Quilty Things & Northern Lights

 I got some nice photos of my newest granddaughter on her quilts.

My oldest granddaughter and I went to a quilt store in Anchorage, Seams Like Home. I bought a Laura Heine pattern that I've been wanting to make.

My granddaughter was chatting with all the ladies at the store, and she must have made a good impression, since as I was checking out, one of the ladies asked her if she would like some fabric to make some napkins or something with her grandmother.  Of course my granddaughter said yes.  They gave her 13 fat quarters of this fabric.

13 fat quarters

The day before I had bought a used Accuquilt die to make turkey placemats for the kids.  This fabric will be used in those placemats.

Someone texted my son last night to let him know that the Northern Lights could be seen from their area in Anchorage.  He and I drove up a mountain (away from the city lights) above the tree line so that we could see the Northern Lights.  I got several photos.  This is my first time to get to see the Northern Lights!  The photos were taken from the car (windshield) or out the open car window.

This morning I took some photos of hoar frost outside the patio window.

hoar frost

hoar frost

I haven't gotten any sewing done since I arrived.  That's ok.  I'm having fun playing with all the grandkids instead.  

Some Finishes and Some Fun Gifts!

I've finished two quilts this week.  One of the quilts, I made the top back in the summer.  It's the 2nd quilt like this.  The first was for one baby, and this one will go to my new granddaughter.  I quilted this differently than the first quilt.  I used my walking foot for the quilting. 

Little Lamb baby quilt

I used a backing fabric that is similar to a Shannon Cuddle Luxe.  I followed the tips & tricks from Shannon Fabrics for sewing with Cuddle Luxe fabrics.  The tips are for sewing the fabrics together, not for quilting, but it worked nicely. Here is the backing that I used.  I think it looks like sheep fur. (the fur is all white, the brown is the light from my sewing machine).

backing on Little Lambs baby quilt

I also finished one of my Family Reunion quilts.  I just needed to to sew the binding onto the quilt. The pattern is String Crossroads.  I changed up her pattern to substitute 4 patch blocks for the string blocks.  I like how it turned out.  I still need to sew the binding down on the 2nd one (I made 2 quilts, one for me and one to auction off to raise funds to cover Reunion costs).

1930's reproduction fabrics

Friday was my birthday.  It was a fun day!  I had friends take me out to Red Lobster for lunch, then to a quilt store for some fabric fun.  Dinner was at Olive Garden with my husband and oldest son and a close friend.  I was surprised with lots of fun gifts.  Here are a few.

Marilyn made me a Iron Caddy for when I take my iron to sew-in's, etc.  I'm showing it open, too, because the fabric she used is sew cute!  I had to read all of it.

Iron Caddy

fun fabric

insulated fabric inside

I also got 2 Bluebonnet towels (Texas State Flower) from Kathy.  

Bluebonnet towels

Kay gave me a thread caddy, thread and a cute sewing themed door knob sign.

thread caddy, thread and door knob sign

My youngest son sent me flowers for the first time.  

I also got to show off my new Accuquilt Studio 2 after lunch.  I also got more Birthday cash to go towards it and the dies I've bought.  

Now to stitch the binding down on the Autumn Chains king size quilt (and make a hanging sleeve).  This has to be done before the quilt show March 11 & 12, 2023.  I'll be starting that as soon as this posts. 

I'm Home! (Catching up)

Since my last blog post I've been on 2 more trips.  The first trip was a vacation with extended family in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. We flew into Albuquerque and went up Sandia Peak.  I hadn't been up Sandia Peak since I was a senior in high school.

the sky at sunset

Albuquerque from the top of Sandia Peak

We drove with hubby's brother and sister-in-law to Cloudcroft (where we met up with hubby's parents).  While driving to Cloudcroft, we kept passing this overloaded van.

overloaded van

From the front (sorry, I couldn't get a photo), we could see at least 3 6 foot tables along with other stuff, strapped to the roof.  Since they turned when we got to Alamogordo, we figured that it was a military family moving to the Air Force base there.

In Cloudcroft, we stayed at a cabin called Elk Hollow.  Great cabin (my father-in-law found it on VRBO).  We saw 20-60 elk every morning and late afternoon going up or down the mountain by our cabin.  We'd just walk out onto the balcony, and they were just feet away.  There were at least 5 different bull elk, with the largest having 13 points.

overflow parking at the cabin

from the balcony

in front of the cabin

On Friday night, we attend 'Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch' A Cloudcroft Light Opera Company production.  

What a hoot!  We cheered the good guys, Boo'd the bad guys and threw popcorn.  What a fun evening!  The Cloudcroft Light Opera raised at least $500 for a scholarship for a local student.  They try to raise fund for at least 5-10 $500 scholarships each year.

When I got home, I found this.

see the battery acid coming out?

My car battery was dead (it was 5 years old).  Hubby & son were off all day playing disc golf, so a nice neighbor helped me get the old battery out and the new battery installed.  Thank goodness NAPA Auto Parts was open on Labor Day. 

I was only home for one week before I headed back out, this time to Texas for my mother-in-laws knee replacement surgery.  We didn't get home till Oct 1st.  From Father's Day (June 19th) thru Oct 1st, I've only been home a total of 32 days.

I did get some stitching done since my last blog post.  I quilted, bound and gifted a baby quilt.

I also finished 3 more blocks for the Angels Among Us calendar quilt..

February

March

April

Over the summer we found out that our 4th grandchild will arrive around my birthday (first week of February).  It will be a girl.  Now to figure out some quilts for the new grandbaby.  I'm trying to decide if I will paper piece a quilt for the new grandbaby, like I've done for the other 3 grandkids.  We've done Peter Pan, Lord of the Rings/Hobbit and Harry Potter.  What theme would this one be?  I need some ideas.

Another Finish

I forgot to include another finish.  Last week I made a baby quilt for my cousin's new grandson.  I'll be meeting the new baby on my trip.

I had a kit, and it stitched up quickly.  I followed the pattern except for the binding.  I decided to do faux piping binding instead of regular binding.

I put purple minkee on the back.  The blocks are from a book panel.  The pattern gave instructions to turn it into a quilt instead of a book.  The panel is The Monster Book of Jokes.  The quilting is just simple straight line quilting.

The quilt is signed (last block), washed and ready for the new baby.