and so it goes

I’m on a roll –really, I am!  I have things ready to go, I am going to get things done!   And then………… Well first off here’s a picture of the bride with her John Deere quilt that I posted about previously:

She loved it and her wedding was so nice.  I’m so happy for her.  She’s such a truly beautiful person.

Okay so … I told you about the ‘memorials’ I am doing for a friend from her mom’s clothes and her dad’s ties.  My plan was / is to print her parent’s picture out on fabric and make that sort of a focal point of the memorials.  Get new ink cartridges for my printer.  Buy the  computer printer fabric sheets that are already prepared.  I am ready to go.  The darn printer won’t work!  It was working fine when I put it on the shelf a year ago!  I so rarely use an ink jet printer.  I use a laser printer in just black & white for most everything.  So.. do I really want to buy another printer – no!  But buying a printer is usually cheaper than having one repaired.  And here I am with new ink cartridges.  Wonder if any of my friends have the same brand printer??? Maybe I can give them the ink and have them print the pictures for me…. Maybe I need to pick up the phone and make some calls

My BFF just had a birthday so I made her a set of Christmas place mats:

I had another mutual friend edge the napkins to match with her serger – I am not good  with a serger!   The picture on the right is a close up of the designs I used in the middle of the star.  There are 8 place mats total and I used a damask that my BFF gave me for the back.  I did simple in-the-ditch quilting around the star and borders using metallic gold thread in the bobbin so these could sort of be reversible…

My “Screamin’ Christmas” quilt is finally a flimsey:

I have worked on this off and on for probably a couple years.  I had planned on a bigger quilt but because it’s taken me so long, I decided this was big enough.  Lots of ‘miter’ or ‘Y’ seams in this.  It’s not difficult and is a design I worked up myself in EQ.  It’s just something I really needed to be in the mood to work on.

DH was kind enough to shoot a deer yesterday so lucky me has some butchering to do this morning – Yes, ME!  I was dumb enough as a young bride to learn how to butcher his deer (he has never done it – always sent it out to a ‘shop’).  Maybe I was more than just dumb….. Ah well, lots of jerky! A few roasts and maybe some stew meat…  AND my BFF said she would come help.  Now, really, how can you not love such a great friend

I leave you with wishes that you’re staying warm if you’re reading this from the frozen tundra back in the eastern / n. eastern states.  I so don’t miss the snow and cold.  If I was still living back where I’m originally from in Michigan, I’d still be trying to shovel my way OUT the door and the high might now be above the freezing mark (but I doubt it!)

Katie

and today is….

In the U.S. today we recognize our Veterans.  I am proud to have been an “Army brat”.  All the men in my family have served in one service or another.  In fact, I believe they’ve covered all the military services…. So, to all the men and women who have or who are still, serving – I want to thank them as well as their families.  Sometimes it’s not easy to be related to a military person.  I’m proud to be American and truly believe I live in the best country on the planet…..

Today is also my daughter-in-law’s birthday.  She doesn’t read my blog (don’t know if she even knows I have one…) but our family was blessed when my son married her.

Okay, on the quilting front:

This is the John Deere themed quilt that I made for my BFF’s granddaughter  (and soon to be hubby).  The block is the “Disappearing 4-patch with a twist” pattern.  It’s easy enough but tedious.  Make simple 4-patch blocks, make four cuts diagonally, then switch the pieces the way you like and sew back together and trim.  The X you see is actually where the 2 blocks meet…One block has a yellow side and a green side.. The small “pinwheel” block is actually the center:

Then there was the quick-get-it-done baby quilt:

I was able to use up some small yardage on this one!  The black silhouette on gold fabric I’ve had in my stash for probably 8 (or more) years and it is finally gone with the exception of some small scraps.

Then there were the quilts from Sew Fest that needed to be quilted and sent:

I have 4 more Patriotic themed quilts that I will finish up and donate to a local VA hospital.   The one’s I’ve kept were given to me from someone else to finish and donate and not part of Sew Fest.  So these are done and gone.

My “Screaming Christmas” quilt from a year ago is now a flimsy and will be finished for Christmas.  I have already started working on another Christmas quilt and I’m thinking of donating it for a raffle at our local Elk’s lodge to help raise funds for their annual Children’s Christmas party.

I also will be working on a project for a friend.  Her parents passed about 18 months apart and she wants to take some of her mother’s clothing and her father’s ties and put them together some way to make wall hangings for her siblings.  Today I will go through what she has with her and see what we can come up with….

So I have actually got some done and will have a busy next few weeks before Christmas.  Gee, I might actually remember to take (and post) some pictures.

Until next time…. be safe, be happy, be healthy,

Katie