Are you a cross stitcher? giveaway!!

I used to be an avid cross stitcher, and still love it. However, in the spirit of down sizing and minimizing the stash, I found these cross stitch kits I have not and probably will not ever make due to the quilting bug...would you like them? Please just leave a comment if you would like these...I will select a winner on Sunday by random drawing and send them to you!

Thanks for helping me clean out and organize!

Julie

It's a string thing!!!

Well, you might ask why in the world is she doing a string quilt, with so many projects on the go...and I have an answer! Please see below...



I cannot close this bin anymore, it is so full of strings!! so, I decided to join so many other quilters and make a string quilt. This quilt will be given to one of my patients at the hospital. I love, love, love using these little bits of fabric up, it is great fun to see pieces of old projects and clothing we have worn.

I finished the crazy cat hand quilting! I put the binding on, and will stitch it down some quiet evening. I need to erase the blue quilting lines still too.

Before baking! Our Valentine's pie!! Hope he likes it...

Have a great day, all!!

Julie

Sheer delight!

More progress is being made on the Snail's trail! These are really fun, easy blocks to make...and I am really loving making them! About half done here.


Just Take Two. I did! Red and white...and these are not so much fun, so I have changed them up a bit so I can be a little more accurate. I wish I were a perfect piecer! I made so many mistakes in the house block that I designed this one, instead, and the heart on the roof can be my signature square. If at first you can't succeed...redesign it!!

I got all the borders done on the plaid giant fun quilt! It is ready to be quilted now...wheww!!!

This is the corner...and the last remnants of husband's pajamas, used in the red corner square. Maybe you already know this, but I was looking for the perfect fabric for another quilt...and spied my husband old worn out plaid PJ's on the ironing board. I proceeded to cut holes in them all over, using the good parts!! Long story short, dear husband (who has lots of other PJ's and I thought he would never miss these) went and found his PJ's and put them on...and found holes all over them!! It was truly hilarious...he had a good sense of humor and took it all in stride. The things our husbands put up with in a quilter's home!

These...these strings blocks are just delighting me!! I do love them so much...just me and the strings and a glorious mess in the kitchen, all around the table...just delightful!!!

***************Other Commandments they did not list but maybe should have**********************

1. Though shalt not dig through the trash at retreats and pull out little pieces of fabric to hoard!

2. Though shalt not idly look around at all the plaid shirts in church and think "maybe they would all leave me their shirts as they leave and wear home choir robes"

3. Though shalt not get caught cutting up dear hubby pajamas for quilts.

4. Though shalt not quilt and forget to cook supper!

Now, you add to this list!!! Hee!!!

Have a great day,

Julie

Trying to wrap some things up...at last!

Well, I kicked myself in the fannie, got straight up from bed very early this morning, went to the machine and got those last rows put together! Yippee!! I put the inner border on too...the outer border is a pieced one, and has lots more work to go...so the hard part for me is done! Yippee!!



In the spirit of finishing up some projects...here are my crazy cats from last year. I got five blocks made, and used four of them in this wall hanging. This will be a hand quilting project for on the go...I have two of them ready for the next road trip.

And lastly, I have been sewing on the Snail's Trails...these are so much fun to make!! A huge thanks to Vicki of LA Quilter, I won a giveaway from her and am using some of the fabrics in this...and loving them!! She is a wonderful quilter, go check out her blog!

********************Winner!****************

Natasha, you won the lavender fat quarters...please let me know your snail mail address!!!

Coonie update!! OUr raccoon stuck in the chimney successfully climbed up our rope ladder to safety...so hurrah for that, and hurrah for no more critters in the chimney! I think we are going to have to have a custom cover made...our cover was good, but not coon proof!!

My cold is trudging along...I am ready for it to be done with me!!

Have a great day, all!!

Julie

Coonie alert!! In the chimney again!!

See those eyes glowing at you? Click on the picture, that is the inside of our chimney. OK, here is the story...

A few years back, we had a mother raccoon in our chimney... We rescued her, and she left one baby behind, which we raised to adulthood, then rehabbed the baby to the wild. This morning, Rosie the poodle alerted to our chimney and barked and barked. I thought there was no way this could happen again, because we had sealed off the chimney so it could not happen again.

Fast forward to today...the chimney cover was torn and pushed aside...and long story short, we are rescuing another coon from the chimney. I sure hope she or he is not hurt...we braid ropes together and last time the coon climbed right out. Funny that we live in a huge metroplex, yet have so many wildlife species right in our midst...bobcats, deer, coons, possums, and lots more. I will let you all know in the morning.....

Julie

The weekend is coming!

Hurrah for the Snail's Trail!! These blocks are really fun to make!! The pattern I am using is in the 2006 Quilt Almanac Magazine. The designer of the pattern is Elaine McGarry; do any of you know her? I have seen other patterns, but this one is the best I have found. I was not planning to make this quilt...but while I was just perusing my old magazines, culling out ones I would never use, I found this turned down page...I liked it then, and I like it now! There are 63 blocks altogether, and the blocks are nine inches finished.



Spring is coming, I have it on good authority! If you would like these lavender pretties that remind me of spring, please leave a comment about what your focus is for 2012, quilting wise, and I will draw a name on Sunday for these. Snuck that in on you, didn't I??

Why is this like pulling teeth? I am putting the rows together...and can always find something else to occupy myself...straighten a shelf, run change the laundry...anything but concentrate on putting these long rows together!! One brilliant lady said...why don't you do it in sections, instead of these long rows? I will!! Thank you...next time, believe me, I will!!

Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie

Busy-ness!

I joined the "Just Take Two" quilt along! I have taken red and white and made these blocks...there are many more to come. I love this red! I took great pains to wash the fabric, twice, with color catchers, so I would not have bleeding afterward...here's hoping for that!! I am really enjoying these blocks!



Here is the plaid quilt Jewel Box, just putting rows together...a sticking point for me, so I am taking it a step at a time. I love these plaids! Just truly love them so much!




In an old quilting magazine, I found the most fun Snail's trail quilt...so I cut a block to see how the directions were...they were perfect! I can see a scrappy snail's trail in my future.

Aurofil threads is sponsoring a stitchery BOM...I did the first month. Now, I am famous for starting these and just doing the first month...so I cut out all the background blocks in advance! Trying to trick myself...maybe it will work!

But mostly, I have been working on projects that are not really much fun to photograph.

* I cut out one billion tiny bow ties..., well, about 400 may be closer to the correct number

* I cut out a trillion 2.5 inch red strips for another quilt.. (maybe 100)

* I cut setting blocks for another quilt...about 50 of these.

I feel pretty good about all this progress!! But not so good in that I have the winter cold that is going around...I usually try to avoid this! Grrr!! So, I am making home made chicken soup for myself...yummy!

***********Nurse's notes*******************

Well, I went and got a needle stick...thank goodness it was a clean needle, but unfortunately it had insulin in it and I injected it into myself. A really big patient, and a swing of the arm at just the wrong time...sometimes no matter how careful a person is, things happen!! Just 3 units, but it did make me pretty hungry, LOL!! NO worries...it would have been quite different if it was a dirty needle!

I had a darling 95 year old lady patient...lives by herself, did her own laundry, and cooking and cleaning...and caring for her lawn!! I just am so very impressed with her, she is a true marvel!! NOW if that does not inspire us, nothing will!!

******************************************************

Another flat, same tire...I got new tires and hopefully that will take care of it once and for all!!

Have a great day, all!

Julie