Another reason I love Nina!

I knew there was a reason I love Nina so much, a reason she is my quilting hero. It is because she points out the obvious things to make a quilt better. You will notice that I went back and flipped the four-patches to make the blue into a strong diagonal line. Her idea. All hers. So brilliant! I like it SO much better now. I wondered how I had missed this in the first place but I went back and looked at the original pattern and they do not have a strong diagonal color in their block either. The pattern is from the June 2008 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. It is called the Big Block Beauty - because the block ends up measuring 18 inches.

Anyway - I just wanted to thank my dearest Nines for her very helpful suggestion. How would I survive without you? I tried to call to tell you thanks but of course someone was on the phone line!

What do you think?

I was tired of working on the project I've been plugging along at (32 of Bonnie's pineapple blossom blocks in pink and brown) - so I decided to make a test block of the next quilt I am making. It will be a baby quilt for Maddie's teacher, who is due to have a baby boy in the middle of June. Her due date is the 19th but I told her that the 17th is a great birthday! Mine!

Her colors are chocolate brown, the blue in the block, and then a sagey green (the cross-hatched fabric in the picture). I like the block pattern - it would only require 4 blocks, some sashing, and a couple of borders.

I guess my question is - does the blue stand out too much? Would it work better somewhere else in the block?

I asked Maddie what she thought of it. She said "I like it - make me a quilt just like it." Why isn't she always this easy to please?

So, what do you think?

Boston anyone?

Is there anyone out there in blog land that lives in Massachusetts? I will be going to Boston in May with DH for an AIA conference - the same reason we went to San Antonio last year! We will be at the Hyatt in Cambridge. We won't have a car but I could take the subway. If anyone knows of any quilt stores that are convenient to the mass transit, let me know!

I am also interested in any other must see sights in Boston. I am already planning on seeing as many of the historical sights as I can. Thanks for the help!

Trying something new!

Christie and I were going to try and quilt the quilts we made together a couple of weeks ago. Friday is Christie's day off, but I got asked to sub on Friday - so we decided to do it this afternoon. We got her backing pieced and I found a great green piece in my stash that will work for my backing. Loading on the machine went much quicker with both of us working on it! Nines - I told her about our old schedule of you coming over on Tuesdays, we would load your quilt on, you would quilt it, and then we would load my quilt on. I might have to start paying Christie just to come over and help me pin the quilts on!

We decided to do a a big meander. I demonstrated by doing about two thirds of a row and then Christie took over. Christie couldn't seem to find that free and easy movement you need for a good meander. We are going to load a practice piece on next! So I finished up while she stood and watched. She would hold one handle while I guided it using the other handle.

Anyway, we finished her quilt really quickly and it turned out VERY cute. I love the greens and browns together.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Hope everyone gets to spend a lot of time quilting! My DD's birthday is on Sunday - she will nine. Saturday Christie and her daughter (also 9) might join Madeleine and I on a movie, lunch, and shopping trip to Columbus Georgia. We have already warned the girls that if we go to Columbus, we might have to hit our favorite quilt store!

You can just imagine the moans and groans!

Remember this quilt?

If you have survived this blog for the past 2.5 years, you might remember when I inherited this quilt top from my mom. She made the top for my nephew but then after it was together, she didn't like it. So she gave it to me......... and here it has sat for two and a half years. Mom keeps asking me when I am going to get around to quilting it. I have been ageing it to perfection!

When Mom and Dad were here a few weeks ago, we dug out the top for her to look at again. She decided that she did want to finish it. So I ever so graciously gave it back to her.

Now she is having second thoughts (or third or fourth). She asked me to post a picture of the quilt and ask all of my quilt expert friends a couple of questions. Are you ready to feel smart and influential?

#1 - Should she take the top apart and put some sort of sashing between the blocks? And maybe a matching border?

#2 - Should she take the time to hand quilt it or trust the quilting to the likes of me? Or maybe Nina? (haha!!!)

#3 - What do you think?

Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for the ideas!

Is it purple enough?

A week or so ago, I heard through the grapevine, that the 15 year old daughter of a friend from college was having surgery to remove a tumor from the base of her brain. The surgery went well and they were able to remove most of the tumor. Yesterday they moved her to St. Jude's hospital in Memphis. Monday they will be finding out about the doctors' plans for chemo and radiation. The daughter's favorite color is purple - can you tell? I thought she needed a lovey. I bought the fabric on Wednesday and just finished putting the binding on. Not bad! I want to get it in the mail to her on Monday.

In the light purple strips I quilted words - love, faith, hope, believe, family and her name.

Better, no?

OK, when I had some time to think about it, I realized there were only 12 blocks in the whole quilt. How long would it really take for me to fix it? Answer - about an hour. And I like it SO MUCH better!

What have YOU been up to?

I have finished up the last of the three baby quilts I had in the hopper. The next baby (Maddie's teacher's) isn't due until June - so I have some time off to do other quilting!

Tomorrow I am hosting a baby shower for a girl from church. The bedding she has chosen, from what I can tell from the on-line pictures, looks kind of shabby chic to me. So let's hope she likes the quilt!

My friend Christie decided to work part time this year at a pre-school. Fridays are her day off. Last Friday we drove down to Columbus and both spent an obscene amount at the quilt store there. I was spending someone else's money - I have been "commissioned" to make a queen size brown and pink quilt by a college student at church. She has already given me $100 towards the fabric. It is lots of fun spending someone elses money!! We also bought some cool new patterns. Christie bought a bag pattern and I bought a pattern called BQ by Maple Island Quilts.

We were so anxious to try out the new pattern that we decided to have a crafty day this Friday. Christie hauled her machine and rotary cutting mat over here and we got started. I got my blocks sewn together but Christie only got her strips sewn together. Anyway she took the pattern home with her to finish up the blocks. As you can see, I sewd my blocks together wrong - but I am not changing it. I like it anyway!

I think this would make a great pattern for a Quilt of Valor. You could use blue for the dark brown parts and do the big squares in all different kinds of red prints.

So, what have you been up to?

How did you meet your sweetie?

I spent most of this afternoon stuck in a highway back up caused by an accident that happened at 2;30 this morning. They had to call in a crane to get the vehicle out of the ditch and they chose this afternoon to block the interstate. So the trip that should have taken 45 minutes took three and a half hours. To top it off, I had an 8.5 month pregnant woman with me!! We had gone to Montgomery to get some fabric for me to make a curtain for the babies room. Anna and I had a nice talk about everything from our irritable bowels to our crazy mother-in-laws. We also discussed how we met our hubbies.

When I was in college in Tampa, me and my sister started going to church with my future brother-in-law. This is the same congregation where DH's grandparents were members. So I knew his grandparents for several years before I even met him. His grandfather is also named Stacy - a family name. Anyway, one Sunday morning Stacy's grandma came toddling up to me and my room mate and says that she wants us to meet her grandson. We looked at each other and with our eyes said "Do we really have to?" Grandma Norman was a nut and we were a bit worried about the genetics of the situation. Anyway, she introduced us and he developed a crush on my roomie. I moved 1000 miles away to finish college for a year and a half. After graduating, I moved back to Florida to be near my sister. Everything clicked - we dated for 8 months, got engaged, and were married 8 months later. We have been married for 14 years now. Here are our cute selves!

How did you meet your honey?

Back to the curtains - here is the baby quilt we were trying to match. We went with the brown with pink polka dots for the main portion and the diamond print for the valance part. Anna loved the baby quilt. She asked me the other night if she could pay me to make a curtain for the nursery to match the quilt. So today we went on a search for the fabric to match.

So while searching for fabric, we got to know each other better and became much better friends. making a friend while stuck in traffic! Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

One down, one to go....by Saturday!

Wednesday I managed to ignore other tasks that needed to be done and instead got the binding put on the purple and green baby quilt. I was so nervous that Mackenzie would show up at any moment and her quilt would still not be done. Why is it that the binding never takes as long as I think it will?

For the back, I did not have enough of either the purple or the green so I came up with the 9 patch idea. Amazingly I got it centered top to bottom. Right to left is easy since you center the quilt when you pin it on the machine.

April loved the quilt. yeah!!! Now Mackenzie can come when ever she wants to. Hopefully soon!! I can't wait to kiss on a sweet baby girl!

Next up, binding on the pink and brown baby quilt. The baby shower is on Saturday afternoon. I also need to clean house...again... because my parents are coming on Saturday. How does everything get so messy in just a few days? Mess - thy name is Madeleine and Ian. They will be the death of me!

How did it get to be January 19th?

I know, I know. One day at a time. Christmas and New Year's have come and gone. We survived our whirlwind tour to Little Rock and Nashville. I got lots of baby loves from my new 6 week old nephew, Brady, and my 16 month old niece, Audrey Joy. Also got lots of big boy loves from my 2.5 year old nephew, Joey. Lots of fun and way too much food was had by all. Everyone loved their hand-made goodies. My MIL had the nerve to tell that I shouldn't have given my SILs the table runners that I made because it surely made them feel bad because they had nothing to give me! Ah yes, Christmas joy all around. I am sure that my SILs did not feel this way.

Anyway - on to this new year's sewing projects. This week I finished up the top for my neighbor's baby quilt. I think it turned out cute.

I also got the top put together for the next baby that is due to a couple from church. The colors are pink and brown - but I couldn't get the lighting adjusted right. Use you imagination!

Tonight I started on a third baby quilt. It is going to be a YBR and the bedding I am trying to coordinate with kind of has a shabby chic look to it. Here are the fabrics to give you an idea.

The kids have school off on Monday for MLK day - so I am hoping to get the first two tops quilted. Baby #1 could be here any day and the shower for #2 is next Saturday!

I will leave you with a picture of my kids playing in the front yard today. Mind you we live about 3 to 4 hours from the Gulf of Mexico. Winter fun in southern Alabama!

Shhh....Don't tell anyone!

Don't tell anyone that I am sewing! Actually, I am taking a short break to do an internet fabric search. I need more of the white background fabric for the purple and green baby quilt I am working on. Wish me luck!

Final countdown - friday 3 pm

2 days until we head to Arkansas and then on to Tennessee.
4 portfolios ready to go.
5 table runners completed and ready to go.
5 pillow cases made and hidden away.
1 baby quilt quilted and bound!
1 table runner still waiting to be quilted.
1 baby quilt waiting its turn on the machine. -
1 portfolio in pink needing to be made.
1 table runner in need of binding !
1 last minute special request that is not getting done!(Sorry mom!)

Can I somehow add more hours to my days?

Here's hoping you are getting all your holiday sewing done!
Merry Christmas!

Sunday stash report

I never got around to posting last week's progress so I will combine the two.

Last week I made a total of 5 of the small portfolios. And I finally got around to taking pictures!
I still have one more pink one to make for a certain favorite niece.

5 portfolios x 3 fat quarters per portfolio = 15 fat quarters of almost 4 yards of fabric used!

This week - although I got a lot of sewing done (including through my finger - see previous post) - it was all bindings and therefore very little fabric. Maybe 1.5 yards total. I have 5 of the table runners bound and ready to go! I managed to get a small solid inner border put on the baby quilt and will get the final outer border on tomorrow. My MIL's table runner is on the quilting machine and has to be quilted this week too! Better go to sleep so I can get up in the morning and get busy!

It was bound to happen someday....

Yes, today I sewed through my finger - the tip of my middle finger on my right hand. Still not sure how it happened. Maddie was sewing right beside me on the featherweight and I was using the newer Singer. I had to reach around with my left hand and crank the wheel up so the needle would come out. Then there was the matter of the thread that seemed to have no end - just running through my finger. By this time I am beginning to panic and have to call Maddie back into the room to clip the thread - she had run out when it happened! It only bled for about 1 minute. It still isn't very sore. Nina should be proud that I didn't faint! I remember when she sewed through her finger.

When I called to tell my mom what I had done, she said she hoped that her Christmas gift was already finished! Ah, can't you just feel the love!

Time to go get back on the horse!

Sunday's stashbusting report

This week I was not inspired to work on the bindings on all of those table runners. So what's a girl to do? Start on a new sewing project - a mini-portfolio I found over at Craft Apple (the orange one in the bottom picture). I bought this pattern several months ago and never sat down to do it. Thursday, because I was avoiding cleaning house, I sat down and made one of these - in about an hour and a half.

Each portfolio uses three fat quarters. You can squeak out various additional pieces with careful cutting. The pattern calls for two pieces of cardboard from a cereal box, glued together, as reinforcement for the notebook side of the cover. Because I wanted a little more stability and wanted to be able to wash the cover, I have replaced the cardboard with a piece of plastic canvas on both the front and back sides of the cover. You can buy a 11x15 piece of plastic canvas at Hobby Lobby for about 29 cents.

I have made three complete covers in the last few days and now both of my kids want one. So now I have pieces for about 6 different covers in various stages of completion. I decided if i am going to make one for Maddie and Ian , I might as well make one for my niece and nephew too!

I would like to make several more for Christmas gifts - but we will have to see what the schedule allows. I will try to post a picture soon.

This week's stash busting: 27 fat quarters.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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?

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!

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?

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?

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!

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?

Judy's challenge

Here are a couple designs I was playing around with in EQ5. Two Christmasy ones and two patriotic ones. I ran out of time before I got to adding fancy borders.

Smile!

Shelina has been kind enough to nominate me as one of her choices for a "You Make Me Smile" award.

Bridget over at "and miles to go before we sleep" created this award and wrote the following ......
The thing that I love most about blogging is that I learn so much about a person just by reading their blog. I have met MANY wonderful people with wonderful stories to tell and I am grateful every day for each person that I have the pleasure of crossing paths in life with.I wanted to create something special for the top ten people who have inspired me through their blogging; the stories they tell and the lives that they lead with grace and dignity. I visit their blogs for inspiration and encouragement.Although there are MANY people I want to give this award to at this very moment, I am going to choose ten bloggers:Please grab your badge and wear it proudly, and pass it on because you inspire and encourage me, thank you."

Complying with Bridget's wishes, Shelina presented me this award. And, in turn I would like to pass the award along to the following who have touched me in so many ways, lifted me up and made me a smile. Thank you Shelina!! I am going to cut my list down to 5.

My dear Nina - you inspire me to be a better me.

Ree - a modern day pioneer woman with a camera and a awesome sense of humor.

Judy - I love your machine quilting and your quilt patterns!

Heather - never fails to make me smile (or think!)

Geninne - beautiful artwork - makes me want to learn to paint!

Have you made someone smile today?

A good day!

First of all - before I forget! - I have updated the previous post to include some pictures of my purchases.

Today I got to sew!!! Yay! For about an hour! I got the rest of the nine patches put together and got the alternate blocks pieced. Now to get the rows sewn together. Time for your opinions please. Is this quilt boyish enough? Several of the fabrics have flowers but I don't think they are overly girly. What do you think?

I have been acquiring "ART" lately. This print came from Thea over at Colors on my mind . She of course has an Etsy shop . She had asked for suggestion on some of her jewelry and then gave everyone who made a suggestion a free print. I bought the great shadow box at Ikea.

My next piece of art came from Geninne. This is a print of one of her watercolors called "Neighbors". I thought houses were appropriate since I am married to an architect! Geninne also has an Etsy shop where she sells prints of her great artwork!

This is the fabric for the girly baby quilt for my neighbor. The colors are a little off. The fabric on the left is a soft sagey green and the purple isn't really that bright. I showed April the fabrics and she loves them!

These three fabrics just jumped into my arms when I was picking out the fabrics for April's quilt. They screamed "Buy Me!" How could I say no?

I guess I should feed my children and get them bathed so I can send them to bed! Plus I need to go watch the Gators beat Auburn! Go, go Gators!

Supporting the little (wo)man

Although I haven't got to sew much this past week, I have been busy spending some of my button money on crafty items on ETSY. Their theme is 'Your place to buy and sell all things handmade'. Here are links to my latest finds.

I bought two pieces of vintage fabric from FeminineAddictions. They arrived super quick - all the way from North Dakota. She even included a cute handmade bookmark and a lovely handmade thank you note. You can check out her blog here.




I also ran across this blog and was drawn to it because she (and her twin sister) lived in New York City. DH and I lived there for three years while he went to grad school. How can you not love a blog whose banner features a beautiful picture of her Featherweight? Anyway, she also has an Etsy shop and sells her hand made note cards. I bought two sets - one with magnolia blossoms and one with a great geometric design.




Another one of my favorite daily reads is Craft Apple. She has designed a cool mini-portfolio that holds a 5x8 note pad.

I am working on the quilt for my nephew. I have made 15 out of 20 9-patches. Maybe this weekend I will get to sew some. October is almost here and that means November is just around the corner!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Yes, folks, I have sewn two days in a row!

After a month and and a half of absolutely NO sewing at all, I have spent about a half an hour sewing on each of the past two days! And yesterday I also got to drag a non-quilting friend into a quilt store in Montgomery. I was able to find the fabric for the purple and green quilt I posted about a few days ago. Yesterday in the mail I received my order from The Quilt Asylum , Susan's quilt store in Texas. I ordered several charm packs of Denyse Schmidt's new line of fabric called Katie Jump Rope. This fabric is what I am using for my new nephew's quilt.

This EQ5 drawing gives you the general idea for the quilt. I have got about 6 nine patches made and about 12 more sets of the single rows of the small squares. Did that make any sense? I am hoping to sew a little bit tomorrow. Then on Thursday I am off to the beach for four days - without my family!! Me and some girl friends are the house guests of a friend who is celebrating (mourning) her 40th birthday. Her husband was sweet enough to rent her a huge house on the beach for an entire week and is keeping the two kids at home. Us girl friends are coming in and out at various times this week. Fun for everyone!! OK - whose 40th is next summer? (Nope, not me!)

I haven't forgotten how...

I can't believe a month has passed by with no new post. With the start of school and trying to help hubby get his new office ready to move into, life has been a little crazy. My dad was here for most of three weeks, helping DH with the construction at the new office. I have been busy with PTA, getting kids doing homework, and listing my grandma's button collection on Ebay. I listed the last of the buttons last night. I am thankful for the little bit of money I have made for me and my grandfather, but I am glad to see the end of this project.

Today we got up early and headed over to Atlanta to go to Ikea. We were there for a total of three hours trying to get cabinets for the kitchenette at the office. The kids wanted to do nothing but run around like maniacs or fuss at each other. As I was waiting in the car for Stacy to retrieve the cabinets , I was looking through some old quilting magazines. I came prepared! Anyway - it occurred to me that I have a new nephew that is due to be born in about a month and a half. Time to get busy! Then it hit me that I have three additional baby quilts to make for other friends who are due in February and April.

The quilt shown above is going to be for my sweet neighbor across the street. Her little boy is one of my son's best friends. Their little girl is due in February. Her bedroom is going to be a pale purple. So I am thinking purples and pale greens for the quilt.

Now to go figure out my nephew's quilt. I am thinking maybe 30's repros and some solid blues.

Yes, I do finish a quilt every once in a while!

I managed to get the baby quilt quilted and bound last week in time for the shower on Sunday. The mommy-to-be loved it - along with everyone else in the room. Several future moms said that they wanted a quilt just like it when their time comes! I wanted to keep it for myself! I love the blue and brown together. Very rich looking!

Tonight is meet the teacher night at the kid's school. We already know both of their teachers. Ian has Maddie's first grade teacher - so I am very happy! And Maddie has a girl from church for her third grade teacher. Maddie LOVES Miss Nicole - so it should be a good year. Classes start on Thursday - at which time I am hoping to retrieve my house from it current state of filth! I have not managed to keep ahead of the mess this summer. Maybe with the kids gone for 7 hours each day I can get something productive done. Or maybe not!