29th finish 2012 and vacation

I managed to get one more McQuilt done last evening.

Here are the four McQuilts done. I will turn them in at lunchtime today at the big company wide xmas pig out. All of the rest of the stuff that was collected for donating to the local Ronald McDonald house will be on display.

I have blocks set up for two more quilts and that 5th one that has the binding sewn on, but I need to finish mitering the corners and hand stitching. I may work on these during vacation time.

I am taking time off during the holidays to stay home and just chill. I do have some things I need to get done before xmas eve:

Make two pecan pies, one pumpkin, and sweet potatoe casserole

Make 6 pillowcases out of this pile of fabric

Put a label on the family xmas quilt

and alter a piece of clothing.

After xmas eve (my family has xmas on xmas eve) I have 5 or 6 days to myself to do what I want when I want! I have started a list of things I would like to accomplish.

I plan on going and visiting my friend Peg for New Years. Jan. 2 will be a year since her husband died. She said if I wasn't coming she would have to spend New Year's Eve alone - well, I can't let that happen! I will take down a bottle of my chocolate wine and we will toast Russell and just live in the moment of our friendship.


Everyone have a safe and happy holiday season and I will be back on Jan.2, 2013.

28th finish for 2012, cookies, and log cabin UFO

Here is number 28.

I really like this polka dot fabric I used on the back.

I baked the double chocolate treasures as soon as I got home. Once I found the best knife to slice the rolls it went fairly quick. I think I should have let the rolls of dough warm up a bit, but I just didn't have the time.

I woke up at 4 am this morning and could not go back to sleep so I was up at 4:30. I made up the cookies trays that I need to distribute today and one for our luncheon at the office today.

I got ready for work and still have time so I press the binding for the last two McQuilts. Still had more time so I sewed the binding on. I still need to miter the corners, trim and do the hand sewing so my challenge tonight is to see if I can get both of these done. I also need to put a label on all five.

I had some email conversations with Wanda over at Exuberant Color about log cabin blocks. I told her about the log cabin UFO that I pieced at least 30 years ago. I can't believe it has been sitting around all those years and that it has been moved from house to house and that it has been 30 freakin' years! I am going to take the little bit of hand quilting out, wash the top and the backing (dirty from just sitting around and constuction dust), replace the nasty polyester batting with 80/20 and machine quilt this and get 'er done! I plan on doing this while I am off work over xmas. Here is a peek at the front - this quilt is big, but I don't remember the size.

Some of the hand quilting looking at the back side

What prompted me on this log cabin trip down memory lane was a posting on a blog about a log cabin quilt where the blocks were oversized. Well, not necessarily a new or revolutionary idea, but it was enough to have a nice article published in a leading quilt magazine. I think I made this log cabin quilt before I bought this small 35 page book published in 1981. I bought it at the Helping Hands Quilt Shop in Berlin, Ohio for a whopping $4.25!

There are directions which are certainly not the way I would put the quilt together these days - foundation piecing the blocks. There are illustrations for different settings

And pictures of quilts, some that could be considered "modern" today and variations on the typical log cabin block.

Will I ever downsize this book out of my library? Probably not. It is a good reference and inspiration. What is the oldest book you have in your collection? Something that you just have to keep?

27th of 2012 done and more cookies

I started working on the cookies as soon as I got home from work. I made a double batch of cut out cookies first. The dough needed to be in the fridge for an hour so then I mixed up a double batch of double chocolate treasures. I rolled them into logs, wrapped and put those in the fridge. I am trying a different technique with them. The dough is so sticky to roll into balls, so I thought I would roll them into logs and do a slice and bake. I will bake them off tonight so you will find out the results of this experiment tomorrow.

Cutouts

Chocolate treasures chillin'. I also decided to see if plastic wrap or foil work better

After all that in the kitchen, I went to the studio to hand stitch the binding on another McQuilt. I was so tired I only got half the binding stitch and went to bed. I was up early this morning so I gather up the trash and moved the garbage bin out to the curb, got ready for work, sat down and finished sewing on the binding, and dropped off DVD's and books at the library on my way to work.

So here is number 27 for the year

I brought a quilt with me to work so that I have to make a choice - walk at lunchtime or sew the binding on another McQuilt. It is a hard choice, but maybe the weather will make my decision for me.

26th finish for 2012 and more on the way

Yesterday I walked at lunchtime instead of sewing binding since it was 49 degrees on Dec. 17 in northern Ohio! Yes, I am digging this weather, but it is not the norm. So when I got home I did the hand sewing on the first of the five McQuilts.

The quilt is 30" x 40" and I used King Tut Linen color for the front and Masterpiece for the back. The fabric on the back is a Jay McCarroll print.

I also sewed the binding on another McQuilt. I need to keep ahead so that when I have hand sewing time I have something to sew.

I brought my sneakers and sewing today and what I do at lunch again depends on the weather. It is sprinkling right now.

Weekend progress

I got all five McQuilts quilted and did the machine sewing part of putting on the binding for two quilts. Not as much done as I had hoped for, but I made a pretty good dent.

I brought my sneakers and sewing supplies to work today - if it rains I will sew binding and if it doesn't I will go for a walk.

I also made double batches of almond butter balls and French butter cookies. I want to make cut out cookies and some double chocolate treaures too. It is going to be a busy week.

Weekend plans

Last evening I found backing fabric for the five McQuilts I have pieced. I cut the batting and search for binding. I found some binding strips of dark blue and white all ready cut so those will go on the two blue quilts.

I dug out my tape, safety pins, and quilting thread. Tonight I plan on pin basting all five quilts. Tomorrow will be a combo day of quilting and baking cookies. I hope by Sunday to start binding. These quilts are only 30" x 40" so the quilting should go quick. I would like to get these five done for our company lunchon on Friday. They committee will put all the donated items for the Ronald McD house on display and I would like my quilts to be done for that.

Have a great weekend. I can't believe xmas is right around the corner!

Where I was on 12-12-12 at 12:12 p.m.

I was here - at the towpath walking

I wish I would have been here

I did manage to get my table cleaned off so I am now ready for a big weekend of sewing - pillowcases and McQuilts. We have our company xmas lunch on Friday the 21st so I would like to get as many of the McQuilts done as possible. Xmas is sure coming at me fast! Baking cookies is also on the agenda this weekend.

Getting ready for the last of the Xmas sewing

I pulled fabric for the pillowcases I need to make for the nieces and nephews. I hope to get my act together and get the fabric at least cut tonight.

I am missing this

25th finish of 2012

I finished stitching the last 3 feet of binding and sewed on a label on this flannel quilt. I ran the lint roller over and over it to get any stray threads and fuzz off of it. I am happy with the results. It is 59" x 70" and I used Essentials thread in Cornsilk for the top and bottom quilting thread in the center section. For the border I had some dark navy thread in my stash. The lady I am giving this to is about 5' tall and just a little thing so this quilt will be plenty big enough for her.

Next I need to get crack-a-lackin' on the pillowcases for the nieces and nephews and the McQuilts. First I will have to clean off my big sewing table - it is covered with stuff that I haven't put away from my trip.

Here is my brother at the reception with Jay Bellarose on the left (drummer for Ray LaMontagne and Hugh Laurie) and Mike Mills (R.E.M.) on the right.

I changed my comments section to moderate always. Some of the anonymous comments were getting distasteful and I am putting the power in my hands not the creeps who post crap.

The weekend, won a giveaway

I went for a walk yesterday and had to take a couple of pictures of the high/middle school in the area that is going to be torn down and replaced. The windows were removed during abatement (there was asbestos in the caulk) and the demo contractor is has his fence up for that starting of demo this week. We have the first budget meeting tomorrow and it could be a long one. Right now it is over budget.

I almost have the flannel quilt done. I only have 3 feet of binding to finish the hand stitching. I was just too tired to stay up late and get it done. I spent over an hour on the phone with my sister who lives in Georgia and so I ran out of time to finish the binding. I will get it done after work and post a picture of the completed quilt tomorrow.

I had to plant the hens and chicks and the piece of succulent that the one of the bell boys gave me in Californina. The chicks and hens came from the flower arrangements. I couldn't find succulent or cactus potting mix so I had to use regular potting mix. I just have to keep them alive until xmas so that I can give one pot to my sister and one to my dad.

I did go down to the tow path last week and walked on Thursday - Friday it poured down rain. I wanted to see if there were any changes and there were!
Gravel was added to the sides of the new asphalt

The electric company set the new tower and was working on moving the wires

The park ranger was driving the path and picking up any trash

The sticks were installed for plowing

I won a giveaway last week from Daisy Jane. I will have fun using all the fabric and notions.

Welcoming reception, ArtMart at the Museum, and this weekend's project

This was my invite to the Welcome Reception on Friday night. This was held after the rehersal and anyone who was in town for the wedding was invited. Ok, now the pictures!

The fellow in the orange is a friend (Tom) of my brother's who has worked for Jimmy Buffet for twenty years, and the couple are friends from Pittsburg.

The bride (tall blonde) talking to The Beu Sisters (blue top, striped dress, and tie dyed dress). The Beu Sisters sang at the wedding and reception. They have done recording for several Disney movies and toured with Clay Akien and Kelly Clarkson.

A girlfriend of the bride's and DeWitt who is a guitar tech that worked with the groom for 20 years.

L to R. Fabian, his wife Carolyn, Tom standing behind her, and the groom, my brother Bob.

The friends from Pittsburg, Holly - Mike's girlfriend, and Mike Mills, bass and keyboard player from the band R.E.M. My brother worked for Mike since 1988.

Heather and Dave, friend of my brother. Dave has a Jimmy Buffet tribute band. My nephew Michael has played with Dave several times.

L to R - One of the bride's sister-in-laws, Bob, Sarah, best friend of the bride who threw the shower, and I don't know who the man in the striped shirt was.

I worked at the art museum's ArtMart last night. I have a good time. I was a wrapper. Here are some of the things for sale. I tried to get cards from the artists so I could include their info
The University of Akron had a big area for their pottery made by staff and students. I stuck my hand in this picture so you could get an idea of how big this coffee cup was.

Jessica Todd www.etsy.com/shop/jesstodd

wiredbydana.com

Brian L. Graham canalfultonglassworks.com

Lise Anderson Jewerly www.lisanderson.etdy.com Her jewerly is made with vintage findings

From www.nectarofthevine.net I bought some wine slussey mix in pomogrante and mango peach. They had samples and it was so good!

There was one art quilter in the group. I had heard of her so I wanted to meet her. She proceeded to scold me for giving my work away. In her mind this reduced the value of the entire industry and my quilts would just end up at a yard sale. She said work given away is not appreciated or valued. I found the woman to be bitter, frustrated, and without joy. I was sad because I like some of her work. I had no intention of purchasing any of her work with the verbal beating I received from her.

This weekend's agenda is to finish the flannel quilt so that I CAN GIVE IT AWAY to a person who is having serious health issues. This lady is such a nice person and it will give me such great JOY to see a smile on her face when I give this to her.


Have a great weekend!