A Finish! and a New Quilt Store!

Yesterday a few of us celebrated a friends birthday.  Kay is one of the best friends you could have.  Even my son's both consider her a great friend of theirs, too.  I made Kay a mini quilt as a gift. 

Everyone always takes pictures of their quilts outside, draped artfully across shrubs and trees.  Well, I tried that yesterday morning in my backyard.  No sun, but, pretty plants.

Kay's quilt on my roses

Kay's quilt on my day lillies

Kay's quilt on the grass

Another friend and I found the center cross stitch a few months ago at a thrift shop.  I saw it and thought of Kay, since she gardens, and loves the rabbits (unless they are in her yard). 

'found' cross stitch in center

I added hexie flowers (I just learned how to make them), and quilted it on my Janome, in cross hatching.  The only machine quilting I can do is straight lines. 

upclose of hexies and quilting

I put the last stitches in the binding shortly before we left for IKEA.

We ate lunch at IKEA, then had to check out everything in the store.  I was a good girl, and only bought lint rollers for my sons, and a candle plate. 




Next stop was the new quilt store, a short drive from IKEA.  Quilters Quest is in Woodridge, Illinois.  It is a nice store, and, we will all be back soon. 

Floriani threads

fun 'Bee' fabrics

lots of colors

another wall of colors

lovely Asian fabrics

some 'cat' fabrics for you

several Australian fabrics to choose from

Yes, I did buy something.  I was good, I only bought 2 quarter yard cuts for my Harry Potter, The Project of Doom quilt.  Won't these look great as book covers?

spooky eyes and cute mice

Now to think up some great book titles to use with these fabrics. 

At the checkout counter, I found a wonderful goodie that I just had to share with you (no, it wasn't for sale, darn it!)

Treadle lamp

the treadle is a music box

 Oh my!  How cute!  Too bad it wasn't for sale.  It would have come home with me.



Another quilt store in our area is closing.  The owner is retiring.  I've already been a couple of time, but, they just posted even lower prices.  Only a few days left before this store is GONE!  Well, we just had to stop and see what was left.  I did find a few fabrics for projects that I already have planned or am working on.

'quilt' themed fabric

Kona brown and a fat quarter, along with thread

focus fabric for an upcoming project

I already have a small amount of the black quilt themed fabric, but, I'm sure I can use this, too.  The Kona brown fabric will be my 'bookcase' in the Harry Potter quilt.  The Pink and Orange fabric is for a quilt that was requested for a graduation next May.  I'll get some Kona solids to match it so that I can start on this quilt in a few months.  In all, I bought almost 15 yards of fabric, but, since I finished the bolt on each one, I saved 70%. 

Tonight is quilt guild.  We are having a lecture and trunk show of Sunbonnet Sue quilts.  We were asked to bring any Sunbonnet Sue quilts we have for show and tell.  I'm bringing a quilt that hubby's grandmother made for us after we got married.  We are also having a 'tea' at the quilt guild.  We are supposed to wear fun hats, like we'd wear to a tea party.  I'm making my hat.  I guess I'd better go now, so that my hat can be finished.  My hat has a theme, it is 'misplaced Texan who fell into a garden'.  Hopefully it turns out ok. 

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? 

Special Gift and August NewFO's

Remember this sewing machine that I am holding for Pat, at least until it can get a ride from Chicago to North Carolina?

Pat's White Rotary sewing machine that I'm holding

Well, Pat sent me a wonderful gift yesterday.  I've told Pat that my Spartan Hand Crank is my favorite sewing machine.  Pat has a Spartan, and is now considering turning her's into a hand crank, too.  Well, this is what Pat made for me.

wall hanging made by Pat

This is Pat's first attempt at applique.  I think she did a wonderful job!  Sew Cute!  This is hand quilted, too!  THANKS PAT!!!!!

Cat Patches 2012 NewFO Challenge

 

 

 

I didn't get much sewing done in June or July, due to graduations, weddings, getting the last son ready for college, and my legs acting up.  Well, I finally got some sewing done in August.  Everything I sewed was done on a hand crank.  My poor Janome is going to feel slighted. 

I am in the group, Treadle On.  We are having a TOBE (Treadle On Block Exchange) this fall.  So far, I've gotten 3 sets of blocks sewn.

1959 Singer Spartan (192K) hand crank

TOBE blocks sewn on 1959 Singer Spartan (192K) Hand crank

Each set of blocks is supposed to have 12 HST's in it.  I sewed 16 HST's so that I'd have extra blocks for me.  I still have to sign the blocks before mailing them.

1921 Singer 66 (Redeye) hand crank

'Red' blocks sewn on 1921 Singer 66 'Redeye' hand crank

Yes, I chose red fabric to match the red and gold decals on this machine. 

1948 Singer 15-88 hand crank

sewn on 1948 Singer 15-88 hand crank

I also started the 'How far will you go? QAL (see button on side).  I made 4 of the first block.  I haven't had time to try any of the other blocks.

Yep, sewn on my trusty Spartan hand crank

QAL block 1, 4 blocks made

I took a paper piecing class back in May, but, I didn't have time to practice.  Well, there is a Thursday sew-in at a LQS, and, several of the ladies are very good at paper piecing.  I found a pattern early Thursday morning, and, with lots of help from Jo, Jan and Linda, look what I got done so far...

2 paper piecing blocks, one shown from the back

Jo suggested that I make a second block (since I already had another copy printed) so that I could reinforce what I'd learned.  Lots of 'unstitching' as I learned how to do this.  This will eventually turn into part of a Singer sewing machine, like this one on KT Quilt's blog.  Yes, I have a link to the pattern, thanks to KT.  Hopefully I'll show the finished block for Septembers NewFO party.

Now for a NewFO, but, it isn't my NewFO, it is my youngest son's project. 

Connor's Renaissance Fair shirt

hand embroidered sleeve hem

all hand stitched by my youngest son

No, I didn't teach my son how to make clothes.  I DID teach him the basics of hand sewing, many years ago, and, I taught him how to sew on a machine when he was 12 (he made a quilt that year).  Connor has worked on this, off and on, while working at a summer camp this summer.  I think he's done a great job! 

Holding a machine, and a few finds

I am holding a sewing machine for another lady.  I'm in the Chicago area, she is in North Carolina.  Anyone going that way?  This machine needs a lift.

cabinet for White Rotary

electric cord and attachment drawer

Good Housekeeping seal of approval on drawer lid, nice large drawer

attachments in drawer, all in really nice condition

White Rotary machine, needs some cleaning

cool knee lever for electric machine

Pat, the owner, told me that I could try out this machine, but, the cords are really old (wrapped in fabric) and I'm a bit worried about plugging it in.  Maybe later, when I get a chance to unwrap the cord and really check it out.  I love this cabinet.  The machine is pretty, with set-in flowers and such in the cast iron metal. 

I've been to a few garage sales this week.  I hit the jackpot at one garage sale.  I've been wanting to get a small table to hold one of my machines when I demo, or, to have at the guilds sew-in.  I really wanted more than one, and I've just held off on buying one.  Well...

plastic table

still has the packaging paper on the table

I scored 4, yes 4 of these great tables for only $20.  Both my sons have already laid claim to a table each, with out even seeing it.  I kinda knew that would happen.  That leaves 2 tables for ME!  Whoopie! 

I also scored a few other items.  I found a great wall hanging that was hand quilted.

hand quilted wall hanging

A great tin box, complete with a key lock.  I'm going to store some sewing notions in this.

locking tin box

I also scored 3 quilting books.

this one has some projects that look neat

Lots of great pictures of vintage quilts

Edyta Sitar book

I couldn't resist the Edyta Sitar book, especially since she was at my LQS in June (I missed her).  Since Edyta is so popular, this book just might have to go for a giveaway I'm planning soon.  What do you think?  Would you be interested in this book?

So far, empty nest is fine. We woke up early and went for a walk at a forest preserve.  The trail is flat enough that my legs could take it. 

Have a great weekend!