Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy 2013!!

 Good Evening Y'all!!  Here it is almost 10 pm...a couple hours before the New Year.  I know our friends in Australia and New Zealand celebrated long hours ago, amid fireworks and fun.  I sewed today, so that was my celebration!  Above are the corners of the Quiltville mystery quilt! I used pink instead of lime greens. Can I get a whoop, whoop!!?
 I have all the other pieces and parts all ready to go, when the mystery is finally revealed tomorrow...so what fun to try and figure it out!  But I am not trying...just waiting to see what Bonnie has come up with!!
 I got a Christmas present in the mail!!  Really, I got it some time ago, and have been absolutely loving it ever since. What a darling little hanging, I love it, Lyn!  Thank you so much!  The hanger is absolutely the cutest thing...see the hearts on the ends?
 And Lyn also sent gorgeous fabric too!!  What a pretty way to display and sell fabric, huh?  Thank you, Lyn!  The fabric is on the top of my old antique dresser.
Well...many people are selecting words to live by for the New Year.  I selected some rocks!!  I really love rocks and rock-hounding, and found these two...and together?  They make an exclamation point!!  so...I have a SYMBOL for the new year!!  I want to live each day with fun, and enthusiasm, and excitement, and as much energy as I can pour into life...so I love my symbol, and have it in the bathroom, on the counter top, so I can see it all the time.  So....what is your word, or resolution, or symbol??



HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!!!


Julie

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas to one and all!!  I am so grateful for the greatest gift of all, our baby Jesus.  Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!


I want to thank you, each of you, for your friendship throughout the years...you mean the world to me!  Our quilting community is so full of such loving and giving people, and I am privileged to know each of you!!

Sincerely, and have a wonderful holiday!

Julie

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Borders on the Blues

Good morning!! Are you ready?  Christmas is just right around the corner!!  I think I am pretty ready, as ready as I am going to get...so there!  I finished putting these blocks together, and bordered them...yahoo!  Glad to have it in one piece.  I continue to work on the "Easy Street" mystery quilt from Quiltville, and my Barrister's blocks.  And have big plans for the new year...how about you???  What are you planning to do, quilt wise, and life wise??



I am so very sad about the horrible shooting in Connecticut.  Poor babies...when something like this happens, I have the urge to go there, to see if I can help.  Maybe when I retire, I can work for the Red Cross or something...


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


Fire in the OR!  The operating room...we have dozens in our hospital, but the Cardiothoracic operating rooms are like something out of a futuristic movie.  Tons of equipment and monitors and fluoro...and flame sources.  Last week, an accident happened and a fire started in the OR.  The operating nurse worked like a top, actually stomping on and smothering the flames...hurrah for them!  Big excitement, as the fire trucks came, and firemen came through with axes and the whole shebang. 


Lots of cancer patients lately...pulling on my heart strings.  Slowing down on cardiovascular surgery, I guess because of the holidays.  But the nursing stuff never ends, and I find great joy, mostly, in my work. One particular patient cannot eat due to extensive surgery until after the first of the year...I feel for him!!  Poor fella...when he can eat?  You can bet he will have ANYTHING he wants!!!

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Have a great day, all!!!

Julie

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Log Cabin quilts!

 Can you stand just one picture of this quilt?  TADA!  The border is on...it is a mere 2 inches wide, but look huge against the 1/2 inch logs.  I really wanted a border on this one, to protect the edges.  It just occurred to me that this quilt may be around for a while, maybe longer than I will be around, and used a lot, so I picked a fabric from the stash and went for it!  I am so elated that it is to this stage..yahoo!!  5200 little pieces in this quilt.
So....I cut out another log cabin quilt!!  Two inch logs this time, and just a few blocks...fun!!  All this is an attempt to use all the strips and strings and scraps that I have been gifted with...I love them so much!  Thank you to all who so generously gave me their strings and strips this year...you will notice your fabrics in these quilts.  This one will be a patient quilt.


Hey, some people have mentioned that I seem to get a lot done...thank you for that.  There are lots of more prolific quilters out there than I am for sure, so I appreciate it, but...the thing is, is that I don't sleep!  Insomnia makes for great cutting out and quiet sewing time.  I don't recommend it, however!! You know, I don't see this piecing frenzy happening forever for me, so right now, I am trying to sew up every last little bit of fabric I own.  Waste not, want not, right?  Frugality comes from my parents...depression children.  I bet some of you know just what I mean!!



Something really cool happened this week...I was contacted by a representative of Fons and Porter to review their log cabin online book!  I am so excited about this...I love Fons and Porter quilts, and have made several of them, bought each magazine and just generally enjoyed their work.  The book is wonderful...several great ideas for log cabin quilts, and of course this was great timing, as I am making log cabins as you can see!  The best tip for me from this book was their binding tutorial, for a no lump binding!!  Loved this, and I am using it!!  Guess what?  You can see this book for free too!!  Please click HERE to see it...maybe you will be inspired to use up some of your little string pieces.


Have a great day!!!

Julie

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Blues again...

I finished the blocks for this blue string quilt...I love string piecing, and this one was no exception.  It will be a lap sized quilt.     I will add a narrow inner border, and then a wider outer border.  The pattern is a modified String X from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville site. 



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

We have several towers at my hospital.  You can see from one tower to the next, sometimes, if the blinds are open.  I was in a patient's room, and happened to glance out the window and saw another nurse, dressed in blue as I was ( our uniforms are all blue)...and she smiled and waved, and so did I.  It was kind of fun, seeing another nurse in another tower, just a sweet smile from a really young nurse.  Guess you had to be there! 

Years ago, I worked in another tower...and across the way?  Was labor and delivery.  Another nurse and I were in a patient's room, and we glanced out the window...and got an eye full!  A lady was delivering her baby right then, in full view of the open window!  We called over there and told the charge nurse, and she said that the lady wanted her baby to be born in the sun, and the patient insisted on the blinds being open.  So we just cried and watched the miracle of that baby being born...a precious moment to us too!!

A sweet older, very frightened gentleman came in yesterday...in trouble.  91 years young, he was in the middle of a heart attack.  The problem?  A very low heart rate, very suddenly...an ominous sign.  As we were intervening for him, he suddenly told me, "I knew the the 91th year would be a the bad one...THE ONE!"  I wonder if he is still with us...pretty sick when I left...I think that people sometimes know things that maybe others do not know...what do you think?


Enjoy each moment, all!!

Julie

Monday, December 10, 2012

And there we went!!

 Well, I got distracted!  I am working on a BOM, above...Enchanted Garden.   I love to work on these appliques, they are so much fun!  Ready to go for the next two blocks.
So, I made some progress...only five rows left!  Yippee...these little four inch blocks, four hundred of them, are taking some time to sew together.  I will use a small border, mainly to protect all those little seams, because quilting will not take place for a while, probably...

Have a great day!!

Julie

Ok...here we go!!!!!!

 Good Monday morning to you!  I am off work at the hospital...my plan?  To get all these little, itty bitty log cabin blocks into one piece!  You may have noticed that I am now setting them in a "Straight Furrows" setting, for no particular reason except that I have made a barn raising log cabin setting before.  So hurray for something different!!  I have been working 4 hours straight to get it to this point...about 1/2 put together.  Can I do it?  I am going for it!!!  Rosie the poodle has been helping...see the bottom right...
See that white stuff on the house across the street from us?  Must be something else?  Couldn't be SNOW!!!!  Cold, cold here!!!

Have a great day...updates as the log cabin blocks come together!!


Julie

Friday, December 7, 2012

"Easy Street" Mystery progress!

Well, I am caught up with the Quiltville mystery quilt "Easy Street"...almost caught up that is!!  I still have to press most of the gray four patches.  I anticipate this box to be full of pieces and parts before we are done!!  I really had to dig for purples...and the teal?  Is one batik I found...in deep stash.  I love that term...really applies to this piece, too!! I am going to use pinks instead of green...so my quilt will look a little different.  This quilt will be bright and cheerful, and somehow reminds me of the beach.  Many thanks to Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville for making this fun mystery quilt available to everyone!




Have a great day, all!!!

Julie

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Log Cabin...and a mystery!!

 OK everyone!!  This is it...the last of the 1/2 inch  strip log cabin blocks are finished!!  I made four extra...don't know why I cannot count lately, LOL!!  These were so very much fun...The quilt is really not that big, due to the small size of the blocks ( 4 inches). Am I going to make more?  NOT!!  I want to quit while I still love them!!
 Here are all the blocks on the piano, where they got placed until I could lay them out.  The piano is from 1912, and was a gift from dear husband long ago.
 I could not resist a couple new books at the quilt shop...come to think of it...I need to STAY OUT OF THERE!  But it is just so much fun, isn't it??
 A couple broody hens...
 And some of the leftovers from the log cabin strips found their way into this mug rug.  Wouldn't a neutral quilt be so much fun??

 Now for the gift!  I was thinking (gasp!) of not doing Bonnie Hunter's of Quiltville's mystery quilt!  That seems kind of sacrilegious or something!  I did not have gray, or purples, or teals, having being a good girl  and using all these colors up.  My dear friend Mary, who works at the same hospital I do, gifted me with the most lovely, soft, dove gray fabric...it is so beautiful!  So...I am hoarding it!  LOL!
And lookee!  These pretty fabrics too!!  I am so in love with them all...thank you Mary!  Please see her blog HERE.


So I am a spoiled lady...and now working on the mystery quilt!  Please go here for all the details, you could do it too...fun, fun!!


Have a great day,

Julie

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

So much to tell!!

 HI Everyone!!  I have been working and cooking and sewing!  Above is the latest quilt I am working on...a log cabin.  Nondescript, huh?  EXCEPT!!!
 The blocks are only 4 inch finished!!  1/2 inch finished logs.  This uses the tiniest one inch wide strings...use it up or do without,  right?!!  I love these blocks so much, and every bit of this quilt is from my strings...gifted strings, strings that I have saved...thank you so much for everyone who gifted me with strings this year...I love them so much!!  I am making 400 of these blocks.
 And the little trimmings from the strips!  Never fear!  They are used too!  Not in the land fill, but as hot pads.  I pile a whole bunch on a piece of fabric (muslin in this case, but you could use prettier fabric!)  I then spray the whole thing with starch and PRESS it all down...then I quilt it in wiggly lines from the front, being careful not to catch the loops of fabric.
 The back...
 And then I trim it to whatever size and put a couple hand holding pockets on the back.
Then bind it!!  I still need to stitch down the binding, but hey!  The littlest pieces of fabric are used, and I love the scrappy look!  Best of all?  When these are washed, they are even better protection for your hands!  Love, love to use every little bit of fabric up!!!





*******************Nurse's Notes*****************************


I may have a really sore back...I may work the holidays and have troubles all my own (don't we all)?  But when I confront the reality of someone on the ventilator for weeks, unable to breath or maintain their blood pressure....or a person receiving three kinds of chemo, blasting their body,  just for a chance to keep living, to see their son grow up....or a person who had SEVEN bypasses this last week (didn't know they could do that many)...or the man in the hospital for more than a month with a bone infection who never has a visitor...hey, I am so blessed and tickled to be able to feel and keep on going!!  Hurrah...and God bless these patients!!!  So I am so very thankful each day, including Thanksgiving...and love to read about your gratitudes!!  How many can you count today!??



Julie

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Thursday, November 8, 2012

blues, Blues, BLUES!

 Just of lots of blues going on around here!  Here is a blue version of Bonnie Hunter's string X pattern...adding a little corner triangle to the white triangles.  I have 18 more blocks to go, and this will be a nice throw sized quilt.  I just love all the variety of blues!
 And a second baby quilt...not fancy, and it needs a good pressing before I get busy quilting it. 
 And this sunflower came into being too!  Strings for the petals...should have added a ninth petal, but oh well, it is done!!
And with all this piecing comes some bonus triangles, so this little quilt was born too.  And with that...maybe I am done with strictly blue for a while...at least when I get the other blocks done for my string x...then I will be!



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Congratulations to Stephanie Hughes, you were randomly chosen to receive the magazine from last post...I will send it to you as soon as you get me your address!!

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I hope you all survived the election process...I am glad  it is all done with!  And glad to live in a country where we have a choice, and a chance to vote!!!


The Hurricane...Sandy.  These storm victims are very heavy on my mind...I have donated to the Red Cross and am donating a quilt too.  Please see Quiltville for information about donating, on her November 8th post.  My prayers and thoughts are with all of you and your families affected by this terrible storm. And may the power be on for everyone, ASAP!!


Have a great day,

Julie

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Do you think this is OK for a baby quilt?

 Hi everyone!!  Above is a small version of Bonnie Hunter's Pineapple quilt.  It is about 30x36...do you think it would be OK for a baby quilt, for a little boy?  Or should I go with something with a baby-like print fabric...what do you think??  I just love using scraps!! Is that OK?  I need to make two boy baby quilts for people at work...I can't keep up!
Hey, let's give this away!!  I somehow have two of this magazine...and the cover quilt?  Is by none other than Kathie, of Inspired by Antique Quilts blog fame!!  I love her quilt, and this magazine has some great Christmas ideas too.  If you would like to be put in the drawing, just leave a comment about anything...maybe how many trick or treaters you had!  We had buses and buses full of them...over 200 kiddos and then I lost count!


Thank you so much, everyone for commenting on my last post, the book giveaway!  Random number drawing came up with Kaaren, at the Painted quilt!  Please send me your address, Kaaren, and I will get your book in the post stat. 


*******************Nurses's notes***************************


I had a super nice patient last week.  An engineer with two PHD's, he was a smartie!  But...Alzheimer's is setting in for him.  Isn't it sad when some of our brilliant minds succumb to this...I know that someday a cure hopefully will be found!!!

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Have a great day, all!!

Julie

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

A very special giveaway!

Hi Everyone!!  I have been so privileged to be able to share this book with you!  Jennifer Chiaverini is at it again,  writing wonderful stories, and this one is no exception.  I got an advance copy...and can share it with you!!  Please leave me a comment, and by random number drawing, perhaps this book will be winging it's way to you.

You will love this story...about the holidays...about giving and family...it just feels good!!! And of course quilting, too.  I have started a collection of all Jennifer's books.  I really enjoy each one so much, and I hope you will enter this drawing!

Hurry, though...this drawing will take place tomorrow so I can get it in the mail before the post office closes...


Have a great night, all!!!

Julie

Monday, October 22, 2012

One thing leads to another...

 Good Monday to everyone!  I finished putting the borders on my plaid churn dash quilt... I love piecing borders! It all fit together well, and  it is waiting it's turn for hand quilting.  Clock wise geese, of course.
 And a closer view.  Most, if not all these plaids are gifted scraps or pieces of shirts from the thrift store.  I wanted a lighter, airier look (don't know if airier is a word, LOL), so I am glad for the muslin sashings.  The hand quilting shows up on muslin better also.
Speaking of one thing leading to another, I had one block left over, so made this little quilt too.  Almost every quilt I make has a little quilt following it. 



*******************Nurse's Notes*****************

Really darling patients lately.  Lots of cancer cases, due to a surgeon practicing with us now who does mostly cancerous lung resections.  And one of these patients has a daughter who is a quilter...big time!!  So I have enjoyed talking with her.  I am going in to do heart recovery in a few minutes, so I hope the heart is stable!!!

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Have a wonderful day, each of you!

Julie

Monday, October 15, 2012

Playing with the plaids!

Good afternoon everyone!  I have been playing with the plaid blocks...trying to figure out a border!!  I am liking the pink, it is girlie, like the hearts...just trying to figure out if I like the flying geese.  One thing is for sure, I love making them, and I get bonus half square triangles!  whoohoo!!!


Have a great day!!

Julie

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Jazzed up for plaids!

 Good morning!  I went through all my strings, and pulled out all the plaids, separating them out.  I had a few strings as big as 2.5 inches wide.  I just started making plaid churn dash blocks...and am having a blast with them!!  Remember those hearts I cut out a few posts ago...they wiggled their way onto a couple blocks.  I am so excited about this quilt!  hearts, plaids, scraps...what is not to love??
 I sewed together my version of Lori's newest doll quilt. Red binding is cut...I just need to take time and hand quilt this one, and it will be together.  I also am planning a bigger version of Lori's quilt too, and am in the cutting out phase.
 Remember the nine patches from last post?  A few leftovers became this...hmmm, the jury is still out on this one!
And another reason I am all jazzed up this morning?  This book!!  If I bought one book this year...this would be way up at the top of the stack.  I love each and every quilt in here!!  The author is Linda Koenig.  It is available I am sure everywhere, but the Lone Star House of Quilts has it...that is where I got mine.





Everyone, have a great day!  I have been called in to "take a heart"...that means recover a heart patient fresh from surgery.  It is challenging sometimes, but great fun and a great opportunity to connect with families at their most frightened...when their loved one is having open heart surgery.  Nursing is good!!




Hugs to all from Julie

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Nine Patch Trip!

 Hi to everyone!  I have been contemplating this nine patch quilt, and have settled on this arrangement. The nine patches are strip pieced, with some individually pieced  blocks too.  The pink is a favorite batik.  I was hoarding it...but why?  Use it up! (note to self)  Rosie the poodle was intent on rearranging these blocks, thus the ragged edges, so I took pictures quickly!
 Another view...
 Closer!
And now for some fun!  Red Brolly is offering a beautiful free Christmas stitchery pattern!  Here is my first block...it is of course different than the pattern.  Fun, fun, fun!  Thank you!



Julie

Monday, October 1, 2012

Scrappy nines!

 Good Monday morning to everyone!  I have had this ton of nine patches cut out for a long time...plus had some nine patches gifted to me.  So?  This weekend was the chosen time to Geterdun!  I think I have enough 3 inch nine patches for a full size quilt, so I just have to figure out how to arrange them and cut alternate blocks.
I have more cool colors than warm, so I will have to spread those warmer nine patches throughout the quilt.


They have just called me in to work, so off I go!!

Have a great day!

Julie

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Working on it!

Good day!  It is a good day, you know, for I am sewing today!  As many of you know, I am a heart nurse, working in CVICU.  I am kind of fixated on hearts!  I have made dozens of heart quilts...lots and lots.  Above is the latest muse, a plaid heart quilt.  I am working on the applique now, and loving it!
 These are a ton of little hearts, backed with steam-a-seam, that I cut out and can add to projects as the whim descends.
 A little Log cabin!  I started these blocks a while back, and love the red running through them.  So I thought it was the coolest thing ever when Lori of Humble Quilts started a quilt along, with a very cool old quilt as her inspiration! Please go and see it...a very neat variation on the log cabin!! So...I have to do that one too!  Please click HERE...you can start it too, as Lori is at the very beginning of her quilt along!!
 Barrister's blocks...trying to keep up, and I think I actually might be caught up, LOL!!  Love this square in a square!
 And this fun block too!  Nor perfect, but fine as frog's hair for me!
And speaking of frogs...this picture was actually taken at night.  Horrible quality, but this little friend sits in the same place, on the corner, under the street light, eating mosquitoes and buggies.  He is our good friend, and my dog and I greet him every night when we take our last walk around 10 PM.  He seems to be unafraid...


**********************Nurse's Notes*****************

A darling patient, with a recurrence of lung cancer was my patient this week.  So very nice...just a real gentleman of bygone years.  A Korean War vet.  Married for 57 years, with his wife right there with him after his surgery.  He complained of being constantly cold...so I brought him a string quilt.  I wish I could make for every surgery patient we get...but maybe if I could make one a month, that would be more realistic...I will try!!!

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Have a great day, all!!


Julie

Hexies, rainbow quilts and plaids!

Good morning to all!!!  Above is a hexagon, for English paper piecing.  My kitten Lucky has discovered them, and decided that they are great...