HI Y'all! Thank you all so much for commenting on my Poodle Paw Plaid quilt on the previous post...I have layered it with batting and backing, and am hand quilting it in little bits of time found throughout the days..should only take a few years to finish. Hee!! Not really, but hand quilting does take me a long time...I should do more of it, I really love hand quilting a lot!! For example, I hand quilted the little quilt above, and it is going to a blog friend that has had a new diagnosis of cancer this year. Hope she likes it!!
Libby!!! Joan!!! You ladies are so inspiring to me!! I have had these bulls eye blocks cut out for the longest of times...and I decided, today is the day I get them out, sewn into squares, and decide what to do with them! Please see Libby's bulls eye quilt on her August 26th post...I am so in love with it!! And go to Joan's blog and read back...she has some wonderful bulls eye quilts on her blog too! My blocks are ragged edged...and made about 16 years ago. They are made from the fabrics I had at the time...mostly given to me, dubiously cotton, pretty colors! I had never heard of reproductions...or a quilt shop, for that matter. I was just using up little pieces that I had, and I have no idea where I even saw a Bulls eye quilt. Now...how to set these???
Above is one of my infamous UFO project boxes....rows all ready to sew, binding even done! Why, oh why, do I have so many UFO's?? My darling husband says that it is a sign of a creative mind, to start so many things...don't you just love him?? Well, I am determined to finish some up, and below is my progress so far.
The rows are all sewn together!! I will get this one together soon...I do not like it, as it is square, not rectangular (quilt shape)....so I may make it a table topper or the like.



*********************************Not quilting...nurse's notes!********************


The patient just felt awful. Tired, tired, tired...vague headache, pain in chest and shoulders, sometimes down his arms. Vital signs: 98.6 temp, BP 168/88, resp rate 16...and pulse? 32-40! NO wonder the patient felt bad...normal pulse is 60-100. So, workup in progress, and maybe a pacemaker in his future. The patient...someone very close to me!!



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Have a super great day, all!!!


Julie

The poodle paw quilt!

Tada!! I got the borders on today...yippee, skippee!! Just scraps of shirts only went into this quilt(except for the very light, ecru plaid)...I wonder, I have never seen a guy wear bright orange plaid shirts, or reddish/pink plaid shirts, but all these fabrics came from extra large thrift store guys shirts. Fun! This is a prototype...a small quilt, 1/2 size blocks of the bed quilt I plan to make...someday.
This is why this quilt is a poodle paw quilt, instead of a bear paw! Rosie Posie Pudding Pie will not stay off this one...at all. She has claimed it for herself...having recently discovered that she likes plaids too. After all...a girlie poodle must have what she needs, right?



Have a great day, all!!!


Julie

Off on a tangent!

Plaids!! Again...these blocks are 7 inches finished. 45 pieces in each block. I don't know why, but I think these blocks are challenging!! I love them...especially the ones with high contrast. These are all from shirt plaids, even the dark bear toes. (thrift shop!)
All 12 blocks are prepped!! Yippee!! I did add some leaves to the block from last post, but not all the inside stuff...just too much for me...I may add it later if the muse descends!!!



Everyone, have a great day...hope those of you on the East coast were not too shook up by the earthquake today!!


Julie

Another Woolie block

HI Y'all: I am working on the wool garden block above...and I think I am done. Would you please honor me with your opinion about this... am I done or not? Above is my block...
And this is what the block is supposed to look like. It looks pretty busy to me...what do you think? Do I keep on going and add all that stuff, or am I done prepping this block? By the way...I am finished prepping all 12 blocks!! Yahoo! Now to decide if I buy a finishing kit and make a big applique border, or just set the blocks together in some fashion of my own design. Decisions, decisions!!
It was my birthday recently! I received the most wonderful handmade gift from Lyn....She made this gorgeous basket liner!! It is a very large basket, just perfect for projects and things on the go...I love it! Thank you, Lyn!!!


******************In other news*****************

For my birthday, I decided to bike the number of miles that I have been alive. This means....47 big miles, ladies!!! Did I train for this? Nope, not really...just daily walking and a little running and riding my bike recreationally. Did I plan it out well? Nope! Just got up and told dear hubby..."Hey, this is what we are doing today!" I made it in two different sections...but dear friends, I made it! I rode my little bicycle 47 miles! Whoohooo!!! Surprisingly, I am not sore at all...don't know why, I should be dying at this point...I guess I should wait for tomorrow to judge. So there...now what in the world will I come up with next birthday???
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Have a great day!


Julie

Borders are on!!!

Alrighty then! I have all four borders on! Can we all jump up and scream "Yahoo!!!" At least I did...hey, I have another empty UFO bin, for this one was a true UFO! I do love to make this border, don't know why, but it is fun, fun, fun!! Poor Rosie the poodle...she has a hard life...on top of the quilts, and toy close under her paw...tisk, tisk! I showed the 2 inch strip version, completed, and the new top with 2.5 inch strips. I also made a 1.5 inch strip version, and it has flown the coop! I cannot find it anywhere!!
I thought Rosie might move if I walked around and took another shot...fat chance! She was just fine, right where she was!
Anyone for a slice of pie? It sure was good! (Notice the past tense)....



Thank you everyone so much for your encouragement and stories of your loved ones moving far away...I so appreciate your kind friendship!!!


Have a super great day!

Julie

I have been working on the zig-zag borders on this quilt today, and I have two sides done. A secret for me is to have everything cut out ahead of time, and work on the border as I go, so I trick myself into thinking it is not as much work as I might think otherwise!
Another view...all four corners will fit together like this. I love scraps so much, don't you?!!!


*************************NOn -quilting stuff***********************


My son and his wife moved this weekend...1500 miles away. I am just so very sad...I miss them so much...they were just a couple hours away, now they are so very far! It is a great opportunity for them, and I am so happy for them....just wish I could get past the worrying!! Have any of you experienced this stuff?? Thanks for listening...


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Have a great week!!


Julie

Take me to your leader!!

Isn't that what the aliens in UFO's say?? Well, I am talking about UFO's of a different kind! Above is a current project, not a UFO...I am trying to keep up...fancy that! We only have two more blocks to go, and then this woolie summer project from Primitive Gatherings will have all the blocks done. Whoohoo! These blocks have some stitching done, but need tons more...but at least they are all prepped!
Aren't these the most wonderful Cheddars? I just love them! Thank you so much, Lyn...I have them in the Dear Jane box...and I really need to get back to that quilt!!
I made another runner from the border leftovers of the plaid quilt...and I still have a little more border left, so may make one more. Just can't throw away those plaids!
The scrappy quilt middle is together...that was fun, in between cleaning and dashing around the house today, I did this. I love all the scraps together...fun for me!
And at last, two little cushions...just for fun!!




108 degrees F here today...melting, I tell you!!!



Have a super day!


Julie

A change of direction...and breaking news! A UFO sighting!!!

HI Y'all! Well, the last scrappy project just wasn't pleasing me (probably because I do not have enough variety of background fabrics)...so I carefully put the pieces and parts back into the appropriately sized bins, and pulled out this UFO!! Yessirree, this is a real UFO, as reported by the Association of International UFO sightings...or it could just be me reporting... I cut all this out about a year ago, and it has been carefully waiting for it's turn to become a quilt...not shouting loudly, but murmering every once in a while..."Is it my turn yet?" I have been chain piecing all the pieces together this and last week, in spare moments, and now the blocks are all done. I will cut sashing, and the cornerstones will come from the 2.5 inch bin. This is very representation of my fabrics...scrappy Christmas, brights, reproductions, 1930's, conversational prints, childrens, etc, etc! Anyone who has been kind enough to gift me scraps will recognize some of their fabrics in this one!!
This is the same quilt, made from the 2 inch bin...hand quilted, washed, and well used already. I also made one from the 1.5 inch bin! I cannot find it, though, so I must have given it away. So, I have made a quilt of this pattern in three sizes, and that is fun, as you can make the whole quilt from one width size scraps. By the way, this is a Bonnie Hunter pattern.
Rosie...it is so tough to get a good picture of you, dear doggie!! Here she is though, my constant little companion, I just love her!
The 2.5 inch scrap bin...I thought it might empty out some, but it appears as stuffed as ever!!! Does that happen to you??
The waste triangles from the connector corners became broken dishes blocks, as inspired by my friend Linda. I have no idea what I will do with these, but hey, at least the pieces are not in the land fill!!



***************************Other stuff*****************************

The funeral for Keaton went very well, and my dear sissie is doing as well as she can...I am glad to be back at work and home...life is so precious and fleeting, isn't it...I aim to enjoy and praise each moment I am granted!!!


Work is just different...I am mostly in charge these days, which takes me away from the patients...and they are my joy. That is hard, but by taking care of the nurses who take care of the patients, maybe I can have a positive impact. A guy coded most of the day yesterday...so sad...but we did wonderful work and got him back each time.


It is too hot! Way too hot here...records set every day...Melting, I am telling you!!!


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Have a super good day! I hope you can have some quilting time....


Julie

Cleaning out the drawers...scrappy style!

Just cleaning out the drawers, folks...since the drawers won't close, it is a good thing! I am just playing with the stars...I will make the background much more scrappy, and the star colors will fall as they may. I did not realize I had so many taupe 3.5 inch squares, so they are going to be gone, gone, gone with this quilt. I think a scrappy border is a must for this one...



*********************Some very sad news************************


My dear brother-in-law, Keaton, has passed away this weekend. He was the brightest of all of us...a brilliant electrical engineer, who had Alzheimer's at the end. His mind was gone for a long time, and his body passed away this weekend. I am going to be with my sister the next few days...He was a wonderful man, a shining light of goodness for these many years I have known him. They had been married 45 years...



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Julie