Out of pocket

Hi Y'all...I am not going to be posting for a week or so...many things on my plate including many 13 hour shifts and some personal medical things I must attend to. Thank you for your thoughts, and talk to you in a little bit.


Have a super week!!

Looking toward the end...from the beginning!

I have been working pretty steadily again on the Dear Jane...here is the second row completed. I have decided to go in order and do each block and row straight through. This will ensure I don't skip around and just do the easiest blocks first...which I would do if I did not have a grand plan. Wish I could do a row a week, but that is not going to happen, however, I am very pleased with my progress so far. I have been thinking of why I really wanted to complete a Dear Jane quilt...and here is what I came up with.

1. To honor Jane, the real person, who persevered and got her quilt completed...in war time.

2. It is a real challenge! I am not an expert quilter by any means, and these block really stretch my abilities far beyond...anything I have ever done before. And I like them because they are little bitty!

3. I feel very strongly lately that I really need to get going on these "Bucket List" quilts that I thought I would do when I was older...older is right now, and no one knows how long we have granted on this earth. Illness is rampant, and I feel that I just need to get this done...NOW!


I like this block! fun and wonky...and the color is different than the plethora of browns in Jane's quilt. I was thinking...I bet many of her colors faded to brown, and were different than the brown they appear today...just thinking.

OK, I got tired of the super hard blocks, and decided to clean out the 2.5 inch drawer and make some nine patches...pretty, huh? Just scraps, but I like 'em!!!

Weigh-In Wednesday!!!



drum roll please...



x+8!!! I lost two pounds this week! (X is the goal weight)

I hope all of you have wonderful days this week!!

Gratitude's:

A Dear Jane book

Dear Husband and dear son and dear daughter in law!

Air conditioning

Cool lemonade in this warm afternoon




Julie

HI HO, HI HO, it's back to work I go!

This was supposed to be posted on Wednesday...hmmm, don't know how I hit the wrong button? HI Y'all...I got the above quilt all marked for quilting and pinned within an inch of it's life. I started on the hand quilting...so much fun for me!! I was debating whether to hand quilt or machine quilt...but hand quilting won out. So here I go!
Made a few of these...the container is getting pretty full! When the little spool basket is all full, that is how big this quilt will be.
And Dear Jane...one row finished! Here are the blocks from yesterday. Not perfect, but I love them none the less. I think I love imperfect things and people more!!



**********************Weight Loss Wednesday!****************************


Dear Stephanie from at Ditchin Time quilts is doing a fun thing each Wednesday...posting out weight loss goals and progress. so here goes! I am also doing Weight Watchers, so that weigh in is on Thursday. I am::


X + 10!!!! My goal is X....and counting!!!


Wish me luck, and also...tell me to keep out of the cookies!!!


Julie

Jane...that quilt!

Dear Jane....I have been working on this pretty steadily for the last two days, until now. Wow! These blocks are absorbing, fascinating...and fun! I have not been so jazzed up about a project for a long time, so I will have to pace myself and have a plan on how I am going to do this. I have a lot of work to do for my work and also for our home, so I have to kind of work Jane in around things and other quilts too.
A fun block...paper pieced.
Another paper pieced block...fun! I think there are about 40 pieces in this little 5 inch block. Excuse the threads, I usually trim them all at once when I have a bout of insomnia.
And another favorite!
Let me tell you a little about Jane (the quilt, not the person). She is a messy quilt!! See above...couldn't be me, it must be the quilt.

She(the quilt) is also a temptress!! She lures me in when I should be mopping and cleaning and working on my CCRN exam prep...the hoyden!

A little about Jane, the person...what a cool lady! The Stickle Quilt (Dear Jane) was made in war time. Now remember, no electric lights, no anything like the luxuries we have now. Jane was an amazingly talented lady it seems, and I am glad to be able to know her a little bit through her quilt. Weird that I have grasped hold of this all of a sudden...many years of looking at and admiring these quilts, and now at all at once I am off on my own Dear Jane journey.

Tallies so far:

Time spent: 8 hours, 40 minutes
Pieces: 209




Wishing you all a wonderful week! This project will probably be shown only when I have a row or something, otherwise all you will be snoring in your oatmeal.


Julie

Have you ever wanted to make an Epic quilt? A new Journey!

Well, hmmm.....I have been looking at Dear Jane quilts for years and years...and loving each one. I bought the book earlier in the year, and it has been on my bedside table, teasing me each evening. I would look through the book and say...well, "maybe I could make that one", and "that block is not toooo hard." Today...I made my first block! There are 28 pieces in this 5 inch block, and it is just so exciting to start. I have many projects started, and usually finish each one, it just takes me a long time due to work constraints. So, here I go!! I am so happy and excited! I also found a website, www.thatquilt.blogspot.com that really helps with directions for each block.
Today is Saturday...and I actually got to make a few Klosjes. I made two the same, and so will use one in another project. I want all of mine to be a little different.




Hope each of you has a wonderful day, and wonderful weekend!!


JulieK

All together now!

Tada!!! The oldest UFO is together in one piece, even the borders are on. Yippee, Skippee!! I made the blocks 13 years ago, and now all of them are together, and it is time to celebrate! The blocks are not perfect, but I really love it any way, and am glad I found the hidden old blocks and was able to stick with putting them altogether. Do you have a quilt like this one, waiting in the wings? I did as a few of you had mentioned, and put some yellow in to compensate for the yellow block, and it worked!! Thank you, you smart people out there!

My favorite pieces are the littlest flying geese, and the little broken dishes block. Cute! I need to press the whole top, then get it ready for quilting. I wanted a border that would kind of recede and let the blocks show up, and I think the blue will do that.
This little gadget is a walking foot! Oh, I am so happy to get this, and have a little quilt all put together so I can try it!! This was a wonderful gift from Amelia in Oklahoma, and I thank you so much, Amelia for this gift. Please go and see her blog; when you look up beautiful flowers in the dictionary, her name is there!
And speaking of beautiful flowers...dear husband brought me roses for Mother's day. Thank you darling, I love them so much!!!





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Hope each one of you has a wonderful day!


Julie

Putting it all together...

Guess what? I got an early Mother's day gift! Our son and his wife came for a visit...they have been married a year already. They brought the most beautiful roses! I just love them...I mean the kids, and the roses too.
Did you know? In Texas...we have weenie dog races! Isn't that just a hoot? I never knew...but weekend before last, we witnessed the fun up close and personal. My grand-dog ran in the race! Not a winner, but great fun for everyone there. Over 1000 dogs ran...wow! It was just hilarious to see so many little dachshunds running around...are you listening, Judy and Vicki?
Hey, now...isn't this race interference??
What a darling little picture! Going for it!!
Of course, there was a booth for the lovers among us.
So, after two hours today again on this puzzle, here is where I am. My piecing is much better now, I have to say, than 13 years ago (one would hope, right?) Anyway, the old blocks have some cut off points and some little waves...just friendly little waves, though. It is great fun to put together!!


Have a super day, all!!! I am working, gulp, 7 days in a row, 12 hour shifts. So, if you don't hear from me, it is because I am nutty!!


Julie

A find while cleaning house...

Well, I am amazed! I was cleaning out our old antique dresser...and guess what? I found these blocks! I totally forgot making them...and still have no memory of the actual sewing, but I know I made them as a Block of the month from a quilt shop named Nostalgia. The date? 1997. Wow! At the time, there were very good instructions on how to make the blocks, and as I was just learning to piece, that was good, I got great experience! But, the setting together directions were really made for someone who had experience...and I was stuck. I just kind of gave up...and a UFO was born.

Thanks to Finn, and Debi, and many of you bloggers out there...I have the skills and knowledge to put these blocks together! I have looked at Finn's Orphan train, and studied how some of the quilts were put together. Debi gave me the Big Blue and Yellow quilt pattern, and the pieces were put together much the same way I needed to for this quilt....so....
This is what I have together so far. I don't like the yellow background block on the left, but will leave it in there so it does not become lonesome on it's own! My favorite? The tiny flying geese! I love that bit!


OK...I have been doing very well on my cleaning, and decluttering...but 13 years? Wow, that is a long time for a UFO to simmer!!! Can any of you beat that?

Have a super day,



Julie

Growth...3 inches at a time.

This is how many spools I have...about 120 so far. I like these, fun, easy, and just little and cute! They are 3 inch finished size. Joan, do you recognize your blocks?
This quilt is one that I really love, and is the reason (one of them), that I do not have any 1 1/2 inch strips left in my bin. As I have more strips leftover and cut this width, I will make more rail fence blocks, so this will be a work in progress. The blocks finish at 3 inches. I love this...it reminds me so much of what my mom would work on when she was quilting. The zig-zags are hard for me to see unless I am far away, but in the picture, I can see them well.
I am glad I have a helper too! Rosie wants to get in on the action. She is such a little blessing, I am so glad she wandered into our lives.

Pat and I have been remembering our Sylvia's Bridal Sampler quilts in progress. I took her advice and cut out a couple blocks, then I could just have the fun of putting them together. I paper pieced, Pat!!! amazing, isn't it...only about 6 messed up places, and I was done, LOL! Maybe it is getting easier? I sure use a lot of fabric doing paper piecing, do any of you? Pat made the tiny bear paw block, and Lyn made the pretty hexagon block.
This is my December/January table runner; I have only had the kit (gulp) five years. Time to geterdun! And it is finished.
Blanket stitching around the stars, this was really great fun. I love blanket stitching! Please pay no attention to the quilting...I just can't do machine quilting on my machine! Sigh....dear Amelia has a possible solution for me, so I can have a better chance at success.

*******Weight Watchers update*******

14 pounds gone so far, about a pound a week. I am signing up again for another 13 weeks...and hopefully can get to my goal this time.

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We went out to eat the other evening, and there was a giant of a man there at the door to greet us. What made him intriguing is that he must have been almost 7 feet tall, and had on a huge lime green PLAID shirt...I just wanted to snatch that shirt and run! I bet there was 2 yards of fabric there......

*****Please remember in your thoughts and prayers*****

My quilting friend Pam from the hospital is in the hospital with a bowel obstruction...not good!!

My friend Joyce in Arizona just lost her dear sister very unexpectedly, I am so sorry Joyce.

Eileen of my quilting porch lost her dear husband of 61 years, after a long illness, and caring for him almost continuously.

Each of you, you are in my prayers and thoughts, and I pray for healing and peace for you!

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Have a great day all!!


JulieK