Well that weekend went fast!

Saturday I went to visit my son and stopped at the quilt shop for their end of the month sale. I was told by my friend, Joyce, that the owner let anybody who came in the shop on Friday for the end of the bolts sale to go ahead and buy so the bolts were already picked over for Saturday. The sale wasn't suppose to start until Saturday. Here is what I did get.

Once I got back to the house is was cleaning time for the company that was coming Sunday. Bailey who belongs to the MQG came over Sunday afternoon and I helped her with learning free motion machine quilting. I forgot to take a picture of the quilts she brought over. The one she quilted with a walking foot and did a wonderful job! The other one she made these slice and switch nine patch with some wonderful orange fabrics and set them together with white. I helped her pin baste it and she was digging my big 8' x 8' table for that job! She had to use her dining room table or the wood floor to pin baste and of course worries about scratching the table or floor. I told her she could come over anytime and use my table. Baily is going to come back over with the orange quilt and I am going to show her how to make sewn miter corners for her binding. Right now she folds the corners into a miter so she was interested in learning another method. Bailey brought me a loaf of zucchini bread tied up in one of the orange fabrics she used in her quilt. I had a piece for breakfast and it is tastey!

I did work on machine quilting the turquoise and brown quilt between all the other stuff. I am about 3/4 done.

This week is going to be busy. I been slammed at work. I am taking Friday off to work Friday and Saturday at Miller's Dry Goods in Charm, OH for their anniversary sale. 30% off on fabric, thread, books, patterns, kits, and batting. It is always a good time to see everyone after 6 months since I last worked in October. I just hope I can handle being on my feet all day for two days. My stamina is still not where it was before my surgery. I did buy a new pair of Dr. Scholles gel inserts for my shoes since I will be on my feet. I put them in and what a differnce! I think they will help a lot.

Quilt picture I owed you from yesterday's post

Here is the quilt that I did not have a picture. I made this in 2004 and did not have a digital camera. The fabric between the stripes was my contribution and the rest of the small pieces came from my mom's stash.

I quilted a bit more on the turquoise and brown quilt

This weekend I am going to Dover to visit my son and hit the quilt shop. Saturday is their end of the month sale so I will have to check it out. I will also hit the bulk food store - I need to replinish some of my spices. I will do some house cleaning and then Bailey will be coming over for help with her machine quilting. It is going to be another full weekend!

My first MQG meeting

I had a wonderful time! There were 30 ladies at the meeting and everyone was sharing their stories. One of the ladies designed our chapters logo, but I didnt' get a picture of it. The logo is very cool - I will try and get it for posting.

We started off talking about family quilts. Here is one

We talked about current trends, what modern quilting meant, what excites us about quilting, and several other topics. We went around the room and showed our favorite quilt/sewing books and then we showed the quilts. I didn't get everyone's name to put to the quilts and I didn't get pictures of every quilt shown, but here is what I do have.

I think this lady's name was Theresa and she said she doesn't like to use the same fabric in more than one quilt, but she made this scrap quilt using fabric left over from other projects. She shook her head with disbelief and we all laughed

These next two pieces were done by Eva. The cream piece was colored with pencils and then a fixative was applied. The purple piece is silk and both were quilted on a longarm. Beautiful work!

This next top was made by Bailey - so cute! Bailey was struggling with how to machine quilt this. Bailey is new to quilting and after the meeting we talked and I told her I would help mentor her. She is coming to my house Sunday to work and I will help her with machine quilting.

Here are some other pieces that were shown

I showed my music quilt

My ode to Thor the god of thunder

and the family xmas quilt I made for Xmas 2004 which I don't have a digital picture of. I will hang it tonight and post a picture tomorrow.

All in all it was a good time and I am looking forward to next month's meeting.

My favorite books

I am going to my first MQG meeting tonight. I am to bring my favorite quilt books and the discussion will be about sewing machines. When I met Denyse Schmidt earlier this month she said that she met several members of the Akron MQG so I can imagine several of them will bring their autographed copies of her book. Here are the books I am going to bring

The Gee's Bend book was a library book at one time.

And the winners are ....

Mike for the fabric and Glen for the thread - congratulations and thanks again for everyone who is participating in this event. I will let you know Peg's reactions to all the support.

I started machine quilting on the turquoise and brown baby quilt. I am using a light turquoise/aqua thread on the top and bottom.

The ducks are back! I saw both the male and female. The female was rooting around looking for a better place to put her next. I sorry, but that is one dumb duck! The skunk will come back, but I guess the skunk has to eat too.

8th finish of 2012

The weekend flew by as I knew it would, but I did get some stuff done. The 8th finish for 2012 was delivered to the baby's mother and she was thrilled with it. I got numerous thank you's and several hugs. That is why I do what I do.

I got the backs pieced and now all 5 of the baby quilts are pin basted. Here they are laying on the bed in Peg's room.

I had posted a picture on April 16 of my scrap pile of backing fabric that I planned on using for the backs of these quilts. I wanted to use up these perfectly good pieces. Here is the before pile:

and the after pile:

The pile does look a bit smaller although with the after pile stacked neater I could be kidding myself! It does feel good to use up the smaller pieces and not let them go to waste.

Sunday night's fundraiser that my nephew's new band played at was a success. The woman who the fundrasier was for had lost her job and then diagnosed with breast cancer. So no insurance and two young kids and single. What a hand to be dealt. She has found a new job, but still no insurance. Check out the sign "Big or small save 'em all!".

I hung the linen piece up at work this morning. It is 42 1/2" wide and 41 1/2" high. I wish I could paint the wall like they do at the art museum for each exhibit. The dirty patched wall is a little distracting. So far everyone that has walked in has noticed that I changed the piece from what was hanging there before.

What a evening

I don't feel like I am accomplishing anything this week. My looking forward to something friend, Peg, called me and we were on the phone a long time. We had lots to catch up on. She was tickled with the idea of perfect strangers caring about her situation and wer willing to send her something to try and cheer her up. She says she has good days and bad days so hopefully she gets a interesting item in the mail on the bad days to lift her spirit.

I was going to go to the art museum for a lecture, but I missed it being on the phone with Peg. Oh well, she is more important right now. I went out and mowed the grass in the front and then came in to make cookies. The office staff has to go to a regional meeting today from 8:30 to 1 pm and we have been told there will be no food, no coffee, and no water so bring your own. I was going to make oatmeal raisin cookies, but I didn't have enough Crisco so I made chocolate chip instead.

I was trying to watch American Idol between running up and downstairs baking the cookies.

This weekend is going to be busy too. Saturday is driving to Medina to get my hair cut and Sunday my nephew's band is playing a benefit show along with other bands.

I am going to try and get the sleeve on the linen piece so I can hang it next week at the office, continue to work on the backs for baby quilts and get them pin basted, and do some cleaning and laundry. I have a feeling the weekend is going to fly by! I will announce the giveaway winners on Monday - I just don't have time right now.

Take care and have a good one!

Bruce!

The concert was great last night. Bruce played a wide variety of songs from the beginning thru the new album. I had great seats - 12th row on the side - with no 6' tall guy in front of me (which usually happens!). I only had 5 hours of sleep so I will have to pace myself today. I am terrible picture taker, but here are a few.
A shot of the stage from the VIP Lounge

VIP Pass

Bruce in a sea of humanity

Being taken back to the stage by hundreds of hands - this was so cool to watch. Once he got to the stage the crowd set him down so gentle.

Playing to my side of the crowd

It doesn't make a lot of sense that you can't bring a camera, but it is ok to take a picture with your iPhone. Sneaky me, I have a small digital and had no problem getting it thru (don't tell anybody!).

Some hand sewing work

I did get some of the binding sewn on the brown and pink quilt, but I could not spend a lot of time sewing last night.

I needed to get my lunch for today ready and get to bed EARLY! I am going to Cleveland tonight to see my brother who is working for Springsteen. This is the third tour that he has worked with Bruce. Thank goodness I don't have to drive. So we will see if I got enough sleep to counter the lack of sleep that is going to happen tonight.

Working on baby quilts

I quilted the second brown and pink quilt that I already had pin basted a while ago and also got the binding machine sewn on. I still need to do the hand stitching. This quilt is going to a lady at the shop where I get my hair cut. She had a baby girl in January.

Next I dug out my pile of backing pieces and scraps. I worked on the backings for the green and brown tops I put together a couple of months ago.

Here is the back and front of one of the green and brown quilts I got the back done and pin basted.

I have the second green and brown quilt laid out and ready to pin baste. I used two leftover blocks on the back of this quilt.

I have three or four more tops that need backs so I think I will continue making the backs and pin basting until they are all done. Then I will start quilting them, but I will probably bind them as I get them quilted.
Maybe I will put a dent in my scrap backing pile. It feels good to reduce this pile and put these pieces to use.

7th finishing for 2012 finally!

Yes, the linen piece is finally done! Yeah!

Now I need to get back to making baby quilts. I have several at different stages so this weekend will be about getting them to the point where they are ready to machine quilt.

What are you doing this weekend? Have a great one!

The binding is progressing

The hand sewing on the binding is coming along nicely.I am now really liking this piece and the texture ... oh, I just love touching this piece.

A big thank you to everyone who is participating in the giveaway to help lift the spirits of my friend Peg. I personally am going to make more of an effort to mail her cards or an article that I think she would be interested in. We do call each other, but mail in between the phone calls I think will help. Big hugs to you all!

Something to look forward to giveaway

Yesterday I received an envelope from from quilting buddy, Peg. It contained a copy of an article from an American Quilter magazine about making scrap rolls. She said when she saw it she thought of me. Well, also in the note she talked about signing up for a subscription for American Quilter so she had something to look forward to. Peg's husband died on Jan. 2 unexpectedly. He was a salesman so he was gone a lot so the reality of him not ever coming home is starting to set in. I wish I still lived in Tuscarawas county so we could hang out more. Peg is a special ed. teaching assistant and has a fine arts degree. I would say her quilts have a traditional flavor, but she like to add a twist with her fabric choices and adding applique.

I have decided I want to do a long distance hug/giveaway and give her something to look forward to and try to lift her spirit. Here is the skinny on what I want to do:
Sign up by leaving me a comment that you would like to send something quilt related to Peg - a magazine, a fat quarter, instructions for a fun block, or anything else you might like. You don't have to name the item right now, just say that you would like to participate. I will then set up a schedule of when everyone will mail their items and send you an email with your mailing date and her address. If you have a particular date you would like let me know. I will send Peg the schedule so she can look forward to your mail. I want to set up a schedules to spread the mail out a bit so she has fun mail coming for several weeks. Make sure I can get to your email address for giving you your shipping date and - HOLD ON - a chance to win a prize for your participation. far some of my hand dyed fabric, two spools of quilting thread, and who knows what else I will toss into the prize basket!

If you are a follower or become one, leave another comment for a second chance to win the prizes.

If you post information about this giveaway on your blog, leave another comment for the third chance to win!

I am sending her a couple of quilt magazines today that my neighbor got in the mail (he has no idea why he gets free copies of quilt magazines - he is not a quilter) that are right up her alley. If I had known sooner that a simple thing like some mail would lift her spirit, I would have done this sooner. I will have the drawing on April 20th. Thank you in advance!

Linen piece quilting ...

is done!

I will work on the binding tonight.