Monday, September 30, 2013

Fragmentation of efforts!! But lots of fun!

 Here I am, on the applique vines...the "Goose Vines" quilt!  Thanks, Victoria for the name!!  Thanks, Kathy, for the idea!  And thank you so much, each one of you, for sharing your expertise and ideas with me, for my quilts...each of you is so much appreciated!!  Leaves in my world I guess...are not just green and brown...but all colors!!  It makes it more fun, I think...purple and pink leaves too, LOL!!  These are starched edged, turned under, and will be ready to applique when the vines are done...which they are not.  I am working on them at night, as dear husband watches the news.  I sit on the floor and applique!  And try to ignore the politics, and world strife, and dept ceiling news, and government shutdown stuff.  Seems like I hear so much of this stuff, and not enough good stuff!  How about you??
 All the vines are prepared and pinned into place.
 Rosie is OK with it...she likes it so far.  Whew!!
 You know I could not stay away from the sewing machine long, so I am making little string rectangles to go with the flying geese sashings I started a few posts ago.  I love this stuff!!  I use every little string I have, and love, love, love using them!!
 I got my pattern!!  This is one I saw on Pinterest, and tracked down the designer, and ordered the pattern.
Here is where I am so far.  Not exactly following the pattern, but just using little blocks that I had in the orphan bin.  I love it!  My blocks are 12 inches finished, and now I have the pattern for more ideas for the blocks.  Love it!!  I just really like that the designer used so many plaids, hers is just yummy!





Everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful day!!!


Julie

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

 Thank you so much for all your comments and ideas!!I tried all the fabrics I have to try and make something work...and it didn't.  So...Kathy...your applique idea is on!!  I will applique vines in the plain panels.  Much more work than I had planned for, but hey...the quilt says "I want vines!".  Who am I to argue with a textile??
Another shot...

And then the border!



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


Well, I am trying something new at work.  We are getting cancelled or put on call (no pay) about one shift a week.  I just can't do that...I have worked full time since I was a young teen, and this just won't do! It is just eating through all my vacation time.  So...

I ORIENTED IN HOSPICE TODAY!!

A  new floor, a new idea, a new nursing concept.  NO crash cart, no monitor, no drips, no anything except loving care, pain meds, reflection of lives lived...so I will work there when they need me when I get cancelled on my floor.   I hope I do OK...


Julie

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Adding some more to the oldie

 Well. I found enough pieces and parts to make this many Flying geese blocks, and have them sewn together.  I found this piece of cheddar, and bordered the strips.  So...now what?
Hmmmm...I will have to think about this...plain strips in between??  Thinking!!!  and the border....


Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie

Monday, September 16, 2013

An oldie!!

I was rummaging through my little storage closet, and found these.  Flying geese!  Big ones!  Cut out for at least a dozen years.  Their time has come!  I have about twice this many completed, and am wondering...how does one set these together?  I guess a strippy set?  With what in between?

I just love to piece, it is a great relaxer for me.  How about you?  What is the most relaxing/fun thing about quilting for you??


Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie

Monday, September 9, 2013

Thousands of pieces=one quilt!

 Rosie, the quilt inspector poodle extraordinaire, was just heading over to check out this quilt.  She likes it, I think!  However, she is a tough critic, so the final evaluation is still pending.  Rosie is a huge joy in my life, by the way...she has become my child and darling friend.  Thank you, whoever dumped her out in our neighborhood...you lose!  and I win!
This quilt brings me great joy!!  Here it is out on the lawn, speckled with sunshine. Our grass is at last growing again, after the hot, drought days this summer.  The green is a pretty contrast to me.

This is my thing, this quilt with scrappy beginnings of blocks with baskets, and dreaming up settings and just seeing what would happen next.  I love this so much more than following a pattern to the letter, using one fabric line and one color way, matchy-matchy...I just love the craziness and joy of just creating whatever comes.  I may never win a big quilt show, or become a famous quilter of any sort, but I do love this so much!!  The big thing too, is that I feel like I created something from nothing, you know?  Little pieces of fabric, that would have probably hit the trash can in another house, are treasures to me!!

ON the other hand, I love patterns, and buy them when I can...but rarely follow them exactly.  I love that someone took the time to put their ideas into a solid form, and honor that.

Thank you to everyone who followed this quilt, and cheered me on!!  You are such fun!!!



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


I saw true love this week at the hospital.   It made my eyes just well up!!  Here is the story...

I received a patient from surgery, a total right lung removal due to cancer.  The patient was bald, just having gone through chemo and radiation to her brain for metastasis from her lung cancer. Four tumors in her brain.  She had huge sores and blisters on her forehead from the massive radiation...with pus and yucky all over.  She was incoherent and just out of it from surgery.  Then...into the room came the most massively huge man ever!  Her husband, he took her scarred forehead and kissed her so tenderly...covered her so gently...loved her so well.  He sat quietly by her side, advocating for her...loving her.  I guess you just had to be there, but it was just so wonderful to see.  41 years of marriage...married when they were just teenagers.  I loved taking care of this couple!  The patient woke up, and was just the most sweet, kind dear lady ever.  In her pain and stress, she always asked how I was;  how her family was.  Just a darling!!

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


Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Just using up more little treasured scraps!

OK, well, I guess I am going for a subdued look for this quilt...NOT!!  I am making scrappy sashing out of crumbs.  Using up those little bits! It is prettier in person...really!!  This is a third of the quilt put together so far.


Have a scrappy day!!

Julie

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Scrappiest yet!

Well, all that scrappy just screamed for SOMETHING to pull those crazy blocks together into one cogent whole...or not...  So...I put a little black border around each block.  I think it makes it look like scrappy blocks with a black border...SNORT!!  Really, I like it...and I am making scrappy sashing with red cornerstones.


So, how is your scrappin' going?  How is your day?

I hope it is terrific!!

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...