Work, Work, Work...So I Can Sew, Embroidery, Crochet

I has been a few days since I posted, but I have been really busy.  Honestly, I have.

Working in the quilt/craft room.  I really need a new name...Diva Den...no, I am not a diva.  Maybe Needle Nook...not to sure about that.  Must think about that a bit more.  At any way, here are some before photos.

So much stuff.  Not sure what do with all of it.  But I figured it all out.  I even have the room divided.  Cross stitch in one corner, sewing in another corner.  Supplies stored close to each.  Just wish I could have gotten my stash closer to the sewing table, but that just couldn't work out.  For a number of reasons, the way the furniture functions (direction doors open and size) mainly, but the biggest reason is I had to put things in a certain location to make it all opposite of the way it was.  I couldn't stand to have the rocking chair in the same corner as it was when Mom was staying here.

And...drum roll please... really, it needs a drum roll in my opinion.  Here are the after photos.

This is a stained glass sign that my dad made.  It hung in there travel trailer for many years and traveled to many places with them.  My mom loved this sign, because dad made it for her.  The red horse is because Dad worked for Mobil their entire marriage.

Okay, here is the first wall.  TV entertainment center has a cabinet on the end that opens out.  It is full of my Cricut cartridges and Sizzix dies.  The other end has a glass door.  All my embroidery supplies are in there.  Floss, embellishments, machine embroidery thread, laces and trims.  The shelves have all sewing supplies, current quilt projects and such.

Computer desk, cross stitch corner.  Mom's little rocker, which does not fit me well at all. It is very small, but of course it is about 60 years old and she was much smaller than me.  I will eventually get rid of it, but at the moment it is a sentimental thing.  It was always in her home, she loved it because she rocked both her babies in it.  Lamps for better hand stitching of course, then little drawer sets have all the office stuff.  You know, markers, pens, pencils, tablets, mailing supplies, label maker and such.  The very top shelf has little bins of various specialty yarns and my Cricut cutter.

My new sewing table.  The metal file cabinet sits in the corner, out of the way but easy to get to.  It has one drawer full of recipe and menu plan files, the other drawer if full of various files that have to do with quilting, crochet, embroidery, swaps and challenges.  I also store my cutting squares and rulers in that drawer.  Now, the long curtains are to replace the closet doors.  This makes it so much easier to get in the closet.  This is where all the good stuff and bulky stuff is now housed.  Shelves that hold bins of crochet projects, fabric for garment construction, UFO quilt projects, a cool round spinning shoe and purse carrier that is perfect for holding yarn.  Small skeins fit in the shoe pockets and the one pounders fit perfectly in the center opening that is actually for the purses.  Drawers of sewing patterns, sewing supplies, another set of drawers has quilt projects, mostly block sets or flimsy type (which I believe is the term given to a top that has been completed.  My AccuQuilt Go cutter and the plastic container I bought that holds all the dies and cutting mats perfectly are also in there.  On, and my box with the dressmaker's form is in it's own spot as well.  I made the curtains yesterday, but had the wrong rod to hang them on.  The cat gets a kick out of playing with the bottoms of the curtains.  I am not sure I like the fabric though.  It looked good on the bolt, cost $2 a yard, but it reads very busy in appearance.  But they are made and hanging.

Finally, my stash.  All folded and sorted by color.  Except the top two shelves, sorted more by novelty print.  Stack for juvenile boy and for girl, older themed too.  The new Brother 770 embroidery machine sits on the little chest or cabinet.  Another piece that was my mom's.  The cabinets hold cross stitch charts and clip boards and all the college team fabric I bought while in Texas.  Both are Texas teams.

 

Now that everything is in it's own special place and cleaned up, and the curtains are made, I can get started on my most immediate quilt projects.  I need to finish some crazy quilt blocks for a challenge and a swap, then a couple of throw size quilts for my church quilt ministry's project of quilts for the orphanage we kind of sponsor.  Also am making a quilt for my youngest son's girl friend.  I will post the computer generated rendering of what that should look like.  I am starting to understand my EQ 7 software a little bit more each time I use it, so figure these charity quilts are a great learning lesson for finding and using old quilt patterns and techniques.

I did manage to get the window topper completed this evening.  Let me tell you about my other little event of the day.

Went out early, in the freezing cold weather, to Walmart to pick up the correct rod to hang the closet curtains on, a rod for the window topper, fabric for a quilt class I am taking this Saturday to match the living room/dining area/kitchen window treatments that I made several years ago.  Well I added some longer panels to the dining area windows this past summer, they are west facing so I wanted to block a little more light.  Decided to make the quilt class project match the living room and will put it on the couch.  It is a Lonestar variation. Okay, back to the point.  At any rate, I was in Walmart and had a PSVT attack.  Really bad one, lasted longer and more painful than I had ever had.  I was too embarrassed to let them call me an ambulance, so I suffered and prayed that I would not pass out in the store.  When I realized that I would have to end up going to the ER, I had to go buy a package of pads so I could have some with me.  Another stupid moment, shopping with out being prepared.  At any rate, I finished my purchase, sat down for a few minutes and then managed to get to the car.

I had to call an ambulance to pick me up from the parking lot.  SOOOOO totally embarrassing, but by that point the pain was so intense, dizziness and nausea so strong that I just didn't care any more.  Well, I had been battling the episode already for about 20 - 30 minutes before giving in and admitting I had to have some help just to get some relief.  When the EMT checked me, my heart rate was only 214.  They immediately gave me medicine to bring it down, which didn't work so followed that up with a double dose.  Understand, that this medicine, when administered, tightens the chest as if in a huge vice grip.  Off to the ER we went to make sure I wasn't having a stroke or anything else.  I have to call in the morning to have a follow up visit with my primary doctor.  I swear I think it caused a mini stroke because I am having trouble remembering some things one side of my mouth now has a bit of droop to it.

Needless to say, I didn't get anything much accomplished today.  Wasn't even able to keep the grand baby and I really feel bad about that.

Well, I am off to take a warm bath and then to bed.  Tomorrow is another day and now that I am a day behind, I really need to hit two fabric shops and a local quilt shop tomorrow to pick up some fabric that son's girlfriend picked out so that I can have it on hand to work on her quilt.  Also need a coordinating fabric for the Lonestar project to use on the insets.  The quilt is shaped kind of like a stop sign.

Thank you for stopping in for a visit, please come again soon.

Last Post 2012

Well, this is the last post of 2012.  It is not quite midnight here in the Pacific Time Zone.  We just rolled in from our trip to Texas to visit family.  It was a nice trip but too short.  So, just playing a little catch up since I am seeing the year in by myself.  Hubby has been driving since about 1 AM this morning, we got in about 8:30 PM or so.  Unloaded the car.  Haven't put it all up yet.   Hubby took a shower and hit the bed.  Son, Mr. College, that is spending the Christmas break with us, slept all the way home, brought his stuff in, showered and headed over to his girlfriend's house.  She had some minor surgery done today.  Daughter, Miss Zebra, has gone to a friend's house for the night.

On the trip...I did a little shopping.  Here goes.

I cleaned out the clearance bin at Hobby Lobby, plus a couple that weren't on clearance, but had coupons for them.  I am planning on using these counted cross stitch kits for the Crazy January challenge.  Will be posting a lot more about that in January.

I bought some more purples for the "heart" quilt.  Plus one pasta novelty for me.

Also, some Texas fabric.  The UT fabric will be a quilt for my brother.  I plan to try out my AccuQuilt Go cutter with the tumbler die for this quilt. Not sure what I will do with the Tech fabric yet.  Also got extra UT fabric to make some pillow cases for grandson, Mr. T, or maybe some pajama pants. More about the quilt projects will be coming in January as well. I am challenging myself to make a couple of finished quilts each month.  Am also doing a crazy quilt journal challenge as well, which is only one block a month.  That will be easy.  In fact, for January, I need to make some "naked" blocks to embellish for a swap I am doing.

I also got this stocking kit, it was on clearance.  Not as discounted as I would like, but it is cute so got it to make for next year.  This is part of another challenge I joined, Christmas one, the goal of the group is to make one ornament a month instead of waiting until the end of the year to make them all.  I figure I can complete one ornament a month, but will adding in my stocking projects as well, I consider the stocking and ornament. I plan on eventually making each grand son one.  Maybe will be able to make one for a grand daughter, we don't know what is on the way yet. Just praying that this pregnancy goes well and both mother and child is healthy.

We went to a really neat antique store, more like a mall, each booth is a different seller.  This little glass tooth pick holder I bought for my oldest daughter.  She collects blue glass.

Bought this limited edition signed print portraying Texas.  It listed in the booth for $35, I looked up the artist and while she still has prints for sale, they are selling for $69 unframed.  The photo doesn't do it justice.  The glare plays with the colors, the frame is wood, not painted green as it looks and the mat is dark blue.  The print has a lot of blues in it which is my favorite color, and since we are from Texas, well just couldn't pass it up.

This unusually shaped shadow box was a real find as well.  I have needed to find a new one to replace the one ruined in the washing machine flood incident.  I can't wait to get it hung on the wall and load it up. Just don't know where I will hang it.

Last but not least, is this beautiful native American squash blossom sterling silver and turquoise necklace.  I have no idea how to determine it's value, but after looking at several over the last few years I felt like I got a real bargain.  It needs a little polish, but is just the right length, is not so heavy or chunky as most I see.  I just love it.

I also bought a new purse, but didn't get a photo of it yet. It's awesome.

Well, time for me to go enjoy my bath tub for a much needed soak.  I have a lot of work to do tomorrow.  We have to unpack, then hubby and kids will repack for colder weather and load up and go to Mammoth to snow ski for a few days.  I intend to get a lot of work done while they are gone around here.  Will post my progress, hopefully.  I need to do some deep cleaning, put up all the Christmas, start up my menu planning once again as well as get some organizing of my life and home done.  Wish me luck.

Out with 2012, thankfully I survived it.  In with 2013, prayerfully awaiting a better year.

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wacky Wednesday!

Just no other way to describe today, just wacky.

First of all, I met a very nice young lady today.  She lives in the next town over, up on the mountain. She has her hands full, one boy is two years old, the other is 6 months old.  She listed an item on Craig's list that I bought.  It is a counted cross stitch kit for a Christmas stocking.  She had started it, but only got a little bit of the design stitched.  She did a good job, just didn't have time with the two kids to work on anything.  I told her I can totally relate.  The kit came with 28 count cloth, which I really don't like working with, so am thinking that I may just start over and use 14 count cloth.  It shouldn't change the size of the stocking since I would only be crossing on square instead of two like the higher count cloth.  Although the directions don't say anything about going over two threads or what ever you call it.  It may just end up being a miniature, but I am taking the chance.

I have been working like crazy getting my sewing room all organized back up from being packed up for a while.  I have the last of the furniture I am keeping from my mom in place now.  Just need to have hubby hang the mirror that goes with the little chest.  Have quite a few things to get hung on the walls as a matter of fact.  He did finally get my shelf attached to the wall in the living room.

Now I will just have to get a new curtain rod that is a little longer to go through the shelf.  You can't really tell from the photo, but my dad cut circles in the end pieces and a support in the middle so I could hang a curtain rod through it.  My previous house had a huge double window in the dining area.  Dad had made similar smaller shelves for me to use to hang quilts so I asked him to make a larger one that I could hang a curtain on.  He added a groove the whole length of the shelf as well so I could stand up plates to display them.  We brought the shelf with us to this house.  My dad worked hard to hang it in my daughter's room for an extra shelf to put toys on.  I had a large Sunbonnet Sue quilt hanging from it that my aunt had made for my oldest daughter.  Then we took the shelf down to repaint and moved daughter to another room.  I gave the quilt to my oldest daughter since it was hers.  Now the shelf is hanging in the living room.  The figures sitting on the shelf are all figures I had painted and given to my dad on different birthday's, father's day and such.  When mom moved out here, they came back to me.  My dad loved them.

This is a close up of the mountain man and his pack horse.  I added real feathers to his hat and horse's bridle and pack.  Dad found that dog somewhere and put him with it so I left him there too.  Dad also had some little stones around them but I didn't keep them.  My dad was very good with his hands and he built a wooden shelf each time he received one and they all hung in a cluster in my parent's living room.

Now, you all read about Miss Zebra, my youngest daughter.  Thought I would let you see what she looks like.

This was taken right before her ice skate performance this past week end.  She looked so festive, but unfortunately she fell during her routine and hit her hip hard.  It wasn't a competition thankfully, but she was still rather embarrassed and still sore.

This is her and Mr. M (my youngest grand son that I am day care for)

Can you tell she has a thing for zebra design.  Anything zebra.  I have loaded her up with zebra designed things for Christmas.  Zebra designed head band, hat, tank top, shoes, make up bags, coffee mug (hot cocoa in her case) even found a pair of footed pajamas that are zebra print with zebra heads on the feet.  Yes, footed, as in baby footed jammies.  Seems to be all the rage in the younger set. She is in the car and tells me, "by the way...hint, hint, wink, wink, Target has footed zebra pajamas.  I will acted surprised if you get them for me."  Isn't she so sweet?  Yeah right.  I had not been in a Target store in so long, I had no idea what all they have started carrying.  I saw a lovely little dress for Miss Zebra, wasn't zebra print but it was a purple that she would like.  I was in utter shock when I looked at it closer.  It was made from all cotton fabric, not the best quality in my opinion either.  They wanted $99.99 for it.  All cotton, would have to iron it every time she turned around, and a hundred dollars?  Well, it did have the Neiman Marcus name on it.  Didn't even know they had their own brand of things much less that Target would be carrying it. I did find a nice little corduroy jacket for her, purple with faux fur trim around the hood.

It just kind of worked out so that I haven't had Mr. M this week until today.  I was able to get quite a bit done around here.  Finished up my Christmas shopping, more about that in a bit.  I finally got the last few pieces of furniture in my sewing room that I want to keep that was mom's.  That includes her rocker, entertainment center (that has glass door and end cabinet) little chest and a matching wall mirror that will hang over it.  AND...everything is now where I can find it so I am ready to start sewing, embroidering and crocheting up a storm in 2013. I AM READY FOR THIS YEAR TO BE OVER.  I have inventoried my thread, have it all sorted and ready to go.  I will have to buy some more as I get started using it, but thankfully most of my projects are kits which come with the thread...and cloth and needles. I have also, after hearing that some others on my groups do it, made a list of all my kits and charts.  To make myself seem totally organized, I also made a list of UFO's, which is only down to one for cross stitching, since the other two cross stitch projects got tossed.  They will become a new start in 2013.  Made a list of projects to start as well.  You see, crazy me joined this crazy insane challenge that challenges each person to start a new project each day from Jan. 1 until Jan. 15.  That will be 15 UFO's to work on through the year.  If that isn't insane enough, a group of us are doing a dual challenge.  Not only are doing a new start for each day through the 15th, we are doing it through Jan. 31.  If that hasn't hit you, that will be 31 new UFO projects.  Which technically will not be a UFO unless I quit working on it.  So that will actually be 31 new WIP projects.  Works In Progress.  That is a big challenge for me as it drives me crazy to not finish up a project right away.

Speaking of work in progress, the nativity is actually starting to show a little structure.  Slowly, very slowly.  Now this is my only actual UFO as I started this back in like 1998 or so.  I really did not stitch this very logically, as at the moment I am stitching 3 in light peach, 5 in dark peach, 6 in pale brown, 9 in grey, 5 in light taupe...well you get the idea.  About ten different colors that are too far apart from the next place to use that color to park the thread.  This is the center of the design, big mistake on this project.  I will be able to roll it either way on the scrolls to a whole new set of the design.  You see, I had put the center of the cloth in a hoop, you can still see a little of the coloration from it to your left.  I started out with the brilliant idea to just do all stitches of one color all over the design area in the frame.  OH THAT WAS A MISTAKE.  I started squaring off, for lack of a better word, along the right side.  Line by line, filling in what I had already done.  I should have done that to start with.  I am right on track with the line at a time, but am finding that the little stray areas I had already completed are not always in their correct spot.  Frustrating, time wise, but easy to fix so have been correcting as I go.  I am learning a lot with this piece so that is the good thing.  It is the starting and ending of threads for each of the like thirty million shades for the shadowing effect that is driving me crazy.  I mean really, there is literally grey, then very dark taupe, dark taupe, medium taupe, light taupe, very light taupe and of course pale taupe.  All just a few stitches of each on either side of the that part of the design, then not used until another section of the design.  Then you have the same with the yellow, brown, blue, teal.  Well, you get the picture.

Yes, I am going to be thinking over the stitching process a bit more with the next projects I undertake.  Also, I have learned about gridding.  Will be doing this with all the larger projects for sure.  Also, some one suggested making copies of the chart before I start, enlarging them.  Now, I am not savvy enough in computer to understand the first thing about enlarging as described to me by one sweet group member, she explained how to do it in Adobe.  But as the saying goes, there are more ways than one to skin a cat.  I scanned a chart, cropped the scan to just a few lines over half the chart, then printed it out as a full sheet.  Then, cropped the other half picking up few extra lines and did the same way.  It turned out well. I have the same few lines of the chart on both charts to line up so I am on the correct row when I change pages.  OH MY has this been a saving of time and eye strain with this nativity project.  In fact, I have already done this with my next project I plan to start.

I am trying out the notebook plastic floss holder system.  I like the ease of having it all together.  I made the copies of the chart and they are in a pocket in the back of the notebook.  The front of the notebook has a clear pocket for the cover and I placed the book in there.  What I didn't like was how easy the bobbin's fall out of their assigned spot. I know it seems I am all over the board with my organization of things, but am really looking at what will work for me. Also looking at what is readily available for me as well.

I am in the process of listing my quilt projects in the same way.  While I was going through the boxes of everything I had stored while the sewing room was down, I have found quite a stack of UFO projects that will be top on my list of finishing.  They are all sizes and in different states of completion. About 98% of my quilts are for charity so to have so many unfinished is just totally unacceptable to my heart.  Our church has a quilt ministry that I am a part of.  Not as active as I should be, but no one's fault but my own.  Long story...for another time. At any rate, one of the projects is to make some quilts for an orphanage in Kharakastan. Some men from our congregation went there last summer to build a play ground for them.  Those men felt bad for the children's lack of bedding and ask if our group would make some simple quilts but colorful.  We are doing simple, 6 1/2 inch squares, 7 squares across and 10 squares down.  Tied for quilting. Scrap squares for the tops.  The brighter the fabric the better.  I am really looking forward to starting on this project. 

In fact I even bought a die for my AccuQuilt Go that cuts 6 1/2 inch squares.  Shhh....we won't talk about all the other dies I bought though.  I just ordered a new one today, of a little car. Can't wait to use them though, tumbler's block and apple core as well as Sunbonnet Sue.  So looking forward to actually cutting and sewing once again.  The group also makes baptism quilts, which I hope to work on.  I plan to push myself really hard to complete the UFO's in my closet and then I will start and complete at least 4 quilts a month.  These will be crib size.  I love to quilt and I think that getting back to it will be just the shot in the arm I need.  Of course I will make a few quilts for family.  Not many as they all have one already.

Also on my list to do is to learn to use my EQ 7 and PC Stitch 10 software.  After the first, I am also opening an Etsy store to sell of some things.  Mostly a lot of paper craft products and supplies.  I don't like it, have way too much of those things.  That being said, there are some of things I just can't give up.  Like my Cricut and Sizzix.  I have figured out that I will use them from time to time, cannot get near what I spent on all of it, don't want to chance finding that I need to replace it at some point.

But here's the thing.  Crocheting is a nice look, and while most find it relaxing it makes me a nervous wreck. But, it is portable so that it can be carried most anywhere I go, and it is quiet so I can work on it when everyone else is trying to sleep.  Same with counted cross stitch or hand embroidery.  While a little more difficult to take camping or such, can take it with me and it is quiet.  Unless I am cursing the chart or myself for loosing stitches, adding stitches or just plain putting them in the wrong spot. Like I said, I love to make quilts, but with the early to bed hubby I have, I try to not run the machine once he has gone to sleep.  That being said, I have purposely laid out my new sewing room with that in mind by putting the sewing machine and the sewing cabinet it sits on completely across the room on the total opposite corner so that it won't bump on the walls.  I can close the door some, but it is easier to close the bedroom door.  Plus, the later solves the problem of the cat showing up in our bed.  The hardest thing I am having to figure out is how to do anything with a toddler under foot.  I love taking care of him, but by the time he gets picked up, have the evening meal, there is a very thin window of time before some people hit the sack.  So, the plan is to get as much done with the machines as possible when I can and then build up a pile of hand work.

If I can make several tops at a time, then sandwich them, say once a week, then quilt them and sew bindings on over a week end when I have no toddler.  I may get something done.  I so badly want to just chuck everything around me and just start working on something, anything, everything, but it is just too close to Christmas and our trip to see family in Texas.  BUT...when I get back, get all of Christmas put away, I am doing a few things for me.  One of those is attempting fitness boot camp.  It may end up killing me, but I am up for the challenge.  Our church has a private school and one of the students mother is teaching the classes...for free.  It sounds ambitious but I have to make some changes in my life or go insane.

Emotionally, I was doing quite well until yesterday.  Hubby caught the delivery truck dropping off, which of course he would being that they can't come during the day.  No...they have make their drop, knock, run visits at 8:00 at night?  What was worse, was hubby yelling at me for buying him a gift.  Yelling at me.  Now understand, I have used my little inheritance monies to buy some gifts with some thought to it for him.  It's not like I am breaking us for this.  HOLY SMOKES, I can just imagine what he is going to do when he sees what else is under the tree for him. It is just really hard with out my mom.  I so want to talk to her, show things, I just miss her.  I know this will pass, time heals all wounds and such.  But it is just still really raw right now.

Okay, I promise to keep my post shorter from now on.  Thanks for hanging in there and come back again.

Busy Day.

So...have laundry going.  At least enough to make hubby think I have done house work today.  Will be fixing spaghetti and meatballs for supper, unless that makes hubby take us to grab a burger.  Miss Zebra has her Christmas band concert tonight that we have to go to.  She actually requested that we come to it.  Mr. M is in a mood today, so he needs a little extra attention.  Fortunately, Miss Zebra is home today to help.

I stayed up way to late last night crocheting a scarf out of this new Sashay yarn made by Red Heart.

It comes looking like this.  This color is called Mombo. Rich colors that are berry, navy, olive green and magenta, all blending together.

It opens up to look like this.  A mesh, net style. Reminds me of the fish net hose I use to wear in my younger days.  The bottom edge of the mesh is wider with a metallic thread that runs through it.  I had never seen this yarn before, but found it on some posting somewhere, talking about the great scarves it makes.  I posted a photo of the scarf to my FB page and my oldest daughter Mrs. S promptly posted that there was several shades of the yarn with, and I quote, "rich hues that flow together" and she hinted that she would like some.

Like the loving mom that I am, I went online to search for patterns.  Apparently, this yarn is better used for knitting.  Which I can't do.  However, I did find some crochet ones.  I talked to a lady at JoAnn's who had used the yarn, she knits of course, but she was very helpful.  She suggested going on YouTube.  Which I did.  The few videos I watched had a little different crochet technique, but it seemed easy enough. One lady stated that the scarf would only take less than one skein and about 30 minutes to work up.  Another lady stated one skein would have yarn left over and only takes about 30 minutes to make if you are used to working with it, about an hour if you haven't.  She said the hardest part of making a scarf was pulling the thread out as you crocheted.

So...here is the finished scarf.  Pulling that yarn apart, or stretching it out, as you work it is a bugger.  The bottom edge, as I said, is a wider edge with a silver metallic thread running through it.  The top edge of this mesh yarn is narrower and that is the edge that you work with.  For the first time to work with this yarn it took way more than an hour.  Maybe I am slow stitching, but here's the thing, if you loose your stitch, it all comes out.  This yarn in my opinion is a real pain in the ass to work with and I would never become one of those people that makes them to sell.  I would charge way too much for them because I hate working with it.  However, that being said, this scarf will go to Mrs. S and I have another skein in a different color to make for her as well.  I will say, that I did have quite a bit of yarn left over and I made it longer than the one shown on YouTube.  I also have to admit, that after I dropped the stitch and had to start over...three times...I did hit a groove in working with the stuff.  I will say this as a warning.  Do not start this project unless you have a couple of hours to work it.  It is not like regular crocheting where you can just pick up where you left off.  I mean you can, but only if you have a safe place to store it that your hook won't come out.  Also, I would suggest using a bamboo handled hook.  The handle helped immensely in keeping the thread on.

I bought a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse to go with my new computer today.  LOVING them.  I am starting to get the hang of the Windows 8 thing as well and it is growing on me.  I was upset that I had some how lost my scanner, on every computer, but this morning I had an update waiting to be installed for my printer series and it seems that it is working now.  OH YEAH!  This is a big deal to me because I just purchased EQ7 quilting software program (rather pricey but I did get a good deal on it over on the Quilt in a Day site.  The main reason I bought this particular version of EQ7 is the capability of scanning my fabric to fill in the block in the quilt design.  That way I can see how it looks before I even cut it.

Speaking of awesome quilts.  Take a look at this Pinterest site. I love it when I can combine my hobbies into one project.  Like using embroidery on a crazy quilt. Well this quilt is a little different in that it is not your traditional crazy quilt that is built from odd shapes of fabric sewn together.  This quilt is what is known as an apple core pattern.  Very traditional, considered a charm quilt, dates back to the late 1800's I believe (late 19th century).  Victorian era ladies would collect charms of fabric, buttons and pins and such.  At any rate, this quilt is a great example of a traditional pattern, embroidery embellishment, and...it happens to be a die I just purchased for my AccuQuilt cutter. 

I cannot wait to get through the holidays so I can actually start working on something.  I added the last pieces of furniture to my craft room.

This is my mom's little rocker that she was so attached to.  She didn't use much, as she preferred the comfort of her Lazy Boy, but my parents bought this rocker in 1951 when they adopted my older brother.  Mom always talked about how she rocked her babies in this chair.  My brother and I were adopted, not blood related, but we were related in a loving family.  At any rate, while it is not the most comfortable chair to kick back in, it does fit the space perfectly. 

It is harder in some ways, easier in others, than I expected getting through the holidays with out mom.  They say the first ones are the hardest.  I know I am missing her terribly.  Christmas was her favorite time of year.  All the church services, celebrating Christ's birth.  Family getting together for gifts on Christmas eve and then again on Christmas Day for a huge meal.  It was just always on Christmas.  Growing up was my brother and I with mom and dad.  We never went anywhere for Christmas, never had anyone visit.  I think earlier, before I came along, there was Christmas with one uncle and his family and my granny (dad's mom) but I only know of it from home movies.  I don't ever remember it that way...and I do have a superb memory for that kind of thing.  Now my kids always had several Christmas times.  One with just us, then one with my parents, and one with hubby's parents.  I know I just want to make it through the holidays with out falling apart and that is getting harder each day.  I want to get past the holidays, get all the decorations packed away and get on with life and working on things. 

Speaking of which.

Update on the Nativity.  I have finally made the decision to start another cross stitch project (that is smaller) and quite pushing myself to finish the Nativity.  Now that I realize I will never finish it for this year. 

I hope hubby never finds out how much I have spent on quilting/stitching supplies on eBay. LOL  I am now feeling better about my stashes though.  Plenty of kits, plenty of patterns, plenty of thread (since I won some large lots of embroidery thread on eBay) and enough quilt fabric to at least plan a quilt.  I think also, after the first I will start selling off some of my paper craft supplies (rubber stamps, punches, papers) to feed the kitty so to speak.

Speaking of kitty.

She likes mom's rocker too.  I didn't realize when we took her in how much comfort it would be to have her around.

Oh...and also speaking of feeding the kitty.

Here is my change kitty (on the left) that is fed by all the change I find around the house.  The other decorative jar is what my mom used to keep cotton balls in.  I am going to use it for a TUSAL jar.  Found out about this on some blogs I read.  It stands for Totally Useless Stitch Along.  All the bits and pieces from cross stitch (ends and frogging) goes in the jar and I post a photo of the jar each new moon.  I always keep a baggy taped to the sewing table when I do machine embroidery.  I have used all those little pieces in other projects. I guess you can see one of my sets of machine embroidery thread in the background.  I only have three. LOL

This is a free standing lace cross that I stitched out on my embroidery machine a while back.  All the various colors you see in it was done by using two layers of tulle and placing the cut threads I collected between them then stitching out the design.  Oh I hope I can find those files on a computer somewhere in this house when I get ready to start doing some machine embroidery work.  I know I have a disk somewhere that has designs  to embroider out that are the cutest vintage children.  I hope to put them in to some quilt blocks.

Well, time to move the laundry around.  Thanks for stopping by and do come back to visit soon.  Feel free to leave me a comment.  I love to read them.

Oh What Fun!

Okay, so you know how you eat all the cake and cookies the week before you know you are starting a new diet?  Because you know that  you won't be getting any after that day? And you really want to get them out of the house?

Well, I am preparing for my diet date.  A stash diet that is. Jan. 1 will start a no buy, use the stash, finish the UFO's personal challenge.

For quilting, this means that I will only purchase what I need to complete a project.  I will be making a list of all my UFO's (unfinished forgotten objects) that are stuffed folded up neatly on the shelf. I will be feeding the PIGS (projects in grocery sacks) so that they fatten up in to wonderfully completed quilts to go to new homes.  I have an obscene amount of PIGS.  Good thing I love ham so much. I did find a great deal on EQ7, quilt design software, over at the Quilt in a Day site so purchased it...on Thursday, it arrived Friday.  I was in total shock at the speed. I can't wait to load it and start playing with it.  Next week though, I am going to play with my AccuQuilt Go cutter and the new tumbler die I bought.  I purchased fabric today for a purple and grey quilt to made out of the tumblers for a gift for youngest son's girlfriend.  I do suspect however, that in the not to distant future she will become family.  Think, hope anyway, they are planning on waiting until they are both out of college.  They have been together for like five or six years already.  Also, purchased some iron on interfacing to use for the t-shirt quilt I plan to make out of youngest son's t-shirts I have collected.  Actually he collected them, kept them stuffed in his closet, I found them when he moved out.  So, figured if held on to them, I can make them in to some thing he can really hold on to.

Now, the "Stash Diet" as it deals with my newest fascination of counted cross stitch.  For this re-visited hobby, I call it that because years ago (many, many years ago) I enjoyed this particular craft.  But, like so many things in my life it was boxed up, put away, not to be thought of for far too long.  Well, in the process of sorting through boxes in the storage to unpack and place in the sewing room that was no longer needed for a bedroom for mom, I found some UFO's that had not been touched in at least 12 years or more.  I have developed a new determination to finish all unfinished works in my life.  Guess it is a by product of the loss of mom, dealing with all the final disposition of her things and such.  At any rate, there has opened up a new window of interest again after being closed up for far too long.  Getting rid of the musty part of old I guess.

So...as with the quilting, I am going on a diet with this area as well.  Problem is, I haven't really got the huge amount of stash to supply my addiction with the counted cross stitching as I do with my quilting. But, I am in for the game.  I have only one project in the works currently, that will be an ongoing project for some time it would seem.  I stitch very slow.  Don't know why I can create a quilt in a day, two at the most, completely finished, but it takes forever to make all those little x's of thread everywhere.  On the agenda for this new project, it will be a lot of organizing, just like with quilting. I already have planned which project I am starting first.  I am so tired of working on my current project, the nativity.  Once I tasted reality and swallowed the sad fact that I will not be able to finish it for this Christmas, I immediately placed it at the top of my "ongoing finish for 2013" list. 

To "prepare" for my  upcoming stash diet, I have gone on a little spending spree.  Not a lot, but I did buy the thread for my next project, but forgot the cloth.  I will have to remember to get some.  I am thinking that it would be much cheaper to buy some cloth by the yard.  I have a serger and can finish off the cut edges.  Maybe though, I will just have to buy the cloth as I go.  Not sure which would make more sense, money wise, at this point.  Any way, at this time, I am really concentrating on building up my thread stash.  Last week, I bought a thread of each color, sorted it and have it all inventoried.  At the moment however, I think I went a little overboard on bidding on Ebay.  I will only have a problem if I actually win them all.  However, I have budgeted for just such an occasion. At least I will have on hand all I need to work with, supply wise. As with the quilting, as of Jan. 1 there will be no more purchases of thread, charts, kits to just stuff find a place to store away.  I will only use what I have on hand.  Of course, it doesn't count if you have to buy a few threads to replace what you use up, or run out of before finishing the project.  Yep, that's the story...I'm sticking to it.

Oh this is going to be so much fun.  Wonder if I can stitch while on the treadmill, which I will be starting back on Jan. 1 as well. Well, exercise anyway, thinking of getting some hand weights and a ball for scrunches.  Will start simple.  Also need to get back on track with my food as well.

I have decided to re-organize my day a bit and starting on the first of the new year I plan to sew during the day.  Well...as much as I can around Mr. M and his needs that is. Cross stitch when everyone has gone to bed and it needs to be quieter.  By that I mean I won't disturb hubby who goes to bed at 8:30 each night.  I have to fit in menu planning in there somewhere as well. It seems to really run a lot smoother at meal time if I have planned it out a bit.  We eat out way too much, my fault, and since I am the largest instigator of it, I will be hardest to push for home meals.  It is better all around financially to plan out the meals and eat at home, emotionally I don't have to worry what is for dinner, and physically is much healthier for us as well.  Hubby eats out a big meal every day for lunch with his job.  Miss Zebra eats at school each day, she tries to make healthy choices but sometimes that is really hard with what the school offers up.  It makes sense to make the evening meal more nutritious for all of us.

Pulled some more items from mom's storage out today and brought them to the house to go through.  I finally got the furniture I want for the sewing room all in place, just need to clean it back up as every thing was just kind of piled here and there willy nilly to change out the pieces of furniture.

Cross over between these two crafts will be the crazy quilting projects.  They are both quilting and embroidery and they are embellished with all kinds of embroidery stitches and decorative pieces.  I have a box of my mom's clothes that I saved, her more favorite pieces and a sack of my dad's neck ties.  I will cut them up and make a crazy quilt for myself and my brother, just throw size, and then will make smaller pillow or lap size projects for each of the grand kids to have. This project will take a long time I am sure, but that is okay too.  This project will not go on any list, no deadlines, nothing but time to heal and remember.

The other craft that I enjoy, or hobby, but I just hate the word hobby because to me it conjures up time spent doing some project that is of no use to anyone.  When you say you have a craft, it sounds more artsy, more special.  Regardless, I also crochet.  Love the things I create, but like with cross stitch, am totally at a snail's pace with it.  I will never be able to understand how someone can sit there and tell me how relaxing, calming, crochet is.  I can only work so long, by that I mean not long at all, for I become a nervous irritable wreck.  So, because I have a weird sense of need to punish myself, I bought some this new yarn out to make a scarf for my oldest daughter, Mrs. C, the teacher.  You can crochet with it, but it has a net, much like the old fishnet hose, built in to it.  Apparently, it makes really great scarves because the yarn design naturally makes a spiral or ruffle.  I talked to a woman at the store that has used it quite a bit.  She knits though, will never be able to learn that, and she showed me a little of how to do it, but with wanting to crochet it she advised me to check out YouTube for videos on working with the stuff.  Mrs. C has already hinted that she would like one.  She finds things on Pinterest, then lets me know...in not so subtle hints...that I should make it for her.  She has a lot of misplaced confidence in her mother's abilities sometimes.  But hey, makes me try new things...once.  If you haven't looked around that site, you really should, it is amazing.  Make sure you lots of time when you do.

Well, it is late and I have written a book in this post.  Thank you for dropping buy and listening.  I have a year's worth of cleaning to get done tomorrow.  Hubby loves me so much he had to share his little bug with me.  I have been sick for a week or so.  So...nothing has really been done around the house because as you all know, only mom can do it.  And, even if she can't really hold her head up, is sneezing a storm, coughing up a lung, it will all be alright when ever she does get around to it.  Come back and visit soon.  Will be updating later in the week the nativity progress.  I kind of hit a sweet spot with some large areas of the same color to stitch.  Oh my stars, that doing three or nine stitches of a color at a time just kills.  I should just nickname the project Small, because, "you're killing me Smalls).

That being said, I am off to soak and then to bed.  Have a really full day waiting for me tomorrow.  Will see how much I can get done.  Have you finished your Christmas shopping?  I am about a fourth of the way done.  Need some online orders to arrive, then wrapped, and one more shopping trip with hubby and we will be finished.  I am so excited that we are heading to Texas to see family right after Christmas.  I will have to pull some photos off Facebook of Buddy, Mrs. C shelf elf.  If you haven't heard of this craze you really should look it up.  She is so creative in story ideas that I just eagerly anticipate reading each day's post about what he was up to during the night.

Busy Bee I Am

Busy as a bee I have been.  I have gotten all the fabric from storage shed and storage unit all refolded to match the shelf size and organized by color, cottons and flannels.  I found so many lost projects that I will not have to start any thing new for a year or more.  Of course I will, but just saying. It sure feels good to have it all where I can get to it and use it.

Now, to update things.  I have received some of my quilt book purchases.  One book in particular I am extremely well pleased with.  It has 101 patterns to use with rotary cutting, I have put sticky tabs on about half of them to make in the future.  I also received my calendars form Piecemakers.  I can tell I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew with them, but I just love them and of course it is not so overwhelming when you look at it being a block each month.

My PC Stitch arrived and is loaded on the computer.  Will have to work a bit to figure that one out, but I will.  For the moment, I have a half dozen counted cross stitch projects in various stages of completion, none of which are really very far along actually.  Also have about five or so cross stitch kits as well.  I have quickly come to the conclusion that I need a lap frame, or hands free I think it is called.  I would get the floor model, but feel it would be make me have to lean up or such and make my back hurt.  I also need to head to Jo-Ann's or Michael's and buy a couple of more hoop frames.  Yesterday, I was actually able to sit and stitch once again and choose my Victorian house kit to work on.

I worked a few hours, over a hundred stitches.  Yes I know I am slow.  At any rate, after finishing a good little section I realized I used the wrong color thread.  Thought about leaving it, just changing from that point on to the correct color, but in the end decided to do it right and play frog and stitching in the correct color, so went to bed at 2 am thinking I just wasted the whole evening. Today, while Mister M was sleeping, I was able to get back to the point I was at before ripping out, and added a good amount more. I must in all honesty admit, it makes a dramatic difference in the look of the project.  It doesn't seem like much more has been added since this photo was taken, but I know it has.  I even found a small section that I had done back when I started and that was about 2 rows off in one direction that I decided to rip and do over to get those stitches where they belonged.  Something like that could throw off the whole design, and I just couldn't figure out a way to correct it other wise.  I am well pleased with what I did do.  I would have kept going a little longer tonight, but I am rubbing my stitching arm raw moving it from front to back of the frame and my free hand is holding the frame, my wrist is going out with it.  That is why I am getting the hands free frame.  I do have a project on a scroll frame that I have not started a single stitch on as yet, and am thinking I will put it up for a while and then transfer the house project over to it.

I received my AccuQuilt Go and finally able to play with it a bit.  Took it to the quilt meeting last week and used it to cut 6-1/2 inch squares.  There is a bit of learning curb with that thing, but I do like it so far.  In fact, will be placing an order soon for some more dies, shapes actually.  I will be using it a lot though, I can already see. Just need to figure out how to place my fabric so the print or design of the fabric is cut straighter.  My stripes are running a bit wonky on some.

I have also bought a new table and rocker for the sewing room.  I was using a card table, which worked fine, just a little too big for the space.  I went cheap and bought a plastic folding table, it is a rectangle and working so much better.  I will be moving the recliner out to the garage tomorrow and bringing in my new one before I go get Mister M.  I am also working on storage options as I want to get rid of a set of dresser drawers that I have full in this sewing room.  A lot of the stuff can go to storage, some can go to Goodwill.  I have a little chest and mirror that was mom's that I want to bring in to replace it.  Much smaller, more compact.  Speaking of the craft room, I will go looking for some fabric some time this week to make the long curtains that will close off the closet instead of doors.  Plan on getting a little extra to make a little window treatment for in here as well.

I will post photos of the sewing room when I get it all finished. Now, I am going to take a bath and get some sleep.  I hurt my foot, twice, same foot, in two days time and I am going to soak it before I hit the bed.  Thanks for stopping in and come back soon.

Sunday - Time Change

Well, did everyone change their clocks?  We did, but I do believe that for the first time in...ever...I took advantage of the extra hour of sleep, and then some.  Totally missed church.  Hubby needed hair cut, so I tagged along to pick up a few groceries.  We were there too early for the hair cut, so he said he would go back, he just needed to go to Home Depot to pick up some supplies for his building project.  After we got checked out and headed to the truck, he informs me that he isn't go to Home Depot, he is taking a day off.  As worn out as gets with anything lately, I am worried about his health, worried about how on earth he is going to manage to get through the rest of the house remodel jobs we have planned.

I on the other hand did a lot of work yesterday and this morning so am taking the afternoon and evening off.  Well, have to cook something for supper at some point, but other than that, I am just catching up on the computer, doing a little online shopping, and about to settle in with some project to work on.

I finally tackled my bedroom yesterday, took most of the day, but all the clothes are put up and the boxes are mostly gone.  Still have a box of glassware in there, but I am not about to put them in the storage building. Am hoping that after the first of the year when we redo the kitchen that I will have some storage space for them.  They were mom's and I just can't let go of them yet.  At least not until I can find some one that can tell me a little something about them, and if they are worth anything.  Mom called them her "Fostoria" glasses, but just not sure.  I did meet a lady that knows a lot about such things and am hoping to get her to the house one day soon to look them over.  At any rate, it is AMAZING how big my bedroom looks, and is, when all the stuff is gone.  I rearranged a few pieces of furniture and made room to put my mom's sewing machine cabinet in there.  I know have a card table set up to put my laptop on and to write on.  Was looking at buying a small desk, but am thinking I will just use the table a while and see what works and what doesn't before investing any more in furniture.  I have a recliner that is entirely too big for the space, but have to leave it as is until I get my living room arranged the way I want, the recliner may be going in there.  Our old PC is in the bed room, moving things around I am actually able to use it once again.  I hate typing on my laptop, keeping hitting something that moves the cursor all around.  Anyway, I bought a new mouse for my laptop and put the old one back on the PC.  Now have the printer right next to it and can sit down and still reach everything to do scanning.  The PC monitor is much larger as well, easier to see. I also went and uninstalled a whole bunch of stuff that never use to free up some space, loaded my new Quilt Design Wizard on it as well.  I created the drawing and directions of my first quilt yesterday morning.  It was fun and much easier than I had thought.  I know that EQ 7 would be really fun to work with, as you can scan your fabric in to it and see how it would look in a quilt.  But...at this point, I can keep playing with the Wizard which was so much cheaper.  Like is cost less than $15 and EQ 7 runs about $180.  I did find a place on line that had it about $30 cheaper, but still...at over a hundred dollars more I am content with what I have, which is much more than I had before.   An internet buddy told me that I would know when it was time to upgrade when I started wanting to do more with the design than I could do with the Wizard.  That I understand.

I also bit the dust and purchased PC Stitch 10.  It was less than $40, and have not bought from that site before so am praying that the transaction goes well.  I had a few bugs happen when trying to order, so am really praying that I didn't order three of them and didn't pay three times.  I also found a much cheaper brand of software, it was only $10, but it's capabilities were not really clear.  The PC Stitch describes being able to scan in a photo or image and turn it in to a chart.  Also has built in colors of all the major floss brands as well.  We will see what happens, I went with the more expensive one because I know people that have it and are using it and it stated that it could be used for beading, crocheting and quilting.

Eventually I am sure I will end up getting some type of software to do my own machine embroidery designs as well, but those programs are very expensive and I am just not ready for that yet.  After all, I did just purchase a new embroidery machine.  Granted it is not one of the top of the line fancy named machines, but for the type of work I do it will work perfectly and I am SOOO totally fine with the cost difference. I will see just how much I can do with what I have, how much I can't do that I wish I could, and then go from there.  I loose my head sometimes and start over supplying my needs for my various crafts.  Most people just do one type of craft, but not me.  Oh no, that would be too easy.  My problem is, so many of my crafts just overlap and run in to each other.

Can you tell I am a cheapskate.  Not an extreme one mind you, but if I can get the same item, same quality, some where for cheaper, than so much the better.  Especially since most of my projects are charity offerings.  How did I get started down this path you ask?  Let me tell you.  I first found that I have a passion for quilting.  A true God given talent and passion for it.  As I grew up, I learned the basics of sewing and crocheting.  I used those abilities from time to time as I became a wife and mom.  My oldest daughter as a toddler had a closet full of clothes, then for the boys too.  Hubby used to laugh at me when he would come home to find that I had been dumpster diving for sewing patterns.  Then, hubby's granny would take pity on me and help me advance my crochet abilities.  I also did a little embroidery from time to time as well.  Except for sewing, it just took me way to long to finish an item to suit me so I didn't stay with it long.  Every time I would get a craft area set up in the house, we either added to the family or moved.  I did ceramics for a while, miss it terribly, but the equipment alone takes up much too much space.  All those molds and a kiln.  When we moved to California, I found a church that had a quilt ministry.  I already knew how to sew, had always wanted to learn, and they had child care while we met. So joined in and found that I loved it.

Oh I jumped in that pond with both feet.  Got online and found some groups to join with, did swaps, round robins, even joined the local quilt guild.  They started me making small quilts, 32 x 32 inches called isolets.  They are used in the neonatal units to buffer the sounds and light for the premature and sick babies.  I met a friend, Cara.  In fact, we met online, noticed we were posting about the same speaker, she lived in the next town over but had joined the quilt guild as well.  Her two children were age wise on either side of my youngest.  We made a personal challenge of it, to see how many isolets we could get finished by the next meeting.  Then, she moved.  I really miss her.  In fact, she got me started in machine embroidery, then when I was kind of stale mated, she showed me the things to go with our machines to take it up a level.  Thanks to Cara I learned about free standing lace.

Then a lady asked me if I knew how to crochet. I told her just the very bare basics.  She wanted me to help make some hats to send to some soldiers.  She gave me a pattern, I bought some black yarn, and made a hat. Helmet liners they called them.  Okay...I bought a lot of black yarn...made 250 of those black buggers. Got tire of black so made a pair of slippers.  The soldier that I made them for said he had a bunk buddy that had really big feet, wondered if I could make him a pair.  So...I did, the guy wore like a size 15 boot.  That lead to some more request, they wanted colorful ones. You guessed it, I made like 200 pairs. Then my soldier (I had adopted this small unit, sent them all kinds of food, fun stuff, personal items) asked if I could maybe make a baby blanket and send it to his wife.  I made the crib size quilt, then decided to add a crocheted hat, sweater and booties along with it.  While waiting on my daughter at school one day, one of the teachers saw the baby set I was working on.  She hired me to make sets for her from time to time for shower gifts. That led to some charity sets that went to the army hospital for babies whose dad's were deployed.  A side track to that venture was rubber stamped announcements to be sent with them.  Then, I still don't quite know how it happened, I got lost in my second passion, crazy quilting.  I just fell in love with the embroidery embellishments that went along with it.

 That led me to do a lot of swapping of hearts.  This is one that I did and kept, but is nothing to compare with the ones that the other ladies were doing.  It was a true learning curve as I learned what embellishment were acceptable for cloth. What typed of products used in other crafts worked in this one.  I even bought a special rolling tote case so that I could pack up all my beads, threads, other decorations and take it all with me on a trip to Las Vegas with my hubby.  He went for work, so I had the whole day to myself in the room to work on this stuff.

You guessed it, I found a way to blend my machine embroidery with the crazy quilt blocks, the little car was done with my machine.

On any given block, you can have beads, sequins, ribbon, buttons, even jewelry pieces.

Then...I got stupid and decided I needed to take a full time job outside the home.  Thinking that I would be able to keep doing my crafts, I would cart the plunder back and forth.  It was about this time that I felt sorry for hubby having to listen to the whir of the sewing and embroidery machines all hours of the night and thought that scrapbooking would be the way to go, much quieter, didn't need as much room.  I was wrong, it is way more spread out.  Then there are all different types.  Scrapbook pages, card making, art journal, and so many techniques.  Stamping, ink embossing, texture embossing, ink, pen, markers, embellishments, on and on. Even went so far as try my hand at being a demonstrator for a home based rubber stamp company.  Yes...I was my biggest customer.

Oh, I could go on and on, but you get the picture.  So, I have been down sizing the supplies so to speak in order to put all my efforts in to only a few crafts.  That being quilting and crocheting.  I have a box of my mom's more special clothes, that have embroidery or cut work on them. Also a sack of my dad's ties. Have been saving odd fabrics for over twenty years and will use them with the clothes to make some crazy quilts.  Small one, lap size, for my brother, and then will maybe divide what is left in to four small throws so that each of my children will get one.  A memory thing, but I intend to work in some old photos of family members as well.  Will probably do this with the computer, photo print on fabric, but there may be some other ways as well.  I just ordered some software that will turn any photo or image into a cross stitch design. Much cheaper than the digitize version for machine embroidery and no learning curve either.

Of course, after doing so much hard work yesterday, and since I am still waiting on my AccuQuilt Go cutter to get here, I did do a bit of shopping.  Oh alright, a lot of shopping.  I am going broke getting updated supplies and new ideas.  Still have a couple of "carts" waiting on me to finish checking out.  So...now that I have had a really long break, I need to get back to work so I can spend the evening working on something...anything...just some of the many UFO's I have.  I have a huge stack of paper work and magazines to go through and purge down and then find a home for.

Will post photos of my progress so check back often.  Thanks for stopping in.

Sticker Shock!

Oh my word! I thought I had sticker shock before, just with a very tiny shopping trip to JoAnn's.  Not even close to what I am still getting over from my day out yesterday.

Let me tell you.  Things have been so crazy and so hard around here lately.  Not really hard, just a little minor irritation really.  Miss Zebra has been sick, lab results came back, seems she has mono.  Nothing to do about it but let her get plenty of rest.  YEAH RIGHT!  This past weekend she had a skating performance on Friday night, band marching competition on Saturday, youth function at church on Sunday.  She is also supposed to be having softball conditioning three evenings a week.  She has been sleeping a lot, which she needs, but then she had another skating performance on Tuesday night, helped work the church alternative to Halloween on Wednesday night, band plays at home football game Friday night, then another marching competition on Saturday.  At least the skating is over, for a few weeks because then the rehearsal for the winter showcase starts up.  After Christmas break we trade band time for softball practice and games.  On top of all that, I am either just worn down and having allergy attacks, or...I have gotten her mono.  I am just worn out and today was really hard to keep up with little Mr. M.  Although, he was in a lovely mood and just wanted to sit in my lap most of the day.

Yesterday, I had my annual titty torture.  Yes, mammogram time.  You would think that they could come up with a  more pain free method.  I understand that they are important, don't dispute that.  I don't know about other women, but I am so small busted that they really have to tighten that bugger up to even catch the girls, much less capture their glory.  Ironically, after having my mammogram, visiting with my oldest daughter, I find out that last week she had a biopsy on one of her breast and is waiting for the results. I am praying that it is nothing, but as a mother I am really worried until I hear what they found out.  Back to the main point though. I was going to just make my appointment then get Mr. M from his mom.  When I called her, she thought she was going to have him all day so had planned on keeping him.  I told her to call me if she needed me to come get him and went home, took a shower, then headed out for my own little adventure.

It had been so long since I had actually visited any of the local quilt stores that I decided that is just what I would do.  OH MY WORD, has inflation hit in my absence!  Good grief.  The first shop was pretty much as I remembered it, for sure the place to go for novelty fabric, 30's repro as well.  I walked around the store looking at the sample quilts.  I wasn't supposed to, but when no one was looking I snapped a photo of a couple of the quilts.  It just irks me to no end to pay $12 for a pattern to a quilt that if you give me a few minutes and some paper I could replicate on my own.  I spent enough in the shop to make up for it.  I found the perfect fabric, has little dog bones printed on it, to go in my grand son, Mr. M's,  quilt that I am making. Well, thought I had it planned, until I went to Keepsake Quilting and found the red and black scotty dogs pre-cut. Now am thinking they would be perfect to applique to red or black larger squares and then use the other fabrics I have gathered in a four patch to go with it.  Or...the scotty in the center of a log cabin on white fabric and then the red and black fabrics one either side of the cabin.  That small amount of white would be okay. I am trying to stay away from large areas of white since this will be a quilt to be used by a little boy.  Oh...maybe applique the scotty dogs on a grey tone on tone square.  Now that's the ticket.

At any rate, as I said, I was in total shock at the prices of fabric, patterns, books and especially in shock of how proud they are of their machines.  GOOD GRIEF! One machine was $10,000. dollars and she thought it as a great price.  I mean come on, I just want to play around at home, not go in to business.  I wouldn't even know how to go in to business, nor do I have time.  The store did have two sample quilts that I think it would be worth the price to take because I really love the quilts.  Besides, it seems that if I take the class then I usually complete the quilt.  My only hold back to taking any classes is the timing.  I was planning on holding off until after Christmas to start anything new, actually until after the first of the year, but will see how that works out.

This is called a Swoon Block.  I did not make this block.  But it is very similar to one of the quilt's I just fell in love with.  Imagine the corner checked fabric to be white as well and the other print fabrics were done in 30's fabric, then it will look like the sample quilt. If I can figure out how to get the photos off my phone I will post them.  The other class sample quilt is really quite simple, it is done in batiks, rectangles, with one corner done in a snowball fashion with WOW fabric.  Then, that white corner is placed in such a way to make a pattern.  I love scrappy quilts, but I guess I am more a planned scrappy type, having to have a definite pattern to the end look.  One other quilt sample caught my eye.

The shop is called Strawberry Patch and they will do this as a block of the month, which is already sold out. You can see more about it on their Pinterest site. The quilt is called Sugar Kisses, I linked it to there site.  The photos do not do it justice, the colors are so much brighter in person.  I normally stay away from applique quilts, but this one just hooked me.  I am thinking maybe if I make it, a little girl will show up in the family in the future that I can spoil with it.  Actually, been thinking about making up some little feminine finery to stash away...just in case.  I mean, my youngest daughter, Miss Zebra, will only be 16 next month.  It better be quite a few years yet before I get grand kids from that one.  This shop also makes samples of children's clothes, mostly girl stuff, but they had a little set made up for a toddler boy that I just couldn't quit looking at.  Really simple, camp shirt and shorts, but the fabric they used had all these little camping trailers printed all over it.  I wanted some of the fabric, already had a pattern (okay, a few patterns) for simple little button down shirts.  Naturally, they were out of the fabric.  I asked the owner if she knew what company made the fabric, was going to see if I could find some on the internet, so she went to the sample (where I and a clerk has been looking it over like crazy) and picks up a kit for it.  Good grief, $24, for the kit, but it does come with the pattern.  Yep, I bought it for the fabric.  Of course, $12 of that was the pattern.  But...I am pretty sure that I can actually get two shirts out if using the scraps with a solid, or maybe using the scraps to make a little pocket on the shorts.  My daughter in law saw it and said, "the campers are perfect for the family reunion."  Great, now I have to wait until summer to make it so it will still fit. LOL  Oh well, little does she know that little Mr. M is getting a whole little wardrobe for Christmas, handmade that is, with some Dallas Cowboy fabric.  Guess I might have to make a Packer item too, since his mom (and her family) root for them.

So, on to the next quilt store I went.  They have a totally different look to their fabrics, but offer a lot more in the way of patterns.  I love looking at their sample quilts as well, they just don't label them as well so usually have to ask about the ones you like.  Which they may do on purpose.  At any rate, this is the quilt store that has all the AccuQuilt products and where I can rent out their studio AccuQuilt at a nominal fee.  One of my groups is planning a strip exchange, but has to be cut using the AccuQuilt.  I was actually planning on buying that die, but then decided I would just take my fabric and go down there and use their big one.  That particular die really needs the larger cutter anyway.  I will be taking a class there in February.  A lone star quilt.  I love those quilts, just never wanted to tackle cutting all those diamonds.  Then, seeing that the AccuQuilt has a die for that, I got the bug again.  I even bought the Eleanor Burns book, the quilt in a day series, for the lone star.  Just never got brave enough.  This class uses the strip cut method and a special ruler.  I just can't wait to make that one.  Going to use bright red, blue and yellows in it.  While I was there, I found a pattern for a cut quilt that uses 2-1/2 inch strips to make trees. At the check out, I came across the $3 basket and picket up a few patterns from there along with some pre-cut fabric.   Apparently it was a kit that was caught wrong, so she just bagged it up to sell in the clearance basket.  Well, I found out pretty quick, I couldn't even come close to buying the fabrics in that kit for that price.  There is a focus fabric, pretty good size piece, and then two coordinating solids to go with it.  I will be able to use it somewhere.

Needing to eat and take a bathroom break by this point, I headed to the house.  On the way to the house, the thought popped in my head of JoAnn's so headed there, since it is on the way to the house.  The night before, while looking at my last quilt magazines in the bathroom, waiting for the bath to cool off a bit, it struck me that the last time I bought any quilt related magazines was in 2011.  Almost a year old.  You guessed it, I forked out a small fortune.  While looking over the selection, catching my breath at the prices of those magazines, I get a call that youngest daughter, Miss Zebra, is sick and needs to come home.  Paying out I head off to the school, pick up some lunch (to go now, since I couldn't go sit down some where) and finally get home to find a package sitting on my front porch.  I was so excited.  Of course...I knew it was my Quilt Design Wizard software, I had gotten a text while shopping that it had been delivered. Technology, got a love it. Now to find time to play with it and see if I can learn how to work it.  I really want to learn EQ 7, but for the money I feel this a good place to begin.  It is made by the same company.

Now...to get this house cleaned up, the rest of my fabric out of storage and put away (hopefully finding all my blocks and charms) and I can start playing.  I know that some where I have a ton of charms.  I had gotten to where when ever I had scraps from quilts that I would go ahead and cut them in to the largest pieces I could on down.  I would start with WOF strips, then squares.  I especially collect 5" squares called nickel charms.  Have two books for nickel quilts.  I used to keep every little scrap, but toward the end had taken the attitude of anything smaller than 2-1/2 inches is tossed.  Unless of course it is long enough to use in a strip quilt.  Don't really like them, but is a good way to use up scraps and good to use for lap, isolet and other charity quilts.  Am wondering what my "tightwad, not waste a bit, use it completely mind" is going to do when it encounters the scrapage from using the AccuQuilt cutter.

Oh, and speaking of cutters, I came across a blog of a lady that posted all about using her Sizzix to cut squares and hexagons.  Said that when ever she makes a quilt or such, the scraps hit a basket full of all the left overs.  She would then grab her Sizzix and the basket and would settle in a chair of an evening and just crank them out while watching TV.  I can so TOTALLY relate to that.  Not the Sizzix, although I am going to check and see what they have since I have the Big Shot, but the cutting the scraps in to usable scraps.  That is why I know that I don't want anything smaller than a 2-1/2 inch square.  I tried a postage stamp quilt, which uses one inch finished squares, just can't take it.  Those pieces are just too small to work with.  I do have a list I am working on of more dies to get, if I find I like working with it.  Now, to just have it arrive.

Well, thanks for stopping in.  Over the week end I will see if I can get some more photos posted. For now, I am headed to soak in the tub and head to bed.  Hubby is off tomorrow, am hoping he will be busy with his building project and won't be under foot too much.  Come back and seem me soon. Feel free to leave a comment for me.