Finish! Squishys! and holding a machine

Today was Thursday sew-in at Prairie Stitches Quilt Shoppe.  We have several ladies that are out of town this week, so, there were only 4 of us, but, we had a fun time sewing.

Jan's quilt top

 Jan showed off her quilt top.  She's added another border since I took this picture.

Jo's friendship quilt

Jo brought her completed friendship quilt, from friends in one of the shops monthly clubs. 

I worked on my Harry Potter blocks. 

both of my Week #6 blocks

up close of week #6 block

I received some squishy's in the mail in the past week.  I was going to show one in the last post, but, even though I'd taken it to 2 different sew-ins to show it off, I'd forgotten to take pictures of it.  Oops!  I have pictures now.

I won a table runner from Pauline, over at Quilt-n-Queen.  Check out the double binding that she did. 

table runner from Pauline

showing the backing, too

up close of the double  binding

Thanks Pauline.  This has been decorating my sewing spaces at the sew-in's last week. 

Terri, over at QuiltNCards, and I, were highlighting our Harry Potter paper piecing last month.  Well, Terri decided to award some prizes at the end of the month.  She decided to send prizes to those who have commented most on her blog.  Well, I was one of the 3 that she chose.  She said she was going to send me a few fat quarters, but, she was REALLY generous in her gifting!

squishy items from Terri

 Terri had a whole envelope PACKED with goodies!  Oh boy!  Look at those citrus Jelly Belly's.  (glad they weren't Every Flavor Beans like in Harry Potter).  These look yummy!

Terri has done lots of paper piecing.  She included a paper pieced bird for me.  The bird is already pinned to the quilt hanging behind my sewing machine upstairs. 

paper pieced bird from Terri

Then came the fat quarters!  Eight of them!

fat quarters from Terri

up close of some of the fat quarters

I can picture these in my Harry Potter blocks.  What fun!

Thanks Terri!

I'm thinking that I just might have to have a random drawing, now and then, to reward those who comment on my blog (and no, not those nasty spammers).  Comments (at least nice ones) DO MATTER!  

Yesterday, hubby and I drove into Chicago to pick up a sewing machine for a fellow vintage machine enthusiast.  I will be holding this machine (and have permission to play with it, too) until he can get a ride for it.

Wheeler & Wilson #9

decal in center of the bed of the machine

made in the USA, it has great decals, too

back of the machine, showing the light (which works)

The motor works on this machine.  I'm going to oil her, and check out how she sews for her new owner.  (yes, I have permission).  I don't have a machine like this one.  I've held machines before, for other collectors. 

Have a fun weekend!  I hope to get more sewing done! 

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.