Next project

My quilting group is going to exchange blocks in red, white, and blue and this is the one I picked. It is paper pieced and takes a while to do but they are worth it. I think I stood too close to take the photo because it looks pretty washed out but you get the idea. I've never done a Pineapple block before so this was a learning experience.

I also starting going through some of the stuff I brought home from FL and I have 3 boxes of yarn to donate to Project Linus. That is in addition to the green tote full that I kept for myself.

The next thing is to go through the fabric. Some of what I was given is not suitable for Project Linus but I'm sure I will be able to find another charity that will be able to use p-p-p-(I can hardly say it) polyester for something. Someone said that the ladies in the local Amish community might be able to use it to make rag rugs. (?)

Well, I watched the Weather Channel this morning and it looks like rain for a whole week. The farmers are getting antsy to get in the fields and it looks like my tomato plants are going to be late getting in the garden. Oh well, Mother Nature does her own thing and we can't stop her.

Just one of those days!!!

Have you ever had a day when, no matter how good you tried to be, things just didn't work out? Actually it wasn't the WHOLE day, just the portion during which I tried to make this block. This is the block for our guild's outgoing president and it looks fairly easy, doesn't it? Well, it would be if one could follow instructions! As it happens, I got it all put together and looked at it and thought "Something is wrong here". I looked back at the pattern and discovered that I have left a gold 1/2 square triangle off. DRAT! So I unsewed the offending portion, sewed on the missing triangle and put the block back together. Success!! (almost) You see, as I was checking for stray threads I happened to clip one off and in the process cut a hole in the fabric. EGADS! So I unsewed the offending portion, sewed on the new piece without a hole, and put the block back together. Success again!! (almost) It seems that while I was doing all this checking and what-not I failed to notice that the green portions had the selvedge edge still on them. This is not good at all. Since the block has to be signed, the guild president will know who made it and I didn't want her to think that I am a rotten quilter so - you guessed it - I unsewed the offending portions, cut new ones, and put the block back together. Finally, real success.

I also finished a wall hanging for my grandson who is a big fan of University of Illinois' Fighting Illini. I named it "Path to the Playoffs".

Now I need to look throught the stuff I brought back from down South and decide what to work on next. My Love of Quilting mag just came in the mail so I may have to take a break and look at it. Oh Wow, my Nancy's Notions catalog came too. What a treasure trove today!

quilts of valor

My small sewing group (we call ourselves the Frayed Edges) got together Wednesday and made two quilt tops for Quilts of Valor. One of our members has a long arm and volunteered to machine quilt them and then two others offered to do the bindings. We had a terrific time doing this.

Also, this week I got my brother's quilt all finished and ready to go to the quilter. I also have to make the block for our outgoing guild president and get my Project Linus T.A.P.S. quilt started. It has to be done by May 10. Our guild is going to have a special project night on May l. We meet at a local church at 6:00 p.m. and work on quilts for the hospital at Scott Air Force Base. We seem to be doing a lot of red, white and blue quilts lately.

I went to a quilt show today at a nearby Amish community and it was really nice. So much hand quilting and applique. I don't do much hand work but I certainly like to see what others do.

Oh, I need to post a photo of a friend impersonating Miss America. Isn't she lovely!

Finally doing this

I'm finally working on this quilt for my brother. I think I bought the fabric about 6 years ago and then I took a class from Billie Lauder and bought one of her books about how to do the uneven nine-patch easily. You get two blocks when you are done. The fabric is the Lewis & Clark collection by Barbara Brackman for Moda Fabrics. I wish I had a place other than my living room floor to lay things to photograph.

This is my Sunbonnet Sue wallhanging. When another guild member asked the significance of the black block I told her that Sue said "it's okay to be different".

Nice to be Home

It's nice to be home even though I miss the warm weather. I picked up my Featherweight yesterday and it is wonderful. It sounds smoother than my really expensive Janome machine but, of course, it is only for straight stitching. My quilt group is going to get together next week and make quilts for "Quilts of Valor". There is a tremendous need for quilts to be sent to our military personnel who have been injured in Afganistan and Iraq. My Project Linus chapter is also requesting quilts for T.A.P.S. This is a group that provides quilts for children who have lost a family member in the same military actions. Every quilt that I make for one of these organizations reminds me that I have a great history of military service in my family and I dedicate these quilts to them. My father was a career Marine and was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries received in WWII. My uncle served with General George Patton in Tunisia and Sicily. My brother is now retired but served in the Army reserves and was in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm. My son was in the Navy for 8 years aboard an aircraft carrier and my husband was in the Air Force and is a Vietnam veteran. So you can see why doing what little that I can for the military means a lot to me. Now you know a little more about me. Thanks for takiing the time to read this. You can always go to www.quilterblogs.com and read more interesting blogs from folks who are interested in all things quilty.

Heading North

We are heading for home tomorrow. We live in the Sunshine State for the winter and then make the trek back to the midwest around this time every year. Will be glad to get home and see the kids and grandkids (all but the two out West).

Got to keep packing.

My little Margaret

While I don't really collect sewing machines, it seems that several have come into my possession and I'm not yet ready to get rid of any. A dear friend of mine found a 1938 Singer Featherweight for me over the winter

(see photo) . I was absolutely thrilled! I have been wanting a Featherweight since I joined my quilt guild and several ladies had them that they would take to classes.

About the same time my honey and I went to a community-wide yard sale and I found this sweet little machine named Margaret. She needs some work and is missing a few parts,but even if she never works, I get a lot of joy from just looking at her.

I also have an old Singer in a cabinet, my mother's Elna from the 1960's, a Singer of mine from the late 1980's, two Janome's, a serger and an embroidery machine. Hmmmmm. Perhaps I am collecting a tad too much. I keep telling my husband that I need a sewing studio built just for my stuff but he isn't convinced. Ah, well.

I had said in a previous post that I would post a photo of Yellowstone Natl Park, so let me try that for you. It's truly beautiful. If you have never been there, you must go.