Joyful Exchange!!!! Nine patch Celebration!!

Joyful! We finally have a "head count" about how many nine patches of each size to make...some ladies had to drop due to life situations, ( I so appreciate you all letting me know early...thanks) and others added...so here goes!! You can grab the blog button displayed above from my side bar if you want to and put it on your blog.


If you signed up for 3 inch finished nine patches:

25 people signed up.......so make 50 nine patches to make 2 for each participant. You are making FIFTY 3 inch finished nine patches of this size.

If you signed up for 6 inch finished nine patches:

39 people signed up.....so make 78 nine patches, to make 2 for each participant. You are making SEVENTY EIGHT 6 inch finished patches of this size.


If you signed up for both...make both batches!! Have fun...I sure am! What a wonderful way to get to know people...for the people with blogs, I am going to list links to your blogs on the side. For those ladies with no blogs, I am listing your names. Thank each and every one of you for signing up...please let me know if you do not see your name...I am so far from perfect...I could have missed it and you are important!


Remember, these are scrappy...two colors...just be careful to get them the right size so it all fits together.(note to self)! LOL!

I find that if I do a little at a time, I do not get overwhelmed...and starting early is a great idea. In fact...there are prizes (fabric yummyness) to the first people ( 3 inch only, 6 inch only, and both) who turn in their nine patches! Stay tuned...other prizes too as we go along.

Just an idea....I am so excited! I am infusing each piece and strip of fabric I cut...each stitch and hum of my machine...with JOY!! This is great fun to me...how about y'all putting on some fun music, or a favorite TV show...have a great time...maybe dance a little! Boogy just a little bit! Such exuberant fun will infuse our nine patches...and as they fly out all over the world, we can spread a little JOY to our friends!!!

Speaking of all over the world...we have swappers from the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, the USA, France, Britain...and I am sure more than that! cool, huh??


I am sending this out in an e-mail to each of you too. I did not ever hear from Julie S...or Cindy (number 2)...please you two, please let me know your e-mail addresses stat! We have a couple local hospital swappers too...


Have a wonderful day!


Julie

Spooliing around...

OK! According to the scientific method, this is how many blocks go in a spool quilt. The container is full! I did the last 40 today...it took me exactly forever. Why it took so long, I do not know!! Just did...I really love these blocks!
Thank you, Terry! I won a book on her blog...and am already 80 pages into it...it is really a good book! And look at the pretty page marker too...it has pretty fringe attached and I love that touch. Thank you again, Terry.
This is a scary sight...my husband work gloves got wet, so I washed them (they still look the same as before...), and put them over bottles so they would dry. This reminds me of our friend Kim, of Kim's Big Quilting Adventure...she loves halloweenish stuff!!



Have a wonderful week!!


Julie

Mail call!!

Look at what dear husband did!!! A brand new mailbox...a locking mailbox, due to mail thefts occurring in our area. He cemented it in...about 3 feet below the ground...it will never, never, ever move again. Tornado proof! And wonderful! DH plans to rock it, that it, put rock on the outside of it. Not rock it like a tornado....errr, you know what I mean.


The old mailbox leaned...leaned further...was propped up...needed painting...so long old friend, you have earned a rest!!
Look at what was in the new mailbox! An explosion of wonderful pieced blocks...how cool, huh? Deanna from Utah was kind enough to send me these blocks to make something out of...12 inch blocks, 8 inch blocks, 10 inch blocks, 6 inch blocks...and assorted loveliness! I am going to give it a go...although realistically, there are probably several projects in here. Cool, huh??
I did a few Klosjes (spools) today...and I am just about done, because the basket is almost, purty durn near full! I love these reproduction colors.
A long time ago, in a land far away...well, maybe about 6 years ago at the hospital where I work, we made red work blocks, and exchanged them. Mine languished, while the other quilters got theirs all put together and quilted. I just finished mine, and got it back from one of the quilters who quilted them all on her long arm. I love it! Very pretty...

Dear Jane:

You did some applique today! I think you like to mix it up some days...I like the blocks you chose today, and a red block was included just for me! Yippee!!



*************************Attention********************************

Nine patch swappers!

Most of you have a blog or included an e-mail address....please, the people I mentioned in my post this morning, contact me with an e-mail address. I must have an e-mail address to be able to contact you and to include you in the swap. Some of your asked some questions, and I cannot answer you when you are set "no reply", or did not include your address. I really want to include you...please reply!


By the way....there is still space and time to sign up!! Please see the post two below this one, LOL!!

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Have a most wonderful day!

Julie

Attention please! :)

HI all!

We have had a wonderful turnout of interested nine patchers! You can still sign up (until July 30th) for the nine patch exchange...see my last blog post.

I need to hear from Crystal in Canada, Tori, Vicki, Laurie, and Julie S. Each of you did not supply an e-mail address...it just says you are a no reply on your return e-mail address. Would you do me the favor of e-mailing me as soon as you can with an e-mail address? Then I can answer your questions and sign you up for the nine patch exchange! Should be great fun!! Many of you asked questions and I cannot reply unless you give me your e-mail addie...I just must be able to contact you...and you me!


Have a wonderful day!

Julie

The Great Nine Patch Celebration Exchange!!

Hi all!!


Based on every one's enthusiasm a couple posts ago...We are "go" for a nine patch exchange!!!

Monica, at www.diaryofaquiltmaven.blogspot.com, graciously made a button for us! A celebration button for our nine patches...feel free to snag it from my side bar and put it on your blog. The button is also on Monica's blog, so you can snag it from there too. Thank you dear Monica...you are so appreciated! As I am not a computer person, I just really appreciate those people who are.


There are two options for you....or you can do both :)


First option: Six inch finished nine patches...this uses 2.5 inch strips ...6.5 inch unfinished blocks. Based on how many people sign up, we would all make 2 blocks for each participant (make all identical blocks of two printed fabrics), and then you would send them to me...and I would separate all the blocks and divide them up 2 for each participant and mail them out! So everyone would get a wonderful variety of fabrics in their blocks.

Second option: Three inch finished nine patches...this uses 1.5 inch strips...3.5 inch unfinished blocks. (If you like little ones...this is for you!)

I would do the same thing for these...


I am going to do make both exchanges...you can pick one, or the other...or do both!


Maybe we would not get enough for a whole quilt...but if we have enough participants...we will! So tell your friends and lets have fun!


Housekeeping stuff....

• We are using 1800's reproduction fabrics only for this exchange...scrappy, so pick your favorite fabric colors to make your blocks...I find that contrast is good!
• Quilt shop quality fabrics please.
• Deadline for the exchange blocks to be mailed to me is September 25Th. This will give us all more than 60 days to finish and enjoy making our blocks. This will also get our blocks done before the holiday rush. I understand major life occurrences, but this is a firm deadline, to be fair to everyone who participates. Please let me know if you have a problem...
• You must have a way I can contact you...e-mail addie or blog...

This is limited to the first 50 people..so sign up quickly by replying to this post! There are several wonderful nine patch tutorials on the net if you need this.

I will post my progress each week, and I am the queen of making things work with little time...you could follow along with me a little at a time..or do them all lickety split!!! I am going shopping for my fabric this week.

Please let me know if you have questions...I so look forward to sharing your work...should be such fun to see all your lovely blocks and making something fun from these blocks!! I will let everyone know how many blocks to make by July 30th, based on how many people sign up, 2 blocks per signed up person.

Julie

Work tomorrow...sigh...

Hi Y'all! Remember Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt from a while back? The one with the pinwheels in the center strips? Well, I did not want to make pinwheels, so this is my version of that quilt. I just did squares...in pink and browns. And, I love it! I was trying to get a picture of it for the blog, and to show Darcie's quilting off, but Rosie insisted on getting in the middle of the quilt each time I displaced her...so I just left her in! She needs a tummy rub, obviously, right??
Can you see the feathers quilted into the quilt? I love it, love the texture...wonderful!! (There is that tummy again...) This quilt is Poodle recommended and approved!
I finished putting squares on the outside of the "Drawer 2.5 Quilt"...so named by Annie, a wonderful quilt blogger...you just really need to go and see her blog! I did not have any backing or batting, so the quilt top is hanging up...with 19 other quilt tops...waiting for quilting. Will I ever catch up??
The whole entire quilt top came from the 2.5 inch drawer...I thought I would use all the pieces in the 2.5 inch drawer...but hardly made a dent, it seems. Nocturnal breeding ! I just know that is what is going on in there!
Did any of you see Bonnie Hunter's basket exchange quilt on her blog? She did an exchange of baskets with her friend Lucy...I love the resulting quilt! I just had to see if I could make some baskets. Mine are 4 inch finished...just right for me. I still have to applique down the handles...that will be my favorite, relished part! I love the hand work! I cut out 13 more so far.
Dear Jane:

What's up girl?? (grin)...you and I have finished another row! whoohoo!! Row five, here we come! You know...that is 4/13 rows done...almost 31% done...(with the center)...love that math stuff! I wonder if you stitched by candle light...or by lantern light, dear Jane? I think you must have had quilting friends to help you gather all those scraps!!



*********************Great Nine Patch Celebration Swap***********************

Sign up for this is coming up this week...get ready, get set...sew!!! I will blog about the details later in the week.

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Everyone have a wonderful week!


Julie

I PASSED MY CCRN TEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I passed! I passed! I now can call myself a CCRN (certified Critical care)....and stop all the studying that is hampering my housecleaning and quilting and other fun stuff....YAHOO!! The test was yesterday...I really have been studying like crazy, and still, there were some questions...I had never even heard of! They had a brain surgery question on there that I had no clue...good thing I don't work with those patients, huh? I did get 100% on the cardiac questions...Now I will have time to see what you all have been up to!!!


Above is my Two And One Half Inch Drawer Quilt. All of this came from that drawer...hence the name. I am going to put another border on it of squares...and that should polish off that drawer! So, I feel good about that.


Joyce! In Arizona! Joyce has no blog, but she should...she is an amazing quilter and needs to share her quilts with the world! She is teasing me and tempting me to start another quilt...look at what she sent! What a great idea for the 5 inch squares our local hospital quilters recently swapped...thank you so much, Joyce, I love your idea!!

Dear Jane....you and I are a bit slow this week...but slow progress will be our norm, I am sure. Thank you Jane for all these original and gorgeous blocks...I am having great fun making them. I can hold out for about 3 a day...then I just have to something a little less intricate. Like nine patches....see above. Jane, I think you may have been a seamstress, maybe, to have collected all those fabrics...I am about running out of brown options! I must confess, I love it when the next block up is pink...or red, as seen in your original quilt.



************************WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN A SWAP?******************


I have in the back of my mind...a nine patch swap! Not that it has not been done before...but I am just thinking what fun it would be to have a different nine patch from a few...or loads of you wonderful blog friends! Would you be interested in this? You would make all your nine patches alike...send them to me...and I will sort, package up, and send each person participating two of each! You would get 100 nine patches back...just different ones, in all different fabrics. Variety!! So, if we had 50 bloggers doing this, then we each would make 100 nine patches. We could strip piece them and get this done fairly quickly... Does that sound OK?? I will send out information in the coming week or two about doing this...any size preferable? I would like reproduction fabrics....interested???








Have a wonderful week!


Julie, RN, CCRN

Are you CRAZY?? or is it just me...

HI Y'all....I made this quilt using Stina's heart patterns earlier this year...and I just finished it, at least for now. I did some crazy quilting stitches around some of the blocks...and I discovered crazy quilting is something you can just add to, and add to, and add to! It was great fun...as I am studying for my CCRN exam, I would take a break and stitch for a few minutes.

Y'all have a wonderful day! Did you watch the World Cup??


Julie

Weigh in Wednesday...

Hi all! I am making nine patches in between Dear Jane blocks...kind of two ends of the spectrum, and I like it like that! This entire quilt will be out of the 2.5 inch strip drawer. I am measuring for sashing, that is why I have dear husband's measuring tape on the floor. Do you use your husband's measuring tape??
I really want to tell you about a darling quilt, above! Lyn of Bluebird Quilts made another heart strings quilt! I have been meaning to show this off for ages...this is her second heart strings quilt. Even the parts that look solid are really strings! It is wonderful...just the thing for some little child.
Caladiums are getting bigger and bigger...And tada! I am getting a little smaller...I am X + 6! I lost two pounds! So yippee skippee, and sure hope I can keep it up. I gained last week, so you see how the yo yo bounces...
Dear Jane...Hmmm, how are you? I think you may be a little tired today! The red is pretty, but the workmanship? Not so much!!


Hope everyone has a wonderful week! I have scheduled the dreaded CCRN test...and will let you know ASAIKS... (as soon as I know something).



Julie

All in a day's work!

Over the fourth, we took a road trip...ideal for hand sewing for the lady in the shotgun seat. So, I prepped all the blocks I had so far for Lisa's garden woolie wonder...and got them all done. Yippee! These finish at 3 inches.
Dear Jane: You must have had a lot of brown prints left over from your dresses...did you? Or did your blocks in the almost 150 years since you completed your quilt fade from the original colors to lots of browns? Either way, I love your quilt...it is great fun, and I am glad you stuck with it girl! It must have been hard work...good for you!!! I got these three blocks in row four done today. Lots of little pieces!




Gratitude's:

-Safe travel mercies...we are home safe!
-I think I am losing weight this week...maybe a pound or so?
-A metal coffee can! I found it today...and I have a project to make from it...mostly coffee containers are plastic around here, now...




Have a wonderful day!


Julie

Joyful!!

Hi Y'all!! It has been a week since I posted...and I have worked, and studied (for CCRN certification...when I am going to take the test already?), and cleaned...and quilted, and got to visit with my darling son and daughter-in-law...so all in all, a wonderful week. And to top it off!?? I got this in the mail today! The huge, blue and white and yellow monster wonderful quilt!! You may remember that Debi, my friend of Debi quilts gave me the pattern. Darcie of October's Child Quilting fame did this for me...I am floored again at how wonderful her quilting is. The loops and curls are so even and straight and lovely! Thank you, Darcie, so much!
Remember, I was trying to use up all the yellows in the stash...and came darn near doing that. Even the backing was a gift from a friend, fabric she could not imagine needing anymore. Yards, and yards, and yards of yellow!



And in other news...but you will have to wait to see...I have another quilt ready for binding. My 1997 UFO sampler quilt is done! I want to have it all done so you can see...another day. I am delighted, and want to tell it's story in another post.




Dear Jane,


How are you doing? Today I think you may have been a bit preoccupied, but the blocks you made are so pretty, and remind of a down home Southern girl underneath those intricate blocks...you included some plaid! Really, in the original quilt, Jane did use a few plaids, so I can too, right? I have finished row 3!! Wow...I think I am sticking to it! It is truly so much fun to be so proud of one block...Pat!!! of a little bit of Pat!! I am paper piecing---really and truly ! Pat graciously did a paper piecing block 'cause I could not figure it out...I am doing it!
So far, this is what I have.
Nine patches! See, Jane...I think you really are a down to earth lady...and where in the world are all your other quilts?? Is your Dear Jane quilt the only one to survive the Civil War? Please ignore the threads...that is a common theme with me, and I will cut them all off the next insomnia night, as I am trying to be quiet as a mouse.
Caladiums, a week later...see how wet the ground is? We have had such lovely, soaking, steady rains...I know the farmers must be so happy for God's bounty. The Caladiums love it! Amazing when I look at the picture only one week ago, how much they have grown.
Well....I always seem to post on Thursday, Wednesday's weigh in...and I weigh the same. I walked around our route, which is 1.5 miles today, and intend to get serious now about getting to goal~! NO more fooling around!! (pep talk to self...)



Have a most wonderful Fourth, all you quilter's here in the states.


Gratitude's!

1. Life giving and caladium growing rains.
2. Darling Rosie dog...she is a constant delight. She can catch her toy on the run now!
3. Of course, my dear family
4. Plenty to eat...so much that I have to be on weight watchers!




Julie