A (very late) Finish and some Christmas Joy!

I finally finished the binding on a graduation quilt.  I've never had so much trouble with a binding before.  I purchased a lovely variegated thread to go with the binding.  I sewed the binding on the back of the quilt, not the front, so that I could use a fancy stitch to finish off the binding.  Well,  I finally pulled out the quilt to get the binding done, but, I discovered that the thread that I'd purchased was nylon (shame on me for not reading the packaging and trusting that it was in the correct place at the store).  The thread kept shredding and breaking.  I finally gave up, and pulled out my seam ripper, and took all the thread out.  YUK!  I changed to a blue variegated thread, then changed the stitch pattern, and finished the quilt binding.  Yipee!

Caitlyn's quilt

Caitlyn and Erika came over last night to help me decorate the tree.  Caitlyn helped me last year.  She's such a sweetie!  I surprised her with her quilt when I shut the front door, and there it was.  Caitlyn knew about the quilt.  I'd shown it to her last summer, then took it back to finish (then didn't get it done).  Caitlyn wore the quilt home, like a shawl.  Wish I'd gotten a picture of that.  But, I did get a picture of Caitlyn with her quilt.

Caitlyn and her quilt

Erika helped decorate the tree.  She thinks we have way too many ornaments on the tree.  I told her that you can NEVER have too many ornaments.  She loved hearing the 'story' about most of the ornaments, as I unwrapped them.  She liked that I knew where most of them came from, and that most of them have special meaning for our family. 

Erika decorating the tree

I purchased a quilt at one of my quilt guilds 'shop' at the quilt show.  I love this quilt.  Christine has been a member of both of my guilds at one time or another.  This quilt hangs on the back of the front door, and I see it every time I come down the stairs. 

Christine's log cabin quilt

I'm planning on putting up more than one tree this year.  My youngest son loves to put up the tree that I purchased way back when I was in 6th grade.  This poor tree looks like Charlie Brown's reject tree. 

my tree from 6th grade

Not to get the lights on it, and decorations.  It really does look better after the decorations are added, poor tree.  Now to see how many other trees get put up in the house this  year.  I have 2 more mini trees out, but, I don't know where the decorations for them are, yet. 

I have a busy week.  It's my turn to cook for the Wednesday night meal at church.  I've already cooked the chicken (it's cooling now) and I'll be mixing the chicken spaghetti later this morning. 

I have to finish decorating, watch the last night of Dancing With the Stars, clean house, and get ready for a blogger buddy and her hubby to come for a visit on Thursday, all the way from Australia.  What fun! 

What are your plans this week? 

No Reply bloggers

No Reply bloggers!  I answer EVERY COMMENT that is left on my blog, EXCEPT those from No Reply bloggers.  Usually, I've typed up a response, then, as I click 'SEND' I notice the address is no-replyblogger.  I really want to answer every one's questions, but, without any contact info (yes, I check their profile to see if there is contact info there) I just can't answer you.  I've had questions asked about machines.  NO, I'm not ignoring your questions, I just can't answer you!  I just finished typing up a response to 'Vicki', but, I can't send it to her. 

If you've left me a comment, but, haven't received a reply, then check your profile.  Only YOU can change the info on it, and only YOU can leave me contact info so that I can reply.  I've sent many an email into the 'void', trying to reply to you.  If you don't want to leave your contact info in your post, then, look on the right side of my blog, under the 'Daily Blessing' and my profile info is there.  Just click on it.  Under the (blank) picture it says 'email', click that and my email address will appear.  Send me your questions that way, MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS AN EMAIL ADDRESS THAT I CAN REPLY TO.  I really do want to reply to EVERYONE that leaves me a message. 

Cheryl
PS:  Janie in Evansville, IN, I'd really like to talk with you about your RedEye, but, you are 'Anonymous'  

Teapot Tuesday & Fun finds!

I love to stop at antique shops and quilts stores while I travel.  I have to get out and stretch my legs every few hours, and antique shops make a great place to stop.  While on my two rushed trips to and from Texas, I found some great items that came home with me.
Hubby said I couldn't bring home any sewing machines, but, I didn't think he would mind this one.  I found it in Texas.

cute, metal sewing machine art

back of metal sewing machine art

Sorry, I didn't clean this up before I took pictures.  It was really dusty, but, it did clean up nicely.  I love the plant on the back of the machine base. 

I stopped at a cute little store in Bristow, OK, that I've wanted to stop at for a while now, but, I keep going by it hours before it opens.  This time, I got to stop.  I found this great quilt top for only $8.

vintage quilt top

This is covering my dining room table for the moment.  I also found a few large spools at this shop, along with some sewing items (sorry, no pictures of those). 

I found lots of doilies at different shops along the way, too.

vintage hankies and doilies

vintage doilies

vintage doilies

I also found three embroidered blocks at a stop in Missouri. 

embroidered blocks.

I also found some cute ceramic items.  A dish and a candle holder.

dish & candle holder

I discovered a great quilt shop in Burkburnett, Texas, The Stitching Depot.  They even have a website.  I found a great Texas pattern and a book.

2 Texas quilt patterns, one is a kit

pattern book

I'm going to have fun reading this book, even if I don't make any of the quilts in it.

I also found some fabric at 2 different stores in Texas.

lots of fabrics, mainly fat quarters

I have a really good friend in Tulsa, OK (ok, two really good friends in the area), but, Betty made me something special.  Betty and I learned to quilt from a lady at my old church, way back in 2001.  Gail taught us to quilt, then, after the class was over, the ladies continued to meet weekly for several years.  Betty also crochets, and made an afghan for my youngest son when he went off to college.  She had extra yarn, so, she made me a lap size afghan, in the same colors.

lap size afghan from Betty

My mother's new hubby does wood turning.  He made me this lovely vase.  I put a wooden rose in it that I had purchased in Mountain View, Arkansas, while at my family reunion.

wooden vase from Melvin

Melvin does great work.  He is also very generous.  Thanks Melvin!

Last, but not least, I haven't had 'Teapot Tuesday' in a very long time (bad me)!  Well, I found this great teapot clock at an antique mall in Illinois on the way home.

sewing machine teapot clock

Gee, I brought home 2 different sewing machines, but, since they don't 'sew' they don't count, do they? 

Oldest son will be home soon for Thanksgiving.  Gotta go!  Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Been missing, Meeting a blogger, Sandy blocks

I've been missing lately.  I was gone 22 out of 31 days in Oct/Nov.  5 days were planned for a family reunion in Arkansas, but, the other days were a surprise.  My father-in-law had bypass surgery, and hubby and I rushed down to Texas to be there for the procedure.  We had to rush back so that hubby could be in a wedding, then, 4 days later, I was headed back down to Texas to help my in-laws.

On the way back down, I stopped by both of my son's colleges to see them.  I arrived on Halloween to spend the evening with my oldest son.  His college hosts Trick-or-Treating in the dorms.  It was fun seeing all the college students in their costumes, and the local kids and families going thru the dorms, gathering candy.  My son dressed up as a Star Wars Storm trouper going to the prom.  He got the purple leisure suit from my stepfather this summer.  Now I'm on the hunt for another leisure suit for the younger son.  He really wants one in orange, if possible (his school colors).

my son as a 'Storm Trouper going to the prom'

my oldest son

one of the college students

The next day I arrived at my youngest son's college, shortly after he got out of class.  I got to meet his girlfriend, tons of his friends (he's a very social guy) and he took me to a church service for college students at his church that evening.  Sorry, I didn't get any pictures of him.

The world is a small place.  I read a blog written by a lady from my hometown in Texas.  She moved there years after I left.  It is the same town that hubby's and my family still live in.  Well...  I got a chance to go shopping at the local Hancock's while I was in San Angelo.  It was one of the few places I got to shop at while I was in town.  Imagine my surprise when I laid my fabric bolt down on the cutting table, and recognized the lady who was going to cut it for me.  I checked her name tag, then asked if she was CollectIn Texas Gal?  She said 'Yes, I am'.  I told her that I am Cheryl's Teapots to Quilting.  What a surprise for both of us!  Sue wrote the cutest blogpost about us meeting here.  Please read it, it is sew cute!

me & Sue (CollectIn Texas Gal) at the cutting table

See, a small world.  Oh yea, Sue had been working on blocks for Erin, over at My Patchwork Life, for Sandy relief quilts.  I had already read Erin's plea for blocks, but, being out of state, I didn't have my fabric stash with me.

Yesterday, I pulled out some fabric, and made some blocks for Erin.

Disappearing 4 patch block on my Spartan

Disappearing 4 patch block for Sandy relief quilts

all 9 Disappearing 4 patch blocks for Sandy relief quilts

As you can see in the top picture, I've set up a sewing area in my youngest son's room.  He won't let me take it over until he's been gone for a whole year, but, he said I could use it until he comes home for Christmas.  I'm so far behind on projects that have deadlines, that, I really need to get working on them.  Besides these blocks,  I've basted and started hand quilting nine blocks to make nine mini quilts.  I'm quilting them during DWTS shows.

hand quilting mini quilts

On Sunday, while hubby and I watched a few movies (my down time after the trip) I was busy drawing patterns on fusible paper, then ironing it on, and cutting it out.  Here is part of what I was working on.

I don't have pictures of the other fusibles I was working on.  They aren't ironed onto backgrounds yet.  I'll show pictures of those later. 

I found lots of goodies on the trip down and back.  I haven't even had time to unpack them, so, I'll post about them later. 

Have a Great Week!