finally–pictures

I can finally show some pictures…

This is the quilt I made for my dear friend who was diagnosed with Uterine cancer.  She has since had her surgery and I’m ecstatic to say she was early stage and no further treatments are necessary after her surgery:

These blocks measured 15”.  I wanted to get this quilt done and in her hands before she had her surgery so I needed to be quick about it.  I did manage my goal!

This next quilt was for one of the Quilters for Comfort members who’s husband had a massive stroke.  The ladies from QFC donated embroidered crosses and verses from scripture.  One of our members sent me 20 blocks!  I incorporated them into the backing as well as a couple in the top.  There were a few embroidered blocks left that were sent on with the quilt as I knew our member will find a use for them in one of her “whisper” quilts:

I chose fall fabrics from my stash as I felt they had the more masculine feel… 

This  following quilt was made from ‘left overs’… QFC had another one of our members who underwent kidney surgery and again the ladies donated angels.  There were enough for 2 quilts and as it turned out – we needed those extras as another of our members informed us she was undergoing chemo treatments..  This is her quilt top: ( I did not make or quilt the other quilt, so no picture of that one…)

   I did not quilt this.  I sent it on to another of our members for quilting as I was in a ‘rush’ to get my friend’s quilt finished.  The ‘flying geese’ are made from strip blocks that I was given.  I just took those strip blocks and paired with white squares and got the HST’s.  I felt this was a good quilt to use them on and I still have a LOT of those strip blocks left….

And this is just a picture of a quilt from Sew Fest I was quilting:

at Sew Fest we had a stack of scrappy 9-patch blocks and I just stitched them all together and made a scrappy patchwork quilt.  As I looked at this quilt to decide how I wanted to quilt it, I chose the all-over swirls because I felt it needed some ‘texture’ because of all the different fabrics.  I wasn’t real fond of this quilt until it was in the ‘finished’ stage….

Okay, picture time over – now just some chit chat

Okay so it’s ‘Holiday time’ and that means I start my yearly season of chaos.  I don’t normally make quilts for Christmas gifts but this year is the exception with need to get 4 done!  2 will be Christmas themed quilts for 2 small great nephews.  The youngest was born in July and due to my busy summer he did not get a baby quilt.  I’m sure by now my niece thinks I’ve ignored her birth announcement… I didn’t want to send a card and give the ‘something later’ message – so instead I decided to make both boys Christmas quilts and send them together.  The older boy is still young enough that I would not send something without including him…  The other 2 quilts are for my Step-daughter and her husband.  They live in Alabama and cheer on different college sports teams.  They will each get their own quilts with their teams fabrics … One is Auburn and the other the U of Alabama ….

I will also be making the pajama pants that I normally do for all my g-kids at Christmas but I’m hoping to change it up a little this year.  I’m hoping to find some heavier jersey knit to use instead of flannel. The kids today wear so many T’s and stretch(ier) fabrics than before and so I think they will appreciate the knit…. Guess I’ll find out….

And – I’ve been asked to work with a committee at the local Elk’s lodge to put together the Kids Christmas party this year… QFC has donated Christmas stockings in the past and had enough to last a couple years.  We’re needing at least 60 more, so this morning I put a shout out to the amazing ladies on the QFC Yahoo group for help….

Anyway, I had a relatively busy summer and now it’s looking like I will be staying busy through what’s left of 2015… 

If you’ve made it this far, I thank you for taking the time to read and comments are always appreciated.  I know I’m not real consistent in posting on my blog, but I just don’t figure my general chit chat and day to day is of interest to everyone….

Katie

That’s over!

Sister’s wedding was beautiful:

They said their vows as the sun was going down and the professional photographer was able to get pictures with the sun setting. ( This is the happy couple as taken by my hubby.)  It seemed as though God had his hand in this as everything was just perfect….

So that’s over and the long days of driving are done and I was very happy to be home.  I think I’m still playing catch-up on my rest.  Another nice thing about the wedding was being able to spend some time with my son without the interruptions of his being a husband and father.  With his wife in school and the kids in school, they weren’t able to attend the wedding, but my son flew in and actually escorted his aunt to her groom.  Okay, sorry, as usual I tend to side track…..

While I was gone had some unhappy things going on with friends.  One dear friend’s hubby had multiple strokes and one was considered massive…. QFC (Quilters for Comfort)  is coming together to make a quilt for her husband as he (and she) have a long road ahead of them.  A member of our QFC team has been diagnosed with cancer and the team is putting together a quilt for her.  And one of my very dearest friends has been diagnosed with uterine cancer and will be facing surgery soon.  I’m scrambling to get a quilt done for her prior to the surgery.  Fortunately, the doctor is saying it’s “early stage”.  When I look around and see the trials my friends are dealing with, I’m thankful for just  my sore knees and back….  Life is good and I thank God for my many blessings.

Until next time,

Katie

Not long now….

One more week to go and my sister will be a married lady.  I know you’re probably very tire of reading about it, but I’m so over-the-moon happy for her.  I live across the country and I so often worried about her being alone and not having anyone for her if she should get seriously ill.  Friends are great, but it’s not the same as having someone who lives with you….  Anyway, heading out this morning and I should be getting the last minute stuff done but decided I’d rather drink a peaceful cup of coffee before I wake up the hubs and start issuing ‘orders’.

We decided to rent a car for this trip rather than take our 9 year old 100K plus miles Hyundai.  I wanted to take our 10 year old GMC truck because it only has 65K miles on it, but hubby said no, it needed brakes and the gas mileage isn’t great.  Okay, pick up the car (2015 Nissan Altima) -  it rides very well; get it home to start packing it up – oh crap! smaller trunk than I figured.  I guess thank goodness neither of us have long legs and we will have room on the floor in the back seat!  I don’t know how my parents did it with 3 kids and 2 dogs traveling across country every summer….  I know my sister has said she has some stuff she wants to send home with me, sure hope it’s not a lot.  One of the ice chests we’re taking will stay with her, so guess if it doesn’t take up any more room than that one ice chest, we’re good…

I’m hoping to make a couple stops along the way and visit some quilt shops.  I rarely buy quilt store fabric as I can’t justify the cost of the fabric when it’s being donated for charity, but I still love stopping and looking.

Okay, I’m off and going to get busy… Sorry, no pictures and not really quilt related…

Katie

Never Again!

This was the first and I’m swearing will be the last time I ever make a King size quilt!  My quilting frame will only quilt 84” … it says 90, but that’s the length of the rails.  Put a machine on the carriage and it will not go the full  length of the rails! 

Okay, so I knew this as I have done quilts that were larger.  I knew I could not get this fully assembled quilt on the frame.  I decided to quilt the ‘body’ of the quilt and I knew I would still have to turn it to quilt the side.  I knew I would add the borders after the ‘body’ was quilted.  I had this all planned.  I knew what I needed to do….

What I didn’t know was that when the needle tore a small spot in the backing while I was loading the quilt and I just advanced the backing that it would leave me short on the bottom!  Oh yes, about 4” short to be exact… So off the frame comes the quilt, trim the sides off and use that across the bottom so I can finish quilting the quilt.  So that’s back on the frame to quilt the bottom.  Off – back on the frame to quilt one side.  Off – back on the frame to quilt the other size – oh great!  Nope, not so great… I have a small pleat in the backing.  NO, I did not rip it out.  I love my sister.  She loves me and will understand my patience level at this point is non existent…. and .. it truly is small….

On to the border – oh wait – it’s planned to have a narrow inner border.  This isn’t going to work the way I planned…. Yes it does have the narrow border but  it’s not how it’s usually done.  I stitched the two border pieces together, attached the sides, then attached top and bottom.  The narrow border instead of framing the body of the quilt, goes edge to edge across the top and bottom…    And binding – I used just about every bit of the fabric I bought to construct this quilt so it has a two color binding – I do have a few inches of the dark brown left…..

So here it is – finished at 102” square:

 The pictures aren’t the best, but I hope you get the idea…  It was wet outside and I really had no space large enough to lay this out …  Maybe I can get a picture of the bride & groom holding it up when I gift it to them…

So now I’m quilting the quilts I brought back from Sew Fest.  If I can get them quilted, I will only have to label and bind them when I get back and have them sent off by Nov.  1st..

two weeks from tomorrow and my dear sister will be a married lady – I’m beyond excited for her.. 

Okay enough of that… I hope things are cooling off in your part of the country.  AZ has been a bit ‘warm’ and I’m ready for cool (not cold!) temperatures.  We’ve had more rain than usual this summer and the mosquitos have moved in … I’m ready for them to move out!

Katie who will run along before she gets too chatty about stuff that doesn’t mean squat to anyone else….

Sew Fest 2015

Odenville, AL was an absolutely beautiful place to hold Sew Fest and the Magnolia Park Retreat was amazing.  Unfortunately, we were their last retreat.  Elizabeth is ‘retiring’ from cooking.  She is opening (in the future) a facility that can be rented that will have a kitchen facility available and a huge work room.  The new facility will be able to house 8 (maybe 10) and boasts 5 full baths.  Anyway… Sew Fest 2015 was an absolutely amazing week.  Here’s a little sample of what what 11 sewist and 2 non sewist can accomplish in a week:

		Sew Fest 2015 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We changed things up a bit this year.  We normally do only Patriotic theme quilts for donation to veteran facilities or other service connected organizations that support our troops and veterans.  This year we added Christmas / winter theme quilts for donation to a children’s hospital.  The red, white & gold fabrics that were available worked with both Patriotic and Christmas  / winter.   There were a couple quilts made using preprinted panels and I love how each one is different.  Such creativity!

Now I really have to buckle down and get things finished for my sister’s wedding!  I still have my dress to make, my husband’s shirt and the wedding quilt!  I have a month…… oh dear!  I better get busy…..

Katie

may end up lengthy

Might want to grab a cup / glass and sit a bit… I could get long winded today.

Back in April I showed a quilt here.  The same lady brought me this quilt.  She told me she’d had it for about 30 years and had taken it from a ‘recycle’ bin at a thrift store she used to volunteer at.  She had tried to quilt it on her domestic machine and it bunched up on her so her husband told her to bring it to me.  There were a few issues in the quilting of this.  The first was she was using a very thin polyester blanket for the batting that barely reached side to side.  Some of the blocks were sewn by hand, some by machine.  The fabrics were different types of material and she had washed and dried this quilt and for the most part it did stay together.  There were a few seams I had to restitch as I quilted using a ladder stitch.  I used a simple meander on this and was able to ease in the excess.  This quilt was in no way going to lay flat and I was not going to try and stretch it as fragile as it is!  She had used a sheet as the backing and asked me to bind it, so I just trimmed after quilting and brought the backing to front for a binding.  The lady was happy so I’m happy…

These are just some blocks I’ve been working on for Sew Fest.  The bottom blocks are small measuring at just 6” finished – all made from scrap HST’s I had.  But there are 31 of them so they will stretch to use as fillers.  The Drunkard’s Path blocks are small, too.  They should have measured at 8” finished but because I’m not perfect and it is a curved seam, they measure 7½” finished…  I personally love the simplicity of the Ohio Star block.  I think it’s one of my favorites for putting in Patriotic quilts.  I like the crispness of the Spider Web block, but I hate the center where all the seams come together.  I’ve yet to figure out a way to reduce that center bulk.  If you know a way, I’d love to hear about it!

I have a special quilt for a special lady on the frame, but can’t show it until after Sew Fest.  Speaking of Sew Fest, which is just a little over 3 weeks away, I’m really looking forward to that this year.  There is only one lady attending that will be my first time meeting her.  We’ve communicated through email, but there’s nothing like meeting someone face to face.  Mickey M., whose quilts you’ve seen here countless times, will be stopping in for a few hours to visit.  Someday, Mickey, we’ll get you to come for the whole week!  I would like more than a couple hours……

I love to get together with my friends.  This year was my second annual 4th of July BBQ.  I’ve declared that as ‘my holiday’ to spend with friend and have told them to keep their calendars open.  This year I supplied all the meat and drinks and everyone else supplied side dishes.  We had quite a spread and a great time!

		Annual BBQ VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

And lastly, “Instagram” … I’ve read that blogs are a thing of the past and people are going to Instagram… well, I don’t have an account there and don’t know if I will ever open one.  I don’t always remember to take pictures and obviously I’m not great at even keeping up my blog.  I’m just curious as to other’s opinions.  Oh and I also don’t “Twitter”.  I do have a Facebook account but it’s another thing that I post to occasionally but use more for keeping up with other.  So, anyway, what are your thoughts on Social Media sites?  Which ones do you feel more drawn to?

So until next time (which will probably after Sew Fest…)

Katie

Buttons and a quilt to make

I have not been doing and quilt related sewing for a ‘few’ weeks.  My sewing time has been for my sister’s wedding.  I have to get the buttons on the groom’s shirt and then I can go back to quilting (thank goodness!)  I still have wedding sewing to do and some personal sewing for my sister but it’s on hold until the arrival of the bride’s maids dress fabric and my sister giving me the go-ahead that her blouse fits and she likes it before I make up the other 3! 

Then the quilt I have to make – actually there’s two.  My sister’s wedding quilt but the most important is a Patriotic quilt for my grandson who has just graduated Air Force basic training:

I love the shoulders back and ‘at attention’ stance.  So proud.

Here he is with his sisters and mom.  My daughter is in the black & white next to him. His oldest sister on the right and youngest on his left.  

I never post pictures of my youngest grandkids as my son has requested that I don’t and I, of course, will respect his wishes.  But these ones are okay

Now just a little chit chat…..  I have a favorite ‘estate sale’ that I go to.  Kevin liquidates after the initial estate sale and I can’t think of a time I’ve ever gone into his place and left empty handed.  I always find ‘something’…  I was in there on Wed. and came across a Cuisinart ice cream maker.  We both looked at it and Kevin says he thinks something is missing.  So I tell him I will look it up on the internet and see.  He tells me to take it and I tell him okay.  Well, the thing that was missing was the freezer bowl!  You’d think that would be obvious… Anyway…. I ordered the freezer bowl and stopped in yesterday to pay him half of what he asked for the ice cream maker.  I tell him, “We’re compromising on the price because I had to pay for the bowl.”  He laughs and is okay with it.  Then he says, “ I was thinking of you yesterday.”  oh, oh, is that good or bad?  He tells me he has “material” for me.  I ask him what kind because his idea of material is anything fabric related…. It’s place mats, napkins and heaven knows what else.  I bring home 5 contractor size black bags full of stuff for $20.  Well, there’s clothes and duffle bags and handbags, and a variety of other stuff.  The Hubby asks, “What are you going to do with this stuff?”  Simple, go through it, take out what I can use or want.  The rest goes to the thrift store and I will take my $20 off taxes as a contribution….  So now I have to tell you – I always use cloth napkins.  Over a year ago, I pulled out a pile of cloth napkins that I had accumulated over time and decided it was time to put them to use.  I found a cute little square basket (thrift store, of course), put  my folded napkins in there and keep it in the center of my dining table.  It took a while but now the entire family uses those cloth napkins.  I have saved a TON by not using paper towels.  And as the napkins get stained, they go into the kitchen and I use them for draining anything fried.  Soak in a bit of water and dish soap before laundering and they’re good for the next need!  I now have friends using cloth napkins instead of paper.  I will be sharing my HUGE amount of napkins that I got from Kevin – every body wins….

Until next time,

Katie

The year 2000

What is significant about the year 2000?  It was the year I started my journey as a quilter.  I had taken a quilt class in 1980.  Made a sampler quilt the ‘old fashion’ way – scissors and templates….  I was not a quilter!  I’d rather sew little Barbie doll clothes or reupholster a chair than cut and sew those pieces… So fast forward to 2015 – I’ve been sewing garments for the past 2 weeks.  I have button holes and buttons to put on the grooms wedding shirt and then I’m going to cut up some fabric with a rotary cutter and sew those tiny pieces back together!  I WILL work on something quilty!!!!

Off to finish a shirt and pick out some ‘quilting’ type fabric!

Katie

A little over a month!

It’s been a little over a month since I last blogged!  I have been busy, though.  May graduations, getting ready for a trip to Florida, trip taken (gone 10 days), and now getting over jet lag!

Here are some finished quilts that I managed before I left.  Also from my previous post, those quilts got quilted as well:

These quilts were a combined effort of Micky M. and Sheron R. from QFC.  Sent to me for quilting.  I really liked the little added applique in the upper left corners of the number teddies quilt.  And aren’t those little swirly ponies designs just the cutest! 

Okay, so my trip to FL… My sister is getting married in September and she asked me to maker her wedding dress and his shirt to match.  They are doing a Hawaiian theme wedding and getting married on a 90 ft. yacht so very casual.  She chose a pattern for a dress and I made it up in non-wedding fabric as a ‘sample’ before I went.  Too small but I had left the seams large and ‘unfinished’ so no big deal for taking out.  Dress didn’t do a thing for her!  Off to JoAnns on Memorial Day and hit a great sale on patterns and fabric.  Saved more than what we spent … New dress pattern, make another ‘sample, a few adjustments and we have our dress!  Unfortunately, she had wanted a long dress but because the skirt of this pattern is cut as a circle, not enough width in the fabric to make it long.  She’s decided Tea length is okay and, really, is quite flattering on her.  We’re going to add a petticoat to her undergarments to give it the fullness of a more traditional wedding dress.  Did a sample for his shirt, made a few adjustments but no time left to get his wedding shirt made so it came home with me.  Anyway,,,, while at JoAnns my darling sister asks, “do you think you can make me some simple blouses if I get some fabric?”  So, yep, add a few blouses and a skirt to the ‘need-to-get-it-done’ list.  Never could tell my baby sister “not now”…. Oh wait there’s more!  The bride’s maids dresses she bought???? a total bust!  So, yes, I’m making those, too….  How far off is September 20?  No, don’t answer that, I don’t need anymore stress!!!  I still have Sew Fest to prepare for.  That’s August 2nd – 8th.  And, I usually do a big 4th of July B-B-Q … Okay, breathe in , breathe out…. 

Here are some of what I’ve done for Sew Fest:

We’re adding Christmas / Winter theme quilts for children this year at Sew Fest.  Our main focus is still our Patriotic quilts, but figured a few quilts for children who may be in a hospital during the holidays would be a nice break.  And I got to use up some scraps of Christmas / Winter fabric!

So, if it’s another month (or two) before you ‘see’ me again, you know why….

Katie who really does strive on busy…..