Busy week, fun finds and blocks completed

It was a busy week of quilt stores, thrift shops, and sewing. 

On Tuesday, Marilyn and I headed off to quiltfabric.com to pick up a Quilts of Valor quilt to be quilted.  After a yummy Irish lunch, we stopped at 2 thrift stores and an antique store. 

Singer buttonholer

Singer buttonholer, manual is in wonderful shape (circa 1960)

New Home buttonholer, complete

Yes, I have Singer machines and also a New Home that I converted to a hand crank.  I think both sets are complete.  I also purchased some fabric at quiltfabric.com, to make pin cushion thread catchers in the future (on my 'to do' list).

On Thursday, we had our regular Thursday sew-in at Prairie Stitches.  They were having a retreat, so, several ladies were not there.  I stopped by another thrift store on my way home, and came home with some fabric and a teapot.

Country mouse teapot

Marilyn called on Friday, to say she needed to head back to Morris to pick up her sewing machine (repairs).  So, we headed off to The Fabric Center.  This store has some of the best prices in the area.  I purchased more red Kona for only $5.49 a yard.  While we were there, I saw some great peace sign fabric.  My son's girlfriend loves peace signs and bright colors.  Marilyn offered to teach me how to make a pillowcase when we got home, so....

my first pillowcase

This pillowcase is now winging it's way to Oklahoma.  I hope she likes it. 

After I left Marilyn's (no, I didn't take her, since she had to pack to go out of town), I decided to stop at a few more thrift stores that I hadn't been to in a while.  At the first stop, I found 3 different quilts to bring home with me (total cost for all three was less than $3.50).

this one will be to set a machine on

cute little mini quilt

embroidered baby quilt

I think I will take Barbara, over at Cat Patches, idea to 'remake' this quilt.  The blue is a faded blue, and really doesn't do anything for the embroidery blocks.  I think if I take this apart, and use different material, this will be a really cute quilt.  Who knows, I just might get it done in time for my first grandchild (my kids aren't even married yet, so, no rush, thank goodness).  I'm thinking some cute 30's fabrics will work.  The embroidery is in great shape. 

I also found another teapot.

Humpty Dumpty teapot

Isn't he cute!?!  He still has a warranty card inside him.  I found lots and lots of great fabrics, too.

just some of the fabrics I found on Friday

These are all cottons (regular and flannel) along with a large piece of double knit (to repair a double knit quilt) and the caramel satin (sorry, it's folded to show the back) that will be in the crazy quilt that I plan on making one of these days. 

Saturday was the Pride of the Praire quilt guild's sew-in. 

We had a fun day sewing.  I finally finished the Week #4 blocks from the Harry Potter The Quilt of Doom.  There are 51 pieces in each block (week #4) and I made 2 of the block.  It took me 2 sew-in days to complete these blocks (Thursday and Saturday).

both Week #4 blocks

up close of Week #4 block

This was a tedious block to make.  The frames of the glasses took forever!  The books are easy!

On Sunday, I worked on more Harry Potter blocks.  Week #5 is done now, too.

both Week #5 blocks

up close of Week #5 block

I now have a whole row of the bookcase done!

top row of the Harry Potter bookcase

I still need to either embroidery or write book names on each block.  I've decided that my embroidery stitches are terrible (despite the wedding quilts), so, I guess I need to figure out the proper way to do embroidery stitches.  I don't want to mess up these blocks with bad embroidery. 

Sorry if I haven't commented on any of your blog posts.  With such a busy week, I'm WAY behind on the computer and blog reading.  I'll catch up.