she had a very mild stroke, and My Father and I spent the night in the hospital with her, to make sure she'd be ok. She woke up Thursday morning, and her speech was garbled and she had difficulty walking. She is now home and though her speech is a bit slower than it used to be, they say with some therapy it should become much better, if not very close to what was normal for her. This was not her first stroke, so her speech was a bit slower to begin with. Walking is still a little bit difficult, she says she can get around well with a cart at the store, so I imagine her cane will be much more necessary than it once was for her. We are all so greatful that she is ok, and that it wasn't a more severe stroke.



On a less serious note, a good bloggy friend of mine Holly @ Fabric Mom nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger award. Thank you! That was so sweet! We met through a sewing group on Myspace, when we both decided to start blogs and have been keeping up with each other ever since. Holly (a.k.a. Fabric Mom) is a very inspiring quilter, and if you haven't yet you have to stop by her blog!

By accepting the award I am asked to nominate 5 other bloggers, and since I read, literally, hundreds of blogs, I'll choose a few of my favorites, and a few of my friends. :)


Stitched with Love - Leah is who inspred me to start blogging! We met through an Yahoo! quilting group that I used to be a part of. Unfortunately the group became more than I could keep up with, but I've been following her blog, and inspired by her quilts for years now! :)


The Country Cellar - I love Angela's blog. She just inspires the heck out of me. Everytime she posts, it makes me want to go sew! :)


Zannah and Zippy - A very inspiring and generous blogger. I love the neat little wallhangings she's been making. :)


Bluebird Quilts - Lynn has fabulous style and is just the kindest blogger. You have to visit her blog. :)


Quilt in Me - Takako is the kindest quilter, also with great primitive style. She is a fellow Ohioan and a favorite of my bloggy reads. :)


I know some of you may not have time to play along, but if you do then I'll be anxious to see your choices. :) I love meeting and being inspired by bloggers, and I have learned so much from all of you!


My digital camera is on the fritz, so I hope to have pictures for you soon. I've been sewing, and I want to share! :)

Gift Quilt Finished ; Playing with Cathedral Windows

Finished Sandy's Christmas quilt the day before yesterday. Yay! I'm so happy with how it turned out. :)

A woman at one of my quilt guilds brought in a bunch of fabric for us to go through Tuesday, and I found a 1/2 yard of pre-printed quilt labels. How amazing that this label matched the quilt perfectly?

A lady at that same guild inspired me to get a move on trying cathedral windows. Tooted around this afternoon and made this single unit to see if I could do it...