Squaring Up

I only worked on the blanket a little tonight. I had hoped to get farther but I didn't get home until later because I had massage therapy and chiropractor.

Tonight I cut off the excess edges. Everything was straight when I started sewing but as you can see things moved around. The tutorial I read on making the quilt said this would happen so it is not a bad thing. After I cut off the excess from all four sides, I folded the quilt in half and as you can see it was not square. So, I cut off that portion and ended with a squared blanket! I hope you can make out the steps in the pictures, I am never sure exactly what order the website is going to load them in.

Next step is to round the corners and then I can put the binding on and wash it. I will hopefully have it finished tomorrow night.

I am including a photo of the quilt that is in the tutorial on how to make them. It has really pretty bright colors.

Chenille Quilt

I have been working on the chenille baby quilt tonight. I finally finished sewing all the rows last night! It took forever. So, tonight I started cutting all the layers. The backing is the block print. On the top there are four layers, all the material is flannel. The rows are cut on the bias so the material will fray when it is washed. I am only cutting through the first three layers the fourth layer will peek through and it has a print. So the first picture shows all of the sewn rows, then in the second picture I am cutting the rows using the special chenille cutter. Next picture I am showing you all the layers cut and the print peeking through. Lastly showing all the rows cut. My next step, which I hope to get done tomorrow night, will be straightening all the edges, rounding the corners, and sewing on the binding. After I do all of that it will be time to wash it and see the final results, I am really excited to see the finished project!

April 15th

Well, here I am again. The beginning of 2012 has not been the best but I am trying to get through it all. It's going to be hard when Mother's Day comes around.

I've been trying to keep myself busy with work and quilts. I am actually in varying degrees of progress on 4 projects right now. I keep going out and buying more material for more projects. I am going to have to stop that and get down to getting things done. I have a quilt retreat coming up next month about mid-month. I am really excited about it and I need to start getting projects lined up to take with me.

I have finished a couple things that I have photos of. For Christmas I made Jessica a quilt with Japanese material and she really liked it. I am glad I made it for her because she moved into the college dorms in January and she has a nice quilt to use on her bed.

I just finished a rag quilt for a lady at work. I actually got it done before the baby arrived! She really liked it, she had a jungle type theme for her nursery so I had some great material to use for that. I also had fun using my die cutter to make the rag quilt. I am trying to challenge myself to learn new techniques.

I made Rachel a bag for Christmas but I forgot to take a picture of it. It had quilted panels and a draw string type closure made by inserting grommets.

I am currently working on a quilt for Dave's sister Doris. I am hoping to get it done for her birthday in July. It is called a Couch Quilt. I like the blue with the flowers. I would have had it done last weekend but I did not like the squares I cut to go around the edge so I had to go get some more of the material and now I need to cut those squares and the top will be done.

For my son Mark, I am making a Japanese inspired quilt. It has two panels with dragons and then red/black panels with Japanese writing or symbols. I am really happy with the design so far but that is as far as I've gotten with it. It may be going to the retreat with me to get finished up. I want to have it for him for his birthday in June.

I am currently (today) working on a set of quilts for a pair of twins that one of our Captains at work just had. I am trying a new technique for these quilts and it is taking me quite a bit of time just getting one of them done. It is called the faux chenille technique. What you do is have a backing piece and then layer 3 or for pieces on top sew on the diagonal and then take a special cutter and cut the top layers then wash and dry and the material frays giving it a look of chenille. I am currently making a green version, the second one will be same material but blue with the same backing material.

So, that's what I am up to as far as crafts go. I just moved to a new position in the same organization and I am much happier. I am working some of the training issues in the squadron, it is more the type of job I thought I was going to have when I went back to the organization. I am also applying for jobs in Oregon. I have been referred for one in Ashland and I have not qualified for one in Portland and Crater Lake. I will just keep applying, I am sure something will come along soon.

Jack is graduating June 2nd. Mark and Beryl are flying out for the ceremony. I will be happy to see Mark again, haven't seen him since last summer when we went to Lompoc for the reunion.

Well, I am going to wrap up for now. I am really going to try to keep this blog up and post more of my projects.

Have a great Sunday afternoon!

December Already?

Hello!

It was such a short Fall! I have been so busy with work that I don't feel like working on my crafts when I get home. I am now in a mad dash trying to get Christmas things done. I am only going to get two things made this year! I definitely have to start earlier next year, January would probably be a good idea.

David and I had a great anniversary this year. He bought me a really pretty ring and we went to Louisville, Kentucky for the weekend. We visited a couple historic homes and staid at a very nice B&B. On Saturday night we drove threw the Mega Caverns to see Christmas lights, it was quite fun.

I am busy finishing up a knitting project as someone's gift and need to put the binding on the quilt for Jessica. I have lot's of material piling up from my several shop hops over the past few months. I am hoping to make some strip quilts from the jelly rolls and flannel material I bought. Once I get the Christmas stuff done I have to spend a little time finishing up getting this room organized and then get my other room put together. I also have to get all my donations for Goodwill gathered up and turned in so I can get my tax credits for this year. Can't believe it will be time to do taxes again, hopefully we won't be paying this year!

I will post pictures later, having a problem getting them uploaded right now.

Fall Pictures

Hello!

We are moving towards winter here. It has been cold and rainy all week and we had frost this morning. David and I went to the lake a few weekends ago to get our annual fall pictures. The fall colors were much nicer this year than last, we had more rain this year so the leaves didn't just dry out and fall off. We also went to the Renaissance Festival, we hadn't been there in years. It was okay but I had a hard time walking on the uneven ground. David got a turkey leg so he was happy.

Last weekend I went to the quilt retreat up North in Maria Stein, OH. I got a lot more done this time than last because I had two good hands this time. In May I had just had my thumb surgery so didn't get a whole lot done. I am working on three projects and got to different points on each of them. I am doing a Japanese lap quilt for Jessica using about 30 different Japanese prints. I am also making a purple quilt for Beryl, I think she probably won't get it until her birthday in January, it is going to be hard to get all of my Christmas projects done. The third one is in autumn colors and not sure who is getting it. We did a lot of shopping on the trip, I got a ton of fat quarters at the Ben's in Coldwater. It was an old Ben Franklin's but they dropped the Franklin's so they wouldn't have to pay the corporation for the use of the name. It is a cute little store in the middle of nowhere, they had great fabrics. We also went to the Blackberry Patch in Piqua which is one of my favorite shops and we also went to one that was going out of business that was near Celina, OH. I came home with lots more ideas for quilts and wished I had more time to work on them.

This week David gave up his computer room upstairs and I it over. I am in the process of moving all the yarn and knitting things over there as well as any extra materials and furniture. My current room is going to be a sitting room and work room for current projects. We went to Big Lots today and bought one of the stand alone fireplaces, Dave has to put it together and I can't wait to get the sitting area all done. I am looking for a small sofa to put up here and I think I found the one I like at the BX, it has a lounger on the right hand side. I will take a picture when I have it all done.

Well, I am going to go work on the Japanese quilt. I will post a picture of that when I get the top all together. I am posting pictures now of the Fall Colors!

Hello!! Long time no post!

Wow, I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. I have just been so busy since the last post. I finished mom's quilt and gave it to her when I went to Oregon in early June for Jessica's graduation. I have not really made anything since then. I have lots of things to start working on but haven't quite had the motivation. I started my new job on 11 July and it just makes me tired sitting all day, I just come home and lay down on the heating pad after work. I am trying to get more done on the weekends. I have a quilting retreat coming up in October so I need to get some things cut so I can sew while I am there.

David and I went to the Pork Festival in Eaton, OH today. We paid for the smorgasbord and got sausage, pork chop and ham with potato salad, beans, roll and slice of pie. It was delicious! They had tons of craft booths but we didn't buy any of that. I got Beryl a table runner for Christmas.

David finally quit working and is now a full time "househusband" he is doing a really good job. He takes the dogs for a walk in the morning and then does some housework, in the afternoon he works on his Jeep. He is really enjoying it. We went to the cooking school and had a lesson in how to cook beef it was really good. We go again next month for how to cook pork. We are having fun planning and doing different things now that he isn't working. Next weekend we are going to the comedy club to see Kevin Nealon (Saturday Night Live). I took him last month to see Stevie Nicks down in Cincinnati. I am hoping we can go to Niagra Falls on a long weekend, we have always wanted to go but haven't quite made it. I'd also like to go to Gettysburg (he's already been) but we will see about that, not sure I can do all the walking involved in that.

Jack is working at the local grocery store bagging and stocking. He is using work as school credit so he goes to school in the morning and works some afternoons and evenings. He is really enjoying this new schedule. We had his senior portraits taken over the summer and he just brought home the package to order announcements so the expenses are starting to rack up for senior year...LOL.

Mark is staying in Lompoc instead of going to Cal Poly, he didn't finish up some of the credits he needed to start this Fall. He is going to get a house with a couple of his friends and take some online classes to get a management degree in hospitality/restaraunt management. Beryl is selling her house and going to get a 2 bedroom apartment, she is tired of taking care of the big old house. She had quite a few offers but they all wanted a new roof so she had one installed and raised the asking price. I hope she gets a good offer soon.

That's about all the news for now. I'll try to post more often.

Getting Ready

Hello,
I've been really busy working on this quilt! Having the thumb surgery has been a handicap, I had to take some time off to let it rest. I am trying to do the binding today and it is just driving me crazy. I am hoping to get it done today so I can mail it.

I am also trying to get ready for my trip to Oregon. I am so excited to go! Rachel and I have some things planned and I am also going to help Jessica with a dress. Mom and Dad are coming down too so it will be really nice to see them and I am sure we will be taking Mom out shopping and for lunch plus whatever else she would like to do. Britney is coming down too so that will be great since I won't get to see her at the reunion because she will be working. Jessica's graduation is on Sunday so it is going to be her special day. I can't believe she is so grown-up already!

I am starting to plan projects for birthdays and the holidays. I will be glad to get out of this brace so I can get a little more done. I have two more weeks to go. The Dr. was very happy with my progress so far. I got my brace remolded yesterday to hold the thumb further back and it is hurting some today from the new positioning.

We have gone from freezing to blazing hot! We didn't really have a spring! It is nice to finally have the sun out. I will be happy with no rain for a little while. I think my tomato plant is going to be okay. I thought I saw a few flowers on it yesterday. I had put two in there but I think only one is going to survive.

Rachel and I worked really hard to get a complete obituary done for Grandpa but there are still some grumblings about it so we are pretty much done with all of that. I think the video turned out good but someone thought that someone else had too many of her children in it and I was thinking you're supposed to be looking at Grandpa not who's children are in it but whatever. There are always people that won't be happy so I am over that too. We are going to compile all the information we gathered to develop a family tree for the reunion and put some pictures and other stuff together to hopefully make a little book to give everyone. We will work on it a little while I am in Oregon.

Oh, I am supposed to start my new job 11 July. They agreed I could start after I returned from California so that is great! I've got to start making the list of things to do for David...LOL. He is going to give his notice when we get back so he will be done about 2 weeks after we return. Jack finally got a job at a family grocery store called Lafino's. He has some training requirements to finish up and will start probably after school finishes (June 10th). He is also going to take his physical education requirement in July so he will only have two classes next year and the work program in the afternoon. He is very happy about that!

All right, back to work on this quilt!!!!