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.

Snow! Something new learned, and an (almost) Finish!

We'll start with the snow in my area.  We got over 8.5 inches of snow yesterday (9.1 at O'Hare).  I can't find what my area got, officially, but, I know how much I shoveled.

this only 1 minute AFTER I finished shoveling

this about 30 minutes AFTER shoveling

Between hubby and I (mainly me) we shoveled 5 times yesterday, just trying to keep up.  It was a very heavy snow, so, I didn't want to get behind.  We have to shovel the patio for our dogs, since one of them is 'vertically challenged' and can't get off the patio unless we clear a good path.  Sarah told me that we should get her some doggie snow shoes.

Monday night was my little quilt guild.  Jinnie taught us English paper piecing.  She brought kits of Hexies for us to make.  I've done this before, but, never with instructions on how to do it correctly.

my finished hexie flower

 Now I know how to baste the fabric.  I may have some of these in my future.  It was fun.

I forgot to mention, when I posted about the 2 (finally) finished mini wedding quilts, where I got the embroidery pattern from.  Jenny of ELEFANTZ kindly let me use her border pattern (altered to fit my square) from her Promises & Borders BOM.  I've now made 3 of these wedding quilts, using her pattern.  Thanks Jenny!

After no weddings for ages, all the sudden, everyone was getting remarried.

I FINALLY finished my nieces graduation quilt top (she graduated last Spring).  Less than a year late.  Not bad for me.

Sarah's quilt top

Sewing the backing on my hand crank

The top was made on 2 different hand cranks.  No electric machines used on this quilt.  That will change soon, since I am having this long arm quilted.  I've never had a quilt 'quilted' for me before.  It's scary to turn this over to someone else to finish.  The price may scare me silly, we'll see.  The lady who is going to quilt it is a member in my large quilt guild, and I've seen her work many times.

I received this great video link that I think you will enjoy.  I've never tried to add a video on my blog, so, I hope the link works for you.

Black Books - Favorite Place from DaBrainkilla on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/58893010


I'm heading off with a friend to pick up a quilt top for Quilts of Valor.  We'll visit a quilt store (or two) and a thrift store (or more) and lunch on corned beef at Ballydoyles.  I hope your day is going to be as nice as mine.

February NewFO's and Progress

Time to list my NewFO's for Barbara, over at Cat Patches, and also list what I made 'Progress' on in February.

I started on the Harry Potter 'The Project of Doom' quilt in February.  The patterns can be found over at Sewhooked.

block #1

up close of block #1

block #2

up close of block #2

block #3

block #3  up close

I also 'found' a few UFO's while going thru some stuff in my basement.  These next quilts are now basted, and marked to be quilted (Progress).

Fat Cats in the City, quilt #1

Fat Cats in the City, quilt #2

2nd Flag quilt

My little quilt guild is having a 'box' exchange.  We all bring our 'box' full of stuff we want made, and pass it around to each other to work on.  These are the blocks I made for the first month of the exchange.

Kay's block #1

Kay's block #2

extra block made from extra HST's

I didn't like the lack of contrast in the second block, and, since I had just enough extra HST's left over, I made a 3rd block.  Kay's pattern only calls for 2 of these blocks, but, now she has a choice in which 2 she wants to use.

Not only was 'Progress' made this month, but, I had 2 finishes! 

quilting on a hand crank sewing machine

I added the borders and quilted these 2 mini wedding quilts.  I also bound them and sewed on hanging tabs.  The machine sewing was done on my Singer 99 hand crank. (I also used this machine on the Harry Potter blocks shown above & Kay's blocks). 

Chris & Crystal's wedding quilt

Nicole & Craig's wedding quilt

Yes, I know how late these wedding quilts are.  Both are now delivered.  Both couples understand that 'life' got in the way of finishing these quilts. 

I'm headed off with a friend to visit 2 quilt stores (like I need any more fabric or projects) then, hopefully, this weekend will see more progress on a few projects.  

Finishes! and Found!

First, remember this fabric that I was looking for?

fabric that I was looking for

Well, Jocelyn, over at Happy Cottage Quilter, just happened to have a yard of this fabric.

my square, and the fabric Jocelyn sent me

Yipee!  Now I can go cut the last 3 blocks I need, so that I can get started on this project.  I plan on this being a 'leaders and enders' project, and, since I haven't been using my 1/4" foot much lately, it may take me a while to get this one done. 

I also wanted to show the birthday present I received from Jo, who I sew with at my Thursday sew-ins and am also in a guild with.

mouse pin cushion from Jo

Isn't that the cutest little mouse pin cushion?  It's sitting next to my hand crank, waiting to be 'stuck' with pins.  I just haven't had the heart to 'poke' him yet. 

Well, I was back in the basement earlier this week.  Yep, I found another UFO just waiting to be finished.  Remember the flag quilt I found last month, that just needed binding, well, I found the 2nd flag quilt that I made at the same time, but, this one still needs to be hand quilted. 

another flag quilt for another of hubby's aunts

I marked this quilt for stitching while at the sew-in  yesterday.  Now to get it quilted.  I'll probably work on it during commercials when I watch TV (Castle & Body of Proof). 

At the sew-in yesterday, I finally finished the 2 mini wedding quilts that I've been working on since last fall.  I was almost done with one, and started on the other when hubby's father had his bypass surgery.  Well.......

Chris & Crystal's mini wedding quilt

back of Chris & Crystal's mini wedding quilt

Nicole & Craig's mini wedding quilt

back of Nicole & Craig's wedding quilt

Sorry I didn't get pictures of these on the stands.  Hubby and I delivered both of these to their new homes last night.  Woohoo!  More UFO's crossed off my list.

Giveaway Winner!

Well, I went shopping in a thrift store the other day (like that's news to anyone) and, I found a great little BINGO set. 

Bingo set

 I didn't really care if all the pieces were in the box, just if there were enough Bingo balls for my Giveaway drawing.  See the little Bingo numbers on the balls in the picture below?

Bingo numbers on ball

Well, everyone else does that 'random' draw thing, so, I, of course, have to be DIFFERENT!  I took everyone's comments, and assigned each one a Bingo number, then dropped their ball in the bingo hopper. 

some of the comments, with the assigned bingo number

Knowing how much I just love hand cranks of any kind, I cranked that handle to make sure all the balls were mixed up really well, then let one ball 'win'. 

winning bingo ball

'O' 63 is the winning bingo ball number

'O63' winning comment from quiltma

'O' 63, 'O' 63, you are the WINNER!  quiltma is 'O' 63!  Sue, I've already sent you an email telling you that you are a winner! 

Congratulations!

Thanks to all my loyal followers, too!