Last 2 Weeks (Busy)

I haven't posted in almost 2 weeks.  I HAVE been busy during that time, too busy to post.  This is going to be the 'short' version of my last 2 weeks.

On Tuesday, June 25th, I went to the Prairie Star Quilter's Guild meeting with Rita and Jane.  I'm not a member of this guild, but, I've visited a few times.  The speaker, Anita Solomon of Make It Simpler fame, was a hoot!

Anita Soloman

Our Quilts of Valor group has been using one of her patterns recently.  Here are some of her quilts (sorry about the ladies head in most of the pictures).

this is the pattern that our Quilts of Valor group has been using

I want to make this quilt one day

After the program (morning program), we went to eat Chinese.  Here is my fortune.

This coming Friday will be an exciting time for you. 

Hmmm...  exciting does NOT mean good.  Gee, tornadoes are exciting, but, really bad. 

After lunch, I headed over to Marion's, to teach her how to miter corners on a baby quilt.  (sorry, I forgot to take pictures).  I went back on Thursday morning to finish helping her.  Marion did a great job!  She didn't have to redo a single corner.  Thursday was also my regular 'sew-in' day.  I didn't get to stay very long.

On Friday, June 28th,  I worked on Kenmore sewing machines (for the Sewing Machine Project), and copied blog links, just in case my dashboard reader went away, like Google Reader was going to.  I didn't want to lose any of the blogs that I follow.

one of the Kenmore's I was working on, the stitch length dial is stuck (still)

other Kenmore, didn't do much with this one yet

The afternoon was lovely, so, I took my laptop out on the patio to copy links in the shade.

my patio computer set up

The umbrella in the picture is an oversized umbrella.  It is huge and heavy.  By later in the afternoon, I'd moved to the other side of the table (thank goodness), and a freak wind picked up the umbrella out of the stand, and aimed the end of it at my face.  In 10 years, we've NEVER had anything happen with this umbrella.  Oh my!  SCARY!  Remember the fortune cookie from Tuesday?  It said that something exciting was going to happen this Friday.  Well, it WAS exciting, but, not good.  The umbrella did NOT hit me, but, my littlest dog was laying near it, and, while she was trying to get away from it, she somehow cut the pads on her paw in  3 places.  I was so busy trying to wrestle the umbrella, and get it closed (not an easy task when it is in the stand, even harder when it is upside down and still trying to fly away), that I didn't notice the dogs until later.  Oh no, where is all this blood coming from?  Poor Katie!  She's had her paw in a bandage ever since.  It is still healing. 

I've also been teaching/helping my hubby to make stuff sacks. 
picture borrowed off another site

Hubby is backpacking this week with our Venturing Crew.  He wanted more stuff sacks for his stuff.  His are small and grey.  He did most of the stitching himself, but, I finished them for him, so that he'd be able to take them with him this week.  I'll show pictures another time.  I'm sure we'll be making more, since this was a learning experience, and he wants to improve what he did.

On Monday, July 1st, my little guild met.  It was the last month for our 'box' exchange.  This is what I made for Janette. 

fan block

Janette's 'box'

Janette's box had a very old UFO in it that she wanted to complete.  She now has at least 8 of the blocks done.  We are supposed to have a quilt top done by our December meeting. 

On Tuesday, July 2nd, our Quilts of Valor group met in Batavia for our monthly sew-in at Prairie Shop Quilts. Here are some of the quilt tops that were turned in that day.

We had a fun and productive day.

Wednesday, July 3rd, Plainfield, Illinois has their fireworks show, right across the street from my church.  We had a party at the church, and watched fireworks together.  What a fun night!  We've done this many times. 

Plainfield fireworks

Plainfield Fireworks

On Thursday, July 4th, I drove the Aurora Lamplighters Barbershop Chorus in the Aurora parade. 

Aurora Lamplighters parade float

 The lady in front is the director of the chorus.  It's fun to drive in the parades.

Another quilt shop is going out of business, due to retirement.  The owner purchased the shop from his mother when she retired, now, he is retiring.  Oh my, I don't think I've ever seen so much fabric in one store before.  On Friday, July 5th, he was dropping his prices down to $2 a yard.  It was time for a 'road trip'.  Marilyn, Thelma, Susan and I decided to see if we needed any fabric.  Princeton, IL is about 1.5 hours from us.  There are 2 quilt shops in town.  There were at least 4 cutting tables in the shop, and the lines were between 30 minutes and an hour long for the wait.  I purchased at least 30 yards of fabric, all but one piece for charity quilts.  Karen has already come by and picked up several yards to make lap quilts for the local Veteran's home and pillowcases.  The rest will go for Quilts of Valor backings and quilts. 

just a fraction of the fabric that I've purchased in the last month.  The bottom blue fabric is 21 yards.

I have purchased LOTS of fabric in the past month.  Most of it for charity quilting.  I've already sent 2 bags of it out of the house for others to stitch with.  I've only paid full price for one piece of that fabric.  The rest was on sale, or, found at thrift stores.  It's been a lucky fabric month for me at thrift stores.  3+ yards of Minky for less than $5, most pieces of fabric for less than $2 for several yards.  I'm much better at finding the fabrics than I am at getting them stitched up, so, I pass on fabrics for others to stitch for charity.  I find the deals, they get to stitch.  Win-Win! 

I have been getting stuff of my own done.  I've been working on the embroidery on my Harry Potter blocks.  Almost all the blocks I've made so far have titles on them, waiting to be stitched.  Boy does it take a long time to transfer titles for embroidery! 

I won't be getting much stitching done in the next week.  I'll be cleaning house, instead.  This house has been a mess since both boys moved back home.  Everything has been moved, topsy turvy, all over the place.  I'm busy trying to find new homes for everything, and clean before youngest son's fiance comes for her first visit this weekend.  Add to that, my vacuum was busted for 2 weeks (fixed now, thank goodness). 

Have a Great Week!

Cheryl