Friday, November 23, 2007

Look, Ma, I can sew!

There wasn't anything I wanted bad enough to get up at 4 a.m. - but I did manage to get up around 6:30. As I was headed towards target and Best Buy, I drove through downtown Auburn to check on some friends who were setting up for tail gating for the Auburn/Alabama game tomorrow. I timed it just right - they were across the street, in line to get some breakfast! So I stopped and ate with them and then finally headed out to Best Buy. Packed! They were already sold out of what I was looking for (Band of Brothers - bought it on-line later today) - but the check out line was at least an hour long - so it is just as well! I came on home and was hit by a slight desire to actually quilt. I have managed to get two of the table runners quilted today. Would have gotten another couple done but my nap was calling too loudly!

I have estimated that each table runner uses about 1 yard of fabric for the front and another yard for the backing. And the backing doesn't have to be pieced! So far I have made 6 table runners for christmas gifts. That totals about 12 yards gone from the stash. A very small dent, but a dent none the less!


I also went online and ordered Maddie's Christmas gift - a Janome Sew Mini. Isn't it cute? It does a straight stitch and a zig-zag. It is not a toy but a small regular sewing machine. All the reviews I could find were very positive. Anyone else out there own one? What do you think of it?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!!

The turkey is in the oven and the dressing is sitting on the counter waiting for the broth and some more sage! I am also making pineapple casserole, green bean casserole and Sister Schubert's yeast rolls. For dessert we will have the ever traditional Key Lime pie! DH is the only one who likes pumpkin pie so we came up with an alternative. What is on your menu for today?


I got my MIL's table runner pieced. The blue and the purple are hand dyed by me and Nines. My FIL is very into coffee so I thought the focus fabric was appropriate! Now I need to get started quilting all of these table runners! And Brady's baby quilt!


Hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! And don't eat too much!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

I gave up...

I gave up looking for more of that brown fabric. several people found it for me - in other colors. One even found it online in the right color - in California. When I called the store on Sunday afternoon to make sure it was really the right thing (the picture on-line was tiny and could not be enlarged) - the poor sales lady could not find the fabric anywhere. So close!

So this morning after finishing up the second red, white and blue table runner, I gave up and pieced together all the leftover brown scraps and came up with enough for the borders. Hopefully all the seams won't be that noticeable after it is quilted.

I have some fabric picked out to make one for my MIL. Right now I have to go rescue the kitchen so thanksgiving dinner details can get started! Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Naomi - no peeking!

Now it is my sister's turn not to peek. I think I am safe because I don't think she checks this blog very often.

Here is her table runner. I have the pieces for its' twin all cut out and the pieced blocks are pieced. So maybe that one will get pieced tonight! Two more things made entirely from the stash!! Thanks to Judy for encouraging us to use up our cherished stashes!


Time to get my act together and hit the grocery store - trying to beat the crowds. I am probably too late for that! Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all of my new quilting friends that I have met through blogging!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Mom - you'd better not be peeking!

I have warned my mom not to peek at my blog until after Christmas. So if you see her peeking around here, please notify the authorities!

Here is the latest table runner. And yes, it is for you-know-who! Don't tell.

I am thinking about trying a square table topper in this same pattern. My sister has a huge square dining room table. Now I just have to find out what color her dining room is - she just moved into a new house.

How are every one's Christmas goodies coming?

Friday, November 16, 2007

Help!!!

Help!!! Anyone out there recognize this fabric? It is chocolate brown with darker brown leaves and stems. The leaves are a little less than 1/4 inch. I need about 1/2 a yard to finish up the second table topper. I have enough that I could piece together a couple of the sides but I don't have enough for all four sides.

If anyone knows the brand of the fabric, let me know. Or if you even have half a yard you could part with, I would be willing to pay for it or send you some fabric in trade! Thanks for the help!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

A good math day!


This morning I was sitting on the couch, surfing the net as usual, when I was struck with the idea of making some table runners as gifts for my SILs and maybe my MIL. I found this pattern online and set about to figure out the math. I had the whole top pieced in about an hour and a half. And it's all from my stash! Do you think the color combination is alright?

Monday, November 12, 2007

Found it!

In case anyone else is looking for some great home-made gift ideas (besides quilts of course), here is a link to the page I was looking for earlier!

More Denyse Schmidt

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I am a big fan of Denyse Schmidt. I love her fabrics as well as her quilt designs. I used her fabrics for my nephew's baby quilt. Susan was kind enough to send me a quilt top she had made using Denyse's fabric - she had somehow fallen out of love with it! Good luck for me! This is one of my favorite quilts! It is on my couch right now, being cuddled under my my son. I have also made wall hangings for my sister and for me using her fabric.

Anyway, the point of this link-heavy post was to say that I found another quilt to fall in love with. It even uses the same fabrics from my nephew's quilt.

The kids have no school today for Veteran's Day. We are in the middle of being very lazy! I am hoping to get to quilt some later. How did it get to the middle of November already? Next week is Thanksgiving. How did this happen?

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

On to the next baby quilt!



Here is a small preview of the next baby quilt I am working on. (The colors are much more accurate in the top picture.) It is for my sweet neighbor across the street. Unfortunately her baby shower was last Sunday and of course the quilt was not done. Oh well - it will be done before Mackenzie arrives in February.


April was telling me the other day that she doesn't think she go all the way to February. Her son was born - supposedly a month early - and weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces. The doctor induced her because he was worried about the baby getting so big! I think someone was a lot off on their dates! So maybe I should plan on getting this quilt done by early January!


Saturday, November 03, 2007

Tired of looking at those EQ quilts

It is time for a new post, if for no other reason than I am tired of looking at those challenge quilts I drew up in EQ. I haven't been quilting much lately - life has gotten in the way. My husband is an architect and has been renovating his new office since July. They were able to move in at the beginning of October, but lots of details were still not done. He finally got around to planning an open house for last Tuesday. So for the last two weeks we have been working non-stop to get everything in order. We were up there every night until about 8. Last Saturday we were there all day. Every thing finally came together on Tuesday morning -about an hour before the guests arrived! Here is a picture of one part of the space:




The space behind the wall where the printouts are hanging is a closet. Then comes a small kitchenette. And then on the end is the bathroom. I keep thinking this would make a great space for a quilt store. Actually there is another space, right next store that is about 500 square feet larger! A girl can dream, can't she?

While I haven't been getting much time to sew, I have been adding to my list of quilts I need to make! We found out on Tuesday that Maddie's teacher is expecting her first baby in June. While this wouldn't normally require me to make a quilt, we also go to church with her and her husband, so now she gets added to the list. After I finish up my nephew's quilt (who made his appearance on Monday!) - then it will be three baby girl quilts and then this newest addition to the list.

My in-laws are coming new weekend to see the new office. That means that some serious house cleaning is in store for me this week.

What are you up to?